Ghost Hunting

[line_piece]

[Chiaki isn't all that interested in the Ghostbuster Job itself, but what she is interested in is doing sidequests.  Especially the kind that get a reward as amazing as a free item from O'aka's shop.  So even though she's planning on discarding the Job at the end of the month, she's gone ahead and switched Engineer out for it for the time being.  All she has to do is capture one ghost, and then she can claim her reward.]

A. [It looks like Chiaki's found an easy target for her first ghost hunting job.  She's stalking a Polterpup through the streets at a distance, sneaking along and doing her best to stay quiet.  In fact, she's so focused on her quarry that she isn't paying attention to much else.  The energetic little pup dashes around a street corner, and she does her best to follow it, but it's at that time that she slams straight into another Hero of Light - your Hero of Light, in fact - coming around the other way!]

Oof!

[Chiaki goes sprawling to the ground, and the noise of ghostly whining and yapping can be heard fast approaching!  Think fast, there's a ghost doggy coming and he wants to play!]

B. [This time, Chiaki's after stronger prey, and she's sent out a message via Mognet a few hours ahead of time for some backup.  Anyone coming to meet her in the park, however, will find the gamer girl conspicuously absent.  What they will find after some looking, and if they follow the ghostly giggling echoing through the area, is a beautifully crafted porcelain doll sitting placidly beneath a tree.  The smile on its face is just a little too wide, eyes shining too brightly to be simply a normal doll.  And worst of all, it's holding another, smaller doll in its arms - one that will look very familiar to anyone who knows Chiaki.]

I made a new friend today!  Will you play with us?  My friend loves games.

Comments

B~

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie came as soon as her friend had mentioned needing back up. Her proton pack is slung over her shoulders with her eyes on the nearby trees. Not seeing Chiaki alarmed her and she quickly went searching for the girl. After a few steps she ran across the doll, her eyes widening at the sight of the girl.]

Oh shit.

Chikai! CHIAKI!?

[This can't be right!]

I get it, it’s funny. Give me back Chiaki!

[Yuffie is in fact talking to the giggling that echoes from the doll and she's pissed.]

anyone else who wants can jump in on this same thread, doll fight will be hard

[line_piece]

[It is indeed Chiaki. Or at least a suspiciously well-made doll of her. It's even got Ghostbuster equipment on and a little doll-sized Tamagotchi in its hand. The doll's glassy eyes flash as Yuffie approaches.]

No fair! You can't win this cute prize without playing my game!

Please someone help Yuffie?!

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie takes a small step back, her eyes looking over at the doll nervously.]

What game?

[She's going to regret asking that...]

o/?

[unyieldingspirit]

[this is, undoubtedly, suspicious. But that doll… It may be their best lead. K'pandolu stares at it, tail flicking.]

What does it involve?

[line_piece]

It's a dancing game!

[Emphasis on dancing, as when the doll enunciates that particular word, it transforms into a huge and hideous monstrosity. Easily several times taller than Yuffie and K'pandolu, there are thin puppet strings dangling from its limbs, which wave about of their own accord.]

Dance, puppets! Dance!

[And now those same strings are whipping toward the two at high speeds. They're entirely sharper than they seem, too - more like wires than strings - and they'll certainly pack quite a punch if they manage to hit.]

More people the better, am I right?

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

[That thing is pretty huge. She couldn't help but be a little amazed, however seeing the wires she knew to be wary and to jump back.]

I don't think this is a dancing game. It's a dangerous one if it is.

[unyieldingspirit]

[K'pandolu dodges the first string coming her way, ears twitching back in displeasure.]

Really.

[TIME FOR BUFFS assuming the doll lets her get them off. She starts with Haste, the better to have a chance of getting anything else off, keeping a wary eye on the strings all the while- staying safe is her first priority, after all.]

[line_piece]

[K'pandolu will have enough time just for that as the doll's face continues to warp and twist into an expression of pure anger. Its eyes shift from glassy black to glowing red.]

YoU'rE nOt dAnCiNg!

[The Chiaki doll in the monster's arms glows for a moment, and the next attack is a barrage of glowing arrows reminiscent of the rhythm game the girl has programmed. Apparently the doll is using the gamer girl's powers through her.]

DaNcE! DaAaAaNcE!

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie is pissed.

During the waves of attacks she blinks out of sight. Using her time mage skills to appear behind to gross looking doll. Her gun finds it's way into her palms and she fires a beam at it's back. She hopes the ghostbusting skill is enough to weaken the doll. She also hopes it can't look behind and in front at the same time.

If the doll wants to dance.]

Bring it.

[unyieldingspirit]

[Well, just as well she managed to get that Haste off- it gives her a little bit of a boost as she moves to avoid the arrows as best she can. Which is not ideal but if she can keep it distracted from aiming at the other two…]

Come on.

[she looks for a little bit of space, enough to try to cast Demi on the doll.]

[line_piece]

[The Demi spell doesn't seem to have much of an effect, simply disappearing into the doll's body. But the particle beam definitely seems to be weakening it, an unearthly scream echoing through the air around the group as it tears away at its ghostly form.]

YoOoOoOoUuUuUuUu...!

[Writhin in pain within the beam, the doll lets out a huge burst of darkness in all directions, expanding outward from its body in a wave of pure unholy energy. Haste or not, this one will be difficult to get away from.]

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

[Well that's not very fun. Minako had decided to treat it like a dance and would move with a beat only she could hear, which helped when one had Ninja equipped. However when the next attack came, she found herself hit on the leg, causing her to flinch, but she kept going. This time she aimed her particle beam toward the doll.]

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie swallows a bitter taste as the energy hits her. Her arms and legs weakening but not enough to drop her gun and stop the beam that's currently digging into the doll.]

JERK!

[It's a very witty taunt on Yuffie's part.]

A

[bag_has_snapped]

[Oh, well, this was so embarrassing! Tsubomi saw the polterpup and had to chase it herself! Of course, this caused her to crash into Chiaki and leave them both dazed and confused for the polterpup's actions!]

Owowowow... u-um...! Sorry!

Re: A

[line_piece]

It's oka-ah...

[As she's apologizing and sitting up, the ghost doggie has caught up with the both of them, licking their faces and drooling ectoplasm everywhere.]

G-good dog...

Re: A

[bag_has_snapped]

Ack!

[Oh, ew! It's cute, but the dog licking their faces and getting slimed? Ew!]

Aaahhh...! I-It's okay! D-Down, boy!

Re: A

[line_piece]

[Chiaki's a little better with ghosts than real animals, but she's even better with digital animals than either of those types.]

Can you keep him busy?

Re: A

[bag_has_snapped]

I think so, I--EEP!

[And she's back on the ground, still being licked]

Re: A

[line_piece]

Good. I just need a minute.

[Chiaki slowly crawls out of the pileup and starts getting her equipment ready. Particle thrower, charged. Containment unit, deployed. And she pulls out a third little electronic device as well - curiously, it doesn't seem to be Ghostbusting equipment at all.]

Okay. On three, roll away from him. One... two... three.

Re: A

[bag_has_snapped]

Oop!

[And Tsubomi quickly rolls out of the way, the polterpup looking confused]

Re: A

[line_piece]

[As soon as Tsubomi is out of the way, Chiaki flicks on the beam, trapping the pup in place as it tries to escape. Affixing the small device she'd pulled out alongside the containment unit to its side, she activates it and kicks it into place.]

Good boy... gooooood boy...

[Speaking in calming tones, she guides the bewildered pup into the containment field. Once it's there, it doesn't take long for it to be sucked inside. Chiaki races over to it to check, taking the auxiliary device off and smiling.]

It worked.

Re: A

[bag_has_snapped]

[And as the slimed Tsubomi gets back to her feet, she approaches Chiaki confused.]

Wh-what worked? I-Is it okay?

[Hate to say it, but she MIIIIIGHT have gotten attached to the pup.]

Re: A

[line_piece]

This.

[Chiaki holds up the mysterious device she'd been fiddling with. Tsubomi may recognize it as a Tamagotchi, and it's currently displaying a cute little two-frame animated pixel sprite of the ghostly pup they'd just captured.]

It's a Limited Edition Polterpup Tamagotchi. Currently the only one available.

Re: A

[bag_has_snapped]

Oh...!

[Tsubomi can't help but blink in surprise]

Oh, wow, this is neat...!

Re: A

[line_piece]

I've been using the Programmer Job to make them. Since Ghostbuster works on similar principles, I wondered if I could manage it with one of the ghosts too. It looks like it worked.

[Chiaki smiles, pressing one of the buttons. There's a brief animation of the pup being petted, and a little chime plays to signal its happiness.]

...Good boy.