>Not long after you make it back to the warehouse, Julia recovers her memories of learning to fight. Eager to test these abilities, you make a trip to Howler's Lake to spar with Julia.

>However, neither you nor seek to pull your punches, and, under the pressure, you end up succumbing to your instincts. Though Valjean had stopped you in your haze, the damage had already been done, leaving Julia with both mental and physical scars and perhaps ruining what little progress you had made in getting along with Valjean.

>With Bernard's encouragement, you resolve to take control of this "berserker" aspect of your powers.

>After heading back to Konigsburg, you make your apology to Julia, which she tentatively accepts.

>John arrives home not much later, and, in light of all that has happened, you couldn't be happier that he's home.

Unbeknownst to you, however, a conversation transpired between him and Clyde-- a conversation that may ultimately be a gamechanger for both you and your brother.

>Other relevant stuff to do:
>Have Matt finish going over the hard drive ("acquired" from FutureLabs)
>Install security system that Ermac (AKA Eddie) is making for you (in-process)
>Attend Huber Conference at Louis IX Hall
>Get the data/footage you have out to the public
(>Primary plan: Break into a news station)
(>Backup plan: None as of yet)
>Figure out how to convince Pharos to wake up all of the coma patients

Previous Threads:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?searchall=mutant%21quest

About/Character Lists/Konigsburg Worldbuilding & Fake Science (Under Construction):
https://pastebin.com/u/Siiren_QM

QM Twitter for updates:
twitter.com/QmSiren

----------

Change in dice mechanics:

For choices that involve potential dice-rolls, anons will have a specified time-frame by which to vote, and then the dice will be rolled.

>>4591800
glad to see you back my dude

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>>4591798

"You know, there's no greater pleasure in life than a home-cooked meal..." the utterance comes from John, Matt digging into his own plate beside you.

Sit. Eat. Enjoy each other's company. This is how it always was...at least before John started working for FutureLabs and very seldomly before the incident.

This time around, however, it was you and Matt doing the cooking, and, although your culinary skills are nowhere near that of your eldest brother's, you've both watched him enough times to know how to stir around meat in a frying pan without completely killing it.

"Was the hospital food that bad?" You ask as you jab your fork into your own meal: steak burritos-- easy to make on a dime and easier to hide the fact that your own, burrito-less meat was barely cooked, the outermost layer of the meat tinted the lightest hint of brown.

"All hospital food tastes like dumpster, Ellie." Matt says very factually.

"It wasn't that bad." John tries, a hand moving up to his chin, but the look on Matt's face says that he doesn't buy his words at all. "...okay... maybe hospital food is terrible, but it got me through my time there, didn't it?" He asks rheotorically. "Anyways, good job on the food guys. Maybe I'll have you two on permanent-cooking duty from now on."

The twin glares from you and Matt have John quirking another grin before you remember that he loves cooking too much to ever call it quits, and all it takes for the three of you to be sent into another bout of laughter is another well-timed quip from either you or Matt.

As the meal progresses, you notice John's mood wane like the light of a dying candle, and for what you're not so sure. A certain Australian sniper is your first thought, but, then again, John has a broken rib-- a rib that no doubt is still causing him pain.

>What do you do?
>Ask him what's wrong. See if he's still in pain.
>Be forward. Ask if Clyde came back to harass him.
>Talk about something random (news, sports, crack a joke) to take his mind off of his injury.
>Continue eating in silence.
>write-in

>>4591828
>Ask him what's wrong. See if he's still in pain.
You drawing has improved a lot from the last thread. You've been training as an artists or just enough to be good ? thanks anyway

>>4591809
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=mutant%21quest use this because the link you're using is from the /tg/ section and not the /qst/ one

>>4591840

Started drawing as a hobby-- enjoy the heck out of it actually and def want to get good.

Yeah, this is a million steps up from some of the stuff from the last thread. and I cringe looking back at most of the quest's original art.

>>4591828

coming back in 1/2 hour or so-- chicken nuggets are calling my name.

>>4591870
>>4591840

Calling vote for asking if John's in pain.

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ummmm lost half of the thread post by accident... rewriting now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jvOBbP6u2o

>>4592030
>ummmm lost half of the thread post by accident... rewriting now.
bruh, were you writing in the 4chan box ?

>>4592037

windows text.

I forgot my save button existed.

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>>4591931
>>4591840

"John." You start. "Are you still in pain?" It's an innocuous question, but perhaps it will get him to open up about whatever put a damper on his mood.

"Kind of. It's not too bad when I sit still, but when I have to reach forwards or do certain things it's a lot worse." He then purses his lips, obviously having something else on his mind. "That's actually what I wanted to talk about, Ellie."

"What about it then?" You're hoping it's not bad news.

"Well, they want me to go back to the hospital for some additional observation-- just to check if everything's healing properly." A hand moves to his chin as he says this.

"When would you go?" You inquire.

"Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after." He tells you. "It's not entirely necessary, but, if I decide to do it, it's more than likely that they'll want me to stay overnight."

You nod, though the idea of John returning to the hospital is strangely jarring. From beside you, Matt is silent, eyes fixated on his now-empty plate.

"Hey-- it's not like they're holding going to be holding me prisoner or anything." John jokes, as if sensing the shift in mood. "But safety first guys. Once I get this out of the way, I don't think there will be anything else they'll need to call me back in for."

With your concern alleviated for the most part, dinner is finished on a positive note, and so you think it's a good idea to retreat to your room. Later, you'll definitely meet back up with Bernard to bring some food to your mutant fugitives. In the meantime, you'll either text Bernard to see how he's faring or check if there's any interesting news online.

"Hey Ellie." Matt's voice interrupts your train of thought. He'd been standing in the hallway, apparently wanting to talk to you for something. He peeks around your shoulder before lowering his voice to a whisper."Did you feel that John was acting weird or something?"

"No. Why?" You're a little confused at Matt's behavior.

Without much warning, he pulls you by the wrist right into your room, and, although you could break from the grip whenever you wanted, you let him drag you along so you can hear what he has to say.

"So why do you think John is acting weird?" You question, wanting to know Matt's rationale.

"Not like weird, weird, but like he's hiding some shit. I dunno..." He mutters to himself. "...but I've noticed that when he lies or is hiding something, he tends to have his hand around his head or chin. So I just was thinking that whatever's up with him was more serious than he let on."

You do indeed remember that John had a hand on his chin during dinner, but, as your academically-inclined brother likes to remind you, correlation does not imply causation.

"You do the same thing when you're thinking." You point out, mimicking the gesture for emphasis.

"Touche, but there is the possibility that A: his injuries could be worse than he's letting on; B: Clyde came back to threaten him in the time that we weren't there."

(1/2)

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>>4592051

"That makes sense." You voice your thoughts aloud. "But he's not going back to FutureLabs anytime soon, not for two months at least. And if his ribs are worse than he's letting on, perhaps it is a good idea for him to go for additional observations."

At your words, Matt's shoulders visibly sag, as he realizes that his own paranoia was getting the best of him."Maybe I'm just overthinking things, but we should at least be a little paranoid about-- something." It's an odd thing to see Matt, of all people, unsure of himself. "In any case, my best guess is that John's just scared shitless about what he did and is thinking about what they could do to him for messing with their operations."

>"I don't think John has any reason to lie, but I'll keep a closer eye on him anyways." Alleviate Matt's paranoia.
>"Listen. Out of everyone in Konigsburg, John's probably the safest person right now." You have a teleporter, a genius, and yourself-- how much safer could John be?
>"Are you looking at Internet conspiracies again?" Not-so-gently tell him to lay off of the image boards for a while. Perpaps that's what's riling him up.
>write-in

Ending it here for the night. See ya next time!

>>4592073
>"Listen. Out of everyone in Konigsburg, John's probably the safest person right now." You have a teleporter, a genius, and yourself-- how much safer could John be?

>>4592073
>>>"I don't think John has any reason to lie, but I'll keep a closer eye on him anyways." Alleviate Matt's paranoia.

Welcome back!

Also I'm going to do the thing now that I know this is alive.

>>4592200
>Also I'm going to do the thing now that I know this is alive.
what thing is it ?

>>4592073
>>"I don't think John has any reason to lie, but I'll keep a closer eye on him anyways." Alleviate Matt's paranoia.

>>4592200

Dubs=checked. Go for it!

>>4592073
>>"Listen. Out of everyone in Konigsburg, John's probably the safest person right now." You have a teleporter, a genius, and yourself-- how much safer could John be?
WB!

>>4592562
Done. Another Story Begins.

>>4592073
Changing >>4592200 to push ahead.

>"Listen. Out of everyone in Konigsburg, John's probably the safest person right now." You have a teleporter, a genius, and yourself-- how much safer could John be?

>>4592971

I was gonna go with both options originally but haven't posted yet cause I've been running errands all day.

>>4592974

Probably will be on more errands until like 8 or so ^

Which sucks. Cause I hate errands.

>>4592974
Ahhh. Well, alrighty, then. As you were.

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back.

Writing now.

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>>4592087
>>4592200
>>4592288
>>4592566

"I don't think any John has any reason to lie to us." You tell Matt matter-of-factly, relatively confident in your statement. "Besides, out of anyone in Konigsburg, John's probably the safest." You have Bernard, Matt, and yourself, and, with each of your respective abilities, and, as you think about just how protected John is, a grin rises to your face-- because it really is as if John has his own personal bodyguard team.

Your confidence is contagious, Matt looking like he believes you for the most part.

"Thinking I should lay off of the image-boards for a few days..." Matt says mostly to himself, running a hand down his face. You've seen Matt's preferred websites once or twice, and, although you've gone on the green boards a few times for math advice during your semesters, the red boards were... well, they definitely were something. "Anyways, let's go feed the jackass and Julia-- someone needs to monitor them while Bernard gets them something to eat."

"Alright-- what about John?" You ask, not wanting him to realize that you left without warning.

"Asleep and hopped up on painkillers." Matt gestures back in the direction of the couch. "That was actually pretty fast. Didn't expect him to stay awake for more than an hour."

"I'll just write him a note that says we went to hang out with Bernard." Your best and trustiest alibi, it's an alibi that John wholeheartedly approves of since he's still under the impression that you and Bernard are dating,

With a quick text to the teleporter, it's not long before Bernard arrives to teleport the three of you back to the warehouse. You're teleported right back to where you had left earlier. However, strewn about the ground are dozens of crystals in different shapes and sizes.

"Oh hey." You pick up a crystal that looks like how a stereotypical gemstone is cut. "Has Julia been practicing?"

"Yeah." Bernard nods. "Kinda got tired of sittin' with jerkface and his books, so she just started makin' little knick-knacks like this for hours."

"Dibs on the knife." Matt says, swiping the knife-shaped crystal deftly from the floor. "Wonder how strong this one is..." He mutters, poking it against the tip of his finger. "Nice..." He finally says, nodding to himself in approval.

"Did she make the knives on her own?" You wonder aloud.

"Nah-- that was jerkface's idea. Said he wanted somethin' to protect himself in case FutureLabs came back, but we all know that's a load of--."

"How about you take a freaking Prozac, you idiot, before accusing me of anything." The voice of Valjean cuts him off. He's sitting on a crate, Julia resting against his back. "Plus, I'm pretty sure if I had a knife on me, she'd easily be able to sniff it out or something like that." He says, making a gesture to you. Well, he's not wrong, you think; there is something distinct about Julia's crystal that makes it different from non-living rocks.

>>4593215

>"So wait. You're teaching Julia to make weapons, or you're teaching her to use her powers?" See that there's nothing sus going on.
>"So what have you two been getting up to besides weapons?" He seems very comfortable with Julia.
>"Well, did she stop on her own or did she run out of energy?" Inquire about her limits. If Pharos doesn't answer, Bernard certainly will.
>write-in

>>4593217
>"So what have you two been getting up to besides weapons?" He seems very comfortable with Julia.

>>4593217
>>"So what have you two been getting up to besides weapons?" He seems very comfortable with Julia.

You mean you AREN'T dating Bernard, Elise? There's more than one way to do it, muahahah.

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"So what have you two been getting up to besides weapons?" You ask, because Valjean seems very comfortable with Julia.

"Besides reading and digging through the random garbage that was left here." He points a crutch at the piles of metal interspersed with the construction supplies. "I've been teaching Julia how to better use her powers." At the mention of her name, Julia perks up, becoming wary when her eyes land on you. You expected as much. "Her ability to release crystal isn't very powerful in itself, but I can't deny the potential in it."

"Hey jerkface, you forgot to mention the part where you were lettin' her sit right next to you all day long." Bernard chimes in, and Valjean's eyes narrow at that. "Kinda wish I'd gotten a picture of that."

"Very funny." Valjean says, keeping his composure. "Though, I can't deny that Julia makes good company." To emphasize his point, he pulls her closer to him, and, although she seems slightly startled by Valjean's forwardness, she doesn't refuse.

"Wow man. You have some serious game." Matt is oddly impressed. Bernard, on the other hand is silent, green eyes glaring daggers into the other mutant's skull.

"It's not quite like that." Valjean refutes. "But if it ever were... I don't think I would be one to refuse." Remembering himself, he straightens up a bit, still mindful of Julia at his side. "In any case, I refuse to let either of us be sitting ducks if FutureLabs comes back for us."

"Alrighty then..." You say, slightly off-put by this unexpected turn of events.

"By the way midget--" Valjean starts, and you wonder just what he's going to say. "If you have any other books, could you spare a few fiction novels for Jules?"

"Sure, that's easy enough." Matt shrugs. "I'll have them tomorrow."

Whether or not it's for Julia's sake, you'd say that Valjean's... actually been quite mild today. Kind of nice that he was helping her train Julia's powers and all that... which reminds you:

>"Hey Bernard, I need to talk to you about something." You remember the conversation about wanting to control your own powers from last night.
>"Hey Matt, How's that AI of yours doing?" Ask him how the security system that Ermac is building is going.
>write-in

>>4593424
>>4593249
>>4593243

forgot to link the posts-- whoops.

>>4593424
>>"Hey Bernard, I need to talk to you about something." You remember the conversation about wanting to control your own powers from last night.

>>4593424
>"Her ability to release crystal isn't very powerful in itself, but I can't deny the potential in it."
I remember her being able to tank strong hits and lauching daggers in the fights involved, how the hell it isn't good on it's own, Val ?

>"Hey Bernard, I need to talk to you about something." You remember the conversation about wanting to control your own powers from last night.

>>4593465

Not sure if I stated this outright or if it was implicit, but in thread #6, during the fight between Elise and Julia, Julia's body was getting progressively weaker.

If I remember correctly, I think I went from using phrases like "tough as diamond" to "something something punching it ... like glass." I'm going off of straight memory here, but, as an explanation for Pharos' statement, the main drawback of Julia's power is that the expendable diamonds require a decent amount of energy/biomass to sustain.

The more she uses, the less energy she has to maintain the strength of her diamond form.

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>>4593469

>decent amount of energy

to clarify, Julia is a lot more durable/tougher than your run-of-the mill mutant. Against a mutant like Caesar/Banshee (thread #1)/ Jenna/ possibly FastBall, Julia would have no trouble winning, but against a violent tankard like Elise, where a fight might drag on, Julia is much less likely to win.

>>4593474

Though, I'm not saying she has a hard cap on her powers. Like Elise-- whose regeneration went from kind-of-okay to pretty freaking impressive-- Julia can definitely improve certain aspects of her power with time and training.

>>4593469
alright dude, it's just that I thought her armor was like steel or something due to early mentions and while I could guess from reason that if broken it would be a drain to regen I didn't think it would also be weaker, specially with her spam of crystal daggers. Thanks for explaining man

>>4593459
>>4593465

"Hey Bernard, I need to talk to you about something." You recall the conversation you last night about wanting to control your powers.

"Yeah sure, what is it Ellie?" Bernard gives you a questioning look.

"Over here." Without warning, you take the Blonde's wrist in your grasp, shift into your fish form, and spring to the upper rafters of the warehouse, Bernard teleporting the two of you to the other side of the buidling in mid-air.

"Hey-- warn me before you do that next time, will ya?" Bernard says before he sits himself down, though there's nothing on his face that indicates he'd been bothered. "Anyways, what did you wanna tell me in private, fishface?"

"Remember how we were talking about controlling my powers last night?" Whether it would be Matt or Valjean, you honestly didn't want anyone else to overhear this conversation, especially with how things had went at Howler's Lake. "I was thinking I should practice that berserker state of mine-- see if I can bring it under control."

"Don't tell me you wanna do it right here and now?" Bernard's looking at you like you'd grown a second head.

"No, not right now." You clarify. You'd rather not inadvertently harm everyone in the nearby vicinity if you could help it. "I wanted to find somewhere far enough away from people to induce it... and then we can work our way from there."

And you know with certainty that there are two things that can bring you into that frenzied state of yours: hunger and battle.

"That sounds simple enough." Bernard gives you winning grin. "I'll defintely help you with that!" Not only has his support for you made him your primary candidate in this endeavor of yours, but, in the event you lost complete control of yourself, Bernard is skilled enough with his powers that you wouldn't worry for him too much.

Though you knew that the blonde wouldn't hesitate to help you, you want to cry tears of joy, but you don't. Instead, you scoot closer to him and ask, "What have you been up to?"

"Been monitorin' those two for shady business, but they were just makin' diamonds and givin' each other googly eyes." You laugh at his turn of phrase.

"Googly eyes, huh?" That's not something you'd ever expect from Pharos.

"Yeah. Jerkface won't admit it outright, but I'm pretty sure he likes her." He tells you, cocking a grin. "I think they make a cute couple."

The two of you are sent into another bout of laughter at that. Come to think of it, they kind of do make a cute couple, and briefly you wonder what kind of powers would come out of a couple with those kinds of abilities.

"Anyways... when do you wanna give it a go, Ellie?" Bernard asks, obviously wanting to know when you want to attempt to master your berserker state.

>"We can go later tonight." Though you've had a long day, you're rather ambitious about this.
>"Let's go tomorrow morning." Better to work when your mind and body are fresh.

>>4593554

Last post for the night!

Also want to take a nice moment to shill this anon's quest (ID: qqdCqF8F):

If you haven't already found it, it's a spin-off of Mutant!Quest set in the nearby city of Warington with a cool plant-powered superdude.

Thread: >>4592567

Anyways, see you next time!

>>4593554
>"Let's go tomorrow morning." Better to work when your mind and body are fresh.

>>4593554
>>"Let's go tomorrow morning." Better to work when your mind and body are fresh.

>>4593554
>"Let's go tomorrow morning." Better to work when your mind and body are fresh.

>>4593554
>>"Let's go tomorrow morning." Better to work when your mind and body are fresh.

>>4593554
>"Let's go tomorrow morning." Better to work when your mind and body are fresh.

Oh nice, this is back

Got delayed today.

Writing now.

>>4594611

Had to delete post. Copy-pasted some stuff that wasn't meant to be there.

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>>4593570
>>4593609
>>4593653
>>4593819
>>4594064
>>4594599
>>4594613

"Let's go tomorrow morning." It's the best idea, because both your mind and body will be fresh by then, and moreover you had only just arrived back in Konigsburg this morning.

"Cool." He says before green eyes settle on the warehouse's other occupants. "By the way, how is stickface gettin' along with the jerk so well?" Bernard makes a motion to where the two of them are talking about something-- the knife, to be more precise-- where even Julia is adding her own input about the crystalline weapon.

"Good question..." With Valjean's disdain for non-mutants, you wouldn't say it's getting along per-se, but, out of the three of you, Matt has done the least to catch the older mutant's ire.

"Anyhow, what's for eatin?'" Bernard asks while stretching himself. "Let's get burgers tonight cause I'm seriously in the mood for a good cheeseburger."

"Yeah." You nod, still fixated on the strange yet tentative scene of camraderie between your brother and the former Crux leader. Maybe it's a fellow intellectual thing, you think, or a perhaps it's a mutual like of weaponry. Whatever can get you closer to getting those coma patients awakened, you suppose...

With Bernard's help, it's not long before your task of feeding Julia and Valjean is complete. As for who will watch over them before you can finally get that security system installed (as Eddie had promised to have it finished by tomorrow), your mind immediately flits to Matt, as Bernard had volunteered to help you with your power control tomorrow.

By tomorrow night, all of you will be able to sleep soundly with the electronic eye of Ermac monitoring your more dubious ones closely. Sleep. You think wistfully, as it has been something you've been missing out on for the past week.

"Hey Matt, mind being prison-guard tonight?" You ask him lowly, once both Valjean and Julia are out of earshot.

"I was going to stay up late and work on some random shit on my computer anyways, maybe see if I can get through the rest of the hard-dive files tonight, but if the jackass decides that he wants to be a nose then I'll just code."

>"Anyways, what was Valjean talking to you about before?" See if they were really getting along.
>"Was it my imagination or was Julia actually talking to you?" See if Julia's regressing or not.
>"Alright then-- see you later." No time for chit-chat. You want to get going.
>write-in

>>4594615
>"Anyways, what was Valjean talking to you about before?" See if they were really getting along.

>>4594615
>>"Anyways, what was Valjean talking to you about before?" See if they were really getting along.

>>4594615
>>"Was it my imagination or was Julia actually talking to you?" See if Julia's regressing or not.

Might as well.

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>>4594631
>>4594685
>>4594687

"Anyways, what was Valjean talking to you about before?" You're curious to know if they were actually getting along.

"Well, after the jackass got over the fact that I swing a knife like a little bitch..." You see Matt's eyes darken as he utters those last two words, "...we were talking about the knife that Julia made and its relative similarities to crystallized carbon, AKA diamond." Matt informs you. "The first few knives she made were stronger than steel, but, the more crystal she expends, the weaker it gets." He adds in.

"Interesting." You nod at the explanation. "By the way, was it my imagination or was Julia talking to you?" You want to know how Julia's mental state is faring.

"She was." Matt says succintly, and, as you had suspected, you realize that that silent behavior of hers directed at you and you alone. You didn't think she'd get over what happened in a single night, but you remind yourself that you did end up scarring most of her upper body. "You know she's awfully knowledgeable about the most random shit-- she even knew the Young's Modulus for diamond, glass, and steel by heart. Wonder what she did before the Crux and FutureLabs got to her..."

"So are you going to start training with that?" By 'that,' you mean the knife.

"Definitely, but this one is more of a throwing knife than a stabbing knife." Then he throws the knife in the air, catching it by the tip of the blade. "It'll do its job for now though."

"Tell John I'm at B's playing video games and I'll probably stay over for the night."

With an affirmative nod, you let your fish form recede and set off to make your return to your apartment-- or one of the alleys nearby it, to be more precise.

The tide is loud and violent, waves reaching up so high that beads of water hit your face. It mutes your footsteps, and the force of it sends both yours and Bernard's hair whipping in all directions.

Extending your senses, you find that there's no one in the nearby vicinity, save for one life-form that you can immediately pinpoint, and it's one that you easily recognize.

John, your mind supplies, but this time around there are no other FutureLabs agents on the beach where he is simply standing. It's just John on his lonesome.

As you pass him by without notice in the dark, you spare another glance to him, taking note of the way his shoulders are hunched inward and his fists are balled at his sides. It's... odd to say the least, and had you not been looking closely enough you would have attributed it to his injury; but, if you had to say, he honestly looks distraught.

>What do you do?
>Leave him be and teleport back to the apartment, he probably just wanted some fresh air.
>Watch from afar. You don't like seeing him distraught, but you'd rather make sure he's okay.

Last post for the night. OP needs some sleep.

>>4594745
>Watch from afar. You don't like seeing him distraught, but you'd rather make sure he's okay.
hope the aussie didn't say anything too threatning to him. btw op remember to make a post with the votes indicating that you started to write, it gives us a better measure

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>>4594745

>inb4 Glasses Nigger has this moment

>>4594745
>>Watch from afar. You don't like seeing him distraught, but you'd rather make sure he's okay.

>>4594745
>Watch from afar. You don't like seeing him distraught, but you'd rather make sure he's okay.

>>4594774

Posts like these are why I get up in the morning.

>>4594749

Noted. Locked and writing.

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>>4594749
>>4594774
>>4594795
>>4595176
>>4595562

You give a short tug on Bernard's jacket, and the two of you stop in your tracks.

"Wha--" The blonde questions, but you quickly hush him and back out of the light of the streetlamp you were standing beneath.

"I see John." You tell him lowly. "Alone this time." You clarify.

"What's he up to?" Is the whispered response as Bernard's eyes attempt to spot the figure of your brother.

"I don't know, but he looks... off." That's the best you can sum it up in the moment, not sure what to make the scene before you. In any case, you'll just make sure he's okay, and then you'll get back to the apartment.

Under the noise of the roiling waves, the sudden sound of a sharp intake of breath hits your ears, and you see your brother fall to the sand on his knees. As he stays there, nigh-motionless, you can tell that he is trying for all the world to stifle the sounds of his own breaths. Another sharp intake of breath, and you see one of his hands move to rub at his face. "Son of a bitch..."

Those are the next words that fill the air, and you can't help but wonder what's going through his head.

"I don't think I've ever heard John curse like that..." Bernard whispers to himself. So even he heard that.

Now, more than ever, you wish that you could reach out to your brother more than anything. However, as much as it pains you inside, you just... can't. He wouldn't want you to see him like this.

"Let's get back home." Bernard says, as if reading your thoughts, and, in a flash of green, the sand and waves are replaced with the familiar walls of your appartment.

"Well shit." He breathes, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't think he'd take Eddie's coma that hard."

"Yeah...he was acting like nothing was wrong before, but how do you know it was about Eddie and not Clyde threatening him?" You wonder what made Bernard jump to that conclusion.

"Uhh... well..." The blonde dithers, face falling before he regathers himself. "Would you believe me if I said personal experience?"

It takes you a moment to figure out what that means. "Oh. Sorry about that."

"Hey, don't be. My dad's been okay I think, and it's not like Eddie's dead... but this really sucks." The blonde says, but then green eyes brighten as if remembering something. "If everythin' goes as well as we want it to, we'll have Eddie back to his body pretty soon."

"Yeah, but Eddie was one of John's only friends." If not John's only friend, you think to yourself, and you wonder why Eddie's "coma" hit him now rather than before. Perhaps it was only now that it had finally sunken in.

>(1/2)

>>4595684

At least when John walks through the door, he looks like he's back to normal, but, with what little experience you have with loss, you still know that he's not at one-hundred percent.

There's nothing you can do about it for now, and you hope that with time he will continue to open up to you and Matt as he has been.

That night, your mind is filled with visions of white-washed walls and glimmering steel. You feel the pressure of something-- be it hands or restraints-- that keep you ultimately motionless as everything seems to converge on you. Then there is pain, and--

You wake up with your forehead drenched in sweat-- not in the cold, too-bright halls of FutureLabs, but in the comfort of your own bedroom.

The only thing amiss (if it could even be called that) is that Bernard is curled up in your armchair, head tucked into his legs, so you're not quite sure if he's awake or asleep.

Not that it's unusual to have Bernard in your room, but, during these hours, he normally sticks to the storage closet.

5:48 A.M. is what your clock reads, and you look back to Bernard before thinking about what to do.

>What do you do?
>"Psst. Bernard, you awake?"
>Leave him be. Get some additional rest.
>Get up. Might as well start your day early if you're going to be power-training.

>(2/2)

>>4595688
>That night, your mind is filled with visions of white-washed walls and glimmering steel. You feel the pressure of something-- be it hands or restraints-- that keep you ultimately motionless as everything seems to converge on you. Then there is pain, and--
this reminds me of the rewind

>Leave him be. Get some additional rest.

>>4595704

Anon, you still don't know how I shudder when I think about my early QM days...

>>4595688
>"Psst. Bernard, you awake?"

>>4595704
>>4595706
I thought about that too actually. Wonder how things would have went if we got captured by FL so early. Quest would be completely different.

>>4595706
>Anon, you still don't know how I shudder when I think about my early QM days...
we learn, there's no shame my dude
>>4595716
indeed anon, I wonder how would things progress, specially a possible breakout when we didn't even know bernard properly

>>4595684

So did Clyde spill the beans or not?

Flipping a coin in 10-15 minutes if there's no break in tie.

>>4595766
Anon pls vote to break tie

>>4595688
>>Leave him be. Get some additional rest.

Mmmmkay, we're locked.

Leaving B be.

Tired af so I'm going to have to stop here for the night.

See you all next time!

>>4595893
Come back here wagie, the whip demands

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>>4595896

I have half the post done... but I gotta stick to my New Year's resolution:
it's called getting to bed at a normal hour.

Take this picture of Clyde in the meantime.

>>4595899
>it's called getting to bed at a normal hour.
what's your timezone again ?

>>4595902

EST

I SLEEP FOR REAL.

Writing.

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>>4595797
>>4595704

Though you still can't tell whether or not Bernard is awake, you would rather not wake him up if he is indeed asleep. In fact, after that dream, you find his presence a comfort, which is why sleep easily returns to you.

Wakefulness, on the other hand, is its own separate beast, but eventually you're woken up with the sound of, "Psst... fishface-- it's nine o'clock." The voice of Bernard greets your ears. "Are you gonna get ready so we can get goin?"'

Your response sounds vaguely like a 'yes.'

"Well, I'm gonna quickly bring stickface back so it looks like he was home all night, and then we can drop him back off with jerkface and Julia." You give him your laziest affirmative before he's gone, and then you proceed to roll out of bed with all of the grace of a sasquatch.

More than once you've wished that you could still drink coffee. This would definitely be one of those times.

"Please tell me there's coffee." Matt is before you, laptop tucked under his arm, and, of course, he wants a piece of the caffeinated pie. Your nose can easily pick out its scent, and you give him a bleary nod before he's gone with a mutter of: "...sweet, delicious nectar..."

John isn't at the table this morning as per usual. Rather, he is in the living room packing a few clothes into an overnight bag. So he's going through with the observations after all?

Without much thought, you take a few cans of tuna in a bowl and eat it slowly, its taste perking you up a bit.

"Hey guys, do you have any plans for the day?" John calls from the living room.

The two of you hesitate, not sure of what to say. Bravely and against your better judgement, you blurt out, "I have a date later," and instantly you feel your cheeks flush.

"Wow, Elise." You can hear the teasing in John's voice, a joke no doubt on the tip of his tongue. "At this rate, I think you're going to be married before I will." If your face wasn't already beet-red, you're certain that that last quip did its job.

Faintly, you think that the ocean's a swell place this time of year.

"I was going to head to the gym and maybe GameHop later..." Matt says, audibly enough for you and John to hear.

>(1/?)

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>>4596642

"Well, I'll probably be gone by the time the two of you are back, so I'm pretty sure you know the for drill when I'm not home." John's voice breaks you from your thoughts. You and Matt give your affirmatives.

You don't see him, but the approaching footsteps tell you that John is coming around to say his goodbyes in the form of his trademarked, older-brother hug.

"I'll definitely be back tomorrow afternoon at the latest, so see you guys later, alright?" His grip on you is tight, nearly bone-crushing, and you're not sure if you'd be able to get out of it without the aid of your superhuman strength.

No matter, you somehow manage to return the gesture, and you hope that he's feeling better than last night.

"Is it just me, or is John still in a funk?" Matt inquires once the two of you are out the door.

That's when you explain to him the breakdown you saw on your way back home-- if it could even be called that-- as John had been trying his absolute hardest to stifle it, but Matt gives you a look saying that he expected this to happen, finally saying, "You know I'm starting to think he could use a girlfriend. Might help him out a bit."

"Maybe." You say trying to picture what that would be like. John with a girlfriend... that's definitely something you hope to see one day. "But the pickings are kind of slim at FutureLabs." You point out, realizing the crux of your brother's singleness.

"Touche. Definitely after we shut them down." Matt nods very seriously."By the way, I got some cameras and mics in the bag here." He motions to the backpack that had been on his shoulders. I'm going to install a few of them quietly just for test and see how the new system works out."

You nod, and it's not long before you're back at the warehouse, Valjean and Julia unsurprisingly awake.

Though, what peaks your interest are Bernard's words that are said right after he greets you. "You know, I had a dream I was back in FutureLabs last night..."

Overwhelmingly, you feel the need to ask him about it.

>What do you say?
>"You too?!"
>"Can you tell me what happened in it?"
>"Is that why you came to my room last night?" Not that you minded.
>write-in

>>4596643
>"Can you tell me what happened in it?"

>>4596643
>>"Is that why you came to my room last night?" Not that you minded.

>>4596643
>"You too?!"

MIND MUTIE LETS GO

So many dubs in this thread it's unbelievable. 13/79 so far...

Calling in 10.

Unless there are no other votes, Imma just incorporate all three votes... so writing.

>>4596643
>>"You too?!"

Late as heck, but might as well.

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>>4596674
>>4596699
>>4596711
>>4596841

"You too?" The words are quick to fly from your mouth. "Is that why you came to my room last night?"

Bernard looks abashed at that, but is able to cover that up with a look of surprise from your unexpected words.

"What were you doing in her room, B?" Matt interrupts, his face gaining a sudden intensity-- a look that Bernard fails to notice.

"Nothin.' Just couldn't sleep." The blonde tells you before green eyes focus on you again. "But you seriously aren't jokin,' Ellie, about the dream thing?"

"No, that's why I want to tell me what happened." Because the fact that the two of you had the same dream is a very curious thing.

"Alright..." Bernard takes a moment to gather his thoughts. "There was FutureLabs, and I was trapped; and it felt like there were a lot of pins going into my head." He brings a hand to his hair as if recollecting the sensation. "Can a dream hurt that bad? Cause that honestly felt terrible."

"Pins..." You repeat, noting the dissimilarity. "Sounds almost the same as mine, except mine had pain everywhere."

"It's rare, but people who have shared experiences are most likely to experience shared dreams, especially those who know each other very well." Matt informs. "Also, dreams that stem from intense experiences tend to be a lot more vivid."

"Well we did almost end up getting shot, and then you actually did get shot twice, fishface." That had not been fun. "Anyways, we should get goin.' We have power trainin' to do, and time's kinda wastin' here, right?"

"Wait, you're seriously going to leave me with the weirdo again." Matt's glaring at you both. "What kind of power training can you not do from the inside of this warehouse?"

You and Bernard share a look. "We were going to see if we could find a way to control Ellie's berserk mode."

If you had a super sense for blood pressure, you are certain that Matt's just tripled at his words. "Are you two fucking nuts? You're going to send Ellie into a bloodthirsty rampage in a city with over four-million--"

"Relax, stickface." Bernard cuts him off mid-rant. "It's not like we're doing it within city limits. I found a place that's far enough away from anybody that, even if she does go cuckoo, the only person she'll have eyes for is me."

"I don't know if there was a double-meaning in that statement, but you better keep those hands of yours to themselves."

"Non so di cosa stai parlando." Nondiscreetly, Bernard coughs into his fists. "What I mean is I will make sure that no one gets hurt-- myself or Ellie included."

>(1/2)

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>>4596868

"Good." Matt nods, and, although you can see the wary look on his face, you know that he wouldn't be able to stop either of you from doing what you're about to do. "Don't kill him, Ellie, and, Bernard..."

"What?" Bernard gives him a questioning look.

"Never mind. Just go already." That's all it takes for the warehouse to be replaced with the blinding light of the day, which makes you shield your eyes, but, when you uncover them, you find that in place of the city building is a large, grassy field.

"Woah..." You breathe, reeling a little from the change in scenery. "Where is this?"

"I dunno really, but when I found it I made sure there were absolutely no roads nearby-- like absolutely none-- which is kinda hard when New Jersey's the most densely populated state in the country." He looks a little out of breath, and you wonder just how far this is from Konigsburg. "But we should get started; how do you wanna do this berserk mode thing anyways?"

"Right now?"

"Yeah right now."

Shit. As determined as you were to get your powers under control, you hadn't really thought of how you were going to put yourself in your berserk mode.

>What do you do?
>Induce it with the thought of food... of blood and prey struggling beneath your maw.
>Induce it with the thought of a fight... think of the feeling of rending something with claws and teeth or breaking something apart with your two hands.
>Motivate yourself with fear-- try thinking about what will happen if you don't do this.
>Take a page out of John's book and approach this in a more scientific manner. Think about how it works or what makes it tick.
>write-in

>>4596870
>Induce it with the thought of a fight... think of the feeling of rending something with claws and teeth or breaking something apart with your two hands.
Imagine a delicous shark that we have to subdue before eating it

>>4596870
>>Take a page out of John's book and approach this in a more scientific manner. Think about how it works or what makes it tick.

Food and hunger were usually the triggers. Starvation and a desire to feed. Perhaps we can subvert it to 'Desire' in a fashion?

Votes will remain open until I return tomorrow.
See you all next time!

>>4596870
>Take a page out of John's book and approach this in a more scientific manner. Think about how it works or what makes it tick.

>>4596960
does qm dream of mutant sheep ?

>>4596870
>Motivate yourself with fear-- try thinking about what will happen if you don't do this.

>>4596870
>>Induce it with the thought of a fight... think of the feeling of rending something with claws and teeth or breaking something apart with your two hands.

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>>4596972

Yes, they do...

... and hopefully I'll be back in like an hour to close the vote or flip a coin depending on what happens.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

Okee it's been an hour. Coin flipping for tie.

1 = scientific approach
2 = attempt to embrace the savage

>>4597649
>we didn't return to fish
it seems our freshness gotta wait

Got delayed. No return to monke yet.

Writing now.

Maybe jumping right into it isn't the best idea, you think. Not that you thought this would be easy, but, if you keep using the same approaches that you have been, your instincts are just going to take you to where they've always had, which is why you intend to take this process slowly.

Better still, you'll take a page out of John's book and approach this in a more scientific manner.

"What are you doin' Ellie?" Bernard asks, a little puzzled since nothing's happening.

"Thinking." Is your response, and when he gives you another questioning look you tell him. "I don't think that just trying to do it will work cause it's just going to end up like all the other times."

Even now, you are acutely aware of the instinct thrumming lowly in the back of your mind. All it would take to activate them would be to grab hold of and let yourself sink down, down into the waiting abyss-- but that's not what you plan to do. At least not now.

"So what are you gonna do then?" Bernard raises a brow, and so you explain to him your idea of approaching this whole power-control thing from a more methodical standpoint. Even if you're not the queen of intellectualism, you do know that-- like your strength or your senses-- understanding the limits and the ins-and-outs of your berserk mode will give you a better chance at controlling it when you finally give it a go. And, if you can't control it, then you hope that this will lend you a hand at stopping it in its tracks.

"Want help then?" Is the question that follows your explanation.

You nod fervently, because bouncing ideas off of others (as John always says) helps with the scientific process and all that.

"So we know that two things activate my instincts-- food and hunger." That seems to be the best starting point for your discussion.

"Don't forget fighting." Bernard reminds you.

"Yeah, and fighting...but I think that in a lot of cases my mind still has the instinctual assumption that a fight will eventually end in food." You give a small hum to yourself as you mull over your own words, your fight with Julia suddenly coming to mind.

"When I was fighting Julia, they started taking over once she got the upper hand and I got desperate." For however much you had regenerated, before you had lost yourself, you recall that she did quite a number on you. "And I think my thought process at the time was 'fight' before I started thinking about food... and killing..." You hesitate on that last part. Even if you had wanted to stop yourself, by the time you might've realized what you were doing, your instinct's hold on you was too great.

Moreover, with how your instinctual side seems to thrive on predation, the brutality of that fight had done more than enough to push you over the edge.

>(1/2)

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>4597808
>Focus on something simple, something that you can easily remember
Let's go

>>4597794

"Maybe we should try to get your mind off food and onto something else." The teleporter gives you his own insight. "You know when I was learnin' to keep my teleportation under control, I would find somethin' to focus on and keep my mind on it no matter what, and it did help a lot. Most of the time."

"I'll be honest with you, fishface." Bernard's eyes are earnest as he looks at you. "It still happens from time-to-time, and, if I can't get focused enough on time, I just try as best as I can to mitigate whatever happens."

At the admission, you can't help but feel a surprised. But his words give you the confidence to press forward with what you're about to do.

"Now no more beatin' around the bush." Before you can formulate a response, the blonde's already beaten you to the punch. "This time, you're gonna do what I say, activate your instinct, and try to focus on somethin' else." Shifting into your fish form, you call out to the place in your mind where your instinct is lying in wait, waiting for something to activate it and bring your more monstrous self to life.

>What do you focus on?
>Focus on something simple, something that you can easily remember
>Focus on your reason for wanting to take control of this power
>Focus on something in your immediate surroundings
>Focus on not screwing this up so you won't hurt anyone else again
>write-in

For lack of patience, I'm going to ignore whatever dice rules I put in the opening post, so ROLL 1d100 BEST of 3!!

bruh

>>4597814

Deleted post cause formatting errors are the bane of my existence.

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>4597816

>>4597854
fish is fresher than ever https://youtu.be/tTelnNmRUH0

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>4597816
>Focus on something simple, something that you can easily remember.

Righteous anger at FutureLabs?

>>4597854

Since this guy didn't specify a vote >>4597854, I'm going to have to call in 10 minutes and take >>4597880 if we don't get an actual vote to go with the roll.

...but if I leave it for a little extra time that's neither here nor there.

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>4597816
>Focus on something simple, something that you can easily remember

frosh fish

>>4597887

Ok-- back from spamming the /qtg/ with random shizz... and it turns out we got another vote.

I feel like an idiot for forgetting this, but when there's a dice roll are you supposed to take majority vote or highest roll?

>>4597924
The majority vote is custom, independently of the highest roll. In this case the 95 being used for the most voted option

>>4597924

Ok just kinda rusty on the dice rules for no random reason and I didn't want to cheat a roll. Also I'm rarted I just realized everyone voted for the same thing.

So... we're focusing on something simple... writing...

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>>4597917
>>4597880
>>4597854
>>4597814

>95

Calling to the instinct... with how deeply it permeates your mind, it's second nature to you. Bernard takes a step back, ready to teleport out of reach at a moment's notice, but you can feel his eyes on your mind gives way to the monster within.

As bad as it is, you've never denied that it is part of you-- that, in some convoluted way, that instinctual self of yours... it's also you. It's always been since the day of the incident, which is how you find your mind drifting to the thought of FutureLabs.

FutureLabs... the root cause of all your suffering. Everyone's suffering.

Gripping tighter mentally, you find yourself getting angry, righteously so. It's an anger that burns so hotly in your chest that it causes you pain-- all the way down your spine and in your skull there is a throbbing, searing pain-- but you don't stop.

Even when it feels like your body is trying to tear itself apart, you focus on that burning, righteous anger, stoking its flame with the sheer power of your will. It's anger over the cruelty towards every mutant's existence, it's anger over the fact that you wouldn't be alive without that explosion, but, most prominently, it's anger over what they've done--and will continue to do-- to your family and friends.

You can feel your senses leaving quickly as the pain and emotion attempt to overcome you-- even when your claws itch for something to rend or your teeth long for something to bite, you don't give in, you can't give in, youwontgivein-- focusfocusfocusanger!!!

The world around you is blinding. A blinding mess of colorlightsoundangercolorlightsoundanger--

Absently, you feel your body launching at something large enough to take out your rage on, its lack of heartbeat not mattering to you.

The cracking, splintering feeling beneath you causes a harsh, breathy sound to rip from your throat, but the noise hardly matters because, like silk threads in the wind, the majority of your cognizance has almost completely departed.

Standing in the midst of your destroyed target, you don't feel like you've lost yourself. However, by the time you launch towards your next one, the world around you goes black.

-----

You open your eyes, your mind snapping back into the waking world like whiplash.

The first thing you notice is that your shirt is hanging off of you in torn rags. While the front is mostly in-tact, the same thing can't really be said for the back. Somehow, in your haze, it had gotten shredded, causing the garment to hang off of your shoulders loosely.

"Ellie--" Bernard's concerned voice is one of the first things you hear, and you snap around to face him. He looks ready to teleport, but, when he notices the cognizant look in your eyes, he looks relieved. "You're all there, right?"

>"What happened?"
>"Did I try to kill you?"
>write-in

>>4598026
>"What happened?"
fish is fresh once again

I sleep. Scaly shenanigans resume tomorrow.

>>4598026
>>"What happened?"

>>4598026
>"Did I try to kill you?"

>>4598026
>>"Did I try to kill you?"

>>4598026
>>"What happened?"

Asking what happened.
Writing now.

>>4598949
>>4598189
>>4598031

"What happened?" You ask as you pull the remains of your shirt over your shoulder.

Bernard makes a motion to the area behind you. "See for yourself, fishface."

Clods of dirt are kicked up, branches are scattered where they wouldn't be, and a multitude trees are totaled -- the once-pristine field that you arrived at... it's not so pristine anymore.

"Where were you?" You're curious to know where he had been during all of... this.

"I was watchin' from over there." He points to somewhere in the middle of the field. "I tried to get your attention a few times, but you just kinda looked at me and kept on destroyin' stuff."

That's a good sign, isn't it? However, what's to guarantee that you won't be out for blood next time you attempt to induce it. You don't think that matters now-- what does matter is that you were able to use berserk mode without harming anyone.

Still, you have more questions. "How long was I out for?" You fire off your next useful question.

"Ten-twelve minutes tops... sure hope no one owns this place..." He says offhandedly. "Anyways, did you end up usin' the tips I gave you?" Bernard wants to know.

"Yeah... I actually did, and it helped a lot." At that, a grin grows on the blonde's face, quite pleased with himself and your success. "I wonder if I could do it again..."

"I'm all for it, fishface-- and practice makes perfect anyhow."

>"Then let's give it another go!" Be ambitious and induce your berserker mode again right now (Roll 1d100 Bo3)
>"I don't know about right now... let's take a break for a bit and then try it again." You want to know if that first success was a fluke. Explore the surrounding terrain or shoot the breeze while you wait.
>Return to the warehouse. You've already succeeded once, and that's good enough for now.

>>4599327
>>"I don't know about right now... let's take a break for a bit and then try it again." You want to know if that first success was a fluke. Explore the surrounding terrain or shoot the breeze while you wait.

>>4599327
>"I don't know about right now... let's take a break for a bit and then try it again." You want to know if that first success was a fluke. Explore the surrounding terrain or shoot the breeze while you wait.
fish gotta refresh first

>>4599327
>"I don't know about right now... let's take a break for a bit and then try it again." You want to know if that first success was a fluke. Explore the surrounding terrain or shoot the breeze while you wait.

lost track of time messing around on the interwebs. Whoopsies.

Writing.

>>4599431
were you shitposting in the r/ donaldbanned ? rest in peppers

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>>4599476

No I was reading an online version of that one figure-drawing book by Andrew Loomis. Also fuck the_donald got banned?!

Ngl writing a human body on paper feels like I'm carrying a bomb. I honestly have no clue how I would explain myself. .___.

Pic related

>>4599327
>>"I don't know about right now... let's take a break for a bit and then try it again." You want to know if that first success was a fluke. Explore the surrounding terrain or shoot the breeze while you wait.

Wew, talk about carnage.

>>4599490
Ok op listen:
I need to know what kind of bomb you have.
Did you write "a human body" on a sheet of paper? Or did you draw a body?
One is a cannibal's shopping list, one is much more easily explained by an "it's for art practice".

>>4599498

If you didn't see in the beginning of the thread, I mentioned I picked up drawing as a hobby. A very covert one, in fact, and, since I'm not an art major, no one really expects me to me doing it.

However, I once got caught drawfaggoting for this quest, and the first thing someone screamed is: "IS THAT ANIME FAN ART?!!"

The look of shame on my folks' face was not easily explained away, and, worse, if they see me writing NAKED bodies... my very honor is on the line here.

I'm not a self-conscious person, but I'd rather not be known as the family coomer.

>>4599515
>The look of shame on my folks' face was not easily explained away, and, worse, if they see me writing NAKED bodies
We’re getting our first lewd pastebin soon ? Jokes aside good luck with your practices

>>4599515
>However, I once got caught drawfaggoting for this quest, and the first thing someone screamed is: "IS THAT ANIME FAN ART?!!"
That's pretty terrifying
>I'd rather not be known as the family coomer.
That's actually more terrifying, yeah

What happens if you come out as practitioner of the fine arts before somebody opens your drawing shit and screams "COOMER" at you?

>>4599537

thanks anon. Your encouragements fuel my mania!

>>4599538

>What happens if you come out as practitioner of the fine arts before somebody opens your drawing shit and screams "COOMER" at you?

The goal is to increase your power level to a point at which you can no longer be made fun of.

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>>4599334
>>4599342
>>4599423
>>4599497

"I don't know about right now..." You hesitate. "Let's take a break for a bit and then try it again." Something in your gut says you shouldn't activate your berserker mode so soon after the first time.

This is how you and Bernard end up exploring the field for a bit, the lush terrain a refreshing change from the busy city in which you live. Aside from where the trees border, it seems like the field stretches on for miles, and you and Bernard race for as far as it goes, until you hear the sound of cars zipping along the highway.

In the heat of the midday, the sun beats down upon you mercilessly. Whether it's because of your scales or your regeneration, any hint of sunburn is thankfully kept at bay.

As for Bernard, his face has taken on a light hue of red anywhere that hasn't been covered by his clothes. On the way back to where you started, you diverge to where the forest is and take to the shade, first to give yourselves a reprieve from the sun and also because you're curious as to what might possibly lie within the trees.

Of course its not Howler's Lake-- none of the trees are quite as winding or old, but zig-zagging from branch-to-branch does change things up a bit, the agility training you started a week or two ago being particularly helpful.*

Satisfied with your exploration, when you make it back to where you started, the two of you settle under one of the trees that had been spared from your rampage providing you with ample shade.

You're not sure how much longer you should wait, but, wracking your mind for something interesting, something does indeed jog your memory.

"Hey-- I just remembered. The conference is in two days!" And today just happens to be Tuesday.

"Already?" Bernard makes a slight choked. "I almost forgot about that."

"How do you feel about the whole thing?" A beat of silence passes as he considers your question.

"Kinda nervous to see my dad again if I'm being honest, but I'm also excited to see him give FutureLabs what they deserve." He puts his fist into his hand. "My opinion is that it's gonna go off without a hitch."

"You think so?"

"Well, we did the footwork, and now all my dad's gotta do is get his face on TV and tell everythin' to everybody straight."

The thought of publicly sticking it to FutureLabs brings a smile to your face. If there was anything that could sway the public so significantly, short of Atticus Charles admitting to his own crimes, it would likely be this press conference.

>(1/2)

>>4599582

For a few more minutes, the two of you just sit there, enjoying the occasional breeze that flutters in from time to time. It simultaneously refreshes and relaxes you, and, as you spare a glance to Bernard, you can't help but be aware of the way his heartbeat seems to pump in tune with yours. There's something about it... something that you can't quite put words to, but you can't help but feel more than ready for your next attempt at your berserker mode.

>Focus on your righteous anger
>Focus on something else
Roll 1d150

>>4599583

Best of 3 btw

Gonna catch some magic zzz's now! See you all next time!

Rolled 105 (1d150)

>>4599583
>Focus on something else
let's focus on the heartbeats this time
>>4599589
sleep tight OP

>>4599583
>Focus on something else
Try something calming. Count sheep.

>>4599610
Roll as well my dude

>>4599582
Just wanted to say your art is adorable, QM.

Rolled 147 (1d150)

>>4599583
>>Focus on something else

Rolled 47 (1d150)

>>4599577
Naruhodo

>>4599582
Cute fish!

>>4599583
>Focus on something else

147/150 = .98
dice=blessed

Focusing on calming stuff like heartbeats.
Writing.

>>4599601
>>4599610
>>4599619
>>4599633
>>4599695
>>4599958
>>4600512

This time, as you take hold of that instinctual part of your mind, you focus on the thump-thump, thump-thump of your heart, Bernard's heart, and let the noise calm you as your cognizance slips loose from your grasp.

As you're dragged deeper into the throes of its haze, you feel yourself going towards the point of no return faster than you ever have.

This time, however, you embrace it.

Again, there is that searing pain that makes your head throb and your spine burn, but your addled mind refuses to ruminate on it. Instead, from within the addling fog, you keep your senses tuned toward the rhythmic thump-thump, thump-thump.

Thump-thump--

Thump-thump...

Your mind... there is a single sliver of cognizance in your grasp, and yet it is enough for you to be aware that your body is not in motion.

Amid the pumping of hearts, there is a voice. Tentative and familiar, it sparks something in your mind.

Warmth. Friendship. Something deeper than that?

It's impossible to think of these things in any other terms than feeling right now, your mind too incoherent to formulate the words to them, but the noise is like a beacon in the darkness. And, as a mere passenger to your own body, you let yourself reach out to it.

----

The next time awareness returns to you, although you are standing up, your head is on something firm. The heartbeats... right-- they're still there.

That's when you realize you're close to Bernard. So close that his heartbeat is the loudest thing to you in the midst of the open field.

"Shit--"Your exclamation caues him to back up, and any mortification is replaced with concern, as you have no idea what you were doing to Bernard in your berserker mode. "Was I hurting you?"

"No." Bernard shakes his head, averting his eyes as he says this. At least Matt's not here to make fun of you-- you don't think he'd ever let you live that one down.

Moreover, if your shirt wasn't in rags from the first berserker mode attempt, now it is in absolute tatters. Pathetically, you attempt to pull the last shreds of your dignity over yourself, but it's absolutely no use as you try not to think about having been pressed so close against Bernard with your shirt like this. Nope, nope, and absolutely nope...

"Aahhh..." You try to say something coherent but fail, eventually settling on the question of: "What was I doing before I woke up?" Mostly, it's for the purpose of taking your mind off of your embarrassment.

"Standin...'" He lingers on that first word. "...and also usin' me as your pillow." Safe to say he's just as embarrassed as you are.

"And nothing got destroyed?" Bernard shakes his head. Destroying something would've definitely been less embarrassing. Now you wish you would sunburn if only to hide how red your face is.

>(1/?)

>>4600690

A few moments pass where the grass looks highly interesting to the both of you, but then Bernard's voice catches your attention again when he asks, "What were you thinkin' about anyways?"

"Calming things." You tell him. "Being calm."

The heartbeats, to be more precise, but you don't mention that so as to not to dig yourself deeper into this hole you dug for yourself.

Why did your berserker-self want to make you do something like that and embarrass the ever-living hell out of you? Frustratedly, you ruminate on this for a while, turning it over in your head like a Rubik's Cube.

What made this time different than the first? Why couldn't you just destroy stuff and be angry like that first time? It's with these thought that you feel a sensation within your mind akin to a key turning in a lock, and the realization hits you like a mack-truck.

"B." You start, looking at him very seriously. "I think we cracked the code."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean about my berserker mode." You clarify, suddenly elated at your conclusion. "Did you know that when I tried it the first time, I was thinking about my anger at FutureLabs? That's basically how I ended up destroying the field. But when I was thinking about being calm, all I wanted to do was sleep." More specifically, you wanted to be next to where the heartbeat was.

"All of the other times, my mind was focused on food and blood, and I usually ended up trying to hurt everyone because people are made of blood and all that stuff-- but the key is thinking about something stronger than any of those things so I'll end up doing something related to what I'm focused on."

"Wow!" Bernard looks enthused. "You think you could use it all the time?"

"I don't know..." That's a good question... if using the berserker mode would be this simple, you wonder how you would fare in a more life-threatening situation.

No matter, you did it! Not once, but twice, you managed to take your berserker mode under control.

And honestly, you would really like to spare yourselves any further embarrassing experiences.

>"I was just sleeping right? Nothing else happened." You still don't know why your shirt is in tatters.
>"I think we did pretty well today with all this stuff-- let's go to the apartment so I can get another shirt!" Reclaim your lost dignity.
>write-in

>>4600691
>"I was just sleeping right? Nothing else happened." You still don't know why your shirt is in tatters.
embarassing, but if we only did that I wonder why our clothes still got dunked

btw I wonder what would've happened in a medium and low roll. would we had crush B while cuddling or beat him first ?

>>4600717

B) Attack

>>4600729

To clarify, a low roll would've made it impossible for us to focus on staying calm, thus giving in to our bloodlust.

>>4600691
>>"I was just sleeping right? Nothing else happened." You still don't know why your shirt is in tatters.

>>4600691
>"I think we did pretty well today with all this stuff-- let's go to the apartment so I can get another shirt!" Reclaim your lost dignity.

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>>4599958
>Cute fish!

>>4599633
>Just wanted to say your art is adorable, QM.

Just noticed these compliments and am happy af-- pic related

Also combining the two options... writing.

>>4600691
>"I was just sleeping right? Nothing else happened." You still don't know why your shirt is in tatters.

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>>4600930
>>4600853
>>4600841
>>4600710

"I was just sleeping right? Nothing else happened." Even with everything you've learned about your berserker mode today, you're still left with a lingering question: why did your shirt end up in tatters both times?

"Shit." Bernard's eyes grow wide as he seems to be remembering something important. "That's what I was supposed to tell you."

"What?"

"You got a new fin." He tells you simply, and you stare at him, disbelieving for a split-second, before immediately firing off the question of: "Where?"

"On your back." Reflexively, you reach for your back to feel for the presence of any fin but find nothing. Definitely a berserker thing.

"Guess that's why my clothes got ruined." You hold up one of the strings of fabric.

"Made the mistake of touchin' it. Found out it's sharp as hell-- like your arm-fins." He then proceeds to show you his hands, revealing a series of small cuts across his fingers. "But don't worry about me-- they'll be healed in a few days or so." He quickly tells you once he sees your frown.

You hope Matt still has Jenna's address because, in the case you use your berserker mode in your suit, then you're going to be dealing with a very torn-up suit in the future.

"Anyway, I think we did pretty well with all of this stuff-- let's head back to the apartment to get another shirt!!" Along with reclaiming your lost dignity, you also have the chance to check out how the (presumably-installed) security system is running.

"I presume you're here to see how the new security system's running." Eddie already seems to know what you want.

"Yeah, that would be great." Footage of the warehouse instantly pops up on the screen. Looks like everything's working, you think. You're also pretty impressed that Matt was able to get all of the cameras up without anyone's notice-- about eight in total.

"Is there sound?" You ask.

"Audio is shaky, but that is the fault of the hardware-- not mine." Eddie tells you. "I can make out eighty-five percent of their conversations and the transcripts loaded into a text file on an hourly basis."

Wow. That's pretty thorough, and, as you watch everyone through the screen, you notice Matt slashing a knife through the air, while Julia and Valjean are back with their books.

When you get back to the warehouse, you find Matt still slashing that same, crystalline knife, where you now notice that there's a little more method to his motions.

Valjean is still going through that pile of junk for whatever reason. Probably boredom, as there isn't much to do in an abandoned warehouse on a broken leg save for the books you brought for him.

"Hey Ellie. Hey B." He says, making another large sweep before stopping. "How did power-training go?"

"Pretty good." You tell him, and he raises a brow.

"Did you actually do it?" Did you actually get to control your berserker mode?

>(1/2)

>>4600952

"Yeah!" Bernard butts in, grinning widely. "She did great actually."

Matt looks faintly surprised. "You two are for real? What did you even do?"

The one embarrassing scenario pops into your mind, and, judging by the flush on Bernard's face, he is recalling the same thing. "Intense willpower and focus." You eventually answer, hoping that your brother will just attribute your redness to sunburn. "What were you doing all day?"

"Knives. Pull-ups. Other things." He says offhandedly.

"Like what?" Curious as you are, the question comes by reflex.

Consternation flashes across Matt's face as he looks at you both, but it's gone as quickly as it came. Setting the knife to the wayside, you notice his eyebrows furrow as he seems to be struggling with whatever it is that he has to say, but eventually Matt admits, "I might've let myself become Valjean's temporary meat-puppet."

>"Are you high on drugs?! He could've put you in a coma, you idiot."
>"Why the hell would you even agree to that?"
>"Tell me that's not how you've been getting along with him."
>Smack him and remind him what Valjean's powers are-- just in case.
>write-in

>(2/2)

>>4600957
>"Why the hell would you even agree to that?"
bro don't be playing pranks on us

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Sleeping now.

Found pic related in the unused files, so dropping it here. See you all next time!

>>4600957
>"Why the hell would you even agree to that?"

damn we're gonna need to put val down

>>4600957
>>"Why the hell would you even agree to that?"

Gonna attempt to make an early post so we can get moving-- writing.

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>>4600979
>>4601409
>>4601599

"Why the hell would you even agree to that?" You respond in a harsh whisper.

"Knife lessons-- apparently the douchebag is really good with a knife among other things. Knives, fist-fighting, etcetera... did you know he has a record?" You don't really find yourself surprised at that. "He also said he doesn't wanna be a sitting duck when FutureLabs comes back."

"What makes him think FutureLabs is gonna come back, you dumbass?" Even Bernard is aggravated at Matt's decision.

"We put Eddie in a coma, broke the nose of their sniper, stole Pharos and Julia, and are in still possession of a shitload of extremely-crippling data, not to mention the laundry list of other things we've done that could easily be listed as crimes-slash-misdemeanors against authorities and the general public." Matt lists off everything as if he remembers it all by heart. "I still trust Valjean as much as I trust the news outlets to tell the truth from time-to-time, but I'd also like to not be completely helpless either if they manage to come out with some bigger guns."

"Also turns out a knife is really useful if you're not just stabbing it at random." Matt says offhandedly. "Stabbing is like the part that comes at the end."

"I still think it's stupid." Bernard crosses his arms. "What if he put you in a coma? You think he'd be so kind in lettin' you out of that?"

"I did ask." Matt says simply, and before you can chastise him for that he tells you, "He said no. Told me that he didn't want to end up as your side-dish or something along those lines."

Before you can respond to that, the steady tck-tck of crutches clicking across the ground catches your attention.

Speak of the devil.

"Yo." Matt says nonchalantly.

"Hello to you to, midget." Valjean greets with his insult of choice.

"I have a year to grow. How much time do you have to stop being a douche?" The jibe makes the older mutant smirk.

"Sick burn, but banter aside I see you've already spilled your guts to the dynamic duo?"

"Yeah. I told them I like knives." Matt says simply.

"And I like self-improvement, so I'm glad we could meet in the middle."

"If he puts him in a coma, I'll break his other leg..." Bernard mutters low enough for only you to hear.

"Besides," Valjean starts, his face suddenly darkening. "I need to compensate for my lack of strength and mobility somehow... same with Julia. Even though she's strong, if there's anything that we've learned from the fight at Howler's Lake, it's that she's still breakable." You're not sure if that's a passive-aggressive comment towards you.

"Where is she?" Bernard asks, looking around dubiously.

"Practicing of course." He makes a motion upward, and you see Julia perched on the rafters, attempting to fill the gap between one bar and another. "Today we focused on stamina."

>(1/2)

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>>4601688

You think about how the rafters would look if they were all filled in with crystal-- it would make an amazing warehouse-- but you wonder how much training it would take for Julia to make enough sturdy crystal to cover it all, because you sure wouldn't want to fall through something sharper and stronger than glass.

Still, you trust Valjean as much as you trust those rickety suspension bridges from the movies. Who's to say he won't put Matt in a coma just to spite you for what you did to Julia?

In any case, Matt's been awake for the past forty hours, and, even though he isn't saying anything, the purple under his eyes is very evident.

You think it best to take him home, though... what to do beforehand so your fugitives (particularly one recalcitrant Crux leader) don't think you're going lax on them...

>What do you say?
>Don't say anything. If Valjean realizes and tries something, Ermac will immediately alert you so you can bring them back to the warehouse. Plus you're sure that Valjean's well aware that FutureLabs wants him dead along with Julia recaptured.
>Give him a thinly-veiled threat. Nothing overly violent-- just something that will remind him what will happen if he plays stupid games.
>Tell Julia to keep a close eye on Valjean-- she always seems eager to please.
>write-in

>(2/2)

>>4601692
>Tell Julia to keep a close eye on Valjean-- she always seems eager to please.
And we're back. Val really knows how to hide his cards. First his power, now we know he has moves and knows how to use a knife. Speaking of which, we gotta try learn some martial arts to complement our moveset soon.

>>4601692
>Give him a thinly-veiled threat. Nothing overly violent-- just something that will remind him what will happen if he plays stupid games.

I'VE NEVER EATEN A WHOLE HUMAN BEFORE

>>4601743
Seconding.

>>4601692
>>Give him a thinly-veiled threat. Nothing overly violent-- just something that will remind him what will happen if he plays stupid games.

Alrighty OP got delayed.

Writing now!

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>>4601917
>>4601774
>>4601743

Initially, your first thought is to enlist Julia to watch over Valjean for you, but, given how she's taken to him, you're not sure if that approach will work.

That is why your next idea is a threat. Nothing overly violent-- just something that will remind Valjean what will happen if he plays any games with you.

Nothing really comes to mind when you try to think of a smart-sounding threat, but then you remember that thing Matt said about Valjean not wanting to become your side-dish.

"I'VE NEVER EATEN A WHOLE HUMAN BEFORE." You suddenly blurt out. All who are listening stare at you, and a disturbed silence overtakes the warehouse.

"Whoops. Did I say that?" You feign coyness, glaring intently at the former Crux leader. "What I meant to say is that we're leaving, so don't try anything."

"Wasn't planning to have a career as a cannibal's dinner." Valjean snarks back. "And again-- broken leg." He taps said leg for emphasis.

"Yeah. You better not leave." Matt reiterates your words.

"Relax, midget." Valjean tells him before adding, "...Not like I have anywhere to go anyways."

That's the last thing he says before the three of you depart. Now in the living room, Matt makes for the nearest couch like a moth to a lamp.

"...Tired as hell..." He says with his face smothered in a pillow before he turns to look at you more seriously. "You know I didn't let him control me just cause I wanted the knife, right?"

You look at him curiously, wondering what other possible reason Matt could have for doing what he had done.

"I thought I could figure out how his powers work if I let him use them on me-- didn't work, but I'll admit the knife lessons are worth it."

>(1/2)

>>4602109

"Do you really want them that badly?" You don't like this at all.

Blearily, he nods. "By the way Ellie, I just found out something out about Julia last night..." As he says this, he's struggling to keep his eyes open. "...too tired to explain it all, but we can all talk about it in the morning..."

>Shake Matt and wake him up; don't let him leave you hanging!
>Go to kitchen. Make some coffee.
>Swim.
>?̵̖ͅ ̭̼̣̙̯̰?̛̻͍̮̫̟̱̻ ̜?̷̣̠͇͙ ?͈̫


>(2/2)

>>4602124
>Swim
Let the man sleep.

>>4602124
lmao we literally said it
intimidation 100

>?̵̖ͅ ̭̼̣̙̯̰?̛̻͍̮̫̟̱̻ ̜?̷̣̠͇͙ ?͈̫

Matt said he could explain after sleeping. Plus how can we not pick mystery box.

>>4602124
>>?̵̖ͅ ̭̼̣̙̯̰?̛̻͍̮̫̟̱̻ ̜?̷̣̠͇͙ ?͈̫

>>4602124
>Swim

You got us now OP
>>4602124
>?̵̖ͅ ̭̼̣̙̯̰?̛̻͍̮̫̟̱̻ ̜?̷̣̠͇͙ ?͈̫

File: glowies.jpg (8 KB, 224x225)

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C̝̰̰̟ͅa͖̗̻̥̣l̘̫̙̟̱͘l͝i̷͎͙̦̜͙̼n̢̟̬̰g̰̻͖̟̤ ̺̯a̢͖t̼̫ ̩͘9̥:3̗̠̗0̼̜̘͚͍͈ͅ ͖͞E͍̯̙ͅS̠͔͔̹̱̣T̻͍̯̗̱
̜

Writing zalgo bait option. Buckle up, boys.

>>4602160
>zalgo bait option
I'm ready

>>4602130
>>4602134
>>4602154
>>4602194

Your name is John. John Martins.

And you've been called many things in your twenty-four (almost twenty-five!) years of life-- son, (former) lab-tech, friend, brother.

If there's anything you've learned through this task-force thing, it's that this world is cruel. Wrong.

You don't know why you're here, but one thing you do know is that you've been betrayed. Betrayed by people-- kids, no less-- who had told you that they were doing the right thing.

Eddie had been your best friend, and Blink and Bludgeon had stolen him in the midst of the chaos so that Pharos could snuff him out.

If Kelpie had any knowledge of their plan, she did a very good job of hiding it. Too good, in fact, and, instead of your knife or pistol, you had taken your scalpel and had helped an enemy unwittingly.

Logically, there was no hope of getting Eddie back, but, if you had been smarter in that moment, at least you could've done something... something that was more than what you did.

The thought makes your chest burn in anger. Anger and regret.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA... I knew you'd come around, Johnny." Clyde's grating laughter pierces your thoughts as he swaggers up to you in all his bandaged glory. "How are those ribs of yours feeling?" He asks innocuously.

"You could've told me they were working with Pharos earlier." You skip the fake niceties, but every time you think about your ribs and that fight you think about what you could've-- should've-- done.

"Why I didn't know either until I saw Blink and the shitty batter right next to me and they took 'im from right under. I might not be the brightest apple in the bunch, but the process of elimitation dictates that that other bitch that broke my schnozzle was definitely Kelpie." At that, Clyde rubs the bandage. "These bandages are itchy as fuck, by the way. Honestly, I owe her a nice bullet for that."

"Hmmph." The majority of you disagrees with that wholeheartedly, because Kelpie sounded no older than Matt or Elise. However, there is a tiny, vengeful sliver within you that goes against everything you believe in. It makes you feel disgusted with yourself, and you smother it for all it's worth.

"Ya said that they needed Pharos for somethin' right?"

Shortly, stiffly, you nod, and you hesitate before telling him, "They didn't say what for. They just said it would be worse if he were with us."

"Worse for who, ya dumb mook? Us or them?" He's looking at you very condescendingly as he lets that question hang in the air.

>"Tell me when we're getting started with the procedure." You had a procedure today.
>"What happened to the doctor?" You've been here for quite a while, and, for something that requires Dr. Charles' expertise, you thought you might've seen him.
>"Them." You don't really believe the words with what FutureLabs has done, but let Clyde think he's right for once.
>write-in

>>4602245
>"What happened to the doctor?" You've been here for quite a while, and, for something that requires Dr. Charles' expertise, you thought you might've seen him.
hot damn, we're making another of those crazy mutants.

>>4602245
>"What happened to the doctor?" You've been here for quite a while, and, for something that requires Dr. Charles' expertise, you thought you might've seen him.

oh no
gonna be hard not to metagame this

Also it seems they don't know about the missing special mutant agent

>>4602279

They know Julia's missing if that's what you're referring to-- check the omake for thread 7

>>4602281
>>4602276

also dumb question what's metagaming???

>>4602284
Using out of character knowledge for in-character decisions. Like, literally stuff that the characters would have no possible way of knowing and acting on it. In this case, we KNOW what the issue actually is, but John doesn't. He has little reason to blindly trust Kelpie and the gang because he doesn't know their true identities, which makes suspicion towards them reasonable from an in-character PoV. Having him making decisions to make him take it easier on us outright would be easy to call metagaming.

>>4602284

Mmkayyy googled it. My intention isn't to metagame (if I even understand what it is correctly).

Rather, it is to allow you guys a hand in a very important vote. You will know it when you see it.

>>4602281
>check the omake for thread 7
was it the final text ?
>>4602284
It's using our "outside" knowledge to make things better for us. For example if we got to play as an enemy and we made him do bad decisions on purpose to make our mc win with ease or like in those civ games, you sending an army to another player you barely know because someone else is gonna attack them, which you don't know ic (I'm having to deal with this situation after the new year hiatus from a civ I play).

>>4602291

thanks anon ^

As I said, this POV switch is just to lend some insight into John's mind and also this >>4602293.

Will definitely avoid it, as it seems to detract from the quest's organic-ness.

>>4602284
Ellie wouldn't know what's happening to John right now, so when we play as her again we shouldn't make decisions based on what we learn in this interlude. If we do anyway, intentionally or not, that would be metagaming.

A particularly blatant example would be having Eddie message John as soon as possible to reveal his mutant powers and survival, so John doesn't make any more rash decisions.

>>4602291
This too.

>>4602299

That big text thing-- yeah. Clyde mentioned Julia going missing I think. Running it from my memory again.

Unless it wasn't stated, just in case, FutureLabs is indeed aware of Julia missing.

>>4602304
>>4602299

thanks-- this whole metagaming thing sounds dangerous af.

Again, definitely will avoid cause that's like shooting yourself in the foot. And the kneecap. And then the ass. Kek.

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>>4602276
>>4602275

"What happened to the doctor?" You've been here for quite a while, and, for something that requires Dr. Charles' expertise, you thought you might've seen him.

"Just gettin' the serum ready-- ya know a whole load of work goes into makin' that stuff, right?"

"Mhmm." You nod your head, only half-listening to the Australian.

"Shouldn't be long anyways." He tells you airily.

What you know is that Aurum Impulsum serum contains quantumly-ionized particles that, when in contact with hyperfrequency particles, will readily react. It's basically a chain-reaction type thing because all that's needed is a drop to start the mutantion process. One activated cell will react with another, and then another, and another until the mutation process is completed.

But more serum means a faster mutation, which is why you're sure a nice syringe-ful is waiting for you.

"Oi, blockhead!" Clyde's voice destroys your train of thought. "Did ya not hear a word I just said?"

You don't respond. "Anyways, I was just sayin' that you'll pretty much be invincible when you get this over and done with-- put all your enemies to beddy-bye."

"Just tell me where the doctor is." You just want to get this over and done with. "Is he in the in chem or quantum?"

"Quantum, you fuckwit. Where else?" And with that, you turn on your heel and in the direction of the particle labs, ignoring his shouts of protests from behind you. It's not that long of a trip through the maze that is FutureLabs' restricted area. Where you had been with Clyde before had been just overlooking the particle accelerator; it's the most open space in these blanched, enclosed floors, and when you were working it was a nice place to eat a quiet lunch.

Well, at least when you could escape from Ursula.

That woman gives you the creeps sometimes, and, even though you know she's probably in this very building, you're hoping that the broken arm will have her mellowed down a bit.

"Johnnyy~~" The way your name is said is long and drawn-out.

Crap. It's her, and she's coming your way!

Picking up the pace, you round the nearest corner and look for an open door. Unfortunately, you're still on probation and Clyde had the key card. Double crap.

The hallway's too long for you to make it to the particle lab without her catching you, and, once more, her voice sends shivers down your spine as it echoes through the hallways.

"I know you're around here, Johnny, and I'm not gonna leave unless I get to see that beautiful face of yours~~~"

>What do you do?
>"Hi Ursula. Is that a cast on your arm?" Go say hi to her but take focus off of yourself.
>"Hello Ms. Krausmann. You wouldn't happen to know where Dr. Charles is, would you?" You do know, but let her know you're here for business.
>Duck out of sight. Maybe she hasn't seen you yet.

Might be the last update of the night-- got carried away in my enthusiasm today. If I post, I post. If I don't, see you next time!!

>>4602500
>Duck out of sight. Maybe she hasn't seen you yet.

oh no its the yandere

>>4602500
>"Hello Ms. Krausmann. You wouldn't happen to know where Dr. Charles is, would you?" You do know, but let her know you're here for business.
So it seems brother is gonna be a mutant. Im quite curious why not Clyde as well, but him being a merc might explain it. If I remember correctly from the last thread months ago, his power will be similar to ours due to family thing so I'm betting on a shark/eel or croc/chameleon. (mostly on the second of each option due to his nature)

FUCKING SUPER SOLDIER/MUTANT SERUM PROGRAM I KNEW IT.

>>4602500
>"Hello Ms. Krausmann. You wouldn't happen to know where Dr. Charles is, would you?" You do know, but let her know you're here for business.

>>4602528

I had a shitload of Clyde-lore on my old PC. Gotta put it here if I'm less lazy-- maybe I'll type it out the short version tomorrow, but he's high enough on the FutureLabs' totem pole that he doesn't have to be a mutant to be in Dr. Charles' good-books. He's also very fond of weapons-- his logic is 'who needs shitty mutant powers when ya got a gun, mate?'

>>4602537

These are the kinds of reactions that always crack me up.

>>4602547
I get his point, but I suppose that with the research they're doing they could theoretically predict what power you may get based on your dna and I think that he'd be willing for something that managed to help him with his sniper role or general gun (like better vision/hearing, something stamina related or some defensive power to help him escape in case he fought us again). waiting for that lore and did you update the pastebin, speaking of which ?

>>4602579

>did you update the pastebin

no because my semester was ass and i had time for absolutely jack squat

gotta do that cause all the stuff I learned would actually go pretty well in the fake science explanation.

Bedtime is for wimps. OP's gonna write one last time for the night.

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>>4602528
>>4602537

You take a deep breath in... and out, letting the feeling of calmness wash over you.

Time to face the music.

She looks even more elated once she rounds the corner, speeding up to you and closing the gap. A little personal space would be nice.

"Hello Ms. Kraussman." You start cordially, trying not to look as uncomfortable as you feel. One of the things you wish that your dad would've taught you before he and Mom left for overseas was how to properly deal with women.

No wonder why you're so awkward...

Anyways. Business. Back to that.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Doctor Charles is, would you?" You try again, hoping that maybe Ursula will get the message.

"Oh yes-- you have the procedure and the serum!" She exclaims, her face becoming more enthused than it was before, and, if possible, her red-lipped smile becomes wider. "The Doctor's in quantum." She readily informs you, completely unaware of your discomfort. "You know I'll be the one in charge of monitoring your vitals? I think it's only natural since we work together."

"Worked." You clarify, and for a split second her face twists, only to reform back into that smile just as quickly. "I'm not sure who I'll be working for now that they're taking me off tech. Probably the Doctor or Thompson."

"But don't forget to visit my place from time to time~~" Her voice is as saccharine as it gets before it drops to a low, nearly-inaudible whisper. "Even if you're a mutant, Johnny, I'll still be waiting."

And then she's off, back in the direction from where she came.

Once you're certain she's out of earshot, you release a breath you didn't know you were holding.

Note to self: stay out of your usual hangouts.

Now, which room is the quantum lab again? Shouldn't be too far, actually.

Even though everything looks the same down here, your sense of time and muscle memory provide great help in making it to your destination, and, if that isn't enough, then the sign that looks like an atom is more than enough indication that you've made it.

With a tentative hand on the door, you wonder just what the Doctor will say to you. What Clyde said about his anger is definitely not unreasonable, retribution being doled out in the form of probations or-- worse yet-- demotion to a Level E Staff member.

Though it's not said outright, everyone who works here knows what that 'E' stands for.

Expendable.

And when you have Elise and Matt depending on you, death is the last thing you want.

Atticus Charles is a mystery of a man, but, if there's one thing you know for certain, it's that he values the task over the human.

Without even realizing it, you've pushed open the door, only realizing your mistake a moment too late when you lock eyes with the Doctor who is loading a familiar golden substance into a syringe.

>(1/2)

>>4602667

"John." Atticus Charles greets you. "Glad to see you're in good health."

"Thank you very much, Doctor." You say with the utmost politeness, feeling like a schoolchild before a particularly strict teacher.

"No need to be so formal." He chides you. "It's not good to be tense before your procedure." For a moment, he inspects the syringe, grey eyes locked on the gold, almost-luminescent substance before turning to you again. "In any case, while you're here, I would like to ask you some questions of my own... for instance, why did you enable Kelpie to escape?"

Almost-instantly, you feel the color drain from your face and the lead weight of dread settle in your gut.

>What do you say?
>"I wasn't really thinking about Kelpie. I was thinking about my siblings." The Doctor is aware of your family situation. Explain that to him.
>"I am aware of the mistake I've made, and I completely intend to rectify that, Doctor Charles." You know what you have done and are ready to fix it-- not for the Doctor, but for yourself and Eddie's sake (though you'll leave that part out).
>"If Clyde had tried to kill Kelpie like he had, then we would've also lost Clyde, who's one of our most efficient task-force members; Pharos, and Epsilon Trial Subject #01." Explain to him that the means did not justify the end.
>write-in

Alright-- going to sleep for real. See you all next time!

>(2/2)

>>4602668
>"I wasn't really thinking about Kelpie. I was thinking about my siblings." The Doctor is aware of your family situation. Explain that to him.
Holy moly if I think of good fluff to add, I'll post later

>>4602668
>"If Clyde had tried to kill Kelpie like he had, then we would've also lost Clyde, who's one of our most efficient task-force members; Pharos, and Epsilon Trial Subject #01." Explain to him that the means did not justify the end.

>>4602668
>>"I wasn't really thinking about Kelpie. I was thinking about my siblings." The Doctor is aware of your family situation. Explain that to him.

>>4602668
>"If Clyde had tried to kill Kelpie like he had, then we would've also lost Clyde, who's one of our most efficient task-force members; Pharos, and Epsilon Trial Subject #01." Explain to him that the means did not justify the end.

He's a guy who values the task over the human. We should appeal to tasks over humans.

Locking the vote between 7-7:30.

Unless the tie is broken, I'll probably go with both options.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4603316

Ok. I'm actually a dumbass.

Two options clearly conflict with each other, so I gotta do a coin flip.

>1 -- Wasn't thinking about Kelpie
>2 -- Was thinking of how to minimize damage

>>4602579

Also anon, totally forgot to add in last night about the 'why Clyde's not going mutant' thingy that unlike John, who has latent hyperfrequency particles in body, Clyde does not.

Of course, FutureLabs could find a way to circumvent that given enough time and research (and they have via Level E Personnel). However, if the particles are introduced slowly and gradually, there's a chance that the body will treat it like radiation poisoning, thus killing the test subject. On the other hand, if done too quickly, there's a chance that the subject will end up like Bernard's not-death, only thing their bodies won't reform.

Point is, there's a lot less work and risk by using someone whose body already has latent hyperfrequency particles in it, as opposed to using a normal base human.

>>4603371

Telling the Doctor we wanted to minimize the damage. Writing.

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>>4602791
>>4602980

You have to take a moment to think about your response as you fight the urge to shift on your feet. Stand tall, you think, squaring your shoulders and refusing to avert your eyes. Any sign of nerves is all the Doctor needs to see right through them.

"If we had tried to kill Kelpie like Thompson had intended, then we would've also lost one of our most efficient task-force members, Pharos, and Epsilon Trial Subject #01." All of these are facts-- facts that the Doctor had definitely taken into account-- but, truth be told, your mind hadn't been on any of them.

In that moment, you were thinking about Elise and Matt. What would they do without you?

Still, the doctor's eyes are sharp, like a viper's, gazing at you with such intensity that it feels like he's trying to pick you apart down to your very innards. "Are you sure there isn't something else that's affecting your work?" He lets the question hang in the air as you continue to maintain your air of neutrality. "Kraussman has told me many times that a softness was apparent in it."

You remain silent, not willing to confirm his words. Still, those eyes remain on you like the blinding light of an operating table.

"You might be far smarter than what your former position suggests, but I know that you still don't understand-- and maybe you never will-- but mutants are a stain on the human genome." Doctor Charles says those final words with the utmost conviction.

"Take a moment to think about what the world will look like in twenty years if we allow them time to proliferate. Their genes are too unstable for both their bodies and minds, and there is so much unknown within them that the beauty of the human being is left completely desecrated." You nod along with it, despite the absolute wrongness of his words.

You've never thought that. Not even once.

"Just remember that it is our duty as human beings to maintain the purity of our genetics. Not because we hate the mutants, but because we want to provide the world a better future."

"However," He continues, giving the syringe he'd been holding a thoughtful look. "One can't deny their inherent potential."

Yes, FutureLabs has learned a lot from mutants. Advances that were once thought impossible have become reality and are being researched as you speak; where other corporations plod along at a snail's-pace, FutureLabs is moving faster than it ever has.

A cure for blindness? Paralysis? Clean, renewable energy? What about technology?

As amazing as it is on the surface, you know the truth. You know there have been many lives lost to achieve these things.

No matter, you were here to ask Doctor Charles for something- and quickly before he starts asking you more questions.

"Doctor Charles, if I may:" You start, as your mind formulates your question.

>"When will we start the procedure?"
>"Am I the first subject for this kind of procedure?"
>"Have you gotten any clues as to the location of the M-Guard?"
>write-in

>>4603439
>"Have you gotten any clues as to the location of the M-Guard?"

>>4603439

also continuity error cause I am rarted-- Atticus Charles is roughly between 40-55 years old. Half my quest notes are still on my old computer and I lost the charger rip.

>>4603459
gotta say the dude is daddy tier

>>4603439
>"Am I the first subject for this kind of procedure?"

>there is so much unknown within them that the beauty of the human being is left completely desecrated.
>too much unknown
is this guy even a real scientist? they love exploring the unknown

>>4603479

Deep down, it's not about the fact that mutants are unknown that is the root cause of Charles' dislike for mutants.

He will admit it to no one, but what he despises the most about mutants is the lack of control he has over them.

>>4603439
>>"Am I the first subject for this kind of procedure?"

asking if we were the first. writing.

>>4603487
>>4603466

Also to follow up on these, what's better?

Keeping control of what are basically free ultimate science XP via mass incarceration/coercion, or letting them run amok and having them say that your multibillion dollar company deformed them/maimed them/whatever for life??


Hope I cleared everything up well enough!

>>4603516
Good question. I won't answer here because I want to use it myself.

>>4603516
crystal my man, can't wait for the breakout arc

testing if I know how to color-format. plz ignore.

I
want
tendies

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>>4603491
>>4603479

"Am I the first subject for this kind of procedure?"

The question had suddenly flit into your mind. You want to know that it's been tested and tried before

"No." The doctor shakes his head. Remember Otto Sommers? One of our demoted janitors."

Vaguely, the name rings a bell, and, though his face was covered by the hazmat suit, you could've sworn he was always glaring at everyone. You hadn't seen him around for the past few months, but now, with what the doctor's currently saying, you are certain you know.

"After activating his mutation with the Aurum Impulsum, it was discovered that Mister Sommers is unable to die." That ability... it probably comes in handy if you're working here as a mutant, you think. "We've tried fire, poisons, guns, irradiation, you name it..." As he lists off his methods, you see a manic spark in his eyes. "Maybe someday he'll die of old age, but now he works full-time as a Level E Personnel member-- mainly because he's best-suited for the job."

"Is he contained like in standard procedure, or is he allowed to go home?" You inquire, the question more for yourself than for Sommer's sake.

"He sleeps in the cells voluntarily, John, but he's free to come and go as he pleases." Doctor Charles then looks at you, seeming to know your concerns. "When this is over, you'll be able to go home as normal. Everything should be the same for you as it was before."

Right. You sure hope that whatever mutant power you get is easy enough to control. Easy enough to hide from Matt and Elise.

The ring of a cellphone breaks the silence, the doctor turning from you to pick it up. "Doctor Charles speaking..." He says, and, as he listens to the person on the other end of the line, the doctor's grey eyes are boring straight into you.

You have a feeling it's time.

He ends the conversation with an 'I'll be there in ten minutes' before hanging up.

Yep. It's definitely time.

"John." The doctor addresses you. "You can get going to room 101. I will be there soon."

"Yes." You nod, feeling some of your nerves come back, but, whether it's from the doctor or the impending procedure, you're not entirely certain. "See you soon, Doctor." You say, and then you make for the door.

Clyde is waiting for you when you return, still with that smug smirk plastered across his face. "Have a nice chit-chat with doc?" Is the first thing he says to you.

"Mhmm." In FutureLabs, there is only one right answer to that.

"Anyways, they're all ready for ya. I'll be watchin' ya the whole time from the viewing window they have."

"They let security in these things?" You wonder if they'll even let Clyde in given the nature of this operation.

"Fuck if they won't!" He exclaims. "'Sides, I'm just here to give my best friend the support he needs." Right. You're one-hundred percent certain that Clyde only wants in to watch you mutate. Prick.

Anyways, you should get going, and that's what you do before the Australian even realizes it.

>(1/?)

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>>4603681

The operating table is waiting for you when you cross the threshold to the other side of the room. It has binds in case the mutation is particularly violent, which are made of special bonds.

Ferro-Flex is the name of the alloy, and, surprisingly, it's one of FutureLabs most successful, non-mutant derived innovations. It's lightweight, flexible, and nigh-indestructable under either force or temperature. You have yet to see a mutant break the metal, and, while wondering what mutant could possibly destroy the Ferro-Flex, a certain fish-mutant springs to the forefront of your mind, which leads yourself to think about Eddie-- Eddie, who didn't deserve what happened to him at all.

Stop. You shake your head, dispelling the thoughts before they can drag you down. You will have him woken up soon enough.

Before you know it, you're in a hospital gown, placing yourself on the table almost reluctantly. There's something about this whole thing that makes you feel like a lamb going to a slaughter, but you have your reasons for doing this.

You do, you remind yourself, pushing down any hesitation.

Then they load the gadgets on you-- an IV and then a couple dozen electrodes on your head and chest. It's causes you a little discomfort, as you've never been fond of doctor's offices.

It's when the bindings are tightened around your limbs that the dread seeps in like a worm, uninvited.

And that dread is multiplied one-hundred fold when the doctor's standing over you, the lighting making his face look ghastly with his sharp, angular features.

"This will be over quickly, John." He says to you with a calm, straight face. However, the look in his eyes does little to abate anything you might be feeling, as it's not a look of reassurance but something calculating and cold.

It's too late regardless. There's no backing out.

>(2/?)

>>4603690
Scary.

>>4603690

So, with no other choice in mind, you find your best option is to be calm...

Inhale. You take a deep breath. Hold.

Exhale. You let it out through the nose. Repeat.

It helps to keep you distracted from the fear but does little for the rest of your thoughts. You think about everyone else in your life who depended on you-- everyone else who you've failed. Elise, Matt, Eddie...

There's a raw emotion in your chest mixed in with the fear. You're not sure if it's grief, despair, anger, or a mixture of the three, but it's so overbearing that you want to scream.

The pinprick of the needle snaps you back to reality. You can't see him now, but you hear the doctor taking a few steps back as a faint burning sensation lingers where the needle had been.

All is silent, save for the beeping of medical machinery and the stray whisper that you can barely, barely hear, but you know it's only a matter of time as the sensation increases. What power will you get? You wonder, as the serum begins to spread and work itself through your being.

Strength. Speed. Flight. Those would be incredibly useful. Idealistic even.

Because your life is not a comic book, and mutations work far differently than that.

Though the basis of mutation is ultimately biological, you know that most mutations are built on desire. What the body or mind needs in the moment or what an individual wants the most. That is the decisive factor by which genes are altered, broken, and reformed.

The pain is more than unpleasant now, and, reflexively, you find yourself struggling to break free from your binds if only to abate it.

>(3/4)

>>4603708

You are stupid. So very stupid.

Stupid enough that you never though what you'd get out of this, save for a world of pain. Maybe this is what you deserve for working for FutureLabs, for being complicit, and for not speaking out against their crimes yourself.

It's blinding now. So much that you can barely formulate the words for it as it permeates every last cell in your body. The only thing you can do is scream loudly. Louder than you've ever have in your life.

Still, amid the roiling thoughts and blinding pain, you think about what you wanted from this. The thing that made you choose to become a mutant in the first place.

>You want strength-- enough to get justice for Eddie and put a stop to this madness
>You want to make sure that what happened to Eddie doesn't happen to anyone else
>Your emotions are clouding your thoughts and wrapping around your chest with a powerful, vice-like grip... selfish as it may be, what you want is to avenge Eddie by any means necessary

This is the last update for the night. Switching back to Elise's POV tomorrow.

>(4/4)

>>4603725

>Your emotions are clouding your thoughts and wrapping around your chest with a powerful, vice-like grip... selfish as it may be, what you want is to avenge Eddie by any means necessary

Stronger emotions for stronger mutie ftw!!

>>4603725
This is the big choice, I see.

>You want to make sure that what happened to Eddie doesn't happen to anyone else

>>4603725
>You want to make sure that what happened to Eddie doesn't happen to anyone else
He smart, He cook, but most importantly he proteccs

>>4603725

wait a sec. Are we choosing his power or his will to kill?

shit i think the colors mean something boys.

>red: no idea, body based?
>blue: something shitty. No clue either
>green: dino of death

>>4603756

>3: Vendetta