Session Anniversary 23: The Darkest War
Location: A Planet That Belongs to the Suisen Empire
The Aquarius is part of a battle to defend a planet in the Suisen Empire as a seed ship attempts to make ground once more. The crew decides to intercept when none others are in range to stop a seed that gets past the defenses. They manage to destroy the small seed ship and it splatters uselessly into the ship's shields. The team heads home.
Date: 10-641.8.30 (Months ago)
Lorelei's team meets with Shretrav to discuss what their next moves are. After learning of the current state of a Tsivrixsh Empire gearing up for war, they determine two things. They must sneak in to find their remaining Gods, as well they have to try and free a clearly kidnapped and shapeshift replaced Emperor Kyuun to hopefully avert a war with home. As they step out of their meeting they find Andrea looking out at the stars, saying the dear are restless. The Soul Engines appear to have been restored.
Date: 10-641.12.29
The leadership and heroes of the PAX are gathered to review the current state of the war, a war of attrition, as whenever the Dark Ones gain a planet they gain a new spawning ground and every time the Suisen Empire loses soldiers, the Dark Ones gain them. Tsukiyomi has returned, pissed over her dark fate and everyone decides what to do next. With Warren coming out of retirement he suggests they need a true target to buy the Empire time to recover. At that moment, Zephyr steps into the room and attempts to assassinate Angela, Xanatos warns her in time and they disable Zephyr, who it turns out is Dark One possessed due to the Soul Engine. Andrea takes her to seal her against the Dark Ones and she tells everyone the Dark Ones are gathering.
Deciding this location with the Dark One leaders may be the location of the Soul Engine, the group plans an all out assault on the planet hosting it. Names for the epic battleground are debated but Angela seems to win the day naming it Planet Bob. Better than Beefy, Xan. Honestly. The groups split into ships and the Suisen Fleet, with the PAX, moves to the Dark Planet Bob... or Nyx.
The Aquarius and the Tiger move out as the PAX fires it's ultimate weapon, taking out a fleet of capital ships but powering down as a result. The other ships defend the PAX as it restores power and from the bridge, powerful folks such as the Empress, Jaime, Tsukiyomi and the Spirits employ their powers to defend their home. Employing powers such as Ulieah's Death Summon, Kyouki's Dark Spirit Power and Amaterasu's sun powers, the PAX and the Iron Paw are somehow spared the assault.
A ground team fires to the surface from the Aquarius while the ship takes on a world seeder. Erica and Yuki, along with their crew, begin to employ all their skills to take down the dangerous speader of the Dark Ones.
On the ground, Dias, Marcus, Andrea, Angela, Sabrina, Sparkling, Noire, Reikana and Charlotte move into a Dark Temple to the seat of the Soul Engine. Here five powerful Dark Ones stand together in union, a powerful central figure with a powerful Dark Aura, two mystic twins, a beast, a familiar scientist and an assassin. Dias being Dias, charges right in to face the Aura user, while Angela takes on the Scientist, Sommelier, while sending Montana to go toe to toe with the hulking beast. The Magical Girls face off with the Twins while Marcus and the rest find themselves occupied with the assassin. During the fighting Andrea sneaks to the Engine and starts to destroy it, but is critically injured with the Dark Power during the fight. Charlotte and Noire attempt to take the power and turn it on itself, Charlotte knocking out and Noire managing the task.
As the engine blows, Aura is beaten back, the Beast is taken down and sent running, the twins are fended off and the Assassin seems to perish. Angela identifies Sommelier and he makes his own way out. Seeing Andrea critical, Marcus goes to retrieve her with the help of Angela and a sparking Montana. Noire is able to wake her but both seem drained, Andrea possibly permenantly, and Noire having to hold back a well of power she has taken in.
With victory assured, the Soul Engine destroyed, and the Dark One Leaders having some smarting injuries to rethink their strategy over, the group returns to the Aquarius, and the PAX, in victory for the day, the tide of the War seemingly having been turned for now.
On the PAX, Fate arrives bringing with her a teenage girl who calls herself Jikuu. Fate of another kind beginning to spin on it's wheels.
Session 479: Ad astra per aspera
Location: The PAX
Erevis, the Empress, and Lenneth hold a meeting in the conference room of the PAX with the various teams and Kane notes it has been some time since they've all been involves in areas outside their orbit, but with a war breaking out that will effect them all they need to be ready and coordinated. They address the points of the Dark Ones seeding the Cartel and Erusian worlds the most in an attempt to overburden them out of the fight, as well as increasing their forces, and Xeres notes she did not expect the Tsivrixsh would stalemate them and keep them from entering the fight. Lorelei announces her plan to send her team into the Tsivrixsh territory and try to destroy Amazo as well as open dialogue with the Tsivrixsh to see if they could be made to fight the Dark Ones, hoping if they manage it Erica could help. The Empress also makes Erica the Admiral of the fleet and offers to make the Aquarius stronger with Progenitor technology which she accepts. Warren plans to whip the group into shape to be mentally prepared for war while Andrea notes she will continue to search for what she is looking for with Marcus.
Date: 10-641.12.31
Location: PAX
It is the last day of the year, New Year's Eve, and it is a day of celebration despite it also being a somber day; Lorelei's team is deep undercover is Tsivrixsh territory, though some are able to be on the PAX for the holidays through their teleporters like Kaelan and Sudako, as well as the Dark One's army still growing larger by the day, but despite all this the team has gathered in Katrina's bar for some relaxation. The group talk and have their moments, like Adeline coming out in a sexy outfit and making Noire do her Student President job about telling her it is too risque, spilling some alcohol on the outfit, forcing her to change clothes; Charlotte and Jaime talk about Adeline and discuss how it feels like Jaime had a thing for Adeline as she steps out, noting Jaime keeping her eyes on her. And Yuki sits with Yurica as the two have a nice evening enjoying the holiday.
Andrea and Marcus share a drink, Andrea forced to look her age these days as she had no power left to "restrain" in teenage form, and the two recall the past and how they're getting older. Noire offers to eat her remaining power after Andrea talks about retiring, even as Kaelan arrives and lands on Andrea's lap, calling her Mistress these days, but Charlotte chides her and tells her no. After they all talk some more, Erevis steps in and notes a situation has come up, so they all exit and Yuki hands Yurica over to Katrina to watch over; on their way out, Katrina reminds them to try to return by midnight for the cake.
As they enter the Conference Room of the PAX, Warren watches them - judging them while the Empress breaks a game pad and have been joined by Cheryl, who appears to be back to her old strength and power these days compared to when she lost half of it to her duplicate, as well as Chii and Ben. After Marcus asks where Cherry is these days, it seems she has been training with the Dark Ones to get her powers under control. Warren begins the meeting by informing the team that the planets after the incident at Planet Nyx of the Planet Bob IV incident have begun to abandon some of the seeded worlds as well giving up ground to the Suisen to reposition their fleets, leaving a hole to do so; as Xanatos points out it will be a massive undertaking to restore those seeded planet so it might be a trap to give the resources to repair them as those worlds continue to creature supplies for the Dark Ones. After sudying their movements, the group determines they are working their way into Earth and the Suisen territories with a small fleet to either attack Earth, Yggdrasil or the Maka's planet.
They decide to deal with the splinter fleet that is heading into their territory that might be bothering Earth, Yggdrasil, and Maka when Noire ponders if she could eat the corruption of a seeded world, leading to debates of the matter. The Empress has Warren pick a planet and Id notes it will be exciting to watch, even if it might kill her, and Zephyr looks ready to destroy the machine. After some comments about Id being like Chad's alternate personality, Zephyr leaves to check on Aya, being worried about her these days. They all head off for their assignments, Erica being given the assignment of being in charge of the fleet, and as they leave the bonging of the clock signals the end of the year and the beginning of the new year. Xanatos chases after Erevis since she was at the meeting and gives her a kiss, Charlotte does the same to Ren who was still at the bar, Yuki tackling Erica to give her a kiss, Jaime summoning Gnome to kiss her then vanishing off somewhere, Warren holding a mistletoe over Chad's head, Cheryl, Chii, and Marcus go to the bar to talk about the old days of TAW4, and Yurica being left alone with the cake after Jikuu has some.
Date: 10-642.1.1
Location: PAX Hanger
The two teams meet in the hanger and Taiga agrees to use the Tiger Ship to take the one team to the seeded world while Erica uses the Aquarius to go protect the Maka Homeworld. While Taiga seems to still be suffering damage in her arm and hand from the battle with Lorelei months ago, she seems willing to help out in situations like this one. While Erica eyes Yurica being pudgy from the cake eating, Ben joins Erica's crew, looking a lot like Samson outside some differences these days, while Jikuu joins Taiga's crew. Both teams set off and Erica's group sets off for the Maka homeworld after discussing John's past ways with sexing everyone, much to Hotaru's disappointment.
Location: Cartel Planet
The Tiger Ship arrives over the seeded planet with a blackish and wrong looking surface that creates monsters and ships for the Dark Ones. They debate how to approach having Noire eat the planet since touching the surface is deadly to a person and risks turning them into a monster so Andrea gives them the opening they want and flies it to the surface, much to Taiga's chargin. After crashing onto the surface, it begins to corrupt the ship, but allows Noire to be in reach of the stuff without having to set foot on it; while Taiga shakes Andrea about and Id studies what happens next, Noire begins to do her thing with Charlotte joining her. Noire begins to succeed while Charlotte is knocked back, corruptive energy surrounding her, but she refuses to give up, trying again and again; as Charlotte looks worse and worse like she might turn into a monster, Noire continues to succeed so far.
Andrea takes the corruptive energy from Charlotte to herself, clearing her, and tells Marcus he should shoot her, but instead shares the corurption between the two of them. Noire eventually reaches her limit and collapses, having taken in so much corruption it knocks her out, but there remains a little corruption on the planet; who knows how her power will be, especially taking such crude like corruption into her. Charlotte tries once more to finish off the remaining little bit and finally succeeds, managing to restore the planet along with Noire. Emeralda notes they should get back to the PAX and see to Marcus and Andrea before they go insane and kill the team.
Location: Aquarius/Maka
The fleet has been set up around Maka with Erica in charge and they ponder what the Dark Ones could want with the Maka, feeling like they're chaging their tactics almost. Mireille wonders if she could be a magical girl and Cookie notes she technically alread is one. They detect a Dark One signature and Mireille enlarges it for them; spotting a tiny darkling ship sneaking onto the Maka planet, they note it's likely from a capital ship, but is too small to seed the world or do anything of the like. They note the Maka likely have already taken care of the problem, but to be safe they will head down there and check out the situation.
Session 480: The Rising of Kumen
Location: Geyze
It is a new semester here on Geyze, once more, and most of the popular teachers have left so the Academy has brought in replacements like Kito and Delgi to help out as well as Sylph, as well as a mean teacher that picks on Ruhi, Nell, Nella, Fae, Cloé, Cherie, as if he has it out for their group, but otherwise things are pretty much the same though the Hapian manor that was once used by Celes and her group has been abandoned. Asarar's group has begun to take up shop in Luci's club, taking up the hole left behind with so many people going into the past, they discuss taking over the manor and making it offical that they'll protect both Geyze and Kumen. While they discuss it,
Cloé shows her bad grades off to her parents due to the scary teacher, leading to a discuss between Bonnie and Chelsea about what is so important about school anyway. Logan takes the lead on getting the group a place to work out of and the Nymphs lead him to Sasha where they have a meeting; she offers the old Unit 6 Ancient Temple that they used to work out of as an alternate to the manor, which Logan takes back the offer and Asarar and she accepts.
The heroes' descendants patrol the area Ardea - the fire descendant, eyes Nicolette and Sparkling, Xucarr - the wind descendant, stumbles along, his weapon not glowing like the others, the young ice descendant magi - Linnet, hums as she is with the others. The other descendants though, being Shinobu, the Hapian family, Leaf, and Qui, are not around currently. While Cypher works on a robot that goes out of control, trying to impress Chelsea, and desroys a few things, getting chided by people, Cloé also feels less cool compared to the other children with all their abilities as people hang out at Luci's bar as they prepare to move into the temple.
Date: 10-642.1.1
Location: Geyze
The academy has new year stuff all over the Academy while it is on winter break and Asarar's group has set up at the the temple during the past months near Chelsea's shop, having incorporated it, her workshop now part of the temple and the upper floors of the temple the rooms where they stay. The lower levels are mostly closed off and guarded by robots by Chelsea and Asarar and where Ancient tech is believed to be located , but no one knows how to find it, and the upper levels have also been supplied with a teleporter to Asarar's bar on Kumen and Luci for some reason has set up a small bar inside the temple to make it more like their old club. While Nicolette hasn't joined the group yet, she is hanging out with the team in their conference room while Cypher gives Chelsea a present for her birth month and Kira discusses how this almost feels like their original set up long ago.
Asarar brings up Kumen on that note, discussing the changes Ymir and Ylva have been bringing up over the past few years, as well as Chelsea's visions, noting Ymir has had a finger on almost verything lately: building up the school security, weapons for the teams, and armor, as well as knowing most of their secrets. And it seems she is branching out across Kumen and had made Kumen City into a police state - a safe and pretty one, but one none the less. And the fact the Elder Spirits were on Kumen for a time and she might have information about them; added to that the problems with the Legion and other Kingdoms, it looks like a lot of problems are cropping up lately. Asarar also hands Nicoletette a note that informs her that the Dark Ones made an attack a few hours ago during the New Year last night, which lead to the PAX to send a force to Maka protect it. It includes an invitation to her to join them whenever she has time if she wishes. The groups split up for the time being to look into their cases, one group going to Kumen to check on Ymir and see what they can learn there while another group goes to the Hapian capital to see why they are building up troops and if the Legion/Hapian conflict is really something, or if Eve is pulling a stunt to seize power.
Location: Kumen
Arriving at the city, each member of the group has different reactions, especially in regards to the old Slums that now have people getting jobs lined up for them to improve their way of life, the city being improved with plant life and cleanliness, and corruption being down, but security being up now and scans being done on them and pat downs. The receptionist gives them some lip before finally calling up Ymir and giving their names, allowing them to proceed up to her. They arrive and Ymir hands Chelsea something as a present, an engine part that can help power up the Mew Mew even more. As they sit down to talk, Luci asks about the extra security leading to Ymir to state she is doing it to keep the city safer from invasions from shapeshifters and wanting to know who all comes into the city. Chelsea does warn about being careful and not falling into fascism, but that she believes in her despite that and wants her to be well, leading to a strange expression from Ymir, who admits she doesnt' feel that welcome around the team and might be a fascist, being like her father. Chelsea offers some fish cookies and Ymir loosens up a bit and promises to try to come around more.
Location: Hapian Capital
They arrive at the capital and find that the troop build up is indeed true and they arrive at the castle gates, but the guards are told that Eve will not allow any visitors to the princess. However, he does relent finally and allows Sasha, since she is popular in the Kingdom, to pass on a message to Selena and informs them that there was an attack on the princess and it is believed to be Sasha's mother. The guard takes the envelope and nods to Sasha and they decide to let it go for now and wonder what Eve is up to inside the castle.
Session 481: V.I Points of Intersection Part I
Location: PAX
After dealing with the corrupted Cartel planet and having Sammael burn the corruption off Andrea - carefully - and Marcus, the Empress checks in on Andrea, Marcus, Noire, and Charlotte to see how they doing in the aftermath of the operation. Discussing what the corruptive sludge is technically, being like sludge corruptive energy - waste corruption that can power Dark Ones' dark energy, but is simply a bad kind of corruption due to it's very nature; Andrea does note it has given her some power back, demonstrating her tail is back. Cuddles ponders what the Progenitor equivelent would be of the sludge like waste of the corruptive energy used to make the seeds, leading to the Empress and Erevis to glare, offended at the very notion there would be such a thing, while Chad ponders what the seeds would do to a Progenitor. While Chad points out his fear of the effects, the Empress notes it probably could kill a pure Progenitor; during all this Erevis studies Jikuu, wondering who she is since she hasn't met her yet. As some of them leave, Cherry enters to meet up with Marcus since he was worried about her and Noire is tended to but the nurses.
Location: Earth
Lemon holds a meeting to check in with everyone and see how Christina is doing after her mission with the PAX group the other day; she goes over how things have been going, such as the Cobalts taking advantage of the war, noting she is not sure which way they'll lean in the upcoming months. Kane's datapad alerts him to a Dark One inflitration vessel entering Earth's atmosphere so the team sets out to intercept it, seeing it land near Cran's military base that formed over the past few months as he's been brought back into the military full time. They use their new vehicle that can both fly and drive, made up with technology with Mew and Tiger, and set out, containing Spirit Tech and Progenitor Tech; Chad joins them as they fly off, Vesta piloting them out to and they ponder why a Dark One might be out there.
They arrive on the outskirts of a town near the military base with no signs of the Dark One vessel, likely cloaked, and after getting in touch with Cran about the situation, they set out to find the Dark One. Vesta and Tabetha are soon attacked in a building they suspect by a Venerator Intelligence, V.I for short, powerd up with Dark Energy from the Dark One that is no longer around. The team gets into a fight with the V.I, attempting to hold it back and stop it as it's abilities are powered up now. After knocking it into a building and Tabetha using her future vision to warn of some kind of trap, unable to determine what it is, Kane sends Idlet inside and the building detonates and collapses on it. They decide he likely went underground instead of jumping bodies and might be heading for Cran's base and prepare to follow it.
Location: Maka
Nicolette, Sparkling, and Sabrina join Erica's team after the events of Session 480 and have arrived on the planet to help with the search of the Dark One; the Makas having already destroyed the ship. They debate what the Dark One is up to on the planet and how to track it down while Adeline checks out the Maka outfits and Airym hooks up the Aquarius' sensors to help with the search. After Airym narrows the search down to an area without a lot of Makas, Hotaru, Erica, and Pepper note that it is something studying animal tactics or learning your enemy. They arrive on the outskirts of the city where there's more nature, caves and fewer hourses to be found and begin the search for the Dark One. They have Nicolette use her cards and due to some look she manages to find a direction for them to go - a Dark One stalking a vulnerable young Maka on the verge of falling into despair and helping push into becoming a Makai, then doing corrupting her into something.
They soon find the Maka's house with lots of dolls, but they seem more sinister along with a diary, cute little drawings begin to look more disturbed and unhappy looking, going from bright sunny days to unhappy days to depressing days. Id and Erica discuss Makai and their support system to keep Maka from becoming one as they look around the house as Adeline reads the diary. It leads them into the forest after they realize the Dark One reached out to her; Sabrina heads back to get more Makas to help out while the rest head into the forest. They soon begin to feel like they're going in circles, keeping them from progressing, and so the team works at breaking the barrier. Sparkling fires at the barrier and Cookie does her thing, letting the group rush through as fast as they can while Jaime attempts to keep it open for them to do so.
They find the Dark One over the Maka, on the verge of becoming a Makai, as it applies corruption to transform her into a Dark Maka any moment. The Dark One offers a truce, noting that while he rather have the girl as a test subject, he offers her to the group and notes he will retreat instead of fighting. However, Jaime continues to push the attack on him and so he activates the corruption on the girl, though Thena, Sparkling, manage to slow it down to make her a more incomplete Dark Maka. As the Dark One retreats and Sabrina arrives with the Makas, the Dark Maka goes on the attack against the team; however his escape stunted by Pepper and Jaime, so he joins in the battle. From there, the two go on the offense. Jaime manages to damage the Dark One but also gets corruption in her hyperspace as they damage each other. Hotaru, Ben, and Adeline press the attack after Jaime's hyperspace burns the Dark One, and Hotaru cuts the core in half.
Meanwhile the Dark Maka is supressed by Pepper and Nicolette uses her abilities to try to keep the darkness under control while the Makas help out, noting they need to take the Dark Maka to deal with her. However Nicolette refuses, believing there is still hope for her since she was forcefully turned, and so Sabrina convinces them to let her take the Dark Maka. Adeline muses on if the Dark Makas are the Dark Ones' answer to the Makas and Erica notes even if the Makas are prepared for the Dark Ones now, there are other planets with Makas as they give the Makas the tools to hunt them down.
Epilogue: The Dark Ones eye the information sent to them before the other Dark One died about how to make Dark Ones and they begin to bring up what planets where a Dark Maka could be created. And on the PAX, Lenneth studies the information about Venerator Intelligence being back and prepares to send out a team to help those on Earth as well as anyone else who might be available.
Session 482: V.I Points of Intersection Part II
Location: PAX
Athena shows off Concert Hall to Reikana and Kaori, explaining her hopes of using Reikana's singing abilities and Kaori's powers if needed as she shows off the concert hall transforming to reveal outspace and extending outward from the ship a little ala Macross. Athena reveals she has been experimenting with Song Magic as a weapon, studying the Spirits and how they gather the emotions of the people who worship them, and by turning using idols they can do something similiar. And hopefully the Song Magic can mimic their own version of the Spirit's magic and Athena can't engineer it to work she might need Kaori to help with her abilities. They prepare to get started.
Location: Earth
Lemon, Vesta, Tabetha, Kane, Reese, Chad, and Christina managed to take down the Venerator Intelligence briefly before it went underground after it was upgraded by the Dark One when they are joined by Jikuu, Noire, Charlotte, Andrea, and Angela. They discuss where it might have gone so Andrea scans the area and notes one of the Dark Ones left while the other has gone underground. As they talk, jeeps surround them led by Reploids like Blue, who scans Charlotte after she is brought up to speed about the Dark One V.I problem, picking up on something about her. Blue agrees to help look for the V.I here and leaves a Drill Reploid type to help dig and takes the others on her jeeps back to Cran's military base.
They meet up with Cole as they take up an elevator to meet with Cran in his tower where Anne is protecting him. There Cran and Chad get into their usual dance patterns of speech while they try to locate the Venerator Intelligence, Alexander Cran denying he has any experimental technology that would draw a hit from it. While most in the room find that dubious, or laughable, Charlotte believes Venerator is there to just wreck things. Chad suggests then it's Cran that it's after so making Cran the bait, which leads to Cran stepping outside into the courtyard, much to everyone's surprise, including Jikuu. Cran agrees that Venerator holding a grudge is odd to him, but that they'll see when he arrives.
Lemon and Kane lead their team, meanwhile, in the digging operation with the Drill Reploid, with Noire feeling out for Dark One energies to aid in the search. They decide it is indeed headed for Cran's location as they work their way through the tunnels and Kane finds their comms jammed when the Drill Reploid is attacked by a dark tendril, dragging it away into the tunnels. It looks like the real Dark One came back to nab the Reploid and retreated with it's body, but at the same time, they spot V.I scurrying along; Kane attempts to save the Reploid, but the Dark One creature slithers away too quickly. They decide to have Noire shadow port them to the surface to warn the others about what happened to the reploid and about V.I heading their way.
Location: Aquarius
The Aquarius has been re-routed to the Earth despite their having a Makai onboard - or since the Dark Ones turned her into something almost new, a Dark Maka. While Nicolette researches on what the Dark Ones' corruption can do to a person, Adeline and the others discuss the girl itself and if she managed to become a true Makai or if they stopped the process in time, because if she did become a Makai then she is doomed and nothing can save her. Adeline does point out she thinks that while the girl has corruptive dark energy in her, it is her mind set that matters to Makas. Sabrina then poses a rather odd theory of her's of forcing memories out of Makai, getting rid of their suffering and pain that made them fall into despair, to save them and Nicolette notes the dangerous path that could lead. As they arrive at Earth itself, they find their targets camping out at Cran's base and Sparkling promises to watch over the Maka as the group prepares to warp down to Earth.
Location: Cran's Base
Adeline questions Cran and the others where Kane is at as she and Nicolette arrive when Kane's team explode out of the group and land on Chad. A moment or two later, the Venerator Intelligence rises and a battle ensues, leading to the gathered heroes to proceed to attack him as he tries to nab Charlotte and take her and Zephyr, who arrived on the scene due to V.I being around. As the team damages it, it seems to try to nab them for "spare parts", pissing Charlotte off even more. There seems to be one moment where it tells Charlotte to "run", but who knows if it's your typical villain make your prey run or something more, before it's destroyed, the Dark One Venerator Intelligence destroyed. However, it is unknown how many more clones that were turned into them might remain out there. Meanwhile Adeline seems to be spasming due to being close to V.I, as if the infection she got from it years ago is acting up, and she winces in pain, so Kane demands she be examined, as well as Zephyr and Charlotte who have little tracking chips placed on them.
While Cole moans poor Drillbert who was taken, Nicolette has Andrea brought up to date on the Dark Maka situation. She gives an overall lesson on what corruption is for Dark Ones and how it works to give her an enlightenment so that they might find a way to help the girl. Noire suggests maybe helping purge/absorbing it and so Andrea notes they'll need a telepath as well. Andrea asks if she is a telepath and Jikuu admits that she is but didn't want to draw attention.
Location: PAX
Cuddles eyes everyone comes in from the mission, some to be checked out like Charlotte and Zephyr with their little chips, though the latter is still ignoring Charlotte, some like Kane with Adeline, and finally Andrea with Jikuu, Nicolette, and Noire. Kane turns Adeline over to Jennifer to check on her antibodies while he checks out Charlotte and Zephyr, finding a messages in the trackers on them from someone. It seems Venerator, perhaps the real Venerator somehow, left each of them messages, leading to Charlotte to confess that she is indeed related to Venerator and that she is a grandchild much like Stacey, but from another family lineage and Fox found her later, adopting her. Andrea and Noire work with Jikuu who keeps the mind stablized and they manage to get the corruption out and get a semi-normal Maka out. Now Zephyr and Charlotte have to decide if they want to act on their messages and Nicolette managed to save the Dark Maka (Harika Tatsu), who might not be so Dark anymore.
Location: Geyze
The Academy school year is in a new semester and Sylph has taken over Ellie's class for her, wearing a suit and presenting herself seriously, even having been given an apple by a student; meanwhile Asarar's group has taken over the old temple that Unit 6 once lived in after they were given the right to live in it by Sasha. Asarar notes the complete size of the place, saying she will map out the place for the team and assign rooms to everyone as well as mark areas of importance, while Cypher even connects Chelsea's garage to the temple since they work with the temple. While the team breaks down what they want to do with the space and where to place things, Sylph studies the weather after school when Terra joins her. Bringing Terra to the others in the temple as it picks up into a storm, she notes the wind is not listening to her these days. However a tornado touches down near the dorms and Sylph goes out to stop it with Jaime, but both are swept away with the power of the wind; the power goes out in the academy except the places that have some ancient back up like their temple.
Jaime brings Sylph back to the others and they plot how to stop a thing as large as a tornado and opt to just help with evacuating the people of the academy. As they are doing this, the tornado begins to chase Sparkling around, seemingly, causing Logan to grab Sparkling and run away from the school in the opposite direction. While Asarar tries to connect to the satalite over Geyze to learn more about what is going on, Sylph burns a lot of her spirit energy and manages to dispel the tornado, allowing Logan a moment to rest; however as she collapses it reforms on top of Logan even as Asarar and Kira connect. Sparkling and Logan take off again, with the former doing Maka bounces to get distance right into Luci's arms, while Cypher and Chelsea take to the Mew Mew to go help their comrades and deal with the Tornado. Even as Sparkling thinks she sees a face in the tornado, it attacks the ship as Luci flies into the ramp with the other two; Cypher has Aimée and Mélodie jump and the Mew Mew appears in space away from the tornado.
The tornado then begins to seek out Sylph after it fails to find Nicolette; the two forces collide, with it trying to take Sylph and the latter using a lot of spirit energy up to shrink it. Jaime seeks out if there is a controller of the tornado and fails to find one; meanwhile after encouragement from Logan, Terra seeks out Fae who was eating fruit and has her go fight the tornado. The six year old is defeated instantly and the tornado grabs Jaime since she keeps saving Sylph and Fae after it almost defeats the wind spirits, dragging her off. Bonnie steps up while Jaime uses the earth to keep herself safe and begins to attack with water magic to keep it busy while Logan calls Gale, the original Wind Spirit, to help out. She manages to cut the tornado in half and brings Bonnie back to the group, but the group notices the wind seemingly stops blowing. Logan searches for the thing he stunned in the wind with his shots, but there is no sign of anything where the tornado was before Gale sliced it in half.
Date: 10-642.1.10
Location: Geyze
It is the start of a new semester yet again with Sylph greeting a new class and things seem to be normal once more - even the wind is blowing again seemingly. Lumi sits with Asarar's team and informs them Princess Selena has responded them with a letter in code and after decoding it, they learn Selena is aware that Eve might be doing a power play, but for some reason is allowing it right now and for them not to not worry; she also informs that the Legion concerns might be legit. Sylph sits in on the meeting, drinking some beer, while Asarar and Logan note plans to work their way into the Legion to learn more and Nicolette states her concern about leaving Selena isolated in Eve's grasp. It is pointed out that Selena is the true queen and Eve is acting as a regency until Selena is felt to be ready to become the Queen and accept the responsibilities. Logan and Sylph converse on the nature of Spirits and people coming to them for their opinions on who should rule while the team splits into groups; in the background, Vyvy gets to know the Elder Spirits.
Location: Hapian Capital
They arrive at the castle where soldiers have been doubled for protection and Neekito leads them inside, even Vyvy joining them; the feeling of tension is felt inside the castle as the maids and Neekito lead them up to the top of the castle to the throne room where Eve Hapian sits in a chair next to the throne. Eve, having blonde hair and blue eyes, a stark constrast to the black hair and red eyes of the other Hapians in the family, is present with Selena and Luna. After greetings, Eve has Selena show them to their rooms and once in the rooms, Selena greets them more informally. Selena admits there was an assassination attempt on them, but she isn't sure if it was Sasha's mother or not; she admits that she believes someone is trying to start something between the Hapian Dynasty and the Legion, as well as the Legion and the Dark Lands, pushing for wars to break out. Confessing her concerns she isn't the best Queen and Eve might be better for a war time leader for the Hapian Dynasty due to her own lack of experience.
While Kira and the others give her encouragement and advise on what she could do to be a better queen during wartime, Luna simply drops a truth bomb that shocks Selena to the core: "Being older isn't being smart; some adults are really really dumb, but think they are really smart." After hearing Luna, Selena decides she will talk to Aska and summons her and Soren. After hearing Aska, Selena decides to become Queen and asks Luna be taken back to the Academy for her safety so Neekito takes her while the others approach Eve in the throne room. After informing her of her plans, Eve accepts it and announces she will set a coronation date, hiding a brief flicker on her face, and leaves to see to it, with the advisors congratulating Selena. Nicolette volunteers to stay behind and protect Selena until it happens as well and everyone gets ready to see if anything "happens".
Location: Legion Capital
Bonnie drags Chad Winters from the PAX as well as Darien and Ben to join Asarar and Logan
in their mission to learn what they can about what is going on in the Legion. They spread out to gather information and Chad finds military build up occurring protecting the city. Speaking with Salamander, they discuss if he is a shapeshifter and she notes she doesn't believe that is the case, but notes Shinobu hasn't been visiting that often the past few months. They also discuss if Salamander would support the military if they did bad things and she notes she would not.
Session 484: Where Even the Gods Dare Tread
Location: Suisen Territory, near the Tsivrixsh Border
Lorelei's team uses Iceheart's ship to travel to a planet near the Tsivrixsh border that is low on the technology side and they wait at a bar for their informant. As they drink their booze waiting, they ponder if it is a "bad guy" bar and Asha notes it is just a rough part of the galaxy. Soon Shretrav joins them and she studies Celeste and Thomas, taking note of their Templar-ness, before she conducts her business with them. She is dubious of them blending in with her people as only Erica managed to do it recently. Still Shion takes them to her ship where Shion and Lenny, Lenneth's granddaughter who has been taken over by the Heroic God, has joined them the team, loading supplies from Iceheart's ship to Shretrav's. Rachael takes one of her pills to keep her mental state under control, noting she has a whole bottle left and they take off for Cartel Space.
Location: Cartel Space?
Shretrav takes them to the war zone near the Cartel and Erusian space near the worlds that are being seeded to a world with a facility on an island with lots of oceans. Once there the team is led to a race that hides their identity with outfits who begin to do experiments on them to change their DNA temporarily to Tsivrixsh and make them appear to be ones. The facility even looks to be a mix of Cartel and Erusian and other races, though it lacks Susien tech. Ako opts to remain normal, not wanting it to mess with her manifestation which she figures she can maybe use to mess with her body if needbe later and Kellin also opts out due to his body make up. However soon a ship arrives to scan them, having come after Shretrav, so they quickly decide to deal with it before it escapes. Vesper and Valen flirt as the others take it out, but Shretrav quickly has them leave incase the ship survived the destruction and Durt scans the debris and finds a bounty hunter named Gravedigger was after her. Hoping whatever damage they did to the ship was enough, they jump to hyperspace.
Date: 10-641.9.13
Location: Tsivrixish Territory
The team is forced out of hyperspace by the blockade by the Erusians, since they do not have enough ships to stop the Erusians, they forcefully yank ships out to slow them down in the hopes of catching up and destroying them. Before they can get further into Tsivrixsh space an Erusian ship arrives to destroy them with Lenny insisting them do not destroy them since they are good guys, so they wonder how to stop them from firing on the group. Shion attempts to send a message psionically to them to see if it'll work and thankfully they seem to get it, firing and purposely missing, allowing them to jump once more deeper into the Tsivrixsh territory.
Date: 10-642.1.13
Location: Important Tsivrixsh Planet
The team has been working their way into the system planet by planet learning that the Tsivrixsh are gearing up for a massive war, with ships being built, the warriors training for war, the planets nearest to the Erusians building up bases, and it is likely the biggest campaign they have ever launched. Ako and Kellin wear a collars to show she is a prisoner these days, not yet having mastered a way to pass for a Tsivrixsh and Lorelei is learning how to speak the Tsivrixsh language; they debate what they should do with all the going ons, each with various ranks and Shretrav taking so long to get back to them. Kellin soon proposes perhaps splitting up to deal with all the problems of Amazo, finding Kyuun, and dealing with the war machine. They split up into two groups, one looking for Amazo and the other looking for Kyuun and dealing with the war machine.
Lorelei gives Kellin a list of planets to check out and they set out, though they find their IDs are no longer quite working as well as it did a few months ago. Vesper takes Sia and Lia and moves off to meet up with the group later while the others move to secure transportation. Kellin's team steals a ship and kills the pilot, and later the crew, and flies it off, which allows Kellin to fake being the captain later when doing his missions instead of a prisoner while Ako works on trying to manifest being a Tsivrixsh color. Shion, Ako, Thomas, Asha, and Michelle also join Captian Kellin while Lorelei takes the others off on her mission.
Fumoffu Christmas Special: A Dark War Holiday
Location: PAX
Despite being in the middle of the Second Dark War, the PAX is filled with Christmas decorations as is tradition and Katrina's bar has been set up to manage a large party for the various families as they arrive to check out the Christmas menu. Despite the fact Kyouki is missing due to the Dark Ones taking her, Erevis is attempting to enjoy the holiday as the Christmas menu is debated. Shion, Taiga, Ren, Thena, Si, Jaime, Noire, Kaori, Erevis, Rio, Charlotte, Angela, Michiru, Adeline, Andrea, and Hess enjoy the party that is being held and Hess is the only one not dressed up, doing an anti Christmas thing while Taiga is still showing signs of being injured from her fight in 475. Ren is also massively pregnant and everyone insists on having others help her do things since she is due to have the baby sometime in February. Taiga has Ben push a crate into the room and tree emerges with decorations of the various families; the Nue side of the trees with their family names and decorations. Kaori's names, Shion, Miyuki, etc, mixing with the Mizukazes since they're related and whatnot and the tree is combined in the various ways, with each family's type styles combined, and the lights and decorations, and presents under it for various people that Taiga bought.
Yurica takes the time to order sweets off the Christmas menu while all this is doing on leading to Yuki to bemoan that Erica will kill her while Christmas presents are handed out to people. Si gives Ren presents stuff to help with her pregnancy, Kaori's present from Taiga is a picture, framed, of Kaori, Hess, Yuki, and Ren from a few years back when they were younger, and more as each person hands off presents to the other. Charlotte promising a present to Ren later when others are not around, Andrea handing a book to Charlotte and something to Noire, Erica pulling Jaime to the stage and calling Isis to the PAX to begin singing anime songs with her daughters, and Ben and Shion drink together at the bar. Hess invites Kaori to walk outside of the bar to join her at the park, wanting to give her a private present without prying eyes of people like Ren who are watching them, so the two leave.
Erevis starts a chorus with Jaime and Isis, floating them up to dance with her. She pulls Adeline onto the stage shortly after as well to join them. Andrea spoils Kaelan and Noire with eggnog and Kaori and Hess attempt to escape from the Chaos. Cheryl stalks Ben as he spends time with Shion, but is unsure if the two are flirting. A Grunting, Glaring, Limping Santa who is assuredly not Warren at all begins to hands out presents to the kids, piling them with gifts. He is accompanied by Mrs. Claws, who is definately not Arhn.
Angela and Cheryl send an agent to investigate the Ben scandal while Kaori and Hess make out in a corner. Yuki is piled with presents and Ren, Charlotte and Noire have an exchange which seems to indicate something terribly, terribly not PG rated is going on. Kaori and Hess return in time for the gifts as well and Cheryl declares family time as the united families of the PAX exchange gifts and enjoy the holiday.
Location: The Academy
Ymir, Simon, and Id examine the Bix head as they attempt to bring up information on it while the team watches them work. She brings up what memory files she can that are not corurpted, one including reddish sky - unless the skies are part of the corruption - and a floating structure can be seen that is beyond technology wise found on Geyze today. The voices speaking over it sound familiar, perhaps the team's, before the next memory file shows Celes and Liana talking about something then Bix and Celes leaning forward plotting something before it ends. Afterward she manages the second of the memory files which shows Bix walking through a massive town and the the skies looking normal; the team is together and the town seems less advanced than modern Geyze. It is filled with lots of people and as they approach a plaza they see what looks like an Ancient Temple, much like what is found here; Lana is also walking along, her shadow looking off strangely. Ymir brings up the final memory of Chronos talking to someone and behind them looks like wasteland with broken Ancient technology and a war has broken out. They agree to try to get more of out of the ancient Bix head in the upcoming weeks before they leave into the past.
Date: Unknown. 12,000 Years Ago. Calendar Date Unknown
Location: Cave
Celes, Gwen, Liana, Ellie, Alita, Talia, Simon, BIX, Lana, Id 3,000, Ceilidh, and Neekito fall from the sky into the exact location they left in the present day, but there is no time portal present and the cave is pitch black. As the group uses their abilities to see or help the others to see, they find themselves in a version of the cave that is much smaller than the one before, but it has much more gems. They slowly work their ways out and find the landscape is much different than it was before with no sea and one massive landscape and trees before them, likely the trees being part of the Great Forest and some lakes here and there. Spending and working their way through the land from there as they get adjusted to the land, making camp and finding Liana catching a giant fish for the team to eat, they even spy a flying Ancient Temple in the sky at one point.
They soon find Autumn in the woods and talk to her, learning she has brought her monsters into the massive forest to set up camp. It seems Autumn has become prepared to spread her out her monsters in the forest and is prepared to hunker down and avoid notice from the Ancients. She offers what information she has to the team and Id gives Autumn a way to contact them as they prepare to move on; Neekito warps them to where the Academy was once located to, but it is clear the Spirit is much weaker for some reason despit the world being full of Spirit energy in this time period. They arrive at the grassy fields with some villages and they set up and talk to some of the people there until their translators manage to figure out their language - just in time as Lana insults the locals.
Due to Neekito's Spirit nature they are brought in and given shelter and they answer their questions of the area, but it is clear being simple villagers it seems they do not too much. They point them toward a major city and mention the Anicents, but it seems the people of this time period are not that knowledgeable. But they seem to have respect from the Spirits. Simon summons Chronos who does not seem to recognize Simon in this time period but after being prodded, she reaches into the flow of time and it seems to appear she might connect to her future self. Due to the connection and the fact she senses they are not from this time period, she agrees to help them and the next day she drops them off at a massive city by the sea, located at the place where the Hapian Capital is located. She informs them that they the Spirits have not yet completely come out to aid the public and are working with the Ancients only and they are located on Kumen. Giving them some coins to help them survive while she looks into it, Chronos leaves them on their own.
Timeline: 12,000 Years Ago. Ancient Calendar Year: Unknown Yet. 1 week Later.
Location: The Port City
The team has spent the past week learning about the city and the natives of the city that seem to have be being brought up by the Ancients education wise and technology wise, but there is little signs of the Ancients themselves so far in the city, as if they are an invisible hand. As they sit in their inn room they discuss the current age of Geyze and what is going on as well as theories as well as what is going on. They have found it is hard to use spirit infused magic and other powers due to spirit energy being low in this era, but those who are not tied to Spirits like Lana seem capable somewhat. They go over how to disguise themselves in this time period, mainly Bix and Id, before they set out - putting Bix in farmer clothing and Id as a crystal ball of sorts. While Neekito works to get their tea and clothing and other chores, seeing to their needs, they discuss if there are daemons in this time period and the team notes that they have not seen anything of the sort of cats or things of the nature. Each of the team members go over their objectives as to why they are here, before they set out.
As they leave they try not to get overpowered by the smells and the people of the era's bodily habits as they walk along, their translators in their ears slowly translating the language of the time better and better as time goes on. A man tries to sell them a device like is on the rich noble houses for what would be the majority of their remaining coins; he informs them it gives them power and looks skittish while they consult what to do. He pulls out various items for BIX while they do so, showing him the other things he has to sell like farming tools, masks, guard outfits, a strange chip, a worker card, one food ration, and so on. Id scans the items which causes the chip to make a noise and leads to the man to flee in fear; as Talia leaps onto the man, a mechanical being with wings lands on the ground and grabs the man along with Talia, taking them both. While they draw a crowd of eyes watching the man, Talia manages to warp to Alita as more of those creatures appear in the sky, perhaps drawn to them. They seem to hone in on Alita, Ceilidh, Id, and BIX, while Simon hears the crowd talking about a "crime" being committed.
The team scrambles to avoid the Ancients, or at least whoever the Ancients sent after them, by going through the alleys and buildings, to loose them amongst the crowds before they meet back up. They muse on if that was actually the Ancients as they come across a rather large noble chewing out a group of people; his clothing suggests he might be a precursor to the Hapians, leading to Celes to curl her lips. It seems the farmers owe the man money due to poor crop performance or they will be thrown off their lands by the end of the year. As the farmers begin to head towards their farms outside the city, Simon approaches them and begins to ask if there is a way they can aid them while asking about the winged beings from the sky, learning they live in the temples in the sky and came to Geyze long ago to help everyone. The team begins to aid the farmers and help them farm the land and make improvements to it over the day while Alita attempts to summon Undine, but finds nothing happens, discovering her pact no longer exists. Asking if Ellie feels Sylph anymore, Ellie informs her that she does not have a pact with Sylph anymore either.
As they talk about why Chronos' pact persisted and if Void's might still be around, a voice asks how do they know Aska and Chronos when their names come up. It turns out Gale is there flying by while enyjoying the wind. Gale talks about how she's just begun to lend out her power due to Aska's insist they should begin to do so and even then with people they trust. Gale informs Ellie that she smells like the wind as she leaves them and the team notes they need to becareful calling spirits, since that seemed to be what brought Gale over. The farmers offer BIX some spare food and a few coins and the farmers offer him a full time job. The team decides to sleep outside to save what money they have and look for jobs tomorrow in town.
Location: Port City
A month has passed since the team has moved into the City by Sea and have managed to learn that this is the Croza Era and the year is 19,965, indicating the calendar system is much different compared to what modern Geyze went by in the future. They also have learned the Ancients have been shaping Geyze for a long time as well as other worlds. The talent to use Magic is present, but it is rare and there is no such thing as Magi yet; those who have the "talent" for Magic and can use Spirit abilities are brought to the palace to meet the Ancients. And Bix has been working at the Farm to provide foot and money for the team while Simon has gotten a job at a book store. The group, still living out in the wilderness, has been having to rough it out and even Celes is tempted to see if she can cut her hair (despite the fact it will likely grow back quickly) due to the lack of proper hair products and cleaning in the river. With their coin down to just a handful left, they debate what they should do next as an Ancient Temple flies over head toward the forest area where Autumn is located and Id sends a warning to her to becareful as it appears the Ancients are hunting for her and the monsters.
Celes finally presents a plan to the team, though it seems to be full of peril - she will go to the palace and show off her talent with Aska's abilities in the Hapian bloodline, though it is nowhere near as talented as Selena or Sasha. This would allow Liana to become the head of the household while Celes is taken to be presented to the Ancients on Kumen, most likely, and with Liana becoming a noble they would gain the benefits of money, a house, and some access to information hopefully. Celes cleans up in an alley with Bix standing guard and puts on her best dress as the team heads for the palace. They are led inside the palace grounds where they are led to a much smaller palace than Celes' where the King seems to have the power, not the queen, and neither have red eyes.
After demonstrating what she can do, tapping into her light speed and using her Red Eyes, and using her Magic Shield, the King studies a book that seems to be something made of Ancient tech and looks up powers to see if there is anything like what she can do. Id subtlely records the device and it looks like he might trigger another Ancient Angel attack on the team as a light on the wall glows, though the King doesn't notice due to looking at the book, but Id stops in time before anything happens. After noting he has never seen anything like it before, and it looks like he might reject her anyway when Aska shows up and tells him to let her proceed. Aska studies both Celes and Liana, touching their faces, looking emotionless and ice cold, and tells the King to give them the money and fame they wanted. They gain a deed to some land to build their own property, some cash, as well as a yearly allowance, and can seek out retainers if they choose. As they are leaving the palace grounds, the team comes across robed people in a small building behind the palace, watching them as the gates close on the palace.
After debating what land they want to buy and where, the team decides instead to buy a place and settles on buying the small run down manor of the noble they encountered when they first came to the city who owns the farmland that Bix works on. As Neekito fumes at the conditon of the building and how he treats his two maids, they are led inside and meet the grubby noble and begin to work on him to try to buy the place, using the combined might of Alita, Lana, and Liana. After spending most of their money and making a deal to retain at least some of it, they manage to buy it AND the farmland as well, plus the two servants. They send up with 1,000 coins in all as it ends. They return to their campsite to get their materials and find Gale inside the tents who is there to deliver a message from Aska about picking up Celes tomorrow. She seems overly close to Ellie, noting she smells like the wind, and they talk to her about what Celes will be doing: going to train and learn about using her powers and more about the Ancients. As well as other worlds and whatever knowledge they have for those with the talent. Gale makes it sound like Celes will be gone for a long time. She hands Ellie and the others to bring her out if they want to talk before she leaves and the others note Gale might be attacted to Ellie due to her link with Sylph or having the Relic Weapon that belongs to Gale. After studying the map of Geyze and the landscape, comparing it to the present day one, it shows that there is a lot less variety and only 3 major cities. Lana ponders if there is anything in the middle of the 3 major cities, making a triangle.
Date: 19,965 Summer 8.18 Croza Era
Neekito has begun to buy basic furniture for the manor and one of the servants is around to help out as well as a worker is helping to repair the poorly managed manor. Aska appears as promised and questions them about various things until she grabs Neekito by the scruff of the neck, wanting to know who she is - sensing she is a Spirit. Even though Ellie states she is her lover and partner, Aska's response back to Ellie is only that she is shade of a shade; a mimic of a mimic. Aska takes Celes and leaves and the group is up with Aska, some thinking she disliked her since she is a rogue Spirit in Aska's eyes. Neekito notes she never got the feeling Aska disliked her in the present, though it seems she might be hiding something. The group makes plans to prepare to move forward now that they have established themselves as nobles.
Timeline: 19,965 Summer 9.12 Croza Era
Session 488: The Order of Spirits
Location: City by the Sea
With an established house thanks to Selena volunteering to subnmit to the Ancients for training, the group is now finding their place in the city as a noble family. Working various small jobs to make ends meet, they are still hard pressed to even earn enough to eat, significantly setting them back in searching for what they need to finish the time machine. Simon mentions needing Compressed Silicate, which Lana explains is just glass, but it's also well known that glass is a luxury in this period.
Everyone suggests what to do next, from just abandoning a base to search elsewhere to Alita's thought that they may as well give themselves up to the Ancients and get to learning what they need to know. This is probably though, due to her personal frustration at having to hide what she is. They do have one significant move they can make though, as a festival designed to introdece the Spirits to people is underway and will allow them to get to know the Ancient Spirits and learn more about what they can no longer remember in their own time.
First the group visits the Spirit Enclave, a group of people already devoted to the spirits and summoning, though many admit they do not have pacts. This precursor to the Summoners seems to be their best bet at intel and the man they meet there tells them what he knows of each spirit, which turns out to be fairly simple info. But what they do learn is that unlike in their time where the Spirits are revered like gods, the Spirits now are more or less considered a serving arm of the Ancients.
When attending the festival they meet the spirits again for the very first time... or rather, the first time in this timeline. Eyes crossing at that statement aren't unreasonable. Simon identifies a problem, pacting with any spirits outside Shade, Aska, Void, Chronos and Pyro may lead the group to get involved in the inevitable war. Alita, who had already pacted with Leviathan by the time this comes about, may have explained why Leviathan was so unhappy with her in the future. Talia pacts with Pyro, keeping only to the "safe" spirits, while Alita also bonds with Shade. Lana forms a relationship to Shade and Simon suggests that Alita also link to void. The others seem hesitant to bond, for now.
Timeline: 19,965 Summer 10.10 Croza Era
Location: City by the Sea
As the weather begins to ge a little cooler the team wonders how hard the upcoming winter will be for them to deal with as Gwen has delivered some food from his daily hunting and Bix is around since the harvest is done for now. While everyone points out how tired Neekito looks lately, she dodges their questions but lets Lana answer the door where she finds a frail looking servant. After Lana calls out Lady Liana, the servant announces she is there on the behalf of Lord Mal'oy who is there for any servants she can spare since they pledged to help the city the other day. While Neekito seems soured at the name and how similiar it is to Malfoy, informing those of her history with him, as they move outside to join the servant; she leads them on a long walk toward where nobles, servants, and other citizens have gathered around Gale, Pyro, and Gaia, with some having little devices on their clothing. After Mal'oy chides the servant girl, named Sophia, for how long it took, but Liana steps in to defend her, leading to a brief stand off between them.
The Ancient Angel, or what is assumed to be one, appears to be mechanical with spirit tech or something more advanced; it shows the team a rabid monster while Gale explains that they appeared in the forest near there and are not native to Geyze. Pyro explains that they plan to destroy the monsters since if they leave them alone they could overtake Geyze and destroy it one day. The Ancient makes the monster vanish while Pyro goes ahead to join Aska who is off destroying the mosnters already. Gale offers a pact with Ellie if she wants one and the two touch hands, but it is unknown if the two actually manage to pact. The team debate Autumn and what this means and how to contact her; after turning down an offer from a man with a badge on his clothing for help to reach the forest, not trusting his transport magic, they have Neekito transport them to the forest, which seems to tire her out.
Autumn contacts them about looking in the sky where they see Ancient Temples flying overhead and vaporizing portions of the forest to wipe out the monsters, much to the displeasure of some in the group. After being asked about her monster, Autumn notes that it is likely because it was taken from her and messed with it. Liana points out to the group that Autumn is not exactly their ally, but neither can they let the forest be wiped out either, but Autumn seems to be talking to Id about wanting to get her monsters moved to the Dark Lands for protection and that what she is doing is almost completed and it'll be destroyed if they are left here. Id talks about sacrificing himself while the three spirits appear, Gaia moving off to save as many trees as possible, Pyro moving off to monster hunt, and Gale musing what to do.
While Id prepares to sacrifice himself, Alita and Simon call forth their spirits - Simon calls Chronos and Alita calls Shade. While Chronos seems to know what is going on due to her time powers, Shade seems unconcerned with the destruction of the monsters until they begin to tell her what is really going on - time hijinks and all. It seems to backfire somewhat as while Chronos vouches for them, Shade seems displeased at their actions, and notes to consider this their only favor from her and that Chronos will have to answer to her later as she vanishes to help Autumn and the monsters. While Shade is doing that Chronos checks on Liana until there is some noises nearby which causes her to vanish from sight; as they continue to talk about Autumn, Mal'oy appears with Sophia and his people. Vowing to report them all to the Ancients for their actions, and having stolen Ancient tech in the form of Id, when some monsters attack, having been driven by the fire. After the team deals with them and Mal'oy's people are taken down by them and some help with Pyro. Afterwards it leads back to the problem beforehand, but he opts to leave with Sophia than press it for now. They manage to return home as the Ancients' attack finishes and Gale greets them there before going inside their house.
Date: 19,965 Summer 10.20 Croza Era
Location: City by the Sea
The city afterwards considered the mission a nice successful mission for Human/Spirit relations and Liana would learn Mal'oy apparently has no talent what so ever, but one of his brothers did as well as a cousin and some other family members, allowing him to gain a mass fortune which means those other mages likely were family members; one or two servants with the talent have also joined and worked for him under his Family Crest, leading to their their families rising in "honor". While Liana ponders about him, a telegram arrives for Id from Autumn telling him to come out to where Shade's grotto will one day be in the Dark Lands and meet with her. Gale kidnaps Ellie and brings her to a spot with view of the palace, offering her food, and telling her she thought she would check in on those she made pacts with and see how they are doing. The group prepares for the trip to the Dark Lands while Gale and Ellie talk and Gale promises to check on Sophia and Mal'oy while they are gone, bringing Ellie back to the carriage.
Timeline: 19,965 Fall 11.5 Croza Era
Location: Traveling into the "Dark Lands"
The group travels to what will one day be the Dark Lands to check on Autumn and the progress of moving the monsters there, thus preserving the Daemon Kingdom's future. Along the way the group is accosted by wolves who are acting strangely. After warding them off with fire the group continues to the young version of Shade's Grotto, where they find the spirit and the monsters. Here Autumn lets them know things are going along well enough, but Ceilidh is lost inside the grove. The group goes to investigate and moves through a group of monsters, but not before Talia makes friends with an Ogre.
They find Ceilidh in discussion with a progenitor of the Werewolves, calling himself Mighty Wolf. He tells them his fear of the Sky People and reveals that since Autumn arrived, he and other monsters that were already present have flocked to her side. Ceilidh is given a token of the Wolf's affection after learning he cannot use her to breed with. After checking once again with Autumn and Shade, the group heads back home.
Date: 19,965 Fall 11.10 Croza Era
The group arrives just in time as their carriage quits on them just as they arrive. Talia mourns the loss of Mr. Carriage. They enter to find Celes is home and has much to tell them of the Croza, their vast empire, and how the spirits of Geyze are just one set of many, most far bigger and far more powerful than them. The key thing they do learn is some sort of internal struggle is brewing, and the War of the Ancients may already be upon them.
Location: PAX
It is a normal day, despite the ongoing Dark War going on, at Katrina's bar as the people inside enjoy a calm moment. Erevis with her sake, Thena imported giant fish from Geyze, Adeline judging Thena, Jaime sipping tea, Alouette serving as a waitress, Ama joining Erevis, Tsukiyomi following Ama, Kaelan coming out of Tsukiyomi's tails despite being in Tsivrixsh territory, and Noire coming in to try the fowl. Ama and Erevis discuss the white streak that Erevis has in her hair, it re-appearing in her hair since losing her power, something she had long ago (See Erevis the Progenitor Season 1), and Erevis notes it is fine and seems to enjoy cuddling Ama while Tsukiyomi fusses over Kaelan. Despite everyone enjoying everyone's company, soon on the datapads a beep comes over from Taiga to former Fumoffu members on a new number asking them to come to the club for some reason while Tsukiyomi huffs at Kaelan using her as a shortcut to the PAX and Ama comforting her.
A few of them decide to check it out and find a dusty, run down club that hasn't been in use since Session 475, having fallen into disuse after Taiga's injury in her battle with Lorelei. Adeline eyes the club with Jaime as Zephyr joins them and Noire finds a folder on a table, a chair facing away from them as someone sits there hiding themselves from the team. Taiga's voice can be heard telling them about their assignment which contains EarthGov reports during the Dark War from scout groups encountering a group who they believe are subdueing a paranormal subject; they escaped before they could look into it more and EarthGov, focused on the war did not look into it more. There also appears to be more reports about supernatural beings being taken and a group equipped with paranormal talismen and other equipment. After asking Taiga, despite not seeing if it is her, where Si is at the warbled voice notes she is looking into other matters.
The group decides to turn to Kitsune Udon for more expertise and head out, with Adeline stopping back by Ama and Erevis at the dining hall where Adeline asks for some blessings in the chest department. Afterward, they head down to where Kitsune Udon is located at the security hall and meet up with Kitty. Adeline stays behind to go over Kitty's files to learn all she can about the supernatural while Kitty listens to the case and before going to the location Taiga gave them, she asks if they are sure it really is Taiga that gave them the assignment. While doing this, Selena and Nicolette join them, since Nicolette also received the Fumoffu call and while Kitty calls Taiga, they are brought up to speed as Kitty gets in touch with Taiga; after a bit of back and forth, they learn Taiga did not give them their assignment. After learning about everything is going on, Taiga soon joins them, looking somewhat peeved at being impersonated, but curious about the case, and they all decide to go to the location together.
Location: Earth
The group finds themselves on a road outside some woods on Earth after tracking their lead. After no time at all they find a cold spot when following some footprints and Noire is visited by the spectre of a woman. She reaches out and touches Charlotte, giving her the vision of men with spirit tools grabbing something out of the swamp and leaving with it. The group resolves that they need to capture this spirit catcher, though Si has he own theories involve Bears and Sharks.
After searching several other spots and finding evidence that someone was napping spiritual items all over, they finally zero in on their last location, a shrine which appears to contain spirits. The group working together is able to break a spear that is holding the spirits in place and free them, but fail to find who these spirit nappers are.
After returning to the PAX, they find that the Mysterious Maybe-Taiga is in fact Ren, and no one is surprised. The group agrees to let Ren run the group for now while Taiga reels from having her team stolen by her daughter.
Session 491: Something Stirs on Geyze
Location: Hapian Castle
It is the day Selena will become Queen and things seem on the verge of going out of control as leaders from the various Kingdoms and elsewhere arrive, Eve raises the guards, and friends and family arrive to see Selena's big moment. Asarar's team sit in one of the guest rooms pondering things in the Legion, they go over everything they know so far, as well as the various war rumors between the Kingoms of the Amazons-Dark Lands-Legion-Naturalists. While Selena bemoans the dress to Nicolette, Sasha, and Neekito, Sparkling and Jaime step into the room which leads Nicolette and Neekito muse on security. While Neekito goes to check on Asarar's people and the leaders, taking them to their seats, Selena gives Nicolette a gift of a new outfit styled after the one she has currently; stronger than her current one and styled after the Hapian colors. Jaime also gives a bracelet of flowers to Selena who thanks Jaime for it and promises to wear it.
Eve shows up and the coronation begins with Jaime and Sparkling moving to their seats and Nicolette and Sasha walking with Selena toward the throne room where Eve awaits to transfer power over to the young queen. Already there are all the leaders like Mykel, Shinobu, Leaf/Cassava, Ymir/Ylva, Helen, Kalam, and so on as Selena arrives and advances toward the throne where Neekito joins them. After saying her vows, Aska transfers power from Eve to Selena and Selena does a brief speech to the leaders and her hope to bring unity to Geyze, especially with all the troop build up lately, as food is served and people move to the tables; Eve however leaves the hall and goes her own way. Selena returns to her room to change briefly when she notes no guards are present at her room and Sasha and those with her feel uneasy; Sasha takes over and opens the door first and soon finds Eve dead in the closet, a knife in her chest with Selena's fingerprints; at the same time, Nicolette notices Ymir and Ceilia also have left the dining area.
While Nicolette attempts to distract those in the dining hall, Sasha gathers the guards and attempts to figure out who killed Eve Hapian as Rain joins them as does some of Asarar's team like Luci. While they investigate the murder, the team wonders if it is Hunters or someone else, while Sabrina notes she felt God like pings, but something was off at lunch hall due to the same ping being in 3 different people. Selena soon returns to the lunch hall while they gather the investigation squad gathers their evidence and it looks like someone came in from the balcony and torn piece of their flimsy dress. Soon the guests begin to leave after leaving gifts for Selena and the group finds some of the gifts have traps in them from Mykel, Shinobu, and Ceilia to either poison her or stunt her powers, or something else they cannot determine without more investigation so Asarar gets on that; at the same time Sasha's investigation points that Ceilia might be the one who killed Eve but she seems to have gotten out of the castle. Selena decides to press on with the meeting with the various leaders.
After some talking and pressing, Shinobu and Mykel promise to pull back their troops and they leave and Qui promises to look into it and talk to the two leaders to see if she can learn more about what is going on for the team after they leave. Rain goes to talk to Shinobu and see what she can learn about her Empress as well as she leaves and things seem to be looking up as they decide to have a sleep over at the castle. Aska takes Selena during the night to give her some special powers, unlocking more of her Hapian bloodline now that she is queen, so she can access more of what is inside herself. Sasha also soon goes through Eve's room and finds that Eve was looking into the Legion and Dark Lands, finding what looks like the two powers began to act strange a few months ago after a few odd storms and after that the two leaders began to build up their armies almost like they are different people. Studying the documents and proof Eve has gathered, Sasha settles herself in to follow what the advisor was looking into that might have gotten her killed.
Fumoffu Session 27: The Jersey Devil
Location: PAX
Taiga and Ren have a Hess shaped cake before the club for Hess' birthday and Kitty proclaims being uncomfortable with the idea while X holds a knife, debating cutting into it so no one can eat Hess' breasts. While Taiga and Ren proclaim they are both innocent of the matter, Tsukiyomi leads the charge of getting some cake, followed by Noire, then Kaelan and finally Si as she passes out slices. And then finally a Chibi Thena leaps out of the cake, exploding it as she takes a slice, making Charlotte judge her. Kitty finally just calls Katrina and gets new cake to go with the pizza that is coming as Hess and Kaori arrive upon the sight of madness. While they settle down to eat the pizza and cake, Taiga bemoans getting old as she tries to keep up with this group as they enjoy themselves. Eventually Ren brings up the case as she brings up cabin in the woods and the strangeness going on there. The team debates going on the camping trip for Hess' birthday, but forbids Ren from going since she is ready to pop the baby any day now. Resigned to having to stay there, Ren gives Noire the camping gear and some camera stuff so she can observe them.
Location: Forest
While Ren assures them there is no Wiendigos as they trek toward the cabin, leading to Charlotte to ask how dangerous Wiendigos are really and getting answers from everyone about they should avoid them. They arrive at a beautiful cabin in the woods overlooking a pond and they all settle in while Hess checks the holonet connection and sees it is working good. After Noire finds no secret basements and they all agree it feels more like a nice vacation spot, they all settle into the cabin before nightfall until there is a sound at the door trying to get inside and Michiru's name is called out creepily. After opening the door they find Locket who followed after Michiru, hearing about the trip and wanting to join her, the two hugging each other and promising not to be seperated again.
Soon the sun begins to set and Iko makes everyone food as they all settle inside the cabin with Ren watching on her camera set up. Kaori and Hess huddled up beside each other and Taiga and Si next to each other and Locket and Michiru and so on until there is a coppery blood smell that makes the team begin to look into the situation. After making sure the fridge has no bad food, they peer out at the waters and see something by the treeline near the water that looks all jerky movement wise until it moves off.
After agreeing to not discuss the actual cannibal who shall not be named three times in mirrors, don't try it trust us, the group begins to split and search the house. Some stay behind to clean out the house while some go outside to look around. After investigating a noise, Locket finds footprints, though they oddly appear to be hoofprints.
After a bit more searching things begin to become weird...er than usual. The Fridge becomes menacing and Kaori starts to act strange. This becomes troubling after Michiru finds a second Kaori upstairs absorbed in playing a game. After communicating this, the group has to figure out which is Kaori and which is a... hooved supernatural creature. Needless to say, ellipsis are highly called for here.
X and Kitty spot a figure in the yard and leap down upon it to find they are being stalked by a chupracabra! At least that's what Thena thinks, actually it's the Jersey Devil. Chupacabras eat goats, they aren't goat demon things. At any rate, Bigfoot is found innocent. The group slaughters the thing pretty quickly and in a rated R manner.
A few hours later, and quickly forgetting all the weirdness they didn't solve, the group enjoys a meal and begins to relax with a second Jersey Devil comes for them all. Or rather, it comes for the corpse of it's dead mate. Still after that it comes for them! They nearly kill this one by Noire demands they take it prisoner so they do. They decide in the morning to stop the trip and find something to cleanse their minds of the entire cabin in the woods incident they probably should have seen coming.
Location: PAX
The group is gathered to discuss the state of the war. At this point the Dark Ones have made a strange change to their attack plans and have completely abandoned attacking the Cartel, instead they press their advantage entirely on the Erusians, the Suisen and Earth. The move appears to be a dogged push towards Earth while allowing the Tsivrixsh a quicker time frame to join the Dark Ones in their push on the Suisen Empire.
Empress reveals that she has a final trump card if the Dark Ones swarm them, a powerful strike the PAX can launch, but the price would be the destruction of the ship and their homes. Everyone is naturally reluctant to use this option, but Jaime comes up with the idea of using the alternate timelines they've been able to access to look for a version of the PAX that has either been abandoned or never found. This gets Taiga going on a project to do just that as the rest refocus on a battle plan.
Noire suggests weaponizing Hyperdrives, and Jaime alters an alternative of trying to turn Hyperspace against the Dark Ones as they travel, both of which have some promise, but no practical application. For now one decided thing is agreed on, the Soul Engine, wherever it is, must be destroyed. Angela suggests employing a ship she designed many years ago, but was lost and then found but to be destroyed. Ben, Cheryl and Angela head out to locate the remains of the Epsilon and recover it to rebuild the Beta Carrying battleship.
Taiga brings up a good point in that they could reach out to the Templars for help. This ends up being the start of a plan to contact them and bring them into the battle. Thomas, the Templar, agrees to go and see about this. How or why he is there while he is supposed to be with Lorelei, no one knows... or at least realizes something might be wrong. Jikuu meanwhile shows off knowing more than anyone should again and being totally not a suspicious girl from the future. The Geyze party returns back to the planet to deal with Selena's issues, while the rest of the PAX teams prepare for war.
Back on Geyze, Selena, the Cypher Group and Lumi meet to discuss their next steps. Thena inviting herself into the effort to track down the mysterious God figure possibly loose on the planet. The group discusses the rather odd actions of their allies in neighboring countries before deciding to work together to try and sus out the imposter amongst the rulers.
Session 493: Covert Operations
Location: Tsivrixsh
Michelle, Kellin, Ako, Thomas, Asha, and Shion are currently on a mission to try to find Kyuun in a prison world, and if that fails, clog up the Tsivrixsh war machine, however how Thomas is also here has yet to be addressed, though the team does not know there are two Thomases running about (See Session 492). Using the ship they took last time (Session 484), Kellin has been nominated Captain as they head for the third planet after striking out twice so far; in the meantime Thomas has been using his datapad doing something the past few weeks, looking like he has been controlling something/up to something until the team makes him put it up and focus on the task at hand as they arrive at the planet. The prison planet is full of toxic atmosphere that destroys anything that comes in contact with it, including ships, making escape nearly impossible; they decide to land despite it and Kellin has Shion pose as a prisoner so they can get waved inside despite there being no prisoners being delivered, which gets them inside. As they are told to wait for the Warden, they decide to explore further inside while they have the chance.
They soon find a guard station protecting the only entrance into the prison, complete with a camera, so Shion transforms out of her fox form and moves over to seduce the guard, using her Kitsune charm, despite all of them looking like Tsivrixsh right now. After managing to distract the guard and knocking him out, she tries to figure out how to open the door for the team and alerts the base for a second or two before shutting it off. As they are all brought inside, Thomas moves over to a massive computer that he informs Kellin is only as powerful as a datapad then looks up the prisoners, telling them that there are two suspicious Tsivrixsh prisoners, one named Ka'pla the other Cassius, an Earth named for traitors in some circles. As well as a cartel spy named Bob and some Earth prisoners named S. Wolf and a doctor named Carter, who Michelle wonders is Levi Carter who was believed to have died in TAW5 Session 150.
The warden walks by and Ako and Asha urges them to duck down until they pass, leading the group to prepare to move deeper into the prison when the alarms go off as they realize the team is not where they suppose to be at. They prepare for a fight as they get ready to run deeper into the prison.
Location: PAX
Erevis, Ren, Selena, Jaime, Marcus, Tabetha, Noire, Charlotte, Id, and Jikuu watch as Taiga puts the finishing touches on the prototype probe that will be sent out to find an alternate reality PAX that is not being used in a reality that does not need it anymore. Taiga tells Marcus to use it far from the PAX so it can't be traced back to them and gives it to him, so he takes it to a Gear to launch it; Selena notes that all of the group is amazingly strange with how they approach problems. Erevis warns once again to not have the Empress find out what they are doing. At that moment Erevis gets word that the Dark Ones managed to pierce through part of the Suisen Allied Forces front lines, crumbling that part of the lines; now spearheading deeper into Suisen/Earth territory, the Dark Ones are now able to strike at areas like Gitari and soon Earth. Meanwhile, the Cartel/Erusian/Suisen forces are preparing for their secondary front to crush the Dark Ones that were left behind.
Selena leaves learning that Geyze might be in danger soon as well, having come there to get some help for her problems on Geyze with her people acting strange, wondering if it is Hunters or something else like a God. She decides she needs to talk to Ymir after all since Ymir has been working with PAX technology and might can help. Erevis decides to go to the front lines to see if Xanatos is okay after the crumbling of the front lines and Charlotte gets a package from Venerator, though the handwriting is a little different: receiving an upgrade to her weapons to make them a little stronger. Indicating he's still reaching out to her. The Empress decides to grab Jikuu after running into her, and learning that she is likely from the future, meaning she is a "Seer" of sorts with knowledge of the future, making Jaime flail after her as the pre-teen is dragged off to be the Empress' advisor.
Location: Kumen
Selena leads a small group up to Macross HQ to meet with Ymir where they muse on Ymir and what she has been up to lately and after getting past the lady at the front desk, they ride up the elevator to her office. Cypher comforts Chelsea and they arrive at the office, meeting Ymir and Selena reaches out for her aid. It is clear there is still some tension between the groups, but Ymir agrees to look into the wind that changes people as well as how it might be changing people. She also drops some hints that she might be looking into spirit tech, having helped with creating spirits for Kumen, and Asarar wonders if she might be linked to the Original Spirits being on Kumen and Ymir. After getting Ymir's agreement to help and learning that Chelsea's mother, Caesune, has been working for Ymir on projects to do with medical and Bio-tech related stuff, they all leave. Will Ymir be of help, or hinderance?
Session 494: War - What is it Good For
Location: Tsivrixsh Prison Planet
Kellin's crew is holding up in the security room when the door begins to get pounded on. Thomas continues his work on the security system as a huge Tsiv Captain busts in and the group has to fight to keep him back. Michelle gets a sticky shot off and the group runs for it into the prison as they head for the cells that Thomas identified as possible candidates. Among them they find Cassius, a strange boy with supposedly powerful psychokenetics and Ka'pla, a Tsivrixsh woman who promises to lead them to Kyuun. When others hear that they are going to take Cassius too, they decide they'd rather stay behind and the group makes their way out with Cassius and Ka'pla in tow.
Date: 10-642.2.1
Taiga is working on her probes to go to another timeline and is finding herself having issues getting them launched, suspecting sabotage. Si goes to check to see if Chad is involved as Taiga and Marcus try another launch out of range. Their efforts are all cut short when the Empress recruits them and others to answer a call of emergency. It seems Andrea has gone missing and those who went ahead, such as Erevis, Kyo and Xanatos are in need of assistance. Empress gets them on a shuttle and heads out.
Date: 10-642.1.30
Out at the front line, said people are struggling to hold back the tide as the Dark Ones have broken through the line and are escaping deeper into the Suisen territories. The group agrees on one thing as things begin to get worse and things truly go to hell, the seeder ship has to be destroyed.
After some searching of the ship lanes the Dark Fleet has gone through, the Front Lines team manages to locate what they think might be the Seed Ship, unfortunately it also comes with the heart of the enemy fleet.
Date: 10-642.2.1 (present)
The search party comes out into a system following the call from the Front Line teams after picking up Lenny and others who stayed behind to cleanse a planet. Here they find the Aquarius in distress as it closes it on the Seed Ship. Dragoons taking to Space including Angela, Cheryl, Hotaru, Si and Taiga as well as several Betas move in to guard the Aquarius and check on the crew. With a concerted effort the teams are able to greatly damage the Seed Ship, actually cutting it in half, before needing to escape the Dark Fleet with everyone involved.
Meanwhile on Earth, Charlotte and Zephyr come across a cabin where a resurrected Venerator is waiting for them. They sit and begin to have a conversation with the man.
Fumoffu Session 28: Virtual Demons
Location: PAX
Taiga teases the pregnant Ren with food since she can't reach it due to her weight and being ready to give birth any day now; eventually Kitty tells her to knock it off which leads to Taiga to pout since she's too short to play the trick on anyone else, so Noire pats her on the head in a mocking way. After some messing around Ren tells them about a game store in Tokyo that is having ghosts in that arcade that is spiriting away people that is a problem and so they set out, but not before Thena leaping out of breasts knocks out Kitty and X tries to stab Thena in surprise due to it. Typical Club activities, but at least Kitty made X promise not to destroy the arcade machines before she was KOed.
Location: Tokyo, Japan
While Thena is quiet due to the club being a little ticked at her antics, causing her to be subdued - which freaks out Charlotte, they enter the gaming store and find a massive three story building full of arcade machines and a holodeck center on top and even gaming machines downstairs. They split up to check the floors out with Hess and X checking out the top floor where they watch a couple using the holodeck and Adeline and Jaime play Pac-Man on the middle floor. Adeline uses her abilities to avoid the ghosts until she gets to the kill machine on pac-man while talking to Jaime and Thena does cosplay for the people of the store and makes money. Kaori even finds a gaming machine that increases her reality powers up to 75% while playing it, somehow.
Noire and Charlotte check out the downstairs and find unnamed creepy machines at the same time where they are attacked by an arcade machine, a ghost hand trying to pull Noire into the machine. At the same time, X and Hess see a couple going into the holodeck and not coming out after their time is up and X walks in, finding no one inside. During all this, Taiga keeps in touch with them on comms, looking into the place's history at Noire's request until she stops talking suddenly and responding. While Noire tries to get in touch with her as she unplugs the cabinet downstairs, it cackles unnaturally; Noire opens the cabinet up and it attempts to fry her, leaving her to barely escape as the lights go out on the bottom floor.
While they all plan to re-group, X and Hess heading for the middle floor, the BurgerTime cabinet begins to move toward Kaori to touch her and spirit her away. Jaime joins those downstairs and they feel something is moving down there with them while Michiru moves to the lights. Meanwhile Thena teleports outside and finds Taiga unconscious and she feels out, discovering that Taiga might be possessed and herself put into her comm. While BurgerTime chases Kaori, Hess prepares salt to deal with the possessions going on as Kaori runs to X for protection as Hess throws salts at it and stops it in it's place. Michiru also turns the lights on downstairs after Noire threats to bring the entire building down, making the downstairs area quiet down a bit.
Taiga rises up, roaring, and wrestles with Thena who tries to rebuke the demon controlling her. She then sends a copy to retrieve Si'Chii to help keep Taiga pinned. Hess throws salt on both the comms and Taiga, returning her to normal. At this point all goes completely quiet. Taiga reveals that before this place was an arcade, it was a series of businesses all of which experienced unsolved murders. It's about this time that the group realizes they've been surrounded by even more arcade machines.
The group combines efforts to get at what they think might be the source of the possession, bloody coins, and manage to break the arcade cabinets coin boxes open. This doesn't seem to have the effect they hoped for, but the group nevertheless finishes the job... seemingly, by dousing the remaining machines in enough salt to be the Steam Community forums.
However, all is not won just yet, as they discover one last terror, the holodeck on the top floors seems to be possessed and making more trouble for the group. It sends forth machines tailored to each of their interests, Si is unfortunately pulled in. Having destroyed the Holodeck in the process, where they thought the missing people were being sent, they unfortunately don't know where to find them. Hess uses her bad luck to try and help and the structure of the arcade collapses, revealing a basement where all the missing people, including Si are.
They return to the club to report, and members of the team go off to face their various traumas as childhood joys have become nightmares, all in a day's work.
Date: 10-642.2.8
Taiga calls the group together to answer a strange message from Ren who has been tracking more of the missing supernaturals lately. They arrive in a wooded area to find a group securing a monster Clown. After taking down the guards they learn a Pregnant Kitsune has been taken further into the woods and persue. The team quickly tracks down the truck, rescues Ren and blasts the hell out of the kidnappers, now having a somewhat better idea of what's happening to the missing supernaturals.
Later, Ren gives birth to a baby girl and is a very proud Momma Fox. They name the child Akatsuki.
Timeline: 9,965 Fall 11.22 Croza Era
Session 495: Who Are the Ancients?
Location: Hapian Household
Celes has left to return to Kumen while the people of Geyze have begun to wear more winter like clothing due to the changing of the weather. While Neekito works on her cooking book, the team goes over what they learned from Celes and what to do if the Ancient War is beginning somewhere far away in another part of the galaxy; they discuss stealing a ship to focusing on the city to the fact the Hapians have claimed to be descendants of the Ancients as well as watching Gale hanging out at the Mal'oy's place while they brainstorm. Eventually Gwen lays out what they all know so they can decide how the group wants to proceed: 1) The team knows the Ancients - or the Croza - control a lot of worlds and that there will be a war of ideaologies between the two sides, one side takes a darker path and the other side moves to stop them; the darker path sides uses Geyze Spirits, which Gwen points out that likely use every worlds' spirits they control, against the other side and turn them into corrupted spirits, and 3) t he lighter side makes devices that trap and the corrupted spirits seal them in the devices without killing them until they are freed sometime in the future and that leads to 4) something happens to both sides that wipes them out and leaves the spirits' with holes in their memories of the incident. Based on that information, he lays out some plans for the team to vote on and they decide to go outside and this leads to Lana and the others to comment on Gwen's newfound confidence.
They discuss learning about why Gale is hanging out with the Mal'oy's so much and if they can learn what Gale has gleamed from staying there, including using Ellie to lure the Wind Spirit out, which Neekito protests. Alita soon uses her powers and that indeed draws out Gale, who has Sophia with her surprisingly. While BIX is showed a "casino" run by the Mal'oy family by one of the farmers, the others talk to Gale and Sophia about there being other wind spirits on other worlds though she has never met them. When Alita asks if Gale controls the winds of Geyze, Gale tells them that she merely is a guide for the winds/weather of Geyze. When Alita asks if they function without her, she pulls Ellie close to her and asks if she is aware of how she functions inside and can control her inside functions consciously; tracing along Ellie's body with her finger, telling them that their body functions without them thinking about it and that Geyze is the same, however if you think about it, you can control parts of yourself.
As the topic turns to the Mal'oy family, Sophia seems to be more alert to their questions while Gale indicates she has been helping them out and keeping an eye on Sophia like a good girl while giving Ellie a look, indicating that she was doing like Ellie asked her to do. Id asks a question in Lana's voice, but that seems to draw Gale's attention to it. At first Sophia seems hostile toward their questions as well until they give their answers, especially Simon's about being aimless, so she tells them that she finds them unusual and Liana running a strange household since most people, especially Mal'oy, just want to gain more power and gain the Spirits' favor as well as the Ancients'. Gwen informs them that he is also curious since Mal'oy has the most Talents in a household if he has noted any of them acting strange, since Celes seemed to be a little off during her return trip; when it is revealed that some of them do fall deeply into the Croza's teachings and ideals, so Mal'oy keeps them out of his inner teachings.
Eventually Sophia gives Simon an address to go to since she believes he suffers from memory loss and the location is suppose to help him recover it. There he finds what looks to be a "witch doctor", or an old lady that whips up "potions" for the poor people of the district. While he does that, Gwen decides he will make a trip to the second city to discover more and see what all can be learned; Alita joins him as well as the normal Id shell and they ride out while Talia is distracted riding around with Gale. Simon is given a potion for 1 coin that is suppose to cure aimlessness, but it appears to be dangerous with all the ingredients placed into it. Neekito joking takes over and points out she has heard of an underground maze in the city that leads to an underground pit fighting that leads to rewards, but no one seems interested in the fights. However in the end they decide to do some jobs for Gale in order to get back on track, much to Neekito's huffiness.
Location: Somewhere on Geyze
Gale takes the team to a small village where a small mountain is blocking the area in front of the village and she informs them she would like them to help destroy the mountain so the wind can blow over it properly. While Id and Lana seems to be completely against the job and speak down against it as Gale talks to the village chief; Id going as far as to call the job sociopathi, referring to Gale, believing Gale is doing this to serve her own needs. Talia gets to work despite that while Simon makes sure she doesn't harm the village, aiding her in the job, while Lana goes to talk to Gale and the village chief. After explaining the villlage doesn't want to move to Lana and she's there to serve their needs, Lana begins to talk about the Earth Spirit and how she would feel, leading to a confrontation; Gale being baffled by Lana's thought process since the Spirits are there to help out the people of Geyze and Lana thinking it would be rude to knock over a mountain for some reason.
While the two talk, Simon and Talia manage to finish the job with their respective powers, bringing down the mountain entirely without even having to do a gap like they thought they were going to have to do. Gale moves off to talk to the Chief about it, leaving Lana to feel she was blown off. When Simon joins Gale to report on the job down, Gale drops a truth bomb on them, that she knows about Id, listening in on Lana and Id on the wind, indicating she knows about him after all. Indicating she does not think they will be able to work together after all and asking about what they meant with the Ancient War; she continues to work with them for the rest of the day, even joining Gaia at one point, but it's clear she's distant until she eventually sends them home. However once they are home they find a mean message in front of their house and so Lana examines it to try to determine who it is from; after using her abilities she promises to hex whoever sent it. As they get back inside, Neekito looks a little exhausted so she steals Simon's potion and immediately begins to get hyper and runs around cleaning and doing all her chores and more, but it looks overly scary how is acting. Lana examines the potions and sees what is it, finding that it is made with stuff like mercy and other materials, noting they have to nab Neekito - eventually.
Timeline: 9,965 Fall 12.5 Croza Era
Location: The City By the Sea
Snow has come to the city by the sea. With their funds coming up nearly empty the group has had to start figuring out ways to earn an income. Between BIX's labours, Simon's charm making and Talia's unexpected business making ice sculptures, they are just getting by. They however decide to band their skills together and build a shop where they can sell various items, mostly simple alchemy and minor magical charms to the public.
Date: 9,965 Winter 12.15 Croza Era
The group has finally gotten their store going and it turns out to be quite popular. They even get a guest in the form of the Spirit Gaia. Things seem to be working out for now, however people swear Lana is getting weirder and weirder as she works in the back lab. Even seeing her with someone constantly, but they can never prove it.
Date: 9,965 Winter 12.25 Croza Era
Talia gets an update from Alita on the travel that Alita and Gwen have taken to see other cities, they find that the towns are very much the same as what they know, except with different local spirits. The group decides to spend a winter holiday eating snacks and discussing where to go next, agreeing that perhaps they need to start exploring more or doing more jobs for the spirits in order to get more information.
Date: 9,965 Winter 12.26 Croza Era
The group wakes to find the shop has been broken into and a few minor things stolen. It isn't a great loss but it is troubling. Some clues lead them to believe someone in the nobles broke in and possibly for reasons other than taking things. Lana shows immense fear that the lab was tampered with, but nothing seems really out of place. They decide to create traps and up security for whenever they're all away.
Meanwhile at the Unknown City, Gwen and Alita observe Frost talking to crowd. Void suddenly starts to watch them, possibly sensing the future bond he shares with Alita. Gwen decides it's time to leave as darkness builds around them, forgetting Alita in the process, no doubt she'll catch up.
Timeline: Winter 19,966 1.2 Croza Era
Session 497: The Final Days Before the Storm
Location: City by the Sea
Gwen has returned with Alita and the one Id shell, warming himself by the fire, telling the group about the one city and their encounter with Void and all the differences in the other city; when Simon queries if they should relocate there, Gwen points out that Void being there makes it dangerous and Id points out they're already making a name for themselves in this city. Now that they know that Aska resides in their city and Void is in the second city, they guess that Shade must be in the third city, which is strange since it is further up north past where the Amazons will one day reside and not where she will one day settle in the present day. Celes soon asks Simon does he think they should approach Aska then as well as how his talk with Chronos went back in Session 496 went; he informs her it is possible, but only with an invite from one of the big three (Aska, Void, or Shade), which leads to Simon to believing that their work with Gale and Gaia was the right path afterall so they can get in the favor of Aska or Shade.
Chronos pays the group a visit while they debate approaching Gaia to do some jobs, so she brings forth Lana and Ceilidh from the store to join in the meeting. Celes decides to have Liana and Elly stay behind to watch the store, since they had a break in the other day, while they prepare to go. As they do Id asks Chronos about pacting with him; she informs him that it would be impossible in his current state. While even Biotects can do it, even less advance ones like BIX, Id does not techncially possess what one would call a will or the spark a non-machine would have, but does note that at times Id does show to be on the line of being able to cross the boundary to pact. After they finish talking, Chronos takes them off to find Gaia.
Location: Western Geyze
They join Gale, Gaia, and Frost aiding a village that is taking on more snow than it can handle while building shelters for them at the same time. The group immediately sets out to help in their own ways: Alita doing aid work, Talia making snow figures, BIX carrying supplies, Ceilidh doing their lab stuff while giving out food and medicine, Simon and Gwen helping with the building of shelters, and Celes doing a little bit of everything. After Gaia checks on them to make sure this is what they want to do, they work through the next few hours and together with the other spirits, they manage to get an unusual compliment from Chronos, leading her to act a little unusual. They learn from the Spirits that if they are seeking jobs from Spirits, Aska set up a job board at the Order of Spirits as to speed up human/spirit relations, though Frost seems to find the pacts ridiculous. As Lana does her thing, drawing all three Spirits to glance at her, Gale decides to leave with Sophia, who was there helping out as well; as Gale retreats with her, ice creeps along the ground toward Lana, but Chronos takes them back to the manor before anything happens.
After they are back, Simon confronts Lana about her poking the Spirits so much lately and Celes muses on if Gale or Frost likes the group. But Simon seems to be frustrated, especially toward Lana, who seems to be setting back their progress with comments and actions, leading Gwen to defend his girlfriend. After apologizing for coming down on Lana so hard, he leaves to find out about the Order of Spirits, Chronos leaves, and Celes goes upstairs to grab something from a drawer; while Neekito sets out food, Celes soon returns back to the others looking chilled as Lana talks about that she came to the past to learn things. Celes suggests she go to Kumen by showing off her Talent, even if it means risking using her PAN - and if it gets her into trouble lay and say it's from another planet (like I said, chilled). While Gwen and Id are against the idea, Celes seems to think it would be a great idea for her to do it, plus Lana does agree it would add more power to the household. Simon meets with the Order, in the meantime, and looks over the board, finding various jobs the Spirits have put up (or where put up for them) and returns back to the manor. After Celes goes to bed and Simon has returned, Gwen tries to get Simon to talk sense into Lana after he puts the Spirits' addresses on the board (outside Aska, Shade, and Void) - though they do know now that Shade is definitely in the third city, but it seems that Lana will definitely go for it, but without her PAN.
Date: Winter 19,966 1.3 Croza Era
Loction: Hapian Manor
While Celes looks overly refreshed in the morning, Simon goes over the jobs, noting that he would attempt to do the Frost job on his own so he feels they should do the storm job together. Neekito gives Lana the materials she needs for going to the palace to get up to Kumen, informing her of how to take care of herself, while the others discuss the job, all the while trying to scare her into staying with the group. As they leave the manor, they see quite the commotion outside; Mal'oy is with his family that has the Talent, as well as Sophia and Gale, meeting with Aska; it seems they have gathered a large crowd to watch as they move toward the castle for some reason. Lana informs Id and Ceilidh some rules at the same time about not opening a box and not to touch her PAN.
As they leave Lana, they head to Gale's address since Barak is in another city and soon find a normal looking building that has been transformed into look a little shrine like when Gale is not in the spirit realm. As they step inside the room there are some bowls, not yet cleaned, some clothes, books scattered about making the place look like a whirlwind of chaos; in the corner is Gale, looking blank and out of it, despite them seeing Gale with Sophia a while ago, staring at the wall. As they touch her and call out to her, she snaps to attention and realize she left behind a copy much like the spirits of the present to for summoni; she informs them she leaves it to protect her house and so that someone can get in touch with her. After hearing they are here for the job, Gale warps them out to the location with Barak.
Together the group works with Gale and Barak to shield the second city from a massive storm that could destroy it, usin Celes' and Alita's shielding abilities, as well as Simon's ice walls. Id, Ceilidh and Barak and so on charge energy into the shields to help make it more powerful and last longer, until the storm passes and the extra ice walls make it more protective, meaning the mission was a success. Both spirits give their recommendations to the group for a job well done afterward. Meanwhile Lana arrives at the castle right after the Mal'oys who seemingly have vanished as she gets into the castle; as she is brought up to the King, she is instructed to do her talents and after some explanations she is approved. Signing her name to the Hapian household as being a talent in their house, she is led to a waiting room where she waits for someone.
Celes arrives to take Lana up to the Ancient Temple that is hovering over the castle so that they can go up to Kumen; Lana finding the Temple much like the ones in present day, only this one is activated and working. They soon arrive on Kumen where they also find Mal'oy and his people have come to do something, even Sophia who is there to handle Mal'oy's items. While Lana marvels at the sights, Celes leads Lana to where she will be staying the next few months as they discuss Mal'oy. Once they arrive at the dorms, a human like man from another world gives Lana a spirit device to get her own room and Celes helps her settle in.
Date: Winter 19,966 1.5 Croza Era
Neekito makes breakfast for Simon and together with Talia she takes them to the Second City where they team up with Frost to go save a the Third City from a major winter storm that threatens to send a mountain of snow down the side of the mountain and crush the city. They come up with a plan to break it up into smaller storms to deal with seperatly so Neekito warps and gets Gale to help with the plan, leaving Neekito weakened after she gets Gale and Sophia. From there Gale and Talia break up the storm into 4 smaller parts, though Talia manages to fireball the storms and breaks one up along the way, leaving Simon and Frost to work on the other 3; Simon then manages to destroy another of the remaining storms, but things begin to pick up and get more crazy. As the snow on the mountain begins to fall down toward the city, Frost heads off to destroy it, leaving Talia, Simon, and Gale to work together to destroy the remaining two storms.
At first it looks like things will calm down, but the remaining storm picks up energy once again, even as Frost deals with the avalanche. Simon and Neekito work together to take out the last storm as Frost and Gale regroup together with them, both of them giving the group praise and even Frost admitting she has to give the pact thing a second thought. However, during the storm battle Simon felt someone using a Talent against them - or worse, a Spirit perhaps, whatever that could mean, and when he tells the Spirits they agree with his assessment. After giving them their praise, Gale takes them back home and then takes Sophia's hand and leaves.
Timeline: 19,966 1.10 Croza Era
Location: City by the Sea
A fortress has come to float over the city by the sea and it seems Mal'oy has become their envoy, hearing word that he's talking with them out in the streets, the group goes to get a peek at the ancients and finds themselves accused of spying on them by Aska and Shade. The two recognize the group and let them go, after the group convinces them they were keeping distance only out of reverence. Shade notes some worry as she's noticed the Croza have been acting oddly lately, and lets them off with a warning not to get too involved.
Date: Winter 19,966 1.20 Croza Era
Mal'oy only gets more annoying with the recent power he has gained, using his authority to shut down the group's shop temporarily on made up charges and causing them to have to apply to reopen the business. He seems to be forcibly cataloging anyone with talent and spirit connections now in the name of cooperation. With the group not having much else to do with the rising police state, they decide to go help the spirits, Neekito warping them to a village Gaia is working at.
However what they find is a very distracted Gaia, who is doing worse than subpar work and breaking more than she builds. The group rallies and focuses her while they try to lean what's wrong. And what's wrong is that some of the spirits have been going missing for days at a time, and recently Frost has entirely seemingly vanished up to Kumen. Lady Gale is now also missing, and this one has really caused Gaia to be distracted as they are close friends. Neekito warps them back, but when she does her energy levels spike to low and she faints. An Ancient in armor appears and scans her, then vanishes, the group rushing her home to hide and heal her, assuming they will find her illegal soon.
They are able to recharge the Spirit, but it seems the use of her powers is running short. She promises to be more careful in the days to come. At this point they decide it's time to get to the spirit realm and Kumen. Time has run out and they need answers, and a way home, now.
Timeline: 10-641.9.25 - 10-641.12.19 and 10-642.2.14 - 10-642.2.15
Location: Many Locations
Session 499 covers the events of 10-641.9.25 up until the Anniversary 23: The Darkest War, showing the events leading up it and filling in some holes, as well as new events leading up to Session 500 covering the rest of month February. All the summaries and logs are inside the link above.
Covering the time period mentioned above, the Dark Ones begin to advance rapidly into the territory held by the Suisen Empire as well as it's allies using the Well to take over anyone that has died once including normal citizens to create zombies that tax the systems; swarming their spaceports and bases, the Dark Ones begin to take over their ships and tools and use it against the heroes to take over their lands, as well as bring back old enemies to stir the pot more. As the heroes struggle to push back the wave of darkness, in the present time they set up a meeting with the Templars to try to get them to ally with the Suisen Empire.
Timeline: 10-642.2.22 - 10-642.2.25
Session 500: The Galactic Conflict
Location: Many Locations
Session 500 is a massive epic that ends Act One of the Ancient/Dark One War and begins the Galactic Conflict. Just like Session 499 all the summaries and logs are inside the link above.
The Dark Ones and the Tsivrixsh, who have finally made their move, attack the Aquarius and take it out of commission while the Dark Ones corrupt the planet of the Gitari to give them access to the PAX to wage an all out war to attempt to destroy it. After barely repelling it thanks to some of the Templars joining in and using it to trace the Dark Flag Ship and destroying some of the Dark Leadership, the heroes seem to be now finally getting a hold in the war. Meanwhile, in the mirrored past, the team is forces to retreat from Geyze, but they join with the good Croza and begin to learn the truth.