[b][i]GM Post[/i][/b]

Ascot thought about denying it, denying that anything was wrong. He didn't want to appear like a wimp, like someone who wangsted - whine + angsted, nor did he want to look like a crybaby who showed weakness at every turn. But, at the same time, he had to be [i]honest[/i]. Telling the truth, or at least part of the truth, was almost natural to Ascot; he can lie by omission and half-truth, but today, he didn't feel the need.

"The other members, they sometimes talk about me. They talk about my unorthodoxy, they talk about my demeanor, sometimes, they talk about my psyche. And I allow them, because what they figure out...some of it is true." The boy then looked around. "I should be in therapy, but, well, this, what we're doing, it's therapy for me. Anyway," he spoke, "I'm going to talk to Hibiscus." And with that, he walked off.

Once he approached the woman, Ascot said:

"Hey, anything I can do to help?" he was smiling. Then, suddenly, there came a cry, coming from two people: Ibrahim and Leslie, the two of whom were coming towards them right now.

"Myriad is missing!" shouted Ibrahim, "so are Nao and Alexandria!" He then narrated what happened to them; Myriad saw something in the forest, then went off with Nao and Alexandria to investigate. Hours later, they still hadn't come back, and the two felt that someone had used Fate Magic - Leslie had Fate, to prolong the period of time that they had forgotten about the three. Ascot snapped into action, appearing in several places at once - the trio's section of the planting grounds, as well as the forest they had gone into, as well as back in Baler, in order to alert the [i]Alfred Nobel[/i]. 

Another part of his split selves was also [i]flying[/i], in order to conduct an aerial search, while, at the same time, the 'Main Ascot', the one with Hibiscus, sent a telepathic message to Jonathan. 

[i]Jonathan; Myriad, Nao, and Alexandria have gone missing! I'm going to need you to arm yourself![/I] At the same time, the boy was now scrying, searching past, present, and future to pick up clues about their whereabouts. This time, he tried to be subtle, trying to find a way through any Anti-Scrying wards there were, instead of just ripping them apart, which he can do. He found several bandit hideouts, some not even run by Practicing Magi, and, more ominously...a Yakuza base, a secret ferry where they were herding village girls for transfer into Manila City for obvious purposes.

And, on that Yakuza base, hanging on a flagpole, were Myriad's shirt and jeans. 

Outrage flooded Ascot, who had been subjected to such sights before, and now feared the worst for Myriad and the rest of the trio. But, at the same time, the boy's mind kept functioning: why would the Yakuza have an interest in the Magical Peace Corps, all of whom are American citizens? Why would they risk themselves being hunted down by both US, Japanese, and Philippine Governments? No, the Yakuza must be pawns in some greater game, and the chessmaster behind it...the chessmaster behind it knew how to best lure Ascot into rash action, by reminding him of...that time, the time just before the Rider War, as well as appealing to his sense of justice.

"Guys," he projected his voice so that it would be heard all throughout the clearing, "we're in trouble. Someone's trying to lure us into attacking a Yakuza hideout in a river crossing, by making us think Myriad's there. Problem is, there's also the only lead to Myriad's whereabouts that we have, meaning that we're going to have to accept their trap, as well as further break MPC Rules -"

"Gods, Ascot!" shouted Leslie; Ascot sympathized with her, but still thought she's wrong, "don't tell me we're going to undertake offensive action - that's technically vigilate justice, not self-defense!" And, technically, Leslie was right. "Contact a third force instead; with your 'contacts', I'm sure you have access to a PMC or somesuch somewhere..." she trailed off; not liking that idea either.