>>1729094
>Approach the Waiter
>Approach the Sergeant
>Approach the Bartender
>Approach Table 1 ("Mr Salty Pretzels")
>Approach Table 2 ("Mr Admiralty Hogging The Glory")
>Approach Table 3 ("Mr Permits")
>Write-In

>>1729094
>>Approach the Sergeant

>>1729110
>>Approach Table 2 ("Mr Admiralty Hogging The Glory")

If people are wondering why the other conversation options aren't available, it's just idle chatter at random tables among those three.

>>1729110
>Approach Table 1 ("Mr Salty Pretzels")

Fucking punch the shit out of him. Salty Pretzels are the best.

>>1729110
>Approach the Sergeant

File: 1497661809567.jpg (32 KB, 552x624)

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>>1729110
>Approach Table 2 ("Mr Admiralty Hogging The Glory")
>>1729142
>Fucking punch the shit out of him. Salty Pretzels are the best.
Nigga fuck you and your overly salty pretzels, there's such a thing as too much salt!

>>1729117
>>1729166
>>1729121
>>1729168
Coin flipped.

File: Sergeant.jpg (133 KB, 550x469)

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You move to approach the Sergeant’s table, maneuvering past the collection of soldiers going over their own articles of business. She looked a lot less cool than you had seen her before, her form stiff and her arms crossed as she practically glared at the man—the two men—across the table, several sheets of paper strewn all across the table in a manner that reminded you of your own desk in the mornings. You’re not able to make out the technical jargon—a mixture of typewritten letterhead and several scribbles hastily shuffled into corner notes and circles—but you’re able to at least tell that the articles were—more likely than not—the source of the current ire that seemed dominant around the table.

‘HQ has us on task to run patrols but not at the cost of any immediate operational delays,’ the Sergeant speaks up, hands on her hips, more a chastising mother than a figure of intimidating, formal authority, ‘so if there’s a veto on any of the assigned regiments, I’d like to be run by them instead of being drawn up like some idiot who doesn’t know where her own subordinates—ones directly after me in the chain of command—happen to be. Running them by my strike ups is paramount. What we have at our disposal is finite and if you so much as give an unsigned whiff of what we have at hand, that’s only going to give brass more reason to bear down on us.’

‘With all due respect, ma’am,’ the man across from her, a dark-skinned soldier with a mustache that could probably command its own battalion, ‘we were given an assignment … and the decision—the manner of conduct—was done in the case of your absence and my temporary elevation into the decision-maker in regards to the case. It’s what I was assigned to your Command for, ma’am. It’s what I’m paid to do. What we’re given this job for.’

The Sergeant doesn’t look the least bit amused.

‘A call is to be made on the discretion of the officer in charge,’ she begins with an agreeable tone, her glare now on edge, ‘but not if it results in the usurpation of the established chain of command and foregoing my authority. Especially not when the decision—the discretion that you are allowed—bypasses the chain of command and goes straight for the site Commanders. If consultation on a veto was to be made, it was to be made through me. Not by avoiding my signature and go ahead.’

‘With all due respect, ma’am,’ the man next to the man—a man wearing and eyepatch and looked suspiciously similar to the Vice-Admiral, save for the curved jaw, ‘we came here to do good and help … whatever the cost.’

‘Valor is a cheap excuse, Private. Especially when it involves the distribution of unaccounted supplies.’

>‘Sergeant, if I may…’ (Jump into the conversation)
>Allow her to continue to exchange with the soldier
>Leave the table
>Write-In

>>1729305
>Offer everyone oversalted pretzels to calm everyone down.

>>1729305
>>Allow her to continue to exchange with the soldier

Do not undermine her authority. Let her handle her soldiers.

>>1729305
>Allow her to continue to exchange with the soldier

>>1729334
>>1729347

Pretzel haters, you lot.

>>1729369
Actually yes, I do hate Pretzels. They get stuck in my teeth and cause my gums to bleed.

>>1729305
>Allow her to continue to exchange with the soldier

>>1729305
>>Allow her to continue to exchange with the soldier
>>1729369
what types of Pretzels though?

>>1729394
sourdough

File: images.jpg (3 KB, 260x194)

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>>1729382
Yeah, and it's coarse and rough and gets everywhere
>>1729305
>Allow her to continue to exchange with the soldier
It's not really our business, we can't always be a nosy Nelly

File: WHY YOU INSUBORDINATE PIE(...).jpg (115 KB, 850x850)

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You decide to not butt in. You knew that you wouldn’t have liked someone from the Army poking their nose into your business with your own subordinates; the Sergeant, whatever her methods, was in charge here … and undermining her authority by stepping in, with intentions full of good or ill, would hardly be respectful of her station. You act as you would have expected the same from her in the case of your own Command: the authority that was bequeathed upon her station as an acting Officer of the Imperial Army. You take a step back, hoping you at least didn’t look like you were a busybody trying to stick your nose into things that didn’t fall under your domain.

You were, of course, but you didn’t want to look the part. Impressions were everything, after all.

‘Any decision that you make is afforded to you by your rank as field officers in the event of my absence,’ she mentions sternly, her features practically carved out of stone, ‘but that does not mean that a decision is to be made by foregoing my authority as your superior, whatever the intention. By allowing the Commanders to veto my station through your act, you have jeopardized the integrity and competence of my Command.’

‘Weren’t you the one that was enthusiastic about finally being to come out here and being able to make a difference,’ the mustached man retorts, before visibly stiffening and offering an apologetic continuation, ‘ma’am?’

‘Participation in relief efforts and contribution are not related to my judgment of your conduct,’ she says in a cool, leveled voice—one in stark contrast to her earlier dissatisfaction, barely held back. ‘However, if you wished to retort or conduct a movement in opposition to my standing orders, soldier, I am open to reprimand and consideration in private … not by action in the mold of a cloak and dagger and an initiative that outwardly damages my post as your Command. This act is a blatant show of defiance of the regulated guidelines of the chains of command and a blatant show of arrogance to the code of conduct expected of someone with your experience and standing—from the both of you.’

‘I … don’t get it,’ he states, confused, briefly turning to his friend, ‘ma’am.’

‘I don’t disapprove of your decision in regards to the assets,’ she declares clearly, drawing murmurs from a few of the other gathered soldiers. ‘I disapprove of the fact that you saw fit to push on behind my back without so much as further consultation or the decency to wait for my approval, or failing that, to properly argue your case.’

They both say nothing in return.

‘Back to your posts—all of you,’ she commands tiredly, ‘and the both of you have earned double supplementary duty.’

There are no protests as they disperse from the table, leaving the Sergeant to drop onto her chair, groaning.

>>1729548
>‘You look like you have it harder than I do.’ (Sympathize)
>‘You look like you could use a drink.’ (Muse, Jest)
>‘Good afternoon, Sergeant.’ (Formal declaration of your presence)
>Leave the table
>Write-In

>>1729548
>>‘You look like you have it harder than I do.’ (Sympathize)

>>1729562
>Offer her salty pretzels to cheer her up.

>>1729548
>‘You look like you have it harder than I do.’ (Sympathize)
>offer her a drink and pretzels, just not the overly salty ones.

>>1729562
>‘You look like you have it harder than I do.’ (Sympathize)

File: Comment.jpg (38 KB, 390x568)

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‘You look like you have it harder than I do.’

She turns up her head, coming meeting your gaze with a grimace before straightening herself and rubbing her neck.

‘Different burdens, same weight,’ she comments, gesturing for you take a seat. You do, pulling one up and dropping yourself onto it as she gives her neck a coarser, rougher rub, her brows furrowing as she does so. ‘Although, it is suspect that you’d be out and about at only mid-day.’

You laugh guiltily.

‘My usual working hours at the desk are from morning to noon,’ you explain, placing your hands, showing all your teeth. ‘Other than that, I’m usually free to go around checking on what’s been going on around the town. You know … see if there are any problems, see what I can do to actually help out that doesn’t involve sending Abyssals back to the ocean floor. You know … usual fare.’

She snorts in amusement.

‘I don’t think that I’ll ever be considered a jurisdiction that’s higher than my current post,’ she sighs, running a hand through her hair as her lips thin into a line. ‘I made this post on pure paper and no field experience … I think this is as far as my foray into the role of Games and Theory’ll ever go.’

You tilt your head, confused.

‘Games and Theory?’

‘It’s … a military term, more or less,’ she explains, ‘it refers to the upper echelons of the command chain. Tactical Officers, Strategists, Field and Back Commanders, Operative Heads.’

‘You have ambitions in that direction?’

She pauses for a moment, looking thoughtful.

‘I wouldn’t say that I don’t,’ she admits, albeit hesitantly, ‘but I don’t think it’s anymore than someone wanting to move up the food chain like in an office,’ she pauses, ‘and I think I have my hands full as it is. I won’t say that I don’t love being able to contribute to the effort, but being in charge on paper and actually putting it into practice are two different things,’ she holds up two fingers and a thumb, ‘and I’d really like to shove something down the throat of the people who wrote the damn evaluation form of leadership qualities and responsibilities in a damn field situation. I’ve had to pull improv a lot more frequently than I had as a cadet. That’s saying something.’

You nod. You couldn’t make head or tails of what she was babbling about—most of your experience in being a leader to your KanMusu had been relegated to scolding Nachi and the rest while letting Nagato and Houshou pull the reins … which made the latter part of her words echo tremendously with your own methods of management.

There was an odd sort of kinship here. Small, a little iffy anyone standards … but ultimately there.

‘You seem like the type to have a comment for things like this,’ she says pointedly, shaking you out of your reverie. 'Do you, Division Commander?'

>>1729816
>'I'm just thinking that I can, well, I can relate.' (Sympathize)
>'Well, if we're going by styles, I think that you're holding the reins a little too tight, I guess?' (Criticize)
>'You have your job and I have mine. I think that's enough for the both of us.' (Dismissive)
>'Nope, nothing to say.' (Decline to comment)
>'Well, I guess all I can say is ... good luck. You got this far. Pressing on's probably your only option.' (Kind)
>Write-In

>>1729825
"All I know is I love pretzels."

>>1729816
>'Well, I guess all I can say is ... good luck. You got this far. Pressing on's probably your only option.' (Kind)

>>1729825
>>'Well, I guess all I can say is ... good luck. You got this far. Pressing on's probably your only option.' (Kind)

Be back in a few hours. On break. Post votes will be counted when I get back.

>>1729825
>'I'm just thinking that I can, well, I can relate.' (Sympathize)

>>1729825
>'I'm just thinking that I can, well, I can relate.' (Sympathize)

All right, I don't care how many of you are on anymore. In 3 hours, I'm running.

>>1729845
>>1729847
>>1729897
>>1731010
I'm having some delays due to image uploading, but I am around.

File: SERGEANT 2.jpg (125 KB, 850x1167)

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‘I’m just saying that I can relate,’ you reply, a sort of understanding dawning on you as the question tickles the creases of your psyche. ‘I only got the job because everyone else that was halfway competent ended up dead, so I think … yeah, I think I can sympathize with you. It’s harder than just being a pencil pusher and telling people what to do.’

‘That it does,’ she smirks, leaning back.

You’re not done, though. She had asked for comment, after all.

‘However,’ you clear your throat, your elbows dragging on the surface of the table as you hunch over, ‘what I learned from being thrust into something that’s over my head … it’s that if you can’t do it all alone, it always helps to have a good team to back you up where you can’t … you know, cut it.’

‘That’s a given,’ she nods in acknowledgment, but doesn’t look receptive at all of your words. ‘Stations of authority aren’t made for a wiggle room or a second-guessing subordinate, though.’

You don’t know why, but that statement … irks you.

‘I’m thankful for the fact that I do have that wiggle room for a second-guessing advocate,’ you point out. ‘I’m not endorsing argument, but with what’s at stake, I’d rather take displeasure of a decision from a second-in-command than to end up putting an operation in jeopardy from my ignorance.’

‘The burden of responsibility is one consigned to the one with the stripes,’ she answers, not missing a beat. ‘Leaving yourself open to comment and consultation by your subordinates on a frequent basis eventually reveals the cracks in your security of the station. At worst, it’s a sign of general incompetency from a commanding officer.’

You knew someone would say that one of these days.

It’s really just too bad that you were already aware of it the day you donned the uniform.

‘I am fully aware that I am in over my head,’ you clarify crisply, your voice distant but otherwise firm. ‘Miss Sergeant, I’m not sure what your stance on the Admiralty is … or what your views on my station and what it entails are, for that matter, but I am aware with the utmost clarity that I am not the first choice for this post, and I intend to do it to the same capacity that someone more qualified would. If it takes me being—in your words, Miss—generally incompetent, then I’m willing to accept the label. As long as the team keeps coming back and the operations don’t snap at the edge, I’ll do what I can to keep it that way.’

She stares at you, stunned … before throwing her head back in a brief, but distinct, bark of laughter.

‘Interesting,’ she regains her bearings, resting her chin on her raised hands, a glint in her eye. ‘So it’s more of a symbiotic relationship than it is a chain of command. Different.’

>>1733365
>‘I … guess you could say that?’ (Reluctantly acknowledge)
>‘No, it’s still a command chain. Like I said, though—I’m incompetent. Thus, an exception.’ (Deny)
>‘I have no clue what you’re asking with that, so I really can’t answer that proper.’ (Clueless)
>‘You’re free to think how you want to think.’ (Uncaring)
>Write-In

>>1733369
>>‘I … guess you could say that?’ (Reluctantly acknowledge)

>>1733369
>‘I have no clue what you’re asking with that, so I really can’t answer that proper.’ (Clueless)

>>1733379
>>1733383
Coin flipped.

File: Sergeant Again.jpg (134 KB, 850x1081)

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‘I have no clue what you’re asking with that,’ you chuckle, shaking your head, ‘so I really can’t answer proper.’

She offers an understanding smile, a low hum emitting from her lips.

‘There is a perception that the Admiralty isn’t as formal or accountable in its conduct as the military,’ she states matter-of-factly, a small smirk now forming in place of the smile, ‘From what you’ve been telling me, the position of Commander or Admiral … there seems to be more of a symbiotic partnership than there is a chain of command, at least where the KanMusu is concerned. The concept of military regimen seems to be inapplicable … at least where the relationship is concerned.’

‘I wouldn’t say that it’s wholly inapplicable,’ you give a diplomatic gesture with your prosthetic, frowning as you wear a light scowl to counter her point, ‘discipline, you know … it’s still needed out there and I do have to keep certain standards up as the one running—or at least, the one appointed—the post. Responsibilities are still present as is the fact that, hey, we’re still fighting a war. So I wouldn’t say that it’s as casual as say, a comic book team-up and break-up.’

‘I never said that,’ she responds playfully, tucking her hair behind her ear, ‘but it’s nice that you’d inform me of that tidbit.’

You balk, but only briefly, because it turns into a defeated chuckle and a shake of her head. Indeed—she hadn’t stated or asked of the state of that particular aspect. You’d unwittingly blurted it out on your own—a little something extra to sprinkle her own views of the aspect in place.

‘I have to remember how sly you are at getting certain things out of me, Sergeant,’ you sigh, rubbing your temples as a wry smile makes its way across your features. It didn’t feel like too much of a loss … and it wasn’t that much to lose or a little too much for her to gain at all.

‘Don’t worry,’ she gives a playfully assuring response, leaning back and crossing her arms across her chest as she nods again. ‘As a sympathetic fellow Officer, I can say with all honesty that my observations are in confidence.’

‘Your sympathy,’ you reply, emphasizing heavily on the word, ‘is greatly appreciated, Sergeant.’

‘I won’t discount your responsibilities or your methods,’ she states in a sudden, more grounded tone. ‘I … can’t say that I fully agree in fighting this war from behind the trenches and giving out packets instead of having a rifle in my hands, but I think that it doesn’t change at all that you—and your KanMusu, whatever they are—are fighting for … our survival.’

She struggles with her words. It’s as if it’s more of an admission than a declaration.

‘It’s cheesy,’ her cheeks turn a little read, ‘but I can respect a fellow soldier … whatever their stripes. So don’t think that I’m not at least aware of that.’

>>1733459
>‘I never doubted. But it is, definitely … cheesy.’ (Light)
>‘I appreciate what you and the Major do around here, too.’ (Return the sentiment)
>‘This feels a lot like a childhood friend confession.’ (Joke)
>‘If you really appreciated it, you could do a lot more around here.’ (Shoot)
>Write-In

>>1733461
>‘I appreciate what you and the Major do around here, too.’ (Return the sentiment)

Where's the flirt option, mech?

>>1733461
>>‘I appreciate what you and the Major do around here, too.’ (Return the sentiment)

>>1733461
>‘I never doubted. But it is, definitely … cheesy.’ (Light)
>>1733471
Probably the joke option

File: Hard Work Never Ends.jpg (156 KB, 850x1202)

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It was odd, this sense of kinship that you felt.

You hadn’t known her that well. Your first interaction consisted of her almost sending the both of you into a tumbling mess and your second consisted of the both of you going over a newspaper article. Yet, here it was—the respect of a soldier, earned, and the acknowledgment of a station by a fellow Officer, offered and received. As acquaintances, the both of you knew little to nothing of one another—although you suspected she knew more about you than she had let on—but … it was nice to have. Two figures of authority, minute as it is, aware of each others’ burdens, indulging in mere company and a table in a makeshift bar on the frontlines of a war that no one could or would win alone.

It was almost poetic … if you had been the type.

‘I appreciate what you and the Major do around here, too,’ you return the sentiment with your own gesture of acknowledgment, sparing her a respectful glance, ‘so don’t think that anyone from our side of the table … you know, overlooks what you and the Army have done to, you know, get things up and running.’

‘We can only do what we can with what we have.’

For a brief moment, you’re stunned.

Then you throw your head back, laughing, your hand on your head, shoulders shaking and your jaw painful from the reverberations in your throat, your whole being caught in amusement. So much so that you forget you are in a packed establishment, albeit for only a moment. Seeing the annoyed frown on the Sergeant’s face, however, you move quickly to explain your sudden burst.

‘I’m sorry,’ you apologize, rubbing your cheek as a sigh—and a small, final chortle—leaves your tongue, your lips undecided on a grimace or a smirk, ‘just getting a sense of deja vu.’

‘I hope that’s it,’ she spares you an amused glance of her own. You were in the clear, if her tone was anything to go by.

‘That’s it,’ you give a reassuring nod, rubbing your shoulder.

She briefly chortles to herself, before getting to her feet and gathering her things, donning her cap right after.

‘The grind doesn’t end,’ the Sergeant offers a smirk, throwing a salute. ‘Good luck, Commander.’

You stand, dusting yourself off and throwing one up in return.

‘You too, Sergeant.’

Exchanging bows, she takes her leave. Looking around the room, you notice that your present company now consisted of the Bartender, someone sleeping on the couch, the Waiter, picking up a crate by a table, two soldiers discussing something over what looked like some paperwork and a group of three chatting animatedly to one another by the counter.

It looked like quite a number of them had taken their leave during your brief conversation.

>Talk to the Bartender
>Talk to the Waiter
>Approach the table with two soldiers
>Approach the sleeping man on the couch
>Approach group of three
>Write-In

>>1733646
>Approach group of three

>>1733646

>Talk to the Bartender

>>1733657
>>1733691
Flipping a coin. Coin flipped.

>>1733646
>Approach group of three

File: Small Glasses Gentlemn.jpg (9 KB, 111x141)

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You turn over to the table three. From where you were standing—which was barely a table and a half over—you could make out that two of the men were flanking the third, making gesticulating with their hands as they offered a mix of advice, comments of frustration and the odd roll of the eyes. The man in the middle, wearing glasses and in possession of a thin, stiff frame, was hunched over what appeared to be a form, almost fully hidden by his resting elbows. His face was pale and troubled, while his two colleagues—a young man who looked like he was barely out of school, his hair in a manner that was very likely against regulations and a bronzed man in fatigues and in possession of an afro—continued to talk in a rapid pace, alternating between forceful and reassuring tones.

It takes you quite a bit to catch what they were saying.

It wasn’t as if you could ignore it, either: with the Sergeant going back to her duties and the majority of the soldiers having up and left, their chatter was quite a task to tune out in itself.

‘Look, you gotta tell her that you want out,’ the blonde-haired young man advises—whatever this was about, it would seem that it involved a woman. Enough to bring the attentions of two more men to the third’s dilemma—if it was even a dilemma in the first place. ‘If you let this mull over, man, you’re going to end up miserable, she’s gonna end up miserable … and no one’s gonna come out of it happy.’

The man in the afro offers a grin—forced and impatient—to his otherwise sullen-looking friend, who had a hand—and his eyes—fully focused on the form, or at least, the visible part.

‘Just tell her that it’s not working out—that you can’t keep at it without goin’ into one ‘of your moods. It’s better than nothin’, right?’

There’s a pause in the chatter … when the man in glasses looks up, biting his lips and looking dreadfully unsure of whatever decision that he had been tasked with executing.

‘I dunno, I just…’

As he trails off, the blonde man raises his hands in a tired gesture, his frustration apparently having met its quota for the issue at hand.

‘If you’re not happy with it, don’t do it—simple as that. You already pretty much set the stage for the next phase of your life when you went to town on that girl … you at least gotta have the honesty to tell her you’re not happy. Be a man about it, don’t dance around.’

‘You make it sound like it’s easy,’ he sighs, his shoulders drooping even further.

‘It is easy. Just send a telegram making up some excuse you don’t wanna be together anymore. You go through with that song and dance, bud, and you’re—’

Turning up, the blonde man catches your act of eavesdropping.

‘Hey, buddy, buzz off.’

>Walk away
>‘I couldn’t help but overhear… women problems?’ (Convince them you can help ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>1733976
>>‘I couldn’t help but overhear… women problems?’ (Convince them you can help ROLL A 1D6 EACH)
lets hope we dont start a bar fight

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>1733976
>‘I couldn’t help but overhear… women problems?’ (Convince them you can help ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>1733976
>‘I couldn’t help but overhear… women problems?’

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>1733976
>‘I couldn’t help but overhear… women problems?’ (Convince them you can help ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

>Statistics: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p2K_evlFKjbblbSTf3ZSf-0xECyNHEeiQEgyiFdADcw/edit?usp=sharing
>Character: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F43-0W17qNQ3Q_FwOOQPYw8Rf4HmSCFrEcAv-uOPQD0/edit?usp=sharing
>Tasks: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1agFmzgoNb0jeqd2G9H2voZ5Zm4N6fxPTQXQyt_GY9ec/edit?usp=sharing
>Rolling Rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D6xlxpzfqF_rC2iemL-OGhFkNK4uiy8PZdvjkkdVBPU/edit?usp=sharing
>Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=shipgirl+commander
>Twitter: https://twitter.com/DiceToTableTop

This is the opener that I forgot to put in.

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>1733976

>>1734060
Also, guys: warning. If I have to roll in lieu of players, it's an automatic -1 penalty. The deadline is in about 10 minutes (35 minute limit applies)

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>1733976
>1D6
>>1734078
k

>>1734078
I don't like this. I mean, I don't have a problem with a QM punishing players for mistakes, but a QM applying penalties for player inactivity really rubs me the wrong way. Sometimes players just can't show up for active sessions. I work weird and inconsistent hours, so I almost never catch a live session these days. And when you combine that with /qst/'s naturally small player-base, sometimes it takes a while for votes to come in. Honestly this makes me not want to even vote for options where a roll is required.

File: Guy with Glasses.jpg (64 KB, 348x390)

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‘I couldn’t help but overhear,’ you slowly explain yourself, raising your hands, palms forward, in a diplomatic gesture, ‘but … you have women problems?’

None of them answer.

You see their silence as your cue to continue.

‘I don’t want to sound like a busybody,’ you pause—you definitely did but the effort had to be made on that front, anyway, ‘but … maybe instead of what you guys are pushing for, maybe you should get him to actually think about it for himself before making a decision … whatever end he wants to reach.’

‘Yeah,’ the man with the ponytail speaks up, snorting, ‘you definitely sound like a busybody.’

Despite the insult, you chuckle. Perhaps you had left yourself set yourself up for that a little bit more blatantly than you had intended. It didn’t deter you, however. You give a defeated shake of the head, accepting the jab. You weren’t here to start a brawl over a petty insult … and this wasn’t a place that someone from The Admiralty would frequent, anyway. Even with you and the Major—and now the Sergeant—being at the very least on decent terms, you knew of the dislike that the three branches of military had for your employers. Being over-sensitive over it would get you nowhere.

Right now, you wanted to get the terms, at least, even.

‘Glad to hear it,’ you reply, telegraphing your amusement with it as well as you could. You throw a glance towards the man in glasses, his sullen expression replaced by a bewildered frown. ‘Still, it is about a girl, right? Some special lady that you’re having trouble communicating something over?’

There was no point in talking to the other two men to negotiate your inquiry. He was, after all, the reason for their little gathering in the first place, if the previous conversation had been anything to go by.

‘You know,’ you say in a decidedly chipper, eager tone, throwing on your best business smile for emphasis, ‘I’ve … had my fair share of problems with women’—HAH!—’and you know, I thought I’d offer at least my own side of things. You know, from experience?’

The three of them wear an incredulous look.

‘You’ve been with women?’

‘Girls like you?’

If the words didn’t hurt you on the outside, they cut through your organs like daggers against paper.

‘I’m not saying girls like me,’ you grimace, Kaga’s departure fresh in your mind, ‘but I have had my fair share. Just thought I’d … you know, poke in and make sure that no one else out there screws up?’

You hadn’t meant to pose that last sentence as a question.

It seemed to have done its job, however, as the man in glasses raises himself to his full height, his hand on the table.

‘I’m engaged.’

You nod. Pre-wedding jitters must have been getting to him.

‘I’ve also been cheating on my fiancee the last six months.’

Oh.

>>1734220
>'You are a right bastard, soldier.' (Criticize him)
>'Oh, uh, I guess I can relate. I can sympathize, yeah.' (Relate to him)
>'Well, from what I heard, you can just call it off if you can't commit.' (Advise him to break it off)
>'And this is where I don't want to care anymore.' (Leave)
>'I think this is a story that needs a little bit more than just those facts.' (Sit down and talk proper)
>Write-In

>>1734162
Why? Session runs, 35 minutes for a vote. If I just chalked things down to player inactivity and rolled for myself there would be no point in me running the quest or rolls. The whole point is for people to participate. If you guys want me to roll in lieu of absentees, then penalties will be done. Or else I might as well play my own Quest, right?

I mean, God's sakes, DMs go: "Ethan, you better get back here and roll. You've had your toilet break for 45 minutes and Jim wants to cast a heal in case you fuck up and he'd rather not waste one."

You don't participate? Penalty.

Of course I'm going to punish people for not wanting to play but just sit around and stare at the screen. If I wanted to write a Fanfic, I'd go to Fanfiction.net and just write there with no one's input.

>>1734220
>'I think this is a story that needs a little bit more than just those facts.' (Sit down and talk proper)
We should definitely listen before we pass judgement, there could be at least some set of circumstances that at least makes this somewhat less shitty....maybe

>>1734246
'I think this is a story that needs a little bit more than just those facts.' (Sit down and talk proper

>>1734253
There's a difference between DMing and QMing, since it takes place over the Internet and your players could be from all over the world, and because of that schedules don't always line up. I don't think it's because people are just lurking, I think it's because they either can't play or aren't aware there's a season running right now. Like I said in my above post, today is a pretty rare occurs vw for me since I'm normally either working or sleeping when this quest runs, and I'm sure I'm not the only one with similar circumstances.

For someone who run a quest, you don't seem to hold your players in very high regard. I've seen you get hostile at the drop of a hat so many times before. Honesty I don't even know why i decided to speak my mind. Guess I'll just keep my opinions to myself from now on.

>>1734383
If you're not on now, leave it to the players that are. Now, if I only required my own input, why should I ask you then? You seem to be adamant on trying to hijack this quest and the methodology at which I seem to be taking it. My question back to you is why in the world should I not punish a lack of participation? What would be the point of me running this at all if no one wants to participate?

I hold NON-PARTICIPATION with disdain. Why in the world would anyone be here if it's not to participate or check in their input? I might as well just write a fanfic, forego game mechanics, player prompts and just nod at reviews. I announce the session, I set aside the time to run. If you don't want to participate, no one's pointing a head for you to do so. So if you don't participate, why complain about me putting in a penalty for non-participation and where my rolls are given penalty because they're DM rolls?

I might as well roll for myself and play the game without any of anyone's input. Would you like that instead? I'm not writing a Fanfic. I'm writing a tabletop gaming session as best as I can. If people don't WANT to participate, I can just close up the Quest. No problem.

>>1734436
I'm not trying to hijack anything, I was just staring that I had a problem with something. Is that not allowed anymore? What happened to you being open to criticism? And like I said above, which you seem to be continually ignoring, I don't think the problem is lurkers. I just think different people are able to participate at different parts of the day. Threatening to punish inactivity isn't going to affect lurkers, they'll just keep lurking. All it will do is make your regular players feel like they've done something wrong because they missed a session. I absolutely understand viewing intentional lurkers with disdain, they SHOULD participate, but it seem like you have the same disdain for your entire player-base in general. And I know that if I vote now, you'll just say "why are you still here if you hate the quest so much?" Just like you do any other time someone is critical and continues voting, so why cast another vote in the first place if you'll just attack me for it? But hey, sorry again for being even a little bit critical of your QMing style.

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>>1734508
Woah man, don't worry, I think we came to a good compromise on Discord for rolling rules . Problem solved for next time. Let's just enjoy the quest now.

>>1734508
First thing's first: are you here for the Quest are you just here to watch? Because if you're here for the latter, you don't qualify and I instantly have no like or consideration for you - I do not like lurkers. You have 4 posts, 3 of them have been complaining about my penalty for non-participation-born out of my frustration for having readers and NOT players-and 1 vote. That's all I've got from you. That's 3 bouts of complaining and 1 bout of participation.

My next question is: this Quest clearly falls out of your comfort zone, so as a DM I am DEFINITELY confused because why in the world would anyone want to keep coming to something they do not have a like for instead of writing a piece as to why they despise it and submitting it to the others telling them the experience was horrible and something you wouldn't recommend to anyone? Be normal. Go and write how horrible this Quest is and submit it as a review to warn people to stay away, but don't complain about stuff and keep COMING BACK when you're already set in your views about me and my write-ups. I dropped Twilight at 1/3 of Book 1 and submitted my opinion of it to people because it was fuck horrible by my standards and unable to hold my attention after that 1/3 mark. I think it was the toilet scene that just lost me.

Do you like this Quest or are you just reading it? You clearly don't like me, so let's put that out of the way, but by your ID, you're a non-participant anyway, so why complain about participation when you don't bother to put in input anyway?

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‘I think,’ you pause, sparing a glance towards the other two men, both their eyes focused on the canvas above and very deliberately avoiding any eye contact, ‘that this story’s going to need a little bit more than just that.’

You gesture towards one of the vacant stools at their table.

‘Do you mind if I … ?’

He nods, his lips now thinned into a line as he guiltily stares down at the piece of paper on his table. You drag the stool out with your foot, seating yourself onto it … and this time, are met with the annoyed, reluctant countenance of his two colleagues, who are—by your estimates—not quite welcoming of your presence at the table, but otherwise seem to tolerate it. Eager to get to the bottom of the matter, you move to address the young man in glasses and get the ball rolling … whichever way it wanted to tumble down.

‘All right,’ you clear your throat, ready to begin hearing the whole mess. ‘So you mind explaining to me the whole story?’

‘She’s,’ he pauses, biting his lip; he appeared to be gathering his thoughts, if the crinkle in his brow and the twiddling thumbs was any indication, ‘I guess you can say that we’ve been together since high school. My fiancee, I mean.’

‘That’d be about … five? Six years?’

‘Eight,’ he clarifies, grimaces, his eye on the piece of paper that laid before the both you. ‘Eight years.’

It’s only now that you realize it’s a form for marriage registration.

It also had one of the spouse columns filled out in full detail … with a little flourish on the top corner; a drawing of a rabbit in a wedding dress and some chicken scratch dialogue.

‘All right,’ you gesture towards him with a nod, taking your eyes off the form, ‘go on.’

‘Thing is, I guess that,’ he pauses, scratching the back of his head as his expression takes an unsure quality, ‘the only people we’ve been with is each other and don’t get me wrong, I think that she’s a great girl, but…’

‘But?’

‘I feel like I’m missing out on a lot more,’ he admits, sighing, ‘I mean, it’s like … I’ve been with her for eight years and she decided that since everything was stable and all that, that we should tie the knot. I … don’t want to. I’m not even thirty yet. I want to do things, live my life and I’ve … I feel like if I go through with this, I’m just going to—’

‘Like you’re going to be pulling the bullshit over her eyes faster than a tractor on an autumn crop run.’

You stare at the man with the afro, incredulous.

‘I was born on a farm, so sue me.’

You let out a sigh, gesturing towards the man in glasses with your chin.

‘When we went on our leave last time, I just,’ he hesitates again, ‘I guess she was just so enticing, I … well, I gave in. I guess?’

‘You guess?’

At his guilty stare, you give yourself pause. These were rocky waters. You consider your next words.

>>1734696
>‘Does she know about your little … traipse through the meadow?’
>‘Tell me about the girl you cheated on her with. Must have been big for you to reconsider marriage on the whole.’
>‘What do you expect to get out of … whatever decision that you’re leaning towards?’
>‘People don’t get to keep the same girl for eight years. You should go for it.’
>‘Your friends are right; as it is, it’s unhealthy. Not just for you, but for her as well.’
>‘You know what? I’m over my head here.’ (LEAVE)
>Write-In

>>1734696
>>‘Does she know about your little … traipse through the meadow?’

>>1734686
I like the quest, that's the reason I voiced concern about anything in the first place, and I have participated whenever I could. I've moved locations a couple times and my ID has changed as a result. Not only that, but since you have apparently not read anything I said, I'll say it again: I FUCKING WORK WEIRD HOURS. I worked a 60-hour week last week, and I'm on-call 24/7. How much more clearly do I have to spell it out for you? I WANT TO PARITICPATE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. WHENEVER I'M NOT SLEEPING OR WORKING I PARTICIPATE IF A SEASION IS LIVE. Is that clear enough for you? And you're right, I don't much like you, mainly because you're a petty piece of shit who talks down to anyone who shows any signs of disagreement. I've tried to be somewhat civil in explaining my distaste for your new rolling rule, which seemed to come completely out if the blue, and you decided to basically say "fuck you for having an opinion." I wasn't asking you to change it, I wasn't saying it was unacceptable, my exact words were that it rubbed me the wrong way. That was it. I wasn't expecting you to change it, I was just making my stance in it known since you've gone on and on about how much you value player input in the past.

So fuck you, Mechanic. My one night off this week I wanted to participate in a quest I've followed since thread 2, and the moment I voice disagreement the QM decides to attack me for it.

>>1734711
>‘Your friends are right; as it is, it’s unhealthy. Not just for you, but for her as well.’

>>1734813
You're the one attacking me for finally putting a cork on the non-participation issue. If you're going to complain about non-participation or lack thereof in your case, then you're going to have to attack EVERY decision that's been done in lieu of your presence. Why the Hell are you complaining on a rule that wouldn't otherwise effect you if you participate if you're here.

Complain about the decisions that didn't go your damn way when you're offline. Go and do that. I don't see you doing that at all. You're complaining about me implementing penalties for non-participation with full knowledge that THEY WON'T APPLY IF YOU PARTICIPATE and that they're STRICTLY RELEGATED TO ROLLS. Do you want me to wholly forego votes? I can do that.

I don't think you understand what makes me glad to run this Quest. What makes me WANT to. I want PARTICIPATION. ACTIVITY. If the Quest doesn't get it, it should die. That's it.How should I combat non-participation then? As a DM, I want to get it done as much as any campaign manager. You're telling me that suddenly I shouldn't have an iota of consideration for myself? Then why should I bother? I want to run a campaign and see players putting in their votes and discussing. I only see ONE of those two.

You want to avoid the roll penalty? Participate.

If you don't like me? Good enough.

But telling me that I'm wrong to act on my distaste for lurkers when you have put in ONE FUCKING VOTE in the span of the last few hours and haven't even BOTHERED with the last TWO prompts? What the actual fuck? You're the type I'm definitely putting this rule in for.

Rule stays. Participate or lose a digit on the roll numbers when the 35 minute mark passes and I have to make up the difference. You all have agency now.

>>1734727
>>1734877
Coin flipped. Starting write-up.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>1734976
Actually, you know what? Let's have more visibility. I'll leave it up to a 1d2 since I type in "Coin flipped" anyway.

>>1734976
>>1734981
Which one's faster?

>>1734986
I type up that I flip a coin for a tiebreaker anyway. I can type in "dice+1d2".

>>1734990
I don't believe you.

>>1734696
>>1734976
>>1734981
>‘Does she know about your little … traipse through the meadow?’
I still have to catch up with some parts of the thread so this is from a glance.

>>1734998
Okay, this is a situation I haven't addressed, but I'll take the opportunity to do it now. I usually have a 35 minute time limit (barring disconnections on my part, but that's another ball entirely) but I'm definitely unsure on the topic of tiebreakers LONG PAST the limit on a RUNNING SESSION. This, though, I haven't had strong feelings over or actually particularly care for, outside of the fact that it may delay write-ups a little bit more.

Do you guys still want me to consider the votes AFTER I say "coin flipped" within a set amount of time, like say, 2-3 minutes ... or do you guys want me to just go with my flipped coin and ignore everything that comes after to keep in time with the session? I don't care either way with this. This one's fully on you.

>>1734711
>>‘Does she know about your little … traipse through the meadow?’

>>1735018
Personally I prefer the late votes over the tiebreaker roll, but I'm fine with either. If you're too far into the write up then it's fine sticking with the roll.

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>Mechanic's Decision

So if he hasn't already started writing or its easily changeable, Mech will go with the vote but if hes already halfway through or something, he'll stick with whats written.

>>1735036
Alright, thanks for the update.
How's the Discord?

>>1735043
A greater hive of degeneracy, you will not find.

>>1735052
It's mostly me talking about the Pedo Hunt, one guy talking about Stellaris and sharing out F/GO Friend Codes. Oh, also a lot of me complaining about my horrible internet connection and 4chan connectivity in general. In fact, probably mostly that. Not my channel, however.

>>1734930
Right, I was attacking you by voicing an opinion. And you were the victim when you proceeded to tell me that my input was completely worthless because my ID (which has changed during this thread) only had one vote to it. And to address the problem with me "not participating" by not voting on the last two prompts, all I have to do is look at previous threads where you've had disagreements with players to see that any votes I make will just be met with condescending remarks from you.

But anyway, I'm done. You win. Clearly I'm in the wrong here for speaking my mind. I'm going to go find something productive to spend the rest of my night off doing.

>>1735069
>And you were the victim when you proceeded to tell me that my input was completely worthless because my ID (which has changed during this thread) only had one vote to it.
Which IDs were you? You should've mentioned that earlier.

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>>1735043
Mostly inane conversation.

>>1735069
If you're even going to post a rationale against why I shouldn't penalize non-participation and coming up with alternatives, then I do agree that you, indeed, should shut up.

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>>1735111
>paws on your bulge
oh god I skipped over that part, fuck man she's like 10, that's so much weirder in hindsight.

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‘Does she know about your little … traipse through the meadows?’

He shifts, visibly uncomfortable, at the question you push.

‘He hasn’t told her yet,’ his friend answers in his stead, shaking his head in disapproval.

The word at the end, however, catches your attention.

‘Yet?’

‘I … want to tell her, but,’ he pauses, a wry laugh sounding from his throat, ‘you know how communiques are these days. Delays, delays, all that … haven’t really had the chance to write it up to her. I’m thinking of telling her in person; I think I at least have a good bone inside me that considers that much about her, even right now.’

He wears a sad smile; a disappointed, self-loathing light seems to appear in his eyes as he glares at the piece of paper on the table. You consider his expression. From how he acted, you could at least postulate—or assume—that even after that one act, he was at least decent enough to have his fiancee in his thoughts … but you also wonder where his heart, his mind and his desires really laid with. He seemed like the usual free soul, but at the same time, looked like a bird willingly—but reluctantly—walking into a cage out of no more meditation other than sheer guilt; obligation.

‘Yeah,’ the pony-tailed man sounds, stretching as he shakes his head, ‘that’s not a good idea. I mean, even if you’re gonna break up with a girl, the last thing you want to do is to blurt out that you went on the sly. You’re dabbing in bad mojo, man.’

‘What are you talking about, you moron?’

‘What?’

‘You can’t lie or keep something from a girl, man,’ the man with afro declares, incredulous. ‘That’s where it starts, you know—dishonesty builds up. Next thing you know you’re going to be lying to your kids why you were at the next door neighbors in a stinkin’ gimp suit.’

You frown. Gimp suit?

I am curious as to what that word refers to. As far as knowledge traverses, I am only aware that it means … clothing.

You almost groan in your hands.

‘Guys,’ the man in glasses interrupts, straightening his spectacles, ‘I get it, all right. I’m just … I haven’t found the right time to do it yet.’

‘Don’t do it.’

You pinch the bridge of your nose as the man with the afro and his pony-tailed friend break into an argument, prompting an apologetic grimace from the subject of your discussion. You return it with one of your own. Tightly and a little bit more forced than you could otherwise be comfortable with, but it was there.

>>1735144
>‘Tell me what do you expect to get out of your decision … whichever one you’re willing to take.’
>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’
>‘You should go with your friends’ advice. You can’t settle as you are.’ (Tell him to break it off)
>‘Sign on the dotted line, keep it mum. If you tilt sideways, you’re not cheating yet.’ (Encourage him to cover it up)
>‘If you’re going to have to tie the know … no lies, man.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth)
>Write-In

>>1735144
>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

Depending on his answer, my advice for him might change

>>1735150
>>‘Tell me what do you expect to get out of your decision … whichever one you’re willing to take.’
>>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

These two. For more information.

>>1735150
>>‘Tell me what do you expect to get out of your decision … whichever one you’re willing to take.’

>>1735150
>>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

>>1735150
>>‘Tell me what do you expect to get out of your decision … whichever one you’re willing to take.’

>>1735150
>>‘Tell me what do you expect to get out of your decision … whichever one you’re willing to take.’

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‘I don’t know what you’re planning to do; whatever it is, it’s on you, but I really have to ask,’ you communicate it as clearly as you can without stepping all over him; you barely knew the man, after all. ‘Just what do you expect to get out of whatever dive that you’re willing to take? Is there an expectation that you have out of yourself making it?’

He looks visibly taken aback by the question.

That was good. That meant it was either something that he had already weighed in on … or something he hadn’t thought of at all.

‘I … I’m not sure, actually,’ he replies, rubbing the back of his neck and wearing that familiar grimace as his friends glare at you with all the bemusement and annoyance they could muster without actually making contact, ‘I just don’t know.’

You have to at least commend him on being able to put that out there. Even if it wasn’t the truth … or, at least, it’s what you believed to be not the complete truth. The people with common sense weighed the pros and cons of almost every outcome they could muster from their thoughts before leaping over a gap; the ones that didn’t made it without thinking.

In a weird sense of irony, you had somehow outed yourself as one dumber than your station afforded you.

Still, you find it in yourself to press on. You could resume with the self-loathing later.

‘Even if they don’t—if they haven’t made a decision … or if they have, but just haven’t actually put it into words just yet,’ you declare—not quite confident, but firm. Enough to communicate that you weren’t the very least blind-sided by his attempt at evasion, ‘people are at least aware of what they want out of their decisions.’

He says nothing in return, but his stare does at least look a lot more steadfast than it had been before.

‘I just want to know that I’m not making a mistake,’

You raise an eyebrow, your eyepatch suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Is that all that it was about? What his consideration and consultation boiled down to? That all he wanted was to make the right decision. As much as this person was just as acquaintance, you felt the need to just throw your hands up and walk away from it all, the disbelief practically knocking on your temple at this point.

‘You just don’t want to be wrong?’

‘I don’t know what to do,’ he reinforces himself with his words, taking a disarming tone, ‘but you don’t know me … and I don’t know you. I think that whatever you have to say, your advice, at least … because of that, holds a little more weight.’

You rub your eyepatch, feeling a headache coming along.

At least you knew why it was so easy for him to allow you a toe into his affairs.

>>1735396
>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’
>‘You should go with your friends’ advice. You can’t settle as you are.’ (Tell him to break it off)
>‘Sign on the dotted line, keep it mum. If you tilt sideways, you’re not cheating yet.’ (Encourage him to cover it up)
>‘If you’re going to have to tie the knot … no lies, man.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth)
>‘I’ll tell you to break it off, but because, frankly, she doesn’t deserve eight more years, never mind the rest of her life, of this horror story!’ (Lambast him)
>‘I can’t deal with this. You’re on your own.’ (Leave)
>Write-In

>>1735396
>>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

>>1735423
>>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

>>1735396
>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

>>1735423
>>‘If you’re going to have to tie the knot … no lies, man.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth)

>>1735423
>>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

>>1735423
>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

>>1735423
>‘This girl that you’re cheating on. It must have been a big deal for her to drag you out of eight years with one girl.’

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I'm running some errands, so no session this morning (my morning, your night, I guess). I'll be running after my friday prayers, however, so at that point in time, if you're still interested, then toss it up and log on. If not, enjoy your day or your nap. Ciao.

>>1738457
What time and timezone is that?

>>1738472
GMT+8

>>1738472
Right. Sorry. That's GMT+8, yeah. That'll be about between 3 PM to 4 PM.

Sorry, folks. Net went down. Session in about an hour.

>>1739466
Session in 15-20 minutes.

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Please stand by, pic related

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‘You said that you’ve been with her for,’ you take a brief pause, trying to remember the minute details from before, ‘about eight years right?’

He nods in response.

‘It must’ve been a big deal for you to actually step out of it after eight years,’ you begin, slowly, gathering your thoughts as you considered where your words tread. ‘I suspect that you’ve been engaged for some time too, but … I’d really like to know a bit more about her, if you don’t mind, you know … sharing?’

He looks up, frowning.

‘What do you want to know about her?’

‘I’m not going to pry you for her address or anything,’ you reply tentatively, before continuing, ‘but it’d help me give better advice for you if I knew at least what pushed you proper.’

He nods again.

‘We’d known each other since middle school,’ he begins in a tired voice, before furrowing his brows and shaking his head, lifting his head and going straight at you. ‘No, we’d known each other since before that … our aunts were friends and she’d always come over for tea with her. I think that things started from there. Both of us didn’t have many friends … her father moved around a lot, being a research professor and all that does that … anyway, we kind of bonded and just … latched on to each other.’

You want to comment that it sounded like some sappy teen romance, but manage to keep the remark to yourself. There was no need to throw insult when you were here to give as objective an opinion as possible, after all.

‘Go on.’

There could be time for that later.

‘I like being around her,’ he shrugs; despite the words, you can tell that there some sort of reluctant, even strained quality to his movements, as though he didn’t care much for his own words. ‘She’s a go-getter, you know? Always on the top of things and taking charge; always has something for the occasion. Not many surprises when she was around.’

‘Is that why you wanted to tie the knot?’

Your inquiry is met with a shake of the head.

‘She proposed to me actually,’ he leans back, his lips forming something between a grimace and a smirk. ‘Said that life was too short to just dally around … and things were all right at the time, but with the war going on, both of us kind of shifted a gear. She said that she thought that we were both ready for the next step and I kind of agreed with her. She was great to be around, always taking care of me and I like to think that I … well, that I was there for her.’

You really want to throw out that cheating on one’s fiancee said otherwise.

‘So what made you cheat?’

‘The … thrill of it, I guess,’ he shrugs; his features, however, looked more troubled than before. ‘Spice things up? Temptation? I dunno.’

The man in the afro snorts, mumbling words to himself.

>>1739551
>'You're not telling me everything.' (Pry ROLL A 1D6 EACH)
>'Follow through with what you want. Not what people expect of you.' (Push ROLL A 1D6 EACH)
>‘You should go with your friends’ advice. You can’t settle as you are.’ (Tell him to break it off)
>‘Sign on the dotted line, keep it mum. If you tilt sideways, you’re not cheating yet.’ (Encourage him to cover it up)
>‘If you’re going to have to tie the knot … no lies, man.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth)
>‘I’ll tell you to break it off, but because, frankly, she doesn’t deserve eight more years, never mind the rest of her life, of this horror story!’ (Lambast him)
>‘I can’t deal with this. You’re on your own.’ (Leave)
>Write-In

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>1739553
>>'You're not telling me everything.' (Pry ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>1739553
>'You're not telling me everything.' (Pry ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>1739553
>>'You're not telling me everything.' (Pry ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>1739553
>>'You're not telling me everything.' (Pry ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>1739553
>'You're not telling me everything.' (Pry ROLL A 1D6 EACH)

Mech's having trouble posting again, he apologises for the delay.

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‘You’re not telling me everything.’

He returns your accusation with a guilty smile and the shake of his head.

‘I’m sorry,’ he really does sound it, too, ‘but I think that that’s all I’m willing to share with you as far as how this goes.’

You open your mouth to say something, but a quick glance to his two friends—who had been reluctant to have you around for this particular discussion in the first place—has your hold back your words. You had just unwittingly barged in on the conversation without so much as fair warning; even on an invite and with permission, you knew that your capacity in presence was hardly one that you had afforded on terms that either of them—that all three of them—had given free of any sort of suspiciousness.

‘I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what I need to know,’ you try again, pushing on. ‘Do you guys get along at all? Eight years may be long, but—’

‘Watch it, buddy,’ the man wearing the afro shoots a glare across the table, his tone one of warning. There is a sense of protectiveness in his voice, too, if the barely-hidden grown was any indication.

You meet his stare, but say nothing. Instead, you give a nod of understanding, leaning back and letting out a breath as your good eye wheels onto the wooden expression of the man in glasses. The whole trio, even the pony-tailed man, seemed to be a little bit on edge now, from that one little push … but were otherwise still tolerant of your presence at the table.

‘This is a doozy, isn’t it?’

Your apologetic grimace isn’t returned by any of them.’

>‘You’re on your own, then.’ (Leave)
>‘Your friends seem to know you better than yourself. You should follow through with their advice.’ (Tell him to break it off, let him make his decision with his affair)
>‘Sign on the dotted line, keep it mum. Don’t break her trust.’ (Encourage him to cover it up)
>‘If you’re going to go through with it, you at least owe her the truth.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth before any other action)
>‘You’re not ready for marriage … but your honesty is one thing can’t hold back on—from anyone.’ (Encourage him to break it off, but tell the truth)
>‘Break it off. Frankly, she doesn’t deserve eight more years of this kind of bull. No one does.’ (Lambast him)
>Write-In

>>1739615
>‘If you’re going to go through with it, you at least owe her the truth.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth before any other action)

>>1739615
>‘If you’re going to go through with it, you at least owe her the truth.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth before any other action)

>>1739615
>>‘If you’re going to go through with it, you at least owe her the truth.’ (Encourage him to tell the truth before any other action)

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You give the form on the table a quick glance, before leaning back and letting out a troubled sigh. As much as you wanted to help—and you really did want to help, despite not liking the circumstances, at all— the consideration that you were talking with someone who had actually, knowingly, but regretfully cheated on someone that had effectively been his friend and confidant as well as his significant other was a concept that you just couldn’t properly fathom. You had watched television, of course; there were many scenes of a man or woman facing the aftermath of a tryst. Some of them cried, some of them had openly declared their favor … but reality had a way of telling you how much fiction didn’t measure up to it, even in the slightest.

A meek-looking soldier twiddling his thumbs was the last sort of person you would have pegged for someone who had given in to temptation. It was an almost laughable comparison.

Maybe it was because you’d just learned how much being alone wasn’t worth the independence.

You don’t really know.

What you can say without a doubt, however … was that anything that stood between one person and another, in this connection, with this bond would only end up disrupting it. Destroying it. The chatter of his friends had a truth to them. It could only end up breaking them both if they had decided to go through with this … especially with things as they were.

It couldn’t work. Not without something owed paid in full.

‘If you’re going to go through with it,’ you begin slowly, prompting him to raise his head and stare straight at you, ‘you at least owe her the truth.’

‘What about signing the form?’

‘That’ll be,’ you pause, letting out a sigh as you get to your feet, ‘that’ll be up to the both of you, I’m afraid. I can’t push you to one road or the other, but I can tell you that if you don’t tell her what you did, whatever you want to do with that form, you’re going to end up hurting yourself … and her.’

You push your stool in.

‘You owe her that much.’

He doesn’t say anything else, nodding his thanks. Neither do the other two, who cast annoyed glances, but otherwise give nods of begrudging acknowledgment, the larger man patting his seated friend on the back, gesturing for the three of them to leave. With the loud clatter of stools all three of them straighten their fatigues, departing without a word, but at least—in your eyes, anyway—a more welcoming disposition.

Your reputation with Mobile Command has become warmer!

You look around to see that the customers had changed around and the Waiter gone. There were a few men playing darts, several soldiers by the lounge area chattering loudly, a duo having an arm-wrestling contest and a man and a woman by the counter, talking animatedly.

Glancing at the clock, you realize you’d been here a while.

>>1739672
2/4
>Talk to the Bartender
>Talk to the two at the counter
>Approach the men playing darts
>Approach the men arm-wrestling
>Approach the men at the lounge area
>LEAVE (Leads into Basic Options)*
>Write-In

*Will not consume points until the next prompt, when option is made.

>>1739680
Correction: that's

1/4

>>1739680
>>LEAVE (Leads into Basic Options)*

GIve the bookmark to Nachi or get /fit/

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>>1739680
>Leave for training

A healthy mind is a healthy body. Or was it the other way around? I don't know.

>>1739680
>>LEAVE (Leads into Basic Options)*
and look for kaga, better nip that thing in the bud

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‘Oi,’ you hear a rough voice call out from behind you.

You frown, turning around and coming face-to-face with the dead-eyed bartender, his stained apron draped over his uniform, ash marks everywhere around the collar and what appeared to be the butt of a cigarette in his mouth, the rod long smoked. He grumbles, eyeing you up and down, prompting you to frown in confusion. Had you done something wrong? As far as you knew you hadn’t—at least in this instance—brought a ruckus with you … so what was it that he wanted?

He finally lets out a sigh, defeated, before squaring his shoulders and staring straight at you.

‘They got some good things to say about you … I thought that you’d be able to use this.’

Rummaging through his pockets, he shuffles towards you … and pulls out a grey-colored tag attached to a chain, a host of characters written on one side. Raising it to your nose, he gestures to the item in hand, urging you to take it. Tentatively, you pluck it out of his hands … and immediately realize, upon closer inspection, just what it was.

YOU RECEIVED: LEVEL 2 SECURITY TAG

‘What’s this for?’

He takes a drag from his otherwise thoroughly-indulged cigarette.

‘Seein’ as you’ve been helpin’ around the men on your off time … I thought you could use a little help yourself,’ he replies; his tone is one of reluctant admission, defeated, but otherwise at peace. ‘That tag’ll be able to get you past the Operations Checkpoint on the northwest side of town. So, if you need to meet up with any Officers or whatever, you won’t have to wait outside. Flash it, and they’ll let you in. See if you can get more things done there than just swimmin’ with field mice around here.’

You say the only words you really can say.

‘Thank you.’

The man shifts in place, rubbing his shoulder as he looks away; your verbal show of gratitude had been unexpected, it would seem.

‘Right,’ he sighs, the cigarette butt somehow not dropping out of his mouth, even with the widening of his maw, ‘don’t think that this makes us friends or nothing … but if we’re gonna win this war, we’re gonna need to do it without daggers behind our backs, huh?’

Despite yourself, you chuckle, giving him an acknowledging nod.

‘Right.’

‘Well, I’m going to go and get ready for the shift change,’ he rubs his neck, a tiredness creeping into his voice. ‘Be seein’ ya, Commander.’

As he turns his back to your form, you do the same, shooting one last appreciative glance as you step outside.

There were still some things to get over and done with, after all.

>>1739778
1/4
>Visit Locations
>Look for your KanMusu (Specify)
>Look for Admiralty Staff
>District Management
>Write-In

>>1739781
>Visit Locations (Gym)

Get ripped son

>>1739781
>Look for kaga

We REALLY can't wait another day for this

>>1739781
>Look for your KanMusu (Specify)
Kaga if possible, if not then Nachi

>>1739781
look for nachi

>>1739781
>>Look for your KanMusu (Specify)
Nachi

>>1739781
>Look for Kaga

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>1739803
>>1739807
>>1739929
>>1740068
>>1740192
It's 2.5 votes each, so let's see where fate drags us.

MECHANIC banned for lewding lolis again '='

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>>1747921
Mech, please refer to pic

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Mech is unbanned again, we'll be playing around now or later in the day/morning depending on where you live. Spoiler is a tease/preview

Can I have a show of hands as to who is here and who is not? If you are not here, do not raise your hand.

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>>1750008
Here

>>1750023
Since there is a significant lack of people, I'll push this to 6.00 PM my time. Hopefully I won't get banned for posting lolis.

File: ASASHIO METAL.png (245 KB, 800x768)

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Show of hands as to who is here and who isn't?

>>1750634
Aye aye

>>1750634
hello

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There seemed to be no rest for the weary.

Stepping outside, your find yourself assaulted by the glare of the sun and the dancing specks of dust. Reconstruction work was going at full swing, as it always did at this time of day, crew from both sides marching up and down the street hauling crates, cables and poles, eager to get the day’s tasks ticked and done with. You spy several civilians, battered but otherwise alive, marching with the army accompaniment, more likely than not being escorted towards a new shelter or another transport inland. You move away from the entrance to Mobile Command as several soldiers—Officers, judging by the stripes on their shoulders—march up to the pathway, heading right inside without sparing you so much as a glance.

Above, a helicopter roars above the din of chatter and toil.

‘Regulation’s up! Let’s roll, ladies!’

The honking sound of an Army jeep then catches your attention, the rumble of the truck hauling its mix of civilians and soldiers in the back as they grind to a halt in front of the bar’s entrance. You peer to the tail end of the convoy, where another jeep had taken up a position, several soldiers loading onto the back, shouting orders at one another. Your eye turns back its attentions towards the back of the truck, where you see a girl being held in an embrace by a scruffy-looking, bearded man who was probably her caretaker.

Her lone side-tail bobs as the man pulls back, offering a sympathetic smile at the young girl, who nods before hugging the man tightly. As he returns it, she turns her head towards you, a curious light gleaming in her eyes before the convoy roars loudly, continuing its journey.

Kaga.

You wanted to see Kaga.

Even if she had reached a decision—and even if that decision involved your absence in her foreseeable future—her departure wasn’t something you could just ignore; to let happen without so much as a roar or a whimper. After everything that the both of you had been through, to just allow her departure without so much as a foot in the door and a question was just something that you felt wholly incapable of doing. Maybe it was, in the worst case possible, somehow your fault; that you had pushed her into this decision rather than her taking it on obligation or terms bound by duty.

That, however, didn’t deter or dull your need to see her. Not one bit.

Although you doubted you could stop her—even if you didn’t want to—your conscience at least pushed that you couldn’t do nothing. It just wasn’t done. Not for you.

Now, if only you could pin-point just where she could be…

Shifting through the schedule would only end up giving you a shortlist. You could only hope that she was there. That is, if your guess was right in the first place.

Hopefully, luck would be riding with you today.

>Look for Kaga (Roll a 1d6 each)

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>1751290

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>1751290

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>1751290

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>1751290
Here goes

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>1751290

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>1751290

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>>1751292
>>1751297
>>1751300
>>1751302
>>1751304
Welp

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>1751290

File: RJ Bang.gif (3.47 MB, 430x659)

3.47 MB GIF

So.. will we be getting a new girl to fill the empty spot she left?

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>>1751342
No one could ever replace Kaga you monster

>>1751351
We're at war, if we have an empty spot we need a replacement.

>>1751355
emotions aside, there is actually no point. We can't get any carriers to replace kaga because ISSF are bitches which is why Kaga is gone to begin with, and why would we need another ship anyway if it's not a carrier? We have multiple of every other type, the division isn't any smaller than when we started because of new additions later down the line, we're stretched thin as fuck so good luck thinking they'll send anyone, we've even got a yamato class battleship. They have no reason to give us a new division mate and we have no actual reason for needing one.

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You burst into the tent, practically out of breath.

‘D-Division Commander!’

Behind you, a frantic KanMusu protests your sudden entry into the workspace, citing regulation and order. You mumble an apology, but it’s so low that you might as well have just kept your silence. KanMusu and crew member stare at your presence in confusion, more likely than not wondering what the hubbub was all about. You scan the columns and rows of desks—vacant and empty—desperately for your Carrier, only to be met with the incredulous glances of the company that you had instead found. The protests of the KanMusu next to you grow distant by the moment as you search for Kaga’s presence, only to find no trace of it. None whatsoever.

‘Where’s Kaga?’

Your voice is a little emotional, a little rough, even for your liking, as you round on the considerably shorter girl. As your eyes lock with hers, you see a smidgen of fear creep into her expression, causing you to ease your own stance. There was no need to antagonize her. She had been nice enough to escort you to the tent in the first place—you hadn’t been able to find it on your own, and there wasn’t anyone who recognized Kaga by name or office familiar enough to point you in the right direction. It had been on pure chance that this girl had even been able to communicate her knowledge of Kaga’s post.

And it would seem that it had all been for nothing, anyway.

‘I-I don’t know, sir,’ she raises her hand defensively, pursing her cheeks as she backed off. ‘Y-You just asked me where she worked. T-This is it.’

Your lips thin into a line as you open your mouth to ask more questions, before the room another glance. You manage to catch more of those confused, disapproving and annoyed looks before turning your attention back to the intimidated KanMusu. Calming yourself further, you take a step away, affording her an apologetic gesture as she, too, regains her bearings.

‘Do you know where Kaga’s work desk is?’

She points over to a desk in the middle of the room, empty and tidy.

Letting out a sigh you turn towards the KanMusu, throwing up a salute. She does the same, puffing her chest for emphasis.

‘Thanks,’ you mumble, before pausing, ‘I’m sorry, I think I … I think I forgot your name.’

‘Teruzuki, sir,’ she replies, bowing respectfully, ‘and don’t worry, not many people remember it anyway.’

She exits the tent without another word, leaving you to your frustrations. Rubbing your eyepatch and grumbling, you saunter over to Kaga’s vacant station … and not knowing what else to do, pull out the chair and seat yourself, slouching as you stared at the blank, flat surface.

‘Oh, I didn’t know Commanders were taking over our duties.’

Frowning, you turn your head upwards at the sympathetic, yet teasing voice.

It was Zuikaku.

>>1751510
>‘It just goes to show how far incompetency gets you.’ (Grim)
>‘I’m not in the mood for idle talk, Zuikaku.’ (Dismissive)
>‘Zuikaku? Do you know where Kaga is?’ (Inquire)
>‘Aren’t you supposed to go back to your ISSF masters or something?’ (Question)
>'You're leaving too, huh?' (Casual)
>Write-In

>>1751515
>‘I’m not in the mood for idle talk, Zuikaku.’ (Dismissive)
Simmer for a bit in failure.

>>1751510
>‘Zuikaku? Do you know where Kaga is?’ (Inquire)

>>1751515
>'You're leaving too, huh?' (Casual)

>>1751515
>>'You're leaving too, huh?' (Casual)

>>1751515
>>'You're leaving too, huh?' (Casual)

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You throw her a grimace of your own, leaning back in your seat.

Your eyes travel to the two boxes in her arms, labels crossed several times over on the side

‘You’re leaving too, huh?’

‘Just about,’ she responds, setting the boxes down on the table and placing her hands on her hips. ‘My transfer’s not due until tomorrow morning. I have a few things to sort out with the Vice-Admiral before the ISSF plucks me out of service.’

You let out a snort, shaking your head.

‘What did he have to say about it?’

She perks up slightly, tilting her head.

‘The Vice-Admiral?’

You nod.

‘Only to make sure that I don’t leave anything lying around that I would miss,’ she chuckles, giving the work area a once over. It’s a statement that you can only respond to with the creasing of your brow.

‘That’s … it?’

‘That’s it,’ she responds flatly. No emotion, no investment, just a simple, direct answer.

After what you had just gone through with Kaga, however—and perhaps you were really just projecting too much on parallels—you can’t help but question it a little bit more. It was strange that The Vice-Admiral would just let a war asset—never mind a comrade and a friend—just step off without so much as a small plea for them to stay. You entertained the thought that you might have overestimated The Vice-Admiral’s standing with his Squadron, his Forces—Zuikaku an extension to that—but hearing the nonchalant response seemed to irk you somewhat.

‘Thought he’d have a little bit more stock on you, your worth to the team,’ you sound, barely more than a mumble as you turn up to look at the twin-tailed KanMusu. ‘He didn’t strike me as the type to just let things happen.’

Her eyes widen for a moment … before covering her mouth, barely suppressing a chortle.

That was a strange reaction.

‘It’s sweet that you think that factors into consideration at all.’

You frown. That, however, was most definitely patronizing.

‘I know that you’re new to this, but at the end of the day … we’re soldiers, aren’t we? We have a purpose.’

She pauses briefly, before swinging herself off the table and placing her hands on her hips and turning around, an enigmatic smile playing on her lips.

‘We’re aware of our place in the grand scheme of things,’ she sighs, ‘but the argument is thus: do soldiers say no to their superiors without due cause? What does rebellion and insubordination entail in consequence? These pile up, you know. They bring about trouble that some of us don’t think is worth dragging along, yeah?’

Her carefree tone stands in stark contrast to the reality that her words ground into her stance—into your perspective.

‘Soldiers, huh?’ you muse, shaking your head.

‘If you didn’t need ‘em, you wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of bringin’ us about, would ya?’

Her grin looks like she’s baring fangs more than she is offering support.

>>1751773
>'I best let you get on your way, then. Good luck, soldier.' (End the conversation)
>'Did Kaga say anything to you before she left?' (Ask about Kaga)
>'Did the Vice-Admiral have to tend to your needs at all?' (Inquire about her status with the Vice-Admiral/Her relationships in general)
>'You don't have any objection to this arrangement?' (Ask about her stance on the recall)
>'You know, I have a vacant spot for a Carrier...'
>Write-In

>>1751783
>>'Did Kaga say anything to you before she left?' (Ask about Kaga)

>>1751773
>'Did Kaga say anything to you before she left?' (Ask about Kaga)

>>1751783
>'Did the Vice-Admiral have to tend to your needs at all?' (Inquire about her status with the Vice-Admiral/Her relationships in general)

>>1751783
>>'You don't have any objection to this arrangement?' (Ask about her stance on the recall)

>>1751783
>>'Did Kaga say anything to you before she left?' (Ask about Kaga)

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‘Did Kaga say anything to you before she left?’

‘No,’ she replies nonchalantly, before tilting her head, her eyes squared on you in curiosity. ‘Why?’

You shake your head, letting out a grumble of a sigh. Maybe there was something that you had expected of Kaga, as selfish as it was. A goodbye or a casual word wishing your luck—Hell, you would have been able to make do with one of her playful jibes, second-hand and from the lips of her alleged best friend. That she would have just upped and left without so much as a single syllable or scribble had been a little bit more … hurtful than you had expected.

Perhaps it was just because it was the first time that you had felt anything like this.

With the release of your next breath, you shake your head and turn up to face Zuikaku, a tight smile forming upon your lips. Maybe it was best if you just didn’t push it here. Whatever had happened … happened, and there was less to be done moping or grumbling about it than there was pushing up and getting on with what you had at hand.

‘Nothing.’

Zuikaku’s mischievous grin—no doubt picked up from her so-called best friend, if the curve of the eyes was anything to go by—however, seemed to have different plans from you.

‘What? Is there something that you want me to tell her?’

You wouldn’t fall for it, however. You didn’t have time for this.

‘Zuikaku,’ you take a warning tone, which, for all intents and purposes, went unheeded as she dropped herself on the side of the table. Even the warning glare that your threw at her with your one good eye seemed to do nothing to deter her newfound vigor.

‘Come on, it’s written so well on your face,’ she says in a sing-song voice, her nose barely inches away from yours, ‘you degenerate Commander, you…’

Kaga had definitely left her mark there.

You open your mouth, hesitant…

>‘You know what? That’s none of your business.’ (LEAVE)
>‘Drop it. Can we talk about something else?’
>Give her a message to send to Kaga (Write-In)
>Write-In

>>1752182
something along the lines that she'll always be welcome at the barracks and we love her something like that

There is a good need to stop acting like a jilted boyfriend and act like a commander.

We've a tough mission tomorrow, even.

>>1752255
>>1752306
As long as you guys come to a decision within the next 4 hours, I have no issues with any write-up. I might be disgusted or reluctant, but I will do it.

>>1752182
>Give her a message to send to Kaga (Write-In)
"It was a honor working with her and... she is always welcome in the barracks, it may be a little cliche and a little overused at this point, especially considering the situation, but if she has any favors she wants to ask, just say a word. And drop by the barracks if you happen to be nearby."


Kill me, now.

>>1752385
Going for this

>>1752182
>>Give her a message to send to Kaga (Write-In)
"Where do you buy your shampoo?"

>>1752182
>>Give her a message to send to Kaga (Write-In)
"Tell her I miss her already and that I hope she'll be back soon when all this is settled."

Simple, short. Don't be too sappy. We are in a room full of the other kanmusu. Try to act like more like a commander than a lost puppy.

>>1752182
>>1752886
I'm okay with this

>>1752324
This for me>>1752385

>>1752182
>give her a message

Good luck

>>1752886
this oughta work

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>1752385
>>1752886
Votes are tied, let's see what the coin (Dice) has to say.

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‘Tell her…’

You pause, biting your lip. The words were at the tip of your tongue, but you couldn’t help but feel that they were a mite bit too … sappy for your station.

The both you had shared something that you had been practically closed of to throughout your whole life, but you didn’t want to come off as some sap that fell apart just because she had chosen to honor her prior arrangement—her own status and responsibilities—over you. As romantic as the notion sounded, needing to listen to any sort of sentence that particular part of you wanted to string together only served to make you want to retch rather than think of it as any adequate measure of response to her suddenly-unexpected absence. Leaning back and furrowing your brows, you search for the right words to pass through Zuikaku.

A combination that, hopefully, didn’t deserve that snicker and roll of the eyes that you had seen much too much of.

Or did you miss her enough that even that snickering would be welcome at this point?

No, not really.

Well … a bit.

‘Tell her that I miss her already,’ you breathe out, offering Zuikaku a half-smile that teetered between humored and sullen, ‘and that I hope she’ll be back as soon as this mess is sorted out.’

For some reason, however, Zuikaku looked … disappointed.

‘Sheesh, all that bragging and that’s really all you got to say about that?’ Zuikaku huffs, crossing her arms and turning her nose up again. ‘No wonder she decided to just up and go back to the Shamans. With a Commander like this not considering her needs at all.’

You’re not quite sure whether to laugh at the pinpoint accuracy of her poison-tipped daggers for words or to drop into a wistful state of being to comprehend just where you had done wrong. For some reason, however, your brain was able to register the playful tone of Zuikaku faster than your own cognitive decision-making skills … and you end up letting out a snort and setting your elbows on the table, staring up at the satisfied, yet smug, features of the twin-tailed KanMusu.

‘I never said I was an attentive Commander,’ you counter, taking an equally playful tone.

‘Never assumed you were either, sir.’

You find yourself, surprisingly, slightly stunned.

Kaga had, without any doubt, definitely dropped her mannerisms on Zuikaku. Whether she knew it or not.

‘If it helps,’ she suddenly sounds, picking up her boxes again, ‘a lot of us … well, a lot of us can’t get personal enough for this sort of thing to actually … matter, short or long-term, so, really, as an observer, all I can say is … take it slow, good and bad. It’s, well, it’s just life, you know.’

She offers a supportive grin.

‘Shit happens.’

>‘Doesn’t … make it any easier, to be honest.’ (Personal)
>‘Crossing some lines there, Zuikaku.’ (Warning)
>‘You’re assuming that whatever’s between the both of us is concrete.’ (Wary)
>Stay silent
>Write-In

>>1758187
>>‘Doesn’t … make it any easier, to be honest.’ (Personal)

>>1758187
>>‘Doesn’t … make it any easier, to be honest.’ (Personal)

>>1758187
>‘Doesn’t … make it any easier, to be honest.’ (Personal)

>>1758187
>‘You’re assuming that whatever’s between the both of us is concrete.’ (Wary)

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‘Doesn’t … make it any easier, to be honest.’

It really didn’t.

Zuikaku, seemingly sensing your wry sense of consideration towards the events that had unfolded, takes a stand … or, really, more of a seat, scooting towards you and snorting loudly once more.

‘You know,’ she begins, her voice taking a tentative, yet blunt, quality, ‘you humans are really a mess.’

You grimace, staring up at her with your good eye.

‘Thanks?’

‘It’s strange, even now,’ she goes on, seemingly uncaring of your sarcastic return. ‘To be in this body, to have … wants, needs.’

Her words stewing in your head, you look up, frowning.

‘What’s so strange about it?’

‘It’s just really hard to manage,’ she answers noncommittally, lifting up her hand, as if for emphasis. ‘This shell … it’s a simulacrum, I guess, to act as close to the human condition as possible. I don’t know the science or magic behind it, but it’s meant to keep us grounded here so we can fight. That’s all I care enough. I want to go out there and earn my meat like every one those stripes, yeah?’

‘But?’

‘Well,’ Zuikaku continues, albeit hesitantly. ‘I kind of … being human, well, I think I understand it, as someone outside looking in. To have those kind of needs, making mistakes, doing them over and over again until you get it right. Being stupid, smart, uncaring, loving … it’s all part of a package, right? It’s one big mess that you have to sort out for yourself. Stepping forward’s never easy … and for your kind, it’s, well, sometimes it’s downright impossible to do.’

You really do find it funny, insult or no.

‘Is that a jab? Feels like one.’

‘I’m just sayin’,’ she counters defensively, huffing as she stares right down at you, a light of concern shining through her irises, ‘no one’s gonna tell ya to go up and man up or anything. That’s up to you, right, Commander? Whatever it is between you and Kaga that you think is hard … well, it’s just part of life. No one’s telling ya to just move on or anything dramatic, but, well … ya got responsibilities, right?’

You lick your front teeth, looking at the flat surface of Kaga’s desk, considering her words. You did. You definitely did have responsibilities. Duties to fulfill. The wheel didn’t stop just because one turner didn’t want to bother anymore.

‘I think Kaga and whatever it is you got on your mind can wait,’ she declares, a little too smug and uppity for your taste, but all honest and upfront, all the same. ‘Ya do better fightin’ with a clear head than you do with something on it, huh?’

Maybe, all things considered … that it just couldn’t be helped in either case. It was just the call you had made at the dealer’s table.

‘That is some silly sausage logic, Zuikaku.’

She grins brightly.

‘It works, right?’

>‘Yeah, it does.’
>‘You’ll get it right one of these days.’
>Write-In

>>1758491
>>‘Yeah, it does.'
>>Write-In
"Thank. You're gonna make some guy a very happy man one of these days~"

>>1758491
>>‘Yeah, it does.’

>>1758491
>‘Yeah, it does.’
>Thanks Zui

>>1758491
>>Write-In
"Poi~"

>>1758539
Voting this

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Despite every attempt to shrug off, Zuikaku’s encouragement, you really can’t help but agree with her.

‘Yeah, it does.’

Seemingly satisfied with your answer, she gives you a nod and—boxes in her arms—pushes herself back onto her feet, offering a grin over her shoulder. As your eyes travel to the containers that she held, you remember that she too was due for a trip out of Yokosuka and back into whatever cave the ISSF had reserved for occasions such as this.

‘So you’re off as soon as transport comes?’

‘That’s the plan,’ Zuikaku responds, her eyes focused on the top of the boxes. ‘The liaison from Admiralty HQ’s swamped with the recall details that he’s had to send out. Not to mention getting the transport schedule sorted out to bring us back to Akina. With this little tiff, not a lot of the Admiralty’s willing to be cooperative … on any capacity.’

Frustration and annoyance seem to coil into one at her tone as Zuikaku glares into space, her thoughts pre-occupied. Strange as it was, it was actually quite … welcome to see that at least one Carrier had her own misgivings on the whole business of the split. Houshou had, of course, chosen to stay on out of sheer loyalty—and you were greatly appreciative of that—but it was still heartening to see someone that you had at least a measure of respect on their experience and merit that wasn’t under your umbrella to have her own opinion … especially since she was one of the more directly-affected subjects.

‘I met the Liaison,’ you reveal, smiling. ‘Nice guy. Could probably use a nice girl like you scooting on his desk, if you get my drift.’

Zuikaku rolls her eyes.

‘Oh,’ she begins in a highly-effected, disgusted voice. ‘Earthly pleasures … as much of an experience they are, it only serves to, and I quote: dull the tempo of each individual’s march.’

You feel a headache coming along. You’d completely forgotten just what else Kaga held in check around here.

‘Zuikaku!’

The voice of the Vice-Admiral, muffled but otherwise audible, is soother than the morning bells on a cold, sunny morning.

‘I’ll be seeing you, sir!’

You wave her off, her form quickly disappearing outside the work space, leaving you with the small collection of KanMusu and staff members, leaning back and staring at the metal bearings that made the chamber. Humming to yourself, you close both your eyes, allowing serenity, so long absent, to wash over you like a cool bath after a hot day.

It wouldn’t be long until your departure.

‘So this is where you’ve been.’

You almost leap out of your seat, startled, coming face-to-face with a stoic-looking Yuubari, clad in her lab coat and ever-present clipboard.

Glaring up at her, you breathe out your call to patience.

>>1758878
>'You scared me.' (Wuss)
>'You know, normal people have a sense of timing.' (Sarcasm)
>'It's nice to see you too, Yuubari.' (Playful)
>'Whatever it is, this time, it wasn't me.' (Joke)
>'About time, huh?' (Down to business)
>Write-In

>>1758885
>'It's nice to see you too, Yuubari.' (Playful)

>>1758885
>>'About time, huh?' (Down to business)

>>1758885
>'About time, huh?' (Down to business)

>>1758885
>'It's nice to see you too, Yuubari.' (Playful)

File: Good Luck, Commander.png (358 KB, 677x1142)

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She doesn’t need to tell you why she’s here.

‘About time, huh?’

You push yourself out of your chair as she confirms what you already suspected. Not with a nod or acknowledgment, but with her attentions turned to the clipboard in her hand, humming as she mumbled the contents to herself, her glasses shimmering in the bad light.

‘Your RAY unit’s been restored,’ she begins tentatively as you push your chair in. ‘The Stream defense mechanisms have undergone an upgrade, but you’re probably not going to notice until you actually have a Command Unit or an Oni on your proper.’

‘I doubt that I’m going to survive an encounter of that magnitude,’ you chuckle, shaking your head, before noticing her disapproving frown, ‘but it’s appreciated.’

‘The Admiralty’s not going to be able to re-fit us with any of the latest RAY models until the supplementary tech units arrive, so you’re going to have to make do with what we still have on base, unfortunately,’ she grumbles, sounding none too pleased by the development—or, more accurately, lack thereof. It did sound strange that there hadn’t been any proper refitting on the later, more recent RAY units.

‘Is there any reason for that?’

‘Stream-compatible tech costs a bundle to engineer,’ she replies, her eyes on the clipboard once more as stepped back from you. ‘It’s not the same as fixing up a car. A lot of the technology’s an amalgamation of alchemical principles, magic and the latest in engineering … you add that to the passage of time and you know just why we can’t put up the V-Models without getting yelled at…’

You tilt your head, suddenly feeling lost.

She turns her back to you, gesturing for you to follow as she made her way towards the exit.

Sparing Kaga’s desk one last look, you move to catch up with her.

‘I’ve been doing what I can with what little wiggle room they’ve afforded me,’ she grumbles—you feel like you’re more of a complaint pole than someone she was willingly engaged in conversation with—as you trudge through the compound. ‘And of course, with all the trouble that you end up in, that’s pretty much Heaven-sent.’

You’re not sure whether to feel embarrassed or move to defend yourself.

‘The remote unit’s a no-go because of the risk you’re running on these sort of missions, so supplies have been arranged in case you’re going to need an extended stay.

Extended stay?

‘Well, it’s a strike and hold assignment,’ you say, frowning. ‘I don’t suspect to have it last for too long.’

‘You might have to consider an extension to your mission length if the objectives aren’t aligned without feasible doubt. Without an outpost, you’re going to have to be on your toes, Commander.’

You pause.

‘I’ll manage.’

She fixes you with a concerned stare.

‘Let’s hope you do.’

INTERLUDE END