[a / b / c / d / e / f / g / gif / h / hr / k / m / o / p / r / s / t / u / v / vg / w / wg] [i / ic] [r9k] [cm / hm / y] [3 / adv / an / cgl / ck / co / diy / fa / fit / hc / int / jp / lit / mlp / mu / n / po / pol / sci / soc / sp / tg / toy / trv / tv / vp / x] [rs] [status / ? / @] [Settings] [Home]
Board:  
Settings   Home
4chan
/qst/ - Quests


File: HCQ.jpg (111 KB, 564x776)
111 KB
111 KB JPG
Previously... Miho Tsukada, the Heavenly Child, was able to snatch a rare moment of peace between struggles. Spending the time with getting to know the Executioner, her newest companion, it wasn't long before the Heavenly Child was met with fresh troubles. As the Executioner revealed her true nature – as a killer of magical girls – and the AI known as EVE revealed itself, the situation once again slid towards disaster. With the appearance of a rare and deadly Tyrant class Intruder, can the Heavenly Child unite her companions and destroy this inhuman evil?

>Twitter: https://twitter.com/MolochQM
>Previous thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Heavenly%20Child%20Quest

Rain taps insistently against the hood of your disposable plastic parka, the cheap vending machine garment already starting to split and come apart at the seams. Ayane wears a similar coat, although thicker and lurid with a number of fluorescent pink stripes. A precaution, something to make sure the wearer is visible at night.

They certainly work – Ayane is probably visible from space.

Maika, of course, would never stoop to the indignity of wearing something like your plastic coat. Instead, she takes shelter under a wide umbrella, looking every inch the noble princess that you often – and often mockingly – compare her to. Considering that soon you'll be marching into a dank swamp, there's something amusing about the way she steps primly around each puddle you pass.

It's just a shame that you don't feel much like laughing at the moment.
>>
File: Maika Kanzaki.jpg (272 KB, 1080x1080)
272 KB
272 KB JPG
>>1475898

“Hey, you guys,” Ayane speaks up, turning and holding up a hand to stop you and Maika, “Look over there – that's our destination, isn't it?” Having got your attention, she points at a spot on the distant horizon, her finger wiggling nervously up and down. Even following her finger, and with the girl feeding instructions into your ear, it takes you a moment to find what caught Ayane's attention. In the end it's only when the clouds part for a moment, allowing a brief spell of moonlight to wash down across the landscape, that you see it.

In the distance, spreading across the dense tree line that marks out the true Mizuhashi Reserve, you see a thick mist. Not a fog, as you first thought, but something altogether less natural. In the moonlight, you can see that it has a rotten green colour to it, the sort of green that always makes you think of stagnation and decay. A very fitting colour for a swamp, true, but even a glance is enough to tell you that it's nothing natural. It's the way that it coils and clings to the trees, perhaps, something like that.

“It must be strong,” you mutter, “Strong enough for it to be influencing the outside world.”

“I wonder what it's like in there,” Maika adds, thinking aloud, “I suppose I shouldn't be too curious – we'll be finding out soon enough, after all.”

“Now let's get to the station and wait for Emi there,” Ayane complains, “I'm pretty sure my hood is leaking...”

-

“Oh,” Maika murmurs, just as you're entering the station, “How curious...”

“Huh?” you ask, glancing around from the doorway to the station, “What's up?”

“Well, perhaps it was nothing, but I was just shaking out my umbrella when something caught my eye. A car. I didn't see it for very long, mind you, and I didn't have a clear view either, but... I think was the one the Sentinels use,” pursing her lips as she thinks, Maika takes another futile glance into the night, “The registration plate – what little of it I saw, at least – was the same. It was heading towards the Renko Biotech laboratory.”

“That IS odd,” you agree with a slow nod. Why would the Sentinels be here, and now? It seems like too much of a coincidence for your tastes...

“If only I had one of my drones with me...” Maika sighs wistfully, “It would have been fairly easy to follow the car, and we might have been able to learn a little more about them.” Frowning hard, she glances past your shoulder and up at the clock. Then, nodding decisively, she turns back to the door. “There's still time,” the heiress decides, “I'm going to take a look.”

Pausing only to open up her umbrella, she starts off into the night.

>Let her go
>Stop her from leaving
>Go with her
>Other
>>
>>1475899
>Go with her
"Ayane can you grab Emi when gets here. We call meet up by the swamp."
>>
>>1475908
>call
can all*
>>
>>1475899
>Go with her
Girl is impulsive.
>>
>>1475899
>Go with her
time to split the party!
>>
>>1475899
>>Go with her
>>
“Damn it,” you mutter, before glancing back to Ayane. “Hey, Ayane – wait here for Emi, grab her when she arrives,” you call back to the rather stunned looking girl, “We'll meet up later, at the swamp!”

“Where are you-” Ayane starts to reply, but you cut her off with a quick and parting shout.

“Following a lead!” you call, “We'll meet up later!” Allowing no further argument, you pull up the hood of your plastic coat – hearing a few more of the flimsy stitches rip as you do so – and dash out into the rain. Maika's umbrella makes her easy to follow, even if her hurried pace means that you need to sprint to catch up with her. Every puddle you splash blindly through is awful, the water faintly warm and clammy, but soon you've caught up with her.

“Miho?” she asks, surprise in her voice, “I didn't expect you to come with me. Is there something wrong?”

“I didn't want to let you run off on your own,” you pant, “Who knows what kind of trouble you might get into? Besides, I want to see this with my own eyes. Did you get another look at the car?”

“There it is,” Maika points to a junction, not so far away. The lights have turned to red, and the powerful car idles as it waits for them to change. No engine noise, but that's not surprising – these electric vehicles are uncannily silent. “I don't know if you can see the registration from here, but it's definitely the right car. I've not been able to get a good look through the windows at all, so I can't say who's driving it, but... Oh!” When the lights change to green and the car slides away, Maika cuts her explanation off with a soft gasp. Nodding firmly to you, she begins to stride after it.

“We're not far from the Renko laboratory,” you point out, trying not to let the car slip from view at any point, “Do you think that's where it's headed?”

“I can't imagine where else it might be going,” Maika shakes her head, “Wait a moment, it's slowing down. We can't get too close to it, just in case the driver notices us. Just let it get around that next corner...”

“I wonder if they're here because of the Tyrant,” you think aloud as you take shelter behind the wall of some prefabricated structure, “It seems odd, them showing up now. What do you think?”

“Impossible,” the denial in Maika's voice is firm, certain, “Even if they broke every speed limit possible on the way here, they couldn't have arrived before the train. No, they had to have left Ark City long before we were given word of the Tyrant. Either they were warned far more in advance, or they're here for some other reason. If I had to guess, I'd say-”

“EVE,” you finish, “Right? I guess the Sentinels are interested in her as well...”

“It's all rather fascinating,” Maika laughs lightly, waving for you to follow her as she sets off, “Don't you think?”

[1/2]
>>
>>1475960

That last corner is the last one that the car needs to take, with its route leading it straight to the Renko laboratory. It breaks left from the entrance and drives down a gentle ramp, descending into some underground garage and out of sight. As much as you'd like to get a little closer, it's just not practical – by night, the laboratory is just as heavily guarded as the Kanzaki compound. Even from this distance, you can see the rifles held by the patrolling guards.

“I've seen everything that I need to see,” Maika decides with a nod, “Let's head back and regroup. Oh, and... Miho?” She pauses for a moment, then steps a little closer so that her umbrella covers you as well. “Your coat looks rather dilapidated,” the heiress explains, “So this is the least I can do, to thank you for coming with me.”

-

Ayane calls as you're heading back towards the station, letting you know that Emi's train arrived – almost a minute late, something that bordered on the unacceptable – and that they were moving on ahead. Ending the call, you glance down at your phone as a map appears, Ayane's location marked with a slowly moving dot. Ahead of her position, painted in a foreboding red to indicate private property, the Mizuhashi Reserve awaits.

It's a small mercy, but the rain has eased off a great deal by the time you meet up with Ayane, and a few weak rays of moonlight are piercing the clouds above. Ahead of you, a tall chainlink fence separates the private and public land. No guards, though, and no other visible security.

“So either they don't have security guards,” Ayane suggests, “Or... they all got eaten. I kinda prefer the first option...”

“They've always had trouble keeping the fence guarded at night. It's bad for staff morale, and the guards assigned these duties tend to avoid them as much as possible,” Maika offers, “I asked SAE to do a little digging before we left Ark City, just in case this sort of situation arose.”

“Thanks SAE,” you mutter, “Now c'mon, we've got an open doorway - let's make the most of it.”

-

You've never been in a swamp before. Quite frankly, you'd be happy if you never visited one again. The air is humid and tainted with the smell of decay, while the ground underfoot shifts uneasily with every step you take. The trees are twisted into abnormal shapes – or maybe these are what normal trees look like, untouched by careful grooming – and the thick ferns around your knees are decidedly asymmetrical.

“Oh god, I just stood on a snail or something,” Ayane moans, “I heard it crunch, ugh! It's big as well, I've never seen a snail this big!”

“Shit, you think that's weird? You should see this,” Emi hisses, waving for you to come and join her, “It's... pretty fucking weird.”

[2/3]
>>
File: Emi Miyakawa.jpg (276 KB, 1215x1215)
276 KB
276 KB JPG
>>1475990

“Weird, right?” the young girl insists, nudging the tiny object with her foot, “You ever seen something weirder than that?”

“I mean, I've never seen a bird with three wings before,” you murmur, looking at the small carcass, “So it IS pretty strange. Some of the Intruders, though... now those things are seriously unusual.”

“I wouldn't say that they count,” Maika argues, “The Intruders are not flesh and blood creatures, not as we understand them. This sad specimen, on the other hand, is something that should be normal, but isn't. In my opinion, that makes it much worse.” Looking away from the dead bird, Maika lowers the visor of her armour and slowly looks around the swamp. “None of this is “natural”, exactly,” she adds, “This area is well regarded for having unusually high levels of biodiversity, but this... mutation. Rampant, chaotic mutation.”

“It's because of the Intruder,” you muse, “It has to be. We probably shouldn't linger here too long. Kurosawa, can you hear me? Where's our target?”

The answer, when it finally comes, is whisper quiet and choppy with interference. “...Ahead of you,” Kurosawa replies, speaking directly into your mind, “You're looking.... lake... not far now.”

“This way,” Ayane tells you, looking down at the map on her phone.

-

In the moonlight, and shrouded in that thick, greenish mist, the lake is an otherworldly thing. The fact that it is both perfectly still and constantly shimmering only makes it seem stranger. There can be no mistake – reflecting the moonlight in this way, the lake has become a portal to the Umbra.

“I guess we've, uh, gotta go in there, huh?” Ayane says with a grimace, her costume appearing in the usual rush of wind and dry leaves. “I'll go in first,” she offers, “I reckon my hound should be able to sniff out any trouble.” When nobody objects, or volunteers to go before her, the girl shrugs and steps forwards into the lake, vanishing as if pulled beneath the surface. Maika follows soon after her, raising her sleek rifle in anticipation for whatever might wait on the other side. You prepare to join them, and then you see Emi hesitate.

“Kinda... kinda spooky seeing this shit up close,” she begins, her low voice muffled by the visor of her helmet, “I, uh, I'll be fine, yeah? You go ahead, I'll bring up the rear.”

>Okay, follow me
>Take my hand, we'll go in together
>If you've got any doubts about this, turn back now
>Other
>>
>>1476007
>Take my hand, we'll go in together
>>
>>1476007
>Okay, follow me
"Sorry for throwing you in the deep end. I was hoping to get you used to this on smaller fry, but we got thrown a curve ball."
>>
>>1476007
>>If you've got any doubts about this, turn back now
Maybe offer a warning about the experience? It's dizzying right?
>>
>>1476007
>Take my hand, we'll go in together
>>
>>1476007
>Take my hand, we'll go in together
>If you've got any doubts about this, turn back now
>>
“If you've got any doubts about this,” you warn Emi, “Turn back now. It's going to be dangerous in there, and going in without being totally prepared...”

“I know, I know,” Emi stamps her feet as if chilled, clenching and unclenching her fists, “Just first time nerves, right? I'll be fine once I'm in there, I bet you anything you like. I'll be totally fine.”

“Don't be so sure. These portals are awful, disorientating and dizzying,” frowning, you shoot a bleak gaze at the portal, “Even now, I hate going through them. Do you get travel sick?”

“Hey, c'mon, you're just stalling for time!” the young girl protests, “Let's just do this thing before one of us loses our nerve!”

“Right, yeah. Uh, sorry for throwing you in on the deep end. I would have liked to start you off on a small fry, but we got thrown a curve ball here,” shaking your head, you start to take a step into the lake, then pause. “Here,” you add as you hold out your hand to Emi, “Take my hand, and we'll go through it together. That might help you... maybe.”

“If you say so,” Emi mutters, doubt in her voice, “Just don't get any funny ideas, okay?” Grabbing your hand firmly – actually, she grabs your wrist – the younger girl moves to stand by your side. Tightening your grip on her arm, you guide Emi into the lake.

The world inverts itself. It turns upside down, it turns inside out. Really, it defies all human explanation, but the end result is the same. Distance and orientation are lost, and your mind whirls with sudden chaos. It's worse than ever before this time, and you can't help but black out. Maybe just for a few seconds, a minute at most, but when you open your eyes once again... you're over there, in the Umbra.

-

Mud tugs at you as you rise, first lifting your face from the ground and then pulling yourself up into a sitting position. Slowly looking around, a sudden spike of fear washes away the daze of your transition. Ayane and Maika are nowhere to be seen, and your first instinct is that you're alone here. Then, glancing down at the muddy shore of a dead and ancient lake, you see Emi sprawled out beside you. When you nudge her, she starts to rouse herself.

Then, springing upright and hurriedly lifting the visor of her helmet, she retches violently. You can sympathise – your first time was just as rough.

But you've got other things to worry about. You've been separated from the others, and you're lost in enemy territory with no exit portal in sight. The only thing that could make this worse is...

“Kurosawa?” you ask briskly, “Are you getting any of this? Uh... please respond if you can. Just say something, you damn cat...”

“Miho?” Emi mumbles, wiping her chin, “Are we fucked?”

“Don't worry,” you assure her with an uneasy smile, “We're going to be fine. I just-”

Cutting you off, a low and thunderous roar rumbles out across the primeval swamp.

[1/2]
>>
>>1476059
Totally fine, nothing is wrong here.
>>
>>1476059
That's just a friendly Friendopotamus.
>>
>>1476068
you know, two cute cuddle eyes, five big, huggable jaws...
>>
File: SK2.jpg (86 KB, 586x854)
86 KB
86 KB JPG
>>1476059

“Okay, stay calm,” you whisper to yourself, as Emi coughs and spits in the background, “Focus. Take a good long look at what you're dealing with, then decide how to deal with it. Take a good.. long... look.”

Your good long look doesn't reveal much, just a whole lot of trees and a whole lot of fog. It's the same greenish fog as you saw on the outside world, but far thicker here – so thick that it dramatically cuts down your vision. Blanketing the sky, it hides the top of the trees – if they even have tops – from sight and smothers the land around you. It stinks, as well, the stench of decay thick enough to turn your stomach. Pulling your scarf up to cover your nose and mouth, you feel a rare rush of gratitude for your lame costume.

“...Child. Can you... me?” a few raspy words form in your mind, Kurosawa's voice just barely recognisable through the wash of static, “Pariah and... scattered... can't pull you out. This... emergency... unsealing some of your powers now.”

Unbidden, the Collapsed Star Knuckles form around your fists, their form shifting into a new – yet strangely familiar – configuration. Armour plates slide away from the knuckles to reveal yawning cannon barrels, faint embers flickering deep within the weapons. You feel... powerful.

And then that awful roar echoes out through the swamp again, stealing away much of your newfound confidence.

-

“Wait, I've got an idea, maybe... Ah hell,” Emi mutters, her voice causing you to glance around. Looking up from her phone, Emi gives you a wan smile. “Looks like we don't get a signal in this shitpit,” she explains, “I mean, I don't know why I expected anything different, but...”

“No, it was worth trying out,” you reply, “It certainly would have helped us find the others, if we could just call them up and ask.”

“Well, I guess we could always follow that roar,” the young girl offers, “I mean, hey, maybe it's just saying hello!”

“That's... doubtful,” you sigh, “But so long as it keeps bellowing, we might be able to avoid it. Maybe wander about a bit and... wait.” Holding out a hand to keep Emi quiet, you peer ahead into the gloom and the murk. For a brief moment, the mists part to reveal a decidedly artificial shape. A tower, perhaps, the first landmark you've seen so far. When you tell Emi about the tower, she nods eagerly.

“The others might have seen it!” she agrees, “Maybe they're heading that way as well!”

Maybe...

>Head to the tower
>Search the swamp for the others, keeping away from the roars
>Follow the roars to their source
>Other
>>
>>1476096
>>Head to the tower
Maybe it could work as a lookout point even with the foggy stuff.
>>
>>1476096
>Head to the tower
If the Friendopotamus doesn't come closer we don't need to befriend it.
>>
>>1476096
>Follow the roars to their source
BURN EVERYTHING
>>
>>1476096
>>Head to the tower
We can Inferno Knuckles at the top of it to signal them if need be.
>>
>>1476123
They don't know we can do that. They'd be likely to avoid that place instead.
>>
>>1476096
>Head to the tower
>>
“Hell, it's our best bet,” you decide with a sigh, “The mist parted once, it might part again. If it does, that tower would be a perfect vantage point. Alright Emi, here's what we're going to do – we're doing to make our way to that tower, but we're going to be careful about it. Take the long way around if we get too close to any noises, and don't fall behind. If we get separated in this place...”

“Yeah. Get turned around here, and we might never find each other again,” Emi nods, “I'm in. Lead the way, boss!”

-

Seen up close, the trees are terrible things. Their bark is not just rough, as might be expected from a tree, but almost scaly in places. Breaking a chunk off, the tree weeps a reeking, ink-black sap from the flesh beneath. Groaning with disgust, you throw the lump of bark aside and shake the clinging sap from your gauntlets as best as possible. As you're shaking your hand clean, another bellow rolls out through the swamp – closer this time, or so it seems. Flinching away from the noise, you flatten against the thick tree and wait.

A few feet away, Emi stares at you in horror before raising an unsteady hand, pointing to something behind you. Pulling away from the tree, you turn and raise your fists into a guarding position. The tree had shifted, thin branches peeling away from the surface of the tree in slow preparation to bind and ensnare you. If you hadn't dodged away from the tree, maybe...

Best not to think of such things. Still, as you and Emi press ahead through the swamp, you stay away from the trees as much as possible.

-

The tower stands in a small clearing, with the surrounding trees burned away to low stumps. The air here feels a little cleaner as well, and you quickly pull down your scarf and gasp in a huge lungful of air. Emi does the same, lifting her helmet to reveal a pallid, sweaty face.

“This place sucks!” she groans, “Is it always this bad?”

“It's not always a swamp,” you reply, “I'm used to it looking more like a city, just... not a human city.”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense,” the younger girl nods, “Back in the city, it's a city. Here in the swamp, it's a swamp. Yeah, easy shit, I get it.”

Murmuring your acknowledgement, you take another long look at the tower, letting your gaze wander up from the base to the peak. It's not just any tower, you realise as you see the glint of dull metal above you, but a bell tower.

“Could send a signal to the others,” Emi suggests, “Or draw the bad guy right to us. Maybe both. Something bothered me, though. Back when that thing was roaring – was it just me, or did it always come from the same place?”

Thinking back, you have to agree. The thick fog had a way of distorting sound, but it DID seem like the Intruder's voice always came from the same point. Maybe it has a den, a lair where it lies in wait.

[1/2]
>>
>>1476151
I-it just wanted a hug I'm sure! If the ringing pulls it out of the lair, that might be a good thing. Probably better not to go right into it's home turf where it'll likely be even more dark and dangerous.
>>
>>1476151

With no door, there's nothing stopping you from peering into the tower. A narrow staircase, just barely wide enough for you to walk in single file, winds up towards the top of the tower, while the bottom level is barren and featureless. You start up the first step, then pause as a sound reaches you – a low noise, the hushed sound of something scuffling against a brick floor. You freeze in place for a moment before pressing yourself up against the stone wall. Above you, something moves carefully into view, the muzzle of a sleek rifle preceding it.

Then the weapon is lowered, and Maika waves to you, pressing a finger to her lips soon afterwards.

-

“You certainly took your time getting here,” she remarks, a note of peevish irritation in her voice as she lead you up the tower stairs, “Although I suppose I can't blame you if you got lost in this place. Still, it's inexcusable for you to be this-”

“Wait,” you interrupt, “How long have you been here?”

“Mm, it's hard to be sure. I have a clock in here,” Maika taps her visor as she says this, “But it's not working right now. If I had to guess, based on nothing but gut instinct, I'd say... a few hours, perhaps? Overall, I'd certainly say that this is the longest I've ever spent in this dreary place. I don't suppose you ran into Ayane on your way here, did you? She's not with you, so...”

“Haven't seen her,” Emi replies bluntly, shaking her head, “You got any leads?”

“I might have been close to her, once,” Maika admits, “I heard her dog, you see, but only once and only briefly. I wasn't able to get a good fix on where it was. In either case, I had caught a glimpse of this lovely place and I didn't want to get distracted. I was hoping to see her here, but... no luck, I'm afraid.” She sighs at that, pausing and glancing upwards. “Come on,” she adds, “We're almost at the top now.”

>Alright. Let's see if we can spot anything
>How's your Barrier holding up?
>Has Kurosawa been able to reach you at all?
>Did you have any thoughts about what to do now?
>We need to discuss something... (Write in)
>Other
>>
>>1476181
>>Alright. Let's see if we can spot anything

If there is a time dilation of hours for a few minutes difference in the real world that means Ayane has been in here alone for even longer. We need to find her ASAP.
>>
>>1476181
>Has Kurosawa been able to reach you at all?
>What if we just burn the whole swamp down? Can't have mist if there's no moisture in the air.
>>
>>1476181
>>How's your Barrier holding up?
>Has Kurosawa been able to reach you at all?
Maika relevant things first. While I'm not sure if Kurosawa can do it for her, has her weapon gained new functionality like ours?
>>
“Has Kurosawa been able to reach you at all?” you ask as Maika leads you up into the queasy half light, “He just barely got through to me, so...”

“I've not heard from him, no,” Maika shakes her head, “But then, I didn't get the impression that he ever actually tried to get in contact with me. It's inconvenient, but let me be blunt – I don't really think that hearing from him would help at all, in this situation.” Leaning against one of the pillars, she lets out a weary sigh. “At least when I was on my own, I could think in peace and quiet...” wincing a little, the heiress glances around at you, “I apologise. I didn't mean to imply that you were bothering me, being here. A poor choice of wording on my part.”

“That's fine,” you reply with an indifferent wave. Studying her face for a moment, you realise just how tired she looks – dark circles have started to form under her eyes, and her skin has a dead, plastic sheen to it. “Are you okay?” you ask, “How's your Emotional Barrier holding up?”

“I'll admit, it could be better,” a frown creases Maika's brow, “Perhaps I should have chased after Ayane after all, having someone else around would probably have helped me... well, helped me think about what to do. I must confess, I've been quite useless ever since arriving here. Just sitting here and... Never mind.” Shaking her head again, the heiress sits and looks out at the swamp. A moment passes, and you sit next to her while Emi lingers in the background.

“I was hoping for a better view,” you admit as you let your eyes wander. It's like looking down at a filthy, polluted ocean, one that hides anything else from view. The rough centre of the swamp – if it could be said to have a centre – seems darker somehow, as if the fog gets thicker towards the middle. Those roars you heard, you consider, they came from the rough centre of the swamp as well. If the Intruder has a lair, that's where it will probably be.

“We could burn it all down,” you think aloud, spreading your hand across the horizon, “That might help with clearing our visibility. Get rid of the trees, burn away some of the fog and the moisture...” Slowly clenching your fist, you examine one of your gauntlets, their new additions. “And I've got just the thing to do it,” you add, before a thought strikes you, “Hey Maika, did your weapon change at all? Kurosawa said that he unsealed some of my powers – whatever that means – so I thought...”

“No change here, I'm afraid,” Maika frowns, “But... burn it down, you say? I must confess, it has a certain appeal. I could happily see this place burn.”

“Yeah, but what about Ayane?” Emi protests, “I mean, if she gets caught up in it...”

[1/2]
>>
>>1476247

“That could end badly,” you admit, “Although if I started from one corner, I could take a look around and see if she was there. If not, I could probably light it up without worrying about her... hopefully. Once the place was lit up, she'd be able to steer clear of the dangerous areas.” Even to your ears it sounds like a rationalisation, a flimsy pretence to excuse the rash action, but the idea still has a terrible attraction to it. Burning the whole swamp down...

“I mean, we DO have a bell,” Emi points out, “We give it a few rings, that's likely to bring all kinds of things running.”

“Hmm, maybe. Whether or not Ayane was included in that is another question,” Maika purses her lips, “But she's been in here longer than I have, so... I don't know, my gut instinct is that she'll come running at the mere suggestion of rescue.”

“Or we could just march up to that dark patch and kick some ass!” Emi snaps, “You know, DO something, rather than just sitting her and moping, c'mon!”

>I'm burning this swamp down. It's a risk that we'll have to take
>I'm going to scout out the swamp. Maybe I can find Ayane that way
>Let's give that bell a ring. Just be ready for anything that comes to investigate
>Emi's right, we've got to hit the Intruder's lair and end this quickly
>Other
>>
>>1476263
>>1476263
Ring the bell. If Ayane doesn't show up or give a sign in 30 minutes or so go fight the intruder.
>>
>>1476263
>Let's give that bell a ring. Just be ready for anything that comes to investigate
>>
>>1476263
>>I'm burning this swamp down. It's a risk that we'll have to take
>>Let's give that bell a ring. Just be ready for anything that comes to investigate
She'll have a direction even if she'll be blinded by smoke, and damp leaves don't burn very fast.
>>
>>1476291
I'd rather not take that risk. Let's not burn the place until Ayane is back with us. Time is not of the essence here.
>>
>>1476263
>>Let's give that bell a ring. Just be ready for anything that comes to investigate
>>
>>1476301
My reasoning is that something dumb(and huge) animals will hesitate from a burning line of trees, but Ayane will know that beyond is help.

....or, Ayane will just be too desparate to give a shit about a little fire.
>>
>>1476313
>>1476292
aaaaand I mislinked
>>
“Let's give that bell a ring, and see what happens,” you decide, nodding and clenching your fist, “We'll wait... I don't know, thirty minutes or so, and then we'll see. If Ayane hasn't shown up by then, we'll have no choice but to head into the Intruder's lair and burn the whole damn thing down. Any objections?”

“No, nothing,” Maika shakes her head, “Emi?”

“Sounds good to me, I guess,” the young girl nods, “But, uh, I don't see any way to ring this dumb bell. Don't they normally have, like, ropes to pull or something?”

“Luckily for us,” you say with a weary smile, “I've got a way to get them ringing.”

-

Punching the bell, in retrospect, was not the greatest of ideas. Even ten minutes afterwards, your arm is still trembling from the force of the impact and your ears are still aching from the cacophonous sound of it ringing out. The other two don't look much happier, probably because you didn't bother to warn them before striking the great iron bell. Maika sits at the edge of the tower, scanning the surrounding swamp with her rifle, while Emi leans against one of the pillars and clutches her head.

“I've got movement,” Maika announces quietly, her voice just barely piercing through your ringing ears, “It's not Ayane, but it's... it appears to be her dog.”

“What?” you snap, leaning out and peering down. Down at the base of the tower, you can see the lumpen, bestial shape – it always was closer to a bear than a normal dog - leaping and pacing furiously. “Stay there, you two,” you tell the others, “I'm going down there to check it out.”

-

When you emerge into the swamp, the hunting hound immediately charges towards you, breaking off to circle around you before charging back off into the swamp. Without thinking, you chase after it into the tree line. If anything, the trees seem thicker now, eagerly reaching out to grasp at you with their branches or blind you with thick, waxy leaves. Swatting them out your way as best you can, you follow the barking hound and-

And you run smack bang into something, spilling from your feet and tumbling to the damp ground. A shrill curse meets your ears as you rise, ready to strike, and you realise that you've found Ayane. She looks terrible, haggard and torn with wild, staring eyes. She's on her feet quicker than you are, pulling at your arm.

“Come on, we've got to run!” she pleads with you, “We've got to move NOW, they're coming!”

You don't any questions, with a growing rustle of movement reaching you. Turning towards the source of that sound – a squelching, skittering sound – you thrust out your clenched fists. Twin lances of fire spear out from your fists, cutting through the greenery and hungrily clinging to the trees. Thin, trembling cries gnaw at the air, but you don't stick around to see what emerges from the burning undergrowth.

[1/2]
>>
>>1476316
Is it time for bridal carry?
>>
File: 452.png (598 KB, 600x878)
598 KB
598 KB PNG
>>1476316
>they
>>
>>1476326
No one has fallen and hurt their ankle, so no.
>>
>>1476316

Whatever had been stalking the jungle, your flames drove them back or destroyed them. Either way, when you fled to the tower you escaped without pursuit. Without a pursuit that you noticed, at least. As you start up the stairs, a new problem rears its ugly head. Ayane doesn't even make it halfway up the tower before collapsing, leaning heavily against the wall as she slides down. When you leap to help her, she waves you off.

“I'm fine, I'm... almost fine,” she pants, shifting so that she's sitting on the stairs, rather than slumped across them. The more you study her face, the worse she looks. Her fanciful hunting clothes are torn and stained, while a long gash – still open and seeping with blood – is drawn up one cheek. “Okay, I'm a mess,” she admits, “Thought I was done for. I guess I blacked out a bit, because when I came to, I was face down in the mud, nobody else in sight. I kept thinking... I kept thinking that you'd be along soon. I just needed to hang on for a little longer...”

“Time flows differently here,” you explain, “A few minutes back in the real world turns into a few hours here. I can't even begin to understand how it all works, but... next time we go through a portal, we're doing it together. I'll tie you to me, if I have to.”

“You've got, uh, pretty interesting tastes, Miho,” Ayane jokes, the cut on her cheek glowing slightly as it finally starts to close up, “Hell, I'll do anything if it stops something like this happening again.”

“Miho, Ayane, good to see you both,” Maika announces, peering down from above, “You should see this, it's really something.”

“Don't worry, I can walk,” waving you away when you try to help her, Ayane hauls herself to her feet, “And we need to talk. I saw it, Miho – I saw the Tyrant.”

-

“Looks good, doesn't it?” Emi asks, raising her visor to reveal a sharp little grin. Down below, the fire eats away at the swamp, carving a slow path towards the centre. The flames are already starting to gutter and fade, but the damage is plain to see. Not quite a path leading to the beast's den, but it's certainly a good start. A foothold, a breach in the impenetrable armour of dense vegetation.

“I don't even know how I found it,” Ayane begins to explain, “I was just... wandering. Yeah, I saw that the fog was getting thicker, but I was... I guess I was desperate by then, not thinking straight. I saw a clearing ahead, and I hurried right to it. That's when I saw the Tyrant...”

“Describe it,” Maika orders quietly, “Any details could help. Did it follow you out?”

“It couldn't. The thing can't move,” Ayane shakes her head, “It was like... rooted in the bottom of this crater, like a tar pit. Nothing but bones really, but it was alive. It swung at me, but I ran before it could really attack me. Real brave, huh? I've been running ever since...”

[2/3]
>>
>>1476340
Hoo boy, Ayane's Barrier must be fucked.
>>
>>1476340

“So what were those other things?” you ask, “Those things that were chasing you?”

“I don't know. Thralls maybe, but there just so many of them. I'd bring down one or two, but there were always more,” shuddering, she touches the fading scar on her cheek, “In the end, I just ran. It was a branch that did this, not any monster – pretty stupid, huh?”

“A monster might have taken your whole damn head off, see?” Emi points out, “So I'd call it lucky, not stupid. Whatever, look, I'm not calling the shots here, but I think we've been in this shithole long enough. We know where we're going, we know which ass we're kicking, what are we waiting for?”

“It's not that simple,” you sigh, “It's... Ayane, I'll be blunt – can you fight?”

“I...” Ayane begins, her attempt at a determined frown soon fading into something darker, something that is more embarrassed than anything else. Swallowing hard, she shakes her head slightly. “I'm just barely keeping it together,” she admits, “I mean, even before getting lost in... place, I was feeling pretty lousy. Now though, I'm... a liability. I figure I can defend myself, my hound can do that much, but going on the attack? No way.”

Grimacing a little, Maika looks away, while Emi crosses her arms in irritation. When their eyes all turn to you, you can't deny feeling a flicker of anger. Your “gift” in action, of course, leaving you as the leader you never wanted to be.

>We can't afford to leave you behind. Sorry Ayane, but you'll need to come with us
>The Tyrant can't move, right? Then Ayane, you'll be safe on your own if you dig in here
>Maika, I want you to stay here with Ayane. Keep her safe
>Emi, I want you to stay here with Ayane. Keep her safe
>Other
>>
>>1476386
>>We can't afford to leave you behind. Sorry Ayane, but you'll need to come with us
I'd rather stick together, there's no guarantee that the smaller things won't climb the tower.
>>
>>1476386

>>The Tyrant can't move, right? Then Ayane, you'll be safe on your own if you dig in here
>>
>>1476390
To add on to this, Ayane doesn't have to fight, just come with us and hang back. I'd ask Maika to stay with her here but Maika seems like the most useful member for a stationary enemy. I just don't want Ayane alone cause then her barrier might not get patched up or anything.
>>
>>1476386
>>We can't afford to leave you behind. Sorry Ayane, but you'll need to come with us

Just sit on the outskirts of the fight and be overwatch
>>
>>1476386
>We can't afford to leave you behind. Sorry Ayane, but you'll need to come with us
>>
“We can't afford to leave you behind here,” you decide after a moment, “I'm sorry, Ayane, but you'll need to come with us. Hang back if things get rough, and we'll do the best we can to keep you safe. It's just, leaving anyone alone here...”

“This is not a good place to be alone,” Maika adds gravely, “It saps the strength, damages the resolve. It would not be... good for you to be alone now.”

“Wouldn't be good for me to get an Intruder biting my head off either,” Ayane gripes, “But yeah, I get what you're saying. Like I said, I've got my dog to keep the worst of the enemies away, so I ain't exactly defenceless. Just... don't ask me to do anything too stressful, okay?” Grunting a little, she rises to her feet and tentatively stretches. When a few stitches burst in her tweed hunting jacket, she lets out a groan of dismay.

“Don't worry about it, we'll get it fixed later,” you promise her, glancing aside to Emi, “Maids can sew, can't they?”

“Ah, bugger off,” Emi snaps back, trying to grimace away the faint smile on her lips. When that doesn't work, she slams down the visor on her helmet. “Let's just put an end to this,” the young girl says instead, “Right?”

“Right,” you all agree, with varying degrees of certainty and confidence.

>I'm going to have to stop here for tonight, I've hit something of a wall. I'll continue this tomorrow, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them as best I can
>Thank you for your patience today!
>>
>>1476447
Thanks for running
>>
>>1476447
Thanks for running sempai!
>>
>>1476447
Can Maika leave a drone with her? Then she won't be alone, just far away. We can get Maika to draw a cute face on it or something.

Thanks for running broski
>>
>>1476990
She doesn't have any drones on hand I think. She would have had one follow the Nazi guys if she did.
>>
The smell of burnt vegetation hangs heavily in the air as you march through what was once the Intruder swamp. Now, it looks more like some of the old pictures you've seen in history books, pictures of jungles drowned in napalm and reduced to lifeless wastelands. Those pictures had always scared you a little, imagining what it must have been like to see such sights in person, but now... now, all you feel is a cold satisfaction.

Marching ahead through the blackened ruin, you lead the others in a grim procession. The only hint of excitement around is Ayane's hunting hound, the beast prowling in a loose circle around your group, occasionally approaching someone to sniff their costumes or accept a pat on the head. No matter how ferocious it might look, it still behaves like a young puppy at times, when there are no Intruders to hunt.

“Hey,” Emi announces suddenly, as she's scratching the looming hound – almost as big as she is – behind the ears, “Does he have a name?”

“He... huh,” Ayane pauses, wiping sweat from her pallid brow, “I never thought about that. Kinda seems like he should have a name, doesn't it? Maybe I should just, uh, call him Conner.” She chuckles a little at that, although it's a rather forced laugh.

“Heh, yeah,” Emi laughs along with Ayane for a moment, before stopping abruptly, “Wait, who's Conner?”

“Doesn't matter,” shaking her head, Ayane glances across to Maika, “Hey, Maika, your old gun had a name, didn't it? I'm sure Kurosawa mentioned something about it...”

“He called it the Moonlight Needle,” Maika explains, “But I don't use that name any more. It doesn't feel... right. This isn't the weapon I was given, this is something I made for myself. Like you, however, I never considered giving it a name. Hmm...” Pursing her lips, she weighs the sleek laser rifle in her hands. “The Kanzaki Proprietary Defence System,” the heiress decides, “That will be sufficient, I think.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Ayane sighs, “...Dork.”

“Oh man, the cat gave my sword a name as well. Kinda fancy and all, so it ain't really what I would have chosen. I mean, it's a sword, not a bloody poem!” Emi heaves her massive sword up onto one shoulder, now quite comfortable with its great weight. “The Thousand Year Kingdom, he called it. Like, why not ten thousand years? A million years? All I'm saying is, if you're gonna build a kingdom, you should probably, like, aim high. You think I'd be allowed to give it a new name? Oh, but I dunno what to call it...”

“Quiet down, you lot,” you hiss, waving at them to stop. Frowning, you listen for a brief moment – brief, but long enough to confirm your suspicions. Slow and steady, almost rhythmic, some great and terrible creature draws breath a short distance away.

You're getting close.

[1/2]
>>
>>1478479

It's strange, but you never really thought about what a sleeping skeleton might look like until this moment. For some reason – and on reflection, you can see the absurdity in this – you pictured it with closed eyes. So, when you push through the thick fans of greenery - what little there is that escaped the flames – and see blank, empty sockets set in a long, bleached skull... you freeze in fear. When the creature doesn't stir, though, you take another, longer look.

The skull, the majority of what can be observed, is not like any animal skull you've ever seen before. Rather, it looks like a mix of all manner of things. A bit of reptile, the general outline of a cow's skull, undeniably carnivorous teeth and horns like... like no natural horns you've ever seen, all twisted and spiked. The arms are shambolic, looking like nothing less than a random collection of bones, all loosely strung together with connective tissue. Most of what's below the neck is buried, sunken beneath a heavy layer of what looks like solid rock. Overall, it looks like someone has beaten you to it, and done your work for you.

Then the Intruder drags in a rasping breath, reminding you that it's alive – or something like alive, at least. When it shows no reaction to your presence, you slowly edge closer to it. Closer still, and then you stop.

It's hard to say what the first warning sign was. A slight hitch in the Intruder's breathing, perhaps, or when one bony claw seemed to tense in anticipation. Whatever it was, it was the only hint of a warning that you got... or that you needed. When the Tyrant rips its claw up from the ground, you're already leaping back and out of the way, landing in a neat crouch as the Intruder twists its arm around – bones rearranging themselves before your very eyes – to slam down upon you.

“Flawless Block!” you shout as you rise and throw a punch at the descending blow. The Tyrant's attack is knocked back, bouncing clean off one gauntlet. “Now, Massive Strike!” you add as the Intruder recoils, swinging the second gauntlet up and smashing the bones into tiny countless shards. Howling, the Intruder shrinks back as best it can – not an easy feat, when so much of it is sunken into solid rock – and shields its skull with the one intact arm. The damaged arm, meanwhile, is already starting to reform – fragments of bone squirming like maggots as they rejoin the larger body.

“I'm getting movement behind us, Thralls maybe,” Maika calls to you, “I think it called them. Taking a defensive stance now.”

“I'm with you!” Emi yells, launching herself forwards to stand by your side, “Get that arm out of the way, and I'll smash that skull to bits!

>Destroy the damaged arm completely, before it can repair itself
>Take out the intact arm so that Emi can strike
>To hell with its defences, you'll punch straight through!
>Other
>>
>>1478482
>Destroy the damaged arm completely, before it can repair itself
Use the Stun move to give Emi an opening. Then have her amputate.

After that we can smash the head.
>>
>>1478482
>>Destroy the damaged arm completely, before it can repair itself
>>
>>1478482
>>1478490
This
>>
>>1478482
>Destroy the damaged arm completely, before it can repair itself
Can't reform if we burn it all to ash, right?
>>
>>1478482
>Destroy the damaged arm completely, before it can repair itself
>>
“The damaged arm, go!” you shout back, pointing with one blunt finger, “When you see my signal, take it out!”

“Got it, I'll-” Emi begins, hurling herself away from you as the Intruder's intact claw comes crashing down once again. Shards of the thick stone underfoot fly up as the beast's attack smashes the ground, but it doesn't even come close to hitting you. Before you can press the attack, the Tyrant has already dragged its hand back into a defensive position. It might look entirely bestial, but it's not some mindless creature – the Tyrant knows how to protect itself.

But you've got a few tricks of your own – a few new ones too, and you're just aching to test them out. “Now!” you yell to Emi, dashing forwards a few steps and dropping to one knee. As if applauding the Intruder's failed attack, you bring your armoured hands together in a single hard clap, some unknowable magic amplifying the force of it to obscene levels. The wave of force that blasts out knocks the Intruder's arms aside and leaves it open, vulnerable to the next stage of your attack.

Charging after you, Emi jumps and, planting one armoured foot on you back, leaps off you as if you were a springboard. She doesn't bother to give her attack a fancy name, a single yell of fury escaping her as she swings her massive sword down into the Intruder's shoulder. Bone explodes as the heavy sword crushes through the joint – more like a blunt instrument than any blade, it nevertheless shears the limb's half-destroyed remains away entirely. “Go now!” she calls back as she lands, “It's open!”

Mud slips beneath your feet as you press the attack, launching yourself forwards with one fist raised to shatter the exposed skull. When you're a pace away from it, the Tyrant's head snaps up suddenly, and it exhales sharply. The wind that rips out of it is strong enough to stagger you, foiling your attack and blinding you with a concentrated blast of the earlier smog. Stumbling back, you fumble to pull your scarf up over your mouth once again, feeling your skin tingle as the mist clings to it.

“I can't see it!” Emi cries, coughing and choking, “My eyes, I-”

Her words are cut off by a sudden crack of stone, the ground beneath your feet shuddering horrifically. Already off-balance from the blast of tainted wind, the next tremor that rips through the earth is enough to throw you from your feet. With every passing second the air clears a little more, and soon you can make out the Tyrant's silhouette. The single remaining arm comes slamming down against the ground, but this is no attack. Slowly, the Tyrant begins to drag itself out of that ancient crater.

It's mobile.

>Press the attack before it can fully recover
>Get some fires going and burn off the mist
>Gather the others and retreat back to the tower
>Other
>>
>>1478518
>>Get some fires going and burn off the mist
>>
>>1478518
>>Get some fires going and burn off the mist
Preferably aimed at the Tyrant if that would work. Friends are still around and all that.
>>
>>1478518
>Get some fires going and burn off the mist
>>
>>1478518
>>Get some fires going and burn off the mist
Then keep burning his face, keeping that mist in check/blinding him.

While that's happening have Emi hack away at the other arm while it's trying to crawl out. If she can get it before it can get it's legs out it's stuck for good. Hopefully
>>
“Get back!” you yell to the others, hoping that they can hear you and that they're in a position to move back, “I'm lighting this place up!”

A heartbeat is all the hesitation you can spare for them, and then you get to work. Aiming both gauntlets at the Tyrant's shuddering, fog-shrouded form, you unleash the fires boiling within the weapons. Light and heat wash over you in a terrible wave, even behind the worst of the flames, and the mist around you is almost immediately burned away. The smoke that replaces it is almost as bad, ink black and choking, but it doesn't burn your skin on contact. A small mercy, but you'll take it.

Still pouring forth the twin streams of fire, you step gradually closer to the Tyrant's form. The flames seem to be slowly driving it back into its crater, the dark and formless shape drawing back into a hunched slump. For a moment, you almost take it for a cower, as if you'd broken the Intruder's spirit, and then it explodes into motion.

Powerful legs, buried until now, spring out to their full length as the Tyrant charges forwards like a raging bull. Blinded by the fires, it gallops forwards in a mad, wavering line, cracking the ground beneath its feet with every step. No longer purely skeletal, the creature is in the grips of a blasphemous transformation, ropes of new flesh winding its way around the bones even as your flames eat away at it. Even the missing arm has been regenerated, replaced by a writhing bundle of tentacles. For a brief moment, you see powerful muscles working as the blind monster leaps and lunges, then it catches you with a twist of its head and you're thrown back.

The world spins around you as you fly through the air, but a crashing impact stops your flight. Two halves of a tree, broken clean in half as you're flung against it, tumble down to the ground alongside you as you fall, snaring your leg. Cursing, you easily fling the broken pieces aside – with your strength magnified by the Collapsed Star Knuckles, they might as well be matchsticks – and leap to your feet.

Not a moment too soon. Still rampaging about wildly, the Tyrant turns and hurls itself back towards you, horns lowered to gore you. A savage grin splits your lips as you dig your heels in, preparing to block it's charge, but then something strikes the Intruder like a missile. Her sword lowered like a lance, Emi crashes into the Intruder's flank and bowls it over, only to be knocked back a moment later by a wildly kicking hoof. A gout of that awful mist gushes from the Intruder as it rights itself, thickening the air around you once again. Shaking its head – still a bare, eyeless skull – the Tyrant lurches around to face where Emi landed. Like a bull preparing to charge, it paws at the broken ground.

[1/2]
>>
>>1478583

Without closing the distance, there's only one thing you can do, and that's burning the thing again. Snarling behind your crude, improvised mask, you blast the Tyrant with another pair of flaming jets, grinning that little bit wider as you see the flames taking hold and spreading across that crawling flesh. Bellowing like a beast, the Intruder falters in its charge and wheels around in some futile attempt at retreating from the source of the pain. As it burns, you realise something.

No matter how much you burn it, your flames are barely making an impact. The Intruder's flesh is regrowing just as quickly as you can incinerate it, repairing any damage that you can do. It's far from pointless, though, as the fires serve to confuse the Intruder and to drive it into a frenzy. A destructive frenzy, true, but it's a blind and aimless kind of destruction. Your newfound revelation causes a grin to form on your lips, but it's a short lived smile. When the Intruder lurches around and flees from its den, your smile drops away completely.

“Hey!” you protest, “I'm over here, you stupid-”

A flash of white light cuts off your irritated yell, the unmistakable flare of Maika's rifle piercing through the smoke and fog. Gasping, you throw yourself into a run and charge after the Intruder, pushing past smouldering greenery as you race to check on the others.

-

There's no sign of the Intruder when you reach them, and at first Maika is the only one of your friends that you can see. She leans up against a tree, holding her left arm tight against her body. That part of her armour is crumpled and stained, and her left arm hangs at a crooked angle. A few paces away, Ayane's hound sits in a low crouch. With a further glance, you can see Ayane herself, mostly hidden behind the thick trunk of a nearby tree.

“Miho!” Maika gasps, “That thing, ah... I think my arm is broken. Just give me a few minutes, that's all I need. Ayane is-”

A low, bellowing roar splits the air, followed a few seconds later by a tremendous crash as the Intruder launches itself back onto the scene. The flames have been snuffed out now, and every breath that escapes its skull is thick with poisonous mist. Growling now, it almost seems to... meet your gaze. Then, with a deliberate cruelty, it starts to paw at the earth beneath its hoof.

>Get its attention, lead it away from the others
>Disorientate it with another blast of fire
>Put yourself between it and the others, block its charge
>Other
>>
>>1478644
Thunderclap just as it charges. Stunning it with all that momentum should have it fall over.

Then go for the head when it's down. Back of the head so we don't get misted.
>>
>>1478644
>>1478653
this
>>
>>1478644
>>Put yourself between it and the others, block its charge
Thing is smart, not gonna fall for silly bait like the first choice. Stun is a good idea but I don't know if the stun is powerful enough to bring it to a full halt.
>>
>>1478644
I'll back >>1478653

Tell everyone to aim for the head. Anything else it'll just regen.
>>
>>1478644
This >>1478653
And this >>1478677
>>
“Bring it on!” you yell, digging your heels in and facing down the Intruder, “Bring it on, you son of a bitch!”

Bellowing a crude, wordless answer to your brash challenge, the Intruder launches itself into a charge, each thunderous step churning up mud and shattering bare stone. It lowers its head, baring those twisted horns to spear you, and pounds forwards. A few seconds, and it's too late to run. A few seconds more, and you're left with no choice but to meet the charge head on. You've got to act, and it's now or never.

Rather than blocking the charge, you bring your palms together in another massively powerful clap, the rippling wave of force slamming into the Tyrant as it charges towards you. Its head is thrown back by the hammer blow, but the momentum of its charge remains unhindered... at first. A few paces more, and the trailing tentacles of its boneless, replacement arm get caught up around itself, tangled under the intact front hoof. With a curious yelping sound, the Intruder falls forwards and slams into the muddy ground, carving a furrow through the filth as its momentum carries it forwards for a few more paces.

Allowing yourself to pump a fist with glee, you launch forwards to press the attack. Keeping away from the Intruder's nose and mouth – you don't want another blast of that awful fog to foil your attack – you duck around behind the Tyrant and grab one of those gnarled horns. Even with your enhanced strength pulling back its head is a challenge, and it fights you every step of the way. Still, you manage to wrestle it back until the Intruder's jaws are pointed harmlessly up at the sky, and then you slam a fist into the domed skull. Bone crunches beneath your fist as you pound your gauntlet into it, over and over again, a spiderweb of thin cracks slowly spreading across the skull with every blow.

Then, with one final blow, the skull caves in to reveal a... a squirming, squealing mass of flesh. Fetal, almost, but with more teeth than any fetus you've ever seen. Like something breaking through the surface of an egg – you saw a movie like that, once – the fleshy thing pounces at you. Crying out more in disgust than fear, you bring up a hand to shield your face. With a wet splat, the fetal creature slaps into your gauntlet and clings fast, gnawing futilely at the armour. Shuddering, you throw it aside and stamp down on it, stamping again and again until the little horror is reduced to nothing more than a red smear, mixed in with the darker mud.

At long last, a sense of stillness descends over the scene. “Well then!” you announce, forcing levity, “That's that done with. I'll go and check on Emi...”

“We should go together,” Maika offers, rising unsteadily to her feet, “I'd rather not divide our numbers any more, from now on.”

[1/2]
>>
>>1478734
Well shit, that worked out nicely.
>>
>>1478734
>>
>>1478734

“Ayane?” Maika says lightly, as the group is trudging back to where you last saw Emi, “You might want to cover your ears, I'm about to do something rather distasteful.”

“What?” Ayane asks in response, “What are you-” Before she can finish that question, Maika twists her arm back into the right place, bones grinding loudly together. “Oh god!” Ayane protests, “Why do you people KEEP doing that?”

“It's healing now, and properly this time,” the heiress continues, heedless of Ayane's disgust, “It's rather troublesome when the bones regrow in the wrong place, and I didn't see any other option. Also, I DID warn you.”

They bicker for a while longer as you walk, their voices fading into a background hum.

-

Emi meets you halfway, looking more petulant than injured. Her armour is terribly corroded, and there are a number of fading scars along her exposed arms and legs, but none of the damage seems to be particularly serious. Dragging her sword behind you, she limps to meet you. “Hey,” she announces, raising a hand in greeting, “The bad guy?”

“Dead,” you explain, pointing over your shoulder, “Back that way.”

“Nice,” the young girl nods, “Mind if I go and take a little look? I ain't doubting you or anything, but I'd, uh, I'd just like to be sure. Maybe spit on it a few times, you know?”

“That's very vulgar,” Maika points out, “But... I suppose I can't blame you, given the circumstances. Shall we go now, and get it over with?”

Nodding, you wave for the others to follow you and turn back, following your path back to the Intruder's corpse.

-

“So...” Emi begins slowly, a creeping note of uncertainty entering her voice, “These Intruders... their bodies melt when you kill them, right? They melt, or they boil away to mist, or... something! What I mean is, there's got to be a reason for... this, right?”

“This”, as Emi puts it, is the furrow left behind from where the Intruder's body had come to rest. Now, the furrow lies empty, and the Intruder's corpse is nowhere to be seen. As much as you'd like to say something to reassure her, you can't think of anything. Turning to look the younger girl in the eye, you open your mouth to give her an answer. Drowning out your words before they had a chance to be born, a hideous screech pierces the air.

“Move!” you scream, pushing the others aside and throwing yourself back. A second later, something strikes the ground with the force of a falling meteor, one lone arm pounding the earth where you had been standing a moment before. Skeletal once again, the Tyrant shrieks and rakes its claws across the ground.

“Damn it!” you spit, “Why won't you just stay dead?”

>Focus on defending, allow the others to strike the flanks
>Go on the offensive and cripple the remaining legs
>Other
>>
>>1478880
>>Focus on defending, allow the others to strike the flanks
>>
>>1478880
fuck tyrants tho

good thing emi had us go back and check

>Focus on defending, allow the others to strike the flanks

Probably not so good at regenerating now that it's all bone.
>>
>>1478880
>Go on the offensive and cripple the remaining legs
The others can't really defend well against the intruders overwhelming power, so.

Also, we're burning the whole thing to ashes, disgusting thing.
>>
>>1478880
>>Focus on defending, allow the others to strike the flanks
>>
>>1478880
Miho focusses on Perfect Blocking anything that thing throws while the others attack. Counter attack when applicable.
>>
>>1478880
>>Focus on defending, allow the others to strike the flanks
Just when I was thinking it was too easy, should have known.
>>
>>1478880
>Focus on defending, allow the others to strike the flanks
>>
“Come on everyone!” you shout, waving a hand through the air, “We're almost through, it's got to be on the ropes – we've just got to finish it off!”

“Easy for you to say!” Ayane yells back, from the opposite side of the Intruder. Her voice causes the Tyrant's head to swing back around to face her, and you hurry to call out to monster. At the sound of your curse, it turns right back to glare at you with blind, sightless eye sockets. They might be hollow, but you can't shake the feeling that it can see you – or sense you, in some inhuman way.

Drawing back into a crouch, the Intruder springs up into a murderous lunge that closes the distance between you and it. The ground trembles and knocks you off-balance, but you're still able to bring your gauntlets up to block the swift blow. Fatigue, as much as your spoiled balance, is what drives you back a step, and when the Intruder spins around to buck at you with its back legs, you're too slow to get your defence up in time. The hooves catch you square in the chest and, for the second time today, lift you up and throw you back. Landing bad, and landing hard, you feel something inside you break, immediately followed by the sickly squirming feeling of the injury repairing itself. Still, the wind is knocked from your lungs, and you're slow to rise.

Halfway through its next lunge, the Intruder is struck in the flank by the pouncing shape of Ayane's hunting hound, knocking it from its feet to land in a tangled heap. As if struggles to rise, a fearful howl splits the air – and it takes you a moment to realise that the Intruder is not the source. Charging forwards, her sword raised like an headsman's axe, Emi swings her weapon down in a deadly arc. Shearing clean through the Intruder's neck, it splits the head from the body and buries itself in the ground beneath.

Cut loose from its body, The Intruder's head lets out one last, weak gasp of tainted air, and then begins to collapse, consumed from within by a hideously accelerated decay. When the last traces of it have boiled away into slime, you hear a faint voice growing in the back of your mind.

“...Child? Heavenly Child, can you... Miho? Miho, please answer me!” the voice – raw with a rare note of desperation – pleads, “Miho, please say something!”

“I'm here, I'm here,” you complain, rising to weary, unsteady feet, “Knock it off, Kurosawa, I'm fine... more or less.”

“Oh,” Kurosawa pauses for a moment, and when he speaks again his voice is stiff and formal once again, “Very good. The Tyrant must be destroyed, I can no longer sense its presence. Tell me, did it leave anything behind? Were there any remains?”

“Remains?” you mutter, looking at the smeared of gore left behind, “I guess...”

[1/2]
>>
>>1479002

You have no expectation of actually finding anything, but you know that Kurosawa won't stop bothering you until you check, so you make a show of picking through the filth still clinging to the ground. “Burn that,” you remind yourself in a low mutter, “Gotta make... Hello, what's this then?” Frowning, you kneel down – wincing at the ache in your midsection as you do so – and pick up a chunk of something. Bone, or maybe a broken tooth, but there's something strange about it. One end looks natural enough, but the opposite side is neatly formed into the teeth of a key.

A key... the door at the bottom of the Necropolis had a lock. You're not the brightest student around, but you can put two and two together.

“I knew it,” Kurosawa says smugly, “This will be enough to open the first seal. You're making progress, Heavenly Child. Excellent work, all of you.” Something about that last part – the way the words echo, perhaps – makes it clear that everyone heard it, not just you. “But I'm afraid that there's one last hurdle,” the cat continues, “Brace yourselves for emergency evacuation.”

“Emergency evacuation?” you yelp, “No, wait, I don't-”

The world, or perhaps your body, turns inside out.

-

Back in the real world, a thin and dismal rain has started to fall. Groaning, you rise and clutch your tender head, fighting back the urge to vomit up your aching guts as you do so. Even with your body healing rapidly, you can tell that you're going to sore for the next few days – because of the emergency evacuation, as much as the Intruder's attacks. The others are looking equally rough, without a single happy or healthy face to be seen.

So, it's pretty much a normal class trip.

“How long were we over there?” Ayane groans, “I feel like it should be morning already, but...” Instead of saying anything else, she settles for pointing up at the night sky.

“Hang on, let me check...” Maika answers, already tapping at her phone, “We were gone for approximately... oh. Approximately twenty minutes.”

“Bullshit,” Emi snaps, “We were over there for, like... way longer than that.”

“Time distortion,” you remind her, “A minute out here, an hour over there... it doesn't make much sense though, I've never known regular Intruders to have such a strong effect on the Umbra.” Shaking your head, you help the younger girl up. “Maybe Tyrants are different. Nothing is certain, where the Intruders are concerned,” forcing a laugh, you move to help Ayane, “After all, we've never exactly had the chance to do a scientific study on these things.”

“Maybe we should change that,” Maika murmurs, “We're not barbarians, these things should be studied... understood.”

“Huh?” you ask, glancing around, “Got an idea?”

“Oh, I was just thinking out loud,” the heiress shakes her head, “I apologise. Shall we get back to the hotel?”

[2/3]
>>
>>1479002
Wonder how much of the stiff distance-y feel Kurosawa has going on is legit. Maybe he just takes his job really seriously and it'd be a pain to get more girls or he just doesn't wanna get attached to chicks that might die all the sudden. That smug makes me think he's pretty chill though, smug is never bad.
>>
>>1479127

“So...” Emi asks, once you've fought your way out of the thankfully mundane swamp, “Train tickets ain't cheap you know, especially on short notice. Normally, I wouldn't ride your ass about it, but... well, things being what they are, I had to borrow a bunch of cash from my brother's room. Borrow it without, uh, asking... if you know what I mean.”

“You stole it, huh?” Ayane replies, “Hey, I won't judge. That's what siblings are for. I've “borrowed” a few things from Shiori more than once before.”

“Shouldn't it be the other way around?” Maika asks delicately, “What I mean to say is, shouldn't the older sibling have a duty to provide for the younger? Your brother will understand, I think, if you explain to him that it was an emergency.”

“Yeah, I could explain...” Emi nods slowly, “Or I could just return the money real quick, and he won't ever know about it. Just, uh, I might need to borrow some cash from one of you guys. Hey, at least I'm asking you guys about it first!”

“I think I can manage that,” the heiress decides, with an indulgent sigh, “And how about we go and get something nice to eat, once this silly class trip is over and done with? It'll be my way of saying thanks, and a way of welcoming you to this line of work. Tempted?”

“Free food? Sign me up!” the young girl grins, “But I'm warning you, princess, I've got a pretty big stomach. Wouldn't know it when you look at me, would you?”

>Well, you two have fun with that, okay? Don't do anything I wouldn't do!
>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
>Other
>>
>>1479177
>>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
Party after a mission clear is a must.
>>
>>1479177
>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
>>
>>1479177
>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
Yes, party bonding, where we talk about nice and normal things like what's Ayane is going to name her dog.
>>
>>1479177
>>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
>>
>>1479177
>>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
>>
>>1479177
>>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
>>
>>1479177
>Hey, we're all invited to this, right?
>>
“Hey!” you butt in, “We're all invited to this dinner thing, right?”

“Hmm? Of course,” Maika nods, “I apologise, I took it for granted that you would be coming. It wouldn't be right if some of us were left out.”

“You sure?” Ayane presses, with a sly grin, “We won't be getting in the way of anything, will we?”

“Getting in the way of... what?” the heiress replies, genuine confusion clouding her features, “I don't quite understand what you mean.” Frowning for a moment longer, she shrugs. “Well, I suppose it doesn't matter much. You'll come as well, won't you Ayane?” spreading her hands wide, Maika gestures to Ayane, “As I said, it wouldn't feel appropriate to celebrate without everyone present.”

“Gonna have ourselves a party,” Emi mutters to herself, still grinning broadly, “A victory party. Nah, that's not it, how about... how about an ass-kicking party? Yeah, that's it. Yeah!”

“It's settled then,” Maika decides with a firm nod, already tapping a note into her phone, “Now then, does anyone have any dietary requirements?”

-

The conversation turns to food at that point, with Maika showing an admirable degree of persistence in sticking to the central topic – arranging a rough menu that would suit all tastes – while Ayane and Emi joked with each other about the most appropriate thing to eat at an ass-kicking party. From what you overheard, their consensus involved a lot of red meat. In the end, your conversation got so bloated and distracted that you were still considering your options when you arrived back at the station. When the next train back to Ark City arrives, you're just arranging a desert.

“And chocolate!” Emi calls back, leaning out the train window and shouting over the background hum, “Lots of chocolate!”

“What a hassle!” Maika sighs as the train pulls away, “I never realised that arranging something between the four of us could be so much work!”

“So, uh, I gotta ask,” Ayane remarks, “Is there some spooky ulterior motive here? Like, you're going to lure us in with steak and cake, only to wire us up into some grand scientific experiment?”

“Eating so soon before an experiment could cause anomalous results, it would have to be done before dinner. What's more...” the heiress pauses, “You're not being entirely serious, are you?”

“I'm being a BIT serious!” Ayane protests, “I'm just saying, it seems odd for you to be throwing a party dinner now, and not when Emi first joined up. Just... I wondered, that's all. I think of a question, I ask it – that's just how I operate.”

“It's a celebration for killing our first Tyrant,” you explain, “It's like Emi said, this is an ass-kicking party!”

“Exactly so, it's a...” Maika clears her throat awkwardly, “It's one of those, yes.”

[1/2]
>>
>>1479323
Oh boy can she not say bad words? Maika a cute, a cuuuute.
>>
File: Professor Carrington.jpg (45 KB, 430x950)
45 KB
45 KB JPG
>>1479323

Even with leaden weights of fatigue clinging to your limbs and dragging you down, you don't sleep much that night – what little of the night remains, at least. Your mind whirls with random thoughts. The Sentinels, EVE, even Kurosawa and his moment of uncharacteristic concern. You must doze a little, though, because soon the sun is rising high above the horizon. An early morning alarm, courtesy of the school, wakes the others not long after.

Groaning, you pull the sheets up over your head and try to pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist.

-

“Alright class, I've sorry to announce that there's been a change in plans,” Professor Carrington announces, after you've snatched a quick breakfast – even the artificial meats on offer had the Renko Biotech logo grown into them – and gathered in the hotel lobby. “We're going to be visiting the Mizuhashi reserve in two groups,” she continues, “While one group is on the Reserve, the other will be attending a... a supplementary class. Now, I'm going to call your name and a number – either one or two. Could the ones gather here, and...”

The numbers, as best you can tell, are random. You end up in a group with Ayane, but nobody else you know well, while Maika and Chiaki are herded into the other group. You're going to be attending this “supplementary class” first, apparently, although that hardly feels like a stroke of luck. As Maika's group is led away to the swamp, your group is steered out into the streets, heading in the direction of the Renko Biotech laboratory.

“Yeah, see, I don't like this,” Ayane mutters to you as you walk, “I don't like this one bit.”

-

The supplementary class turns out to be simple and easy, almost insultingly so. After arriving at the Renko laboratory, you're shown through to a particularly neutral room and given flimsy paper booklets. Feedback forms, you realise with a groan, asking about everything from how polite the staff were to how much you learned. A total waste of your time.

When the members of your class are taken, one by one, through to a discrete side room, you realise that something else is going on. Shooting Ayane a questioning glance, she replies only with a helpless shrug – a kind of “wait and see” shrug. At least your classmates return soon after, and with no apparent injury or trauma. In terms of comforting thoughts, it's not much, but when your name is called up... you hold onto it as tightly as you can.

>I'm going to pause things here for today. I'll continue this tomorrow, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer then as best I can
>Thanks to everyone who contributed today, and I'm sorry about the late start!
>>
>>1479378
oh boy, is this to determine which physical body EVE gets to hijack?
>>
>>1479378
Thanks for running!
When will we find out that magical girls are actually brainwashed Intruders?
>>
>>1479389

Why stick with just one?

>>1479437

I can't imagine why anyone would even suspect that! Magical girls are holy warriors, selfless and pure of heart!
>>
File: Isamu Abe.png (401 KB, 600x850)
401 KB
401 KB PNG
A small room, somehow managing to be even more neutral than the one you just left. Two chairs, a desk, and a considerable out of date computer. A door on the opposite wall, as if this was just an extension of some larger corridor. No windows, no pictures on the wall, no decorations of any sort. A room that is almost aggressively plain, an armed challenge to the very idea of ornamentation.

That is what you are greeted by, when you're shown through to the side room. The first door closes behind you, a few seconds pass, and the second door opens in front of you. It all reminds you of an old piece of clockwork that you saw once in the window of an antique store, an ancient but precise piece of machinery.

The figure that enters the room is neither ancient nor precise, and he manages to look almost as exhausted as you feel. He's well dressed, although his clothes have that very particular crumpled look of having been slept in, and his face is... not bad to look at, you've got to admit. “Sit down, please,” he tells you in a faintly boyish voice, “I'll try and get this over with as quickly as possible. Would you like a drink of water?”

“No, but thank you,” you reply quietly, slipping into the chair he gestures to, “What's this about, anyway?”

“Just a formality, really,” he pauses for a moment, running a hand through his long, pale hair, “Oh, excuse me. Allow me to introduce myself – my name is Isamu Abe and I work for Renko Biotech, technological support division. Tech support, I suppose.” A self-deprecating note sneaks into his voice as he adds that, and you find yourself grudgingly warming to the young man. He couldn't be more than a few years older than you – probably some computer prodigy recruited straight out of the Ark Institute.

“A formality,” you repeat, not allowing yourself to get distracted by anything.

“That's right,” Isamu nods, clearly reluctant to go into much detail... or unsure about how much he's allowed to mention. “First, let me just take a few notes. Your name is... Miho Tsukada, correct?” frowning slightly, Isamu taps at the keyboard – an actual physical keyboard, not a touchscreen – and reads something on the softly glowing screen, “Hmm, your father works with us. Not here, but... I see.”

“What... do you see?” you ask slowly, “What does my father have to do with any of this? And what is “this” anyway?”

“Ah, I'm getting ahead of myself. It's been a long day, and it's not even noon yet...” again, Isamu shows a flicker of boyish charm as he smiles, “Yesterday, as I'm sure you recall, there was a brief incident with the power supply here at the lab. It would have been... while you were using the VR headsets. Is this ringing any bells?”

Smiling politely, the young man waits for your response.

[1/2]
>>
>>1481849

As much as you might like to, you could never forget that. The primal forest, the owl with bloodshot human eyes, EVE and her talk of evolution... Swallowing around a suddenly dry throat, you nod silently, gesturing for the young man to continue.

“Well, ah, we're really just trying to narrow down the possible causes. There was no damage done this time, and no information lost, but next time – if there IS a next time – we might not be so lucky. So, basically, we're gathering as much information as we can,” Isamu's chair creaks as he shifts, giving you an apologetic shrug, “We're not expecting much, but we need to cover our bases just in case.”

“Sure,” you agree carefully, “Can't leave any stones unturned.”

“Exactly!” Isamu sounds genuinely pleased that you understand, which makes you wonder how uncooperative some of your other classmates have been. “Now then,” he continues, “Could you please describe the events leading up to the anomaly? Then, uh, maybe give me a quick description of the anomaly itself? Describe it to me as if I knew nothing about it, and please... give me your unbiased, unaltered version of events.”

“That's it?” you ask, “I mean, I was wearing one of those headset things at the time, so...”

“Right, yes, that's what I mean,” he explains hastily, “Describe to me what you saw IN the simulation. As much detail as possible, please.”

His hands, poised above the keyboard, wait for your story to begin.

>There's nothing to tell, really. It was just a forest, but then the power died and cut the simulation. That's it
>I heard a voice. It read out some personal details of mine, about my family, but that was all
>Something talked to me. It claimed to be EVE. Isn't that the Renko Biotech AI?
>Other
>>
>>1481850
>>I heard a voice. It read out some personal details of mine, called it all "irrelevant", the nerve.

>Is my dad not connected with this? I want to check on him if it's serious enough for power failures.
>>
>>1481850
>>>There's nothing to tell, really. It was just a forest, but then the power died and cut the simulation. That's it
>>
>>1481850
>I heard a voice. It read out some personal details of mine, called it all "irrelevant", the nerve.
>>
>>1481850
Damn, should've gotten in detail what happened to the other kids so our story lines up.
>>
>>1481850
>There's nothing to tell, really. It was just a forest, but then the power died and cut the simulation. That's it
>>
“I don't know, I'm not really a computer expert,” you begin, shifting uneasily in your seat, “There's really not much to tell. I was just looking around the forest, when the power died and cut the simulation.”

“That's all?” a faint note of disappointment surfaces in Isamu's voice, “There were no... abnormalities? Anomalous sounds or visuals, anything that didn't fit with the rest of the simulation?”

The way he says this, his choice of wording cuts too close to the truth to be mere coincidence. Frowning for a moment, you clear your throat and continue. “There was something,” you admit, “Just before the power died, I heard this... this voice, I guess.”

“Really?” Isamu pauses, looking around from his computer, “And do you remember what this voice said? I hate to be a bother, but can you give me the exact words used?”

“Not the exact words, no,” you shake your head, “But it was just reading out some of my personal details, stuff about my family. I guess that stuff is all public information, stuff about what my father does for a living. I didn't really hear anything else after that, the power died pretty soon after.” A short silence follows your story, and you feel the increasing need to add something – anything – else to fill the void. “I'm sorry that I can't be more of a help,” you tell Isamu, “But, uh, I was a little spooked. Not thinking too clearly, yeah?”

“Hmm, I can understand that,” nodding slowly, Isamu leans back in his chair and rubs his eyes, “You are right though, that sort of information would be available to a public search. Since your father works for Renko, that connection might have... well, never mind that. Sometimes, the computer systems can pull up some fairly strange results.”

“I've heard that,” you reply awkwardly, “Or... something like that. I don't remember exactly.”

“Let me see... there's another girl here with parents working for...” Isamu taps a few keys, calling up new information, “Chiaki Jackson. I'll see if she experienced anything similar. Well, unless you had anything else to add, I think that should be everything. You don't need to worry about this – from what you've told me, this just sounds like a glitch in the data retrieval process. They're, ah, a little more common than I'd like, but nothing dangerous.”

“My father...” you blurt out, before wincing and lowering your voice, “I mean, are you sure that he isn't involved in this? He's not in any danger? If things are bad enough for there to be power outages, I want to be sure...”

“I understand,” Isamu bites his lip for a moment, before pulling a tiny phone from his pocket, “If you'll give me a moment, I can make a few inquiries. There may be limits on how much I can tell you, but...”

Without bothering to finish his sentence, he rises and leaves through the same door he entered.

[1/2]
>>
>>1481887

As soon as Isamu is out of the room, you flop back in your chair and let out a heavy sigh. If only you had known this was coming, you could have asked some of your classmates about what they had experienced. Some might say that honesty is the best policy in a situation like this, but you'd much rather tell a story that didn't draw too much attention to yourself. Still, Isamu didn't seem all that surprised to hear about the voice...

The minutes draw out, and soon curiosity gets the better of you. Rising out of your seat, you lean over the desk and peer at the computer screen – it's dead and black, Isamu having locked the computer before leaving. “Internal security,” you mutter, hastily returning to your seat as you hear the door rattle.

“I called up central office,” Isamu tells you, slipping his phone back into his pocket, “They tell me that your father is working in a very safe area. If a serious power outage should occur, he won't be in any danger. The labs are all partitioned, so he'd be isolated from anything... well, never mind that. I'm sorry that I can't tell you more, but I hope that set your mind at ease.”

“It... helps,” you reply, “Thank you for checking.”

“It was the least I could do,” returning to his seat, Isamu takes out a card and a pen. Scribbling on the back of the card for a moment, he passes it across to you. “My card, with all the details you'll need to contact me again, if anything else occurs to you,” pausing for a moment, he gives you a shy smile, “And, ah, my personal number is there as well. Just in case you ever want to, ah...”

“Uh, okay,” nodding slowly, you take the card as if it might bite your fingers off at any minute, “Have you given your number to all the students, or just the girls?”

“Just the cute girls,” Isamu replies, with a self-deprecating laugh, “I know, I know – pretty lame, huh? Really though, I just thought that you might want someone to talk to. I was in your position once, you know.”

For some reason, you doubt that. Isamu would look terrible in a girlish costume, for one thing.

>Well, uh, thanks for the card. Are we done here?
>My... position?
>Did anyone else see anything strange? Any of my classmates, I mean
>I wanted to ask you something... (Write in)
>Other
>>
>>1481902
>My... position?
>Did anyone else see anything strange? Any of my classmates, I mean

>Well, uh, thanks for the card. Are we done here?
>>
>>1481902
>>Did anyone else see anything strange? Any of my classmates, I mean
>>
>>1481902
>My... position?
>>
>>1481902
>Uhm... my position?
>Thanks for the card
>>
>>1481902
>My... position?
>Did anyone else see anything strange? Any of my classmates, I mean
>>
“My... position?” you ask, slowly turning the card over in you hands as you think, “I'm not quite sure what you mean by that.”

“Oh, forgive me. What I mean is, your academic position. Due to some family ties, I was put under considerable pressure to take employment with Renko Biotech. I never really had much choice in the matter, or that's how it always felt to me,” shaking his head, Isamu rolls up one sleeve to reveal the familiar corporate branding on his forearm, “As you can see, I'm company property – at least they offered the privilege of a more... discrete marking. I'm told that ladies hate those facial markings. Is that true?”

“I... really can't offer an opinion,” you tell him, shaking your head in bemusement, “It's not something that I've ever really thought about.”

“Oh well,” Isamu shrugs, “Regardless, I thought you might appreciate having someone to talk to. I certainly would have, when I was being... introduced to the corporate world.”

“And it gave you an excuse to give a cute girl your number,” you press with a faint attempt at a smile, “Right?”

“That too,” laughing softly, Isamu brushes his long hair back, “You never know when you're going to get lucky, right?”

“Uh, yeah,” nodding, you think of a good way to change the subject, “So... did anyone else see anything? You know, any of my classmates, I mean.”

“Ghosts,” Isamu whispers, giving you a ghoulish look before laughing, “Ghost images. A few people mentioned seeing flickers of movement around the edges of their field of view. Some claimed to see animals, even. Really, they're just meaningless visual glitches, and people apply their own explanation to them. It's no different from seeing shapes in the clouds. So, you're not the only person to have reported an abnormality, although yours was rather more... involved than the others. Your family ties might have something to do with that.”

“Probably,” you agree, “I mean, what else could be responsible?”

“Right,” nodding, Isamu taps a few more keys on the computer, “Oh, and I'll have to ask you not to mention any of that to your classmates – at least, until I've had a chance to speak with them. I want honest accounts, not gossip!”

“Sure,” slipping the card into your pocket, you offer the young man a polite smile, “So, uh, thanks for the card. Are we finished?”

“We are, yes,” standing, Isamu shows you over to the door you came in through, “And allow me to apologise, on behalf of Renko Biotech, for this inconvenience. I hope this hasn't soured your opinion of us!”

Smiling weakly at that, you allow yourself to be shown back to your seat. As you're sitting down, another of your classmates is called in to take your place.

[1/2]

>I apologise if any of the next posts are delayed, my connection is looking pretty unstable today.
>>
File: Ayane Nakamura.jpg (150 KB, 900x900)
150 KB
150 KB JPG
>>1481924

One thing you learn, over the next hour or so – the staff here are taking all of this very seriously, doing their best to keep you from talking with each other. You can't even whisper an account of your conversation to Ayane until after your half of the class has been debriefed and released. The other half of the class, meanwhile, is nowhere to be seen. Once the feedback forms have been finished, though, and the last member of your class has seen Isamu, you're allowed back to the hotel for an hour – to rest and relax, before the final stage of your class trip.

“Ugh, what a waste of time!” Ayane groans, sprawling out on her bed, “Feedback forms and... and bloody tech support!”

“Yeah,” you agree, “We could have been doing something fun instead, like marching through a swamp.”

“Don't remind me, we'll be getting to that soon enough,” grunting out a humourless laugh, Ayane sits up again, “Still, that Isamu guy was pretty cute. Shame that he was lying so much.”

“Lying?” you frown, “I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise, but... what was he lying about?”

“Well, basically, he gave me the whole “nothing to worry about, everything under control” spiel, and it was pretty much all bogus. He's worried about, and it's not under his control,” Ayane shakes her head, “I mean, I guess he's not a bad guy – the impression I got, talking to him, was that he'd been given a story to tell us, and he wasn't allowed to stray too far from it. So, I guess it's more that someone above him is lying...”

“That does seem likely,” rising and stretching, you peer out the window at the bleak town, “So... did you see anything out of the ordinary?”

“Nah, not a thing. I wasn't paying much attention, mind you,” Ayane flashes you an apologetic smile, “You know me, I don't like those helmet things much. Even before the lights went out, I was feeling kinda freaked out. Even before I put the bloody thing on, I was feeling pretty bad...” Shaking her head, she begins to restlessly pace the room. “This whole trip sucks,” she complains, “It's nothing but creepy labs, boring lessons and hideous otherworldly monsters. I was expecting... I don't know, something like a holiday!”

“Your first mistake was expecting something nice to happen,” you explain, “Your second mistake was... uh... well, the first mistake was bad enough.” Shrugging, you cross over and slap her lightly on the arm. “But c'mon, we did good work out here!” you insist, “I know it might not have been fun, but it was important!”

“Yeah, I know,” Ayane sighs, “But I dropped the ball. I've been off my game lately, you know?”

>We weren't ready for the Tyrant. Next time, we will be
>What is it, boy trouble?
>Just don't become a liability, okay?
>We should talk... (Write in)
>Other
>>
>>1481954
>What is it, boy trouble?
>We weren't ready for the Tyrant. Next time, we will be
"No one could have predicted the time dilation in the Umbra. You held your own in a pretty bad and hostile environment for hours alone. I wouldn't call that 'dropping the ball'. Pretty damn impressive actually."
>>
>>1481954
>What is it, boy trouble?
>Because you were in the Umbra the longest out of all of us, and Maika was already looking pretty beat. You did plenty good.
>But, uh, next time we all go together. Definitely.
>>
>>1481954
>>We weren't ready for the Tyrant. Next time, we will be
>>
>>1481954
>What is it, boy trouble?
>We weren't ready for the Tyrant. Next time, we will be
Maybe we should carry water and snacks with us in case we need to unexpectedly dive into Umbra again.
>>
Now that you think about it, Ayane has been somewhat more erratic than normal lately. From snapping at people to being generally impatient or irritable, her behaviour should have registered with you sooner. You just put it down to being in a new environment, or just a product of fatigue. Now that Ayane has mentioned it as well, you have to wonder if there isn't a more serious reason for it.

“We weren't ready for the Tyrant,” you tell her firmly, “We didn't know that we'd be scattered, and we had no way of expecting that time distortion. We weren't ready for it, but next time we will be. Besides, you held your own in there – it was a bad, hostile environment, and you were alone in there for hours. You were in there longer than any of us – easily longer than Maika, and she looked pretty beat when I first saw her.” Taking Ayane gently by the arm, you steer her down onto a chair.

“You pulled through,” you continue, “I sure wouldn't call that “dropping the ball”. I mean, honestly? I'm pretty impressed.”

“C'mon, you're just being nice,” Ayane protests weakly, a faint smile starting to form on her face nonetheless, “Besides, I wasn't alone – I had that lump of a dog with me.”

“Well, that lump of a dog is pretty reliable,” you insist, “Maybe you should call it Connor after all.” When a dark look passes across Ayane's face, clearing away the tentative smile, you realise where the problems have come from. “What is it?” you ask, “Boy trouble?”

“We're... having a difference of opinion. A long and protracted one,” wincing, Ayane chooses her next words with care, “We had a pretty massive row, just before the trip. Stupid stuff, but Connor thinks that we don't spend enough time together. I'm spending too much time with other people, apparently. Like, if I was busy with a job or something, I could explain it to him, but... but how do I explain this?” Leaping to her feet, she returns to pacing the room angrily. “Sorry Connor, we can't go out, I'm fighting monsters. Sorry Connor, I'm too tired tonight, I've been fighting monsters,” she complains, “Sorry Connor, I've been-”

“Okay, okay,” you interrupt, hoping to take some of the wind from her sails, “I think I see the problem.”

“I just...” Ayane leans against the wall, “No offence, Miho, but this isn't how I thought it would be. Shiori's shows, they never show how strained things can get...”

“Yeah,” you murmur, “But hey, how do you know? I thought you didn't watch those things?”

“I... shut up!” a burst of startled laughter escapes Ayane, “I just watch them to keep her company, that's all! I'm just being a good sister, it's my familial duty!”

“Sure it is,” you tease, gladdened by the sound of her laughter, “You endure it so well for Shiori's sake.”

Growling, Ayane snatches a pillow and throws it angrily at you. She's laughing too hard to aim and the pillow thumps softly against the wall.

[1/2]
>>
>>1482009

“I feel better now,” Ayane sighs a while later, flopping down on one of the beds, “Just talking about stuff, you know? You're a pretty good listener – next time I need to bitch and moan about something, I'll be sure to call you up.”

“Great,” you murmur, “I'll look forwards to that.”

“But man, I guess this is what Kurosawa meant. A while back, he warned me against this kind of crap. “Don't isolate yourself from the world, but don't grow to depend on any one person” - that was what he told me,” yawning, Ayane stretches the stiffness out of her shoulders, “Man, my body aches... anyway, I guess he was right. You lean too hard on someone, and end up falling on your ass once they're gone.”

“That's one way of looking at it, I suppose,” you decide, “But you don' know that he's gone. He might-”

“Nah, I know the signs by now,” shaking her head, Ayane gives you a wan smile, “I've done this song and dance before, you know? When we get back, I'll pay Connor a visit and give him the news. A clean break, I figure he'll probably appreciate it that way. Just, uh, you might get that call I mentioned.”

“The bitching and moaning one,” nodding, you slap her lightly on the shoulder, “Well, if you're sure that this is for the best...”

“I am,” Ayane's voice is firm, decisive, “Now let's get back down to the lobby. We're almost done with our free time. We don't want to be late for our exciting swamp tour, do we?”

“Look on the bright side,” you joke, “At least there won't be anything trying to kill us this time!”

-

Without any Intruders to worry about, the tour of the Mizuhashi reserve is almost cripplingly dull. Somehow, the soporific voice of your guide actually aids in how much you learn, and by the end of the tour you can name more variety of fern and frog than you ever knew existed. After a few hours of this, you sleepwalk back to the hotel where the two halves of your class are united. When Maika notices you, she marches right across the hotel lobby and nods a greeting.

“Isamu Abe,” she says, by way of introduction, “He spoke to you as well, I presume?”

“Uh, yeah,” you tell her, unnerved by her direct approach, “He even gave me his number.”

“Hey, can I get that later?” Ayane butts in, “I might need to ask him about... uh... important computer stuff?” Her lame explanation causes both you and Maika to falter, fighting back laughter, and Ayane colours. “I mean it!” she protests, “I just... c'mon, get off my back!”

The sheer indignation in her voice is what finally causes the dam to break, the laughter escaping you in a rush. Ayane scowls hard at you, but then grudgingly joins you in laughing.

>Next post will be delayed, I need to run a short errand. Sorry about this.
>>
>>1482094
>At least there won't be anything trying to kill us this time!”
Just trip all the flags Miho, nothing could possibly go wrong!
>>
File: Chiaki Jackson.jpg (832 KB, 1080x1080)
832 KB
832 KB JPG
“Anyway,” Maika stresses, causing you and Ayane to gradually stop laughing, “As I was saying – Renko Biotech were very keen as much information as possible about the incident. Normally, I would consider this admirable, but now I have to question their motives. Miho, you were the one to...” Cutting herself short here, Maika lowers her voice to a murmur. “From what I was able to learn, you were the only one who had any interaction with EVE,” she continues, “Although Chiaki did mention something to me.”

“Yes?” you ask, your focus sharpening, “What did she say?”

“She heard voices in the forest,” Maika explains, “Whispers, from multiple sources and never directly addressing her. That was all she was able to tell me.”

“Interesting...” you mutter, leaning around Maika to peer across the lobby. Chiaki is doing a good job of ingratiating herself with a group of your classmates, sharing some vulgar joke that causes them all to cackle. Whispers or no whispers, she seems to be getting along fine.

“Alright class!” Professor Carrington announces, “Our train is due soon, so let's all get a move on. Pack your things, and make sure not to forget anything. If you have to come back here, the school won't cover your travel expenses!”

“I don't know about you guys,” Ayane mutters, “But I'd be happy if I never saw this place again.”

-

The class trip ends not with a bang, but with a whimper. The first signs of the predicted storm have arrived, and rain soon splatters against the train window. Overall, the mood is one of sullen exhaustion – you're not the only one to consider the trip a waste of time, from what you overhear.

“I'll call you all later, with the details of our little dinner party,” Maika briefs you as the train flies back towards Ark City, “It might not be for a few days, however. Preparations have to be made, after all. Just leave organising things to me – I rather like this sort of thing.”

“Never would have guessed,” Ayane replies with a yawn, “Hey, if you're so good at organising stuff, why don't you help me sort out my mess of a life?”

“Because, Ayane, I'm not a miracle worker,” Maika says with a rueful sigh, “Not yet, at least.”

The usual bickering follows, but at least it's more interesting than watching the rain.

-

“Hey!” Chiaki announces, appearing from nowhere as she plops herself down into the empty seat beside you. “Look at this!” she adds, thrusting her phone under your nose, “Isn't it, like, totally cute?”

Blinking away your confusion, you look down at the phone. A frog, you realise, she took a picture of a frog. “Nice,” you tell her with a weak attempt at a smile, “It's... definitely a frog.”

“I know, right?” nodding eagerly, Chiaki makes herself comfortable, “I never thought I'd like this swamp stuff so much, but it was pretty cool! I took a whole bunch of pics, you wanna see?”

[1/2]
>>
File: Kurosawa.jpg (52 KB, 724x1103)
52 KB
52 KB JPG
>>1482182

In the end, she doesn't exactly give you much choice. With a very American exuberance, Chiaki launches into a rapid fire account of her tour – exactly the same as your version – and quickly flicks through the numerous photographs. She's in most of them, with the various features of the swamp reduced to mere background details. It's a faintly surreal experience, watching someone get so excited about something you found paralytically boring, but at least it passes the time. Soon, or so it seems, the train is pulling back into familiar Ark City.

The best news that you've had all day is when Professor Carrington announces that your class is being given the rest of the day off. With the rain coming down thick and hard now, though, there isn't much to do other than flee back to the safety of home.

-

Your apartment is empty, when you get back, with a note from your mother waiting for you. She'll be out most of the day, apparently, visiting an old friend who happened to be in town for a few days. Shrugging, you drop the note and begin to unpack your things. Halfway through emptying the small back, you feel something change.

“Hello Kurosawa,” you say, without looking around, “Something you wanted to talk about?”

“I wanted to congratulate you again,” Kurosawa answers, flickering into view in the corner of your eye, “On a job well done. I knew that you – and your team - would be able to succeed. You're a good leader. A natural.”

“Well,” you sigh, “That's my gift, isn't it?”

But Kurosawa doesn't answer that, simply watching you in silence.

>So we should be able to do deeper into the Necropolis now, right? Any idea what we'll find down there?
>You know, you sounded worried back then. Really worried, I mean
>I'm worried about Ayane. Could you keep an eye on her for me?
>Kurosawa, I need to ask you something... (Write in)
>Other
>>
>>1482094
Let's not mention the fact that Abe gives his number to "the cute girls".
>>
>>1482184
>You know, you sounded worried back then. Really worried, I mean
>>
>>1482184
>You know, you sounded worried back then. Really worried, I mean
You're not as stoic as you let on Mr. God.

>So we should be able to do deeper into the Necropolis now, right? Any idea what we'll find down there?
>>
>>1482184
>You know, you sounded worried back then. Really worried, I mean
>>
>>1482184
>So do we just expect that you'll never be able to talk to us while we fight Tyrants?
>Can you ALWAYS just "unlock more potential" in these weapons whenever? Kinda hard to believe I need to "earn" them when you handed them out BEFORE the fight.
>How come it's only you? You said you're a representative, but why can't they all just come down? You're Duty, does that mean the other gods just don't give a shit about little old us?
>>
>>1482184
>So we should be able to do deeper into the Necropolis now, right? Any idea what we'll find down there?
>>
>>1482184
>Hey, where did the collapsed star knuckles come from?
>This IS my gift, right? I'm not going to turn out to be a substitute Heavenly Child or something, right?
>>
>>1482184
>You know, you sounded worried back then. Really worried, I mean
>This IS my gift, right? I'm not going to turn out to be a substitute Heavenly Child or something, right?
>I'm worried about Ayane. Could you keep an eye on her for me?
>>
>>1482212
Really hammering on Kurosawa there anon
>>
“You know, you sounded worried back then,” you sigh after a while, glancing around to Kurosawa, “Really worried, I mean. You're not as stoic as you let on, you know.”

“Is that so?” Kurosawa answers, his voice cool and controlled, “Yes, I will confess to being... unnerved by the protracted loss of contact. Perhaps my composure slipped for a moment. I don't precisely recall what I said, but-”

“Miho, please answer me!” you repeat, lowering your voice in an attempt to imitate the gruff cat, “Miho, please say something!” Coughing away the scratchy feeling gathering in your throat, you give Kurosawa a wan smile. “Maika isn't the only one with a good memory, you know, I have my moments,” you tease, “So... still going to play at being all cold and detached, or are you going to admit that you were worried about me?”

“...Is it really so surprising that I would worry?” Kurosawa replies eventually, “You are, in my eyes, a figure of great importance. It would be a great blow to my plans, if you were to be lost.”

Plans?

“So yes, if this is what you wish, I will admit it,” the cat meets your eyes, “I was worried about you. Even being certain that you would succeed, I felt an irrational fear for your safety. Is that enough to satisfy you?”

“Jeez, you're really nothing like a human!” you sigh, crossing over to the sofa and flopping down on it, “I guess that's the best I'm going to get out of you, huh? Well, whatever... you mentioned being out of contact – is that something we should expect, from now on?”

“Tyrant class Intruders have a great deal of control over their territory, and that includes cutting off outside contact. The relative age and power of the Intruder in question largely determine how effective their countermeasures are, along with... other factors,” Kurosawa pauses here, for what seems like a long time, “I fear that this problem – this breakdown of communications – is a recent one.”

“They're getting more powerful?” you ask, before another idea strikes you, “Or... or are you getting weaker?”

“Regardless, you were able to defeat the Tyrant without my guidance and with only minimal assistance. I have no reason to believe that the next enemy will be any different,” the cat answers slowly, choosing his words with intense care, “That is all.”

“Minimal assistance, huh?” you ask, noting the evasive answer, “You mean like how you were able to unseal those new powers? Could you always do that? Just, it seems odd to think that I've got to “earn” these new abilities – especially considering that I got them before the fight started...”

“It is not a matter of earning them,” Kurosawa replies, “The matter is... less simple than that.”

“Explain then,” you urge him, “I'm listening.”

[1/?]
>>
>>1482255

“Only I possess the ability to fully unseal your powers,” the cat begins, “Or, if the need should arise, to seal them once again. Needless to say, this is an option of last resort. Allow me to be blunt, Heavenly Child – these powers are given cautiously, as I see fit. Consider it a reward for cooperation.”

“Nice,” you mutter, “When you put it like that, it almost doesn't sound like blackmail. So basically, I have to play nice or you'll take my powers away, right?”

“I am not so petty as to demand perfect obedience,” Kurosawa sighs, “We do not have to be friends. As I have said, sealing your powers away is a dire course of action, and not one that I would take lightly. That option is reserved for the rare occasion that a candidate... turns on mankind, the gods, or their allies.”

“Really?” you ask, with a calm that you don't feel, “Isn't that what the Executioner is for?”

A cold silence follows this. “She spoke, then. I suspected that she might,” another low sigh escapes the cat as he prowls across the edge of the sofa, “The gods do not believe in taking half measures. The Executioner is just one resort. Consider – what if the Executioner was the one who fell from grace?”

“Yeah, okay, you've got a point there,” you admit, thinking on his words for a while. As you think, you hold up a hand and spread your fingers wide. “Hey,” you ask, “Where did the Collapsed Star Knuckles come from, anyway? Like... did someone make them, and you just gave them to me? They just sort of... appeared.”

“They came from the same place as the Sword of the Sun originally came from – they were drawn out of your-” Kurosawa says something else here, something that cannot even be called a sound, let alone a word. “Excuse me,” he continues, “Mankind does not yet have a word for that concept. “The sum of your being” would be an approximate translation. These weapons reflect this concept. When the Collapsed Star Knuckles were created, you were... a blunt, inelegant thing, and their form reflected that.”

“Thanks,” you grunt, taking the politely worded insult in stride, “So when Maika had her... brain surgery thing, she changed this “sum of her being”, and her rifle changed to match. Yeah, I can understand that... I think.”

“I'm glad to help,” Kurosawa remarks, “You're full of questions today.”

“And I'm just getting warmed up,” you shoot back, “There's something that's been bothering me for a while. How come it's always you?”

“Me?” the cat asks, “What do you mean?”

“Well, the other gods. Why can't they come down and deal with us as well? Why just you?” you press, “You're Duty, I get that, but does that mean the other gods just don't give a damn about us? They don't feel any duty to help us, but you do?”

“That, Heavenly Child, is a very long tale,” Kurosawa replies slowly, “For now... I made a promise to mankind. I will keep it.”

[2/?]
>>
>>1482323

“A long tale, huh?” you murmur to yourself, “Will I get to hear it one of these days?”

“Yes,” Kurosawa assures you, “One of these days. However, I had a matter of business to discuss with you. The key you recovered...”

He's trying to steer the conversation back into safer waters, and he's not even trying to hide that fact. Something in his voice – a brittle, terse note, something that almost reminds you of shame – causes you to pause, and then nod. “We should be able to go deeper into the Necropolis now, right?” you ask after a moment, playing along with him for now, “Do you have any idea what we're likely to find down there?”

“Dangers are likely,” Kurosawa admits, “The Intruders worm their way up from the deepest part of the Umbra. The further down you go, the more of them you are likely to find. Additionally, the terrain is likely to become warped and twisted, more so than can be seen on the surface. I urge caution. Be sure that your Emotional Barrier is strong enough before venturing down below.”

“Heal up before going dungeon crawling,” you mutter, “Got it. Enemy territory, no messing about. I suppose you couldn't give us anything more precise to work with?”

“Not yet, no,” the cat shakes his head slowly, “I may be able to get a better sense of what lies beneath, but only after you unseal the first gateway.”

“Yeah, I figured you'd say that,” you sigh, “Understood. We're probably going to take a few days off before getting down to any serious work, that should help with our Emotional Barriers. Oh, but... I'm a little worried about Ayane, could you keep an eye on her? Just try and keep her out of trouble for me, okay?”

“I will do my best,” Kurosawa pledges, “However, I fear that I may not be able to help her much. The power to unite hearts is yours, not mine.”

“Mm, that IS my gift, isn't it?” you agree, “I'm not going to turn out to be some kind of fake, right? A substitute Heavenly Child, or something like that... right?”

Kurosawa is silent for a moment. “There is only one Heavenly Child,” he answers eventually, “There CAN only be one Heavenly Child – no fakes, no substitutes. While you yet live, there can be no other.”

“Is that-” you begin, before a sudden shift in the air signals Kurosawa's departure. Slumping back on the sofa, you stare up at the ceiling for a moment longer. “Is that so?” you murmur eventually.

>I think I'll close things here for this week. I'm aiming to start a new thread on Friday, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them as best I can
>Thank you to everyone who contributed today, and stay tuned for a short bonus episode!
>>
>>1482398
Thanks for running famalam
>>
>>1482398
>While you yet live, there can be no other
If that isn't a high-class jinx I don't know what is.
>>
>>1482398
Thanks for running!
How long until the revelation that humans are actually artificial constructs meant to clean up the world after an apocalypse and prepare it for the return of the real humans, who were waiting out things in the Umbra and whom we see as Intruders?
>>
File: Megumi Eto.jpg (1009 KB, 900x900)
1009 KB
1009 KB JPG
Los Angeles, America
Present Day, Present Time

Megumi Eto, the Gravetender, sat back at her desk and gave a slight frown to the “No Smoking” plaque screwed into the wall of her hotel room. A slight frown was as much as she allowed herself these days, just as her rare smiles were equally slight. As one chosen by the Great Virtue of Dignity, there were certain standards that Megumi felt obliged to maintain, and maintaining her composure – no matter what the situation might be - was just one of them.

Of course, it had been a while since she had actively served the gods, but old habits were hard to break – the items spread out across the cheap, tacky desk were proof of that. Old fashioned cigarettes, exorbitantly expensive these days, and an old photograph, faded and worn by countless viewings. Adding one more viewing to that meaningless counter, Mayuri picked up the photograph and stared down into the familiar faces – so familiar that she could have described them all, perfectly, from memory. As it always did, the picture brought about fond memories of Megumi's companions, and bitter memories of their fates.

Megumi herself had been the one to take the picture, and so only three members of the old team were shown. Three servants of three different gods, with three different fates.

The first girl shown was tall and ferocious looking, Nordic features lending her the air of a Valkyrie. Spite – dead, killed in action.

The second girl looked weary beyond words, not just tired but beaten down by life. Nevertheless, she had been able to summon up a smile for the photograph. Destiny – lost, vanished without a trace.

The final girl was young and impish, grinning mischievously at the camera and making a peace sign. Misfortune – retired, unwilling and unable to serve the gods. Not so different from Megumi, in that regard.

Letting the photograph slip from her fingers and drop back to the desk, Megumi sensed a slight change in the atmosphere of the room, as if the air pressure had been subtly altered. Without turning around, she took a moment to compose herself before speaking aloud.

“Abraham,” she said quietly, “It's been a long time. Are you here to check up on me?”

“Among other things,” a rough, raspy voice replied, “Although I go by another name now. My current companions know me as Kurosawa. You may use whichever you feel most comfortable with.”

“Kurosawa,” Megumi murmured, “Like the director? Oh, but I suppose you wouldn't know about that. Well, never mind – it's the name you've chosen for yourself, so that's what we'll stick with. Now that the introductions are out of the way...”

“Yes,” Kurosawa agreed, flickering into view at the corner of the desk, “We have much to discuss, Gravetender.”

[1/2]
>>
>>1482430
too much Nier for you anon, you get no grief seeds tonight.
>>
>>1482444

“Do we?” again, it was only habit that kept the flicker of excitement from showing in Megumi's voice, “Have you found her, then? Have you found-”

“The Gatherer of Whispers remains lost,” Kurosawa interrupted flatly, certain in his knowledge that Megumi would appreciate the bluntness, “I fear that she will remain so. No amount searching has turned up even the slightest trace of her. It is time, I think, to accept that she is no longer in this world. Mourn, and move on.” The black cat paused here, studying Megumi for a moment with his shifting, gold and green eyes. “But if she was to be found,” he asked quietly, “What would you do?”

“Give her a slap, I suppose, for making me worry,” Megumi decided after a moment, swallowing the bitter wave of disappointment, “Then ask her where she'd been hiding all this time. I rather suspect that we wouldn't go back to work, if that's what you're asking.”

“It was not. Your services are no longer required,” Kurosawa shook his head slowly, “The newest group of candidates are... sufficient.”

“You don't sound all that impressed, if you don't mind me saying,” Megumi pointed out, “What are they like?”

“At first, I found it hard to believe that the gods would have chosen them. They were... distracted, lazy, unwilling to dedicate themselves to the cause. It took a crisis level event for them to realise the importance of their work,” the cat's tail lashed slightly at the memory, swishing back and forth across the desk, “Now, however, they are finally starting to meet their potential. I think that they could be the ones I have been looking for.”

“Don't be too harsh on them, we were all like that once. Young, a little foolish, a little rash...” sighing, Megumi touched the photograph with one finger, as if to take comfort from it, “Do they trust you?”

“No,” Kurosawa admitted, “But I accept the blame for that. Their early performance harmed my confidence in them, and I kept certain matters secret from them as a result.”

“Hmm, didn't want to scare them away too early, I suppose,” Megumi sighed, “And I suppose you've told them everything now, have you?”

“Of course not,” he shook his head again, “But they know enough. To reveal more would be pointless, like digging up an ancient grave – you, of all people, should appreciate that.”

“I suppose you might be right,” reaching for her cigarettes, Megumi stopped herself and drew her hand back, slowly clenching and unclenching her fist. “May I ask where they are, this time?” she asked instead, “City? County?”

“Ark City, the same as the previous group,” Kurosawa answered simply, “The Intruders are always drawn to dense populations, and that... blasphemy of a city is a prime site for them. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious, I suppose,” Megumi replied, her voice carefully neutral, “No particular reason.”
>>
>>1482430

Oh, I'm sure we'll discover the truth at the best possible time - say, after destroying the last of all Intruders?
>>
>>1482450
alright, time for Emi to awaken and pulverize this Megumi person!

.....what do you mean, that's an evil thing to do?




Delete Post: [File Only] Style:
[Disable Mobile View / Use Desktop Site]

[Enable Mobile View / Use Mobile Site]

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective parties. Images uploaded are the responsibility of the Poster. Comments are owned by the Poster.