>>29945919
>"Sure. No time like the present, right?" Exchange information on a meet-up spot, call up Daniel.
Unless we have plans. Can always hang with friends tomorrow.

>>29945973
>Unless we have plans.
Your only plans are a date with Tracy on Saturday, IIRC.

>>29946002
Should be fine then.

>>29945919
>"Sure. No time like the present, right?" Exchange information on a meet-up spot, call up Daniel.
We gotta make things as smooth as possible.

"Sure. No time like the present, right?" You exchange information on a meet-up spot - a nearby café - and depart school separately.

You give Daniel a quick call as you depart. "We're getting ready for another Incubator hunt. Meet up at Victor's Café shortly. You know the place?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there," he says. He sounds like he's... sleepy?

"Did I wake you up?"

"...maybe," he responds, clearly suppressing a yawn.

"It's three PM, and you're asleep. Seriously?"

"Let's just say I had a really good time last night."

"Fine, whatever, your life. Victor's Café, as soon as possible, right?"

"I'm floating out of the house as we speak."

You hang up. You get to the café separately from Richard, and order a cup of coffee. He just gets water.

"Now," he begins, "normally she operates at night. Ten or eleven-ish. Carries a firearm, targets jewelry stores." He unfurls a map of the city, point. "These are the spots she's hit before," he says. "Does a place about once every night on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, different areas each night."

"So the plan is...?"

"Well, that's what this meeting is for, you know? We have an Exile to deal with. What are your thoughts?"

>"Shouldn't we wait until Daniel gets here?"
>"Here's my idea for a plan..." [write-in]
>"What are typical countermeasures for dealing with an Exile? They seem really hard to pin down, from what you've said before."
>Write-in.

>>29946297
>He unfurls a map of the city, point.
Should be "pointing to numerous marks he's made on it."

>>29946297
>"What are typical countermeasures for dealing with an Exile? They seem really hard to pin down, from what you've said before."
Let's clear this up while waiting for Daniel.

>>29946297
Ask for typical copuntermeasures.

Map out areas, see if there's any commonality.

CSI that shit, this character is smarter than we are - she should see a pattern or something we don't. Roll if you have to.

>>29946297
How many jewelry stores hasn't she hit so far? Are we looking at a big number?

>>29946420
This. We should see if we can guess the next location and set up an ambush. People like this often think themselves invincible, and while on a large part they are, they have major defensive gaps.

"What are typical countermeasures for dealing with an Exile? They seem really hard to pin down, from what you've said before."

"Ideally, you want to catch them by surprise in a wide open area. A park, or something. Exiles are incredible at escaping in urban environments, since walls aren't an obstacle to them."

"Hit fast and hard, right?" He nods. "Any good ways of reducing their mobility?"

He laughs a little and shakes his head. "Best we can do with our resources is a Chariot pick-up." He sighs. "Man, Walter was really good for dealing with Exiles. The sensory side effects of a Ballista's power is very useful. Even another Exile or a Monarch would be good."

"Too bad we don't have one," you say, shutting down that pointless line of conversation. "How many jewelry stores has she not hit yet? She doesn't hit the same one twice, right?"

"She hasn't yet, no." He shows you on the map where she's yet to hit, and you listen to details of her past behavior, tendencies, probable profile, and so forth.

"So, probably... one of these three, right?" You ask, pointing to them on the map.

"That was my thought. Maybe this one, too," he adds, pointing out another. It's more out of the way than the others, compared to where he's suggested that the Exile lives.

You give a "hrm" in thought.

"It's hard to pin her down when we have four potential targets. We could set up an ambush at one of them, wait for her to come to us." He tilts his head to the side. "But... she might not even hit whichever we pick this weekend. After all, there are four, and she'll only hit three. Plus there's the possibility she'll hit somewhere else, instead."

>Write-in.

>>29946669
>We could create an open area using a van and a fuel-air bomb. How do you feel about collateral damage?

>>29946669
Well, it's not a disaster if we can't get her this time, right? Admittedly we don't want to let her continue for TOO long, but better to chance that she appears somewhere and prepare fully for that, and maybe having to repeat those preparations later if she doesn't show, than spread ourselves thin or engage on her terms.

"We could create an open area using explosives. Get a van, some-"

"Gonna stop you right there, Abigail. You can't get too loud in these fights. Etna isn't just interested in getting rid of Incubators, they're also interested in keeping things quiet. Big fat explosions? Not exactly quiet."

"Just an idea," you say, defensively. After a moment of silence, you start up again, this time on a different track. "Well, even if we're unlucky and don't get her this time, it's not a disaster, right? Better to have to repeat any preparations than to spread ourselves too thin or engage on her terms."

Richard responds with a noncommittal shrug. You spot Daniel arrive, and he quickly joins you.

"So, what's the plan, boss lady?"

>"Boss lady?"
>"Well, here's the general situation..." Explain things. "What are your thoughts?"
>"We'll set up an ambush point, hit the target."
>Write-in.

>>29947011
>We could use gas. Gas is quiet.

>>29947011
>"Boss lady?"
This guy...

>>29947140
Gas as in...?

Clarify so I can understand your idea and how it's helpful against a teleporter.

>>29947199
Does the teleported displace or replace?

>>29947253
If you teleport from a clean, sealed room to a sealed room full of neurotoxins, the amount of neurotoxins in each individual room remains constant, if that's sufficient to explain it?

You give him a look. "Boss lady?"

"Well, you're the leader, and you're female, so, boss lady."

"I'm the leader?"

Richard snorts. "Well, I'm sure as fuck not," he notes.

"So, that makes you the boss lady," Daniel adds, helpfully.

>"Whoa, hold up. I'm not ready for all the responsibility of being the leader."
>"Okay, fine, I guess I am. But you should call me the God Empress Queen Abigail Spencer Jackson, Who I Have Sworn Eternal Fealty To."
>"Okay, fine. But don't call me boss lady. It's ridiculous."
>"Richard, you've been doing this for a year, I've been doing it for, like, a week! You should be the leader."
>Write-in.

>>29947289
Displace, then.

We should seal up the shop after it closes and fill it with as much deadly toxin as we can muster. Even if he teleports out, he'll be crippled and in pain, and we can easily take him down.

Her.

Sorry.

God, I hope we don't get seduced.

>>29947312
>"Okay, fine. But don't call me boss lady. It's ridiculous."
Damn Richard, we don't wanna lead shit.

>>29947316
>spoiler
What?

>>29947199
Hydrogen sulphide in a confined space. Kills the sense of smell so the first warning you get is when you black out and by then you have irreversible brain damage anyway.

>>29947386
We're a lesbian, in case you forgot, and Incubators are physically perfect specimens.

>>29947413
Seconding.

>>29947413
Thirding.

>>29947418
Well sure, but I doubt Abby would be taken in like that. I mean, between almost certainly being able to tell she's an incubator (and so, dangerous) and being taken already...

>>29947531
But what if the lady thief is like Black Cat?

>>29947413
Okay, so if you go through with this plan, how are you going to:

• Get hydrogen sulphide into a confined space that the Exile will go into,
• Make sure it stays in there, rather than dissipating,
and
• Release it after the fact/if it turns out she doesn't attack [wherever] that day?

>>29947613
I don't know, the character is the genius here.

>>29947553
You make a good case...

>>29947613
Magic!

>>29947613
If I was a super-intelligent superhuman, I wouldn't be posting here. So I don't know.

>>29947613
Dude, we don't know. We don't know the layout of the shop (But our character should), we don't know how to make hydrogen sulphide or how it works, exactly (but our character does) and we don't know enough to make a plan (but our character might).

>>29947613
Will you also ask us how to make bombs when our character knows the process?

>>29947613
Commercial buildings usually have some kind of air conditioning system up on the roof. Once we get our reaction vessel set up, we get Daniel to fly up there and connect it to the intake. If she doesn't show up, we disconnect it and let the remaining gas cycle out.

>>29947702
Aren't they going to have gas leakage naturally? I mean, I assume that a jewelry shop isn't designed to be vacuum sealed.

It's just... it seems like the plan would require the jewelry store to be vacuum sealed, and that doesn't really seem like a thing you can reasonably do?

I'm asking because maybe I'm just retarded/unaware, but... yeah. I'm not seeing it.

>>29947683
Pretty much this. I defer to our character's superior intellect.

>>29947760
Not necessarily. Gas weaponry works in open environs just fine. Tear gas comes to mind.

>>29947760
Well sure, but it still takes time (especially if we can shut on/off aircons), so you just put it in faster than it dissipates.

>>29947720
A small amount, but the windows will be closed and we're not creating a pressure difference between the inside of the building and the outside. We could probably turn off the AC's outflow fans to stop them pumping it out of the building.

>>29947781
>>29947810
Hrm. Maybe it would work as a trap (container of hydrogen sulfide designed to spray it out) that you remotely activate if/when she enters the building, then?

>>29947831
That would be ideal, yeah.

>>29947831
Rig it to the building alarms?

>>29947881
I'd say just set it off shortly after the store closes. We need around 1 gram per cubic meter to immediately incapacitate a normal human if we're generous the store might be 200 cubic meters.

Okay, so I'm writing up the next update, but honestly, writing/running Abby with the Intelligence power set is kind of annoying.

Would you folks mind terribly if we just retconned out to a different Incubator category? Just say that for all the events up to this point you were actually a Marshal/Knight/whatever (there'd be a re-vote, obviously), now continue from where we left off.

So instead of you beating Jim's goons off with Scholar powers, you beat them off with superhuman fisticuffs/cat monster/etc, and instead of this you did that, and so forth until the present. All the broad brush strokes the same, less the specific power set.

Y/N?

>>29948063
I wouldn't mind terribly having minions.

>>29948063
I wouldn't mind overly much, though you'd need to do a lot of expositing on the details of whatever power we end up picking to not make us suddenly way less competent. And of course there's all the hours spent studying to fill our eidetic memory with useful shit, what would happen with those?

>>29948115
>Making adorable pet critters for our girlfriend

Yes. YES.

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183 KB JPG

>>29948063
I'm not entirely opposed to going BUTCH DEADLIFT on the situation.

>>29948131
Making more and more powerful minions, of course.

All the cats. ALL OF THEM.

>>29948131
>And of course there's all the hours spent studying to fill our eidetic memory with useful shit, what would happen with those?
You posted on image boards.

I can't really think of much time-filling crap you could've done with the other categories of Incubator. Marshals have the most prep variety/time, and they only do their thing a couple times a week.

If there's something you can think of that would've been good to spend time on, we can say you did it instead.

Honestly, you're probably coming out ahead, because you'll have had boosted Intellect, Perception, and Charm for all those rolls you made in the past 13 threads.

>>29948137
>Not going full Butch mode getting Knight
>Not stopping bullets with our hands Armstrong style

>>29948223
>Higher intellect than a Scholar

what

>>29948223
Uh, Tart I just was wondering. why not just make the Scholar Incubator what you wanted it to be? Super senses and perception, instead of perfect memory and brain power?

I mean. I'm not against switching powers (hell I don't even like super senses that much) but you know just a thought

>>29948252
>what
As in, you'll have had a +3 Int, +3 Per, +1 Charm for a bunch of rolls that you wouldn't have had if you'd been a Marshal from the start.

>>29948260
The powers were/are intended to have the potential for a wide variety of applications and power tricks. Super senses and perception is pretty weak on that front.

>>29948290
Super sense, perception, and dexterity. It's Star Platinum without the power.

>>29948223
As a Marshal, could we say we spent the time creating a hollow minion which we can now wear as a suit of armor?

>>29948341
Eh. Knights have superhuman dexterity too.

Senses/perception/dexterity is a *really* passive power set.

>>29948367
Marshal powers don't work like that. You can secrete about ~10 kg of stupid minions (nonverbal but understands commands, low ability for initiative) a week, maximum size ~5 kg. If you make ones substantially lighter than normal, they lose much combat effectiveness and are only useful for side utilities (and also will be stupider). It also can't be really weird looking like a hollow minion would be.

>>29948367
Oh man. OH MAN.

>>29948428
This guy is me.

> weird looking
Weird looking as in volume/etc. They can be spiny velociraptors as long as they're about the right size.

>>29948290
Eh, I guess. Either way, do what you like.

If we're switching powers tho, I want a bit more description of each. We're obviously gonna be a Knight though.

>>29948452
More than you got when you were picking them the first time, or more than you got when Richard was explaining them?

File: 1391286077499.jpg-(136 KB, 640x1685, guyver-2.jpg)

136 KB JPG

>>29948428
But we could in theory create a large number of minions and order them to link together into a suit?

If we can't do this then I support Knight, but otherwise this seems like a good compromise.

>>29948495
if we're switching, I'd like:
1. physique
2. body control
3. biology manipulation

in order of preference

I knew the info gathering power was a bad idea from thread 1. You handled it super well up to this point though.

If we go Knight, will we be fit or GIGANIGGA level of muscle?

>>29948495
First one.

I just want like, a brief description of base power it gives, and then maybe 2-3 suggestions of how it may be applied laterally.

>>29948546
I think it's super strength as a power, doesn't affect our muscles size.

>>29948546
I assume that it wouldn't be THAT visible, if any at all, otherwise how would Knights not get discovered by the government through word-of-mouth ('did you see Jane Doe lately? She suddenly put on a ton of muscle!')?

"Okay, fine. But don't call me boss lady. It's ridiculous."

"Yes, chieftess."

"I'm serious," you say with a glare.

"Alright, alright," Daniel says, raising his hands defensively. "What do you want me to call you, then?"

"My name. Abigail," you respond.

"Alright, Gale Force it is."

"I'm serious," you say through gritted teeth.

"It's fun to irritate you," Daniel says with a stupid grin on his face. "Fine, fine," he adds hastily. "Abigail," he says, stressing the word.

"This is why I don't want to be the leader," Richard explains.

You groan and rub your temples. "Okay, look, here's a thought. Poison gas attack. Leave it in the building, activate it remotely if she goes in, then... bam. Dead bitch. Don't even need to fight her."

Richard is clearly considering it, fingers covering his mouth. "Well, there are two problems I can think of immediately. Firstly, Incubators are tougher than normal humans. Our bodies are better built, and that's not just an aesthetic thing. A poison might not work as effectively, or they might detect it prematurely, or the like. Secondly, if it doesn't work, how are we supposed to know?"

"Yeah, that's a valid point. What about..."

>PAUSE

>Retcon time.

>Pick a new power set (Chariot and Healer not recommended for reasons that should be obvious).

Detailed outlines (extracts from my personal notes):
http://pastebin.com/a0aFE9wg

>>29948546
You will just look fit.

>>29948625
Physique. Extreme durability, extreme strength, enhanced movement speed. Take low-caliber bullets, throw cars, run 10 m/s, jump 20m.

>>29948625
>Knight
SLAB BULKHEAD

>>29948625
KNIGHT THAT SHIT

>>29948625
>http://pastebin.com/a0aFE9wg
Monarch
we regent now

>>29948625
>http://pastebin.com/a0aFE9wg
Monarch!

>>29948625
Knight is clearly the best option.

>>29948647
>>29948625
Totally voting Knight

>Chariot and Healer are not recommended
How come?

>>29948861
Probably because we already have them in the team.

>>29948861
Because members of your "team" already have them.

>>29948884
So technically we can consider cultist girl to be part of our team? Nice.

>>29948884
>Not having a team full of Clerics
>Ever getting hurt again.

>>29948928
It is an option, but there's no double-buffing so it may not be as useful as it seems.

>>29948951
Relax, I'm pulling your leg bro. I voted Knight for a reason.

Mostly because I'm tired of being calculating and just want to smash up shit.

Right, looks pretty clear that Knight is the winner. Weird that there wasn't even a single vote for Marshal, given that it actually got the most votes in the first thread.

>writing

Actually, eating, then writing.

>>29949043
well it's kinda weird making those things out of your own body, too few, not enough material unless we get fat, and healer just seemed all around better, but wasn't recommended.

>>29949043
Eh, I am thinking the better explanation of the powers showed us it's rather limited beyond escaping shit.

Besides, we've been playing the planning strategy type for 12 threads. I'm willing to bet at least half of the others want to smash up shit.

Also I wonder if all the people who voted for Scholar are even here anymore.

>>29949084
YES
after all that careful planning, it's fun to play a character who just does simple smashing.
Voted for scholar first thread, started regretting it around the third lol. Too much studying, not enough fun.

>>29949084
Actually I voted Exile first thread.

Kinda glad it didn't win. Teleporting is really cool, but uh, it doesn't really let you do much if you don't have other powers to compliment it.

>We were actually a Knight all along
>Those Cultists tied us up thinking we'd be restrained
Heh. Too bad we didn't realize our power then. We'd have smashed all sorts of skulls I imagine Armstrong style

>>29949227
Eh, they were somewhat polite and it would have made for a poor first impression on miss healer. If anything we'd have gone for the plan sooner, comfortable knowing they couldn't restrain us in case things went south.

>>29949227
>guy asks what power we have
>"I can deadlift a small truck. If I wanted out, those restraints wouldn't have stopped me."

>>29949341
I prefer to think that we just lied to him, and now he thinks we have Richards power, when really we had super strength all along!

Abby was very smart before she got a power, getting SWOLE isn't gonna change that. Richard will start scoring better than us in school though :(

>>29949406
Not in gym class

>>29949406
So any time someone asks, we say we're the smart one and Richard is the strong one?
I like that.

>>29949456
lol, if only gym class continued into high school.

>>29949474
#legit

>>29949491
>if only gym class continued into high school.
But it does.

>>29949507
whaat?

I feel robbed, mine ended in middle school

>>29949227
>>29949341
There are all sorts of niggles like this. Like, shouldn't you have been fine in the aftermath of that fight with the Healer and his two buddies, since you had a bunch more HP? Don't think about it too much. I know I won't.

>>29949077
No power has straight-up superiority to another.

The ones with the most similar mechanical/party roles are probably Chariot/Knight (both are quite tough and long-lasting, with high-damage low-accuracy attacks) and Monarch/Healer (both have debuff potential).

Marshal and Healer are not really playing the same game. Marshal is a summoner, Healer is a cleric.

>>29949164
Exile is actually pretty fucking good in combat. Their Dodge score is through the roof, and it pays dividends.

I'm probably going to mess with Knight's numbers, but right now Exiles are in the upper portion of the class list in terms of raw numerical power (though "raw numerical power" here is the difference of a few percentage points probability of victory, since I carefully and meticulously balanced everything).

>>29949623
Nah I don't expect the Retcon to make much sense. I just wanna smash things.

>Dodge score is high
Neat. While I really like that, it's hard to argue with benchpressing small trucks

>>29949623
So when Panacea turned Victoria into a flesh coffin mind slave thing in Worm, it was because her powers exceeded what Healers can do in your setting, and Healers cannot twist people into mind slaves? If so, then I was wrong, and healer is not all around better than Marshal.

Marshal is still weird and creepy though.

>>29949746
>worm

leave and never return

>>29949746
Healers are way weaker than Panacea, just like Marshals are way weaker than Nilbog.

>Retcon complete.

>You are Abigail Spencer Jackson, Knight Incubator.

"What about a video camera? Couldn't we monitor the inside of the building somehow?"

Richard nods, clearly weighing the option in his head. "I like it. It has its risks, but it does put us in an advantageous position, even if it fails." Then he sighs. "How do we set it up though? Making some kind of poison gas is one thing, but how do we put it inside?"

You eye him expectantly.

"So it's up to me, then? I'll have to do some reading to make sure I've got it down, but I think I can probably manage something."

"So the plan is...?" Daniel asks.

>"We pick out one of the probable targets and lay a trap there, before waiting for our target to arrive. She will probably do so by Sunday."
>"We lay out traps at all four probable targets, pick out one, and set up a personally staffed ambush there. We'll nail her that way."
>Write-in.

>>29949935
>the rate she's been going, she'll have hit three of the four remaining stores before long. If she doesn't know we're tracking her, it shouldn't be hard to wait and ambush her at the last one

>>29950099
Second

>>29950099
So this would be "waiting out the week and hitting her next at the last location?"

>>29949789
>not liking worm

I'd tell you to do something, but I think having shit taste is punishment enough.


>>29949935
Pick out a single target and trap it

Don't want to spook her if she finds an unmanned trap.

>>29950221
I'm so sorry I don't like your creepy rapefics.

>>29950208
Trapping one location and waiting should work just as well, as long as we get there before she does.

>>29950354
I... don't think there's much of any rape in Worm?

>>29950354
Wow, just when I believe I can't think any less of you, you reveal that you're the type of person that knocks something without even reading it. How does it feel to be universally hated?

>>29950395
I also don't like grimderp, either.

>>29950428
Fair enough.

Gray Boy and Cherish's final fate just seem like "here's some horrible shit for no real reason. Enjoy."

>>29950428
Wow what a loser

"She's working her way through jewelry stores," you note. "These four are the next likely targets. She'll hit three of them over the coming days." You pause for a moment. "However, there's the risk that if we pick one out and sit on it for the coming days, it tips her off somehow. For all we know, she scouts her targets the night before, for example." Richard's eyebrows raise a little at that point, but he nods in agreement. "Instead, I think we should just wait a week. By holding off until next week, we will have a much better idea of when and where she's likely to strike next."

"Unless she strikes somewhere else," Richard says.

"That's always a risk. Better that she continues to believe herself unpursued, and works her way into a corner, than that we spook her. As you've noted, Exiles are extremely hard to pin down once alerted."

"So we're not doing anything today?" Daniel asks, almost pouting.

"No, Daniel," you reply. "We're not doing anything today."

>Discuss [x] with Richard and Daniel.
>Head home, timeskip to tomorrow/date night!
>Write-in.

>>29950664
Wait, we're not still leader are we? It only makes sense for the person with the smartness power to be leader after all.
>>29950664
>Head home, timeskip to tomorrow/date night!
I can't think of anything specific to discuss.

>>29950813
>Wait, we're not still leader are we? It only makes sense for the person with the smartness power to be leader after all.
You're still leader.

Richard is dislikes social interaction and is abrasive. He neither wants to be leader, nor would he be a particularly good one.

>>29950872
But we're really bad at social interaction too (remember our tanked charm!) and can no longer make the best of plans. I guess we're better than Daniel, but...

>>29950664
>2

>>29950914
> we're really bad at social interaction too
Charm 0 is average human. You're no Margaery Tyrell, but you're not exactly Tomoko, either.

Richard's is in the negatives.

>can no longer make the best of plans
Leaders can work together with their underlings in order to make good plans. Indeed, that's what you just did.

>>29950872
So it's like Master Blaster, but in reverse.

>>29950664
>Head home, timeskip to tomorrow/date night!

You sigh, sipping at your coffee. "I think that about wraps things up. Yes?"

Daniel pouts, but nods. Richard takes another sip of his water before getting up to leave. "Bye, then," he says with a small wave.

Daniel follows him shortly thereafter, leaving you alone. You finish off your coffee before heading home.

Your mother is still confined to her bedroom since the incident in the bathtub, but it's fine. You've started practicing cooking and can make something nice for yourself. Maybe she'll start to come out more if you make something really good. Coax her with food, you know?

You wind up leaving a plate full of food outside her room, as she's still refusing to open the door when you're around. That done, you head to your bedroom to start getting a leg up on your homework for the coming week. Math's your best subject, but you aren't too shabby at anything other than Spanish, so the work's pretty easy, all things considered.

You wrap up all the pressing assignments before curling up to sleep.

You wake up Saturday morning, a bit later than you would've liked, but early enough. 9:32, by the clock. Well, now, today's the day you have your date set up with Tracy. Fortunately, you set things up with her in advance, this time.

Date is... when?
>Lunch
>Afternoon
>Dinner

Date is... where/what?
>Write-in.

Previously:

>You start to do some light exercise, stretching, a few push-ups, that sort of thing, while you think. What else to do on a date... arcade, maybe? Dinner or lunch somewhere nice, before or after? The zoo? A dance? A sports game? Bowling? Roller skating? Mini-golf? A park? An amusement park? A concert? Ice cream shop? Hiking (probably not today, but maybe some other time)? A museum? Shopping?

>>29951332
>Lunch date, and then the zoo

Let's go look at some motherfucking kawaii animals

>>29951388
Yes.

And we will carry her on our shoulders as much as possible.

Maybe have her sit on our hand.

>>29951495
I like that you agreed with me, but I didn't like anything you added. Creepy government organization doesn't like us standing out, remember? Let's keep that stuff private if we do it at all.

Sorry for the time this update is taking. Social interaction is a lot slower for me to write, plus I went to get a soda, plus I'm distracted by other quests.

Should be done soon.

>>29952525
Scorpion Girl Quest?

Right, the plan was a lunch outing and the zoo.

You shower, comb your hair, put on make-up. Since you'll be out and about outdoors at the zoo, you pick out looser, lighter clothes to wear, rather than something too dressy. In the end, you settle on a white t-shirt and loose, light blue jeans. You're not certain, but whatever, Tracy probably won't break up with you because of something stupid like that, right? Right.

You do a bit more of your homework before you have to head out, calling Tracy on your way.

"Hey!" She says before you can say anything. "I've got a real good feeling about today." There's a voice in the background. "No, you!" She says with a laugh. "Sorry, sorry."

"Just making sure everything's good on your end," you say. "It is, right?"

"Guh-reat over here, Abby!" Wow, she is cheery today. The background voice again. "No, I'm not going to... okay, fine, whatever. Jim says I have to tell you that there had better not be any 'hanky panky' today. But I'll tell him that he'd better not add an 'or else' to that sentence... or else," she says, a strange mixture of humor and threat in the words.

"Your chastity is safe with me," you say, your voice calm. "But do remind him that it's not really his business."

"Well, it kind of is, though? I mean, what he did was like, totally beyond the pale, but, you know... he is my guardian. Like my dad, kind of? Except not dead. You know."

>Write-in.

>>29952525
>I'm distracted by other quests.
Which ones?

>>29952651

>Still, I think what you chose to do with your friends, and girlfriends, is none of his business. I bet he wouldn't be putting up anywhere near this amount of fuss if I were male.

>>29952651
"Just because he's your guardian doesn't make him your dad, though he may consider himself pretty much the same. I get that you love him, but he's definitely overprotective of you. Me being a girl doesn't help that either. Not that I mind, he probably loves you dearly. The only time he really bothers me is when he tries to kill me with goons."

>>29952768
>>29952790
>writing
Hm. Roll Charm. Three d20s, best of first three, no critfails.

No DC, just to give an idea of how well you do.

Rolled 9

>>29952995
While I'm sure she has no interest in getting him removed as a guardian, I'd say it's only fair if her ignoring his less than savory dealings with crime (which WOULD get him removed ASAP if she wanted) means she can get some leeway in return.

Rolled 17

>>29952995
No fucking whammies!

Rolled 9

>>29952995
Go

>>29953079
17 sounds like a pass, right?

>>29953127
It is a "pass."

The vague outline was/is something to the effect of "15+ salvageable, 17+ 'winning'." Substantially below fifteen would've amounted to "start a fight."

>>29953161
Good, good.
Wouldn't mind a nice fight to get some passion into this very sterile relationship, but not over the dickbag brother.

"I get that. I get that he's the person looking out for you. But that doesn't mean it's his job to micromanage your life. I mean, you are an independent person, you know?"

"Yeah... I guess," she says, sounding vaguely like a child being scolded.

"Even if he *was* your dad, it's a little far. He's overprotective, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," she agrees, voice faltering.

"I just don't think you should treat it as something you're supposed to buckle under for. I mean, within a year you'll be legally an adult."

"Yeah..." she says, trailing off. "Yeah, that's true," she says, voice regaining some vigor.

"Right. Good. Okay. I mean, look, Tracy, is his problem with me, or with the fact that I'm a girl?"

There's a long hesitation before she answers, but not from the difficulty of answering. "It's probably the latter."

"Right. And you're gay, yeah?"

That elicits a tiny, half-defensive chuckle. "Pretty sure."

>(1/2)

>(2/2)

You can tell she really doesn't want to deal with this, but you *have* to deal with it. "So he needs to get used to the idea. Not just for my sake, but also for yours. After all, if things don't work out with us, then you might want to date some other girl later on. And if he's still like this about it...?" You trail off suggestively.

"I- I hadn't even thought of that," she admits.

"Well, now you have," you say with a sigh. There's a long, uncomfortable moment of silence. "Okay, now that that's covered," you say, artificially lightening your tone. "I can't wait to see you."

Tracy seems to brighten up just a smidge. "Yeah," she says, then she really starts to mean it. "Yeah, okay, you're right. Yeah, let's do it." She pauses, then says, no longer speaking to you, "I mean, not do it do it, just, do the date thing. Look," she says, returning her attention to you, "talk to you when you get here?"

"Yeah, sure thing babe," you say, before saying your farewells and hanging up.

You're going to be meeting up with Tracy at her house in just a bit. What general tack do you plan on taking?

>Confrontational. Jim is a problem, and you're going to deal with that problem, head on.
>Cordial. Avoid discussing Jim, pamper her a bit.
>Happy. Just have a good time, get a itty-bit touchy feely, flirt.
>Write-in.

>>29953612
>Cordial with a touch of Happy

>>29953612
>Cordial
We already got her on our side, we won. If he gets in our face, THEN we deal with it

>>29953612
>Happy. Just have a good time, get a itty-bit touchy feely, flirt
Jim already knows we can break him in half if we have to.

>>29953612
>Cordial
We already pressed her on Jim and made progress, no need to spoil the date.

Curious: How far can we throw the average person?

Certain aphorisms have lost their value.

>>29953891
A long, long ways.

Rolled 4

>>29953891
Well, assuming we take one second to throw them, that the average weight is 75 kilograms, we throw at an angle of 45 degrees, and neglecting air resistance, we should be able to throw someone about 85 meters.

When you arrive, you knock on the door a few times, then step back, hands clasped together, staring forward. After a long few seconds, it opens, revealing Tracy, whose expression is somewhere above sullen but well below giddy.

You bow in an exaggerated fashion. "M'lady," you say, "if I may have the pleasure of your company for the evening?"

That prompts a giggle from Tracy, and she daintily holds her hand forward. "You may."

You take her hand in yours, and guide her away from the door, letting her close it behind her. Fortunately, you didn't have to deal with Jim at all, which would have been a crappy start to what will, hopefully, be a fun date.

You chat with Tracy as you walk towards the restaurant you picked out for the date today. It's nothing fancy, just a little fast casual restaurant that specializes in burgers. You put in your orders and sit down at a table with Tracy as you wait for your number to be called.

You're almost (if not entirely) shameless in the compliments you pay to Tracy, which helps to lighten her mood up to something approaching normal, and soon enough you're busily chatting away, with you running your fingers across one of her hands, and her blushing and smiling in response.

>Roll Perception. 1d20+1, best of first 3.

Any particular suggestions on how to go forward on the date?
>Write-in.

Rolled 9 + 1

>>29954457

Rolled 12 + 1

>>29954457
>Ask her about her week! We may get some highlights when we sit down with her and Ned at school, but being interested is still important. That should fill time until food appears at the very least.

Rolled 14 + 1

>>29954457
do >>29954605

>>29954605
We should probably bullshit something up for ourselves too, though. Maybe addicted to Netflix? Probably don't want to bring up mom AKA moodkiller extraordinaire.

>>29954457
this >>29954605
in addition to more than highlights, there might be stuff she wants to say without Ned around.

>>29954845
Hey, we might have been doing something interesting all those hours we previously had been studying.

You want to play the part of the good girlfriend, so you try to get her to open up a little. "How's your week been, Tracy?"

"Good," she says, nodding to herself. "Very good."

"Anything interesting you haven't mentioned yet?"

"Mmm..." she pauses, considering. "Nope. I mostly just read and watched TV and did school work and all that other boring stuff," she says.

Well, that was a very rewarding waste of your time, you think as you smile at her. "Anything interesting on TV?"

"Nothing you're interested in, I don't think. Unless you've gained a taste for the Vampire Diaries?" You snort and shake your head. "Yeah, just that and, uh, some reality TV shows."

"Books, then?"

She pauses, as if mentally perusing the list. "Just some paranormal romance," she says with a shrug. Not a shared interest. You nod respectfully.

Your number gets called, and you head over to pick up your and Tracy's meal, bringing them back while balancing them. It's still a little strange how light everything feels to you, since your... what's it called... implantation? You think that's what Richard called it.

"And you, Abby?" Tracy asks as you place her food in front of her. "What've you been ub do," she asks, the last couple words obscured as she shovels fries into her mouth in a quite undignified fashion.

What have you been up to the past week?
>Practicing cooking.
>Dealing with hikkimori mom.
>Killing Incubators.
>[Retcon Advantage] Write-in, true.
>Write-in.

>>29955113
>Practicing cooking.
Well, technically if we cook, we're practicing cooking, and we do cook for mom, so...
We should offer to make her dinner some time!

>>29955113
>Practicing Cooking
We can gut the FUCK out of a turkey, you know.

>>29955113
>Practicing cooking
>Working out
The working out might cover us if we casually and accidently reveal a bit more strength than we really should have.

>>29955230
cookin', liftin'.

Yeah, going with lifting for the writein.

>>29955250
>>29955230
>We work out by lifting massive fucking boulders and fighting bears

>>29955230
Sure.
Time to become a fucking master chef.

"I've been practicing cooking," you start off.

"Weally?" Tracy asks, mouth full. You look away as she reveals its contents: a disgusting porridge of half-chewed french fries. "Fat seems a liddle..."

"Tracy, please, stop talking with your mouth full."

Tracy gives you a sullen look, then slowly, deliberately, and exaggeratedly, chews away the food inside of her mouth. After you correct her, she even does it without smacking her lips, though that prompts her to slow down even further. After a massive, overacted swallow, she says, "Jim never complains about it..."

"Well, I'm not Jim," you reply, curtly. "Which is probably for the best, since this date would be really weird otherwise."

That provokes a little giggle from her.

"Anyway, you were saying?" You ask. When she shows a measure of confusion, you repeat her words. "That seems a little...?"

"Oh, it just, it seems a little more housewife-y than I expected from you."

"It's cooking," you say with a shrug. "It's a useful life skill, not really inherently 'housewife-y.'" You pause, considering what else to tell her. With your newfound - extraordinary - strength, it's probably for the best to start laying down some kind of explanation. "I've been working out some, too."

"You mentioned that earlier," Tracy says. "Remember? Tickets to the gun show?"

"Oh yeah," you say. "Sorry. Just been a long week."

"Good to hear you're enjoying it so much?" Tracy proffers, a little uncertain.

"Yeah," you lie, "it's a good feeling. Like, it takes effort, but... in a good way, you know? Accomplishment."

Tracy nods in understanding. "Anything else?"

>"Not really. Just watching TV and browsing image boards and other junk."
>Write-in.
>Fuck it, timeskip to the theatre.

>>29955953
>theatre
Zoo! Zoo! Not theatre!

>>29955953
>just chillaxing
>timeskip to zoo

>>29955953
Yeah, let's timeskip for now. Zoo!

>>29955953
>Timeskip

"Just... y'know, chilling out," you say, vaguely but meaningfully.

For the rest of the meal, Tracy practices better dining etiquette, avoiding talking with her mouth full. The conversation is light, fluffy, and enjoyable, far less stressful that your earlier one. After you stack your trash into a pile to make the bus boy's job easier, you withdraw from the table. You and Tracy head for the zoo, hand in hand.

You get to the zoo, buying tickets for yourself and Tracy. You notice a young woman following you as you enter.

The same young woman who followed you around at the theatre on your last date with Tracy.

Hm.

Unfortunately, Tartarus is sleepy and he's run for over eight hours already so he won't even feel guilty about ending his thread here.

>THREAD END.

>>29956464
Shit, we do have a proper stalker. Well, one of us. Probably Tracy since we haven't noticed her on our own.

I can only imagine the joy on Jim's face if he finds out she doesn't only have a girlfriend, but also a stalker.

>>29956464
Thanks for running!

>>29956464
oh god
love triangle

Thanks for running Tartarus! Please work on your sleep schedule, we're all worried! How's the melatonin working out?

>>29956590
I don't know if a stalker could possibly be legitimate competition for either of them, really. I do wonder what her deal is.

>>29956629
I mean, we've only seen her on dates with Tracy. Maybe she's a PI Jim hired?

>>29956692
Hmmm, that could be it. Though a PI doesn't really feel like his style, at least there's a good chance he sen her to keep an eye on things.

>>29956769
Sending a half dozen goons after us is his style, but after the last time that failed I think he may have been forced to switch methods.

>>29956590
>How's the melatonin working out?
Eh.

Apparently the optimal dose for melatonin is 0.3-1.0 mg, and they sell the stuff is 5mg tablets. Oh well, this is what man invented knives for.

> Please work on your sleep schedule, we're all worried!
My sleep cycle seems mostly okay at this point, though I took three doses of melatonin yesterday and only got ~4 hours of sleep (3-7 of today).

If I go to sleep now and make it all one big chunk, it'll be good.

>>29957174
<3