File: FlayedSculptor.jpg (222 KB, 850x607)

222 KB JPG

>>3147018
"Your rather unique way of handling your medium of choice." you reply with a smile and the most even-keeled tone you can manage. You gesture across the space to the intricate series of nesting-doll-like globes that are labelled as 'The Favored's Reward', though you keep your eyes trained on the girl before you as your swarmlings moving into favorable positions around the gallery. Julia's cheeks twitch, slightly.

"You're a work of art yourself. In a rather good way, I mean." you continue, B'ni's eyes flickering to you with a slightly raised eyebrow. "They say the art is defined by the Artist and all of that. You might as well be a living exhibit of your creations with a neat placard that reads 'Angel in the Flesh.'"

The flayed sculptress takes another step forwards, leaving another scarlet footprint to mar the ivory ground. "Y-you're too kind, r-really." she stammers, lipless teeth stark white against her face's bare musculature. Gina stands firm, her Halo's soft glow pulsing in time with her steady breathing as B'ni's stark white scythes creak against the ground, her fanged jaw tense as she stares unblinking at the artist.

"Do you take commissions?" you ask coolly, attempting to calm your allies as well as the crimson spectre before you. You would imagine that if Julia had skin she'd be blushing as she wrings her hands in excitement and nods furiously, droplets of blood splattering on the ground as she does so.

"Y-yes! Of course, I...anything you need, really! I'll do it, j-just tell me what you'd like done!"

Gina makes an uncomfortable noise with her throat, low so only you and B'ni can hear. You hum with a smile, trying to communicate what you're trying to do. You're not any more fond of this situation than they are, and your worries are made even more overwhelming by the tension your allies are feeling now, their concerns swirling in your head like a furious storm of uncertainty. You fight through it to continue the pleasantries and stop the situation from escalating as you consider your next move.

HP: 100%
BIO: 120% (4 Simple, 2 Spylings, 6/10 Active. Ravenous maw at the ready.)
ACT: 2/2
Threat: Medium, approaching.
B’ni HP: 100%
GG HP: 100%

>>"We would love to see your studio, Ms. Pickman. Maybe we could chat there and we could see your process? I have several questions about your inspirations that I would like to run by you." (Continue on to Julia's Studio)

>>"If it's all the same to you Julia, I know we would love to see an example of your work right here and now...what could you do with this?" (Hand over a swarmling or prompt B'ni to part with a Calcite Greave)

>>"I appreciate your enthusiasm Ms. Pickman, but I am afraid we have some business to attend to on the other side of the mountain. However, would you be willing to allow us a private viewing soon? I would love to discuss your process in greater detail."

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3147026
>>>"We would love to see your studio, Ms. Pickman. Maybe we could chat there and we could see your process? I have several questions about your inspirations that I would like to run by you." (Continue on to Julia's Studio)

>>3147026
>>>"Let's walk and talk. We'd love to see your studio, Ms. Pickman. Maybe we could chat there and we could see your process? I have several questions about your inspirations that I would like to run by you." (Continue on to Julia's Studio)

Leaning towards this if only because jesus, this is nerve-wracking. It's a good idea, but some artist types can be so finicky. If we ask her to do something right now, she might get offended and think we consider her just a 'machine'. We also can't just layer on the sweet talk, or else she might catch on that we're insincere. Nor can we simply beg her off after we insinuated we'd like something from her. So best thing to do would be to keep her on the hook and imply what we might want from her.

...Although if we CAN get something from her, I wonder what it'd be? Some sort of wearable cover, maybe, or some kind of totem sculpture?

>>3147026
>"We would love to see your studio, Ms. Pickman. Maybe we could chat there and we could see your process? I have several questions about your inspirations that I would like to run by you." (Continue on to Julia's Studio)

>>3147026
>>"If it's all the same to you Julia, I know we would love to see an example of your work right here and now...what could you do with this?" (Hand over a swarmling or prompt B'ni to part with a Calcite Greave)
Going to her studio might not be the best decision. I'm thinking if the situation goes south, all of her 'art pieces' will come to life and attack us. In her studio, that's the worst situation possible. First, we hand over a swarmling and see what happens. Test the water.

>>3147086
That's what I'm worried about too, to be honest. Like I said, though, I'm worried her emotional state is extremely fragile, otherwise I'd agree.

>>3147026
>"If it's all the same to you Julia, I know we would love to see an example of your work right here and now...what could you do with this?" (Hand over a swarmling or prompt B'ni to part with a Calcite Greave)
Give her a swarmling.

File: 2996aab57ed7f745f5c4daa39(...).jpg (634 KB, 1500x1383)

634 KB JPG

>>3147026
>"Let's walk and talk. We'd love to see your studio, Ms. Pickman. Maybe we could chat there and we could see your process? I have several questions about your inspirations that I would like to run by you." (Continue on to Julia's Studio)
AW SHIT HERE'S MY DAILY DOSE OF GORE AND BLOOD FEAT. DANTE FROM THE DEVIL MAY CRY SERIES, THANKS DOC

>>3147026
"Let's walk and talk. We'd love to see your studio, Ms. Pickman. Maybe we could chat there and we could see your process? I have several questions about your inspirations that I would like to run by you."

You can tell that Julia is ticked a much more visceral shade of pink as she practically bounces in place. The daggers B'ni had been staring at your unstable host are now aimed squarely at you, the look she shoots you comprised of equal parts 'why the hell' and 'what the fuck.' Gina, while still hesitant, smiles and nods even as the halo's pulse quickens in time, you assume, to her own hammering heart.

The skinless lass turns on her heel and gestures for you to follow, padding off towards a curve further along the narrow space. B'ni strides forward, putting herself ahead of the group and between you and Julia. Gina follows close behind you, amethyst cord in hand. A swarmling hangs on to her back, ready to grab the strand should the need arise. You cannot help but notice the tension laced in B'ni's athletic form, knees bent and posture slightly lowered, ready to spring on the offensive. For now though, the three of you continue cautiously forward, bidden onward by a scarlet hand.

Turning the corner, an ornate tent comes into view, sheets of skin held taught against the burden of the recent dustfall, grey flakes weighing on the coverings stretched tight across the narrow mountain passage. Various etchings are visible on the strained sheets, cramped depictions of indecipherable scenes juxtaposed with attempts at self-portraits and half-finished representations of people and places unknown.

"M-my inspirations usually come to me in d-dreams, t-to address your earlier query." Julia says, turning the tent's flap aside and beckoning you inside her macabre dwelling. "It's where I get all of my best work, b-but other guests have inspired me, t-too. P-please, come in!"

B'ni glaces back at you and smiles grimly as your heart swells with an alien feeling, a sort of resignation, a kind of...faith? There's little time to dwell on the curious emotion as you follow her into the tent, your hand reaching out for Gina's as you guide her in and keep her close.

(Continued)

>>3147156
"All m-my materials are...um, native to myself, f-for lack of a b-better term. It takes a while to b-build up my supplies, and I get very few d-donations so I make d-due with what I can. I f-feel like taking material without being granted permission w-would spoil the piece and the audience both, so it's o-out of the question." she says behind you, your eyes adjusting to the change in lighting. Her abode is...oddly cozy, a revelation that takes you by more surprise than you feel it should. Chairs roughly hewn from the mountainous bone surround a small, lit fireplace, various half-finished pieces pushed to the corners of the room. You suppress a shudder as Julia's flayed wing brushes by your bare arm as she rushes forwards, struggling to arrange the furniture and using her foot to gently push her creations and nick-nacks to the sides of her tent to make room for you and your allies.

"I c-can put on some tea, if y-you like?" she says finally, gesturing to the marbled chairs next to the crackling fire. B'ni looks back at you with a shrug and GG edges closer to the fire, keeping her back turned from your host and your swarmling hidden. The other three hover silently near the entrance, close at hand.

You smile warmly at Julia as you measure your response and any questions you may want to ask to keep her occupied.

>>Write-in

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

I dunno why I'm laughing at this, but I am.

>>3147159
> "Sure. I have to admit, you've made a nice place here. It's both warm yet bold. I'm curious about how you managed to accomplish that...what was it? Skies Long Past. I recognized a few of those constellations- how'd you manage to, ah, get the material straight? That is, holding it all together with all those holes without any unwanted tearing or accidents?"

>(If there's ANY way Gina can scan for an exit without getting caught, please can you do so, hun?)

> "Hm. You said you get your best work in dreams, huh? Funny you mention that; it's why I got the idea to ask you about work." Mention, maybe not our whole dream, but the vague concept that we saw something and want some sort of sculpture of it- if only to remind us.

>>3147159
>>3147181
"Sure. I have to admit, you've made a nice place here. It's both warm yet bold. Very nice. Do you mind if I have a seat, Ms. Pickman?"

She practically stumbles over herself to push a chair nearer to you, her bare hands leaving scarlet marks where she manhandled it closer. You smile politely and settle down in such a way as to avoid the hand prints left by your attentive host as she busies herself with a rusted teapot and a mismatched set of cups she retrieved from under a nearby skinsheet.

"I'm curious about how you managed to accomplish that...what was it? Skies Long Past, you called it." you say, continuing to make idle conversation as B'ni settles behind you, tense hands clutching the back of your chair.

"I recognized a few of those constellations- how'd you manage to, uh, get the material straight? That is, holding it all together with all those holes without any unwanted tearing or accidents?"

Julia set the pot to boil and stand opposite you and B'ni, leering smile aimed at the two of you, her slender arms folded politely in front of her.

"When I first arrived here, I found I could manipulate in in....j-just incredible ways. B-before all this I was in an art school, o-on the coast...I could m-manipulate clay with a-adequate control before, b-but now I'm sure I can g-go back and c-continue on scholarship with what I can do now! This p-place is such a blessing!"

"Clay?" B'ni says incredulously as Julia paces over to a pile of her creations, plucking one resembling a model ship constructed by Escher himself from up off the floor. She roughly pokes a hole through one of the sails and then, with a caress of her finger, the skin stretches and seals itself across the gap.

"Yep!" Julia replies cheerfully, slowly becoming more comfortable around you. "M-Mom and Dad weren't the most supportive of my choice of major at first...I mean, what d-do you expect when she's a pilot and he's a physics teacher, b-but...yeah, they let me go down south to art school."

You've become aware of Gina's presence on your left, her thin purple halo thrumming gently mere inches above her thick, wavy brown hair.

"Four meters. Easy and ready, Shu." Gina says under her breath, barely audible.

(Continued)

oh snap this is back

File: Tea.jpg (54 KB, 570x747)

54 KB JPG

>>3147268
Gina twitches her finger towards a sheet of skin a short distance away, a gentle breeze revealing the pale mountainside beyond. A simple perspective switch with your three hidden swarmlings reveals the exit leads to a steep path down the mountainside, considerably more treacherous than the path that brought you to Julia's baroque gallery and hideaway.

The three of you nearly jump out of your seat when the teapot screeches its final song, piercing the unnervingly serene quiet that had settled in your host's mountain retreat. Julia hurries over to pour four cups of tea as you struggle to get your heart rate back under control.

"So, uh...you said you get your best work in dreams, huh?" you say, trying to keep your tone airy and light as your host places four full cups of tea on a cracked and rusted platter. "Funny you mention that...it's why I got the idea to ask you about work."

"R-really? You've had d-dreams like that too?" she says excitedly, nearly sending the cups clattering to the hard, unforgiving floor in her enthusiasm. You rise, helping to steady the platter as your hand grazes past her uncomfortably warm subcutaneous flesh.

"O-oh...I-i u-uh...T-thank you s-so much."

You smile and nod again, gently taking two cups from the plate and handing it to your allies before taking one for yourself. Julia takes the last one and settles in the seat opposite you once more, tilting her head back, teeth parting slightly to take in a slim stream of tea, the act of sipping made nigh-impossible by her lack of lips. She starts suddenly, focusing in on you and leaning in, close to the fire. B'ni immediately moves to your side before Julia speaks.

"Oh m-my God, I'm a t-terrible host, I d-didn't even ask your names! P-please forgive..."

You hold up and hand and chuckle, legitimately. Despite the unnerving start to this afternoon, you're finding yourself more and more relaxed in this unusual setting...you're still reluctant to try the tea, though.

"You're a great host Ms. Pickman, I just appreciate you having us. I'm Shu, and this is B'ni and Gina." you reply, nodding to your companions in turn. Julia slowly relaxes back in her seat, though B'ni remains strained and combat-ready by your side.

"It is a p-pleasure to met you, Shu! So if I m-may...you said something about a commission?"

Ah. You should've known the conversation would loop back to this.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3147181
(Forgive me, I was not sure what you meant about the vague concept that you wanted Julia to try and make. Did you mean the being you spoke to when you took the Third Option?)

▲
▲▲

>>3147305
>"Yeah. I'm not sure what passes for currency these days, but if nothing else I can always donate one of these."

>Present her with Swarmling.

File: Giorno_drinking_Abba_Tea.png (1.82 MB, 752x1124)

1.82 MB PNG

>>3147305
>"Yeah. I had a dream last time, about a very unsettling woman. Promised me power or something. Must have been a scam, because I took a third option and that set them off." Smile. "Good thing I did too. I'm not sure me and my friends would still be standing if I just went along with that deal of hers."
>Laugh all relaxed and shit, then down the whole entire teacup in one go. Pic fucking related.

>>3147323
newfag

>>3147305
>"Yes, In fact I did say that!"
>Show her set of 3 simple swarmlings. Have it act cute by having it act clumsy or put on a formation act.
>"Show me what you can do with these. If you're able to keep them alive and functional that would be awesome. But for aesthetics? Go for it."
I'm putting down 3 because this might jibe with the dream inspiration that we're going to give to Julia. as mentioned in >>3147181. With luck, this might inspire Julia and make her more engrossed with her work instead of seeing B'ni and Gina as spare BIO
>Also have B'ni to look more relaxed, Try to send her vague emotions of calmness and a general notion of we know where the exit is now. We can bolt for it when things go south.

When Julia goes to work, let this tidbit out. This might serve as inspiration as Julia's new muse. It's a altered version of our dream but with more symbolism and stuff, Artists tend to grasp symbolism more easily when their in their fey moods.
>"There was a dream where I had last I slept. I was standing in the dark. There were two figures cloaked in black. The first one offered me a gift of a beautiful crown in its hands. The second then cut in and swept aside its cloak showing me a decanter that never stopped flowing with water. I had to choose one. But then I noticed a third figure hidden deep in the dark, huddled as if it didn't want me to notice it. I asked the third figure what it could offer. it said 'I don't have anything to offer you. Not a crown, not a sword. I have nothing.' This didn't sit well with me, so I asked the third figure 'Can you offer me company? To stay with me until the end of my journey?', the figure nodded and offered its hand. And then the dream ended."
>>3147310
I believe >>3147181 Has the right of it.

>>3147305
changing my vote from >>3147345 to >>3147409

>>3147445
(Oh I'm keeping the tea, that's too hilarious to pass up. Writing now.)

>>3147409
Supporting. Might want to throw a Calcite Greave into the pot for kicks.

>>3147310
I'm late, but yes. >>3147409 has a good way of mentioning it.

>>3147305
>>3147409
"You're absolutely right, Julia. So, I had a dream a little while ago, about a very unsettling woman. She promised me power or something, gave me a binary choice between two futures, neither of which sounded appealing. Must have been a devil's bargain, because I took a third option and that set them off."

You smile, settling back in your chair as you continue. "Good thing I did too. I'm not sure me and my friends would still be standing if I just went along with her scam."

You laugh and proceed to imbibe the entire cup's contents in one gulp. You finish, bearing witness to three vastly different expressions across the room's occupants. Gina has her head angled down at you blankly, dumbfounded at your boldness, while Julia squirms expectantly in her seat as she chuckles in turn, her red-streaked teacup all but forgotten in her lap.

Meanwhile, B'ni stares down at you in abject horror, her throat working futility to voice the deep concern she appears to have for your decided course of action. A small, panicked whimper escapes her lips as you lick your own, inspecting the liquid for any sign of foreign elements. You detect bergamot and flakes of rust, but aside from that, nothing unusual piques your palate. You smile at B'ni to try and calm her nerves, a tactic that barely makes a dent in the waves of terror that break against your mind. You turn your attention back to your host.

"The tea is delightful Julia, thank you. Now, I know it's an unusual request, but if I tried to describe the being to you, do you think you could try and make a piece resembling her? It's a little open-ended, I know, but..."

"Of course!" Julia practically screams, catching her falling teacup as she rises, droplets splashing to the ground. "When my inspiration c-comes to me in my d-dreams, its sometimes j-just a vague feeling and it's up t-to me to g-give it form so that's p-perfect, Miss Shu!"

"I'm not sure what passes for currency these days, but if nothing else I would be happy to donate some of these." you say, generating a trio of simple swarmling from your back and onto your arm, their sleek, green-black shell glinting emerald in the firelight. Julia steps forward, hesitantly taking your creations from your arm at your urging. One rolls onto its back in her cupped hands as she inspects in with a studious eye, as another dangles from her arm and the third dances on her shoulder. She laughs joyfully at their antics, watching your purposefully clumsy swarmlings endear themselves to her at your command.

With your host distracted, you gently take B'ni's hand in yours and squeeze it quickly, meeting her eyes with what you hope comes across as a stalwart and reassuring gaze. Her eyes dart across your face and you can tell that she wants nothing more than to sprint out of this place with you and Gina in town, but she remains steady, the tides of fear subsiding into steady, lapping waves of simple unease.

It's an improvement, at least.

(Continued)

...now I'm concerned if drinking the tea was a mistake even if we didn't detect anything. It might not be poison, but it might be a controlling element.

File: 1476400273031.png (2.12 MB, 1064x1064)

2.12 MB PNG

>>3147481
that was some good shit BHOP

File: 1530883707616.jpg (98 KB, 675x275)

98 KB JPG

>>3147501
Why do you think I voted for that? :^)

>>3147481
>>3147409

You slip your fingers from B'ni's grasp and return your attention to your hostess.

"May I tell you the dream I had in full, for context?"

Julia settles back in her chair, attention fully on you as she listens to your slightly altered retelling with rapt attention.

"There was a dream where I had last I slept. I was standing in the dark. There were two figures cloaked in black. The first one offered me a gift of a beautiful crown in its hands. The second then cut in and swept aside its cloak showing me a decanter that never stopped flowing with water. I had to choose one. But then I noticed a third figure hidden deep in the dark, huddled as if it didn't want me to notice it. I asked the third figure what it could offer. it said 'I don't have anything to offer you. Not a crown, not a sword. I have nothing.' This didn't sit well with me, so I asked the third figure 'Can you offer me company? To stay with me until the end of my journey?', the figure nodded and offered its hand. And then the dream ended."

Julia nods in silence after you conclude your iteration, thoughtful as the fire crackles on between the two of you. Slowly, she rises, pacing around her chair, thumb and forefinger on her chin in contemplation as she pads around her home.

"It...it'll take some time, b-but you've given me a wonderful concept to flesh out!" she replies as you wince at her choice of words. "It'll take some time, but I'm so g-glad you entrusted this to me, Shu. I wouldn't ask you to stay while I work on a piece of this magnitude, so would you be willing to give me, uh...three, maybe four days? I'll work on it non-stop, so I'll try to not make you wait long!"

You feel your allies let out a collective sigh of relief at her statement.

"I'm glad we met, Julia. Now, my swarmlings won't stay active if I get too far away from them. Is that going to be an issue for your work, or...?"

Julia shakes her head vehemently, her translucent wings fluttering as she does so.

"N-not at all! I just...thank you so much for entrusting this to me, Shu." she says, hands behind her back, her gaze lowered. "I know I'm repeating myself, b-but...I can't tell you how much your faith means to me."

You smile, even as Gina and B'ni edge towards the tent's exit.

"Thank you for hearing me out, Julia. I look forward to seeing what you make of it all. Thank you so much for the gallery, the tea, and everything. I really appreciate it."

"I, uh...d-don't mention it, it's my pleasure, seriously. Is, um, is there anything else I can help you with before you three go?" she asks you in earnest. You glance towards your companions, already practically halfway out the tent.

You don't want to keep them here any longer than you have to, though you also don't wish to seem ungrateful to your host...

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

DO we have anything else we could ask her? If not, then:

> "Well, we're kinda wanderers, in a way. You wouldn't happen to know if the way through the canyon's got any dangers, do you?

I forget if we've really found that out already or what.

My idea is that we, at the very least, kinda scout around the general area. See what points of interest we can mark down.

>>3147533
>"Anything interesting in the area? anything to watch out for? Since you have to safeguard your exhibit and forage for materials I'd imagine you know the surroundings."

>>3147533
both >>3147567 and >>3147604 combined

(Greetings, Gentlemen. I will be taking a short break for an hour or two before resuming again for another post before closing out the evening. I will be resuming tomorrow as frequently as I can over work and I have a clear evening tomorrow, as well.)

>>3147604
I like this one, support.

>>3147533

>>3147604
I'll support.

>When we gracefully exit the tent, go find the furthest safe outcropping out of yelling earshot of Julia's Gallery&Workshop that serves as a good shelter to camp. Then collapse onto the floor like a bundle of frayed nerves. Have a small freakout and make small talk with Gina and B'ni about How bloody uncomfortable the experience was talking to Julia.
>"WHAT KIND OF GIRL WOULD USE ALL OF HER OWN SKIN AS ART MATERIAL? SHE COULD HAVE AT LEAST KEPT HER OWN FACE INTACT!"

>>3147533
>>3147604
>>3147567

"Well, we're kind of wanderers, in a way. You wouldn't happen to know if there's anything interesting in the area? Anything to watch out for?" You ask Julia, urging your companions onward with a gentle wave. "Since you have to safeguard your exhibit and forage for materials I'd imagine you know the surroundings?"

Julia taps her forehead as she considers your question. You glance towards the tent flap to see B'ni pushing Gina through as she stays behind, gaze flickering between you and the artist.

"Y-you'll want to watch out on your way d-down, it's treacherous...there's a town below, it was a mining town b-before all this, I think. A bunch of monsters overran it recently, so I've been waiting for them to leave before I scavenge for more art supplies."

"I appreciate the head's up...and the tea." you add with a smirk. "I'll be seeing you soon, Julia."

You turn to join B'ni through the exit, but Julia's hand on yours stops you. You face her, holding up a hand to stop B'ni from pouncing as you find yourself staring into a set of dark brown, almost black eyes. Julia stands before you, level with your height. This close, the crimson of her bare flesh fills your vision, scarlet hues and raw musculature showing in stark detail. It's her eyes, though, that draw your attention. Not the monster you could've seen her as, but the earnest, wild eyes of a passionate girl whose mind could not bear what the world had become in the absence of sanity.

"Just...b-be careful, Shu...and thank you so, so much for...all this."

Despite her form, despite her craft...

"I will, Julia. It's been a pleasure."

...she's as human as any of you.

(Cotninued)

>>3147917
"Jesus fucking Christ Shu, could you have kept us more on our toes up there?" Gina says finally, clinging to your back as you take great pains to be cautious in your descent down the mountainside. She laughs out loud, more out of relief than humor. "I mean, you handled that like a champ, don't get me wrong, but...oh my god, I thought her gallery was going to come alive and attack us at any second."

The relief that emanates off Gina is a welcome respite to the palpable tension the three of you were inundated with just half an hour before. You spare a laugh in spite of yourself as Gina's laughs reverberate through your hive and spine.

"Yeah, that was...that was fucking something. I think that could've gone south in a hurry if we hadn't kept our cool. Gina, Isabelle? You were amazing, I couldn't have gotten through that without you two, seriously."

Gina pats your shoulder as you give B'ni a glance to assess her progress. She's been handling the mountainside with expert skill, skating forward to scout and waiting for you to catch up, as before. She hasn't said a word since you escaped the gallery, and given her calm aura you simply assumed that she was relieved that you escaped without any one of you having to part a pound of flesh. She skates closer to you and Gina, giving a relieved sigh and a half-smile.

"Okay you two," you say, stopping to catch your breath, "I figure we'll get to a halfway stable outcropping and scout the town from there. If the place has a bunch of amalgams around it, we may want to just avoid it entirely and follow the mountain to..."

"Are you gonna go back once she finishes it?"

B'ni's interruption completely derails your train of thought. You feel Gina cock her head to the side in confusion as you study B'ni's emerald eyes. Her face is a blank, inscrutable, and the feelings you pick up are similarly cool and even. You think over it a moment, curious as to why she would ask...it would be a risk to go back, considering that you practically played a very polite version of Russian Roulette with a very unstable young artist. Then again, with the way Julia acted...you're not sure how to reply to B'ni as her green eyes study your face intently.

>>"...God no, and to clarify, hell no. If we come back, we'll have to scale this harder path going up, we'll have to approach her again and there's no guarantee she won't have lapsed further into the hunger by the time we come back. It's a risk I'm not willing to take."

>>"...Maybe. I know it sounds stupid, but allies are hard to come by. She's passionate about her work and she's clearly been able to keep her sanity for however long she's been up. That has to count for something. Plus, the tea wasn't poisoned and it was pretty good so...I don't know, I feel like it might be a decent thing to do, if you two are up for it."

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

File: BHQOP.jpg (91 KB, 1200x1039)

91 KB JPG

(Gentlemen, I will be pausing here for the evening. Thank you so much for your participation, you keep me on my toes as a writer and you've been wonderful to work with. Take care, and I look forward to resuming tomorrow.)

>>3147936
>>"...Maybe. I know it sounds stupid, but allies are hard to come by. She's passionate about her work and she's clearly been able to keep her sanity for however long she's been up. That has to count for something. Plus, the tea wasn't poisoned and it was pretty good so...I don't know, I feel like it might be a decent thing to do, if you two are up for it."

If we didn't want to gamble on the better nature of human beings, we wouldn't have gone with the third option back when we had The Choice.

>>3147936
>"...Maybe. I know it sounds stupid, but allies are hard to come by. She's passionate about her work and she's clearly been able to keep her sanity for however long she's been up. That has to count for something. Plus, the tea wasn't poisoned and it was pretty good so...I don't know, I feel like it might be a decent thing to do, if you two are up for it."

>>3147939
(No, thank YOU, OP. This quest is incredible, one of the better stories I've seen on this site in ages. Keep up the awesome work, we appreciate you for it.)

>>3147936
>"Yes. I know it sounds weird and is nothing but a shot in the dark, but short of journeying for who knows how long to get to the Cord this may be our only chance to get some information on the cause of all this. I don't think I'm unique, the only one to have that dream encounter. I hope my words will rouse Julia and bring her own to the forefront of her mind. If hers goes differently we could benefit from knowing that perspective."

>>3147936
>"...Maybe. I know it sounds stupid, but allies are hard to come by. She's passionate about her work and she's clearly been able to keep her sanity for however long she's been up. That has to count for something. Plus, the tea wasn't poisoned and it was pretty good so...I don't know, I feel like it might be a decent thing to do, if you two are up for it."
Also this >>3147956

>>3147936
along with >>3147977 >>3147956 also
>"You remember I can sense feelings a little now, right? I didn't sense any malicious intent from her - just a human girl broken in her own way, same as the rest of us. And besides, we all look like monsters in our own way just to survive. Some basic human decency is a good way to keep ourselves from forgetting who we are and who we were in this fucking place." Pull B'ni into a half-hug while carrying Gina. "Isn't that right?"

>>3147959
(Thank you for the kind words. I have been utterly taken aback by the response to this quest, and it is a true joy to write. I look forward to seeing how you tackle the crucibles to come.)

>>3148096
> I look forward to seeing how you tackle the crucibles to come
When in doubt. build up all the social links. Yes, even the social links of your enemies.

>>"...Maybe. I know it sounds stupid, but allies are hard to come by. She's passionate about her work and she's clearly been able to keep her sanity for however long she's been up. That has to count for something. Plus, the tea wasn't poisoned and it was pretty good so...I don't know, I feel like it might be a decent thing to do, if you two are up for it."


new friend

also im late as ever

>>3147973
Ill back this. Plus, julia actually didn't seem all that bad. And considering everything, her art isnt much more disturbing than anything else out here.

More importantly, what else is even around to use as art materials than biomass? Even if she did kill other sisters, we happen to know alot of them give you no choice, and is using them for your art really all that much worse than eating them for a meal to gain their powers?

You know this brings to mind. B'ni (Isabelle) might dissent to this. I've noticed that she really doesn't have any qualms with Shu back when Shu and B'ni were just duo partners. But ever since GG entered the picture, she's been having lots of internal friction in the party. I can almost get the feeling that B'ni just wanted to go full murderhobo on Julia deep down out of terror and self-defense.

>>3148289
Maybe b'ni is actually slightly succumbing to the insanity that seems to plague daughters and only us/ her feelings for us have been keeping her in check?

File: Calcite Cliffs.jpg (78 KB, 1000x667)

78 KB JPG

>>3147936
“Honestly, B’ni…maybe.” You say, taking stock of her and your surroundings on the steep cliff face. “I know it sounds stupid, but allies are hard to come by She’s passionate about her work and she’s clearly been able to keep her sanity for however long she’s been up. That has to count for something…plus, the tea wasn’t poisoned and it was pretty good, so…I don’t know, I feel like it might be a decent thing to do, if you two are up for it.”

Gina is quiet on your back as she shifts her weight slightly, the considerable pressure on your shoulder blades lightening as she keeps her expression hidden from view. B’ni simply nods slightly, waiting for you to continue.

“Also, practically speaking, this might be our only chance to get some information on the cause of all this. I don’t think I’m unique, the only one to have that dream encounter. I hope my words will maybe…I don’t know, rouse Julia and bring her some clarity. If her dreams went differently then we could benefit from knowing that perspective.”

“…I can get behind that, if you’ll pardon the pun.” Gina says dryly, and B’ni nods wordlessly once more.

“Also, you two…” you start, considering when you took the third choice, “…you remember I can sense feelings a little now, right? I didn’t get any ill intent from Julia the entire time we were there…all I sensed was a girl broken in her own way, same as the rest of us. Besides, we all look like monsters in our own way just to survive. Some basic human decency is a good way to keep ourselves from forgetting who we are and who we were in this fucking place.”

Despite the less than stable terrain, you make the effort to edge closer to B’ni and throw your arm around her shoulder with a smile.

“Isn’t that right?”

B’ni turns to face you, and you feel a sort of relief when her emerald eyes glimmer at yours, a toothy smile crinkling her cheeks.

“You never stop surprising me, Shu.” She says, returning your hug. “I’ll back you all the way, no worries.”

You give a short, affirmative nod before the three of you continue down the ivory cliffs.

(Continued)

>>3148777
An hour of careful navigation has brought you to a stable outcropping of pale bone, large enough for the three of you to rest on and angled enough to conceal you from the ruined town that has revealed itself to you from the dissipating fog.

True to Julia’s word, a simple mining town sprawls before you at the foot of the mountain, walls and roofs rusted red, pitted with wear and time. The ramshackle assortment of one-story homes blends seamlessly with the shops and factory installments below, forming a monochrome landscape of steel grey and corroded red. It lays motionless, a stark, angry reminder of humanity’s fate juxtaposed next to equally stark cliffs of white, unmarred by the machinery and habitation you peer out from a few dozen meters off. The stillness marks a distinct contrast to the amalgam-overrun locale you were expecting.

“I’m not sensing any movement below, Shu.” Gina says, Halo hovering between delicate fingers. Your drone has been making lazy circles around the town’s perimeter, staying close to the low-hanging fog, well out of sight. No movement below nor any sound aside from metal sinking under its own weight escapes the rusted labyrinth, an eerie, oppressive stillness permeating every crumbling inch of the abandoned settlement.

“Huh…” Gina says, gently turning the halo over and twisting in around, her sightless gaze to the heavens as she processes that which remains unseen. “…I’m getting a solitary heat signature somewhere around the middle of town, it’s faint and doesn’t look mobile.”

“How big?” B’ni asks, keeping her gaze steady as she scans the creaking tenements below.

“Uh, human-sized, actually.” Gina replies, turning the halo clockwise, then holding it vertically as it begins to glow a brighter shade of amethyst. “If it’s another Daughter, then I don’t think she’s in any condition to fight…I’m honing in as much as I can and I’m getting a really slow heartbeat…like, comatose kind of slow.”

“So are you saying she may be wounded?” you ask, eyebrow raised. Gina shrugs as B’ni speaks up to offer another possibility.

“…Or maybe she hasn’t woken up yet?”

It’s a possibility you hadn’t considered, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility that there would be girls out there that have yet to wake up to find the world they knew is long gone.

“In any case,” Gina says, placing the halo back atop her thick brunette hair. “We need to keep our art gallery appointment in mind with how we proceed. How do you want to play this, Shu?”

>>”Let’s take it slow and steady as we go through town, maybe if we can find that heat source then we can figure out more about how we got this way.”

>>”I’m not too keen on traipsing through that rust bucket, so let’s skirt around it via the mountain and continue on to see what’s beyond this town.”

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3148779
>”I’m not too keen on traipsing through that rust bucket, so let’s skirt around it via the mountain and continue on to see what’s beyond this town.”
Exploring! We can figure out what's in the town after we find out about the surroundings.

>>3148779
>>>>”I’m not too keen on traipsing through that rust bucket, so let’s skirt around it via the mountain and continue on to see what’s beyond this town.”

>>3148779
>”I’m not too keen on traipsing through that rust bucket, so let’s skirt around it via the mountain and continue on to see what’s beyond this town.”

>>3148779
>"Let's take it slow and steady as we move through the town. "

>>3148779
>>”Let’s take it slow and steady as we go through town, maybe if we can find that heat source then we can figure out more about how we got this way.”
I'm pretty curious about that sleeper. If it is an unawakened they shoukd be saner than most.

>>3148779
>>”Let’s take it slow and steady as we go through town, maybe if we can find that heat source then we can figure out more about how we got this way.”

(Gentlemen, I am almost through with the latest update. As there was a three to two vote until a few minutes ago to avoid the town, that is the course of action I geared the update towards. Thank you for reading and I shall update soon.)

>>3149023
Damn that's annoying
Could you next time announce the vote's closed? Saves us all some nerves

(Gentlemen, in the interest of fairness I can keep voting open for another hour or two and if it changes, then that's perfectly fine. Alternatively, I can post what I have now and then we can go from there with an option to explore the town offered immediately and with a deadline on voting. Which would you all prefer?)

>>3149068
>I can keep voting open for another hour or two
this

>>3148779
>”I’m not too keen on traipsing through that rust bucket, so let’s skirt around it via the mountain and continue on to see what’s beyond this town.”

(I'll keep voting open for another one and a half hours, Gentlemen. My apologies for the oversight, and thank you for your participation.)

>>3148779
>>”Let’s take it slow and steady as we go through town, maybe if we can find that heat source then we can figure out more about how we got this way.”

>>3148779
>>”Let’s take it slow and steady as we go through town, maybe if we can find that heat source then we can figure out more about how we got this way.”

>>”Let’s take it slow and steady as we go through town, maybe if we can find that heat source then we can figure out more about how we got this way.”

i say we investigate

(Gentlemen, I'll update before the hour is up, thank you.)

>>3148779

”Let’s take it slow and steady as we go through town, maybe if we can find that heat source then we can figure out more about how we got this way.”

Your arms begin to tire about halfway through your cliff side journey, heavy with Gina and the tension of carefully picking safe spots along the rocky, uncertain terrain. The heavy fog has cleared almost completely, now, revealing town’s full, ramshackle glory. It’s a hideous no-man’s land of poorly-constructed, single-story tenements, their sheer number and narrow spacing between them their only claim to stability. There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason to their placement, the town’s cramped alleys and jagged edges cutting into one another, a mad architect’s folly.

“Hey, Shu…that was really nice, what you did.”

Gina’s soft voice whispers in your ear as you scan the assemblage of near-identical buildings, and you feel a not-entirely-uncomfortable chill run down your hive.

“With Julia?” you shoot back, trying to crane your neck to see your cargo, “It’s what you or B’ni would’ve done, I believe.”

“Maybe…” She replies softly, hands tightening on your shoulders as she finds stable footing next to you, relieving you of her weight. You turn to look at her as she continues with a smirk, wiggling her bare feet on solid ground.

“…Maybe not. Just take the compliment Shu, turning them down isn’t healthy.”

You crack a small smile as you watch Gina brush the front of her hoodie free of wrinkles, her plastic and metal headphones bouncing around her neck as she does so. You stretch leisurely, a quick glance ahead showing B’ni scouting further ahead, creeping along with her greaves’ blades retracted.

“Good call, by the way. I wasn’t really up weighing you down any longer than I had t…”

A high-pitched creak of metal roofing precedes the deafening crash of concrete and steel as a building somewhere unseen succumbs to an unknown burden of time. You look at B’ni, her eyes wide, frozen mid-step. After a moment, the echoes fade, the unearthly silence settling once more over the town.

“Okay, gang.” Gina says dully, retrieving the halo and scanning your surroundings. “Let’s be careful in Teatnus-opolis, alright?”

B’ni nods rapidly, hopping back to the two of you as Gina points to a nearby alley.

“Heat signature’s coming from somewhere over there.”

“Alright.” You say, giving your allies a quick pat on the back simultaneously, “Let’s go.”

(Continued)

>>3149369

“Hard to believe this was a mining town...” B’ni says in a low voice, a mix of caution and disgust keeping her tone down to a whisper. “…pre- or post-apocalypse, I don’t think this place ever saw a decent coat of paint.”

Gina nods as you chance a look skyward. The sky, such as it is, glows a deep, angry shade of crimson, deepening the contrast between the black-red rust and warped aluminum struts. The three of you pad forwards with even greater caution than you exercised during your mountain journey, the blind corners and crooked eaves making you uneasy.

“We’re about twenty meters away from the source, Shu.” Gina says, goose-stepping over and around random pieces of debris that litter the concrete walkways. “It should be…here.”

You find yourself facing a run-down shack like any other, indistinguishable from the rest in its unremarkable construction. The door hangs loosely on a single remaining hinge, as still as the rest of unnerving town. Where the windows aren't cracked, they're shattered, the odd strand of biomass here and there sometimes the only thing between a reasonably intact pane and another broken window, like so many others in the long-dead town.

You reach out for the handle when B'ni's hand shoots out and snatches your wrist. You face her, emerald eyes wide as she glances behind you, a silent request to turn around, slowly. As you do so, you notice Gina's halo humming fitfully, her attention focused on whatever the two of them...

...oh.

(Continued)

File: Chittering Tindalos.jpg (717 KB, 1188x651)

717 KB JPG

>>3149376
A creature the size of a school bus perches atop the shack behind you, massive, roach-like carapace suspended on legs too numerous to count and too slender to support the amalgam's sleekly grotesque form. Smoky strands, wisp-like in how light and ephemeral they seem, twitch and flutter in the absence of a breeze, the air sickly warm and cloying.

A face like a hound, skinless and leering, scans the surrounding rooftops, its legs tapping lightly as it turns, granting you a view of the unspeakable, undulating amorphous mass that makes up its torso proper. Reminiscent of the Sororitas, its body shifts and churns with a number of forms, faces, and beings, too numerous to count, too ill-formed to look at for long. B'ni's hand tightens on yours, urging you to seek shelter through any one of the open, useless doors that row the exposed street.

You would consider it, if it's face had not just snapped to look at you with a sickening crunch of bone and chitin.

You lock eyes with the beast, bright globes set in a bleached white skull, red and black swirling through a myriad of incomprehensible patterns and forms. A pair of flesh-stripped forearms tense, handless limbs leaving streaks of gore as they slide on the aluminum roofing.

It stares at you for a long, silent moment.

Then leaps.

The sound that issues from its furious wingbeats is the screech of metal and the screams of the tortured, a mad cry of rage and pain and hunger...and only you can sate its need.

Shu the Defiant

VS.

The Chittering Tindalos

HP: 100%
BIO: 120% (1 Simple, 2 Spylings, 3/10 Active. Ravenous maw at the ready.)
ACT: 2/2
Threat: Medium, closing fast.
B’ni HP: 100%
GG HP: 100%

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3149431
DODGE.
Use your tongue and reposition yourself. Grab Gina, she can't move fast, and B'ni has speed to spare to avoid this thing.
Next, we need to come up with a strategy. Send a swarmling or two at it, test its defenses. Stay on the defensive yourself, see if Gina can sense anything else in the area.

>>3149431
Hand a bombling (an Flightless acid-filled swarmling to be specific) to Gina. Aside from her plugs, We need to give her another combat option.
B'ni should try and go for hit-run tactics and aim for her wings.
Shu should spawn 2 more swarmlings. at the ready.

Also, can you put down all of the powers that we found onto a pastebin/gdoc, and post it at the OP of every BodyHorror Quest thread? If the mechanical systems you're going by is any similar to Joker Quest, we're going to need that spreadsheet of abilities on hand.

>>3149431
Seconding >>3149453

We need to reposition first, get some breathing room.

>>3149537
i vote for this

(Gentlemen, it's in a rough stage as I had to strip out quite a bit of spoiler bits, but here you are. I will include a stat sheet at the beginning of every new Vein going forwards.)

https://pastebin.com/A5MA9zeY

(Additionally, voting will close in the next half-hour.)

>>3149431
this >>3149453

>>3149431
>>3149453

"Scatter!"

The slit down your stomach lashes out, sticking to a strut some distance away as you throw and arm around Gina's waist in a single, fluid motion. She yelps from the sudden burst of speed as B'ni dashes the other direction, the three of you parting ways a half-second before the massive amalgam annihilates the space where you were in a deafening explosion of splintered metal and shattered concrete.

It howls again , struggling to find its footing after its mad plunge as you land a short distance from the Tindalos. A twin pair of swarmlings rip free of your spine, their maiden voyage a screaming charge at the amalgam, screaming mindlessly as it swings its girth around to face you, demolishing several store fronts with its shifting thorax.

"GG, talk to me! What else do you sense in the area?!" you bark, standing your ground as your tongue roils in your gut, ready for another slit-second dodge. She stammers as her halo casts its incandescent aura around the crumbling metalwork.

"There's, uh...there's movement at the edges of the city, it's slow, but I think this thing has friends! I couldn't sense them before, they're too..."

It moves so fast, closes the gap so unexpectedly that the white-hot pain that lances through your shoulder feels as though it's happening to someone else, someone far-off, as you are hurled to the ground.

"Shu!"

You're not sure if the scream comes from Gina or B'ni, or perhaps both. You look down at your shoulder, a dagger of bone running through it cleanly, some sort of broken tooth devoid of the head to which it belonged. A cursory glance reveals the creature's skull smashing into and through a wall of sheet metal, launched as a crude yet effective projectile.

You turn towards the amalgam as Gina helps you rise, and you witness a flurry of motion. Two long stalks, tendrils of shifting biomass colored rot black and coagulated red flail wildly, retracting into the carapace and emerging with another large skull, resembling that of some jungle cat. Your swarmlings struggle against the wisps, held taught against the beast's shell with a strength unbecoming of such seemingly delicate strands as they are slowly drawn within, sucked down into the semi-permeable chitin. Then...

A white blur, a pair of furious emeralds.

The beast's fore limbs are severed in an instant as it collapses bodily to the floor, the rending swing of B'ni's scythes barely slowing her as she slides free from the tumbling girth and races to your side, putting herself between you and your aggressor. Her side is bleeding lightly from several small puncture wounds, but she is either unaware or uncaring of such minor wounds.

HP: 83%
BIO: 104% (2 Spylings, 2/10 Active. Ravenous maw at the ready.)
ACT: 2/2
Threat: Medium, prone.
B’ni HP: 112%
GG HP: 100%

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3149709
We may be able to defeat this thing, but would likely suffer serious damage. We lack firepower, as our most damaging options rely on melee range, which is not where we want to be with this thing involved. Fleeing sounds good, but if it has friends, running away would just have us lose the numbers advantage we have, for now.
Another option to consider is Investigating/Waking the sleeping thing. Thats kind of betting on the incredibly unlikely chance whatever it is is both powerful, fast and friendly, and can be an immediate asset, so methinks this may be a last resort.

For now, our foe is prone. See if Gina can manipulate the terrain to lock it down and keep it that way, so B'ni and Shu can slice/dice and either acid bomb or chomp, respectivly.

Killing it before its friends get here is the top priority. We may be able to hide (pull a Minecraft and have Gina dig us a hole, jump in, then cover it up) or run if we kill it fast enough.

>>3149709
So simple swarmlings are out of the question. It seems to have a liking for heads, and hunts in a massive pack with other, and assimilates BIO into it's thorax while keeping the skulls and fangs as free projectiles to pin its prey. And those hair strands look like super tough fiber and sticky like a venus flytrap. I wonder what happens if we make them dissolve or burn away?

But as it is right now, our main objective is to neutralize the thing ASAP before the rest of the swarm wakes up. Even better if Gina can mindjack it. That Halo's increased processing power will enhance her neuromancy, hopefully enough to take control over it at best, paralyze it at its worst.

Spawn 2 nested Banelings (Acid swarmlings) and 1 simple swarmling. The main Banelings will kamikaze the wispy strands and chitin while the recursive banelings will target the limbs after the main baneling explodes on impact, We'll need to get rid of those wispy strands and burn that chitin before we can do a safe mindjacking for Gina. The simple swarmling will hold one of Gina's plugs and connect it to the amalgamation when it has a chance. That amalgam's got good mobility, if we can weaken it enough for Gina to mindjack the thing, we've got ourselves a mobile mount and better combat options for Gina. B'ni will need to sever the stalks since it seems the stalks serve as the creature's main limb for throwing skulls and using said skulls as battering rams.

>>3149808
>>3149709
Oh right. I forgot that Gina could Terraform the fleshscape. Yeah, your idea is better use of her powers. I wonder if her halo lets her be able to both terraform and mindjack by sacrificing her move action in favor for another action? BodyHorrorOP? what's your ruling?

>>3149856

(If Gina is close enough to her target like she is right now, she can use an action to terraform and an action to jack in to the amalgam, yes.)

>>3149874
Okay then. Do both, but prioritize the Terraforming that makes the DC over the mindjacking DC should one of the dice rolls for both of them fail.

>>3149886
(Do you intend to use the offensive measure you described in your first post if Gina is able to subdue the Tindalos?)

>>3149900
The measure is there if Gina fails to assume direct control of the amalgam. But toss in one baneling just to burn away those wispy strands and scar the chitin to lower Gina's mindjacking dc. I don't want any of us to be accidentally *shlorp'd* should Gina lose control while all of us are riding on its back.

>>3149709
This >>3149925 >>3149886 >>3149808

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

>>3149709

"Gina, pin it and jack in!" you order through gritted teeth, fighting through the pain as you hold the fang steady in your shoulder. She moves immediately, dropping to the ground in a cross-legged seating position, a pair of cords snaking from underneath the skin of her forearms as another duo spear into the ground from underneath her hoodie. Two banelings and one simple swarmling erupt from your spine, heavy with lethal payloads and chittering in anticipation of their suicide charge as you stomach drops, the amalgam's limbs quickly finding purchase on the ground, tooth-pick spears scrabbling madly as the beast slowly rights itself.

You feel the earth tremble as Gina's halo glows white hot.

A massive sheet of calicite bursts through the concrete, knocking the beast over as another sheet joins it, effectively pinning it to the unforgiving ground. A third tremor announces a burst of earth from beneath the cornered monstrosity, making the uncomfortable tent a merciless vice as GG tightens her control.

You move to grab one of the cords yourself when her arm jacks are slung forth with a flick of both wrists, lancing through the air at the chimera's shifting, amorphous excuse for a head. It's tendrils move to intercept almost on instinct, but ivory greaves surge forwards on a pair of lithe legs, scything through concrete, then steel, and finally red-black flesh, the tendrils slapping uselessly against the bare, dusty stone below.

Instinct and reflex seem so slow, so laborious next to the speeding hellion you have on your side.

Gina's jacks stab true, spearing into the pulsing, shifting mass of flesh that even now struggles to craft a new pair of tentacles to replace the ones B'ni severed only a mere second before. Amethyst light stutters and sparks along the twin lengths of cord, GG's forehead drenched in a cold sweat. The beast shudders, twitches, and fights yet still, slowed only slightly by your ally's attempts to assert control.

"We...we're not flying this asshole out, t-that's for sure...I can't...it's too strong! It's all I can do to keep it pinned and slowed with the feedback it's giving me, Shu!"

She needn't say more as you issue a silent, urgent command sending your trio of creations on the offensive. Two go high, bursting and splattering their contents in a carpet bombing of the exposed ghostly strands and chitinous armor, reducing the lot to a bubbling, smoking boil. The last one goes low, and having no plug to hold it spears its drill between every needle-like appendage and exposed joint it can find, the beast howling again, a terrible, gratingly high-pitched susurration of insectile wings piercing through your ears.

Your blood runs cold when you realize the sound rings out from every where around you.

(Continued)

File: 1494127545486.jpg (56 KB, 416x448)

56 KB JPG

>>3150075
WHERE THE FUCK ARE THEY COMING FROM???

>>3150112
Either underground and/or inside the buildings is my guess.

File: The Trap and the Doctor.jpg (549 KB, 1200x1865)

549 KB JPG

>>3150075

You whirl around, counting two, three, four similar horrors alighting on the rooftops around you, shaking off spare sheet metal and concrete dust from their places of slumber. B'ni is by your side, then in front of you before you can react, her greaves the only bright thing in this nightmare of lightless black and bottomless crimson.

Gina screams in pain, yet still she fights through the feedback, blood trickling down from her nose to her lips, then down to her chin, droplets of bright red staining her hoodie. Stabbing legs puncture aluminum roofing rhythmically as the four arrivals stalk closer, skulls rotating slowly as the threat of an attack you can't predict makes your hive burn in anticipation, your gaze darting between the members of the chittering group.

B'ni, despite her smaller stature, attempts to put as much of her form as possible between you and any possible angle of attack, and a cursory glance behind you reveals Gina trembling, blood pooling in her lap as she fights a losing battle to prevent the three of you from being completely surrounded. Their advance ceases, their skulls settled at odd, impossible angles as you wait for an assault that will tear your limbs from your body, your heart from your chest.

It's a long moment before you realize it's not coming.

The realization settles over you as one of them takes another stuttering step forwards, then seizes up, falling on its side on the crumpled roofing. Each of them tries to advance in fits and starts, but for every inch they gain, they remain motionless for several seconds a stop-motion march of horror, slowed to a pitiful crawl. Maybe it's a speck of dust, maybe a shimmer of light that cuts through the gloom...you're not sure what makes you notice it, finally. You hadn't been looking for it back then, and you certainly didn't expect to see it here, in this place so far removed from a dollhouse of horrors...

...silver threads.

Lining the roof tops, strung between the eaves and satellite dishes and any tall structure you can see nearby, silver strands form a haphazard web of paralytic webbing, forming a perfect trap for the aerially inclined. A high, clear laugh echoes through the alley, sounding above Gina's groans of pain, the clicking of a pair of high heels and a swish of a blood-stained labcoat announcing the presence of someone you hadn't expected to see here as she steps from out of a nearby passage.

"What the fuck?" B'ni breathes as the figure sends more threads skyward with a dismissive flick of her wrist.

"Hello, Darling." says Doctor Francine West with a wink and a wave, "I'll hold the others, help your little friend there and dazzle me, would you~?"

You blink.

Screw it.

It's an opening, and you're sure as hell going to take it.

HP: 83%
BIO: 80% (1 Swarmling, 2 Recursive 2 Spylings, 5/10 Active. Ravenous maw at the ready.)
ACT: 2/2
Threat: 5 strong, 1 pinned, 4 paralyzed.
B’ni HP: 112%
GG HP: 67%

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, I will be stopping here for the evening. Thank you so much for reading, and I look forward to continuing tomorrow. You are great, and take care.)

>>3150172
>Try and spot their weak point, their 'brain' or 'heart' so we can send our swarmlings in for kill shots.
>Aim gor the pinned first, then whichever ones are closest first.

>B'ni should help our swarmlings get to said weak point if we need a bit of extra help, otherwise she should be on the lookout for if one breaks free.

>Ginas job is to continue what she is doing without passing out.

>>3150209
this

>>3150209
I'm worried Gina can't hold up- she's already bleeding from several areas. I think we need to get her up and keep her safe so that she doesn't literally pop her head.

>>3150172

>>3150209
>>3150217
I disagree on Gina focusing brainpower on keeping the think pinned. Switch priorities from mindjacking to weaponized Terraforming. Just impaling the damn bug that's currently pinned and then spend the other free action into impaling the rest of the paralyzed bugs within range with ALL THE CALCIFIED SPIKES, since terraforming takes less brainpower than fighting an active battle of brainpower against an amalgamation. After killing the bug, Shu will run up to the carcass of the formerly pinned amalgamation and use all the biomass from that carcass to create ALL THE BANELINGS that will screen and bombard the amalgamations still strong and active with acid. any spare BIO from the carcass will be focused on doing BIO transfer in restoring health and BIO amongst our teammates. Isabelle (B'ni) will run Defense and aim for the stalks.

Our objective has changed from trying to kill one quickly and quietly before shit went south to all out war.

>>3150237
Seconding this.

>>3150223
While i do agree she is in a bad spot, trying to save her and risk letting the enemies get through might get all of us, including her, injured worse or even killed.

It sucks, but sometimes someone does have to suffer to prevent a worse situation from occurring, including a worse situation for themselves.

We DO need to end this quickly though, i will give you that, this may be her last turn in action. We do have the doctor helping but we don't know how long her strands can hold them back and fow how long she can keep them going, too big an unknown to rely on as a good replacement.

>>3150237
Overwhelming offense? Sounds good. The surprise arrivals can tie up the monsters, and let us focus on dishing out damage.

Also, holy shit, I wasn't expecting to see these two again, let alone working together. And the dollhouse girl? Definitely didn't think we'd have her on OUR side.

>>3150172
>"Thanks doc."

Have acid swarmlings burrow into and dissolve their brains.

(Gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Work is a little hectic and it is compounded by a persistent sickness of mine. I will endeavor to update in the next 2-3 hours and I will update frequently for several hours afterwards until the end of the evening. Thank you again for your patience and participation, Gentlemen.)

>>3150894
don't push yourself BodyHorror. Take care of yourself first before you write in earnest. Interesting times (read: chaotic) are ahead and we would rather not lose you in the coming storm.

>>3150237
+1

>>3150397
Read carefully. The doctor has the dollhouse girl's power. Dollhouse girl is fucking dead.

>>3150172
>>3150237
>>3150242
>>3150916

“Thanks, Doc.” You mutter through gritted teeth before turning your attentions to Gina. “GG, stop! Jack out and just keep it pinned!”

There is a moment’s hesitation before her cords detach, reeling back in to her forearms as a tremendous pressure builds along your spine, your vision blurring, daggers of pain needling your temples as a growing storm fights free of your hive. A frantic scrabbling of claw against shell rises, the warring crescendo of fresh wings fluttering foretelling a monstrous swarm that you intend to let slip upon that which made your friends fear and bleed.

“B’ni.” you call out, green eyes snapping to you, lips curled up in a furious, feral rage. “Shred the one on the ground, the four up top are mine.”

She blurs past you without a word, shearing concrete underfoot as you run forward and make a final, blinding push, your back erupting with eight vicious banelings, sleek black shells glittering in daylight, their silent wingbeats carrying them skyward to administer your swift revenge.

“Brilliant love, just brilliant!”

Doctor West’s delighted laugh rings in your ears as she clears a path for your annihilating swarm, barely-perceptible strands falling and shifting to allow a direct route as your creations race onwards in pairs, two for each Tindalos. From behind, you hear blades of bone carving through concrete and chitin, swift, terrible strikes that illicit screams of rage and pain from the trapped beast, but your focus is both forward and skyward, marking your targets with four quick, condemning glances.

This is how the four will end.

(Continued)

File: Tindalos.jpg (1.31 MB, 1920x2400)

1.31 MB JPG

>>3150999

Your swarm falls on the frozen horrors, needles delivering an executioner’s injection, two by two, directly into the twitching masses behind their armored masks. The lethal dose results in immediate and satisfying carnage, the creatures’ shells warping and popping as she stench of decay wafts from the rooftops, the acid eating through the bottom of their thoraxes and emptying the shells’ contents onto the roof, viscera gurgling down the ridges of the roof and splattering the ground with a grotesque slurry, dripping down like a heavy rain of liquefied gore.

Your swarm hovers close, a snap of the Doctor’s fingers releases her quarry, returning their senses for one last time. You imagine the low gurgle and their weak flailing would be a roar of rage and fury if there was anything more to them than a lose assortment of limbs and bubbling piles of semi-solid biomass, quivering in four separate death throes. You turn and run to GG’s side, helping to stabilize her as she struggles to stand on trembling legs.

“Gina, are you alrigh…”

"Six." she croaks weakly, dried blood miserably caked on her upper lip and chin, "Six more, coming this way,...but that's the last of them."

Your swarmlings silent wings allow them to land on the roofs around you, a defensive perimeter that grants you three hundred and sixty degrees of awareness, the sound of creaking metal and cackling howls echoing through the town as the next wave prepares to converge on your location.

B'ni rejoins your side, black entrails dripping from her peerless greaves, a cold look in her eyes as she scans the streets. Two buzzing swarms hover where the slashed remains of the amalgam sit, your twin recursive swarms at your beck and call. The click of West's heels make you turn to face the blonde woman's glittering blue eyes, paired with an ever-present smirk.

"Strands." you demand bluntly, your swarm chittering in agitation, "How much more have you got in you, Doctor?"

"I can bind three, but it will take all I have." she replies in a quick, clipped tone, smile unfaltering. "With the same biomass I can put down two by myself with minimal struggle. How shall we proceed, Darling?"

You quickly take stock of your allies, knowing that while one more push is all you have left to conquer, you may not have even that much left in you. You gaze flickers between B'ni and GG, the former's stalwart, warrior stance giving you faith, while the latter's disorientation and struggle to stand make your stomach sink.

You know you can end this, the only question is how.

HP: 83%
BIO: 32% (8 Banelings, 2 Recursive Swarms, 8/10 Active. Ravenous maw at the ready. Free swarmling triggered twice.)
ACT: 2/2
Threat: 5 strong, roused from their slumber.
B’ni HP: 104%
GG HP: 48%
Dr. West HP: ??%

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3151010
Don't stay still and let them all converge on us at once. Move towards 1/2 of them, have doc paralyze and kill them ourselves. Keep moving that direction, make them chase and pick them off. Try to let doc and Gina recharge for more paralysis.

By cord would it mean a spinal cord? I would imagine whoever controls the cord controls the world.

>>3151010
Gina should rest up and focus on just giving us the general position of our enemies relative to us and just the basic shape of the terrain. Tell her to selectively block out some information that isn't really relevant to combat like their shape and size, just give us their location and direction and our location relative to them (the bare minimum), All other information is irrelevant because she might be suffering from Information overload, tell her to just slowdown and parse the information down to the basics like shape, size, and location. Release the terraforming that was used to bind the now dead Tindalos, and redirect that power into making the terrain more favorable to our group in a counter-ambush. Everyone should take what BIOmass they need from the carcass, should it be to heal or replenish their health for at least this round before the Tindalos are fully awake.

Give B'ni the two Recursive Banelings. She can ready an action to perform a hit and run by throwing the recursive banelings at two of them in a drive-by.

Have Dr. West ready up a web-like trap. and bind up 3 of them, we have 6 spare banelings that we can use to kill secure the three that the Dr. Manages to bind.

(Voting will close in roughly one hour, Gentlemen.)

>>3151041
(Also, to be clear: the two Recursive swarmlings that are active right now are smaller, buzzing swarms meant for harassment and distraction, while the eight Banelings you have now are the far more powerful variants.

>>3151047
Ah. Well in that case. The recursive Swarmlings will do harassment against the Tindalos that aren't trapped by Dr. West and stall it. Have them bait out the Tindalos's tendency to fling skulls and fangs at them by becoming more enticing targets for the Tindalos. Harass at a distance, but don't get to close to risk getting schlorp'd by the wisp strands. B'ni would take advantage of the harassment distraction by aiming for the stalks.

Also, is Gina's health drain due to sensory overload?

>>3151081
(Yes, the Tindalos have an automatic countermeasure against Daughters using Neuromancer class skills, much like how the Enigma was able to destroy B'ni's greaves with ease.)

>>3151085
Okay then. I'm going to revise/clarify my actions a bit.

>Dr. West: Bind 3 tindalos,
>Shu: send 6 Banelings to kill secure the 3 tindalos bound by Dr. West. 2 for each Tindalos, have the 2 recursive swarmlings accompany/escort to serve as a drone screen for B'ni
>B'ni: Harry and harass the remaining Tindalos for as long as you can. Aim for the stalks and legs, with the Stalks as priority targets.
>Gina: Redirect brain power into Terraforming. Selectively block non-irrelevant information and parse it down to simple shapes and size in her mind's eye to save her processing power when Terraforming. Assist Dr. West in binding the Tindalos by Impaling them on Calcite spikes, so that Shu can kill secure with the banelings and Dr. West can free herself and help B'ni in the next round. Save an action to ready a counter ambush Calcite Terraformed impalement when a Tindalos inevitably decides to try and ambush her.

>>3151105
+1

>>3151010
>>3151041
>>3151105

"Gina? Gina, listen to me." you say, taking her head in your hands, "Just one last thing, and then we can end this, okay? Can you do one more thing, something simple?"

She nods weakly, halo dimming in the oppressive red daylight.

"I need a quick scan, something simple. Just size and direction of the six you told me about. Can you do that for me?"

Another shaky nod, her halo starting to glow as she retracts her second pair of cords from the ground, the calcite sheets retracting, allowing the creature's indecipherable remains to litter the broken concrete where it once was trapped. Her halo pulses once, twice, a third and final pulse shining in the alley before she turns to you, voice rough and low.

"Four are coming in fast from that way." she says, with an eastward nod nearly sending her off-balance. "Two are coming from the opposite direction but the're not totally with it, yet."

"We can work with that, good work Gina. Doc, you heard the woman." you say, your gaze meeting with Doctor West's amused expression as the plan take shape in your mind, "If you have three bindings left in you, then I need to to trap three of the four that're coming from the east, got it?"

"Consider it done, Captain." she says, silver strands dancing between slender, skinless fingers. You turn once more to Gina.

"Feel free to say no, but do you have enough in you to back up Doctor West with some terraforming, like what you did earlier? I'll keep my small swarms near you, so just stay clear of the fight while if you can."

"Yeah...yeah I think I can manage.." she replies hazily, though her shakiness seems to have dissipated. You whirl on B'ni, the plan coming together.

"Can you harass the fourth one, basically a rinse and repeat of how you handled the other one's eye-stalks?"

"With pleasure." she says, blades screaming through the air as she summons a fresh, gleaming pair of scythes, "Just please be safe, okay?"

"That's priority number one for everyone, right now." you say with a smirk as you swarmlings move into position, eight pairs of wings surging through the stale, moist air.

(Continued)

>>3151181

Buzzing like a symphony of industrial saws cuts through the town, brown, shining wings carrying four roach-like bodies towards you from the eastern side of the labyrinth of disrepair and rust. They close in, your stance and focus unwavering as you count down the seconds, the precious seconds until you have your chance...

...and with a shimmer of silver, there it is.

The doctor's last trick snags three of the abominations mid-flight, bodies stiffening as they enter a dead fall, crashing into and through the aluminum roofing below with six of your swarmlings in hot pursuit. The remaining two cling to your shoulders, as you track the fourth Tindalos as it arcs through the air, horse-skull twitching clockwise once, then two clicks back, angling for a killing shot.

Its aim is thrown wildly off course when B'ni speeds from a nearby rooftop and arcs through the air, just low enough to avoid the creature's binding wisps and carve a clean, bloody gash through its lower thorax. B'ni lets out a yelp as she lands, afresh patch of needle-thin stab wounds blossoming crimson on her shoulder, under her shirt.

The horse-roach dips low to the rooftops, too low to avoid being speared by thin ribs of bone that shoot through the aged corrugated roof, Gina hidden safely below as she orchestrates the construction of an ivory prison above. A second savage kick from B'ni sends the horse-skull clattering along the sheet metal, severed tendrils flailing wildly some distance away as your ally laughs victoriously. Your last two swarmlings launch themselves from your shoulders, capitalizing on the captured beast's moment of weakness to deliver a swift, painful end. The three you set upon earlier suffer a similarly gruesome and justified end, though a single mere pair of swarmlings remain active and mobile, the other six either speared in the monsters' talons or stuck uselessly on ebony shells, wisps holding them fast in spite of their owners' demise.

Furious screams echo through and off of countless panes of broken glass and rusted walls, a hellish cacophony that only serves to hasten their bretherens' arrival. From the rear, you hear the scraping of countless needles finding purchase on roofing some distance away, and drawing closer. Your last two foes are on their way, wings screaming as they take flight...

...you intend to show them that they and their fury is as the buzzing of flies in the face of the wrath of you and your friends.

HP: 83%
BIO: 32% (4 Banelings, 2 Recursive Swarms, 4/10 Active. Ravenous maw at the ready.)
ACT: 2/2
Threat: 3 strong, 1 blinded and pinned, 2 approaching rapidly from the rear.
B’ni HP: 93%
GG HP: 48%
Dr. West HP: ??%

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3151213
We need to get the swarmlings ready, and generate more if need be. B'ni should wait off to one side and attack from blind angles, she's all speed and offense with no defense. When the monsters appear, we need to distract them with our swarmlings and have B'ni slice them up when she has an opportunity.

Gina and Dr. West are a bit trickier, given their current states. If Gina can trap the monsters with terraforming, even a little, that's great. We have no idea what Doc's recharge time for her powers is, so if she can help out, great, if not, she needs to lie low.

(Voting will close in forty-five minutes, Gentlemen.)

File: 1492311792787.png (269 KB, 640x480)

269 KB PNG

>>3151213
this >>3151253
also have the 2 Recursives back her up in the initial part as distractions, by going for the eyes and hogging the Tindalos' view
1 Baneling per Tindalos initially (2), while the other 2 Banelings finish off the blinded & pinned Tindalos then fly over to back up the first two and B'ni (4)
Gina should trap with terraforming if possible
Doc should try to help Gina out (maybe get her bits of the previously killed Tindalos for HP), or just stand around and laugh smugly for no reason. Pic related.

>>3151213
Have Gina put up walls and fortifications. Harrass them as they come in with swarmlings and Bunny speed. Mostly just try to land swarmlings on them to crawl up and inject deadly acid payloads while Gina and Bunny delay them.

>>3151213
>Gina: Stop terraforming, ready an action to react to one charging Tindalo by using your halo's increased processing power to critically evade and counterattack with a critical Calcite spike, long and thick enough to impale and pin the damned bug in the air. Ready your other action by terraforming to take potshots with sudden bone spikes from the ground and have it serve as additional obstacles to slow the charge of the bugs.
>Shu: Impulsive swallow our stuck banelings, retrieve it from the carcasses if possible, but prepare to bite off your tongue if the tongue gets stuck on the wisps as well. Ready that ravenous maw. our 2 simple swarmlings accompany B'ni and act as fighter escorts to cover her six from flying skulls and fangs.
>Dr. West. Prepare Trip-wires for our charging Bugs, make it dense and strong enough that the bugs actually trip on them.
>B'ni: Lead them this time. Run circles around them and get them confused. Swarmlings will cover her against fangs and skulls by bodyblocking. Aim for the legs this time, not the eyestalks.

>>3151307
(Doctor West does not have enough remaining biomass to create strands as her ability is low level and very costly, though she may still engage the enemy with melee or ranged capabilities, if you prefer.)

>>3151293
backing >>3151293

File: 1460672323508.jpg (71 KB, 800x480)

71 KB JPG

>>3151315
I still cannot get over our new Swarmling variants being called Banelings in-universe. Good shit BHOP

>>3151213
>>3151315
Expend 30% Bio to generate platelings (swarmlings used to make Chitinous Stalwart armor) and divy them up between Shu, B'ni and Gina. (10% for each)
The armor will serve us well when they close into melee.

>>3151213
>>3151307
>>3151314

Gina stumbles out of the house before you, held steady by a smiling Doctor West. The taller blonde grins from ear to ear, belting out a high, regal laugh that threatens to overwhelm the buzzing din created the two nightmarish locusts flying your way. Her hair stands on end, sparks dancing along the strands of dirty blonde hair as your own hair stands on end, the air around you suddenly dry and heavy with static.

"Ah, I'm almost full up, Darling. Allow me to back up the little one, if I may?" she says, ignoring your raised eyebrow at the curious side effects of whatever ability she triggered.

Ignoring her, GG lunges forwards, batting aside your cradling arms as she breaks into a run, her weariness forgotten in a haze of adrenaline and sheer will. She scrambles up trash bin and hooks a leg around an eave, hoisting herself to the roof. You see her halo glowing brightly, a bright silver corona burning above her tousled brown hair as she stands tall above you.

A wave of nausea rushes over you, as your skin flushes a deep red where she touched you. The plan you were formulating, your ideas...you needn't speak, you needn't raise your voice any longer as you *feel* your allies in your heart, your very core.

In this most desperate of hours, you act as one.

(Passive Ability Unlocked: UNITY OF THE SWARM: In combat, you no longer need to vocalize your commands to B'ni or Gina for them to understand the actions you wish for them to take. This ability has an effective range equal to that of your swarmlings' maximum distance.)

B'ni leaps from the building behind you and skids to a stop a few feet ahead of B'ni. The two share a wordless glance before glancing back to you in realization of how your empathic powers have evolved, your intent transmitted directly into the forefront of their minds.

B'ni gives a short, affirmative nod and salute to you before speeding off to skirt around the two hideous forms that are almost upon the four of you. Glancing down the alley, you spy a destroyed Tindalos, two of your swarmlings still caught in its adhesive shell. Your ravenous stomach opens wide and a blur lashes out, your tongue moving faster than human eyes could follow as you tear your wriggling swarmlings free and nestling them within your hollow abdomen. Two of your three other swarmlings race to catch up with B'ni in her assault as Gina runs all-out along the roof tops after her old friend, while your last swarmling finishes delivering a cruel, boiling mercy to the final member of the second wave.

Doctor West is by your side as the two of you climb up after them, itching to bring an end to the third and final wave of these infuriating hell spawn.

(Continued)

>>3151422

Despite a few shocks between you, Doctor West helps you reach the top of the shack where you watch the final push unfold. Several roof tops over, B'ni runs circles around a distracted Tindalos, its focus split between her and the two swarmlings you sent as back up. More urgently, the other beast is running in a mad scramble straight for Gina, who stands still as possible, halo pulsing with a silver, almost blindingly white light as she ignores the charging roach. Its blank, vaguely feline mask stays shut as a bone-rattling howl issues froth from somewhere within its shell, and still Gina does nothing as it closes the gap at blinding speed. The halo pulses once, twice, three times, and the beast is upon her, mere inches from crushing her beneath its titanic mass.

She smiles.

With impossible grace and speed, you watch as Gina slips under the beast, grazing past stabbing needles and meaty, flailing fore-paws to emerge unscathed past her prey. A split-second before the creature hits the ground, you notice the cords GG slipped through a gap in the roofing, leading from her arms to a hole where she was standing. The beast has no time to react as a single, massive lance of bone and concrete erupts from below its body, spearing it on a great-sword of blade the length of a tractor trailer, leaving it speared skyward, mask utterly shattered as it screams and flails ineffectually.

"Incredible, Darling!" Doctor West crows with delight, somehow running across the roof in her ridiculous heels to GG, larger arcs of electricity dancing along her back and down her arms, "I hope you don't mind me discharging a bit?!"

A burst of light, a peal of thunder.

The instant Doctor West reaches out and hits the pillar with an open palm, a crack of lightning explodes through the bone spear and through the body of the pitiable beast. It bursts into flames and sags limply, sliding down the ivory pole as Gina's mouth hangs open in awe. West brushes her hair back with a red, raw hand and flashes you a meek smile over her shoulder. You whirl around to catch sight of B'ni, one of your swarmlings now stuck on the back of the beast as B'ni makes it work to try and get any solid hits in, though you do see several new crimson stains on her shirt and pants, a handful of minor wounds that are slowly but surely accumulating in a losing battle.

(Continued)

File: 35619101-3a96-4c0c-ab03-f(...).jpg (399 KB, 1200x1680)

399 KB JPG

>>3151491

Three malformed swarmlings tear free of your back, closing the gap as they dart through the air to B'ni's side. Two wrap around her forearms to form a pair of black-shelled gauntlets while the last one wraps around her head to form an onyx helm. The beast finally lands, sending a guttural scream of frustration echoing across the town and through the mountains. B'ni responds in kind, a high, furious battle cry that causes your heart to skip a beat as it pierces through the humid, stinking air. The monster's skull twitches left, then right, then left again as your ally settles into a sprinter's stance, both duelists ready and eager to land the final blow.

A single, harrowing second passes, and then...

With a crack like a hateful whip, a ratlike skull is launched directly at B'ni. Moving with uncanny speed, she bolts forward, jumping up and spinning sideways, a lethal mid-air top. The skull meets her spinning scythe and is promptly sliced cleanly in half, and B'ni's landing transforms into a furious charge as she snatches your last swarmling from mid-air, sprinting towards an execution.

Wild tendrils go flying as she carves a bloody swath into the beast's core and punches forwards, thrusting your swarmling deep within the creature's ruptured body. Your mental bond might not be a two way street, but B'ni's second, wild war cry lets you know she's set the stage for you to strike the final blow.

A snap of your fingers and the swarmling bursts open, drenching the beast's core in a cascade of corrosion and death. It screams, flails, roars pleading against the inevitability of your victory...

...and then, silence reigns the fleshscape once more.

>>SHU LEVEL UP
>>B'NI LEVEL UP
>>GG LEVEL UP

(Continued)

File: LEVEL UP.jpg (218 KB, 850x963)

218 KB JPG

>>3151525

>>GG LEVEL UP

CHOOSE *ONE* OF THE FOLLOWING

>>HEALTH
>>BIOMASS
>>NEUROMANCER
>>NEUROTIC HALO
>>CONSUME


B'NI LEVEL UP

CHOOSE *ONE* OF THE FOLLOWING

>>HEALTH
>>BIOMASS
>>DOGGED SPRINTER
>>CALCITE GREAVES
>>CONSUME

SHU LEVEL UP

CHOOSE *ONE* OF THE FOLLOWING

>>HEALTH
>>BIOMASS
>>SWARMLING
>>RAVENOUS MAW
>>CONSUME

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3151536
for gg
>>NEUROMANCER
for b'ni
>>CONSUME
for shu
>>RAVENOUS MAW

(im sure everyone else is gonna dissagree but eh

>>3151525
DAYUM. You sure know how to make an encounter like this exciting.

Shu:
>BIOMASS
Our Swarmlings eat up lots of biomass to spawn and to maintain. I hope the Biomass upgrade lets us be more efficient with our eldritch flesh and I hope we get a capacity upgrade on our swarm from getting a BIOMASS upgrade.
B'ni:
>Dogged Sprinter.
Gotta go FAST. NEEDS MORE SPEED.
GG:
>NEUROTIC HALO
If she's going to be our AWACs and handle have a better footing on mindjacking against amalgamations like Tindalos, she needs the brain power, this will also passively make her neuromancy easier for her to perform with all that extra brain power.

>>3151525
Aw shit armor swarmlings

>>3151536
Backing
>>3151558
Except swarmling upgrade for Shu.

>>3151558
>>3151536
I forgot to link my upgrade choices.

Also:
>[ ] "So eh, what's up doc?"
>[ ] Rest up and check up on Gina, she's probably going to be worn out from burning so much brain power on mindjacking and terraforming, her health not helping her condition as well.

>>3151536
>GG
>>NEUROTIC HALO

>B'ni
>>DOGGED SPRINTER

>Shu
>>BIOMASS

(Gentlemen, I will tally the votes and finalize your level up choices one hour from now. Thank you for an enjoyable fight, I will be back soon.)

>>3151597
Make sure you go and post on QTG when you're gonna update.

>>3151630
(An excellent reminder, thank you.)

File: Neurotic Halo.jpg (194 KB, 850x1202)

194 KB JPG

>>3151536

>>3151536 (You)

>>SHU - BIOMASS SELECTED

BIOMASS (Lvl 3): Shu's maximum biomass has increased to 140%. Additionally, your first act of creation at the start of each combat has its total cost reduced by a flat total of 30%, allowing for a cleaner, more efficient opening of combat and a stable platform with which to experiment with various strategies while facing less consequences for doing so.

>>B'NI - DOGGED SPRINTER SELECTED

DOGGED SPRINTER (Lvl 2): the thrill of running, the rush of speed, the wind in your hair as you race along, powered by the engine of your heart and body, your speed is an inherent part of you. B'ni's past feats translate well into her newfound legs, as she now possesses the ability to cross up to three distance zones with a single move action. Additionally, during the course of a move action, B'ni cannot suffer a critical hit and gains a considerable bonus to evasion while running, allowing her to dodge and weave through the battlefield with ease. However, these benefits are lost when she ends her turn or takes a combat action after her movement action.

>>GG - NEUROTIC HALO SELECTED

NEUROTIC HALO (Lvl 2): the form and composition of Gina's creation shifts, now resembling a delicate, glittering diadem as an amethyst core of tightly packed neurons features prominently on the front of the circlet. The shining 'gem' grants two additional and opposite modes that the halo may access; the first being a state of complete mental isolation, preventing thoughtform communication and corruption while simultaneously granting nigh-complete immunity to neural feedback while jacked in to Daughters and Amalgams, both. The second mode allows Gina to passively communicate via thoughtform broadcast to anyone in the vicinity, though it also makes her extremely vulnerable to neurological attack. Not intended to be used in combat, this mode excels in social situations, and it even grants the user the chance to share dreams with nearby sleepers, allowing a private chance to converse or discuss either one on one or with a group.

(Continued)

>>3151740
(Gentlemen, I shall adjourn here for the evening and resume later tomorrow afternoon, as I do wish to give myself some time to fight off this persistent cold. I do hope you enjoyed the battle, and feel free to post any questions, concerns, or criticisms you may have regarding the quest. Additionally, you are also welcome to post what you wish to do post-combat, as >>3151574 did earlier. Thank you so much for your participation, and I look forward to resuming tomorrow.)

>>3151747
Thx 4 runin bby

>>3151747
Thanks OP, see you soon!

File: Roland.gif (102 KB, 500x705)

102 KB GIF

Damn missed the updates
>>3151422
>The taller blonde grins from ear to ear, belting out a high, regal laugh that threatens to overwhelm the buzzing din created the two nightmarish locusts flying your way.
Nice, you kept the smug laugh.
>UNITY OF THE SWARM
Sweet. No hivemind though, we need our friends and allies to keep their individuality.
This also opens up ruses against our enemies. Yell commands out loud, but transmit our real commands mentally, taking enemies by complete utter surprise.
>B'ni leaps from the building behind you and skids to a stop a few feet ahead of B'ni.
Gina?
>>3151491
>With impossible grace and speed, you watch as Gina slips under the beast, grazing past stabbing needles and meaty, flailing fore-paws to emerge unscathed past her prey.
Matrix dodge, nice!
>The instant Doctor West reaches out and hits the pillar with an open palm, a crack of lightning explodes through the bone spear and through the body of the pitiable beast. It bursts into flames and sags limply, sliding down the ivory pole as Gina's mouth hangs open in awe.
That's a cool ability.
>though you do see several new crimson stains on her shirt and pants, a handful of minor wounds that are slowly but surely accumulating in a losing battle
How and where the fuck are we gonna get new clothes from in this post-apocalyptic hellscape???
>>3151525
>B'ni responds in kind, a high, furious battle cry that causes your heart to skip a beat as it pierces through the humid, stinking air.
So proud of our dog-rabbit-skater girl.
>>3151536
Are Shu's tits really that huge? I guess all that biomass has to go somewhere, huh? :^)
>>3151740
>the thrill of running, the rush of speed, the wind in your hair as you race along, powered by the engine of your heart and body, your speed is an inherent part of you
THE NEED
FOR SPEED
>resembling a delicate, glittering diadem as an amethyst core of tightly packed neurons features prominently on the front of the circlet
Aesthetic
>mode 1
This no-sells enemy mental counterattack, but also no-sells Shu's mental order relaying? Sure is double-edged.
>mode 2
So Shu's mental order relay, except more complex thoughts and with dream sharing. This way, Shu B'ni and Gina can have the same dream with maw-girl knight-girl and enigma-girl all together. Perfect.

>>3151747
Backing >>3151574 but also
>[ ] "What happened to those biosuited people you had back at your compound?"

HOLY FUCK IT JUST HIT ME
>Shu = Serph
>Rath = Heat
>Gina = Gale
>B'ni = Argilla? Sera?
>Doctor West = Cielo? Roland?
Doctor West has lightning powers yeah, but is she quirky enough to be a Cielo or mature smug enough to be Roland? I'm leaning more towards Roland than anything. Julia Pickman is closer to Cielo than anything, but I doubt we could get her to just leave her loaded cushy art studio in the middle of the scenic bone mountains to come join us on our quest to the Cord.

>>3152453
At least we cleared the mining town, so we could convince Julia to come down from the mountains and set up shop in the down. we've got several Tindalos carcasses worth of BIO for her to use as art material now so she doesn't need to prey on any unfortunate daughter who gets violently grossed out enough by her artwork or Julia's appearance.

Speaking of appearances, we should probably convince her to sculpt her old face back onto her body. or a sculpt a face that's more easy on the eyes.

>This no-sells enemy mental counterattack, but also no-sells Shu's mental order relaying? Sure is double-edged.
I just interpret Mode 2 of Neurotic Halo as Free thoughtform Wifi with no neuromancer password security.
We could make Mode 2 more secure through a direct connection of Gina physically jacking into both Shu and Bunny.
Mode 1 is good for ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL, but I often wonder if the mental isolation thing can be circumvented by the physical connection between daughters Gina trusts. Keep the mental isolation from outside perk but still leave the network open to those who have the neural passcode.

>Are Shu's tits really that huge? I guess all that biomass has to go somewhere, huh? :^)
You should see Gina's size. Shu remarked that Gina's would give her a run for her own money. :^)

>>3152953
You know, it's never been questioned once in the entire quest, both in universe and in the threads:

Why do only girls exist in the post-apocalyptic fleshscape?

>>3152976
I thought doc west had men working for her at her base, but yeah only girls have the superpowers.

>>3152983
(If inspected or fought, they would have been shown to simple flesh constructs reainimated by Doctor West.)

>>3152996
Oooph
Where all the bois at?

>>3152999
(Oh, you just fought several of them. The very specific reasons for the state of the world remains spoilers for now, Gentlemen.)

>>3153004
Answer the fucking questions >>3152453
>How and where the fuck are we gonna get new clothes from in this post-apocalyptic hellscape?
>Are Shu's tits really that huge?

>>3153005
(As far as clothes, you will actually get a new wardrobe shortly. As far as Shu's measurements, she is not nearly as stacked as the girl in the level up image. Gina, on the other hand...)

>>3153004
>Oh, you just fought several of them.
All amalgams in the entire world are all transformed males, and all the females only have superpowers because they're set up to fight each other — the final prize being the perfect biovessel for the alien fleshgod to inhabit or impregnate?

>>3153008
>You will actually get a new wardrobe shortly
Cool. I'd have though all normal human clothing would have fallen apart by now.
>She is not nearly as stacked as the girl in the level up image.
Eh, worth asking.
>Gina, on the other hand…
Nice. Very nice.

One last question:
Am I right on the Digital Devil Saga character links in >>3152453, or am I just reaching because the plot is basically a combination of DDS1 and 2 done well in a different way?

>>3153004
>>3153012

>All amalgams in the entire world are all transformed males, and all the females only have superpowers because they're set up to fight each other
Darn CuteMonstergirl effect. Where's muh Venom symbiote bois?

Digital Devil Saga was one of BodyHorrorOP's inspirations for the quest. That and Persona.

File: 9ca357fed2f982adef6ee6b45(...).jpg (166 KB, 1050x875)

166 KB JPG

>>3153017
I see more Digital Devil Saga than I do Persona.

As it should be.

>>3153012
(I'll be honest, I wasn't thinking of character links like that when I drew on DDS as one of the four or five points of major inspiration, but the cast does reflect them in a lot of ways, so good catch.)

File: WE'LL TEAR YA APART YA FA(...).jpg (40 KB, 576x448)

40 KB JPG

>>3153021
I don't mind if you fully continue this trend with our party members from now on. I don't mind at all.

File: 2288438_p0.jpg (503 KB, 1300x1000)

503 KB JPG

>>3153021
Have an Argilla and Roland.

>>3151740

You take a moment to collect yourself, the sound of your heart hammering in your ears starting to fade. The chaos of battle that once flooded your system recedes, leaving pain and exhaustion in its wake as you take stock of your allies. B'ni's greaves slide back into their smaller, more practical form as she closes the gap between the two of you with a frantic run, concern clear on her face.

You smile weakly and give her a half-hearted thumbs-up before turning your attentions to Gina, clearly the worse off of the four of you. She sits on the roof cross-legged, not unlike when she took control of the amalgam just a few minutes before. Her breathing is ragged but steady as the ambient biomass littering the rooftop around her withers to nothingness, slowly repairing the damage she incurred from the violent feedback.

"GG, talk to me." you say, voice raw as B'ni stands guard, back to the two of you and scanning for threats, "Are you alright? What can I do to help?"

Gina nods, turning to you and half-coughing, half-laughing as she speaks. "I feel like shit, but I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about me, Shu."

Your brow furrows.

"I'm going to worry about anyone who almost loses their brain through their nose, so I'll ask again and don't pull any strong-and-silent bullshit with me, alright? I know I pushed you and I'm sorry, are you going to be okay?"

She deflates a little, her strong front wilting as you worry if you went a little too far in your concern.

"...I think so. It was just so...I don't know, it was like being whipped around in a hurricane." she says, massaging her temples. "It was just this insanely loud screaming from every direction, and it felt like my brain was going to just melt out my ears."

"I'm glad it didn't...I'm glad you're still with us, Gina." you say, putting a hand on her shoulder as she chuckles.

"Well, that makes two of us, Shu."

A high, royal laugh breaks the moment.

(Continued)

File: Doctor Francine West.jpg (157 KB, 850x1202)

157 KB JPG

>>3153057

“Incredible, Darlings! Simply incredible!” Doctor West cries, striding up to the three of you with a series of sharp heel-clicks across the rooftop as you hear B’ni give a low groan.

“What’s up, Doc?” You say, rising to face the good Doctor and B’ni both, “Alright, let’s rest up in one of the shacks that aren’t threatening to collapse around our ears...then we can figure out where to go from here, alright? Be on the lookout for replacement clothes, I think we’re all looking a little worse for wear after that.”

A few minutes later, the four of you find shelter in a simple abode, the front door one of the only ones you’d seen that had been properly shut and sealed, held fast by miraculously intact hinges. You’re a short distance away from the heat source Gina indicated earlier, though none of you have mentioned investigating in in your post-combat haze. B’ni ransacks the dressers and drawers of a family long-absent while Gina tinkers with a rusted electric fan, hoping to grant you some reprieve from the clinging heat in the humid tenements. Doctor West offhandedly mentioned that she had to go grab the gear she had stashed before the fighting started and strode out the door a few seconds earlier, a white flourish of lab coat and a toss of her two-tone hair leaving the three of you alone for a moment.

You’re not sure if your allies would be better left alone to de-stress after your harrowing encounter, or if you should try and strike up a conversation with the time you have in Doctor West’s momentary absence. Then again, having a private word with the unnervingly cheerful physician may prove to be useful…

>> Help B’ni sort through the clothes, and touch base with how she’s feeling after her savage assault on the beasts she slew. Maybe you could find a better outfit for you and Gina, too.

>> Sit down with Gina and offer what help you can with getting a flow of air circulating…and check on her as well, as you’re not certain she’s being entirely truthful with her current physical state.

>> Follow Doctor West and ask what she’s been doing since you last saw her…you’re not entirely comfortable letting her out of your sight for long given your last interaction.

>> Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3153061
Could Gina heal using our Swarmlings to repair herself?

>>3153078
(Unless you rush into another fight, she should be mostly healed up. Active constructs offer little biomass and even less healing, as it is tied to another user. Thus, It really wouldn't do much.

>>3153061
>Spawn all the swarmlings if we have BIO to spare. 2 of them assist B'ni in the ransacking of clothing supplies and what not. 3 of them should scout out the area and keep watch, with one of them watching Dr. West's general location and the direction she went (don't tail her). 5 of them keep close to Gina and try to assist in her anyway they can. Maybe use their wings as impromptu fans to provide what little airflow they can for Gina while she tries to get the electric fan working. Or just tell her to stay put for a while.
> Help B’ni sort through the clothes, and touch base with how she’s feeling after her savage assault on the beasts she slew. Maybe you could find a better outfit for you and Gina, too.
>on the topic of fashion: Tear out a strip of fabric that you find and bandage Gina's eyesockets.

>>3153061
>Follow Dr West, ask what she's doing here.

>>3153101
This

sorry if this is a retarded question but is this OP the same as the Joker quest OP?

(Gentlemen, an open question how how the outfit selection will go; would you rather select from two to three outfits from a list for the three main girls, or would you rather customize them freely and vote amongst yourselves?)

>>3153177
(Not at all, I've gotten this quite a bit, actually. We are not the same writer, though his work certainly inspired me to write in a Quest format.)

>>3153179
List would probably be easier to manage.

(Gentlemen, voting for downtime and outfit selection options will close in one hour.)

>>3153101
This works sure. Like snow white but instead of birds and forest animals horrific back wasps.

>>3153179
>Shu needs a backless shirt or a very baggy shirt. Easier access for her hive to spawn from.
>Gina will need a bandana, if only to serve as a blindfold to cover up her empty eye sockets.
>B'ni gets a skirt and thigh high combo (grade A)
>All of them will at least get some sort of coat/jacket. The extra fabric can serve as utility.

I would say a mix of both. a selection of 2 to 3 outfits, but then the customization write-ins will serve as accessory/decorations.

>>3153355
>B'ni gets a skirt and thigh high combo (grade A)
Based

Besides that supporting

File: 22cb788c-4cfd-4c7b-8519-7(...).gif (419 KB, 540x756)

419 KB GIF

>>3153061

A host of simple swarmlings crawl from your back, a few lazily following Doctor West’s direction as they filter out the open window, while a handful hover over to Gina, wings buzzing silently above and around her to try and keep her cool as she works on giving the rest of you the same relief.

You pick across the creaking floor and make your way over to the bedroom, where B’ni combs through the belongings of the absent home owners. Given the growing pile of clothes thrown on the bed already, you would say that someone’s daughter either had a varied fashion sense or the mother dressed a little wild and young for her age. You’re impressed with how intact everything is. Whatever stripped the world clean of all normal creatures must have swooped up moths and other vermin when it did. You swing the door closed to both make more room in the cramped space and give you a modicum of privacy.

“Hey, sorry about waving you off earlier, B’ni.” you say to announce your presence, prompting B’ni to look up from the drawer she’s arm-deep in. “I wanted to check in, see how you were feeling after you went all warrior princess back there.”

“Haha, I’m fine Shu.” She says, flashing you a bright-fanged smile, “Hey, wanna help me hunt for some outfits?”

You shrug, inching across the tight quarters and past B’ni to a narrow closet just past the too-large bed. You crack it open and start to comb through the poorly sorted contents as you hear B’ni chuckle behind you.

“It’s funny, you know?” she begins, eyes still focused on the task at hand, “Ransacking a home that used to belong to a family makes me feel more uncomfortable than anything I’ve experienced today.”

You can’t help but give a short laugh as well, the horrors you’ve seen and the blood you’ve spilled on this day alone juxtaposed with such a leisurely, mundane looting.

(Continued)

>>3153449

“Never a dull moment, huh? Hey, could you keep an eye out for something backless and loose? You know, for my swarmlings?”

A short, choking sound makes you turn around to see B’ni holding a grey knit sweater before you, backless and completely useless for staying warm. You raise an eyebrow as she stifles a laugh.

“It’d make you more lethal to a certain demographic, I think. In the interest of fighting efficacy, you should give it a shot.” She says with a snort, throwing it back in the drawer and continuing to rifle through whatever she can find. You can’t say you entirely understood her reference, but at least she seems to be enjoying herself.

After a few minutes of working in contented silence and sorting through the massive haul on the bed, you and B’ni are left with a fair selection of potential replacement outfits. You turn to her for her verdict to find her smiling at you.

“I want you to pick for all of us, Shu. Go ahead!” she says cheerily, giggling at how taken aback you must look, “I’m serious, when I said I trusted you, I didn’t limit that to the battlefield. Go on, pick your favorites.”

Ah, lovely. There’s a reason you choose to dress in monochrome and why picking outfits was never something you were known for…at least, you don’t think you ever were.

That part’s still a little fuzzy.

(Continued)

>>3153451

You survey the assortment that now litters the king-size bed before you, your gaze darting over the array of options. Well, if B’ni puts that much faith in your fashion sense, then here goes…

SHU

>> You eye an outfit not unlike the one you woke up with, black gym shorts under a simple onyx skirt, replete with a dark grey top with a single splash of neon green just above your heart. You’ll have to tear the back to allow your swarm to fly free when needed, but it’s a simple and functional outfit that you’re partial to.

>> Taking a second look at a dress B’ni tossed on the bed, you start to think it’s not such a bad idea. Open back, jet black, and simple, it actually fits your aesthetic fairly well. It’s a tad too short, so you’d keep your comfy shorts on to not be an exhibitionist, but you have to hand it to B’ni, she picked well.

>> You feel like something brighter might suit you better, and you’re in the mood to switch things up. You eye a bright green top, loose and open in the back, paired with a pair of white denim jeans. It certainly won’t stay clean for long, but it brings a refreshing splash of color to a world overrun with scarlet meat and rotting bone.

(Continued)

>>3153463

B’NI

>> A simple white tank top and onyx skirt coupled with a pair of jet black thigh-high stockings make for a simple, if questionable, set of running attire. On the plus side, it’s light and airy, perfect for staying cool while trekking across the arid fleshscape. It offers the same amount of coverage as B’ni’s default outfit does, so you don’t think she’d mind its loose-fitting nature.

>> She moves as fast as a motorcycle, so you may as well dress her like a rider. A black leather jacket and faded jeans are a little oversized on B’ni’s slim, lithe frame, but they offer a modicum of protection and just look cool as hell, if you say so yourself. A flowing red scarf and set of racing goggle complete the image of a masked, rogue rider in a savage land.

>> This slate grey, double-breasted over coat and black jeans may serve her well. It’s a little on the warm side, but it cuts an imposing figure with its stern yet fashionable appearance. It would certainly make her look older, since due to her slim frame and wide eyes she looks a little youthful regardless of what she wears.

GG

>> A replacement hoodie stands out to you as the obvious choice, the one you’re staring at a jet black affair emblazoned with a fiery purple skull, drawn in a cartoonish way. It’s even a little over-large for her, similar to how her current attire extends to her knees, so she could keep whatever underclothes she has…whatever those may be, since you’ve never seen her out of that omnipresent hoodie.

>> A simple black shirt and dark cargo pants would at least give her a place to store some of her electronics in the myriad of pockets available to her. You’re unfamiliar with the emblem emblazoned on the front, a selection of Japanese letters preceding the phrase ‘Avatar Tuner’ above a set of five stylized symbols mark the chest, but maybe it’s something she’d be interested in.

>> There’s also this dark purple shirt, a violet sound wave pulsing across the front of it, frozen in a dramatic and striking arc. Dark shorts with amethyst highlights would pair well with it, but the whole ensemble, while fashionable, looks like it might be a little small on her…and given what you know, you may end up just putting this one back for your own peace of mind.

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(A black silken blindfold will be included with any of Gina's selection unless voted otherwise.)

>>3153463
SHU:
> You feel like something brighter might suit you better, and you’re in the mood to switch things up. You eye a bright green top, loose and open in the back, paired with a pair of white denim jeans. It certainly won’t stay clean for long, but it brings a refreshing splash of color to a world overrun with scarlet meat and rotting bone.
Make the shirt color an eyesore Neon Green (for the lulz) and this is good. We should also look for some sort of bug-related accessory. Something like a Pin perhaps?
GG:
> A simple black shirt and dark cargo pants would at least give her a place to store some of her electronics in the myriad of pockets available to her. You’re unfamiliar with the emblem emblazoned on the front, a selection of Japanese letters preceding the phrase ‘Avatar Tuner’ above a set of five stylized symbols mark the chest, but maybe it’s something she’d be interested in.
In a world of flesh and bone, giving GG the edge to use electronics by giving her storage space will be a boon.
But I still want the oversized replacement Hoodie.
B'NI
> She moves as fast as a motorcycle, so you may as well dress her like a rider. A black leather jacket and faded jeans are a little oversized on B’ni’s slim, lithe frame, but they offer a modicum of protection and just look cool as hell, if you say so yourself. A flowing red scarf and set of racing goggle complete the image of a masked, rogue rider in a savage land.
Goddammit. The Kamen Rider image got to me.

>>3153496
I'll back this

>>3153463
>SHU
Option 2

>B'NI
Option 1

>GG
Option 1

(Gentlemen, voting shall close one hour and forty minutes from now as I close out the work day. Thank you for participating.)

>>3153496
>>3153525
Guys we can mix and match

>>3153463
>>3153467
SHU
> You feel like something brighter might suit you better, and you’re in the mood to switch things up. You eye a bright green top, loose and open in the back, paired with a pair of white denim jeans. It certainly won’t stay clean for long, but it brings a refreshing splash of color to a world overrun with scarlet meat and rotting bone.
What >>3153496 said about a bug pin too

B'NI
>A flowing red scarf and set of racing goggles complete the image of a masked, rogue rider in a savage land.
>A simple white tank top and onyx skirt coupled with a pair of jet black thigh-high stockings make for a simple, if questionable, set of running attire.
Scarf + goggles + tank-top + skirt + thigh-highs = MUH DICK

GG
FUCK WHY DO I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE GALE HOODIE AND THE DDS SHIRT REEEEEEEEEEEE
> A simple black shirt and dark cargo pants would at least give her a place to store some of her electronics in the myriad of pockets available to her. You’re unfamiliar with the emblem emblazoned on the front, a selection of Japanese letters preceding the phrase ‘Avatar Tuner’ above a set of five stylized symbols mark the chest, but maybe it’s something she’d be interested in.
What >>3153496 said about storage space is justified. In an ideal post-apocalypse, the hoodie would have the Avatar Tuner logo on it and we could go with amethyst cargo pants.

>>3153469
>black silk
Why not cut the dark purple violet soundwave shirt in such a way that it acts as a blindfold, if we can't take any extra clothing with us except what we wear on ourselves? This was she still has a blindfold, but it's a STYLISH one.
Eh? Anyone?

>>3153552
Bit the only part id want to change is adding the cargo shorts to GGs outfit.

>>3153525
Which i am actually adding to my vote.

>>3153552
>>3153467
Ooh. I like the sound of the Soundwave blindfold.
Also, supporting the mix and match idea.

>>3153467
Can we spawn a large swarmling mount/pet to ride and store biomass in ?

Are there any maggots in this world? or did the fleshscape eat everything living?

>>3153710
(At current, the largest swarmling you can craft is roughly the size of a house cat or small dog, though as you continue to level Swarmling you may be pleased with the options presented. And yes, the Fleshscape absorbed nearly all original organic life and material on earth...)

(...nearly.)

>>3153463
>>3153467
SHU
>> You feel like something brighter might suit you better, and you’re in the mood to switch things up. You eye a bright green top, loose and open in the back.
Combined with
>> You eye an outfit not unlike the one you woke up with, black gym shorts under a simple onyx skirt.

B'NI
>> She moves as fast as a motorcycle, so you may as well dress her like a rider. A black leather jacket and faded jeans are a little oversized on B’ni’s slim, lithe frame, but they offer a modicum of protection and just look cool as hell, if you say so yourself. A flowing red scarf and set of racing goggle complete the image of a masked, rogue rider in a savage land.
Underneath the jacket, add
>> A simple white tank top

GG

>> A replacement hoodie stands out to you as the obvious choice, the one you’re staring at a jet black affair emblazoned with a fiery purple skull, drawn in a cartoonish way.
For the underclothes, add
>> A simple black shirt and dark cargo pants would at least give her a place to store some of her electronics in the myriad of pockets available to her. You’re unfamiliar with the emblem emblazoned on the front, a selection of Japanese letters preceding the phrase ‘Avatar Tuner’ above a set of five stylized symbols mark the chest, but maybe it’s something she’d be interested in.
And tear up the sound wave shirt to make a bandana for her eyes.

>>3153727
(( if that happends, will our back look like a overly huge donut after birthing said creature))

>>3153727
Can we speek to doc about more info on other swarmling? daughters.

So the final verdict is:

SHU
>You feel like something brighter might suit you better, and you’re in the mood to switch things up. You eye a bright green top, loose and open in the back, paired with a pair of white denim jeans. It certainly won’t stay clean for long, but it brings a refreshing splash of color to a world overrun with scarlet meat and rotting bone.
>You spy a dazzling insect symbol pin in emerald gray and orange. Bright, iridescent, and still gleaming through into the post-apocalypse. Perfect.
B'NI
>A flowing red scarf and set of racing goggles complete the image of a masked, rogue rider in a savage land.
>A simple white tank top and onyx skirt coupled with a pair of jet black thigh-high stockings make for a simple, if questionable, set of running attire.
GG
Over:
>A replacement hoodie stands out to you as the obvious choice, the one you’re staring at a jet black affair emblazoned with a fiery purple skull, drawn in a cartoonish way. It’s even a little over-large for her, similar to how her current attire extends to her knees, so she could keep whatever underclothes she has…whatever those may be, since you’ve never seen her out of that omnipresent hoodie.
Under:
>A simple black shirt. You’re unfamiliar with the emblem emblazoned on the front, a selection of Japanese letters preceding the phrase ‘Avatar Tuner’ above a set of five stylized symbols mark the chest, but maybe it’s something she’d be interested in.
and
>Dark cargo shorts with amethyst highlights would at least give her a place to store some of her electronics in the myriad of pockets available to her.
and
>Tearing up the violet soundwave shirt as a makeshift blindfold adds a satisfying shock of color to the overall ensemble.


Is this good, guys? Or am I missing something else?

To sum up clearer, it's
Shu
>bright green backless top
>white denim jeans
>green, gray, orange insect pin
B'ni
>red scarf
>racing goggles
>white tank top
>black skirt
>black thigh-highs
GG
>big black hoodie with purple flame skull
>black Avatar Tuner shirt
>black cargo shorts with amethyst highlights
>violet soundwave blindfold

>>3153769
Yee

>>3153775
(Excellent, writing now.)

>>3153778
Ooh, add the leather jacket to B'ni's ensemble too
Go full tomboy rider fighter

>>3153781
YES

>>3153467
>>3153775

You mix and match between the choices for a moment before shoving the leftovers to the side, standing back to admire your selection. B'ni immediately scoops up the outfit you've picked out for her and smiles wide.

"I'll change right now! Would you mind taking Gina's to her, and you should change too! I'd love to see you new look, Shu."

"I'll leave you be, then." You reply with a nod, gathering the remaining clothes and closing the door behind you. The hum of blades and the movement of air in the living room of the shack takes you by surprise, a pleasant current drifting about the room as Gina managed to find and repair two fans, both working to dispel the warm, moist atmosphere.

"Nice work on the fans." you say, striding over to Gina who gives you a quick thumbs up before returning to tinkering with her slightly altered halo.

"Hey, B'ni and I got some fresh clothes for all of us. I kind of, uh...made an outfit for you. I hope you don't mind, since your other one got blood on it." you say, setting her clothes on the table. She replaces the halo atop her head, then takes the four items and runs her fingers over them, an inscrutable expression on her face before she speaks.

"What's on them? Like, what labels, or pictures or whatever?"

"Um...I thought with the halo you could..." you start, pausing as GG shakes her head.

"Nah, it's just shapes, movement, and stuff, more than enough to walk around and navigate. If I focus really hard I can detect heat and vibrations pretty well like I did earlier, but details? Nah."

"...Oh. I'm sorry, I..."

"Shu, there's nothing to be sorry about, I didn't say anything about it, did I? In any case, could you describe what's on them, starting with the hoodie?" she says, a half-smile playing on her lips as she stands, taking the large hoodie in hand and slipping it over her current clothes.

(Continued)

>>3153840

"Sure. It's black, and there's a purple skull on the front, kind of cartoonish and surrounded by violet flames." you reply, watching Gina squirm within the confines of two layers of clothing before producing her torn, bloodied hoodie from underneath the new one, promptly tossing it to the side. You consider it quite the skill, one you don't think you ever mastered as she grabs the shorts next.

"The shorts are black with...um..." you begin, faltering as Gina frees a pair of shorts from just above the bottom of the over-large hoodie and slips on the new pair you selected. "...with lots of pockets for your headphones and...other stuff."

"Nice, I appreciate that." she says, running her hands over the shirt's logo. "What's this?"

"It says Avatar Tuner, and it has some emblems below it. I think It's for a show...or a game, maybe, I'm not sure." you explain, watching her pull a similar trick of switching shirts under the hoodie. You wait a moment for her to produce her old shirt from underneath her hoodie, but she's reaching for the blindfold without a word.

"Gina, are you wearing two shirts?" you ask, confused.

"Nope." she replies curtly. "We ran out of the city so fast I left with what I had on me. What's this for?"

"...Oh, that." You say, trying to focus, "There was this black shirt with a sound wave on it, a couple of purple lines, really...I thought it might make a cool looking blindfold."

Her long fingers trace the arcing lines for a long moment as she stands in silence, and then the turns to you.

"Could you put it on me?" she says, a curious note in her voice.

You nod, taking the blindfold from her loose grasp and lifting it to her face. You peer at her sightless sockets for a moment before the strip of cloth obscures them. You hold it in place with one hand and push her long, wild mane of dark brown hair back from one ear, looping half of the cloth through before doing the same for the other side, Gina's hands at her sides as you do so. Your arms reach over her shoulders and around the back of her head to tie the band in place.

Stepping back, Gina lets out a short breath as you admire the ensemble you put together. She spins in place with a sheepish smile.

"I love it, Shu...thank you." she says with a modest smile, pushing her hair back and away so that you can see the full blindfold across her eyes. Warmth floods your mind, the sensation you feel emanating from her composed of equal parts appreciation and something akin to guilt.

(Continued)

(Gentlemen, I am pausing here for dinner. I shall post again soon and thank you for your patience.)

oh shit I missed this too
>>3153451
>A short, choking sound makes you turn around to see B’ni holding a grey knit sweater before you, backless and completely useless for staying warm.
>“It’d make you more lethal to a certain demographic, I think. In the interest of fighting efficacy, you should give it a shot.”
V I R G I N
K I L L E R

>>3153963
If only there were gender counterparts to daughters around... (think Venom&Eddie). Then "that" outfit would make social diplomacy super effective on them.

>>3153872
>all this one-sided yuri tension because Gina has absolutely no underwear on at all under those clothes
You sure know what you're doing BHOP.

>>3153974
Nope. Seriously doubt that.

>>3153872

You open your mouth to speak when the bedroom door opens behind you. You turn on your heel to see B'ni standing in the door frame with a playful flourish, goggles latched to her face, her red scarf fluttering behind her briefly as she whips her short hair back from her face dramatically. The brown leather jacket over a plain white top and black skirt work well with her slender runner's build, the high black stockings tapering down long, lissome legs, coming to an end tucked neatly into a pair of retracted greaves.

"I feel like Flywheel!" she says, bouncing over to the both of you as Gina quickly sits down, the overwhelming joy flowing from B'ni downing out the sensations you felt a few moments ago. You raise an eyebrow at your ally, her enthusiasm fading somewhat at your lack of recognition as a blush creeps across her face.

"She's, um...she was one of my favorite comic book characters back in the day...w-well, she wasn't really from the comics, not technically...it was more like fan....fan-fiction, kind of...I mean, it more resembles the storyline she ran back in time to the forties and got a new costume, and...you know what, nevermi..."

"B'ni, I'd say you look cooler than her, just on principle. I'm glad you like it." you say with a smirk, and she smiles wide once more.

"Where's that doctor friend of yours?" Gina asks, fiddling with her halo's recent addition, diadem shining between her thumb and forefinger.

Shifting focus to the pair of swarmlings close to Doctor West, you find her stringing up a defensive array of paralytic strands with her newly-replenished biomass around the streets and alleys leading up to the house you currently occupy. Two large cases sit nearby, which you assume to be the gear she was gathering earlier. She catches sight of one of your swarmlings and gives you a little wave and a wink as she puts the finishing touches on a light, yet incredibly effective set of fortifications.

B'ni leans over GG's shoulder, eyes glinting with curiosity as she observes the other girl work intently in silence. You continue to watch Doctor West string up a perimeter as a silence settles over the room, slowly realizing that it will be several long minutes before she concludes her task. You glance over to your allies and admire your handiwork, turning your new clothes over in your hands as you think of a way to burn the time before West returns.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, I will be concluding here for the evening. I will still be around to interact and the like, but it's been a long week. I still plan to post intermittently over the weekend before resuming in earnest on Monday. Thank you so much for participating and take care.)

>>3154015
>[ ]"Doc's setting up her field lab and making a spider web fence around the house."
>Tell them of what you know of Dr. West, Dr. West's theories on what happened to the world, and how Dr. West ended up being a "Daughter".
>Send the rest of your swarmlings (save for 2) out to scout the town and toggle through their vision for a few minutes, tell B'ni and Gina any points of interest in the mining town that they could explore for the next few days.
>"So Gina, what does the fancy crown do?" (Test out Gina's new Neurotic Halo abilities, offer up one swarmling for Gina to ASSUME DIRECT CONTROL, then witness shenanigans/hilarity when the synaptic feedback from Gina controlling the swarmling also indirectly controls Shu [until Shu manually cuts herself off from Gina's controlled swarmling])
>Raise the question the moment Dr. West walks through the door. "What do you think Doc? Why are there no boys in this post-apocalyptic lovecraftian world? For all the 'powers' the daughters get, I would've thought there'd be boys who goes around with powers like Venom or in Tokyo Ghoul."

>>3154015
this >>3154092
but would Shu know what Venom and TG are? B'ni or Gina would know them better.

>>3154015
ALSO IN ADDITION TO >>3154092
>Remind everyone about the reason we came down here before being ganked by giant cockroaches: the heat signature in that one shack.

>>3154015
>"Why do you girls think the doc left her nice cushy compound to come here?"

>>3154015
>>3154092
>>3154246
>>3154185

"Doc's setting up her field lab and making a spider web fence around the house..." you say, glancing out the window and scanning the silent streets beyond, spawning two swarmlings to survey the town as you do so, "...so that should give me enough time to fill you both in about what she and I talked about a few days ago. Plus, I have some questions for her when she comes back."

You tell them what you know of Dr. West, her origin, and her theories on what happened to the world as B'ni and Gina take it all in, considering your word in silence. GG continues to fiddle with her fancy new halo, which gives you an idea after you conclude your summary.

"Gina, what do you think would happen if you jack in to one of my swarmlings? Any theories?"

"Uh, I'm really not sure." she says, a raised eyebrow arching above the soundwave-emblazoned bandanna. "Worst case, it would cause a sensory feedback loop, where I'm looking through it, through you, through my halo, all at once...it would be disorienting and one of us would probably lose our lunch, maybe worse."

"What's the best case scenario, GG?" you ask, spawning a single, basic creation that skitters down your arm to the back of your hand, weighing your options. Gina shifts uncomfortably on the floor, switching to a kneeling position as she produces a single jack from her forearm.

"You're a glutton for punishment, Shu. Screw it, give it here and let's see what happens." she says with a sigh, cradling your swarmling in her outstretched hands. Her jack hovers just above the shell as the two of you stare at each other for a moment. You nod, and at your command Gina slides the needle home.

Your vision floods with amethyst light, a flurry of sight and sound overwhelming your senses as you struggle to stay upright and catching glimpses of scenes and memories unfamiliar to you. The sensory assault cuts suddenly as you find yourself held steady by B'ni, the jack yanked free from your twitching swarmling.

"Okay...yeah, that's clearly not a good idea right now." you say as Gina gives you her best 'I told you so' look, her withering glare effective despite her lack of traditional vision. Without warning, the door behind you is suddenly and savagely kicked open as Doctor West makes her entrance, wrestling the two over-sized cases through the dooframe.

(Continued)

>>3155411

You decide to not give her the time to start on a random train of thought as you round on her the moment she steps over the threshold. "What do you think Doctor? Where did the males go after the world ended? For all the powers girls like us get, do you have any theories on why it's just us?"

"Shu's got a point." Gina says, her jack slipping back beneath her skin as she addresses the doctor, "I'm surprised we haven't seen any Eddie Brocks or Ghouls running around, at this point."

"My dear Shu, I have all the theories in the world, but there's not nearly enough evidence to reach a concrete conclusion, I'm afraid." she says, throwing a case down next to the table and taking a seat, propping the other next to her as she whips out a notepad and pen from her coat pocket. "A more pressing concern is the current hypothesis I am working on, so let's start with you, my spring-legged pet; how long have you been awake in this world?"

She stares intently at B'ni who balks at the sudden interrogation, her emerald green eyes suspiciously staring down to match the physician's intently glimmering gaze.

"Uh, a little before Shu did...why?" she shoots back, but West ignores her inquiry in favor of one of her own, this time aimed at Gina.

"What about yourself, dear? How long?" the doctor asks, clicking her pen in anticipation.

"About eight months, give or take." she replies coolly, not looking up from her halo as she makes some minor adjustments. West's eyebrows shoot up, rapidly scribbling in her notebook as she mutters out loud.

"Fascinating. You and I have been active for a similar amount of time, yet compared to your friends' combat skills, you seem terribly underdeveloped, darling."

You're about to jump to Gina's defense when the brunette lets loose with a deep, hearty laugh, catching you and B'ni completely off guard.

"Haha, oh wow." she begins, struggling for breath as she wipes a tear from her eye, "It's been about seven years since anyone accused me of being underdeveloped, so thanks for that, Doctor."

"Oh, I suppose it's my pleasure." West replies, shifting focus completely to her notes. You're not fond of this one-sided line of questioning so you decide to let fly with one of your own.

(Continued)

>>3155415

"What made you leave?" you ask, point blank. "You looked like you had everything all settled in that compound of yours, so why venture out?

A slim, coy smile slides across the doctor's lips, her unearthly blue irises shimmering as she stares deeply into your eyes.

"The 'what' is you, silly girl." she says matter-of-factly, uncrossing then recrossing her legs with a sharp click of her heel. "The 'why' is knowledge. I learned more in a few mere days of adventure than months of study would have granted me. Speaking of which, I have something that belongs to you, darling."

Leaning over to the case next to her, she casually flicks two locks and opens the lid with a single graceful, gloved hand, reaching inside and withdrawing a small, jet-black sphere. You immediately sense it as a creation of your own, the swarmling you left with the doctor after your first meeting, but she has clearly had time to play with it in the time since you last saw her.

The thing she extends to you bears little resemblance to your current constructs, resembling a glittering black scarab, sleek shell covering delicate inner workings. The creature tests its wings, fluttering over to your outstretched hand with a little hop, and it immediately begins to change. Its shining onyx carapace distorts into a pale skin tone, and you watch in awe as it flattens out and contorts its texture on instinct to perfectly match the intricate grooves and imperfections in your palm. You look up at the doctor, who promptly giggles at your expression.

"Given how furtive you were before and during our first rendezvous, the moment you left me Immediately started working on this design. I do hope you enjoy it, darling."

>>UNIQUE SWARMLING MODIFICATION UNLOCKED

>>SUBVERSIVE SWARM: at a cost of an additional 5% biomass per swarmling, you may modify members of your brood into special variants that boast the ability to conform to the color and texture of their environment, granting both full-sized and specialized swarmlings the ability to instinctually conceal their presence from aggressors. Their adaptive camouflage persists for the duration of combat and transitions seamlessly between terrains, though it may prove less than effective against foes that are not as dependent upon the visual spectrum to track their prey. Additionally, the same principle can be applied to an iteration of Chitinous Stalwart for a total cost of 100% BIO, transforming your sleek alloy into a shifting, stealth-oriented armor, allowing for you to sneak behind foes to deliver a spiked greave's payload of lethal chemicals directly, for that personal touch you occasionally crave.

(Continued)

File: TheRustThatRemains.jpg (634 KB, 1200x1818)

634 KB JPG

>>3155419

>>3155419

"This...this is incredible." you say as Doctor West snaps the lid shut and rises abruptly, snatching up both cases a single, brusque movement.

"You can thank me by using it well and often, though with how clever and danger-prone you seem to be, I'm sure that won't be a struggle, love." she says as she strides to the door and angles it open with her foot. "I've left you with decent protection, but the strands lose their kick after forty-eight hours, so don't get lazy, girls."

"Aw, leaving so soon?" B'ni asks, making little effort to hide her relief at the doctor's abrupt exit, though the whirlwind blonde either chooses to ignore her tone or is simply that wrapped up in her own mind that she pays B'ni no heed.

"Alas, I heard tell of a monastery to the east that is rumored to belong to a bevy of fine young specimens that have figured out a way to suppress the corruption indefinitely, but that's neither here nor there. Cheers for the lovely demonstration, I wish you ladies the very best until we meet again!"

You're about to call out to her, but the next moment she's gone, dashing off to her next project with a manic fervor that you're not certain will ever fade. You realize the sheer electric energy of the woman had you all on edge and, upon her exit, you feel the atmosphere in the room relax considerably, as pleasant calm settling over the three of you as you collectively sit around the table, your first legitimate break in some time.

You consider your options, glancing between Gina, fully immersed in her work, and B'ni, you seems to be deep in thought, herself. There's still the matter of the heat source that brought you to this creaking town in the first place, though from what you've seen through the scouts you sent out earlier, there is a large cave entrance near the foot of the mountain that leads deep within the calcite peaks, well below the jagged peaks you scaled to arrive at this place. On the other hand, there is also a large factory nearby as well, only lightly taller than the menagerie of single-story shacks and shops that surround it, but in terms of sheer floor space it remains the largest and most reinforced structure in the area.

>> Stay put and try to get some sleep in shifts, relying on Doctor West's defenses to do their work while you burn time until Julia finishes her piece...maybe you could test out some of the new abilities that the Halo upgrade gave Gina, or find some other way to pass the time.

>> You came to this town to investigate the source of heat that Gina pointed out earlier, and you want to deal with that before you settle down for the next few days or move forwards...whichever you all feel like doing next after you get to the bottom of the source.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, a little something to progress things before I go out on the town today. Feel free to vote or post your questions and comments, as I will be working on the next update and post either tonight or tomorrow morning, and I shall be available to answer any system or ability questions you may have, within reason. Thank you for your patience, and take care.)

>>3155419
>Dat octo camo armor
Kickass

>>3155422
>> You came to this town to investigate the source of heat that Gina pointed out earlier, and you want to deal with that before you settle down for the next few days or move forwards...whichever you all feel like doing next after you get to the bottom of the source.

But be cautious too of course. Maybe call back a few swarmlings and roll them out some camo, so we can get some protection as close as possible to the heat. However incase it is a non violent person, or worse, clearly a new daughter still deep in sleep, i think the active camo on ourselves might unnerve them and make them a bit too suspicious.

Plus the last thing i think people would react well to is a random stranger literally materializing out of the air at the foot of their bed, as funny as it may be to watch.

>>3155422
>>> You came to this town to investigate the source of heat that Gina pointed out earlier, and you want to deal with that before you settle down for the next few days or move forwards...whichever you all feel like doing next after you get to the bottom of the source.

>>3155422
>Get some rest after that big fight, but investigate the heat source well before Julia is due to finish.

We really should take advantage our immense stealth and recon capability. Between stealth armor and amazing recon bugs, our biological Intel and Ops machine, and a speedster, we can go full on solid snake.

>>3155422
> Stay put and try to get some sleep in shifts, relying on Doctor West's defenses to do their work while you burn time until Julia finishes her piece...maybe you could test out some of the new abilities that the Halo upgrade gave Gina, or find some other way to pass the time.
I wanna wait until Gina gets her Thoughtform wifi setup. Then we can explore in earnest.
>"Underdeveloped huh..." (flat stare at Gina's chest, then at Gina's Neuotic crown)
>Write-in: Try to find supplies or actual paper that didn't get schlorp'd into the eldritch landscape. Make a map of the relative major locations in the world. We're going to need one at this rate, since there's too many places of Interest and getting there takes significant travel time. This could be a good way to burn time.

>Spend the first 24 hours getting sleep in shifts, then next 24 exploring all the places of interest within the town. Then Spend day 3 going back up to see Julia.

>>3155454
>>3155550
Man, we're going to need to put lots of points in our build into BIO and Swarmling at this rate if we're going to take advantage of all the varieties of -lings we can make.

And from what Dr. West said, it looks like Gina's severely underleveled. We can take the 2 days of Sanctuary that the Dr. provided into power leveling and exploring. Then We'll have to spend the final day trekking back up the mountain to meet up with Julia again.

>>3155422
This >>3155604

>>3155604
Supporting

I was a bit sad the stealth built lost the vote, guess I had show some patience.

How much BIO would we need to spend each day to keep a full suit of camo platelings alive? Can we keep em alive Indefinitelly with our passive BIO regen?

Also we badly need a pastebin with all the abillites and upgrades, can't remember the specifics of our repertoire.

>>3155716
There is one, he posted it before the last battle, and said he would post it before every battle from now on. Its just these things last so long its alot to scroll up to(not that thats necessarily a bad thing).

https://pastebin.com/A5MA9zeY

>>3155768
Huh I didn't notice it, thanks mate

>>3155793
No problem.

Also Horror OP, our ability says we can use some of the armor biomass to make swarmlings, even special variants.

However, we can also give armor to allies. my question is, can we use armor on our allies to spawn swarmlings, and more importantly, to spawn special variants, or would special variants spawned from allied armor only be possible if say, we gave them the reactive drill armor?

I mean, technically our allies do have stomach acid at least for our swarmlings to draw on...and b'ni at least would probably be willing to let that happen, which actually may be an issue on its own.

>>3155820
I think it means we can only use our own body to reshape em since we have that deeper connection. That has gotten me thinking though, can we recycle our swarmlings back Into BIO? That would be a game changer.

>>3155820

(You may reshape armor into active swarmlings only when you have physical contact, as the swarmlings go dormant when they attach as armor.)

>>3155844

(You certainly can, though calling back swarmlings and converting them back to usable biomass takes an action. The conversion rate is 1:1.)

>>3155716

(The ability sheet is a little sparse, but if anyone needs any specifics clarified or to run through hypotheticals, you're more than welcome to ask.)

>>3156095
Yeah thats kinda what i thought. Would be neat but silly if we could, but thought it a good idea to ask just in case.

>>3156095
do Dormant-lings count in our 10 cap swarmling capacity?

>>3156170
(Yes, they do.)

>>3155422
>>3155604

You decide it's best to get some rest after the too-long and too-harrowing past few hours you all have had. You plan to sleep in shifts, two scouts at a time, to burn a day with all of you getting at least eight hours of sleep, then spending the next twenty-four hours scouring the town and probing every nook and cranny for usable supplies, spare biomass, and, of course, investigating the heat source that brought you to this godforsaken rust heap to begin with.

Your allies find the plan amenable as B'ni volunteers to get the bed sheets changed with some (debatably) fresh linens she found while combing through outfit options while Gina pokes and prods at her mobile phone, having muttered something about it needing 'calibrations' for maximum efficiency and inserting a single, oddly-shaped jack into the charging port.

They leave it to you to decide the watch order, a decision you mull over while scrounging for some art supplies for a pet project you had in mind. Eventually, you resign yourself to drawing on the back of a simple white shirt with a tube of lipstick, since the paper and markers you found were brittle and dried out to the point of uselessness. You're kneeling down across the table from Gina to start on a rudimentary map of the area when you catch her scowling at you in confusion.

"Are...are you making a custom shirt with lipstick, man?" she asks, incredulously. You feel a blush of shame creep into your cheeks as you fumble for a reply.

"N-no, it's a map." you say, trying to gather yourself and defend your artistic choices, "We've explored a lot of places and I don't want to lose track of...hey, what's that look for?"

Gina's eyebrow arcs as a smirk spreads across her face, one hand deftly sliding her phone across the table to you as it flickers to life, her cord unspooling as it grinds to a halt. The screen holds a detailed map of the town, albeit only half finished.

"Gina, this is amazing." you say, zooming in on the image as you marvel at the details she's managed to capture in such a short time. You experimentally flip through the other photos, revealing an intricate replica of the mountain path you took here, replete with variety of small hazard symbols and a legend detailing the types of terrain. You stumble across her pre-halo maps from there, finding a general map of the hairless wastes from a day or so ago as well as a diagram of the Amalgam Sororitas' home where you took shelter from the lethal downfall. The town, the mountain, the plains, the city where you two first met...it's all here in fine detail.

"It's no big deal, I've been picking away at it in my spare time." Gina sniffs, trying to hide the hint of pride in her voice, "The first few are kinda sketchy since I was going off of memory and my cords, so...yeah."

"Gina, you're too modest, these are insanely..." you begin, your compliment faltering as you scroll past the final map, eyes studying the image before you.

(Continued)

>>3157169

Gina stares back at you from the screen with a smile, amber eyes wide and filled with joy as she hugs a girl around her age, black hair long and straight, eyes closed as she smiles for the camera. The sun illuminates the clouds behind them, bright white against a pale blue sky. The phone screen fades as GG's cord unplugs as slithers back under her skin as its owner sits in silence, her mouth a tight, rigid line.

"I'm sorry..." you say, sliding the phone back across the table gently, "...I didn't mean to pry, but...that was your friend, right? Kosi?"

Gina nods, placing the phone back in her hoodie pocket, keeping her hand there as her other hand disappears into the opposite one, shoulders hunched. You feel the wave guilt you felt from her earlier practically flowing off her, as she forms her words with slow deliberation.

"I can't stop thinking about how I left her, Shu. I can't rest, knowing she's back there, dying bit by bit with every second that I'm out here, laughing and fighting and living." she says, her voice low, "I need to go back there when I'm stronger...and I *need* to get stronger, as soon as I can."

She tilts her head up from her lap and angles her sightless gaze towards you, her words hard and determined.

"When the time comes, I can either get through to her or kill her." she states succinctly, her voice clipped and hard, "I'm not so naive as to think there are any other options available to me. I won't ask you or Isabelle to join me, and please know I don't expect you to. I also won't turn you down if you try to help me...but regardless, I'm going back for her, sooner rather than later."

"I just...I just want to make my intentions clear, Shu. I have to go back, and I want you to know where I stand, full disclosure. I feel like I owe you that much, for everything you've done for me."

She leaves it at that as she wordlessly returns to making minor adjustments to her halo, the whirring of the fans and the faint sounds of B'ni cleaning the bedroom behind the closed door settle around the two of you as you consider Gina's declaration and what it means to the future of your westward Journey, as well as which pair of your adventuring trio will stay up at first watch.

>>Write-In

AND

>>Determine sleeping order

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3157190
>Sleeping order
Gina, B'ni, Shu.

>Let Gina know you understand and wont stop her, but you can't in good faith send you and B'ni into a literal city sized death trap unless you feel you are actually strong enough for that, even if before you feel that time has come Gina wants to go back. You're not saying you wont help, only that you have to KNOW you can handle it if you're going to go back. Being another victim wont do anyone any good.

>>3157190
WELL THEN. The timing couldn't be more perfect. We got a new swarmling that's specifically designed for TACTICAL ESPIONAGE ACTION. We got some level-ups, We have Julia's work waiting at the top of the mountains, which is also our way back to Kosi's city. Also, there's that Monastary in the east Dr. West mentioned. I think we can afford to backtrack. I also wanna help Gina.

We can help Gina powerlevel on our way back, we can get our commissioned bugs from Julia and also tell her that the Mining town's been cleared up free of Amalgamations, and we can have an option of exploring eastward towards that Monastary Dr. West mentioned.

All in favor of Backtracking to the Kosi's city?

>"Gina, I feel you. You've done so much for B'ni and I, getting us out of the city when by all intents and purposes B'ni and I would've been doomed by Kosi's insane abilities. And I know how you feel. Leaving others behind doesn't sit right with me. Hell, the whole reason why I rejected the 2 choices and took a third in the dream that I had was because I HATED being alone. No one deserves to suffer alone."
>Call for a group huddle.
>"So here's what we're going to do. We've got a few days to ourselves in this town before we gotta head back up that mountain range to pick-up the project I asked Julia to make. And once we go pick up Julia's "art pieces" we're heading straight to Kosi's city. So within those three days, we are going to prepare ourselves and train. Scavenge what we need for the journey, Train our abilities, Hunt Amalgamations and have Gina power level like she's never power leveled before. The Rocky Balboa Training Montage and the kitchen sink. The works. The Doc's given us a good home base to take shelter in, and it only lasts 2 days. So lets make the most of that safe haven by exploring, hunting, and most of all, TRAINING. If we're going to get to Kosi alive and whole for Gina to either talk her down or kill her, we need to train ourselves in dodging those eye lasers.

Sleeping Shift order:
>Gina
>B'ni
>Shu

>>3157260
>>3157274
Shit, tough choice

(Gentlemen, this will obviously be the last post I make today though I will endeavor to continue tomorrow after tallying the votes. I appreciate you all making this quest a joy to run, and I hope you all rest well. Thank you again, Gentlemen.)

>>3157295
How long will the vote be open? I do hope it stays open overnight. There might be some anons who may have slept through the update and may not have fully digested the situation.

>>3157292
Honestly I still dont know if we are ready. Remember she found us in the sewers pretty easily, even though she didn't have eyes exactly on us at that moment nor in the path we took. It may of just been luck, but if it's not and she has another way besides just sight, well, are camo advantage crumbles, and once it does, im still not sure were strong enough just yet to actually fight towards her. Maybe if she didn't corrupt biomass so we could replenish as we fight, but that ability alone makes her insanely hard to fight, let alone any other powers she may have collected.

Im not changing my vote from 'not yet ready' at this time.

Also its 300% biomass to armor all of is, aswell as im not sure how the armor bugs affect our swarmling count nor at least our max ability to keep our constructs solid. May not be a problem but definitely not something to ignore asking.

>>3157326

(Oh, of course. Given my schedule tomorrow, the vote will be open for at least another thirteen to fourteen hours, to give everyone a decent chance to vote. I will also post on here tomorrow well in advance of the voting coming to a closed so no one will be left out in the cold, as it were.)

>>3157274
>>3157190
>Spend your night watch thinking up of a training regimen for Everyone.

>>3157328
This is kinda why I want to spend our 3 days in the Mining down to Train our abilities and power-level like crazy.

>>3157333
Is is possible to Level up by Training like Rocky Balboa?

File: 1448433640832.png (247 KB, 382x348)

247 KB PNG

>>3157190
Backing >>3157260 but also the part of >>3157274 about TRAINING MONTAGES and LEVEL GRINDING and OTHER COOL STUFF
Just because we're in a fleshy hellscape world doesn't mean we can't still git gud. Remember, any and all problems in this sort of setting can be solved by going full REND SLAUGHTER DEVOUR YOUR ENEMIES THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO SURVIVE YOU CANNOT ESCAPE YOUR HUNGER WARRIORS OF PURGATORY on every single Amalgam and unreasonable Daughter we come across

So the basic gist is
>"I know you wanna go back to her and we'll be with you on this, but we're too fucking weak right now to go up against Kosi and survive."
>"So what we're gonna do now is train, scavenge, hunt, and explore the area, all over the few days we're here for Julia's art pieces."
>"By then, we'll see if we're ready to go for Kosi or if we still need more training."

(Leveling up is only possible though devouring the remains of a recently slain amalgam before the fleshscape reclaims it, or by absorbing the biomass of an incapacitated Daughter. Worry not, though...there are no shortage of means to strengthen yourselves in your current location.)

>>3157424
Aww... But I was so hyped up for a extensive training program that I was in the midst of writing. Oh well. BHOP's word is god. Doesn't mean I can't post it though. I wonder what kind of benefits would self-disciplined training would give. Do they have benefits?

>>3157274
>>3157190

TRAINING PROGRAM:

What Everyone needs to improve on: reaction time, agility, and using their powers creatively.
B'ni Exclusive: She needs to train in dodging when she isn't running. How to dodge proficiently while carrying a heavy load (read: a person). Dodging attacks from multiple angles.
Gina Exclusive: How to Efficiently process information in a chaotic situation. Terraforming the landscape quickly.
Shu Exclusive: Micro-managing and Macro-managing swarmlings. Improving the speed in repurposing and spawning swarmlings.

TRAINING IDEAS:
Dodgeball room of Eldritch hell: Gina Terraforms and entire room to shoot calcite spikes (their tips are blunted) and slabs (blunted edges and also doesn't cover the entire room) from different angles. B'ni and Shu will have to dodge them. and stay in the room. Isabelle's (B'ni) challenge is to dodge without using her Calcite greaves or running around the room in a full sprint while carrying a heavy load. She's got the speed, she needs to improve on her raw agility. Shu on the other hand, will need to Dodge while micro-managing her entire swarm without taking a hit and losing 30% of her swarm.

Target Practice and Sensory Overload: Shu and her 10 Swarmlings will hold plates to flash at Gina. the plates acting as "imaginary laser eye". when a plate flashes, Gina will use her Neuromancy to quickly Terraform either a barrier to "block" the imaginary laser eye or a spike to poke the laser eye and prevent it from firing. The swarmlings will also fly in different positions surrounding Gina in a 360 angle in confusing patterns. To add to the difficulty in processing information, B'ni will run circles around Gina and play 20 questions with Gina in rapid fire format. Gina has to ask B'ni questions.

Micro-Macro Management hell: Shu and her 10 Swarmlings will sort through a pile of everyday items into different categories (electronics, clothing, apparel) as fast as possible. B'ni and Gina will try and do their best to disrupt Shu by harassing Shu's swarmlings either by moving the items that Shu is managing, messing with their flight path. Shu will have to respond to the harassment to her swarmlings by micro-managing the individual bugs.

>>3157424
Would any of these training regimen help strengthen Shu, B'ni and Gina?

>>3157424
You wouldn't deny us a Rocky Training Montage, would you?

File: 1545278167149.gif (1.23 MB, 497x280)

1.23 MB GIF

>>3157274
>>3157504
Supporting

>>3157530
Relevant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEjgPh4SEmU