It was in the dead of night that three young maids received impromptu summons lying on their nightstands after a long day. They were comprised of neat little envelopes stamped with a tiny moon eclipsing a radiant Sun, the official Onmyōji family crest. Sayo, Hikaru, and Asher all received the same message within; to gather at the Study, and tell no one of this.
Now, they stood before the Madam in a candlelit crypt rank of old lady and dusty stationary. The curtains were drawn, allowing a blue hue to silhouette her as she gazed out into the courtyard. "I'm sure you're awfully curious as to what end you're here at this hour. I'll keep it brief; this is the end of your employment here at the Pendragon. Now before you lot start begging for your jobs; Save it. Your stipend, your pension, benefits, all will remain in accordance to your contracts. I will simply not be your employer. Your new master... will be my son, Ota." She sighed the name, then turned to face the three maids. "He is to be sent away to a private academy by next morning. He knows of this, as I gave him a choice to whom would accompany him for the next semester, and they stand before here me. I've no idea why he'd choose you three, but I understand very little about that boy anyhow. See to it that he attends his studies, on top of all else expected of you already."
The Madam paused her plot dump, looking to each straight in the eyes. "Questions?"
Hikaru yawned and stretched, listening to a conversation between two of the maids as they made their way back to the quarters. She came to a slow, noting the envelope. Picking it up, she used her clairvoyance to read the text through the paper.
She was never all that good at opening letters and ripped them all the time. Plus the seal was super cool, so.
She was standing in the study. She was beat, in a rather unprofessional posture. Her back hurt, her heels ached, and she felt super sweaty. She was only half-listening, storing the information to be processed for later.
Then the kid.
Her eyes unglazed, her expression built up surprise with something to say but all that left her mouth was "what-" THISDECREPITOLDWOMANHASACHILDGOINGTOPRIVATESCHOOLHOWOLDISHEWHATSJSHDJSHIWDOWOQH-
While it wasn't immediately apparent given the cool, if not taken aback expression, Hikaru was having a bit of an episode.
She was never all that good at opening letters and ripped them all the time. Plus the seal was super cool, so.
She was standing in the study. She was beat, in a rather unprofessional posture. Her back hurt, her heels ached, and she felt super sweaty. She was only half-listening, storing the information to be processed for later.
Then the kid.
Her eyes unglazed, her expression built up surprise with something to say but all that left her mouth was "what-" THISDECREPITOLDWOMANHASACHILDGOINGTOPRIVATESCHOOLHOWOLDISHEWHATSJSHDJSHIWDOWOQH-
While it wasn't immediately apparent given the cool, if not taken aback expression, Hikaru was having a bit of an episode.
(Sorry for being late XP In the end, I decided to go with Bad Expression, since she already pretty much had it in the first place. MY SINCEREST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR LENIENCE, COKE-SHAMA)
Something like a grimace appeared on Sayo's face, but it was quickly smothered and replaced with her usual ice-cold expression. Her maid uniform had been returned to her as promised, though it seemed her former opponent still refused to admit complete and utter subservience to her. It seemed she needed to increase the intensity of her dominance training...
Not that she'd get the chance, considering she was now suddenly fired. Normally, she would have rejoiced at the chance to get away from her witch of a boss, but she still needed the information the woman possessed. As long as she withheld it, her own hands were tied.
And so, she sent a glare over to the corner of the room, not daring to meet her eyes."So long as our original agreement still holds true, I won't argue. However, my obligation is to you, not him. Don't forget that. You bit-"
"...Understood." It was at times like these where she was glad that reality and fantasy were two separate things.
Something like a grimace appeared on Sayo's face, but it was quickly smothered and replaced with her usual ice-cold expression. Her maid uniform had been returned to her as promised, though it seemed her former opponent still refused to admit complete and utter subservience to her. It seemed she needed to increase the intensity of her dominance training...
Not that she'd get the chance, considering she was now suddenly fired. Normally, she would have rejoiced at the chance to get away from her witch of a boss, but she still needed the information the woman possessed. As long as she withheld it, her own hands were tied.
And so, she sent a glare over to the corner of the room, not daring to meet her eyes.
"...Understood." It was at times like these where she was glad that reality and fantasy were two separate things.
Asher nodded at the boss lady, flashing a tiny fang at the prospect of being surrounded by girls Ota's age in short little skirts and schoolgirl outfits. Tucking her hands in the pockets of her maid uniform, she grinned, tail swishing with delight. "This will be interesting," she mused to herself, looking around at the other two maids, mind somewhat in other places. "Can't wait."
((It's not as long as I'd like it to be, but I'm in class at the moment. I'll definitely reply with longer posts later when I get home.))
((It's not as long as I'd like it to be, but I'm in class at the moment. I'll definitely reply with longer posts later when I get home.))
She glossed over Hikaru's obviously confused, panic-smitten face, Sayo's averted eyes, and Asher's departure from reality. It was a mistake hosting the briefing in the night, judging by the way the Madam wrinkled her nose at the smell of labor.
"Splendid. If you're all understanding of your current situation, then I think it best you take your leave as soon as tomorrow's morning." Onmyōji blinked away a ray of moonlight shimmering off Asher's fang. "Ehk... The boy will need to be roused and brought on campus at dawn's break. That'll be all."
The maids were dismissed to their last night at the Pendragon, save for one last tidbit, as if a mere afterthought. "Kuzuryu-san." Onmyōji returned to gazing out the window for maximum mystique. "I have every intention of upholding our contract. As per your preferred discretion, there are further details within the details. Make of it what you will."
Morning came like any other. The other staff were all going about their Monday routine. The maids were no longer laden with the incredible mansion's upkeep, the only task at hand being gathering what belongings they owned and their new young master.
"Splendid. If you're all understanding of your current situation, then I think it best you take your leave as soon as tomorrow's morning." Onmyōji blinked away a ray of moonlight shimmering off Asher's fang. "Ehk... The boy will need to be roused and brought on campus at dawn's break. That'll be all."
The maids were dismissed to their last night at the Pendragon, save for one last tidbit, as if a mere afterthought. "Kuzuryu-san." Onmyōji returned to gazing out the window for maximum mystique. "I have every intention of upholding our contract. As per your preferred discretion, there are further details within the details. Make of it what you will."
DAWN OF THE
1ST DAY
1ST DAY
Morning came like any other. The other staff were all going about their Monday routine. The maids were no longer laden with the incredible mansion's upkeep, the only task at hand being gathering what belongings they owned and their new young master.
Hikaru's glowing orange eyes snapped open and she sat up. Her heart was pounding, eyes fading back to their normal silver. Everything was hot around her. She probably had a bad dream and her psychic abilities kicked in, some kind of friction causing things to heat up around her or something. All she could think about in the dream was her clothes being on fire...
She spent most of the morning bathing, scrubbing herself off and getting the smell of maid sweat and grime off of her body. "I should've showered last night..." Hikaru thought. Usually she'd be worried about her sheets smelling but it wasn't her bed anymore, so...
She'd get dressed in the appropriate attire and pack up what very little belonged to her (mostly thin books) and zipped up her bag.
She'd meet the other maids outside, stepping next to them without really saying much. Her backpack seemed heavy.
She spent most of the morning bathing, scrubbing herself off and getting the smell of maid sweat and grime off of her body. "I should've showered last night..." Hikaru thought. Usually she'd be worried about her sheets smelling but it wasn't her bed anymore, so...
She'd get dressed in the appropriate attire and pack up what very little belonged to her (mostly thin books) and zipped up her bag.
She'd meet the other maids outside, stepping next to them without really saying much. Her backpack seemed heavy.
Sayo hadn't even bothered going to sleep since the meeting. Though she was sure she would be awake well before dawn even if she did, it was more efficient to spend the night training in preparation for the upcoming excursion, as well as offering whatever help she could to the nighttime staff (she even went as far as to wake up her new slave Tem just to tell her to "be good" while she was gone. She only barely managed to escape the room in one piece). A few hours before dawn, she began finalizing the transportation arrangements, supplies, documentation, etc., just to give herself something to do, and once the proper time rolled around she decided to wake the boy up herself. After all, him being late or unprepared would reflect badly on her.
"Ota-sama. Please wake up." She opened the door without hesitation, completely sure that the boy was asleep at the early-morning hour. They were required to have him up and out the door around dawn however, so any complaints could be taken up with his mother. "Ota-sama."
(Can I roll for Luck or Skill here when trying to wake him up with her voice alone? If not, I don't mind trying my hand at Affection, even if it is only 1)
"Ota-sama. Please wake up." She opened the door without hesitation, completely sure that the boy was asleep at the early-morning hour. They were required to have him up and out the door around dawn however, so any complaints could be taken up with his mother. "Ota-sama."
(Can I roll for Luck or Skill here when trying to wake him up with her voice alone? If not, I don't mind trying my hand at Affection, even if it is only 1)
rolled 1d6 and got 4
Luck/Skill = 2; Affection = 1
Asher felt a bit restless after the meeting. She wasn't exactly the best with kids who could form complete sentences, babies and toddlers being more her thing. Despite that, she was already ready to go, bags packed and set neatly by the front door. She leaned on the doorframe with her arms crossed, looking around at the foyer for one last time as she waited for the others to be ready. Taking care of a little boy like Ota was gonna be challenging, but then again, she did enjoy the journey more than the destination.
Sayo, found what could be described as a calculated disaster zone beyond the unlocked door. Miniature replica helmets, sci-fi weaponry, and robotic limbs coated the floor like a deadly minefield... of legos, although not as deadly. More complete figurines crowded multi-layer clear glass shelves rising all the way to the ceiling; most consisting of cyberized space marines, Gundam, and the odd magical girl with their detachable skirts still attached. Most prominently displayed were a collection of gundam figmas from the earliest design all the way up to the modern series increasing in size from fitting into a palm to the crowded room's centerpiece; a life-size robo-warrior wielding a green beam sword which acted as an effective lamp. Ota Onmyōji was nowhere to be found, what could be made out to be a bed laying pristinely unused.
There was only a small, groggy "Huh...?"
Asher, Unsmelly Hikaru. The young master and Sayo were nowhere to be seen. A light patter off in the distance grew, however, turning into cracking steps once the interior hall's rug gave way to the hard tile of the mansions foyer. It wasn't the master.
A short cyan-haired apprentice came running up behind Hikaru in a panting mess. She wrestled with a strangely long object that was obviously a bit too much for her. It was gift wrapped with chibi red panda faced paper and topped with a tiny orange bow. The girl gathered herself after a few seconds. "I saw your room completely empty... are you leaving?" Confusion gave way to excitement. "Well, I wanted to give you this so- at least I could do that! It's a trophy from that battle the other day. I thought you deserved it more than the family treasury."
With the base threshold of 4, Luck or Affection did it whether one was more appropriate.
There was only a small, groggy "Huh...?"
Asher, Unsmelly Hikaru. The young master and Sayo were nowhere to be seen. A light patter off in the distance grew, however, turning into cracking steps once the interior hall's rug gave way to the hard tile of the mansions foyer. It wasn't the master.
A short cyan-haired apprentice came running up behind Hikaru in a panting mess. She wrestled with a strangely long object that was obviously a bit too much for her. It was gift wrapped with chibi red panda faced paper and topped with a tiny orange bow. The girl gathered herself after a few seconds. "I saw your room completely empty... are you leaving?" Confusion gave way to excitement. "Well, I wanted to give you this so- at least I could do that! It's a trophy from that battle the other day. I thought you deserved it more than the family treasury."
With the base threshold of 4, Luck or Affection did it whether one was more appropriate.
Hikaru waved at Asher seeing as she was there first, and had only been waiting around for a few minutes when the apprentice showed up. Hikaru would have left to check but she didn't like to be rushed, so she didn't rush others even if she was feeling particularly impatient at the time. The girl turned around, raising an eyebrow with a mumbled 'huh? oh. hey' to the apprentice. "Yeah," was her answer to the question, and she kindly accepted the long package. "You don't mind if I..." She asked before tearing into the package, getting only a little bit into it before some tape caught her up. Her eyebrow twitched before she ripped it, and subsequently the whole package apart with a subtle p s y c h i c s h o c k, orange electricity spreading from her hands as it quite efficiently shredded to reveal the scissor.
She gripped it like a sword, and looked down along what appeared to be the intense sharpness of the blade. She hefted it over a shoulder all anime-y, and gave a smile and a thumbs up to the apprentice. "Thanks."
She gripped it like a sword, and looked down along what appeared to be the intense sharpness of the blade. She hefted it over a shoulder all anime-y, and gave a smile and a thumbs up to the apprentice. "Thanks."
The sight of the room drew an audible groan of disgust out of the girl, but she sucked it down in favor of her job. Her assassin training had more than prepared her for navigating a room full of traps and dangerous objects, so she had no trouble finding the cleanest-looking corner she could. She scanned the room for him, irritation rising when his lack of immediate cooperation became apparent.
She sure as hell wasn't about to stand there playing 'Where's Ota?' for 5 minutes, so she decided to draw him out with a white lie, such was common in her profession. "Would you rather I wake you or the Madam? She made it very clear that if you weren't washed, dressed, and out the door in an hour, she would have me personally confiscate and dispose of everything in this room. So please get up, NOW."
She sure as hell wasn't about to stand there playing 'Where's Ota?' for 5 minutes, so she decided to draw him out with a white lie, such was common in her profession. "Would you rather I wake you or the Madam? She made it very clear that if you weren't washed, dressed, and out the door in an hour, she would have me personally confiscate and dispose of everything in this room. So please get up, NOW."
rolled 1d6 and got 1
Cunning Roll (Sayo = 2)
Asher smiled charmingly at Hikaru in greeting and watched with interest as the other maid unwrapped... a giant pair of scissors. Okay... Forcing down an innuendo with all her might, she moved to go inspect it with interest. "A souvenir from a battle? I must've missed it while I was out handling business for the Mistress. Did you win, Hikaru?" she asked, nose twitching a bit at the enhanced smell of scented soap, her senses picking it up as a far stronger smell than it probably was. The heady scent was beginning to give her a headache, and she covered her nose as best she could, trying not to make it obvious as she inhaled through her mouth quietly.
Hikaru gained a new weapon!
Scissor Blade:
Equipment
This enlarged half of a scissor is the bane to apparel of all shapes and fibers. Maids with this equipped gain the weapon "Scissor Blade" and a +1 to Athletics when sheering any fabric, or clothing.
A sparkle of wonder begot the young girl the same as that fateful day as she watched her superior pose with the mornings light at her back. She forced her agape mouth to shut, though. "You toootally should have seen it, Ash-san! Ah but well... can't waste anymore time. Duty calls, Hikaru-san. See you later!" She sprinted off, quickly returned to round up the shreds of gift-wrap, and made off for real that time with a big grin on her face.
A loud CA-THUNK resounded in Ota's room. The face plate of the life-sized replica popped off, disappearing into the mess. A boyish face grimaced in its place.
"Ouch! That really hurt... You almost scared me half to death!"
Name: Ota Onmyōji
Age: 15
Master Type: Legitimate Child
Master Colors: Brown Hair, Blue Eyes
Attributes: Athletics 0, Affection 2, Skill 1, Cunning 1, Luck 0, Will 2
Master Special Qualities: Glasses, Otaku, Shy
Favorite Maid Type: Pure
Power Sources: None, Talent (???)
Stress Explosion: Seclusion
"My mother would never come in here." The replica jostled. "Ack... I thought Maids weren't allowed in here either. I was getting up! I just... got a Double Barrel Galgun attachment lost in here... some... where." He refused to look Sayo in the eye in a mix of shame at being caught and being lied to.
Sayo loses 1d6 of Favor! Seems kind of harsh, but she did contest the Master. What do y'all think?
Scissor Blade:
Equipment
This enlarged half of a scissor is the bane to apparel of all shapes and fibers. Maids with this equipped gain the weapon "Scissor Blade" and a +1 to Athletics when sheering any fabric, or clothing.
A sparkle of wonder begot the young girl the same as that fateful day as she watched her superior pose with the mornings light at her back. She forced her agape mouth to shut, though. "You toootally should have seen it, Ash-san! Ah but well... can't waste anymore time. Duty calls, Hikaru-san. See you later!" She sprinted off, quickly returned to round up the shreds of gift-wrap, and made off for real that time with a big grin on her face.
A loud CA-THUNK resounded in Ota's room. The face plate of the life-sized replica popped off, disappearing into the mess. A boyish face grimaced in its place.
"Ouch! That really hurt... You almost scared me half to death!"
Name: Ota Onmyōji
Age: 15
Master Type: Legitimate Child
Master Colors: Brown Hair, Blue Eyes
Attributes: Athletics 0, Affection 2, Skill 1, Cunning 1, Luck 0, Will 2
Master Special Qualities: Glasses, Otaku, Shy
Favorite Maid Type: Pure
Power Sources: None, Talent (???)
Stress Explosion: Seclusion
"My mother would never come in here." The replica jostled. "Ack... I thought Maids weren't allowed in here either. I was getting up! I just... got a Double Barrel Galgun attachment lost in here... some... where." He refused to look Sayo in the eye in a mix of shame at being caught and being lied to.
Sayo loses 1d6 of Favor! Seems kind of harsh, but she did contest the Master. What do y'all think?
rolled 1d6 and got 3
Ota thinks about this empty lie... (Cunning 1)
"Ah, well..." Hikaru let the blade fall to her side, relaxing back into her usual posture. "It was a lot more of that ninja girl..." She frowns, and looks up in thought. "Sayako...? Sayo." She turned to Asher, with a sheepish smile. "She kicked Tem's ass." Hikaru smelled like headache inducing pomegranate for sure, an almost overpowering scent. She let the sharp bit of the scissor dig into the porch, and leaned back against a support. "...What's taking them so long?" Hikaru mumbled, and looked back inside. "It's kind of cold out here, huh..."
rolled 1d6 and got 4
Losing 1d6 Favor (Favor 3)
"Gakuen Private Academy. You're attending today." Her patience with the boy was quickly wearing thin, but nothing could be done until he understood the situation properly. "Please dress yourself and freshen up, then head to the Dining Hall for breakfast. DO NOT fall back asleep."
Letting thethreat words hang in the air, Sayo left the room, heading immediately over to the Dining Hall to help prepare breakfast as she had done the previous day. It only occurred to her then that she hadn't seen the other two maids that would also be accompanying them on the excursion at all since the meeting with Madam Onmyōji the previous night. She wondered if they were sleeping in, and the thought made her eye twitch in irritation.
It didn't matter much to her though. If they ended up late, then they would suffer the consequences. None could fault her own dedication to the duty assigned to her, and that was what really mattered in the end.
(Edit:
)
Letting the
It didn't matter much to her though. If they ended up late, then they would suffer the consequences. None could fault her own dedication to the duty assigned to her, and that was what really mattered in the end.
(Edit:
)
rolled 1d6 and got 1
Helping Out With Breakfast ^_^ (Skill 2)
Asher wrapped her arms around herself, shivering in part due to the cold. "I came out here to wake myself up, but you're right, it is chilly." Her ears pressed flat against her hair and she pouted a bit. "I remember why I don't like the cold more every day."
After a moment she began to smell something burning from inside the house. She tossed an alarmed glance to Hikaru, biting her lip. "Uh, Hikaru, d-do you smell that? Smells like something is burning," she said uncertainly. It could very well be just a smell on the wind of a barbeque pit or lit match, but still...
After a moment she began to smell something burning from inside the house. She tossed an alarmed glance to Hikaru, biting her lip. "Uh, Hikaru, d-do you smell that? Smells like something is burning," she said uncertainly. It could very well be just a smell on the wind of a barbeque pit or lit match, but still...
Hikaru relaxed her shoulders and sniffed, gently raising her head. Is it my clothes? She wondered idly, looking down and tugging the dress part of her uniform. She gives her arm a sniff and kind of looks around before ducking her head into the house. "No, I think you're having a stroke." She raises the scissors over her shoulders and balances it there by wrapping her arms around it as she walks inside. "I'm going to check on Sayo."
Alright. Going to throw some slack on this wonderful start. Sayo had made a really shitty breakfast, but not delivered it right that second. What kind of shitty breakfast, please elaborate in full detail, but at least one item was on fire. Thankfully, Ota had heeded the warnings on his life, and was waiting gloomily at the dining table. He was dressed raggedly with his tie askew and his left arm still incased in the robotic model arm. The beam sword in the bulky, fixed hand was dull with the retractable electrical cord hanging uselessly off the table.
Hikaru and anyone else who followed found the sweet aroma of cooked food turn into a poignant stench that could be easily followed even without canine senses.
Hikaru and anyone else who followed found the sweet aroma of cooked food turn into a poignant stench that could be easily followed even without canine senses.
"..." Sayo was deadpan as she stared at the plate of...something. The recipe the cooking staff had given her was for a plate of delicious pancakes, but she had a feeling that it wasn't supposed to be black and smoking.
The staff themselves also seemed to be keeping their distance, as if she was clutching death itself in her hands. She turned towards them, her expression souring as they all took a step away. "It's not that bad."
"Eat it then." someone countered.
She glanced down at the plate, the contents bubbling out a putrid stench. "Alright, it's bad." In her defense, she was fairly sure that there weren't as many steps to making pancakes as the recipe specified. And cooking wasn't her specialty anyway, since she usually just ate out during her assassin days. Regardless, now there was the problem of what to do. The staff had already prepared their portion of the breakfast, but Sayo had completely failed hers.
"Look," one of the higher ups started. "Just go and bring this out. We'll re-make the pancakes and bring it while he's eating, okay?" Everyone seemed to be in agreement, so Sayo quietly did as instructed and carried the tray of food out to the table where Ota was. She didn't bother speaking; she simply placed the tray down, uncovered the items on it, and went to stand at the wall behind him.
The staff themselves also seemed to be keeping their distance, as if she was clutching death itself in her hands. She turned towards them, her expression souring as they all took a step away. "It's not that bad."
"Eat it then." someone countered.
She glanced down at the plate, the contents bubbling out a putrid stench. "Alright, it's bad." In her defense, she was fairly sure that there weren't as many steps to making pancakes as the recipe specified. And cooking wasn't her specialty anyway, since she usually just ate out during her assassin days. Regardless, now there was the problem of what to do. The staff had already prepared their portion of the breakfast, but Sayo had completely failed hers.
"Look," one of the higher ups started. "Just go and bring this out. We'll re-make the pancakes and bring it while he's eating, okay?" Everyone seemed to be in agreement, so Sayo quietly did as instructed and carried the tray of food out to the table where Ota was. She didn't bother speaking; she simply placed the tray down, uncovered the items on it, and went to stand at the wall behind him.