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Tamamo no Mae     The Millenium Capital on the Moon Cell is quite dull right now. The sparkle of life and the lack of its Mistress has most of the lights out and even the normally bright sky looks overcast, but nothing seems damaged or out of place around the Capital. (Un)Fortunately there aren't any defenses around the Capital right now, leaving the entire area wide open for attack... or even exploration.
Nozomi Houken     There is one person who has every right to be here even when the defenses are fully realized. That would be Nozomi Houken. Technically superior in authority even to Caster, but in practice more like second in authority only to Caster. Regardless, as Tamamo's Master, she's got her run of the place.

    And the past week or two, she's been using that authority to look around. Every few days, then every day. That's where the night in particular finds her, riding through the streets astride Taiga, doing the same 'scan the capital for any signs of her' routine. Taiga doesn't expect anything. Nozomi is just hoping for... something. Anything. Especially now that other people are starting to notice.

    People who, apparently, refer to Tamamo as 'princess'? She's still baffled by that one.
Touta Konoe Touta Konoe had avoided checking the Millenium Capital for some time since he knew that it had been guarded. He figured the only way he was going to get in was if he decided to force his way in or if he was able to get ahold of Caster's husband, who besides a few descriptors he knew nothing about. It was only through sheer luck that he was able to find Nozomi through the radio. Now that they had contact with one another he had hoped to meet up with her at her home to ask her if she knew anything that could work as an anchor for her.

Still as he arrived at the capital there was a bit of a shock to see how lifeless it had become since the last time he had arrived. It made a bit of sense considering that the ruler and caretaker of this place had vanished without a trace. Actually, that was incorrect, there was one person who was here who he could see in the distance.

"Hey! Are you the one from the radio?!"

The young man runs over to Nozomi covered head to toe in black, black spiked hair, a red t-shirt covered by a black gakuran, and long black pants. Honestly in this land of cherry blossoms the fourteen year old was like a black enigma that seemed out of place as he ran around. Even the katana he held in his hand was pitch black in appearence. That being said though, his appearence could have been noted as nothing but bright and cheerful.

As he approach her, he gives her a brief smile trying to be as pleasant as he possibly can in a situation like this.

"You're Hime-chan's wife right? It's nice to finally meet ya. Oh, I'm Touta Konoe by the way."
Nozomi Houken     "Taiga... maybe it's about time we head back. I don't... she's not here, and... and that person on the radio-"

    Is currently yelling at her. "-hwa?!"

    Almost on reflex, she slides off Taiga's back to put the robotic tiger between herself and the approaching young man. He actually looks a year younger than her? It's hard to tell. "A-ah... yeah, that's... that's me..." She fidgets, taking very good care to keep Taiga between the two of them - not out of any awareness of Touta's nature, but sheer, painful shyness at such an energetic new person. "I- I think she'd... insist on 'husband', but... Nozomi. Houken Nozomi." She even gives a proper, polite bow. "And this is-"

    Surprisingly, for once Taiga cuts her off entirely. He is staring straight at Touta, ears pointed forward, head tilted as if scenting the air. "I am the Technology-Integrated Gensou Engine Rampart. You may call me 'TIGER'. I am an anti-supernatural weapon built by the Japanese Self-Defense Force for the purpose of dealing with spiritual, magical, psychic, and other paranormal threats." There is a brief pause. "You are a vampire. A very strange one. Even by the standards of the Multiverse."

    Nozomi just kind of blinks at the robotiger, confused. He doesn't do THIS often.
Carna     "A MOON cell, you say?" Enark remarks as he hears of a likely location to search for Tamamo. She is one of the missing, and the Blue Scholar is determined to help find all of them, especially his close allies in the Concord, now that he has been freed of the terrible fate of being a vessel for some kind of corruption sludge thing. Seriously, what is with Lumiere and doors? Open the wrong door and...

    Soon he has recruited the aid of another native of Lumiere, an undead woman named Carna, in going to seek something that could be of use. A personal item, or something with long-term exposure to Tamamo's presence. Carna is still highly uncertain of who and what she is now, but is trying to find meaning in putting herself to work, and fulfilling her 'duty'. She doesn't know what that duty is, but for now it seems to include helping people or upholding pledges.

    So a zombie-ghost in gothic semi-princely attire and a ghost-nerd in a blue robe do wha they can to find information on this 'Moon Cell' (there also seems to be a whole lot of Moon associations with Lumiere too. Coincidence!?) and who they can join up with to narrow down the search area.

    The two arrive outside the capital, getting plenty of 'right at home' vibes from the abandoned city. The chains around Carna's right arm uncoil, melting and then fusing back together in the form of a sweeping blade like solidified blood. It remains attached to her arm by chains, so that she can throw it and have it come back to her, or avoid disarmament, but she is not necessarily expecting a fight. Her instincts are just telling her to be ready for one.

    Enark, on the other hand, carries no weapon, just a belt with pouches on it with various magical instruments and containers for whatever he might find.

    "And, er, where in this capital do you think she might have dwelled, exactly?" the scholar asks.

    Carna squints her crimson eyes into the distant, hearing the sound of voices. "We are not alone."
Touta Konoe Touta finally gets a close up look at the cat mouse combo that Tamamo had told him about the first time that they appeared. While he wasn't expecting her to back away behind the cat like machine it did make sense from what Caster had told him about her timid wife and the protective cat who was with her. Yep there was no denying it at this point. He had found who he was looking for. That being said Nozomi was still kind enough to give him a proper greeting at the least, and from what he could tell she seemed like she was around his age, maybe a bit older. It was hard to tell sometimes.

Still, he is definitely taken by surprise when Taiga introduces himself not only by announcing that he's an anti-supernatural weapon built by the government but by immediately identifying Touta's a vampire, and that there's more going on with him than meets the eye. At this point the rational decision would probably be to back away, or to explain himself to the robot. Touta however is a teenage boy and like all teenage boys the fact he has now seen a giant intelligent robot, his attention has completly been captivated by it completely unaware of those who may have now begun entering the scene.

"Wooooooah! This thing is so cool. I wouldn't have guessed this was the cat that Hime-chan was talking about when she was mentioning you guys!"

It's at this point Touta's literally in the machine's face. He's grabbing at it's ears, poking at it's face, even touching pieces of it with the handle of his sword. There's that old saying that 'Curiosity killed the cat' but what does it say about a boy's curiosity regarding a robot cat built to deal with supernatural entities?
Nozomi Houken     Oh, that's not going over well. Taiga immediately backs away a half-pace and lowers himself, assuming a defensive (and very feline) posture. Black armor plating shifts slightly, and the twin cannons mounted to his shoulders twich once, emitting a soft hum - the distinctive sound of 'now active'. He doesn't point them towards Touta, but he does issue a simple, "Please do not touch me. I mean no disrespect, but you are a complete unknown to either of us. Unknown vampires are to be treated as a significant potential hazard."

    That, however, is when Taiga pauses, and turns his head. "...we are not alone. That magical signature is... different, but..." He switches over to radio, broadcasting a simple message on an old frequency. <<Supernatural contact. This is TIGER, formerly of the Union. Signature recognized as Carna, also formerly of the Union. Please confirm your identity.>>
Tamamo no Mae     The skies turn a bit darker, and drops of rain start to fall from the sky, a sprinkle shower more than actual rainfall while lights start to turn on inside the building... maybe everything was computer controlled or set to turn on at certain times. The weather is turning poor, either due to the Mistress of the Capital being gone or some other malevolent nature... but one thing is for sure, the rain may pick up soon.
Carna     A wax skull hanging from Carna's belt begins to hiss whispering voices at her. It's her equivalent of a radio. She takes it gingerly and listens to the message spoken. Then she looks to Enark. The scholar looks surprised but nods. "The Union were... It was a group that we were part of in the past. Allies. The organization was disassembled after a great crisis, but many of its members remain. Some even in the Concord."

    Carna flicks her eyes back down to the skull. She still does not feel that she is this 'Carna' person. The name doesn't 'fit'. But she has nothing else to go off of right now. So she speaks into the skull, and her own message emerges on Taiga's end on an undercurrent whispers. "I am Carna." She pauses and then adds. "Is it safe for my ally and I to enter the city and approach you?"

    Enark looks up as rain begins to fall. First the Moon and now water. He's really in his element. If he had blood, ice, paint, and something to do with time distortions, he'd be at full power. As it is, he feels the two of them can probably at the very least protect themselves.

    But he had never been here before, so he decides not to blindly assume anything and let those more knowledgeable advise them.
Touta Konoe Touta's didn't expect to see Taiga start to pull out cannons. It doesn't take them to be pointed at him to get the picture. He does kinda want to check out Taiga a bit more but he'll respect the personal space now that there's the possibility to him getting blown to bits. That'd probably really hurt...Especially if this thing was as lethal as it was saying it was. Looking to Nozomi he raised his hands infront of himself defensively, "Sorry, sorry, I got a little too excited. Anyway I figured I could come here to talk about finding Hime-"

Touta's cut off by Tiger's announcement of another potential group of people here. Were they expecting anyone else? Touta wasn't at least, though maybe Nozomi had brought some more people? Now that his focus was not zoomed entirely on Taiga he was trying to look around for those others the cat-machine was referencing, and it was at that moment he could feel the rain drops begin to sprinkle upon his head. Was it about to rain? He didn't know how the weather worked in the Moon Cell so there wasn't too much reason for him to assume it didn't work like Earth so he didn't pay it much mind. Though what he did pay mind to was one of the individuals he could see trying to come in the distance. It was difficult to make out one of them, an unfamiliar figure that seemed to be responding over the radio to Taiga's call. Though there was another, someone whose appearence Touta had only recently been introduced. It was someone who actually was probably just as much involved in this situation as the rest of them were.

"Why's Enark here?"
Nozomi Houken     Nozomi, too, looks upward, and then frowns. Her jacket has a hood, and she quickly draws it upward, but the change in the weather makes the capital feel even more dour than normal. Normally she likes the cherry petals, the floating pagodas, the bridges over virtual space... now it just all feels eerie. "Who...?" It's the only word she needs to say to Taiga, who replies. "It is Carna. We didn't interact much, but she was a member of the Union. Undead of some sort." The radio reply comes a moment after that. <<I don't know if I can say that it is 'safe'. There is an unknown vampire here, who appears to be a young man. But he does not seem to be an /immediate/ threat. And I bear you no ill will, nor does my user.>>

    Nozomi is definitely giving Touta a wary look, but after a second or two, she does offer, "...it's alright. You're... y-you're here to help find Caster, so..." That's about all she can really offer, aside from watching with some degree of wariness as Carna and Enark approach.
Carna     Carna and Enark approach as they are bade to, though the Lantern remains suspicious as ever. Too much is unknown, and muscle memory has her scanning her surroundings constantly for snipers and ambushers even though she no longer has the memory of such dangers remaining inside of her, accumulated over vast lengths of time. Enark seems less wary, especially when he sees Touta. "Hello! Good to see you again! Not to worry, Sir Tiger. Sir Konoe has been aiding in the investigation into the missing Elites, as we are. I take it you are also seeking something of personal value that can be used to assist us in saving Lady Tamamo?"

    Carna is busy looking up at the sky as the rain falls upon her, trying to figure out if she is being attacked or something. She has no recollection of ever experiencing rain before. But it doesn't feel threatening.

    Enark also bows to Nozomi. "Enark. We may have spoken as well, though I have difficulty recalling."
Touta Konoe There's another smile that arises on the young man's face as Enark arrives on the scene. If there was anyone who would be able to explain what was going on to Nozomi, he'd probably have a better time of it then he would. Plus he could probably identify what qualified as an anchor more than any of them.

He waves over to him and his strange friend. He's not too sure who that Carna's suppose to be but she'll receive the same cheery outlook that Taiga and Nozomi received before. It's probably odd for Carna considering that Touta should aware of what Carna is. It's just he seems unphased by that realization.

"Enark! I can't believe I'm seeing you here! Talk about good timing, yeah I came over to meet Him- Eeer Caster's husba- Nozomi to see if she knew anything about an anchor we could use to bring back Caster from that other Lumiere."

Touta would properly greet Carna, but first he wanted to make sure that Nozomi and Taiga weren't going to freak out around him so he turns towards him. Maybe they would believe Enark, but if that wasn't enough still he slowly brings his katana to the ground in between himself and Taiga.

"Like Enark said, I want to help out if I can. But if it's still kinda hard to trust me, feel free to hold onto that...At least till I leave!"
Nozomi Houken     "Seeking somethi... what?" Nozomi blinks. Fortunatley, she has Taiga to take up the slack for her. "It appears as if we are behind on Concord reports. A moment." Pause. "...we were unaware of anything other than the possibility that she might be connected, my apologies. But if something she considers valuable may serve as a means by which to retrieve her-"

    "I know where to look."

    That was Nozomi. Speaking with a surprising firmness and steadiness. Still as quiet as ever, but not nearly so... flimsy. There's the faintest hint of iron. "If it's something that she values..." A pause, and a faint blush. "Well... if I don't count myself, then it's something in the palace." She looks over her shoulder. "...Taiga and I know the way. It's a second home." It's a way that she could bring Tamamo back. Someone who's become important in her life. However little she might care about herself, if Nozomi can save anyone she considers important, she'll do what she has to.

    That's what brings her eyes around to Touta again. "Ah, I... if you're here to help, then... then I don't mind." The feline robot turns to look at her briefly, then turns yellow eyes on Touta, as if to say 'well, you heard her, you're alright for now'.
Carna     Carna seems to decide against stabbing the rain, and follows along as Enark nods amicably. "Then I shall allow you to lead the way. As far as we are aware, rescuing the missing is a time-sensitive matter. We do not wish to leave them in the clutches of the force that holds them for too long. It controls memories and dreams. I do not feel it necessary to emphasize how easily those could be used to enforce some sort of brain washing."

    Carna has neithre memories nor dreams, so it was important for him to emphasize it for HER at least. "What do we do if they have been changed when we find them?" she asks.

    Enark shrugs uncomfortably. "I am certain we can help them recover."

    "And if we can not?" Carna presses.

    Enark shrugs again.

    Carna waits and stares at the scholar's back. "What if, when we find them, they are like I was? Will you insert new souls into them?"

    Enark looks even more uncomfortable. "We will not leave them behind, no matter what."

    That isn't quite an answer, but Carna seems to let the matter drop for now and focus instead on where they're going. This is unfamiliar territory. She wants to make sure she can navigate it on her own if the need arises.

    "So, it is a pleasure to meet you face-to-face finally, Lady Houken." Enark effuses, trying to change the subject. "Lady Tamamo has said much of you."
Touta Konoe For now? Touta takes his blade off the ground as the combo seems to trust him enough for the time being to let him follow as to where they're suppose to go. As they begin to venture through the capital Touta begins to recall where they are going without too much of a fuss, or where they are getting close to at least. Still, before he can ask his question to Nozomi it appears Carna has her own concerns as well. Some regarding to the well-being of the others. What she asks seems pretty heavy and Enark seems to try and brush off the subject, sadly Touta has no intention for that to occur before at least making a remark about it himself.

"Don't sweat it! We'll definitely save them before that Lord of Fear guy ever gets the chance to try something. That being said though...Enark, you said you needed to find a way to deal with that corruption to enter through that gate right? Mmmm, do you think I can try taking a look at it later? I didn't get to go the first time but there's something I want to try if I can."

It's at this point that Touta should have probably waited for an answer from Enark before anything else, but that itchy feeling of knowing where they were keeps bugging him and so he just asks Nozomi at this point, "Hey, are we heading to that 'My Room' place?"

Yeah, he definitely said that. It's at this point that even if unintentionally Nozomi should be aware that he's probably not lying at least about knowing Tamamo. Or well enough that he knows about the Millenium Capital.
Tamamo no Mae     With Taiga and Nozomi leading the way, it's quite a bit of a walk towards the area in question... through the kitchen, up the stairs, through random rooms... the interior lights up as the group walks along, sensing one of the true owners of the area in the building. It's almost creepy, if it wasn't for the fact that Nozomi and Taiga were there leading the way. The polished floors reflecting the visage of everyone... the light clicks of shoes and 'paws' on the wood, echoing through the area....

    Until there's an ornate rice-paper door, the slide type. The magic binding it is powerful, but as soon as the RoboTiger and Mouse get close, the magic becomes fainter and fainter... until it dissapears all together. Once the doors are slid open, the entrance to 'My Room', the lights for the room light up bright. There's desks across one wall with parchment and ink pots on it, a kotatsu with dango ready to eat upon it, the futon, all nice and made up with two pillows next to each other... along with another, smaller futon near the foot of it, for a certain robotiger. Hanging up on the wall is one of Tamamo's many robes and her maid outfit, for her job.

    There's a few shining objects nearby, one of them may be very familiar to the Master entering the room, though/
Nozomi Houken     The things Carna's talking about... oh, they don't sit well with Nozomi. The look on her face makes that blindingly obvious. She doesn't say anything, she doesn't look Carna and Enark's way, but her steps do speed up noticeably. "Y... yeah. We're going to 'My Room'." Taiga, for his part, chooses to leap up and away from the group - but only so that he can do his usual job of scouting ahead, from rooftops and other high vantage points.

    And so, as they walk, they approach. The palace is always so... odd. Sometimes there are servant programs (as opposed to Servant programs), sometimes there's no one but Nozomi, Tamamo and Taiga; so this particular emptiness doesn't bother her as much. When they finally reach the door, she steps forward without fear. "It's... there's a lot of our stuff in here. Please try not to make too much of a mess." She heads straight for that familiar shine.

    Taiga ambles over to the side of the door and declares, "I will stand guard."
Carna     For his part, Enark seems quite intrigued by the new surroundings, and the round-about method of getting to their destination. He asks questions when he feels it's appropriate and allowable, and nods in agreement with Touta at the reassurances offered. Carna mostly just seems suspicious and cautious, but unlike her previous self she has not started 'salvaging' everything remotely useful she passes into her inventory simply because it's been left unattended.

    Once they arrive at 'My Room', Enark takes in the sights. "Hm, hm. Yes, very nice Japanese aesthetics. When we reclaim my study I will have to add a kotatsu. So archaic and primitive, but quite useful. And I have room for one now that..." he trails off, remembering the reason why he has room is because the mimic he ha spent billions of years sharing living space with is gone now.

    "...Well, a concern for another time. Was Lady Tamamo a maid?" he asks as he peers at the outfit.

    Carna is drawn to the shinies, but doesn't touch anything, just walking by and seeing if anything seems to stand out more than the others. She doesn't know what she's looking for. How does she tell what is important to someone?

    She notes Nozomi heading right for the shrine, so meanders that way too, though stands at a respectful distance. She just wants to observe, not interfere.
Touta Konoe There's a bit caution in Touta's eyes now. Why was that? Was it because he was embarassed to be in a woman's room? Perhaps he spotted something in a drawer he shouldn't have? Well, honestly, he was afraid he was going to break something. He knew that Tamamo was some sort of spellcaster and that she probably had some magical things lying around that probably she would prefer to remain in tact. For that reason alone, Touta was the worst person to be allowed in this room. By simply touching certain magical items he'd end up breaking them. The sheer thought of doing that put him on edge. Especially if the anchor they were looking for was something of the sort.

That being said he was taking the time to look around. After all, Tamamo said no one was allowed in her but her and Nozomi so taking a peek seemed worthwhile if it was going to be the last time he was allowed in her.

"No idea, the reason I found Nozomi though was because some guy calling himself her boss was upset over the radio. Still, it seems a little weird that someone who lives like this would need to work at all."

Ooops, almost stepped on something lets avoid that.

"Actually while we have you here Enark, how exactly -DO- these anchors work? I know you said we had to bring the missing people's anchors with us, but is there anything more to it? Do people important to them have to bring it, or can we just bring one person in with all the anchors? And what about the anchors for the people going in to rescue them? Are we bringing them with us as well? I'm still sorta lost on all the technical stuff."
Tamamo no Mae     The shine is coming from a corner table, near the kotatsu. It was a well used table with a small lamp on it along with a few other nondescript items, and the shiny object. The circular object pulses with a familiar magic to Nozomi, a safe feeling washing over the Master and the Husband to the fox. In addition to being the proof of bond between Tamamo and Nozomi, it was also the one thing that controlled the entire Moon Cell... the Regalia. Tamamo's most precious item next to the one she calls Husband.

    All around the room though, were items of importance, but this one, it never left Tamamo's ring finger. The maid outfit has a symbol on it, indicating a place of employment, maybe perhaps from the cafe owner who barked orders to find the fox too. Fortunately, Touta manages to avoid stepping on a few charms and talismans lying on the floor, who knows what would have happened! Carna's own view shows coin and gems, either possibly used for spells or just there for trade.
Nozomi Houken     "Ah... sort of," Nozomi replies to Carna. Her answer, though, also goes on to clarify for Touta. "...she wasn't working for money, though. It was a maid cafe, and... ah, there's... a pair of exterminators, in the Paladins. Reiji, and Xiaomu. They're... they're good people. Tamamo's... she's got a job there as a waitress, so... it's to prove she can, or... something like that. It was an agreement or... something." Further explanation, however, will have to wait. She knows that ring. "...the Regalia." Those two words are fraught with no small amount of worry.

    She picks the ring up without hesitating, looking it over closely. "...she'd... she'd never just... she doesn't even take it off when she's asleep. If she left it behind..." Something is /really wrong/. But of course, that also means it's a pretty good candidate for an anchor.
Carna     Enark doesn't really follow. Maid cafes from about 3+ centuries before his original death, though he has probably heard of them. It's the complicated explanation that befuddles him. "Hm? Lady Xiaomu and Sir Reiji? I know them, yes." He can supply that at least. "Something that has been in her presence for a very long time." he affirms gravely. "That is indeed an ideal anchor." Awkwardly he tacks on. "And I'm sure that with you in addition, we will certainly rescue her."

    Carna looks to Touta, clearly discomfitted being here. "We have what we came for then. Let us depart. The sooner we save..." she struggles to remember the name of who they came here to get an anchor for.

    "Lady Tamamo." Enark supplies.

    "Lady Tamamo, and everyone else, the better. I have no intention of allowing myself to be added to the list of the missing, and we have no reason to think that list will not keep expanding."
Touta Konoe "Regalia? You mean her wedding ring?"

Touta clearly recalls the ring from the time they had met. It was definitely latched to her finger when they met. It certainly seemed precious enough to her when they were talking and now it only reinforced the idea as such. Though as he watches how much Nozomi worry about the ring he can't help but blurt out what he's thinking.

"You know when I first met Him- Tamamo, I asked if she was married and she told me about you a bit. You're her 'lovely little mouse' and a good Master too boot even if you could be a bit scared sometimes." He'll leave out the part about her disdain for Roboneko Taiga... "It might not be my place to say this since we just met, but I agree with her. Since hearing you panic over the radio earlier, to seeing the concern on your face now, anybody could tell you really care about her. Man, I hope I can be a good of a husband as you are someday, haha!" Whether it was an attempt to relax Nozomi somewhat, or actually just saying how he felt on the subject those words were said with complete sincerity. That at least no one in that room would be able to deny.

Turning towards Carna and Enark at their mentions of the others henods in agreement. "Yeah, we'll get everyone back. Not just Tamamo, but Dorian and Tomoe too. We'll definitely get them all back and make the one who took them think twice before trying to do it again."

With that he'd acknowledge it was time for them to head out. Heading back towards the entrance of My Room. "Hey Enark, now that you're here can you show me where that gate was? If we're running low on time I want to see if we can deal with that corruption sooner than later."

It's at that moment as he's about to leave he remembers something that he feels he must tell Nozomi before heading out. "Oh, before I forget! Last time I saw Tamamo I promised her I'd let her see my world, that offer extends to the both of you as well. So when we get her back I'll be expecting a visit from the married couple, okay?"
Nozomi Houken     Carna gets a slightly befuddled stare from Nozomi. Did she forget the name? But... well, at least she's trying. "Y-yeah. Ah, but... can I hold on to the Regalia for now? It's... it's important for the Moon Cell. Not just Tamamo." Granted, 'important' is an understatement. But it gets the idea across. "It's... i-it's more than just a wedding ring, though. It's... it has powerful magic, too. I don't know the details."

    Then Touta starts to talk. And Nozomi blinks.

    Then she freezes.

    Then she starts to turn bright, bright red.

    She's still standing there glowing like a backlit beet when Touta asks a question. The only response he gets is an embarrassed stammer that might or might not be yes.