>>38708393
The next half hour passes you by in a loud and confusing blur. The head of Basilicom security, an amazonian tux-clad woman who moves like she's an 800 pound gorilla, took a contingent of guards out to the treasure cube merchant's shop, in hopes of bringing that idiot in for questioning. They came back just as quickly as they left; turns out the shifty merchant skipped town after you left his shop a smoldering wreck AND stole the one secret liable to get him in a lot of trouble, so the most the guards could do was lock down the area and send out search parties. The merchant can't have gotten far, after all.

Seems like most everyone's forgotten about you, since you're small, sitting against the wall, and currently about as helpful as a woodcutter in a barren desert. All the guards and priestly-types are rushing around, flipping through questions and records and paperwork and all sorts of bullshit busywork that makes it look like they're getting to the bottom of this whole evil cultist business. Estelle's talking to the head of security, forgetting that she technically isn't Lowee personnel anymore. Rokko's standing at the opposite wall, as still as a statue but for her flickering electronic eyes. Even Neptune is... well, the goddess of Planeptune probably doesn't feel at home in her rival's headquarters, so she's probably slipped out somewhere else.

(Cont.)

>>38708422
That's good, it leaves you time to
[x] BOOZE

>>38708393
Hooray! Blorp has arrived!

>>38708422
>the goddess of Planeptune probably doesn't feel at home in her rival's headquarters, so she's probably slipped out somewhere else.
No, she just has the power to blend into the background, remember?

You don't notice her because she's walking exactly in step one pace behind you at all times.

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>>38708422
You catch a snippet of conversation, some guard talking about the OTHER party out searching for Freddie the murderous fearmonger- a party consisting of Arturia and Moru. It suddenly occurs to you that since you're taking Rokko on a dungeon run, maybe you should skip town before her overprotective friends return and maybe try to murder you. Again.

Besides, you've got places to be. Between a friend's cryptic warnings/requests that you get your ass over there ASAP and the rather suspicious circumstances surrounding your terminated call to Mojang, you kinda need to get to Leanbox. All this business about merchants and cultists... you can't punch it in the face or drink it like it's booze, so there's not much else you can do here.

>CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
[ ] [ESTELLE] Get Estelle's attention and convince her that it's time to head out with Rokko. Let the professionals handle this.
[ ] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.
[ ] [NEPTUNE] Try to find where Neptune's gone. You're not her minder, but you think you should maybe keep her outta trouble.
[ ] [WANDER] You're not in THAT big a hurry. May as well do some sightseeing around the Basilicom while everyone's busy.
[ ] [WRITE-IN]

OKAY WOW posting works again, hopefully it won't go down again tonight!

>>38708755
>[x] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.

>>38708755
[x] [NEPTUNE] Try to find where Neptune's gone. You're not her minder, but you think you should maybe keep her outta trouble.

>>38708755
>[ ] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.
We can catch Estelle once she finishes with her current conversation.

>>38708755
>[ ] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.
Nice to see you again Blorp

>>38708755
>[X] [WANDER] You're not in THAT big a hurry. May as well do some sightseeing around the Basilicom while everyone's busy.

>>38708755

>[x] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.

Get her help and then gang up on Estelle. Might be the only way we'll ever get out of Lowee.

>>38708755
>[ ] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.

>>38708784
>nice things happening

>>38708755
[ ] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.

>>38708755
>[x] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.

I think we found the quest's waifu.

>>38708755
>[ ] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.
You don't find the Neptune. The Neptune finds you!

Estelle best girl.

>>38708755
>CHOOSE oNE
NO

>[ ] [ESTELLE] Get Estelle's attention and convince her that it's time to head out with Rokko. Let the professionals handle this.
>[ ] [ROKKO] Get Rokko's attention- see what it is she's trying to do, and maybe convince her that it's time to get a move on with Estelle.

>>38708755

>[X] [NEPTUNE] Try to find where Neptune's gone. You're not her minder, but you think you should maybe keep her outta trouble.

Is this really someone we should let alone in Basilicom without Blanc around?

>>38709615
shhh, not our problem. She might even solve the Arfoire thing for us.

>>38709652
Even better, maybe Arfoire will solve our Neptune problem. Really, without her main character status to shield her in plot armor, how long do you think she's going to live?

>>38709385
>not Urist
You must be sane

[ ] [NEPTUNE] Try to find where Neptune's gone. You're not her minder, but you think you should maybe keep her outta trouble.

>>38709838
Oh, none of us are sane here.

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>>38708755
>[X] [ROKKO]

You tally up your priorities. Neptune can take care of herself. Probably. And you can always pick her up on the way out. Now, as for the others...

You eye the group of priests and guards clustered around Estelle. It's not just your imagination- the group's growing bigger by the second, like the Dragon Warrior's gradually taking command of the whole operation. Makes sense; between Estelle's star power, her status as a veteran and an old hero of Lowee, and the fact that big boss Blanc's off in Leanbox trying to secure Vert's help, she's probably one of the most experienced individuals in the room, despite looking like a slip of a girl in strange armor.

So what you're trying to say is, you're not going anywhere near that priestly bureaucratic clusterfuck of old farts trying to sound important. There's no way they'll take you seriously, even with Estelle's backing, and you're way too tired to enjoy beating up the elderly.

Instead, you... well, okay, you take a moment to appreciate that for once, your legs AREN'T dangling off the edge of the chair as you chug your booze. Seems like Blanc had the furniture custom-made to be a /little/ shorter- makes sense, as you're both close to the same height ,and it'd be unseemly for a goddess to look like a kid in a grown-up's chair. She's probably a little more sensitive about her height and build than you'd have thought.

Rokko doesn't look down at your approach, and she doesn't even seem to register your presence as you watch her with your dented helmet tucked underneath your arm. She just keeps standing there, staring straight ahead with a goddamn thousand-yard stare, her glowing eyes not even blinking, like she's given up on trying to even look human and wants to look like a statue instead. It's a lot easier now that she's all dolled up, repaired and flawless and picture-perfect.

(Cont.)

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>>38710644
But then she's blinking down at you. Her expression is blank as always, but you've grown used to that- it's the startling speed she came alive again that almost made you jump. "U-Urist," Rokko grates out in that strange electronic stutter of hers. "Need any, thing?"

Need to make sure Rokko hasn't gone to the great big computer in the sky, you grumble.

She shrugs. "In a m-manner of, speaking. I did," the Blue Bomber replies easily. For a moment, you're not sure if she's joking, so she keeps talking. "D-Downloaded the news. W-Weather, forecasts. Maps of t-the area. Things like that, to p-prepare for. Our dungeon run."

... jeez. Rokko's really pumped up for this trip, isn't she?

The robot shrugs again, but you think there's an embarrassed air about her.

You don't comment on that, because something suddenly occurs to you. Wait, so if she can poke around on all the internets with the power of her freaking mind and pull stuff out of it... you trail off, looking down at your phone with a scowl. You're as technologically savvy as a stump- as far as you're concerned, it's a glorified magic box- but you're damn sure you didn't give Rokko your phone number, the number she'd have needed to call you in the first place.

Which means...

NOW there's no mistaking the distinctly embarrassed set to her mouth, and she glances off to the side, watching the group clustered around Estelle. Outside of her rare smiles, it's probably the most emotive you've seen her.

(Cont.)

>>38710726
... right. Pulling your number right out of your phone is far from the worst thing anyone's ever done to you, so you clap a hand onto Rokko's shoulder to show that you've got no hard feelings. More importantly, what're the chances that the both of you can convince Arturia AND Moru that Rokko's fit enough to go adventuring?

That breaks Rokko out of her awkward funk, and her brow furrows incrementally. "C-Chances are, low. Arturia especially. S-She is... insistent. Are they, on their way back?"

A "seems so" is all it takes, and Rokko's striding past you toward group of priests surrounding Estelle-

- except she's interrupted by a roar. Two roars, actually- the roar of the priests cheering, and the roar of Lowee's head of security.

(Cont.)

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>>38710754
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd_L2JP_Ls8

Estelle, sword and shield out, hops aside as the giant of a woman unleashes a punch that could reduce a train to a heap of scrap metal. Just as quickly, the Dragon Warrior retaliates by stepping inside her reach and slamming her shield into the amazon's chest- once, twice, thrice, except it's as futile as hitting concrete, and Kong laughs it off before lowering her shoulder and backhanding Estelle. Her shield's suddenly where it needs to be, but even blocking the blow sends her staggering back three steps.

"Hah! You're getting rusty, old woman!" Estelle chirrups, doing that thing where she bounces on her heels- as in everyday conversation, so too during battle, it seems. "Maybe you oughtta take a break from the Festival?"

Kong snorts, grabbing her shoulder and rolling her arm in its socket. "The day they drag ME out of Smash? Over my dead body." Each word is drawn out, like each word is half a step away from being a wordless grunt.

And over all this, the priests have circled around the makeshift fighting area, right in the middle of the fucking office, a bunch of old men and guards acting like rabid sports fans instead of the clergy and pencil-pushers of Lowee's seat of government.

... goddammit. You don't have time for this. You say that all the time, but you're convinced that that saying applies doubly here.

[ ] [WATCH] It'll be over soon. Sidle over to the priests and see if you can't place a bet for Estelle.
[ ] [INTERVENE] Gut punch Kong. Then drag Estelle out of here before they stop staring in shock.
[ ] [CANCEL] Tell Estelle that she can fight VIPs /later/. It's time you were out of here!
[ ] [NEPNEP] Leave Estelle to her sparring. Take this time to go track down Neptune, because fucking why.
[ ] [WRITE-IN]

>>38710814
I'd vote to just take Rokko and leave, but since that's not available:
>[ ] [NEPNEP] Leave Estelle to her sparring. Take this time to go track down Neptune, because fucking why.

>>38710814
>[ ] [NEPNEP] Leave Estelle to her sparring. Take this time to go track down Neptune, because fucking why.
Leave Estelle to Rokko well go get Nepnep.

>>38710814
[ ] [INTERVENE] Gut punch Kong. Then drag Estelle out of here before they stop staring in shock.

>>38710882
Do you trust Neptune to not get in trouble? Do you trust Neptune to not get in trouble that we can't get her out of?

We should take Rokko with us to hunt her down.

>>38710814
[X] [NEPNEP] Leave Estelle to her sparring. Take this time to go track down Neptune, because fucking why.

>>38710814
>[ ] [WATCH] It'll be over soon. Sidle over to the priests and see if you can't place a bet for Estelle.
>[ ] [NEPNEP] Leave Estelle to her sparring. Take this time to go track down Neptune, because fucking why.

Maybed we'll be lucky enough that she hasn't dropped party.
So we can yell at her with our mind.

>>38710923
Oh yeah, speaking of which, we should tell Rokko about our new ability.

>38710814
>[x] [WATCH] It'll be over soon. Sidle over to the priests and see if you can't place a bet for Estelle.
Relax a bit, win some money, watch a friend kick ass! Good times.

>Gut punch Kong.
DO NOT DO THIS.
Wrinkly Kong spent an entire Donkey Kong Country bodybuilding. She's insane! She probably has abs of goddamn titanium.

>>38710814
>[HAXXORS] See if Rokko can lookup our friend, the one who may currently be possessed or kidnapped
if not,
>[LEAVE] nope nope, got no time for this. Estelle has lots to do, anyway. Maybe we can send a Therapist message.

>>38710814
>[x] [WATCH] It'll be over soon. Sidle over to the priests and see if you can't place a bet for Estelle.

>>38710923
Have we told Rokko about it?
We should.

>>38710814
>[ ] [NEPNEP] Leave Estelle to her sparring. Take this time to go track down Neptune, because fucking why.

>>38710947
>>38710993
We have not! I'll slip that into the next write-up.

>>38710814
>[x] [INTERVENE] Gut punch Kong. Then drag Estelle out of here before they stop staring in shock.

>>38710814
[X] [WATCH] It'll be over soon. Sidle over to the priests and see if you can't place a bet for Estelle.

Fuck Nep, she's worst girl.

>>38710814
>[ ] [NEPNEP] Leave Estelle to her sparring. Take this time to go track down Neptune, because fucking why.

>>38711042
Wow, rude. Maybe she's least best but that's still pretty good.

>>38711017
Cool

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>>38710814
>[X] [NEPNEP]

Clearly, Gamindustri denied Kong the chance to have huge muscles like a gorilla- she's got the build of a model, not a bodybuilder- but that hasn't had ANY impact on her actual abilities. You know this because the wild-haired woman's fists are punching jagged tears in the wall even as you watch- there's no more chatter from Estelle as she does her best to dodge or turn aside Kong's attacks in what limited space there is.

... you have faith that big sis will win this, though, so you call out to her. You're just gonna go find Nept- Nepnep! Meet her outside in five?

"Roger that!" Estelle somehow finds the space to flourish her sword in a salute, grinning savagely at you from beneath her messy bangs. "I'll finish this in three!" She stops dodging and braces herself before catching Kong's next blow right on her shield, which is almost enough to bring her to her knees. The Dragon Warrior starts muttering something under her breath, lips moving rapidly, and-

You quickly drag Rokko from the room because you have absolutely no desire to be caught up in ANY spell blast radius. Your decision is pretty much validated as minor explosion seems to rock the Basilicom even as you tell Rokko about your fancy new Therapist tricks; strangely enough, you don't hear screams from the guards or priests, but the cheers DO intensify. Huh.

(Cont.)

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>>38712024
The Blue Bomber, at least, is a quicker study than the patron goddess of Planeptune. "T-Telepathy. Convenient," Rokko nods approvingly. "Not many, who gain powers other t-than. D-Direct combat."

You scratch your head, grimacing a little. Well... it's a mixed blessing, you concede. Not sure that it beats technomancy or having all the internets wired into your brain, but-

The sight of Neptune, transformed into her full-on HDD mode, is enough to get you to start running, still lugging Rokko along behind you (and the robot dutifully matches your pace despite being able to outrun you and your shorter legs). Spotting the goddess wasn't exactly HARD, since she's standing right outside the Basilicom's front door, and that just makes you run even faster.

The patron goddess of Planeptune turns at your approach. It's almost impossible to believe that this taller, more intimidating-looking woman- staring down at you with an expression of intense focus- is one and the same as /that/ Neptune.

"Urist. Rokko," she says softly, her deeper voice dead serious. "I must go. My people need me. The pudding time is upon us."

... and then she says shit like THAT, and the illusion of competence is irrevocably shattered.

"But no, really," Neptune insists, frowning. "Iffy and Compa will worry if I am out too late. Rest assured that I will return to fight alongside you some other day. Once I have recharged my goddess powers using the mysterious regenerative powers of Compa's homemade pudding, that is."

The goddess has caretakers...? Wait, no, pudding is more important than whatever's going on here!?

(Cont.)

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>>38712053
"Farewell, Urist. May we meet again soon." Neptune begins floating upward, tapping into some divine power of flight to take to the skies.

[ ] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE] ... well, you can't stop a goddess from doing as you will, can you? Head back inside, nab Estelle, and make for Leanbox.
[ ] [PUDDING] Lure Neptune back down to the ground with promises of dessert and pudding. Even though she's not exactly reliable, she IS a goddess.
[ ] [GRAB & SMASH] Grab Neptune's legs and drag her back down to earth. She's got to take more interest in current affairs! And stopping Arfoire's cultists or whatever!!
[ ] [ROKKO] Ask Rokko for help in keeping Neptune in your group. She can look this sort of thing up, right? Things that Neptune will find irresistible?
[ ] [WRITE-IN]

>>38712024
>Kong is a cute girl
Okay I new this had to be true because of the whole Gamindustri thing, but she's Nao, that makes her extra cute.

>>38712091
>[ ] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE] ... well, you can't stop a goddess from doing as you will, can you? Head back inside, nab Estelle, and make for Leanbox.
Whatever, we'll be in Leanbox if you need us.

>>38712091
>[ ] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE] ... well, you can't stop a goddess from doing as you will, can you? Head back inside, nab Estelle, and make for Leanbox.
>[HAXXORS] See if Rokko can lookup our friend, the one who may currently be possessed or kidnapped

>>38712091
>[ ] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE] ... well, you can't stop a goddess from doing as you will, can you? Head back inside, nab Estelle, and make for Leanbox.
Ah well. She isn't wrong. We will see her again later. And probably sooner than we think.

>>38712091
>[x] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE] ... well, you can't stop a goddess from doing as you will, can you? Head back inside, nab Estelle, and make for Leanbox.
We seem to attract trouble, meaning we'll see Neptune soon again.

>>38712091
>[x] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE] ... well, you can't stop a goddess from doing as you will, can you? Head back inside, nab Estelle, and make for Leanbox.
Blanc would kill us if he kept her around even longer.

>>38712337
if we*

Not sure how I fucked that up.

>>38712091
>[x] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE] ... well, you can't stop a goddess from doing as you will, can you? Head back inside, nab Estelle, and make for Leanbox.
She's leaving voluntarily. That is a GOOD THING.

Weren't we were going on a dungeon crawl first, though, before Leanbox? Wait, was this a dungeon crawl IN Leanbox? I've lost track.

>>38712410
It's on the border of Leanbox and Lowee

>>38712473
Actually, if we've picked up the quest in Lowee can we turn it in at the Leanbox Guild place?

>>38712473
Arn't they separated by an ocean though? Is it on the coast of Lowee then?

>>38712594
I think so? The guild is one organization isn't it?

>>38712091
> [ ] [GRAB & SMASH] Grab Neptune's legs and drag her back down to earth. She's got to take more interest in current affairs! And stopping Arfoire's cultists or whatever!!

Followed by

>[ ] [PUDDING] Lure Neptune back down to the ground with promises of dessert and pudding. Even though she's not exactly reliable, she IS a goddess.

If she needs more convincing.

>>38712607
No its on the ocean itself, just floating out there.
Sarcasm, but why not?

>>38712594
Should be. They are the same organization, after all.

>>38712661
You've long since been outvoted, friend.

>>38712594
>>38712649
Basically yeah!

>>38712607
You'll see! Where there's a will, there's a way. Besides, it DOES involve digging.

>>38712669
Just as long as it isn't THAT dungeon from MML2.

>>38712693
>spoiler
Aww yeah, we can show off another one of the things Urist isn't garbage at.

Guys
We need
to do what they did in MGNQ
and that is
mix favorite food with alchohol
tequila pudding
pudding on the rocks
Pudding a la BEER

>>38712834
Because a drunk Nepnep is a fun Nepnep.
[spoiler ] Also, fucking terrifying.

>>38710754
>so you clap a hand onto Rokko's shoulder to show that you've got no hard feelings.
How high did she have to jump for that?

>>38713348
She missed and dented the BREASTplate

>>38712091
>[X] [FAREWELL, NEPTUNE]

You watch Neptune soar up into the heavens, her thin braids trailing behind her like streamers as she slowly picks up speed, possibly for maximum dramatic effect.

Yeah, well... you'll see her again soon, you guess. As bad as Neptune is, she's still an okay person, for someone who's technically the highest form of nobility this damned universe recognizes. Just so long as you don't trust her with anything larger than a lockbox,and even /then/...

Anyway. You go back into the Basilicom and collect Estelle, who's bursting with pride after her battle- just as you guessed, she scratched out a win by a narrow margin, and also as you guessed, the room she'd been fighting Kong in is pretty much a ruined mess. Regardless, the two roughed-up veterans are shaking hands like they're old buddies instead of two goddamn psychopaths who were just going at it tooth and nail. You can't help but notice that the priests DID have a pool going, judging by how they're passing small sacks of valuables between each other. Like you noted earlier, they're clearly not the hoity-toity esoteric sort of priest.

You ALSO note that Kong doesn't challenge Rokko to a friendly little spar- hell, Rokko doesn't even acknowledge the brawler, and sort of hangs back at the door as you gently steer Estelle toward the exit. That's... probably something left untouched.

(Cont.)

>>38713443
About a half hour later, you're all far enough from the outskirts of Lowee that you're reasonably confident that Arturia, Moru, and Lee-Fi won't come screaming out of the hills and demanding Rokko's return, so you've got enough time to take a break and figure out something pretty damn important: how you're actually going to MAKE the trek to Leanbox. Or rather, to the coast of Lowee so that you can eventually sail or boat or swim to Leanbox.

"Okay! Well, we've got a few choices..."

Estelle's chin rests atop your head as she unfurls the old, much-marked paper map in front of you, her arms encircling your hunched-down body. Your surrogate big sis sort of insisted that you sit on her lap, by way of manhandling you until you couldn't refuse. Especially since she went to the trouble of wrestling your braids out of the way, so your massive hair is splayed to the side. You're pretty sure you look like some deranged barn owl's wings.

Anyway. Just your luck: Lowee's at the northmost tip of the continent, while Leanbox is on an island directly to the south.

"We can forge straight to the south, keeping the mountains to our right," the Dragon Warrior says, tracing a path down the yellowed paper with her finger. "We'll hit the border of Lastation-" and you know enough history to note that that's goddess Noire's domain, patron saint of all things Playstation "- and it's the fastest overland route."

"W-We'll. Have to be on o-our guard," Rokko adds, one hand held to the side of her helmet, probably consulting some inner database. She's standing to your right, close enough that you can make out every mark on her armored foot. "Patrols a-are on the rise in L-Lastation. W-We'll have to. Deal with soldiers, and t-they'll be. Suspicious."

(Cont.)

>>38713474
Estelle puffs her cheeks out a little, looking like the Blue Bomber stole a little of her thunder. "So! Our other option, though it'll be a little longer, is around the west side of the mountains, past Planeptune. It'll be a legendary trek, though!" She grins, and you don't even have to look back over your shoulder to see the sparkle in her eye. "Sightseeing! Old ruins everywhere! It's an adventurer's paradise right now!"

"M-Monsters are on. The rise." There's a faint whirring sound, servos or mechanisms or something, as Rokko sits down and leans in to study the map herself. "Less traffic. Fewer t-towns. More d-danger."

You study the map yourself- might as well, since it's right in front of your nose. The damn thing's old enough that the Gamindustri Graveyard isn't actually marked on it yet; in its place is a picturesque bay. You clear your throat- so, what's the third way? There IS a third way, right?

Rokko shakes her head, her ponytail shifting with the motion, but Estelle frowns in thought. "There IS an underground route, cutting straight through the mountains," she says slowly. "Lowee's filled with old underground passages, and it'll be faster than either overland route, but... we'd have to skirt around a bit near the end. We'll brush up against the Gamindustri Graveyard that way."

Estelle brightens up after a moment, though. "We'll be able to take whatever monsters are there, though. Right, Rokko?"

"A-Always."

The knight in shining armor fistbumps the futuristic fighting robot. You're almost jealous of the bond these two share just from being from the NES generation, the golden age of Lowee's history.

(Cont.)

>>38713526
Hmm. And Fast Travel...

The Blue Bomber stiffens a little. "D-Don't. Know if my body can, handle it. In this state."

... oof. It must gall her to admit even that much. So Fast Travel- instant teleportation from here to the southern coast of the continent- is out of the question.

[ ] [LASTATION] Go straight south and skirt the edge of Lastation's borders. Plenty of towns and other adventurers (for better or worse), but you may bump into a few Lastation soldiers on high alert.
[ ] [PLANEPTUNE] Take a more southwestern bearing to pass Planeptune. Plenty of ruins and greater chances for loot, but a LOT more monsters, and this route isn't the fastest way there.
[ ] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.

>>38713559
[ ] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.

Instincts man

>>38713348
>>38713397
Give her a little more credit than that!

...... she only had to jump about a few feet.

>>38713559
>[ ] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.

Constantly worry about sunsickness if it starts taking too long

>>38713559
[x ] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.

There is no other choice

>>38713559
>UNDERGROUND
We are a dwarf. If any trouble strikes, we can just dig a hole into the wall and pull it in after us.

>>38713559
>[ ] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.
Plus we'll be able to pick up materials for building shit as we go.

>>38713559
>[ ] [UNDERGROUND]

>>38713559
>[ ] [LASTATION] Go straight south and skirt the edge of Lastation's borders. Plenty of towns and other adventurers (for better or worse), but you may bump into a few Lastation soldiers on high alert.

>>38713559
>[x] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.

The only choice for a REAL dwarf. Let's get that cave adaptation going!

>>38713576
She did reach though.

Did she go poing or was she able to keep her moe instincts in check?

>>38713559
>[ ] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.

Can we make a stairway UP the mountain?

>>38713559
>[ ] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.
But why can't we just steal a zeppelin from somewhere or something?

>>38713650
Barely. At the last moment, she turned the 'poing' into a 'ggghhARUMPH.'

>>38713678
I... I'm not sure Urist has any impressions of air-based travel that DON'T involve flying out of minecarts at hundreds of miles per hour, or plummeting off chasms.

>>38713559
>[x] [UNDERGROUND] Go straight under the mountains. Largely uncharted and sort of dangerous, but you're THE dwarf. You've got two very strong veterans on your side, and you'll feel the most at home here.

There is literally no way this could go wrong.

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>>38713559
>[X] [UNDERGROUND]

You eye the map in front of you, noting how weathered the parchment looks; swathes of ink crisscross the map, charting journeys deep in the past and pointing out new developments here and there. You see a few names you recognize, although the handwriting's messy enough that the names are ALL you can make out, like Ein (godddammit, you thought it was spelled Ain).

Beneath all that peppiness, Estelle is, at heart, the type who WOULD meticulously write all this down, even if it's a lot less trouble to just buy a new map. Somehow, that comforts you, though you can't pin down why.

... so you place your own finger on the map, smack-dab in the middle of the mountain range splitting Gamindustri's main continent in two. Underground, you tell them. You're all gonna take the underground path.

Rokko tilts her head to the side. It's almost disarmingly cute, and it's real worrisome how she picked that up after only half an hour on the road with Estelle. "T-That's how. Fast you need to get to, Leanbox?" she queries- you use that word 'cause that's the only word you CAN think of to highlight how much like a computer she sounds, sometimes.

"Uwao! How bold! How fearless!" Estelle ruffles your hair, and you submit with bad grumbly grace. "Is it for your own little sis? You'll move mountains and cross oceans for her?"

HELL no. Well, okay, Mojang's a /friend/, but that's not entirely it. You're a dwarf, and-

(Cont.)

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>>38714339
- that's when you'd stand up and face the horizon with a sour grumbly scowl on your face- one that shows your determination off to its fullest- but you're interrupted: can't fucking stand up because Estelle won't let go. A few moments of squirming don't seem to help, so you lean back against the Dragon Warrior's chest, cross your arms, and try not to sulk a little at the ruined moment.

... you're a dwarf, you continue as if nothing had just happened, and you're the most at home in the underground. You'll chart your way to the southern coast, do your dungeon run, and then you'll go figure out what's going on with Maia and Mojang and all that. Sound good?

"Roger dodger!"

"A-Agreed."

In hindsight, what pisses you off isn't how Estelle and Rokko both start ruffling your hair. It's how Therapist APPARENTLY counts this as them joining your group, and pings to show that you've gained two new party members.

Sitting on the lap of your surrogate big sis and being hair-ruffled by your super fighting robot friend, you reflect that sometimes, there is truly no justice in the world of Gamindustri.

[TO BE CONTINUED NEXT THREAD]

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Okay, that's a good place to stop for the night! Thanks for participating, guys, and sorry for the late start.

We'll have the next thread this Tuesday, 3/17, starting (for once!) from about 7-ish pm EST! It'll be a longer thread than in recent memory, so we ought to be able to get more done. As always, updates to schedule will be at https://twitter.com/BlorpQuest, and questions can go either here or ask.fm/BlorpQuest!

Hope to catch you guys next time.

>>38714395
>- that's when you'd stand up and face the horizon with a sour grumbly scowl on your face- one that shows your determination off to its fullest- but you're interrupted: can't fucking stand up because Estelle won't let go. A few moments of squirming don't seem to help, so you lean back against the Dragon Warrior's chest, cross your arms, and try not to sulk a little at the ruined moment.
Urist is cursed with this cuteness

Thanks for the thread Blorp, can't wait for the next one.

>>38714355
Could be worse.

It could be an embark that dumps you into a lava flow from a volcano.

It could be an undead giant sponge with every syndrome known to dorf.

It could be elves.

>>38714395

You said there are sports games, but no licensed ones.

I guess that relieves the idea of trying to find a Madden-chan somehow.

Wonder what excite bike (NES) would look like. Or the old ice hokey(NES).

>>38714355
We should take this chance to explain Therapist to Estelle too if we haven't already. Next time I mean.

Therapist does other stuff right?
All I really remember is the telepathy thing.

>>38714443
Truly, existence on Gamindustri is plagued by a curse of cuteness not so easily shaken.

>>38714448
That's when you dig a hole, lock in the entrance with a drawbridge, and never come out again.

Except in that first instance, because you can't dig in lava or make a drawbridge out of it. Yet.

>>38714452
No force on earth can convert John Madden into a cute anime girl.

... as for the old games, now THAT would be interesting.

>>38714564
That'll be the first thing next thread, although it might just warrant a quick sentence or two!

As for Therapist itself, telepathy is basically the biggest draw, but it DOES provide Urist with a rundown of their current conditions and a tactical overlay of her allies' relative positioning during battle. Useful if they ever get separated or leave each others' sight range, or end up splitting the party.


Night, and see you guys next thread!

>>38714692
>That'll be the first thing next thread, although it might just warrant a quick sentence or two!
It's all we really need.

Any chance we can get their conditions too?

>>38714692
>No force on earth can convert John Madden into a cute anime girl.

John Madden, the only force in video gaming so overpowering it breaks the rules of Game Industry.

I guess there is a chance to run into Chuck Yeager of course. (80's flight sim games)

Good thing there is a pre-created anime girl for that one.

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>>38714732
No problem, conditions will also be at the start of next thread!

>>38714798
>pulling Chuck Yeager into Gamindustri on the basis of flight sim games
>pulling Charlotte Yeager into Gamindustri

>>38715023
Since you mentioned minecart related flight earlier, will there be any opportunities to have fun with them underground?

>>38715023
>No problem, conditions will also be at the start of next thread!
Super hype.

I was wondering if we're going to bump into the Total War series' personification. She'd be Sega, if memory serves. Just imagine. Ultimate fortress builder teaming up with the ultimate general.

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>>38714692
Always late.
ALWAYS.