Previous Thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/20284996/Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Joker%20QuestEquipment FAQ (Now Updated): http://pastebin.com/UedDDkeFRecap: You are ANON, the RED JOKER. In our last instalment, you fought and defeated ALECTO (with the THIEF'S help), a horrible Player/Corrector hybrid. After retrieving the TEMPEST SCRANDER and escorting MIO back home, you discovered there'd been a sudden and inexplicable gas leak in your school - One that incapacitate multiple students, including your friend, AKIRA. That was yesterday.
>>20341507The Kuchiki Metropolitan Hospital - An upscale, whitewashed building not too far from the city's heart - is actually a pretty nice place, all things considered. There's all the modern refinements you'd expect from a top-of-the-line facility; Climate-controlled air, soundproof walls, escalators...With the soothing colour palate, and the everpresent smell of antiseptic kept to a minimum, it's fairly pleasant - From the outside, that is. (The lobby kind-of reminds you of a brand new shopping centre, complete with shops.)Further in, though - It's harder to disguise the foamy ceiling tiles, the light beeps of machines keeping of breath rates and pulses, the hissing of air hoses...A kind of intimidating almost-silence, that makes visitors lower their voices, for fear of breaking a doctor's concentration at the *worst* possible moment...There was no school today; Probably for the best, with an odd half-dozen students hospitalized by a sudden and inexplicable gas leak. Fortunately, they were evacuated in time - Though there were one or two close cases still under observation, the victims are mostly expected to make a full recovery...-Well, *mostly*.(Continued)
>>20341513"...Guess I got off easy, huh?" Akira muses aloud - He's still pale and a little wan, but they've taken him off the oxygen...And he's sitting up by himself, looking oddly colorless in his white hospital gown, one hand mummified in the plasterboard bandage of an IV drip. He's almost concealed by the 'GET WELL SOON' bouquets - Dropped off by the last round of well-wishers, who probably didn't even know Akira *that* well. They've been coming in and out at odd intervals, making the rounds...But for now, it's just you and your buddies, with a quiet moment to yourselves at last."Yeah, well - *I'm* just glad someone called it in," Kazuya remarks, peeling and dicing an apple from the fruit basket, into neat quarters; He still seems faintly bedraggled - From the looks of it, he had a late night and an unpleasant surprise upon awakening. "...A bit later, and it doesn't bear thinking about, ugh."As for you...[ ] "Yeah, no kidding."[ ] "...I'm just glad you're okay."[ ] "-What's the last thing you remember, Akira?"[ ] "How are you feeling?"[ ] "...Reiko wasn't quite as lucky." [ ] Free. YOU HAVE CONTROL.(Apologies for the delay - I've come down with a cold and a sore throat myself.)
>>20341522[X] "It's -always- something around here. As if crossing your doorstep condemned you to capital punishment."
>>20341522[X] "...I'm just glad you're okay."[X] "-What's the last thing you remember, Akira?"[X] "How are you feeling?"
>>20341522"...Reiko wasn't quite as lucky.What's the last thing you remember, Akira?"
> [X] "It's -always- something around here. As if crossing your doorstep condemned you to capital punishment.""...I know, right?" Kazuya snorts - A sound that's muffled, a moment later, when Akira glances over at him. "-If that's true, that's the *worst* luck I've ever had," he grumbles, smoothening down the brown blanket; "...At least it didn't happen on the weekend..."> [X] "...I'm just glad you're okay."> [X] "How are you feeling?""...A bit dizzy." Akira touches his fingers to his temples, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment - As if trying to push through the cotton in his mind. He winces, feeling at his scalp - "-Think I hit my head, when I fell down...It's been throbbing for *hours* now."Grumpiness aside, he doesn't look *too* bad; You've heard one of the nurses mentioning that he was doing fairly well, which is a bit of a relief. You've heard that two of the other students are still on respirators...Maybe Akira was near a window, or something. > [X] "-What's the last thing you remember, Akira?""Uooogh. Not much - Most of it's a blur." His brow furrows, the lines to his angular features becoming slightly more pronounced. "-I remember stepping out to drop off my gear...I wanted to get a drink on the way back, too, in case you were late."(Continued)
>>20341828A tiny shake of his head; "-That's the last thing I remember, right after you left me with Sleeping Beauty. *There's* irony for you.""Sleeping Beauty?" Kazuya echoes, glancing up; He almost nicks himself with the knife, and hurriedly sets it aside. "...Who's that?"[ ] "Don't worry about it."[ ] "One of the girls from Seinin - I brought her to the sickbay."[ ] "Hmmmm. Pretty much what I expected, then." [ ] "...You sure that's everything?"[ ] "By the way; Where's Natsumi, Kazuya? I thought she was dropping by, too?"[ ] Free. YOU HAVE CONTROL.
Oh no, not this quest before I have to get up early for work. Augh.>>20341507Akira getting gassed put the halt on our theories about him being the Thief. I should be upset about it but I'm not.[x]...Reiko wasn't quite as lucky.[x]What's the last thing you remember, Akira?
>>20341841Augh, half a second too slow. Oh well.[x] "One of the girls from Seinin - I brought her to the sickbay."[x] "By the way; Where's Natsumi, Kazuya? I thought she was dropping by, too?"
>>20341841[X] "One of the girls from Seinin - I brought her to the sickbay."She got conked on the head with a tennis ball, had a concussion, I brought her to sickbay.[X] "...You sure that's everything?"[X] "By the way; Where's Natsumi, Kazuya? I thought she was dropping by, too?"
rolled 46 = 46>>20341841>[X] "Hmmmm. Pretty much what I expected, then.">[X] "...You sure that's everything?">[X] "By the way; Where's Natsumi, Kazuya? I thought she was dropping by, too?"
>"-Think I hit my head, when I fell down...It's been throbbing for *hours* now."Ohoho.>...Maybe Akira was near a window, or something. He wasn't. And he didn't hit his head. I suspect someone snuck up on him while he was outside and hit him. Maybe moved him so that the "gas leak" didn't affect him too bad. I think we need to investigate Mio a bit, if only because I doubt named characters are unrelated to this mess of a game. Maybe Hecate could lend a hand...
> [x] "One of the girls from Seinin - I brought her to the sickbay."> She got conked on the head with a tennis ball, had a concussion, I brought her to sickbay."Aaah, right." Kazuya leans back in his chair, a grin on his face - "...You really have *wheels*, my friend; First Asuna, now this..." He gives a little shake of his head, as he slides the peeled, quartered apple - on a tiny paper plate - over to Akira, who picks at once of the slices. "-almost wish I had your luck."> [X] "Hmmmm. Pretty much what I expected, then."> [X] "...You sure that's everything?""Yes, pretty much...Wait." Akira frowns, contemplatively; "I think - I think, but I can't be sure - there was this noise..." He hooks his fingers into claws. "...A kind of skritch-skritch-skritch. Like rats, or..." His voice trails off. "-Like something scratching at the floor. Didn't see what it was, though." He shrugs - A motion made awkward by the saline drip in his arm, the IV bag swaying on it's stand. "...Wow, that *really* itches," Akira mutters, pushing it back to the side. > [X] "By the way; Where's Natsumi, Kazuya? I thought she was dropping by, too?"(continued)
>>20342033"...She *is* running a little late," Kazuya agrees - Glancing down at his watch, with the reflex of someone who's *always* pressed for time. "-Maybe she missed the train?"He moves to stand, almost banging his knee against the headboard; For no particular reason, Kazuya's all thumbs today. (More than usual, anyway.) "Maybe I should-" he begins, his gaze going towards the door...[ ] "Sure, go ahead."[ ] "Let me do it; I'll meet her at the front."[ ] "She'll be fine. Let's keep Akira company a little longer."[ ] Free. YOU HAVE CONTROL.
>>20342037I can't help it Kazuya, they're drawn to my roguish charm. [X] "Sure, go ahead."Go ahead Kazuya, it's impolite to keep a lady waiting.
>>20342037Let's go meet her, for once. Leave our buddies here for now. Sickbed rooms are never that interesting.
>>20342096Come to think of it we haven't spent much time with Natsumi at all. She is supposed to be the insightful one of the little trio; maybe some of that will rub off on us.[x] "Let me do it; I'll meet her at the front."
>>20342037>[X] "Sure, go ahead."
>>20342033>>20342037> [X] "Let me do it; I'll meet her at the front."Go say 'hi'. We haven't seen her in a while, have we?
>>20342033> "Yes, pretty much...Wait." Akira frowns, contemplatively; "I think - I think, but I can't be sure - there was this noise..." He hooks his fingers into claws. "...A kind of skritch-skritch-skritch. Like rats, or..." > His voice trails off. "-Like something scratching at the floor. Didn't see what it was, though."I smell black joker's influence all over this, this sounds like Kotone's work if I had to guess. Odd skritching like the wings of those -things- we fought? The students were unable to escape a gas leak in a school(You know, it's not like these things have lots of exits and windows and alarms or anything... Being designed for ease of exit in an EMERGENCY? NAW MAN.) not to mention a GAS LEAK would have killed them in minutes, yet the emt's managed to get there just before that happens?Seems legit.
> I can't help it Kazuya, they're drawn to my roguish charm. "Hah, as *if*; Keep telling yourself that."> [X] "Let me do it; I'll meet her at the front.""Thanks, I appreciate it," Kazuya says; He settles back down, cross-legged, edging his chair slightly away from the bed to give himself some space at last. Well-appointed or not, it's a relief to step from the room, into the corridor beyond - The place was getting a little cramped, and you've never been entirely comfortably around hospitals. Maybe it's the instinctive wariness that comes from the presence of so many needles...Or maybe it's just the blankly sterile purgatory even mood-lighting and sepia-toned wallpaper can't disguise.But mostly, it's the little glimpses of misery you can't quite ignore. Not too far away, you hear the slow squeak of a wheelchair being rolled into the elevator - Further away, you can hear soft weeping as you walk down the vaulted hall...A figure wisps across your field of vision, a familiar horned silhouette just passing by the next turning...-Hecate?She's clad all in white - An oddly formal dress that most of the way to the floor, her long legs sheathed in silk stockings...So different from her (rather ecletic) normal appearance, that you almost didn't recognize her, at first.You catch a glimpse of her face; Her head lowered, a complex expression of mingled worry and relief etched on her features, as she sweeps by - Footfalls leaving no sound on the teal floors.[ ] "Hecate? Is that you?"[ ] "-Excuse me, are you...?"[ ] Follow her.[ ] Just let her pass by - It's not your concern.[ ] Free.YOU HAVE CONTROL
>>20342336[X] "Hecate? Is that you?"[X] Follow her.
>>20342336[X] "Hecate? Is that you?"[X] Follow her.We've been meaning to see her, it's odd to see her in white and this is probably important.
>>20342336According to the photo image it is Hecate, so [x] Free.Fall in beside her, talk conversationally. "There's something about hospitals that I've never liked. They're supposed to be places of healing, but there's just so much pain and death that you can *taste* it." When that gets her attention, apologize. "Sorry, friend of mine was caught in the gas leak at school that I'm pretty sure I caused after killing some kind of Player/Corrector fusion. Do you have time to talk? In half an hour, maybe?"
>>20342336[X] "Are you alright?"
>>20342336[x] Just let her pass by - follow her.
>>20342405I like this one.
> [X] Follow her.She doesn't seem to have seen you, lost in her thoughts - Or maybe she has another reason, given the way other people appear to ignore her presence. An orderly wheeling a cart down the hall steers aside to avoid her (almost bumping into you, until you sidestep), a pair of nurses - speaking urgently and quickly - pausing, unbidden just long enough for her to walk by. It's clear that she's just leaving; She's heading towards the stairs, when you draw her attention. > [X] "Hecate? Is that you?"> [X] "Are you alright?"She starts - Shoulders stiffening in surprise, as she turns at the sound of her name. A little *too* quickly, fast enough for you to make out the panic, surprise, then relief flitting across her face, in rapid succession. "A...Anon-kun?" Hecate begins, sounding startled - "Why are you...?"> "There's something about hospitals that I've never liked. They're supposed to be places of healing, but there's just so much pain and death that you can *taste* it." To her credit, she recovers quickly - Though she still seems rather wrong-footed by your appearance, as if this was the *last* place she'd expect you to be. "...Is that so?" Hecate murmurs; The surprise fading from her face, as she - absently, like a nervous gesture - reaches up to adjust the white sweep of her hat. "-I've never liked this place either...But still, to meet you *here*...?"> "Sorry, friend of mine was caught in the gas leak at school that I'm pretty sure I caused after killing some kind of Player/Corrector fusion. Do you have time to talk? In half an hour, maybe?"(Continued)
[ ] "Hecate? Is that you?"
"-Oh, really?" Hecate echoes, a half-smile on her lips; Green eyes flashing with a familiar mischief. "...My, you've really been busy - And it's only been a few days, too.""So *that's* why you're here..." Hecate nods, thoughtfully, at your explanation - visibly collecting herself. "I'm actually free, now...I'm just done visiting, in fact." Her voice takes on a contemplative tone, as she lays a slim finger against her chin; "-But if you'd prefer meeting at the usual place...Well, that sounds fine, too."[ ] "Sure, I'll meet you there."[ ] "You were visiting someone? Who?"[ ] "...You look different - I almost didn't recognize you, at first."[ ] "-Why not come with me? I'd like you to meet my friends."[ ] Free. YOU HAVE CONTROL.
[ ] "You were visiting someone? Who?"[ ] "...You look different - I almost didn't recognize you, at first."[ ] "-Why not come with me? I'd like you to meet my friends."
>>20342576[X] "Sure, I'll meet you there.">"-Why not come with me? I'd like you to meet my friends."DO YOU SEE THIS? LET'S NOT DO THIS. The place where Hecate was heading off to before we stopped her is most likely marginally safer than this Hospital. I do want to speak with her at length, but it can wait a while longer.
>>20342576[X] "...You look different - I almost didn't recognize you, at first."But after seeing your beautiful face there could be no mistaking it.[X] "You were visiting someone? Who?"[X] "-Why not come with me? I'd like you to meet my friends."You don't have to if you don't want to. And should you meet normal people how do they see you? Do they see the horns?I actually was going to find one of my friends at the front, she's a bit late.
[x]Free (quests are a lot more fun when you make the runner work to get his story across)>"-But if you'd prefer meeting at the usual place...Well, that sounds fine, too.""Now that you mention it, I could use your help. I think that at least one, maybe more, of my friends is a Player. Since I don't want to challenge any of them to a duel to the death to find out who is what, would you mind accompanying me to see them? You don't have to stick around, just make a round trip to the door with me. Anyone that asks about you or notices you is a Player, or is involved somehow.I'm really sorry for asking this of you, but you are the only person I can turn to with a problem like this. After that, we do have things to talk about; namely that hybrid monster. Oh, and the Thief."Picture: Hermes from Persona 2. Could be another Player.
> [X] "You were visiting someone? Who?""...That would be *telling*~" Hecate teases, with a little laugh...But then her expression sobers, as she meets your gaze. "-I can't tell you more than that, Anon-kun. It's...a very, very old, very dear friend of mine, you could say." She bites her lip, her eyes going distant; Clearly, she doesn't really want to talk about it. "...The oldest." > [X] "...You look different - I almost didn't recognize you, at first." > [X] "But after seeing your beautiful face, there could be no mistaking it.""Flatterer," she giggles; Her pale hands pinching at the folds of her dress, turning slightly as if to show off the spotless fabric. "...This isn't what I usually wear - But for today, I wanted to look my very best." There's a faint smile on her lips as she glances at you, sidelong: "-You like it?"> [X] "-Why not come with me? I'd like you to meet my friends."Hecate makes a face; Her lips curling in a little pout. "...A, actually, about that...I'd prefer not t-">> 20342673>> You don't have to if you don't want to. And should you meet normal people how do they see you? Do they see the horns?She pauses, mid-sentence; "Oh, that's *different*, then. Hmmmm~" There's that contemplative note in her voice, again. "...It doesn't work *quite* like that - They *do* see the horns, they just think it's...It's, well, something else."Absently, Hecate's fingers run through her hair, as if only feeling their presence, now. "-I could try, but...I can't make any promises about how they'd respond; It's not a sure thing." (Continued)
> "I actually was going to find one of my friends at the front, she's a bit late."She arches a slim eyebrow at that. "-Really? I'm rather interested in meeting her, myself...">> "Oh, and the Thief." "...You've met the Thief?" she sounds curious, now; "-I didn't think he'd approach you...What did he want?"[ ] "He told me to give the 'Chalice Queen' my regards."[ ] "...I didn't really like him."[ ] "-He wanted my help, for some reason."[ ] "Wait, you *know* him? Is that how he knew who I was?"[ ] "-I thought he was kind of a dick, really. Is he always like that?"[ ] Free. YOU HAVE CONTROL.
>>20342782[X] "He told me to give the 'Chalice Queen' my regards."I'm guessing that you're the Chalice Queen, how'd you get that title?[X] "-He wanted my help, for some reason."He wants me to fetch him a fancy sword, Fatal Abyss, I never understood the fascination with swords myself.[X] "-I thought he was kind of a dick, really. Is he always like that?"
>>20342782[X] "He told me to give the 'Chalice Queen' my regards."[X] "-He wanted my help, for some reason."[X] "-I thought he was kind of a dick, really. Is he always like that?"
>>20342782"He *wanted* me to give him the Fatal Abyss. Called himself Phantom Edge's heir and told me to say hi to the Chalice Queen. Oh, and he had the Joker's Memory. I wanted to ask you about that; any idea what it is?""And before we get any farther, I ought to tell you that I've met the Black Joker. Seemed like a nice girl until the snuff dream. You know, I think a lot has happened since we last had a talk."
>>20342782[X] "I might get jealous if keep hearing tall, dark, mysterious assholes call you Chalice Queen. I suppose it can be overlooked, just this once. The bastard's more interested in phallic objects than the attention of a lovely specimen such as yourself."
>>20342834Whoops, forgot my trip, and to ask her if she knows any other luminaries beyond the Thief.
> [X] "He told me to give the 'Chalice Queen' my regards.">> 20342871> I'm guessing that you're the Chalice Queen, how'd you get that title?Hecate sighs, just a little - A long-suffering sound, as she paces on besides you, taking the staircase down the concourse. "...I keep telling him to stop calling me that..." she says, almost to herself - Before glancing back at you, her cheeks faintly flushed."-I didn't; Not really. He...Oh, the Thief sees things differently, I suppose. He believes that I'm...Well, you and I, at the very least - that we're 'inheritors'. That I'm the successor to the Chalice Queen's power...And you're just like the first Red Joker."There's a half-smile on her lips, as her slim shoulders lift in a little shrug. "...In *your* case, he may even be right." > [X] "-He wanted my help, for some reason."> He wants me to fetch him a fancy sword, Fatal Abyss, I never understood the fascination with swords myself.>> 20342834"...You mean he's still looking for that?" She shakes her head, just a little, as she turns the next floor. "Well, like I said...If he really wants to take over where Phantom Edge left off, he needs that sword. Otherwise, it's all just hot air.""Come to think of it..." There's a thoughtful note to her voice, now, as if something has just come to mind. "-That makes at least three of us, so far...That leaves two unaccounted for, besides Argent Prominence." (Continued)
>>20342834Hecate stops - So suddenly, you almost bump into her. "You what?" she says, sharply; All humor abruptly leeched from her voice. "-That's impossible. The Red Joker...The previous one, I meant, not you - He killed him, didn't he?" Then, more softly; "...I didn't even think he was real. More like a story, the kind you use to scare children..." She shivers, and it's not from the cold. > "You know, I think a lot has happened since we last had a talk.""...Clearly," she answers, beginning the descent once more.> "Oh, and he had the Joker's Memory. I wanted to ask you about that; any idea what it is?""...The Joker's Memory?" Hecate's words echo in the stairwell. "-It's the first I've heard of it, but...I've seen - and found - a lot of strange things. It's not impossible that he left *something* behind...If it's the real article, it's valuable beyond belief."She turns back to you, and you catch her smile, this time: "...Everyone wants a hero's memory, after all."Talking as you walk, you've reached the first level in record time - Enough to hear the white-noise murmur, the hiss of air-conditioned air beyond the doors. [ ] "...You're saying it may be real?"[ ] "-Can I trust the Thief to keep his end of the deal?"[ ] "You've worked with him before?"[ ] "How did he know who I was?"[ ] Free.YOU HAVE CONTROL.
>>20342985[X] "You've worked with him before?"[X] "-Can I trust the Thief to keep his end of the deal?"I trust the guy about as far as I can throw him, I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to stab me in the back 5 seconds after I got him his prize. The memory could even be a fake or he could have the real one but want to keep it for himself.[X] "How did he know who I was?"He knows more about me than I like, any clue how he found who I was?Honestly I'm not entirely sure I want the memory. The Old Joker was a hero but it feels a bit like I'm disturbing his rest if I did that, and I sincerely doubt that looking through his memories is going to be pleasant in the least, from what I know about him he had a hard life.
>>20342985"He believes that ...I'm the successor to the Chalice Queen's power.""Are you? And Argent Prominence will be represented by Chrome Cypher if the way I'm reading things is right. No clue who drew clubs in our new deck of cards.">"-That's impossible. The Red Joker...The previous one, I meant, not you - He killed him, didn't he?""Killed HIM yes. But if the Red Joker has an heir, it stands to reason that the Black does as well. She's our age, attends--or attended--Seisin. Name's Kotone. Dunno if you attend school, much less where, but I'd avoid following up on any rumors about the girl from there who went missing. Kind of a pity she's gunning for me, I think she knew my predecessor.""Ah, I think we have a problem. The Thief knows who I am. Any ideas how he figured it out?
>>20343055If I remember correctly Argent is still around. He's doing just fine.
>>20343069Apply the genre savvy. We know that Argent Prominence is leading a group of Players trying to find a better way around the games. We know that he's very well respected and is gunning for Joker. And we know that Chrome looks up to him.Now realize that we just got out of an encounter where a player was forcibly fused with a Corrector and Argent Prominence is suggested to be the responsible party. Broken pedestal inbound.
>>20343082True, Chrome/Kazuya could end up taking him down, and he's in a pretty respected position among the Argent Faction. He's pretty determined to do the right thing, get through this without having to all kill each other, so if things get revealed to him he's gonna stick a halberd through Argent's head or die trying.I wonder who inherited the mantle of the Black Cardinal.
> [X] "You've worked with him before?"> [X] "-Can I trust the Thief to keep his end of the deal?""Of course." Hecate seems surprised by the question, cupping her free hand; As if to recall the perfect orb of the Nihl Sphere, the odd, floating Relic you've seen her carry. "...He's the one who helped me find this, after all; Even now, I'm not even sure *why* he did it." Hecate takes a moment to mull over the second question; "-That, I'm not sure. As far as I know, he's never backed out of a deal...He keeps his word, when it comes to business. Whether I'd *trust* him, otherwise - What was that you said? 'As far as you could throw him?'" She nods, thoughtfully - "...That's an apt way of putting it. I do know, though, that he wants that sword more than *anything*...I have no idea why."> [X] "How did he know who I was?"> [X] "Ah, I think we have a problem. The Thief knows who I am. Any ideas how he figured it out?She shakes her head, no. "-The Thief was the one who told me about you," Hecate admits - Her eyes clouded, worried. "...Who you *really* were, I mean. Why he'd take so long to approach you, himself...I'm not sure.""My best guess - My very best - is that he's someone you know; Someone who's put all the pieces together. Unless he has a Relic that can do *that*, too...After all," and there's a faint amusement to her voice, now, "...He has one for every occassion. I don't know where he *finds* his toys..."(Continued)
>>20343055Hecate shakes her head, frowning; "'Kotone', you say? That's the first time I've heard that name...But I'll look into it. From what you're saying...I'm not sure *what* she may be - But anything to do with the Black Joker is always dangerous."She looks like she's about to say more, but quietens as you step from the stairwell, into the lobby beyond; At this time, with morning shading to afternoon, there's comparatively few people milling about, baring the occasional cab pulling up to - or driving away from - the hospital......And then you make out a flash of red hair, as Natsumi steps past the glass-panelled front doors, which shutter close with a hiss behind her. She's - oddly enough - still in her school uniform, clasping a three-tiered box; Her eyes light up when she sees you, and she waves."-Ah, Anon-kun~! Sorry for the wa- Oh."...Her pace slows slightly - Her expression going slightly doubtful - as her gaze settles on the girl at your side...Going back to you with a silent but palpable 'Who's that?'[ ] "Did you have any trouble on the way?"[ ] "Ah, I'm glad to see you; Kazuya was getting worried."[ ] "What's in the box?"[ ] "Oh, she's a friend of mine; Her name's..."- Make something up.- Hecate'.[ ] Free.YOU HAVE CONTROL
>>20343129And the scales tip back to Akira. He knew who we were before we met Eri/Mio and passed it on to Hecate so that makes it being Eri/Mio less likely.I theorize that he brought a duffel bag to the Relic version of Costco and filled it up. My real guess is that he finds dying Players with Relics and either steals them or trades them in exchange for helping them out. Or he just dumps all of the upgrade points into more Relics.>>20343148Start by letting Hecate introduce herself, we don't if she wants to use a fake name or not, and if so which one she wants to use. [X] "Did you have any trouble on the way?"[X] "Ah, I'm glad to see you; Kazuya was getting worried."[X] "What's in the box?"
>My best guess - My very best - is that he's someone you know; Someone who's put all the pieces together.We can pretty well rule Akira out. It could be Akari. That'd be a twist.>>20343148Again, I shouldn't feel this smug. Doesn't recognize Hecate, so Thief is unlikely."Hey Natsumi, Akira's fine. This is... (to Hecate) I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name? She's visiting someone here same as us, and we were talking on the way down."At last a real(?) name for Hecate.
>>20343176I already posted>>20343170But introducing Hecate as someone we just met kind of shoots the plan to introduce her to the rest of our social group in the foot. Also we were thinking of taking her with us to the double-date with Kazuya and Natsumi and this kills that.
>>20343176Whoops, I meant Asuna.Poor Natsumi. She was probably the childhood friend love interest but we forced the issue and hooked her up with her second option without a second thought. I'm so proud /tg/ feels the same way about this character type that I do.
>>20343170>>20343176>>20343195>>20343199(I'm sorry, gentlemen - I'd love to continue, but the cold/sore throat drugs are beginning to kick in, and I'm not feeling very good. Apologies for the long delay, but would you mind if I end this session here? I really like the illuminating - and flat-out inspired - posts I've received, so far; I'll love to continue either tomorrow (If I've recovered by then) or on the next session, Sunday.Once again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and I hope you had fun.)
>>20343195Not... exactly. Turns out she's not really invisible like we thought, just kind of isn't noticed unless you're paying attention. We're trying to score a reaction from our friends to see who the Players are. Natsumi hasn't mentioned anything that would mark her as a Player.Introducing her as someone we just met actually works really well. Any Players would get uncomfortable at how close we seem with Hecate, and the Thief unless s/he is a Hollywood actor will probably startle at seeing us together. Of course finding out that the Thief is the one who pointed us out to Hecate makes that less likely, but we're hoping for the best.
>>20343213Accursed sickness, keeping us from hard earned answers! Of course you're free to and encouraged to relax some if you're sick, but do you think you could manage a short post as a wrap-up?
>>20343213Take it easy, op. Have a good rest, and we'll see you next time. Eagerly anticipating the harem hijinks to follow.
>>20343238(Alas, but I think it'd best be left for next time - I really need to crash for now. I'll include the follow-up in the next opening post; Picking up right from where we left off.)
>>20343213It's understandable, real life takes priority over quests.>>20343224I'm pretty sure Natsumi isn't a Player, if she was she would have showed up alongside Cypher on the train a while back. There's Kazuya who is Chrome Cypher. Akira who if he's the Thief already knows both of us and that we know each other and if he isn't the Thief he probably isn't a Player. There isn't much to be gained by acting like we don't know her and if we act like that we can't take her out on a double date or explain bringing her along with us to Akira's hospital room.
>>20343248Pity.Ah well, let the speculation and waifu war commence.>>20343255Well, we SUSPECT strongly based on previous evidence that Kazuya is Chrome and Akira is the Thief, because of their respective personalities. But one of the oldest tricks in GMing is to have the disreputable character secretly be the hero and the close friend be the villain. Part of it is the sick pleasure of upending expectations, but part of it is to remind players that snap judgments are never based on all the facts. Getting confirmation on whether or not Akira is the Thief WILL be useful in the future.And we can still double date with the rainbow loligoth, we just tell our friends we hit it off well. Make sure to get Hecate's cell number this time.
>get caught up>OP leaves due to problemsAh, not like you guys don't have this game locked down.Just got a few questions to ask OP.
>>20343356Might as well leave 'em here, as food for thought. I keep thinking there's something I'm missing, though things seem so obvious.
>>20343297We already told Kazuya that we had a lady in mind when we last talked about the double-date. It'd make us out to be rather skeevy and so on if we say that now we're going out with some girl we met at the hospital. We need to keep our story consistent.Also I'm pretty damn sure Kazuya is Chrome, I'm not sure about the Thief but there's way too much evidence pointing at Kazuya and Chrome being the same person.
SureMainly I've been wondering if we can 'request' a weapon from evol when we level up.Because we have NO mêlée other than "try to punch things".Can't remember my other questions right now.Also, since we zone out for a fight, it is possible Mio is Thief. She is good and I don't think she would normally get hit by the ball.We also need to see what people look like when their mind goes to the Red world. It could possibly go on autopilot if you're gone too long.
>>20343533It really seems like autopilot. We were clearly standing perfectly still at the concert, when kurosu took a dive. Akira and kazuya didn't notice anything wrong while we were on the rooftop fighting striker.
>>20343554>strikerWhy can I not remember this one?The fight on the train our body was motionless.I think a lot of stuff outside of battles are whim of narative.
>>20343533We honestly seem to have a set 'build'. So far, Force only upgraded our weapons. EVOL gave us Funnels from Gundam, which have been fairly useful.
>>20343607That's a possibility, but the premise remains: no-one noticed anything out of the ordinary. We were still physically in the real world, so to speak.
FUCKING REMEMBER NOWCan't relics be brought into the real world?I'm pretty sure they can from the Kurosu fight.We should get our bitchin' shroud in both worlds.Also, Hecate said her small outfit was a relic and that's why she wears it so much. Dubious truth to that, though; The girl seems to like feeling embarrassed.
>>20343652I think it's only destroyed relics. the joker found a shard from the rocker's guitar, and we have a knife that is apparently made from our old armor.
>>20343652My degenerate guess is that hecate's actually a guy. Hence why she enjoys showing off so much, and never reveals her real form. Probably wrong, though.
>>20343684Oh god, it would be fucking horrible if that was true.>>20343652That is actually a pretty awesome idea.
>>20343667The effects of the guitar were showing up in the real world.We shunted ourself into the Red world because his guitar was giving us a horrible headache, if I remember correctly.And again, Hecate said her outfit was a relic. Which implies she has to have it on her in the Normal world to have it in the Red world. But Hecate is a little strange.Either way, we should ATTEMPT to manifest our shroud as a jacket in the Normal world.Then switch to the Red world to make sure we still have it there as well.Just a little extra protection in the Normal world as well.
>>20343533Mio being Thief is definitely possible but it clashes with Hecate saying that Thief was the one who told her about us as we didn't meet Mio until after that point. Possible but Hecate's theory that it's someone who knows us and put together the dots still seems more likely.>>20343733We should see about doing that, even if only so we get a bitching duster in the "real" world. Though concerning Hecate and her wearing Relics outside the Red World, she's one hell of an anomaly. If we consider the fact that she has the Key or the Eye which lets her go anywhere and unlock anything her method of transport between the normal world and the red world may differ from normal and explain some things. Also her appearance differs from every other competitor which might be part of why she looks the same in the normal world and the red world.
>>20343987Hecate doesn't know who our friends are, so Mio would just have to stalk us and pretend to Hecate that we are friends. Which could be why she chose the Papillion (she thinks we know people there).We don't normally go duster in the Normal world, only when we need the protection.We keep in normally as a jacket or sweatshirt or similar.That would be badass. Have our jacket over our arm, someone says gonna fuck you up, unfurl coat which is suddenly BITCHIN' DUSTER.This would only not get us killed in fiction, but would get our girls a little more enamored with us.Really, I don't think anyone can hate a person who can make their clothes scene appropriate.
>>20344096We never interacted with her before the Papillion which makes explaining how she knew who we are difficult. The level of stalking she'd need to pull off unnoticed and the likelihood of Hecate mentioning our "friend" would make that an iffy strategy.I think Hecate had her own reasons for choosing the Papillion, maybe she just likes the place. Her dress sense seems to be somewhat inspired by the place which points towards her liking the place for her own reasons. Maybe she once worked there.
>>20344191Well hasn't Hecate only admitted to knowing we're the Red Joker?For all we know that's all SHE knows, unless I'm wrong and she's admitted something bigger.How does one even go about going beyond a hunch of Red/Normal world identity connection?Wouldn't the only way to prove it be to ask the person? Even that has the problem of them lying or not being in it and thinking you mean something else.This is of course just thoughts.
>>20344323Well you can build up piles of circumstantial evidence and push the probability closer, but not quite, to 100%. Them being at the same place as their red self, being tired/injured right after the red self got injured. Dying right after red self got offed, though this one isn't that helpful. As for Hecate, she knows all sorts of things, some of which she is literally unable to tell us. She knows we're Anon and Red Joker, she knows much of the competition, she's an enigma, wrapped in a mystery and served alongside some anomaly pancakes.
>>20344363Yeah, Hecate is like a four dimensional rubics cube. We will have much difficulty solving her.Also, she reminds me of Hayate. Mainly because the name.The other Hayate, definitely not the one you're thinking of.I'm a fan of the Nanoha series.
>>20344363We do know one or two things about her now. The person she's visiting in the hospital is probably the previous Chalice Queen. And she's been interested in the Red Joker for a long time. Hard to say what her interest is exactly, but it seems like some kind of hero worship.Right now I'm interested in finding out who's taking over for Black Cardinal. He's a character we haven't heard anything about.
I just thought.We should talk to people about the Red world that we think are in it.If they don't know and ask what it is, we just say it's a new MMO in closed beta.Using that, we can tell people that's how we met Hecate.Basically completely true all the way through.We do seem to have a habit of using computers anyways.
I'm late, but I don't think the Thief is that much of a dick, just practical. Certainly not enough of one to refuse to cooperate with him like a little child.
>>20343176>>My best guess - My very best - is that he's someone you know; Someone who's put all the pieces together.>We can pretty well rule Akira out.What bizarro universe are you posting from?Also, let's go with letting Hecate introduce herself. Hopefully she'll pretend to be a friend/gf of ours, but whatever.
>>20346366Yeah, and let's hope she says we're JUST friends.We have a theory that Natsumi likes us, and we don't need anything affecting that before we can confirm or deny and deal with it if it is true.
>>20346635Because letting her think we're availible is so much better.
>>20346802It's one way or the other, man.Do you have an idea of what an actually good way would be?Also we haven't decided we want to be with Hecate yet, anyways. We don't need rumors we are with her if we decide to go with someone else.
>>20346366He's in the hospital for breathing gas. Unless you think he walked into the now-lethal school to give himself a non-fatal exposure that knocks him unconscious and on pure oxygen for a day...Mio is actually more suspicious. I've taken hits to the head in tennis and they don't really K.O. you. I mean theoretically it could, if say you defaulted on a Red World duel. And there's the fact that Mio wasn't hospitalized despite being asleep in the school. Victorious players aren't effected by the loser's punishment. The problem is that Mio doesn't know us well, unless she's been stalking us for longer than Hecate has Red Joker, or is one of those forgotten friend types.
>>20347224Hecate is a fan and has only been avidly watching our matches, she didn't know who the Red Joker was.Mio could have been stalking Anon and also been stalking Red Joker, then put it together from both being in the same place just about always.There isn't much precedent to suspect we're the Red Joker if you don't look for it, I don't think.
>>20347224>>20347432Wait, no.Akira fits, since he's a friend and thus probably around us enough.Also, he could have gone to somewhere that wouldn't be effected by the gas and huffed some himself. We have little knowledge on what happened right now.For all we know Akira is a master strategist.Can someone have more than one armor and name? We do have the knife made of our own armor, so it doesn't disappear if you switch, apparently.It could even be a third party that set it up so we would only think it was one of them.
>>20347224Actually, yes, I do. Not to mention he was already inside the school.That aside, I thought you were disqualifying Akira based on him not fitting the criteria you quoted, which would be retarded.
Next time the Thief gives us shit about our "rushing in," "having a weakness for the pretty ones," or for "being naive" we should directly compare all the things that happened as a result of Joker's "rushing in" and "trusting" people, to the Thief's own "suspicion" and "planning."We extended some trust in a “pretty girl,” Hecate, and as a result she… helped us remove a horrible curse that would have killed us in a few more fights. And at the same time got us a strong upgrade. And the backed-up XP let us reach and unlock a powerful weapon.Our “trusting nature” meant we made a good team alongside Chrome Cypher in the fight. And potentially gave us a contact or ally of some sort, or at least got some respect.Our “rushing in” to the battle against the Corrector, resulted in us killing a powerful enemy that could have wreaked a lot of havoc and killed even more people. Instead, we finished it off sooner than it would have otherwise been killed.We also suspect that a random act of kindness to a pretty face led to us getting a pass from the Black Joker, or maybe getting some insight or lead on who/what the Black Joker is.
>>20350233Thief’s “suspicion” and “planning” in arranging his first meeting with us, led to him having to hold a BOMB and needing to use the threat of a dead-man trigger ‘just in case.’ If he knew us directly, if he was Akira like we suspect, he could have just come directly, openly, to us and just ASKED.His “xanatos gambit” bullshit in trying to throw us off the trail by ditching his cellphone, led to Reiko picking it up and then led directly to that fight. A fight which resulted in a schoolmate of ours dead (Reiko) and many students injured.And where was his “thinking ahead” when he shot Reiko? Wasn’t it OBVIOUS how we would have reacted to that? Why didn’t he come up with one of his “plans” there and reason “I need to quickly tell Joker that she is still extremely dangerous AND that we cannot do anything to help, at all, beyond giving her a mercy kill. I need to tell him this BEFORE I just shoot her without an explanation. It would help if I showed a bit of sympathy or regret while saying this, so I don’t come off as a douche.”
>>20350257To recap: our rushing ahead and giving people some trust, led to us getting cured of a horrible curse, getting a powerup, getting a friend and a date, possibly saving people from the giant Corrector, and a successful teamup with Chrome Cypher against said Corrector.Thief’s “plans” led to his first meeting ending with him holding a suicide bomb, and his second meeting with us hating his guts, distrusting him, and spitefully promising to screw him over. Also it led to students at the school being hurt, and Thief himself in traction.Our “rushing in” only blew up when we ran into THIEF’S plans. Wile E. Coyote, super genius, types of plans.
>>20350264Probably phrase it more simply. Something like:"... Really? How's that paranoia worked out for you, Thief? Fucked up your first meeting, got a student killed and others injured, pissed me off severely. You also lost your temper and gave yourself away with your personal comments.I got a friend, a date, a cure to a curse, a powerful upgrade, fought alongside a quasi-stranger effectively--we kicked ass!-- and put an end to a massive monster."
>>20350264We should ask him how he sees the things we've done so far as 'bad' as well. So we can see his train wreck of logic.Just want to ask, what do you think of my MMO cover idea?
>>20350352>train wreck of logicNot necessarily. He's just more practical than us.That said, arguing about philosophies would make for a pretty interesting team dynamic. For my part, I'll add that we also aren't necessarily doing this for pretty faces. We'll help anybody.
>>20350352It'll make a good cover if we're wrong about somebody being a player, but it's still suspicous. I still wouldn't ask anybody unless we were pretty sure.On another note, am I correct in remembering that Kazuya was giving Natsumi a ride into town during the earthquake?
>>20350798Yeah, I realized after I posted one response could simply be "The COULD have ended badly; VERY badly."Which we would counter with "Except none of them did, consistently; They even ended well." of course.
>>20350845That's what I meant:"What are you talking about?""Sorry, I thought you got an invitation to this MMO I've been playing."Something along those lines.No spouting about it all the time or anything.I believe he said he was going to pick her up.
