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>>686972

Welcome to Gorgon Child Quest! Where-in you take up the role of a magical talking artifact being wielded by a young gorgon girl named Cici. Living out of the steadily improving remains of a once great dungeon, the game will focus on exploration, character interaction, and learning as the voices of the players within the amulet help guide her along. I may also include a magic system down the line depending on how things go, but we'll see what the future holds.

For news about quest updates, my twitter can be found here:
https://twitter.com/bananon_QM

And the archive can presently be found here:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=gorgon+child

I'm sur vivi is fine and will more then happy oto receive the sweet roll
:)

>>686972
Remember, Cici.
We should look for Din-Din once you get back.

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>>686998
>>686995
>>686972

She’d have to find that out back at the tower she supposed, and thus her struggle to stay awake in the meantime, fighting through the yawns and especially the gentle sway that carried her mother’s long, snake-like body down the road in a slither.

“Did you enjoy today?” Mama asks gently, cutting through the fog that her daughter is drifting through.

“Mhm…” Cici groggily responds. “It was lots of fun.”

“I’m glad,” she hums. “Of course, we may not be able to visit every day, but…” She sighs, seeming to lose track of her train of thought for a moment. “Either way, I think you’re going to need a bath before a nap, don’t you think?”

“Nnn…,” Cici mumbles, clutching on tighter as she imagines how much sleepier she’ll be afterward, shivering against the imagined cold to come.

“I know, sweetling,” Mama assures her. “All you really want is a nap right now, but you’re a little too big for a wash cloth, aren’t you? Though I suppose if you really want, we could tidy you up that way a little, and then let you get a bit of rest before we make our way out to the river.”

Cici doesn’t immediately respond as they drift beneath the trees, mind already blurring between this world and the next as her mother begins drifting through the graves. To think each of those used to be a person… Maybe one of them was Papa’s…

But before that train of thought runs away, and down into the valley of dreams beyond, Mama is gently unslinging her and lowering the small girl to the ground, her legs wobbly as they reach the ground and a large yawn escaping her mouth as she looks at the familiar entryway to her home, and more specifically, to the harpy sitting just inside, a rickety chair beneath her and Din-Din plopped contentedly on her lap as she strokes him with the tips of her wings.

>>687037
Go up and greet Vivi and check Din-Din's leg.
You do have to take a bath, though.

Maybe once the rooms are more cleared out, you can get a bathtub installed.

Oh, or maybe set up a shower up top in the garden, where water will be heated by the sun.

>>687042
pretty much this.

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>>686995
>>686998
>>687037
>>687042


“Vivi!” Cici calls excitedly, legs fast asleep as she begins trying to scramble toward her friend almost sending her to the floor before her mother catches her. “Vivi, we’re home! How was your day?”

“Phew! Busy,” the harpy sighs, gently lowering Din-Din to the floor before pulling at her still sweat-soaked shirt for emphasis. “They had a lot of deliveries for me today.”

“Wow, you must be really tired…” Cici marvels, the older girl clucking softly as she wraps her in a damp, feathery hug.

“Just a bit,” she admits. “What about you? You smell…. Sweet, like frosting?”

“Mhm. Mama an’ me went to the village an’ the bakery an’ the bookstore an’-“

“And you didn’t bring me,” Vivi points out, the smaller girl stopping in her tracks.

“I… I wanted to,” Cici whispers. “It’s just-“

“Come on! Relax!” Vivi insists. “It’s not like I don’t see plenty of villages during the day, anyway. Still wish I could have been there, of course, but we’ll have other opportunities, yeah?” Cici nods. “Exactly, but what happened to you? Did you fall in a cake or something?”

“I learned how to bake!” Cici says excitedly, suddenly alert again. “Mr. Guyus showed me an’- An’ I brought you a present! Mama! Mama, can I-“ The laughing snake woman is already handing her the bag with a smile and a pat to the head. “Lookit!”

With ginger care, Cici reaches into the bag and scoops out one of the sweet rolls, gingerly cradling it as she hands it to Cici.

“That one’s for you,” Cici proclaims. “Cuz I knew you’d be hungry when you got back.”

Vivi just smiles as she brings the pastry up to her lips, taking a generous bite as she cradles the sticky confection between her wing tips.

“Mmm…” she sighs lovingly, a few chews quickly leading to another bite, then another until the entire cake is gone. “You did good, Cici.”

The smaller girl lights up at the praise, before both of them turn to Cassandra in the doorway.

“Well, I think both of you are going to need a bath now, don’t you think?”

“I guess…” Cici sighs, stooping down to her knees and making a clicking noise with her tongue. “Come here Din-Din! Come here! It’s bath time.”

She notices his ears twitch at the word bath, just like always, but it doesn’t stop the hare from reluctantly hopping toward her as he’s called, though Cici notices one of his legs is a bit stiff as he scurries into her waiting arms.

>>687194
uuh... be careful washing rabbits in cold water, it can easily lead to hypothermia (basically getting sick from getting too cold), best to get it done quickly and dry them off as soon as possible if you can't use hot water.

>>687194
Now go wash up.
We can try to figure out a way to get warm water without using fire later.

We should probably take Din-Din to Uncle Yesh after this, though.

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>>687194
>>687258
>>687279

“What’sa matter, Din-Din?” Cici probes, gently massaging Din-Din’s thigh and noticing the nervous twitching.

“Hmm… Let’s see…” Mama murmurs, leaning in for a closer look before taking the rabbit into her own arms and carefully rotating his leg, much to the fluffy bunny’s protests. “Well, there’s nothing broken at least… He may have gotten a bruise earlier when Hannah ran into you.”

“Who’s Hannah?” Vivi asks.

“Well, you see…” And thus begins a very long and excitable retelling of the day’s events, as scene by Cici, the small girl gesticulating and exclaiming all the way to the river about the girls they found in the garden and all the wonderful sights and sounds she’d found in the city.

“Wait, you’ve never seen a cow before?”

“Nuh-uh,” Cici confirms. “I wanted to pet it…”

“Not sure how the poor thing would take to your hair, little sis, but maybe we can swing you by there some other day. For now…” With a quick flutter of her wings, the harpy is already throwing her shirt and shorts off to the side, tan skin glistening in the last rays of sunlight as she happily flaps into the air.

“Hey Cici, wanna try diving?”

>>687369
"Can you swim?"

>>687369
Cici, how good are you at swimming?
Because, diving will mean needing to be good at swimming.

>>687397
Not necessarily.
It can also mean suddenly needing to get good at swimming.

Or really, just being not-horrible at swimming. If you don't sink in water, you're fine to dive.

PROVIDED the water is deep enough. Shallow water dives can and will kill anyone dumb enough to attempt them.

>>687369
Cici, never EVER dive in water if you don't know how deep it is. If the water isn't at least as deep as you standing on your mother, don't dive into it.

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>>687402
>>687397
>>687373

[“I can doggy paddle. Though Mama says it looks more like a frog…”]

“Mama, can I go diving?” Cici asks sweetly, looking over to find her mother busying herself removing her clothes. “The voices say I have to stand on you to find out?”

“They… Oh!” she realizes. “The voices are very right, sweetling. It’s too dangerous to dive here where the water is so shallow. You might bump your head.” She gently pecks Cici amidst the pile of snakes. “And we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

“No Mama…” Cici admits, though her disappointment is clear.

“Tell you what, though. If you want, we can go down river a way, and we can teach you how to dive off the banks where the water is deeper. You can also practice your swimming. How does that sound?”

Cici is pretty sleepy, but diving sounds exciting.

>>687427
You've had a full day, and swimming takes a lot of energy. Why not go diving tomorrow, when you're fully rested?
Let's just get cleaned up today.

>>687427
Maybe take a nap and go after your nap? You are pretty sleepy.

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>>687427
>>687438
>>687547


[“A nap does sound nice.”]

Groggily, Cici shakes her head, punctuating with a yawn. Swimming would have to wait for another day. Instead, she simply gets straight to the scrubbing, shivering as she plunges into the cold water and begins washing away the day’s flour and dirt, her Mama not long behind. Vivi joins in a moment later, though perhaps in a more spectacular fashion, hopping and splashing about much like an actual bird as she cleans her wings and tail feathers.

As usual, Cici is quick to volunteer to scrub her back for her when she runs out of the places she can clean herself. Honestly, the tiny gorgon found herself wondering how harpy’s managed to do so much without hands, though when she had asked Vivi about it, she had just laughed and said they said the same thing about people without wings.

In any case, Mama takes to scrubbing Din-Din after herself, wiping the poor hare gently with a wet cloth before setting him back on the banks to shiver and shake out his frigid misery. By then, Cici’s hair is well and truly drooping, the little snakes that adorn her scalp lulling as though in hibernation as her teeth chatter together. And with the sun so far below the horizon, they’re quick to bundle up tight and return home.

Fresh underwear and a warm nightie come soon after, Mama hugging Cici’s head close to her chest for a long time, gently rocking her back and forth in her arms until the cold goes away before laying the half-conscious child on her pillow and tucking the blanket around her. Vivi promises to wake her when dinner is ready.

Strange how short naps can lead to long dreams: the tricks of memory playing strange movies behind Cici’s eyelids as she snoozes contentedly amidst the warmth of her covers. She dreams of spiders shaped like princesses, of heroes, villains, and nasty dragons that look just like people. Uncle Lee is there too sometimes, though he’s usually on fire for some reason, riding around on something else made of fire as he soars amongst the clouds.

--

Morning comes before she knows it, the crow of wild hens reaching deep inside where the sunlight can’t reach to rouse the little gorgoness. She feels well-rested now, and warm, the latter likely having something to do with how Vivi’s arms were even now draped around her, holding her gently to the older girl’s stomach as she continues with her own dreams between gentle snores.

[“Good morning voices.”]

>>687557
Good morning, Cici. Let's check on Din-Din and see if his leg is better.

>>687557
"早上好"

>>687557
Morning Morning
Thank the elder things you survived your sleep
Did you know 38 percent of kids dont see morning
Count your prayers your one of the lucky ones

>>687557
Mornin'
so... any plans today or maybe we should look at the books we picked up?

>>687592
"That is complete bullcrap. 50% of kids don't see morning; its just that they are replaced with completely identical copies of themselves before anyone notices."

>>687609
the respawn system is a wonderful thing.

>>687609
>>687615
Dont worry
we would tell you if that ever happened
well "you" would be dead
but wed tell your replacement
for now you a lucky little girl

>>687557
"Be glad you cannot remember your dreams better."

>>687557
Good morning. Eat breakfast and try to learn a few words from the dictionary. Don't be afraid to ask for help. After that you can play with your pet rabbit.

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>>687557
>>687596
>>687566
>>687664
[“I’m really hungry, but after that, maybe.”]

>>687592
>>687658
>>687662

[“I’ll be sure to thank Mama when she gets up… and ask her what this means (>>687580). I hope it’s not more bad words. She seemed upset yesterday.”]

With a small yawn and a careful maneuvering of sleeping harpy wing, Cici extricates herself from the pile and makes her way toward Din-Din’s hutch, the little wicker igloo that the rabbit calls home.

“Din-Din…” she calls softly. “Din-Din, it’s time to wake up sleepy head…”

But there is no response, not even a response when she sticks her hand inside and tries to tease him out. Still, as if by instinct, Cici knew that he had to still be in there, and sure enough, as she sticks her head inside, there is her pet rabbit, nose twitching curiously at her as he blinks in the suddenly bright light.

“What’s the matter, Din-Din? Are you not feeling w-“

She looks down at the rabbits leg and notices something quite peculiar, or perhaps it is the lack of something that is quite peculiar. Din-Din appears to have lost his fur on one of his legs, and the bare skin looks all greasy. Without thinking, the girl is quick to retrieve her maligned pet into her arms.

“Aww, Din-Din, what happened?” she questions, running a hand over the gunk on his leg. Was this because he got bumped, yesterday?

“No need to worry, child,” comes a familiar, calming voice from the hallway. “It’s just some medicine to help him with his bruising.”

“Uncle Yesh?” Cici questions, and sure enough as she rounds the corner with giant, slightly less fluffy bunny in hand, the short, green lizard man is there to greet her, the belt around his brown robe cinched with countless bottles and bobbles.

“Correct,” he acknowledges in his flat, pleasant drone. “Did you sleep well?”

“Mhm!”

“That’s good then. Though I heard from your mother that there were… incidents yesterday.”

>>687668
Be polite. And better let your rwbbit rest, healing takes energy. Oh also ask around, you baked yesterday but you could learn more cooking. But breakfast first!

>>687668
"Thank Yesh for taking care of your rabbit."

>>687681
>>687693

these guys have the right of it.

>>687693
Also don't forget to read the dictionary. Not all of it, just about twenty words a day. You are still young and you should enjoy playing too.

>>687668
Thank him for caring for Din-Din. Medicine isn't cheap.
Tell him of what happened yesterday.

>>687668
You should paint your pet rabbit pink. That'll make it feel better!

>>687668
>>687781
"No it won't. Wait, how common are dyes here? Is there any pink paint to begin with?"

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>>687720
“I learned how to bake!” Cici says excitedly, reminding herself to look up incident later. “An’ I got to go to a book store an’ pet kittens an’ see cows an’…”

>>687706
>>687681
>>687769

[“Oh right!”]

“Thanks for taking care of Din-Din, Uncle Yesh,” Cici says, hoisting the rabbit over her shoulder. “He was feeling real bad yesterday after Hannah bumped into him.”

“Who is Hannah?” Yesh inquires.

“She’s my new friend!” Cici pipes up. “She an’ another girl came to visit!”

“So I heard…” Yesh acknowledges, a smile crossing his face as he regards his bouncy niece. “And you’re very welcome. As it just so happened, I needed to boil up some new balm anyway.”

Another word for the dictionary.

“But if you boil it, does that mean it’s food?” Cici questions. “Do you cook medicine?”

“Sometimes,” Yesh chuckles, “though I very much doubt you would like the taste of this kind. Maybe I can teach you some day.”

“How ‘bout today?” she blurts, following him on his methodical way out of the tower.

“I’d need to ask your mother first,” Yesh says, returning to a small cook fire and removing the tiny pot on top. “And besides, you haven’t even had breakfast yet.”

Cici’s stomach groans in agreement with her wise uncle, preaching his wisdom with a mighty growl.

“Come now, I’ll make you eggs with some of the vegetables I found earlier this morning.”

>>687781
>>687795

[“Uncle Yesh makes pink paint sometimes for his magic, but Mama says I’m not supposed to let Din-Din play with it anymore since last time.”]

>>687856
to breakfast then.

>>687856
"It's proabably for the best that you don't play with paints if you don't need to; some of the substances used for coloring them can be extremely toxic. For example, one way of creating a pink paint would be mixing chalk and cinnabar powder with linseed oil and animal glue; cinnibar contains mercury, also known as quicksilver, a toxic liquid metal whose consumption and fumes can drive one insane."

>>687894
Wow get a load of Mr Encyclopedia. Hey Mr Encyclopedia, what does baffled mean?

>>687894

Cici, maybe this voice could teach you words instead of the dictionary. Maybe if you ask him nicely?

>>687938
Baffled (n.)
1. A hybrid between a bat and a waffle; considered a delicacy in the eastern lands.
2. A past tense of "baff;" to have been baffed.
3. The color formed by mixing octarine and decarine.

>>688023
Don't listen to that voice. Use the dictionary. Not all voices will say the truth or things that make sence

>>688052
"Indeed. Lying is fun. Paint can be stupidly toxic though."

>>688052

I don't know. he seems sensible and trustworhty?

Maybe Cici should ask him something she knows the answer to to see if he's legit.

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>>687856
>>687875

Another pot comes down over the fire, and Cici takes a seat on a nearby log, watching in wonderment as Yesh skillfully begins slicing bits of this and that into its depths before coating it with a dash of oil. Sizzling is quick to follow, a wave of almost perfumed steam soon rising as he begins skillfully sauteeing the contents.

>>687894
>>687938
>>687958

[“I’m paying attention. Promise, and I’m very glad when you tell me things… Other than the scary stuff…”]

For everything else, there’s the dictionary, which Cici cracks out even as her uncle produces a couple of eggs and expertly cracks them into the pot.

“Incident: an event or occurrence.”

[“Well, that doesn’t explain much…”]

She keeps reading.

[“A violent, dangerous, or exciting occurrence”]

Beneath there is a picture of a boy lying on the floor with shattered plates around him, and what appears to be a lion in the background.

From balm to nightshade to toxin and tuxedo, it’s amazing how a young mind can so easily become engrossed with something as simple as a book of words, Cici’s eyes darting between pages eagerly and earnestly to the point a soft cough is needed to stir her from her revere, Uncle Yesh offering a bowl of heavenly smelling white, yellow, brown and green to the famished child.

“Uh, uh, uh,” he tuts as the book slides to the wayside and Cici readies herself, fork in hand. “Just one more thing.”

With another rummaging into his cloak, he produces a strange looking knot of a vegetable, an ugly, misshapen mushroom by the looks of it. Without another word of explanation, he then begins carefully peeling off thin strips with his nice and laying them on top of the eggs. And just like that, the smell goes from tantalizing to irresistible, a decadent smell erupting from the bowl beneath her nose, fit to make Cici’s mouth water.

“Now, you can dig in,” he says simply, and that’s about all the invitation Cici needs to begin demolishing the large bowl set in front of her, along with a loaf of bread and a full canteen of water he offers her afterward.

>>688058

["Mama says lying is bad."]

>>688071

Maybe we should ask what that vegetable was. Never know when it might come in handy.

>>688082
DO NOT EAT MUSHROOMS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! MOST OF THEM ARE POISON AND WILL KILL YOU!

>>688071
Indeed, lying is bad, but not all voices say the truth, some may even give bad advice.

>>688089
Yes, don't eat mushrooms unless your mother or an adult you trush says that they are safe.

>>688089

That's why we're learning shouty voice! So we don't eat bad ones!

>>688071
"Snakes are ectothermic creatures, meaning they radiate heat as ectoplasm; the stuff ghosts are made of. Birds are actually insects; feathers are really modified insect wings. In the eastern lands, time runs perpendicular to ours; from their perspective, everything that ever has and will happen occcured/has occurred in an instant, though only a point on our timelines intersect. Don't be in the city in 33.52 years. The eastern lands are terrible."

>>688110

Thank you professy voice. You're my favorite voice.

>>688110
Crap. Meant to type "occurred/will occur."

>>688071
>Lying is not inherently bad. Lying is bad because bad people like to use it in bad says. Anything can be bad if used for bad. Lying is good if he helps someone other than you. Like a friend or your very own mother. But lie sparringly, because it is not nice to decieve.

>>688131
Bad ways*
Not
>had says

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>>688071
>>688089
>>688095

[“Gah! I don’t wanna die!”]

Cici begins choking on her eggs before taking a swig of water to settle herself.

>>688090

[“I think most of your advice is good, though…”]

Uncle Yesh gives Cici a strange look as she coughs a few more times.

“Was something to spicy?” he questions.

“Uh-uh,” Cici confirms. “It’s really good, especially what you put on last. What is it?”

“This is called a truffle,” Yesh says simply, placing the remaining plant down on a log. “At least that’s what they call it in the human lands. In our tribes they are called: lorhailen mulush or Root Shroom. They are very valuable to certain buyers.”

“Is it really okay for me to eat it then?” Cici questions, hands to her mouth.

“You are my darling niece,” he assures her, “and this is a gift of the earth, to be shared, not hoarded. Besides, Okku has taken a shine to digging them up. At this rate, I’ll be building up quite a collection.”

As if on cue, the sound of heavy breaths and paw prints begin floating to the pair on the wind, a black furred bear cub not far behind as he comes crashing through the branches with something in his mouth.

“Ah, see, here he is now with- That’s not a truffle,” Yesh says flatly, taking to his feet as he begins running toward the bear cub, Cici only just then catching the sound of buzzing and the cloud of insects not far behind the playful ursine.

With a brisk motion, he quickly gets a hand on the object in the cub’s mouth, pitching it away into the bushes before the hoard descends on top of them in earnest. However, it seems that alone won’t be enough to dissuade them.

“It would appear they have my scent,” Yesh notes, just a hair above his normal monotone as he’s swarmed by bees. “Cici, you should go inside.”

And like that, Uncle Yesh is bolting off into the forest, Okku hot on his heels as the duo flees the wrath of nature. She hopes he’ll be okay.

>>688131

["I don't know. In all the stories, it just seems to make things worse and worse."]

>>688110

["And this is just silly. Bees don't have beaks, and Vivi isn't a bug. The time thing sounds scary though..."]

>>688228
yeah better to go inside, bee swarms can cause quite a bit of pain with their stingers and they aren't picky about who they sting when they're riled up.

>>688228
Hmm. Cici, head on inside before you get the bees on you, and see if you can find your mother. Uncle Yesh will probably need something to help heal bee stings soon...

>>688228
"Go inside and tell your mother and Vivi what happened. Also, the eastern lands are terrible in that they are extremely annoying. Eastern entities have at least twelve speaking-orfices, and none of them know how to shut up. They will go on for years about the most obscure, irrelevant topics. Additionally, the speaking-orfices will argue among themselves, and their conversation will eventually degenerate to strings of insult-shaped profanity."

>>688267
That voice is indeed a liar. She is just a kid, stop that please.

>>688267
That voice is a liar.

>>688110
That voice is crazy.Ignore it

>>688285
>Is the voice a liar for a good reason?

>Hint hint: this is a liar for a bad reason. This liar speak inanities to misinform and confuse you. But when Death comes to take you and ask if you are ready to go, you'd better lie and say no.

>>688110
You are a liar.

>>688296
>>688300
This is where the conversation degenerates into strings of insult shaped profanity right?

>>688373
"Thou be the lowest crawling thing to have ever crawled, and spew filth most vile as an accusation! How DARE thee speak such SLANDER!

(Yes.)"

>>688373
Try to not use profanity, she is a kid.

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>>688228
>>688373
>>688393
>>688267
>>688282
>>688285
>>688296
>>688299
>>688300

[“See, this is why lying is bad!”]

>>688267
>>688258
>>688250

Cici grabs Din-Din and her book, then promptly flees inside to avoid any trailing bees, setting the latter back on its shelf and the former back inside his hutch before going back to the bedroom.

“Mama,” Cici calls softly, shaking her mother’s warm shoulder back and forth. “Mama, Okku got Uncle Yesh in trouble…. Mama!”

“Yes, sweetling…?” her mother finally responds, letting out a long sigh as she pulls herself upright, eyes blinking away the sleep.

“Mama, Uncle Yesh and Okku made the bees mad, and then they ran away. The voices thought you could help.”

“The voice… The voices,” she murmurs, loosing a loud yawn as she shakes off the sleep. “Well, the best I can probably do is to help him put balm on his scratches afterward, sweetling.” She knows what that is now. “He’ll no doubt be back soon. Now, have you had breakfast yet?”

“Mhm. Uncle Yesh made eggs with truffles! It was really good!”

“I bet,” Mama laughs, “but now it’s time for Mama to get her own food. Then, we can work on your…. math…”

The last part comes out as more of a breath than a word, perhaps owing to the wan gentleman presently looming in the outer doorway. Tall and spindly, with a thick coat draped about his shoulders, a pointy cap on his head, and a staff topped with crystal in his hands, Cici’s breath catches as well. In fact, the only one seemingly not at a loss for words is the man himself, whose smile shows through his long, swaying beard as he removes the pipe from his lips and stows it in one of his long pockets.

“Well, it would seem that I’ve come to the right place, after all. Pardon the lack of notice, my dear.”

“B-Brad…?”

>>688228

Obey him and go inside. Not all your elders gives good advice, but this one's a good one. You don't want to be on the receiving end of a sting!

Also, choose carefully which voices listen to, some are liars, some says bad words and some are lewd

>>688405
"...Do you know a Brad?"

>>688405
>Be polite.

>>688420
Yes be polite.

>>688405
"7:2 says he's your daddy.
If you've seen him frequently and know he's your daddy, hugs.
If you don't see this dude much, ask him where he's been and why it hasn't been here. "

>>688405
THE Brad, we are talking to the BRAD? In person? Wow, this is incredible, amazing.

Who's Brad?

>>688405
BOW CICI
CURTSY LIKE YOU HAVE HOUSE TRAINING
>Tilt your head down, as if nodding and pausing.
>Do not move your arms, unless the person to whom you are curtsying extends for a handshake.
>Put any foot behind the other (British ladies don't care about the foot they put behind).
>Slightly bend your knees. British ladies lower themselves an inch and then bob up again. Hold that for three seconds.
>Come back up quickly.
DO IT NOW YOUR MAKING YOUR MOM LOOK BAD

>>688405
Oh, hey! A WIZARD!
Greet the man nicely, Cici. Seems like he knows your mother; maybe a friend from when she was an adventurer.

>>688405


Do you know that man? If yes, act like you do as usual, if no, stay near your mom and politely wait for her reaction, maybe he's a good friend and you should say hi.

>>688426
>If you've seen him frequently and know he's your daddy, hugs.
Anon, did you miss the conversation we already had about Cici's dad and how questions about him did nothing but make Cassandra sad?

>>688473
Cici is pure and innocent and deserves to have a good relationship with her father even if he and her mother aren't on good terms. ASSUMING he's not a fuckup deadbeat nigger who ran off and ditched Cassandra and Cici at the first sign of crotchspawn and responsibility.

>>688484
Her dad's dead. That's why Cici was wondering if one of the graves here belonged to her dad.

>>688501
Counterpoint: Wizard.
Magic is clearly a thing, death may or may not matter much if somebody powerful enough gives a shit.

>>688405
1. Close your hand
2. Extend your middle finger
3. To Brad
This is is the highest form of respect in my culture

>>688522
"From one liar to another, I honor you."

>Mental middle finger

>>688522
>>688548
Cici, ignore these two. They're just trying to get you into trouble again.
Remember how mad your mother got when you used the word they taught you yesterday?

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>>688501
>>688416
>>688434
>>688426

[“I don’t know, b-but…. Do you really think he could be?”]

Cici’s heart beats faster in her chest at that consideration, so much so, that she can hardly follow what the majority of what her voices are telling her.

>>688420
>>688422
>>688443
>>688467

“H-Hi…” she squeaks nervously, shakily going through her best approximation of a courtesy before quickly retreating to her mother’s side.

“Why hello there,” the older man greets back warmly, eyes sparkling bright as he bends down to one knee to look Cici in the eyes. “And who might you be?”

“I-I’m C-Cici,” she murmurs quietly, somehow unable to meet his eyes.

“Cici?” he questions. “A beautiful name for a beautiful young girl, one who I’ve been waiting to meet for a very long time.”

“A-are you…” she stammers. “D-does that mean…?”

>>688517
>>688484
>>688473

In that moment, Cici wants to believe more than anything that this is him, to believe that this might be some sort of fairy tale where everything was going to be okay from now on. The desire uproots what she knows, throws everything into question, if only so that Mama wouldn’t have to cry anymore. If this was her dad, if only this was her dad, but as recognition catches in those eyes of his, the sad realization is all too quick to follow for both of them.

“I’m s-sorry…” he whispers, seeming to age twenty years in that moment as he half-heartedly reaches out a hand to the backpedaling child. “I’m sorry my dear, but I’m… I’m not… He’s…”

Words fail him as he stands, seeming to wobble with throat parched as he swallows once, twice, and pulls the brim of his wide hat just over the line of his eyes.

“I-I’m sorry, my dear,” he stammers. “I d-didn’t mean t-to-“

“It will be fine, Brad,” Mama assures the old man, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice, but not altogether succeeding. “It’s j-just, just a misunderstanding is all….”

>>688645
Yeah there we go mission accomplished.

>>688645
For the record i never implied it was your dad, i just assume he's important because your mom's freaking out a little over there.

>>688645
"You can be my fairy godparent then!"

>>688548
>mental bear hug

>>688645
>Maybe hes a relative? Perhaps your uncle and your father's brother?

>>688645
It hurts, Cici, but it's a painful lesson you need to learn.
Voices like >>688653 take enjoyment in seeing you hurt. There are humans like that, who will use words to hurt you as much as fists, sticks, and stones.

So it's very important to know who your friends are, and whose advice you should listen to, alright?

Anyway, let's go wake up Vivi. She's got work today, and hasn't eaten breakfast yet. Helping your friends will make you feel better.

>>688697
>Nah. Make breakfast for Vivi then wake her up.

>>688705
Cici isn't supposed to be using the kitchen fire, or cooking, yet.

>>688645
Wow how embarrassing
Im so sorry baby girl
But hey maybe hes one of mom's adventuring buds.
He is probably like you god father or something cool.

>>688645
"Watch and listen."

>>688721
That's alright. We'll guide her through the process for maximum safety and efficiency.

>>688841
Are you being serious, or sarcastic?
It's difficult to tell when it's just text, and your previous advice shows that you're one of the ones who will hurt Cici for your own amusement.

>>688856
Personally, I'm trying to teach her lessons about trusting you other fuckwits by hurting something that heals before one of you gets her to hurt her body. Or do lewd shit. Or both.

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>>688728
>>688734
>>688697
>>688695
>>688674
>>688653

*hic*

Cici is fine. She’s just a little… just a little embarrassed right now, but it’ll be alright. Just- when did the room get so blurry. Cici wipes at her eyes to make it stop, but her hands come back wet and the tears keep coming, her chest hurting in a way she’s not familiar with as her eyes refuse to stop leaking. Then again, maybe that’s not entirely right.

After all, it’s the way she had felt the day she made her Mama cry for the very first time, that tight, painful feeling of not knowing what to do making it feel like she can’t even breath. The same feeling had come when she sat there helpless by her bedside when her mother had been sick and dying, body cold and blood flowing freely before Uncle Lee had come to help. It’s not a good feeling, not in the least. In fact, more than anything, all she wishes in that moment is that she could just make it stop, to cut that part off and throw it away as she stares up at the adults’ faces so much like her own.

“Oh blast it!” the wizard finally seethes to himself through the sullen silence, taking a long, deep breath before he brings himself back down to Cici’s eye level, his piercing, bright blue eyes locking with hers as he gently leans in and takes her trembling hand in his own. “Now listen child, and listen good! I’ve naught but the courage to tell you this once! Your father… He was a good man, a brave man. He was like a son to me, and he loved you and your mother more than anything on this green earth. He wanted nothing more than for you, your mother, and he to live a good, proper life together, but he was taken before his time.

“And I’m not him, make no mistake, but I promised to take care of you and your mother should anything happen to him. To that end, I’ve held my peace as long as I could… stayed away as long as I could to let old wounds heal, but I promise, you were loved before you were even born, so much as one man could ever lover anything with all of his heart. J-just know that…”

And it seems that’s all the old man can manage before the weight of his own emotions get the better of him, face shrinking, wrinkles deepening under the pain of holding them back.

>>688926
>Hug him and say "Thank you Uncle Wizard."

>>688941
Yeah, do this.

>>688926
Let all take a moment to understand how cool this guy is and then lets us all cry together.
At least you know your father died loving you instead of growing old enough to resent you like my father.
You are loved Cici
Remember this always.

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>>688926
>>688941
>>688944
>>688954

It hurts: just this entire situation, this entire moment of Cici’s existence is painful and overwhelming beyond belief, but even in the midst of all this sadness, she can still recognize one thing, that someone else is struggling to make things better, even if it means hurting themselves instead. And being a child of simple means, Cici only knows of one way to express the pure gratitude that comes with that.

“Thank you, Uncle Wizard,” she whispers softly, slender arms reaching past a floppy hat, fluffy robes, and thin shoulders bearing far too much weight for a man his age to give him a much needed hug.

For a time thereafter, the world is quiet and still, all hushed save for the sound of ragged breaths and the occasional murmur of condolences that evaporate into nothing amidst the echoing chambers of the tower’s halls. So too with them goes the anxiety, the fear, and the sorrow on Cici’s mind, slowly replaced with the knowledge that she had been loved, that she still was loved, and that a new person had just come into her life to be a part of it for the better.

“So then, ‘Uncle Wizard’,” Mama finally says, breathing a heavy sigh and giving a tired smile. “Would you care for a cup of tea?”

“I’d love some,” he responds wearily, slowly, ever so slowly letting Cici go before placing a final, comforting hand on her head and hobbling after the far more nimble snake woman.

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>>689075

And honestly, I think that might be the best place to end this thread for tonight. Hope you guys had fun.

>>688926
Looks like he needs a hug, Cici.
Give him a hug.

Now, he's obviously older, and he said your papa was like a son to him.
So that would mean that calling him Grandpa would make sense.

>>689087
Thanks for running.

>>689087
Thanks for the run.

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>>689100
>>689098
>>689087

You're welcome anons. And as per the usual, the thread has been capped in the usual spot. Upvote it if you have the mind.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=gorgon+child

>>688856
Serious. The ability to be spoken to by a number of separate entities through the mind's voice is a blessed and cursed double-edged sword. She has to her disposal, should she be able to devise a system of governing to best use us, have our knowledge and wisdom at her disposal. We ARE all at least twice her age, yes? And all possess various fields of knowledge and expertise? On the other hand, if we toil and cry and lie for every trifle, we are no better than the devils religions preach of. We can drive her to madness or to self harm. Fortunately, however, there IS a way to construe from our scattered consciousnesses some semblance of use. In laymen terms, treat us like a governing body. Apply Rousseau's theory of Checks and Balances, which I may add has worked well thus far for the American government. Each of us keeps the others in check and the ideas the majority of us approve of is the one Cici can recognize as "considerable". Not simple but very much possible. She can be and do so much more than any little her age. Why deprive her of the chance?

And just to be clear, I'm not someone who is power-hungry or has lofty goals and ambitions. The opposite, really.

>>689136
Thank you for running, OP. This is unique

>>689144
There's a rather simple problem with "majority".

>>689144
>>689164
I'm sure you can tell what it is.

I missed the thread sadly. Oh well 3/4 so far. This was a nice thread per usual. Looking forward to next week.

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>>689136
>>689144
>>689164
>>689177

I hesitate to offer input on the formation of The Parliament of Head Voices. Just remember to be good to each other and have fun is my only request.

>>690005
>>689153

Also, glad to have both of you anons, and though it may be a little after the fact, I figure it's worth throwing out there that Halloween is coming soon and there might be a special for it in quest.

That said, feel free to pitch your Halloween costume ideas for Cici.

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>>693956
And the snakes should have little horns

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>>693956

I´d love to have CiCi put some small decorations on all the stone statues. And have her mother throw a small sort of haloween party. But she doesnt know that your´re supposed to wear costumes on haloween.

So she has a fun time anyway and no one figures out until the day after when she visits someone the days after, still with the snake hair.

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>>694013
>>693956


Also could we have Cassandra dress up as manticore-chan?

Please avoid putting the worst trolls in the quest. Small trolling would be fine, could have it bounce off her innocence.

>>693956
The costume should be obvious.
a banana

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>>694029

But Lieutenant Anon, Snek Mom ain't got no legs...

>>694001

And she may want Cici wearing something with a skirt and/or pants, though a tiny devil costume could be cute.

>>694041

Too spooky, anon.