Today's magic number, by the way, is 3.

scout

>>25840097
I don't trust that entrance. Too many bad memories. Send out Ami to scout for a better location.

>>25840097

>[] Send someone out to scout the area for a better location, someplace more level and maybe near fresh water (specify who to send)

Send Mami.

>>25840197
>>25840191

I was going to say send a twin, so yeah.

>>25840191
>>25840197
>>25840296

Or send both. They're handle themselves together, better.

>>25840097
"Alright girls, I know you're all probably ready to make camp for the night, but right here is not the place to do it. Ami, Mami, take a look around the area, see if you can find us someplace reasonably flat and level, ideally next to a stream or something."

With jaunty cries of acknowledgement, the twins head out into the hilly woods.

"And no pranks!", you call after them.

Finding a decently flat spot, you set the stretcher down and take a seat to wait for the twins to come back. Miki sits down a couple yards away, staring daggers at you the whole half hour or so until the twins return.

"We found a spot, Nii-chan!"
"Yeah, with a stream and everything!"
"Come on, this way!"

They lead you through the trees to a clearing with a small stream running along one side. There's a bit of a slope still, but it's probably the best you'll be able to find before the sun goes down.

Finally, after getting your tents set up, a fire going, and yourselves cleaned up in the stream, you're ready to turn in for the night.

>[] Set a watch order (specify)
>[] Don't worry about setting a watch -- everyone's exhausted anyway, and with the nearest cavern entrance sealed you should be safe

>>25840502

>[x] Set a watch order (specify)

Miki + Producer, Producer, Ami, Haruka, Mami, Yukiho.

Miki will want to do with producer to make sure he doesn't do shit.

>>25840502
[x] Set a watch order
Miki and P-san, Ami, Yukiho, Mami, Haruka

>>25840502
Better safe than sorry.

>>25840612
This would be a pretty good order. At any rate, we need to patch things up with Miki if she's to ever trust us again.

>>25840502
You're tempted to do without a watch tonight and just let everyone rest up, but even with the cavern entrance sealed that's probably not a good idea.

You offer to share the first watch with Miki like you did the previous night, followed by Ami, Haruka, Mami, and finally Yukiho for the last watch. Miki agrees readily to the shared shift, insisting that she wouldn't trust you to keep watch by yourself.

You figured as much.

The others retire to their tents, leaving you and Miki by the fire with the unconscious girl on the stretcher. Long minutes pass in awkward silence as Miki glares at you sullenly, not taking her eyes off you for a moment.

>[] Say something to try to get some conversation going. You won't get anywhere at rebuilding trust without a little dialogue. (specify what to say)
>[] Let her stew. She'll get over it eventually, best not to press the issue.

>>25840840
[x] Say something
"I'm sorry."

>>25840893
This. Simple things are the best.

>>25840840
"You're right to be mad at me. If you hate me for the rest of your life, that's fine. But we need to focus on our current situation."

>>25840893
This.

Specifically, "I'm sorry I lied to you."

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>>25840840

>[] Say something to try to get some conversation going. You won't get anywhere at rebuilding trust without a little dialogue. (specify what to say)

Jeebus hell, what to say.... Hmm....

Point out old weak spots in his armour and equipment, little slip ups in technique that P-San tends to do, deficiencies in combat and habits.

When she starts asking why tell her P-San trusts her to do what she must and that should give her enough of an edge.

This should confuse her enough for the hostileness to ebb abit and for more questions on P-San's past and her feelings on this whole thing.

>>25840938
Chihya is a wise puchi.

>>25840893

I think we should also add something like,

"Sorry won't make it up completely, but I'll gain your trust through my actions. Just keep an eye out for me."

Sometimes people value actions more than sorry.

>>25840938

[x] Do this

It's not like we have not already apologised to the girls. Saying sorry again won't add anything.

>>25840840
You look Miki square in the eye.
"I'm sorry."

The blonde narrows her gaze. "Liar."

"I won't deny that. I lied to you, and I'm sorry for that. I know those words alone aren't nearly enough, but I swear that this, at least, is true."

"Hmph." She looks away with a dismissive toss of her head.

"You're right to be mad at me. If you hate me for the rest of your life, that's fine. But right now, don't you think we should focus on the more immediate issues?"

"Like the fact our Producer is a lying, evil murderer?"

Her words cut deep, and though you open your mouth to retort, nothing comes to mind. Silence falls upon you once again, broken for a time only by the crackling of the fire and the calls of various wildlife.

"You know, Lem always told me if you watch my right foot, you can tell whether I'm actually going for the attack or just feinting."

Miki turns to you with a puzzled look.

"And I have a tendency to always lead with a shield bash when I charge in. If you step toward my sword side, it tends to put me off by a bit."

You continue for awhile, describing the weaknesses in your fighting style, habits that can be exploited against you. Finally, Miki interjects.

"What are you talking about?"

>cont

>>25841264
"Well, you don't trust me, right? And that's perfectly fair -- to be honest, I don't quite trust myself right now either. But I trust you to do what needs done if I...lose myself again. And I figured I'd at least give you some tips so you'll have a bit of an edge when that happens."

Her look softens just a smidgen. "Producer, that--"

She cuts short as both of you hear a rustling in the bushes at the edge of the camp. You both snap to look at it, hands reaching for your weapons.

>Roll

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Rolled 14

>>25841289

Dammit! Stop ruining the mood, goblins!

Rolled 1

Nice way to incorporate all the lines there.

>>25841289

Rolled 5

>>25841289

Puchi?

Rolled 12

>>25841289
Oh boy, here we go.

>>25841289
oh boy time to die

>>25841313
Well, that's nice for a change.

>>25841313
Stay on guard regardless.

>>25841313

Yukipo confirmed for bush racoon.

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>>25841289
>>25841313
From the bushes emerges a rather peculiar creature. It appears to be basically humanoid, standing roughly two feet tall...though you wonder how it can stand at all. Its head makes up easily half its total height, and must be two thirds or more of its body weight.

It's quite bizarre looking, but...also very cute.

It also bears an uncanny resemblance to your current watch partner, having a bushy mane of similarly unkempt blonde hair. It even has the same little lock sticking up from behind the bangs.

The strange creature makes an inquisitive-sounding vocalization.
"Nano?"

You clench your fist, mustering every fiber of your willpower to resist the urge to rush over and scoop the thing up in a big bear hug. It's absolutely adorable, no two ways about it...but it's not like anything you've ever seen before, and in your career as an adventurer you've learned that most new and unfamiliar critters tend to be dangerous. Even the harmless-looking ones. Especially the harmless-looking ones.

>What do?

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Rolled 15

>>25841683

Lure it with a rice ball ration.

See how it reacts and then catch it by the nape of the neck if it goes for it.

>>25841683
Give food.

Please.

>>25841683
See if you can get its attention with some food.

>>25841729
Oh, and try to pat its head while it's distracted.

>>25841683
Nothing. Watch it for now.

>>25841683
>Afuu
ALERT THE PARTY AND ASSEMBLE BATTLE FORMATION

>>25841683
[x] Diplomacy through food.

Rolled 18

>>25841683
Clearly it is a strange new demon, come to possess your mortal frame. Focus your mind by reciting the Litany of the Hero.

Uh oh, the DM may have died.

aww man the Afu ate him

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>>25841683
You rummage in your pack and pull out a bit of trail bread from your rations, extending it cautiously toward the creature. It inches forward a bit, sniffing the air with interest, but remains near the bushes. "Nano?"

Miki asks, "Producer, what is that?"

"I have no idea," you reply as you toss the bit of bread midway between you and the creature. It bounds forward, picking the bread up with oddly hand-less arms and eating it greedily.

"Afuu!" The creature lets out what sounds like a satisfied sigh as it finishes eating, and begins to move about the camp, sniffing eagerly. It slowly makes its way over to Miki's pack and begins pawing at the flaps. "Nano..."

"Haha, looks like it wants more food, huh Miki?"

The creature quickly succeeds in opening Miki's pack and dives inside.

"Hey, get out of there! That's my stuff, nano!"

The creature emerges shortly with an onigiri.

"Hey! I was saving that! You can't have it!"

Miki reaches to snatch the onigiri away from the creature, but it springs nimbly out of reach. Miki gives chase, and soon chaos erupts as the creature leads Miki on a wild romp about the camp.

"Hey, watch out!", you warn. "There's a half-dead girl on the ground here, you know!"

Soon heads begin poking heads out from the tent flaps, first the twins, then Haruka, then finally Yukiho, peering about blearily to find out the source of the commotion.

You should probably do something to restore order here soon...

>What do?

>>25842160
[x] SLAY THE FELL BEAST... with more food, placed strategically to lure it into a trap.

>>25842160
yukiho

hold them with rocks

or maybe the twins can think of something binding

>>25842160

Isn't Afuu attracted to the smell of D?

Do something manly to attract it's attention.

>>25842160
Eat Miki's onigiri.

>>25842160
"Go back to sleep, girls, nothing to worry about," you say as you grab Miki's bedroll from her pack. You hold the bedroll out in front of you, ready to wrap the critter up in it next time it goes by.

Soon, your moment of opportunity arrives. You lunge forward, flinging the bedroll out...

>Roll

Rolled 3

>>25842550

Rolled 6

>>25842550

>Bedding Afuu

I mean I'm not opposed....

Rolled 16

>>25842550

Rolled 17

>>25842550
rollin

Rolled 6

>>25842550
once/if we catch it

we sell it to the local beast tamer in town

>>25842598
Onigiri is a goner.

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Rolled 6

>>25842598

>Puchi failing at catching a Puchi

I... wut?

>>25842598
Damn son.

>>25842598

At least its not a 20.

Can see P-San diving headfirst into the girl's tent...

Actually I do want to see that...

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>>25842550
>>25842598
...and just barely missing the critter by a hair, instead catching Miki in the bedroll. Having planned on catching something much smaller, you aren't properly braced to handle Miki's momentum and the two of you go tumbling to the ground in a heap. You find yourself sprawled on top of her, both of you somewhat tangled in the open bedroll. Luckily, you didn't fall on either the fire or the girl on the stretcher.

"Producer, what are you doing?! Get off me!"

You scramble to extract yourself from the bedding so you can let Miki up. "Ah, um, sorry. I was just trying to catch the--"

"Aah! It's eating it! It's eating my onigiri!"

Sure enough, you see that the critter is happily devouring the rice ball just out of reach, murmuring cheerfully as it scarfs down every last morsel.
"Afuu!" It lets out a contented sigh, having finished its meal.

"You shouldn't eat other people's food, nano." Miki scoots closer to the critter, jabbing an accusing finger at it.

"Nano?" The critter cocks its head at her, then clambers up into her lap. "Nano!"

"H-hey! What's the big idea?"

>[] Looks like it likes you
>[] Want me to take it off your hands?
>[] Ok, this is maybe a bit much. That thing's still a wild animal, we should send it off back into the woods where it belongs.

>>25842978
>[x] Looks like it likes you

D'aww.

>>25842978
Ok, this is maybe a bit much. That thing's still a wild animal, we should send it off back into the woods where it belongs.

>[] Looks like it likes you

Rolled 8

>>25842978
>[x] Looks like it likes you

Must. Keep. All. Puchis.

>>25842978

[x] looks like i likes you.

And why was that post deleted?

>>25843091
Probably in an attempt to negate the roll. But considering the post after it was a 16, it was for naught.

>>25842978

>[x] Looks like it likes you

>>25843091
>>25843112

Wasn't me. I got blocked, in lieu of a ban.

Why report, though...

>>25842978
"Haha, looks like it likes you, Miki!"

"B-but, but it, it's..."

"Nano?" The critter cranes its neck to look up and back at Miki, still perched in her lap.

"Well...I guess it's alright, nano. Even if it did steal my onigiri."

Now that the critter is close by and holding still, you notice something very peculiar about it: it appears to be wearing clothing. A tiny little shirt and tiny little pants, of a very peculiar style. Quite the strange little thing, this creature. In fact, you almost wonder...

>[] Touch it with a bit of iron. Strange, almost surreal sort of creature like this, it could be some manner of elf magic or fey being
>[] Nah, it's probably nothing

>>25843329

>[x] Touch it with a bit of iron. Strange, almost surreal sort of creature like this, it could be some manner of elf magic or fey being

>>25843329
>>[] Touch it with a bit of iron

If you kn... no, make it just ordinary iron.

Rolled 16

>>25843329
>[x] Touch it with a bit of iron.

FOR SCIENCE!

>>25843329
>[x] Touch it with a bit of iron

BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY

>>25843308
You're using an avatar.

It also looks like you're evading if that's the case.

>elves
>iron

It isn't gonna hurt her?

>>25843329
Iron...you need some iron...

You know you have the dagger, but that probably wouldn't be the best idea right now. Even aside from Miki's current distrust toward you, there's also the risk of accidentally cutting the critter. You must have something else...

Aha! The pitons! Taking one from your pack, you hold it by the shaft, extending the eye end toward the critter.

"Producer? What are you doing?"

"Just making sure of something..."

"Nano?" The critter looks at the piton inquisitively. It prods at the piton inquisitively with one arm.

Well, it doesn't seem to be bothered by the iron. Looks like you can rule out any sort of elven or otherwise fey connection, then. That's good.

"What was that about?" Miki asks.

"Making sure it wasn't some sort of fey. Really odd stuff like this often is, and with fey you never know when something apparently harmless will turn out to be bad news. But fey always have issues with iron, and this little critter didn't seem to mind it at all, so I guess it's not any sort of fey then."

As you continue your watch, the odd creature curls up to sleep in Miki's lap. Miki's attitude seems to have softened considerably with the events of the critter's arrival; while she still maintains a suspicious attitude toward you, the contempt and bitterness that formerly undergirded it has evaporated. It might take some time for you to fully regain her trust, but at least it looks like she doesn't outright hate you anymore.

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>>25843907
The remainder of your shift passes uneventfully, and soon enough it's time for the next watch. Miki, though noticably groggy toward the end of your shift, manages to stay awake until the end. As you go to wake Ami up for her shift, Miki gently pushes the strange critter off her lap and shuffles off to her tent. The critter takes a few moments to wake up, and at first looks around, apparently slightly upset at being unable to find where Miki went. However, upon seeing you lying down next to the fire and wrapping yourself in your cloak to sleep (your tent material being used for the makeshift stretcher, and your bedroll for keeping the girl warm), the critter makes its way over to you instead. It lays down next to you, using your body like a pillow, and as you drift off to sleep you give its oversized head an absent-minded pet or two.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And that'll be it for tonight. A bit earlier than usual, but this seems like a good stopping point, and I'm feeling a bit "afuu" myself at the moment. As always, feedback is welcome and I'd be happy to answer any questions anyone has.

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>>25844236

Thanks for running, QM~

Will the Puchis be able to follow us on assignments or are they basically pets that run amok back home?

>>25844236
It was good. Afuu is hnnngh...

Rest well.

>>25844236
Thank god we're getting somewhere with Miki. Was pretty worried about her trust level. Also we got ourselves a new and adorable party member now.

>>25844295
Puchis will be able to come on quests. A good number of them even in-canon have capabilities more or less appropriate for adventuring, and those that don't will be given appropriate tweaking for the quest. Generally just a matter of ratcheting up physical capabilities that they already display, though Chihya will probably have some manner of sonic blast attack.

>>25844236
>>25844396
or we can give her metal gauntlets for headpat attacks

Most excellent.

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>>25844396

Will we eventually find out the source of these mysterious dopple-spawns?

>>25844589
Maybe.

>>25844589
not even normal puchi explains these origins
>>25844861
...its peppermint sticks isnt it?

Thread is archived.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=iM%40S+Fantasy+Quest

Ah, damn my schedule. I missed something fun again. Oh well.