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My favorite hindsight joke is Jessica in Episode 2 going "No you see, Kanon, I had this idea where you create a different part of yourself and give it a different name to deal with your problems, have you considered that idea"
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Nov 19, 2017 17:59
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So, based on previous discussion of when it was spoiler-free, am I to assume that, in the fighting game, Erika's player 2 sprite isn't wearing a pirate hat? What a waste.
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Nov 19, 2017 18:07
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ZiegeDame posted:So, based on previous discussion of when it was spoiler-free, am I to assume that, in the fighting game, Erika's player 2 sprite isn't wearing a pirate hat?
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Nov 19, 2017 18:24
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Shinji117 posted:the WMGoats (Wild Mass Guessing Goats) I would have also accepted "weapons of mass goat".
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Nov 19, 2017 19:27
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So I came on here to express my interest in the labyrinthine and well researched naming conventions of Yasu, but then I saw this: ...and I died. I am dead. I have contorted myself with the absurdity, fallen off my chair, have expired and now find myself a ghost. How spooky. Happy Halloween, Maria. Thus, I come before you jnow, wearing a sheet and shaking my chains, to say the last thing on my heart: you were correct, and Erika is the best. I would even call her the best character in the story, had this story not had Beatrice. And Battler. As well as Ange. ...And Gohda's pretty cool too, if we're being honest. And Lambda. And Willard. And...
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Nov 19, 2017 19:50
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resurgam40 posted:Thus, I come before you jnow, wearing a sheet and shaking my chains, to say the last thing on my heart: you were correct, and Erika is the best. I would even call her the best character in the story, had this story not had Beatrice. 
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Nov 19, 2017 21:01
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It's really more the hat that's the best than Erika.
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Nov 19, 2017 21:53
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Nah, Erika is in fact the coolest.
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Nov 19, 2017 23:56
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Sindai posted:It's really more the hat that's the best than Erika.
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Nov 20, 2017 00:57
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Alright, R07, it's time to come clean. Admit that you set up this scene and VN engine to work this way so that you could see Beatrice wearing bunny ears. Admit it.
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Nov 20, 2017 01:06
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I'm glad that we can all now agree who the best character is and always will be. Erika Furudo, everyone's problematic fav.
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Nov 20, 2017 01:55
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lotus circle posted:I'm glad that we can all now agree who the best character is and always will be. Erika Furudo, everyone's problematic fav. 
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Nov 20, 2017 03:38
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Gohda, honestly, has a lot going for him in that he is the only sinless man on this loving island. He just wanted to cook some good rear end food for the people who pay him money to do it.
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Nov 20, 2017 04:57
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lotus circle posted:Gohda, honestly, has a lot going for him in that he is the only sinless man on this loving island. He just wanted to cook some good rear end food for the people who pay him money to do it. He's kind of a sniveling toadie, but that's just part of actually working for a living in this capitalist society.
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Nov 20, 2017 06:51
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Oh. I just remembered, at some point I thought Gohda was part of a conspiracy, because the portrait appeared after he did, and early on someone offhand mentions "oh yeah, he was chef at a world-class hotel, but then something happened...something with a woman? Anyway he's here now." For a while I thought the woman was a co-conspirator who acted as the model for the portrait, so she could physically appear in whichever episode that was. But no, I guess Gohda just became unemployable from some kind of sex scandal. So, he did nearly nothing wrong. Probably. For all we know. E: haha, I thought typing that weasel-talk felt familiar Doc Hawkins posted:Gohda betrayed nobody! Probably! Per information available as of yet! Doc Hawkins fucked around with this message at 06:59 on Nov 20, 2017 |
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Nov 20, 2017 06:57
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lotus circle posted:Gohda, honestly, has a lot going for him in that he is the only sinless man on this loving island. He just wanted to cook some good rear end food for the people who pay him money to do it.  Appreciated at last...
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Nov 20, 2017 07:35
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  "I've heard that each one of these books has a tale like ours inside it." "After all, this is a world of gods." "You can tell at a glance that it's no place for scum like you to be in, right?"After passing through the barrier, the three of them had finally made it inside the City of Books. For some time, they were overcome by the countless otherworldly sights before them, but they quickly remembered their original objective.  "Are you listening? First off, don't get the wrong idea. You two came here to fight Bern, but that doesn't mean walking up to her and attacking her directly, okay?" "...We know." "In the first place, you were only able to fight the Great Beatrice on an even footing because the game board protected you with rules that made it that way. If you leave the game board, you're more like something that'll leave a small stain on her palm when she swats you. Don't forget that, got it?" "...Makes sense. This isn't the game board we're familiar with." "We didn't come here to fight. We came here to take something back with us." "Exactly. You're here to prevent the Book of the Single Truth from being exposed to the public. That is your only goal, your only fight. You'd better not be confused about that."Battler and Ange nodded to show their understanding. "The Book of the Single Truth itself is being displayed openly in the middle of the party, so stealing that'll be impossible. However, bringing in the key is a big part of the ceremony." "Which means the key must be stored in a different place." "...But there's no guarantee that it'll be undefended." "After that, it's all up to your luck. I hope it's good, for your sakes..." "...! Hide!!"Lambdadelta pulled her head back from around the corner of a bookshelf. The others hurriedly followed suit. In the distance, they saw emerald green lights floating about and leaving trails.   "...Did she guess that we would come?" "No. Don't forget how huge this place is. Those are staff cats, out looking for idiot guests who've gotten lost so they can be taken to the lost children area." "And that's not where we want to go at the moment." "...If it looks like one's about to find us, should we take them out...?" "I'd advise against it. Maybe if this were some other territory or game board, but this is Bern's home base. That single cat should make you as scared as being surrounded by a crowd of vicious beasts. Plus, they're cats. They've got good senses, and they'll call for their friends. If they spot you, you'd better be prepared for what happens next. I'm not going to save you. Just taking you here has been troublesome enough." "...If I surrender, I might get off the hook with being stripped naked and thrown into the worst sort of crappy Fragment for just a century. How wonderful. I think I can sympathize with Bern's feelings a bit now."Lambdadelta wasn't laughing. Most likely, even this punishment she spoke of was pretty optimistic. Even though she keeps saying that she won't help anymore... She's already risking everything. Why? "...Isn't it obvious?"Lambdadelta brushed her hair back and grinned.   BGM: RevelationsLambdadelta hugged their heads at the same time, making their foreheads bonk together.  "...Yeah. We'll show you. A certain ...happy ending!" "We'll... certainly take this cat box back...!" "Let's go. This way, and swim quietly."The three of them swam out into the darkness of the deep ocean trench that was the City of Books. In that massive, vast trench of bookshelves, they vanished into the darkness almost immediately. The library defied the common sense of the human world. The City of Books. The word 'city' was no exaggeration. And, it was filled with the green, glowing eyes of Bernkastel's countless cat familiars. Trying to count them would be almost as crazy as counting all the fish in the ocean. They formed schools that swam all over the place, on the lookout for any fools who might miraculously have managed to slip in and disturb their master's party. If Battler's group was found, the cats would report it instantly. They would probably form a pack, open their large mouths and swallow them in a single gulp. There would be no fight. In this place, Battler's party would be swallowed like tiny fishes if they were discovered.  Each of them had dozens of cannons pointing at the door to the Golden Land. The goats that packed the decks of the ships numbered in the tens of thousands. Each one of them carried enough anti-magic toxin in their fangs to completely deny one of the game board pieces. This time, they would chew apart and eat away everything. The crowd of goats unleashed their rotten breath and dangling drool. At that time, Erika, who wanted to avoid trouble and hoped Beato would be able to convince Lambdadelta to surrender peacefully, was sitting alone, calmly enjoying the tea Ronove had poured for her. Of course, even Erika wasn't planning to give them unlimited time. In her mind, she had already decided to allow them three yawns before stepping in.   "Indeed, it is impressive that our short-tempered mistress has managed to become such an adult. Pu ku ku ku." "...What's so funny?" "Oh, pardon me. Are you ready for another cup? Please feel free to enjoy our collection of great teas from across the globe at your leisure." The messenger cat shook its head, then continued to dispassionately meow its report.  "...Even Lambda isn't that stupid. She should know what it means to have Auau as her enemy..."Even as she said this, Bernkastel was chewing away at her thumbnail...  "Despite how she looks, that kid has a lot of strange friends... And those are all idly curious, crazy monsters... Even so, to take up arms against the Senate..."...It was possible... She could think of many monsters among Lambdadelta's friends who would love to see a losing side get support and make a comeback victory... Before she realized it, the finger Bernkastel was biting was covered with sweat. "...She might do it. She really is a moron sometimes, after all! Get me a phone, quickly!!"The cat leapt away, then flew back with a phone and receiver.  "I'm going to call up her friends...! I have to warn them not to get involved in this stupid game...!"  "Meow!" However, perhaps 'room' wasn't a fitting word to use. It was large enough that you could probably fit two domed baseball stadiums in it, if you tried. Even so, in this city, these were called 'rooms'. Floating in the center of this vast room... were several sacred magic circles. Wrapped around by these magic circles... was Ange's gold key. Surrounding this were countless emerald green stars, which looked like a slowly revolving planetarium. The eyes that numbered the same as the stars... were all glaring in the same direction.  One of the cats cat-paddled towards EVA, meowing that no one was allowed to enter this room.  "Lady Bernkastel has ordered me to guard that key. So, why don't you leave this to me and get lost?"After looking at each other with suspicious eyes, the cats glared at EVA again, as though saying that they hadn't heard any such order.  "By the way, cats have pretty soft bodies, don't they?" """...??""" "Much easier to chew that way." The reaction from the cats was lightning fast. They realized instantly that this was hostile behavior. The entire emerald green constellation writhed and became a single, massive, deep-sea fish, which charged at EVA with its massive mouth open wide. However, at the same time, the red lines on the floor and ceiling... the massive spiderweb... pinched itself together and crushed the fish, twisted it, spun it around and around, and compressed it to the size of a small ball. Then, that ball-shaped thing burst open, leaving nothing left. It all happened in an instant.  "Why don't you just give up and diiiiiiie?? Ahhahahahaha!!!" After all, when Ushiromiya Eva's diary was opened, the endless cat box would be lost, along with the countless imagined stories that had entertained them for so long. So, this final convention was a time for them to air their best theories one last time. While the opening of the cat box did give them a slightly lonely feeling, they couldn't contain their excitement as intellectual rapists, not when they knew that the Rokkenjima mystery was finally going to be solved, once and for all. If that box were opened, a single girl would be hurt. However, their jaws and fangs couldn't care less. The witch-hunting goat nobles kept licking their lips, wanting to chew apart the guts of Beatrice's cat box as soon as they could... Seated upon a grand throne the size of a pillar, Featherine listened in on the nonsense being spewed from the mouths of the goat nobles. A black cat wearing a cape silently appeared and whispered something into Featherine's ear.  The cat bowed humbly and vanished. Featherine raised her wine glass high, and laughed as she looked through it to the light of the chandelier, which was as beautiful and majestic as the moon.  "This should be enough to thank you for your excellent reading, child of man. Well now. Just who is weaving this tale? Am I for you? Or are you for me? Heh, heheheheheheh." "A trap?"...As Battler's group moved forward, darting from bookshelf to bookshelf and avoiding the eyes of the cats, they found something strange. Written with a faintly glowing, red substance... was a letter and an arrow. That's what it looked like to them. "...Do you think 'K' means key?" "Those marks only appeared when we got close. This is a message aimed at us." "Is there anyone here besides us who'd be willing to help...?" "...Can there really be someone here who's on our side?"Ange traced the red arrow with her finger. It was written with very faint, thin strings that had been tied together. This red stuff, which melted away like cotton candy when you touched it...  "...How can you be so sure?" "...Yeah, I get it too now. Lambda. We can trust the person who wrote this. She'll probably be able to guide us to the key safely." "Are you sure? Then let's go...! We don't have time to be standing around!" "...Thank you, Mom...!" Every now and then, a small fight would break out, which fortunately ended up delaying Erika's third yawn. However, they didn't know how long they would have to continue this fake fight. Keeping this high level of tension going was physically stressful. The instant they tired out and the tension faded, Erika would probably demand a verdict. They had to constantly appear to be trapped and agitated. It was a battle of weariness and tension. This was their fight. Erika waited patiently. Now that she had tired of tea, she was watching Ronove perform some magic tricks, and seemed to be enjoying herself considerably. Even Ronove, who was usually aloof from the world, was fighting. If Erika got bored and had a tantrum, an all-out attack would probably begin at once. He was also putting his life on the line in the fight to buy time for Battler's group... As the fiercest leader in the argument, Beato wore out the quickest. She breathed heavily, and her face was so pale, it seemed she might faint at any moment.  "...Beato, hang in there. Your body won't hold out much longer at this rate." "Pretend to suddenly burst into tears and rest for a while. We'll pick up the slack." "I am still... fine... I can do this... just one more push. Let's go...!! So, who's up next? Who wants to be beaten down first?!" "In that case, I, Gohda, am prepared...!! W, we must fight!! It would be outrageous to accept defeat without fighting!! As I've said from the beginning, fighting with all we have is the only option!!" BGM: None Erika suddenly rose from her chair. Ronove tried to coax her back into her seat, but Erika's attention was completely focused on those arguing under the arbor.  "...I am... the detective. My memory of what I hear is as good as a recording." "We are aware of that, of course... You are quite an excellent detective, after all..." "I'm not interested in you. Gohda-san. I have one question for you." "Y, yes ma'am! Have I done something to cause offense...?" "'Hold on. Don't forget that some of us are opposed to fighting. I think we should surrender.' Those were the first words I heard from you when I arrived here. However, you just said this: 'We must fight. It would be outrageous to accept defeat without fighting. As I've said from the beginning, fighting with all we have is the only option.' That's what you said." "W, well, uh... did I say that...?" "...It is hardly strange for an opinion to change in the course of a discussion." "I, i, indeed...! All of us have been feeling doubts about our position lately, so an occasional change of opinion wouldn't be...!" BGM: Closed my Heart An uncomfortable, moist wind blew by. Everyone was silent, frozen as though time had stopped. In that silence, Erika continued with a blank expression. "...This can lead us to two conclusions. First, it may be that Gohda-san has no opinion... and is just a loser who will say anything that goes with the flow. Second, it may be that none of you has an opinion, and that this entire argument exists only for its own sake." "Aren't you... over-thinking this a bit...? Here we are, in a desperate debate that will decide our fate. I hardly think it strange that some people would act abnormally under such pressure..." "If you have some reason for prolonging a meaningless argument, that can only be to buy time. Do you have anything to gain by buying time? Is it because Lady Lambdadelta's reinforcements will come? That can't be true either. After all, for some time now, I have heard all of you speak to Lady Lambdadelta and Battler occasionally, but not once have I heard them reply. Taking all of this into account, we are left with only one conclusion."That Lady Lambdadelta and Battler are not here now. And, that these people have won Lady Lambdadelta's assistance, with Lady Lambdadelta and Battler probably planning to sneak into the City of Books. In which case, their goal is probably to steal back the golden key... and Ange. And your plan was to act as bait and buy time until their mission was complete.  With a blank... yet ruthless expression, Erika spoke these words and returned to her seat. Everyone else was frozen, unable to move. No one spoke. ...However, time was moving. As evidence, a bead of sweat dripped down someone's cheek, fell, and hit the table with a tiny yet audible splat.  BGM: Worldend Dominator The stakes of the Seven Sisters of Purgatory and the high-velocity rounds from the Chiester Sisters hit the chair at exactly the same time. And a few moments after that, the Erika sitting in that chair faded and vanished.  "...Afterimage!!" "She's fast!! Kill her!!!"In an instant, Erika had moved to a spot behind the chair. Her expression remained as blank as it had been. However, there was now something in her hand that wasn't there before. As the seven lightning strikes of the Seven Sisters raced at her once more, she batted all of them away with her scythe.  Erika lifted her left hand, the one that wasn't holding the scythe.  "Very well, allow me to answer...!!This Golden Land belongs to me, to all of us!! If you wish to enter with your shoes on, then let us give you a proper welcome!! In other words, to put it elegantly..." "...All cannons, prepare to fire. Target: the Golden Land." 
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Nov 20, 2017 14:36
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There will be no update tomorrow, but after that, we should be on track for daily updates straight through to the end.
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Nov 20, 2017 14:37
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Okay, so Gohda hosed one thing up. 
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Nov 20, 2017 15:18
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"...Oh dear." "Gooooooooooohda, you loser-loving foooooooooooooool!!"Freeze frame, laughter and applause, producer credits. Cant blame the poor man too much, because as Beato says, everyone's acting under pressure here... And I highly doubt we would be apoproaching this vasty climax on all sides and then avert it due to things going right. And it seems mi feeling regarding Erika were right. Yes, she's an awful rapist, but god forgive me, I wish I loved anything half as much as she loves smashing people's happiness and dreams into dust. Does this mean I have love now, and can see?
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Nov 20, 2017 16:36
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Man, I know it is gonna be sad when this is all over but it really looks like they are gonna make this one hell of a finale. Though it is kinda funny that in essence they are basically gonna dunk on a whole bunch of nerds who were way to obsessed discussing something over the internet, if they prevent the truth's unveiling in the real world. 
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Nov 20, 2017 17:20
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Everything about this is perfect 
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Nov 20, 2017 21:47
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Oh, that's glorious. I missed the icon on the pirate hat the first time - it's a cat and what looks a lot like chopsticks.
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Nov 21, 2017 01:31
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Both of these are perfect.
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Nov 21, 2017 02:03
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To be Gohda is to suffer. BTW, I didn't get a chance to mention this before, but thank you for posting the confession videos! They were really well done, and I enjoyed the manga a lot!
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Nov 21, 2017 07:50
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In case anyone was curious, I've added Eva's hints to the Quiz Tournament updates.
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Nov 22, 2017 04:15
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But you know, he could have fixed the whole thing, too, by resorting to one of his core skills: ProfessorProf posted:
"That sounds very plausible to me! What excellent perception of character! I am very impressed!" "... okay, whatever."
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Nov 22, 2017 04:37
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ProfessorProf posted:
I want to admit that I was touched when Ange started calling Eva 'Mom.' ...Admittedly it was after she realized that her biological mother was a multiple-murderer, but still.
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Nov 22, 2017 05:33
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 BGM: Worldend Dominator Bernkastel set down the receiver and crossed out yet another name on a list of Lambdadelta's notable friends. Something was wrong. Everyone she called hadn't heard anything from Lambdadelta. They weren't just playing dumb. They really knew nothing about the strange ruckus Lambdadelta was trying to stir up. Even Bernkastel was starting to suspect that something was fishy... Then, a black cat leapt in and meowed a frantic report.  "Lambda and Battler aren't in the Golden Land...?! Hah, hahhhhahahaahahahahhahahhhaah!!!"She tore the phone receiver from its stand. The number she dialed was short. It was probably an internal line. However, after listening to it ring several times, she slammed the receiver down again, finally managing to break the phone.  Bernkastel, overwhelmed with emotion, kicked the table over. Then, the room finally grew bright. It was like green sunlight. A bright green light waved about, giving the illusion that a green sun was rising and lighting the room up. It was a sign that Bernkastel's army had been given an emergency summons...  What was now an emerald green nebula let out a roar of delight that shook the bookshelf cliff...   "What... is that...? A green... sun...?" "...Hide!! They know!!"The three of them frantically hid behind a bookshelf. The room with the key in it was straight ahead. They could see something glinting faintly in the darkness of that room. It was a glint different from anything else they had seen so far in this city. The color of the glint... was gold. They had almost reached the golden key. However, if they went towards it, Bernkastel would be right behind them, along with her vast swarm of familiars. In other words, they were trapped in a dead end. They already knew that the emerald green color came from the eyes of the familiars. However, it was almost beyond comprehension that this undulating green sun could be the same thing, and they could do nothing except stare in wide-eyed shock... The countless cats were passing through the ravine of bookshelves, from the very top to the very bottom. As they approached, they painstakingly checked the gaps between each book. However, even this mind-numbingly huge task was accomplished swiftly, thanks to the sheer number of familiars. With the speed of a gust of wind, they carefully checked every nook and cranny. There was no way to hide from this green sun. That would have been as foolish as trying to hide from water on a sinking ship.  "...Will we be able to hide until they pass us...?!" "No... At this rate, we'll be found no matter where we hide...!"Battler was just about to leap out from the shadows, but Lambdadelta grabbed him by the collar an instant before.   "No, but we'll be found if we just stand here...! So we have to move forward! We need to reach the key as soon as possible...!" "You really think there won't be cats guarding the key?! We'll just be pinched between them!!" "I believe in Aunt Eva...! She's the one who's guided us this far...! I'm sure she took care of the guard cats too!" "I agree. If we're just going to be found anyway, then let's try and get there as fast as possible and grab the key. If we can just get that, no one will be able to open that book!!" "...So, you'll rush in there and grab the key. And then what?! That place is a dead end, right?! You realize there'll be nowhere to run, don't you?!" "We know that, but...!!" "The key will be our trump card. It's vitally important for Bernkastel too. If worst comes to worst, we might be able to use the key as a bargaining chip..." "Bargain with Bern?! You're insane!!" "But if we hide here, we'll definitely be found. In that case, I'll take a bet on that billion to one chance. We'll get the key and have that be our trump card." "So, you're praying for a miracle to win against the Witch of Miracles...?" "Picking a winner out of astronomically bad odds. That's the Ushiromiya family magic...!!" "...It'll break if you just touch it, but it's the sort of annoying seal that'll take exactly one hour to fade, whether a great witch or a lowly human does it. It's still over an hour before the ceremony begins. In other words, we won't even be able to touch the key unless we can buy time for a whole hour!!" "When Aunt Eva took out the guard cats, she must've broken the magic circle too! It probably won't take an hour...!" "As far as I can see, the magic circle is still just fine. Sorry to say it, but even if Eva did touch it, it was less than an hour ago." "Well, what's an hour? At least we know that we can get it if we can manage to stick around that long!" "Yeah. Sure, let's play tag for an hour. I'm used to getting chased around by thugs." "You two really are out of your minds...!! You're really planning to play tag against Bern and all her cats?!" "If there's even a 1% chance!" "You can be certain that we'll grab it...!!"The difference in enthusiasm between siblings, who had everything to lose, and Lambdadelta, was immense. However, Lambdadelta was no coward. She was a great witch of the Senate. If she surrendered, she wouldn't be able to escape severe punishment, but she would be forgiven after a few hundred years. Why would she, after being thrown into a stormy sea while clutching a buoy that could save only her, decide to throw that buoy away? There was no way a living person could be as determined as someone with everything to lose. No one could blame her.  The two siblings looked at each other. However, they both thought that any plan would be worth listening to, even if it would only raise their chances by 0.00001%. "A sacrifice. Bern is a cat. She'll chase fleeing prey, but she'll also kill prey that doesn't flee. And only after toying with it first!" "Cats are terrible creatures..." "...Still, if that's true, it'll be worth the bet." "Let's have one sacrifice. We'll decide with rock-paper-scissors. Whoever loses has to go taunt Bern, then get laughed at and killed, all to buy as much time as possible. Does that work for you?" "No need for rock-paper-scissors. I'll do it. You two go on to the key room." "No way, Onii-chan...!! I'll do it. This is all my responsibility. I was the one who listened to Bernkastel and trusted her. So, I've got a thing or two to say to her!"Both Battler and Ange decided to be the sacrifice and wouldn't listen to the other. "See? You need rock-paper-scissors to decide, right? If you don't act quickly, we won't even have a chance to use this plan. They'll be here any moment." "...Okay. Either Ange or I will be the sacrifice. Lambdadelta, you'll take whoever's left, steal the key, and take them back to the Golden Land." "I won't let you do it. Onii-chan." "Quit joking around. You've got to let me act like a big brother at least once in a while." "There's no time. Rock-paper-scissors, single round! I'm super paper, so of course we'll start with that. Got it, you two?" "Fine." "No regrets, okay?" BGM: None It really was a stupid kid's game of rock-paper-scissors. Since they'd promised to start with paper, this was a chance to make a surprise attack and use something else. However, both Battler and Ange chose rock. ...And yet, it wasn't a tie.  BGM: Future After staring stupidly at their fists and those scissors, they looked at her. "...Ah, dang... We were supposed to start with paper, so I figured I'd use scissors and beat you both. I guess paper should've stuck with paper."There had been no reason for Lambdadelta to join in on the game. This wasn't the time for a joke like that. Battler and Ange, each trying to lose, chose rock. Lambdadelta alone... chose scissors. "Don't tell me... you intentionally..." "If you die, we can't even get back to the Golden Land...! It doesn't count!" "Well then, you can just use this."When Lambdadelta made a clenched fist, a palely glowing Fragment appeared there, and she gave it to the pair of them. Battler had seen one of these before. It was a magic Fragment, like the one Erika had used before disappearing, which would allow one to cross the sea of Fragments. "With that, you'll be able to return to the Golden Land. And anyway, I'm the best person for the job. You two probably wouldn't last a handful of seconds against Bern. If it's me, not only will an hour be no problem, but who knows? I might even win. And I owe her one. I've got to make this my victory and even the score. Still, away games are such a pain."Lambdadelta pretended to complain as she stood up straight. "Anyway, see you in a bit. I guess a show-off like me couldn't stick to being a spectator after all. Sorry for stealing your time to shine. It's sad that I won't be able to watch your game until the end, but I've already taken a look at the script, so I'm not missing anything." "...Lambda..."Then, with her broadest smile and a wink...  "W, wait...!!"Lambdadelta snapped her fingers, and the two of them turned into konpeitou candies. She picked them up, took aim at the glint of the golden key, and flicked them away. That way, they should be able to reach the key without Bernkastel noticing... Dang, what terrible luck. What were the odds of them both playing a rock against my scissors? Yeah, I know. It wasn't nice of me to test you like that. Sorry, you two. And then, Lambdadelta's body was lit up by an emerald green light...  Video: Battle for the Golden Land, Part 1BGM: Flight There was a fierce roar and several bright flashes.  "What in the...? ?!?!"A chain of explosions flashed by one after another, enveloping Bernkastel and her pack of familiars in an instant. They were multicolored fireworks. Or rather, multicolored candy that burst with a flash and scattered everywhere. Countless stick candies, sugar sculptures, cookies and tarts flew in every direction, and each one of those split and exploded into hundreds of candies, each of which exploded again into a cloud of konpeitou.  The konpeito was heavier than lead, harder than steel, and sharper than any blade. As the colorful cloud exploded outward, it blasted the entire pack of cats into little bits. The emerald green glints that were scattered everywhere sparkled like the night sky, and among them danced the cloud of pretty candies that looked like they'd go well on a Christmas tree. It was sufficiently outrageous and beautiful and cute to mark the Great Witch Lady Lambdadelta's appearance on the scene.  "I love you, Bern. Isn't whispering of our love all the better if we're alone?" "...I'll be happy to hear it, after I've plucked off all your limbs."With a jerk of her chin, Bern ordered her familiars to attack.   It was shaped like an impossibly vast whale. However, would it look like a whale from Lambda's perspective? She probably couldn't see anything except an immense mouth about to swallow up everything.  "Ah, simply wonderful. I'm about to be overwhelmed by Bern's love, aren't I?!" "...I do love you, Lambda. Once your limbs are gone, I'll skewer you through your butt and hang you by my bed. Every morning, I'll give you a good morning kiss, and every evening, I'll kiss you goodnight." "Sounds great! Then I'd better wrap you up in my love too!!!"However, Lambdadelta's war cry was swallowed up by the glowing, writhing Leviathan in a single bite.  "...*giggle*. Yes, you are wonderful, Lambda. I love that empty-headed way you just do things without looking ahead or worrying about your own life. "...? Wind...?"The same instant that Lambdadelta was swallowed and Bernkastel was sure of her victory, the latter felt a slight breeze playing with her hair. The countless sweets that Lambdadelta had sent flying like fireworks, and which drifted about like the decorations at a Christmas party, were flowing. No, they were converging on a single point. It was like watching a firework run backwards. Countless sweets rapidly contracting around the vast, closed mouth of the Leviathan. A gigantic reverse explosion concentrated on a point inside it. Or perhaps it was more like countless candies showering the Leviathan from all directions like bullets. ...Inside that mass of green... was a black swirl. That swirl was on a palm. On the palm of Lambdadelta, who wore a defiant smile. It was... a mass of super-concentrated gravity. All of the sweets, the cats, the whale, and everything else was being sucked into that one point and crunched.  "...You're trying... to suck me in...?!"All of the candies Lambdadelta had scattered were getting sucked back into the black hole on her palm at unbelievable speeds. The reverse explosion of the oncoming candy whittled away at the Leviathan, crushing it inwards. "...Lamb... daaaaaaaaaaa...!!!" "Come on. Let me give you a hug." For the first time, all trace of condescension had left her face. Even Lambdadelta's cocky expression was marred by the sweat trailing from her forehead... Because their power was so overwhelming, any victory would have to be instantaneous. If either relaxed in the slightest, they would match each other's strengths and get dragged into another dizzyingly long fight that could last for centuries. Neither of them had any desire to go through that again. So, neither of them showed the slightest mercy for their most beloved friend. By now, the Leviathan had been completely crushed and compressed inside the black hole. Bernkastel was the only one still holding her ground. However, a windstorm of candy asteroids like the asteroid belt repeatedly slammed into Bernkastel, wearing away at her girl's form bit by bit. "...I've got to get away... I'll... really...?!?!"The next thing to fly into Bernkastel's range of vision... was a comet pelting straight for her, with a massive present box at its core and a cloud of candy surrounding it.  The candy comet wiped out Bernkastel along with her scream. It burst into little bits, then within a blink of an eye, it was sucked back into a hole of super-gravity. Once it was all gathered into one place like a gem, it began to spin rapidly. It was flattened by the centrifugal force, turning into something whose shape resembled a galaxy. After swallowing all of the cats and their master, it now looked like a wiggling, flickering, emerald green galaxy that floated just above Lambdadelta's palm. The pocket of super-gravity kept compressing it further and further, until, at the end, it had become a single green, shining konpeitou.  BGM: None "Sorry, Bern. I wanted to play with you always, so I've always taken it easy and pretended to be in a pinch."Lambdadelta held the konpeitou above her head and peered at it.  "But the truth is, I'm just impossibly strong. Sorry."Then, she pressed the konpeitou to her pink lips, gave it a light kiss, and bit down.  Lambdadelta licked her fingertips, then turned to face the empty air behind her.  BGM: Dive to Emergency "Ahh, I love you too, Bern..." "Liar. I knew... that you were never serious against me." "In that case, let's show our love for real. Both of us, seriously." "Ahh, I do love you, Lambdadelta. I'm happy... so happy..." "Ahh, I do love you, Bernkastel. I'll turn you into candy and cuddle you with my tongue forever." "No matter who wins, our love will never fade. *giggle*giggle*, ahhahahahahahahahaha!! That's wonderful, just wonderful...!!" "Okay!! Let's show our love right now!!!" Then, finally, the barrier of the Golden Land was breached by the fleet's assault. It was a bizarre scene. More ridiculous than anything anyone had imagined. The sky of the Golden Land shattered like glass, and a fleet of sailboats flew in one after another. They were crowded with goats pushing each other and spilling off the sides.  Banquet. That wasn't some fancy metaphor, but a simple statement of fact. The overwhelming surge of goat troops came in like a tsunami. The residents of the Golden Land who stood defiantly were like a forgotten sand castle on a beach. A fight between a wave and a sand castle is not a fight. This was a banquet... for the oncoming Vikings at a stand-up meal, the voracious, merciless goats.   "There's no way around it!! Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiire!!!" "<Good>!! Come, goats!! Bring destruction to all that has form, stillness to all that moves! Despair to all who liiiiiiiive!!!"All those who could use magic fired it off at once. With a shout like a thunderclap, the goat tsunami rushed forward. Everything collided at once, and there was a brilliant and terrible explosion. Sparks and smoke, flying splinters and screams. For just an instant, the fierce magical cannonballs fired by Beato, Virgilia, and the Chiester Sisters seemed to halt the goat tsunami in its tracks. However, their numbers were so great that they didn't even flinch. The goat wave continued to walk over the corpses that had been blasted away, or which had fallen to their knees in weariness. The mound of corpses piled up, and still more goats were shot down as they tried to cross it, so that, in a few seconds, it really was tall enough to be a tsunami.  "Perhaps you would do better to think of ripples beating meaninglessly against a wharf. A sandcastle getting swallowed by a wave? Just you try swallowing my castle!!!"Beato lifted her hands, telling the pair of battle towers that had been hidden deep in the ground that the day of glory had come again. The goat tsunami looked up at it in shock. After all, this time the tsunami that towered over everything... wasn't them.  A thunderstorm of rapid-fire ballista rounds leapt from the battle tower gun ports. The goats let out a confused scream at the furious tempest that was bearing down on them. However, they saw something else too. In the sky high above the tower... was a reaper astride a divine horse and backdropped by the moon, a massive spear the size of a tower in its hand. The great witch sitting on the horse by the reaper spoke.   "Do it, Teacheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!"The heavenly spear pierced the ground. For an instant, it looked like some divine tower was sticking out of the ground. However, that was the very last thing those eyes ever saw. The sacred spear was the embodiment of heaven's wrath, and the strength to bury an unclean city in a single stroke was unleashed upon the pack of goats. With a massive explosion that resembled a volcanic eruption, goats were sent flying all over the place.   "But is it enough?!" "The enemies keep on coming! It looks like we'll be the ones swallowed up after all!" "At least you two seem to be enjoying yourselves." "Wahaahahahahahaha!! Festivals are made to be enjoyed!! It seems our time to shine shall not be stolen from us after all!!" "Looks like it!! I'm all fired up!!!"Yes. The crowd of goats truly was like a wave pressing in from the sea. You might be able to split a ripple on the beach with your feet, but you can't split the sea. Witches could. However, that meant the other side also had one who could split seas. Suddenly, smoke poured from one of the two towers, and the ground shook as it crumbled.   "...Wh, what the hell happened?!" "Over there! On top of the other tower!!" "Erikaaaaaaaaaaaaa... But of course, it is your turn now, is it not...?"At the top of the other battle tower, Erika stood gracefully, wielding her scythe.   "...Playing witches was pretty fun. I think I remember playing something like this with some older girls from the neighborhood, when I was younger. So, let's bring this to an end. Now it's time to hear your screams."Erika threw that pretentious pirate hat she had been wearing this whole time into the sky. With the moon behind it, Erika's form... her afterimage... vanished from the tower's peak. "Where is she?!!" "We have her on radar! On the side of the tower!"Shaking with a wild, joyous laughter, Erika dashed straight down along the side of the tower. She swung her scythe like a baton, and as she passed along the wall, the gun ports, walls, pillars, and everything else was crushed, leaving a trail of smoke. So, from the sidelines, it looked as though a line of smoke suddenly split the tower from top to bottom. The golden arrows of the Chiester Sisters chased after Erika like golden threads in a sewing machine.  "You monster...!! Get yourself sewed and embroidered nyeh!!" Even the golden arrows couldn't catch up with Erika. Finally, Erika reached the bottom of the battle tower, and empty cartridges were ejected from the golden bows.  "Explode, useless tower! Did I get that right?!"Erika, who had now landed on the ground, slowly stood up and tapped the tower behind her with the handle of the scythe. That tiny tap cut the final string that held the tower together, and the whole thing fell in on itself with an earth-shattering crash... Once again, the dark tsunami rumbled forward through the rubble and smoke.  The goat tsunami swallowed everything up. When she saw them sink under the black sea of goats, Erika guffawed from atop the debris of the tower.  
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Nov 22, 2017 14:40
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I agree, Doc, it really is sweet that after years of anger and hatred in life, Ange was able to reconcile with Eva in the end, and a big part of why is the corruption of the images that Ange held in her mind- particularly the images of her parents as blameless martyrs and Beatrice as a faceless monster. Those fantasies sustained her these past ten years, or seemed to, but as the Confession chapter pointed out, fantasy can be a trap as much as it can be a bolster. In apologizing to Ange and drawing a direct parallel to Ange’s Suicidal urge, Beatrice did in five minutes what Battler couldn’t do in multiple updates... and at last, there is a sense of genuine healing in Ange’s story. You’ve done it, you awkward ladies. It took ten years and much grief... but in the end, love did prove stronger than hate. Oh, gather up your brokenness and bring it to me now, The fragrance of those promises you never dared to vow, The splinters that you carry, the cross you left behind: Come healing of the body, come healing of the mind. And let the heavens hear it, the penitential hymn- Come healing of the spirit, come healing of the limb. ... Oh yes, the update. It’s good, getting exciting.
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Nov 22, 2017 22:12
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BErn and Lambda are so sweet together.
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Nov 22, 2017 22:23
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I'm glad those two have so much in common. Keeps things from getting boring, at least for a few centuries.
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Nov 23, 2017 01:19
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Things are really tense, but I'm itching for a conclusion soon. I'm starting to feel worn down, and I hate that feeling.
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Nov 23, 2017 04:30
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I went back and added the alternate prize items to the Quiz Tournament finale. Go ahead and check that out, if you're wondering what you might have gotten if you had messed up.
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Nov 23, 2017 06:26
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Hey, uh, Kinzo? What the absolute gently caress
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Nov 23, 2017 06:36
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The Prize for 3 metals is just WTF worthy.
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Nov 23, 2017 06:52
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I like mangoes. Just saying.
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Nov 23, 2017 07:17
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Robindaybird posted:The Prize for 3 metals is just WTF worthy. Goddammit Kinzo, that even has "Ange" written on it. Or as close as you'd be able to get, anyways. Edit: Whoa there, 12 medals. We really should have aimed for 16 medals, for Ange's sake. Also found out that Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross is coming out as a full Steam release, and I saw Erika's hat in the trailer. Cyouni fucked around with this message at 09:42 on Nov 23, 2017 |
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Nov 23, 2017 07:29
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Cyouni posted:Edit: Whoa there, 12 medals. right?!
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Nov 23, 2017 09:43
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Seven and eight are kind of amazing.
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Nov 23, 2017 14:37
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