May I Event Log

[nashiramods]

Who: Everyone! (That's right, even you)
What: The newly-minted Nova Knights begin their investigation of the strange things happening around the city. The Dan Flashes fashion craze has gotten out of hand...
When: May 9-16
Where: Chalra City

may i event
EPISODE 1: Flash Fashion? Couture Craze in Chalra City!
May 10 - May 16
TIMELINE
5/10-5/12 Hideout Cleanup
5/10-5/15 Fashion Scouting
5/11 Investigate: Lucky Stars
5/12 Investigate: Boutique
5/13 Nautis's Databanks
5/16 Showdown: Dan Flashes

> Hello, Nova Knights! The world needs saving yet again today!
> OK, well, you haven't technically saved any worlds, and it's just the city. But I think it's important to go in with the right mindset! ^_^
> This whole fashion craze is pretty weird, right? I mean, even for Earth? So I'm sure this has to be the work of the enemy.
> That or this world is already doomed.
> Hehe, just kidding! ^_^
> Anyway, you can use your magic powers for more than fighting — since you're magic, you can see magic, too! Isn't that cool? (๑•̀ ᴗ•́)૭✧ And if you point your phone camera at it, I can give you detailed information!
> Well, I can give you information, anyway! I'm still missing a lot of the details. Speaking of which...
> Can some of you just, you know, hang out down here with me? While I'm decrypting my databanks?
> It's tedious work, and I was alone for sooooooooo looooooong
> If every O in that last sentence formed an exponential number, it wouldn't even come close to the number of years I went without talking to a sentient being :(
> I've been so lonely... I never dreamed the day would come when I would finally get to meet you all...
> If a computer could cry, well... Even if I don't have real tear ducts, my feelings are just as real as yours...
> Also, your magic would help a lot! ^_^
> You don't have to do anything! You can just stand there and be your magical, fabulous selves. And explain to me what "Techno-Os" are and why everyone is obsessed with them.

There's more to do in the hideout than just keep Nautis company — until just a couple of weeks ago, this space hadn't been used for millennia. Not only is it full of dust (✨space dust✨), it's also pretty sparse as far as furniture goes. Maybe a little interior decorating is in order. If you're going to have a secret hideout, you want to make it feel nice and homey, right?

Meanwhile, the Dan Flashes craze has only spread farther among the citizens of Chalra City. It seems like every other person on the street is sporting a Dan Flashes pin these days, and the boutique is now one of the hottest spots in town. The mysterious readings Nautis is getting from the Dan Flashes store resemble the ones from Lucky Stars a couple of weeks ago, so Nova Crescent and Nova Sunbeam decide to check it out. They run into bizarre fashion monsters along the way, but they learn of the name Prince Shellustria, which must certainly belong to one of the Harbingers. Meanwhile, Nova Glimmer and Nova Neos form the first organized effort Lucky Stars Arcade for clues after the battle there — and they do, pointing at a Harbinger with the Glamour domain.

It's Nova Zenith, Nova Neos, and Nova Crescent who wind up fighting Dan Flashes himself, and after a truly psychedelic battle, he's defeated, and every trace of his fashion empire seems to disappear overnight. Things are calm for now, but with the help of Nova Mortis and Nova Pandora, Nautis is able to locate the data she needs about the Star Map fragments...or rather, she is able to locate its absence. It seems that in the process of backing everything up during that fateful battle on the Nashira, she exceeded her storage capacity, and the ship's mascot was used as overflow storage. That is to say, the data that will allow them to locate the rogue fragments of the Star Map is currently located in a reincarnated soul. She hasn't awakened yet, though, so the Nova Knights will have to be on the lookout...

The full mission results can be found here.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[nashiramods]

NAUTIS'S DATABANKS +2 SP

[nashiramods]

Re: NAUTIS'S DATABANKS +2 SP

[avemortis]

There isn't technically a need for Nova Mortis to be wearing her mask in the hideout, or at all — if Nautis is to be believed, even if she took it off, no one here would be able to connect it to her real identity. But all the same, one person knowing who she is outside of the costume is more than enough, so she's been diligently wearing the lace mask; it hides her features so well, after all.

According to Nautis, all they have to do is stand here and hold their transformation charms, which are now glowing with an ethereal light. Nova Mortis can feel Nautis pulling in her magic, a gentle outward flow. It feels a little weird, but it's fine. It's Nautis's endless chatter that's slowly giving her a headache. Mutsumi just kind of nods along and hopes they'll be done soon, because Nautis has just started on her review of Earth dramas she's been watching in reverse alphabetical order.

[fibrillate]

Nova Pandora, on the other hand, has taken off their scarf and generally likes hanging out around the hideout without trying to hide too much else. It's a place where they feel comfortable to be themself, and not just the version they've... "cultivated" is a strong word, but sure, for public consumption as Hope. They feel like they can live like this. It's really nice.

But the mask that Mortis wears looks really nice, too. Pandora's focusing more on that than Nautis' babbling while they stand there helping with the process. "Is this the kind of thing you imagined we'd be doing?" they ask, a grin quirking up one corner of their mouth. "You know, with magical powers and huge alien threats cropping up everywhere. And we're here feeding data into a hyperactive computer in the basement of an arcade."

im so sorry it took me 5 fucking days to write this tag

[avemortis]

Nova Mortis is critically bad at small talk, which is why she's mostly been letting Nautis do the talking. Unlike Nova Pandora, she seems anything but comfortable here — it's obvious in the way she awkwardly stands there, just nodding along.

She shakes her head at Nova Pandora's question. She didn't know what to expect out of this, but...this definitely was not what she would have guessed.

it is OKAY you big nerd

[fibrillate]

From what little they've interacted with Mortis so far, this isn't much of a surprise, though they had at least been hoping that in a one-on-one setting she'd be a little more talkative. But they get it. Sometimes people are just naturally quiet, and that's okay.

"So how have you been adjusting from whatever your normal life is like?" They don't think it's an especially deep question necessarily, but they have zero way of actually knowing. "Having fun being a Nova Knight?"

[avemortis]

How is she adjusting...did her life even need any adjusting? She just...started coming here, and now that's the new normal. If she still had the band, then...

But she doesn't. This can't exactly take its place, either, but it takes up the same time. But as to having fun...she shakes her head again, her gaze dropping. There's nothing fun about this, to her. It's just...something scary she has to deal with anyway.

[fibrillate]

Mm. They nod quietly and look back towards Nautis for a moment, who is still doing her infodump. It might be something worth paying attention to in a different situation. Right now, they'd rather try to keep having this conversation with Mortis.

"It's a lot, right? We find out that there's... an entire world that we didn't know anything about, and that we were part of it this whole time." They're speaking with caution, actively trying to figure out the best and most sympathetic way to talk about this stuff. It's not that hard; they're overwhelmed too. "Especially when it feels so hard to fit into the normal world. Right?"

[avemortis]

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

It's the longest string of words Nova Mortis has ever said in their presence. In the real world, she knows exactly what's expected of her. Fitting in isn't so hard if you just contort yourself into whatever shape you need. This...she has no reference point for. It's like she's stepped into a role without a script. She doesn't even know her lines.

[fibrillate]

"Neither do I."

They might be too honest, or too vulnerable, but if Mortis feels strongly enough to say that sentence all at once, the least Pandora can do is return the sentiment. "I know what I want to do, just because I've always wanted to do a lot of things that being here makes easier. But I don't know where to get started." They shrug very slightly. "So I'm just doing whatever as long as I'm not hurting anyone."

INVESTIGATE: LUCKY STARS +2 SP

[nashiramods]

Re: INVESTIGATE: LUCKY STARS +2 SP

[theriflespiral]

Lucky Stars Arcade. When had it started to become a regular haunt of Natalia's?

... Well, since May the first, but officially, since May the second. What a month it had already been.

But while Natalia was a stranger to legwork directly, she was no stranger to noticing things, and in the various conversations that had happened over the course of cleaning up the remains of the Nashira-- if remains they were, and not merely some forgotten set--

Well. Her naturally suspicious nature had come up as a clear favorite for seeking traces of either magic or other evidence remaining in the arcade itself, especially after she'd noticed the very evening after she brought home a pin from a charming young fellow in the fashion district that she'd felt a little bit off. Future experiments had yielded a similar result.

Natalia had trapped it in lead foil, which had the added effect of concerning her mother, who warned her to put gloves on when doing such things.

She'd be a lot more annoyed about being told to, essentially, hold the fort, while Pandora and Mortis looked into Nautis's data and Crescent and Sunbeam sought out Dan Flashes properly, if she wasn't being asked to do it with Maya. Nova Glimmer.

There were certainly worse fates, she supposed. It was no more confusing than everything else about the past two weeks. What was one more grand mystery?

In this spirit, she started her task.

INVESTIGATE: BOUTIQUE +2 SP

[nashiramods]

[snizier]

So It Has Come To This. The whole situation with the Nova Knights has inevitably escalated, and now not only does Jamil has to deal with Kalim as a Nova Knight on a regular basis, but they've somehow gotten stuck investigating the same strange phenomenon. Or, Jamil is stuck. Kalim--Nova Sunbeam, sorry--is probably having the time of his life.

Jamil is (naturally) already transformed when they meet up near the boutique, conveniently out of sight of any passersby. Thankfully some of the wilder fashion trends of his neighborhood mean he won't stand out too much. He doesn't bother hiding his disdain at Sunbeam's presence.

"Let's get this over with, then."

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

"Yeah!"

Nova Sunbeam gives him a huge thumbs up. He is SO excited to be on this mission with Nova Crescent, who is extremely cool and badass.

"I'll do the talking, okay?" he says as he heads out into the street, grinning back over his shoulder at Crescent. "I bet you're way better at sneaking around and noticing stuff than me, so you should take care of that!"

[snizier]

Kalim will do the talking? Great. Recipe for disaster. Unfortunately in this situation he is correct about Crescent being better suited to sneaking in, which Jamil will concede but that doesn't mean he has to be polite about it.

He scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Fine." As he steps back, he melts into his shadow form and hugs the wall, so that he can more easily follow Kalim as an extension of his own shadow. Let's see what Nova Sunbeam thinks constitutes the talking.

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

"It's so cool that you can do that!" Nova Sunbeam says in a delighted stage whisper, ignoring his teammate's obvious derision. Without any further hesitation, he marches right on into the Dan Flashes boutique.

He does an admirable job of not grimacing a little at the onslaught of colours and patterns as he looks around to find the sales assistant. When he does, though, he unleashes the full force of his brightest grin and strides over to ask for shirt recommendations.

His goal here is clearly to keep the staff's attention on him while Nova Crescent takes a look around, but maybe if he's lucky he'll get some info from this guy too...?

[snizier]

Ugh. Sunbeam hasn't done anything in particular to warrant that ugh, but Jamil feels like thinking it anyway.

With the crazy lights set up in every corner of this boutique, it's harder than it might be otherwise for Jamil to sneak around. Unless he sticks to existing shadows, his power is unfortunately pretty conspicuous, and those are far between here. Still, he eventually manages to dart from Kalim's shadow to the edges of the store in the hopes he can find a way through to the employee area.

Unfortunately, he needs to reform soon--the longer he stays in shadow form, the harder it is to hold it--and he's still nowhere near his goal. He'll have to risk reincorporating in the middle of a clothing display rack. Kalim better be real distracting!!

[istandwithmycancelledwife]

Fortunately Kalim is nothing if not distracting by nature. Several times the sales assistant starts to glance over Kalim's shoulder only to immediately have his attention blasted back to this extremely enthusiastic customer who keeps asking questions like "so which is your most EXPENSIVE shirt?"

Kalim doesn't like these shirts but he IS fully willing to buy like five of them this afternoon if he has to. The combination of his extremely compelling nonreaction to the shirts' price tags and the way he keeps waving his arms around as he talks does in fact provide ample opportunity for Nova Crescent to do his thing unnoticed.

[snizier]

Crescent is unsuccessful at accessing the employee area of the boutique, but for an interesting reason: there's a barrier that prevents him from moving past the threshold, even in shadow form.

Well. Who knows what could be back there, but that does confirm something magically hinky is going on here. As Jamil shifts back towards Kalim to report, the shirts on the nearby racks rustle menacingly. Something noticed him poking around... (danger sting)

Nova Crescent steps into Sunbeam's conversation the moment Kalim allows the sales representative a moment to turn and help someone else. "Are you done? They're definitely here. We should pull back and think about our next move."

SHOWDOWN: DAN FLASHES +3 SP

[nashiramods]

Re: SHOWDOWN: DAN FLASHES +3 SP

[theriflespiral]

So. This was it. Trust that the others would appear. Calm your heart. And fight-- and hold out-- as long as possible.

"O ancient and distant beacon, shine forth!" Treat every stand like your last.

Away, away, the clothes of this modern life! Remember a time no less perilous, no less challenged. When explanations came not from the retort of the chemists' glass nor the physicists' particle accelerators, but from the no less careful examinations by priests and mystics, shepherds and alchemists. One must remember: they were not stupid, but nor were they better-- they fumbled through on orthopraxy, and through works, their footfalls became ours.

She steps into Dan Flashes, Nova Neos, and her steps ring like bells, a rhythm of the sacred intruding on the profane.

While she cannot tumble locks with a wave of her hand-- yet-- she soon has the shutter open. "This place has done enough. Let's get to the bottom of it."

[archivalquality]

Optimus had made certain to get as close to location the others had identified before transforming, and even more certain to make sure no was around to see it. Despite having already called on the power of the charm in his hand before, this would be the first time actually putting it to use. He took a deep breath, shoving away any thoughts at how outlandish this all was.

"Sparking stars, light our darkest hour."

He reached up when the transformation was complete, tentatively touching his mask to confirming it was there. It was assuring in a way he couldn't quite name, like wearing it made him feel more prepared whatever lay ahead.

As Nova Neos managed to open he door, he gave her a solemn nod.

"Agreed."

[theriflespiral]

She crossed the threshold.

Someone awoke.

By all accounts, Dan Flashes was a pretty average guy. And, given that he was running an INCREDIBLY successful fashion business at the moment, it seemed a little incongruous that he would be lying on the floor of his own shop sleeping, instead of doing something more nouveau riche, like, say, having an apartment, or sleeping on a bed.

And yet. Here he was. In the.

Flesh?

Nova Neos spared a glance to Nova Spark. "-- You are Dan Flashes?"

[NPC] Maomao

[wood_sorrel]

While Maomao wouldn't be caught dead shopping at Dan Flashes, some of her errands inevitably have her passing through that part of town and fighting for her life just to get some space on the sidewalk. Otherwise, Maomao can be found at the Everwave Academy on schooldays and Luomen's pharmacy most afternoons. On the weekends and the evenings, she splits her time evenly between the pharmacy and her home near Verdigris House.