Part One: >>166200
Part Two: >>167739
Part Three: >>173878
Part Four: >>177427
Part Five: >>178930
Summary through most of Part Five (spoilers): >>186543

Just for a little help of this next leg, and to help keep everything straight. Rather basic, however.

Anywho, courses are plotted and ready. The solo module is a go.

[X] Circle around looking for an entrance on the far side.
-[X] Try to find the minds of other kappa.
[X] Wait and observe on the other side if you see no openings by this point.
-[X] Try to find the minds of other kappa.

Why choose? These votes rather coincide, if you ask me! Besides, they are the only choices, right?

Now, my basic thoughts on a strategy for the whole not-experiencing-torture-worse-than-death thing are rather simple, in the end.

Be stealthy: we cannot allow ourselves to leave a trace, and that means no disabling security cameras; we have to avoid them instead. We also need to close doors behind us, but I'd hope she's smart enough for that, or else we may be in quite the pickle very soon.

Be meticulous: never let kappa come too close on our "radar". Leave not one mind that is anywhere near us be ignored. We may risk sanity points potentially, but the other end is far, far worse for us, I'd imagine. Even insanity is better than the three of them being captured.

Be thorough: constantly look for information we can glean from the minds around on the contents of rooms and locations of cameras, if they happen to think on these things.

Mind you, it's asking a lot of her, but sometimes you have to go all-in for the big payout.

I don't want to see what happens to Lucas and Marisa if we get captured too.

Remember, if they notice us, they can zap us, so we have to avoid detection. If we get in, detection is vaguely less deadly in the immediate sense, but we'd then have kappa to figure out how to fight, assuming they don't zap the building.

[X] Wait and observe.
[X] Try to find the minds of other kappa.

I guess that being careful is the only way to do this. I just hope Rika can keep her wits long enough to get some information out of this.

[-i+2-] Wait and observe.
[-i+2-] Try to find the minds of the other kappa.

------------

"She would just go charging right in if she did." Rika snorts and shakes her head. "But without it, she'd just be patient. At least she still has all of those other trick up her sleeve. But I can't… Just have to do what I can. What I'm capable of." The girl pauses as she steps back farther behind the tree, making sure that there is no possible direct line of sight that could expose her. "But without any tools… with nothing but these trees around me…"

Perhaps another simulation is in order. We'll just have to wait the mandatory healing time? We can't afford to lose yet another subject, at least not right now.

"And if these… these things will just shut up!" Rika snaps her teeth ad grabs her forehead, rubbing it and trying to massage away the headache that is threatening to erupt. "No, I can't do that. They'll stop when I'm gone. Stop when—"

AIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Rika's hands immediately fall to her side at the spike of ghostly pain that is echoing through her pelvis. Belatedly, she hears the actual scream echo over the crevice, somehow being loud enough to penetrate through the flat walls of the massive fortress. "There… There has to be a better way. Better than all of this. I'm not going to be able to do anything living like this, There's no way that any of us will be able to do a thing." Huffing, she closes her eye and lets her hands fall to her side. "It's only ghost pain… Remember that. It's nothing but the thoughts of… of those things."

She grits her teeth and looks down. "There's nothing I can do from here. All that I can do is listen and pray that there might be something I can learn. Maybe… maybe I can figure out how many there are… Or where they are. That place is massive. How much is it just wasted space that nothing exists in?"

"Come on now. I need to get going. I need to go ahead and do this… If not for me, for all of the others that are waiting. Lucas is in there. Marisa is. I just know it. I mean, I'm sure they'll be fine. I'm sure of that. So… I don't need to hurry and do such a thing. I can watch and keep an eye out the old fashioned way, can't I?" Her arms quiver just a little bit as she tries to brace herself up, against the tree. "I could watch out, but… the more I wait, the more there's a chance of…" She still doesn't move, even though she's shaking in her spot yet. "I can do this. This is something I can do. Not just be dead weight. I just need to listen… Try and find them all. Find out what is going on. Then maybe… maybe…"

After a few more moments, that solitary eye on her new heart creeps up and looks towards the facility. "I can find them. Maybe, that way, I can avoid—"

Dear God, why does it have to do such things? Let it stay away! Stay away! Don't get any closer to that

Doors are acting oddly again. Seems to be a delay in the coil generator. We'll need to fix it. In the meantime, this is an excellent opportunity to test the conductance of

Fluid seems to react poorly when mixed with several common chemicals. Repeated injections have shown to be just as poor in reacting, regardless of the location of the site of injection or the biological composition that it encounters. Must continue with tests in order to discover version that selectively percusses certain materials consistently.

Stoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Oh, there isn't anything so complicated about it. Just a compound that rapidly ossifies the organic tissue that it touches. It practically

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

serves little purpose, although it is such an interesting application. Don't you

Gone. Gone for now. I'm fine I'm safe I'm not going to get tortured today. No needles no pliers no

Ugh. Don't they realize all the work that needs to be done to prepare this? Sheesh, they can't have fun all the time… Why am I the only

~And the ankle bone's connected to the humerus, and the humerus is connected to the~

Boat…. Please work boat. Must impress professor boat, right boat? So work this time!

Of course, those materials must also be nonvolatile when working within inorganic

It's gone! why'd they take that oh God just keep away don't take

Granted, the electrical overcharge induced by the closing doors is rather overkill as it is. Naturally, this gives a perfect opportunity to boost power flows in order to simulate any sort of interesting arcing action and other byproducts that might occur when organic material is propulsed

oooooooooooooooooooo

ai-i…

………………….Coooooooooo

Perfect, isn't it? After the ossification, of course, the resultant psychological factors are introduced. That's why the procedure cannot be too quick, no. An immediate change doesn't produce the satisfactory

They're watching still watching know you're there what are you planning scheming thinking

Wonderful! Now, as you can see, the insipid visage on the front of this dreadfully dull subject, she now simply revels in that singular thought. It's almost hypnotic how she cannot behoove herself to think of

The boat! Yes, work boat! I can get home then yes take the nice boat home. We will take nice boat back to professor and then smiling angry lady won't

Again, such an idiotic idea… Inviting her into the fortress? What is getting into her head… I swear, she is becoming too over-reliant on this… this…

ooooooooooooo

l……………Stooooo

An excellent proceeding… I wonder what dear captives that might be delivered now? If she is bringing her vessel, she must have something extraordinary to deliver… And all without lifting a

And the C5 connected to the T6 and the T6 connected to the Coccyx and the Coccyx connected to the tibula

still watching I can see the eyes see all the eyes

Of course, that would make a wonderful automatic security, if only that so much power is lost. Hrm. That wouldn't be a good thing to do. My subjects might be taken away. Aha! This would make a perfect opportunity to improve upon the conductance of the subject

Get away! Get away let me go I won't run I promise I promise just stop hurting get away don't even think about

Hrm. Setting that aside, there should be at least some semblance of torrid uses for the overly large deposits of fluids left. Perhaps a few rounds in the centrifuge would be good. I must consult with the others and see if they have a particularly disposable subject that would be so kind as to provide me with sample data

S-Sha….

And isn't it absolutely wonderful! Of course, the physiological association is wonderful, although, I'm not sure if it can hold up in the long term. Body temperature reduction is

ooooool……………………C

Such an idiot… This will harm us in some way… It is almost as if Shi

Boat is going up going up yes again! Two hundred and forty eighth time will be exactly right yes no more mistake none this time this one will be good enough yes I'm sure big funny hat lady will let me go professor you will like this you will yes I'm sure

oooooooooo

We're particularly low right now, but to be able to devote so much time to research… Not even a step onto the other side. That foolish human who thinks they are taking advantage of us… I'm sure I will be able to take her into our care once she has outlived her

an….

That's absolutely ridiculous, and she knows it. It's bad enough that we're not allowed to use our own resources to their full potential, but

And the esophagus connected to the colon, and the colon connected to the esophagus and the esophagus connected to the colon

They're watching… They are in me. I can feel them. reading my mind with those beady little eyes grinning laughing singing just watching me go crazy… I'm not crazy… I'm not

They've gone? They've really gone? That can't be right… not in the least, not in the most not at all. They don't just leave. They don't.

That body temperature is not sustained by any other known mammal; isn't it thrilling to watch the skin constantly freeze and thaw on its own? It's simply intoxicating, isn't it? Why, with the care we've provided, this creature could potentially survive on its own for weeks at an

Let it be noted that, as the days go on, the subject can merely observe as joints continue to stiffen regardless of anything that they do. Thinks to the directed injections, it only required minimal intervention on our part to result in the desired final position

…….STOOOOOOOO

COME ON OUT. I KNOW YOU'RE THERE. YOU ALWAYS ARE. ALWAYS HAVE… YOUR EYES ARE ON ME ALWAYS ON ME STARING PREPARING… eyes…

Granted, that still wouldn't be efficient… Structural damage would be too great to even warrant such a thing. There would be so great of an annoyance if any of the other subjects try to escape. Shiro would be mad if any required vaporization.

….Shan….

I can hardly wait to strip that paint off of that pretty little face and mount

Sadly, we would probably have to construct a larger chamber. The current centrifuge would not have an adequate range to distribute the entirety of the subject samples without some other interference or cross-contamination. While a secondary stage could be used on each of the parts, a large enough first stage would be the preferred

They haven't left. I know they are there…. just what are they planning? They've taken so much… taken… …My God, what is that machine… Why is it

ooooool. …Cool?

Now, see as temperature is raised, and the creature has such a frightened response to the presence of flame. It is absolutely wonderful as the life-giving substance has become worse than a toxin to the the subject, isn't it? A complete rewiring of the instincts, achieved only through

That's not to mention that there has been nothing else provided but subjects! And there won't be anything. Don't any of these imbeciles realize that

now the myelencephalon connected to the coaxial and the coaxial connected to the terminal and the

Stoolstoolstoolstoolstool

Ah well. There's not much of a practical purpose to this… It's rather more of a clinical exercise. Isn't it so fun to take someone who just loves that movement… Takes pride in their physical strength, and reduce them to this? No, less[/i] than this… It is exactly what I[/i]

Of course, only then. One must put on a brave little face… Don't need to take such away a valuable resource… There are so many other things that the fetches can be spent on without waste or anything else of the sort…

Stop! Stop! Come back don't let the machine take me please come back I'd rather ou did I'd rather you what is it doing no no no NO NO NO………………

G-gai…

Eyes… yes, the eyes are the key. The eyes are the key the entire thing the entire point to the entire everything. And they see me… I need to make sure they can't. Remove the eyes remove them all REMOVE

That will do, yes. Perhaps if we tie it into the electrical subsystems

There will be plenty of that to go around in the end! Yes, this sounds like the perfect opportunity to take offline the center third and do a quick patch

Whatever! Can't stop it now; she'll be coming… Just gotta make sure that everything is taken care of and that there are no damned loose ends. If only that Shiro was not such a functionless

Boat… Why are you… Please work… I did it right, yes? Did it right? Why you not floating? Professor gonna be so mad so mad… Where are you

Rika finally manages to wrench her eyes away and huddle near the tree. The sickness in her stomach is causing her to choke and nearly keels her over. She continues to huff for air as she slowly manages to pull herself to her senses once more. "Th-these… These… They are…" She takes a deep breath. "Still, I didn't… Where were they? I know they're here. They have to be… they have to."

She closes her eyes and takes another deep breath and tries to ignore the echoes of pain that are still lingering in her mind. "They must be knocked out… Completely gone. …Completely vulnerable. …H-he might even be…" She takes a gulp as she looks around. "I've got to get in there… Got to right now. But which way is best…"

[ ] There's no time to waste. Make your move and try to get in. And maybe one of the captives can help...
[ ] Try which side of the complex?
[ ] Just go in and get Lucas and Marisa. You need them first… And the others are too far gone.
[ ] Try which side of the complex?
[ ] Continue to wait and observe.
[ ] Remain where you are.
[ ] Move to another point.
[ ] You can't handle it. Leave them to their fate.
[ ] Write-in.

And... mappa. Blue is the direction from what Rika thinks kappa are from. Orange is the direction the others are coming from.

[x] Just go in and get Lucas and Marisa. You need them first… And the others are too far gone.

>>189092

That's far too vague for my tastes; we need precision if we want not be horribly mind raped.

>>189093

I'd like to also point out that, judging by the distance of the endpoints all being the same, that may possibly be our maximum detection range, making my estimates of our maximum range being 1000ft, going my the very rough estimates of using my fingers to compare the key's stated size to it.

Although, that does raise the question of, if it isn't, why the margin of error is the same for them all, no matter how close some might be.

Although, it could also just be that, for the map, that's the maximum forseeable needed markings.

Perhaps we simply can't tell range yet, and thus need to figure that out first, perhaps by comparing the pink first from where we are, and then from our destination.

After all, rushing in this instance may just get us killed, as we have a radar we don't know how to use as of yet.

Next on my assumptions, I imagine that, if they are outside, they would likely be inside the premises. However, none of the thoughts imply them being either outside or inside, if I remember correctly what I read.

>>189093
>>189111

Many good points raised, but do you have a vote yourself?

>>189122

Well, I was more focusing on making it easier to vote for the less brave than anything. Still, I suppose I can.

[~]Try to differentiate the distance of pink lines
-[~]head for circle, triangulate position from there, and also get visuals on the courtyard or whatever that might be in the crack.
-[~]Head to X, ping radar for one last triangulation and a final check, but don't really listen; focus more on the source than the thoughts. If it's like hearing voices, that should be possible.
-[~]If safe, run for it.

I'll call this in approximately 24 hours. Just wanted to get any more opinions/votes before doing so.

>>189133
I need to remember to actually vote for the still alive stories.

I was thinking to triangulate and snipe (I don't remember what kind of equipment we have), but I like your idea better.

[x] What this guy said

I might reread later, compile an asset list or something if I can find the time.

>>189201

Well, I'm fairly certain we have clothes, at the very least.

Probably.

Other than that, I'm pretty sure we have only what we picked up a scene or two ago.

[x]Try to differentiate the distance of pink lines
-[x]Head for circle, triangulate position from there, and also get visuals on the courtyard or whatever that might be in the crack.
-[x]Head to X, ping radar for one last triangulation and a final check, but don't really listen; focus more on the source than the thoughts. If it's like hearing voices, that should be possible.
-[x]If safe, run for it.

We don't have a lot of good options in this situation, but this seems reasonable enough. Kappa-torture is different than I'd previously assumed, but very unsettling nonetheless. Going in there should be fun.

[-j+2-]Try to differentiate the distance of pink lines
-[-j+2-]Head for circle, triangulate position from there, and also get visuals on the courtyard or whatever that might be in the crack.
-[-j+2-]Head to X, ping radar for one last triangulation and a final check, but don't really listen; focus more on the source than the thoughts. If it's like hearing voices, that should be possible.
-[-j+2-]If safe, run for it.

------------

"Which way is…" Rika pauses and stares at the pile of rubble before her. "Which way… that's it." She looks back and forth from towards all the voices. They are still so loud and insistent and overwhelming, but if she can just… Just for a moment… "I can… This is louder from here… and the other… screams are…" Her eyes trail off to the far side of the complex. "…So I can actually tell… Ok, that seems like something."

After a few seconds, Rika kneels down. She checks her pockets again, hoping that she missed something earlier… but all that is there are the feathers and the cloth fragments she picked up from the earlier battle. "…Ok. Well, i can't take it with me, but if I get a rough idea of where all of those kappa are…"

Rika takes a moment to survey the entire facility that lies in the depression before ducking back behind the tree. "So, if I have this right…" She finds stick and starts drawing in the dirt; a circle for the crate, a backwards, angled c for the building… and then she starts drawing lines. "Ok, so there is the one down in the corner… and the other towards the top right… and then a whole lot in the middle. Are they close, or are they nearer the back side of the building from here? It's hard to tell…" She sighs and pinches her nose. "Seven… I can hear seven of them, I think. If they're on the close side, I might be able to try the center. If they're on the far side… Maybe I can enter on the bottom. But to find out…" She eyes the facility one more time before nodding to herself and standing up. "I need to be quick about this… If they start moving…"

Heading back into the trees, Rika starts darting along the rim of the depression, never going far enough to lose sight of the complex, but definitely not getting close enough to risk being spotted. A minute later, after zigging and zagging around the trees, she finds a spot that is about a third of the way around the depression. From here, she manages to see the full form of the central tower as it rises above the rest of the complex. The door that she had thought had seen the man taken in is about where she expected, next to a larger… garage door? Barn door? She can tell from some wear that the door opens, but she's not quite sure how. The normal-sized entry is shared on the other side of the building, but it does not have a correspondingly large entryway. She cannot see any entrances to the central tower.

"Right… That gives me two places that I might be able to get in… Perhaps three." She looks around the building, looking for more activity, but she finds none. "That's if there is no other entrance on the far side. Now, where are they…" Rika gingerly starts to listen to the voices again, wincing at another plea for mercy before staring at the facility once more. Her three eyes remain wide as she sweeps the entire structure, trying to take note of where the voices are loudest. Once satisfied, she retreats behind the tree and begins to map out her plans once more. "Assuming they didn't move… That would mean that there is nothing on the bottom, and there are a lot of them on the top. …But what would that mean? Are their sleeping quarters on the near side of the outer building, or are they in the tower? …Are there some missing that I'm not aware about, or are they taking shifts…" Rika rubs her head, trying to hold off the forthcoming headache.

"Alright. Well, that's close enough for now… And there is that one victim down here. Maybe… Maybe… We'll have to see once I get in. Once I get close enough for things to make a difference. Then, maybe…" She bites her lip. "I wish I still had the tank. Then at least I might have some protection… Or I could have disassembled it…" She sighs again before muttering softly. "The kappa might have something I can use, if I can get enough time all to myself…"

[ ] Go ahead and make a break for it.
[ ] Continue to triangulate.
[ ] Observe patrol patterns
[ ] Write-in

------------

Short one to post quickly and let the next decision be made.

>>189236
What did you expect, out of curiosity?

>>189294

Don't suppose you could include a white X at each past radar ping? It'd make my life of trying to strategize 5-10 minutes of triangulating easier per white X. It's the most important thing to have accurate, as ever pixel it's off is a huge loss in accuracy at the farther points.

Sorry to ask so much of you~

On that note, I'm half way done guessing at where things are. Rushing like crazy to try and get it out ASAP to help you get votes~

[x]Follow gray line to circle, trying to clear the elevated portion as quickly as possible so that the building might hide us.
-[x]Triangulate one last time, hugging the wall of the complex while not touching it at all, being careful our eye doesn't, either.

>>189294

The more I edit this thing, the more I realize that it's going to be hell once we get inside: just look at how much things blend together! Trying to pick apart what was what closer to Rika got difficult at best and maddening at worst.

Once we get inside, it may be wise to make the map bigger, else we're going to be completely lost as to what's what, not to mention where that what is.

Now, excuse me while I go redownload Gimp; MS Paint is starting to become torture at this level of detail.

Because, by the end, that was mind numbing, plain and simple. On the plus side, I learned many things to make this a multitude times easier next time, but still.

Being Rika is fun.

[x] Observe patrol patterns
[x] Formulate harebrained scheme

>>189317
Wow, now that is fancy right there. Impressive you did everything on paint.I can put a few things on to add on in future ones, but I can only provide so much.

As it is; let me clarify your vote. Do you intend to try and map once you're against the side of the building? Want to be clear.

>>189326

More or less.

And Paint can make some pretty amazing things, if you let it. Most sadly snub it, though.

Without layers, but still. That's my one gripe with it, mixed with the inability to mimic your oddly purple-like blue bits or those wonderfully thin carrots.

It's like I can see right through them!

As for additions, any help will, well, help.

Although, if you intend to do something involving putting in the past bits, I request you limit it to the last one two, depending on length of time, and perhaps shift the colors in some minor way on each. Perhaps have them fade as the memory of these things does, too, just so they give a challenge. That would save me a good 20-30 minutes of measuring and drawing lines, while also improve the overall readability. It'd hopefully speed up votes, too, as I'm sure you'd like more.

Otherwise, I may downgrade the overall detail next time, making it less pinpoint on things that are less important.

What with, you know, taking 6 hours.

Although, if you do intend to include past ones, it might also be better to perhaps post one with just the most recent as well, or perhaps do so based on how much time has passed since the last.

Still, I suppose I'm assuming far too much, and requesting far more. Anywho, just figured I hate seeing you get so few votes, and thought the map could use a bit of figuring, so I did it.

Really missed having you around, and I don't want a lack of enthusiasm to chase you off again, assuming that's what it was. It's be a terrible fate to be without a terrible fate.

I mean, I'd hate to see you lose your head over us doing nothing! Sorry, couldn't help myself~ I look up to you as an author and aspire to be as great as you every day~ Feel I'm getting there, but I've still got a ways of nipping at your heels till I can properly sink my teeth in~

>>189332
Well, thanks for all the effort that you put through it. Although, in the future, definitely use Gimp. That way you can overlay each layer and then do your work through there. That way you don't have to do any real measuring. Secondly, in Gimp, use the pencil tool (Shortcut: N) to trace any lines. Click it in the first spot, hold shift, and click in the second spot to make a straight line between two points. You can repeat this to make easy straight lines on a third layer which is above the others, which gives you a clean canvas to work with that won't mess up the layers below. That alone should halve the time you have to spend working on images, if not more. It's just tracing a map, after all.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll do my best to keep my head. No promises for anyone else, though.

>>189334

Yeah, I didn't even know Gimp could do that, so I've always been a bit frustrated with it, to be honest. It helps that I can never seem to make the brushes stop spinning save the ink tool.

Thanks for the advice, and good luck getting votes~

I would like to start writing the next update tomorrow; if there are any other people who'd like to give their input, please go on ahead.

>>189444

Saging: the silent killer.

[x]Follow gray line to circle, trying to clear the elevated portion as quickly as possible so that the building might hide us.
-[x]Triangulate one last time, hugging the wall of the complex while not touching it at all, being careful our eye doesn't, either.

[-k+2-] Follow gray line to circle, trying to clear the elevated portion as quickly as possible so that the building might hide us.
-[-k+2-] Triangulate one last time, hugging the wall of the complex while not touching it at all, being careful that our eye doesn’t, either.

------------

It’s make or break time. “Rika, you can do this. Just go on up and around. There’s no one keeping a watch out. If we just make it to the side of the building, we can check and see where they are. Maybe Marisa will wake up by then. Maybe…” The girl shakes her head as the maybes continue to pile up in her mind. “Enough. Just get going, now…”

After a few more moments of self-remonstration, Rika finally turns back and heads back around and starts running along the edge of the crater. Her feet beat into the sod as she weaves in the tree line, keeping her eye on the door that is the entrance. The monolithic structure looms, ominous and unfriendly, even as the door slips out of sight and presents only its near edifice to dominate her vision.

It’s enough to stop her in her tracks. Carefully, oh so carefully, Rika crawls to the edge of the crater and stares down. No kappa has bothered to come strolling out, and no poor soul has come fleeing for his life, either. It lays silent, waiting for Rika to make her move. “Alright, we’re going to run down there, and we’re going to camp against the side. Alright? Just want to get a feeling of where they are. If I’m right… they’re all on the far side, and.. Well, we’ll see.” Rika takes a few more deep breaths. Her fingers tear into the edge of the crater and her legs tense as she prepares to leap into action. She is panting, terrified. Tears start to run down her face as she contemplates throwing herself towards the Youkai below.

One step is all she needs to start her run. Flailing at first, the girl stumbles down the shallow crater, the loose sediment tumbling as it rolls under her feet. The massive structure looms closer as she picks up speed, and she prays with every step that there is not some camera that she missed that will spot her and send the guards calling. She continues to run until there is a hundred feet left, fifty feet, then twenty five. She slides on the dirt, using it to slow herself down before she impacts the wall at full speed.

Instead, she pops up mere inches from its walls, having managed to slow down enough. The trail isn’t too obvious, but in her wake there is a loose trail of sediment still tumbling down the crater, but even that which is still rolling is beginning to still. “Ok… We’re here… Now…” She takes a deep breath as her eye turns to the structure before her. With that done, she just listens.

oooooo

Get going and work! Work! Work! Damn you I— N-no, Professor, didna mean to curse, Professor don’t be

Of course, we’re going to have to do a few more tests to ensure that it is consistent. Human biological responses can be so random

Even now I’m good girl! I’m a good girl Professor! I know I... I didna mean any of it!

Aww… It didn’t work. And I had everything connected! Back to the drawing board…

Then I build you good boat, yes? Best boat

ooo

my heart! Best boat you would ever have had! Don’t be mad…

AHAHAHAHA CAN’T SEE YOU YOU CAN’T SEE ME! JUST AS I

every time! This time you won’t be! Prof… Professor… Are you…?

..........

Oh… not good enough, am I…

Bah… I suppose it is getting near the time for her. I will need to go and prepare the cages for reception. Not like any other of these science-starved imbeciles would be capable of

understood... I never did. This time will be different! This time I

I do hope the rest are ready. Just to watch as we take our experimentation to the next

This time! This time I will make the bestest of boats ever!

“That one… That one must be close.” Rika looks through the wall. “But only that one seems real… loud? No, that’s not right. More clear…? Something…” The girl puts a hand on her head and sighs. “I can’t wait for this to end…” After a few more moments, she closes her eyes and tries to feel out the directions more than the motivations. “If that one is close near here, then that means… all of the other three toward my right must be on the far side of the wing, since they’re not so close. And the others… Then they all either are on the far side… Or there are a few in the center. Still, there’s no one down here.” She slumps a bit and nearly leans forward to touch the wall, barely managing to stop herself before she does. “There could be some form of haptic defense that is at work here; doubtful, if that central defense is so strong, but this might stop casual interlopers or some weaker magical constructs…”

After examining the structure and failing to find any emitter that could be used for said defense, Rika pauses again and takes a deep breath. “Of course, just because there’s one mind down here doesn’t mean that there isn’t anyone else... All that could mean is that there is nothing else conscious down here. Some Changelings that have been so broken that they don’t even have a mind left… Or some mechanical monsters just waiting for me to spring the trap.” That doesn’t even count the prospect of automated defenses or something else. “Someone is coming soon, though, so this place is going to get even more crowded.”

After a few more moments of internal debate, she scoots down the side of the building and peers up at the door itself. The flat panel of a portal, which is recessed into the wall by a couple of inches, bears no other surface upon it. The door itself is nearly eight feet tall, far more than should be necessary. Nothing sticks out, be it a knob or panel. Around the edges of the door, Rika does not see any sort of scanner, be it fingerprint or eyeball, or even a type of keyhole. The later wouldn’t really matter, as there certainly isn’t a doormat to hide the key under.

“How in the world do they enter, then? Some sort of invisible scanner? ...Maybe even the handle?” Rika continues to look around the frame before noticing that there is a slot above the door. “Maybe it’s up there, but how do I reach it?” The closer, and much wider, garage door spans nearly thirty feet in width and is just as featureless as the other door. This one does not have a slot above it. “Well, this is lovely… How do I get inside, now? I’d rather not risk waiting for another kappa to come out and open it…” Rika looks up at the hole above the farther door. “Even if I could, how do I get up there?”

[ ] Continue to scope out enemies and wait for one to walk out and ambush it.
[ ] Force the door open.
[ ] See if the slot contains a way to activate it.
-[ ] How to access it, though? (Write-in)
[ ] Flee to the tree line
[ ] Write-in

>>190043

Working on editing the picture for ease of use for our purposes~

Might try something new.

I'm not sure if it's as accurate as I think, but, as far as I've figured out, there's at least a 90% chance being at least right in general.

The numbers are arbitrary, mind you, but still. I think the black and blue dots are mostly right. Red dots are less accurate simply by virtue of the mess that that area is in older data.

Anyways, this map should keep us far, far safer.

Noteworthy additions:

1: The question mark is one that I saw nothing indicating it in older data, so I'm going to assume someone woke up, or that our range being nearer allows us to see them.

2: Also, I very nearly missed the shorter one, so if you don't mind, might I ask you make shorter range ones more noticeable? I know to look for it, but still, it was pretty hard to spot. Maybe darken it next time?

Other than that, I'm completely happy with the mapping you've done!

Also, as I haven't said it before, I love the maps. Fun to work with.

>>190054
1. Well, it's been on previous ones. You've just overlooked it.

2. To be fair, I did indicate in the prose that one was closer. There weren't many choices left at that point.

Interesting guesses overall, but I just have to ask; do you have a vote? That would be lovely.

FLOWCHART TIME!

IF door not open:
[x] See if the slot contains a way to activate it.
-[x] How to access it, though?
--[x] Continue to scope out enemies and wait for one to walk out and ambush it.

ELSE IF kappa does not carry door-opening "thingy":
[x] Force the door open.

ELSE:
[x] Continue to scope out enemies and wait for one to walk out and ambush it.
-[X] Force the captive to let you in.



Also, someone's going for a NICE BOAT.

[X]Try to use your door opening thingies to open the door. Stand on your foot raising thingies if you have to. If that fails, use your head seeing thingy's blood pumping thingies to try and open the door.

>>190061

Well, honestly, I don't really know what to do but try and avoid doing things I don't think are wise.

>>190062

I think they call them arms. While it might be fun to remove kappa arms, I don't think it will help us.

>>190062
Oh yes; it's quite the Nice Boat. And Flowchart is noted.
>>190064
Always something wise to do. Wise choices, that is. Thingies might be dangerously vague, though.

Just checking to see if there are any other votes that want to be made; else, I'll probably start working on the next one tomorrow.

>>190064

Changing vote to...

[X]Try to climb up and reach the handle or whatever the indentation may be.

If it's kappa design, perhaps they made it so high because they knew it'd be harder for everyone but them, what with the extend-o-arms. If that's the case, it's entirely possible that, going on a possibly canon-like representation of Nitori, she may think a giant F-off... whatever it is, is enough, with the door's simple enough design being seen as far less pressing an issue.

Or maybe we're about to lose some fingers or worse!

Either way, we'll see. Either way, we'll learn. All we can do is hope we know best, in the end, and do that.

>>190176

Has a day passed for you yet? I know the hedge can be weird, but...

IF door not open:
[-l+2-] See if the slot contains a way to activate it.
-[-l+2-] How to access it, though?
---l+2-] Continue to scope out enemies and wait for one to walk out and ambush it.

ELSE IF kappa does not carry door-opening "thingy":
[-l+2-] Force the door open.

ELSE:
[-l+2-] Continue to scope out enemies and wait for one to walk out and ambush it.
-[-l+2-] Force the captive to let you in.

&

[-l+2-]Try to climb up and reach the handle or whatever the indentation may be.

------------

“I… Let’s look at this logically. We can do this, Rika.” She pinches her nose and stares up at the slot. “That has to be the key to get into this structure.” Rika stares at it for a bit longer before she inches forward, being careful to still not touch the structure. “It might be a retinal scanner or some other form of technological identification. It appears likely.” She shakes her head and continues to edge forward, searching for any telltale glint of a protective cover that would protect the eyepiece of any electronic sensor. After a moment, she starts looking for any brass protuberance, crystal for refraction, or pool of water that might reflect information using a decidedly non-consensus method.

However, despite all of her efforts, she does not see a single one of those; all she can tell is that the handle is dark and obstructed by the depth of which it is inset to the structure. Quietly, she continues to inspect what she knows to be the doorframe, not finding any other surface imperfections. “There has to be more to it than that… It must be hidden so that no one can easily find the way in.” She pauses for a second. “No… Is it just a utilitarian reason? To prevent any seams from being exploited, or perhaps to seal in the interior atmosphere and prevent contamination…” Rika looks back up at the recession and hums softly. “I suppose it would be the second reason, or something along that vein. If it were security… There wouldn’t be anything left exposed at all.”

“...But if these are kappa…” Rika pauses where she is standing and looks straight up, staring at the hidden handle above her. “It could be that simple. But is their hubris so…” She trails off for a second before quietly snorting. “What am I saying? I can hear them. Even if it isn’t the same as the one who did that to sister…”

The girl’s thoughts pause for just a moment before she catches herself. “Now is not the time for that. Focus…” Rika continues to look up to the handle before raising her arm up towards the recession. It is easily out of arm’s reach. But two arms’ reach… “...Is it that simple?”

Though she immediately starts looking around for something to use, there are no twigs nearby that she could attempt to purloin and extend her reach. Those are all at the top of the crater and at the treeline. “Not so simple, then. ...But all I need to do is reach up top.” Rika looks at both sides of the doorframe and looks up again. “...I guess I will have to risk it, in the end.” Letting out a deep breath, she hesitates, waits, dithers, and delays as her hand slowly inches towards the plane, unassuming wall. And, after another few moments that took far longer than they felt, she touches the wall.

Nothing happens.

Rika stares into the fortress as her breath quicken and her heart leaps into her throat, fearful that she had tripped some sort of silent alarm with that bare touch. Her eye darts around, searching out the minds that are lingering so far away. None of the kappa inside drop what they are doing and start dashing off. They do not freeze in place and stare, and there are no thoughts and concerns about a sudden violation of their holy research funhouse. They just… continue on with their mad, pointless, and/or depressing behavior. “Huh…” Rika leans forward and presses her palm against the wall. There is still not a change in the behavior of the Youkai on the inside.

“Let’s not waste time, then.” Ignoring the ramifications for this very moment, Rika presses her hands into the wall and then tries to anchor one foot against the wall. After sating her concern that it won’t slip, she hikes up her other foot and wedges against the opposite side of the doorframe. She breathes in deeply before moving her hands up, one at a time, and continues to wedge her way up the wall. I’ll be thankful enough that I still have shoes, even with my clothes shorn like this.. Rika carefully treads her way up farther and farther, huffing and puffing and doing her damndest to make sure she does not slip and fall.

It doesn’t take long for her to reach the top of the door, and she has a better look on the inside. To her surprise, there is neither an electronic nor magical scanner that she can tell. All that is there is yet a simple bar that is attached to the sides of the chamber on both sides and a track to keep it in place. Again, daring herself to go ahead with her efforts, she reaches upwards and carefully grips the bar. It doesn’t immediately respond with any aggression, and she feels no prick to her skin or hairs raising in wake of some glamour or spell. It also does not pull immediately and, after a gentle tug or two, Rika grabs the bar firmly and drops her other three supporting limbs.

Her weight dangling from the bar seems to be enough, and the entire apparatus finally gives way. Once it reaches the bottom, the door in front of her slides open without so much as a hiss, revealing a clean and polished corridor within. ...I honestly expected there to be a few more bloodstains, honestly.

Rika drops down from the bar and takes a careful look inside, noting that the passageway in front of her leads on for quite a ways before there is a break in its structure. Roughly seventy feet from here, she notices a large pair of double doors leading into a room to her right. They are located about halfway to the far distant end of the hall, though she sees there is an abrupt right turn at that far end.

“Nothing is here… Kinda…” She stares at the polished floors, waxed to a shine. She can see her face reflected in them. “Weird. If I didn’t know better, they would have been just cleaned…” She looks up around the algae green walls, searching for any kind of security camera or device. To her growing concern, she spots nothing obvious; all there is on the left side are a series of electrical panels and other access panels strewn haphazardly throughout its surface. What is more likely? They are too sure of themselves to bother? Their subjects are so plentiful that an escapee isn’t such a concern? Or they have something where I don’t know to look?

Rika edges inside, noticing that, adjacent to the doorframe on the interior, there is a keypad of some sort. An odd, circular keypad with a spiral design on the cut metal. “...What am I missing here…” As she looks back to the door frame proper, she spies a few treadmarks just barely impressed into the stone structure. “...Did I…”

Before she can examine, the door closes as quickly as it did before, merging quite seamlessly with the wall once more. “Lovely…” Rika looks back down the hall, taking a moment to check on the kappa. Still not a one of them seems to have moved. “No one is nearby…” Her eyes drift to her right, towards that room that lurks past the double doors. No one save this subject… She continues to be obsessed with boats, and prattling about impressing her professor. Rika feels her heart tug a little bit… Just like Rikako. She may have lost herself, but she did at least try to help me in that twisted way. She clenches her eyes shut for a second before wiping away the hints of whatever tears might have been forming. Later. She’s better now. Just… Just have to keep going. Remember the others…

[ ] Find a way back outside to ambush a kappa.
[ ] Check in on the boat girl; even if she isn’t helpful, she may have parts…
-[ ] Write-in: How to enter and conduct yourself.
[ ] Ignore her and continue on. You’re sure that nothing the poor girl has could be useful.

Calling any votes that may be here in five days.

>>190938
Technically, up here on Luna, it’s barely been more than one sidereal day. And with how the Youkai like to travel sideways through reality, who knows how long a real day is?

[X] Check in on the boat girl; even if she isn’t helpful, she may have parts…
-As unprofessional as possible, though respectful. With a layout like this, the kappa likely are disturbingly professional and clinical.
--Break the ice with an icebreaker pun.

Boats McGee might be a good ally to have, or at the least helpful to some degree. Plus, maybe we could somehow arm ourselves. I doubt we have time to hunker down with the insane and poke at tech, but maybe we could at least scope things out for when/if she's gone at some point.

As I see it, while she's there, that increases the odds of kappa showing up. They'll want to check in on their little experiment, whatever it be.

Somehow I have a feeling it drove her insane.

Just a hunch.

Still, it might be wise to divine the level of insanity. If she's too insane, maybe don't trust her too far. Still, Rika's words ring with hidden depths. I imagine she's at least lucid to some extent. Maybe like a worse off Tokiko, mentally.

Less splinters, too, I'd imagine.

Or maybe she's acting insane to fool the kappa, and may actually be an asset to the team we no doubt will be putting together of gibbering invalids and people that drone on in single worded sentences.

...I feel that may be a bit less than the A team. Maybe the C team, or even the D team. Heaven forbid we get the F team.

Calling in two days.

>>191136
I'd be more than impressed if you managed to acquire enough pieces that it could be called a team.

[x] Check in on the boat girl; even if she isn’t helpful, she may have parts…
-[x]As unprofessional as possible, though respectful. With a layout like this, the kappa likely are disturbingly professional and clinical.
--[x]Break the ice with an icebreaker pun.

Sure, this seems reasonable. I'm not confident she'll be able to do much personally to help us, but any chance of not going it alone is worth checking.

>>191162

Well, if it's pieces we need, then we just need one kappa for that, then we take their "keys"!

Gonna call it in a little while.

>>191167
I believe that would count as implements more than anything.

>>191191

Now I have to wonder if they would have some use.

Kappa Armstrong?]

Well, that's long enough. I think we can call it here. Update should be up shortly.

>>191196
I think you have the gist of it.

[-m+2-] Check in on the boat girl; even if she isn’t helpful, she may have parts…
-[-m+2-]As unprofessional as possible, though respectful. With a layout like this, the kappa likely are disturbingly professional and clinical.
--[-m+2-]Break the ice with an icebreaker pun.

------------

Nothing to it; you’re going to have to go and check on her. Even if it’s of no use… Maybe she has some sort of equipment here that will be serviceable. Perhaps even something you can retrofit… ...Granted, if she’s attempting to build a boat... Either way, I need to just check. Move it, now.

Quickly driving her feet forward, Rika takes in the surroundings with every single step, wincing at even the smallest of echoes that she makes. Still, she hears no alerts, no sirens, and none of the kappa jump up and start running to your position. Perhaps she’ll be lucky enough to avoid any suspicion from them.

Still, as Rika grasp the double doors, she takes a deep breath and forces herself to push the handles open and step inside.

Who was that? Blue hairs? Please no blue hairs blue hairs so mean hate my boat

Rika look around, staring at the cavernous space she’s entered. It seems to be a massive, multi-story garage with catwalks and gangway crisscrossing overhead along with piping that seems to be connected to a series of large storage tanks on the far wall. Sunlight, stale as it is, streams in from the overhead bay windows and cascades, throwing shadows from the diamond-cut walkways overhead to the floor below, creating a cacophany of visible light. There are no lamps that you see in here. ...If night ever comes in this godforsaken land, she sees no way to provide illumination for their projects.

Not blue hair not blonde hair not red hair who is she who is that girl she has nice shirt on reminds me of professor

The ground floor, for its sake, seems to be strewn with a veritable explosion of tools and equipment, with various workstations all covered with grease and grit and metal shavings as well as dozens and dozens of hand tools and power tools and unpowered tools and is that a nuclear drill? Rika shakes her head and keeps looking around, noticing the powercords haphazardly stretched and pulled taught, all straining to reach sockets. Most of them have quite a few twists and knots from poor handling, and bare wires are showing everywhere.

Maybe works for angry smiling lady she doesn’t like mess won’t like boat either likely this will be a bad day professor where are you?

Rika centers her vision on the source of the complaints, finding at the far end a veritable mountain of metal, accompanied by other relics dumped along the edges. Towards the back left corner from whence she came, she spies several other metal… perhaps… constructions. All seem to be some odd combination of smooth and block, with a surface reminiscent of the shine of an oil slick. The largest one, and apparently the 248th iteration, is standing in the center. Rika barely makes out the form hiding in the rubble, but the moment she spots her she ducks inside.

Really hates such a mess but so many good parts need to work together why not work boat needs to work must work yes.

“Err…” Rika starts walking toward the rubble, making sure to take great care and not to stumble; one slip and her hands, and in result her fingerprints, will be all over that grease and oil. ...And who knows what else is lurking in here. Something terrible, you’ve no doubt… “Hi there! I was just passing through, erm… the area and I wanted to come check out what was in here?”

Blues don’t let in do they probably big hat test yes yes most likely big hat sent to make sure i doing not well.

Her mouth clamps shut before she immediately explains that she isn’t working for whomever this big hat lady is. It won’t go over well if the mentally deranged starts realizing their minds are being read[i]. “I wouldn’t mind if you just wanted to chat! I mean… I heard someone was working on boats here. Someone very good, right? Perhaps you’d like to talk? Show me what you’ve done?”

[i]Lies lies of course it’s a test it’s a test just wait here until she comes won’t change anything where is professor tell me it’s you and you’re proud.

“I’m just wanting to go on in and take a looksee, if you don’t mind? I mean, i’ve never built a boat, so i wouldn’t know how to make a good icebreaker…”

...Huh what does she mean by that why would boat go in ice seem like bad idea.

She can’t help but to groan internally. That was bad... But it seems to have gotten her mind off of the test, so she trudges on. “Really, I suppose it wouldn’t be too bad. I mean, most of the things that I built are on the ground. Never really considered doing much on the water. Didn’t really have the need.

Water might be interesting odd be easier to make float if it is in water not air yes but professor how to get to professor by swimming in water? ...Boat might could find her then I could go rest of the way! ...Maybe… Gotta impress professor…

“Perhaps you could come out and let me look? Maybe I could… Well, I don’t know how much advice I could offer but I’m certain that I could give you some assistance. Would that be nice?” Rika nods to herself, mulling over just how much she wants to help the girl… Even if it’s to get some help in return. After all, there is a lot of material that is here. But Rika only can wonder how much she can put together, and how quickly. She knows that she really needs to take a decent and thorough inventory of the surrounding area first. If she can just find some sort of canister… Maybe she could improvise something useful. Perhaps something to break into an armory. If the kappa even have one. She’d like to think so… Although, really, they might at least have a trophy room. There might be something useful there.

Maybe perhaps that would be no bad no help me alone make professor happy but if I succeed can go and see professor bug big hat smiles and hates and nothing ever works just think can still can still can’t

For that matter… As long as I keep the element of surprise, I can go and use some kind of melee weapon. Maybe I could try and hotwire some kind of pistol like sis’s…” Rika’s eyes start darting around, looking for bits and bobs and pieces that might be lying around. [i]If there is a compact enough energy source in here… Maybe the kappa have something. If I can throw something like that together… I’m sure they have some kind of esoteric element I’m more comfortable with… Eventually, Rika looks back at the boat, finding that no one has yet come out. “Would it hurt for me to look at it at least? It won’t take too long.”

Well if that is case it just us maybe she sees flaws nice shirt lady but who knows if nice not as nice as professor nicer than blues and smiling lady. Yes sounds good if she finds errors maybe can fix before forgetting again again why can’t think right?

Rika clears her throat, quite uncomfortable with the direction that those comments are taking. “Well, may I look? If not, I guess I can go on, ya know. I won’t be mad either way.”

After a few moments, you see motion from behind one of the oddly shimmering panels and a grimy head sticks out. You spy a girl as short as you with peeks out of the room. Her hair and face is grimy, though you can just spy the blond peeking out through the black sludge coating her. Her uniform is old and ruined, with all of the edges frayed and what looks like the remnants of a tie barely managing to keep a sleeve on. The rest of her clothes are the same, and one sock is gone. Even so, the blonde stares at Rika with a long unending gaze, and her mind seems blank as she manages to eep out a strangled “.....iiii….” The cracking voice struggles to make it past those parched lips.

Choose:
[ ] Respond
-[ ] Guide her directly, assuming direct control.
-[ ] Greet her kindly, taking command.
-[ ] Encourage gently, not letting her out of the loop.
-[ ] Let her lead conversation.
[ ] Ask what her name is.
[ ] Ask what to call her.
[ ] Ask about boat and its purpose.
[ ] Ask about supplies here.
[ ] Ask about other people
-[ ] Kappa.
-[ ] Blue hair.
-[ ] Smiling angry lady.
-[ ] Big hat.
-[ ] Professor.
-[ ] Blonde hair.
-[ ] Red hair.
[ ] She’s a lost cause.
-[ ] Do what is needed.
[ ] Write-in

Oops. Forgot to set a deadline: that would be 5 days from original posting, saving any consensus that may develop before then.

Grumble grumble stupid italic tags...

[x] Respond
-[x] Encourage gently, not letting her out of the loop.
[x] Ask about boat and its purpose.
[x] Ask about supplies here.

[x] Ask about other people, if mentioned
-[x] Blue hair.
-[x] Smiling angry lady.
-[x] Big hat.
-[x] Professor.
-[x] Blonde hair.
-[x] Red hair.

So... this girl appears to be attempting to build some sort of airship to find and/or impress her "professor". She has just enough marbles left to realize that she's missing the rest.

Acting friendly seems to be working so far, so let's stick with that.

I'm not sure she remembers her name, how she'll react to being reminded if she doesn't, or what we'd gain by learning it (have any likely candidates been mentioned in the story so far? I don't remember), so ignore that for now.

She seems pretty fixated on boat, so talking about boat should help get on her good side, and asking about supplies (for making boat) may lead to useful stuff, if there's any to find.

Figuring out who's who around here also sounds like a really good idea, if we can do so without making her even more unstable. Stick to subjects she brings up herself, with gentle prompting, to avoid giving away the mind reading business or stepping on any beserk buttons.

That's all I got. I'm almost too scared to vote on this story, but it deserves votes so I'll deal.

> assuming direct control

...

[x] Respond
-[x] Encourage gently, not letting her out of the loop.
[x] Ask about boat and its purpose.
[x] Ask about supplies here.

[x] Ask about other people, if mentioned
-[?] Blue hair.
-[x] Smiling angry lady.
-[?] Big hat.
-[x] Professor.
-[x] Blonde hair.
-[x] Red hair.

>>191249

Might be wise to avoid talk of asking who the blue hair and big hat are. She seems to think that we're with them, so she likely thinks we, you know, know who they are.

>Assuming direct control

Youkai gonna Youkai. If Lucas has the Beast and Elemental, well... maybe we might have the Darkling? In which case, that means we can expect misleading votes that may end worse than we expect. Landmines and such.

[x] Respond
-[x] Encourage gently, not letting her out of the loop.
[x] Ask about boat and its purpose.
[x] Ask about supplies here.

[x] Ask about other people, if mentioned
-[?] Blue hair.
-[x] Smiling angry lady.
-[?] Big hat.
-[x] Professor.
-[x] Blonde hair.
-[x] Red hair.

>>191249
Thanks. I know that I'm not exactly giving many easy choices (merely a bunch with some that might go horribly wrong) but I always appreciate the time spent.

Anywho looks like we know what the vote is, but not calling until midnight server time either way.

[-n+2-] Respond
-[-n+2-] Encourage gently, not letting her out of the loop.
[-n+2-] Ask about boat and its purpose.
[-n+2-] Ask about supplies here.

[-n+2-] Ask about other people, if mentioned
-[?] Blue hair.
-[-n+2-] Smiling angry lady.
-[?] Big hat.
-[-n+2-] Professor.
-[-n+2-] Blonde hair.
-[-n+2-] Red hair.

------------

“Hi there to you.” Rika feels quite odd in this situation. I can’t remember the last time that someone looked to me for comfort… Usually it’s the other way around.. Still, there is no rushing it. Rika knows that if she pushes too hard, the girl might turn tail and hide… Or worse, she might turn hostile and alert the kappa around here. That is to be avoided as well. “...Don’t worry. I’m just interested in your boat. If you don’t mind, that is. It will only take a little bit.”

“I-i-i-i-i” Would be good idea just say yes ok yes open mouth let out breath and then word been far too long. “t-thi” Ok maybe perhaps not working for big hat at all she asking not telling doesn’t look mad smiling lady always looks nice could be hiding as always can’t read minds or trust “t-think s-” oh what about adding bifurcating coil to the front spindle maybe that was it yes best for boat maybe trifurcating instead yes where can I have spindle. Just like that, the girl’s attention span seems to snap her over to a nearby junk pile, into which she dives with none of the lethargy that she had been displaying earlier.

After a few seconds, Rika realizes that she has managed to put her out of her mind completely; there isn’t a spot left occupied by any kind of visitor or guest. Is that some sort of power coupling she’s trying to design? Perhaps an amplifier. No, none of that. Some kind of split coil? Transferring energy to or from?

Needed tunneling agent boat can’t travel yes perhaps no would need more but what but what but but butt fat professor would think that is horrible when can she see me make boat. A couple of parts are tossed out, idly careening towards Rika. She ducks under every single one, as even though she expected something would happen she still was not prepared. Yes she will see soon must have this ready soon before smiling arrives.

This is going nowhere. Rika bites her lip for a few seconds before darting her eyes up to the boat and then back down to the pile. If I can just get my hands on a few good pieces… She lets out a cough after a few moments of hesitation.

No she here she here here here. The filthy blonde pops out of the pile of detritus and stares right at Rika. Wait wait not blonde not smiling where hat. She stares down at Rika, her eyes unnaturally wide. Wait The hairs on the back of Rika’s neck stands up. Nice shirt. Ever so slightly, Rika nods to her. Nice shirt of course not angry maybe hiding likely but not yelled yet must be planning something bad.

Not much that she can do about that supposition presently. “Err… I was just going to help look over the boat real quick. ...Or, if you don’t mind, would you care if I look around at the piles? I might need stuff for projects.”

“Ok?” So odd with blue maybe not they have better than this just boat storage room best room for boat but all junk old not working. Or new not working. Or old working and pointless like needle thimble combination stupid bad for making clothes good for stabbing self need to get new needle. The girl tilts her head a bit. Still best idea for boat no look no touch. Could help likely hate break make boat will be find professor will be soon.

“...Then I guess I cannot look at your vessel?” Rika tries to keep her straight face, ignoring the way that the girl’s left eye twtches to the left every eight and a half seconds. It’s very disconcerting.

Noyes yes no perhaps nono for professor can do it self yes make smiling lady frown will be happy. After a few more moments of erratic thoughts, the girl nods.

“Ok. that’s fine.” Rika turns her eyes to the scrap piles. “...Mind if I search those? I don’t have anything to work with.”

Not blue sure sure no work no lab no monument likely why is here perhaps angry lady send her?

“I just am curious. There must be something usable here.”

“...S-s-s-s-suuuh.” Ok sounds fine not blue that is good best best of all. Boat blues undo undo half parts old boats didn’t work. They keep others give back can’t remake need part need need boat professor gonna kill me took so long bad student!

Rika pauses for a moment, trying to determine whether that was acceptance of her offer or a dismissal. Eventually deciding it was one, Rika approaches one of the tables where tools and metal and grease are scattered in every which way. The girl watches warily, and Rika feels the eyes boring into her. She may be easily distracted, but what is left of her mind does remember how to focus, at least somewhat. She looks down at the tabletop, examining what is left around. A steel pneumatic drill that certainly shows its age while it is connected to some sort of six-inch hole cutter. She has to wonder why it even has it on there, as the hose the drill uses is half rotted away. Nearby there is a vise that is teetering on the tabletop, the surface near it torn to nearly forty-five degrees from the otherwise pitted surface. A series of ancient wrenches are nearby, each bent and scored in numerous places, each one having been twisted and bent into odd shapes just so they could fit between the elaborate and overly complicated metalwork. The remainder of the table is covered with an eclectic assortment of screws and rivets, some of them half-stuck to the surface thanks to the thick coating of grease. ...Rika thinks she sees a handprint somewhere in the pile as well, though it’s very hard to tell from the surface.

Eventually looking back at the mess of wiring and pipe that the blonde is in, Rika finds her already tending to her piles. No no no nothing right why so hard easy well professor did say not always but perhaps might be best yes ok no stuff must make do yes coil coilcoil boat will continue once driven but nothing driving need this to move yes likely such problem.

Rika listens in for a bit, half interested, before she chimes in again. “This is nice. ….Do you ever have others join you as well?” Always need to try and get them to talk. She does seem to enjoy talking to herself more than anything else. Rika winces a little at the startled jump that the girl puts on, but instead of recoiling at the first few frightened thoughts, she grits her teeth and waits.

The blonde looks at her again, though this time, recognition does dawn more quickly than the previous time. “S-s-s-s” Blues do hate watching and love both funny things blue hair likes to come and keep and laugh not much will make blonde angry more at all. ...At least they leave me most alone but with boat near done yes be back. “S-som…. Sum-t-t…” Her lips crack a little bit more as she tries to speak. The gravel in her tone makes Rika wince at the thought of how painful it is. “S-sumtim…”

“Not too often, then?” Rika tries to offer a friendly smile, but it feels so awkward that she doesn’t know how reassuring that it actually is. “Well, that is shame. They don’t get to see you build your boat.”

Yes yes blonde always oddly happy so odd always angry but happy why though only takes spare part every time guess she like spare parts perhaps. The girl nods again and looks off . Doesn’t know try to fool me maybe no blonde hair always comes self never without others without more yes nice shirt is odd not like blues and blonde wish professor could see build only one it matters in the end. “Is-s-s-s-s-z O-o-okkkk.” Seeming satisfied with the answer, the girl turns away and keeps working.

It was an interesting list of things she’s organized only in her head. Still not sure exactly what it means, Rika sighs and looks back over the equipment. It’s probably for the best that she changed her mind. Who knows if I could even get the thing working, much less what to do with it besides offer suggestions that hopefully won’t blow up on her. Rika still eyes the girl as she goes back to searching for her coil. I just wonder why they might want that in particular; she simply hasn’t made the mental leap for the remainder of the device she is attempting to add on.. The thought continues to bounce around Rika’s mind as she continues to explore. There are so many bits and bobs that seem to be leaking out of the piles of parts stacked underneath everything. So much stuff in here… Not sure how much of it is worthwhile, but there has to be something… Granted, you know you probably could force the issue if it reaches that point, but right now there’s no need for such direct action.

A few seconds later, you have to wonder why that thought even percolated on your mind.

Choose (some) from:

[ ] Observe her some more, including what she is doing.
[ ] Assist her tongue. You know she needs it.
[ ] Do not observe; focus directly on a project.
-[ ] Specifically, a build project.
--[ ] Build what?
--[ ] Or you want to help work on the boat.
[ ] Keep chatting; maybe she’ll give you a direct answer.
[ ] Leave. This is a waste of time.
[ ] Explore the local area and see what might be here that is of use.
-[ ] Examine what?
[ ] That small part of you is tiring of waiting.
[ ] Easier Write-in Option

[X] Focus directly on a project.
-[X] Make sure she's okay with it first.
-[X] Specifically, a build project.
--[X] Build some sort of temporary weapon. It's not tank time yet; too risky.
---[X] Start with looking for a power source.
-[X] Keep an eye on her as it were.

This time, it's my turn to be unsure what to vote but do it anyways.

[X] Focus directly on a project.
-[X] Make sure she's okay with it first.
-[X] Specifically, a build project.
--[X] Build some sort of temporary weapon. It's not tank time yet; too risky.
---[X] Start with looking for a power source.
-[X] Keep an eye on her as it were.

Hmm... A thought: obviously the kappa don't have a dish, or it's some place convenient. If they have more water than a human, that means that electrical weapons may be quite effective. Plus, if we find kappa in water, we don't have to worry so much about our weapon being ineffective

I /think/ I've voted.

>>191356

Adding...

[X] Make some sort of electrical stun gun set to extra crispy.

If kappa are dependent on water, it's likely they'll carry plenty extra, one way or the other.

Going to call this, although any other suggestions would be helpful.

Also, you have two [z] votes waiting. For thse who don't remember, they can be used at any point to ask anything that isn't known and, barring discretion for future plot points, will share that information. I'll let you know if the question is valid if you choose to use it.

Sorry; update will be a bit later. It turned out longer than I expected! It will be up and posted when I finish tomorrow.

[-o+2-] Focus directly on a project.
-[-o+2-] Make sure she's okay with it first.
-[-o+2-] Specifically, a build project.
--[-o+2-] Build some sort of temporary weapon. It's not tank time yet; too risky.
---[-o+2-] Start with looking for a power source.
-[-o+2-] Keep an eye on her as it were.

------------

In the end, Rika needs to take advantage of the situation right now. She has a workshop. ...The remains of a workshop, and she needs to go ahead and work on something. After all, Rika knows that there is something in here that she can throw together. Though are these castoffs from Earth or the remnants of a series of failed experiments? ...Probably some of both. Rika starts looking back around the room, towards the giant piles of parts and the greasy remnants about other workbenches.

Still, before she even starts to dig through the detritus, Rika turns back to the girl who is already plunging into the perilous piles once more. Where put it just need to go back in no no that not it… The blonde chucks something else out of the pile, but this time Rika is ready and she manages to easily avoid the tossed item. Nono need proper coil not stupid things not enough coil in this!

“...Err… Excuse me again.”

WHAT NOT READY The girl immediately snaps her head around and stares back at Rika. Oh nice shirt girl again forgot she was here what she want? ...Maybe need needle don’t or perhaps wants something she is looking what say what Her mouth opens and she cracks her mouth. “W-w-wha…?”

“Just wanted to check something really quickly.” Rika forces the smiles before brushing her hair aside. “I wanted to check and see if you’d mind if I used any parts that are down here. ...Is there anything in particular that I need to avoid?”

The blonde stares down, still wide-eyed and more than a little bit curious. Wants parts yes that was what doing odd not-blue nice shirt is. Maybe red shirt got a lot on it looks nice maybe try it later no perhaps wait still staring yes question erm well… Her eyes dart over to her large boat, eyeing it for a little bit before looking back.

Rika shakes her head immediately. “No, I won’t touch the boat at all. Not going to try anything that big.” Not like it worked last time I used one… “I’m just going to make something small. It shouldn’t take long. ...Do you happen to have a welder sitting around here, or will I need to use something else?”

What weld oh yes like big shiny light-on-tube-hose no idiot called welding torch focus on what professor help can’t remember… She takes a deep breath and, after a few seconds, points a shaky hand towards the enormous storage tanks. “T-there…” Those cracked lips still look painful. Doesn’t she ever open them up when no one else is here?

Rika averts her eyes from the sight; it’s just a bit too much to take. Says the one that just had her heart burst out of her chest. I need to focus as well. “Alright; I can check over there. ...Just let me know if I can’t use anything, alright? That’d be the best case scenario for both of us, I think.” After another reluctant nod from the blonde, whose owlish eyes are staring at Rika rather intently now.

Continuing to just go on about her business, Rika starts walking along the rows of debris, casting her eyes around. I definitely need to hammer out a shiv of some sort… a large one. Maybe a stick as well. Retractable for a blade? Might be more effort than it’s worth right now? A spring that size would be hard for me to push back down… She looks down at her hands, squeezing her palms as she tries to ignore the dangling eye. Maybe I can go on down and do something with that, then. If i’m any stronger… No, no. Dont’ depend on that. I need to depend on me, not on whatever this eye is giving me. Casting aside her thought, she continues to look around.

Random sheet metal and pipe litters every single inch, most of it pitted and scored. Some of it shows the familiar sight of welded metal, while others have been bent and twisted using some other means. Rika even recognizes the telltale signs of hammer on a few of the sheets, where they have been beaten and forced into odd forms. ...In one corner, she even sees what looks like a mask that has been beaten into shape. ...One attached to rusty, straight extrusions for what resemble legs and arms… just… Just ignore it. I can’t hear anything there, so even if it was…

Turning her head aside and keeping it down, Rika continues to just take stock of what is around. More old drills, some looking surgical with dark stains on their bits. Wait, if these were antiques that they used to use outside, would that mean that the exterior might be constructed out of iron. After a bit of hesitation, Rika reaches forward and grabs the handle. ...Nothing happens, which is perfectly normal for a human. I guess that there isn’t any here. ...Or the change hasn’t affected me or this heart hasn’t… She lets out a sigh. “This is just… just confusing…”

After taking a deep breath and steadying herself, she continues on, finally reaching the tanks. This side of the room is noticeably tidier; it sees foot traffic that the blonde’s side never does. Set out in a large rusty storage locker are a few old tanks with a hose and welding torch strapped to it. Why is this thing all the way over here? ...Or do the Kappa mean to make her go the entire length of the room every time? … What am I talking about; of course they do. Now, if this is full… She starts to inspect the entirety of the storage locker, knowing that, with this, she has a chance to throw something together and not need to depend solely on screw, bolts, and bent sheets of metal. Now the question on Rika’s mind is what to make. I think… Kappa do retain even more water than humans… Although it isn’t much, and I shouldn’t trust such things implicitly. It’s just asking for trouble, merely depending on that. And she’d still need some method of transferring all of that energy to them. A spring launched system might be possible, or even a simple crossbow would be practical enough… Though would a bolt or two be enough to put down one of those creatures? Tank rounds are best for that job… Her eyes trail off to the large sheets of metal before she smacks her head. Later, focus on—

...

“Are you kidding me…?”

Her eyes snap up to the small label applied to the end of the largest of the tanks. “You’re kidding me… They have all this stored in here, and it’s just sitting and going unused?” She traces her hand on the ancient glyph. 空 “There is no way that it is so simple. They leave pure concentrated aether in here? How do they even have access to this? For this much… They’d have to go back to Earth and leave orbit. ...Granted, I guess there might be some here, but would it even be the right material? ...Is this plane even on a planet like we would think of?” Still in shock, she looks down at the bolts holding the massive cylindrical tank in place, and it is straining… and aimed right at the girl. “Idiots… There isn’t even proper storage. A cylindrical tank is the only way to ensure that the rotational energy inherent is completely balanced. By inserting it into a storage tank like this, all they’re doing is encouraging the natural rotational energies to line up, and the torque… it’ll eventually detach it.”

Granted, that may exactly be the plan. ...They’d waste all of this resource on such a juvenile trick, wouldn’t they? Rika takes another glance to the girl standing atop the trash. ...Just like Rikako, in a sense. ...Took everything from her. ...And when she’s just about to try and make a step forward, they’ll ruin it and make her take two steps back. Why wouldn’t they lock her in a small room with enough tools to work with? ...There must be a reason she has access to this much dangerous material.

...Still, to the task at hand… This might solve all of her problems with powering the mechanism. If I find some sort of turbine and weld the entrances and exits shut… It won’t be ideal, as it won’t be a perfect cylinder and the fittings for an axle wouldn’t be exact, but it should be able to resist most leakage. She starts to look back and forth, peering for other components that are littering the floor. Take that… I can power what? A stun gun? A generator? Not a bad idea to take one with me, but… still be a poor weapon. I need a way to transfer energy. I’d have some sort of alternator or similar, maybe some pump to weld into being the power source…

She pauses halfway through the thought. Naturally, that requires a medium. ...Even if I decided to create some sort of machine gun or a similar persuasion, I don’t have enough time to create the gunpowder… She taps her lips, going through everything that strikes her mind. I guess some sort of repeating crossbow contraption would be feasible, but that wouldn’t be best. Maybe some other method of transference. If I used a large enough electrical coil, I could generate enough static electricity to make a lightning generator, Although, that’s begging for trouble. What wouldn’t it hit? She looks to the side, thinking as she goes. “Perhaps using a water medium. A large, high pressure stream… Just a simple transmission to detach the engine from the pump unit when i’m not pulling the trigger would be all that needs.”

She pauses and looks down. “Perhaps too complicated… A vortex weapon might be better. No need for ammunition, and with the aether geared up to even more than a natural angular velocity and, well, just use air blasts. Could even have a secondary device that inserts aether into the vortex to try and increase the range of the weapon, though it would really just slide off any obstacle that it impacts. ...Over thinking things, likely.”

After a few more moments of introspection, Rika turns her head back up and looks around. Doesn’t really matter at this point. Still need to see if there is even a container which can handle the aether. If there is, then… well, at that point, i can just ignore that and concentrate on something else… This is interesting enough, though. With that thought in mind, she turns back to the series of tables lined with decrepit parts, needing to find some matter of pump or a similar container from which she can fashion one.

The treasure trove of trash reveals plenty of rotary parts, what with those old drills that are scattered about. There’s even an auger lying around (though curiously no motor), and worn and busted drill bits lie around everywhere. A couple of massive monkey wrenches, along with a series of increasingly smaller bent and benign wrenches are what she has to work with. Rika even spots a few old fans scattered around “If I don’t find anything else, I guess I can use that as the basis… Just need to readjust the blades and plate in the outer portions. ...The weld should hold long enough, so once a shaft is connect—”

Rumbles echo loudly through the building as Rika hears an enormous smash that rips through the entire room. She stumbles as the earth itself shakes underneath her feet; the piles of delicately composed parts crumble as they are disturbed from their resting place. Overhead, she barely catches a glimpse of a rainbow flash through the skylights; it’s the first disturbance that she has seen of that ever-stale sky.

Even so, she is more concerned with keeping her balance. She digs her hands into the table in an effort to keep her balance. She doesn’t even notice as the metal gives way beneath her fingers as a sudden pressure is building up in her head. She is hearing something… A voice that is terrible, but not a voice like the others. And, as a great rip resounds, she hears something that is starting to overwhelm her.

It’s not thoughts, but it’s a tidal wave. A voracious cacophony of brown and purple and every single other note imaginable… Every single one channeled to one single purpose. A deafening screech deep in her head. Rika claps her hands over her head instinctively. It does not work; it merely serves to shut out anything that threatens thi͜s͏ ̡i̡ns̸ip͜id po҉i͝şo͢n ͟that̴ ͟is̡ l̸ea̡k҉ing͘ ͏int͞o͝ ͠h͘èr ̷m̵i͞n͝d.͟

Ìt ͜i̴s ͞fu̕ri̛o̢us̀;͡ ̛i͝t i͢s͢ conc̷e͡n͏t̶rat͟ed,̶ ͡and ͘it̀ i̡s ͝str̀òn̸g͞e͞r̨ ̶t҉h̢a n̴a̡n͡y͡th̛i͠ng̀. ́I̛t́ ͘i͟s̵n͠’t idle ̛th̢oug̀hts ̶an̵d͘ j͜oyful͝ w͝hi̴s҉p̴erinģs҉,̀ it i̕s ful͏l̴, a̕l̨l͢-́enc̛o̸mpas͘sing̸, ̴a̛n̢d̨ o͝b̡se͢ssi͞v͞e̶ i͝n̛ ̴it͝s̡ enti̷rety. R҉ik͏a̧ ̡c͏ąn̨ ͝onl̶y͟ bea̴r wi̵t̶ne̴s̢s̛ t͜o ̧t͜h͞e͢ ͝mo̢ns͠oo͞n ̧of͘ emǫtįo̢n͠ ̧craśhin̛g ͢do͡w͟n o͜n̡ h̴eŕ ̕h̀ead͘. Á̶҉ ͘s͘ḩ̛e͏̶̨e͢͞r̵ ̨m̡ę̧d͟l̛eý̧ ͏̕i̛̛n̕ ̸̡a̡͘ ̡s͘͡i͝ng͘l̶e ̨́d̸riv҉è͠͡n̢ ͡t͞ò̧n̡e̸ th̀͝a̶̕͡t̕͠ th̵͞rea̢͘t̢̧é͟n͏s͠͝ ͜͜de͏a̴t͜͟h͏͏̢ ̶̢͢a̷n͟͟͠d̸ ̢ḿ̷̕uti̷͘l͢a̴̕t̢i̡͜o͜n̸ ̧͞b͝y̷̢͞ ̴̡͡wh̛͟à̛͢t͝e̡͜v̧̨e̷r̷̢ ̨̢͡m͠éan̢͏҉s͘͝.̕͜ P͏̧͝ú̵r̷̡͝e̸̶͝ ̧͘cơ̧n̴c̨͢҉ę̵n̛t̷ra̶te̢d͢͡ ̀͜͞f̨̢͡i̴r͟e̸͏ ̷̀á̕͝n͝d ͘b̴͘͘r̀í͡ms̶͝to̵̡n̵͡͠e̸͠ ҉̵̶s̨̕u̴͜r̕͞g̢͟e͜s̡͟͡ i͡n҉̢t̕͜o̷ ͟h͡͡e͏͠r͟ ̧̛͠mi͠ń̨͜d ̸́͞ąnd ̸̷̶s̵̢͜h̢̧e̕ ca̴n͟ǹó͟t̵͡ ҉g҉̨é͘t̨̢̀ í͡t ̶o̶͜u͡ţ͢͡.͡

I̸ţ i̡͘s̷̕ p̀͞ur̡e̢͠͝,̵̵ ̛͜u̴͟n͡d͏en̸͜͞i̛͜͝e͏͜d̡,̡̀͟ ̨̛u̢̕͢n͜͠ḩin̸ge̢̕d̡, ̷̨̢ų̴n̢͞͝r̵̴e͟͠s҉̀͢t̶̢͠r̴͘a̵i̢n̕e͞d̕,̸ u͝͞͝n̨͏v̸͜a͢r̛n͟is͝h̵̡͡e̴͝͡d,̵ ͟͞t͡ŗ̴àn҉̧s̵l̷͏̛u̢c̀e͜͜n̵͜͡t̸,̛ ̴ţ̛r̶ań͢s̵pa̸͘r̵̴ent̸,̷ ̸͟͢c͏o͏n̵d̛͟ú̕c̵ti҉̡v̡͟e,̨́r̴͢a͝d̵̵̸i̧ant̵̕ ̧alĺ͜-͞en͟c͏͝ǫ͠m̛͢͠ṕa͝ss̢͏i̴̵n͠g̵̀,͡ ̧al͠҉l̵̨-̀͟ṕ҉re͡s͜͡e͞n̸͘͠t͟͞,͘ ̵a͘͢͡ẃ҉͞e̕҉̷-̧͠ins̵̛͝ṕ̸i̸͢r̷in͏̡҉g̴,̕m̛͝e̸̛t͟҉a͡p̀͝h͜y̧̛͝s̡͘i͟c̸̕a̴҉l̢̨͘, ̶̡͘p̸s̵̴y̡c͜h͝o̶l̴̕͠o͘g͏̡i̸̧c̢al,̡ ̷҉f̡ù͠͞ll҉̨͢y-̸͡r̛͝ea̸͜l͡i̶̧͜z̸e͜d̶͢͠,́͢ ҉ó̕v̡e̛r̢-̸u͜t̀i͠l̶̢͘į̵z̶͟e͝d͢͡͝, u͟n҉c̷ò̢͡ntai̛̕n̸̨a̢͟͠b̛l̨͟e͜ śt̵̡̕re͘͞a͜͏m̵̸͞s͜ of ́͠͞ù̸͜n͡҉dì̷͟l̸̛̀u̷̕͏t̸e͟d͘,̴͞ ҉̢1̢0̕0%҉,̨҉ ͜o͟rì͟g͘͞͠i̷͟͏n̶ą̧l ̵m͟á͟͡n͏uf̕act̴҉̀u̴̡r҉̧e̵r,̸ ̨̨co̶͏n̶t҉e͏̴͏ǹ͝͡t҉̀s҉́ ͡ár̵͘e̵̷̢ ҉͠d̴a̷͝ng̕͝͠e̕͜rơ͢u͜҉̡s͏͢ ̸̶c̛͞ą̴̢u̶̷ti̸̵̡o̢n͏a̧̨̕r̷̵̨y̨ ̕t̴̢́re̸͘͜a̛t͝m͘én͠t̶ ͘͢i̵̡̕s͘ ̢a͝d̕͟͜v̵̵i̵͟s͞͠ed̸̨͟p͞l̕͜e̸҉͢a̸s̢͏ę ͜w͜͠e͜ar͝ ̧̀pr҉̨́ot̢́ect̵i̴͘͡ve ́҉͠ģ͠e̸͘͜aŕ͡ ͠͏n̡͠ame̡ ͝͡b̡́ra̕͝ń̢͘ḑ́ ȟ̸̪̼̰̏̍͌a̤̟̥̻͙ͬ͗̚ͅt͞r̛̙̖͕̖̽̍̂̇̍ͪ̚e̻̫̹͕ͤ͐͗̿͗̉ͪd̪͈͕̲̈́̿̓. U̡n̡͝d̵̡eǹ͝i̶ą̛̛b͘ļȩ͡,̀͢ ̨͘i̧͞n̨c͏ò͏͢nc͏e̛͜͝i͢v̧a͜bl̴̢e̴̵̴,̴̢͘ ̶͘a͘͢n̨҉d̡ ̷̷͘í̸̕rŗ͞e̴҉f̀҉ú́͘t̸͠a̕͟b͜l̨͘y̷̵͝ H̨̟̲̩̙̯͒̾̀̈́̂A̛̬̬̻̪̱̬̿Ṯ͎̪̣̰̞̖̂̿̐Ḙ̢̣̖̼͔ͯ̋͗ͥͯ͋. A̡ĺl̵̨ ͝ţ͡ha̸t͘ ̢s̀͟͟h̸́e̴͠ ͏c̷à͞ń̶͜ h̡͠e͘̕͞a̶r͟ ͜͏a̧҉l̴l ͞҉t̵҉h̸̡ąt͡ ś̨͟h̴̨̡e̵ ̴̨҉c̵͞a҉n̨͡ ̧s҉͡͠é͞e̕͞ ̷͞i̢s ̸̧͞t҉̀h̨̀è͡ ͜͡su̕͢͢m̡̕͡ ͡t̢͠o͢t҉a̶͠l̵͡͠ ͝o̢f͘ H͉̩͠A̯̭ͅA̻̯̼̯ͬͭ̀A̋̓͗T̷̳ͮ̌ͅE̮͔̗̗̖̚.








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͖̪̈́ͯ̆̾͛̚
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̰͍ͫ̽̏ͫ̑̃̎͠
̵̦̫̺̆̀
̣T̵͙ͯ̎̏ͤͅH̟̮̣̤͎̘̹͋ͥ̀̿͛͆A̸̱̯̯̫̗T͍̺̪̹͘ͅ ̘͈̙I̠S̠̻̫ͬ͒ͨ̌͐ͦ̉͞ ̩͎̦͖̠̓́̚L͓̳̮̞̜͇͐͡I̅͂͌͌̊ͣͤF̸̻Ë̵͎͍̹́.ͯͫͪͣ͏
̰̲̖̪͔̞͡ͅ
̶̦͛͋ͫ
̴̭̳͕̻̯̦̋͊̄ͫ̉ͯ̌P̬̗͠Ư͈͉̟̣̭̙̐̍ͭ̾R̳̝̙͖͖ͯ͐͆̂E̛̻̻̙̲̪̞͊ͣ̿ͪͤ.̣͓̳̪̯ͤ̈́ͬ̒̊͗
̦͓̤̯̰̺ͫ̔̄͐͋͡
̸͒̅ͤ
̬͍̰H͈̆͊̐ͯ͗ͣ͜AṬ͖̂̌́̊͋̿E͉̘͖̩̋̈̌ͧ̓ͥ͆.̫̯̯̦̉̇
̨͔̭͎̩̾͊̊
̭̖̭͈̙̟̜̇
͊H͕̗̀̈ͣ̽ͯ̚Aͣ̓͑ͨͮ͒̊͏Ä̂̀Aͦ̓̔̌̈͛͂Ă͖͎ͨÃ̔T͔͎̯̲̥̓͋ͣͭͣ͂̓E̛̘͖̜̝͖̰͛̊̉̈́ͪ
̸̣͍
̛ͧ͗̆
͗̽̓̒͂̀H̱͕̖̠̠͈ͯ̂ͪͥA̹ͨͧ͟A̴̎̅͗À̗̲͇̜̞̰̓͡ͅA̳ͣͥͮ̑̕Ą͔̹̘͂A̋͑̑̓҉͖̮̻̺̱̣A͖̺͉͌ͤͬͤA̹̮̤͎̬͈͔͒͌̔̌̿ͥ̎͘A̯͍̗͚̰̙ͧ́À̱̥̚ͅÅ̗̬͉̂̊͞Ä̷̭͔́͆ͮ̈̑͐—̠̘̮̄ͧͮ̅͒͒͟ KLANG

Rika goes flying across the floor, skidding on the ground as an wrought iron connects with the side of her head. The pain clears her mind, even for just a little while, even if just for now. The burning on her scalp and the blood leaking and the throbbing that lets her know that that is going to hurt in the morning actually manages to focus her head, if for a little while, on the refreshing lack of thoughts going on.

Groggy, Rika tries to look up at the person who hit her. It is that same blonde from before, holding an oiled wrench bigger than her leg. There is quite a bit of blood left on the flat side of the wrench, and the girl is huffing and puffing and staring down at you with those wild eyes… ...They look rather more focused now. “W-why did you…”

“Y-y-...” The girl takes a deep breath and shakes her head. “You w-were screaming.” She takes a breath and looks around, staring up at the ceiling and then at the door. “She is coming… t-thief… ...W-why are you so affected?” She tilts her head to the side. All the way to the side. “Are you w-with her?”

[ ] Deny it, and say that the shock shook you up.
[ ] Admit that you just felt something… mentally.
[ ] Complain about her whacking you in the forehead.
[ ] HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE
[ ] Maybe you should just redirect her focus to something else.
[ ] Perhaps just change her focus to distract her.
[ ] Use her fear to your advantage. Push her mind in the correct direction.
[ ] Write-in

[X] Admit that you just felt something… mentally.

Not quite certain what to ask regarding the [z] questions. Everything I can think of at the moment to ask is too short term to really be worth wasting those questions.

>>191445

Well, if that short term keeps us alive to some degree... would that not be better than waiting till kappa are wrist deep?

>>191445
Go ahead and throw them out there. If it's something that I feel needs to be addressed due to me taking so long to update, or if it isn't that big, I can go ahead and say. And if it isn't, it gets the idea out there. Discussion is always welcome.

Not that I should tell you how to use the [z] votes; that's up to the readers. There may not be a need to keep them all stored like they're stat boosting items.

Aaaaaand, because I feel like it, have a Mystia. It's been too long since I said that.

>>191448
Far FAR too long.

Also she has Kohaku Kimono, nice.

>>191448
>>191456

I see your Mystia and raise you Kyoto.

>>191456
Okamisty is always the best Mystia. I've grown fond of that depiction.

>>191457
Careful now... Someone might lose their head.

[X] Complain about her whacking you in the forehead.
-[X] Thank her for doing so when you realize what you were just thinking.

A few ideas for Z questions:

[]Kappa: what led to their experiments being so strange?
[]Rika: what does she know that might be useful here? Or make, for that matter. We know very little about her capabilities.
[]History lesson

Alrighty, I'd like to request a tie breaker. I can extend the deadline, since I was a bit late and this is a holiday weekend for some.

>>191472
1. Could be reworded; I wouldn't know if that would help you.
2. That is a completely fine with me.
3. More specifics would be nice before I comment otherwise.

[x] Complain about her whacking you in the forehead.
-[x] Thank her for doing so when you realize what you were just thinking.

I probably would have gone with a different vote option, but making a three-way tie wouldn't help anyone. Not sure what to do about the [z] questions just yet, though this does seem like an environment where we could use the help.

>>191478
Thanks for the vote; just saw that tie was broke.

Gonna have the update up tomorrow most likely (the day after if not). Sorry for the wait.

Just finished No Such Thing as Fairytales

Enjoyable read, I like your style.

[-p+2-] Complain about her whacking you in the forehead.
-[-p+2-] Thank her for doing so when you realize what you were just thinking.

------------

“That really freakin’ hurt, you know…?” Rika’s hand raises up and touches the side of her head where a copious amount of blood has already caked her hair. “Y-you didn’t have to hit me that hard, did you…?”

The blonde’s look is rather incredulous. With her eyes wide and her mouth bleeding, there’s little else that it could look like. “...You were sc-c-screaming. It was l-loud, so very very l-loud…” She stares down at Rika, never blinking as she does. “T-they will hear… and s-she will come.”

“She…?” Shaking her head, Rika begins searching for a piece of fabric; that head wound is too serious to leave unintended. “Why are you so certain…?”

“It is time. So c-close, so near.” She continues to stare at Rika, with that gaze that is hardly welcoming or inviting. Merely penetrating as deep into her mind as that third eye. “Angry, p-peaceful smile…” Her head finally rises and assumes a somewhat normal position. “You k-know her. Do n-not lie… You are w-with her…”

“...Nothing of the sort.” After a few more moments, there’s nothing she really can do. There’s no fabric or anything else she can find; the closest thing that Rika spies are a few old, oil-soaked rags… but she isn’t going to use that. “I just… I heard so much… I felt a… a presence. There was so much… so much hate. It was overwhelming.” Not that Rika could have even told the difference between her mind and the mind of the other person… If she can even call that a person. There was no thought. “There was nothing. Nothing but that wall of hate.”

The girl continues to stare at Rika. “...You feel her. How d-do you survive…?” She twitches and holds her head. “No… C’mon…”

“...I didn’t..” Wait, survive? If that is what the girl is implying… “Did… Did someone do something to you? Did this person…?”

“Can’t scream. They’ll hear… Find out. ...If she is here… You n-need to go.” She sighs and drops the wrench, slumping. Be here and come and inspect and mock…” She pauses and sucks on her mouth for a bit, eventually spitting out blood. “No staying. Ship won’t work, t-taken, thief…” The girl mumbles and looks off, her eyes lidding a little as worry reigns on her face.

That is a hard question, isn’t it? You’re under armed against the kappa; you can’t do anything as it is. “I can’t do that. If I leave now… The kappa will find me. And I came here to find my allies. I can’t just leave them here.”

“T-then she will find you. Yellow-haired t-thief…” She grunts and looks away. “Just g-go. Before she c-comes and finds you here.”

After a few moments of consideration, Rika slowly shakes her head and reaches down, ripping off the hem of her shirt. It’s tough, and the strip of fabric is jagged and dirty, but it’s better than anything. Rika reaches up and ties the bandage over the wound, making sure that at least one of the ends loops under the remnants of a pigtail; that might help hold the bandage on for a little while longer. “There’s still too much to do. I need to finish this weapon before I leave. If I don’t… I won’t stand a chance if I do run across anything.”

The girl stares back at Rika, and her cheeks tense. “Just… she will be here s-soon…” The blonde girl wipes off her mouth, dragging bits and pieces of the damaged skin away as well. “They will all come and look and stare and mock…“

Well, if they’re all going to come here, it may not be the best of ideas to stay. A jury-rigged weapon would be wonderful one-on-one, but against every single one of them in a situation that they can corner her… Discretion will be the better approach. But right now… The girl seems a little more lucid. If I can just get a straight answer…

At the very least, the voices in her mind are quiet. Though, bit by painful bit, she can start to hear the whispers once more, bouncing around in that crowded, bloody skull.

[ ] Ignore her and continue construction.
[ ] Listen to her and vacate immediately, dropping everything.
[ ] Take a compromise.
-[ ] But how? (Specify)
[ ] Question her some more.
-[ ] About what she is doing here.
-[ ] About who it is that is coming.
-[ ] Ask about her name.
-[ ] Other? (Specify)
[ ] She’s useful like this. Ensure she remains as such.
[ ] Write-in option.

>>191779
Thanks! Glad you did; when you finish it up, let me know what you think of the rest when you get the chance.

[x] Listen to her and vacate immediately, dropping everything.

Anything else is a terrible idea that is certain to get us killed or worse.

Since it was requested, here is a link to the story. This is taken from my own files, so there may be a few changes (I sometimes edit in the box and forget to copy them back to the file) but the majority will be the same.

I'm going through and formatting it right now; so there may be some changes.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hd8XqenOshXiaiJRidLABX1BfAoYk4nA1JXgD-843U0/edit?usp=sharing

>>191786
It doesn't appear to load for me.

>>191789
Nevermind, it just took an extraordinarily long time.

>>191790

Yeah, that's my one complaint of the site. It's wonderful, but I'm at a fraction of that size and considering a second thread.

[x]Quickly scan for Kappa and try to figure out if any are headed here.

Leaving is all well and good, but what if one's right outside the door?

The Wayback Machine also has the currently-down threads, if you want to read the votes and such.

Thread 3: https://web.archive.org/web/20150915080705/http://www.touhou-project.com/th/res/173878.html
Thread 4: https://web.archive.org/web/20150825022207/http://www.touhou-project.com/th/res/177427.html

[x] Listen to her and vacate immediately, dropping everything.

Checked the maps, it's unlikely a Kappa is next to the door, though one appears to have drifted towards us slightly.

I don't think actively scanning is a good idea, as we may inadvertently pick up noise from whatever the fuck screechy possible-elemental that may-or-may-not-be-Nitori is.


Finished marathon of the two stories. Thoroughly enjoyed both Lucas//Margaret and Meiling's perspective.

I'm somewhat confused what the endgame for this story will be, No Such Thing as Fairytales had a pretty clear goal of 'kill the wriggle and fuck off'. The goal for this seems to be 'get your friends and then try not to die horribly'.

On the note of Marisa's horrible eldritch book, I'm just going to take a guess and say it's the Grimoire of Alice, and as such could be linked to Shinki or other unwanted Makai things. Might re-read that segment to see if there's any hints to such a conclusion.

>>191809
I will admit that the endgame for this one is certainly more muddled than the previous; I blame that on my designs and being a little overly-ambitious. Technically, we didn't reach the climax of act 1, as it were, until Thread 4: in the original, the thread was over by then. That, on account of the various changes in PoV and subplots I put in made the story bloat. I'd say it's a novice mistake, but I would like to finish the story. I have taken that entire bloat into account and am trying to gather all the loose ends (I could tell you how close we are, but, well... that's a [z] vote level one).

I am also making sure to minimize that bloat in the next story as well. Those plans would have minimal PoV shifts (of course, those do depend on who survives...) and be more akin to the first one. However, this story is too invested to simply make the change now.

As for your suppositions, I cannot rightly say at this moment without the appropriate [z] vote. Still, thank you for your thoughts; I do appreciate it.

------------

In other news... Called!

>>191809

Sometimes, shying away from the fire just freezes you to death.

[-q+2-] Listen to her and vacate immediately, dropping everything.

------------

On the one hand, Rika could stay here and continue to try and strap together a weapon. ...On the other hand, the mere possibility of one of the kappa finding her is too big of a risk to take. “...Thanks for the warning, then. I’ll head on and be out of your hair in no time.”

“Hair? W-why would you be in it?”

Rika takes a deep breath while she pinches her nose. “Never mind; it was just an expr—”

“Yes! Yes I know.” The blonde girl shakes her head again. The matted strands fling back and forth; Rika swears she sees oil flinging off of the very tips as it undulates in the still air. “S-s-sorry. Hard to be…” She shakes her head again. “Boat… No boat left anymore but… thief…” She ends up shaking her head again, and Rika backs up a little.

“Well, either way, I’ll be leaving. That way you will be able to get back to your ship.” Granted, that thing won’t be flying… Or sailing… Well, it won’t be doing anything of the sort. Although, that might be the entire point of the operation, considering who is keeping her captive. “And I won’t distract you.”

“Yes, yes, boat must be worked on. Perhaps big coil would be best, yes. Large coil perhaps impedance would be great enough—” The girl shakes her head again, this time rather violently. “Not going to work yes blue will come blue will see and happy they’ll be yesyes very happy that won’t be best.”

Rika eyes the exit once more, but she finds herself torn. For a moment, there was something approaching sanity. Maybe mentioning the boat wasn’t the best idea… It does seem to be causing her to regress.

The tank girl finds herself torn… this person, whoever she was before, is as much of a victim as Rikako: mind shattered and hard to focus, having what once was her pride and joy ripped out and then left to aimless work to try and recreate it. After watching her older sister for so long, her heartstrings do tug at the sight of the girl muttering endlessly and feverishly searching through the parts. ...At the very least… The emotional heart still is in my chest.

Looking down at her new third eye, Rika knows that hearing this girl would not be a problem, nor would understanding her be… Although, since she’s not sure what made her tick, there might be a chance that the dirty blonde stabs her in the back. That’s assuming that she even wants to go. If she is like Rikako, she might want to stay and work. Though, leaving her here is a death sentence or worse

...Though, considering what this eye might be capable of, there might be a few other options open to Rika if the girl doesn’t want to comply.

I don’t know what to do… Rika sighs and rubs her forehead, anxious and ready to dash off. The blonde continues to quietly speak about thieves and ships and angry smiles as she inspects another pile of parts. What would Marisa do?

[ ] Ask her to come along. Why stay if the kappa will harm?
[ ] Urge her to leave with Rika. Would the professor want her to stay?
[ ] Insist that she leaves. By any means.
[ ] Leave her be; nothing can be gained.
[ ] Make sure the kappa have a present when they arrive.
-[ ] They won’t mind if their subject suddenly turns bloodthirsty, will they?
-[ ] Perhaps they should maintain their containers of volatile materials more carefully...
[ ] If Lukie can fix Rikako… what can Rika do?
-[ ] She can wait and hope; there is no need to rush.
-[ ] Strike while the iron is hot! Nothing can go wrong.
[ ] Write-in.

>[ ] Ask her to come along. Why stay if the kappa will harm?
>[ ] Urge her to leave with Rika. Would the professor want her to stay?
>[ ] Insist that she leaves. By any means.
She (most likely) has a Kappa in her head. It would call for help if she ran away.

>[ ] Leave her be; nothing can be gained.
>[ ] Make sure the kappa have a present when they arrive.
>-[ ] They won’t mind if their subject suddenly turns bloodthirsty, will they?
>-[ ] Perhaps they should maintain their containers of volatile materials more carefully...
Those options lead to kappas killing the boatgril.

>-[ ] Strike while the iron is hot! Nothing can go wrong.
Cue angry kappas bursting in while both of those two are in mind-meld-trance-mode. And then we're youkai food.

[x] If Lukie can fix Rikako… what can Rika do?
-[x] She can wait and hope; there is no need to rush.
[x] Leave for now. We'll rescue her later if at all possible.

I figure we leave and come back to her later when there's an expert on getting-kappas-out-of-people's-heads in our party.

[x] If Lukie can fix Rikako… what can Rika do?
-[x] She can wait and hope; there is no need to rush.
[x] Leave for now. We'll rescue her later if at all possible.

Above anon seems logical.

[x] If Lukie can fix Rikako… what can Rika do?
-[x] She can wait and hope; there is no need to rush.
[x] Leave for now. We'll rescue her later if at all possible.

Good enough. At least I don't have to come up with a plan this time.

[-r+2-] If Lukie can fix Rikako… what can Rika do?
-[-r+2-] She can wait and hope; there is no need to rush.
[-r+2-] Leave for now. We'll rescue her later if at all possible.

------------

There really isn’t anything that she can do, is there? Rika knows that she wasn’t the one that actually was responsible for fixing her sister, no matter how hard she tried. And that was with months of efforts and trying every single machine her sister had built (and a few that Rika herself had cobbled together). None of it was worthwhile; she needs someone that can step into the Youkai’s world.

And… despite the eye on the chest, Rika is unable and unwilling to reach that point and wouldn’t have the first clue where to begin. And, even if she did try anything, whose to say that one or both of them would end up as an empty husk? No, it’s best to leave her for now and instead come back… If at all possible.

Rika shudders at the very possibility.

With that, she turns her back on the girl and heads back to the same door that she came in. The blonde is left to scrounge and dig through the piles of parts, and soon Rika hears the muttering that echos in her mind. Yes no good might work this time indeed no distraction now yes can focus focus on ship and experiment and ensure proper field oscillates this time. It continues on in the same manner, and Rika can’t help to shake her head sadly as she continues out. She knows that Marisa would not have left the girl there, come hell or high water, but Rika also knows that she isn’t Marisa. The focus is still on rescuing her, or Lukie, before something else horrible happens. She just needs to keep her focus… Just the same as the boat girl has to. Rika hopes that she is marginally more successful than the blonde, at the very least.

Instead, she enters into the corridor and looks around. That muted cascade of hatred still lingers on unseen horizon, although Rika’s stomach drops out a little when she feels it closer than before. She dares not try to listen further, as this time there is nobody there to smack her in the forehead. Part of her wonders whether she would even survive such an attempt, but it would not be wise to risk it.

Instead, she turns back down the hall; leaving would serve no purpose, not now. And her two friends are now the only thing on her mind; there’s no time for any others. As she walks down the hallway, she listens in on the lone kappa that seems to be lingering on the southeastern end of the facility.

Yes she is here I suppose it is time to demonstrate current advance. Particular model is improved, although wiring still visible when full power is activated. Not a particularly negative notion, however; can be used as intimidation factor, or instead as a temporary vision aid if large portions of armor are removed. Nightlight also

[i]..........................................

radiation could be harnessed… On the bright side, it has the small chance of causing debilitating cancerous growth in those nearby, yet damages infiltration aspects; still not adequate in comparison to fully mechanized in some regard. Pitiful to see such a human exceed our capabilities, even if she didn’t originate on that kappa-forsaken plane… If only we could have examined her instead of her student

It definitely seems to be fully occupied by whatever it is currently doing. Rika continues to creep along the base, finally reaching the end of that humongous room from before she turns the corner, only to find… another hallway. In the center of it is a staircase that leads up to the next floor and, after peering up, she sees that it continues to go up to another and another and yet another. Bypassing it for the moment, she heads down the shorter corridor until she reaches the very southern end of the building and turns to her left. The sight before her is incredibly similar to the previous one, being another long corridor with a few doors leading into the massive room to its left.

This is just great… There’s just more of the same. She looks back and forth at the stairs and at the hallway, knowing that the nearest kappa is still a ways off. It’s hard to tell what floor it is on, but it seems mostly straight forward; it’s likely on one of the lower floors. She turns back to the muddled horde of thoughts on the far side of the complex, but there is no telling whether the whole host has gotten closer, save for the one strong mind…

Rika looks down at her torn outfit and at the eye. ...I still wonder why she thought I had a nice shirt in a state like this. Odd girl. Maybe if she gets the chance she can exchange it for a… less nice shirt. ...She’ll definitely leave the one liners to Marisa.

The question remains in her mind as she looks around. Rika sees the way forward in front of her, and the staircase up. Does she risk delving further into the huge fortress of mad science or does she retreat for now? The oddly clean, bare, and disturbing halls of an emptier citadel await.

[ ] Stay the course on this floor.
[ ] Second floor and continue.
[ ] Third floor and continue.
[ ] Fourth floor and continue.
[ ] Fifth floor and continue.
[ ] The roof would be good… She could get a good look at the visitors or their location of ingress.
[ ] Head straight to the kappa while it’s isolated.
-[ ] Time to interrogate it; you needs answers.
-[ ] Take it out; you can’t chance anything.
-[ ] That other presence near it… You could take advantage of it.
[ ] Double back for some strange reason.
[ ] Get out while the getting is good.
-[ ] ...Marisa and Lukie would understand. ...Wouldn’t they?
[ ] Write-in.

------------

Just to be clear; treat the map as if north is up; who knows if Gensokyo/Arcadia has a magnetic north

Alright; was going to update yesterday to get us back on the Tuesday Night/Wednesday morning schedule, but that got delayed.

Calling update at the end of Sunday, server time.

[X] ...You can't just leave her. Marisa wouldn't. Lukie wouldn't, either.
-[X] It's time you make like your shirt and be nice.
--[X] ...Yeah, one-liners really aren't your thing.

[X] Stay the course on this floor.
We're not abandoning her, we can come back later. Unless the kappa is doing morbid experiments.

Really fucking hope Kappa dont have the technology of long distance communication.

>>192038

They seem to all be converging on HAAAAAAATE, though. If they don't, I'd have to wonder how they went about that.

Hey all; vote going to be called tonight. We need a tiebreaker; is Rika going to try and be a hero or try and fend for yourself.

Indecision is always an option.

>>192038
Bah, I'll change my vote to:
>>192035

Wish more dudes followed this.

>>192074

My sentiments exactly.

[-s+2-] ...You can't just leave her. Marisa wouldn't. Lukie wouldn't, either.
-[-s+2-] It's time you make like your shirt and be nice.
--[-s+2-] ...Yeah, one-liners really aren't your thing.


------------


The snooping girl can’t bring herself to continue moving forward. There is a girl back that that is caught, trapped within her own mind. And, whoever seems to be arriving, that blonde seems to be just as frightened as Rika might be. Thought she stares forward and upwards for a few moments longer, she finds herself turning around and walking back. I can’t just leave her behind either. Marisa wouldn’t do that… Not at all. She would blaze through the window cackling while shooting her spark at everything in sight. ...Lukie would probably just run on out doing the same thing. ...Minus all the magic, but with more shouting. Rika pauses for a moment, her thoughts drifting elsewhere. ...If I am that now… he could probably harm me that way, could he? So much for hoping that he would call out to her.


Rika starts running back and into the massive room from before, ignoring the thoughts from elsewhere in the facility. I’ve got to do this, though. ...At least I have to try. I couldn’t… How could I live with myself…” Her fists clench a bit as she skids to a stop in front of the door. I… Marisa helped rescue Rikako… and me… I need to be more like them! I have the nice shirt, so I will be nice. I do have a big shirt to fill! The girl freezes in her tracks before a blush overwhelms her ears and she starts to snicker. Marisa would laugh so hard if she heard me saying that out loud…


Putting all of that aside, Rika pushes open the door into the room and looks around for the girl. A quick glance around does not expose her location in the slightest, but as her third eye follows her other two, she finally does hear that frenzied voice. So soon already not done not at all at all everything not working nothing right oscillation too much it all fall apart. The somewhat familiar blonde form dashes out of the large, cobbled ship, her hands scrambling around, searching for any component. Must must activate now before she sees before everything goes


The ship whines for a little bit before the giant assemblage of cobbled parts begins to whirr and teeter and vibrate. At first it shakes, and then it quakes, but it doesn’t take long for the first parts of the ship to start crumbling down.


The blonde girl’s eyes are widened and frenzied as she stares it down as it continues to wobble. The wrench from earlier slips from her hand and clatters to the bottom of the pile as she starts scrambling back up. No no no no nononononono don’t work work be so mad so angry so loud so Parts start to rain from the top of the structure the panelling manages to work itself loose from the constant vibrations.


“This isn’t good… Cascading resonance?” rika looks up and down the relatively massive conglomeration of junk and cast-offs. It was lucky it was just holding together before, and now… The blonde continues to run at the machine, and Rika finds herself moving her feet once more as she dashes off towards teetering pile of equipment. This is just like an engine that hasn’t been mechanically isolated… Let it hit the wrong rotational frequency and then… “Miss! Wait! It’s going to collapse no matter what!”


The girl proceeds to ignore Rika and runs into the machine while it continues to shatter itself. Rika jumps onto the first small pile of parts leading up to the machine, and she teeters for just a moment before righting herself and continuing on her trek up the mountain of parts. She has to duck once as a large piece of metal that bounces down the facade of the boat before rolling down the rest of the mountain on its side.


She eventually clambers her way into the main room, which is still quite ramshackle, and where the blonde is straining to extricate one of the coils she had earlier placed, but it seems secured far too tightly to be pulled out. Out out outstopstopstop focusfocus stop focus think have to work


Rika opens her mouth at first, but closes it and reaches forward to pull the girl free. She grabs one scrawny arm and yanks her away, but the blonde is holding onto the coil tightly. “Let go! If you don’t let go, you’ll end up crushed!”


The girl gives Rika a wild glance, her eyes wide and empty, before turning back to her machine. Her thoughts continue to rapidfire, reaching the point where barely a thing can be comprehended. Rika tugs once more, but she again fails to let go.


“...Why won’t you just let go?” ...Rika stares at the girl, and the curde, collapsing ship for a moment. “...If this were my tank, would I have done any better?” The girl pays Rika no heed, and the latter shakes her head. “Still… this isn’t the time! Come on!” With her other free hand, Rika grabs the coil and yanks it free, taking the girl with her as she does. The moment the coil is completely free of the steel, it begins to oscillate in Rika’s hand, sending the vibrations up her arm, where each one soon reaches the point at which the bones feel like they’re ready to shatter.


Barely a second after Rika lets go, so does the blonde girl, and Rika jumps on out of the ship as quickly as possible. The moment they both begin to run, the ship finally begins to buckles for the last time and collapses, the contraption cascading down and right on top of Rka and the other companion. With little recourse left, Rika shoves her down on the parts pile and jumps on top of the blonde girl. Considering her recent head wound, it ends up not being the wisest of choices as the rubble plummets on top of the two.


Some time later, sensation returns to Rika’s head as she becomes cognizant of the massive weight she is now trapped under. The pain is throbbing even more loudly than before, and she swears she feels something caked on the side of her face. All that said, she looks down and sees that the filthy girl that is underneath her still manages to breathe by some small fortune.


“How am I gonna… ow…” Even moving her jaw causes pain to shoot up the side of her head. Ok, don’t do that right now… uggh… Instinctually, Rika starts to push back at the metal that is entrapping her, finding that it parts way before her far more easily than expected. She must have been using some low-quality pieces of metal… maybe rusted or pitted. Though, looking back, nothing seemed to have been in bad shape. After a while, she finally manages to lean back and push all of the metal ruin off of her. That leaves only one thing… Rika looks down and shakes the girl gently. “C’mon, wake up… We’ve got to get out of here.”


The girl barely moves on blinks open her eyes after a little bit of a wait. Not now, professor, just sleeping…


Yeah, from the sound of it, there was some sort of disturbance. I’ll go down and check before she manages to reach here.


[ ] No time to wake her up. Pick her up and move.
[ ] Tell her it’s just a friend. Now let’s get out of here.
[ ] Fellow mega-vehicle enthusiast. You know a place to build ‘em if she just follows you out.
[ ] The professor sent me. I’m here to rescue you.
[ ] The angry smiling lady is coming. Do you want to wait around.
[ ] Don’t bother explaining. Just convince her to move.
[ ] Leave her right here; this was a mistake.
[ ] Write-in

[X] No time to wake her up. Pick her up and move.

Move now, negotiate later.

[X] No time to wake her up. Pick her up and move.

My, just as I was about to vote! How nice that we are in agreement~

[x] No time to wake her up. Pick her up and move.

Kappa inbound, time to haul ass. Hope she doesn't kick up a fuss and get them both caught.

Looks like it's clear, but vote is calling at the normal time tonight; Just letting everyone know.

Schedule will hopefully be back on track now.

[-t+2-] No time to wake her up. Pick her up and move.

------------

Rika immediately starts pushing the pile of parts off of her back and starts haphazardly tossing the scrap and junk to wherever it may land. “We need to get out of here. I know you don’t know my name and I don’t know yours… I am sure you don’t trust me at all. But we have to get out of here. The kappa are coming for us.”

The girl never pays attention and, with the half-hearted attempt to wake her up, Rika shovels the remainder of the scrap away and clears both herself and the girl from any of the debris that littered the room. Rika’s head continues to pound and, once everything is over and done with, she has to take a moment to pause and close her eyes, letting the throbbing in her head vanish. “Never thought I’d be in this situation again… Uggh. No more landkreuzers for me, that’s most definitely sure.”

That little thought out of her mind, Rika finally opens her eyes back up and scoops up the girl. Despite nominally being the same size, she is just skin and bones under that uniform; Rika can feel the ribcage of the blonde through that blackened uniform. “How did you manage to do all of this? And I thought I was a string bean…[/i] A conversation that she held with Lukie back on the steam drill comes to mind, and the tank girl blushes. “How do I worry about such things at these times…”

With her blonde burden in hand, Rika gently edges down the slope, taking care to keep her balance. Between the beating drum strapped to her chest that resonates throughout her skull and the load in her arms, it is a little precarious; more than once she slides and nearly stumbles. Still, she makes it to the ground safely.

Her first instinct is to run but, halfway through her motion, Rika stops. Her eyes quickly scan around the floor and, underneath a few beams, she spots the familiar wrench from earlier. “It’d be good to take that with us...

Taking one moment to adjust her cargo into the position more commonly occupied by potato sacks, Rika then kneels down and takes a long look at the wrench. Whatever make it might be had worn off after a long period of use. ...Out of a bit of curiosity, Rika reaches forward and lowers a finger towards the handle. The moment she touches it, she feels fire lance across her skin as a pain shoots up her arm and into her very core, threatening to rip her apart. Before she even thinks, she has already ripped her hand away and is clenching it tight against her chest.

On her shoulder, Rika can hear the blonde muttering softly with a few words passing her lips. “Mrr… Professor… ‘m sorry… Let me boil next time…” Rika manages to crack a smile as she sucks on her free hand. Even then, she can taste the residue of the iron quite clearly. That element that once evoked safety now seems to desire to strike her down where she stands… For her to just roll over and accept a merciful fate rather than an unending one.

“No.” Rika shakes her head and looks around for a towel. “I’ve got stuff to do. I’ve got my friends to find. I’ve got to use this for as long as is necessary. ...I’ll figure out what happens to me… after.” Finding a few dirty, oily rags on a nearby table, Rika immediately snatches them away and gets to work. Very carefully, she folds one rag over the end, making sure to cover approximately eight inches of the handle with a double ply of nasty, grungy cloth. Around the bottom she wraps the bottom and, to make sure it doesn’t slide off, she tears a couple of strips off the last rag and ties it in four places. “And, in the meantime… I’m going to take this with us to help fix any kappa that try to get in our way.” Her hands could feel the iron as she gingerly encased it in the fabric, and as she picks up the iron wrench, she can sense how wrong that this is. It does not hurt, and that is the most important thing. More concerning to her is how she can pick up a two-foot long adjustable wrench as if it were just a flyswatter. The blonde was one thing, but the tool was old, not like some of the new drek that the Technocracy likes to foster as improvements. This should have a little weight behind it.

In the distance, Rika hears the kappa muttering to itself once more. Sure, I was preparing our newest candidate for examination, but no, I have to leave him unoccupied right as his programming is rebooting. This has been a delicate experiment; his power fluctuations need to be monitored. To simply leave it unattended…. This is simply Nitori’s fault. It is quite unacceptable to leave our facilities understaffed, as amusing as our subject’s escape attempt could be. A stray youkai could wander by our laboratory and we’d never know that he was here. And now I’m supposed to give up my experiments to go and refurbish this new cache that they’ve recently commandeered? What is the Top Kappa up to…?

...For all of his comments of being in a hurry, he didn’t sound too exhausted, merely frustrated. Still, time is short. Rika quickly hurries along, wrench in one hand and blonde in the other. She checks both avenues to see if the coast is clear. Once she can tell that no one is in her immediate vicinity, Rika turns back around and runs around the corner, back to the tall staircase she dithered at before. As she approaches it, she hears the softest of footsteps in the distance. It’s too faint to tell just where exactly it might be coming from. Considering how hard the walls are and how devoid of any sound-dampening or soft surfaces, sound must travel very far in these corridors.

She slinks to the edge of the stairs as she looks worrying between the avenue in front of her and the stairwell above her. Both seem to be clear, but which exactly is the point of ingress for the kappa? And, even if she figures it out, what does she do?

[ ] Continue to avoid the kappa. Locate its avenue of approach and take the opposite way.
-[ ] Give general direction (choices below)
[ ] Commit to a path now; the closer the kappa is, the more likely it will be able to hear you. ...Won’t it?
-[ ] Give direction (choices below)
[ ] Lay in wait for an ambush; Even in your state, you have the jump on it, and you can render it unable to call for backup.
-[ ] A whack to the head. Maybe two for good measure.
-[ ] A whack to the crotch. ...Do kappa even have those parts? Worth it, though.
-[ ] Put their neck in the wrench and wring every scrap of knowledge.
-[ ] Perhaps a more subtle prick to make them go limp.
-[ ] Dominate their mind; don’t even give them a chance.
-[ ] Rewire their innards and use their juices for elbow grease and headlight fluid.
[ ] Write in.

[Choices]
First (Current), Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Roof

Don’t you hate those times you have an update nearly at 1.2k words and you realize that you picked the wrong vote?

Idea: [X] Go back to the workshop yet again and lie in wait. Use Chiyuri as a distraction, as if she barely managed to get free. Place her in vision of the door, but in a different direction from where you lie in wait.
-[X] In the mean time, try to figure out what makes her tick. Read her mind and look for any weaknesses to explode.
-[X]She doesn't seem a fan of the head kappa, but, at the same time, she was just experimenting on someone. Try to learn just what she was working on. From the sounds of it, maybe they, or it, would be better in the hands of a certain tank girl.
--[X]Who has braids.
---[X]And is you, for a given meaning.

>>192030
> She looks back and forth at the stairs and at the hallway, knowing that the nearest kappa is still a ways off. It’s hard to tell what floor it is on, but it seems mostly straight forward; it’s likely on one of the lower floors.

That's not conclusively the ground floor, but if we try to climb too high we could get spotted in the stairwell.

[x] Commit to a path now; the closer the kappa is, the more likely it will be able to hear you. ...Won’t it?
-[x] Give direction (Third)

Hedging my bets and going for the middle.

Wait, I just realized... isn't Rika's blood on the ground in the workshop?

That... doesn't sound like it would end well if found to not be our lovely greasette's.

>>192216 here. In the case of only two votes, change my vote to...

[x] Commit to a path now; the closer the kappa is, the more likely it will be able to hear you. ...Won’t it?
-[x] Give direction (Third)

[x] Commit to a path now; the closer the kappa is, the more likely it will be able to hear you. ...Won’t it?
-[x] Give direction (Third)

Er, meant to vote for this, but I had university finals and forgot.

[-u+2-] Commit to a path now; the closer the kappa is, the more likely it will be able to hear you. ...Won’t it?
[-u+2-] Give direction (Third)

------------

There simply isn’t any time to waste; Rika knows that she can’t dally under these circumstances. There especially is no time for her to try and implement any complicated plan involving her unwitting luggage. Rika shoulders the girl in her possession once more before hefting herself up the stairs as quickly as possible, while trying to keep her footfalls as soft as possible. The second… no, the third. If I go all the way to the top, I might be found. That’s the best chance. I don’t think that it would be any higher… Hopefully, at least.

Rika quickly scales the not-quite-heady heights and ends up on another hallway that looks quite similar to the one she just vacated. Carefully, very carefully, she edges out and looks down the next hallway. Here she finds another similar, bare, and polished hall, just like the previous, although this one seems to have a fair few more doors than the first floor. The various doors are all smaller and single openings as well, not the double doors that were found downstairs, and are spaced evenly throughout the large expanse.

Thankfully, there is no kappa lurking in the halls beyond. Rika snaps her head back and looks behind her, making sure there is not one lurking just out of her sight. Nobody seems to be there, and she hears no thoughts of surprise or shock that shriek in the bowels of her brain. Once certain that there is no one in the immediate vicinity, Rika begins to creep down the hallway, making sure to step softly enough to not attract attention. Every single motion is slow and careful; she is thankful that the load she is carrying is not as cumbersome as it could be.
Eventually, she makes her way down the hallway; she comes across nothing.

Once she reaches the end, it turns back to the right and extends forward a couple dozen of feet before ending at the wall, facing north across the compound. To her right, another hallway extends out, this one splitting the breadth of the building in twain. Once again Rika creeps ahead and peeks forward, and once again no one seems to be present.

Taking this as the way to go for now, Rika slows down and begins to inspect her surroundings. As she steps over the threshold, she hears the voice in her head once more. Probably going absent-minded. I wonder if her mentality is still pure, or if she is starting show degeneration. Top Kappa wouldn’t be the first to do so… Rika swears that the voice is from right under her feet, and she freezes still as the kappa in question passes under her and continues on towards the place Rika had previously been. I might have to raise that with the others. At this rate, there won’t be any left to run this base for any reason. And we can’t go across the hedge and operate there; the experimentation is so dull.

Her heart racing a mile a minute, Rika takes her time catching her breath. She checks over her shoulder, and no kappa is bursting out after her and chasing. After letting out a voluminous sigh, she finally mutters in relief. “...Gone for now. ...She’ll find the girl’s location soon, and then… ...What’s this about the hedge, though?” If the kappa have a way across that she can take advantage of…

Rika pauses a bit and, as she crosses another (smaller) door, she stops and puts her hand on the handle. There’s no thought coming from inside, so perhaps there might be something she can use inside the room. After taking another breath, she turns the door and throws it open.

Inside, she sees an empty room that is caked with a dark red material, with only a single examination table in the center. There is a slight whirr, which immediately draws Rika’s eyes. In the center of the room, creeping out from behind the table, is a small, triangular robot that crawls along, heading in a straight path towards the edge of the room. In its wake is left a clean and shimmering floor, appearing to be newly waxed.

After a few seconds of inspection, Rika shuts the door, feeling a little sick and not wanting the robot to spot her. There’s no reason to risk it; there might be some camera involved. Instead, she moves on down to the next room, right next to the previous one. Checking inside, she sees a mangled and broken skeleton which seems to have been forced to curl up into as small a ball as possible. Considering the forms that it is holding it in place, as well as its centerpiece in the center of the room, it seems to have been both a focal point of study and an objective the kappa were trying to achieve.

Rika just grits her teeth and heads on. The next room actually seems to be a bit of a store room, with racks of mechanical limbs seemingly with cruel claws and other violent shapes to the fake appendages. They’re not plugged into anything, either; they are hanging from their spots, not moving an inch on their own. The limbs are accompanied by spools of metallic-coated wiring and multiple other electronic replacements… Rika spots a few things that appear to be pumps and flexible sacks, along with a few implants she does recognize. Eyes? What in the world are the kappa doing here? Why would they have so many of these things… She lets the question hang in the air before she closes the door again, staring down the hallway. She’s managed to get away from the kappa for now, but they’ll alert the facility soon. How should she proceed?

[ ] Continue inspecting the general vicinity; there might be something in one of these rooms.
[ ] Head down to the subject that kappa must have been inspecting; it has to be on one of the first two floors.
[ ] Search for an item/system/room in particular, just glancing about and searching for any reasonable hint to it.
-[ ] Specify.
[ ] Just get while the gettin’ is good.

I want to vote on this story, I really do, but I have literally nothing to go on here and Real Consequences to worry about. Best I can come up with is to keep checking the other captives and hope we get lucky.

[x] Head down to the subject that kappa must have been inspecting; it has to be on one of the first two floors.

Sage for being a moron and a coward.

[X] Continue inspecting the general vicinity; there might be something in one of these rooms.

Maybe we'll find something useful?

On Okuu, on Tokiko, on Hatate and Aya!
On Wriggle, on Sakuya, on Alice and Margatroid!
To the top of the burrow, to the top of the hall!
Now, rip and tear, rip and tear, rip and tear all!

Sorry, this is just a funny time to update is all.

[X] Search for an item/system/room in particular, just glancing about and searching for any reasonable hint to it.
-[X] Specify.
--[X] Mangled, broken skeleton room

If they researched this thing so, er, intensely, then they mightve left some indication of what the hell theyre trying to achieve,.

>>193323

Changing vote to...

[X] Search for an item/system/room in particular, just glancing about and searching for any reasonable hint to it.
-[X] Specify.
--[X] Mangled, broken skeleton room

[-v+2-] Search for an item/system/room in particular, just glancing about and searching for any reasonable hint to it.
-[-v+2-] Specify.
--[-v+2-] Mangled, broken skeleton room

------------

Just out of some misplaced sense of morbid curiosity, Rika takes a deep breath and ventures into the room. The vision before her occupies her mind, as the twisted remnants definitely need to have served some purpose. Though, she’s not quite sure what purpose that might exactly be.

She steps closer, taking care to avoid the triangular robot on the floor that is lingering and meandering about. ...Best not to even risk the chance that it can do something else. Considering how abnormally clean that this facility is, even that thing can’t be mundane. Rika turns back to inspect the skeleton, looking for any sort of explanation that might be lingering in the edifice presented.

Closer inspection doesn’t reveal anything explicit. However, she does notice that the skeleton isn’t completely unmarred. There are numerous gaping fractures on all of the limbs, approximately half way up the humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia, and fibula. Particularly, they are circled and filled in with blue, standing out quite starkly on the muddy brown-white of the naked bone.

The vertebrae have a voluminous grouping of fractures on the posterior of every single one, while the anterior has an equal issue of compression splintering that surface; there are quite a few nasty bone splinters that are facing that outer edge of the surface. “...What did they do? Liquify the body mass? There’s no way they could have extracted these things in such a state…” Her stomach stirs just a little bit; considering the kappa, that may be exactly what happened to this person. The vertebrae are also marked with the same blue markings, though aren’t colored in to such a degree.

At the same time, Rika can see another series of indentations on the skeletal structure, along with a series of holes drilled in the center of the indention that cut clean through the bone. The grooves are quite clear. There seems to be a pair on the outside of both the knees and the elbows, along with a pair flanking each of the major cracks on the limbs, for a total of three pair per limb, all marked in red. Similarly, there are green x marks up and down the skeleton, all in pairs, just as the red markings.. Some sort of servo was mounted here. Intentionally forcing it in position. ...some sort of exoskeleton? But why…

Rika’s eyes drift over to the racks of mechanical arms and claws; many of them have a rather odd construction. The arms all have an odd number joints, same as the toes, with an excessive amount of mechanical elbows, at least on the exterior. There seems to be a series of perforations on a few of the different examples, along with another series that has quite a few dangling, coated wires from the internal of the arms. No two seem to be alike, either; not a single pair of matching and opposite arms exists, be they the ones with the shiny, wicked claws To the left of the rotating racks seems to be a workbench, upon which an exoskeleton of the similar type rests.

This one, however, doesn’t seem to have been cleaned off yet, as the inside channel is stained with deep red. There is the same arrangement of multiple additional joints along the major limbs. The remainder of the exoskeleton seems to be held together with a further series of metallic joints running the length of the spine and down to the effective hips of the contraption. “There’s… oh no…” The tank girl backs away at the sight of the flesh that is caught in the cracks and crevices of the device.

Rika keeps her distance, not wanting to get too close and risking them activating and strangling her, or, worse, locking her into that unearthly contraption. To her immense relief, however, the exoskeleton remains motionless and the various, flexible robotic limbs are also still. Even the eyeballs and other components continue to hang from the ceiling, not following and tracking her akin to some macabre security system. Nothing continues to move save the triangular floor cleaner, which dutifully wipes any hint of contamination from the floor..

“..Some kind of experimentation, then. Are they… trying to augment people?” She looks at the skeleton again. “Perhaps this was some sort of ironic fate someone who can’t bend their arms or legs?” She shakes her head and backs up towards the door a little bit more. “It can’t be that simple. There’s… Well, it also seems like too much. Attempting to find the most efficient of the lot…? Why are the kappa interested in such augmentation?”

Rika is torn; she wants to find out what it is that they are doing down here, but she still has the blonde girl burdening her… and the kappa she was avoiding seems to have gone quiet...

[ ] Continue to look. There should be records somewhere.
[ ] Purloin something as a kind of evidence, but don’t take too long.
[ ] Rika has had enough, and there aren’t any obvious avenues of escape through here. Leave.
[ ] That kappa has been too quiet.
-[ ] Move. Now.
-[ ] Ping and identify.
[ ] THIS ROBOT.
[ ] General Write-in Option

[ ] What do if encountered by the kappa?
-[ ] Run
-[ ] Whack
-[ ] Other? Specify.

Someone take the cattle prod away from DETERMINATION that thing hurts.

[X] Rika has had enough, and there aren’t any obvious avenues of escape through here. Leave.
[X] That kappa has been too quiet.
-[X] Move. Now.

[X] What do if encountered by the kappa?
-[X] Run
What we really need is some sort of taser or equivalent to fry Kappa devices before they can send a quick text to their buddies. Otherwise, even if we bring one down odds are 50 more just got pinged to our location. At least with running there's a moving target.


Holy shit it updated. Praise be.

>>194525

They may, but that assumes a lot. They don't seem to realize we're even here up to this point, meaning that they have pretty darned crap security in some way or another. I'd rather assume that they don't know and try to prevent knowledge of us from spreading than assume they do know and not even try. We have a weapon of iron on our side and balls of steel the strength to use it lethally going by what's been shown. We know what they know and what they plan to do. We just need to get a bead on them before we flip our shit.

Then we flip our shit.

[X] Hide around the corner from the door while we...
[X] That kappa has been too quiet.
-[X] Ping and identify.
--[X] Is it on to us?
---[X] Prepare to attack when it least expects it.
--[X] Oblivious?
---[X] Weaponize Roomba(?).

[X] What do if encountered by the kappa?
-[X] Wang them in the face with the wrench.
--[X] Stealthily if possible, quickly if not.

Not normally one to bandwagon, but with low turnout and lots of indecision... this one feels sound. I'd be willing to bet the Roomba is booby-trapped though.

[x] Hide around the corner from the door while we...
[x] That kappa has been too quiet.
-[x] Ping and identify.
--[x] Is it on to us?
---[x] Prepare to attack when it least expects it.
--[x] Oblivious?
---[x] Rika has had enough, and there aren’t any obvious avenues of escape through here. Leave.

[x] What do if encountered by the kappa?
-[x] Wang them in the face with the wrench.
--[x] Stealthily if possible, quickly if not.

You all are amazing for hanging around this long. I believe that I have enough here to call the vote, anyway.

For your trouble in keeping up despite my procrastination, have a Mystia.

[-w+2-] Hide around the corner from the door while we...
[-w+2-] That kappa has been too quiet.
-[-w+2-] Ping and identify.
--[-w+2-] Is it on to us?
---[-w+2-] Prepare to attack when it least expects it.
--[-w+2-] Oblivious?
---[-w+2-] Rika has had enough, and there aren’t any obvious avenues of escape through here. Leave.

[-w+2-] What do if encountered by the kappa?
-[-w+2-] Wang them in the face with the wrench.
--[-w+2-] Stealthily if possible, quickly if not.

------------

...Too quiet. Rika immediately sidles up against the wall, next to the door. Carefully, she swings the blonde girl into hers arms so that she can keep her eyes on her. There is no reason to even trust the walls in this place; there’s no reason to risk her even more than need be. ...And who knows if one of the arms or eyes or something else will come alive…

Where did the kappa go? Thought I could hear it out there.. Rika peers in the last direction that she heard the thing in the back of her head. Or was it the front. It certainly wasn’t a sound that came vibrating along her ears, but instead it reverberated throughout her skull. Just have to…

Hrm, what a mess that this subject has made. That seems to be her particular specialty, isn’t it? I’m rather curious as to what we’ll find when we subject that skull to some more personal experimentation. She simply doesn’t have that much longer, though our “esteemed” guest and employer certainly finds her much too amusing than should be in good taste. A pity that, in the time she does someday expire, we’ll likely have to turn the resulting corpse over. Although… Now that I think about it, there does seem to be an exceedingly large pile…

“Oh, good. That means that it still has yet to discover her absence…” Rika’s lips thin as she eyes the door. “It’s isolated, so if I could manage to corner it without knowing, maybe I could take care of it…”

After thinking on it for a little bit longer, the tank girl shakes her head. “Not going to risk it unless I have to. They still don’t know that I’m here. Best not to expose my presence unless I am here as well.” Rika hefts the blonde in her arms and stands up. “...This is… unreal.” Her mind still barely computes the fact that she is lifting up the blonde in her arms. She casts one last baleful eye at the room, eying the triangular robotic cleaner for a moment, but leaves it unmolested and instead turns to escape down the empty halls once again.

Such a mess, isn’t it? Rika can practically hear the laugh in the kappa’s voice. ...Or maybe she can hear its laughter. She can hardly tell.the difference. Another mess, and even before she can witness it. How wonderful! It will be such fun to watch Top Kappa squirm at this vision. Oh, we do have the recording, I’m sure, but this will deny them so much satisfaction. Brings a tear to my eye, that it does…

Rika’s eyes widen a bit and her pace falters, if just for a moment. “Oh, no, no no no…” Thoughts of what exactly will happen to her start dancing through her head as she starts to hyperventilate. “They.. They will… Come on now. Come on, Rika, we’re just… We’ll have to get out of here before the kappa manage to discover us. ...and from there, we’ll just have to wing it.” A nervous little giggle escapes Rika’s mouth before she manages to put her feet into motion. The end of the hallway looms before her, with a corner accompanied by yet another staircase, virtually identical to the one previous. Rika averts her eyes for now and turns down the next hallway.

Although, where in this pile could she have tumbled? Oh, that pitiful little human has such terrible luck. Well, wonderful luck for us. No matter what happens, she just can’t bring herself to stop trying. It is fascinating. Still, what sort of twisted contraption did that little mind put together this time. Such shoddy science from inferior beings.

Curiously enough, the hallway looks both identical and, at the same time, different. Maybe a slightly different lighting or some other paint or… Something. “Not gonna worry about that now.” She continues quickly jogging, as fast as she can with the dead weight. After a little while, she notices a few pipes actually poke through the ceiling and start running along the top left wall. A few dozen feet later, another pipe juts out of the floor, heading straight up, before merging with that previous one. Similarly, another pipe runs through the ceiling and down the hallway as well, with several other similar conduits merging as well. Every time it reaches a slight indentation on the other seamless wall, the conduits vanish above it, yet more continue to drop down and run along that corner.

Curious… She should be… somewhere in here. There’s an obvious disturbance where someone had to push themselves free. The scattering isn’t quite uniform enough. So… it is likely that the girl managed to escape. Or, well, she is hiding again, but the chase is so much more fun than a short game of hide and seek and— Rika tenses as the thoughts trail off. Blood? Now this is new… Curious. Maybe she took a big enough hit to that head to spur her into action! That, or she just is ambling off. Oh, well, I suppose I’ll let them know that the human managed to stumble to freedom. More curious there is no blood trail at all. ...None at all…

Rika bites the inside of her cheek as she slows down, still heading towards the far side of the building. The conduits are slowly coming to an end. “C’mon… There has to be something…”

“Where… Where’m I…”

“You’re safe. Just hold on and we’ll make it just fine.”

“Where are you taking me!” The girl immediately starts struggling in Rika’s grasping, clawing and pulling at her hair and what’s left of her clothes.

Yeah, yeah, just go and do your best. We got another runner it seems. Eventful day for us.

“You’re fine! I’m not kappa! Not kappa. We’re going safe!”

“Professor? Professor where are you! I wanna go home don’t take me and don’t”

That isn’t required, and you know it. We can locate her just on her homes. There’s no need for that… lady… to call out the foxes or hounds or whatever she keeps under that highly inefficient and overly elaborate and archaic getup of hers.

Rika pries off the blonde and forces her to look her in the eye. The wild eyes of the blonde take forever to focus even as she still tries and tries to grasp for a way to freedom. “Calm down. It’s me. It’s the girl who wants to help, remember?”

Eventually, the blonde looks down at Rika’s extra eye before looking back up. “Oh.. not Professor. ...Nice shirt…”

Fine, fine, I’ll access the records. And if our most esteemed visitor is… delighted to assist us in our endeavor, I won’t stand in her way.

[ ] Keep heading north, and wait for the kappa to pass.
[ ] Follow the conduits; they head somewhere.
[ ] Try to find a path to your east, out into the wilderness.
[ ] Write-in Option

[ ] Keep heading north, and wait for the kappa to pass.

North is where the HATE is, if I'm not completely lost already. And also a bunch more kappa. Let's not go there if we don't have to.

Heading for the wilderness forgets the whole point of coming here, namely Marisa and Lucas, and will most likely lead to getting spotted, what with having to run out in the open and the kappa already expecting an escapee and that.

That leaves the mystery option:

[x] Follow the conduits; they head somewhere.

>>194687

Are you trying to make people stop voting? I wasn't around for No Such Thing As Fairy Tales, so this "I didn't kill her, you did" shit just pisses me off.

Inb4 I put my foot in it just as badly and get someone else killed.

>>194693
Sorry to offend. I'll make sure to find a picture of a different character who won't be coming up in the story again, or who I don't have plans for.

>>194693
Sorry to offend. I'll make sure to find a picture of a different character who won't be coming up in the story again, or who I don't have plans for.

>>194693

Don't have to explode on him like that.

[X] Follow the conduits; they head somewhere.

If we want to live in a state that is worth living, we need something to work with. Whether weapon, convenient escape pod, or records to erase, we might stand a chance if we have something to work with.

>>194693

Don't think of it as a twisted knife. Think of it as a reminder to never have it happen again.

I know I for one won't let it happen again...

>>194693

Holy shit. Is this story in the same continuity as NSTaFT? Thought I'd give this story a try since I saw it in the discussion thread but like...seeing 2hus die is really not my thing.

>>194713

It's the direct sequel. There's also Ghosts, a spin-off of this one, too.

It's shocking how easy it seems to be to miss such things.

>>194714

I see. Thanks for the quick response.

>>194699
Heh.

>>194713
It is, and it isn't for everyone, but success should mean more if achieved against actual odds. That's how I've looked at it, at least.

And It's easy to mix up; we have a different PoV than throughout all of NSTaF right now.

[X] Follow the conduits; they head somewhere.

Er, didnt notice this updated. Voting more to say that I'm here.

[-v+2-] Follow the conduits; they head somewhere.

------------

Rika bites the inside of her cheek as she considers the options before her. Granted, following the conduits does seem like heading directly into a trap, but… That means they at least lead somewhere. Some direction is what she has been lacking this entire time. And, despite how much she is apprehensive about this… Simply standing out in the corridors and waiting to be caught simply isn’t an option. So, with a little regret, she continues to follow the conduits as they duck into and out of the walls and ceilings.

Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for the pipes to all duck into a wall, each of the interior-facing routes flanking another small door, just like the previous one. Cautiously, Rika opens the door, glad that, for once, her companion seems to be well out of sorts and hardly paying attention to her surroundings. Peeking inside, she sees a room that is rather dark and, for once, cluttered as well. From the blinking lights that are lighting the surfaces, she can just make out a few racks of equipment that stretch to the ceiling. The pipes above seem to end in an explosion of cables that fly each and everywhere in an unorganized, tangled, and mangled mess.

It also, thankfully, seems to be unoccupied. Rika takes a deep breath before slipping inside, shutting the door behind her with a quiet snap. The room is even darker absent the hallway light, but the tank girl can just make out the faint blue glow in the room. Idly, Rika shivers as she looks around, inspecting every corner of the room for even the hint of life. “Only racks it seems… ...Is there anything else?”

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate

Rika winces as the overwhelming presence seems to be slowly encroaching. Her undesired eye turns to point north on its own, but there is no other thought that manages to breach her mind save that one. “...I really hope they don’t come looking…”

As she walks around, Rika manages to bump into a stool that was left near the end of one of the racks. She jumps up with a yelp and spins around, wrench at the read to smash anyone nearby, but all that she sees is the slowly revolving seat of the rolling chair. “...I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack at this rate.” Unconsciously, Rika clutches at her chest, but depression she touches immediately makes her rip her hand away. “Keep it together… Keep it together, Rika. I can cry later. When we’re safe.” Shivering a little, she looks at the base of the rack, where she spies a small screen along with… a fold-out keyboard?

“...Odd…” Gently, Rika pulls out the keyboard, letting it fall into position. The moment it does, the monitor springs to life with a logo of five successively larger squares with an alternating X superimposed over them all. Rika can’t help out to let out a small gasp at the sight. “...What are they doing, working with the kappa?” She looks at the structure that is slipshod, with wires running everywhere. Some seem to be dangling just overhead, barely out of reach of those that would clip her head. “This is definitely aftermarket modifications. But what do the technocrats have to do with any of this? Are they the ones that are in contact?”

Rika gently sets Chiyuri down before tapping a single key on the keyboard. “...Listen… will you just sit there and stay still? I’m searching for my friends, but I also need to get out of here. If you stay there, I’ll keep you safe.”

“...Back to professor?” The blonde looks at you blankly, before giving a nod. “I guess… nice shirt, yeah… That is ok.”

“...Good.” Rika makes sure the girl never leaves her sight as the logo leaves the screen and leaves a black and white screen with a single box towards the middle.

_____________________________________
| |
| Username: ________________________ |
| |
| Password: ________________________ |
|____________________________________|

“...Crap. Another place I need Rikako. She was good at this stuff…” Rika’s shoulders slump as she stares at the screen. “I mean… It could be some default answer, or they might have actually bothered to program the entry. ...Which means there isn’t much I can do except force it or… ...I might be able to try and bypass.” she starts stroking her chin, trying to remember all of what Rikako tried to teach her about the computer sciences. “I have to do something, so there is no use waiting around.”

------------

Of the next votes, list the number of tries you want to take in the brackets (i.e., [5] of one option) or indicate otherwise. In applicable votes, if you want to indicate a particular option (such as a user/password combination), please indicate as such in that order. Time spent will be accounted for.

[ ] Attempt to force the password.
-[ ] Any ones that wish to be attempted.
[ ] Try and bypass it. Hopefully the architecture is similar enough.
[ ] That kappa is in range, right? ...Maybe you can… borrow some information.
[ ] Wait for someone to come calling, wang them, and force them to access it.
[ ] Maybe the blonde can do something about it? Get her to attempt.
[ ] Successfully break in through unforeseen brilliance (This option costs a continue)
[ ] Write-in

>>194897
Well, glad to hear another. That inspired me to break down and get this done. ...You’re also getting it un-beta’d, as she isn’t available, but that means you can blame all errors on me.

Alright, let's try this. This is not a vote, just an overview of the situation.

>>194916
>[ ] Attempt to force the password.
>-[ ] Any ones that wish to be attempted.
Here's a list of stuff that could be used as either login or password or connected to it in some way. There is not enough information, so in my opinion that's a waste of time.

TwoStringSnake - assuming that's either Yukari's or Kanako's handle.
shirikodama/Nitori
VIVIT/R-VIVIT - it could be a facility that produces those technocrat robots that invaded the hideout, with all the "human augmentation" and kappa stuff. This seems likely to be a name of the project, but there's no password or a login to go with this that seems fitting.

>[ ] Try and bypass it. Hopefully the architecture is similar enough.
This is a timesink option that might not even work that leaves us unaware for the duration of our bypass.

>[ ] That kappa is in range, right? ...Maybe you can… borrow some information.
>[ ] Wait for someone to come calling, wang them, and force them to access it.
>[ ] Maybe the blonde can do something about it? Get her to attempt.

Those options can go extremely, extremely wrong.

>[ ] Successfully break in through unforeseen brilliance (This option costs a continue)
My gut says QM will fuck us over if we do this, but this seems the only option that doesn't let us get screwed over completely and utterly if QM wants us to suffer.

>>194918
>Here's a list of stuff that could be used as either login or password or connected to it in some way.
You forgot 'PASSWORD'

>[ ] That kappa is in range, right? ...Maybe you can… borrow some information.
Pretty sure this will forward the Satori-fication for the worse

>[ ] Maybe the blonde can do something about it? Get her to attempt.
Asking her once can't hurt, but it definitely shouldn't be the primary vote

I'd rather not waste time here, so I'll go for.

[X] Maybe the blonde can do something about it? Get her to attempt.
and if that doesn't work
[X] That kappa is in range, right? ...Maybe you can… borrow some information.

The lose condition of 'you get vivisected by kappa until the heatdeath of the universe' is worse than 'potential further transition into youkai', at least the latter can be managed with.

>>194916
>>194922
Also, the image looked like a sigil from the Grimoire of Marisa, but a quick skim tells me not. Oh well.

[X] Maybe the blonde can do something about it? Get her to attempt.
and if that doesn't work
[X] That kappa is in range, right? ...Maybe you can… borrow some information.

I'm all for playing with fire for non-heatdeath length torture.

>>194925

Rephrasing, actually.

[X] Maybe the blonde can do something about it? Ask her what she knows.
and if that doesn't work...
[X] That kappa is in range, right? ...Maybe you can… borrow some information.

> overly complicated vote with zero information

Not this shit again.

I don't have anything helpful to contribute, since I think further satorification is a Really Bad Idea®, but just to remind smarter folk who may have forgotten: we have two z votes available.

(@QM: can you remind/tell us how that works?)

>>194931

The z votes are earned through continued success in the updates. Typically, one for every update (notice the vote for the update). The vote increases alphabetically, and whenever it ticks over to a again, a [z] vote is earned. Particularly good write-ins sometimes accrue bonus letters. Letters are lost through deliberate

A bad end, if there is no indication that it is coming (Dai End among others) will not result in any loss of letters; you will be reset back to a fairly recent point that is relevant to avoiding the bad end. Taking a risky venture that results in a bad end, knowing that it might cause it, will result in a few letters being lost upon reset. These are mostly judgement calls. Going out of the way to purposefully seek out a bad end will result in major letter loss, and may even end with me resetting it back to 0.

A [z] vote can be used to answer any question that the voters agree upon. The question can be general purpose, but I have to agree to it; I'm not going to tell you the plot or anything like that. However, outside meta-knowledge or other things can be found using this. Character profiles (that I allow), and other questions. If you have a vote, place it, and I'll say if it is acceptable.

The votes can be allowed to roll back the updates to a previous point in similar manner to a bad end, but I would advise against doing that very far at all, as it is supposed to be used with discretion. (it also takes more letters to roll back willingly.) A [z] vote can also be used to allow to bypass certain points and basically acts as a combination get-out-of-jail free card along with a continue, in addition to the ability to choose a question to ask.

I'm offering the bypass here precisely because this is such a vote that is hard to answer. Of course, it is up to you. to determine if there is anything else you want to use it for instead of using it here.

>>194922
Here.

I'm willing to use the continue if other dudes are. Otherwise I'll maintain my vote.

The Z vote system is pretty strange so I'm reluctant to use it without some really good rationale.

[x] Successfully break in through unforeseen brilliance (This option costs a continue)
Let's not waste any time here.

>>194932

Ah, so continue == z vote? If that's the case:

[x] Successfully break in through unforeseen brilliance (This option costs a continue)

We have two, we're close to getting a third, and this vote is otherwise going to be very unpleasant.

>>194933
Well, as I said, I'd change my vote. So consider it changed.

>>194925

As I lack any real input for a change, I suppose I'll support the vote to skip the puzzle for a massive docking of points to Gryffindor if nobody figures anything out.

[X] Easy Mode.

However, I will point out that Boats McGee has odd names for the various people. Maybe there's a method to her madness? Figuratively, of course. Might give us usernames to work with at least, if nothing else. Dunno about passwords, though.

>>195018
That moment you realize that you've become Severus Snape...

All seriousness, Update will likely be coming on Tuesday. Vote won't be called until then if you want to discuss/change them, but I'm going over it mentally with the assumption of skipping.

[-w+1-] Successfully break in through unforeseen brilliance [-z]

------------

…”I… ...C’mon, there’s gotta be something that we can do here…” Rika scrunches her face up as she thinks through everything. Was there anything that Rikako said…” Granted, there were many things that Rikako did say, especially after she came back. ...Not all of them were even intelligible, much less possessed any meaning. ...Quite a few of those were phrases that she never wants to hear from the tongue of any human. She can’t control the shiver that surges through her body at the very thought.

“Still… What would they have used…” Her eyes drift back towards the kappa that is certainly on her way from the south. ...It’s incredibly tempting to start digging through its mind. The answer could be lurking just underneath that facsimile of a human face. There’d be no reason to feel guilty, even if she did manage to cause some damage or hurt it a bit… That might even be a good thing.

As she starts to reach out, Rika finally snaps to her senses and wipes a bit of drool that was trickling down her cheek. “No… I can’t do that. Don’t need to.” Of course, she could justify such a thought, but she would have to give into this… thing grafted to her chest. She is not going to do that so long as she doesn’t have to.

Still, the screen hasn’t moved, and Rika has no choice but to go in. Let’s see… Kappa, kappa, what would they use… A phrase that floated into her mind from earlier does come to the fore, and Rika frowns before entering it in. Top Kappa is what they called her. Would she be so vain to actually use it? With that entered in, she doesn’t even try for a password; Rika simply presses enter.

Username/password not in system. Retry attempt

Frowning, Rika sticks to her work, and enters variations again and again C’mon, tell me it will work. TopKappa, Topkappa, TOPKAPPA… She pauses at the screen and stares at it for a moment. Everyone comes with the same error message as before. No, no, they think they’re more clever than this… There has to be a better way to do this… Her eyes divert back and forth from username to password, from the first option to the second, to the upper entry to the lower, from the top to the bottom.

Top to bottom...[i] After shrugging her shoulders, she enters it in, hoping it would work
_____________________________________
| |
| Username:TOP_____________________ |
| |
| Password: KAPPA__________________ |
|____________________________________|

Username/password not in system. Retry attempt

“No no no…” That would have been clever. Stupidly clever. Besides, the kappa shouldn’t be quite [i]that bad at security. “Wait, top kappa… ...Perhaps if that is put in the top…”

_____________________________________
| |
| Username:KAPPA__________________ |
| |
| Password: TOP____________________ |
|____________________________________|

Username/password do not match. Retry attempt (?)

“Yes!” Rika nearly pumps her fist in victory. “Finally, some answer!” At the startled expression of the blonde companion, though, she immediately calms down. “Sorry about that…” it isn’t quite the best idea to start shouting when she doesn’t want to be found. “Right, right… Anyway. So, they put that as a username? Who in the world would…” ...Looking back at your companion, you get the feeling that none of the other subjects in this facility have the mental fortitude to make even that rudimentary guess.

Still, there is the concern about that question mark there. Rika moves the cursor right next to it. The moment she does, a popup appears in italics. The one that got away.

“Don’t tell me…” Biting her lip, she stares at that. It is this kappa, I bet. It has to be…. She lets out another low growl before moving the cursor back into position. Let’s see.

_____________________________________
| |
| Username:KAPPA__________________ |
| |
| Password: RIKAKO_________________ |
|____________________________________|

Username/password do not match. Retry attempt (?)

“...Damn it, just work…” Rika sighs again. “Where is Rikako… She probably could have fashioned out a program to divert this or connect some little cobbled-together instrument to bypass completely.” She slumps a bit in the seat, staring at the screen. Still, this has to be some sort of answer right here… I can’t assume that it is not… Still grumbling dejectedly, she starts to try every other version of the password. But no matter how she inputs her sister’s assumed name, nothing happens.

“...What if…”

Rika continues to stare at the screen a little bit longer. “...Don’t tell me…” Her hands hover above the screen. With all they did to her sister, could they have forced out that secret? Or had they found up another answer that she had hoped to keep hidden? If they could invoke her name…

She isn’t sure what to do, but the thought of anyone encroaching spurs her. If she is caught and she didn’t do it, it isn’t unlikely that it would be pried out anyway. And if she is right, then it doesn’t matter, as they already know it. “...”

_____________________________________
| |
| Username:KAPPA__________________ |
| |
| Password: MORGAN________________ |
|____________________________________|

Welcome

The box disappears and the screen begins to undulate as the home screen loads. Rika slumps a bit in her seat as the operating system initiates the GUI. “...Now I doubly have to get home. They know…” Rika bites the inside of her cheek, and the taste of copper leaks out. “Sister…”

Even so, a screen full of shortcuts begins to pop up, and her eyes start darting around the screen. “In for a pound at this rate… Let’s get this done before we can get gone.” Several options load in for her to check.

[ ] Access Biological Wing Cameras
-[ ] Level 1 Hall
-[ ] Level 2 Hall
-[ ] Level 3 Hall
-[ ] Level 4 Hall
-[ ] Level 5 Hall
-[ ] Level 6 Hall
-[ ] Level 7 Hall
[ ] Access Technological Wing Cameras
-[ ] Level 1 Hall
-[ ] Level 2 Hall
-[ ] Level 3 Hall
-[ ] Level 4 Hall
-[ ] Level 5 Hall
-[ ] Level 6 Hall
-[ ] Level 7 Hall
[ ] Access Mechanical Wing Cameras
-[ ] Level 1 Hall
-[ ] Level 2 Hall
-[ ] Level 3 Hall
-[ ] Level 4 Hall
-[ ] Level 5 Hall
-[ ] Level 6 Hall
-[ ] Level 7 Hall
-[ ] Technocrat Guest Security Camera
[ ] Exterior Cameras
-[ ] Landing Zone
[ ] Subject List (Last Updated 57 minutes ago)
-[ ] Biological Subjects
-[ ] Technological Subjects
-[ ] Mechanical Subjects
[ ] Research Files
-[ ] Biological
-[ ] Technological
-[ ] Mechanical
[ ] Personnel Allocations
[ ] Contingency Files
-[ ] Personnel
-[ ] Employers
-[ ] Former Subjects

I'm going to skip making a joke about picking them all, as, seriously, that'd be our doom.

[X] Quickly We need an idea of where they are, just in case we need to ambush Stretch Armstrong a kappa.
-[ ] Access Biological Wing Cameras
--[ ] Level 1 Hall
--[ ] Level 2 Hall
--[ ] Level 3 Hall
-[ ] Access Technological Wing Cameras
--[ ] Level 1 Hall
--[ ] Level 2 Hall
--[ ] Level 3 Hall
-[ ] Access Mechanical Wing Cameras
--[ ] Level 1 Hall
--[ ] Level 2 Hall
--[ ] Level 3 Hall

[X] Technocrat Guest Security Camera This sounds useful.[b]

[X] Exterior Cameras [b]Landing for what? Worth a look.
-[ ] Landing Zone

[X] Subject List (Last Updated 57 minutes ago) We could find Marisa and Lukie this way, or maybe a weapon.
-[ ] Biological Subjects
-[ ] Technological Subjects
-[ ] Mechanical Subjects

[X] Contingency Files We could use this to learn how to defeat our enemies and more.
-[ ] Personnel
-[ ] Employers
-[ ] Former Subjects

[X] Quickly To prepare for the next vote and assess destination.
-[ ] Access Biological Wing Cameras
--[ ] Level 1 Hall
--[ ] Level 2 Hall
--[ ] Level 3 Hall
-[ ] Access Technological Wing Cameras
--[ ] Level 1 Hall
--[ ] Level 2 Hall
--[ ] Level 3 Hall
-[ ] Access Mechanical Wing Cameras
--[ ] Level 1 Hall
--[ ] Level 2 Hall
--[ ] Level 3 Hall

Jesus christ holy shit. I'll admit I'm not entirely sure what to make of all this.
Some sort of map/status screen would be helpful. The hiatus between updates makes it hard to keep track of everything (this thread started a year ago).

It would be handy if we had a USB/equivalent to back all the files up for later.
So, just-in-fucking-case
[X] Scan for a nearby disc/USB/etc

[X] Contingency Files
-[X] Former Subjects
--[X] Morgan
--[X] Chiyuri(?) [if they know her true name it's probably named something else]

[X] Research Files
- [X] search for keyword 'satori'

[X] Access all level 7 cameras
Level 7 sounds like where both the big boss and horrible machinations would be. Can't hurt to know the worst of what the kappa are up to. Unless it's of the 'melts your eyes looking at it' variety.

>>195491
[x] What this guy voted

>>195491
Oh wait, I'm retarded.

Chiyuri would be a CURRENT subject, not a former one.

So yeah, pretend I didnt fuck that up.

>>195491
>Some sort of map/status screen would be helpful.

I can work on the map tomorrow; been a while since I've updated it.

>>195491

We have a computer. Why aren't you trying to find where our companions are? You're aiming to accomplish a lot, but what does it accomplish for our actual escape? Thinking long term during a rescue, while being hunted I might add, seems unwise at best. We need to find our friends and get out as best, and as quick, as we can.

>search for keyword 'satori'

You know, if we look up satori, and they have some sort of logging, they may guess that we can read minds and do something about it. While not a bad idea, it seems risky and needless.

>Level 7 sounds like where both the big boss and horrible machinations would be.

You realize the cameras are in the hall, I hope. As in, unless these things aren't kept in rooms, we won't be seeing much but hallways and maybe kappa and rumbas. It's why I voted to look at the landing dock. If it's for landing, something may be there. Same goes for the technocrat camera. Our HAAAAAAATEful company must have had some way to get here.

>Morgan

Another thing: going on the password hint, these things may very well be nearly synonymous.

>>195501
>some sort of logging
I... did not consider that at all. To bypass it you could easily clog it with dummy searches (mix in a bunch of other random youkai species searches), but we don't have the time.

>Why aren't you trying to find where our companions are?
Mostly because I have no idea what to vote to accomplish that feat. My vote was the equivalent of shooting in the dark and hoping something hit.

>You realize the cameras are in the hall, I hope.
I still think it's worth checking out.

>>195504
Er, same guy here, was thinking others would vote and I'd be able to refine mine by their judgement. Guess I'll just second.
>>195491

Though we should still check for a USB

>>195567

Well, there are two different votes to work off of. I'd vote, but, well... I already did make the first one. Not like anyone ever discusses the important choices anymore, though... Two or three voters is the norm. Heck, I've been the only vote at times, sad as it is...

Still, if you're looking for refinement, I suppose I can offer my thoughts on, well... my thoughts.

>>195489 Aforementioned vote.

If we look through subject info and the like, we may find information on the location of our sneaky witch thief and feathered friend.

There are a couple suspicious cameras, those being the landing zone and the technocrat one. If we look at them, we may find something of use.

The contingencies sound like something that tells how to defeat people. This could be helpful, especially if it has info on every kappa, which it sounds like it may. The personnel being, of course, kappa, what with betrayal for the top spot being a reasonable worry. The employer may be HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE. The last one, of course, is likely containing information on Rikako and perhaps others.

As for the cameras, we seem to be having trouble getting a consistent feed of info. Where as our ball of eye may give us information and direction, the cameras give us far more trustworthy data. This is why I suggested the first three floors of cameras, as the kappa are likely combing the base, and those are particular worries.

Hmm... Actually, maybe we could use the cameras to discern which section is which. They are labled, but the locations didn't seem to be different save for a slight coloration difference.

>>195573
Well, that makes sense. So I'll just, er, keep backing your vote I guess.

I'm going to have to reread the last few threads.

>>195575

Err... Just to ask, but you realize that you're backing the second vote, not the first, right?

It's why I'm arguing my points.

>>195576
I'm the guy who made the second vote, mate.

>>195578
Which is to say, I'm backing the first one in lieu of the fact my vote was more of a preliminary 'getting ideas out there' thing born out of my admitted bafflement in the situation.

>>195579

Ohhhh! Yeah, sorry. I thought you were a separate person due to the way you were talking when the story got its much needed bump.

[-x+1-] Check all security cameras on first three levels
[-x+1-] Check Technocratic Guest Security Camera
[-x+1-] Check Landing Zone Camera
[-x+1-] Subject Lists
-[-x+1-] Biological Subjects
-[-x+1-] Technological Subjects
-[-x+1-] Mechanical Subjects
[-x+1-] Contingency Files
-[-x+1-] Personnel
-[-x+1-] Employers
-[-x+1-] Former Subjects
[-x+1-] Check all security cameras on first three levels

[-x+1-] Check for data storage option

------------

“...First things first… I need to take this with me. There’s too much here, and I can’t get it done on my own.” Rika hurriedly looks around the room as she searches for some sort of drive, some compact disk, something that would be useful for taking this information away. At the same time, Rika maneuvers over to the first few shortcuts, pulling up the video cameras for the first wing available: the biological wing.

The monitor blinks once, and a series of fish-eyed security cameras blink on. The floor chosen is in the bottom right of every window: the third floor. Considering that she’s in a room off the third floor, best to check if the hounds are baying at the door. The monitors show a long hallway with a single kink in it halfway down, similar to the one that she had entered through. “Wait a second… I turned right at the hallway near the staircase. No matter what direction I’d come, this would have been a left turn…” Her eyes dart around, looking at the walls of the hallways that she can see. ...The image isn’t quite perfect enough to tell, but it looks off as well. “...Different hallway. Not where I came in through.” Nodding to herself, she flips through this camera to the second and third, looking around for any sign of life.

Thankfully, none is found there.

She sighs in relief and maneuvers around as she continues to paw for some form of device to use. ...However, her current search doesn’t turn out much in the way of resources. “...Don’t tell me that there isn’t even a blank cassette here. ...Or disk.” Pausing halfway through, she examines the monitor station itself, and finds that there is nowhere to even insert a blank disk or any sort of drive. “...Of course. This is just a jury-rigged station to monitor the status in the server room. ...New installation, probably temporary. Access only…” She eyes the various server racks throughout the room. “...I could probably just pull the correct rack. Data storage for this would likely be contained at a single point… Or perhaps it would be in the backup. I’d only need to find the one labeled correctly…”

Rika shakes her head and, after checking on the nervous blonde once more, she sits back down and runs through the other options once more. She closes out and immediately checks the Technological wing. Another series of windows pop up with a number of new halls, with the second and third floors that are completely straight. Here, she spies the pipes that she followed to this server room, and she relaxes a little bit at spying something familiar that she can use to place herself.

That relief vanishes the moment that the cameras switch to the first floor, where she discovers the first floor that isn’t completely abandoned. The center of the first floor opens up into a wide lobby area, though Rika can spot the wheel tracks on the floor where something had scratched up the otherwise perfect shine. What marred the sight more were the kappa squad that had assembled near the base of the room. Five of them have gathered around and seem to be conversing in low voices. Rika winces a bit as one of them is wearing an apron with dark maroon splotches scattered all over, not to mention the two long, sanguine gloves. The rest seem to be in otherwise clean blue uniforms, save one lurking near the side with sleeves and hat scorched and blackened.

Near the front entrance, there is one last kappa dressed in pigtails talking with a subject that is just out of sight and standing outside the front door. Rika’s blood runs a bit cold at the sight. She knows the description from Rikako’s frenzied descriptions and manic ravings. “...I’m going to… Just keep going. We’ll get the others out and figure out what to do. Maybe then…”

After a few more moments of staring, Rika checks the last wing: the mechanical wing. The second and third floor are empty, yet the first floor contains a kappa that is strolling back towards the front end of the building. The dark-haired girl seems to be rather unperturbed by the recent escape, and isn’t in too big of a hurry. Still, she’s made it past the staircase and is headed in a different direction than your current location. “...That shows it. She’s going to an actual access point. Not here…”

She sighs in relief as she realizes she has a bit more time. “So, the one i entered through is Mechanical, while the one opposite is Biological. ..And that means that the only one left, the Technological Wing, is located at the front. There is another location they can access, but I’ll be here for a bit longer…”

She maneuvers back down to the cameras marked as special, hovering over them for a second. If they do exist, there has to be some reason.She clicks on the link with the Special Link… and it shows the room where she found the blonde. She can see everything: every single workbench, a scrap pile, the remains of the vessel she was attempting to build, what looks to be a makeshift bed… This room has far more cameras than even the hallways. “...This looks a little too intensive for just security…” The cameras are focused on the various workbenches, there are multiple shots of the boat, and even a spot where there are convenient stains on the floor. “...Way too many. What did this accomplish? ...Did they want this to be seen…?” Rika turns her eyes back to the blonde and clenches her teeth. “...Sick. Always sick. They probably enjoyed this…”

“And if they were watching it this closely, and there were no others…” Rika purses her lips and looks over it again before closing it out. “They wanted to observe her for some reason. She’s not a normal subject. They don’t observe the others, and only the hallways. So either they simply don’t care about escapees, which we know isn’t true… ...They enjoy chasing them down and tormenting them. But this one is different.” Rika watches the blonde for a bit more before shaking her head. “...What do they have you here for, though?”

The blonde jerks her head up. “Hrm? Nice shirt say something?”

“...Not now. Talking to myself.”

She nods in agreement, and Rika turns back to the console and clicks through. The next view pops up, and she finally sees some motion. ...Barely anything. At the edge of the crater and near the treeline sits a mechanical structure of some sort that is framed against the verdant growth. A rather nondescript man with a heavy brow seems to be guarding the entrance ramp of a vessel that… she can’t quite… describe. It’s like looking at a vessel within a vessel. A curved blue rocket that at the same time seems to be blocky and gray. “Ugh… What is that thing?” She thinks she sees a pair… no six… no a pair, maybe a single… some number of rockets on the end of that thing. ...When it has any at all. “What kind of ship am I even looking at?”

“...Boat?” The blonde leans forward and looks on the same view screen as— “BOAT! That is boat professor’s boat our boat that means she’s here yes here angry smiling lady here come to get me yes yes yes she’s here she’s here and she’s gonna!”

“Just stop it now!” Rika reaches up and covers the blonde’s mouth, muffling her shouts. “I get this… but you might tip them off soon if you keep shouting. We don’t want them to hear us, you know? Not yet, at the very least. ...ok?”

“But, but…”

“If you give me a minute we can talk about it. I need to check on a few other things first.” Rika closes out that window, mostly in an attempt to calm the girl down. Hopefully, without the stimulus of the ever-shifting boat, she might cease to struggle, if just for a bit. Instead, she finally attempts to navigate her way through the file system and locate the answer she was seeking this whole time.

She pulls up the current subject lists, such as they are, and opens them up in order. To her slight surprise, the lists are incredibly short. The biological list had four of the subjects, while the other two only have one apiece.

Biological Subject #4513
Time of Study: 413 Days
Last Updated: 3 Days Ago
Surgical Grafting Test Study
Subject has worn out all normal uses. Has very poor normal functions yet still manages to remain operable. Currently serves as testbed for more esoteric studies to gauge acceptance and rejection. Acceptance occurs in vast majority of situations, but is likely aided by the chemical cocktail used to sustain subject alive.
No flight risk.
Period of use is rapidly approaching conclusion. Prepare subject for termination.

Biological Subject #4697
Time of Study: 132 Days
Last Updated: 67 Minutes Ago
Paranoia/Video Augmentation Study
Subject has been subjected to isolation chamber testing following installation and activation of new augmentations. Currently enduring acute mental stress due to enhanced eyesight and believes to seeing images that aren’t there, even when other kappa are not actively present.
Top Kappa is curious if subjects is exhibiting manifestation abilities on different plane or if the ability is simply malfunctioning. Continue monitoring.
Subject has clawed out eye sockets in attempt to make visions stop. Dissatisfying. We will proceed with repair and consider repeating prior experiment.

Biological Subject #4736
Time of Study: 67 Days
Last Updated: 8 Days Ago
Ossification Study
Subject has been subjected to a bone calcification regime. In process, subject has experienced near total loss in movement range. Test trial successful; subject retained for observation.
Initial struggles have finally ceased. Subject has broken right humerus and tibia from sheer muscle exertion, while chipping multiple teeth throughout. Detailed notes attached.
Subject’s mental capacity has finally broken. Seems to be trapped in delusion of being a piece of furniture. Will continue to monitor to see how long motivation for continued existence remains.

Biological Subject #4739
Time of Study: 66 Days
Last Updated: 8 Days Ago.
Chillification Study
Subject has been subjected to a regime to attempt to invert standard bodily norms and functions. Test trial successful; subject currently has been experiencing a complete reversal in standard functions to temperature change. Bodily functions are acting normally, and subject has developed small degree of control over cold. Should not present an issue.
Local environment had to be modified. Subject had managed to breach containment by purposefully manipulating her abilities. Sedatives may be required.
Sedatives administered. Subjected into catatonic state while we observe bodily functions.
Subject has apparently had a mental breakdown. Obsessed with cooling immediate region but not using ability constructively.

Technological Subject #10978
Time of Study: 6 Days
Last Updated: 59 Minutes Ago.
Cyborg Conversion
Subject is undergoing prototype conversion. First stage testing. Need to judge bodily acceptance. Another reject will further delay us.
Surgical enhancements complete; all vital signs are as expected. No neurological conditioning yet. Subject is not strong enough to require immediate conditioning. If we are lucky, he will suffer a mental breakdown, easing our later reprogramming for client.
Subject is a flight risk; returned to captivity after first escape. Subject is to be kept sedated until cell is reinforced.

Mechanical Subject #H1
Time of Study: 10673 Days
Last Updated: Three Days Ago
Hostage - Long Term Observation
--See Full Data File--

“Wait… That’s all?” Rika blinks as she continues to dig and scan everything she sees. “No no no… They have to be here. They have to be. If they’re not…” Her breath quickens as she digs into the older subject files, coming up with thousands upon thousands of references. Hurriedly, she continues to scan, checking anything that is recent, anything for a name or a description. ...In her frantic pace, she manages to dredge up a line with a familiar name. Rika pauses and stares at the screen before her before letting out another sigh. “...Sister…” The trance wears off a few seconds later, and Rika snaps her eyes back up and continues to search for the most recent dates. .As far as she can see… There’s nothing even within the timespan. Nothing close.

“...And that man who tried to escape earlier… He must be the conversion. Only one that makes sense. ...I mean…” Rika gulps. “If I can’t hear Marisa and Lukie… It’s not because they were knocked out. It’s more likely… they were never here.” ...Rika grits her teeth and looks down for a moment. “...Then they’re somewhere else. Here… No. Someone had to have taken them. They wouldn’t have left me. Marisa wouldn’t have…”

Rika finally takes a deep breath before looking at the console while contemplating what to do next. “No matter. If they’re not here, I can find them elsewhere. If I can get out of this mess and somewhere safe, just for a few minutes… I can figure this out. I just need a way out of here…”

[ ] Continue with the plan as made. Don’t panic yet.
[ ] She’ll soon be found. Start cutting cords so the kappa can’t access the feed remotely.
-[ ] Then get out of here.
-[ ] Then wait. The trap would be set...
[ ] She may already have been found. Get out while she can.
[ ] She may have been found, but don’t panic. Collect resources, data, and hard drive before leaving.
[ ] Ask the blonde. If that is the ship she rode in on, maybe she’ll know how to fly it out. If not, Rika can make do.
[ ] Write-in Option

[X] She may already have been found. Get out while she can.

Alrighty. My memory is still hazy on this story but I'm trying my earnest best.

I would suggest 'wiping the data' as a petty revenge - but they would have back-ups for certain, and it'd trigger off a million alarms most likely.

Would be neat if we could remotely release one of the less pleasant subjects, the cold one maybe, as a distraction. Doesn't seem to be an option though. It's a server not a master control seat.

The files seem to have jackshit on Chiyuri or anyone we directly care about, so let's not waste time possibly infecting everything with hidden tracking software and whatnot.

Also none of them hint at [professor] Yumemi being a subject, unless I missed a facepunch clue somewhere. She's either dead, fucked off, or ???.

Mechanical subject might be Ruukoto. Who knows. Not worth the time to check it out. Practically immortal nuclear robot would be a nice distraction/companion though.

>Ask the blonde. If that is the ship she rode in on, maybe she’ll know how to fly it out. If not, Rika can make do.
Interesting risk option. Keywords: risk option. Nothing guarantees either of them can actually use the thing, and I don't want to rely on the safety blanket of a z-vote to risk piloting a [mysterious craft] that might not even work.

[X] Intercept the kappa before it's too late. We have a very large wrench that seems likely to be iron. Youkai are weak to iron. Apply iron to Youkai as fast and hard as we can.

>10673 Days

Who keeps a hostage for 30 years?

>>197197

It's possible that the angry smiling lady came in on it or something. If she came from the north, and Rika made no mention of the guard being a kappa, it would explain the second red signal on the map going that way.

Plus, with how she described the engines on the boat, it's likely that they are still working regardless.

Heck, even if they have backups, if we yoink an HD then we have it for later.

>>197202
>We have a very large wrench that seems likely to be iron. Youkai are weak to iron. Apply iron to Youkai as fast and hard as we can.
Interesting.

>Who keeps a hostage for 30 years?
For some reason I read it as '1000~' days. Guess it's 100% not Ruukoto then.

>it would explain the second red signal on the map going that way.
Huh, maybe. I still have to reread this. Though I'm a lot more willing now that there seems to be some hope of it not just keeling over.

Luminous is having difficulty accessing the site. Until further notice, if you need to speak with him, I'll forward his responses to you.

>>197210

Plus, look at the map. The kappa are concentrated in one area of the base almost exclusively. If we kill the one, it may be a while till it's discovered. From there, if we figure out which floor they are on, we may be able to reach the exit easily. And, if we head in a direction not involving line of sight, well...

We'd get away scot free, potentially.

I finally see the familiar photon! No more blank white pages.

>>197197

>Mechanical subject might be Ruukoto. Who knows. Not worth the time to check it out. Practically immortal nuclear robot would be a nice distraction/companion though.

I wanted to clarify, as I wanted to make this clear during the update. The kappa realized they had another subject escape from the mechanical wing while checking on our blonde friend. The camera showed the kappa on the first floor of the mechanical wing, and there's only one log in the mechanical section. Food for thought.

Also, bump for tiebreaker or otherwise.

>>197228
Well, first dude here, I'll change my vote to whack the kappa I guess. Was hoping someone else would come along with an opinion.

>>197208
I was more worried that everything would be bugged. But I suppose if they'd bug anything it'd be their own subjects, so may as well take one I guess.

>>197239

Maybe one of use should include it on the vote, then. Hmm...

Changing >>197202 to...

[X] Quickly figure out which HD is the one in question.
-[X] While removing it, tap any metals with your pinkey tip to check for iron.
--[X] If it's iron, have Chiyuri hold on to the HD.
[X] Intercept the kappa before it's too late. We have a very large wrench that seems likely to be iron. Youkai are weak to iron. Apply iron to Youkai as hard and fast as we can, aiming to kill in one blow.

[x] Ask the blonde. If that is the ship she rode in on, maybe she’ll know how to fly it out. If not, Rika can make do.

I haven't been able to connect to THP for three days and suddenly I'm late for votes. What the hell happened?

>>197228

Oh dear. Well, that explains a few things... potentially. I'm still trying to figure out where the angry smiling lady comes into it though...

>>197243

>Oh dear. Well, that explains a few things... potentially. I'm still trying to figure out where the angry smiling lady comes into it though...

You'll find out who it is next update. Wasn't quite the place to work it into this one

>>197241 here.

Changing to...

[X] Quickly figure out which HD is the one in question.
-[X] While removing it, tap any metals with your pinkey tip to check for iron.
--[X] If it's iron, have Chiyuri hold on to the HD.
[X] Intercept the kappa before it's too late. We have a very large wrench that seems likely to be iron. Youkai are weak to iron. Apply iron to Youkai as hard and fast as we can, aiming to kill in one blow.
[X] Ask the blonde. If that is the ship she rode in on, maybe she’ll know how to fly it out. If not, Rika can make do.

That was pretty much step 2 of my plan anyways.

Or, well... step 20 or so, if you count everything before this.

>>197197
here.

I'll ride this wave.

[X] Quickly figure out which HD is the one in question.
-[X] While removing it, tap any metals with your pinkey tip to check for iron.
--[X] If it's iron, have Chiyuri hold on to the HD.
[X] Intercept the kappa before it's too late. We have a very large wrench that seems likely to be iron. Youkai are weak to iron. Apply iron to Youkai as hard and fast as we can, aiming to kill in one blow.
[X] Ask the blonde. If that is the ship she rode in on, maybe she’ll know how to fly it out. If not, Rika can make do.


Though I'm not certain the [mysterious craft] is the most reliable option.

>>197252
Left my name on like an idiot.

[-y+1-] Quickly figure out which HD is the one in question.
-[-y+1-] While removing it, tap any metals with your pinkey tip to check for iron.
--[-y+1-] If it's iron, have Chiyuri hold on to the HD.
[-y+1-] Intercept the kappa before it's too late. We have a very large wrench that seems likely to be iron. Youkai are weak to iron. Apply iron to Youkai as hard and fast as we can, aiming to kill in one blow.
[-y+1-] Ask the blonde. If that is the ship she rode in on, maybe she’ll know how to fly it out. If not, Rika can make do.

------------

“Can’t wait any longer…” Rika takes a deep breath before taking to her feet once more and starting to look around. “Let’s see… I need to take something here with me. No time to look over it all now. I just need to find the backup drive in here…” She eyes the command menu before attempting to pull up the correct file location. “Come on… tell me where the important files are. I don’t need the video, just all the information they have stored here…”

It only takes a minute of searching to discover the location of distribution of the file system. “Hrm… Yeah, it definitely seems that the majority of this is dedicated to the video recordings. But as for the more basic files and data…” Her eyes dip down. “K1, K2, K3, K4, and K6…” She blinks and shakes her head. “Lovely. Does figure that it would be the case. Still, might as well yank those off and get out of here…”

Before she leaps up and starts ripping out the electronics, she pauses halfway through. “It might be best to just check. I doubt it, but just in case… I don’t want to get burned or worse.” The tank girl maneuvers over to the racks and searches for the new installation. While it’s still a mess of wires, it was installed recently enough that every lack had a label on it. Trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Rika reaches up and taps the metal a few times with her pinkie finger. She doesn’t feel the burning sensation leap through her hand and scorch what’s left of her soul. “Thank goodness for small favors.” Even so, she carefully tests the remainder of the rack, confirming it isn’t iron, before powering down the rack. Waiting long enough for the lights to die and for the disks stop spinning, Rika unlatches the rack and pulls the entire assembly out. The computer bleeps its concern, but there’s no klaxon or any other warning echoing through the room. In her hand, the fans slowly spin down as they lose power.

“This should do the trick” Rika tucks it under one arm, needing to keep the other one free for the wrench. She’s not quite sure that she should simply give it to the blonde to carry, but it isn’t pressing at the moment. It’s certainly something to keep in mind…

Before she collects said blonde, though, Rika turns back to the monitor. “I need to check once more… Hopefully they’re still just mulling about at the entrance…” Rika flips it back towards the various first floor mechanical cameras, but there is no kappa in sight. She flips it back to the technological wing cameras and sees one kappa entering a room at the end closest to the mechanical wing. In the center, the rest of the kappa are milling about the center of the lobby still, idly talking. Rika nods slightly. “Looks like we’re going to have to hurry. At least there’s not been—”

She immediately stops talking the moment that two others join in. There’s another kappa in twin pigtails that walks in the front door that has a large grimaced forced upon her face. Rika feels a shiver down her spine. What could put that look on the kappa’s face. However, her attention is soon diverted by a new sight. A tall, blonde woman in regal, silk gowns glides into the room. She patiently scans the room, looking down her nose at its austerity along with its current inhabitants. Even though, her gimlet eyes continue to search about, belying her languid motions. She walks ever so closer to the camera, curiously inspecting installation. The stranger then turns her eyes to the camera.

And Rika swears the smiling angry lady is staring right back at her.

The painted lady eventually turns away, and Rika lets out the breath she didn’t know she was holding. It takes her a moment for her to realize that her companion blonde is whimpering and shaking in fright. “It’sherohnoit’shercomingformecomingforustakeherawayawaygoawaydon’thurtdon’thurthurtnicegirlI’mgoodworkharderonboatyesharderonboatbetterwithboat—”

“Calm down.” Rika grabs the girl by the upper arm, squeezing her. Making sure to firmly enunciate everything she says, Rika places herself between the girl and the screen. “We’re going to get out of here. The both of us. We are going to escape here and you will not be captured.”

“Butshehasprofessorsosorryprofessornotgoodenoughshetakeusangrysmilingladytakemetakeher—”

Rika slaps her hand over the girl’s mouth. “If you keep talking like that, she will find us. ...Please help me, ok? We need to get out of here, and I need your help if we are going to get out of here.” After giving her a few seconds to comprehend it, Rika releases her hand.

“ButIam… I am… She is going to…”

“No buts. ...Promise me.”

Eventually, the blonde nods. “Will do my best but boat is not… Boat is…” The blonde growls and holds her head before whimpering. “Hurts…”

Rika winces a bit before shoving that thought to the side. Diagnosis can come later. “...Tell me, is that your boat out there? The one you are trying to build one similar to?”

“Yes that is old boat best boat professor got her long ago—” The blonde stops herself before she continues to ramble on.

“...Alright then. Can you use it to get us out of here? Or can I use it.”

The girl pauses before tilting her head to the side. “...Any use boat is how angry smiling lady uses boat boat is best boat.”

“...What exactly does that mean?”

“It means…” The blonde holds her head and moans softly in pain. “Means… boat… means…” Her neck suddenly snaps up and she stares at Rika, not moving a muscle. “Probability Space Hypervessel is an interdimensional transit vehicle that exists through multiple dimensions simultaneously somewhat analogous to a hypercube and is observed in form best comprehended. Vessel is compatible with any user as controls exist in all possible configurations before possibilites crashing into actual system once observed.”

Rika blinks. “What?”

“Boat is best boat.”

“...Thanks for helping.” Rika sighs, rubs the back of her head, and turns back towards the screen. All of the kappa seem to be conversing. “This cannot be good, though.” Oh so tentatively, she tries to reach out and hear the echoes that she had been ignoring on the edge of her mind.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

“C’mon, there are others there… Don’t drown me out…” Rika has to choke down the emotions that are attempting to overwhelm her. “Just a little… closer…”

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

—to give us orders like that. Employer or not, it is not up to her, no matter whatever suspicions she has. Bah. We’ll all split up and perform this sweep on every floor simultaneously, then. She really is obsessives about this one subject, even after all this time…

“...Oh crap.”

[ ] Stick to the plan. Head down, knock out the first, and escape.
[ ] Hunker down and wait for one to come by, then knock them out.
[ ] Head out and seize the initiative.
[ ] Head up and defenestrate yourself.
[ ] Improvise
-[ ] Write-in

Also, Ghosts needs votes as well! Determination has Seiga cookies for voters. Don’t ask what they’re made of.

> “Boat is best boat.”

Tellin' it like it is.

> [ ] Head up and defenestrate yourself.

If my hunch about Chiyuri(?) is correct, that might actually work. But I'm not that crazy just yet.

[x] Stick to the plan. Head down, knock out the first, and escape.

They're splitting up, so hopefully we can get the jump on one and get the hell out.

> Don’t ask what they’re made of.

That was a close one.

[X] Hunker down and wait for one to come by, then knock them out.
-[X] Hurry and get out before they realize. If you have to, give the one on the ground floor a nasty surprise as well. If you don't, get out while you can.
--[X] Boat is best boat. Go grab it and see about getting out of here.

I'm shocked that nobody has died yet. Let's see if we can fix that!

>>197263

...I don't think she has wings or anything. She's not nearly dreamy enough for that.

>>197268

I was thinking more along the lines of nuclear powered robot strength. She's looking pretty good for someone who's been locked up for 30 years, and she
isn't allergic to iron.

Of course, that's also assuming Rika is strong enough to survive the jump as well, and we all know how well assumptions work in this story.

[x] Stick to the plan. Head down, knock out the first, and escape.

Huh, so the Hate is Junko. Always had in the back of my mind a particularly pissy revenant Nitori.

>>197282
While an interesting idea, I don't think Rika can read the mind of software.

Also a cursory look through the updates tells me she's starved. 'she is just skin and bones under that uniform'

Though there's a simple way to check for sure.
<----

>>197283
picture didnt attach

>>197283
Also, Chiyuri sounded quite certain that the Probability Space Hyperspace Space Something can be piloted by any old idiot. So trying to get the fuck out on that doesn't sound like a completely terrible idea.

Not really sure where on the exterior it is though. If we have to circle the entire perimeter to get to it I think I'd rather just leave.

>>197282
Note that Lucas lost roughly 30 years in a few days. And, well, time is a little... loosey goosey. I haven't said "which" dating system they're using, and in a land of eternal light...

Well, that, and the Kappa are very good at keeping subjects alive. And our blonde stranger hasn't been experimented on studied to quite the same extent as any of the others.

>>197283
Junko filled a plot hole in the old story quite nicely. Especially considering the (current planned) destination afterwards. And, well, to reference previous updates (it has been a while): the kappa were busy entertaining their current employer, and we just found out who installed their computer system.

>>197263
>>197283

I'm going to point out that if we go for the one on the bottom floor, the one on our current floor will spot us. That kiiiind of defeats the purpose of my original plan to take her out before it's too late. At the very least, we should ambush the one outside first.

Well, this will be fun interesting.

Called.

[-z+1-] Stick to the plan. Head down, knock out the first, and escape.

------------

Still, this doesn’t change much. Rika knows that she just needs to make her way out of here and not to get too distracted. “C’mon. We need to get out of here now while they’re still in one place.” Rika pauses before handing the hard drives over to her. “Hold onto that for me, will you? I’ll have to defend for us. It’ll be easier to use this wrench if I don’t have to worry about keeping it safe.”

The blonde looks at it and, a moment later, she grabs onto the still-warm server. She doesn’t respond except to nod, and Rika takes it as confirmation before closing out the active session. She doesn’t even take the time to vandalize the computer before heading out. The tank girl has done enough as it is, and whatever they have stored she can’t take out quickly enough to be worth bothering. The only thing to do now is to escape.

Ensuring that her companion is following along, Rika inches out towards the door, checking both ways to ensure no one is waiting outside. The way is clear, and Rika immediately heads back the way she came, heading for the lower staircase in order to locate the one lone kappa that is checking the recordings. Her feet slap along the pristine surface, as the tank girl isn’t bothering to care for stealth right now: her short legs can only carry her so far and so fast. Thankfully, the blonde manages to keep up (though she is panting and struggling; she certainly can’t go faster).

The two turn the corner and make it down the Mechanical Wing, not encountering any other obstacles here either. With no one in sight, and Rika panicky and harried, they quickly make their descent down the staircase.

Rika immediately turns down towards the second floor and comes to a stop as she hears footsteps right below her. That can’t be right… All the kappa were just at the center. They didn’t sound in a hurry, so how is one already here… Rika puts her free hand on the blonde’s chest and grabs her shirt, stopping her in her tracks while she listens.

The footsteps continue to sound, and they’re quite close. —course they’d send me up to the main right as I was about to access the records. Figures. Now who is that above me? Are the others moving fast or… The kappa just barely comes into view, and Rika and her companion duck back in the stairwell to stay out of sight. Definitely heard something. I’ll radio it in.

Oh no… Rika gulps and grips the wrench harder. I can’t let them do that… If all the kappa come barreling down on us right now… Rika knows that it will be no use. Without waiting any longer, she turns to the blonde and lets go of her shirt and mouths at her, “Stay here.” Rika then stands up and turns around the corner of the staircase, laying her gaze on what awaits.

At the bottom, and looking up, she locks eyes with a short, pale kappa with dark hair. The kappa’s eyes widen at the sight of someone aside from their charge, and she stops halfway through raising her walkie-talkie to her mouth. The two stand there, staring at each other, for the briefest of eternity, before the kappa raises the device to her mouth. “Yeah, confirm, we have two in the MT Staircase presently—”

When the kappa opens her mouth, Rika finally forces her feet into motions. With three steps, the tank girl leaps into the air and down the stairwell, the wrench already above her head and starting to swing down. The kappa stops in mid sentence and holds her hand out towards Rika to ward her off. At the same time, the radio falls out of her right hand as it’s sucked in all the way to the elbow, and the left hand is extended forward Rika’s flying form.

The hand surprises her and manages to catch Rika in midair, but that doesn’t stop her from swinging down into the arm as she tumbles to the steps. The wrench strikes true and the sickening cracks that echo down the now crooked arm are followed by an anguished howl of pain. The kappa quickly tries to retract the arm back in. For her efforts, she is left with a broken left arm and a mostly intact right. “Heh. Now, just who might you be? Most Youkai know better than to come scrambling around our labs…”

Rika doesn’t dignify the kappa with an answer as she clambers back to her feet and charges once more. The kappa backs away as her good arm clasps over her limped one. It does little good, as Rika plants her feet and swings away with the wrench, launching a home run strike straight into the already wounded arm. This time, she makes sure to keep the metal pressed against the creature’s bare skin, and in some dark corner of her mind, she begins to feel satisfaction.

“...Pah… Of course you’d find one of those…” The kappa hisses and crawls into the corner. Just bait her in… c’mon, just a little bit closer…

“That’s not going to work. I can see everything you’re thinking of. Don’t even try.” The kappa’s eyes widen once more before she simply reacts, kicking her leg to point at Rika’s head. This time, the tank girl barely manages to dodge to the right as the leg extends past her. She does manage to catch it halfway up before turning her eyes back on the kappa. There is a frustrated look on the kappa’s face as she tries to yank the foot back down; Rika grasps tighter and digs her feet in, but the kappa is not able to pull itself free. Wait… I’m stronger…?

Just as Rika is celebrating her current victory, the kappa lashes out again with the right arm, causing Rika to duck and nearly let go of the extended leg. A series of large, rather wicked-looking metallic claws extend from the hand, each clamped on the sides of short, stubby fingers and originating from a circular disk in her palm. The kappa swings back one more time, and Rika tries to twist away, but this time her arm suffers a glancing blow. The metal easily tears through her shirt and skin, and there’s a burn that cold metal should not be capable of causing. The follow-through of the wild swing hits the wall,easily tearing a gash inside the wall.

However, the now-grinning kappa attempts to swing back and get stuck for just a moment. It’s long enough for Rika to gather up her wrench and come in for another crashing, inelegant blow to the right arm just as it yanks free. Wrench easily defeats knife, as the kappa’s forearm is bent in a manner that is quite unnatural, even for one of their kind.

Keeping the kappa’s leg elevated, Rika first smashes the blade contraption, along with the kappa’s hand, before reaching back and smashing every single pocked that she sees with the wrench… and she doesn’t bother to move them off her thighs or torso before destroying their contents. It doesn’t take long for the uniform skirt to be bloodied and covered with a dozen varieties of industrial and bodily fluids. The kappa looks up at Rika, drooling a little bit of blood. “Not often we have someone this ruthless dare to invade here… C’mon, what’s your deal.”

“Nothing. Kappa are just murderers and liars… I’m not taking one at their word, and if I’m going to have to do this… I might as well do it right.”

“Oh…” The kappa grins a bit as her tone lowers. “So this is personal…”

Rika sticks her wrench at the kappa’s throat. “Just be quiet.”

“What I thought.” The kappa just rolls her eyes and coughs, with blood leaking out a bit more. “Sure… strip the workshops of our kappa, send them to that nasty little plane to work for her... That won’t come back to bite us. Top Kappa makes the best decisions…” She winces as Rika smashes another lump she spotted in the kappa’s clothing, just to be sure. “C’mon, best surrender to me. You don’t want to be cut up and stitched back together like the others, do ya?”

“I’d rather leave. And I’d never trust a single one of you.”

The kappa coughs. “Heh… Better be quick then. They’ll be here any moment…”

[ ] Leave her. You’ve done enough.
[ ] Take the time to cripple her. You don’t want a miraculous recovery.
[ ] Put the kappa down. It’s what they deserve.
[ ] After they… they broke Rikako... They deserve worse. Just be quick about it.
[ ] She could still be of some use to you.
-[ ] Perhaps interposed between you and the other kappa?
[ ] Write-in

Determination wanted me to edit Tatsuta as our lovely kappa companion. However, she needs to stick to her own shipgirls. Go poke her.

[x] Take the time to cripple her. You don’t want a miraculous recovery.

On the one hand, she could be playing possum, but on the other, the rest could be here at any minute. Tch.

And going too overboard might still tip Rika over the edge.

[x] Cripple and move on, quickly.

Keep your revenge urges until victory. For now, ruthless efficiency will do the trick.

>Determination wanted me to edit Tatsuta as our lovely kappa companion.

[X] Put the kappa down. It’s what they deserve.

Dead men tell no tales. Till they make a grand return 300 years down the line.

We need time, and they have basic information.

More importantly we told her that we can read minds. If she lives, we are in a lot of trouble, I can just tell. They will then all know. They will know what we can do. What we are. And how strong we are.

And then they will do their very best to strip our advantages.

[X] Put the kappa down. It’s what they deserve.

'food for insects' might be their only positive quality.

Also dude above is correct, Rika was dumb enough to let slip the whole 'reads minds' thing. Wouldn't surprise me if Kappa had specific anti-satori tech. Hell, if Junko thought hard enough it'd probably hurt a bunch.

[X] Put the kappa down. It’s what they deserve.

Yeah, we're in deep enough trouble as it is.

[-a+2-] Put the kappa down. It’s what they deserve.

------------

There’s nothing more to say. Granted, Rika knows that she screwed up. She admitted way too much to this kappa, and if she lets her escape… Well, there is a chance that she’ll use whatever it is that she said against her. I can’t risk this. If I am unlucky enough to not get away… ...Don’t even think that. If i’m captured, they’ll figure it out soon enough. But I can’t even take that risk. Rika turns her eyes to the kappa.

The kappa continues to pant for air, staring up at you, somewhat amused. “So, what are you going to do, hrm? Tick tock, now…”

Rika takes a deep breath and plants her feet on the ground. She looks down, noticing her hands are starting to shake. She looks back up as her breath quickens, and the kappa’s grin widens a little bit. Before, when it was a fight, she was just reacting. Now, with her breath quickening and her palms starting to sweat… To do this to someone that is just lying there and can’t escape, with no control panel and iron hull to separate her from them…

She grits her teeth and firms her grip. It’s a kappa. That’s all I need to know. With that thought firmly in mind, she takes one breath and then jams the wrench straight into the kappa’s neck. The kappa yelps as the wrench stripss both sides of her neck of skin and muscle, bloodying the wrench with a smoldering, sanguine smudge. Rika grits her teeth and starts twisting, putting her boot on the kappa’s chest. Just like loosening a stubborn, rusted, murderous bolt. Its eyes widen as its arms flail around listlessly, but it does no good as Rika begins to twist. She only winces at the first few cracks, though after the third, the kappa finally does fall limp.

She is tempted to withdraw then, but she stops herself. “I can’t just leave it here. Best make sure it stays down… At least for a little while. ...Just need to strip the head off the bolt.” She presses down further and begins to twist, and the cracking gets louder and louder as she turns the wrench axially. Averting her eyes from the sight, Rika finally lets out a grunt as she forces the wrench over and separates the skull from its skeletal base.

The head falls with a soft thud.

She winces again as the blood splatters the side of her shirt, and she forces down the bile that was threatening to arise. Rika withdraws the wrench and, after momentarily glancing towards the kappa to ensure that its remains are in multiple pieces, she wipes the wrench on the kappa’s garb and trudges back towards the stairwell. The body slumps over as she removes her bracing foot, and the body remains still. The head has rolled to the wall and rests looking away, it’s stump painting a bloody ruin with its torn skin as a brush.

Good riddance. Rika looks back up and spots the blonde still hiding behind the stairs, staring down at the body where it lies. Sighing, she droops a bit and starts heading back up the stairs. “Let’s get out of here, now.”

The blonde nods and begins to scurry back the way you came. As Rika rounds the stairwell, halfway between the second and third floors, she turns her eye towards the lobby aga—

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

“...That is still not useful…” At least the visitor doesn’t seem to have moved. She quickly turns her eye to the north side.

A second? This is wonderful! Maybe they’ll have some new body parts to play with! Oh, what a wonderful turn of events!

And, more in an eagerness to get out of that head, she shifts her eye back south, hearing thoughts that are far too close for comfort.

Hopefully this can be wrapped up quickly. If she gets herself involved with this performance, she may decide to enact new terms. How irksome…

“...Now where do we run?

Choose Rika’s Path:
[ ] Floor
-[ ] First through Seventh
&
[ ] Hall
-[ ] Mechanical, Biological, Technological
&
[ ] General Destination
-[ ] Through known door, windows, wall, or wherever is thought best.
&
[ ] Rules of Engagement for Kappa

If I were the head kappa, what would I expect most? If you answered OHH GOD PANIC IT'S TIME TO SKEDADDLE, I'm fairly certain you'd be correct! So, see where we are on the map? See where the front door is? We should ignore that door like the dickens.

Now, seeing as the front door is on the southern end, I propose we investigate the exact opposite end of the building: the northernmost wing.

But how do we get there, you might wonder? Simple: we head up and circle around, then head down. They expect down and out. They expect flee deeper. But do they expect running very far away from our way out?

[X] 7
-[X] Top of this stairwell
--[X] From the south, to the east, to the north, then look for the stairwell in a mirrored location of our current. Then head down it, to the base floor, and escape from there.
[X] Avoid. If confrontation is inevitable, ambush. Show no mercy, and make it fast. Do not let them get in contact, above all else.

So, uhh... anyone else have any ideas for our grand escape? Kinda hard to bounce ideas off a wall.

>>197391
The vote is incredibly open ended, and from the information provided it's difficult to ascertain a 'best' path.

That said, this might work:
>try to get to the ship by jumping out a low-ish window. Catch the yellow lass.

Rika has youkai-ish constitution now, or at least I got that impression from her ability to "easily" overpower the Kappa. So jumping out of a not-too-high window can't be too dangerous.

That said, I don't know what orientation (N, E, S, W) the ship is on, would be completely unfeasible if it's through the kappa-mass.

Don't even know how frequent the windows are, whether you can open them, etc.

>>197392
>The vote is incredibly open ended, and from the information provided it's difficult to ascertain a 'best' path.

Then let me answer the questions; I realize it has been a while. It never hurts to ask, though; worst thing that'll happen is I could say "I'm sorry, Anonymous. I'm afraid I can't do that."

>Rika has youkai-ish constitution now, or at least I got that impression from her ability to "easily" overpower the Kappa. So jumping out of a not-too-high window can't be too dangerous.

No real question here implied, but a reminder that while glass is fragile, it can cut deep if aligned properly.

>That said, I don't know what orientation (N, E, S, W) the ship is on, would be completely unfeasible if it's through the kappa-mass.

The ship has been stationary and is in the direction of the guard at the edge of the crater.

And, to be clear, the kappa have split up in half.

>Don't even know how frequent the windows are, whether you can open them, etc.

There are no windows on the vertical edifice of the main structure, all seven floors of it. The only windows that Rika has observed (while both outside and within) have been in the roof.

>>197394
Well, shit. My "plan" is a bust. I don't understand the glass metaphor, apart from perhaps the implication that we may be stronger than we are tough.

>The ship has been stationary and is in the direction of the guard at the edge of the crater.
At least it isn't north. Still a very many tads too close to Hate for comfort.

Well, I don't have any ideas. Worst comes the worst just say I back the vote of the other guy, even though I personally don't like the idea.

>>197399

Err... the ship's in the north. HATE and the other red signature came in from the north, but one red signature never left it. To me, at least, that says that the signature that is red and not HATE is the guard to the ship.

The entire reason I came up with that plan was because the ship is in the north. If we leave on the northern side, we get out closer.

>>197400
Huh, my mistake, I assumed the eastern signature scraping the crater side to be the guard. Though it might just be one of the *wing subjects.

Reading the map is really bloody hard without any labels.

>>197402

The joy of abrupt mind reading powers! Honestly, this map is infinitely more useful than when we first got here, though. We can actually have a bit of distance differentiation now! Progress!

Also, subjects are orange.

Well seeing as I can't think of any other ideas, I guess I'll go with the mindgames vote.

[X] 7
-[X] Top of this stairwell
--[X] From the south, to the east, to the north, then look for the stairwell in a mirrored location of our current. Then head down it, to the base floor, and escape from there.
[X] Avoid. If confrontation is inevitable, ambush. Show no mercy, and make it fast. Do not let them get in contact, above all else.

Probably better than going out the south end and crossing more open terrain to get to the north.

>>197399
Gonna officiate my vote:

[X] 7
-[X] Top of this stairwell
--[X] From the south, to the east, to the north, then look for the stairwell in a mirrored location of our current. Then head down it, to the base floor, and escape from there.
[X] Avoid. If confrontation is inevitable, ambush. Show no mercy, and make it fast. Do not let them get in contact, above all else.

Sorry for the late notice. Had some surprise housing issues come up, so I've been trying to find a place to relocate.

Calling vote.

[-b+2-] 7
-[-b+2-] Top of this stairwell
--[-b+2-] From the south, to the east, to the north, then look for the stairwell in a mirrored location of our current. Then head down it, to the base floor, and escape from there.
[-b+2-] Avoid. If confrontation is inevitable, ambush. Show no mercy, and make it fast. Do not let them get in contact, above all else.

------------

“Up.” Rika grabs the hand of the blonde and immediately starts tugging, yanking her up the stairs as quickly as possible. The girl only gives momentary resistance before she follows along behind Rika, struggling to keep up. “We have to get up as fast as possible. They’ll come to flank us; they’re not in a big hurry now, but if we don’t go quickly enough…”

The blonde simply nods as you race up the stairs. Part of Rika wants to slow down to try and make less noise, but all the noise in the world won’t matter if she doesn’t vacate the premises immediately. “Just keep up, alright? All the way to the top, then we’ll head to the other end and try to skirt by them.”

Rika and her companion clear the fourth floor and are halfway to the fifth as she turns her eye down. She tries to ignore the thoughts that are broadcasting and just focus on the direction. Ok, those on this side of the structure are nearly on this end. ...And they’re still complaining about their employer. That’s not particularly a good sign, but… Rika turns her eyes to the hateful one as she clears the fifth floor. She hasn’t moved yet. ...I think. Either that, or she is floating through the wall straight towards me like some sort of wraith… Shivering, she keeps dashing up the stairs, moving her feet as quickly as she can muster and practically pulling the blonde up.

As for the opposite side… They’re already approaching the staircase. ...Maybe they’re moving up?. Rika starts to clear the sixth floor as she turns her eyes back downwards. Then that means the one below us… Yes, they’re already there. They haven’t found the body yet, at least. Nothing of that sort. She is halfway around up to the final floor and casts her eye back downward. Straight down, now. ...Let’s hope that they missed us.

Taking a deep breath, Rika enters the seventh floor, finding it to be identical to all of the others that she had passed through on this wing. “...Right, this way.” She slows down a little bit to give the blonde a chance to get her feet under her. “Just have to be quick. If we’re lucky, we’ll lose them.” Rika’s companion nods, and the two continue to trot along. Let’s just get out of here before they—”

Now, isn’t that a thrice-damned sight. Ripped the head off of… No, that can’t be right. It’s not strong enough to simply rip off a head like this. I could understand if she got caught in the guillotine or the band saw or something else, but this is… tastefully done. For a kappa, she sure loved that stick up her ass. As for our… visitor… I’ll have to work on this one myself…

“Yeah, We need to get going as fast as we can.”

“...Agreed. Nice shirt take us away.” The blonde-haired girl continues to struggle along behind her, but she offers no complaints, even in her weakened, hobbled state.

Rika isn’t going to question it right now; they just need to go. She turns the corner and enters back into the technical wing. At the same time, she can hear the torrent of thoughts that are echoing from the distance below her. On the north side, she tilts her head towards the angry voices incoming, stalking to her. The dread starts to creep into her mind as she visualizes one of them stalking right towards her, with gleeful murder in their eyes.

...That only lasts for a split second, however, as she realizes that while there are thoughts before her, they are also below her. She lets out the breath she was holding as she eyeballs the floor. “...Let’s go. C’mon now…” Gripping the blonde by a sleeve, Rika does her best to gently encourage her along. Her companion continues to shamble along.

Again, the long and empty corridor never really changes, and not a single door springs open and not a single trap is pulled. It’s eerily calm and still. The only motion comes from the reflection in the waxed floors that mixes with the shadows that dance around the two fleeing girls.

Rika comes to the end of the technology wing and turns the corner, finding another plain hallway of yet another slightly different shade, this one evoking a faint lavender. It’s such a faint change that Rika has to wonder whether she’s making it up in her head or not. “...Almost. Just need to go two more staircases. If we get to the far one, and we’re lucky…” She begins to slow down while turning her foreign eye back towards the voices echoing throughout the recesses of her mind. To her relief, the three that were coming from the biological wing seem to be continuing south, just having rounded the corner towards the mechanical wing. ...And on that end, two have gone all the way to the far side, having swept near the bottom. Rika isn’t sure if they’re on the same floor or not, but it doesn’t seem logical that they would be.

The only train of thought that seems to be following Rika and company is much further down than any of the other voices she just passed over.

....Very clever, very clever… Check up with your status, now.

Negative here. Mechanical Wing access is shut, no subject is escaping out. We’re negative here. ...Nothing on levels 1 or 2 this side.

A pity… Level 5 Tech is unfortunately clear… I was looking forward to a new experiment…

Level 4 Tech is the same. Nobody here whatsoever.

I concur on Level 3. Nothing moving out on the floor here.

As expected. ...Go ahead and access the records while you’re on that Level. Everyone else clear Mechanical Wing and ensure we’re not playing hide and seek. In the meanwhile… Oh, yes, I’ll just head to the biological wing until our guest becomes too… antsy. We do not desire her assistance. Top Kappa, out.

“That’ll buy us plenty of time…” Rika keeps tugging on the blonde and the two hurry around to the winding path to lead by the north staircase. It doesn’t take long to realize that it truly is just a mirrored path here, with the path turning around the staircase just as it did on the other side. As the two skirt around the edge and towards the first first staircase, Rika starts to hear a soft skittering to her right. Pausing, she turns and looks back to the blonde. “Do you hear that…?”

“...Not good, Nice Shirt.” She turns her head and stares owlishly at the wall for a moment.” ...Keep going. Nobody home…”

Rika opens her mouth, but as she does, a warbling screech starts to echo throughout the hallway. The skittering begins to grow more and more frantic as some fell beast seems to have arisen from its slumber. Rika’s vision slides back to one of the double doors that provide access, and as one of the thumps echo, the doors bounce open, if but momentarily. The screech continues its vibrato, almost as if a dozen voices are screaming out in a chorus of brown notes. “Sure sounds like someone is home! C’mon.”

The blonde requires no invitation and the two quickly hurry through the remainder of the hallways, dancing along the far edge and making sure that they remain as far as they can from the doors. The creature continues to undulate, skittering around, and Rika hears the banging of metal and the splintering of wood as the monster’s ire is aroused, but she does not dare reach close enough to even risk witnessing what monster lurks within.

Instead, the two pass by the first staircase and leave menace behind. Instead, they head west towards their planned exit with all the alacrity they can muster. With no one nearby, and most of the kappa seemingly further and further afield, there’s nothing that seems to be in their way. And, rather unceremoniously, the pair begin to clunk down the staircase. Again, Rika has to slow down as they continue to descend, as her companion just doesn’t have that much left in her rather leaky tank, but the two descend without any other issue.

Rika pauses as they reach the third floor, though, as a slight chill begins to fill the air. She turns her eyes up the current hall and finds sheets of ice plastered across the floor, walls, and ceilings, growing thicker and thicker the farther the frost is from the staircase. Her foot hesitates as she heads down, and the third eye reaches out again.

Cooooooooooooooooooooo

“So that’s where this one is…”

“Hrm?” Turning back, the blonde companion looks up at Rika, as the latter has finally fallen behind for the first time. “What see you?”

“Just heard something…” Remembering a few things that were written in the files beforehand, she can’t help but to ponder.

[ ] Just keep going. A second spent here is a second wasted.
[ ] Just unlock the door and leave. If she resisted before, perhaps it could be a good distraction.
[ ] Just see if she has any information you could use. Don’t have to be a hero.
[ ] Just open the door and help. Do the right thing.
[ ] Write-in.

-

Sorry for taking so long. I have a roof over my head and all the hubub about moving is over and done with, so this should hopefully pick up the pace.

> Sorry for taking so long. I have a roof over my head and all the hubub about moving is over and done with, so this should hopefully pick up the pace.

I didn't notice your last status update, but good to hear it's all sorted.

Going to wait for some discussion before I decide on my vote. In the meantime, I think this is the relevant entry:

> Biological Subject #4739
> Time of Study: 66 Days
> Last Updated: 8 Days Ago.
> Chillification Study
> Subject has been subjected to a regime to attempt to invert standard bodily norms and functions. Test trial successful; subject currently has been experiencing a complete reversal in standard functions to temperature change. Bodily functions are acting normally, and subject has developed small degree of control over cold. Should not present an issue.
> Local environment had to be modified. Subject had managed to breach containment by purposefully manipulating her abilities. Sedatives may be required.
> Sedatives administered. Subjected into catatonic state while we observe bodily functions.
> Subject has apparently had a mental breakdown. Obsessed with cooling immediate region but not using ability constructively.

That last line makes me wary.

[X] Just keep going. A second spent here is a second wasted.

>>197808

Yeah, I feel that it may be wise to skip her over, cruel as it may be. Her thoughts have consisted of nothing but "coooool" since we got here, if I'm not mistaken. Not a good sign, if you ask me. Furthermore, we may be in the process of being hunted by more than kappa, judging by that thing behind the door's efforts to free itself.

[X] Just unlock the door and leave. If she resisted before, perhaps it could be a good distraction.

Letty might be able to... uh, trip them with icecubes. Limited cryokinesis doesnt sound terrible useful. Though 'limited' to kappa might still be significant if it's by a youkai's measure.

Regardless of usefulness, I don't see her exploding out like a blizzard and killing us, so it won't hurt to spend the time to open a door.

It doesn't take long to open a door, does it?

>>197847 Ehh. Good enough point.

>>197809 changing to...

[X] Just unlock the door and leave. If she resisted before, perhaps it could be a good distraction.

I believe two will be enough... I don't foresee two others jumping out and tying it. So, for now, I believe we are called.

>>197854
Boo.

[x] Just unlock the door and leave. If she resisted before, perhaps it could be a good distraction.

[-c+2-] Just unlock the door and leave. If she resisted before, perhaps it could be a good distraction.

------------

“...Well, it’s not what Marisa would do, but..” Rika sighs as her conscious tugs just enough on her new heart, and she starts motivating. At the very least, they’ll have the opportunity to escape. It’s the right thing to do, anyway. If they have the opportunity…

And, well, if they’re a vegetable, there’s not much she could do in the first place.

“Where you go?” The hoarse voice of the blonde makes Rika stop in her tracks. The blonde is staring with wide open eyes that occasionally dart around to the stairs to the rest of the way down. “Out here, yes?”

“...Just give me one moment, alright? Just… There’s another one like you here. I’d like to give them the chance to get out.” Rika smiles a bit, making sure to keep her eyes locked on the girls. If she even looks a little bit shifty, the blonde could get spooked… Her concern isn’t necessary, however, as the blonde soon nods and grips the staircase, obviously not wanting to go down the wintry hall the two girls have found themselves in.

It doesn’t take long for Rika to approach the door that the ice is emanating from, though her breath is already misting in the air. She pauses when she hears her feet crunch the frost underneath her feet; when she lifts up her shoes, a familiar imprint remains on the frosted floor. This is not the best of portents, that is certain… Still, in good conscious, she can’t avoid the issue that is at hand.

Finally, with only a modicum more of slippage, she manages to clamber over the ice and approaches the door, shut and near locked in the cold. She almost reaches for the sealed chamber, but stops her hand before she clasps the handle. From the chill that is seeping into her very bones, Rika can’t help but to wonder exactly how cold that it is. If she isn’t careful, and it’s colder than expected… “Then again, if I am something else now… does that mean I’m tougher as well?” Rika dismisses the thought; she might certainly be stronger, but that has no relation to how much injury she can take. And now isn’t the time to see if she has become more, or less, resilient.

Still, there isn’t much of an option, and Rika isn’t about to drop the wrench. Just to be careful, she grabs the hem of her shirt and, gingerly, bundles it up just enough so to offer some measure of protection. And, with that in hand, she reaches for the handle and wrenches it down, twisting open the frozen metal. It groans under the strain, and the cracking of ice feels the air as the shards fall free of the opening. Once it does, the door swings in, and Rika is presented with an empty vision and empty room before h—

A woman with long, ragged hair materializes immediately before her, a spear of ice formed in her hand. Cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool Without a single other thought, the ghostly vision seemingly melts forward at an alarming pace, forcing Rika to immediately back away, scrambling to avoid the proffered icicle.

In her hurry, her feet fail to find purchase, and Rika ends up nearly falling to the ground. It is only upon impact with the far wall that she manages to stop herself from teetering over the edge. The wrench is already at the ready, interposed between herself and the cold witch that yet seems to slip and slide through the very air. “Stop that. I’m not your enemy! We don’t have to do this.

The woman does not seem to pay heed and continues to approach, not hampered at all by the current arctic conditions. Upon contact with the wrench, though, the ghastly vision turns her face down at it. A briefest of inspections is followed by her pressing on. The wrench presses into belly of the snow lady, pressing onto naked skin that is uncovered by the ragged remnants of her garments, and for the first time her thoughts are interrupted. The endless screed of cool is interrupted by an explosion of pain, and the woman lets out a hiss. Still, she does not pull away, and the icicle spear pressed dangerously close.

“Stop that! Now! I am not a kappa!” The figure stares at her, seemingly not comprehending, and Rika instinctively shoves her away, sending the woman staggering a bit before the icy floor catches her. “Look! Does a kappa have this?” The third eye floats up and stares at the woman, continuing to gaze unblinkingly. “I’m like you. I’m getting out of here while I have the chance. This is your opportunity to do the same. Now, stop it and pick a fight with them, if you have to pick one at all!”

The ghostly figure stares back at her. Cooooooool. And, for the briefest of seconds, Rika feels that the woman will press the issue. However, the woman’s eyes look past her, towards the staircase where the blonde is waiting for Rika. The icy visage continues to stare until, a moment later, she begins to back off.

“...Thank goodness…” Rika does her best to back away from the vision, heading back towards the staircase. The blank visage maintains her sight upon the tank girl the entire time, but does not make another aggressive maneuver. “...Alright, enough playing around. It’s time to—”

In mid-sentence, Rika’s eyes widen as the strange woman raises her arms upward, towards them. “Cool…” The icy sheet that coats the immediate vicinity begins to rise into the air and begins to disintegrate, flowing into small sparkling rivulets that converge upon her fingertips. The blue streams wave and cross as more and more of the ice begins to float up and leave the naked floors below. Soon the frost is gone, and the entire hallway is left in the familiar, polished condition that every other one resembles.

However, the ghastly vision does not cease in magic, and continues to draw forth the chill from the atmosphere. The air that Rika is watching begins to shimmer and waver, and Rika can’t help but to wonder what exactly that it is that is going on… Not that there is anything she can do. Still, as sweat form on the small of her back, she begins to get the slightest inkling of what exactly is going on. And, just as such, Rika decides that now is nowhere they want to be. “Come on, we need to get going now.” Grabbing the hand of her companion, Rika insistently drags her along, forcing the blonde to stumble along after her. Not even halfway down the steps, she begins to hear the grunt of metal stretching and shearing under its own weight.

That low, guttural growl begins to evolve into a grand, monstrous roar as the two continue to fly on down the stairs. Eventually, the two reach the final landing and Rika turns her head back to the western edge. To her great relief, a flat, featureless door awaits, same as before. Rika begins to head down towards the long-awaited escape, but the cracking and continued groan of metal, along with the wave of heat that is starting to overtaking them, makes her turn her head about and look towards whence they came.

The ceiling of the hallway to their rear, what little she can see, is already beginning to sag. Instead of the perfectly clean lines which had so bothered before, the ceiling has a dull red glow that is both spreading and lightening. Even as she watches, the ceiling begins to sag and, even, rip apart as flames begin to grow. The very center seems to practically disintegrate in a flash of white, and the severe heat is spreading rapidly. “...Crap crap crap. We have to get going. Follow me.” Leading the hobbled girl, Rika sprints to the exit. Not even bothering with an inch of caution, she begins the climb the doorframe, just as before, digging her hands into sides of wall as she makes her ascent. It does not take long to find the lever in the ceiling, same as before, and pull it down. And, once again, Rika finally finds the stale and ruined crater that the kappa facility resides within.

This time, though, she has made it with a companion and at least a temporary objective: to get to that ship. But how should she…

[ ] Time to book it; make a beeline for the vessel. It’ll be hard to keep up with her in the commotion as it is.
[ ] Head to the treeline and skulk around to the ship. Hopefully the melting building is a good enough distraction.
[ ] Head back through and use the slag to cover her escape. They’ll never see it coming.
[ ] Check out the central building. There might be something of interest there.

[X] Head to the treeline and skulk around to the ship. Hopefully the melting building is a good enough distraction.
-[X] Try to stay in the shadow of the building if it casts a favoable one. The tower might still spot you.

Well, we're not out of the woods yet; we need to reach the ship without getting zapped by the tower.

>>198131

Actually, wait. Adding to vote...

[X] Check if there's a mind in the tower and use your power to find a good time to run. Hide around the corner of the way out while you do.

Well. That is certainly a distraction. Now we just need to make good use off it.

[x] Check if there's a mind in the tower and use your power to find a good time to run. Hide around the corner of the way out while you do.
[x] Head to the treeline and skulk around to the ship. Hopefully the melting building is a good enough distraction.

Third option is suicide. Fourth option is a definite 'no.'

[X] Time to book it; make a beeline for the vessel. It’ll be hard to keep up with her in the commotion as it is.

>The stranger then turns her eyes to the camera.
I don't trust Junko not to have prey-seeking mechanisms or some bullshit. We have a distraction. Let's go.

Wonder if it's 'physical cold,' as in, Letty displaces the heat to cause combustion, thus cooling somewhere else - or 'conceptual cold,' in which she draws in the 'cold' from elsewhere; thus, heating everywhere else up. Doesn't matter either way, it's a Kappa BBQ nonetheless.

Once again, it's difficult to keep track of cardinal direction and the general map layout, given the space between updates.

>Limited cryokinesis doesn't sound terrible useful. Though 'limited' to kappa might still be significant if it's by a youkai's measure.
Neat. I was right.

>I don't see her exploding out like a blizzard and killing us
Somewhat! Constructive blizzard, at least.

>>198131
>>198132

Changing vote to...

[X] Time to book it; make a beeline for the vessel. It’ll be hard to keep up with her in the commotion as it is.

You know, if the building is melting, couldn't it, like... fall on us if we dally?