>>41335872
Overshine do not make me come down there and kick your sparkly ass.

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"Oh no..." Charlotte groans. "I was -sure- that I'd found Mina's scent, too."
It's okay," I reply, "There's no way that you would've known."
"No," she shakes her head, "I knew the trail was fainter than it should have been but I keep on following it anyways..."

And now Charlotte seems just as dejected as the rest of us are.

"Wha?" Sun-Mi glances down the street and finally sees that we're approaching her. "Cecile, what are you... and Gabrielle and her sister too?"
"We're looking for Mina," Gabrielle mumbles. "Charlotte was followin' her scent but I guess you smell like her since you're her girlfriend..."
"O..." Sun-Mi's face becomes flushed. "...Oh, I guess I understand."


>let's all look for mina together
>ask sun-mi to go one way while we check another

>>41335942
>>let's all look for mina together

>>41335942
>let's all look for mina together
Never split the party!

>>41335942
>let's all look for mina together

>>41335898
Seconded.
>>41335942
>let's all look for mina together

>>41335942
>let's all look for mina together

It's probably also a good time to ask qt azn about her branch. If we're gonna be fighting the witch or if she gets mindcontrolled it's best to know what she's capable of.

Unrelated, but was Sun-Mi ever meant to be a player-character love interest? It seems like she's like Karel in the fact that she enters the race way too late to pick up traction.

>>41335942
>>41336224
Asking the specifics about her branch doesn't seem like a good idea but maybe we could ask if her branch is a control type?

>>41335942
>let's all look for mina together

>>41336224
>Unrelated, but was Sun-Mi ever meant to be a player-character love interest? It seems like she's like Karel in the fact that she enters the race way too late to pick up traction.
Sun-Mi would have only shown up in the story if you ended up with Charlotte or Irene. She was never really intended to be a candidate to be romanced.


>writing

>miss first post
>have to go to bed before the second
Oh well. Steer us right, anons!

>>41337054
We'll try.

>>41337054
I can't promise much. People seem to really undervalue Mina's life.

>>41337248
Nonsense anon, I'm sure we'll all adequately protect second best girl's life!

>>41337338
Party time!

>>41337338
[Add one Sun-Mi to party]

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>>41335898
Do you even praise the sun?

Why is Sun-Mi such best girl?

>>41337641
>Implying she didn't steal Mina for her underground sex slave circuit.

>>41337338
>since you're here and all, hoe

Cecile throwing out some major shade tonight

"Sorry for throwing you guys off like that," Sun-Mi says to us.
"It's okay," Charlotte replies, shaking her head. "It's not like you did anything wrong."
"No, it's all my fault," Gabrielle mumbles.
"Huh?" Sun-Mi glances at her.
"If I didn't call Mina last night to-"

I rest my hand on her head, which seems to startle her enough that she doesn't finish her sentence.

"Really, it isn't your fault," I say to Gabrielle. "So stop blaming ourself."
"........." Gabrielle just stands there and mumbles something that I can't make out.
"Anyways," I say, turning to Sun-Mi, "since you're here and all, how about we all look for Mina together?"
"I don't see why not," Sun-Mi sighs. "And I haven't had much luck doing this by myself anyways."


>[1/?]

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>>41337826
You just had to make the turtle die a little inside!

>>41337892
Arch! Seriously, we don't need to watch you spend time with Stackzilla-chan. Snow-chan is going to get all Jelly now.

>>41337863
>[2/2]


After taking a few minutes for Sun-Mi to tell us what area she's already covered (which is way more than I thought she did), we change course to cover ground that we haven't actually gone past.

"Nice how life just screws with you," Sun-Mi mumbles. "Here I think things are going great with the first girlfriend I've ever had and then THIS happens."
"Trust me," Charlotte sighs, "I know exactly how you feel."


>pry a little about sun-mi's branch
>it's not like she'd tell me even if I did ask

>>41338116
>pry a little about sun-mi's branch

>>41338116
>pry a little about sun-mi's branch
Just the type
>Ask Over-chan what the title of her branch is telepathically.
Title's have been fairly helpful thus far.

>>41338116
>pry a little about sun-mi's branch
If nothing else find out if it's a control type

>>41338116
Second >>41338173
and >>41338182

That's good information to have right now

>>41338173
>>41338182
Thirding.

Splitting focus between two quests is kinda difficult, especially if you tend to lose track of time.

>writing

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"Hey," I turn to Sun-Mi, "mind if I ask you something?"
"Okay?" she replies, shrugging.
"What type is your Branch?" I ask. "Because this vampire girl's a Control type and I can't help but worry..."
"Unfortunately," she replies, "I don't have any immunity to that stuff like Charlotte does."

That definitely isn't reassuring.

"But you don't have to worry about me," Sun-Mi says, "I'm not about to leave myself open to getting my body taken over."
"So that makes only two of us who are," Charlotte sighs.
"Two?" she glances at Gabrielle. "I thought yours was Creation..."


>[1/?]

testing

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>>41339437

>>41339158
>[2/2]

"It is," Gabrielle replies, "but another one of Cecile's friends is a Control-type and she's helping us look for Mina too."
"Oh," she nods. "Wasn't expecting that, but okay."

Hey voice, what's her Branch's title?

......

C'mon, you can tell just from looking, right?

you are wary of this weed?

because it may be a potential enemy?


>well maybe...
>I'm more curious than anything

>>41339158
This is a test.

>>41339469
>I'm more curious than anything

>>41339469
>>I'm more curious than anything
But there is a remote possibility she's controlled. Sooooooo better safe than sorry.

>>41339469
>>well maybe...
She might get controlled.

>>41339469
>I'm more curious than anything
You could actually be useful instead of condescending, you know.

>>41339469

>More information is always good. On friend and foe alike.

>>41339469
>I'm more curious than anything

>>41339469
>I'm more curious than anything

>>41339469
This>>41339555

>>41339469
>>well maybe...
Hoary for finally starting to tame our murder voice.

>writing

>>41339469
>>41339555
seconded

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I dunno, I'm more curious than anything.

curious?

you lead me to believe that perhaps you had begun to be less of a fool

but clearly I was a fool to believe this

you can trust theresa for she has earned it

you trust that which communes with the lesser for it has professed its love for you and has protected you in the past

but this weed?

you know nothing about it

the devil lays with it but that is its will

it has already proven itself to have as poor taste as you


>[1/?]

>>41340028
I love you too, Overchan.

>>41340028
I suddenly realize, when did CC last have a direct chat with Over-chan? I can't even remember.

>>41340372
I think with it's bitchy attitude we just never bother.

>>41338116
>"Here I think things are going great with the first girlfriend I've ever had and then THIS happens."

What trouble are we giving Char?

Oh right. Fighting all of the reverse tree.

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>>41340028


You know, wanting to have more information is a GOOD THING. Regardless of the reason, you ought to be happy that I'm actually trying to learn stuff instead of staying in the dark like an ACTUAL fool.

you will remain a fool regardless of anything I do

Yeah, go ahead then. Keep me in the dark. It's important to know what both threats AND allies can do, you know? What if she ends up having a dangerous ability with a wide effect that's a risk of friendly fire? Or what if she -doesn't- but I end up screwing up because I'm needlessly afraid of some danger that doesn't exist?


>[2/?]

>>41340455
Go Cecile, you tell her.

>>41340455
Give her a mental bitchslap, CC.

>>41340455
Mention the chance of her being controlled CC.

>>41340455

you do have a point there

and I would hate for your idiocy to get us both killed

since for now I am at your mercy

What, so you're going to quit screwing around and tell me now?

very well

it is the devil which guards the priceless treasure


>[3/?]

>>41340684
"Quit fucking with me, that's Mina's."

>>41340758
Clearly, Over-chan is getting old, can't even see straight anymore.

Ahhh I see. She copies powers.

>>41340758
Is there a rule that says two people can't have the same branch?

The odds of two people having it and meeting, let alone getting in lesbians with eachother is low, but it could happen.

>>41340777
Oh wait a second...

Oh shit. How come Asians are vampire lords now?

>>41340684
So that's why Leo was so shocked when he saw Mina... So what relationship did they have again?

>>41340788
Yeah, but aside from people who keep mistaking Overshine for Sunflower we've got no idea of relative rarity.

>>41340028
Overshine, more like Overshite, am I right?

testing

Who else copies someone's powers?

The vampire.

>>41340930
No, she just hijacks branch users' minds.

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>>41340684
>[4/4]

"Wha!?"

Gasping loudly, Charlotte stops so suddenly that I nearly fall into her.

"Charlotte?" I turn to her, concerned by her unexpected outburst. "What, did you just get a Synapse?"
"That wouldn't make sense," Gabrielle replies, "I didn't get one and we have the exact same range."

Then what...?

"I found her," Charlotte says. "Mina."
"What!?" me, Sun-Mi and Theresa all shout at the same time.
"Y... you're sure?" Gabrielle asks, tugging on her sister's dress. "It's not just someone who looks like her?"
"No," Charlotte shakes her head, "there's no doubt. I'm looking right at her right now and it's definitely her."


>let's go get her!
>let's wait first
>let's ___________

>>41340956
>Other
Where is she? I'm all for a daring rescue, but I'd like to how this daring rescue might go ploin-shaped.

>>41340956
Wait. Confront the Asian first.

>>41340956
>What's she doing?
>Is she safe?

>>41340956
Let's get informed, then get to her.

>>41340956
>>let's ___________
let's find out why the azn grill has the same branch. If she can copy, she might be able to copy Blood Witch and counter-hijack Mina.

>>41340956
>let's ___________
Get a scope of the situation

>>41341052
I like this idea. I am for this.

>>41341052
I say bank the idea for a bit later, the issue with Mina is more pressing right now.

>>41341052
If it's a copying branch, wouldn't Overshine be able to see the branch that's used to copy Mina's branch?
Sun-Mi can be the other branch user with the same branch as Mina that Leo mentioned before. She just moved to this city iirc.

From Branch pastebin on Armored Heart:
>This armor may [...] also manifest as an independent entity within a certain radius of the affected. Should it leave this range, it will lose coherence and dissipate.

Sun-Mi is the armor.

>>41341141
I still think its this
>>41340802

>>41341141
The armor can afford an apartment with all kinds of expensive electronics?

>>41341259
>confront sun-mi about her branch
>confront sun-mi about her branch

A tough decision

>>41341259
>confront sun-mi about her branch

Okay, looks like there's a bit of division here. Time for a secondary vote.


>confront sun-mi about her branch
>don't confront sun-mi about her branch


stupid typos...

>>41341294
>confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341259
Let's...
>>confront sun-mi about her branch
>>confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341294
>confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341259
Multiform and do all three.

>>41341294
>don't confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341294
>>don't confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341294
>confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341294
>>don't confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341294
>>confront sun-mi about her branch

>>41341294
>confront sun-mi about her branch
I also want to ask her about Leo but I don't think CC pieced that together yet...

>writing

>>41341442
If we have the information then so does CC, so its isn't metagaming.

>>41341539
Then I'm all for asking about Leo as well. We are kind of surrounded by people who would kill her if she tried to hurt us after all...

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"Th- then let's go get her!" Gabrielle shouts. "Where is she!?"
"Probably about twenty minutes' walk from here," Charlotte replies. "She doesn't seem to be hurt at all, but..."
"You're worried that she's being mindcontrolled?" Sun-Mi asks.
"I can't discount that possibility."

I really wish that we could...

"Okay," I say, crossing my arms, "then let's work out what to do first."
"Yeah," Sun-Mi nods, "that's probably the smartest way to go about this..."

I flinch from a sudden tapping on my shoulder.

"Cecile?" Charlotte turns to me. "is something the matter?"
"No," I mumble, "it's nothing."

Just Theresa trying to get my attention, that's all.


>[1/?]

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>>41341872
>[2/2]

"Ask her where Mina is," Theresa says. "Then I'll run ahead and keep an eye on her while you figure out what to do on your end."
"........."

Dammit, it's really hard to communicate with her while also trying to keep her presence a secret.


>go along with this
>don't go along with this

confronting the sun-mi to come after this vote

>>41341912
>go along with this

>>41341912
>go along with this

>>41341912
>go along with this
"Don't act till we get there if it can be helped."

>>41341912
>go along with this

>>41341912
>>go along with this

>>41341912
>>go along with this

>writing

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"Charlotte, can you tell what intersection she's closest to right now?" I ask.
"Williams and Main," Charlotte replies. "Why?"
"Just wanted to know..." I say as I watch Theresa run off faster than I've ever seen her go back when she was on the track team.

But now that Theresa's gone, our party's down to four people...

"So how are we going to do this?" Sun-Mi asks. "I'd like to find out if she's okay sooner rather than later."
"So do I," Gabrielle nods. "Shary too."
"I completely understand," Charlotte replies, "but we can't just go running around without making some sort of plan beforehand."
"Plans..." I mumble. "if Mina really is being controlled, I dunno how much use I'll actually be."
"how come?" Sun-Mi asks.
"Cecile, please," Charlotte says, resting a hand on my shoulder and pulling me close. "You're plenty helpful sa it is."

I appreciate the attempt to boost my confidence, but that's not really the issue at hand here.

"What I mean is," I mumble, "if she's being controlled by that chick who wants me dead, I won't be able to do anything since all my stuff is lethal."
".........OH." Charlotte replies with a long sigh. "You're right, it's way too dangerous for you to risk using pretty much any of your attack-oriented abilities on her."
"Yeah," I nod. "Someone like Gabrielle... or Sun-Mi would be way more helpful at a time like this."
"Eh?" Sun-Mi raises her eyebrows in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Well Gabrielle has Shary," I say, pointing to the lavender plushie, and you have the same branch as Mina... right?"


>[1/?]

>>41342238
Also, we don't know how to drive the devil out if she doesn't want to give up control. I don't think it will be as easy as in the Exorcist...

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>>41342238

"Wait..." Charlotte stares at her. "...what?"
"What are you talking about?" Sun-Mi asks.
"'The Devil who guards the priceless treasure," I say. "That's the title for Armored Heart, which is Mina's Branch."
"A- are you serious?" Charlotte stammers.
"Yeah, they're the same," Gabrielle shrugs.

Sun-Mi seems to be really shaken up by this.

"......how the hell...?" she mumbles. "You're seriously telling me that my girlfriend has the same..."
"So it -is- Armored Heart?" Charlotte asks.
"Heh, and I knew we had a lot in common already..."

Looks like that clinches it.

"You didn't know what Mina's Branch was?" I ask.
"I didn't ask hers, she didn't ask mine," Sun-Mi replies. "It's just rude, you know?"
"Kind of really rude," Gabrielle nods in agreement.

of course you would waste time by causing a scene


>[2/?]

>>41342354
>"You're seriously telling me that my girlfriend has the same..."
CC, I think you just made a faux pas.

>>41342354
>[3/3]

"So now that my business is all out in the open," Sun-Mi says while glancing at me, "how about we quit wasting time here and see how Mina's doing? If Cecile's Branch is too dangerous to use, I'll take the lead position."
"Fair enough," Charlotte nods. "Cecile and Gabrielle, you two stay back when we reach her, understand?"
"Yeah..." Gabrielle mumbles.
"Okay," I nod.

And so, having made what passes for a plan of action, the four of us start the longish walk towards Mina's location.
>along the way, I think I'll...
>let's just hurry

>>41342443
>>along the way, I think I'll...
wonder if we should've armed ourselves with garlic, crosses and holy water. But wait, if the vampire is mohammedan, should that be a crescent instead?

>>41342443
Arch if voter count is tjis low you may wana call it.
>let's just hurry

>>41342443
>let's just hurry

>>41342443
>let's just hurry

I don't know if this is known, but how in the hell does overshine know these things? If its as simple as asking then why does everyone think we're a sunflower?

>writing

>>41342476
Crosses still work. Right angles make their brains segfault, basically. (Source: Blindsight by Peter Watts.)

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"I hope Mina's okay..." Gabrielle mumbles.
"So do I," Sun-Mi replies. "I can't believe we had the same Branch this entire time and I didn't even know..." she mumbles to herself. "How long have you known about that, Cecile?"
"For a few minutes?" I reply with a shrug. "I asked the voice in my head and that's what it told me."
"Shary knew the whole time," Gabrielle chimes in. "We just kept quiet because we don't like to pry into other people's business."

I can't help but feel like that was directed at me.


>[1/?]

>>41342506
>Arch if voter count is tjis low you may wana call it.
No, no!
I just fucking got here!

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>>41342617
Yeah, well it won't matter how much we interfere in Mina and Sun-Mi's relationship if one of them's dead. Right, Gabrielle?

>>41342617
>[2/2]

After we've walked quite a ways, both Charlotte and Gabrielle finally get the Synapses that indicate that we're drawing closer to Mina's location. But since I still haven't gotten one yet, that means that we're still within the range that Mina can't detect us...

I have to admit that I've never actually considered that the annoying headache sense would be so useful.

"You can like... see Mina somehow, right?" Sun-Mi asks. "What's she doing?"
"Just walking around," Charlotte replies, "the same as when I first spotted her. It's almost like she's looking for something."
"Maybe she lost something around here?" Gabrielle asks.
"That'd be nice," she says while patting her little sister's silver hair.

But somehow I doubt it'll be that simple.


>approach like normal
>rush in
>do something else

>>41342708
Can we get Char to control a mouse or a bird to track down and scout the area where Mina is?
We don't want to jump a trap set to capture CC if Mina's bait.

>>41342708
>>do something else
Sneak in. Let's try to figure out what's going on before approaching.

Alternatively, CC could walk in an illusion of herself and see how Mina reacts.

>>41342708
>do something else
See of Theresa is around and ask her about what she's seen.

>>41342748
>Sneak in. Let's try to figure out what's going on before approaching.
They're currently outside Mina's Synapse range. Once they enter it, there is no "sneaking around" because she'll know that another Branch holder is in the area.

>>41342744
>Can we get Char to control a mouse or a bird to track down and scout the area where Mina is?
She's been doing this from the start.

>>41342761
>She's been doing this from the start
Kay. Then I vote to send an animal in first and see what Mina's doing without triggering her synapse, then make a plan from there.

That's about it for tonight. folks. Even though I would have liked to get past the Mina stuff tonight, this thread was still pretty enjoyable.
and I did not intend to reveal Sun-Mi's Branch any time soon but you guys kind of forced that one

The next thread will be on Tuesday night, and will likely be longer than usual since I'm leaving for Otakon on Wednesday morning.
be cool if we could get through the bossfight in that thread but who knows


and now for questions

>>41342708
>approach like normal

>>41342799
>Implying we'll get more than half the progression you planned for next thread
Don't fool yourself, we've been at this for too long now to think that'll ever happen.

Question might be a bit spoilery, but what would you say the odds are currently for all girls will surviving this story arc?

>>41342799
Thanks for running Arch.
Whats the plan for Otakon, anything you're particularly interested in.

On a side note. Fuck off, Captcha. You don't fucking work.

>>41342845
>>Implying we'll get more than half the progression you planned for next thread
>Don't fool yourself, we've been at this for too long now to think that'll ever happen.
why must you crush my dreams ;0;

>Question might be a bit spoilery, but what would you say the odds are currently for all girls will surviving this story arc?
That'll hinge on what you guys do next thread, and that's all I'm going to say.


>>41342847
>Whats the plan for Otakon, anything you're particularly interested in.
Unlike the past three years, I don't actually care about any of the musical guests they're having this time around so my usual linecon stuff isn't going to be in effect.

...and I just checked the guest list and the person who I was most looking forward to seeing, Takei Hiroyuki, cancelled so the only guest I have any real interest in is Paku Romi. I guess my missing out on ordering that Kanzenban volume to get signed was for the best after all.


And now I sleep. Thanks for playing!

For further questioning:
http://maouzenigame.tumblr.com/

Game production blog:
https://studioarchelon.wordpress.com/

>>41342918
>why must you crush my dreams ;0;
Because I care