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>>3721769

Information:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QM91m
Discord: https://discord.gg/AmjbaTR
Archives: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=do+your+best+quest (Rough Grammar ‘till half of the 9th Thread)
Complete Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-nIx_dvaNCPQ7zLg2BK_ucCyGNM741kAANxqXj7hdDs/edit?usp=sharing

Votes:

Votes are counted until 25 minutes have passed. This rule doesn't apply to the last reply of the day.
Votes that require a dice roll are counted until 15 minutes have passed, so we can speed up the process. Rolls are counted until 10 minutes have passed, so be prepared!

(NEW) Dice Mechanic:

We always roll 1d100s!
Since most people weren’t happy with the system of averaging top four rolls, we’re using best of 2/3/4 depending on the attribute a prompt requires. If Johnny is a genius and it’s a Knowledge based roll, he gets more rolls (Max. 7)! If he sucks, he gets less dice (Min. 2)!

When asked for rolls, I will specify how many you’re going to get. Rolling begins after it’s asked.

Rolling over a 95 is a critical and ignores all other rolls! In the same vein, rolling 5 or under means a critical failure (only for hard rolls and above).

The difficulty of the roll is tied with the effectiveness of the action. In other words, the harder the option the better the result!

Don’t forget that at the end of the day, this is a story-driven quest! What the prompts are describing is more important than the difficulty of the rolls, for results in a fight.

Again, rolls are only counted when they are posted within ten minutes of being asked, so watch out!

>>3721769
>>Ask her if she left the team just because you did, and what her plans are now that she’s free.

>>3721769
>Ask her who made that mysterious snowman outside the clinic the night before Judgment Day!
WE NEED TO KNOW, IT'LL HAUNT US IF WE DON'T
>Ask her how things are with Leo Watty. He looks as bad as Amelia got after that one session.
Start out light. Better to throw the serious questions when she's had a little more drinks in her.

>>3721781
This

>>3721769
>Ask her if she left the team just because you did, and what her plans are now that she’s free.

>>3721769
>>Ask her if she left the team just because you did, and what her plans are now that she’s free.

>Ask her if she left the team just because you did, and what her plans are now that she’s free.

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“This is something that has been bothering me for a while now…” Here we go! One of the biggest questions you’ve had so far, and maybe Matilda has the answer… Matilda, for her part, raises one of her eyebrows at your sudden serious demeanor. You take the silence as the go-ahead to continue. “Okay. That day before the Eclipse. Outside the clinic, there was an oddly familiar snowman! Who made it?! And why?! I have to know!”
“…Oddly familiar snowman? Are you being dense on purpose or something? That snowman looked just like you.”
“Don’t be silly, I don’t have a carrot for a nose! O-Or is my n-nose that big?” You cover your nose with your hand. It feels the same as always, what gives?!
“…Heh.” Matilda chuckles softly. It’s a nice sound. “I’m 100% certain it was made in your image. Nothing else could have come close to being you.” Something smells funny about the way she said that…

“B-But that only raises further questions…!” You feign ignorance in the face of this onslaught, clinging to what you can!

“H-How?” Matilda is more interested in your foul logic than the real discussion at hand.
“It was obviously made to pay homage to me. That’s what I don’t get, though. My reputation was at an almost all time low because I got stabbed. So… What’s the true reason why it was there?”
“To mock you. It was beaten for a reason.”
“A-Are you sure it wasn’t only poorly done?”
“Hmm. You have a point.” Matilda is taking this as seriously as you are now! Thank god… “If I were to mock anybody, I would at least attempt to add more detail to drive in the mockery for the victim. The culprit clearly had no desire to do such a thing, indicating their laziness.”

“So… you don’t know who made it?”
“No. I do not.” Matilda shrugs and drinks her shot.
“That’s disappointing.” The mystery remains unsolved, much to your chagrin…

“If you think this logically, you can narrow the number of suspects rather quickly.” Matilda points out. “I can, of course, help you solve this mystery – for a price…” Maybe Matilda totally knows who did it and she’s putting up a paywall to cockblock you instead? Naaaaaaah…

“I’ll think about it.” A rather disappointing conclusion. Well, time to change the subject!

“…So how are things going with Leo Watty?” You say after finally downing your own shot.
“Far greater than I anticipated. I put him on a regime 10 times harder, stiffer, and unrelenting than I’ve ever done…” Matilda is wiggling her fingers for some reason. “Only to test his resilience and determination. I naturally thought he would falter, thinking he was all talk when he tried to convince me. Now I’m pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Unlike the rest of the Motley Crew, he didn’t even complain once.”

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>>3722089

“Sheesh… Does that include me?”
“I find complaining during training unacceptable. Thankfully you don’t do that, Johnny Ando.”
“Nice, I think.” You’ll take the rare compliment from this stoic girl! “And how is he as a person, not a trainee?”
“I do not have as much to say in that regard. He is a peculiar individual like so many people we know, and I do enjoy his words of adulation – as any respectable teacher should. But that’s as far as I can talk about him. Although…” Matilda looks down at her empty shot glass, then off to the side where the pupil in question is asleep. “Could you explain to me the situation with his ‘vessel’? He refers to it repeatedly to the point where I suspect it is a concrete issue bothering him.”
“I don’t think I understand it myself. Sorry about that.”

“Shame.” Matilda pours another shot for herself as well as you. You are now on your second and Matilda is now on her third.

“Hey, now I have a serious question. Did you leave the team because I did? What are you planning to do now?”
Matilda freezes with her drink in front of her. She stares at you with a rather unfamiliar anxiousness. Nothing drastic, but there is a noticeable tension hanging in the air now. The alcohol doesn’t stop you from sensing it clinging over the table you share, making the dining room feel a bit darker. “…How did you know I was listening in on you?”

How do you respond? You have to be careful with what you’re going to say!

>”You mumbled something about ‘now’s my turn’ before I left. I think you were the one listening in on us first.”
>“I took it as a given with how you were handling things. I’m the one who paid you to help them, wasn’t I?”
>“I know you sometimes spy on us. What’s the big deal anyway? I trust you enough to not worry about that.”
>“…W-Wait, do you usually spy on us? Why would you do that? And why am I figuring this out now?!”
>“I didn’t. You just told me.”
>Write In.

>>3722093
>“I didn’t. You just told me.”
MAX SMIRK

>>3722093
>“…W-Wait, do you usually spy on us? Why would you do that? And why am I figuring this out now?!”

>>3722093
>“I didn’t. You just told me.”

>>3722093
>“I took it as a given with how you were handling things. I’m the one who paid you to help them, wasn’t I?”

>>3722093
>>“I didn’t. You just told me.”
>Push up glasses
That's a face that needs to be bullied

>>3722125
Supporting

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“I didn’t. You just told me.” The smirk on your face as you push up your glasses is smug enough Yu would rate it highly if she were here! You’ve always wanted to say that, and this is the perfect occasion! But the response you earn isn’t quite what you were expecting!
“…Ha.” The stress in Matilda’s shoulders goes out with her chuckle. “It’s all good.” Matilda drinks her third shot and pours out a fourth.

“Hey… What do you mean? Weren’t you losing your cool just a moment ago?”
Matilda waves her hand, and your question with it. “Apologies, Johnny. Feel free to think of me as an ever-present presence in your life if you must. I’m content with knowing my intricacies remain a secret.” This girl is way too content right now. “In fact, feeling observed the whole time will make you tread lightly. Might save your life. I strongly encourage you to hold onto that feeling.”

“Matilda, that’s insanely creepy. You don’t feel a bit questionable doing that?”
“No. What’s so disturbing about it? In my household, the only way to get any concrete information was through spying. People tend to be more honest when there is nobody else around.” Does she even understand? Is this girl a martial artist or a ninja?! “So yes, I firmly believe espionage is a useful skill that would benefit everyone.” Yep, no understanding here!
“Yeah, if you’re a stalker.” You watch Matilda wince at that.
“Y-You and I both know this isn’t the case here. I just explained it. Listen, don’t act like I was doing it all the time. You’re not that important.”

“Uh… so how else should I take this instead?” This is too confusing. What’s worse: spying or stalking someone? Aren’t those the same in practice?
“Like any other rational human being would.”
“…So should I call the cops?”
“It’s futile, you can’t prove anything.”
“That’s not the point here Matilda, and you know it.”

The dojo master sighs and swirls around her whiskey in her shot glass, not looking at you. “This is what happens when I lower my guard. What a disappointment. I thought better of you, Johnny. I thought you would understand.”

How do you respond to these accusations?!

>“Hey, I should be the one getting mad here. Yours is the true breach of trust! Do you even understand the severity of your actions?”
>“Matilda, let me tell you something: spying on someone is not normal.”
>“By the way, just because I was trying to be cheeky before, doesn’t mean I don’t know how you did it.”
>“Let’s forget this part of the conversation ever happened, okay?”
>Write In.

>>3722461
>“Matilda, let me tell you something: spying on someone is not normal.”

>>3722461
>“Matilda, let me tell you something: spying on someone is not normal.”

>>3722461
>“Matilda, let me tell you something: spying on someone is not normal.”
Maybe it's normal for her, but it ain't normal for anyone else.

>>3722461
>>“Matilda, let me tell you something: spying on someone is not normal.”

>>3722461
>>“Hey, I should be the one getting mad here. Yours is the true breach of trust! Do you even understand the severity of your actions?”
Spying on your employer, bad etiquette.

>>3722461
>so you spied on me in "compromising situations" (like the shower for example)? Did you like it?
Push her buttons, get HER to admit it's wrong

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“Matilda, let me tell you something: spying on someone is not normal.” You understand your backgrounds are different, but you two can’t have such a radical understanding of what’s normal!
“Indeed. An exquisite expertise requires a level of mastery that’s simply not normal.” Matilda agrees with you as she takes her shot. That makes four she’s had so far. It doesn’t seem to be impeding her any. You might just be imagining that slight red tinge to her face. Yeah. “And your point being…?”
“It’s not normal because of how hard something like that is to pull it off. It’s not normal mainly ‘cause nobody goes around spying on their friends or anybody else unprovoked… Unless you’re the police or a detective. Or a police detective. Or a space cop. You get what I mean.”

“I have worked as a detective before…” Matilda continues being aloof and stoic, but there’s a doubting tone to her words now. “That should suffice as a valid reason, if I am correct.”
“But you get my point, right? Nobody wants their privacy breached. You should understand that better than anyone; you’re pretty secretive yourself.”

“That’s the reason why I have my own security measures. If you don’t want to be exposed, the only way to make sure of it is to prevent others from succeeding in the first place.” That’s one strange logic! Ignoring that, you see Matilda nodding to herself then returning your gaze. “But I understand. I won’t spy on anyone unless I’m paid to.” Matilda takes another shot to seal the deal. That’s five now….
“I… Well… It’s a nice compromise, I think.” It is what it is. With that, you take your own shot too. That’s two for you.
“Is it the action itself what troubles you, or is this because the sense of normalcy is broken?” Matilda refills your shot glass.
“Right now, the fact you’re spying on me and think it’s completely okay. The other is just a concern of mine. Not really that important.”

“…Do you think of me as ‘abnormal?’ Is that the problem?” Her voice sounds small in the decently-sized dining room, even though you’re sitting right here across from her.

“I think ‘unique’ is a far better term, Matilda…” You scratch the back of your head. The feeling of walking on fragile glass is definitely here, in this conversation topic. “I don’t want to take anything away that makes you you, but I don’t think other people would take it as gracefully as I am right now.”
“So you’re worried about me? Interesting.” Matilda is a little surprised. She doesn’t even bother to hide it, which is more surprising for you than it is for her. Probably. “I won’t deny I’ve felt… segregated, from my peers in the past. I couldn’t make a worthwhile connection, so to speak. I’m too odd for them. I understand it is not normal that a person my age doesn’t have friends.” The stoic freelancer stares down at her whiskey. “…My grandfather has said as much.”

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>>3723016

“Like I said before: we’re friends, Matilda.” With that reaffirmation, the shot is downed! That makes three for you! “And nothing is going to change that. Not if I have anything to say about it.” Somehow, the taste of the vodka doesn’t seem as ordinary or plain anymore. Maybe your mouth is adapting to it?

“Yes, that is the understanding I have reached as well. I am glad to know you feel the same.” Matilda nods, refilling your shot glass with your fourth. “I believe this is a good moment to ask your opinion about this subject.” Matilda turns her face down and away. The expression she has now is a deep wound in the stoic exterior you’ve known from her. “…Do you believe my lack of companionship is because I don’t adhere to normalcy? I presume what I believe is normal to me is not normal to you, or everyone else at this point. I receive odd looks from people daily, including clients. I understand what discomfort looks like. I have my own gripes and doubts if what is normal is healthy or not too…” She shakes her head. “I’m rambling too much. What I’m trying to say here is that if I try to adhere to your standards of normalcy, I would have more friends. That is how the logic goes, right?” The crack in her facade repairs itself as she gives you her usual stern look, folding her arms. “Given all this, should I seek more advice from you on this matter or not? Be honest, because I know you don’t have many friends either. Being upfront with your opinions is the best thing you can do for me with your own inexperience.”

“Ouch…” Is she trying to attack you, saying that?! You totally have friends! There’s Matilda, Yu Yan, Nariko, Nina, Lise, Constance, Trent, Henry, Scarlet, Terry, Ajna, Yukika, and uhhhhhh… You totally have friends!
“Please do not make light of this subject and refrain of making jokes. This is something that greatly concerns me.”

How do you respond?

>“I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish here, Matilda. Do you want more friends? Is that the only problem you’re having?”
>“Yeah, I think most people find you weird and that’s mainly why you’re alone. You’re a good girl Matilda, so I don’t know what else it can be.”
>“I don’t know… I’m no expert. But I do believe if you don’t chill a little, if you never open up to people, they won’t return you the favor either.”
>“I believe you just haven’t met the right people. It happens. A lot of people out there are shitty. I get you, so that’s why we’re friends. You just need to keep finding people like that. That’s all.”
>Write In.

(Last Reply of the day, we continue tomorrow. Sorry for the short session.)

>>3723019
>>“I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish here, Matilda. Do you want more friends? Is that the only problem you’re having?”
"Or do you 'think' you should have more friends?"

>>3723019
>That is how the logic goes, but that would mean you'd stop being the Matilda I'm friends with, the fact that you don't have friends is more of a testament to how much they suck rather than the other way around, think about it. Why wouldn't someone be friends with a smart beautiful ninja lady like yourself. If I noticed it, then others are bound to notice it too.

>>3723019
"You just need to relax more, let your hair down. Maybe we can get some people together and do something fun. Like mini golf or bowling?"

>>3723019
>"When I first met you thought you were kind of scary and unapproachable. I think if you acted more friendly you would make some friends in no time. Maybe should try to smile more"
Smile Matilda is best Matilda

>>3723019
all three of these
>>3723073
>>3723114
>>3723341
in order

>>3723753
This

>>3723753
Supporting

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“I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish here, Matilda. Do you want more friends? Is that the only problem you’re having? Or do you think you should have more friends?” There’s a big difference between the two, and knowing exactly which one is bothering Matilda would shed more light on this.
“My grandfather is concerned about my lack of acquaintances and my lack of social engagement in general. He believes it’s not healthy – he even put his own ability as a caretaker into question. I feel nothing but gratitude towards him and I don’t think he’s at fault in any capacity. I just believe under these circumstances it… hasn’t happened…” Matilda trails off, stares at her filled glass. “After inquiring about it so much, he ended up telling me all this himself. I thought perhaps I should put my own reasoning into question instead of forcing him to worry himself needlessly. And that’s why I wanted to hear your opinion. So please tell me what you think.” She moves her shot glass to the side and gives you her full attention.

Staying silent, you think hard about how to word what you want to say…

“…Like you said before, that is how the logic goes, but that would mean you’d stop being the Matilda I’m friends with. The fact you don’t have friends is more of a testament to how much they suck rather than the other way around.” True, you didn’t have anybody until two months ago, but Matilda wanted your genuine opinion anyway. And she’s getting it now! “Think about it: Why wouldn’t someone want to be friends with a smart beautiful ninja lady like yourself? If I noticed it with how dense I get sometimes, then others are bound to notice too.”
“D-Did you just c-call me beautiful?!” You have never seen Matilda this flustered before. You’re somewhat sure nothing has ever come close to making her act this way in her whole life until now. Part of you feels proud of yourself in-between the clusterfuck of other emotions and thoughts you’re having. “A-Also, a ninja? That’s quite a problematic comparison given my background…” Matilda puts one hand over her mouth as she downs her sixth shot, then shakes her head and glares at you intensely. “I asked you not to make light of this subject…” So she’ll take being smart no problem, huh?

“I didn’t! It’s the truth! We are having a heart-to-heart here, remember?” You down your vodka again. That makes four now. “And I thought you were keen on getting compliments. Don’t tell me you changed your mind about that.”

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>>3725078

Matilda looks away from you again. She’s been doing that a lot here. “…L-Let’s go back to the topic on hand, shall we?” She pours another drink for herself. You do the same as well. “Even if you told me I should act more to fit your idea of normalcy, I wouldn’t have done so. I don’t believe in creating a façade to please everyone. Not only is impossible but impractical and fruitless.” Her face turns back to you, and this time it’s with a small smile. “Thank you, Johnny. Your words managed to soothe my worries. I wasn’t on the wrong track after all.”
“Though I gotta say, when I first met you, I thought you were kind of scary and unapproachable. I think if you acted more friendly you would make some friends in no time, if you still care about that. Maybe you should try to smile more.”

“Going back to the smiling bit again? Is this the alcohol impairing your thought process?” Matilda doesn’t look pleased.
“Hey, that’s the best way to make yourself more approachable! In my humble opinion anyway.” You will stand up for what you believe in, even though it never worked out for you no matter how hard you tried in the past!

“…I understand. I will make the effort from here on out.” Surprisingly, Matilda agrees! “Smiling doesn’t come to me as easy as I would like for it to, which I find rather embarrassing. So please forgive me if the idea makes me act irrational.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Just relax and practice, and it’ll happen.”
“Yes, duly noted.” Matilda shifts in her seat. It isn’t out of discomfort, you think. “A moment of leisure turned out quite productive after all. What a nice surprise. But I’ve never made a deal without giving something back. Is there anything you need some help with? Maybe a massage? Or is there anything that troubles your mind? I’m all ears.”

Returning the favor, huh? Now that she mentions it, maybe there is something you want to tell her?

>“You’ve done enough for me as it is. I’m just glad you were okay with me wanting to do this. Don’t sweat it.” You feel a bit humble and sentimental. Weird…
>“Did I ever tell you how my mom died?” For some reason, you want to unburden this onto her. She won’t laugh in your face like a certain dick…
>“Can I make jokes now? Because I really want you to see you in a cosplay, and that hasn’t changed from when I asked you way before.” YEAH!!!
>”I don’t wanna offend you or anything, but I’ve had a lot of girls around me lately and I’m still not sure why or how.” And in two months no less!
>”So you know I’m going to be acting alone starting today. Do you mind if I tell you why I decided on doing this?” Maybe she will want to help you?
>Write In.

>>3725083
>“Can I make jokes now? Because I really want you to see you in a cosplay, and that hasn’t changed from when I asked you way before.” YEAH!!!
Voting for this

>>3725089
HMMMMMMMM
I like this idea

>>3725083
>>“Can I make jokes now? Because I really want you to see you in a cosplay, and that hasn’t changed from when I asked you way before.” YEAH!!!
Fuck it, we've lived a long enough life

>>3725083
>“Did I ever tell you how my mom died?” For some reason, you want to unburden this onto her. She won’t laugh in your face like a certain dick…

>>3725083
>“Did I ever tell you how my mom died?” For some reason, you want to unburden this onto her. She won’t laugh in your face like a certain dick…

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“Can I make jokes now? Because I really want to see you in a cosplay.” You push up your glasses and smile, giddy at the thought. “And that hasn’t changed from when I asked you way before. Remember?”
“Yes, I do. While it is appropriate to make jokes now, I’m disappointed you resorted back to this topic when you got the chance.” Matilda grumbles loudly as she drinks yet another shot. How many is that now? Seven? That… that’s a lot! “Th-That being said, with the knowledge that you genuinely consider me attractive, and therefore won’t do this just to humiliate me…” The very red girl across from you swallows and sighs out. “I am willing to partake in this… for a price. A big one as well.”

Wow! That’s pretty funny! “What happened to returning the favor? Shouldn’t this be free?” Good thing she doesn’t know how rich you really are! You really oughta check back with Ka-Shing sometime too… Getting stabbed by a giant demon mole is way worse than getting stabbed by a cat NEET.
“You’re a sleazy and perverted man, Johnny Ando.” Matilda retorts, refilling her shot glass. Well uh… she’s only half wrong? “I already put my terms on the table.” The dojo master smacks the wood in front of her to make her point, rattling the glasses. “I could aid you in a more meaningful way, but you’ve decided to let your lust seize control. So take it or leave it. By the way, you are responsible for providing a costume that I will need to approve beforehand.”
“That takes a bit of the fun away, doesn’t it?” Man, that sucks. Better take the shot of discount vodka in front of you to get this shitty taste of your mouth! What is that? Five? That’s… that’s not that much!

“I’m certain that when the time comes, it will be something you won’t regret. I never leave one of my customers unsatisfied.” Matilda says, puffing out her not-so-flat chest as she refills your shot. The way she said and did that was… rather appealing. It appealed to something else too, but that’s neither there nor here!

“…The first time we met you took money from me without any remorse.” You say, thinking back to when you hired her to help you with that Megane Killer thing. Good times!
“I have no recollection of such an event. I think the vodka’s starting to get to you.” A red, sweating Matilda answers. Gee, you wonder who has had the most shots here…Certainly not you. Right?

>>3725188

What’ll you say to this greedy girl?!

>Ask her to surprise you whatever the cost! There’s gotta be some costume or unique outfit in here, right?!
>“I did say it was a joke. Honestly, I want to tell you about something serious…” Tell her your backstory!
>“I did say it was a joke. Well, it’s been nice but I better get home before the curfew hits. See ya Matilda” Leave.
>“I want you to dress up as Roundtilda again! C’mon, you got winter coats in here don’t you?” So huggable!
>”I want you to dress up as an actual yakuza. Suit, tie, the whole thing. I think you’ll look good in it.” Of course!
>Write In.

>>3725191
>>“I did say it was a joke. Well, it’s been nice but I better get home before the curfew hits. See ya Matilda” Leave.
Any more alcohol and I don't think we could get back home at all

>Ask her to surprise you whatever the cost! There’s gotta be some costume or unique outfit in here, right?!
Voting this; let's go all the way

>>3725191
>>“I did say it was a joke. Honestly, I want to tell you about something serious…” Tell her your backstory!
"Talking about jokes, did you hear how my mother died?"
Cry a little as we tell her.

>>3725191
This >>3725229

>>3725191
>“I did say it was a joke. Well, it’s been nice but I better get home before the curfew hits. See ya Matilda” Leave.

>>3725191
>>“I did say it was a joke. Well, it’s been nice but I better get home before the curfew hits. See ya Matilda” Leave.

>“I did say it was a joke. Honestly, I want to tell you about something serious…” Tell her your backstory!

>>3725191
>tell her your backstory

>>3725191
>“I did say it was a joke. Honestly, I want to tell you about something serious…” Tell her your backstory!

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“I did say it was a joke. Honestly, I want to tell you about something serious…” It’s finally time to tell her your backstory! She will join the ranks of Nina, Richard, Yu Yan, and Nariko. Amelia doesn’t count, she’s part of it. “Speaking of jokes, did I ever tell you the one about how my mother died?” You take another shot to prepare yourself. Six is a nice even number for the shit you’re about to get into.
“I have not and I don’t understand how that situation can possibly be humorous. Please go on.” Matilda has all her undivided attention on you. Well, at least you don’t have to worry about her laughing in your face…

Taking a deep breath, you tell the tale of how your mother exploded and all that came after in the two years since. You explain what consequences that tragedy caused in your life and for everyone you knew at the time, including how much of an asshole your real dad ended up being. It was really hard to contain the tears as you remembered those frantic early days in the aftermath. Being drunk didn’t help either; you don’t recall how many shots you drank the whole time. Matilda, thank god for her, clearly did her best to make sure you were comfortable the whole time. From what little you could see of her face through the blurriness before, she was taking your retelling completely seriously. At the end, you couldn’t help but let some tears escape your face anyway.

A few sounds come out of your throat. They sound a bit like chuckling, but you’re pretty sure laughing isn’t supposed to sound so wet or broken. “I honestly didn’t want to cry, haha…” You make fun of yourself. It’s not like you want to bawl your eyes out or anything. You didn’t let that happen before, why now?
“…” Matilda only pats you on the back. At some point, she moved her chair next to yours. “I understand completely.”

“T-Thanks…” She’s acting so serene about it, what the fuck? “W-Well, it’s… it’s been nice but I… I better get home before the curfew hits. See ya Matilda.” Pushing yourself up off the table and rattling that one bottle with barely anything in it, you stand to make your way to the door. Your feet are being stupid and not letting you step where you want to though. It doesn’t take long for Matilda to stop you from leaving.
“You don’t need to go.” Matilda grabs your limp arm.

“It’s fine, just look at the time...” You take a step forward and tug your arm from her grip, but something under you gives way. As soon as your body hits the floor, it all goes black.

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>>3725437

…

…

You suddenly wake up! It takes you a few seconds to get full awareness, but you’re out on the streets being carried by someone. Where exactly you are and where you’re going is a mystery, and your eyes are begging to be shut again.

“What happened…?” You manage to mumble out.
“Relax. Everything is fine.” That’s Leo Watty’s voice. Is he the one carrying you? Did he put your glasses back on you too? “Leave this to me, Johnny Ando.”
“…What’s going on? Where’s Matilda?”
“Do not fear, I’m bringing you back to your home. Master Spice is resting at the dojo.” Leo Watty responds, voice perfectly even. “Host of the Lightsbane, I feel for you.” You open your eyes fully for a second, and see Leo Major’s tears trailing down his face. Why is he crying while smiling? Doesn’t matter. Everything is aching and you need to close your eyes for a bit…

…

…

You suddenly wake up! It takes you a few seconds to get full awareness, but you’re back at your apartment! And you’re inside your bed with your pajamas on! Instinctively reaching for your glasses and finding them on the table where they should be, you check your phone and see it’s 4:55 AM. Saturday! Other than the minor pain throbbing in your head, you’re alright. Sleeping next to you is Yu Yan, and you have not the slightest of clues as to what the fuck happened.

“…So what happened?” You think in your head to Philonune.
“You blacked out.” Philonune states the obvious. That’s one thing answered, but…
“What happened during that?”
“I don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine.” If Philonune could shrug, he would!

So what now?

>Wake up Yu Yan and ask her what the fuck happened.
>Keep sleeping. Hold Yu Yan close and fall asleep again.
>Training won’t wait for anyone! Get out of bed and go!
>Write In.

(Last reply of the day, we continue tomorrow.)

>>3725439
>>Training won’t wait for anyone! Get out of bed and go!
>>Write In.
Make breakfast for Matilda and Yu Yan
Leave Yu Yan's in a tupperware thing on the table

>>3725459
Voting for this

>>3725439
This >>3725459

>>3725439
>>3725459
This works

>>3725439
>Training won’t wait for anyone! Get out of bed and go!

>>3725439
>Wake up Yu Yan and ask her what the fuck happened.
Just to be safe, she might have something important to tell us from when we were out

>>3725439
>Wake up Yu Yan and ask her what the fuck happened.
Just for the funny remarks she'll make about blacked out Johnny

>>3725439
>Wake up Yu Yan and ask her what the fuck happened.
Wake her up with cuddles

>>3725439
We have an hour before we need to be at training
>wake up yu yan ask her what happeneed kiss her then gonto training.

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Training won’t wait for anyone! Time to get breakfast ready for everyone and then be on your way! But before that, you want to know if something important happened while you were blacked out, so you will wake Yu Yan up with some aggressive cuddling!

“Hey, hey, aren’t you tired after what happened yesterday, cuddle bear?” Yu Yan isn’t in the mood to talk. She’s peeking out of the sheets with half her body looking away from you. "Take it easy."
“Yeah, about that, what happened?”
“You were absolutely unstoppable yesterday. An unrelenting beast who couldn’t be satiated, an unscrupulous man who cruelly took advantage of this poor damsel in distress." Yu puts a hand on her forehead, palm out, pretending to be a lady in despair. "You keep pounding and pounding deep into me, like I was a mere object created to please you. Despite all that I tamed the beast, but at what cost? I don’t think I can live a normal life after all that… or at least walk straight for a few hours.”

“W-WHAT?! D-Did we actually…?” No, not like this!
“Of course not, you doofus! I’m fucking joking! You really think I would let you taste the secret menu while you were braindead? Where's the fun in that?” Yu Yan pouts, disappointed in you.
“I guess I’m still a little braindead from yesterday...”
“Yeah, I noticed. Guess the lucky girl who took care of you yesterday! One clue, she’s pretty darn cute.” Yu Yan dives deeper into the bedsheets so only the top half of her head is visible. “Anyway, thank Watty when you get over there. He was the one who told us what was going on, and he's the one who carried your cute ass here. Goodnight amigo.”
“Night…” You pat Yu Yan’s back before leaving your room to get set up.

Once you finish the morning prep work, you make extra breakfast for Matilda and Yu Yan. You leave Yu Yan’s in a Tupperware container on the table with a thankful note.

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>>3726732

Back into the dojo, you find yourself face to face with Matilda yet again. You both cordially say hi to each other – with the dojo master acting more stiff than usual. For some reason, she sighed loudly and relaxed herself.

“You feeling okay? Or is there something wrong?” Why is she acting this way? She does look a little light headed, now that you pay attention. Is it about the drinking from yesterday?
“Don’t worry. I believed I made a mistake during our talk, hence your sudden escape. But it appears I might have overthought it. That's all." Matilda starts stretching her arms casually. “Am I right or did I say something inappropriate?”
“You’re right on the money.”
“Good. Next time don’t be so hasty. Let’s go” She grabs the food from you and walks away.

During breakfast at the dining table, Leo Watty appears on the scene! He gets closer to you and acknowledges your presence.

“We meet again, Johnny Ando! Let’s enjoy together the trials and tribulations of improvement!” He’s as eccentric as ever.
“Hi.” That's all you can say.
“But before we begin, I want to profusely apologize for eavesdropping part of your conversation with Master Spice. I vow to keep my lips sealed on the matter.” Leo is at least upfront about it.

How do you respond?

>“It’s fine, but you owe us a drink. After yesterday though, we might have to push it to later”
>“…Why didn’t you say anything before? You know it was a private conversation, right?”
>“I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here, but you still very sketchy to me. You’re lucky Yu finds you funny.”
>“You did WHAT?! But I thought you were unconscious or something! What gives?"
>Write In.

>>3726734
>>“It’s fine, but you owe us a drink. After yesterday though, we might have to push it to later”

>>3726734
>>“It’s fine, but you owe us a drink. After yesterday though, we might have to push it to later”
He doesn't seem like a bad guy, just a little stupid

>>3726734
>“It’s fine, but you owe us a drink. After yesterday though, we might have to push it to later”

>>3726732
I want to taste Yu Yan's secret menu!

>>3726734
>>“It’s fine, but you owe us a drink. After yesterday though, we might have to push it to later”

>>3726768
Who doesn't?

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“It’s fine, but you owe us a drink. After yesterday though, we might have to push it to later.” You respond half-jokingly.
“That won’t be a problem at all!" He cackles. “From Monday on, I will put this vessel to work and earn some money in a menial job! I shall gift you a party even the gods will look upon with envy!"

“Hey, I only asked for a drink…” That was a cool line though, you'll give him that.
“Indeed, a party would be troublesome for our schedule.” Matilda is with you on this. Oh wait, she heard that. “We don’t need any extravagant odds and ends.”
“This showing of humbleness! Indeed, I’m understanding what makes you two remarkable…”
“Your flattery won’t make today’s session any easier. Come on, let’s begin…” Matilda beckons you two to follow her to another painful but fruitful training session.

You gained +4 Athletics points from this training session. Level 5 still feels so far away…

Matilda ended up calling the session 2 hours earlier than yesterday. She claimed her body was still affected by the events that transpired yesterday, and felt the need to cut things short. In other words, a hangover? You're not sure. In other news, neither you nor Watty are in bad shape today, despite these sessions clearly not meant for mortal men. Matilda did reveal at one point she’s being harder on you because you have flames, and she wants to see the limits of such an advantage.

It’s 4 PM right now, and you’re free to do whatever you want before the curfew in 5 hours.

What do you do? (Select one.)

>Go visit Ajna! How's she doing after the treatment at the clinic?
>Call Ruby and ask her what’s going on with the whole 'moving to your apartment' thing!
>Time to punish Nariko for her wrongdoings! Her ass is yours! …But not in that way though.
>Call Yu Yan and ask her to come over to your apartment!
>Call Dudley and arrange that sunset duel you owe him!
>Ask Matilda if she can tell you where she got that burger, and invite both dojo members to that place!
>Call Trent and arrange something, he promised to show you how to have fun!
>Call Terry and Scarlet and go spend time with your unpowered friends!
>Call Ka-Shing and go see how he's doing after that shitty day he got mole'd!
>Write In. (Encouraged here!)

>>3726852
>>Time to punish Nariko for her wrongdoings! Her ass is yours!
But definitely in that way

>>3726852
>>Go visit Ajna! How's she doing after the treatment at the clinic?
It's been a while, want to she if she's doing well

>>3726852
>>Go visit Ajna! How's she doing after the treatment at the clinic?

>>3726852
>Call Ka-Shing and go see how he's doing after that shitty day he got mole'd!

>>3726734
>“You did WHAT?! But I thought you were unconscious or something! What gives?"

>>3726852
>Call Terry and Scarlet and go spend time with your unpowered friends!

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You decided it’s best to visit Ajna right now! Saying good-bye to your fellow dojo members, you left the place to the New Calamity Clinic! Good thing it is a short trip from here, so you arrived in no time. Craig’s instructions are still fresh in your mind, so you manage to reach Ajna's room on the fourth floor easily.

Before getting inside, you knock on the door and wait for you to be cleared. Despite enjoying opening doors uninvited, you feel this delicate situation prevents you from being cheeky about it. Once you get the approval from one of the doctors, you step inside.

In the room you see two people: one is Ajna herself looking a little down for some reason, and the other is… Double J?! What is he doing here…?

“Hi everyone.” You wave at the sick girl and the mystery guy.
“S’up.” Double J sure is one chill guy. Ajna remains silent. “I’ll be going. Take care of her.” Double J stands up and leaves the room without one care in the world, though not without giving both of you a thumbs up. It took longer for Ajna to reply, but she did it almost begrudgingly. Perhaps she’s feeling tired after whatever treatments they're putting her through.

You have no idea why you went along with all of this without asking any questions, but the important thing now is that you’re with the frail girl again. But this only brings more questions to the table. For one, why is Double J here? Where is Craig? And more serious of all, is she okay now?

“How are you feeling, Ajna?” You address what matters most. She makes eye contact with you, then slowly nods. “That’s good.”
Ajna now takes her phone out and you assume she’s texting you something. You pull out your phone just to make sure it’s true. Yep, you just received a message from her. You begin to read it:

“I know the truth, you don’t have to do this anymore. Please don’t waste more of your time with me.”

“I’m not sure I follow.” You now look at Ajna. "What is this about?"
“C-C-C-Craig…” Ajna breathes out exactly one word. “M-Made you, d-d-d-do this, r-right?”

How do you respond?

>“Not exactly, I made a deal with him.”
>"No, I'm doing this because I want to help you. Craig has nothing to do with it."
>“Yes. He did. Is this troubling you somehow?”
>“No. What are you talking about? I’m just your friendly neighbor... err… friend?”
>Write In.

>>3727012
>>"No, I'm doing this because I want to help you. Craig has nothing to do with it."
I mean sure he was the one who asked us to do this at first as a favor but we wouldn't go this far for someone out of obligation alone

>>3727012
THIS >>3727026

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“No, I’m doing this because I want to help you. Craig has nothing to do with it.” That’s what you truly believe. It's why you're here in this room.
You can tell Ajna’s begging to believe you, but her biting her lips makes you feel that she’s not sold on it. She starts typing another message with incredible speed. It reads as follows:

“But why would you do it then? Why help me?”

“Because I care about you.” It’s the truth! "I wouldn't go out of my way to do all this for you if I didn't."
Ajna stares at you for a few strained seconds, and replies with a pained expression: “L-L-L---Liar…”

Ajna turns away from you and begins furiously typing a new message. It takes a few minutes of hurried tapping away before you finally receive it. This is the longest text you have ever had from her. It says:

“How can you possibly care about me? You don’t know me at all. Tell me something great about me! Guess what? You can’t. I don’t blame you. Everything you’ve seen and dealt with is this pitiful worthless girl. Who wants to hang out with a waste of space like that? How can you find it enjoyable to be around a bottomless pit of misery? Why are you lying to yourself? What’s wrong with you? Are you ignoring the truth, or is it because you feel bad for me? Is that it? I don’t care about what you did to me. Stop feeling guilty for no reason. I don’t want to be near you if you’re going to look down on me with those eyes. You make me sick. I’m not some charity for you to pat yourself on the back about and make yourself feel better. Stop wasting your time with me. I don’t want your pity. Leave. LEAVE.”

Ajna is breathing heavily. The eyes that always looked away from you before are now boring holes into and through you…

…?

>“If I leave right now, will you stay a mess forever? Because I’m not giving up on you.”
>“Did you say the same thing to Double J just now? How long until you do the same to Craig?”
>“I know how nice you really are. Osgood told me about you. Wanna watch a horror movie?”
>“Then tell me about you. Don't complain I don't know you if you aren't going to tell me anything."
>“…Fine Ajna, I’m leaving. I’m sorry things can't turn out differently. I hope you do well for yourself."
>Write In.


(Last Reply of the day, we continue tomorrow.)

>>3727220
>“Then tell me about you. Don't complain I don't know you if you aren't going to tell me anything."

>>3727220
>"You're right, I don't know you, but I knew Osgood, and quite frankly, he lived as he died, a loser, but the one time he pulled through he saved my life, so because he can't be here to help you himself, I'll right his wrongs in his stead. If you want me to leave, I'll leave, but only after I'm certain you're going to be fine. Personally, I think this experience would go on smoother if we got to know each other, but in the end the choice is yours"

>>3727220
>“Then tell me about you. Don't complain I don't know you if you aren't going to tell me anything."

>>3727220
This >>3727603

>>3727603
Backing, I like the whole "This isn't about you" vibe.

>>3727759
That's the point that she's making though. Johnny isn't doing this for her at all and she doesn't want to be some prop to make him feel good about himself.

>>3727220
>“Then tell me about you. Don't complain I don't know you if you aren't going to tell me anything."

Mentioning Osgood is still a bad idea.

>>3727828
supporting

>>3727220
>“Then tell me about you. Don't complain I don't know you if you aren't going to tell me anything."
This girl's a mess and a half.

>>3727220
>"You're not a waste of space, don't talk about yourself like that. Regardless of what you think I genuinely enjoyed playing in the snow with you."
>“Then tell me about you. Don't complain I don't know you if you aren't going to tell me anything."

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“Then tell me about you. Don’t complain I don’t know you if you aren’t going to tell me anything.” You grab a chair nearby and sit, waiting for a response.
Ajna drops her phone in her lap. “W-W-W-Why…?” Anguish is all over her face.
“Why what? I want to know more about you. That simple.”
Ajna starts weakly punching her bed multiple times, almost rhythmically, but the way her face is twisting is anything but calm. “Y-Y-You…!” One her punches makes her phone bounce up back into her hands! That would be cool if the moment weren’t so tense. It isn’t long before you get another message:

“GO AWAY.” Plain and simple.

“Sorry, I’m too comfy here. The clinic has some pretty good chairs.” Against your better judgment, you cannot hold in that joke. It’s actually not that far off from the truth, but she doesn’t need to know that. “Now let me tell you, that’s one weird-ass way to start a story.”
“Ngh…” Ajna starts tapping out a new message after scowling at you. It reads as follows:

“Don’t you understand I don’t want you around? How can you be this dense?!”

“Five minutes ago it was about me not knowing you. Now it’s about you not wanting me around. What is it really?”

“You’ll get nothing out of me, you’re wasting your time!” Another silly text.

“How I spend my time is up to me to decide, isn’t it? You were the one who said I didn’t know about you enough, which means there’s still room for surprises.” You lean way back in your surprisingly comfy clinic chair and put your hands behind your head. “So go on. Surprise me.”
“G… Give up!” Ajna is becoming more verbal now. She must really be building up a temper… Good.
“Nope. Not until you tell me more about yourself.”

“I’m… S-Stupid… C-Cr-Crummy… H-Hi-Hideous… and s-selfish.” Ajna punches the bed with each word. “Ha-Ha-Happy now?”
“I’ve met some really awful people in my life, and I still think I can say one or two good things about them. Begrudgingly, yeah, but enough for it to matter.” You scratch the back of your head. “If you think I’m gonna abandon you now that you’re just throwing a tantrum, and not when I had a gun pointed at my face for your sake, well… sorry to disappoint.”

“…” Ajna glares at you, eyes radiating indignation. With a huff, she shoves her head back into her phone and texts you this:

“One day you’re going to wish none of this ever happened. Some people never change. Some people even get worse. I’m going to get worse. I know it and I feel it. So please, LEAVE!” Ajna is fidgeting, probably about to burst into tears in a few more seconds if you don’t speak up.

Are you going to leave Ajna behind?

>“I’m sorry Ajna, but I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Force it.
>“I’ll leave for now, until you calm down.” Give her space.
>Write In.

>>3728754
>>“I’m sorry Ajna, but I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Force it.

>>3728754
>Write-in
>"If that day ever comes I'll deal with the consequences. But you want help, no matter how much you try to hide it. So please, tell me about you."

Hopefully this isn't too direct for her.

>>3728754
>>“I’m sorry Ajna, but I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Force it.
Even if you do get worse, we aren't the kind of guy who would abandon you at your lowest. We can work through it together worst comes to worst

>>3728754
>“I’ll leave for now, until you calm down.” Give her space.

>>3728754
>“I’ll leave for now, until you calm down.” Give her space.

>>3728761
I'll change from the write-in to
>>“I’m sorry Ajna, but I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Force it.

>>3728832
Meant to reply to >>3728754

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“I’m sorry Ajna, but I’m afraid I can’t do that.” You politely and firmly deny her request.
The discomposed Ajna stares back in response. Slowly her eyes start getting watery, then she grabs her phone again. The new text reads as follows:

“Take me to my apartment. I’m allowed to leave. The extra monitoring isn’t necessary, that’s what the doctor said. I promise. Craig left yesterday; one of his friends had a car accident outside the city. My mother visited me once and never came back. I want to leave now, don’t question it.”

“What happened to telling me about yourself?” This is a weird turn of events…
“I… w-want to s-s-show you something… i-in my apartment…”
“Should I call a cab?” Are there any cabs still running for you to call in the first place?!

Ajna only trembles in response as she already looks way too uncomfortable. Well, it’s not like you want to carry her outside all the way to your apartment, despite being decent exercise.

“Let’s call the doctor first in case you need some medication.” Better get a second opinion, or whatever the medical term is.

As soon as you say this, an irritated Ajna starts smashing the shit out of the call button repeatedly! Hey, if it’s good stress relief and lessens her anger, it’s OK… right? After a short time, none other than Nurse Calamity arrives on the scene! That’s a really big muffin on that tray she’s carrying…

“Ta-dah! I brought you one of these big boys! I’m sure you want some real food after all you went— J-Johnny? What are you doing here?” Nurse Kata just noticed you are in here and is fairly surprised. “You know Ms. Ravlic too?”
“Hi there.” You don’t know what else to say in a situation like this. What’s been going on between these two?
“…” Ajna doesn’t say anything important either. Instead, you receive a discreet text from her. It reads as follows:

“Deal with her.”

So she wasn’t cleared after all, huh? Maybe this is all a huge misunderstanding. Either way, you’re in a dilemma here! Nurse Kata winks at you and walks closer to Ajna to hand her the big muffin…

Sadly this is all we have for this week’s thread. Thanks for playing! And see you next time! (Not this weekend though. Sorry!)

>>3725439
Oh, so he woke up from his death march to hear our sob story. That's....probably fine.