Talk:Nishifune Nozomi

Nozomi's Diary

London Summer School

March 10th Morning

Tokyo

Cipher 32, 99, 100, 332

Fitness: 10 KM free run, MMA katas

Outfit: J2ME black skirt suit, white dress shirt (thrift) blue silk cravat.

Notes

Fuck School. I've done my exams and I'm not staying in this place another day. I'm going to London, where Kondou-san has secured me an invitation to attend a course at London's clocktower on various advanced magical techniques.

With any luck I may be able to gain access to the restricted stacks and find more about my condition.

March 17th Morning

London

Cipher: 47, 33, 21, 44

Fitness: 5BX Chart 5, Level D, 5 KM run in 35 minutes (I'm slipping. Too much going on in London, not enough Sleep.)

Outfit: IRO Lorianea skirt, Kenzo white collared shirt, Buzz Rickson's MA-1 jacket. (Not 100% on this look. Worried I kind of look like a punk OL)

Notes:

London maybe a dead end. While I'm learning a lot about Ars Essentiae and alchemical theory, I'm making frustratingly little progress on my condition. While my master's name does not win the instant distrust it does in Japan, it does not open doors, and V is increasingly proving an annoyance. Beyond his obvious and unwanted attraction to me, and his horrible taste in anime, he now adds dreadful politics, engaging in a drunken rant over dinner about western women and the poor, to which I pretended polite non-comprehension. Worse, his much talked up influence has not got me into the restricted stacks.

Contacts with FS proved more stimulating, at least in conversation, and was able to have an interesting about the nature of all space and distance. No help on condition. Neither Sloan Square Circle nor the Verbena blood mage I contacted has been any help either. I'm worried also about the Master of Four. His interest in me is growing a little sinister, and he seemed especially interested in obtaining a blood sample. Managed to pretend non-comprehension to get out of that but glad this trip is ending soon.

March 17th Evening

London

Cipher: 39, 11, 19, 553

Fitness: MMA forms.

Outfit: IRO Lorianea skirt, Kenzo white collared shirt, Buzz Rickson's MA-1 jacket.

Notes

Got in at 11 after out drinking with FS and her crowd. Nice nightclub. Pretty drunk, and did some MA earlier to keep awake. Just wanted to sleep when security called and said that something had attempted to breach the wards.

I've got a bad feeling.

March 18th Evening

London

Cipher: 21, 12, 22, 107

Fitness: MMA forms

Outfit: Cream Soda Blackcow hoodie, Black 501 shorts, white tee shirt (thrift store) stab vest.

Notes

I'm naming the Hollow Spring Heel its human form is a begger dressed in a mix of victorian and modern clothing. Its outward appearance is more unusual than most Hollows but it appears to exert some kind of pressure to prevent its notice. Master of the Four bought it up with me again this morning. I believe he suspects or has detected a connection. I fly out on the 3rd, but I've decided to try to neutralize the hollow this evening to prevent further enquiry. I'm concerned that a further attempt to breach the ward will lead to my detention and possible dissection by Mo4.

My plan is a bait (me) and switch (lightning strike) ambush, I prepared an area of Hyde Park which FS assures me is a blank spot for Technocratic surveillance earlier today. I'm going to lure it in and try to take it out with lightning from the storm that's blowing up.

If I don't make it, then will the finder of this diary please ensure the destruction of the husk I leave behind.

March 19th Morning.

London

Cipher: 77, 83, 99, 191

Fitness: none (hurt)

Outfit: handmade kimono brought Mitsukoshi Kimono salon.

Notes

That went as well as could be expected, but it still tagged me. I was expecting it to primarily attack with its arms, not with extended spring leg tentacles. Am with FS's friend the nightclub owner. She has a talking snake. I'm not going back to the dorm wounded. They'll be too many questions. Have sent a message describing emergency and had my bags sent along by the usual methods. The esoteric I have acquired will go through the smuggling routes, which will take months, but I can't take it through customs.

Rest today, and hope you don't bring this nice lady into your business.

March 21st
Flying back. Yay! Didn't say goodbye to V. Creepy. Am burning that bridge.

Still hurting from the Spring Heel fight. Will consult KK when I get back.

Back in Japan

March 25th Evening

Anime Japan.

Cipher 3, 7, 11, 23

Outfit: Satsuki Kiryūin Cosplay (customized Junketsu version. Couldn't do all the work on it :( cause of London and recovery)

Fitness: 5BX Chart 5, Level C, weight training. (I'm not where I wanted to be. I'm probably going to end up in the thick phase for back to school (urgh))

Notes

Cosplay pretty successful, got my photo taken a lot, though wig/makeup/illusion disguised my face. No Hollows, no seizures. Zapped some Otaku who got handsy. After London, animcon seems like a real holiday. Only problem: This cosplay has no pockets and looks weird with a bag. Will need to seduce someone to carry my stuff.

April 1st Morning

Tokyo

Cipher 99, 88, 22, 51,

Outfit: J-to-Me white indoor jacket, Bubbles white schoolgirl skirt with black hemline, Brora Sandwashed White Silk Shirt (brought London) with custom black detailing, white cotton ankle socks, blue cravat (made self)

Fitness: 5BX Chart 5, level B, weight training, 6 KM run in 28 minutes

Notes

That sleaze KT may have really come through. He tells me that the item I've been looking for since That Night has been found. A thread of the false spider. If this is true it's the first actual link I've got to the thing my parents made a deal with in two years of looking. This is special and requires a personal meeting. I've invited him around this evening.

April 1st Evening

Tokyo

Cipher 48, 303, 71, 45

Outfit: J-to-Me white indoor jacket, Bubbles white schoolgirl skirt with black hemline, Brora Sandwashed White Silk Shirt (brought London) with custom black detailing, white cotton ankle socks, blue cravat (made self), stab armour.

Fitness:: MMA forms

Notes

Oh no. Oh no. Not when I'm so close.

There was a something watching the house. It was gone by the time I got upstairs but it was watching. Maybe it's just another Hollow, but even if it is, it's powerful. I've got a bad feeling, overwhelmingly bad. I'm writing this in the living room ambush spot.

Meeting with KT went well. I think my witch powers rather put him off the idea of assaulting me. He was set for all manner of nastiness when he realized I was a rich girl in her house alone, but even a tiny glimpse of power put any thought from his head. He told me the item is currently in the hands of an underground casino near Roppongi, the Kanezawa Palace. Information from both KT and the Yakuza is that the Kanezawa group, who run the place, are a group of thugs with little morality. They are apparently new, violent and eager to make a name for themselves by gambling away various priceless artefacts which they have acquired, mostly at auction. They're also apparently involved in human trafficking and quote "other things I won't touch," which probably means drugs. I phoned NR-kun to get information. Had to talk him out of trying to stop me doing this.

Spending the night in the living room ambush space. In the morning, I'll check the spot I saw it, under the maple in the park across the road.

April 2nd Morning.

Tokyo

Cipher 39, 4, 30, 349

Outfit: J-to-Me white indoor jacket, Bubbles white schoolgirl skirt with black hemline, Brora Sandwashed White Silk Shirt (brought London) with custom black detailing, white cotton ankle socks, blue cravat (made self), stab armour, rubber boots, my white fight gloves.

Fitness: dug grave. Will do rest after I write this.

Notes

Checked under the tree this morning. The Hollow had killed a cat by twisting it up into a helix. Fortunately, I think it was one of the park strays, not someone's pet, so I only have an animals death on my conscience. I buried the body and made an offering to the poor thing's soul. The tree had been scratched heavily, possibly by claws. Photographed both cat and scratches, they go on the wall with the photos of spring heel's effects. I don't have a name for this one yet.

I'm not spending my last few vacation days hiding in a panic room. I called KK up and suggested we hang out. She invited me to go see the new SF movie Eins Rei. Live action, which is weird It looks pretty good. The white-haired robot girl would make a pretty cute cosplay if I could grow my hair out months in advance and get ahold of enough vinyl. Not sure where I could use that cosplay of course, as it's not anime, but w/e.

April 2nd evening

Tokyo

Cipher 1, 99, 107, 183

Outfit: J-to-Me blue jacket with stab layer, G2? light blue silk shirt, dark blue bubbles skirt, white silk fight gloves, blue cotton knee socks, white boots (not sure if those work. I need to get some more reinforced fight boots in other colours

Fitness: 5BX Chart 5, Level C, MMA forms.

Notes

It's stalking me. I saw it. I know what it looks like.

The hollow I will now name Office Lady. It appears to be a professional woman in her 40s, dressed for the office but expensively and with subtly wrong details. Tie is on backward, shirt buttons on the wrong holes, shoes on the wrong feet. Office Lady is clearly visible to Ars Potentiae based sensory magic, as it is a strong void of such energy. I estimate its power to be at least somewhat greater than Spring Heel.

The film was fine, though very much KK's thing. The robot girls in it eat the guy. I don't know where she gets this stuff from. Probably not cosplaying as this.

April 2nd Evening continued

Tokyo

Cipher 28, 40, 82, 434

Outfit: Lilysilk grey silk nightgown (brought in London), stab vest, fighting gloves (black)

Fitness: Done for the day.

Notes

I can't sleep. Office Lady is now testing the wards regularly. Am sleeping in the panic room. NR-kun came through with the information on the Kanezawa Group and their casino. Apparently, the Kanezawa Group are some kind of rogue offshoot of the Kamitouge Group, an industrial and medical concern. Kamitouge operated what is now the Kanezawa Group as its black operations team, but cut them loose when they became too much trouble. They themselves augmented somehow, capable of winning most fights they pick. NR-kun seemed pretty worried about me going in there, even compared to how he usually is, but did supply me with the building plans and various other information on their security setup and workers. The gambling itself takes place in the back room, however, which he has no information on.

Medical research seems to be a heavy theme here, I think we might be dealing with a group of rogue cyborgs or the like.

I have a plan here, but it's crazy. I don't know if I can take a dozen cyborgs, but I'll bet the hollow can if I lure it in there.

The Raid on Kanezawa Palace

April 3rd Evening

Tokyo

Cipher 484, 342, 42, 94

Outfit: Black Cayce Pollard Unit number 2 (shorts). Fighting gloves (black)

Fitness: Operational preparation warmup.

Notes

Started the groundwork for the operation today. 1: Contacted local street people. They know little about Kanezawa Palace that I don't already have. Brought one of the younger ones a suit and a shower and set him to hawk CDs with a virus I'm going to make. Hopefully, this will let me easily subvert the cameras without needing magic. 2: Going to contact the cleaning lady. Apparently, the firm is very bad. It should be easy enough to compromise one. Will do a little ritual snooping to find out who.

Office Lady was following me. I don't know how she was able to get into my proximity as I've only seen her move at walking pace. I was able to lose her.

April 4th Morning

Tokyo

Cipher 775, 41 2, 89

Outfit: Lilysilk white silk nightgown. Black Fight Gloves. Contempt.

Fitness: Operational preparation warmup.

Notes

Just about got the computer program completed and burned the CDs. I hope this works and it doesn't get tracked back to me. In the end, I had to buy a bunch of it off a hacker website to get it in time.

Last day of Holidays and I spend it chatting with a hobo and a cleaning lady. Not that it's his fault. The poor guy was an ambulance driver. He lost his job, his wife divorced him and got the house and suddenly he was homeless. I intend to give him enough to remedy that condition. I hope he doesn't use it to drink himself to death.

April 4th Evening

Tokyo

Cipher 999, 32, 31, 82

Outfit: Grey CPU 3s, with shorts, blue bubbles thigh highs, buzz ricksons MA-1 (It got colder, but this is a heck of an outfit)

Notes

I got the computer program to the guy in time, just, but I don't think he managed to get it to the club guys. Maybe I misunderstood their taste in music. Oh well.

The cleaning lady was much more productive. The woman who is responsible for daytime cleaning was, after a little persuasion, willing to help. She was able to give me good information on the lay out of the back room, including pinpointing a fire escape. She agreed to hide a CS gas grenade in the front and a knife and pepper spray set in the back in the fake Bonzai. She also thinks I'm crazy to do something like this, but I think she'll do it. She warned me about the white-haired Kanezawa Group man, who is apparently a pervert.

The first day of school tomorrow. Urgh. If I feel like I did this morning I'm going to need to take some MA just to get through the day.

April 5th Evening

Tokyo

Cipher 59, 67, 444, 21

Outfit: School Uniform.

Fitness: Operational preparation warmup.

Notes

I almost got myself killed today. Worse, I think I almost got M-chan killed, or encouraged her, which might be as good as the same thing.

The Office Lady turned up at school at lunch time. It was watching me when I left by car, and arrived at the school gate at lunch. Did it just walk across town? Either way, I saw it and got scared it was going to rush me now. So I set a trap for it, trying to restrain it in a force net until I needed it tomorrow night. It broke through the net as if it was nothing. It started to come for me. This was on lunch break and M-chan was right there, looking over my shoulder. I told her nothing was wrong but there's no way she believed me.

My second plan was to use the remains of the spell to charge it with prime energy and bring in all the lesser ghosts of the school to mob it, I don't know if this would have worked though. Instead, I got myself saved. That first year, RY and her ghost prince, mostly the former. Apparently, they detected the hollow and the ghost approached it, then it just turned around and withdrew. I've never been more relieved, even if I ended up relying on someone else. I told RY as little as I could. I hope she won't investigate. I don't want her to get into something as unwholesome as my family's business.

If the Hollow don't like ghosts, maybe I'm safe at school as well as at home? I wonder what running from a ghost says about their behaviour... or about RY's mysterious companion?

Got through the first day of school with no MA. Yay me?

April 6th, Evening

Tokyo

Ciper 77, 49, 11, 14

Outfit: Dsquared2 Black 'Tuxedo' velvet effect blazer w/stab liner, bubbles black pleated skirt, Brora Sandwashed White Silk Shirt with silver threaded symbols, red jewel collar, white bubbles thigh-highs with stiched symbology, thin set white fighting gloves.

Fitness: Operational preparation warmup.

Notes

I got it! I got it! Yes! This is the day when maybe I might have started to get a future.

I also seem to have acquired an M-chan. She was the main thing in my plan that went wrong, the other glitch being a lot of messing around with the camera system. I went to the club and gained entry through use of a case of money, making sure Office Lady was roughly twenty minutes behind me. When I got inside I found two other players, a one-eyed professional gambler and a fat old Yakuza in a white suit, who I believe bribed the dealer to let him win. The game was a strange combination of rock paper scissors and poker, which I confess I had some difficulty with.

Sometime in the third hand, M-chan was dragged in. I'd scared and confused her so much yesterday she'd decided to follow me tonight, and got caught by security. The white-haired man told me I was now playing for M-chan's life. Of course, what he didn't know was I wasn't actually playing at all. When Office Lady breached the main doors, I detonated the CS bomb to clean out the civilians, and disabled the guards in the room with me. As the Kanezawa Group members and Office Lady confronted one another, I grabbed the prize, M-chan and Fat-San and ran them for the fire exit. Office Lady revealed its true form, a horror with dozens of arms (like the giant from Greek myth? I should check on this).

In the ally, the professional player, who appeared to be what I learned in London to call a Ghoul tried to take the Thread, before being knocked cold by the white-haired man. He deployed powers I recognized as those usually used by the unquiet dead, even though he was a mortal, and was able to resist a lightning bolt I summoned down on him. However he was not ready for my skill at MMA and I tossed him into Office Lady as it emerged from the club, and it twisted him into a Helix.

Fat-San, who had already endeared himself to me by expressing his distaste for the Kanezawa Group's actions inside the club deployed some kind of charm which slowed the creature, allowing me to destroy it with a massive application of very vulgar fire magic for M-chan's benefit. I don't know what made me be so reckless about her but I think maybe I just wanted her to know that there is actual wonder in the world, and at that point, what I had was a fireball.

Unfortunately, the attack left no remains of Office Lady for analysis. In future, I must figure out how to slay a hollow in a way that I can bring back to KK for an autopsy. I'm sure she'd appreciate it, and maybe we could learn something. I took M-chan back home and told her something of the world of magic. I think I cried on her too. I was a little emotional. Swapped cards with Fat-San. He might be useful in future as a fellow collector of esoterica.

I phoned M-chan's mother and told her she'd be staying here tonight. She seems nice, and was understanding. M-chan is sleeping in the guest room for now.

Must burn the case and kit that I left in there with distance fireballs. Will do that when I've finished this entry.

School again tomorrow. Urgh. Definitely going to need MA to get through this one. There's no way I'm getting to sleep yet and it's already midnight. After I burn the case, I'm going to write some fanfiction.

April 7th Evening

Tokyo

Ciper 47, 40, 55, 34

Outfit: Cream Soda Suicide Squad Hoodie, black 501 shorts, white tank top (thrift) pads

Fitness: 4 KM free run (2 hours), 5BX sheet 1, level C, MMA forms

Notes

It appears Fat-San is not a Yakuza after all. Despite his dress, he's actually a pillar of the community, and a former officer of the military. The card leads me to the Kirisaki Ashita Museum. I think I should certainly pay a visit, but first I want to enjoy some parkour time now I don't have a hollow on me before the nights draw in too much. At least meeting Fat-san will undoubtedly more pleasant than one of the few people I know who is an expert in magical thread.

The Case of the Possessed Archer

Nozomi note: Think up a better name if you ever publish this for real.

April 8th After School

Tokyo

Cipher 88, 78, 10, 95

Outfit: School Uniform

Fitness: 5BX Sheet 1, Level B, MMA forms

Notes

School was interesting today. I met two new mages and almost drowned. VS is now confirmed as a mage, though not a particularly good one. He had to throw his phone at a possessed girl to try to stop her. He does, however, have the Sight. Either not very good at magic or not carrying the right tools with him. NS, on the other hand, is beautiful, poised, and far too nice for this world. She apparently has some kind of spirit following her around, and VS was able to talk to it. I spied on the pair of them with a very nice little correspondence/forces effect on my phone, which neither of them was able to detect. I don't want future readers to think I'm the kind of person who really enjoys spying on people but it was pretty satisfying to be able to get the better of someone from a prominent mage family like VS.

I seized while swimming and had to be rescued in front of everyone. I think maybe I've been staying up too late or overusing the MA, or, I can't deny this maybe my condition is just growing worse because I think I'm seizing more often now. Combined with the last Hollow following me to school in daylight I don't think I can discount the possibility that my condition is growing more severe. Then we fought a possessed girl, KY of the archery club, who was able to manifest some kind of static force powers. I almost got myself shot trying to grab her while in the post-seizure state, which would have been a fine way to lose my soul.

NS apparently managed to talk down the possessing entity and is planning to conduct some kind of ghost hunt to get his sister back or something. I restrained myself from making any crude humor about the situation, but I'm not actually that interested in fighting a lot of ghosts. One close shave with an entity I can barely see or effect was enough. Info from this ghost made it sound like there might be something a bit sinister going on with RY. Apparently, he mentioned sacrifice or something. That sounds bad, but I'm not sure if I can safely warn her if she is involved with some bad ghosts, until NS has done her operation.

AA asked me to rejoin basketball. I feel a little guilty. I shattered her dreams last time. I didn't realize getting rid of that creeper would break the team. I think it was that guilt that ultimately made me rejoin.

After school, VS invited me home to meet his MM-San and discuss my awful destiny. After consultation with K-San, I accepted his invitation. She seemed as good-humored and subtle as you'd expect from someone who has figured out how to look 28 forever. Didn't have much information I didn't already know but suggested she could kill me in a way that would disarm the curse and preserve my soul. I told her I'd think about it. Also threatened me that if I corrupted VS she'd do something terrible to me. MM-san, what do you think you can do to me that's worse than what I'm already due for?

Still, need to do stuff this evening regarding the thread. I need to visit KK so she can treat me to the point where I'm not messed up for the rest of the day by the seizures, and get some medicine that will allow me to at least get through one fight after a seizure.

Then I just need to think what the hell to wear to a tailor who hates me.

The black thread

April 8th Evening

Tokyo

Cipher 81, 58, 332, 477

Outfit:

Black J2Me jacket with white detailing, white silk shirt (tokyo thirft), MARNI Bonded crepe skirt, green silk cravat, Mary Jane Shoes

White J2Me jacket with black detailing, Polo Lauren black silk blouse, MARNI Asymmetric crepe and cotton midi skirt, bridal suspendor stockings with wide lace (ivory), MAISON MARGIELA

open toe ankle boots, Blue silk cravat.

White J2Me Jacket with black detailing, black Stella McCartney lace inset shirt, white pleated skirt (Tokyo thrift), black thigh highs, black Chloé Quaylee over-the-knee boots

White J2Me jacket with black detailing, black silk shirt with front ruffle (tokyo thirft), white custom thigh highs with vivid blue and black flowers, vivid blue cravat, MAISON MARGIELA open toe ankle boots, matching bag.

Fitness: MMA Forms

Notes

Went to see IJ today. He tried to sneak up and ambush me, but tripped over a cat. Spent an hour trying to pick outfit and got no comment, which is probably good, given his reputation. He has a cute Westerner as an apprentice, with dyed blond hair. She looks great. His shop now I finally see it is a picture of how such a place should be.

IJ was friendly enough, even teasing me about my measurements. I expected him to be far colder, given how we left things. The way he acted was actually pretty flirty, though in a way that you can't be sure of flirting. It's actually nice to find a guy who knows how to do do that, but I have him sussed. His personality is bad, but I actually kind of like that. He recommends I get some massages as the extra weight on my figure is causing slight problems with my posture.

I'm pretending a calm I don't feel. The most important thing is the thread. He examined it, and found many things of interest. First, it's of similiar nature to the thread of the lunar moths which he tends. The resonance is different, but I can recognize the similarity. This throws up many new ways to look at the whole spider and its mystery. Are these beings of a similiar nature? I must find a way to check, without getting sowed into a moth sack by IJ's awful relatives.

Even more troubling, IJ's examination found that it was not simply a piece of unrefined silk, but rather a thread used for sowing. This implies a human agency which I dislike intensely.

After we went out for hot pot, which was a pleasant change, though I ate not much of it, due to my later dinner plans.

IJ agreed to help me with this matter, giving as his reasons that the flood of spider silk would destroy his market share. I think that was an excuse though. Could he actually want to help me, even after what my family did? We've agreed to meet tomorrow. I met with KT-kun about the silk, took him to dinner and got him drunk enough to give up this piece of his organization's business. Apparently he got things from a debt collector involved in looting the houses of those who don't pay. I don't like what I've heard, as this sounds a bit too close to H&H Anything about the processing of the over indebted is potentially troublesome. He spilled the name of where they got the black silk from, apparently a woman's house, but couldn't quite place the name, and this seemed to bother him. Kept saying he should remember. It's a little disturbing. She has no electronic presence I can find, no social media, no postings. It's as if she never existed.

KT-kun still wants to sleep with me. I led him on and sent him home disappointed like the witch I am. I can't do that too often or it'll screw up our relationship, but I needed the information badly tonight.

I also have basketball and I need to put on a good show, so I'm going to try to sleep early. I'm going to go into the panic room and take a sleeping pill so I might actually go off to sleep.

April 9th Evening

Tokyo

Cipher 21, 3, 3033, 477

Outfit: White J2Me jacket with black detailing, black silk shirt with front ruffle (tokyo thirft), white custom tights with vivid red and black flowers, vivid red cravat, Maison Margiela

Tabi boots , matching bag. <not 100% on how this looks. I think the blue looks better, it's still pretty striking though. Also climate can get fucked. Open toes look nicer than the Tabis with this (blue nail polish) but it's too cold to wear them.

Fitness: Basketball exercise forms, 5BX Chart 1, Level B, MMA forms

Notes

Basketball went well. We have some talented first years.

My outfit is good enough to get some pleased looks around Ginza. I still don't think it's as good as yesterdays though. I'm considering red tights, like the fox mask outfit.

Met with IJ again. He tells me the spirits of Ginza have detected creatures sown from this thread moving around the mortal world, becoming more and more like humans as they go. He dispatched some kind of spirit minion to look for them while I went to check the area around his shop. Met with GR, the woman he's actually engaged too. She treated me in the cold way that women like her always treat me, and IJ set to playing us off, one against the other. I decided I'd give her a business card anyway, because there's something beyond her looks I find a little interesting. She seems a little concerned that she's not a true mage yet, which is hillarious. She was wearing some very nice green streetwear.

I found no trace of the doll creatures in Ginza, but IJ had more luck. His minion located one fairly nearby, in one of the newer, upmarket residential areas. We drove over there and found the house of a stock broker. The technocratic/virtual adept obsession with mobile phones paid off again as I was able to compromise the stock broker's phone then socially-engineer him free of the building by having IJ imitate the voice of his boss and call him across town.

We entered, then engaged the doll in combat. Its structure is interesting, it appears made of human flesh and blood but can unwrap as if it's cloth. I'll get a copy of KK's full report on the subject when she finishes writing it. The plush was extremely physically powerful and apparently skilled in combat, but we were able to defeat it, with me defending and IJ attacking with his wire, which he talks too creepily. The wire seems a brutal weapon, and he used it in a very sadistic fashion, though this seemed to be some kind of a requirement. Perhaps a spirit weapon of some kind? The man is certainly an S, which could present some problems later if I am too. . . but that's not something to write about here. It's nice to work with someone as professional and powerful as Ginza's famed cleaner.

We took the plush home and I called KK to examine it. My coward heart began to trouble me at around this point, and I became quite afraid that we'd be subject to some counterstrike for having got so close. I even requested an additional guard from K-san, which he assures me will cost me. Despite this, we made several important discoveries. For the sake of clarity and because of the important nature of this, I shall list them in summary.

1: The dolls are being sold by a company named Your Life! in X-chome 2: The dolls initially appear to be replacement actors 3: The dolls consume the essence (perhaps the destiny) of the target they are attached too, and eventually the person as well. This leads to the target being forgotten and the doll taking over their life 4: It is likely that another doll exists at the house of the woman who was the source of the thread 5: It is unknown how many of these beings there are. 6: The beings flesh is created from apparently normal food meats. 7: They are superhumanly strong, fast and can create "rocket punch." blades from their own bodies.

KK is making further examinations of this specimine. I must bring her another life one at some point because I believe that I can pay off K-san with the one I have. I will see K-san tomorrow and discuss the matter, plus get it out of my ward lab.

IJ asked to stay the night without me having to ask. I would have asked him if he hadn't. I have a warm feeling towards him which will no doubt cost me in the long term as he is surrounded by at least half a dozen eligable women to whom he appears to have obligations or potential attraction with. It's unbelievably greedy. Still, despite his womanizing, I feel like he's someone I can rely on. He must never know.

April 10th

Tokyo

Cipher 34, 37, 332, 112, 171

Outfit: L'inde Le Palais black leggings, 24 Sevres cropped off white biker jacket, short blue dress (tokyo thrift) Jimmy Choo Hampton 80 suede heeled ankle boots

Fitness: 5BX Sheet 1, Level A, MMA forms

Notes

Can't write to much. I ache just about all over, and I'm high as a kite.

My birthday today. 3 years left.

IJ is totally uncute! I saved that jerk's life twice and he didn't even thank me. I suppose he would be a useful guy to have around cause he did fix my outfit but still! First he conducts a full frontal assault on the target, and then I have to save him from the place exploding, and get myself burned hard in the process.

We moved into Your Life without much stealth, and after cutting the power, proceeded inside and engaged five of the flesh puppets in various states of completion. IJ was able to dispose of several of them fairly easily while I took out the rest. While we were fighting, a noise, which I now know to be some kind of forces enchantment grew, and the nephandic master tried to escape. We were able to apprehend him and gain one of the computers from the building for later analysis.

Unfortunately, some third party then detonated the force effect, wiping out all evidence except the computer and the man.

I now have a dilemma. I don't have the skills to analyse the hard drive, and I'm not sure how to approach interogating the man. I could approach K-san, but I'm not sure if he'd let me in on the full results, or if he'd charge me more to get them. Perhaps I could approach one of the others I've lately encountered. I still don't have a good feeling for either VS or NS's personality. Perhaps I could get one of them to help me? I'm going out with NS and M-chan tomorrow, I'll sound her out then. Hopefully the party I found will yield someone who can successfully back track the data.

Tried new type of defense enchantment too. Not sure if a normal force field wouldn't have been better.

Tokyo Day Out

Dear Kurohime

I know it'll only be a matter of time before you decide that you'll get to know someone you probably regard as perhaps an enemy. I think you, like me, has had the experience of the unreliability of simply talking to someone and finding out who they are, and has learned to resort to other tactics. I further know that my amateur encryption is a mere paper protection from one such as yourself. I wish I could leave you in peace with the idea you've bested me by reading my diary, but I'm afraid my pride and my desire not to look totally naive have overcome me. Though I certainly have arts which could stop you, I choose not to exercise them. I'm sorry if this makes you dislike me even more.

-Nishfifune Nozomi

April 11th

Tokyo

Cipher 19, 49, 1382, 101, 930

Outfit: Custom Black silk thigh-highs, 24 Sevres cropped off white biker jacket, white silk halter top (tokyo thrift) Salvator Ferragamo sculpted heel ankle boots, Red Vara Shoulder Bag, Black Amy Tote Bag, red silk cravat

Fitness: 5BX Sheet 1, Level A, MMA forms

Notes

I screwed up really badly today. It's one of those things that's going to stick with me and I'm going to worry about it for years. There's no real way I can apologise even.

At the Hooded Lantern, wanting to show off, I brought the book I'd ordered, a quite expensive item, in front of M and S. Sachiri had just earned some money as a race queen and was I now realize quite proud of herself. I saw the moritified look she got in the shop mirror when I got the book, and pretended not to notice so I didn't make it worse. I feel terrible and stupid. I've been alone for too long and now I'm embaressing myself and shaming my friends with the ill gotten wealth my soul provides me. I hope S will forgive me in time, and that it doesn't make her think the offer of a part time job I'm going to make her is pity on my part.

In general I thought the trip around Tokyo went well. My K-San, being who he is, decided to test my apprentice and Sachiri to see how they reacted. He did not seem too displeased by the results, and I thought they both did well. I worry a little about the nature of his experiments though. Twice with him I've felt... something, some dimming of the lights. Given the nature of his researches, I can't help but worry about him. We talked also of the Black Sun, a powerful nephandic presence which is somehow related to S. I feel like perhaps it was fate that we met, both of us injured by horrors from beyond, both of us fighting a battle not just to defeat, but to understand our foe.

After that we toured Tokyo, hitting various prominent mystical locations. The most interesting was the Drift Musuem, which I intend to visit again. Fat-San is a good host, and I feel kind of sorry for the obviously tragic nature of his quest. The biggest thing though was the revelation about the nature of the Hollow. S found a manga, a product of drift, in which the main character, Sailor Sunburst, was able to defeat something which closely resembled Office Lady in its revealed form. I was unable to find another hollow in it that resembles it, but S apparently has seen it before in dreams. Given the nature of her power, this raises some possibilities. She later told me that it was in a book of creatures that did not exist. What could this mean? Are the hollow somehow being brought into our reality? Moreover, does this relate to Drift artifacts? These are also bits of what appear to be worlds that could be but are not. There are legends of spiders associated with fate, and destiny (for instance Grand Mother Spider, the idea of pattern spiders that spin fate at the top of Mount Meru) could the hollow spider be somehow a creature of anti-destiny? Of what is not?

I must find out more, and how it relates to me. My seizures are growing worse. It has been days since I haven't had one. I must move quickly, and interogate both the taxidermist and the computer I retrieved from him. S and KH may be able to assist me in this. I have also decided to create a series of charms which will observe what precisely happens to my essence during a seizure. If I can observe it during the creation of a hollow maybe I can find out more.

The VA party was fun, though the host, Creepbot, was a bore. Another man who believes their very existence gives him the right to women. He threw a good party though. I am actually kind of sad I didn't get to experience it fully, but I became engaged in a gaming duel with KH, to my benefit. It was interesting, but I don't really like the idea I hurt her feelings by winning and gained her favour by capture. I'd have preferred to persade her that our interests were in common.

Then, after I was finished, I managed to get another goddamn seizure, and had to drug myself to the eyes to do anything at all with the rest of it. It's a shame. What I did manage to sample from the joys of creepbot's output of other senses was very interesting, and I actually feel like I'd have enjoyed dancing the night away, with or without being subject to latex hell, though such effects must always be a concern as they may interact with my condition in a baleful fashion. I'm not really sure it was M or S's scene though, maybe in time KH will take me to another one?

Hidden Theatre also a v good production this time. They're improving. It's kind of a dangerous way to see a play though. Maybe I should just go to the mortal threatre?

The Black Book

I haven't felt like writing for a while after I realized that I almost killed myself doing it, however, I have decided to take up my pen again, and continue diary entries after my short break. I further intend to pen this tome, the Black Book, which I will encrypt with more secure arcane methods, in addition to my book cipher, and will block access too with a correspondence ward. This is where I will record any sensitive information. Specifically on the nephandic forces haunting Tokyo, and the apparent coincidence or destiny which I feel is playing out around me.

On the Nephandic forces haunting Tokyo

We now know that there are at least two forces powerful outsider entities which are haunting the Tokyo area. The Hollow Spider and the Black Sun. So far, information on either is limited. I shall attempt to depict what I know and what I suspect about both entities in brief. I have come to believe that the Hollow Spider is related to Drift, while the Black Sun is somehow related, or opposed to, Vermillion Air.

The Hollow Spider and drift, known facts

1: The Hollow Spider is a malign entity capable of manipulating coincidence for a price. It was able to curve me with money at the price of me becoming increasingly hollow.

2: The Hollow Spider is served by hollows, entities which have a distinctive void of prime inside themselves

3: The Hollows I have encountered actively hunt me down and seek my death

4: The Hollow Spider's web is being used to create puppets which can consume the destinies and render forgotten humans. This is controlled by a rogue virtual adept, who identifies (him?) self as Kaigai

5: One of the Hollows that attacked me, described in my diary (Office Lady) was seen as a "creature that did not exist" by NS during a dream vision, and is visible in a drifted manga volume of Sailor Sunburst, apparently from an alternate timeline.

6: S, an Akashic, has come across from Drift. She is not a hollow and appears to have a full pattern.

The Hollow Spider and Drift, supositions

1: The existence of S implies that Drift artifacts are drawn from a real place, rather than conjured from non-existence, or that the spider is incredibly powerful, as to conjure a full mage from nothing would be all but impossible.

2: Office Lady/Hundred Handed may have been different from other Hollow's I've fought. None of the others appear in Sailor Sunburst or have otherwise been identified. Was it even a hollow in the normal sense? Could it have been a different form of entity?

3: The Hollow Spider is somehow linked to the sphere of prime

4: The Hollow Spider is attempting to replace enough people in Tokyo to alter local static reality.

5: The spider is somehow causing Drift

The Black Sun and Vermillion Air, known facts

1: The Black Sun is a powerful and malign entity related to the sphere of forces

2: The Black Sun did something to NS

The Black Sun and Vermillion Air, suppositions

1: The Western Heavenly Queen of Sotei Gakuen is a black sun cultist.

2: The Black Sun manifests when sentiments such as "Do as Though Will shall be the whole of the law" are manifested

3: NS acts as a supercharger for other aspects of Vermillion Air

4: Other Vermillion Air users are the result of NS's power leaking out due to her battle with the black sun

5: The Black Sun somehow opposes the hollow spider.

On the strange coincidences around me

Something odd is going on around me. I've gone from having no friends to suddenly having a lot, and they're all following a similiar pattern. Apart from Junya, who I have known for a while, and Manako, who appears unremarkable, I have noted a similar story repeating itself across both myself and other people nearby.

1: Female

2: Age 15-18

3: Somehow involved with the Nephandi (the hollow spider for me, her master for Kuro, both Sotei and drift for S, Evil Ghost Antics for RY, The Black Sun for NS)

4: In 2 cases have major health conditions due to involvement, (Amnesia for NS, my condition)

5: Socially isolated?

I need to check if Manako has anything wierd in her background.

This all seems like too big a coincidence to be normal, especially combined with the strange way I stumbled into Kuro. I attempted to have VS check, but he wouldn't.

Brainstorm of what this could be

Harem anime setup? (I've heard of story magic. I'm not sure what the purpose would be, and there's no boy in sight. J is already at the centre of all kinds of romantic shenanigans and the others don't know him well. VS is possible but wouldn't that require me to be interested in him? Also, why would this happen?)

Harem anime setup but with women? (Either NS or I appear to be at the centre of this, but still the question is why?)

Fated Setup: Some force requires us to be together for some reason, possibly to stop the hollow spider and or Black Sun?

Elaborate sacrifice setup: The only thing I know so far that can manipulate destiny is the Hollow Spider. We're all in the sacrifice demographic. There are troubling stories about the school as well.

I may need to ask Kuro about this, but if it is magic it is too subtle for my arts to sense. I remain troubled however.

Retrospectives

I haven't written in a while. Sorry if you read this Kuro-chan, but when you turned out to be a spy I got kind of put off writing, even if it wasn't your fault at all. If you're reading this, don't be upset, you showed me a bunch of holes in my security. On the other hand, you can be upset because if you're reading this, either I'm dead and am now an undead horror, or you're still hanging around with me years later and have decided to read my teenage diaries, and if so I'm going to have my vengeance on you ;)

Still. I should start preserving things and keeping tighter diary entries so I don't forget.

Kurohime's Master

Encryption: Disk 4, Disk 5, Disk 9.

So creepbot turned out to be a nephandus. Who would have thought? In fact, not only a nephandus but the guy directly behind the doll thing. It's still pretty terrifying just how close I came to getting myself killed our soul eaten two or three times over there. First at the club, where if I'd lost the bet I imagine I'd have ended up a hollow, and second later when if Kuro-chan hadn't been on the ball, we'd have lost the drive and the location of the remaining plush, and I'd have ended up inviting a nephandic agent into my home.

When Kuro tried to check the drive with a tool he'd given her, it almost burned out the drive, saved only by our prompt action.

Poor Kuro-chan. When it happened, I wanted it not to be true. I've had so many people tell me that my Master is a nephandus, and I damned with him that I didn't want to think it of someone else. Still, things actually came out alright, but I could easily have got myself killed.

I should have suspected Kaigai from the start. I made a number of mistakes based on my own desires.

First, because I also have a badly regarded older male mentor who seems kind of sinister, I assumed Kuro's would also have a heart of gold the way K-san does. Second, Because I wanted to be Kuro-Hime's friend, and because I'm ultimately kind of bad with people I tried to impress her with my stuff rather than talk to her as an adult. Third, I didn't do sufficient research into creep bot after I met him. One search of VA message boards would have alerted me that this guy was a distinct kind of bad news. It was obvious from interacting with him that he was a problem, and I shouldn't have just waved that off as normal otaku misogyny. Moreover, Kuro showed several warning signs which my master has told me to associate with Nephandi, for instance, a positive opinion of mortal fascists, which I should have investigated. Fourth, I made the mistake, because I wanted to become friends with her of not securing myself from her. I wanted her to trust me, so I trusted her, despite, (sorry Kuro) her not being worthy of my trust.

I don't like it, but this incident also means I need to consider just how much ground I give K-san. I like him. I do, but Kuro liked Kaigai, he was the guy who rescued her as K-san rescued me. In both cases, these men offer us approval, but only occasionally, and on their terms, so we come increasingly to wish to please them.

This sounds like a lecture K-san once gave me on how I should be careful of guys, but unfortunately, it applies to him too. I said about Kuro "there but for the grace of god" but I already know no god watches over me. I need to make sure this doesn't happen to me.

Heaven and Hell

Encryption: Disk 1, Disk 4, Disk 23

I've never really thought Geomancy was all that special. I mean, it's moving rocks about to get magical effects. I thought it was a lot easier to just write a word, or speak it, or symbolize the thing you want to do it. I was foolish. I now know what Geomancy can do, and it can create a world.

Heaven and Hell wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be something normal, a bunch of rich jerks assembling somewhere to watch people kill and die, but not this elaborate. Not this amazing. The Red Queen, the place's master has created a metaphysical space under Tokyo that should not, according to the technocratic static reality, exist. She powers it both through geomancy, and by using that geomancy to enhance the production of power from everything within it, both the sacrifice of the players of its game and the audience too.

I went to Heaven and Hell almost by accident. A missing Yakuza debter I was tasked to find. He turned out to have had a condition like mine, hollowing. This alone is incredibly worrying. How many other people in Japan have this condition? Or the world? If what I now theorize is happening is happening, this could be extremely bad. He had been given a draft which helped his condition by an agent of Heaven and Hell who I suspected to be one of the unquiet dead. After learning this, I was able to masquerade as a heavily indebted nineteen-year-old, both using normal and metaphysical disguise and get into the system.

After bypassing several summoned demonic traps, I found myself in an underground world and forced to play a series of death games, including:

A Collectable Card Game Maze (who's design I'm stealing)

A water maze

A evil go style game with hostages taken.

I was able to get through these without sacrificing other players, though I was quickly forced to reveal myself to the runner of the game, the Red Queen. At the last, she set me an almost impossible challenge, which I succeeded in only with the help of S-chan and Kuro, who had followed up on me and managed to find where I was and make their own way in.

It was extremely foolish of me to go alone without help, now that I have help, especially as it just caused them to blunder into fresh danger. I also met Usagi, who I worry will one day try to kill me, and who became my main rival in the game. I'm sure I'll see her again later. Hopefully the others as well.

K-san and the Red Queen once dated. Was it over their shared interest in Geomancy or did one teach the other in some way.

My master was a real dog back in the day it seems. The Red Queen is quite something. I never knew he went for 7 foot demigoddesses.