Domino City Duel Academy

"Probably not cleanly. We'd have to down them all instantly. It's better to avoid fighting here if possible, I think."

Julia was at least happy she had taken the time to figure out a more efficient way to cast. It was really paying off now, as she noticed the other camera. Slowly making sure they'd lose their visibility and ability too coordinate would help. She began to channel her spell quickly to hit the lens. "Well this worked before..."

 

Adam sidles up to Seth. "If things are the same as when we checked the cams, the briefing room is empty. I don't know about operations. The command hallway has several military personnel - but if anywhere has some sort of blueprints of the complex and a way to control the entrance door, it's there. You with me?" He takes his place on one side of the door to command. "I'll get their attention with the pistols - hopefully they'll take you as less of a threat with only a staff, letting you take 'em by surprise." After giving Seth a moment to get ready, he adds. "We could also loot the quartermaster's room to see if they have any flashbangs - should make it easier."

 

Spoiler: Julia's Magic Roll

15+20(Sorceress)+10(Ice Mage)=45 weak fail

The spell ends up being more powerful than Julia intended, shattering the camera into myriad pieces instead of simply cracking the lens.

"Did you see that?" The quartet of would-be rescuers hear from the far end of the hall.
"We have intruders! Get into cover!" Another voice shouts, probably the fireteam's commander. They must be taking up defensive positions since no one comes rushing around the corner.

 

"I am not. That fight is unnecessary. I cannot take such a risk." Seth peeks around the junction before quietly walking down the hallway to the right. "The exit must be this way."

 

Julia cursed at the destructiveness being more than she meant, but they were clearly in a bind. Julia quickly handled the pistol to Felicia who was unarmed, figuring if it came down to it, Yoko and herself would have magic but Felicia only with her bare hands would be at a serious disadvantage.

However, with them digging in positions, it gave the teacher an idea to think through of what to do. “So…they’re aiming to hold positions. Obviously, let’s not just run in there. I have an idea. Kinda…”

She had assumed if she used it again it would be in a shadow game and she wasn’t even sure if this would work, but reached for the diabolic dragon card in their deck. If they chose this location, it stood to reason it wasn’t just to be isolated and might be a place better for coordinating spiritual power. Maybe. This was more just a gamble to see if it would work.

You’re probably getting bored anyway. Want to get in on this? Anything you can do here?

 

"Huh, I don't know how to use this." Felicia replies as she takes the pistol, trying to see if she can work it out somehow. Just point and shoot, right? She said to herself, unaware of what Julia had in mind. "Hey Dinah, do you have any spells that might help us here?" She asked, thinking maybe the nun could use her time warping powers to help them out.

 

"And if they just keep the door locked so we can't leave?" Adam asks, exasperated, but follows Seth - he knows he can't survive a gunfight on his own.

 

Spoiler: Julia's Commune Roll

6+10(Spirit Taming)+10(Indebted)=26 fail

Julia receives no reply from the monster she freed from its cage. The bunker doesn't seem to have particularly close ties to the Spirit World.

"Um, I can't slow them down or halt them unless I get close, but I can speed one of us up?" Dinah offers from the back of the group.

 

"Hmm. Can't you speed yourself up, then freeze them like you did with Michio?" Felicia asked, "But anyway, is there anyone here that can take three guards on by themselves... even as a distraction?" She asked, just in case Dinah couldn't do everything herself.

 

It was a stretch to assume this would work, so she wasn’t surprised but that did mean trying to come up with other options.

“I don’t really like the odds of that. Yoko, is it possible to use illusions to turn them against each other, perhaps?”

 

"I will break it." Seth says coldly. "If I must, I will go back." Up ahead, the hallway turns to the left. The pair find a door labeled "Utility," but there is little else of note before the ninety degree corner.

Spoiler: Perception Roll

16=16 fail

 

"I can't have both spells working simultaneously..." Dinah's voice is deadly serious, her prior fear diminishing as the adrenaline hits her. "...unless you want me taken out of the fight too. Theoretically, I could end the speed boost and then freeze them, but coming out of the differential chronal perception quickly enough to avoid being shot would be...very difficult."

"Against each other?" Yoko echoes. "It depends on how well they know themselves and how well trained they are. I expect this will work, but they use...very different tactics than those I am used to toying with."

 

"I'm not exactly a military expert, but from the way they're holding positions, they aren't taking many chances. Any sudden movements with their adrenaline running as high as it is, given the general tension....it could be messy. If it even looked like one was a monster in disguise or even had the suggestion...." She wasn't too sure if this was really within Yoko's power, but Julia at the same time, was still aiming to probe the full limits of where Yoko's abilities began and ended. It would be useful to know later on.

 

"I figured as much." Felicia replies to Dinah, but as they continued to plan. "Then, Yoko, what if you put up some sort of illusion instead? Making like a wall, that'll make it seem like we're still pinned here. While we go the other direction? We've already been caught, so being seen by the camera won't be a problem." The red-head gives her next suggestion.

 

"Didn't see you breaking your cell door..." Adam mumbles irritably to himself, as he heads around the corner.

 

Yoko gives the professor a wolfish grin. "A monster in disguise..." She winks knowingly. "I can conjure an illusion of that soldier from outside the entrance and have it march into this patrol ahead of us. Do you think they know what an oni is?"

"Not a bad idea, scarred girl, but I like Julia's better." Yoko softly elbows Felicia's ribs before speaking to the group. "Ready yourselves for a fight. This will take a moment to prepare." The illusionist takes a few steps back from the others, closes her eyes, and begins making flowing, practiced gestures. With each movement of her arms, a barely perceptible silhouette slowly grows more and more corporeal.

 

Felicia frowns a bit as she's called "scarred girl," but as she sees Yoko channeling her magic, she decides to remain silent. Instead, the red-head prepares herself to move the moment something goes wrong.

 

After rounding the corner, the pair, as stealthily as they can in this brilliant white facility, make their way down the featureless hallway before meeting another T-intersection. A brown plaque on the wall declares the left branch as Barracks A and the rightward path as Barracks B. "Did the...cameras show you which leads to the exit?" Seth prompts.

 

"Nope." Adam sighs. "And there was no feed covering either barracks, so we'll be going in blind. Lovely. I really should have killed that Portuguese chick... I am not looking forward to the weird shit she's going to do to me when we get caught..." He shudders.

 

"Why can't we ever deal with any normal cults?" Julia joked about it, but it was clear even as her smile held, anger was pouring out from underneath. Her posture straightened up a bit as she gave a look to the group.

"It's not easy, but nothing good will come from not thinking this all the way through. We can't just go running blindly."