IZOU'S PALACE

[goei]

KYOTO BAKUMATSU PALACE
You find yourself in historical Kyoto at night. The city is shadowy and beautiful, elegant but hostile. It's a sophisticated city, but you don't belong there and it knows it. Everyone knows it. You are being watched.

Worst of all, a terrible demon haunts the streets of this powerful capital city.

Eli Walsh, Kirumi Tojo, Still Sunrise, Argenti, Yi Sang, Celeste, Mafuyu Asahina, and McGillis Fareed, do you dare journey into hell?

 

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Comments

[goei]

[There's one of those zen sand and rock gardens in the middle of the park. I don't know if they exist outside of buddhist temples but neither does Izou probably and this is his mind palace so. It's here now.

There's a few scattered drunks, a young couple tucked away in the corner probably trying to canoodle... And also a few kids playing in the sand??? Where are their parents.

If Kirumi is watching out for danger, she will observe that most of the trees are Japanese Cedar, and aren't really big enough for someone to hide behind and escape notice with her looking directly at them... The large sakura tree maybe, but it's in the center of the park, so not great to hide. The lanterns scattered about leave plenty of dark corners, but it's not so dark that looking directly at them as she is, she would miss seeing something... Right?

Celeste... yeah. He hears one drunk say something that sounded like;

I heard the demon has blood red eyes and sickles for claws!

But the guy sounded like... super drunk so maybe take that with a grain of salt. Or maybe not. Maybe it's true.]

[kandata]

[Oh yes, definitely going to stare hard at the dark, just in case! Guarding time! Watch out for demons!

Other than that she's silent, letting the other three talk. She's listening, of course, but as usual with her, she's keeping quiet]

[beautifulknight]

[ Kids are playing in the sand? If he heads over to there, would he so happen to see any other adults hanging around nearby besides the drunks and the uh. Couple?

That strikes him as very odd. ]

[cirquedesang]

[Definitely taking the drunk ramblings with a huge grain of salt, but also, like, tucking it away just in case. Even if a creature with blood red eyes and sickles for claws isn't the demon, it still sounds kind of dangerous.

In the meantime, though, with Kirumi staring into the void and Argenti heading to the kids, Celeste will find his way over to the couple. Divide and conquer, or something like that! (More like "be a nibshit" but anyway--)]

[idealitas]

[ Yeah, by the sounds of that kind of rumor by a drunkard... It's not much. Just something. Anyway.

Yi sang will inspect the sakura tree. It's in the middle, but it's very nice and big. He'll look behind, then up at its branches. ]

[goei]

[Kirumi: The shadows continue to be dark but presenting no further danger. A dog wanders into one of them from an adjacent alley. It looks fluffy, round, and well fed.

Argenti: No! The kids are unattended. Sometimes it be like that. They don't seem uncared for, their clothes are neat and clean. They are chattering amongst themselves. One's even caught a firefly in his hands! Do you want to listen in?

Celeste: The couple does not notice you! They are definitely canoodling, the girl is giggling and the man seems to be getting a bit handsy. You perhaps feel as if you are intruding.

Yi Sang: There's nothing behind the tree it doesn't seem, nor anything up in its branches. However despite seeing nothing, after looking you can't shake the feeling of being watched]

[kandata]

[I'm glad that in this expanse created from Izou's soul the dogs are well taken care of.

Kirumi doesn't really lower her guard, but at the same time the sight of the dog is nice to see. The rest don't need to hear about this, she can enjoy the dog's presence over there all by herself.

Good luck all of you with your stuff!]

[beautifulknight]

[ Eavesdropping is wrong...

...

Haha, just kidding. It's just a bunch of kids, anyway.

So he will definitely eavesdrop by turning away, closing his eyes with a smile, sparkling at his allies who happen to be looking over in his direction, or something. Yeah! He's listening in...strategically! ]

[goei]

[Argenti says no to childrens rights...

Anyway his strategy makes sense... The children don't notice him immediately, and he'll hear one of them say;

My brother's coming to walk me home when he finishes work, 'cause there's supposed to be a demon out at night!

The others exclaim with shock, but are then distracted by Argenti who is simply too dazzlingly radiant (5 + 1 = 6) for them to not notice. They all stare at him silently which is a little creepy to be honest.]

[beautifulknight]

[ Help.

Well, that's interesting, at least it means the demon's probably hanging around this time of hour...he thinks.

Anyway, he is sure being stared at, which is like...well, he probably feels it is odd on some instinctive level even if he is unfortunately used to turning heads/being stared at due to his handsome looks. Ah well, best to check if any of the those staring begin to look weird.

...As for himself? He'll probably just smile, not knowing what else to do, and sneak a peek at his fellow CERTAIN TO BE NON-TROUBLE-CAUSING COMPANIONS? :| ]

[idealitas]

[ Given that this is a palace, it's already rather gracious that they can get these hints at all. When Yi sang feel what may be a set of eyes on him, he doesn't make any sudden movements, instead continuing a stroll around the tree. He has a hand on his dagger though, strapped to his leg. ]

These blossoms are known for both their beauty and tragically short life. A strong wind can take out the flowers and leave naught but what resembles a corpse of a tree.

[goei]

[The tree continues being inanimate.

There continues to be nothing (visible, anyway) within the branches. A flower petal falls onto his head as if daring him to make good on his threat which is apparently just how he talks.

The sensation of being watched also intensifies at his words, though.]

[idealitas]

[ Don't worry Palace Sakura, he won't actually hurt you beyond some morbid musing. He's already fought a tree (that was his friend), taken the place of said tree friend in some alternate world... No more tree murder, he just takes the petal off his head with his other hand.

Also a knife wouldn't do much? He does get an intensified gaze though from somewhere. Mission accomplished. ]

[cirquedesang]

[Un(?)fortunately, he doesn't actually feel like he's intruding at all. In fact, he waits a biiiiit longer (for maximum jumpscare potential) before actually speaking up and interrupting them.]

So daring! Especially with rumors of demons about.

[goei]

[Celeste you got one of them problems disorder. Also I'm imagining him in that pose waiting to jumpscare the couple.

Which he does!!! They are very startled and embarrassed at being interrupted!!! They are going to try and rush past Celeste to avoid him. Does he let them or try to stop them?

Either way, startling the couple has now inflicted Celeste with the sensation of being watched!!]

[cirquedesang]

[...I mean kind of. Just as chinhands, not as pretzel.

And it's 0% better that he was watching for the spook moment and not to be a creep about the canoodling, I know this as well.

Regardless, he will try to stop one of them, because he figures stopping one will stop them both!! And tbh being watched is fine and normal, he'll barely notice that sensation.]

[goei]

[He happens to grab the woman, who shrieks!!

And then turns into a TERRIBLE MONSTER

CONGRATULATIONS CELESTE YOU'VE TRIGGERED THE FIRST ENEMY ENCOUNTER.

She swings her naginata at his head but just barely misses (10).]

[cirquedesang]

[!!!!!]

[Well, he was certainly not expecting that, and it's only by some sheer stroke of luck that he hits the deck in time for her to miss.

He does realize doing that is kind of a compromising position, so he fires off an Eiga (8) while jumping back to his feet. Partly as a distraction, but hey, if it manages to hit at least a little bit that'd be a bonus.]

[goei]

[The monster lady similarly dodges his attack!!

She then moves back, away from Celeste to try and fire at him with her bow but.... misses again (2). Great fight so far, guys.]

[cirquedesang]

[Honestly, he'd rather be in bow-range than naginata-range, especially considering she'd aimed! At his head! The first time! Unfortunately, he doesn't have a ranged weapon of his own, so he'll just be trying another Eiga (13), because at least spells can be fired off from a distance.

Will he regret this energy spend later? Maybe. That's a problem for later-Celeste.]

[beathollow]

--Celeste!

( where did she come from...?

regardless, she's casting tarunda on the monster to lower her attack! )

[goei]

[Teamwork!!! This eiga hits and because I personally think it's funny, one of her arms falls off, but it's the one holding a pipe so it doesn't change much attackwise.

That said she is now weaker thanks to Mafuyu and also she rolled a 1 so instead of even trying to attack she is distracted by the arm that fell off. Whoops.]

[cirquedesang]

Mafuyu?? Stay back.

[Where did she come from??

Anyway, with her involved now, he's not especially willing to let there be arrows flying willy nilly anymore, so considering we're now very aware that the monster's arms can just, you know, fall off, he's going to run back in and try to tangle up her bow arm in his whip - and hope that a good yank (15) will get that one off, too.]

[beathollow]

Mm. Are you hurt...?

( regardless, up next is marakakuja to boost their defenses! )

[goei]

[It does come off with a satisfying pop, like ripping a doll arm out of it's socket (because that's what she basically is.

In retaliation, she tries to hit Celeste with her naginata, but even without the defense boost, the angle is bad and she's not able to hit him (8).]