"I guess I'll spar with Frank," you tell Paul. "It seems like it will be good practice too."

"All right Frank," Paul calls out, "you're up!"

The two of you meet at a safe distance away from the hole, and size each other up. His chest is eye-level, which is moderately unnerving, if only for the fact you've never fought a full-grown man.

Still, you did fight the Rat Queen, who was just as tall and wider than this guy, so it's not really that nerve-wracking. The three other men have gathered around, all smiling.

"All right guys," Paul begins, "here's the lowdown. No hits below the belt, no grabbing, or biting, and no weapons. Kicks and headbutts are fair game. Understood?"

"Understood," the two of you nod, not breaking eye-contact.

"This'll be good," Jack snickers.

"A-right, bump fists and begin," Paul commands, grinning.

The both of you bump both fists together, and put your guards up. It starts out with the two of you strafing around each other, with the other guys cheering to fight.

[1/4]

You attempt to make the first move, faking him out with a hook, but before you can follow-up, he surprises you with a sucker punch. It doesn't really hurt, but you do step back.

"C'mon," he taunts, "I've been in brawls since before you were born."

You drag your thumb under your nose, not bleeding, then you go for a gut punch. It knocks the wind out of him, but he is once again ahead of you before you can follow-up; you take a knee to the chest for your trouble.

It goes on like this for a few minutes, each of you taking blows, it's a bit of a slug-fest, with neither of you getting hurt too badly; the guys getting rowdy with their calling. That is, until you catch him off guard.

He tries to sucker you for a hook, but you leap up and spin-kick him. You aimed for his shoulder, but ended up hitting the side of his head, getting a few hushed gasps from the group. He's brought to a knee, and holds a thumbs-up as he staggers to his feet.

"Hey Frank," Nathan calls out, grinning, "don't get wrecked, we still gotta dig after this!"

"Screw you," Frank fires back, then looks at you, "you gotta be topped off by now, right?"

You look inward, feeling the flow of your power. It's a bit hard, with how winded you are, but you can tell your power is ready.

>Your AP is 100!

From going toe-to-toe with someone larger than you, and with a considerable difference in reach, you've learned a lot about dodging, feinting, and getting in where it counts!

>Martial Arts increased by 2! (Now Level 3)
>Gymnastics increased by 2! (Now Level 3)

>Current condition: Moderate bruising to head, arms, and torso; your tailbone still hurts too.

The two of you bump fists again.

"Good match," Frank smiles, his nose bleeding a little. "You surprised me."

"Yeah," you grin through a bloodied lip, "definitely a good match."

"Geez, it really was a good idea I didn't put you up against Nathan." Paul laughs, ruffling your hair.

"Go fuck yourself," Nathan says outright, with a laugh.

[2/4]

"It was a good match, but now it's time to work," Paul points at the rock, "time to work your magic and make *that* disappear."

"Gotcha," you nod, making your way to the edge of the hole. "Stand back guys."

>Stressless situation, no roll required.

You leap onto the rock, doing a flip in mid air, then reach a hand into your jacket. The corners of your vision light up golden, as your eyes flare with light.

"DIRTY DEEDS," you utter, in almost a whisper, pulling out a bomb from your jacket.

The bomb is jet-black, about the size of a basketball; you place it on a stable point atop the existing crack. While there's no physical fuse, the top of the bomb sparks, signifying it's activity. Using the limited displacement ability your power affords you, you teleport back to the edge of the hole, back turned to the bomb. You lean your waist forward, putting a fist against your hip, bending your knees as you snap your fingers above your head.

BOOM!!

You feel the shockwave, yet still remain standing, as your cape and jacket whip in the wind. The guys stare in awe, not really sure what just happened, but clap in applause as rocks of more manageable size rain down. Abandoning your pose, you walk back to the workers.

"We got ourselves a regular blast-miner over here," Jack chuckles, as the four of them meet you in the middle.

"Here you go," Paul nods, pulling out a coin, "for your work."

Jack and Nathan also present coins to you. When it's Frank's turn, he hands you three instead of one.

"You got me good," he smiles, "here's a bit extra for the workout."

>You earned 6 Coins!

"You complain about the job not paying enough," Nathan chides Frank, "then you give the client extra."

"Eh," Frank shrugs, "it's a reminder that I let myself slip."

"Enough lollygagging," Paul rejoins, "let's get this hole dug proper! And thanks, kid, you did Crusher's Construction Company a real service today!"

"Best of luck, guys!" You call, breaking into a dash.

Onward, to George's house...

[3/4]

>Current Time is 7:20 AM

You dash along the sidewalks, in somewhat of a hurry to get to George's place. You know he's going to be awake by now, he'll have already been working on his punching bag.

It's really the only working out he seems to do, though. He only does light jogging, no lifting, no push-ups, or sit-ups... then again, you don't do much aside from your gymnastics, so you've never called him out on it. Plus you're not *that guy*.

You know his sister will be awake too, even aside from the fact she has a request posted. With those things in mind, you knock on his door. You wait a moment, then you hear footfalls from inside the house. The door opens, revealing George on the other side.

"Oh hey Mi-- whoa!" George begins to greet, then is immediately taken aback by your appearance. "Did Moe finally get ahold of you?"

George is pretty much an average guy, with plain brown hair. He's slightly taller than you, his chin at eye level, and he's definitely broader in frame; a bit of pudge in his torso with muscular arms. He's wearing a sleeveless white shirt and blue jeans, and ordinary black boots.

"Nah, nothing like that," you laugh, waving him off. "I was just helping the construction workers get rid of a problem."

"So that's what that loud noise was," he nods knowingly. "Anyway, what brings you here today?"

[What will you do?]
>Tell him about yesterday's events, before news spreads
>Ask about his sister's posting

[4/4]

(Looking over it again, you're there for the posting anyway, so the choice is really whether or not to mention yesterday's events.)

>>751875
>Ask about his sister's posting
We can tell him after. For now I'm interested in the problem and learning more about the guy.

>>751875
>>Ask about his sister's posting

>>752507
>>752354
(Two for the posting. Writing now!)

>>752717
(Dropped my trip.)

"I was at the town office today, and I happened to notice your sister has a job posted," you tell him.

He blinks in surprise, but then he seems to be relieved, "ah, yeah. Kimba got stuck in a tree, and seems like there's no getting him down."

"I always did think it was strange, you have a cat, yet all the cats in the neighborhood terrify you," you shake your head.

"Kimba is different," he says with a proud smile, "he's a toy-lion, me and him, we got a bond... eye of the tiger. Those neighborhood cats," he narrows his brows, clenching his fingers repeatedly and sneering, "they're cold-hearted, they'll rip into you without remorse."

"Yet you can stand up to bullies no problem," you say this more to credit his courage, than to chide him.

"Bullies I can see, I know what their aim is. Cats, they're the eyes watching from the shadows, looking at you like you're just another piece of meat!"

You're unable to suppress a snicker, but you compose yourself, "okay, okay. But seriously, what the heck is going on with your lion?"

"Well," he sobers up, walking out of the doorway, "let's go take a look."

He leads you out back, to an ordinary backyard. There's a sandbox, a trampoline, and a large tree, almost as tall as George's two-story house; the yard is surrounded by a picket fence, freshly painted.

In the tree's branches, close to the top, is Kimba. He's an albino lion, fully grown, but the size of a normal house cat. He doesn't look afraid. In fact, when he sees you, he roars and waves a paw. George halts you, just at the corner of the house.

[1/2]

"Okay Miles," George says quietly, staring ahead, "I want you to tell me what's wrong with this picture."

You see it. You didn't pick up on it when you read the request, but now it's staring you in the face. You feel the color drain from your cheeks.

"George," you gulp, "where did that *tree* come from?"

Your question is punctuated by Kimba roaring again. You now understand that he's trying to warn you away. He's not *stuck* there, he's getting ready for it to make a move!

"That's why I didn't handle this myself," George nods at you. "If that's a migrating tree, I don't think I could do it on my own. Kimba is going to get hurt too, if he does anything by himself."

"Your sister didn't include this on the post," you shake your head, still in light shock.

"She doesn't know," he frowns, "so I hoped that you or some other Dynamic user would take the request, and not just some normal dude."

You remember that you never took your gun with you to the town office, and never returned home to grab it. This fight might be difficult with just the two of you... however, you know if you take too long making preparations, the fight could start without you. With George looking directly at the tree, and Kimba's agitated roars, it's only a matter of time before the abominable arborian makes its move.

[Pick any number of the following]
>Get your gun (+2 minute round trip)
>Run to Eli's house (+3 minute round trip)
>Run to Finn's house (+4 minute round trip)

[Alternatively]
>Let's do this now
>>Lead the attack (Roll 2D100 for Martial Arts, TN: 21)
>>Have George lead (Roll 1D100 for Stealth)
>>Have George launch you at the tree (combination skill; Roll 4D100 for Gymnastics + Martial Arts, hidden effects, TN: 33)

[2/2]

>>752811
Can we send the sister or someone else to get reinforcements?

>>753437
(It's possible. If you have her run, it will take longer; she's a slowpoke. Having her phone one of your friends would work too. From there, it's just a question of holding out until they arrive.)

(I'm gonna rule it that if you have her call someone, you can only select one.)

>>753464
I'll go for Finn then, though to be honest I don't quite remember what they do.

>>753491
(He's the guy who taught Miles what he knows about gymnastics, martial arts, and has essentially been a bro to him. He's strange by the standards of Miles' other friends, so they don't all hang out together.)

(He has a Fire-based Dynamic, but you don't need to worry about him burning anything down via collateral damage.)

>>753509
Sound good.

>>753523
(All right. I'll begin writing; not sure if I'll be able to continue after the update, but I'll let you know either way.)

(Ugh... I'll be back in a few hours (I hope.) Sorry!)

"George," you begin, getting an idea, "where's your sister?"

"She should be in her room," he points to a nearby window on the ground floor. "Why?"

"I'm going to get her to call someone."

"Good thinking," he nods, then raps on the window.

A couple moments pass, then the curtain is drawn, revealing George's ordinary little sis. She has her brown hair tied in pigtails, and is wearing a plain white dress.

"What's up?" She asks, then notices you. "Oh hey Miles!"

"Hey, look, could I ask a favor?" You give pause, until she nods her head. "I need you to call a number real quick, tell him to come as quick as possible, okay?"

She gets a pen and small notepad ready, and writes down the number you tell her. After a brief double check, she closes the window.

You breathe a sigh of relief, Finn's definitely going to be considerable help, you just need to stall and...

...what was that noise? You hear Kimba roar with more ferocity, as a hollow bass howl issues from the tree.

"The phone line!" George realizes, pointing at the tree. "It somehow knows it's in use!"

No sooner than George points it out, does the massive plant jerk its 'head', ripping the phone line out of the side of the house. Live wires fall behind it, dangling on the far end of the fence. Without delay, the window opens again, the girl poking her head out.

"Phone's dead," she says flatly.

"Mimi, you should get out of the house," George commands. "It's going to be dangerous!"

Before she can protest, she notices the tree begin to thrash around, and the sudden realization on her face is clear as day. Without another word, she disappears. But that's not your concern right now.

"Miles, we gotta keep the house from getting wrecked..." George says, almost pleadingly. "Hopefully whoever you had her call gets here soon..."

[In The Meantime...]
>Lead the attack (Roll 2D100 for Martial Arts, TN: 21)
>Have George lead (Roll 3D100 for Martial Arts + Stealth, TN: 39)
>Have George launch you at the tree (combination skill; Roll 4D100 for Gymnastics + Martial Arts, hidden effects, TN: 33)

AP: 0
>Set a dud bomb (no roll, but you have no current way to detonate it)
>Set up Break Missile (1D100, TN: 48+25; unsure if this enemy has projectiles)

Rolled 23, 19 = 42 (2d100)

>>755136
Lead the attack (Roll 2D100 for Martial Arts, TN: 21)

Rolled 2, 24 = 26 (2d100)

(I'm going to do a couple of rolls right now; I'll be able to update proper in a few hours.)

(Here's one for George.)

Rolled 37, 24, 98, 52 = 211 (4d100)

>>756177
(Oh me oh my.)

(This one's for Kimba.)

Rolled 53, 100, 28, 59 = 240 (4d100)

>>756178
(kek)

(Finally, one from the tree.)

>>756180
Well, shit.

(Writing now!)

"We can at least hold out," you assure George. "I'm attacking, follow my lead."

"O-oh, okay!" He stammers, though quickly composes himself, as the two of you dash toward the tree.

As the tree takes an aggressive stance, you note that it has four main branches acting as arms, four thick roots acting as legs, and it's pine-tree like head.

Kimba, who happens to be on one of the top arms, takes his opportune position, unleashing a series of mad strikes; each one shaving bark chips off, but really only doing superficial damage. Another hollow howl comes from the tree, as it raises one side like a sumo wrestler, crashing it down on the ground.

(You gain +10 AP!)

You and George fall flat on your fronts at the terrible tremor, and Kimba loses his grip; however, as he falls, he muckles onto the tree's body, tearing strips of bark as he glides down. The tree shudders, obviously feeling the attack, then you and George resume your run.

"One!" You call out, striking the tree with a straight punch; bark chips flying out from the impact.

>One AVERAGE hit! (+2 AP)

"Two!" George follows up, as you sidestep, hitting the exact same spot you hit.

The two of you step backwards, at opposite sides of the tree, while Kimba takes his place by George's side.

"This guy's got tough skin," George growls.

You concur, thinking about your next move.

[Next Action]
Your Condition: Minor bruising all over (no roll malus, more sensitive to damage)
>Martial Arts (2D100, TN: 21)
>>Add Stealth (+1D100, TN +36)
>>Add Gymnastics (+2D100, TN +11)
>Hide (1D100 for Stealth, TN: 36 due to alert enemy, Shedding Cicada at ready)
>Focus on Dodging (2D100 for Gymnastics, TN: 11)

AP: 12
>Set a dud bomb (no roll, set up for when Finn arrives?)
>Set up Break Missile (1D100, TN: 48+13; unsure if this enemy has projectiles)

>>756846
>>Set a dud bomb (no roll, set up for when Finn arrives?)

>>757091
(Writing for: Set A Dud.)

Rolled 1, 16 = 17 (2d100)

>>757216
(Wait, I gotta roll first.)

(George!)

Rolled 26, 8, 93, 39 = 166 (4d100)

>>757219
(Darn it George, stop sucking.)

(Kimba!)

Rolled 71, 97, 32, 30, 95, 92, 68, 18 = 503 (8d100)

>>757224
(And... tree!)

>>757229
(Good thing the tree has a high target number; that could have been very bad.)

The tree turns it's attention to George and Kimba's side, and holds its four 'arms' toward them. Kimba instinctively dodges to the side, while George brings up his guard.

What results is the sound of repeated, low-caliber machine gun fire, as long, sharp pine-needles launch from its hands. While the flurry merely glances the lion and master, the shockwaves alone leave nasty cuts on their victims.

George's arms look like he ran them through a patch of briars, and judging by the way his arms are still guarding his head, he seemed to have been scared into inactivity.

Kimba picks up on his owner's apprehension, and goes to attack the tree while in it's follow-through, landing a couple of decent hits, and finishing with a powerful double claw! More bark, and even some slivers of the wood beneath the bark fly out from the little leonine's assault.

Still, the tree is undaunted, and uses a root to kick Kimba across the yard. He tumbles and rolls, but eventually springs to his feet. He lets out a roar in defiant annoyance, rather than pain.

You notice the tree's attention is focused fully on your friends. You swallow a lump of guilt, as you creep beside the tree; reaching into your jacket, you tap your power, withdrawing a bomb that doesn't spark. In hopes that Finn will pick up on your plan when he arrives, you set it down beside the tree's roots.

[Next Action]
Your Condition: Minor bruising all over (no roll malus, more sensitive to damage)
The enemy is no longer paying attention to you.
>Martial Arts (2D100, TN: 21)
>>Add Stealth (+1D100, TN +18)
>>Add Gymnastics (+2D100, TN +11)
>Hide (1D100 for Stealth, TN: 18, Shedding Cicada at ready)
>Focus on Dodging (2D100 for Gymnastics, TN: 11)
>Taunt (2D100, TN: 35; draws enemy attention, may cause irrationality)

AP: 12
>Set up Break Missile (1D100, TN: 48+13)

Rolled 86, 36 = 122 (2d100)

>Martial Arts (2D100, TN: 21)

Rolled 94, 71 = 165 (2d100)

>>757940
(Writing for: Martial Arts, after some rolling.)

(George...)

Rolled 48, 8, 44, 59 = 159 (4d100)

>>758165
(Wow.)

(Kimba!)

Rolled 74, 61, 32, 32 = 199 (4d100)

>>758174
(And the tree.)

You contemplate a strategy that uses your advantageous position, but in the end, you realize it could possibly be harmful to your friends, while you are relatively unharmed.

You can't stand the idea of putting them in such a situation, and thus, you channel your strength into a hook punch, then whirl around, performing an impressively powerful roundhouse kick; both attacks slam successively against the ever increasingly worn out portion of the tree's trunk.

The kick causes the tree to actually stumble back, letting out a more baritone howl. Your team's repeated attacks against the same spot have been individually ineffective, but have proven to begin wearing down the monster to where it hurts.

>1 AVERAGE hit + 1 GREAT hit! +38 AP!

George overcomes his fear, gritting his teeth as he lays into the splintering wound with two magnificently placed haymakers, each hit causing the tree to back-pedal slightly more.

The beat down wouldn't be complete without Kimba; he barrels across the yard, leaping at the tree with all his miniature might! His two front paws, combined with the speed and weight of his dash, prove to be an effective attack.

As big as the gash is getting, and as pained as the creature's howls have become, it is nowhere near incapable of fighting back. It proves that fact by unleash furious swipes with its limbs. George, in a bout of luck and agility, manages to avoid the onslaught by doing a backwards roll. You and Kimba on the other hand are sent airborne, and tumble helplessly on the ground. The repeated impacts make your previous bruises throb with pain...

>+5 TN to Martial Arts and Gymnastics actions.
(You gain +10 AP!)

The tree howls a long dirge, still a higher pitch than before, and stalks towards your group.

And that's when your bomb explodes.

[1/2]

Kimba yelp-roars in shock, not expecting the sudden explosion of noise and fury. And from the falling dust and debris walks the silhouette you've been waiting for.

A white and scarlet outfit, consisting of a hair ribbon, a fine scarf, sleeveless blouse and layered skirt, elbow high gloves and knee high boots; long copper hair shimmering in the light.

Striding with confidence, undaunted by the tree, struggling to right itself or the numerous rocks that seem to completely miss. The television idol-like figure extends a hand.

"Miles..." you hear George sigh. "Really?"

You take the figure's hand, being hauled up to your feet, as he pirouettes and flashes a grin.

"You made it just in time!" You tell him, going through a secret series of high-fives and fist bumps.

"By the looks of it..." Finn says, his tone sounding as effeminate as usual. "It couldn't have hurt to be earlier."

The four of you face your opponent, who has just got to its feet. There's a large chunk taken out where the bomb exploded, but it's still less than half of the tree's total width. You have the initiative once again.

[Strike While the Iron's Hot]
>Lead the attack (Roll 2D100 for Martial Arts, TN: 21+5)
>Have George/Finn lead (Roll 3D100 for Martial Arts + Stealth, TN: 39+5)
>Suggest a combination skill between either George or Finn, or both!? (Roll 4D100 for Martial Arts + Gymnastics, TN: 33+5, hidden effects)

AP: 60
>Attempt Dirty Deeds? (1D100, TN: 48+40)
>Set up Break Missile (1D100, TN: 48, Costs 25 AP)

[2/2]

Rolled 63, 16, 19, 78 = 176 (4d100)

>>758448
>Suggest a combination skill between either George or Finn, or both!? (Roll 4D100 for Martial Arts + Gymnastics, TN: 33+5, hidden effects)
Both, definitely. Maybe we can utilize the dud?

Rolled 71, 54, 64, 94 = 283 (4d100)

>>759429
(Finn already detonated it before he entered.)

(Rolling for great justice!)

Rolled 88, 20, 24, 91 = 223 (4d100)

>>760181
(Now for George...)

Rolled 39, 73, 3, 60 = 175 (4d100)

>>760187
(And finally Kimba.)

"Let's do the 'Crimson Bullet' maneuver, George," you grin.

"All right," George nods, pumping his fist.

"You guys have a combo move?" Finn folds his fingers together, stars in his eyes. "That's so cool!"

"We should include him, too. It'll make the combo even more devastating!"

"As you wish," George shrugs, unable to suppress a grin.

You look at Finn, "just leap at him, and prepare for launch."

While this is going on, Kimba manages to unleash his own series of attacks, just barely dodging the tree's counter kick.

You and Finn nod at each other, then rush at George. He begins to spin around, arms outward, as each of you grab onto am arm. You have done this many times before, so being spun at such speed doesn't bother you.

"Crimson..." you begin, as you're being spun.

"Scarlet..." Finn adds, fully serious.

"Twin Bullets!" George calls out, as he flings the two of you towards the tree; falling on his rump soon after.

You straighten your body mid-flight, realizing that George aimed high. As you streak through the air in a spiral fashion, not unlike a large caliber sniper round, you smash your fist through the initial shredded bark Kimba had created near the top.

The impact sounds like a gunshot, bark and splinters flying away from the impact zone. As you backflip away, you notice the tree leaning back, howling in absolute rage.

And then Finn spirals in, in the same fashion as you, blowing away a larger portion of the same gash with another echoing gunshot.

The rage-laden howl turns into a petering groan, as the monstrosity creaks backwards, it's balance failing.

You and Finn finish your backflips, landing in your own poses; you have a hand on the ground, your legs braced apart, while Finn has one arm behind his head, elbow pointing skyward and standing legs crossed. Your knuckles make contact as the finishing touch, accompanying the loud crash of the tree finally falling on its back.

[1/2]

The two of you resume normal defensive stances, watching the tree for any movement. It's fingers and limbs twitch, but no signs of it actually getting back up. Seeing the pine-like needles blowing away harmlessly in the wind, and the bark degrade into flecks of dispersing energy, the both of you relax.

George comes up behind the two of you, clapping each of you on the shoulder, "we actually did it, we took down a migratory tree!"

You hear Kimba roar in pride, as he takes his spot atop George's head.

"Excellent work," Finn nods. "You two did most of the work, I just helped finish the job. Setting that bomb earlier was a great idea, by the way."

You nod, with a proud smile, "I figured you would know what to do with it."

"Still," Finn paces, the post-battle cheer simmering down, "that begs the question, how did this tree get here?"

"Good point," George concurs, crossing his arms, "you'd think the officers would see something the size of my freaking house walking into the residential area."

[What Will You Say?]
>Explain what's going on outside the city
>Feign ignorance, speculating at...
>>...their inability to detect such threats
>>...their lack of desire to deal with such threats
>Stay silent

[2/2]

>>760338
>Explain what's going on outside the city

>>760604
(Writing for: Exposition!)

"It's only natural," you speak up with a grim tone, "the officers have bigger problems to attend to outside the city."

"Bigger than migrating trees?" George voices his visible confusion.

"Yes, and it's taking all their resources just to keep the town protected."

"So that's why I saw a limo outside your house earlier," Finn nods. "You met with the Mayor, didn't you?"

"Which would explain why you were already at the city hall," George notes.

"Getting to the point, there's a dangerous gang who makes their living off extorting travelers outside the city," you continue, as you put your arms behind your back.

"Well, we can just defeat them too, right?"

"No," you shake your head, "as much as I'd like to give these guys a good thrashing, these are adults *with* Dynamic powers."

"We'd be overtaken, even with us three plus Eli, Isabel, and Collette," Finn adds. "We need to bide our time to use our powers, while most adults can use them at will."

"The Mayor would rather have us prepared for an invasion, rather than risk ourselves going after them. However, he did say he's okay with us helping the officers on their jobs."

"Still sounds dangerous," Finn cringes, reluctant to utter those words.

"That's why I'm going to hone my skills, and help the people of Torisburg in the process," you decree. "I haven't talked to Eli lately, but I plan on trying to get him involved too."

"Can he do it?" George asks, "I mean, even for a ten year old, he's a shrimp."

"He's also very knowledgeable," you offer, "he's good at pointing out weaknesses and devising *proper* strategies."

"He can also psyche himself up, a trait that's pretty uncommon," Finn smiles. "I mean, I can do it too, but I'm also older than all of you."

"Only by a couple years," George smirks, "you just turned thirteen, right? Doesn't seem like puberty is doing you any favors."

You raise an eyebrow at George, but Finn just snickers.

"Call it karma for me dressing like a girl all the time," he winks.

"Anyway, back to the point," you sigh, smiling a little. "Even if we do get stronger on our own, we still need to work on our 'group dynamic.'"

George's confused look returns.

[1/2]

"A number of us have... issues," you say as delicately as possible. "Eli can't function around girls. Don't get me started on what happened last time he met Finn, either."

"Everything I know is wrong!" Finn mock-yells, flailing his hands in the air.

"Yes, thank you," you shake your head. "Isabel is a bit of a loner. She's okay around me, but she's not good in larger groups. Plus, it's hard to get her motivated."

"On the flipside," George adds, "Collette is *too* motivated, and likes to take the glory. Still, me you and her are a triple threat!"

"I could do better about trying to hang out with everyone," Finn sheepishly kicks the ground. "They just seem weirded-out and I don't know what to say."

"Have you tried not dressing like a girl?" George shrugs.

"Impossible!" Finn stomps, holding up an index finger.

"So yeah, our group dynamic is just as important as our individual strength," you tell them. "Am I forgetting something?"

The three of you ponder in silence, as the last of the tree's corpse fades away. Kimba yawns, having fallen asleep on George's head.

"Moe." Finn says finally, with a severe expression.

"Oh, right," you look at the ground. "Him."

George narrows his brows, "what do we care about that bully, anyway? He doesn't even *have* a Dynamic art."

"My mom thinks I can reach out to him," you reply, "I have his number, I just haven't tried getting ahold of him."

"We don't have to make a spot decision right now, I just thought we should consider him," Finn frowns.

"Out of the six of us, you've got the worst of his bullying, Finn," George sighs, "so coming from you, it kinda means something."

You feel like both guys have a point. If you and your friends start to treat Moe positively, he might become willing to change. You know it's going to be hard, you're probably going to take some unnecessary beatings, and you may even lose some money.

[What Will You Decide?]
>I'll reach out to him by myself.
>Let's all try to reach out to him.
>Let's not think about this now.
>It's not worth it.

[2/2]

>>761131
>>I'll reach out to him by myself.

>>762967
(Writing for: Be A Bro.)

"I think I should give it a try," you tell them.

They both look at you, in startled silence. Finn doesn't have to say anything, for you to know that he's simultaneously worried and relieved at your decision.

"You mean, by yourself?" George continues to stare incredulously.

"I'm really the only one who can, if it's possible," you assure him. "Think about it."

"Hmm. Two girls, a shrimp, and a trap," George offers. "You and I really are the only compatible ones."

"There's still the fact that you haven't forgiven him, too."

George closes his eyes, clenching a fist, "nobody makes my sister cry."

"So that settles it," you nod sharply. "It's going to be rough, but I'll be okay."

"You don't have to do this, Miles."

"I know," you smile, a light breeze brushing your loose clothing, "but I want to give him a chance. Finn wants to give him a chance. And if you look deep enough, I think you do too."

Finn puts a hand to his chest, donning a warm smile.

"Right then," George sighs, then gives you a hard look, "but if he goes too far after you've put all this faith into him, I won't be able to control myself! Understand?"

You nod, understanding his intentions. There an awkward silence, broken by some slow, light footfalls. It's Mimi.

"I..." she's wearing a remorseful expression. "I'm sorry... I had no idea that tree was a monster."

"It's okay," George walks over to her, putting a hand on her head. "Nobody got hurt."

Finn looks at you, raising an eyebrow, but stays silent.

[1/2]

(Next part later; hate to cut and run in the middle of an update...)

"Well, then, if it's all the same, I want to give you guys a reward," Mimi beams wide, then looks confused. "Oh, but three doesn't divide by two evenly, does it?"

"Paying me won't be necessary," Finn folds his hands together. "Your adorable smile is enough for me!"

"It'd be weird if I took money from your sister," you say to George.

"Both of you," George shakes his head, though he's smiling. "Just take it, it's an official request."

Finn ends up taking a single gold piece, while you take two. He insists it's only fair.

>You earned 2 Coins! (18 total)

Mimi looks at her brother once again, "I like this girl. She's prettier than that blonde one!"

George stares and stutters, but before he can get coherent words out, Finn just laughs and puts his hands on his hips. You can't help but let out a snicker, too.

"I can give you some tips, if you'd like," he grins.

"Finn, no, stop being weird," George holds his hands up.

There's a pause as you and Finn continue to grin, and George continues to look defeated.

"So anyway," Mimi speaks up. "I think you should take a rest. Miles is looking kinda beat-up."

You're about to refuse, but George crosses his arms, raising his brows. Reluctantly, you sigh, then your group heads into the house.

"The power is out, but I can still make snacks and tea. Thank goodness for gas!" Mimi proclaims, skipping inside.

>You defeated a boss-type enemy; 1 Dynamic Point gained! (Upgrade menu next post.)

[2/2, light time-skip imminent]

[Upgrade What?]

Dynamic Skills (1 point available)
>Level Up "Dirty Deeds" to 4 (no immediate effect, lowers TN at Level 6, +1 Dice at Level 5.)
>Done Dirt Cheap (Lowers the required AP to activate Dirty Deeds by 10%)
>Remote Detonation (Pistol skill: if Miles shoots a dud bomb, it will explode as normal)
>Inner Gun (Costs 50 AP, TN 22. Reaches within the heart of your power, withdrawing a gun with unlimited ammo. GLANCING success can only sustain the weapon for one turn, with turn count increasing by 1 per degree. Starts at a small caliber and low rate of fire, but subsequent upgrades to this Skill offer various ways to increase this gun's performance.)
>Smoke Bomb (Costs 10 AP, may be declared alongside any non-Stealth action. If Miles would receive damage from a counterattack, the first one is ignored and he is displaced to a nearby location. If not, the spent AP is not refunded.)
>Aggressive Break Missile (Increases AP cost to 30, decreases TN to 37. Allows Miles to fire a small payload of missiles as an attack, in exchange for reducing the innate defensibility of the skill. On a GOOD success or higher, the point-defense effect will activate as normal.)

(So, I hate to drop the bomb here, but I realized a major, glaring flaw with this upgrade system.)

(Amongst many, smaller flaws, that is.)

(The way I have it set up now, the skills available are on a fractal basis; because you know "X" you can pick between "Y" and "Z" to upgrade. So with every skill you already know, it soon results in a "skill hedge maze" rather than a "skill tree" every single time you get an upgrade point.)

(My proposal: have your skills increase automatically based on what you use. So any encounter, your mundane skills and "sorceries" (mundane skills that have added effects) would increase accordingly. Boss encounters, you'd increase your Dynamic related powers.)

(I think it would be easier on everyone, but I want to see if there's support before I make system changes.)

(I also apologize for making so many goddamn mistakes, and thank you for your continued participation.)

(Thread archived.)

(So, we're on page 8, and in autosage mode, I figure it's a good place to close out the thread.)

(However, as always, I'm leaving things open for discussion. Questions, comments, the like.)

(All right, so if anyone is still reading, whether you're a lurker or reading the archive, I figure it's fair to say a little more about the dice system.)

(This is how it's been from day one; skills can either be a single hit, like Stealth, Gymnastics, the tree's quake attack, etc. or multiple hits, like essentially any mundane weapon skill.)

(Rolls for multiple hit skills (Burst) must each meet the target number, or be at the very least half of the target number to "glance" the target. Most of the time, a miss or a hit up to AVERAGE will incur a counterattack from the target.)

(Rolls for single hit skills (Single) are either averaged or cumulative. All of Miles' Single skills are cumulative, by the way. If one roll in the chain doesn't meet the target number, the "attack speed" or "priority" is lowered, but still has a chance to go off if the enemy doesn't interrupt you.)

(This can be used to your advantage via combining your skills, especially one that has a single die in its pool combined with one with a larger dice pool. Yes, combining skills raises target number in addition to increasing the dice pool, but for skills that have cumulative results this is almost a moot point.)

(Say you want to combine Dirty Deeds with Gymnastics. The target number is going to be 57. Since Dirty Deeds is cumulative, the Dice Pool is going to be 3, (2 for Gymnastics, 1 for DD). It's likely the attack will go off slower than you'd like, and as all skills relating to Gymnastics there's a chance of fumbling, but you're almost guaranteed to succeed if the enemy is unable to reach you.)

(The base Dirty Deeds skill, in addition to being cumulative, increases in power based on results. Higher dice pools means more destruction.)

(With those previous points in mind, there are more ways to act in combat than the prompts listed. You could even coordinate an attack where you serve your bomb like a volleyball, and a compatible teammate spikes it at a target or group of targets. If I were to list all the possible usages of your skills, it would go on for pages and pages.)

(That also means if you're within range of a friend who can coordinate combination moves with you (like how you, George, and Finn did in the tree battle) you can have Miles suggest a collaborative skill based on known moves.)

(Next post; a little "behind the curtain" about the tree fight.)

(First thing, the map was absent from the battle. This was deliberate. If a battle would consist of your group shifting positions around a single target, I won't post a map. Although... maybe I should post one at the beginning of the fight anyway just to set the stage.)

(I dropped a few hints on how to overcome the tree, but reading back on it, it could have been perceived as a trap option. Hacking away at the tree's bottom part was the safest option, but least effective. Kimba started the battle in the best position, near the tree's "head," but since the tree rolled so well on its quake attack, he was knocked down rather easily. This is also why it took relatively less hits to the head to affect the tree, in contrast to the number of hits to the lower body. Had the battle continued like that, and barring any disastrous results, the tree would have buckled under its own weight, and you and your friends could have bashed its head in while it was prone.)

(I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I don't track health as a numerical value.)

(You could have reached the top a number of ways, via the trampoline with Gymnastics shenanigans, or by going stealthy and climbing it a la Shadow of the Collossus. You would have needed good attack rolls to withstand the quake (the tree would have spammed the quake attack to try and dislodge you), but it would have been easier for you to resist than it was for Kimba. The poor cat just got unlucky.)

(Despite all that, the battle went swimmingly, with an excellent finish. As a side note, even attempting collaboration skills is great for building your friendships, so it was a majorly positive outcome.)

(Not attempting Stealth while the tree was focused on George was a very good decision in regards to your friendship, too.)

(Now, about the pre-battle preparation options. If you had chosen a combination of options that took 5 minutes, the battle would have begun by the time you returned. If you chose all three, George and Kimba would have been seriously injured, so kudos for not taking the bait.)

(Future options like that will have varying degrees of "forgiveness" depending on the situation, and it won't always be easy to tell how much time you have.)

(I won't lie, I hadn't considered having George's sister calling someone, just like I hadn't considered the barrel shenanigans in the rat tutorial battle. I hope it didn't seem too shitty of me to have the tree wreck the power lines after the phone call.)