Summary:Avery investigates an anomaly with Batgirl and Samurai Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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"We're going to be infiltrating a business owned by Akari. We need to recover information on a connection she has with a Yakuza named Nagumo." Batgirl is explaining to her domino masked companion as they crouch on a roof of a building in downtown Staten Island.
"I'm expecting the Silver Samurai to assist us … he should be here soon." A video projects from Batgirls suit, laying out the inside of the art gallery they're going to enter.
"Can you put us in here?" A spot appears on the display. "It will put us in the shadows and Oracle will loop the camera's masking our entry. You'll need to take three of us - can you do that?"
The Samurai will probably roll his eyes.
"Yakuza being 'Organized Crime', originally from the nation of Japan?" She's been reading up on things! And her weird speech seems even less prevalent, though the faux Brit part is still notable. "Silver Samurai." A nod and then Zeal studies the video projection from her mentor and liege lady's mystic equipage. "I can teleport us all, yes, and anywhere I can see provided what I am seeing is currently what is happening." A thoughtful nod. "The most I have moved in the past was a largish pony, perhaps three or four men would be the best I can do."
She smiles then. "I can do as you ask, Batgirl."
The Samurai does arrive, looking silently askance at Batgirl. "I can just gut the locks, you know that right?" She should know that. She's seen him do it often enough. He can get through a steel door with a pencil, if he has to.
Or a paperclip, really. Though that would take quite a long time.
Ah. They're teleporting in. Well clearly the redheaded crimefighter has a plan. So he simply moves up next to them and waits.
"Of course, but remember what I said about discrete?" The redhead answers the Samurai. "Why let them know we've been in at all, if we can avoid it?" With a nod, she directs Avery to blink them in. "Hold onto your mask, this is trippy." She tells the Samurai.
"When we get in, we want to check her office for paperwork. Avery, you go through the files and find anything you can on imports from Greece or Japan. Any mention to Nagumo, as well. Samurai, I want you to check the exhibits for anything unusual. I'll get the computer of course."
When they arrive, the gallery is quiet. Light filtering in from the street and from emergency lighting. The office is just to their right but there's a door next to it - it might be a closet based on the building plans they have, but there's a strange glow from under it. It's very … pretty.
"Hello, Silver Samurai." Avery greets the other vigilante as he arrives. She'll let Bat Girl deal with the logic involved. A nod at the instruction. "Search the paper files, seek information on imports from Greece, Japan, or Nagumo." A wry twist of her lips. "With a little help from your friend." Oracle, and no, she didn't realize she made a song quote.
Once the instructions are given, she looks to both her passengers. "Ready?" And then she reaches a hand out to each, briefly touching, and draws in a breath. Babs of course has done this before, but the Samurai has not - they are shunted into an realm of infinite space, a cold place, one the mind barely even starts to grasp…and then on the exhale they're inside, in the shadows that Bat Girl wanted. "We're in." Yes, Avery has been watching a lot of movies lately! She said it /just like/ that.
Samurai blinks and has to shake his head to stop himself from hearing blue. It's an entirely odd sensation. His hand goes to his sword once they're in but there doesn't seem to be anyone there. Which is good. And…
"I do not think that door is supposed to be doing that." He says going to open it. It isn't a closet. It's an entire - fairly good sized - room. In the center of it is a small plinth with a gemstone on it and around it is a shimmering field. Within the field it is hard to see. The darkness and sparkles make it somewhat difficult.
"And yes, the Yakuza are organised crime." Batgirl answers an earlier question of Zeals. Shaking herself when they arrive, the feeling of porting will never get old.
The door and the light draws her attention. "Oracle that isn't a room on the blueprints is it?" "No Batgirl, it is not."
When Ken opens the door, Batgirl sticks a gloved hand through the field. The glove transforms to a hand and her sleeve becomes a sleeve of a gown. "What … that's not what happened last time …"
A frown at the unmapped room, and then Zeal is looking between the Samurai and the Bat Girl before she reaches into…somewhere else…and brings back a pair of batons to fight with. "Have you run into something like this before?" She queries Silver Samurai as he opens the door to…weirdness.
Sense peeled, Avery nods to the confirmation about the Yakuza, but is silent as Oracle is queried. The transformation draws a blink from her. "What sorcery is -this-?" A hand extends to rest on Bat Girl's shoulder, the baton in that hand tucked into her belt as she does so. "I can teleport us out if you deem it wise, Bat Girl…"
At last Avery HOPES she can.
"Something like it yes." The crystal is doing something they haven't seen the others do. It is pulsing. "What is it…"
PULSE! The light brightens and the field abruptly expands. Everything within it sort of… changes. The Silver Samurai becomes an actual man in Japanese armor, mirror bright with two swords. The demon menpo still covers his face. The walls of the room become stone instead of modern, though the dimensions do not change.
And everything becomes kind of… mentally fuzzy. It's hard to remember what they came in here for. Or… even who they are.
Batgirls outfit changes. This time she's not an archer like she had been the first time, instead she looks … more like Maid Marion. With a hat and flowing gown, her face obscured though by gauzy scarves - thick enough so her face can't be made out.
What can be made out is the long red hair that's not braided and falls nearly to her hips.
"Who be ye, Sir?" She asks the demon masked man. "Are ye here to help ward off the evil Sherrif?"
Oh. Good. Lord.
Zeal's outfit changes too - she ends up in a sort of articulated 'leather' combat harness, though there's a modest boob window in it, which is fine - she's got modest boobs! Arms are largely bare from the shoulders down to the elbows, and there's heavy bracers and kneeboots with greaves. All of leather. A leather skirt not unlike one Roman legionnaires wore leaves he upper legs bare between the skirt and the greaved boots. On her back is a crossed X of two short swords, and her batons are still in hand. She is also wearing a stylized sort of helmet, much like something the Greeks might wear, only the top is cut off and her hair flows up and is worn in a braid.
"An evil Sherriff? Certes an I pledge my aid, should you need it, maiden." She does seem a little nervous about the demon armored guy, but…will reserve judgement.
"Nani?" The armored warrior turns to face the other two, blade coming partway out of the scabbard at his hip. His hip, not his back as it was before. There's a string of probably incomprehensible words from him before he pauses and then tries again.
"Sheriff? And who are you? You look like Ronin. Bandits." Well, okay ONE of them does. The other looks like the lady of a castle only… utterly ridiculous. That hat. And her teeth aren't blackened. And she hasn't made her face porcelain pale.
Though you know. Other than that she's not too bad.
"Why are you both here?"
"I would ask you the same, kind sir." Bat-Marion responds in almost flawless Japanese. "I am no Bandit and my name is not Ronin." She blinks. "At least, I don't think it is…."
The young woman next to her gets a look. "I …"
The maiden looks about the room "… we … are not supposed to be here …. I think."
"I am no bandit, sir, I am a Knight in service to the Paladins Templar." Avery responds a bit archly. "I will thank you not to insult me again, or we shall have to settle things on a field of honor." The batons are slid into her belt at either hip and she stands at the ready, willing to face this demon man if she must.
"I am Dame Avery Aaronson." After all the demon armored man /did/ ask who she was. Irked? Yes she is, but not rude.
Avery frowns at the confusion that Bat-Marion displays. "I feel…I am tied to you, yes? Have I sworn to you, Lady? I feel as if I owe you…something…" And then a nod, brow furrowed. "…something -is- wrong…"
"Then what IS your name?" That's something of a dangerous question. Her name in her head is probably not 'Batgirl'. And while she probably remembers her name she might not recall what that name means - daughter to a police commissioner or even teleporting wunderkind.
"I am Harada Kenuichio, the Silver Samurai. And I…"
And he… what IS he here for?
"I seek a worthy opponent on the field of battle." Maybe that's the 'Paladin' over there. Maybe not. He doesn't remember and that makes him agree, yes, something is wrong.
"My name …" Batgirl frowns beneath the veils. "… is not to be known…." That … feels right but why is she to remain nameless? She doesn't remember. "Why are you here if seek a worthy opponent? Surely you will find that in the forest yonder …"
Avery just nods at the name to be unsaid thing, that feels right. "Silver Samurai, that name, I have heard it…I think I have heard it, I do not know." Avery sounds more than a little vexed and a good deal worried by the fuzzy quality to her memories. "It seems we are all…out of sorts, yes? I propose an alliance that together we find the answers to these questions, and find you your worthy oponent, and the Unnamed Lady her Sherriff."
"I…" It's clear that the Samaurai would prefer not to have such impromtu associations but he frowns and shakes his head. "Yes. That seems wise." He looks about. They're in a stone room, as if in a castle. Outside there is a hallway, similarly constructed and the Samurai steps into that hallway. About ten feet to the left and right, a shimmering field of energy cuts off any further sight.
"Curious. Are we prisoners then? What manner of sorcery is this?"
"An alliance?" Maid-Batgirl blinks at the two with her. "I recall I entered a building and … no, it's all vague." She follows the Samurai out into the hall, cocking her head at the shimmering field. "Tis a pretty sight, is it not?" she asks quietly.
Walking right up to it, she peers at it closely. "Sorcery of the worst kind, I fear. If I had a stick I would test it…" Maybe Avery has something to do that with.
"Like it or not, we needs must consolidate our forces, there be sommat strange afoot, no doubt." Avery declares. When the shimmery barriers come into view, she frowns. "I know not, Silver Samurai, but we should find out." About to simply touch it, she pauses when Maid-Batgirl speaks up. "Pretty yes, but mayhaps less than safe." A sheepish little smile. "Thank you for your suggestion." She takes her batons, offering one to the ginger, and then moving to the other side from her to prod at the other side's barrier with the thing.
When the baton is pushed through it simply vanishes. And to be fair reappears when pulled back but it looks like for all the world it simply doesn't exist beyond that barrier. Or maybe it's that it goes somewhere else. That's… just not clear. And it's really hard to see with the shimmering.
Similarly, Samurai takes a sword and sticks it through. Same result.
"We shall have to proceed with caution. We do not want any of us getting dis-"
The magical field judders and suddenly shrinks, flowing over the three confused heroes and leaving them standing in a much more modern building dressed in a much more modern way.
"What in all the thousand hells?" Samurai exclaims as he recovers, sword still in hand.
"Oh interesting…" Maid-Batgirl exclaims, crossing herself and saying a prayer. Who knew? "Perhaps the world ceases beyond yon glittering wall…" She puts a hand on the Samurais shoulder as he seems to about to move. "I do not think we shou——"
Batgirl is left standing there, blinking behind her hud. "Oh my. That … that happened before, didn't it?" She says to Samurai. "Zeal, are you ok?"
Actually…the object vanishing and reappearing through a portal is rather familiar, though her portals are much different and less glowy. Avery frowns then, and is about to say something in response to Silver Samurai and Maid-Batgirl when they speak of being cautious - Avery is not exactly known for her cautious nature, and these two might well suspect it considering her demeanor.
And then the fields collapse inwards and they're all…themselves again.
"That was most disturbing." Zeal responds honestly enough. "I have not felt its like before." She adds, and then smiles. "I am well, Batgirl. Puzzled, but over all well."
She does reclaim her baton though.
"It did, yes." Samurai says, peering back in the room. The crystal with the pedestal is there, as before. Pulsing light. "I am not sure if it is supposed to be doing that but I do not think that we should wait around for it to do so again." The question is do they break it or leave it and continue with what they came here for.
Which was… information, yes?
"It is strange. I can remember you both, appearing in that… somewhat interesting costume you both had. However when I was in it, I could not remember anything from out here." He had no idea who he was beyond 'The Silver Samurai, a warrior and ronin.'
"I don't like it. This time we didn't even enter the room though, did we?" Batgirl looks into that room and shakes her head. "Oracle. Where we were for the last five minutes or so? And were there any energy surges or unusual things?"
"We should go though. Clear the file cabinets and let me download their data. I'm tempted to cut their drives out and take them like that." beat "Don't dally …"
She's already moving to where the computer is. If it's going to take too long to download the data … she's got tin snips.
"All I knew, in there, was not wanting to deal with the Sheriff. Now, I remember it all. In there? I didn't know who I was."
There's a glance to Zeal to make sure the youth is really alright.
"I was in my old persona as the Paladin Templar adventurer, twas most odd. I even had my old armor…" Batgirl would know what she means about that, but it is sure to mean very little to the Silver Samurai. She does /nod/, crisp acknowledgement of not waiting, and to that end she moves over to the computer. "Batgirl, rather than fuss, can we not just take the devices entire? If you were to take the drives that would be sure sign of our approach. With but a thought I can jumps us all to safety, an you ask it of me."
She looks to the Samurai and to Batgirl. "Dare we leave the crystal behind and intact? I cannot portal I /could/ form a portal under the stand…if you had a live feed I could send it to wherever you like in such fashion…"
Samurai folds his arms - well puts his blade away first and then folds his arms - and thinks. "That… possibly. I am not sure what we might do with it after we took it." But yes, that's a possibility. He looks to Batgirl whose apprentice Zeal is. "What say you?"
Where would SHE put it? And what would it do to Oracle's computers if it went off near those. No. Probably best that it's not in the Clocktower. Does she have another place to place it though?
"What is a Paladin Templar, Zeal?"
That might be asking for it.
"I don't have anywhere to store it safely…" Batgirl looks at Zeal and considers. "We also don't know if they have the means to track it. At least with the computers I can be sure how to cleanse them. I think we should leave it and seek assistance on this." she pauses and looks at the Samurai "What do you think?"
There's a nod though. "We'll take the computers though. It will save time and that's important at the moment." Batgirl doesn't waste time stripping cables from the systems. It's not long before three systems are stacked ready to go.
"I mislike leaving the crystal behind." She looks to Batgirl. "When I walk us between — you could throw something to do the crystal harm, could you not?" Because Bats never have throwing weapons or widgets or explosives! That just isn't done. Okay, it is totally a thing. "If you cannot bring it with, destroy it."
The Samurai's question to her draws a blink from Avery, and then a sigh as he eyes close while Batgirl preps the computers. "Nothing real, Silver Samurai. It was a made up…game." Though the words themselves seem light, her delivery is anything but, there's a fair amount of hurt underlying. Obviously Ken is missing something in context, still, she seemed sincere about the lack of reality, so there's that.
Once the machines are ready, Avery smiles. "It would be a boon should you each touch one of the computers." She touches the third. "Be you ready?" Once they indicate they are, she inhales…and once more they're in that disorienting infinity of cold and light, but only for the duration of a single breath.
They reappar in a concealed area outside of Aldi, of all things. Only once they're there does she smile. "Good…now…if you have a feed of where you actually wish to go…"
"Strange game." The Samurai says. Though perhaps he's just not up on MMO's. He seems like someone who spent a lot of time doing old fashioned things. Which is, as it turns out, true.
Either way, he reaches out to touch one of the computers and waits. Batgirl can answer the question of whether or not she has something that will damage or destroy the crystal.
"Do you know that, Zeal? Will it harm the crystal or will the impact of a weapon cause the crystal to explode? Or the energies within the crystal to cause us harm? What if the energies trap us in the guises we were in, unable to remember to anything?" The redhead understands the concerns but there's much they don't know.
Unless the Samurai thinks they should take it, she's leaving it. They'll find another, she's sure, when they have someone who can assess it.
"Oracle, display a feed to Safehouse #39 and turn the lights on." The redhead says as she touches one of the cases. The feed appears, good enough for Zeal to use to transport them. "When you're ready."
"It is complicated, Silver Samurai." Zeal nods. "And not something I would speak of at the moment, perhaps another time."
She listens to what Batgirl says, and her expression falters a bit. "I am…too zealous, once again. Thank you for the correction, Batgirl." She waits for that live video feed, touching one computer herself as well as her companions.
A focusing of her will and they step between breaths to Safehouse #39, the transit smooth and still rather mentally disorienting.
"As you wish." The Samurai says with a nod. Then he's suddenly twisting. There's the sensation of being everywhere and nowhere at all and then, somewhere else entirely.
"I do not believe I am ever going to get used to that." Rather, he hopes that he will not need to get used to that. If Zeal his teleporting him around often something has gone horribly wrong, at least in his mind.
"Your apprentice is not wrong about needing to find out about those crystals, though, Batgirl. We have seen them in the homes of the associates of our enemies. They clearly have a purpose and I doubt it is to turn a room into a D and D campaign."
Batgirl stumbles as they port, swallowing her stomach back where it belongs. The lights in the apartment are on and it's much the same as the ones both Ken and Avery have seen. "Perhaps it is I who is too cautious, Zeal." They might regret Batgirls prohibition sooner or later.
"I'm making enquiries, Samurai. We need someone who knows about these things. You say you don't have contacts in that arena. Zeal, do you know anyone who might use 'magic'? Kitty has gone quiet in the last week. I suspect he's been distracted by his father or similar."
"Even I needs must sometimes rest after walking the space between breaths, Silver Samurai. It is my gift, but it is not an easy one for many, and it places great demands upon my person." Hey now, Avery would be happy to help the Samurai if he needed it, sure, it would not be /comfortable/, but it would be aid rendered with good cheer. That is surely not a bad thing!
She is respectfully quite while Ken and Babs talk, and smiles at Babs when she allows for the possibility she's in error. "Ah, but you are the Lady, I the Vassal, we will do things your way."
Avery shakes her head, clearly sad. "I know no true sorcery, nor an magi here. And those I knew of from the other place, were not real. I am sorry, Batgirl."
"Well don't strain yourself on my account." Silver Samurai murmurs. He steps back to allow Batgirl and Zeal to converse. "I can ask around. I do not know if I have anyone but I will let you know."
In the mean time Zeal and Batgirl may well ask the rest of her, ahem, family, what they know and what perhaps they might want to do about it.
"Vassal?" That gets a quirk of the brow. He knows what the word means but… "Wouldn't 'sidekick' be better?"
"That it would be." Batgirl asides to the Samurai. "If you could ask around, I will too." the redhead nods and ruffles Zeals hair. "Now, I suggest that you two leave me to sanitise this equipment and move it somewhere even safer. Once Oracle has gone through it, I'll let you know what they have found."
With that she starts to strip the cases down, sweeping the boxes for trackers before doing anything else.