Side One, Ep.1 "Holey Ship!"

[Legendary Sidekick]

The Demonic Captain tries to force the Pale Jackal off of him…

((Without going into detail, he had to beat PJ by more than 1 point.))

…but his strength is not enough, nor is his telekinesis enough to toss PJ overboard.

Diana finds that, despite nearly falling over, she manages to deliver a glancing blow.

The flames on the demoness' blade are washed away by the rain, revealing that the weapon is as broken as she is. It doesn't take a mind reader to see that the demons realize their battle is lost.

What a mind reader does sense is…

 

[Philip Overby]

With the demon in my clutches, I attempt to wrap my arms around his phantasmal neck and choke the life (un-life?) from him. Time to go to sleep, my sweet prince.

 

[Ruby]

Fenella: I try to finish off the demoness. Do I have enough strength to do it? She is almost destroyed, surely she can't take much more before she is vanquished and vaporized!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Fenella swings at the spine, but the broken head bobs and weaves, snapping the stretched spine away from the blade. Red eyes point like daggers at a space to Fenella's left where no one is standing. "Gragg!" she shouts.

 

[Ireth]

Vincent

My eyes narrow as I catch the gist of the demoness' words from what her battered brain betrays. I shout a warning to my comrades. "Beware more fire!"

 

[Reaver]

I've had just about enough of these wretched daemons. I lash out at the barely standing daemoness with my katana natana.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

The demoness' head flies off! There is only one demon left, now.

As PJ puts the demon captain in a sleeper hold, the demon says to him, "See if your might can defeat my magic."

An aura surrounds the demon. So do PJ's allies. They now have a choice: they can simply wait for the sleeper hold to take effect, or attack the demon, even though doing so will break the Jackal's hold.


Muziko's voice sounds better than before…

…yet she continues to hold the note.

---

Diana ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (enemy damage reduced)	Muziko ♥♥♥♥♥ ♪
Fenella ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♪
Mariya ♥♥♥♥♥ ♪
Pale Jackal ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reaver ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (damage increased)
Shan Mai ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (grappling power increased)
Vincent ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♪ (offense increased)

((@Phil, PJ's roll of 12 is active for this turn. If no one attacks the captain within 24 hours, I'll assume that everyone is watching the fight.

@Noma, Mariya still needs to release the lightning since it's being charged (or you can roll, then hold it for another turn—but you know the risk of that). While lighting can normally avoid a friendly target, I would expect that hitting an enemy being grappled would zap the grappler as well. However, if you roll a 10+, we can assume Mariya used thunder to prevent resistance. A roll of 1-9 means you can just send the bolt to a harmless location.))

 

[Ireth]

Diana

I try one more time to attack the demon-Captain...

...stupid slippery timbers!

Vincent

My magical grip on the katana is still strong. With the demoness disposed of, I send the blade toward the demon-Captain.

Aiming is difficult with the Jackal's arms wrapped around the monster.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

PJ's grip keeps the demon captain in place as blades cut into him.

((@Ireth, Diana hit with the 4. I'm giving everyone their "level 2" stats now, which means you can very easily hit the pirate while he's being held.))

Flame bursts from the Reflexion's head as Diana and Vincent strike. The flame melts the obsidian-like blade to the demon's skull.

Though his attack was interrupted, the Pale Jackal realizes that his attempt to choke the Reflexion would have been as effective as trying to crush a bottle of ale with one's bare hands. To fail would not harm the bottle in any way, while success would come with a terrible price.

((@Phil, PJ can either continue to hold the demon steady, or he can let go.))

 

[Noma Galway]

I release my spell. ((so this won't hit PJ?))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((Come to think of it, PJ would have to let go of the pirate when the flames burst from his head. In fact, I should have thought to have PJ roll an agility check, but due to my error, let's just say he lets go.

So the lightning hit for maximum damage and the demon is now stunned.



EDIT - And by stunned, I mean dead. Will update when I have a moment.))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

As Diana, Vincent and Reaver cut into the demon trapped in PJ's grasp, PJ is forced back from the flame bursting from the Reflexion's head. When Mariya finishes him off with her Smitening Bolt, Muziko can barely contain her excitement.

She does, however, and she completes a pitch-perfect rendition of the Blow Bubbles song:

"Let me blow a bubble
To get us out of trouble
Fly away as foes
Crumble into rubble"

As the bubble pulls everyone away from the sinking ship, Muziko gasps at the sight of a mermaid. Though true to her word, Daphne arrives in time to see that the heroes managed to take care of everything, including the escape. Her conclusion:

All that you have done, The Voice must surely be pleased with you. I will swim along just to make sure you can find the ship.

Muziko perks up at the mermaid's words.

"There's a ship? Thank The Voice and The Maiden for that! I thought I'd have to fly this bubble all the way to shore." Once confident she can control the bubble, she turns to Mariya. "Oh! You were wonderful, by the way. I knew you'd zap that demon! Well… I guess I'm the same creature as he was. But The Maiden will help me, right? I mean… your mom would too. Well, She did already, or else how could I sing the bubble song? But when I see The Maiden…

"Oh. You'll tell Her why I'm with you, right? I don't want her to step on me when I bow down to Her."

Spoiler: fanfare +

Just for fun, here^ are the demon's rolls. The 9 was to charge Fireworks, and the 20, had he been left along in the sleeper hold, was a successful NUKE. I rolled a 20 for both Reflexions for this turn, but only Muziko lived to use the roll.

 

[Ireth]

Vincent

I shield my eyes from the blaze of lightning that finishes off the final demon, and sigh in relief as a bubble surrounds the entire party. As we drift toward the ship, Daphne's sweet voice ringing in the air, I turn to the others. "Well fought, everyone."

I should be happy -- thrilled, even, that the demons are dead and we are victorious. I should be singing a victory song. But all that I've learned in the last hour or so, if it has even been that long, weighs on my mind and heart.

Diana

I can't help but be surprised that I didn't end up more injured from the demons' attack. Certainly the tough meat I ate helped a great deal, but I can't blame everything on that. Still, I'm happy to be unscathed, and on my way back to safety along with the others.

Vincent is troubled; I can see it in his eyes. No doubt he's seen and heard more than the rest of us put together, things I can only wonder about. Should I ask him when we are back aboard the Oyster? Or are there things some are not meant to know?

 

[Noma Galway]

I grin at Muziko. "Of course I will. You have nothing to fear." I realize then that we were in battle so quickly that Fenella and I had never managed to introduce ourselves. "By the way, everyone, my name is Mariya." I leave Fenella to introduce herself.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Bubbles rise within the large bubble carrying our heroes to safety. Each time a bubble pops against wounded flesh, a wound heals a little bit. Muziko seems oblivious to what the smaller bubbles do. She jumps on one, floats on it until it pops, then leaps to another. She giggles a little, then loses her balance and falls butt-first on Fenella's head. She hangs on tightly to the tiara, then regains her composure.

By this time, those who were wounded find that their clothing is torn and bloodied, but their flesh is not.

When Mariya speaks, Muziko says, "Oh. Yes. Names! I am Muziko." She hangs upside down to look at Fenella. "And who might you be? I feel silly sitting on your head not even knowing your name."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Boarding the Ship…

((You may role-play introductions or assume that has already happened. Either way, I'm just going to push the action so there are more NPCs available.))



As the bubble lands on the upper deck, Beatrice and Sister Annie look on. The young girl tugs on the nun's dress and jumps up and down excitedly.

Muziko—who is oblivious to the way she annoys the princess—tightens her grip on the tiara. She looks at Vincent, Mariya, Reaver, everyone, then she stares at the nun and the little girl. She is shivering. Reluctantly she releases everyone from the protective bubble, including herself.

Beatrice gasps at the sight of Mariya and Muziko, but it's Diana that she runs to. She throws her arms around Diana.

Muziko watches the little girl, then speaks to Mariya. While she doesn't whisper, she makes no effort to project her voice for bigger people to hear.

 

[Ireth]

Diana

No sooner are my feet on the Oyster's deck than Beatrice runs to me and grabs me in a hug. I hold her close, smiling in relief at her safety. I look from her to Sister Annie, wondering how Beatrice's training for the nun's secret move has progressed.

Vincent

I step onto the Oyster's deck, feeling little more relieved than before. I manage a smile for Beatrice, hiding my troubled thoughts. No matter what else I know now, I'm glad to see her safe, and I will continue to ensure she stays that way, as long as it is within my power.

I look down at the girl enfolded in Diana's arms, and can't help but wonder... Who are you really, Beatrice?

 

[Noma Galway]

I smile and nod at Muziko. "My mother recognized your intentions. And of course I will come with you. I think that's very brave and good of you, but you must be the one to speak." My voice is low.

 

[Ruby]

Fenella: "Ah, yes, I believe we have not been introduced. I am the Princess Fenella. You may have heard of me? Yes, you may bow or curtesy if you wish." I smile and wave my sword, but in a friendly manner. Then I reach up and lift a small creature off my tiara. "Who is this?" I ask. "I didn't know you had a twin, Mariya?" I place the creature on the ground where it sits and looks confused.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Muziko doesn't know what to say to the princess, but when Mariya joins her she decides it's best to say nothing. She does curtsy, but not to the princess. It is Beatrice that she wants to see most.

"I was sent here to kill you," she tells Beatrice.

"Really?" Beatrice giggles and reaches for the tiny demoness.

Muziko stammers, "Uh…" but she allows the girl to pick her up.

"You are so much more adorable than the other assassins." Beatrice studies the creature in her hand. When it becomes apparent the demoness is not a threat, she asks, "What made you change your mind?"

Muziko shudders at the question. "Honestly… I don't quite understand it myself. At first, I was just taking advantage of the mind reader as a means of escape." She turns to Vincent. "I didn't deceive you." To Beatrice, she goes on, ​"I simply wanted to live and enjoy this form, and never have to go back. The mortals protected me."

"They are good people," Beatrice replies. "And it seems like you are a good little demoness."

"Y-yes…" Muziko nervously dangles a leg over the girl's fingertips. "And I already have the blessing from your eldest sister. I wish to devote myself to You and Her."

"I'll need to do something about this body of yours."

"Oh…" Muziko blushes. "I like looking like Mariya, and she doesn't mind. I mean, if you want me to be… different… um…"

Beatrice strokes the demoness along her back. "I just want to do something about your flesh so you don't crack like the other Reflexions."

If Beatrice performs any kind of magic, it doesn't show. Yet, Muziko caresses one arm with her fingertips. "So soft!" She seems happy with whatever the girl may have done. She leaps down from Beatrice's hand and runs to Mariya. "I feel so alive!" she says. Suddenly she puts a hand to her lips. "Oh. Where are my manners? My Lady, this is Mariya."

"I figured as much," Beatrice says with a smile.

"Mariya, this is The Maiden." Not at all curious as to how mortals might react to discovering that they're in the presence of a Goddess, Muziko casually asks Mariya, "She's your aunt, right?"