File: Accepting Ray.jpg (20 KB, 500x417)

20 KB JPG

>>47823802
You pop open the kit, and grab bandages, and a bunch of other complex things. They have instructions.

You stabilize Gaft, pull out the bullet, and inject him with a clear substance.

Ray takes the time to put a zip tie around his wrists and ankles behind his back.

"Where'd you get those?" You ask.

"Pytor." Ray says. "Said we might need them for him. You know how he is."

You nod in agreement.

Gaft groans, and coughs. "HESTIA..."

You put a knife to his throat. "You get one chance, and that's just because everything gone off the rails. Now, talk. What do we need to do?"

He lets out a long breath. "Kill yourselves. It'd be quicker."

You roll your eye and press on his wound a little. He winces in pain, and makes a grunting noise.

"Get HESTIA to recognize Love as an enemy." Gaft says. "If you can do that, control of the facility will shift to whomever Love would place next in seniority. Most likely Wren."

You push on the wound again. "Alright! Alright!" He confesses. "It would go to me first, THEN Wren!"

"How do we get HESTIA to see Love as an enemy?" You ask.

Gaft gasps. "Either have her put Time in direct danger, or..." He chuckles. "Or have Misery tax Love's body enough that the parasite burns through it.

"But that means facing her, and you may be a murderous psychopath...but you don't have any chance against Love." He chuckles.

Ray stuffs a wad of cloth into Gaft's mouth and wraps a bandage around it. "I'll ungag him if we need him. So...now what?"


“Well…that depends on how much we’re willing to risk.” You say. “We could wait until she’s inside here.”

“The orange lady does seem to take it unkindly if people open up the young lady’s tube.” Ray says.

Both of you get on your walkie-talkies. “Anything that can help?”

(cont)

>>47823825
“I’ve still got camera access, and I can see the group.” Amelia, in the Security Hub, says. “They’re going towards the infirmary for some reason. Other than that I can’t do anything other than lock the door. HESTIA has me locked out of all the rest. You’re going to have to start up a fire or something before I can help you.”

“Anything, Pytor?” You ask.

“No.” Pytor, at HESTIA’s central control, says. “I have barricaded the door with everything that was heavy, but Wren is still having a hysterical episode, and the computer-woman has made all the buttons here useless. There are a bunch of screens up here. She has constant monitoring over three rooms that no one’s in. Life Support, Summer Servers, and C.E. Siphon.”

“Alright, that’s helpful.” You say. “As soon as you can get Wren lucid, put her on we need her.”

> Let Love enter Joy-In-Time’s room. Very risky, but HESTIA freaks out if someone so much as touches Time.
> Try to goad Misery into starting a fire and just damaging the complex. If you can get her to cause enough damage, Amelia will be given access to do things. The hard thing is that means facing Love’s power directly, but it’s got the least risk of Love getting to Time, or damaging OLYMPUS.
> Lure Misery into one of the important rooms. If she damages the place, HESTIA will see Love as an enemy. It’s less risky combat, but depending on where you fight, OLYMPUS could suffer severe damage.

>>47823846
So HESTIA won't just go straight to seeing us as an enemy if it sees us fighting "Love" right?

>>47823846
Also despite the fact that several of these people are literally vomiting up black goo HESTIA doesn't register them as being contaminated by misery you would think there would be records of the most important war in human history.

>>47823846
>Try to goad Misery into starting a fire and just damaging the complex. If you can get her to cause enough damage, Amelia will be given access to do things. The hard thing is that means facing Love’s power directly, but it’s got the least risk of Love getting to Time, or damaging OLYMPUS.
What I wouldn't give for un-nerfed knives right now.

>>47823934
This reminds me did our knives improve in any way after we double critical that last small joy?

Best time of the day is here!

>>47823902
HESTIA recognizes them as being Woe Soldiers, but they're not doing anything that HESTIA recognizes as hostile. Love never programed HESTIA with orders to attack people if they were possible threats. Love thought Wren was a possible threat, but bad things happen if you have AIs make assumptions.

>>47823871
That is a possibility. However, HESTIA can recognize that Love is Misery, but that causes a logic paradox in her commands, as she cannot obey Misery but she must obey Love. The result is her programming reverts to her original mission 'Protect Joy-In-Time' and ignores conflicting data.

>>47823951
Your knives only produce a single bonus knife on a crit...but...

> Roll 1d20

>>47823846
>> Lure Misery into one of the important rooms. If she damages the place, HESTIA will see Love as an enemy. It’s less risky combat, but depending on where you fight, OLYMPUS could suffer severe damage.

I am for this.

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>47824085

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>47824085
>Roll 1d20

>>47824502
Oh, Ok.

>>47824502
Well good job still just the 2 of us and echo I would have expected a few more by now.

>>47824563
It is still early in the day. Give it a few hours and for people to get off work.

>>47824570
Fair, it is midnight where I am all relative really.

>>47824586
Ahhh our good old world anon. The new world anons say hi.

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>47824502
B A S E D

rolling a third for completeness >pls no 1

>>47824502
Alright, so now your initial throw is three knives, also, cause you crit, pick one more power.

> Ash shot
> Dodge Kick
> Ash choke

>>47824670
>> Dodge Kick

We already overpowered our long range move, and it is the end so we don't have to worry about ash knife addiction.

So may be a short range move or one that brings us to short range will be good.

>>47824706
Also think Ray is Ok with the knife addict as his goddess?

>>47824670
>Dodge Kick

>>47824721
Ray is literally biologically programmed to be okay with us.

>>47824735
Won't leave us like the two other girls. Best boy. Almost as good as the bear.

>>47824706
>>47824722
Alright, if both kicks land, it's +1 wound. Auto-fail has been removed, double wounds on crits still apply.

>Back to earlier decision
> Let her come to you an Joy-In-Time.
> Lure her to a Priority System Room.
> Bait her to start smashing things in general.

>>47824670
> Ash shot

So it would cover our escape

>>47824795
None of which are good options.

Do anons have a more ingenious idea?

>>47824795
> Bait her to start smashing things in general.
HWG

>>47824795
>> Bait her to start smashing things in general.

>>47824753
He's warm too.

>>47824809
I mean if there was hubris around i would say sick them on her

But she isnt going to leave the building and we didnt bring any with us this time either

>>47823934
>>47824795
This was my vote and I'm sticking to it.

>>47824833
Hubris is her corrupting the insects over time, right? So they are actually her army. They live off clean energy so leading them outside into the fallout will not work.

Other solutions like taking her out for a drink and become bros probably are off the table.

>>47824859
No, her army was mutated and became no longer under her control anymore so, woe critters became hubris cause of love mind fuck

>>47824906
Unity not Love

>>47824906
Ahhh good point.

That's her objective right?
Stop unity mind fuck in the past,
So she doesn't lose her whole army and is able to conquer an intact world while not worrying about the hubris that will try to eat her

>>47825083
Or simply take control of time and never lose in the first place.

Cause hubris don't care what you are

If you got the mojo their going to eat ya

Misery, she is from space.

Can we load up our people in space ships and start Alpha Centuari?

>>47825162
>ships
>implying we could build any in this crapsack ruined world.

>>47825214
No we use her ship.

>>47824816
>>47824813
>>47824837

"I'm going out there." You say. "Make some noise. Pytor, Amelia, as soon as you can, hit her with whatever you can."

"Do you want me to send Musor?" Amelia asks.

"Should me and Ruin come with you?" Embers asks.

> No, just me.
> Send everyone
> Just send Embers and/or Musor and/or Ruin

>>47825246
> No, just me.

Hate to see her corrupt anyone else

Plus we got windy powers to escape

>>47825246
>> No, just me.

>>47825262
I agree.
Musor probably is resistant to that though.

>>47825246
> No, just me.
>If she starts controlling me put me down, no hesitation.

>>47825246
> No, just me.

>>47825416
>>47825387
>>47825285
>>47825262

"No, just me." You look at Ray. "If she gets me, and I come back in here. Put a bullet in me, and then try to shoot Time."

He nods.

You take off your mask and you kiss him. He holds you. It's a spark of warmth, and you know that you'll never be able to...make this healthy or make it work. Still, Ray is here, he's yours, and...well...it's something.

"Afterwards, we'll do more." You say.

He smiles at you.

"Seal this door, or blockade it if you can!" You shout as you head outside.

You wind your way through the sterile halls. You're heading towards the infirmary, and you are starting to feel that this was a horrific idea.

You can feel Love's power from here. A tingle on your skin, and a sense of pressure inside your head.

But there's also this horrific calm as well. There's no anger, or sense of victory. A mild case of annoyance that there have been so many unforeseen setbacks and delays.

'I'm trying to ask, Civility, Meadows, and Zephyr if they have any advice, and all they can say is variations on 'Fucking Run' and other cheery forecasts.' Joy tells you.

"Huh." You say.

"What are they doing in the infirmary?" You ask Amelia as you come along the last corner before the corridor that's right in front of it.

"It looks like they're healing Joy-In-Love...or Misery...whatever she is." Amelia says. "Injecting her with crap."

> Assault her now, you'll be facing Love and all 6 of her Woes but maybe she wont be at full strength.
> Wait for her to come out and catch her in a trap. It'll be better towards her turning HESTIA if she makes the first move.

>>47825655
> Assault her now, you'll be facing Love and all 6 of her Woes but maybe she wont be at full strength.

>>47825655
>> Wait for her to come out and catch her in a trap. It'll be better towards her turning HESTIA if she makes the first move.

I don't need to fight Love, 6 of her underlings, and the HESTIA system.

>>47825655
>> Wait for her to come out and catch her in a trap. It'll be better towards her turning HESTIA if she makes the first move.

>>47825655
> Wait for her to come out and catch her in a trap. It'll be better towards her turning HESTIA if she makes the first move.

File: Joy-In-Love.jpg (1.35 MB, 1768x2680)

1.35 MB JPG

>>47825756
>>47825765
>>47825867

You pause. After a bit, Misery walks out. She turns to the PoJ Woes. "Ashes is close. Go secure the other sites."

The Woes nod, and march off in the other direction.

Misery just stands there in the hall. Not moving. Then there's a blur of pink and she's standing right in front of you.

Thankfully you were getting ready, so you point your hands at the ground, and the world explodes into an ashy cloud.

> Run
> Fight

Special Rules
> Joy-In-Love has 20 wounds, and she rolls 3d20 for every attack and takes the highest roll.
> Every time Joy-In-Love attacks, HESTIA's alert system rises with Misery identified as an attacker
>If HESTIA's alert system gets too high, security measures are activated.
> Every time you attack, there's a chance that HESTIA will raise her alert.
> When the alert system goes off, whomever is the highest threat will be the one targeted. Ties mean that you both get targeted.

>>47826083
> Fight

>>47826083
> Fight
HWG

>>47826083
> Run


>>47826110
>>47826119
>fighting the diety level threat solo
well this will end quickly.

>>47826083
>> Run

>>47826144
She is fast enough to basically teleport. Run or fight we are fucked. Getting a shot in while HESTIA can't see us is perfectly reasonable..

>>47826083
> Run

>>47826251
I am for this anon.

Rolled 9, 19, 13 = 41 (3d20)

>>47826144
>>47826160
>>47826262

You ash dodge the hell away.

Misery isn't about speeches, or posturing, or show. She's just going to kill you, because you are a threat and she has the ability to do so.

She raises her hand and a beam of pink light blasts out from it.

>>47826449
ouch

>>47826449
so 2 hits on us then?

>>47826449
>beam of pink light blasts out from it.

If we are in a classical magical girl fight can we befriend her the Nohona way?

Deep on dodge kicking, add to her wounds.

>>47826449
do we get bonus dodge because of the ash cloud blocking sight?

>Dodge kick away until we get to a critical system for her to misfire and hit?

>>47826449
It strikes you square in the back, and you hit the ground as it feels like a sledgehammer has smacked you.

You roll with it, and jump back up.

> Continue to run, and blast more ash clouds.
> Fight back.

>>47826526
> Continue to run, and blast more ash clouds.

>>47826484
Yes, but not on a 19.

Also, I forgot one more option

> Spend a turn standing there summoning up your armor.

>>47826526
> Spend a turn standing there summoning up your armor.

>>47826526
> Continue to run, and blast more ash clouds.
Wait is the ai sensing misery attacks through the ash cloud?

>>47826526
> Spend a turn standing there summoning up your armor.

>>47826575
The bright pink blasts are rather hard to miss I imagine.

>>47826535
>>47826575
>>47826569
>>47826592

You stumble down the hall, trying to move as fast as possible. At the same time, you're focusing and trying to summon your armor.

DC:16
> Roll 1d20

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>47826766

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>47826766

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>47826766
HWG

>>47826770
You summon up your armor and turn less-solid, at the same time you juke left, and you see a Pink blast pass through you.

You look at Misery, and she's looking a little annoyed at the ineffectiveness at her current power. She focuses on her other hand, and smiles when it starts to glow as well.

Fuck, she's learning fast.

> Keep running/clouding
> Fight back

>>47826911
> Fight back

>>47826911
> Fight back
Choke

>>47826911
>Keep running/clouding
We win when Misery aggros HESTIA. Kite like our life depends on it because it probably does!

>>47826911
> Fight back

>>47826911
> Keep running/clouding

>>47826921
>>47826922
>>47826963
This isn't going to end until one of you two is dead.

> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47827097
> Ash Choke

>>47827097
> Ash Choke

>>47827097
> Bright Burst

>>47827097
> Bright Burst

>>47827131
You realize that forces us out of meguca so if we do not one shot her(not possible given she has 20 wounds) we die, right?

>>47827097
>Ash Choke

>>47827106
>>47827117
>>47827194

You're focusing more on your breathing than hers, which is calm and measured. Still, all you need to do is push and...there!

>Roll 2d20, 1 for the Choke attack, 1 to see if HESTIA detects you or not.

Rolled 8, 13 = 21 (2d20)

>>47827284

Rolled 7, 16 = 23 (2d20)

>>47827284

Rolled 19, 16 = 35 (2d20)

>>47827284
HWG

>>47827415
You start to see the black goop leak out from Love's mouth. She spits out a clump of it, and gives you a look of mild annoyance.

She flicks her hands and they turn blue. She holds it up to her throat, and there's a flash, and she's back to breathing normally.

Thankfully that took both charges for her to use.

Bad news is that wasn't judged as hostile by HESTIA.

Good news is that neither was your action.

Your turn.

>Run
> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47827601
> Ash Shot

>>47827601
>Run

>>47827601
> Ash Shot

>>47827601
>Run
How's HESTIA's alert system looking?

>>47827601
>Run

>>47827601
> Ash Shot

Rolled 18, 13, 16, 4, 10, 11 = 72 (6d20)

>>47827636
>>47827683
>>47827717

You scramble away and zig-zag down the hall.

Love focus and fires two blasts from each of her hands at you.

>>47828186
One of the blasts is a close miss.

The next one isn't, but you have a chance to dodge the blast.

DC:16
> Roll 1d20

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>47828204

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>47828204
HWG

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>47828204
For Mother!

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>47828204
pls?

So I would rather die fighting than running. Anyone else?

>>47828308
Fuck no? The whole point is to get her to agro Hestia.

>>47828308
Well misery just launched 9 attacks all together now,

Hopefully the ai sees her as hostile and will help us

>>47828212
You wince as you feel the smash against your upper shoulder. Your armor holds and you keep your insubstantial status.

> Run
> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47828383
Those were just two attacks, remember, she has the same dice roll as you do.

>>47828511
> Ash Shot

>>47828511
>> Ash Cloud

>>47828511
> Run
HWG

>>47828511
> Ash Cloud

Rolled 2, 11 = 13 (2d20)

>>47828559
>>47828592
You blast a cloud of ash at the ground and the corridor fills with smoke and ash again.

Love raises both her hands above her head, and a ball of pink plasma forms in it. Then she slams it into the ground, and you feel a rush of heat and your ash cloud burns off in a burst of light flame.

"Hostile Threat detected." HESTIA announces throughout the system as alarms start. You breathe a sigh of relief. Oh thank God, the plan worked.

"Deploying Non-Fatal Countermeasures. Please cease and desist. Remember, you are loved and valued. This is a place of Joy."

Non-fatal? God...damn...alright alright...

You see Servitor arms unfold from the ceiling, they have nozzle sprays on them, and two of them blast jets of thick beige foam onto Love.

>>47828948
Love just moves out of the way in a pink blur, more servitor arms are unfolding, so it looks like HESTIA isn't going to be stopping until she's pacified the threat.

Sadly, you think you need to do more than just that.

> Keep playing the rabbit and run
> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47828948
>>47828948
Time to run the fuck out I guess
Doubt we could have her state her intent to fuck shit up

>>47828980
> Keep playing the rabbit and run

>>47828980
> Keep playing the rabbit and run
Let the ai make an opening for us first then

>>47828980
> Ash Choke

Rolled 7, 8, 10 = 25 (3d10)

>>47828986
>>47828990
>>47828993

You keep dodging back and forth, you know you can't just totally bolt, or she'll break off the Chase.

Misery summons up another Plasma-Fire ball, and hurls it at you. It's about the size of a beach ball, you hear HESTIA give off fire alerts, and the paint on the hallways peels from the heat.

You doubt that there's a way that this thing isn't going to at least peel off your armor.

Rolled 8, 5 = 13 (2d20)

>>47829160
Thankfully, you do something REALLY stupid, you spin on your heel and run AT the plasma ball, and then you phase right through it...and it sails through the ash cloud, burning a little, and then impacts against the wall. And you reform, not so much as singed.

HESTIA's servitor arms try to pacify Misery with the foam.

>>47829210
Again, they're harmless to the living Goddess.

> Keep running.
> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47829225
> Ash Choke

>>47829225
> Ash Shot

>>47829225
> Keep running.
HWG

>>47829225
torn between choke and run.
I think using choke would raise our agro threshold but Love's retalliation would raise hers even further

>>47829225
> Dodge Kick

We're sort of at a tie between run and choke, and you can't do both like armor.

>>47829225
>>47829805
>> Keep running.

Rolled 18, 7, 6, 16, 10, 7, 1, 16, 19 = 100 (9d20)

>>47829819
>>47829341
>>47829290

You keep up the rabbit bit, and it looks like Misery has caught on. However, the servitor arms are annoying her, and she's not so stupid as to turn her back on you.

She closes her eyes and concentrates, a pink aura forms around her, and then the light focuses, and you see...oh hell...three blades of light are hovering around her. She gestures at you and they go flying at you.

You are in trouble.

>47830236
> The 19 is knocked out by the 1, that makes a 16, 16, and 18.

You suddenly feel the same fear that you now realize all those small joys must have felt, but Misery's not a skilled knife thrower...and you aren't fully solid and know how to dodge.

DC: 14 & 16
>Roll 1d20

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>47830236
>spamming one tactic bites us in the ass
>Despite Echo hinting she's a fast learner repeatedly
Whoda thunk.

>>47830267

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>47830267
FFFFFF

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>47830267

>>47830267
>You suddenly feel the same fear that you now realize all those small joys must have felt
Kinda want a scene where the Joys in our head react to that

Rolled 10, 1 = 11 (2d20)

>>47830283
You dodge, let one sail through you, and drop to the ground as the last blade sails over head.

HESTIA tries to pacify.

>>47830396
Misery just grabs one of the servitor arms and rips it out of the ceiling. It's clear that she is approaching 'Done With This.'

> Run
> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47830426
>> Ash Shot

>>47830426
> Ash Knife
HWG
Fuck it

>>47830426
> Ash Knife

2 can play this game.

>>47830468
What would it say of our legend if we got Misery cowering in fear at our knives?

>>47830426
> Ash Knife
Yeah knife a bitch like you mean it

>>47830460
>>47830468
>>47830526

You stand up and look at Misery's black eyes in the cheery pastel pink haired face.

"My turn." You say, and you summon your own blades, and hurl them at Misery.

> Roll 3d20

Rolled 17, 7, 20 = 44 (3d20)

>>47830565

Rolled 12, 2, 19 = 33 (3d20)

>>47830565

Rolled 1, 20, 20 = 41 (3d20)

>>47830565

Rolled 3, 20 = 23 (2d20)

>>47830565
Remove Misery

>>47830619
Hm.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>47830626
aww fuck, forgot the 3rd dice
>>47830619
Motherfucker...

Rolled 12, 6 = 18 (2d20)

>>47830626
>>47830619
>>47830571
I don't even. All these 20s.

>>47830526
Wish granted.

>>47830571
>>47830626
>>47830641
>>47830619
Holy fuck that's a sign

File: Happening-con 5.gif (24 KB, 310x760)

24 KB GIF

>>47830619
That's one knife for each 20s right?

File: Guts face3.jpg (107 KB, 654x421)

107 KB JPG

Is Pytor watching?
>His and Ashes faces when

>>47830571
>>47830580
>>47830619
> Basically, you lose one 20, but 19 is still a crit, so 19, 20, 20 plays.

There's that feeling, and it's a sweet rush as you see the blades pierce Joy-in-Love's flesh. Mercy doesn't even flinch, apparently Love's body provides her with a low pain response.

Still, that joyous feeling of violent, bloody warmth rushes up and down your spine, and you let fly again with all three blades that you happily summon. Again.

DC: 15
> Roll 3d20

Is granny prod of us? Meadow definitely is.

Rolled 3, 10, 18 = 31 (3d20)

>>47830701

Rolled 14, 17, 9 = 40 (3d20)

>>47830701
HWG

Rolled 15, 17, 20 = 52 (3d20)

>>47830701
Pin cushion.

>>47830718
>>47830727
>>47830728
15,17,20
all 3 hits and we also got a crit so we continue knife works

File: Happening-con 4.gif (23 KB, 310x760)

23 KB GIF

>>47830718
>>47830727
>>47830728

Fuck, there goes our agro skyrocketing, worth it though

>>47830749
In here while epic is happening.

>>47830728
Okay, NOW you know that Misery is feeling pain, and she staggers back, black blood is dripping down her arms, and chest from all the stab and slash wounds.

You're still not done yet...less juice, but enough for one solid more hit.

DC: 16
> Roll 1d20

>>47830680
question is that bastard gaft watching?

So going to rub it into his face that we finished the job his goddess couldn't do

>>47830766
Was Hestia designed with the self defense definition that America uses?

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>47830780
Not done yet

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>47830780
HWG

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>47830780
Last hurrah.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>47830780
gotta knife fast

>>47830802
>>47830822
>>47830827
Ah

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>47830780

>>47830827
>>47830822
>>47830802
Too bad. 6 hits. Still a legend.

Ray must need a new change of underwear.

>>47830845
Anon, where were you when we needed you earlier?

Rolled 11, 13, 9, 16, 8, 8 = 65 (6d20)

>>47830802
The last blade is thrown and Misery dodges it out of the way.

She is now unhappy with you.

She sticks out her arms wide from her body and summons two of those large pink plasma fire balls. She hurls them at you full force.

>>47830863
captcha glitched out 3 times.

>>47830868
Dodge one, gets hit by the other?

>>47830868
You REALLY need to dodge these, or else they're going to HURT.

(Plasma Balls cause 2 wounds.)

DC:14
>Roll 1d20

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>47830881
Can we counter dodge kick?

Where is her health at?

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>47830881
HWG

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>47830881
fail

>>47830894
14 wounds, we have 5

>>47830928
So we have 3 now.

>>47830928
Correction, we now have 1.

This is really a bad idea unless Hestia gets its shit together.

>>47830956
1 the balls took off 2 each

and I think we already lost 1 when she hit us the first time.

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>47830881
late rolling, let's despair at the roll that could have saved us.

>>47830979
Holy shit anon.

>>47830979
you fucker

>>47830979
the curse is real.

Time to fly away now?

>>47830979
HA

Its a sign

FIGHT ON

>>47830983
>>47830990
>>47830994
>Zephyr chuckling in the background

Rolled 8, 7, 19, 10, 17 = 61 (5d20)

>>47830908
You dodge one, but the other one rakes across your left side of the body. You scream, as you feel you armor burned off, and your left arm is plunged into searing, horrific, pain.

You hear louder warning klaxons go off, and Servitor Hatches open up from the ceiling, and servitor arms with guns come out.

"MAXIMUM THREAT DETECTED!" HESTIA shouts. "BEGINING PURGE, ALL PERSONELL PLEASE EVACUATE, SISTERS TO ARMS, SISTERS TO ARMS!!"

Misery blinks as five robotic arms open fire with a combination of ballistic, flame, and Clean Energy projectiles.

>>47831016
Finally

>>47830979
D E S P A I R
E
S
P
A
I
R

>>47831016
We did our job. Fly away now.

File: Happening-con 2.gif (24 KB, 310x760)

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>>47831016

>>47831016
Mercy staggers back as HESTIA's assault keeps harassing her.

She still wants to kill you, though.

(You are at 4 wounds left. Resummoning armor will not heal wounds, but let you have auto-dodge again.)

> Go back to running
> Resummon Armor
> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47831042
> Go back to running
Fuck it

We did our job

She no-longer can control the ai

GO GO GO

And Patch up

>>47831042
> Resummon Armor
Can we run and armor again?

>>47831042
>> Resummon Armor

>>47831042
>Resummon Armor

>>47831042

>>47831055
Changing my vote to
>>Dodge Kick

If Dodge kick allows us to avoid a hit as well. Also possible +2 wound.

>>47831042
>> Resummon Armor
> Go back to running

>>47831074
>>47831056
Sorry anon, wrong one.

>>47831042
> Go back to running
Right, time to go

Rolled 15, 19, 14 = 48 (3d20)

>>47831053
>>47831055
>>47831056

You focus and you make yourself feel less solid. It's a bit of a comfort.

And it's a good thing that you have SOME comfort, because NOW is when Misery raises her hand, and a beam of energy and light form from it and when it clears, she is holding a sword. The blade edge gleams with pink light, and Misery does look like she knows how to use it.

She warps right up towards you, and makes a swift slash with that blade.

The worst thing is that, just like the electric small joy, you know she's just warming up.

>>47831164
And Misery has had a good many years to work on her sword arm.

Dodge DC: 17
> Roll 1d20

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>47831179
ded

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>47831179

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>47831179
Can't touch this, oh who the fuck am I kidding

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>47831179
HWG

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>47831179
Here goes nothing

File: Oh hey, fancy meeting you here.jpg (65 KB, 1280x720)

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what a shame...

Rolled 7, 5, 1, 13, 4, 19 = 49 (6d20)

>>47831196
Gah! You're the one bleeding now.

HESTIA isn't messing around anymore, though. More and more Servitor arms, security drones, and other forms of defense are popping up.

>>47831291
Misery is still getting harassed by the assault, but she's able to destroy one of the arms, and it looks like she's now slightly more concerned about HESTIA than you.

> Run
> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47831291
Time to book it?

>>47831310
>> Run

>>47831310
> Ash Knife

Because legend lives. And we got 4 more lives.

>>47831310
>>47831311
No shit
>> Run

Now we bring everyone and swarm her

>>47831326
I am for this.

>>47831325
less than she deals multi-wounds on one hit.

Rolled 20, 5, 5, 6 = 36 (4d20)

>>47831311
>>47831316
>>47831326

You book it. You grab your walkie talkie. "How is everyone?!" You shout, "Please tell me that you're okay!"

>>47831371
One person is great, the others not so much.

Rolled 17, 12, 5, 19, 12 = 65 (5d20)

>>47831371
"Yeah," Ray says. "We're fine. The doors held here, and the HESTIA unloaded. My two are dead."

"Ruin fought off the one that got inside, and HESTIA took out the other." Amelia answers. "We're clear."

"Good." You say. "Pytor?"

No answer.

"Pytor!" You shout. "Pytor...Pytor, please say something!"

"Lupa..." You go cold as you hear Embers' voice. "I'm sorry I kissed Ray without your permission...I'm so...so sorry..."

Oh God...

HESTIA unloads on Love.

>>47831371
What these dice for?

>>47831432
You're pretty sure HESTIA is holding her own, but now Misery is fighting back, and without you to divide her focus, it's pretty easy for Joy-In-Love to handle some mechanical arms.

Thankfully it's keeping her busy.

You run towards HESTIA's control, and you don't stop.

The door is open when you arrive, and there's blood on the floor.

Embers in in the corner, crying.

The two Woe soldiers are dead, their heads have been bashed in.

Wren's box is on the floor, face down, there's dents and gunshot holes in it.

As for Pytor...

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>47831519
>wren is dead too
Fuck there goes our way to control Hestia.

File: Death is the road to aw.webm (1.54 MB, 640x360)

1.54 MB WEBM

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>47831519

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>47831432
EMBERS YOU HAD ONE JOB. THIS IS WHY WE LIKE EMILY MORE.

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>47831519
Live you bastard

>>47831560
shit it's not linked

>>47831560
clutch save

>>47831560
Oh f=thank fuck

please count this

>>47831560
>>47831565
Well, I guess it could have gone worse

>>47831560
Embers: Forever a failure

>>47831560
Pytor is sitting on the floor, his back against the main console. He's covered in blood and his eyes are closed. He opens his eyes and looks at you.

"Bandages are on the wall." He says, pointing. "Fix up, and go back and kill her."

Fuck it. You run up to him and you hug him. He hugs you back.

"Your friend is rather worthless." He says.

"I know." You say. "But that means she isn't like us."

"No." He says. "She isn't...a good thing, I suppose."

"Wren!" You go to Wren's box, right it up, and open it.

Oh, please please please please...

> Roll 1d20

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>47831668
When will this end!!!

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>47831668
pls

>>47831682
we still need to the bear

>>47831668
And yeah embers is worthless
send her back to the factory when this is over

File: 2Funky.png (228 KB, 500x289)

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>>47831689

File: Ominous possibility.jpg (92 KB, 828x404)

92 KB JPG

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>47831668
>>47831668
what are the odds of a 1 right after that twenty to fuck it up?

>>47831721
Oh wow...

>>47831721
Not very fucking high apperantly

>>47831721
Or another 20 to somehow give Wren back her body via cybernetic accumulation. Apparently Love had spares.

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>>47831689
>>47831721

We should bring ruin and musor with us to kill misery

Have the other hold their positions and destroy the facilitates to deny misery if we fail

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>>47831721
>>47831689

"I'm not in there, Ashes." Wren's voice says.

One of HESTIA's screen changes and you see Wren, only she looks much younger and is in a blue themed version of Love's regalia.

"Glad to see this worked." Wren says. "I wouldn't have been able to do this without Ember's technical skill. See? You do have SOME utility."

"You're...in the computer?" You say.

"Well...technically, I'm dead as the Woe soldiers shot me and killed my head's life support. However, I was able to walk Pytor and Embers through steps that allowed me to copy my sense of self into..." She sighs. "Yes. I'm fine. It's why HESTIA's now bringing out the big guns. I'm able to nudge her a bit."

"So...what now?" You say.

"Now, you go and kill that bitch that's controlling my best friend! Hurry! I'm working on the other stuff." She motions for you to go. "Go! I'll have the others catch up...and that means you too Embers!"

Embers whimpers and gets up off the floor. She looks at you, apology in her eyes. "I tried...I really really did. But then they pushed me...and pointed a gun at me and I...I...I froze."

> Let it slide. You have a goddess to kill.
> Let Embers off the hook and have her stay here and 'Help' Wren/HESTIA.
> Get a little payback for the screw-up kissing Ray and nearly getting Pytor and Wren killed.

>>47831858
> Let it slide. You have a goddess to kill.
We need all the meatshields we can get

>>47831858
>> Let it slide. You have a goddess to kill.

>>47831858
>> Let it slide. You have a goddess to kill.
>Everyone is alive, kinda, now help me kill a demigoddesses corpse. Misery is what we Joys were meant to fight.
>Going to totally kick your ass later for kissing Ray, and nearly getting my adoptive father and mother figure killed though.

File: Joy-In-Embers.jpg (117 KB, 500x411)

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Rolled 10, 7, 7, 7, 4, 8, 6 = 49 (7d10)

>>47831918
>>47831917
>>47831886

"Come on." You say, taking Ember's hand. "Killing Misery is what Joys were meant to do. I'll kick your ass later."

"Be nice to your cousin." Wren says over the PA. "She's got other talents."

You join up with Musor, Ruin, Amelia, and Ray at the next hallway.

"I knocked out Gaft, gagged him, and make sure he was tied up tight." Ray says.

"He can't pull any more shit, now that I'm in the system." Wren says. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"Is that Wren?" Ray asks.

"Long story," You say. "Get ready to start shooting the second you see her."

"Alright." Ray says.

You all run towards the sounds of combat. You see that Misery has been holding off HESTIA's defenses, and doesn't look any further seriously worse for wear...but she's got full control of her powers now, and her sword is blurring faster than you can see and is now on fire.

"Get her." You say, and your army of the remnants of the broken world charge the embodiment of perfection.

(You are healed back up to 5 wounds. Misery has 10 wounds left. Your allies have 5 wounds each.
WARNING: This is gonna be brutal guys.)

> Roll 1d10 for initiative

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>47832093

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>47832093
HWG

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>47832093
man that 1...

Rolled 17, 19, 8, 18, 4, 13, 20, 3, 14, 7, 14, 17, 20, 8, 19, 17, 1, 17, 11, 3, 15 = 265 (21d20)

>>47832131
Misery goes first. She has her flaming sword, and she's at the end of the hall from you.

She motions with her hand and summons seven blades of light, and hurls them at all of you.

>>47832207
Well shit

Rolled 3, 18, 8, 11, 14 = 54 (5d20)

>>47832207
Everyone takes a hit, and you get the 20 so you cannot dodge it.

Ember screams and runs up, swinging wildly.
Pytor unloads both barrels of his shotgun, Musor tries to maul her, Amelia fires with her CE rifle.

>>47832207
19, 18, 20, 17, 20, 1, 15
2 crits 1 crit fail and four normal hits

Dang this bitch is pissed

>>47832239
What does Ray do?

>>47832239
Embers, of course, misses by a country mile. Musor's claws are ineffective. Pytor hits, and Amelia lands a blast.

Your turn.

> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47832258
>Ash Knife
Was there ever any other option?

>>47832258
>> Ash Choke

>>47832258
>> Dodge Kick

>>47832258
> Ash Knife
go big

>>47832258
Didn't Embers pulled something with our Ash Cloud once?

>>47832258
>Ash Shot

>>47832288
>Relying on Embers.

>>47832306
distraction. I mean even Love gonna laugh at how bad she is, right?

>>47832266
>>47832274

You summon up your knives, and hurl them at Misery.

Love's body however, instantly gestures and a pink plasma shimmer appears around her. Gah! She learns too damn fast! The whore learned how to block the blade attack! You really hope that you've got enough power and aim to get past her defenses.

DC: 16

Rolled 6, 5, 17 = 28 (3d20)

>>47832375
How many dice you want senpai?

Rolled 8, 20, 10 = 38 (3d20)

>>47832375

Rolled 17, 18, 5 = 40 (3d20)

>>47832375
HWG

>>47832379
>>47832380
>>47832395
Hit crit hit
And we still have Ruin and Ray waiting for thier turn

>>47832411
Well us, pytor and amelia have managed to bring her down to 5 wounds

We can win this

Rolled 3, 19 + 1 = 23 (2d20 + 1)

>>47832395
(I think you'd prefer the double hit as opposed to the reroll.)

Two blade pierce her barrier, but the third is burnt into nothing, also it took all your energy and concentration to push through it...so that means you don't get that second surge.

Ray and Ruin fire a gun shot, and Ruin's aimed Twisted CE shot.

Sadly, it does look like HESTIA's self defense has been pushed back, it'll take a bit for Wren to get them back in order.

Rolled 2 (1d7)

>>47832439
Love dodges out of Ray's shot and gets hit by Ruin's shot.

Misery raises Love's flaming sword and blurs towards your group.

She focuses her blade flurry on...

Rolled 11, 18, 2, 15, 1, 18, 19, 9, 4 = 97 (9d20)

>>47832453
Pytor.

There's nothing but a Pink blur as she makes three slashes.

>>47832465
Fuck

>>47832465
Well RIP adoptive father.

>>47832465
2 hits and a crit fail

pytor down to 2 life now
fFUCK

Rolled 10, 1, 14 = 25 (3d20)

>>47832465
It's...very bad. Pytor manages to block one blade, but it turns out that it was a feint, and your sortof-father is covered with heavy slashes and burns. What's worse is that he's stunned by all the assault, and cannot move.

Embers makes a wild swing, Musor tries to maul her. Amelia opens fire.

>>47832496
Musor please.

>>47832496
Love backhands Musor so hard that your bear smashes against the wall, hard. Amelia manages to get a shot off.

Your turn

> Ash Shot
> Ash Cloud
> Ash Choke
> Ash Knife
> Dodge Kick
> Bright Burst

>>47832534
>> Ash Choke
Or cloud

>>47832534
>> Dodge Kick
She's not seen this one yet

>>47832534
> Ash Knife

>>47832534
>Ash Knife
What choice do we have?
Our AoE skills will all debilitate someone on our team

>>47832543
>>47832548
>>47832551
Guys every move we make on her that she's seen gets progressively less effective. If you want to pile on the hurt we can do three with dodge kick.

>>47832548
>>47832551
Seriously we won't even bypass her screen with knives this time guys.

>>47832534
> Dodge Kick

The only moves she hasn't seen are dodge kick, ash shot and bright burst.

>>47832560
>>47832534
>>47832551
Fine, I change my vote to kick

>>47832546
>>47832617
>>47832700

You charge at Misery and swing out your foot hard at Love's head.

> Roll 2d20

Rolled 14, 19 = 33 (2d20)

>>47832756

Rolled 19, 6 = 25 (2d20)

>>47832756

Rolled 5, 14 = 19 (2d20)

>>47832756

Rolled 14, 15 = 29 (2d20)

>>47832756
HWG

>>47832761
Your first kick lands on Love's nose and Love's head snaps back, and then as she reels back you appear behind her and your foot slams into the back of her head and Misery pitches forward. Then you warp to right above her and you stomp on Misery's back. She collapses to the ground, and you hear a LOUD snap.

"Bright Burst!" Wren says. "NOW!"

You focus, and pull your cloud all around you, caking yourself with a hard shell as you unleash all the energy you have within you. It explodes out, and everyone winces at the light.

You drop to your knees as Lupa, and look.

Joy-In-Love's body is a ash covered, burnt out, corpse.

"Is...did we?" You say.

"Yes." Wren says with a sigh. "It's done. She's gone."

"What about Misery?" Ruin asks. Amelia is helping Pytor, stabilizing them.

"I want to say that she's dead and gone but...well...if it was able to survive past the fucking end of the world...anyway, get to Time's room." Wren says. "We need...we need to end this."

You all come back to Joy-In-Time's stasis room. She's in there still.

Gaft looks a combination of relieved, and furious that he's chained up like this.

"So...now what?" You say.

"Well...it's honestly up to you, Lupa." Wren says. "More than anyone else."

"What's to decide?" Ray says. "We can stop the Global Cooling, right? Then life, as best we can, keeps going."

"Yes." Wren says. "There is a...drawback...though."

"What?" Amelia asks.

"Joy-In-Time is very very weak. If we wake her, she'll probably live for less than a handful of minutes, and in order to properly use her power, Lupa has to link her weird mental connection with her...and force her power through her."

Gaft starts and looks at you with wide eyes and shakes his head.

"That would kill her...wouldn't it?" You say.

"Yes." Wren says. "You would be murdering her, and it wouldn't be in self-defense, and it would be premeditated."

(cont)

>>47832887
"So, we end up doing just what the other People of Joy wanted to do all along." Ray says. "Perfect."

"No." Wren says. "Time would feel no pain, and trust me, she's all but brain dead at this point anyway. There's another catch. If a Joy-In-Heart, causes the first degree murder of another Joy-In-Heart...and this would qualify...you'd lose your power forever. You'd no longer be Joy-In-Ashes, or could turn into her. You'd be Lupa, and a normal mortal, forever."

"Oh." You say. You're...you don't know how you feel about that. You're...you NEED to be Joy-In-Ashes...it's one of the few things in this world that gives you power, and control, and just a little damn bit of warmth.

Without it...you're the scared girl sleeping in a cupboard again.

"That said...we could do Gaft's plan." Wren says. "It would be easy. This...all of this...would go away, and all those lives that Unity killed would be saved...also we could stop Misery again. Easily."

"And...the part about me traveling along?" You say.

"Possible." Wren says. "I don't know if you'd just appear, or be reborn, or I don't know...but you would exist in the other timeline...but it's just you that can do that, Lupa. No one else."

Living a life, as Joy-In-Ashes...away from the frozen hell that this world is...it's like a dream. But...you look at the people in this room. Could you leave them behind?

"Of course...you could...not go." Wren says. "That's an option too."

"Will it hurt?" Embers asks.

"Not at all." Wren says.

You look at the others.

Amelia shakes her head. "We've done too much. Just kill Time, save this world, and we can go back to fixing it."

Ruin and Embers look at each other. Then they look at you. "We're tired...aren't you? Better just to fix everything." Ruin says. "All these bad things weren't supposed to happen. It's a bad dream." Ember says. "Just end it. I'm okay with it."

Gaft looks at you and you know his vote.

(cont)

>>47832969
>"We're tired...aren't you?
>"Just end it. I'm okay with it."
Right in the feels

>>47832969
Pytor points at Time. "You are going. You are going to be safe. You are going to leave this dangerous place, and I will now that I finally did something good. You have a chance to become...normal...Lupa." He steps towards you. "I love you, Rumpleteaser...please...Lupa...please just go."

You look at Ray. He sighs and takes your hand and gives it a brief squeeze. "Whatever you pick, God will understand. So will I. It's your call."

You then remember something, as you stare at Time's pillar. Or rather...Joy reminds you.

"You promised Zephyr, and the others, that you'd fix things. Remember?"

She's right. You did.

> Murder Joy-In-Time, prevent the Global Cooling, never be Joy-In-Ashes again.
> Allow Time to change the past, and stay here, being erased like everyone else.
> Hitch a ride with Joy-In-Time and escape to the fixed timeline, leaving everyone else behind.

>Please feel free to talk, make your arguments, and debate. I'm not calling for a final vote yet.

>>47833019
> Murder Joy-In-Time, prevent the Global Cooling, never be Joy-In-Ashes again.

Save our people and allow whatever the future may bring

>>47833019
>Hitch a ride with Joy-In-Time and escape to the fixed timeline, leaving everyone else behind.
Make sure we do something about misery as well while we're at it.

Also I legitimately teared up at what Pytor said.