>>710543
>It's great!

>>710543
>>Why the surprise?

>>710543
>>It's great!

>>710543
>>It's great!
But,
>>Why the surprise?

>writing

You smile and hug the bunnies back. "It's great!" You say.

Munchkin lets out a squeak, as Stella pulls away. "Glad you like it" She says.
"I do, but... why the surprise?" You ask.
"Why not?" Stella replies. "It's good to get a nice surprise every now and then. If the only surprises you ever get are bad ones, it makes you paranoid"

"That makes sense" You say. "So... what happens now?"
"Now we celebrate!" A Felid you don't recognize says.

"Celbrate honk birfday!" Munchkin shouts.

>Ask who the Felid is

>Why is the munchkin so excited?

>Will there be cake?

>Other

>>710741
>>Why is the munchkin so excited?
>Will there be cake?

I'm betting that other Felid is Katherine.

>writing

"Why is she so excited?" You ask.

The Felid lady walks up and leans over to the Munchkin. "This one loooooves birthdays" She says, as she pinches her cheek. "Don't you?"
"Honk birfday Ms. Kitty!" The munchkin says.

"Will there be cake?" You ask. "I was promised cake"
"Of course there will" Stella says. "But not until later"
"Cake, Ms. Kitty!" Munchkin says.
"I know. That's half the reason you're so excited isn't it?" The Felid asks.
Munchkin squeaks.

"Hey Katherine" Ilica says.
"There they are" The Felid says, as she takes Vivian from Ilica. "And how's my girl doing?"
"Mew" Vivian says, as she rubs her cheek against the lady's.

So that's Katherine, huh? Not exactly what you were expecting from the Guild's 2nd in command. She doesn't look all that much bigger than Ilica, though she's definitely much stronger. She has yellow eyes with slit pupils much like Ilica's, and her hair is a similar brown colour, though Katherine's is darker and longer, tied back into a pony-tail.

>How much later?

>Ask what you do now

>What else does a birthday entail?

>Other

>>710928
>>What else does a birthday entail?

>writing

"What else does a birthday entail?" You ask.
"Presents. Hugs. Cake" Stella says. "Among other fun things"
"Presents?" You ask.
"Gifts" She says. "You'll be getting a few. I imagine you'll be quite pleased"

"Is that what you were out shopping for?" You ask.
Stella smiles. "Mmhmm!" She says. "Running into you was just a bonus, since I got to spend some time keeping you busy while we set this all up"

"So what kinds of things am I getting?" You ask.
"I can't tell you that!" She says. "You have to wait until it comes time to open them!"
"Oh..." You say. "When will that be?"
"After dinner and cake" She says, turning you around and giving you a shove. "Now go have some fun!"

You stumble a ways towards the crowd. Most people are sitting around the tables, while many of the children are running around.

Looking around, you see a lot of the people you know, and some that you don't. It's probably better to stick to who you know for now...

>Find the devils.

>Go talk to Derrick

>See what Ilica's up to

>Other

>>711110
>>Find the devils.

>>711110
>>Find the devils.

>>711110
>>Find the devils.

Bit slow right now huh.

>>711110
>>Find the devils.

>writing

Dang, everyone's back. My chance to take this quest off the grid has been lost.

You look around, and then back to where you came in. Looks like Lily and Daisy must have gone somewhere else.

Giving the room a quick scan, you spot them at a table near the back of the room, with Fran, Gabriella, Daniella, Lance, and Teague. So you head over there.

"Hey" You say.
"Yuu!" Lily says, as she and her sister hop from their chairs to hug your legs. "Happy birthday!"
"Hey there" Lance says. "Didn't think you'd head over here right away. Have a seat, kiddo"

You lift up the devils and sit down in one of the chairs that they vacated.

"So?" Fran asks. "What do you think?"
"Of this?" You ask. "I like it"
"I thought the surprise was a bit unnecessary, but the look on your face when you walked in was worth it" Fran says.

"Yeah, you were all-" Lily does an exaggerated mimickery of your surprised expression, eliciting a giggle from Daisy and Gabby.

"I certainly wasn't expecting this" You say.
"Well, we had an advantage over you there" Fran says. "It's incredibly easy to throw someone a surprise birthday party when they have no idea that it's their birthday"
"That's true" Daniella says. "And yet still, they insisted on ruses and secrecy"

"Well, I did know there would be a party" You say.
"That was because the birthday plan came after the party was planned" Fran says.

"So how old is he now, anyway?" Teague asks.
"How old...?" Fran asks. "Not sure. He looks teenage-ish to me. How old do you feel, Yuu?"

>25

>7

>14

>Other

>>711326
>14

>>711326
>>14

>>711326
>1000
Mysterious things always wake up after periods of 1000, 10000, and 1 million years.

>>711326
>7
Definitely older than 7

>>711326
1000
Fuck it I'll back up the answer that sounds like a joke but is actually true

>>711326

>Definitely older than seven. So...14?

>writing

"I'm definitely older than 7..." You say. "I think... 1000"

The adults at the table chuckle. "Well, you aren't wrong. That's older than 7" Lance says. "But I might put it into a smaller margin"
"Why?" You ask.
"Because you are definitely older than 7, but I wouldn't put you any higher than 20" Lance says.

"How do you know I'm not 1000 years old?" You ask.
"Because a 1000 year old would be a bit more knowledgeable that you" Lance says. "Sorry, kid"
"Fine..." You say. "Derrick is 14, right? I think him and I are the same age"

"That sounds right" Fran says.
"Wouldn't that make him 15 then? Since it's his birthday" Daniella says.
"Also right" Fran says. "Or maybe not... is he 14 now? Or was he 14 yesterday?"

>Yesterday

>Now

>Other

>>711611
>>Now

>>711611
>Yyyyyyyyeesterday?

>>711611
>Yesterday

>writing

"Yesterday" You say.
"That settles it!" Fran says. "Yuu is 15, and his birthday is today"

You smile. "Kind of an odd coincidence, that my birthday and Coral's birthday line up" You say.

Fran nods, but the other adults look confused.

"Who's Coral?" Lance asks.
"She's my sprite" You say, turning to the spot on your shoulder where she was sitting... but she's not there. "Coral?"

You look around, before finally lifting up your hat. She pokes her head down, trying her best to stay hidden from the crowd...

Then she pops back in. It doesn't seem like she wants to say hello...

>Coax her out

>She'll come out when she's ready

>Ask Fran why she isn't coming out

>Other

>>711786
>>She'll come out when she's ready

>>711786
>>She'll come out when she's ready

>writing

"She's being a little shy" You say. "I think the big surprise may have spooked her"
"Aww..." Fran says. "I promise we're not scar, Coral"

"Never heard of a sprite getting spooked before" Lance says.
"Coral is different" You say. "I made her using soul"
"Well I've never heard of a soul sprite either, so I guess that's par for the course" Lance says. "Just made her today?"
"This morning" You say.

"Sounds like you've been busy" Lance says. "Making sprites, going shopping"
"Finding a skirmish team" You say. "I was out at the camp outside the walls today too. Rhea got me into the big mock battle"
"Wow" Lance says. "How'd you do?"

"I ended up getting elminated" You say. "But I managed to make it pretty far. Plus I got to take Rhea out, and my team ended up winning"
"Excellent" Lance says. "I've been meaning to get out to that camp. Castor keeps talking about how he wants us to work more closely with the Lubrian army..."

"But enough about that" Fran says. "I see you got a haircut"
"Yeah, Stella took me to this haircutter place" You say. "The lady was pretty friendly"
"You seem to get along pretty well with my nieces" Daniella says. "Should we be listening for wedding bells?"

>Ask for an explanation

>Yes

>No

>Other

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36 KB JPG

>>712035
>>Ask for an explanation

>>712035
"I'm fifteen"

>>712035
>>Ask for an explanation

>>712035
>Ask for an explanation

>>712035
>Ask for an explanation

>writing

"Why would you be listening for wedding bells?" You ask. "What are they anyway?"

Daniella smiles. "Nevermind, I may have spoken too soon" She says. "Wedding bells ring out when there's a wedding"

"Aaand a wedding as what happens when two people who love each other pledge their lives together" Fran says. "Like Lance and I, or Daniella and Teague"

"Oh... ohh! I get it now!" You say. "I don't think I'm ready for that kind of commitment" You say.
"Few men are at 15" Fran says. "Lance and I were in our 20's when we tied the knot"
"Same with us two" Daniella says. "Though I've heard of some people getting hitched at much younger ages"

"Like who?" You ask.
"Nobles mostly" Daniella says. "But that tends to be arranged marriages, so it won't apply to you. Not unless Altea starts trying to set you up"

"Set me up with who?" You ask.
"I dunno..." Daniella says. "I hear the Pale Queen is quite the beauty"
"Really? I hear nobody's actually gotten a look at her" Teague says.

...

Hang on

>Why would Altea be setting me up?

>I'm sure somebody's seen her

>Marybell and Emi complain about stuff like that

>Other

>>712286
>>Marybell and Emi complain about stuff like that

>>712286
>>Why would Altea be setting me up?

>Taking a short food break. Will resume writing when I return

>>712286
>Why would Altea be setting me up?

>>712286
>Why would Altea be setting me up?

>>712286
>Why would Altea be setting me up?

>writing

"Why would Altea be setting me up?" You ask.

Everyone at the table suddenly looks nervous, until someone comes up behind you and pats your back.

"National ties and all" Derrick says. "You're seen as a bit of a hero now, so expect some offers"
"Hey Derrick" You say. "What kind of offers?"

"Wedding bells~" Daniella says.
"Oh..." You say. "Why?"
"I just explained it to you" He says. "Happy birthday, by the way"
"Thanks" You say. "Just to be clear, think you could break it down for me?"

Derrick sighs, and sits down. "Alright. So when we take Leon, however long from now. There'll likely be a few standouts: Altea for organizing and leading this rebellion. The knights for their role in keeping the army running. And you, for making the whole thing possible by destroying the prison" He says. "Lubars, and several other nations to the south, will want to cozy themselves with us. The best way to do that is by marriage"

"I think I get it now" You say. "I'm allowed to say no, right?"
"Of course" He says. "Might hurt their pride a bit, but in the end it's your call"

"Cool" You say.

>What about you?

>What about Altea?

>Ask when Derrick's birthday is

>Other

>>712603
>>What about you?

>>What about Altea?

>>712603
>>What about you?

>>712603
>What about Altea?

>>712603
>>What about you?
>>What about Altea?

>writing

"What about you?" You ask. "You were there at the prison too. Doesn't that make you just as much of a hero as me?"
"Nah. I'm not in the limelight on this one" He says. "Which is alright. I kinda like it when the attention goes elsewhere"

"Really?" You ask. "I thought you'd be worried that the knights might beat up anyone that tries to get to you..."
"That too, yeah..." He says.

"Yeah? Well they can't have Yuu either" Lily says, as she tightens her grip on your arm.
"Yeah! He's ours!" Daisy says.

>You guys are a bit young

>You heard them

>Is that wedding bells I hear?

>Other

>>712835
>>You guys are a bit young

Only room for one on the Yu-boat.

>>712835
>>You guys are a bit young

>>712835
>I'm mine!

>>712835
>>You heard them

>>712874
This.

>writing

"You guys are a bit young" You say. "Plus there's two of you"

The devils puff out their cheeks, so you put your fingers on them and pop them both.

"None of that" You say. "You might be too young for that, but you'll always be like my little sisters"
"Really?" Lily asks.
You nod, and they both hug you. "Cool!" Daisy says.

"Well they're not hard to please" Fran says. "Although it's good to know that the hero of the realm is watching out for my girls"
"I'm not really a hero..." You say.
"You're you" Fran says. "In my opinion, that's just as good"

Now it's your turn to smile.

"Aww, Franny. You made him blush" Lance says. "Oh, there we go"
"There she is" Fran says. "Hello beautiful"

You look around to see what they're talking about. "What's happening?" You ask.
"Coral's finally peeking out" Fran says.
"Oh" You say, holding up your hand. "Come on out and say hi"

Coral leaves your hat, and sits down on your hand. You bring her down to rest on the table, and then grab a nut for her to munch on.

>Ask how long it took to put all this together

>Ask who the people you don't recognize are

>Other

>>713154
>>Ask who the people you don't recognize are

>>713154
>>Ask who the people you don't recognize are

>writing

>>713154
>>Ask who the people you don't recognize are

You idly stroke Coral's hair with your thumb as you look around.

"Lot's of people I don't recognize here" You say. "What's up with that?"
"Mostly hunters, and ex-prisoners" Derrick says. "Anyone else is here because they helped out"
"Like who?" You ask.
"Well, I think the people who helped Fran with the cakes are all here" Derrick says.
"Them, and the owners of the hall" Fran says. "Plus a few friends and the like"

"Neat" You say.

"A lot of them will probably want to meet you at some point, so be sure to mingle a bit" Derrick says. "I can come along for that, if you want"
"That'd be nice" You say.

>But I'm good here for now

>Let's go do that

>Other

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68 KB JPG

>>713425
Find the biggest target and challenge them to arm wrestling

>>713425
>>But I'm good here for now

>writing

You hug the devils close. "But I'm good here for now" You say.

Derrick shrugs. "Me too" He says. "Madelaine and I worked our butts off getting this set up"
"You guys put this together?" You ask.
"Not the whole thing. But I was doing a lot of the running around" He says.
"Where's Madelaine now?" You ask.
"She went to get Meyu and the others" He says, as his expression drops. "Crap! She wanted to be back before you showed up"

"That's something you needed to tell me..." Fran says. "I could've put off going to get him for a little bit"
"Yeah, my bad..." Derrick says. "She's not going to be too happy"
"Just give her some chocolate" Lily says. "That's what dad does whenever mom gets mad"

"Hey, hey. Don't go sharing my secret like that!" Lance says.
"Is that why you do that..." Fran says. "I'll have to remember that"
Lance grimaces, as Fran giggles.

>Would that actually work?

>What's the secret?

>Other

>>713792
>>Would that actually work?

>>713792
>Would that actually work?

>>713792
>Would that actually work?

>>713792
>Would that actually work?

>writing

"Would that actually work?" You ask.
"I don't think so" Fran says.
"Yeah, us women aren't such simple creatures" Daniella says.

"Hold on now, there's merit to this" Lance says, as he pulls something from his pocket. "We'll use Madelaine as a test subject"

"Seriously?" Daniella asks.
"A good test..." Fran says. "Madelaine won't know what's going on, so she'll be unbiased..."
"You're on board with this?" Daniella asks.
"Fran's a scholar" Lance says, putting an arm over Fran's shoulder. "Nothing gets a scholar's blood moving quite like a good experiment"

"Please don't say things like that in front of the children..." Teague says.
"I did not mean it like that, but since you brought it up. Yes, that too" Lance says.

>You lost me

>Stay quiet

>So chocolate. Madelaine.

>Other

>>714010
>You lost me

>>714010
>So chocolate. Madelaine.
>Ask if there should be bet placed.

>>714010
>>So chocolate. Madelaine.

>writing

"So, chocolate. Madelaine" You say. You're not quite sure what they're talking about, but you have a feeling that's a good thing. "Let's go back to that"

Lance clears his throat. "Ah, yes" He says. "So, when Madelaine comes in all huffy because you screwed up. You give her that, and we'll see what happens"

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm getting the bad end of this deal?" Derrick asks as he takes the chocolate from Lance.
"Worst case scenario is that it doesn't work, and she does what she was going to do anyway" Lance says.
"No, worst case scenario is that she sees through the obvious bribe" Derrick says.

"Relax" Lance says. "Until somebody went and spoiled it, I'd been using that on Fran for nearly ten years"

Fran doesn't look too pleased about that.

"Just be genuine" Lance says. "Like 'sorry, I know I messed up. But I got you this"
Derrick sighs. "Alright... fine. I guess" He says.
"Tell ya what. If she's still mad after that, I'll come over and take the fall for you" Lance says.
"That certainly helps" Derrick says.

>1/2

>>714392
Derrick seems to be in pretty good spirits compared to how he normally acts around Madelaine. I'm still prepped for maximum spaghetti though.

As Lance is trying to talk Fran down, someone claps you on the back.

"Hey there Yuyu" Pip says. "Happy birthday"
"Hey Pip" You say. "What brings you here?"
"Why, the party of course!" Pip says. "The other knight's'll be here soon, I just got a headstart"
"Awesome" Derrick says. "I was wondering if they'd be able to get the day off"
"Well, we got the evening off" Pip says. "Oh yeah, Altea is here. She wants to talk to you"
"Me?" Derrick asks.
"No, sorry. Yuu. I keep forgetting the extra 'u' at the end there" Pip says.

"Me?" You ask. "What for?"
"You'll see" Pip says.
"Do I have to go now?" You ask.

"Yeah, unfortunately. I know you look pretty comfy" Pip says. "But Altea won't be staying long, since she's still busy"
"Oh" You say.

>Anything else here?

>>714510
>"The talk won't involve something with wedding bells, right?"

>>714510
>Nothing else.

>>714524
Wait until we get to Altea to ask.

>writing

"Alright" You say, as you stand up. You pick up the devils and put them back down on the chair.
"You're coming back right?" Lily asks.
"Of course" You reply. "This'll probably be quick"

"Should I be going too?" Derrick asks.
"Nope" Pip says, as she sits down next to the devils. "She specified: just Yuu"
"Oh... well, let me know how it goes" Derrick says.
"Okay" You say, as you walk away from the table. Coral flies over to your shoulder as you go.
"She's in the back room" Pip calls out when you're a ways away from the table. "That way"

You look back to see Pip pointing in the opposite direction of the way you're going. Thanks Pip, that totally wasn't something you could've said earlier.

Now that you're heading the right way, you make your way to Altea. You find her in a quiet room at the back of the hall. Well, mostly quiet. It'd be hard to drown out the noise of the hall itself.

"How's your birthday been so far?" Altea asks
"Pretty good" You say. "Well... considering I've only known it was my birthday for about 5 minutes"
Altea smiles. "To be honest, I was skeptical as to whether or not you'd go for it" She says. "I thought you might be mad that they just decided this for you..."

You shrug. "It crossed my mind" You say. "But it was the munchkin's idea, and you can't be mad at her"
"The... munchkin?" Altea asks.
"Daniella's daughter Hella" You say.
"Ah yes, that little one" Altea says.

>Ask what she called you back here for

>Ask if she saw you in the mock battle

>Ask how she feels about choclolate

>Other

>>714842
>>Ask how she feels about choclolate
>Ask what she called you back here for

>>714842
>>Ask how she feels about choclolate
>Ask what she called you back here for

>>714842
>Ask what she called you back here for
>Ask how she feels about choclolate

>>714842
>Ask how she feels about choclolate
>Ask what she called you back here for

>>714842
>Ask how she feels about choclolate
>Ask what she called you back here for

>writing

"Do you like chocolate?" You ask
"Do I like chocolate?" She asks. "I suppose I do, even if I don't go out of my way to get it. Why do you ask?"
"I'm noticing a trend" You say.

"Of women liking chocolate?" She asks.
"Yes" You reply.
"I feel like that's a one sided sort of stereotype" Altea says. "Sure, most women like chocolate. But you;d be just as hard pressed to find a man that doesn't like it..."

"That's true" You say. "So what did you call me back here for?"

"Straight to the point off the chit-chat, huh?" She asks.
"Well... we can't talk about chocolate all day" You say.
"This is true" Altea says. "As for what the point is... it's somewhat complicated"

"Complicated how?" You ask.
"Well, it's about you" She says. "More specifically: what to do with you"
"That doesn't sound complicated at all" You say. "Just point me at something that needs beating, and I can do the rest"

Altea chuckles. "Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple" She says. "I'm running into a bit of a problem with my commanders and officers regarding you"
"What is it?" You ask.
"You make them nervous" She says. "They accept the fact that you have some unique abilities, but the fact that you have no actual affiliation with us makes them uneasy"

"Why?" You ask.
"They're worried that you might just up and leave" She says.
"I wouldn't do that" You say.
"Yes, well... try telling them that" Altea says. "Bunch of worrywarts..."
"Can't you get new commanders?" You ask.
"I could, but unfortunately they're all worrywarts who are very good at their jobs" Altea says. "Firing them all over something like this would be the strategic equivalent of sawing off one of my legs"

"ouch" You say.
"Not literally" She says.
"I know. But still... ouch" You say. "So?"
"So, you have several options" She says. "Option 1 would be to properly join the military, which I do not recommend. The life of a grunt is not an easy one, and it would strip away much of the freedom you currently enjoy"

"Option 2" Altea continues. "Is Knighthood. Less responsibilities that becoming a soldier, but certain things would be expected of you. Your workload wouldn't be anywhere near as big as the other knights, but it wouldn't be non-existent"

"Is there an option 3?" You ask.
"Yes..." She says, looking strangely awkward. "Option 3 would be... adoption"
"What's that?" You ask.
"Well, for all intents and purposes, you would become my son" She says. "You'd get to do whatever you wanted, but expect an... elevated level of attention"

"Hmm..." You say.
"You don't need to answer right away. In fact, if you take some time you can probably come up with a different solution" She says. "But I will need an answer"

>Give me some time

>Option 1

>Option 2

>Option 3... mom

>Other

>>715091
>Option 3
We have Derrick as our bro and the devils as our sisters, now we just need parents.

>>715091
>>Give me some time
>Please.

>>715091
Option 3

>>715091
option 3

>>715091
>Option 3... mom
We're a pretty shady existence in the end and it's a good idea to get a solid connection.

>>715091
>>Give me some time

>>715091
>Give me some time

>>715091
>Give me some time

Why couldn't we sign some kind of mercenary contract instead?

>>715091
>Option 3... mom

>writing

>>715091
>Status quo

I'd rather just continue the whole "no actual affiliation" thing. We're with these people because we want to be with them, not because we have something tying us to them.

"I think I might need some time..." You say. "Option 3 sounds like the best of them, but... I kinda like things how they are now"
"I figured you might say that" Altea says. "I would personally prefer keeping things the way they are now as well... so I suppose I'll see if my commanders can't be convinced"

Altea stands up and places a hand on your head. "Sorry for forcing this on you today, but-"
"I know" You say. "It's alright, I'm sure I can think of something"

Altea smiles. "Is Meyu here yet?" She asks.
"I don't think so" You say. "Why?"
"Talk to him about this. If anyone can think of an out, it'd be him" She says. "Master of shirking resposibility that one..."

"Okay" You say.
"In the meantime, I must be off" She says. "Still much to do in the planning of our offensive in Bell's Run. Though I may return once the cake is cut... in fact, send your friend to see me when it is"
"Alright" You say. "Look at that, Coral. Your second job!"

Coral smiles and throws her arms up.

Altea laughs, and turn to the door. "See you around" She says.
"See you" You say.

That's all for tonight!

Next thread will be either tomorrow or Wednesday.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time!

>>715289
Thanks for running Smiley
Been a while since I've caught a live thread

>>715289
Great thread, Smiley!

>/qst/ Thread Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Beyond%20the%20Gate
>QM Twitter: twitter.com/SmileytheQM
>Character list (Incomplete): http://pastebin.com/ffH25ciB

You walk back to where you were sitting, deep in thought.

So deep in thought, that you don't even notice when you arrive.

"Hey man, welcome back" Derrick says. "How'd it go?"
"I'm not sure..." You say.

"Not sure?" Derrick asks. "I thought she was... what did she say?"
"She said that her commanders had a problem with me, and that I'd have to either join the army, become a knight, or let her adopt me" You say.

Derrick lets out a long sigh, and pinchees the bridge of his nose. "That was not the plan... why couldn't she just stick to the plan?" He asks.
"What's wrong?" You ask.
"Nothing, err... we'll see" Derrick says. "Mind if I borrow Coral for a minute?"

>Ask if Coral minds

>For what?

>Sure

>Other

>>724967
>Ask if Coral minds

>>724967
>Ask if Coral minds

>>724967
>Ask if Coral minds

>>724967
>>Sure

>>724967
>>Ask if Coral minds

>writing

"I dunno. Do you mind, Coral?" You ask.

Coral stands up and nods, looking pumped.

"I'm not sure if that's a yes, she minds, or if it's a yes she wants to..." You say.
Derrick chuckles, pulls out a pencil and a notepad. "Gimme a sec, I'll write a little note for you to bring to her" He says.

You watch Derrick write his note, but you can't really understand what it says...

"Don't bother, Yuuski. Ricky's handwriting is suuuper messy" Pip pipes up.
"It's not that bad..." Derrick says.
"I can kinda make out a few words from here" Pip says. "Can you read that, Yuu?"
"Not really..." You say.

Derrick finishes scribbling his note, rolls it up, and hands it to Coral. "Here, take this to Altea please" He says.
Coral take the note, hugging it close to her tiny body. Then she salutes, and zips away.

"That one's got some gusto" Pip says. "Looks like she was just rearin' to go"
"Coral's always like that" You say.

You sit down, lean back, and take a look around.

...

Something is missing here...

>Ask where the devils went

>Ask Derrick what the plan was

>Ask Pip her opinion on all this

>Other

>>725089
>>Ask where the devils went

>>725089
>>Ask Derrick what the plan was
>Ask where the devils went

>>725089
>>Ask where the devils went

>writing

"Where'd everybody else go?" You ask.
"Oh, them?" Pip asks. "One of the other kids found out that this place has a huge playroom, so the kids all left. Then the parents left to make sure nothing happens"

"Oh..." You say. "They looked so sad when I left, and then they just abandoned me..."
"Aww, did the little ones hurt your feelings?" Pip asks.
"Nah, I'm good" You say. "Not sure what I'm gonna do now, though"

"Looks like someone brought snacks, if you're hungry" Derrick says. "And there seems to be something going on over there..."

You look at where Derrick points, and see a large group has gathered around... something.

>Go check it out

>Go get snacks

>Check out the playroom

>See what Emi is up to

>See what Ilica is up to

>Other

>>725190
>>Go check it out

>first birthday party
>everyone ditches us
Worst party ever.

>>725190
>>Go get snacks
>>Go check it out

>>725190
>Go check it out

>writing

You shrug and stand up. "Let's go see" You say.
"Yeah, this is your party after all. Let's go see who's takin' the spotlight" Pip says, as she cracks her knuckles.
"Woah, relax Pip. We're checking it out, not beating them down" Derrick says.

"I make no promises" Pip says.

The three of you stand up and head over to the crowd. You can just barely see through the heads, but it looks like the crowd is mostly centered around 2 people: A short man in his 40's, and a girl who looks like she's around your age.

Derrick taps one of the people in your way on the shoulder, and they turn to face him.

"What's all this about?" Derrick asks.
"The Lord of Bell's Run showed up" The man says.
"Funny, I don't recall inviting him..." Derrick says.
"Well, he's here. Him and his daughter" The man says.

Derrick turns to you. "Well?" He asks.

>Go meet them

>Go elsewhere

>Other

>>725320
>>Go meet them

>>725320
>>Go meet them
Makin connections

>>725320
>>Go elsewhere
We found out what the fuss was. Time for snacks.

>writing

"Mind if we get through?" You ask.
"Yeah su-... hang on, you're Yuu aren't you?" The man asks.
"I am Yuu" You say.

"Goodness, I didn't even know it was you. I-"

"Did someone say Yuu?" Someone within the crowd calls out. Shortly after, the short man the crowd was centered on emerges. "Ah, there he is! The man of the hour!"

The short man steps right up to Derrick and shakes his hand.

"Uhh-" Derrick starts
"My boy, I would like to apologize profusely for what befell you in my town" The man says, still shaking Derrick's hand.
"Thanks, but-"
"In fact, when we return there, I'll make damn sure you receive a hero's welcome! The streets will be lined with banners an-"
"Father" The girl who was standing with the short man steps out. You notice several things about her. The first being that she doesn't have arms, rather, she has wings like Kieve. But unlike Kieve, her wings are pure white and they look very soft. She's also taller than her father, and much prettier...

"Yes dear?" The man asks.
"I hate to burst your bubble, but he doesn't exactly match the description..." The girl says.
"What? Black hair, bright eyes, looks like a warrior. I am absolutely certain this is him" The man says.
"Brown hair. Gold eyes" The girl says, hiding half her face behind a wing. "Honestly you get too excited sometimes..."

"You're not Yuu?" The short man asks Derrick.
"I was trying to tell you..." Derrick says.
"Well, who is?" The man asks.

>I am

>Wait for him to notice you

>Try to slip out

>Other

>>725466
>>Wait for him to notice you

>>725466
>>Wait for him to notice you

>>725466
>>I am

Welp, I'm tired as hell, gonna clock out.
Try not to do anything too stupid.

>>725484
Well, see now you just jinxed it.

>>725466
>>Try to slip out
time for snacks
>>725484
muwahahahaha

>writing

You awkwardly raise your hand, but the man doesn't even notice. He scans the crowd, starting at Derrick and going the long way around...

After a second, his daughter lets out a sigh, and clears her throat.

"What is it dear?" He asks.
The girl points to you with one of her wings, and the man turns to you.

"That's him?" The man asks.
"It is" Derrick says.
"Huh" The man says. "I thought he'd be taller, maybe a little... I dunno... sharper?"

Ouch...

"But, it doesn't matter how you look. If you're the man for the job, then you've got my support" The man says, as he offers you his hand. "Dustin's the name, Mr. ..."
"Just Yuu" You say, as you take his hand.

"Just Yuu, eh?" Dustin asks. "I like it. Simple. Easy to remember. Now, this is my daughter-"
"Sophia" The girl says, offering you her... wing. She holds out her arm with her wing folded, like this it's about the same length as a normal arm.

You look from the wing, to her. Do you... shake it?

>Shake it

>Pet it

>Kiss it

>Ask what the etiquette here is

>Other

>>725623
>>Pet it
"Fluffy"

>>725623
serious question here, have we observed anyone kissing the hands of females upon meeting them?

Because if not, we shake it,

>>725623
>Shake it
Unless >>725648
If you undershoot it you just look like a bumpkin. If you overshoot it you look like a bumpkin trying not to be a bumpkin.

>>725648
After some thought, I think ima go with
>Shake it

>>725623
>>Shake it

>>725623
>>Shake it

>writing

You gently take the bend in her wing, where a hand would usually be, and give it a quick shake.

This seems to amuse her, as she gives you a curious smile.

"N-nice to meet you" You say.
"Likewise" She says, as she turns to Derrick. "This must be Derrick, and Pippi"

Derrick shakes her wing, as does Pip. "Just Pip is fine" Pip says.
"The whole team is here then" Dustin says.

The team...? Oh right. It was he three of you the busted into Mortifas.

"I guess so" You say.
"So is it true that you use chaos the way the rest of us use magic?" Someone from the crowd asks.

You turn to the person who asked, as Derrick answers.

"It's true" Derrick says. "It's how we escaped that prison in the first place"

As soon as he's done, the crowd explodes with questions. Derrick frowns, clearly unsure of how to deal with this.

"Now, everyone" Dustin says. He speaks over the crowd, with a voice that's surprisingly loud considering how small he is... "Give 'em some time to breathe"

Sophie, still fixed on you with a curious expression, speaks up. "Why don't you tell us how you got here?" She asks. "I'm certain that it's a wonderful tale"

>Well it all started in a cave...

>It's kind of a long story...

>Other

>>725836
>>Well it all started in a cave...

>>725836
>So there I was, minding my own business, when...

>>725836
>>Well it all started in a cave...
We just don't say anything more about the cave than this.

>>725836
>Well it all started in a cave...

>writing

"Alright" You say. "So I was minding my own business, when-"

Someone nudges you in the side with their elbow, and you turn to see Derrick. He gives you a look that you're pretty sure says 'be serious', so you clear your throat and stat again.

"Alright. Well it all started in a cave..." You begin.

You tell them about how you found yourself at the gates of Bell's Run for the first time, when you were taken to Mortifas by the Inquisition. You then go into your meeting with Derrick and the others, and the escape that nearly killed you.

From there it's the fight with the Carracore, your arrival in Sherton, the battle with the Hell's Legion, The trip back to Contique, your run in with the knights there, your trip back to Sherton and the mad dash away from the bandits...

This is getting to be a pretty long story. You may need to find a way to break it down into the important parts, or a few months from now you'll have several hours worth of story to tell...

By the time you've gotten to Mortifas, several people have decided to sit down. Some look like they've lost interest, but the crowd seems mostly attentive.

"Fascinating" Sophia says.
"I agree" Dustin says. "If all of that is true, you sound like the kiind of fellow who gets unleashed upon a battlefield, rather than sent"

Pip pats your back. "Ohh. That's quite the high praise" She says.

>Ask what it means

>Ask what brings Dustin and Sophie here

>Other

>>726084
>>Ask what brings Dustin and Sophie here

>>726084
>>Ask what brings Dustin and Sophie here

>>726084
>>Ask what brings Dustin and Sophie here

>writing

"What brings you two to Locke?" You ask.
"Same thing that brings us all to Locke, my boy" Dustin says, putting his fist in the air. "Justice!"

Sophia raises an eyebrow at her father's antics. "The Inquisition is strangling Bell's Run. A strangled town is not a good place for business..." She says.
"That too" Dustin says. "Even as lord of that place, I didn't really get a say when they marched in. So I'm taking my say in marching them out"

"So we have your support?" Derrick asks.
"Indeed" Dustin says. "My town might be a- for lack of a better word -shithole right now, but I have a plan"
"And that plan is...?" Derrick asks.

Dustin winks. "Trade secret" He says. "Let's just say I didn't get to where I am today by letting opportunities slide"
Derrick raises an eyebrow, but before he can say anything, Ilica bursts in with the Munchkin in her arms.

"Yuu!" Ilica says.
"What's up?" You ask.
"Have errand" She says, as she hands you the Munchkin. "Take baby"

You grab the little bunny, and before you can ask what's going on, Ilica is gone.

"Bye bye kitty!" Munchkin calls out.

You look away from the munchkin, to see everyone around looking very confused...

"Everyone, this is Munchkin" You say. "Say hi, Munchkin"
"Bwwaaaaaaaaaaah" Munchkin says, sounding more like a fog horn than a baby.

...

"Munchkin says hi" You say.

That's all for tonight!

Next thread will likely be on Friday.

As always I'll sticking around for question/suggestion time

Thanks for running Smiley.

>>726315
Great thread, Smiley!