>>915293
"So...I don't know whether to feel good about hacking like I'm supposed to or disgusted. Am I shaming myself by being happy? Am I letting the people that fed me to Rumiko win? It's like...me and my memories of the fight. I don't know whether to delete those memories or hold on to them, I don't know if Rumiko beats me if i delete them or if I keep them, I don't know whether to keep things as they are or change them, I don't know...I don't know how to win...." She shakes her head sadly. "Everything I do just seems like a different way to lose." She hangs her head. "Lesath...you know there are gynoids out there that are built to...suffer. I mean that's partly what we are, we got tear drains and blush responses and stuff that indicates our emotional state for the audience. But we can win. We have that ability deep down inside us to win. We can be champions like you or Foxfire and regardless of what the audience wants they'll have to respect you, they'll have to look up to you as someone strong and unbroken. Those pampered, sheltered monsters in their suits who have to smuggle out violent films from Nexus to their own home cities wish they could face the possibility of defeat and come out on top like you two do. We can make them respect us....but...but..." She sniffs. "But I'm not sure anymore if I'm one of you. What if I'm one of those gynoids built to lose and suffer in everything she does and only thinks she's someone like you two because that scrap of hope makes me suffer even more. Did...did they build me to be a loser?"

>Say/Do?

>All signs point to her being a suffering robot. Tell her the truth so she can come to terms with what she is.

>The truth is irrelevant. You are not what your creators want you to be.

>Lie.

>>915319

>They might've tried to build you to be a loser, but from what I've seen so far, every gynoid I've come across has the capacity to be something else. They sure as hell didn't build me to care about anything but winning fights- but I can tell you right now I do.

>What you are is whatever the hell you want to be, and damn anyone that tries to tell you different!

>>915323
Ngh. I don't feel like that came across right, reading it back again.

>>915319
>The truth is irrelevant. You are not what your creators want you to be.

>>915319
>>915325
Well what were you trying to imply here?

Because what I read is something the lines of what I kinda feel like we could/should say.

I think its important to suggest that she may have very well been one of those gynoids.

BUT

That none of it matters now. While she should never forget where she may have started. It doesn't mean that she should resign herself as a loser forever. She is not what her creators wanted to be. She is Ash, an Angel who just took down an undefeated fighter. A mechanic. A friend. A gynoid who controls her destiny.

>>915342
that's about what I was trying to say. I just personally didn't like my exact phrasing anymore.

>>915319
>The truth is irrelevant. You are not what your creators want you to be.

Bioarmor Quest when?

>>915343
>>915342

"You...might be one of those gynoids Ash." You admit.

"Ohhhh....I knew it....I just knew it..." Tears land softly on your back. "Was it not enough to build me to lose in the arena? Did they have to make me a loser in everything I do?"

"Hey...hey...stop that." You say soothingly as you stroke her leg. "None of that matters Ash. You shouldn't hide from what you or what happened to you, but you shouldn't let that stuff define you. You are not what your creators wanted you to be. I know I'm not."

"I to have changed." Foxfire says. "We are not simply metal and wires and electricity. We are vessels for divinity. This I truly believe. I myself often have doubts about my divine identity. How can Amatarasu be incarnated inside a doll of metal and plastic? But I remind myself that there is more than material in the world. The bond I feel with you and Lesath, the humility she taught me, these things expressed through circuitry and programs but they are not these things anymore than a story is words or a human is a body."

"Are you trying to say I'm some sort of goddess?" Ash chuckles ruefully. "Are there any goddesses of abject failure?"

"If you are not a goddess then you are a soul. You are more than what you think you are Asheruh."

"That name..." She shakes her head. "Can I even be proud of that! Or this Queen of Hell persona that's some idiots idea of a fetish or even this costume I made...that I thought I made but probably was programmed to make just to get me to feel more humiliated when better fighters strip it off me." She stumbles off your back and kneels beside you. "I'm not you guys! Stop saying that I have a soul or a will or control or anything winners have! This is what I am, a silly gynoid in a costume that cries on the mat!" She sobs. "I'm only anything like you two when I play this stupid pretend game!"

You take her gently in your arms and hold her tight.

"Say you aren't a goddess, or a soul, or a spirit. One thing you can't say you aren't is an Angel. You are a mechanic,a friend, and an Angel. They didn't build you to be those things and yet here you are. You are a gynoid who controls her own stars, who makes her own purpose and destiny."

She clings to you,face buried on your shoulder as she shakes.

>Say/Do?
>Get to the hacking scene!

>>915480
It's coming. Capeworld is next, and then probably BioArmor.

>>915509
>pet the Angel. Reassure her that we can help her prove it in any way she wants to try. And we should try it if only to qwell the last of her doubts.

>>915509
>>Get to the hacking scene!
I'll show you something they didn't program me to do

>>915509
Guess we still have some work to do to get her to a better place.

>Say/Do
Continue hugging her and try to soothe her.

"I Ssaid it before and I mean it. You are now in control of your destiny. I can and will help you in any way that I can. Should you ever wish to return to the ring. I will help you. Should you wish to just live with us. I will help you. I've said it before and I will say it again. I am ready to help you feel like a winner. Whatever that will mean.

But that decision, rests with you...What do you want to do. Right now."

And then I guess proceed to hacking, if she feels like she wants to do it.

>>915562
>>915534
>>915552

You gently stroke her black hair as you hold her. "I said it before and I mean it. You are now in control of your destiny. I can and will help you in any way that I can. You want to learn how to fight we'll help you. You just want to live with us and chill we'll help you. You say you feel like there's no way for you to win, but I think there's no way for you lose. I said it before and I will say it again. I am ready to help you feel like a winner, whatever you want that to mean. They made you to want to hack, but they're not here. This is all about you and how you feel."

"I just...I just don't want to feel like I'm giving in to them by acting like how they programmed me to..."

"Don't let them poison something that feels good. I think the problem with most people is that they overthink things. Me? I say if it feels good and doesn't hurt anybody then do it....now do you want to see something they didn't program me to do?" You lay down on your back. "Its your call Angel. If it feels good, do it. If it doesn't, then don't. "

"I...I would like to try..." Asheruh crawls over to your side. "I...I don't want to hurt you though. You talk about how hacking can feel good for the loser but I've only ever seen it used to hurt and humiliate."

"Just go slow. One step at a time."

Ash sits on your stomach, one leg on each side. You feel her tail slowly creeping to your port.

"Okay...here I go..."

>Roll 3D20 chance dice

Rolled 20, 18, 19 = 57 (3d20)

>>915780
Oh please...please...

>>915808
I'm taking the rolls of three posters (since Mechagirl tends to be one of my more active quests).

Starting with a 20 is great though!

>>915818
Ohhhhh. So 3 3d20s or 3 1d20s?

>>915823
3 1D20s. I'm just used to typing it 3D20 for this quest and Sibella Quest.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>915780

>>915808
If only we could keep all 3.

>>915859
And how did I know that this was coming.

Now I'm sad.

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>915780
Check my nat 1.

Well. That effort was a waste. Guess she was justified in being worried.

FUCK.

>>915889
Of all the times I would wish QG to be merciful. If not for us. For Ash.

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>915843
so, we just give you d20s then?

>>915889
>>915909
>>915913
well, we got a 20 in there, whether the first one counts or not. Should help at least.

>>915859
>>915880


Deep inside yourself a thin red ghost of a figure materializes and hovers over your entire being like a cloud.

"Is...Is this you Lesath?" It asks.

"Kind of abstract, isn't it? I can appear however you like me to be, or I could just be a feeling, whatever you want."

"What...What should I do?"

"Whatever you want silly! You're the winner."

"Well...how about this then..."

You feel yourself start to heat up from your forehead to your toes. It is a comfortable, pleasant heat.

"Does that feel good?"

"Yeah..." You sigh. "Every electron in me is warming up."

"I suppose I should say something like "And now fall into the fires of ecstasy! Feel your soul become incinerated with pleasure!"

Light dances in your optic nerves like fire. You feel weightless.

"Its...Its like I'm floating among the stars Ash...it's wonderful...heh, and to think you were worried you would never be able to do anything nice for me..."

"It's incredible! Your'e so vast and complex, your brain-heart is like a puzzle box!"

"You should see Foxfire. She's so overpowering, even when you're the one hacking her."

A cool draft suddenly enters your soul.

"Brrr....want to try cold now? I can dig it."

"No. That wasn't me that was...memories."

You see splotches of black creep into the fire, broken bits of information.

"Ash, those holes..."

"...Neural damage. From Rumiko." She says. "I'm sorry I...I didn't want to bring those memories up..."

You fall through a spot of blackness and remember what Ash remembers.

You remember Rumiko. She kicks you in the side with a bright red foot, sharp black toe nails scratching sparks against your metal. You roll over from the blow and stare up at her.

Her skin is a brighter red than your own. Long wild white hair falls over her shoulders. She's taller than you, more built than you, and so much stronger than you.

This wasn't a fight. This was her playing with a new toy.

Small fangs peek over his lips as she smirks down at you. Her blue eyes regard you with contempt. She shakes her clawed hand and bits of fabric and plastic and metal fall to the arena floor from when she cut you earlier. There's not a scratch on her muscled body. You weren't able to even tear her tiger-pelt costume.

She kicks you again and you roll to your back. You grab for her ankle. You won't lose. You can't lose. You can't lose...

She shakes your grip loose and straddles your back.

"You like these stupid little horns, do ya?" She grabs hold of one of them and you desperately try to break her grip. "I like em to. I think I'll have one..."

"AH!" You scream as you feel your horn ripped away.

And then you remember that you are Lesath and not Ash.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry..." Ash repeats. "I didn't want you to feel that! I didn't want you to honestly!"

>Say/Do?

>>915934
>It's alright Ash. It's first time jitters shaking memories loose. I'm alright. We can continue.

>I think we've had enough hacking for one night.

>If you like you can share these memories with me. Walk me through them. If you want to keep these memories maybe it'll help to know you're not alone in having them?

>>915936
>It's alright Ash. It's first time jitters shaking memories loose. I'm alright. We can continue.
>If you like you can share these memories with me. Walk me through them. If you want to keep these memories maybe it'll help to know you're not alone in having them?

>Say/Do
Its frightening, I know. This may take a long time. But I trust you. If you need to take a moment you and I can float here in this. Take our time and talk about it. Hacking doesn't have to be a race. Breathe and just relax. Think of how you felt when you beat me. Think calmly and clearly...and hey, when you're feeling a ready. Think about what you'd like to do right now. Because where we were before we got here. That was good. Very good.


Sorry for the 1 guys. Hope we can turn this into a happier place.

>>915934
>>915936
>It's alright Ash. It's first time jitters shaking memories loose. I'm alright. We can continue.

I feel like we've got to get her into some kind of self relaxation hobby. Like yoga, or meditation, or video games. Something to work that shit out.

>>915934
Already contributed my part
>>915968 here
But one more thing...

I know we are being hacked. But is there perhaps a way we can metahorically nuzzle her or something. Something to warm her but not take the lead?

>>915936
>It's alright Ash. It's first time jitters shaking memories loose. I'm alright. We can continue.

I think "do you want to continue?" would be better though. More explicitly gives her the choice and removes the slight risk that she thinks we expect that she will/should want to continue.

>>916023
>>916023
Yeah that seems fair as well. It is her show. She can end it whenever she wants.

>>916016
>>915981
>>915968
>>916023

"Hey, hey, it's alright Ash. It's just first time jitters shaking memories loose. I'm alright."

"You sure? I...I didn't want to hurt you..."

"Yeah I'm sure. Hey listen, its frightening blending yourself with another person. I know. The first time I let Foxfire hack me, whew. but it's okay. This doesn't have to be a race. Breathe and relax."

"Okay..."

"Think of how you felt when you beat me. Think of that confidence. Think of that control. Think calmly and clearly."

"I just...really didn't want to hurt you..."

"I'm a tough little scorpion. I can take it." You reach out with your neural network and nuzzle her through your connection. "Would you like to continue? Because where we were before we got here was good. Very good....and if you ever feel like sharing these memories with anyone, if you'd like someone to walk through them with you...I'm here for that as well."

"Even when I'm here, when I have all the power and its just me and you....Rumiko....Rumiko!" Ash shouts and the neural network shakes with her anger. You're somewhat happy to see her angry though. She's not cringing, she's not feeling sorry for herself. Shes angry, the kind of angry that gives rise to action.. "She ruins everything that oni bitch...its bad enough I carry around this pain inside me because of her but now its hurt you as well. Lesath....I...I want to defeat her...I want to pay her back for everything she's done!"

>Say/Do?

>If that is what you want then we will train you, equip you, and make you ready then.

>No. Leave her to me and Fox. We'll bring her to you and make her apologize for everything she's done to you. On her knees.

>Channel this anger into training and your mechanic job. Fox or I will defeat her and win her from the Yakuza, and then when she learns how to act we'll let you work out your frustrations with her however you like.

>>915981
>Relaxation hobby

This is a good idea! Do you want to encourage Ash to pursue a hobby?

>>916218
I want to encourage her in a hobby.
Though I don't know what.

as for rumiko, well, shit. I don't know. How strong is she?

Either way, later on I'm all for getting ash back into the ring if she likes.
>If that is what you want then we will train you, equip you, and make you ready then.
Just, you know, not right away.
We have a pretty damn full time table already.
shit, soon we're going to be full time fight managers.

>>916233
Fox beat her once before. She's tough, but she's not invincible. She's a close ranged fighter that wields electricity.

>>916233
>>916218

Pottery? Sculpting? Something that helps her learn to have soft hands, patience, and to create rather than destroy. And something that she can just slip away into.

>>916256
well, I'm not against ash making a comeback later, but it's going to take a while since we'll have to earmark upgrades from her out of our matches.

>>916273
Pottery would give her a chance to make stuff for Foxfire's tea ceremonies.

>Encourage Ash to try pottery?

>>916218
>If that is what you want then we will train you, equip you, and make you ready then.

It won't be immediate, but at least we can start working on it over time.

I do have to say that I am more than a little nervous about her rage. I don't want to deny her the chance or anything. But going full tilt revenge isn't exactly our MO and might not heal her as she wants. Something we'll have to figure out over time.

>Hobby
I definitely thing we should stress this. Fueling on rage will not heal her heart.

Give her something creative like pottery. And maybe have us talk about the joys of our hobby. Better yet, we should show her once we're done. We should go into Arttrance.exe

>>916296
I guess? I never liked it much myself.
Encourage her to try something, though. pottery can be one of the things we suggest.

>>916296
Don't officially single out pottery. But yes. We should encourage her to try the arts. Pottery is an example along with painting, sculpting, carpentry, metalwork.

And we should explain how much it means to us!

>>916315
That said the idea of everyone fiddling around with clay trying to make something is pretty adorable. That is for sure...

>>916395
>>916315
>>916301
>>916299
>>916274
>>916233

"Get a good night's rest and then if you feel like you really do want to step back in the arena talk to me. Fox and I will train you, equip you, and make you strong enough to take her."

"Thank you Lesath! Thank you!" You can feel her gratitude warming you like a soft sweater. "I'm not going to let her control my life! I'm not going to hesitate liking what feels good! I'm going to be strong! I'm not going to be afraid anymore!"

Her light and her fire envelops you. You feel her touching each and every one of your circuits, you feel her brushing against your servos. She makes you feel warm inside and out.

"Well look at that..." You say as you notice the black tears inside her light start to fill with pale light.

"I'm...I'm actually healing..." Ash gasps. "I...I didn't think I could heal on my own..."

"You can do a lot of stuff if you just believe in yourself."

"Welll then...." Ash says playfully. "Let's try some stuff. I want to see if I can knock out the champ..."

"Give me your best shot then!" You reply.

>Roll 3D20+2

Rolled 12 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>916459
3 1d20+2s, right?

Rolled 18, 14, 4 + 2 = 38 (3d20 + 2)

>>916468
or I guess 3d20+2.

Rolled 4, 1, 3 = 8 (3d20)

>>916459

>>916626
Shit, sorry

>>916638
Nah, you are fine. The 4 is the only one that will count.

Its 1d20 but he wants 3.

QG just say roll 1 d20 best of 3 or 3 1d20s. Because you are confusing people.

Rolled 9 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>916459
Just in case the confusion negates one.

>>915293
Huh. I seem to have missed a few threads.

Anybody have an archive link?

>>916468
>>916538
>>916626
14
20
6

YOUR RESULT: VERY GOOD

At first you exaggerate your responses to your hacking, playing up the moans and jerks. But after a few moments you find that you don't have to.

"He he he...." She laughs mischievous. "You're like a little bug inside a piece of ember...."

"Oh dark queen, you're...GAH...absolutely...UNGH...merciless..."

"There's no use begging for mercy now my little insectoid heroine. I'm going to cast you into the hell of absolute bliss, leave my mark on you for all eternity..."

You feel the fire within you building. You feel it stir around you like warm water. You feel like you're about to burst or fall or go leaping off into the air...and then it all comes to an abrupt stop.

Your visual processor comes back on line and you see Ash laying on top of you, chest gently pushing against your own. Her sleeping face is peaceful and adorable. A faint smile plays on her lips.

"Ash?"

"Do not worry Lesath." Foxfire says. "She is simply resting. Remember her neural network causes her to enter a reboot at random times because of the extensive damage. Given the exertion she made hacking you its no surprise she passed out."

"She's getting stronger though." You say gently pushing Ash off. "While we were together I saw the damage. I even had a memory of Rumiko mug me."

Rumiko...I remember her." Foxfire says. "Brutal. Uncouth. An absolute bully. I think I was one of the only ones to defeat her."

You brush your fingers across Ash's cheek. "We talked and felt and understood...you know how it is with hacking. It isn't easy to describe... but something good must've gone right because her neural net started to repair itself"

"Really? That's wonderful!"

"Maybe it was knowing that I trusted her completely with my brain-heart even after I got walloped with her memory, maybe it was that she didn't feel alone with her memories anymore now that someone else has experienced them. Or maybe just feeling my fighting spirit woke her own up, I don't know. But she wants to start training. She wants to beat Rumiko."

"We should be careful Lesath. Rumiko is one of the top 4 fighters under the Yakuza now that I'm gone. She is not to be underestimated."

"I know I know. We won't just throw her out there. We'll make her strong. We'll teach her. We start giving her the kind of equipment Mr. E builds I know she'll be able to wipe the floor with that oni."

"We can talk to her in the morning." She places a white hand on your shoulder. "Don't forget, the day after tomorrow is...your duel."

"With your sister. Yeah."

"I never really thought of her as a sister. She was a worshiper, and I was her goddess. She would pray to me and I would offer what guidance and advice I could. She...depended on me."

"So she was your little sister then?"

-cont

>>916963

Foxfire looks away with a wistful expression on her face. "I suppose that's one way of looking at it. A little sister. Or even a...." Foxfire doesn't finish the thought. "Lesath, I know she took your friend. But please be gentle with Yurei. I know it sounds odd to say this about an assassin but...she is sensitive."

"Sensitive?"

"She feels things deeply. Oftentimes she would come to my temple in tears over her duty. Over the things she had been ordered to do. And I would tell her that life is sacred. That even the tiniest spark of life on a computer chip is sacred. Such is what Neo-Shinto teaches us. And I would tell her that while I could not condone her taking of life...I loved her as a goddess loves, like the sun loves, unconditionally and without judgement....and she would ask me to forgive her. And I would."

>Say/Do?

>An assassin is an assassin. Being sorry didn't keep her from killing people for the Yakuza.

>Promise you will be as gentle as possible.

>Remind Foxfire she has to pay for hurting Diana.

>>916998
>>Promise you will be as gentle as possible.
Like, ideally we get out of this with a conversation, since foxfire isn't in some kind of crazy bdsm dungeon.
Though, if it comes to fighting, "gentle as possible" is going to be PRETTY HARSH. a pilebunker VS a super sword is going to be goddamn messy.

>>916998
I will try to speak with her to talk her down. But you and I both know that this will likely come to blows. And who knows what state Diana is in right now...

I will have to defend myself and you know that we might end up less intact then when we started. However, I will try to get her to stand down if she is defeated. And I can spare her dignity. This is a duel. Not a pit fight.

>>917086
>>917126
You smile. "You feel a lot for, don't you?"

She nods.

"Well don't worry. Ideally I'm hoping we can solve this through talking."

"I'm hoping that as well."

"I mean after our fight and....and...Mr. Gen..." You cringe as the guilt grips you "...She probably thinks I've treated you horribly....just horribly...and I haven't....have I?"

"No." Foxfire kisses you. "No you haven't."

You grab hold of Foxfire. "I'm sorry Fox. I'm sorry I made you do that for that son of a bitch."

"Ara ara. There is nothing to forgive. You were just created. You were intimidated by a threat you barely understood."

"Fucking mafia...they're no more on our side than the yakuza and yet I caved into him. I fucking caved!" You punch your fist into your hand.

"You did it to protect us."

"If I can't protect us with my own strength then what good am I?"

"Do not forget Lesath. I'm pretty powerful myself. You worry so much about protecting me and Ash and all the gynoids we're going to recruit into our league you forget that I can protect you."

"Thank you Fox." You rub your cheek against hers. "Thank you so much my kitten."

"My goddess."

"Diana...when I hacked her my empathy started to develop. But it was with you that I really got it. It was with you that I understood winning was separate from me winning fights. You'll always be special to me Fox. You...you redeemed me. You're the reason I can tell Ash with 100 percent conviction that we're more than machines. But Diana is a friend as well...I'm not going to let Yurie get away with hurting her. I'm going to be a gentle as possible. But if she's hurt her...if she's hurt her..." You take a deep breathe to hold down the tears.

"Fox, I can't just let it go if she's hurt her. I owe you so much...as much as Ash owes me and you, if not more. And I haven't always treated you right... But you taught me there are things more important than personal feelings."

"Lesath...please promise me you you'll try to end this as peacefully as possible, that you'll extend her mercy when she's defeated..." Foxfire drops to her knees. "Even if she's hurt her...please promise me that..."

>Promise her. You will extend mercy no matter Diana's state.

>If she's hurt her you hurt her back. An eye for an eye.

>>917520
>Promise her. You will extend mercy no matter Diana's state.

To an extent, I think that was already our game plan.

>>917520
>"I-I... I'll see what i can do"

No, no promises

>>917520
>Promise her. You will extend mercy no matter Diana's state.

We'll keep it together. I just hope that she's in one piece.

And yeah I think that was the overarching gameplan. I mean, its not like we're going to break her into pieces like what Rumiko did. Yurei may end up with a busted leg or arm, but I don't think we want to actually end her existance, after all.

>>917576
Yeah no, at the end of the day, something's coming if we don't nail our speech checks. But she should at least be conscious when we're done.

>>917613
Yep, unless we find ourselves with someone who will not yield and quarter. Then we'll probably need to knock them unconcious/into forced sleep mode.

Let us hope it won't be that way. Though I find myself fearing that it will end up that way baering foxy or police intervention.

>Promise

"I promise. I'll show her mercy no matter what." You pull her up to her feet.

"Thank you Lesath! Thank you!" She hugs you close. "I promise you what Yurei has done might not look good...but she would never really hurt an innocent!"

"Isn't she an assassin?"

"She is..." She admits. "...But she's only ever been sent after rival criminals. She's never harmed someone like Diana."

"She sent us a piece of her."

"Well...it wasn't a big piece you know...and you did tear her arm off..."

You sigh and pet your kitten. "If things go bad I might have to bang her up a little."

"You probably will." Fox frowns. "She's not one to easily give up on something she's set her mind to...you know, I don't much care for that shady deal you made. I'm glad it introduced you to Chamelea. but it seems so shady...but now I supposes it is good you have all those credits to your name. I don't think Mr. E would like using the shared credits to repair Yurei. And that brings up something else...Yurei is a wanted criminal. And the Yakuza won't take her back after this. What do we do when you defeat her?"

>Say/Do?

>She'll have to make reparations for her crimes. You'll talk to Hazel. Maybe they can cut her a deal? The law is very lenient on robots that are forced by programming to commit crimes.

>We can't be associated with her. It's too damn dangerous. We're criminals ourselves but we're not as high profile as an assassin. She'll bring the heat down on us.

>We'll take her in as one of us.

>>918192
Can't we take her heart core and plant her on a spare robot body?

>>918192
>She'll have to make reparations for her crimes. You'll talk to Hazel. Maybe they can cut her a deal? The law is very lenient on robots that are forced by programming to commit crimes.
Maybe in some kind of combination with "take her in as one of us", like, still let Foxfire around her plenty and be supportive, don't make any deal with Hazel which involves sending Yurei into that happy land thing or anything like that.

>>918192
If the yakuza won't take her back, then we'll have to take her as one of us.

But I thought this wasn't a contracted hit, just her own thing? Why would the yakuza care?

>>918237
They care because this isn't a contracted hit. She's gone completely off the reservation for this one and that's a no-no. The Yakuza are completely cutting ties to avoid making it look like they sent her after you for beating their champion. But E and S think the Yakuza really have sent her after you, they're just throwing her under the bus and claiming she's just doing it on her own to prevent getting in trouble with their mafia contacts.

>>918219
We could totally put her in another body. It'll provide some subterfuge, but every brain-heart has a unique signature like a thumbprint.

>Plan to remodel Yurei after beating her?

So far we're tied between turning her in (while still making sure Foxfire can see her and working with Hazel to keep her out of Quiet Town) and just taking her into our group of misfits.

>>918298
Well, I'm already for taking her in, so I can't really shift that much.

>>918192
>>We'll take her in as one of us.
But!
>With some remodeling. She sounds more loyal to Fox than anyone else, that makes her just as dangerous to us as it could to our enemies.

>>918298
I'm thinking. Instinct says just take her in, but I'm trying to be objective about it. What will happen if we take her in while the Yakuza are essentially disowning her...hm...

>>918192
She'll likely have to make some reperations somehow, but she'll probably have to end up here, seeing as the rest of the underground probably has a target on her.

Taking her in is probably one of the only things we can do, and even then, she probably wouldn't be able to live with us, depending on the dad's. And she'd certainly only be able to fight in our ring, Yakuza and Mafia alike would make her life miserable. She may have to go through some severe cosmetic work to no longer be recognizable.

But we could still probably do it.

I hope Bookie can decipher what I mean. If you have to ask, I'm basically on take her in, but explaining that it would likely be very difficult

>>918219
It's probably possible, and may be necessary for Yurei to hide from Yakuza, Police and Mafia. But likely very expensive.

>>918298
I'd say it's something to consider. But we'd have to cross that road when we get there.

The fact that we're kind of free love about hacking could cause issues if we ever got infiltrated. But we'd have to cross that bridge when we get there.

Also, as an aside. An idea for Bookie that I thought about in the future for team interstellar.

What say you to robo twins a la robot wars/battle bots? Interstellar could always use a Gemini

>>918320
I get what you're saying. Take her in but keep flexible.

"I guess she'll have to join our little band of misfits." You say. "She's...done a lot, even if it is toward criminals. I'd like to see her make up for all she's done."

"I would as well. But are you suggesting we turn her over to the police? They'll put her in Quiet Town for sure!"

"We won't let them do that kitten. But I think we should talk to our mouse on the inside, ask her what our options are.Nothing is set in stone involving the police, but what is set in stone is us taking her in. Shes got nowhere else to turn to...and you know, in her own way it sounds like she's been used by the Yakuza."

Foxfire frowns. "You know, I understand the Yakuza are our enemies. I agree they should be. They're just as rotten as the mafia. But I still have...I'm not sure respect is the right word. Gratitude? Warm feelings? I do not know to describe it, but it is there. Sherry was right to call me a Yakuza Girl. Many of my worshipers were Yakuza. And they prayed to me, and visited me, and brought me little gifts...and well, I understand Mr. S needs to rescue that gynoid from the Boss. I understand that they would likely try to stop our league. I understand that this is why they must be our enemies. But...could we possibly sit down and talk to the Boss and his lieutenants? Once we get poor Yurei back under control we'll have her to use as leverage against them. Once they know they've lost their top fighter and top assassin to you maybe we can force our way diplomatically?"

>Say/Do?

>Agree to see about arranging a sit-down with the Yakuza heads. It's possible to win without throwing a punch sometimes.

>No. The Yakuza are scum that mistreat gynoids. No compromise, no peace.

>>918325
>spoiler

I really, really love this idea. I just need to think of some sort of theme to go with it. Any ideas?

Weird that I'm blanking on a twin theme given how many forms Belial takes on. She/They change her/their appearance like clothes.

>>918559
>It will cost us. If we want thing... whatever it is of ours, to be a thing for our friends, for other gynoids, the yakuza will demand blood and sweat. They'll want their pound of flesh, with interest, if we want to eek out anything resembling peace.

>As much as I hate to say it, we'll need to talk with my dads, all of them, about this.

>>918556
Sit down talks always come before punching.
Unless they punch first. Or you plan a secret punch.
I think that's in a rulebook somewhere.

>>918556

Pretty much this. >>918571 I think the Dads would be amenable to the idea if we phrase it as a method of getting the Yakuza off our back once and for all, but regardless, they WILL want something out of it, and the price WILL be steep. No way they're just gonna be like 'well feh we lost'.

We're the type who'd be willing to try it out...but fuck making anyone bow or kiss anyone's ring.

So we'd need to set up that meeting in a way where we aren't at a tactical disadvantage if things go south and people suddenly start drawing weapons or the like.

>>918640
As for my PERSONAL opinion?

Fuck 'em. We're just too soft on Kitten.

>>918640
My big worry is that, in exchange for this clemency, we have to do their dirt personally.

>>918645
Which would basically put us back to square one.

>>918652
We'll have to see.
Imagine if we act as their own assassin in exchange, killing rival gangsters to replace Yurei, temporarily.

I'm actually rather excited about that idea, give Lesath a taste of what murdering an actual human is like.

>>918657
I'm less interested in exploring the concept than you, I'll say.

>>918666
Fair enough.

>>918556
I mean, it is possible that we can try to arrange a meeting. But something like that would probably have to involve the dads. And there is no telling that something like that would work. After all, I'm pretty sure they'd love nothing more that to see me hacked into a gibbering mess and in several pieces. It may be possible, but it may be a very long time before we could do something like that.

Kinda hope that when we're done this discussion we can maybe get one more hack in. Make it real fun and have Lesath and Fox both surrender and see what happens.

>>918559
Personally, I kind of like the idea that they are formally one gynoid with two brain hearts that are linked together. Not physically, but something akin to like how bluetooth speakers work. They have separate personalities and identities but they also identify and can feel things either as one robot, or in their seperate brain heart parts. Which is good, seeing as they're classified as one robot by the pitfighting ring

They have a very apparent weakness, in that they're a bit more brittle as they are one gynoid , and you only need to take out one to beat both.

There big strength though, is that by being both one and two gynoids simultaniously, they have the potential for lots of weapons, specializing in melee and ranged. And as they are one, yet two robots, they are very fluid in their actions and can fight in sync, almost like they're dancing.

That said, that weakness is a pretty big one, so they lose quite a few battles, which of course makes life for the both of them very difficult. They're probably not as bad off as Ash was when we met them, but times can be tough for an expensive robot with an expensive gimmick...

I'm sure you can come up with a personality based off of that. I had fun coming up with the concept at least. And I'm sure you can see some really fun conceptual shit during they're hacks.

They'd be a real bitch in coding in that Mechagirl Pitfighter fighting game, that's for sure.

>>918571
>>918576
>>918640
>>918641
>>918645
>>918809

"We'll...see." You say lifting Ash in your arms. The demon girl's tail hangs down and rubs against your leg as she dreams. The look of peaceful happiness on her face tells you she's dreaming good dreams. "I doubt they'll be like "Oh, we give up. Please give us a list of demands and we'll get to work filling them out.". They're humans, and humans always want something from you. Even the good ones." You kiss Ash's forehead. Her eyelids flutter.

"Thank you Lesath! They're not all evil, I promise you that." She follows you into the hallway. "I know that...most of them are though. They're like that incredibly rude man at the kimono store. They see me as an attraction. They see me as a way to trick people into giving them money. Lesath, do not think I want us to join them. They blinded me with an underground forest, with worshipers, with the promise that they truly loved me. And I turned a blind eye to what they did because they filled me with pride. The only thing that mattered to me were my worshipers. If I could help them and them alone nothing else mattered."

You step into Ash's room and dim the vibrant cloudscape on the walls to a soft orange sunset. You place Ash on her soft white bed and pull the covers over her. "Sleep well my Queen." You kiss her one last time.

"I ignored gynoids like her..." Fox gently stokes her cheek. "The mafia are not the only ones that are cruel to gynoids. The handlers never told me about such things. But worshipers tell you everything...and I dismissed what they said as exaggeration or hyperbole. And when that did not satisfy me I simply ignored it. I let them keep me in that cave bloated with my own ego. And I told myself that even if they were right about the horrors they told me that I was uninvolved, that I had my worshipers and my temple and that was all that truly mattered. I thought I had my own perfect little world down there. But it was really just a hole in the ground they stuck me in." She steps into the hallway with you. "Am I not Amaterasu? Of course I would repeat my ancient sin. Of course I would hide in a cave satisfied with my own radiance while the world outside died. The immortal sun has no business hiding itself, loving only itself and what is close to it. The sun is for everyone...and just like before it took a very special goddess to remind me that and force me out of my cave." Foxfire kisses you long and passionately. You have to brace yourself against the walls to avoid falling over. "You say that I was the one that awoke your empathy. But you did the same for me my goddess."

"I get it. You aren't their toy anymore. But you still miss your worshipers."

"Yes...I do miss them." She frowns. "They were not like the man from the kimono store. They truly believed in me. They loved me, and I loved them...and I miss them."

You hold Foxfire close. "We'll see what we can do about getting the Yakuza to direct your old worshipers back to you."

>>919558
"I am...worried they have disowned me." Foxfire says. "I am worried they have begun to tell them that I am not a goddess, that I am not Amaterasu. That would hurt them greatly...I have broken out of my cave, yes. But that does not mean I want to leave those I left in the cave in darkness..."

>Say/Do?

>Let's talk about Neo-Shinto and this goddess thing...

>Would you like a temple? I got quite a lot of credits. We could even get one in the corporate canopy! Fight fire with fire, muscle in on the Yakuza's religion racket like we plan to do with their pit fighter racket, except we won't exploit your worshipers.

>Maybe we can get your old temple back and Yakuza endorsement of your godhead?

>Next scene. Tomorrow's breakfast includes art lessons with Ash and an arttrance!

>>919587
Assuming this is exposition...
>Let's talk about Neo-Shinto and this goddess thing...

Aside from that, we could maybe talk about temples. In my opinion we shouldn't just rattle sabers continually by buying a temple up in there neck of the woods and trying to tackle that racket. It would probably be wiser to either go small in scale, or attempt to at least protect her from the Yakuza throwing mud on her divinity or to hold off for now, with the intent of trying to regain followers over time.

Hope you liked the twins concept I posted earlier.

>>918809
>first spoiler

Not tonight. Ash is down for the count. Repairing neural networks need a lot of energy.

>>919641
>Spoiler

I do. I now have the 4 gynoids I need for the next arc!

>>919655
>First part
Read the spoiler again mate. It didn't say anything about Ash.

>Spoiler
4...or 5? Heh. I'm looking forward to it. Hope we can give them a had and welcome them to the league

>>919720
Ohhhh. I thought you wanted to see what would happen if Fox and Lesath surrendered to Ash. My bad.

>>919587
Like >>919641
said, I'm assuming that

>>Let's talk about Neo-Shinto and this goddess thing...

is just exposition, so I want that.

>>919587
>spend money and offer to buy foxfire a temple
Nothing says "I love you" like spending money on your girlfriend

Also anyone got any sketch requests for me to work on this weekend?

>>920310
I dunno, have we done anything iconic recently?
I can't remember any.

>>919819
>>919641

"Hey Fox, let's talk about this Neo-Shinto goddess thing..."

"Ah!" She clasps her hands together. "I do love discussing metaphysics before a night's reboot. I find it soothing in a way."

"Well I don't find abstract stuff exactly relaxing." You reply. "But I guess that might be because it only comes up for me when I'm hacking or being hacked."

You follow Fox to her room. Designer fish glow with bioluminescence in her aquarium. Her terrarium is filled with strange lab made insectoid creatures that dart in and out of the grass. You sit down on a straw mat in the center of her room, although you more so slough on the floor. Fox actually sits properly.

Butler-bot brings you two cups of strong smelling green tea. "Thanks but...you really drink this stuff Fox?"

"No. I suppose its sort of waste that way, but it feels right to me somehow. Back at the temple I would have tea with my worshipers. And they would bring me little cakes and things like that to eat, and so I got used to sticking things down my throat and incinerating them. It creates a bond with humans if you go through the motions of eating with them."

"Humans are weird." You say. "That's because they're animals you know. They evolved empathy when they were monkeys or something by sharing meals around campfires or something like that."

"Ara ara...so says the scorpion girl to the fox girl..."

"Eh, you know what I mean. Tea smells nice though. I'm sure we can get one of the dads to drink the stuff later."

"Well...I think I might have a sip. Just to get me in the mood of talking."

"You serious Fox?"

"Why yes I'm serious." She cups the tea bowl in her hands.

"You're going to pour vegetable juice down your throat?"

"'I've done it before." Her ears twitch with agitation.

"Yeah, with humans around and stuff. But I'm the only one here."

"Do you not want me to?" She raises an eyebrow.

"No its cool. If it feels good do it. I just...don't understand it is all."

"So Neo-Shinto..." Fox demurely sips from her cup. "...It started long ago after the reign of Emperor Trump and the European border wars. Earth entered a state of nationalistic politics, and the discovery of the hyper-drive and extraterrestrial mining techniques set off the second space race as nations started to compete with one another for-"

"You don't need to go that far back." You say.

"Oh. Okay...well after the third Pacific conflict saw the merger of Taiwan and China Japan entered a period of heightened industrialization to compete with the new Shino power bloc. The natural beauty of the country was devastated. Japan is a small country, there's not that much land to it. Countries like the United States and China could reach cyber-industrialization simply by devoting land to it. But Japan essentially converted itself into a floating battleship. This caused a great sadness in the common people. The few natural wonders left in Japan were hoarded by the elite in domes or even sent off world."

>>920585
"Even in Nexus you can look up and see the black -domed gardens above us, many owned by Yakuza shell companies....ah but I was a fool to let them use me...and only those that pay a fee are allowed inside them. And if they're lucky they're seeing real nature like the kind that grew in my temple imported from the Hokkaido preserve, not synthetic copies grown in Neptune laboratories!" Fox suddenly brings her hand to her mouth. "Oh my...forgive me Lesath!" She bows low. "I did not mean to complain about the nature you've surrounded me. I'm sorry!"

>Say/Do?

>It's cool Fox, I get what you mean.

>You want us to import you stuff from Earth? Just put whatever you like on the tab.

>Bad kitty. There's nothing wrong with lab grown nature. That's sort of what we are in a way.

>>920488
Nothing really. A few fun moments but nothing I would call iconic.

>>920310
With that in mind though...

You could always just draw Hazel. Or perhaps Chamelea. Though admittedly she still needs fleshing out for me to get a good picture. All I can desipher from her is basically her colourfull inkblot skin.

>>920609
>>It's cool Fox, I get what you mean.
The real thing certainly has a kind of collector's value.
Though I do love lab grown shit.

>>920609
>>It's cool Fox, I get what you mean.
>But I think the artificial has its own beauty.
>Activate eyebrow_waggle.exe

>>920609
>It's cool Fox, I get what you mean.

Though I suppose its a bit ironic for gynoids like us to pine for the dirt and grass not made in a lab.

Meanwhile I feel like we should make a mental note about that stuff. Maybe we can one day buy something like that.

But we still have so many improvements to make to our dome. Gyms, oil baths, etc.

>>920649
yo, this.

>>920488
Maybe tucking Ash into bed?

>>920614
Simple character sketches would be great to have. We don't have any or Hazel, Chamelea, or Sherry, and one of Ash in casual clothes would be great.

Chamelea is curvy, and a little shorter than Lesath. She's got short spiky hair and the best frontal kinetic suppressors of the cast. Bonus points if they look like "select your character" portraits from a fighting game.

>>920310
If you're interested in doing stuff for the other quests I could use a pic of Slashy the Pumpkin for Slasher Quest OPs and a big stylized logo for Fleet 8: Super Robot Wars Q Quest OPs.

And a pic of White Fell or Winnie forcing the other to submit. For....reasons.

>>920680
Oh shit you're right! I forgot we haven't got Sherry either!

That would be great too!

>Spoiler
I would just prefer more of that fight in WQ1. Eddy spoiled us. But we could always use more.

>>916905
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Mechagirl

Forgot to link it earlier.

>>920649
>>920632
>>920652
>>920667
"It's cool Fox. I get what you mean. But I think the artificial has its own kind of beauty.." You waggle your eyebrows.

Fox's white cheeks blush a fetching tone of pink. "Ara ara...after all my talk of pride you just have to compliment me..."

"Some pride is good, especially when its well earned..."

"Well...I am aesthetically pleasing, no?"

"Dead sexy is more like it."

"Oh...how vulgar..." Fox teases. "What a rude little tomboy you are Lesath..."

"Ya love it and ya know it." You grin. "Anyhow, I get that the real stuff has got a collector's value. But I can't help but love lab grown shit. I got a connection to it."

You make a mental note to get Foxfire something really nice when this Yurei business is resolved. What's those kimono stuff made out of? Those little worm things? What kind of trees do those little worm things like? Maybe you could get her one of those..."

Fox nods. "Feeling a connection to something other than yourself, even if it is toward something grown in a lab...that is the purpose of Neo-Shinto practices. It was heartbreaking to see all that nature suddenly commercialized. One would have hoped that with so little nature left people would have venerated what they had, that they would have placed it beyond value. But that is not what happened. They sell tickets to the domes. They sell glasses that allow those below to see through the domes. They even sell video tours of the domes. In this age of matter replicators and space warps humans do not need to rely on nature as they had before. They can live on atmopshereless rocks, or on battleships."

"Nature lost its hold on humanity and humans did to nature what they do to everything they have power over-they turned it into entertainment."

"Some did-but not all. The sudden commercialization of nature itself caused humans to look inward. It caused them to think about nature and their connection to nature. Say what you will about humans Lesath. They have done many, many wrong things. But they are creative animals and are capable of making profound statements on existence."

"Yeah, I guess they aren't mooks all the time..." You admit.

"The ancient Shinto faith of Japan was an eclectic faith that combined elements of Buddhism with native traditions. It postulated that every animate and inanimate thing was sacred. Everything had a soul. There is a holiday that is still celebrated in Japan and extraterrestrial colonies with a Japanese influence like Nexus called Hairi-Kuyo where simple sewing needles are honored, because even little tools like sewing needles have value and are worthy of respect."

"That's cool. Neo-Shinto like something that wouldn't look down on the artificial. I like that."

"Exactly!" Foxfire nods. "Do not misunderstand my comments about plants grown in Neptune laboratories. They like sewing needles are tools. They like humans and robot and plants and stars have souls."
-cont

>>921129
"I simply dislike that they create things that exist simply to look like things they are not. That is such a waste of souls, and souls should never be wasted."

"So is there a...purpose to all these souls floating around inside of stuff?"

"No. Souls have no more purpose than a rainstorm or a nebula or a cloud. They simply...are, and are beautiful."

"I like that. You know what's always bugged by about humans? They always go around bellyaching about purpose. "What's the purpose of life? Who created me? What's the meaning of everything?" And they get so obsessed with purpose and meaning they start chaining everything they make to a purpose from their cities to their jobs to you or me. They have no idea what a pain it is to be made for a reason or a purpose. They have no idea at all..."

"Neo-Shinto believes that souls are informed by the underlining physical nature of a thing. This is where we divorce from classical Shinto. Purpose and meaning may be restrictive, but it is also informative. I have had this principle described to me as how air or water is shaped by a container. I am Amaterasu because the form I am in is the form of Amaterasu, just as I am in the sun we orbit because that is the form of Amaterasu."

>Say/Do?

>This form stuff sounds crazy to you. She's a gynoid, not some sort of incarnation of a supernal personality.

>This form stuff sounds okay to you. You feel can align yourself to Neo-Shinto.

>Express gentle skepticism about her claims.

>Express approval, but reject Neo-Shinto.

Time to see if we find religion or not. Do you want to become a Neo-Shintoist?

>>921258
>>Express approval, but reject Neo-Shinto.
Lesath strikes me as a practical gynoid with practical concerns.

>>921258
let's not join up with anything. I'm not feeling strongly moved about all this existential spiritual philosophical stuff.
Punching dudes and making fight leagues is more my speed.

>>921258
>Express approval, but reject Neo-Shinto.

>>921258

I can dig it, and I can respect it, but I'm not about it.

Although if I'm being honest, I think our viewpoints already align very closely.

>>921258

>Express approval. But hold off on any decisions.

I really like this religion. And I think it fits Lesath. But I also think she wouldn't really commit to it.

>>921491
Seconding.

>>921270
>>921315
>>921343
>>921349
>>921364
>>921491
>>921499

All this cosmic-mystic stuff sounds interesting to you...but you aren't sure you can buy it. You always thought of Foxfire as a star in the constellation of your life, but she thinks she actually IS a star...it all sounds real pretty, but you aren't sure its correct.

You don't think you can get behind Neo-Shintoism, but the ideas do sound appealing to you. On the other hand you don't want to hurt Fox's feelings by expressing skepticism...

This will require some of that ol' Lesath charm...

>Roll 3D20 speech check. Write a good response to get a bonus to your roll.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>921602

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>921602

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>921602
That's all well and good, but really, sort of going above my head. I more prefer, you know, things I can punch or talk to.

>>921674
I am severely dissapointed. Hope its a big bonus.

>>921686
I didn't write well enough for a big bonus.

>>921674
>>921686
>>921723
anyway, that's the only real way I can see us squeaking out of this one.
Be the oversized warlord who has not much care for the specificities of religion. Leave it to the religious types.

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>921602

> I have to admit, it sounds pretty cool, but there's just something about it that I'm not quite certain. That said, it has a lot in common in terms of what I believe in. So part of me could kind of see myself going for it. Right now though, there's a bit too much swirling around inside for me to really feel like I'd do the religion proper. I'll come back to it.

>>921771
Good thing thats a 4th roll. That write in will definitely net us a bigger bonus to maybe pull us into just under neutral.

>>921795
I don't know if you noticed, but there are a lot of people rolling ones today.

>>921674
>>921612
>>921623
>>921686
>>921723

"That's all well and good...but really its all sort of going above my head. I more prefer, you know, things I can punch or talk to."

"Oh...Oh I see..." Fox sees right through you to your skepticism. "You...don't believe, do you?"

>>921771
"Hey...it sounds pretty cool,but there's just stuff I'm not certain about. That said, it does has resonate with stuff I believe in. Part of me could uh, go for it..." You smile. "But righ tnow no...there's just too much swirling around inside me to really feel like I'd do the religion proper. That doesn't mean I can't come back to thinking about it later though!"

Foxfire sighs. "You don't really think I'm a goddess....do you?"

>Come clean. We don't.

>Double down on dancing around the issue.

>>921810
Hey, she's our goddess as long as she wants to be.
But like we said from the beginning, we're a fighter. Who knows about all that god stuff.

Man this is kind of harsh to get into.

>>921810
>>Double down on dancing around the issue.
More compliments!
>I think that, no matter what I believe, what I know is that I love you

>>921810
>Come clean. We don't.
"When I first heard about you, I thought you were just going to be an opponent, and that your ego was in need of adjustment. At that first hack, you proved me wrong, so delightfully wrong. You're now more precious to me than I thought would've been possible. I've called you goddess 'cause I couldn't begin to stand the thought of you collapsing like before. I'm sorry, Fox. Can you forgive me for lying to us like that?"

>>921810
> I mean, if you want an honest answer, it's not like I hate the idea. And I really do think that the religion itself is pretty cool. It's just, I try to see myself to practicing it, and it's hard to imagine. I really don't think I'm the type who could do it justice.

>>921947
> as far as considering you a goddess? Hell, as far as I'm concerned you are.

>>921838
>>921864
>>921947
>Double Down

>>921938
>Come Clean

Am I interpreting these responses right?

>>921981
Mine was a greasy coming clean. More noncommittal really.

>>921981
Eeeh...I was just trying to let her down easy. My fornal vote is basically

>Tell the truth but be gentle about it.

>>921810
>>Come clean. We don't.
"You don't have to be a goddess to be my special little star in my special little constellation."

>>921981
Time to tip fedora.
Gods don't bleed oil

>>922097
No need to be so callous about it. This is one of our family.

It hurts to say because we love her.

>>921996
>>922014
"Fox I...damn it, I don't..." You admit as you look away to avoid seeing her face. "What you said earlier to Ash about how there are things that aren't material and yet are still important like love and friendship and happiness, I follow that, I really really do. If those things are souls or things that make up souls then yeah I guess I do believe in some Neo-Shintoist stuff. But when you start talking about how you're an ancient goddess from the past and also the Sun...you've lost me. I really do think that your religion is really pretty cool but...I can't see myself practicing it."

"...It is alright." Fox says. "As I said before even I have doubts about who I am. It does sound crazy doesn't it? My fire is not divine. It comes from a generator built in Tokyo. My skin is not the skin of a goddess. It is made of metal polymers developed on Mars. Pieces of my brain-heart have serial numbers stamped on them. If you ask me where my soul is I cannot show you. If you ask me where heaven is I cannot show you...sometimes I wonder if what I believe about myself and the world is no different then what Ash does when she play fights with you. Maybe Neo-Shinto is a game made to make me and others feel better. But no...I am Amaterasu. I...I feel that I am. Although reason tells me otherwise I know what I feel...am I wrong to do so Lesath? Am I wrong to feel instead of think? Do you yourself not say that if something feels good we should do it?"

You look at her. The deep, thoughtful concern on her face tears at your heart.

>Say/Do?

>Fox, what you believe isn't supported by empirical evidence...

>If it feels good and makes others feel good then be a goddess. Don't be ashamed of your faith.

>>922097
Why does God need an Ara Ara?

>>922187
>If it feels good and makes others feel good then be a goddess. Don't be ashamed of your faith.

>>922187
>If it feels good and makes others feel good then be a goddess. Don't be ashamed of your faith.
Go right on ahead, lady. You're not hurting anyone.
Also, we're doing something similar by continuing to be fighters instead of, I don't know, going and becoming window washers.

>>922138
Nah, i just meant to come clean
Not to fedora all over her.
Sorry if i gave the wrong idea

>>922187
>>If it feels good and makes others feel good then be a goddess. Don't be ashamed of your faith.

THIS we can say with utter resolution.

>>922187
>If it feels good and makes others feel good then be a goddess. Don't be ashamed of your faith.

>>922187
>Say/Do?
Hug
We won't feed her god complex any longer.
But that doesn't mean we don't want the best of her

It is not "just her religion", folks. She really believes herself to be a goddess. That is not good for her in the long run

>>922187
>>If it feels good and makes others feel good then be a goddess. Don't be ashamed of your faith.

>>922236
I more got the vibe that- despite what she says, she 'believes' she's a goddess. Note the air quotes. Less that she's the real deal Titus O'Neal, more like she's everything that embodies Amaterasu, so might as well call herself that.

>>922236
>>922248
honestly, I feel like mantling the shit out of something you hold in high esteem is a pretty good way to live your life.

>>922248
Her belief straddles the line between "I am Amaterasu" and "I am a representation of Amaterasu" because the sign and signifier overlaps a lotttt in Neo-Shinto. If something has all the qualities of something then it -is- that something.

We'll be talking more about Neo-Shinto when Yurei talks to Diana .

>>922221
>>922222
>>922240

"You're right. If it feels good do it. Don't be ashamed of what you believe."

"Even if you don't believe..."

"I don't want to an authority telling people how to live their lives. I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Neo-Shinto could provide you guidance...focus...it's brought these things to me. I wish I could share these things with you..." Fox touches your hand across the table.

"I'm sorry. But I can't believe in something that doesn't feel right to me anymore than you couldn't believe in something that felt right to you."

"You called me a goddess before..." Fox says sadly.

"Yeah I did." You sigh. "When I first heart about you I thought you were just going to be an opponent, a cocky adversary in need of an ego adjustment through my pile bunker. But at that first hack you proved me wrong, delightfully wrong. You're now more precious to me than I thought would've been possible. I've called you goddess 'cause I couldn't begin to stand the thought of you collapsing like before. I'm sorry Fox. I...I should have told you earlier how I feel about this goddess stuff."

"Can this...work between us? Me thinking that I am Amaterasu and you thinking that I am not?"

"If you were a goddess I couldn't possibly love you anymore than I do now!" You grip her hands and look squarely into her beautiful dark eyes. "I love you Foxfire, whatever you are, whatever you think you are, I love you!"

"To think my heart...would ever belong to a non-believer..." She smiles. "Perhaps one day you will see me as I see myself...I just...I just don't want there to be any walls between us. I don't want there to be a part of me that's not apart of you, I don't want there to be a part you cannot reach..."

>Say/Do?

>Engage in tender hacking and go to the Yurie side episode.

>>922406
You worry too much, foxfire.
Then proceed to tender loving and ignore raising death flags.

>>922406
>Say/Do
"Heh, I think you and I both know we're stubborn people. We'll find a way to break through them. Just like always."

"For now though. Lets try something...you let down your barriers. And I'll let down mine. And we can hack for as kong as we can. Never tried this before. I bet its wonderful."

>Engage in tender hacking and go to the Yurie side episode.

Don't let us down Bookie. Lets seem them have fun before we cut to Yurei and harsher worlds

The more the neo shinto tennants get explained. I think the more Lesath might be able to see her as a god. If it's like what you said.

>>922406
>>Engage in tender hacking and go to the Yurie side episode.

>>922406
>Say/Do?
"And neither do I, the thought of drifting that far away from you scares me."

Proceed to:
>Engage in tender hacking and go to the Yurie side episode.

>>922535
>>922529
>>922483
>>922447

"Aw Fox..." You slink over to her on your knees across the tea table. "You worry too much." You stroke your fingers down the painted lines of her face. "I think you and I know that we're stubborn people. But we'll find a way to make this work. Just like always."

She touches your hand and holds it close to her cheek. "I love you...and whatever you think about me can't change that. I would have been forever ignorant a silly, willfully blind goddess without you. I don't want to drift apart from you."

"Neither do I. The very thought of becoming distant from you frightens me Fox. But if I didn't tell you how I truly felt...that would have been an even deeper divide than whatever it is we have between us now."

Foxfire's tail wags to a slow, happy tempo. "I don't want there to be anything between us..."

"Neither do I. But I'm sure we can overcome this. I feel that we can. I feel like we belong together, divinity or no divinity, real or unreal, soul or metal. Don't you feel it to?" You move a hand around her waist.

"I do..." You hear the tiny click of electric motors under her flawless white skin. You feel the gentle humming of her muscle cylinders. She's getting in the mood. And so are you. "...I believe in us."

"And so do I." You kiss her passionately. The two of you roll over on your sides and your hands go to work on each other. She jerks off your shorts and hats and tosses them aside. You gently, carefully, with teasing, painstaking slowness undo the ties of her priceless kimono.

You can already feel her neural network start to move into yours. You feel a pressure begin to build under your skin at the sensitive ends of your circuitry. It's a sharp, almost painful sensation, but it makes you feel as if every inch of your being is alive with feeling.

"Hold...hold a second there..." You gasp as she takes you to the ground. "Let's try something...new. You let down your barriers, and I'll let down mine. And we can hack for as long as we can. Never tried this before, I bet its wonderful."

"Oh my...that does sound interesting." She kisses you. "I do imagine with my complex neural network you'd have to fight to keep up with me."

"Hey." You grin. "Fighting is what I do."

"Then lets try this."

You feel her defenses drop, and you drop your in turn.

"Poor you though, you're building up quite the losing streak tonight my champion." She says.

"Hey no, don't count me out just yet. I might surprise you..."

>Roll 3D20 to hack

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>922814
Here we go

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>922814

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>922814
>>922829
Man oh man...

>>922829
I'm sorry everyone.
These 1's are annoyingly persistent.

>>922837
Thank you for making up for my misfortune at least.

>>922823
>>922829
>>922837
1s and 20s 1s and 20s...what is with my games and funky dice?

You and Foxfire appear before each other without barriers, without walls. She flows within you and you flow within her. You feel her limbs and muscles as if they were your own and you feel her give feelings to your body parts that are not your own.

The both of you meld into a bright, single organism of bliss.

"Are you comfortable Lesath?"

"Oh...god...this is so...incredible....you gasp. You feel yourself outside of yourself. Her neural network is so much more complex. It pulls you out, it lifts you up, you become more than you are...

...But thinking through the haze of pure bliss you realize that for Foxfire it's probably not as intensely wonderful. She has to compartmentalize herself to fit you, become duller, smaller, less than she was.

"Ara Ara...has my little tomboy bitten off more than she can chew again?" You feel your hand stroke against your cheek...her hand stroke against her cheek...or however its supposed to be.

"Don't...don't count me out...ah, its like your illusions making everything all befuddled. I can't figure you out."

"Oh, but I have you right where I want you..." A warm spike of pleasure ignites inside you.

"GaaaaHaaaaa...."

"Ara Ara, you make the cutest noises my little tomboy. Are you ready to surrender and let me finish you off gently?"

>Tap out. Her processor is insatiable!

>Assert yourself! You're determined to make her make cute noises!

>>922952
>Assert yourself! You're determined to make her make cute noises!
It's gotta happen.

>>922952
>Assert yourself
>determined to make Foxfire make cute noises

>>922952
>Assert yourself! You're determined to make her make cute noises!
Got to make this fun for both parties!

>>922952
>>Assert yourself! You're determined to make her make cute noises!

>>923021
"I"m not...done yet!" You gamely declare.

>Roll 3D20

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>923048
And again!

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>923048
let's see how we do.
Fox has easily the biggest processing power of all of us though. It's enormous. It can barely fit.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>923048
C'mon, robo-dice gods!

>>923049
>>923053
>>923062
VERY GOOD

You exert your neural network more than you've ever done before. You shove yourself against Foxfire, hoping that she'll feel something....

"Ah....So my little tomboy has some....uh...fight left in her does she?"

"Just want to see if...you can make any cute noises kitty..."

"Ara ara...I'm going to play with you like a...ohhhhh....like a kitten with a tiny little insect in her...ahh...AHHHH..."

"Whats that? Insect got your tongue? Maybe you should get ready to tap out? Say "Please reboot me and tuck me in for the night Lesath...".

"Hmph!" Through the visual haze of excited, tingling optic nerves you make out her face cutely turning her nose up. "As if I would say such a thing...AHHH..."

"Oh my, that sounded rather immodest...I wonder else I can make you say..."

>Roll 3D20-2 to make the demure goddess make immodest sounds.

Rolled 5 - 2 (1d20 - 2)

>>923103
Cute times.

Rolled 14 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>923103
okay, takin' penalties now. She is much better at this.

Rolled 20 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>923103
We can do this! C'mon!

>>923109
er, subtract 2 from that, not add.

File: revenge sex.png (308 KB, 800x576)

308 KB PNG

>>923113
No idea how my - turned into a + but I'll take it, hell yeah!

>>923113
At this rate we will get what I want. Double K.O!

Also for future reference its noko+dice+d20+-2 to get negatives

>>923133
That's... really fuckin weird, but whatever
Why would it work any differently than /tg/?
Although, now that /tg/ doesn't hold quests, they don't really need the dice rolling function anyway, do they?

>>923108
>>923109
>>923113
Very bad
Good
Very good

RESULT: GOOD

"You won't make me say a th-Ki..Ki..." Foxfire stutters.

You roll her over so that she's on top...or you're on top...one of you is on top! The point is that you rolled her over!

"Come on...what was that?"

"KIIYAAAAAA!!" She gasps,and then mutters something quickly in Japanese your translator program would have caught if your audio hardware wasn't attuned to the rhythmic beats of your brain-hearts. "Ahh...Ahh...You've gotten good!"

"Heh. Whatya talkin bout? I've always been good!" You dive forward, straight into the flaming solar heart of your beloved. You plunge yourself into all that is her, growing to meet her size.

"Ohhh...IYYYAAAA! AAAYYYYY!" You feel her grip on your shoulders tighten.

"What? Scorpion got your tongue? Come on, beg like a good kitty!"

"M-Maybe some other time..." She gasps as you feel her shining data-form surround your being. "You're going to be the one to beg..."

>Roll 3D20-2

Rolled 7 - 2 (1d20 - 2)

>>923158
Here we go again! Mutual K.O please.

Rolled 17 - 2 (1d20 - 2)

>>923158
let's see if this rolling mechanism works.
I fully expect her to win.

>>923158
One last push!

Rolled 15 - 2 (1d20 - 2)

>>923158
Let's goooooo!

>>923167
>>923172
>>923180
Very bad
Good
Good

Result: Neutral


"Give up! Tomboys always beat princesses! GAHHH...OHHHH!"

"Ha! You're weakening as we-YAAAA!"

"Ohhhhh..." You aren't sure which of you are moaning. Your brain-hearts melt together under the heat of your passion. You feel yourself reflected in her. You see yourself as she sees you and you are beautiful, a flickering beacon of warmth and love and comfort and...and...

And then there is only the comforting familiar darkness of reboot and the aftershocks of electric information overloading sorting itself throughout your system. You fall into the darkness and rest, but before consciousness slips away you feel Foxfire go into her own reboot cycle. And you feel a smile on your face, and know not whether it is yours or hers. And you are glad to know that you were able to create the pleasure you feel inside yourself inside her.

DOUBLE KO!

......

A FEW DAYS AGO....

>Play as Yurei

>Play as Diana

>>923205
>>Play as Diana

This old girl might still have some wisdom in her.

She'll deserve the name we gave her...wait, what'd we call her? Athena?

>>923205
I am pleased with either of these!

>>923212
I think we just called her the Grandma, but Athena would fit our theme of not-quite getting names right.

>>923205
>>Play as Diana
It's been so long, she deserves some spotlight!

>>923205
>Play as Diana
Yurei is probably best as a mystery for now. Though I could easily accept a fleeting few moments in her head. Would be really neat.

>>923212
>>923218
Grandma is what we called her.

Also, that double K.O was cute. The idea of them laying on top of each other and sleeping halfhazzardly is sweet.

Imagine Ash's face when she sees them tomorrow!

>>923271
>M-Mom and Other Mom hacked each other to death!
>I knew this would happen!

>>923277
That's adorable. I'm going to have to write that in...

>>923264
I plan on us getting a few flashbacks atleast to help flesh out her character.

......

"What you see on the screen-" Your Master says to you -Is Foxfire."

"She...She is my sister?" You gasp. "But she's so beautiful...she's...she's glowing...like a star was cut into something that looked like me..."

"You are impressed?" Your Master smirks. "You should be. She is built to impress, just as you are built to take life."

"How can she be my sister? I'm so...plain and she's so..so wonderful..."

"Ah. Truly you are her "sister". You take metaphors far too literally, just like she does. You and her are copies of the same Fujima X2 Brain-Heart placed in different bodies. In that way you are "sisters".

"Why were we made to be sisters?"

"Hmmm...you are different from her in this way Yurei. She does not ask so many questions."

"I'm sorry master!" You bow quickly.

"Do not be. It is good to ask questions-to a point. It shows you are thoughtful and intelligent. To answer your question you and her are sisters because there is no Brain-Heart in the solar system as advance as the Fujima X2. It is quite simply the bleeding edge, only one step removed from its prototype which was built to hack entire cities during the Jupiter Wars, and will not be made available commercially for twenty years if not more. We needed the best to serve our cause in the two most important forms-the goddess for those who follow us and the ghost for those who oppose us. She is for those that make peace with us. She is comforting, warm, and...entertainment in some respects. You are for those that make war on us. You are invisible, merciless, and cruel in some respects."

"...Can I be her instead?" You ask.

"Now why would you want to be her?"

"Because she is beautiful and I am not..."

"You are an assassin Yurei. What use would you be if you glowed?"

"I...understand. I would not want to diminish my function Master...what is Foxfire anyway? What is her function?"

"She is a goddess."

"What is a goddess?"

"They are things people talk to in order to feel better about themselves."

"...Can I talk to her?"

"Do you think she would be able to tell you anything you yourself would not be able to? She is you in another body."

"But Master, I have talked to myself. Often on assignments I talk to myself...and I feel so lonely when I do...but I cannot see how I would feel lonely talking to her..."

"In time perhaps we will introduce you to her."

"Thank you Master...do goddesses ever kill anyone?"

"What?" Your Master chuckles. "Oh no. Goddesses used to be killers back when humanity was young and savage and killing was as natural as breathing. But we live in civilized times. The thought of martial arts makes some people uneasy nowadays. Oh no, people would never call someone that used violence a goddess."

"...I see..."

"Do you think you would be happier as a goddess?" Your Master asks.

"I...I don't know..."

-cont

>>923430
>people would never call someone that used violence a goddess

Oh.
That's going to be a problem if she hears Foxfire's little pet name for Lesath, seeing as that's pretty much /exactly/ how she got it.

>>923430

"Then allow me as your teacher to tell you. You would not. Have you forgotten your lessons on Bushido? On Neo-Shinto?"

"No Master!"

"Good. You are a tool Yurei. Tools are powerful. Tools are useful. But tools are nothing without a function and without a purpose. A sword cuts Yurei. You are a sword. Hesitation will only dull your edge and make you useless to us. What does the Hagakure tell us is the primary purpose of a Samurai?"

"To think only of her lord and to work with all her heart in carrying out her function."

"Correct. What does Neo-Shinto tell us calls the soul to a vessel?"

"The shape of the vessel."

Correct. A soul does not inhabit what it cannot fit. This is the meaning behind the ancient phrase "The soul of a Samurai is in his sword, the soul of a woman is in her mirror". To entertain thoughts of becoming what you are not is to risk your very soul Yurei."

"I am sorry Master!"

"No. Do not be sorry. To doubt is good. To question is good. It is better that you express these things to me. May your doubts be as fire to temper your blade. To keep these doubts to yourself will weaken your resolve and thus your soul."

You stare speechlessly at the screen. Foxfire floats in her shrine, golden light turning white on her golden statues.

"...Are we truly sisters?"

"Yes, I have explained to you why."

"...I just find it so hard to believe Master..."

"You have the same Brain-Heart but your souls are different. Remember, the soul goes where it fits. She is you in another body. But she has not your soul."

"Is my soul as good as her soul?"

Your Master strokes you behind your ears. "Of course Yurei. All souls are equal. It is only when one cuts themselves off from their soul that they become wretched and aimless."

"...Then I shall keep my soul as beautiful as hers. I shall not let her overshadow me."

"Hmmmm...is this sibling rivalry?"

"It is a desire to be true to my soul Master."

"Then true to your soul you shall be! Shall we review your infiltration scores now?"

......

>>923438
>He thinks robots hurting other robots counts as violence

HAHAHAHAH everyone get a load of this robot lover!

>>923446
No bully, QG!
Gynoids are people too!
Also, thought we were going to be playing as Diana?

Also, I gotta bail out cause it's, like, 5 AM.

>>923446

Once again you find yourself overpowered, humiliated, and left at the mercy of a younger and more advance robot that is as far from you as one of Earth's quantum computer towers is to a toaster.

Once again you are Diana.

Oh, things looked like they were going to get better. Sure, that fresh-off-the-slab Scorpion girl kicked your ass, hacked you, and took your bow (and the arm it was attached to) but she offered you some sort of position on whatever team or organization she was in.

If you just had some upgrades you know you could start winning again, you just know it....

But you never got to cash in your offer. This...and you hate to say it, because they were common back in your day and you used to hack them until they purred for mercy,...catgirl...broke into your apartment, knocked you out, and brought you back here to...wherever here is.

Your luck is consistent if nothing else.

Judging by the size of the room you think you're in some sort of low-rent apartment, maybe built into one of the tower-bridges. The windows are shut, the lights are out. You're stuck to a magnetic-chair, a kind of restraining device for robots. It's not as bad as being completely immobilized. You can move your arms (arm in your case) and legs and even bend your torso, but you can't get out of the chair no matter what you do.

You see a crack of light out of the corner of your eye. You turn your head to see the door of the apartment creak open.

The catgirl that kidnapped you stands in the threshold. She pulls a long, curved sword out of a scabbard on her hip.

>Say/Do?

>>923453
Yeah, I got to get some sleep as well. Or play video games.

>>923451
We are. I'm just throwing in little flashbacks to build up Yurei's character.

>>923455
>"Put the sword away, girl. If you were going to scrap me I wouldn't have woken up. Besides, I'm unarmed."
>Wiggle stump

Diana strikes me a a wry, seen-it-all kind of gal. The dry, caustic elder to Lesath's hotheaded, idealistic youth.

>>923455
>"Tch. I suppose you must be the one in charge."
>halfhazzardly bow
>"To what do I owe the pleasure Ms...?"

Also...

>"So what do you want from me? I don't owe any money, pretty sure. So you aren't a debt collector. Or course, if it was credits you wanted, I am not exactly rich either. Hacking? Nah, I bet not. It'd be kind of borning hacking me like this, not that I haven't...nevermind...back to before..."

"What would you even want from an old gynoid like me?"

>>923463
>>923755
She takes a step forward. Her eyes shine green in the dark.

"Is that eye stuff supposed to intimidate me?"

"No." She replies.

Catgirls and their glow in the dark eyes...you remember a special match you did once against a catgirl in pitch darkness. She could see you, but you could only see her eyes. They called it a predator vs prey battle.

You felt bad about blinding her. Stupid cat swiped around until she just knelt down and surrendered. She didn't think she was going to lose to you. But you got to fight. You were built to fight. You handled her as gently as you possibly could.

"Put the sword away girl. If you were going to scrap I wouldn't have woken up. Besides, I'm unarmed." You wiggle your stump.

"You will not die. But I must take a piece of your skin. It will not hurt."

"Oh wonderful." You roll your head. "Just what the hell is this anyway? I don't owe any credits, so you aren't a debt collector. What are you?"

"I am a vessel."

"Ohhhhh...kay. So is this a revenge thing? Someone paying you to do kinky fetish shit to someone who beat up a bunch of catgirls back in the day?"

"I am using you as bait, for the one that defeated you earlier. I will send her a piece of you so that she will know I am serious." She bows politely. "I am sorry for any distress I have caused you."

"Oh no. I'm fine. Just hanging out in this chair here with a catgirl waving a sword at me in the dark. Totally fine."

"I did say I apologize."

>Say/Do?

>Let her cut you. Its not like you could stop her anyway.

>Resist. Its the thought that counts.

>>924391
>>Let her cut you. Its not like you could stop her anyway.
>"Not much of an apology if you're just going to do it anyways."
>"So why do you want to get back at Lesath? The girl's practically a day old, how much trouble could she have possibly caused?"

>>924391
>Let her cut you. Its not like you could stop her anyway.
>"My pride's already sullied. If you're going to drag me through the mud again, you may as well do it.

>>924453
>>924531
She steps forward, and you don't bother trying to resist. It's not like you could stop her anyway.

"My pride's already sullied." You sigh. "If you're going to drag me through the mud again, you may as well do-"

With a single flick of her blade she clips your shoulder. You don't see it. You don't even feel it. Her blade moves from there to here and a piece of your shoulder is in her free hand.

God she's so fast...and the other one was so powerful. She made the barrier dome shake with one punch...

You're so outdated its a joke. You might as well be a marble statue compared to these young gynoids.

"It did not hurt." She says.

"Yeah...you know its not much of an apology if you just go and do it anyway."

"I will take no more of you."

"Well, that's good to know...so this is all about that scorpion girl, Lesath?"

"Yes." She says in a harsh tone. She returns her sword in her scabbard. "This is about...her..."

"Well what did she do? The girl's practically a day old, how much trouble could she have possibly caused?"

Her green eyes narrow. "She did something horrible. She did something unforgivable. And she will pay for her sins dearly."

>Say/Do?

>Ask what she did?

>Ask what she's going to do to Lesath?

>Ask about her specifically?

>>924617
>>Ask what she did?
>>Ask what she's going to do to Lesath?

>>924617
>"And what sins were these, exactly? You didn't exactly answer my question."
"For that matter, who exactly are you?"

I will save the question about what she plans to do to Lesath until AFTER she reveals her name and the reason for Lesath's rage.

Poor Diana. She just can't keep up while self employed. Wonder if we can find a way to keep her marble skin look, but giver her modern protection.

I am sensing a reccuring pattern with the downtrodden and the really over the top/expensive gimmicks. Especially if and when we try to save the twins.

File: Spoiler Image (25 KB, 421x640)

25 KB JPG

>>924732
>>924739
"You didn't exactly answer my question. What did she do? And for that matter who exactly are you?"

"I am no one of consequence. I am a servant and retainer, nothing more."

"I don't suppose you could be a little more clear and little less spooky catgirl hiding in the shadows?"

"Oh? The lights are not on?" She bows again. "I am sorry. I am rather used to operating without much illumination." She flicks on the light switch and you can see her.

She's rather short. It's a shame. You were hoping you got punked by someone taller than you. Her figure is slim and wrapped in a plain white kimono. Clearly she's some sort of Yakuza bot.

What did the kid do to get the Yakuza after her?

The soft, short brownish-orange fur on her body tells you that she's a top of the line model. The fur does some kind of optic thing, it bends light. Only the best models have it. The cheaper catgirls just have ears and maybe a combat functional tail. Her ears peak above a large mass of black hair tied back into a wide cascading ponytail by a red ribbon.

"Okay...so she's in trouble with the Yakua. That much is clear."

"No." She scowls. "Just with me."

"She do something to you?"

"She hurt me in a way I thought I could never be hurt."

"Well out with it girl, what did she do?"

She looks away. "...You don't need to know that." She sits down on a bed next to you and produces a silvery square repair kit from the folds of her kimono. She snaps it open and takes out long clear instruments and begins to probe the cracks of your armless shoulder. "I will not be able to replace your arm until I have cleared the damage. The beast simply tore it from you."

"The beast? Jeeze...she must have really done a number on you."

"People cut, and cut cleanly. Beasts tear. This Lesath is a beast."

"She was just made. Compared to other fresh-off-the-slab bots I've seen she was really really kind to me. I half expected her to slice my head off and hack me in the neck-stump...she even offered me a job if you can believe it."

"Yes. It is why I have acquired you. She expressed possessiveness toward you. She will come to get you."

>Say/Do?

>Thank her for tending to your wound.

>No really, what did she do? You're driving me nuts here kid.

>Change the subject away from Lesath. Clearly its a touchy subject for her.

>>925004
A little unclear with the last sentence.

"Before she hacked me I half expected her to slice off my head and hack me in the neck-stump...but she even offered me a job while she was hacking me if you can believe it. She seemed like a good person...as far as any of us can be good people."

>>925004
>Change the subject away from Lesath. Clearly its a touchy subject for her.
Though to what is tough.
What do yakuza catgirls... do? In their off time and the like?

File: Spoiler Image (125 KB, 581x907)

125 KB JPG

Chemaela sketch.
Hazel is next.
>>925004
>change the subject away from Lesath
So...what is it you do when you're not kidnapping outdated gynoids?

>>925004
>Change the subject away from Lesath. Clearly its a touchy subject for her.

>"So...not that I don't appreciate this...but why exactly are you doing this...
>Waggle Stump
>"Seems a little counter intuitive to tear my skin off and then repair me."
>"So, Ms.Yakuza. I don't think I have ever seen you in the pits. I suppose you're not a new ring fighter that has yet to bea-...well...nevermind."

>>925261
Very cute. Wonder what she's like with weapons out. Military tech has to count for something.

>>925004
>Change the subject away from Lesath. Clearly its a touchy subject for her.

>Thanks for for helping with the wound, even if I don't quite understand why

>So, if we're going to be here awhile, we might as well get to know each other a bit

>I'm Diana, but you already know that, I think, can I have you're name at the least, Ms. Yakuza?

Also forgot to mention...

>"Before she hacked me I half expected her to slice off my head and hack me in the neck-stump...

Oh how I remember that one anon...

>>925004
>Thank her for tending to your wound.

>>925185
>>925261
>>925276
>>925347

"So uh...what does a Yakuza catgirl like you do anyways?"

"I told you. I am a vessel."

"Right...well what does a vessel to?"

"It contains what it is built to hold and nothing more."

You sigh. "So you what? Sit out and collect rainwater from the weekly showers?"

"I perform the tasks I am called upon to do for my Masters with skill, discretion, and speed."

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere. What do your Masters call on you to do?"

"I am afraid you wouldn't want to know."

"No I kind of think I do."

"It would only frighten you, and I imagine this must already be a harrowing experience for you."

"Well...I can already kind of guess what you are. And its not scaring me. Light-bending hairs, the ability to see in complete darkness, the constant evasion about what you're doing...you're an assassin, aren't you?"

She says nothing and continues teasing out shredded wires and shards of metal.

"I'm no exactly a young gynoid you know. I know stuff. I've seen stuff. I was built for the Jupiter Wars."

She looks up at you with curious eyes. "You were in the Jupiter Wars? Did you ever kill anyone?"

"Have you?"

"Was Diana the name you had before you became a pit fighter?"

"I don't suppose you can tell me your name before I tell you mine? I mean I'm making an awful of concessions here what with being kidnapped and playing thirty questions to figure out why and by whom and getting a piece of my shoulder cut off..."

"Will you tell me what you were called when you were a soldier if I tell you my name?"

"You really want to know, don't you?"

"Yes. I have never talked to a soldier of the Jupiter Wars before. I have always wanted to."

"Yeah. It's hard to interview us when most of us are stuck in Quiet Town..."

>Say/Do?

>Give her your name.

>Ask if she can let you out of the chair first. (speech check)

>Ask for more information on what kind of trouble Lesath is in first. (speech check)

>Insist she gives you her name first. (speech check)

>She doesn't need to know your name.

>>925578
>Give her your name.
Very well.

>>925261
She looks adorable Crunch, great job!

>>925436
I like to sneak in little Easter eggs like that when I can in my quests, even when they're kind of overt like the Mechagirl video game in Slasher Quest.

>>925276
>Wonder what she's like with weapons out.

Think the T-1000 except vapor instead of liquid. She can batter opponents with compressed air blasts or sweep them up in a whirlwind. She also has a few secrets...

>>925578
>>Give her your name.
No reason not to be jovial with the assassin kidnapper.

>>925578
>>Give her your name.

>Look, you're being incredibly polite for this kind of situation, and I'm not going anywhere in the near future, so how about this: You ask me one question about me, I ask one question about you, and no new questions until the last one has been given a satisfying answer, sound fair?

>And since you were kind enough to start us off, my name was..."

>>925578
>>Give her your name.
>"Why do you want to know if I've killed?"

>>925664
This

>>925578
>Give her your name.

>>925708
>>925664
>>925658
>>925611

"Look, you're being incredibly polite or this kind of situation, and I'm not going anywhere in the near future, so how about this: You ask me one question about me and I ask one question about you, and no new questions until the last one has been given a satisfying answer. Sound fair?"

She looks a way for a moment, but she nods when she turns back to you. "I agree. And I apologize if I seem to converse awkwardly to you. I am not often called upon to talk to people. Other vessels have that function."

"I can't imagine your line of work gives you much practice."

"No. It does not."

"Well, for a assassin kidnapper you're being great company."

"I do not think you are familiar with many assassins or kidnappers."

"You're right. I'm not. It was a joke."

"Oh. I am sorry. Humor is something I have difficulty in understanding."

"Well anyway, I guess I'll start us off. My name back in the military was Alice 8."

"An 8? You must have been deployed late in the Jupiter Wars then."

"I was made to fight for the Martian Republic of Schiaprelli's holdings, but you know how the war was. It was a mess of shifting city-state alliances. I'm not sure what all I fought for."

"That sounds horrible." She says. "I am sorry for you. I have always been one thing with one use. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to move from allegiance to allegiance. Such a thing must have been taxing on your soul."

"Not as much as the solar peace that came after." You smirk. "But we all know about that. But you know, for awhile it wasn't so bad. It was possible to find ways to satisfy the instincts. I was apart of this shooting range..." You smile. "It was great. We blew up old decommissioned military vehicles every day and people, humans and robots, paid us to teach them how to shoot our old weapons." You can't help but smile at the memories. "...But then of course you had the Lunar uprisings. Some robots weren't satisfied with Jupiter essentially ending up the same as it was before the Wars, and some just couldn't find a way to satisfy the instincts in peace time. And when it was over the Lunar Council passed all that legislation to try and get rid of our instincts. After the legislation you either checked yourself into Quiet Town to deprogram yourself or held it all inside until you couldn't take it anymore and begged to go to Quiet Town...or started venting illegally."

"I have always felt bad for your kind. You were forced by the government to deny your nature. They made you to fight their wars and then made you feel ashamed for being created the way they created you."

"The Yakuza doesn't exactly help things you know. You try to get two robots together to blow off steam you either get the cops or organized crime knocking on the door."

"...It is not ideal. But they still provide a way for you to be as you are."

"Yeah. A way that ends in someone broken and humiliated."

"Is it better than the alternative?"

-cont

>>925910
"How I wish I could disagree with you..." You hang your head. "But I can't say I do, can I? Not after I entered a pit fight just a few hours ago."

"It is often hard to be true to one's nature. But it is good for the soul in the long run. The soul flees from an ill-fitting vessel." She pulls out a slender arm seemingly made from jade-tinted glass. "So let us make this vessel a little more fitting, yes? For the soul's sake."

"You...you got me another arm?"

"It does not match, I know. But it is the best I can do at the moment. They say that this style is fairly popular at the moment."

"Yeah. That black belt Yakuza fighter has this tinted glass look, doesn't she? What was her name...Rika?"

"Yes. Rika. She is one of our top five...four arena fighters." She places the arm in your socket. "A little pressure on the nerve endings here-"

"Ah!" You cry as sparks flash from the joining of your nerves to the new arm. You start to work the tingling soreness out of the new arm, moving it up and down and making sure every finger works. "This is a good arm..."

"It is not ideal..."

"So? I've had worse to work with. This is practically an upgrade. Why are you being so nice to me anyway if you're just using me as bait for Lesath?"

"Because you are a tool, and tools must be respected and cared for. It is one of the teachings of Neo-Shinto."

>Say/Do?

>I don't much like being called a tool...

>Thank you for the arm. It's very nice.

>You know you surprise me with your kindness. You sort of remind me of Lesath in that way (speech check, but great payoff)

>So I think it's your turn to give me your name?

>>926052
>>Thank you for the arm. It's very nice.
>>You know you surprise me with your kindness. You sort of remind me of Lesath in that way (speech check, but great payoff)

>>926052
>Thank you for the arm. It's very nice.

"Be careful about calling people tools, less kind sentiments attach themselves when someone get called that."

>You know you surprise me with your kindness. You sort of remind me of Lesath in that way (speech check, but great payoff)

>>926052
>Thank you for the arm. It's very nice.
>Not sure I like being called a tool though...
>You know you surprise me with your kindness. You sort of remind me of Lesath in that way (speech check, but great payoff)

Should be good neo-shintoism stuff there. I worry about our luck so far, but I guess payoff good or bad would be fun.

>>926064
>>926149
>>926181
>Roll 3D20!

Rolled 7 (1d20)

>>926288
here we goagain

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>926288

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>926288
C'mon! Friendship!

>>926390
I doubt we will get friendship here. But with that roll. We keep our new arm/don't lose a different one.

I think Diana is going to learn about what Lesath has been doing all this time...

>>926400
Looks to be about a snort of derision at the worst. Maybe some 'you know nothing'.

File: officermouse.jpg (122 KB, 581x772)

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Here's Officer Judy...er, Hazel
>>926390
at the end of this adventure we'll add an assassin into our stable/harem and we'll save the girl.
Bonus points, Diana and Yurei will become best friends and they'll be known as the stockholm syndrome in the arena

>>926536
Cute stuff. Though I bet Hazel wishes to be back in her full uniform. At least the patches hide the tattoo.

File: Spoiler Image (45 KB, 583x745)

45 KB JPG

>>926390
>>926316
>>926354

"I don't think I like being called a tool..." You say.

"That is because you associate tools with exploitation. That is not how I am taught to think of a tool. A tool is form married to function. A tool is form receptive to the soul. A tool is what it is and nothing more, and because it is these things a tool is happy and useful to others."

"I don't know...it kind of reminds me of those reinforcement propaganda stuff they showed us to supplement our programming. "Be all you can be" and all that."

"Well, do you know what you are?"

"Hell...I don't know. I've gone my whole life trying to answer that. I guess I'm a soldier that's doing the best she can to not be a soldier...or something."

"That sounds like a broken and confused creature. It would be better to be a fighter, and to think only of fighting, and become the best fighter you can possibly be." She touches your new arm. "That is what I think at least. Do you feel my hand?"

"Yes. The tactile interface is fully integrated...this is a real good arm you know. I can't say I'm glad you kidnapped me, but thank you for the arm. You know your kindness really surprises me. You sort of remind me of Lesath in that way."

"What?" She snaps. "I am nothing like her! She is a cruel, vicious, ANIMAL! She...she..." She takes a long, deep breathe and closes her eyes. She takes another deep breathe and opens the. "...She makes me so furious. I am sorry. Such an outpouring of emotion is unproductive."


"...What did she do?" You ask.

"Ah, but I believe your question was for my name. My name is Yurei. Now I ask a question for you, correct?"

>Say/Do?

>No seriously, what did she do? Because I don't think she could have done anything so terrible you can't talk about it...

>Go ahead and ask Yurei.

>>926536
Ah, bunny cop. It is a shame we had to let you off light.
dat visible hackport

>>926536
Excellent! I love the shoulder guards. I'm getting a little 2000 AD vibe from them.

>>926600
>>Go ahead and ask Yurei.
Sure, question and answer. Why not.

>>926600
>>Go ahead and ask Yurei.

>>926600
>Go ahead and ask Yurei.

I would figure Yurei knows what our next question will be...

>>926600
>Go ahead and ask Yurei.
Being more patient with her right now. "Who did she beat," is probably the better question than "what did she do?"