Editing Chuubo-1:10

<@Random_Nerd> So, anyway.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> I hear there's, like, this Nobilis game or something?<br>
<@Angelo> yay Nobilis!<br>
<@Random_Nerd> And tonight is Chuubo Night.<br>
* BethE is now known as Lili<br>
<Verithe> Yay Cuubo!<br>
<@Angelo> we have a meeting to attend<br>
<@Angelo> eh?<br>
<@Lili> And we don't have a catgirl again.<br>
<@Angelo> really?<br>
<@Lili> Yeah, last week was Nobilis.  With the Dark Lord.<br>
<@Verithe> Sorry, I seem to be out of a certain letter...<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Well, Laz is moving.<br>
<@Angelo> oh, my memory!<br>
<@Lili> This week, Shonen will see if he can outshine the sun.<br>
* Verithe is now known as Mrs_Senko<br>
<@Angelo> then...<br>
* Angelo is now known as Shounen<br>
* Knockwood is now known as deMontreal<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Ready?<br>
<@Shounen> after a recap yep<br>
<@Shounen> where we are?<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Okay!<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> the SKy!<br>
<@Random_Nerd> You guys have flown the Deus Ex Machina to the sky.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Or, rather, up through the sky and into the Sky, the Kingdom of Celestia.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (No relation.)<br>
<@deMontreal> (Shame, I wanted to meet the Mane 6...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> This took place through a somewhat weird and trippy transition experience, during which each of you seemed to be alone on a zeppelin that was about to fall apart.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (That should go in a playtest report, that the name makes a lot of people in the target audience think of My Little Pony.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> And then you made it through, and you met Jasper Irinka.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> It's not clear what connection the one on the throne has to the one who goes to school.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She has just addressed Senko as a Rider, or excrucian, and as her sister.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Any questions?<br>
<@Lili> (I didn't think we saw a throne, I thought we saw her sitting at a school desk in the room.)<br>
<@Shounen> nope<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Well, she has a throne.  Somewhere.  She isn't using it right now.)<br>
<@Lili> (Ready.)<br>
===START===
<@Lili> "Senko!  You didn't say you had a sister!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Jasper: "So, what brings Riders, and sisters, and... oh, hi, Lilli, and... is that deMontreal?  ...here to Celestia?"<br>
<@Shounen> to Jade: "You're our class mate or her clone?"<br>
* @Lili is also wondering if that means that Senko is the Moon and if so, that's rather said and might explain a few things about what Louie Armstrong found up there...<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "I am the ruler of the realm of Celestia."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Practical people do not admit to having relatives in the Sky, whether or not they are actually their relatives."<br>
<@deMontreal> ("You OK? You sound horse... ''(rimshot)''")<br>
<@Lili> "We are the school club of SNARK and are here to clean the sky!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (SNURC, I think.)<br>
<@Shounen> (SNURK)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Snarking is optional.)<br>
<@Lili> (Ah, thank you.  I couldn't remember our name.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (But encouraged.)<br>
<@deMontreal> "We found a zeppelin.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Do practical people get in a zeppelin that looks to have been partially designed by deMontreal, and fly to a magical kingdom?"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (brb)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "I'm asking because I'm genuinely not sure.  But I ''think'' they don't."<br>
<@Lili> "deMontreal ''does'' have a distinctive style."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Wanted to take it on a shakedown cruise before using it to conq... er, tour the lands."<br>
<@Lili> *to deMontreal*  "How do you know Jade, deMontreal?"  *looks between the two of them*  *gasp!*  "Don't tell me you're ''dating''?!?"<br>
* @deMontreal looks levelly at Lili the Loon<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "He's always looking at me in a funny way."<br>
<@Lili> (Lili likes to make new things.  Matchmaking comes hilariously to her.)<br>
<@Lili> (Well, he's funny looking already...)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Practical people get a permits for zeppelins." <br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "And then they do the thing with the sky and the deMontreal and the magical kingdom?"<br>
<@Lili> "Ah, your eyes met across a crowded something or other..."<br>
<@deMontreal> (What do I know about Jasper?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (She's a girl a year behind you in school.  Her face always looked vaguely familiar, like you used to know a relative of hers, but you can't place it.  Also, apparently she rules a magical kingdom in the sky.)<br>
<@Lili> "You'll need to be careful with your relationship at School.  Who knows what regulations are against it."<br>
<@Lili> (Apparently.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (She's... kinda weird.  Like, you know how Senko is sometimes, like being human is something they learned out of a book that they weren't really paying attention to?  Like that.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (So maybe they ''are'' related.)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Practical people don't put kingdoms in the sky, though they sometimes stumble upon them when someone else leaves one lying around."<br>
<@Lili> "But there's all that space there!  It's the ideal place to put something!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "No, it makes perfect sense to keep a kingdom in the sky.  Do you think clouds and winds and planets manage ''themselves''?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "We didn't know you were up here..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Also, you know.  The Sun.  Kinda important, or so they tell me."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Yes. ''I know.''"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "They should. It's hardly practical for a schoolgirl to manage them, anyway."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "What do ''you'' know about it?"  (Tone suggesting that the fact that the Sun is important is a deeply hidden secret)<br>
<@deMontreal> "I'm intimately familiar with the fire within."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J, to Senko: "Well, what can you do?  Feudalism, magic sun heredity, yada yada."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Intimately familiar?  Don't let Lilli get you confused, we are ''not'' dating.  I would have noticed."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Belief in magic is childish nonsense."<br>
<@Lili> "Why would it be impratical for a schoolgirl?  Be bright, cheery, blinding..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "And disbelief on magic is adult nonsense."<br>
* @Lili pats Senko on the shoulder in a 'there, there, just keep believing that' way.  Then again, Lili dances the line between Magic and Science!<br>
<@deMontreal> "If the two of you are about to fight, drop this ridiculous pretense and have at each other. That would at least be amusing."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "You can't trust the management of a system to someone who hasn't finished learning her arithmetic and spectrology. It's not practical."<br>
<@Lili> *to deMontreal*  "Senko's too proper."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Wouldn't work.  I'm immortal.  Unless... sister, are ''you'' immortal?"<br>
<@deMontreal> (Oops, we forgot a step. What kind of scene is this?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (You tell me!)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (What kind of scene do you ''want'' it to be?)<br>
<@Lili> (Well, she's obviously not Eternally Youngish...)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "That is an undignified question, Miss Irinka."<br>
<@deMontreal> "We can test it."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "I'll take that as a no.  So, I guess it would.  But... sororicide?  Is such a nasty word.  And awkward, too."<br>
<@Shounen> (walk your path?)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "And that is an undignified response, Mr. de Montreal."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "And that is an undignified assumption, Miss Irinka!"<br>
<@Lili> (I agree with Shonen.)<br>
<@Lili> "Man, Shonen and I feel left out.  Neither of us have been accused of undignified anything!"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "This discussion is also not why we're here."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "We are here to clean the Sky."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "With Shounen, the accusations of undignified things can be taken as assumed, can't they?"<br>
<@Shounen> "Talk for you, I'm as undignified as you can't never imagine"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "...so you're at odds with Father, now?  I thought you were the dutiful little daughter."<br>
<@Shounen> "Right Mis Jade" *wink*<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "All those letters home, and so forth."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "I have no idea what you are talking about."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "And letters home are practical."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "So, you meant clean it up in a strictly literal sense?  I suppose we have brooms and so forth if you really ''want'' to."<br>
* @Shounen take note : Teacher Senk ... letters home ... (scrib scrib)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "We brought mops and bluing, But any other supplies you have available will be appreciated."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "So this has nothing to do with the invasion of Riders and evil dragons and so forth?  You just heard... our janitorial staff were slacking off?"<br>
<@deMontreal> to Lili: "Is 'practical' a euphemism or something? This only makes sense if you replace it with 'lunatic'."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "How... oh, wait, Senko.  I should have seen this coming."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (deMontreal, I'm going to read that as nominating Senko for a bonus XP.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (And agree.)<br>
<@deMontreal> (OK.)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "I am a teacher. I do not involve myself with invasions."<br>
* @Shounen look around to minionify someone<br>
<@Lili> (You still have your cat-gull.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Cat-Gull-Minon: "Meow."<br>
<@Shounen> (right, but minions are never enough)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Jasper has sent the hawk-headed guards away for the moment, to speak with you privately.)<br>
<@Lili> "I don't think that using practical would work well for euphemism.  Practical doesn't sound very sexy.  And letters home..well, if you're a good child, and you have parents who want to know about how your life is going, letters home are more practical than having your parents live with you."<br>
* @Shounen scratch the cat gull head's father absentmindedly<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "What if you have parents who want to lead a conquering army and storm your kingdom?"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "It is not practical to keep such parents in your home."<br>
<@Lili> "A lot of kingdoms, you get the kingdom from your parents."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "So you ''are'' here to help me against him?"<br>
<@Lili> "We have paperwork."  *hopes that someone brought the paperwork*<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "No. We are hear to clean the Sky."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Come, take a walk with me."<br>
* @Mrs_Senko brandishes paperwork.<br>
* @Shounen lean against a wall and yawn loudls<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She gets up and walks to the door, ignoring the paperwork.<br>
* @Shounen remain against the wall<br>
<@Lili> "Everyone or just Senko?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She opens the door.  The hawk-guards snap to attention.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> "Everyone who wants to see, at least."<br>
* @Mrs_Senko awkwardly holds the papers out, then pulls them back, flustered, and follows Jasper to the door.<br>
* @deMontreal wants to see, whatever that is.<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "I would like to know what is to be seen before deciding whether or not I wish to see it."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She leads you ourdoors.<br>
* @Lili will go!<br>
<@Lili> (Shonen probably has sunglasses appear as a free action.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The sun is low in the sky.  The Jasper-image in it is visible right now, and it gives you a thumbs-up, which the Jasper next to you returns.<br>
* @Shounen reluctantly follow the others<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She pulls one of those extendable pointers from her pocket, and uses it to point at what had looked like a dark and oddly shaped cloud earlier.<br>
* @deMontreal checks on his heart<br>
* @Mrs_Senko waves to the sun, as such a thing has already been deemed practical.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The Sun-Jasper rolls her eyes at Senko.<br>
<@Lili> "Huh, what's that?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The sun appears to be existing at the moment, so the Abhorrent Sun-Sustaining Superconducter is probably working.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "That, is the working of Father."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Look closer."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She gestures at a brightly colored bird, who flies off and then returns with an old-fashioned telescope.<br>
* @deMontreal looks closer<br>
<@Random_Nerd> When you look more closely, it looks like a dark hole torn in the sky, with things moving around in it like worms on a rotting animal.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The bird flies up to De Montreal and hands him the telescope.<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "I did not think air fresheners were something you needed."<br>
<@Lili> *mechas her eyes into telescopic lenses and looks*<br>
<@Lili> "Huh."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> A terrible telescope, you could make a better one with a chunk of glass, a file, some metal sheeting, and half an hour.<br>
* @deMontreal examines the tear...<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The things moving in it appear to be... well, the smallest ones are humanoid, and riding around on pale horses.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> The bigger ones... some of them are humanoid and riding on horses, only horses the size of Godzilla.<br>
<@deMontreal> "A riding. Literally."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> And some look like dragons.  But most look like those weird creatures that some books from Outside say can be found deep in the ocean.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "And that is why we call the people like Sister here 'Riders'."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Ariadne. Go back to the ship and warm up the weaponry."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Spiderbot: *Happy noise!*<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "What kind of weaponry do you have mounted on that thing?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "You know me, Jasper, what do you expect?"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "I do not ride animals, Miss Irinka."<br>
<@Lili> (What about Mr. Senko?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Because it takes the constant efforts of almost all our ships of the line to keep them contained.  If you have merely cannon and the like, it will not suffice."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (He does not ride animals either.)<br>
<@Lili> ( ^^  )<br>
<@Lili> "I don't think deMontreal can do 'mere' anything."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "This, this is the greatest of my problems."<br>
<@deMontreal> "The tear or Senko-kun?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Without this, I would merely have the ''ordinary'' problems facing one who attempts to rule a vast kingdom at the age of fifteen.  Well, fifteen-ish."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "The tear and Senko are both manifestations of my problem."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (ONE MILLION YEARS DUNGEON!)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Father.  The one who killed my mother, the Sun.  The Headmaster of the Bleak Academy."<br>
<@deMontreal> "The ...Bleak ... Academy.<br>
* @Lili looks sad.  Family issues are hard on the heart.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Yes.  Oh, you've probably met their representatives at School on Career Day."<br>
<@Lili> "And they're connected to the Bleak Method that Senko pushes?"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "It is a wonderful place of higher learning."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Feel free to go back there.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Oh, and according to an old Youkai legend, he's either God or the Devil."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "The bleak what?"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "It is not my job to go back there, Mr. de Montreal. It is my job to be your teacher."<br>
<@deMontreal> "I have a sudden urge to show them how much they don't know."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "It's like the factor-label method."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Okay, this I gotta hear.)<br>
* @Lili waves her hand about vaguely.  "Oh, something about practicality and suchness.  No wishes.  And I guess no magic either.  Sounds rather..clockwork without the shiny."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Yeah, that kind of stuff too, I guess. I pay more attention to the stuff that he does that involves sending giant evil flying anglerfish to eat my citizens."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "But I suppose maybe he espouses questionable academic methodologies, too."<br>
<@Lili> "It doesn't sound practical."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Jasper. If I find a way to close that tear, what can you and your 'amazing Sky-kingdom' give me... ah, give us in return?"<br>
<@Lili> (The flying anglerfish.)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> ("When you use the Bleak Method, all the wishes and nonsense cancel out and all that is left is practical hard work.")<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "The flying anglerfish are depressingly effective.  I suppose that makes them practical."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J, to deMontreal: "Like... what do you want from me?  Is this a stalker thing?  Mrs. Rosewood told us about stalker things."  <br>
<@Lili> "What do the fish use as bait?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "They have... dangly things on their heads.  Shiny.  But the point is that they can take a bite out of a full-sized warship."<br>
* @Lili nudges deMontreal. ''*hiss*'' "This is no way to woo!  You need to get better at that, deMontreal!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Jasper looks sadly at Lillimund.  She'd thought Lili was a friend of hers, and yet here she is, ''encouraging'' stalker things!<br>
''<@Shounen> (sorry guys, I keep wandering off. I'm sorry but can't play this night :-( I head to the bed... night)''<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (Okay.  See you next week, Angelo.)''<br>
* @Lili has the sudden vision of dangling Shonen on a rope and using him to lure in the anglerfish and deMontreal then hits them over the head with a mallet!<br>
''<@Lili> (Night, Angelo!  *HUG*)''<br>
<@deMontreal> "As in, you have a sky kingdom and an urgent need for my intervention.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Way to get in character, mind!)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "For ''an'' intervention.  I was working on my own, actually.  But if you have an intervention in mind, I suppose we can discuss terms."<br>
''<@Mrs_Senko> (Night, Angelo!)''<br>
<@deMontreal> "It isn't ... 'practical' ... to expect help without recompense... from me."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Which ''reminds'' me.  I have a bone to pick with you about the bat people."<br>
<@deMontreal> (Who's that to?)<br>
* @Lili wilts a little at the look.  She's trying to matchmake because obviously deMontreal needs to get laid and Jasper is at least immortal so she can hold her own...<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (To you!)<br>
* @Mrs_Senko rubs her mop on a spot.<br>
<@Lili> (You created the bat people.)<br>
<@deMontreal> "What bat people?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "That wasn't you?"<br>
<@deMontreal> (Oh, is this in my backstory which I still need to read? :/ )<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "When I found that someone had launched a dwarf moon full of creepy bat people, I guess I just assumed."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (November 20 file, page 212)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "So that leaves... Chuubo?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Jasper turns to Lili.<br>
<@Lili> (Eris.)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (Inflicting the romantic interests of de Montreal on someone is just cruel. He excels in disrespect and creepy. It is unfortunate that there are no classes for those at School.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Lillimund Cartaign!  Have you ever lauched a tiny moon full of creepy bat people?"<br>
<@Lili> *opens her mouth to vehemelently disagree!*  *snaps it shut and looks thoughtful*  "Bats you say?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "... oh. ''Them.''<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She turns on Leonardo.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "AHA!"<br>
* @Lili pulls out a calendar book and checks.  "No..no...no..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She points.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "J'accuse!"<br>
<@Lili> (I love you, dear.)<br>
<@deMontreal> "They ''should'' be content to stay on their world and make trade goods."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "They don't! There are ''thousands'' of them on Venus!  And it's creepy!"<br>
<@deMontreal> "You've seen these, right?"<br>
* @Lili whews.  Not her fault this time.<br>
* @deMontreal shows Jasper a set of divination sticks<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "...impractical."<br>
<@deMontreal> "'Creepy'? When you're dealing with a tear in space, and have been Senko's sister?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "You should have ''asked''."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Hardly. People are just ''so'' resistant to scientific advancement.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Scientific advancement?  How?  What field of science?"<br>
<@Lili> "Oh, don't get him started..."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "That's true. It is a common decency to ask permission before conducting mad science on other people's property."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "I have yet to see any articles in the journals about launching creepy bat-people planets."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Oh, the peer-reviewed journals.  They're high on the list of people to Show.)<br>
<@deMontreal> "They simply cannot comprehend the benefit to having a planet of bat people. The whole NIMBY thing, I swear."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "But why did you put it in ''my'' backyard?  I have enough problems!"<br>
<@deMontreal> "It's a ''planet'' and you're ''in the sky''."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Put it Outside!  They're creepy bat people, they'd probably ''love'' it there!"<br>
<@deMontreal> "Then how would we observe them?"<br>
<@Lili> *thinks*  "Wait...deMontreal, are you the one who keeps sending letters to the Editors of  Mad Science Monthly, Journal of Things Humans Were Not Meant to Know and Showing THEM Weekly?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "...have them write you letters.  Like ''Sister does''."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Don't be silly. I send ''articles''."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (Following Leonardo's logic, Mrs. Senko is now going to place all stray cats in the Crazy Cat Lady's house.")<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (This is Leonardo's fault.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Everything is!  Even Jenna thinks so!)<br>
<@deMontreal> (So, I'm the best one to 'fix' things, ne? :p)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Page 15, November 26 document: "Personally?  I blame de Montreal.")<br>
<@Lili> "But what's your CV, deMontreal?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Page sixteen, footnote 5: "I really do blame de Montreal, by the way")<br>
<@deMontreal> "A substantial volume that gives its readers nightmares.<br>
<@Lili> (That is pretty awesome for your CV.  "Jenna blames Everything on me.")<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "So.  deMontreal.  Sister.  Lillimund.  Are you going to help me?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "I encourage them to send me the details in the appendices."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Miss. Irinka. This is a School excursion to clean the Sky. We will not get in your way, but it is not among our priorities to fix this...."<br>
<@deMontreal> to Jasper: "I want a staging area here in your city. A substantial hangar/drydock, should we need to make repairs or ...<br>
<@Lili> "Of course, Jasper!  I'll be happy to help you out!"<br>
* @Mrs_Senko waves her hands at the hole in the sky.<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "...thing."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J, to Senko: "Figures.  Daddy's girl."<br>
<@deMontreal> "adjustments to our warship."<br>
<@Lili> "But Senko, it's obviously the source of the dirt!"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Then she should ask them to wipe their feet before coming in."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "They come in on horseback!  BECAUSE THEY'RE RIDERS!"<br>
<@Lili> "They are invading.  They do not have a mat."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Tried that.  Plan #427.  The giant 'Distinctly Not Welcome' mat."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Didn't work."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Then show them where to stable their horses. Put out an unwelcome mat. There are solutions to this thing that do not involve us."<br>
<@Lili> "One of the nice coconut fiber ones?  Wow.  The heathens."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Anyway.  Hanger space... we could give you access to the drydock, when it's not otherwise in use."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Possibly a summer home here as well..."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "We can talk about the details once I've heard your plans."<br>
<@Lili> *hiss*  "Dude, moving in next to your girlfriend is moving ''waaay'' too fast."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Lillimund!  Do not encourage him!"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "I agree. You are being far too stalker-like, Mr. de Montreal. If you keep this up, I will have to insist that you go home."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (I forget, does Leonardo have "parents"?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (No.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (He was a kid at the orphanage of unclear origins.)<br>
<@Lili> "Jasper, having a boyfriend is something that many girls have to deal with.  And I like to create new things.  But you are right, deMontreal may need to have a lecture from Mrs. Rosewood.  He's getting like that sparkly vampire in the books they're selling in the Shopping District."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (But he's probably not an amnesiac God of Nightmares.  Almost certainly.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Instead, his name suggests a even more horrifying origin.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (''Quebec''.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Oh, I love those books!"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Uh, who said that?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "Lili. You are interacting with Senko far too much."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Either that or sniffing solvents."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Could be both!)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Sniffing solvents is impractical."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Sis...Senko.  I want to ask you this, flat out.  Whose side are you on?  My side, or Father's side?"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Also, dangerous."<br>
<@Lili> "Hey, my turpentine is ''completely'' legal!"<br>
<@deMontreal> "They have similar effects."<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "I am a teacher, Miss Irinka. I am not permitted to answer political questions like that when asked by any student of School."<br>
<@Lili> "I don't have to show an ID to interact with Senko."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "...well played, Excrucian menace. Well played."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (So, here's a question.  After all that time playing the normal Nobilis, how do you feel being the Warmain shard being asked why your friends are attacking her chancel?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Or... full Warmain?  The distinctions are vague, in Chuubo.)<br>
<@Lili> (I'm just a Noble.  When an Imperator and an Excrucian are fighting, I'm out of my league.  I'll be over here having tea.  ^^  )<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (I think....knowing the real Mrs. Senko and not the veil of practicality she wears, it's sort of like...."You don't realize what an honor this is!")<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (But you're also the physical manifestation of a Serpent's ability to do Imperial Miracles.  Which then got Ennobled.)<br>
''<@deMontreal> (I'm also family tech support again, 'scuce the lack of attention the past few minutes)''<br>
''<@Random_Nerd> (Oh, gotta love family tech support.)''<br>
<@deMontreal> (But LdM will be happy to come up with a device to pitch Senko into the hole.<br>
<@Lili> (RN - I am many things.  I have a hard drive named Legion.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Your hard drive is ''not'' named Leigon.)<br>
<@Lili> (Catapult?  Sling shot?  Trebuche?)<br>
<@deMontreal> (It may or may not yield good science but it'll at least be entertaining.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (...or Legion.)<br>
<@Lili> (Ooo, air gun!)<br>
<@Lili> (Lili could have a hard drive named Legion.  You don't know.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Jasper walks over to the docks, and stands by the gangplank of a large ship, which hovers in mid-air for no apparent reason.<br>
* @Mrs_Senko pours a capfull of bluing into the sky.<br>
<@deMontreal> (now, have I seen this type of tear before?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "For reference, this is a standard ship of the line.  It has 85 cannon.  Half are 32-pounders, half are 18."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (You have not. But it's definitely a tear into the Outside.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (And to a part that's near the Academy.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (You'd recognize those colors of black anywhere.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "For propulsion, it has both sails and a steam engine."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "And before you ask why they aren't ironclads... gravity.  Sky doesn't support quite as much weight as water."<br>
<@Lili> "oooo..."<br>
<@deMontreal> "And these are the kind of ships that keep getting eaten?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "This is what the majority of our navy is made out of.  I've began weaponizing some of the less important palace-yachts, but those are nearly irreplacable."<br>
* @Mrs_Senko dips her mop in the Sky and starts mopping the dock.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "One of the anglerfish, the big ones, is about two-thirds as long as this ship, and bulkier."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "The guns will injure them, but it takes either a prolonged bombardment or a direct hit in a sensitive area to do real damage."<br>
<@deMontreal> "By 'cannon', do you mean gunpowder cannon?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Pressurized air, actually."<br>
* @Lili borrows a mop from the pile for a moment and wets it.  Then brushes at the hole from a distance, as if the view were a window and she's trying to get a stubborn spot out.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> She walks on the gangplank, and points at the swivel-gun.<br>
<@deMontreal> "Ah, yes. No sense polluting when fighting a war."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> It has a large, ornately-decorated brass tank attached to the side.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Besides, we don't have sulfur mines.  Although we do have an abundance of guano these days. ''Leonardo''."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Don't say I never gave you anything."<br>
<@deMontreal> "What kind of muzzle velocity do you get?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Depends how topped off the tank is.  For the first ten shots, better than guncotton.  For the next ten, comperable to a gunpowder cannon.  After that it drops rapidly."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Hm. Shame.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Lilli, you are just waving a mop around in the air.<br>
<@deMontreal> "The railgun on our ship only fires at a mere mach 1.5<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Much smaller projectile, I imagine."<br>
* @Lili stops.  Swabs.  It was worth a shot.<br>
<@deMontreal> "Which means it just makes an ungodly noise rather than igniting the air around it.<br>
<@deMontreal> "But that's easily fixed."<br>
<@deMontreal> (For reference: http://www.cracked.com/article_16477_5-famous-sci-fi-weapons-that-theyre-actually-building.html #4)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "So, your airship is actually less well armed than our ships at the moment?  Or are there other armaments?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "Tesla cannons as well."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Haven't actually put in the weaponry that projects nightmares...<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Hmm.  I don't know how conductive the anglerfish are, but they're leathery enough that I imagine they're well-insulated."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "May work against Riders, though."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Nightmare-projecting weapons would just give them reinforcements."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Besides, Leo isn't actually all that good at making weapons.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (At least, via the Nightmare Engine.)<br>
<@deMontreal> "I believe the best thing to do is to take our ship back to my lab and have Alvin break out the contents of the special lab."<br>
<@Lili> "Will they have seen us?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "Now that we know this flies, it's time to make it fight."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Or, at least, when you make abhorrent weapons, there are... side effects.)<br>
<@deMontreal> (Do you expect me to care?)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Well, the kind of side effects that are specifically pro-Excrucian.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Which makes it bad for, well, fighting Excrucians.)<br>
<@Lili> (Again, the caring?  :)  )<br>
<@deMontreal> (... OK, that would mean I do care.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (But you could build a ''much'' better air-ship than this.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Because that's technology used to travel, and interacting with the rules of Celestia.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Two of your strong suits.)<br>
<@Lili> (But do we have the time?  And he has classes.)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (Mrs. Senko objects to students handling heavy weaponry and fighting wars.)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (It's all this wishing nonsense, it is. It's going to get students killed.)<br>
<@deMontreal> (deMontreal makes a point to not giving a flying fuck about Senko's objections)<br>
<@deMontreal> (BTW, what's holding their ships up?)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (the Sky)<br>
<@deMontreal> "You know what, I think I know what I want from this place.<br>
<@deMontreal> "The plans for one of your sky-destroyers and a place to berth my ships.<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "That's an enormously self-centered statement."<br>
<@deMontreal> to Senko: "Have we met?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Bonus XP to Leo.)<br>
<@Lili> (Lili would like to know how fucks fly.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Magnificently.)<br>
<@Lili> (Sounds messy.)<br>
<@deMontreal> to Jasper: "Given a little time I can make you a sky-destroyer that lives up to the name."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "How so?"<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> "Apparently not. You do not seem to follow any rules of propriety around me."<br>
<@deMontreal> "Do you even need to ask?"<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Oh, and the difference between these ships and the Deus Ex Machina is that these only work in Celestia and nearby regions, while the DEM can fly in Town, too.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Because it can ''actually fly''.)<br>
<@deMontreal> (Oops, that'll make it tricky to arm a destroyer with stuff from my lab...)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "So, you envision something smaller, but faster?"<br>
<@deMontreal> "Yes."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (There are other ways up to Celestia.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> J: "Hmm.  Well, draw up some plans, and I'll summon some of my admirals, and we can go over them together."<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (Hmm.  Mind if we call it a night?  I'm kinda worn out.)<br>
<@deMontreal> (I'll need their base plans so I know what I have to work with as far as space and power)<br>
<@Mrs_Senko> (sounds good)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (And for scenes, I'll just handwave it and give XP to Lilli and Senko.)<br>
<@deMontreal> (OK.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (We had the equivalent of a few good scenes in there, I was just too brain-dead to work out the details.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (*XP reference marker* Next XP to Shounen.)<br>
<@Random_Nerd> _________________STOP_______________<br>
* Lili is now known as BethE<br>
<@deMontreal> What do you mean I can't make good weaponry? :p <br>
* deMontreal is now known as Knockwood<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Oh, and for the stuff that Nightmare technology is good at, and the stuff that makes it let out the red world of suffering, see page 136 of the Chuubo Playtest document.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> "The greater the changes that it works upon the world, the more influence the red world of suffering sealed inside you has. Used to create, to destroy, or to transform, a nightmare device spreads some of that horror to the world."<br>
<@Knockwood> Main one?<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Yeah.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> And since letting out the "red world of suffering" is basically the same thing as the whole problem they have with regard to an intrusion of Outside, yeah, it would not be indicated at this time.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> That said, you ''can'' do it.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Just... it may not be a good idea.<br>
<@Knockwood> Well, I think he can do plenty by just being a heartlessly perfect scientific genius<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Yeah.<br>
<@Knockwood> Did you check that Cracked link?<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Although it will be difficult to do that while interacting directly with Jasper.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> What with how she's the Sun.<br>
<@Knockwood> lit by my heart...<br>
<@Random_Nerd> I've seen it before.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Well, ''she'' thinks you had nothing to do with it.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> From her perspective, the reason she's around is that sometimes, when the Sun and the boss Excrucian love each other ''very much''...<br>
<@Knockwood> for extra fun, I'm assuming we're in sunlight here which means I can'ty activate any of my abilities<br>
<@Random_Nerd> But there can be multiple levels of causation.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Yeah.  You've spent all this time either outdoors during the day, or in the presence of Jasper.<br>
<@Knockwood> But my dark lab is another story, muah hah hah hah<br>
<@Random_Nerd> Yep.<br>
<@Random_Nerd> (And with regard to the multiple levels of causation... I think a case can be made that the Headmaster killed the Sun because Chuubo wished for an ice cream cone.)<br>