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File: Miranda Styles 82.png (341 KB, 577x894)
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It’s obvious that your employer’s liaison isn’t particularly concerned about your safety, or else he just wants some interesting data from you in regards to your body dealing with all the dangerous Seither in the air. Still, you’re not going to rock the boat at this stage just to confirm any suspicions that aren’t really that detrimental.

Shaking your head, you just shrug. “Fine. I can deal with it for as long as you need me to.”

“Excellent.” His face doesn’t even flinch. “Then can we expect you to start in the morning?”

“Waaaait a tic,” the older lady says guardedly. “You sure you want her out and about like that? Seems a bit brutal if you ask me, even with protective measures.”

“It’ll be fine,” you reassure her. “Where’s the first area?”

She pauses briefly before she answers. “We’re goin’ clockwise. By most accounts there’ll be a thin Seither cloud around there, so an easy start, but we’re still gonna have to watch it. I dunno about you, but we’re gonna be as careful as we can.”

“Oh, she doesn’t need to worry so much,” Crane says, patting her on the shoulder. “Frankly, I think she should be allowed to move wherever she pleases. Within reason, of course. We WILL expect regular and periodic check-ins, of course.”

“Makes sense,” you agree as the other two walk up, Nira glaring as normal. “I’ll make sure to report anything suspicious or unusual.”

“Besides yourself, he means,” she mutters under her breath.

Welcome Back to Magical Girl for Hire!

Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Magical%20Girl%20For%20Hire%20Quest
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I LIVE
>>
>>3803941
You’re not really feeling up to a verbal spar right now, so you use the opportunity of him being done with you for now to escape the briefing he’s giving the others- considering they have to stick to a much stricter schedule, they should be there for enough time for you to get away…

Soon, however, night falls, and frustratingly you find yourself wide awake. Not wholly energetic, but just...not sleepy. Wonder if it’s the latent Seither. They HAD said it was decently close to the irradiated (for lack of a better term) area, and you were one of the very few not in some kind of full body suit just in case.

Prima and Jago are both nearby, having gone into standby for the time being- not quite active, but not entirely shut off. Briefly, you envy them that ability, before shaking it off and deciding what you’re going to do with your night- you can still hear the sounds of some people up and about, outside of your (admittedly surprisingly large) temporary tent accommodations. Lifting the flap, you can see just who’s as restless.

>There’s a trio of workers playing cards next to an outdoor light...although you don’t think it’s poker. A number of small objects are changing hands, not just money.
>Avos seems to be standing near the edge of the camp, facing the long expanse of nothing. Probably brooding, if you know his type (and you do.)
>Might as well just take a lap or two around the camp, burn off some energy if possible. Couldn’t hurt, could it?
>Other
>>
>>3803943
>>Avos seems to be standing near the edge of the camp, facing the long expanse of nothing. Probably brooding, if you know his type (and you do.)
>>
>>3803943
>Avos seems to be standing near the edge of the camp, facing the long expanse of nothing. Probably brooding, if you know his type (and you do.)
It was mentioned in reports that he somehow survived exposure to seither. Let’s see if he got any powers out of the experience.

Also, long time no see, boss. How was PAX?
>>
>>3803943
>>Avos seems to be standing near the edge of the camp, facing the long expanse of nothing. Probably brooding, if you know his type (and you do.)
>>
>>3803943
>Avos seems to be standing near the edge of the camp, facing the long expanse of nothing. Probably brooding, if you know his type (and you do.)
>>
>>3803974
Was nice. Less swag than last year, though, which is disappointing.

Writing shortly! Had to head out all of a sudden, but should be good for the rest of the day.
>>
>>3803943
>>Might as well just take a lap or two around the camp, burn off some energy if possible. Couldn’t hurt, could it?

Welcome back.
>>
>>3803943
>Avos seems to be standing near the edge of the camp, facing the long expanse of nothing. Probably brooding, if you know his type (and you do.)
Remember to stay hydrated and have snacks nearby.
>>
>>3803943
>>3803973
>>3803974
>>3803975
>>3804057
>>3804350
Avos is just kinda standing there, looking into the expanse. You can’t see anything from this distance, and you doubt he can, either. Likely he’s just brooding; folks with his kind of demeanor tend to do that. Honestly, you kind of wonder if it’s more a call for help- one of those ‘I’m pretending I want to be alone but I don’t actually want to be alone’ things.

Well, either way, better than just walking around and hoping to suddenly feel tired.

It doesn’t seem at first like he notices you, although the subtle twitch of his left hand into a fist and a small tensing of his shoulders gives him away. You’re not going to break the silence just yet- instead you simply walk up next to him and look out there along with him. You two probably paint an interesting picture for anyone looking at you from behind. A man who looks calm, composed, and proper standing next to a small girl that looks like she’s never had a decent wardrobe in her life and resigned to whatever fate throws her. And yet you’re both probably the most dangerous individuals here.

Eventually, it’s him who breaks the silence. “They say that our salvation lies beyond. That in this...twisted maze of miasma, the thing that can heal this world just lies there...waiting for someone to claim it.” He gives a small, wry grin, scoffing at his own words. “Even if it does exist...I’m not sure this world is worth healing anymore. Not as devolved and senseless as it is.”

> “So why are you here at all, then? Doesn’t make sense, if you ask me.”
> “If you say so. Me, I’m just here to get my money. Whatever happens afterwards isn’t my concern.”
> “I get the feeling you didn’t always think that way. Something change for you?”
> Other
>>
>>3804353
>> “So why are you here at all, then? Doesn’t make sense, if you ask me.”
>"You ever think that their definition of Beyond is still too small sometimes?"

How old does this guy look, anyway?
>>
>>3804353
>> Other
The wounding of this world is the reason it's devolved as it is, in the same way a flesh wound is a mess. Start it healing though, and slowly things might start coming back together.
>>
>>3804353
>“So why are you here at all, then? Doesn’t make sense, if you ask me.”

>>3804367
We're not hiring him. He's just an old edgelord.
>>
>>3804367
He's around 25-30ish, you estimate. Got some stubble, crow's feet, but his body shape tells you he's either very fit for an older sort, or still in his prime. Now that you look carefully you can see little flecks of red in his eyes.
>>
>>3804353
> “So why are you here at all, then? Doesn’t make sense, if you ask me.”
You could always retire. Build a nice ranch in the middle of nowhere, fight off aliens that get on your lawn. You know the typical ranch life.
>>
>>3804353
supporting >>3804367
>>
Okay, so what are you doing here?

Writing.
>>
>>3804387
What do you think of recommending him to Dynamic Methods instead? In exchange for training our pilots, helping with the Hangar or upgrades for aircraft?
>>
>>3804449
Every single thread. Stop.
>>
>>3804353
>>3804367
>>3804387
>>3804396
>>3804421
“Doesn’t quite make sense…” you say out loud as you consider his works. He vaguely turns towards you as you continue. “Why are you here at all, then? Me, I’ve got my reasons, but you? Doesn’t make much sense, if you ask me after hearing that.”

“Heh. Why, indeed?” He shrugs easily as his face shifts into a thin smile. “I suppose, in a way...justice. Or vengeance, depending on how you see it.”

Oi. As if that was surprising. “And that would mean…?”

He sighs, looking off to the side as his face is framed well against the moonlight. “Nature itself was defiled by their coming here. Torn apart and ruined. And even then, many who claim to want to improve it merely want to do so... so that THEY can benefit. I’ve accepted such a fact. However, those that continue to lie to themselves and spout ridiculous ideals in the name of virtue sicken me. Aegis, at least, is less...deceptive with their reasoning. It’s also why you fascinate me. The corporations lie and manipulate to gain their goals. Most colonists, they plunge their heads in the sand and try to pretend that their old civilization still exists in some way. Most Scrappers are little better than feral beasts that have given up trying to adjust to what is normal; they prey on others in their anger and disdain.” And he glances at you a bit more fully now. “But you...you’re different. I can tell. You, if nothing else, are honest about your intentions, and simple in them. The world cannot go back to what it was. There’s no reason to pretend so. Humanity will remain as it is...as it always was. Obsessed with power and violence. At least as things are now, there’s a thin reason to keep the overall peace. But should that thin film of reason vanish...then only power will bring order.” His face hardens.

> “...Frankly, that all sounds like a fat load by someone too scared to try and fix things.”
> “I guess you make some sense. The past is the past. No reason to obsess over it.”
> “So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”
> Other
>>
>>3804449
Good idea, just keep in mind that telling them about the dude won't give us any favors with them.
>>
>>3804449
DM focuses on aircraft, they will have no use of a grounded pilot.
>>
>>3804497
>"So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”
>>
>>3804500
They have multiple divisions, not just aircraft. If they have something like Armored division with mechas and tanks then maybe they'd be interested.
>>
>>3804499
Good point
>>
>>3804497
> “So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”

>>3804505
Pretty sure they've got at least one mecha division.
>>
>>3804497
> “So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”
>>
>>3804497
>> “So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”
>>
>>3804497
>“So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”
>>
>>3804497
>> “So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”
>>
>>3804497
>“So, you just want to get as strong as possible, huh? That Seither incident help that any?”
>>
...Well then. Inquiring minds want to know.

Writing.
>>
Also, yes, Dynamic Methods has aerial, grounded, and mixed divisions, which does include mecha. Remember, they're largely made up of your average yet hotblooded layman (although truthfully, anyone with skill enough is generally let in). Pilots in general tend to be of that sort. They're really the closest thing The Intersection has to a traditional standing army, and in terms of sheer body count are by far the largest of the major Outgoer groups.
>>
>>3804557
Do any of these divisions cross train with other vehicles? Like having a pilot who knows how to fly aircraft take lessons on operating spacecraft, or a tank crew learning how to use multi-leg walkers?
>>
>>3804497
My, Miranda sure had him pegged, he's a weary experienced fighter seeking the strength to remain human. How edgy.
He might find us refreshing for now, but if he ever realizes our true depths he'll go mad faster than you can say "but".
>>
>>3804611
>How edgy.
I don't think you know what that word means.
>>
>>3804584
Sort of. They cross train in similar vehicles, like, for example, in-atmosphere fighters crosstraining in space fighters, but in general that's it. Someone who's a tank specialist isn't going to cross train in flightcraft, for example. Walkers/Mecha are largely their own thing and tend to be particularly exempt from this- they're dedicated to mecha and mecha alone.
>>
>>3804497
>>3804503
>>3804515
>>3804516
>>3804517
>>3804524
>>3804534
Well. Common reasoning, all in all. You don’t know if you’re disappointed or what that he’s so generic, but...well, you’re out here. Might as well see what else is up with him. “So, you just want to get as strong as possible?” He grunts, and nods once. “So, that Seither incident help that any?”

His eyes squint harshly at you, his mood shifting rapidly. “Yes...you could say that. It helped me prove that even as far as I’d come, I still have a long way to go. Despite what it did to me, I survived, and came out stronger for it. To utilize Seither...similar to yourself, I’d say.” His fists tightens in that way that most obsessed folks do when thinking about what they’re obsessed about. You never quite got that. “The level of power I have isn’t enough...but it’ll do for now. Although, you...”

“Me…?” you ask, and honestly, you really hope he’s not going to ask what you think he’s about to-

“I’m curious as to just how much you’ve utilized that power. How capable you are. Can you really control that kind of ability so innately?” Goddamnit, his eyes are glowing slightly. “I’d like to find out for myself.”

Fucking insecure...

> “I’m not interested in proving who’s stronger. I just want to do my job and get paid.”
> “...fine. It might help me get to sleep, at least. We’ll need some space, though.”
> “I’d rather keep any displays of strength for the mission ahead.”
> Other
>>
>>3804672
>”What’re you betting? I’m not interested in a dick-swinging contest if there’s nothing more then bragging rights.”
>>
>>3804672
> “...fine. It might help me get to sleep, at least. We’ll need some space, though.”
>>
>>3804680
Oooh, that's a good idea
>>
>>3804672
>”What’re you betting? I’m not interested in a dick-swinging contest if there’s nothing more then bragging rights.”
Try not to smile too much as we talk.
>>
>>3804672
>>3804680
I think "What do I get when I win?" works pretty well too.
>>
>>3804672
>> “I’d rather keep any displays of strength for the mission ahead.”
>>
>>3804672
>> “...fine. It might help me get to sleep, at least. We’ll need some space, though.”
and this
>>3804693

We'll need some ground rules though. We've both got jobs that we can't do if we're beat to a pulp.
>>
>>3804697
First blood, out of bounds, tap out, or one hit?
>>
>>3804672
>”What’re you betting? I’m not interested in a dick-swinging contest if there’s nothing more then bragging rights.”
>>
>>3804702
I'd say first three combined. One hit could work against us a little since robustness doesn't matter in that case.
>>
>>3804702
It takes an awful lot to bloody us with blunt force. I'd say either one hit or three, depending on how long we want this to take.
>>
>>3804714
>>3804718
If he is vanilla human go for the first to land three hits, to give him a chance of a win. If he can shoot that magical goo, just smack it out of the air until he runs out.
>>
>>3804672
>>3804680
>>3804686
>>3804689
>>3804693
>>3804710
“Well, that’s up to you,” you mention cooly. “So what’re you betting? I’m not interested in a dick-swinging contest if there’s nothing more than bragging rights.” You’re not going to just indulge this guy to feed his own fragile ego and desperate worldview. Not to mention you could get in trouble for it.

He simply huffs, though there’s a grim smile on his face. “Everyone wants something...alright, then. You’re particular about your pay, aren’t you? I’ll be getting paid for this assignment, as well. Handsomely, I’m told, though I can’t say I much care about that. I’ve already got plenty I don’t use. So if you like, you can have a portion of that. Let’s say…”

The amount he gives you, by your estimate, would just equal out to 1.5 Lotes. “...that should be enough to afford your attention, hm? Although in exchange? If I end up being the victor? Then you’ll do me a favor, later.”

Well, if that isn’t a red flag. “A favor? What kind of favor?”

He has an almost dangerous smile on his face as he elaborates. “Nothing dangerous to you, nor would it threaten your precious paycheck. Simply a favor to be called in at an appropriate time. Simple, don’t you think?”

> “...No deal. If it’s not worth saying outright, it’s not worth risking on my end.”
> “...Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not like you’ll lose, anyway.
> “I’m thinking something else, as well, then, for me.” (What?)
> Other
>>
>>3804744
>“...Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not like you’ll lose, anyway.
>>
>>3804744
> “...Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not like you’ll lose, anyway.
>>
>>3804744
>> “...Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not like you’ll lose, anyway.
I'm tempted to up the stakes, if he doesn't care about that pay anyway. But I dunno what we'd even ask for.

This shouldn't be difficult, we've been underestimated the whole time we've been here.
>>
>>3804744
>“...Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not like you’ll lose, anyway.
"I won't be around too long, so make sure to use it quick... if you can earn it."
>>
>>3804744
>“...Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not like you’ll lose, anyway.
>>
>>3804744
>> “...Fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not like you’ll lose, anyway.
>>
Battle in the Moonlit Desert.

Writing.
>>
>>3804744
>>3804747
>>3804752
>>3804753
>>3804756
>>3804759
>>3804761
A half-hearted sigh escapes you. He’s one of those that has his own agenda and is trying to wheedle his way towards it because he thinks he’s the only one in the right. Kinda hypocritical of him, honestly, but, whatever. None of your concern. “Fine.” Stretching your arms and doing your best to limber up a bit, you start walking out into the expanse of dirt away from the boundaries of the temporary outpost. “Let’s get this over with. I imagine we’ll both want some space.”

That thin (and quickly getting annoying) smile still on his face, he nods as he follows you. “Right.”

It’s about 100 yards out by the time he stops, and you turn around just as he’s about to comment. “Here’s good. How far do we go? Until surrender?”

He nods. “Or until a decisive position. It wouldn’t be wise to end up in a state where you can’t work come the morning.”

“Fine, then,” you agree as you both begin walking away for spacing. After about 20 paces, you both stop and turn around. “Whenever you’re ready, then.”

“Oh?” He smirks. “Not going to look me in the eyes, then?”

This...gah, whatever. You let out a huff as you take off your glasses, pocketing them as carefully as you can. “Happy?”

He nods. “Excellent. I get to look into the eyes of someone that holds what I want. Now, then…” To your vague surprise, his eyes glow, and you can see a faint red glow begin to emanate from his body. “...show me your power!”

And he charges- faster than you expected, honestly; he’s on you in seconds, and as you dodge his first lunging punch, you’re wondering how to approach this fight.

>Keep him at distance, frustrate him with distance tactics. He slips up, and you can pop him a blast or two easy.
>Stay in close and work at beating him at his own game. No way he can take as much as you can.
> Let him come and go- that is, keep to counters and let him work off all this stupid aggression.
> Other
>>
>>3804891
>> Let him come and go- that is, keep to counters and let him work off all this stupid aggression.

I kinda want to throw up a shield first thing so he just runs smack into it, like we did with that bug summon.
>>
>>3804891
>Let him come and go- that is, keep to counters and let him work off all this stupid aggression.
>>
>>3804891
>Stay in close and work at beating him at his own game. No way he can take as much as you can.
>>
>>3804891
>Let him come and go- that is, keep to counters and let him work off all this stupid aggression.
>>
>>3804891
I support you >>3804899
>>
>>3804891
>>Stay in close and work at beating him at his own game. No way he can take as much as you can.
He needs a good beating to wipe that look off his face.
>>
Ole. Wee.

Writing.
>>
>>3804891
>>3804899
>>3804900
>>3804909
>>3804911
Well, if he’s going to come to you so much, then might as well take advantage of it, right?

Another charge- really, is this guy a bull?- has you slipping past his outstretched arm to the outside and pivoting for a toss as you grab his forearm; to your surprise he’s got enough speed to react to it, grabbing your own arm with his trailing hand and-

“Oof!” A rush of breath leaves you as he pivots and plants a foot solidly into your torso in order to take you off your feet. In your surprise your grips slackens as you’re driven a couple of feet back; you quickly tuck into a backwards roll before handspringing back up to see his smug face. You weren’t expecting reactions that fast. Not bad.

“You’ll have to try harder to catch me off guard, I’m afraid.” he boasts. “I’ve trained intensely to be able to use the power of Seither. With it, my mind moves faster than any normal human’s. If can see where you’re going, I can use that to predict your next movements with up to 80% accuracy. An excellent ability for both Walker combat and hand to hand, don’t you think?”

You’d been busy taking the time to brush some of the dirt off your clothes, although you’d heard him plenty enough. “M’kay.” That is, it’s impressive. But you’re not going to let him KNOW. He rushes in again, and this time you keep to shorter blocks and parries. In time, two palm thrusts from him are deflected, and quickly deciding to test the waters, you shift your hips and shoulder as you roll your body into a vicious backhand. He’s already ducking as you swing, and the upwards thrust aimed at your chin is parried away as you shove against him a bit harder to gain some distance.

“Hm. I wonder.” Neither of you are even breathing hard yet, though he still seems rather interested in the fight. “Are you scared of what might happen if you unleashed your power?” He seems to be trying to size you up as you take another unofficial timeout. “You’ve only been using it slightly, it seems. It keeps you standing upright, certainly. Lets you keep up with me. But if you can’t find it in yourself to utilize what you’ve been given in this new world… well.” He shakes his head, as though in pity- and that’s when you notice his hairtips starting to redden. It’s always the hair. “Perhaps I should show you what you’ve been missing...”

Oh, joy.

> “If you mean angst and a serious habit of monologuing, then I’ll pass.” You’ll let him beef up. Hell, it might actually make this into a good workout.
> Yeah, no. Transforming or anything like that mid fight is ALWAYS a stupid idea and you’re not letting it ride. Pop him one here and now.
> Hm. Maybe, actually, you could take this opportunity to try a new technique or the sort. Not like he’s not giving you time…
> Other
>>
>>3804972
> Yeah, no. Transforming or anything like that mid fight is ALWAYS a stupid idea and you’re not letting it ride. Pop him one here and now.
>>
>>3804972
>“If you mean angst and a serious habit of monologuing, then I’ll pass.” You’ll let him beef up. Hell, it might actually make this into a good workout.
we already lived trough this 70+ years ago. we don't need to be edgy again, thanyouverymuch.
>>
>>3804972
> Hm. Maybe, actually, you could take this opportunity to try a new technique or the sort. Not like he’s not giving you time…
>>
>>3804972
> “If you mean angst and a serious habit of monologuing, then I’ll pass.” You’ll let him beef up. Hell, it might actually make this into a good workout.
Yeah this is time to give him a beating.
>>
>>3804992
Maybe we can finally finish those mana knuckles
>>
>>3804998
Yeah i like your idea.
>>
>>3804972
> Yeah, no. Transforming or anything like that mid fight is ALWAYS a stupid idea and you’re not letting it ride. Pop him one here and now.
>>
>>3804998
Give him a beating with mana knuckles
>>
>>3804972
>> Hm. Maybe, actually, you could take this opportunity to try a new technique or the sort. Not like he’s not giving you time…
> “If you mean angst and a serious habit of monologuing, then I’ll pass.” You’ll let him beef up. Hell, it might actually make this into a good workout.
Let him bulk up, then try something new out.
>>
Actually, think I'll cut here for tonight.

Really glad to be back in the saddle, though.
>>
>>3805028
Thanks for running, boss, we're glad that you're back!
>>
>>3805028
Good night, thank you for your time.
>>
>>3805028
Night, boss. Glad to have you back!
>>
>>3804972
>>3804998
might as well use the time we have for it.
>>3805028
Glad to have you back.
>>
>>3804972
> Yeah, no. Transforming or anything like that mid fight is ALWAYS a stupid idea and you’re not letting it ride. Pop him one here and now.

Just to see the look on his face.
>>
>>3804998
Supporting.
>>3805028
I saw your twitter posts. Good to see that the road bumps are passed.
>>
>He has an ability to predict stuff by using Seither
That fucker cheated when we played biliards with him back then!
>>
>>3804972
>Hm. Maybe, actually, you could take this opportunity to try a new technique or the sort. Not like he’s not giving you time…
We don't really have any non-lethal experimental techniques aside from the knuckles and lasso so I'm supporting this: >>3804998
>>
>>3804972
> Hm. Maybe, actually, you could take this opportunity to try a new technique or the sort. Not like he’s not giving you time…

Mana knuckles it is. Or the blind fight we just improved?
>>
>>3804972
>> Hm. Maybe, actually, you could take this opportunity to try a new technique or the sort. Not like he’s not giving you time…
>>
Off he has “mana” now a flux wave would wreck him?
>>
>>3805556
knuckles. the dude is already dangerous enough , we don't need to handicap ourselves more.
>>
>>3804972
>KNUCKLES
>>
>>3804972
> Hm. Maybe, actually, you could take this opportunity to try a new technique or the sort. Not like he’s not giving you time...
>turn on your power sense just to see if he's going to be annoying after bulking up
Will mana knuckles even hurt/hit the guy though? With him being very fast and high on seither.

>>3805483
>"Predict 80 percent huh? Can you predict the percentage of Mana blasts up your anus?"
>>
>>3805730
>Will mana knuckles even hurt/hit the guy though? With him being very fast and high on seither.
Why shouldn't they? and even if for whatever reason they don't hurt him, we're doing this to train new techniques; in theory we can end this at any time by blasting his ass of. we're several orders of magnitude faster than him and being able to "predict the future" is irrelevant when you can saturate the whole area or are simply faster than him.
>>
>>3805730
Miranda isn't even using her magic strength as far as i can tell. She can lay him flat in a second. He's nowhere near the level of the lightning Aussie
>>
>>3805483
That fucker, only we get to cheat in games.
>>
>>3805748
...I just realized. Does Handler particularly Aussie characters? There's been at least two, and I think more, even.
>>
>>3806127
Wasnt the lightning guy irish? As far as i remember, only jago is australian.
>>
>>3806135
Nah lightning boy was Aussie, and he ran an outback steakhouse.
>>
>>3805483
>>3806115
If he do, I'd like him on the team.
Another niche filled!
>>
>>3807464
Dude, please.
Can you stop.
>>
>>3807464
nice bait but too obvious. 1/10
>>
>>3807475
Am I the only one who is bothered by the fact that people always seem to rate things either as 1/10 or 10/10 but never anything in between like 6/10?
>>
>>3807568
Would you really rate that bait with a number higher than 1?
>>
>>3807621
My observation was only related to your post and not the one you were replying to.

On the topic of anon's post, I don't even consider it worth replying to so yeah it should be around 1.
In my opinion anything that gets a reply is already worth more than 1 because it managed to make somebody waste time on replying to it. Replied because you got angry? He played you good. Replied because you thought it was funny? If he intended it as a joke then it was a great success because you were amused. Replied because you thought it was a pitiful attempt at baiting and wanted to tell anon to do better? It still means that with just a single post he managed to make you do something you otherwise wouldn't have done.
>>
>>3807621
I rated the bait for recruitment to be 0/10 and did not bother to make a reply.

>>3807657
And the #/10 is basically a meme and no one bothers to give different numbers.
But I give your post a 8/10. +1 for notice, +4 explanation, +2 enjoyment, +1 for topic.
>>
>>3804972
Transforming is a strange dish, you’ve found. It increases your power and ability for a short time, most cases (and generally changes your wardrobe to boot). Sounds good, but the issue with that is a matter of practicality. To wit, generally, if one NEEDS to transform, then you’re usually in a position where it’s only by the good grace of the opponent where you’re ALLOWED to transform, unless you’re protected by some kind of defensive measure. In all other cases, it’s generally overkill. Or showing off- same thing more or less.

Case in point. It’s taken him about 5 seconds to make his hair glow and his upper body have a red tint to it, and he seems to be just about to-

“HAAA!” -ah, there we are. His nails are sharper, almost like claws, and you can definitely notice a red film of some sort around his arms. “This is what someone learned in Seither is capable-”

Bored now. Legs tensed, and LEAP.

You’d been wanting to try this out anyways, really- with your recent advancements with mana manipulation, in particular the barrier stuff, you’d had this funny little idea that you’re surprised you never thought of earlier. You can punch pretty hard, but what if you punched hard...with your hand surrounded by mana? Not like normal, but like a teensy barrier? Just to reinforce it?

...seriously, it makes so much sense. Although it does crack and waver on impact, and you felt less impact than normal (likely because of the barrier taking the brunt of the sensation away), the way his face distorts in the split second you see it in both surprise and fear is rather satisfying.

The way he flies back several feet and tumbles over himself before coming to a stop facedown is good, too.

For a second, you’re actually worried you might’ve done some long-term damage- but then you realize that his powerup is still active, and sure enough he lifts his head in surprise at you slowly, breathing heavily all of a sudden. “Ahhh...haaah...so...there IS a will in there.” He gets up just as slowly, watching you closely. “Then I suppose- huh!” That last bit was him barely dodging a followup lunging punch, which you use the momentum of to swing around in a quick elbow now that you’re in close range. He manages to dodge that as well…

...Not so much the quartet of rapid fire punches up his stomach, sternum, and chest. He grips his front only momentarily before quickly jumping away, practically growling now. “Were you not taking me seriously at all at first!?”

> “Still aren’t. Wanna call it quits?”
> “Nope. Trying harder now, though, if it makes you feel any better. Have to if I’m going to outspeed your ‘super-brain’.”
> “Of course I was. Just because I don’t hit you with everything from word go doesn’t mean I’m not serious.”
> Other
>>
>>3808992
>"You were monologuing when you should have been fighting, which is dumb in a real fight and disrespectful in sparring, and you transformed way too close to your foe. If this wasn't a sparring match, you'd have been on the back foot defending if you were lucky, and dead if you weren't."

Welcome back, boss. Life treating you okay?
>>
>>3808992
> “Still aren’t. Wanna call it quits?”
Taunting seems fun
>>
>>3808992
> “Of course I was. Just because I don’t hit you with everything from word go doesn’t mean I’m not serious.”
"I mean you do want to still live, and we have a job to do."
>>
>>3808992
>> “Still aren’t. Wanna call it quits?”
We have our own mana-based physical booster, right? We don't need it, but I wanna put him in his place.
>>
>>3808992
>>3809007
Switching to giving him a lecture>>3809006
>>
>>3808992
>>3809008
I switch my vote to support this instead>>3809006
>>
>>3809008
Supporting this
>>
>>3809006
Okay enough. Some weirdness, but nothing horrible by any means. More a mystery to solve.

You guys like doing the lecture bit, huh?

Writing.
>>
>>3809034
Some people remember the whole "No capes" spiel Edna gave.

Meanwhile, Miranda took that conversation about monologuing from Frozone to heart.
>>
>>3809034
Well, we need to get around to training our teammates and we've also got to teach the care house kids about outgoer stuff.
So this guy is our 'training dummy' in more ways than one.
>>
>>3809034
We are the responsible one and must be able to pick apart any flaws we can see.
>>
>>3808992
>>3809006
>>3809008
>>3809021
>>3809026
The sigh that escapes you is annoyed, not tired, as you eye him carefully, even as you start talking. “You were monologuing when you should have been fighting, which is dumb in a real fight and disrespectful in sparring. That, and you transformed way too close to your foe.” Your hands are on your hips now, not sure when that happened. “If this wasn't a sparring match, you'd have been on the back foot defending if you were lucky, and dead if you weren't."

He stares at you for a long moment...before breaking out into raucous laughter. “Pftahahahaha! Really? Really now, a dangerous scrapper kid like you is suddenly going to turn into some sort of, of...teacher?! Look, you’re strong. I get that. You’re also far wiser than your years might suggest.” Not so sure about that, yourself. “Still. You should reall-”

You’re already in his face again, and he starts moving a bit too late- you grab his arm and SQUEEZE. He lets out a yelp of pain, even through the Seither power, as his teeth grit again, his legs twist, and-

“Miss Lane!” a familiar, tinny voice cries out; you turn to look into the distance, and sure enough, Prima seems to have woken up, apparently, and is beating metal feet towards you rather quickly. “Please, if you could return to bed!?” She’s waving as though she hasn’t gotten your attention at all... “Staying up all night and engaging in unnecessary combat is unhealthy! It could lead to suboptimal performance tomorrow!”

> ...well, that kinda kills the mood. Let him go. “Case in point. I guess that means we’re done here.”
> “Hold on, Prima, just a little lesson. Stay outta this for a bit longer!” You at least want to make him sweat a bit…
>Other
>>
>>3809058
>> “Hold on, Prima, just a little lesson. Stay outta this for a bit longer!” You at least want to make him sweat a bit…
Consider it a pre-mission exercise.
>>
>>3809058
> “Hold on, Prima, just a little lesson. Stay outta this for a bit longer!” You at least want to make him sweat a bit…
Gotta get our prize first.
>>
>>3809058
> “Hold on, Prima, just a little lesson. Stay outta this for a bit longer!” You at least want to make him sweat a bit…
Motes, motes, motes. Give me those marbles.
>>
>>3809058
> “Hold on, Prima, just a little lesson. Stay outta this for a bit longer!” You at least want to make him sweat a bit…
(After we finish up)
>"It's all well and good to want to improve yourself, but that means taking the time to listen and learn. You didn't do either, and that's why you're squirming like a caught rat right now."
>>
>>3809058
>“Hold on, Prima, just a little lesson. Stay outta this for a bit longer!” You at least want to make him sweat a bit…
>>
>>3809058
> ...well, that kinda kills the mood. Let him go. “Case in point. I guess that means we’re done here.”
No point going any further since we'd probably end up hurting him, plus for all we know Prima has something for us
>>
He must learn.

Writing.
>>
>>3809058
>>3809059
>>3809061
>>3809064
>>3809065
>>3809071
“Just a little lesson. Stay out of this for a bit longer, Swan!” you decide. She seems a bit...reluctant to, at first, but her steps slow several yards away from you, instead standing there clearly ready to jump in if she deemed it worthwhile. Turning back to your ‘adversary’ (and honestly a bit disappointed he didn’t try anything while you were looking away) you continue to tighten your grip his arm, only to tilt your head when he takes a quick swing at you with his free hand.

For a second you want to admonish him, but it only lasts until you realize he’s not trying to claw you, he’s trying to grab your face! Not sure why he’s going for that, but you’d rather not take any risks as he lunges forward. You’re quick to duck under it and shove him away roughly. He manages to keep his balance, though he’s quick to cradle his arm- actually, you wonder if you might’ve fractured something…

“You...I don’t know just how the Seither has affected you. But you aren’t normal. Clearly not. Beyond what I- gah, nevermind!” Shaking his head, he lunges at you. At least he’s decided to stop talking. Finally. Another flurry of parried and exchanged blows is his reward as you're quick to return to the give and take of before, his strikes being slapped away or blocked as yours are dodged and countermanded and back.

Three deflected punches from him are responded to with a close knee from you- he’s quick to sidestep, but you can see the elbow coming from a mile away, grabbing hold of him again and pivoting, only to retreat when he tries to get his mitts on you one more time. “Alright, then!” And (wordlessly, you note), something in him flares up, his whole body alights with a shout- and then he charges...as a ruby red clone of his immediately breaks off from him and goes to your left to flank you.

Okay, y’know. A for effort. This might not be as quick as you thought.

>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
>Generally, if you force the original to stop, then…
>Other
>>
>>3809125
>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
>>
>>3809125
>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
>>
>>3809125
>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
>>
Cutting it for tonight. Will continue tomorrow.
>>
>>3809125
>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
Also Lori's clone technique>>>>Mr. Broodybitch's clone technique
>>
>>3809125
>>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
He's annoying, but he's learning quickly and these little spars are a good chance to try out less used or experimental techniques, like the blind fighting or the knuckles. Sure, I doubt we'll have a need to blind fight, but if nothing else such things might make for good insights for upgrades later on.
>>
>>3809138
Thanks for running!
>>
>>3809125
>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
Clever boy, he is learning. Try to test out sticky mana to hold the clone in place?
Good night.
>>
>>3809138
Night boss, thanks for running!
>>
>>3809125
>>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
>>
>>3809125
>Focus on testing the clone’s stability. Might be a nuisance otherwise.
See how it reacts to getting hit by mana.
Sparkling fireworks first and if it stays stable then some weaker manablasts next.
>>
>>3809394
Should we turn this sparring lesson into a lightshow in the middle of the night though?
>>
>>3809412
We can just keep buffing ourselfs with mana. Same trick we did in the dark lord world, were we learned to enhance our legs and keep working on the mana knuckles
>>
>>3809125
>Ask if he can do this to his mech too, if he can this is really impressive.
>>
>>3809412
Fireworks are better during the night than during the day. That's just common sense.
>>
>>3810000
>Asking stupid questions in the middle of a fight.
>>
The next few seconds are a flurry of strikes- you dart to meet the clone yourself; you’ve not really squared off against Lorelei’s copies, but you know they can take a hit. You need to see how tough this one is as well, or else it’ll make things...tricky.

If nothing else, it seems like it doesn’t have the same predictive powers as the original- it tries to dodge a punch square to the face, but doesn’t manage to get out of the way, letting you catch it on the jaw to fly a few feet. You don’t have any time to really internalize that, however, as you have to spin to catch a punch of your own from Avos before he transitions that into a kick that you have to defend against as well. It flows into a spinning back elbow that you dodge, and you can see an opening…

...that’s quickly closed as you’re forced to pay attention to the Seither clone rushing back in, and soon enough it’s two on one, the ‘duo’ moving and striking in tandem. You do your best to focus on the clone while keeping Avos at bay, but those talons are causing some trouble. A momentary push away nearly has you in the grasp of the Clone Avos, but you quickly shift the momentum, grab his wrists, and step in to throw it off it’s feet. As it crashes to the ground, you’re quick to release one arm- if only to smash him in the chest while he’s down, resulting in a thick, but fast dissipating trail of Seither flowing, leaking out from it- and straight into your nooooose...godDAMN that stuff isn’t half bad.

>Roll 2d20, best of three.
>>
Rolled 20, 15 = 35 (2d20)

>>3810824
inb4 get showed off by a local
>>
Rolled 6, 1 = 7 (2d20)

>>3810824
Here goes.
>>
Rolled 9, 4 = 13 (2d20)

>>3810824
>>
Rolled 15, 5 = 20 (2d20)

>>3810824
Just a little bit won't hurt us.
>>
holy fuck he got spanked
turns out getting some mid-fight powerup juice isn't that bad.
>>
>>3810824
>>3810827
>>3810828
>>3810833
Christ.

Writing. Short run again, sleepy Handler is right now. But I do want to get out of this fight.
>>
Can't believe this is the only active MG quest on /qst/ right now.
>>
>>3810837
At this point I'm wondering if we should be snagging every bottle, jar and canteen we can to bottle this stuff up, to take with us after the job's done.

>>3810896
Did FMMDAMG finally fall apart? That's the only other semi-recent one I'm aware of.
>>
>>3810901
Seither just turns into regular mana. But crystal Seither is still good.

>>3810896
Yeah but it shows the dedication of Handler.
>>
>>3810904
Forgot about that. Next time we come across some of the stuf, we should snag as much of it as we can manage.
>>
>>3810911
Since we are going into the Seither zone we might find some crystals to take home.
>>
>>3810911
Do we have the means to stuff even a small crystal into our bag? I wager going near a sizable one will just knock Miranda out or worse.
>>
>>3810918
Our bots can do it for us. It won't affect them.
>>
>>3810896
MG quests come and go in waves and that's for the best. Most of them try too be too edgy or weird or rape-y. Right now i think there are only two. this one and magical contractor, but magical contractor is too.... eh.
MGFH has the advantage that logistics wise, we aren't a magical girl, but a wizard mercenary and that gives us a lot of options to play with.

>>3810918
didn't we already have some of it? pretty sure we stored the residue from the seither filters.
>>
>>3810924
Drats. I forgot about the bots sometimes.
>>3810925
Yeah but that's in air form. The nerds did say that normal peeps would be instantly rad'd if they went anywhere near a Seither crystal, and crystals are magnitudes more potent than whatever Miranda is having right now.
>>
>>3810924
We just found out that they've got mana reserves. It could affect them, we just don't know if having mana means it will. Plus, high enough radiation can affect unshielded electronics, and seither seems to work like radiation does
>>
>>3810932
Fair enough, we just need to find a way to crack them without making them react, i guess. Although sal could do us a favor and teleport the whole crystal to the base. We just need to warn the people home of what we're going to do.
>>
>>3810824
>>3810827
Two more smashes despite the struggling ends the clone, letting the rest of the Seither vanish into the air...and more of it getting into YOU. As fantastic as it feels, though, you can’t really sit and enjoy it, not with Avos charging at you trying to catch you off guard.

He’s so slow, though. Was he always this slow? You don’t think he was.

Nevertheless, you’re able to all too easily sidestep his slow, clumsy attack. His followup, some kind of uppercut? Whatever, you’re already to the side of him, hooking your arm underneath his and lifting up. Wonder if you can keep him down with this…

Spinning for no other reason, you cradle him harshly by the neck for two painful rotations, before lifting him up, still with momentum and crashing him to the ground. You keep your hold around his neck, wrenching on it a bit as you look him in the eye- he’s clearly out of it a bit, and is spitting a bit from the lack of air. “Give it up?”

“fff...gak...Yyyfff…” Well then! Sounds like a ‘yes’ to you!

You roll off of him, hopping up and watching him carefully as his colors return to normal, his breathing getting harsher as he sprawls out, rolling his head to look at you. “What...are you…? He rasps.”

Not sure if you can answer that right now, but you also can’t say you care to in the first place. Prima ends up tugging on your arm. “Miss, please...I’m detecting abnormal amounts of...well, we should do what we can to get rid of the Seither in your body for now!”

“Aw, I can do that whenever,” you find yourself saying. “Don’t worry about me.” Nonetheless, you find yourself following her. She means well.

“That is both irresponsible and it is something I do not wish to do, so I’m afraid I must refuse.” Prima says simply. Huh. That’s awful nice of her.

Turning around before you get too far, you call back to the still laying Avos. “Remember our bet!”

Prima continues, undaunted by the task ahead. “Not to worry, I have plenty of methods of inducing sleep if necessary...first…”

Oh boy. Yeah, this’ll be a long night.

--------------------

When you wake in the morning...well, you’re surprised it’s morning, for one. You can’t remember when you went to sleep.

For another, your bots are up before you are, Jago in particular tapping his foot like he’s been waiting for a while. “Bout time! Everyone’s raring ta go!”

“He means himself,” Prima quickly interjects.

“I meant everyone important! So yeah!” the way he looks when he says that… “Anywho, go get yer food an’ whatnot and we can kick off, yeah? Last I checked them suits don’t much care when we leave or get back, so we can have the day ta us, jus’ about!”

Well, regardless, you’re going to stop by the food tent, but after that...

> “Right. So we’re going to take our time and be sure of what’s what.” (You’ve got some last minute questions…)
> “Fine, fine. Can’t say I don’t want to see what’s out there myself.” (Straight to it after eating.)
> Other

Yeah, done for tonight. tired. Sorry.
>>
>>3810933
This crystal stuff just became more dangerous than I realized.
>>
>>3810901
Oh yeah, I forgot about that quest. Hadn't seen it in a while, but last I checked the QM had been running into a couple of walls due to characterization issues? Might be wrong.

>>3810925
I'd been trying to get into Magical Contractor, but there's just something about it that doesn't gel with me. Not sure what. What do you think of it?
>>
>>3810942
> “Fine, fine. Can’t say I don’t want to see what’s out there myself.” (Straight to it after eating.)
Good night.
>>
>>3810942
> “Right. So we’re going to take our time and be sure of what’s what.” (You’ve got some last minute questions…)
>Who else might show up in this area? Orion? Moktu?
Thanks for running, boss. Glad to have you back.
>>
>>3810938
>We just need to warn the people home of what we're going to do.
>mfw we came back to fun Lori snorting the stuff

>>3810942
>> “Right. So we’re going to take our time and be sure of what’s what.” (You’ve got some last minute questions…)
Something realteding to Seither protection would be nice. Gloves or a spare suit we could wraps around our hands or something like that. If we come across some crystals out there, it would be nice to able to harvest them without getting high on mana.

>>3810946
He wrote well, but he had to reread large chunks of the archives before each thread to figure out what had happened last time, as he was usually drunk while running. Also, his solution to things slowing down or him getting bored was to add 5-6 new characters, which happened frequently. And unlike this quest, there wasn't an easy reason to cycle through characters, so they tended to just hang around. Last I checked, cookouts of over 20 full characters weren't uncommon.
Like I said, not a bad writer, but very... unfocused.
>>
>>3810963
I think it would be fair to consider the April Fools thread about MC's son the canon ending of that quest.
>>
>>3810963
If Lori does do that, should we get Izumi involved as well?
>>
>>3810976
I haven't read Magical Contractor, but I think you're confusing it with Fuck Me, My Daughter's A Magical Girl.
>>
>>3810976
I don't think I made it that far. I dropped out somewhere after we brought Satan back from the spheres, when I realized every time a vote went up we wound up doing every single option.

>>3810981
It doesn't seem cause us any major issues, but we should have someone look at them before ingesting them off-world. I dunno if our crystal techies will be much help here; consumption of pure mana seems a little different from building thing with them. But it can't hurt to check. I could just see Lori being told we brought back pure crystal mana and her wanting to try it out,
>>
>>3810986
I wasn't talking about Magical Contractor.
>>
>>3810942
> “Fine, fine. Can’t say I don’t want to see what’s out there myself.” (Straight to it after eating.)

>>3810946
Its several things:
first, there are two QMs. well, that's not really true; the original QM wrote for two threads and then silently quit, then a player took over. This new QM (at least in the last threads)writes blocks of text with no regard for formatting, which passively overloads the mind and makes everything feel like a very long sentence, with no real stops to allow the mind to process what it read.

It might be the story itself as well. There is no real hook for the player because the whole quest is basically an escort mission that lasts a lifetime. I mean, the MC already accomplished the main goal he had, which was to make a contract with the girl. there is nothing there for the MC other than keeping her alive for "reasons". Personally, a magical contractor quest should be more dynamic, like a Sal simulator. Dealing with other contractors, finding suitable targets for your girl....err....basically being a pimp, not a babysitter.

Also, i'm super biased against him. He was a voter in other quests that i participated in and whenever he voted, he tended to write more than OP and basically imposed his will regardless if it made sense. Then the OP went with that option raw without trying to adjust it to make sense, which made me mad to no end.
>>
>>3810992
My mistake, I misread >>3810963 as him talking about MC quest.
>>
>>3811033
>he tended to write more than OP
>spoiler
oh man, I've seen those sorts before. Reminds me of the early days of questing, where a writein the qm liked trumped any actual voting. Joker Quest, especially early on, is really bad about this, among others.

>>3811046
I should have specified what part I was replying to. No harm done though.
>>
>>3810942
> “Fine, fine. Can’t say I don’t want to see what’s out there myself.” (Straight to it after eating.)
>>
>>3810901
FMMDAMG haven't been updated for awhile.
>>
>>3810942
>> “Fine, fine. Can’t say I don’t want to see what’s out there myself.” (Straight to it after eating.)
>>
>>3810942
>“Fine, fine. Can’t say I don’t want to see what’s out there myself.” (Straight to it after eating.)
>>
So anon dislikes Avos, but I unironically think he he could join SES.
Convince me otherwise.
>>
>>3811697
I won't i'm just gonna vote against your recruitment proposals, like most anons will.
>>
>>3811817
At this point I swear it's just one anon that wants us to never recruit again, and is trying to get the rest of us to spite vote against all future recruitments.
>>
>>3811822
Eh, i wouldn't mind recruiting another one, but Avos is a poor choice at best. At the very least, whoever we want to recruit has to impress miranda IC, like how Owlia did with her conversion into a magical girl in the span of a week or so.
>>
>>3811697
Play a matchmaker and get DM to hire him instead.
He's too normal for SES-style work so we would benefit more by getting DM to owe us a small favor instead.
>>
>>3811866
>by getting DM to owe us a small favor instead.
...it doesn't work like that. why would DM owe us a favor when we want them to hire this unknown guy?
>>
>>3811881
>ace mech pilot
>precognition powers
>skilled in CQC
>has da magiks
>experienced veteran merc
This guy is way above the rank and file 'average layman' that serve in DM.
>>
>>3811881
Because quality headhunting is a service?
>>
>>3811881
We're doing them a favor by telling them about this guy who's obviously better than the average mech pilot. By convincing him to work for them we're doing them another favor.
>>
>>3811881
Right? Recruiting on their behalf wasn't asked for. It will, at best, be considered a gift, not a favor to be cashed later. We don't know their hiring policies, or even if they're hiring at the moment. We don't know if he's interested in leaving his home dimension.
At best, we could recruit him for the Intersection in general. But he's a bit too nuts for that.
>>
>>3811937
>So, a cocky bastard
>Fair enough
>Irrelevant, but nice to have
>Irrelevant, but nice to have
>Fair enough

>This guy is way above the rank and file 'average layman' that serve in DM.
We definitely don't know that. We've only worked with them once and that one time we were part of the ground troops.

>>3811944
Yeah, but this is unsolicited headhunting. They might say "yes, thank you, we'll look at it later" and never look at him again, or at works it makes us look bad because we're implying that they don't know how to hire the right people. Basically >>3811970

>>3811962
>Hey we've done your job without you asking and now we want you to pay us!
>>
>>3811970
We can just ask Sal to check if DM's are hiring and prod the guy if he's interested in change of scenery. If none of these work out then we'll leave this guy alone.
I hope we're talking about favors like cheaper training courses for pilots or help with figuring out precursor aircraft, not 'Favor' favors.
>>
>>3812008
>talking about favors like cheaper training courses for pilots or help with figuring out precursor aircraft
This is the equivalent of shining a rich guys shoes unsolicited then asking for payment. They're not going to give us any sort of benefit. They might like us marginally more if they actually like the guy, but I seriously doubt we'll get any more than that. It's not worth the trouble, and he doesn't impress Randa, so not worth a general recruitment either.
>>
>>3812008
Fuck, I'm even fine as doing it as a gift and just get the scouting reward.
>>
>>3812033
>mentions precognition
>"That is, it’s impressive. But you’re not going to let him KNOW."
>shows seither clone
>"Okay, y’know. A for effort. This might not be as quick as you thought."
Boy, you sure are a hard sell.
>>
>>3812034
Honestly that's all I saw coming out of it. Maybe scouting the android too if we meet again, not for our group, but for a machine shop.
>>
>>3812048
I mean, Miranda is outmatching him due to sheer experience and physical superiority, and his clone thing is literally a weaksauce version of what Lorelei can do. Might be a head above your average joe, but in the wider scheme of things, he's nothing we don't already have.
>>
>>3812048
Its not really precognition. He just have higher than normal reaction times; he even admits it here >>3804972. If he were a rel precog, he would have seen that its stupid to fight us.
>>
>>3812079
Right, my bad.
>>
>>3811994
>they might not want him so we shouldn't even offer him to them
Man, you would make a bad door-to-door salesman. Zero sales every day because it's not guaranteed that anybody would want to buy the products so why even bother ringing that doorbell.
>>
>>3812094
>you would make a bad door-to-door salesman.
Good thing we're not one then, huh?
>>
>>3812094
We're not a door to door salesman and we're not getting paid for this.
>>
>>3812104
>not interested in money
All we need to do is tell Sal about this guy and see if he thinks DM would be interested in him. If he thinks they are, he'll be the one negotiating with them anyway so it won't add any extra work for us - unless they want him in which case we'll actually be getting paid for that work in some form.
>>
>>3812118
>>not interested in money
I guess we should be sweeping floors between jobs in the intersection as well? We are a combat-oriented Outgoer, we make our money beating things up in one fashion or another. Chasing potential pennies for disproportionate effort is silly.
>>
>>3812125
What chase? He's right here, Sal's always in our ear and on call, why shouldn't we take a literal moment to maybe earn a few L-motes? Scouting bonuses are pretty good after all.
>>
>>3812132
because we're trying to scout for another company. Another company that we know nothing about their hiring process other than what we saw on the only mission we've worked in tandem.
>>
All this talk about hiring and the only thing i want to do is have one scene were we synchronize with the walker and start shooting magi blast out of it and create magic barriers
>>
>>3812144
Which is why we ask Sal if he's someone they'd probably want. If not then we leave it alone and that's the end. We're not skilled or knowledgeable about this topic, but Sal is. We ask the person that knows, he handles the rest if he thinks it's worth while, we potentially get a bonus to our wallets. It's a phone call to a hiring agency that might net us extra dough. Sal does everything about deciding things after we bring his attention here, but we get payed if he's hired on.
>>
>>3812033
Guy can improve, surely.
I feel like he might be at whwre randa was at her start. You know, 90 years ago. Maybe abit more.
I feel like this guy is a good guy to invest in.
Show him how stupid shonen charging and monologues are.
I'm betting he has a named attack which he could use to nuke something, but he might probably die.
Kinda like how randa ended up in the intersection, maybe.

He has potential.
And I belive oncw he is shown the intersection his cocky attitude will make way for some interresting character, but that's just my thoughts.

As an ultimatum, how about we wait until the inevitable 'Well we never intended on paying you in the first place', as we have some fun flinging magic around because the level of 'I don't give a shit, just gimme my money'.
Maybe he'll look into leaving the place he says has no future.
Maybe he can prove himself more.
Let's wait until then, sound good?

Heck, you know how we gor our first member? They asked if they could join us.
If he manages to overcome his cockyness and just asks, then the choice should be his, right?
>>
>>3812361
No, anon. Every single person we come across that has more than a few lines some anon wants to recruit. This one is nothing special.
>then the choice should be his, right?
Very much not. If we offer, it's his choice. But Randa is the final arbitrator of if she thinks any one person is likely to cut it in the Intersection, and if they will bring value to the Intersection one way or another.
Otherwise, anyone that knew about the Intersection and didn't like their lot would be brought back.
>>
>>3812361
>I feel like he might be at whwre randa was at her start. You know, 90 years ago. Maybe abit more.
Miranda stopped her universe from being destroyed, or something like that. This dude is an edgelord that feels he's the biggest fish in the pond.
>Heck, you know how we gor our first member? They asked if they could join us.
Wrong. We hired owlia after we saw how batshit insane she was and because we didn't want to fight her and cylica
>If he manages to overcome his cockyness and just asks, then the choice should be his, right?
Nope. We can still veto his request and mono was a special case that involved meta reasons. She also filled a niche that no one in SES can consistently fill, which gave her brownie points with us.
>>
Seems people sp generally just dislike the idea of having him around as a character.
>>
>>3812403
i don't mind him, but he offers nothing of value to us.
>>
>>3812408
My thoughts as well.
We've all latched onto one character or another. I would have loved to grab one of the spiders from the shadow infested job, but none of them fit what we needed, so I kept my mouth shut.
>>
>>3812403
I’d rather give the spot to Millie from the summoning world when we get summoned back, honestly.
>>
>>3812391
Meta reasons? Huh.

>>3812429
I kinda did, too.

>>3812438
Why her? She didn't seem too interesting to me.
>>
>>3812438
Millie would not want to abandon her world, she still has a family to look out for.

>>3812429
I just want a B rank from the intersection or someone that is not a complete rookie.
>>
Go play a fucking Pokémon quest. Don't you get tired of having the same arguments every single day? Soon as a character has two lines of description you start this shit all over again, and again and again
>>
>>3812855
I'm N18QE8sW. Did a phone post at work.

Well, she's the chief inquisitor of her department for one, which means that she has the experience fighting against rogue summons and investigating the summoners. I'm a bit unsure of her combat experience, but from what she mentioned at the carnival, she's been in at least a couple of hairy situations. She's not another recommendation for another tech-head character, and from what she mentioned about how much her salary was compared to what Lysan owed us, she'll be able to afford living in the Intersection for a while without a job, even more so if her parents come along, IE the Vice Councilman Dad and High Judicator Mom who were former explorers. Admittedly, people might not be interested in bringing them along, but with credentials like that, they'll be able to find work no problem even outside of SES's employment. The only issue I see is Lysan, but again, his parents are loaded enough to put him through one of the Intersection's private schools, and hopefully figure out how to work around his inability to use magic.

...

And we get to continue misnaming Lysol some more!
>>
>>3812982
She's not a terrible choice, but she has no reason whatsoever to leave everything she's ever known to wipe the slate clean, and especially not her parents. And don't forget Mote/currency rates are pretty rough. I don't think their entire fortune would last them long.
>>
>>3812998
>she has no reason whatsoever to leave everything she's ever known to wipe the slate clean

YET...

Honestly, though, I know she's a long shot especially since we don't know if she'll ever find a problem big enough to hire us again (paticularly since it skirts way too close to illegal for her comfort), but if things change for her when we get summoned back, I'd like to think it's still an option.
>>
>>3813024
The warmonger the ice king remembers gets summoned and starts eating people for power. That's pretty much the only sufficient emergency I can think of.
>>
>>3813043
Lyrical gets kidnapped by those weirdos from the carnival, who actually were the ones who made it so he couldn't be able to use summoning magic when his parents went to the carnival when he was still in his mother's womb, thanks to that guy in the Tent of Oddities, in an effort to eventually bring back a powerful summon from before the great war.
>>
>>3812968
Same here.
>>
Maybe we should have a checklist for characters that anons want to hire:
>must have a power/skill that can't be found/made back in the Intersection
>are they useful for SES? What role can they fill for the company?
>can they live by themselves? How useful can they be for the Intersection?
>what potential do you see in them?
>does the potential hire hate their world? Or want to get away from it?
>must be willing, unless their world or means of staying there is gone.
>Are you, anon, willing to see this character have less screentime and dialogue?

>>3810925
Plus the setting and traveling to different worlds make the quest interesting and exciting (in my opinion anyway). This quest can go in any genre it wants due to the missions and characters/plots/situations in the world's we visit can be recycled in different ways without it looking lazy (and makes sense in the setting).
>>
>>3813100
That's a good idea, although I'd suggest putting the power/skill barrier a bit lower to "cannot easily be found/made back in the intersection" to open it up to nonmagical npcs.
>>
>>3813100
>must have a power/skill that can't be found/made back in the Intersection
Not exactly. Personally, i believe that they have to have enough power to survive on the intersection and they need to fill a niche that isn't covered by someone on SES, but that doesn't mean that their power has to be unique in the intersection.

>Plus the setting and traveling to different worlds make the quest interesting and exciting
That's a big plus.
>>
>>3813024
Fair enough. Like I same, we've all got someone like that.

>>3813100
I like them, though the first one shoudl be softened to unusual from unique. And the last one has an odd framing. Surly the implication of recruiting is that while they will show up on a regular basis, everyone else has to sacrifice some screen time?
>>
>>3810942

As arrogant as it might sound, you do get where he’s coming from, so you simply stretch and start to prepare yourself. “Fine, fine. Can’t say I don’t want to see what’s out there myself.”

“Yes!” Jago cheers as you move out, Prima following behind you. There’s a small area for washing and cleaning, which you utilize, and you’re quick to get some basic food in you before you head off. There’s a makeshift ‘hangar’ area, which is really just a quartet of launchpads. Surprisingly little security around them...whatever.

Although… “Off already?” Of course Crane would be around. “Make sure to be careful! And do let us know if you find anything interesting, hm?”

“Naturally,” you say bluntly, before you leave him behind.

You hop in with little fanfare; there’s not much in the way of special setup by now for you; even Jago and Prima seem to have decided that Prima’s going to be the AI of choice for now; which is good. She’s a bit better at spotting things and may be able to detect anything unusual. A quick check shows all systems are green, and with that, you take off, shooting towards the haze on the horizon…

“Seither levels increasing,” Prima says calmly as you approach. “I suggest altering course to the northeast by eighteen degrees.”

“Right.” You can see the air getting thicker, for sure… “What’s the density levels?”

“Currently estimated at about fifteen percent, so moderate,” Prima says after a few seconds of silence to calculate. “We should be fine for now due to the Zeon’s filtering systems. However, should density levels increase beyond thirty-two percent, I recommend we evacuate the area immediately, as the filters will not be able to compensate fast enough. There may be unanticipated consequences.”

“Roger that.” You’re not going to question it right now. But if it DOES get that thick, what would happen with the Zeon? Not to mention YOU...

There’s a sudden beeping that shakes you out of your musings as Prima speaks up again. “Getting something on radar ahead. It’s big, and moving.”

You look ahead to see that there’s nothing in front of you right now... there’s not much out of this red haze beyond the occasional mountainside. Really, this place is like the canyon, but even WORSE. The only upside is that you can take your time since you aren’t being chased.

(cont.)
>>
>>3813360
A loud, droning howl of some kind suddenly blares over the speakers, and you have to turn your mech to see that it’s...some kind of four legged, bulbous frog thing; nearly as big as a blue whale, for certain. It’s just slowly trundling its way down the mountain, though, long lumbering steps. It’s got a number of glowing yellow pustules on its back, which honestly serves for a decent warning light system.

“Uhhh...those things ain’t natural, are they?” Jago questions in a smaller voice than normal.

“I severely doubt so,” Prima answers just as unsurely. “At any rate, I’m detecting more ahead. I would recommend adjusting course...here, I’ll input the- oh!” suddenly, a pause from her, and you actually swivel your head to make sure she’s alright. She DOES have a hand up in the eternal ‘please hold on a sec’ motion, but...

Several other cries sound out as well, a good half dozen at least, and all ahead of you. You’re starting to get worried…

Prima speaks up after a minute or two, head tilted in curiosity. “ I’m detecting something else as well…slight electrical signals...to the northwest. They’re irregular as well. Perhaps they’re survivors?”

“Out ‘ere?” Jago scoffs. “Unlikely. Prolly jus’ some leftovers what never turned off. No big. Not ta mention we keep at it, we might get THESE nasties on us. I love me a good fight, but...”

> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.
> “Whatever’s there, it’s not what we’re looking for if it’s not giving off massive amounts of Seither. What was that course correct of yours?”
> Other
>>
>>3813364
> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.
Crane did say to report anything interesting.
And looting opportunities.
>>
>>3813364
>> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.

Welcome back, boss. Did you solve the mystery of who nicked yer shit yet?
>>
>>3813364
>> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.
Getting a sense of what groups or notables are in this soup will be helpful in trying to figure out what we're looking at in the future.
>>
>>3813364
> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.
>>
>>3813374
No, and it's annoying. That was a fully signed poster of the '98 Globetrotters. I WANT THAT BACK.
>>
>>3813364
> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.
>>
>>3813364
> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.
I am sorry for your loss Handler.
>>
...Yeah we're going in, then.

Writing!
>>
>>3813381
Unlucky, mate of mine had jewellery stolen by movers. Crooks all of them
>>3813364
> “Might be worth checking out. Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it.
>>
>>3813445
Why would you leave jewelry inside furniture while moving?
>>
>>3813461
Wrapped it in a bag then stuffed it into a duvet, still pretty retarded I thought
>>
>>3813475
If there is shiny, always take it with you. People will always try to take stuff without the owner around.
>>
>>3813481
Aye, but apparently to some people carrying around a bag of gold is less safe than giving it to strangers and expecting nothing to happen
>>
>>3813486
A bag of gold? I thought it was like a necklace or rings. But a BAG? How rich are you?
>>
>>3813491
Figure of speech anon. Think it was just necklaces and crap made of gold or silver
>>
>>3813505
You know the internet does not carry the semantics and social cues of interaction. I can only take everything as the literal definition or joke about everything.
>>
>>3813364
>>3813371
>>3813374
>>3813377
>>3813378
>>3813411
>>3813429
>>3813445
“Might be worth checking out,” you decide after some deliberation. “Never know. We’ll keep like this for now and see what’s causing it. Let’s just…” More howls are quick to remind you of just what else you have to keep an eye out for. “Alright, let’s throttle down and be careful. Guide us, huh, Swan?”

“Roger.” You can feel some of the strain taken off your body as she commanders partial movement, helping guide you through the mountain pass. You can’t see a great deal, but what you can see is the occasional ruby red crystal growing out of the mountainside- far bigger than anything you saw in the desert, but still far enough away for safety purposes. “I’m picking up more signals,” Prima says. “I think we might’ve stumbled upon a group of survivors!”

“Pft. Well, good on ‘em for makin’ it this long,” Jago mutters. “Think they might know what’s what?”

“Doubt it,” you supply. “Still want to see.”

“Well, we’re getting closer,” Prima says. “We should be within visual rage with twenty-five seconds.”

As things finally enter visual range, you’re only a little surprised to see that it appears to be a military base of some kind. You’re not sure who for, or what its focus is, but judging by the dilapidated defensive structures, skeletons, and general design of the place, it was definitely meant to have armed presence. There’s a number of rusted and fallen apart vehicles here as well. Many old cars, tanks and four-wheelers dot the immediate surroundings...and two Walkers, shiny and clean, barring the Seither tint on everything. They’re currently parked more or less in the, well, parking lot, broken and torn though it might be. One shorter and squatter than what you’re used to seeing; reminds you vaguely of a boxy hamster with a few fins. The other is lean and angular and far more typical. “Let’s see...Shrike class Walker, IDed as belonging to Lionheart. Octavia-class Walker, also Lionheart.”

“Are they the source of the signal?” You ask. Prima shakes her head in the negative. Figured, but worth asking. Alright, then…so, you’ve got lookie-loos way out here as well. “Wonder what they’re up to…”

> “We’re far along enough I think we can be a bit proactive.” Trash their Walkers before going in- they’re just sitting there. May be loud, but they’ll be stuck for certain.
> “Let’s keep this quiet for now.” Keep them in one piece so as to not tip them off, just do your own investigating.
> “It may not be the best idea to get involved. Let’s just call it in and move on.” Do just that- having other companies sniffing around may bring too much heat things get rowdy again.
> Other
>>
Leaving it here for tonight. Hoping for a bit of a longer run tomorrow.
>>
>>3813518
>“Let’s keep this quiet for now.” Keep them in one piece so as to not tip them off, just do your own investigating.
>>
>>3813518
> “We’re far along enough I think we can be a bit proactive.” Trash their Walkers before going in- they’re just sitting there. May be loud, but they’ll be stuck for certain.
No survivors.
>>
>>3813518
> “Let’s keep this quiet for now.” Keep them in one piece so as to not tip them off, just do your own investigating.
>>
>>3813518
>“Let’s keep this quiet for now.” Keep them in one piece so as to not tip them off, just do your own investigating.
>>
>>3813518
>> Other
We replaced that C4 we used a while back, right? Stick a brick or two up in their thrusters and rig them for remote detonation. If things get loud later, we can ground them with the press of a button. Otherwise, we can retrieve the C4 later (stuff is surprisingly expensive)
>>
>>3813518
> “Let’s keep this quiet for now.” Keep them in one piece so as to not tip them off, just do your own investigating.
Might get lucky and nab something shiny or at least have Prima/Jago sabotage them
>>3813522
Cheers boss
>>
>>3813518
> “Let’s keep this quiet for now.” Keep them in one piece so as to not tip them off, just do your own investigating.
Blowing it up now may draw the attention of those giant beasts. We should try to stealth this one.
>>
>>3813518
>“It may not be the best idea to get involved. Let’s just call it in and move on.” Do just that- having other companies sniffing around may bring too much heat things get rowdy again.
>>
>>3813518
>> “Let’s keep this quiet for now.” Keep them in one piece so as to not tip them off, just do your own investigating.
>>
Couldn’t we have our bots pilot then and steal them both?
>>
>>3815389
Don't the walkers have keys to lock them? Maybe swan can hack and open the doors. It is possible.
>>
>>3815389
I don't think they'd fit in our bag.
But damn if I don't want to try.
>>
>>3815442
I mean we can always take the shiny bits. We can also break them into small pieces and stuff them into the bag.
>>
>>3815478
Maybe just steal the seither reactors/cores/whatever they are. I can only imagine the looks on an enemies face when we pull one out and juice up on it... then pull another one.
>>
>>3815421
They've gotta have some sort of security system, yea. And hacking is the most obvious thing a thief would try, so I imagine the defenses there would be robust.
>>
>>3815487
Go all mortal combat and eat the core.
>>
>>3815491
Yeah they have robust systems. So first scout and then jack their rides.
>>
>>3813562
Is no one else interested in going stealth but leaving ourselves an out for if things go loud?
>>
>>3813518
Forgot to vote, so this >>3813562, with maybe >>3815389 afterward. That should cover all my bases for paranoia and greed.
>>
Seems like we're not going to touch them and keep things quiet for now.

Writing shortly.
>>
>>3813518
>>3813524
>>3813528
>>3813530
>>3813570
>>3813821
>>3813878

Considering you don’t know how deep this base goes, it’s probably safer to keep the noise to a minimum in case someone IS in there waiting. Don’t want to give any advance notice. “Let’s keep this quiet for now.” You land not too far away from them, and you quickly pop the hatch and hop out- only to breath in and feel a bit of a rush hit you. Riiiight, right, right. Seither heavy, this place. Hoo boy.

>Current Mana: 12800/12500 (Rising)

“Oh my,” Prima says upon landing. “Judging by a quick scan of the current systems on both Walkers, it appears as though the individuals in question have only been here for approximately twenty minutes. The engines are still cooling, it seems.”

“An’ I’M just’ gettin’ warmed up, meself!” Jago says eagerly. “Feelin’ real fresh right about now!”

“I can understand your excitement,” Prima warns as you both walk towards the nearest door- it’s slightly ajar, so no questions as to how they got in. “however, I would recommend caution.”

The doorway leads to just a straight, long hallway into the mountainside, and after some time walking, listening to nothing but the wind and creaking of old infrastructure, you find yourself at a crossroads; the sign on the wall is half gone, but you can still read a bit of it…

>Health Services and Hospital
>Training Halls 1-5
>Dining Facilities
>Lo------- (The rest of this option is unreadable)
>B------ (The rest of this option is unreadable)
>Hm. Might be more. Could just wander and see what you stumble across.
>>
>>3817222
>Health Services and Hospital
>Other
>Put your respirator on - it's been collecting dust long enough
>Summon Gartoum to help with searching
>>
>>3817222
>>B------ (The rest of this option is unreadable)
I suspect this is "basement".
>>
>>3817222
>>Lo------- (The rest of this option is unreadable)
>use ’Real Divinity’ Respirator
>>
>>3817222
>Lo------- (The rest of this option is unreadable)
Either its a lab, a lobby or something else that starts with lo.

>Also, activate our mana step skill or the mana knuckles
This is to burn the extra mana we're getting and learn how to use the skill better.
>>
>>3817222
>>Health Services and Hospital
>>
>>3817222
>Lo------- (The rest of this option is unreadable)
Practice our flamethrower technique as we’re going to lower our mana to safer levels.
>>
>>3817227
Gartoum really helped us out back in Orion facility, so maybe we can send him to look for Lionhead mercs.
And the respirator should prevent inhaling more Seither.
>>
>>3817222
>B------ (The rest of this option is unreadable)

This is probably the barracks.
>>
Respirator: Engaged.

Going to whatever 'Lo' is.

Maybe practice some less destructive techniques?

Pick two and roll 2d20.

>Mana Knuckles
>Barrier Manipulation: Air Step (I presume that's what Mana Step is, if not, let me know)
>Flamethrower
>Other
>>
>>3817222
I think Lo------- might be loading bay or something
>B------ (The rest of this option is unreadable)
>use ’Real Divinity’ Respirator
>>
>>3817282
>>Mana Knuckles
>>Barrier Manipulation: Air Step (I presume that's what Mana Step is, if not, let me know)
I like the flamethrower, but practicing it inside an old building is asking for trouble.
>>
Rolled 20, 8 = 28 (2d20)

>>3817282
>Flamethrower
>Barrier Manipulation: Air Step (I presume that's what Mana Step is, if not, let me know)
>>
Rolled 10, 8 = 18 (2d20)

>>3817288
forgot the roll
>>
>>3817290
Not if you roll like i did it isn't. :V
>>
Rolled 2, 3 = 5 (2d20)

>>3817282
>>Mana Knuckles
>>Barrier Manipulation: Air Step (I presume that's what Mana Step is, if not, let me know)
>>
Rolled 19, 6 = 25 (2d20)

>>3817282
>Mana Knuckles
>Barrier Manipulation: Air Step (I presume that's what Mana Step is, if not, let me know)
>>
Well then.

That's one figured out.

Writing.
>>
>>3817282
>Mana Knuckles
>Barrier Manipulation: Air Step
I forgot that Handler has Saturdays off.
>>
>>3817282
Mana Step was us copying Lorei in the wild west place I thought?
>>
>>3817322
Featherfoot?
>>
>>3817322
I think it was the thing we learned with Izumi on the last job to walk on water, mud or lava unhindered.
>>
>>3817328
>>3817332
So we would go faster through lizardfolk swamps
>>
Oh, that. I really should've written that down. Thought I did and it was just under Barrier Manipulation. Meh, I'll write it out and well see, howsabout that? I think it'll be alright.
>>
>>3817328
#69
>Learned Mana Step! Miranda can cover her feet with a layer of specially treated mana in order to prevent her feet from being at risk to elements that risk her injury or debilitation, such as swampland, corrosive liquids, lava, or other such dangers. It taxes her to maintain it under those adverse conditions, however...
>Cost: 250 Mana (+150 per post it’s not deactivated)
>>
>>3817339
These are also missing
#72
>Learned ‘Over Channel’! This technique is more of an emergency powerup, and gives Miranda a much larger bigger boost in strength than her normal Physical Boost and Energy Channel, but takes a lot of stamina to keep up, and even saps her mana more than normal. Cost: 1000 Mana Activation + roll for upkeep per post it’s activated(1dX x 100).

>Leaned ‘Wisp Lighter’! This technique is the basis, you think, for a flamethrower technique. As it is, you’d have to be within touching range of something to light anything on fire with it, but it’s at least something if you don’t want to DIRECTLY poke something with your fingers...
>>
>>3817346
Ohh. I just put that down as a lock. You know it, you aren't practicing it.

I'll add the other two, though.
>>
>>3817356
Oh, I thought we used it to travel through the swamplands after practicing it with Izumi.
>>
>>3817360
Yeah, you did. So you know how to do it already, no need for practice to nail down the basics perse, unless you just want to use it.
>>
>>3817282
Unhooking your bag, you decide that it’s high time you put that respirator to use. Seither is amaz- nice, but if you get too much of it in your head it’s probably going to...well, it’d be good, right? In a way? Or...no, not. Certainly not. The device is easily strapped around your head; it covers your nose and mouth entirely, the device fortunately sleek and angular, and the look of it a smooth, shiny white, even painted a bit with a caricature of a demon’s fangs around where the jaws would be. Wonder if that’s intentional irony considering the name. As soon as it’s clasped, however, it seems to shift, recognizing its attached to something as it extends slightly more around your lower jaw, nearly up to your ear, and the filters on either side spin and begin to do their work. To your surprise, a small blue screen pops ups from the center of it, almost forming a second visor over your eyes.

Respirator secured.
Filter Active.
Voice Commands Active.
Active Scanning Enabled.


In the corner of the visor, a small graph pops up; apparently it can at least tell the difference between normal air/oxygen and ‘foreign particles’ and is giving you an active readout of what’s going in and what isn’t. Neat.

“This way,” you say through the filtered noise nod as you head off in the direction given for whatever ‘Lo’ was. Seems interesting enough. The two bots wordlessly agree, and from there is a surprisingly lengthy trip as you continue on. Although quiet, this is different from that laboratory...bodies are everywhere, and in all sorts of states of rotting. Many have bulbous parts from Seither Overload, and...massive cysts that you’re not sure you want to know what’s in. It’s like an infection took place here…

“This is...very unfortunate.” Prima says quietly. “Perhaps I’m using the wrong word, however…”

“Mebbe,” Jago says just as quietly. “This Seither junk looks plenty serious for these folks…”

Aside from that, the journey is quiet. Eventually, it gets to the point where you decide to make some progress in some of those techniques you’d dreamed up. Your mana knuckles thing doesn’t seem that hard to figure out. It more or less broke in the fight with Avos, but you’d just really tried it, and you had a pretty good idea of how to reinforce it to keep that from happening again. A few pops against the wall (and a bit of quick playboxing with Jago) proves that you’ve figured it out well enough- chances are, actually, you could even use this to punch through various effects or projectiles if throwing up a barrier for any reason was infeasible- or, perhaps, you might even be able to use it as a magic gauntlet of sorts for hand protection, like you do with your feet. Who knows?

(cont. 1)
>>
>>3817470
As for the other idea you had...less so. Considering your past foray into rather...sticky grounds, you’d managed to develop a way to protect your feet similarly, but in terms of movement, it still didn’t compare to just...not having to deal with it in the first place. It’s that thought that makes you consider how tough it’d be to have a way to just step OVER all that, again without expending as much energy to make a big barrier. If you can just make a foot-sized one right at your feet and then make sure you’re always on it…

...doesn’t quite go right, though. It’s not a matter of timing, it’s more a matter of holding concentration as you move. Like juggling, of a sort. You’re pretty sure you can figure it out, just need to practice it more.

However, that has to get put on the backburner for now, as you find yourself in a massive, cavernous area that’s...well, it’s strange to describe. Your first guess would be some type of housing, judging by the buildings in it. Getting closer in reveals that there’s a lot of old and busted machinery here, laying around. And a LOT of bodies, to boot. It seems like there was something that happened, though- Some of these, although long decayed, are missing limbs, others just plain with apparent damage that certainly isn’t falling dead from just sickness, even this…

“Yes...I believe I was not using the proper term before,” Prima affirms. “I believe ‘disgusting’ and ‘disturbing’ are more accurate here.” There’s another tunnel far off to the right and bit in the distance from where you came in, large and clearly intended for vehicles to go through; it’s even paved somewhat.

Jago nods. “Gonna agree wicha there. On the other hand, can’t still be about, can it?” He looks in the distance to where there’s some kind of...tall structure. You’re not sure what it is exactly, although it looks vaguely like some kind of rocket launch pad. Like the kind you use to launch space satellites and the sort.

>Investigate the buildings. There might be something here about what caused all this.
>Check out the launch site. What were they trying to get up?
>Head through the tunnel. Maybe there’s a vehicle or two you could scrounge up that still works…
>Other

---------
Hm. Messed that green highlight up. Sorry.
>>
>>3817472
>Investigate the buildings. There might be something here about what caused all this.

Something tells me the nerds would be interested in it. Also we haven't bumped into the lionheart folks.
>>
>>3817472
>Check out the launch site. What were they trying to get up?

Lets jump to the top of the rocket, open a hole a check the payload.
>>
>>3817472
>Investigate the buildings. There might be something here about what caused all this.
>>
>>3817472
>Investigate the buildings. There might be something here about what caused all this.
>Summon Gartoum to investigate the tunnel
>>
>>3817472
>>Check out the launch site. What were they trying to get up?
>>
>>3817472
>>Investigate the buildings. There might be something here about what caused all this.

The goal isn't important if we're not here to investigate a problem, but the cause could be payment.
>>
>>3817472
Oh yeah, summon gartoum as well.
>>
>>3817500
My money is on cannibal mutants
>>
>>3817472
>Check out the launch site. What were they trying to get up?
>>
Buildings it is. Gotta be a reason for all these corpses and random stuff. Looks like an apoc- oh.

Writing!
>>
>>3817472
Making tiny barriers in the air and trying to step on them sounds alarming considering we know they're razor sharp, no... atom sharp? Magically sharp at the least.
>Call in to Aegis and warn them to steer clear of this area.
That'll clear up how much aegis trust us a bit too.
>>
>>3817591
>Making tiny barriers in the air and trying to step on them sounds alarming considering we know they're razor sharp, no... atom sharp? Magically sharp at the least.
And the problem is? We arent trying to cut ourselves with them.
>>
>>3817610
Well no you don't *try* to cut yourself with them, not on purpose no.
>>
>>3817591
Think thw barrier cutting ability being only on the edges and not in the flat part, like a sword.
>>
>>3817618
I figured they were about five feet by five feet, or somewhere around the size of an upper-middle class family’s dinner table if I was just spitballing it.
>>
>>3817618
Well yes. Like >>3817625 sai, we're stepping on the flat side and if for some reason the barrier breaks, they dissolve. We won't get cut by them.
>>
>>3817625
>>3817638
>>3817640
Have you guys ever tripped on the steps while walking up the stairs? Now imagine what would have happened to your foot if it was an atom-sharp barrier instead of a blunt surface.
>>
>>3817656
It doesn't work that way. For the barrier to cut you, you have to apply force againt the edge, not alongside the edge. We also have never tripped before when using the skill before.
>>
You guys are overthinking it. And the barriers have are harmonized to us anyways.
I wonder why are you reluctant to summon Gartoum though. He really helped us out earlier in this mission.
>>
>>3817656
Why do you think I imagined it five feet by five feet, anon?

I think we’re both imagining different ways Miranda’s using this barrier platform ability. I’m thinking she just jumps with her enhanced jumps, summons a barrier to land on mid-air, then lands on it and prepares to jump again. From what I’ve read on what you think Miranda’s doing, she’s running on smaller barriers like someone using rocks to cross a stream, right?
>>
>>3817665
I’m kinda reluctant due to the fact that he might get a whiff of this seither stuff and become harder to control when he’s high off his ass.
>>
>>3817664
>It doesn't work that way. For the barrier to cut you, you have to apply force againt the edge
So you're saying it works the way I just described and yet it at the same time somehow doesn't. Here's an image to help your imagination
>>
>>3817665
>And the barriers have are harmonized to us anyways.
Yeah, lets just go with that. Makes enough sense to me.
>>
>>3817684
The steps generate under miranda's foot, not like in your image. Also, they go forwards, not upwards. Read the thread where we learned the spell before speculating.
>>
>>3817696
>talk about walking up the stairs in the post you were replying to
>only now after seeing the image help you get I was actually talking about stairs
Come on man
>>
>>3817365
Oh, by the way - does Izumi know Mana Step as well, since we worked on it together?
>>
>>3817472
“Might as well see if anything worthwhile is still in here,” you figure. “C’mon.” With that, they follow you into the nearest building. It’s...unsurprisingly trashed, with bodies everywhere and in various states of fall. You’re experienced enough to realize that many of said bodies appear to be angled towards the doorway. Many also seemed to have objects in their hands; picking up one nearby, you realize that it’s some kind of data drive...rusted and ruined by now, though. Still, you can tell. “These people were fleeing something. They were trying to get as much data out of here as possible.” Thank goodness for natural light- you’re not sure how they managed it- probably clever application of drilling and windows, but there’s enough of the stuff here coming through the mountain to allow you to see fairly well throughout.

There’s a couple of floors to the building, although nothing too crazy, and unfortunately, it seems like this was just a plain work building- a lot of computers and various instruments, but nothing specific...except…

“Hm.” There’s one guy here dressed differently than the rest. Looks more like an executive of some sort than anything else. Mostly skin and bones, hardly anything else- but he’s got something attached to his shirt- a red keycard with a ‘4’ stamped in it. You hadn’t seen that before- some others with ‘1’ or ‘2’, but not this. He’s also carrying a tablet device with him after a quick frisking...sadly, when you try it, it’s dead. You don’t know if anything messed up on the inside, but…

“Excuse me?” Prima asks quietly. When you turn to her, she holds out her hand for the device. “If I may?” Seeing no reason not to, you hand it over. It takes her a bit, but her eyes flash a bit before returning it to you. “It appears to be solar-powered. We can, potentially, restore its energy if we find a bright enough area.”

Oh. Well, that’s useful. But also for later. For now…

>Roll 1d20.

>Head back and look elsewhere (where?)
>Take a look at the launchpad, might as well.
>Leave the base and report it; it’s not a high priority.
>Other
>>
>>3817735
>Head back and look elsewhere (where?)
>Hospital
>Summon Gartoum to look for Lionhead mercs or investigate the tunnel
>>
Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>3817735
>Take a look at the launchpad, might as well.
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>3817735
>>
Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>3817735
>Summon Gartoum to look for Lionhead mercs or investigate the tunnel
>Head back and look elsewhere (where?)
>Hospital
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>3817735
>>Take a look at the launchpad, might as well.
>>
>>3817735
>Take a look at the launchpad, might as well.
What is going to ambush us? Big spiders, xenos, spider xenos?
>>
>>3817735
>>Take a look at the launchpad, might as well.
>>
>>3817735
>Take a look at the launchpad, might as well.

>>3817762
If we’re summoning him, warn him about going topside, and how seither might affect him
>>
>>3817793
>Didn't he already exposed himself to Seither? The worst it did to him was giving the air a spicy taste.
>>
>>3817807
I don’t think so... at most I know we didn’t summon him inside of a seither-irradiated zone the last time we called him up.
>>
Launchpad it is. Gonna take a breather and be back later in about an hour or so.
>>
>>3817840
You know, we can just desummon him if he starts acting weird. There's no harm in calling him.
>>
To be honest, after the mission I wanted to hang around this world for a bit. We can go to a seither heavy area and train our powers there and maybe try expanding Miranda arsenal for future jobs. Handler, would Sal permits Miranda to stay on this world even just a little bit?
>>
>>3817983
It IS OK for Outgoers to stay for a bit after a job I think (remember the Artificer crossover's celebration party?). Miranda just generally beamed out as soon as possible because she's efficient and tried to finish almost everything before doing so.
>>
>>3817983
Maybe like a day or two, and launch a couple of nebula busters. Because dammit, we did not hit our quota per mission yet.
>>
>>3817998
We spent time celebrating because our client was busy that moment and could only pay the next day.
Also why can't we just train in the OTC once we return? We can even take a partner to share ideas and stuff - these Mana Knuckles for example are similar to Izumi's Palms of Succor, so maybe we can work together and find a way to improve our techniques and get pointers on how to use them.
>>
>>3818020
I skimmed through the previous threads a bit and the thoughts of slowing down a bit after this job was brought up a few times yes. I myself wanted to roam the streets of Intersection for random encounters.
>>
>>3818020
>>3818035
There is nothing stopping us from spending a long time in the intersection. The problem is that most anons want to get the hell out of there ASAP because they wrongly believe that we won't be able to pay our dues or such.
>>
>>3818044
When WAS the last time we paid rents anyway?
Actually since that's the only gameover this quest has (beside dying that is), I'd say we could just grind sidequests in the Intersection for Lotes and forego most of the jobs, but Sal would be buttmad furious.
>>
>>3818068
>When WAS the last time we paid rents anyway?
Right after the crossover. So I guess we'll be paying up once we finish this job.
How much are we getting for this job? All 30 or do we have to split it with the bots?
>>
>>3818044
I am scared of the dues. However, considering we have a lot of motes we could take a break. Spend like an entire thread exploring intersection and have fun with the team. Maybe start a poker night with everyone using their abilities to cheat while Miranda just bluffs, raises, and all ins on everything. Granted we will lose most of the time but it will be fun.
>>
>>3818086
The payout we see in the page tends to be after taxes and tariffs. This usually includes the cuts the other members we take get.
>>
>>3818090
>Shitty movies>Bar Crawl>>>>>Poker
>>
Back, writing!
>>
>>3818106
fffuck now you reminded me of the movie Miranda got in. We have to gather peeps to watch it, it's her debut on the big screen after all.
>>3818138
Do we get to roll if the movie is genuinely good or not Handler? I'll cash out my luck to get a 20 to get it to cult classic tier.
>>
>>3818106
Bar crawl>>>Getting shitfaced in our department=shitty movies.
>>
>>3818139
that would have to be a nat 1
>>
>>3818139
Save our movie for last, and tear into it if its awful.
>>
>>3818140
Getting shitfaced in our department=shitty movies > Getting shitfaced while watching shitty movies in our department
>>
>>3818139
I think we already rolled for that
>>
>>3818044
We spent some extra time in the intersection fairly recently, after this last job or the previous one iirc, it's just been awhile IRL. No one is afraid of missing payments due to hanging around too much,m there's just only so much to do And I think Handler gets as twitchy as the rest of us sometimes to get back to actually doing a job.

No pubcrawl please. remember the last time we went out drinking? It cost us an entire mission's cut of Lotes.
>>
>>3818011
We better find those big ass ayyylmaos and blast them into nothing. Bonus points for blasting their base as well.
blasting a lionheart mecha is fine too
>>
>>3818158
Okay we will instead drink in the department while watching movies, then poker on the following night.
>>
>>3818158
>there's just only so much to do
There's a lot of research material and ideas for training. We've compiled a huge list of experimental ideas and even had an entire Q&A thread discussing the Intersection and training. Damn, we've got half of dozen books to read. And when anons hurried to get a new job before doing some training I almost got mad.
>>
>>3818196
Because sitting around training is boring. It would mostly be timeskips, with us slowly bleeding cash through daily living and tax. And for what? All our training is for "nice to have"s. We don't have a need to stop working and go into training montage mode.

We could stand to spend a few more hours here and there training or relaxing, but it's not a big priority.
>>
>>3818221
Miranda isn't a robot though and she's gonna need a vacation sooner or later.
>>
>>3818221
Manacost of Miranda's techniques ranges from 'okay-ish' to 'attrocious'. We always argue about the use of mana and even spent some cash on mana supplies just to feel comfortable.
And we're flush for cash at the moment, so I don't see how resting in the Intersection for a week or two is an issue.
>>
The reason I wanted to stay here is because when we use Mana for spells, the seither fields regenerate Miranda's Mana making it an effective way to experiment. For example making Nebula Buster shape it into a javelin and throw it accurately and explodes upon impact like how nebula buster works. But that's just an example.
>>
>>3818254
I just want to blow shit up with busters.
>>
>>3818252
If you want to compensate the mana cost os certain skills just need to train then to adjust the mana we spend using then. Same way how Miranda doesn't spend mana using her magi blasts.
>>
>>3818263
Considering the giant mutant frogs i think we will get a chance.
>>
>>3817755
>>3817763
>>3817774
>>3817788
>>3817793

“Let’s check out the launchpad,” you decide, hopping down from the second floor easily enough. Jago and Prima follow with little issue, and you all make your way over to the large steel structure. As you get closer, you can see that, to your surprise, there’s definitely a hole there, a rather massive one, in fact...and you can see, along with scaffolding large enough to get halfway to the cavern’s ceiling.

“Streuth, this thing’s massive…” Jago wonders aloud. He’s not at all wrong- the yawning opening has to be at least 50 yards in diameter, maybe more. PROBABLY more.

What somewhat surprises you when you get close enough is when you peer inside said hole- and see the roof hull of what looks like some kind of large ship. Looking upwards, you do notice that there does indeed seem to be some sort of hatch, clearly leading outside. “Huh. They didn’t launch it, whatever it is,” you notice. So, there must be some sort of control center nearby, then?

“Cursory scanning indicates that it has a rather large storage capacity...as well as thruster capacity. I am uncertain without a more thorough scan, but I estimate this can indeed break orbit,” Prima supplies.

“Think they was tryin’ to fly the coop afore everythin’ went ta shite?” Jago asks.

“It’s possible,” you admit.

>Roll 2d20, best of three.

>Leave it be. If it’s just a transport system, you’ve no interest in it.
>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.
>Other
>>
Rolled 8, 18 = 26 (2d20)

>>3818279
>>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.
>>
Rolled 17, 9 = 26 (2d20)

>>3818279
>Other
>Send gartoun to scout ahead.
>>
Rolled 9, 19 = 28 (2d20)

>>3818279
>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.
>>
>>3818279
Did we find the ark? Is this titan a.e.?
>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.
>Keep an eye out for traitorous experienced human pilots
>>
Rolled 3, 15 = 18 (2d20)

>>3818279
>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.
>Summon Gartoum already
I know I sound like a broken record
>>
>>3818279
>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.

Oh look aliens!! Or at least reversed alien tech. Also if it has a storage capacity it must mean that there is probably being loaded inside right?
>>
Rolled 12, 7 = 19 (2d20)

>>3818279
>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.

>>3818252
Mana cost isn't something Randa can fix without a ton of work over a long period. It would involve changing her entire style. Even stuff we've tried to work on with the explicit goal of "low mana cost" still runs several times more than is desired. As far as I'm concerned it's just part of her nature.
That doesn't mean we can't pick at it, but it's not "fixable" in the timeframe of the quest.

Taxes are taken as a percentage of held cash (not income for some reason), so having a large reserve isn't as big of a help as you might think. A Week or two wouldn't sink us, but how long did it take us to actually build up this much cash? We tend to spend most of our paycheck immediately before or after a job.
>>
>>3818291
Doesn't look organic so ot must not be alien. Makes me wonder what they were trying to do.
>>
>>3818297
The mancost issue is fixable - the old upgrade system has ranks of how well a certain technique is developedp, and it can be improved with training. Don't just shut it down just because you see it as character's quirk.
As for money - what do you even want to do with it?
>>
>>3818279
>There DOES seem to be a way down there. Might as well take a looksee.

>>3818299
I think they were either trying to launch nukes into the alien fleet, or it was an ark ship, or a shuttle to move into a space base.
>>
Kinda figured you would, but. Figured I'd give the option.

Writing.
>>
>>3818325
Moon Base? Or maybe a Mars base.
>>
>>3818279
>“Huh. They didn’t launch it, whatever it is,”
belowground missile silos are usually where you'd stick ICBMs. This place may have been repurposed, but there's little reason otherwise to go to the trouble of building a concealed launch bay.

>>3818304
increasing the ranks of spells did little to change their cost. It mostly modified our ability to cast it without messing up,and iirc to some degree the spell's effectiveness.
It's not a quirk, it's a core tent of Randa. She is vastly powerful, but unsubtle. She doesn't have the ability/inclination to go to the effort of being more efficient, when she's got the raw power to force it to work.
As we've seen, even when she does try to scale things down, it is a scaling down, not a redesign. It's like cutting half the cylinders off an old engine. Sure, it technically uses half as much gas, but it's not anymore efficient.

Like I said, we can work on this to some degree. But I seriously doubt we'll get this big breakthrough some anons seem to be chasing.
Frankly, I get a little annoyed when anons take an existing character with existing preferences, styles and relationships, and completely ignore them to twist them into whatever they want. For a blank slate, that's fine, expected even. But Miranda already has a well established way of doing things. Play the character.
>>
>>3818372
Yeah, I'm tired of talking with a brick wall as well. Fuck you too.
>>
>>3818367
I would say a moon base as it is closer and accessible.
>>
>>3818386
I know the feeling. Fuck off.
>>
>>3818325
Funfact, in Titan A.E. the Ark is all three of those!
>>
>>3818367
Assuming something similar to the solar system, the moon is closer, but mars is more hospitable, importantly in gravity. And closeness isn't as much as you might think. "Getting to orbit is halfway to anywhere."

I dunno if it was for passengers though. "storage capacity" is kinda vague, but suggests to me cargo. Maybe satelite delivery?
>>
>>3818414
Maybe it was an orbital habitat. Its way easier to make a space station and spin it on its axis for some nice fake gravity than to colonize another planet.
>>
>>3818412
A fine ship.

>>3818414
Satellite delivery could work too. Maybe it was a hammer of dawn, the thor project, or stealth satellites for back up networks.
>>
>>3818423
But would you try to run to the orbit while the planet is being invaded by aliens? I guess this solves that discussion about the people in the planet being able to send stuff through the planets orbit.
>>
>>3818423
I dunno, how hard is it to create, launch and source materials for a self-sustaining indefinite habitat?
>>
>>3818434
I would imagine building a self sustaining habitat would take a while. Look at the ISS, it is small and still requires resupply to handle a few people.
>>
>>3818279
>>3818283
>>3818290
>>3818291
>>3818292
>>3818295
>>3818297
You notice that there’s a way down; a staircase that’s carefully walled and protected...or at least, it was. There’s a number of bodies near it, all facing towards it, too. Whatever killed these people, they were trying to get to it…

“Let’s check this thing out,” you decide. You could make that jump, but you doubt your robot allies would be quite so durable, so stairs it is.

The light is far darker down here, and you’re forced to light things up yourself to see. A controlled magiblast serves as your temporary light for now. Not to mention it’s probably decent practice for those since you don’t use them much. It’s particularly helpful because you find yourself stepping over the occasional fallen body from time to time, all of them in advanced decrepit states, more bones than anything else.

“Oy, do those smell?” Jago suddenly asks out of the blue.

You briefly pause at that. “...yes. Why?”

He just shrugs, of all things. “Jus’ wonderin’. Can’t smell, meself, so.”

“I would not WANT to,” Prima says briskly as she quickly looks back to focus on Jago. “It seems a surefire way to distract yourself. Not to mention the-”

“Oh, I doubt it’s so bad,” Jago responds as you head down another flight. “I know a couplea things I wanna smell.”

“Oh?” Despite her distaste for the idea, Prima seems curious. “Like what? Certain foods? You can’t eat. Oh, perhaps flowers?” She tilts her head a bit as she looks back; the expression is almost smug, you swear. “Do you have a ‘soft’ side you’re not telling us, perhaps?”

“Oy, ain’t none yer business why I wanna sniff things!” Jago says quickly. You’re not going to even question it, honestly. Prima just narrows her eyes slightly and returns her attention forward.

(cont.)
>>
>>3818453
It’s not much longer before you see the rest of the device. It’s definitely some kind of transport ship, but it’s boxy and rather...well, unrefined is the word you’d use. Not sleek and stylish like the Walkers are by any means...though perhaps that’s better? But you certainly don’t get a ‘finished product’ vibe from this thing. It’s not painted or anything, either. Just seems like it might’ve been a desperate gambit from desperate people.

Once you get to the bottom, the staircase terminates into what you can only guess is a waiting lobby- and THIS is the worst bodycount you’ve seen yet. A massive amount of peoples’ arms, chest, any part of the body you can guess, torn open from musculature overgrowth, blood pooling under them in various amounts. Benches are packed with the dead. Even as rotted as they are, you can still see blood and viscera coming out of these people. Men, women, children- a LOT of children in fact- all of them in various states of...that. Lying around, some who’s faces have yet to change from those last rictuses of fear, many scrambling for the doorway across the room to a hope that would never happen, forming a fetid and morose pile of the dead and forgotten. You just let out a deep sigh. It’s brutal, sure, but it’s nothing you haven’t- wait.

Fuck.

You turn back quickly to your two robot allies- shit, Prima’s flat out shivering now. Jago isn’t doing much better either. You barely get a word out to ask before Prima interrupts you, her eyes snapping to yours. “I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here…”

That’s enough to get Jago to snap out of his own stupor briefly. “Shiiite...come on, love, you alright in there? You look at me, yeah? Hello?”

“I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here...” The mantra continues as you inwardly curse yourself. You DID say…

>Roll 2d20+-5, best of three.

>Fuck it, abort. It’s not worth it, and you promised her you’d leave if it got to be too much for her- which it is.
>Get Jago to get her back up the stairs and help her snap out of it. You’ll investigate a bit for safety’s sake and be right there.
>Other
>>
>>3818433
its not a bad idea. In the general scale of things, a space station is very small and is really hard to find, specially if you place it in a eccentric orbit

>>3818434
It depends, but it might be rather easy because this is a world that already has mechs. everything is off the table when you have mechs.
>>
>>3818423
Spinning orbital habitats have some significant engineering challenges (especially in materials engineering). But yeah, it's entirely possible.
If there were any up there though, I imagine the aliens trashed them pretty thoroughly on their way in unfortunately.

>>3818433
Panic? Spacecraft aren't built in a day, and they maybe have thought "escape" and no further.

>>3818432
After I posted, I remembered something important about STO launches: they aren't stealthy. If someone wanted to put something like that up, adding it to a lineup of mundane launches would be the best disguise.
This could be a decommissioned ICBM base that some private company bought for commercial use though. In that case, who knows what the intended payload was.
>>
Rolled 11, 2 - 5 = 8 (2d20 - 5)

>>3818455
>Get Jago to get her back up the stairs and help her snap out of it. You’ll investigate a bit for safety’s sake and be right there.
>>
Rolled 10, 14 + 5 = 29 (2d20 + 5)

>>3818455
>Fuck it, abort. It’s not worth it, and you promised her you’d leave if it got to be too much for her- which it is.
>>
Rolled 10, 20 + 5 = 35 (2d20 + 5)

>>3818455
>Fuck it, abort. It’s not worth it, and you promised her you’d leave if it got to be too much for her- which it is.
>>
Rolled 4, 2 + 5 = 11 (2d20 + 5)

>>3818455
>>Get Jago to get her back up the stairs and help her snap out of it. You’ll investigate a bit for safety’s sake and be right there.
A lot of people died trying to get to whatever this is. And it'll give them some time to level out a bit.
>>
Rolled 9, 7 + 5 = 21 (2d20 + 5)

>>3818455
>>Fuck it, abort. It’s not worth it, and you promised her you’d leave if it got to be too much for her- which it is.
>>
Goddammit 4chan and your stupid plus/minus thing. But yeah, that's supposed to be subtracting 5 from both rolls.
>>
>>3818476
Oh i hope it counts didn't noticed the minus.
>>
>>3818481
Honestly, i thought it was an abnormally large + sign and didn't give it a second tought.
>>
>>3818455
>Get Jago to get her back up the stairs and help her snap out of it. You’ll investigate a bit for safety’s sake and be right there.
We should check for mutant horrors, and survivors.
>>
>>3818477
I would rather not split from the bots with two possible enemies inside the compound and leave Jago alone with Prima in the state she is right now.
>>
Rolled 3, 14 + 5 = 22 (2d20 + 5)

>>3818455
>Fuck it, abort. It’s not worth it, and you promised her you’d leave if it got to be too much for her- which it is.
I want a fight, but prima needs to be stabilized.

>>3818459
Maybe it was a fast plane to get people to another base using orbit entry to stay high above the aliens or something.
>>
>>3818477
And we promised prima to get her out of this because she's sensible to this kind of stuff. Returning her to the surface doesn't mean that whatever is down here will stop existing. we can return when we leave both bots on the mech.
>>
>>3818481
Re roll?
>>
>>3818491
I doubt there are any survivors and whatever caused this already ran away.

Also poor Prima she will need a lot of take care and pick me up once we get back. Hinestly this wasn't even our fault how would we know about the corpses...
>>
Nah, I'mma just take them as they are. You all figured what I meant, and I still mess it up myself constantly.
>>
>>3818499
>Returning her to the surface doesn't mean that whatever is down here will stop existing. we can return when we leave both bots on the mech.
There are still hostiles down here somewhere. I doubt we'll have a chance to revisit this place. I'm assuming those roles are related to our groups running into each other.
>>
>>3818499
It's not like the ship will go any where for now. We just need to move away make Prima get her shit together. Besides i doubt we can even use or access the thing without her hacking, could just put it on the hold and tell the nerd were we found the thing.
>>
>>3818509
You know what they say about assuming things?
>>
>>3818511
We 've got an access card from a corpse of an executive. It would be a shame to leave this key unused - we still don't know what exactly was happening here.
>>
>>3818511
That's fine for me, but lets take her away from here.

>>3818509
Prima is more important, because she's the one that is going back to the intersection with us. We really don't want to get psychological therapy for her. Specially when there are only two real groups that deal with robots in all of the intersection
>Spoiler
More reasons to get prima out then. Its detrimental to us if she goes into shock in the middle of a firefight.
>>
>>3818517
Something about asses?
>>
>>3818517
True enough, I suppose. Dunno what else it might be though. We've had 2d20 every post, which is unusual for Handler. Could be loot tables or something I guess. Or maybe related to the body count?
>>
>>3818530
It can also be related to prima and jago, but the other to unknown agents make more sense.
>>
>>3818455
The second we let the bots out of our sight is the second they get jumped by- zombies? aliens? zombie aliens? lionheart mercs? aegis backstab? anything really.
>Fuck it, abort. It’s not worth it, and you promised her you’d leave if it got to be too much for her- which it is.
>Report to Aegis this exists in-case they feel like exploring.
>>
>>3818530
Mercs, xenos, mutants, scapers, loot. It can be literally anything
>>
Protect childbot thing. Bounce.

Just be careful you don't knock into anything...or anyone.

Writing.
>>
>>3818542
Man this was supposed to be a easy job, Prima wasn't supposed to see all this...death. Poor bot will nees to rest a little bit.

Also can someone remind me if Lionheart was the one that followed us into the canyon or if they are the ones that tried to stop us from destroying that lab were we got the intel.
>>
>>3818559
It was Orion. Lionheart are new players.
>>
>>3818559
Lionheart mercs were protecting Orion's lab, then Orion's patrol chased us to the canyon. These two are in cahoots.
>>
>>3818564
Wasn't one of the Mercs ggroups working woth Orion? It had the veteran, the girl and the rookie
>>
>>3818559
>>3818564
Lionheart were the mercs working with Orion who we BAPPED. Protag-kun is with Lionheart
>>
>>3818568
Wonder if it's rookie, but i take of it was the same mechs we would have reconized it.
>>
>>3818571
>>3818570
Oh. Well, seems like we have a reputation to uphold and one very scared bot to get away from harms way.
>>
>>3818559
Even momo did not have such a bad first job compared to prima.
>>
>>3818571
Well we are killing these guys then. Can't let then go away with this place location and if they see Miranda can't let then know who is the pilot of the White Walker.
>>
>>3818575
Rookie WAS running a default mech, maybe he got an upgrade.
>>3818559
>>3818579
To be fair, they did request we accompany Primo and Jago on this mission, this is their teething mission as much as Momo's was hers. We were just pro-active about that one.
>>
>>3818579
This isn't Prima's first job - Lori went on a milk run with bots when we were posing as a Summon.
>>
>>3818582
Why not? Just gotta keep the stoic murderer persona up and running. We can have this funny dichotomy where our bots have personality and we don't.
>>
>>3818579
Mono's mission was brutal in a very different way though (specially because it wasn't one, but two). Also, she was more used to kill than prima.
>>
>>3818589
No, anon, Lorelei was showing them around the Intersection and getting Prima some chassis upgrades.
>>
I'm a total scrub with post-processing, so I'll have to practice a bit in the future. In the mean time here's Miranda with elf ears, just because.
>>
>>3818596
>>3818589
#64 right in the OP
>Apparently, Lorelei had managed a rather simple job for Prima and Jago, while she was playing behind the scenes- similar to what you’d done for Mono. “I SWEAR, I’d never imagine Jago could scream like that!”
>>
>>3818590
Avos sees Miranda tear apart mercs with no hesitation, while the bots try to show mercy and compassion. He questions who is truly the monster.
>>
>>3818590
I guess there isn't a need our job was only to keep people from associating us to our employer and they don't know that Zeon comes from our employer.
>>
>>3818601
Elf Randa is cute.
>>
>>3818610
More likely the way he is so edge he will start to think if we are so strong because we don't hesitate to kill other people.
>>
>>3818626
Lowkey? I can't wait to come back to base and Avos is trying to get an AI installed in his bot, hunting down a pair of tinted shades and insisting he doesn't need his suit in his mech to be more like 'Lane'.
>>
>>3818626
If he asks, drop the bane line about darkness and Seither. He will believe our shit since, hey we are strong.
>>
>>3818455
>>3818469
>>3818476
>>3818479
>>3818496
>>3818537
Forget it; you’ll either just leave it for others or come back later, but right now Prima’s clearly having a mental breakdown, or whatever passes for one for a robot. “Come on, we’re leaving, then,” you say in a voice that brooks no argument as you scoop Prima up, then Jago despite light protest. She wraps her arms around you, but she continues her vocalizations. “I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here. I do not wish to be here…”

You find yourself taking the stairs up multiple at a time, and you don’t stop until you can find an alcove free of any bodies in their immediate sight whatsoever. “Hey, we’re not there anymore,” you say softly as you place her down. “We aren’t there anymore. Look, see?”

You can see her pupils refocusing as she takes a moment to observe her new surroundings. “Hm? Oh...I see. We are not...yes. Good. Thank you.” She still seems out of sorts, for certain...maybe it’d be best to just leave this place alone and head back for now. Jago shakes his head as you mull this over. “Gotta admit, that was a bit much. One thing for grown folks what signed on ta it, but…” Right. Even for a fighter like him, that likely was over what he’s good with imagining.

You sigh. “Well, if you two aren’t comfortable, we’ll avoid that place and maybe-” before you can finish that sentence, however, you hear two voices in the distance, and getting closer. “Hey, check THIS place out! Eugh...looks pretty messed up.” A female, it seems. Young, too. “We’ve already gotten a lot, buuuut...couldn’t hurt to sweep the place just in case, right?”

“I’m, uh...I guess.” the second voice comes. Male, and...vaguely familiar? “Just wish it wasn’t so...morose.”

“...yeah, you’re not wrong,” the first voice concedes. “All these people just...gone in a flash.”

“Well...if those signals you got weren’t fake, maybe we can keep some people from suffering the same fate. Maybe get some more supplies, too. Would be nice if we could help improve the base…” Hm. So, they’re here for the same reason. Interesting…

>You can join them and play the wandering, risky Scrapper for a bit. It’d be easy to use and then bail on them in case something iffy happens.
>Better to avoid these kids altogether. Who knows what might happen if you have to square off- and you’re not just talking physically.
>You can tail them, maybe. Let them THINK they have the run of things; maybe even hear a few interesting tidbits.
>Other
>>
>>3818664
>You can tail them, maybe. Let them THINK they have the run of things; maybe even hear a few interesting tidbits.
Either way they are not getting alive outta here.
>>
>>3818664
>You can tail them, maybe. Let them THINK they have the run of things; maybe even hear a few interesting tidbits.
Sounds like scrappers or really convincing mercs.
>>
>>3818664
>You can tail them, maybe. Let them THINK they have the run of things; maybe even hear a few interesting tidbits.
>Other: "Use the invisibility sigil and send Prima and Jago back to Zeon"
>>
>>3818664
>You can join them and play the wandering, risky Scrapper for a bit. It’d be easy to use and then bail on them in case something iffy happens.
We'll keep a close eye on them.
>>
>>3818664
>>You can tail them, maybe. Let them THINK they have the run of things; maybe even hear a few interesting tidbits.
But send the bots back to the mech. Both of them need cool off time.
>>
>>3818664
>>Better to avoid these kids altogether. Who knows what might happen if you have to square off- and you’re not just talking physically.
Sabotage their mechs, though, so they can't get back to their base, then notify our bosses.
>>
>>3818682
Considering we reconized one of the voices. It's probably the rookie. Man he really is the protagonist another girl walking around with him, which since we are the villan we will probably kill too.
>>
>>3818664
>You can tail them, maybe. Let them THINK they have the run of things; maybe even hear a few interesting tidbits.
Time to practice stealth.
>>
>>3818664
>>Better to avoid these kids altogether. Who knows what might happen if you have to square off- and you’re not just talking physically.

I see little to no reason to get involved here.
>>
>>3818664
Changing >>3818689 to >>3818686
>>
>>3818698
Oh. Well he is dead now.
>>
>>3818664
“We’ve already gotten a lot"
YOUR BACKPACKS ARE FULL YOU SAY?
>You can tail them, maybe. Let them THINK they have the run of things; maybe even hear a few interesting tidbits.
I don't know how the terrain would allow for us to tail them, it sounds like they're following along the same path we were.
Well, we have recon abilities, time to use all of them, because Seither regen.
>Sniff
The invisibility sigil I dunno if it'll be good to use, the bots aren't stable at the moment.
>>
>>3818715
>the bots aren't stable at the moment.
That's why I want to send them back to the mech. Plus, if things kick off they can go loud.
>>
>>3818698
Well, now he's the protagonist of a horror movie. A horror movie he won't survive.

>>3818664
also adding
>Other: "Use the invisibility sigil and send Prima and Jago back to Zeon"
AND
>Give one of the comm stones to prima so that she can keep in touch with us.
>>
>>3818721
Just because they're bots doesn't mean they're immune to X-com rookie syndrome.
Two rookies sent off alone? Damn near suicide.
>>
>>3818734
With ayys, sectapods, green mist, and exalt. It would be a squad wipe.
>>
>>3818723
So we are playing the monster? Neat!!
>>
>>3818753
It is our next movie adaptation. Are we a xenomorph, predator, terminator, or a velociraptor?
>>
>>3818743
>[HIDDEN ENEMY MOVEMENT]
>>
>>3818753
Yeah. What would be our theme?
i vote for link related. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkOJ9uNj9EY
>>
>>3818758
I will go with Predator because of the invisibility.
>>
Rolled 91, 72 = 163 (2d100)

>>3818759
>[HIDDEN ENEMY MOVEMENT]
Quality of pod, damage caused.
>>
Tailing. Hopefully.

And maybe we can get the bots out of here early, it seems...

Writing.
>>
>>3818664
You’re not really keen on putting on an acting show right now, and more importantly, you have two bots that need to refocus after seeing what they saw. You’re not sure just leaving the kids alone is a good idea, though. If they see anything that could be detrimental, or perhaps find whatever is making those signals and could use them...well, it’d be bad for you.

“Okay, you two. I’m putting you on the bench for now,” you whisper as you hear murmuring get closer. “You need to get back to the walker and wait for me. That’s an order.”

“Bu-” Jago barely gets started before you shush him, instead quickly reaching into your bag and palming him a murmur stone. “This should allow you communication with me. You have mana now, and you only need a little bit to use this. Try and feel that strange spark deep down inside you, and try to direct it in that thing to use it. Understand?”

He nods, and you have to duck behind a wall as you hear footsteps. “Hoookay...where to first?” The girl asks. You risk a peek out, and you see...a pale-skinned pinkette, in pigtails, and a plugsuit. She’s a tall thing, too. Beside her is a young man, black-haired, and, if you’re being honest, he looks pretty plain. He’s a head shorter than her, even. It’s the girl that’s surveying the area- you have to duck back when her head starts to turn your way, but before long she speaks back up again. “Hmmmmlet’s check out one of these buildings over here. Might be something interesting, who knows?”

“Okay. Right behind you,” the boy answers, and you hear footsteps in the other direction; you’re pretty sure they’re going off in the direction you did when you first came here.

After they’re out of earshot, you reach back into your bag to give them something else. “Here’s an invisibility sigil, just in case. Think you can use it? Same way you use the stone.”

“Hmmm…” Jago looks at it for a while. “Iunno. Felt like- like SOMETHING’s been fillin’ up on the inside, but inna good way. Maybe that’s it...but...well, hold on a tic.” His fingers fidget a bit with the glyph, but after a minute or two, you can see an ever so faint, yet red aura come from his body...and then, he vanishes.

“...Oooh my…” Prima seems enraptured. Suddenly, her hand is pulled forward, and with a ‘C’mon!’ from thin air, she vanishes as well, and then footsteps quickly going away from you, towards the tunnel you (and the two kids) came from.

Well...that’s good. At least they can get some recuperation time. And fantastic that Jago got the basics down so quickly- although you wonder if that’s a fluke or no...

Well, regardless, now it’s time to do a bit of watching from the shadows. If all goes as you hope, well...

You'll probably be adding two more bodies to the masses down here.
----------------------

(Wrapping it up for tonight.)
>>
Wait, shit, did you guys mean YOU wanted to use the sigil, or give Prima and Jago the sigil? Just realized I could've misinterpreted that.
>>
>>3818820
Thanks for running, boss!
>>
Also.

Is anyone else here getting/got Daemon X Machina?
>>
>>3818834
I've heard a lot of good things about it yes, definitely get it if you're a /m/ enthusiast. Switch is getting a lot of good titles.
>>
>>3818839
Oh no I HAVE it. I was basically extending an invitation to join me in glorious mech battles if anyone else does.
>>
>>3818834
I do not know what that is. I believe the action was for us to go predator and give the sigil to the bots. Thank you for the run.
>>
>>3818823
Pretty sure they meant us use the sigil, but it's not a big deal. We could use the practice, and if we do get caught we can play it off as a nosy scraper.

Thanks for running.
>>
>>3818823
I was hoping for them using the sigil, which worked!
>>3818834
>>3818842
This makes me wanna have a switch. But my PC was far more important
>>
>>3818855
I've been dual-wielding PCs and Nintendo handhelds for a while. Sony's consoles to me are glorified movie players.
>>
>>3818863
I only have the money for one and i really needed to upgrade my computer.
>>
There’s little to expect from them going inside- you’ve already cased the place, and there’s not exactly a whole lot there. Following them inside would be risky…

Although you can hear them thumping around here and there, and it’s not like all the windows are intact, so if you’re cautious about it, you should still be able to keep an eye on them while making a quick escape...for the most part.

You do get the occasional snippet of conversation from them, but sadly it seems like it’s mostly just banter...mostly.

“I dunno, Kei. Doesn’t seem like what we’re lookin’ for would be around here.” the girl says at one point. “Might have to go even deeper.”

“Yeah,” the boy, Kei, says as you keep hidden around a corner. “This base might’ve been repurposed, but if what the boss says is true, then there should be something out of the ordinary here, right? We haven’t come across anything like laboratories or storage or anything like that yet, though...”

“No. Might be what’s down that big tunnel across the way. Why don’t we go check it out?” More footsteps, and as you duck back into the room, they seem to be planning on leaving the area.

“You don’t want to look around here more?” The boy asks.

“Pft! Not without some kinda ride. Have you seen the size of this place? It’s enormous!” A pause. “Althoooough...I did see some vehicles, not too far off, I think. I dunno if they still run, but it’s worth a try, huh?”

>Follow them closely. You want to make absolutely sure they don’t know anything of importance...or get a vehicle and zip off.
>Keep at a distance, stick to the peripheral, but keep an eye on them. You’d rather not get caught.
>Other
>>
>>3820742
>Keep at a distance, stick to the peripheral, but keep an eye on them. You’d rather not get caught.
>Summon Gartoum to follow them closely
>>
>>3820742
>>Keep at a distance, stick to the peripheral, but keep an eye on them. You’d rather not get caught.
>>
>>3820742
>>Keep at a distance, stick to the peripheral, but keep an eye on them. You’d rather not get caught.
>>Summon Gartoum to follow them closely
>>
>>3820742
>Keep at a distance, stick to the peripheral, but keep an eye on them. You’d rather not get caught

Gar isn't exactly silence when he appear so i wouldn't summon him.
>>
>>3820742
>>Keep at a distance, stick to the peripheral, but keep an eye on them. You’d rather not get caught.
>>
>>3820742
>>Follow them closely. You want to make absolutely sure they don’t know anything of importance...or get a vehicle and zip off.
>>
We get creepy. Not too creepy, but still creepy.

Writing.
>>
>>3820818
Boss you still alive?
>>
>>3821136
The boss has died. So... back to the launchpad or intersection stuff?
>>
>>3820756
>>3820762
>>3820764
>>3820803
>>3820814
You’ve been at this before, and as much as you hate to admit it, your whole ‘stealth’ thing isn’t great. Better to minimize chances to get caught and stick to a long-distance observational tactic. Fortunately, while there aren’t exactly a ton of rooftops to perch on, you don’t need much considering the distance between buildings. All you have to do is stay at a decent distance and you should be fine.

It’s strange, how...well, they’re not exactly upbeat, but they seem to be ignoring the corpses as best they can, talking about everyday stuff like gossip and rumors. You’d thought they’d be a bit more somber, but...well, thinking about it, there ARE cities still around, so perhaps they come from one of those instead. There’s definitely a more residential area that they’re heading towards- something more like an apartment complex, from the looks of it. A...very badly ruined apartment complex. More like a warzone, from a distance...

“Heeey, over here!” Hm? That was the girl who you still don’t have a name for. “Found something!” They’re a distance away, and as you get a bit closer, you find that it’s some kind of...park? At least, artificially, it seems, with trees, benches, a small play area for kids...but that’s not the major interesting bit.

What’s interesting about it is that the surroundings are absolute ruins. Massive blown holes in various buildings and scorch marks everywhere, not to mention corpses in horrid condition- several of which are just really bones, not even flesh...it all surrounds a massive crater on the far end of it, a massive amount of dirt thrown about from a hole that’s at least 20 feet deep and just as wide. “Check this out!” As he approaches the crater and his partner, you have to move carefully to get a good angle on this thing without exposing yourself to their line of sight. “Whatcha think THIS is?”

(cont.)
>>
>>3821196
“I dunno, but we probably don’t want to touch it, even if it looks inert…” Smart, Kei.

The girl hums. “What if it’s what’s sending out those signals? What do we do then?”

“Lula, aren’t YOU supposed to be the lead here?” Ah, so THAT’S her name. Finally.

“Yeaaaah, but you’re pretty smart, too. At any rate, it’s not exuding seither, and it doesn’t seem warm, either. It’s just a big, metal orb. I doubt it’s related to the Reformation-whatever boss wants us to find.” Reformation thing? Hm…

And that’s when there’s a rumbling that goes off in the distance, and a distant, echoing, thrumming electronic warble. You find your eyes torn away briefly towards the tunnel, where the sound comes from. What’s more, you hear a much, MUCH closer shuddering, along with a metallic whine, and gears grumbling as something big and heavy gets up on four spindly, spider-like legs.

You can see the fear in their eyes, even as she and her friend put a hand on something near their waists- you’d thought it was just some kind of leg support, but you now realize it’s some kind of holster.

Regardless, the girl is very succinct in her thoughts. “...uh-oh.”

The thing lets out a number of similarly strange warbles as a slot on its body opens up to reveal a red optic; and to your honest surprise IMMEDIATELY shifts towards you for a second, as two small guns suddenly pop out of its sides, before turning back to its much closer intruders, getting a yelp from the both of them.

They barely manage to dodge the first blast, but dodge they do, and the fight is on.

>Hm. They’ll die eventually, but you’d rather not have that thing or its buddy (if that IS the case) to be harassing you. Not to mention whatever this Reclaimer thing is. Might as well…
>Well, unfortunate for them, but you’ll be more than happy to take this distraction and deal with whatever’s down the tunnel before it gets annoying. If they die, so much the better, all things considered.
>So, apparently that way lies madness. In which case you’ll let them deal with it themselves while you go elsewhere.
>Other

--------------------------
Back, sorry. Had to head out for a bit.
>>
>>3821198
>Well, unfortunate for them, but you’ll be more than happy to take this distraction and deal with whatever’s down the tunnel before it gets annoying. If they die, so much the better, all things considered.
Though if they don't die, maybe we can weasel a favor out of them.
>>
>>3821198
>>Hm. They’ll die eventually, but you’d rather not have that thing or its buddy (if that IS the case) to be harassing you. Not to mention whatever this Reclaimer thing is. Might as well…
We COULD go kill this thing before it kills them, then drag the bot back up topside as our reward for helping them, plus figure out where they came from for Aegis...
>>
>>3821198
>Well, unfortunate for them, but you’ll be more than happy to take this distraction and deal with whatever’s down the tunnel before it gets annoying. If they die, so much the better, all things considered.
Safety first.
>>
>>3821198
>>Well, unfortunate for them, but you’ll be more than happy to take this distraction and deal with whatever’s down the tunnel before it gets annoying. If they die, so much the better, all things considered.

Heh, so now the problems can solve each other. how fortunate.
>>
>>3821221
Adding in asking for a share of the loot as well.
>>
>>3821198
>Hm. They’ll die eventually, but you’d rather not have that thing or its buddy (if that IS the case) to be harassing you. Not to mention whatever this Reclaimer thing is. Might as well…
>>
>>3821198
>Well, unfortunate for them, but you’ll be more than happy to take this distraction and deal with whatever’s down the tunnel before it gets annoying. If they die, so much the better, all things considered.
>Warn the bots that thing are about to get loud.
Given Kei is a cookie cutter JRPG protag, I'd say they have a good chance of getting out of this alive.
>>
>>3821249
Oh definitely. Either he will be crippled and pull the leave me behind bit, or the girl is crippled and will have to carry her out. Then we come in and finish the job.
>>
Teamwork without the team!

Writing!
>>
>>3821198
>>Well, unfortunate for them, but you’ll be more than happy to take this distraction and deal with whatever’s down the tunnel before it gets annoying. If they die, so much the better, all things considered.
>>
>>3821198
>>3821215
>>3821227
>>3821229
>>3821249
>>3821274
Well, so much for that. They can have all the fun they want with that thing; you’ll be perfectly fine with dealing with whatever’s down the tunnel yourself; you’d rather not have two problems on your hands. If they survive, grand. If not, well...grand.

It’s not at all hard to escape as they begin firing back- you can hear the smashing of stone and steel as you leave the battleground behind and make your way towards the massive tunnel. It’s nearly pitch black in THERE, save for very small emergency/directional lights, however, that you can only presume are being kept on by emergency power sources- You can barely see a few feet in front of you, meaning you’re going to need to make some light again…

The rumbling in the darkness continues as you move forward, step by step, your way lit a bit more by a decently sized magiblast. You’re not exactly happy about going forward like this, but you can already see a thin light in the distance, so it’s clear that if nothing else, the journey is temporary. Rumbling, however, reminds you of just what’s in store otherwise...and the massive warbling begins as a massive, spindly leg stomps down a few yards in front of you, and a brilliantly red eye lights up the corridor, bathing everything in blood red tint…

As you hear gears shift, you ready yourself- it’s your turn to deal with one of these things…

>Action!

(Done for tonight, though.)
>>
>>3821405
>Start with a Sun Flare, Body Armor up, close in and beat it into a pulp
Thanks for running boss!
>>
>>3821405
Bring out the RAUW-KET LAWN-CHAIR and launch one right into his eye.

Night boss!
>>
>>3821405
Cheers boss
Going with>>3821421 we could magi blast it and based on ambient seither it would be more efficient, but we never get to use the lawnchair enough. Oh and I guess the spike in seither might draw more attention than a common explosion too.
>>
>>3821405
>Light barrier to eat its first attack. Cast over channel are try to get on its back and go full shadow of collosus. Bring out the gravity sword and start cutting.
>>
>>3821421
>using rocket launcher inside a tunnel
>>
>>3821405
>Action!
Go for a magi-beam. We rarely use it, and it's high damage and narrow focus make it an excellent choice here, especially with the lack of the usual mana constraints.


>>3821421
The launcher is bulky and in the bag, it will take a moment to get ready. More importantly, using explosives in confined spaces sounds like a bad time.
>>
>>3821466
Also, if the beam doesn't one-shot it, remove the respirator when we get the a moment. We'll be burning mana, it restricts breathing, and it would suck if it was busted by a lucky hit.
>>
Looks like we have plenty of plans. Come on down IDs, and vote on your favorite plan today. Every vote, is a vote for democracy.
>>
>>3821405
>>3821418
>>3821453
>>3821466
Okay, how about this:
>Sun Flare
>Use voice commands to turn filters off and inhale some Seither
>Take out the Baron's Rapier for extra punch - it's a magical foci after all
>Dismantle the spiderbot with Magi-Beams, starting with its red optics. Seither and Rapier would help greatly
Does that work for everyone?
>>
>>3821514
Well, the last time we used magi-beam it sort of... rent and scorched anything in it's path as we guided it through a giant shadow colossus and most of an army. So we probably only need to cast it the once. It's like a Kamehameha.
I do approve of using the rapier, Sun Flare seems like it'll be effective given the precise optics these things have, should slow it for a couple of seconds.
We have reserves and can inhale Seither later if need be.
All that said, we would probably blip any Seither radars with the magi beam, maybe we should just sun flare and pummel it.
As per >>3821418
>>
>>3821514
We don't need to disable the respirator. We're not urgently low. I'm mostly worried about getting smacked in the face and breaking our shiney. This is a common concern for IRL soldiers, especially for night vision goggles and other fancy tech. Plus, trying to be athletic with restricted breathing is torture.
Taking our the Rapier will take time, as it's in the bag. Beam first, then rapier if it's not dead yet.
>>
>>3821514
I'll be willing to switch to the rapier, since we use it so rarely on most trips.

Although, now you've got me thinking what a post apocalyptic version of a rapier would look like...
>>
>>3821514
I'd prefer to not magi-beam at all with other people nearby to detect potential seither level changes, but the rest of the plan seems solid, and in the end I for one am pretty curious about how the magi-beam will interact with the seither here.

So yeah, I support this plan.
>>
>>3821527
It's just that you proposed to remove the respirator which would take more time than making a vocal command, so I tried to make a 'compromise'opyion.ppp
>>
>>3821530
>Although, now you've got me thinking what a post apocalyptic version of a rapier would look like...
I don't know that they really would exist. Too delicate, in materials and mindset. Closest you'd be likely to get would be a saber, or maybe a really weird short spear.

>>3821535
>all with other people nearby to detect potential seither level changes
Is Seither detection a thing? I don't remember it existing. Even if it does, we can blame any wird reading on these guys we've been shadowing.

>>3821539
Yeah, I got what you were going for, but it didn't actually accomplish was I was going for no offense. It's not a big deal though, it should only be an issue if we don't core the thing with a beam.
>>
>>3821541
Seither detection is a thing, yes. Miranda and Prima got scanned when we were taking tests and I think we got an alarm notification during the first Walker mission.
>>
>>3821530
>Although, now you've got me thinking what a post apocalyptic version of a rapier would look like...
Maybe it would look like an extra-fancy vibroblade?
>>
>>3821530
Maybe its a sharp piece of rebar.
>>
>>3821526
>Well, the last time we used magi-beam it sort of... rent and scorched anything in it's path as we guided it through a giant shadow colossus and most of an army.
Could you please tell me when that happened? I only remember something similar when we were defending bearkin in the last mission, and we poured extra 4k mana for it. By itself it's not that powerful - we shot it through Carang and she lived. It's better at penetrating stuff than magiwaves and blasts, but I think some extra punch from the Rapier and Seither would still come in handy.
>>
>>3821673
Regular magibeams cost no mana by the way.
>>
How coincidental someone mentioned xeno spiders and here we are.
>>
>>3822284
I was close, I did not expect a huge robotic spider. All it needs now is lasers, a spin attack, and baby spiders.
>>
>>3822660
Baby spiders that crawl out of the big one when its shell is broken and also shoot those lasers
>>
>>3822693
Baby spiders some with lasers and others with torches to fix the battle damage. Entering stage two of the boss battle.
>>
>>3821405
Short it out with our electric field punches.
>>
>>3821673
That was the occassion and I went back to check and there was mention of it requiring a lot of mana to be high enough power. I guess it was just a very scaled up version? I was thinking handler would have it be similar, if we're doing tamer magi beams I'm not so scared of it being detected.
>>
>>3821541
You're thinking smallsword, not rapier. Rapiers are rugged.
>>
>>3822867
Yeah, I think that magibeam is more like Spirit Gun rather than Kamehameha.
>>3821527
>I'm mostly worried about getting smacked in the face and breaking our shiney.
Then how about adding Body Armor to the list so that our equipment would stay intact?
>>
>>3822959
Clothing gets mended when returning into the intersection. there is nothing to worry about.
>>
>>3822953
I'm not exactly an expert, but they seem pretty similar. Certainly, without a very skilled and knowledgeable blacksmith, proper tools, and proper materials either one wouldn't be obtainable. All of which would be in short supply in the post apocalypse.
>>
>>3822959
body armor wouldn't help stuff on our head. And Randa is pretty tough as is.

>>3822964
Clothing does. the respirator is equipment.
>>
>>3823020
>Body Shield- 250 Mana

>Miranda can specifically reinforce part of her body (Head, Arms, Torso, Legs) with mana for less cost than a Light Barrier - but at the cost of durability.
>>
>>3823091
oh I see, anon was referring to adding the spell Body Shield to our head, not adding equipment body armor to our shopping list. Sure, no problem.
>>
It seems like the general agreement is >>3821514? If so, I'll write for that.
>>
>>3823236
Looks to be it. Welcome back.
>>
>>3823236
Yup
>>
>>3821405
>Current Mana: >Current Mana: 12000/12500

You’re not going to give it a chance to get a good bead on you- you’re already lighting yourself up in the hopes of blinding its optics. That said, you’re quick to move as soon as that happens, and impacts from behind you tell you it was a good idea to do so. There’s a slightly higher pitched warble that comes from it, although its posture doesn’t waver. It DOES take an extra second or two to reorient itself, though, which is good, considering you need it. “Command: Filters Off,” you say quickly. You’re not certain that’s the words for it, but-

>Air filters shutting down…
>Air filters disengaged.

A few small whirrings sound from your lower face, and you can feel a LOT more air come in than was before. Fantastic. The amount of Seither in here is a lot lower than outside, but you can still feel a bit of the buzz from the energy it grants you- and that’s exactly what you want right now.

The thing turns to reacquire you for a target, firing all the while, and you’re quick to move to avoid that, making a massive leap to the wall nearby, and then ricocheting over and across from it. Almost before you land you’re pulling out your rapier from your bag, the charged mana in your hand easily flowing through the weapon itself. With a quick, yet deep breath, you thrust towards the mechanical threat’s seeking eye as you let the gathered mana flow- a murky purple beam erupts from the tip, wider than you’d expected by a fair bit. Nonetheless, you’re actually somewhat surprised when it rips through the optic wholesale- a massive hole getting blown out the back to boot and drilling into the rockface, causing a large explosion, rumbling and showing of debris.

(cont)
>>
>>3823344
You...weren’t expecting to handle it so quickly. That was a LOT more power than you’d put into that magibeam, and even with the rapier’s boost… Well, not that you’re by any means opposed. That mana color was weird, though…Seither and your natural stuff coming together, you suppose? Made the most sense to you.

Surprisingly, you hear another massive explosion shortly thereafter in the distance, and the distinct sound of something large hitting the ground.

Guess they’re done, too. Might want to speed things up, then. They’ve got to have figured out someone’s here by now.

Getting to the end of the long tunnel, you’re honestly a bit dismayed to find that...there’s an elevator. A large, industrial one, going at what looks like a 75 degree angle, made for a number of vehicles to get on, not just people. And the power’s out. There’s a console there, but there’s no power running to the base, so…hm. You can see that a ways away, there’s an opening, but as for getting to it?

>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
>You may have to turn back here. Trying to get up there would be difficult, if only because you’d have to be careful about finding good grips and footholds.
>Other
>>
>>3823346
>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
>>
>>3823346
>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
Let's try using our mana tether as a climbing line to... Wait, is it going up or down?

Don't forget to put our rebreather back on.
>>
>>3823346
>>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
>>
>>3823346
>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
>Turn respirator filters on
Good opportunity to practice Air Step. By the way boss, you didn't forget about Meditation Room manacost bonus, did you?
>>
>>3823346
>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
And like >>3823359 said, put our rebreather back on.

Sticky mana rope anyone?
>>
>>3823346
>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
Use sticky mana for a life line in case we fall. Also damn we crushed that spider like it was an ant.
>>
>>3823359
>Don't forget to put our rebreather back on.
Might as well top up first, but otherwise yeah.

>>3823363
>By the way boss, you didn't forget about Meditation Room manacost bonus, did you?
With the Seither, does it really matter?
>>
>>3823346
>>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.

Time to channel her inner Big Boss and climb dat wall!
>>
>>3823371
Guess they are extra sqishy against mana?
>>
>>3823378
Maybe we did added rapier focus, channel mana, and blinded it before it could get a swing at us.
>>
>>3823384
I mean, local humans turned the tide of war when they started harnessing Seither's power for energy and weapons (like the AA cannon that scrappers were using), so maybe magical attacks would be more effective as well?
>>
>>3823346
If the 75 degree angle is going down then I propose we slide down, if it's going up, perhaps we could merge

>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
and a bit of
>Other Energy Channel a bit and jump for it, perhaps if it's still too far away we could try Over Channel
>>
>>3823346
>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
Also, as mentioned by others, rebreather on.
>>
>>3823346
can't we use our wings + leg energy channel?
Otherwise,
>Well, there’s enough protruding pieces of metal... you haven’t done it in a while, but you’re pretty sure you can do a bit of artificial mountain climbing, so to speak.
>Put the respirator back on
>>
>>3823520
Oh shit, that's right! We've got a jetpack!
>>
>>3823531
We DO have (probably) a jetpack. Not like we tested it, but I think that was in the description when we arrived.
>>
There is also the alternative of using the ,ama steps as a stepladder or an elevator. I mean, we already know how to move the barriers at will, there is nothing stopping us from using them as a makeshift magical carpet.
>>
>>3823559
That's an interesting point, how fast can Miranda move her barriers?
>>
>>3824111
as fast as she can. We can use them as swords after all.
>>
>>3823538
I think its more of a halo jetpack, lets you hover but does not give true flight.
>>
>>3824802
>>3823520
>>3823346
We also have a Levitation Crystal, so we could use the jetpack and Air Shift for maneuvering.
>>
Got the idea. We LEAP.

Writing.
>>
>>3824960
All these sessions back to back - you're doing great, boss!
>>
>>3824960
Damn you must have been practicing for a marathon.
>>
>>3824960
I kinda want to see the rookie shitting himself when he seems the white walker next to his walkers.

Or maybe they will come toward us and the noise.
>>
>>3824983
Wrong rookie. The mechs here are Lionheart. The one's at the lab were Orion.
>>
>>3824996
Nope, those were Lionheart's as well.
>>
>>3824996
The Rookie and the old guy were all from Lionheart.
>>
>>3824999
>>3825010
Alright, I see the problem. Orion's the PMC group, while Lionheart is a name of a company sized unit that Orion has under it. I got confused and thought that they were separate PMCs
>>
>>3825018
Orion is PMC branch under NewStar Megacorp. Lionheart is a separate PMC, they are collaborating with Orion/NewStar and are likely subcontracted by them.
>>
>>3825025
Taking bets you guys think that pinkette is the sister of the girl we killed or just another girl in the rookie's harem?
>>
>>3825039
I would say rookie harem. He probably gave the speech about protecting the innocent from this very dangerous scrapper. And just picked up a few girls.
>>
>>3825041
Agreed, probably said something about how people die when they are killed.
>>
>>3824964
You need to find a way to get up there; preferably quickly in case the two interlopers are curious enough- and frankly, you figure at least one of them is, which means both of them are. So, then, how to get up there with any kind of speed. You don’t have wings this tim- wait. Fuck, right, you do. Damnit, you’re still not used to these things somehow. Gotta remember that. They’ll help hover, but that’s all you need…

Reengaging your respirator, you squint upwards, looking for a place to kick off of. Just need to...ah, that’s a good spot.

You tense, and you launch upwards as best you can; now how do you engage-

*woosh* Ah. Well, can’t let anyone see that happen without faking it a bit. Nonetheless, the extra boost helps, and you easily land on the steel outcropping you found earlier, thanks to your ‘wings’ slowing your descent. Another kick...and a third...one more...aaaaand last one to get you up to the opening! Landing in the expansive entranceway, you’re less than surprised to see that the wide opening continues a ways back; you eventually find yourself in something like a pretty large garage...that looks like it’d been the host of a demolition derby. It’s a massive menagerie of twisted metal; black carcasses of long destroyed and burnt cars and bikes…

But something sticks out at you after a few seconds of taking it all in. The vehicles are in...odd positions. Not quite what you’d expect after a scene of total carnage; more like they’d been pushed together; some in circles or semicircles, with what you know full well are makeshift fire pits in the center. Others in stacks somehow; mostly broken piles of junk that nonetheless have certain parts separated out or clearly gutted; many engines are stripped, and anything resembling a pipe on most chassis seems to have been taken. There aren’t many things here you’d call personal, but just a further glance around now that you’re tuned in reveals that there’s...a number of things here you can only call personal objects. At least one child, judging by the metal and cloth doll laying forgotten near a wall...

cont.
>>
>>3825051
Taking especial care of your surroundings now, you walk carefully to one of the nearest pits, which is really just your standard barrel with refuse in it for burning. Carefully, you place a hand over it.

Cooling...but still warm. This was recent. Think you might be on the track to finding that signal source...interesting. Why abandon the location, though, if you wanted to get found?

There’s a door across from you that’s wide open- goes into another hallway, but you can actually see beyond it- as the other door is also open. Seems to lead through the dining hall area, if that’s what those long tables are. There’s also a set of stairs beyond a door that go up into the rock face- no clue what’s up there, though. You CAN see a single, small window a couple floors above it, however, so it can’t be too far up.

>Try to see where the dining area leads beyond.
>Check out the mystery room by way of the stair case.
>Investigate the area further.
>Other

Might just be one post or two.

My roommate's gf is bringing a friend and they want me to play Smash Bros with them.
>>
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>>3825045
>>
>>3825055
>Investigate the area further.


Getting hooked up, eh?
>>
>>3825055
>>Check out the mystery room by way of the stair case.
>>
>>3825055
>>Try to see where the dining area leads beyond.
>>
>>3825055
>>Investigate the area further.
So is the doll dusty, or does it look like it's been placed here?

Oh wait! We can use our nose to find anyone still here! Let's do it.
>>
>>3825055
>Check out the mystery room by way of the stair case.
>Use Hearing Boost, Power Sense and Sensor Aura(blind fighting technique?) to help you find the survivors
>>
>>3825055
>Try to see where the dining area leads beyond.
Good luck handler. May you feed upon the blood of your enemies.
>>
>>3825055
>Investigate the area further.


>My roommate's gf is bringing a friend and they want me to play Smash Bros with them.

Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?
>>
>>3825055
>Investigate the area further.
Did they specifically say "play smash bros" or just invite you to "smash." Important context from... related experiences.
>>
>>3825067
>Cooling...but still warm. This was recent.

There were people here not long ago. Weird that they would go into hiding after hearing the alien bots getting killed.

Maybe they though it was some of the creatures outside.
>>
>>3825055
I wonder if these people are immune or resistant to Seither, considering the environment.
>>
>>3825089
Could be mutties or being overflowing with Seither. Anyway, i don't think we should take then back to our employer, or let the kids get then.
>>
>>3825055
>Check out the mystery room by way of the stair case.
>>
>>3825068
Wait, would sniffing even work with our respirator on?
>>
>>3825089
And then we run into the Freemen, except with red eyes
We should probably stomp protag flat if that's the case
>>
>>3825130
The inhalation is just to stimulate the nerves, and act as a somatic component to guide reflexive mana flow. It's really a danger-sense that we have tied to the interpretation of smell.
>>
Back. It was Smash Bros.

I won the most. 7/10 matches, and 4 of those were FFA.
>>
Oh, and if you're investigating the room further, I need a roll. 1d20, best of three.

No this isn't opposed.
>>
Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>3825201
>>
Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>3825197
>>3825201
Who'd you use?
>>
Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>3825201
>>
Rolled 20 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>3825204
Melee. Used Peach.

Good rolls. Writing.

Also my dice roll didn't go through. fixing that.
>>
>>3825211
oh boy. i'm scared
>>
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>>3825211
>>
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>>3825211
So is this good or bad?

Aw, who am I kidding? It's probably bad...
>>
>>3825223
Maybe its not bad. Maybe we found some sick loot!
>>
>>3825211
Eugh... even if this isn't opposed I'd still be wary of it since it's probably those 2 kids' roll for finding stuff. The loot...
>>
>>3825229
so? we're gonna kill them either way.
>>
>>3825229
>>3825236
Either way if the roll's for the loot's quality, we're getting them wether those kids like it or not.
Make it a daylight robbery though, we can off them anytime. Unless they shoot first then we'll make it painful.
>>
>>3825055
>>3825061
>>3825067
>>3825072
>>3825074
The doll tight in your hands, you consider the situation carefully. There’s little to no dirt on it over the front end, how you found it. It’s got some wear and tear, but it’s certainly been handled...hm. You should still have some time to spare before those kids get any close to you- if they do at all. How they’re going to get up the elevator shaft, you have no idea. Hopefully, they won’t at all. That said, you decide to take a closer look around for anything of note…

The first thing that you notice is that, behind a support pillar, there seems to be some leftover...well, you’d hardly call it food. A group of four of metal bowls, filled with cuts of what seems like some strange kind of tuber, looks like, soaked in water and...something else. A few other leaves of some sort as well. No meats to speak of, either. Some of the water from one of the bowls was spilled recently...and considering the placement, he was likely facing whoever was resting by the pillar in front of him. No utensils, either, so using their hands. A closer look shows some water discoloration around one lip edge, and the splash pattern tells you…

Went through the door to the dining area. Although- a thought strikes you. Why would they be out here...if there’s a perfectly good dining area RIGHT there?

Hm. Something’s off. Looking around further, you’re met with other strangeness. Several tent-like emplacements with nothing in them. Something akin to a table, (really just some metal smashed together with a flat top, seems like; complete with more ‘broth’ on it, but no chairs around it...and again, you swear tables were right in the other room. It’s like this was put together...

A sudden loud whirring breaks your thoughts, coming from the direction of the elevator.

No.

Bullshit. There shouldn’t be enough power here to operate that thing...right?! Not to mention the travel distance!

Damnit.

Great, you’ve got maybe a minute to move. Unless you want to just see what they’ve got that could restore power like that. Not to mention...if this IS some kind of setup or a trap, might be better to let them fall into it first. You’re starting to sense a couple of red flags here...

>Head to the staircase now and maybe you can find a room to hide in.
>The dining room is obvious, but you’ve got a trail to follow. It’s your best bet.
>Your acting chops should be up to par, and this is too odd to risk stumbling into.
>Other
>>
>>3825266
>Head to the staircase now and maybe you can find a room to hide in.
>>
>>3825266
>Your acting chops should be up to par, and this is too odd to risk stumbling into.
>>
>>3825266
>>Head to the staircase now and maybe you can find a room to hide in.
So the roll was for them to restore power to the elevators. Welp, I say let them trip the trap.
>>
>>3825266
>Head to the staircase now and maybe you can find a room to hide in
>>
>>3825266
>Your acting chops should be up to par, and this is too odd to risk stumbling into.
When your head is raising too many red flags, best follow it's advice. I think it's best to just coy the kids for now.
>>
>>3825266
>The dining room is obvious, but you’ve got a trail to follow. It’s your best bet.
>>
>>3825266
>>The dining room is obvious, but you’ve got a trail to follow. It’s your best bet.
>>
>>3825266
>Head to the staircase now and maybe you can find a room to hide in.
Something is wack, and we usually leave the acting to other people, have you heard Miranda's impressions?
>>
>not using utensils
>most of the food mix has some strange food mixed with tuber and leaves
>the alien in the tunnel lookong more like a guard.

These couldn't be alien survivors right?
>>
>>3825295
Alien survivors or mutants that somehow managed to survive the seither overdose.
>>
I'm not sure that acting would work well - how are we going to explain how we pierced through that robot?
>>
>>3825326
Some last resource explosives using whatever we had avaiable at the moment?

Red Barrels?
>>
I can't wait for this mission to finish so Miranda can go out with Izumi and Lori for a girls night out with Momo.
>>
>>3825266
>>Your acting chops should be up to par, and this is too odd to risk stumbling into.
>>
>>3825266
>>Head to the staircase now and maybe you can find a room to hide in.
>>
>>3825266
>Your acting chops should be up to par, and this is too odd to risk stumbling into.
>>
Howdy, looks like the result is to fleeeeeeeee

Writing.
>>
>>3826640
We are not fleeing we are just retreating to a better position.
>>
>>3826640
>>3826646
We're advancing backwards!
>>
>>3826640
So Handler i must ask when we speak while wearing the mask do we make Darth Vader breathing sounds? Or do we get a more robotic voice while we wear it?
>>
>>3825266
>>3825274
>>3825279
>>3825280
>>3825290
>>3825623
Well, if you’re sensing red flags, no reason to let them fall on you. You quickly dart towards the staircase and and, true to expectations, there’s a door at the top of them. You quickly yank on the doorknob- you can’t see this from the bottom of the stairs, at least, so you should be okay...relatively.

What you see here is some kind of office area- a number of desk areas and cabinets, and littered with old food detritus and paper maps. THIS strikes you as more ‘abandoned’, as although there aren’t any bodies, there’s a lot of dust covering most surfaces, not to mention in the air outright, and in general you get the feeling that no one’s been here in a long time.

A half minute passes before the whirring stops. It isn’t much longer before you see the two out the window, looking around carefully, weapons drawn. Extending your hearing, you can make out what they’re saying, although they’re talking in a whisper:

“What’s this?” The girl, Lula, asks.

“Dunno,” the boy, Kei, responds. “Looks like some sorta garage...that got used for somethin’ else. Giving me scrappertown vibes. Either way... Pretty sure whatever caused that explosion and that wrecked...thing... went through here.”

“Must have,” Lula agrees. “Geez, this place is a mess. C’mon, let’s keep moving. Watch my six.”

“Right. We’ll save the deep diving for later. For now, we need to find that signal source.” Footsteps fading...and they’re gone. Huh. Didn’t even bother to check upstairs, huh? Well, works for you. Well, this means that you’re going to have to tail them now if you don’t want them to get too far ahead...at least until you get to a point where you can split off from them. Which means you’re basically at the mercy of their pace…

>Roll 1d20, best of three.

------------------
>>3826686
More metallic, and there is a bit of a rasp coming from you.
>>
Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>3826739
>>
Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>3826739
>>
Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>3826739
Ah so enough to make someone fear it. Good enough.
>>
I also recall we still have a weapon we got from the scrapper clan. It wasn't mention what kind of weapon it was but i assume it was the one which shoot bullets using seither as a gas?
>>
>>3826739
So, kinda like Ulysses from FNV Lonsome Road?
https://youtu.be/ibyEI6TMOAc
>>
>>3826760
From what the guy who was using the pellet gun was saying, it was less about killing us slow and more about killing us horribly.
>>
>>3826755
Kinda that, but lighter.

Anyway, writing.
>>
>>3826760
Still maybe the radiation would be more effective against the aliens? That is unless we don't want to pull out our saber again for some reason, even id it proved so effective in killing it.
>>
>>3826760
i dunno if we ever found out what the gun does.
>>
>>3826780
Its a gun that throws seither at your face. I think its kinda obvious what it does, but if you want, we can shoot at one of the two kids and see what happens.
>>
>>3826777
It is more like pellets and would not outdo the damage of our saber.

>>3826786
Say hello to my little friend. *Pop*
>>
>>3826797
Was thinking that the seither radiation would cause more damage to the monster. But then i remember now that Seither only make the aliens go berserk.
>>
>>3826803
Or explode if they absorb enough Seither to level buildings.
>>
>>3826739
You have to be careful as you slip out of the room; you don’t want them to hear your footsteps, and this place echoes a LOT. You can hear them just in the room ahead, although it seems like they’re leaving. You don’t dare peek out, instead relying on your hearing again.

“...maybe they’re trying to get somewhere. They’re moving fast, if that explosion really was them. They had to have left immediately.” Lula says. “Really, what I wanna know is how they got up the elevator shaft.”

“Probably a rappel system,” Kei suggests as their voices get more distant. “I wish we’d brought ours…”

“Yeah, woulda made things easier…” You take a few cautious steps to keep pace with them, stepping into the dining area, which is basically what you expected- a rundown and trashed cafeteria, with spilled food long rotted and a couple of bodies in a similar state. There’s a large pair of double doors on the far side which they went through, as well.

The next few minutes is similar; you’re able to keep a decent distance from them as they walk through the halls, but fortunately they don’t seem to notice you. They take their time investigating various rooms along the halls- although there’s a lot of ‘nothing here’, you end up poking in the rooms yourself afterwards; sadly their reports are accurate, having absolutely nothing of interest to you; a corpse or two, but that’s all. The turns they take are largely random, as well, which frankly is understandable- there doesn’t seem to be any kind of map or navigation system this deep into the base, oddly enough.

They eventually stop at a large doorway, both looking at it with apprehension. “So, signal’s coming from in there?” Lula asks. Oh? He had a way of detecting it? Wish he had said something earlier...

“We’re close. It’s been getting clearer as we’ve been walking. Shouldn’t be far beyond.” Kei sounds nervous about it, but you can still hear him jiggle the handle. “It’s open. C’mon.”

You hear the door open and they step in. “Whoa...look at the size of it…!” Lula gasps.

“Wonder what they needed all this space for…?” Kei asks.

That’s when you hear some cracks, and then a lot of CLACKS, as though a tonnage of small metal things were tapping on the ground. Some strange roaring warbles, lighter in tone than the one before echo out before as well. “Uh oh…” you hear Lula say. “Guess they were waiting for us!”

“Damnit! Let’s go, Lula!” You hear the crack of plasma fire off as the firefight begins in earnest, as you get closer to the double doors, you decide to spare a second, thinking about what you’re going to do now...

>See if you can’t find a way around and get in front of them again, without dealing with them just yet.
>Wait it out here until they clear out all the refuse; they strike you as capable enough, no reason to interfere.
>Other
>>
>>3826834
>See if you can’t find a way around and get in front of them again, without dealing with them just yet.
I'd rather just go further ahead and take the shit from up ahead, if you don't mind.
>>
>>3826834
>Wait it out here until they clear out all the refuse; they strike you as capable enough, no reason to interfere.
>>
>>3826834
>See if you can’t find a way around and get in front of them again, without dealing with them just yet.
Thanks for distraction.
>>
>>3826837
>Wait it out here until they clear out all the refuse; they strike you as capable enough, no reason to interfere.
If we're going to yoink from them, and also plan to kill them, may as well do it in the proper order, it's not stealing if it's looting.
>>
>>3826834
>>See if you can’t find a way around and get in front of them again, without dealing with them just yet.
Welp, time to see if we can bypass this fight to get to the prize now that they're distracted.
>>
>>3826843
That's the thing. I'm not interested in killing them. I just want to get the stuff from up ahead and getting out without them the wiser.
>>
>>3826834
>See if you can’t find a way around and get in front of them again, without dealing with them just yet.
If this reactor is huge we are going to need a lot more walkers to help us extract it.
>>
>>3826834
>>See if you can’t find a way around and get in front of them again, without dealing with them just yet.
>>
>>3826849
Mmm, I guess if this is us being merciful it's fine so long as they don't inconvenience us later.
The intense protagonist aura about this kid means that he'll rapidly improve and end up fighting us or Aegis later. Miranda's usually about nipping that in the bud, but maybe he'll be someone else's problem?
>>
>>3826834
>See if you can’t find a way around and get in front of them again, without dealing with them just yet.

You know how in Dark souls the NPC is always ahead of you in the game? Wonder if this is how they do it. They just stay behind the PC and then sneak around while they stay trying to kill the mobs.
>>
You guys go that way, I'm going to be somewhere else, thank you.

Writing.
>>
>>3826871
He will probably deal with Avos. I half expect once we are gone Avos will take control of the White Walker making Kei want to kill him to avenge the girl that randa killed.
>>
>>3826871
I'm operating under the idea that he won't be searching for vengeance if he doesn't know we're here, and it'll save us time and get us back to the rest of the team sooner.

>>3826880
You mean the Zeon, right?
>>
>>3826880
I don't think anyone calls it the white walker in universe, seems to be an insistent self-nickname from some anon.
It doesn't matter how clever the nickname is, if you make it up yourself you're a poser >:O
>>
>>3826834
>>3826837
>>3826841
>>3826845
>>3826853
>>3826858
>>3826876
You’re not keen on interfering with them, still. You’d rather not have to deal with this whole...thing...that the duo is all about right now. Just need to find a way to slip past them. Question is, how? The hallway continues around, but you doubt it leads to the same area...does it?

Chancing a peek in, you’re unsurprised to see that it’s some kind of training ground- though you quickly remove yourself from the doorway in case the THRONGS of miniature spiderbots wanted to get a look at you. Wouldn’t be helpful in the slightest. Instead, you decide to chance the hallway around. Unfortunately, it terminates about halfway back; instead going to the left elsewhere. Fantastic.

Really wish you had that invisibility glyph right now…bah.

You jog down the corridor regardless; it DOES seem to turn right again, at least, and to your fortune it loops back towards where the large stadium area was, towards a pair of smaller double doors You can, curiously, see a number of what look like pockmarks along the floor here, like something was only just not piercing the floor. Not to mention dried blood…

Following the trail back around again, you notice a set of stairs; long ones, actually. They lead up to a large, blood-splattered door, where there’s clearly signs of a struggle. Interesting...not only is there blood, but there’s also small metal parts and shavings as well. As you begin the climb, you can hear the faint sounds of battle in the distance...

Finally, progress.

>Roll 5d20, best of three.
>>
Rolled 2, 8, 17, 17, 11 = 55 (5d20)

>>3826891
>>
Rolled 16, 16, 7, 12, 18 = 69 (5d20)

>>3826891
>>
Rolled 11, 15, 2, 10, 5 = 43 (5d20)

>>3826891
>>
Rolled 4, 14, 7, 13, 18 = 56 (5d20)

>>3826891
>>
Rolled 17, 11, 13, 18, 16 = 75 (5d20)

>>3826891
>>
Rolled 13, 10, 10, 17, 4 = 54 (5d20)

>>3826891
>>
Not bad. Writing!
>>
>>3826882
Yes.

>>3826887
I called White Walker because it was the first thing that came to mind instead of it's name. Also if someone is giving the walker a name is probably Orion and it's something lile "the White Devil".
>>
>>3826911
I guess the kids are actually good? Or would that be the power of plot armor?
>>
>>3826915
They are the MCs of the universe, so they got some plot. Until they meet us.
>>
>>3826918
Taking bets on them getting Seither powers sooner or later.
>>
>>3826930
We will ended up in a duel on top of our broken walkers, while the kid tries to give us a speech about peace and justice.
>>
>>3826930
Taking bets we are the person/cause that gives then said powers.

Or maybe they already have since they were somehow able to restore power to the elevator.
>>
>>3826891
>>3826896
>>3826901
>>3826902
The sounds get clearer as you reach the top- you’re surprised that someone else is in here, but then again...ah. These might well be the ones that launched the signal. Although it sounds like there’s a fight going on, so...hm. Might be worth hurrying it up a bit.

You quickly throw open the door to see, to your surprise, a group of 5...humans? They look humanish, at least; a bit bloated here and there, their skin color is deeply yellow as though they’ve got jaundice, and their skin seems to have hardened and crusted over somehow- it’s like they’ve become scaled or the sort, but definitely humanoid proportions. Their distended jaw and misproportioned bodies make you think ‘lizard-people’, but that’s likely just you.

There’s three adults, and two children- boy and a girl, no older than teenaged years... and they ALL look afflicted with whatever they have. Nonetheless, at a glance they seem...well, not dead. They’re all tied up separately; or rather, locked up, thanks to a massive metal belt that keeps their arms snug against their sides. The two males in front look the most beaten up, but everyone seems to have some cuts and bruises somewhere.

And then there’s the masked thing in the middle of the room looming over them. Bipedal, whatever it is, but its arms are unproportional to its legs, nearly hitting his calves. It’s outfitted in a black and red suit of...something, that’s form fitting (at least, you think it is), and has a long, clearly prehensile tail. The thing’s helmet swoops back in a crescent, the main part of it facing you having three angry redcircles in place where the eyes would likely be otherwise.

It clearly doesn’t like you, judging from the growl it makes...it reaches to arm itself with some kind of baton on its hip-

You fire off a quick magiblast that impacts it flush; and to your surprise, the suit lights up, and the blast seems to sort of...wrap? Around him before fading entirely, leaving him none the worse for wear. Looking at itself briefly in it’s own surprise, it looks up at you and laughs, spreading its arms as though to brag ‘that’s it?’

Cute- if a touch concerning. Good thing you have other ways of dealing with annoyances. And with that, he charges with a familiar strange warble, its quite literally shining blade sticking out of the end of that presumed baton.

>Action!
>>
>>3826938
Not if we shoot then first, but taking our luck and the fact the kid is the MC he will probably hear our gun click once we shoot and take the damage for the girl, or the girl will try to protect him and die.
>>
>>3826942
>Dodge and punch him square in the face.
>>
>>3826942
>Rapier use channel to bring out the flames, barrier to protect our chest, and try aiming for its legs.
>>
>>3826942
We're getting that baton-sword thing. Prima might like a melee option.

See if we can pull the shield with our mana tether. If we can, we'll chuck him about the place like he's a passenger in a crashing car without a seatbelt.
>>
>>3826942
Oh ok, anti magic. Another thing in mind to solve once we get back home, don't wanna lose an arm for real now.

>Over Channel.
>Get rough, try Shock Touch to see if it messes with the suit or not.
>>
>>3826942
Pull our gun and attract it away from the other humans, use our gun to shoot at his hand holding the weapon. Then grab some convenient make shift weapon so we can either defend from the baton or bash this aliens head.

If that fail we will need to get close to it and punch his face since we can't pull the saber from our bag in this condition.
>>
>>3826953
I kinda want the outfit if possible. But it will probably be to damaged so i will be happy with just the helmet.
>>
>>3826954
It's a biosuit that probably absorv seither/mana. That or it produces some kind of shield. Anyway punshing and getting close seems a good idea anyway since this alien seems to favor melee weapon it means it's used to engage/fight in melee.
>>
>>3826942
this
>>3826948


>>3826954
>Another thing in mind to solve once we get back home
This is one of the (few) reasons we should be carrying a more robust armory. A conventional rifle or two with a crate of bulk ammo would round us out wonderfully.
>>
Gonna stop for tonight.
>>
>>3826942
Let's go for another clean execution of >Action!
>Rapier - out
>Filters - off
>Full Body Shield
>Shock Touch and Channel Auras
Cut him to ribbons
>>
>>3826942
Well, well, anti-magic huh, well... hm, I don't like the thought of suddenly being an un-powered 17 year old girl in melee combat, so why don't we pull one of our variety of good ol' slug munchers. How about that standard issue aegis gun they gave us? After we stall of course.
>Plant a Barrier to block this lizardman, pull out the Aegis gun, and depending on how the barrier is doing, perform safe gun practice, check the slide, clear the barrel, turn off the safety, lower the barrier if it's still up and shoot him in the leg.
Why not the head? Because the head moves a lot and he's only dangerous if he's close to us.
>>
>>3826948
Don't break the helmet!!!

Hopefully we can keep the alien body intact enough to bring to the nerds. They did say they would love to get their hands in a alien. It would also mean we won't be the ones being dissected/vivisected
>>
>>3826973
>>3826972
>>3826954
>>3826953
Don't overthink the situation. Lets just get close and personal and give him the good old, one-two punch and be done with it.
>>
>>3826972
Nah keep the body as intact as possible and sell it to the nerds.
>>
>>3826942
Changing my vote to support this:>>3826948
>>
>>3826973
We gave that gun to Prima. No guns in our inventory. Except maybe the Seither-Pellet one, but he has shields on.
>>
>>3826978
>don't overthink
But >Actions! are for us to come up with cool options, not boring ones!
>>
>>3826981
Why would you carry corpses for nerds? They are no biologists. Don't be silly.
>>
>>3826978
Then why bother with a write-in choice in the first place?
>>
>>3826985
Damn, well then I guess we'll just overwhelm his antimagic thinger and give up on looting it if we wanna keep stealthing on the lionhearts, overchannel and punch a hole in him Kung Pow style
>>3826954
So, I see some survivors, but no artifact.
>>
>>3826992
Because you're overthinking it too much, i mean, look at this >>3826972. Not only that takes time to set up (giving the enemy time to attack us) but its complete waste of mana.
>>
>>3827003
We're bathing in Seither and we have Meditation Room bonus. Please don't bring the 'waste of mana' argument again.
>>
>>3827008
I don't even mean waste of mana as in we can use mana to make a situation less complicated. I'm talking that its a waste of mana, as its a literal waste of mana. You want to look cool, i get it, but this is burning mana for no real reason against someone that clearly has a way to negate our magical skills. Its dumb.
>>
>>3827016
Only the armor negates magic, body shield would still protect us. Why would we not use this opportunity to practice our techniques and stomp him?
>>
>>3826981
The whole body is too heavy and cumbersome, but a trophy (sample) would be fine. A foot or two of tail would work.
>>
>>3827022
>Only the armor negates magic
You don't know that. Don't assume stuff, that will get us killed.
>Why would we not use this opportunity to practice our techniques and stomp him?
Because playing with your prey is bad practice. Specially with a prey that we know almost nothing about and what little we know about is that he can negate our magiblasts, our main source of ranged damage.
>>
>>3827003
So? I'm not expecting to kill him in one hit, unlike you, so I'm going to see what his stuff can do.

>>3827029
And you're assuming that we'll be able to punch this guy in the first place, instead of just bouncing off his shield. Just let people make their own write-ins.
>>
>>3827039
don't be so defensive anon. Not everyone will like every option. Roll with the punches and move on.
>>
>>3827043
I can go with that, I'm just saying, don't tell other people to change their votes. That's what's bugging me about what anon said.
>>
>>3827048
Don't add words to my mouth. I never told them to change their votes, I just told them to not overthink.
>>
>>3826942
Flash, dodge, punch.
>>
>>3827049
>"your vote wastes mana and is dumb"
Okay.
>>
>>3827062
You need to take out the rapier from the bag of holding, turn off the filters, activate one spell over our body, run into the enemy and then use two other skills on him. Those are several seconds that leave us open for an attack from the enemy for no real reason but to show off. At least we should try to get behind some cover before doing that chain of events.
>>
>>3827080
Who cares. Just let people make their write-ins.
>>
>>3827080
Well, someone's overthinking. Somehow, I feel betrayed after days of us pushing for summoning Gartoum.
>>
>>3827089
Every fucking time we go out into the field, someone wants to summon him. give it a rest.

>>3827085
No anon, learn to accept someone disagreeing with you.
>>
>>3827085
I'm not stopping anybody. I don't know from where you got that idea.

>>3827089
Gartoum has a real tactical advantage for our purposes. Mind you, i don't care about showing off, the problem is that the enemy we have in front of us is a complete unknown that its inmune to our magiblasts and probably the rest of our magic attacks. Its just sensible to err on the side of caution when facing someone like that.
>>
>>3827107
>Its just sensible to err on the side of caution when facing someone like that.
Dunno where you got the idea that I'm doing it only to look cool. The ayys certainly haven't dealt with peopld like us, so Shock Touch and Energy Channel would ward him off and force him to act causiously, and I think that Body Shield is still a viable option. A quick voice command to get some Seither isn't hard either.
>probably the rest of magic attacks
An here you go with wild assumptions yourself. There's only proof of his suit having anti-magic barriers, nothing else.
>>
>>3827113
>Anti-magic barriers
Not proven true, could be energy protection, could be full damage protection, we don't know.
>>
>>3827128
Exactly.
>>
>>3826973
Well anyway, I've considered all opinions from the above,
And I think trying to oneshot him is a valid option, as we're still trying to race the lionhearts. I just worry the 5 mutants will rat us out to protag-kun. But magi blast has failed us and the solution is gratuitous overkill.
>Energy Channel, Over Channel and punch a flaming hole in this guy
We can even do a raging demon for the memes
>>
Holy shit guys, the guy negates a low power magiblast and you go into a meltdown. We could try a higher yield version or we could try dumping tons of them to see what happens. Add a flare on top of all that because why not. And if those fail? Cast fist. If that fails? Flux wave is an option. Rocket launcher is also an option. Mana? We're in a mana ocean. Don't want to breathe the spicy totally-not-cocaine mana? Crystals, which we can recharge later.
>>
>>3827232
Anti-magic abilities are a bitch, man.
>>
Is this the final boss? I kinda skipped 2 threads to catch on.
>>
>>3826942
>Sun's Flare, then engage him with Mana Knuckles and Channel Overcharge
>>3827384
Just some nasty alien manhunter.
>>
>>3827387
Oh nice, I wanna explore this world for potential Mana world generator and if possible to call owlia with our interdimension phone and see if we could mine this raw energy into Mana batteries.
>>
>>3826942
>Their distended jaw and misproportioned bodies make you think ‘lizard-people’, but that’s likely just you.
I just realized that Handler could've totally rolled with dragon girl outfit or that reptiloid joke for this job.
>>
>>3827384
The threads are archived here:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Magical%20Girl%20For%20Hire%20Quest
>>
>>3827384
No this is a mini boss in our way of our potential loot.
>>
>>3827805
I kinda want the helmet and the weapon. We don't have many weapons who can shock people.
>>
>>3827865
we don't know if his weapon shocks people and we already have our powers to electrocute someone.
>>
>>3827865
Personally I do not understand the desire for a helmet.
>>
>>3827884
Rule of cool and not much more.
>>
>>3827884
We could check and listen into any radio chatter from the aliens, which, while useless for gathering info, might help Prima or Aegis tech heads triangulate where this guy’s friends are camped. It could also help keep us or a survivor from breathing in seither.
>>
>>3828087
Eh, doubt we would be able to take these folks. Unless we put then inside our bag and honestly don't know what Aegis would do with then. Although the Alien looked very interested and is studying then for some reason, we can just scan then using our future sight.

Taking the alien corpse however might be usefull Aegis nerds s3em to want something about the aliens? A live or the body of one to study should be good.
>>
>>3828133
Aegis better pay for this, those cheap bastards might even say it falls under the contract.
>>
>>3828288
If they say it falls under the contract and don't pay us we will just stop being so effective.

But at least they payed us when we got the intel. Or at least i think they payed...not sure actually.
>>
>>3828294
They didn't pay us because we took almost two days to return from a mission that should have taken a few hours.
>>
>>3828294
>>3828300
Yeah this. I remember it was accepted as the apology for being late. Otherwise our pay would be docked.
>>
>>3828300
We're getting paid when we finish all their jobs, anon, not after every mission. Also, they need to pay us for the data and schematics we gave them from that job.
>>
>>3828300
>>3828305
I though going to that ground mission was how we found to pay for being late...they even said if we refused our payment would be reduced...did we get tricked?!!
>>
>>3828313
They better not try trick us, fair we just asked for old walker blueprints and some weapons but still a pay is a pay!
>>
>>3828313
we're talking about the extras we got from the research facilities. In order to not get our pay cut, we had to voluntarily give the extra data we got for free and accept the previous raiding mission.

>>3828318
Yes, it was part of the deal. The data we had from the research station was also given for free to prove that it was worth the wait.
>>
>>3828322
That's when we block them in their meeting room with barriers and make a trip to the large spinning generator.
>>
>>3828326
>>3828318
And those bastards still wanted to dock our pay, even with the extra info we gave to them.
>>
>>3828326
That's some huge bullshit if it was the case. Hopefully they don't try to pull that on us again.
>>
>>3828326
Nope. We either had to do the raiding job or take a 15% pay cut, not both.

>“We’ll see to it soon enough,” he interrupts. “For now, follow me.” He turns, and you do. You find yourself eventually walking through a few familiar halls...going to the briefing room this time, then? “Now, thanks to your...detour, we’re behind on schedule for both our priority research as well as one or two...side issues. I’m tempted to argue such issues are worth a paycut. However!” And here he turns around to you with a slightly-too-wide smile as you both stop in front of Briefing Room C-5. “Fortunately for you, dear girl, you have options!”

>You raise an eyebrow. “Options?”

>“Yes, options!” And here he opens the door, revealing none other than Avos, that pink haired large girl who’s name you never got, and Komodo. “Option 1: You go along with these three on a job- tonight. As ground support. Help them out well enough, we’ll consider everything square.”

>“And Option 2?” you ask, though you have a hunch.

>He shrugs. “We cut your pay by 15%.” Fuck.
>>
>>3828340
You know what...suddely i don't want to capture the alien alive anymore...
>>
>>3828353
>Option 3: Go into testing for our dear doctor.
We immediately denied that option.
>>
>>3828353
Goddamnit, me.

It was either do the raiding job or take a 15% pay cut, no mention of giving the data for free.
>>
>>3828343
>>3828340
What did you expect? we were two days late and we had their snowflake mech with us. They were on their right to be mad at us.

>>3828353
That's what i said. we had to go on the night raid mission and we gave what we found for free, so that Aegis couldn't say that we found nothing.
>>
>>3828360
That's towards the end of the thread, and we did. That's how we learned how Prima was magic.

>>3828362
Read >>3828361.
>>
>>3828353
Also damn you found that bit fast in, what like 5 minutes?
>>
>>3828370
>>3828361
its on the same post you pulled from that greentext and its implied from the discussion above said post
>“Right here,” you say as you hand him the drive. He nods in satisfaction, but is surprised when you hand over several sheets of paper. “I also have a bit more; deep-scanned telemetry and other data from a few experiments that were still active under there. If you’ve got a spare data cable, then I can-”

>“We’ll see to it soon enough,” he interrupts.

The extra data we gave him was a sort of apology for our lateness.
>>
>>3828388
So he didn't payed us...unless they plan to pay us only by the end of our job.

Sigh picking high plainess was a mistake...
>>
>>3828404
This wasn't a problem of high plainness, but a problem of being two days late. Your boss wouldn't be happy if you skipped two workdays without telling them, the same thing applies here but in a larger scale.
>>
>>3828388
>>3828404
You forgot that looking into the lab was supposed to be off the record, and that it was for Crane himself, not Aegis as a whole.

Actually, he might HAVE payed us for the info already. Remember the leg schematics?
>>
>>3828404
Heh, yet another one that understands. Good. I still stand by my original vote for the Power armor set for this world. Even if it was used before, it would've fit extremely well here. So many things Miranda can do could've been explained simply by the armor being highly advanced or something, like say Seither protection for her immunity, Seither energy barrier if she wants to use mana shields, in various configurations even, and mana beams as Seither energy projectors. They would've been far more interested in the origins of her gear as opposed her body and flesh.

Man...
>>
>>3828429
>Actually, he might HAVE payed us for the info already. Remember the leg schematics?
Isn't that for doing the optional facility infiltration thing on the ground mission?
>>
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>>3828443
...

>looks back over at archive
>it's there

...goddamnit. Yes.
>>
>>3828404
>Sigh picking high plainess was a mistake...
It was an experiment. We hadn't really messed with high Plainness before, we usually go for high Otherworldly. Yeah this is a pain, but I don't regret it. It was nice to try something different.
>>
>>3828437
I;m pretty sure that's worse. At least for now, aegis just wants us dead, but assumes that we are a normal chump, but if we had appeared with technology more advanced than what they (and maybe the aliens) had, well, that would have been overall more dangerous and they would have taken every chance to separate us from our armor.
>>
Hey guys after the mission, and after an intersection thread. Our next job could be protect the artifact with high humor and hotheadedness, we could be a funny bruiser that cracks jokes as we crack skulls.
>>
>>3828509
Randa isn't a good jokester though...humour is more a Lorelei thing.
>>
>>3828530
Obviously the solution is to get a mask or parrot or something that makes jokes for us on demand.
>>
>>3828538
Well, we've finally found a use for the makeshift recorder thing we had the rat kids make us back in MafiaWorld. Just need to get Owlia to make a custom Parrot casing for it, maybe make it capable of flight, put a laser in it...
>>
>>3828538
The store would have something to help us. If we get a parrot it can be the good cop, while we play bad cop, and worse cop.
>>
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>>3828509
Would that look something like pic related? Can you imagine Randa's reaction?
>>
>>3828545
Get Lorelei to record some jokes for specific moments and play it back. Maybe Izumi if we need to interrogate someone. And Momo just to include her into the recording.
>>
>>3828538
Ahuhuhu...we have Gartoum
>>
>>3828553
I doubt it, but it would be funny as Miranda tries to hide from the client until she finds a cloak.
>>
>>3828343
If they do we'll have to aggressively negotiate, remember our intersection out-goer explainations? Clients tend to try and cheap out on our services, so we need to capitulate less.
>>
>>3828691
Yeah, I was shocked Randa didn't immediately retort with something to the effect of "That's not in the contract" when they threratened to cut our pay. It was weirdly passive of her.
>>
>>3828711
You piqued my curiosity. how would you excuse being two days late?
>>
>>3828715
No stipulations in the contract for lateness causing a payment dock.
>>
>>3828719
I don't think a megacorp out of anyone would forget such loophole, but ok.
>>
>>3828722
Depends on who was signing. I doubt they trotted out the lawyers for this. And I trust the Dealmakers to be more adept at contract-craft than anyone else.
>>
>>3828726
Yeah, but you are dealing with a megacorp that is about to become the literal ruler of a planet. There is no way they wouldn't have prepared themselves against something so mundane as an employee arriving late.
>>
>>3828737
No, we're dealing with whoever signed and checked over the contract Sal provided. As Sal didn't indicate to us anything was unusual (besides the Scrapper thing), there's no reason to believe the contract was altered from the usual template I bet he uses.
>>
>>3828749
On the other hand, sal never tells us anything.
Remember that he purposely omitted information from us, as a joke. A joke that lasted 80 years and costed us an uncountable amount of Lotes.
>>
>>3828756
Specific instructions trump general instructions, they told us not to damage the mech and remain anonymous, so we went out of our way to not damage the mech, and not lead Orion back to base, it turns out that resulted in a delay. Perfectly reasonable.
>>
>>3828763
This is a way better excuse.
>>
>>3828770
It also works, but lacks any real weight if they wanted to press the point.
>>
>>3828820
If we disagree on payment to be rendered when we haven't broken our contract in any way shape or form, that's what we call "time to repo their asses", after conferring with Sal, of course.
>>
>>3828868
Yep. Which is why we would have been within our rights to fight them on trying to get us to do extra work or dock our pay.
>>
Just a reminder.

This is the robot excursion not Miranda. Miranda is just an observer here and may take over when something that prim and Jago can't deal with.
>>
>>3828957
This is entirely wrong.
>>
>>3828957
Nope, this is Miranda's job. Her bosses insisted that she'd have to take the bots on her next mission.
>>
>>3828957
We were instructed to bring them with us and test their outgoer mettle, that doesn't mean Miranda needs to forego a paycheck.
>>
>>3828509
With Miranda?
She'd look more like a complete psychopath than she normally looks.
Which I would enjoy greatly, mind you.
>>3827128
May I propose "Anti-Seither Envoirmental Protection Suit" as an explanation?
>>
>>3829077
That sounds like an improvement for Miranda. Also the ASEP suit would explain how the alien survived the Seither that is outside.
>>
>>3829954
No guarantee this is an alien, could just be a severely mutated human, or an evolved gator
>>
>>3830009
>Makes same warbling sounds as alien killer-bot
>specifically made high-tech gear that does not fit any human shape
>advanced weapons
Yeah, sure. That's totally an evolved gator.
>>
>>3830033
Don't forget

>lives close to some kind of inert alien sphere
>Also has alien robot, or whatever you call the alien spiders pritectibg the sphere and the place were he is working.
>>
Lot of discussion.

Also. Punch 'im. Simple, sounds like.

Writing.
>>
>>3830100
Punching stuff rarely faills to Miranda.
>>
>>3830100
Discussion is the way of the civilized folks here in MGFH.
>>
Oftentimes, the simplest solution can be the best...or at the very least, not the worst. Which is why you simply lunge forth yourself. Melee is something you can do, you’re quite happy to say. That said, probably a good idea to avoid getting touched with that thing regardless.

It cocks its arm back, and you’re already instinctively moving to its outside- it’s got elongated arms, meaning that despite (or because of) its reach, there’s a certain area it CAN hit, and others where it would be very awkward to try to hit with any real force. It swings- it’s not half bad in terms of speed, but you’re already ducking thanks to sheer experience, and it can’t stop to redirect the force before you barrel into it in shoulder first...which is shortly followed by your fist as the motion follows you, and your momentum carries your blow well as it impacts his jaw and sticks there for a second before blowing it back clear across the room, impacting the wall with a sharp crack before it crumples down into a heap.

The mutants, all of which were following the fight, it seems, cheer as one. Well. That was easy enoug- wait, shit.

Before you can mentally take it back, the creature’s already getting back up, shaking itself off as though just dazed, to the shock of the captured. Already, it gets back into combat position...although it’s obviously taking a more defensive posture, baton-blade up in a more guarded position across its body as it approaches you with measured steps; clearly having understood the power difference. You can just barely tell there’s a crack in its mask where you punched it- the dark coloration really tries to hide it.

Part of you is impressed. That wasn’t exactly a soft punch.

>It’s moving slower now, so if you can get a weapon out, that’ll improve your odds by a good amount. (What weapon?)
>It might absorb Seither- and thus mana- but that doesn’t mean it still can’t be useful. Maybe if you can distract him with it somehow… (How?)
>Well, might as well keep with the hands-on approach. You’ll just have to beat him till he stops moving. (Tactics?)
>Other
>>
>>3830226
>It’s moving slower now, so if you can get a weapon out, that’ll improve your odds by a good amount. (What weapon?)
Flamebringer
Did we rename that after we attached the gravity stone?
>>
>>3830226
This >>3830232
Go all jedi duel.
>>
>>3830226
>Well, might as well keep with the hands-on approach. You’ll just have to beat him till he stops moving. (Tactics?)

>We have proven by punching it that whatever the suit did with our magic blast it didn't absorved the impact or at least didn't make the attack completely innefective, look around there must be a lot of debris or some other junk we can use to throw at it to shorten our approach, take a out-boxer approach baiting his move, dancing around him and using counters when his guard is up.
>>
>>3830226
>It’s moving slower now, so if you can get a weapon out, that’ll improve your odds by a good amount. (What weapon?)
Let's pull out the gauntlets. This guy is clearly competent, and will respect our power by playing defensively until he thinks he has our measure. Press him hard, going for a raw overpower.
>>
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>>3830244
Only if we do a pose
>>
>>3830226
This>>3830232
Well, after whst we did with Khaom... "Can Opener"?
>>
Rolled 14, 6 + 2 = 22 (2d20 + 2)

>>3830226
You doubt that such a rush is going to happen again. Likely it thought you were just about blasting things; it’s certainly on his guard now. But with that range advantage, it’s going to press you a bit harder than you’d like...at least, not without something to even it up a bit. You quickly reach your hand in your bag, and it lunges quickly, seeing a opening; you have to hop back to keep space, but keep it you do, and you draw the Flamebringer to bear as he comes in for a second swing, his strange steel meeting your own with a resounding clang.

There’s a single, quick warble of what you guess is curiosity or confusion, before you shove him off; his stance switches to something more aggressive, the sword outwards; reminds you of more traditional japanese styles. He lunges, and you quickly notice his strikes are very jab and lunge-based; clearly trying to use his reach to his advantage without overextending. Two such strikes are dodged, another is blocked with the flat of your sword and you nearly catch one of his hands for the effort, but it’s a near miss that you move to follow up quickly, only for him to squeak out of the way just barely…

The fight continues like this for some time, and before you know it, you’re in a rhythm of blocking, dodging, and striking...the combat flow comes easy and smoother than normal, and you’re starting to see small...issues in its style. Cracks.

>Roll 1d20+3, best of three.
>>
Rolled 4 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>3830303
>>
Rolled 12 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>3830303
Uh this guy is good...
>>
Rolled 6 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>3830303
>>
Rolled 14 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>3830303
>>
>>3830303
Give me your blood alien scum.
>>
15. Okay.

Writing!
>>
>>3830317
I hope those two rolls weren't for the kids gettin in our fight...
>>
>>3830303
This is actually the perfect time to use our fireworks failed flamethrower spell.

We should try to make it stick to his mana shield, also, to overwhelm it or at least blind the fucker. Cracking armor through attrition is the perfect situation for it.

Or I guess we could go the easy route and just harmonize with it so our mana blasts pass through it.
>>
>>3830303
>>3830309
>>3830310
>>3830311
It’s not enough to see that it shifts its leg before it goes for a long-range slash. The fact that it likes to tilt its head to the right to line things up (opposite the crack, natch) when it goes for a lunge isn’t enough to matter. You need to find a way to capitalize on those observations…

And suddenly, you hear a yell- just shy of a scream, really) outside, and it flinches, just barely resisting the temptation to look towards the window to its left, showing the battle outside.

All the time you need. You rush, blade coming up in a swift upwards strike that not only gets a gash on its armor, but leaves the thing reeling and its weapon flung from its hand. Fucking FINALLY. Time to end this-

“HOLD!” a warbling voice suddenly comes from the creature as it points towards the captives just as you’re readying a killing blow. “Want alive!? I die, they die! I spared, they spared!”

You...didn’t expect it to speak in an actual language. Maybe just because the warbling. Thank you, Intersection translating effects. All you can do is cock an eyebrow at it, then spare a glance at the terrified captives, remembering the strange belts. Ah. So, some sort of...dead man’s switches? Hm.

“Choose! Choose now!” it says quickly. You’re not sure if it’s terrified or what, but you like to imagine the breathiness of it is due to that. Anyway, answer to that…

> “...eh, sucks for them.” Kill this annoyance. If nothing else, you want his suit. Could be good for research purposes.
> “Mmmm...you’re lucky I need them.” They might have more information on the device, or other things down here.
> “So what if I knock you out? You aren’t dead, then.” Haa, gotta love loopholes. At least you HOPE it's a loophole.
> Other
>>
>>3830358
>"I don't want THEM. I want YOU." Cold cock him.
>>
>>3830358
>> “So what if I knock you out? You aren’t dead, then.” Haa, gotta love loopholes. At least you HOPE it's a loophole.
I think he might be bluffing. setting up dead man's switches implies he was expecting to be attacked, and lose. This is some abandoned territory in the middle of nowhere. Why would he think someone was coming to rescue these guys?
>>
>>3830358
It would sure help if we knew what we were even fighting this guy for. Is there some device in this place I've just missed due to speedreading?
>>
>>3830358
> “So what if I knock you out? You aren’t dead, then.” Haa, gotta love loopholes. At least you HOPE it's a loophole.
"I don't care about them."
>>
>>3830358
> “So what if I knock you out? You aren’t dead, then.” Haa, gotta love loopholes. At least you HOPE it's a loophole.
>>
>>3830358
> “So what if I knock you out? You aren’t dead, then.” Haa, gotta love loopholes. At least you HOPE it's a loophole.
>>
>>3830374
The entire area is the place were the device the client is looking for is. These people seem to be locals so they would know the area better then anyone so they would make it easier to find the device.
>>
>>3830370
Let's be real, nothing is assured he won't activate the kill switch when he is out of harms way.
>>
>>3830358
> “...eh, sucks for them.” Kill this annoyance. If nothing else, you want his suit. Could be good for research purposes.
>>
>>3830364
>>3830358
Switching to
>“So what if I knock you out?
>>
>>3830370
>Why would he think someone was coming to rescue these guys?

There was a signal being broadcasted, that's the reason why the kids and us stopped by.

There was also plenty of loot, which the kids got.So since someone or somethign was broadcasting it the alien probably caugth the signal too that's why he could think someone would eventualy find this place.
>>
>>3830358
>>3830364
>>3830370
>>3830379
>>3830383
>>3830387
>>3830417
Well. There’s an easy-ish solution to that, you figure as you shrug. “So what if I knock you out? You aren’t dead, then.” Before he can respond, you drill him in the face with a solid punch; the impact causes a bit more of the helmet to crack as it hits the floor, but it’s still in one piece, and- wait, no, you can see him listing a bit. One more, then.

*CRACK*

There we are. He’s limp, but...you’re fairly certain by the twitching he’s still breathing. You have to put your ear nearly on the mask, but gentle sighing indicates that, yup, still hasn't bitten it. But, all things considered, it’s finally all quiet, at least. The five captives look on in shock and surprise, and you find yourself wondering what to do next. You’re not exactly sure how to free them; if that WAS a dead man’s switch, you might accidentally set it off...which might hurt, and you’d rather not have that.

>...meh, they can sit there and answer some questions while you try to get this costume off this guy. You kinda really want to figure out what this is made of and how it works...
>Those locks look technologically advanced enough. FutureSight might have a solution for this, you think. Freeing them might be advantageous to the job, after all.
>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?
>Other
>>
>>3830434
>>...meh, they can sit there and answer some questions while you try to get this costume off this guy. You kinda really want to figure out what this is made of and how it works...
>>
>>3830434
>>Those locks look technologically advanced enough. FutureSight might have a solution for this, you think. Freeing them might be advantageous to the job, after all.
Free prisoner belts? Sure!
>>
>>3830434
>Those locks look technologically advanced enough. FutureSight might have a solution for this, you think. Freeing them might be advantageous to the job, after all.
We should use our tools more often. And hey - that's free stuff just laying around!
>>
>>3830434
>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?
They're taking OUR loot. Worse, they might be calling in more of their flunkies too.
>>
>>3830434
>...meh, they can sit there and answer some questions while you try to get this costume off this guy. You kinda really want to figure out what this is made of and how it works...
"What can you offer for your freedom."
>>
>>3830434
>>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?
Oh no, the mission objective could be at risk!
>>
>>3830450
>>3830448
I mean, these prisoners are the ones who set up the beacon, so only they are supposed to know where are the real goodies.
>>
>>3830434
Oh shit you guys are right. I switch from this >>3830449 to support him instead >>3830450
>>
>>3830434
>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?

The kids are watching us.
>>
>>3830434
>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?
I swear, we got into a sword fight and now they're watching us from the god damn doorway.
>>
>>3830434
>Those locks look technologically advanced enough. FutureSight might have a solution for this, you think. Freeing them might be advantageous to the job, after all.
>>
>>3830434
>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?
>>
>>3830434
>Those locks look technologically advanced enough. FutureSight might have a solution for this, you think. Freeing them might be advantageous to the job, after all.
>>
>>3830434
>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?
>>
>>3830473
>>3830465
>>3830447
>>3830446
I would rather have Prima mess around with the bombs she can probably scan it.
>>
>>3830434
>...Wait, something’s off. It feels too quiet. What happened to the intrepid ‘heroes’?

Also, who says these muties are the good guys? What if they're like bioweapons and go berserk when unchained.
>>
>>3830482
She's far away.
>>
>>3830484
They seem to be pretty in control of themselfs, they were cheering for us defeating the alien.Also there is like two kids with then.

>>3830486
Fair to bad they can't fly the walker toward us, i doubt a interface with two AICA's is a thing in this setting.
>>
Hol' up a minute.

Writing.
>>
>>3830434
>>3830448
>>3830450
>>3830459
>>3830460
>>3830462
>>3830470
>>3830479
>>3830484
It’s a couple more seconds of musing your options in quiet that you realize- you’re musing your options IN QUIET. There was a lot of lasers going off earlier; you’d kind of put it out of your mind to focus on the fight in front of you, but now that that’s done with...you realize that it's very quiet out there. Just what happened to those kids?

You decide to chance a look out the window, and you can see the massive amount of carnage that they’ve left in their wake, as fallen bots and parts are everyone along the massive training field. You have to admit, you didn’t expect them to be able to handle all that so effectively. No bodies, so they’re both still alive. Which begs the question: where’d they fuck off to? They just keep going on or what? Wait, no, they probably heard and- wait, shit, those are footsteps.

*Bang* You sigh in annoyance. Of course they’d come straight here like the immature idiots they are. Part of you doesn’t even want to look at them- you can just imagine the poses they’re in- the kid’s got his weapon brandished, looking like he’s just performed a breach, the girl is right behind him, off to the side, probably injured if that yelp was her earlier, staying behind him as a precaution. Head’s probably peeking over the shoulder.

“Whoa…” you hear the girl gasp as he obviously looks over the scene and the mutants grunt in surprise. One of the smaller ones lets out a sound close to a wail.

“What...what’s going on here? Who’re you? Identify yourself!” the boy asks as you hear them shift slightly. Likely drawing a bead on you.

Alright, will have to tread this carefully…

> “Just a scrapper looking for a score. No one ever comes out this far, y’know?”
> “Can’t tell just from looking? I’m standing, IT isn’t. I’m surprised you’re not thanking me.”
> “Kinda rude to ask who someone is without introducing yourself first, don’t you think?”
> Other
>>
>>3830560
> “Kinda rude to ask who someone is without introducing yourself first, don’t you think?”
We meet the heroes at last.
>>
>>3830560
> “Can’t tell just from looking? I’m standing, IT isn’t. I’m surprised you’re not thanking me.”
That's a more convincing 'scrapper' line.
>>
>>3830560
> “Kinda rude to ask who someone is without introducing yourself first, don’t you think?”
>>
Actually, I think I'm going to wrap it up here and continue early tomorrow (presuming I wake up before 12 ahahahah)

Also that offer for Daemon Ex Machina games is still open.
>>
>>3830560
> “Can’t tell just from looking? I’m standing, IT isn’t. I’m surprised you’re not thanking me.”
>>
>>3830583
You may need to prepare a new thread beforehand. This one is approaching 900.

Also it is VERY refreshing to see you run so often lately. Something happened?
>>
>>3830591
Nothing particular, just kinda getting back into a groove now that I've moved far closer to work. Pretty much getting out of the 'settling in and getting things straight' phase.
>>
>>3830583
Thanks for running

>>3830560
>Other:*Let the silence hang out for a while*

> “Can’t tell just from looking? I’m standing, IT isn’t. I’m surprised you’re not thanking me.”
>>
>So, everyone's ready?

>Yup. Brat's already left, then?

>She has.

>Good. Hope she croaks out there.

>Don't start, Nira...

>Just saying, not like anyone would miss her.

>Hush, you two! Don't worry, boss. We'll find this fancy terraformer no problem.

>I'd call it far more than that, dear, but thank you. And Nira, I would refrain from thinking like that. After all, it's people like yourself and Ms. Lane that'll make Aegis a leader once the world is reformed better than ever. Even Scrappers will have a place in it, one way or another. Now, move out!

>...

>...yes. ESPECIALLY Ms. Lane, if my hypothesis is correct. Although Nira is correct. No one would miss her. But in a way, I suppose...she'd be a part of everyone anyway, hm? Everyone under our control, at least...
>>
>>3830619
Yeah, we're totally blasting their facility before we jump out.
>>
>>3830560
>> “Just a scrapper looking for a score. No one ever comes out this far, y’know?”
> “Can’t tell just from looking? I’m standing, IT isn’t. I’m surprised you’re not thanking me.”

>>3830619
I continue to be glad we weren't incredibly stupid and din't give them bio samples.

>>3830628
Only if they give us an IC reason to. Scum or not, they're still the client, and we've worked for far worse ones in the past.
>>
>>3830633
Yeah, I know. But they'll reveal themselves before it's time to wrap up, that's what I meant.
>>
>>3830619
Awww shit they want to Jenova us
>>
>>3830664
Well, we did ask Handler for something cyberpunk-esque. Can't get much closer to that then silencing the hired help.
>>
>>3830633
> Only if they give us an IC reason to.

I feel like that's a foregone conclusion.

Just remember, if we blow everything up then we can't loot it.

They probably have some sort of seither/mana neutralizer like Masky McShieldy did, too.

Just a thought.
>>
>>3830780
Possibly an energy shield, again, no confirmation either way.
>>
>>3830560
>“Just a scrapper looking for a score. No one ever comes out this far, y’know?”
>>
>>3830560
> “Kinda rude to ask who someone is without introducing yourself first, don’t you think?”
>>
Do you have eyes in your head or what?

Writing shortly.
>>
>>3830560
>>3830569
>>3830587
>>3830602
>>3830633
It seems to take a bit longer than he’d have liked for you to figure out a response, because you hear another shift as he speaks up. “Hey, I asked you-”

“What, you can’t tell just from looking?” You’re not entirely faking the annoyance. Actually, forget the qualifier, you’re not faking at all, you’re just annoyed. Finally, you turn to face him properly- and whaddya know, you fucking called it in regards to their positioning. You motion to the fallen creature, still out cold. “I’m standing. IT isn’t. Frankly, I’m surprised you’re not thanking me.” Your voice has a cold, sheer edge to it thanks to the respirator mask that you have on- that plus your ever present eyewear gives you just about total anonymity, you realize.

The mutants let out some kind of strange noises- the fact that you can’t understand them means that they aren’t any kind of understandable language, they’re just vocalizations. Although it’s clear, judging by how some of them are starting to struggle, that they want out. Kei and Lula look back and forth between you and them in confusion. “W-what are those?” Lula asks, her face both grossed out yet curious.

“Mutants, I think,” Kei answers neutrally. “Natives? I dunno, but for now- look, if that thing is one of the aliens we’ve been fighting, then finish it off, and how about we free the captives and talk this over?”

“Sure, if you want them to die,” you mention. They tense up, but you quickly continue. “Those belts are tied to this thing’s vital functions.” Their eyes go wide at that. “If it dies? They’ll be going with him,” you explain, to the shocked gasps of everyone present, captives included. So, that means they can likely understand you…

“Crap...do you know how to get it off them?” Kei asks.

You can only shrug. “Don’t know. You showed up before I could put any thought towards it.”

“Hm…” He’s lowering his guard now as he thinks about it. Not smart. “Well, what are you here for? No offense, but you look like a scrapper.” Ah, the guard’s back up. “What have you heard about this place?”

Lula taps him on the shoulder before you can answer. “Hey, I dunno if we have all that much time to play around. I’m not feeling so hot, and we need to get what we came here for…”

Kei grimaces. “Right. Now, if we can just-”

“Aa-ar-m…” a croaking, harsh voice grinds out; the three of you look back towards the captives, where one of them, one of the harshly beaten males, manages to look your way under small, yet pained eyes, before shifting his attention to the unconscious creature. “Aaa-rum...touch…”

“They can talk?!” Lula says in surprise.” News to you, too.

“So, is it on this thing’s arm?” Kei asks, motioning to the creature still under your sword. There’s a small nod from him, and Kei immediately starts to move towards you, weapon still raised.

>Let him. He screws up, it’s on his head.
>No, YOU’LL figure it out, thank you.
>Other
>>
>>3831836
>>Let him. He screws up, it’s on his head.
>Maybe standby with healing if the kid bones it.
>>
>>3831836
>>Let him. He screws up, it’s on his head.
owell
>>
>>3831836
>Let him. He screws up, it’s on his head.
Taunt him after he fucks up.
>>
>>3831836
>Let him. He screws up, it’s on his head.
Make sure to chuuni pose after the mutants' heads explode.
>>
>>3831836
>Let him. He screws up, it’s on his head.
>>
>>3831861
Wrong quest, the other chuuni quest is open.
>>
>>3831875
Miranda is a closet chuuni anon
I follow the other quest too.
>>
>>3831882
Miranda wishes she could be as chuuni as Victoria.
>>
Fine, he wants to be the big hero, let him.

Writing.

Victoria is fun.
>>
>>3831890
More of a Catastrovania guy, meself.

I miss Hikikomori quest...
>>
>>3831836
>>3831841
>>3831855
>>3831858
>>3831861
>>3831864

Shrugging, although still keeping a careful eye on him, you ease off the creature as Kei approaches. “Be my guest,” you invite, and all you get in return is a small scowl as everyone watches him pick up the thing’s arm carefully.

“Alright, let’s see…” You notice that there’s a number of small buttons and lines on its wrist; clearly controls of some kind, but you doubt he has any more clue than you do on what exactly they correspond to. Regardless of how he goes about it, he’ll be flying blind. Seems like he realizes that, too; nerves are starting to show on his face, and he quickly turns to the group. “H-hey, you guys wouldn’t happen to know the exact button he pressed, right?” They shake their heads, and he swallows thickly, turning back to the arm controls. “Alright, then...I’ll just have to follow my gut…”

“Kei…” Lula murmurs, and for a second she reaches out, but pulls back when you tilt your head in her direction.

“...alright, then I...pick...here!” Suddenly, and with far too much conviction, he slams his finger down on a spot on the forearm, and everyone not you flinches as they look towards the devices.

...nothing. Anticlimactic, that was. You simply let out a low hum as he hits another button wordlessly- to your surprise, some kind of...hooks? Flaps? Come out of the feet of it, but nothing else. Oh, boy…

Fortunately for him, it’s the third time that’s the charm, as suddenly the rings snap open, much to the mutants’ relief as roars of happiness come from them. Part of you is annoyed; was that just a bluff? You wonder if it was...

Regardles, the children hug, the men celebrate as they come over to thank the young man and you apparently, but you’re quick to wave the praise off. You’ve got more important things to do, like-

“Hey, we’re looking for something in here. If you can understand us, maybe you can help out?” Oh, blah. As expected, they nod easily. “Someone sent out an electronic signal earlier, if you know what that is. Are there any machines here that still work? Anything like radios or stuff like that? Y’know, for communication?”

(cont.)
>>
>>3831947
“We think it might be related to a...a thing we’re looking for,” Lula adds, glancing at you as she says it. “It’s very important to us, so we’re trying to find it as fast as possible before some bad people get it first.” Oh dear, wonder who those ‘bad people’ are. Couldn’t possibly be you and Aegis, could it?

The mutants grunt, and one of the female-looking ones step up, as do one of the males; the less beaten up one. They begin to motion out, and Lula follows, although Kei stays behind a bit, glancing at you. “I still don’t know your name or why you’re here, but...if you cared at all about them, I guess you can’t be all bad. You want to come with?”

Naive kid.

> “I’ll catch up eventually.” You really want to see about that suit…although you’ll probably have to show up eventually just to throw off suspicion.
> “...fine. Just a second.” Maybe you can yank the helmet at least. But you want to keep an eye on them, and this is the easiest way.
> “Think I’ll take my leave, actually.” Maybe you can just have THEM get whatever it is, and when they come out…
>Other
>>
>>3831949
>> “I’ll catch up eventually.” You really want to see about that suit…although you’ll probably have to show up eventually just to throw off suspicion.
Also, hand off the doll we found to the mutant children. It's probably theirs.
>>
>>3831949
>> “I’ll catch up eventually.” You really want to see about that suit…although you’ll probably have to show up eventually just to throw off suspicion.
>>3831956
oh yeah, good idea
>>
>>3831949
> “I’ll catch up eventually.” You really want to see about that suit…although you’ll probably have to show up eventually just to throw off suspicion.

>Other:"Hand over the doll for one of the kids. Also take your leave to contact Jago and Prima and report to the Walker if we can go to it we can destroy the kids walkers and probably delay their search."
>>
i wonder if the Alien has some intel or if we should send it toward Aegis, but they will probably use it as a living guinea pig and i wouldn't wish that to my worst enemy.
>>
>>3831949
> “I’ll catch up eventually.” You really want to see about that suit…although you’ll probably have to show up eventually just to throw off suspicion.
Just a quick scan and follow them. Can't have the competition steal our objective.
>>
>>3831949
>> “I’ll catch up eventually.” You really want to see about that suit…although you’ll probably have to show up eventually just to throw off suspicion.
>>
>>3831976
Now that i think about it, this suit just managed to absorv the ambiet mana, maybe Owlia will appreciate this for her armor idea.
>>
>>3831949
This >>3831968
>>
>>3831949
>>3831956
>>3831957
>>3831968
>>3831976
>>3831977
>>3832060
You just wave him ahead. “I’ll catch up eventually. Want to make sure of a few things around here.” He seems rather uncertain of that, but you insist. “Go. Just going to make sure nothing or no one else is around here and maybe do a bit of cleaning, so to speak.” He glances at the alien, and although you’re unsure what he’s thinking, whatever it is is enough to placate him for now. “Fine. We’ll be looking for you, though.”

"Fair. Oh, before you go. Hey, big guy!" The last big male one to walk out, the one closely eying one of the children, turns back to you- only to catch a small doll lobbed at his head. "Dunno if this one belongs to either of these two, but here."

There's a small gasp from him, and without more than a grateful (you think) look at you, he tromps down, saying something towards the moving group.

Kei looks back between the scene and you, and then just smiles, shaking his head. With that, he steps out at last, and after making sure they're out of earshot, you can actually get to looking into what made this suit so special...ah, wait, but first…

Preferring to keep it in one piece, you decide it’s probably better to just crush his neck. That part of his body wasn’t protected by the helmet, so...right, then. Snapped kinda like a twig, actually. Must’ve been thin with few bones. Now, first thing’s first, get this helmet off.

You tug on it a couple of times, but no, it’s sealed tight. Which means you have to see just how to get this damn thing off...maybe there’s a button somewhere? Lower part around the neck hole, possibly? Makes the most sense to you...aha! Sure enough, there’s a tiny, tiny button you can feel at the lip of the head entrance. You quickly tap it, and the thing loses its airtight seal and seems to expand about the opening. Good, that’s one success! Now, as for the rest of it, you just need to strip this thing…

...and maybe not stare into the weird green/red colored, glassy triple eyed, noseless face of the thing.

(cont.)
>>
>>3832082
Sure hope this alien guy? wasn't highly knowledgeable about our prize
>>
>>3832082
Although that runs into an issue after you check the lip of the neckline of the bodysuit. You take a closer look at it, but it’s hard to identify any kind of gap or separation. Kinda wish you had a combat knife right now, but...eh, sword will do. You’d rather not tear this thing apart for obvious reasons, so if you can just wedge this thing right under the clothes- there’s got to be a LITTLE gap, right?

After several minutes of trying, you’re annoyed and honestly somewhat surprised that, no, there doesn’t seem to be any separation between the thing’s skin and the uniform. Deciding to sacrifice a little, you use the tip of the Flamebringer to cut off a tiny flap of skin at the neckline, then bring out your FutureSight. Now, where’s the body scan function on this thing again...ah.

...Fucking hell. It’s GRAFTED onto him. The only way you’d be getting the suit off is by skinning the poor bastard.

...what’s worse is that on a whim, you turned the device on the metal restrained. There weren’t even explosives in them or any kind of delivery system for anything. He WAS absolutely fucking bluffing. Asshole.

>...you don’t have time to skin this thing. Fuck’s sake, you might just have to take the helmet and see what you can get from just that.
>A body scan would take some time, especially if you want anything of note to be figured out from the data, but it'll help Owlia with organization, at least.
>You’re normally not one for body theft, but in this case...well, Owlia doesn’t seem the sort to fret about mutilating corpses for scientific advance. How to stuff it into the bag, though…
>Other
>>
>>3832088
>You’re normally not one for body theft, but in this case...well, Owlia doesn’t seem the sort to fret about mutilating corpses for scientific advance. How to stuff it into the bag, though…

XCom protocol. Take everything.
>>
>>3832088
>You’re normally not one for body theft, but in this case...well, Owlia doesn’t seem the sort to fret about mutilating corpses for scientific advance. How to stuff it into the bag, though…
Start chopping off limbs, off with his head, and carve out the torso, and crumple the armor to fit in the bag. Messy, bloody, but gets the job done.
>>
>>3832088
>>...you don’t have time to skin this thing. Fuck’s sake, you might just have to take the helmet and see what you can get from just that.

>Kinda wish you had a combat knife right now, but...eh, sword will do.
Wait, don't we have one in the bag? The one from MafiaWorld, in the item checklist thingy?
>>
>>3832088
>You’re normally not one for body theft, but in this case...well, Owlia doesn’t seem the sort to fret about mutilating corpses for scientific advance. How to stuff it into the bag, though…
>>
>>3832088
>>You’re normally not one for body theft, but in this case...well, Owlia doesn’t seem the sort to fret about mutilating corpses for scientific advance. How to stuff it into the bag, though…
>>
>>3832100
That's right, we should have a couple
>>
>>3832088

>...you don’t have time to skin this thing. Fuck’s sake, you might just have to take the helmet and see what you can get from just that.

Eh the dude was bluffing!! Glad we didn't let it escape.

also as much as i want to help Owlia we have already taken to many risk with our pay and i don't want to leave a body decomposing inside our bag.
>>
>>3832088
>Other:"Don't forget to grab his baton thing, could be a good weapon for either Prima or Jango."
>>
>>3832100
Adding >>3832113 to my vote.
>>
>>3832100
>>3832104
...oh. Huh. Sorry.
>>
>>3832088
>>You’re normally not one for body theft, but in this case...well, Owlia doesn’t seem the sort to fret about mutilating corpses for scientific advance. How to stuff it into the bag, though…

Frigging hell... Owell, time to cut this guy down to size I guess. Funnily enough I feel like Miranda is playing her scrapper persona really well today.
>>
>>3832119
No problem. It's probably because I'm really autistic about items that we've collected that I know about it at all.
>>
>>3832124
It will be funny to get back to the kids covered in alien blood and just say with the dead pan voice that we took care of it.
>>
So, seems like we're trying to stuff this guy into our bag.

Maybe if we fold it in on itself or something...

writing!
>>
>>3831905
shortstack reboted it.
http://hikineetadventure.com
>>
>>3832088
Well. You’re normally not one for body theft, but in this case...well, Owlia doesn’t seem the sort to fret about mutilating corpses. Seriously, for something that can just kinda slurp up your mana, you figure this is a case of needs must. Your bag has a width of a foot and a half. This thing is...well, it’s wider than that. Not by a ton, but enough that you can’t just drop them in there like with Prima or Jago. It’s really the torso, not anything else. So how to thin out that?

Hm...well, you got the helmet. Don’t exactly NEED the head, right? It’s been a while since you’ve had to do this; jobs that necessitated you hunting and preparing your own food were fortunately rare enough, but you still know the basics, at least…

With a wet *shorp*, the head comes off as the Flamebringer slices it cleanly. You’ve got a clear look at its innards, now; thin though the neck may be, it can still be hollowed out, and there’s a bit of room for widening...now, how would it be best to get all those annoying bones and organs out without damaging the actual merchandise…?

It honestly takes you more time than you’d prefer to gut the creature- its burgundy bloody is all over your sword, your shoes, most of your leggings, and your hands, and there’s a lot of strange inflated guts, sacs, and bones strewn all over the floor (you’re pretty sure some of the viscera is in your hair but you don’t really have a way to check without making it worse right now). Still, it’s squishy enough that you can collapse it in on itself and shove the thing into your bag. It’ll be a bit annoying getting it OUT, but at least it’s doable and you’ve got something to-

*BANG* suddenly, a sound like a lightning strike, the entire complex shakes, and you’re quite concerned. Fantastic.

A light on your hip, and you realize that your murmur stone is ringing. “Report!” you say quickly.

“Boss, whatcha DO down there?!” Jago asks, his voice incredulous. “Just ‘ad close ta ‘alf tha bloody cliffside go up!”

“There was a massive energy discharge, and it appears as though a portion of the cliff has collapsed in on itself!” Prima chimes in with just as much worry. “There are also gunfire reports and a massive sustained energy signature! Something’s gone active and likely hostile!”

Another rumbling shakes the area, and you realize rather quickly that you need to act fast.

“Orders, ma’am!?” Prima asks.

>What do you do now?
>>
>>3832304
Ditch the others and rush to the exit
>>
>>3832304
>See what those Lionheart kids have been up to - we haven't even found out what they were looking for. Maybe just prepare an ambush by the exit?
>>
Gonna end it here for today, actually. Good stopping point.

Why so early, you ask? One word.

Oktoberfest. (Yes, I know it's still September.)

See you all tomorrow.
>>
>>3832304
Sprint after the kids, see what they managed to mess up. Double check with the bot's to see if the signal is still going.
>>
>>3832304
Send Jago and Prima to sabotage the walkers, as Miranda runs to find the kids.
>>
>>3832304
>>3832380
This. time to set those walkers up for detonation upon activation or something while we get to the explosion ASAP
>>
>>3832319
Ah, right, they'll probably have to get to the elevator. And since they are good kids they'd probably wait for us.
>>
>>3832304
These ideas are good. How about we combine them?
>Tell the bots to sabotage the Walkers if possible
>Find the kids, don't let them run away
>If we can't find them - set up an ambush by the elevator, there's no other way out for them
Does that sound good? Anything else?
I think we could summon Gartoum to hide until it's time for the ambush - these kids are surprisingly capable. No reason not to stack the odds in our favor when it comes to dealing with lucky protagonists. Let's make it a 2v2.
>>
>>3832497
forgot to add
>double-check the signal
>>
>>3832404
How would they sabotage them?
>>
>>3832304
Sprint after the kids, see what they managed to mess up. Double check with the bot's to see if the signal is still going, get them to steal the walkers of possible now that we know the bots have mana
>>
>>3831882
>>3831888
Who?
>>
File: Spoiler Image (102 KB, 1000x1155)
102 KB
102 KB PNG
>>3834929
Pic related
>>
>>3834983
who? don't be a fag and say the name of the quest.
>>
>>3835035
I mean, do you really want to play in a quest with a fanbase like that? Getting a real Homestuck vibe.
>>
>>3835058
I don't even know what's the quest you're talking about. Give me the name and i'll judge by myself.
>>
>>3835074
Psychokinetic Chuunibyou Quest. Main character’s a chuuni who actually does have psychic powers and uses them to hunt ghosts.
>>
Will be writing in a bit. Seems the idea is generally summed up as thus:

"Fuck."
>>
>>3835286
Yeah pretty much it. Also probably should, certanly should tell the bots to hide the Zeon.
>>
You’re already running as you shout back to them. “Found the kids piloting those walkers- might be trying to get the hell out- see if you can sabotage their rides for when they try to bail!”

There’s a pause as you round a corner- you’re not sure where anything is, you’re just following the direction of the noise and hoping for the best. “Er, how do we do that?” Prima asks timidly.

“I don’t know! Use your imagination!” you huff as you take a long drop down an elevator shaft after checking that it’s down there. You end up grabbing the elevator cord to arrest your fall, using it as a brake line as you near the bottom. No time for more caution than that- you simply blow a hole in the elevator ceiling as you near it, drop through, and repeat on the door before you continue on your way- seems like things are getting more simplistic in terms of decoration. You’re probably on the right track, then.

More rumbling and explosions cause you to totter for a second before continuing on. “Actually, I might end up on the outside with them- any way you can move the Zeon?” you ask as the hallway gets more and more stone and primal.

“Er...I don’t think we can?” Prima asks, before a shuffling comes through.

“ ‘Ell, might as well try, yeah?!” Jago says from a bit further away. “Could get two birds wit one stone! Now strap in and let’s give it a burl!”

“Agh, stop pushing, I’m going!” Prima complains before the communication ends. Well, here’s hoping…

You race through a set of stone hallways; a number of them have bulkheads that have been opened, and there’s a few side doors- you can glance a couple more of those mutants along the way running in fear. Not your priority, though; the sounds are definitely getting louder. You’re getting closer.

And after you finally clear the last bulkhead and stare into the massive chamber that you’ve entered, you’re not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. The chamber is circular, and it reminds you of some sort of impact site...which, judging by the utterly massive, busted up, yet airborne moth-like techno-organic creature in the center of it, shooting gigantic beams from its wings? That’s likely what it is.

Naturally, its targets are the kids; Kei has Lula in a princess carry- dunno what happened to her. Probably that injury she got acting up. Kei is...glowing. Red.

Oooof course. That explains why he’s running away from the creature- and towards the hole. Suddenly, Lula scrambles to place herself into a fireman’s carry.
In the next second he LEAPS- an impressive one, considering his current weight. He doesn’t quite make it, but it’s enough to get one hand on a handhold and his feet planted, and, he leaps up again- just missing a blast meant for the both of them.

(cont.)
>>
>>3835382
Problem with that- although the main shot missed, the shockwave is easily enough to throw them off-balance. In the next second, as Kei is tumbling off balance, he suddenly grabs Lula by the arm and hurls her, causing her to go flying beyond the lip of the hole and temporary safety. Kei, for his part, falls for at least a few seconds before impacting on the rocks, bouncing a few times before hitting the floor. To your surprise, he’s immediately moving- if slowly, and grunting, trying to get to a vertical base. Credit to the kid, he’s a fighter and quick wit.

Unfortunately, might be the end for him. Seriously, this thing’s got to be several stories tall- it’s gigantic, and it’s already charging up another blast. You’d need more than a couple Walkers to down this thing. Fighting it alone on foot would be...disadvantageous, even for you. Not impossible (you think), but, well...more than a workout, for sure. Not to mention all this ruckus has undoubtedly gotten several parties’ attention by now...

>Well...the kid’s powered up. Might as well take advantage of that while it lasts. Get its attention and see if he’s got anything left in the tank to be worthwhile. Don’t want to risk any questions by your ‘friends’.
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
>Y’know, might be best if you just skedaddled right now. Get out, haul ass to your Walker, and come back in force with the other Aegis members.
>Other
>>
>>3835385
>>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
Yes, YES!!! I've been waiting So Long for a chance to do this in this world! When in doubt, blow it up!
>>
>>3835385
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
Time to hit our quota!
>>
>>3835385
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
Kill this Mothra knock-off. We're the king of monsters around these parts.
>>
>>3835385
>>Y’know, might be best if you just skedaddled right now. Get out, haul ass to your Walker, and come back in force with the other Aegis members.
Seeing as we're having their rides wrecked, there's no point in saving them.
>>
>>3835385
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
>>
>>3835385
My problem with nebula busting this is what do we do with the Lionhearts, because we obviously can't let them live after that. And we don't even know what stuff was here, we just sorta wandered around and rescued some mutants.
If we need to actually *try* we better not get another threat of docked pay. Heck maybe after this one Aegis will reconsider even thinking about it.
>>
>>3835385
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.

NOW IS THE TIME!!
>>
>>3835425
Could always spare their lives in exchange for some of the loot they found. The kid will be injured and we will have used a buster he won't try to mess with us for a while
>>
>>3835385
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
Take off our respirator, to get some boost and blast out a purple nebula buster
Our alibi is that we got a fragile experimental cannon (if we are not easily seen I hope)
>>
>>3835428
How about we just kill him and the other girl so they can't be a nuisance to us later.
>>
>>3835428
We're wrecking their mechs because we don't want them to survive. If we're Busting, we're making sure they don't walk away, one way or another.
>>
>>3835385
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
>>
>>3835434
They can't be a nuinsence if we leave then stranded here without walkers.

But sure you can just vote to kill then and i will vote to spare then. Not in the mood to kill the kids anyway.
>>
>>3835385
Just, y'know. Don't look this way for a while, thanks.

Writing.
>>
>>3835440
Well leaving them alive and stranded is fine too but remember they have protagonist luck, they'll both find a way out.
>>
Wait a second...wasn't Nebular Buster created because Miranda wanted to clear away some poisonous miasma or something? Wonder if we aim it right the blast will clear out the area of Seither.
>>
>>3835385
>Better now and his friend able to say he went out a hero than otherwise (if she survives). While it’s charging, you’ve got a little something for it as well...you know, something nebula-y.
>>
>>3835447
So long they only manage to do it after we had found the object/item our client wants us to find/retrieve i think i would be okay with that.
>>
>>3835447
That's something you've said. There is nothing that makes us believe that we will meet them again.
>>
>>3835471
How genre savvy is Miranda? I think in her career she's seen tropes often enough to determine herself if he'll come back.
>>
>>3835484
She is good enough to take a guess on their pose without looking back. I think she is pretty genre savy. She also knows that the MC will eventualy defeat the evil corporation in the end, so leaving him alive would be a good middle finger for Aegis.
>>
>>3835385
Well, sucks for him, but, you’re seeing a much bigger moth you need to burn. Fortunately, with all its attention on Kei, that means it’s got none to spare for you.

Which for you is just grand, as you deactivate your respirator again. You can charge in peace for a bit. There’s a strange yet not quite awkward moment where everyone’s either charging or recovering, and honestly that makes you inwardly chuckle for a second.

Seems like some folks just can’t resist dramatics sometimes. And damn you, you’re included in that.

The creature finishes glowing, just as you’re almost done yourself- although suddenly, Kei lets out a massive battlecry as he suddenly lunges forward. There’s a warbling of some sort that you can only presume is its response, and its entire wing span sparks once, then lets loose a torrent of Seither energy in a pair of directed beams. There’s a brilliant light on impact that sustains itself for several seconds as the energy spills out…

And you decide to add your own into the mix. “NEBULAAAAAA-!”

...what, not like anyone’s around to hear.

“-BUSTER!” The massive, purplish beam rips through the air, and slams into the creature almost comically stopping its attack; the force is immense enough ripping a SECOND hole in the mountainside alongside the first- the rockface makes a neat pair of holes as the creature is shot off like a rocket into the Seither-filled air outside. After it’s cleared a fair bit of distance (a mile at least, you think, off into the distance) you see the sphere form of it start to take shape- although to your surprise, it’s...not just purple, it’s a LOT of purple. Almost like a vacuum, suddenly, you feel the air in the room clear little by little, less of that good feeling coursing through you, and you can see small wisps of the condensed Seither air flowing into the crushing sphere itself; though jetstreams all directed to the mana in a massive feedback loop.

Actually...yeah, that’s a lot bigger than you’d fired off…

...it’s still growing. What, is it actually feeding on the- oh SHIT.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit.

“PRIMA, JAGO, TAKE COVER, NOW!” You yell into the Murmur Stone, heedless of otherwise as you haul ass back into the corridor, taking one last glance at the perfectly crystalline-looking violet orb

Anyone outside is gonna feel this one.

>Roll 3d20, best of three.
>>
>>3835490
>the MC will eventualy defeat the evil corporation in the end, so leaving him alive would be a good middle finger for Aegis.
When you put it that way, leaving them alive is fine.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>3835539
God I hope the walker is okay from the explosion.
>>
Rolled 15, 20, 15 = 50 (3d20)

>>3835539
Oh shit!
>>
Rolled 17, 6, 14 = 37 (3d20)

>>3835545
Wrong dice.
>>
Rolled 18, 20, 2 = 40 (3d20)

>>3835539
>>
Rolled 12, 14, 12 = 38 (3d20)

>>3835539
SPIRIT BOMB!
>>
>>3835539
Avos on comms: WHAT THE FUCK
Lane: Uh, Not me.
Avos: What do you mean Not you?
Lane: Nothing!
>>
Rolled 5, 6, 8 = 19 (3d20)

>>3835539
>>
>>3835539
AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this Seither version of mana today?! That was incredibly awesome! Now I'm more interested than ever to find out exactly where the source of Seither is and how we can make more of it! The thing is like supercharged-mana!
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>>3835560
Probably should get some of those neat seither crystals...that would be a good thing.
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>>3835564
Its part of the plan, but we haven't had the chance to get close and be alone near a crystal.
>>
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>>3835569
Well depending how intense the explosion is maybe we will get some crystal samples?

Also i'm kinda worried this explosion might damage the Zeon...
>>
>>3835560
>>3835564
>>3835569
Seither crystals will be our precious, and we will become a drug dealer to our team.
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>>3835579
>and we will become a drug dealer to our team.
Think bigger. we could be the drug dealer of all the outgoers!
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>>3835581
Time to cook
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>>3835585
>>3835581
These crystals can open up a business opportunity for Sal, strong and powerful crystals that we have a monopoly over. And being hyper capitalists this would be an easy decision for Sal to set up shop here. Think of the plot hooks, protecting our stash from competition, wiping out natives, spring cleaning the xenos, and looking over stat sheets. We have truly expanded our horizons.
>>
Well one good thing about all of this? At least the transpirt ship we found will be easier to acess, and hopefully the explosion will clean up the corpses, although i think ot was buried? So at least we can grab it with Zeon and Buzz off.
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>>3835539
Quick, fire a second Nebula Blast to burn the seither faster than it can expand! It works with burning out fires.

>https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jC9AUR-iTo0
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>>3835692
To busy taking cover. Also i doubt the girl will survice this explosion. At least we aren't directly responsible for her death.
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>>3835692
You know, that gives me an idea to 'save' this world from Seither. By unleashing Nebula busters repeatedly in every place with heavy Seither contamination, we could clear out all Seither with how the technique can apparently suck in and converts the surrounding Seither into the spell.

Or blow the planet I guess.
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>>3835539
"So Lionheart found and detonated a bomb, thankfully I escaped"
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>>3835717
>"Yeah it was a bomb that a alien guy was arming, dunno why he was doing it the Lion kids tottaly killed him and then tried to mess with the tech but then everything just exploded. Found a nice ship though..."
>>
>>3835539
>>3835548
>>3835551
>>3835552
You’re not exactly one to panic in most situations that you’ve caused- namely because if you’ve caused them, you’ve usually got a decent idea of what’s going to happen as a result.

This is not one of those times. Not that you’re going to tell anyone. You’re STILL running as the detonation goes off- and you’re immediately thrown off your feet and headfirst into a wall into one of the abandoned mutant’s rooms as you hear the collapse of several walls and floors from the sheer kinetic force of the eruption. It’s all you can do on instinct to throw up a Great Barrier as several tons of rock rain down around you- and on you.

For a solid minute, there’s nothing but the grinding noise of granite and steel bending, breaking, and crushing your surroundings, and you won’t lie, you’re breathing hard and more than a bit nervous. The seither in the air SERIOUSLY amplified your already amped up Nebula Buster waaaaaay more than you’d anticipated- honestly, you’d be surprised if anything outside survived within a several mile radius. You’d aimed it as far away as possible, true, but...fat lot of good that did.

...shit, are Prima and Jago okay? Is the fucking Zeon okay? Fucking hell.

Eventually, though, it stops. Finally. All you can really see is rock, though. You can break through this, hopefully, but it’ll be annoying. Considering your location, you don’t think you’re buried TOO deep. Just...what else happened up there?

“...miss!? MISS MIRANDA?!” Huh? Oh. Oh, that’s a damn good sign. “Are you okay? Please respond, PLEASE!”

Sighing, you pull out your Stone. “I’m here. I’m...alive. Mostly healthy. A bit buried under rubble, though. Status on you all?”

“We’re in acceptable condition,” Prima says in relief. “As is the Zeon. Jago is...resting, briefly. I have taken manual control of the Zeon. We...well, we have ascertained that it is indeed possible for us to pilot the craft naturally. It was a very...very strange experience.”

“Oh. Good to know.” You let out a breath at that. You’re alive, they’re alive, and your paycheck is still possible.

“We also are rather certain we’ve deduced the craft’s top possible speed.” Prima continues with a nervous giggle. “As it happens, it is quite capable of breaking the sound barrier in a straight line when all possible energy is routed to only engine and vital operational systems.”

(cont.)
>>
>>3835731
You can’t help but snort at that. “Also good to know. Alright, I need to get out of here. Is it possible for you to come back and pick me up?”

“Yes. I believe so,” she says. “However, we will have to travel at a lower than average speed,” she admits.

“Fine with me,” you agree. Not like you had much of anything else to do…

“Please stay safe. We’ll notify you if anything occurs. We anticipate interference by both allies and opponents soon, so we’ll try to hurry!”

“If ya die ‘afore we get there I’m gonna be pissed!” Jago says right before the communication ends.

Sighing, you look up at the scene. “Right, then…”

>Continue with Miranda? (Timeskip)
>Switch to Prima.
>>
>>3835733
>Switch to Prima!
Oh yeah, it's been a while!
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>>3835733
>Switch to Prima.
>>
>>3835733
>Switch to Prima.
Assuming direct control.
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>>3835733
Although I am interested in the PoV swap and dealing with Miranda instead of being Miranda, this implies Prima will be doing things between contacting Miranda and rescuing Miranda that are not involved with getting back and rescuing Miranda, and that feels like a bit sassy.
I sure hope nobody has erected a perimeter and chosen to sit directly atop Miranda's rubble pile
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>>3835733
>Switch to Prima.

>>3835758
More likely Prima will have to deal with anyone comming to check the explosion and having to explaing to who ever sends a message to Zeon what the hell happend to cause said explosion.
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>>3835765
>Aegis: WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?!
>Swan: I have no idea but it has something to do with the site we were investigating.
>Aegis: IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE MADE A NUKE OUT OF SEITHER!
>Swan: We are currently trying to regroup and assess the situation.
>Aegis: What do you mean a-*Swan cuts off the connection.*
>Swan: I hope Miranda can explain this away
>>
I wonder if Zeon will end up developing a soul like Prima and Jago because of the two setient A.I. being able to manipulate it.

Getting some ghost in the shell vibes.
>>
>Adjusting visual viewpoint....
>Rerouting audio intake source...
>Shifting logic matrices...
>Checking auxiliary power output levels...
>...levels at acceptable conditions.
>Connection to Prima.exe confirmed.
>Executing.

That is to say, writing.
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>>3835776
"I swear i had nothing to do with it it was the aliens i tell you!! They had another mutated thing that started to gather seither after the lionheart kids killed him."
>>
Guys, we fired a buster and immediately erected a barrier afterward and we're not even winded.

This Seither thing IS the key to push Miranda into A/A+ tier ranking when the time comes, we must capitalize on it.
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>>3835787
So...who is playing the AICA while the other pilots? Or did they manage to somehow create a one seat Walker?
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>>3835790
Oh yeah, I legit forgot to post remaining mana levels for all that.

>Miranda's Current Mana: 7000/12500
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>>3835790
Probably could take it and have Owlia make a upgraded Seither mana crystal to boost our girl. Hopefully without the after effects.
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>>3835794
>We can still fire one more Buster


Quick grab some seither crystals!!
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>>3835790
As long As Randa has reserves, she doesn't tend to get winded when using spells. It's the reserve capacity that's the issue. The issue is the Seither in all it's forms in a consumable. Whatever we take will be a discrete supply.
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>>3835794
Heyyy, my whinning about using the Meditation Room paid off! And we'd still have this bonus for the next job too!
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>>3835790
Just FYI, being A/A+ doesn't depend on its entirety on the mana pool. Passing the test is the important thing.
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>>3835794
Hey, the seither-powered machines around here; where do they get seither from? If it's from the air, that means some element of the machine is a collector/condenser, right? We should experiment with one. If it can convert normal mana to seither, we could buy/steal one to get an infinite (if slow) supply of the stuff.
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>>3835790
Plus, I feel like consumable munching is something you do when you're at the height of your power, you gotta save those elixirs and max potions until you're level 999 right?
Miranda is still slowly improving, and she's avoided being a junkie for so long. If she suddenly gets hooked on Seither and runs out, because she's functionally immortal and things like this tend to be finite, it'll set her so far back.
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>>3835817
Spoken like a true hoarder - way to miss the point of consumables. A prayer for all the unused potions that filled your inventory.
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>>3835826
Hoarding isn't uncommon, but anon has a good point here
>he's avoided being a junkie for so long. If she suddenly gets hooked on Seither and runs out,...it'll set her so far back.

Unless we can get a method of creating the stuff in high volume, we'll have to treat it as a rare boost instead of a permanent buff.
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>>3835848
Just bring a seither crystal for Owlia and Cylica as well as a scan from the alien machine that caused the planet to create/generate seither. Problem solved.
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>>3835817
Well damn, if you put it that way then it's rather important to not get too hooked on it. I mean we have an prim and proper Magical Girl image to keep.

And I doubt any of Miranda's idols would want to associate with her when she's high on mana coke 24/7.
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>>3835848
I'll never forget that anon who proposed this ridiculous idea that Randa should puff Seither gas and snort crystals...
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>>3835733
Oh goodness. This has proven to be a most distressing situation.

You feel you have gotten a very accurate definition of what the emotion ‘distress’ is in recent time. You don’t like it. At all.

There are a great many other emotions you enjoy far more than this one. So far, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks of truly feeling emotions, but you may have to reassess slightly in future endeavors. However, Ms. Miranda is certainly in need of your help, and that is something you have always been engaged in, regardless of your new sense of self or not.

You do realize, at this time, that you neglected to call her by her self-given pseudonym, however- would she be angry at that? Then again, she didn’t call you by yours, either, but you don’t think that the order is rescinded, at least. She sounded panicked, and panic can cause you to ignore logic, as you’ve observed in yourself and others.

So, right now you need to get your logic together, and- oh, right.

“Falcon, are you...good?” That’s the term for ‘at acceptable operating capacity’, right? Yes, you’re pretty sure it is according to your databanks.

“Hm?” Oh, were his audio processors damaged? Perhaps- “Yeah, I’m good.” He shakes his head, perhaps to realign something. It wouldn’t be the first time it was necessary. “Jus’ a bit frazzled up top. Bloody ‘ell, that was a fright.”

“It was,” you agree. “However, we must continue. We have-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You strap in, I’ll set everythin’ up.” Ah, he’s going over to the AICA position. That’s good.

You had to busy yourself with redirecting as much power to the engines as possible while he was in the driver’s seat, directing during the flight from the explosion. Judging from the choice of duty, he might consider the AICA position easier. Interesting.

As you manage to get all your systems connected, you feel a strange...pull, suddenly, as all the systems of the shell are engaged. “All set here,” Jago says from besides you. Excellent. Nowww...ohhhhhh dear.

You feel not just a pull, but a near total sinking and syncing of systems as your own interface with its, and your internal vision blinks, shifts…

...oh dear. You’re rather tall. It appears as though your control is direct feed and response? Much like if you were in a different shell…

‘Oy, you alright over there?’ Hm? Jago? ‘Yeah, s’me. Wild, innit? Still can’t hold onta everythin’ yourself, I don’t think. Processors ain’t quite that fast ta handle two bodies at once. So I’ll keep ya in fightin’ shape, you just get movin’ and get our girl outta that mess she’s gotten ‘erself into.’

Ah. Sensible. “Understood.” Oh- your voice is quite deeper. Should that also be distressing?

...if so, you choose to ignore it. Now, to get to Ms. Miranda!

(cont.)
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>>3835856
If we're lucky. This stuff is great for magic users, which are abundant in the Intersection, yet Randa has never mentioned something like this before. If it was that easy to make, someone back home would be selling it already.

>>3835864
Being a junkie is bad anon. It has nothing to do with image.
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>>3835874

It’s exactly 18 minutes, 4 seconds, and .38 milliseconds later that you get an audio call. “Attention, this is Crane on the emergency communications channel. We registered an utterly massive spike of Seither on our equipment- which was disabled for some time due to the explosive backlash. All units have been sent to investigate. Inquiring as to the status of the mech, and due to current indicated location and perceived source of explosion, are inquiring as to the cause. Please respond.”

...oh dear. If you recall, AICAs were not capable of piloting Walker craft themselves. That said, if you were simply the former you, you’d report the situation as accurately as possible without embellishment or omittance. As you are now, however...you can...what was the phrase Ms. Lorelei liked to use?

Ah, yes. ‘Garnish the truth.’ Although the word ‘lying’ was more succinct, she insisted that the phrase had better connotation amongst individuals who had a sense of taste. But would it be best here?

>Stick to just the facts that you know, and nothing else to prevent misunderstandings. Just in case.
>You could perhaps attempt to use what you can infer about the situation to adjust their opinions on Miranda…
>Perhaps claiming total ignorance of the situation at hand would be best? You would rather not frustrate them or otherwise.
>In order to avoid revealing too much or too little about your current situation, perhaps it would be best to remain silent…?
>Other
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>>3835879
>You could perhaps attempt to use what you can infer about the situation to adjust their opinions on Miranda…
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>>3835874
>Prima is a giant now.

This amuses me...
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>>3835879
>Stick to just the facts that you know, and nothing else to prevent misunderstandings. Just in case.
We are just a bot nothing to question here.
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>>3835879

>Other Prompt 'Falcon' to respond, as "Lane" is busy piloting.
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>>3835879
>>Perhaps claiming total ignorance of the situation at hand would be best? You would rather not frustrate them or otherwise.
While they know we have "personality modules" installed, acting in a complex manor might make them more suspicious of us.
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>>3835879
>Perhaps claiming total ignorance of the situation at hand would be best? You would rather not frustrate them or otherwise.
>"Moving in to investigate."
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>>3835879
>Perhaps claiming total ignorance of the situation at hand would be best? You would rather not frustrate them or otherwise.

Just say we are ignorant of the situation at hand and we also won't be revealling we are piloting the Zeon without Miranda. Don't give then nothing they can use or that might raise their want in keeping the robots or Randa as a experiment.
>>
uh... what if we destroyed the thing we're looking for?

>>3835879
>Perhaps claiming total ignorance of the situation at hand would be best? You would rather not frustrate them or otherwise.
Just say "I don't know" then say "we're going to investigate". Prima gotta go and get back Miranda before they get any questions going!
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>>3835928
Hopefully it is buried under the rubble. But yeah it will be a bloodbath to recover the device.
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>>3835928
Dount that Handler would end game ot like that. But if that indeed happend we can always offer the Space ship we tottaly found while investigating the explosion location.
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>>3835937
I mean the woman from Aegis said that the area was covered in seither right? Now with some of it cleared at least this area is safe enough to move some people. Although the sudden explosion might have effected the winds and pushed bigger concetrations of seither winds toward the other locations.
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>>3835928
>>3835928
Supporting.
Fuck it, they know prima&jago are special already.
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>>3835928
>uh... what if we destroyed the thing we're looking for?
Shut your whore mouth.
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>>3835879
>Other

Send static in bursts that make it sound like our comms are damaged/impeded.
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>>3835955
Maybe that sphere thing that looked inactive as the kid said was the device?
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>>3835942
He's let us dig our own grave before; see how close we came to failing the "villain for MGs" job for one example. Failing a job hurts our pride and wallet, but there's no other risk. So any plot armor is much thinner than you might expect.
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>>3835879
>>3835928
I change vote to make static noises instead or what >>3835959 said.
Less questions answered and less time wasting.
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>>3835959
>>3835972
Could it be also possible to add warbled audios of miranda talking to us as well? That would make it more believable.
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>>3835879
>>Perhaps claiming total ignorance of the situation at hand would be best? You would rather not frustrate them or otherwise.
>>3835959
Combined. Basically only give short replies with static sounds to make it seems like comms are damaged or something. Believable too since there was the huge Seither explosion.
>>
We haven't had a +1000 posts thread in forever. Can't say I'm not proud.
>>
Stopping for tonight, but it seems like static noises is the given option. Despite what I said earlier, I'll probably continue on this thread tomorrow.
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>>3836028
>>3836003
Good night. 1k plus thread, we have reached the holy grail.
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>>3836028
>static noises
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>>3837134
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5FDfrNcqEx8
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>>3837134
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>>3847549



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