File: Mia face.jpg (908 KB, 1310x900)

908 KB JPG

>>43369400

Snow falls in light flakes as you wait in the line, silently wishing that things would move on a little faster. When he sees something in your face, some faint twist of discomfort perhaps, Marco leans down to rearrange the scarf wrapped snugly around your throat, looking every inch the devoted parent as he does so. Satisfied, he straightens back up and rubs his hands together, a long slow breath escaping him in a swirling cloud of white.

Marco. That's what you've always called him, ever since you were young – sometimes “father” if you were being insolent, but never “dad”. Another strange twist to your relationship, but one that you never questioned until you saw how your peers treated their parents, and how they were treated in turn. This way, a simple first name basis seems more... respectful, perhaps. Like Marco sees you as an equal. He probably does – you've always been a bright child.

With gloved hands, you pluck a pamphlet from your coat pocket and reread it, your eyes quickly skimming across the already familiar information. A set of lectures covering all manner of humanities, featuring guest lecturers from London itself and further afield. As you're looking up from the limp paper, a flash of white catches your eye. A young woman – or an old girl, perhaps – in a white coat breezing past with an easy grace. You stare at her back for a moment – short blond hair, you notice – before looking down at your shoes.

“Something wrong?” Marco asks, looking down at you with some strange expression on his face. What is that slight expression?

>Concern – you've always been a sickly child
>Pride – he spoils you rotten
>Guilt – but why would that be?
>Something you can't recognise - how strange!

>>43369408
>>Something you can't recognise - how strange!

>>43369408
>>Guilt – but why would that be?

>>43369408
>Uneasiness - it feels like he should be asking himself that question.

>>43369408
>Something you can't recognize - how strange!

Mia was one of my top guesses actually.

>>43369408
>Something you can't recognise - how strange!

>>43369437
>>43369476
>>43369521

Strange, you just can't seem to place that look on his face. Normally, you can read his face like an open book – pretty much anyone could, actually – but this... this is something else. For the first time in your life, you get the impression that he's keeping secrets from you. Important secrets, probably – why would he be so evasive about something that wasn't a big deal?

“Mia?” Marco repeats your name, a worried note creeping into his voice, “Are you feeling alright, Mia?”

Yes, you're able to reply at last, you're feeling perfectly fine. Before he can say anything else, however, you counter with a question of your own. Is HE feeling alright? That strange, haunted look on his face still lingers in your mind.

“I'm fine, I'm fine,” Marco is quick to wave away your concerns as the queue starts to finally move forwards, “It's just very cold today, isn't it?”

Now he's changing the subject. Maybe brought on by your father's unexpected change in character, you feel a deep sense of unease forming in your stomach, the lunch you'd eaten earlier threatening to make a sudden appearance. It's only when you catch a glimpse of your own face in a window that you realise what Marco's expression was. Anticipation – and not the good kind. He's waiting for something bad to happen, and now you are as well.

All you wanted was a nice day out for your birthday. Was that too much to ask for? The feeling of unease stays with you as you follow Marco up to the upper level of the auditorium and settle down into your seat. First off is... a lecture on ethics? That... could be interesting.

You guess.

>>43369750

“Good lord,” you hear Marco murmur to himself as the harried looking lecturer wanders onto the stage and stands at the podium, “I think I know him. We worked together once, it must have been, oh... fifteen years ago?”

Really, you ask without much enthusiasm, did he know his friend would be here?

“I had no idea,” Marco shakes his head, “He was always more of a computer kind of guy when I knew him. Oh, what was his name? Carter, maybe?”

With practised ease, you tune out Marco's whispered monologue and focus on the man up on stage. Dishevelled, stressed and in good need of a shave, his entire person seems to radiate a sense of deep sadness. All that changes, however, when he shuffles his notes and begins to speak. Maybe it's the same passion for academia that drives your father, but the lecturer seems to come alive as he speaks. Certainly, the other people in the hall seem to be enthralled.

Not you, though. Your attention wanders in and out as you find your gaze drawn again and again to the front row of seats. That blond woman is there, occasionally making a note of something on a small legal pad. Before you know it, the lecture is over, leaving you blinking in confusion. Did you just... fall asleep?

Just another thing to feel uneasy about, you think to yourself as you follow Marco out to the foyer for a break. As you walk, he looks back at you and smiles vaguely.

“So, Mia,” he begins, “What did we learn from that?”

...Right. Time to pretend you were paying attention. What DID you learn today?

>The end justifies the means
>The good of the many outweighs the good of the individual
>Uh...
>Your friend isn't a very good lecturer

>>43369764
>Uh...
"...I should stop staying up so late?"

>>43369764
>uh...
>I learned that the day has only gotten stranger

>>43369764
>>The end justifies the means

>>43369764
>Uh...

>>43369764
>>Uh...
That I really am feeling off

>New Cycle Carnby exists.

Aww I was hoping to meet Scholar King Carnby, though I suppose its been many, many years since the last cycle. Unless there's like time dilation in the fairy kingdom.

>>43369868
Inb4 Oberon is a full grown man this time, and half human

File: 1443125805072.gif (1.77 MB, 320x180)

1.77 MB GIF

>>43369924
>Amelia's fw Oberon is her brother.

>>43369764
>>Uh...

>>43369937
>Big Sis, let's play Kings and-
>NO
>what? But-
>NO CROWNS YOU LITTLE S-.....I mean, let's, uh, play something else. Like knights in shining armor! Yeah!

>>43369977
>Like knights in shining armor! Yeah!
Segue to Cass fully decked out on top of Unicorn.

>>43370008
>Cass is into fantasy larp
>Petra is operating operationally

>>43369789
>>43369792
>>43369816
>>43369830
>>43369942

When in doubt, be non-committal. That's a good life lesson, right? With that in mind, you mumble something vague, following it up with a half-baked excuse about needing more sleep. True enough, you didn't sleep very well last night – bad dreams again.

Oh yes, the dreams. Every so often, you find yourself woken by the worst nightmares you can imagine. It's not that the dreams themselves are so bad – mostly, they revolve around a great darkness closing in on you – but you always wake in a state of utter panic, convinced that they're about to come true or that you're about to drop down dead. Getting a restful night's sleep after one of those dreams is never easy.

This time, Marco seems to miss your uneasy expression entirely, and he simply laughs at your awkward attempts at acting normal. “I once read that we go to lectures like this to learn about ourselves, not about the subject itself,” he chuckles, “And I suppose I've learned something today – you're getting an early bed tonight, Mia!”

Man... You should have just kept your mouth shut.

“Still,” Marco's expression darkens, “I wonder if he's doing okay. Such a shame, what happened to his wife...”

You're about to inquire about that little remark when a sudden pain stabs you in the gut. You double over, gasping, as several other people, all milling around waiting to get coffee or just kill time, mimic your cry. Even Marco winces, touching a hand to his temple before rallying and kneeling by your side.

“Stay with me Mia!” he says quickly, panic deep beneath a veneer of calm, “Focus on my voice. Everything is going to be okay, do you hear me? Everything is going to be fine!”

He's wrong. Nothing is fine.

>Heartless spilled coffee on the demon containment field system.

"....Sssssshit."

>>43370066
DO NOT PANIC

File: Panic.gif (1.33 MB, 516x465)

1.33 MB GIF

>>43370108

File: Spoiler Image (65 KB, 708x672)

65 KB JPG

>>43370066

You feel... a shudder. Not a shudder through your own body, but through the world around you. It's almost like standing under a bridge while a train roars past above you, only without the noise. For a moment you see double, the world split into two versions of itself – one normal, with clean marble tiles and tasteful decorations, and the other twisted, the tiles cracked and filthy, while leering statues loom above. These two versions of the world waver in and out of each other, their balance faltering, before reality reasserts itself.

What, you murmur, was that? You straighten up and look around as the other stricken people do the same. Some kind of hallucination, perhaps – but what kind of hallucination strikes multiple people at the same time? Marco smiles in relief as you straighten up but, before he can say anything, it happens. You don't know what IT is, but it happens.

There is a sound like silk being ripped and a white light appears in the air, like a lightning bolt frozen in place. Not frozen for long, though, as the light soon fades to show a... creature. A dog with two heads? No, not a dog, something stranger still. This is no animal ever to be seen in the human world, some instinct shouts from deep within you. The next thing your instincts shout is “run”.

“Mia!” Marco shouts as he pushes you, hard, and sends you flying to the side. He dives away from you as, a matter of seconds later, the beast charges forwards. You hear screams as it ploughs into the milling, confused crowds, and fight to keep from closing your eyes in terror.

“We have to leave!” a new voice shouts, as a strong hand closes around your arm and begins to drag you away. You fight, struggling against the unseen person as you watch Marco fleeing in the opposite direction, retreating down a different corridor.

Still shouting in futile resistance, you can do nothing but watch Marco's retreating back as you are pulled away.

>>43370120

You are dragged down corridor after corridor, twist after turn, by that strong grip until, finally, you reach a halt. A door slams as your captor – your saviour? - blocks off the entrance. Free from their grip, you slide down into a slump and gasp for breath before looking around. Where are you? A little side room, perhaps. Maybe your new “companion” didn't even know where they were running to.

Not companion. Companions. There are two other people here, both of them looking stressed beyond belief. One is a young man, snappily dressed in a tweed suit – the kind with a waistcoat – while the other is the blond woman you saw earlier. She fiddles with her phone, occasionally reaching up to touch her short hair. Like someone used to having much longer hair, you realise, as her fingers fumble at nothingness.

Both seem lost in their own little worlds, but... you need to know what's happening. Someone has to know what's going on!

>Talk to the well-dressed man
>Talk to the distracted woman
>Try to leave. Your father is still out there!

>>43370129
>Yell out loud to both.
"My father! I have to go after him! He is still out there!"

>>43370111
exactly the gif I was waiting for.

>>43370129
>>Talk to the well-dressed man
>>Talk to the distracted woman
address both of them out of sheer panic.

>>43370155
>>43370143
These, with a "What's happening!?" in there on the off chance one of them knows.

So the new version of Carnby had a wife. Amelia's mother perhaps?

How much you want to bet both of them are shuffling through a shitload of dormant memories right now on top of being scared shitless.

>>43370143
>>43370155
>>43370186

Your father, you mutter, your father is still out there. Your words escape into the void of the room and die there, unnoticed. When that doesn't work, you resort to desperate measures and repeat yourself in a shout. Your father is out there, you cry, you NEED to find him!

That, at least, gets a reaction. The young man looks down at his polished shoes and grimaces, while the young woman tightens her grip on her phone. Neither of them seems willing to speak. Groaning aloud, no longer concerned with looking like anything other than the frightened child that you are, you plead with them. Doesn't anyone know what's going on?

“I'm trying to find out,” the young woman begins, but as you looks at you, her face falls. It's somehow worrying, to see her lip trembling slightly at the sight of you. She had been resolute before – worried, yes, but otherwise in control – but now she's frightened? “You... Just give me a moment, please.” With that, she presses her phone to her ear and listens for a moment, taking a few steps away from you before speaking in a hushed voice. Too hushed for you to listen in, either way. Unless, of course, you were to slip a little closer – she does seem pretty distracted...

“Let's leave her to it, shall we?” the young man says, his voice far softer than his somewhat sharp features, “Bit rude to listen in to a private conversation, isn't it?”

But... but she said she was trying to find out, you protest, and you want to know as well!

“That's why we should leave her to it,” he says gently, “If she does have the answers, we don't want to piss her off, now do we?”

But...

>He's right, she'll tell you the situation in time
>No, you need to know NOW. See what you can overhear
>These people can't help you. You'll find Marco yourself
>Other

>>43370456
>Try to calm down, focus on what you can do other than cry for help. Are we in shape to run some more? Do we need to rip the dress for legroom?

>>43370456
>No, you need to know NOW. See what you can overhear
Intel gathering!

>>43370456
>No, you need to know NOW. See what you can overhear

Ha! Ha! Time for SM/tg/ Season 2!

>>43370438
>How much you want to bet both of them are shuffling through a shitload of dormant memories right now on top of being scared shitless.
I get that the woman is probably Cass but who do you think the guy is? He doesn't sound like Leon or Joseph

>>43370635
Actually my best guess is Joseph. Remember Joseph was pretty damn twisted by Mastema. Without his influence and without the whole New Way cult in general he might be a normal nice guy.

File: Cassandra (Before Haircut).jpg (51 KB, 585x720)

51 KB JPG

>>43370486
>>43370493
>>43370564

Focus. Stay calm. Shouting like some bleating farm animal won't help anyone, and you don't want to alienate your fellow – what, survivors? No, you don't like that term at all. Something about it implies that the survivors are in the minority. That CAN'T be the case. For now though, gather information, starting with yourself.

Although you're not the fittest of people, you seem to have escaped from that long dragging without any lasting injuries and you've already started to get your breath back. If you need to run again, you'll be in pretty good shape – thanks to the snow outside, you wore your good boots, the ones with grip on the soles. Better than trying to run in heels, at least.

Congratulating yourself on your foresight, you sidle a little closer to the young woman, turning away from the man's vaguely disapproving face. She doesn't notice you approaching – or if she does, she doesn't show any reaction. Good enough for you, you decide as you listen in on her one-sided phone call.

“Listen, you don't understand...” a pause here, “No, everything is NOT under control. People are dying down here! If you won't do something about it, at least let us defend ourselves!”

What? Who in the world is she talking to?

“You'll sort it? That's what you said the last time, and look what happened! People said it was a gas explosion!” the woman sighs heavily, “Just... please, do something. We're just humans down here, remember? We're easily broken.” She is silent for a moment longer before lowering her phone, dropping it onto the table. Leaning forwards slightly, you notice that the screen is dark. It wasn't even turned on.

Strange. Strange indeed.

“Well,” she forces a smile as she turns to face you, “Sorry about that. I'm Cassandra. What can I do for you?”

>Who were you talking to?
>You know what's going on here
>Marco needs our help!
>Other

Reminder that Mastema is our greatest ally.

>>43370782
>Marco needs our help!

>>43370789
Yeah, tell that to the guys who got corrupted by the Shofar.

File: 1445462343113.jpg (95 KB, 650x540)

95 KB JPG

>>43370782
>You know what's going on here
"If you do...
>Marco needs our help!
"help me find my father."

>>43370789
>Pic related.

>>43370816
>>43370824
You should've gone law.

>>43370782
>Marco needs our help!

>>43370824
WHERE ARE THE HOSTAGES, MASTEMA?!

>>43370824
Amelia needs to take a peak at SJ universe and steal some Demonicas for us.

>only chaosfags here
I'm disappointed, sons of man.

>>43370951
Get out Mastema. If I were to go law it would be because of Gabby, not your twisted ass.

File: Abaddon2.jpg (761 KB, 2068x2032)

761 KB JPG

>>43370951
Lawfags get out!

REEEEEE

File: I am the weirdest boner.jpg (59 KB, 600x471)

59 KB JPG

Hey. Guys. Guys. Guys. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Guys. Hey. Hey. Guys. Guys. Hey. Hey. Hey.
...dicks.

>>43371024
Didn't you get cut in half already?

File: Spoiler Image (140 KB, 700x583)

140 KB JPG

I think we need some cute demon girls in this thread, wouldn't you agree?

>>43370816
>>43370824
>>43370886

She knows what's going on, doesn't she? You ask this quickly, before she can get another word in, and grab her arm so she can't just brush you off. You have a right to know what's going on!

“Um,” Cassandra begins, “You won't be satisfied if I tell you that everything is under control, will you?”

Not a chance.

“I see,” she sighs, “Truth be told, I don't know all the details either. Even if I told you, I'm not sure you'd believe me. I don't believe it myself some days...” Shaking her head, the young woman takes her phone and holds it close to her heart. “Would you give me the chance to explain later? Things are hardly convenient right this very moment.”

Well... maybe she's right. Marco is still out there, and he needs your help! She was talking about defending herself, wasn't she? That means she can take care of that... that... whatever that thing was out there!

“Ah,” Cassandra's attempt at a smile falters, “Not exactly. I know someone who... should be able to help, and I've asked them to, you know, do their thing. It's just a matter of waiting it out.”

...Waiting it out. Marco is out there, that monster is out there, and her answer is to wait it out? That isn't right, that can't be right! That-

You're just getting into the flow of a good, proper rant when Cassandra lifts her phone – still turned off, you're sure – and pressed it to her ear. She lowers it a moment later, a look of warm relief washing over her face.

“It's sorted,” she sighs, “Everything is under control. Now then, let's go and see if we can find your father, shall we?”

>"Thats the last time you drink coffee by the containment field Nyarlathotep"

File: Spoiler Image (187 KB, 944x1644)

187 KB JPG

>>43371154

Bewildered, you mutely follow Cassandra as she opens the door and peers out down the corridor. True enough, everything is quiet now – no screams, no growls, nothing. Not that the quiet is a good thing, though. It makes you think of funerals, of graveyards and basically everything else even slightly related to death. The unease in your chest slowly sours and turns to dread as you follow Cassandra, the young man picking up the rear, back to the foyer.

You both stop before reaching it, simultaneously struck by the smell in the air. It's the metallic scent of blood, hanging heavy in the air and seemingly clinging to your skin with a loathsome stickiness. If the deathly silence wasn't bad enough, now you have concrete proof of your fears. People really have died – your father amongst them?

“Be strong,” Cassandra tells you and, for a moment, you're certain that she's about to address you by name. She doesn't though – how could she? You've never met – and merely leads you on in silence. When you reach the foyer though, you can't stop a whimper from escaping you. The place is splattered with blood, several tangled bodies draped across the floor – some in pieces. You can only tear your eyes away from those ruined bodies when a low sinister chuckle rings out through the room.

Standing in the centre of the room, holding one of the beast's heads in its hand, is... something that isn't a man. It might look like one – although the resemblance is so slight as to be meaningless – but no man has ever looked quite like that. With skin like tar and limbs that twist like boneless things, the devil before you is hideous, awful to behold. It's grinning, you realise. Staring at you, and grinning.

>"Damnit Jack I told you to be subtle. In and out."

>"This is the only excitement I've had since we got a rid of that cult, I'll take what I can get damnit!"

>>43371271

Then another shudder comes and the world doubles up. When your senses return to normal, the monster is gone. The bodies are still here, though, along with all the blood. Life would never be merciful enough to sweep those horrors under the carpet.

“Damn,” Cassandra murmurs, and you're somehow not surprised to see her taking in the carnage without too much reaction. Is this old news to her or something? “Animal attack, maybe?” she asks herself, biting her lower lip.

Marco...

You don't realise that the tiny voice that escapes into the silent room was your own until Cassandra puts her hand on your shoulder. A reassuring hand, although you're not sure if you can let yourself be reassured by someone like her. Someone who can look at this violence and speculate about what the evening news will make of it.

“Marco, that's your father?” Cassandra asks, her voice strained, “What does he look like?”

You blink a few times in surprise before rattling off as many details as you can think of. Tall, thin, grey hair. He wears glasses, just like you do. He ran off down the corridor, you add, pointing the way with a trembling finger.

“I see,” the young woman nods to herself before fishing a little silver crucifix from inside her blouse and kissing it, “Wait here. I won't be long.”

Wait? But...

“Best to do as she says,” the young man tells you gently, “She looks like she's got this under control. God knows how, but that's what it looks like. Just wait here with me, won't you? I don't much want to be alone right now either!”

>He's right. Wait and try to calm down
>No. You've got to see for yourself
>Other

>>43371452
>He's right. Wait and try to calm down
She said things were over and things do seem over. Lets trust her for now.

>>43371452
>He's right. Wait and try to calm down.

Anyone else think its hilariously ironic that Cass's family hated her quitting bible studies and church when Cass herself is really good friends with the actual deity of creation of this world.

>>43371452
Seconding this:
>>43371487
Also I want to talk with this guy some more. See if he's a new character or not
>>43371523
>"But mom, God is totally cool with me quitting church. I asked her myself!"

>>43371523
>As I fight...
>...I pray...
>...never to forget...
>...that being lawfag was suffering!

>>43371669
It's not like being Chaos ended up any better in the previous cycle

File: 1.jpg (20 KB, 480x360)

20 KB JPG

>>43371728
Maybe we should put an end to the cycles forever.

>>43371759
Amelia seems to be trying her best without resorting to The White's bs.

File: Elliot.jpg (148 KB, 450x703)

148 KB JPG

>>43371487
>>43371517
>>43371537

Numbly, you nod and let your heavy body fall against one of the pillars here, leaning against it as you watch Cassandra going from body to body, checking each one over. She never touches them though – you note that with a kind of detached interest that leave you feeling vaguely disgusted with yourself. You've always been like this – turning off your feelings whenever things get too much. After the accident...

“Picked the wrong bloody day to get out of bed, didn't I?” the young man asks, drawing your attention away from the stacks of bodies. You look at him in disbelief before spotting the deep panic lurking behind his eyes. He's only just holding himself together as well. “Elliot Cosgrove,” he announces, thrusting his hand out for you to shake. You take it uneasily, surprised at the smooth skin of his palm. That's the hand of a man who's never done manual labour in his life.

“Watch this,” he tells you as he lets go of your hand, reaching into a pocket and coming out with a shiny coin. Nothing fancy mind you, just the kind of change you'd see any day of the week. Humming a tune in his low, musical voice, Elliot walks the coin across his knuckles and back again, the little sliver of metal moving in a flowing, unbroken dance. It's an impressive little party trick, and strangely calming to watch. You let your eyes follow it back and forth for a while longer before he flicks it up in the air, catching it at the height of its leap.

“For you,” he says, handing you the coin, “A lucky coin, to keep you safe.”

A lucky coin, and he's just giving it to you?

“Well,” Elliot shrugs, “It's just ten bloody pence, nothing to worry about. It's the thought that counts, isn't it?”

“He's not here,” Cassandra shouts suddenly, from across the room, “None of these bodies is his.”

>>43371850
Huh. So it's not Joe.

>>43371850

Then he's alive? Your heart soars with relief, but swiftly returns to earth with a crash. Then... why isn't he here? He should be looking for you, shouldn't he?

“Do you have any way to get in contact with him?” Cassandra asks, “A phone, maybe? You should always keep your phone with you, especially if...” She stops herself, then, as if she was about to let some great secret slip rather than some pretty basic advice. Always be prepared for an emergency – as if you're not told that often enough at school.

Today though, because you were going to this stupid lecture together, you both left your phones at home. Why did this have to happen today of all days?

“Maybe you should just head home,” Cassandra suggests, “He might be waiting for you there, after all. Or, he might get the same idea and meet you there later. That's a good idea, don't you think... um...”

“Elliot Cosgrove,” Elliot tells Cassandra, and the pair exchange names over a quick handshake, “Can't say I'm delighted by the situation – I'd like some bloody answers as well – but you might be right there. Thing is, I'm not entirely sure that the little Miss here should be walking about on her own. Maybe one of us should see her home.”

They shouldn't talk about you, you tell them angrily, as though you're not here! You've got your own mind, and you'll make your own decisions!

“Bloody hell,” Elliot murmurs, impressed, “That you do. So then, what's your decision?”

>Cassandra, can you see me home?
>Elliot, can you see me home?
>I'm going home. Alone
>I'm staying here. Just try and stop me
>Other

>>43371948
>Cassandra, can you see me home?
See if we can get more information out of her on the way. Knowledge is power, etc, etc/=.

>>43371948
>Cassandra, can you see me home?

>>43371880
So now it's a question of whether he's a member of the Law master race or just another piece of Chaos scum

>>43371948
>Cassandra, can you see me home?

Do you have a moment to talk about our Lord, YHVH, /tg/?

File: 1445460955329.gif (1.81 MB, 500x417)

1.81 MB GIF

>>43372251

>>43371979
>>43372020
>>43372112

You're going home, you say flatly, could Cassandra take you? What you don't say is that you intend to question her relentlessly. She claimed not to know all of the answers, but you'll drag whatever answers she does have out of her. You can be pretty persuasive when you want to be.

“Wait a-” Cassandra begins, but quickly falls silent. She stares off into the middle distance for the moment, her lips twitching as though fighting against words she wants to say out loud. She frowns a little, her brows meeting, and then speaks up. “Fine. I can take you. If we're alone, I'll stay to keep you company. For a while, at least.”

And answer a few questions while she's there, you ask slyly, just to pass the time?

“Fine,” Cassandra sighs again, “But don't blame me if you don't believe anything I tell you. What about you Cosgrove?”

“Oh, I'll be fine here,” Elliot waves Cassandra away before reaching into his breast pocket and handing over a slim card, “But when you're in the mood to hand out answers, do give me a call won't you? You can reach me at any time.”

“Hmm,” Cassandra makes a vague noise – so you're not the only one with a healthy respect for non-committal answers – and takes the card, “Now, we'd better get out of here before the police show up. I'm surprised they're still not here.”

“London though, isn't it?” Elliot shrugs, “Take care ladies. A lot of strange business going on lately.”

He's not wrong there. You let the comment pass, however, and lead Cassandra from the building.

File: Mia.jpg (22 KB, 300x609)

22 KB JPG

>>43372354

Despite your attempts at getting information from her, the young woman keeps a resolute silence until you reach your house. Then she lets out an impressed whistle, looking up at the old building.

“How the other half lives,” she says to herself as you unlock the front door and let yourself in. That act alone makes your heart sink. If Marco had been home, would the door really have been locked? Maybe – especially if there were bad things going on – but it's still not a good sign.

Ignoring Cassandra's comment – it's not like you're a millionaire or anything – you tell her to take her boots off at the front entrance. Just because monsters are stalking the street doesn't mean you can forget the basics, and you know better than to ruin the carpets with melting snow. Stripping out of your coat and scarf, you lead Cassandra through to the living room and sit. That just confirms your suspicions – Marco is not here. If he had been here, he would have been waiting here, at the heart of your little home.

So now what? Just wait it out, like Cassandra is no doubt about to suggest?

“He'll be here,” Cassandra assures you, her voice calm, “We'll just have to wait, won't we?”

Called it. While you wait, though, you've got questions. You've got all kinds of questions, and you can't wait to have them answered.

“I wonder,” Cassandra begins, “Could I have a drink before we start the interrogation? Tea would be nice, but I'll take anything. A glass of water even.”

Grumbling under your breath – this is the most transparent attempt at stalling for time yet – you nevertheless move through to the kitchen and fill a glass from the tap. Depending on how you like the answers you get, you might offer her some tea. Maybe. When you return with the glass, though, you almost drop it in shock.

Sitting next to Cassandra on the couch is another girl, one with dark hair and a hard face set in a grave expression.

>>43372540

“Hello Mia,” the other girl says, her voice coming to you in perfect clarity, even though it is hushed and distant, “You're looking well.”

Well... you glance at yourself in a nearby mirror and take in your red-rimmed eyes, dishevelled hair and otherwise rough appearance. Hardly what you'd consider “looking well”.

“Compared with when I last saw you...” the new girl replies, a dark smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. A smile that is someone callous, jaded.

But... you've never seen her before. How could she have seen YOU before? This isn't some weird stalker thing, is it? Or maybe she's your long lost sister? You do look a little similar, now you think of that ludicrous idea...

“Right, I keep forgetting,” the girl shakes her head, “You wouldn't remember, would you? Not the state you were in... Anyway, that's all in the past now.”

“Amelia,” Cassandra says softly, “You're getting ahead of yourself again.”

“Right, right,” the girl – Amelia – waves Cassandra's comment away, “Mia Vespucci, my name is Amelia Bishop. I'm... well, I'm God.”

What.

“Everyone reacts that way,” Amelia sighs, “Everyone.”

>I'm going to have to finish early today I'm afraid. I hope to have another thread on Sunday, and I'll be staying a while for any questions.
>Thanks to everyone who took part today!

>>43372658
Thanks for running, Moloch.

So is Mia the leading lady now?

>>43372658
>“Everyone reacts that way,” Amelia sighs, “Everyone.”

To be fair Amelia, no one really expects God to be a smartass young woman.

Thanks for the run boss.

Lucy and YHVH banging on the gates?
>"Let us in pls."

>>43372687
>So is Mia the leading lady now?

For now, yes. There will probably be sections from other people's perspectives though

>>43372709
>Lucy and YHVH banging on the gates?

They've got their own plans in motion, yes!

>>43372794
So what other direct interventions has Amelia done? Unless we will learn the in character at some point. I feel that she is pretty hands off up until demons start getting involved.

>>43372540
Mia is cute! CUTE!

>>43372825

So far, Amelia's only intervention has been to erect a boundary around the world to keep the demons out. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be working out so well at the moment!

>>43372956
Yeah it seems like she is barely keeping the World of Transition from happening. Not sure what kind of back up we could give her but I guess we'll find out.

Glad to see the New Game + off to a thrilling start!

Time to speculate about things in the new world!

I wonder if Petra is less gay this cycle.
My bet is that Leon has turned his life around and is a respectful member of society or not.
And for some reason I imagine Joseph becoming a priest or something. A doctor maybe?

>>43373191
>I wonder if Petra is less gay this cycle.
Up until she meets Amelia again.

File: 1393232761012.jpg (35 KB, 500x557)

35 KB JPG

>>43373212
>Petra's face when

>>43373000

Well, even God needs people to do the heavy lifting!

>>43373274
>That pic
Way too similar to our circumstances.

But hey maybe being a deity for God (Hah!) knows how long might make Amelia more receptive. Or at least not mind it as much. I can totally see Amelia trying to have a serious conversation with Mia while Petra is just hanging off her arm.

>>43373401
That means allowing Demon Summoning Programs which also means letting some demons in. Seems like a last resort but this does seem like a last resort scenario.

Calling it now. We're going to need to end the current world in order to build a better one. This time we'll need to do it properly

Doing it properly means killing all our friends

>>43373401
Have you gotten some ideas from SMT4 Final...?

>>43373720
We'll have to see won't we?

>>43373752
>Have you gotten some ideas from SMT4 Final...?

I'll let you know when it gets released in the UK!

Check back in ten years

>>43373816
>Check back in ten years
My condolences

>>43373816
If you are still there. How long has it been for Amelia? Like when she made her world did it start from the beginning of humanity or did it reset back to right before the catastrophe?

>>43374302
>How long has it been for Amelia?

A very long time. She's watched over the world since mankind first emerged, but she had existed - asleep, for want of a better word - before that. In other words, she's much older than she looks!

>>43374492
>she's much older than she looks!
Ara ara Petra~

In all seriousness she seems to be doing okay for how long its been, at least as far as I can tell from the snippets of conversation we've had. That she still had her 'tough guy swagger' after all these years attests to that a little.

>Amelia has been around since the start of humanity with only Heartless as company

Damn. She's got to have some issues

>>43374492
Oh yeah what nationality is Petra by the way? Seems eastern European? Her full name and the way she was talking near the end gave me that vibe.

>>43374702
Well now that the secret was out Nyarly wouldn't be a terrible conversation partner.

>>43374723
>Oh yeah what nationality is Petra by the way?

I always imagined her as Czech, but I never gave a concrete decision. She is from the East though, and I tried to write her dialogue with English as a second language.

>>43374797
Living in London or just visiting when it hit the fan last cycle?

>>43374909

Visiting to study. Petra was a little older than Amelia or Cassandra - in her first year at university. I never decided what she was studying though.

OFFICIAL ROMANCE POWER LEVELS

PURE TIER
Mia

HAREM PROTAGONIST OBLIVIOUS TIER
Amelia

STRAIGHT TIER
Cassandra, Leon, Joseph

GAY TIER
Petra, Elliot (probably)


Debate me

>>43375171
Amelia wasn't all that oblivious to Petra's feelings. I think Carnby has that spot once he was stuck in the fairy world.

>>43375171
Amelia isn't oblivious, just too busy to accept a romance. Also she leans straight.


Petra was desperate for love tier because her memories got eaten by dickbag demon.


Mia is as pure as the voters let her be.

>>43375171

These are entirely unofficial!
Surprisingly accurate though.

>>43375292
Did that anon call it on Elliot?

>>43375529

They came pretty close!

Elliot is bisexual

>>43375171
OFFICIAL ROMANCE POWER LEVELS

PURE TIER
Mia

HAREM PROTAGONIST OBLIVIOUS TIER
Carnby

'BUSY SAVING HUMANITY' TIER
Amelia (Season 1)

'BUSY BEING A DEITY' TIER
Amelia (Season 2)

AMELIA TIER
Petra

STRAIGHT TIER
Cassandra, Leon, Joseph

BI TIER
Elliot

>>43375682
>Amelia always too busy for romance
So this is true suffering.

>Petra in "Amelia" tier
Heh

>>43375823
>So this is true suffering.
Its tough being the de facto leader and trailblazer. We constantly dealt with both the court politics and being ready for our enemies over in the Law and Chaos camps, who don't need to rest or sit still.

>>43375894
Kinda makes me wonder how the current generation is going to manage things. Mia is totally new to this and Cass doesn't seem to have all her memories back yet. No idea what everyone else is like yet.

>>43376093
Well at least Amelia is trying to give them a heads up on whats about to come. They won't be thrown into the deep end like the previous generation.

>>43376182
>Well at least Amelia is trying to give them a heads up on whats about to come
I'm probably in a minority here, but I'm going to treat anything she has to say with a bit of skepticism. I don't think she's likely to be evil or anything but she's been God for a long time. She might not think quite like a human.

Plus we spent the whole of the previous cycle fighting to choose our own path. Doesn't seem right to bow down without a word of complaint this time

>>43376302
Then you are playing in character pretty well. Mia from what little we've seen of her will probably be as skeptic as you. She'll make her own judgement based on the answers she's given.

Still I do think Amelia is still on our side, it'll just take some convincing.