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File: DOG.DAYS.OP.2.jpg (1.69 MB, 2514x3296)
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Too fast.
This is all going by too fast.

Each brief respite from the waking world that exists between blinks is filled with visions of rest. Hallucinations of much more calm and tidy times.

You feel yourself carefully slide into unconsciousness but for a moment in one of these blinks. You see friends, relatives, people whom you call family. Your minor expedition into the other side rudely interrupted with the shrill voice of your tutor.

"-Louise, look here." The green-haired knight, Felice, lectures you one more time, "-You need to try that again, but don't strike the target until it heats up, Louise. You're striking too soon."

You're starting to seriously regret asking this woman for help.

You are Louise Lacerte; the tired Princess-Hero of Gallete. You would normally be much more happy to introduce yourself, but today has been a day of exceptions all around. You're desperate to stop monsters from the abyss from attacking your friend, and your teacher is the best chance you have.

You're starting to slowly come to grips with the terrifying and remarkable power gifted to you as part of being a protector of the land. This has come at the cost of being mentored by a green-haired knight with similar magical powers to yourself. You wouldn't mind this so much; if she just stopped for about ten seconds to give you a break.
You sigh as she hammers off another line of technical jargon involving things which you have no understanding of!

"Okay, stop." You command your teacher, and raise your hand. "I didn't understand what you just told me. You're going to have to slow down."
"Louise, I'm not trying to go too fast, but you have to understand this lesson. It's the basis for everything I need to teach you."

"T-then I can't do it!" You throw your hands up, "I just.. can't do it, then. I don't see how I could."

You slump to your knees, "All of your words are just becoming a giant jumble in my head. This is impossible. I don't see how anyone could do it."

"Is that how you feel?" Felice crosses her arms.

"It is, please, just slow down a little."

"Great!" She stoops down and gradually help you stand up. "Then you feel exactly like I did after my first magic lesson! Well done, Louise!"

"..I wasn't joking Felice, I really hurt."

"Neither was I!" She pats your head, while smiling. "Let's take a break and go get lunch, then!"

>A-actually. I think I'll use my lunch break to take a nap, good night.
>F-food. I really, really want food.
>And water.
>No, no, no. I can do this! A little more training, please!
>Try not to collapse.
>Other?
>>
>>1029942
>Sleep
>>
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Pastebin:http://pastebin.com/jCGAA6J2
Archive:http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=dog%20days%20quest
Twitter:https://twitter.com/Announcer_QM
>>
>>1029942
>What if you try and explain one simple thing without any weird words, then I go eat and take a nap.
>>
Hiya Announcer.
How ya doing today?
>>
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You could just..
Sleep right now.

Felice probably wouldn't complain.

No! No! Stay awake! You need the training! You need the experience!
You need it for Kayda!

"J-just." You put your hand up, "Just explain one simple thing to me. No weird words, no nonsense, just one single thing. Then I'll go eat and take a short nap."

Felice sighs, and smiles.
"I think I can manage that."

She leads you over to the other side of the garden, and walks onto the grass.
"Take your axe out for me, Louise."

You blink, and then slowly remove the massive blade from the confines of the ring on your finger.

"Metal absorbs electricity, and can cause it to spiral away in random directions. Training with a metal instrument is like wearing a big weight while trying to fight." Felice gently touches the end of your axe. "This is something I was shown a long time ago; with my longsword." Her voice takes a sorrowful tone with that sentence.

"Okay.." You suddenly feel more than a little awkward. "So what do I do?"

"Try the same trick I showed you earlier. Try striking this stone with your lightning while holding your axe."

She throws her little iron nugget a good five feet away. You've been striking that thing for at least an hour; so this should be easy to do.

You start trying to concentrate electric energy onto the stone. You feel your body trying to project it, trying to-
Wow, and then you suddenly feel the massive draw of power that the axe is giving you. It really does feel like a big iron weight!
This requires some more concentration. Your eyes close, and you start to focus just a little bit more on the stone. The electricity flowing through your hands eventually hit some kind of limit, and you feel an electric arc start to sputter from your hand. The lightning is searching for a target, and you have to guide it to the stone.
Just like that time in the courtyard; you can almost feel something lifting you. It's not very strong, but it flows through your arms, and your legs.

"Louise, real gently, I'm going to take the Axe from your hand."

You allow Felice to take the massive iron weapon. Almost immediately after it leaves your hand; a bolt of lightning reaches out and strikes the stone!

"Open your eyes, Louise."

Your eyelids flutter awake, and you see an amazing sight.
You're almost ten feet off of the ground!

"WHA-" You immediately come crashing down, and land in Felice's arms!

She smiles as she gently sets you back on your feet.

"That was very good, Louise!"

You're still confused about what was very good.

--

You stuff the last bite of this fresh sandwich into your mouth. This lunch was exactly what you needed?

"Feeling better?" Felice eats her meal at a more gingerly pace.

>Can you explain to me, in the simplest terms you know how, why I was floating?
>It's happened three times, already.
>KEEP STUFFING FOOD IN YOUR MOUTH
>I'm off to sleep, I'll be awake in a few.
>Other?
>>
>>1030184
I'm doing pretty good today, actually. How about yourself?
>>
>>1030207
> This lunch was exactly what you needed?
Second post and already my first typo. This is going well!.his
>>
>>1029972
Votin' for this.
>>
>>1030217
ah nevermind
>>
>>1030207
>Can you explain to me, in the simplest terms you know how, why I was floating?
>It's happened three times, already.
>>
>>1030209
I'm doing good, thanks for asking.
>>
>>1030207
>Can you explain to me, in the simplest terms you know how, why I was floating?
>It's happened three times, already.
>>
Uh, can I ask where everyone is right now?
It's hard to keep track of that.
>>
>>1030382
Sure

Jack, Yuuki, Dorje, and Cody are in Bruschetta. They are not aware of the attacks or of the present danger.

Louise is training to fight all the bad guys. Kayda is still asleep in her bed.
>>
>>1030395
Man poor Louise...
>>
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You finish chewing the last bite of your lunch. One of the maids puts another glass of water in front of you to add to the other five or so empty glasses.

"Okay." You sigh, and tap your hands on the table. "Can you explain to me, in the simplest terms you know how, why I was floating?"

"Electricity makes things float." Felice takes a small sip from her teacup. "That's the best way I can put it."

"So it makes just me float, then." You frown.

"No! Everything! Everything that electricity flows through can float. It's just, you had the most electricity at the time, so you were floating." Felice taps her fingers, "Well, that's, sort-of how it works."

"It's happened twice already, is there a way to control it?"
"I don't know, because you see: You are so powerful that you are able to float while casting. That's really strong, Louise. That's more powerful than anyone I've ever known."

"It's annoying.."
"You should be happy! You can make other things float, too."

"Maybe, but all I can do right now is make myself float. How is that helpful?"

Felice taps her fingers on the table once more.
"You know, Louise. If you could manage to make other things float, then you could take care of the monsters-running-away problem."
"Really?!" You bolt up from your chair.

"Sure, just figure out how you're doing it to yourself, and then do it to the monsters. They can't run away if they can't touch the ground!"

That seems like such an obvious solution!
"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, FELICE!" You exclaim with utmost happiness!

"H-hold on." She drinks the last bit of her tea, "-You first have to understand how to lift other things. That might take some more practice."

"I don't have time for practice, though!"

Felice leans back in her chair, and affixes her wild green hair into a bob.

"I might have an idea, Louise. Take an hour or so break, and come find me in the training yard."

Oh thank god!
"Thank you!" You almost bolt over the table to give her a great big hug!
"Don't get too excited, just go try to get some rest."

--

You don't quite remember how, but you manage to stumble your way up to Charlotte's room. The princess was already awake, but didn't seem to ask too many questions to you hobbling inside the room and flopping down on the bed.

Almost immediately, you were out. You can only imagine that this is what you're dreaming of right now.

"Okay Louise." You can almost hear Felice's voice echo with the confines of your sleep. "Let's try that again."

>Ugh, I can't even dream without thinking about the training!
>I need to calm down, relax.
>Most importantly, think about something else.
>This is good, just think about it a little longer.
>Other?
>>
>>1030411
It's okay! After all! She has you to guide her, right?
>>
>>1030511
>>Ugh, I can't even dream without thinking about the training!
>>I need to calm down, relax.

And maybe think about this or something, not sure about that.
>>
>>1030511
>Ugh, I can't even dream without thinking about the training!
>I need to calm down, relax.
>>
>>1030511
>>This is good, just think about it a little longer.
OK adding this.
Mostly in the vague hope that, I dunno, maybe exhausted Louise will come up with something?
>>
>>1030631
Some intuitive introspection about electromagnetism could be useful.

...Are these people even aware of magnets?
>>
>>1030638
Uh, I don't think so?
They generally seem to go with magic as a solution to everything, doesn't seem big on science.
>>
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Ugh.
You can't even dream without thinking about the training!

"Now, this time, focus on the water-" You hear the ghost of Felice lecturing you on proper striking distance, again.

This sucks.
You'll think about what she said a little bit longer, but no more than that!

"Now, Keep your palms- Your hips,- now keep your stance as wide as-"

Oh gosh, it's not even helpful stuff.
It's all just random garbage!

"Now, the reason this works is because electricity flowing through metal creates a magi-"
Oh no, is it possible to fall asleep in your sleep?

You just need to calm down. Calm down, and relax.

"Louise, remember how you floated?"
Yes you do, Felice.
"Anything can float."

Anything?

"Anything."

Oh, that's helpful. Anything else dream-Felice?
"Yes, you're overthinking it, Louise. Just do what you have to do."

Do what you have to do. That's, not very helpful dream-Felice.

"Little girl.."

Ugh, now the voices aren't even sounding like Felice anymore. That's depressing!
"Hi Felice." You almost feel a little annoyed that Felice didn't call you by your name.

"Who is 'Felice'?" The voice seems to respond.

You spin around on your heel, and are presented with that giant of a man again! The one with the dark brown skin!
Oh, and the angry tattoo on his wrist. You forgot about that.

"Uhh, You're.. Kayda's father, right? Why are you back here?"
"I couldn't find her. I decided to retrace my steps."

That seems like a strange answer. What does that mean?
"Look, at my arm."

The tattoo on his forearm seems to be glowing, now!
"They're on the move." He states, rubbing the clearly-irritated skin with roughness.

"W-well what do you want me to do?! I'm trying my best here!"

"Come."

He turns to the empty, white background of your dream.
Suddenly, there's a huge mountain range that dominates your dream! It's massive! It's the biggest range of mountains you've ever seen in your life!

..In fact, you're pretty sure you've never seen these mountains before.
"Where did these come from?" You ask the obvious question.

"Look toward the peak." He points toward the horizon.

In the distance, a dark cloud looms above the mountaintops. Occasionally, a brilliant bolt of blue lightning hops from the cloud to the mountain.
This happens in rapid succession. Each time you blink, a new bluish-bolt strikes from the clouds to the mountain.

"Little girl, why do you think the lightning strikes there?"

>Uhh.
>Because the mountains are closer to the clouds?
>Because it's wet from all the rain?
>Magic?
>I don't know.
>Other?
>>
>>1031105
>>Because the mountains are closer to the clouds?
>>
>>1031105
>Uhh.
>Because the mountains are closer to the clouds?
>>
>>1031105
>Because evil sorcerers always have maintain lairs with ominous lightning
>Uhh... I mean... magic?
>>
>>1031105
So this is her dad then?
He can communicate across worlds?
>>
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"Is it because... The mountains are closer to the clouds?"

"That.. is a good guess." He replies, keeping his eyes fixed on the mountain. "Yet, if that were true, would lightning ever not strike the mountain? Storms, rain, and clouds always find their way off of the mountain."

You think about the question a bit more.
"Then, is it because sorcerors always have to maintain lairs with ominous lightning? It's like a rule or something."

He blinks, and then gives you the most questioning stare you've ever seen!
"U-uh, I mean. Magic?"

He gulps, and looks toward the clouds once more. Very slowly, they seem to be moving this way. It's not a very fast pace, but it's a steady one.

"Come, let's go up there." He starts pacing toward the gigantic peaks, "There is someone up there who might know the answer. There is still time."

"Someone up.. THERE? Up in the mountains? Who might know?!"

He keeps walking toward the scenery, and leaving you staring at him.
"W-wait! We're not really going to climb all of that on foot-"

You blink, and in that moment; you hear a tremendous BANG!

It's not clear how it happened, but you're somehow all the way up the mountain! Rain pelts you from above, and lightning shatters around you!

"H-how?!"

"This is the hard part!" He turns to you, his voice raising to overcome the eruption of noise! "We need to get up there!"

Up where? You're already on the mountain.
You trace the direction of his finger, and-

"The sky?!"
"We need to keep going up!" He shouts once more, "Further!"

"How are we gonna-"

Again, you blink, and everything changes!
You're knee-deep in water, now! The man in front of you quickly grabs onto your hand, and starts leading you further into the chaotic rainstorm!

"I think this is a bad idea!" You yell to him!
"He's up ahead! He's the only one who can answer why!"

"Is it really that important?! I don't-"

He grabs you by your arm, and lifts you back onto dry land. There's a very obvious path that leads upward, further into the looming cloud!

"You must go!"
"What about you?!" You turn to face him.

"He can't speak to me!" He seems exhausted, "But there is a chance he will speak to you!"

That doesn't make any sense! This dream is getting kinda weird!
You start down the path, and leave him staring at you in the rain and the thunder!
He isn't even trying to find shelter, he's just watching you go down the path! Is he insane?! He needs to find shelter!

>Cont.
>>
>>1031275
I have no idea what's happening...
Are we being taken on some sorta dream journey by Kayda's dad?
Should we try and ask if he wants to leave a message or something?
>>
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The path up ahead is almost invisible from the blankets of rain falling across it! You can barely see your hand in front of your face! This is getting really scary!
You want to turn back! You want to go home! You want to-

The rain mysteriously stops.
You take a step forward, and it's almost as if you stepped past the blanket of gray and clouds.
It's very dark up here. It would be impossible to see anything if it weren't for a much more luminous figure.

A gigantic beast sits before you on a massive oak tree! He glows a vibrant color, and only vaguely regards your presence!
It reminds you of one of the birds that Jack would normally ride on to get to town.

Only this bird is much, much bigger. You don't think the castle itself is big enough to fit this bird!
His eyes glow a wicked bluish tint! If you can even call them eyes, that is!

You feel your hair rise from your scalp, and then see a bolt of lightning erupt from his eyes! It streaks off across the clouds and disappears into the rain.

"W-" Is all you can manage. You quickly remember that this is just a dream, and try to address him like the weird hallucination that you're certain that he is.

"Who are you?"

No response.

>Why are you here?
>What was that just now?
>Do you just throw lightning, everywhere?
>Why are you doing that?
>You're really big and scary for a crazy dream!
>That lunch I had must have been awful..
>Why are you striking the mountain?
>Other?
>>
>>1031266
You have no real way to tell, because you never met the guy in real life before.

>>1031289
Louise asked if he wanted to leave a message once, the last time she met Kayda's father in her last dream. You received no response.

Second time is a charm, though, if you want to ask that the next time you see him.
>>
>>1031293
>Look if you're going to be scary when I'm trying to help my friend the least you can do is talk to me!
>Apologize for snapping and then ask about the lightning.
>>
So this is, I think, a thunderbird?

>>1031313
Ah fair enough.
>>
>>1031293
>I... guess I'm here to learn something? About using lighting? ...Help?
>>
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Everyone, I just realized that it's midnight and I'm still up!

I have work tomorrow!

Oh no!

So, I am going to go to bed and leave that last post to hang for a while. I'll be back tomorrow to finish!

Take care!
>>
>>1031363
Good luck at work, Announcer.
>>
Wonder how this'll go now...
>>
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"Hi." You wave to the massive, glowing beast. "I-I guess I'm here to learn something?"

He doesn't answer, but he does turn his head toward the rumbling clouds above. Another massive bolt of lightning streaks from his eyes, and into the dark abyss!

Okay! You've had it with this.

"Look!" You stomp your foot, "If you're going to be scary when I'm trying to help my friend, the least you could do is talk to me!"

The gigantic beast lowers his head from the heavens, and then quickly dives into his own feathers. With a shake; a storm of water erupts off of his feathers!
Oh, so he got soaked by the rainstorm as well.

"..I'm sorry." You cross your arms, "It's just.. been a hard day, and I don't know how you're doing that, at all. My friend really, really needs help. I can throw lightning, but-"

You turn away from the massive bird, and toward the clouds. Your hand extends outward toward the rolling clouds.

With a snap, a bolt of lightning leaves your palm! It circles in the clouds for a moment before coming right back and striking some random tree.

You can feel a frown spread across your face. That wasn't even where you were aiming!

You hear the massive bird behind you shake its mighty feathers! Quickly, you turn to face it.
It immediately opens its eyes widely!

A blue sprite erupts from both of its eyes and darts straight past you!

KRACKA-BOOM!

Yellow-and-white streaks dart toward a tree, and explodes into a million splinters! The explosion is so loud that you almost feel a little deaf!

In place of the mighty tree now exists little more than smouldering embers. Except, there is something red-hot and orange burning in the pile of ash.
You walk up to it, and then pick up what appears to be a solidified chunk of bark.

-There's more to it, though! On that chunk of bark, appears to be writing.
It seems like you shouldn't be able to understand the strange and foriegn language, but you can read the writing just fine! It seems to contain some very helpful understanding on the nature of electricity. It's almost like it watched you cast that lightning bolt, and made a commentary just for you!

"Thanks! I-"

You turn to face him, and are just in time to see him leap from the tree and take to the skies!
His massive blue wings carry him into the gray sky. Within an instant; the sun is shining! The rain has disappeared!

A large, blue feather floats down from above. You grasp it in your free hand.

On the hill; you see the old man once more.

"Did you see that?!" You shout toward him, "He gave me-"
"That's not for my eyes." He replies immediately. "That is knowledge from the spirits. Use it wisely."

You glance down at the glowing red text once more. It seems like every time you blink; it remains fixed on your eyelids.

"I'm going back to fight." You state confidently to him. "Can I give a message to Kayda for you?"

"No need." He replies. "I will find her, soon. Go! They draw closer! I can feel them!"

Who are-

>cont.
>>
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--

'They'?

Your eyes flip open, and you're suddenly aware of the weight of the blankets. Not to mention the weight of the arms wrapped around your chest.

Keiko sleeps soundly next to you. Your hand moves to pet her head, but you notice something strange.

There's an ornately large blue feather in your hand.

>Okay! Nap time over! I have demons to fight!
>Sneak away from Keiko
>Wake her up, tell her about your dream!
>..Nah back to sleep. You still got time!
>Examine blue feather
>Other?
>>
>>1033325
>Wake her up, tell her about your dream!
>Examine blue feather
>Okay! Nap time over! I have demons to fight!
>>
Also, hope ork went well announcer.
>>
>>1033331
Ork was pretty good today, kind of loud though.
>>
>>1033325
>Wake her up, tell her about your dream!
>Examine blue feather
>Okay! Nap time over! I have demons to fight!
put the feather in your hair?
>>
>>1033325
>Examine blue feather
>Okay! Nap time over! I have demons to fight!
>>
>>1033337
Ah.
Well I'm glad you running late didn't cause any problems.
>>
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You stare at the blue feather for more than a few moments.
It's so shiny, and brilliant.

Where did it come from, anyway?
Something.. like-

A bird, of course. A feather of this size? It had to have come from a really, really, REALLY big-

Oh!
You remember!

You..
You met a cool magic bird that shoots lightning THAT'S AMAZING!

"Keiko! Keiko!" You shake your green-haired friend. She stirs in her sleep, but finally manages the energy to open her eyes.
"Louise?"

"I just had the most amazing dream, Keiko!" You grab her into a hug, it feels like everything makes perfect sense!
"U- uh! okay?! I had a dream about the bakery-"

"Look! Look at this!"

You hold the blue feather up, and let the amazing pattern interleaved in the feather reflect in the dim light.
"That's a big feather.."

"It came from my dream, Keiko!"

She stares in a half-dazed confusion. Slowly, she rubs her eyes.
"..The feather came from your dream?"

"It was amazing!" You go back to shaking her, "I went on a journey, met Kayda's father! Then I met this giant bird who told me exactly what to do!"

"..Uh.. That's nice Louise, are you sure you're okay?"

"What?!"
You feel almost insulted!

"Of course I'm fine! I'm better than ever!"

"Well, um, you just said you met Kayda's father which shouldn't be possible and that you met a big bird and-"

"It's fine, Keiko!" You try to quell her fears, "Besides, I have more to do than just lay around all day! I have demons to fight! I have Kayda to save!"

You hop out of bed and throw your clothes back on. Which is strange, because you don't even remember taking them off!

"Wait.. Louise. You're really going to fight them?"
"You bet I am!" You announce to Keiko with pride. "I'm going to kick their demon butts and save Kayda and we'll all go shopping at the end of the day to celebrate! Just you wait!"

You take the feather and aptly tie it into your hair, and then you set foot out the door!
-But first, you want to tell Keiko something.

"..Please don't tell Charlotte that I'm going to go fight without telling her." You peek your head back into the doorway.
Keiko sighs, "Fine, I promise."

You give a confident laugh, and close the door!

>Cont.
>>
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"Felice!" You shout to the green-haired knight. She's right in the training field, just as she promised! "I want to get back to training!"

"Louise, good timing!" She turns to face you.

Her hands are covered in blackened ash.
The training field still appears to be the mess it was when you left it, last. So at the very least things are consistent!

"Go on, Felice! I want to see the next test!" You say with confidence!
"Wow, this is a change in attitude! Okay!" She happily leads you over to the ranged course.

Off in the distance are five cannon balls.
"This is one I just set up! The cannon ball slightly off-center has a red dot on it. Without hitting the others; I want you to strike only that cannon-ball!"

>No problem!
>Use a lot of power!
>Think back to the dream, try to concentrate!
>Could I see you do it, first?
>Place your hand to the feather, think about this instead of rushing into it.
>Other?

>Either ways, roll a 1d100, best of three!
>>
>>1033499
No, no. It just means that I might go to bed either after this post or the next one because I am really tired. I need the rest.
>>
Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>1033515
>Think back to the dream, try to concentrate!
>Place your hand to the feather, think about this instead of rushing into it.
>>
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Everyone, I am very tired. So I am going to go to bed. Apologies for the short thread tonight.

I will continue tomorrow when I am off work or at lunch. We'll see when. Thanks!
>>
Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>1033515
>Place your hand to the feather, think about this instead of rushing into it.
>>
Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>1033515
Here we go...
>>
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Your hand moves into your hair, and brushes gently against the feather you've secured to the blonde strands.

You try to concentrate, and think back to your dream.
What was it that you learned, most of all?

Some of the details as to what you were told are spotty. There are a few short rules you can remember out of the seemingly endless line of nonsense.

'Be patient.'

You didn't quite understand the meaning of that at the time, but now it seems more apt than ever.

Your hand reaches out, and you take aim at the cannon balls.
Being patient seems like the opposite thing you would want when you were throwing around huge bolts of lightning. It would seem to you that being patient would be the worst thing if you were fighting.

Yet, somehow, that blue beast seemed to value that over all other virtues.
You hate being patient, but you'll give it a try just this one time.

Just once.

You start to feel the tiny bolts of lightning dance across your palm. Already, they are moving outward to touch something.
Gently, you try to tone it down just a tad to keep them from arcing straight off your hand.

The lightning built up in your palm almost feels angry. Like it really, really, REALLY wants to leap toward those cannonballs, and it's biting you for not letting it!
Your hands feel like they're on pins and needles!

What was another thing it told you?

'Don't trust your eyes.'

Right, you're still not sure what exactly that means. Especially considering that it was a fifty-foot tall bird with lightning for eyes.

Maybe it can't trust its own eyes and it is just projecting?
No, no. It must be some kind of rule for him. So why are your eyes not important, here?

Your eyelids gently shut.

Okay, not much to do with your eyes shut, after all. It's just you, and the lightning dancing through your palm.
..Huh.
You're noticing something about the pins and needles in your hands. You're holding the lightning back, but-
It's almost as if you can feel the lightning, and where the lightning wants to go. It wants to go toward the cannonballs.

If you let go of it now, then it would surely just ricochet between all five of them! You just want to hit that one slightly off-center. It's just a matter of making the right bolt strike.

You exhale, and-

POW!

You open your eyes, and see the red-painted cannonball snap right off of the table!

Felice immediately stands up, and starts clapping!

"Wow.."
"THAT WAS AMAZING!" She has the goofiest grin on her face, "FIRST TIME, TOO! WHAT CHANGED, LOUISE?!"

>Nothing.
>I had this crazy dream with birds and lightning and mountains and Kayda's father and-!
>Err, I mean.. nothing.
>I don't know!
>N-next test, please.
>Other?
>>
>>1036449
>I had this crazy dream with birds and lightning and mountains and Kayda's father and-!
>>
>>1036449
>Just thinking and.... stuff. Don't worry about it!
>Next!
>>
>>1036449
>I had this crazy dream with birds and lightning and mountains and Kayda's father and-!
>>
>>1036449
>>I don't know!
>>N-next test, please.
Don't wanna make her think we're crazy.
>>
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"Oh that's easy!" You give Felice a great, big grin! "I had this crazy dream with a big bird, and lightning, and the bird taught me everything he knew! Kayda's father was even there-"

Oh no! You shouldn't have said that! She's giving you the most puzzled look that anyone has ever given you, ever!

With a tiny voice, she mutters out an almost-silent "Wait, what?"

"Eh! Haha! Just thinking and.... stuff! I don't know!" You smile, but you're frowning on the inside! "-Don't worry about it!"

"Okay." Felice coughs.
"Anyway! What's next, Felice?!"

"Fritelli!" She calls out to the brown-haired girl. She somehow snuck out into the training yard without you noticing and was watching the whole time! "Send them back out, please!"

Oh, these again?

The wooden training dolls float out of the storeroom and hover toward the ranged training ground.
Great, it IS this again.

Except, now there's a twist!
The dolls move across the field, and hide behind large metal plates!

"That's not fair!"
"That's perfectly doable, Louise." Felice nods. "Now, you just have to zap the dolls."

You try your previous method, one more time. Let the lightning build up in your palm, and concentrate on where it wants to jump to.

Unfortunately, all you can feel is that they want to jump to the plates and not the dolls.
Unfair!

"I don't know how.."

"Louise, Louise. Think about it. Think about the stone, the one you zapped in the pond."

>Try to flow energy through the ground, to the dolls.
>Jump electricity from the plates to the dolls!
>Hover and then zap!
>Cross arms and pout.
>Other?

>Either ways, 1d100, best of three!
>>
>>1037082
>Try to flow energy through the ground, to the dolls.
We should consider that plate jumping is probably easier, but isn't the lesson we learned and doesn't really help anyway.
>>
Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>1037082
>Cross arms and pout.
>Try to flow energy through the ground, to the dolls.
>>
Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>1037144
Oops. Rolling...
>>
Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>1037082
here we go
>>
>>1037301
HOLY shit.
>>
>>1037301
And lo, the tiny little girl ascended to the cloud upon high and smoke the castle. Accidently.

?Bad End?
>>
>>1037340
Hah.
Well we probably came up with something pretty cool here.
>>
>>1037301
OH

WELL THEN!

>Writing!
>>
>>1037403
I hope this means we learned something more than just the lesson we were meant to learn. This is full blown epiphany tier.
>>
>>1037403
This is shaping up to be great.

>>1037408
Agreed.
>>
>>1037441
We should at least learn about the positive streamers that come from the other end of lightning strikes, and manipulate them.
>>
>>1037473
Might not get too big into science, here.
We'll just see how it goes.
>>
>>1037488
Hmm... on second thought, magicked up lightning might not even have them. Hard to say.
>>
>>1037529
Yeah.
We don't know what's going to happen (beyond it being really good for us, of course)
>>
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You cross your arms.

"This isn't anything like the pond! What am I supposed to do?!"

"Louise, Don't think about the lightning going to it! Think about it like the stone, the one I made float! Think about it like you're floating!"

"I'm still not sure how I did that!"

"You did that because Electricity flows through everything!" Felice makes a motion with her hand that you don't quite understand. "Electricity is the great medium! It can make you go to it, or make things come to you! Don't think about it like you're trying to shoot it through a barrier, try thinking about it like it's trying to come to you!"

You're still not entirely certain about this. The big bird didn't tell you anything about zapping something through a wall."

"Louise, think about this.. Think about it walking to you! What steps would it have to take?"

That still doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but you're going to try it anyway.
You hold out your hands, and then brush the feather in your hair.

"Here it goes.."

There has to be something the tablet said about this. Think, Louise! Think!

'Don't trust your eyes'.
Okay, well you're certainly not trusting your eyes, what else?

'Trust your instinct.'

Your eyes close, and you try to take it all in.
Think about the steps the doll would have to take to come to you. What would that look like?

Well, the doll is floating and you know it's floating. If it was walking, what kind of steps would it have to take?

Step, step, step, around the barrier, and then toward you.
Lightning doesn't care about barriers, though. According to Felice, Lightning draws things toward it!

You need to stop and think about that. That feeling.
Your hands are starting to stand on pins and needles again. You can feel the electricity build up within.

You can also feel the obvious presence of the metal barriers. It doesn't feel like a very strong presence, but-
-But you can also feel the dolls behind it.

It almost feels like the dolls behind it want to come back, to you. Why is that? Why do the dolls want to come to you? Why do you want to move toward the clouds?

..If the solution to this is the dolls coming to you.
Then, you just need to also go to them!

Yeah!
It will be like meeting them halfway!
Just.. think about the steps it would take to move toward them, and then slowly draw them toward you.

Slowly.
Slowly..
The pins in your hands start to really, REALLY sting, now!

Of course, they should! You are trying to drag dolls through a metal barrier!

Slowly... Oh, this really hurts your palms! You seem to feel the dolls.. or maybe just the ground they're hovering over. It's hard to feel much in your hands anymore! It almost feels like you're experiencing frostbite!

Slowly.... Have patience, Louise.

You inhale sharply, and prepare to unleash your attack!

'You're capable of amazing things.'

BZZT

>cont.
>>
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You feel a tremendous rush of air press against your body! Your ears pop slightly!
RU-RUMBLE-RMBUM-RM-

You hear something echo off into the distance. Which is strange, because you typically hear a massive bang when you throw lightning!

Your eyes open-
AND THERE'S THE LIFELESS FACE OF A DOLL RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!

You jump backwards, and bump your head against- an iron barrier?! Where did that thing come from?!

"EEK!" You hear someone yell!
"Louise?! LOUISE?! LOUISE! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"C-CMON LOUISE THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"

The two girls who tasked themselves with training you are suddenly in a panic!

Of course, you're in a panic, too! You closed your eyes, and then you opened them and you're in a totally different place! How did you get here?!

The faceless doll in front of you collapses, along with the four other dolls hiding behind this makeshift iron wall!

You gasp sharply as you look down and notice a charred footprint of where you once stood! It's like you 'landed' here, or something!

"GUARDS!" You hear Fritelli yell, "GUARDS! LOUISE DISAPPEARED! WE NEED HELP!"

>C-calm down!
>Stand here, shaking.
>Continue staring at your feet.
>'Louise.exe' has crashed and may need a restart.
>Where are you two?! Call their names!
>Other?
>>
>>1037599
>C-calm down!
>Where are you two?! Call their names!
What the hell did we do?
>>
>>1037599
>'Louise.exe' has crashed and may need a restart.
>>
>>1037599
>>C-calm down!
>>Where are you two?! Call their names!

OK so we disappeared?
>>
>>1037620
Wait, we teleported! Neat! Ride the lightning!

Now to sort all this out.
>>
>>1037599
>'Louise.exe' has crashed and may need a restart.
>>
>>1037637
So wait we have teleportation powers now?
>>
>>1037625
>>1037668
We need to say something.
Otherwise this'll get pretty bad, I think.
>>
>>1037685
The place we seem to be at is the same as what we were aiming at.

>>1037689
Well those votes will just shut us down for a minute, then we can make ourselves known.
>>
>>1037713
>The place we seem to be at is the same as what we were aiming at.
Well that's going to be damn amazing.
Teleporting Hero will be hilarious.
>>
>>1037764
Oh god, I can already see an attempt at a finisher move against Atlas. Just have her port right behind him, grab onto him and unload everything.

Save it for last, though, he won't be entertained if he doesn't cleave through all the mere mortals and fend off everyone else's magic and bullets first.
>>
>>1037796
It would be a pretty cool moment.
She needs to learn how to properly handle teleportation first, though, if this is it.
>>
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W-
W-
W-
What juast happrepdnalhghahgah

..

"Louise?!"
"LOUISE! NO SERIOUSLY! CHARLOTTE WILL KILL ME IF YOU DON'T COME OUT!"

"Sir?"
"Noel! Louise was practicing and disappeared! We need to find her!"
"N-Noel! I really, really, really need you to find her!"

..

Uh.

Huh?

"She's not on the roof!"
"Try looking in the other training yard! Maybe the lightning just threw her!"

..
Your feet..
Why is that crater in the imprint of your shoe?

"She's not there!"
"T-try the bushes! Try anything! ANYWHERE!"

Where were you just a second ago?
You were back.. behind this iron wall, right?

Why are you here?

"Not there!"
"No, no! no! NO!"

Why is everyone yelling?!

"Hello?!" You shout!
"I thought I heard something!" A strange voice replies.
"It was probably me! Keep looking!" Fritelli chirps!

"W-where are you guys?!" Now you're starting to get really freaked out!

"L-Louise?!" Felice yells!
"I heard her!" The third voice shouts! "I don't see her, I think she's maybe inside of something?!"

"That's ridiculous!" Fritelli shouts, "Keep looking! Louise?! Louise where are you?"

"I-I'm over here!"

You take a few steps away from the iron wall, and then peek around the metal husk.

"Right here!"
"LOUISE!"

Immediately, Felice clears the distance between you and her. She wraps you into a great, big hug!
Too tight of a hug, even!

"F-Felic- Felice!"
"I was so worried! I thought Charlotte would put me to the stocks for sure!"

"N-now hold on, I-I don't think Charlotte would do that!"

"Where were you?! What happened?!"
"I was hoping you would tell me!"

"F-Felice, just get off, off, off." Fritelli prys the crying catgirl from you. One of the other knights stands behind her. You think you know this blue-haired knight as 'Noel'.

"What do you remember last?" Noel asks the important question.
"I don't know! I blinked my eyes, heard a buzzing noise, and then I was behind the wall with the dolls."

"Huh." Noel scratches her chin. "Could you do it again? I want to see that!"

"NO!" Fritelli and Felice yell in unison!

>Of course I will! I want to try that again, too!
>S-sure!
>Maybe later.. Maybe.
>No! I'm never doing that again!
>Other?
>>
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Folks, I sleep for the night. Have a nice night everyone.
>>
>>1037897
>Of course I will! I want to try that again, too!
>...What did I do?
>Try to do what you did, but only a little bit.
>>
>>1037933
Oh "a little bit" refers to distance, btw.
>>
>>1037897
>Of course I will! I want to try that again, too!
>try to aim for somewhere where they can see you
>>
>>1037897
>Of course I will! I want to try that again, too!
So, we're the Yellow Flash of Konoha, now.
>>
>>1037897
>Of course I will! I want to try that again, too!
>...What did I do?
>Try to do what you did, but only a little bit.
>>
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"Of course I will!" You proudly proclaim! "I want to try that again, too!"

"You will?" Fritelli looks up from her cupped hand.
"You WILL?!" Felice seems even more shocked! "Louise! You just disappeared from reality for a moment, doesn't that bother you at all?!"

"M-Maybe a little, but I want to try whatever that was I did!"

You look toward her, and realize that you still have the same puzzled bewilderment.

"What did I do again?"

Felice groans, but Noel still has the same big smile!

"Yeah! Try it again!" The blue-haired dogknight grins, "Just try to go someplace where we can see you, this time."

You smile, and turn toward the training field. Your hand extends outward, and you make it a point to keep your eyes open this time. You let the pins and needles build up inside of your palm, and-
BZZT-

Immediately, you're hit with a gust of wind!

You're also hit with a PAINFUL FEELING OF MOTION SICKNESS! You gotta sit down for a moment! That feeling of just 'appearing' made you feel more than a little nauseous!

"Ohh." You groan, and slump to the ground.

"THAT WAS AMAZING!" Noel shouts! "You disappeared and reappeared instantly! It was like you were.. I don't know, Blinking!"

"Are you okay?!" Felice immediately notices your sickly composure. You stand to your feet and get your bearings.

"I- I'm fine! Just a bit of a.. uhh, A startle! Yes!"
"..Are you sure you're alright?"
"No! Really! I'm okay! In fact, I want to try a few more times!"

Much to Felice's dismay; you practice this disappearing trick multiple times. You seem to even be getting better at it!

"One question, Louise." Noel notes something, "Can you do it with your axe out?"

That's an idea!

You take your massive axe out, and try concentrating once again.
While much more difficult; you are able to successfully move with it!

Neat!

"What do you think I should call this?!" You shout to Fritelli, "Ooh! How about 'Lightning Louise Strike'! I like that! Or how about- "
"How about 'Teleport'?" Fritelli says with a dull tone in her voice, "You're transporting yourself, and you're doing it invisibly. So, 'Teleport'."

Well.
That's just uncreative, Fritelli.

"What's the next test?"

"The only one I have isn't that impressive, at all." Felice walks toward the wall of the castle. "I want you to climb this wall."
"Climbing? That doesn't seem-"
"Vertically, Louise." She crosses her arms. "I don't want you to use your hands, and I want you to be perpendicular to the wall the whole climb."

>What?
>That's unfair!
>How?!
>Give it a try, maybe Felice knows something you don't?
>Try your Lightning Louise stri- ugh. Or just 'Teleport'. Try doing that right to the top of the wall!
>Other?
>>
That was my one post for the night because I just got home and it's late. I will continue tomorrow. See you then!
>>
You know, I've been wondering.
How would bunny queen react to the super-badass Hero telling Jack "you should totally be king"?

>>1042118
>...If I do, can I call it Lightning Louise Strike?
>>
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>>1042153
>How would bunny queen react to the super-badass Hero telling Jack "you should totally be king"?
Externally, veneer of indignation.

Internally, pic related.
>>
>>1042118
>How?!
>Give it a try, maybe Felice knows something you don't?
>>
>>1042118
>Try your Lightning Louise stri- ugh. Or just 'Teleport'. Try doing that right to the top of the wall!
>>
>>1042387
...Wait, really?
Starting to feel we should've gone with bunny kingdom at the start.
>>
>>1042916
But then there would be more fade to black than when Jack goes drinking.
>>
>>1042916
Tuile feels that way about you now, but she's way more classy about it.

Madeleine wouldn't give Jack a choice in the matter
>>
>>1042118
>Give it a try, maybe Felice knows something you don't?
>>
>>1043003
I like Tuile too, probably my favorite.
I wish we could get a proper thread where we just spend time with Tuile.
>>
Everyone, I have a problem. I think I'm almost catching something that a family member has.

The Saturday curse strikes again.

I am going to post one post to keep things going, but then I need a break. I'll continue tomorrow.
>>
>>1046473
Hope you'll be feeling better.
>>
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You blink, and let your eyes run up the massive stone wall. From here, the castle's walls seem to stretch upwards forever!

"How?!"

"It's not as hard as it sounds, Louise. Certainly not as difficult as 'teleporting'!" Felice laughs.
"..If I do this, cn I call it the 'Lightning Louise Strike'?"
"..What?"

"Never mind."

You walk over to the wall and gently feel it for cracks that your foot can slip into.
with a huff; you throw one of your feet onto an irregular surface of brick. You hoist yourself upward!

"No!" Felice claps, "No, no, Don't actually climb the wall. Try walking up the wall! Use electricity!"

You blink, and look back toward the wall.

'Use electricity', what the heck does that mean?

"Use it to climb the wall?"

"That's right!" Felice smiles.

"I don't get it. Do you mean-?"

Oh! This must be another test of your amazing, wonderful, and incredible Lightning Louise Strike!

You put your hand out, and focus on the top of the castle.

"Louise?" Felice blinks.

BZZT!

You hear the ground below groan as you land on top of the castle!
One of the castle watchmen nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees you appear!

"I did it!" You shout down to Felice.
"That's not what I meant for you to do!" She yells upward.

"What?!" You blink, "What did you mean for me to do?"

"Louise, you're supposed to use it to bend the rules! Not to cheat them!"
You don't know what that means!

"You're supposed to use it to augment the things you already can do! Like this!"

Felice; the tiny dot that she is, approaches the wall.
You can't see it clearly, but she simply grabs onto the side of the stone facade and-

"W-!"
"Like this!"

Felice is standing upright on the wall! She starts walking up the wall toward you!
"How are you doing that?!"
"You overthink this, Louise! I'm doing the same thing you were doing when you were hovering. I'm just using this wall to balance!"

You're not entirely sure that you understand!
The green-haired cat-knight walks up the wall with precision! She stands a mere few feet below you, and uses her sword to balance!

"See? It's not that hard."

>You just walked up a wall! What do you mean it's not that hard?!
>Okay, let me give it a try.
>Can we take a break? This is getting tiring again.
>Take her hand, see if she can help you get down the wall.
>Other?
>>
Special thanks to insomnia for keeping me awake to get that post done.ist
>>
>>1047462
>Okay, let me give it a try.
>>
>>1047462
>Okay, let me give it a try.
>If it's based on floating, I should try getting that right first.
>>
>>1047462
>>Okay, let me give it a try.
>Asks that she walks with you on the way down
>>
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"Okay, let me give it a try."

You take a step to the massive dropoff toward the ground.
It's one thing to float from the ground up toward the sky, but it's another thing entirely to take a step off of a cliff.

"U-uh, give me a second."
She smiles, slightly.

If it's based on floating, then you should try getting that right, first. You just need to float down toward the wall, and then stick to it.

Easy, right?

You try to float much like you did in the garden earlier. Your eyes close, and you focus on that feeling.
The feeling of being carried. That feeling which swells deep in your heart when you feel yourself reach just that right amount of energy.

"Louise, keep your eyes open."

You open your eyes, and look down.
Immediately, you fall back onto the buttress of the wall with a slam!

"Are you okay?" Felice seems genuinely concerned, but she does not waver from her position at all.
"I-I'm fine, just need to-"

You stand back up, and pout.

"How am I supposed to do that?!"

"Control, Louise! You need more control! You can't get control overnight, it's something you must 'feel'!"

"I give up." You sigh, "Can I come down now?"
"Don't jump down, instead- Take my hand."

Take her hand?
"Won't you fall?"
"Trust me on this one."

You kneel down on the castle wall, and reach for Felice's hand. Gently, she reaches out and grasps yours!
A small shock races through your arm!

You step off of the wall, and find yourself floating next to Felice!

"Concentrate, and try to keep up. We're going to walk down."

You grasp her hand tightly! This is much scarier than you were expecting it to be! You can see half of Biscotti from here!
She's also walking far too fast for your comfort! She strides several feet at a time, and every time she does you can barely keep up!

"F-Felice, s-slow down!"
"Not right now, we have to get down. It's time."
"Time?!"

Felice points toward the treeline off in the distance. Somewhere in the field of green; you can see a tiny white light flashing.
"What is that?!"
"That's the watchtower about a mile away. They're coming."

'They?' Does she mean the monsters?
"How long do we have?!"
"If they run as fast as you can, then not very long. I already told Fritelli to get everybody inside, but she insists that you go inside as well."

"I-I thought I was doing all of this to fight them!"
"You were, Louise. I'm sorry, but I don't think you're ready to fight them."

>Don't tell me what I am and aren't ready for!
>You just saw me move through the air and Lightning Loui..- Teleport! Isn't that enough?!
>What else is there to do?
>Forget it, I'm fighting them and you can't stop me.
>..Fine, I'll wait.
>Other?
>>
>>1051183
>I want to try and see how tough they really are. And I can just zap back if I have to.
>>
>>1051183
>>..Fine, I'll wait.
Throw in a pout.
>>
>>1051183
>What else is there to do?
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

ANOTHER CURSENIGHT!

Writing!
>>
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"I want to try and see how tough they really are!"
"If you get in trouble, no one can help you."

"I'll just zap back if I have to!"
"You learned that technique less than twenty minutes ago."

"What else is there to do?!"
"Just give it some more time, and let them come to us. They're mindless, and they won't attack the castle directly!"

You're not going to do that!

You leap the last few feet to the ground, and then turn to Felice.
"Teacher, you've been very helpful today and I greatly respect everything you taught me!"

"I'm glad to hear it." Felice steps down lightly off the wall. "-but there's a time to fight and a time to wait. Now is-"

"A time for fighting!" You grin, and then grab the axe from your ring! "Thanks for agreeing Felice! I'll see you later!"

Felice opens her mouth with a loud "C'mon, Louise. Wait-"
You don't get to hear the rest of that!

BZZT-

--

..

"Do you think it will be okay?" Fritelli kneads her hands together.
"I don't see why not." Felice crosses her arms, "Besides, she came to me to learn how to fight those, right?"

"Well, yes; but-"
"You didn't really think that me telling her not to go would stop her, right?"

"-honestly, I thought she would have at least waited until they were closer to the castle."

"Do you think she'll be fine?"

Felice suppresses a laugh.
"I'm far more worried about us and our guards than I am about her. Get everyone inside; we're going on the defense."

--

ZZT-THOOM!

You appear inside of the forest canopy. The trees rustle and creak at your sudden appearance.
Quickly, you snap your head around in an attempt to find them. If you are near that guard tower, then the monsters have to be nearby!

-in the dark of the forest; you can see something approaching.
Some colors, and some lights.

"This time." You hold your axe firmly in-hand. "I'm ready."

>Intercept with the axe!
>Lightning! Lightninglightninglightninglightning!
>Go slow, try to hide for now!
>Remember what you were told, patience. Wait for the time to strike.
>Think of a way to slow them down.
>Other?
>>
Off to bed, see you tomorrow!
>>
>>1052348
>Intercept with the axe!
>Lightning! Lightninglightninglightninglightning!
>Throw axe, blast axe with lightning!
>>
>>1052348
>Intercept with the axe!
>Lightning! Lightninglightninglightninglightning!
>>
>>1052348
>Lightning! Lightninglightninglightninglightning!
>>
>>1052348
>>Intercept with the axe!
>>Lightning! Lightninglightninglightninglightning!
>>Throw axe, blast axe with lightning!
>>
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The glowing lights are converging. They're charging straight for you!
You're not going to let them intimidate you! Quickly, you reach into your ring and grasp at your axe!

You decide to start charging straight for them!

"AAAARRGGHH!" You give your most intimidating yell!
Which, admittedly, isn't very intimidating. You need to work on that!

You can feel the lightning start to charge in your hands, and then direct it into your blade.
This is going to hit them so hard that their demon-puppies will feel it!

The lightning starts to spark off the blade of your axe! You're not going to just settle for the axe, though! This will take a little bit of finesse to pull off!

Your hand leaves the axe, and starts to crackle once more!
be patient

You wait, and feel where the lightning is trying to go.
Much of it wants to mindlessly arc and flow through the trees and the damp forest leaves. Yet, there seems to be this one tiny arc which wants to go forward. Forward, into the monsters.

Perfect.

You focus your energy into that one arc, and it starts to slowly erupt from your hand!

POW!

It flies off into the darkness of the woods! There's a crackle, and a boom!

The tiny, glowing lights aren't the least bit deterred by your fireworks. They keep running at full speed!

"Stop!" You yell, and then throw your axe!
The axe spins wildly in the air, and creates an electric whirlwind. Tiny blue bolts erupt from every direction.

You concentrate once again on your lightning, and take aim at the metallic hunk flying through the air!

BZZT-POW!

The blast scatters the assortment of lights! Several are blasted back, and the axe even manages to impale one!
The few which were hit with that attack slowly flicker out of existence.

The others, are not the least bit deterred!
You grab your axe, and start pulling it back toward you! The monsters are closing in!

They-!
They run straight past you, and continue toward the castle.

Your axe meets your hand with a meaty 'thud'. You spin on your heel just to watch the remaining glowing creatures dart off into the forest.
They're ignoring you! You spent all this time getting ready to fight them, and they don't even acknowledge your efforts at all!

>Well what are you waiting for?! Chase them!
>Teleport in front of them and try the same thing again!
>..Wait, a little more past this is the training field.
>See if they'll even emerge into the sunlight, first.
>Other?
>>
>>1054211
>Teleport in front of them and try the same thing again!
surprise motherfuckers
>>
>>1054211
>Teleport in front of them and try the same thing again!
Avoiding us is less convenient than meeting in melee, but at least we aren't getting hurt. If they were playing smart with hit and run it might be a problem. Hopefully they remain grouped up. If not we may have to change strategy.
>>
>>1054211
Is there any reason to wait until they get to the training field?
Because, if not... just go for it here.
>>
>>1054368
There might be something to give us an offensive advantage, but besides being an open area I don't know what that might be. In any case, if they survive the next attack and keep moving they'll be there anyway.
>>
>>1054397
Unless they start focusing on us and tries hit-and-run shit.
>>
>>1054403
The proper response to that is a nuke. Or if we can just levitate and take pot shots, that's pretty safe too.
>>
>>1054488
eh alright
>>1054211
>Teleport in front of them and try the same thing again!
>>
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This is a good start. You managed to get at least two of them in that attack!
As long as they don't scatter; you could have a good path to start mopping them up!

You could begin pursuit through the woods, but that might make them try to lead you elsewhere away from the others. There's advantages to being the mouse and not the cat, after all.

So you're going for the third option: you're going to be the wall.

BZZT-

ZZT-POW

You feel yourself land several hundred feet in front of the monsters. You can feel the warmth of the sun beaming down from behind you. You're pretty sure you're standing on the edge of the forest, and the beginning of the training ground!

The axe comes back out, and you ready the same attack!

The monsters appear to be moving a bit slower, but have not spread out or tried to fill the gaps the others have left.
Either they don't care or.. or they're underestimating you! You're going to make them regret that!

You feel the lightning arc in your hands, and fiercely bite at the palms of your hands. With a throw; you project the axe toward the beasts once more!
The axe smashes into the dirt, crackling and sparking with energy!

Your hand starts to burn! The monsters are closing in!

Then, the first monster stops.
Followed by another monster.
Suddenly, all of the lights moving in the forest grind to a dead halt, just before they hit your axe!

This is bad! They learned from the last time! At least they're standing still this time.

You let the lightning unleash from your fingertips! Immediately, they scatter and continue on their path!
You recall the axe back to you, and you get ready to swing! The first monster breezes past you, swiping at your hand with its barbed tail!

The second one isn't so lucky. With a wide arc; your axe completely bisects it! It fades out into tiny sparkles.

The rest, recognizing this opening, continue their path into the castle courtyard!

So they really are trying to avoid you, but where are they going?!

>Castle..
>Courtyard..
>Bedrooms?
>KAYDA?!
>Never mind that! Try to intercept them again!
>Other?
>>
>>1054998
>KAYDA?!
>>
>>1054998
>KAYDA?!
>Never mind that! Try to intercept them again!
>>
>>1054998
So are we voting on where they're going - or where we think they're going?
>>
>>1055130
Where you think they're going. Intercepting them at this point is a given unless someone has a very clever idea on how to do that.
>>
>>1054998
>Throw axe for ranged attack - then teleport to grab it.

They can deal with melee stuff, now let's see how they deal with someone who can teleport and has a ranged attack.
>>
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>>1055167
Uh oh.
Would you believe that, as obvious as it may be, the idea of a teleport-strike didn't occur to me until you said that?

It seems obvious, bit I didn't think of it.
>>
>>1055237
Well, glad I thought about it then.
Seems like our best way to do this, really.
>>
>>1055167
Anyone else interested in this?
>>
>>1054998
>Try to make them float
>>
Welp, guess not.
Only thing remaining is seeing what Announcer decides to do, then...
>>
>>1055237
>>1055437
I'll back it.
>>
>>1055237
Also to be fair, she's just now getting the hang of it. I imagine reintegrating from a plasma form to be worth at least a moment of disorientation if you aren't used to it.
>>
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They're trying to evade you! It makes sense, now!
They didn't attack you in the forest, and that one only lightly scraped your hand.

These monsters don't even want to bother with you. They have a mission on their mind.

What is back there beside the castle?

There's the courtyard, which has no one in it.
The guest bedrooms, which you think are also evacuated.

Then there's-

..Wait, no one else in the castle is cursed. There's only one person in the castle who is carrying that mark of beasts on her arm.

"KAYDA!" You yell.

With another high-pitched buzz; you're off in a flash!

You jump to just a few feet in front of them! You're not going to let them anticipate this next attack!

"LIGHTNING LOUISE THROW!" You shout, and your mighty axe whistles the last few feet of distance to the nearest monster!
It aptly jumps over the embedded axe!
Good!

You zap toward the embedded axe and then grab it from the Earth! With a wide swing; you bring it up and smash it down onto the green-blurred monster! It turns into gel and dissipates!

The others don't even acknowledge that it happened. You're going to take this opportunity to get as many as you can!

You throw the axe one more time, and it lands in front of the blue one! With another zap; you grab it through your 'teleport' attack and widely swing it once more!

WHOOSH! It meets thin air as the green one sees it coming, and quickly dodges out of the way!

This is a bad trend. It seems to be able to predict your attacks if you've used it on them before!

Thankfully, you have a few tricks up your sleeve.
Quite literally!

You reach into your jacket and grab some throwing knives. Electricity runs through your hands, and you give them a toss!
Each one embeds into the flank of the blue-glowing demon! It hits the dirt, and dissipates!

That's two down! So, that leaves... Four, Four of them left!

They're rushing straight for the castle walls. You zap onto the battlements, and-.
OOF!
You fall to your knees, and you start coughing. That took a lot more out of you than you expected! Your head feels like it's spinning.

The monsters in the training field just keep running toward you. What are you going to do? There's one of you, five of them left.
What are THEY going to do? Run up the wall?

>..They're going to run up the wall.
>Jump onto the wall like Felice taught you, and face them head-on!
>Just watch what they do.
>Take potshots from up here!
>Set up a trap.
>Other?
>>
>>1055914
>five of them left

Oh it's getting late, isn't it?

Clarification: There are four of them left.
>>
>>1055914
>..They're going to run up the wall.
>>
>>1055914
>Set up a trap

That's something we haven't done yet, right?
>>
>>1055914
>Set up a trap.
>Other?
The trap is called "lightning nuke". Trap them, and use the strongest card in our deck. There won't be any left to learn this lesson.
>>
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The fact that there is a gigantic wall directly in front of them doesn't seem to be deterring them at all! They continue their headstrong charge without even slowing for the stone barrier!

What are they going to do?! Are they-

..
They're going to run straight up this wall.

Of course they're going to. Why would anyone think that a simple wall would stop terrifying demons?
That's just silly!

That means, they'll be up here any minute now!

You have to prepare! What is something that you can use on them that you have not used on them before?

Think, Louise!


--

The lanky wolf-like monsters easily scramble to the top of the wall. Their claws dig into the soft mortar, and propel them over the battlements and onto the wall.

The five monsters stalk across the pathways. Each one keeps their head down, under the brickwork.

Suddenly, the demon leading them stops.

In the pathway ahead of them, is an axe embedded into a wooden crate.
The demon in the 'lead' slowly approaches it, and gives the axe a few good sniffs.

It then turns around, and directs the pack to double back. Each one slowly starts to turn around and retrace their steps. They start to sniff out a new approach.

That's when they stop, and then slowly direct their attention upward.
The wonderful princess-hero of Gallete stands in their path!

Immediately, the 'leader' rushes you! The other four turn around and make a break back the way they came!

But- you were expecting that!

You let the built-up energy in your palm strike out at the only thing that it had any intention of striking!

KRACKA-BOOM

The bolt arcs past the leader and strikes the axe!

Two of the beasts at the back of the pack disintegrate!

Quickly, the leader at the front and the one survivor who was with him take off in separate directions!

The leader darts across the rooftop, and the other one dives into the castle courtyard! That one is going inside!

What do you do?!

>Follow the one that went into the courtyard
>Follow that 'leader' one!
>Teleport into Kayda's room, you know where they're both going!
>Teleport into the armory, get Felice to help!
>Other?
>>
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I have the bad feeling that I'm not going to finish tonight like I had hoped!

Uh oh!

Okay. Nobody panic! We're only on page 9. Soo, I will continue tomorrow. I'm not going to be able to make a thread on Tuesday anyway because of work, so I will use Tuesday to finish up this thread and we will have a make-up thread some time this week!

Sounds good! I'll see you tomorrow!
>>
>>1056572
>Follow the one that went into the courtyard
>>
>>1056572
>Follow that 'leader' one!
i'm sure the knights can handle the other one
>>
>>1056572
>if you have a ranged attack use that against the one that went to the courtyard while you follow the leader one.
>>
>>1056572
>Follow that 'leader' one!
>>
>>1056572
>Teleport into Kayda's room, you know where they're both going!
>>
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Your feet immediately start to run toward the one that escaped into the courtyard.
The leader uses this opportunity to burst into a full-on sprint and attempt to escape.

Why is he suddenly so eager to get away?! He was moving more slowly across the rooftop a minute ago.

Unless, HE is the one going for Kayda, and the other was to distract you.

Your question is answered as the leader claws through the wooden hatch into the interior with ease. He leaps down, and you can hear commotion inside almost immediately.

Darn!
You leap across the roof, and effortlessly fall into the same hatch the leader just went down!

Your feet hit the floor, and you're met with chaos!

People scambling for cover; puffballs magically appearing as a black streak howls through the crowded hallway.

Immediately, you take off after the monster!

"WATCH OUT!" You yell down the hallway. Some of the guards turn to face your voice just in time to get puffballed by the demon merely brushing past them.

Why is that thing so crazy strong?! Were the other demons just a distraction for that one? Or-
Or maybe, you're just crazy strong compared to the guards. The demon merely glancing at ordinary humans is enough to knock them out, but you have been fighting toe-to-toe with them. Is this why Felice suggested that you stay in the castle?

"EEK!" A maid throws her tray of plates at the demon. The porcelain shatters against the monster's back and the maid is quickly puffballed.

The monster takes a hard right, and proceeds down the stairs. There's only one thing that the monster could be after if it's going downstairs!
The beast easily bounds against the stone wall, and then propels itself through the guest-room doors and straight down THAT hallway, too!

No, no, NO! It can't invade Kayda's room! Greta is in there! KAYDA is in there!
"LOOK OUT!" You yell down the hallway at poor Pomelo. The brown-haired knight you left to guard Kayda's room quickly grabs her sword and tries to face off against the terrifying spectre! She blocks its first attack with her sword, and even manages to give it a good kick in the face!
Yet, for all her efforts, the demon manages to whip her with his tail. She propels backwards and puffballs against the stone wall, poor Pomelo!

The monster takes a hard right, and splinters the door as it enters Kayda's room!

"NO!-"

BZZT-

You appear right behind Kayda's bed just as the monster's gaping maw opens! The massive monster is trying to come down straight on top of Kayda!
You jump onto the bed, and your hands grab the demon's jaws open! Greta screams and tries to drag Kayda out of bed, but she's too weak to drag her from under you!

>UHH, UH!
>THINK OF SOMETHING, QUICK!

>Whatever you do, Roll a 1d100, best of three.
>>
Rolled 26, 38, 12 = 76 (3d100)

Ignore me!

By the way, I'm traveling so I'll be back to continue in a couple of hours.
>>
Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>1057884
Roll while keeping it grabbed and slam it into the wall.
>>
>>1057896
So a 72.
Anyone else care to roll?
>>
Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>1057884
Roll while keeping it grabbed and slam it into the wall.
>>
Need one more to roll.
>>
Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>1057884
ELECTRICITY
he's touching you, he'll take it HARD
then we can spinthrow him, i guess?
>>
>>1058114
Huh I like that idea.
So electrify, then slam into walls?
>>
>75

Wow you did WAY better than the other fluffy varmints I rolled for.

Writing!
>>
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Your hands dig into the monster's jaw! It feels like it's going to crush straight through!

This thing, it almost feels like it's eating through every piece of natural armor you have against it!
Crrrtttt..

What was that sound?
It came from your arm!

You glance down from your grip on the monster, and notice that a rip has formed in your sleeve. Your clothes are getting torn!
Why?! Why your cloth-

Oh, you just remembered something.
When things here take damage; the 'barrier' protecting every living thing transfers that misery to the next closest non-living entity. In this case, your clothes.

It's why the guards puffed up.
It's why Greta looks extremely worried right now.
It's why you need to get this monster off of you as soon as you can!

Relax..

Okay, what next Mr. Bird?

Be patient..

That's not helpful right now!

You can't reach for your axe, and you don't quite have the strength to bear his full weight against your guard. He's going to get through, and go straight to Kayda if you don't stop him!

If you can't bear his full weight, then-
You just need to make him a little lighter.

Electricity starts to flow, and arc between your fingertips. The monster quickly realizes his mistake and tries to reel back!

BZZZZRRCKKRT-POW!

The blue stream of energy pools in his body, and drags him up from your guard!

You spin him around and throw him from wall to wall! Each time the brick and wood veneer splinters and shatters! You retract your fist, and-

"LEAVE US ALONE!"

BZZT-CRACK
POW

The sound is deafening. The sound of all your emotion and anguish built into a single charged punch which meets the monster directly in its center!

With a screech, the beast flops onto the floor and starts to disintegrate!
Soon, there is little more to it than a puzzle of quickly-evaporating ooze.

You cough, and sit down onto the stone floor.

Your head snaps to the left, and you're met face-to-face with the last monster from that pack! The one who got away!
You uneasily rise to your feet, and catch the monster just as it makes a jump for Kayda. You feel another charge of energy flow through your body, and the monster puffs into smoke.
It seems that one wasn't as tough as the leader.

Your eyes snap up to a terrified Greta clinging to Kayda. Kayda, for all the commotion, is still sleeping! Except, something is a little different.

Her arm, the tattoo on her wrist seems to be melting off her arm and onto the sheets!

"Yes!" You shout.

With a final tearing sound; the remainder of your barrier jacket comes off into tatters. You stand completely bare to the world, and realize something important.

"Oh.." You say, as the realization hits you. The taxation of energy required to fight off the beast hits you in one gigantic wave.

The visage of Greta jumping out of bed to catch you is the last thing you notice before you decide to rest your eyes for a bit.

>Cont.
>>
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--


Uughhh.
You feel like a mountain of lead ballasts at the bottom of the ocean right at this moment.
You feel as if you've been buried underground and had a giant sit on you.

No! More than that. You feel like you're holding up the entire world with just your arms, and it slipped and crushed you.

You feel battered.
You feel bent!
You may even feel a little broken.

You.
hurt.

Which is strange to say, because this might be the most discomfort you've felt since being summoned.

The iron plugs formerly known as your 'eyelids' slowly flutter open.
You're met with a face-full of Charlotte's chest in a darkened room.

Great, yet another reminder of something you're lacking.

Your head practically creaks like a steel galleon as you survey your surroundings.

The room is dark.
The door is closed.
Charlotte is sleeping next to you.
You have a nightgown on.

Oh, OH! That's right! The fight. Yes! You remember the fight. It feels like forever ago, but you remember it!
How long were you asleep, anyway? It was daylight when you were fighting!

You mumble to yourself and let the blankets slowly engulf you once more. You're just going to let that terrible weight lift itself from you, and worry about all the details later.

..

At least you would, if you could sleep. Your body is aching and moaning, and it's commanding you to move.

>Shut up dumb body, try to go to sleep harder!
>Wake up.. go get something to eat.
>Or drink.
>Just take a lap around the castle.
>Or do jumping jacks, you don't know!
>Other?
>>
>>1059189
>Wake up.. go get something to eat.
>Or drink.
>Check if everyone is ok.
>>
>>1059265
>Wake up.. go get something to eat.
>>
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Somehow managing to find strength in your legs; you propel yourself out of bed and right onto the floor.

"Ougha."

You wearily stand up and make sure you didn't wake up Charlotte with that.
Good, she's still asleep.

Your legs pop and snap as you stand up. Have you really been asleep that long? Or did you just really need the rest that badly?

Gently, you open the door and step into the hallway. It looks like the guards are just starting to change shifts; so you probably won't get questioned too much as you walk down the hallway.

You start down the guest hallway, and are immediately struck with some things that have changed.
For one, there used to be a little table outside of your room with a vase on it. The table and the vase are missing.

For two, poor Pomelo must have hit the wall harder than you expected; because you can see the indentation where her human-form struck the wall and knocked loose some of the decorative tiles. You silently say a prayer for her safety.

Then, for three, Kayda's former room is now completely empty.

You take a step inside, and notice just how much damage that little skirmish did to the interior. Shelves are upturned, bookcases overthrown, and anything wooden in the room looks a little to really burnt. You're amazed this room didn't have a major fire in it with all the burnt wood and cloth scattered about!

Even the bed that Kayda was laying on has two ash-black footprints on it. They greatly resemble the shoes of your barrier jacket.

Eep.

You cautiously move out of the abandoned room, and continue down the hallway. You're not sure where Kayda was moved to, but it bothers you not knowing exactly where she is.

The stairs seem like a bigger challenge than they normally would to it. You like to race yourself down the stone slope quite often (your best time all the way to the bottom is only five seconds!).
Right now, every step feels like a tiny battle on its own to your knees.

This must be what old people feel like..

You continue down the stairs, and start your trek down the hallway. When you're tired; it becomes very apparent how much bigger this castle is than you give it credit for.

You turn the corner into the cafeteria, and are met with a familiar face.
"Louise?" Kayda sits at a table, drinking tea in her nightgown. "Why are you awake? Are you okay?"

>No words
>Only tacklehugs
>Say "Hi" wearily.
>Cry.
>Sit down across from her, and try not to fall asleep.
>Other?
>>
So Louise can communicate with the thunderbird.
That's pretty cool.
Wonder if anyone else can get something like that?

>>1059382
>Stagger over and hug
>You're ok?
>>
>>1059382
>Stagger over and hug
>You're ok?
>your dad says hi. i think?
>>
>>1059405
oh right I forgot about that.
>>1059398
include the dad comment vote here too
>>
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You spent the better part of two, or was it three, days worrying about Kayda.
Yet, here she sits. Kayda sips tea as if nothing had happened or that anyone would have any reason to worry about her.

It seems such a beautiful sight to behold. It almost feels like a dream. While the physical anguish remains; the emotional anguish seems to slip off of you like a coat.

You start to slowly stagger toward the young lady. She sets the teacup down, and anticipates what is coming next.

Her arms wrap around you, and you sit down on her lap. The warmth of her skin pierces straight through your nightgowns. You return the hug as wearily as you possibly can.
You can feel your head slump onto her shoulder. Her arms keeps you from sliding right off, and onto the floor.

"Thank you." She whispers into your ear.
"I was so worried." You can feel the words leave your mouth as a squeak, "So worried about you, are you okay? After the wolves, the curse, the coma, the maid-"

"Shh." She cradles your head, "I'm fine, Louise. I should be apologizing to you. You went through so much trouble after I just ran away. I'm really sorry."
"No, please.." You feel your arms lose strength, and break the hug. Kayda counters by hugging you just a bit tighter. "I should apologize, really.."

"Louise, I owe you my life." She grabs you, and keeps you from slipping away. "I- Why aren't you sleeping right now? You're falling asleep on my shoulder."

Your head wearily raises, "I couldn't sleep."
"I don't believe that." She pouts.

You try to ignore that, and bring the conversation elsewhere.
"B-by the way, I think your father says 'Hi'." You rub your eyes, and find yourself having difficulty standing. "I didn't get to speak with him very long."

"You spoke with.." Kayda helps you orient yourself. "'Your' father?"
"No, your father." You rub your eyes, and sit down with a thud in the chair opposite of her. "This is gonna sound crazy, but he helped me out a lot."

Kayda blinks, and has a blank expression on her face.

"Y- you know, I had a weird dream about something like that."
"Really?"

Kayda takes a sip from the teacup, "I dreamed about talking to him again, but I don't remember a lot of what he told me."

"What did he say?" You find yourself almost falling asleep.

"He said, 'I know you will have a wonderful life, with the greatest friends who love you dearly.'"
"Mm." That's strange that you remember more than she does. "Anything else?"

"..It's embarassing."
"No, tell me."

"He also said that he wishes he could be there to see me get married to the greatest person in the world, someday." Kayda blushes, slightly.

"Did he say who?"
"No."

"Then that's a weird thing to say."
"It is. Also, where did that blue feather come from?"

You sigh, deeply, "I don't remember, I'll tell you in the morning."

"Louise, don't fall asleep here. If I have to carry you back it's really gonna-"

You tune out that last sentence.
You're just going to rest your eyes for a minute.

>Thread End.
>>
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Yes! I did it! I managed to finish the thread before the thread fell off the board!

Perfect!

I hope everyone enjoyed the cuteventures. I am not sure when I will be able to run this week, but I will make an announcement when I find out!

Please, let me know what you thought of this adventure with the cutest hero. Until then, I will see you next thread!
>>
>>1059757
thanks for running



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