>>41016601
You look around at your progress, and realize how little you have made. “I'm looking for some books. Maybe even scraps of books, I don't know. I need them to summon the Man in Black. Maybe. I don't even know if it will work, but it's all I can go off of now.”

“Should I get the others to help out?”

The others...

It has been quite a while since you embarked on this quest to find out what the hell happened to your brother. You've been jumping at every hint of information, and dragging your companions into all kinds of trouble. You have been so focused on your task you can't even say for sure how your crew's morale is, or even how they would react to another one of these tasks.

You can only think of King and her guild: After Zachery disappeared, she did the same thing you did, try and find out what happened to him, and how to get him back. She was probably more obsessed, or perhaps just as obsessed as you are; she led several raids against <The Family> who had crowned themselves rulers of the junkpile that was Big Apple. She did this not for glory or vengeance, but just to get more time to investigate what was going on here. After so many raids, some people grew tired and bitter. They left King's command, and as more people left, King began to lose, and after the first couple of losses, people stopped helping her.

The last you heard of King, she was still running around the ruins, searching for more clues.

“You sure you're okay?” Canis asks.

You stop dreaming about the past, and focus on the task at hand. “Yeah.”

“So, what should we do?”

[ ] “Get everyone here. I need those books found.”
[ ] “We should find King. She might know something.”
[ ] “You can help me, but don't get the others involved. Too many people will get us spotted by <The Family>.”
[ ] Other.

>>41016603
>[X] “You can help me, but don't get the others involved. Too many people will get us spotted by <The Family>.”

Happy Freedom Day Shep!

>>41016603

[ ] “You can help me, but don't get the others involved. Too many people will get us spotted by <The Family>.”
[ ] “We should find King. She might know something.”

In that order. King might have grabbed the books to prevent them getting lost so checking on any leads should come first.

PS. Cold resist gear or potions actually stop the cold. I guess the potions economy must be fucked in america right now.

>>41016726
>Happy Freedom Day Shep!
Thank you!

Happy 4th of July to everyone!

I'd post an exceptionally American picture, if I could find where the hell I put it.

>>41016726
>>41016874
Woops! I spent way too long trying to find that picture, and completely forgot to call the vote.

[+1 Stealth Mastery]
[+1 Frozen Fingers]

>>41016946
I'm suddenly imagining random screenshots from escape from New York for some reason.

If Ambro realizes that Vertigo is on the moon, would he start building a spaceship to get there?

You know, like a certain blue bomber and red-themed sister?

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>>41016989
“You can help me,” You explain, “But don't get the others involved. Too many people will get us spotted by <The Family>.”

“Alright.” He responds, “What are we looking for?”

“Four books.” You say, “But at this point, I wouldn't mind finding any books.” You suddenly realize the distinct lack of books you've found in the rubble.

“You think they might have been destroyed?” Canis starts pushing all of the snow and debris into a large pile.

“It's possible.” You say, “But if that happened, there would still be bits and pieces of them left. Either burnt pages, of chopped up book covers, or something. Not just... nothing.” You begin to move more rubble about, but continue to find nothing.

“Then maybe someone took them all.”

“That's also possible, but I want to be sure. If someone did take them all the books except the four we're looking for, I don't want to be half way across the world before we find out.”

More hours pass. The cold creeps into your flesh and bones, but you press on.

You turn over every stone, every brick, every mote of dust, for the smallest piece of a book, but find nothing. The moon dominates the sky before you finally throw your numbed hands up.

“Didn't find anything?” Canis asks.

“No. How about you?”

He shakes his head. “Haven't found anything.”

>>41017648
“Maybe King already has them.” You think out loud. “She's been here for a while, she must have had the same thought I did, so she might have be the one with the books.”

“Any idea where she is?” He replies.

You look into your friends list to see that her location is currently marked Big Apple. “Somewhere in the city.” You report.

“That's not very specific.”

“It really isn't.”

“Should we get back to the ship, then? It'd be easier searching in the day.”

“It would also be easier to be spotted in the day.”

“True enough.”

You put a hand to your chin and try to think of a course of action.

[ ] Go back to the Manifest Destiny to sleep off the night.
[ ] Try to find King under the cover of darkness.
[ ] Other.

>>41017668
Message king with telepathy

>>41017668
>[X] Other
Is there any way to contact King?

>>41017408
Unless there's some lore hiding around we secretly discovered i doubt it.

>>41017668
Neither of us are very sneaky as far as I know.

Use telepathy. Say to send a call back so that we hear a ring if you're busy since we can't discount the possibility King being captured.

Ask if King knows anything about the book locations when contact is established.

>>41017668
>Message King
Ping her about the 4 specific books and if she ever found large stores of books on her raids.

>Sleep

We should probably grind a bit soon, so we're actually useful in a raid.

>>41017668
>[ ] Go back to the Manifest Destiny to sleep off the night.

>>41017668
>[ ] Try to find King under the cover of darkness.
Trying to do this from my phone at a party is hard.

>>41017717
>>41017733
>>41017824
>>41017769
[+1 Call]
[+1 Players smarter than the QM]
[+1 Why the hell didn't I think of that?]
[+1 It still doesn't work for a reason you don't know about, but that was still pretty clever ]

>>41017929
not gonna read that spoiler
You wont get me this time DOOMSHEP!

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>>41017929
“Let me just call King.” You say, “I'm sure she's still sane enough to at least answer the call.” You remember stories you've heard of the madwoman of Big Apple. You are 90% certain the stories are about King, but it's very likely they are just exaggerated.

No one would want to die, even if they do respawn. At least, not after a couple of attempts.

You open up your friends list again and hit Call.

The call rings, and rings, and rings, and rings, but King does not pick up. You sigh. “She's not picking up.”

“Regroup at the Manifest, then?” Canis asks.

You exhale a sigh. You can see your breath in the cold night air. Maybe the stories are true.

No, that' crazy talk. This isn't Dark Souls; people don't go Hollow or crazy, or whatever just from dying.

[ ] “Yeah, let's get back to the ship.”
[ ] “No, it's best to find her now.”
[ ] Other.

>>41018210
>[x] “Yeah, let's get back to the ship.”

>>41018210
>[ ] “Yeah, let's get back to the ship.”

>>41018210
>[ ] “Yeah, let's get back to the ship.”
MESSAGE her

>>41018210
>[X] “Yeah, let's get back to the ship.”

>>41018276
>MESSAGE her
Like a text message?

Is that possible? I can't recall that happening before, but it's very possible I misread something.

>>41018305
>>41018276
>>41018252
>>41018229
[+1 Nice, Warm Fire]

>>41018437
....wait, Elder Tale doesn't have a CHAT feature!?

>>41018742
It did, but I don't think anyone has ever used it after the Apocalypse, which makes me wonder if it's still accessible.

It's been stated that Akatsuki specifically didn't use voice chat when she played, for example.

>>41018437
I don't think they can text chat post-Catastrophe. They probably would've brought it up during the Return of the Goblin King war room exposition if they could.

>>41018437
I've personally not heard of anyone managing that post Database.
>>41018742
It's not exactly usable if the structure for making it still exist given that noone in Japan seems to use it.

Also damn my internet for going awol during voting time.
How much have we grown in level so far?
We've never really focused on exp but if we get close enough to cap then every lv 90 player isn't instant death in NY at least.

>>41018847
>How much have we grown in level so far?
Current level is 60.

>>41018797
What is the status of the crew? You mentioned not knowing the morale of the group since we are so narrow minded right now but certianly we would notice if someone left.

>>41019027
>we would notice if someone left.
No one has left yet, to your knowledge.

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>>41018437
“Yeah, let's get back to the ship.” You say, “No sense in wearing ourselves out searching for her all night. Not to mention it's cold as hell out here”

“The colder it is, the more of an excuse you have to drink.”

“True enough.”

The two of you meander through the snowy streets, jumping over craters in the pavement. The rebellion must have been some strange hell. Although, the destruction is just as likely to have been caused by either King's raids or the Food Riot.

“Kinda scary when you think about it.” Canis says.

“Hm?” You respond.

“Well, this whole place used to be filled with people and buildings and stuff, and then one day everyone just decided to burn it all down. Really every city, every society really, is just one bad day from complete destruction.”

“Well, it was more of a bad month than a bad day, and it wouldn't have happened if PvP and the like wasn't suddenly enabled.”

“Anyone ever figure that one out?”

You take a glance at the area menu expecting to find some kind of secret information, but see the same thing everyone else has:

Big Apple
Owner: No one
PvP: Allowed
Abilities: Allowed
Destruction: Allowed

It's amazing that it took people so long to even notice cities could be bought, but there it was, the option to buy the city. Billions of GP, but it was possible. Whoever bought the city must have done it just to change the properties, then dropped ownership of the city.

Billions of GP, just to troll an entire city to death.

“You're right.” You say.

Canis looks at you confused. “But I asked a yes or no question.”

“No, no. I mean, it IS scarier, the more you think about it. Someone spent billions of gold just to troll a city into destroying itself.”

“That's got to be some kind of next level trolling.”

“Have you ever been trolled so hard you started a riot?”

“Have you ever been trolled so hard you started a riot AND burned down an entire city?”

>>41019907
He laughs, but your mood is soured by the knowledge that this riot was the thing that displaced your brother. You don't know who this troll is, but he is partly responsible for your brother's disappearance.

The two of you trudge out of the city limits and to an unassuming snowy hill, behind which sits the Manifest Destiny Mark 2. It's a wonder this thing can move with how massive it is, but you, Lilac, and Carnegie figured it out. With personal rooms for four people, you, Lilac, and Carnegie each have a personal room to sleep in, rather than the more military accommodations everyone else has. The last private room was given to Canis, mostly because he is your best friend, but also because you know a lack of privacy will not stop his and Aideen's nightly activities, especially the kind that are not actually nightly.

On top of new rooms, a small kitchen, a dining area, and a lounge have also been added. The spartan living conditions have mostly been done away with for more creature comforts. You couldn't think well in such cramped conditions anyways.

The two of you climb up the ladder and onto the deck. You leave footsteps in the snow that has gathered on the deck. You open up the door to the lower deck, and are met by the lovely feeling of warm air and the smell of roasting meat.

>>41019931
“Ambrosis!” You hear a certain woman shout. You are suddenly ambushed by the clinging arms of Judicature. “I was so worried!” Her warm body feels so good to your hands.

“Worried enough to stay here?” You tease.

She looks quite ashamed of herself. “I-I'm sorry. It's just... I didn't want to cause any more problems.”

It appears you chose your words poorly. Ever since the Food Riots, <Morning Star> have had a target painted on their backs, especially on the east coast. Nowadays the <Morning Star> only have a presence is Pueblo, Boulder, and Ekechi 51. Everywhere else is extremely hostile to the white hats. She's been afraid to leave the ship ever since the incident at Brotherhood.

“I'm just joking.” You say, “Besides, I need you now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” You take her hands and put them to your face. “I need to steal your warmth.”

“Okay.”

You look around the lounging area and notice no one else is here, with the exception of Aideen who is currently preoccupied with Canis.

[ ] “What's Lilac up to?”
[ ] “What's Takeshi cooking up this time?”
[ ] “How are you holding up?”
[ ] “Is Trove's new batch of booze ready yet?”
[ ] “Do you know what Carnegie's tinkering with now?”
[ ] Other.

>>41019957
[X] Other.
How did the old in-game mail system work? Could we send a message to King and hope she checks out a postbox?

>>41019957
What is lilac up to?
Lets get the status of our current innovations first and foremost
What has our party been working on besides Zachary in the time we were gone?

>>41019957
>[ ] “What's Lilac up to?”
>[ ] “What's Takeshi cooking up this time?”
>[ ] “How are you holding up?”

[X] “What's Lilac up to?”

I won't lie, I was hoping this would've resulted in breaking up with Judi.

>>41019957
[ ] “What's Lilac up to?”

>>41020163
>I won't lie, I was hoping this would've resulted in breaking up with Judi.
I had considered it, but it felt unfair to pull that off screen.

>>41020163

If she's risking venturing with our group in Big Apple while still having that guild tag, that indicates at least a good amount of dedication.

>>41020169
>>41020163
>>41020132
>>41020044
[+1 Knowledge (Lilac)]

Is the prince still with Aideen and Canis?

>>41020410
>Is the prince still with Aideen and Canis?
Yes.

How is Takeshi after all this time? I wanted to consider asking him to scout due to being the stealthy one but distracted myself for too long.

How dangerous/unstable is the current area and the server considered to be?

Does all of our crew have an idea about what Vertigo told us before he died? Raid lv monsters duking it out for power. Perma death availiable vs players,etc. Given how we didn't mention that giant river of gold earlier I'm gonna guess Vertigo accidentally skipped detailing that part.
How much of that is public even if just rumours?

Sorry. my brain keeps on asking too many random questions.

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>>41020326
Now that you have some warmth, you ask, “So, what's Lilac up to?”

“Oh..” She responds.

“Oh?” You question.

“N-nothing. She's... um... She's in her room... still awake.”

The fact that Judi mentioned Lilac still being awake probably means there is something wrong that you haven't been paying attention to. “How long has she been awake?”

“Well, only a week, but-”

“ONLY a week?”

“It's better than the month she spent awake last time.”

“Oh, right. I knew that.”

She kisses you. “It's okay. I know you've been too busy to pay attention.”

You sigh. “She's still in her room?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. I'm going to talk to her.” You take her hands away from your face and begin to walk to the private rooms. You hear the steps of footsteps behind you and take a glance to see Judi following you. “I think it would be best if I talked to her in private, actually.”

“Oh.” She responds. “Are you sure you don't need to be warmed up some more?” She places a hand on your face.

“I'm sure.” You respond, pulling her hand away.

“Okay.” She says, saddened.

“It's okay. I just want to talk to her alone so it doesn't feel like we're ganging up on her.” Some part of you wonders if what you just said is true.

“Okay.” She takes a step back. “I'll be here when you're done.”

“Alright.” You turn back around and head for Lilac's room.

You knock on the door.

“Enter.” You hear from within the room.

You open the door to see Lilac sit in the center of a sea of papers. She looks up to you with a strange expression that appears to be a mix of confusion and delirious bewilderment.

>>41022292
“It's you.” She says, “Is something wrong? Am I needed?”

“Uh, no.” You take a step into the room and close the door. “I heard you've been awake for a while. Don't you think it's time to sleep?”

“NO!” She shouts, “I'm so close to a breakthrough!”

“A breakthrough on what?”

She opens her mouth to speak, then closes it, and begins to look at the pages around her. “I don't remember, but it was important!”

“I think you need to sleep.”

“I think YOU need to sleep!”

“I do,” You respond while kneeling down to put your hand on her shoulder, “But I need you to sleep first.”

“Make me!”

You stare at the sorceress for a while before retrieving a sack from your inventory. You knew the was going to become handy again sooner or later. Before the delirious dwarf can even register what is happening, you have trapped in the sack once more. You scoop her up and toss her, sack and all, onto her bed. You quickly pull the sheets over the bag and shout,“There! Now go to sleep!”

You watch the woman squirm beneath the sheets. She pops her head out and says, “You forgot something.”

You look around the room for what you could have possibly forgotten, and finding nothing, you approach the sorceress. “What did I forget?”

She springs up from the bed and wraps her arms around your neck. She dangles off of you like some kind of strange necklace. The two of you are face to face. You stare into her purple eyes and feel something dangerous stir within you.

“A kiss good night.” She says.

Without even thinking, you move your face closer to hers.

She lets go and falls from you. “I was kidding!” She says suddenly, diving under the covers. “It was stupid. I was stupid. I...” She curls up in her bed, facing away from you, “I'm going to sleep.”

“Right.”

You know you should leave now before you do something stupid.

[ ] Leave.
[ ] Don't leave.
[ ] Other.

>>41022325
>[ ] Leave.
what the hell
Judi is best girl you plebs

>>41022325
>[x] Leave.

You start to hallucinate after 3-4 days of not having sleep. I'm worried for Lilac, but we can't help much when she's in this state.

>>41022325
>[x] Leave.

oh shit lilac what are you doing

Judi would be crushed!

>>41022325
[ ] other
Ruffle hair, say she needs to take care of herself a bit more, she is important to us, wish her goodnight, leave

as much as i want lilac route, it just isn't IC for Ambrosis to betray Judi unless she fucks up again

>>41022325
>[ ] Leave.
This is not okay. As much as I prefer Lilac this just isn't okay. Besides, she's delirious.

>>41022524
>>41022420
>>41022393
>>41022389
>>41022369
[Leaving]

[+1 Reason why the QM drinks ]

I'm kidding

[Super short post]

>>41022325
>[X] Leave.

>>41022659
You're going to leave.

You need to leave before you do something stupid.

“You need to take better care of yourself.” You say, “We might have Adventurer bodies now, but we still need to sleep. You're not doing yourself any favors staying awake like this.”

“Right.” Her response is muffled by the sheets. She starts mumbling things, but you can't quite understand it.

You turn and leave the room.

You close the door and rush off to the lounge area. Judicature is still there, but Canis and Aideen have left already.

“Something wrong?” Judi asks.

“No.” You say, “Mission accomplished; Lilac's asleep.”

“Good.” She responds, “Are you hungry? We could go see what Takeshi's cooking.”

[ ] Go see what Takeshi has made for dinner.
[ ] Go check on Trove's newest brew.
[ ] Other.

>>41022957
>[X] Go see what Takeshi has made for dinner.
Fud is gud

>>41022957
>[ ] Go see what Takeshi has made for dinner.
I like takeshi

>>41022957
>[ ] Go see what Takeshi has made for dinner.
Haven't seen Takeshi in forever! So exciting.

>>41022957
>[x] Go see what Takeshi has made for dinner.
Tasty

>>41022957
>[X] Go see what Takeshi has made for dinner.

>>41022957
>[x] Go see what Takeshi has made for dinner.

>>41023042
>>41023029
>>41023028
>>41023012
>>41022985
>>41023065

[-10 Hunger]
[+1 Knowledge(Takeshi)]

How much time has passed since the fall of Big Apple?

>>41022957
Now I'm desperately curious how often this happens. Judi's reluctance on letting us go alone has a whole new meaning if Lilac and Ambrosis have been dancing the Masochism Tango.

>>41023200
>dancing the Masochism Tango
I like this phrase. I think I'll use it.

Also, it led me to a certain song, which I am not sure was your meaning or not.

>>41023374
>tfw lilac and Ambrosis obviously a better couple
>tfw samefags ruin it for everyone

>>41023422
mental instability is kind of a dealbreaker

>>41023475
It's ok, they're both mentally unstable.

>>41023374
Meant it as a bit of A, bit of B. Lehrer's great, and his song's about more obviously abusive loves, but the chemistry Ambrosis and Lilac's going on is definitely hurting [i]someone[/i].

>>41023475
That can be worked through. Heart rending betrayal's another matter.

>>41023422
It still seems like a genuine majority prefers not to go for lilac

>>41023475
being significantly responsible for the (permadeath?) of our one and only only brother is another, if she was really dedicated to us, she would never have done that.
I would rather have a gf who lies to protect us than one who betrays us, sending our brother to die, who completely trusted her, because her boss told her to.

>>41023568
unlike judifags, Lilacfags actually have a semblance of respect for relationships and characterization. I will not vote for Ambrosis leave Judi unless he has yet another reason to do so, as that would not be in character now. From what I can tell, most lilacfags feel similar.

>>41023620
I respect Judis integrity and sense of justice in spite her own personal feelings.

>>41023620

Geez, the waifu wars ended over a year ago. Let it go already and stop trying to make yourself superior to everyone who disagreed with you.

Ambrosis x Symbology is the true OTP

>>41023734
This is now canon

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>>41023768

>>41023734
As long as it isn't Ambrosis x Takeshi

>>41023672
i am superior. you're waifu a shit :^)

>>41024076

but anon, you are my waifu

>>41023620
How is Judi responsible for our brothers death at all

>>41024257
She isn't.

>>41024257
She really isn't. That Brimstone guy was very, very bad at bureaucracy, though.

>>41024257

Directly responsible, no, but her assistance in our brother's attempted arrest threw both us and him in a panic, and our resulting plan to keep him isolated from everyone for his own safety probably didn't help with panic.

More seriously, Judi's continued affiliation with the <Morning Star> means we still have a constant reminder of Brimstone's fuckup every second we look at her, and humans can have a hard time dealing with guilt by association. Ambrosis's relationship with Judi has to be incredibly strained, even if things are fine on the surface, and it certainly feels like both of them are tiptoeing around each other as a result.

>>41024446
kek look at this lilacfag grasping at straws

>>41024446
So responsible for emotional harm at a VERY bad time. That does not make her responsible for Vertigo's death, especially when Vertigo himself is already pretty hot-blooded.

Besides, the main cause is MiB using Vertigo as a pawn, and being surrounded by friends didn't stop MiB from contacting Ambro.

>>41024496
Arguably, Ambro is more responsible for not picking up those phonecalls way back when shit started to get real.

Still here tinyshep?

>>41024632
Yes.

Post soon (and then I think I'll end it the post afterwards)

>>41024496
It doesn't, and Ambrosis is smart enough to recognize that or else Judi would have been dropped like a hot potato. What we've seen of their interactions so far feels like they're ignoring the elephant in the room, like when Lilac forced them to kiss and make up.

But hey, maybe I'm biased.

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>>41023080
“Let's just have some dinner.” You say, “What's Takeshi cooking tonight?”

“I don't know.” She responds, “I don't think he knows either. He mentioned something about a sweet and spice meat sauce.”

You look down at your stomach to gauge whether you are hungry or hungry-enough-to-eat-Takeshi's-experiment hungry. You are, unfortunately, the latter. With a sigh you say, “Alright, let's see what madness he's made this time.”

The two of you head down a floor and into the dining room. A giant table with a white tablecloth and many chairs besetting it remains completely unused. One of King's guild members (or ex-guild member now) donated it under King's command. She had said when this was all over she intended to sit everyone down, your guild and hers, to a huge feast. No one's ever used the table, at least not that you've seen.

You focus your attention to the bar that connects to the kitchen, a nice touch by Carnegie, and see Tarot, Edifice, and Symbology sitting there.

You take a seat on a stool and listen in on the current conversation while Judicature sits down next to you.

“I'm telling you the JIF are going to invade any day now.” Edifice says, “Mark my words.”

“You've said that every day since we got on this ship.” Tarot laments, “Can't you talk about anything else!? Tell me who killed JFK, tell me how the government did 9/11, deny the Holocaust! Do something that isn't telling us about the Japanese!”

“Why? Those are all in the past, but the JIF is in the future!” Edifice states, “A future I can prevent!”

“Four months!” Tarot shouts, “It's been four months! The Japanese are not invading! There are several aquatic raid bosses between us and them! There is no way in hell they give a shit enough to actually sail all the way here just to... What is it they would be after, exactly!?”

>>41024785
“They'd be after...” Edifice furrows his brow. “You know, now that I think about it, they'd probably invade China before they tried to take us down. We need to set up a listening post in China to keep us informed. When Japan invades China, that's when we know they'll be coming for us soon enough.”

Symbology turns her head to face you. She mouths the words Save Me.

You sigh and turn your attention to the kitchen. “What's for dinner, Takeshi?”

“Dire Arctic Wolf steak with sweet and spicy Frost Bear sauce.” Takeshi answers, “I was cooking some left over Frost Bear sausages and peppers, but the pan was a complete mess. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I just kept cooking what remained in the pan.”

“Any reason why you did that?” You inquire.

Takeshi only offers a shrug. “I wanted to know what would happen.”

You sigh, “And what happened, Takeshi?”

“Everything got stuck to the pan, so I poured water on it, and then I started trying to get it off with my spatula and then the water turned... uhh... sauce colored.”

“Sauce colored?”

“Yeah, sauce colored. So, I tasted it, and it tasted like the sausage and peppers, but it was too watery, so I reduced it. By boiling it. Oh! But most sauces have molasses and stuff like that in them, and we didn't have any, so I added sugar. I also added some extra peppers in there because it wasn't spicy enough.”

“And so now you're putting that onto Arctic Wolf steaks?”

“Dire Arctic Wolf steaks.” He corrects you. “It's a different species.”

“Takeshi, Dire just means big.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Takeshi, really.”

He pulls a steak from a skillet, places it on a place, and picks up a nearby cup. He pours some of the contents onto the steak and places the plate in front of you with a fork and knife. You contemplate whether or not you want to taste this new sauce before picking up the knife and fork.

>>41024795
You glance up to see Takeshi staring at you expectantly.

You cut off a piece of the sauce covered meat. The others stare at you. You feel like a food taster seeing if this batch of food is poison or not.

You remind yourself Adventurers are mostly immortal and take a bite.

The sauce is too sweet, and the sweetness completely overpowers everything else. It tastes like some kind of candy-meat, which is something you are not too enthused about.

“Too much sugar.” You report, “Way too much sugar.”

“So... Half the sugar?”

“A tenth, at least.”

“You sure?”

“Takeshi, this is meat flavored syrup.”

“It didn't taste that bad when I tried it.”

“Because it's candy and you're a kid, of course it tastes good to you.”

“I'm not... THAT young.”

You sigh. “Just, next time, not so much sugar. It's only supposed to be a little bit sweet.”

He sighs. “So no one else wants their steak with sauce?”

Everyone shakes their heads.

“Can you just make me a new steak, Takeshi.” You say, “I really don't want candy-meat.”

“But then I wouldn't have enough for everyone.”

“So, someone has to eat this, then?”

“Sorry...”

You sigh once again. “Thanks, Takeshi.”

Edifice chimes in with “Make Symbology eat it.”

“Me!?” Symbology shouts, “What did I do!?”

“Fake name.” Edifice explains.

She turns to you. “You can't still be hung up on my name, right!?”

“I'll take it.” Judicature says that, but the look on her face tell you she does not want it. She is probably just trying to take one for the team, or is maybe just trying to make you happy. You are not quite sure which.

[ ] “It was served to me, I'll eat it.” Keep the candy-meat.
[ ] “If you insist, Judi.” Give the steak to Judi.
[ ] “I'm sorry, but your name is still a fake word.” Force the steak unto Symbology.
[ ] “Don't tell me what to do, Edifice.” Force the steak unto Edifice.
[ ] Other.

>>41024807
>[ ] “It was served to me, I'll eat it.” Keep the candy-meat.

>>41024807
>[ ] “It was served to me, I'll eat it.” Keep the candy-meat.

>>41024807
>>41024785
>“Four months!” Tarot shouts, “It's been four months!
....I hope Edifice has at least been spending that time grinding "in preparation for the invasion"

>>41024807
>If Lilac was awake, I'd have contemplated an induced sugar crash to make her sleep, but that's out the window.
>Just split it, and each of you give me a bit of yours. It'll be....uhh....dessert. Yeah.

>>41024807
[ ] other
This >>41024879

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>41024908
>>41024879

>>41024837
>>41024829

1) I'll eat it
2) Everyone eats it.

>>41024951
[+1 Oh captain, my captain]

>>41024992
“I'll eat it.” You say, “It was served to me. The rest of you can have real food.”

“You sure?” Judi asks.

“Yeah, I'm sure.”

You try to scrape away most of the sauce, but the steak remains sickeningly sweet.

The other three receive nice, juicy steaks with a sprinkling of peppercorn over them. Judi offers you half of her steak, but you decline. She offers a second time and you settle for taking only a quarter of her steak. You offer her a quarter of your steak, but she declines.

You do not blame her.

You eat about a third of your steak before giving up on the thing.

Judicature nudges you. “You sure you don't want the last of my steak?”

“Yeah.” You respond, “I'm just not hungry anymore.” You get up from the bar. “I think I'm gonna go get some sleep.”

“Alright.” She turns to the rest of the crew an announces, “Good night, everyone. We're going to sleep.”

You receive various forms of good night from the assembled members.

Together, you and Judi climb the stair and head for your room.

You unequip your armor and climb into bed, Judi snuggles up next to you.

You put an arm around her, but it feels awkward. You try to find a spot that feels right, but you can't seem to find one.

“Is something wrong?” Judicature asks.

“No.” You respond, “Everything's fine.”

You decide to ignore the awkward feeling, assuming it ill simply go away with time.

END SESSION
---


I'm really really sorry this session turned out so lack luster. I've been tired all day and I really should have prepared better for this session. Next session, though, will be better, as I won't have to worry about certain IRL-related things then (hopefully).

>>41025436
Good session as always shep, cant wait for next week!
Happy 4rth~

>>41025436
No worries man, the 4rth is a busy day, thanks for running and may the freedoms be with you!

>>41025436
I'm just surprised you tried to run at all, most QMs I follow delayed their schedule due to the holiday.