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 Inganock of the Brightest Flame, officially known as Sekien no Inganock -What a Beautiful People-, is a difficult game to describe. It's the second installment in what's sometimes referred to as the Steampunk Series, though the first installment is commonly considered to be much worse than the rest of the series; so much so that nobody has ever bothered trying to translate any of it in the past twelve years. The installments in the series are only loosely connected, however, and Inganock and the game following it work well enough in concert to serve as an introduction to the setting. Each game in the series centers around a city in one of two places in the setting; Kadath and Seikyou. Inganock, for instance, takes place in Kadath. It's a dark, character driven story. One might call it a mystery, though part of the mystery would be to find out what the mystery to be solved even is. There is fighting in it, but I wouldn't call it an action game; the bulk of the story is focused on character interactions. There is sexual content in the game, but it's rare and I'll deal with those using censorship or by replacing it with a non-explicit description as the situation demands. Gameplay-wise, well, it's a visual novel. Each game in the series tries it's own minigame gimmick to try to get more interactive, but, well, those can be kind of hit and miss. Sakurai (the writer)'s writing style can be a bit unconventional; she likes to play around with words and has a certain habit that some might call poetic and some might call repetitive; if it feels off, try to stick around and see if it doesn't grow on you. Onto the thread itself:
Chapter 1: "The Sky, There Are Two Suns" Part 1 - Gii, the Travelling Doctor Part 2 - A Back-Alley Meeting Part 3 - Afterwork Embezzlement Part 4 - Night and Day Part 5 - Another Day in Inganock Part 6 - Dinner and Nostalgia Part 7 - Fated Encounter Part 8 - Inner Voices I Part 9 - Inner Voices II Part 10 - Inner Voices III Part 11 - Aggressive Gratitude Part 12 - Calling in Favors Part 13 - The Rainy Sun Part 14 - Mutation Part 15 - Why You Kill Part 16 - Hold Out Your Hand Part 17 - Ashes to Ashes Character Profiles Chapter 2: "And Now A Fairy Tale" Part 18 - Sullenness Part 19 - A Different Sort of Morning Part 20 - The Twins and the Madman Part 21 - Inner Voices Part 22 - The Old Teacher, Iru Part 23 - Stealthy as a Cat Chapter 3: "This Sound, Surely if I Play It..." Part 24 - Again, Today Part 25 - Forgotten Fairytale Part 26 - The First Upper Tier Staircase Park Part 27 - Dorothy Woodstock Part 28 - Arboritis Part 29 - Inner Voices Part 30 - God Part 31 - By the Roots Part 32 - Feeling Character Profiles Chapter 4: "A Mirror, Even If It Reflects Nothing..." Part 33 - House Call Part 34 - City Skyscraper Part 35 - Arthur Klein Part 36 - Moth-Eaten Part 37 - Inner Voices Part 38 - Mercy Part 39 - Ruaha Klein Chapter 5: "Right Now, Your Tears Are Right Here" Part 40 - Tears Part 41 - Familiar Faces Part 42 - The Warped City Part 43 - A Peaceful Breakfast Part 44 - City of Lies Part 45 - Reservoir Part 46 - An Old Promise Part 47 - Inner Voices I Part 48 - Inner Voices II Part 49 - City Law Part 50 - Burning Doll Part 51 - Kerkan and ????? Chapter 6 Fates End fucked around with this message at 02:58 on Jun 19, 2023 |
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Jul 21, 2018 18:15
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 Video: Opening (Very recommended!) BGM: Amnesia   He was always trying not to look at it. For some reason, the clown made him recall the past. Memories of the past. He couldn't remember them very well, since they were all broken up into little pieces. The dancing black clown. He'd always tried to avert his gaze, but today... He saw both it and the memories that came with it. That was... yes, ten years ago. His memories were now tender fragments. Countless memories draped in red and black hues. Memory. A deep moan full of screams and despair. Memory. He'd been haughty, thinking that his hand could save them. He'd been so sure that holding it out could save someone. Memory. Lives slipping through his fingers, one by one. Memory. The time when everything in the City began to "crumble."  ——Aaah... ——I can hear a voice asking something. It couldn't be answered. It couldn't be answered. His words would never come, and his extended hand would never reach. That was surely the time when he broke, together with the world. Wandering amidst the moaning voices, gazing endlessly at the tears of many, and moving his useless hands. As if struggling through a deep mist... As if writhing in the midst of a bad dream... ——Ten years. It occurred to him that ten years had already passed since this 《Fantastic City》 had been born. ——Since this world... since this City broke. ——Ten years.   BGM: Always   Infinite masses of inhuman figures came and went. This would've been a strange scene ten years ago. But now, this was the City's standard appearance. A man with the face of a lizard. A woman with the wings and talons of an owl. A youngster who looked like a dog. And people who hid their forms underneath cloaks. This was perfectly normal. The one and only abnormal thing stood at the edge of his vision. ——The clown is dancing at the edge of my vision. ——It's always been doing that. 『Hello, Gii.』    An Illegal Cracking Doc who ignored the obvious "selections" made by City Law and never discriminated by class. He walked through the sea of people in a reconstructed cloak, very different from the usual white doctor's coat. 『Hello, Gii.』 The illusion that only Gii could see. For the second time today, it spoke. The clown that haunted the edge of his vision. If he tried to focus on it, it would fade away. For ten years, this illusion had existed within Gii's vision. He'd never told anyone about it. In this City, an abnormality of this magnitude was all too commonplace. What would be the point?  ......he's not here.On one corner of Crowded Street, Gii whispered as he looked at a certain facade. The greedy Stanislaw seemed to be out. The twins and their cute yet detestable twittering weren't there either. They must've been out making money somewhere. And so, Gii continued to wander, searching for a patient. The City was overflowing with clients. This City. Its name was Inganock. ——The City of Inganock. ——The 《Fantastic City》 that none speak of. It was once one of the great Engine Cities of the Eastern Continent. It'd been beautifully equipped to be the world's first Multi-Tiered Complete Environment City. Now, it was different. A fantastic dreg, isolated and independent. Yes, that's right. Surely no one on the "outside" spoke of this City. Everything changed with the 《Revival》 ten years ago. After being cut off from the outside world by a mysterious mist, Inganock changed and warped. Some said that the City died that day. Gii thought it was a fair statement. It certainly had died. This abnormal situation had caused a great deviation from the City Arcology Plan. Trees and plants grew rampant in several sections, with a green no one had ever seen. Everything changed. The medicine Gii had studied for "the sake of humanity" lost all meaning, because everyone's bodies had mutated. Those who changed into Fantastic Mutants like birds and boars, those who changed into soundless lumps of rock, and those who changed into dying plants. ——Each and every one. ——Each and every one of them changed. By now, there was no pure and simple human in the City's Lower Tiers. ——Yes. ——Including Gii himself. Video: The Good DoctorBGM: Calmly Days  「Thank you so much...... for coming all this way, Doctor—sama......」 「Thank you for carrying your feet...... to this shabby place...... aaah......」  It's all right. Don't talk, you'll hurt your bronchi. Using his hands and "right eye," he examined the patient's condition. An understanding grew within his mind. She had terrible pneumonia. In a Tier even lower than Infinitely Crowded Street's, on a corner of the Thirteenth Slum District, Gii examined his second patient of the day. Pneumonia. Malnourishment and weakened immunity. Ten years ago she would've been a goner. But now, every disease that existed before the mutations could be dealt with somehow. Gii used a Phenomenon Equation specialized in physical healing. It was also known as Cracking. With it, he rewrote her body's code. ——They can all be dealt with, somehow.  He closed his eyes. He felt the light of the Phenomenon Equation through his eyelids. It was probably the first time she'd seen it. The woman raised her voice out of fear and admiration.  It's all right.Please, close your eyes and relax. I'll be done soon.It's not that bad. (Yes, nothing's that bad anymore.)It could be dealt with. From what he could see through his Equation's "right eye," the location and nature of her internal organs were mostly the same as a human's ten years ago. That helped. However, Gii's "right eye" could see it. The woman's lower abdomen. A section of her intestines. It was already beginning to mutate into something insectoid. Her physique as well. Her shoulder blades were beginning to coexist with an exoskeleton. The old Gii would have thought: 'How can she still be alive with such organs?' Organs from multiple kinds of organisms were melting together. Despite that, she was still alive. But, that was Inganock for you. An isolated City where the smog and sludge of the Steam Engines went hand in hand with such fantasies and mutations. This woman...... she was in her late thirties, with five young children. She'd probably be completely mutated by the time she reached forty. Fantastic Mutants existed with the qualities of insects, namely the 《Shelobs》 living in the forests of the 《Upper Tier Staircase.》 Their kind had a calm temperament, but... Their external appearances were those of insects. Most of the time, they despaired and went mad, cursing their fate and their mutating bodies. ——I can't do anything. ——Not as Gii. What would become of this woman once her mutation completed? And what of her children? What would they think of her? I can't do anything. I haven't been able to do a thing these past ten years. 『Hello, Gii.』 That was unusual. The illusion called to him a third time today. He didn't bring up the mutation. He ignored the clown. Gii focused his mind solely on the activated Equation. ——My "brain" is functioning. ——The organ administering my Phenomenon Equation. Yes, Gii was also mutating. Thanks to that, he could do this. Because his brain was mutating into something so different, he could do things that would've been impossible ten years ago. Like a bad joke, he could now use this trick called the Phenomenon Equation. Ten years ago, Gii's brain had warped into this. Gii knew about the Equation composing her, and her illness. In other words, he could see "miscalculations" and tamper with them. He carefully picked them out one by one. A number was 1 when it should have been 3. He rewrote it into the correct 3. With that, the healing ended. Procedure complete. Thank you for your patience.The treatment's over now, madam. He confirmed with his "right eye." He'd definitely exterminated the bacteria in her bronchi. Healing complete. Something simple like this could easily be dealt with. Gii scorned himself as he gazed at the patient.  There were countless things which couldn't be healed, despite cramming the Phenomenon Equation into his mutated brain. Like the bacteria floating throughout the infected Fourth Reservoir Lake. Even for something like this, where one simply removed the focus of a disease and restored organ functionality, there were times when nothing could be done. The 《Taboo Infections.》 Death by mutation. Rampant drugs. And the forty-one Creatures in hiding. Countless lives, flowing, falling... Few of them could be saved. ——That's why, ——In the end, ——This light... is nothing more than a trick. 「Thank you so much. Sensei...... umm, your fee......」 [Gii] You don't have to pay now. I don't mind being paid in installments. He was looking at the five children. They were peeking through the door in the other room. [Gii] At the end of the month, or even next month. It's all right, pay whenever you can. Would there ever be a time when they could pay? Too many of the people in the Lower Tiers were sick. None of them had a chance of becoming rich Upper Tier Aristocrats or Engine Millionaires anytime soon. When she weakly tried to protest, Gii stopped her with his hand. [Gii] I don't mind. Fates End fucked around with this message at 18:06 on Dec 3, 2018 |
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Jul 21, 2018 18:16
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BGM: Always It gathered around those who didn't need it. Gii felt he should just take it from them instead. ......nonetheless, he knew that he was close to starvation. How many days had it been since he'd last ingested something other than water or coffee? He couldn't remember. How many days ago had he last felt hunger? It wouldn't be long before he'd have to choose a slightly richer customer through the dealer's influence. His own health was nearly at its limit. Video: The Orphans Then, he saw a trio of small shadows. Their heads popped up out of nowhere. [Parul] Sensei! Gii-sensei! [Gii] ......hey, Parul. Are Lupo and Polun with you?   Good afternoon Oji-chan.Good luck with your work today.  Well, umm... You have to call him 'Onii-chan.'Right, Gii-sensei? Umm, umm... Eh? Really? It's Onii-chan?But Lupo's the Onii-chan. Lupo's the little brother, since I'm the Onee-chan.   I see, that's good to hear.The children's smiles... Innocent, with no fear of tomorrow. ——My heart aches whenever I see them. ——What do I mean by 'good to hear?‘ Three children who'd been exposed to 《Arboritis,》 a disease often referred to as 'the seeds that sow death.' Their infected hands and feet had been replaced with cold Machines. Even now, he could remember that night. That night, when he'd implanted cheap Crack Engines into those kids. Move specifically, they were Engine Limbs he'd gained from taking out a loan from the mechanic, Morimoto. Screaming voices. Crying, loud voices. ——They remind me of something... ——Something from my hazy memories of ten years ago. But he couldn't think about that. He couldn't. Gii quickly thought about something else. He didn't need to look at his pocket watch, he could tell the time just by looking at the sky. It was already evening. The gray was a darker shade than normal. The smog-filled sky. A sky that'd long forgotten the color blue, even before the 《Revival》 ten years ago. A subtle distinction between hues. This is no time to be playing outside.Go home, all three of you. Eeeh?But the boss brought tons of work with him today...... Yeah, yeah!The boss bought a new Engine Machine. Now the factory's full of smoke. Is that so?Engine Machines. Blessings of steam culture, given form by the great Scholars to support the people's way of life. Factory, Farming, and Manufacturing Engines. Machines that allowed people to live comfortably in Inganock. However, the smoke they gave off ate into the body. 'I'll research the signs of asthma as well as Engine Limb maintenance. And I'll be sure to do it before their next exam,' Gii thought. 'This place is far too twisted for children to live in.' That's why we haven' t had time to play......Just a little more is okay, right Sensei? Umm, umm......I want to play outside some more...... ......no.Go home. Their foster father was the boss of a small Engine Factory. 'When would that man start abusing them?' People would bet on things like that in the nearby Engine Taverns. If they were helping with the factory work, then not yet. They should still be fine. [Gil] (More importantly, I should keep track of the time.) Looking around, he saw no recognizable faces. There didn't seem to be anyone he could entrust those kids to. There was an Engine Spirit nearby. Other than that, only... Only—— The clown at the edge of his vision. I'll walk you home.I'll tell the boss about this, so make sure you apologize to the landlady. 「Eeeh?」 「Eeeh?」 「O-okay. 」 ......three answers. 「Yeees... 」 「Yeees... 」 ......and two more late ones.  Even for just half a mile, it needed to be done. They couldn't be left alone. ——This City is already broken. ——I can't leave them be. If he said goodbye and left them now, those three surely wouldn't live until tomorrow. He'd heard that child abductions were common around here, and found it disgusting. It'd been years since he'd last felt proud of that opinion, but even so... He held their hands. He couldn't not lead those children home. Home to the Engine Factory, which could hardly be called safe. He walked on, trying not to think about anything. ——Aaah... ——Even now, the illusion dances at the edge of my vision. Fates End fucked around with this message at 20:15 on Jul 27, 2018 |
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Jul 21, 2018 18:17
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Oh hey, this is my favorite visual novel. Looking forward to revisiting it!
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Jul 21, 2018 19:05
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StrixNebulosa posted:Oh hey, this is my favorite visual novel. Looking forward to revisiting it! I never knew this even existed, and am extremely, extremely interested. Beautiful soundtrack as well from what I've heard so far.
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Jul 21, 2018 20:10
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You had me at mysterious doctor. Gonna see where it goes since the world information given so far could go to either great or horrible places.
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Jul 21, 2018 22:20
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BGM: Always Gii walked down the Infinitely Crowded Street. He was heading toward a slightly higher district. But despite being higher, it was still part of the Lower Tiers. The Upper and Lower Tiers. The former was one small part at the peak of the City. Everything else was part of the "City's Lower Tiers."  [Gii] I wonder if Eralee will have something to tell me. The Lower Tier Citizens that Gii encountered often had two kinds of reactions. A careful analysis would reveal endless variations, but there were two major types: The first was a warm reaction, like the ones of the three children and the patient from earlier. Gii didn't like that type. It made him remember calmer days, from before the City warped. Moreover, he was deeply affected by just how powerless he was. Compared to that, he found the other kind of reaction calming. The scornful people who pointed at Gii as if to say 「What a weirdo, 」 because that was exactly what he was. The Fixer, an influential man on Crowded Street, and the med school classmate from when he went to the Upper Tier University. They'd both repeatedly called him 「weird.」 Gii also saw himself as truly weird. There was no gain. No matter what he tried to do, he'd just be tormented by a sense of powerlessness. Even so, he continued to perform illegal healing. ——I can't go on without doing it. ——That's right. Even though the world had changed... Even if it was already broken... He couldn't stand still. He'd been doing this every day for the last ten years. ——Aaah... ——Even now, the clown is dancing at the edge of my vision. Video: Eralee's Lecture He was listening. Gii nodded, urging Eralee on. Eralee Barnes. A classmate from ten years ago. They'd once studied medicine together in Inganock's Upper Tier University. After the 《Revival》 he opened a hospital and met with reasonable success, working on humans who had barely any mutations. It was a strange thing—— Among those who'd retained most of their human features, there were a lot of High-Class Citizens from the wealthy Tiers. That was why Eralee had done so well. He was making the "correct" usage of the skills he'd earned. He wasn't wasting the medicine created for the sake of humanity. His operating hours were from 1 to 7 PM on weekdays. Closed on weekends. It was said that he held parties every weekend. Gii recalled seeing the 《Myrmidon》 nurse by the hospital entrance showing an unpleasant yet charming face. He was pretty sure that the four-armed girl was Eralee's current lover. The informant twins said that his real love interest was a merchant's daughter who he courted every week at the parties. That' s right, Eralee had done well.  You're an excellent man, I know that.No one could ever match your skills, even at the University. I could've dropped out at any time and it wouldn't have made a difference. You're actually doing quite well.You haven't abandoned medicine. When anyone else would have given up, you studied and mastered Cracking. You understand, don't you Gii?I admire you in a certain way. Gii also knew that Eralee despised him in a certain way. He despised Gii because he worked on those who had no money. Despite knowing that such a thing was truly meaningless in this City. Eralee wouldn't understand. ......because Gii himself didn't understand either. I don't want you doing anything that'll make you stand out to the Upper Tier Soldiers.You understand, don't you Gii? You seem to be seeing a lot of those children the Engine Factory took in. They say you even bought and implanted their Crack Engines.Gii tilted his head. He couldn't tell where this was going. Just what was his former classmate trying to tell him? Dosages of drugs given to patients post-op. Something even the Phenomenon Equation couldn't replace. He'd come to Eralee' s hospital to stock up on them. But today, Eralee's lectures and complaints were taking a long time. Listen, culling isn't a sin. You know that.But opposing it is a sin. What you' re doing is a violation of City Law. ......I'm fine with it, but... The Citizens think differently.I'm sure you know, but far too many children have disappeared lately. There's a rumor on the streets that you' re the culprit. Since you recklessly perform voluntary healing, those your hands can't reach end up hating you.Don't you understand? They certainly are pitiful, but what does it matter? Don't get in too deep.You'll only suffer for it. For every patient indebted to you, many others will begrudge you. That made sense. There was certainly some truth in that. Gii gave a vague nod. It shouldn't be much longer before this led into drug embezzlement. He seemed to be wrapping up his lecture. Seriously... I say this much and you still wear that cool face. Never mind, just lay low for a while.Be more careful about how you act. Hold back on the illegal healing. It'd only be your loss if you got killed by a Runner. 'If I got killed, huh? I see.'  Aaah—— At the edge of my vision—— Fates End fucked around with this message at 20:17 on Jul 27, 2018 |
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Jul 23, 2018 16:45
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BGM: Always Alcohol. Women. Even drugs. The drunks continued to vomit grandly in the back-alleys, and thieves slept with their hands in their pockets. Prostitutes picked up clients along the main street, cheap illegal drug vendors shouted about new deals, and sparks flew on the Engine-Type electric bulletin boards scrolling over their heads. The Urban Roamers, no longer able to wander to other cities, made their usual racket, which could hardly be called music. They sung of their sad fate trapped in Inganock. ——Hearts go wild here. ——People wish for just one night of dreams. ——The King doesn't protect his citizens. ——Instead of joy, people continue to quaff poison. Instruments with broken strings lay at the Roamers' feet, and an old empty food can laid open with three shillings inside. A paper bag containing bread crumbs and three more shillings, a glass bottle with a tiny amount of fluid inside, and some broken instruments. ——Their only assets. There were no longer any humans who'd pay for just a song. Until ten years ago, this sort of thing never happened in the gigantic nations centered around the Engine Cities of the greatest kings and nobles. People had been living peacefully in them. A Complete Environment City. In other words, a world with no need to trade with the outside. All production and consumption originated and vanished within Inganock. An Ideal City dreamt up by the great Scholars. But now, those ideals easily burst at the seams. There were many nightmares, and only a handle of pleasant dreams. Even now, Gii remembered someone he met six years ago, an aged teacher who spoke of life itself. The Old Teacher, who'd changed into an 《Ezeck》 resembling a feline. For him, with his insight into life, the fantastic change tormenting his body was nothing more than a cool breeze. He'd probably throw some shillings into that empty cup. [Gii] (But somehow, I still haven't given up completely.) ......given up. Given up. ——On what? ——What don't I want to give up on?  Almost like a memory, he could see it at the edge of his vision. Although he shouldn't be able to see it clearly, Gii felt as if the clown was pointing toward that entrance. Gii knew what was there. A shop that smoked both legal and illegal drugs. There was an illegal brothel at the back. People said it was a melting pot of pleasure. The twins had whispered that some of the rich merchants with ties to the Upper Tier went in and out of here. However, it was a place Gii had no connection to whatsoever. Even when he paused in front of this place, there was only a short exchange of greetings with the owner. Tonight should have been no different. And yet... Video: Reunion Unfortunately, yes, as usual.How's business, Alisa Greg?  If you'd buy one of the shop girls... that's right, I'm running low on drugs to mix into this hookah.Would you help a friend out? [Gii] I don't like those kinds of jokes, Alisa Greg. Alisa Greg. The owner of the opium den providing pleasure to all without discrimination, from laborers to wealthy merchants. The rumor that she'd attack you with drawn fangs if you didn't call her by her full name was true. She was also a client of Gii's. A drug that had been popular a few years ago had eaten away at her heart. The hookah was her life. Hey, Gii, a new girl came in tonight.I'm sure you'll get in the mood, right? Pretend I tricked you and go try her out. [Gii] Well—— They didn't usually talk for this long. However, today... The dancing illusion at the edge of his vision... Again, he had a feeling that it was pointing. Gii hesitated in answering. The image of a clown, which he knew was nothing more than an illusion, seemed to be saying that there was something inside the brothel. 'Something inside the brothel? What is it?' [Gii] (There's nothing in there but beds. What would Freud say about this?) [Gii] (......am I getting desperate? Reckless, even?) He could hear strange sounds coming from the owner' s snake belly. Weariness was mixed with that calm comfortable sound. She was tired. So was Gii. So was everyone. He gave a small sigh, and shrugged his shoulders. 'I'll just see her face, Alisa Greg,' he said with a sigh. Gii went through the door.  'Would it be easier if I became dependent on pleasure, like the people having fun in the other rooms?' he thought. No. He was just tired. Gii heaved a sigh. Just a little tired. He'd walked all around the Lower Tiers and healed six patients today. He wasn't quite up to the walk back home. He could just sleep there for a while. He'd give that girl some time to take a break. 'I'm spending money again.' While Gii absentmindedly thought that, he knocked on the door. It opened. BGM: Burn With Love  ——Salem? ——The smell of medicine bottles. ——A high voice laughing at imperial tabloids. Yeah, that's it. This... high voice. This... soft yet shallow laugh. Despite all that changed over the last ten years, he recognized those two things. Gii didn't express those thoughts. Instead, the girl opened her mouth. Her clear smile soon disappeared. He saw an expression without flair. Aaah, he was right. That face, that expression, and that skin. There was no mistaking it, it was Salem.    You were in the school of medicine......yes, that's right! Eh? Is it...really you......!? Yeah, it's me.It's been a while, Salem. Ten years I think?  An embarrassed smile. She'd never made this kind of face in the past. Salem. Yes, it was Salem. Gii remembered. She was once a friend of his, studying at the same university. To think he'd see her again in a place like this... Nothing had surprised him lately. What sort of face was he making? Gii tried to imagine it, but couldn't. He looked at Salem's face, at the thoroughly changed form of his old friend. ——Her body... ——It looks like a human's, but... ——The sunken color burnt into her eyes stands out.  Ummm, yes, that's right.Something, yes, right. Shall I prepare some alcohol? I'd like to talk to you, okay?  A flattering voice, as if imploring. A voice that Gii had never heard before. An expression he didn't know was covering Salem's face, but that didn't surprise him. After all, ten years had passed. Ten years that Gii didn't know about.  What did Alisa Greg say? She said that this strange customer came, who she'd seen before he even crossed the threshold, and he stressed her out like it was her first day.Even though she's a pro. Hey, is it true that you'll pay her even if you don't sleep with the girls? Maybe.Move importantly, Salem, about Alisa Greg...  She tore up someone's face once, even though he was a customer. Salem sat down on the bed, giggling like a girl. 'Even though she was a pro...' That made sense. She was used to Salem's line of work. There didn't seem to be any falsehood in those words. Actually, I moved to this Tier only three days ago, and then she let me do my work in here.But this is great, do you live nearby? Yeah, very close. Come visit again sometime.I'll make sure the room is clean.  ......what? You can't come and visit?Or do you mean that the rooms are filthy?  Salem, where've you been all this time?What's happened to you these past ten years? He thought she was dead. He thought that way about all the people he'd known before the day of 《Revival.》 After all, his family died, as had many of his friends. They all died from Engine fires and Creature injuries. That was why he'd considered Salem to be someone who'd died a long time ago.  ......a more "horrible" place than here? *giggle* You're right, you're right.It's the same everywhere. It's all a dump. Yes, you're right. So you can tell jokes now. I don't tell jokes.It's true, everywhere's the same. But, have you changed?Before, you were—— Oh, stop that.More importantly, why not have fun while we talk? I'm incredibly good you know, I had quite the reputation at my previous shop. She dodged the question with a smile. Her past seemed to be something which couldn't be touched, surely for the same reasons as Gii's. He shrugged his shoulders. Just for a moment, he touched Salem's cheek. I know the old you. I'm sorry.I can't make jokes.  I'll do it with you.You can do anything you want to me. For you... yes, I'd even have your baby. I'm serious, you know? Don't repeat the same joke so many times.Wasn't humor your strong suit? Back then, he often heard Salem's bright laughing voice. He had a feeling that this was one of the little pieces of his fragmented memory. Salem laughing, and Gii watching. It was nostalgic. No, not that... 'Didn't something else happen too?' he thought. It wasn't something he should remember. Nothing would come from remembering. So, how should we kill the remaining time?Just talking together will drag on a while.  I see...... okay then.Good night, umm—— It's Gii.That's what I call myself now. Then good night, Gii.Sweet dreams. ——Good night, Gii. ——Sweet dreams. She said that with a smile. Only that smile and that voice of hers were as he remembered them. BGM: None     BGM: Calmly Days It certainly did feel like morning. He could hear just a little of the warped birds' twittering. Influenced by the Equation, his "right eye" could see light on the other side of the eternally gray mist, even through the curtain. The curtain. Something familiar entered his vision. His small bedroom. An apartment he couldn't quite call comfortable. The Engine-Type Air Conditioning was the pride of his room. And—— He felt someone else's presence. But it felt familiar. His tense nerves soon relaxed. A presence suited to the dark. If she seriously silenced her breath, Gii probably wouldn't notice her. [Gii] ......Ati? He sat up and looked to one side. There she was, the Black Cat lying on the bed.  [Gii] And yet, I'm a light sleeper. I thought it was still morning, but I guess not. Good evening, Ati.  It isn't morning. Good evening, Gii.No, not that, not that. Good morning, no... Good afternoon is the right answer, Gii. [Gii] Sorry about that. Good afternoon, Ati. The smell of food reached his nostrils. It came from the other side of the door. Usually she'd make just enough for herself, eat it, then hurry off to work. She was a cat, the Black Cat. That was her 《Street Name.》 A pliant and agile Chrome-built black female cat. Ati the Black Cat. A Runner who worked only for money. She was a cat with no collar. Always free, never looking back, here one minute and gone the next. He didn't worry about it. Her presence was no longer unusual. Gii pulled up his blanket and tried to go back to sleep when—— There's enough brunch for you too, Gii.It's not that good, but do eat it. [Gii] ......what? He woke up, completely this time. That whimsical cat had made him brunch? What change of heart was this? Cooking? Her? ——Rare things do happen. ——The Black Cat's hands aren't suited for cooking and yet... By the way, Gii, where were you last night?Having fun? There's a woman's smell on you.A really thick one. Whose? ——Aaah... ——So that's what this was all about. She was practically freedom incarnate. What reason did this cat have to worry about Gii? Out of the two kinds of reactions people often had about him, which one was hers? In some ways she was like the children. In others she was like the dealer and Eralee. Gii couldn't pin it down. Somehow, he just couldn't grasp that cat. [Gii] No, she's an old friend, not a 'woman.' Liar.[Gii] I'm not lying. I hate lies.I don't forgive liars. Don't do things I hate, Gii. [Omitted CG: Ati straddling Gii. Her tits are out.]  ......aren't we friends?She pushed him down hard. When she was serious, Gii couldn't hope to beat her. Ati bore down on him, pushing him into the bed. He could feel both her weight and her softness. Her face was close. Her breath touched his lips and cheeks. Don't lie to me.We've known each other too long for that. [Gii] If we're friends, then let go of me. Please. ......even though it's been so long.........Gii, you've been no fun lately. [Gii] (This is bad...) ——Being this close together... ——I can feel her supple body. Muscles far denser and more pliant than any human's. That was why... Ati had thrown her body into the world of the Runners. She could hunt Engine Humans and ferocious Monsters. Gii's overall physique was the better of the two, but if Ati was serious, her victory would be certain. Absolutely certain. To begin with, Ati was stronger than most 《Pucelles.》 There were a number of reasons for that. Even so, Gii's bones weren't creaking and her retractable artificial claws weren't tearing him apart. She was holding back. She wasn't trying to hurt him. Gii knew that. He knew that, but... [Gii] ......I'm telling you to let go. N. O. If you really want to reject me, then try using your Cracking.I won't resist it at all. [Gii] I can't do anything but look. The rest is all trickery. And I want you to look.[Gii] Cut it out with the jokes for today. I'm sorry, but please let me sleep a little longer. No, it's past noon.[Gii] ...... ......okay? If you're trying to be polite, then stop it.After all... I think... we're too close for that. Hold me, would you?I just used the shower. Unsurprisingly, there was the scent of Engine Factory-made soap. Gii was careful not to inhale it. The scent of soap was his weak point. He turned his face away, and Ati's followed him. She was looking at him close up. Don't run away.Keep that up and I'll get mad, you know. ——You're already mad. ——I considered saying that aloud, but... [Gii] I don't have the energy. Then get some energy by eating something.You're drinking nothing but coffee again, aren't you? [Gii] I'm drinking water now. Same difference.You'll still die if you don't eat something. And I don't want you to die, Gii. ——'Since I'd lose another safe place to sleep.' ——That's how I thought she' d finish her sentence, but... She said nothing. Instead, her gaze silently fell down on him. A beautiful golden eye looked at Gii. That right eye of hers was strange even among 《Pucelles.》 They exchanged gazes within that silence. One second. Two seconds... Gii couldn't help but look away first. For some reason, whenever that eye gazed at him for too long, he lost the will to disobey. Was it because of its golden beauty? Or... something else... [Gii] I will, soon.  ......l see. So that's how it is.Then how abort mouth-to-mouth feeding? Do you want me to force it down your throat again? [Gii] No, that would... Then will you go eat properly?Will you eat the meat and the vegetables? [Gii] ......no, that would be... What.[Gii] I'll do my best. ......you'd better do your best.I don't like it, but it's at least somewhat reassuring. You're weird as always, Gii. [Gii] Yes, as always. 
Fates End fucked around with this message at 20:21 on Jul 27, 2018 |
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Jul 25, 2018 17:46
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BGM: AlwaysVideo: Another Day in Inganock He stepped outside his apartment. She was right, it was already past noon. Beside him, the Black Cat puffed out her chest, as if to say 「Told you so.」 His watch pointed to eleven. The sensation he felt when awakening was just the morning's end. Behind him, the apartment's automatic lock snapped into place. Without looking back, he began to walk toward the monorail, and Ati softly approached his side. Yesterday, and today... What was wrong with her? Forget the clown, forget the brothel. For whatever reason, even Ati hadn't been normal lately. Gii turned his gaze toward Ati's head just once, and thought, 'The clown. Is it here today, at the edge of my vision?' He wouldn't acknowledge it today. That would disturb him too much. He walked silently for a while. So did Ati. The Lower Tier monorail was close to his apartment. He could walk to the monorail station within a few minutes. A small station shaped like a steam trolley bus stop.   There really was no need to hold back.You're not fasting or anything. [Gii] In Seikyou they seem to call it Stoicism. I wonder what it's called now?  Sorry,I'll make it up to you some other time.  ......some other time.He pushed Ati into the monorail, which was headed for the nearby Saltwater District in the Lowest Tier, and waved to her through the glass window. She showed him a smile like the three children's, and mouthed 「I love you.」 He shrugged his shoulders in return. The sound of departure. The Engine-Type monorail left. His friend left. Gii exhaled lightly. Now, time for work.Surely she was off to work too. Work. She'd probably do something dangerous, as always, and he had a pile of unprofitable work, as always. Traveling and healing. But before that, he'd stop by the dealer's place. The man said to stand between the surface and the secrets of the Infinitely Crowded Street. The dealer, Stanislaw, was most likely waiting for Gii.  Good day to you too.You have a lot to say today, Stanislaw.  Too many children are disappearing.I'm sure you know about this. Rare things did happen. Gii raised an eyebrow. This is the man who'd said that no matter how hellish the City became, it wouldn't change the fact that money was the magical tool for obtaining everything. Fixer Stanislaw, the black market dealer. Something was bothering him. ......I thought this might be the right time, since jobs I'm needed for should've piled up by now. We'll get to that later.Ten have disappeared this month already. Part of one of their bodies was found. Did you hear about that? Yes, a part. A part of a child. A remnant of a tragedy. ——Tragedy. ——Red and black. ——I've tried not to imagine it. ——I've tried to avoid remembering. It seems to be the work of a Fantastic Mutant with supernatural strength. Perhaps one of those new types of 《Ogres》 over two meters tall with no rationality to speak of. It's unusual for you to care about the welfare of other people's children, Fixer Stanislaw.It was of no personal concern to him who lived and who died. By the standards of ten years ago, Fixer Stanislaw would never be considered a good person. It simply wouldn't be possible. Gii observed the dealer without changing his expression. What was he trying to say? He just wouldn't get to the point. Aaah, that's right. It's only some dead brats.The matter has nothing at all to do with me, Doctor. It's a High-Class Citizen. Oooh?The thought sickened him, but he made sure his expression didn't reveal it. There's a High-Class Citizen who pays the Upper Tier's taxes and my protection fee.One of his kids disappeared. This is very bad news, Doctor. At this rate, the eyes of the Upper Tier will fall on me. Not the Aristocrats, but the scum from City Management. The two of us aren't so different.If they're scum, we all are. No mistake about that.Your jokes have gotten good, Doctor. No, maybe it wasn't a joke? You say funny things. However... An Enforcer......If a Highness Agent comes down here... Who knows what'll happen. Nothing good.I can only imagine. ——I don't want to imagine... ——What a Highness Agent would do. Right, that's exactly right.That is why, Doctor, I'm telling you this right now. If you see anyone suspicious, report them to me right away. There are loads of suspicious people wandering around.You could open a museum about them after examining Crowded Street for a day. ......I couldn't agree more.This City is nothing but trash and scum. Anyway, if one of your clients happens to be the sort of cautious, sinewy guy who'd kill a brat, tell me.I still value my life and my money. Yeah I understand.By the way, I also have something to talk to you about. Before that, Doctor...He answered with only his eyes. Why? Gii must've talked to this man too much today.  Of course not. Don't joke about that.
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Jul 27, 2018 16:49
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This is weird. Not specifically in a bad way, just a "I'm not sure where this is going yet" way. Following this, if nothing else.
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Jul 27, 2018 19:18
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BGM: Always 「Here's a token of our thanks. Please accept it, Doctor Gii.」 There was no need to count the extra shillings he'd received. It was a large sum. Stanislaw had introduced him to the son of a High-Class Citizen, said to be a wealthy merchant. He received the shillings, and his job was finished. He would be fine for a while, if he remained frugal. However, his thoughts were of Engine Limbs and other medical goods. He was hopelessly thrift. Those children were still growing. Crack Engines for three people didn't come cheap. He'd also like some new clothes. The prices were high, but...... His old ones weren't going to fit him much longer. Three people...... Just three people, out of the million in the City of Inganock. He wasn't even their caretaker, yet he continued to do all this for them. 'Why am I deceiving myself like this?' He'd long since ceased to scorn himself with such questions. ——Even so... ——It's impossible not think about it. [Gil] (I can't get rid of this fatigue.) [Gil] (Yesterday it made sense. I thought far too much that day, but now...) BGM: None   BGM: Detective  He looked straight into the crowd, at a figure who stood opposite a group of crocodile-headed men. Two days in a row. He hadn't thought they'd meet again this easily.  It was just before 9 PM. She must've been on her way to the opium den. There was a fair distance between Gii and Salem. Normally, he'd have no reason to call out to her. But she was an old friend of his, he couldn't just ignore her. Maybe just a greeting. Gii continued on through the crowds to avoid losing sight of Salem, and within two seconds, he noticed something. ——She's searching for someone? ——She's turning her head left and right amongst the crowd. Meeting up with someone? Then he shouldn't make her late. It'd be best not to say hello. At this rate, they'd see each other again anyway. Then—— Someone appeared to be speaking to Salem. A man in gray clothing. A part-time City Management Officer? A dangerous person to be searching for. The part-time Officers violently stole people's money. They were nothing more than thieves permitted by City Management. [Gii] (What horrible luck, Salem.) [Gii] (The Officers can't be reasoned with.) Should he go and help her? They were no big deal if someone simply paid them. As Gii hesitated, he saw Salem's slender fingers slide into the man's pocket. She appeared to be holding five shilling coins. ——A bribe? ——She seems to be quite used to it. She then kissed the man's neck, probably hard enough to leave a mark. The aroused Officer wore a comical expression. He gave no impression of coercion or wariness. Evidently, Salem was more experienced in dealing with them. ——Strong indeed. ——If she can do that, there's no need to worry about her. But the moment Gii turned his back to her...  I've been troubled all day, I just can't seem to get used to this place.Could I have a bit of your time? ......she'd noticed him. There was no choice now. Gii nodded. Since he'd gone home early last night, he'd been thinking of doing more work than usual, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse Salem's invitation. The black illusion at the edge of his vision seemed to stop moving a little whenever he looked at Salem. Salem, what time do you start working? You're worrying about me? How sweet.Don't worry, I'm not needed at the shop until midnight. I've decided to work outside for today. ——A street prostitute? ——Then... what he just saw was a solicitation. ——Gii pretended he hadn't heard that. They let you show up to work late?For a new hire, that's exceptionally good treatment. ......yes, it is, but it's only natural.After all, doesn't this bring in more customers? The last shop I worked for was the best in its area, so I did this a lot. The best?That's problematic. I can only show you places with tea and bad food. *giggle* I'm fine with bad food, Gil.I've already forgotten what delicious food tastes like. I see, that makes sense. There's a small Engine Tavern nearby with cheap prices, though the alcohol and the food aren't very good.Shall we go? Do you go there regularly? Maybe I do.I'm pretty sure—— If he remembered correctly, he hadn't been there in over two months. He hoped that his memory was functioning correctly, but he couldn't be sure. Gii took Salem's outstretched hand, and traced his memory back to the Engine Tavern. In less than five minutes, he saw a familiar sign. BGM: Amnesia Video: Reminiscense He was met with the pungent odor of alcohol. It was a cheap tavern on Crowded Street. The noise and smell felt much worse than it did outside. Laborers who came to turn today's wages into alcohol, poor people who won a small bet on an Engine Spirit race and those who'd simply come to forget about tomorrow. He looked at the counter. Every bar stool was full. At the same time Salem found a two-person table. He shrugged and sat down with her.  This waitress looked like a cute human girl, but she was a young Fantastic Mutant 《Elw.》 The right person for the job. He ordered quickly. He remembered the menu from his previous visit. Fish and herbs raised in the Sixth Reservoir Lake, fried Seikyouan style. Then, Engine Factory-made vegetables and cultured meat stewed black. And finally, one cup each of cider and coffee.  Ah, no, it's not for me. Oh?So you remembered that I like cider. I'm glad to hear that.  Cider I can drink as much as I want.But I'm surprised, Gii. Was there something else to be surprised about? Gii silently urged her to continue. Shops like this...A long time ago they felt so strange, and now it feels like I go to them all the time. You've changed too, I see.  To me, you're the one who's changed the most. ......do you...want to talk about the past? Maybe.——Although I no longer remember it. ——Not clearly enough. His fragmented memory was still broken. To the closed and independent Inganock, anything from over ten years ago held no meaning. After all this... There was no need to remember it.   Did you know?They say that there's no trace left of the Upper Tier University. On the day of 《Revival,》 a Creature came out. I might have heard that rumor. Yes, not a trace left of that gorgeous white castle.All that remains are the remnants of kids with broken dreams. ——So we're remnants? ——I see, we could be called that. However, all the people are in despair.Clear your ears. You can hear them, right? ——I can hear them? ——Hear who? See? Even now.Can't you hear them? The voices and groans of them breathing onto your back—— ——The voices and groans... ——Of who? Salem's sudden poetic recitation ended and she closed her mouth as if embarrassed. She smiled at Gii apologetically. What was that? A poem someone recited in a dream I once saw.I forgot the dream right away, but that part of it just wouldn't leave my mind. Since it mentions a castle that vanished without a trace, it reminded me of the University...... No, it wasn't bad.As thanks, I'll foot the bill here. You will......?Sorry to make you... I'm relativity well-off today, though I don't know if I will be tomorrow. *giggle* That's a strange thing to say.You re like the old Eralee from ten years ago. Back then————Ten years ago. Eralee. A white coat. ——I can only remember fragments. His memory was discontinuous. He thought Eralee had a part-time job... Do you remember? He was so lively back then.He talked to so many girls and got dumped all the time, because he was too strange.  I think it was a summer night when he came to talk to me.Ah, I was so flustered, so flustered... ——What?  Yes, it's true, all of it.But don't you think he had good taste? Maybe.That's a hard question. And just before they exchanged answers, the food, alcohol and coffee arrived at the table. Gii suddenly remembered that the coffee here tasted very bad. He passed the cider glass to her, and took the coffee cup in his other hand. They made a toast. *clink* The glass and cup made a pitiful sound. To our reunion. Yes,to our reunion. ......you've gotten good at dodging questions too?Aaah, but I understand how you became good at jokes. Salem laughed as she said that. She giggled, like a little girl. ——Aaah, there they are again. ——That smile. ——Those eyes. ——That voice. The same as before? No. Today, he didn't think that. Salem's eyes. They had a sunken purple color. They had once been filled with hope, but now they brimmed with a light stained by fatigue and disappointment. The color of her eyes was different from Ati's gold. This is fun. Thank you, Gii.It's almost like we're back in the past. ......yes, maybe we are.Just now, he lied. Not even for a moment did he think that they'd returned to the past. Surely Salem was thinking the same thing. Everything was different from the past. Everything had changed. ——Everything... ——Has changed form. ......you really have changed since then, Gii. Maybe. Yes you have.You used to...... 
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Jul 29, 2018 17:30
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BGM: Always He could hear them as he walked through the crowds. The laughing voices. Some from alcohol, some from drugs. A parasympathetic nerve reaction. Perhaps his use of the Equation made his brain mutate into something even stranger. 'I don't smile anymore?' Now that someone had mentioned it it sounded awfully true. He was also aware that he didn't scorn himself as much as he used to, if at all. But that didn't particularly matter. ——And yet, ——Salem's face and smile weigh down on me. For some reason, even after parting like that, her face remained at the forefront of his mind. Within the crowds wasn't there anyone wandering around in the form of a butterfly? [Gii] (People can change... a lot.) He'd seen a great many people mutated. Salem might just be the first one he'd known the original form of. Most of the humans he'd known had died. His living friends were all still human on the outside like Eralee. He was the same as Gii. One of his organs had already completed its mutation. That man had two hearts. The first one was already dead. His circulatory system couldn't endure the blood flow of two hearts, so one of them had to go. Afterward, he'd lived on with pain crushing his chest. [Gii] (......change, huh?) He returned his gaze to the crowds, and decided to do some more work. Maybe the twittering twins were in their shop? He wouldn't mind if their prices were high. For now, he had money. Information on Hosts. The only people who'd buy such a thing would be undertakers, mourners, and insurers feeding off the laborers. He might as well go all out to be hated. It was his job, after all. If the time ever came for him to be killed... If the blades of the Enforcers and Runners ever came down on him... ——If that's what happens... ——I'll think about it when it happens. Then—— Video: RecklessnessBGM: None 『Hello, Gii.』 『Take a good look at the crowds.』 ——My gaze moves naturally. BGM: Detective  He looked straight into the crowd, at a small figure beside a giant robust man. The man was probably a Fantastic Mutant 《Ogre.》 Even in this City, they were prominent for their strength and ferocity. A fearsome type of Mutant. Huge, hungry beasts. Was he taking that girl with him? A small child. His gaze was softly drawn to her. She held a weighty leather case in one hand, and the Mutant was pulling her along. The present time was just past midnight. She was too young to be a street prostitute on her way to a hotel. There was a fair distance between Gii and the girl. Normally, he'd have no reason to call out to her, but his gaze wouldn't leave her. Because Gii understood. The 《Ogre's》 eyes. That peculiar vacancy. ——It's that new drug. ——He's been poisoned with low quality Amnerol. ——Aaah... ——I've just seen something I shouldn't have. They couldn't possibly have been father and daughter. There was no way they could be a respectable pair. The girl was trying to reject him. The man was completely unconcerned about it. Gii could tell just by looking. He understood, just by looking. He knew, for instance, what would happen if he spoke up now. ——'Be more careful about how you act.' ——'It'd only be your loss, ——If you got killed.' ——My loss, huh? ——It certainly would be. BGM: Girl Grins  The girl... looked toward him. Their mutual gazes... crossed. The girl's eyes looked at Gii's. They weren't golden eyes like Ati's. Gii wasn't their sole captivating interest. And yet, they wouldn't look away from him. They weren't clinging eyes, wishing for help. They were simply gazing toward Gii. Straight and silent. They exchanged gazes without a word. One second, two seconds. ——Aaah... ——This isn't good. I mustn't do this. BGM: Hopelessness  「Let go of my hand... yeah? What... are you... saying... to me... of all people?」 ——I... ——I'm speaking to the man. Gii blocked the way of the thick-haired man, the crowds slipping past them. He looked just like a hero out of the picture books ten years ago. On top of that, the man's unhealthy voice had told him to let go. This was bad. He hadn't even considered how he'd feel in this man's shoes. But there was nothing to be done about it. Nothing to be done about anything. [Gii] Even if she is your child, it's no time to be taking her out for a walk. 「Aaa......? You...... l... bought... this... kid... you... hear?」 There was no mistake. The Amnerol was influencing his speech center. He must've been heavily poisoned. 「What she does... what she eats... it's all... up to... me...... got that......?」 「What are...... you......? No... mutations......」 「A mere... human... is...... Don't...get so...full of...yourself!」  「Hurry back... to your... home... and gently caress... your... human... woman!!」 [Gii] That doesn't make any sense. 「Aaa......?」 [Gii] That child is human too. More importantly, Fantastic Mutants are also human—— It was probably different in the Upper Tier, but in the Lower Tiers, they were all the same. Everyone crawling around here was a human. ——————. He noticed his vision suddenly lurch. His body shook horribly. A red taste grew in his mouth. By the look of things, he'd been hit in the middle of his sentence. The man's fist was as large as Gii, and it dug deep into his side. He felt the sensation of his ribs snapping and breaking. Fragments pierced through his organs. This was dangerous. One more hit in the same place and he'd die. Thankfully, the second fist impacted elsewhere. The strength of a 《Ogre's》 arms was truly a marvel. [Gii] (This is bad...) He'd calculated it. This time. This place. If he was lucky, if this made a big enough commotion... Nearby crowds certainly couldn't do anything. A berserk 《Ogre》 is more dangerous than the usual Monster, and more importantly, it'd just be "weird" to want to get involved.  But as he thought, he was once again hit. Then with one hand, the man grabbed Gii by the neck. Perhaps he'd grown tired of punching. So he wanted to break Gii's neck with one hand? It wasn't impossible... ——A creaking sound suddenly rang out. There was a weird sound coming from behind his ears. This was... dangerous. His circulation... his oxygen... He could see something at the edge of his vision. The clown? No not that. The girl. The one in black. Their eyes met. [Gii] (Eyes met?) Yes, their eyes met, just as they had done before. As the man moved forward to grasp Gii, he moved further away from the girl. Not a bad result. Not that part, at least. Gii himself, however, was in a bad state. He couldn't think about unnecessary things. Another creak. This time, it was probably his neck bone giving way. He'd assumed that he'd be strangled while dangling in the air, but a fourth fist suddenly beat into his side. Gii thought of it as a huge iron hammer. ——————.  The stimulation of the new drug combined with the man's rage had lit a flame under his base ferocious nature. Now he was... shaking him to death? [Gii] Sor...ry......but...... [Gii] It looks like... I'm going to die...... before I can......satisfy you...... 「Gugieee!」 Even for a beast, his voice was too horrible. The man's eyes lost focus and spun around. His raised fist was aimed at Gii's cranium. So he'd finally decided to finish Gii off? 「Gueeah!」 ——This isn't good... ——Didn't she make it in time? 「......stop. Now.」  A wind blew. Sharp, slicing. Black claws extended from her fingertips, straight through her gloves. The artificial claws which retracted into her finger bones sliced and tore sharply. Red danced out from the frenzied 《Ogre's》 arm. He'd been cut. 「Giiah!!?」 Claws and a golden eye left vague afterimages in Gii's hazy vision. So fast. The 《Ogre》 couldn't follow her with his eyes alone. The golden-eyed cat and the 《Ogre》 operated at physically different speeds—— BGM: Always  After that it was simple. There were several sharp sounds of sharp blows, and the 《Ogre》 disappeared from Gii's vision. Most likely, the man had fallen to the ground, beaten. He shouldn't have died from that but... When Gii tried to speak, blood gushed out of his mouth. Were there still parts of his body that he hadn't yet restored? [Gii] *cough*...... ......don't...kill him...Ati......   He heard Ati sigh. He couldn't see her face, as Gii had also fallen to the ground. The entire time he was being beaten, he'd been using the Phenomenon Equation to restore himself. His vision shook. His head hurt. He probably couldn't stand. His restored organs were hypersensitive. He couldn't move, and didn't want to move. ——That really was... ——Dangerous. He'd calculated that. He knew that if her work for today was finished Ati would be drinking in the nearby tavern. ——No, it wasn't a calculation. ——It was a gamble.    Even though he wanted to look, he couldn't move. His whole body was screaming. Besides, Gii's field of vision was gradually shrinking. His consciousness grew dim. Who was she...? Aaah, that's right there was that girl. ——The girl whose eyes met mine. [Ati] Who is this girl? BGM: None  ......there was no way he could know her name. ......he'd never had a chance to ask.  ......so that's it. ......so your name's Kia... Fates End fucked around with this message at 22:54 on Jul 31, 2018 |
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Jul 31, 2018 17:16
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This is so surreal and weirdly addicting? Anyway count me in for reading along.
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Jul 31, 2018 18:43
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Video: Aftermath BGM: Calmly Days  A faint sense of morning floated in the air. He could hear just a little of the warped birds' twittering. There was a chance that it was already past noon... He was pretty sure that'd happened yesterday or the day before as well. Influenced by the Equation, his "right eye" could see the light on the other side of the eternally gray mist. The light of the "sun." That dull brightness without form. On one part of the sofa, something familiar entered his vision. This wasn't Crowded Street or his bedroom. This was...his apartment's living room? The unpleasant noise of the Engine-Type Air Conditioning reached his ears. And—— He could feel someone else's presence. A sound. Not the sound of his air conditioner, or of the raindrops on the roof. A sound...made by another person. A scent. It was a warm, sunny scent. And of...cooking? Ati's? No, it wasn't a familiar presence. However, it wasn't unknown to Gii.  During his beating, he'd made his internal organs and his neck bone top priorities for restoration. He'd failed to heal all of his other bones and muscle fibers. As he cringed from the horrible pain, their eyes met. BGM: Girl Grins  「......good morning. 」 ——The girl. ——It's not Ati. That girl. The one he'd exchanged gazes with amongst the crowd. At the time, she'd been wearing flimsy black clothes. [Gii] ......you are......? [Gii] ......no......your name...... It's...... [Gii] I......heard it......? ——Kia. ——Yes, that's right. I heard your name. 「Thank you for saving me. 」 ——Why... ——Does that smile... ——Seem so horribly bright? BGM: Amnesia  So remember what I said about each game having it's own minigame to try to give an illusion of gameplay? Inganock has... this. It's a sequence puzzle. You click a character or object that isn't blacked out to get an 'inner thought', which locks some characters and unlocks others, you can see what will be available to click next 'turn', and this goes on until you've run out of stuff to read or you've reached a state where everything's blacked out, at which point you reload from a previous save or hit 'end' and live with the consequences. The ovals on the outside are specific 'key' thoughts and as you get more, the pictures on the outside get clearer. Getting all of those 'key' thoughts are the bare minimum for the game to consider you to have completed the game, but... Well, let's do it like this. I'll show you all of the inner thoughts for now, but afterwards we'll continue as if we've hit 'end' right away without seeing any of them.  First off, we pick Ati. The icons lit up at the top are what will be available next turn.   If I had to pick one word to describe him, it'd be "different."Everyone who knows him says that. I think that too.He's different. ......in many ways. His body isn't very warm.Wherever he looks, his eyes are languid. Even when he sees a familiar scene, his eyes stay the same. He purposely specialized his Phenomenon Equation for Healing, and can't use it at all in combat.That's also different. Strength becomes money.One can even get used to Runners and criminals. Ah, they're pretty much the same thing. Gii's different, though he looks just like a human. People say that it's because what's inside him is different. If his appearance was the weird part, there'd be plenty of others far weirder than him. Gii... he's different. ......but, I don't dislike that about him. Next, Gii.  That girl who calls herself Kia.I'd felt that name of hers in my vague consciousness. A mysterious girl.I feel as if I've seen her somewhere before. Have Kia and I......met somewhere before? No, that can't be, we haven't met.Scanning my memories brings up nothing, not one person who looks anything like her. Hypothetically speaking, if we did meet ten years ago—— On that day, at that time ten years ago...Only my memories of the fearsome 《Revival》 could...... I don't possess any proper memories of that time.No, no one in this City does. A certain researcher once said that it was due to the influence of an enormous terror. I don't know the truth. No one does.That researcher continued to study the Creatures, then went mad and died as the last of the university professors. Within my fragmented memory.........no, that still can't be true. If I had met her ten years ago, then how old would that make her now?Surely she'd look older than she does now. ......although, If, by the influence of some mutation, her physical age has been fixed, then that changes everything. Mysteriously enough...... I'm not feeling even a vestige of mutation in her,though that's just my first impression. ......that's yet another mysterious subject.There's no such thing as a Lower Tier Citizen with no mutations...  Now, the dangling robot arm.  The Royalty & Nobility-Owned First Class Engine City Inganock. That's the name it once went by. Presently, no one calls it that. Everyone calls this place the 《Fantastic City.》 Located at the Southern tip of the Eastern Continent, it's the capital of the Engine Cities that were once owned by Allied Kings and Nobles. Some say that it's like an enormous castle. Originally it was a Multi-Tiered Complete Environment City whose construction was based on the Arcology City Plan. It was an enormous construct, with several stacked Tiers that over a million citizens called home. A million citizens...... the Lower Tier Citizens live in the 「Lower Tiers」 which make up ninety-eight percent of Inganock. All of the Tiers besides the City's peak. Two percent of Inganock live in that peak. It's called the 「Upper Tier.」 It's the castle of the City's Controllers, the Upper Tier Aristocrats. The Arcology Plan had been proceeding smoothly. Inganock was at long last about to become the Ideal City. But now, it was the 《Fantastic City.》 Ever since that day, that time...... Year 2206 by Central Northern reckoning. Year 533, Month 12, Day 25 by the Allied Kings and Nobles' reckoning—— ——In other words, the destined day of 《Revival.》 The City was enveloped in the explosive formation of the 《Infinite Mist》 and completely isolated from the outside. And then, the City changed into its new, mutant form. First, the people mutated. Next, fearsome and fantastic Monsters materialized. Then, strange, never-before-seen diseases ran rampant in every Tier. 'It was Hell,' one researcher said. The details of that event no longer remain in any memories or records. One month after that day...... ......the City's population plummeted to five hundred thousand. Terror and despair attacked the people. Time passed for a while. Then the City's ruler, Grand Prince Astea, presented his Phenomenon Equation and Crack Engines—— And the people gained new means of living in the City. No, coexistence with the City. The kings of those fearsome beasts currently hold their breath, and despite fears of the occasional Monster or strange disease, people are continuing to live their lives. ......very few of them dream of tomorrow. This is Inganock. The 《Fantastic City》 that none speak of. A City covered by a gray sky and an Infinite Mist, where no one ever speaks of dreams of tomorrow.
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Aug 2, 2018 16:39
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BGM: Amnesia Salem...  I'm pretty sure he preferred the theoretical side of it, prioritizing the logic behind healing over practical concerns. And now, he's a Traveling Doctor.There's something strange about that. I think he was the type to be loved by girl, and not the other way around.I don't remember it too well, but I'm pretty sure he was. 'He tickles your maternal instincts...'Or, 'His passion is simply wonderful...' ......I heard a lot of things like that. Passion...Does he still have that? Passion......Passion......?  And with our first key thought lit up, let's move on to... I guess this is a mask of some kind?  Within Inganock, not one person possesses accurate memories from back then. On that day, at that time, when the fearsome 《Revival》 came to pass, nobody could hold onto their memories. No one can remember it. People can't return to that time. 'That's because of the terror,' someone once said. 'Nobody wants to remember that month of suffering.' That was a definite possibility. Those memories did connect to their pain, so it made sense to get rid of them. ......however, that's not it. The reason why they can't remember. The reason why they won't remember. Someone once said that its origin lies in "them" who gaze at people.  The last thought-haver for this chapter is the girl Gii got turned into bonemeal trying to save, Kia.   Almost as if it's warped somehow.There are so many things I don't know here. So many things, so many people.I've never seen so many people before. I thought it might be a parade, but that doesn't seem to be the case. There's so much l don't understand.That's why... why I stare sometimes. ......I stare.........close enough that it won't be rude. So many things l don't know in this City.For some reason that makes my heart leap.    Whatever you want to do, it's money, money, money.You can't do a thing without shillings. Of course, the amount of money you need depends on what Tier you live in.Above, it's a lot. Below, not so much. The quality of your room, the type and taste of your food, even the clothes you can buy change.Without much money to spend, it's hard. The lower you go, the lower and lower the standards of living go.It quickly becomes unmanageable. if you want to live extravagantly in the First or Second Tiers, either pray you're born in a higher Tier your next life, or save up until you can purchase moving rights. Aaah, that's right.There are a lot of people who don't have to work too hard. If you're born in the First Tier, you're wealthy.If you're born in the Seventh Tier, you're poor. If you're born in the Lowest Tier, my condolences. For us Runners, it's easy to forge moving rights, and if we get lucky, we can earn tons. But, well, yeah. Normally it's impossible.It takes a lot of effort to escape the battlefield in one piece. I happen to be a pretty well-known Runner, but my room is right next to Crowded Street. It's more of a storehouse really.I often sleep at Gii's place instead. I'm pretty sure Gii forged his moving rights too.Where was he born......? ......I don't remember.Well, it's the same everywhere. Aaah, that's assuming you're skilled enough to earn your keep, of course.  She looked completely different back then.Her face was basically the same, but everything else was different. Now that l think about it, the freshness of a woman might be a horrible match for Salem. Her personality was quiet, but she erupted at times.That intensity was... yes, like a flame. l remember her getting into fights with difficult friends, wearing that white coat of hers. ......now there's no trace of that.Salem has mutated as well. Salem, you were once my friend.You've changed now, but...... Even so, I think you're still you. You remembered me. ......and I...remembered you too.   They make up ninety-eight percent of Inganock. The term refers to everything other than the City's peak. All manner of extravagance and poverty can be found in the Lower Tiers. Mercy is the only thing not to be found. Separated into Tier Plates numbered from one to thirteen, the higher parts are inhabited by the bourgeoisie and entrepreneurs. The lower one goes, the more the poverty stands out. A Complete Environment City, whose resources are kept secure to some degree by the City's Internal Production System, a remnant of the Arcology Plan—— Within the City, economic activity is freely permitted. That might be why... Socio-economic gaps stand out far more than they did ten years ago. It's said that some in the Lowest Tier starve to death. Even now, somewhere in the Lower Tiers, there are City Orphans who've lost their parents. Only Engine Factory owners might adopt them. In the City's Lower Tiers, most humans are either consumers or laborers, or else they're nothing more than salesmen. ......if this was ten years ago... ......there might have been someone preaching reason. However, no one would accept such a thing now. The Citizens will even accept the murders committed in the name of Grand Prince Astea's City Law——    So many people I've never seen.I was surprised, and in awe. That's why I was nearly taken away.That big man pulled me along, ignoring me no matter how much I protested. I'd thought it was all over. But... but... right then, he spoke to me.......somehow I remained safe. I was scared.I was really scared. ......but... that black woman was wonderful.I'd never forget her, even if I only saw her once. She was so cool, and pretty.I could only stare at her, amazed. I wonder if...... that woman noticed. It'd be nice if she hadn't......
Fates End fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Aug 8, 2018 |
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Aug 4, 2018 17:45
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BGM: Amnesia  We were the same.Both of us were elite candidates who passed the Upper Tier University's entrance exam. But if I had to compare us... he was far better than me. Of course, he had his pride.Being such an excellent human that the Upper Tier selected him for this did come with a sense of pride and superiority. But, even that crumbled apart...ten years ago. I don't want to remember it.Besides, my memories from the day of 《Revival》 are all too fragmentary. ......which is just fine.l don't mind not remembering. I'd go mad if I did.I'd become even more insane than I am now. Which is why... that's just fine.Just the truth that I was once an elite is enough. That's enough for me, although I'm always told that it doesn't really matter. By myself... And by that green... Technically, this is enough to count as having completed the minigame, but there's still a good bit more worldbuilding, character insight, and clues to be gleaned from it.  The Law of Death established by Grand Prince Astea. It doesn't allow the weak to survive. 'The weak are sins of the City.' Thus it is written in the preface. Those who've contracted severe illnesses, or were injured by a Monster... They're all given a trialless execution at the hands of the Upper Tier Soldiers. The stated reason for its legislation is subtly different between the Upper and Lower Tiers. In the Lower Tiers, the Grand Prince made the following formal announcement: "So that those with level two or higher life impairment shall not markedly detract from the City's productivity..." The announcement given to the Upper Tier Aristocrats was different. it read as follows: "Due to the fact that weakened bodies and minds beckon Monsters to have their way with us and thus lead to many deaths..." ......that was it. At present, exchange between the Upper and Lower Tiers has been prohibited, so not one person is able to point out the contradictions between these two reasons for legislation.   Was it ten years ago that I met you?I'm pretty sure... it was eight years ago... when your golden eye finally set. I remember how you acted when I first met you.You were a little different back then. ......I should thank you, Ati. The fact that I'm still barely alive... it's mostly thanks to you. Now that I've lost my body heat and my desires for sleep and food, I doubt I could maintain my own bodily functions if you weren't like that. I do believe I understand... that fuel is needed for living things to act. Yes, just like Engines.Without Energy to fuel them, they won't run. ......however, for some reason, I can't put anything in my mouth besides coffee. All I can do is inject myself with expired nutrients and pretend it's not a problem. That's why I thank you, Ati.I'm deeply thankful. You cram food down my throat by force.Sometimes I think I'll asphyxiate. ......but I'm truly indebted to you.Thank you. If you weren't here,If you didn't talk to me, I wouldn't be able to live in this City.   Entirely new "fantastical" technologies researched and developed within the City of Inganock. They took form at the hands of The Grand Prince as he grew steadily more worried about the destruction and mutation of the City. He was also one of the great Scholars. Two years after the fearsome 《Revival,》 the Grand Prince declared: 「The success of the Phenomenon Equation Experiment」 Using his new technology, a certain mathematical theory could be implanted into one's brain. It could then produce phenomena surpassing the laws of physics. The theory was simply called the Astea Theory. Colloquially, it's called the 「Phenomenon Equation」 or simply 「Cracking.」 Very few can master it, but—— That became the people's hope. The "magic" of fairy tales had been born. A destructive force that surpassed firearms and explosives... Powerful techniques for restoring a damaged body... Though it wasn't decidedly effective against Monsters and Creatures, the Phenomenon Equation had certain byproducts. ——Those were the Crack Engines. Engine Machines created through the use of the Phenomenon Equation, either to be equipped on or implanted into a human body. They were originally developed as artificial limbs for hosts of physical mutations, but their present applications have expanded to include strengthening of the mind and body. Many humans in the Lower Tiers have substituted these Engines for mutated bodies or limbs lost in Monster attacks.   Within a single month of the 《Revival,》 it's said that the Creatures killed five hundred thousand people. The people see the Creatures as "calamities." No one handles them like living things. Since they couldn't be defeated through physical mean, they couldn't possibly be handled as such. Bullets and poison had no effect on the Creatures. The Creatures, who imitate the forms of illusory fairy tale beasts, are said to kill humans by the orders of some other entity. The difference between them and normal Monsters is that they all have a 'spring screw' somewhere in their bodies. There's sure to be one in the body of any Creature. With heights ranging from three to twenty meters, no form of physical destructive force, other than their unique weaknesses, will ever harm a Creature. They release a sound which stiffens the human mind. It's been called "the voice of panic." It's also called the "Creature Voice." It's known that a portion of them were "subjugated," but many of them still remain dormant.    ......Gii wasn't one of them, but......I was quite heavily influenced by them. They were arrogant towards Adaism or something from the Central Northern Empire, which believed in female recognition and promoted gender equality. The sexists were the antithesis of that and people flocked to them. 'Women should stay in the kitchen, and never go to men's places.' Because they believed that...the sexists were seen as a godsend. ......and because of them.........something very painful happened to me. ......so painful, it can't ever be undone,......now that I'm insane...   One of the smaller Creatures, though still much bigger than a human. After several sightings of it, it was assigned the name of a reportedly similar-looking wolf beast said to reside in the snow-capped mountains of the Eastern Continent. It was nocturnal, and known to feed on humans. It's said that it devours the very mind and terror of its victims as nourishment, but the details are unknown. It rarely attacks humans on its own, instead choosing to lure victims toward it using its reformation ability. Its hypnotic powers. Once, five years ago, there was a fearsome 《Sacrificial Cult》 made up of those hypnotized by it. The 《Cult) brought about a great many sacrifices, but once it was destroyed by the Street Knight, Wendigo disappeared as well.   They supply various forms of mechanical power, perform high level calculations, and even manage information. They're a key part of culture throughout all of the 《Known World》 in which Inganock exists. At present although Inganock is isolated from the rest of the world, it's no exception. Engines appear all over every Tier of the City. They're all External Combustion Engines, and the greater their size, the greater the output. Aristocrat's mansions and Engine Factories, as well as some merchant homes, are allowed to set up large- and medium-sized Engines. At the level of an ordinary subject or citizen, one small Engine exists in each house. In addition—— These past few years, it's become normal for people to steal Engine Energy. The most popular targets are City Administration's power conduits. They're used to power the large machines it manages in each Tier. This is often done from the City Skyscraper. It's located at the top of the City's Lower Tiers, and the stolen Energy can be sent anywhere in the Lower Tiers.    The girl I left at Gii's place.Her name... I'm pretty sure she said it was Kia. She was wearing some very well made clothes.Where's she from? For someone wandering around Crowded Street, she's just too young, and too good. .....a mysterious girl.Why was she even there to begin with? Maybe I'll keep an eye on her for a while.After all, Gii went to such lengths to save her. ......she doesn't seem to be... a bad girl. I'll keep this a secret from that on turtle Stanislaw. Who knows what he'd say about this. ......after all, a Runner looking after someone... is really weird.  I was finally able to lay eyes on you.I felt so happy. I'd finally found you.I also felt a bit uneasy. ......what about you?What do you think? Look at me.What are you thinking......? 
Fates End fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Aug 8, 2018 |
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Aug 6, 2018 18:00
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BGM: Calmly Days 「What's your name?」 「You're called Gii? Is that a pet name?」 「You're...... a doctor? No, you just have a lot of medicine bottles. Also, Gii, how old are you?」 The taciturn impression he had of her must've been due to the way they met. The girl who called herself Kia talked a lot. She'd asked for his name, his line of work, and his age. She smiled while whispering that the room was lovely, and then asked again if his wounds were all right. ——My wounds are fine. ——They're nothing to worry about for now. He kept saying that, but she just wouldn't believe him. She appeared to not know about the Phenomenon Equation. Gii thought it quite unusual, though he'd heard that at least one part of some Tier doubted the Equation's existence. By listening to Kia, he figured out that Ati had carried them both all the way back. For some reason, Ati wasn't there. Maybe she wasn't good with kids? Video: Lost?     Yes, it is.Was there a need to ask that twice in a row? Gii shrugged his shoulders.   His torn muscle fibers and broken bones stung. Gii put his right hand against his side. ——Activate cranial organs. ——Begin substitution healing via Cracking. As he correctly rewrote the scattered numbers one by one, his broken ribs slotted back into place. He didn't need his "right eye" to tell. All that was smashed was healed anew, and all that was broken was replaced. Even so, it hurt quite a bit. Light leaked out of his palm. It sparkled like blue jasper. The Cracking light had no reflection in the mirror, and penetrated the body with a shallow coldness. Only a few seconds. It was sickeningly easy to heal external wounds like this. This blue light had defeated and discouraged many surgical doctors. ——And... A pair of eyes were gazing with great interest at that spectacle.  What is that?Such a pretty light... Is that making you better......? This is called Cracking.Look. my wounds are already healed. She poked him in the side several times. No pain, just a slight numbness.  Cracking......So bringing that next to a wound heals it? How strange...... and it sparkles so beautifully...... It's just a trick, nothing that interesting.It's not that rare either. He erased the endoscopic light that his "right eye" had created, and clapped his hands together. Thus ended Gii's trick. Kia had been staring intently at it, and now raised her head as if just remembering something. She spun around looking at things in the room, then nodded.  That's right, I've prepared dinner as thanks.I did some cleaning too, but there's still several places I haven't gotten to yet.  No, you don't need to thank me.That woman saved you, not me. I gave your wife a packed lunch earlier, since you still hadn't woken up, Gii. You don't need to do all this, just go home.Oh, and she's not my wife.  Gii, I know it was you who saved me.Didn't you calculate it so that your wi-...... that lady would come for you?  ——She saw through that? ——This child? That doesn't matter, go home.l can handle the housework on my own. ...really? Really. She said that and pouted. Gii was...surprised. A child who didn't want to go home was effectively an orphan. Even Parul, Lupo and Polun. Kids like them weren't rare. In general, such kids hated their foster parents and educational facilities. At least, all the ones Gii knew did. Not once over the last ten years had he heard of a registered foster parent or facility that didn't treat orphans as mere mouths to feed. Not even once. [Gii] (An orphan......?) [Gii] (ls this girl..?) What is it, Gil?No, this girl was no orphan. Her clothes were in too good a condition. Just by looking at her, one could tell that she was probably the daughter of some Citizen in the sixth class or higher, from one of the few families with blessings to count. [Gii] (Strange... she doesn't seem to be running away from home either.) And yet she was unlike any orphan he'd ever met. The education program received by sixth-class girls was basically a reimprinting of the City Plan and the Upper Tier's superiority. There was no way she'd autonomously move to another Tier. Such conduct was illegal. It was prohibited by the City Law at the core of her imprinting. A case of failed imprinting? No, the chances of it weren't zero, but—— Even for a joke, it's not that good. There had to be another possibility... ——Another possibility... For example, the possibility that she was kidnapped by a slave trader? Even by mistake, no Sixth-Class Citizen would be out in those lineups. If she was, she'd be very expensive. Plus, she was too much for that 《Ogre》 to deal with. It was a matter of conduct and temperament. [Gii] (Would it be faster to just ask?) ......Kia,could you show me what you have in that suitcase? Sure, but not the underwear.That'd be embarrassing. ......? Was she showing displeasure? No, that wasn't it. Kia showed him the suitcase with a surprising directness. She removed the combination lock and opened it right under the Engine Lamp. 'It looks just like a traveling suitcase...' Such absentminded thoughts threw Gii's mind into chaos. ——I can see her suitcase but... what is this? ——What... is this?  This is...... He thought it looked like a traveling case, but he couldn't infer anything at all from that. Girl's clothes of diverse colors were packed together tightly. Yes, it really was a traveling suitcase. Gii doubted his own eyes. Girl's clothing, probably all in Kia's size. They were all crammed in there. Countless articles of clothing. ......tightly packed. [Gii] ............ A traveling case. For a person to go on a "journey" somewhere... For someone heading to a far-away place... The last time he'd seen such a multi-purpose item was...yes, back then. It must've been years ago. He nearly drowned in sentimentality, but he managed to stop himself. This wasn't about that. This many clothes... packed together so tightly... [Gii] (No, no, wait. You re confusing yourself, Gii. Wait a minute.) [Gii] (What's with all these clothes? They're all well-made. How much are they all worth?) [Gii] These are...... Gii looked up at the girl peering down at him. ——I'll have to make sure my voice is calm... To prevent his own confusion from being conveyed. However, the voice that rolled out from his lips came with a number of faults. [Gii] This is... amazing. That you could fit so many clothes... Kia, where were you planning on going? Here.——Here? What? This isn't 'nothing'... What a bad joke. She wanted to come here? ——With so many clothes? ——Packed into her suitcase so tightly? This kind of wardrobe certainly wouldn't come cheap. Even if they were mass produced by an Engine Factory, they'd be luxury items even for an eighth-class citizen. The clothes in her suitcase... They were in such good condition, just like what Kia was wearing right then. They ought to have cost her a lot. If there were only one or two, he wouldn't be surprised. ......it was because there were so many, packed together so tightly. ......there was even a maid outfit inside. This wasn't something a girl would walk around with. This was a small fortune. Then I'll change the question.Where's your home? What Tier? Incidentally, this is the Twenty-Eighth Lower Tier District, on the Seventh Tier.  ......your food's getting cold.She said that and pouted again. Gii heaved a sigh. ——Such a huge traveling case... ——Why? ——Filled with expensive clothes... ——Why? ——Her polite answers imply a good upbringing... ——Why? ——Why doesn't she want to go home? ——Why? Hurry up and eat.It'll get cold soon. It tastes best when it's hot. ............He just didn't know. Who or what...... was this girl?
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Aug 8, 2018 21:10
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BGM: Always It poured directly into some Tiers, and was conveyed through the supports in others. Countless raindrops covered the whole of Inganock. In the Lowest Tier, they fell down in waterfalls. Between the gray clouds and the 《Infinite Mist》 enveloping the City, any rain that began to fall often took a while to stop. It was almost guaranteed to still be raining tomorrow. Rainwater contaminated by smog poured down across his vision. Gii liked the rain. It was useful for taking his mind off the illusory clown. Gii had gone out in the rain, taking Kia with him. He pulled the collar up on his reconstructed cloak, and covered the girl's face with his sleeve. None of the clothes the girl brought with her had a hood. 'If only she had a Seikyouan umbrella,' Gii thought. The umbrella had been invented in a place called London in the foreign land of Seikyou. it hadn't penetrated into the Eastern Continent yet, but it had reached the Central Northern Empire. ——But that was a long time ago. ——It's all over ten years old now. Ever since Inganock became isolated, no form of exchange or trade had taken place with any other Continent.  Kia asked inside his cloak. She didn't seem any different from before. He was going to see Fixer Stanislaw. This could become a formal request, but Gii wouldn't mind. He observed the girl's clothes in detail. What she was wearing wasn't first-rate, but it was still very well-made Yet she called those her "going-out" clothes. They were huge pieces of evidence for finding a lead on her home. He needed to locate her guardian. He didn't care whether it was a Third-Class Citizen, a Second-Class, a Sewing Engine, or a Dressing Engine. ——Return her home? ——Yes, to where this girl belongs. If left alone, she was bound to be kidnapped. ......of course, if that happened, Gii would become the culprit. He wanted to avoid squabbles with the police organization—City Management—as much as possible. His walk through the rain quickened. He pulled the girl along as she tried to gaze at a snail crawling up one of the roadside trees. They were headed for infinitely Crowded Street. BGM: Detective  Gii hesitated, then entered the alley. A roundabout and narrow path. The buildings sheltered them from most of the rain. Several people had come into the alley before them. Were they sleeping in the rain? Or taking the same detour? One of the silhouettes waved to him. He knew who it was before he could even ask. ——Salem. ——I've run into her again? Video: Questions  Before Gii could open his mouth to explain, Salem gave an expression of deep surprise. Along with that feeling, there was also a slight sense of disappointment. Aaah... she was misunderstanding something. Gii sighed and shook his head, hoping to explain himself. Salem,it's not what you think. This girl is......  My name's Kia, nice to meet you.Ummm, Salem-san?  Nice to...meet you......eh......?This girl, she's......your......daughter......? No she's not.She's just lost. We're going out to look for her home. Oh, so that's it that's it!Ahaha, haha...... Your joke today... surprised......me......  For a moment I thought you had a wife too......That... couldn't be——  No, Salem.Gii does seem to have a wife. He does!? No, I don't have one.Kia, it's not good to lie to someone you've just met. ............ Didn't you study this in the City Plan Program?Answers are to be based on forming smooth human relationships. He tried saying things he vaguely remembered. For some reason, he felt a bit sorry for Salem. Her expression remained stuck in its surprised state.  ......yeess. Good girl.Kia's changing expressions reminded him of those three children. How many parts of their own bodies did those children have to leave behind? Gii shrugged his shoulders, then said 「Some other time」 and left in a hurry to Fixer Stanislaw's.  ......that was why, ......Gii didn't notice. BGM: Always  Turn around, walk away, and don't come back.Don't open your mouth, don't say anything, don't even look at me. ......get out. Those were the first things he said. Gii wiped the rain off the girl's cheeks and hair with a handkerchief as Stanislaw began explaining. If the man was more agile, he might have turned Gii around himself. His anger was so forceful in its silence, Gii couldn't help but imagine him doing such a thing. This isn't good.No, this isn't good at all. Don't joke about this, Doctor Gii. You're searching for a lost girl's home?Are you a detective or a Runner or something? Understand the position you're in. Doctor.You should just go heal the weak. Now you're adopting kids too? ......what I'm suited to isn't the issue.I want to know about this girl. I want to know who she is, and where her home is.  Her name is Kia.Please, Fixer Stanislaw, this is a request. I intend to pay in full. Are you still worried? You're bringing a brat to me at a time like this.........what's with the puffed out cheeks, Kia-jou-chan? You having a brat attack?  I'm a lady. Doctor, you've taught her jokes already? ......Mister? Yes, Mister. ...you have manners.Hmph, you're a well-raised brat. Gii, I can't fulfill a request with the kind of money you make. Are you going to call in all my debts? Debts, hmm...For a moment, he hesitated. He'd always refused excessive remuneration for his healing, and that'd been a boon to this merchant. Would he use that? Right here and now? How many years' worth would that be? Gii looked at Kia. She'd narrowed her eyebrows and was shaking her head. "Don't overdo it," her expression said. Gii made his decision as soon as he read it.   Gii!Kia's sure to be of use to you. l promise I won't get in your way at all......  No.If you won't tell me, then I absolutely must do this.  ......uuu...... Don't pout in front of someone you just met, especially not twice in a row.Aren't you a lady?  ......you're getting along well.Did you really just meet each other? Anyway, Doctor, are you serious? I'm the type to use all of my money and resources.I am serious. That's the first I've heard about that.I see. If you want to that badly, so be it. This'll be my favorite joke all year. As he said that, Fixer Stanislaw's face twisted, as if unsatisfied. Was it a difficult request? If so, maybe Gii had been too impulsive. He could see Stanislaw writing reluctantly in a notebook. Could he expect results from this? Still, he was making such a discontented face... He'd known this 《Turtapod》 long enough to understand his expressions, but this was just... ......*mumble* *mumble*She was also making quite the troubled face. He could tell that right away. Fates End fucked around with this message at 19:46 on Aug 10, 2018 |
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Aug 10, 2018 17:12
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This is fascinating and weird and I still have no real clue on where it's going.
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Aug 11, 2018 00:44
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Video: Holding Back BGM: Calmly Days   And then?Gii, have you been bringing that girl with you to work? If so, how much of it? ......ah, wait, don't tell me.You have been, haven't you? You re wearing that tired, overworked face of yours.  This must be what they mean by thick-skinned.You don't feel anything. You even bring a girl you don't know with you and let her watch you mess with other people's organs. That's just great, Doctor. Does it bother you? ......now you're getting defiant?What's with that? I'm not being defiant.I see, so it does bother you.  ......hmmm, is that what this is about? ......that's what this is about. Also, that's why you forgot to meet up with me.It's already nighttime. You're wasting that pocket watch of yours. I look at it some days. And some days you don't? Maybe. Aaah!What's that supposed to mean? ......no, you're right.It's raining today. He looked past the tobacco smoke floating through the tavern and out the window. He could see a sky unchanged since that morning. A wet sky. The rain continued to pour, soaking through the cloaks of anyone outside. Night never came to a rainy Inganock. it was night in terms of time but that was all. Time didn't apply to the sky's darkness, or the City's lights. That was how it was on rainy days. it'd been a simple truth for the past ten years. Consequentially, there were said to be two suns. The cloudless sun and the rainy sun. The other sun born ten years ago. The one which erased the night on rainy days. It was just a rumor. No one had ever proven it. The sparkle on the other side of the thick gray clouds couldn't be seen with human eyes anyway.  ......hey. why's it so bright out at night?Also, this bread is so sweet and delicious. What is it?  Also. that's not bread, it's naan.Something made far, far off in Seikyou with finely ground wheat. It absorbs far more butter than bread does.   Yeah. not hard, but soft......Ah, it's true, I can smell the butter...... You know a lot, Ati. Hey, Gii, Gii.Your wife knows so many things. She even knows about the food in far-off countries.  Wife?She blinked twice. She glanced left, then right, and blinked once more. She pointed to herself with a partially retracted claw. Ati tilted her head.  Yes. ——Ati. Wh-wh-wh-what?Gii? Have you heard anything about this girl? Any missing persons reports?About a family of second- or Third-Class Citizens searching for someone? Anything like that?  ......l...don't think... I've heard any...... In the first place, you know......Why is this girl in the seat you promised to save for me......? Just wondering.  What's wrong? Nothing, why?There's nothing wrong. I was just saying that it'd be best to hold back and let me pay for tonight, that's all.Gii, won't you be in trouble if you don't hold back? Hold back? Yes, holding back.That's something adults do. Why was that something adults did? Gii shrugged his shoulders and gazed out the window. ——The sky hasn't changed since midday. ——It's still gray. ——The second sun. ——The one that only rises on rainy days. Yes, that sun held back far too much. Many people found it unpleasant on nights like these, but Gii didn't dislike the rainy sun. It would probably still be pouring down tomorrow. The rain seemed to be quite strong this time. [Gii] (......so this'll continue for a while.) [Gii] (That'd be nice.) That was right. The rain would continue falling for a few days. During that time, he'd be able to ignore the illusion of the clown. But even that only applied outdoors. It wouldn't work indoors. In places like this it was the same as usual. When he was in his apartment, or when he was visiting a patient's home, it was no different than usual. Yes, just as usual—— BGM: Detective  ——And yet... ——For some reason, tonight seems to be an exception. Certainly nothing had changed in regards to his vision. Even now, the illusion danced at its edge. The problem was the apartment's lock. It was open. The wooden front door had been left open. ——Not the same as usual. ——There's no way I could've forgotten to lock it. ——Not the same as usual. ——Is there someone inside? Gii looked through the open door, checking the room inside. Was someone in there? Or not? Robbery wasn't unusual, but there weren't many people on this Tier with money. There were far better targets two or three Tiers higher. And yet, the door was wide open. He could see clearly into the room. Even the Engine Lights were flickering. Who in the world......?  This is no time for such jokes.Get back.  kia what the gently caress  yes thank you gii Gii moved away from Kia and sharpened his senses. It was possible that someone was still in there. Probably some kind of burglar. A simple thief would just take the stuff and run, but there were a few who might lose their head. He could only hope that this one was the former. He should've brought Ati along. Maybe he should've been carrying that handgun for self-defense like she always told him to. [Gii] (......as if.) As if he had the resolve to carry anything like a handgun. He approached the door. He looked inside without entering. Someone drenched from the rain had left watery footprints. A child? No. A woman——? Had Ati returned before him after they'd parted at the Engine Tavern? No, that couldn't be. She wouldn't have lied to Gii about that. I know you're in there. Come out right now.If you're a thief, just leave now. 「......l did nothing wrong.」 ————!! A woman's voice. The moment he heard and recognized it, a strong impact assaulted Gii's entire body, shaking him to the core. A strong power began moving within his nerves, surging through them. It wasn't a gun. Of course, it wasn't a knife either. An Attack-Type Phenomenon Equation, either 《Destructive》 or 《Focused.》 His nerves and legs couldn't withstand the shock. He crumpled. His nerves were dead. His cranial organs wouldn't move. As a result, Gii couldn't activate his own Equation. He couldn't speak. He couldn't scream. He couldn't tell the girl to run—— 「......you were wrong Gii.」 This voice—— It couldn't be——  Okay, everyone, I'm going to be away from my computer for a week, so we'll leave it off here until I get back. This is a fine stopping point, right? Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves in the meantime! Fates End fucked around with this message at 21:04 on Aug 12, 2018 |
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Aug 12, 2018 16:02
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I'm guessing this has something to do with Kia's appearance in Gii's life, but this game is already good at not being what I expect so watch me be wrong.
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Aug 14, 2018 06:25
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Video: Culprit  The sound of a clock. The sound of a clock. "Is it time? Is it time?" it continues to call.   The second hand moves. It stops, pointing right at zero o'clock. BGM: A Spiral Staircase  The Golden Spiral Staircase towering into the darkness. The man standing at the foot of it is none other than the silver watch's owner. With his master in the corner of his eye continuing to climb the Golden Spiral Staircase, the man continues to gaze at the watch, motionless. The man continues to gaze at the watch, and speaks. Like a Chrome-built, Machine-wound doll, in an inorganic voice...  [Man with Watch] ......how long will "this time" last? At least, one minute. No, two minutes. Tick-tock. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Tick-tock. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Tick-tock. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Tick-tock. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Tick-tock. Tick- ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀... tock. BGM: Hopelessness  There was a thick familiar stench in the air. He heard a metallic scraping sound. He didn't know the place or the time. Where was this? He was sure that his eyes were open, but it was completely black. Where in the world was he? If nothing else, he wasn't lying on his bed. Gii was in the center of darkness, with both knees down on the cold stone floor. [Gii] (......place......time......) [Gii] (......where......am I......?) He took control of his turbid consciousness. No windows. No brightness breaking through the gray clouds. That other sun wasn't here. Just darkness. A moist sensation. A far-too familiar stench. Was it blood? He first learned the odor of rusted iron as a child. Now he could clearly tell what it was. Blood. The scent permeated the whole space. That metallic sound again. It echoed exceedingly well. Was he in a closed area? It was probably indoors. Underground? At the very least, this wasn't his apartment. All he had there was a small wine cellar. He had no underground room that could echo this well. His consciousness awakened further. His apartment. An intruder. A sudden attack. Yes, he'd been attacked with the Phenomenon Equation. Had he been unconsciousness since then? He was here now. He tried to move his body, and the metallic sound echoed again. Something heavy. His arms couldn't move freely. ——I'm connected to the wall somehow. ——Chained? He'd managed to grasp the big picture. He'd been taken away and confined somewhere. That assailant. That voice—— He certainly had heard it before. He knew that voice. 「......l came this way all on my own」 「This path...... l chose the way of the whore by myself.」 Yes. This voice......! The same as before. A voice he recognized. He knew. Gii knew it all too well. The extraordinary insanity poured out in excess, taking the form of a voice as it leaked out. That voice. The sound of insanity itself overflowing. 「*giggle* You think I'm strange, don't you? Don't you think I've become strange?」 「*giggle* But nothing can be done about it. *giggle* After all, that's what happened.」 「l lost my sanity a long, long time ago.」 「Ten years ago. Isn't that right? Hey, isn't that right, Gii?」 Where was she? Not that far. Close by. Somewhere in this underground room. 「......so many times, men......」 「So many times I've opened my body for them. Do you understand? No, you wouldn't understand. There's no way you could understand.」 「So many times I felt like I'd go mad, so many times I put up with it, so many times I was defiled, over and over and over and over...」 The voice was approaching him. Slowly, those footsteps came toward Gii. 「I couldn't put up with it anymore, so I went mad, I lost my sanity again! I've never had any time to rest these past ten years!」 「Over and over again!」 「Because......I......!」 One step at a time, she approached. She wailed as she did. She approached.    Laugh!Is it not strange? Is it, Gii? Please, laugh at me. ——Salem. ——The smell of medicine bottles. ——The way he looked in a white coat. ——His high voice laughing at imperial tabloids. Yes, it was him. His... high voice. His... soft yet shallow laugh. Despite all that had changed over the last ten years, he recognized those two things. Gii didn't express those thoughts. Instead, the man opened his mouth. His clear smile soon disappeared. He saw his true expression.  A beautiful outfit resembling a butterfly. That face, that expression. And that skin. There was no mistaking it, it was Salem. ——I can't speak. ——Just what should I say to him? But it's been quite rough for me, these past ten years. I pretended to be a woman... and yes... I decided...I'd give birth...to a child. Gii.  ...... I've tried to accept it.This me. This body. This woman's body. He traced the skin on his own chest with his fingers. It was awkward, as if he was afraid of something, like a man touching a woman's skin for the first time. Salem's fingertips were shaking. He was touching his own skin, and yet they were shaking. That shaking came out in his voice, jostling the moistened space of the underground room.  And yet, see, it's laughable.I can't give birth. I'm unable to give birth. Whatever I do,no matter how many times I open my body...  ......no matter what sort of man I let in, this body just won't get pregnant.He shrugged his shoulders after speaking. That habit was the same as before, when he wore the white coat ten years ago. He used to do that a lot when berating himself for trivial failures.  Had only his appearance changed? No, that was wrong. It was more than that. *giggle* Hey, won't you laugh, Gii?I laughed too when I realized it. After all, this body doesn't menstruate.  I was scorned so much as a woman, and yet I couldn't even fulfill that biological function. ......so...Gii...His words stopped, and he brought his mouth to Gii's ear. As he laughed, he whispered...  Insanity—— The smell of blood. It was still fresh. The sense of moisture. A windowless room. Metal chains. And... something horribly sticky. Could it really be called a lost cause? Trying to give birth to a child?  The smell of blood was the mark of a tragedy. He'd long been convinced of that. He killed them because he couldn't give birth to them? He killed them instead of giving birth to them? A ridiculous compensation, utterly illogical. It should have been, but he'd become insane a long time ago. That's right.That's why I'm killing children. After all, what else is there?What would you have me do besides kill them? *giggle* Gii, you say such strange things. Salem laughed from the bottom of his heart, as if it was fun, with a face and voice insisting that he'd just heard a ridiculous joke. It was the same as ten years ago, but with an insanity completely different from the on one. [Gii] So......that's it...... It was you...... [Gii] So you...were...the murderer...... Salem......  I'm not killing them.I am killing, although I'm not. ——What? I'm not killing, but I am.I'm only offering them up, you know? ——Offering? ——The deaths of children? ——To who? ——To who?  ——'Him.' ——Who is that? A chill ran through Gii's body. Like the moment just before contracting a fever. He had a bad feeling about it. Who was it? A human? He'd heard nothing more than a male pronoun... So what was making him shiver so violently?  What was it? Who was Salem talking about? Who did he mean by 'him?' Another horrible headache. This was... a stench? Of blood? No, of something else. An unendurable odor, a rotten smell. His consciousness shook. He felt as if his eyes were about to go white. The sensation resembled the Phenomenon Equation. Was someone attacking him? Physically, no. This was... strong... psychological. Someone was... something was... it wasn't Salem. Right now, something was trying to control Gii's cranial nerves—— That's right, I'm sure you'll like him too.That man has beautiful eyes. I'm sure you'll be fast friends, right. Gii!? 
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Aug 22, 2018 16:38
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Video: The Choice BGM: In Wonder  「GRR......」 ——Stuck into the back of its neck—— ——Was a spring screw——  Salem screamed with delight as it showed itself behind him. A green fantasy. A hulking flame that resembled a horribly warped monkey. Its head scraped against the stone ceiling as it advanced. The color of its fur, though tinged with blackened blood, was a disgusting green. One could count at least twenty-eight uneven teeth in its palette. They could easily crush a human skull. It exhaled a rotten breath, and smiled. ——A beast ——A genuine beast. ——This is no human. ——This is no Fantastic Mutant. He knew. Gii's whole body stiffened. it wasn't possible, His body, used to terror, shook and became numb. That sickening feeling was none other than terror. This beast called forth the Original Terrors of the human race. Scary...scary...no... no... He wished thing before him was nothing more than an illusion. There was no way this thing could still be here...  ——The spring screw in the back of its neck... ——Is producing a grinding sound. [Gii] ......a "screw of death"...... [Gii] ......it can't be...... A real.....this can't...... [Gii] No...it's...... not... possible...... A real.....creature......couldn't...be...... ——They should be dead. It can't be. ——This thing should've died five years ago. Gii knew the name of the beast: Wendigo.  Everyone who lived through the 《Revival》 ten years ago knew about them. ——The Creatures. ——They are terror given powerful form. Ten years ago, this thing devoured twenty percent of the children in the Lower Tiers. Chrome blades and bullets all bounced right off it. It was among the strangest of the strange. Those weren't the eyes of a mutated human. No number of Monsters could ever defeat such a brutal beast. Not a single physical law held any meaning. This was a supernatural "phenomenon," and it killed people. Just like a disease. [Gii] It can't... be...... This thing......should...be dead......  Its hollow eye sockets looked toward him, and then the fantasy smiled. It wasn't virtual, it was real. The records said it was 'subjugated' by the Street Knight, but it was right there. It rattled his brains. His nerves. Toyed with him. Like Salem, it told him to come... ——Come down here, to the depths of insanity. ——Do not disobey, but fall into ruin. ——I won't plant it in you. ——Just leap into the insanity that's already within you. [Gii] Stop... this...... A voice——  [Salem] This thing will eat them all! It'll destroy the City that gave me hell! [Salem] Can you hear me, Gii? Gii! If he eats all the children, the City will vanish! Hell will vanish! You and I will go back to the way we were before! [Salem] We can go back to that day, you and I, everyone! He promised to undo everything, Gii! Wendigo has sworn that to me! [Salem] There's nothing this thing can't do! If he simply kills the children, the children, kills the children! That's...all...he has to do! [Salem] Ahahahahaha, it's so easy, right Gii!? Gii! You too! Let's do this together!  Salem laughed proudly, yet dependently. He didn't even try to hide his insanity. Had he been released by this thing? Was that why his expression was beaming so brightly? But... yes... but... that was a lie, Salem. To Wendigo, whose very drool ran red, there were no emotions other than appetite and bloodlust. The abilities of Creature Wendigo: One was the nullification of physical acts. The others were terror, infection, and reformation. ——Has Salem's brain been destroyed by its reformation ability? His own brain was screaming. He couldn't hold out for much longer. Even his cranial organs administering the Phenomenon Equation were in agony. He could not suppress the "power" working so hard to distort him. [Salem] Don't reject it, accept it, Gii! We've prepared something for you! [Gii] (Pre......pared......?) ' Prepared what?——  ——Over there... ——That girl. She's chained to the wall. Like a knight waiting upon a king, Salem reverently lowered his head before the fantasy beside the open black curtain in the darkness. It was Kia. Her eyes were closed, and she was slumped down, chained to the wall. Salem hadn't let the girl go. He'd captured her... and brought her here. [Gii] ......! ——The girl isn't moving. ——The thought 'She couldn't be...' is draining all the blood out of my body. She couldn't be... dead? Had Salem killed her? When he'd lost consciousness amidst the darkness...  The Creature's "power" was violently twisting his nerves. Gii screamed, ignoring everything that tried to cloud his awareness with madness. 'Are you dead or alive?' He didn't know and yet... Anyone but her—— [Gii] Kia......! 'Are you alive? Please be alive!' Gii begged, and screamed. ——You'd better be alive. ——We have to get out of here right now. [Salem] You shouldn't worry so much. She s fine. She's still alive. [Salem] I was waiting for a chance to show you. ——Show me? [Salem] Ever since the first time I saw it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It's wonderful. I'm sure you'll like it as well. [Salem] ......your face says that you don't understand. In that case, I'll give you a demonstration.    [Gii] Stop this, Salem. You're not thinking rationally. [Salem] Which is precisely why I can do anything, right? I'll do anything to return to a time before that day. [Gii] Stop this—— [Salem] Adhering to that which the City brings about... What are you thinking, Gii? This is something that has to be done for us. [Salem] The City. this place called Inganock is our enemy! Don't let your guard down! Don't mingle with the enemy! Kill every last one of them!! [Salem] Say it with me, 'Kill them, devour them!' Now, do it Gii! You can come back with me!  [Gii] Stop this...... Stop this, Sa......lem......   There's only one choice.  Not much of a choice at all, really. 「――――――――――――!!!」 「――――――――――――!!!」 「――――――!!!」 There's no reason to feel bad about it. Salem's screams wouldn't stop. He continued wailing something Gii couldn't make out. Aaah...that's right, he did the same thing ten years ago. There's nothing Gii could have ever done. Within the darkness, he thought, 'Let's put an end to this.' Salem can't be reasoned with, not anymore. He couldn't endure seeing his old friend drown in madness. He had to stop him. But Gii had no means of doing that. None at all. Gii can't even move, not with those metal chains on him. Just like ten years ago. He couldn't answer someone's cry for help. Even if he could, what do you think would happen? So he'd answer it now. He waited for Salem, with his eyes closed. Fight that thing, that Creature? Something touched his neck, along with the stench of the beast's breath. Something cold. Don't be stupid. [Gii] (......this is just fine.) No human could ever beat a Creature like that. These ten nightmarish years would end here. That wasn't so bad. He was tired anyway. Escape? —————————————————————. Wendigo is made for killing, with inhuman strength, with inhuman speed. 『Hello, Gii.』 『Goodbye.』 —————————————————————. Not to mention that Salem's there too. The illusion which should have been at the edge of his darkened vision. At long last, the clown... No, it truly can't be helped. disappeared. There's no point in even trying.  Right?
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Aug 24, 2018 16:33
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You learned the art of cliffhangers well.
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Aug 25, 2018 02:46
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The gently caress am i reading
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Aug 25, 2018 06:11
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I have no idea what's going on, but this is great 
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Aug 25, 2018 14:32
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BGM: In Wonder Remember what I said during Inner Voices? That I'd show you the consequences of botching the minigame? That was it; a guarenteed game over. This time, let's see what happens when we fully clear Inner Voices.  Two more choices have been added, but they aren't very good ones, are they? Like I said last time, Salem is too far gone for anything we say to get through to him. That option will lead to nothing but a game over that's more or less the same as the one the first choice got us. And the third, well, the pointlessness of that is self-explanatory. But...  But even so—      No... his hand... wouldn't move... because it was connected to the wall by chains rusted with blood. His outstretched hand wouldn't move. In its place... BGM: None ——In its place—— ——He held out a different right hand—— Video: Hold Out Your Hand (Very recommended!)BGM: Right Hand From Behind  Gii's right hand wasn't moving. It was chained. And yet, a right hand extended. ——A hand made of steel. ——It seemed to respond to Gii's thoughts. As if stirring, it continued to extend freely. That hand tore through the blood-soaked space like paper. It extended into the darkness. Five steel-colored fingers writhed and materialized. The finger joints...scraped...making...noises. It gave off sharp metallic sounds, like the strings of a lute. What—— Is this——? Something was here. Someone was here. That wasn't Gii's hand. It came from someone behind him. Someone was—— Extending a steel hand, from behind Gii——!  Who? What? Something covered in steel...was behind him. Gii couldn't see it, but he knew. He knew something made of steel was extending a hand from behind him. He didn't have the slightest idea what it truly was. Human? No, this was something else. He didn't know who, or what, was there. Some great steel entity...no...that wasn't possible. That couldn't possibly be behind him... There was no way that could exist. But...but...  ......stop this. Release that girl,Salem! But......! He did know one thing! This hand...moved...as Gii willed it! This "hand"......! It just extended forward——forward——!  「Oooh, oooh, is it not wonderful? The blind sacrifice climbs the first stairway.」 「Record the present time, Clock Crack Chrome!」 「"That time" you've wished for has come! Oh Lemure Lemure, tremble with delight!」 「The blind sacrifice climbs the first stairway. All throughout the land would see fit to look. These truly are the final moments of my love.」  He climbs, he climbs, he climbs. One master climbs the Golden Spiral Staircase. He is the Controller. He is the Grand Prince. He is the Fool. The King of Inganock. The Magician and Scholar who discovered the Phenomenon Equation. He climbs the Golden Spiral Staircase. One step, one step at a time. Even now, even now... He aims for the peak. He desires 'that' at the highest place. And, that which stands at the peak laughs. Even now, even now...  『Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!』 It lies at the end of the Golden Spiral Staircase. A dark, confined space where the dregs of the King's dream sleep. He who is trapped within the darkness laughs. Even now, even now... 『Ahahahahahaha, you've really done it! Ahahahahahaha, how stupid are you!?』 『――manifesting the last 《Kikai》――』 『――*chuckle*――』 He who is trapped within the darkness laughs. Even now, even now... He raises a voice of exultation and extends his hand. However, there's no way that hand will move. Under the darkness, that hand merely writhes.    ——Tears through the darkness——  ——A single light, shining sharply——  [Gii] ......Salem, I won't kill that child. [Gii] I won't kill anyone. Never again. He was already standing up. "He" was breaking the chains that held him to the wall.  He silently extended his right hand forward. He also extended his steel right hand forward, as if tracing a path. ——It moves. Yes, this thing moves. ——It actually moves, as I will it. Something seemed to be wrong with his vision. There was no clown. Instead, he knew that there was a fantastic shadow behind him. He extended his steel arm and saw the "same things" as "him." The forms of Salem and the Creature. One of the forty-one deaths. Even without activating his Equation, he could see it. He shook off the "power" eroding at his cranial nerves. "He" and Gii glared at the green Wendigo. ——My right hand. ——It directs the steel hand as if it were my own. ——This isn't the Phenomenon Equation. ——However, somehow it feels real. There was something that "he" at his back could do. There was something that "he" and Gii needed to do. ——What should I do with this "hand?" ——I know the answer. That's why... right now...  [Salem] What... what's that, Gii!? What did you do!? What's that behind you!? [Salem] Wendigo came for our sake! And yet... wh-... what are you doing!? That thing...! [Salem] Send that thing away! No, no, there's nothing good about that! [Gii] ....you first, Salem. Release that child, and step back. [Salem] No! No! Wendigo, kill that thing, kill Gii!  In response, the green beast gave a furious roar. The green mound of bloodlust moved. The phenomenon occurred. He could clearly see the beast which scattered death. Gii's "right eye" had already captured everything about Creature Wendigo. Those black lumps wrapped around its sharp, fleshy claws. Those were death itself. Amalgamations of death. A viscous liquid. A phenomenon of death, killing people like some kind of microbe.   Mortal bodies could hardly hope to dodge them, except perhaps for 《Pucelle》 soldiers, with their sharply honed nervous reflexes, or Heavy Engine Humans with nerve reconstruction. But even if they had managed to dodge the claws, they would've been killed by the viscous death wrapping around them.  He stood there without even a scratch, in the very air that Wendigo's black claws had torn through.  [Gii]......too slow. [Salem] Why......!? Why didn't Gii die......!? [Salem] How could he have dodged that!? There's no way a Creature could fail to kill a human. That's impossible... impossible... Gii! [Salem] Please, die! Humans die whenever Creatures want them to! Don't cause problems for my...my...Wendigo! [Salem] Moreover, how could you... !? What can a human do against a Creature!? Creatures never die, break or meet with destruction! 「GRRRRRRRR...!」 [Gii] Don't cry. He glared a the roaring green abomination with his "right eye." That was probably a cry of panic just now. It destroys people's cranial nerves, planting seeds of death or insanity. And yet, he was alive. Gii still hadn't died. He probably would have died if this had happened not too long ago. But right now, the steel "him" was protecting Gii. He wouldn't die, not yet. He focused his mind into his glaring "right eye." His "right eye" saw the entirety of Wendigo!   ——In the case of Wendigo—— ——The sole means of destruction is—— ——Sunlight, or...——  The green death, Wendigo, with an epidermis that repelled all attacks and a body protected as if by the gods. Therefore, humans couldn't possibly kill it. The sole means of destruction was sunlight. Therefore, humans absolutely could not kill it. There was no sun in the City's sky. However... however... ——However...   [Gii] You of steel. I don't even know your name. Thus, I shall say this. [Gii] "Melt like the sun."    ——My right hand is a blade wrapped in flames. ——This right hand burns beasts to the core. His "right hand" was a blade summoned from an open steel chest. Together with flames of the utmost temperatures, it enveloped Wendigo, melting the beast in an instant. The Creature was enveloped and broken down by the high temperature blade before it even had a chance to scream. The remnants of that tremendous flame were left behind, as if blown apart. The ceiling and walls of the underground room shook—— ——The flickering flame.... ——It's touching the traces of blood on the floor and blazing ever higher. Gii hadn't expected that. The flames reacted to the children's blood like oil, combusting impossibly well. The flames spun... The underground room was enveloped in an instant. Gii sliced apart Kia's chains with his steel arm, and scooped up her unconscious body. The door wasn't locked, so he opened it. ——But, when I turn around, ——He's still there. ——There's still one left. [Gii] ——Salem, run for it! 
Fates End fucked around with this message at 15:57 on Aug 26, 2018 |
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Aug 26, 2018 15:22
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Oooohhh, ok, there are Stands involved. Now everything makes sense. Nothing makes sense
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Aug 26, 2018 15:47
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I hope that future villains have better concepts than Salem. That reveal makes me want to throw things and abandon thread but I'll trust your love of this game and hope things improve. The chains breaking seemed suitably symbolic for a dystopian city with no sun. I'm not sure if Gii's Stand, for lack of a better term right now, is or isn't the same entity as the clown Gii usually sees? And on that note, what's the deal with the clown anyway? Why do we suddenly see royalty and what's their connection to this situation? And maybe most importantly...what actually happened 10 years ago? I'm having a bit of a hard time making sense of what Gii and others think compared to what the reality might be, assuming there's a difference.
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Aug 27, 2018 03:59
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Video: Inferno BGM: Hopelessness   See,these pretty......flames...... Huhu......they're burning so much, so pretty......Isn't this the same as ten years ago......? That's right...... it's the same......Yes...... it is the same, the same... Hey, Gii......?There was... a much... simpler way. ——He's showing me a smile. Salem was still standing among the spreading flames, among the pieces of rubble falling from the ceiling, broken down by sudden exposure to extreme heat.  Gii called his name and held out his hand. However, he refused to come out of the sea of flame. Aaah...... that's... right...... I should've done this......a long time ago...... then I could've returned...... I wouldn't even have had......to kill...... those children...... Hey, Gii. Won't you laugh for me? I've... made quite...... the detour...... [Gii] Salem......! What are you doing? Come this way, hurry!   I'm... going home now.This way, I'll go back to where I was ten years ago. You be sure to get that girl out of here. Goodbye, Gii.l didn't hate you.   He screamed his friend's name, but his voice was wiped out by the crumbling rock. The flames leaped. His vision was slowly stained vermillion. Gii's extended hand wouldn't reach him. His friend disappeared, along with the form of dancing madness.   That which he'd always seen, he saw no more. For some reason, his memories now felt less disturbing. Memories of the past. He couldn't remember them very well, since they were all broken up into little pieces. Memory. A deep moan full of screams and despair. Memory. He'd been haughty, thinking that his hand could save them. He'd been so sure that holding it out could save someone. Memory. Ten years ago within that rubble... that little girl... ——Aaah... ——I can hear a voice asking. It couldn't be answered. It couldn't be answered. That was why, right now, he tightly gripped the little hand in his arms. He pulled the girl's hand and covered her with his body, protecting her from the falling rubble with his back and steel arms. ——Things I couldn't do ten years ago. ——Now, I can... Could this hand of his complete those tasks? No, it couldn't. ——Now that I think about it, ten years have passed. ——And now, here I am. BGM: Destiny Go Round  The gray clouds which covered up the first sun. Now, the sunlight hidden behind them informed him of morning's arrival. Not at the edge of his vision, not anywhere. The dancing black clown was no more.  It was reaching out, trying to grab onto something, but then was warped, exposed to flame, and blackened. That hand was perfectly straight, not moving a muscle.  ......aaah... ......I see, these are...my... It took him three seconds to understand. They were his tears. From within the rubble, he looked up at the sky... ...and let his tears flow down. 「......why?」 Someone's voice—— BGM: Girl Grins  「......Gii, why?」 ——Gii... ——Why? He raised his head, and there was the girl, in black clothes, with a horribly sad face. She was holding her hand out to him, to Gil, who looked up from within the rubble. ——That girl. ——Her name is...yes, Kia. ——A beautiful pink. ——Those went well with the gray sky. Those pink eyes were gazing intently at him. Her lips...moved...  ——Why?—— 「Did you save me?」 「Why, Gii? Why......?」 ——I don't know. ——Why do I keep doing this? ——Why won't my hand reach? ——Why are my tears still flowing? He clung to the girl's hand. Gii let one final teardrop fall down his cheek.  「Why......?」    Video: Chapter 1 - End
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Aug 28, 2018 17:17
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And that does it for Chapter 1. I'll make some character summaries for this chapter to make sure everyone's up to speed on the players involved in a couple of days, but after that it's going to be a bit until the next update after this, since I'll have to grab screenshots and gather the script for the next chapter. In the meantime, I suggest you guys lay out and organize what you're unsure of or confused about and your questions (preferably in this thread so it can be a group effort If you're looking for a place to start theorizing, I suggest Inner Voices, especially the Arm and Mask segments, since those correspond to setting things. Although, hints are everywhere. I know that the hints necessary to figure out at least one very interesting tidbit about the setting that I don't think anyone has caught on to have been dropped in casual dialogue. This game might not quite be Umineko, and I'd hesitate to say it's even a fair mystery, but whatever else it may be, it is a sort of mystery nonetheless. Good luck, everyone. Fates End fucked around with this message at 17:35 on Aug 28, 2018 |
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Aug 28, 2018 17:27
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Lord Zedd-Repulsa posted:I hope that future villains have better concepts than Salem. That reveal makes me want to throw things and abandon thread but I'll trust your love of this game and hope things improve. The villain was Wendigo, not Salem, and its given us quite a bit to think about already: why is Wendigo still alive after is was supposed to be dead? That couldn't have been a mistake on the part of the city, so why did they lie about it? Why did it come here now? And why can Gii kill it like a chump?
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Aug 28, 2018 17:59
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 Gii The man with no facial expressions. Seriously, I've pretty much only had to use two portraits for him, Blank and Blank But From The Side. His mutation is of his brain, making it especially permissive to the Phenomenon Equation, but the mutation may have also affected his personality or memory (with regards to events prior to Revival), given how he no longer smiles and had a hard time remembering Salem's gender. After Revival, he supplemented his mundane medical knowledge by studying Cracking, and now works an illegal Traveling Doctor, selling his services on the black market and taking money only from those who can afford it. He has a mild disregard for his own life, going so far as to eat nothing but coffee for large periods of time, and seems to hold a lot of guilt for an event that happened during or near Revival. Formerly saw a dancing clown dressed in black in the corner of his vision at all times after Revival. The clown seemed to guide him towards Salem, and disappeared around the time Gii summoned a mysterious armored figure.  Kia A mysterious girl that Gii saved from a bull man on fantasy PCP. She is very naive and good natured, and seems to have a fairly wealthy upbringing. She seems to have some connection to Gii, despite him not remembering ever having met her before.  Ati A friend of Gii's. A particularily successful Runner that nonetheless lives in the lower tiers and often steals Gii's bed. She mutated into a Pucelle (a sort of cat person), but also developed a golden eye. She worries over Gii's disregard for himself, to the point where she'll forcefeed him when he starves himself. Kia is convinced she's his wife.  Salem A former classmate of Gii's, whose body was mutated into that of a woman after Revival. After the destruction of the University, he felt that the only way to survive was to use his body, and so became a prostitute in the worst parts of the city for years. After a great deal of hardship, he decided to 'become a woman' by giving birth to a child. ...however, no mutation we have seen thus far in Inganock is total; they're all chimeras of sorts. Salem was no different. While his body was outwardly female, he was still male on the inside, and thus was incapable of getting pregnant. Being unable to escape nor fulfill what he saw as his role as a woman, something within him broke, something which Wendigo twisted into fullblown psychosis. After finding Wendigo, he was convinced that he could go back— to before his body was mutated, to before where what he was working toward was rendered meaningless, to before the place he spent the happiest part of his life was destroyed. All he had to do was feed it some children. After Gii killed Wendigo, he found a 'simpler way' to escape what had happened to him.  Grand Prince Astea The Controller. The Grand Prince. The Fool. The King of Inganock. The Magician and Scholar who discovered the Phenomenon Equation. He enjoys long walks on spiral staircases and overdramatically YELLING! EVERY! SINGLE! LIIIIIIIIIIINE! There seems to be some sort of connection between him and the steel figure summoned by Gii. Fates End fucked around with this message at 21:51 on Oct 21, 2018 |
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Aug 30, 2018 17:16
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BGM: Always  Video: WorryThe City Skyscraper. A herd of countless buildings. Following the closure of the Great Underground Engines, this place became the new cradle of Engine technology. Originally, it was supposed to be the greatest Energy Production District around, but then the 《Revival》 occurred, and the Dragon, the strongest of all Creatures, suddenly appeared underground. So the Upper Tier assigned the administration of this Highrise Building Ward to City Officers. It's a pivotal point for sending Engine Energy into every part of the City. The heart of Inganock, as it were. Each one of the countless buildings had its own pulse. Engine Energy is like money, and the more money you can move, the more opportunities there'll be to make things go your way. That' s why I'm here a lot. For my biz, my brawls. Money and depravity are easily combined with violence. Sometimes prohibited guns are fired near me. The biz's treasures. I'm so grateful, I want to cry.  ......another windy day.I whisper. The wind blows between my claws. The breeze is relatively strong near the Upper Tier. A bad breeze, mixed with smog. Nowhere in the Fantastic City could you find anyone who liked it. Wind. It sneaks into my ears too. Smoothly, like the rumor whispered to me last night. I wish I hadn't heard it.After all this time, the 《Kikai》 fairy tale is just... Yes, smoothly into my ears. I heard a rumor about 《Kikai》 for the first time in... four years? It's this City's sole selfishness. The illusions that materialized and turned their fangs on us ten years ago destroyed most of the fairy tales. And out of that, only one new tale was born. ——The 《Kikai.》 ——"Strange machines" that bring about beautiful things. Beautiful things. By now, nothing like that could be found anywhere.    How sullen.You're an unpleasant cat. Yes, I am sullen, you unpleasant bird.If I looked a little to the side, I could see him standing on the building next to me. A human? Or a bird? I looked the other way. People who changed into Mutant 《Paldess》 find insensibility troubling. This guy in particular was troubled by it more than any of the other comrades I've ever paired up with. But, he's good. Unlike stupid birdmen that can't dodge a rain of bullets, this guy has implanted Crack Engines with motor reflexes. He's fast. Faster than most. That's valuable in and of itself. When this guy’s around, survival rates go up. Today's biz involves storming the Twelfth Engine Building. I'm pretty sure I accepted a job to defend this place six years ago. That's why I know the layout. We've done enough preliminary work. We're perfectly prepared for those motionless Upper Tier Soldiers. My identity hasn't been recorded, which is just fine. It's all the same as usual. Then I'll get my money and go home alive. Nothing will be any different. It's all the same as usual. The same as usual—— It should be, and yet—— What's making you so sullen, cat?It's more than just unusual. You've always been excessively sunny, but today you look worse than cancer. Sorry for always being excessively sunny.I have days like this too. How many years since the last one? Not believing it means it is severe. I'm fine, don't worry about me.It won't affect the biz. Worry? As if.You think I could endure worrying? Aaah... I see, perhaps it's that—— ——"That" what? ——Did I do anything that people might spread rumors about? That man, the pale Traveling Doctor, right?For a human that Fixer Stanislaw likes, you've gotten pretty involved with him.  Look at that, the cat goes straight to lying.In any event, you're aware of your sullenness, so don't get any worse. That's not it at all.——Yes, lies. ——Go ahead and call me the Lying Cat. He's exactly right, I'm at the height of sullenness right now. Just today I broke two cups by accident. Even I was surprised at myself. Aware? Of course I’m aware of it. I know full well what I’m worried about and how I look when I worry. Black clothes. ——A certain... ephemeral quality. ——I definitely felt that. That girl, who won't ever leave Gii’s side. That little—— BGM: None 
Fates End fucked around with this message at 21:23 on Oct 16, 2018 |
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Oct 15, 2018 05:46
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Goddamn. The whole deal with Salem actually hit harder than I expected - they did well to set up mutations as really out there usually except in Gii's case, because that made the reveal pretty damned strong.
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Oct 16, 2018 02:56
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BGM: Calmly Days Normally that'd be it, but now there was something else, something he shouldn't be hearing. Mixed into the twittering was the sound of someone moving around. His apartment wasn't all that much to him. A place to close his eyes. A place for him to sleep. That used to be it, but now... Now he could hear other kinds of sounds. Reserved sounds, quiet enough to avoid breaking the silence.  A faint sense of morning was floating in the air. The warped birds' twittering, and... some other sound. It took him a while to notice what was different. This place... was his bedroom... and it was dark, as usual. However, the sounds he could hear definitely weren't normal. The sound of something being done. Sounds of daily life. Things he wasn't used to hearing. They echoed silently in his small bedroom. Then—— Gii forced himself awake and got out of bed. He could feel someone else's presence. He didn't ask whose, since this was the third day he'd felt it. It was morning. It had only been three days, but waking up already felt different. It wasn't 'midday with lingering traces of morning,' it actually was morning. [Gii] (......again?) ——I've gotten quite used to this.  A smell wafted in as he opened the door. The smell of synthetic bacon frying in rationed cooking oil. Then something that sounded like synthetic eggs sizzling in a skillet. The rationed cooking oil given out to registered citizens. Cheap, Engine-Produced bacon and eggs. Add bread to that and it'd be a good seventh-class Citizen breakfast. This wouldn't be all that unusual... in anyone else's apartment. No such provisions existed in Gii's apartment. At least, they shouldn't have. Just as he started to think that, he shook his head. Yes, it was different now. Three days ago, he went to Crowded Street during the evening for a needleless injector. That was when she'd told him to buy all the food. 「But this is simply wretched.」 「You can't just use nutrients, okay, Gii?」 ——It isn't particularly problematic. He hadn't said that aloud, but even so, it felt like the words were scrawled across his face anyway. He'd made her quite angry. She hadn't said anything, but her face showed it. In the end, that was why he'd asked her what to buy. Since he managed to buy the injector at a cheap price, there was some money leftover. And most of all... yes, she needed real food to eat at her age. He couldn't bring himself to make her use nutrients like he did. Improper growth led to death, but that wasn't really why Gii was doing this. [Gii] (......in any event, she's helped.) ——Yes, she's helped. When he brought her outside, she would't eat anything. Literally, nothing. Even though she'd eaten plenty the night after their first meeting. He was pretty sure it'd been when Ati was enjoying the food at the Engine Tavern and asking him a bunch of questions. But after that, whenever he brought her to a store, she wouldn't eat anything. She'd fall silent, not even touching her fork. ——Even when I asked why, she wouldn't answer. ——That's why she was such a big help that evening. [Gii] (......she really is a mysterious girl.) He'd thought the same thing yesterday morning, and the day before, while sitting here listening to the sounds of an experienced cook. Strangely enough, she seemed experienced at it. Quite strange for a Citizen of the sixth-class or higher. For the third day in a row he felt this strange sensation as he put his arms through his shirt sleeves. His clothes had been starched and carefully ironed. ——Strangely enough... ——She knew how to do all of those things. Regardless of how she'd managed to gather the knowledge, Gii knew his household expenses had started to decline. It had already been a week since they'd met. She'd "gotten used" to it, especially over the last three days. She'd "gotten used" to life in a Tier she clearly didn't know. Video: Nurse Kia ......Kia. No, those clothes...... How many times do I have to explain it?You know I've decided to dress appropriately for whatever I'm doing. After all, all nurses dress like this. There's no need for that.This is the third time I've had to tell you.  But, but, that's just strange.There's always a nurse wherever there's a doctor. That's true.You would find them wherever the doctors are. He remembered the antgirl working at Eralee's place. Yes, she was a part of that hospital. Nurses existed now, just as they did ten years ago.   ...... Strange... yes, that's strange.After all, Gii, you are a doctor. Don't you heal people's wounds and illnesses?  I'm a Cracking Doc.There's no situation where I'd need a nurse, so there's no need for you to wear that. A brightly colored nurse uniform, or something similar. Had she dyed her own clothes at some point, or had she brought the outfit with her to begin with? At the very least, she hadn't bought it. He'd never seen it among the Engine Factories' mass-produced goods.  But I've performed injections.I did one yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. I'm here to help you, Gii. ......Yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. She certainly had. She'd injected patients with nutrients post-op, whenever Gii's eyes were elsewhere. He'd been surprised, not at what she did, but at how skilled she was. Her technique was so smooth that he almost wondered if she'd had Technical Engine implants. He'd already used his "right eye" to confirm that she was a genuine human. But when she injected them, he'd seriously thought that she had a Crack Engine. A mysterious girl. She hadn't seemed the least bit afraid of doing it. You know I know where all the veins are.See, aren't I useful? Kia, listen to me.You're still a—— ——The doorbell rings. He glanced at his clock. It was past 8 AM. That made sense, they would have finished their morning work by now. Gii looked at the table before standing up. He'd taken a bite out of the bread. Yes, he'd done it today as well. He'd been eating during their conversation. ——Again, I took a bite. ——Today, for the third day in a row... He looked at the girl's face. Her pink eyes seemed satisfied, and somewhat proud.  Who might that be? They're patients. They sleep in an Engine Factory not far from here.I've told them to come here once a week. Which was why they always woke him up with the small sounds they made by beating on his door. Is that so?......but there's no examination room here. I don't need anything like that.Didn't I tell you? ——Technically, I'm not a doctor. He ordered his cranial organs to activate his "right eye." Roughly half of his vision was covered in a certain kind of brightness. As always, he could see the makeup of organisms. The front door opened before he even touched the knob. 'Aaah... installing that safety device Ati recomended really was a good idea,' Gii thought. Not having it was partly responsible for the incident in that underground room. He ought to reconsider his apartment's safety. He laid eyes on his guests, the children. Parul said to him with a healthy face, 'I can reach the doorbell now!'  Huh? Is Oji-chan's house clean?There used to be so much trash all over the place. Ah, Kia-nee-chan, morning! Umm, good morning...Kia-onee-chan... those clothes are pretty...  Waa, good morning everyone.Thank you Polun. So you're our guests today. Patients.——Real patients. ——Their bodies truly had been eaten away by disease. Okay, everyone line up over here.I'll get the tea out soon. We don't have any teacakes, but bread... ......how hungry are you? Famished!Are you going to give us bread? Really? Yes, I'm... Me too, me too, I'm famished too!The boss wouldn't let us eat anything this morning, and only gave us a little oatmeal for lunch. Then I'll go prepare some.I'll toast and butter it, okay? Maybe I'll put a bit of sweet jam on it... But first, let's change Parul's gauze.Polun, can you wrap your own chest bandages? Ah, Lupo, stop it, you mustn't touch that. Eeeh? I want this Machine...What is this? Hey, what is it? A new Engine Machine? Nnn... what is it?Should I give bread to such a little devil? *tsk* Okaaay. Don't... break anything... Hey, Lupo, don't cause problems for Kia-chan.She's busy enough taking care of Gii-sensei ......  He shrugged his shoulders. He should be the one taking care of her, but... ——That aside, it's still mysterious. ——Maybe she's older than she seems? Normally Lupo would be getting overexcited and going berserk by now, but he was quietly listening to what Kia told him. This had never happened before. The children would never miss a chance to release their suppressed curiosity. He'd given up on trying to control them. But maybe he shouldn't have given up. It made sense, she was just baiting them. [Gii] (They're surprisingly simple.) [Gii] (......maybe I should look them over now.) She certainly was making herself useful. At the very least, it shouldn't take as long as usual to examine them. As soon as Gii thought that, he found the girl's pink eyes looking toward him. Am I useful? I guess so.——She's quite... used to this. BGM: Always  He never had the slightest intention of letting her get used to it. And yet, this was how things had turned out. There was a reason. How and why things had turned out this way. There was a reason. The dealer, Fixer Stanislaw, who walked along the very edge of darkness on Infinitely Crowded Street, had failed. Gii's request had failed. Though it wasn't of much interest to Gii, this caused a bit of commotion on the street. For that greedy old turtle to fail... He hadn't been able to obtain any information. He knew nothing of her identity. This girl called Kia. A girl thought to be at least a Sixth-Class Citizen. That information couldn't be obtained even by Stanislaw, whose connections in the City Skyscraper ran all the way up to the Upper Tier Aristocrats. Kia herself didn't say a thing. She wouldn't say anything about "who" she was. No Individual Engine Record Number, nor Card, though that in and of itself wasn't rare. 「 ......I'll be living here for a while. Okay, Gii?」 ——The rest was simple. ——Since risking his own life for others... ——Is part of his identity. Gii used the penalty for 'breach of contract' to obtain a cheap, forged Record Number and Card, temporarily making Kia his registered daughter. Yes, that was the value of a single human's life. Dying was the same in a way. A place was prepared for it, and that was all. ——Such things are always simple. Fates End fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Oct 27, 2018 |
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Oct 16, 2018 18:59
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Ati seems the type to wait forever to confess her love, and then die 5 minutes later, if she's lucky. Kia is obviously a robot, Gii's magical eye be damned.
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Oct 16, 2018 19:35
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Video: New Old Faces BGM: Always  After all, it's not that strange for Gii to pick something up like this.Those children were similar at first too. ......well, it's true.......it's a simple thing. A simple thing.An absolutely insignificant thing. ...... .................. .................................  It's just a disguise until we figure out what to do with her. It won't be long before the Upper Tier Soldiers start loitering around here. Besides,sneaking in at night isn't a right of yours. That's not what I'm talking about!Don't you understand, Gii!? There's a step here, be careful. Okay.You're quite kind, Gii. If you get hurt, I'll get tired healing you.......Ati... why have you been glaring at me all morning? Gii, are you taking Kia with you to work?This early? Normally you'd still be in bed around now. Why're you even awake?  No, that's fine, Kia-chan did nothing wrong.This man's the one who did something wrong. Sometimes I wonder if he's even aware of what he owes us. If you want to sleep, go right ahead.No one's there, so take your time.  Aaah, forget it! ......did something happen at work? That old turtle's the only one failing today.I had no trouble knocking out that half-Ogre to protect the "interests" of the client. Nonetheless, she was sullen. Gii shrugged his shoulders and put a hand on Ati's head. Her gaze was exceedingly sharp, but the ears on top of her head weren't as sullen. He rubbed them, and looked up to his right. The monorail was here. There's a bottle of alcohol in the Engine Refrigerator.It'd be nice if you emptied that. ......fine, fine.Kia-chan, take good care of Gii.  Ati... umm... good luck with your work,and good night. Kia, there's another step here.He boarded first, and held out his hand. He thought the difference in height from the stone pavement to the monorail was too high for her, so he held out his hand. A gaze pierced through his extended hand. The Black Cat didn't seem to be feeling any better. [Gii] (......what could it be?) ——It's also the third time... ——I've felt this mysterious gaze on me. BGM: Calmly Days   Caw. ......and morning to you, Gii-sensei.Your face is as gloomy as always. ——This boy's got a mysterious gaze too. ——That's easy to see. Mies, a boy who once came down with a heavy fever, but had since gotten better and somewhat fatter. Gii was always surprised by how well the young recovered. He'd been as thin as a pencil a week earlier. Now he'd recovered almost irritatingly well. Of course, this was because his family were Sixth-Class Citizens. He was blessed. He'd received life-saving surgery from Gii, and then his health had been assured by a warm bed and nutritious food. Most of all, he was lucky. Salem's notebook had been found in the rubble at some point, and this boy had been climbing up the list of offerings in it. Yes, he'd heard it from Stanislaw. That information made up part of the compensation for his failure. ——Mies. ——This boy is alive. ——He's no different from the children that died. ——Luck and parents. ——That's all that saved his life.  No, I'm just fine.This guy's here for me, and you're always visiting, Kia...... Now don't get sick again.Be sure to disinfect your hands when you get back home. Words Gii had used the day before last. Kia gave them to the boy as if they were natural. So she was good at remembering things. That was another skill which helped with Gii's job. He wasn't all that good at talking to people. However, Kia... Kia was becoming steadily more used to this life and job. It could become a problem later. He heaved a sigh, despite himself. The boy's eyes faced toward him, as if displeased. As if to say, 'Why are you here?' Of course, he was here as the boy's doctor. But now Gii saw it. This boy——  What's wrong, Mies-kun?You're making a scary face. I-I-It's nothing.Anyway, Kia, can we go to the City Skyscraper together sometime? I've got a secret base there. The Skyscraper? Caw.——I see. ——He's doing quite well. His youth was a valuable thing. It wouldn't be bad for him to fall in love. It'd probably be good for him. Gii decided to let that go for a while. Mies' parents came to lower their heads in thanks. Gii waved his hand, saying 'I don't mind,' and made sure they had his contact information. Twelve more cases today. He thought about stopping by the Lowest Tier today if he had the time. There was a place he wanted to visit. B-by the way, how long has it been since you moved into Gii-sensei's place?Ummm, well, no, is there anyone you're seeing right—— Seeing? Caw. Is there anyone you like?——Oya oya? BGM: Always  「Oya oya??」 「「Oya oya oya???」」   [Francisca] Oya oya oya? Hey, hey, you, yes, with the pale face. Where are you going with the flaxen-haired girl?  [Francisca] Rare things do indeed happen, right, Doctor? A new lover? Aaah, I forgot. You'd never have a lover, that'd piss off the Black Cat.   [Francisca] And I thought you'd passed your prime already. I underestimated you.    [Agnes] And I'm Francisca, nice to meet you. I'm a sheep informant working together with my twin sister. ——A single sigh ——I've been caught by this irritating pair again. He was just thinking that he hadn't seen their faces in a while, and now they'd shown themselves in such a boisterous way. Twin sisters changed into Fantastic Mutants. Behind the robust Stanislaw's back, these two informants managed all of Infinitely Crowded Street. Gii had thought about seeing them if he could. Agnes and... Francisca.......yes, okay, I got it, I'll remember that. Not quite, Kia. ? Agnes said that she was Francisca.Francisca said that she was Agnes. You two shouldn't play around with someone you've just met.   [Francisca] Aaah, forget it. Listen, Kia, you'll never be happy hanging out with a man like that. If you want, we can offer you some arranged marriage partners for next to nothing.   [Francisca] Oooh? The Doctor's that good?Hey, what part of him do you like the most?  ......it's a secret. 「「Oh my~ Such passion~」」 ......there's no need for you to talk in sync.Kia, don't play with them too much.  Moving on,I assume you both know this girl's name?  That's good to hear.Has anything about her entered those big ears of yours?  [Agnes] You're buying information?Then of course we'll collect a fee.  [Agnes] Partly because of that recent "underground demon" fiasco, it costs a pretty penny now to find any missing child in this City. ......how much? 「「How much do you think♪?」」——Smiling from ear to ear... ——They both tilt their heads at the same time and the same angle. It looked like asking them really had been a mistake. It was like asking how much smog there was in the City. He shrugged his shoulders. It seems expensive, so let's go, Gii.Don't overdo it. ...... you sound somehow unsatisfied.Kia, this is about you, you know.  ...... [Agnes] We've got nothing on her, sorry.Still, if we hear anything the Doctor might like, we'll be sure to pick it up~☆ [Francisca] Things about work. The sick and the wounded. Don't you want to get patients before they're rushed off to the expeeeensive public and private hospitals? ......I wouldn't want to go out of my way to get them. [Agnes] It you mean the old turtle, then no worries!We're genuine informants, don't think we're the same as that old guy with all his side jobs. [Francisca] So, Doctor, why don't you start by telling us how much you can pay? ——Twin pink sheep. ——Sometimes cute, and sometimes strong. They were residents of the vitriolic Lower Tiers. Gii searched his already light wallet. He could probably buy one piece of information. Normally, it'd be very hard for girls this young to achieve fixed bodies and minds as Fantastic Mutants. Even so, they'd done it. By greedily searching for money, they'd kept themselves alive. ——They're strong at times. ——They can mingle with the filth writhing around Infinitely Crowded Street. BGM: Detective  His name was Randolph, though very few had ever heard that name. No one knew his surname. He was strength incarnate, and a madman, always immersing himself in the gutters, searching for something. He peered into Gii's eyes and gazed intently. This man always spoke of incomprehensible things, which was why people called him a "madman." Randolph was always like that. As usual, he was sitting opposite Gii today, peering into his eyes.   Oya oya......?It's quite rare for you to bring a girl besides the Black Cat. You seem to have changed quite a bit again.I'm disillusioned, Gii, my bungling doctor. People never noticed his insanity right away, since he'd gained a charming face after becoming a Fantastic Mutant 《Tanuki.》 Kia for instance. The girl sitting next to Gii appeared to be gazing at him with a forgiving expression. Who is this person?Gii, I've never seen him before. That's Randolph.'Disillusioned' is quite a strong word, hole-digger. Unlike most people, I speak no falsehood.The 《Secret Red Book》 I once laid eyes upon prevents me from doing so. I've explained this to you many times. You who call yourself Gii. You doctor.You... your face... it's changed greatly. What a shame. Aaah... what a shame. You'll fall right into Hell. Hell? A figment of someone's imagination from some Seikyouan "faith."Randolph, am I going to Hell? There were many things Kia didn't know about. This one, however, was quite understandable. Ten years ago, back when the City was trading with the outside. Immigrants from the far off land of "Seikyou" imported many things into the City of Inganock. Their faith was something unique to Seikyouan culture. It's said that they believed in a divine supernatural existence, and desired salvation. Hell was the polar opposite of that salvation. It was said to be the place where those with sins were punished. ——Sins? I see... ——I've got plenty of those. I thought you'd go mad like me, and at long last die within the earth.That was cunning, very cunning, Gii. Only you... Only you are going to Hell.Oh, how I envy you.  ??? He's drunk.You don't have to take him seriously. That's right, I'm always drunk on life.A drunkenness that will never sober. Yes, the moon will fall, the asteroid belt is now a stage. It'll be on Saturn. The moon??Saturn???? I've never heard of those.What are they? Astronomical terms.They have nothing to do with Inganock, since we don't have a sky here. Haha, it can't he helped, Gii, nothing can be done about it. Yes, nothing can be done, Gii.Something seems to have happened. Did you meet something? ——For just one instant... ——It was only for a moment, ——But it was as if his eyes, clouded by lunacy, had suddenly cleared. During the split second when that badger looked at Kia, Gii had seen lucidity within his eyes. That might have simply been his imagination, but... It should have been his imagination. Gii knew that the man was raving mad. He also knew that the man had lost sight of reality. Even so, Gii didn't cut off his words, because there was no need to. Gii was insane as well. He went insane a long time ago. He'd been twisted, along with the City, and along with a part of his brain. ......go meet with him. We'd best see the Old Teacher.I'm sure he's waiting for your arrival. 
Fates End fucked around with this message at 02:54 on Oct 27, 2018 |
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Oct 19, 2018 02:27
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BGM: Amnesia  The term refers to those who were originally human, but whose bodies were mutated under the influence of the 《Revival.》 Since the majority of Inganock's residents have come down with some kind of large or small mutation, in the strictest sense it simply means 「Citizens of Inganock.」 Generally speaking, it refers to people with large mutations that make their outward appearances different from humans. There are numerous smaller classifications, a portion of which are recorded here. ——《Pucelle》 People with the characteristics of cats and tigers. Possess excellent physical abilities. ——《Gnoll》 People with the characteristics of dogs and wolves. Possess excellent physical abilities and sense of smell. ——《Naga》 People with the characteristics of reptiles. Possess tough and tenacious bodies. ——《Shelob》 People with the characteristics of insects. Their abilities vary wildly. ——《Forne》 People with the characteristics of fish. Possess water-related abilities. ——《Ogre》 Large people with the characteristics of bears. Possess enormous bodies and tremendous upper-body strength. ——《Ezeck》 Large people with the characteristics of cats. Possess powerful observation abilities.    You all call me an 《Ezeck,》 although it remains unclear whether I am that Fantastic Mutant. I only watch.I've done that everywhere, and I'll do that here. Inganock.The 《Fantastic City》 that none speak of. I shall see everything.I shall see everything about you all. I haven't been asked by anyone to do this.Since I cannot watch my daughter fly across the sky, I'll watch all of you. And no matter what waits for me at the end of this, I shall see it all. ...... something other than the forty-one I've been watching. I shall see it. Gii.In the end...... Will you accept that child behind you?Will you be able to grant his wish? ......I'll be watching.  I like the smell of coffee,though I have some trouble drinking it. It's a shame Gii doesn't read the tabloids.I wish he would. I like the smell of coffee, and the sound of pages flipping. But... There's something I don't like about the mornings here. Even if I gaze out the window, there's so much mist amongst the clouds.That just isn't right. I don't hate the mist,but I'd like the mornings to be more refreshing. ......that's why.........I like mornings, but not this mist.   A mysterious girl.In the end, that old turtle never managed to track down her identity. Who in the world is she?Her manner and dress give the impression of someone from above... And yet, she almost feels like a housewife.Yeah, strange. Ah... maybe...What if she's a princess from the Upper Tier? Maybe there was some trouble and she ran to the Lower Tiers, and found herself at some poor Traveling Doctor's place...... ......yes... yes...I'll stop. That's like a dime novel from ten years back.Aaah, how embarrassing. No more of that.   They're neither Fantastic Mutants nor Creatures, but organisms resenbling sprites and pixies from fairy tales. They're also called Mystic Beings. Technically the Engine Spirits that occasionally pop into existence around Engine Factories are a kind of Monster. But most of them make their homes in various corners of Inganock's Lower Tiers. Since they're basically the same as animals, it's possible to attack and drive them off. ——The weak ones, that is. The strong ones cause tremendous destruction wherever they appear. The lowest Tiers of all are home to a great many strong Monsters. Unless you had a Runner escorting you, wandering down into the Lowest Tier would get you killed almost immediately.    The question made even Stanislaw raise his voice.Who in the world is she? A stranger of unknown identity.In this City, that means danger. This is a City where one must be wary of any stranger, be it a girl or an old man or even a small child. Even if the stranger holds no malice.That changes nothing. They might have been infected by a Monster's poison or a strange disease.Or... they might be under a Creature's control. The possibilities are endless,and yet... ......am I being wary of her?Am I suspecting her? ......no, I'm not doing any of that. Why won't I do that?Do I trust her? ......perhaps...I don't know her well enough to say that. Even so, I'm...... I'm not the least bit concerned about her.For some reason, it feels natural. ......truly, a mysterious girl.   I have quite a deep history with him.We met a long, long time ago. Back when he was still human, when he was praised as the first of the peerless Scholars. A Scholar who came here from Seikyou with Laura.When did he go insane? When the City became like this?When the City warped? No, that's not it.He'd been insane for a long time, even before that. He desires the truth. The truth of the City?Why the City turned into this? No, that's not it.He desires that which is truth to him. ......as does everyone.They have to find the truth for themselves. I have no such thing.That's why I'm watching all of you. Am I watching you with the abilities of a Fantastic Mutant 《Ezeck?》Well, that might be the case. ......and it might not he the case.  Upper Tier-Approved Industries in the First and Second Tiers undertake enormous economic activity every day. Their influence is felt in markets that support the lives of Citizens in every Tier. That's the optimistic way of putting it. However, a group of Fixers know. They know that it's all a fabrication. The economy is completely controlled. Free economy within the City is optimism itself. In actuality, the price changes...... ...... are all fixed by the Upper Tier Aristocrats, so that Citizens won't suddenly die, so that no Citizen suddenly becomes too prosperous. Upper Tier-Approved Industries. Those are puppets of the Aristocrats, dogs silenced by shillings. In this City, where the concept of foreign currency doesn't exist, they say that there's no need for it. Plus, no one knows about it. Even if they found out, no one would dare object. As the price of natural eggs skyrockets, those who know about it merely think. ......they think, 'it can't be helped.'   After all,what is a ......'synthetic egg?' I know how you get eggs from chickens, but synthetic eggs and bacon...... What...... Are they...... ? When I tried tasting them,they had such a... such a flavor that I spent two whole minutes just staring at it from the shock. It's not delicious...... ......no, it's bad. I'd like to be choosier with my words, but I can't find any other way to describe that taste. But, I did my best.Trial and error, trying to make it delicious. I reused ingredients so that I wouldn't waste too much. As a result,on the third day... I learned just how to cook delicious scrambled eggs and bacon. E-hen~☆  Still, I like delicious things.Making them is just...... impossible. My hands can't hold a skillet.Ordering a specially made one would be expensive. Yes, expensive.The more you cook, the more expensive it gets. Maybe utensils and cooking implements are just as cheap as the Engine Factories' mass produced goods. I can't eat things like synthetic eggs raw.If cooked, I can manage. But, it depends on the skill of the cook.A skilled person can make even bad synthetic foods into something edible. ......in that respect.........I think that girl is amazing. ......she seems quite used to it. ......I might be... a little envious.   I know what "he" is.He's the sole fairy tale of this City. The people's meager fairy tale, said to demolish even Creatures. That must be what "he" is.I'm convinced of it. still...... ......why... me? ...... why... do you stand behind me? I don't know, but my...... My hand definitely overlapped with yours, even though it was chained firm. I certainly...felt the warmth of your hand.   [Gii.」 「Gii-sensei. Cracking Doc. Doctor Gii.」 「You who I speak of intimately.」 「I've decided.」 「With my one and only eye, I'll...」 「I'll watch you.」 「I'll see the same things as you.」 「And I shall extend this hand forward...」 「Just as you do with yours.」   The term refers to an equation experiment the Grand Prince undertook in the Upper Tier ten years ago. He did it in order to combat the calamities brought forth by the 《Revival.》 It's said that the Grand Prince used the last of his strength to grant the City the power to resist these calamities, and he did it by completing the Phenomenon Equation, also known as the Astea Theory. The experiment began seven days after the day of 《Revival.》 That's how it was officially announced. But, taking into consideration that the Grand Prince's announcement of the 「Success of the Phenomenon Equation Experiment」 was two years after the 《Revival》—— It must have actually taken two whole years to perfect the Equation. It's said that many Scholars participated in and were defeated by the Phenomenon Equation Experiment. Even the Grand Prince was said to have come down with an illness. At present, the Grand Prince...... Not once in these past ten years has he shown his face to the Aristocrats or to the Citizens. Even when announcing the success of the Phenomenon Equation Experiment, even when proclaiming the enactment of the City Law of Death... Both times, he was only a voice prepared by broadcasting devices.   It's a rumor about a Monster. Over ten years ago it would have just been a fairy tale. However, now it's a rumor about a Monster. Nowadays fairy tales certainly exist, and they certainly do bare fangs. However, it's a mysterious rumor. No one knows whether it really exists. No traces of evidence have ever been found. It really should've been called a fairy tale, just like that 《Kikai.》 However, it was a rumor of a Monster, a rumor of a being in the form of a jester. It isn't known who first spoke of it. It might be that no one did. However, that was the rumor, the rumor of a smiling buffoon that made people go mad. There are those among the Fantastic Mutants that call it a clown. They're surely right. Someone said that. Then again, maybe no one said it. ......even though no one's ever seen the clown, even though no one's ever spoken of seeing it. Nonetheless, someone says that there is a being in the form of a jester...... That greedily devours people's hearts, and is neither human nor Creature nor Monster.    He's said to know everything about this City.That rumor comes from the powerful observation abilities that he possesses as a Fantastic Mutant 《Ezeck.》 Somehow,he feels like someone from an old era. He truly is an 'Old Teacher.' All bow their heads before him.However, the rumor that even the Upper Tier Aristocrats ask for his teachings is pure exaggeration. He is... inside the City,and yet behaves almost as if he's outside. Even though he ought to have lived here for ten years, it's almost like ...... He's just stopping by.He always seems so aloof. He has no roots.He probably doesn't even have an Individual Engine Card or any other form of Citizen lD. ......he probably knows. About "him" standing behind me.About the City's sole fairy tale. ......if I see him now, six years later...What will he say to me? Will I be scolded again?Or perhaps......   That is Inganock's sole fairy tale.In a City that's come to believe in the power of all illusions, only this fairy tale remains. A fairy tale born during these last ten years.Everyone in the City knows it. It's a shadow that brings about 《beautiful things》 for the people in this City.A City that's lost most of its beauty. ......but... but... Has it really lost it all?This City? Is the 《Kikai》 really the only thing that can show people beauty?I wouldn't know about that. The one thing I can say...... ......is that to me, everything looks beautiful, everything that can and does live.  When I look at night, it's still open, just like during the day.When do they all rest? Strange.Very strange. I don't know when they clean the place.Can they clean the stalls without closing? Strange...... They say it's open twenty-four hours.But then, when do the managers sleep......? ......it really is... strange...... ......Ati's the same.What does she mean by 'night biz?' I've heard the word Runner.It looks like I'll have to look it up myself. ......but still, this really is...a strange town...... I can't sleep. ......in a town with no night......
Fates End fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Oct 21, 2018 |
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Oct 20, 2018 20:55
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Fates End posted:
I forgot Ati doesn't actually have regular hands, all the close-up art of everyone is only torso upwards. Also this should be the last post for this page, phew.
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Oct 21, 2018 20:49
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