>>3771725

>Updates: https://twitter.com/MolochQM
>Previous threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=NERV%20Second%20Daughter

Avalon City
July, 2021

Elrow's last words echo through your head, even as the hustle and bustle of the summer festival swirls around you. You've listened to them so many times now that you don't need the little recorder to bring them to mind. Every time you've listened to them, you've been expecting something... more. Something new to appear, some new addition that will magically solve all of your problems.

But that would be too easy, of course. Elrow's dead, and he left the rest of you to pick up the pieces. It's hard not to feel a little bit bitter.

So you came here, to the summer festival, to try and lift your spirits. So far, it's not doing a very good job of it. It all feels so... phony, manufactured amusement to placate the city's population. Public morale is important and all, but you're really not feeling it today. Still, you've got the day off from both school and work, so there's a vague obligation to try and have some fun. The others are taking this chance too. From what you've seen, roaming through the city park, you're not the only one putting in a token effort. Kaori is playing at tour guide in the city shrine, and Karina is likely to be watching the show. Considering her tastes, it would take a full scale Lilim invasion to keep the sickly girl away.

The others are somewhat less enthusiastic. The last time you saw Claudia, for example, she had draped herself across the dorm room sofa and steadfastly refused to play along. She wouldn't even dignify the festival by acknowledging that it exists.

At the other end of the scale, Clay seems hyped to be here. You saw him earlier, with the rest of the prodigal baseball club, preparing to put on their show. It looks like most of them came crawling back, and now he's got more spare hands than he knows what to do with. That gives you a bit of latitude, a bit of freedom to go and do whatever you please, but...

“Admit it. You wanted him to be alone, so he would be relying on you,” a voice stabs out from the bustling crowd, “You wanted him to NEED you.”

And then there's this asshole. Never a dull moment with him... them... it, whatever, around.

[2/3]

>>3771726

All cynicism aside, you're here for the same reason that everyone else is – you're looking for a distraction. Maybe you could find Monroe, see how she's enjoying the festival. You're sure that you saw the commander wandering about as well, but you lost her in the ebb and flow of the crowd. If she saw you too, she gave no indication. Maybe, you think to yourself with a grin, she didn't want to be distracted. Maybe she was on a date – certainly, you've seen plenty of couples here, enough to make you feel self-conscious of your lonely state.

But you're never really alone, are you?

>Keep roaming until you find Commander Monroe
>Head to the shrine to see Kaori's tour
>Go back to the dorm to see who else stayed behind
>Meet up with the baseball team. They might still need help
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3771729
>Meet up with the baseball team. They might still need help
Being normal for a few hours might help our state.

>>3771729
>Meet up with the baseball team. They might still need help
Clay is nice to talk to, I'm sure Holly could use a moment or two of normalcy.

>>3771729
>Meet up with the baseball team. They might still need help
We said that we would be there if he needed us.

If we ever get around to dealing with Mathson we should ask about her plan to deal with Amon.

>But you're never really alone, are you?
Nobody's ever really gone.
>>3771729
>Meet up with the baseball team. They might still need help
Help running their train.

>>3771729
>But you're never really alone, are you?
damn straight

>Head to the shrine to see Kaori's tour
gotta see some detached sleeve action

>>3771729
>Head to the shrine to see Kaori's tour
The armpits are calling out to me.

Maybe it's just the way Asshole Voice keeps nagging at you, but the thought of spending some time with the baseball team is feeling more and more appropriate. It'll be nice to be normal for a day, to forget about everything else... as much as you're allowed, at least. Nodding to yourself, you turn back and trace your path back to school. Their display is being set up there, along with a few other stands involving your school. Once again, you're left wondering at the expense involved here. With festival amusements spread just about across the entire city, it can't have come cheap.

Bread and circuses, sure, but very expensive bread and circuses. Compared with NERV's running costs, though...

Well, it's only money, isn't it?

-

Muffled music booms out from the school hall, spillage from whatever disco/dancehall bullshit they're running in there. Not your kind of thing, whatever it is. Skirting around the outside of the building, you arrive at the baseball court just as a raucous cheer rises up – someone must have hit a particularly impressive shot. Or maybe they missed? With the spirited mood that permeates the air, people are likely to cheer for anything and everything.

You've got to admit, they did good work here. Opposite the batting cage, a set of tiered seats have been hastily erected and most of them are happily filled. The sheet metal targets have been painted with gaudy bullseyes and – in one case – a sloppy depiction of a Lilim, while many of them boast dents and craters. The announcer – one of the older students that you don't recognise – is just calling for a break as you arrive, directing the audience to the restrooms and snack stalls. Pushing through the sea of bodies, you catch sight of Clay and the others. His eyes meet yours, and you hurry over.

“Hey dude, you made it!” Clay calls out, “Good timing, we're just taking a break now. Man, this weather is nice and all, but I probably smell so gross right now...” Saying this, he plucks at the sweat-drenched shirt clinging to his body.

As polite as ever, you just shrug demurely. Glancing briefly around, Clay leads you a few paces away and pretends to busy himself with finding you a protective helmet. These have been painted too, decorated with all manner of flashy designs – flashy, but not masterfully executed. “I'm still amazed that so many of the guys showed up,” he admits, his voice low, “I keep expecting them to drop bats and march off halfway through. I guess I don't have very much faith in them. Terrible, huh?”

“Well...” you mutter awkwardly, before shrugging and picking out one of the helmets. This one is painted with a big floppy sunflower. “Suits me, don't you think?” you joke, putting it on, “Really brings out my cute side!”

“Yeah, it...” Clay begins, only to cut that thought off before it can go too far.

[1/2]

>>3771770

You pause. He pauses. The whole world seems to pause for a moment. Then, a voice calls out from beyond. “Hey nerds, stop flirting and help us gather these balls!” one of the other players yells, “We're back on in ten!”

Hurriedly tossing the helmet back onto the pile, you stoop low and grab one of the stray baseballs. Clay does the same, gathering up as many as he can without straying too far away. “It's been going pretty good though,” he remarks, voice deliberately casual, “Since we had more people than expected, we've been working on this new trick. Bit last minute, but it's worked out in training... the one time we've tried it. I'm calling it “the firing squad”. Is that a bit... much?”

“Nah,” you reply, “So long as you're not shooting to kill.”

Clay laughs at this. “No, it's like getting a line of people set up and the batter doesn't know which one is gonna throw the ball. Adds a little element of surprise to it, y'know? So you've got to guess where the ball is coming from as well as aim it properly. Pretty hardcore stuff. We're saving it for the last show of the day. Were you gonna be sticking around for that?”

“Gee, I dunno. I've got this buddy helping out with the culture club show, and I don't want to miss my chance to see her in action...” you muse, drawing out your decision, “When is your last show, anyway?”

“Evening,” the young man replies with a nonchalant glance up at the sky, “Before sundown.”

Plenty of time.

-

Choosing a helmet painted with what you think is a Chinese dragon – or maybe it's a really pissed off worm – you take one of the bats and give it an experimental swing. It feels pretty good, and the helmet... it's foolish to admit it, but it feels like Huang is wishing you luck. This is probably the closest she's going to get to visiting the summer festival, after all. Clay watches your swing, then nods in apparent approval.

“So?” he prompts, “How do you feel?”

“A little rusty,” you admit, “Kinda wishing for a few extra hours of practice, but unless you've got a time machine hidden away around here...”

“You'll be fine. More than fine, I bet,” Clay assures you, “You know, if you hadn't showed up to that early training session, I probably would have trashed this whole thing. What I mean is, uh... thank you. You've got a lot to be proud of.”

“Unless I absolutely fuck this up,” you point out, taking another experimental swing of the bat.

“Yeah, unless you absolutely fuck this up,” he agrees, “Not too late to pull out if you don't want to take a turn on the bat. No shame in it.”

>No way, I'm not backing down now!
>Maybe I'd better sit this one out, yeah
>Other

>>3771799
>No way, I'm not backing down now!

>>3771799
>No way, I'm not backing down now!

I guess it's time to get those dice ready.

>>3771799
>No way, I'm not backing down now!

>>3771799
>>No way, I'm not backing down now!

>>3771799
>"You can pry this bat from my cold dead hands."

“Oh, there is no way that I'm backing down now!” you promise, giving Clay a cocky grin, “You can pry this bat from my cold dead hands!”

“Well, uh, I wouldn't go that far,” he replies with a hesitant laugh, “So I guess I don't need to explain this to you by now, but you just need to hit the ball at a target. Easy enough, yeah? I'll give you a slow one to start with, just so you can get your eye in. We've been at this all morning, but you're coming into this...”

“Fresh and full of energy, not sweaty like you,” you counter, shaking your head, “I'm not going to let you down!”

-

With the baseball bat resting lightly over one shoulder, you stride into the centre of the batting cage and cast your eyes around the targets. The crowd is just filing back now, and... that's a lot of people. It didn't look like nearly so many people from the other side of the fence. Sweat gathers in your palms, and you silently thank whoever wrapped the bat's handle in fresh grip tape. Tapping the dragon design on your helmet for luck, you get in place and nod for Clay to take his first shot. Outside the cage, a student in a sparkling, sequinned jacket is whipping the crowd up into a frenzy. Shutting out their prattle, you focus on the ball.

Clay takes his first shot slowly, just as he promised, and you make the hit easily. Metal crashes like a gong as the ball hits home, and the crowd cheers. Triumphantly pumping your fist, you get back in position as Clay pulls back for the next shot. This time, he doesn't hold back. You make the hit, but it's sloppy and although your shot hits the mark, that's more because of luck than precise aim. Cursing yourself for your complacency, you focus on the next shot.

Then, just as Clay is preparing to hit you with his best shot yet, you see a devilishly familiar face in the crowd. Watching with a guileless smile, eating popcorn from a paper pail, Adrian sits in the crowd. Was he there before? No, you immediately decide, you would have seen him before now. He's here now, right there in the crowd, and just feeling his eyes crawling across you is enough to turn your stomach.

Time slows to a crawl. You watch with immaculate detail as Clay draws his arm back, and all the while all you want to do is drop to your knees and scream. It's not just HIS eyes either – it's every single pair of eyes in the crowd, all watching and secretly waiting for your failure. Even if they might never admit it to themselves, that's what they're here for – they want to see someone fail, someone screw up, someone get hurt. It's all a game to them.

The normal flow of time snaps back, and Clay throws the ball.

>Calling for a dice roll here. This will be 1D100 plus our ranged bonus of 10, and we're aiming to beat a target of 65. I'll take the first three results for this!

>>3771799
>No way, I'm not backing down now!
time for Holly to curve the ball and hit 3 targets at the same time while cartwheeling into a batstand

yeah. totally.

Rolled 6 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>3771871

Rolled 99 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3771871

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>3771871

Rolled 27 + 0 (1d100 + 0)

>>3771871
>effective 55 dc.


hooooo boy.


>>3771874
>>3771876
can these two not count doe to misrolls? either way, oof.

Rolled 78 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3771877
ffs bad rol on my part now

>>3771871

Rolled 34 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3771871

>>3771877
yeah wow, I blanked hard there.

>Just to confirm, I'll not be including the misrolls for this. So, that looks like 2/3 successes to me - writing now!

>>3771887
Very generous. Thank you

>Success!

You've got just enough time to whimper, and just enough time to feel glad that nobody can hear you, before the ball leaves Clay's hand. Even as you force yourself to focus on the baseball, you feel Adrian's eyes boring into you. It's like feeling someone breathing down the back of your neck, feeling an unwelcome hand on your shoulder, feeling-

Feeling the rough grip tape digging into your palms as you swing the bat, a hollow crack ringing out as the solid wood connects and you slap the ball away. You feel, rather than hear, the dull throb of struck metal as your wild shot finds the mark. It echoes through you, and you feel a bubble of desperate laughter welling up within your breast. Staggering, you lower the bat and brace yourself against it as Clay drops his last ball and hurries over to check on you.

“Just the heat!” he shouts, glancing back to the crowd, “No need to worry, folks!” Turning back to you, he gives you a worried look. “IS it just the heat?” he whispers, “Or...”

“I'm fine,” you rasp, shaking off his hand as he moves to steady you, “Guess I got a little too excited there. I thought...”

Straightening up, you take a measured step away from Clay and raise the bat triumphantly high. The crowd erupts in a sudden cheer, a wave of applause washing over you. Grinning despite everything else, you allow your gaze to pan across the crowd. Adrian is nowhere to be seen, if he was ever “here” in the first place. All you see are cheering faces, cheering because of you.

>Ego increased by 5
>Current Ego: 61/80

-

“Tough, isn't it?” Clay murmurs, “Doesn't matter how good you are, when you get up in front of a crowd like that... it's totally different, huh?”

“Yeah,” you agree, “It's a whole other ballgame.”

Laughing again, Clay punches you lightly on the arm. “That was bad, sister. I mean really bad,” he scolds, “Good thing we didn't put you in charge of the entertainment, huh? Too many lame puns, and we might have ended up with a riot on our hands.”

“A laugh riot, maybe,” you counter. Even though your tone is boastful, your hands tremble a little as you try to undo your helmet's buckle. Clay leans over to unclip it for you, doing the deed with quick and efficient movements. Nodding your thanks, you strip the helmet off and set it aside. Even as you put it aside, you feel his eyes on you. Somehow, it's different to how Adrian's eyes felt. “I AM fine, you know,” you add, looking around, “I just had a... wobble.”

The young man nods, shrugging a little as he does so. “Sure, I get that. This shitty heat, the crowd, not to mention the pressure I was piling on you...”

“It's not your fault,” you hastily tell him, “It's... hey, look, why don't we take a break from this crap? We can go check out that culture club-”

“Sorry,” Clay apologises, flashing you a rueful smile, “But a captain can't abandon his ship, can he?”

[1/2]

>>3771933
I wonder if Amon is making us see Adrian to fuck with us or Amon *is* Adrian and also decided to fuck with us/

>>3771933
I think Amon has to be Adrian. Otherwise he'd use someone worse to bother us.

>>3771991
There is also that one time Karina and him met and she hissed at him/was completely repulsed. With her being a legit Child of Adam it does make sense she'd naturally hate him if he was a Lilim.

>>3771933
What was Adrian wearing at the moment Holly saw him? Specifically, I'm interested in whether he sports a cap on this awfully hot day.

>>3771933

“And so Izanagi said that if she would kill 1000 people every day, he would give life to 1500 more!” Kaori calls out, the clarity of her voice ringing out through the shrine, “With that, he left her in Yomi, in the land of the dead, where she resides to this very day.” She falls silent here, her last word seeming to hang in the air for a moment. The crowd remains silent, waiting with a restrained restlessness. “Ahem,” Kaori adds, her nervousness showing itself as she clears her throat, “Thank you.”

A sudden burst of enthusiastic applause starts with Karina, the frail girl sitting upright in her wheelchair and clapping furiously. Following her example, the rest of the crowd joins in with polite applause. Kaori bows, mostly just to hide her wince of pain. The crowd slowly disperses, with a few tourists lingering for a moment more to snap a few last pictures of the shrine before leaving too. When the last of them has gone, Kaori finally straightens up and lets out a long groan.

“What a mess!” she complains, “I'm sure I got a few of those names wrong too. I hate public speaking...”

“You did fine,” you lie, glancing back to the others. Vic pushes Karina's wheelchair closer, while Cam follows at a stiff limp. She leans heavily on a cane of her own, and you feel a guilty smile nagging at your lips. No wonder the wounded woman needed to draft in a little extra help. She looks like she should be in a wheelchair herself. “Good to see you, Cam,” you add, nodding to her, “Now sit down before you fall down.”

“I hate being injured,” Cam sighs, easing herself down onto a low bench, “I really shouldn't be up and about so soon, but I didn't want to miss this.”

“Ever since I heard about this show, I couldn't keep bothering poor old Cam about it!” Karina agrees with a nervous laugh, “We were both so looking forwards to it, and when I thought she might not make it... oh, I was so happy when we arrived here and she was waiting for us!” Clapping again, Karina twists around to gesture at Vic. “And Victor here was so helpful, bringing me here,” the girl continues, “I hope I didn't put you out too much...”

“It's no trouble. Actually, I wanted to see this too. It was very...” Vic pauses, “Very educational.”

Kaori just groans again, burying her face in her hands. “Back when I was in school, I needed to do a short talk about a book,” Cam announces suddenly, breaking the awkward silence, “I chose 1984. Only, when the time came to give the presentation, I was so nervous that I kept calling it “1948” instead. I couldn't understand why people kept giggling.”

“That's...” Kaori looks up, her brow furrowing with confusion, “Why are you telling me this, exactly?”

Cam just shrugs.

>Anyway, you did fine Kaori. And you looked great!
>We all have bad days, okay? Just gotta deal with it and move on
>I should have been here sooner. I'm sorry, Kaori
>I think... (Write in)
>Other

>>3772045
>Anyway, you did fine Kaori. And you looked great!

File: AdrianH.png (358 KB, 900x700)

358 KB PNG

>>3772021
>He was wearing his normal kind of outfit. No hat, of course - that would ruin his hair!

>>3772045
>>Anyway, you did fine Kaori. And you looked great!

>>3772045
>We all have bad days, okay? Just gotta deal with it and move on.

>>3772045
>>Anyway, you did fine Kaori. And you looked great!
"Public anything can turn your world upside down. I almost made a fool of myself at the baseball club's thing cause of the crowd."

>>3772045
>I should have been here sooner. I'm sorry, Kaori

>>3772052
oh no he's hot

>>3772077
Supporting this.

>>3772052
Thanks. I wonder whether he'll still be around.

Cam's odd confession hangs in the air for a moment more. You try to picture it in your head. Little Cam standing up in front of a looming crowd, talking about the classic novel “1948” and barely making herself heard over the howls of laughter. Shaking off the bizarre image, you slap Kaori lightly on the arm. “Hey, you did fine,” you assure her, “And you looked great!”

Looking down at her outfit, as if it was her first time seeing it, Kaori frowns again. “I... suppose this isn't as bad as I was expecting,” she concedes, “But I'm not sure if I'd go that far. It's a little-”

“I would!” Karina blurts out, leaning eagerly forwards, “It looks so cute on you!”

Flushing red, Kaori fumbles for something to say. Looking between you and Karina, she finally looks back to Cam and stumbles back onto safer ground. “1948?” she asks the wounded woman, “Really?”

“I think she was trying to say that everyone has bad days, especially when it comes to public speaking,” you suggest, “There's no point beating yourself up about it. You just need to move forwards. Learn from the experience and... you've probably heard all this crap from a bunch of different people before, huh?” Kaori nods, and you let out a low sigh. “Well, like I said, everyone has bad days. I almost made a fool out of myself over with the baseball club. Came this close to catching a baseball with my face, in front of the biggest crowd this side of...” you shudder at the thought, “Man, that really would have made my day. I should just just skipped on that shit. I should have been here instead. I'm sorry.”

“Don't be,” Kaori insists, smoothing down her long skirt as she rises, “I'm going to make some tea. Holly, could you help me? I'll need an extra pair of hands for this, I think.”

It's a difficult job, making tea.

-

The kettle whistles softly as it boils on the stove, but Kaori doesn't seem to notice. “I know exactly why I'm off my game today,” she muses, “It's that silly story they wanted me to read. Izanagi and Izanami. Killing 1000 people and giving life to 1500 more. It's just... it's one thing when the gods create new life on a whim, but when men do it? I don't know, it's almost as if... there are times, Holly, when I don't recognise this world.”

“One day you're a normal schoolgirl, and the next...” you shrug, “The next day, you're flashing your armpits in a shrine maiden costume.”

“Do you HAVE to keep mentioning my...” Kaori begins, scowling at you before shaking her head, “Fine. Fine. What was that you were saying about the baseball club?”

“I was supposed to be doing some trick shots in front of a crowd, but I got this... I guess I panicked a little,” you reply with a pained laugh, “I saw someone in the crowd, and just for a moment I was sure that it was Adrian. I must have been-”

With a harsh crack, a bowl slips through Kaori's fingers and shatters on the shrine floor.

[1/2]

>>3772155
Oh don't tell me Amondrian has been fucking with everyone else too.

And here I thought we were special.

>>3772155

Kaori looks around in alarm. “Adrian?” she repeats, barely noticing the bowl lying shattered at her feet, “But... he was here. I saw him, skulking right in the back!” She takes a step forwards, only to flinch as delicate porcelain crunches under the sole of her shoe. Crouching down, she begins to pick up the pieces with slow, mechanical efficiency. “He was here. Leaning against the doorway and watching me. Even when I tried to ignore him, I could feel him looking at me. Then, when we moved through to the next part, he was gone. I thought he just... slipped out while we were walking,” she murmurs, “But he WAS here.”

Biting your lip, you try to compare the times and the distance between your school and the shrine. It's not... impossible that he could have found the time to harass both of you, but it would be a tight job – for a human being, at least. It's absurd, but you feel a coarse flash of irritation at the thought of him going after Kaori. It's not enough that he's tormenting you, he's got to go after your friends too?

And you really thought you had something special together. Turns out, you're just one more girl he's trying to destroy.

-

Crouching down beside Kaori, you help her gather up the last of the broken porcelain. You work in silence, neither of you wanting to talk about it. The only sounds that fill the cramped kitchen are the quiet clink of porcelain and the simmer of water fading from the boil. Despite every reason to think otherwise, you feel a strange calm settle over you as you work alongside Kaori. This is... nice. Glancing briefly up, you realise that she's gazing at you, that she's been gazing at you for a few moments now. Your eyes meet, linger, both of you waiting for... what, exactly?

“Is there something wrong?” Vic calls out, his voice low and fretful, “I thought I heard something break, but... ah, I'm not... interrupting anything, am I?”

You pull back, turning to see the young man standing in the doorway. He looks exactly as worried as he sounds, lingering in place as if the kitchen had the power to repel him. Then again, it's cramped enough with two people in it. That alone is a good reason for him to hang back. “I dropped a bowl,” Kaori answers smoothly, reminding you that you're still speechless, “I think I've got all the pieces now, but Holly was helping me look.”

“I mean, we can't just leave a mess behind in a shrine of all places,” you agree, “That's just disrespectful.”

“No, you're quite right,” Vic replies, looking down at his feet, “I don't see anything else, so I think we're all in the clear now. We shouldn't need to worry about any divine retribution. Not for today, at least.”

“Take things one day at a time,” Kaori concludes, nodding wisely to herself.

[2/3]

>>3772243

What kind of impression does Holly give that whenever we're alone with literally anyone and someone else walks in they ask if they're interrupting? Vic should know better at least, he was the most recent victim too when Monroe interrupted our flirty computer time.

>>3772243

With tea as a distant memory, you return to the front of the shrine to rejoin Cam and Karina. Cam looks sharply around, her eyes betraying a scrutiny that borders on the paranoia, but Karina barely seems to have noticed your absence. Her attention is fixed, of course, on the shrine itself. As Vic dutifully takes his place at her wheelchair, she immediately launches into a long conversation – although conversations usually involve both parties getting the chance to talk – about the same story that Vic heard. Without even a flicker of impatience, Vic lets himself get swept along.

“Well, I'm done for the day,” Kaori states, checking her rather incongruous watch, “So if you're heading back home, I'll join you.”

“I've got a car waiting – and no, I'm not the one driving. I'm in no state to... anyway,” Cam sighs, nodding towards the exit, “I've got us a ride back home. I took a look at the schedule before coming out. The festival is set to run for a few more days, but today was the main show. Things should slow down a little from tomorrow, thank God.”

“Aww...” Karina moans, “Don't you like the festival?”

“I like it when things are nice and normal,” the soldier answers smoothly, “No matter how good this festival might be, it's still a disruption. In our line of work, we can hardly afford any of those, can we?”

Some people might leap at the chance to take some extra time off work.

Not Cam, apparently.

>So I think I'm going to pause things here for today. I'll be aiming to continue this tomorrow, however
>Thank you for your contributions today!

>>3772296
Thanks for the run.

>>3772296
Thanks for the run. Don't you feel overwhelmed writing all these characters? There's quite a lot of them.

>>3772296
Thanks for running.

I wonder who will Holly end up with, if anyone at all.

>>3772296
Thanks for running!

Did Karina also see Adrian today? We should ask.

How many names did Kaori mess up in her speech?

>>3772296
Thanks for running.

>>3772331
Through a myriad of twists and turns it'll be Adam himself making Karina Holly's daughter in law!

>>3772315
It can be a little overwhelming if there's a scene with lots of characters in it, but I generally try to split scenes up to focus on smaller groups of characters. As for keeping track of them all, I keep some draft notes about various motivations or personality quirks, so I have a quick reference to jog my memory if need be. As a system, it seems to work for me

>>3772331
Selfcest ending best ending, just create as many clones as you need!

>>3772332
I like to imagine that she kept getting Izanagi and Izanami switched around
Because I do the exact same thing if I'm not careful

>>3772386
>Selfcest ending best ending, just create as many clones as you need!
Moloch no, I don't need more dice-mandated lesbians in my life!

File: DianeM.png (227 KB, 900x700)

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You've found yourself here again, roaming through the city park in search of distraction and amusement. Dakota, you realise, would hate it even more than normal here. Bad enough when the trees and plants were all neatly groomed, but now they've been decorated like... well, like Christmas trees, just more summery. At this point, can you even call it nature? Maybe, or maybe not, or maybe the whole damn thing doesn't matter one little bit.

It's hard to worry about the little things like that when you've got Amon/Adrian stalking your every move. At this point, there's little doubt left in your mind – if this Lilim really can disguise itself in human form, Adrian fucking Huxley is almost certainly the form he's chosen. That should feel like a revelation, but it just raises further questions. Was there ever a real Adrian Huxley, or was the entire identity created from nothing? Has Amon ever chosen a different form? And, most importantly of all, how is Matheson controlling her pet devil?

Maybe she isn't. All Amon needs to do is act meek and play along, let Matheson believe in his obedience. She seems arrogant enough to fall for an act like that. Is that something you can USE against her?

“Holly!” Commander Monroe calls out, her voice causing you to snap out of your thoughts. You turn to see the commander sitting at a park bench and waving you over. She looks cheerful and unburdened, a woman instead of a military officer. Crossing over, you sit down opposite Monroe and lean against the table as you continue to study her. Dressed lightly with a can of cold beer in one hand and a wide cowboy hat casting shade down over her face, she's certainly making the most of her time away from the office. With a kind of creeping dread, you realise that she's wearing that cowboy hat without a hint of irony.

“It's nice to sit for a bit, isn't it?” she continues, gesturing towards the crowds passing nearby, “Just sit and think about the important things in life.”

“Right,” you agree, “And what are those?”

“Fletcher in the shower,” Monroe replies, “Oh, don't give me that look, I'm kidding. I was thinking about something a lot less fun. Logistics.”

“Logistics,” you repeat. That... does sound less fun. Less fun than almost anything you can imagine short of actual physical harm.

“I was trying to work out exactly what we would need in order to become self-sufficient,” she whispers, lowering her voice as she leans forwards, “What kind of outside funding we could secure, what resources we'd be able to produce ourselves, where we'd be able to hide from head office if we needed to. Honestly? It's a pretty bleak picture. Without their support, we might as well be mercenaries fighting in dirty wars just to earn our supper. For all their sins, head office is paying to keep the food on our table.”

And, more importantly, they keep the ADM Biomass flowing.

[1/2]

>>3773870

“I don't want to say too much yet, but we're working on a few little ideas. Alternative solutions, you could say. Don't let anyone tell you that I'm not willing to put in the work!” Monroe stresses, “We still have a few friends in high places, you know. Don't ever think that we're on our own.” Breaking off the motivational speech here, Monroe takes a long sip of beer and adjusts her hat slightly. You wait in silence as well, content to watch the world go by. Today certainly seems calmer than yesterday, with the low grade hysteria of the festival giving way to a slower tempo. “I asked Ingrid and Fletcher to meet me here, actually. They should be arriving soon,” she adds, “You don't mind, do you?”

“No, not really,” you reply, noticing an approaching figure, “Looks like Fletcher is here already, and he's looking pretty smooth today.”

He definitely is. In a smart suit of cream-coloured linen and dark aviator glasses, with his greying hair neatly buzzed back, Fletcher just about manages to look like something other than a mercenary.

“Well, here he is,” Monroe chuckles as he approaches, “NERV's most eligible bachelor!”

“I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not,” Fletcher replies, “Why do you assume I'm a bachelor?”

“Woman's intuition,” she remarks, flashing you a quick smile, “Well, anyway. Is Ingrid not with you?”

Sitting down, Fletcher takes off his sunglasses and folds them neatly into his pocket. “She's back at the lab, working overtime on Dakota's simulated training. Assuming there are no last minute hurdles, the program should be complete by this evening. I think head office is leaning on her, trying to get Dakota ready for field work as soon as possible,” he explains, his voice low and precise, “Although it's not like her to cooperate so easily, so... either way, she won't be coming today.”

“Is that going to be a problem?” you ask, glancing aside to Monroe, “Was this meeting... serious?”

“No, actually. Quite the opposite. We were supposed to be getting away from work, even if it's just for a few hours. That's important too, you know? We won't be in this mess forever,” Monroe promises, gesturing with her can of beer, “When all this is over, we're going back to real life. Have you thought about what you might do with yourself? From what I hear, you've been doing a really good job with Dakota. You could be leadership material!”

“Follow in your footsteps, you mean?” you ask. Immediately, you wince at how harsh that must have sounded. Not your intention, but... at least Monroe doesn't seem bothered by the comment.

>Leadership material... yeah, that might be an idea
>I think I'm more likely to follow Fletcher's example
>Maybe I should focus on my studies, be a scientist like Bergmann
>I don't know, maybe... (Write in)
>Other

>>3773871
>Leadership material... yeah, that might be an idea

I mean we are practically a NCO already to a squad of pilots. Keeping up with everyone, making sure they are alright, etc.

>>3773871
>Leadership material... yeah, that might be an idea
In all honesty, NERV is kind of our life now.

>>3773871
>Maybe I should focus on my studies, be a scientist like Bergmann.
At some point someone's going to have to figure out exactly what we would need to do to unfuck everything.

I mean we could work on getting Claire a new body, but at this point it's kind of a moonshot, and not worth pursuing until the Lilium are dead, and Head office is out of the way.

>>3773885
Eh, Holly doesn't really strike me so much as a scientist desu.
Too emotional.

>>3773887
I could definitely see her learning enough to be able to try and get her back.

>>3773871
>"I might be more suited to Fletcher's work."

>>3773890
Maybe, but that's something we'd want to discuss with Claire first assuming we can get in contact with her again. I think she got repressed a bit when we learned the truth, but we know she is still there somehow since we wouldn't be able to go bodiless without her

>>3773901
That's why we would wait until all of this was over before proceeding to figure out, what we would need to do to get her back.

“Leadership material, though...” you repeat under your breath, giving the idea a second look. Maybe there's some merit in it. You're practically doing that job already, especially now that you've taken Dakota under your wing. A desk job isn't exactly how you imagined your life playing out, but your career goals didn't involved pissed off space aliens either. “You know, that might not be such a bad idea,” you decide, “Do you think NERV would have me, though?”

“God willing, there won't be a need for NERV by the time you're older,” Monroe replies, “But you might end up with a good UN position.”

“Like Coraline?” you remark, your eyes narrowing slightly. Monroe grimaces, realising her mistake, but you quickly move to wave away the awkward silence. “Forget it. Forget HER. I don't want to ruin the mood,” you insist, “I'm just not so hot on the UN right now, and I don't think head office would be too eager to see me climbing the ranks either. Maybe I should really work hard in school and get a job in science stuff like Bergmann. I could... hey, what are you laughing at?”

Covering her mouth with one hand, Monroe stifles a giggle. “Sorry, I'm just imagining you working in a lab,” she chuckles, “Threatening to beat up experiments that don't go your way.”

“Not what I'd call a flattering impression,” Fletcher points out, “Shouldn't you be encouraging her?”

“No, it's fine. I'm probably not the scholarly type, anyway,” you assure them both, resting your elbows on the picnic table as you think. Being a leader, being the sort of person who others would look up to... that might be nice. You've seen how bad things can get with poor leadership, and you know the value of a good commander. If you can do your bit to pass that wisdom down to the next generation, you're all for it.

Clapping her hands briskly together, Monroe hops to her feet. “It's boiling out here, I'm going to get some fresh drinks,” she decides, “Holly, can you make sure Mister Fletcher here doesn't run off and cause any trouble?”

“No promises,” you reply gravely.

-

As Monroe wanders off in search of cold drinks, Fletcher lapses into a thoughtful silence. Slowly, he takes a fold of paper out of his pocket and studies it, the note turned away so you can't see anything but blank paper. “I received a message this morning. Something Elrow had on his computer – he never got the chance to see it, though,” the mercenary begins eventually, “Before he died, it looks like he started a search through some fairly extensive security archives. Surveillance camera footage. Airports, mostly, facial recognition cameras. No small task, as you can imagine, but it eventually dug this out.”

Finally, he passes the grainy photograph across to you. A young woman. Sunglasses, hat pulled low over her face, mouth set in a grimace.

Coraline.

[1/2]

>>3773908

“We can't be certain,” Fletcher murmurs, “But facial recognition gives us a greater than 60% that it's her. My gut agrees with that. It's her, isn't it?”

“It's her,” you breathe, folding the picture up and handing it back to him. You can't even look at it. “Where was this taken?” you continue, “Where was she going?”

“We caught her on camera in Philadelphia. Still no leads on where she was going – she wasn't travelling under her own name, and there were a lot of flights leaving. Elrow's sweep didn't pick up any shots of her leaving an airport, so she probably landed somewhere with less advanced security. There are still a lot of places in this world where people can disappear completely,” the mercenary answers, “If she's got any sense, she'll STAY disappeared.”

Before you can answer this, a sudden chill stabs through you as Monroe presses a cold can of soda against your cheek. Stifling a yell of alarm, you settle for shooting her an angry glare. Tossing a can of beer to Fletcher, she pops her own drink open and gestures to you. “So?” she prompts, “What are you two talking about?”

“Dakota's training,” Fletcher lies, “Mainly, getting her into that test plug.”

“Oh. That. Well, that's more of a work in progress. We're looking into the possibility of a mild sedative, but that might interfere with the tests themselves,” Monroe pauses here, glancing across to you, “Dakota raised the idea, before you ask. I was speaking to her this morning, and she asked if medication was a possibility. More specifically, she asked if we could “drug her into a fucking coma”. I told her that that might be pushing it a little, but... a very minor dose of sedatives might be enough to take the edge off.”

Fletcher doesn't comment on this. While Monroe's attention is elsewhere, he carefully returns Coraline's photo to his pocket. Meeting your eyes, he tilts his head ever so slightly to the side. Don't mention it, the gesture seems to say, save it for later. “Drugs,” you muse, blinking as you return to the matter at hand, “Is that really such a good idea?”

“Actually, I think drugs would be a pretty bad idea. That's why I've got these,” Monroe announces, taking a jar of pills from her bag and placing them down before you, “Sugar pills!”

Pills rattle softly as you pick up the jar, turning it this way and that. “A placebo,” you state, “So you're going to lie to her.”

“It's not a lie, it's just...” Monroe pauses, “Is it really such a bad idea?”

>If it really helps her, I guess it's not so bad
>She'll find out one way or another, and she won't like it
>She doesn't need them. You need to have faith in her
>I think... (Write in)
>Other

>>3773966
>"It's genius. It's a lie for her own benefit. Like when I told Kaori her festival performance went great."

>>3773966
>She doesn't need them. You need to have faith in her
"She's pretty sharp and would probably catch on. Look Dakota has a tendency to get really anxious about these things and looks for any way out, but I think once she does it, it isn't as bad as she her mind imagined it to be. The elevator, swimming, staying underground with Karina. She's done alright so far.

I will say that you guys should let me be there during the test and have communication with her so that I can help her through it."

>>3773966
>>She doesn't need them. You need to have faith in her

>>3773977
We told her that she looked great. We said the performance was "fine"

>>3773966
>She doesn't need them. You need to have faith in her
If we lie to her and she finds out, she wont trust us my dudes

>>3773966
>If it really helps her, I guess it's not so bad

“I guess it's not... bad. It's lying for her own benefit, like when I told Kaori that her show went fine,” you reply slowly, pausing for a moment, “Uh, don't tell her I said that.”

“Naturally,” Monroe agrees.

“Thanks. So yeah, I guess it's not so bad, I just don't think it's necessary. I'm the one who's been training with Dakota, and I can tell you this about her – she gets herself worked up, and she tries to wriggle out of this stuff, but once she's actually doing it... she handles herself pretty well,” you continue, “The elevators, staying with Karina, going swimming, she's been able to take all that in her stride. I don't think this will be any different. You need to have faith in her.”

Fletcher clears his throat carefully. “Initial psych assessments flagged up adaptability as one of her main strengths,” he points out, “But that won't tell us how she'll react to LCL immersion, or a hundred other little factors involved here. A panic attack could destroy a lot of the progress we've made with her.”

“And if she finds out you lied about this, that's gonna destroy a hell of a lot more progress,” you argue, “Look, I think I should be there to keep an eye on her. To stay in communication if possible. I don't think she needs anything more than that.”

Considering this for a short moment, Monroe nods. “Okay. I can work with that,” she agrees, “As you say, you've been training with her and I trust your assessment of her. I'm glad you're volunteering to be there for her – that's one less thing that I need to ask.” Chuckling ruefully, she glances down at the jar of sugar pills. “But man, I felt so smart when I thought of this,” she sighs, still smiling to herself, “Looks like I was getting a little ahead of myself!”

“Save the idea for someone who deserves it,” you suggest, “Maybe we can tell Claudia that they're politeness pills?”

“Then she'd never take them willingly,” Fletcher points out. You all laugh aloud at this, and just for a moment you could pass as any one of the young families surrounding you.

-

Machinery clatters slowly as the elevator carries you down into the depths of NERV HQ. Leaning back against the railing, you watch Monroe and Fletcher talk quietly on the other side of the wide platform. Too distant to hear any part of their conversation, you have to guess about the words purely from their gestures. Monroe looks cheerful, even relaxed – more relaxed than she's been in a very long time – but Fletcher is retreating back into an unreadable shell. He's moving back into the professional mindset, if he ever left it at all. Enjoying a cold beer under the hot summer sun is one thing, but when he's in this base... he's a soldier.

You're ALL soldiers.

[1/2]

>>3774047

“Don't tell me. Do NOT tell me,” Dakota interrupts, cutting you off before you can even begin speaking, “I know already. Got training today. Proper training, not just playing about in the swimming pool. The kind of training where you gotta stick me in a tube and it's gonna be awful and I'll hate it.”

When she stops here, pausing for breath, you finally spot your chance to get a word in edgewise. “All done?” you ask, and Dakota nods breathlessly, “So I guess you already know. That saves me some time. I've been talking with the boss, and she says that I can come in there with you.” Dakota's eyes widen, and you hastily correct yourself. “I'll be in the lab, I mean, not in the test plug itself. Could get a little crowded with both of us in there, so...” you shrug, “So I'll be right there if you need me. Whatever happens, I'll be there to talk you through it.”

“Yeah, great,” Dakota mutters, before looking up and slapping you lightly on the arm, “I, uh, I do mean that. Feels way better knowing that it's not just gonna be me and the suits in there.”

“You'll be fine,” you assure her, painfully aware of how trite that must sound.

“I know,” the young girl replies, her words taking you by surprise, “Like, everything else we've done so far has been fine. What's one more hurdle? It's not like I'll...” Pausing here, she shakes her head. A very definite change of subject. “So I've got important plans for today. Namely, sleeping as much as humanly possible,” she continues, “Gotta prepare for the testing, right? What's your day plan looking like?”

That's a good question, actually. You had nothing planned, and now you've got even less to work with. The others pilots are about, scattered across the base and doing their own things as if exhausted from the previous day's festivities. A cheerful mood one day, a sullen mood the next – things around here really can change on a dime. If you want to talk with someone today, you'll need to track them down first. What a pain in the ass!

Dakota still stares, waiting for your answer. “Er, I don't really know,” you admit, awkwardly clearing your throat, “I was thinking about...”

>Just getting some rest, actually. Recover from the festival yesterday
>I was thinking about... (Write in)
>Other

>Sorry for the delay. Hit a bit of a block there.

>>3774136
>I was thinking about... (Write in)
Hang out with Yulia for a bit and some relaxing Haven't done that for awhile.

>>3774136
>Trying to contact Nate. She's been training for longer than you, and I'm starting to feel like maybe there's more than training happening there.
>Meditating, maybe. It helps when you think of it as punching things with your mind. Maybe I can even punch hard enough to talk to another pilot.

>>3774147
>>3774136
I'd be down to try and see Nate. Maybe we can find her going bodiless or use our connection somehow? Could also ask Monroe and Fletcher, but anything that they would get reaching out to the temple would be fabricated bullshit. That said they might be able to get a 'unofficial' inquiry through.

>>3774136
>"So there's this other pilot, Nate..."

Except she isn't really a pilot lol

“There was this other girl, she left here before you arrived. Nate – and yeah, I know that's not really a girl's name, but just go with it. Point is, I was thinking of trying to get in contact with her,” you decide, “It's been a while, y'know? She's a good kid, and it's been too long. I think you two would get along pretty well, actually. If I can get in touch with her, I'll tell her all about you – only good things though, I promise!”

“Too right!” Dakota replies with a huff, “You'd better do a good job too, make sure she knows just how awesome I am!”

“Deal,” you promise.

-

Commander Monroe is cleaning out her office when you arrive, taking down some of the older pictures and replacing them with new ones. The old pictures were nothing special, mostly just generic landscapes, but they look oddly sad once they've been stacked up in the corner. In their place, a new set of generic landscapes are being erected. Some of them are a little more exciting, you guess, like the one with a swarm of horses galloping across a desert.

...You're pretty sure that horses don't form swarms. What then, a flock of horses?

Tearing your eyes away from the painting, you give Monroe a nod of greeting. “Hey chief, what do you call a group of horses?” you ask, unable to stop yourself. Once you've got an idea in your head, it's pretty hard to shift it.

“It's usually a band of horses, although “herd” is used too,” she answers, “That's not why you came here, is it?”

“Er, no. I was actually wondering about Nate,” you admit, “Have you heard anything new? How's her training going?”

Monroe thinks for a moment. “Let me just check. They're supposed to be sending reports every now and then, so I can pull up the most recent one for you,” she muses, sitting down at her computer and tapping a few keys, “According to this, she's recently started a new training program. A combination of intensive exercise and long term LCL immersion, apparently, designed to really hone her body and mind. It also says... ah. It says here that Matheson has visited her several times. She only stopped the visits in order to come here.”

“Lucky for Nate...” you mutter. So Matheson was trying to work her magic on Nate too. Hopefully, she left before the younger girl could suffer anything worse than a few creepy meetings.

Noticing your grim expression, Monroe turns her laptop around to show you the screen and the picture of Nate. Grinning boldly, the young girl flashes a peace sign to the camera while a solemn soldier, his skin as dark as polished mahogany, stands beside her. The background reveals little, the dull metal of a ship's hull. She looks... happy. “They're really not supposed to take pictures like this, nut apparently they made an exception,” Monroe adds, “If you see Vic, could you send him up here? He'll want to see this too, won't he?”

[1/2]

>>3774221

“I'll tell him,” you promise, “But I take it there's no chance to... talk to her?”

Monroe starts to say something – almost certainly a flat out denial – but then she closes her mouth and gives you a sympathetic smile. Taking the phone from her desk, she laboriously types in a long number and listens. “Yes, hello, this is Commander Monroe calling from Avalon base. I'd like to request a status update on Natasha Carlyle,” a pause, and Monroe sighs, “Yes, I'll hold.” She listens again, leaning back in her chair and staring wearily at the ceiling as muffled music leaks from the phone.

“Hey, listen, just forget about it,” you begin, “I'll come back when-”

“Ah!” Monroe abruptly sits up, “Yes, I'm still here. Yes? I see... I see. And she's responding well? Do you know when she'll be ready to return to... You don't know, I understand. I know it's not really protocol, but is able to come to the phone and... Of course, of course. No, I'll submit an official request, and that would take... six to eight weeks? Fine, I understand. Thank you for your time.” Placing the phone down, she closes her eyes for a moment before forcing a smile.

Bad news, then.

“Remember that LCL immersion I mentioned? Well, Nate's right in the middle of a session now. Even if she wasn't, I'd need to file an official request for communication in order to get her on a line, and I'd need a proper reason. Just calling for a chat wouldn't be good enough, I'm afraid,” she explains, “The good news is, she's responding well to the training. I just hope it's not too hard on her. The idea is, short bursts of intense exercise push her right to her limits while the LCL immersion helps her to recover and grow stronger for the next time.”

“Does that... work?” you ask dubiously.

“They seem to think so,” Monroe replies, sounding just as uncertain as you feel, “You'll let Vic know, won't you?”

“That's what I said,” you reply with a nod. You know a farewell when you hear one.

-

Vic's face lights up when you pass along Monroe's news. For a brief moment, any doubts he might have about fake letters or manipulated reports are gone, banished by a simple rush of relief. Caught up in the excitement of the moment, he reaches out to you and, at the last minute, turns what might have been a hug into a hand on your shoulder. “Thank you,” he breathes, “I'd better see this. Even if they can't TELL me anything, just getting the chance to see her smile... I'd better go and see this. Thank you!”

Calling those last words back over his shoulder as he runs from the dorm, Vic vanishes into the corridors beyond. Once he's gone, you realise that Yulia's door is ajar. From inside, the girl peers out at you. “News from his sister,” you tell her, “Cut him a break, he's allowed to be excited too.”

“Yes,” Yulia agrees, giving you an unreadable nod.

[2/3]

>>3774270

Yulia holds your gaze for a moment more before she pushes her door a little wider, inviting you inside without so much as a word. You accept the invitation, cautiously stepping around the stray pieces of scrap metal littering the floor inside her quarters. She was never the tidiest person around, but things have really gone downhill since you've last seen her room. Twisted pieces of junk, discarded tools, and even the occasional bloodied rag are littered about. From the looks of her hands, Yulia has had more than a few accidents in here.

“You've been busy,” you remark, picking up something that looks like a squashed box, “Do you ever sleep?”

“Not so much,” Yulia answers briskly, “Do not touch that please. It may have sharp edges.”

“Funny,” you counter, “You're normally pretty fine with giving me things with sharp edges.”

Staring at you for a moment, Yulia slowly shakes her head. “That is not, I think, funny,” she mutters, delicately taking the metal thing from you, “Besides, that is just scrap. A failed project. There have been so many of those, lately. Nothing I do seems to be working out. That thing you had. What do you think it was supposed to be?”

You start to offer a sarcastic answer before thinking better of it. It really does just look like a box to you, maybe with a few plugs jutting out the top. Was it intended to be part of something larger? Maybe it was never meant to be anything at all, just a piece of abstract... stuff... and this is a trick question. Meeting Yulia's eyes again, you see a subdued frustration lingering there. Probably not a trick question, then. She doesn't look like someone in the mood to be asking trick questions.

>I don't know, Yulia. What was it supposed to be?
>I think it was... (Write in)
>Other

>>3774323
>I think it was... (Write in)
Is it what is left of the knives that she got in Germany, I think she was going to turn into a sculpture of a helicopter and give it to Fletcher.

>>3774323
>I think it was... (Write in)
"Your gift for Fletcher? The sculpture right?"

>Other
"You need an extra pair of hands?"

>>3774323
>Fletcher's sculpture? I guess you haven't added the knife wings yet...

“Was it that sculpture you were making for Fletcher? It was going to be a helicopter, right?” you guess, looking at the box and trying to imagine it as a helicopter. Once you mentally add a set of rotors to the top, you can sorta see it. A helicopter that crash landed, maybe, but still a helicopter. “Yeah, that's what it is. I guess it's a work in progress, right?” you continue, “It still needs the rotors added, and-”

You fall silent here as a smile finds its way onto Yulia's face, and the frustration retreats from her eyes. “Yes,” she murmurs, looking down at the boxy piece of scrap metal, “It was... supposed to be that. But it is all wrong. Did I aim too high? It should be simple, to make a thing like this, but I just... cannot focus. That is, I think, the third attempt I have made. All of them, not right. Not what I see when I close my eyes.”

Nodding slowly, you begin to understand her problem. No matter what she does, it won't ever match the perfect creation she's aiming for. Viewed through the lens of her own anger and self-doubt, even minor flaws must seem disastrous. Judging by the ugly dent deforming the roof of the box, the telltale scar of a hammer blow, her anger has been taking its toll. Looking at the sad remains, you shrug helplessly. “Need a hand with anything?” you offer, “I'm not all that good at this stuff, but an extra pair of hands might do some good.”

Yulia's eyes widen a little at your offer, as if she had been expecting you to make your excuses and flee. “There is a thing that you can do, yes,” she manages, setting down the failed experiment and gesturing towards the door to the other room, “Not this, but a different job. Working on something different, I think, might do me some good. It is nothing complicated, this thing, I will just need – as you say – an extra pair of hands.”

“Lead on,” you tell her.

-

Yulia's workshop – also known as Juliet's bedroom – is just as untidy as her main room. Juliet is absent, leaving you alone with Yulia. A radio sits half-assembled on the desk, with delicate tools lined up nearby. “The light,” Yulia begins, passing you a slender penlight, “I will need you to shine it where I am working. The light in here is not very good.” You take the penlight, and Yulia starts to sort through her collection of tools. “Thank you,” she adds suddenly, “For helping. And for remembering. It is a silly thing, perhaps, but it... means something to me.”

“I've got a pretty good memory for these things,” you assure her, “So, where do you want this light?”

With a nod, Yulia sits down at the workbench. “Here first,” she murmurs, pointing into the mess of tangled wires with her tiny set of pliers. With the soft, floral scent of Yulia's perfume surrounding you, you aim the light into the guts of the disassembled radio.

[1/2]

If we shoot Vic in the chest they'd let Nate talk to him.

>>3774399
That would entirely depend on them telling her, at this point i don't think that they would as it would probably tank both her Ego and sync scores.

>>3774399
I really don't think they would even tell her.

>>3774397

You've got the sneaking suspicion that you don't really need to be here. There's a lamp sitting over by Juliet's bed, the head mounted on a long and flexible neck. Easy enough to bend into whatever awkward angle that Yulia might need. What a lamp doesn't do, though, is provide her with a little bit of human company. Whenever Yulia murmurs directions to you – up a little, slightly to your left, things like that – you hear the faint smile in her voice. Aside from those directions, though, you don't talk much at all.

Until Yulia suddenly stops, freezing in place for a few seconds before stiffly putting aside the tiny screwdriver she had been holding. “I worry,” she murmurs, “I worry that one day, I will no longer be able to do these things. I will not be able to pilot an ADM Unit. I will not even be able to repair these things. I will be useless, and he-”

Cold silence as she cuts herself short here. “He...” you prompt.

“And NERV will simply discard me,” she concludes stiffly, taking the radio's front plate and forcefully jamming it back into place, “People throw away so many things, after all. Things they say are broken, but...” Leaving that thought unfinished, she dives underneath the workbench and plugs the radio's power cord in at the wall. Surfacing again, she clicks a heavy switch on the radio and listens, scowling at the ugly static that rumbles out of it. Just for a moment, you see her eyes glisten with tears.

Gently, you reach over and twist the radio's dial a little. After half a turn, tinny music begins to leak from the dented speaker. Her eyes widening in amazement, Yulia lets out a laugh of relief. “Sometimes things look broken,” you murmur, “But with a little care and attention, they can be fixed right up.”

Still laughing in amazement, Yulia throws her arms around you in a sudden burst of movement. The smell of her perfume is immediately doubled as she clings to you for just a few seconds, pulling away just as quickly as she lunged at you. Looking faintly embarrassed by her own actions, Yulia steps back and smooths down her blouse. “That is... yes, that is a relief,” she breathes, “Such a simple thing to overlook. Perhaps I have been making things more complicated than they need to be. This is... good. Yes.”

“Glad to hear it,” you reply, with no idea of what you're agreeing with, “So what's the plan with Fletcher's present?”

“I will take another look at it. With clearer eyes, I will be able to see what needs changed. I will start again from nothing if that is what I must do,” Yulia decides, “Thank you, Holly. For your help.”

“For holding the light,” you remark, unable to keep a slight smirk from your face.

“Yes,” Yulia agrees, nodding once, “For holding the light.”

With that, you both lapse into silence. In the background, the old-timey music plays on.

>Looks like you're done here
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3774480
>There's something else... (Write in)
Ask her what she saw when we were helping her fine tune her project during the lead up to the fight with Malthus.

If need be tell her about what we saw.

>>3774480
>We done. Good talk Yules.

>>3774497
Didn't she already tell us what happened? Shitty refugee life and her struggling to survive in her house until Fletcher found her.

>>3774480
>There's something else... (Write in)
"Not to dampen the mood, but can I ask you something? What's your take on everything that's happened recently? Since Germany I guess."

>>3774504
That was what we saw.
We have already discussed what we saw in the Garden.

>>3774516
Huh. I thought that we reconvened with what we saw cause she knew that we saw it.

It's been awhile though

>>3774526
We may end up going over things that we already have but it may be a good idea to catch her up to where we are on some things.

>>3774480
>Looks like you're done here
>Other "It was nice to talk one-on-one Yulia, we should do it again soon."

Leaning back over to the radio, you make a tiny adjustment to the tuning. The music grows a little bit louder, clearer, and Yulia nods with approval. “The others like to watch television, I know, but radios will always be special to me. There was one, in the camp, and as a young child... it was like magic, yes? A magic box with music sealed within it, obeying those who knew how to make it work. When it broke, it felt like someone had died,” she muses, “Silly, yes? But I was a child, and I saw the world through a child's eyes.”

“Did you now?” you quip, “I hope you gave them back.”

“Gave them...” Yulia begins, only to smile again, “Ah yes. A joke. Yes. Very good!”

You're glad she thinks so. What you're about to ask next, she might not find it nearly so amusing. “I don't want to bring down the mood or anything, but can I ask you something? Back when we were preparing for Malthus, when we were working on the finishing touches to your project, we... sorta joined minds for bit. That makes it sound much nicer than it was, but...” you pause, shrugging, “I saw some real shit. Stuff from your life, I think, flashes of memories – that camp you mentioned.” Yulia's expression grows guarded here, but she nods for you to continue. “That's what I saw,” you conclude, “Did you see anything... of me?”

Slowly, Yulia shakes her head. “I only saw my own memories, as ugly and raw as they have ever been. They felt strange to me, as if I was seeing them through different eyes. YOUR eyes, I think,” she explains, “Is it... do you regret this? It had to be done, and I would not do a thing differently. I am willing to endure pain for the sake of this mission. Pain, and worse.”

Saying nothing, you recall the last of the bitter memories you saw. The memories of the refugee camp were bad enough, but things had been different at the end. A memory of being abandoned there, left behind by the man she thought of as her saviour. That pain, that abandonment, still lurks deep within Yulia's heart. It'll probably lurk there until the day she dies.

“I just wanted to...” you begin, only to shrug, “Forget it. I gotta take a lie down, but there was one last thing. What do you make of... how things are going around here? Ever since Germany, the mood has been off.”

“Off,” Yulia repeats, “There is, I think, a confusion here now. After Sleeping Giant, the Chinese tests are no longer a threat. Now, we are told that NIHIL are defeated. By all rights, we should be glad of these things... but we are not. It is like we are all waiting for something terrible to happen, but this is not a logical thing to think, and so we hide it. Instead, we wear desperate smiles and lash out at each other. There was a fight in engineering, I am told, for no reason at all. No logical reason.”

“It's Belial,” you offer vaguely, “That shit in orbit.”

“No,” Yulia counters, “This has been inside us all along.”

[1/2]

>>3774597
How can my Russian be this cute?!

>“No,” Yulia counters, “This has been inside us all along.”
I knew it was the friends we made along the way.

>>3774597

With a haze of confused thoughts swirling through your head, you return to your own room and stretch out on the bed. There's still plenty of time before Dakota is going to be taken down for her training, so you can rest up a little as well. You're not really sleepy, but... maybe you could try meditating. That's sort of LIKE sleeping, right? With that thought in mind, you close your eyes and try to empty your mind as best you can. It's hard, though, especially with Fletcher's latest fragment of information rising to the top of your mind. That picture.

Coraline.

-

Echoing out through the cold concrete tunnels, the rattle of gunfire sounds murderously loud. Coming close behind it is a harsh yell of anger, the gunman so furious that words can barely get the message across. The bunker is a twisted place, with a maze of corridors that distorts the sound. The gunman could be anywhere now, near or far. Konstantin should be in his panic room by now, but you can't be sure. In the chaos, you lost sight of him.

How did things fall apart so quickly? This wasn't supposed to end like this.

“Where are you?” the gunman yells, his voice hoarse with rage, “Come out and face me! I know what you did! You set me up, didn't you? Set me up, sold us out... by the time your UN friends get here, you'll be dead! We'll ALL be dead!”

Reyes. Biting your lip, you take out your switchblade and flick it open. The little blade has never seemed more pathetic than it does now, but it's the best you've got. Flattening yourself against the wall, hidden behind the doorway, you wait and listen. The next gunshots you hear are lower and rougher... and much closer. He's working his way towards you. With that knowledge, there comes a kind of unreal clarity – a calmness that banishes your fear and frustration. From now on, whatever happens happens.

Reyes prowls through the doorway, his anger narrowing his vision down to a point. Lunging, you plunge the little knife down into his throat and drive the blade home. Blood spurts over your hand as the mercenary grunts, twisting and throwing you off him. He raises his arm as you stumble back, firing a single pistol shot at your gut. The shot is a poor one, hastily aimed, but the bullet still gouges a path through your side. Crying out in pain, you both collapse down to the ground. With one hand clutched to his neck, trying in vain to stop the blood pulsing out, Reyes meets your eyes.

He won't look away. He won't fucking look away.

Crawling towards him, you grab the knife and wrestle with it, sawing it back and forth as you try to work it free from his flesh. Heedless of the quiet gurgles escaping the dying man, you finally rip the blade out. The mercenary is almost decapitated when you're done with him, his head hanging by a length of bloody gristle. Throwing your head back, you let out a long and painful scream.

-

“Wake up!”

[2/3]

>>3774663
Whoops. Sorry Cora, our bad

>>3774663

Doctor Bergmann's heels click crisply against the floor as she leads you and Dakota to her lab. She was waiting for you when your elevator arrived down at the lower level, an impatient scowl nagging at the corner of her mouth. With barely a cursory greeting, she turned and marched away, simply expecting you to follow her. You let your body carry you there on automatic, your thoughts anywhere but here. You weren't the one who screamed until her voice cracked, but your throat hurts all the same. You weren't the one to get a bullet ripping through your side, but your body aches all the same.

Your hands still feel sticky with spilled blood. You must have washed them three times by now, but still...

“Hey Doc!” Dakota calls out, struggling to keep up with Bergmann's merciless pace, “What's the rush?”

“Powerful people are waiting on the results of these tests,” Bergmann answers curtly, “And they expect a report on their desks by next morning.”

“Okay,” Dakota pauses for a few seconds before continuing in a cocky voice, “But why should I care about any of that? Are these powerful people gonna come down here and make my life difficult if they don't get their precious report?”

“No. They'll just make MY life difficult,” Bergmann replies, “And I'm the one you should really be worried about.”

Less certain now, Dakota glances around to you. With a grave expression on your face, you nod a weary confirmation.

Dakota picks up the pace.

>So I'm going to pause things here for today. I will be aiming to continue this tomorrow, though. Should be good to run Monday this week too, but we'll see what happens
>Thank you for your patience today!

>>3774688
Thanks for the run.

>>3774688
Thanks for the run Moloch

I forget, was Caroline also a pilot of 02?

>>3774688
Thanks for the run Moloch, it's fun as always.

How does Dakota feel about being the substitute imouto? Has Vic spent any time alone with her?

>>3774688
Thanks for running!

Can we have Dakota take one more day to intentionally make Bergmanns life difficult?

>>3774691
Coraline was the Pilot of Unit 09
and Reed was the Plot for Unit 11

>>3774697
Really, I think Dakota's happy just being around people who don't shove her into a pit every time she talks shit.
Vic, though, I can see him avoiding her because of the "little sister" factor. It's probably a bit awkward for him!

>>3774691
>>3774738
This is correct. Coraline was a test pilot for Unit 09

>>3774716
No bully!
Maybe a little bit of bully

>>3774738
>>3774766
>This is correct. Coraline was a test pilot for Unit 09

That throws out my idea that Holly can only connect to 02 pilots.

Though I guess that also opens up another theory. I know we are all 'Cased Closed, Caroline killed Wilson', but compare the demeanor between her killing Reyes there and the passage:

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3426990/#p3452159

here. The Wilson killing just doesn't act like the Caroline we know. Moloch is it possible that it could have been Amon transformed into a Caroline body that killed Wilson? Or would you say it's impossible for Holly to see from his PoV?

>>3774783
Amon said in one of our previous encounters that he can't compel someone to do something that they don't want to do, so there is still a reason behind her actions.

>>3774792
I'm not saying compulsion. I mean taking her form to make Wilson be off his guard.

>>3774796
I would have said that Amon is operating under similar rules to when we go bodyless, so he can't directly influence anything.

>>3774803
He snapped Konstantin's neck and we are like 99% sure he's been Adrian. He can influence stuff physically.

I'm not saying he did something bodyless. I'm saying he could have physically went down there and took the form of Caroline and killed Wilson before we met with Wilson. I feel that's in the realm of possibility and how the person acted when we looked from their PoV matches up with Amon more than Caroline.

'What a thrill!'

>>3774783
It is possible that Amon could take on Coraline's appearance and commit a murder. It's also possible that he could make us see it from his PoV. In that case, though, we would only be seeing/experiencing what he allowed us to see/experience, which rather raises questions of bias or objectivity

Nothing is ever simple, is it?

>>3774841
>Nothing is ever simple, is it?
No, besides who is and who is not cute.

>>3774819
I still don't see why Amon would need to be involved to Kill Wilson it's not like he was doing something that was important to stop, after all Bergmann ended up just giving us our file so it wasn't too important, I guess it would still be a good idea to confirm it when we get around to talking to Coraline again.

>>3774841
That does complicate things yeah. Something was just off about Caroline killing Wilson thing in my gut and this fighting Reyes vision made it more apparent.

>>3774849
I can't give a 100% motive on it besides 'To fuck with us and see us not get what we want'. But yeah we should grill Caroline about it if we ever see each other again.

>>3774870
We should also see if we can get her to tell us who was the other person was that was using the Phantom account to contact us as Fletcher said that he though that the tone of the messages had changed after Wilson died and we were contacted again.

>>3774899
Oh wasn't that just her? She even left her final message on the account.

>>3774912
After Wilson died the account went to ground and stopped communicating, when Mathson was going to turn up and wanted to speak to us, Phantom told us not to trust her, we showed the new messages to Fletcher and he said that they were written by someone else, based on the fact that we recovered Wilson's phone and Fletcher sized his remaining personal items none of which had Labyrinth on them it couldn't have been Wilson.

Now i'm thinking about it, it may have been Reyes.

>>3774931
I think it was just Caroline mate. Like not even speculation-wise, it's already been established. It's in line for her to not want us to trust Matheson since she'd know Matheson was 04. Reyes was a grunt.

I'm sure if you ask Moloch he'd straight up tell you.

>>3774931
That someone else was Coraline. The last message revealed it.

>>3774937
>>3774942
It gets mentioned in Thread #7 post >>3590616

>>3774942
>Coraline
I wonder why Moloch picked that name. It's not a real one. IIRC it shows up in another quest.

>>3774965
Going to Clarify what i meant, based on the what Fletcher said there were at least two people that operated the Phantom account, we don't know who was before Coraline as it as I doubt that Wilson would set himself up to be killed, and the fact that Fletcher did not recover any devices that had Labyrinth on it during the investigation, as far as we know, though I now think that it may have been Reyes, though it still could have been Wilson as there are some things that still don't quite line up

File: DakotaF.png (283 KB, 900x700)

283 KB PNG

“Wow...” Dakota mutters, “That thing really is... small, huh?”

“It's regulation size,” Bergmann replies without looking up from her clipboard, “And you're significantly smaller than average. So, you're going to have more elbow room than most.”

You're going to assume that was her attempt at a joke, or at least a light hearted comment, but it's hard to tell with her. Maybe she actually thought Dakota would appreciate a comment like that. Bergmann is always a hard person to read, but now she's more inscrutable than ever. For one thing, when has she ever cared about what head office wanted? If they were rushing her, you would almost expect Bergmann to make them wait out of spite – yet here she is, obediently playing along.

“I'm not that short,” Dakota complains. Scowling at the test plug for a moment more, she finally slips out of her oversized coat and lets it fall to the floor in a crumpled heap. She looks so much slimmer without it, so much more frail. “Anyway, I gotta wear one of those gimp suits, right?” she continues, grunting as she starts to wrestle out of her thick jumper, “Kaori said, we all gotta wear dumb costumes. Some weird fetish that someone in head office has, right?”

“That's not...” Bergmann begins, only to sigh and massage her brow with one hand, giving up in the face of relentless absurdity. Some things, you've learned, allow for no rebuttal. Thoroughly defeated, Bergmann just points to a fresh plug suit, the plastic wrapping crisp and unbroken. Dakota picks it up, gives it a dubious look, then retreats away behind a plastic curtain. As the young girl undresses, Bergmann approaches. “Is she really ready for this?” the doctor asks softly, “She needs to be ready.”

“Isn't that what we're testing here?” you whisper back, “Testing to see if she IS ready?” Her mouth set in an unhappy line, Bergmann just moves back to the computer terminal and taps a few keys just to look busy. Following her over, you cast a lingering glance over to Huang's prison. “I gotta admit, doc, I feel pretty uneasy doing this with Huang here,” you concede, “Just call it my gut feeling.”

Bergmann glances briefly up at the distant metal cylinder. “She's completely isolated from us. It's a different system entirely,” she answers, “But that won't make any difference to what your gut is telling you, will it?”

“Not at all,” you agree with a weary grin, “I guess I better suit up too, huh?”

Without looking around, Bergmann points to where a second plugsuit awaits. “You guys got my size wrong,” Dakota calls out as you're stripping off the plastic wrap, “This thing is hanging off me like a tent!”

“There's a button on the cuff,” Bergmann replies, “Press it.”

A short moment of grumbling, and then Dakota shrieks as the suit shrinks to hug her body.

The first time is always a surprise.

[1/2]

>>3776239

Standing in front of the open test plug, you watch Dakota fidget and shuffle her feet. She's clearly uncomfortable in her new plugsuit, constantly plucking at the glossy material with her fingers as if she was trying to rip it off, but the stubborn material resists her efforts. All the while, the test plug waits like a yawning mouth. “You know, maybe we should try this tomorrow,” Dakota announces suddenly, “Trying on this weird suit was enough progress for today, yeah?”

“Sure,” Bergmann agrees with a casual shrug, “Get out of here. Go on, go... and don't think about coming back either.” Dakota turns in shock, staring up at the callous doctor. “NERV needs pilots who can actually PILOT their ADM Units,” she continues, “If you can't even get inside a test plug, we have no use for you. If we have no use for you, you're just a drain on our limited resources. You'll be able to discuss the terms of your resignation with Commander Monroe.”

“You...” Dakota hisses, her hands clenching into fists.

“Why are you still here?” Bergmann snarls, her single eye flashing with anger, “Get OUT of here!”

For a moment, it actually seems like Dakota is going to do it, going to turn tail and flee from the laboratory. Then, with a sudden hiss of anger, she grabs onto the open rim of the test plug. “Oh, screw you!” she spits at Bergmann, forcing herself into the test plug, “Fuck me, fuck you, fuck this, fuck-”

Her cursing is cut sharply off as Bergmann slams the door shut, the locks automatically cycling. Then, turning to you, Bergmann gives you a look of weary amusement. “Is there a problem?” she asks softly, “It worked, didn't it?”

>You're right, it did. Great motivational skills, doc
>It worked this time. I think you just made an enemy for life
>You had no right doing that. I'm Dakota's tutor, not you
>It was... (Write in)
>Other

>>3776242
>You're right, it did. Great motivational skills, doc
And if you ever need to use said stick in future, it may not work quite as you expect it to

>>3776242
>It was... (Write in)
"Was that an attempt at tough love doc? Could use some work. She's going to give you some mean scowls for awhile, but you're probably already used to that from me."

Whisper mode
"What's going on Bergmann? This feels rushed and you've never been one to give a shit about head office's orders. Something happen?"

>>3776242
>If she punches you, I'm gonna teach her how to punch harder.
>Unit 02 is really keen on destroying things, remember. Try not to increase the chances that it gets pointed at you.

>>3776242
>It worked in the here and now, but you may have just made another enemy for life.

>>3776242
>It worked this time. I think you just made an enemy for life
There was a better way of doing this. Dakota may complain a lot, but she actually follows through. All you did was alienate her for no reason.

“That's great doc, that's really great. It really did work, and it probably put her in the perfect mood to punch something,” you remark, rolling your eyes, “But if she decides that you might make for a good target, I'll be first in line to teach her how to throw a punch. Unit 02 is pretty good at that already, but there's always room for improvement.” Bergmann doesn't react to the not-so-veiled threat, and you let out a soft sigh of irritation. It's no fun when they don't respond. “But sure, you're right. It worked,” you admit, “Just don't be surprised if it doesn't work next time. From the looks of it, you just made an enemy for life.”

“I'm fine with making enemies, and one time should be enough, I think,” Bergmann replies calmly, “She just needed a little push. A little bit of-”

“Tough love?” you finish for her, “I think it could use some work. Maybe a little less tough, a little more...” Giving up with a harsh shrug, you take a step closer to Bergmann and lower your voice to a whisper. “What's this really about?” you hiss, “This is way too rushed, and you're not the type to jump at head office's orders. What's really going on here?”

With all the warmth of a winter's night, Bergmann smiles. “Like so many things in life, there's an element of give and take involved here,” she replies, “We're giving them Dakota.”

“YOU'RE giving them Dakota!” you snap, wincing and glancing back at the test plug as if the young girl could have heard her.

“As I understand it, you've been training her too. If not for your diligent work, she never could have made it this far,” the doctor stresses, her voice curiously devoid of any accusation, “Yes Holly, WE gave them Dakota. In return for this token gesture of obedience, we will... we should... keep a measure of independence. Maybe even a little bit of freedom.”

Slowly, feeling like there's a cold stone sitting in the pit of your stomach, you nod. “I see,” you reply eventually, “But I don't like this.”

“No,” Bergmann agrees, “I rather expected you wouldn't.”

-

Once you're suited up and ready, sitting in the second test plug, you tap a few buttons on the controls as you wait for the LCL to start flowing. Summoning up a communication screen, you look into Dakota's plug. She's got her flashlight out, the stark white glare making her face into a ghoulish mask of shadows. “Stupid old cyclops...” the young girl mutters, unaware that you're listening in, “Bet she thinks she's the real boss around here. I'll show her... somehow.”

“You showed her already,” you point out, your voice causing Dakota to jolt, “Just by getting into that plug.”

“Yeah?” Dakota grunts, her skepticism soon melting into realisation, “Yeah, I guess I did.”

“That's what I said,” you agree, “And it's not so bad in there, is it?”

“Oh no, it's fucking awful,” the young girl insists, “But that's life, isn't it?”

[1/2]

>>3776284

Unpleasantly warm, the LCL begins to pour into the test plug. On her viewing screen, Dakota immediately starts to thrash about in panic as the reddish liquid rises higher and higher. Before it covers her head completely, she drags in a deep breath and holds onto it for dear life. Struggling, almost convulsing as she fights against the urge to take a new breath, the young girl claws at the walls of her plug. Over and over again, you plead with her to calm down, but your words fall on deaf ears.

Eventually, the urge to take a fresh breath grows too strong, and Dakoa gulps down a mouthful of LCL. Coughing and spluttering, she suddenly realises that she's still breathing. Dull surprise breaks through her panic, and her thrashing motions finally grow still.

“LCL saturation complete,” Bergmann announces, “I'm starting up the simulation now. Dakota, just do what comes naturally. That's what we're trying to measure here – your natural reactions.”

Even before Bergmann has finished saying this, an inky black stain begins to spread across the walls of your test plug. Dakota, you assume, will be seeing the exact same thing. The blackness closes around you, only to flash white and break away to reveal... outside. A generic, procedurally generated landscape that exists nowhere on Earth, but outside nevertheless. Seeing the open space spreading out around her seems to calm Dakota somewhat, and you even see a tiny flicker of a smile on her face.

The smile doesn't last. Rapidly forming before her, the test Lilim makes itself known. Lanky and humanoid, with arms that stretch almost down to its ankles, the Lilim is less... abnormal than some you've seen. Starting Dakota off with something easier to swallow, you assume. It doesn't seem to help much. On a separate screen, you watch as the young girl's vital readings spike as a wildfire of fear rips through her. Her mouth spasms silently for a few seconds before she's even able to scream, her voice shrill and thin.

“Bergmann!” you snap, “Bergmann, we need to stop this before she-”

“Request denied,” Bergmann interrupts, “Dakota. Listen to me. Stop screaming and fight. You NEED to fight.”

Her scream tapering off to a whimper, Dakota looks down at her hands. Your viewpoint pivots as well, and you see the weapons appear in the simulated ADM's hands – a rifle and a long knife. On cue, the Lilim takes a lurching step towards you/Dakota. The young girl doesn't react, only staring in horror as the monster stalks closer. Flashing too quickly for you to read the individual words, warning signs blink across her vital signs.

It's all going wrong.

>Stay silent. This is Dakota's test, not yours
>Urge Dakota to fight. She can't risk failing this test
>Urge Bergmann to halt the test. This isn't safe for Dakota
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3776333
>Urge Dakota to fight. She can't risk failing this test.

Cmon Dakota, it's just a simulation right now.

>>3776333
>Stay silent. This is Dakota's test, not yours
I'm not sure if we should intervene.

>>3776333
>Stay silent. This is Dakota's test, not yours
We not her to make sure she passes, as long as she can move the Unit we can work towards helping her get better at piloting.
All this really means is that Dakota isn't going to be a drop in replacement for Holly.

>>3776333
>Other
"Focus on your breathing. Inhale, exhale. Then try to move around."

>>3776346
Also if I had to guess this may be similar in appearance to whatever was with Dakota in The Dark place.

>>3776333
>Stay silent. This is Dakota's test, not yours
Oh no there might not be a new pilot for 02 when the next Lilim attacks...

Should you be... intervening right now? Every instinct you have is telling you to fight, to urge Dakota to fight in your place, but that's not what this is about. This isn't about you, this is supposed to be about Dakota. Even if you can't give her direct orders, though, you can't just sit here and do nothing. “Just stay calm, Dakota,” you hiss, “Just breathe. Inhale, exhale. Can you do that for me?”

With a faltering nod, Dakota drags in a shuddering lungful of air. “Now try to move,” you urge, “That's all you need to do right now. Just take a step.”

A curt blurt of static sounds as Bergmann switches to a closed channel. “Holly,” she warns, “You're not supposed to be intervening.”

“I'm not intervening!” you snap back, “It won't be much of a test if she just sits there and does nothing, will it? I told her that I'd be here for her, and I won't let you people make me a liar!”

With a muted tut of irritation, Bergmann closes the channel just in time for Dakota to take her first step forwards. The simulation is good, flawless even down to the shudder that runs through your body as the ADM lumbers forwards. Taking a step is a good start, but she's still a long way from being in a fighting position. With a kind of restraint unlike anything that a real Lilim would allow, the simulated target prowls a wide circle around Dakota. Even simulated restraint can only last so long, however, and the Lilim soon lunges.

The muted echo of pain runs through your body as the monster slams into Dakota's ADM and drives it to the ground. A fresh scream rips its way from Dakota's throat, and you see the rifle falling away from her grasp. When the Lilim's hand closes around her wrist, though, a change sweeps through Dakota. She tenses up, her eyes bulging out of her skull, and the ADM convulses into motion. Bringing the knife up in a short thrust, she buries the blade in the Lilim's gut and twists, sawing it through the monster's flesh.

“Just die!” she screams suddenly, craning forwards and smacking her fist into the entry plug wall, “Just fucking die! Die! Die die die!” She punctuates every word with a poorly aimed stab, repeatedly driving the blade into the Lilim's body and neck. Finally, she plunges the blade deep and the whole world seems to freeze as Bergmann pauses the simulation. Oblivious, the young girl keeps slapping her hand into the wall of her test plug for a few moments more, the blows growing weaker and weaker as the strength slowly bleeds out of her. Her cries fade out too, lowering to a soft whimper as she hunches up and wraps her arms around herself.

Silence. Then, a click of static. “Simulation complete,” Bergmann announces, her voice hollow, “Stand by for disengagement.”

Dakota just continues to sob.

[1/2]

>>3776396

With the last of the LCL draining away at your feet, the test plug opens up and unfolds to reveal two figures waiting for you. Bergmann has her face buried in a clipboard, trying to conceal the dark mixture of emotions on her face – pain, frustration, even a trace of guilt – as Matheson lingers restlessly. There's a good imitation of concern on her face, and she hurries over to check on Dakota after just a few seconds of thought.

“Dakota, can you hear me? Are you okay?” Matheson murmurs, her voice soothing, “I'm sorry you had to...” Trailing off here, she turns and shoots Bergmann a scowl. “You pushed her too hard,” she snaps, “Why didn't you stop this sooner?”

Bergmann doesn't dignify that with an answer, merely glancing up and giving Matheson a contemptuous sneer. Then, stepping back, she allows Doctor Weick to approach with a stretcher. A slender arm reaches out from the test plug as Dakota begins to emerge, although her strength fails her before she can manage much more than that. Delicately taking her hand, Weick helps her up onto the stretcher. Unnoticed, you creep across to the stretcher and look down at Dakota. Her eyes are closed, sunken in a face set in a pinched frown, and a fever heat seems to radiate from her skin.

“Don't wanna go back,” she mumbles, “Don't wanna go back to the Dark Place. I'll be good this time, I promise...”

Gently shooing you away, Weick starts to push the stretcher out of the lab. Moving to follow him out, the sound of Matheson softly clearing her throat stops you. Turning, you march over to her with your fists clenched. “You did this!” you hiss, raising a hand before pulling the blow and jabbing a finger at her instead, “We pushed HER too hard? You people have been rushing us since day one. If she wasn't ready for this, that's on YOU!”

“I'll be sure to include that in my report,” Matheson purrs, “But I assure you, I didn't have any part in this. As far as I'm concerned, Dakota is a very vulnerable girl. Who decided to make the simulated Lilim hostile?”

There is a cold moment of silence. “I thought best if the simulation was as real as possible,” Bergmann states quietly, “If she can't handle real combat, it's better that we find out now. If not, putting her up against the “real thing” would give us nothing but a dead pilot.” Striding over, Bergmann puts herself between you and Matheson. “And one more thing,” she whispers, her voice so low that you can barely hear her, “Get the hell out of my lab.”

Matheson's brow furrows slightly, but then she gives Bergmann an easy smile. “Of course, Doctor Bergmann. This is still your territory, after all,” she concludes, stepping neatly around the taller woman and starting to leave. “You've got a soft spot for her, don't you?” she adds without looking back, “I wonder. Does she remind you of someone?”

With her own hands clenched into fists, Bergmann remains stubbornly silent.

[2/3]

>>3776458
A soft spot for us or for Dakota?

>>3776464
Dakota. I think she made it difficult on purpose to keep Dakota from getting thrown in the actual fire.

Tough love.

>>3776464
I think that she would be talking about Bergmann's daughter.

>>3776458

Matheson leaves, but Bergmann holds herself stiffly upright for a few seconds more before she turns and throws the clipboard into the corner of her lab. It lands with an echoing crash, the sudden burst of anger causing you to flinch. This must be how everyone else feels when you're throwing a tantrum. What a depressing though.

“I hate that woman,” Bergmann remarks, her tone lighter now that her anger has been spent, “You'd better get going, Holly. I'm sure you have better places to be.”

“I...” you begin, trying to think of something to say.

“That kind of reaction is not abnormal upon seeing a Lilim for the first time,” the doctor tells you in a wooden voice, “What matters is how Dakota reacts in the next few days. Once the initial shock wears off, we can see what kind of future she has with NERV... if she still WANTS to have a future with NERV.” Wearily easing herself down into a seat, Bergmann rubs at her patched eye as she thinks. Then, realising that you're still here, she looks around. “I told you to go,” she states, not unkindly, “So go.”

“Go where?” you blurt out.

“I don't know,” Bergmann replies, shaking her head, “That's your problem, isn't it?”

One of many problems, apparently.

>Head back to the dorm. After this, you really need to take a lie down
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3776482
>There's something else... (Write in)
We should tell her about what we were shown during our fight with Nebiros.

Is it time?

>>3776482
>Dakota reminds you of your daughter doesn’t she? The lilim was burning the souls of people to fuel its sapience, while it was trying to use mine I saw some of the memories it had collected from others. I am sorry for your loss.

>>3776482
>There's something else... (Write in)
Sigh and pull up a chair. We haven't really 'talked' talk since Circle Eleven came out. This might be a good time to do it.

"You're protecting Dakota in your own way huh?"

>>3776482
These, >>3776491 >>3776495, I suppose.
Hopefully it doesn't make Bergmann neck herself.

>>3776482
Also add this >>3776497 to this >>3776498

Just give me one of everything, chief.

>>3776495
>>3776491
You guys sure? This is going to hurt.

>>3776504
She did just decide that we were being difficult and dropped our file on us.

>>3776495
I...i am very hesitant desu.
Bringing up her daughter when she's already seething might not be wise

>>3776482

>Head back to the dorm. After this, you really need to take a lie down

>>3776506
She dropped our file on us when we demanded it in return for telling her about going berserk in China.

>>3776516
Well we are just defusing a bomb before it can go off in our face, as we don't actually know whether or not Johanna is dead, as we only saw things from Tomas's perspective there is a chance that she is still alive, and Matheson is not only wholly responsible for the situation but may also use it against her at some point in the future.

>>3776531
You call that defusing a bomb? More like premature detonation.

>>3776544
Even so I still think that this is going to be better outcome then waiting for Matheson to do the same at a time of her choosing where the stakes may be higher.

Wheels squeak as you grab one of the spare office chairs and pull it across to where Bergmann sits. Setting it down opposite her, you sit and study her for a moment. The doctor is trying very hard to look impassive, working to seal off any part of herself that can still feel. Meeting your gaze, Bergmann gives you a cool look of warning. “Is there something else you had to say?” she asks calmly, “Or are you expecting me to apologise?”

“Apologise to who, Dakota?” you ask, “Because it seems to me like you're trying to protect her... in your own way. If she can't cut it in simulated training, there's no use in sending her out into real combat. Smart.”

“I try,” Bergmann replies quietly, “Despite what you might think of me, I'm not entirely callous. I'm making use of Dakota, certainly, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to throw her life away for no good reason. My orders were to test her capabilities, not make sure she was ready for active duty. I've upheld my side of the deal. If head office wants to complain about the results, that's their problem.”

They were going to complain whatever the results were, and you both know it. This was an exercise in damage control. Whether it was a success or not, that remains unclear. It might never BE clear. There are times, especially times like this, when you wonder if Konstantin had a point. The world is full of shit – why not just be done with it? Shaking off that bleak thought, you find another, equally bleak, subject rising to the surface of your mind. “I do have something to say,” you begin, “But it's not going to be much fun. For either of us.”

Bergmann gives you a strange look, halfway between a grimace and a sardonic smile, then gestures for you to continue. “It's about Nebiros,” you begin, watching the older woman tense up as if anticipating a blow, “When I was fighting it, I could feel something. I caught flashes of its thoughts, I think. All this time, it had been... absorbing people, burning their minds to maintain its own. I saw some of their memories. I wish I didn't have to tell you this, but... I saw you in them. You, holding a baby. Those memories must have belonged to-”

“My husband,” Bergmann finishes for you, pronouncing the word with the cold sterility of a medical doctor studying an infection. Closing her eye for a moment, she nods. “I've known this was coming for a long time now. Ever since their... our... town was emptied. I thought of everything I could, considered every other possibility, but...” she pauses here, her eye leaping open, “What else did you see? Was there anything-”

“Nothing else. They were just flashes, I barely caught this one,” you hastily answer. “I'm sorry Bergmann, I really am, but that's all I know. If I knew anything else, I'd tell you.”

Bowing her head slightly, Bergmann closes her eye once more. Silent and solemn, she thinks to herself.

[1/2]

>>3776552

The silence draws out, growing more and more painful for you. “I know it's not... it won't change anything,” you begin, “But at least Nebiros is dead. We destroyed it. That's got to be something, right?”

“Something. Yes,” Bergmann slowly looks up, “And now I know for sure. The doubt was always the worst part. The uncertainty. The HOPE. Now I can put all that aside.”

You don't like the sound of that. “You're not about to do anything... stupid, are you?” you ask tentatively, “If you're not around, who's going to look out for Dakota? I mean, isn't that why you're protecting her? Because she reminds you of-”

Here, Bergmann holds up a hand to silence you. “They would be about the same age, I think,” she muses, “But it runs no deeper than that. She... Johanna was just a child when I left her. Little more than an infant, really.”

“And you just left her?” you blurt out, immediately cursing your own lack of tact. Bergmann just nods, unfazed by the outburst. “I'm... sorry,” you mumble, “That must have been... hard for you.”

Bergmann doesn't answer this, doesn't even give any indication that she heard you at all. Sighing softly to yourself, you get up and start to leave the lab. “I knew that if I stayed, she would have ended up suffering for my sins,” Bergmann says softly, her voice causing you to freeze, “Second Impact is, in part, my sin to bear. In my own way, I helped to bring it about. So many people lost their lives, lost their families, to that calamity, but in the aftermath... I gained a family. That's the kind of sin that can't go unpunished. So long as I remained with them, I thought I was putting my family in danger and so I left. Of course, life can be more cruel – and more creative – than I thought possible.”

You stare at her, but Bergmann says nothing else. Turning away, you steady your shoulders and flee from the laboratory.

-

Here you are again, lying in bed and staring up at this painfully familiar ceiling. You're trying to think, trying to see the world through Bergmann's eyes... eye. Her world must be a strange place, a world where sins and punishments are real things that stalk their rightful owners and wait for a time to strike. In a world such as this, what sins would be haunting your path? You consider dozens of petty violences and immediately discard them. In the grand scheme of things, they were all meaningless. No, a sin must be something far greater than that.

Your powers, your abilities, everything that you've gained has come at Claire's expense. Is that your sin, then? If so, she must have forgiven you already. Otherwise, she wouldn't have protected you from Amon.

Forgiveness is one thing, but that doesn't mean you've escaped your punishment.

[2/3]

>Next post might be a bit delayed. Feeling a little unwell today for some reason

>>3776614

“I told you about the Dark Place, didn't I? Well... I didn't tell you everything. I didn't tell you about the worst part,” Dakota whispers, “Back in the camp, I had this little rifle. This little .22 thing, good for squirrels and rabbits and not much else. I was just a kid, then, and it seemed so much more powerful than that. Even back then, food was starting to get hard to find, so I went out to see what I could scavenge up. Slipping through the undergrowth, I saw it – this deer, fat and perfect for eating. Couldn't believe my luck. So, taking this rifle, I took aim and fired.”

“I hit it, wounded it, but it didn't go down. It took off and ran, leaving this trail of blood for me to follow. I chased it, and... it seemed like a game. I remember laughing and cheering, even as I chased this... bleeding, wounded animal through the bushes. I lost sight of it for a while, and then I heard a gunshot,” a pause, “When I finally found it, my old man had shot the deer dead. He slapped me in the face, scolded me for maiming the beast. He was a hunter, but he was never cruel to the animals he killed. He called me a butcher, called me vile for what I did to the deer.”

“Normally, you only got the Dark Place for a single night. That's normally enough. That time, though, he sent me down there for three days and three nights. I thought that was bad enough, but later...” silence, “My old man, he took the head from the deer. Left it down there with me. Three days and three nights seems like a long time when you're that young, it seems like forever. I must have spent the whole time with that... thing... staring at me, those glassy eyes pointed at me. I couldn't sleep, couldn't... couldn't do anything. When the three days was up, he let me out and never mentioned it again.”

“The world is such an ugly place,” a new voice, Coraline's voice, murmurs, “And Konstantin wanted to build a paradise – a paradise for all the pigs and hypocrites. Is that really what we're bleeding and suffering for? Is that what you-”

-

Jolting awake, you let out a soft gasp and look down, feeling a gentle weight draped across your body. Dakota sits at the edge of your bed, slumped across your body as she stirs herself gradually awake. Lifting her head slightly, she peers at you through bleary eyes.

“Should be in the infirmary,” the young girl croaks, “But I slipped out. Hate hospitals. Wanted to be here instead.”

“Dakota...” you begin, unsure what to say.

“Oh, it's morning already,” she mumbles, glancing up at the clock and perking up a little, “You think Hester is cooking? She makes good breakfast, way better than anything I'm used to. Are you hungry?”

Something about this feels... not right.

>Right, I'm hungry. Let's eat
>Dakota, listen... (Write in)
>Other

>>3776698
>>Other
Sit up and pat the side of your bed.

"Do you want to talk?"

>>3776698
>Right, I'm hungry. Let's eat
We should probably alert the staff to Dakota's location after we finish up as the last time she disappeared on them, they started to panic.

Depending on Holly's morality there are a couple of valid answers to this, personally as her father trusted her judgement enough to provide her with a firearm while unsupervised so he was at very least partially at fault here. he almost certainly overreacted though, when attempting to correct her behavior she won't do it again so as far as he is probably concerned she learnt her lesson.

>>3776698
>I hope you left a note for Weick so he isn't freaking out. Did your small town even have a hospital to hate?

>>3776698
>>Dakota, listen... (Write in)
The doc …. she was setting you up to fail, not out of spite, but to keep you out of harm's way. She's a frigid bitch, and sucks at talking to people, but in this one singular case, she meant wall. THe only reason I did not do more is because the bosses in charge already ahte me, and would think I "tainted"" you. I'm sorry.

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>>3776818
>THe only reason I did not do more is because the bosses in charge already ahte me, and would think I "tainted"" you.

But we did interfere despite orders. I've never gotten the impression that Holly has ever cared about head office knowing that she may rub off on Dakota. Us interfering with Dakota's first Matheson was proof of that.

>>3776825
The fight itself is in thread #9 starts post >>3673753
and the vision occurs in post >>3679888

>>3776861
yeah, already noticed when i continued reading. didnt think that option would get chosen.

>>3776698
>"Do you climb into bed with sleeping girls often? "

“Dakota, wait,” you mutter, patting the side of your bed, “Do you want to... talk?”

“Do I want to talk?” she repeats, letting out a faltering little laugh, “Talk about what? Stuff we can't talk about over breakfast?” Pausing, she tilts her head to the side and shivers. For the first time, you notice what she's wearing – just a thin shirt hanging low over loose shorts. Someone else's clothes, borrowed or stolen. Her own outfit, heavy coat included, must still be left in the infirmary. “I mean, I dunno,” she continues, “Do YOU want to talk?”

This could go on all day. “I hope you left Weick a note. He's a real worrier,” you scold, “I gotta ask, though, did your home even have a hospital for you to hate?”

“Uh, no. We had this guy who knew how to stitch up a wound,” the young girl answers with an awkward laugh, “But it's the smell, y'know? Like chemicals and stuff, the smell really stings my nose. I was lying in bed, and I just kept thinking that I'd rather be anywhere else.” Getting up from your bed, Dakota paces about your room for a moment. “I don't belong here, do I?” she mutters, pouting like the child she really is, “That shitshow yesterday...”

“That's certainly one word for it,” you agree, “Bergmann wasn't sure if you'd be sticking around after that. You might not believe this, but she was actually trying to look out for you. Beneath that cold bitch act, she's... well, she's still a cold bitch, but she's not a total cold bitch.” Dakota smirks a little at that, which you take as encouragement. “If Bergmann was going hard on you, it wasn't out of spite,” you continue, “It was-”

You're cut off here, rudely interrupted by the blare of a siren. You know that sound all too well – that means danger, Lilim danger.

“Fuck,” you groan, “What about my motivational speech?”

“Fuck that,” Dakota groans, “What about my breakfast?”

>I think I'm just going to pause things here. I'm going to try and continue this tomorrow, but that might not be possible. Updates to come
>I'm sorry for these delays. I've just not really been feeling it today

>>3776918
Thanks for the run.

I hope that they aren't going to throw Dakota in the deep end.

>>3776918
Thanks for running. Hope you feel better.

>>3776926
If they try I say we just take her place. Fuck orders, she isn't ready.

>>3776918
Thanks for running!

Without counting Adrian, how many times have we talked to someone without realizing it was actually Amon?

>>3776934
Now, it's possible that I might be forgetting something, but I'd say "none" for that. While Amon CAN change their appearance, it's not something they really do that much. They very much have a "favourite" disguise to use, if they're not just going bodiless

>>3776918
Thanks for running anyway Moloch.

Ah good, Dakota will get soul vored by Unit 02 or be killed by sympathetic pain, then we'll be back in the saddle.

>>3777115
>Soul vore

This post right here officer

>>3777117
What? Holly soul vored Claire.

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It feels like a long time since you've seen the controlled chaos of the bridge, with NERV crew hurrying back and forth with messages and instructions. Monroe conducts the proceedings with efficient gestures and clipped orders, while Matheson lingers nearby. Adrian behaved the same way, watching and waiting for the slightest hint of a weakness, even a tiny lapse that might be used against you some day.

It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.

On the main screen, the Lilim continues its slow emergence into the real world. For now, all you can see are a set of four segmented legs, their tips tapering down to needles, scraping at the ground and leaving deep scars in the dirt. Nothing else has shown itself, the main body of the Lilim – if it even has a main body – remaining hidden within the shimmering portal. That's going to make things more difficult for you. If it doesn't show itself, you're going to have to go in after it. Well, not YOU exactly, but the point remains.

“So that's it, huh?” Dakota mutters between mouthfuls of her breakfast. She brought her plate into the bridge, steadfastly refusing to give up the chance for a decent meal. Not that you can really blame her there – Hester really does cook up a good breakfast. “Looks like a big bug,” the young girl adds, “Like a spider that got stuck down a drain or something.”

“Pity we can't just turn on the tap and wash it away,” Claudia drawls, “But I suppose stomping on it works just as well.”

“Settle down, Claudia,” Monroe warns, jogging down to join you, “I've got the latest report from Karina. It's a rush job, but she's fairly confident in her assessment. Nothing special this time, apparently, no evidence of strong intrusion potential or any other tricks. At most, it might try to drag its target back into that portal. We're not sure what things are like on the other end of that thing, but try not to find out for us, okay?”

This gets a few laughs, most of them forced. “The target is located on the edge of town, so we've got ample power infrastructure already in place,” Monroe continues, “So far, the main problem we're dealing with is how to attack the Lilim directly if it stays within the portal. We may have to go in and fight it on its home turf, but that's currently our last resort option. I've got Karina searching for further information now.”

“She should have given us more warning,” Claudia tuts, “I suppose she was too busy watching TV and fawning over that silly little shrine visit to be doing her job.”

Monroe's mouth tightens a little at this, but she bites back a rebuke as a junior crewmember runs over with a sealed folder. Fresh orders from the top, apparently. Monroe takes the folder and rips it open, her brow furrowing as she skims the contents.

This doesn't look good.

[1/2]

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>>3778297

“Head office wants Unit 02 deployed and leading this operation,” Monroe announces, her voice tight, “Unit 02 and one other unit providing support.”

Dakota's eyes widen, bulging from her skull. “You can't send her out there!” you hiss, “She's not ready, she's-”

“I know,” Monroe answers simply, giving you a nod, “Dakota, I don't want you to take this personally, but this is just too soon. I'm not willing to put you into danger until you've had more training. Holly, I'm putting you back onto active service. Standard procedure – you'll get your pick of a support and-”

“Is that really such a good idea?” Matheson asks, appearing to butt into the conversation, “I... and you'll forgive me if my information is out of date, but I was under the impression that Miss Reynolds had been deemed unfit for active duty. The last time she was allowed in charge of an ADM Unit...”

“I don't care. If Holly thinks she's ready for active duty, I trust her judgement,” Monroe argues. Her voice is polite enough, but there's real steel beneath the pleasant veneer. “Besides,” she adds, holding up the flimsy folder, “Our orders were to deploy Unit 02. They don't say anything about who would be piloting it. Here, you can see for yourself.” Matheson takes the folder and skims down the sparse document inside, her lips forming a thin line as she realises that Monroe is telling the truth. This, you assume, was not part of the plan.

After a few moments, Matheson closes the folder and passes it back to Monroe. “I see,” she states simply, almost bluntly, “Well, this all appears to be in order. You are, of course, the field commander here, so the final decision lies with you. Of course, the consequences of that decision-”

Monroe holds up a hand to silence the older woman, and Matheson's eyes narrow into vicious slits. “You don't need to remind me,” Monroe replies calmly, “But thank you for your concern.”

Without another word, Matheson turns and stalks away. You all watch her leave, the older woman barging out of the door so abruptly that she nearly bowls Kaori over as the girl is arriving. Jumping out of the way, Kaori hurries over to join you. “She looked like she was in a bad mood,” the pilot remarks, “What's the situation?”

“About as good as can be expected,” Monroe answers cheerfully, “Dakota-”

“I can't do it!” the young girl yelps, finally breaking her silence, “Leading an operation? I can't do it. I... I can't!”

“Could she run support?” Kaori asks, “If the worst comes to the worst-”

“God willing, it won't come to that,” Monroe interrupts, “Holly, I know I'm asking a lot of you, I'm asking you to go against regulations and that could hurt us in the long run, but...”

>This is a bad idea, chief. The UN won't like this
>I'll do it. For support, I want... (Who?)
>There's something else... (Write in)
>Other

>>3778299
>I'll do it. For support, I want... (Who?)
Kaori. We can try blowing off the legs from range first to see what happens. We don't really have enough information otherwise to know if abilities like Yulia's or Juliet's are needed yet.

>Other
"Don't worry about it Chief. I was going to suggest this anyways if they tried to force Dakota this early. Still it doesn't make sense why they need 02 for this. Claudia could have led this no problem."

>>3778299
>There's something else... (Write in)
I would recommend waiting for more orders from head office, based on how Matheson reacted she is probably going to try and get them corrected.

If we are going to deploy I think that since they don't trust us that we shouldn't lead the operation

>>3778305
Only way to win their trust back is to get shit done with no screw ups/berserks. We need to use this chance.

>>3778299
Kaori

>>3778305
And give Matheson a chance to throw Dakota into the oven? Hell no. You're practically throwing away an opportunity.

>>3778307
That's why we shouldn't lead the operation if we are going to deploy, if we show them that we can be deployed without having more things go wrong they are going to have less things that they can use as ammunition against us, and if things go well less heat will come down on Monroe if Unit 02 participates in the operation.

There is a possibility that the orders were deliberately vague on the pilot in order to hamper Matheson's progress by the others.

>>3778299
>I'll do it.

Take Yulia. Maybe she can drag it out of that portal with her anchor.

No Claudia, she'll sabotage us so she can be ace pilot.

>>3778299
>I'll do it. For support, I want... (Who?)
Kaori.

>>3778314
Orders are 02 is leading. There is no vagueness in that so it's either us or Dakota. If you wait it's just going to be Dakota and that'll be a nightmare.

>There is a possibility that the orders were deliberately vague on the pilot in order to hamper Matheson's progress by the others.

Good. Let them tear each other apart while we get shit done.

>>3778315
>No Claudia, she'll sabotage us so she can be ace pilot.

No she wouldn't. She can be a bit of a cunt at times, but she's never tried to fuck Holly over during a mission. You may not think it, but I'm pretty sure deep down she likes Holly. She's a lot more bark than bite.

>>3778320
I dunno man she did murder that dude in cold blood. Just squished him in her hand like a tube of toothpaste.

>>3778322
Yeah she's got some issues no doubt. I hope some of our scolding and reality checks got through.

There's something else going on here. There was no faking the look of cold frustration on Matheson's face as she read those orders. She had been expecting one thing, but she got something entirely different – something that gave Monroe just enough wiggle room to put you in command of Unit 02. As much as you'd like to imagine that Matheson is off sulking about the bad news, she's probably got something else in mind. Something like getting “clarification” about your orders.

That means you need to move, and quickly.

“Chief, I'll lead the mission. Kaori, I want you running support,” you announce, your own voice sounding strange in your ears, “We'll hang back and hit the thing from a distance. If we take those legs out, maybe we can keep it trapped inside that portal. Even if that doesn't kill it, it'll give Karina time to study the thing.”

“I understand,” Kaori replies, nodding briskly, “I'll get ready now.” Turning on her heel, she marches off the bridge. You start to follow, but then a light hand brushes against your arm. Looking around, you see Dakota looking up at you.

“Don't get yourself killed,” the young girl whispers.

“And if you really MUST get yourself killed, try and do it in a way that teaches us something useful,” Claudia drawls, flashing you a sly smile, “I won't forgive you if you go out in such a pointless manner.”

How touching.

-

“You saw it too, didn't you?” Monroe asks as she leads you down to the hangar area, “When Matheson saw those orders...”

“She freaked out. Kind of a low key way to freak out, but still,” you agree, “What's going on here, chief?”

“I wish I knew,” the older woman sighs, “If I had to guess, I'd say this was just another example of messy politics. It's going to take some time to get your ADM Unit prepared. If new orders come in during that time, we might need to scrap this whole mission. If that happens, I don't know what I'll do. Maybe I'll just pretend I didn't see them. On the other hand, it won't just be ME who gets in trouble if that happens. You'll be dragged into it too.”

Pausing, you give her a crooked smile. “I'm already neck deep in it,” you point out, “Just taking part in this mission is knee deep at the very least.”

“Better than being ass deep, I suppose,” Monroe concludes, taking out her phone and punching in a number, “Engineering? Give me a progress report on ADM Unit 02. It's almost ready? You guys must be pulling double shifts down there, remind me to buy a round at the bar next time we... hang on, I'll ask her.”

“Weapons?” you guess.

“Weapons,” she confirms, “You know the drill by now. Standard pattern gear might not pack enough of a punch to sever one of those legs. If that thing does drag you under, though, a heavy rifle might be too cumbersome to use. How do you want to play this?”

>Standard issue gear
>Close assault gear
>Heavy weapons gear

>>3778334
>Heavy weapons gear
The standard Kaori combo.

Also we should totally get pizza for the guys down in engineering sometime. I think way back at the Garden we said we'd do that sometime.

>>3778334
>Heavy weapons gear

Is the bonus damage added to the base damage or is it added as additional damage after the rolls are taken into account?

>>3778334
>Heavy weapons

We won't get pulled under because we'll use Kaori as a human shield.

>>3778334
>Heavy weapons gear

>>3778342
Calm down, Claudia.

>>3778346
Wow that is just the biggest false equivalence

“Hit me with that heavy shit, chief,” you reply, “Like you said, a basic rifle might not be able to sever those legs. If I'm going to shoot this thing, I want to do it properly.”

“Quite right,” Monroe replies with a low laugh, going back to the phone, “Yes, she... oh, you heard that? Well, I guess that's good enough for me. How long do you think that'll take to be ready? Good, great. I'll pass that along. We'll be down shortly.”

Sounds like you're all in a hurry today. “So their loading up the heavy weapons gear already, and it's just about done,” you guess, “Am I close?”

“We're all singing from the same hymn sheet,” she agrees, gesturing for you to follow her. There's really no need for the escort – you know the way by now – but you feel oddly comforted by it. It's confirmation, you suppose, that you're allowed to be doing this. If anyone tries to stop you, you can just sic Monroe on them and be done with it. That's not quite the whole story, though. Even aside from matters of authority and permission, having Monroe walking beside you...

She's trusting you with this operation, probably more than you trust yourself.

-

As you sit on the wire mesh platform, watching as heavy drums of ammunition are loaded onto your ADM Unit, Kaori sidles up beside you. Without a word, she sits down and waits. Like before, in the shrine, there's a pleasantness about this silence, a kind of unspoken understanding. Taking out her phone, Kaori taps the screen and pulls up the live bridge feed. On the tiny screen, the Lilim really does look like a bug. The segmented arms continue to flail, but now you see flickers of something new – a gasping mouth that briefly emerges from the swirling portal before sinking back beneath the surface.

“So there IS something else down there,” Kaori murmurs, finally breaking her silence, “With these things, you never can tell.”

Murmuring a vague agreement, you think about a plan. Grab onto one of the legs and pull it up, just enough to get a shot off at the face. Not complicated, but it should work. That's one thing off your mind, at least, but there's a bigger problem. “I'm pretty scared, Kaori,” you admit, voice low, “I didn't wanna show it, not in front of Dakota, but I'm... I'm not sure if I can keep things under control out there. It's getting harder and harder to-”

“Shh,” Kaori interrupts softly, “One thing at a time.”

“We can't afford another mistake,” you insist, “I can't afford another mistake.”

Rather than answer this with words, Kaori throws her arms around you and squeezes for a brief moment, holding you close before letting go and hopping to her feet as if scalded. Metal rings as she hops down from the platform, running off in the direction of her own ADM. You watch her leave with your mouth hanging slack.

“Holly?” Monroe calls out, her voice crackling over the intercom, “We're opening the entry plug now. Whenever you're ready.”

[1/2]

>>3778341
>The bonus damage is added to our base damage, and then rolls are taken into account. So, our base ranged damage is 10 and each 50% bonus will be an extra 5 damage added on top

>>3778377
Good to know, thank you for the clarification.

The Lilium is going to have a bad day today isn't it.

>>3778383
It's all fun and games until one of us gets dragged into the portal.

>>3778322
Almost every time we have hung out with Claudia it has gone pleasantly. Really dont get why some people think she would actively sabotage us. After Holly established dominance early on she's been fairly friendly. Bitchy, but workable.

>>3778429
>Really dont get why some people think she would actively sabotage us
Because of her brand new sugar momma.

>>3778376

With a cocoon of warm LCL around you, the rest of the world seems so far away. It's unnerving, how comfortable the entry plug has become. You're not foolish enough to believe that nothing can hurt you in here, but there are moments when it certainly seems that way. You could just retreat into this sealed cell and lock out the rest of the world, all the schemes and dirty politics, all the underhanded tactics... all the pigs and hypocrites.

“We're launching in five... four... three...” Monroe announces over the radio. Bracing yourself for the shock, you feel the bottom drop out of your stomach as the elevator slams into motion and hurls you towards the surface. When you come to an equally jarring half, the walls of the entry plug flash white and fade into a view of the outside world once more. Ahead of you, the Lilim continues to struggle. A few more pieces have emerged now, an oddly humanoid arm groping blindly about as the segmented arms stab at the ground. Once, their needle tips almost stab straight into the humanoid arm, and the Lilim angrily swats at itself.

Despite everything, you feel a faint giggle escape your lips as new data scrolls across your vision.

>Target identified as the Lilim: Forneus
>HP: 32/32
>Current Ego: 61/80

“In position now,” Kaori reports, her ADM Unit skulking around and taking aim at the shimmering portal. “Do you think it can... see us?”

“I don't know, I...” Karina answers, her voice fading out as she lapses into thought, “No... no, it doesn't know you're there yet. You need to get a little closer.”

“Closer?” you protest, “If we get any closer, we'll be within the range of those pointy, stabby legs. Have I mentioned how pointy they look?” Karina doesn't answer that, leaving you to growl with frustration. Levelling your rifle, you aim down at the Lilim. The face, when it surfaces, is what you've come to expect from their kind – a dull, lifeless mask of white stone, this one frozen in a yawning expression. When it surfaces again, you fire a volley of shots at it. Chips of white stone explode from the Lilim's body, but the creature immediately retreats down beneath the surface of the portal.

You wait, listening as Karina sighs in weary irritation. A moment later, Forneus bursts forth from the portal once more – the damage completely undone. “I, ah, I did tell you,” Karina whispers, “You'll need to get closer, or it'll just keep retreating like that.”

“Fuck,” you mutter, watching as the needle-tipped legs wave through the air. Readying your rifle, you march into the Lilim's jaws.

>Okay! Calling for a ranged attack here, at medium range and including Kaori's bonuses. So, this will be 1D100+10 aiming to beat 60. I'll be taking the first four results for this one

Rolled 38 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778440

Rolled 86 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778440
Forneus is a Great Marquis of Hell, and has twenty-nine legions of demons under his rule. He teaches Rhetoric and languages, gives men a good name, and makes them be loved by their friends and foes. He is depicted as a great sea monster. His name seems to come from Latin "fornus", "furnus": "oven".

Rolled 54 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778440
>first four results
What if they all pass? Ultra crit?

Rolled 26 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778440

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>3778440
Is it playing fucking peek a boo

Well it's that time again boys.

To AT Overdrive or not?

I've started to hate using this thing cause of how low our Ego has been, but using it now makes us have a chance at killing this in two (20 out of 32 HP) hits potentially so I'm for it.

>>3778464
I'd say hold off until we establish how much it can heal each turn, if it fully heals we're going to need to get closer and get it away from the portal.

>>3778464
I'm against it. We can afford to do this slowly for now

Rolled 15, 98, 59 = 172 (3d100)

>Rolling for an attack for Forneus. 3D100, aiming to beat 40. Whatever the results of that, it looks like we got we're on track for a regular success, so we've got a choice ahead.

>Use Overdrive (5 Ego)
>Do not use Overdrive

>>3778446
>Just a regular critical hit, it's just a little easier to land compared with rolling 3 dice.

>>3778474
>Use Overdrive (5 Ego)
I apologize if it heals, but this thing only needs a 40 to hit us and we've established in this system we need to end fights earlier rather than later.

>>3778474
>Use Overdrive (5 Ego)
At least with Hope it makes only cost 3 Ego
Nothing ventured, nothing gained

>>3778474
>Use Overdrive (5 Ego)
MAIM KILL BURN
MAIM KILL BURN

>>3778482
>>3778474
Actually that's a good question. Moloch does using AT overdrive have Karina refund 3 Ego as opposed to 2? A 2 Ego cost Overdrive makes things a little better.

>>3778474
>Don't use Overdrive

>>3778482
>Spoiler
You know, not long ago in another quest someone voted with this exact phrase.
Their vote won and the consequences were extremely disastrous.

>Closing this vote here for using Overdrive. Go big or go home!

>>3778488
>Hope is based off the number of successes rolled, so using Overdrive wouldn't change the result. It would still equal out to a 3 Ego loss

Rolled 35, 50, 3 = 88 (3d100)

>Forneus: Success!
>Holly: Success – upgraded to Potent Success!

Marching forwards, you see the needle-tipped legs swivelling around to face you. With barely a moment to prepare, you lunge to the side as one leg slashes down towards you. Before it can make contact, Kaori fires a clipped burst of fire that shears the leg off at the joint. Grabbing the now-harmless stump as it continues to descend, you pull with all your might and watch as the surface of the portal swells up. As if a bubble was forming beneath the surface, the iridescent portal bloats and flows up. With it, the gasping mouth is thrust into view.

The heavy rifle bucks against you as you fire it one-handed, barely keeping the stream of shells on target. Chunks of white stone explode away as the mask cracks, but before you can press the attack Kaori shouts a warning. Twisting up, you see a second leg plunging down at you. Lurching back from it, you start to turn your body just as the blade plunges down into your shoulder. Metal plate buckles as the claw punches through your armour, digging into the flesh beneath. Pinned in place, you let out a scream of anger as Forneus dives back beneath the surface of the portal. When it surfaces again, some of the damage you've done is already undoing itself.

Frustration fuels you. Pushing the pain from your mind, you twist around against the blade piercing your flesh and fire on Forneus' new position, another cluster of shots exploding against the Lilm's face. With a single aimed shot, Kaori snips the arm piercing your flesh off and you drop away, ripping the invasive limb out before it can spread any kind of... contamination.

>Damage inflicted: 20
>Integrity reduced by 10
>Ego reduced by 11
>Hope: Ego increased by 2
>Lilim regeneration: HP increased by 4

>Target HP: 16/32
>Integrity: 40/50
>Ego: 52/80

“Holly!” Kaori cries out, the ground shaking as her ADM stamps over to yours. She reaches down to help you up, your damaged unit moving sluggishly as you try to take her hand. The damage is worse than you first thought, your arm groaning with pain. As Kaori is trying to heave you upright, you see the new arm rearing up to strike. Pushing her aside with all your might, you raise the rifle again and prepare to fire.

>Calling for another ranged attack here, at medium range and including Kaori's bonuses. We've taken damage, so the target is going to be raised. So, this will be 1D100+10 aiming to beat 65. I'll be taking the first four results for this one!
>Additionally, rolling for Forneus' attack. 3D100, aiming for 40 as before

Rolled 100 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778530

Rolled 34 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778530

Rolled 69 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778530

Rolled 23 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>3778530

Normal Success = 15
Lilim clash = 5 damage to itself

That's enough to kill it and cover the regen

>>3778536
Also nice 100 bro

>>3778562
I wonder if it does anything.

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>Forneus: Clash!
>Holly: Success!

The segmented leg jerks to the side as you fire, your shots flying wide of their mark. Even this miss achieves something, with the attack drawn to you instead of plunging into Kaori's exposed back. With no time to dodge, you lunge up with your empty hand in an attempt to grab the spiked leg and halt its fall, but the damage you've sustained slow you. The blade punches down into your grasping hand, splitting flesh and armour both as it pierces through you. Screaming in pain, you bring the rifle up and fire a wildly-aimed burst that shears the limb off. As it flies free from the main body, Kaori snaps off a quick burst of fire into Forneus' exposed face.

“It's going to dive!” Karina cries out, “You've got to-”

“I'm on it!” Kaori yells, throwing herself closer to Forneus as the Lilim begins to retreat. The thought of all your hard work being undone in an instant forces you back to your senses. Kaori reaches out and grabs at Forneus' exposed human hand, clinging to it for dear life as she fights to keep the Lilim from diving back into the portal. More hands emerge from the portal, groping and grasping at Kaori as she wrestles with the monster. “Holly!” she grunts, “Holly, I can't hold it for long!”

No. No she can't. Already, the Lilim is starting to win the contest of strength and drag her towards the gulf. Pain shudders up your arm as you push yourself upright with your maimed, wounded hand, bracing the rifle against your arm. Setting the sights over Forneus' shattered face, you fire shot after shot into the gaping, idiot maw. White stone flies as the mask explodes apart, finally revealing the glowing core. Even as Kaori is dragged closer towards the portal, you keep up the ruthless hail of gunfire. As if you were striking a bell, each shot fills your head with an echoing chime.

“I can't-” Kaori screams, and you tear your eyes away from the Lilim just in time to see her upper body sinking into the portal. The thought of it slamming shut around her, slicing her ADM Unit clean in two, causes you to hold fire, but the damage is already done. With so much damage sustained, the Lilim's core goes dark and splits apart in one final display of pyrotechnics.

>Total damage inflicted: 20
>Integrity reduced by 5
>Ego reduced by 3
>Hope: Ego increased by 2

>Integrity: 35/50
>Ego: 51/80

“Target destroyed,” Monroe announces, her voice hesitant, “I think? The portal should be losing integrity, but we're still getting a strong reading from it. Hold on...”

Hold... on.

Just hold on.

[1/2]

>>3778586
Don't you let your guard down girl. Remember what happened last time.

>>3778586
>Roll of 74

Haha, berserker Holly round 3.

BERSERKERRRRRRRR

>>3778586

Hold on.

The rifle drops from nerveless hands, falling unnoticed to the ground as Unit 02 stalks closer to the portal. Grabbing Unit 01 by the scruff of the neck, it callously pulls the brother-unit out of the glowing abyss and throws it back.

Just hold on.

Unit 01 lurches upright and grabs out, trying to hold onto Unit 02 as it reaches one probing hand down into the portal. Hiding deep within it, one of the children of Mother Lilith remains. Anger. Hunger. This is not over.

Just. Hold. On.

Somewhere very far off, someone screams a desperate denial as Unit 01 tries to prevent its brother-unit from diving deep into the portal. The attempt fails, brushed aside as Unit 02 steps forwards and plunges into the Lilim domain. The world swirls around it, and-

-

With a hiss, the entry plug yawns open and the stale LCL spills out onto a stained metal floor. Shaking, trembling, you plant a hand on the rim of the plug to lift yourself out, only to yank your hand away with a hiss of pain. It still hurts after catching that blow, the flesh still feeling pierced. Looking down, you see bare flesh where there should have been the glossy plastic of a plugsuit.

“Oh no,” you whisper in a voice that is not your own, “Oh no no no, not again. We did everything right this time, we did it... this isn't right, this isn't FAIR!” Slumping back into the entry plug, you stare up at the rusting ceiling as tears sting your eyes. Somewhere outside, footsteps ring against metal as someone – or something – paces about. You ignore the sound, sinking down into the embrace of your bitter remorse instead. This isn't... fair.

The world really is full of shit, you decide.

“Hello?” a curious voice, vaguely familiar beneath the lavish French accent, calls out, “Are you going to make me wait all day?”

French? Bracing yourself against the pain, you lever yourself out of the entry plug and climb out, almost collapsing down to the sticky floor once you're free from the metal cannister. Footsteps ring out as your “companion” rushes over, sweeping you up in a warm hug as soon as she's close enough. Her body is young, slender, but you feel the early stages of some curves pressing into you. Her hair, long and golden, tickles your face. She doesn't look, or smell, like someone who just stepped out of an entry plug.

Pulling back, the girl gives you a smile of relief. “Reed?” she murmurs, “Close your mouth, Reed. You might swallow a fly.”

Reed? French Accent? Metal Gear?

“What the...” you mutter, again hearing that other voice, “What happened-”

“I know. It was hard this time, wasn't it?” Coraline's younger double laughs, although her expression is pained, “It was... so hard. But if it's for mankind's sake, I can endure it. Can you?”

>Of course. I can't give up now, can I?
>I can endure anything, if it's for your sake
>I can't take this any more. I just wish it would end
>I... (Write in)
>Other

>>3778637
Wait Cora is French?
Huh?

>>3778637
>Of course. I can't give up now, can I?


>>3778634
Holly is going to dissolve soon.

>>3778637
>I... If I don't, who will? Who else can go through all this... at least who else that deserves it that can go through it?

>>3778637
>>Of course. I can't give up now, can I?

There goes another 10 Ego max. We really are screwed.

>>3778637
>I don't know....I feel like I'm being worn away..."

>>3778637
>Of course. I can't give up now, can I?

>>3778641
We only have four or five Lilium left, so we still can come out of this with some to spare, but we will be playing with some thin margins for error

>>3778647
Still have to deal with the mass production units, and Lilith mindfuckery.

>>3778647
Can't forget Amon

>>3778637
>Reed never talked like that. She just wanted some goddamn pizza.
>Fuck this, fuck you, get me outta here!

>>3778650
That's where Juliet's traits are going to come in handy.
>>3778651
Forneus was number 10 of 14 so we are getting close.

>>3778650
Not to mention whatver conflict with the UN that might erupt

>>3778658
That's where Claudia comes in.

>>3778650
>>3778658
Only Lilim result in berserker rolls though. We can make it. Just got unlucky this time. Going forward let's try and keep Ego over 50 by the end of the fight so we have good odds of keeping control.

>>3778668
We can try but remember that we have a max of 70 Ego now. Assuming we can even get to max Ego before a fight that means we have 20 to spend which can go fast with Overdrives and generally getting our ass kicked. And even if we maintain 50 it's still a coin flip on losing control. Things aren't looking good. Induced Berserk in China and learning about Claire really screwed us. We are still trying to make up that deficit.

>>3778685
On the bright side we now have ten less to make up before we max out. :)

Gently pushing the other girl away from you, you try to say... something, anything. Deep down, you feel your stomach twist with horror. It happened again, and now you're caught within whatever hell the ADM has seen fit to inflict upon you. When you wake up, IF you wake up, what's going to be left of you?

“Reed?” Coraline asks, looking concerned now, “Are you... well?”

“I'm hangin' on in there,” you manage to laugh, although inside you're screaming, “And don't you worry, sister, I can take this and worse. I could really do with a bite to eat, though. I'm thinkin' pizza.”

Someone else's words, coming out of your mouth. Or, is it someone else's mouth too?

“You can't solve ALL your problems with pizza,” Coraline scolds lightly, slapping your arm, “Although I'm sure that you've given it a good old try. Now will you stop being so stubborn for a minute? I... I just want to talk.” Her face twists a little as she says this, becoming old for a fleeting moment. “That's all I ever wanted. Someone to talk to. Someone who understood what I've been through,” the old/young Coraline murmurs, “But if I can't have that, what's the point of anything?”

That escalated quickly. “You can't give up now, sister,” you and Reed tell her, “WE can't give up now. If we do, who else is gonna do this lousy job?”

Coraline's face snaps back into focus, becoming young once more. “Right!” she agrees, giving you a determined nod, “We've got a job to do, and there's a lot of people relying on us!”

That's right. You've got a lot of weight on your shoulders – and you're starting to feel like it's crushing you.

-

This world, whatever it really is, has little in the way of comfort to offer you. The dorms are dull metal, bloodstained mattresses doing little to help you rest. Coraline's double doesn't seem to notice the fact that you're alone here, unless she just prefers it this way. Time doesn't mean anything here, but you still keep wondering how long you've been stranded in this other world. Slowly piecing things together, you try to form an idea of what's going on. This is the other side of the Lilim portal, you know that much, but why are you... Reed?

“Reed...” you whisper to yourself, “You died in a traffic accident, didn't you? Then why would you... why would I...”

A shudder runs through the room, through what might as well be the entire world, and a shriek of tortured metal grates at your ears. Falling out of your bunk, you try to rise only to slip and fall back down to the cold metal floor. Your hand still groans with pain, weakened by the phantom injuries your ADM sustained. Lying flat and pressing yourself against the ground, you wait for the tremors to subside. Then, you pray for the tremors to subside.

Prayers don't seem to mean a damn thing in this place.

[1/2]

>>3778707

Bracing yourself against the convulsions, you crawl across the shuddering metal deck. The image of a sinking ship flashes through your mind as the floor begins to tip up, the gradient shallow at first but steadily growing steeper. All the while, metal shrieks as it tears itself apart. Dragging your weakened body out of the dorm, you finally manage to rise to your feet. Bracing yourself against the wall, you climb against the steepening slope. Ahead of you, you hear a tremendous crash.

“You're insane,” you whisper, dragging yourself a few more paces towards the crashing sound, “You hear... a noise like that... and you go towards it?”

You go towards it. Barging through another door, falling through it, you see... light at the end of the corridor. Not daylight, but the swirling storm of colours that you've come to associate with the Lilim portals. Grimacing, you haul yourself towards the light as a muted roar echoes out from the abyss. That's another sound that you know all too well – the howl of a roused ADM Unit. With each breath straining your lungs, you pull yourself closer. When you reach the end, the top, of the steep slope, you peer out into the abyss. Beneath the strobing, multicolour sky, a blood red ocean stretches out around you. Broken ships, split in two and jutting up from the water, decorate the abyss. Roaming through the hellish landscape is an ADM Unit, the armour split and buckled – yet, you can still make out the 01 painted on one shoulder.

The ADM turns, sensing you and loping closer. Raising one maimed hand, it lunges forwards to grab you. Crying out in horror, you throw yourself back as the giant hand crashes into the corridor, smashing your metal as it grasps for you. Frantically crawling away, you manage to get out of the giant's reach... for now.

“Reed!” Coraline screams, emerging from the far end of the corridor and reaching her hand up to you, “Reed, get out of there! Come to me!”

Her hand wavers as the girl stretches as far as she can, desperation lending her a new strength. Above you, the ADM Unit scrapes and claws at the ruined ship, trying to seize you. Clinging to the gnarled metal wall, you feel yourself pulled in two directions at once. What... are you supposed to do?

“Reed, please!” Coraline cries out, her voice raw with desperate fear, “Please, don't leave me! Not again! Not like this!”

Not like this...

>Climb lower, back to Coraline
>Climb higher, into the reach of the ADM Unit
>Other

>>3778746
>Climb lower, back to Coraline.
It's probably not a good idea to leave before we're done here, Unit 02 went hunting for a second Lilium.