>>574451
Aw yeah, good to have this back up, QG.

>>574451
Hey, long time no see. I hope they gave you your PhD now.

The most rational answer is yes, she would, with time.
What pushed us to eat our enemy alive was fear, desperation, inhuman hunger, and anger. So much anger. The same feelings that push someone to kill their loved ones in a fit of rage. Most people forget humans are animals and the reminders tend to be very grim ones. Imagine hers when she is not even really human anymore. Then again, no matter how we try to justify it, a mental breakdown for our lost humanity seems inevitable. Probably also a sign that we remain sane.

>tfw we plunged well into the real of grimdarkness thinknig it was what would be expected of us, only to recieve a message from the bad guys telling us "Wooooooow. Really? Alive? What the fuck!?!"

Also, do you want us to repeat our questions from the last thread?

>>574536
it's kind of funny, in a really fucked up sort of way
>Acts on instinct
>Everyone treating you like you crossed a line
>Realizing that maybe eating a sentient being alive isn't cool with everyone

"Whoops" does not begin to cover it

>>574451

Your hyper-acute senses focus on the shaking soft white furred wolf in your arms. You can hear her wounds start to close and her bones start to knit. You can hear her breathe. You can hear her heart beat.

You...feel that she's soft. But that's hardly the best way to describe it. You don't feel softness so much as...detect it. It's the tactile equivalent of reading the word blue as opposed to actually seeing the color. You sense that she is soft and warm but you don't feel that.

You don't feel in this form. You detect.

That realization makes you want to cry. But you don't have tear ducts. Instead you inhale through your massive gore covered jaws. The horrible moaning sound is your best approximation of a sob.

You feel C'Mell press against you. "I'm lucky I can cry I guess." She says understanding your moan. "That way I can cry for the both of us...just don't tell my friends, okay?"

You can't help but extend one of your short foreclaws to pet her head. She got angry at you when you tried it before but...she doesn't seem to mind now. "Thank you C'Mell..." You say meaning every word.

"...As I said something went wrong." You hear Lightbringer explain. "Something destroyed Fuji Base. As far as we know you're the only one that made it out alive. If we're lucky Project Pelican is destroyed. That's what you were supposed to destroy. That's why we went you there...are you listening to me?"

No. You were not. You're kind of sick of all this end-of-the-world cloak and dagger. You're tired of code names and monsters and aliens and lost memories and eating things like a savage animal.

...But the words jar something loose from the scattered jigsaw puzzle you have for a memory. "Project Pelican"....

....You remember a young man and a young woman. They were friends. Dear friends. They worked with you in the old Vaivasvata. You were bio engineers. You made an improved version of the bacti batteries and they helped you design and build it.

They were your coworkers. They were your students. They were your friends.

And you can't remember their names. And you can't remember your faces.

Nostalgia hits you like a sledgehammer. You were happy with them. There was a time in your life when you were very, very happy. And you're remembering it all while inside a monster's body soaked in gore.

You and you friends were going to save the world. You were going to face down the future together and beat it.

They called you Sensei. They would go out to drink with you and you would always order a root beer and they'd tease you and call you an old prude and you'd call them wild brats and you would all laugh together until the sun came up and why wouldn't you? You were members of a superhuman elite. You knew about aliens and an Edenic paradise called Avalon. You talked to creatures that might have been the gods and angels and kami of human culture.

-cont

>>574547
I'd be lying if i said that i would still have gone with the great eatery if i knew manus were able to feel pain. It has been pretty inconsistent the capacity of manus to feel pain.

Maybe it didn't hurt at all and the fact that he was being eating alive by us was horrifying enough to warrant the screams

Now i am wondering if C'Mell friends heard the screams too. The Besant seem like the chat on an MMO and by default you broadcast to everyone in those. I don't thinnk Bloodion would have limited the transmision so a local area when he had more pressing matters at body

>>574562

That would be pretty messed up, if everyone just got a snuff film on blast in their heads

>>574550
The best case scenario was that humanity would grow up and put the cold war behind themselves and work with Vaivasvata to usher in a technologically advance utopia. There was talk of cracking biological immortality in a century or so. And humanity had a new home in Avalon to support the population explosion. You and your friends just had to figure out how to get non-Manus through the gravity gate. But that was why you were recruited-to do the impossible.

Worst case scenario nuclear war breaks out and you jump to Avalon and carry on human civilization and culture in a world filled with Manus. You'd be like an ark for human thought and achievement.

Utopia or heroic colonization of an alien world. That was the future.

Not this. Not fighting living kites that create tornadoes and pools of blood with faces.

This wasn't the future you and your friends wanted...

PRESS YOURSELF TO REMEMBER MORE. WHY DOES PROJECT PELICAN CAUSE YOU TO REMEMBER THESE TWO PEOPLE? HOW WERE YOU INVOLVED IN IT?

PULL OUT. DON'T RISK UNCOVERING BAD MEMORIES.

>>574568
>PRESS YOURSELF TO REMEMBER MORE. WHY DOES PROJECT PELICAN CAUSE YOU TO REMEMBER THESE TWO PEOPLE? HOW WERE YOU INVOLVED IN IT?

Gotta go deeper, no telling when we might get another chance

>>574568
You'd probably want to wait for more people.
Eh, whatever, i say let's try to remember more. It can't be too bad, right? Right?

File: phantom memories.png (980 KB, 1032x1154)

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all these memory issues are just reminding me of pic related quest

>>574536
I hope my thesis project doesn't embarrass them. I have to give a defense of it in front of the entire faculty.

Yeah go ahead and repeat the questions.

>>574547
>>574566
>second spoiler
That's exactly what happened.

C'Mell got a mindful of terror. You'll just have to wait and see who else did...

>>574581
I'll let the question sit for awhile as I do want more anons to vote as it is potentially a game changer decision.

>>574589
Do they also feel echoes of the cannibalism rush that we felt?

>>574602
No. And there's a reason for that...

>>574611
neat!

File: Dr, i am Battle, i came t(...).gif (961 KB, 245x250)

961 KB GIF

>>574589
>spoiler
It was about memes, wasn't it?

>Questions from the previous thread
Oh, would you look at that, you actually answered them. My mistake then.

>That's exactly what happened.
You mean the "Bloodion wasn't in pain but it was like watching a surgeon hack apart your organs while you are high on adrenalyne and painkillers, but otherwise concious and aware"? Or just the "The consumtion will be televised" by Gil Scott-Bloodion part?

>Be me
>Be Battle
>Damn i am cool
>I don't want to be here
>My feet are in discomfort
>I wish i was at home with my girlfriend
>Be traveling to Japland to extract a brainiac and take her home
>What's that? Mission aborted?
>Yes! Back home!
>W-What?
>Can't you just make up your fucking mind?
>Whatever
>Setting course to the land of the descending boner
>Just have to kick a few butts.
>Is that Bloodion i detect?
>Oh boy, it has been a while since the last time i kicked his liquid ass
>Now i am motivated to-
>Holy shit!
>What's that? It's horrifying!
>What are those screams?
>Is that Bloodion?
>Holy shit what's going on there?

We are officially the scariest thing that the three faction have seen now.

>>574754
unlikely, but it would be funny if there was a secretive fourth group of manu who don't care about ruling the world or whatever and just want to kill and eat all the other manu, like a cannibal-based Mortal Kombat.

>>574764
[spoilers] There's not a fourth faction right now, but once you hit Tokyo and the hunt for the esper starts there's going to be a forth one forming...[/spoiler]

>>574655
>Spoiler
Science Fiction anthology based on fairy tale themes. One story involves the Yuma Indian story of the twin gods Kokomaht and Bakotahl and plays on the creator and creation themes of the tale. It's about deaf dumb blind psychic test tube babies and their handlers that struggle to connect with them.

Needless to say its rather complicated. Which is part of the difficulty in convincing the staff to back me. Fortunately one of them is a big nerd who polybags issues of Amazing Stories and he's down with my project.

>>574754
You really are. Because there's something you can do that no other Manu can and it can totally swing the war in the favor of whatever faction has you


>>574581
>>574579
Two votes for PRESS MEMORIES. Going to take a short nap and see how the vote is when I wake up.

>>574800
solid spoilering, QG

>>574568
>PRESS YOURSELF TO REMEMBER MORE. WHY DOES PROJECT PELICAN CAUSE YOU TO REMEMBER THESE TWO PEOPLE? HOW WERE YOU INVOLVED IN IT?

>>575036
Yup. Still the same result.

>>574800
Don't you worry QG. You know it is like this when you take a break. People think you died, you run a few sessions with few IPs, and before you know it we are back to normal

>>575263
Well, if people decide not to come then they don't get to complain when they aren't happy with their choices

I am the biggest hyprocrite because i am still salty about the 13 incident that happened when i wasn't present

>>574568
>PRESS YOURSELF TO REMEMBER MORE. WHY DOES PROJECT PELICAN CAUSE YOU TO REMEMBER THESE TWO PEOPLE? HOW WERE YOU INVOLVED IN IT?

If this is anything like the old OVAs I used to watch as a kid, then consequences can go fuck themselves if they stand between us and getting to the bottom of shit

>starts new thread
>three story relevant QM posts
>1 vote called
man... I dunno what QG thinks is a "short" nap...

>>574568
>Remember more
Damn the bad memories! We need to know!

>>578041
He was probably very tired and slept throught the everything. We don't have a way to make an alarm sound when people post in your 4chan thread. Yet

File: Well Rested.png (27 KB, 595x539)

27 KB PNG

>>578041
>>578853

That's basically what happened. Sorry about that. All those all-nighters finally caught up to me and once I hit the sack I was down for the count. At least now I'm pic related.


>Push through the memories

ROLL 3D20 AND PRAY YOU ROLL HIGH. 10 or below is bad. Below 5 is catastrophic.

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>578876

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>578876
Spending style point :^)

>>578882
If only anon.
If only.
But we still have a shot.

>>578882
Shit, we need 11 or more to pull through

>>578884
Doable.
Have faith.

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>578876
jesus take the wheel

>>578886
YES! We avoided doing a bad!
>tfw your worst enemy comes at your rescue.

>>578887
Bloodion is dead anon.
Bow a morally bankrupt scientist or former Mat ally that wants their horse back, and may or may not support our former employer on the other hand...

>>578890
Now.
the shame flows through me

>>578890
Nah, it was about the number in particular

Bloodion lives inside of us. I can't wait for when he starts talking to us telepatically and taunting us for our savagery. Only to find out later it wasn't Bloodion and it was just our guilt. After we realize that two Bloodions with spears skewer eachother and we can move along

Chances are we were the morally banckrupt scientist. If our memories are correct we were in a constant high that only comes from feeling superior to the common rabble.
Also, now i know why Manus and Vaisvastavaitaviya are called like that. You a cheeky bugger QG, i'll give you that.

>>578895
I mean one less genuine about helping folks and more in it because "orphans are a renewable resource" and the like.
Flat out batshit

>>578886
>>578884
>>578878
>>578882
You remember...

Hiro...and Yuna...

He could turn into something like silver fire. She turned into a creature with wings, beautiful like an angel...

They always celebrated your birthday and you always pretended to be annoyed by their doting on you.

You hadn't celebrated your birthday sense you were a little girl. You didn't have anyone to celebrate it with. You didn't have friends...

One year Hiro gave you an action figure. One of those Kamen Riders. He said you reminded him of the character. You still have that toy in your home. He doesn't fit in with the dolls in your curio. But you never fitted in with the people around you. Unless they were Hiro and Yuna.

A sudden surge of adrenaline accompanies a wave of fresh memories. You and your friends knew a war was coming. There were signs. People were talking. You knew. You were preparing something...not a weapon but a way to help people during the war....

...Project Pelican....

...That's what you are...

You can't help but grin. Lightbringer is WRONG. He's either trying to lie to you or he's repeating a lie told to him. You aren't a Mats agent sent to destroy Fuji Base's Project Pelican. How can you destroy yourself?

But where are Yuna and Hiro now? What does it mean to be Project Pelican?

You feel a pressure building under your domed skull. You're fighting against the urge to forget and suppress and it feels almost like pain.

"Yuki?" C'Mell asks. "Are you okay?"

"Quiet...Trying to remember..." You whisper through the Besant.

C'Mell nods her white furred head and watches you gravely.

PUSH YOURSELF EVEN HARDER. THESE WERE PEOPLE YOU LOVED DAMN IT. YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!

BACK OFF. CLEAR YOUR HEAD AND PIECE TOGETHER WHAT HAPPENED BY INTERROGATING LIGHTBRINGER AND ROOK.

>>578903
Killed by [/spoiler]the rebels, and C'mell has no idea

>>578903
PUSH YOURSELF EVEN HARDER. THESE WERE PEOPLE YOU LOVED DAMN IT. YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!

>>578898
Let me tell you a secret Qfaucsmaviz. I don't see how Bloodion actions warranted that we treated him as we did, not only when we ate him, but in general. He was an asshole, and he wanted to kill us. But he wasn't THAT much of an asshole He never threatened the innocent to bring us out of hiding or tried to kill us in a horrible way, just the standard. He wasn't nearly as mindfuck-y as Thunderer either. He was a c-class bad guy, at best, but we hated him as if he killed our parents, fed our dog the remains and then chocked the dog to death. The main reason i went along with it anyway is because i am making my choices as if we were being driven by instict or at least fighting heavily against it without putting ourselves into unnecesary danger. What's the rest of the eater's excuse?

>>578903
They are not to be trusted with THIS matter in particular. Pull through. For great justice!

>>578903
>PUSH YOURSELF EVEN HARDER. THESE WERE PEOPLE YOU LOVED DAMN IT. YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!

>>578907
>What's the rest of the eater's excuse?

Combat insanity and giant amoeba's gross me out. had to kill and eat that thing to make sure it's never coming back.

>>578903
>Pull through
If this fails, then interrogate.

>>578907
We opened with Bloodion trying to murder us while we were confused and trying to talk.
Understandable from his position.

Still pretty fucked though.

>Push through

ROLL 3D20 AND PRAY

>>578928
I understand why we wanted him dead. What i don't get is why we treated him as if he was Satan, even before killing him.

>>578923
Was he a giant amoeba or a giant blood cell?
Also, good response. We still pretty amoral when it counts, tho'

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>578930
PREEEY!

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>578930
Nat 1.

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>578930

>>578931
Anything that can stretch a mouth wider than I can is definitely made of pure evil. I stand by our decision.

>>578939
Never visit a decent sized aquarium.
I bet you also hate sneks faggit

>inb4
"Bitch, shut the fuck up I AM Project Pelican!"

>>578943
>I AM Project Pelican
I still miss Foe Hammer. RIP in peace, you crazy bastard.

>>578941
Snakes cant open their mouths wider than a human can, except for exceptionally large ones. I hate the exceptionally large ones. As for being a bundle of sticks, I can assure you I'm not a pile of twigs ment for a fire.

It crashes over you like a wave made of lead.

Loss. Pure loss.

They're dead. Hiro and Yuna are dead.

You don't know how but...they're dead.

Whatever took out Fuji Base took them out as well.

"They're dead..." You gasp. "My friends are all dead..."

"...She's not going to go feral again is she?" Lightbringer asks.

"You shut up!" C'Mell yells. "You shut up! I've saved you and your friends' lives so least you can do is shut up for her! It's okay Yuki..." She nuzzles against your shell. "I'm not dead. I'm here..."

You are their legacy. You...You...

...The name is a reference to the heraldic pelican, not the actual bird with the big beak that eats fish. The mythic pelican fed its young by tearing at its own breast. Its blood nourished them.

You're a super-efficient decompositon system. An advance bacti battery is installed between one of your hearts and your coolant organ. You eat dead Manu tissue and convert it to a self-programming pluripotent genetic material.

You and your friends called it soma.

All Manu are capable of DEVOURING Manu tissue to hasten their natural regeneration process. But you go one further. You grow stronger the more you eat. And it doesn't have to be just you. You can convert dead tissue into the self-programming soma and store it within you. Any Manu that consumes your soma will be strengthened.

It is NOT a weapon. It was designed so that the functions of fallen Manu could be conserved. Their powers would live on as you DEVOURED them. Manu with powers over time, space, heat, energy-these powers were tools to experiment with the Gravity Gate itself to try and find a way to transport things other than Manu through it. They were also used to terraform locations on Avalon and conduct ecological experiments whose lessons could be used back on Earth.

If you could not save the Manus you could at least save their powers. You and your friends thought it was an extension of Vaivasvata's philosophy concerning humanity at large.

But...you didn't take Bloodion's powers. You got stronger, but you didn't take his powers. Why was that?

And what killed your friends?

GO EVEN DEEPER. PLACES YOU AT GREAT DANGER AND EARNS AN ACHIEVEMENT. NEXT ROLL WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIFFICULT.

PULL OUT. YOU'VE PRESSED YOUR LUCK ENOUGH.

>>578976
What's life with out a little danger!
And what's the ETA on Battle-kun?

>>578984
>>578976
Sorry.
I meant to say
>AND DEEPER STILL!

>>578976
Go deeper, but before doing that ask C'mell to run away with the Manu and the Mats. The fuck away
Should we absorb Winzard's powers? We could do with wind control to help our flight.

>>578984
He'll show up right after your memory struggles, so you'll talk to him before you deal with Earth Mother. Assuming nothing bad happens...

>>578976
GO EVEN DEEPER. PLACES YOU AT GREAT DANGER AND EARNS AN ACHIEVEMENT. NEXT ROLL WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIFFICULT.

She digs that hole and digs it well.

>>578988
What is the number we have to surpass? Or are you keeping it a secret to increase dramatic tension?

>>578995
It's a secret. You're going to have to decide whether the unknown increased with is worth struggling for answers.

>>578987
DO YOU WANT TO TELL C'MELL TO TAKE THE SURVIVORS AND RUN FAR FAR AWAY?

>>578998
She should probably go.
For safety. Those Manu ain't going nowheres.

>>578998
Nah, have them stay. C'mell included.

I also change my mind. We remembered enough.

>>578998
rememberu and get them away

>>579006
If we're trying to break deadlock I'm cool with what we have.
That superfluous achievement though
All depends on the third vote I guess.

>>578976
>GO EVEN DEEPER. PLACES YOU AT GREAT DANGER AND EARNS AN ACHIEVEMENT. NEXT ROLL WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIFFICULT.

gotta get those cheevos

>>578976
>GO EVEN DEEPER. PLACES YOU AT GREAT DANGER AND EARNS AN ACHIEVEMENT. NEXT ROLL WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIFFICULT.

in for a penny...

>>578998
Nah.

>>578998
oh gosh, didn't see this.

Yeah, probably.

Friendly reminder, one of our goals was to have C'mell and Battle meet.

"Get...away..." You whisper.

"What?" C'Mell asks.

"Get away and get the survivors away...NOW!" You're terrified what your memories might reveal.

You remember that on the whole you know very little about yourself.

You know the intentions you and your friends had with Project Pelican.

But you know the results of Project Pelican. They're staining your armor right now.

"Yuki! What's wrong? Don't tell me to leave you!"

"GO!" You shove her away and fly headlong into the sky.

"Yuki No! Come back! What's wrong? Yuki!"

"You were one of our own Dr. Shirow." Lighrbinger's says. "You must be remembering that. I'm sorry if the truth is causing you pain..."

ROLL 3D20. 16-20 SUCCESS. 11-15 FAILURE. 1-10 CATASTROPHIC FAILURE

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>579038
Go.

Rolled 19 (1d20)

>>579038
Okay... here goes nothing.

File: BITE THE PILLOW.jpg (30 KB, 360x273)

30 KB JPG

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>579038

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>579038

>>579047
Pfft. Kek.

>>579044
>>579045
>>579047
that averages out to 15... that's a Fail.

>>579052
It could be a win?

>>579053
Well, it's not a Catastrophic Failure, but no. 16 would have gotten us to a Success.

File: images.jpg (5 KB, 276x183)

5 KB JPG

>>579054
Well, in that case. Fuck you, I'm going to be blissfully ignorant and optimistic.

>>579067
I'd rather you were faster and luckier, given that you rolled a 7 late.

File: download.jpg (8 KB, 242x209)

8 KB JPG

>>579076
Oh you

FAILURE

MENTAL TRAUMA: -2 MENTAL

Hiro...Yuna...your friends...

Your wings shudder as you crack the sound barrier and fly anywhere, nowhere. The land passes under you like a blurring river of color. Forests and roads and towns blend together.

Someone killed them...someone ruined your life...someone has to pay...

You scream and...and...and...

And the mental thread you were chasing is gone. It vanishes without pain or noise.

Its just gone. And you are left as lost in your memory as you are in the sky.

You breathe. Your armored shoulders move like industrial pistons.

Well. You know there's someone that needs to pay. You just need to find them. And then do to them what you did to Bloodion.

Hiro and Yuna...they're both dead. And you only figured out they existed moments ago. At least they never got to see you like you are now...

The Besant crackles. Rook is probably trying to contact you again. Finally. Or maybe C'Mell chased after you.

Or maybe there's a giant flying anthropoid skeleton made of shining molten metal trying to communicate with you.

Such is your life now.

The new monster looks anthropoid. It's arms are longer than its stout legs and cross themselves in front of its barreled rib cage. Its ribs and fingers and toes curve to sharp points. The air shimmers around its glowing red bones.

SAY/DO?

>>579092
>Hello...?
>Please don't fight me, I'm.. well I'm really lost.
>My name is probably Yuki, what's yours?

>>579092
"Battle? That's you right?"

>>579092
Please tell me we aren't going to fight now.
It's been a bit of a day.

I'm Yuki...or Dr. Shirow if you prefer, who are you?
>A GENUINE ATTEMPT WAS MADE!

I can't believe we were 1 point off from success and an achievement.

>>579099
"Hello? Please don't fight me. I'm well...I'm really lost." You reply over the Besant and open communication with the molten metal monstrosity.

"You the survivor from Fuji Base?" A rough young voice answers you. "The one that triggered her ATS hard?"

"Yeah...that's me. My name is probably Yuki...Dr. Shirow...whatever you prefer."

"I'm Battle. Rook sent me to help. You got in trouble with the Mats?"

"I was...the battles over now. There are...casualties."

"I can see that...one's all over you." He says pointing a long glowing finger at the gore still covering you. "Don't tell me the details. Emotional static on the Besant got so bad I had to turn it off. Is anyone on our side still alive?"

SAY/DO?

>>579119

uh...well..
C'Mell got sent off with what prisoners we had, I don't think anyone but her, me and some Mats lackeys were involved...so, yeah and no, nobody directly hostile to your side at least.

>>579119
>My friend C'mell. We took the survivors prisoner.
>Bright... whatever his name was. He started talking and I tried to remember things and then I ran off...
>Can you help me get back to them, Battle?
>And, uh, sorry about the static. I'm still learning...

>>579119
>"Emotional static? What happened, I felt nothing?"

>>579126
>>579129
"I uh...C'Mell got sent off with what prisoners we had left. I don't think anyone but her, me, and some Mats lackeys were involved...so yeah and no nobody directly hostile to your side at least."

"C'Mell's that rebel bitch right? As in her Manu form is an actual bitch? What do you mean she isn't directly hostile to our side?"

Oh dear. Rook would tell him that you were on the Remnant's side...

"Look, Battle, C'Mell is my friend and we took the survivors prisoner and Brightbringer or whoever his name was....some Mats that rode inside one of the enemies made out of eyes...he started talking and I tried to remember things but I ran off because I got scared and nervous and please. Please just help me get back to my friend Battle?"

"So you got a friend in the rebs? Eh. Trust me. I can relate. This civil war bullshit has had me throw down with guys I considered my brothers...still do actually. Yeah. I'll help you. I got a fix on their location thanks to Rook. The Besant field is agitated for a couple of miles so he can't wire himself in right now but if you'd like to talk to him later you can. Looks like you'd need someone to talk to..." He hovers off and you follow behind him.

It's easy to keep pace with him. His neon colored bones strike a contrast against the blue sky. Seeing him fly brings to mind airplane wreckage. Its the only thing that ticks the boxes of "flying" and "burning metal" in your mind.

You try to link him to something more familiar and sensible and focus on his skull of all things. It's like drawings you've seen in your evolutionary textbooks. Its thick and robust like an apes but has the cerebral development of a human....

...And now you're thinking of a metal lunchbox.

Such is your life.

"Hey..." He says. "I know you're in a bad way. Something really sick must've happened to you to trigger the ATS. But I gotta know who all died today..."

"Winzard and Bloodion."

"Ah. I see..." It's hard to read the expression of a skull. But you think the slight tilt means something like mild sadness. "Didn't know Winzard personally. But I knew him. He was one of the guys working on optimizing the weather. You know, helping crops grow in Africa and stuff like that. But Bloodion...well damn. Can't say I'm going to miss him. He was the leader of those Project Vajra guys, you remember them?"

"No. No I don't."

"Before this civil war started Vajra was an experimental group created out of guys that Mats couldn't bond to. They all were high class espers with huge Zener scores and mental quirks that drove Mats from their minds like Dracula from the cross. Well first thing the Mats do when they take over is take them all and make them into top grade second generation Manu."

"Why did they do that?"

-cont

>>579192
"Hell if I know. I guess partly to make sure they couldn't be used against them. And partly to help keep all the Mats under control. You know they don't all agree with what they're doing right? I guess the Vajra are the club the ruling Mats use to keep the others in line. Bottom line is that there's only four of them now with Bloodion dead. They're probably mad as hell. Good on ya if you were the one that did him in."

"I was."

"Vajra is like their secret police. And they've killed a lot of good people. You shouldn't feel any shame about doing what you had to do."

"That emotional static you talked about...You have to know I caused that..."

"Well...yeah. I mean you kill someone the inside of their head is not something you're going to want to listen to. Its probably a good thing you get that static on the Besant though. It makes sure a lot of these engagements leave survivors. Still, I bet it makes you feel like shit huh?"

SAY/DO?

>>579203
SUGGESTIONS:

TELL HIM THAT IT WAS MORE THAN YOU KILLING BLOODION. TELL HIM THAT YOU ATE HIM LIKE AN ANIMAL.

TALK TO HIM ABOUT C'MELL. SHE'S TECHNICALLY HIS ENEMY. IS HE GOING TO WANT TO TAKE HER PRISONER? WILL HE WANT ANY PRISONERS?

ASK HIM ABOUT HIMSELF?

ASK HIM MORE ABOUT THE WAR?

ASK HIM ABOUT VAJRA?

>>579206
>TALK TO HIM ABOUT C'MELL. SHE'S TECHNICALLY HIS ENEMY. IS HE GOING TO WANT TO TAKE HER PRISONER? WILL HE WANT ANY PRISONERS?
>ASK HIM ABOUT HIMSELF?
>ASK HIM MORE ABOUT THE WAR?
>ASK HIM ABOUT VAJRA?

Know ALL the things!

>>579203
>"No, it... it felt... great? I was just acting on instinct, I was feeling so good and didn't even know what was happening and then I realize I just finished eating a person."

>Leave C'Mell alone, you guys will have to negotiate for the prisoners like adults.

>Do you have a safe house for me to crash in?

>>579222
>>579224

"No it...it felt...great? I was just acting on instinct. I was feeling so good and I didn't even know what was happening and then I realized I just finished eating a person."

He stops in mid air.

"Hold up." He says turning his sockets toward you. "You...ate somebody?"

SAY/DO?

IT WAS LIKE A REFLEX. IT JUST...FELT RIGHT AND I DID IT.

I WANTED HIM TO SUFFER. TO HURT. I WAS SO ANGRY...

>>579332
>IT WAS LIKE A REFLEX. IT JUST...FELT RIGHT AND I DID IT.
>But C'mell told me that it was super fucked up and not to do it anymore, so, uh, I won't?
>Sorry!

>>579332
haha, here it comes.

>IT WAS LIKE A REFLEX. IT JUST...FELT RIGHT AND I DID IT.
>"I remember defeating him, and then the only thing to my senses was feeling like I was in seventh heaven. I had no idea what my body was doing until I was able to sense the others' fear and I became conscious again."

"It was like a reflex! It just...felt right and I did it..." You hope that's an apt description. Whatever it was-instinct, reflex, desire...it overpowered your highly valued rationality. It shackled your self-control. It felt too good to actually be good for you.

"But C'Mell told me that it was SUPER fucked up and not to do it anymore so uh...I won't?"

His neck bones turn his head a little to the side.

"Sorry!"

"Oh jeeze...is that Bloodion on you right now?"

"Uh...yeah..."

"Ah shit...Rook said you were a little off..." He hovers toward you and slowly extends a sharp bone-metal claw. "Hold still, I'll get this gunk off ya. Can't stand looking at it..."

You feel the heat of his touch on your shell. It's similarity to Bloodion's super-heated plasma makes you flinch.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya. Just stay still." He moves a glowing red finger across you and the remains of Bloodion dissolves into black clumps and then into nothing.

"What are you doing?"

"Molecular disintegration. I dissolve matter into a packet of Bessant particles." His shoulders clang as he shrugs. "At least that's what the eggheads tell me. No offense Doctor lady. They say it makes me like a living lightsaber. You know, like from Star Wars?"

"Never seen it."

"Its pretty good. Third movie's supposed to come out this month. If the world don't end first that is."

"There." He says floating back. "You look a lot better."

"You should know I'm not...I don't think I'm normal. I remember defeating him and then the only thing to my senses was feeling like I was in seventh heaven. I had no idea what my body was doing until I was able to sense the others' fear and I became conscious again..."

"I see..."

"You said the Vajra group...they had mental issues that kept the Mats from bonding with them. You mean like what, they were crazy?"

"Some of them yeah...But some of them were just quirky. You aren't one of them Doctor Lady if that's what you're thinking. You were a scientist. You made our food."

"Then what am I?"

"Confused. Scared. You wake up in a war and can barely remember anything. From what you told me you went to a pretty dark place during the fight. This is war. A lot of people forget that because we all used to be on the same side and we don't like killing one another. But people do crazy shit in a war. I bet you won't be the only one eating someone before this ends....We're about to come to them. Now as for C'Mell, she knows we're taking her prisoner right?"

"She fought with me though!"

-cont

>>579516

"Look..." His ribcage flexes and you hear a sign on the Bessant. "I feel ya. I really do. You fought with her, bled with her, and went through the worst day of your life with her. You're worried about being crazy? You aren't crazy. You want to do a solid for someone who stood by you in a fight. No one crazy thinks that. But its like I'm saying. This is war. And in war you end up doing crazy shit...now there's two of us and one of her. She's surrounded. It's only...I guess civil for her to surrender without a fight yeah?"

SAY/DO?

ACCEPT TAKING C'MELL PRISONER?

DOUBLE DOWN ON LETTING HER GO FREE?

>>579521
>"Rook told you I was "a little off", but he never told you that I never accepted his proposal to join you guys? I'm independent, all your factions sound off their rockers. I can offer to mediate your negotiations with C'Mell, but there will be NO fighting."

>>579521
>DOUBLE DOWN ON LETTING HER GO FREE?
>Rook... I don't know why, but he's giving me some leniency. He promised that I could see what C'mell's side is like. That I get a choice in joining a side, if I take one at all.
>I don't care how many of the others you take back, but C'mell and I get to walk. And if things don't work out with her pals, I'll be back to check in with you guys.
>Rook promised me that...

>>579543
>>579557
DO YOU WANT TO OFFER THE OTHER PRISONERS TO BATTLE?

>>579521
>DOUBLE DOWN ON LETTING HER GO FREE?
>>579543
also this

>>579579
One's a panicked wreck times a thousand who'd croak out of fear if we took them, and the other is another goddamn liar. We have no need of them

>>579521
>"Please, let her go... Don't make me fight again today"
Slip into a crazy tone of voice
>"I don't think i could feed again today and still keep my humanity. It just feels too good"
Subtly imply that we mean the threat for him and not C'mell
>"Just thinking about conflict is making my mouth water with the posibilities"

Can we roll to intimidate?

>>579591
That seems a little out of character for someone who is afraid of herself and just suffered a crisis.

>>579579
It seems like a fair trade, but I already voted for it so... yeah.

>>579606
It is completely in character if it's true

Fine, i change my vote, let's give them Mandala and his ball of light. I want us to interrogate Earthmother.

I like how POW are currency in this quest

>>579618
>It is completely in character if it's true
I can't argue with that.

I forgot there were three of them, yeah let's try to take Earthmother.

>>579634
>>579634
The best about the situation is that we can use the information we just remembered to correctly interrogate EM.

As in, we start asking questions we know the answer to. If her answers don't match we now then try to find out if she is lying or just deluded.

"Wait a minute...Rook told you I was "a little off" but he never told you that I never accepted his proposal to join you guys?"

"Man oh man...look, what he told me was that your memory was shot and you weren't sure who your friends were. I was sort of hoping you'd at least remember you were on our side. You made the second generation bacti batteries remember?"

"I remember that...but I don't remember my exact allegiance. And even if I was on your side I'm not now. I'm independent. All your factions sound off their rockers. I can offer to mediate your negotiations with C'Mell but there will be NO fighting."

"Eh, can't really blame you there. You fight alongside a guy, you're that guy's friend for life. Al I've done for you is scrape shit off your shell. You want C'Mell to walk, she walks."

"And I want to follow her...Rook...I don't know why, but he's giving me some leniency here. He promised that I could see what C'Mell's side is like. That I get a choice in joining a side, if I take one at all."

"That's a dangerous play Doctor Lady. You're tough as nails to take down Bloodion but you're going to be surrounded by an entire cell of rebels and they know you were on our side to start..."

"Look, I don't care how many of the others you take back but C'Mell and I get to walk. And if things don't work out with her pals I'll be back to check in with you guys...Rook promised me that..."

"Damn. You girls don't know what its like for one of you to shame a guy like that. Okay, okay...although to be honest I'm kind of glad I won't be taking her prisoner. I prefer to settle things in fair fights. One on one you know? It's a damn shame doing that loses wars."

"One of them though, a Matsya named Earth Mother, could she come with me and C'Mell?"

"Give em an inch they take a mile. You girls are all the same...but yeah yeah. Take em all if you want. You two were the ones that beat em anyway. I guess its more honorable that way or something."

"You can have Lightbringer. He's another Matsya. And his vehicle survived...some sort of hive mind named Mandala..."

"Ah, that guy huh?" His sharp finger rubs his rock-like chinless jaw. "Yeah. My team really would appreciate taking him prisoner..."

.....

Bessant chatter fills your head as you approach a meadow clearing where C'Mell sits with her four limbs folded beneath her watching your broken enemies and licking at her wounds with a long pink tongue.

"I really am sorry about your loss. We wouldn't have killed Winzard if we had the choice..." She says.

"I don't give a damn about your sentiments." Earth Mother replies. "He's dead. Your psychotic friend killed him. He's dead and now I'm alone in this godforsaken world."

"I'm sorry...I really am. I-I don't know how else to say it."

"Don't say anything. Just curl up into a ball and die. We gave everything to build a better future for you and mankind and this is how you repay our kindness. I hope someone you love dies."

>>579685
>"I don't give a damn about your sentiments." Earth Mother replies. "He's dead. Your psychotic friend killed him. He's dead and now I'm alone in this godforsaken world."

Did none of these ancient fucking geniuses think it was a BAD FUCKING IDEA to be escorted by A GUY WHO TRIED TO ASSASSINATE US?
What the fuck did they even expect to happen when they intentionally FOUGHT on his side?

>>579685
>I hope someone you love dies.
oh god dammit, C'mell, do NOT kill the hostage!

>>579685
"I hope you live. Forget what I said. I hope you live and get to feel as lonely and wretched as I am..."

"This is what you're fighting for C'Mell."Lightbringer says. "Congratulations on your victory. Are you enjoying the spoils?"

"Fuck you! I-I never wanted to kill any of you!" She turns a growling face at Mandala.

"And we never wanted you to kill us."

C'Mell nervously nibbles at her wound. "Just fuck off okay! I'm the only reason you guys are alive so can I at least get some quiet from the two of you for that!...Oh shit..." She says suddenly turning away embarrassed by her wound licking as she sees you and Battle touch down.

"Yuki! Are you okay?"

"Yeah...and no. What Lightbringer said about Project Pelican brought back a lot of memories...and a lot of pain. I'm better now though. And I ran into Battle here..."

"So do you remember being on our side?" Lightbringer asks. "Do you remember being tasked with destroying Project Pelican?"

You look at Battle and pray he doesn't do anything stupid.

"Oh man, is this another one of those Mats mind trick things? Doctor Lady I wouldn't trust a word out of his mouth about whatever the hell Project Pelican or anything else for that matter."

Thank god. He's not an idiot...

" These guys are big on the mind games. Their favorite move is to do that thing from....eh, the movie The Thing. You know that American movie about the alien in the Arctic that can look like people?"

"...No." You say flatly.

"I-I know that movie..." C'Mell says. "And he's right Yuki. They make people turn on each other . They spread rumors that someone is a secret vehicle and watch us do their work for them. Biggest lie they have is the one where a person is a vehicle but doesn't know they're a vehicle. Like Manchurian Candidate."

You really need to watch more foreign films...

"It's helped them gain a lot of ground in this war...its definitely what they're trying to pull right now!"

"You are free to disbelieve what I tell you." Lightbringer says. "Obviously you are no longer one of our own. As your memories return that however might hopefully change..."

TELL HIM ABOUT PROJECT PELICAN?

DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT PROJECT PELICAN?

>>579785
Basically, what parts of what you know about Project Pelican do you share and with whom?

>>579785
>TELL HIM ABOUT PROJECT PELICAN?
Man, we need a fucking movie night, this shit is just shameful...

>>579791
heh

>TELL EVERYONE EVERYTHING

>>579791
Oh! uh, I guess tell them about why we were made and what we can do.
The ultimate consumer and recycler.
Maybe even offer to see if we can reconstitute Earth Mother's friend into some fitting tribute?
I'm still a little uncertain about how soma works myself.

>>579815
>Maybe even offer to see if we can reconstitute Earth Mother's friend into some fitting tribute?

That'd be like being offered to bind a book with your dead friend's skin.

>>579825
I'm just spitballing. I mean, what else could we do with a corpse, just toss it in a hole?
Besides, now that we sort of know what we can do, maybe we can make something beautiful out of him for her.

>>579841
Store it as an emergency ration so we don't have to feed at an inopportune moment.

>>579852
See, now that just seems ghoulish

"Ha! Listen up JACKASS!" You say looming over Mandala and Lightbringer. "Do you even know what Project Pelican is? It's me! I'm Project Pelican!"

"And that's what exactly?" Battle asks. "I didn't exactly memorize the list of old Vaivasvata projects..."

You turn around proudly and begin to explain to him like...like you explained things to Hiro and Yuna...

It is bittersweet feeling and it makes you feel all the more proud about explaining you and their greatest work.

"Project Pelican-from the heraldic pelican, not the actual bird. It tore open it's breast to feed the young and that's exactly what I do!"

"...Okayyyyyyyy"

"I'm the ultimate decomposer and recycler! I'm the extension of Vaivasvata preservation philosophy to Manus! I break down inert Manu tissue and convert it into a self-developing pluripotent genetic compound called soma after the drink of the gods themselves! I'm the ultimate Manu! Soma can preserve the gifts and abilities of dead Manu. It can make Manu stronger or tougher. Our people may die during this insane conflict but our abilities will be carried on through the soma! My friends and I have saved these things through me! I am their gift to everyone! Hiro...Yuna...we-we wanted to save all we could from this war! I refuse to let them down!"

"Yuki..." C'Mell gasps at your overflowing emotions.

"...Holy shit." Battle says. "So when you ate Bloodion...you powered up?"

You nod. "Yes. It made me stronger. But I'm not the only one that can benefit. I can store soma within me. I can "power up" others!"

"What...like a...a...momma bird?"

"Like a Pelican! I tear open my chest and feed the survivors of this war!"

"Why...that's not at all what I thought Project Pelican was." Lightbringer says. "But then again...I didn't know what it was to begin with..."

"Ah FUCK." Battle slaps his skull with a loud BANG. "He got you to talk..."

"It was a round about way. But I doubt I would have gotten far if I simply asked what Project Pelican was.."

SAY/DO?

>>579896
"Battle... what did YOU think he was aiming for? He was trying to trick me into believing I was with them and oddly insistent upon the project.
I am the project. The inventor, the creator and the product- now both of your groups will be left alone, they no longer have a reason to hunt or trick you into revealing what you don't know."

>>579916
Actually!

Then turn to Lightbringer
>"This is what you're fighting for Lightbringer. Congratulations on your victory. Are you enjoying the spoils?"

Turn to Earthmother
"I hope you live."

>>579896
Fuck, now we have to eat them so they don't reveal this info

>>579896
>Trap light bringer if it tries to run

>>579896
>Tell Lightbringer to shut up or we'll eat him too
>Maybe we'll inherit his smooth talking and use it to not be such a prick, huh?
>Anyways, there, those are my card on the table. Now can we please just get this over with? All this fighting and yelling is making me hungry.

"So you know what project Pelican is. Big fucking deal." You fan your wings menacingly over Lightbringer and Mandala. "Your'e still our prisoner. If you try to run I will CRUSH you. Do you understand? This is what you're fighting for Lightbringer...Congratulations on your little victory. Are you enjoying the spoils?" You make sure the mocking tone comes through loud and clear over the Besant. "And you..." You say turning to Winzard's corpse and Earth Mother. "I hope you live."

"Yuki...that's cruel..." C'Mell mutters.

Earth Mother makes an inhuman shriek over the Besant. "Monster! Cannibal! Animal! They know what you are now! They know you're key to winning this war! So our side doesn't. It doesn't matter. They'll kill each other to possess you now!"

You look uneasily at Battle and C'Mell.

"Well...You worked with us. So I'm guessing my bosses know about your Project Pelican and soma stuff. How about your bosses?"

"They know a lot of secret stuff but...no. No I don't think they know about this."

"...Oh fuck." Battle says grinding his fingers against an eye socket. "No no no no no...."

"You are right about one thing." Lightbringer says. "We do understand the advantage your two sides being at war gives to us. Can you fault us for exploiting such a weakness?"

"You shut the fuck up or I'll EAT YOU!" You scream at Lightbringer. "Maybe I'll inherit your smooth talking and use it to be not such a prick huh?"

"Do you see how words and reasoning do so much more than violence? Do you see why our side will be the victor of this conflict? We observed you people when you were monkys We know your behavior patterns. We saw them evolve. You are children to us. Misbehaving, dangerous, violent chil-"

Your scream cuts him off. Mandala quivers like Jelly under its force.

"Yuki! That's enough! Don't hurt them!" C'Mell says pulling at one of your arms.

C'Mell rises tremblingly to her feet and gets between you and Battle. "So you're going to fight us now huh? Going to try to turn Yuki into your drink dispenser?" She bares her fangs.

"No no no no..." Battle says waving his elongated hands in front of himself. "This is what they want...look, can we just chill a minute? Can we wait for Rook to patch back in so we can talk about things?"

"Yeah. And let Rook be able to call in reinforcements? The guy is a TOOL! He had Tarkus kill Ellison over a threat, he'll have every Manu in Japan attacking me and Yuki if he finds out about the Soma!"

"Look...I've never been a good guy but I try not to be a total bastard, dig? You two have been through hell. If me and one of my buddies went through what you two girls did maybe I'd be jumpy to. But I want to wait for Rook to get here. I want to get orders about this soma stuff."

"So you're saying if he tells you to attack us you would?" C'Mell growls.

"As much as I hate fighting girls...yeah. This is war. I'll do what I'm told to do."

"Coward! Fucking remnant coward!"
-cont

>>580118
"But I'm seriously hoping Rook won't tell me to to do that. I don't WANT to fight you two. I don't want to be the guy that beats up two traumatized girls."

"We're not the ones that are going to be beat up!"

"Doctor Lady can you call off your attack bitch? Before she does something everyone is going to regret..."

SAY/DO?

TRUST IN C'MELL. ORDER BATTLE TO LET YOU GUYS GO NOW.

ATTACK BATTLE. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

TRUST IN ROOK. TELL C'MELL TO STAND DOWN UNTIL YOU CAN TALK TO HIM.

THIS DECISION WILL INFLUENCE ROOK AND C'MELL'S OPINIONS ON YOU AS WELL AS YOUR INITIAL STANDINGS WITH THE REBELS AND THE REMNANTS

>>580139
Gorge on Winzard. Eat like a starved animal.
If anyone says something yell "This is my kill and i am going to feast!"

Let's appear so crazy and hostile that Battle rethinks his stance.

>>580139
>DON'T TRUST ROOK. TELL C'MELL TO STAND AT THE READY UNTIL YOU CAN TALK TO HIM.

Man we are going full psychotic here huh.
To Lightbringer "You're wrong about one thing. Violence can do so much more than words and reasoning when you possess overwhelming force. Let's see you use your silver tongue to defuse this, hm? If the human factions fight each other over me, I will be out there, hunting you. How about we, us here, make sure this does not happen?"

>>580139
>Oh. Okay. This has not gone as well as I hoped.
>I don't want to be anyone's tool for things I don't understand!
>So... Look, Battle, you've been nice. You helped me clean off all the Bloodion I was wearing.
>And C'mell, basically, you didn't give up on me when I ate someone alive right in front of you.
>But I don't know each of your beefs with each other that well so... I want to wait to hear what Rook has to say. He's been mostly above-board with me this whole time and I am seriously hoping that it isn't just because he wants to use me as a weapon.

>>580154
Yeah, how about no?
>>580159
I don't think threatening anyone is going to help things. He's clearly just talking smack to instigate us and make us look worse in front of everyone.

>>580154
I don't think that we can scare or intimidate Battle, the guy's a trooper. Besides I think we're going too far with the shock factor.

>>580167
He can't fight us, I figure we can put them on a leash to keep things from escalating. I assume they value their lives and we offer them in return for keeping what little peace exists.

>>580191
the thing is,if we piss off all three factions, they're going to be hunting us right back.
we're strong, but we are not /that/ strong

>>580167
You know, since we intend to remain neutral or even make our own side in all of this, maybe being reasonable is not really the answer.
Maybe just appearing so dangerous that no side wants to fuck with us and push us around with threats is the correct answer. A display of power so great that forces all groups involved to be more corteous when dealing with us. Hell, it works wonderfully in our current geopolitical climate.

But, you know what? You are right, your idea is more interesting.

I change my vote and agree with this anon. But i still think we should feed in front of Battle.

>>580154
Can we not?
Maybe put it on ice for later, but that's just overkill.

We're a garbage disposal.
Not a pig.

>>580229
Eating a corpse isn't a display of power.

>>580223
Sure enough, but I'm also banking on there being more bleeding hearts like C and simply people who hate the idea that anyone can use us and will join our side.

Let's go with your thing for now though.

>>580159
Switching to >>580167

>>580139
TRUST IN ROOK. TELL C'MELL TO STAND DOWN UNTIL YOU CAN TALK TO HIM.

Remind them both that if rook tries anything it would be two on one and he could end up losing one of the two mats prisoners.

And let's not cannibalize wind boy like a retard

>>580241
>Eating a corpse isn't a display of power.
It isn't just a corpse, but a defeated enemy. He has implied that he never consumed another manu before

>>580235
No, we are a recycling plant. We could even heal C'Mell, the degree of separation from the corpse should help her stomach it.
Also, i already changed my stance

Got to sleep again. Will post more when I wake up which will be...whenever.

I'm really sorry about keeping such a shitty update schedule. I promise I'll start cleaning up my act.

You guys might have made the right decision regarding waiting for Rook. And while you wait for him to log on you and C'Mell can catch your breathes and return to human form with Battle. He even has a change of clothes for the two of you (he can store packages between his joints so the other Manu often use him to store spare clothes and gizmos).

>>579618
Has there ever been another quest like this one?

>>580261
We are a super efficient recycling plant, but its still going to creep out a lot of Manu how we work, especially sensitive ones like C'Mell. You gorge down on carrion and then vomit up goo for them to eat momma bird style.

>>580261
Its still eating people in front of other people, eating him now in front of everyone serves maximum damage to any social ability we have with all three groups and makes is a target when at the most it will give us the ability to make a tornado. Which has just proven under reliable.

Your just trying to be edgy and ignoring something called Lynch mobs. Your a retard.

>>580276
get your shit together QG
>that spoiler
fucking yes! I knew it was the right call!

huh, maybe we should have had a more birdlike Manu form...

>>580279
Fine, don't eat the corpse.
Lynching won't be a problem until we actively attack all sides. Figure out why

>>580276
>Has there ever been another quest like this one?
Not that i know.
Just pointing out how we are using prisoners as currency

>>580314
Prisoners are bargaining tools, that's all.

Currency? They're gifts to people who can contain them and preform RnD. The sooner we can fight the mats and not the Manu the better.

"Oh Okay. This has not gone as well as I hoped..." You say moving between C'Mell and Battle. "I don't want to be anyone's tool for things I don't understand! So...Look, Battle, you've been nice."

"You're saying that now Doctor Lady. But if Rook says to take you two in I'm taking you in. Orders are orders."

"Like hell you are!" C'Mell yells.

"C'Mell, cool it...You helped clean off all the Bloodion I was wearing. That might not have seemed like a big deal to you but I appreciate it."

"It's not. Just didn't think it was right for you to stay covered like that."

"Still...thank you. And C'Mell, basically, you din't give up on me when I ate someone alive right in front of you."

"It's because they're desperate for troops." Earth Mother says. "They'd accept a cannibal into their ranks if it meant standing a chance of winning."

"You shut the hell up!" C'Mell snarls. "Yuki is NOT a cannibal!"

"But I don't know each of your beefs with each other that well..." You continue.

"Rook's a traitor! That's all you got to know!" C'Mell says. "He's not going to let me go now that I know about this Pelican thing. He killed Ellison rather than take chances. He's not going to take a chance with me!"

"Our beefs...yeah, they aren't something that's easy for someone that just woke up into this war to understand." Battle says. "There's a lot of bad blood and grudges and bullshit and only a fraction of truth."

"Okay...yeah, I can kind of agree with that." C'Mell replies. "That still doens't mean she's going to trust Rook!"

"C'Mell..." You extend one of your longer arms and pet her. "...I want to hear what Rook has to say."

"You what!" She jumps back from your claw. "Yuki you can't be serious!"

"I am. He's been mostly above board with me this whole time and I am seriously hoping that it isn't just because he wants to use me as a weapon."

"Rooks not that kind of guy." Battle says. "I'm not saying he won't tell me to take you guys in but he's not that kind of guy."

"You listening to this guy Yuki? He's all but saying he's going to attack me...us..."

"You know you're kind of disappointing me Garoudian. You got a rep as a tough girl but you're all but cowering behind Doctor Lady over there."

"Fuck you! I don't know what you told her while I was gone but...but Yuki trusts me! She's not going to...to..." She looks up at you with enormous puppy dog eyes. "C-Come on Yuki lets get out of here...please..."

SAY/DO?

ASK C'MELL TO STAY WITH YOU?

TELL HER THAT SHE CAN LEAVE IF SHE WANTS TO (BATTLE WILL NOT LIKE THIS).?

>>583737
Calm your tits girl, I'm here to protect you.

>>583737
Look if Rook wasn't lying to me, there's no way he's going to be cool with you being taken prisoner right now.

It's screw up any remaining good will between the factions.

You've got a bit of a reputation yourself it looks like.
Whatever else, Rook is probably smart enough to try to avoid too many issues with Vaivysta factions unless it's necessary I'm guessing.

It'll be fine, just think of yourself as the erm "rebels" escort so I can wrap my head around things.
That was sort of the initial point anyway for you being here right?

So, stay with me for the time being?
Plus if I did decide to go with them, not that I am he'd probably appreciate a closer look at you guys' inner workings regardless of if he plans to get on your bad side harder or not.

So he wouldn't want to screw that up either.
Capturing you here would put a hitch in that.
You're about as safe as you can ask for.
Beyond that, we're friends and I don't particularly intend on letting anybody hurt you if I can help it.
It'll be fine.

>>583939
>>583737
With NON Vaivysta factions.
Come on brain.

>>583760
>>583939
"Hey C'Mell, stay cool alright? If Rook wasn't lying to me there's no way he's going to be cool with you being taken prisoner right now. Remember when he said I could go with you and meet your friends?"

"That's sort of...before this whole soma business." Battle says. "I'm not what you'd call a genius. I didn't become a Manu because of my test scores like you did. They talk about stuff and I pretend I can follow and I go beat up who they tell me to. That I understand. If this soma pelican stuff is some sort of top secret project...then I don't know if Rook wants her spilling the beans or not..."

You tighten your claws into fists. "Damn it Battle that's NOT helping things!"

"You don't understand what they talk about but you do what they say anyway?" C'Mell growls. "What are you, their yes man?"

"You got any bite to back up all that barking BITCH?"

C'Mell BARKS and nearby trees explode into clouds of splinters.

You grab C'Mell by the scruff with one of your shorter hands and hold out one of your longer ones at Battle. "Goddamn it all what are you two, children?" And then as you think about it you come to the horrible realization that both of them are probably only a little more than half your age...

You're surrounded by teenagers. Teenagers with superpowers and attitudes...

"I ain't the one starting it." Battle says with a shake of his skull. "You got a lot of guts calling me a yes man Garuodian. But look at you. You're literally the rebels' dog. Jommy got a bone for you back at base?"

"Your really brave aren't you Battle? Teasing a girl that can barely stand." You say.

"Hey now..." His finger bones curl around his cheekbone like a handle."I...Eh...Well I didn't START this argument okay?"

"Maybe we all ought to calm down before we do their work for them?" You say pointing toward the prisoners.

"Geeze...okay, okay..." He reaches his long finger bones into the socket joint of his arm and retrieves two vacuum sealed bags and places them on the forest floor. "Here. Clothes. I figure while we wait we can power down from monster mode. Maybe things won't will be so...angry if we can see each other as people."

"Why do you got packets of clothes?" You ask.

"I got other stuff to. Snacks and food and little gizmos. I'm sort of handy like that I guess. I got all these holes and pockets inside me and hey, why not turn me into luggage? I'm not as useful as most Manus so I got to earn my keep someway right?"

POWER DOWN?

STAY IN MANU FORM?

>>583962
>POWER DOWN

"I'm going to call you Battle Baggage from now on"

>>583962
>"You've got a Rubik cube in there? I could use some brain food"
They are from '74

Also, i have some questions about this soma bussiness if we remembered enough to know the answer
Do we really need to feed mouth to mouth or we cap put it into a container like civilized people?
If so, for how much time it keeps fresh?
If the manu has no mouth and must scream, how do we feed them the soma?
What happens if we mix soma from two different sources?
Can we make soma out of other things to transfer energy? For when Bacta tanks are not handy
How much matter do we need to produce enough soma to gain abilities? Could have we stracted it by licking both our bodies and C'Mell that were covered in Bloodion juice? Or the feeding we did spent enough of his biological matter that we couldn't have gained anything important from it?

Also, a more meta one if you feel okay answering it
From the beginning we were given a body that could go toe to toe with Bloodion, who apparently was one of the top dogs in the Mats faction, or at least a big deal.
My question is, is this a quest with little to no character progression in the way of stats? I mean, our method of growth boils down to "Be happy with what you have or become more powerful by compromising your morals"

Like, if you forgive me getting a little too /v/, playing Bioshock and starting with a decent amount of ADAM and no way to gain more without harvesting little sisters, since the option to save them yields none.

I am not criticising or anything, i think it is pretty neat if it is like this.

>>583962
"I don't know, your abilities seem useful enough.
Kind of nice you do have that extra bit of utility too though I guess."
Power down I guess.
Mandala isn't really in the position to fight regardless.
The other two...not sure if it makes a difference or not.

>>584000
Oh, and ask
"You might understand all the information that is being conveyed to you in a daily basis. Believe me, i can empathise. But what else can you tell me about... Him." (Meaning Bloodion) "Also, do you know something about a Mats called Thunderer? In a way he" (chuckle) "He saved my life"

>>583962
>POWER DOWN
>Tell him no peeking

>>583962
>POWER DOWN
obv tell Battle to look away, and momma bear hug the shit out of C'mell.

>>584037
After we get dressed, i hope

>>584005
>>584001
>>583966
>>584000

"Guess we're going to have to call you Battle Baggage from now on." You say trying to lighten the tension.

"Heh. My Manu codename is Anthron. You know. Like Anthropology. Cause' I look like something from an Anthropology textbook. That's also made of molten metal."

"Battle isn't your code name?"

"Naw. That's my name name."

"Your parents named you Battle?"

"Naw. But its my name."

"It's a stupid name." C'Mell says.

"Whatever." He replies. "So...we change back now?"

"I guess...damn it Yuki...I can't believe you aren't trusting me on this...well hurry up and turn around Mr. "Battle"!"

"Huh?"

"We're going to be naked you moron!" C'Mell yells. "That's why you threw the clothes at us!"

"Oh yeah..." The giant metal anthropoid quickly turns around. "...Sorry. You kind of forget little things like that when you spend a lot of time fighting monsters as a monster."

"Yeah...I'm sure you just "forgot"..." C'Mell grumbles. "I see you turn around before we're dressed I'm changing back to Manu form and biting you! Now Yuki..." She says gently pulling you away by one of your hands. "You transformed back to human before right?"

"Yeah. I kind of felt sick afterwards but that was because Goldman wounded me."

"You shouldn't feel anything. What you did to Bloodion with the soma stuff, it's totally healed you. I might throw up a little because of my wound, but don't freak out, okay? I promise you I"ll be alright...at least until Rook sends a kill squad after us..."

"Man, are you still on that?" Battle shouts. "Find another rabbit to chase will ya doggy?"

"I said turn around!" C'Mell barks.

"Geeze! I am, I am, okay..."

"Now the first thing I need you to do is take a deep breathe." C'Mell says. "There's no rush here. Don't feel like you NEED to get back to human. Just-"

You wrap all four of your arms around C'Mell in a tight embrace.

"I know you're scared." You say. "I know I scare you and Battle scares you and this whole war scares you. These things scare me as well."

"Y-Yuki...thank you..." C'Mell says relaxing in your grip, leaning her weight against you. "B-But he can hear you!"

"Well I'm trying not to." Battle says over his shoulder. "I wasn't aware the forest was suddenly the girls' bathroom..."

"Keep those sockets facing that way." You tell him. "No one is going to harm you. I promise you that. I won't let them..."

"It's just..." C'Mell says. "...Don't you trust what I say about Rook?"

"I trust that you're deeply concerned about him. But Rook is my friend as well."

"He's lying to you! He has to be!"

"Then let me find that out for myself. But C'Mell...thank you for doing what I ask you to."

"Oh come on...not where he can hear us...wh-what do you think you are anyway, my mom?"

(Questions and comments will be given after we change and get dressed. I haven't forgotten, I promise).

DO YOU SEE C'MELL AS:

A SISTER

A DAUGHTER

OR

A LOVER

>>583966
We should absolutely tease him as Battle Baggage.

>>584063
A PET SISTER

Put a collar on and I'll take you for a walk whenever you want

>>584063
Sister.

>inb4 Battle has 360 degrees of visual awareness

>>584063
>A SISTER

>>584063
>Sister
Possibly little sister, but sister.

>>584063
>A DAUGHTER
I don't think C'mell ever really had a mom before.

>>584124
We can be a motherly big sister

>Sister

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!

SISTER'S KEEPER: Find a sister.

>>584005


"No." You say. "Think of me more as...a big sister."

"Huh. You gonna give me grief like Kathleen then?"

"She's your sister?"

"No. I'm an only child. Kathleen well...she's Jommy's second in command and she...well she bothers me about shit. Like my hair and makeup and stuff. And oh man is she going to yell at me tonight...but she takes care of me. Just don't tell her I said that about her...You want to transform back now?"

You nod.

"Okay...start willing it. Don't force it but tell yourself you're doing it..." You feel the very molecules of your being expand. Your armor feels like you're wearing a water drop about to collapse under its own weight. You fill like you're full of cold crisp air.

And then you're a naked soft woman in a black mist. All the monster has retreated under your skin.

The mist starts to clear and you see a pale skinned woman with messy red hair fall to a knee. Without her jacket you can see her shoulders are speckled with freckles.

"Oh shit...don't throw up don't throw up..." C'Mell repeats to herself. "Ohhhhh..."

You touch her shoulder. "Are you okay? Can you stand?"

"Yeah yeah...just give me a minute..." You see her face blush an incredibly vivid red as she tries not to look at you. She shields her breasts with her arms and crosses her legs. "Y-Y-You can get dressed behind a tree...over there..."

You look down at yourself. "What's wrong?"

"You're naked!"

"So? You never been to a hotsprings? Or a locker room?"

"N-No..."

You roll your eyes and walk behind a tree, picking up a package of clothes as you go. "These little packages are pretty handy Battle Baggage. You talk yourself down but I don't know, your abilities seem useful enough to me. And this extra bit of utility is nice too I guess."

"Let's see you say that after you try fitting into the underwear. Can I turn around now?"

"NO!" C'Mell yells.

"Okay okay...god you girls take forever to dress...oh, and if you can help it unseal the bags, don't rip them. It's sort of expensive to make a super durable heat resistant-"

You hear C'Mell tear her bag in two.

"-package..."

"I couldn't get into your stupid bag!" C'Mell yells. "Even if I could we're at war you idiot! Why should I be gentle with your supplies?"

"You need some help over there C'Mell?" You offer.

"No! Damn it Yuki I can dress myself!"

Battle's laughter echoes through the trees. It's surprisingly...refreshing to hear. It's a happy, boyish laugh.

"What? What's so funny?" C'Mell yells and you hear more super advance plastic tearing.

"Leave it to a chick to be this petty...You know, I'm really dissapointed in you. I was sort of looking forward to throwing down with you one day. You got a perfect fight record. You captured Drifter and Flat Ghost and those two aren't exactly wimps. I guess they must've had a bad day or something. I got myself pumped hearing I was gonna run into you..."
-cont

>>584233
C'mell a cute

>>584233
"But instead of a badass warrior wolf I find out you're...heh...a puppy dog. "Oh Yuki, let's run away before they get us!" PATHETIC! You can't even open a bag! It's crazy, you know people are actually afraid of you? Crazy!"

You hear the sound of soft bitter sobbing. You doubt Battle can hear it.

"I mean really, what is this? Is this a trick? Is this something from the Mats playbook? Are you playing the poor scared puppy so you can get Doctor Lady on your side? Are you trying to throw me off my game in case we throw down? I bet you rebels got a file on me about how I got a girlfriend and a soft spot for girls! Well come on Garoudian, you gonna say something?"

You peek from behind the tree and find C'Mell in a pair of panties struggling to make an ill-sized bra fit. The act is complicated by her using one hand to keep the tears out of her eyes.

SAY/DO?

>>584233
Damn! Meant to link >>584001

These >>584005
Come after we get dressed.

[Stern]"Battle, drop it. If what you told me is true you were the pussy who couldn't stand Bloodion's death throes. This puppy dog? She got a face full of it, the whole thing. She probably was near enough to hear it in person, not only the besant. She saw me in a state in which you would have entered in panic and tried to fight me. She stood her ground. So, again, Drop it."
Keep the exact details of Bloodion's death untold, but allude it was grim.
He knows we killed him, and he knows we ate him. What he doesn't know is that we did both at the same time.

>>584233
>Kathleen
Oooh, we gonna throw down for the right to be the onee-san

Also, i find it interesting we don't have a nudity taboo among other women. When do we introduce our little sister to the concept of "skinship"?

>>584273
>Hey Battle? Being a dick right now. Do NOT make me come over there and stop you.
>Help C'mell, brush her tears away and tell her to ignore him.

>>584293
This, right here.

>>584273
"Battle. Shut it, and your buying our lunch now you jerkass."


Hey you mad a million references to McDonald's and im hungry now. Better live up to the hype

>>584273
Battle, quit being a jackass.

>>584343
>The grand finale will consist of people from all sides that are friendly to us eating Big Macs in a McDonald's that is miraculously untouched by the Manu-killer atom bomb that left Tokyo as a burning crater

Shut up you limp dicked poser

>>584293
"Battle, drop it!"

C'Mell jumps at the sound of your voice and tries to hide her face from you.

"If what you told me is true you were the pussy who couldn't stand Bloodion's death throes. This puppy dog? She got a face full of it, the whole thing. She probably was near enough to hear it in person, not only in the Besant. She saw me in a state which you would have entered in panic and tried to fight me. She stood her ground. So again, drop it."

"...Alright. So maybe she does have a little bite. Can I turn around now?"

"No."

"God...Rook sure takes his damn time patching into the Besant..."

>>584315
>>584343
>>584353

You walk over to C'Mell and get behind her.

"Hey, what-"

"I always had trouble with my own. Damn straps..." You say helping C'Mell with her bra.

"I-I don't need help..." She sniffs.

"Well you're getting it anyway. Now don't listen to Battle. He's being a jackass. He's probably as afraid of us as we are of him and bullying you like this is his way of acting macho or something."

"He's right though...I guess I'm alright in a fight but I'm so damn soft on the inside. I'm too damn soft...and Rook's going to have him fight us, I just know he is, and someone is going to get hurt again and maybe its me and maybe its him and...and...and there's nothing I can do...I just want to keep people from being hurt and I can't do it..."

She blinks back tears and they seep through her shut eyelids.

SAY/DO?

>>584529
>Hug her tight
>There's nothing wrong with being soft. It's because everyone else is so damn cynical and hard that things have gotten so fucked up anyways. She shouldn't have to feel like being kind is a weakness. She's the normal one, everyone else is just fucked up.
>If it weren't for her 'softness' we wouldn't be friends right now, would we? Instead of talking things out and hugging, there would have been a fight, and then where would we be?

>>584529
Hug her tight, the emotional closeness of the moment should be enough to temporarily ignore the fact that we are pressing ourselves against her.
>Keep being soft, i like soft. Don't become something... like me.

>>584557
>>584594
these are good.

>>584557
>>584594
You throw your arms around C'Mell and pull her in close.

Held in your arms she quits trying to hold back tears and lets it all out. She doesn't seem to be aware that you're both half naked and hugging.

"There's nothing wrong with being soft. Its because everyone else is so damn cynical and hard that things have gotten so fucked up anyways."

"Huh..." She manages to say at last. "So cynicism is bad? Weren't you the one that said the world would be better off without us?" She says with a hopeful smile.

"Ahhh...now that's what I like to see. Smile." You tub the tears off her face. "I was wrong about that. I'm lonely and angry and scared and....and I don't have the strength you have to BE soft. But I'm trying to be more like you."

"You're trying to be more like me? That's funny. Sense we've met I kind of got the impression you were stronger. You got all this ATS memory bullshit going on in your head and I grew up with all this Manu stuff but for you its like you just woke up one day and here you are. I'd crumble to pieces if I were in your place. I'm too soft."

"If it weren't for your softness we wouldn't be friends right now, would we? Instead of talking things out and hugging there would have been a fight, and then where would we be?"

"But we did have a fight..."

"I mean a real fight...now you stay soft. I like soft. Don't become something...something like well, me..."

You squeeze her tight and she squeezes you back.

"Can I turn around NOW?" Battle yells.

"When we SAY you can!" C'Mell gamely shouts back.

You smile to see that she's gotten some vigor back.

You help each other get the rest of your clothes on. You take awhile to go through the assortment to make sure you get the stuff that fits the best...and to torment Battle Baggage just a little bit more...

"Man...Kathleen is going to yell at me again for shredding another set of clothes. I sort of got a habit of forgetting to strip before transforming."

"I've gone through...I think this might be my forth set of clothes. Maybe my fifth." You say. "It's not something you think about when you have to transform. You think "I got to fight the monster now" not "let me untie my shoes real quick.""

"I know right? But try telling that to Kathleen. She's so perfect. I don't think she's ever torn her clothes....God, I look like a total tool..." C'Mell grimaces at the loose white T-shirt and blue jeans she wears. "I just feel naked without something cool like a leather jacket...and I bet I look so awful without my makeup..."

"I sort of thought you overdid it. You look better to me without it."

"Ah mannnnn and here I thought you were cool. Now you sound like Kathleen. She's always telling me I look like a clown. It's a rock star thing you know. It's got to be put on kind of thick..."

APPROVE OF C'MELL'S USE OF MAKEUP

VOW TO TEACH HER HOW TO WEAR MAKEUP THE PROPER WAY LATER


Also, you'll have only a little bit of time to ask Battle questions before Rook patches in.

>>584005
>>584825

This is what you'll be asking Battle unless anyone has any changes they'd like to make.

IS THIS OKAY TO ASK BATTLE?

>>584825
>I like it. I was never much of a... girly girl.
>Joke about being painted up like C'mell just to bother Kathleen.

>>584828
I'm fine with them.

>>584828
That is fine.

>>584825
>Nah, don't worry. I used to paint my face like that back in Highschool when i was trying to get a bad boy boyfriend... Didn't work

>>584825
Really I was never much for makeup, I just always looked at stuff like that, to look good or feel comfortable or whatever, highlight a look you know? Totally cool if other people want to.

As for me, I was just never much good at it. Whether mom was never around to show me as a kid, or if I just didn't do it much for some other reason...I can't really remember.

>>584897
That's also super good.

>>584870
>>584875
>>584897
>>584929

"I understand...on second thought I guess it is kind of a cool look. I remember I was never really one for makeup myself. I mean I remember I would wear a little to work but like, when I was your age, I never really...needed to look pretty. I mean for boys. I was sort of...too busy to date."

"You never had a boyfriend? Don't feel bad about it Yuki. I've had a couple. They're nothing special." C'Mell is a terrible liar.

"I just always looked at stuff like that as a way to look good or feel comfortable or whatever, or just to highlight a look you know? It's totally cool if how you wear it is a part of your look...to be honest I think I might be projecting a little here...I mean there was this time when...well there was this boy in high school alright, a delinquent. I mean with the pompadour and motorcycle and everything."

"No way! Seriously? You had a crush on one of those guys?"

"Yeah...I kind of did my face up like yours because I wanted him to notice me. Didn't work."

"I'm sorry. That must've sucked."

"It was for the best. Boyfriends don't help you win the scholarships. I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't really have a leg to stand on giving you makeup advice. I was never much of a...girly girl."

"Ah you mean you're a little bit of a tomboy right, right?" C'Mell winks and nudges you a little on the shoulder. "Girly girls don't have judo chokes like you do."

"Come to think of it I'm pretty sure I went far in Judo.. I might've won a tournament or something...but whatever. My point is I was never very good at makeup. You could probably give me pointers. Whether mom was never around to show me as a kid or I just didn't do it much for some other reason...I can't really remember..."

"Don't worry about it. You crash with my rebel cell tonight we can play Picasso with each others faces. It'll be fun!'

"Heh." You smirk. "Maybe you can paint me up like yourself and we can annoy Kathleen together?"

"Yeah! We can do that!"

"Come on...I know you two are ready now. Can I PLEASE turn around?"

"I think he's suffered enough." C'Mell says. "We should check up with him."

"Good." You say. "I got some things I want to ask him about before Rook patches in."

"Hey Battle Baggage! You can turn around now!"

Leather jacket.

Slick jet black pompadour.

Black shades

Picking his nails with a switchblade.

You would have swooned for him back in the day...

"I'm guessing...that one is C'Mell right?" He says pointing at her.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you it was rude to point?" C'Mell says.

"There were a lot of things she didn't teach me...you know I was kind of thinking you'd look like one of those girls on the James Bond films. Like a badass spy chick. You'look like you're what, 16?"

"17 asshole. And what about you? You look like a high school delinquent!"

-cont

>>585079
Tunnel snakes rule!

>>585130
kek'd

how old /is/ Yuki in comparison to these two?

>>585079
"That's because I am a high school delinquent." Battle grins broadly. "You know I can't help but picture you in a skirt now. I think you'd look kind of adorable."

"God...if only you remnant dicks fought fair I'd love to take you on one on one just to shove those glasses down your throat!"

"You two can flirt later." You say. "I need to ask Battle some questions....now Battle, I get that you might not understand all the information that gets conveyed to you about the war. Believe me, I can empathize. But what else can you tell me about...Bloodion?"

"All I know is that he had a mess of problems. Antisocial personality disorder. Psychopathy. Paranoid Schizophrenia. His head was not a nice place for Mats to nest in. Normally that wouldn't be a problem. Bad thoughts or no if a normal is in a thick enough Besant field the Mats can brain fuck them like they can any one of us. But he was like the rest of Vajra high level esper. He could throw his thoughts at the Mats. Now I told you about Vajra. Well, one of the goals of the project was to find a way to get Mats to help people like Bloodion, to find a way for one to actually get inside that head of his. I mean yeah, putting Mats in people's heads is evil when applied globally but when you're dealing with guys like Bloodion who can argue for giving them a brain buddy if it keeps them good right? If you ask me though it was a dodge. What they were really trying to do create a tiny army of Mats-proof Manu. The proof is in what you have now. When the Mats took over Vajra they turned him into a second generation Manu and put him in charge of their Mats-proof Manu secret police. Now he's dead. And the world is a lot better without him."

"I don't think the world's better with anyone dead. Even if they are a psychopath." C'Mell says.

"Okay. Second question. Do you know anything about a Matsya named Thunderer? In a way he...heh..."Saved my Life.""

"Thunderer...no, sorry. Doesn't ring a bell for me. You fought him?"

"Yeah. He tried to make me believe I was his worshiper or something."

"Yeah...Mats will do that..."Battle says. "Sucks you got attacked that way."

"Perhaps what he said was the truth Beetalion..." Lightbringer says.

"Well look who decided to pipe up..." Battle says.

"Look at you all. Do you even know who or what you are? You claim Beetalion is the one with identity issues and yet you know not if you face a friend or an enemy. You want to fight and yet befriend the other. Within Mandala everyone is everything to everyone. Every individual is brother, father, and son. Everyone is at peace. Everyone is known by others and knows themselves. Surely you know that your association can only end in violence and tears."

C'Mell and Battle look uneasily at each other.

"Look how shackled you are by circumstance! You don't want to fight the other and yet you know you will. Such a painful thing can never happen within Mandala Only within Madala can you know true freedom..."

SAY/DO?

NEXT SCENE?

>>585151
>Early thirties

>>585207
"I reject your reality and substitute my own"

>>585207
>You told me we could cripple Mandala so he couldn't teleport. Can we do that with the Mats? It is kind of getting on my nerves
Don't really mean it, just a subtle threat

>>585212
Oh man, so she's waaay older than those two.

>>585207
>Peace without a choice isn't peace, it's slavery.
>I'll take a bit of conflict over losing who I am again any day.

>>585262
>Oh man, so she's waaay older than those two.

>tfw we almost /ll/'d the wolfgirl
>tfw we are the "Ara ara"

First one to call us a christmas cake gets boot to the face, it has been written

>>585207
>To lightbringer
Can they leave?
Everyone in Mandala.
Could they leave if they chose to?

>>585280
>tfw I was literally just thinking of calling her christmas cake
>tfw C'mell will call us mom by accident
>tfw Yuki is into it

>>585207
". . .father son and brother? WHAT KIND OF CREEPY INCEST SHIT IS THAT!"

>>585318
>"Now my pretty, let onee-sama teach you all about love"
>"Wait a second, weren't you a virgin too?"
>Sweating profusely

File: 3655-001-lrg.jpg (72 KB, 538x359)

72 KB JPG

>>585421
>Ara ara, could it be that my little sister likes more experienced women~?
>Yeah, I guess. Do you know any, Yuki?
>Shotthroughtheheart.jpg

>>585421
>>585474
Get an irc channel and to with eachother already.

>>585484
Ok, sorry, i'll stop.

Just being curious, did you quest mainly through this board or are you too a /tg/ refugee?

>>585484
easy there, mr. no-fun

>>585512
I quest on /qst/. Talk tabletop on /tg/. Next subject before this devolves

>>585553
Hardmode please

>>585588
Figured as much, this board has a different culture.
Makes sense, given the way threads behave in this board. Still, i am going to miss the inane banter.

>>585654
No, fuck that, banter helps fill for time when QMs are busy
Don't apologize for enjoying yourself unless it's actively ruining the quest

>>585697
We fuck around, they complain, eveything devolves into shit, and we get shit because we are the "outsiders"

If QG brings his other quests those will have a pre-exile audience and we will banter to our heart's content.
This one is a /qst/ original, and this board is not so big on banter

>>585729
Like I give a fuck about that?
This us/them crap is stupid. I'm not letting one person deny me something like Real Wendigo Hours.

>>585729
>>585697
I ment next subject because talking about tg devolves into neverending bitchfest here.

Let's talk about shitty anime that are similar.

>>585729
Why the fuck are you playing an imaginary victim card because you were told to stop before you end up ERPing?

>>585820
I rewatched Genocyber last weekend, I had forgotten how damn awful ep 3, 4 and 5 were.

File: 43cb9c2298bf482a83997999b(...).png (1.71 MB, 1500x1175)

1.71 MB PNG

>>585820
Fair. /toku/ count? Because if so, I've been watching a criminal amount of Kamen Rider Black.

>>585841
>>585871
Bad idea, I don't even watch anime and have no frame of reference.

File: 63f54bd2fdb2e5273635b762f(...).gif (165 KB, 500x281)

165 KB GIF

>>585841
>3 lines each
>six total
>not even lewd
>"end up ERPing"
yeah, sure

>>585875
Then why did you suggest it?

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>>585875
lol

>>585871
Black is a great Showa series. Gorgom is a hilarious evil organization, definitely one of my favorite villain groups.

>>585886
Because I'll do anything before this thread becomes about /qst/ being moved from /tg/

How would things be different if instead of in Japan our location was somewhere in the Middle East?

>>585903
I love how everything EVERYTHING is connected to Gorgom
Like, fuck, it's insane
>I sneezed.
>It's a Gorgom plot!
>AND THEN IT IS!

>>585904
Uh... more Big Boss jokes?
More absolutely haram?
More DEUS VULT?
Almost no life around to feed off of, forcing Yuki to consume combatants or vital local power sources?

>>585940
Holy shit mid east is hard mode.

>>586007
Yeah, pretty much
Any more desolate area and Yuki would essentially be forced into cannibalism rather than acting on instinct. No mercy, no captives, just food for the sake of simple survival.
Which would essentially make her a much bigger nightmare for all the other sides because if Yuki is just devouring their people, she'd be a lot stronger. Like some kind of fucked up Mad Max shit.

>>586041
That and part of the war would end up being over bactibatterys.

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>>586079
And that.
Or, as Immortan Yuki might call them, bacticola.
Which, given that Yuki can regurgitate power into others, makes soma the equivalent of Mother's Milk.

>>584000
>Questions

>Do we really need to feed mouth to mouth?

No, we can store it.

>How long does it keep fresh?

Indefinitely so long as you store in a bacti battery to power it. It wouldn't be hard for you at all to transform a bacti battery into a soma container (called a gandharvar)

>If the Manu has no mouth and must scream, how do we feed them the soma?

You could inject it into them or just paste it on them. Once they come into contact the soma follows their mental desires. If they want to become stronger it makes them stronger. If they want a new ability it gives them a new ability.

It lets them level up. Your special power is that you are the level up queen.

>What happens if we mix soma from two different sources?

That's a very scientist question to ask.

the resulting mixture loses the ability to impart the abilities of the deceased Manus but gains increased potency

>Can we make soma out of other things to things to transfer energy? For when Bacta tanks are not handy

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here.

>How much matter do we need to produce enough soma to gain abilities?

You need at least 60 percent of a Manu's body. With practice you can become more efficient. But you need more than just a blood stain to create Soma. Generally you make 1 dose of soma per one body. But you don't have to kill a Manu to make soma from them. You can cripple them like you had the option of doing to Mandala.

>Is this a quest with little to no character progression in the way of stats.

In the wider world going on Bloodion was an assassin. But there are tanks and artillery pieces and destroyers. You're a high level Manu but there are others than can match you or even rise above you in some respects.

Tarkus for instance does something called "Earth Sniping". She shoots her enemies by shooting at them through the Earth. In one continent out the other.

You'll have to either GET GUD or get a good team to take on the highest level Manu.

>>585904
>>585940
>>586079
>>586111
>Post apocalyptic Manu quest
>After the BAD END of this game leaves things a wasteland
>All the Violence Jack/Fist of the North Star/Getter Armageddon you can handle
>You must stop a mad scientist from firing up an experimental time machine that could destroy the universe

Could this be an interesting quest?

>>589908
Sounds absolutely brutal

>>585232
>>585235
>>585262
>>585292

You approach Mandala after nodding toward your two teenage allies. Someone needs to be the adult here.

You lean forward and smirk. "That's nice. But I reject your reality and substitute my own."

You turn to C'Mell. "You told me that we could cripple Mandala so he coudn't teleport. Can we do that with Mats? This one is kind of getting on my nerves."

"Unfortunately not." C'Mell says.

"Ah yes. Intimidate through force." Lightbringer says. "Displays of violence have ever brought people closer to you..."

"Don't listen to him." Battle says. "And don't talk to him. This is more of his Mats mind games. They're cowards to the core using words as weapons when they should use their fists."

"You think so to huh..." C'Mell says with a faint note of admiration.

"I want to talk to him." You say. "I got questions for him."

"Just be careful alright." Battle says.

"Believe me. I know first hand have dangerous a Mats can be...So tell me Lightbringer, can they leave? Everyone in Mandala. Could they leave if they chose to?"

"Of course. But no one wants to. Why would you want to leave your family and community? Why would you leave the people that name you, that define you? Look at you. You seek community as well. The difference is my community works together. It strengthens me. Yours is self destructive."

"Peace without a choice isn't peace. It's slavery. I'll take a bit of conflict over losing who I am again any day."

"You think Mandala is some sort of hive mind? You think anyone was forced to join? No. They all joined willingly because they understood that this is the ideal form of coexistence. Everyone within Mandala is an individual. They are MORE of an individual within Mandala than they would be apart for do not others define us? Do not others name us? And where can you truly know others and others truly know you save in Mandala?"

"Yeah you Mats are big on free choice aren't you?" Battle says. "No big deal. Let's just turn mankind into a collection of toyboxes and pass them around. You say the guys inside the eye motel chose to be there huh, well what about everyone else?"

"It is...an unpleasant fact of reality that we must force humanity to save itself. Truly it would be better if they willingly gave themselves to us. But can a brief moment of violent coercion compare to an eternity of peace?"

"Sorry." C'Mell says. "Not everyone is interested in living inside eye-ball UFOs."

"Mandala's form is not the only form for improved humanity. There are others. We understand the value of diversity. Was not Avalon once covered with diverse lifeforms that your Manu forms mimic?"

"But all of them involve living under the domination of a Mats right?" C'Mell asks.

"They involve living under the supervision of a loving, protective, nurturing guardian."

"Well fuck you!" C'Mell shouts.

"Yeah!" Battle adds.

"Not everyone wants to live with an immortal dad-mom on their back!"

SAY/DO?

NEXT SCENE?

>>590611
NEXT SCENE?
Alright, let's send these pricks to your respective bosses and get lunch.

[Spoiler/]I now think that the mats engineered the war between the rebels and the remnants.

>>590611
"You claim to understand the value of diversity, but it does not extend to independent thought and philosophies that aren't yours.

We're done talking."

NEXT SCENE

>>590646
>I now think that the mats engineered the war between the rebels and the remnants.

Fucking Talmor.

>>590611
"See my friend? There are other things that unite people. Like mutual hatred. In a way, you are helping these two settle their differences. Nicely done!"

Next scene

>>589881
Oh, sorry didn't notice. thank you for your answers

>I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here.
I mean, if we can feed on the enviroment oir batcibatteries and store said energy as soma, or if it only works when made out of Manus

Also, another one IF we know the answer to the question

What would we gain if we enslave a Mats?
What would we gain if we consumed one?

>>590646
>>590654
>>590698

"You claim to understand the value of diversity, but it does not extend to independent thought and philosophy that aren't yours."

"But one is free to think whatever they will inside Mandala! One simply has no reason to rebel against Mandala when one is loved..."

"Well that's your problem." Battle says. "Its "You can think anything you want so long as you get in the prison and let me be your warden." No fucking thanks."

"I...understand our use of force has soured you on bonded Manu and Matsya. To be honest I was not so...supportive of our Leaders' coup."

"Well good look convincing anyone to jump into a body with you now." C'Mell says. "I'd rather be dead then share a body with someone."

"I agree 100 percent." Battle says.

"See my friend?" You say. "There are other things that unite people. Like mutual hatred. In a way, you are helping these two settle their differences. Nicely done! I think we're done talking here..." You turn and face the teenagers. "Alright you two, lets send these pricks to your respective bosses and get lunch."

"Lunch?" Battle scratches his hair. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, once I settle in with C'Mell's friends I was sort of thinking about getting both your sides to sit down and talk somewhere over a burger. I'm the only Manu I know that's totally neutral in this war and I think I can help us hammer out a compromise so we can beat these aliens. I mean look here, you're a remnant and she's a rebel and you're both getting along...more or less..."

"...You'd really sit down and share a meal with me Garoudian?" Battle asks.

"Yeah...I guess so. Why not right? Just don't call me Garoudian. Call me C'Mell...and I want to go a few rounds with you later."

"What? You mean like...fight me?"

"Yeah. What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing...I dunno. It's why I asked you...but what happens to the loser?"

C'Mell frowns. "I...don't know. I mean probably. We'd have to if we fought right, everyone would expect it? But really I just want to fight you because you're an aggravating little shit and you're frustrating me and...and I gotta know why. And I guess I understand people better when I fight them."

Battle smiles. "Really? I'm kind of the same actually. Not sure how I feel about rumbling with a girl but hey, super powers are super powers am I right?"

You feel a pressure in the back of your skull...

"Ah shit. It's Rook." Battle says grimly.

The lull in the fighting comes to a uncomfortably quiet end. No one is smiling now.

"Battle! Yukari! What's happened? Are there any casualties?"

"...I thought you were Yuki..."

"It's complicated..." You say.

SAY/DO?

WHAT DO YOU TELL ROOK?

WHAT DO YOU NOT TELL ROOK?

>>591119
It has to be made of Manu tissue. In theory you could go resource to tissue to soma but if you're building Manu tissue from the ground up yo might as well just make another Manu. But if you wanted to so say, make one really strong Manu and pump them full of soma you could make a lot of tissue and convert it to soma but that would take a long time to do. Manu tissue grows slowly.

>What would we gain if we enslave a Mats?

Assuming you could get it to obey you you would be able to do the "psychic attack every other turn" thing other vehicles do.

>What if we consumed one?

They're a small boost to mental and senses. Yum yum psychic energy alien.

>>591203
WHAT DO YOU TELL ROOK?
Two casualties. Both are team mats. And we got two captives, mandala and kitebringer, pick one. They're both annoying.

Secondly did you give battle some money or a credit card. The three of us could use a snack.

WHAT DO YOU NOT TELL ROOK?
That we can eat Manu for power ups, let's assume he already knows.