>>39650743
>G-go inside, time to do this.
Gotta be strong (for now)

>>39650743
>G-go inside, time to do this.
be strong, masami

>>39650743
>G-go inside, time to do this.

>G-go inside, time to do this.
writing!

>>39651142
Time to confront the big bad(?)!

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I gulp, and take another step toward the door. I really don't like it, but I'm the one that wanted to go alone in the first place.
I'm probably just making myself panicked. It's not like I haven't been inside before.
Hmph, that's right. I've been inside plenty of times before. nothing really is new or different here except the giant shield surrounding the building. If I just hop inside, search where Kaori tells me to search, and leave, then it'll be like I was never inside at all.

That's right. I just got to keep telling myself that it'll be fine.
I can feel myself slowly walking toward the door. Each step seems to cover less and less distance as I approach.
Carefully, I peek inside the entrance.
There's a lit stairway that seems to go downward into oblivion. The surrounding hallway is seemingly gone. I remember this stairwell looking much different. Even though every sense is telling me that this is a bad idea, I gently set one foot onto the stairs and start walking downward.

--
The stairs slowly start to light up as I walk down them. I can't even tell how long I've been going dwon this same narrow stairwell anymore. More and more of the stairwell seems to light up as I find myself suspended in an empty sea of darkness.
The walls surrounding the stairs seem to fall away as I walk. So does the ceiling. I'm left in what seems like an endless expanse of darkness with fading lights in the distance.
Those lights, they're illuminating other sets of stairs. I wasn't paying attention in the darkness, but those were other paths I could have taken on the way. None of them would have led me where I am right now, but they still would have taken me places.
Why did I choose the path I'm on right now?

>Because I always wanted to protect my family.
>Because I just wanted to be left alone.
>Because I want to live a normal life
>I don't know, I just do what other people couldn't do.
>I should keep my mind occupied with something else (what?)
>Other?

>>39651626
>Because I just wanted to be left alone.
>Because I always wanted to protect my family.
First the former, then the latter.

>>39651626
>Because I always wanted to protect my family.

>>39651626
>Because I always wanted to protect my family.

>>39651626
>>39651666
this

>because I always wanted to protect my family.

Gonna try a quick write up and then I got to go home.

Writing!

>>39651886
Alrighty!
Hopefully we manage to find our way in here...

>>39651931
We shouldn't have trouble moving around, at least.

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That's right, I'm not doing this because I want to fight. Or because I think it's a good idea, or even because I think I can handle it.
I'm doing this because I want to protect the ones that I love, and who love me back. It's a strange thing for someone like me to say it. When I first woke up here in Fortune, it felt like there was not a single person in this whole world who I could trust. I didn't know Mom really loved me, or that I was anything other than some warped science experiment. I even considered the possibility that I was kidnapped.
Now that I know better, I realize how incredibly fortunate I am to have someone who cares about me. Mom, Kaori, my friends, they're the ones that I have to thank for helping me through this world.

Suddenly, I stop.
in front of me, is a door. Slowly, I turn the handle and allow it to swing open.

I'm bathed in an intense white light, I know from visiting this place before that this is the laboratory. It's always either completely dark, or blindingly bright. There is never any inbetween.
I'm currently standing in the observation deck, overlooking the laboratory. In the center is the same pedestal that I don't jknow the purpose of.
And in front of that pedestal, is Asai. He seems lost in thought as he looks toward the stand.

>Get angry!
>Stay quiet, maybe he doesn't see me.
>Try to break out of the observation deck and get to him!
>Turn back, this is clearly not going to get me anywhere.
>Other?

Everyone, I am driving home.

As I said on twitter, last I chjecked internet was out at my house. That means I might suddenly disappear after this post for theday.

We will pick up where we left off if that happens next time. Until then, hope for the best! I'll resume when I can.

>>39652114
>Try to break out of the observation deck and get to him!
Can't talk from up here

>>39652114
>Stay quiet, maybe he doesn't see me.
>Turn back, this is clearly not going to get me anywhere.
Well, she doesn't appear to be here.

>>39652114
>Turn back, this is clearly not going to get me anywhere.
>Stay quiet, maybe he doesn't see me.

>>39652114
>Stay quiet, maybe he doesn't see me.
>Try to break out of the observation deck and get to him!

Where'd all the players go? Quest has been really slow lately. A pity since we're in the home-stretch.

>>39652983
Its pretty irregular is my main problem, so I often miss it.

>>39653043
Well I can definitely understand that. But it's been running for a while now and we did get a bit of forewarning on twitter too.

>>39652983
I guess some might not have as much time as they used to for whatever reason? Things change.

>>39652143
>Turn back, this is clearly not going to get me anywhere.

And I'm back home.

>>39653043
Apologies, I try to run every Saturday but last Saturday was an exception so this is the make-up thread.

>Turn back, this is clearly not going to get me anywhere.
>Stay quiet, maybe he doesn't see me.

Writing!

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No.
I'm feeling confident, but I'm not feeling THAT confident. This building is Asai's domain. It would be really silly to try and fight him here.
I'll just backtrack and maybe I can find another way to approach this situation.

I slowly creep backwards out of the door. Then I shut it gently as I turn around.

Uhhhhh.

The stairs.
They're different.

The stairway I just came down now no longer lead up. Instead, they lead further down into the inky blackness.
Oh no. Now I'm completely lost!
Is Asai doing this? But he's in the other room, and I don't remember him saying anything about remodeling.

I sigh before continuing down the stairwell.

After all, that's why I'm here, right? I'm here to protect my family, that includes all of it. Asai and his stupid building can go straight to-

..
There's another door.
I know where this is going.

What do I do?

>Go through the door.
>The stairways again, at least I'm still on the move.
>Back to the first door. Dealing with Asai might be easier than dealing with whatever is behind here.
>Other?

>>39655629
>Go through the door.
Gotta do it!

>>39655629
>Go through the door.
equip julie

>>39655629
>The stairways again, at least I'm still on the move.

>Go through the door with Julie.

Writing!

>>39655938
Well, let's hope nothing bad happens!

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I gulp, if I'm correct, this door either leads to a big trap or it will trap me inside. At least I think that's how this works. I'm not entirely sure about the inner workings of this place.

I do have to wonder, if this place had a mode that kept intruders out, why didn't Asai activate it before now?

Slowly, I put Julie's outfit on before grasping the handle and pulling it open.

The door opens up to rather banal lighting of a standard office. Actually, it almost seems like I've seen this office before.
Oh no.
I have seen this office before.

There's a large, white desk in the center of the room. With a chair that clearly has someone sitting in it. It spins around to reveal.
Asai.

"Hello, dear daughter." He smiles.

"W- How!? How are you here, too?"
"I get around." That smile. Nothing about that smile makes me comfortable.

I can feel it now, maybe it's Julie's effects taking over or maybe I'm just really frustrated with today. All of it seems to culminate with all my feelings coming out at once.
"GIVE ME BACK MY MOM YOU JERK"

He sighs before spinning his chair away from me. I'm tempted to try rushing him with the sword right now, but I know it wouldn't work.
"I have family too, you know." He says, solemnly.

"..Okay?"
"And you're part of it, Masami."
"NO I AM NOT!" I'm really pouting right now!

He turns his chair around to face me. "You are part of my family, Masami. And you aren't alone, either. Your mother is part of my family, Kaori is part of my family, even the cards and the monsters. All of us are family."

…
"THIS DOESN'T MAKE ME WANT MY MOTHER BACK ANY LESS! WHERE IS SHE!?"

He kicks the chair away and stands up.
"I pictured Fortune to be our home, Masami. You may already have a home of your own, but think about all the beasts who don't have a place to call theirs. It's not easy for monsters to find adoption, like you have."

>"I'm through talking with you, goodbye."
>"Who cares!?"
>"..."
>Other?

>>39656565
>Other?
you can keep them if you want, now WHERE'S MY MOM?

>>39656565
>"Well they can stay here then, can't they, if you're so eager to host? And they can have their own families! Tell me where mom is!"
And with that I must sleep. Thanks for writing!

>>39656565
>"WHERE IS SHE!?"

>>39656565
>>39656648
Sounds about right.

>>39656714
>not toughing it out and staying up for Masami
How can you call yourself a hero of justice like this?!

>GIVE ME BACK MY MOM!
>You can keep your "family" then!

Writing!

>>39656714
Have a nice night!

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"Okay Asai." I cross my arms. "YOU CAN KEEP YOUR FAMILY THEN! WHERE'S MY MOM?!"

He frowns, before spinning back in his chair again.
"WHERE IS SHE?!" I raise Julie's sword to the ready. If he doesn't talk, maybe Julie can make him.

"Masami, I was hoping you would realize how important Fortune has been for our kind. Can you even imagine how your life would have been if dearest Empress hadn't adopted you?"
"I don't know." I can feel Julie's power gathering at the end of the blade. "AND I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!"

I charge right at him, but he merely lifts his hand and blocks the attack. The blue energy from the sword seems to be swirling into his hand, burning it.
Even though his hand is on fire, he seems perfectly calm.

"Empress has conditioned you to live like the normal human you were modeled to be."
I press my sword harder against his hand.
"I don't care about any of that!" I yell at him.

He turns around, supporting his hand.
"The only reason humans have given you anything in life is because you look like them. In the end, the only people who truly care about you are right here, at Fortune."
Both of my hands are wrapped around the sword now as it starts to wane against his defenses. He's slowly starts to lose grip of the blade as he brings up his other hand to steady it.
"TELL ME WHERE MOM IS!"
"You and Empress are throwing away your futures to live as fugitives among humanity!"

MY hands are starting to burn now, the blue flame has erupted into a room-filling specter that presses against his defenses and is causing him to falter.

The blue flame explodes in a fiery mist! I can feel someone holding me from behind as the blue flames wrap around the room and tear it to pieces!

The heat destroys the floor beneath me, and then I can feel myself start to fall.
But then, something catches me.

>Cont.

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>>39657396
My eyes open again, and I'm standing in the yard in front of my house.
"Huh? Is it over?"
I reach for Julie's sword, until I realize that I'm not wearing her anymore.
"W-" That's strange. I reach into my pocket, and-

I'm short another card.
"I'm short another card!?" I scream to no one. I take out all the cards I have on me and shuffle through them.

Julie is missing.
M-maybe I just left it inside! I am home, after all!

I spin around to run back to the house, except for one problem.
The house is gone. In it's place is a completely empty lot where it looks like nothing ever stood. The overgrown weeds and vines completely entangle

I reach into my pocket for my phone, and I quickly take it out. Tapping on the screen a few times.
None of my contacts are there! It's like I've never called anyone!

I try dialing a number, but the phone blinks with an 'Error: No service' message!
"W-what is going on!?"

Something is seriously wrong!
I take out the jump card, maybe I can go to school and-
For some reason, there seems to be some kind of confusion swirling in my mind as I try to use it.

It feels like.. Like I've never tried using one before.
Dejected, I instead choose to sprint.

- -

It's hard keeping my tears contained right now.
But I'm able to make it to Aiko's house.

I knock on the door, hoping to at least get her little sister. She can call her mother and maybe Aiko and let her know what's going on-
The door slowly slides open.
And it's Aiko?

"Aiko? Why are you here?! Shouldn't you be at Fortun-"

Her expression trembles. All of the color drains from the otherwise healthy blush she usually has. A shriek fills the air.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

I fall backwards onto my butt, completely confused at what she's screaming about.
"Aiko, wait!"
"IT'S A MONSTER!" She slams the door, and from behind it I can hear several layers of locks click.

"M-Monster?" I frantically look around me, "Where!?"
I don't see anything.
What?

>Thread End

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Thanks for the thread everyone! Sorry for the series of delays that accompanied this.

I am hoping to run CPM twice a week until it finishes.
I hope you enjoyed this thread! Let me know what you thought. Have a nice night!

>>39657841
Thanks for running.

>>39657841
thanks for running

hmm, looks like Asai's power has something to do with illusions, or at least messing with you mind
that would explain why mom was so afraid of him