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>>28874286

HOLLOW SUN: 48.9%

http://pastebin.com/eWiyHevy

RED COMET GUIDE:

http://pastebin.com/7vzY4Zp2

UPDATES:
- Updated description of the Red Joker armour.
- Updated details of the Carnifex.

(Gentlemen - I've received some queries regarding the purpose of the Tachyon Reactor retrieved in the previous instalment. The Tachyon Reactor can be used - At the Hollow Sun - to create one of the following Relics.)

http://pastebin.com/ZjQNZucy

>>28874354

>that infinity booster

Good god. Does want.

I'm really liking the Moros. That is absolutely nasty. Eos is incredible against anything with a shield, which most late-game Players seem to have. The Infinity Booster is yet another alternative source of energy to supplement our already highly utilized Cobalt Booster. And the Aeon Scrander seems redundant now. Although, our Tempest might have trouble with our improved reflexes what with us finally upgrading our Carnifex.

And then the mystery option. Hmm.. Everyone loves mysteries.

Our logical choice should be the Infinity Booster. It's yet another force multiplier. Plus we can stack it's charge on top of the Boosters charge when we use the Carnifex's secondary function.

>>28874501

The Exitus Bits seem INCREDIBLY good, too. That is an absurd amount of firepower.

>>28874514

Yeah, actually having proper Funnels would be stellar. I'm mainly worried that if we invest in the Bits themselves, if they are destroyed, we lose them permanently. That's a hell of an upgrade down the tubes when we could have gotten the cheaper, and more cost effective upgrade from the Joker Cave. Plus we do not know how intelligent they are. We know they're bigger...

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>>28874514

STAGE: TIR NA NÓG

From far, far above the red world - From Cybele's artificial paradise - you watch the storm break. Even from here, you can hear the huge wind rearing up from time-lost Cocytus: The sound of the atmosphere caving in, birthing a blistering, rushing belt of wind that lashes across the skies, frothing waves of pitch-black cloud swirling in ominous motion.

The eye of the hurricane, beneath you: A seething spike of smoke-light spearing towards the heavens - A column of wretched, awful illumination, with the actinic radiance of a second sun. The swirling vortex of cloud engulfs it, expanding outwards like ripples across a pond: Roiling, churning with a furious momentum, a spreading stain across the crimson skies below.

Across Cybele's demense, great storm-shutters slam into place - Your view of the world beneath darkening, replaced with a vision of a perpetual autumn sky. The illusion is an imperfect one; Static flickers across the horizon, patches of visual distortion fuzzing and cohering...

Limbless, your armour smoking with boiling vapour, your remaining hand digging into the yielding not-earth, all you can do is watch.

"Joker-kun!" Cybele's kimono rustles - Her sandals scuffing against the grass - as she goes to her knees by your side: There's a kind of silent terror in her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration, slender fingers steepled together above you. Her palms tremble, as she inhales, sharply - The faintest hint of a glow gathering around her, dispersing downwards into you...

(Continued)

>>28874286
>Delivering the final shard of the Fatal Abyss into the hands of TOTENAZ.

Weee. Fun times ahead.

>>28874354
The MOROS looks like the most fun, but the Exitus Bits are tempting...
Is 6 a wildcard or is it just incomplete?

>>28874514
First rule of Guyver: If you get an upgrade, it's because somethign bigger is about to eat you.

>>28874547

"Nnnn-"

Her breath catches. The colour drains from her face, as she trembles with silent effort - Your limbs begin to sketch themselves back into existence, the glowing green lines of schematics burning bright and neon at the periphery of your vision.

[ ] "-Cybele, *stop.* You'll hurt yourself."
[ ] "I'm all right - Don't worry about me."
[ ] "What's happening down there?"
[ ] "You have to send me back."
[ ] "Can you show me the Thief?"
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28874561
>[ ] "I'm all right - Don't worry about me."
>[ ] "What's happening down there?"

So does the INFINITY BOOSTER replace the Gnosis Engine or is it a separate power source?

>>28874585
>>28874546

(My apologies, to clarify: The Exitus bits would replace your current Rifle bits, but they regenerate at the beginning of each fight.)

>>28874553

(The last item will take the Hollow Sun slightly longer to process - A day or two.)

>>28874501

(A quick clarification: The Infinity Booster actually *replaces* the Cobalt Booster system. It's one or the other - However, you can convert it back into the Cobalt Booster at the Hollow Sun...Or vice-versa, allowing you to alternate between the two.

Notably, the Infinity Booster does not work with the Gnosis Engine upgrade. It doesn't gradually regenerate charge - It functions under it's own unique properties, and has to be upgraded separately. Also, it has a capacity of 100%, compared to the Cobalt Booster's 150%)

>>28874561

Grab her hand in your remaining one and shaker her.

"Cybelle. *Stop*. Calm down. I'm fine. I'm fine! You're going to hurt yourself more than you'll help! Did you not entrust your Emblem to me? Look. We don't have a lot of *time*. He's going to get himself killed if I- we don't stop him."

"Now *slowly* heal my legs so I can actually move about again. I'll work on the upper torso."

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>tfw I just finished reading all the previous episodes in the archives
>tfw I had no choice in any of the paths
>Everyone was going full retard doing and picking stupid fucking shit
>Went for the cosplay slut the fucking SECOND Hecate died
I am STILL fucking mad as all Hell.

>>28874619

Ah, alright then. I had made the assumption it was integrated alongside the Booster.

...

Hmm.. stick it in GARM. What could possibly go wrong?

What are our options for uncovering the mystery relic it crafts into?

>>28874561
[X] "-Cybele, *stop.* You'll hurt yourself."

"Cybele, calm down. If you keep on going at this rate you'll pass out, and that won't help either of us.

Take your time, I'll manage for now."

>>28874619
>>28874687

Derp. I didn't read the entire post. Vote is on letting the Joker Cave process the generator. See what all of our options are before committing.

>>28874561
In that case lets wait for the Hollow sun to finish the other possible upgrade since it might be awesome.

>>28874576

> [X] "I'm all right - Don't worry about me."
> [X] "-Cybele, *stop.* You'll hurt yourself."

"But - you're *hurt*-" there's a raw, vulnerable concern in Cybele's voice; A distress so great, it blots out all else.

>>28874654

She stiffens, when your hand grabs hers: The fragility in it is startling, and it's an effort not to accidentally crush her. Your words seem to filter through, at least - Cybele pauses, a hitch in her breath...

-Then, hesitantly, she nods.

The long sleeves of her gown rustle, as she relents - Her breath coming in harsh pants, her brown eyes hazing over as a shudder of relief races through her. Slowly - Very slowly - your lower limbs coalesce from the emerald shimmer; First the endosteel internal structure, then layered myomer fibre, then dark crimson plate.

At last, Cybele breathes again. She seems to shrink into herself, her head down - Exhausted, trembling with strain.

"...Thank goodness..." she murmurs, low and hushed - Her eyes moist with tears. "I was so worried..."

> [X] "What's happening down there?"

"I..." Cybele hesitates. "-I don't *know*," she admits, plaintively. "Everything's...I can't *see* anything, down there. It's all..."

Her eyes go distant; "It's all gone dark."

> [X] We don't have a lot of *time*. He's going to get himself killed if I- we don't stop him."

"I can't-" A pause. "I can't send you back *down* there. There's too much distortion...And I, I-" Her sleek throat works, as she swallows, hard - "Joker-kun, I'm *scared*."

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28874681

Aww, come on. Mio's a great girl.

>>28874741
"I have fought through a lot of things, and I'm still here talking to you. I don't die easily.

Can you tell me anything about what's going on? Anything at all?"

>>28874749
She's fucking insane. It was obvious the first fucking time we met her.

>>28874783

Not insane so much as very, very needy. That girl has major problems, I agree.

>>28874741

Use our remaining arm to hug her. Have her sit down with us

"Look. Be strong, alright? Just give me a bit of time to fix myself and I'll stop this. Somehow. Can you give me temporary access or control of your... matter transporter? Maybe we can work out a set of coordinates together so I can get back down there."

If we have Booster to spare, work on getting our arm restored first then our jetpack. She's exhausted herself. Since this is our first time back here since we took her mantel, look around. See how much has been restored or if any at all.

>>28874741

Where does the distortion begin and end, precisely? How big an area does it cover? If we were to be transported right above the Thief's last known position, could we freefall back down?

>>28874741
>>28874837
Sounds good to me.

To the people wanting to use the Tachyon generator outright, have the Hollow Sun integrate it into it's systems itself. Increase the charge we gain per thread.

>>28874837

> Use our remaining arm to hug her. Have her sit down with us.

Your Cobalt Booster pulses, slow and steady, at the core of your being - Like the throb of a luminous heart. Power gathers, filtering through your limb; Your severed arm materalizing an inch at a time, your armoured fingers twitching as they make the transition from schematics to reality.

You draw yourself up, to your knees - The slight pressure of your arm around Cybele's shoulders. It's an awkward gesture; One made so by the vicing pressure of your grasp - But it seems to calm her, her breathing coming slower, now.

>>28874767

"There's...I'm not sure. It happened so suddenly-" Cybele's eyes narrow, as if in memory of the wincing illumination. She shakes her head, stirring from her reverie: A screen flickering into existence, hovering before her in the intervening space. "-Everything beneath the cloud...Joker-kun, I can't see anything beneath it."

She looks at you - Right at you, her gaze somehow plainitive. "And - It's *spreading*."

> "Can you give me temporary access or control of your... matter transporter? Maybe we can work out a set of coordinates together so I can get back down there."

"It's not-" A pause. "...I can send you back down, but - I don't *know* where you'd end up."

>>28874879

Cybele swallows. "Joker-kun..." From the faint hesitation to her voice, you can tell it troubles her. "-When you're gone...I won't be able to *see* you again. Not - Not while *that's* there."

She tips her chin, towards the swirling stormfront. It's visible, even through the illusion of autumn sky; The projections faded, worn, barely cohesive. The earth-tones of Cybele's kimono have suffered, too - Her hands are hidden beneath her sleeves, but...Just for a moment...you're sure you see the limb ghost in and out of visibility.

(Continued)

>>28874963

She leans into you, her expression troubled: Taking what comfort she can, from the unchanging stare of your faceplate, the rigid armour encasing your form.

"I don't..." Cybele stops, begins again. "-I don't *want* you to go."

[ ] "I have to. There's things I have to do."
[ ] "I have to. People need me, down there."
[ ] "I have to find out what's happening."
[ ] "Cybele, I'll be all right."
[ ] "How are you feeling?"
[ ] "...All right, I'll stay - For a while."
[ ] "There's no time for this."
[ ] Push her away.
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28874968
>[ ] "...All right, I'll stay - For a while."
My reproductive organ.

>>28874968
[X] "I have to find out what's happening."
[X] "Cybele, I'll be all right."


"If it is not dealt with it will keep on spreading, it will consume more and more, and even up here we may not be safe.

I will stay until I am at full strength and then I have to go. But I promise I will come back to you, and never let it be said that I break my promises."

>>28874501
>Our logical choice should be the Infinity Booster. It's yet another force multiplier. Plus we can stack it's charge on top of the Boosters charge when we use the Carnifex's secondary function.

We need to seriously consider the effects the Infinity Booster has on the Cobalt Booster.

by incombatable, how does it work if we equip it?
Is it a straight replace? Can we only use one at atime?

IE one slot for either, or does equipping boht just deactivate some upgrades of the gnosis engine?

>>28874968

*gently* flick her forehead.

"That's for doubting yourself and the trust you've placed in me, Cybele. I know it hurts - I know you don't want me to go.. but if I don't go - if I don't stop him and *that* thing he's unleashed before it can get a firm grasp on the World, nothing can."

"Will you help me? ..please..?"

>>28875050

(You can only use one at a time. It's the same system, but with a very different power source.)

>>28875025
>>28875059

Wow, you guys are dicks.

>>28874514

Clearly, we must get the Unknown Option.

It must be for GARM.

Holy shit garm + tachyon :3

>>28874681
>>Went for the cosplay slut the fucking SECOND Hecate died
>I am STILL fucking mad as all Hell.

I'm with you here. I've accepted being railroaded into Mio, but we still ~owe hecate our lives~ and should try to find out 1) what happened to her 2) whether cybele lied about her being dead since it contradicts what we learned when we queried the red worlds memory banks and 3) kick the ass of people who hurt/killed her anyway.

>>28875079

The bastard still has the previous Red Joker's memory. If we don't go, we lose it and any information he might have had on Hellebore - another subplot in an already massive sea of subplots.

>>28875086
>what happened to her
Unfortunately, no one else cares enough to try and find that out. Damn shame.

>>28875059

Voting against this.

Now that i'm here, eloquence can reign!

one moment, processing lines of inquiry.

>>28875086

We were railroaded into Mio? I thought it was the stupid decisions of the peanut gallery that caused it.

I thought the QM wanted us to steer clear of her, personally.

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>>28875107
>I thought the QM wanted us to steer clear of her, personally.
>mfw no one got the hints that QM was dropping that Hecate was still alive and just starting sucking on Mio's fat cow tits.

>>28874968
>"I don't..." Cybele stops, begins again. "-I don't *want* you to go."

"I don't want to either. I'd like to stay here, and forget about the damn red world, but..."
"... its my friend down there, and he has answers about the joker. If I don't see what happens..... "
"This is something I ~have~ to do. For good or ill."

"....however, i did find something odd. It changed, or upgraded your mark slightly. can you check on it for me?"

>>28875107
>>28875125

It comes down to Anon being incapable of saying 'no.'

>>28875135

> "....however, i did find something odd. It changed, or upgraded your mark slightly. can you check on it for me?"

I support the post, but I veto the last part. I don't want cybele to know about that.

>>28875139
It really comes down to /tg/ NOT being able to go through a quest without constantly being in a relationship. Couldn't even fucking wait to find out if Hecate died for sure or not.

>>28875107
>We were railroaded into Mio? I thought it was the stupid decisions of the peanut gallery that caused it.
>I thought the QM wanted us to steer clear of her, personally.

That's kinda what i meant sorry, reading/quoting >>28874681

>>28875101
>>what happened to her
>Unfortunately, no one else cares enough to try and find that out. Damn shame.
I"m just hoping that we'll find clues when we raid the smilers underground base - I've wanted to get going on the hecate problem for a while myself, and I hope its something that we have a chance to see come up again.

>>28874619
>(The last item will take the Hollow Sun slightly longer to process - A day or two.)
I'm guessing the hollow sun installs the tachyon reactor into itself, the ai taking a day or two to figure out how localized time manipulation can best be incorporated into it.

Those are ALL badass options tho.

>>28874968
>[X] "I have to. There's things I have to do."
"Even if he doesn't remember it right now, we're still friends, he still owes me something, and it's not going to stop unless someone does something about it. That's a lot of reasons why I need to get down there before it passes the point of no return. If it hasn't already."

>[X] "Cybele, I'll be all right."
"But besides, even if you can't see me, I'll still be down there. It's going to take a lot worse than that to get rid of me."

>>28875025
>"If it is not dealt with it will keep on spreading, it will consume more and more, and even up here we may not be safe."
This is a reasonable thing to tell her, but the second half is a little much.

>>28875086
>>28875101
It's basically become part of the metaplot at this point, and no matter how much we would like to, I have a feeling figuring out exactly what happened surrounding Hecate is going to end up almost inexorably tied to trying to handle Pazuzu.

>>28875160
>It really comes down to /tg/ NOT being able to go through a quest without constantly being in a relationship. Couldn't even fucking wait to find out if Hecate died for sure or not.

This. So much this.

In fact, they were going for mio's pants even WHEN we realized she was still alive!

It was just fucking, ugh, player-fantasy metagame override.

I don't even care which girl we end up with, I just thing we owe hecate a return favor on the whole 'saving our life' thing. Twice.

>>28875169
>It's basically become part of the metaplot at this point, and no matter how much we would like to, I have a feeling figuring out exactly what happened surrounding Hecate is going to end up almost inexorably tied to trying to handle Pazuzu.

I've been waiting to bring it up, but the best thing we can do is ask Asuna to look for hecate.
Look, so, we don't trust Cybele to lie about a rival love interest existing - and moratoriums are dead by default, and may or may not show up on her Alive Player scan ANYway.
But we know asuna, the oracle, can spectate past events (like bardiel vs red joker), and can find out not only where she is now, but what happened after we were seperated.

But what we need is a compelling reason to ask her for help.

We ALSO want to bring her along to the Smiler Assault, though, because her ability to quantum link and command/communicate with people is going to be *crucial* to keeping people alive.

The way to do this is like this:
we thank her for reminding us we need to step up and be a hero - and ask if she'd like a chance to do some good in the world herself, instead of guiding things behind the scenes.
Possible insightful guess that she can't leave her oracle-stage, since she's clearly a Special Player, which is why she can draw players to fight for her, since she's the oracle's boss/guard - and if so, we could ask to see that place ourselves, anyway.

But yeah. We need to make contact with asuna regarding ALL of this mess - both the hecate shit, and the rook/smiler shit.

>>28875025
>>28875135
>>28875059
>>28875169

"Ow~" Cybele starts, as you flick her on the forehead - Her hand goes to her forehead, as she pouts; Looking distinctly put-out, just for a moment...Before the strangest expression steals over her features, an odd light in her eyes - As if she's just had an epiphany of some kind.

Then - Very slowly, as if still processing your words - she says:

"...Why won't you do what I *want* you to do?"

There's an uneasy note to her voice; Her gaze troubled, in the instant before she drops it, biting her lip. You feel that something has changed, somehow - A slow-dawning realization, one that gnaws at her.

Cybele leans away from you - Her palms splaying flat against the ground, an edge in her voice. That acute gaze...It's actually really uncomfortable.

"I thought-" she begins, slowly...As if she's working things out for herself, the beginnings of suspicion to her words.

"...You're supposed to *love* me."

Her brow furrows. "Why don't you...?"

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28875263
"I do love you"

>>28875263
>Her brow furrows. "Why don't you...?"

HOly shit!

NOW is the time for watashiwa's speech that got missed the one time its relevant.

Shit shit shit find it

>>28875263

Uh-oh.

>>28875282

Which thread? I remember it too.

"....however, i did find something odd. It changed, or upgraded your mark slightly. can you check on it for me?"
eh.. let's avoid this for now.

>>28875279
How about no.

>>28875282
Searching... anyone know the thread number?

>>28875279

Don't bloody do that! Simple =/ good!

>>28875282
I remember this one! The really good speech about... having friends, and a real life in the red world, that explained why we had feelings and stuff.

Joker Op, I seriously hope you saved it! You said something about counting it next time, and man, its next time!

>>28875296
>Searching... anyone know the thread number?
>>28875296
>Which thread? I remember it too.

Don't recall - try the foolz search engine, maybe?

It WAS watashiwa, right?

>>28875282
>>28875296

Guys, I don't think that's what she means. I think what she's talking about is mind control.

Remember, the thief said that EVERY player he's met is in love with their hyades partner. But we're not.

I think she's beginning to get suspicious, that something is wrong.

>>28875299

> "....however, i did find something odd. It changed, or upgraded your mark slightly. can you check on it for me?

Do you seriously want her to try and kill us?

>>28875263
"The Red Joker has always been a wildcard in this game Cybele. You shouldn't be surprised that I don't act exactly as expected.

I do care about you, I happily work with you to accomplish our goals, I want to show you things beyond what you've been restricted to before we met.

But my will is still my own."

>>28875299
#62 it was Watashiwa
>"Saori... If we do this, I want there to be no misunderstandings between us. Red Joker is only half of who I am. I have a life outside the game, and in that life I have someone I care about. I *will* win for you, but I can't be yours in all the ways you want. Take heart though; I am the loyal type, and once I make a promise I keep it."

>>28875309
>>28875308
>>28875300
>>28875299
>>28875296
>>28875282


http://archive.foolz.us/tg/thread/27496154/#27497397
I FOUND IT IT FOUND IT I FOUND IT

>>28875309
>> "....however, i did find something odd. It changed, or upgraded your mark slightly. can you check on it for me?
>Do you seriously want her to try and kill us?
Yeah. no. I take that back.


I THINK the issue at hand is that We Don't Have A Heart Because The Corrector Ate It - and since the Joker Armor Is Like A Second Player, his heart stands in for us - people fall in love with the armor - our outward appearances - not with US, since we're incomplete

This would also be a reason why the cybele-mark gaining was painful as shit when it wasn't supposed to be - because she's poking at an open wound in our soul.

>>28875309
>Do you seriously want her to try and kill us?
Kinda. It'll allow us to attack her in turn.

>>28875321

I could have sworn it was longer though... I'm still searching regardless until OP posts.

>>28875324

Speak of the devil.

>>28875237
...you mean the same Asuna that isn't conscious of the fact that we're a player, let alone the fact that SHE might be a player? Forgive me if I'm skeptical of this plan.

>>28875263
Seems like the jig is up.

>>28875282
>>28875296
>>28875299
>>28875300
>>28875308
It was 62.

>Make clear that we have a life outside the Red World--friends, a lover, and other relationships that don't exist in the Red--and that while we're willing to fight to win back the chance to be real for her, we are the loyal type and it was first come first serve on Red Joker's affections. Like:

>"Saori... If we do this, I want there to be no misunderstandings between us. Red Joker is only half of who I am. I have a life outside the game, and in that life I have someone I care about. I *will* win for you, but I can't be yours in all the ways you want. Take heart though; I am the loyal type, and once I make a promise I keep it."

It's a little late for some of these revelations, and a few might actually irritate her, but some of it needs saying, at least.

More or less cop to the fact that her mind control thing doesn't exactly work properly on us, but that we were willing to help her anyway because of other things we saw in her.

Sigh, then "...I've always been a bit of a troublesome player, haven't I. But then, you probably knew that when you picked me out."

>>28875263


>>28875320

THIS is good.
Seconding.

And considering the better conversation options we're coming up with... I want to veto
>>28875279

>>28875320
>"The Red Joker has always been a wildcard in this game Cybele. You shouldn't be surprised that I don't act exactly as expected.

Hmn.
Call her by her real name, maybe, instead.

>>28875342
>...you mean the same Asuna that isn't conscious of the fact that we're a player, let alone the fact that SHE might be a player? Forgive me if I'm skeptical of this plan.

You're confusing Asuna with Mio.

Asuna is the one who summoned us, the red joker, to fight panzer galient with her, AND called us by our *real name* in the *red world*.
She knows.

>>28875365
IIRC we tried to inquire into her playerhood after our encounter with Panzer Galent (by asking her if she recognized our Emblem), and she didn't even react to it.

Either she has a WAY better poker face than we thought, or she's also unaware.

She sees events in the red world as dreams, whether they're past or future. I'm pretty sure she's not conscious of the fact that she's got a floaty Red World counterpart, let alone that the Red World is a real thing.

>>28875342
>>28875344
>>28875320
>>28875299

"You-"

Cybele's expression contorts - A spasm of surprise, perhaps. Or fear. Maybe fury. It's...A complex thing; Pique, perhaps, as she lowers her head - Her slim fingers curling into claws, her shoulders trembling.

For a moment, you honestly don't know what she might do.

When a looks up, a moment later, you think she may be about to cry. Instead, her nails bite into her palm, as if punishing herself; Giving voice to a shuddering exhalation, as her soft skin deforms with faint crescents of blood. Or rather, something *like* blood; Something that evaporates as quickly as it wells up from her palms.

It seems that she might be about to say something-

The world blurs around you.

(Continued)

>>28875365
>>28875342
>...you mean the same Asuna that isn't conscious of the fact that we're a player, let alone the fact that SHE might be a player? Forgive me if I'm skeptical of this plan.

She's also the player that can future hack, communicate telepathically, share essence rewards from allies kills, and quantum hook players to her location.

This is someone we seriously need on our side during The Smiler Raid, because everyone knows its a bad idea that's gonna get a lot of people killed.

Having communication and a medivac is going to be crucial to making things go .... shit, not smoothly, but avoiding disastrous.

We need to move hell and high water to get her in on it.

To be honest. There's so much fucking shit happening in this wuest, that I don't know remember half of it. I don't really remember anything about Mio other than she has fat tits and is apparently crazy.

I'm not exactly sure who this Cybele chick is other than she lives on the Moon? Or a Moon?

No idea who Asuna is.

The Thief is apparently one of our friends who ISN'T our friend?

>>28875434

Mio is the maid cosplayer with the near lifelike ears and tail.

Cybele is the dead mind of a girl named Saori who took refuge in the Red World on a moon ship.

Asuna is the library girl who is an artist and nearly caused us to freak the fuck out with her paintings.

The Thief is a slightly less dickish version of Shinji from F/SN and with an ego to match. He also doesn't have a sister to rape.

>>28875405
>The world blurs around you.
Oh shit.
I bet someone stabbed us.

>>28875451
The Thief was also crazy paranoid, rather competent, and one our our real life friends. We were on decent terms with him, fought alongside him against people we both disliked.

Currently he seems to have gone insane due to putting together the sword Fatal Abyss which was wielded by one of the people who made it to the last round last time this game was played.

>>28875474

He's probably also cut off his own hand as well in real life since we never saw him take the glove off. my money is on the real life player who was the previous wielder of that sword.

In addition, with that theory, he can also wield his pig sticker in the real on top of the red. I'm guessing the sword is trying to break free of the Red right this instant and Akira is struggling to contain it.

>>28875434

Hooooo boy.
Uh.

Man, reread archives? Its quick skimming with search.

You're confusing Mio and megumi for one.
Cybele is a Hyades - a previously unknown player class of hot girls who work through(claim, actually) other players as agents, and can bestow unique and not-possible abilities. They live on a spaceship, and are involved in a hyades-minigame involving becoming the chalice queen. The reward is (apparently, correct me if i'm wrong) getting your life back again, instead of being stuck on a spaceship, all alone forever, with nothing but the goal of finding your one true love and having them win this thing for you. Complicating factors: One of our bros, bishamon, found his hyades - and we may be fated to duel because of it. if this mind control thing pans out, tho, we may be able to disrupt it somehow.

Asuna is an oracle/seer who is guiding the play at school, the script of which changes depending on the shit that happens in the red world, and bears eeerriiie resemblance to things we're currently doing. She listens to her dreams for inspiration, and dreams of the red world while asleep. her player form is Pythia, a telepathic, future hacking flying monolith who is the ONLY thing in the red world that officially shows up as an *ally*. There is some question to whether she is fully awake/aware herself.

The Thief is the thief of souls, as well as objects. We went to school with him, and he's eeerriily knowledgeable about the red world, and involved in hecate's backstory - they knew each other when shit went down between her and pazuzu, and she broke free of wherever she was before, taking the Nihl Sphere with her.
We've actually maintained contact with the thief after he's revealed himself, quit school and moved away because it was a cover identity, and is questing after the fragments of another Special Armor/Player (phantom edge) so he can reach The Endgame. We're helping him in exchange for a the remains of the red joker's memory.

>>28875474
For some reason some anons in this quest love to shit on him, though.

Also, I'm another voice for waiting until the tachyon generator is processed.

>>28875405

We can fix this, right?

Who am I kidding. We're fucked.

>>28875524

Black. You taste grit - Grit and ash - in your mouth, as consciousness returns. You can feel the blunt, rough surface of the ground beneath you, as you lie face-down in the dust...

"-his wallet. Full of-"

You feel hands on you. Something tugs at your shoulder, rolls you over-

A clink of articulating metal.

"...this thing?"

Someone's going through your pockets.

"...hit, he's alive!"

You open your eyes. Three vague silhouettes are bent over you; Night must have fallen, at some point, when you weren't paying attention. Through the slats in the ceiling, you glimpse a slice of sky - Pitch-black, rimmed with orange fires around the horizon. You smell smoke, ash...

Close by, a trash fire gutters in an oil barrel, with the wretched smell of burning plastic.

On the wall, close by - The words PLEASE are scrawled in white chalk. Somehow - Even in the fragmentary sense-impressions you're getting - it strikes you as oddly chilling.

(Continued)

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>>28875524

Something i just want to put out here:

The AEON SCRANDER/SOLAR SAIL.

This thing, while not necessarily great....
>Notably, the Aeon Scrander can function beyond the Red World's atmosphere - Unlike the Tempest Scrander, which relies on superheated air and a static charge for propulsion.

We can reach the Hyades Ship with it. (it seems to be traveling towards us, given the CONVERGENCE meter - ftl convergence countdown, i think )

We can also explore out-world areas of The Red.

This..... may make it kind of worth considering.

Not enough to eclipse any of the other options, but its something to consider - as would getting a pair of Bardiel Wings from the hollow sun. They use gravity propulsion, and would also work outside the atmosphere.

>>28875530

>A clink of articulating metal.

There goes the Carnifex.

>>28875530
>Someone's going through your pockets.

NIHL SPHERE AT RISK!!

CARNIFEX ON

>>28875530

"Where am I? Who are you?"

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>>28875530
We were picked up by hobos and are now being robbed? Whelp, fuck.

>>28875530
>Someone's going through your pockets.
>"...hit, he's alive!"

Hopefullly they're just looking for an ID card to id us.
Depends who found us.

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>>28875530

>>28875553

Yeah, I kinda want to see if the Carnifex upgrade carries over to the Real now. The thing's side effects should not be as debilitating as before...

>>28875530
>Someone's going through your pockets.

Grab his hand. Prevent him from pulling stuff out? Then say something totally dramatic, like help me up

>>28875563
You don't say "shit" when you find out the guy you're trying to identify is alive; you say "shit" when you find out the guy you're trying to strip for valuables is alive.

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>>28875572
>Carnifex upgrade
>we burn with the fiery flames of hell
We Inferno Cop now.

>>28875474
No idea if he's crazy yet, last we heard the Fatal Abyss "wasn't working". He'll be upset next we see him, for sure.

>>28875505
By the description, it looks more like two-way imprinting that mind control. The Hyades are back on the "Do not want" list regardless.

>>28875602

Every muscle aches. Your throat is dry, parched; You blink hard, as light swims back into your field of vision. The three of them - They're your age, or older. They look sullen, world-weary; Their features blurred beneath the dust that cakes them.

That cakes *you*, too, you realize - You're covered it in, your coat smeared with a patina of dirt.

"-a Player? Someone important?"

"Who cares?"

They're stripping your body. As your breath rattles from your throat - As you uncurl from your cramped huddle - A hand tugs at your coat...

"-do him, anyway."

One of them is holding the Misericorde, the stabbing point catching the dull light; the grip, the edges, wrapped in tape.

The blade is angled over your chest, in a wary grip - You get the impression of bared teeth, drained features set in a sullen cast...

[ ] "That's not yours."
[ ] "What are you *doing*?"
[ ] "Where am I?"
[ ] "Let go of me!"
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28875608

>two way imprinting

I told you those Sekirei were bad news man!

Why didn't you listen?

>>28875615
>"-a Player? Someone important?"

So they're players?

In the red world?

I say dive back in.

KILL THEM.

>>28875615
>One of them is holding the Misericorde, the stabbing point catching the dull light; the grip, the edges, wrapped in tape.

OH FUCK.

This is perhaps the one situation where we can play off of our reputation as the joker to get them to back down.

>>28875615
Jesus Christ, NOW what's going on?

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Oh boy here we go.

We already have enough guns that can kill people horribly, but that didn't stop us from obtaining the Tau Gun back then.

New Interceptors... again, are only as good as the times we have enough Meter and they end up as extra targets for enemies to shoot at.


Meanwhile, us equipping a boatload of guns + Aeon Scrander = V2 Gundam Assault Buster.
Or better yet, Strike Freedom in its all aimhax glory.

OP, question. Does the Aeon Scrander go *over* the Tempest Scrander or is it also a "one or the other" deal like the Booster equivalent?

I mean, seriously, even if we're stuck to using the Aeon Scrander indoors, I bet we'd at least be able to get some lift from it (just not as good as the Tempest). Or it might end up being something like an Overboost ability when we focus all solar sails into one direction and go 2FAST2FURIOUS in a straight line.

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>>28875615

Sounds like a perfect time to see how the Carnifex works in real life.

>>28875649

(It's one or the other.)

>>28875615
"I wouldn't do that if I were you"
Check if we can stand up. Move slowly, calmly. It'll make them wary but won't immediately provoke.

>>28875615
>[ ] "Where am I?"

>>28875633
I'm not against it.

>>28875615
>One of them is holding the Misericorde, the stabbing point catching the dull light; the grip, the edges, wrapped in tape.
Well, this is about the worst possible bad news.

If we still have the Carnifex, use it immediately. We need any sort of advantage we can get, and getting Misericorded is basically the end for us.

>[X] "That's not yours."
Try and throw them off their game a bit, Carnifex, and then do our best to wrest the Misericorde away.

Once the +10 Vorpal Jokerslaying Knife isn't pointing at us anymore, then we can consider talking.

>>28875658
Nuts. But please tell me we can still get some lift from the Aeon when we use it indoors? Maybe while minimizing the size of the solar sails/control surfaces? Trading maximum speed for acceleration and turning?

>>28875641
>This is perhaps the one situation where we can play off of our reputation as the joker to get them to back down.
Considering that they're Players, or know about them, and were going to shank us rather than interrogate, odds are good that they're Smilers, and would take that admission as a double-good reason to try and kill us.

And potentially call in backup, which would be VERY bad in our condition.

>>28875667
same, adding: If we can get out of this without using the Carnifex,that'd be great. I don't fancy being hospitalized again.

>>28875615
"Let's not do anything you'll regret. We've only got so much time before the the storm breaks on this side. Were I you, I'd leave other people's property alone and find shelter."

>>28875633
Not yet. If we go in now one of them will have the knife in hand, and a single nick gets Joker killed.

If they get aggressive, go Red and blast them all with Tyrant Burst IV and the Vulcans.

>>28875668


>>28875680

(Yes, the Aeon Scrander can still be used indoors. It's not at it's best in cramped conditions, but it's still a perfectly serviceable jump pack.)

>>28875615
>"-a Player? Someone important?"

i nooo particular order

1) Verify Nihl Sphere is still present
2) Verify Carnifex is still present.
3) Get ready to defend ourselves, deflect an initial blow, and go for whomever has our shit - and as >>28875656 says, carnifex go time is now - IF FIGHTING STARTS
4) Talk.

"That's not yours. And...You should care. I'm not just any player."

I'm kind of torn at the idea of proclaiming to be Kraken or Rust Kaiser - someon famously unkillable and pants shittingly powerful. get them to back down NOW, and go on our way.

>>28875692
Fucking neat.

But for the sake of my fellow Red Joker-head-inhabitants, I'll pass on actively voting for the Aeon Scrander and wait for the Mystery Box option to reveal itself.

Thanks for being a bro, JokerOP.

>>28875700

Don't need to say who we are.

We just need to namedrop someone important.

Whatshername again? The one who stole our wallet?

This is the time to either test the Carnifex or the challenge system.
If the challenge system works, we can easily murder them after transitioning.

>>28875710
>But for the sake of my fellow Red Joker-head-inhabitants, I'll pass on actively voting for the Aeon Scrander and wait for the Mystery Box option to reveal itself.

I want to see what the Mystery Box option is, too.
My top picks are probably...

1+) Mystery Box.
1) exitus bits. because holy shit its amazing. hard hitting, not fucking lame, melee and range capability, they're going to be amazing with the Carnifex - because they share in the autocobalt boost.
2)Infinity Booster (>>28874619 >It functions under it's own unique properties, and has to be upgraded separately. Also, it has a capacity of 100%, compared to the Cobalt Booster's 150%)
It can be UPGRADED?!

3) Aeon scrander for Plantary Travel or Moros for pazuzu showdown.

>>28875722
>inb4 we say "You wouldn't like later to find out that you killed an ally of good ol' Pazuzu, now would you?"

>>28875722
>We just need to namedrop someone important.
>Whatshername again? The one who stole our wallet?
She's not exactly important.

>>28875700
>I'm kind of torn at the idea of proclaiming to be Kraken or Rust Kaiser
...And if they're Smilers, they'll know we're definitely not those two.

>>28875615

Oh boy. We are in no shape to do shit in the real right now.. turn on the Carnifex, but remain still. We want to surprise them, and we'll only have one real shot considering how bad off we are.

Hack out a laughing cough.

"Damnit. My luck finally pays off and I get shit out here. I've been trying to get out a while now man and this is what I come to? A bunch of punks offing me and stealing my shit? This has to be the shittiest - no, this is the shittiest luck."

"Look. I don't know what's happening on this side, fill me in. I'm running damage control to prevent it from spilling over - scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

>>28875734
I would prefer Aeon Scrander to Infinity Booster, because the Infinity Booster is incredibly front-loaded. Prolonged fights would really fuck us up.
Spaceflight is something that we *can't* do yet. Then again, this might be fixed by upgrading the Scrander.
Mystery Box is most important, though.

>>28875731
>This is the time to either test the Carnifex or the challenge system.
>If the challenge system works, we can easily murder them after transitioning.

Hmn. Well, we could

We seriously don't want them to keep the misericorde, though - thats the kind of fateful shit that will come back to haunt us.

>>28875747
>"Look. I don't know what's happening on this side, fill me in. I'm running damage control to prevent it from spilling over - scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

Ding ding ding we have a winner for a plan of action!
I want it

>>28875633

You try-

A fuzz of static crackles through your mind. For a moment - Just a moment - you hear a sound...Or rather, the beginnings of a sound - that set your teeth on edge, that sends pain sizzling down your spine in a barbed-wire flicker-

"Shit!"

One of the figures - His eyes sunken shadows, in your blurred vision, their faces like death's-heads in the half-light - snatches at his head; Close by, you hear a gasp of pain, an exclamation of alarm...

And you realize two things, in that blank moment:

You can't access the Red World.

Whatever just happened - *They can hear it too*.

"Do him! Do him *now*, for fuck's sake!"

The Misericorde stabs down at you, as you wrench yourself to the side. The stabbing point almost misses you - You feel the slick, hot pain of it, as it jabs against your left hip, breaking the skin. If you were in your Player armour-

You push that thought to the side. Your hasty roll slams you into his legs, and he goes over with a startled exclamation - A doubled punch glancing against your side, knuckles jabbing stiffly against your ribcage.

(Continued)

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>>28875755
>You can't access the Red World.

Son of a fuck. This is literally the worst thing.

...And they seem to know it too. Did they make a functioning Red World jamming device?

>>28875755
>"Do him! Do him *now*, for fuck's sake!"
If we were in player armor, I'd vote for some nice comment about how we aren't yet ready to fuck them.

As we are in the Real, though, we should be a bit more serious.
Thank fuck that the Misericode doesn't insta-burn our armor.

Equip the Carnifex and focus on taking the Misericode.

>>28875755

>can't access the red world

IT'S HAPPENING.

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>>28875755
Bollocks.

>>28875769
Any bets on a Nihl Fragment-powered jammer?

Wait, wasn't the Misericorde wrapped in tape, from handle to edge?

>>28875787
>Wait, wasn't the Misericorde wrapped in tape, from handle to edge?
I thought it was in our apartment.

>>28875769
Chill Puchi, it's the storm.

>>28875775
I think you're entirely wrong, if this were the Red World we'd have gotten a game over right there. ANY amount of contact with its edge shuts the armor down.

>>28875791

We really should have tossed it on a freighter bound for America. But we're players and we have kleptomania.

>>28875791
>I think you're entirely wrong, if this were the Red World we'd have gotten a game over right there. ANY amount of contact with its edge shuts the armor down.
Well, yeah.
But it doesn't in the Real. That's what I meant.

Anyway, is this the first time that a QPC is caught off-guard by hobos?

>>28875797
We need it for the Black and White Joker.

>>28875789
Nah, check JokerOP's recent posts, we clearly brought the only weapon than can OHKO ourselves and placed it on our body.

Not exactly the brightest idea, but it's either that or we leave it at home only for it to be stolen without our notice.

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>>28875787

Possibly? Too little info to go with right now.

>>28875791

I hope its the storm.

And not our hyades patron locking us out of the Red World out of spite.

>>28875755

>>28875775
>Equip the Carnifex and focus on taking the Misericode.

Nihl_sphere to power the Transform and/or artifacts that are cut off from the red world?

Also, talking. "Back off, asshole!" then deliver >>28875747
" You're about to shank the one guy doing damage control on spillover from the red.

>>28875789
>I thought it was in our apartment.
yeaah....

>>28875787
>Any bets on a Nihl Fragment-powered jammer?
No, this is clearly related to Unleashing Phantom Edge and the Second Sun.

>>28875797
>>28875800
>We need it for the Black and White Joker.
Wait a moment:
The Black Joker is kind of caught in the Red. What if we stab her with the Misericode? It might free her soul.

>>28875731
>>28875656

You fumble for the Carnifex - It's stuck in a fold of your pocket, the fabric tearing as you wrench at it - In the instant before a boot slams into your outstretched hand. The silver icon flashes in the light, as it goes skidding away from your grasp - Pain flaring in your fingers, as it tumbles like the spinner in a child's game.

"-told you he was a Player-"

"-*hold* him-"

Your head's swimming. You're tangled up with one - He's snarling, trying to pull away from you. There's a *chink*, as the Misericorde's point skids against the cinderblock wall - It's a hasty jab, clumsy and inexpert, tattered tape trailing from the stripped blade.

You think - They might be as confused as you are, as disorientated as you are. They seem out of their depth, isolated as the dust storm rattles against the tattered roof-

...They're still trying to kill you.

You hear rapid, racing footsteps - It's all a blur.

"Get *off* me-" Your teeth clack together, stars flaring behind your eyes as a knee slams into the side of your head; Pain's different, in the real world. More immediate, as you taste copper in your mouth - More urgent.

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28875811
and then we become the Dark Red Joker

>>28875800
>Black and White Joker.
Fuck you, I'm still hoping that we'll find a way to save Kotone.
Who's the White Joker?

>>28875805
>then deliver >>28875747
I'm against it.
Anon needs to breath. Talking needlessly just lowers our effectiveness.
We know how to fight. Anon would stay focused and not make any unnecessary sounds.

>Nihl_sphere to power the Transform and/or artifacts that are cut off from the red world?
I now imagine our avatar somehow still being in the Red and using REND to fire a missile at the enemy.

>>28875816
Hold still and let them stab you some more.

>>28875819

>Who's the White Joker?

My guess is Kraken.

>>28875819
>Who's the White Joker?
Joke based on our initial choices in the Quest.

>>28875816

Shit, this is a mess. Grab his leg, and wrench it. Then go berserk: Claw at them, gouge their eyes, kick out at them, fight back with everything you have.

>>28875816
Go for the head. either one.

>>28875816
Grab a rock or something and smash the side of his had or something, then roll away towards the Carnifex. We're no Jackie Chan in the Real, so even if we're dealing with a few disoriented idiots, we don't stand much of a chance.

>>28875816
Fuckfuckfuck.

Look into the distance. Smile. Shout "Akira, I'm here".
When they look away, grab the Carnifex.

>>28875816
>You hear rapid, racing footsteps - It's all a blur.

I seriously hope that's Akira coming to our rescue. Don't think we forgot about your deal.

Deep breath. Adrenaline surge on. Joker survival instincts go.

Kip up. Whip off our coat, tangle the blade with it. The arm-wrap and redirect style, try to get him to stab himself with it.

Self defense first, tho. Protect head and vitals.

Misericordeman is trying to stab us - that means upper body motions and attacks.

Kneestrike->groinshot->follow up to throat or solar plexus. If he drops the misericorde, recover it.
Then positioning Get out from between the two others .

>>28875821
Veto'd

>>28875789
We voted to start carrying it around a while back. The date with Mio, I think.

>>28875811
>>28875800
The Misericorde is designed to eliminate the Red Joker specifically. There no indication that it's effective against the Joker class at all.

>>28875819
It's a joke based on the other starter options.

>>28875816
Fall back. Let the one with the knife try for another stab, step into his guard and throat punch him like we're Frost Cestus.

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>>28875816

If the one trying to hold us has an arm anywhere, BITE IT. And Stamp down on his feet, hard enough to hurt or even break toes.

Get him to release us and dive after the carnifex.

Tangling with them while outnumbered and unarmed vs armed will go badly unless we have that trump card that is the carnifex

>>28875821
Voting

>Joker, destroyer of worlds
>Gets murdered by hobos

We would never live it down.

>>28875849
>Look into the distance. Smile. Shout "Akira, I'm here".

Oh man.

"AKIRA! OVER HERE"

>>28875816

Knee one of them in the nuts. Gouge at another ones eyes. Go for kidney punches. Yank their hair. Chop their throats. Fight dirty. We're 3 to 1.

Use the environment to our advantage. Look for a nail sticking out and jam it through a hand. Or a lose floorboard we can step on to use as leverage to take out a knee. We're not going to get out of this by being nice.

>>28875853
>There no indication that it's effective against the Joker class at all.
It's worth a shot, though.

>>28875861
This would end up with Anon thinking in his head desperately "I've survived mad bombers, psychopath villains and entire buildings falling on me... and I'm not getting done in by a couple of murderhobos like some innocent first year college student."

>>28875816

>>28875848
This is the right thing to do. We need something to even the odds; fighting three people, at least one of whom has a weapon, with our body alone is not a winning proposition.

>>28875873
>Use the environment to our advantage

There's that cinderblock wall. Look for a loose brick to slam into someone, or bash their head into it

>>28875876
Lol hollow sun upgrades.

Do we have Frost Caestus muscle memory?
The avatar would probably have started off as some kind of boxer.

>>28875816
>"Get *off* me-" Your teeth clack together, stars flaring behind your eyes as a knee slams into the side of your head; Pain's different, in the real world. More immediate, as you taste copper in your mouth - More urgent.

Knee to head? Someone's leg is up, extended.

Go for the other leg, make them tumble. Make them fall, gravity, or onto their friends knife.

Hell, grab and throw.

Hit the SOS button on the Tri-Stars emblem. Unless it doesn't carry over into the real of course. Being mugged and beaten the shit out of counts as an emergency..

>>28875840
>>28875855
>>28875873

You kick out, and the heel of your boot slams into something that might be the side of a knee. You feel it *give*, and you *stomp*...It bends the wrong way, and you hear a shriek as you bring your weight to bear. A weight slams down on you, folding awkwardly - Your breath *whooshes* from your lungs, dark spots dancing through your vision-

Someone grabs you by your lapels, and slams you against the ground. The impact rattles you, shoots stars through your vision...But it also wakes you up a little. You make out a lightless snarl, lips pulled back from teeth, as a hand claws at your face-

You bite down, your teeth sinking into the membrane between the thumb and the first finger-

The scream shakes your jaws. A fist slams repeatedly and desperately against your skull and neck, with bruising force, wrenching your head back. There's an awful, coppery taste in your mouth, as you retch out a mouthful of blood, a fleshy lump of torn skin-

Not like the Red World at all, then.

After a hundred years, it feels strange to have to use your hands - *Just* your hands - all over again.

(Continued)

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>>28875914
>After a hundred years, it feels strange to have to use your hands - *Just* your hands - all over again.
I feel a premonition.

>>28875914
>After a hundred years, it feels strange to have to use your hands - *Just* your hands - all over again.
I guess it's time for power fisting.

>>28875914
Yep. Just as I thought. Anon-kun was (and will always be) a killer.

>>28875914
Time for some old fashioned RIP and TEAR.

And Anon getting flashbacks in his earliest times as a Player stuck in the Red World abyss/Hell.

>>28875914
>*Just* your hands - all over again.
I had my theories, but that all but confirms them.

>>28875958
Cool. Tell us your little theory.

>>28875914

Waiting for the continued before posting fighting moves - but OP, do you have a symbol of the red joker handy?

I noticed you have at least four, and i was wondering if there's one we can see that represents the joker - carving our mark into things was kind of our THING early on.

>>28875914

There's no grace to this, none at all - It's all a blur. There's only one of them left - You think - screaming obscenities in your face, his weight crushing your hip. He has the Misericorde in his free hand, but he doesn't seem to know how to use it - The crude pommel smashes you in the cheek, snaps your head to the side so hard your teeth click together-

>>28875872
>>28875849

The shout wrenches the breath from your lungs, scrapes your ragged throat raw. The figure above you snatches a glance over his shoulder, a quick, flinching motion-

You have one shot.

Your stiffened fingers gouge into his eye.

The scream that comes is the loudest one yet, one that makes your ears ring, that draws a shuddering wince of sympathetic agony; Your thumb hooks into his cheek, your index and middle finger pushing deep - You actually feel the sickening sponginess of the tissue, as it *gives*, your nails hooking in place - it yields, but it only yields *so much* before the rupture-

You don't let go. The first lesson you learnt, down in the dark: Never let up.

(Continued)

>>28875981
>You have one shot.
>Your stiffened fingers gouge into his eye.
What the fuck.
With the Carnifex, we would be equal to professional assassins.

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>>28875981

god. damn.

>>28875978
>carving our mark into things was kind of our THING early on.

"Three dead in back-alley fight. The victims had a symbol cared into their foreheads."

>>28875981
>Your stiffened fingers gouge into his eye.

Is it bad that once I read that part, my head automatically went SHINING (Joker) FINGAAAAAA?

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>>28876001
>mfw anon-kun goes full serial killer

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>>28876001

Thats a good way to get the cops on our tail, no.

I just wanted to shop the symbol onto doomguy's mug

Pulled this out of the thread in which our emblem mutated, tho.

>>28876005
I guess now we know how to kill Kraken and Rust Kaiser.
Suppress the transition and fist them with the Carnifex.

>>28876009

Who's our friend who suppresses the Red World around him?
Kou, right?

>>28876007
>Pulled this out of the thread in which our emblem mutated, tho.
That's Cybele's/Hellebore's emblem, not the Joker emblem.

>>28876015
Kazuya.

Well, fuck.
We get our guns and raid the Smiler hideout in the Real with our best buddy.

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>>28875981
Ouch.

>>28876009
I do not want to know what Rust looks like IRL.

>>28875967

My main thought, Anon has seen and done shit, that made the Tri-Stars dryheave. Anon did not bat a single eye. Hell, he just continued killing. Sure, he might have been a relatively sane before he was introduced to the Red World, but it changed him over time to be the heartless (ha), manipulative bastard that we see and play today. Plus, I've always wondered what happened to his parents and family. We've never even once received mail or a call from anyone.. close.

There's a skeleton inside you.

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>>28875981

Holy shit this descriptions

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>>28875981
>Your stiffened fingers gouge into his eye.
>Your thumb hooks into his cheek, your index and middle finger pushing deep
Holy shit. We have summoned something terrifying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSUgtaonmzw

>>28876025
I'm pretty sure it's implied Rust Kaiser is that crippled guy in the hospital.

>>28875978
>carving our mark into things was kind of our THING early on
I assumed that making the mark was a calling card, but the more I think about it, the more I think it was a way of pathfinding in the Red World. If you can't tell directions, then you make a mark in the ground at intervals, and after every victory. You mark where you've been, you mark where you've won and want to remember.

>>28876015
Kazuya. Who we're not involving in this at all.

>>28876025
We've met him. Kou, Megumi's friend. Nice enough, has some horrible hold-over from the Red World.

>>28876030
I'm thinking Anon's parents died during the disaster that tore the city apart some time back. Then a distant relative from outside the city adopted Anon and is semi-supporting financially him, while he lives alone in his drab apartment and goes to school regularly.

Maybe Anon calls his relatives offscreen?

Basically, an excuse for Anon to be all alone in the city without parental guidance.

What in the holy mother of fuck are people freaking about?

>>28876045
>I assumed that making the mark was a calling card, but the more I think about it, the more I think it was a way of pathfinding in the Red World. If you can't tell directions, then you make a mark in the ground at intervals, and after every victory. You mark where you've been, you mark where you've won and want to remember.
Man, everything has gone full circle.
Such a tame idea at first... And now it's like this.

Anon must have had quite a bit of experience in terms of IRL murder. What the fuck kind of history do we have?
Wait, didn't we choose our apartment and living conditions at the beginning?

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>>28876061
I guess some people didnt expect the eye gouge.

>>28876061
The fact that our highschool protagonist is an experienced killer in the real world, as opposed to be a walking nuke in the Red and an ordinary joe in the Real.

>>28875978

(I've been unable to find a satisfactory one, at present - I'll welcome any input, of course.)

>>28875873
>>28875882

Your free hand scrabbles against the floor - The sharp edges of a rock, a brick, half a brick biting into your fingers - as your hand curls into a fist-

And all the strength you can muster, you smash it into the side of his head.

It's a short, but unstoppable arc. It feels like something in your arm has torn, but you actually *hear* the heavy fragment *whistle*, as it crosses the narrow distance. The hammerblock impact is a shock that travels down your arm, jarring it out of alignment - Your knuckles grazing against the floor as your hand skids away.

Brick dust fumes; Your palm stings, slashed by the jagged edges. The sound, when it comes - It's just your imagination, but it sounds like-

CRUMP.

It's...a wet sound. A *splitting sound*, ragged and tearing. You lose your grip on it, as your hand rebounds - He loses his grip on you.

There's no resistance to the blow, not even a grunt: He folds over, onto his side, with the profound surrender of a child going to sleep.

Everything goes quiet, for a moment. The only sound is the ragged his of your breath in and out of your lungs, and the howl of the wind outside as it rattles the slates of the tin roof.

You-

[ ] Retrieve the Misericorde.
[ ] Look for the Carnifex.
[ ] Check on your attacker.
[ ] Look for the second figure.
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28876061
Because the implications are that Anon might have killed people IRL in his past.

>>28876030

My own personal theory is that......

Well, the joker WAS a smiler before he was the red joker. While he was Frost Cestus. its been hinted at.
But he went through two transformations. We started out as a SURVIVOR.
1) being stuck in the red world for centuries, being unable to leave or escape the corrector hell below the world. We learned to be a savage, to rely on our melee weapons, fists, to hunt and prey and above all survive.
2) We met a corrector, a boss or something, and its been said its ate our heart - its been implied that's a bleedover from the red, something that's actually missing in our personality and psyche because of it. it explains our attitude, how we deal with interested girls, all of it.
3) and then we met the red joker, a genuinely nice guy and hero in the middle of this shit, also presumably lost, and the situation played out so that he.... willingly let us inherit the joker armor to get out of it. A situation in which there was no other choice. Maybe the RJ was our dad? It would explain why he was there and looking for us.

4) Now that anonkun is the RJ, his second armor, basically a seperate player attached to us, it shores up some of our weaknesses - in the same spillover effect.

We're not a murderer. We're just the ultimate survivor.

>>28876068
Well, the eye gouge and the fact that we just buttfucked three dudes who ambushed us. One of which was armed.

>>28876075
[ ] Look for the Carnifex.

>>28876075
>Retrieve the Misericorde.

If the second guy is around, we're going to need a weapon.

>>28876075
[ ] Retrieve the Misericorde.

These guys.

They all die.

>>28876070
Remember how good we were at shooting stuff back in Nara Dreamland's FPS/horror house?

Muscle memory carries over from the Real to the Red (Bishamon's a swordsman in both worlds) and vice versa.

And yes, those hundred years in the dark really screwed up Anon something fierce. He just managed to keep it bottled... but then *this shit* causes him to lose it.

>>28876075
Carnifex first. Just in case of reinforcements.
Then look in the direction of the footsteps while retrieving the Misericode.

>>28876091
>Muscle memory carries over from the Real to the Red (Bishamon's a swordsman in both worlds) and vice versa.
But avatars don't have eyes.

>>28876075
>[ ] Retrieve the Misericorde.
>[ ] Look for the Carnifex.

Do both. The carnifex is utmostly important. We JUST upgradedit, can't can't lose it.
use the light of the Nihl_Sphere to find it.

>You fumble for the Carnifex - It's stuck in a fold of your pocket, the fabric tearing as you wrench at it - In the instant before a boot slams into your outstretched hand. The silver icon flashes in the light, as it goes skidding away from your grasp - Pain flaring in your fingers, as it tumbles like the spinner in a child's game.

It was kicked - up - it couldn't have gone far, and we know the source of the blow and a direction. Get that shit back.

keep wary, though - there's one more guy around?

>>28876075
>[X] Retrieve the Misericorde.
First things first. We know where it is, so it'll be quick to find, and if it were to fall into the wrong hands we'd be in a TON of trouble.

>[X] Look for the Carnifex.
But keep on our toes. Try not to turn our backs to any downed assailants before we've confirmed that they're out cold.

Guys, did you forget the sound of footsteps?
That might someone who might be confused by this scene. Or scared.

>>28876075
>[1] Retrieve the Misericorde.
>[2] Check on your attacker.
>[3] Look for the Carnifex.
>[4] Look for the second figure.
>[5] Check on yourself. Still in one piece? Everything still attached?

>>28876075
[X] Retrieve the Misericorde.
First priority is this. We never want this thing straying far from us, I don't like our Kryptonite to be in someone else's hands. And it's also a sharp weapon.

Second priority is to look for the Carnifex, we might be up against someone else soon and we may need the edge.

After that check on our attacker, see if they're alive or not.

>>28876075

Kick the dude once. Go through his pockets. Look for an ID. Actually, no. take all of their wallets and stuff that looks like it can be easily pawned. Pull their pockets out. All of them. We want to make it look like a mugging gone wrong. Be absolutely sure to collect anything that could ID us to the scene.

Retrieve our butter knife. It's right there. Pull out our cellphone and use the illumination to help as track down the glint of our Carnifex. After that, do a thorough sweep one more time to insure we've collected everything of note. We just killed a kid in cold blood. Jesus Christ.

>>28876107
>But avatars don't have eyes.

Correctors do.

>>28876075
1) Recover all our stuff
2) check for the source of footsteps
3) Check ourselves, assess damage
4) Get to interrogating anyone alive to find out what just happened

>>28876130
But Correctors aren't humanoid.

>>28876075

This might sound fucked up, but can we feed them to the Nihl Sphere? Completely and utterly erase the scene like they were never there? We know they're fellow Players...

>>28876112
I'm betting on Mio coming because Naoya decided to drive past and heard some noise.

>>28876122
>We just killed a kid in cold blood. Jesus Christ.
It's not the first time.
Remember our first Hyades champion fight?
We woke up with the dead body of our opponent.

>>28876122

Seconding this one.

>>28876141
>This might sound fucked up, but can we feed them to the Nihl Sphere?
More like "practical". Yeah, go for it once we're done with everything else.

>>28876059
One parent died ten years ago, one six. Anon lands on his feet with friends of the family who lost their son of the same age. Relations were strained, Anon being who he is, until he moved out. They along much better now that he's not under their roof.

>>28876078
Anon was never a Smiler. He went from not a Player, to Frost Cestus to Red Joker in the same night. That's why the stuff about the finals came as a revelation, and why Anon never learned about Red Joker. He never had the chance to interact with Players who knew anything about the Red World since everyone he knew was made into a Player at the same time.

>>28876064
We chose how clean we kept the place, not its location or condition.

>>28876107
Yes? They don't function like eyeballs, but many players have sockets where visual sensors go, and are structural weaknesses.

>>28876075
I don't think we care about the attackers. Get the items and go.

You know, I may be slowpoking real hard here, but I just realized that Nara Dreamland is a real fucking place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nara_Dreamland

>>28876156
>We chose how clean we kept the place, not its location or condition.
But it carries implications about the character.

>>28876162
>Cue JQ players assembling in Nara Dreamland after the Quest ends

>>28876162
So is Japan.

So might be the Red.

I'ma have to hit the hay, I've go to get up in 2 hours. Try to not die.

>>28876110
>>28876087
>>28876086

> [X] Retrieve the Misericorde.

You'll do that...in a moment. Just - catch your breath first.

Everything hurts. You can feel a bruise swelling on your jaw - Your skull aches, your ribs, your hands are cut, and there's a deep, aching gouge on your hip...

You try to stand-

All right, maybe you'll just crawl. You lever yourself up to one elbow, then to your knees; He isn't far away from you. His fingers are slack around the Misericorde, the stabbing point dulled with your blood.

Dark spots dance in your vision, as you pull it out of his grasp. It takes you one, two - *three* - tries to shove it back into the fold of your coat, and you have to stop for breath and close your eyes until the dizziness goes away.

> [2] Check on your attacker.

His head is turned, sharply, to the side. Jagged fragment stipple his cheek, the skin gouged away in one long, scraping smear. It doesn't look good.

>>28876084
>>28876092
>>28876110

The Carnifex is...

The oil-barrel fire catches a silver gleam. You keep your eyes open as you crawl towards it: If you close them, you might not be able to find it again.

Your hand closes on it. You lie there for a little while longer.

Elbows first. Knees. Hands - Then the wall. You're up, leaning against it.

Where are you?

(Continued)

>>28876122
Not cold blood, there was definitely passion in that fight.

>>28876162
Creepy as fuck; I've seen the pictures.

>>28876176
Well yes, but the question was specifically about location and condition.

>>28876181
>Try to not die.
This is becoming our catchphrase.

>>28876187

Pain. Oh, pain.

From close by, you hear a hiss, then a grunt - The wind howls, as a cheap door bangs back and forth, rattling on it's hinges. Footsteps lead to it, then out-

One of them's bottled.

"Hhhhhhhchhh-" He's not far away - That's good. You feel as weak as a kitten, and you think you may need to lie down. Your hands feel big and clumsy. "Hhhhhhhhh-"

The second one - He's lying on his side, pale with shock. He makes very little noise, his eyes big and white with pain; You see the ugly gleam of ivory bone pushing out from the side of his leg, the splintered edges pushing through the skin.

There's this look in his eyes that you've never seen before, yet is achingly familiar: The knowledge that this ruin is forever. He looks up at you, mutely; It's like if he says nothing, he can make it unhappen.

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28876224
Kill both of them.

>>28876224
"Just tell me what the hell is going on."

>>28876224
The one with the broken leg won't be going anywhere. Looks like he's in shock, won't tell us much. Go interrogate the other one, assuming he can still speak.

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>>28876224

Can we use the nihl sphere?

I wonder that since they're players, using it here will charge it with their essence and their souls

>>28876224
"Silence in golden, but I'm not a fan of gold. Speech is silver, so give me some of it."

>>28876253
Only if they are Smilers.

>>28876253

Feed it... SOULS

>>28876253
Later, anon. They can still be probed for info.

>>28876240
>"Just tell me what the hell is going on."

Lead off with this

>>28876224

Give him the evilest grin we can manage. Should be amplified considering our face is bloody.

"There are monsters in the real world as well as the red, friend. You best remember that the next time you try and mug someone."

"Your wallet and phone. Now."

Get an ID on this fuck. See if he has the Smiler card in it.

If we don't fucking kill these guys, I'm done.

>>28876269
>"Your wallet and phone. Now."
I don't think that he will react.

Veto.

>>28876263

Pretty sure they are.

>>28876240

Feels like scavangers. I don't think they could tell us anything beyond 'we wanted to rob your corpse blind'

>>28876224
"You're lucky I've been trying to be a better person, or you wouldn't be getting this chance. And it'll only be the one.

Tell me what the HELL is going on here."

assuming we can still form words with the state we're in

>>28876272
We were beaten and are half to death. You have no idea how he would react in this state.

Should be noted that whatever we do, we straighten out and play everything off like we're completely fine. Would result in more terror than any outright threats and thus lead to better cooperation.

>>28876253

Your hand - Two fingers are stiff - close on the Nihl Sphere. It's cold, as you drag it out of your pocket; Such a little thing, that weighs so much. The violet swirl of light is...

Within, there's a blizzard of white. Fractal, like static - Just looking at it makes your eyes hurt, as it casts no light.

>>28876260
>>28876240
>>28876283

"I. I don't. I don't-"

He's starting to shake, his arms trembling - As if aching to touch, to explore the ruin of his leg, but unable to bring himself to do it.

There's a sour, bitter stink to the air.

Your voice sounds flat, monotone. Not like your voice at all - Or maybe it is. There's a rasp to your words, jagged and raw, as he looks up at your through pink-rimmed eyes, features anonymous beneath black dust.

"Who...?"

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28876301
Interrogate them for any kind of information. Kill them afterwards.

>>28876301
"Talk, unless you want your soul to be torn to pieces and whatever is left thrown into a very deep, very dark, and very COLD hole."

>>28876301

He knows nothing?

Feed him to the Nihl sphere.

>>28876301
Try to use the Nihl on the dead body, see if that snaps him out.

>>28876224
>bottled
Bolted? So one's dead, one's in shock and one's run away?

>>28876301
"I should feel worse about this. It's the kind of behavior that belongs over /there/. But I can't. And I don't know if it's because I'm me, or because of what I am."

Use the sphere.

>>28876283
>>28876308
>>28876310
You're attributing more knowledge to them than they have. This isn't anything they did, it's the storm.

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>>28876301

SOULS.

The Nihl Sphere hungers

>>28876301
>"Who...?"
>
He's starting to shake, his arms trembling - As if aching to touch, to explore the ruin of his leg, but unable to bring himself to do it.

Shock.

>>28876314
>>28876320
>>28876321

He's just in total shock. Its not that he knows nothing. Ask SPECIFIC questions.

"What the hell happened before you found me? Where am i?"

and what's with the fucking dust storm

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>>28876301
>Give him a grin.
>The Joker grin.
"Guess."

>>28876321
No, not yet. Not until we learn who knows who we are.

>>28876301
>"Who...?"
"The Red Joker.
You people never learn. I always gave you a chance to escape.
And you never took it."

>>28876321

> Bolted? So one's dead, one's in shock and one's run away?

(Yes, basically that.)

>>28876301

"Don't 'who' me you fuck. You tried to kill me and ended up getting beat to shit. Who are you and what are you doing here. Let's start with the basics."

We do not want to hang around long. His buddy might stop being a chickenshit and come back with backup.

>>28876342

yeah no, lets NOT REVEAL THAT if there's backup coming from his buddy.

Veto'd!

>>28876346
This

>>28876339
>No, not yet. Not until we learn who knows who we are.
No one. That's why he's asking.

>>28876343
Thank you for clearing that up.

>>28876330
>>28876346
We don't have the energy for an interrogation, and we can find out what happened from someone who knows something later. Just off him and leave, it's not worth sticking around.

>>28876339

>"Guess."

That should not have had me busting out into hysterics. God I'm tired.

>>28876310
>>28876346

> "What the hell happened before you found me? Where am i?"

He shakes his head, his teeth beginning to chatter. The bad smell gets worse.

You don't think he's keeping quiet - You think he physically might *not* be able to speak.

Wheezing. The rasping struggle to exhale. A huh-huh-huh sound that isn't laughter. Then a whisper: "The...*storm*..."

"...Why would...Why would you do something so..."

>>28876314
>>28876320
>>28876326

The Nihl Sphere is hungry. It's ravenous, always. Usually, all it takes - All it takes - to call for that perpetual, hollow hunger is a thought-

Nothing happens.

You focus, until the beginning of a migraine twinge at the edges of your vision, and nothing happens.

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28876395
Kill the dude who tried to kill YOU.

>>28876395
>"...Why would...Why would you do something so..."
...He thinks WE did it.
I guess we stole the credit.

>>28876395
>You focus, until the beginning of a migraine twinge at the edges of your vision, and nothing happens.
"Well, I guess I won't be able to eat your soul."
Someone else decide if we let him live.
I bet someone is watching us.

>>28876395
Useless. Well, snap his neck (use gloves) and gtfo.

>>28876397

We should just bug out. They don't know anything, they're just opportunists. And I really rather not murder random dudes.

>>28876395
Well this has gone down the shitter in good bloody time hasnt it.
Guess we're cut off completely.

>>28876407
This is starting to feel like we are living in Japan's equivalent of Detroit.

>>28876408
What? No. Come on. Let's just kill the guy and run. We never do anything fun.

>>28876395
"You're fortunate. Interference prevents the void from reaching us here. In that case... Tell all who ask that Pazuzu did this."

Then leave. Chaos to our enemies.

>>28876397
You've always got that same response. I recommend professional help.

>>28876402
He's asking why we attacked him so viciously.

>>28876414
When in Detroit..

>>28876417
>"You're fortunate. Interference prevents the void from reaching us here. In that case... Tell all who ask that Pazuzu did this."
Voting for this.
Hilarity will ensue.