>>2635672
>[ ] Approach. There are others like you.

>>2635672
>[ ] Approach. There are others like you.

>>2635672
>[ ] Approach. There are others like you.

File: mad.jpg (57 KB, 347x601)

57 KB JPG

(Oh, and if you feel like a write-in then feel free. Same for if you wanna pick multiple choices.
The MC's brain is not working correctly so the latter may confuse it, but that might be fun.)

File: dead.jpg (15 KB, 265x370)

15 KB JPG

You continue. Pad. Pad. Pad.

Your surroundings do not change. Hints of structure and former shape.

Pad. Pad. Pad.

There is one of the others like you nearby. You look at it.

It has lost much more than you, but like the sea of gray around it suggests its former shape.

A male. An adult. It does not have Warmth, so quickly you find your interest wane.

Still, you approach.

Pad. Pad. Pad.

It is much taller than you. It does not have eyes and barely ears, but in stopping its slow, limping steps it seems to register your presence.

“Mmmmrr...” It sounds, briefly turning down towards you.


>

[ ] Nnnnnrrr.
[ ] You lose interest. Continue.
[ ] You lose interest. Look around. See if there is anything here.
[ ] Look at the sky.

>>2635800
>[ ] Nnnnnrrr.
>[ ] Look at the sky.

>>2635800
>[ ] Nnnnnrrr.
and
>[ ] Look at the sky.

File: gray.jpg (480 KB, 1920x1080)

480 KB JPG

Something stirs in your head. A vague, faded thing without shape, but somehow distinct against the fog.

You raise an arm, and then

“... Nnnnnnrrr.”

You believe this is a Greeting.

However, a Greeting should be higher. There should be some kind of motion. A waving.

But you are losing interest, so you stopped.

It stares at you without eyes. You stare at it.

Nothing is found.

...

You look at the sky.

The sky is gray. You learn nothing.

It loses interest in you.

But you still are interested, but not quite in it. A long, long time has passed since you last did a Greeting. You should commemorate the occasion.

You decide to give this one a name.

You decide to call it Dad.

You have a feeling that you are not good at names. That feeling interests you.

File: orange.jpg (825 KB, 768x1024)

825 KB JPG

>>2635923

Dad starts to shuffle away. You realise it shuffles faster than before.

Away, to... Warmth.

Warmth.

There is noise. Others like you move, just like Dad, towards the Warmth. You have more of yourself, so you are much faster than them, and much faster than Dad. You move.

Farewell, Dad.

Pad, pad, pad. Pad, pad, pad.

Another structure, larger, but more ruined. Scratching, thumping, squelching.

And Warmth.

File: Strange.png (1.13 MB, 1280x938)

1.13 MB PNG

>>2635937

Much of it. Strewn across the cracked ground, streamed across the broken walls, hung on snapped pipes and frames. Spots of Warmth, fading and fading and fading.

And a Strange.

It sits in the Warmth, digging its snout into the ground and painting red over its jagged teeth. Huge, armoured in carapace, limbs as thick as you.

But your interest does not stay on the Strange.

Somewhere past it is even more Warmth. Far more than you have ever known, a blazing Star in the gray. Enough to make you forget about the Strange, and the Warmth here.

It is because you felt that, that you moved forward.

The Strange now knows of you.

You learn of Danger.


> You must have the Star

[ ] You will fight
[ ] You will run through
[ ] You will escape, and find another path

>>2635954
>[ ] You will run through
my last post for tonight

File: there is Warmth here.jpg (81 KB, 473x772)

81 KB JPG

>>2636009
(Good Night, Dear Friend.
May you wake in the morn with all your Flesh intact.)

>>2635954
[ ] You will run through
Mainly want to see if we actually CAN run.

>>2635954
>You will run through

File: cracks and red.jpg (250 KB, 1024x768)

250 KB JPG

The Strange straightens on its limbs. Its dripping maw widens and, gusting you with breath and spittle and red it ROARS.

Danger. The sound smashes through your skull, everything trembles and shakes.

Do your legs still work? You must move.

The ground cracks with the Strange’s leap and BOOM craters with its landing. Your legs listened and you are no longer there, but the impact and resulting shockwave flings you forward crashing onto the stone, dragging a trail of red along as you slide through the Warmth that the thing had been eating.

You are closer. Somewhere past these stained walls the Star still shines. You must have it, before the Strange, before any others like you, before anything.

You must move.

You hear it thumping against the stone. You hear the structure break and crumble as it moves. It is turning to you, and it will not let you go.

You are not fast. Even if you were, you would not be faster than the Strange. Those like you are ribbons and pulp before the Strange.

But you are not the same as those. You are a little Strange too.

>

[ ] You have Strength
[ ] You have Indomidability
[ ] You have Clarity

>>2636212
>[ ] You have Indomidability
They're all good options

>>2636212
>You have Clarity

>>2636212
>[ ] You have Clarity

>>2636212
>[ ] You have Clarity

>>2636212
>[ ] You have Clarity

File: Warm.jpg (70 KB, 600x725)

70 KB JPG

You push, hands and knees. Soaked in the sea.

You raise your hand in front of you, drawing it close, eyes drawn to the vivid red amongst the gray.

More crumbling. Another crash. The Strange has pounced again. You can hear, feel without seeing, the massive thing move towards you, overwhelming against your tiny form.

You trace a tongue along your hand. From the base, across your palm, to the very tips of your thin, frail fingers.

Savoring the trace of Warmth.

File: Clarity.png (4 KB, 800x800)

4 KB PNG

>>2636452

Then everything stops.

It becomes Clear that the Strange will land, and you will be broken.

It becomes Clear how the Strange will land, and where your body can move.

It becomes Clear: the Flesh strewn across the ground and the thick coverings they wore; the things called Weapons that they once held; the Wall, and how it will break when the Strange reaches it.

You move, and so does everything else.

File: Sharp.jpg (15 KB, 425x408)

15 KB JPG

>>2636467

(Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek_Y16U13OQ)

You push yourself back, roll to the side, curl up, and shut your eyes. Then everything breaks.

The Strange lands on top of you, its four limbs smashing apart the ground with an incredible noise.

Your left arm twists in a wrong direction,
Cracks reverberate through your chest and head,
Your ears leak something you don’t recognise -
But some parts of you still work.

You are small. Small enough for a space under the Strange, where its big torso doesn’t quite touch the ground. You could not stop yourself from breaking, so you kept the parts that you need.

You roll to the side again, ignoring the sounds your body makes - not enough to get out from under the Strange, but you don’t need to. You reach with your right hand just as a small object clinks onto the stone next to the Strange, snatching it and drawing it close.

Something stirs within you. The object is a Knife.

It is Sharp.

File: to where.png (72 KB, 500x281)

72 KB PNG

>>2636486

You jam the Knife up into the Strange, aiming between two plates of its carapace-

And it ROARS again, shaking the world around you.

Pain, surprise. Maybe something very small for the Strange.

Enough to let you go.

You scramble out from under the Strange, leaving the Knife behind, leaping through a newly-made hole in the wall of stone.

You run.

(That took ages. Sorry but I'm gonna have to ask for another moment. My icantintoplayeragency disease acted up again.)

Is it chasing you?

The opening was not big, but the stone will not stop the Strange for long.

You are not fast. Your legs will stop listening. Your body is broken.

But you can feel it. The Star. The Warmth.

The Warmth. The Warmth. The Warmth.

You must have it.

Pad.

Pad.

Pad.

...

Pad.

Pad.

Pad.

...

File: Pulse.jpg (157 KB, 1600x900)

157 KB JPG

>>2636578

It’s there.

A corner of a ruined structure. Curled up in the dark, within the thick fog of red. Lumps lie around, things that were once those like you, now stilled.

You approach. It sees you, and starts.

Those eyes that look at you. Fear, despair, hopelessness. Filled with Warmth.
Those hands that point at you, holding an object that clicks uselessly. Pale, shaking, trembling. Filled with Warmth.
That beat that you hear, pulsing and rising with your every step, reaching fever pitch as you reach out with your unbroken hand.

Filled to the brim with Warmth.

>

[ ] PARTAKE

File: rain.jpg (525 KB, 1920x1080)

525 KB JPG

> What are you? What do you look for in the Rain?

(Write-in, random thoughts, anything)

>>2636589
>Greet
Just to see what happens.

There's a few spots were you could have put in choices but so far so good.

>>2636599
>What are you?
Something seeking the edges of something

>What do you look for in the Rain?
Patterns, grooves, routines, a rhythm.

>>2636616
this

>>2636618

>>2636599
What are you?
>i don't know
What do you look for?
>purpose

>>2636599
Didn't realize this was a prompt. Still want to try and greet.

>What are you?
A little strange
>What do you look for in the rain?
Shelter

>>2636616
Support

Here your legs fail you.

You fall in front of the Star.

Close, close enough to touch with your hand. You reach out, dragging your failing body forward.

Ah...

The shaking. The muffled gasps and yelps.

Aahh...

The object in its hands falls to the ground. It fails to push you off, as small as you are. You crawl onto it, red stains on both your coverings mixing.

The tears in its eyes. The trembling in its lips.

Mine.

You draw close, opening your mouth

And trace a tongue over the trail of blood on its cheek.

File: zombie.jpg (62 KB, 425x600)

62 KB JPG

>>2636788

You’re dead. That’s the phrase that’s been running through your mind for the past few minutes.

Well, a lot longer than that really. Your team’s all dead to that Abomination, you’ve lost your supplies, and your rifle is out of ammo. You were sure that you weren’t going to make it back to the train ever again, and that all you had left was to wait to die. People can’t hide from the Lost, so your little corner in the abandoned mall was no safer from wandering around out in the Rain.

You thought you had accepted that, but it’s a different story to see it come face to face.

You brought up your rifle on instinct just to feel hopelessness take you when you heard the empty clicking. You watched it trip and fall in front of you, but your own legs didn’t want to move. You couldn’t stop shaking as the Lost, a small thing that would’ve been years younger than you, crawled over you and drew closer and closer.

It opens its mouth.

Then it licks you.

It moves away, drawing a thin trail of your blood and its saliva through the air. Its tongue runs across its lips, its gaze somehow less empty. Intoxicated.

Then it licks you again. And again.

...

...

what is happening please help i want to go home

File: cecily.png (1.76 MB, 1600x756)

1.76 MB PNG

>>2636804

You are Cecily. You were sent into hell as part of a scavenging team from the train, and after complete, utter, disastrous failure you were pretty sure you were going to die.

Now you have a small and totally battered Lost curled up on you, eyes closed and making strange ‘nnnrr’ noises that sound suspiciously like a cat purring.

You have no idea what to do.

(I'm gonna stop here for today, and if there's folks that actually wanna read this weirdness I'll go ahead and pick it up tomorrow!

Warning though. Considering that I started writing this from saying "GIMME A QUEST IDEA AND ILL WRITE IT" in /qtg/, I have no damn clue what I'm doing. Any thoughts or comments, no matter how random, would be really welcome.

Thanks for participating fellas!)

>>2636827
As you pointed out there could be a few more places where we could have made choices but other than that this has my interest so I'll be around to play

>>2636852
Player agency 2hard
Not sure why I'm writing a quest and not just a story

If you (or anyone else) have thoughts on specifically where I should've had a choice then please do share

>>2636886
After we picked clarity sticks out. Could have given a list of options to take. Depending on what was picked could have affected how or even if that meeting took place and how much damage we would have taken.

>>2636827
You're alive
I can die in peace now

>>2636827
I will be interested, the MC is far from stale and has a lot of room for development.

>>2636827
Huh, you executed this better than I expected.

>>2636898
Yeah, that seemed like a pivotal moment that could've shaped us further.

>>2637931
DONT DIE ANONNNN!!!!!

You wake to the sound of Rain.

A light, muffled pattering, an accent to the silent dark that permeates the mall. Dull, numb, colourless. Fitting for the empty world.

Seems you’ve gotten poetic after nearly dying a few times.

You shake the fog and the weird thoughts from your head, then try to take stock.

Flashlight: Check
Ammoless Rifle: Check.
Bloodied and Soiled Uniform: Check.
Small Lost That Probably Wants To Eat You Curled Up On Your Chest: Check.

Situation: Still Fucked Up.

File: empty.jpg (69 KB, 800x565)

69 KB JPG

>>2640359

The Lost makes another weird groaning sound, shifting a little before going still again. You sigh. At least you’re still alive, you guess.

... Why are you still alive?

People cannot hide from the Lost. From hundreds of metres away the empty-eyed things can sense you, and you’ve never heard about their instinct for fresh meat waning.

But you were asleep a few minutes ago. You have no idea for how long, but you can’t imagine this area being completely empty of Lost, and you shouldn’t be surprised if another one shambled into view any minute now.

They have been, before you fell asleep. That’s why there’s lumps of dead meat around you, and no ammo in your rifle.

So how are you still safe?

... You didn’t become one of them... Did you?

No. No. You can’t get Lost in the Rain with a roof over your head. But then why-

Your growing fears are interrupted by another weird sound, louder this time. You blink, then slowly shift your sight to the weight on your chest.

File: lost.gif (91 KB, 540x304)

91 KB GIF

>>2640369

It’s a petite little thing. Large eyes, pale skin. Short, probably-blonde hair, long bangs covering part of its face. Dried blood over its cheeks, its arms, its torn garments, and everything else.

“Nnnnnrr...”

The Lost is stares at you with empty gray eyes. You stiffen as it places its thin hands on your shoulders, and draws close.


> Please no eat

[ ] Push the thing away quickly right NOW
[ ] Hold the thing away. Attempt to gather thoughts.
[ ] Watch. It didn’t hurt you before...

>>2640378
>Push the thing away quickly right NOW

>>2640378
>[ ] Hold the thing away. Attempt to gather thoughts.

no sudden movements

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>2640411
>>2640436
(A while since I've been here, not sure how long I should wait. We'll go with a tie break this time though)

>>2640567
Rough first date, people getting eaten and then him freaking out

File: mall.jpg (51 KB, 736x372)

51 KB JPG

You sort of maybe panic. But you’re certain - very certain! - that that’s a normal reaction when something that wants to eat you is close enough to touch noses.

With both hands you shove the Lost off of you and it falls back, thumping onto the floor.

... That was easy.

This Lost is small, sure, but normally these things are a lot stronger than they look. Not that you’ve personally tried to wrestle one or something, but that’s common sense.

This time felt like you were just pushing away, well, a child. You might even feel guilty if it wasn’t totally covered in blood, and in the middle of crawling back towards you as if nothing happened.

You reach out with a hand and push it back by its forehead. It continues crawling, making no progress against your Palm of No.

Okay, you can maybe say you aren’t in immediate danger, but you don’t know how long that will last. You don’t have any supplies, and having lost your knife your only remaining weapon is little more than a fancy club.

And plenty of time had past even if you didn’t fall asleep. The train will have left.

You can’t get back.

“Nnnnnrr...”

You feel a pulling on your hand. The Lost is nibbling your glove.

>

[ ] Prepare to stick around for a while. You’ll wait until the train comes back around.
[ ] Prepare for a journey. You’ll cut through the city and find it.

>

[ ] Look for a weapon quickly, to end this Lost.
[ ] It doesn’t seem very quick. Leave it behind.
[ ] Just make sure it doesn’t hurt you.

> Are there really no other Lost around here? Why are you still alive?

>>2640672
>Prepare for a journey. You’ll cut through the city and find it.

>Just make sure it doesn’t hurt you.

>>2640672
[ ] Prepare for a journey. You’ll cut through the city and find it.

[ ] Just make sure it doesn’t hurt you.

>>2640672
We used his knife to kill the Strange, we could probably give it back?

>>2640894
(The Lost didn't take the knife with it. It doesn't really think things through. Except, arguably, during Clarity, but that's momentary.

Also the person from the train is Cecily >>2636813 , a she. Though I feel like gender probably won't matter at all.)

File: Warm.jpg (134 KB, 1095x730)

134 KB JPG

Bite. Bite. Bite.

There is Warmth, behind.

Bite. Bite. Bite.

It moves away from you, and you stumble forward. Your Star stands, its eyes not leaving yours.

You stand. Your legs, your arms, are a little bit better.

You look at your Star. Its coverings surround its Warmth. Only the top, the head, is bare.

You are small. You are short. This stirs something in you.

This feeling is called Frustration. This interests you.

Your Star starts to walk away, and you follow.

Pad. Pad. Pad.

...

Through long, wide places, up broken steps. It is dark. It is Raining. The Rain seeps through the broken parts above, pooling in holes around.

Your Star stops, crouching on its legs behind a corner. There are others like you here, in this structure of stone, but you don’t mind. The Warmth is yours, so they won’t take it.

Your Star is shorter like this. You move closer, reaching towards its neck, towards the pulsing Warmth.

The Glove appears and you are repelled. This stirs something in you.

This is called Bullying. This interests you.

You do not like it.

File: Room.jpg (50 KB, 700x525)

50 KB JPG

>>2640949

Rooms, some very tall and wide, others less so. Your Star takes things. They do not hide the Warmth.

You continue following your Star. Its eyes follow you, though less and less now. It moves around, taking more things, putting them into what you know is a Bag.

You are Warm. You have some Interest.

>

[ ] That is called Canned Food.
[ ] That is called a Knife.
[ ] That is called Clothes.
[ ] (write-in? You’re in an abandoned mall, feel free to be creative)

File: Dead.png (678 KB, 1021x739)

678 KB PNG

(I need to run for lunch. Afterwards I'll try updating intermittently and see how that goes.)

>>2640961
>[ ] That is called Canned Food.
>[ ] That is called a Baseball Bat

>>2640961
>That is called Canned Food.

>>2640997
Support

File: Baseball Bat.jpg (18 KB, 600x388)

18 KB JPG

Your eyes are drawn to one part of wall in the room. Objects hang there, almost too high for you to reach, but not quite. You pull at one, grasping one end, and the other falls and hits the ground.

Tonk is the sound it makes. “Hyiup!” is the sound your Star makes. There is Warmth in its Surprise.

You are holding one end of the long, heavy object. This is called Baseball Bat.

You hear a sigh, and your Star starts moving away. You follow, dragging the Baseball Bat along.

Pad, pad, pad.

Rattle rattle tack rattle rattle rattle-

Your Star takes the Baseball Bat away. You attempt to take it back, but the Glove is placed on your forehead. It repels you.

This is called Bullying.

>>2641602
that's fucking adorable

File: Can.jpg (56 KB, 525x357)

56 KB JPG

>>2641602

Your Star has something. Taken, while you tried to take the Baseball Bat. It places itself on the ground, and then objects around it.

The Baseball Bat, away from you. The Glove remains merciless.

Sharp, metal thing. This is called a Kitchen Knife. Held somewhere behind your Star. Strapped, to not move.

Round, tall things. The Glove shows mercy, and your Star pulls at something at the top of the object. A sound, an opening. While half-looking at you, your Star begins to eat.

It is not Flesh. This interests you.

You take one of the things from in front of your Star. It is closed.

You prod it. You learn nothing.

You bring the edge of its top to your mouth.

Bite, bite, bite.

You learn nothing.

>>2641610

Your Star is staring at you. There is Warmth in its Confusion.

It puts down the object it holds in front of it, then takes yours. It repeats the action, from before - crack - then places the round tall thing in front of you.

It is open.

You prod it, and its contents - watery, soft things - move. It is not Flesh, and it does not have Warmth.

You sit down, like the Star. You take the thing to your mouth and lap up some of the liquid.

A sensation. This stirs something in you.

You do not know what.


> Interest (one, or write-in)

[ ] Baseball Bat
[ ] Star
[ ] Can of Peaches

> Cecily

[ ] See if you can retrace your path to where your team died. They’ll have spare ammo or a working weapon, with luck.
[ ] Look to get onto the roof of the mall, or just some high place. You want to cut through the city, and you’ll want some plan on where to go.
[ ] Get underground the moment the Rain lets up. The Lost don’t seem to be finding you, but that might not last.
[ ] (Other ideas?)

>>2641614
>Can of Peaches

>Look to get onto the roof of the mall, or just some high place. You want to cut through the city, and you’ll want some plan on where to go.

File: Eat.gif (88 KB, 540x304)

88 KB GIF

>>2641608

(This is a very scary zombie that wants to eat you, not your waifu!)

>>2641614
>the sweet sound of the can popping open
>>2641614
>[ ] Look to get onto the roof of the mall, or just some high place. You want to cut through the city, and you’ll want some plan on where to go.

>>2641622
just try and fuckin' stop me

>>2641614
>[ ] Star
Does this return sanity?
>[ ] See if you can retrace your path to where your team died. They’ll have spare ammo or a working weapon, with luck.
We should try getting their dogtags.

>>2641614
>[ ] Can of Peaches

>[ ] Look to get onto the roof of the mall, or just some high place. You want to cut through the city, and you’ll want some plan on where to go.

File: standard behaviour.png (416 KB, 525x700)

416 KB PNG

You’re starting to wonder if this thing is a Lost at all.

You’ve been sent to scavenge more than once, and you don’t think there’s been one like this before. There’s the too-pale skin, sure, and the empty eyes. It not having many wounds or marks on its body could just be because it was recently Lost, so just by looking you would call it one.

The way it acts confuses you though. It’s tried to bite you a few dozen times, but it doesn’t seem to have the same amount of hungry instinct they normally have. And, you think while watching it dip its tongue into the syrupy juice in the can of peaches, they normally don’t have any kind of intent or interest outside of said instinct.

Also, was it always so... intact? You were maybe-panicking when you first saw it, but you swear its left arm was broken.

You don’t have any way to clear up the mysteries, do you. It’s weird, but harmless so far...

You finish off your own can of peaches, setting it on the ground, then close up your newly-acquired backpack and tie your empty rifle to its side. Keeping hold of the baseball bat the Lost was dragging along you stand, thinking on your next destination.

You’re looking to get through the city. The route is long but the train does loop the place, never moving too quickly and stopping at most stations along the way to send out scavenging teams. You do have a faded map, and you should be able to catch up if you can cut a more direct path across to one of the stations on the north-western side of the route, but it feels hasty to run out now. The map is from before the world went to hell, after all, and a better idea of your surroundings can only help.

You have to wait for the Rain to stop anyway, though it does sound like it’s lightening up. You’d also want to make sure the Abomination that killed your team isn’t nearby.

So, up. To wherever you can take a good look around. Hopefully without too many Lost along the way.

... They haven’t attacked all this time. Why aren’t they sensing you?

You sigh, feeling a little more than defeated.

File: lighter, lighter.jpg (265 KB, 1600x1172)

265 KB JPG

>>2641794

Shuffle. Shuffle. Your Star stands and moves away. You follow along, still lapping at the liquid in your round object.

Out, through the dark. Broken, dusty things. Cracks in the stone. Stairs, and stairs. Up.

The sound of Rain. Of others. Your Star waits, hiding from those, and they do not come.

You tip into your mouth one of the soft pieces from the round object.

Chew, chew, chew.

Your Star holds on to the Baseball Bat. It is not giving it to you.

Chew, chew, chew.

Warmth fades, as it always does. Slowly, slowly.

Chew, chew, chew.

Something is there.

Barely. Far away. Different from the Rain. Not the sound of the crumbling world, or the shambling steps of others like you. Different.

You move closer to your Star. To your Warmth.


> Cecily vaguely wants to head north-west, across the city. That's probably a hefty distance. She hasn't traveled above-ground enough to really know.

[ ] To the north-north-east lies the entrance to a station. Underground routes always feel safer.
[ ] To the north-west lies a wide plaza, then high-rise buildings. Residential.
[ ] The team was killed south of here, among abandoned homes. The Abomination isn’t visible. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
[ ] A mechanical workshop to the east. With a little (a lot) of luck, there might be a vehicle.

File: hi nice to meet you.jpg (223 KB, 660x940)

223 KB JPG

(That's the last update for today. I've got work for the weekdays onwards, so not too sure how often I can update. I'll figure somethin' out. Do check back from time to time.

Thanks for participating!)

>>2641795
>[ ] A mechanical workshop to the east. With a little (a lot) of luck, there might be a vehicle.

>>2641795
>[ ] A mechanical workshop to the east. With a little (a lot) of luck, there might be a vehicle.

>>2641795
>[ ] A mechanical workshop to the east. With a little (a lot) of luck, there might be a vehicle.

>>2641899
>>2641903
>>2642068
>vehicle doesn't work
>rig internal hamster wheel
>place small zombie inside, sit in front
>INFINITE ENERGY

>>2642112
well, it's a star after all, we can call it Dyson's car

>>2641795
[ ] A mechanical workshop to the east. With a little (a lot) of luck, there might be a vehicle.
DEAD RISING WEAPONS CRAFTING LET'S GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

[X] The team was killed south of here, among abandoned homes. The Abomination isn’t visible. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

>>2641796
Damn missed this session. Good run though, looks like you got the sweet spot for choices this time! Keep it up mitts!

File: Window.jpg (117 KB, 736x1031)

117 KB JPG

“... Lot of Lost. ‘Cause of the train, or me?”

Noise. Quiet, soft. This is called Talking.

Your Star stops and looks at you, and you look back. There is Warmth in its Hesitation.

It then turns again to the light from outside. Window. The Rain is lighter.

“A mechanic’s...”

Your Star turns. Stairs, down. Back to the halls, to the stones, cracked. Hiding from the others. Slowly, slowly.

To the dim light. Open. You hear shuffling feet and sounds from others, some close, some far.

The Rain is gone.

You look at the sky. The sky is gray.

You learn nothing.

File: other Lost.jpg (357 KB, 1440x900)

357 KB JPG

>>2644170

“So they do see me...”

The others are coming. They are looking for Warmth, but the Warmth is yours.

They are slow, and your Star continues to move until they are gone. You lose interest in them.

Through ruined streets, damp from Rain. Cold. Light is fading.

Something Different is there, but you don’t know where.

Your Star watches the others as it moves on. At times hiding, at times not. At times staying far, at times inching forward. You follow. This interests you.

A sharp breath.

There is one other like you in front of your Star, close, coming closer.

But the Warmth is yours.

You move forward and put your palms on the other, pushing away, and it shambles forward in vain.

You learned of Bullying from the Glove.

SMACK!

The Baseball Bat flies over your head, and the other flies away. You lower your arms.

Your Star is staring at you, and you stare back. There is Warmth in its Confusion.

File: workshop.jpg (288 KB, 1200x800)

288 KB JPG

>>2644173

A structure. Large, tall, wide. Red Bricks. Windows blocked by Wood Boards, but broken, opened.

Your Star finds where a Door once stood. It now lies bent on the floor.


> You enter an abandoned workshop, and see as its centerpiece:

[ ] Scooter
[ ] Tow truck
[ ] (write-in)

(Feel free to be creative)

File: blerhr.jpg (46 KB, 600x447)

46 KB JPG

(So writing after work is kinda blerhr. What I'll do is try to update again on Thurs in about 48 hours (no promises), then try to do a session on Sat.

But yeah. You can be creative with this choice, but obviously something that makes some sense. Like, no helicopters.

You can also throw in thoughts and ideas of what you'd find or want to do in a mechanic's workshop. How long Cecily will stay is undecided and might be put to a vote.

Thanks for showin' up fellas. I'm gonna hibernate until tomorrow.)

>>2644175
>[ ] Scooter
>>2644176
Man this is a comfy quest.

>>2644175
>[ ] Scooter

>>2644175
>[X] Tow Truck
Plan Dyson go.

File: peetzer.jpg (176 KB, 1080x720)

176 KB JPG

>>2644175
>[X] (write-in) Food truck.

>>2644175
>A snow plow

>>2644175
>motorcycle with sidecar

>>2644234ooooo

I support this too.

whatever wins I'm down

>>2644234
This. I doubt we can fit our new waifu in a scooter and even if we manage to do so it will be pretty difficult to maneuver while avoiding to be bitten

>>2644235
Has it ever snowed here? It'd be kind of weird.

>>2644175
>[ ] (write-in)
It's pretty easy to imagine this place having a ton of vehicles both repaired and in the process of being repaired.
I actually like this idea. >>2644234
First off Cecily could grab a few drills to drill bolts into the bat for extra omph.

She could stay her for a few hours? Maybe the day?

>>2644315
Someone else could have been using it and stopped here for parts of that's the case. I'm not quite sure on where we actually are. Just figured a snow plow would be cool.

>>2636827
Hey I am liking this weird so far, and you are doing a decent job. I could see this going on for a while and being fun, even if you gotta wing it, just remember that retcons are confusing so just think before you leap and once you leap don't pretend it didnt happen, just limp/crawl forward on your broken leg just like any good zombie would!

>>2641622
Okay, what is this from? If it is anything like this quest I gotta watch it while I wait for more updates.

>>2644175
Hotdog Truck? ;) More warmth...

>>2644234
i like it

>>2644234
I support food truck, because I want the little zombies first word to be "Hambugah" like that one copy pasta where American soldiers paratroop into a Japanese school and one of them sees a girls ruined lunch box and hands her a fresh cheeseburger still in the wrapper.

>>2644234
Also, I just realized how hilarious it is for likely the only human in the entire city to be rolling around in a food truck through a city full of zombies. Having them crowding around the truck, trying to clamber through the window and little zombie is just trying to Bully-Push them away saying "No...no..hambugah... my warm." just makes me giggle, and kinda sad at the same time.

>>2644234
This, this is fucking perfect.

>>2644175
>A mail van
We death stranding now

>>2644176
How about an RV for the little guy and us? Have a little room to lock ourselves in at night so we don't get but and we can get a little dog bed/cot for zombie boy to sleep in the main area. Wood panelling is essential.

File: KoumeSR+.png (452 KB, 1280x824)

452 KB PNG

Wow, replies. I feel popular.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

Neways. Like mentioned I'm aiming to do an update late tomorrow. Prospects of that actually happening are not despairing. This is good. Will almost certainly have a session on Sat (maybe Fri for some of you), dunno how long.

Seems like Food Truck is locked in.

>>2644186
I feel like I went from Dead World Zombie Life to My Little Undead Monstrosity Can't Be This Cute very quickly.

I'm not sure how to feel about this.

>>2644299 This is a great mental image.

>>2644315
>>2644317
Don't worry too much about location. Some arbitrary Western or Euro country or just not!Earth. I near exclusively read and write fantasy and if I decide on a concrete place then mistakes will happen.

>>2644337
That's Shirasaka Koume from iDOLM@STER... yeeeaahh I haven't watched their stuff but I'm pretty sure it ain't anything like this quest. The Lost's appearance is based on her though.

File: Messy.jpg (81 KB, 630x926)

81 KB JPG

“Dog food?”

There are things over the floor. Lots of little things. And something else, Paper, that has colours other than gray, brown, and red.

You look at it. Your Star’s Voice, the Pictures, the Letters, stirs something in you.

You might not know what.

“‘Hunter’...”

Your Star looks around the room. There is Counter, Window, Wood, Pan, Chair, Bowl, and lots of other things. Much of it is on the floor. And broken.

Your Star continues. You follow your Star.

Crackle-crackle. Crackle-crackle. Crackle-crackle.

The floor is Crunchy. This interests you.

File: Dog.jpg (593 KB, 1021x1000)

593 KB JPG

>>2648052

Hallway. Dark. Light continues to fade, and little comes in. You follow your Star.

You smell lots of things.

Another Door. Big. Metal. Open.

Another Room. Very Big. Tall. Filled with things.

There is a Vehicle, much taller than you. Your Star stares at it. Many things dwell in its eyes. There is Warmth in all of it.

Your Star’s interest moves quickly, drawn away, and freezes.

There is an other like you. Closer than the others outside. Something a little Strange.

Further than the others outside, because it has four legs, and no arms, and a tail.

The tail is mangled, bent. The legs, and the body, have lots of Scratches. Red, black.
The body, the stomach, has a gash across it. One long Wound, open.
One ear is almost gone, bitten, ripped.
Its eyes are white, empty as the gray sky, cold as the Rain.

You remember. This is called Dog.

>>2648053
[X]Pet the dog.

>>2648053

You could have went without this surprise.

You grip your bat close, staring at the Lost beast in front of you. It’s big, at least half as tall as you if it weren’t lying on the ground. It’s in front of the truck and you’ve entered the workshop from its side, but it’s either not noticed you or is ignoring you.

It shouldn’t be the former. You’re just a few metres from it, and though the Lost don’t seem to... sense? Feel? You from a distance you’ve confirmed that they do still see and hear you. Granted, the thing’s eyes are white and it’s missing an ear...

But despite the minutes you spend standing there, the dog doesn’t move.

You’d think it dead except you’re pretty sure it’s breathing. Yet, it’s really hard to tell for a Lost that isn’t making that groaning noise they sometimes make.

Okay. You’re just stalling at this point. You creep closer to the beast, baseball bat at the ready. One step at a time, closer, closer.

”ROFF!!”

“Ughyuip!!”

You jump, failing to suppress a yelp at the echoing bar, then you raise the bat over your head-

The dog doesn’t move.

It didn’t even turn your way when it barked. It’s just there, head propped up and tongue hanging out limply, as if nothing happened.

...

You turn back to glance at the small Lost following you. You see a blank stare, and a slight tilt to its head.

... What?


> Dog
[ ] Run up and smack it down.
[ ] Experiment with getting close.
[ ] Let’s just ignore the thing.
[ ] (Write-in)

> The truck is a
[ ] Pizza truck
[ ] Hotdog truck
[ ] Hamburger truck
[ ] (Write-in - also images!)

>>2648055
THIS MAN HAS HIS PRIORITIES STRAIGHT

File: f8d6d0916ecf6ea93fe29ef53(...).jpg (46 KB, 550x372)

46 KB JPG

>>2648058
>Dog
[X] Move the small lost towards it (using the Glove)
>The truck is a
[X] Miscellaneous 'food' truck of dubious provenance, see attached

>>2648057
>>2648061
Seconding this.

>>2648053
[ ] Experiment with getting close
[ ] Pizza truck

File: images (2).jpg (28 KB, 443x332)

28 KB JPG

>>2648057
> dog
Supporting >>2648061
>truck
Souvlaki

>>2648061
this, also,
the little one should pet the dog, or bully it holding it in place

>>2648057
Pet the dog
Pet the dog
All options should be pet the dog

>>2648057
Go back and get a bowl mixed with dog food and water to give to the big pupper. Put the bowl pm the ground and use the bat to slowly push it towards the dog.
All dogs. Lost or not, are good boys.

>>2648057
Supporting: >>2648061

>>2648057
>Pet dog
>Kebab truck

>>2648057
>Dog
Let’s just ignore the thing
>The truck is
>>2648061

What is this quest even.

>>2649692
Fun

>>2649692
Bullying.

>>2648057
>Lil lost pets the dog to make sure it is safe
>Then pet the dog
>Hamburger Truck!

>>2649692
fun bullying

File: Hunter.jpg (85 KB, 784x706)

85 KB JPG

You slowly lower your bat. You are very calm.

After taking another glance at the dog - still entirely motionless save for a very slight swaying of its tongue - you move towards the little Lost. Because you have an idea.

Dodging its attempt to bite you you circle around the Lost, then start pushing it by the shoulders. It stumbles a bit and spends half the process trying to turn around and get at you, but slowly, gradually you move the little Lost. To less than a few metres from the dog.

”ROFF!!”

You didn’t flinch. You didn’t.

The little Lost looks at the dog, and you nudge the thing forward. It stumbles again, then straightens. The beast finally, finally moves, turning its head to face the Lost.

They stare at each other. Dull gray eyes to milky white, empty. Staring.

The little Lost steps forward and reaches out, raising its thin, pale arm high enough to meet the beast’s head.

Another step, almost touching-

Chomp.

The dog bites over the Lost’s hand.

They stare at each other.

...

...

Right then. You’ll leave them to it.

File: What the hell am I looking at.png (400 KB, 500x393)

400 KB PNG

>>2652163

The entire workshop as well, but this garage in particular looks as if a bomb went off in it. Old crumbling bones litter the place, and dried blood and decayed lumps of indescribable stuff scattered everywhere gives the place a painfully strong stench. Through the half-open garage door, bent inwards from impact, you see the trail of carnage continue outside where Rain has settled into puddles on a pockmarked driveway.

Some of the corpses are at least recognisable as once human. There’s one behind the dog, for instance, skull caved in and missing the bones of a limb, but you didn’t notice due to said dog taking your attention.

The truck, too. The truck was taking your attention.

It sits in the center of the garage, and though covered in dust looks to be in decent shape. You were definitely hoping to find a vehicle and you’re incredibly pleased that you did, but your first reaction on stepping into the place was-

What the hell am I looking at?

You think it’s supposed to be a sort of food truck - you see what looks like a faded menu on one side - but somehow you don’t think a food truck should look so intimidating. The towering thing is plated with rust-brown metal, its front bumper jutting out in four menacing spikes. A pair of weapons - Gatling Guns you think they’re called, and almost certainly props and surely not actual firearms - jut out from the sides pointing forward past the front window, and atop the roof on a metal spring is a huge fireball-shaped clown head wearing a far-too-wide grin.

You look at it for a while, then make a decision.

Let’s not think about it.

Let’s just be happy that you’ve found some wheels.

>

[ ] Get to work. The truck’s been here a while, and will need some sort of fixing.
[ ] Close up whatever doors/entrances you can, maybe nail back some of the wooden boards. You should prepare to stay the night.

> Stuff to do?

[ ] You wanna spikify your bat
[ ] You should probably clean up a bit. Your face is fifty percent dried blood
- [ ] Maybe you should clean the Lost as well. Its face is ninety percent dried blood
[ ] (write-in)

>>2652170
>Close up whatever doors/entrances you can, maybe nail back some of the wooden boards. You should prepare to stay the night.
to do
>You should probably clean up a bit. Your face is fifty percent dried blood

>>2649692 A fine question. Do tell when you find the answer

>>2652183 Gud morn friend

>>2652170
>Close up whatever doors/entrances you can, maybe nail back some of the wooden boards. You should prepare to stay the night.
So long as we're staying the night
>You wanna spikify your bat
[ ] You should probably clean up a bit. Your face is fifty percent dried blood
- [ ] Maybe you should clean the Lost as well. Its face is ninety percent dried blood
Do all the things

>>2652199
mornin' mitts, ready for more good times and player agency

>>2652237
also voting for do all the things

>>2652170
>[ ] Close up whatever doors/entrances you can, maybe nail back some of the wooden boards. You should prepare to stay the night.
>[ ] You should probably clean up a bit. Your face is fifty percent dried blood
- [ ] Maybe you should clean the Lost as well. Its face is ninety percent dried blood

File: ive come to talk with you(...).jpg (7 KB, 180x180)

7 KB JPG

>>2652241
>player agency

>>2652170
>[ ] Close up whatever doors/entrances you can, maybe nail back some of the wooden boards. You should prepare to stay the night.
>[ ] You should probably clean up a bit. Your face is fifty percent dried blood
>- [ ] Maybe you should clean the Lost as well. Its face is ninety percent dried blood

>>2652288
I can just imagine what the people back on base are going to be like when we roll in, in a food truck and a tiny zombie child sitting on our lap nibbling on our gloves.

(Sorry fellas this is taking an age and a half - give me one moment)

You’ll have to see if the truck is good to drive. You did hear about above-grounders from time to time back at the train, and like yourselves their transport is their lifeline; stay in one place for too long and you’ll drown in every single Lost in the area. If this truck is from an above-grounder then it should be in good condition.

If it’s from before the Downpour... then it’s going to take a while to get going.

You look around and find a keyring on a nearby counter, then proceed to try each key on the truck’s door. You didn’t need to - the correct one is shaped like a clown-head, and you get the door open without too much trouble.

“Cough- Damnit-”

There’s more dust than you were ready for. You hold an arm in front of your nose for a bit, then climb inside.

Before you were reassigned to scavenging you were with the engineers, but you had never taken a look at the occasional vehicle that gets fixed up for scavenging teams to use. The train didn’t have a carriage for cars and the like, so they were always left near stations.

This means you only sort of know what you’re looking at.

Steering wheel, gear change, a bunch of meters, and a suspiciously decorated board of buttons and switches. You eventually discover the ignition, and insert the key.

You don’t know how to tell if it’ll work before you try. Afterwards you can open it up and figure out what needs fixing.

Can’t be too different from a train, right?

... Right?

You turn the key.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66F2-af-0dU

File: AirHorn-1500x1500-red-1.jpg (124 KB, 1500x1500)

124 KB JPG

>>2652515

BWAAH BWAAH BWAAH BWAAH BWAH BWWAAAAAHHH

“WWHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?!”

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE WHY IS IT SO LOUD

You tumble out of the truck door as if blasted out by a shockwave, reeling back on the floor with your hands to your ears holy shit this is LOUD

Only after eight excruciating seconds does the nightmarish blaring finally cease and you drag yourself off the floor, panting heavily and smarting from a new bump on your head.

“WHO DID THIS?! WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS FUCKING FUNNY?!”

You are very fucking calm right now.

Then you actually calm down, because making noise is not a good idea right now. You’re not actually sure how Lost react to loud distant sounds, since normally they just sense you, and you shouldn’t be trying to find out.

Deep breaths Cecily, deep breaths.

You lean to the side and look at the spot in front of the truck. The little Lost and the dog are still there.

In pretty much the same position. Staring at each other. The only difference is the little Lost is slowly, slowly shaking its arm up and down.

The dog does not let go.

>>2652519

After a minute for your ears to recover, you realise the truck’s engine has rumbled on. Except ‘rumble’ is more ‘crackle-sprack-sputter-ponk’.

You’re going to need to figure out why it’s doing that. That’s going to take a while.

You’re going to not do that right now. Because your head is ringing and doing things is hard.

... Let’s stay the night. Close whatever doors still stand. Find a hammer, some nails. Maybe there’s enough water here to wipe the blood caked on your face, too.

Let’s take a break.


> Cleaning the Lost

[ ] You’ll dump water on its head and get the blood of its face. Can’t imagine doing much else while it tries to bite you
[ ] You’ll try to give it a good scrubbing. Having something that looks like... that while following you is a bit depressing
- [ ] You did pick up an extra shirt at the mall. It might be a bit big... (write-in / image?)

> The bat
[ ] Nails. Spiky. Can’t go wrong.
[ ] Other ideas? (write-in)

>>2652526
[ ] You’ll try to give it a good scrubbing. Having something that looks like... that while following you is a bit depressing
- [ ] You did pick up an extra shirt at the mall. It might be a bit big... (write-in / image?)
Shirt with either a teddy-bear face or a big smiley face on it
>>The bat
>Nails. Spikey. Can't go wrong.
>Maybe barbed wire to rip flesh better that way we can damage jaw muscles if we miss the brain and it cant bite.

File: Truck_cab.jpg (979 KB, 2272x1704)

979 KB JPG

(I feel like I started with 'establish the state of the truck then move on', then somehow the update just got longer and longer...
Why is writing so hard)

>>2652562
You can do it mitts! I am enjoying every update, as much as I want faster updates do it at your own pace to make sure you feel satisfied with it. By wanting them faster, I am not faulting you for taking your time, I am saying that I like what you are doing and want to see the rest of the story as it unfolds! I really want to see other survivors reaction when we roll in with this clusterfuck of a truck and Lil' Lost in the passenger seat.

File: WCCFwalkingdeadoverkill.jpg (114 KB, 740x429)

114 KB JPG

>>2652519
> Cleaning the Lost
You’ll try to give it a good scrubbing. Having something that looks like... that while following you is a bit depressing
> The bat
stud the bat

>>2652170
T-Twisted Metal? Sweet Tooth, is that you?

>>2652526
Seconding this
>>2652579

>>2652526

Supporting this >>2652579
Spikes snag on things, an nice tight set of studs from bolts will add extra mangling, with less snaging and hanging on things.

Getting your weapon stuck on one zombie, while others get closer is a bad thing.

File: Warm.jpg (145 KB, 1213x995)

145 KB JPG

Bite. Bite. Bite.

“No, no, and no.”

You are being repelled.

You are in a Tub. Wide, metal, half-filled with water. Also dirt, and red, from you.

Your Star moves behind you. It has new coverings, and its Brown hair is sparkly. There is Warmth here.

You turn around and open your mouth. Your cheek squishes against the Sponge. Soft, wet.

The Glove is not here, but you are repelled. You do not understand.

Your Star pats the Sponge over you. You do not have your coverings. The dirt, the red, the black fall off into the Tub.

Then you are attacked. The Cloth blinds you, tosses and turns you. You make a sound, a feeble ‘nnnrrr’ against the storm.

Then you are dry.

File: Bear.jpg (86 KB, 570x494)

86 KB JPG

>>2652768

You are now Smooth and Sparkly.

Your Star puts a new covering, a Shirt, on you. There is an animal on it. This stirs something in you.

This is called Teddy Bear. This interests you.

You bite your new Shirt. Warmth lingers.

Your Star is looking at you. It is Frowning for some reason.

There is Warmth here.

File: Chain.png (50 KB, 187x480)

50 KB PNG

Your Star goes back to the workshop. Smooth and Sparkly you follows.

The Truck is there. The Dog is there.

“It really doesn’t move...”

Your Star sounds. Then it stays, watching the Dog.

You have some interest, so you look around.

There are things here. Tools and Tables, objects of many different shapes, big boxes and other things you do not know. You see what was the Baseball Bat. It has small Metal things in it now, short shapes in lines that your Star put in.

You see other Metal things. One is wide and tall, and part of it hangs down from near the top of the Room.

This is called Crane.

There is something on the ground near it. This is called Chain.

This interests you.

You cannot reach the Chain above, so you go to the Chain on the ground. You pick it up - jingle - and look at it. There is a Hook. It is gray in some places, brown-red in others.

You hold the Chain. It is long.

>>2652786

You are now trapped in Chain. You do not know how this happened.

You are on the floor. You move - jingle jingle - but cannot move.

“Haa...”

You look up. Your Star is standing there, looking at you. Its hand is covering its face. There is Warmth in its Exasperation.

“And just after I cleaned it up.”

Step. Step. Step.

Jingle-jingle-jingle.

You cannot move.

Your Star stops, looks.

“... It can’t bite me like that, can it?”

Your Star seems to Decide something. Then it walks away, grabbing the Bat, leaving the room.

Jingle, jingle, jingle.

Step. Step. Step.

...

This is called Bullying.

File: Dark.jpg (41 KB, 1024x768)

41 KB JPG

Night. The light is gone.

The creaking of the structure. The sound of shuffling, of noises from others like you.

Dark.

Soft.

Quiet.

But there.

Something is there.

Different from the sound of the crumbling world. Different from the Rain.

You are seated. You have freed yourself from the Chain. The Dog has not moved, but it also knows.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Closer. Closer.

Something is there. Something Strange.

>

[ ] You will move to the entrance, and see.
[ ] You will seek your Star, and stay close.

> A spark. A quiet stirring of something long gone. The Lost can take action, make conscious decisions, but at the cost of its Warmth: the most precious, precious resource left to this dying world. There is so little to spare...

[ ] Nothing.
[ ] (write-in - action?)
[ ] Take something with you.
- [ ] A wrench
- [ ] A screwdriver
- [ ] (write-in - something else in the workshop?)

File: maid.jpg (96 KB, 736x1039)

96 KB JPG

Jesus.

So uh. Yeah. Player agency. Thing. Ha ha ha I'm running away now bye

I'm heading to lunch. I might get another update in later today, not sure - feel free to take your time voting.

I do plan on running another session tomorrow though, similar timing.

Thanks for showin up!

>>2652577
Thems kind words man. Thanks

>>2652801
>[x] You will seek your Star, and stay close.
>[x] (write-in ) take our chain. It is our chain.

We must protect the comfy, comfy Warmth

>>2652815
You make the comfiest quests. See you tomorrow. Enjoy an excellent lunch

>>2652801
>>2652815
>>2652819
>You will seek your Star, and stay close
>Take the chain!
We are now Lil' Chain Zombie! Protector of Warmth and nibbles! Enemy of Dog! Pls no more Bully

>>2652819
supporting

>>2652827
Considering the subject matter, how this ended up comfy is completely beyond me.

>>2652833
>no more Bully
Heh

>>2652801
>Seek Star
>Take chain

>>2652833
>Urge to bully intensifies

>>2652859
But she is a Champion of Warmth! No more Bully, Glove go away!

>>2652965
God I have been reading too much of FM,MDMG quest. I now see everything in the tone of magical girls.

File: 1362722991090.gif (121 KB, 650x475)

121 KB GIF

>>2652965

>>2652815
So what the fuck are we? Some kind of undead little girl or something?

>>2653154
Some form of Special Infected Zombie Loli who fears the Glove and all of its Bullying power. It seems like when we are near a source of "Warmth", so far seeming to mean a living being especially human, we slowly begin to regain our faculties. Whether this is possible for all relatively whole "Lost" is not known since most of them seem to simply rip and tear to gobble as much living flesh as possible for a quick fix.

For some reason we seem to get some level of "Warmth" just by being near a source of it, or it could be that our "Star" is just an exceptionally potent source of it. We were shown eating flesh earlier so we do have teeth to bite with, but we just havent used them to inflict a wound.

I think Warmth may be less of a matter of simple life-force/living tissue and more a combination of life and emotion. None of the lost so far have been able to exhibit any form of emotion. It makes sense why Cecily seems like a "Star" to us, who would be more tense and prone to fits of fear, anger, paranoia, and bouts of stress induced laughter than someone who just saw their entire group die and was moments from being eaten by a giant mutated beast? Now add on top of that the fact he is being followed around by a tiny little zombie that has shown minimal hostility and extremely odd behavior including a seeming reluctance to do more than nibble when she bites. Then add in the fact that said creepy little zombie girl occasionally seems to acquire weapons and carry them with her. Also suddenly other zombies aren't hunting you as much (Because Lil Chain Gang is absorbing all the Warmth you exude into herself so it cant easily be sensed by others) now that this thing is following you. The levels of WTF mixed with all those emotions can spark some high-level evolution in an already strange little zombie.

Wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't somehow cause us to go through zombie puberty.

>inb4 we pubesce into tiny-vampire instead of tiny-zombie

>>2652170
>[ ] Close up whatever doors/entrances you can, maybe nail back some of the wooden boards. You should prepare to stay the night.
We'll need some time to get it into working conditions.

See if the dog lost will eat dog food. Also see if it can fetch.

>>2653634
Oh I am way fucking late

>>2652801
[ ] You will move to the entrance, and see.
[ ] Take something with you.
Chain

>>2652801
[X] You will seek your Star, and stay close.
[X] Nothing

>>2652801
>[ ] You will move to the entrance, and see.
>[ ] Take something with you.
>- [ ] A screwdriver

>>2652163
This remindes me of azumanga dayo, I saw that shit many many years ago

File: Warm.jpg (19 KB, 338x338)

19 KB JPG

Warmth lingers in you.

You look around. Machines, Parts, Tools, Tins and Containers. The Garage is wide, filled with all sorts.

You pick up the Chain from the ground, holding its hook in your right hand, wrapping some of its length around your neck.

Warmth fades in you.

Your Star.

You move through the workshop, seeking Warmth.

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle.

You find your Star in a small Room, curled up against a Wall.

Covered, except its head.

Pad. Pad. Bite.

“No.”

You are repelled.

Your Star blinks, and sighs. You stare.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

“ROFF!! ROFF!!”

Jolt. Jump. Your Star stands.

“... Damnit. Above-ground’s never safe, huh.”

A thick, heavy covering, and the Bat. It moves quickly, back to the wide Room. You follow.

Pad pad pad. Pad pad pad.

File: Strange.png (1.13 MB, 1280x937)

1.13 MB PNG

>>2655449

CRRREEEEEEAAAAK!!

The opening of the Room moans, bends.

The Strange is here, huge, armoured in carapace. Towering, almost scraping the top of the tall, tall Room. Lumps, bones, objects of metal, things that crush, scatter, as it enters.

“ROFF ROFFF ROFF!!

The Dog is in front of the Truck, standing, in the same spot as before.

“Oh- Oh hell.”

You look to your Star. There is Warmth in its Fear.


> Cecily considers fleeing. Has the Lost found something in the Rain?

[ ] Confront, Chain in hand.
[ ] Escape, with Star.
[ ] Partake in Warmth.
[ ] (write in)

> At any point you can Learn something about a target or your surroundings, or Notice something that’s already nearby. But perhaps you should wait for when your mind is Clear.

>>2655456
[x] Confront, Chain in hand.

(My head's only 50% operational, but I'll be writing anyway.

Rets g00!!!)

>>2655456
>[ ] Confront, Chain in hand.

File: Fade.png (180 KB, 1920x1080)

180 KB PNG

”ROFF-ROFF!!”

Warmth lingers in the Dog. There is a Strength in it.

The Strange thuds closer, closer, and the Dog’s barking turns to biting.

Its teeth leave no marks, and move nothing. The Strange, with a deep, rising, rattling growl, flings the Dog aside. Into the dark, thumping on stone.

And out of the dark, the Dog comes again to the front of the Truck. More broken, more mangled. Barking, biting.

You step forward, chain in hand.

Warmth lingers in you.

File: Rain.jpg (43 KB, 474x474)

43 KB JPG

>>2655666

What does the Strange look for in the Rain?

Pad, pad, pad.

“Wha-”

Does it look for Warmth, like you? Does it seek Flesh, and tire of the cold?

“H- Hey-”

You don’t know. You can’t know. It is too Different. Even if you are a little Strange, too.

”ROFF-ROFF!!”

Again, again. Another jump, another rattling growl, another crash. Into the dark, thumping on stone.

What does the Dog look for in the Rain?

Does it cling to Warmth, like you? Does it hold to something that fades, threatening to go out?

You don’t know. You can’t know. It is too Different. Even if you are a little Strange, too.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

The Strange towers over you. You Remember it. Remember its Strength, its Alacrity, its Indomitability. You Remember the Knife, the spilling of its Blood.

A lumbering limb crashes into you, and you are flung away. Thumping on stone.You get up, Chain jingling in your hand.

More broken, more mangled.

What does a little Strange look for in the Rain?

Does it seek something it has lost, unremembered, or something desired, out of reach?

You step forward, towards the Strange. It is moving towards you, this time. Towards your Star.

Its deep, rattling growl turning into a roar, and it lashes out.

File: Lingering.jpg (62 KB, 1078x516)

62 KB JPG

>>2655670

Thump. Crash.

“Gah-!”

A shout, so very close. Filled with Pain. Filled with Warmth.

Your Star is around you. There was impact, there was flying through the air. There was a crash, and the two of you lie among a broken Table and broken Tools.

You are on your Star. You are small, and it holds you.

“This is just... I- We need to run...”

A sharp intake of breath as your Star shifts, moves, but doesn’t stand.

“Fucking- Damnit-”

There is Warmth here.

You lost your Fear in the Rain.

Your Exasperation, your Confusion, your Hesitation, your Surprise, in the Rain.

All that is left to you is your lingering, fading Warmth.


>

[X] Partake in Warmth

>

[ ] You seek Home in the Rain. A place to call yours.
[ ] You seek Memories in the Rain. A different you long forgotten.
[ ] You seek Family in the Rain. A comfort long lost.

>>2655686
>You seek Family in the Rain. A comfort long lost

>>2655686
>[ ] You seek Self in the Rain. Something that is Y̰̩͓͔̎͐ó͎̞̹̘͙̟ͅu͍̇͑ͦ̍̚.

File: Rain.jpg (56 KB, 770x598)

56 KB JPG

You shift around, looking at your Star, pulling yourself up in its grasp. It makes an odd noise, and looks back at you.

The one that held it all is gone. In its place is you.

Another wanderer in the Rain.

Except you have something now. A comfort, long lost, long forgotten. And it stirs something in you, something you do not know.

You draw close to your Star. There is Warmth here.

You find in yourself something that interests you. Something Different from others under the Rain.

An Intent. A Want. A Desire.

A spark of something yours. Something that is You.

You find a trail of blood on its cheek, the wound the red spills from, and trace your tongue along the path.

Savoring the taste of Warmth.

File: Spark.jpg (220 KB, 960x584)

220 KB JPG

>>2655904

It becomes Clear that the Strange turns to you and the Star, seeking to charge.

It becomes Clear that the Star will move, with enough will to overcome its pain.

It becomes Clear that the Dog stands. It is broken, yet fading Warmth swirls and feeds its Strength.

It becomes Clear: the gaps in its carapace, the neck, the eyes, the mouth, and the places where parts join;


>

[ ] the Crane, and the Machine that it is linked to; the Chain that hangs above, and the Hook in your hands ; the Tins and Containers, and which carry the thick scent of Oil
[ ] (write-in)

> You Notice. You Learn. You Plan, in your moment of Clarity.
> The plan given works as a default, if you can’t think of anything. It is not the best plan. You can add ideas to it, or replace it entirely - Changing how effective it is, how much Warmth is lost.

(Running off! Gonna try to update later today! Or something!!!

Thanks for showin up!)

>>2655686
>[ ] You seek Family in the Rain. A comfort long lost.

File: groans loudly in background.gif (800 KB, 400x225)

800 KB GIF

>>2655967
(In consolation, I give you one (1) Koume)

>>2655924
>the Crane, and the Machine that it is linked to; the Chain that hangs above, and the Hook in your hands ; the Tins and Containers, and which carry the thick scent of Oil
Can't really think of any other plan at the moment.
Oh well, hopefully it won't go horribly wrong.

File: Oil.jpg (82 KB, 736x543)

82 KB JPG

> the Crane, and the Machine that it is linked to; the Chain that hangs above, and the Hook in your hands; the Tins and Containers, and which carry the thick scent of Oil

You move, and so does everything else.

You separate from your Star, ignoring its yell, and run.

You unwind the Chain around you, grasping the Hook, throwing it up, up at the Strange. It catches on to its carapace, to a horn-like part arching back from the top of its head.

Warmth flares in you. Burning, burning.

Your run pulls the Chain taut, and you yank.

“Grrrk-rrrrrr-”

You are not fast. You are not strong. But it is enough to draw it to you instead of your Star.

You let go of your Chain, and Remember where it is.

Three Containers, large, rectangular, found beneath a Table. You pick one up with both hands.

You hear the Strange charge. You Remember its Alacrity, and know when to jump.

Crash!

The Strange destroys the Table, the Containers. Thick black liquid drips from its maw, down its torso. You’ve opened your own, and it lies somewhere nearby.

You had fallen from the force of the crash. You get up, the liquid pooling on the ground staining your side.

Not yet. Not yet. Quickly. Quickly.

You find your Chain, the Hook no longer on the Strange, and throw it again. Up, catching the other Chain above, hanging from the Crane.

Warmth flares in you, burning out.

You Pull.

File: Crane.png (1.2 MB, 1000x671)

1.2 MB PNG

>>2657168

The twisted, piercing CRREEAAAK of rusted metal, and- SNAP!

The Chain falls along with its Machine, smashing into the Oil-soaked ground-

You remember it. A forgotten thing, unknown to the cold, empty Rain. Heat, without Warmth.

Fire.

This has not been made Clear to you. But you need some way to make a Spark.

And it does.

”Grrkk--RRRRRRUUAAAARRRKK!!”

The roar hurts, rattling through your head.
Fire fills the Room, surrounding.
Fire crawls up the dark liquid trailing on the Strange.
Fire crawls up your left arm, burning, burning.

Warmth fades. You crumble to your knees, cold, cold.

The Strange, buried in unfamiliar pain, thrashes.
Its huge limbs break stone, smash objects and Machines.

Does its instinct guide it to Fight? Flee? It is close to you, and in both, you know Danger.

But nothing else was made Clear to you. You Stop. You reach your End.

File: Fire.png (717 KB, 800x450)

717 KB PNG

>>2657181

But there are others here.

“ROFF-ROFF-ROFF!!”

The Dog leaps into view, broken, burned, but moving. It reaches the neck of the Strange, and for the first time finds the Blood within.

It roars, roars, roars. The Dog does not let go.

Another, still.

BWAAH BWAAH BWAAH BWAAH BWAH BWWAAAAAHHH

“GODDAMNIT- MY EARS!!!!”

The truck lurches forward - blaring, sputtering - and

CRASH

And the Strange falls.

...

Dark.

Cold,

cold.

Pull

crawl

scrape

reach-

>

[ ] Partake in Warmth | Comfort, Self - You
[ ] Partake in Strange | Change, Grow - Different

>>2657195
>[ ] Partake in Strange | Change, Grow - Different

>>2657195
>[ ] Partake in Strange | Change, Grow - Different
I want to see where this goes.

>>2657195
[ ] Partake in Strange | Change, Grow - Different

>>2657195
>[ ] Partake in Strange | Change, Grow - Different

(I'll continue with an update tomorrow

I intended to write some more today

but then I went to dinner

and dinner contained cake

I am now ninety percent cake

I will now proceed to coma

Pray for my soul)

>>2657195
>[ ] Partake in Strange | Change, Grow - Different

>>2657186
Partake in warmth for the (you) but I fear we would hurt the star

>>2657584
Yeah I'm afraid that would mean we eat our boy. Done want to do that. Nibble is ok tho.

>>2657195
>[x] Partake in Warmth | Comfort, Self - You

Be a happy little girl, almost

>>2657195
[x] Partake in Warmth | Comfort, Self - You

>>2657195
>[ ] Partake in Strange | Change, Grow - Different

>>2657195
>[X] Partake in Warmth | Comfort, Self - You
I mean, we picked the closest thing possible to a magic option.

dark souls pyromancy when
spider lower body when

>>2657195
>partake in the warmth of self

>>2657195
>Partake in Strange| Change, Grow- Different
But only if this option keeps us as human looking, growing into a more grown-up version of ourself with more strength and thinking wouldn't be too bad.

If it does make us too Strange and keeps us from adorably following Cecily then
>Partake in Warmth | Comfort, Self- You
But this one only if it doesn't hurt our Star. Nibbles okay, no bites.

Whichever option lets us defend our Star and be a better Champion of Warmth and Thwarter of Glove!

>>2657195
>[ ] Partake in Warmth | Comfort, Self - You

>>2658597
Basicly this

>>2658597
This

>>2658969
>>2658997
We shall defeat the Glove! We shall defeat the bully!

>We might become the Bully

>"Ufufufufu I am going to FEED on you Cecily!"
>Cecily tries with all their effort to fight us off
>We just gently nibble on their elbow
>Afterwards we curl up on their chest contented
>Cecily strokes our head with a look of utter confusion and concern on their face

File: HYPE.gif (2.48 MB, 600x338)

2.48 MB GIF

>>2659147
>defeat glove
>take glove
>become the Hand
>super smash brothers melee quest

>>2659327
>Become the almighty Omni-Bully
>"Oh.. my little Star settlement! You want food!"
>Gloating tiny zombie laughter
>"Then you shall have PEACHES and CLOWNBURGERS!"
>I hope they like it, it is literally the only Star food that I know...

File: Quiet.jpg (66 KB, 1600x1000)

66 KB JPG

...

...

The quiet splash of water.

You squeeze the sponge over the low metal tub, then pick up one of its arms and gently wipe it down. Dirt, grime, blood and oil flows off, and the water darkens. You lift its- her, other arm and do the same. She doesn’t respond, eyes closed, limp.

Was she always this small? And this cold?

The night, or early morning, is still. No shuffling, no groans, no pitter-pattering, and certainly no thumping.

Just the quiet splash of water.

The towel is still very wet. You’ll have to get another from the mall. You dry her off the best you can, and pull that shirt over her head again.

That too is damaged, burnt, and covered in all sorts. Another for the scavenging list.

You pick her up in your arms and get up, moving through the workshop. Not nearly so much as her, but you’re exhausted enough to want to pass out for a while.

You enter what looks like a storage room and find the red blanket you left. Wrapping the little one in it you lay her on the ground, then sit yourself in the corner and close your eyes, leaning against the wall.

...

A muffled crunch. The Lost dog must still be... eating.

That image floats up in your mind. When you ran back to the garage with that tub to douse the flames. When you found her in the middle of it all, collapsed, battered, and broken. Almost on top of the fallen Abomination, with trails of black running down her mouth.

Somehow, you know you will see it again. The little Lost, following along with padding steps, reaching and biting at every chance.

But right now - She is so very still.

File: Mortal Enemy.jpg (71 KB, 600x600)

71 KB JPG

>>2659853

...

...

The impact, the fire, and the overall turning-on-a-faulty-engine-and-making-it-drive thing has clearly damaged the truck, and combined with your general lack of experience of non-train vehicles the repair job has become a fair bit harder.

Still, after a few days worth of effort and combing the mechanic’s workshop for parts, you’ve managed to make a huge achievement.

Krrrrrr-Sputter-sputter-CRACK!-spuck-

Slowly, slowly you open your eyes and remove your hands from your ears.

The gods-forsaken horn sound isn’t playing.

It isn’t playing.

You’ve won.

“Hell. Yes!”

That is the greatest fist-pump of your entire life. So fervent is your delight that the dog actually glances at you, its milky white eyes watching for one full second before returning to its eternal duty of gazing into nothingness.

Everyone’s a critic. You wipe the sweat, more from trepidation and anxiety than any actual exertion, off your forehead and sigh. Guess you should fix the engine too.

File: Blanket.jpg (19 KB, 350x350)

19 KB JPG

>>2659859

“Nnn...”

The sound was so, so quiet. You turn to the entrance of the garage, and see a familiar little form.

She’s dragging along the red blanket you had wrapped around her, looking around with half-opened eyes. She finds you after a moment and approaches on unsteady feet, hands reaching out. Then she stumbles.

“Woah- Hey...”

You take a quick two steps forward and catch her, having to half crouch, half kneel to match her stature.

“Nnnnn...”

She’s incredibly light, and you don’t feel any strength in her. She draws closer, letting go of your arm, placing her little hands on your shoulders.

You thought you were going to say something, but your mind is blank. Should you be talking to her, a Lost, at all? Can she even understand you in the first place? And what happened to all her wounds, all the burns, scratches, and broken bones?

And wasn’t her skin more of a pale blue pallor, not this near-unearthly white?

”Hywah!”

You yelp and shiver at a cold, wet, ticklish feeling on your neck. She’s nibbling at your collarbone.

... We’re going through something very important right now. Please stop trying to eat me.


>

[ ] She’s a Lost. You really should be more cautious.
[ ] She’s really not done any harm.
[ ] You might actually be a bit attached.

File: this is pretty unrelated.png (451 KB, 720x600)

451 KB PNG

(Next update some time tomorrow! Don't know when! Scheduling is hard!

Them's fun comments. Actually feels sorta lively in here.)

>>2659862
>[x] She’s a Lost. You really should be more cautious.

>>2659862
>[ ] You might actually be a bit attached.

File: doggggg.jpg (10 KB, 270x186)

10 KB JPG

Bonus choice:

> Hunter's loyalty
[ ] Garage. Vigil for a memory long gone.
[ ] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.

>>2659870
>[ ] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.

>>2659870
[x] Garage. Vigil for a memory long gone.

>>2659862
>[ ] She’s a Lost. You really should be more cautious.
>[ ] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.

>>2659862
>You might actually be a little attached and alittle bit of
>she hasn't done you any harm and even helped you

>>2659870
>Truck

>>2659862
> [X] You might actually be a bit attached.
>>2659870
> [X] Garage. Vigil for a memory long gone.

>>2659862
>[ ] You might actually be a bit attached.
>>2659870
[ ] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.

>>2659870
[ ] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.

>>2659862
>[x] She’s a Lost. You really should be more cautious.

She may be a cute little yuri loli zombie, but she's still a zombie.

>>2659870
>Hunter's loyalty
>[x] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.

Soon, dog will remember the joy that is hanging his head out a car window.

>>2659862
>[ ] You might actually be a bit attached.
>>2659870
>[ ] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.

>>2659862
>[ ] She’s really not done any harm.
When danger is all around you, you need to accept what little comfort you can in life
>>2659870
>[ ] Truck. Another's dream, precious, come to life.
On the road again~