... I didn't understand that! I should probably just edit my post then

EDIT: also, we were actually just about to wrap up the fight.... D:

Yeah, I just wanted to make sure this was clear for everyone. I thought I'd best speak up now with those quite mild examples to prevent something potentially disruptive happening later.

Mauve, yeah, its fine for people to just jump into this fight. This will probably apply to most fights unless one of the people in the fight requests otherwise. Hate to break up a good duel after all.

There's a slight problem coming up I think I should mention. I'm going away for a two week holiday to Vietnam on New Year's Day and I doubt I'll have internet access during this time. We might have to put the RP into hiatus for this period.

I'm still in this. It's just that Ponpon can in no way awaken Shimizu to get her to join the fight, and even if it could, there's no way Shimizu would clue in. Ponpon's just a spell shaper and tactical assistant that cannot yet communicate with Shimizu.

Eh, look on the bright side: Shimizu will be well rested for the next fight.

Might?

Yeah, you might.

Trying a different approach to dealing with Anzu. Mainly because it might actually work, and because Alex is getting a little sick of this reactionary fight. But, if Anzu's set on fighting, then she'll get one.

Just trying to change things up a little.

In the interim of incapacitation and the relative saftey of being carried away by Rei, Ceres takes a moment to explain herself and the nature of their partnership to Akari to calm her nerves about blowing someone up.

Like the exchange between Picky and Panko, Ceres points out common magical girl beam weapon modulation, aswell as (presumably taught earlier) it's similarity to the Phantom Zone magics. She highlights the differences between these and mass/contact weapons such as the sword clash actually harming Rei. Also, catching Alex's comment to Anzu has a side effect of telling Ceres that they're just as bad off as the Autekkans are.

Edit: For Mauve's benefit, Koto probably knows about this too.

Seeing I've gotten a few parameters about Mitsuko's spells defined, I might write them here so people know the logic behind them. The base description is pretty non-specific after all.

Celestial Sphere is a magical explosive charge wrapped in a protective barrier. The barrier means it is reasonably resistant to counter measures - attacks typically will either get stopped by the barrier or penetrate and blow the missile up. This shield also lets it burrow into defenses before exploding and is somewhat destructive (Such as punching right through mudmen being used as living shields >> <<). It has a slower than average speed for a ranged attack however.

Celestial Sphere Expansion is the same but more. It's faster, blastier and much better armoured, as well as longer ranged (yet to come up!). I'm debating eventually adding some firing options, like a paralysing burst it can release before being launched.

While I think of options, since a little training for skill sets is likely to come up soon, is everyone happy with their magic set-up so far? I know quite a few people haven't finished learning all the spells their sign-up sheet describes, so I was more looking to see if people have any areas they've overlooked and would like to fill in or if they have some refinements they'd like to make?

Relm, I would like to get something sorted out with you about Demi's draining ability. Basically, about how it interacts with defenses.

Now, it seems fairly obvious that defensive shields would reduce its effectiveness. Siphon Strings obviously wouldn't be able to directly attack the mage (assuming an omnidirectional barrier!) and it would act as an insulating layer against her more general Drain the World ability.

On the barrier itself getting drained, I'm a little more uncertain. Obviously its cast from the mage's reserve of energy, but it seems fairly ridiculous if draining it weakens the mage as quickly as directly attacking them. I'm guessing it's a fair bit weaker than how much an attack hitting it would weaken the barrier, but has more possibility for attrition through sustained contact?

Does this seem about right?

Actually, just to make it more clear for me, could you also give me a little information about how effective you think Demi's different forms of draining would be?

That's actually fairly helpful Phoenix, thanks.

Still, seems like we're painting the familiars (and devices, to a lesser effect) as the real bad guys here.

Oh well, I wasn't exactly making Miranda a saint.

And I think I've gotten all my basic spells, but there have been some changes in practice. So, I'll make a post with those outlined later.

It's a little too early to paint anyone as the real bad guys, because after all the familiars and devices in question are relatively still-sane creations of a decaying self-destructive society.

A lot of the "Bad guys" in this sort of thing aren't responsible for what they're doing, or don't know anything else.

Yeah, the story is getting a bit more outlined, and I like it. Anyway Arhra, I'll catch you on aim sometime and we can talk about it there, just to make sure I can actually get m thoughts across... and because I don't have the time at the second to do an explanation. Though, just to make clear, Siphon is far stronger than her Drain Aura, unless her drain aura were focused to the size of a thread or something. But thats way out of her league right now.

Well, if I could make Princess Kiss into a catch-all "make things better" spell like we discussed, that'd help. It would make more sense than unsealing things by blasting them with cuteness as well as making it stop being one of those "spell the heroine uses once when somebody's a goner, then never again because it wouldn't be dramatic a second time"-type things.

Other than that, I have some more refined techniques for the two offensive special powers, but that won't come up for a long time.

Everyone else, I will read your exciting battle on the morrow.

Edit concerning the last sentence: Oops, maybe not, after x-mas drinking. Sorry.

I'll probably cheap out and make Anzu's Song of Seasons spells a little more versatile. Maybe let Anzu have a little more control over what the ice ribbons do in Song of Winter, for example.

And thanks for the explanation, Phoenix! I now know what Koto should know. XD

Since this offensive really has no reason beyond "Our familiars told us to do it", Ceres decided to "teach a lesson" by visually depicting why the old methods failed to resolve the war.

After all, Directive 37 is the scorched earth directive, nobody wins. Sad really, but there wasn't any other logical response to the situation the Verda side forced us into.

Honestly, I'm depressed enough just considering it that I wonder if this is even worth playing anymore.

Okay, so Ceres released the Talisman and now it’s in the street. I'll just plot hole the timeline a little, otherwise my post won't make any sense at all. So, the flowers in the street, I'm in some back yard, and the forced activation is happening again.

But, I really need to know why would the Verda care? I've been a little confused about the familiar’s motivations for a while now, we ran out into the night when the talisman came online, to do what? Stop the Autekka and let it grow? Seal it ourselves and take it home? Control the activation through some unexplained means?

The reason Miranda decided to go get the talisman in the first place was because she didn't trust the Autekka to keep it safe. They might do something with it that’s stupid, or not use it right. Or it could just be that she didn’t want them to have a Verda Talisman. It does belong her people or something.

Well, now they don't have it. I'm not what it'll do, but they don't have it. Care to explain Arhra?

Essentially the Verda position is the place has been starved of magic for far too long.

As they possess the power to do so and Ancient Verda was partially at fault for this state of affairs, they feel they have a responsibility to ensure successful restoration.

As to the Forced Activation Talisman, it was either deliberately planted or accidentally activated. In either case, creations such as this are the most effective way to achieve restoration. If deliberately planted it was almost certainly done by a Verda-type mage and if not, it is a fortunate coincidence.

In either case, it is desirable for this state of affairs to continue, due to the effects it will have. The only potential problem it creates is it may stir up undesirable or damaged things, particularly if it has not been calibrated correctly. This is why letting it run completely unsupervised is bad.

Thus, the Verda role is to foster potential mages they find and otherwise assist the re-emergence of magical ability.

More pragmaticly, they may be concerned that Autekka will move in to control this new source of potential mages and relics from the lost magic of Ancient Verda and Old Autekka.

EDIT: Oh yeah, it's probably also a good idea to avoid have something lying around that will try to zap you if you get too close to it! It's possible to make it recognise you, allowing its behaviour to be modified and also preventing, well, zapping.

Yes, this may involve blasting the pretty flower.

At this point, the cards had played such that hoping the Pretty Flower's self-defense weapons came online to properly take you out was the last possible retaliation.

After all, despite having been shot, it's still relatively fresh.

I keep noticing that some people are treating this Phantom Zone as if it's some kind of cage set up to keep the Verda from retreating. I'm pretty sure it's just a defined area where muggles won't enter and property won't stay damaged, just like where we fought the mudmen earlier. It won't matter much longer, but any word on this, Arhra?

Oh, and reading Menarker's post, I feel the need to add that school's still a couple days off, not tomorrow. Another thing I got from his post was the desire to write about Panko's adventures in procuring more cigarettes.

There are fixed edges of the barrier that are difficult to cross, mainly to prevent spells inside from hitting targets outside.

This will also interdict teleportation.

So, how do we check if its been calibrated correctly/calibrate it correctly?

This is going to end up like that scene in Ghostbusters 2 where all the crazy crap starts storming through the streets, isn't it?

Something light-hearted needs to happen after that fight, that's for sure.

We need to fight the State-Puff Marshmellow man, all together, if we intend to turn this around at all, I think.

Definately agreeing with Phil.

So, Alex is calling for help.

Any of the Verda can, in theory, hear him. They'll be able to sense him for a while, because he wants them to.

Could you guys do me a favor and arrive in one post? I'll wait a couple days to see what kind of turn-out I get, but, I'll move on soon after that.

So, post if you're gonna come! And if you aren't...then, you may as well post in the OoC so I know not to wait for you.

Totally gonna seal it with the power of friendship!

A solution presents itself that solves all problems up until this point.

I suggest we proceed with it, as I'm in no position to befriend Alex by other means.

Wow, I mean, Picky's a jerk and all, but he'd tip his antlers to Ceres's near sociopathic bent.

I need a little bit to decide if Panko will help or if she even can. I'll get back to you on that, Teal.

Well Ceres is a weapon from an ancient war fighting her old enemies.

How do you expect a weapon to react?

You do understand the lengths she went to avoid this, yes? It was a sneak attack at nighttime while asleep.

Normal people are allowed to respond with lethal force to such things. Even so, she can still admit her programming may be flawed.

((This was also kind of necessary so I could do a Terminator 2 moment so Akari could overlook the circumstance that to see how insane it was.))

Really anyone with magic can help. All they need to do is be there, and Alex will do the rest. Yay for the power to link magic!

But, it sounds like that approach might not be needed. The flower’ll get sealed one way or another at this point.