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


File: ripple.jpg (153 KB, 1280x853)
153 KB
153 KB JPG
About four years ago, my mother's car got attacked by some kind of superpowered freak. It put my mother in a coma for a good while, and she's been hospitalized ever since.

Now you'd THINK that the cops would be interested in pursuing someone who would and CAN punch cars into oblivion, but pretty everyone I told about what happened laughed in my face.

The only person who actually DID believe me is a girl I met in the park the night after the accident... and thanks to her, now I have my own powers.


>Thread archive:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?searchall=false+dendrite+quest

>Branches known thus far:
http://pastebin.com/9SQy7UhL

>Twitter:
https://twitter.com/QM_Archelon

>Ask thing:
http://maouzenigame.tumblr.com/

>Game production blog:
https://studioarchelon.wordpress.com/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: joshua.png (17 KB, 164x318)
17 KB
17 KB PNG
>"...what."

I go quiet for a few seconds.

"What 'what?'" she asks, a puzzled look on her face.
"Ugh..."

I begin pacing around the room.

"APPARENTLY," I groan, "the voice in my head already knows where those two kids live. Or something."
"What?" Lorelei stares at me.

you two really do belong together

"And I guess he thinks it's a good idea to just raid their place," I say.
"...wow," Lorelei replies. "I can't say that it's a -bad- way to go about things, but how exactly do you plan on going about this?"
"That's what I want to know."

if you switch control to me then I can just tell her myself


>yeah, go ahead
>hell no, you're going to relay this plan through me first
>>
>>46803575
>yeah, go ahead
TRUST
>>
>>46803575
>hell no, you're going to relay this plan through me first
>>
>sidestory
despair
>>
>>46803575
>yeah, go ahead
>>
>>46803575
>yeah, go ahead

If he does something uncool it's not like he's got many places to hide. Preface him coming out by saying, "Hold on, he wants to tell you himself."
>>
>>46803575
>hell no, you're going to relay this plan through me first
>>
>>46803575
>>yeah, go ahead
>>
>>46803575
>yeah, go ahead
Sure, why not?
>>
>>46803575
>>yeah, go ahead
>>
Surprised to see this much activity.

>>46803736
Worry not, for we shall return to our regularly-scheduled lesbians soon enough.


>writing
>>
>>46804293
So when will we return to Princess Guard-verse in the sequel you planed on doing?
>>
>>46804446
Never. He wants to do a webcomic.
>>
File: 1418435401192.jpg (212 KB, 629x500)
212 KB
212 KB JPG
Yeah, go ahead. You have control.

thanks

I allow my consciousness to recede into the back of my mind as another takes the "driver's seat" of my body. No matter how many times I do this, I will never get used to how weird it feels to feel myself moving around and hear myself talking but not being the one who's actually doing it.

ah

here we go

"Alright, here we go," I say, clapping my hands together.
"Erm..." Lorelei tilts her head as she continues to stare at me. "Joshua?"
"Sorry, I don't think I've ever gotten the chance to talk to you directly," I reply. "I am the Vine who's taken residence in your boyfriend's body."
"...I see."

The look on her face implies that she's all business.


>[1/?]
>>
File: 1419530856239.png (750 KB, 812x458)
750 KB
750 KB PNG
>>46804856


"I assume that there's a good reason why you decided to surface," Lorelei says to me with a cold look in her eyes that she's never subjected Joshua to.
"Uh, yeah," I nod. "He thought it'd be easier to just let me explain things myself so he let me take control for a little bit."
"......very well."

Lorelei walks over to the couch and takes a seat, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her lap. Seeing her all stern like this kind of reminds me when we ran into Irene's sister yesterday.

"Please make this quick," she says.

Ouch. No love is spared for me.

"Well, uh..." I clear my throat. "After that stuff that happened last week with Irene getting killed and all, I was just as torn up about it as Joshua was."
"Hm."
"But I pulled myself together a few days before he did since I'm the tough one of our partnership," I say with a grin that goes unappreciated.

Tough crowd.

"My first thought was to just take over for a while and kill both of those pieces of trash in the hugest sonic explosion I could manage..." I say. "...but then I realized that Joshua wouldn't want that at all so I reeled myself back in there."
"How kind of you," Lorelei replies.
"It wouldn't feel right to use his body to commit murder without him knowing," I say with a shrug. "I couldn't betray his trust like that."

After all, he's the only friend I have in the world.


>[2/?]
>>
>>46804466
Eww.
>>
>>46805182
>I couldn't betray his trust like that
Can someone explain this to me?
>>
>>46805533
Nice dubdub.

Joshua's Vine is one of the rare few that's willing to just coexist without something special like Gabrielle's doll or Katrine/Irene's cloning power, so doing something that might cause Joshua to erase it is something it would avoid.
>>
>>46805182
>[3/3]

"So instead, I went digging around online and in the school directory and all that and found the info on where they live," I say. "I even memorized the way there."
"I suppose that explains how you know where to find them," Lorelei replies, "but how is this different from what you want him to do now?"
"It's a sneaking mission instead of an all-out assault," I reply. "After making sure that nobody's home, we'll root around for their book and bail before they get back. Simple, right?"
"Very," she nods. "I'm surprised that you're being this calm about it."
"Well Joshua's promised me that he'd let me take care of the cold stone which flows like blood myself when the time comes. So there's no need to rush, his business can come first."
"Hm."


>do you have something against me?
>mind if I ask what happened with your vine?
>that's about it for now
>change the subject to something else before giving control back to joshua
>>
>>46805707
>that's about it for now
>>
>>46805707

>do you have something against me?
>>
>>46805707
>Mind if I ask what happened with your vine?
>>
>>46805707
>do you have something against me?
>mind if I ask what happened with your vine?
>>
>>46805707
>Mommy, why are you so hostile towards your children?
>>
>>46804293
I prefer Joshua and Lorelei's relationship to CC and Yandere's.

Joshua and Lorelei have that rivalry over who is in control, and who is awawawawwa*flustered*>///<. I like that.

With CC and Yandere, while Yandere has a lot of personality, CC is on autopilot. She might as well be a unit on attack-move, with attack replaced with "lesbian".
>>
>writing
>>
>>46805707
>do you have something against me?

I think it's probably likely that she gave branches only to people she liked, so an overgrowth means she lost someone she liked.

>>46806213
Charlotte has also gotten much more aggressive with how she handles stuff dealing with CC. To me she seems way too stubborn for it to really work out since CC doesn't even seem to be capable of reeling her in after the whole chrysalis thing (not to say Char wasn't stubborn before, but she was a bit more malleable in the beginning).
>>
>>46806213
>molest girlfriend
>get flustered
>molest girlfriend
>water plants
>molest girlfriend
>shitty texting
>repeat ad nauseam

It's not just you.
>>
>>46806289
I imagine Charlotte to be the type that would get horny out of jealousy whenever she sees CC with Gangbangchan.
This makes her lesbian instincts take over, causes her to ninjaloot CC, and take CC to the nearest uninterrupted lesbian hotspot and fuck her.
CC can't lesbian anyone else if she's sexually sated, so all Charlotte has to do is ensure that CC is lesbianned to capacity every time she's with another woman.

>CLick to verify once there are none left fading captcha
uiojklm,uiojklm,. fuck off.
>>
>>46806178
That's a fun way to phrase it
>>
>>46806292
I wonder if we're getting that cactus back.
>>
File: lorelei.png (21 KB, 249x334)
21 KB
21 KB PNG
"Uh..." I scratch my head. "...do you have something against me? I mean, this is the first time I've ever so much as said a single word to you and you've -never- been this cold to Joshua..."

I mean, I wouldn't even EXIST as I am right now if not for her.

"Pardon me if I've had more than my fair share of bad experiences involving Vines and people I care about," Lorelei cuts back. "Even ones that seemed friendly at first may suddenly decide that they enjoy being in control a little bit too much."
"Hey now." I say, throwing up my hands. "You have zero need to worry about me pulling that kind of stunt."
"So you say."
"I mean it. Even though this world is garbage, Joshua's always trying to do what he can to make it a little bit less so. He's the best person I know, and I couldn't even -begin- to replace him."


>[1/?]
>>
>>46806723
Considering he simply stole the thing, that seems likely.
>>
>>46806808
>Even ones that seemed friendly at first may suddenly decide that they enjoy being in control a little bit too much.
Reminds me of you, Lorelei.
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>46806808
dice
>>
>>46806808
>[2/2]


"And if the time came when he no longer lived up to your lofty expectations...?" Lorelei looks at me under the brim of her hat.
"Then I'll set him back on the right path," I say, hitting my chest. "That's my duty as his beat friend."
"Hmph."

Seriously, what is her problem?

"Your Vine might have tried to pull an Overgrowth but I'm not like that," I say. "Seriously."
"Mine did no such thing," Lorelei replies. "My concerns are based on what people close to me have experienced, not my own."
"Huh?"

It didn't?

"Then did you live all this time with yours still with you?" I ask.
"No," she shakes her head. "The boundary between 'me' and 'her' has long since vanished."


>yeah I'm just going to drop it
>now I'm curious
>>
>>46807169
>>now I'm curious
>>
>>46807169
Yo
Skrill
Drop
it
HARD
<dubstep>
>>
>>46807169
>now I'm curious
So what you two fused or something? Would that happen to us if we lived long enough? That'd be cool.
>>
>>46807169
>hitting my chest. … his beat friend.
Intentional?
>>
>>46807169
Q. Arch, is it possible (in theory) for a branch holder to just let their vine take over control of the body permanently, and just sit idle in the back of their mind for a few years?
Or would a vine in that situation always just Overgrowth and consume the main's soul?
>>
>>46807169
>>now I'm curious
Not a good idea for Joshua and this vine, but still.
>>
>>46807169
>now I'm curious
So you fused willingly?
>>
>writing
>>
>>46807254
>Q. Arch, is it possible (in theory) for a branch holder to just let their vine take over control of the body permanently, and just sit idle in the back of their mind for a few years?
>Or would a vine in that situation always just Overgrowth and consume the main's soul?
In a situation like Joshua's, that would be entirely possible. But only voluntarily.

If a Vine's will is strong enough to force the host into submission like that, it's easier for them to just go full Overgrowth.
>>
File: inverseripple.jpg (174 KB, 1280x853)
174 KB
174 KB JPG
"Wait a minute."

I point at Lorelei.

"So you and your Vine..." I trail off.
"During a particularly low point in my life when I hated myself and my Branch and the entire world, she offered to lend me her mental strength so that I wouldn't end up crumbling entirely," Lorelei says. "I believe I was in my early twenties when that happened."

...wow.

"So you willingly..."
"She valued me more than herself," Lorelei replies. "So please understand why I might be more than a little skeptical when you claim that you and Joshua have a similar relationship."


>[1/?]
>>
>>46807513
Sparrows are known for their fertility.

I want a pet Mystia
>>
>>46807895
>[2/2]

"I dunno if I can say that I'm the same as that," I mumble. "I kinda value my individuality too much to-"
"Yes, sure, whatever," Lorelei sighs. "That's enough talking about myself."

This is clearly a sore subject.


>time to give the joshua back control
>stick around for a little longer
>>
>>46808009
Pretend to give Joshua back control, but don't.
See if we can get Song-kun laid.
>>
>>46808009
I'm sorry for the bad experiences you've had with vines before. I'll give Joshua back to you now, mom
>>
>>46808009
>stick around for a little longer
Just long enough to tell her that Joshua's love for her is as real as real can be. It's not a fleeting lust, but he would want to live forever just to be with you. And raise a huge family...

I'm sure that will warm her up.
>>
>>46808009
>>time to give the joshua back control

No talking. Just control passing.
>>
>>46808018
Wouldn't that be incest tho since Lorelei is his mom?
>>
>>46808078
>And raise a huge family
If she's infertile that may just bum her out.
>>
>>46808137
Lorelei can already raise a huge family, she creates vines.

A shame she can't create multiple vines in the same person.

Then Joshua could have like 6 kids in his head.
>>
>writing
>>
"Well, uh..." I look around. "...it was nice talking with you, I guess."

No response.

"I'm gonna give Joshua control back now so you don't have to worry about dealing with me anymore."
"Thank you," Lorelei replies.
"One thing before I go-"

I search my thoughts for the right thing to say.

"I'm sorry for whatever you had to go through with your friends' Vines," I say. "Most Vines are shitty just like most weeds are shitty and some days I just-"

Hahaha that is the absolute worst thing to say.

"A- anyways, Joshua is one of the good ones," I say. "And you wouldn't BELIEVE how crazy he is for you."

That actually gets a smirk out of her. It's as good a point as any to take my leave... so I do just that.

you have control


>[1/?]
>>
>>46808092
Hot
>>
File: joshua_sashavasileva.png (201 KB, 500x600)
201 KB
201 KB PNG
>>46808514
>[2/2]

From spectator to lead role... God I hate this disoriented feeling that washes over me whenever I switch back.

But when it's all over, I have control over my own body again and I can never complain about that.

"I'm back."

With a weak smile, I wave to my beautiful girlfriend.

"......"

Still seated, Lorelei stares at me for a few seconds before rising to her feet. She then walks right in my face and stands on her tiptoes so she can have an easier time of staring directly into my eyes.

"Lorelei?"

And the next thing I know, I'm being hugged. Tightly. Really, REALLY tightly.

quit complaining

you know you like it

That's not the issue, dammit. I don't like seeing her all distraught like this.


>emotional talking things
>business talking things
>>
>>46808648
>sexy talking things
>>
>>46808648
>emotional talking things
>>
>>46808648
>emotional talking things
>>
>>46808648
>emotional talking things
Get em out of the way
>>
>>46808648
>>emotional talking things
>>
>>46808648
>emotional talking things
>>
>writing
>>
Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>46808859
>>
File: nonono.gif (359 KB, 480x270)
359 KB
359 KB GIF
"Lorelei," I say, finally slipping free from her vice-like hug. "I heard what you and the voice in my head were talking about, and, umm..."
"It's fine," Lorelei shakes her head. "You don't have to worry yourself over my insecurities."
"Maybe not," I reply, "But that doesn't mean that I don't -want- to. You don't have to pretend to be happy around me all the time, you know."
"I'm not-"

I take her hand.

"I mean, It," I say. "Like whatever happened to make your Vine decide to merge with you..."

My bringing that subject back up causes her to visibly wince.

"I was just in a bad place," Lorelei replies. "One that I haven't been in since."
"Because of you two merging personalities?" I ask.
"No, because I learned better," she says, shaking her head. "That's all."


>drop it
>force it out of her
>>
>>46809126
>>drop it
She doesn't want to talk about it. Maybe later.
>>
>>46809126
>Ask if she can get pregnant
>>
>>46809126
>>force it out of her
She's just going to keep evading the issue otherwise.
>>
>>46809126
>I was just in a bad place
We found drugs in a homeless place
We found drugs in a
home
less
place
>>
>writing
>>
>>46809310
Wait, how are you writing? We've got one vote for each option, and two shitposts.
>>
>>46809345
I had assumed that >>46809172
was someone trying to be cute while asking to pry for more info.

But eh,no sense in risking it.
FINAL DESTINATION FOX ONRY time.

Respond TO THIS POST with the number AND ONLY the number of your choice. All other votes will be ignored.

>1: drop it
>2: force it out of her
>>
>>46809381
I have no strong opinions on this issue so I opt to let the other anons decide for me.
>>
>>46809381
2
>>
>TIME UP
>>
>>46809392
Similar.

Usually, I would do a write-in is sort-of in between, but from what we know of L, it would be the same as dropping it.
>>
>>46809126
>>46809381
Didn't catch either of these votes, but i support the forceful approach
>>
"Not it's not," I reply.
"What?"

I feel bad prying like this, but she's just going to keep evading the question if I don't. I mean, even if I wanted to be sensitive to whatever's bothering her, I can't do that if I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to be sensitive TO.

"Would you please just give me the whole story already?" I ask.
"The whole..." Lorelei droops over. "...you're not going to let this go, are you."
"Nope," I shake my head.
"Fine, you win."

Heaving a heavy sigh, Lorelei drags herself over to the window and gazes outside.

"I told you that I'm practically ancient, right?" she asks.
"I wouldn't put it like that," I mumble.
"I don't know how else you'd describe someone who's over a thousand years old, but sure."

doesn't look a day over twenty-five

"Well I've been able to survive this long without growing into an winkled hag and dying of old age because of the way my Branch works," she explains.
"I figured as much," I reply.


>[1/?]
>>
>>46809622
Maybe she has to keep using her branch to stay young?
>>
>>46809622

"Well I didn't figure out the specifics of how that worked until..." she trails off. "I guess I ought to backtrack first."
"Alright," I nod.
"Back when I was young," she goes on, "I mean -really- young, not just in appearance, I fell in love with a nice man and we got married. I wanted to be the happy housewife- taking care of the house and children, all of that."

not surprising

that's pretty normal

"Our home life was as great as could be expected, but we just couldn't have children no matter how hard we tried," Lorelei says. "My husband blamed himself and tried every type of remedy that existed back then... but of course none of that foolishness had any effect."


>[2/?]
>>
>>46809748
>can't have kids

DROPPED
R
O
P
P
E
D

Go to backup waifu. Do ireneclones have the capacity to reproduce?
>>
>>46809748


"But one particularly long winter, it finally happened- by the time the snow finally thawed, I was with child and well along in the pregnancy," Lorelei says.

It takes her a long while to collect her thoughts.

"We were both so happy," Lorelei says, "and of course we showed off the proof of our efforts to everyone. But pregnancies take up a lot of money and the long winter had run through our savings... my husband didn't make very much so it was necessary for me to supplement our income every so often with my Branch."
"So even back then, you were doing what you do now?" I ask.
"Yes," she nods. "And just our luck, there was a nobleman who contacted us for use of my services... naturally I jumped at the chance to make some extra money for our baby."


>[3/?]
>>
>>46809763
Adoption is an option
>>
>>46809847
Oh

OH

She consumes her internal babby in order to bestow a branch.

The internal babby is a spell reagent for the branch.
>>
>>46809857
Not good enough. Has to be biospawn.
>>
>>46809881
But adoptee is. Just not yours.
>>
>>46809847

Suddenly I start to feel really queasy.

"I got the money," Lorelei says, "did my thing... and suddenly it was gone."
"What?"
"The baby," she continues. "The moment I used my Branch on that nobleman, I was no longer with child."

dude what

"How in the-"
"Apparently," Lorelei continues, "my Branch returns me to my physical peak every time I use it. Aging, injuries, poison, illness... it's all erased."
"So your baby..."
"That's right," she nods. "Apparently my Branch recognized my pregnancy as no different from any of the other conditions that I listed."

She then goes quiet for a long while.


>[4/?]
>>
>>46809935
Well that's easy fixed then, don't use your branch for 11 months, porblem fixarooneyed
>>
>>46809935
Ouch
>>
>>46809935

"What happened there made it all as plain as day," Lorelei says. "We never had any difficulties conceiving at all, it's just that my frequent 'gifts' to others would erase the child in my womb before I even knew it was there."
"Oh God."
"Naturally, this caused my mental state to completely collapse," she continues. "As well as our marriage since I was rightfully blamed for our hardships. And just as I was about to give up on life itself, my 'other self' sacrificed her very existence to put me back on track."

so that's why they

"My hardships didn't go away after that point," Lorelei says, "but thanks to the mental strength she gave me, I've been able to withstand everything that came afterwards."


>[5/?]
>>
>>46810038
Ok. And this was back in like 600AD or whatever, when a woman being unmarried was a serious risk and a really bad thing for her?

Damn son shit's ruff.
>>
>>46810038
So… she obviously decided not to use her branch until the next child was born and lived happily ever after?
>>
>>46810098
Not without a husband she won't.
>>
>>46810038

"None of the friends I've made over the years were blessed with Vines who were so kind," Lorelei says. "Even the ones who claimed to be 'friends' with their hosts would eventually betray them when things got too rough."
"So that's why you were so hard on mine," I say.
"I know it's stupid," she replies, "but hearing him make those claims after everything I've seen in my life just seemed like an affront to the one who lifted me from my lowest moment."

um

wow

no hard feelings I guess


>[6/?]
>>
>>46810115
>[7/7]


"So there you go," Lorelei says, breathing a long, weary sigh. "Now you know one of my secrets."
"Sorry for prying," I reply.
"It's fine," she shakes her head. "It's just something that I try not to think about most of the time, that's all."

I sure as hell can understand why.

"So was there anything else that you wanted to know while I'm still in the mood to be open?"


>yes
>no
>>
>>46810168
>>no
>>
>>46810168
>no
I'm sorry
>>
>>46810168
>no
Thank her for telling them this.
>>
>>46810168
>no
>>
>writing
>>
"No," I say, shaking my head. "And I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"So am I," Lorelei replies with a wistful smile. "But having gone through events like that as well as ones even worse have caused me to be able to more fully appreciate what I have right now."

Lorelei then walks over to me and places her hat on my head. I have no idea why.

"And in case you were wondering," Lorelei says, "I'm still able to have children even now... it's just that I've never done so on account of everything I went through back then."
"Umm, okay," I nod.
"Not to mention that my current lifestyle does not in any way facilitate such things."
>>
Since part of Lorelei's backstory took so long, I'm going to be ending the thread here. I was really hoping to get to the action, but I guess that's going to have to wait until later.

Next thread will be on Sunday night. I'm undecided as to whether I'll do one last Joshua thread for this round or finally return to the main quest.


and now questions
>>
>>46810409
Lorelei was born with her branch ability?
>>
>>46810409
Has Joshua's alt-ego ever seen Invasion of the Body Sntachers?
>>
>>46810409
What is the gayest thing you have ever done?
>>
>>46809763
>Do ireneclones have the capacity to reproduce?
All instances of Irene and Katrine are able to make babbys like normal people.

>>46810053
>Ok. And this was back in like 600AD or whatever, when a woman being unmarried was a serious risk and a really bad thing for her?
>Damn son shit's ruff.
Around 900AD actually, but that doesn't really make much of a difference in this case. Lorelei's had a rough life.

>>46810520
>Lorelei was born with her branch ability?
Her Seed awakened when she was around twelve or so but she is indeed a naturally-occurring Branch holder.

>>46810553
>Has Joshua's alt-ego ever seen Invasion of the Body Sntachers?
Nope.


And now I sleep. Thanks for playing!

For further questioning:
http://maouzenigame.tumblr.com/

Game production blog:
https://studioarchelon.wordpress.com/
>>
>>46810591
Thanks for running



[Advertise on 4chan]

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

[Enable Mobile View / Use Mobile Site]

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