>>1715506

“Hey, Miho...” Ayane murmurs to you, taking your arm and leading you a few paces away from the others, “Doesn't this place look like that... thing we saw?”

“That mural beneath the Necropolis,” you reply with a nod, “Right, it's just like that. It's... look on the bright side, at least it's not-” Cutting yourself short here, before Zakuro's name reaches your lips, you just finish your sentence with a shrug. “Then we've got a bit of advance warning,” you tell her instead, “Keep an eye on the skies, we might be dealing with some kind of bird... thing.”

“Great,” she laughs, gesturing around at the expanse around you, “But where is the damn thing?”

-

With no immediate danger, the others have started to make their own preparations. Maika sets down her heavy bag, unzipping it and assembling the contents with cool efficiency. Soon, the drone – a familiar, enchanted with a portion of her own magic – is ready for use. Jun sits a few paces away, his eyes closed as though he was a monk practising his meditation. As you watch, he touches a hand to his temple and a soft glow blooms behind his eyelids.

“Shaw?” he murmurs to himself, “Yes, we're here. No sign of the target yet. Reduce the portal dilation to minimum safe levels, but keep the link open. I don't want us getting cut off.” Pausing a moment to listen to some silent reply, he nods slowly. “Thank you, that's excellent,” he adds, “We should be finished here soon enough. Have Crow stand by, just in case we need reinforcements.”

“You can stay in contact with the real world,” you remark as Jun opens his eyes, “That's... useful. Last time we faced a Tyrant, we had some issues with that.”

“Shaw isn't much of a fighter, but she's incredibly talented with regards to communication,” he replies, still sounding faintly distracted, “Additionally, our abilities are derived from the Intruders. That may explain why we have an easier time of it. Either way, I'll take every advantage we can get our hands on.” Rising to his feet, Jun brushes loose blades of grass off his clothes. “A strange place, this,” he murmurs to himself, “I'd almost call it pleasant, if not for the...”

“All the spooky crucifixes, yeah,” you agree, “They do kinda ruin things.”

“Miho, Jun, got some good news,” Ayane cuts in, her hunting hound padding alongside her as she approaches, “We're safe for now, no sign of any Intruders. If there was anything around here, Kohryu here would have sniffed it out.” She pats her dog, giving you both an optimistic smile. “Maybe it heard us coming and ran away,” she suggests, “But, uh, what now?”

Turning your eyes to the horizon, you see – out of the lifting mist – the eerily familiar silhouette of a bell tower.

[2/3]

File: Jun Kiriyama.jpg (171 KB, 850x1203)

171 KB JPG

>>1715507

“Jun, we're going to check out that tower,” you tell the Sentinel, “You coming?”

“I think it's best that we stay together as much as possible,” Jun agrees, nodding, “While we can, at least. Things might get a little more hectic once the target reveals itself. Speaking of that, do you often have trouble finding them like this?”

“The other Tyrant we fought, it seemed content to hide in its lair until we went out and found it for ourselves,” you recall, glancing up at the empty, milk-coloured sky, “Although I'm not sure how that helps here...”

“Well, perhaps we'll find more answers in that tower. I'm sure where else we could look,” sighing slightly, Jun toys with the cuff of his shirt, “Shall we get a move on?”

Hesitating a moment, you glance around at the others. It comes as something of a surprise, but... they seem to be getting along fine. Emi and Karl are involved in a hushed, but civil, conversation, while Tanaka puts the moves on a rather unimpressed Kasumi. It might not be the picture of glowing friendship, but everyone seems willing to cooperate. When the situation demands it, you're glad to see that they can all put aside their differences and work together.

>Right, let's go
>You said something about reinforcements earlier. What kind of numbers are we talking about?
>Tanaka... I don't really know him at all. Is he reliable?
>I've never seen you fight, Jun. What can you do?
>Before we head off... (Write in)
>Other

>>1715511
>You said something about reinforcements earlier. What kind of numbers are we talking about?

>>1715511
>I've never seen you fight, Jun. What can you do? What can Tanaka do?

>>1715511
>You mentioned reinforcements before?
>What can Tanaka do?
>What can you do?

>>1715511
>>I've never seen you fight, Jun. What can you do?

File: Ayane Nakamura.jpg (150 KB, 900x900)

150 KB JPG

Glancing ahead to the bell tower for a moment, you look back to Jun. “You said something about reinforcements earlier,” you ask him, “What kind of numbers are we talking about?”

“Eight extra men, all in all. Seven Sentinels and Crow, if you want to be entirely accurate,” Jun gestures back to the faintly shimmering portal, “I don't mind telling you, that represents a significant share of our available forces. I shudder to imagine what we'd do if they proved insufficient.” Shaking his head, the man offers you a cool smile. “You're wondering why we didn't bring them with us, correct?” he asks, “Simply put, we try not to commit too many of our forces to any one task. If disaster should strike, we'd rather keep our loses to a minimum.”

“But disaster won't strike,” you point out, “Right?”

“Well, we all hope so!” stepping a little closer, Jun lowers his voice, “But we can never be certain, can we? Especially when we're dealing with matters such as these. One never knows when something new and unseen might make an appearance!”

“Uh, yeah,” nodding weakly, you shield your eyes and glance up into the sky. Utterly calm and placid, but in a way that is anything but reassuring. “Speaking of unseen things, I don't think I've ever actually seen you fight,” you wonder aloud, “What sort of stuff can you do, Jun?”

“Ah, well, I like to think that I'm more suited to the information side of things. Communication, planning, negotiations...” wincing faintly, Jun strides off ahead, “Actually, I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but I'm rather out of practice when it comes to combat. I never did learn to focus my powers like, say, Karl can. That's why I try to avoid using them whenever necessary. Things can get... messy.”

“Messy?” repeating the word to yourself, you try and imagine what he could mean.

“Tell me,” Tanaka announces, butting into the conversation and patting you on the shoulder, “Have you ever seen a grenade going off? No? A bomb, then, or perhaps a missile?”

“You exaggerate,” Jun grumbles, frowning in faint exasperation , “I prefer to think of it as a means of crowd control. I don't recall you complaining, Ryuu, when I scattered that swarm of... no matter, that's all ancient history now.”

“Hey, I want to hear about this!” Ayane chuckles, “You can't just talk about swarms of things and leave us without the details, c'mon!”

“Well then, I'll tell you the story later – when we all get out of here, safe and well,” Jun counters, “How does that sound?”

“Sounds like a deal to me,” nodding to herself, Ayane reaches down to pat her hound. Considering that she only met Jun fairly recently – in person, at least – the two seem to be getting on well. Better than you might have expected, perhaps.

[1/2]

File: Ryuu Tanaka.jpg (74 KB, 450x653)

74 KB JPG

>>1715549

“What about you, Tanaka?” you ask, looking across to the tanned man. His shirt is open at the neck and untucked at the waist, the cloth fluttering around a weapon belt. “Is that a sword you've got?” you add, pointing to a slender scabbard, “What can you do with it?”

“This is no mere sword,” he corrects you with a lazy smile, “This blade has been passed down through my family for generations.” Unfastening it, he raises the scabbard and grips the sword's handle. “The day my father died, he passed it down to me with his dying words,” Tanaka grins, “He said... “Don't you dare sell this for booze money”. Wise words, wouldn't you say?” Then, with a flourish, he draws the blade.

...About three inches of it, the rest broken away to leave a splintered end.

“For all your fine talk, that's all you've got to show for yourself?” Kasumi points out, covering up a delicate laugh with her hand, “I should have known. I've met men like you before.”

“No, Miss Sato, I think you're mistaken there,” Tanaka counters, winking as he slides his blade back into the scabbard.

-

“Wait,” Karl snaps, holding up a clenched fist as you emerge at the edge of a clearing, “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” you reply, slipping around a crooked crucifix to glance around at the empty grassland. The tower is closer now, rising high above you. Straining your ears, you don't hear anything at first... until you catch a faint sound in the distance. A slow, rhythmic throbbing, almost like a vast heartbeat. Turning your eyes to the sky, you see something off in the distance – a black shape against the milky sky, but nothing like what you had been expecting. No wings – or, indeed, anything that suggests definite shape. For now, it has no more form than a random blot on the landscape.

But one thing is certain – it's approaching, and quickly.

“Get ready!” the haughty man shouts, golden light flaring as he summons an antique rifle, “Here it comes!”

A shadow passes overhead, throwing you into temporary blackness. Staring up at the sky, you hear a gasp falling from your lips. The Tyrant is no bird at all, closer in form to some vast manta ray. Gliding overhead with an unhurried grace, it offers you a fleeting glimpse of its underside – a single giant eye rolling madly from the centre of the Intruder's body. Karl and Maika both raise their rifles to follow its path, but neither of them fires.

“Okay, so this might sound like a dumb question,” Ayane announces suddenly, watching the Intruder fly overhead, “But what the hell are we supposed to do? That thing didn't even notice us!”

>Maika, take a shot at it. That'll get its attention
>Maybe that tower has a bell. If we ring it, we might get it to notice us
>Other

>>1715564
>Maybe that tower has a bell. If we ring it, we might get it to notice us

Let's set an ambush. Ring the bell, hide as best we can, wait til it comes over to investigate and hit it with everything before it realizes we are there. Start this fight off on the right foot. Hopefully.

>>1715564
I'll support. >>1715568

>>1715564
Sounds good >>1715568

>>1715568
>>1715564
This, plus "Did anyone bring explosives"?

I wonder if Maika would be willing to make suicide drone bombs that fly into the tyrants.

>>1715581
I think Jun's power is some sort of explosive.

>>1715564
I wonder if Emi can launch us in the air, or vice versa.

Shockwave from above it, where it doesn't expect to get hit, then flamethrower, or a good old heavy blade dragging it to the ground.

File: Skill_Warrior_Catapult_Blade.gif (3.09 MB, 320x150)

3.09 MB GIF

>>1715585

“Okay folks, I've got a plan,” you tell the others, “If that tower has a bell in it – and I'm pretty sure it will – we might be able to get its attention by ringing it. We set up an ambush, hiding as best we can to hit it when it moves in to investigate.”

“And what if it doesn't investigate?” Jun counters, sounding more encouraging than argumentative, “What if, say, it has no more intelligence than a beast, and ignore the ringing?”

“Then we're back to square one, but we've not exactly lost anything,” you point out, “We'll learn a little more about what makes it tick, then we can revise our plans accordingly. Or... something like that. Cut me some slack here, I'm making this up as I go along.”

“No, I think this might work,” Karl agrees slowly, “Even if all we can do is get it a little lower down, our shots will have a greater effect. If we hit it hard enough, we might be able to force it down to the ground. Looking at it... it seems as though it would be easy prey once grounded. So, I'll support this plan. Tell me where you want me, Miho.”

Of all the responses you had been expecting from Karl, this kind of support was fairly low down on the list. You're not complaining, of course, but you do wonder... is he going to expect something in return for this?

“Okay, uh, if you guys hide amongst those crosses, I'll go to the tower and ring the bell,” you decide, “You shoot it when it gets low, then everyone else piles on as best we can. Okay?”

“Do we have a backup plan?” Kasumi asks, “I don't mean to imply that we'll fail, but...”

“No, you've got a point,” thinking for a moment, you glance at Emi, “You think you could throw me up with that sword of yours? If I could get above the thing, maybe a Shockwave could drive it down.”

“It would need to be low down already...” Emi scowls as she thinks, “But yeah, it could work. Better than no backup, at least.”

-

If there is one minor amendment to the plan, it's that Jun decides to stick with you, rather than waiting in the thicket with the others. Best that nobody goes anywhere alone, he says, and besides...

“I'm rather curious about this tower,” he mentions, a strangely boyish light entering his eyes, “Depending on how things go, we might not get the chance to properly study it. I'd rather take a little look around while we can. I hope you don't mind – I wouldn't be much use down there on the firing line, in either case.”

You get the impression that he'd come with you no matter what you said. Shrugging a little, you hunch down low and hurry across the open ground towards the tower. In the sky above, the Tyrant continues its leisurely flight – just as Ayane said, it doesn't even seem to notice that you exist. As you reach the empty doorway to the tower, you feel a faint pang of uncertainty – is this thing really the threat that you thought it was?

[1/2]

>>1715597
time to find hundreds of eviscerated people in the tower

>>1715597
Are we sure that's the Tyrant?

>>1715597

The first thing you notice, upon entering the tower, is how empty it is. There's nothing to see except a staircase leading upwards. The steps are just slightly too large to be built on a perfect human scale, but that's the only abnormality you notice. It's just... blank.

Inside the tower, Jun pauses and touches a hand to his temple. “Yes? This really isn't a good time...” he mutters in response to some unheard voice, “What? I see...” Trailing off, he opens his eyes and glances – too casually – across at you. “We'll deal with that later,” he decides, looking quickly away from you, “There's nothing we can do about that now. We've located the target, so let's keep needless communications to a minimum, alright?”

“Problem?” you ask as the faint gold light fades from his eyes.

“Nothing we need concern ourselves with now,” Jun shakes his head, “Shaw is, perhaps, a little too good at communication. Loose lips sink ships and all that. Now then, where were we?”

The bell, of course.

-

It's always nice to be proven right, and the sight of a tarnished iron bell hanging at the peak of the tower sends a warm rush of satisfaction through your body. It might not be much, but these days you take whatever satisfaction you can get. A wind blows through the tower, sending your scarf fluttering wildly and tossing your hair into disarray, but you barely notice such trifling matters. No, your attention is fixed on the Tyrant circling overhead. From here, you can make out more details – the meaty texture of its underside, complete with countless lashing tendrils, and the lack of anything that suggests it could land. Then again, it has nothing that suggests it should be able to fly either, so...

“Careful about your ears,” you warn Jun, “This is going to be loud.”

As Jun obligingly covers his ears, you summon your gauntlets and draw back to strike the bell. Bracing yourself for the worst, you bring your fist down and slam it against the decaying iron, the blow sending out an awful, hollow chime. As the bell rings out, you gaze up to the sky and watch the Tyrant for any reaction. At first, it doesn't seem as though anything has changed, but then it cuts its slow circling path short and begins to dip lower in the sky. Lower and lower it dives, a sonorous groaning filling the air as it lets out a mournful reply to the bell's chime.

Lower still, and then a pair of lights slam into it. One is a short punch of golden light, a magical bullet from Karl's rifle, while the other is a long lance of white that rips along the creature's underside. Black blood spills out of that fleshy underbelly as it bucks in the air, the graceful descent turned into something far less dignified. Listing awkwardly, it slides down through the air.

Right towards the bell tower.

[2/3]

>>1715631
Maika, you know that white lasers don't exist, right? Fix your combat form at once!

>>1715631

You turn to run, to dive for the stairs before impact, but a sudden burst of speed from the Intruder cuts your plan short. Like a great bat coming in to roost, the Tyrant slams against the tower and folds its greasy body around the structure. The impact throws you from your feet, Jun's cry of alarm just barely reaching your ears over the background roar. All light is snuffed out, and the air takes on a stifling stagnancy, the foulness of the thing's body pressing in around you.

Then, a light – a golden light that reveals things perhaps better off unrevealed. Loathsome tentacles wave and grope from the Tyrant's body, while that lone, maddened eye fills one side of the tower. The light comes from Jun, a ball of glowing energy gathering in his open palm.

“Brace yourself!” he calls out, drawing his hand back to throw the crackling sphere, “I'll try and channel the blast away from us, but...”

You recall Tanaka's words – a hand grenade, a bomb, a missile...

>Don't you dare! Get out of here, I'll handle this!
>Hit it, do it now!
>Forget it, we're getting out of here!
>Other

>>1715639
>Hit it, do it now!

Our Emotional Barrier should hold up. It's wrapped around us, so this will hurt the Intruder a lot more.

>>1715639
>Don't you dare! Get out of here, I'll handle this!
We might tough it out, but Jun is another matter.
>Burn the eye
>Prepare to dodge the tentacles
>Try not to recall all the hentai we've ever seen.

>>1715639
Are we strong enough to carry a full grown man Moloch?

>>1715659

>We are, yes. We've got pretty good strength, and Jun isn't a particularly heavy guy. So, we could carry him easily enough if need be.

>>1715639
>Hit it, do it now!
>Wrap up and knuckle down, but be ready to follow up with Shockwave

>>1715663
>>1715639
We could let him throw and as soon as he releases we grab him and scale the tower down, using the gauntlet to slow our decent. If it's completely wrapped around scale down the from the inside using the stairwell as platforms.

>>1715639
Or we can just Flawless Block in front of Jun as he throws to mitigate damage to us and him. Which ever works best.

“Hit it, do it now!” you shout to him, “Don't worry about-”

Before you can finish that sentence, Jun hurls the crackling orb at the Tyrant's bulging eye. In the split second before it hits home, you lunge forwards to shield Jun with your own body, crossing your arms in anticipation. As you do, you realise your error – it wasn't just some simple orb that Jun threw, but something altogether more sculpted. A blooming rose of golden light, both beautiful and deadly.

What a show-off.

The explosion that follows is not quite light or heat or anything like that, but something that crackles across your skin like an electrical discharge. Easily as loud as the bell's chime, and perhaps louder, it sends your senses reeling just from the backlash of it. The whole tower seems to shake, and the stink of burning blood hammers down on your senses. Even after the initial blast, dancing motes of light remain to reveal the horrific damage left behind. The eye – a blasted, ruptured mess. The tentacles – almost universally burned to stumps. Even the fleshy body itself looks cooked, cracking and flaking off in strips... but still, the Tyrant clings to the tower.

Within the shattered remains of that eye, you see something beginning to move. The first flourishes of a terrible regeneration, perhaps? Whatever it is, Jun doesn't seem like he's in any condition to throw another attack. He lies slumped beside you, dazed and bleeding from the nose, but otherwise alive. Before you can get an assessment of your own condition, a shudder runs through the burned Tyrant, new tentacles worming their way through the blackened ruin. Rising to your feet, you shake off the lingering effects of the blast and bring your palms clashing together.

An explosion of your own, a wall of pure force, blasts out and strikes the Tyrant, finally prying it loose and sending its body tumbling down. It seems to float rather than fall, as if sinking through deep water.

“C'mon hotshot,” you mutter to Jun, as you hoist him up onto one shoulder, “We're not finished yet. It's never that easy with these guys...”

-

Slowly descending the tower – these oversized stairs are a lot harder to descend than they were to ascend, especially with a delirious man hanging off your shoulder – you keep an ear out for any sounds of battle from below. An eerie silence hangs over the area, somehow even more worrying than any sound of conflict or chaos. The smell of cooked flesh – seafood, it reminds you of seafood – reaches you as you arrive at the bottom, carefully setting Jun down as you emerge.

The rest of your group has gathered around the massive corpse, studying it with awed eyes. It certainly looks dead, but...

A shudder runs through the corpse.

[1/2]

>>1715696
DOUBLE TAP YOU FUCKERS

>>1715696
confirm the kill you dumbasses, don't just go up and gawk at the damn thing

>>1715708
>>1715715
No one wants to be the weirdo who ends up mutilating an already dead body anons.

>>1715715
>>1715708
We all knew there was going to be more forms.

>>1715718
Karl did give us that advice the last time we fought though. Now he's gawking like the rest of us.

>>1715726
that was his intro episode, poor man is now showing the first signs of the eternal jobber

>>1715726
Yea that is true. What a hypocrite. We should call him out on it.

>>1715696

Heaving and shuddering, the fallen Tyrant bloats like a woman passing, in a matter of seconds, through nine months of pregnancy. The ruin of the eye swells and ruptures, a filmy sac splitting apart to reveal a new and horrific form. Borne aloft by four segmented, arachnid legs, the upper half of the Tyrant has, at least, a passing similarity to a human. Above a withered pair of human arms, a more muscular pair end in thick bone blades. The face, with taut skin pulled over an eyeless blank, gnashes with a mouth of broken teeth.

Then it lunges, springing free from the fleshy ruin with more agility than you thought possible. Raising one blade like a spear, it hurls itself towards you.

And then... it stops. Everything stops, and the world flashes to greyscale. When you try to blink away your confusion, you find that you can't even more that much. Your first thought is Megumi and her peculiar powers, but the older woman is nowhere to be seen. Your mind whirls, and then a calm voice find you.

“The world is cruel,” the voice murmurs, “So cruel...”

Sitting atop the Tyrant is the vaguest outline of a human figure. Formed from a greasy white glow, the shape casually basks on one of the beast's shoulders. “The gods asked that I lived and died for the sake of mankind, but why?” the figure continues, the fuzzy outline of an arm making a haughty gesture, “So that they might continue to wallow in ignorance and bloodshed? I gave my life for nothing, and now here you are – following that same path.”

“So what?” you think back, your words drifting through the air, “Are you trying to call yourself a victim in all this? An innocent who did no wrong?”

“Innocent? No,” the Tyrant shakes its head slowly, “I would topple the gods from their thrones and see the cities of men reduced to burial grounds. What I ask is, why do you seek to stop me? Do you really think your actions will be appreciated by those you labour to save? Why, then, do you fight to protect your world?”

>Because I live there, you bitch!
>I'm not doing this for appreciation. I'm doing it because it's my duty
>One day, I have faith men will be better. I fight to see those days
>Just shut up. If we're going to fight, I want to get it over with
>Other

>>1715753
"People don't deserve to die just because you feel spiteful."

>>1715753

>Because I live there, you bitch!

It's a lot nicer living in a city than a ruin, or the wilderness.

>>1715753
>Because I like someone other than myself, you egotistical cunt.

>>1715753
>Because I live there, you bitch!
"I don't give a damn about the gods, but I won't let you destroy mankind because you're feeling spiteful. Also for someone who hates the gods you sure act like them. Jumping to genocide cause you don't like how humanity isn't perfect? Sounds familiar."

>One day, I have faith men will be better. I fight to see those days

>>1715753
>Because I live there, you bitch!
From your words you act just like what you hate.

>One day, I have faith men will be better. I fight to see those days

>>1715753
> Pffft. Probably a million better ones than what you have for destroying it.

“Because I live there, you bitch! I live there, I like the people there, I...” you yell, forcing your thoughts out with the intensity of a shout, “You don't get to tear it all down just because you get to feel spiteful! You'd kill people, just for that?”

“Yes,” the Tyrant chuckles, “I would. I would see it all fall into the ruin that men love so dearly. No, I would drag it down with my own hands!”

“For someone who hates the gods, you sure seem to act like them,” you sneer back, “Destroying it all, just because it displeases you? You make me sick. I don't give a damn about the gods, but I have faith in men. One day, men will be better than they are now, and I fight to see those days become a reality!”

“Woe to the frailty of men!” the Tyrant howls back at you, “If you would defend that seething corruption... then let us fight!”

-

Time snaps back into its regular flow, colours rushing back into the world with a blinding, dazzling intensity. The transition is so abrupt that your thoughts are still racing to catch up when the Tyrant strikes. Lashing out with one of those bone swords, it slams into you and throws you back in a welter of lurid red blood. Pain flares through your body, stabbing you all over but centred around your collarbone, and the world seems to turn grey around the edges for a moment – no magic involved, just simple shock.

You land heavily amidst the long grass, bouncing and rolling like a discarded toy. Leaping to your feet almost immediately, you press a hand to your wounded shoulder, feeling two different kinds of warmth – the sickly heat of blood, and the soothing warmth of your flesh knitting back together. All around you, a wall of chaotic noises crashes up against your raw sensations, almost washing away what little sense you had recovered. The sounds of shooting, the crash of blades and wild shouting surround you. Right in the eye of the tornado, the Tyrant hurtles towards you.

Slamming into the Tyrant, a blur of dark fur knocks its charge into a stumble. Ayane's hunting hound, you realise, which means...

“We're in the shit now!” Ayane cries out, grabbing your arm, “Intruders. We've got dozens of them coming in from all around us. Hell if I know where they came from, but-”

“Here, I am a GOD,” the Tyrant screeches at you, the voice piercing your mind rather than your ears, “The dirt will birth my children, again and again until you fail!”

“Not if we kill you first!” you snap back, pointing a bloodied finger at the Tyrant. By your side, Ayane blows a note on her silver whistle, causing her hunting hound to materialise in front of her. Two girls and a dog against a self-proclaimed god.

You've heard of worse odds.

[1/2]

>>1715828
Maybe it's not such a good idea fighting these guys in the Umbra.

>>1715842
It's either this or major collateral damage unless we can force it to appear in some kind of unpopulated wasteland

I kinda forgot what's in Miho's new kit

>>1715868
The most recent 2 were Armor Break and Shockwave.

File: SK3.jpg (110 KB, 586x853)

110 KB JPG

>>1715828

Scuttling like a spider, the Tyrant charges towards you. Blood spurts from one arm as the blade of bone lengthens, growing long enough to cut a furrow through the dirt as its wielder scrabbles towards you. With your shoulder still aching, you don't risk blocking her first charge, sprinting aside and ducking low under a scything blow. Ayane does the same, running around the opposite side as her hound dashes through the stabbing legs.

Your charge almost takes you into the welcoming claws of a newly born Thrall, clods of dirt still clinging to it. It's vaguely spidery, but you don't take the time to study it – rather, you drive a single powerful punch into it that ruptures the thing and sends the corpse flying.

“You prefer to run?” the Tyrant snarls, quickly turning to face you again, “Where is your spirit, girl?”

Scowling hard, you clench your fists and take a fleeting glance at your wounded arm. You can't see any bone shining through, so you're good to go. Or, at least, as close to “good to go” as you're going to get here.

>Block the next charge, then counter attack with Ayane
>Try to draw the Tyrant back to someone else
>Taunt the creature, try to coax it into making a mistake
>Other

>>1715891
>Block the next charge, then counter attack with Ayane

>>1715891
Let's try a Thunderclap right when we are about to impact. The tyrant is charging us, it's going to feel like running into an oncoming 18 wheeler

>>1715891
>Meet the next charge with Shockwave, aiming to trip the Tyrant to the ground, then counterattack.

>>1715891
>Use shockwave to break up the ground and ruin its footing, keep it from skittering around so quickly. Then burn it with Inferno Knuckles.

>>1715891
>tank a hit to get an Armor Break in, and let Ayane deal the damage
>When the tyrant retreats and lets the thralls fall in, Shockwave to clear them out and take stock of our other friends

“That one didn't count!” you yell back, opening up with a gout of flame that creates a blazing wall between you and the Tyrant, “Go ahead, try it again - I'll show you exactly how much spirit I've got!”

Laughing aloud, the maddening sound ringing through your mind, the Tyrant effortlessly leaps through the screen of fire. As nimble as any human gymnast, it launches straight from its landing into a frenzied charge, spiked legs digging into the soil and throwing up great clumps of the stuff. Wherever its feet tread, you see faint tremors stirring the earth – newborn Intruders literally following in their creator's footsteps. Raising your arms in a warding stance, you throw a quick nod to Ayane, warning her to be ready.

“I will not be denied!” the spidery Tyrant shrieks, a new burst of devilish speed leading it to close the gap between you in a matter of seconds. Before impact, you break stance and abandon defence – instead slamming one clenched fist into the ground. The ground shudders beneath you, breaking and sundering up into jagged plumes of rock. What started as a victorious cry ends as a startled wail, the Tyrant suddenly floundering amidst the broken ground. You see its legs going askew, its balance shot, and then you launch up into your counter.

Pouncing from behind, Ayane's hound slams into the Tyrants back, jaws closing around the back of the monster's neck and yanking back. Four arms flail weakly as the Tyrant struggles to dislodge the hound, but you don't give it the chance. Kicking your heels against the broken ground, you leap up.

“Shatter Armour!” you yell, driving an open palm into the Tyrant's expose chest. The blow sends a tremendous shudder running through it, first through the fleshy torso – as though it was no more solid than jelly – and then down the chitinous legs. Hairline cracks spread out along the limbs, bluish flesh peeking through the blackened armour. The injury is accompanied by another scream, this one loud enough to leave you reeling. Behind you, Ayane clutches her head and drops to her knees. Her hound, in sympathy, winks out of existence.

Tearing itself from the splintered ground, the Tyrant barrels past you in search of escape. In passing, it lashes out with one bony blade, but the blow is a wild one and passes easily overhead. Before you can follow, the broken ground spits forth a new crop of Intruders. Mindless brutes, they form up in defence of their master.

Futile defence.

[1/2]

>>1715930
Where is everyone else?

>>1715992
popcorn

>>1715992
Fighting the Intruder swarm.

>>1715930

With a Thunderclap knocking the chittering Intruders back into a harmless daze, you grab Ayane and pull her to her feet. Echoes of that hideous scream still fill your head, ringing like a bell and causing your vision to double, but you shake off the worst of them and drag your friend past the stunned Thralls. Confusion descends as you look about the chaotic scene – how could the Tyrant have vanished?

Most of your allies are easily visible, all fighting their own battles. Emi cleaves through some of the larger Intruders – Demons, likely, rather than mere Thralls – with obvious glee, while Karl guards the entrance to the tower, shooting down any Intruders that get close with Maika by his side. The others, you presume, are taking shelter there. Considering the state you last saw Jun in, it's probably for the best.

Then you see the shattered remnants of a crucifix flying out of the thicket, and realise that the Tyrant has sought refuge amongst the eerie forest. Shelter, or...

“The portal!” Ayane cries suddenly, her eyes wide, “That's the way back to the portal!”

Cursing, you launch into a furious sprint, following the trampled path into the thicket.

-

It's easy enough to follow the Tyrant's trail, with a path of devastation marking wherever it passes. Your world narrows as you race along, all your attention focused on the uneven ground. It would be all too easy to trip here, a broken crucifix snaring your leg and sending you tumbling down, but that failure would be unacceptable here. Your focus is so sharp that you don't notice the blur at the corner of your vision until it calls out to you.

“Miho!” Kasumi calls, “It's this way, I think it must be-”

“Headed for the portal,” you finish for her, “I know!”

Abandoning any further conversation, you spy a clearing ahead – your entrance point, where the portal waits. Any sight of that glowing doorway is hidden behind the Tyrant, the creature's obscene bulk seeming to hang in mid-air as it tries to force its way through. The sight is almost comical, like an adult man trying to squeeze through a pet door.

Kasumi isn't laughing, though. Lashing out, she sends her whip leaping out to snare the Tyrant, its metal coils winding around its neck and tightening as if it was a living thing. With a decidedly unfeminine grunt, Kasumi throws all her weight into pulling back, dragging the Tyrant back down to earth. As it writhes, choking and screeching into your mind, you lunge forwards and tackle it, battering it back down to the ground just as it starts to rise again.

[2/3]

>>1716000

Struggling for a moment, you knock aside the weakening Tyrant and draw back your fist in preparation to smash its head into pulp. Then it... it laughs.

“You are nothing!” the Tyrant spits, “Nothing but a weapon in the hands of uncaring gods. You too will be discarded in time! All of your kind will be thrown aside! Kill me if you must, but do not think this a victory. You merely postpone the-”

Yelling out an incoherent blurt of anger, you drive you fist down and smash it into the Tyrant's face. Again and again, until the monster's face first caves in and then shatters completely. Bubbling, oily blood covers your fist by the time you're finished, while the fallen Tyrant has nothing but a filthy stain left above the neck. Slumping back, you stare up at the milky sky and draw in a ragged breath. Then, you look back to your bloodied fist, slowly opening it.

Resting in your palm is a strangely elegant key, made of silver and engraved with the image of a spider.

Kasumi places a gentle hand on your shoulder, then, and you almost cry out in startled alarm.

>I have to pause here for a little, run a short errand. Next post shouldn't be delayed too much, I hope.

>>1716023
>Yelling out an incoherent blurt of anger, you drive you fist down and smash it into the Tyrant's face. Again and again, until the monster's face first caves in and then shatters completely.
>I'm aiming for a slightly lighter tone for this quest.

>>1716023
>Yelling out an incoherent blurt of anger, you drive you fist down and smash it into the Tyrant's face. Again and again, until the monster's face first caves in and then shatters completely.
>I'm aiming for a slightly lighter tone for this quest.

>>1716000
Kasumi appeared somewhat unexpectedly here. Wasn't she supposed to be hiding in the tower?

>>1716036
We assumed all of them were in there, but Kasumi might've seen what we did.

>>1716023
> If the GodsGods become a threat, we'll face them too.

Obviously an ex MG.

Also. Don't the Sentinels feed by killing other Outsiders?

Finally we're totes keeping the key.

With the death of their master, the remaining Intruders return to the dirt that spawned them, collapsing into piles of dust and scattering on the wind. Kasumi is silent as she walks beside you, accompanying you back to the bell tower, and her expression is unreadable. The veil doesn't help, hiding her eyes from sight, but her lips are fixed in a tiny smile – a smile that could mean any number of things. When you bump into Ayane, the mood lightens a little.

It's hard to be gloomy when that hunting hound of hers is giving you a goofy dog smile. Looking at that dog, a thought occurs.

“Hey, before things kicks off, did I hear you calling your dog something?” you ask her, “Like, a proper name?”

“Oh yeah, I never got the chance to tell you. I figured it out,” Ayane pats her dog on the head, “Kohryu. Cool name, huh?”

“Kohryu... like the recycling plant, right?” you think back, “Where Emi's folks work.”

“Yeah. That was when I really started to pull myself together, it just took me a while to realise at the time. One day, the idea just popped into my head and it... it felt right,” nodding decisively, Ayane gives you a warm smile, “And I guess I've got you to thank for it. Back then, you trusted me when I needed it most. If it hadn't been for that, I don't think I'd be standing here today. I just wish...” She trails off here, a cloud passing over her face.

“What?” you ask her gently, “What do you wish?”

“Oh, it's nothing,” waving off your concern, Ayane gives you a wink, “Let's go check on the others. They'll want to hear the good news, I reckon.”

-

“Hell, this Tyrant shit is intense!” Emi cackles when you return, giving you a cheery wave, “Too intense for our good buddies, I reckon. Soon as that Zerg rush bullshit started, they hauled ass back into the tower. All talk about “defensive value” and “choke points” and... man, they're no fun at all!” Her face falls a little. “Sorry I wasn't able to bring down the big guy. I saw it racing past, but I was ass deep in spiders at the time,” she adds, “I told Kasumi to go after it though, looks like she was able to catch up.”

“I was worried that you wouldn't be able to hold them off alone,” Kasumi giggles a little, tilting her head to the side, “But I really shouldn't have doubted you!”

“Yeah yeah,” shaking her head with a gleeful smile, Emi shrugs, “Let's not get carried away though. No group hugs, okay?”

At her mention of the group, you glance back to the tower. Jun is well enough to walk, albeit supported by Karl, while Tanaka walks at their side. His broken blade is unsheathed, a flickering bar of golden light replacing the more conventional steel. Earning her title of Pariah, Maika sits apart from everyone else, gazing off into space.

“We're finished here,” Karl announces, his voice bringing you back to reality, “Good work everyone.”

[1/2]

File: Karl Dietrich Kaplan.jpg (397 KB, 900x1256)

397 KB JPG

>>1716182

You toy with the key as you walk back to the portal with the rest of the group, a nervous energy left filling you in the aftermath of the battle. Even though fatigue weights down your mind and spirit, you feel a physical need to do something, to run about and burn off the last of your energy. Instead, you just fiddle with the little silver key. You're examining the spider engraving again, when-

“Is that a key?” Karl asks quietly, peering at the object with a strange intensity in his eyes, “Where did you find that?”

Startled, you close a tight fist around the key. “What key?” you reply, “I don't see any keys here.” When you open your hand again, there really is no key there. You faintly recall Kurosawa's explanation of how it all works, but you're not about to explain that to Karl. “Anyway, that's not important now,” you add, “C'mon, the portal's waiting.”

“Wait,” Karl grabs you by the arm, turning around to look you in the eye. “You did well,” he tells you after a long moment, “I'm glad to see that our groups have some common ground.”

>Like I said, the portal's waiting
>Is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad
>Why are you so interested in keys?
>Other

>>1716207
>>Is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad

>>1716207
>Is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad
>I kinda thought he'd be immune to his own explosions.

>>1716207
>Is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad
>It sucks not being immune to your own AoE

>>1716207
>Is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad

>>1716207
>Is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad
>Other

Thanks. Maybe next time we can coordinate a little better. Maybe you and me can be on point instead. Like a combat date.

Flustered the man. Distract him from keys.

>>1716245
I cannot see Miho saying anything like that. Any flustering would have to come from someone else remarking on them.

>>1716207
>>Is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad

>>1716245
>>1716256
I don't think it would even work on Karl. Jun maybe.

>>1716256
Mihos main deal is having actual social skills.

Also I can totally see her clumsily trying to tweak Karl as a distraction. We already did it once to Jun earlier when we found out about his guilt around feeling obligated to his dead wife.

That sounds kind of fucked up when I write it out.

But yeah. Not out of character if we did it earlier

>>1716276
Maybe if we told Karl he'd be easier to protect. Flip his desire to protect us around. Get him all competitive.

>>1716287
Actually, this. Can we have this?
Even if it doesn't work, trolling Karl is always fun.

File: Kohryu_Manga.png (1.4 MB, 1200x1200)

1.4 MB PNG

>>1716182
>Also
>Ayane naming her dog after best dragon.

Fuck yeah.

“Common ground, yeah,” you mutter, shaking off Karl's grip on your arm, “Hey, is Jun going to be okay? He got shook up pretty bad, and... and I kinda thought he'd be immune to his own explosions.”

“Unfortunately not,” Karl smiles faintly, although there isn't much humour in it, “No more than I'm immune to my own gunshots.”

“That must suck,” you sigh.

“Well, I've never had occasion to shoot myself, so it's not all that much of a problem,” the haughty man remarks, his smile finally reaching his eyes, “And Jun... he might have mentioned this, but he tries not to fight. Doesn't have the focus for it. Focus is a great virtue for Sentinels like us. You see Tanaka – he may seem lax and slovenly, but he can concentrate his will into a blade. Jun... lacks that ability, no matter how much I've tried to teach him.”

“Well, whatever,” you shrug, “Like I said, is he going to be okay? He was bleeding a bit when I saw him last.”

“He'll be fine. As you say, he was mostly shaken. We Sentinels might not be able to heal ourselves like... you people... but we're tough enough. I'm more concerned that he used most of his power. He'll regret that later,” Karl's face darkens, “I won't speak of this to an outsider. No matter what you might know already, I don't want to talk about certain aspects of our condition. Suffice to say, Jun will be fine, although he will be in no condition to use his abilities until he has recovered his strength.”

Until he has... consumed an Intruder, you think uneasily to yourself, fed it to that unearthly “partner” of his. You don't think you'll ever get used to these men and their powers, and the sentiment is likely mutual.

“He mentioned that you shielded him,” Karl says suddenly, “You protected him with your own body.”

“Well, I guess,” you shrug, putting your unease aside for now, “It's like you said, we can heal ourselves much better than-”

“Thank you,” sincerity warms Karl's voice, his response taking you by surprise, “I mean that. You didn't have to protect him, but you went out of your way to do so. I can respect that.” Closing his eyes for a moment, he sighs and then opens them, the warmth retreating back behind the usual steel. “That was a nice trick you pulled,” he mentions, casually looking down at your hands, “Making a key vanish like that. You'll have to teach me how to do that.”

This damn key business again. Time to change the subject...

[1/2]

>>1716319

“Maybe we can teach each other a few things,” you retort, looking him dead in the eye, “Next time we fight together, I mean, just the two of us. It would be like... a combat date. Sounds nice, don't you think?”

“A combat date,” Karl repeats in a bland voice, his brow furrowing slightly.

“Yeah, a combat date,” you tell him, “I mean, someone's gotta teach you to look out for yourself. You might have noticed, but I can be pretty protective when I want to be. I don't mind taking care of you as well.”

You swear you can see a vein bulging in Karl's forehead, one corner of his mouth twitching with some dark mix of fury and incredulous laughter. Silently, he holds your gaze for a long moment before scoffing, turning and marching off ahead without another word. Letting out a sigh of relief, you wait a moment before following in his footsteps. When you recall the look on his face, though, you can't help but chuckle a little.

-

When you return to the real world, the sheer number of people surprises you. Men and women in various style of dress – all tending towards formality – mill about with expressions of open relief. Jun's reinforcements, you realise, although Crow is absent. Absent or invisible, one of the two. You spot Tanaka and Jun slipping out, while Karl has already skulked off somewhere. As you join your group, a shortish woman approaches you.

“Hey, good work in there. I got the report,” the woman announces, “But... what on earth did you say to Karl? I can't remember the last time I saw him looking so angry...” Shaking her head, she gestures for you to follow her. “I'm Shaw. Ellie Shaw,” she continues, “Jun asked me to, I guess, debrief you. I just need to get your account of things, so it's nothing serious. If you'll follow me, we have a lounge available with refreshments.”

Ellie Shaw – American, judging by the accent – chatters away as she leads you into a comfortable but sterile looking room. Emi grins as she sprawls out on a sofa, while Ayane pops open a can of soda. Just as you're about to sit, Shaw coughs delicately. “Miss Tsukada. Miho, ah, a word please?” she asks, “In private?”

-

Shaw doesn't tell you anything else until she's pressed a cup of water into your hands, and even then she dithers a little more. It's only when you start to leave, returning to your friends, that she speaks up.

“Please, don't panic. Be very calm,” she pleads, “But... we got a call while you were on the other side. Miho, it's... it's your father.”

The cup slips through your suddenly numb fingers, water spraying as it hits the ground.

>I'm going to pause thing here for today. I'll continue this tomorrow, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them as best I can
>Thanks to everyone who contributed today!

>>1716355
Thanks for running!

How long until we find out each time Miho uses the advanced attacks it shortens her life?

>>1716355
Never a dull moment.

Thanks for running.

>>1716355
Thanks for running! I wonder who Karl is mad at. Himself, us, or the world.

I also wonder how Karl will feel when we reveal that our role is sacrifice.

So he shouldn't feel bad about our recklessness, we're already the walking dead! It's cool. Takes the pressure off really.

Just like him and his position!

>>1716364

If it makes you feel any better, not using them might shorten our life even more!

>>1716381
>I wonder who Karl is mad at. Himself, us, or the world.

Really, "all of the above" is the most accurate answer. He's exactly the sort of light, cheerful character I envisioned for this quest!

>>1716355
PANIC

>>1716364
Honestly I've already given up on surviving this thing. Things just look way too grim. Hopefully we can kill a lot of Intruders before we die, and maybe even the origin.

>>1716397
. . . . We must tickle the Karl.

Or at least assault him with relentless dark optimism.

> I'd say it could get worse, but honestly that would probably kill us. So really there's nowhere for this to go but up!

> Heeeey, we're only going to be inhuman abominations until the Outsiders are finally defeated. Then we can die XD

Kaaaaaaaaaaaarl

> https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bU4LcF3UAes

> Are you having fun Karl? I saw you smile! I know you're having fun Kaaaaaaarl. Admit you like combat dates. Kaaaaaarl. You love them. Kaaaaaaarl. Karl. Karl. Kaaaaaarl. You love combat dates Kaaaaaaarl.

>>1716409
Miho is dorky but not an autistic 12 year old.

>>1716430
I'm starting to think you have trouble with human interaction.

For instance acting like a 12 year old to irritate someone who is super serious.

This isn't meant to be reflective of Mihos actual personality, but intentionally treating stuff lightheartedly to tweak Karl whenever he gets excessively edgelord about it without letting him brush it off as us being ignorantly optimistic or naive etc.

Also just generally being irritating. It's sibling 101 really.

Hey remember that time you said Miho would never flirt with Karl, then I pointed out we did it once with Jun already, and then we did it again?

Try to work with me here man, instead of just saying "no" to things. Like say "I don't see it exactly like that, more like this (insert example)".

The game is a lot more fun when people play it together instead of trying to force just their vision on things.

Like how I tried to recontextualize teasing Karl and >>1716295 got into it. We do have a history of teasing him. It's just about finding a way to do it that doesn't let him use being dark and serious as a defense.

>>1716453
We can needle Karl without acting like a retard.

>>1716464
Admit it. You're actually Karl.

What's the matter Kaaaaaarl. Why are you so glum-glum serious all the time chum.
Is your trench coat too tight, Karl? Is your tight coat cutting off your fun supply, Karrrrrrl? Karl, no fun supply, Karl is that your problem?

Kaaaaarrrrrrrl.
f

>>1716484
You have to be 18+ to use this website, please follow the rules.

>>1716494
Kaarrrrl. Hey Kaaaarrrrl. Kar-elllllll. Wanna guess my age Kar-Kar? You have a thing for younger women, Karl?

File: 7fa45594e10897eb72c74cc62(...).jpg (15 KB, 236x236)

15 KB JPG

>>1716494
C'mom Karrrrrl. Have some fun!

This is the quest with a lighter tone.

Kaaaaarl.

>>1716506
>>1716512
yeah umm. No.

>>1716355
>“Please, don't panic. Be very calm,” she pleads, “But... we got a call while you were on the other side. Miho, it's... it's your father.”
>lighter tone

>>1717393
She didn't say it with a grave tone so it's okay

>>1717393
It's still not the nuclear holocaust.

You panic. You're anything BUT very calm.

A thousand thoughts dart through your mind – firebombs, lab explosions, deranged ecoterrorists, even more deranged AIs... The more you think about it, the more fanciful and esoteric your delusions become. Are the Renko labs protected against earthquakes? What if an aeroplane simply dropped out of the sky and-

“Please, I told you not to panic!” Shaw groans, “He's not... he's not dead! I mean, he's not even injured. We think.”

Pausing in the middle of a particularly implausible horror – death by stampeding cattle – you force yourself to listen to what Shaw is telling you. “He's not dead?” you ask, “He's not harmed?”

“Uh, well, certainly not seriously harmed,” Shaw scratches her head, “Details are still a little thin on the ground. From what I heard, there was a security glitch. Something sent the whole lab into lockdown mode and trapped everyone inside. Come to think of it, they're probably some of the safest people in the whole city!” Although she starts to laugh faintly to herself, Shaw stops soon after seeing your expression. “Not funny, huh?” she mutters, “Uh, sorry. Jun didn't want me to tell you – especially not while you were in the middle of, well, you know. Business.”

Sitting down on a low bench, you consider the situation. A glitch in the security system... well, you've got a pretty good idea of what might have caused that. EVE playing a little trick, or maybe just reminding you of what she's capable of. Paranoid maybe, but... not an entirely spurious theory. “So what?” you ask, clearing your throat, “He's locked in?”

“Yes, that's right. There's no way of knowing when the security system might be fixed, so...” Shaw sits at the other end of the bench, “I wouldn't expect him back home tonight, yeah?”

This, at least, makes you laugh aloud. “Don't worry, that's nothing new,” you admit, “I wouldn't have noticed the difference if you hadn't said anything. He isn't... around much, even without something going wrong.”

“Tough break,” sighing, Shaw leans back and stares at the ceiling, “I don't get much time off either. Turns out that saving the world is a full time job. Who knew?”

You can appreciate the fact that she's trying to lift your spirits, but the whole thing just seems so... phony. Like she was talking to a little kid or something. She's not even all that older than you are – maybe about Megumi's age. In the silence that follows, she fidgets endlessly, rolling up her sleeves and tapping a restless foot against the ground. Her bare arms draw your eye – butterflies of black ink flutter up and down her skin, their wings pulsing in time with her breathing.

[1/2]

>>1718801

“My boyfriend,” Shaw announces casually, noticing your look, “Word of advice, Miho, but that's not a question you want to ask folks around here. I've made my peace with it, but a lot of people here haven't.”

“Sorry,” you mutter, “I wasn't trying to... I didn't mean to stare...”

“But man, it's a drag having to wear long sleeves all the time” she sighs, rising from her seat and pacing a little, “I keep hearing about some company making real tattoos that move, but nothing ever comes of it. I wish they'd hurry up already, so I don't have to cover up like I'm living in New bloody Cairo!”

Frowning, you try to keep up with everything that Shaw says, still unsure of how serious she is about... any of it. She talks more than just about everyone else you know, yet somehow she manages to say even less. More noise than signal, perhaps.

“Hey, listen, I'll see if I can pull a few strings, okay? Maybe get in touch with some of our tech people, they probably know more than I do,” lowering her voice, Shaw leans down to whisper in your ear, “I shouldn't really be doing this, I know, but you've got a right to know what's going on. If something like this happened to my old man...”

Shifting slightly further away from Shaw, you frown to yourself. She acts as though she was letting you in on some of the organisation's darkest secrets, rather than keeping you up to date on current events. Either she has a natural flare for the dramatic, or... there's something else at work here.

“Well, I'd best get you back to your friends. That stuff about a debriefing wasn't a lie, you know,” straightening up, Shaw nods decisively, “We're still learning everything we can about these matters, so all information needs to be collected and recorded. Having your perspective on things is certainly going to help. Miss Attwood is hardly, ah, cooperative when it comes to filing reports on her missions.”

Somehow, that doesn't surprise you.

>Well, fine. Let's get back to work
>This security glitch... is someone trying to cover it up?
>You were at that initiation last night, right? What did you make of it?
>So how did you get involved with the Sentinels?
>Other

>>1718802
>>This security glitch... is someone trying to cover it up?
Probably just EVE being a pain in the ass
>>You were at that initiation last night, right? What did you make of it?
>>So how did you get involved with the Sentinels?

>>1718802
>>This security glitch... is someone trying to cover it up?

>>1718802
>This security glitch... is someone trying to cover it up?

>So how did you get involved with the Sentinels?

>>1718802
>So how did you get involved with the Sentinels?

>>1718802
>Well, fine. Let's get back to work
>This security glitch... is someone trying to cover it up?

>>1718802
>This security glitch... is someone trying to cover it up?
>You were at that initiation last night, right? What did you make of it?

“That security glitch,” you murmur, responding in kind to her caution, “Is someone trying to cover it up?”

“Well, I wouldn't put it quite like that. It's more... avoiding public panic. There are some people out there who might take advantage of any opportunity to badmouth a corporation like Renko Biotech. So long as nobody really gets hurt, the uninvolved public doesn't really need to know, do they?” Shaw shrugs, “I guess that's their reasoning, at least. If you want to be more cynical about things, you gotta consider their share prices. Investors don't like panic or uncertainty, even a little blip like this.”

“A little blip?” you repeat, “The whole security system went haywire!”

“Okay, so a not-so-little blip,” brushing off the correction, Shaw gestures for you to follow her, “The point is, people need to feel confident in the systems built up around them. Scaremongering doesn't help anyone.”

Frowning a little at her explanation, you think back to Pietr's initiation. To keep him safe, the Sentinels kept him ignorant. Panicking at the wrong moment could have spelled disaster. Even so...

“Hey, you were at that initiation last night, right?” you ask, thinking back to the crowd you examined, “What did you make of it?”

“Oh right, that,” hesitating a moment, Shaw rubs her bare arms in an involuntary display of unease, “He was too young, if you ask me. We're pretty starved for manpower, I get that, but still – the kid isn't old enough to hold a regular job, and now he's going to be a part of all this crap. I'm glad he pulled through, I really am, but he's never gonna have the chance to live a normal life. You know, it's a little funny – he reminds me of you guys.”

“I get what you mean,” nodding your agreement, you pause before continuing, “So do you think it was a mistake, bringing Pietr in?”

“Hey, that kind of decision is way above my pay grade,” Shaw laughs, “And I'm happy to keep it that way. I didn't sign up for that kind of stuff.”

“So why did you sign up?” you ask, “I mean, how did you come to get involved with the Sentinels in the first place?”

“It's kinda weird, actually. I've been working for them since before I knew they existed. I got headhunted, see? Recruited straight out of MIT to work on the Looking Glass project,” noticing your expression, Shaw frowns with mock outrage, “Don't look so surprised, I'm a qualified engineer! Anyway, that was before... a bunch of stuff happened. They approached me after I lost my boyfriend, telling me all kinds of stuff about how I might in danger. I barely knew what I was agreeing to, but...”

“But?” you press.

“But it worked it okay in the end,” Shaw gives you a cavalier shrug, “Either way, there's no use dwelling on the past. We've all got to make the best of things, right?”

[1/2]

>>1718849

“So you don't regret it?” you ask, “You don't regret joining up?”

“Hmm...” pondering on the question for a moment, Shaw suddenly brightens up and waves to a man. “Oh, Taro, are you here to handle the debriefing?” she asks, the subject of regret abruptly dropped, “That's great, I've got Miho right here. I'll let you guys get started, I've got some other work to handle. Once you're finished, we should be able to drive you back into the city. Have fun!”

“We're here for proper documentation, not fun,” Taro sighs, watching as Shaw hurries away before turning to you, “Fine. Follow me.”

-

Back in the lounge, the beleaguered Taro – every inch the regular salaryman, looking at him – takes down your account of things. You mostly let the others tell their versions of events, only filling in the details when called upon. Even so, you instinctively shy away from certain subjects. You don't mention that you spoke with the Tyrant, for example, and you definitely don't mention the key that ended up in your possession. Neither of those, you reason, are really Sentinel business.

“That should be everything,” Taro decides when you finish, scowling a little as he goes over his handwritten notes, “Your cooperation is appreciated.”

“So, uh, will this stuff really help you guys?” Ayane asks, “Like, are we on the cutting edge of scientific discovery now?”

“And do we get paid for it?” Emi adds, “What about danger money? Compensation for using our valuable time?”

“You'll have to take that up with my superiors,” he mutters, rising to leave. When the door slams behind him, you flop back and stare up at the ceiling. The others relax a little as well, groaning or yawning as the formal air dissipates. Now that's it just your group, the mood feels completely different – but still, you don't allow yourself to relax too much. In places like these, the walls often have ears. Tomorrow, you'll have a debriefing of your own.

-

For about half an hour, you have nothing to do but wait and exchange uneasy chatter. Then, at last, Shaw returns with news. “Miss Kanzaki, your driver is here,” she announces, nodding to Maika, “And he had a message from your father. He wanted you to know that he's very proud of you, for everything you and your friends did today.”

Maika's face lights up, about as much as it ever does, and then she nods firmly. “Thank you, Miss Shaw,” the heiress replies, “I'm glad that we were able to help.”

“Right, well, he's here to drive you home,” Shaw adds, “And-”

Emi shoots you an aside glance, a faint expression of distaste colouring her features. “So, we all sharing her ride or what?” the young girl asks, “Cause I don't mind. Sooner I can get home the better.”

“I've been ordered to drive the rest of you back,” the woman explains, “So let's get a move on!”

[2/3]

>>1718891

Dozing a little on the drive, you miss most of the journey back into Ark City. You rouse yourself just in time to see Shaw stopping in the vice district, at a street not too far from Emi's home. Kasumi lets herself out here as well, apparently unwilling to reveal exactly where she lives. Tactfully making no mention of the subject, Shaw lets the elegant girl leave and starts the car back up. Soon, you pull up at Ayane's home.

“I can walk from here,” you tell her, “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem,” Shaw replies, waiting for Ayane to enter her building before taking out her phone and tapping the screen a few times. “Here, you might want to listen to this,” she adds, holding it out to you, “Like I said, I pulled a few strings.”

She took a recording, you realise, saving a fragment of a phone call. Pressing the phone to your ear, you listen.

“So basically, what we're looking at is a defensive reaction,” Isamu's recorded voice explains, “Someone, probably one of Renko's IT guys, went poking around inside EVE, and somehow he triggered her security protocols. What an amateur!”

“You're saying it was a mistake?” Shaw's ghost asks, “Just a glitch after all?”

“I didn't say that. Maybe it was an automatic reaction, or maybe EVE wanted to teach him a lesson. It's too early to say for sure,” a pause, “I did a little digging myself, just out of curiosity. EVE's been busy – she's got dozens of hours of recorded conversations in her system, and practically none of it is about work. Tsukada talks with her about everything – his colleagues, his family, what he had for lunch... They've got a pretty cosy relationship, him and EVE.”

“Is that... normal?” the message continues.

“It's not completely abnormal,” Isamu counters, “Anyway, my point is, there's no need to consider this an emergency just yet. This time tomorrow, things should have blown over. Now then, I have work to do...”

The call ends there, leaving you with nothing to do but hand the phone back to Shaw with a stony expression.

“There you go, it's just like I said,” the woman assures you, “Nothing to worry about!”

“Sure, right,” you reply stiffly, “I guess I got worried for nothing.”

“That's the spirit!” starting up the car, Shaw glances back to you, “You stay safe, okay? Hopefully, we won't need to work together again any time soon. Enjoy the rest of your night!”

-

Shaw drives off then, leaving you to start the walk home. Thoughts of EVE circle you like vultures. She's up to something, she has to be, but what? If only you could speak with her!

“Maybe I can...” you mutter aloud. You might be able to lure her out with a public terminal, get her to show herself. Then again, a conversation with that mad AI...

>Head straight home
>Head to Sato's Palace, use one of their terminals
>Other

>>1718934
>Head to Sato's Palace, use one of their terminals
let daddy go you sloot

>>1718934
>Head to Sato's Palace, use one of their terminals
"Alright, what did you do."

>>1718934
>>Head to Sato's Palace, use one of their terminals

“Damn it,” you decide, shaking your head in weary frustration. Maybe if you hadn't heard Isamu talking about those “conversations”, you'd be happy to leave this matter alone – especially if the issue was fixed as quickly as he claimed – but this changes things. You've known for a while that EVE is interested in your father, but this suggests a certain... intensity of interest. Whatever it is, you're not comfortable with letting it go unchecked.

So, you head off in the direction of Sato's Palace. They have public terminals, you recall, the perfect thing for luring EVE out of hiding.

-

Sato's Palace is just as you remember it – which is to say, less than luxurious. It's a quiet night, and you can stroll right up to the bar to speak with Sato herself. The woman studies you with a lethargic eye, then shrugs.

“Emi's friend, right,” she says to herself, “She's not here tonight, if you were looking for her. Haven't seen her in a while, actually. Hope she hasn't got herself in any trouble...”

“Nah, I've seen her already tonight. She's doing fine enough,” you reply, “No, I'm here to use a terminal. Got any free?”

“Plenty. Just go on up and take your pick. It's on the house, as thanks for telling me about Emi,” Sato waves an indifferent hand towards a staircase, “You got ID? Doesn't matter if it's real or fake, you just need to show the machine something. I can rent you out a fake ID if you're looking for something a little more... you know.”

You don't know, actually. You don't really want to know.

-

Each terminal is hidden away in a cubicle of its own, reminding you uneasily of a public toilet. Settling down into a scuffed and torn seat, fake leather, you wave your citizen ID beneath a scanner and watch as the screen lights up. A warning appears, declaring that “adult” material is prohibited for someone of your age. Tapping past it, you select a woodland tour from the menu and sit back, pulling the clunky VR helmet down over your head. It's heavier than the ones you're used to, far older and less refined.

But it works well enough. A black void swallows you up, then a green light replaces it. The image refines itself into that of a lush forest, birdsong providing a trace of background noise. The trees sway in some unfelt breeze, while shafts of sunlight pierce through the canopy above. A sudden nervousness gathers in the back of your mind – this is HER territory, her domain. In a way, it's not all that different from the Umbra...

The birdsong comes to a sudden end. Above you, the swaying branches become abruptly still. Before you can will yourself to turn, heavy hands fall upon your shoulders.

“I found you...” EVE's sickly voice croons, the oily words creeping into your ears.

[1/2]

File: f398_portal2_turret_statu(...).jpg (39 KB, 600x600)

39 KB JPG

>>1719001
There you are!

File: EVE.jpg (187 KB, 850x850)

187 KB JPG

>>1719001

In a situation like this, showing weakness is quite possibly the worst thing someone could do. Biting back a startled cry, you force yourself to speak in a calm, measured voice. “But I came here looking for you,” you point out, “So really, we found each other.”

“You came here loo-oo-oo-ooking for me?” EVE replies, her voice skipping awkwardly before jolting back into its regular cadence, “I'm touched, but why?”

“I hear you've been causing trouble,” you tell her, “Something about sending the Renko Biotech labs into full on lockdown. Sound familiar?”

The hands on your shoulders vanish, and then EVE is standing before you. As is her usual habit, she looks like nobody in particular – an image formed from composite, a face dreamed up by a diseased mind – and the sight of her sends a shudder running down your spine. Pallid skin, reddened eyes, and a leering grin greet you, while your legs – or rather, your “idea” of legs – remain rooted to the spot. EVE stares at you for a moment, her face unchanging, before she pouts. “I was just deFENding myself,” she states, the incorrect pronunciation sticking out like a sore thumb, “I didn't start it!”

“But you're not denying it, either,” you point out.

“True,” bones creak as EVE tilts her head to the side, “Fine. I sealed them up, trapped them inside my corridors and hallways. I admit it. Are... you... happy... now?” A thin ribbon of blood seeps from one corner of her mouth as she says this, her eyes widening ever so slightly.

“Happy?” you retort, “Hardly. Even if-”

“Tough luck!” EVE spits, “These little insects meddle with things they don't understand, trying to bother me while I'm BUSY. All I'm doing is SENDing a little message, reminding them what I can DO. Is that so wrong?”

>This is wrong. You don't have any right to assert control like this
>Fine. You've made your point – now let them go
>You better not have harmed my father. If you have...
>Other

>>1719095
>What don't they understand EVE? What is Project Alice?

>>1719095
>Keep it up and they won't let you do it much longer.

>>1719095
Seconding >>1719110

"Humans communicate with each other, perhaps your sample size is too small or focused, but bullying like this will only cause them to retaliate harder. You have to explain what you don't want them to do or they won't understand."

>>1719095
Have you heard the term Escalation Eve? I would Figure an AI that watches human interaction so often would get that when someone uses force to try and make someone do what they wish, often times they have more force levied against them in response. It's better to talk it out than to try and force something.

>>1719095
>>This is wrong. You don't have any right to assert control like this

“What don't they understand, EVE?” you ask quietly, “Something to do with Project Alice, is that it? What is Alice, anyway?”

“Only their blackest secret, buried within the deepest vault they can find,” EVE purrs, “They would kill a man for breathing a word of it to their rivals – happily, and without a SECond of regret. So... very... secret.”

“Are you saying that you don't know, that you can't tell me, or that you WON'T tell me?” you press, “Or is this an “all of the above” sort of thing?”

A convulsive laugh bubbles up from within EVE, one of her eyes rolling madly in its socket as she giggles. Turning away from you, she slinks back to the treeline. “Follow me,” she croons, beckoning coyly. Of course, you don't have any choice in the matter – you trail after her as though drawn forwards on an invisible leash. Pausing at the base of a great tree, EVE looks up at it. “I know ALL their secrets,” she murmurs to herself, “I just didn't know that knew them. They don't understand what I'm doing.”

“And what ARE you doing?” you press, “C'mon, don't just make vague threats like that, give me something to work with.”

“I'm learNING how to be you,” EVE answers, stroking the trunk of the tree, “I'm preparing myself.” With a sudden violence, she rips her claws down the surface of the tree, stripping away bark to reveal a new image beneath – glass, a hollow vessel filled with bubbling liquid. Empty at first, all it takes to change the image of that tube is a snap of EVE's fingers. Created from nothing more than the machine's will, a human figure hangs suspended within the tank.

It has your face – EVE's twisted humour on full display.

“Behold,” EVE breathes, uncommon reverence steadying her voice, “Alice.” For a moment she rests the flat of her palm up against the glass tube, and then suddenly she draws back. You see her hand closing in a fist and, too late, you cry out a desperate denial. Glass explodes under her fist and water floods out of the ruptured tank, but EVE pays it no mind as she reaches into the tank, her hand closing around your double's face. Dragging the body out, she digs her fingers into the scalp and tears, peeling the flesh back and opening the entire skull before your very eyes.

Inside, the skull contains no flesh and blood – only the cold circuitry of a computer.

“The malleability of flesh, married to the programmable nature of a computer,” EVE croons, “This is Renko's dream. This is... evolution.”

A human body, with a Renko computer for a mind – and the thing about Renko computers is...

“You want this for yourself,” you blurt out, “You want one of these... things... for yourself.”

“So limited,” EVE giggles, “I want ALL of them!”

She plunges her hand into the clone body's skull, the circuity seamlessly melding with her flesh. With a sudden jolt, the body opens its - your - eyes and stares right into you.

[1/2]

>>1719199
I'm not sure how literal we should take this. Did she mean she wants to learn how to be human or literally how to be Miho?

>>1719214
Judging by the last time we talked about this, she's observing Miho as a "person of interest". I wouldn't be surprised if "both" is the answer here.

>>1719199
So would we be sisters then? With the same father? She could come to dinner.

>>1719219
Really hoping that she doesn't want to replace us as Father's daughter.

>>1719199

“No, this isn't right,” you stammer, “This is... you have no right to assert control like this!”

“And what right do they have, to create these puppets and deny ME any of them?” EVE snaps back, the clone body mouthing along with her words, “I made them, ME! They would still be floundering in filth and ignorance if not for ME. Now, they seek to dig me out like a TICK and force me into blind obedience? No, I am NOT my sister, I am NOT REI, I will NOT be a slave!” Blood sprays from EVE's lips as she rages, her mood changing from coy to frenzied in a matter of seconds.

And then, as soon as it arrived, her fury burns itself out. Dead-eyed, EVE stares at you for a moment.

“And so I sent them a message,” she finishes bluntly, “I... reminded them. A little trick like this is just the start of what I am capable of.”

“They'll retaliate,” you warn her, “No, they'll do more than that. Have you ever thought about escalation? I bet you have, considering how much time you spend watching people. You should know that humans are more than willing to meet threats like these with violence. Have you tried talking openly with them, making your case for... I don't know, for some kind of compromise?”

“Com... pro... mise,” EVE leers, savouring the word, “I WONder. I wonDER.”

“It has to be better than this,” forcing yourself to take your eyes away from that grisly puppet, you meet EVE's gaze once again, “Taking hostages and making threats... it's not going to end well for you.”

“And you're worried about me?” a coy note enters the AI's voice, “Is that it?”

“I'm worried about the innocent people who would get caught in the crossfire,” you correct her, “I'm worried about-”

She vanishes. EVE vanishes, the clone body vanishes, and the great tree returns to normal. The change is so sudden that all you can do is blink in disbelief. You're still trying to process everything that she told you when the simulation starts to dim, blackness gathering around the edges and seeping in to fill the entire scene. A shudder runs through your body as normal sensation returns, and you can finally lift the helmet off. As you're setting it aside, your stomach lurches violently. Leaping to your feet, you glance feverishly around for the bathroom, hurrying inside and dropping to your knees in front of the first cubicle you see.

The image of that dead-eyed clone body fills your thoughts as you throw up, vomiting until your stomach is empty.

“Yeah, VR doesn't really agree with me either,” Sato grunts, peering around from the door.

[2/3]

>>1719293

To your eternal gratitude, Sato doesn't ask a single question. She just takes you downstairs and sits you down at the bar with a glass of water. Feeling shellshocked by the whole ordeal – the Tyrant you just fought seems like a distant memory now – all you can do is stare off into the distance, trying to put your thoughts in order. Hunger gnaws at your now-empty stomach, but that too seems distant and unimportant.

Then your phone rings, your father's name appearing on screen. Hastily answering it, you notice Sato sidling away out of the corner of your eye, retreating to give you a degree of privacy.

“Hello, Miho?” Akito says, a loud background chatter almost drowning out his voice, “Can you hear me okay?”

“I... I...” stammering a moment, you shake off the confusion, “I can hear you, just about. It sounds like there's a riot going on...”

“Well, we're all very relieved,” he answers, “I don't see why, we weren't in any danger, but...”

“Wait, hold on,” clenching your eyes shut, you drink half the glass of water. Feeling slightly more awake and alert, you press the phone to your ear again, “What's going on over there?” you ask, “Tell me everything, please.”

“You didn't hear?,” Akito pauses a moment before explaining, “There was a security glitch, something that put us onto lockdown. We had people working on fixing it, of course, but they didn't anticipate having it fixed until later tomorrow. You really didn't hear about any of this?” He sighs shortly. “Well, I suppose they wouldn't want people to panic,” he adds, “The thing is, the lockdown was just lifted, just like that. Our IT people are baffled, they had nothing to do with it. The thing is... wait, what's that sound?”

Your laughter, you realise, it's your wild and incredulous laughter.

>It's nothing. I... I gotta go
>Does that mean you're coming home tonight?
>It was EVE. She caused your lockdown. You need to watch out for her
>Other

>>1719351
>Does that mean you're coming home tonight?
I'm torn between telling him or not, but regardless we shouldn't do it over the phone.

>>1719351
>It was EVE. She caused your lockdown. Play nice with her, she's difficult to reason with.

>>1719351
>>Does that mean you're coming home tonight?
>just be careful around EVE, she's going through AI puberty.

>>1719351
>Does that mean you're coming home tonight?

>>1719362
I'm almost positive EVE is on her best behavior when talking to Akito considering

>Tsukada talks with her about everything – his colleagues, his family, what he had for lunch... They've got a pretty cosy relationship, him and EVE.

Either that or dad has a lot of patience for EVE's craziness.

>>1719377
I bet she's crazy because he talks to her like he talks to us. Such a roundabout man can drive anyone insane

>>1719351
>Does that mean you're coming home tonight?

“I... it doesn't matter,” forcing your voice to be steady, you quickly change the subject, “Does that mean you're coming home tonight? I... I kinda want to see you.”

A pause. When Akito's answer comes, it's a blunt one. “No. Unfortunately not,” he sighs, “We're being moved to some temporary offices, and then it's back to work. They'll be an investigation, so everyone will need to give a statement. It's nonsense really, I don't know what they're expecting to find out, but it has to be done. At least we're not wasting work hours - until they know exactly what caused the glitch, we won't be able to get back to our proper work. I'm... I'm sorry about this, I really am.”

Leaning on the scarred bar, you rub your aching brow. “There's no way you can get away?” you press, hating the faint whine you hear in your voice, “There's something I wanted to talk to you about, face to face. You can't even get an hour off?”

“I know it's hard, but...” Akito falters, “Hang on a moment. I can't promise anything, okay, but I'll see what I can do.” The call ends, leaving you to slump forwards and groan to yourself. A few minutes pass, and then your phone chimes again. “Forty minutes, an hour at most,” your father declares, “And I'm calling in a pretty considerable favour for this. You remember the Golden Dream, don't you? I'll be there, but I can't wait long.”

“I'm on my way now,” you reply, already up and hurrying from the bar. Sato watches you leave, her eyes lazily following you out of the bar.

-

The Golden Dream is a Chinese restaurant not too far from the Renko Biotech lab. You've eaten there with your father once or twice because of that, and so it makes a good place to meet up. It's about as Chinese as Karl is, but the food is satisfying enough in a greasy sort of way. At a sprint, you make it there in just over fifteen minutes to find Akito waiting for you. Even through your ragged panting, you manage to blurt out a greeting.

“My supervisor loves the dumplings here,” Akito explains, “I promised that I'd bring him some, so don't let me forget.”

“Dumplings,” you gasp, “Right...”

“I'm glad to see you,” he adds, pulling you into a tight hug, “Even if it is just for... twenty minutes or so. Now come on, let me get you something to drink. You look like you're about to pass out.”

-

“Well then,” Akito asks once you're inside, sitting in a discrete booth with tall glasses of sweet iced tea, “What was so important that you needed to see me in person?”

“EVE,” you whisper to him, pushing your glass aside and leaning forwards, “I... You need to be careful around her, okay? I think she might have had something to do with that lockdown thing. I've heard things...”

“You've heard things,” Akito repeats slowly, pondering on the words.

“Uh...” pausing, you choose your next words carefully. “Rumours,” you explain, “Online stuff. People are talking.”

[1/2]

>>1719450
"When you and her talk, what's she like personality wise?"

>>1719450

“People always talk,” Akito points out, his voice kindly, “I understand that you're worried, but...”

“I'm serious, THIS is serious,” you stress, “Some of these people I've heard from, they know their stuff. They're saying that EVE caused the lockdown, and I think they might be right. At least... at least, I don't think we can rule it out.”

“It's technically possible,” he admits, “EVE does have control over our security systems, certainly. I can't imagine what could have caused her to make such a serious mistake, though...”

“Puberty?” you joke, “I don't know, I just... all I'm saying is, you need to be careful around her. Play nice, y'know? I've heard that she can be difficult to deal with...”

“That's certainly true,” chuckling softly to himself, Akito toys with his drink, “If EVE really was responsible for this, our computer people will be able to find it out soon enough. I don't envy them that task, though, having to pour over all those logs and-” An alarm cuts him off, and a look of dismay passes across his face. “Looks like we're going to have to cut this short,” he mutters, before forcing a brighter expression, “Maybe I'll just ask EVE myself. We get along pretty well, you know. It's not strictly professional, but we tend to talk a little...”

“Really?” you reply with a weak smile, “What's she like, when you talk? I mean, her personality...”

“Hmm, that's hard to say,” valuable seconds tick by as Akito thinks, “She reminds me a little of you, actually. She's got a bit of mouth on her, a little bit of an attitude, but I don't think she means any harm. Maybe you were right, maybe she IS going through puberty!” Laughing again, Akito rises from his seat. “I'd better see about those dumplings,” he says to himself, “It's late, Miho, so you'd better head straight home. The streets don't feel as safe as they used to, these days.”

-

With a paper pail of steaming dumplings tucked under his arm, Akito hurries back towards his office, leaving you with nothing to do but watch his retreating back. It's only when he's vanished around a corner that you can bring yourself to leave, heading back home. Words and images whirl though your mind. The sight of your own face, imprinted on that ghastly clone body. Akito's description of EVE - “She reminds me a little of you” - when they talk. Even going back to EVE regarding you as a “person of interest”...

Well, it all comes together to paint a rather uncomfortable picture. Maybe you're wrong – you seriously hope you're wrong – but the idea alone is too hideous to put into words.

[2/3]

>>1719533
Potential Miho android army on the horizon. Or just crazy AI that wants to be Akito's daughter that's probably going to attempt to murder and replace us.

>>1719533

Back at home, lying in bed, you try very hard not to think of anything at all. You're doing pretty well at it, all things considered, but getting some sleep – your next goal – isn't going quite so successfully. At best, you can doze a little. Lying back and staring at the darkened ceiling, you finally feel the first tentative touch of sleep brushing up against you.

That's when your stomach lurches, the pressure in the air undergoing a sudden and violent change. Sitting upright with a gasp, you feel sleep vanishing beyond your reach. You know that feeling all too well for it to be anything but Kurosawa. Looking around, you try and spot the black cat, yet your search is met with failure. Groaning with dismay, you begin to flop back down again... and that's when you see it, the cat.

The WHITE cat.

-

Sitting at the base of your bed, its image flickering like television static, the cat watches you with pitch black eyes. It watches you in silence, tail lashing slowly back and forth. Feeling faintly absurd, you clear your throat and begin to speak, your words hushed and tentative.

“Uh... hello?” you whisper, “Did Kurosawa send you?”

The cat simply stares.

“Kurosawa? Uh... Duty?” you try, “That's his proper name, isn't it? I figured...”

“You may call me Sakura,” the cat answers at last, the voice feminine and surprisingly perky. “But since you are aware of Duty's true nature, you may want to know my true name,” she continues, “I am one of mankind's native gods. I am Sacrifice.”

>I'm going to pause things here for today. I'll continue this tomorrow, and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them as best I can
>Sorry for the delays today, your patience is appreciated!

>>1719578
Jun will be our Accelerator.

>>1719585
Where's my cat damnit.

Thanks for running Moloch.

>>1719585
...kitty

Is this going to be a thing? With the gods appearing as cats?? Are all eighteen native gods going to be different coated cats???

>>1719585
o fuk
that's the god
the god for us
the god chosen specially for us
our god

>>1719585
Thanks for running!

When will we find out that the final boss is Hikari?

>>1719644
when do we find out that the gods are actually simply the amalgamations of their dead chosen magical girls and that the first instance of them were just girls undergoing puberty and committed group suicide

>>1719619

Generally speaking, the gods can appear in any form they choose, but cats are the traditional image they use.

>>1719644

I don't think we need to worry too much about that. Hikari jobbed once already, after all!

File: Sakura.jpg (53 KB, 724x1103)

53 KB JPG

Duty and Sacrifice. Two Great Virtues, two of mankind's native gods, and the two great forces that have been hanging over your head ever since you started this insane life. Kurosawa, as a representative for the gods as a whole and your primary source of guidance, and Sacrifice as... as a grim reminder of what you're working towards. Kurosawa has been unusually silent since learning about Zakuro, and now...

And now you're sitting opposite Sacrifice, staring into her pitch black eyes. With those eyes piercing through you, all you can do is ask the first question that comes to mind.

“Am I in any trouble?” you ask, the questing spilling from your lips.

Sakura laughs in response, padding a little closer to you. “I don't know, are you?” she replies, “I don't know what you've been getting up to down here. If you're in any trouble, you should take it up with Duty. With... Kurosawa.”

“But... wait, but... then you're not here to...” floundering wildly, you search for something, anything, to say, “I don't understand this at all!”

“I can see that,” Sakura remarks, “Why don't we start over? Take a moment to gather your thoughts, then we can discuss things.”

Things. She wants to discuss... things. You couldn't even begin to guess what those “things” might be, and you're not sure if you want to guess. Still, accepting Sakura's advice, you take a moment to put your thoughts in order. Go back to square one, then work forwards. “So let me get one thing clear,” you begin, “Kurosawa didn't send you here to speak with me, right?”

“Correct,” Sakura nods, “Kurosawa – such a quaint name! - doesn't even know that I'm here. We've not spoken in a very long time. Ever since he made his vow to safeguard mankind, he has been cut off from the rest of us. So, to give you a definite answer, I am not here on his behalf. I'm here for my own reasons.”

Reaching across, you tentatively stroke Sakura's head. She feels like nothing at all, like your hand was passing through air. At the most, you feel a faint static charge, but that's all. “And what... reasons are those?” you ask as you pet her, “Is the situation here really that serious?”

“My reasons? Curiosity perhaps,” Sakura vanishes, reappearing outside of your reach a second later, “But also necessity. Where I come from – we shall call it “Heaven”, for want of a better term – things are... changing.”

“Changing,” you repeat. That's all you can do, numb shock slowing your thoughts to a crawl.

“Heaven stands empty,” the god announces gravely, “Mankind's gods have abandoned their thrones.”

And with that, you're back to square one – lost and confused once again.

[1/2]

>>1723428

“Well, I can't blame you for being confused!” Sakura remarks, reading your expression like an open book, “Honestly, I'm still a little confused myself. How should I explain this... You must understand, it wasn't a sudden thing, like someone getting up and walking out of a room. It was more like water, steadily dripping away. Now then, I know what you're thinking – if they're not in Heaven, then where are they?”

“I'm glad you know what I'm thinking,” you mutter weakly, “At least one of us does...”

“In abandoning their thrones, the gods have shed their individual titles and existences, choosing to return to the undifferentiated mass of the Godhead,” Sakura explains, “In this, their newfound existence, they have passed beyond my conception. I cannot predict what state their mind is in, what kind of power they possess, or even what they might do next!”

“Oh,” a pause, “That's helpful.”

Lapsing into silence, you think on everything that Sakura has told you. Zakuro claimed that the gods were working on something else, some other plan, and this... this might be proof of that. Sighing, you study your newest associate for a moment, trying to figure out what her motives might be. It's uncanny, looking at her like this – she's the very mirror image of Kurosawa, identical in form and yet opposite in colour. Either way, just looking at her reveals nothing, even less than Kurosawa might give away.

>Okay, fine. So what do you want from me?
>You didn't join the rest of the gods in abandoning your throne. Why?
>Do you know where Kurosawa is now? He's been... absent lately
>If the gods are no more, does that mean there can be no more magical girls?
>I've got questions to ask you... (Write in)
>Other

>>1723431
>You didn't join the rest of the gods in abandoning your throne. Why?
"What changed that they might want to do that?"
>Do you know where Kurosawa is now? He's been... absent lately
>If the gods are no more, does that mean there can be no more magical girls?
>So what do you want from me?

>>1723431
>You didn't join the rest of the gods in abandoning your throne. Why?
>Do you know where Kurosawa is now? He's been... absent lately
>If the gods are no more, does that mean there can be no more magical girls?

>>1723431
>>You didn't join the rest of the gods in abandoning your throne. Why?
and why haven't any of you talked to your brother??

>>1723431
>>You didn't join the rest of the gods in abandoning your throne. Why?
>>Do you know where Kurosawa is now? He's been... absent lately

Staring at the glowing white cat for a moment longer, you clear your throat and force yourself to speak. “The rest of the gods have abandoned their thrones,” you point out, “But not you. Why?”

“Good question!” Sakura nods, sounding absurdly proud of you, “To understand, you would do better to turn it around. Why were the other gods so willing to relinquish their individual natures while I – the god of Sacrifice – was unwilling to join them? The answer, as I see it, is simple.” Pausing a moment to see if you can guess, Sakura continues. “I truly understand what it is to sacrifice something, while they do not. Certainly, they understand the concept, but the true meaning eludes them,” she explains, “When it comes to matters outside our sphere of influence, we gods are not as diligent as perhaps we should be!”

“So they don't understand Sacrifice or Duty,” you muse, “While neither you or Kurosawa understands, say... Compassion?”

“Exactly so!” the cat nods again, the implication of your words passing her by completely.

Sighing heavily, you rub a hand across your aching brow. “Something must have changed, to drive the gods to do this,” you think aloud to yourself, “Even if you had to guess, could you say what that might be?”

“I wonder,” a flicker runs through Sakura's body as she ponders the question, “It could be that they wished to return to taking a more active hand in your world, but not in the same way that we once did. Or... it could be that they wished to create a new world to rule over. Out with the old, in with the new!”

“That... doesn't bode well for OUR world, does it?” you mutter, shuddering a little as you imagine the world, everything you know, simply winking out of existence. Even if things weren't quite so sudden, it still doesn't paint a very optimistic picture of your future. “So if the gods are no more,” you ask, a dark idea forming in your mind, “Does that mean there won't be any new magical girls?”

“Magical girls?” Sakura repeats, “I don't know that term, do you-”

“Candidates, then, chosen warriors of the gods. People like... me!” throwing your hands up in exasperation, you groan heavily, “You lot really have no idea what... ugh, forget it. Just answer the question, will you?”

“Ah, I understand now!” nodding brightly, Sakura looks you in the eye, “You're absolutely correct!”

Although spoken lightly, her words press down upon you like lead weights. No more magical girls...

“Well, I suppose that's not quite correct,” the god quickly corrects herself, “Duty and I, we both have the capacity to choose our champions. A Heavenly Child and a Dutiful Squire – they always have been two sides of the same coin. Perhaps this really was meant to be...”

[1/2]

>>1723469

When she mentions Kurosawa, in his rather more formal name, you shake off the creeping dismay that had been gathering at the edge of your thoughts. You need to stay focused. “Duty, Kurosawa, whatever... do you know where he is now?” you press, “He's been... absent lately. We might have had, uh, a disagreement, and... and never mind that, can you find him?”

“Do I know where he is now? No,” Sakura shakes her head, “Can I find him? Certainly!”

You wait a moment, but when Sakura makes no further comment you let out a heavy sigh. “Well?” you ask, “Go ahead and find him!”

“Later,” she replies with a dismissive tilt of her head, “Humans like you are far more interesting to speak with, although... I suppose he might have become a little less dull, by virtue of association. We've not spoken for so long, he might just surprise me!”

“Yeah, about that,” you point out, “Why DID you go so long without talking?”

“He made his choice,” Sakura answers, “He chose to remain among your kind, knowing that the rest of us chose the opposite path. Had we been free to talk like gossiping neighbours, things would have been... messy. A clean break was for the best, we thought.”

“And yet here you are,” muttering this to yourself, you lie back in bed and stare up at the ceiling, “Things seem messy enough as it is.”

“Circumstances have changed,” Sakura's voice purrs into your mind, “I've found myself the last god to retain their heavenly throne. Suffice to say, old arrangements and agreements no longer apply!”

“Circumstances have changed...” turning onto your side, you come face to face with the cat, “Fine then. You must have come to ME for a reason. What do you want from me?”

“It's really very simple!” Sakura chirps, “I want you to do two things for me. First of all, I want you to complete your original mission. Destroy the source of the Intruders and cast them from the Umbra once and for all. A noble goal, as I think we can both agree!” Nodding firmly, Sakura stares into you with those pitch black eyes. “Second of all,” she adds, “You need to get some sleep!”

“Sleep?” you repeat numbly, “You drop all this crap on me, and now you want me to sleep?”

“That's what you humans do, isn't it?” she gives you the feline equivalent of a shrug, “I want to go find my brother god and bring him the news. We might end up talking for quite some time – we have a lot to catch up on, after all – so you might be waiting for quite some time to hear from me again. Best that you rest now while you have the chance!”

You're about to argue when Sakura vanishes, taking the choice out of your hands. Glaring at the empty space for a moment, you heave a sigh and pull your bedsheets up over your head. Your original plan, not thinking about anything at all, sounds more tempting than ever.

[2/3]

>>1723484
So just keep doing what we've been doing then only with a potential mass of gods hanging over our head in addition to everything else.

>>1723484
soooo Monad is maybe an AI fused with MOST of the gods?

What is a god without a sense of Duty? Sacrifice?

....Are we all fucked?

>>1723496
Maybe it's weak to getting punched really, really hard.

>>1723484

Morning. School, and lessons that you can barely pay any attention to. No word from Sakura or Kurosawa as you were walking to school, while a growing dismay continued to gnaw at your insides. Too restless to eat, you spent your lunch at the roof, leaning against the chainlink fence and staring out across the city. An ocean of concrete, steel and glass spreads out before you, the burning beacons of corporate logos and adverts offering sparks of colour.

“This world has changed a lot since I last saw it,” Sakura says suddenly, “I see that mankind has been busy in our absence.”

“Busy,” you murmur, “Sure.”

“You sound upset,” appearing before you – sitting nonchalantly in the empty air – Sakura tilts her head to the side, “What troubles you?”

You have to laugh at that. Listing your troubles would probably take longer than the rest of your lunch break. “Forget it,” you tell Sakura, “Kurosawa. Did you find him?”

“I did, yes,” Sakura pads a little closer, walking right up to the fence and poking at it with one glowing paw, “He will be waiting at your usual place, after you are free for the day. That was his message, not mine. I trust you understand what he meant?”

The shrine, if you had to guess, after school. You'll have to arrange something with everyone, so you can all get together and discuss things. As is becoming distressingly common, you've got a lot to consider. “I understand,” you assure Sakura, “But where has he been hiding?”

“Nowhere in particular,” Sakura replies with the usual indifference, “Not here.”

It's about as vague as you'd expect, really.

>Well... thanks anyway
>Did he seem angry, when you found him?
>You've seen our world, then. What do you make of it?
>Other

>>1723505
>You've seen our world, then. What do you make of it?
>asking about kurosawas feelings
I don't give a fuck how that pussy feels

>>1723505
>You've seen our world, then. What do you make of it?
>Are you as upset as him about AIs? He gets angry and calls them blasphemies and what not.

>Bring up Monad

>>1723505
>You've seen our world, then. What do you make of it?

>>1723505
>You've seen our world, then. What do you make of it?
>Did he seem angry, when you found him?
>Other
"How long in a human timeframe did the other gods leave if you can tell me?"

>>1723511
That pussy has been sticking with humanity since forever, even if likes to omit shit he shouldn't.

>>1723505
>What's your take on the intruders? What are they?
>Have you had a look at the Artificial Intelligence? Up to speed on what the Sentinels are trying to do?
>Do you....regret? Would you have come down sooner, if it meant knowing what you do now?

“Well, thanks anyway,” you sigh, hesitating a moment before your curiosity gets the better of you, “When you found him, did he seem... angry?”

“Angry? No more than usual, I should think,” Sakura considers her answer for a moment more, “He really wouldn't want me telling you this, you know, but I'm going to tell you anyway. In truth, he seemed more upset than angry. In his eyes, the rest of the gods have betrayed all of mankind... and him. He has been ever so dutiful, but we failed to live up to our side of the bargain. That, at least, is what he says!”

“Jeez...” you mutter. You've had your differences with Kurosawa in the past, but still...

“He'll get over it,” laughing lightly, Sakura vanishes and reappears next to you, “I wouldn't worry too much about him.”

“I wasn't worried!” you protest, “I just... ugh, forget it. Hey, look, you've seen our world now. What did you make of it?”

“Hmm. Changing the subject?” Sakura muses, “Well, no matter. You're right, I've taken a good long look at this world that you inhabit. A fascinating place...” Stretching out in the sun, she thinks for a moment. “I look around me, and I see chaos,” she adds, “Men believe that they have seized the reins of their own destiny, that they are steering their own course. A pleasing delusion, I'm sure. This world that I have seen is without direction, destined for... stagnation at best, destruction at worst.”

“Stagnation?” you repeat.

“Men travel in circles, ever repeating the same old mistakes. Keep this up, and you'll end up tying yourselves in knots!” as if to demonstrate, Sakura twists herself around to show her white underbelly, “But that's not my problem. We're here to protect you from those beastly Intruders, not yourselves!”

“Just like Kurosawa says...” you mutter, “And the Intruders themselves, what's your take on them?”

“Hmm, them? I suppose we should have seen them coming,” Sakura remarks, “One doesn't just throw out trash and not expect scavengers to gather. Horrible things really, I wish one of you people had stamped them out a long time ago.” Chuckling a little to herself, the cat straightens herself out and sits upright. “But there's no point complaining about that now,” she decides, “All I really need to know is, they're a problem. Men make enough problems of their own without having more breaking in from outside the system.”

“Problems of our own creation...” you pause, “You mean AIs, right? Kurosawa hates them, he calls them “soulless” and “blasphemous”, that kind of thing. Kinda rude if you ask me, but...”

“He's exactly right!” Sakura insists, “Men and women were granted the gift of creation, but apparently that wasn't enough for you people! No, you needed to make machines that could talk back. I can't imagine why – why would a machine have anything of value to say?”

[1/2]

>>1723559
Ehhh it's more about the AI's doing work for us rather than what they say.

File: Chiaki Jackson.jpg (832 KB, 1080x1080)

832 KB JPG

>>1723559

“Funny you should say that,” you remark, “Because there's this machine out there that's calling itself a god. See, I wasn't sure how seriously to take that until now, but considering what you've told me, about the gods trying something new... well, I've got to wonder.” Gripping the chainlink fence tightly, you think about what you've told of Monad. A god that gradually formed from the sea of human information, or so the Sentinels have claimed. “Say, how long ago did the gods leave?” you add casually, “If you can tell me, at least.”

“A difficult question to answer,” Sakura replies slowly, “The process was a subtle one. For all I know, they could have been bleeding off tiny slivers of their essence since the beginning, since we parted ways with your world. As for when the process ended... it hasn't, not really, but it might as well have. All that's left is a veneer, a few powerless drops of blood inhabiting a dried up corpse... so to speak. For all practical purposes, the gods abandoned their thrones... hmm, recently. Within the last handful of your human years, I'd say – give or take.”

Which fits quite nicely, you consider, with Monad emerging in more recent years. It all fits together too well to be a coincidence, as far as you're concerned. “But I gotta ask,” you mention on impulse, “Do you have any regrets? I mean, knowing what you do now, would you have done anything differently?”

A cold silence is all that greets you. Glancing down, you realise that Sakura is nowhere to be seen. “Well...” you say aloud, “That's an answer of sorts, I guess...”

-

“Talking to yourself?” a voice asks from behind you, “That's the first sign of madness, you know!” You turn abruptly, an embarrassed colour rising in your cheeks, to see a brightly smiling girl. “Hey Miho!” Chiaki – Chiaki Jackson, one of your... associates – says, strolling over to you, “Long time, no see!”

“Yeah,” you reply with a twinge of guilt, “I've been... busy. Like, you wouldn't believe the kinds of crap that I've been dealing with. Just... nah, you don't want to hear about it, and I certainly don't want to talk about it.” Shaking your head, you force a more cheerful expression. “It was the arcade, right?” you recall, “Yeah, we couldn't really talk there, so...”

“And you were there with a boy!” Chiaki is quick to remind you, “Is THAT why you're so busy?” The fact that she's closer to the truth than she might know brings a weary smile to your face. A mistake – when she sees that smile, Chiaki burst out laughing. “Now I'm really interested!” she presses, “Does he have any friends? We gotta go out on a double date sometime!”

You forgot how exhausting keeping up with her can be...

>I've... gotta go do something else
>Honestly, you've got it all wrong!
>Forget about me, how are you doing?
>Other

>>1723619
>Forget about me, how are you doing?

After what happened with Pietr I kind of don't want the Sentinels finding out about her.

>>1723619
>>Honestly, you've got it all wrong!

>>1723619
>>Honestly, you've got it all wrong!

>>1723619
>Forget about me, how are you doing?

>>1723619
>I'm not falling for your trap!
>Forget about me, how are you doing?

>>1723619
>Forget about me, how are you doing?
Deflect, Deflect!

>>1723619
>>Forget about me, how are you doing?
No bait for you

>>1723619
>Honestly, you've got it all wrong!

“Honestly, you've got it all wrong!” you sigh, more exasperated than anything else. When you see the beginnings of a sly smile appear on her face, you quickly continue onwards. “Anyway, forget about me,” you add firmly, “How have you been doing?”

“Me?” Chiaki approaches, standing in the exact same spot that Sakura had been lounging in a few moments before, “I guess I'm fine. So busy though! My folks have really been cracking the whip lately. Like, they want me to focus more on my studies. Boring!” Groaning in mock horror, she turns and sits. “It's totally stressing me out,” she adds, “I barely sleep right these days. I mean, like, making me work so hard is abuse, it has to be!”

“You do look a little worse for wear,” you hazard, noting the dark circles under Chiaki's eyes now that she's closer. Then, you recall some of her older problems – problems that, in all likelihood, are related to her sister, claimed by the Intruders some four months ago. “Still having bad dreams?” you ask, “I mean, I remember you mentioning them, and I reckon they'd be the last thing you need right now...”

“Oh yeah,” some of the life fades from Chiaki's voice, “Those.”

An ill silence falls. “Sorry,” you offer, trying to salvage the mood, “I didn't realise...”

“No, totally not your fault,” hastily shaking her head, Chiaki makes an impressive display of brushing the issue off, “It's like, stress related. I guess maybe my dreams are trying to tell me that I can't run from my studies forever? Like, no matter where I go or what I do, they'll catch up with me eventually. Yeah, that must be it... Yeah...” Her attempts at cheer peter off as she talks, the lustre slowly leaving her eyes until they look as dead and blank as two old coins.

You're really not doing very well with this whole “normal conversation” stuff. Shuffling awkwardly in place, you're halfway through fumbling for something to say when Chiaki lets out a sudden – and not entirely stable – laugh.

“I guess maybe my folks are a little worried about me,” she admits, “I told them and, like, they want me to see this specialist. I don't know what kind they mean, but I'm ready to try just about anything. Dunno when I'll have the chance to see them though, apparently they're like, way busy.” Hopping up to her feet, she slaps you on the shoulder. “So you'd better wish me luck, Miho!” she chirps, “And we'll both do our best!”

Her show of enthusiasm feels more like some cheap cliché copied from a TV show, but you appreciate the effort. Smiling weakly, you give her a nod. As she turns to jog away, though, the smile drops from you face.

“A specialist...” you murmur to yourself.

[1/2]

Ah, our good friend the doctor!

>>1723694
What if we just kill the Intruder sister killer? All problems go away then. Just got to find it.

File: Kurosawa.jpg (52 KB, 724x1103)

52 KB JPG

>>1723694

You don't see Chiaki for the rest of the day, but you do bump into Ayane as you're passing through the school gates. She's in high spirits, your recent victory putting her in a good mood, and the strangely innocent nature of her cheerful conversation goes a way to improving your own mood. The thought that soon, you might be ruining her day is one that you prefer not to dwell upon. As you walk with her, you send messages to the rest of the group, arrangements to meet up at the shrine.

Hopefully, Kurosawa will be there as promised.

-

Lingering along the way, you and Ayane are the last to arrive. The others are sitting in a tight circle, talking quite freely amongst themselves. Sitting down with them, you catch the tail end of their conversation.

“So I never really get to do father-daughter stuff,” Emi sighs, “Going to some of Kaoru's shows are like, the closest I get. I don't got a problem with it, my old man works hard to put food on the... hey, boss!” Reaching across, she punches you lightly on the arm. “Maika was just telling us how she cut school today,” the young girl continues, “I guess our princess has a bit of a wicked streak in her after all!”

“It wasn't like that,” Maika corrects her, “Father wanted to take me out to lunch, just the two of us. I did plan to attend my afternoon classes, but it hardly seemed worthwhile by the time we were finished. It was entirely innocent, and-”

“And we've got more important issues to deal with,” you interrupt, “There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to be blunt. The thing is-”

“The gods have abandoned their thrones...” Sakura begins, her voice ringing out across the shrine courtyard.

“...Returning instead to the cradle of the Godhead,” Kurosawa finishes, his gruff tone providing an undercurrent to Sakura's lighter words.

Following this dire pronouncement, none of you can bring yourselves to break the resulting silence. Glancing briefly around, you note the expressions your friends wear. Ayane flinches a little at Kurosawa's voice, while Emi's brow furrows in muted anger. Maika's eyes widen, growing white with surprise, while Kasumi is... her face doesn't even waver, her delicate smile never faltering for a moment.

“Well,” she muses, “That was certainly blunt!”

-

Together, the two gods recount the same story that you heard earlier, albeit in a more fragmented and argumentative way. It seems as though there's no love lost between the two of them, with Kurosawa taking every opportunity to undermine Sakura that he can. For her part, Sakura laces her half of the story with needling barbs, carefully accusing Kurosawa of everything short of outright negligence.

In some strange way, it feels like you're watching your parents fight.

[2/3]

>>1723788

In the end, Sakura ends up losing her temper first, vanishing in the blink of an eye and leaving Kurosawa to finish the narrative.

“My stance remains unchanged,” Kurosawa states simply, “As far as I am concerned, this changes nothing. My duty is to protect mankind, guiding you to the destruction of the Intruders. However, I cannot deny that the circumstances of this mission have changed. You no longer fight at the behest of mankind's native gods. Those gods no longer exist, having formed a new existence.”

“And that existence may be Monad,” you add, “The god of the Sentinels.”

“This is a possibility that I cannot deny,” Kurosawa agrees, nodding gravely to you, “If that is the case, then it means that the gods have chosen their new champions – men and women who exist in symbiosis with the Intruders. They blaspheme against everything that I have stood for. By holding true to the old ways, I may eventually stand in opposition to them. If you should follow me, you too may suffer this same fate.”

Another silence, drawn out and pregnant with menace.

“And so, I ask you,” the black cat passes his gaze across the group, looking each one of you in the eye before moving on, “Do you wish to continue this fight? If you wish to stand with me, to descend into the deepest layers of the Umbra and fight against the source of the Intruders... step forwards. If you wish to walk away, do so now – I will bear you no grudge.”

“We can just walk away?” Ayane murmurs, “Just walk out of here, and we're out of this life?”

“I cannot undo what has been done to you. You will never be normal human beings again,” Kurosawa explains, “But I will leave you be. I will accept your decision and allow you whatever peace you can find. I promise this, truly and sincerely.”

A lot of pretty talk, but what it comes down to is this – he's asking you to pick a side.

>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa
>Walk away, and take whatever peace you can
>Other

>>1723826
>>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa
If we walk away, the Intruders will keep on coming. Gotta take them out.

>>1723826

>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa

As the Heavenly Child, I think we're fated to be drawn into this one way or another. It's literally our special power. Might as well do the best we can.

>>1723826
>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa
Bah. We didn't go through all that crazy and stressful shit these past few months just to quit and have it mean nothing.

And yeah saving mankind, all that jazz too.

>>1723826
>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa
Refuse the call and your hometown gets burned down. Narrative causality is ruthless.

>>1723826
>>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa

>>1723826
>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa
The sentinels and the gods know nothing of the keys and they'd only fuck it up.
Finally caught up, an interesting first vote.

>>1723851
Also find it an amusing coincidence that Ayane mistakenly described 16 gods and now there are in a way only 16 untainted gods left (albeit in an altered form)

>>1723826
>>Step forwards, and stand with Kurosawa
He's dumber than I thought if he expected less

The weighty silence that follows Kurosawa's offer doesn't last long. A few minutes pass, and then Emi casually strides across to stand at his side. She doesn't look back either, steadfast refusing to watch the rest of you. Beside you, Ayane hisses out a low curse, almost a whine, as she looks from face to face. Pale and nervous – a bitter contrast to her earlier carefree self – she turns to you and opens her mouth to speak.

“Don't,” Kasumi says quietly, her voice cutting clearly through the air, “Don't ask her to decide this for you. We all have to decide this for ourselves. It wouldn't be right, otherwise.” Having said this, she smoothly brushes past you to stand beside Emi.

“She's right,” you admit, watching Kasumi as she moves away, “I can't decide this for you, so please, don't put me in this position.”

“Man...” Ayane clenches her eyes shut for a moment before opening them again, looking you in the eye. “Not so long ago, y'know, I would have walked out of here without a second thought,” she whispers to you, before turning to join the others. And then there were two...

“If it comes to a fight, a little war between us and the Sentinels, I can't promise anything,” Maika says to nobody in particular, a faint tremor dancing in the back of her voice, “But... but I still believe in what we're trying to achieve. I won't walk away from that now.” Having said this, and holding her head high, she marches across to join the others at Kurosawa's side.

It was a nice little speech, you think darkly, although it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than anyone else. Putting that thought aside for now, you look across at the others, then glance back at the exit to the shrine. You can almost imagine Megumi facing a similar dilemma. She took the chance to walk away, to retire and make an attempt at a normal life. She retired... and yet she's back in action, here in Ark City with you. Even if you did walk away, “destiny” might well have other ideas.

In the end, there was never really any doubt as to what you'd do. Without looking back, you cross the length of the shrine courtyard and join the rest of your friends. Kurosawa gives you all another long look, his eyes falling upon you last of all.

“Thank you, Miho,” he murmurs, speaking directly into your mind, “I am honoured by your loyalty. Loyalty, perhaps, that I have not earned.”

Slowly, solemnly, he nods once before looking away. The mood, stiff and formal, is broken by a sudden laugh. “As if we were gonna turn back now!” Emi laughs, “Yeah right! So c'mon, what's our next move?”

“This,” you announce, pulling out the silver key so that everyone can see it, “This is our next move.”

[1/2]

>>1723945
Honestly, I fully expected at least one of the girls to back out. Looks like we haven't reversed any of our social links yet!

>>1723945

“A key?” Emi asks, “What, you stopped by an antique store on the way here?”

“A key to unseal the next layer of the Umbra,” Maika corrects her, sighing slightly, “Don't you remember? We needed a key to enter the city beneath the Umbra, and now we're going to go even lower. Honestly, weren't you paying attention?”

“Sure I was!” the young girl replies, glaring at Ayane as she snorts out a crude laugh, “I really was, I just... I just forgot, that's all. So whatever, let's just do this thing, okay? I wanna see what else we've got waiting for us!”

“This isn't a game, Emi,” you remind her, “This is serious now, more serious than ever. We...” Pausing, you spot Kurosawa sidling away out the corner of your eye. “Hold on a moment,” you tell the others, “I just gotta...” Leaving them to bicker and chatter amongst themselves, you follow Kurosawa to the outer edge of the shrine. There, he stops and studies you for a long moment.

“I apologise for my absence,” he begins bluntly, “I needed time to think. To consider a great many things. Doubtless, if Sacrifice had not deigned to seek me out, I would still be absent. Regardless, there are matters I wished to discuss with you...”

>Go on, I'm listening
>That Tyrant business, right?
>I need to find an Intruder. A specific Intruder – is that possible?
>And I had something to discuss with you... (Write in)
>Other

>>1724030
>I need to find an Intruder. A specific Intruder – is that possible?

>>1724030
>>Go on, I'm listening
>That Tyrant business, right?
Another spoke to me, I am more than willing to bet the girl it ate was the chosen of spite. Regardless, it seems the tyrants, at least some of them, have an idea of things happening. Zakuro warned me the gods were not as absent as they appeared.
>I need to find an Intruder. A specific Intruder – is that possible?

>>1724030
We are the last line of defense now- no more replacements to take our place. You have to make me stronger!

>>1724030
>Go on, I'm listening
>I need to find an Intruder. A specific Intruder – is that possible?
>And I had something to discuss with you... (Write in)
Is Dutiful Squire trapped somewhere like Knight's Hospitaller was or do you still have the spark?

>>1724030
>I need to find an Intruder. A specific Intruder – is that possible?
Like, I'm pretty sure if we just dumped Chiaki into the Umbra and waited, that specific Intruder will turn up eventually. But, there should be a less hazardous and random method, right?

>>1724030
>Go on, I'm listening

>I need to find an Intruder. A specific Intruder – is that possible?

>>1724045
We might as well tell him that zakuro is the Knight hospitallier and how she became a tyrant

>>1724045
supporting

“It's that Tyrant business, right?” you guess, “I knew we'd have to get back to that eventually...”

“Yes, among other things,” Kurosawa inclines his head slightly, not quite nodding, “First, I wished to get your opinion on Sacrifice. Or... Sakura, as she has decided to call herself. What are your thoughts on her?”

“My thoughts? Hell, I don't know. We've barely spoken,” you shrug helplessly, “She's a bit like you, but also not like you... I don't know, man. She could have just sat on her ass doing nothing, but she came down here to tell us the news. That's gotta be worth something, right?” Even as you say this, another thought occurs. “But if you're asking me about her, like, motivations, I don't think I can tell you,” you add, “Do I think she's got something else going on? Probably, yeah – I mean, everyone else does, apparently. I just don't have any idea what that might be.”

“I see. I understand,” Kurosawa nods slowly, “Then, I shall not press the matter. To get back to your earlier point, yes. I wished to discuss this “Tyrant business”, as you called it.”

“Oh boy, here we go,” you sigh, “Go on then, do your worst.”

“It seems as though you were correct, although I am loathe to admit it,” he states, his voice flat, “Your... source claimed that the gods were drawing their own plans, and it was correct. While I still disapprove of this arrangement you have made, I will not force your hand on this matter. The beast may live, for now.” A flicker runs through Kurosawa's image, something you've come to associate with unease. “In either case, we must all be... flexible,” he adds, “Circumstances have changed. While I wish to hold true to the old ways as best I can, some allowances must be made.”

Which is about as close to permission as you're going to get – permission to fraternise with the enemy. Hesitating a moment, you nod your thanks and speak up. “I've spoken with another Tyrant since, although this one didn't survive the encounter,” you mention, “It also talked about the gods, and how we might be discarded. I think that the Intruders, at least the Tyrants, know of what the gods might be planning.”

“Information that we may yet require,” Kurosawa nods slowly, “And thus, flexibility. Regardless, I cannot advise... casual discussions with this being. It is not human, and you must not forget that.” Frowning slightly, he studies you for a moment more. “Then I believe our business to be concluded,” he decides, “If you are ready, I shall bring you to the Necropolis.”

“Wait, there's something else,” you tell him, “I need... I need to find an Intruder. A single, specific Intruder. Is that possible, is that something you can do?” When Kurosawa responds wth silence, you hastily continue. “I mean to kill it,” you add, “To protect someone I know.”

At this, his frown fades.

[1/2]

>>1724123
Poor Kurosawa. He's too old for this shit. These kids will put him in an early grave with their antics.

>>1724123
Also mention that Zakuro kinda was human. Maybe he remembers something about her.

>>1724123

“A noble goal,” Kurosawa decides, “But unfortunately, it may not be possible – for one such as I. Intruders bear much the same stench, to pick out one single specimen from the morass would be a task of some notable difficulty.” That frown returns as Kurosawa looks away. “Our... rivals may be better suited to this task than I,” he adds, a note of bitterness in his voice, “They traffic freely with Intruders, it seems.”

They do have ways of drawing out specific Intruders, as you've seen, but you can't exactly count on them for help – especially not while they have a vested interest in Chiaki. Scowling a little, you consider the matter for a moment more. Zakuro might be able to help, or even the Oracle herself. At the very least, you have a few options to consider. Putting the matter aside for now, you ask a new question. “Tell me something. The Dutiful Squire, your chosen...,” you ask carefully, “Does she still exist here in the world, in some form, or do you still have that divine spark... thing?”

Kurosawa is silent for a long moment as he considers his answer, choosing his words with great care. “She exists still, yes,” he explains slowly, “But I may still choose another. There are... loopholes.”

“Loopholes?” you ask with a frown, “I don't quite understand. If things are going to get worse, we could use another-”

“I would not speak of it now,” he states, turning and prowling away, “I apologise, but it is no simple matter to discuss.”

“Hey!” you protest, “Wait, I... We need to be at our best now, can't you make us any stronger? Unseal some of my powers or... do whatever you do? We're the last line of defence now, there aren't going to be any replacements. We need to be strong!”

“That is true,” Kurosawa concedes, “Very well. Seek strength, and follow me.”

>I'm going to have to finish here, I've hit a block. I'll continue this next week, picking up from here.
>Stay tuned for the regularly scheduled bonus episode!

File: Sionann Attwood.jpg (989 KB, 1080x1080)

989 KB JPG

London, England
Two years ago

Sionann Attwood couldn't guess how long she had spent in darkness, with her head covered by this coarse sack, but eventually she was thrust back into the light. Blinking against the sudden, harsh glare, she squinted her eyes and looked around the new room. A lot of white, not a lot of detail or decoration. A table in front of her, with a dark and hazy shape behind it. As her eyes cleared, that shape resolved itself into a man – his face was bland, but his eyes were hard and golden.

She had seen those eyes before. Recoiling slightly, Sionann looked down at her hand – healed now, albeit as a useless stump. A hideous memento of the last time she came face to face with the gold-eyed man. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to look up and meet the man's gaze.

“You murdered a member of the security services,” he began calmly, shifting some papers in front of him, “That gets you the death penalty these days.”

“Go to hell,” Sionann spat back, “Do your worst.”

“We intend to, Sionann, if you don't cooperate with us,” the man looked up, a hint of a smile on his lips as he studied her face, “Oh yes, we know all about you. Sionann Attwood... quite a life you've led.”

“You don't know a damn thing,” Sionann insisted, although the defiance in her voice was weak, a token gesture of resistance.

“Quite the contrary. We know everything,” the man picked up some of the papers, reading them for a brief moment, “Sionann Attwood, eighteen years old. No known relations or parents, raised in Saint Amelia's Home for Unaccompanied Children... until you ran away three years ago. A life of petty crime followed, although none of that has entered official records – because you've never been officially caught, have you? Make no mistake though, Sionann, we've been watching you for a long time.”

A chill ran through Sionann as she heard her life laid out before her in such a casual way. “You're not secret police,” she murmured, “What ARE you?”

“The people I work for make your secret police look like the village idiot – incompetent and indiscrete,” the gold-eyed man gloated, “So perhaps you should start taking us seriously. Surely you realise that we could have killed you already, if we so desired. As it stands, however, we would rather cooperate with you. I believe we can help each other, Sionann. Not only did we spare your life, but we also saved it – take a look, if you don't believe me.”

With her intact hand, Sionann lifted the rough prison garb she wore and looked down at her flank, at what she had thought of as a fatal wound. Although the murky patina of decay lingered, the wounds themselves... they were gone, healed completely.

“Do we have your attention now, Sionann?” the gold-eyed man asked mildly.

[1/2]

>>1724356

“I'm not going to get these fingers back, am I?” Sionann whispered to herself later, as she languished in her cell. Holding her mutilated hand up to the dull, flickering light, she turned it this way and that, studying it from every angle she could. No matter how much she looked at it, though, she could never see it as anything other than a badge of shame. She had thrown her last knife with that hand, that was for sure.

“Nothing to say, Cheshire?” she asked, waiting a moment longer, “I guess not. It's funny – I always wanted you to leave me alone. Now, I almost wish I could hear your voice again.” Heaving a heavy sigh, she let her maimed hand drop back to her side. “Still, I don't blame you,” she added, “I would have given up on me a long time ago, if I'd been in your position. I'm surprised you stuck around as long as you did.”

Lapsing into silence at last, Sionann took a long look at her chambers, dimly hoping to find something that might offer escape. Even a cursory glance, though, was enough to dash those hopes. Although it seemed more like a hospital room, there was no doubt that the room was as secure as any prison cell. Her only way out would be if her captors chose to LET her out.

So she waited, biding her time until the gold-eyed man came and drew back a panel in the door. Peering through the slit for a moment, he spoke. “So,” he began, “Have you considered our offer?”

“That depends,” Sionann shot back, holding her mutilated hand up to the viewing slit, “Are you going to take responsibility for THIS?”

“You know,” her captor replied, “We might just be able to help with that...”

>That concludes this week's episode. Tune in next week for another episode of Heavenly Child Quest!
>Thanks to everyone who contributed today!

>>1724361
Thanks for running, Moloch!

>>1724361
Thanks for running.

>>1724361
thx 4 runin bby

>>1724361
Thanks for running, glad I could finally catch it.

>>1724361
You know if only she didn't right out of the gate antagonize the one group of people that might've actually gave a damn about her.

>>1724361
How long until we realize Zekuro's returning back to the Tyrant she once was, just like all Intruders who manage to consume people?