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Yup, the Miyao/Meow situation was the one thing I knew about Ciconia before this LP. And honestly, the way the writing treats it is just incredibly sweet and supportive right from the start :3 Also, by this point I'd say the only question is whether Jayden ends up snuggling with Meow, with Miyao, or with both of them.
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Nov 13, 2019 22:12
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| # ? May 9, 2024 15:31 |
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just come out as pansexual already
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Nov 13, 2019 22:17
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SHE'S HEEEEEEERE  Meow is one of my favourite characters in the game (which is a hard sell because They're All Good Kids, Brent) and I've been really looking forward to seeing her arrive. This whole section of the game and the Miyao/Meow situation are part of what really started getting me excited about Ciconia so re-reading it is gonna be a lot of fun!
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Nov 13, 2019 23:04
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...I'm gonna be yelling JUST KISS at my screen in about ten updates from now, aren't I. Is that Miyao/Meow pun in the original Japanese?
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Nov 14, 2019 02:57
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Viola the Mad posted:Is that Miyao/Meow pun in the original Japanese? It is - the names are ミヤオ (miyao) and ミャオ (myao).
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Nov 14, 2019 02:59
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Quinn2win posted:It is - the names are ミヤオ (miyao) and ミャオ (myao). So I guess pronounce Miyao with a slightly longer mee at the start.
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Nov 14, 2019 09:21
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Meow and Jayden make for a great couple. 
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Nov 14, 2019 09:35
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MonsterEnvy posted:So I guess pronounce Miyao with a slightly longer mee at the start. more like Miyao with a slightly shorter mee at the start
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Nov 14, 2019 09:50
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Character Tips added: Warcat (Miyao, Jayden, Gunhild)
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Nov 14, 2019 14:38
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   BGM: Manshon no kabe o hashiru tokage There was nothing that identified the troops' nationality or affiliation. Even their guns were the latest model from a famous manufacturer, which wasn't yet in use by official militaries. All this made it easy to guess that they were either personally-hired soldiers or mercenaries of some sort. However, there was nothing unrefined about the elevator or their behavior or attire. And, there wasn't even a speck of dust to be seen, much less trash lying about. It was almost painfully refined, and the man in the suit seemed to be overwhelmed by it... Eventually, after descending for several minutes, the elevator finally stopped. When the door opened with a faint *swoosh*, it revealed a massive, dimly-lit space behind it. It was lifeless, tasteless, and simple, without any sort of decoration. However, it also had a noble feeling, as if it hadn't deigned to conform to changing modes of decoration throughout the eras...  As the girls' expressionless eyes slowly turned to face the man in the elevator, they quietly held out their right arms. There, with a scattering of angel feathers, two oversized 76mm 62-caliber Super Rapid cannons designed for warships were summoned into existence. These clearly weren't weapons that one individual was supposed to use against another. It was almost as though they'd summoned giant metal beasts, so big that one had to look up to see them, and it looked like their tamers were just about to order them to strike... The man let out a small cry and flinched at this greeting, but the cannons weren't pointing at him. They were aimed behind him. At the two soldiers who had brought him here. The soldiers had not been given permission to take even one step out of the elevator into this space. They were aware of this, so they pushed the other man in the back, telling him to go on alone. After the man left the elevator, quivering, the doors shut with a faint sound, and it disappeared into the darkness. When only the suited man was left, the girls erased the cannons they'd summoned. Man: "...Wh-Where...is this place...? Did you two...call me here...?" The girls didn't answer. On the contrary, they were completely expressionless, as if they hadn't even noticed the man talking to them. Then, the man, who was quivering more than ever, was finally answered by a voice.  BGM: Welcome to A3W A woman in a lab coat walked out of the darkness and greeted the man. The man, who hadn't been able to communicate with anyone else since coming here, was so relieved that he broke out into a cold sweat. However, that expression of relief changed into shock when the woman finished walking out of the shadows... Man: "...N-No, that's not possible... I-I mean, you're...!"  The man opened a Selcom facial recognition app. A Selcom is like a smartphone or personal computer that exists in your brain. In this era, it was easy to take things you saw with your naked eye and save them as images or look them up on the net... ...Complete...  Bio: A young genius physicist from AOU Germany who invented the Spiritium High-Efficiency Energy Conversion Technique (also known as the Dreissig Conversion). She was awarded the Bernhard Prize in Physics for this achievement. However, on December 9th, the day before the ceremony, she disappeared from the hotel in Oslo where she was staying. Two days later, on December 11, a roasted body was found in a city trash incinerator, and it was later confirmed to be Dreissig herself. The investigation team eventually concluded that she got drunk, accidentally went into the collection hatch of an automated trash collector, failed to respond to repeated warnings, and was then thrown into an incinerator and killed in a tragic accident. However, because of Dreissig's accomplishments and various conspiracy theories, many are still convinced that she was assassinated by someone. Man: "...Aah...aaah..."  "Heheheh. Are you looking me up with your Selcom?"Man: "...I see... It looks like the Oslo city police made a mistake... But it's strange. This year, you should be... But you still look like you're..."  Man: "..." Since it was coming from a genius physicist, he couldn't tell if it was true, or if she was trying to confuse him. He only knew... that a genius physicist who had supposedly died mysteriously was alive... and had appeared in front of him looking just like she had back then. After that, the man starting asking questions about Dreissig's research. In this era, even an empty-handed human could search for information with their Selcom at will. It wouldn't be impossible to mimic someone else, if you really wanted to. However, searching for information was completely different from understanding it. After asking several questions, the man had to admit that the woman in front of him was either Vier Dreissig herself...or at least a genius scientist on that same level... People who seemed to be scientists in lab coats occasionally appeared in this bleak, dim space. The man casually tried to use facial recognition on all of them.    ...What on Earth...? Just by face-matching the few people walking by, he was building up a list of young physicists representing the entire world... And all of them had vanished after mysterious disappearances or accidents... It's true that some conspiracy theorists have amused themselves with the string of famous, genius physicists who had mysteriously disappeared or died over the past few decades... What on Earth... What... on Earth...   "No, it's probably fair to say that we're dead. After all, none of the people here have any ties to the surface anymore. Compared to the joy of attaining ultimate wisdom, wealth, fame, family, and children mean nothing."Man: "..." All the genius scientists who had just walked by... were incredibly enthusiastic for their ages, almost like kids who were planning some sort of prank. Rather than charming, it was a little disturbing, as though the ideals that dominated this space were completely different from the real world...  "...And, I see that you too are the sort of person who would like to come to our side, even if it means abandoning everything you've gained on the surface."Man: "...I-Indeed..." If I'm able to touch just a bit of God's wisdom, I don't care if I have to sacrifice all my wealth and fame to do it. It's a line all scientists feeling like saying at least once, when they're drunk. And in fact, he had said this whenever he got the chance. He had never imagined...that someone would actually respond to that call like this...  "This is a research institution, but we don't call it research. We call it...translation."Man: "...Translation...?"  Man: "I see... So you call it...translation..." When you make a discovery, no matter how ground-shaking and ingenious it is, it won't be of any use unless the average person can understand it. In other words, without the power of translation, all ingenious discoveries get treated the same as the occult. Genius scientists have a desire to make discoveries, but they also have a desire to translate discoveries made by people far more ingenious than them. This desire is held only by the few who are hailed as geniuses. Because they're geniuses, they're saddened by the fact that they'll never meet an even greater genius. They want to touch the glimmer of far greater geniuses, to translate it. They don't want to be called geniuses. They want to touch the wisdom of people they would call geniuses. "In this place, several miraculous techniques that we can't even understand...are waiting to be translated."Man: "...Umm, what kinds...of miraculous techniques...?" "Heheh. If you truly join us as a comrade, I'll show you."Man: "You aren't about to tell me...that it's super-high technology from some ancient, unknown civilization or something, right...?"  The man attempted to joke casually, trying to make it seem as though he had grown comfortable with this situation. However, a clearly disappointed expression rose to Vier's face. "Whether it's super-high technology from an ancient civilization, or alien technology, or an akashic record built into the fabric of reality, can the source of wisdom ever be a problem?"Man: "N-No..."  "All of our comrades here simply view the attainment of ultimate wisdom as their greatest joy. They don't mind putting their wealth, fame, and even their lives on the line for the sake of that joy. You feel the same, don't you? ...Isn't that right, Doctor...?"This really was... a world of people who were not human, just as she'd said. Yes. Everyone here is dead. They have already "died" in our world... Does that make this the underworld, dizzyingly far beneath the ground? If I've been invited here while I still live... Maybe they thought we were arguing, but those Gauntlet girls were staring at us through the darkness...  Man: "N-No... I, umm, haven't yet been able to fully appreciate how amazing this place is... In the first place, uhh, I haven't even had a chance to see this wisdom you're talking about."  "..."Man: "This wisdom is so captivating that it made so many genius scientists abandon everything on the surface... Unless you show me, I, umm...won't be able to take this all in..." "...We're not supposed to show anyone who hasn't sworn to become our comrade, but if it means we'll be able to gain your rare talent, I suppose I could show you before you make your oath."Man: "...O-Okay..."  "However."Vier brought her lips up to the man's ear. Her breath didn't carry the warmth of the living. It was the breath of the land of the dead... at the bottom of the Earth. "Before that, I want you to tell us about those people we love and respect so, so much."Man: "...Wh-What do you mean...?"  ...C-Crap... I need to ask "them" for help...!  ...Wh-What happened, all of a sudden...?! Did it bug out? N-No...! "Heheheheheheheheheh... I love welcoming in guests. I love getting to share the moment of trembling excitement felt by our true, newly-awakened comrades. We sometimes get minions sent by those three, like you, but nearly everyone else learned the joy of touching wisdom and converted over to our side, becoming our comrades." "...Stop trying to ask them for help, Doctor. I want to hear your own, heartfelt words. Will you become our comrade, or not...? I couldn't bear to see one of your talent waste away on the surface, ignorant of the joy of touching wisdom... Understand...?"Then, there was a shriek, and a cackling voice suddenly rang out. It was one of the scientists that had walked past them. The genius physicist from AOU Japan, Ogawa Seiei. He was facing the empty darkness, cackling all on his own... "He also came here as an agent of the Three Kings, at first. However, when he learned the joy of touching wisdom, he decided to become our comrade and abandon everything on the surface."*cackle*cackle*, *cackle*cackle*cackle*. That mysterious laugh didn't seem like it could possibly belong to someone with the gentlemanly attitude he had been known for. It was as though everything that wasn't necessary for this 'translation' job she had mentioned...had been ripped out of him... For the first time, the visitor deeply regretted accepting this task out of a faint curiosity, as if it had been some sort of strange spy game.  
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Nov 15, 2019 14:26
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Oh, I see, "Vier"  Re: Umineko, I found it really interesting how, in that work, the topic of gender identity issues is treated with this almost reverent caution where the narrative avoids ever making what's going on 100% explicit, and even has that one scene where Will is talking to Clair and essentially says, "If the reader hasn't figured it out, I'm not going to spell out something so private and personal to you". I wonder how much the total 180 is a product of the changing times, since the past 10 years have seen such massive changes in how the topic is conceptualized, and how much of it is in response to the original reaction to Umineko, where for a really long time people just refused to entertain the idea that Yasu was anything other than a normal girl dressing as a boy for fun even when the subtext is basically screaming in the readers face by Episode 6 and 7. Ryukishi's historical reaction to his readerbase not getting subtle themes has been to smash them in their faces in his next work.
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Nov 15, 2019 14:39
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PoorWeather posted:Oh, I see, "Vier" Yes, it’s “Vier Dreissig (physicist)” everybody, meet this new character.
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Nov 15, 2019 15:19
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rko posted:Yes, it’s “Vier Dreissig (physicist)” everybody, meet this new character. I wonder if her middle name is "Und". Also man, I absolutely forgot how much her eyes seem to melt off her face. R07 art, never change.
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Nov 15, 2019 15:23
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For those who didn't read the spoilered stuff earlier, this is in reference to the runic text at top and bottom. So I tracked down the source of the quotes. I finally realized that instead of trying to search through any published and known Bible translation, I should just pick out the odd phrases and see if they come up on the web. The particularly clunky "God has adjudicated your redress from her" (from Rev. 18:20) led me at last to http://bibletranslation.ws which is a single person's translation project (incomplete so far). I strongly suspect the use of this version has nothing to do with a preference for this particular text* and everything to do with the fact that the entire text can be found on a single page and if one was searching for say 'book of revelation' it would probably come up. I didn't mention it earlier, but in terms of its potential relevance to the game: the top quotes come from Revelation 18, which describes the judgment against Babylon. Since Babylon the city had long been destroyed by the time of the book's writing, this Babylon is figurative for a once-mighty empire that has become decadent and corrupt, and ends up being destroyed for its sins. The quotes at the bottom come from the end of the book — Revelation 22 — describing what happens when the 'new Jerusalem' has come (after the last judgment), along with predictions about the Second Coming of Jesus and comments from the author of Revelation. If the text scrolls I imagine one of the other verses included would be this one which appears nearby them, which might be more apposite to what's about to go down: John the Revelator posted:He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And of course any modern translation will use more gender-neutral terms there. e: And now we have large text in the latest update, referencing the four living creatures and maybe opening of seals - this is in reference to the process of the final judgement itself. Also 'translation', funnily enough. *I don't necessarily want to cast aspersions on the effort of this translator, but there's a page comparing translations, on which he says he's basically the only person to correctly translate the location of the Mark of the Beast, and that's kind of a warning sign right there. My links above go to two sites I'd recommend for finding or comparing Bible verses: blueletterbible.org, which has a somewhat cluttered interface but good access to tools (cross-reference, original language, etc.) and biblegateway.com, which has more ads on the side but presents the text cleanly, and access to many many versions, including a lot of other modern languages. I used the King James for the link since it's the best-known for literary influence in English. Kangra fucked around with this message at 15:38 on Nov 15, 2019 |
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Nov 15, 2019 15:24
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Just the larger text for now, roughly from top to bottom: -eard the sec When he opened the Creature saying "come and Three quarts of barley for a denarius and do not (m?)idst of the four living creatures saying "a quart of wheat for a denarius D seal heard the* "Come and see•" so I looked and behold a black horse and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his ha(nd?) -ned one of the seats and I heard one of (the?) More Revelations stuff, it seems. I probably missed a line somewhere because ow my eyes. I might decipher the smaller lines later. *I don't know what's going on with this line. The '•' might be a '!'? E: Kangra posted:If the text scrolls I imagine one of the other verses included would be this one which appears nearby them, which might be more apposite to what's about to go down: I went back and checked a few images and it seems like they don't scroll. Your quote does seem apt, though! Telum fucked around with this message at 16:06 on Nov 15, 2019 |
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Nov 15, 2019 15:35
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MonsterEnvy posted:So I guess pronounce Miyao with a slightly longer mee at the start. I like to imagine everybody in the story just mimics a cat meowing when they're talking about Meow. Its is really interesting (other WTC spoilers) how he's playing off Umineko here. It's both a gentle nod to Sayo and something mixed in that throws the reader off a little. Meow and Sayo might end up good friends in a happier fragment........
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Nov 15, 2019 17:02
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Hello again 34. Does this mean that the Three Kings are all just (Umineko)Bernkastelfaces? Meow is good.
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Nov 15, 2019 23:25
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Cyouni posted:Hello again 34. Does this mean that the Three Kings are all just (Umineko)Bernkastelfaces? Nah, they're Venom, from Guilty Gear. Seriously, the instant I saw those wadjet-eye as hell facemasks I couldn't get the image out of my head.
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Nov 16, 2019 00:53
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Wow ok this is not at all what I expected from R07's next work. Let's see how this goes I guess. Gonna be interesting actually getting in on the ground floor of one of these. The thing about "When the storks stop coming, a country has no future" sounds like it's about the whole factory produced humans thing, which makes me wonder if King Ridicule is a disillusioned higher-up from one of those alliances or something. The whole Miyao/Meow/Murderyao thing that's being set up is pretty ominous. Makes you wonder how many of the other Gauntlet Knights also have the split personality thing going. What's up with this "34" person? Is it some kind of later Higurashi thing?
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Nov 16, 2019 03:59
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Arcvasti posted:What's up with this "34" person? Is it some kind of later Higurashi thing? There's a character in Higurashi named Miyo, which is written 三四 (34). There's also a character in Umineko named Lambdadelta, and Lambda and Delta correspond to 30 and 4 respectively. They're both blondes with potentially ominous agendas.
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Nov 16, 2019 04:35
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Quinn2win posted:There's a character in Higurashi named Miyo, which is written 三四 (34). There's also a character in Umineko named Lambdadelta, and Lambda and Delta correspond to 30 and 4 respectively. They're both blondes with potentially ominous agendas. Ah that does make sense. I'd seen both of those characters before, but never really caught the number thing. Now that I look at them both, miyo and vier both look basically identical, even down to the little green sash with a gold crossy thing on it. That's pretty concerning, especially as far as poor Man is concerned.
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Nov 16, 2019 05:15
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Jestress also looks like Miyo and Lambdadelta to me. (More Lambda then Miyo though with the hat and bow.)
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Nov 16, 2019 08:48
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Character Tips added: Grave Mole (Chloe, Koshka, Lilja)
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Nov 16, 2019 18:49
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 BGM: Advancing  "Miyao" is now summoning a missile dispenser poyo! "Miyao" has begun accessing attack drone "Unnamed" poyo! "Jayden" is now summoning high-maneuverability guided missiles poyo!  "He noticed that Jayden's missile interception was taking too long, so he made a second and third move without hesitation." "He finished his prep by summoning an automated weapon, and now he's gonna hit him with everything he's got." "...*yaaaaawn* Wake me up when it's my turn." "Jayden's" Reaper's Eye has targeted drone "Unnamed" poyo. "Miyao" is summoning cluster-style high-maneuverability guided missiles poyo. This is the end poyo, heheheh *kero*kero*! "...And that's the match." "The drone's a decoy meow meow. He totally got taken in by Miyao's pattern meow♪" "drat, am I not gonna make it...?!" "This...is the end...!!!!" "A splendid barrage of cluster missiles to match the automated attack by the missile dispenser. If he gets swallowed by that saturation bombardment, it's over." "...*stares blankly*." And that's the match poyo!!  "Miyao" wins poyo!! Congrats, congrats, *kero*kero*kero*kero*♪ Please wait for an appraisal from the AI command center poyo! "Good work, you two! Lilja, Koshka, you're up next!" "Roger meow♪" "Gonna take a stim, give me a sec. Aaaaaah..." The only way to make up for that was, as you might expect, to self-train with other Gauntlet Knights you knew well. By now, mutual training with other members of the first generation of Gauntlet Knights was a more effective means of skill-building than their official training. In fact, even fighter pilots, who had advanced war from 2 dimensions to 3 dimensions for the first time ever, had honed their abilities by self-training among their first generation. No, the same thing probably applies to all skillsets. The first generation has no textbooks or instructors. Only a desire for self-improvement and mutual training could lead them higher. After that, mock battles combining all sorts of situations continued to take place in the simulator room. That data was precisely analyzed by Miyao, their unofficial lecturer, and issues were pointed out to all present. Of course, the others also analyzed Miyao and pointed out his issues. All this data was also made public to their newbie Gauntlet Knight underclassmen, furthering the improvement of their techniques.  BGM: White Song However, at a glance, it didn't look like a review meeting. It just looked like everyone was stuffing their faces at a dessert buffet. This was because of a trait peculiar to Gauntlet Knights: a desire to eat way too many sweet things after training. The Gauntlet's energy source was Spiritium throughout the atmosphere, but it couldn't be used directly. It only became usable energy through a Dreissig Conversion that made use of a brain filter. When that happened, it put a great strain on the brain, using up a large amount of glucose. However, considering the massive amount of energy the conversion gave them, this was a very small price to pay. For that reason, all of them were desperate to eat sweets after training. The Gauntlet Knight-only cafeteria had a vast dessert menu and was popular with Gauntlet girls too. So, their review meetings always took place while they ate and drank sweet things.   "...Where's the plum jelly...?" "It's all gone meow♪ I thought you'd want some, so I took every last drop meow♪" "Then I think I'll gouge out your eyeballs instead." "Go ahead and do it if you think you can meow!" "Please be quiet, you two! We're still having our review meeting!" "I don't like the feeling of pressure that Anti-G 8MS gives you, so I try to avoid ricochet flight whenever possible." "Gauntlet Knights can move in many ways that would be impossible for a fighter plane, but that's because your Internal 8MS reduces your Gs. However, the more impossible your movements are, the more energy is expended. In the worst-case scenario, it can leave you open for an instant when you aren't expecting it. So, when you don't need to move in dramatic ways, you should avoid fighting gravity as much as possible. When doing that, the built-up knowledge of fighter pilots can be extremely useful. Underclassmen, make sure you don't slack off in your studies either!"The underclassmen gave a big nod, taking notes. Maybe it's amusing that, even in an era where you could control sight and sound at will inside your brain, young people still took notes. Of course, if you've got a mental monitor and a mental tablet, you can also take mental notes. However, there was still a strong "superstition" that moving your hand to write things down made it easier to remember, and lots of youngsters followed it. Apparently though, they were actually doing this because taking mental notes made it look like you weren't paying attention, so they wrote things down with their hands to make it clear to onlookers that they were taking this seriously. That's probably because old guys from the old era had the bad habit of assuming people weren't paying attention if they didn't see everyone taking notes...   "If we're going there, you seamlessly change your fighting style whether it's a land fight or an aerial fight, in the city or in the skies. Look at your movement around the flag I just set. You're nothing less than beautiful. Nice work, Miyao♪" "...Y-Yeah. Thanks." "It's about time for questions. Please ask whatever you'd like."The underclassmen eagerly raised their hands. They all wanted to fly freely through the sky as soon as possible, just like the aces. It was only natural. They were flying through the sky unaided, like a bird. Who hasn't had that dream at least once? However, though that dream had failed to come true for thousands of years, it was finally possible in this era. And, these people were just a step away from reaching it. Jayden remembered how he had felt at that time. Come to think of it, didn't Miyao himself fly in the simulator on the day of the Battle Standard Festival to remember that beginner's enthusiasm? I guess it's important to remember that passion, every now and then.   "You're right, Miyao. Every now and then, we've gotta remember that simply flying through the sky is fun. When you look these kids in the eye, and those memories come back, it's so refreshing." "..." "Oh, looks like you've got quite a pile going there too, Miyao. You always make your toppings look so pretty. I just do whatever, since it's all going right into my stomach anyway, but you've got a good artistic sense for these things♪ I've got my usual, cornflakes covered in chocolate and sugar and honey! Then you pour ice cream over it and cover it with nuts...! It's all mixed up like pig slop, wahaha♪" "..." "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me? Got a stomachache?"Miyao was staring, apparently irritated by something. Did I do something to put him off? But if that's true, he's the kind of guy who'd say so, as a reflex. I've never seen him just stare at me scornfully like this.  Hmm? What, haven't you lectured me enough? Oh, or are you going to compliment me because you realized I did something smart?   "Hey, why don't you just say it with your mouth?" "Shut up. My mouth is busy eating." "Okay, I get it. Then I'll let my mouth focus on eating too."When they were face-to-face, they tended to speak mentally only when it was something tough to hear, like a warning or something you'd only actually say because you're friends. So, Jayden tensed up.  "So, what kind of change have you seen in my fighting tendencies? My scores aren't bad, right? If anything, they're slowly getting higher, aren't they?" "I'll admit that, and I've got no complaints. It's just, well..." "What is it? Come on, say it. We're friends, aren't we?" BGM: Daisanzi  "...Huh? ...What did you say?" "Before, you were a lot more brutal when you fought. You did things you could never do in a real fight, and things that were obviously just you screwing around." "I'm just holding off on that, since you keep getting mad at me and telling me not to fight that way." "...In the past, I'm pretty sure you found it funny that I got mad and just acted even worse... Well, enough about that. Set it aside. What's creeping me out is stuff like...what happened just now, for instance." "What? If you've got a problem, then spit it out." "Like how you said"" "'Whether it's a land fight or an aerial fight, you're nothing less than beautiful. Nice work, Miyao♪'" "What the heck was that?!" "...H-How the hell is that creepy...? If anything, you're being creepy! If you've got a problem, tell me directly, with your mouth!"As a side note, most lover's quarrels in this era begin with the man freaking out and saying "If you've got a problem, tell me directly, with your mouth!"  Of course, this was always the second line of such quarrels.  "What is it you said when you saw me eating this? 'Oh, looks like you've got quite a pile going there too, Miyao,' and so on. 'You've got a good artistic sense for these things, wahaha♪'" "...Nope, nope, nope. The old you never would've said that!"True enough, the old Jayden had always teased Miyao and called him a kid when he saw something like that. However, Miyao had noticed a clear change in the way Jayden had been acting towards him.  "And after we finished training, whenever I was worn out, you'd say I was pathetically thin and tell me to bulk up more, right? But now what do you do? What did you do today?" "Th-Th-That's just normal bonding between guys, right?! And anyway, we're partners...!" "I won't deny it, and I know you're my partner. But, well, you've gone a bit overboard lately! Like, it's weird the way you, umm," "...touch me! You're getting too close, and you're grossing me out!! Don't rub my shoulder, don't sniff me, and don't mess with my hair!" "H-Hey, don't say that with your mouth, people'll misunderstand..." Miyao leapt to his feet, slammed his tray down in the return gate, and tried to leave. Jayden returned his tray too and chased after him. "...Oh, it's rare for those two to argue out loud." "*sparkle* I don't really get it, but I'll just go ahead and report this to Yeladot Shavit! （＠ｗ＠）ゞ" "I told you, you're creeping me out!" "What are you pouting for? It's not like I'm making fun of you, okay? It's just a term of endearment, right?" "I...told...you!! You're creeping me out! I may be your partner, but I'm not your bride or your girlfriend or your sister or your pet! Wah...!" "See, you got so excited, you tripped. Are you okay...?" "I...I told you, don't cling to me like it's totally normal, okay...?! L-Let go!" "If you brush me off like that, it just makes me want to creep you out even more." "Wh-Wh-What...are you doing with your fingers...?" "Here, guriguriguri."  "Are your shoulders feeling a bit stiff? Guriguriguri." "Sto... stop that, it tickles, it ticklllllllllles!" "Your back must be really stiff, Miyao. Let's see, is this your weak spot? Guriguriguriii." "Hyaaaaaaaaaaahhh...!!!"The instant he pressed his fist into the back of Miyao's shoulder blade, the latter let out a strange voice he had never heard before, arching backwards and twitching. Miyao was looking up at Jayden with a flushed expression, breathing heavily...  "...St-Stop it, Jayden... My back...really is sensitive..." "Huh? M-Meow, is that you...?!"In the next instant, she shook her head, and there was Miyao's face, still bright-red, but enraged.  
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Nov 18, 2019 14:34
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Quinn2win posted:
"What's the matter, I'm only telling you how beautiful you are, tickling you and sniffing your sweat, just pals being pals! Have I mentioned today how very heterosexual I am?" By the way, aside from its military meaning, 'Kette' is also the German word for 'chain'. I doubt that's coincidence. Carpator Diei fucked around with this message at 15:18 on Nov 18, 2019 |
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Nov 18, 2019 14:55
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Welcome back to "I have a crush on my best friend's alternate personality." Airing monday mornings.
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Nov 18, 2019 17:12
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Jayden, buddy, this road you're on leads nowhere good.
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Nov 18, 2019 17:32
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This world probably has some really wild Ask Prudence columns
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Nov 18, 2019 17:34
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Character Tips added: Baibao (Lingji, Momotake, Aysha)
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Nov 19, 2019 15:33
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   BGM: Komugiro no Bishou  "That's too bad. Even if he ignores them, you should keep texting that you're sorry." "An apology doesn't end when it is made. It ends when the one you're apologizing to forgives you." "Is that how it works? Wouldn't it be better to leave him be and give him some time to think?" "This time, I agree with them. If you get angry and start ignoring him, things like this just tend to get worse." "Relationships are such a pain, huh? Life should be lived moment by moment, but you keep getting stuck on things and it screws everything up." "Well, even if Jayden does apologize for taking a joke too far, that's not the real problem here, is it?" "True. Jayden, you aren't a CPP, a Congenital Parallel Processor, right?" "Quite a few CPPs dislike it when people get confused while interacting with their multiple personalities." "...Are there any Congenitals...CPPs here now?"  "..." "Single Personalities are a majority in the world at large, but they're a minority among Gauntlet Knights. Well, it just means you've got to treat people differently here." "Anyway, you hear this a lot in the world of CPPs. Someone falls in love with one personality, and the other personality starts to hate them."  "To them, a different personality is the same as a different person. So, when you take your impression of one and force it on the other, they despise it..." "...I get it. If a guy in my class sucked at basketball, and someone said I must suck too because I was in his class, it'd piss me off..." "Meow is Meow. Miyao is Miyao, okay?" "Perhaps you developed romantic feelings for Meow... and subconsciously started treating Miyao as a member of the opposite sex." "I-If you just calmly analyze it like that, it makes me wanna find a hole to crawl into..."Jayden sank up to his head in the bath. It was just a virtual bath in a virtual room, so he wouldn't suffocate or anything. But right then, he was so embarrassed that he didn't want his male friends to see his face.  "There's no need to be embarrassed. We are soldiers, after all. We may be servants to world peace, but fundamentally, we're in a job where we might lose our lives at any time. I don't think it's a bad idea to experience love while you have the chance." At the same time, in the open air bath of the same virtual room, the Gauntlet girls had gathered. The topic of discussion here was the same as the boys'.  This is going to get confusing. So, in the interest of readability: Whenever Meow is speaking, I'll put a pink dot in the corner of the icon.  "That's right... If you talk to him so harshly, that's just too sad for Jayden." "The way his attitude suddenly changed was seriously creepy! We were partners, okay? I trusted him because we were supposed to put our lives in each others' hands! And then...he suddenly...starts treating me like a girl...! It was a shock, and it made me so sad...! I thought we loved each other like family in the best way possible. I believed we had a trusting relationship that went beyond things like gender! And then he suddenly starts acting like that...!" "Wowow... Please, have more faith in your partner, in Jayden..." "Heheheh. That's just the sort of creature boys are, suddenly changing when they realize someone's a girl. From now on, he might be like a fox staring down a hen house. Heheheh." "No way...! Wowowooow...!" "Meow is a girl, but Miyao isn't! This is clearly a case of identity confusion, a human rights violation!" "...This is probably because he wasn't properly educated about CPPs. As long as CPPs continue to hide, instead of furthering understanding in the world at large, this sort of thing will continue to happen. That's all there is to it." "But if they do come out, they simply take on a social risk without any benefits..." "I've ordered my attendants to make sure Jayden fully understands what's going on here. Now that he knows, if he ever does the same thing again, I'll see to it that he's properly punished!" "H-Hey, don't do something so ominous to Jayden!" "I'm sure Jayden will understand, woooow!" "It's not like...I want him to understand me or anything! ...I was just...so horrified..." "You're horrified that someone thinks of you as a woman? My, my, so now you're making statements that are prejudiced against women, huh?" "People only say big brother is thin like a woman because he doesn't exercise much!" "I-It's not like that! If I exercised and bulked up, then you'd be pissed because our body wouldn't look like a girl...!" "I never said that!! You're only thin because you don't exercise!" "B-But...I'm short, and my arms are short, so even if I finally started exercising, all the buff guys would just make fun of me, and, umm..." "See, you don't exercise because of your own reasons!! Don't use me as an excuse for not doing it!! I hate you, big brother!! I can't believe this!!" Miyao's right and left arms started fighting, pinching their cheeks and pulling their hair, like a single person pantomiming a fight...  "In other words, the source of their fight wasn't just identity confusion, it was Miyao's own inferiority complex about his body." "...Nice analysis. I can propose a perfect way to resolve this." "W-Wait, are you trying to say we're both at fault here?!" "This isn't Jayden's fault, it's all yours!! All you had to do was stop saying things like that, calm down, and show him how to interact with CPPs!! Stupid big brother! You weak, skinny pipsqueak!!"...Mocking the physical characteristics of someone whose body you share may be a dubious tactic. At any rate, they'd managed to get Miyao's side of the story. The girls passed the message on to the guys talking to Jayden with a mental text...  BGM: White Song  "It's not like you to let it get you down like this." "Miyao went too far as well. If he doesn't like being called weak, all he has to do is train on his own. The fact that he was so horrified just because he thought someone was treating him like a woman...is pathetic for someone who is technically a Japanese boy." "If he's so worried about his body, you should just train him up good at a gym or something. It sounds like he wants to be treated like a man, so whip him into shape." "...If that's what he wants, then sure. I won't hold back!" "I just discussed this with Naomi, and we agreed that a male bonding ceremony would be the best way for you two to make up." "Nice. Go sweat together as men. It's the best way to make up." "What do you mean, male bonding ceremony...?" "In old Japanese manga, men who had grown distant would always resolve their problems like this. We can advise you in this virtual room, but our bodies are far away. We can't help you directly. So, we're going to get a trustworthy friend, Gunhild, to set the stage." "Huh? ...You're bringing Gunhild into this...? I'd rather not tell the others in the AOU if I can help it..." "Don't worry. She understands you two far better than you know. I just texted her. Now, you only need to obey her instructions." "O-Okay..."He wasn't quite satisfied with this, but a text from Gunhild came almost immediately.  You've received a message poyo! Gather where? There was a blip on the map screen. Isn't that... "...I don't really get it, but I'll head on over. Umm, everyone, thanks for hearing me out." "Don't worry about it, young man. Life seems long, but it's shorter than you think. Enjoy your ignorant youth to the fullest." "Jayden" has exited the room.A short while after Jayden left, the girls who had been listening to Miyao and Meow joined them.  "Cases that can't be healed with medicine really make your back ache." "When friends make up, they become even better friends. Wooow♪" "I hope they do." "Miyao really does love his partner, doesn't he? I suppose it's that trust that lets them fight the way they do. I've known it ever since the Battle Standard Festival." "Wh-When it comes to bonds of trust, we of Baibao Squad are in no way inferior, Princess!" "Heheheheh. Momotake, I guess you'll never give in on that point." "...Okay then. I'll leave too and look after the two ladies from Suparṇa. They're both so serious, they'll suffocate if I don't tease them..." "We shall leave too! Come now, back to training! Our next mock enemy is AOU America's Atlantic Fleet!" "Whoa, Princess. That's a bit harsh, five seconds after we helped Jayden of AOU America sort out his personal issues." "Come on. You just know those AOUs are training for an assault on the Atlantis Spirit Field. I'd guess the ABN's doing an assault on Algiers, and the COU's doing a mine blockade of the Mozambique Channel." "My, my, I have no idea what you're talking about. Heheheheheh. Oh, pardon me while I go memorize the Maputo Central Harbor layout. Heheheheh." "We also undergo training using other factions as mock enemies. It's only natural that the same thing happens in reverse. We're all doing it." "...Heheh. Even though we're all comrades who love the sky, and even though we do this job for the sake of peace, we're still soldiers. Understanding why it's like that doesn't make it any less tough."  "Indeed. Remaining attentive and not slacking off in your training is the best way for warriors to show respect for each other." "Correct. Nothing would humiliate me more than hearing that the COU wasn't even worth training against." "Hey, that's enough talking about scary things, wowowow!" "In the It's a Wrap Public Bath, we all swore with Miyao that we'd be friends! So stop saying scary stuff, wowowooow!" "You're right. That Public Bath Oath is the most important one we've made, and it binds everyone here together." "For now, let's put aside affiliations and factions...and pray that our friends Miyao and Jayden make up okay." "Yes. And let's be glad that we were able to help." "Okay, then we'll just head back to that mine-laying simulation in the Whatever Channel. See you later, everyone...♪"One by one, they all vanished from the room. And then there were none, leaving the virtual room wrapped in silence, except for the sound of the baths...  BGM: Ominous3  "Ah, you're wondering about how I look? It was getting confusing, so I sorta had this made to match my tastes. Think it looks good on me? Well, I really couldn't care less what you think. All that matters is whether I like it or not." "Still, this really is a strange era... After all, you're all soldiers, right? Your job is to defeat your opponents in war, right? Even if you try to cover it up with all this talk about supporting the Walls of Peace together and being servants of international peace, defeating enemies is a soldier's job." "They probably all believe that, even if war does break out, they'll be able to 'handle' it neatly and beautifully thanks to this sportsmanship. However, the cost of that foolishness... will soon be paid at a higher price than you've ever imagined." "...Hmm. This is probably a misunderstanding peculiar to Japanese. 予言 and 預言 are both pronounced 'yogen', but their meaning is entirely different. Do you know what the difference is?"...I don't want to talk to you... Disappear, disappeeeeear...!  "Well, I don't really care whether you ask or not. I'm talking because I want to. So, about the difference between 予言 and 預言. 予言 means what you think it does. It's making a 'prediction' about the future and telling someone about it. That prediction might be right, or it might not. But 預言 is different."預言 means 'prophecy', receiving words from God. God is omnipotent, and also knows everything about the future. So, the words of God are a 'promise' about the future. When you receive those words from God and speak them, it becomes '預言', a prophecy...  "My words are a prophecy. They're an announcement about a promised future. It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not. No matter what happens, everything will turn out the way I said." "...Right now, the world is still moving slowly. It may not look like the sort of environment a war could break out in, but behind the stage where you innocently play at being friends, the world is slowly preparing to become a place where people hate each other."...Who? ...Who... would do something like that...?!  ...Their ultimate goal is to get the whole world to fight at once, and then destroy everything by their own hands. "For that reason, those old people have already made extensive preparations. And, very soon, it will become real. When that happens, all this pretending to be friends for the sake of international peace... will be over. All those people who looked like they were giving advice about romance or something just now... will be torn apart from each other in a bloody fight to the death. They'll experience anger and sadness, countless negative emotions, and pathetically kill each other."We won't! We definitely won't...!! We'll never kill each other! How the hell could we...?!! "Very, very soon, hell will come to this Earth..."I'll... never believe in a hell like that...!! I'll prevent it, I'll put a stop to it, I'll avoid it!! No matter what, I'll definitely, definitely avoid that hell, that fate...!!!   ...Kill... them... That's the only way to avoid that <hell>...   BGM: Daisanzi  "Neither nationality nor race can stand between a couple!" "Even religion and gender can't tear apart two people who love each other!" _3 "We'll support any kind of love!" "We're the ultimate cheerleaders for all couples in love!"  "So, where are they?! Where are the AOU pretty boys who awakened to love between men?!" "Now that we're here to support you, have no fear! Our 550mm torpedoes will burst through all barriers to love!" "...Searching for target. Oh? Forget the target, there isn't anyone here at all." "We never stand idle in a place lacking love!" "We're the comet girls, Yeladot Shavit!"  "Leah", "Fatma", and "Stephania" have left the room. The number of participants in virtual room "It's a Wrap Public Bath" is now zero. Entering Sleep Mode.
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Nov 20, 2019 14:40
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My favorite part of Ciconia so far is every character is an endearing dork.
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Nov 20, 2019 18:32
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I like how they're willing to group up and offer advice on delicate social issues in contrast to the games set in the eighties japan where everyone was all about suffering in noble silence. I can't tell if Miyao Blue is another personality or some weird science magic bullshit and if they are actually speaking directly to the audience or not. They definitely want some murders to happen though, it's not WTC without murders
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Nov 21, 2019 14:36
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I forgot to do a Tips update this morning, I'll do it later. In the meantime, to do my part in getting us to page 4: This scene is where I really started to be blown away by Ciconia as an evolution of Ryukishi07's writing. Issues that were danced around with silent reverence in past games are being pulled right into the forefront now. CPPs aren't exactly a real thing (although they have similarities to pluralities), they're something that fits in with the internal logic of the setting. The language and discussion surrounding them has strong, clearly intentional parallels to LGBT issues, but it still sidesteps the usual "fantasy thing being a replacement for a real thing" issue by having it exist alongside actual LGBT issues in the setting. Even this early, we see Miyao and Meow essentially arguing about gender dysphoria, alongside Jayden's painfully relatable scene of realizing just how big of a foot he shoved into his own mouth while stepping on sensitive topics he didn't understand the gravity of. I've been Jayden, and (to a lesser extent) I've sort of been Meow, and the whole thing comes off as shockingly genuine and thoughtful. Ciconia's really good, and we aren't even to the meat of it yet. This is still just setup.
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Nov 21, 2019 16:02
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It's just so evident that Ryukishi really cares about these topics and isn't just using them for drama. Which is not to say that they're not relevant to the story; the aspect I find most interesting is how these forms of non-normative subjectivity and sexuality are interwoven with the general theme of (young) people carving out their autonomous spaces in a world that burdens them with quite different expectations. But these attempts at subversion are quite ambiguous, and it seems unclear whether the structure of society would absorb or even crush them in the long run (that is, even without the meddling of the Ancient Egyptian Illuminati or whatever the Wadjet-Eye symbolism and the weird cat girl are pointing to).
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Nov 21, 2019 17:32
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It would be a good story if it just focused on futureteen e-sports and romantic drama and I'm on tenterhooks waiting to see the grim reality of being a child soldier alternate with public bath cat ears shenanigans.
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Nov 21, 2019 20:07
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Character Tips added: Suparna (Sujatha, Rukshana, Andry)
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Nov 22, 2019 04:06
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 BGM: Underdogs  "Hey, what's wrong, Miyao-chaaan?! Is that all? Gonna go to bed like a little girl?!" "Shut up!! I'm... a... maaaaaaaan!!!"Thwack, thwack, bam bam bam! The two of them were in the training room ring, punching each other while wearing gloves and headgear. Apparently, they'd been at it for a while. Both of them were covered in sweat.  "I see. Like Stan said, the best way for boys to restore their friendship is a good dash of fatigue and the release of their fighting instincts." "Dammit, my gloves are too heavy! Isn't this too much of a handicap?!" "If you start losing, are you gonna blame your gloves?! Even your excuses are supergenius-class!" "Ah, dammit, this tiny brat's so full of himself...! Okay, I really will punch you, beat the crap out of you!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!" "St-Stop it, Jayden!" "Huh?! Meow?!" "Gotchaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"Baaaaaaang!!  "...A cross-counter. Or it would've been, if Miyao's arm were a bit longer."Jayden's left straight had beautifully lined up on Miyao's face, but as usual, Miyao's right straight hadn't been long enough to reach. With a thunk, Miyao fell spread-eagled to the ground.   "I'm not gonna fall for that, Miyao. I've already memorized the difference between how you and Meow talk." "Oh, really? I'm so happy for you. *picks nose*" "If you're that worried about your flimsy body, I'll train you like they do in the navy. Don't start crying, okay?" "And if Meow starts crying from the muscle pain, how are you gonna take responsibility?" "I'll gently massage it until she gets better. But I won't do it for you, Miyao! You can go rub indomethacin lotion on it all by your lonely self, wahahahaha!" "Dammit... I'll train, I'll train like hell...! I'll definitely protect Meow from beasts like you!" "Jayden's your partner, isn't he?! How dare you call him a beast?!" "There's no point treating this kind of dumbass like a human!" "How can you say that about the partner who's done so much for you?!! Stupid big brother, you dummy!!" "Ah, ow, don't pinch me! Owowow...!!" "Jayden, keep training big brother, okay?! The truth is, he's feeling a bit relieved right now, and he's grateful." "Sure, leave it to me! I dedicate this victory to you, Meow." "Th-Thanks...!" "...That's Japan for you. I never thought I'd see a romantic comedy comic strip from the 20th century play out in real life. I'm jealous." BGM: Beach  "Well you're enthusiastic, as I'd expect from a Latin American country. Someone might think we've been close friends for a decade."Cheery Man: "I didn't think I'd ever see you again alive, wahahaha!"  The countries on the South American continent, which was the only one that had Spirit Fields of high-purity Rare Spiritium, were considered the most prosperous in the world. They were paradise nations, a fifth faction, which managed to maintain favorable relationships with all factions in a world where the other four factions were always quarreling... At a glance, it was hard to imagine what connection there might be between Toujirou, who was well-dressed despite this heat and pulling a wheeled bag behind him, and this man, who looked like he lived every day to the fullest in casual clothes. The pair entered the lobby of the high-class hotel where the cheery man was staying and relaxed on an expensive sofa.   "Sadly, I don't have the kind of vast wealth you need to apply for immigration into LATO."Cheery Man: "Just go make friends with the big-breasted, big-assed girls on that beach over there! If you marry into their family, that'll get you your citizenship! All LATO girls dream of falling in love with foreign billionaires!"  "That explains all those strangely appraising looks I got on the beach. They've got good eyes. One look at the material of my clothes, and they knew I wasn't rich enough to be worth talking to."Cheery Man: "Wahahahahahah!! You really are a hoot, Toujirou, wahahahahahah!!"  BGM: Yain no Rinraku After the two men brought their glasses together, they silently enjoyed the atmosphere and their drinks for a while... In an era where you could say things with your brain, it was customary to refrain from speaking anything but your orders in places where silence was treasured. So, each of the guests experienced the place in their own ways, and they were able to enjoy their conversations without interfering with anyone...  Cheery Man: "That was one hell of a score you found! I doubt there are even five people in the world who could perform that!" "Then I'm glad one of those five people owes me a favor. After all, a score is just a piece of paper if no one can perform it." You've received 13 data items poyo!Cheery Man: "Still, where on Earth did you find this? These are 8MS blueprints. Each one was an Environmental 8MS blueprint maintained by nationally supported businesses from various countries."  Now showing a preview of 13 items poyo. "...So it seems."Cheery Man: "Only a few organizations manage 8MS blueprints. And they're all supposed to be government-supported and tightly controlled by their countries. How did you get these?" "Who knows? It's a business secret." The 8MS had self-replicated repeatedly, eventually filling the atmosphere all over the planet. This groundbreaking system was capable of doing all sorts of things when instructed. It was almost like an OS that had been installed into the environment itself. Its uses included communication, obviously, but also purification of the air and water, reduction of ultraviolet rays, medical applications, and, eventually, military applications as well. Its initial development had proceeded quickly, but scientists fearful of 'grey goo' had kicked off a worldwide anti-nanomachine campaign, so it was kept from the light of day for a long time. However, when World War III ended, the world was faced with the prospect of imminent extinction. A nuclear winter had begun, starting the countdown to the world's end. While the political debate over its use was still ongoing, the 8MS had been distributed across the whole world, and it began purifying the atmosphere. As a result, the globe did not freeze over. The countless gods known as 8MS filled the air, raising the curtain on a new world... Just as oxygen and nitrogen had existed in the atmosphere, so too did 8MS now exist. Of course, it existed in all regions of the world, but it also existed as high as the stratosphere and as low as the bottom of the ocean. And, naturally, it was inside the human body as well. Some had worried that knowledge of strange nanomachines filling everything from the atmosphere to people's bodies would trigger humanity's nanomachine allergy once again. All A3W governments hid this fact, but some scientists eventually made it public. The masses, knowing that nanomachines had been put into their bodies without their knowledge, and fearing that some sort of accident or malicious act might lead to tragedy, flew into a panic. For several decades, it was used as a magic word by certain kinds of paranoids, conspiracy theorists, and newscasters, one that was used to explain all sorts of unpleasant, unknown things.  It was just like in the 20th century, when some people thought that letting off an H-bomb would cause a chain reaction with all the hydrogen on the planet and destroy the world. That opinion was also viewed as a complete joke later on. Now, no one thought much of the fact that countless nanomachines drifted throughout the atmosphere and their bodies. Nanomachines aside, humanity had always coexisted with all sorts of bacteria and viruses. And so, a murderous 8MS was simply added to the list of things an evil terrorist might develop in a spy novel, alongside nukes and killer viruses...  Cheery Man: "Well, that's true enough. Still, if that's the case, what on Earth was he thinking, the guy who got his hands on this heavily compressed file?" "Maybe he's a super hacker who somehow thought he could sell it for money."Cheery Man: "So he's both a supergenius who can get into the super-secure 8MS management servers, and a total moron who actually thinks he could make a profit off it?" Several 8MS blueprints were shared between 8MS research facilities across all the world's factions, under the management of the IPMA. So, pre-existing 8MS blueprints were something all factions already had. Even if this hacker had retrieved it so some terrorists could start developing a malicious 8MS, they wouldn't be able to get their hands on the facilities or human resources necessary for such development, making the whole thing pointless. Though the blueprints were managed quite carefully, they weren't worth any money. It was like stealing semiconductor techniques that had already been patented. Those were already public knowledge in the semiconductor industry, and even if someone outside the industry found blueprints for those techniques, they wouldn't do them any good at home or at the dinner table.  Cheery Man: "Well, this is just a theory of mine, but one of the blueprints is called 'Artemis'." "A Water Purification 8MS... That was a registered trademark of ACR South Africa's state-managed 8MS program."Cheery Man: "There's also Sistema Curar, Pal Pal 1.02, and Ainsijam."  "Those are Air Purification 8MS from LATO Argentina, COU Singapore, and COU Saudi Arabia."Cheery Man: "There was a lot more, but they were all 8MS blueprints related to atmospheric improvement. In other words, some mysterious terrorist wants to take advantage of that to create some kind of environment-destroying 8MS!" "And then, they'll use that to launch a massive attack on the world's food-producing regions, triggering a world panic? Nice, Forsyth would've loved this stuff."Cheery Man: "Water and air are essential to human life. If we lose those, we're screwed! I'll bet the terrorists are jealous of LATO's beautiful paradise and are planning to destroy it!" "Hahahahah. But you're still talking about a dream, right? Every lab on Earth is under close observation. There doesn't exist an institution anywhere that could develop something like an environment-destroying 8MS."  "Huh? What are you talking about? Hahahah, my Kizuna translates your Portuguese weird sometimes."Cheery Man: "...Ah, I'm so sorry, Toujirou. Looks like my next appointment has arrived. Mind if I include the bill from here as part of my fee?" "That explains why you were going for the expensive stuff."Cheery Man: "Obrigado! Até logo!" The cheery man left the bar with the same cheeriness he'd had when he'd first appeared. Now that the energetic man was gone, Toujirou was finally able to slowly soak in the bar's atmosphere... Then, the scent of a passionate perfume hit his nose. An attractive Brazilian woman had sat down in the seat vacated by the cheery man. Toujirou raised his glass and winked at her. "Hi there, young lady. Would you care for a drink?" BGM: Manshon no kabe o hashiru tokage "How about a milkshake? As laidback as LATO is, it's probably not a good idea to drink alcohol on the job."By this point, she wasn't alone. Several MPs from the LATO military were with her too.  "Well, now that I know there's a beauty like you here to welcome me, I'll do that next time." "His Excellency has said he wishes to invite you to dinner. Will you come with us?" "Works for me. If you'll be joining us in an evening dress, that is." "Heheh. Senhor says he'll gladly come with us. Sergeant, take his baggage. And see if any of his luggage has arrived at the room he was supposed to be spending the night in." "Nice, just what I'd expect from a resort country. The service here is great." 
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Nov 22, 2019 14:40
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I've been calling them Ate-'ems and I'm not going to stop now.
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Nov 23, 2019 16:55
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Let's see if we can reach page 4 before morning so I can post another update without breaking anyone's browser in half.
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Nov 25, 2019 06:38
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| # ? May 9, 2024 15:31 |
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it's time to push
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Nov 25, 2019 07:40
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