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But their disabilities were the sole reason behind their employment rather than the exception. A man cannot spill secrets that he is unable to hear. Similarly, a woman would be hard-pressed to attempt to decipher critical intelligence if she could not find the door to the archives. Some would call it harsh. The agency would call it nothing short of the barest of minimums in order to keep Central as secure as possible.

This unique hiring process, however, did not extend to their front. As far as anyone was concerned, Boroughs Pharmaceutical was a legitimate medical company. They had research employees, testing facilities, business charters dating back to the fifties, and more than a few protests at some controversial proposition. And come by the end of the month, the opportunity would arise for agents to purchase investments and stocks.

And that was only the human front of the deception. There were far more powerful forces protecting the integrity of Central, from any possible threat both within and without.

To celebrate Independence Day, the cafeteria decided to serve barbecued food as their main entree. The supervisor helped himself to a generous serving of coleslaw and prime ribs, lightly peppering both before he departed from the line. He had to maneuver past more than one agent scrambling to grab their share of dinner.

It brought a smile to his lips. How many years had it been since he was one of the rank-and-file, training demons and traversing the country in search of supernatural threats? The years in the service had not been kind to his body, but the memories continued to age like fine wine. A trick of the mind, to suppress the bad times and polish the good, but he could safely say he had more good than bad.

They were waiting for him in their usual bench, presenting the signal that today’s gathering was business-related. Three steaming mugs of black coffee arranged in a triangle, with the pepper shaker placed in the center. Both of them were dressed in similar black suits, and halfway through the beginning of their dinner.

“Caspar. Balthazar.” He nodded to each of them, shaking their hands before settling down on his side of the bench. “It’s been a while, gents. Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

“Nothing to worry about other than lukewarm food. As a matter of fact, I think the chefs have outdone themselves,” Caspar remarked. He stared into his cup of decaf as if it had all of the secrets in the world. “Still, I think we should do something before the boys and girls overindulge on the spirit of patriotism.”

(cont.)

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For a man of nearly sixty, Caspar hid his age well, along with his name and service record. All he would let anyone know was that he’d spent thirty years in Special Forces and JSOC, both on the front lines against insurgents in the Middle East and as a commander of a detachment that officially did not exist. There was more pepper than salt in his hair, held back by the eye patch coming down the left side of his face. The current story was that a Taliban raghead had gotten lucky during a nighttime ambush on the Pakistani border with Afghanistan. Doubtless it would change next week whenever some rookie greenhorn would muster the courage to ask.

Balthazar cleared his throat, wiping the side of his mouth before he spoke. “Given the scarcity of these events and the intensity of our operations, I would think that one day of eating would not cause a sharp decline in discipline.”

“Think so?” He replied. The vinyl surface of the booth cushion squeaked as the administrator turned around. Melchior could feel the resignation in the sigh that came from staring at a particular group of off-duty operatives, formed up in a circle and going shot for shot with a half-empty bottle of tequila. “For their sake, I hope that they’re not pulling shifts early in the morning.”

The two of them exchanged banter while Melchior started eating. It was delicious. The first bite brought back sepia memories of a little farm in Tennessee, just a couple of miles west off of Route 40. God, he hadn’t been back in ages. How many brats would Charlie have swarming all over the family territory?

He caught himself before he got lost in maudlin thought. It wasn’t the time to reminisce about the good old days. That came later, and only after copious amounts of whiskey. But for now, he could appreciate the food and tuck in with gusto. After spending the last few months in a Task Force conference in Brussels, this was a welcome change from more exotic fare.

Melchior swallowed a prime cut of steak before cutting into the discussion. “Alright, so what’ve you called me out for? What was so important that you had to get me back into Central as soon as I landed?”

The two administrators exchanged glances, checking to make sure that they were alone. As far as they knew, they were being left to their own devices. The impromptu drinking contest seemed to have attracted the majority of the cafeteria’s attention. The noise alone would be more than enough to mask a quiet, sensitive discussion.

Balthazar applied a wipe to his hands before he reached for his COMP. Within a moment, a small holographic display appeared on the table. Melchior took a close look, tracking the information as it came in large clusters. Maps of Kentucky, a team of Devil Summoners, enemies engaged…Amber Alert reports for missing children.

(cont.)

>>1391560
>>Fitz: 1451
that's an error right? Or has Fitz already mounted and claimed us?

>>1391618
If only anon. nah we're at 151, the best friend zone.

>>1391621
>>1391621

Fucking hell. I knew I messed that up. And on the subject of screw-ups, I completely fucked up the 2015 calendar. July 4th of 2015 was supposed to be a Saturday, not the Thursday of the last thread. And you know, I should probably change "Best Friend" to "Good Friend". That seems like a better descriptor for that stage of the relationship. Friend, Good Friend, Best Friend/SO, etc.

Whatever.

Writing...

>>1391629
as long as we can get drunk with her sure.

A RIVER IN A DRY LAND

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>>1391591
“Just a couple of hours ago, Carina Squad of Division IV completed an investigation into a string of child abductions. What was initially thought to be a transgression against the treaty we have with the Fairy Kingdom turned out to be something else entirely.”
He tapped the controls, and the display shifted to a low-resolution image of some kind of demon. There was too much grain and blur, likely taken from an agent’s field camera and in the middle of combat, but he could distinctly make out the shape of a skeletal figure. In addition to the demon, the photograph of a middle-aged man came into view, alongside emerging news reports coming from the town. The headlines were less than pleasant, with each becoming more worrisome as they flashed down the interface.

>“MISSING CHILDREN FOUND IN LOCAL GROCERY STORE FREEZER.”

>“ROBBERY GONE WRONG: CURATOR FOUND BRUTALIZED IN MUSEUM.”

>#PrayForLebabonKY – 542k Tweets about this.

The nostalgia had been driven away, and in its stead, a cold pit settled in Melchior’s stomach. Sweet Jesus, this was…holy shit. No wonder they wanted him back as soon as possible. This was nothing short of a complete dis-

“Barring the one fatality and two grievous casualties, the mission was otherwise a complete success.” Caspar set his fork down, oblivious to the surprise on Melchior’s face. “The children were found alive and are currently in treatment for exposure and shock. And the Ojibwe demon Baykok was destroyed thanks to the efforts of the Squad.”

“It will take a week at most to secure the area and perform routine maintenance, but within a few months, the town should return to normal,” Balthazar said. The indifference was not something that was too strange. It was a holdover from his days spent in Langley, slumming with the CIA before his recruitment into the Task Force. For the youngest of the three of them, he had the cool demeanor of an intelligence agent. “With no one the wiser as to our presence. Human Resources have already dropped an official report for the police to give.”

It took a moment for him to process what they had told him. When he finally did, Melchior exhaled deeply, almost slumping against the back of his seat. He rubbed the side of his temple to fight off an impending headache. “This was too close. This was too damn close. And this…Carina Squad. Alger’s newest team?”

At the nods, he shook his head. “They got lucky. They’d better know that.”

“Of course,” Balthazar said. “That will be brought up to them once they come back for debriefing. They will receive no discipline, demerits, marks on their records.”

Out of the three of them, Caspar was the one that had the most sympathy for operatives who bungled operations or screwed up severely. Their mutual friend was less forgiving. Rumors had spread of agents coming in for disciplinary hearings, coming out with a phobia of the dark and the Administrator of Intelligence.

(cont.)

>>1391681
>They got lucky
Unlucky actually.

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His eyes narrowed. Something was definitely up for Balthazar to spare agents from the chopping block. “I didn’t think you’d be so merciful. Considering how the Baltimore Incident is something that’s used to scare rookies, I’d be thinking that Carina’s asses would be in a tribunal.”

Their friend shifted in his seat. “Every team is bound to botch an operation once in their careers. However, the professor’s death, while regrettable, was not a primary objective of the mission. Squad Carina proved the innocence of the fey, rescued the kidnapping victims and even put as stop to the culprits behind it all. They did the best they could with the circumstances at hand.

“However, what does concern me,” Balthazar continued, “Is the details surrounding the artifact binding Baykok.”

The display changed. Images of the operatives and the headlines of the news vanished, replaced by still images of what appeared to be a museum display. Across normal, thermal and magnitie filters, a weathered book dominated the screen, inscribed with circles of binding and demon containment.
Melchior’s eyes narrowed. “A grimoire…how in the hell did that get in the hands of a history museum?”

“Sheer happenstance, apparently,” He replied dryly. “One of our own analysts did some digging, but I had to clear it personally. But here: take a look at the name on the lease and you’ll see for yourself why I’m lenient on Carina. This time, at least.”

It was a single sheet of paper, a contract for leasing a public storage unit to a single individual. The handwriting was a mess, damn near illegible, but the date next to the signature was in the middle of last year’s summer. As for the name itself…

Melchior ignored the sensation of his drink slipping from his fingers. The soda spilled onto his pants, custom tailored for formal events and meetings. He was too dumbfounded, caught in the emotional hurricane his heart had become at seeing the name inscribed on the paper. “You cannot be serious...”

“In our line of work, we cannot afford to wait three times," Balthazar answered grimly. "Once is enough to prove that it is enemy action, especially given the reputation he has amassed for himself.”

“Eric Phearson…” The name came out from his lips as a venomous hiss. His fist tightened, knuckles whitening before they popped underneath the pressure of his grip. “I thought we killed that bastard a long time ago.”

"Apparently not." Caspar took the moment to pull out his own COMP. More images appeared beside Balthazar’s display, images of a burning car in a nighttime highway. “And I should take a moment to mention that while in transit to Lebanon, Squad Carina was attacked by rogue summoners, brandishing their own demons and contraband devices.”

(cont.)

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THAT got his attention. There was almost a palpable noise from his neck as his eyes snapped towards the old man. In his mind’s eye, a million implications and plans came as he processed that information. All possible conclusions were bad, some more so than others. And there were more than a few that spelt dire consequences for the Task Force.

If anything, Balthazar seemed to find amusement at his alarm. “It seems that our old friends at Gotea are not as dead as we thought they were either…”

>Lebanon Kentucky
>Adrian Brown

Professor Capretta’s body disappears into the back of an ambulance, carried with the utmost reverence by the first responders in the truck. Beside you, Fitz’s mouth is tight line, and Victoria and Brady look on with aghast expressions. All of you stare, tracking the vehicle as long as you can before it disappears, turning a corner to get to the hospital morgue.
There is no need for a siren. The howls of grief and sobbing of the nearby townsfolk more than make up for its absence. Not that they needed anyone to clear the way. This patient is long dead before arrival.

A little ways down the block, the nondescript black vans of the cleanup crew linger by, chattering into radios or arguing with local law enforcement. They’re the ones responsible for what comes after the mission is complete. Cleaning up, scrubbing the site and ensuring that everything is all lined up neatly for an “official report”.

What was the cover story again? Something about a robbery.

You try not to snort. Good luck to the poor bastard who has to come up with a reason for two security guards missing their livers and having their guts strewn out all over the lobby.

Even further away, MacKay stands to the side, an unreadable expression on his face. The others don’t yet notice, but he beckons towards you, motioning for everyone to come. The time has finally come for everyone to talk turkey. And damned if this isn’t going to be as rough as sandpaper. Because right now, you’re sure about Fitz, but Brady and Victoria aren’t in the most…stable of moods.

You clear your exit from the police and the other agents, brushing past the yellow tape cordoning off the block. None of you worry about the cameras trained on you, either rolling or flashing as they take your pictures. That’s something that the team back in central will fix later.

The ride back to the edge of the forest is a silent, terse affair. Victoria keeps her eyes on the road, but her grip on the steering wheel is knuckle-white. And if looks could kill, Brady would’ve put MacKay in the ground several times over. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife, and everyone's demons know better than to make a smart remark. They keep silent in their COMPS.

(cont.)

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You’re almost relieved that it’s over when you reach the boundary of the Fairy Kingdom after twenty minutes of awkwardness. Almost. Because as soon as Vicky cuts the engine, everyone just snaps, and a powder keg goes off inside of the Cadillac.

“Where the fuck were you?!” Brady screams. “MacKay, what the fuck was that just happened out there?!”

The priest recoils, wincing at the harsh words. “I…I can explain…”

“Really? Can you?” Vicky turns around, trying and failing to hold back tears in her eyes. “MacKay, someone…someone just died! And we…we couldn’t…”

“Explain what? How you came to be riding on a fucking UNICORN like some goddamn knight in shining armor…”

To your surprise, Fitz holds her silence. She looks to you, an unreadable expression in her eyes as you both watch the ensuing argument. You need to do something before it escalates out of control…

>“Everyone just shut up and take a deep breath.”
>“MacKay, what the fuck happened with Titania?”
>“They’re right. Your absence was inexcusable.”
>Custom option.

>>1391987
>“Everyone just shut up and take a deep breath.”
>Custom option.
"Now MacKay I need a debrief. What happened with Titania?"

>>1391987
>>“Everyone just shut up and take a deep breath.”

>>1391987
>>“Everyone just shut up and take a deep breath.”
>Mackay couldn't exactly slight a fairy queen, now could he? Alger would have his hide if she didn't just Megidolaon him. You may not have seen what she can do but I have. She throws the equivalent of nukes around with the flick of her wrist. Doesn't even wind her.
>Now what happened with Titania?

>>1391987
>“MacKay, what the fuck happened with Titania?”

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>>1392002
>>1392011
>>1392057
>>1392077
Everyone’s attention turns to you as you slam your fist into the armrest. The sound echoes in the small compartment, and the crack shuts off any further words from the three of them.

“Everyone just shut up and take a deep breath, alright?” You keep your voice level, but you let the iron of authority seep into it. Now more than ever, it’s time for you to step up and be the leader that Alger appointed you to be. “We all have had a really shitty day, but pointing fingers and yelling at each other isn’t going to solve anything.”

Vicky seems to shrink back into the driver’s seat. Brady, however, remains tense and shows no signs of backing down. “Then what is? Are we just supposed to talk it out and see what happens?”

Your eyes narrow. “You’re damn right we are. Because you’re forgetting someone else who’s got hands in this mess. So right now, I need everyone to shut their cakehole, take a couple of deep breaths and calm the fuck down before this blows out of control and screws the team. Alright? Is that too much to ask?

He looks like he’s about to say something, but he cuts himself off. “…alright, fine. But we better get this shtie cleared up fast before we have our asses on a silver platter for the brass at Central.”

Brady disapproves -5
Fitz approves +3
MacKay approves +8
Victoria approves +2

Rolling your eyes, you turn to your right-hand man. “MacKay?”

The priest turns towards you with what looks like a resigned expression on his face. “Yes?”

There is a moment of silence. You carefully pick and choose the words you wish to speak, weighing them in your mind before you eventually start talking. “She really kept you waiting, huh? And you really couldn’t leave either.”

He smiles at that, but it’s far from one of contentment. “No, I don’t suppose I could have. After all, I would think it rude to excuse yourself from the presence of royalty without their permission. I imagine that slighting the Fairy Queen would lead to dire consequences…”

Understanding seems to dawn in everyone’s eyes, but it isn’t complete by far. “None of you were there when we watched her level several acres worth of land. She just…” You gesture towards the outside of the car. “She just flicked her wrist and leveled the forest with the force of a localized nuke. And she didn’t even look tired from casting it.”

“Admittedly, she was completely justified in doing so,” the priest muses. “Her anger is not something to be taken lightly, even if it were simply a social faux pas.”

(cont.)

>>1392327
Poor Brady, him and Adrian just can't get on the same level

>>1392327
I'm not sure what Brady thought shouting at MacKay was going to do. And we share a part of the blame as well technically, seeing as we gave him permission to go grab the unicorn.

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>>1392408
>Chaosfags
>Logic

It's all about passion for them.

>>1392408
Brady is the kind of person to act with his gut when he's stressed out without thinking about it too much. Sure, I gave a sympathetic side into his character in that interlude I wrote of him and Victoria, but he's somewhat of an unreliable narrator.

I want to see how far I can push him, and whether or not it takes him off of a cliff or a slippery slope.

Writing...

>>1392345
So far I dislike him.
>>1392431
So he acts like a retard when stressed.

That might be okay in combat if it means he acts over freezing up. But Hazy memories (I'll have to re-read) have him labeled in my head as chicken shit.

>>1392441
he's our sniper, saved our ass with the salamander. Also our tech nerd.

>>1392446
Right. I know it sounds horrible but I tend to not focus on combat. I don't think we usually get along with him. That or I usually just fundamentally disagree with him.

>>1392455
>I usually just fundamentally disagree with him.
Sounds like SMT to me.

>>1392441
That first interlude I wrote about Adrian and Fitz "hooking up" in the library needs to be taken with an extreme amount of salt. It's status is dubious, but it's leaning more towards noncanon than canon. "Practice Makes Perfect", however, is canon.


As for why he works better in combat or in tech-related issues...because everything comes to him instinctively, and he doesn't have to think too much about it. Chaos, amirite?

>>1392455
I think the biggest one that people have is his huge disapproval when you guys did the Demon Fusion with Centaur and Napaea back in D.C.

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There’s something about his voice that even you can’t pick up on. Regardless, you keep on with your line of questioning. You’ve got a good rhythm going, so it’s best not to interrupt and break the mood.

You look straight into MacKay’s eyes. ”Alright, we need to debrief. So please pardon my French when I ask what the fuck happened with Titania because we really need to know why you didn’t respond to any of our calls.”

Oddly enough, he smiles, and it’s no longer melancholic. “No, I would think that your French would be quite appropriate in light of the current events. But as for what happened with Titania and my subsequent delay…”

He pauses, taking a moment to collect his own thoughts. “I asked for a demon as my boon for helping drive out Corruption from her kingdom. Had I known that it would have taken that long…”

MacKay shrugs helplessly, and the fire in Brady’s eyes seems to dim and soften. He’s telling the truth. And you are picking up on the fact he didn’t stay of his own volition. Whether or not that reason was as explicit as a threat or something else entirely remained to be seen.

Unsurprisingly, Fitz picks up on the hidden cue as well. “So what the hell happened? Why’d she make you wait so long for your new pony?”

“She…” he has to audibly swallow before he can speak. “She wanted to…talk.”

Everyone’s attention automatically snaps towards the priest as the tail end of his answer quavers uncertainly.

“…elaborate on that,” You tell him, not too roughly. The signs are there. He’s more than obviously uncomfortable just recounting as to what happened during his absence. “What did she want to talk about?”

“…she asked about…us, really. About who we were before we became Devil Summoners. I didn’t give anything important away. Just basic details of our jobs before the Task Force, no family, no addresses, nothing. And even that was hard to do. Her Highness can be very…persuasive.”

…

Fitz blanches, and her face scrunches up in discomfort. “Okay…that’s…that’s totally not creepy at all.”

In spite of a side of you that wants to ask the raunchier details, you have to agree and move on. What the fuck is Titania playing at with MacKay? All of the red flags and alarms in your head are going off. It seems that the Queen is just as much of a trickster and conniver as much as any other of her kin.

>Ask for the details of their discussion.
>Move on and focus on a different topic.
>Custom option.

>>1392516
>>Ask for the details of their discussion.

>>1392516
>>Ask for the details of their discussion.
>Did she give ANY hint that she might know what was going on?
>Yes, I am getting paranoid, but she's a fucking fairy queen. They can and have stabbed people in the throat while calling them freinds and meant it. I'm not taking a chance here.

>>1392516
>>Ask for the details of their discussion.

>>1392516
>Did she give ANY hint that she might know what was going on?

>>1392534
>>1392543
>>1392606
>>1392692

“Details? What kind of details do you mean?”

“Anything,” You answer, “Anything that might be relevant or important. I’m not asking for a blow-by-blow, verbatim recounting, but just more specific ones. I’ll ask specifically later, but anything you’ve got would be useful.”

Silence reigns supreme once more as the priest collects his thoughts. And though everyone’s still focused on MacKay, it’s for a different reason other than casting blame on him. Scratch that off your list of being a good leader. Give everyone a common cause to unify them in a positive way.

“…she specifically asked about me more than any of you, to be honest,” he admits. “Saved me in the last bit of waiting I had to do since I rushed through your portions as quickly as I could. I only gave her sparing knowledge about…my past as a seminarian, and my years of working as a priest. We were ultimately cut short by the arrival of Bastiel, the unicorn who aided me in slaying the demon.”

As far as you can tell, he’s giving you the truth about his section of the story. “Alright. One other thing. Did she have any hint that she knew about…this? This whole steaming mess of things? Because the Grimm version of fairy tales don't always have the Fair Folk taking the role of the good side."

Here’s the big part, the big kicker that’s going to determine as to whether or not Titania had any bit of responsibility in the kidnappings. Even if she didn’t know about the culprits or the true nature of Baykok, the fact remains that she held her silence when she should have not, and kept MacKay unnecessarily by her side when he could have been with you. Could have helped save Doctor Capretta.

“…no, from what she told me, she was as much in the dark as we were as to the nature of the incidents.”

A collective sigh of relief comes from the team-

“But take this with a grain of salt,” he continues, his tone as serious as the grave, “I personally think that if she were to know about something dangerous to her, she would let someone else deal with it because intervention would be an inconvenience. That is what I believe for her to be as. Remember how she only came to destroy the Corruption when it became clear when we could not handle it on our own?”

…that makes way too much sense. As a matter of fact, that’s goddamn terrifying.

A sharp noise at the door causes everyone to jump. Fitz nearly clears her pistol from her holster before she squints, curses and drives it back home at her hip. “Are you fuckin’ serious?”

Outside the door, a fairy hovers in the air, dressed in the regalia of Queen Titania. This must be one of the members of her Fairy Guard, given the bronze armor and little sword at their side.

(cont.)

“Her Highness Queen Titania of the Tuatha Dé Danann desires to speak with you. For your grand victory over the besmirchment of her name, a grand feast is to be held in your honor come sundown. While she has the express desire to reward you for her efforts, she will understand if your order desires you to return with the utmost haste.”

>Accept her invitation.
>Decline the invitation.

Goin' to sleep. Resumin' tomorrow.

>>1392756
>>Accept her invitation.

>>1392756
>Accept her invitation.
time to get some answers out of her

>>1392756
>>Accept her invitation.

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>>1392779
>>Getting answers from a faerie queen
>>1392756
>>Accept the invitation

One does not say no to an invite from the qieen

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>>1392756
>that flip side character

Well that's neat. Wonder if hes got one of these

you planning to use any of our beasties? It'd be cool but to my knowledge they have no smt stats

>>1392756
>>Accept her invitation.
>Accept her invitation.

>>1392756
>Decline the invitation


She gave us an out, take it

>>1392756
>>Decline the invitation.
We already spoke to her recently, and last time she gave us gifts one of them turned out to cause delays, intentional or not. And I'd bet we do have orders to report back properly.

>>1392755

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-Stat_dX
Hey look guys it's Kaz's system.

>>1393865
nah I can see the similarities, but not quite right.

>>1393865
Kek. I still need to fine tune my system. As it stands, we're running on an older version of what my friends and I are using on our tabletop SMT campaign. Still perfectly viable though, and backwards compatible. Just need to figure out how to make the jump.

Writing...

>>1393882
Why not take some inspiration from how Active Exploit diceless rpg does it's stats?

>>1393882
ded

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>>1392773
>>1392779
>>1392780
>>1392914
>>1393024
>>1393094
>>1393119
“We accept.” You quickly hold up a hand to silence the others before they can raise a vocal complaint. The timing is too damn close, and you’re more than aware of it. But you have your reasons for taking up the offer other than avoiding insult. “If you could just give us a moment to prepare…we aren’t exactly in the best of appearances.”

Ain’t that the truth. While none of you are too obtrusively injured, Brady and Fitz have their fair share of scratches and cuts inflicted from the battle with Baykok. There isn’t a single one among you that’s devoid of filth, blood and grime. And that’s only the surface of the problem.

Everyone’s emotions are running high, some more so than others. Anger, frustration, guilt and a myriad of negative feelings are dominating the forefront of everyone’s minds. And the way you see it, there’s no better opportunity for everyone to calm the fuck down with a hot shower and a fresh change of clothes.

The Fairy Guard seems to take your words at face value. It bows, saying, “Very well. I will inform Her Highness of your answer. Come sundown, a servant will come to escort you to the Great Tree.”

It turns on its heels before disappearing, passing through the boundary between the real world and the realm of the fae. In one moment, it had been there, and in the next, just gone. Totally not unnerving.

Regardless, once the messenger is gone, everyone turns to you, voices raised, questioning and accusatory.

“What the hell are you thinking-"

“I don’t think that was a good idea-”

"Didn't Central want us back, Sawbones-"

“How come you didn’t just refuse-”

All it takes for you to get them to quiet down is a single raised hand, and a hard look at everyone directly in their eyes. “Look, I get it. I really do. But right now, we can only keep it to ourselves for a short amount of time before we’re spinning our wheels. If Titania’s hiding something, then we all need to see it for ourselves.”

You pause, turning towards MacKay with a sympathetic gesture. “Not that I don’t trust your testimony. It’s for your sake just as it is for mine. Because in the likely event that those administrators-” Fitz mutters something unladylike under her breath. “-want to question us, I want to be able to answer any questions about Titania’s implications as best I can. Push comes to shove? We can blame Her Highness for this whole mess in the first place.”

That last part comes out more as a joke than anything else, but you’re more than aware that if push came to shove, then the relationship between the Faeries and the Task Force would be irreparably damaged.

“Besides,” You add. “Central doesn't expect us to leave until tomorrow, as soon as the cleanup crew finishes dealing with the museum and the local authorities. So it’s not like we’ve got anything else to do in the meantime…”

(cont.)

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“As I was saying, the object that I require is sealed away in the Old Bethel Cemetery. Look for the tombstone that says ‘Petrenko’ and dig at least eight feet deep…”

Actually, there is one other thing other than dinner with Titania. That demon you met the night before, the little winged Moh Shuvuu. She gave you a job, didn’t she? Something about recovering an artifact guarded by a malevolent demon? Optional, of course, but one that you do have time for now that the mess…or the immediate crisis, is over.

And even though you remember saying that you can bring only one other person, maybe a distraction would be better off for one of them…

Just not immediately after dinner, though. Fighting on a full stomach isn't the best of ideas.

>Who will you ask to accompany you to the Cemetery?
>Brady
>Fitz
>MacKay
>Victoria

>>1395717
>>Fitz
Shotgun is great in the CQC nightmare of a cemetery.

>>1395717
>>MacKay
He's relatively fresh from the fighting and Unicorn's Expel abilities might be useful in a graveyard

>>1395717
>Brady
maybe he has some ideas on what the faeries were thinking. About what could be so important as to hold back the team sent to clear their names.

>>1395717
>>MacKay

>>1395717
>>Brady

>>1395717
>Fitz

>>1395717
>Fitz

Fitz locked in, writing now.

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>Fairy Realm
For the most part, the team’s return to the domicile is relatively peaceful. While there’s still a lingering tension in the air, it’s more directed towards meeting Titania for that dinner. Still, you’re not blind to the fact that the others are still feeling a bit off. Brady’s anger is now a cool simmer, and MacKay’s keeps a silent and morose front. Vicky seems to have joined Fitz in adopting a disaffected stance, but you can see her scratching the corner of her eyes.

Not that you can blame any of them. Hell, you’ve done your best to ignore it, but the sharp lance of guilt at failing to save the professor’s life is a splinter that isn’t going to get dislodged anytime soon. It’s not uncommon for doctors to fail. They do it all the time. But while you’ve been prepared for that inevitability, Baykok seems to have put it into sharp focus.

Once you hit the building, everyone goes off in their own directions. But before she leaves for the showers, you manage to catch Fitz, motioning for her to stay in the foyer. She greets your gesture with a wry eyebrow, but saunters over into the shadow of the alcove.

After you explain the parameters of the situation, her eyes narrow in an accusatory squint. “You know, Sawbones, last time I checked, grave robbin’ is a Class B felony, publishable by up to twenty years in the slammer, a fine or both.”
You wince at the serious tone of her voice before Fitz breaks out into a tired grin. “Nah, just messin’ with you. You looked like you needed the laugh.”

In spite of the bad air lingering around, you can’t help but smile. “I’m almost entirely sure that it’s not how that works. You’re supposed to make me laugh, not get a kick out of my expense.”

She shrugs. “Well, it worked, didn’t it? You’re no longer look like you’re strugglin’ with a sour candy. That’s the first real smile you’ve had in hours that was meant for yourself.”

…true. You do feel considerably lighter, and a little more than refreshed, as if you’d taken a breath of fresh air for the first time after a long run.

“Hmmm…but what do you think? Are you willing to lend a hand?”

“’course. Who the fuck do you think I am?” Fitz snorts, shaking her head. “I’d be more than happy to. And between you and me…” Her voice drops in volume and capriciousness, adopting a more serious tone as she glances back towards the rooms. “…I think that I’d be in the best mood out of all of them. No offense to them, but…rest is probably the best thing that they could have.

“And you know what?” She looks you up and down. “You’re pretty chipper for someone who just saw a someone die. Sawbones…Adrian...you alright?”

>“I’m not too surprised that you are…” [Deflect]
>“Medical school prepares you for this…” [Morose]
>“What’s it like…failing to save a life?” [Release]
>Custom option.

>>1396052
>>“What’s it like…failing to save a life?” [Release]

>>1396052
>“Medical school prepares you for this…” [Morose]

You can't save everyone, all you can do is your best, and learn from it when that's not enough.

>>1396052
>Not really, but I'm probably better off than the others. Med school at least tries to prepare you for death. I'll keep it together until we're well away from here Fitz.

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>>1396052
>>Custom option.
"No not really. Just trying to keep a clear head as best I can as squad lead."

>“What’s it like…failing to save a life?” [Release]

>Custom option.
"You know when we get back to the safehouse we should have a toast to the Professor. Instead of dwelling on his passing we should honor his memory. It took an incredible amount of will to keep that demon inside him. Man was a hero. What do you think?"

>>1396052
>“What’s it like…failing to save a life?” [Release]

>>1396052
>>“Medical school prepares you for this…” [Morose]

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>>1396077
>>1396082
>>1396086
>>1396093
>>1396113
>>1396129
…looks like you’re going to be facing this sooner than you want.
Suddenly, you feel incredibly weary. A nearby pillar helps prop your weight up as you lean back, releasing your breath in a long and drawn-out sigh as you slide down to the ground. Fitz doesn’t show any change in mood, holding her silence as your mouth starts to run.

“You know what the first thing is they tell you in medical school?” You mutter. “It’s that no matter what you do, there’s always going to be the one that gets away, no matter what you do or how hard you fight for it. I get that people die. I’ve seen them die before, doing hours in hospice care and the ICU.

“But this…” Your hand gestures to the window, where the realm of the fairies lies beyond a wooden guardrail. “…I’m fully aware that all of…this…this isn’t a game or a TV show. And that in the reports, people have died or suffered horrifically at the hands of demons. Reading about it is one thing, but seeing it happen right in front of me…when I made that decision…”

You sigh. “So to answer your question, I guess I’m not ‘alright’ in the conventional definition of the word. But we’ve got a job to do, so we have to keep it together. Especially since I’m squad lead. Can’t go around being too much of a mess…but I guess this is what it’s like…failing to save a life…”

For a moment, there’s only silence between the two of you. As the sun begins to dip lower across the treetops, the only noise is the sound of the showers, and the world beyond the window. Summertime insects have come out to chirp and whine, and the dull roar of the faeries’ activity can be heard.

“…you’re not the first one to worry about it,” Fitz declares bluntly. “Matter of fact, I’d be worried if you just brushed it off, willy-nilly. Shows that you’re not an unfeelin’ bastard, that you do give a damn. And that’s more than I can say for a few heartless cunts I used to work with back in the police force.”

The tail end of her sentence comes out with a venomous growl, and her eyes darken momentarily. “So, look. I don’t need to tell you to toughen up. Because you’re already doin’ a good job about handlin’ your shit. Policin’ ain’t that different from bein’ a doctor. Because…we both make mistakes…get people killed…”

For the briefest of moments, you saw something flicker in her eyes. But you blink, and she returns to her sardonic self. “So keep doin’ what you’re doin’, because you’re doin’ a damn good job at doin’ it.”

The snort to come out of your mouth almost kills the mood then and there. “How many times did you say ‘doin’’ in that last sentence?”

Her cheek flush red and the hand extended to help you up turns into a threatening fist. “Watch it. Sometimes I’ve had to slap a bitch into sense when they’ve gone into chickenshit hysterics.”

(cont.)

That gets a laugh out of you, even as you duck and raise your hands to defend yourself from playful blows. “Alright, alright, alright…my bad for poking fun at your vernacular.”

Fitz smirks at your apology, even as the fist once more returns to an outstretched hand. “Damn right you better be.”

This time, you accept the proffered gesture. The grip of her hand is calloused from years of physical training, but you can still feel its warmth as she pulls you out from your slump. She’s only a few inches shorter than you and more than a few ranks underneath your weight class, but she has no trouble in helping you stand back up on your feet.

“…you really need to lift more,” She eventually deadpans, squeezing your hand with what looks like intense scrutiny. “Your grip could use some work.”

Snorting, you reply, “Then I’ll be sure to do that when we get back to Central. Think there’s any room between kicking the crap out of each other?”

“Oh, I’m sure that we could make the time…”

For a moment, the two of you just stand there, clasping each other’s hands in a gesture of solidarity. The two of you are grinning like idiots, holding that pose by the open window without a damn in the world to worry about. Her eyes meet yours, cerulean blue holding fast onto soft brown, and her lips part as she takes in a breath-

A sudden crash breaks the two of you out of your reverie. Jumping in surprise, both of you pull away, drawing side arms and aiming at the source of the noise. Down the line of sight, what appears to be a fairy in a maid’s outfit raises its hands up in surrender.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry!” It wails, “And…I didn’t mean to drop that vase…ack! No, you can’t see me! That’s a violation of the ruuuuulllleeeesss! Forgive me, head servant------!”

Without as much as an explanation, the demon beats its wings and zips out of the foyer and straight out the window. Both of you have to duck to let the thing pass without hitting you in the head with its body, and you watch, stunned as it disappears into the treeline.

…

“…so…don’t we have a dinner party to prep for?” Fitz’s smile is a little more than strained.

“R-right,” You hastily agree. “I’ll…I’ll see you when you’re ready.”

>Fitz approves +12

>You are now Level 20!
>Choose two perks:
>Deadshot (Rank 2) – Firearms do an additional 15% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.
>Heightened Senses - +15 on Perception rolls.
>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>Nice Guy (Rank 2) – Demons recruited through negotiation start with an additional 15% Loyalty.
>Slugger: Bash-type weapons do an additional 10% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.
>Razor Sharp (Rank 2) – Slash Type weapons do an additional 15% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.

>>1396390
>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>>Nice Guy (Rank 2) – Demons recruited through negotiation start with an additional 15% Loyalty.
It was some sort of ailment that got us down when we came here. Not sure what it was. But even then, having resistance is good.

>>1396390
>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
This'll always help.

Next one is up to preference.
>Razor Sharp (Rank 2) – Slash Type weapons do an additional 15% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.
Gotta prep for that Masakado sword somewhere down the line.

>>1396390
>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>Deadshot (Rank 2) – Firearms do an additional 15% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.

>>1396390
>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>Heightened Senses - +15 on Perception rolls.

>>1396390
>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>Deadshot (Rank 2) – Firearms do an additional 15% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.

>>1396390
>>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>>Heightened Senses - +15 on Perception rolls.

>>1396390
>>Heightened Senses - +15 on Perception rolls.
>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)

>>1396390
>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>Heightened Senses - +15 on Perception rolls

These will always help. At least until we need to not notice something.

>>1396390
>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>Heightened Senses - +15 on Perception rolls

>>1397607
>until we need to not notice something.

>Your enhanced senses allow you to see things that are better left unseen! You have gained a sanity meter!

>>1398391
Damn Mara and Cthulhu are going to be pains then.

>>1396390
>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>>Razor Sharp (Rank 2) – Slash Type weapons do an additional 15% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.

Vote locked in. Gonna write for as long as I can before I get too tired.

Writing...

I can't believe Kaz is dead.

>>1401336
Alas, t'was a suicide due to bullying in a catholic school.

>>1401373
nobody really looked at him the same way after he suggested using a ritual circle to pray and commune with YHVH

>>1401413
>>1401373
>>1401336
At least I'm not Thorn dead, as in "fuckin' D E D". Third quest the guy's pulled the plug on. RIP in pieces. I just have a bad habit of falling asleep at my computer.

I'll post the update sometime at school.

>>1401445
I just Realized Lugh is the god of Celtic heroes

Pixie is going to evolve into Queen Mab aka Queen Medb Aka the woman who needed thirty men or one REALLY heroic man to satisfy her.

Our hypothetical son is apparently Celtic related despite us not being so really

That's interesting implications there.

>>1401445
Third? I remember HBQ, what's the other one?

>>1401644
persona

>>1401646
Oh right Persona 2129. Just basically slipped my mind for some reason. Too bad about TT, I'd just caught up with the archive for ATO and he drops it.

Which reminds me, gotta catch up with BRQ.

>Was going to run
>but this is also running
well now i feel inadequate.

>>1401804
>Implying Kas is actually running

>>1401806
Goddamit i was going to go watch anime and dodge responsabilities man, now i gotta run SMT Spain

>>1401810
what do you run?

>>1401843
Literally in the post, I run SMT Devil Survivor:Spain.
I was going to run today, but family is being retarded and i might have to postpone it to tomorrow

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>>1401864
So, when are you going to let us use the Amala Network to show up in SMT Spain?

Kaz is still fucking dead.

>>1402243
when Kaz agrees

>>1402243
>Crossovers
>Ever a good idea

Reference or small cameo at most. Anything more gets pretty bad.

Besides with /qst/'s track record Spain could be dead in a month. No offense Doll.

>>1404173
Eh, it can work. It just takes alot of work to make sure both quests are on the same page.

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>>Iron Fortress - +10 made on rolls made against Mental ailments (Charm, Fear, Panic, etc.)
>>Heightened Senses - +15 on Perception rolls

One shower and change of clothes later finds the five of you definitely more relaxed than you were half an hour ago. Vicky and MacKay look somewhat at ease, and Brady doesn’t look like he’s chewing on something sour. At the very least, you can all pass for presentable company, in spite of a lack of…formal wear. Then again, you suppose that given how diligent the fairies are in both housekeeping and punctuality, they’d let you know if khakis and a collared shirt are defined as “underdressed” in their customs.

High above the tree line, the bottom of the sun scrapes the tops of the nearby mountains and pine tops. Long shadows cast by torchlight and trunk alike paint the main road of the kingdom with intricate silhouettes of gaps in branches and leaves.

The fairies seem to be as carefree as they can, but there’s a definite undercurrent of unease between the five of you. Before it was willing to cooperate, Salamander had ranted and raved about how Titania was untrustworthy. With MacKay’s less-than-stellar testimony of the Fairy Queen, you can’t help but feel no small amount of apprehension.

What was that old saying? Something about spiders, parlors, and some unlucky fly?

In spite of the mythology indicating nothing about any sort of cannibalism, the morbid comparison of sheep being fattened before a slaughter does little to ease your thoughts.

>>The Great Tree

The interior of the throne room has changed. The vastness in space between entrance to the throne of the Tuatha De has been filled with long tables and benches. Food is piled high upon plates of polished wood, delicacies that make your mouth water just at the sight and smell of them. Spiced mead, roasted boar on the spit, and enough food to put the contestants of Iron Chef to shame and feed a starving tribe in Africa.

Then you remind yourself that what passes off for meat for them might not be so wholesome for you. Best to pursue your meal in moderation…

Titania luxuriates at the head of the table, idly sipping wine from a crystal goblet reclined adjacent to another empty throne, presumably her absent husband’s. In contrast to her room, she has changed little of her appearance. The deep green dress appears to be the same, shifting and conforming to every movement of her body.

The bored look on her face disappears when the four of you arrive, and her lips curve into an unreadable smile. “You’ve done me a greater service than you know, accepting my sudden invitation. I feared that the Seelie court would have to consume this by ourselves. But look at you, coming into my hall as you exit from the field of battle, triumphant and victorious over the enemy that has plagued us.”

(cont.)

Out of the corner of your eye, you can see everyone shift uncomfortably at her words.

“Please,” She gestures towards the head table. “Take your seats. I’ve prepared entertainment to tide us over our meal. I most sincerely hope that it is to your liking.”

>Sit at her left side. (Someone will entertain her.)
>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

>>1406987
>>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

>>1406987
>>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

Do you mind if I . . . step in!?

>>1406987
>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

>>1406987
>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

The clown, we will be.

>>1406987
>>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

Knowing our dice when it comes to women...

>>1406987
>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

>>1406987
>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)

So the archive lists this thread as being from 2016 Guess that makes me a fucking time traveler..

>>1406987
>>Sit at her right side. (You will entertain her.)
We're team lead, we need to take care of this.

I recommend we request not being given any more missions involving her in the future. She screwed us over with a smile, after we did nothing but help her.

>>1408109
While the sentiment carries some merit, we probably wont' get to choose. We've been seen as "having her favor" for all the good it doesn't do us. We'll probably get MORE missions with the fae.

Also Queen Mab (High pixie's evolution) makes Titania look pleasant.

>>1408498
>lso Queen Mab (High pixie's evolution) makes Titania look pleasant.
Yeah, but this is our Pixie. She'll maintain her best girlhood.

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Titania makes no comment as you take the seat adjacent to her. No, you aren’t sitting on Oberon’s throne, a hunk of wood with enough twisted knots and gnarled branches to rival the Iron Throne. Because one, you’re not nearly that stupid or suicidal, and two, it’s your responsibility as team leader to be the face of the party. Like it or not, the onus of playing nice with the Queen herself falls unto you.

As soon as the four of you are seated, the fairies in the long corners of the room take up their instruments and strike up a tune. The fanfare of the tin flute is offset by the drone of the bodhran, gently carried through the hallway by the aria of the Celtic harp. The music just as beautiful as it is hard to grasp, a primal melody that evokes more than just joyous feeling.

The very concept of nature itself brushes against the inner workings of you mind. Within the haunting melody, you can feel the rolling wind of a gentle breeze, the sensation of rain falling upon the earth, the primal anger of a roiling storm. Yet, though it all, you make out that it is summer and spring that they commemorate, above all the other seasons.

“Presenting, the ministers of the Tuatha De…” The footman at the door announces in a sonorous voice. Behind her, the embankment quivers as the levitating platform brings new arrivals to Titania’s court. “Dormarth, the guardian of the afterlife and representative of Ankou, god of death…”

It is no taller than an average woman, and its features are undoubtedly feminine, but that is where the similarities stop. “Cat” is the first thing that comes to mind when the creature steps down into the grand hall. Torchlight refracts off of sharpened fingernails and feet, and the fur keeping her in some state of modesty is lustrous and shining.

She stares at you with a disdainful expression, as if the five of you are something foul that she had stepped in, but bows low and deep to Titania and the empty throne.

“My Queen.” Her voice is surprisingly low, a contralto you estimate. “Ankou sends his regards, and regrets that he could not attend. The shores of the Otherworld are tumultuous, and duty has forced him to decline from this…attendance.”

That last word comes out with a little more edge than you’d think appropriate for speaking with royalty. Regardless, Titania seems to take no issue with her tone, smiling as she answers, “He need not worry about offense. Maintaining the shores of the Otherworld is a task without pause or respite. But his regards are appreciated and you are more than welcome to find a place at the table. Please, seat yourself. Old friends should not have to stand on ceremony.”

There are no other seats at the high table, as the sole occupants are the five members of Squad Carina and her highness herself. This does not go unnoticed by Dormarth. Her eye twitches slightly before bowing, excusing herself towards a seat as close as she can to the upraised dais.

(cont.)

>>1408510
Look up Queen Medb and Mab. In SMt they are the same entity. Meaning the evolution turns her into a horny conniving bitchy slut.

For frame of reference in fate Medb's noble phantasm is a rape Chariot. Literally.

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>>1408670
The procession continues. One by one, various creatures and demons of Celtic mythology present themselves before the queen. Some are common demons who have attained high power and rank within their court. But there are others as well, creatures just as powerful as the one you battled on the way to Kentucky.

These demons are undoubtedly [gods], existences who distort the very fabric of reality just by their presence alone. There is a silent man shrouded in white chainmail, the healing god Nodens. The horns of fertility god Cernunnos come perilously close to scraping the floor as the demon bows low. And these are the more humanoid of them. Some gods even take the shape of birds: Badb Catha, Macha, and too many more for you to count and keep track of.

They regard you with myriad interest, ranging from boredom to intrigue. Some appear disgruntled that humans are the honored guests of their queen, but they make no note of it and take their respective seats. Soon, food is distributed, and the dull roar of conversation competes with the fairy music.

For the most part, everyone does their fair share of putting on a brave front, with some most definitely faring better than others. Small talk between the closest demons proves to be not too much of a problem. And while they regard the food on their plates with minimal caution, they’re all careful not to take liberal portions from the wine flasks. As they should. The last thing you and Fitz need are to be buzzed on the way to the cemetery, let alone drunk against a demon.

“How do you find our midsummer wine, Adrian?” You blink, setting down the haunch of roast boar to find Titania staring at you with an enigmatic smile on those soft, cloying lips. She continues, “The grapes took to root in the southernmost regions of our forest, nurtured by fertile soil and gentle sun. Pressed and fermented to perfection…”

She waves her goblet underneath your nose, coaxing the scent from the whirling liquid. The smell of elderberries and spice tickle their way up your nose, and you try not to blanch at how potent it is. It isn’t as strong as whisky, but it’s deceptively sweet.

Titania seems to be disappointed by the way you recoil back from the glass. “Ah, you are indeed Alger’s pupil. Let us hope that I can save you from the ignobility of losing the ability to enjoy oneself. Please, Adrian, do not hesitate to partake in the spoils of victory. It is all I can do for the brave warriors who destroyed the one responsible for casting false aspersions on my name.”

>“A different reward would be preferred.”
>“Did you know anything about the case?”
>“I’m flattered that you say that, Your Grace.”
>“We fought for the kids, not for your sake.”
>Custom option.

>>1408999
>>“I’m flattered that you say that, Your Grace.”

Gotta keep being friends with the fairies

I was gonna say we should tell her we're a lightweight and that's why we're not drinking, but something tells me telling a fairy we can't hold liquor is asking for trouble

>>1408999
>>“I’m flattered that you say that, Your Grace.”
Trips

>>1408999
>“I’m flattered that you say that, Your Grace.”

As much as i would love to sass mouth the queen i just have to remember she is capable of nuking us off the face of the earth.

>>1408999
>>“I’m flattered that you say that, Your Grace.”
>"Given how strong and potent your wines are, I am afraid I must partake, sparingly. I must leave on the morrow and given the fact there was a breach and my team was responsible I must have a clear head recounting events. Lest my team and I be taken to task for drunkenness on mission, or worse. It is very good though."

>>1408999
>“I’m flattered that you say that, Your Grace.”
"And I too hope I can avoid acquiring Alger's temperament on having fun."

>>1409055
You know you don't have to start speaking in ye ole English. We've talked to her normally before and it's obvious we are putting on an act.

>>1408999
>>“I’m flattered that you say that, Your Grace.”
pleasant platitudes.

>>1408999
>"I apologize, but our failure that led to a death rather dampens our mood."
no accusations, just see if she has something to say about that herself.

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“We’re flattered, Your Grace,” You intone slowly, careful in picking and choosing your words. All you know from speaking with royalty comes from period dramas and too many binges of late-night HBO. You want to be as respectful as possible without looking like some pretentious idiot. “And truly, the food is excellent. However, my team has some unfinished business to take care of before it gets too dark. Intoxication would be detrimental to the task.”

“Oh?” She tilts her head, intrigued. “And what would be the nature of this business?”
You hesitate before giving your answer. “A demon has given us a quest to take care of. In the event that the Task Force calls us back to Washington tomorrow, I’d like to get it done as soon as possible.”

That seems to amuse her. “No rest for the weary. What a pity…Alger’s having more of an influence than you might think.”

“I would hope not,” You reply dryly. “I’m perfectly capable of having fun when the need arises.”

“So what’s stopping you, then?” Titania gestures towards the center of the hallway. The musicians have struck up a lively ballad, sung in the original Gaelic that it is in…or Old English? You can’t tell. Regardless, some of the rowdier demons begin to belch out lyrics and sing, much to the chagrin of their neighbors, human or otherwise. “There is nothing wrong with relaxing in moderation before you undertake this mission of yours. I think you would know your own limits, even though we Sidhe are not so…restrained.”

A strange glow flickers in her eyes, and the smile on her lips takes on a lascivious curve at the end of her sentence. “We are, after all, demons. It is simply in our nature to approach things more intensely than humans might, especially us Fair Folk.

“The comparison to humans such as yourself…” A tingle goes down her spine as she whets her lips, gliding over their corners as she places a hand on your leg. Through the denim fabric, you can feel her nails trace over your thigh, creeping closer to your groin. You stiffen at the unexpected and very close contact, but no one else seems to notice. The table hides the wandering hand, and your companions are too busy dealing with their own fellow diners to notice your plight.

“You would find our celebrations and festival more…raucous and liberating than your average nightclub sortie." She leans in close, as if reaching for some nearby condiment, and her whispering breath glides along your ear. "And you will see that perhaps when it comes to enjoying ourselves, humans and demons only differ in how...visceral the experience can be."

(cont.)

>>1409178
We need an adult.

Alger the fairy queen touched us

>>1409178
STRANGER
DANGER

>>1409178
why do i have this feeling the queen neither cares for organization rules or our consent for that matter.

>>1409226
Because she probably does not in the slightest? She's a living nuclear bomb, a queen and so beautiful most men would be begging her for attention. The fact we're both strong, and strong willed combined with our lack of apparent interest hits the "want" button in her. Much like how she and Oberon were once mutually attracted even thought she was summer and he was winter. Except we're too weak to resist.

>>1409226
>>1409234
She might just be testing us. She seems to respect Alger after all.

Either way, don't give into temptation~

>>1409245
Alger is probably higher level and even more badass than she is. He's fought Lucifer mono a mono and is not dead. She knows trying this shit on him would result in a fight she'd be hard pressed to win and not ruin her kingdom in it. Not too mention the fallout afterwards.

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But as quick as it began, Titania retreats, pulling back both her hand and a pepper shaker as she returns to her seat. It takes you a moment to recover, unsure if the last ten seconds happened or not, and leaves you fumbling over a servant asking to refill your water decanter. She smiles knowingly at that, raising the goblet in your direction before she takes her own sip.

...you take every reservation back you had about Titania. MacKay was right. At the core of her being, it seems that Titania is just as much the trickster as the fairy tales make her out to be, if not more dangerous. For all the weird shit in his collections, Perrault and Hans Christian Anderson failed to mention how…lewd the fairies seem to be.

“So what do you think, Adrian?” Again, she raises her goblet in some sort of playful libation, a coy toast in your direction. “Perhaps we’ll get you into the mood of things after all.”

You catch your breath, downing half of the spring water in your glass before you manage to answer Titania. It takes all of your self-control to hold back a fierce scowl and maintain a stoic front. “I apologize, Your Grace, but failing to complete an objective we set for ourselves puts a dampener on the mood.”

The expression on her face falls, and she adopts a pensive front. “Ah. I heard about that, the…unfortunate death that befell one of the enemy’s victims. I believe it was a local professor, am I not mistaken?”

At your nod, she makes a dismissive noise in the back of her throat. One of the servants mistakes it as a gesture to take her plate, but she waves the fairy off with a disinterested gesture. “Failure, you say? I would think it miraculous. From all accounts that I’ve heard, it seemed that this…Baykok was a powerful combatant in its own right.”

“It was,” You agree, “And it came too close to killing us on top of the other guards it savaged.”

There is a palpable silence, tense enough to cut with a bit of cutlery. Then, Titania stare in your eyes and states, “How many children did you rescue from that freezer? Six? Seven? And the priest of the White God, pious Stanley. How many did he save during your own culture’s festival when he rode Bastiel into battle as Tam Lin drove his own steed into the fray?”

You already know the answer.

She continues, not too unkindly as she places a hand on your shoulder, “Adrian, you must look at the bigger picture. One life, given to end a potentially devastating threat to both my kingdom and your own people? I would think that to be a great victory. After all, what is one life, the life of a man close to the twilight of his years, in comparison to the thousands of people living in that town? Attempting the exorcism was the right thing to do."

>“Just because you’re correct doesn’t mean you’re right.” (Refute her)
>“The dilemma is harsh, but the result speaks for itself.” (Agree with her)
>Custom option.

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>>1409271
>>“The dilemma is harsh, but the result speaks for itself.” (Agree with her)

>>1409271
>“The dilemma is harsh, but the result speaks for itself.” (Agree with her)

Harsh as it might be we even agreed with her a little while ago indirectly, try as you might some will slip through the cracks but you can't let that get you down.

>>1409271
It's not just the fact one life was ended. Two more men are crippled, their livers ripped out and eaten. The children themselves may never recover. Even then that would have been... if not ideal acceptable. What was the worst of it, both from my point of view, and in the eyes of the task force leaders, was the near catastrophe that SHOULD have been averted much sooner. If not Mackay miraculously appearing when and where he did, the entire area where humans live surrounding your kingdom would be desolated, me and my team dead and Baykok either reaping a harvest through more populated areas or sieging your lands in a way that would have made the predations of the Salamander seem trivial. In short we were sloppy and it was blind luck that we survived much less won. That's why it was a failure. Luck is fine, but relying on it leads to disaster.

>>1409271
>Custom option.
"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt nor does it mean I shouldn't treat it as a failure. A failure I am going try my damnedest not repeat. I can't reduce people to numbers on a scale. The moment I start doing that I'll lose a part of me. Now that may be naive idealism, trying to save everyone and it probably is, but me and my team are going to get stronger to even the odds. You can be sure of that."

>>1409271
>>1409293
This.

>>1409271
>>“The dilemma is harsh, but the result speaks for itself.” (Agree with her)

>>1409293
Way too preachy for me.
>>1409287
I agree with you.

>>1409271
seconding >>1409287

>Just because we succeeded doesn't mean we can be content with what we were able to do.

>>1409271
>>“Just because you’re correct doesn’t mean you’re right.” (Refute her)

>>1409664
extending, it's easy to say the needs of the many outweigh the few when you're a part of the many. Salamander and friends were trying to do the same thing: sacrifice a few children to take down a city-wide threat.

>>1409271
>Attempting the exorcism was the right thing to do."

Wait how did she know we tried to do that? We didn't tell her did we?

Fury and hellfire, I caught TF666 live again.

>>1409792
Well sort of 'live'.

The thread is indeed up.

Gonna try for two more choice selections before I hit the sack. Either that or wrapping up the banquet and setting up for the road trip with Fitz.

Writing...

>>1409848
Well no worries man I've crawled into bed and am posting from phone.

>>1409271
>Just because you're correct doesn't mean you're right

SHIROU GTFO MY SMT QUEST

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Clinical as it is, her logic is sound. But you refuse to accept it for the cold and unfeeling mathematics that it is. Because unlike those experiments and hypothetical thought exercises, there’s almost always more than what you think is going on. Too many variables. Too many unforeseen factors.

Such is life.

“The average waiting time for a liver transplant is approximately one hundred and forty nine days,” You softly reply. “Those men will be confined to a hospital bed, wasting away while a dialysis machine keeps them alive until they can go under the knife for that surgery. And even then, it isn’t guaranteed that the body will immediately take to the replacement organ.”

Titania remains silent, staring at you intently as you continue, “And those children? They’re at a young enough age that this kidnapping and storage in a freezer might fuck them up for the rest of their lives. And even had we been able to stop Baykok from killing Doctor Capretta, those other two factors would have made the mission…tolerable, if not ideal.”

“Then that is the crux of your problem, is it not?” She replies, raising a critical eyebrow. “The guilt of not acting swiftly enough to save those ones as well. A common saying for humans is that ‘hindsight is twenty/twenty’, and though we do not have any need for glasses, the underlying message is not lost upon us. You can hardly blame yourself for failing to help when you did not know about the circumstances.”

“True,” You admit, and your eyes trail over your companions. Each of them are doing their own thing, either chatting with nearby demons or cautiously picking at their food. “But what does worry me is how close we were to avoiding disaster. If MacKay had been a moment late in dealing with Baykok, it would’ve been bad for not just us…but for your people as well.”

You pause, letting the words sink into Titania’s mind. The scenario that your mind conjures up is terrifying. In a reality where MacKay was late, Baykok slaughters the festival goers, regains its power, and cuts a bloody trail through the townsfolk until the Task Force could be properly mobilized. And then there would be the risk of the demon laying waste to the fairy realm, already on edge from the Seedbed and the marauding demons.

Titiana exhales, regarding you with a sardonic expression. “True, but we’ll never know, will we? Baykok is dead, destroyed by the hands of your priest and his new demon. Agonizing over what might have been after the incident has long since past is not going to do anyone any good at all. Why you humans choose to chase yourselves in these circles of irrational paranoia is beyond me…”

(cont.)

>>1409907
I think right refers to good. Morally. E.G do the right thing.

Correct is more scientific, soulless but factual

>>1409935
Or just google it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jor3Q0jbnoM

>>1409949
Always got a kick out of that. I knew what he was saying but it's just funny coming from Emiya 'People die when they are killed" Shirou.

>>1409953
Personally I just hated the UFO adaptation in general, but memers gotta meme.

“…severe third degree burns covering sixty percent of his body…”

“…where’s that tank of oxygen...oi, kid, stay with me…”

“…in your eyes, this mission may have been a success,” You say in a hushed tone, “But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt or I shouldn’t treat it as a failure. Because from here on out, I’m going to do my damnednest not to repeat this incident or its fallout.”

“…the hell happened…never seen anything like it…”

“…saying a gas explosion…EMTs said there was smoke everywhere…”

“I do get it, really,” You admit, “That sometimes, we have to start looking at people as numbers and statistics. But if I start doing that for everything…”

“…odds of survival, doc…less than thirty percent…”

“…hell with those odds...more than enough for me…”

“Then I’ll lose something important that I can never afford to let go," you conclude softly. But your determination is burning as hot as any fire, and you match the critical gaze of the queen with all your passion. "Call it naïve idealism to try and save everyone and keep casualties of our activities as close to zero as we can. But you can be sure that my team and I are going to get stronger to even the odds that the demons have stacked against us.”

>Roll Diplomacy 1d100 + 20 (+10 Social, +10 Orator’s Tongue)
>Best of three

Rolled 88 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1410034
Nat 1 incoming.

Rolled 19 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1410034
time for Kaz MC swag

Rolled 39 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1410034

Rolled 17 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>1410034

>>1410038
If the fairy rapes us do we still get in trouble?

>>1410048
Probably.

>>1410048
yes.

But Titania will bribe someone or something.

>>1410048
That all depends on when Oberon comes home from the war in Tanglebriar. I'd be more worried about the king of the fairies than Alger, even if you don't give consent.

>>1410052
at that point all is lost so we might as well tell him how big of a slut his wife is as we're being killed, couldn't get worse anyway

>>1410074
>couldn't get worse anyway
never, ever say that in any sort of SMT.

>>1410074
>couldn't get worse anyway
He could make us do a Law route.

>>1410074
He's a fairy. It can get worse. And insulting Titania would make it worse.

>>1410074
Oberon is legendarily cruel. His wife raping us would get him pissed at her. Insulting her would focus that cruelty on us. Especially since she's tame compared to some fae and Celtic myths. ( seriously lots and lots of sleeping around in those)


Also how does she know so many specifics of what happened?

>>1410322
Well she is the queen so it's not unlikely that she has her own web of spies and informants to keep her up to date on all the things going on in the fairy kingdom.

>>1410332
True, but exactly how accurate can they be? We DID make sure the room was clear before we tried the exorcism, meaning she either tapped into the task force communications or spent some serious magic watching us.

Kaz is dead

>>1411983
deader than ded

>>1411983
>>1412730
He discovered XCOM 2 - Long War 2.
It'll be awhile until we see him on the internet again.

>>1413159
wish he would finish this out before he did that.

>>1413159
>>1413243
Long War 2 is currently kicking my ass. And I'm using today to catch up on all my homework that's been backlogged for the longest time. Only so much abuse I can take. Resuming very late tonight.

>>1413293
Do your homework when you get it, man. Then you won't have this problem.

>>1410038
>>1410041
>>1410042
“If it were coming from any other…” Titania’s voice come low, almost a guttural whisper. Her eyes are shining with too many emotions for you to get a definite read on her. “I would call such naiveté for what it is, the epitome of stupidity and foolishness.”

Your ears burn, but before you can object, her highness continues. “But to hear such a thing from you…so sure and impassioned about your ideals…it marks such a nice distinct turning point from the members of your order. For you to be filled with such a passion for life…”

There is a moment of awkward silence as her tongue traces over her lips, staining the plump and yielding flesh with the color of blood-red wine. “…oh, it stirs such a fire, one that burns hot and distinct from the cold nature of your order’s followers. Alger burns with a cold determination typical of the agents, yet his pupil holds such a fire within himself…how…”

Her voice trails off as Titania’s eyes glaze over. Caught in revere, those brilliant golden orbs stare off to some unseen thought.

Suddenly, you find the temperature of the dining hall to be too damn hot for your liking. In a single swing, you down the tankard of cold spring water in some desperate hope to cool yourself off. But while it does a good job of dropping your body’s temperature, it does nothing to reduce the intensity of Titania’s stare both on you and the rest of the team.

>You have gained a quality.
>The Powers that Be: Fey’s Attention
>The forces of summer and winter know your name.

>>Later

Thirty more uncomfortable minutes later, the banquet comes to an end, and the guests depart from Titania’s hall. The five of you are the last to go, as Titania gives her own personal regards to the other members of the team. She wishes all of you a good evening, safe travels back to D.C. tomorrow afternoon, and expresses a desire to repay the five of you.

In light of recent experiences, you all decline immediately. Regardless, she seems to take more amusement than offense, chuckling to herself as you withdraw from her presence.
Now, in the privacy of your quarters, the five of you gather in the foyer to debrief and share respective accounts of the dinner. And much to your dismay, it seems that you are the first one to debrief.

“So what exactly happened?” Brady mutters past the toothpick in his mouth. “What’s the queen’s deal? I couldn't hear anything over the piss-drunk bloke sitting next to me.”

>“Her Highness is a conniving bitch.”
>“She knew nothing about the circumstances.”
>“The queen sexually harassed me.”
>Custom option.

>>1415162
>>“Her Highness is a conniving bitch.”
>>“The queen sexually harassed me.”

>>1415162
>>“The queen sexually harassed me.”
>“Her Highness is a conniving bitch.”
>if she knew she hid it well, still she knew a LOT of what happened without being there. Meaning either we were tailed, she divined us with her magic, or foresaw all this and played it out as she liked.

>>1415162
>Custom option.
"I need an adult"

And seconding >>1415185

>>1415162
>“She knew nothing about the circumstances.”
Call a powerful queen a bitch, is not appropriate, and is a good way to get into trouble. There is no reason to be that salty.

>>1415179
>>1415182
>>1415185
>>1415205
>>1415257
“I’ll spare you the more explicit details…” You answer. That immediately sets all of them tense and on guard. “But let’s just say that even before the wine, her highness was very…forward. More so than I would like to care for. The queen, in her beguiling glory, let her hands wander underneath the table…”

It’s meant to come off as a joke, but it does nothing to diffuse the atmosphere. As a matter of fact, it does the exact opposite. Brady and Victoria are the more visibly shocked, though one of them is a little more explicit in their cursing. MacKay stares aghast, concern written all over his face as he takes this information into consideration. And Fitz…

While she usually maintains a blithe and abrasive exterior, you’ve seen the policewoman angry before. More often than not, it was in the heat of battle that she let the extent of her temper show, fighting hard for everyone’s lives. Recently, you’ve seen the white-hot, righteous anger that she displayed when you found those children in the freezer.

But now? The fury is on her like a veritable halo. Her teeth are even showing past the low snarl her mouth has contorted into.

“It’s fine,” You move to reassure everyone before tempers can fly off the handle. “Really. Other than the harassment, I’m alright. To be honest, I think that was just a front so she could get underneath my skin…”

Fitz kicks her feet on the table, falling back against the couch with an irritated huff. “Yeah, no fucking shit.” Oh crap. She articulated the f-word. Now you know that she’s really pissed. “What the hell is that bitch playing at? Dammit, Sawbones, if the queen’s tryin’ to cop a feel-”

“It wasn’t just that,” You cut her off, holding a hand up to placate her. “It was like...a test…of sorts…”

MacKay seems to understand, but the others exchange confused looks. “Explain further,” Brady deadpans. “Because from our end of the table, we couldn’t hear anything from the two of you, let alone see her hands…”

You throw your hands up into the air. “I don’t fucking know! She asked about the mission, what we planned to do after D.C. called us back to Central. Look, I tried to get a read out of her, to see if she knew anything about Baykok’s circumstances.”

“And?” Victoria asks, an eager look on her face.

“…her highness is a conniving bitch,” You answer grimly. “If she knew about it, she hid it well. And even then…she knew too much about what happened in the final showdown with the damned demon. Down to the…botched exorcism we tried on Professor Capretta.”

(cont.)

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That gets everyone’s attention. “Impossible,” MacKay protests. “The only ones who would know about the specifics of the mission would be Central. And I doubt that they would suffer information leaks, even to allied demons, which would mean-‘

Fitz snarls. “That she could’ve had us tailed. Dammit, we got careless!”

You nod. “And not only that. In all the fairy tales you’ve read, don’t you hear about some sort of magic or magical device? The kind that lets one see distances away…there’s that possibility as well as…”

For the briefest of moments, you check to make sure that your surroundings are clear. The COMP on your wrist detects no demonic activity within a meter of your location, and the shutters to the windows and deck are fast tight. The wooden chimes hanging from the ceiling do more than cover up the worst of the whispers.

“…there is the possibility that she might have known all along what we would try to do with Capretta…and let it play out the way she wanted it to happen.”

A stunned silence answers your conclusion. It’s the nuclear option, but one that could very well make sense of the strange events and behavior. All of them are equally bad and worrying, some more than others. There’s no good answer as to how she would have known. Your only saving grace is that Titania seemed not to catch on her slip of the tongue.

…unless that was deliberate as well?

“…why do we have a treaty with them again?” Victoria’s voice is just as equally worried as it is chagrined.

MacKay replies softly, “Because Commander Alger performed a great service for the fairies a decade ago.”

“…dammit, Alger,” Brady mutters underneath his breath. He jolts, seemingly surprised that he had the guts to say that out loud. “I mean, er…he did send us on this mission, right? Gave us Titania's storage unit and everything..."

You snort, shaking your head. “No, I would think that this would be an appropriate reaction. God. Dammit. Alger.”

Yet even as you curse his name, you can't help but wonder how he managed to deal with the passionate demon that was Queen Titania. Maybe you should ask the next time you meet him.

>>Later
>>???

You come too in a landscape of perpetual white.

The smell of open earth and hyacinth flowers fills your nose, and the moist soil underneath your feet shifts with the slightest movement of your body. Blinking away the cobwebs in your mind and eyes, you find that you cannot stare more than two feet in front of you-

…oh great. Just absolutely fan-fucking-tastic.

Not this shit again.

And to think, the last thing you remember is promising Fitz that you weren't going to sleep on the road to the cemetery...

>“I already had one demon harass me…”
>“Is this gonna be a regular thing?”
>“Which one of you is it this time?”
>Custom option.

>>1415408
>“Which one of you is it this time?”

>>1415408
>>“Which one of you is it this time?”

>>1415408
>Is this gonna be a regular thing?”

>>1415408
>“I already had one demon harass me…”
>“Is this gonna be a regular thing?”
>“Which one of you is it this time?”

>>1415408
>>“Which one of you is it this time?”
Shit, I forgot which of the three was best.

>>1415528
None of them. All are crazy demon skanks that want something.

>>1415528
Last time I checked, there was generally the most sympathy for the Maiden, who was in turn the least hostile and most amicable with you.

it's the mother the three have a deal it goes from youngest to oldest
maiden>mother>crone

>>1415408
>>“Which one of you is it this time?”

>>1415408
>>“I already had one demon harass me…”

>>1415543
going to finish this kaz?

>>1415590
When was the last thread with a dream about the maiden? I can only remember the one right before we met Alger and that was one of the first few threads.

Word of warning: this thread hasn't been archived yet and is one page away from getting pruned..

Another thing, after archive binging, I noticed that you have Adrian's level and perks wrong.

His level before this thread was 21.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/702421/#p711563

And at level 20 he got Deadshot (Rank 2) and Heightened Senses for perks.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/47611943/#p47612429

>>1420724
Oh Christ. Really? God fucking dammit. Ah...geez. I got my tabletop system confused with the quest system when hashing that out. i originally meant to set Adrian at Lv. 20 for this session as a matter of pacing. I'll fix it tonight after school and see if we need to do any voting for new perks. Thanks for letting me know.

>>1415162
>The fey, summer AND winter know your name.

SHIT WE ARE IN A WORLD OF IT

>>1421433
[Dresdens internally]

>>1421433
>>1421470
Thankfully we're not a lone Mage.