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>>47614920

You put those thoughts aside, and walk out of the RV. Amelia is there in a jeep, and Emmy, and Joy In Ruin are there, waiting for you.

"Where are my brothers and sister?" Ray asks.

"Back at Naahma." Amelia says. "We needed the extra hands."

"Hey." Ruin says, waving at you. "Sorry."

"About what?" You ask.

"Giving them an army." Ruin says. "The Servants are my people, from before."

"Yeah. I figured." You say. "Anything you can do about it?"

"A little." Ruin says. "But whatever control is now on them is rather strong."

Emmy just crosses her arms and makes sure that you see that she's still ignoring you.

Amelia lays out a sketched map onto the hood of her jeep. "This is what we understand the forces to be. Roving patrol cars, and concentrated spots at the spots with the lightest fallout, and easiest road access. Do we have a way in past the fallout?"

"Yes." You say. "But we'll need Embers to do it."

Emmy scowls at you.

"Maybe we can do it with just me and Ruin." You say.

"Alright, so are we going in loud, or quiet?" Amelia asks.

"Are there any advantages to going in loud?" Gaft asks.

"Ruin has a talent for confusing the Servants. We go in loud, we draw them all in, get them to follow us closer to OLYMPUS, and the Fallout takes out most of them for us." Amelia says.

Ruin nods, but you can tell she's not overly pleased at the idea of killing more of her former countrymen.

"And going in quietly has the standard risks that you'd assume." Pytor says. "Will they know once we're inside OLYMPUS?"

"Without a doubt." Pytor says.

"I always imagined the fabled OLYMPUS to look more grand. Not a collection of old Siphon towers, and a squat, three story, stone, peach-colored building with a pink trim." Amelia says.

Two issues:
> Let Emmy sulk and stay as Emmy
> Try to be nice to her so she'll let Embers out
> Force her to bring out Embers

Also

> Approve of the stealth plan
> Approve of the gate-crasher plan

>>47614932
> Try to be nice to her so she'll let Embers out
> Approve of the stealth plan

>>47614932
> Try to be nice to her so she'll let Embers out
> Approve of the stealth plan

>>47614932
>> Let Emmy sulk and stay as Emmy
> Approve of the stealth plan

>>47614920
This is an amazing day. Got off work on time, no one crashed, and a Echo quest.

>>47614932
>> Approve of the stealth plan

What would be the in character thing to do with regards to Ember? Would she even cooperate when we are nice?

>>47614932
>> Try to be nice to her so she'll let Embers out
if that fails
> Force her to bring out Embers

> Approve of the stealth plan
Also Make out with Ray while we're on route. Relieve some stress.

>>47615607
By make out, you mean kiss Ray while the other girls go kyaa?

>>47615657
And some groping, yes. If they're embarrassed they can stop watching.

>>47615698
What would happen if Ash was pregnant and she used dodge kick or fly?

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>>47615607
>>47615496
>>47615097

"I don't want any fights we don't have to do." You say.

Ruin gives you a nod of thanks. Ray and the adults agree and start packing up the weapons, supplies, and ammo that Aemlia brought into the jeep.

You hear a brief scream...seems Amelia met Wren. Lovely.

You walk up to Emmy. "I'm glad to see you got back."

"East Gate? It's gone. They burned it to the ground." Emmy snaps. "And it's YOUR fault."

"Emmy, you know that's not fair." Ruin says.

"I KNOW it's not fair. I KNOW it doesn't make sense. I KNOW it's selfish. But I can't look into the faces of the People, or their Servants, and tell them I hate them. Also...they don't CARE if I hate them. But I think you DO. So...Fuck. You." She makes a swipe to smack your face, but you dodge it, barely even thinking about it.

That doesn't seem to help things.

"I'm sorry." You say. "But we need Embers to get to OLYM-"

"Spare me." She pauses for a moment...and then she closes her eyes and shakes her head. "Ugh..shut UP!"

"Embers keeps trying to get Emmy to...well..." Ruin smirks. "Embers is energetic, if you remember."

"Not. Another. Word." Emmy says. "From all three of you."

Okay, so obviously just being nice and using your words isn't going to go anywhere.

> Force Emmy to change.
> See if you can't help Embers to take over on her own. She seems more agreeable than Emmy.
> Bribe Emmy with something. (You'll need to write in what your bribe is)
> Give up and let Emmy be a brat.

>>47615807
> See if you can't help Embers to take over on her own. She seems more agreeable than Emmy.

>>47615807
> Give up and let Emmy be a brat.

>>47615807

>Show them Wren

Tell them we have to prevent more of this.

>>47615779
Probably nothing. besides this war will be over before anything like that gets big enough to happen..

>>47615807
>>47615871
this works. If you don't you're just going to let them do worse and worse and worse. You'll be enabling them to keep doing it.

>>47615906
>>47615871

You motion for the two girls to follow you into the RV.

"This is what the PoJ are doing. Why we have to stop them. Otherwise, things are just going to get endlessly worse."

You enter the RV, and turn Wren's box so the girls see her head.

"Oh." Ruin says. "Oh no."

"What the...why are you keeping her he-"

Wren's eyes open. She smiles. "Ruin, Embers. Excellent to see you two alive. We'll need your help to access OLYMPUS."

Ruin just sits down on the bed in the RV. Hard, and gapes.

Emmy stammers for a bit, shakes her head, and then turns around and walks out of the RV. "NO! No no no. FUCK NO! I'm done. THAT...THAT...NO! I'M GOING HOME!"

You go after her. "Emmy, you have to understand. This is it. It's step up or well...end up like that. Or worse."

She stops walking.

"No." She says quietly. "No. I'm not doing this. I'm not living in a world were I turn into a hormone crazed monster. I don't like knowing psychopathic scavengers who don't care when they murder people. I don't live in a world where there are talking heads in boxes. I live in a world where that stuff doesn't happen, and I am walking back to it."

"So you're just going to reject this? Turn your back on everything?" You say.

"Yes!" Emmy says, not looking back.

"You know that no one else will. The People of Joy wont stop. Other people know about us now." You say.

"You're lying! They'll stop. I don't care!" Emmy shouts.

"You don't think I'm not afraid as well?" You say.

"You don't feel anything, freak!" Emmy snaps.

"It's a really long walk to Ester...and it's in that direction." You say, pointing.

Emmy pauses. "Fuck. Off." She pounds her head with her firsts. "AAAAUUGHGHH SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" She drops to her knees. "I'M NOT LISTENING TO ANY OF YOU!"

> Leave her.
> Force her.
> Help Embers take over.

>>47616319
>> Leave her.

>>47616319
>Try this hug thing Ray talked about. Awkwardly.

>>47616319
> Help Embers take over.

>>47616319
Which option is the one to tell her to stop being such a quitter otherwise the whole world's going to end anyway.

>>47616483
> I am with this anon.

>>47616319
> Help Embers take over.
HWG

>>47616319
>> Force her.
"I do feel things Emmy, I just keep them suppressed, hidden and in a cage deep down in my heart of hearts. Because half of them would cripple me in this world, and the other half would turn me into my bitch of a mother. You are acting like a petualent child, and not only putting yourself, but everyone else at risk. So I am telling you this, at this moment all I feel is annoyance, disgust and contempt for you, and if you refuse to help us end this for everyone's sake, just because you are in a little snit and refusing to see the world for what it is, because you wish to bury your head in the sand like the PoJ, you are an enemy. I will treat you as such."

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>>47616483
>>47616497
>>47616533
>>47616392

Emmy will not listen to you. She'll call you a liar, just ignore you, and just shut out everything, including the voice in her head screaming at her to be sensible.

Emmy is a scared little girl who has been pushed past the point of her mental strength. She's done.

Which sadly means she's useless, and you have stuff to do.

'For the record...I think this sucks.' Joy mutters to you.

'Noted...but you understand, yes?' You say.

'Yeah...poor kid.' Joy says. 'I'm ready.'

You walk up to her and awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry." You say. "This is...this is a lot."

Emmy turns and leans against you. You awkwardly put your arms around her back, and she responds by hugging you.

"I'm always scared now." Emmy says.

"I'm sorry." You say.

"I suppose this has always been with me, hasn't it?" Emmy sobs. "You just got to me first."

"I'm sorry." You say.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Emmy says. "You've never shown remorse about anything."

"...I'm sorry." You say.

Emmy registers what you're doing now, and her eyes go wide, and she tries to break free...but you have her in your embrace, and she's not strong enough to get free.

'Pushing...and...there.' Joy says.

Emmy's skin glows and you let go as her body and clothes shift and change.

"Oh!" Embers stretches and takes a few steps. "It feels so GOOD to be back OUT! The Virgin is back in her cage where she belongs, and I'm NOT letting any of her bleed out again." She grins at you. "Long time no see Sis, ohh this is going to be awesome! The BIG finale! Whoo...and how messed UP is that thing with Wren now huh?" She starts to walk back to the RV, and then stops.

"Actually...we need to talk about my fee for helping." Embers says.

"Fee?" You say.

"Well...you did just kind of do a dick thing, and I have my own wants and needs...also it'll shut up the virgin and keep her in her cell." Embers says.

You roll your eyes. "What do you want, sister?"

(cont)

>>47616710
Embers looks skyward, puts her hand behind her back and sways her hips a bit. "I wanna kiss Ray."

"What?" You say.

"Seriously...it's my first kiss. The virgin's too." Embers says. "Might as well be the cute and handsome, accepting badass sniper. Also...you have to watch me kiss your boy-toy. That makes it...better."

"I can't believe this." You mutter and walk past her. "Come on, we need to move."

"Okay...but we have a deal? Right?" Embers says as she follows you.

> "Fine. Whatever. I don't care." (Truth)
> "Fine. Whatever. I don't care." (Lie)
> Don't answer her.
> "Touch Ray, and I will use my knifes to skin your lips off of your face."

>>47616762
> "Touch Ray, and I will use my knifes to skin your lips off of your face."

>>47616762
> "Touch Ray, and I will use my knifes to skin your lips off of your face."
This isn't a fun quest. We aren't a good person.

>>47616762
>You're speaking as if I own Ray. I don't. How about you ask him instead? That said if you wanted to actually annoy me, you've found the right track. Keep in mind what I do to annoyances.

>>47616762
> "Touch Ray, and I will use my knifes to skin your lips off of your face."
Cheeky kid

>>47616762
>> "Touch Ray, and I will use my knifes to skin your lips off of your face
I got a feeling that she wants to see us feel. We've been the rock, now its time to show some emotions, some vulnurability.

>>47616829
This sounds good

>>47616762
> "Fine. Whatever. I don't care." (Truth)
I honestly care nothing for Ray, take him, please.

>>47616762
> "Touch Ray, and I will use my knifes to skin your lips off of your face."
Also have wren tell them what she told us about how the time girl can be used to stop the ice age

We need to give them some hope afterall

>>47616777
>>47616817
>>47616833
>>47616855

"Touch Ray," You say holding out an arm to block her. "And I will use my knives to skin your lips off of your face."

Embers blinks surprised. "Wow. Umm...wow. Okay. Take it easy, sis." She grins. "That was really badass though. Okay, no touching Big Sister's boyfriend."

You nod. "He's not my...he's just mine."

The pair of you climb back into the RV.

"Embers. Excellent." Wren says. "Well. I think we're all set up to go. Mr. Korensky? If you please."

Pytor shakes his head, and its clear he's desperately trying to not to think about Wren's status too hard. He starts up the RV, and you start to drive.

"We'll need to keep the absorbers off for now." Gaft says. "Once we turn them on, we're going to light up brightly. Also, they'll probably notice once we breach OLYMPUS. So, we'll only have so much time, before they show up."

"Who can we expect?" Ruin asks.

"Augustus and Melpomene, maybe a few PoJ augmented soldiers. The servants and small joys they'll burn through to catch up to us." Gaft says. "Hopefully. Never believe you can perfectly predict how life will respond, and never rely on a plan that requires you to do so."

"Finally, you say something that I agree with." Wren says.

"Those are your words, Joy-In-Thought." Gaft says.

"Naturally." She says.

> Is there anyone in the RV that you wish to talk to before you have to try and dodge the PoJ patrol?
> Pytor
> Amelia
> Ray
> Ruin
> Embers
> Wren
> Gaft
> You only have time to talk to one person, and write-ins for topics of discussion are welcomed.

>>47617131
> Wren
Talk about how to stop the ice age by using the time girl

>>47617131
> Embers

>>47617131
> Wren
Estimates on how long she'll last, possibilities on how to fix things, If she ahs any ideas if when she passes she'll have someone to carry on her Regalia. Also if it occurs that her spirit is trapped to her body when she passes should we let her lie, or one of us Joys bring her into themselves?

>>47617157
>>47617221

You sit down at the table and look at Wren. She smiles back at you. "I was never one for jokes, but this absurdity does bring to mind multiple silly sayings."

"How long...is this set up going to last you?" You ask.

She purses her lips. "Can't be for more than a month. They put in fresh CE Batteries. Although, I don't know the finite workings of this device. Even if we were to successfully replace the power source, the fluids that keep my brain functional and oxygenated are biological in nature, which means they will decay. I replaced them regularly back in the compound...but I don't believe that getting replacement fluid will be possible. They were rather extensive in their destruction of my lab. Didn't want to risk that I had left contingencies or surprises...which I did."

"So...a couple of months." You say.

"Yes. Unless we discover something else. Life is precious, and as long as we can we should fight with every scrap of our strength and intellect to keep going. Tomorrow is an unknown variable of infinite possibility." Wren says. "Of course, it's an inherently losing battle, and there's a point where the cost/benefit ratio is too high, or when the quality of that life drips too low...I'm afraid of death as any...but when it finally gets me...I'll go...but I will not go until I've fought for every last second."

"So..." You say.

"So, I'm saying that when I go, if there's a remnant left within me, it's my wish that you let me pass on, Ashes." Wren says. "I have no wish to live in any body that's not my own, or to live a life that isn't mine to choose."

"Do you...have any ancestors to carry your regalia?" You ask.

"Possibly. Not biologically, but some child could awake to the realm of the Angular and Abstract. If you find someone capable of manipulating squares and geometric shapes of light, or water, or whatever...then that's who follows me."

"So...how do we use Time to stop the global cooling?" You ask.

(cont)

>>47617727
>
shouldn't that be descendants?

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>>47617727
"We need access to HESTIA, as well as Joy-In-Time." She says. "The PoJ gave me the information, wisely, as they knew that their own inbred, degraded intellects wouldn't be able to get past Love's genius. I'd like to think that I wouldn't have helped them, but with enough torture...anyway, I'm being silly and talking nonsense." She says.

"HESTIA has two purposes. One is that it created a world for Joy-In-Time to safely mature and develop the mental control over her powers. A simulated world. That's why those fake locations and all those actors were hired by Gold. They populated HESTIA's world, so that Time was speaking to actual people. Staggeringly advanced technology. It's a genius solution, Love really did want to ensure that Time grew up sane and in control of her power.

"The second part of HESTIA is the fascinating part. It's a classic predictive machine. Only, it actively adapts and uses Time's expression of joy to help simulate data. I...can see that you have no idea what I'm saying and I'm being silly." She sighs. "HESTIA can determine what needs to change and what needs to not change, in order to get the change that you want. She's a stop gap to something we called the butterfly effect."

"So...we tell HESTIA that we just want to stop the Global cooling and it'll figure out what needs to happen?" You say.

"Yes. Then we have Time change things, and viola. The world is saved...albeit at the expense of the past world. Gaft's statement is not untrue...we would be making a decision that does not save the lives of those killed by Unity's myopic actions."

"And you said that HESTIA...it could do that match and keep...me?" You say.

"That's more conjecture from myself." Wren says. "Your link power is...very unique. Totally unlike what used to exist. If you liked to Time, when she altered the past to change everything back...I don't know what would happen."

"Everyone...we're going now." Amelia says. "The patrol just went out of sight."

> Roll 1d20

>>47617812
Yes, it should. Mia culpa.

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>47617952
HWG

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>47617952

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>47617952
nat 1

>>47618021
>>47618030
This is creepy

>>47617992
You all sit there in silence as you bump along the ground. There aren't roads here, just scrubland covered with Fallout plants that twist and curl and bloom small flowers that shimmer like the surface of oil slicks.

The fallout alarms in the RV all start to turn on clicking and chirping.

"Now, please." Gaft says.

Ray flips a switch, and you feel like you just got smacked inside your chest with a pile of artificially flavored snow. You have the strangest feeling that your tongue is a different color now.

You check in the glass of the RV. Nope, normal as ever. You do notice that it's a bit brighter outside than before.

"Those boxes are going to be glowing now. They're processing the energy. Three Joy-In-Hearts was just enough of a jumpstart." Gaft says.

"Is it possible to help them?" Ruin asks the room. "My countrymen? Return them to normal?"

"Maybe, but I have doubts." Wren says. "It all depends on what the People Of Joy do when we make their efforts fruitless. It could end badly."

Gaft just grumbles and shakes his head. It's clear that he does not want, or agree, with Wren's idea to just stop the Global Cooling. It's stop Unity or nothing for him.

Wren did say you'd have to deal with him...and since you have Wren, and are past the point where you need Gaft to build the absorbers...

> Deal with Gaft now. There's no amount of words that can change his mind, and he's only going to stab us in the back later.
> Let him stay. We may still need him.

>>47618330
> Let him stay. We may still need him.
I may regret this but we need Numbers for now

>>47618330
> Let him stay. We may still need him.

>>47618330
> Let him stay. We may still need him.
Look, at the end HESTIA might not be able to do what Wren said that it could do. Then, we'll need to stop Unity. And that means Gaff, as distasteful as that is.

>>47618330
> Let him stay. We may still need him.

Think Ember expected us to be that protective of our boy toy?

>>47618717
No not really

>>47618750
And did Ray see that?

>>47618364
>>47618435
>>47618441
>>47618455

You just spend the time sitting next to Ray. Trying not to let the drain of the absorbers make you feel too sore.

At a certain point, Ray notices your discomfort, and uses one hand to rub the back of your neck. You smile at him, in thanks.

"You know if you wanna SHARE I'm tot-Ummp!" Ember starts before Ruin puts a hand over her mouth and drags her away.

Ray gives you a confused look. You shake your head and give him a warning glare. He wisely says nothing and lets it slide by.

The outside seems to be getting brighter and brighter. The absorbers seem to be working at full blast.

"No way that they aren't noticing us, at this point." Amelia says.

"Sure those things are working?" Pytor asks.

"I'm watching the feeds." Wren says. "Everything looks stable."

"How are we going to get inside the building?" Ray asks. "We're okay inside here, but once we open the door..."

"Ashes, and the others, can open the loading bay." Gaft says. "If they're quick, we can be inside the building, and get the seals active. Love designed OLYMPUS to handle...well...the end of the world."

"There it is." Ruin says.

You see it. It's a forest of old, rusted, half collapsed, metal towers. In the center, there's the squat building with peach colored stone, and a pink trim. OLYMPUS TRAINING FACILITY written in large letters on the side.

You see lights on in the building's windows.

"Well, that's a positive sign." Wren says.

"There's a vehicle that just lit up like ours did." Ray says, looking out the rear window. "It's a ways back."

So far that you can't see it. Ray's using his gift.

"They must have been ready for their last-ditch effort." Wren says. "Your people are very predictable in their desperation, Gaft."

"Can you blame them?" He says.

(cont)

>>47618777
Mother Ruin is a great wingman.

Only question was time in her gear when unity did the hivemind thing?

>>47618800
So at the end of times, we found out that Joy in Time was dead all along?

But were there not other joy in times in the past times?

Or do Joy in Time only appear at the end of a world?

>>47618813
Think when it happened she ended up seeing with all other timelines and went mad?

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>>47618777
The RV stops. You're parked in front of a loading dock. The large metal door is down.

"Don't stay out there a second longer than you have to." Wren says to the three of you. "Get the door open, get back inside. Try to stay as close to the car as you can."

"So..." Ruin asks. "How are we going to get that door open?"

> We're going to force it open with our power. (Fastest, but the door will be opened by the PoJ.)
> We'll unlock the manual lock and open it. (Tricky, but not impossible, and it keeps the door intact.)
> This place still has power. We should be able to open the gate using the controls.
(Hard, and will take a while, but it doesn't risk you tripping security.)

>>47618846
> We'll unlock the manual lock and open it. (Tricky, but not impossible, and it keeps the door intact.)

>>47618846
> We'll unlock the manual lock and open it. (Tricky, but not impossible, and it keeps the door intact.)

>>47618846
> We'll unlock the manual lock and open it. (Tricky, but not impossible, and it keeps the door intact.)
"Ray those adorable eyes of your on the vehicle, if you have a shot, take it."

>>47618872
I am up for this.

Figures anons will take the hardest option when given the chance.

>>47618925
Hardest is using the control

Opening the door manual is just medium

>>47618925
second hardest, gate controls are hardest.

>>47618925
Can you read?

>>47618860
>>47618868
>>47618872

"See that lock down there?" You point at a padlock that's set into the door, there's a yellow and black emergency handle right below it.
'MANUAL ACCESS' is written on it.

"Got it." Ruin says.

"Huh? Oooohhhhh, got it!" Embers says. "We're ripping that thing up right?"

"Yes." You say. "After we pop the lock."

"Oh...uhh...I'm not good with locks." Embers says.

"I can help." Ruin says.

"How about I wait inside, and then come out to help you open it when it's ready." Embers says.

"Fine." You say. Time is of the essence, you don't have the patience to deal with nonsense. "Let's go. Ray, keep a watch on the PoJ car. They get too close, take a shot."

You and Ruin jump out of the car. You skin instantly feels like it's being sunburned. You've got to make this quick.

Ruin goes to the lock and puts her hand on it. Her blue-black energy surges into it and she nods. "Alright. It'll work, go...quickly!"

DC: 20
> Roll 3d10

Rolled 6, 9, 5 = 20 (3d10)

>>47619122
rolling thunder

Rolled 1, 3, 7 = 11 (3d10)

>>47619122
HWG

Rolled 3, 9, 8 = 20 (3d10)

>>47619122
For Mother!

Rolled 7, 4, 7 = 18 (3d10)

>>47619122

>>47619126
>>47619148
CLICK!
"GOT IT!" You yell. "EMBERS GET OUT HERE!"

Embers comes out, adjusting her mask. "Coming coming!" She says.

The three of you grab the handle. "And...LIFT!" You shout.

The door is a little halting, but three Joy-In-Hearts are more than enough. The door rises up, and you grab the strap of nylon that lets you close the door.

The RV drives in, and you pull the door closed and slide the lock closed.

Instantly, Ray runs out of the RV, looking flustered and furious. He points at Embers.

"She ATTACKED me!" He says.

Embers jumps out of the way as you instinctually hurl a blade into the wall where she was standing.

"Oh come on. It wasn't even open mouthed!" Embers says.

The others come out of the RV. Pytor and Amelia are trying not to laugh, and Gaft looks preoccupied.

"Who's getting Wren?" Ruin asks.

"I am not touching her." Pytor says with utter finality.

"Before we do anything, we need to decide who goes for what." Gaft says. "This place is larger than it looks, there's underground levels, most of them server rooms, but still."

"We shouldn't split up." Amelia says.

"We have to." Gaft says. "The PoJ will be here in moments. We have to secure HESTIA's central controls, find Joy-In-Time, and see if we can't get the security in this place working to take them out.

"If they arrive, and get any one of those things, our lives become that much harder. If not lost forever."

Bastard has a point.

Three goals
> Security
> HESTIA
> Joy-In-Time

Please form three teams and pick which goal.
> Ashes
> Embers
> Ruin
> Musor (Who has been sleeping on top of the RV, despite the bright lights. Since he's unaffected by Fallout)
> Pytor
> Amelia
> Ray
> Gaft
> Wren (She has to be carried by someone. Not Musor)

>>47619348
> Security
> Embers
> Amelia
> Musor (Who has been sleeping on top of the RV, despite the bright lights. Since he's unaffected by Fallout)
> HESTIA
> Ruin
>Wren (She has to be carried by someone. Not Musor)
> Pytor
> Joy-In-Time
> Ray
> Gaft
> Ashes

>>47619348
> Security
> Ruin
> Amelia
> Ray

HWG
> HESTIA
> Wren
> Embers
> Musor

> Joy-In-Time
> Gaft ( i do not trust this guy around any of the others or computer)
> Ashes
> Pytor

>>47619348
> Security
>Pytor
>Musor
>Embers

> HESTIA
> Wren
> Ruin
> Amelia

> Joy-In-Time
> Ashes
> Ray
> Gaft

>>47619348
Just a question

But out of us, who are able to understand and use the machinery properly?

>>47619536
Wren, Gaft, and yourself can understand the writing and tech.

Ruin, Amelia, and Pytor are technical enough to understand how simple things work, and can be walked through stuff via walkie-talkie

Ray, and Embers, need someone like Wren or yourself, there, in person, telling them what to do.

Musor is a bear.

>>47619592
K thanks

>>47619445
>>47619415
>>47619402

Okay, so...this is what I have for teams so far

SECURITY TEAM
Embers
Amelia
Musor

HESTIA TEAM
Wren
Ruin
Pytor

JOY-IN-TIME TEAM
Ashes
Gaft
Ray

Is this alright?

>>47619726
Sure.

>>47619726
K sounds Good

>>47619726
Sure

File: HESTIA.jpg (109 KB, 1280x960)

109 KB JPG

>>47619726
You divide up the teams. Pytor is upset that he has to carry Wren, as Ruin's more useful to use her powers if she's got both hands free.

You also silently give Musor orders to lightly bite that hussy Embers if she tries to pet him. Not enough to bite the skin, but enough to make sure she keeps her lips away for your...from what's yours.

"Don't let the old man out of your sight." You whisper to Ray, as the three of you make you way through the complex. "Shoot him if he does anything."

"Anything weird, or suspicious?" He asks.

"No...just anything." You say.

OLYMPUS has lines on the floor and signs on the wall that mark which line goes where. Thankfully, there's HESTIA CONTROL, SECURITY, and STASIS CHAMBER. So, it's fairly easy to get to where you want to go.

At least until you get to a sealed metal door. There's no handle or lock. There's a small dark screen set into the door frame. And when you approach it. It lights up!

An abstract drawing of a collection of orange, pulsing, spheres appears on the screen. They circle around each other in graceful orbits.

"Hello. I am HESTIA. Welcome Sister to OLYMPUS."

"HESTIA. I and Professor Gaft of the Tributary College of Advanced Studies. I request access." Gaft says.

"I'm sorry Professor." HESTIA says. "I'm currently experiencing a security breach. I've sealed all corridors from entry. Please wait until Joy-In-Love, or the authorities, attends to the issue. Then I'll be happy to assist you."

"Joy...Joy-In-Love...she's here?" Gaft asks.

"Yes. She is currently in the kitchen. Would you like to speak to her?" HESTIA says.

"YES!" Gaft shouts.

The screen changes and you see a woman, dressed in a long sleeved peach turtleneck, and jeans, long bright-pink hair, and leather strap sandals, lying dead on the floor.

"Oh." Gaft says.

"She's not in her Regalia." You say. "The Fugue must have hit her."

(cont)

>>47619931
"She was the world's most perfect Empath..." Gaft says. "Oh...oh...oh, it's such a sin. Such an awful, awful sin." Gaft drops to his knees.

"Okay, moving beyond that." Ray says. "Any ideas how we can have the nice computer open the doors for everyone?"

> Try to get HESTIA to realize that Love is dead.
> Tell HESTIA that you're here on secret orders from Love.
> Tell HESTIA that you're here to prevent danger to Joy-In-Time

>>47619956
> Try to get HESTIA to realize that Love is dead.

If it got Love, Time might be dead too.

>>47619956
> Try to get HESTIA to realize that Love is dead.

>>47619956
> Try to get HESTIA to realize that Love is dead.
>> Tell HESTIA that you're here to prevent danger to Joy-In-Time

>>47619956
>> Try to get HESTIA to realize that Love is dead.
Any vital signs from Love, HESTIA?

>>47619970
>>47619982
>>47619994
>>47620016

"HESTIA?" You step forward to the screen.

"Yes, Sister?" The AI asks.

"Are there any vital signs from Joy-In-Love?" You ask.

"Yes." HESTIA says. "There are trace amounts of Joy Expression within her body."

Okay...how is that possible, if she died in the fugue she should just be dead.

"Is Joy-In-Love in her regalia?" Ray asks.

"Yes, consort." HESTIA says. "She is currently using her Love-Love Makeup glamour. She felt silly walking around the other staff in her battle regalia, but Love NEVER removes her regalia."

"Consort?!" Ray says.

"Well, that explains that." You mutter. "HESTIA, has Love moved recently?"

"No." HESTIA says. "She has remained in that stationary position for an exceptionally long time."

"I believe that she has been injured, and that the same thing that injured her is going to attempt to injure Joy-In-Time." You say. "I was sent to secure and protect her."

"Joy-In-Love cannot be injured." HESTIA says. "Also, how do you know about Joy-In-Time? You are not on my list of Sisters with clearance for that information."

> I'm Special Ops. Highly classified. Love told me herself. The security threat is why I got called in.
> I'm from Penninsular Security and was told about Time from Joy-In-West Wind. We think there's a threat to her security.
> I was told by Joy-In-Thought, I'm her assistant and working as counsel to deal with the security issue.
> Write-in

>>47620121
> I'm Special Ops. Highly classified. Love told me herself. The security threat is why I got called in.

>>47620121
> I was told by Joy-In-Thought, I'm her assistant and working as counsel to deal with the security issue.
>Unity's project seems to have an adverse effect on most Joy's. Likely unintentionally but better safe than sorry.

>>47620121
> I was told by Joy-In-Thought, I'm her assistant and working as counsel to deal with the security issue.

>>47620149
>>47620200
"Joy-In-Thought told me. I'm her assistant." You say. "We feel that a project by Joy-In-Unity is going to have...or has had...an adverse effect on most Joys. We asked to come in and observe."

"Joy-In-Thought is detected in this facility." HESTIA says. "One moment."

The three of you wait, staring at HESTIA's icon.

You hear a faint 'boom' from elsewhere in the complex.

"That must be the PoJ, entering." Ray says.

"Please know that any actions taken by Joy-In-Thought's party will be under scrutiny." HESTIA says. "You have been listed as a Possible Threat to Joy-In-Time. Any attempt to access her, remove her from her chamber, or assault her in any way, will be treated as a transgression and I will respond with force."

The door opens.

"How can we access Joy-In-Time?" Gaft asks.

"You will need clearance from Joy-In-Love." HESTIA says.

"Alright," You sigh. That's a bit of a problem, but first things first. "HESTIA. Are my associates inside your mainframe and security?"

"Yes. Their access is also restricted without Joy-In-Love's authorization." HESTIA says.

"Great." You sigh. "Well, please close and seal the doors, we think other hostile individuals have entered. They are NOT with our party."

"Thank you for the identification." HESTIA says, as she closes the door behind you.

The room is spacious, you see screens cover the walls, a few long decayed dead bodies are at consoles. Dead via suicide, or by each other, or just...lying there. The tech crew.

The biggest feature in the room is a large pure white pillar. You see something human shaped inside it. Floating there. You also see the seams in the pillar where it opens.

"There she is." Ray says. "And I assume our orange friend will not be happy if we just start yanking things, correct?"

"It's best not to upset an AI, Raymond." Gaft says. "HESTIA...have you found my rank in your system?"

"Yes, I have Professor."

(cont)

>>47620436
Crap
He better not fuck us over right now

>>47620436
"Good. As I am the superior in this room, I believe that Consort Raymond William, and Joy-In-Ashes are indeed working with Joy-In-Thought to be a hostile pres-"

A screen clicks on. You see Amelia. "We got the lady to let us use the cameras to follow our friends. Something's really wrong. You need to see this!"

The screen changes, and you see the PoJ, about six of them, walking through the complex. With purpose. Only it looks like two of them are holding one of them, forcing him to march along with them and he's got his hands tied behind his back and he's gagged.

"What the-?" Gaft has stopped his obvious betrayal and is staring at the screen. "No...it can't be..."

Ray is lining up a shot.

> Let Ray shoot Gaft
> Hold him off for a second.

>>47620510
Knee cap him

>>47620510
>> Hold him off for a second.

>>47620510
> Let Ray shoot Gaft
Fuck this guy

>>47620510
>let Ray shoot Gaft

>>47620510
> Let Ray shoot Gaft

>>47620585
>>47620534
>>47620523

BANG! Gaft drops to the ground, you warp over and grab his gun and toss it to Ray who catches it.

"Nice try." You say.

"No...you*hak hak*...you don't understand!" He wheezes. "That man they have..." He covers his wound with his hand. Ray wasn't sure if Gaft had trick so he went for center mass and gutshot him. "That man the People are...marching...that's Augustus."

You watch as the woman leading the augmented, full hazmat suit wearing, PoJ, slams Augustus' face up against a HESTIA screen and the door opens.

"How can he do that?" Ray asks. "Or they...why?"

"Military...advisor...to...Love." Gaft gasps. You put your boot on his leg so he doesn't move or do anything funny. "Retinal access."

"They must have had a coup." You say. "Wow, it's almost like the People of Joy are backstabbers. What. A. Surprise." You say in an unamused voice.

"Melpomene...Melpomene...Oh...Oh GOD! She was TAUNTING me the whole FUCKING time!" Gaft whimpers. "And I led her right...wait..." He gasps. "Where is she going?"

The screen changes and the PoJ procession enters the kitchen. Augustus starts to violently thrash when he sees Love's body.

"No...no...oh no no nononono NO!" Gaft says. "You can't let that happen! Not a blasphemy of that MAGNITUDE!"

You look at Ray, he shrugs, and you both go back to watching the screen.

You see the woman identified as Melpomene bend down, and kiss Joy-In-Love's body on the mouth.

Then Melpomene's body drops to the floor. Limp and motionless. Then, slowly Melpomene's body stands up again. Only it's different. The motions are robotic, and less graceful than the woman was before. Also, you see what looks like black gunk, dripping from her mouth and nose.

(cont)

>>47620740
Did she just transfered Love to her body or something?
Don't tell me just just hubris'd herself.

>>47620740
Some sort of joy hivemind created through the use of hubris?

She may be the key to how they took over ruins tribe

>>47620740
The People of Joy in hazmat suits take off their helmets, and you see that they too have black gunk running from their nose and mouths. One of them rips the gag off of Augustus and before the man can scream he vomits a surge of that fluid into his mouth. Augusts drops to the floor, thrashing and digging his nails into his throat so hard as to draw blood, but then he stops. And he stand up again, with the same robotic motion as the other PoJ.

Gaft is pale, shaking, and honestly looks like he's thankful that he's dying.

"Woe Soldiers. Her favorite weapon. Why use your own army, when you can use someone else's?" Gaft says. "Every move she made was swift, sure, and tactically sound. Love and the others would attack her forces in one part of the town, and she'd send Converters to another. She made no speeches, gave no quarter, and had no mercy. We were to be conquered, and become a part of her empire." He chuckles. "We never knew if she was a hive mind, or just a high ranking part of a greater race...maybe she's just a weapon."

"Lupa." Pytor says over your walkie-talkie. "Wren has been screaming and crying in abject terror. It was disconcerting, so we closed her box...but she is not stopping."

You watch as Joy-In-Love's body shimmers and the casual clothing is replaced by a regal pink regalia. Her body slowly stands up.

"We thought we killed her. Why wouldn't we? She had arrived in a special body, made for combat." Gaft says. "She was publicly tried and executed...and all we killed was the fucking shell.

"Oh God...the Hubris...they must have been altered by the blast. Unity saved us...in her ego and selfishness...a legion of insects and small creatures...all converted into something she couldn't control. So she decided to fix things...and I showed her how." He laughs.

"What are you talking about?" Ray says. "Who is that? Is that Joy-In-Love...or what?"

(cont)

>>47620855
Ah so the old enemy they fought before

File: Do You Dream?.jpg (731 KB, 1400x935)

731 KB JPG

>>47620855
"That..." Gaft says. "Is the being named Misery. She was the one who almost beat Joy-In-Love and the first Joys.

"She was the one who made us change into the world that used to be." He gasps. "She's humanity's greatest enemy and her almost conqueror. I led her to a place where she can rewrite history as she sees fit..." He slumps his head.

"...and now she's in control of a Goddes." He mumbles.

Then he leans over to the side, and goes still.

You stare at the screen, and see Joy-In-Love stare directly at the Camera, with jet black eyes.

And she smiles.

END PART 26

End theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDwotNLyz10

>>47620855
God dammit

We may need gaft alive now

>>47620917
Good job chump, you've done an admirable job fuckin' it up, Gaft.

>>47620917
Thanks for running Echo.

>>47620917
Good game

Thanks for running

Remember to archive

And next thread?

>>47620917
I have been planning this for a long time, and I dropped a couple of clues. The obvious one was Melpomene's name, but there were others if you want to go look for them. I suggest looking at the PoJ fight when you met back up with Pytor in Scylla.

Just to warn you, fighting Misery-In-Love head on is not going to be easy. As an example, here's her first ability:

When Misery-In-Love attacks, with the exception of crits, she always rolls 3d20 and picks the highest roll.

>>47620996
Does she have Love's memories?

>>47620996
Is her ability to corrupt based on the joining thing all things had before unity broke it?

>>47621027
Not right now, but it's a matter of time.

Also, another problem... HESTIA recognizes her as Joy-In-Love.

>>47621048
No. What Unity inadvertently stopped was that Misery was slowly infecting insects, invertebrates, and other small animals. It was a long, long, process but...well...imagine what would happen if someone suddenly hit the world with an army of mind-controlled insects. To the point where wiping them out would cause irreversible ecological damage. The only people who noticed would be people who are clinically paranoid and see a drop in mosquito populations as a bad thing.

But all the other things that Unity did, the mental fugue, the mass execution of all Joy-In-Hearts, and the collapse of the world...that was all 100% her, and a fuck-up of massive proportions.

Stopping Misery was a freak accident.

>>47621107
Thanks for running, and welcome back