A Hidden Truth

Opening

The session opens back at Lorelai's club in her domain. Kate was pulled into the file on her dad, finishing the fight Moki had with red Moki.

The Mokis

The group at the domain is unsure where Kate is. Moki asks if this is something that happens. This is unusual and it's determined that Kate was only pulled in because of her sword. Moki asks to be sent in, but nobody can tell where Kate even is. Much of the text is redacted, and Moki cannot even read the writing.

They keep looking through until they find a part of the text which appears like it's squirming. Lorelai wonders if it's Kate, and realizes there might be something they can do.

Kate

It is now the 1980's. Kate cannot make out who anyone is outside of one blond man with slicked back hair -- who looks like a younger version of her dad. Other people appear to have blanked out faces. Kate watches him walk up to a club, inside which appears like a lounge. He walks in.

Kate slips into the club, nobody seems to be paying her any mind, as if she's not even there. The atmosphere inside is like a jazz club, there's a woman singing and a goblin playing music. Oddly, there's an image of someone sulking at the bar, listening to the music.

Kate tries to get closer to see who that is. They appear to be a mix of people, constantly changing between peoples (changeling). They lament about the current song, saying that it's something they wrote, got kicked out of bars for but now other people are famous on it.

Kate's dad heads into a booth and sits with a blue devil with red eyes. As her dad opens his mouth to speak, there is a black blur where his mouth is. The conversation is muffled and the blur blocks the ability to lip-read. Kate tries to get closer, but finds it difficult to. Almost as if it were pushing against a river.

The Mokis

Lorelai looks back at the page of redacted info which appears fuzzy. She says she has an idea. She's going to try and pull things out. Though she warns that Moki may need to be prepared to fight.

Lorelai presses her fingers on the file and her magic mixes with the book. 3 humanoid black ink splots form around Kate in her vision, and around Moki in the bars.

Kate sees the ink splots appear and then see them get attacked. Kate opts to try an experiment, casting negative energy flood on the most injured, and kills it. Rising it as a zombie of her own. Moki perceives this as it going down and returning back in blue ink.

Kate finishes off a second ink blot and Moki offers the last to Yokai Moki to finish it. On a crit she cleaves through both the ink blot and the zombie, killing them both.

As the ink blots fade, Kate is able to hear the conversation as it repeats.:

Devil

I don't usually make it a point to meet potential clients in person, especially on the mortal plane but this is a rather different occasion.

Kate's father

He sits quietly and listens

Devil

I understand what you are looking for are very particular reagents.

Kate's father

That's right, I am quite equipped to take on what job you need of me.

Devil

Of course, you've got quite a record, doing your dance around the hells. But this will be different. These reagents are difficult for even me to acquire. That little war that happened here triggered all sorts of upstarts after the one who killed a war god. What you are going to do, is take the one who took them out.

The devil then shows him a picture of Azami.

Kate's father

He takes the picture, nods, and gets up.

The scene changes, and Kate is transported to a road in the middle of the desert. Kate instinctively feels she is on route 66. She walks along the road, kicking sand. She eventually comes across Diesel's truck, completely parked. The sound of clashing swords ringing from close by. Kate approaches and looks around it. Seeing Kate's dad trying and failing to fight Azami. A younger Diesel rests against his truck. This continues until Kate's dad takes a bad cut to his thigh and then his chest, downing him.

Azami doesn't bother to finish him off, opting to walk to the truck. Diesel calls out, asking if that's okay as she doesn't usually do this. Azami gives Diesel a look, as if to say "shut up, let's go.", saying she might want to change her approach to things.

They drive away with Kate's dad collapsing on the ground.

Kate remarks it's a small world.

The whirlwind of pages turns once more. This time Kate is in a blackened space, face to face with Asmodeus. He looks directly at her. Kate takes a moment to realize she is being perceived at this moment.

She nervously tells Asmodeus she's sorry she's meeting under these circumstances. He remarks he's not sure why as it's not everyday someone looks through redacted documents. Remarking that Kate's new benefactor is at work for this.

He also remarks that it's a shame he never got a chance to fight for Kate. He pulls out a drawer of his own, pulling out a file for Kate, noting things she's done:

• 1 bass pro shop destroyed

• Multiple kills

• Destroyed a rival operation

The movement of soul coins was far too big between the bass pro shop and the seaworld false hydra.

Kate is happy to receive the attention and thanks Asmodeus. Asmodeus mentions that these deeds are hardly done alone, but in good company.

Kate worries about dragging her family into things like this.

Kate is informed that looking on redacted information is not looked well upon, but because of a series of technicality, she is the technical owner of the file, thus he doesn't see it fit to punish her. Asmodeus instead will answer questions.

Kate asks for as far as the file holds, the last known whereabouts of her father's adventuring party. The index of Asmodeus pauses as various folders explode around Kate as he searches.

Kate learns that two have passed away, another two are alive, and one is affiliated with the New Monarchy.

Kate also sees a file for someone named Angarth in the folder of listed party members. Kate asks Admodeus about this, but he found it irrelevant to her search as he was from before Kate's father's tenure with Asmodeus.

The Index asks if it should broaden its search. Kate says yes. Much more information comes forth as information of his pre adventuring days comes in, position in the New Monarchy, pre and post Adventures n Ventures.

As things keep going, Kate hears error sounds which get more and more frequent. Kate looks up to see Asmodeus bleeding ink from his eyes. He keeps repeating "inconclusive info." ink continues to drip from him as the system begins to experience a meltdown.

Kate backs up and looks for an anchorpoint/portal away.

Before she leaves, Asmodeus grabs her, asking her where that day went, before she's kicked out of the file and back into the bar.

Both Mokis run to Kate asking what she saw.

Kate explains what she saw, also told Hitomi that she had to talk as there's things regarding her family.

Kate remarks that her mother talks about one of the guys. She wonders if her mom knows he's alive.

As the conversation shifts, Kate pulls Moki in for a hug, as both Mokis pull in. Kate asks about the fight with Red Moki. The Mokis respond that she left as Kate was pulled in, noting that Red Moki blamed her for Kate being pulled away.

Yokai Moki elaborates, mentioning the promise she made Kate's mother. Kate understands, telling her she's a strong proponent of her word as well.

They talk it all out and chat with the other domain denizens. Moki chats with Lorelai, asking about what she's been up to between the three years she's been away. They chat and eventually Moki notes that Lorelai has succubi working at the domain. She asks about Usagi. Audrey mentions Usagi's last location was at an Ikea, specifically the one by the mall

Moki is relieved, and makes her way to the bar where Cir and Sebazios are chugging milkshakes. Sebazios finishes his last one and passes out from the sugar high. Cir also mentions the Ikea and people he saw there. Moki asks if they saw a succubus. They said they didn't realize she was one, but also remark they're new to the material plane.

Cir also remarks that they were with a cat lady, which Moki recognizes as Katrina and she is immediately relived by this fact. Kate picks up as Moki is extremely relieved. She asks if this is who Moki's been seeing. Moki confirms.

Kate says they should head back soon then. Moki agrees and they prepare to leave. Lorelai opens a portal back. Before they leave, Kate speaks to Hitomi and tells her that Kate's dad was contracted to kill Azami. Hitomi takes this perfectly well, almost as if this was expected.

The pair head back through the portal and the Mokis are fused together once more. The pair land at the Toys 'R' Us and Kate asks if Moki wants to see her girlfriend. Moki excitedly replies yes, and Kate races her to the store, letting Moki win.