|
 [BGM: Double Down]  As I approached the apartment building, I gave myself a brief check in a nearby window. Ugh. I was a bit of a mess. Things the way they were, I didn't quite feel like I could safely return to the place I had been hiding out. In fact, I wasn't sure when I'd be able to return there. Because of that, my appearance was quite a bit disheveled. Not the worst problem right now, I supposed, but it still annoyed me. Honestly, there were a lot of things I was less than sure about. My hard plan in the short-term was now complete. And my soft, longer-term plan... well, now it seemed thrown into slight disarray. But at the very least, I'd meet with Bach. I needed to confirm that things had worked up until now. After briefly readjusting the suit I had bought from a second-hand shop, I continued to head to my destination. Before I knew it, I found myself knocking on Bach's door. After a few seconds, Bach opened up. An understandably confused look came over him.   Bach! Uh, Lock? Got it in one, good for you. Nice to see you man!I held out a hand, and awkwardly, Bach accepted the handshake. Good to see you too. You look, um, different. Wow, you noticed. Sharp eye there. Er... Bach, the world of fashion is mysterious and fascinating. It contains untold depths. Up until now, I have not had the chance to experience it. But still, I have dreams! Passions. ...So if I want to experiment with my look, I've got the right to do just that. Oh, uh, I don't mean to offend or anything. You're looking, well, sharp, if you asked me. You think so? Thank you, that means a lot. Well, uh, come in? Don't mind if I do.With that invitation, I made my way into the apartment. As I collapsed on the couch, I noticed the briefcases stacked on the table – a sign of our success.  Nice work, Bach. Nice work, indeed. Sorry I made you go through all of this, just didn't have a lot of other options. No, no, I get it. Considering what we're up against, it's understandable that I'd have to take on a certain amount of risk. That's the spirit! Bach, I'm going to level with you. When I first proposed this plan? I was, like, only 40% sure you'd be able to pull through. And you still went for it?! A 40% chance to make this amount of money is absolutely worth it! What would've happened if I didn't pull through? Look, let's not dwell on the past. The point is, we've discovered you've got a secret aptitude for truck robbery, and I think that's worth celebrating. If you say so. Although...Bach looked around nervously. What's the matter? Getting cold feet after the adrenaline rush has died down? I don't think that's an unnatural reaction! It's not, it's not. You know, you're real high-strung Bach. Always so defensive. I know, I'm sorry, it's just a lot right now. I keep thinking, you know, that I did just commit a pretty serious crime. ...What with the laying a spiked wire to pop an armored truck's tires, and the holding a police officer at gunpoint, and whatnot. Yeah, sounds like you're a certifiable badass now. Way to go! That's not... Look, I know you gave me the mask and the escape route and the 'traceless equipment' and whatnot, but that's only so comforting. Police are still good at detective work. This amount of money can't just go missing. I mean, the more I think about this, the crazier I feel I must have been for accepting in the first place! This isn't a scam, it's highway robbery! Highway robbery is a type of scam. You are stretching that definition, sir! Sure I am, it's one of my hobbies. And for the record, most of the time when I see a scam, I also say aloud 'why, that's highway robbery!' Lock, I'm being serious right now. So am I! Look, relax, okay? I look out for my people. I can give you a 100% guarantee that this is not going to get back to you. Everything's set up to make it look like a Duat effort, promise. Yeah, uh, about that. I have some questions. Chief among them, how did you set all this up? Like, the specifics of how to pull off a robbery like this, fine, okay. I accept you have good reasons to have a plan like this drafted up in such specific steps. Or at least, I'll go with that explanation.[BGM: Opening Lead]  But how'd you know who would be in that truck? How did you know the exact route it would be taking? When it would be taking that route? Hell, how did you know that there'd be an armored truck transporting dirty cash in the first place?I just chuckled to myself and put my hands behind my head. Wouldn't you like to know? Yes, I would. That's why I asked you. Bach, Bach, Bach. My closest friend Bach. You know I'm your biggest fan. But even still, this magician's got to keep some secrets to themself, you feel me? If you say so.Bach just hung his head down, exhausted. He did that a lot with me. I leaned forwards and clapped my hands. So! I know this is going to sound a little indulgent. Given that introduction, I'd wager it is going to sound very indulgent. Ah, can't slip anything past this guy, can I? Anyways. Just to be sure about things, mind if I take a peek at the cash?Bach shrugged. Go ahead. After all, it's not like I would've been able to get any of this if it weren't for your help. Far as I'm concerned, it's as much your money as it is mine. Thanks! Slightly excited, I got up off the couch and walked over to the table. I took one of the suitcases and opened it up. ...And there it was. I was faced with a truly beautiful sight. The one thing that truly made the world dance. Stacks upon stacks of cold hard cash. I began digging through the suitcase, disrupting the neat stacks. Sure enough, the whole thing was filled with bills like these – and this was just one suitcase. Oh yeah. Forget all that petty poo poo. This was what it was all for. This was the payoff I had been looking for. These were the laurels I could rest upon for the foreseeable future.  Satisfied? You know it. To me, this is the literal money shot right here. Ew. Grow up. And while you're at it, take these suitcases and hide them in a closet. What? You can never be too careful. If we're not using them, better to hide it in a safe place. Just in case. Uh, okay?Bach didn't quite see the wisdom in my advice. Still, he listened and packed up the suitcases in his apartment's closet. Good. Maybe I was paranoid - scratch that, I was definitely paranoid - but little assurances like that put my mind at ease. Given the value of cash at our fingertips, this was fairly light as a preventative measure. Still, it might help. Ah, man. From here, it's easy living. And how do you figure that? We just got a poo poo ton of cash, Bach. How is it not easy living? Look, the importance of that money is not lost on me. I, uh, am very very grateful for it. But I thought you were interested in winning this election. I am! Right, so, isn't that going to be an issue? Nah, not really. ... ... Care to elaborate?[BGM: Bidding]  Not particularly, but I know you're a real 'details' junkie, so I'll help you with your fix. I don't... ...Forget it. Already have. I have stated this from the very beginning. There is a surefire way to win this election so long as we have the capital. We now have the capital. Thus, we have this surefire way. Okay, great. What is that surefire way? You know, it's a cliché – 'Money makes the world go round'. But it's true, that's why it's a good cliché. Money has been designated as the medium in which to exchange all forms of value, be it goods or services. Even though a dollar bill is no more than a thin slip of, uh, well, honestly I don't quite know what material bills are made of. Cotton and linen. Nerd. Anyways, even if they're just that, at the same time, they are, to put it simply, power incarnate. Every single person living in a capitalist society (and that's most of us) spends their life chasing cash. Money is the medium we've collectively agreed matters most. It's only natural, thinking about it from that perspective, that the world can be shaped however you wish if you have the appropriate funds. Lock, this is all very nice and insightful. However, I can't help but notice you are still not telling me the actual mechanism with which we are going to use this money to help me win the election. Ugh, I was just having some fun with it. Fine. If you've noticed, for this upcoming election, Panthea is implementing these new digital voting stations. It's meant to help automate and expedite the whole process a lot. What it actually is, as a matter of fact, is a weakness. I don't like where this is going... Too bad, we're going there! I've already taken the liberty of researching these voting booths. Turns out, it's a model that's been used elsewhere in the country. ...Which means, there's info on it. ...Which means, cooking up malware for it was a piece of case. You can create malware? Eh, I've got some hacker contacts who are discrete, for a price. Of course you do. There's only one problem: actually installing that malware. ...Which is where the cash comes in. Every station has multiple attendants to help run everything properly. For each station we wish to target, we've just got to bribe one of those attendants into plugging in the malware in a predetermined port. Bribery? That's your master plan? Hey, sometimes simple is best. We offer a huge amount of money up front, then consistent payments of the exact same size at repeated intervals afterwards - a day after, a week after, two weeks after, a month after, et cetera. With proper research ahead of time, which I will handle, I'm certain I can find enough people who will take this deal. Hell, I think most people would take this deal if they're smart. Still, I'll put in the extra legwork to make sure we can locate the likeliest traitors. Is it really that easy to digitally tamper with an election? Nope. Preventing this stuff is exactly what an independent digital security firm is supposed to prevent. Which is why we'll be bribing them as well. Seriously?! I don't like how much this plan relies on just throwing money at people. Hey, don't knock just throwing money at people. Just throwing money at people is arguably how the whole system works. Besides, this is why I told you we'd need an absurd amount to pull it off. But how long can we keep up these payments? How long can we control everyone we turn? Not too long. Excuse me?! Look, it's not a problem, right? Your main objective is to make Panthea better, right? Well, you don't need to be the Governor for too long to use the position to find evidence that will put Aija, the main source of corruption, behind bars for a long time. ...As well as make a few other positive changes, and maybe pay back that favor you still owe me. And after that, what, I go to jail? Nah, even when the people who were bribed start speaking out, that won't splash back on you – not directly, anyways. I mean, I'll be the one handling the rigging. There'll be nothing to prove that the two of us conspired in this election tampering. No hard evidence, at least. You won't be charged for any crimes. Socially, yeah, you'll probably be in hot water... but doing good sometimes requires sacrifice. And the honest truth is, it doesn't actually matter whether or not you're a good person. If you're famous enough, there will be opportunities to make money. Bach just grimly nodded at this sad truth. I thought back to Panthea's move towards digital voting systems. It seemed a little odd. Aija was probably behind it, right? I wondered if there was an ulterior motive behind this. It could be an authentic effort. In theory, they could be used to make voting more efficient. More efficient voting also meant more accessible voting, which was a good thing. Then again, I wouldn't put it past Aija to introduce these systems intending to pull a similar scheme as me. It'd be on brand, for sure. Regardless, if that was the eventual plan, I doubted she was going to attempt that this election. Aija might be a paranoid nutcase who always had three plans too many, but even she wouldn't digitally fix an election she had rigged against a planted opponent. Which meant I could beat her to the punch. Okay, okay. I don't like this plan, heads up. Shocker. But let's say I accept it. Isn't there still a problem you're missing? What's that? The leverage! Aija still has stuff on me that makes me unelectable. She'll use it, too. Yeah Bach, guess what? You're not actually going to win the election. We're going to rig it for you. Keep up, won't you? I'm well aware of the plan you just explained! Doesn't sound like it. Listen, even if we can make the election results come out in my favor, it needs to be plausible. If everybody hates me, then if I win the election, even in a tight race, it'll instantly be extremely suspicious! This plan only works if its at least remotely plausible I could pull out a win, and as it stands, that's not the case!I nodded. Good. Nice point, Bach. That was actually quite insightful. Okay, so, I really don't think the 'actually' was needed there. I hope by this response that you already thought of this and have a plan? I always have a plan, Bach. And God help us for that. The way to defeat Aija's insurance is surprisingly easy. I call it Operation: Phantom Flood. We have operation names now? I thought it might be a fun touch. It was. Nice, good to hear. Anyways, we wait up until the election is close. Then we leak a bunch of dirt on you. ... Oh? What's this? No surprised reaction? At this point, I know that's what you're anticipating. The wiser you get to my patterns, the less fun you are. Anyways, here's the twist you were anticipating. After we anonymously leak this 'dirt,' we then also come out and debunk a bunch of this 'dirt.' Show that certain things are edited, taken out of context, or straight up fabricated. We overwhelm the narrative with damaging false information about you, and then we publicly destroy this faked material. At the same time, we accuse the Aija campaign for concocting this fake evidence in a bid to win the election. At that point, Aija can release whatever insurance she wants. It'll get lost in the flood of 'insurance' we created, and it'll be dismissed by the public as equally falsified. But, after all is said and done, won't the public be able to tell what stuff is fake and what is true? I've heard that the internet has a really good track record at weeding out false information. Mm, maybe revise that last thought. But yes, you're right. Long term, Aija's insurance will probably stick with you. Still, none of that matters. We just need to create the idea that it's acceptable to vote for you. We do that, and the election is ours. The plausibility of a win is created, which lays the groundwork for us to steal the election.For a few moments, Bach didn't say anything. He just closed his eyes, lost in thought. I couldn't blame him, I had laid a lot at his feet. Then, after some contemplation, he looked at me with a slight smile. That's one idea. Uh, yeah, a good one. Perhaps.[BGM: Trick Score]  Still, it's one that inherently relies on me, to a certain extent, ruining my life. Maybe it's selfish, but I'd like to avoid that if possible. As would I! Only problem is, that's not all too possible. Ah, but there is another answer. And that is? We walk away.I had to admit, that wasn't what I was expecting from Bach. I should've, probably. But it still threw me for a loop. Excuse me? Think about it. Instead of going through all that effort, spending all that cash, we simply give up fighting for the election. We don't get in Aija's way, and instead split the money down the middle. I mean, I know you've got some plan to profit off of me being in office, but it can't possibly be more than the amount we have right now. At least, not by much. So I don't know why we shouldn't just walk away now. Heh. Wow. Big props, Bach, I must admit. I didn't expect you of all people to take this swerve. This swerve? You're right, I guess it's not a swerve. From the start, you were brought into this for money. But after our argument, I thought you had decided to stand up for something. To try and fight for the Panthea you believed in. I guess I'm just surprised to find that you have no morals. Oh, don't be mean, Lock. I have some morals. Really? I know it sounds rich coming from me, but from my perspective, it looks like you're just motivated by cash. It's not that simplistic, Lock. I can be motivated by both noble reasons and cash. Surely you can understand that, right?Funnily enough, I could absolutely understand that mindset. I really didn't have much ground to push him on this front. Bach, come on. I'm worried, Lock. What else is new? Your plan makes sense, Lock. But a lot of your plans make sense. Only some of them work out... and it's one that has a lot of risk. Most of the risk is on me. At this point, maybe it's unrealistic, but I don't like the idea of my life being ruined after all of this is said and done. If I just walked away, I could use this money to do a lot of good in a lot of different ways. So I'm just wondering if going forwards with this election is the best course of action. Bach, please. Please? Yes, please, I know the word. I've really been sticking my head out for you on this election thing. I've been putting a lot into this. But, as loath as I am to admit it, I need your cooperation. What will it take to get you to continue fighting this election? ...Okay. How about this? We bet for it....What?
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2024 23:56
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 16:23 |
|
|
 [BGM: Burn Card]  I didn't know how to react to this proposition. It felt so... out of left-field. Maybe it's a silly request. Honestly, I just want to make up for my poor showing at Nohoi's Nest. You caught me off guard, then. I still think the win was kind of bullshit. But the more time passes, the more I can respect that you played by the rules you set. You beat me, not quite fair and square, but something close to that. ...And, well, I guess I'm not as mature a man as I'd like to think. My pride still stings a bit from the encounter. So I'd like to play a rematch against you. My terms. If you win the gamble, then we forget that any of this happened. We go through with your plan, and I do my best to get elected Governor. You won't hear a peep of complaining on my end regardless of what sort of crazy ideas you get. But if I win the gamble, then that proves you're not as flawless as you think. Your plan isn't as trustworthy as you've made it out to be. I win, we split this cash we stole 50/50, then walk away from the election, letting Aija win it in peace. Does that sound okay to you?I had to keep myself from laughing. The hell was this? Since when did Bach grow a spine? He wanted to go through with a gamble he invented, huh? I guess I really did hurt his pride back then. Well then, wasn't this just a fascinating position I had found myself in. On the one hand, I realized that taking Bach lightly here might be a mistake. I had gone into other people's gambles before, and it didn't always work out as I had hoped. Odin's 'Star Alignment' was still fresh in my memory. But that was Odin Deisma, and this was Bach Underwood. There was a difference. Bach was honestly right. If I couldn't defeat him of all people, what right did I have going forward? A final gamble between the two of us, just for the sake of it, huh? Maybe it was a sign of my decreasing rationality. But it sounded like fun. And even though that shouldn't be how I was making this decision, it ended up being the deciding factor. With a smirk, I nodded.  I call myself a gambler. Wear the title with pride. So, hearing this, how you're putting your pride on the line... well, what sort of gambler would I be if I refused an earnest challenge? Honestly, I shouldn't have to indulge this. But what the hell? Games are meant to be fun. I hope you can entertain me, Bach. I hope so too. Uh, so should I take that as you accepting these terms? No poo poo, Bach. What, did you think I was giving that speech just to say no? Sorry, sorry, I was just making sure. Okay then. Let's get started.With the gamble on, Bach reached over. Sitting to the side of his table was a deck of cards. Slowly, he slid out the deck of cards, and began shuffling it. Now what's this? Patience, patience. Unlike you, I intend on this being a fair game. Just pay close attention: the gamble's started.I wasn't sure how I felt about this 'in control' Bach I was seeing. Still, I heeded his warning. I made sure to watch his shuffling with a carefully discerning eye. But I saw nothing funny. Best I could tell, the shuffle was legit. After shuffling, Bach placed the deck of cards down. Then he drew five cards off the top. He looked at them carefully. After a moment's consideration, he re-arranged them in his hand.  Then he placed a 5 of Hearts down. Again, should I know what's happening? You'll know what's happening when it's relevant. Hm. You know, one of the cheapest tricks a magician can use is not telling you what the trick's going to be until after it's performed. When they do that, you don't know what to look out for ahead of time, and they can get away with more. I'm not a magician, Lock, and this isn't magic. Just keep watching.Next to the 5 of Hearts, Bach placed a 2 of Spades. Then, he set down a Queen of Clubs. Next to the Queen, he placed a 7 of Diamonds. Finally, at the end of the line, Bach placed the last card face down. Okay. What's the face down card? What? What sort of bullshit gamble is this? This isn't the gamble, I'm just asking you a question. What card do you think that is? Are you just asking me to guess? If that's how you want to approach it, sure. There's not another way to approach it! There's always another way to approach it. There's just the question of if you're clever enough to see it. Okay, I know you're trying to act all composed and poo poo, but just saying nonsense confidently doesn't make it any less confident. I'm plenty clever, and I'm telling you that short of flipping the card over for myself, there's no way to tell what card that is. Oh really? You know, I've got a really smart friend. I bet they could figure out what this last card was with nothing but a photo of the table. Uh huh. Want to put it to the test? Go for it.[BGM: Dealing Hands]  It was clear Bach was going somewhere with all of this. Where, I wasn't sure, and that annoyed me, but I was eager to see it through. Bach took out a frankly outdated phone, and used it to take a picture of the table. Then he texted the picture to a contact simply labeled 'The Friend,' alongside a question asking 'What's the fifth card?' Then he left the phone sitting on the table. Instantly, it showed that someone else was texting back... but that didn't concern me. What concerned me was this phone screen, and it did so for a few different reasons. The phone number's alias of 'The Friend' and the fast response implied that Bach had set up this show and dance before I arrived, which was weird. But also, there were no texts earlier in the history than the photo sent to or from this number. ...Well, it was always possible to delete texts. But for phone of this model had no way to mass-delete texts, which means either he spent an awful long time deleting them, or there weren't too many to begin with Those details all fell to the side, however, when the phone received a response: 'Seven of Hearts.' Huh. My friend thinks its the Seven of Hearts. All right, flip the card, show that its a Seven of Hearts, feel real clever.Instead of responding, Bach did just that. He flipped over the fifth card, and sure enough, it was a Seven of Hearts. drat. I was mildly impressed. ...Only mildly. Neat trick. Try it again. Excuse me? If your friend's so smart, surely you can perform this whole routine again, right? True enough. Okay, let's go again. Bach reached over and gathered up all the cards. Once more, he shuffled the deck. I watched even closer this time. I didn't take Bach for a card shark, but it was always possible. ...But no, I still didn't see anything. He just shuffled the deck, and drew five cards off the top. Then he looked at them for a moment, before placing them down one after another. Four of Spades, Jack of Hearts, Six of Hearts, Ten of Clubs... and a face down card. Then, Bach picked up the phone and took another picture. The picture was just the table and the five cards. He sent this second picture, and put the phone on the table once more. Bach was very visibly showing me that the only thing being sent was this photograph. Cheeky son of a bitch... A few moments later, a response text was received: 'Seven of Spades.'  Bach flipped over the last card, and sure enough, it was a Seven of Spades. Wow. Looks like my friend is smarter than you. Let's make one thing perfectly clear Bach, I am the smartest person you know. Pull whatever magician tricks you want, we need that to be clear. It's clear that you and this 'friend' have a whole system worked out. It's cute. But it doesn't fool me. System? What sort of system would that be? I don't know, it could be so many things. Maybe you just chose the cards ahead of time. I mean, if you don't trust that I'm being honest with the shuffles, you can choose the five cards for me. Really? You know, I'm going to take you up on that offer.Without letting Bach get a word in edgewise, I scooped up the cards. He was going to regret letting me mess with these. Now, let's see... I skimmed through the deck, looking for the right combination. Ah, I saw it. I took out the Ace of Hearts, Ace of Diamonds, and Ace of Spades. I also took out the King and Queen of Spades. This'd probably throw a wrench into whatever game Bach was playing. If Bach made one of the King or Queen the hidden card, the contact'd obviously assume the last card was an Ace. And if an Ace was hidden, well, it'd still be chaotic. ...Anyways, a setup like this was most likely to break things. You done choosing? Yep. Happy with your choice? Growing less so, the more you use that smug voice. Oh, don't be mean. ...I really didn't like this Bach. Though, I could also sense that he was putting on airs. There was visible sweat below his armpits. He was a performer - a professional even - but not a master. He had signs of weakness. I handed him the five cards, and he briefly looked through them. After a brief pause, Bach resumed mixing them around. Then he placed them on the table. Queen of Spades, Ace of Diamonds, Ace of Hearts, Ace of Spades, mystery card. I didn't like how quick that took. Bach took another picture, sent another text. We waited for a response. ...Like clockwork. 'King of Spades.' Well, I'll be damned. Three for three. Very impressive. I'm sure your pen pal is just the smartest. But in case you forgot, we were in the middle of a gamble for a metric ton of cash. Mind cluing me in to how this is relevant at all? Right, right. See, Lock, seeing as how cocky you always present yourself as, I figured testing your intelligence against my friend is itself a good gamble. Uh huh. I figured it'd be along those lines. Care to tell me what that actually means? Uh, right. So, I've already let my friend guess the fifth card 3 times. I'm going to let them guess 9 more times. Then, we'll do it one more time. You're going to have to answer that last time. Lucky 13th. Right, right. If you can get it, then I guess you're just as smart as my friend – you win. If you can't, then I guess you're not the smartest person I know. And in that case, I'll choose to trust them over you. One little issue. How do I have any assurance that I can do what your 'friend' is doing? What, you think they're smarter? No, I think you're in cahoots. There's any number of ways you could be cheating. Cheating? How on earth could that be possible? Want me to list out the ways? All right, how about I set some ground rules? That'd be wise. I promise that my 'friend' is an actual human person with a phone that is not within a mile of where we are currently sitting. The absolute only way I am communicating with them is through these photos. I repeat - the only method of communication between me and this friend are the pictures I send. Additionally, I'm not pulling anything funny with the pictures themselves. There isn't metadata in the photos, my camera doesn't have a hidden X-Ray functionality... what my friend sees is what you can see. Finally, there is nothing funny about the setup of these photos. The cards don't have markings; there's nothing on the table. It doesn't have anything to do with the time the picture is sent. Literally, the only information I am conveying to my friend is a row of five cards, one of which is flipped face down. Understand? Yeah, yeah, I get it. That all is the minimum I'd need to accept this sort of bet. And, naturally, if I find any proof that you are breaking any of those rules, it is an instant disqualification for you. You really think that of me? That I'd cheat in a casual wager? I'd hardly call this a casual wager, Bach. I think you need to put on your game face.It was true, despite his nervousness, he didn't seem overly worried about this gamble. Besides, I've been teaching you what I know, haven't I? Mm, maybe, but forgive me for not picking up your habit of screwing people with unfair games. Still sore about that? Let the past die out, man. I don't think it could even be considered the past. Whatever, I get the rules, we should just play, okay? Cool. I'll start the 9 dealings now. I nodded, but I wasn't going to be paying too much attention to his shuffles – just the outcome. I'd already figured out a number of things. For one, it didn't matter what combination of cards he got - the third round proved that much. I didn't think he'd let me choose as a bluff. Additionally, I was going to take what Bach said about the nature of this game as the truth. Not because I trusted him, though on this matter I probably did, but because if he was pulling some poo poo like that it'd be apparent before too long. That was the sort of matter that could be mitigated after the fact. So for now, assume he's being legit, and focus on what that means. There was nothing about this game that revolved around 'being smart.' It was a game of Codemasters, plain and simple. Like Bach said, the only way he could communicate the face down card to his friend was with the cards he was given. That limits the potential information vectors significantly. He could choose which card of the five would be the 'key card,' as it were. And, critically, he could determine the order the cards were placed down. ...Was there anything else I was missing? I'd just have to figure it out as I went.  For the fourth dealing, the cards were played in the order: 9 of Spades, 6 of Diamonds, King of Clubs, 3 of Diamonds, unknown. Bach took the picture, and we soon got a response: the fifth card was a King of Spades. For the fifth dealing, the cards were played in the order: 3 of Clubs, 10 of Spades, 8 of Diamonds, 8 of Spades, unknown. The fifth card was an 8 of Clubs. For the sixth dealing, the cards were played in the order: 7 of Clubs, 10 of Diamonds, 9 of Diamonds, 8 of Diamonds, unknown. The fifth card was a King of Clubs. For the seventh dealing, the cards were played in the order: 7 of Diamonds, Queen of Clubs, King of Diamonds, King of Spades, unknown. The fifth card was an 8 of Diamonds. For the eighth dealing, the cards were played in the order: 3 of Hearts, 4 of Clubs, 5 of Spades, Queen of Hearts, unknown. The fifth card was a 4 of Hearts. For the ninth dealing, the cards were played in the order: 9 of Hearts, 7 of Hearts, 5 of Spades, Jack of Clubs, unknown. The fifth card was a Queen of Hearts. For the tenth dealing, the cards were played in the order: Queen of Hearts, Queen of Clubs, King of Hearts, 5 of Diamonds, unknown. The fifth card was a 3 of Hearts. For the eleventh dealing, the cards were played in the order: Ace of Hearts, 9 of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, 4 of Hearts, unknown. The fifth card was a 5 of Hearts. For the twelfth dealing, the cards were played in the order: 8 of Clubs, 9 of Spades, 6 of Hearts, 7 of Spades, unknown. The fifth card was a King of Clubs.  After the final dealing, Bach looked up at me. All right. That does it. My friend got it twelve straight times in a row. Now you just have to get it right once.He probably wanted to intimidate me. But I wasn't scared. I've got one final condition of the gamble. Oh? For me to lose, your friend has to get the final card right, when I get it wrong. You're not allowed to just quit the system at the end and claim that as a win. O-of course, right. That's fair. Good. Then let's get on with this final round.Now or never. I felt like I already knew the pattern, I just needed to... [BGM: Pip Count]  Okay, okay, time to go into the think tank. Focus. What was going on here? How was Bach communicating the key card? What vectors of information were there? On paper, Bach just had the cards he was dealt to work with. Of course, it was always possible that there was some other piece of information (No brainstorm.  ) Bach was using to signal the Answerer. But no, no, Bach said he was just using the cards, and it wasn't in his nature to lie. So then, how was he using a mere five random cards to send a message? It sounded impossible, but there had to be some sort of code, hidden in these many dealings. That's why he repeated the process so many times, wasn't it? To give me a fair chance. Surely there was some pattern in all of this...I tried looking for any common thread surrounding the suit of the key card (  Brainstorm! ), anything peculiar about it. Oh, wait a second... what's this? It seems like there's actually a correlation between the last card's suit and the preceding cards! Yeah, yeah, looking at it closely, there's a definite pattern. Which kind of makes sense, when I think about it. Fundamentally, you really just need to signal two pieces of information: the suit of the key card, and the value of the key card.With 4 cards, you could use the first [card/2 cards/3 cards] to signal the suit and the last [3 cards/2 cards/card] to signal the value. ...Yeah, it's pretty clear if you know what to look for. The first card always matches the key card's suit. All right, so that's that settled. Now I just need to figure out how the value is communicated, and I'll be home free! Let's see... well, Bach's probably using the middle three cards to give the signal, so it's something to do with them. The three cards all have their own suits (No brainstorm. ) of course. But I highly doubt it's the same trick twice - signalling a specific suit is far harder than signalling a value. What else?Well, Bach does get to control the order ( Brainstorm! )[/i] the three cards are put in. The three cards would obviously always have their own values, so the order of the three values could be some sort of signal. Wait, that's not right, what if there were tied values? This doubt only lingered for a couple of seconds before I was reminded of an obvious fact – suit tie-breakers. When a poker hand had the exact same value as another, sometimes a tie-breaker would take place based off of the Suit's strength: Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, ascending order. No reason that couldn't still be the case. Okay then, this felt like progress. But there was still a fairly large hurdle in my way. For this train of logic to work, I'd need to find a way to use the order of 3 values to signal one of 13 separate possible values. (No brainstorm. ) But that was impossible, I knew that from the start. So, was this whole theory dead in the water? Hm... well, actually, maybe my thinking was too rigid. I had to remember, Bach was in control of selecting the key card. If he wished, he could always just switch the first card and the key card, and the suit signal would still be in tact. So then, what I really needed to find out was whether or not signalling one of 6 different values ( Brainstorm! )[/i] was possible. ...Yes, that should totally be possible! In fact, after I took a second to think about it, there were exactly 6 different ways to rearrange 3 different values. I wish I could say I figured that out by remembering that 3! (3 x 2 x 1) was 6, but honestly, I just counted the possibilities out in my head. Okay, okay, I was getting somewhere. The hidden piece of information I was forgetting about was the first card. It wasn't just setting the key card's suit, it was also an anchor the middle three cards could work off of. Then, the order in which the middle three cards were arranged would signal how to modify to the first card. What the middle cards specifically were didn't really matter, it was their comparative values. I could use the previous rounds I was shown to figure out exactly how that worked. So for instance, if the middle three cards were ordered from lowest value to highest, you'd [add one value/subtract one value/copy the second card's value to find the key card's value] to the first card. Easy. The key card was always 1 to 6 greater than the first card in value (Ace warping around to 2 if necessary). Lowest, Middle, Highest would add one, as far as I could tell. Conversely, Highest, Middle, Lowest looked like it would add the maximum, six. All right, I think I had it. But just in case, I'd do one hypothetical to myself. If I imagined that I saw a 2 of Spades, an 8 of Hearts, a 10 of Clubs, and a 6 of Diamonds, then the suit of the key card would be... Solution: spades All right, good. And then, if the four cards were 2 of Spades, an 8 of Hearts, a 10 of Clubs, and a 6 of Diamonds, then the value of the key card would be... Solution: six [You won 7 chips!] Deal.[BGM: Silence]  Slightly nervously, Bach complied. He shuffled the deck, then picked the top five cards. He paused for a moment, then put them on the table one at a time. Four of Hearts. 2 of Spades. Queen of Clubs. 9 of Clubs. And finally, a face down card. What's the hidden card? Simple. The Six of Hearts.The look on Bach's face told me all I needed to know. I had gotten it in one. Yeah. I figured this'd happen. Want to send your friend a picture? I don't see the point. After all...Bach reached forwards and flipped over the fifth card. Six of Hearts, like I had guessed. [BGM: Stand]  You already won. It was a novel attempt, Bach. I'll give you that. Not so fast. I want to go one more time. What? That wasn't the deal. I just want to make sure you didn't just guess. Seriously? You're safeguarding against a 1 in 52 chance? 1 in 48, actually. You know what, just because of that sick correction, as well as the fact that it doesn't actually matter, I'll go for it. Try again, see if I give a poo poo.Bach gave a slight smile. Then he shuffled the deck again, pulled five cards again, and placed them down in a specific order again. 3 of Spades, 10 of Spades, 10 of Diamonds, 3 of Diamonds, an unknown. That's... poo poo. I had to rack my brain for a second to confirm something. ...Okay, good. You got it? Yeah, yeah. Tried to get sneaky with that one, huh? I don't quite know what you mean. Whatever. The fifth card's a 9 of Spades. Solemnly, Bach nodded. He reached over and flipped the upside down card. As suspected, the 9 of Spades. Well done. Genuinely, that was quite clever. "Thank you, thank you, no really, thank you.I performed some mock bows, to Bach's obvious displeasure. Do you want to explain the method? Is that necessary when it was your trick? No, but I know you well enough to know you want to explain it anyways.drat, Bach did know me better than I thought. It's pretty simple, really. You applied the pigeonhole principle. I'm sorry, the what? You don't even know what you're abusing? Shame, man. Do more research in the future. For your edification, the pigeonhole principle basically says if a certain number of things are placed in a certain number of sets, when the number of things is greater than the number of sets, there will be at least two things that share the same set. Like, if you have three shoes, at least two are going to be for the same foot. Since, you know, they can all only be left shoes or right shoes. It's a pretty obvious conclusion to draw, but using it, you can draw some pretty surprising conclusions. In an extreme example, it was used to prove that at least two people in England have the exact same number of hairs on their head. Anyways, the way it applies here is pretty simple. You get to choose which card is the upside down one. And with five cards to choose from, four suits of cards, you're obviously going to get overlap. That's what the first card placed down is used to signal. Right. I figured you would get that part. It's pretty obvious after a few rounds. Right, the hard part was understanding how you could use three completely random cards to indicate a value. That one was a real head scratcher, almost got caught up in that trap. But before I was completely lost, I noticed something else about the connection between the last card and the first. The hidden card was almost always only slightly greater in value than the first card. The exceptions to that fact came when it wrapped around from King to Ace. And I also came to the realization that if you take two cards of the same suit, whatever they are, one of them is going to be no more than six value placements higher than the other, including the wraparound. Simply put - if you had a 3 of Hearts and a 5 of Hearts, if you placed down the 3 of Hearts, you'd just need to indicate a '2' with those other 3 cards, and your partner could figure it out. Long story short, you don't need to indicate a specific value with a set of 3 random cards. You just need to indicate a number 1 through 6. And to do that, you don't need to account for any specific card's value. You just need to account for their values relative to each other. The lowest valued, middle valued, and greatest valued. There were the odd cases where two cards had the same value, but going off the examples, it was clear you were using standard suit power to determine tie breakers. Had you just given me those first three examples, even if I had gotten this far in my reasoning, I'd have been stumped. That's why you gave those 12 examples. It wasn't to give me extra clues, it was because denying those examples would make this game unfair. Through all those iterations, I figured out the pattern pretty quickly. Lowest, middle, greatest added one. Lowest, greatest, middle added two. Middle, lowest, greatest added three. Middle, greatest, lowest added four. Greatest, lowest, middle added five. Greatest, middle, lowest added six. Man, the way you put it sounds so much more complicated. Oh? How'd you conceptualize it? Lowest value is a 1, middle is 2, greatest is 3. With those 3 numbers, you could make six number combinations. The lowest combination is the lowest value added. So, 123 added 1. 132, the next biggest, added 2. All the way to 321 adding 6. Hm. Tomato to-mah-to. I don't know if that applies here.[BGM: Silence]  But the point is, you won. Congratulations.Bach didn't say this with any amount of positivity. And yet, he also didn't sound too dismayed. What was with him? Just then, another text came through on the phone. Despite nothing being sent to the friend for a while. Bach picked it up and checked it. Finally.Bach muttered it under his breath, as though he hadn't intended for me to hear this. But I did, and it made me more than a little unnerved. What's that?Instead of answering me, Bach turned around and reached for a nearby drawer. He opened it, and took out... Holy poo poo! Please don't make any sudden movements.[BGM: Spot On]  Before I knew it, Bach was holding me up with a pistol. Seriously? The gently caress? I considered my combat options. I had outs, potentially. But it wasn't clean, not at all. What the hell?! Really, after everything, it was Bach that had successfully ambushed me? Bach? Him?! Beyond fear, I frankly just felt embarrassed that this was the guy who had gotten one over on me, twice now. What was happening? Woah, woah, hold on there, Bach! We can talk, we can work this out!Bach chuckled to himself. I wish that were the case, Lock. But I just can't imagine that to be the case. That's not... no, Bach, please. I know we've had a strained relationship, but you're not really going to kill me, are you? Kill you? For real? That's what you think this is? Uh, yeah Bach. You whipped out a pistol. That's kind of the natural assumption.Bach just shook his head. I don't want anything like that. Honestly, I don't really want anything bad to happen to you, Lock. Despite everything, and I do mean in spite of it, I kind of like you. Yeah, I like you too Bach! At least, I did before you pulled a piece on me! If it's not for killing, what's the deal? It's for self defense. Self defense? Bach, you know I'd never hurt you. No, actually, I don't know that. All I know is that you are a clever, exploitative criminal and proficient liar with a bit of a cruel streak. I'd like to imagine that murder isn't in your playbook, but if I'm being honest, I don't really have any assurance of that fact. That's...I felt lost for words. I wanted to dispute what he was saying. But in truth, I didn't have any good arguments. I could just stand here, offended, but utterly helpless. Okay, okay, fine. But still... what on earth is going on, Bach? What's any of this about?Bach looked down. He didn't want to meet my eyes. Bach? ...I have three confessions for you, Lock. Uh, okay? I wasn't the person who came up with this gamble. The person I was texting wasn't actually a friend, I only first talked with them earlier today. And the reason I challenged you to that game wasn't for the money... it was an attempt to stall for time.Just as Bach made his third confession, I could hear the faint sound of police sirens from outside the window. ... I could only groan internally. Why did Bach have such an edge against me? I guess he just took advantage of my natural tendency towards underestimating people. And in actuality, I might actually have an inclination to trust him. ...Silly me. Bach, listen, whatev– Before I could finish my sentence, the phone on the table began to ring. ...Your friend?Bach just nodded. That call's for you. For me? Oh, how sweet. Look, this... this is for the best, okay? Bach, I don't know if you believe what you're saying right now, and honestly I don't care. Either way, it's bullshit. ...I will be in the restroom. If I hear anything that sounds like you trying to get to me, I'll fire. Please, don't make me. And please... listen. …[BGM: Silence]  Without another word, Bach slowly, gun still pointed at me, backed into the restroom. And then, with one hand, he closed the door... leaving me alone with the ringing phone. The sirens from out the window were getting closer. I sighed. Well then; I guess there was only one option available. I reached out and grabbed the phone. *click.* Hello?…   Jeez. Imagine getting played by Bach twice in a row. Can you say embarrassing? Tsk, tsk, tsk, 'Lock'. If you're struggling to keep pace with Bach, you've got no chance against what's coming next. Heh heh heh...
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2024 23:57
|
|
|
drat, Mercury really got bach-ed into a corner here!
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2024 19:51
|
|
|
I guess this does rule him out as the mastermind, though. Is it possible Bach has the slight of hand required to text himself without mercury knowing, or for him to have been texting an underling, but it feels increasingly improbable.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2024 23:35
|
|
|
 [BGM: The Pistol]  I was red hot with anger. To try and keep myself calm, I tried counting down from a high number in my head. 219. 218. 217. 216. ...Argh, gently caress that! It wasn't enough to placate me. Not now. Not after my whole world had been turned upside down. Ms. Aija... no, Governor Aija. I had dedicated so much of my life to her. So much effort. I killed on her orders. Did absolutely horrible things. And for what? What had I gotten out of it? Absolutely nothing. All I had done was act like a pawn for a greater power. Just like when I lived under Odin, I was without autonomy. Reliant on her. No more. I would no longer be manipulated. From here on out, I'd be the one making choices. ...Starting with my choice to confront Governor Aija. I needed to talk with her. Not that I wanted to hear her talk at me – I'm talking about a real talk. I would confront her with everything I knew. All the issues that I had with her, I'd put them in her face, see her try to justify herself. If she explained herself well, then, that would be one thing. But if she didn't... 207. 206. 205. I would get there soon. Then... ...But hold on a minute. I claimed that I would no longer be manipulated. But, was that not what just happened? I had entered a room with a plan that I had created. I intended to follow through on it. I had a conversation. And now, I was doing something completely different. Had I not just demonstrated a textbook case of manipulation? And, I mean... I got this information from Mercury of all people. Their whole thing seemed to be deception, trickery. They were far from a trustworthy source. And they were the one I was putting my faith in? My brow furrowed at this. Was I... was I mistaken to be angry at Aija? Maybe I was being rash. Maybe this wasn't really me thinking. Maybe I hadn't been wrong to follow Aija, maybe I should...  I shook my head. No, that isn't rationality talking – it's weakness. Mercury didn't plant new thoughts into my head, not really. They just made me confront ones that were in the shadows of my mind, ones I didn't want to look at. But really, I had been slowly approaching this conclusion for a long time. I had tried to push these dissident thoughts away, thinking they were just baseless self-doubts created by the worst corner of my mind. ...But now, I could see it was my conscience trying to break through to me. The 'logic' that I used to dismiss all these concerns was nothing more than denial. How had I not seen the truth sooner? I guess you just can't see what's what when you're in the thick of things. You can't really tell what is logical or what's just denial; what doubts are simply self-sabotaging and which ones you should listen to. But now... I could. Now I saw how misguided I had been all this time. ...And now I was ready to do something about it. 176. 175. 174. ...Still. Despite it all, the thought of actually confronting Aija was met with some resistance. Half of me hated her... but half of me just felt sad. I just wanted to understand why she had done what she had done – what her real intentions were. A solid part of me refused to believe she really was this evil figure. Sure, maybe she was misguided at points. She had lost herself a bit, she hadn't been pushing forwards her agenda as much as she needed to. But evil? The woman who had never been anything but nice to me, who had reached out at my lowest point? ...To this, my cynical side responded. 'Was she really always nice? Wasn't the fact that she reached out when I was at my lowest point a calculated move on her part? Think about it, would she really value you at all?' ...No, that last question had been slipped in with two legitimate ones. The dark part of my mind was sneaky like that. I didn't care whether or not she valued me. That didn't matter at all. The question was, who was Governor Aija really? Misguided? Or a monster? I knew which answer I wanted to believe. I also knew which answer had more evidence. In the end... well, it wasn't the end yet, was it? I would confront her, here and now. I'd let her speak for herself. And then, I'd make my decision. Finally, I reached the Governor's Building. Without thinking, I knocked on the door. As soon as I did, I realized my mistake. It was a day off – there wasn't even a guard present at the front desk, an extremely rare occasion. In theory, Aija shouldn't be here. But I knew her well, better than most. This close to the election? There were good odds I would still find her in her office. So, I reached deep into my pocket. Finally, I pulled out the emergency key Aija had gifted to me. I remember what she said when she had it crafted for me: 'A reminder of my faith in you.' ...I put the key into the door's keyhole. And with a turn, I unlocked the Governor Building's front doors. Briefly, I looked over at the security camera that was capturing my face. Then, I continued into the Governor's Building. I walked over to the nearby hallway. I reached under the closest painting, and I pressed the button. As I walked along the hall, I reached into my pocket. My hand grabbed the pistol. I didn't know if I would use it, I didn't want to use it... but I held it nonetheless. Finally, I reached the door to Aija's office. I took a deep breath in. And then, I entered. [BGM: The Bomb]  Sure enough, Aija was in the room when I entered. Aija was working on something on her laptop. After I entered, however, she shut the computer and stood up. She looked surprised to see me. ...Which I supposed was understandable; I hadn't given her any forewarning, which was abnormal. The surprise didn't last long, however, before it turned into anger.  Devon! What are you doing here?! Did I not make it abundantly clear? We can not be seen together. We can not be remotely associated! I have worked hard for a cover story in the case that those photographs come out, but the moment anyone gets another glimpse of us together, the whole thing comes crashing down hard. You just needed to stay away! Do nothing! Are you really so useless that you can't even do that? …I held my tongue. What? Speak, why don't you? Or, what, did you just come here to gently caress things up? I mean, please, please tell me that you didn't break my one order for no good reason. What on earth could have possibly...It was at this point Aija trailed off. I wasn't sure what did it. Maybe she noticed the expression on my face. Maybe she noticed the pistol gripped in my hand. ...On second thought, it was probably that. Whatever it was, Aija reconsidered her approach. She realized that maybe she should be a bit more diplomatic. She took a deep breath and recomposed herself.   I'm sorry. That outburst was unwarranted. Things have been stressful here. Honestly, despite it all, I'm a little grateful that you're here – it's comforting to have someone on my side around. Someone on your side? Right. I know that we can't be seen together now. But you've always been clever, Devon – you know that that's important. You probably thought of that before making your way in here, right? ... Yes, uh, I shouldn't have assumed otherwise. I'll trust that you did the appropriate legwork beforehand. In that case, I'm glad to be able to talk to you face to face. I would like to apologize for that phone call I made to you not too long ago. The one that initially instructed you to keep your distance. It has dawned on me that the language I used was overly harsh. I was not being productive at the time. In fact, I'm afraid I may have been quite hurtful. So, because of that, I'd like to apologize right now. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I was lashing out, and that's not acceptable.Aija made a small bowing motion, signalling her apology. ...And stupidly, a part of me felt moved by this. It was obvious what this was. Her covering her tracks. And all the same, already a part of me was reconsidering. Tch. It's fine. I didn't come here to get an apology. Ah, right. You've always been quite mature, Devon. Let me guess: you wish to discuss future plans. Something like that. Right, right. I did say, in anger, that I was considering severing our relationship. Obviously, that was hyperbole. We simply need to reconsider some aspects... and we can discuss that now. We can. But actually, I have some other things I'd like to ask you about first. Is that right? Well then, okay. It is not as though there are any particular time restraints on our conversation. I will allow you to ask whatever questions you wish before we move on to the real meat of things. Good to hear. What I want to talk to you about is...It was simple what I had to ask... and yet, I felt the words catching in my throat. Despite how I phrased it, this isn't some light conversation topic. I was accusing Aija with this. That wasn't something I could just take back. It wasn't something I wanted to take back. My resistance to asking the question only emboldened my determination to get answers. What's your salary like, Aija? M-my salary? What an odd question. What, are you considering getting into public service as well Devon? I must say, you never struck me as the type. Don't try and obfuscate like that. You know drat well that that's not what the question was about. I'm sorry? Considering everything we do, you must be making a lot of income. I mean, from Art Deisma alone, that must be a significant amount. And I was just wondering how much money you were making from all of this. Is this some sort of negotiation tactic? Devon, your work is greatly appreciated. If you wish for a raise, simply asking wo– No! Stop it, this isn't about me. I'm asking directly about you. Are you using your position as Governor to make a lot of money? ...You are, I know that already. How much? Why?At this point, Aija was openly confused... and something else, some other emotion I wasn't quite able to pin down. You know, Devon, salary is really something you're not supposed to ask about in polite company, just like age and weight. I've never been one for polite company. Answer the question. Well, for your information, there are indeed a couple of revenue streams that I have set up from my position. Support from Olympo is in fact chief among them. Fundraising from supporters is also greatly appreciated. However, I similarly have many expenses to consider. For instance, there's your salary. My salary? Devon, I know that you don't like to live lavishly but I have always made sure that you are compensated fairly for your intense and dangerous work. I'm sure you have quite a sizable savings account at this point. There are traditional campaigning expenses that every politician that you ask could lecture you about. Additionally, there are several other protocols we have put in place that require upkeep. Many bribes to keep track of, this year including our very ow– Why? Why? Why, to make sure I can continue to do good as Governor. You've already got public sentiment behind you. You've already can probably win elections without all this. In that case, wouldn't it be better to spend this money advancing your agenda? That's... You say that change is slow, that's why you haven't been able to perfectly reform Panthea yet, right? Well, I did learn something from my family: throw money at a problem, it goes away. That's just a thing you can do, and I know you know how to do that. So then, why? Shouldn't you be spending this cash working on the change you intend to create with your position, not on keeping the position itself? That's... Devon, your concerns are valid. Perhaps an inventory of our current budget is in order, to make sure money is best spent. However, there are certain nuances that from your position you may not be able to appreciate. Money can get you far, true, however there are still limits. Some change must go through the proper channels. And I am looking for complete systemic reform, that's not easily bought with cash, it's bought with political capital. Making sure I am able to continue enacting change is just a different form of investment, you see? Maybe. But that's not my only question. I've been doing some rough math in my head. I know I don't have access to a lot of hard figures, but I still went through the Deisma's stupid financial projection training. I've been thinking about everything I know about, and even still, you should be making a lot more than you're spending. Where is that extra money going? Is it going anywhere? Or are the rumors right? Are they being funneled into a secret stash?[BGM: Kicker]  When you stop being the Governor, are you just going to live off of that stash for the foreseeable future? Devon, that is quite enough! I know you're likely upset over recent events, but this is not an excuse to behave in this manner. Your accusations are frankly offensive. What are you even thinking? You're right, you don't know the numbers. You don't know much of anything, in fact. So I find it highly amusing that you intend to make any claims about my finances from your limited knowledge. For the record, no, I do not have some 'secret stash' of collected wealth. Now in the future, you will consider before speaking such filthy slander. I will 'consider?' Oh, I considered all right. Evidently not. Evidently so! I thought a whole lot about it. And you dismissing my concerns just like that is bullshit! I'm not dismissing anything, I am stating that you are factually incorrect. And given the nature of these allegations, I think it is well within my right to be somewhat offended. You know what? No. No, actually, I don't think that's 'within your right.' Excuse me? You heard what I said. From the start, you claimed that this was a partnership. Now, I get that it's not one to one; obviously when I'm working for you, we're not going to quite be equals. But still, there's a limit, you know! There's some basic respect I'm owed, and you've never really shown it! You think I haven't shown you respect? You've been polite, when it suited you. But if we are working together, we should be viewed as equals. I should be able to ask questions, have complaints, I should be allowed to disagree with you at times. But whenever I do, it always devolves into something like this! You're saying it is your right to be offended when I question you? gently caress you! I've got a legitimate question I put a lot of thought into, and for you to dismiss it outright is bullshit! I didn't dismiss it outright, I gave you a straightforward answer. And it's less a question than it is an accusation. Call it whatever you want. It's still me coming to you looking for a dialogue. That's not unreasonable. You are hiring me to be an assassin, for Christ's sake! You are not some moral paragon. The idea that you would be skimming profits is not unthinkable, and me pushing you on that topic is not unreasonable. Ha. My god. You ungrateful little poo poo. What? You heard me. Where do you get off, acting like this? Acting like what? Acting like you've been treated unfairly somehow. You have completely forgotten where you came from. Don't you remember when we first met? You had nothing. You were about to rot in jail. You were purposeless, passionless, useless. I gave you a life. You took away my life! What? You took my life away from me. You filled me with some bullshit purpose that served your ends. You consigned me to serve under you. I didn't consign poo poo! You had a free choice, you could have left at any time. That's... look, you don't get to say that! You know that's not right. I had no choice but to follow you. To kill for you. No, no, it would've been better if you just stole years from me. I could live with missing years. What you did turned me into a monster! I killed for you! I murdered people for no good reason, just because you thought it might help you a bit, that these people might be a threat! Oh, well, I'm so sorry! Next time, I won't reach out. I'll just let you go and rot in jail by yourself. Don't try and spin this as though you were doing something selfless! You reaching out to me when I had no other choice was not noble, it was manipulative. It was a calculated choice you made to put me in your debt – and it worked. Until now, at least. Until now? Ha, is that what this is? You're here to, what, resign? You think you can have a normal life that easy? Then fine, you're let go. You can see yourself out. Like hell I'm leaving here. I'm not quitting poo poo. I'm here to get answers, and you're going to give them to me. Sure! Fine! I haven't put up any fight on that front. You asked me if I was skimming cash, I said no. What else? Aija... what do you believe in? What's this? Have I not told you? Panthea needs to be better. It deserves better. I believe in making this city the best version it can be. To do so, there are many improv– Quit it. Oh, now you want me to stop answering? I want you to stop bullshitting! I don't want to hear some vague promises. I want to hear actual policies. Things thought out carefully, things that will actionably make the city better, things that are worth the sacrifices made to get here. You've had many years at this point to make changes as Governor, most of them fairly uncontested. But guess what? For a whole lot of people, Panthea still sucks. So what gives? Was all that talk about making Panthea better just bullshit? Or are you actually a lovely leader? Because either way, it makes me really wonder whether any of this has been worth it... and it's making me think the answer is 'no.'At this, Aija just grimaced. Her eyes narrowed. ...Ah, I finally realized what the emotion I couldn't place was: Suspicion. [BGM: Ones Are Wild]  Devon... this isn't you. Where'd you get this information? What information? These are all just obvious questions to ask. No, no, this isn't coming from you. Someone put you up to this. Who is it? Who turned you against me? Nobody 'turned me against you.' Well... maybe that's not true. I could argue you did. Excuse me? Whatever. I asked you a question. You are going to answer it. Devon, you moron, of course you wouldn't understand this. Okay, if I don't understand it, explain it! Change isn't always that fast. When you look at it, I've implemented many programs that are oriented on producing long-term positive effects. Not seeing worlds of change in the span of a few years fundamentally misunderstands how history works. It's true, there are some more drastic reforms that are possible. However, people are not built for that. I'm not talking about amassing political capital, I'm talking about on a societal level, people can't handle hard changes. They're likely to spark outrage, backlash, fear, all sorts of things. That's because, whether they'll admit it or not, most people feel safe where they currently are in life. Wild changes scare them. The most sure-fire way to make Panthea better is to make progress incrementally, and with policies that have long-term effects. I get that's not as satisfying, but my job isn't to be satisfying. My job is to make Panthea a better place, even if it's not a popular process.I had to think about her response for a second before opening my mouth. Like always, it seemed reasonable enough – but if I had learned anything recently, people could seem quite different from how they really were. You... ...didn't name a single concrete issue in that whole speech. What? That whole time you were explaining things, you didn't go into a single specific issue. You used no data or evidence to back up your arguments. Even if they sound convincing, you're basically just relying on me trusting your judgement of things. Devon, do you really want to talk specific policy? We can, if you want. But if I'm being honest, I doubt you'd understand it. Maybe you're right. But no, you're not being reasonable right now. I mean, there's some sense in what you're saying – but I know a lot, I've seen a lot, and I don't sense you're being honest right now. What? Maybe at one point you really did have some specific plans in mind. You really believed in the rhetoric you're spinning. Maybe you even think you believe it right now. But deep down, that's not what this is. You just care more about keeping your position than you do about making change. Heh, when I walked over here, I cycled through a lot of possibilities of what you might really be like. But... now I can see it. It's not overly complicated. It's not super hard to understand, it's not that dramatic. It's not even that evil. Not even that uncommon. You just can't bear the thought of losing power. You're just human. And what the gently caress would you know about that? About being human? Devon, you're the most inhuman person I've ever come across! And you're making a huge mistake. Betraying me like this? Do you think when you explained yourself back on that fateful night, anyone else would have seen it the way I did? Anyone would have understood you? Not a loving chance! They all would have thought you were a loving monster, and rightfully so! It was only me that saw any value in you. And it turns out, I was wrong. You truly are a worthless, amoral, piece of poo poo! I'm just surprised I hadn't realized it sooner.Aija began chuckling to herself, in a slightly unstable manner. Oh, Devon, you absolute moron. You don't realize that I was your only hope. Nobody else will ever care about you. There will be no other place where you can be halfway useful. You had one chance to be of any value, and that was with me. After this? You've got no one. Nowhere. There's not a single place a murderous, braindead, useless monster like you can go and be accepted. Understand?[BGM: The Poison]  A part of me understood Aija was just lashing out. I guess she really was self-deluded, if she was actually offended by what I said about her. On some level, I knew Aija was just also in pain, and looking to say the things that would hurt the most. And yet, another part of me couldn't help but agree with what she said. It was unlikely anybody else would ever be able to understand me, understand what I had gone through, what I had done, and why. It was part of why I clung so desperately to Aija. She felt like the one person who might value me. And now, that connection was severed. ...And just as I thought about this, I came to a surprising realization. I... ...don't care. Huh? I don't care about that. It doesn't matter. I know I'm making the right choice by confronting you. And that's all that matters. Tch. Are you serious right now? Deadly. Now, I want more answers. Seriously? I think we're done here.My hand which was gripping onto the pistol raised, taking aim squarely at Aija's chest. This isn't a discussion anymore. You're going to tell me what I want to know. And starting now... you're just going to tell the truth. Gah!Aija was clearly becoming increasingly uncomfortable by the second. For the first time in the whole interaction, she probably felt a legitimate sense of danger. It had now dawned on her that she might be in danger. Good. She had played God behind a desk long enough. She needed to have a taste of what it was like on the actual battlefield.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 16:28
|
|
|
 [BGM: Challenger]  I could tell from her eyes that she was scanning the surroundings. Looking for some sort of out, a way to guarantee her safety. ...However, before long she came to the conclusion that she had hired a pretty good assassin. There wasn't much that someone completely untrained could do. ...Okay. Fine. What do you want to know? I'm an open book. Just tell me, and I can give you the information you want. …This brought me to a question. What did I want to know? Despite everything, I hadn't quite thought this far ahead. It wasn't like I didn't have anything to ask. In fact, the problem was practically the exact opposite. I had too many things I wanted to ask. Conflicting questions vyed for priority in my head. Eventually, however, a clear forerunner stood out. A question that, for whatever reason, had stuck with me all this time. ...Who killed Maximillian Collins? Ugh, seriously? Devon, what is your obsession with that case? Were you secretly friends with that guy, or what? I'm not the one asking the questions here! You know more about that case than you're letting on. I want to get some answers. Fine. Fine, okay, I'll talk. I want to establish something up front first, though. And what's that? I didn't lie to you when I said I didn't know who killed Maximillian Collins. I don't! I still don't. It wasn't planned for, and I never found clear evidence pointing to an answer. But? ...But, gun to my head, which I guess this is what that is, I have a pretty good guess as to who did it. Or, what, maybe. Huh? You know how I said that the only people who knew about the Cock Robin Killings were you, me, and Arrianne? Yes.I tried to curb the oncoming indignation from entering my voice. That's not strictly true. Who else? The person who suggested the idea of recruiting an assassin in the first place. The person who got damaging information on my opponent the first election I ran. The person who has kept me informed of the city's happenings, the one who brings me a lot of the targets I end up giving you. And who's that? The Djinn.What? The Djinn? The gently caress's a Djinn? That's the name they went by, anyways. I don't know the Djinn's identity; they wanted to be anonymous. Honestly, it's mostly been a one-sided relationship. The Djinn helps me out, usually by presenting me with some information, sometimes a more detailed plan... and then, they ask for nothing in return. It is, admittedly, a very unorthodox setup. I, too, was highly suspicious in the beginning. But at no point was I ever obligated to do anything. Never did it feel like I was being made to do something I didn't want to. I was just receiving help. Again, I don't know who killed Maximillian. But if I had to guess, it would be the Djinn.I had said nothing up until this point. That's because I was afraid that if I did, I'd reveal my anger. Aija... I had been nothing but loyal to her. For so long. Up until recently, I had given her absolutely no reason to doubt me. ...And yet, she had completely hidden this from me. What the hell? What was up with that? Did Arrianne know? Was I the only one out of the loop, the disposable tool? Whatever, focus. Aija doesn't matter. I should just keep probing for information. You never thought to tell me about this? I thought it was unnecessary. How do you figure that? The Djinn doesn't really matter that much. They just gave some help every now and then. Just some information. No big deal. Just some help?!Keep it cool, Devon. Keep it cool. You have no idea who the Djinn is? Not a clue. I don't understand them at all. And really, I don't want to. And you never made an attempt to find out their identity? You are best friends with the Chief of Police. Surely you made an effort. Of course I did. But nothing came up from it. ...And then, the Djinn sent me a message about the investigation.[BGM: Silence]  They said they wanted nothing but to support my reign as Governor. But if I kept looking into their identity, I could expect no more help. The Djinn had gotten me where I was. Obviously, hearing that threat, I called the investigation off.What? What was up with this... I couldn't get a read on the situation at all. The Djinn, huh? An anonymous source... A thought came to my head. Was it possible that the augmented voice that gave me information earlier today was, in fact, the Djinn? It certainly fit their MO. And that would explain how they knew about me. ...Well, actually getting my specific phone number is a bit of a leap. Still, if you know who I was, somehow getting that number suddenly becomes a lot more plausible. But again, what was their motivation? To help Aija, looking for nothing in return... that was the wrong way to think about it. Aija being in power must get them something. But what? Hmm... Aija said she was never given specific instructions. But if Aija trusts you, and you can offer information and advice at your own discretion, doesn't that sort of mean that you control the Governor? Of course, to a limited extent. You couldn't make her do anything unreasonable, anything she wouldn't already want to do, anything that wouldn't help her. Even still, you'd get some amount of influence... ...Forget it. I'd think about the Djinn later. For now, there were other questions I wanted answers to. Or rather, I wanted the answer to a question I had already asked. I asked you once. I'll ask you again. Are you hoarding cash? ... Answer the question!I brandished the pistol, reminding her who was in charge here. Fine. You would never really understand, anyways. What does that mean? You want to know the answer to your question? The answer is over by that painting of me.Painting of her? I looked over to the right, trying to get a good look at what she meant. ...And it was this instant that Aija was waiting for. She must not have trusted me. She thought I'd shoot her. She was too desperate.  And so, as my vision turned away from her, she ducked down and launched forward towards me. As she rushed in, she reached over to her nearby desk and grabbed the pen off it. And then, she stabbed out at me, using the pen as a makeshift dagger. It was a laudable attempt... but she clearly didn't realize how good an assassin she had hired. I caught the wrist of the arm holding the pen with my left hand, and punched out at her face with the hand holding the pistol. As she recoiled, taking a step backwards, I moved in, grabbing her hair with my left hand. *wham!* Then I slammed her head down onto the nearby desk and pushed out. After this attack, Aija fell back, limp. Initially, I didn't think much of this. However, a few seconds passed by, and Aija made no attempt to get back up. Wait... uh oh. I was in combat mode, not recognizing my own strength. But slamming someone's head against the wood at that angle, at that velocity... that could be bad! Hold on a second... I bent down and reached out to check Aija's pulse. Please, please, please... I breathed out a sigh of relief. There was a pulse. Good. Despite confronting her like this, I hadn't intended to actually kill Aija. Or at least, I hadn't made a decision one way or the other. For now, at least, she was still breathing. I must've just knocked her out. Okay. I could deal with that. A little lame that my interrogation had to end now, but I guess that was sort of my fault. I recomposed myself. Okay. With Aija down, what was next? Hm. I wonder, was Aija's comment about the painting just a distraction? That made sense. If she planned to attack me right after, there was no reason to actually be truthful. But still, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Aija was weirdly protective of this office, and she had already proven herself to have a penchant for hiding things with paintings. In that case, it couldn't hurt to check, right? I began to walk around the desk. I made my way over to the painting. I gripped onto the frame, an– *BANG!* All of the sudden, a loud sound filled the room. A familiar sound. As an assassin, I was well aware of what a gunshot sounded like. I could even place that it was probably the sound of a pistol firing. The only question is, why had a gunshot been fired? I mean, I hadn't fired it. And... suddenly, I felt something cold dripping down my stomach. I looked down to check it out. And it was at this point I made the realization. I laid eyes on the bullet hole that had traveled through my stomach. I looked a bit further forwards, and saw that the bullet had lodged itself into the wall in front of me. Oh. Instantly, my knees buckled. Huh. It was surreal. I thought I'd be in a lot more pain. Instead, things just felt off. This must be my brain making an executive decision. The pain was too unbearable, so I shouldn't be allowed to feel it. Weakly, I collapsed onto the nearby wall. I turned over to look at the direction the bullet must have come from. And there, I saw that a familiar face had made their way into this office. I didn't know them personally, but I recognized them. You... you're Kane Shay, right?[BGM: Danrasu]   Wow, would you look at that? I'm famous.Maybe I was projecting. That was probably likely. But with just two sentences, it felt as though I could just tell. I could tell that this was the same person who had talked to me over the phone. Kane, for his part, casually looked around the office. When he noticed Aija, he suddenly walked over to her body.  Woah, woah, what's this? What did you do to her? Knocked her out. ...Yeah, no, you're right. She has a pulse. Jeez. Gave me a minor panic attack, there. What are you... doing here? Me? Well, when I sent you over to kill the troublemaker, I thought you were a safe bet. However, given their track record, I wanted to be sure. And sure enough, before too long, they reared their head up somewhere else. Good thing I had an insurance plan. Though, I kind of doubt that actually worked either. God, I really have to give them credit. I mean, turning Aija's brainwashed pawn against her in the span of a single conversation? That's some real skill. Full respect. Anyways, as soon as I realized they were still kicking, I had a pretty good idea of what happened. And it was pretty predictable what you did next. Though I really don't like getting involved myself, there wasn't exactly time to set anything else up, and there was no telling what you might do unleashed. So I rushed over here, and, well, guess I came just in time. Honestly, you had been showing 'wild card' signs for a while now. I tried to harness that, but that was me being greedy. I should've removed you from the board a while ago. Oh well.I tried to process everything he was saying. But there were too many questions. And for some reason, my brain was really fuzzy. Still, I had put together one thing. You... you're the one who killed Maximillian Collins... weren't you? Huh. Well, I'll be. For hired muscle, seems like you do have half a decent brain. It's a bit of an odd pull, I must admit, but you're not wrong. Sorry for jacking your style like that. Emergency measures and all. ...Why? Why'd you do it? Why? Devon, my friend, I'm afraid explaining that would take more time than the two of us have together. Short version? Eh... let's just say Max is a great case study for why idiots shouldn't be given a whole bunch of power. Well, I guess I'm lucky. Had he actually been smart, I would've been in a lot more trouble.Feeling as though he had adequately answered the question, Kane looked back over at Aija's limp body. Jeez. Really did a number on the lady, didn't you? That's rough. Eh, well, actually... thinking about it, I can actually put this to pretty good use. See that? That's called adaptability. It's what keeps me on the top. You... you're gonna pay for this. Mhm. And pray tell, how are you going to make sure of that? In case you forgot, you're kind of a little bit shot. Angered, I tried to sit up. However, I was immediately answered with a shot of intense pain. I looked down, and then I finally realized something I had been blocking out. I had killed enough people to know what a fatal wound looked like. I was... going to die. I had a few minutes left, at best, and then I'd be dead. No... I am sorry, by the way. About the whole 'killing you' thing. I know, I know, sounds super hollow, probably is. But I really do try to avoid murder whenever possible. By the way, I shot you in the stomach instead of the head for a reason. Personally, if I were killed, I would like to know why I was dying, what was happening. It's why I'm talking to you right now. Apologies if you'd have preferred a quick death.I felt anger flare up inside me. Fighting through the pain, I reached inside my inner coat pocket. I gripped onto my most reliable weapon. The gungniri would always eventually hit its target. With all the effort I could muster, I flung the dagger at Kane. ...It sailed harmlessly past Kane's feet. Heh heh heh. Are you serious? What was that, man? I get you're angry, but come on. You know fighting back at this point is useless, right? You...I was struggling to even speak. The dizziness was violent, now. Hey, hey, easy. You don't need to talk. Just rest. ...You know, I hate to say it, but if you had just followed Aija's orders, things would have worked out a lot better for you. It didn't need to come to this. You could have played an important part in making Panthea the city it deserves to be. Instead, you're dying alone in a place like this. An empty, meaningless death.[BGM: Silence]  A meaningless death. Kane was right. What had I accomplished? Nothing. I had thrown a tantrum, and been shot. Just like my life, I had been useless. Was this really how I met my end? Having never amounted to anything? Almost all my life, I was miserable. The best I ever reached was content. Nobody would mourn me. I did horrible things, and failed to properly make up for my actions. Truly, my life was worthless. And my death was... ... All of a sudden, I stopped spiralling. I don't know what gave me the strength to do it. Maybe it was a surge of energy that came from my life flashing before my eyes. Whatever the case, in these final moments, I realized I was wrong. My life was meaningless? Who said? The only person who got to make that decision was me. My efforts didn't amount to anything? That wasn't right at all. Maybe it was only at the end, but ultimately, I was able to do the right thing. Kane was counting on me to kill Mercury... and he had to come over here to kill me. That was two wrenches, right there, that I threw into his plan. Surely, that mattered? It was likely nobody would acknowledge what I had done. People would think I hadn't changed, I hadn't made a difference. But I knew the truth. When it mattered, I was able to do the right thing. And in the end, I was able to make a difference. That mattered to me. And that was all that mattered. What the... you're smiling at a time like this? The hell? How could you possibly be content with this? Well, power to you, Devon. Makes my conscience lighter if you pass with a smile on your face.Kane, you rear end in a top hat... yeah, Mercury would stop you. I wouldn't be around to see it, but I was sure justice would win out. Panthea would be made better.  So in that case, I should just enjoy my last moments, right? I was allowed that much. Pleasant memories began to float to me, memories I had never really stopped to appreciate before. Playing board games as a kid with Art and Polly, without any interference from Odin, actually enjoying ourselves and getting along. A meaningful conversation I had with a fellow soldier back at base, where I convinced him to desert back home to his wife, the day before the base raid. A movie night I had at this office with Aija and Arrianne, where we just ate pizza and talked about nonsense. A beautiful sunset I watched from the ocean. Heh. I always liked the idea of reincarnation. I hoped whatever form my next life took, I'd appreciate it at the time. And if I didn't get a next life... I was pretty lucky to just get one, right? I thought about more of the little moments of happiness throughout my life, moments never documented, moments only I could appreciate. Moments that mattered to me. And I kept thinking about them until eventually i didn' ...  You know what's a useful way of viewing things? Not many things in life are simply better or worse. ...Okay, actually, that's not a good way of putting it, because that's just not true. I mean to say... You're going to be faced with a lot of choices in life. And you'll stress about them, like what to possibly choose, it's so important to choose right! And these choices can be incredibly important. They might change your life drastically. But that doesn't mean what you choose matters. The world is infinitely vast and complicated, you can never really predict how things will unfold, what either choice will really entail. And more to the point, if it's really a hard choice, odds are, both options are fine. Both options have their own pros and cons – different, but not better or worse. Where to vacation? Different, but not better or worse. What college to go to? Different, but not better or worse. Who to date? Different, sure, but not better or worse. To have kids or not to? Different, not better. Not worse. Alive? Or...  
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 16:29
|
|
|
We have a bet coming up at the start of next update, so I'll be taking votes here now: We're heading for the final showdown. Who do you think is going to be making it out of this alive? Mercury, Kane... or both? Or... neither? 
Mix. fucked around with this message at 16:53 on Mar 24, 2024 |
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 16:50
|
|
|
I'm going to use meta information and say the fact that there's a 'third game' will lead me to both.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 17:20
|
|
|
I instead I'm gonna go with neither. Sadly both Mercury and Kane will both end uo dead in a mysterious explosion. The epilogue will feature the totally new character Wodan who will be the one to witness the sequel hook. how did i not realize that mercury is essentially following odin's role of a manipulator because odin was syncretized with mercury im dumb
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 17:50
|
|
|
So, it was Kane after all. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as he's been lurking in the background for a long time (also, y'know, his name). I guess my problem with the whole plot point is that Panthea's institutions seem to have no problem being massively corrupt all on their own, so I haven't seen the need to have a single mastermind behind it all. It makes Devon being satisfied that Mercury will stop Kane feel a bit eh as we haven't seen very much of what Kane's actually done to prop up the system. Also, RIP Devon. You died as you lived, being useless. It doesn't seem like much'll come out of his death, unless a body appearing in Aija's office manages to cost her the campaign. In terms of the vote, I'm going to say both as well, because I don't see much reason for Kane and Mercury to actually need to fight to the death. That doesn't mean it won't happen, but I feel like both would try to slip away if they have the chance.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 18:06
|
|
|
You know, with Devon’s last act, basically every single institution in Panthea is out of commission. Olympo is dissolving, the Duats are fracturing with Marduk dead and Yi in disgrace, the government will be without a leader for the foreseeable future as Aija is knocked out, the police is probably scrambling with the loss of the money and the public revelation that they are riddled with Duat spies, and Aija’s opposition is currently hiding in a bathroom waiting to get arrested. The only power currently in play is the media.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 18:52
|
|
|
Now that we're on the precipice of the finale, what's your final stance on the 7 stories so far? Favorites and least favorites?
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2024 18:57
|
|
|
I don't know who will survive the duel between Kane and mercury, but I wholly expect the real masterminds to step in, chuck a spear, and say, "I dedicate this battle to Odin."
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2024 00:05
|
|
|
I'm going to go with neither lives; Mercury is up against their worst kind of enemy, one who is aware of their identities and has more information than them. And I think they are more than dedicated enough to sacrifice themself if it means taking down the Djinn. After all, Kane is apparently the glue that's keeping Panthea the way it is (for better or worse), and things are unravelling on all sides. AIji is losing it (and now unconscious), Olympo is in chaos (and while, legally speaking, the dissolution probably wouldn't hold up, the damage is done), and Duats may well be leaderless (Lara's dead, Thane's gone, Yi is at best in a very tenuous position and at worst is going to face retribution for killing Lara in front of everyone). The only person seemingly unscathed so far is the police chief, though her rep might have taken a hit since even after Seth was unmasked the money still got stolen. Still, if her complicity in murder is comes out, she's ruined too. So yeah, were I to guess, Mercury makes the sacrifice to take Kane out of the picture.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2024 13:58
|
|
|
 [BGM: Silence]  All right, All right, All right. Let's take a moment to pause here. I know, I know, you want to get to what happens next, but I want to touch base real quick. We're about to enter finale territory. No, this is not literally the last scene, but it's certainly the start of the last sequence. Let's put it this way - you wouldn't even need one full hand to count the number of scenes you have left. You know what we need at a time like this? That's right, times like these, every gamble counts! Don't have many left in the tank, you know? But we need some final opportunities to bet big! So let's go, starting with a bet that I'll pay you 3 to 1. You're going to bet on the outcome of this final encounter. Mercury versus the Voice on the Phone. The one who called Lock at Bach's place? Remember? Yeah, you remember. I want you to bet on the outcomes of both individuals. The most important outcome. You've got two sharks. Which, if either, lives? Which, if either, dies? Place your bet now.It was a tie between both living and both dying, so I had someone unrelated to the LP pick and they voted both die.  Both die. Betting on total annihilation? It's certainly a fitting outcome. Well, let's see. But first, you've got to choose how much you're betting on that.50% is 50%, so we're betting half our chips, which is 102 chips. All right, then. I won't keep you for any longer. In fact, until the end of this story, I'll try to speak as little as possible. Panthea hangs in the balance. Enjoy the End of it All.[BGM: Danrasu]  Hello? Hello, Lock. Or... is there another name you'd prefer?The instant I heard the automated tint of the voice, I realized what I was dealing with. Who I was dealing with. Heh. So, we finally get to speak directly. You wound me! Saying it like that, it sounds like we haven't talked before. Oh, I didn't mean that. I just meant, the first time I got to speak directly with the real you. So dramatic. And the 'real me,' that would be...I had a chance here. If I confidently declared a name, it was possible that they'd think I had completely figured it out, and confirm it for me. So that left me with the big question. Who was the voice? Who was The God? ...I couldn't hesitate for long, or else they'd know I was guessing. Ah, gently caress it. There were parts of this that didn't quite add up in my head, but this was the best theory I had come up with yet. Come on, Kane. You know I'd recognize you no matter where we talked. … Heh heh heh. I knew it! I knew you were good, I knew you were worth having some fun with. The moment I heard the automation drop and Kane's real voice speak, it all clicked in my head. I knew my true enemy. The real monster of Panthea was right before my eyes this whole time: Kane Shay, the Demon King. Tell me, when did you figure it out? I knew you at least suspected me when you sent me on those wild goose chases. I mean, Polly and the Duats? The hell was with that? It's called 'creating noise,' Kane, I learned it from you. I was just returning the favor. Fair enough, fair enough. If you want to know, the reason I first started suspecting you was when I realized that you might plausibly be behind my little near-death encounter on the Mandjet. Oh yeah? How do you figure that?The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. I was definitely drugged, that was the only explanation that added up. But conversely, I was in a metal box alone. There was no smoke, nobody seemed aware of my presence. ...The only explanation was that the drugging occurred far before I even stepped foot on that accursed ship. I met with you to learn the Mandjet's location. Or rather, I did. Neat trick. I like it quite a bit. Anyways, you were so insistent that I at least got something to drink. I can't believe I dismissed that as just concern for my well being at the time. No, when I went in that restroom to take a call, you definitely spiked my drink. Not an instant acting soporific, but a slower-acting one. Rarer, sure, but far from unheard of. And it just so happened, the drugs kicked into effect right when I was inside a metal container on the Mandjet. Yeah, I heard about that. Sounds pretty crazy. And even that didn't kill you? drat. You know, you were pretty lucky. I just happened to be in a horrible situation when I passed out. I mean, it's not like you could have known I was going to investigate the Mandjet right after our meeting. Is it that lucky? When you really think about it, there are tons of situations where randomly passing out with no forewarning will pretty much kill you. Driving a car, climbing up a ladder, pretending to be a Duat member, taking a bath, doing an investigation, hell, even passing out on a particularly bad street in Panthea might be a death sentence. Really, the only way that randomly passing out wouldn't pose a major problem would be if you really were just some computer-loving recluse. In that way, the sleepy pill acted as a natural litmus test. Pretty clever, huh? Is that right? You handled it like that because you were testing whether or not I really was Eris? It's not like I know everything. And it was also for some info scouting. I mean, if I got reports of Thane randomly passing out in a Senior Officer's meeting, well, that'd be quite interesting. You thought I was secretly Thane? Once I got wind that there was someone going around, disguising as different people, I got real paranoid. Who knows who could secretly be the enemy? Hm. Anyways, even though I should have believed in myself, I wasn't confident it was you after thinking back to our meeting at Smith's. But it certainly skyrocketed you to the top of my suspects list. To be honest, I wasn't even sure about my suspicions until you dropped the automated voice just now. Ah, you mean I went and blew my load for nothing? Talk about jumping the gun. I guess I was just eager to talk to you in earnest, that's all! Is that right? Well, here it is. An earnest conversation. Though, I have doubts that this is really what you want. You doubt my authenticity? Cruel. Too cruel. Why do you think I went through the trouble of getting in contact with Bach? Before anything else happens, I really want to get the chance to speak with you, just man to man. 'Man to man'? Or man to woman, or man to whatever, look, my point is that you've impressed me. I'm not a vengeful guy... Mercury. Mercury, then. I mean, let's be clear - you've been a real pain in my rear end. Legitimately, I haven't run into anyone as proficient at loving things up as you for a while. And I think that those skills could be put to better use. Seriously? You're, what, trying to pitch an alliance to me? That's what this is? Why not? I'm a highly rational person, Mercury. I know you are too. So let's cut to the chase. You're here to scam Panthea for a shitload of cash. You sensed there was money to be made here, and you were right! But let's be honest, however much money you make, it's going to be a one-time score. Work under my employ, and you can make big money consistently. You've already proven to have skills worth the big bucks, after all. So come on, is it really such a crazy proposition? Clearly you don't think so. But yes, yes it is. There's never been a chance in hell that I would work alongside you. Really, then? Aw. That hurts my feelings, Mercury. What's the hold up? Actually, wait. Let me guess. You don't like the idea of working under me, right? Goes against your sensibilities? You're not just after money, no, you're after power. All right. Well, it makes things a little trickier, but I could be convinced to a– No, you don't get it. There's nothing that you could give me that would make me want to work with you. I think you've misunderstood the situation, Kane. Unlike you, I'm not evil. I won't help prop up what's essentially an evil empire. 'Evil empire'? You're letting your Laverna slip out. … Mercury, maybe you don't understand. I'm doing what I can to make a utopia. To make Panthea the utopia it was always meant to be. All of this, it's for a greater purpose! Maybe you don't see it yet. But I've been 100% honest with you about how I stand on the current state of Panthea.Perhaps the only thing he had been honest about. The way it is? It needs to be this way, at least for a bit longer, to set things up perfectly. Is the method perfect, no, of course not. What method is? Aija was a bit of a dud choice on my part. And true, there are a number of small evils that must be tolerated along the way. But I know you're okay with that, I've seen how you work! Was that what Jacy was? A small evil? … So that's what this was about. Oh, Mercury. How you disappoint me. Are you serious? This whole crusade was, what, a revenge quest? Boo. Two thumbs down. I didn't take you to be such a small-minded individual. I asked you a question. Was Jacy a small evil? How'd you even pin that on me, anyways? Just out of curiosity. I know that after Jacy ran away from the first Duat mob sent to intercept her, she met with somebody she trusted to try and hide out. And based on all the evidence, I'd say the most likely candidate for that role was The Devil. 'Doesn't trust sources,' my rear end. Why wouldn't you trust some random internet user who seemed to be against everything you were against? Side note, pretty vain to call yourself The God of Panthea, don't you think? Hey, it fit the crazy conspiracy theorist shtick. Right. And that was the whole point of The Devil, wasn't it? Amateurish enough that it would never actually convince most people. To the average user, it would actually turn them away from such ideas, making them seem more outlandish and stupid. But by the same token, anyone already hot on your trail would almost inevitably make their way to the site. And with how much you insisted people get in contact with you, you'd trick people who were looking into your whole racket to come right to you. From there, you could monitor their progress, slip them fake information, hell, your 'followers' would even become another information network to abuse. And if they were getting a bit too close for comfort, you had a way to lure them out for the kill. Like you tried to do with me. Like you did with Jacy. Not a bad gimmick, wouldn't you say? Heh. You know, in spite of myself, I can't help but be a bit impressed by the artistry of it all. From one schemer to another, you have my respect. But I can't forgive what you did to Jacy. Look, if she was such a clever reporter, why'd she come running to the arms of her true enemy? Thanks to her pissing off both Deisma heirs, the Duats were already out for her blood. All I did was drop her off for them to deal with. Want to be mad at anybody, blame Marduk. Pretty sure he was the one who took her out on the Mandjet to finish the deed. Oh, trust me. I've already dealt with him. So I heard. Man, how do you have time to go around keeping all these balls in the air? And I thought I kept myself busy. Anyways, I'm sad that of all things that could keep us apart, Jacy ended up being the final straw. Doesn't seem worth it, if you ask me. Oh, please. I thought you wanted an honest conversation. If we're being straight with each other, you could never trust me, right? You knew the only scenario where I went along with your proposal was one where I intended to backstab you down the line. And you didn't intend to let me have the opportunity. This whole offer was just a backup plan, because you don't have enough faith in your main plan to kill me, do you? You'd prefer if I made it easier and just put my head on the guillotine for you. ...Well, that shows me for underestimating your ability to avoid the choices that would lead to your death. Surprised I hadn't learned my lesson on that front yet. You're right, of course. I was being real when I said I admired your ambition. But for now, I think Panthea's not quite big enough for two grand planners. I couldn't have said it better myself. The sirens I had heard earlier were close. drat it... this was bad. I wanted to keep Kane on the line for a bit longer. Tell me... why? Why do all of this? What drove you to this point? Want to hear my motives, huh? Mmmm... Sorry, but nah. Motive speeches are for good little kids who cooperate. I think I'd rather just hang up and let you die. Not going to tell me? Fine. I'll just beat it out of you. Ha! I admire the spirit, Mercury, I really do. But I have no intention of making my location clear to anyone for the foreseeable future. You would be much better served by making a run for it, not that that would do you any good. I've already turned every suit and thug in this city against you. At this point, there's no chance you'll be able to escape this city's metal jaws. Panthea'll be your coffin. Only fitting, right? If you're going to try and blow the place up, you should stay and face your explosion. But by all means, try putting up a fight, kicking around in your casket. I'm very interested to see how much longer you can pull tricks out your rear end. Endless Mode! How long can you survive? Try and get the high score! Kane, y– Ready? 3, 2, 1, Start!*click.* [BGM: First Rubber]  ...God drat it. After my conversation, I was left there, standing in Bach's apartment. I could hear police sirens all around at this point. I was likely surrounded. Kane, you son of a bitch. From the start, he was the invisible enemy I had been fighting this whole time. I had been so close to getting him so many times, hell, I even had him pinned on the floor before, and yet! Now, how was I supposed to fight back? ...No, wait. Now wasn't the time to think about that. Kane had given me more than fair warning that I was in imminent danger, both long-term and in the immediate sense. For now, I should focus on getting out of this building alive. Stupidly, I had not brought a weapon. A gun afforded me a lot of options, so getting my hands on one was the first priority. Luckily, I knew one idiot who was nearby and not equipped to handle one. I looked over to the bathroom door. Hm. I spent a precious few seconds brainstorming a plan. A gambit like this would probably work. I took a few steps over to the front door. I knocked on it heavily, then covered my mouth and made a deep voice. Panthean police, open up, now!Immediately, as quietly as I could, I rushed from the front door to standing right next to the bathroom door. There was a brief pause, and then the door started to open slightly. Bach was checking to see, pistol still held out, if I was still in the apartment. Maybe he thought I had left through the window. ...Regardless, it was a dumb move for him. The moment I saw the front of the pistol poke out, I grabbed it and pointed it down. Then, I closed the distance between the two of us and punched Bach in the gut. Bach was by no means a fighter; with one simple maneuver, I had disarmed him. I picked back up the gun and pointed it at him. L-Lock! I'm sorry, I can explain. I mean, you are a criminal and all, and I heard that if I j– Save it. What? I wanted to be pissed at Bach for effectively stabbing me in the back twice, but again, he didn't really owe me anything, and at this point in time I had far larger fish to fry. Look, I don't have time for your explanations, what I need is your cooperation. Can I count on it? Well, uh... Let me rephrase: cooperate, or I shoot you. Seriously?! Bach, I also don't like any part of this, but you've kind of put me in a horribly lovely situation. Least you can do is pitch in, right? I'm not even going to ask you to do anything that intensive or bad. Uh, well, okay. What do you want? Stand here.I put a hand on Bach's shoulder and moved him to the center of the room, pistol still aimed directly at him. Any moment, a police officer is probably actually going to knock on the door. I'm going to guess they are going to ask about me being here. You are going to tell them that, yes, in fact, I was here, but I overpowered you and escaped through the window. Got it? You want me to lie to the police? Yup. You lied to me pretty well, so I'm sure you'll do just fine. Bach just looked down guiltily. You stand there. I will stand in the bathroom, out of sight, but keeping my gun on you. You turn on me, I will be shooting for you, not the cop. Hey, Lock, come on, that's not n– Necessary, I agree, I really don't want to shoot you Bach, but back against the wall, I loving will, so don't make me. What if she doesn't buy the story? Improv. And if that fails? Then, gently caress, I'll work it out. I'm not going to shoot you for failing unless you're very clearly throwing, if that's what you're worried about. Look, just, help me out please? I know you don't have any reason to trust me, or even to like me. But listen, you care about Panthea, right? I swear to you, if I die right now, nothing will change. All the poo poo you hate? The Duats having control? The Olympo monopoly? The do-nothing politicians? They'll stay that way, because it's the point. Right now, I'm the best shot at disrupting that machine. That's been my whole purpose. I know we want the same thing, deep down. So please, help me out.Bach looked troubled, naturally. But at this point, a loud knocking actually came from the other side of the door. Immediately, I backed up to my position in the bathroom.  Police! Open up, please. We have questions we need urgent answers to.[BGM: Silence]  Bach took a half-step towards the apartment's door, before realizing he wasn't supposed to leave his spot. Uh, it's unlocked? Come right in.I heard the sound of a door opening, and footsteps approaching.  Mr. Underwood, correct? You know of me. I do, you are running against Governor Aija. Uh, right.Oh, yeah, that might be a bad combo. We have received reports that a highly wanted, highly dangerous criminal was in your apartment. Is that true? It is! Or, er, it was. They had come to, well, con me I guess. But then there was an argument, about, well, political differences I guess. For no real reason, I began to flash back to investigating Nohoi's Nest. Turns out Bach had a real habit of adding way too many details to his lies when he hadn't prepared them. Before I knew it, they overpowered me. Then they escaped through the window. The window?There was a hint of disbelief in Arrianne's voice. That is odd. When did you say this altercation took place? Oh, not long ago at all. Why, you pretty much just missed the crook! So they went through the window recently? Hm. Would you mind if I checked out your window?Bach's face became visibly more nervous. He briefly looked over to me for guidance, before realizing that randomly looking into the bathroom would be far more suspicious. Well, uh... Be my guest.Ugh. It was really the only move Bach could make, but it was annoying. Whatever. I'd just have to take a gamble. [BGM: Burn Card]  Bach took a step back and awkwardly gestured at the window. I walked closer to the bathroom door, and moved slightly to the right, changing the line of sight. I could hear Arrianne walk closer to the window. Then, the moment she entered my vision, I rushed out. Arrianne was startled by the sudden noise, and tried jumping to attention. However, before she could make any real moves, I was behind her, with a gun to the back of her head. Briefly, I checked my six, to see if she had brought a lieutenant with her. ...No. Great. This is... No sudden movements. Start thrashing around, and I blow your brains out. Laverna!? You heard me. I did. You have me.Arrianne put her hands lightly in the air. I didn't buy it. I saw the pistol holstered at her side, and with my free hand, I took it out and tossed it on the floor behind me. ...Instantly, I understood my mistake. Bach, don't loving try it. I won't! I'm not! Just standing in the back of the room, that's me. Care to explain what is going on, Ms. Smyth? Not really, actually. Though I do have a few questions for you. Arrianne and I were currently standing right in front of the window out of Bach's apartment. It was only at this point that I noticed the police officer looking up at us from the alley, standing right next to his car. It was a face I only vaguely recognized. He had noticed what was going on, and was currently aiming his gun up at us. This probably explained Arrianne's skepticism at the 'left through the window' story. As I had guessed, this whole building was likely surrounded, possibly even this whole block. I used my free hand to open up the window in front of us. Then I shouted out to the officer. Throw the gun away! Do it right now, or I blow your Chief's brains out! D– Shut up. Drop the gun, I'm giving you the count of five before I shoot you both! Five... four...Clearly not built for this situation, the officer threw his gun to the side in a panic. Good. That was a short term solution. I never would have expected this behavior coming from you, Laver... no, I don't know who the hell you are. Life's full of surprises, ain't it? Let me guess, you've come to kill me on, what, Aija's orders? Figures, since you're her little lapdog. I mean, that's why you've been helping to cover up the Cock Robin Killings, right? That is... Oh, drop the act. Isn't it clear I know all about it at this point? Tch. It is necessary. The world is inherently cruel and violent. Without some order, nobody is safe. At least this way, the evil is controlled. Yeah, yeah, I've heard all about this from your little assassin buddy. While I bet the message was slightly varied to better suit each of you, it's ultimately the same song and dance. ... So, was I right? Aija send you to kill me? No. Aija is being held hostage. If I do not capture or kill you, she is as good as dead. My head or hers, huh? Interesting. Sad to say, but I think I prefer mine. You do not understand. Aija is necessary. She is the one maintaining this city's order. That right? Tell me, who do you think has her kidnapped right now? ... Actually, better question. ...Or perhaps, a final deduction from the Great Detective. Yes, yes, this is quite fitting. Laverna Smyth can not fully leave the stage without exposing one more crime, the greatest of them all! You... are psychotic. I shall start in a rather unorthodox order, beginning with the 'why-dunnit.' I deduce that the death of your brother at the hands of a Shikome officer was what began your spiral from a paragon of justice to a perverter of the truth. It led you to cooperate with the Duats in bringing down the Shikome. It led you to tolerate the peace they brang. And, quite possibly, it led you to accept the diabolical scheme proposed by one Governor of Panthea. Huh? Tell me, who stood to gain the most from your brother's death? I'd say, if it let the Chief of Police be manipulated into serving a false justice, then there's a lot to be gained from such a cruel cuelling. You're wrong! Aija loved Tahka! Mayhaps. However, it is that very closeness that may have spelled his doom. Were he to learn more undesirable facts about Aija's reign, then the need for his silence would be birthed! ...Something to ponder. You're making this up. There is some speculation, true. But I am an investigator, dear Arrianne. Taking a look at those old case files, there was a peculiarity or two that caught my eye about the whole incident.I was, of course, bullshitting. There was absolutely no evidence to suggest what happened to Aija's husband was anything but a tragic accident. And if anything, I'd be more likely to guess that Kane orchestrated the death, though I thoroughly doubted the truth was anything but what it appeared to be. But large accusations stated so confidently held a certain weight. I hoped that, just maybe, this may influence Arrianne to put less gas on the search for me, if only slightly. ...Or, failing that, it might just throw her off for a few moments. That could increase the success rate of what I was about to do. [BGM: Grand Slam]  Without warning, I slammed Arrianne's head to the side of the window. Then, right after, I jumped out it. I landed on the fire escape, and jumped out from that at the panicking police officer. A punch from that height, with that speed, absolutely must've hurt. It sure as hell hurt my fist. Not even going to mention how much my legs stung. But I had not a single second to spare on matters like that. Instantly, I ran over to the car and smashed through the front-left window. Through the open window, I opened the door and hopped in. As I had gambled, the keys were still in the car, thank the lord. I kicked the car into ignition without even buckling my seatbelt, and slammed onto the gas. Right as the car kicked to life, I heard a gunshot. Two more would fire before I turned the corner, though luckily none hit me. One did impact the car though, but luckily it didn't seem to hit any critical areas. Cool, I had an escape! Except, uh oh, there were probably a lot of other cop cars in the area. That's not great. Neither was the fact that actually I wasn't all that good a driver. I had only driven a car a few times in my life, and now I was put into a car chase straight out of an action movie. Oh well. I was a quick learner, and how hard could it be?
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2024 17:36
|
|
|
Okay, so the true highlight here was that passing out on the Mandjet was a test to see if they were Thane -- who they actually weren't at that point in time. They only became Thane as a result of being drugged. Great job, Kane.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2024 20:10
|
|
|
This is also one of the important clues if you want to piece together the actual timeline of events too.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2024 20:35
|
|
|
Ah, yeah, Jacy was the whole reason for going to the boat in the first place. That'd give Mercury a good reason to keep going after Kane (also, him being both Devil and God isn't that big a surprise), though from my view it was an easy thing to forget about since Mercury in most identities is a glib rear end in a top hat so seemed very unlikely to legitimately actually care about that. In terms of the timeline, this throws my sense of it all out of whack, as I'd thought Mercury's story was essentially the starting point, but I haven't been keeping too close a track on that anyway.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2024 21:08
|
|
|
Kane drugging them is also what leads to the death of Marduk, so well done on that end.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2024 08:57
|
|
|
In restrospect it's really funny how i posted something to the effect of "That milk must have been spiked, c'mon" but then trhe further Eris chapters made no mention of it so i discarded it, when actually it absolutely came into play.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2024 11:49
|
|
|
I’m not sure if it’s been officially called out yet, but my money’s on Ez being Mercury, with contacts to change her eye color.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2024 22:35
|
|
|
 [BGM: Grand Slam]  Turns out, pretty hard. The next few minutes were a panicked combination of frantic left and right turns. Very few laws were followed, and the sounds of sirens seemed to be coming from everywhere. However, through what I could only describe as pure blind desperation, I was able to put a bit of distance between me and some of the other police vehicles. One thing was clear though, I needed a change of wheels. I noticed somebody getting out of a car they had just parked on the side of the road. Coming to a sudden stop that did a number on this thing's suspension, I jumped out of the vehicle and rushed over to them. Hey, sorry, I really need to borrow your car.Before the civilian could understand what was happening, I punched them in the gut and grabbed the keys. That was mean and possibly uncalled for... but these were desperate times. I got into the new car, and as I began to leave, I called out to the person. Very sorry, I'll leave like a shitton of cash in the car for your convenience, report it stolen and give the license plate, the police will find it soon enough! Check the glove department for the money, again, so sorry, no choice on my part, bye!And with that, I slammed on the gas of this new car right as I heard the sirens start to get closer once more. Hopefully this car transition would buy me some time.  I continued to just drive as fast as I could down Panthea's streets. I needed some time to think. Up until now, I had just been focused on short-term survival... which was nice, don't get me wrong, but that wouldn't solve anything. gently caress Kane's advice. I wasn't going to run away, not after everything I put into this gambit. It was now a death match. Last man standing. So then, think! How do I get out of this? What options did I have? My mind was just scattered. There were too many factors to keep track of, too many bits of information that might end up being relevant. And all the while, I was dealing with an unprocessed thought. I had finally found them. I found the architect of Jacy's demise. I could finally finish the plan. When I went to Panthea, I really wasn't sure what to expect. ...But I didn't have a choice, really. There was no way I wasn't going to come. Not after the video message Jacy had sent me. I had watched it a number of times. I could practically play it in my brain at this point. [BGM: The Poison]   All right... okay, I think this should work. Good. So, hi, $&*@?!+\. Or, what, do you want to be addressed as Mercury now? So stupid. You're still a child, you know that? Whatever. I don't have time for that. I don't have a lot of time, period. So I'll just get to it, as fast as I can. I'm sending you this video message because I might die very soon. Hopefully, that's not the case. Hopefully, you'll get a message from me in a few days saying, 'hey, I'm still fine, please forget I said anything.' But if you don't after, I don't know, a week? Yeah, I probably died. Sucks. Uh, as you likely know, I'm currently working as an investigative reporter in Panthea. Trying to do good, shed some light on things that people are trying to hide. Turns out, a lot of people have a lot of things to hide. Again, I'm low on time right now, so I just straight up can't list all of the evidence I found. And to be honest, knowing you, I'm sure you don't need that from me. The important thing to know is this. Panthea is not okay. There are so many horrible aspects to it, so many I keep finding. And, you know, I feel like there's a common cause to a lot of these things, but I just can't place it. Anyways, I ended up poking around in places I really shouldn't. If you were here, you'd be laughing at me, I know. 'So much of a tattletale that I'd literally get killed for it'. Some irony there, I guess. But yeah, I think I got too close to some truths, and now I'm on people's hitlists. Any minute now, the Duats could storm in here. I'm reaching out to you... I guess it depends. Before anything else, I do just want to apologize. The way I reacted back after your mom... look, I was in grief too. I spent so much time with your family, your parents' death affected me too. But that's not an excuse. You were sad, you were scared, you needed a friend and I didn't give that to you. For some stupid reason, I decided to be accusatory, and aggressive. Talk about how I warned you to not do anything stupid. I pushed you away at the lowest point, and that's not right. It's weighed on my conscience since, so I need to apologize. I don't like how I was then. That said, I don't regret my reaction to our next meeting one bit. God, I can't believe you thought I'd be... I don't know how you thought I'd react, but regardless, it was stupid. I know life hasn't been fair to you. I know the world is a terrible place, filled with horrible people. But the answer isn't to embrace that. Honesty, teamwork, empathy, these are positive traits. Traits you used to have! I know you, you're not some criminal, you're better than that. At least... that's what I thought. Now, I'm not so sure. Maybe Panthea's made me jaded. Anyways. I'm ending this message with two different requests to two different people. If you agree with what I said, if you listened to what I told you back then, then I'm talking to $&*@?!+\. To you, I just have one request: don't do anything. Live a good life, a better life. Put your skills to good use. Remember me... and treat this message as a final goodbye. I'm heartbroken about how everything played out, for both of us. I can't tell you how sad I am that we're probably never going to get to talk again. But I know that you can move past this, and live a good life. That is my final wish to you. Just end the video now, and treat it as a goodbye. … On the other hand, if you really are a criminal, deep down... If you are the person you claimed to be when you met up with me, then I'm talking to Mercury. And if I'm talking to Mercury, then I figure all that junk I just said went in one ear, out the other. So here's what I ask of you. Come to Panthea, and avenge me. I know you can do it. Even though I couldn't agree with it, I have to admit, your work at Aurea was very impressive. Very you. I looked into it, after the fact, of course. So I know that you're capable of doing this, if you want to. There's even a lot of money to be made here, if that'll sweeten the deal. Money you can take from people who don't deserve it, because apparently that matters to you. If you're listening to this, I'm a bit sad you're not the same person I grew up with. But at the very least, if you're going to live this life that you've chosen, you might as well still do good. I tried to save Panthea, Mercury. I did my best. But as it is now, I'm not sure it can be saved. So then, my final request. If I couldn't save Panthea, then you need to destroy it.... Yep, the video was still stuck in my head. As well as my confused reaction to it. For a brief bit, I was conflicted. My weaker side did want to listen to that first request. But the more I thought about it, the clearer it became. Jacy had only thrown in that first part to give me an out, because she was nice. She didn't want to force me into avenging her. ...Well, guess what? I wasn't forced into it. I wanted to. Jacy was the last connection to my previous, peaceful life. My oldest, closest friend, despite the distance that had grown between us. For her to just be disposed of? No. I wouldn't stand for it. [BGM: Spot On]  And so, I came to Panthea on a crusade. Slowly, methodically, I would tear it down from the inside. Laverna, Lock, Vels, Olif, I threw out all sorts of lures to start finding ins. I didn't make any unnecessary moves early. I put in the necessary preparation. With a stone cold determination, my plan to bring Panthea to its knees began. ...And as I began to see cracks, I made sure to expand them, confident that before long, my work would pay off. It wasn't as though I had a specific plan on how to proceed. I just gave myself a lot of options, and waited for the right opportunities. I would burn away the corruption Jacy was chasing. I'd make a shitload of money to live off of while doing it. And in the end, I'd take revenge on whoever was truly responsible for her death: Kane Shay. The Multiheaded Ruler. The Man of Many Masks. The Devil, The Djinn, The Oracle, The God. Through puppets and proxies, he kept the city marching to his beat. While there were still some questions I had, at this point, I had pretty solid theories on the methods and motivations behind his work. Heh. You know, in some ways, maybe it was inevitable. It kind of made sense that I was the one to succeed when Jacy and so many others had failed. It took a deceiver to kill a deceiver. From what I could tell, Kane's greatest weapon was information, so by throwing out so many lies, it makes sense that I'd be able to disrupt him. But I was still left with a critical question. How was I going to get to him? Kane was sharp, he wasn't going to come out of his hiding spot easily, and he wouldn't take refuge any place I could reasonably guess. Still, there had to be some way to get to him. Think, think! … My best bet was to target one of his true connections. The Trimurti members. Well, I had kind of killed one of them. Which left one option. I drove as fast as I could to the Forest. To Odin's Mansion.  After a bit of time, I had arrived without much trouble. Okay. Before getting out of the car, I checked my pistol, just to be sure. ...gently caress. Turns out, the gun wasn't loaded. ...Huh, then did that mean when Bach was pointing it around at me, he never had any intention to shoot me? And then, when he went along with my plan, he wasn't actually scared for his life? Sweet. ...But pretty loving annoying, now that I was out in the middle of nowhere, still without a weapon. Whatever. It was Odin. Did I really need to be armed? I got out of the car, and began walking to the mansion's front door. And right at the front door, I stopped. I turned around. And then I sighed. Of course. This was my fault. loving, whatever... I'd have to deal with it, I guess. I opened the front door. Surprise, surprise, it wasn't even locked. I wouldn't put it past Odin. Hello? Anyone around?I called out, and got no response. I could look around the mansion... but I had an nasty little instinct as to where I might want to check first. Extremely reluctantly, I made my way over to the room with the staircase to Odin's underground War Room. Sure enough, the weapons had already been moved as so to unlock the plaque. The cinderblocks I had covered the plaque with earlier also were no longer around. Fun. I lifted up the plaque, and began to make my way down the staircase. [BGM: Last Dice]  Before too long, I did in fact see Odin. ...And also, I saw Art and Polly. This didn't surprise me, since I noticed their cars outside the building earlier. All 3 were hiding out in the War Room. Well, less 'hiding out,' more 'arguing intensely.'  You've gotta fuckin' do something, Odin! It's our company! Without your help, the whole thing's going belly up! Perhaps it is deserved. Foolish men duped by wenches that work beneath them are not fit to inherit the glory of Olympo! Father, please, contain yourself. I have already prepared some potential legal remedies and counter attacks. However, before we do anything, I believe there are some explanations that you owe us. Explanations are not owed, they are earned! Listen, I have half a mind to...It was at this point that Art trailed off, all three of the men recognizing my approach.  What the... Vels?! No, wait, is that... Eris?Polly was actually one of the biggest risks I had encountered throughout my stay in Panthea, at least in regards to keeping my identities hidden. Unlike almost everyone else in this city, he had actually spent a reasonable amount of time in person with two separate identities in fair lighting and non-hectic conditions. Honestly, if there was anybody who was likely to see through my act, Polly probably had the best opportunity. Luckily for me, despite his tough talk, he was an idiot. ...Incidentally, Polly also had ranked pretty highly on my 'God suspect' scale.  Ah, Mercury. It seems you are kind enough to join us, now that the Cataclysm is finally upon us. ...Or, would you prefer Laverna? Lock, perhaps? Mercury's good, though honestly I don't care what you call me. What is this? What on earth is going on? Doesn't concern you, Art. I just want to have a chat with your dad. I would think it very much concerns me, then! You know, Art, Polly, you both have been blaming each other for Olympo's demise. And while that's partially true, the individual truly responsible for your defeat stands before you. Is that really true?! Surely not.Both brother's eyes turned towards me, clouding with suspicion and anger. loving... Really, Odin? Do we have to do this? At this point, you should surely understand my philosophy by now. The weak shall be trampled! Now, your mettle shall be truly tested! Art! Polly! This individual is the enemy, responsible for our downfall, here to finish the job! Whichever of you kills them first shall inherit all that I own!For a moment, neither Art nor Polly made a move.  For the record, I'm not doing this for your stupid will.Saying that, Art reached over and grabbed a sword from one of the nearby displays. He held it out in what looked like proper form. Of loving course Art would know swordfighting. To settle things like this... how barbaric. You know, gently caress it! I've been looking to take out this anger.Polly reached over and slammed a wine bottle over the nearby table, creating an impromptu weapon with such speed that I had to wonder if he had done it before. Hey, guys, we really don't have to do this. You have struck at my legacy, child! You stand against the Deisma blood itself! I grin at ambition, but there are certain things I simply shall not abide. Crumbling my company is one such sin. Make it out of here alive, then consider yourself pardoned! Would you shut up, old man? No need to talk about what'll happen if he gets out alive when I'm gonna have him bleeding on the floor in twenty seconds! Just stay out of my way. ...Guess we're doing this.[BGM: Crawford Game]  Art started by rushing up at me and swinging his sword with deadly force. I could immediately tell he wasn't just going to be swinging once.  Art let out three deadly slashes at me, each with incredible lethality. There was absolutely no way to thread that needle. Instead, I just kept my distance, jumping back out of the way of the swings. That the best you got?Art's brow furrowed. Good, wounding this guy's pride was sure to be effective. Art charged forwards, gripping the sword's hilt with both hands. He was done with letting me simply stay out of the way.  Art lifted his weapon above his head with both hands, and made to slash me down. Unfortunately, he took for granted the windup this maneuver would require. I popped him a straight punch to the nose, completely interrupting his attack. Annoyed, Art wildly swung the sword once more across the air. Like the world's highest stake limbo contest, I leaned under the blade just in time, then jumped up, spun around, and slammed my foot into the side of Art's head. Again, Art stumbled back, and I pressed my advantage, running forwards and kicking him straight in the jaw. Art was reeling, and Polly didn't care. With an annoyed expression on his face, Polly pushed his brother over to the side, then rushed at me with fists clenched, broken bottle in his right hand.  Polly swung down at me with his right fist. I simply swayed to the side, then reached out and grabbed his long hair. Head in hand, I slammed the side of Polly's skull into the nearby table. Then I pushed him down on the table and wrapped both hands around his throat... but I didn't grip too hard, anticipating what the other brother was about to do. Seeing an opportunity, a recovered Art stabbed down at me with his sword. The moment I heard that movement, I let go of Polly and dove down to the right. Art completely whiffed me, but he did end up glancing Polly on the side with his attack. Polly cried out in pain at this. Art just lifted up his sword and turned back to me. Someone should've taught that man some manners; had he been more apologetic, perhaps Polly would not have retaliated with an out-of-nowhere punch. Art cried out similarly, and then turned to face, of all people, Polly. I could barely hide my smirk. But then...   Just in time, I crouched down, one hand on the floor, one hand outstretched. I ducked right out of the way of a loosed arrow, which flew right over my head and passed dangerously close by Polly. I turned around and saw a grinning Odin holding a crossbow. Mother fucker. 'If you want anything done, you have to do it yourself.' I could almost hear him saying that aloud. True, I supposed.  As Odin attempted to load another arrow, I decided to take care of the weakest target first. I ran over and kicked him in the stomach with full force. Ungracefully, the man slumped over, collapsing to the ground. Odin's god-like nature didn't hold to much scrutiny – in reality, the man was no more than an old, crazed man, not someone who should be picking fights. Turning back to the more pertinent threats, I saw Art picking up a nearby shield off of another display case. Meanwhile, Polly was just running around the table, clearly having a specific display in mind. While that certainly felt ominous, Art posed the more immediate effect. Hm. They were certainly making liberal use of the weapon displays. Should I follow suit?  No, in the time it would take to grab a weapon, some Deisma (unsure which) would take an opportunity attack. In addition, I couldn't claim to be particularly proficient with any specific weapon. I'd just do this bare-handed. I rushed at Art, now hiding behind his shield. As I approached, though, he peeked out, clearly acknowledging my approach.  Ultimately, Art refused to take any proactive attacks at me, fearful of a reprisal. Instead, he simply stayed hidden behind the shield. I could work with that. I continued to run at him, and right when I got within range, I jumped up. Then, in an act of acrobatics that even impressed myself, I used the shield as a leap pad to bounce up in the air. Looking up at my mid-air form, a look of fear passed over Art's eyes. He held the shield up above him, in a hollow attempt to block my attack. It did little to stop my momentum as I fell back down on top of him, and before Art knew it, I had him pinned, one foot on each of his wrists. In a one-on-one fight, this would be curtains... but to my great displeasure, it wasn't a one-on-one. Despite my best wishes, I couldn't help but look over to the left. And sure enough, Polly had just pulled a classic dueling pistol off a rack. poo poo.   Just in time, I dove out of the way as Polly fired a bullet right in my direction. I stayed ducked down under the desk, and I heard the sound of Polly approaching. Before I knew it, I saw Polly jumping over the desk, pistol aimed down. Luckily, his loud approach already signaled to me his general intent, and I was prepared to jump out of the way. ...Unfortunately, I ran right into a now-recovered Art. ...poo poo. He lifted his sword, which he had picked up off the floor, and lifted it before flinching. At what? I turned around and Polly had lifted his pistol once more. Art was clearly none too pleased with the prospect of Polly missing and shooting him. I thought Polly would completely ignore this concern, but to his credit, he hesitated, slightly lowering his pistol. Then, after a moment's contemplation, he reached over and grabbed a hand axe off the nearby wall with his free hand. In the same clean motion, he rushed to slash down at me.  This was my moment. I caught the arm that held the axe mid-swing, then moved forwards and slammed my head into Polly's. Not a second to waste. I grabbed a handful of Polly's hair and brought his head down to my knee, landing another critcial blow. In his stupor, I reached down and grabbed the pistol from Polly's hand. His face reacted to this, and he tried to reach out for it. Instead, I just clocked him across the head with the butt of the pistol. Third time's the charm. Polly was completely knocked to the floor in this instance. Then, without any hesitation, I turned around and pointed the pistol in the other direction. Just as I did this, Art stopped his swing with the sword, aimed directly at my forehead. The blade stopped maybe a foot above its target, if that. Art stood frozen in place, unable to take the final swing, knowing what my reaction would be. It's over. Drop your weapon.I said this not as a threat, not with rage, not with fear. Just as a flat statement. Art just started at me, filled with an emotion even I couldn't peg. Whatever it was, it was tearing him up from the inside. For a few painful seconds, nobody moved. Then... with a blank expression, Art just dropped his sword to the side. The moment the sword hit the floor, I leaned forwards and punched Art straight in the stomach. Then I took his recoiled body and threw it over at the wall where his brother and his father lay. In this moment, the entire Deisma clan was incapacitated. [You won 7 chips!] Good.[BGM: Pip Count]  Now that that's settled, I need to get to work.I picked up a sword, and held it to Odin's neck. What do you know about Kane Shay? ... Talk. ... I'll kill you! I know you won't, not while I'm needed. I'll hurt you. Bring it! I've regularly hurt myself, to grow accustomed to it. Gross. How about I'll kill your kids? The gently caress?! Do it, they're failures. Saw that one coming. What have I done with my life... You know, I never would have bet on the fact that of all my kids, Devon would be the last one to become a failure. How the hell is that loving creepshow not a failure?! He is an assassin, a valuable asset of Aija. That is power. More than two businessmen in a defunct business, at any rate! Tch.Polly looked over to me. Where the gently caress do you get off?! What did we ever do? Olympo's just doing its best, you know, to grow and poo poo! Yeah, it sucks poo poo, but you don't have to wipe it out completely! Where are the employees going to go? They'll find somewhere, I'm sure. Besides, let's not pretend this is something that it's not. The only reason you're throwing a tantrum is because you realize that your primary source of income has just been shut off. That's not true! Isn't it? Want me to guess what would've happened if you did end up in control of Olympo? You would've made a bunch of reckless decisions that made you feel good, but would've completely driven the company into a wall. Then, when you realized that you were loving up, you'd go back to Daddy and put the company in responsible hands, because even though helping out the little guy is fun, and you want to pretend to be a good person, you've never really been anything but selfish. I'll loving kill you!Polly stood up in a rage, but I was expecting it. Before he could get any momentum, I kicked him straight in the stomach. He fell back to the ground, clutching his chest in pain. Moron. Devon had the right idea. I should have cut ties with all of you.I couldn't waste any more time dealing with petty Deisma squabbles. Between Odin, Art, Polly, and Devon, I had had my fill of that family for a lifetime. The four Horsemen of the Panthean Apocalypse, more like.  Anyways, what to do? I needed leads, I needed information. I looked around, and saw a phone sitting on the nearby table. I picked it up. This yours, Odin? Perhaps. Okay, so, yes. Hm. Seems locked. What's the password? Kill me, and I may spell it out in my blood. Has anyone ever told you you're a lot? Yes. Whatever, I can't deal with this now.I looked some more and noticed an open laptop, unlocked. A bit more examination revealed it was Art's. He was clearly juggling a thousand things at once, all trying to handle the fallout of Chara's explosion. I could poke around here, but I doubted it would get me any closer to Kane. But an open computer meant I had digital access. It was a long shot, but... maybe, just maybe, I could crack open the phone with this. [BGM: Doubling Cube]   [You won 7 chips!] It looked like... yes! I was in. Fantastic. I noticed Polly trying to get back up silently, so I walked over and kicked him in the stomach again. Argh!All right, Odin's phone, let's see... After some quick scanning, I eventually found a message chain with someone I could only assume was Kane. The latest messages were actually unchecked by Odin. Let's see..." 'Apologies, but I had to kill Devon in the Governor's Office. I know he's your son and all, but he was going to ruin everything, and I gave him a fighting chance. Hope this isn't a major issue. <3' Putting aside the nature of that message... Devon died? Ah, drat. That's kind of a shame. Though, maybe for the best. I had no idea what to do with him. At least he had a change of heart before being killed. That probably did him some cosmic good, if you believed in that sort of spiritual poo poo. ...Anyways. There was something about this message... I could feel it. What was it, what was I thinking? [BGM: Showdown]  X + Y + X . Y + X + Y + X + Y + X + Y + X. [X] - I can trap Kane. - He suspects me. - Kane killed Devon. - I have Odin hostage. - I planted a camera. - Kane can trust others. - Kane learns that. [Y] - where - and - then - if - because Solution: Kane killed Devon where I planted a camera. If Kane does not learn that and Kane does not suspect me then I can trap Kane because Kane does not trust others. Unfortunately, this puzzle has been bugged since release and to date has not been patched/fixed at all, so it's impossible to get chips off this one because the game won't accept what's supposed to be the right answer.  If he died in the Governor's Building... I had a spark of inspiration. I could see it! The way to lure Kane out, maybe the only way to lure Kane out. Then, should I send a message back? ...No, no. Kane was sharp. Too sharp, too sharp at a time like this. The only chance I had for this plan to work was to get... his cooperation.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2024 02:28
|
|
|
Another round of star alignment then?
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2024 07:27
|
|
|
Mix. posted:Solution: Kane killed Devon where I planted a camera. If Kane does not learn that and Kane does not suspect me then I can trap Kane because Kane does not trust others. ...My brain feels like asking if you've tried that first sentence the other way around. They both mean the same thing, but maybe that changes things?
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2024 11:06
|
|
|
Crepuscule Adepte posted:...My brain feels like asking if you've tried that first sentence the other way around. They both mean the same thing, but maybe that changes things? Nope, the order doesn't influence it at all
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2024 13:12
|
|
|
I'm kind of surprised it allows for two sentences, I figured it'd end up being something like, "Because Kane killed Devon where I planted a camera, if Kane does not learn..." etc. Still, Kane's finally made a mistake that could get back to him. It doesn't much matter if no one believes he's the "God" of Panthera if he's in prison for murder.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2024 13:48
|
|
|
ZCKaiser posted:I'm kind of surprised it allows for two sentences, I figured it'd end up being something like, "Because Kane killed Devon where I planted a camera, if Kane does not learn..." etc. Lmao if you think he's even gonna get anywhere past a holding cell at best, let alone get a trial.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2024 14:11
|
|
|
Regallion posted:Lmao if you think he's even gonna get anywhere past a holding cell at best, let alone get a trial. His entire schtick relies on anonymity to work, so if he's exposed in any way to the power players they aren't going to help him. Unless you mean he won't make it because someone will have killed him, in which case, fair.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2024 14:26
|
|
|
ZCKaiser posted:His entire schtick relies on anonymity to work, so if he's exposed in any way to the power players they aren't going to help him. Unless you mean he won't make it because someone will have killed him, in which case, fair. I mean, that would require you to prove to them that god of panthea killed devon, not that Kane Shay killed Devon, and uh... If you don't, he likely has any amount of blackmail he can deploy at-will, though most likely it will hinder him tremendously.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2024 16:04
|
|
|
Regallion posted:I mean, that would require you to prove to them that god of panthea killed devon, not that Kane Shay killed Devon, and uh... The recording has him revealing himself to Devon after blasting him, so if Kane didn't find and scrub 5 is, in fact, exposed as both. The question is how to successfully get the tape exposed and accepted.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2024 17:01
|
|
|
 [BGM: Trick Score]  Kane killed Devon. What? Oh, drat. That sucks. I mean, yeah he tried to kill me, but Devon's still family, you know. No... Hmph. It appears all my spawn are failures. Truly, heaven mocks. Is this my curse for failing Zahhak? It would be fitting, I suppose. What the gently caress, Odin? Odin, Devon wasn't a failure. He was killed, by Kane. Don't you want to get revenge on him? Don't you want to make it right? Work with me, and you can do that! Revenge? What a funny notion. The only one who should be trying to avenge a dead body is said body's spirit. It is each individual's responsibility to try and survive a dangerous world. If someone perishes, then it is by their own merit that they failed. Kane killed Devon? I imagine there was good reason for it. What kind of reason would that be?! Quiet, Polly. The adults are speaking. Odin, you can't be serious right now. Your son was murdered by Kane. Your legacy, snatched away. You won't retaliate in the slightest? You knocked down my company, and I only sicced two idiots on you. I believe in live and let live. But why a– I already told you. You are not the first I've met with this sort of ambition. Not the second either. …My mind started racing back. Besting you is a requirement you make to anybody you back. You told me that. So then, Kane won your approval? In many ways, yes. Now, you bought yourself some value, entering my domain, solving the brother gods' puzzle, besting my sons in business and combat. But still, you shall not get me to switch ships that easily.I thought about Odin's words. I thought about them for a while. Then... I had an idea. It was a bad one, to be sure. There was a saying amongst lawyers: 'never ask a witness a question you don't know the answer to'. By that same token, there should also be a saying amongst swindlers: never enter a gamble you don't know how to win. But I was running out of time, and certainly out of options. And so... All right then. Let me win your backing, by besting you. Oh? The most talented deserve to thrive, right? If I can prove myself, right here, right now, then will you cooperate with me? Hm. An interesting proposal. Quite interesting indeed! And pray tell, how do you wish to prove yourself? Let's finish the match that was interrupted. Finish the match of Star Alignment. Oh? You think that is a worthy enough challenge to prove yourself? I mean, let's finish it the way we left it. You're the Ruler, I'm the Dreamer... and you get to choose who gets what cards. And I'll still beat you.I could see by the look in Odin's eyes that I had him. It was too poetic, he couldn't possibly resist. Good. Good, good, this is a good final test indeed! An impossible task, fitting for an impossible ask! One round, though. I'm on a time crunch. Yes, one round. One round to decide the fate of Panthea. Shall the outsider be put in their place once and for all? Or will the path to salvation open up? The only way to learn the truth is to duel!As Odin began to set things up, I felt my brain go into overdrive. Focus, focus! I had to win from the Dreamer's side with cards 1 through 6, somehow. I had gotten myself into this gamble without thinking. I certainly couldn't get myself out in the same way. What is Odin going to do? [BGM: Double Down]  I needed to figure out a way to beat Odin. // Forget winning, I needed to figure out a way to survive! He was good, but he wasn't invincible. What was his weakness? // Odin possessed an extraordinary advantage with these dealt cards, and he was likely familiar with playing this set up. Really, [solid play/sleight of hand/an unexpected trick] was the only way I stood a chance. // I should run through some math to see if victory was even physically possible. Not a blatant cheat, Odin wouldn't respect that. // Last time Odin was cheeky, holding onto the dangerous 7 card. I doubted he'd pull the same trick twice. But something that was closer to, say... a loophole. // I should assume his hand will consist of the 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. I couldn't beat Odin, not at this. // Worse, Odin was likely to dump the lower cards on the ends of the sequence, where they were less vulnerable. But perhaps Lock, king of cheap tricks and rules lawyering, maybe he would stand a chance. // Last time, I thought that [the first three cards] (No brainstorm. ) were my opportunity.So then, the question becomes, where was the loophole? // Clearly, Odin already thoroughly had those bases covered. What was the ill-defined piece of this game, the one thing not in focus? // I should think about how it would be possible for me to win. There were certainly a lot of elements to choose from. // Let's be objective. I could only realistically make an alignment with my 6, my 5, or maybe my 4. For one, you had the [final, neutral card ( Brainstorm! ) that sat at the end of the table the whole time. // And I had to incorporate Odin's 8, his 9, his 10, or possibly his 11 in a pinch.Wait a second. That was it! The final card, it sat on the table the whole time. // Sounds simple when you put it just like that. The rules said you could put chips on any card during your turn. What if I placed chips on the final card before it was flipped? // Only problem is, Odin wasn't too keen to let me make an alignment. I mean, Odin probably wouldn't see that coming! This might be the crucial break I was looking for. // Odin would just separate his dangerous cards whenever he saw one of mine. So then, follow up question, how do I abuse this? // And best case scenario, I'd need to use [a chip/2 chips/3 chips/4 chips] to cause an alignment in the first place. Well, let's assume Odin plays it safe, hides the 7 as the final card. // And that's assuming he placed a 9 as his last card and a 7 as the final neutral one. If he placed an even card as his last card, then theoretically, I couldn't do anything. // Unfortunately, that ideal scenario would never happen. I would need to spend one turn placing chips on my last card, one turn placing chips on one of his. // In all likelihood, I would need to spend all my chips for the slightest chance at an alignment. However, if I pre-placed a chip on the final card on my second-to-last turn, making an alignment would be possible. // At that point, Odin would simply need to spend one chip, and my attempt would be thwarted. One problem: Odin also has access to chips. It would take so little effort to mess up this plan on his last turn. // It was simple. If I wanted to find a way to win, I'd need to overcome that hurdle. For my plan to work, I'd need to [distract/fork/deceive] Odin somehow. Odin knew that it was best to save your chips for as long as possible. If he knew I didn't have a chance, he might wait to protect himself from some potential threat. Even more likely if I incentivized him somehow to keep his chips. If I could set up a scenario early on in the game where I might use up all of my chips to make an alignment, it was possible. I could fork him, make him choose one of two separate attacks to defend against. It was a loose plan, but at this point, a loose plan was as good as I was getting. So then, considering everything, the last card I should place should be... Solution: six  He had the cards, he had 10 chips, we were ready to play. This puzzle is also bugged and gives no chips even if you hit all the right answers! Before we start, I want to establish two things. Oh? First of all, let me re-clarify a rule. On my turn, I can place as many chips as I have on any card, right? Not just my own? Naturally! That is a core tenet of the game. Have you forgotten it already? I only played it once, okay? I just wanted to be clear about that. Secondly, clear stakes. If I win, I want your cooperation, regardless of how many chips I have remaining. Bah, fine. Even using all your chips, you stand no chance. If you win, I will stay completely motionless for as many seconds as you have chips. Understood? Oh. Heh heh, loud and clear. Hear that, you brats? You may have your vengeance yet!Art stayed quiet. His face was like a stone. He looked... unwell. Polly, on the other hand, frowned a bit. Hey, why would you impose that rule on yourself? A gamble's got to have stakes. It is because he possesses a fighter's spirit, Polly! Something you are sorely lacking in. Now, come! We've spent too long chattering about nonsense.I couldn't agree more. Odin shuffled the cards and dealt them. [BGM: Furiten]  As expected, 1 through 6. To plan so far... Without even talking, Odin placed down an 8. Of course. 8 was another vulnerable card, better to place it at the start, where it was only assailed on one side. ...He could place an 11 or a 13 next. He totally could. But he didn't know what I had planned for my 6. And even without using an 11 or 13, I would look so helpless. A single chip on his behalf would completely wreck my plan. So... I placed down a 5. And held my breath. ...No, I didn't do that. I couldn't show that I was worried about this turn. I just waited. And then, like a beam of heaven, Odin placed down a 10. I didn't react at all. I just pretended to think. And then I placed down my 2. And I began to tap my foot in a rhythmic but increasingly quick manner. Odin just needed to keep playing. My '8, 9, 10' threat was meaningless. Could be solved at any point. No need to waste chips now. He played a 9. I played a 1. He played an 11. I played a 4. … He played a 13. Yes! Yes, yes, yes! I placed down a 3, then took one of my chips and placed it on the face down card at the end of the line. Please, please be a 7 under there... Odin looked at me with a confused look. I just looked back at him. And then he smiled. He was smart. He knew what I had done. He knew that he was beat. You were proficient at Nohoi's Nest, were you not? Ah, I should have been more practiced in my approach. I was too preoccupied in trouncing you at my own game, that I forgot you were wont to play your own.I didn't respond. I didn't have to. I was just waited for him to act. ...And act he did. He placed down a 12, and then placed a single chip on the first card, the 8. I placed down my 6, and placed my remaining 4 chips on it.  Flipped over the last card – 7. 12, 10, 8.I said it, not even believing the words coming out my mouth. And like that, I had won. I tried to hide the massive sigh of relief I felt like letting out. This wasn't the time for that. I needed to project confidence. But jeez... how many heart attacks could I get on a single day? As it should be. Keh heh... interesting.[BGM: Hatei Tsumo]  Quite interesting, indeed! An unexpected outcome, to be sure, but not an unattractive one. This is what I was looking for. This was the spark of life this city was missing! Does that mean what I think it means? Indeed. Kane has grown sloppy, and slothful. If he is worthy to inherit Zahhak's will, he should be able to overcome this obstacle with grace. So, with my dying breath, I shall back you! Let this be my final bet as a ruler! Good to hear. I don't need much from you, all you have to do is make a little call. Odin, for the love of God, don't go along with this nutcase! Polly, you have no idea what you want, and you have no idea what you're talking about. Just shut up. Hmph. A mere call, is it? If you are calling upon my name, this plan better be worthy of a ruler. Oh, trust me. I think you're going to like what I have up my sleeve. Good.And then, I informed Odin of all the relevant details. He picked up on my intent rather quickly. Understandable; deep down, Odin was clever. After we were clear on what was to be said, I handed Odin his phone. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could trust him. He was just as liable to warn Kane of my whole poo poo the moment he got on the line. But, well... I mean, it's not like things could realistically get worse from here. I'd play my outs. Odin would help. [BGM: Silence]  Odin dialed up Kane's number, and moments later, the phone picked up. Ah, Kane. You are lucky I have decided to grace your ears with my voice. ...Yes, yes, I am safe in the War Room. That is actually what I wish to discuss with you. Our city's intruder burst into this area not very long ago. ...No, no, I'm okay for now. Art and Polly were around to handle it. ...Of course they didn't finish the intruder off, they're incompetent! They were just able to take the fight out of the bunker, and I locked them all out of here. Though, who's to say what will happen when one side wins? If the intruder is victorious, perhaps they shall try and break through the bunker. Regardless, I have information I wish to convey to you. ...Naturally, it is important. I got your message about killing Devon. Always knew he was a weak one. I could care less about how he was handled. However, you said you finished him in the Governor's Office, yes? That may raise a problem for you down the line. ...See, it was a brief conversation with the stranger. But in it, they quoted the Governor's words spoken in confidence to Arrianne. I can only imagine that such an exchange was captured by a bug of some type, be it listening device or camera, hidden in said office. And I would wonder if said device was still present. ...Inference, Kane. Inference. You know this individual's capabilities as well as me. Surely they had several opportunities, no? The relevant fact is, if you did end my son in that office... ah, so you see the rub. Good. You always were clever. ...It would be utterly unbefitting for the successor to be defeated in such a trivial manner. If the challenger is to dethrone you, I wish it to be a grand battle, not a rogue mechanical device. Yes. Yes. Good, then I shall take my leave.Just like that, he hung up. So, it went well?[BGM: Kicker]  It is done as you wish. Now, go forth! The fated clash awaits you. Fated clash, my rear end. Go get yourself killed, rear end in a top hat. That does it, shut the hell up, Polly! Ah, it seems one of you still has a spark left. You shut the hell up too, Odin! You two ruined my life! Ruined your life? How dramatic. I gave you everything you ever asked for. None of that poo poo matters! I am smart. I am determined. I am capable. Those are traits inherent to me. I would have had an excellent life regardless of the circumstances of my birth. What you gave me, Odin, you monstrous king, was a warped perspective of the world. For whatever reason, I believed in you. I followed you! And look where that brought me! Relying on underhanded tactics. Accepting death as a calculated loss. I am... I am unforgivable! Polly, Devon, we were all transformed to beasts! That is your own fault. Just because you were not prep– No, Odin, this is on you. You claim to care about your legacy, but it was by your hand that the Deisma family will go down as scum of the earth. By the end of this, I'm going to end up in prison. And my only consolation is that by accepting my fate, I'm consigning you to yours. You're going to live to understand that every warped lovely belief you hold is worthless!Odin said nothing. Surprisingly, these words seemed to actually get through to him, somewhat. Polly just sulked silently. On the surface, it was a bit surprising that of the two of them, Art was the one that actually had a change of heart. ...But it made sense. He had always been the mature one. Art turned to me. I am sorry for my family. Please, save Panthea. I'll do my best.I gave Art a token nod, then turned around. Honestly, I didn't really give a poo poo about whatever personal revelations Art might be going through. Sure, it was neat Art had come to this realization about himself. But at best, it was just a way of shirking responsibility. ...And it was too little, too late. In the meantime, I'd be busy dealing with poo poo that actually mattered. I climbed out of the War Room, exited Odin's mansion, and got back in my stolen car. Time to head to the Governor's Office.  I slammed on the gas pedal, and made good time. The Governor's Office wasn't super far from here, but if Kane happened to be hiding out super close to it already... well, that couldn't really be helped, could it? It'd probably be fine. I had successfully lured Kane out. I was certain this would work. Why? I was counting on Kane's fundamental nature. He was smart. Smart enough to realize that I totally would've put a camera in Aija's office... because, hey, I did. But more importantly, if he did personally kill Devon in the office, then I knew it had to be him retrieving that camera. Not some henchman, not a proxy. Him. Why? Because in his mind, he couldn't picture anybody who wouldn't check the bug for information themselves. It's what he'd do, after all. And he couldn't let somebody get leverage on him. So then, spurred on by a trusted confidant, he'd go and check for the recording device himself. That's when I'd be there. I'd confront him in that office, and... ...I thought some more about things. Hm. If I was going to beat Kane... While I drove, I took out my phone. ... Before long, I arrived at the Governor's Building. I noticed one other car parked nearby. A familiar car, belonging to a familiar reporter. Well then, well then, well then. Here it was. Do or die time. One way or another, things would be coming to a head. I could only pray for the best. I parked and got out of the car. Took one final breath. Then, I walked over to the building's front doors. I wasn't actually totally sure about how to proceed from here. ...Luckily, it turned out that the front doors were unlocked. Well, that was easy. I entered the Governor's Building, and looked around. Hm. I didn't see anybody. Was Kane in the office? It was likely. Just one thing to do then, I supposed.  I steeled myself and headed down the hallway that led to Aija's office. I would just have to se– *click* *thud!* What the gently caress? I looked back and forth, panicking. What the hell was going on here? Without any warning, big metal shutters had dropped in front and behind of me. ...What the everloving gently caress was happening here? As if to answer my question, Kane casually walked out of Aija's office, smug smile plastered across his face, pistol in his hand. [BGM: Stand]  Well, well, well. Turns out, there are a few mysteries of this city you didn't figure out. Good to know you're still fallible. I was getting worried there, for a moment.I racked my brain, and instantly I found evidence of this security measure existing in my memories. poo poo. I should've... ...No, actually, if I had concluded there was something like this from just Gani's reaction when I tried to enter as Lock, I'd have been completely crazy. Thinking about it though, there must've been some way to de-activate whatever this setup was over at the front desk. ...Not that that mattered much from where I was standing. Oh, watch out, by the way. The fences are electrified. Don't want you zapping yourself. Seriously? Yeah, it's messed up. ...You're not surprised to see me. Oh, here? Yeah, I had a hunch you'd be showing up. The story about Odin just-so-happening to hear this information that tipped him off to the recording just seemed a little too good to be true, you feel me? I was grateful, sure. But life doesn't often give you much to be grateful of. That's what tipped me off. How oddly defeatist. Eh.Kane shrugged. Marduk was always reliable. A straight-shooter, man of his principles. Odin, though? He was always far too eccentric. I always figured that eventually, he'd end up biting my hand, one way or another. Guess that day's today. Not that it mattered. Because in the end, looks like you're the one behind bars. You lose!To accentuate the point, Kane held up the pistol at me. poo poo, poo poo, poo poo! This was really bad. Was I really hosed? ...No, I still had an out. There was still a way to turn things around. I just needed to buy some time.  I needed to keep Kane talking. Luckily, from what I could tell, he really loved the sound of his own voice. Your motivation behind all of this. You're really not going to tell me? Why would I? Hmph. No need. I've already figured it out. Oh? That's fun. Well, while we're here, why not go ahead. I'm a little curious as to what you figured out. It was straightforward, like I thought. Well, as straightforward as anything can be in this hosed up city. Zahhak. He led Panthea to the state it is in now, alongside with the Trimurti, Odin and Marduk. Whatever this was, it was clear, this was the will of somebody carrying on his will. I'd asked if he had any children. Apparently he did, but just some daughter who died a while ago. Nothing to look into, at first glance. But then I remembered, Zahhak was a bit older than Odin and Marduk. Just because Zahhak's only daughter died, that didn't mean his lineage died out. Not if his daughter had a son of her own.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2024 00:31
|
|
|
 [BGM: Stand] Heh. Looks like you caught on to Panthea's worst hidden secret. The real truth of my parentage. Neat. Good on you. Well, it's not like it was a real secret. Anybody can figure it out, if you know where to look. Hell, I even told you that my grandfather was a big shot politician that made the city like this back a long time ago. You know, you said I disappointed you; I think it's my turn to turn the phrase back around on you. Just trying to follow in granddaddy's footsteps? Pretty uninspired, if you ask me. Maybe. Still, if I had to guess, this explains what happened with your parents. You know, the whole thing about your dad killing your mom, trying to kill you? What if it didn't have anything to do with that? What if they were just two unrelated things? That'd be fair enough, I suppose. Is that the case? ...Nah, nah, you got me figured out pretty well. It was a pretty tragic case all around. My dear sweet mother didn't do anything wrong. She was just teaching me about my past... teaching me about my future. She instructed me with Zahhak's lessons, about how Panthea needed to be for a sparkling future to be reached. Nobody believed in Zahhak more then my mom, even when he was in jail, though Odin and Marduk were close seconds. Anyways, my father was this huge spiritual nut, he looked at the Zahhak situation very differently. When he caught wind of what my mother was doing, he totally went nuts. Went on about how she was letting the corruption spread, how it needed to die out. Batshit stuff, let me tell you what. All of a sudden, papa's got a gun. I'm running, hiding... eventually the police come and sort it out. Wow. You know, when I first heard that story, I never would've thought I would end up sympathizing with the father before too long. Seriously? Low blow, low blow indeed. Yeah, possibly. Still, feels like he wasn't so far off on the 'corruption' thing. You sure grew up hosed. I grew up with a sense of perspective. I knew what I needed to do when growing up. Hm.I figured I'd run out of talking room sooner if I didn't direct the topic of conversation towards more substantive topics before too long. Anyways, this 'secret' of yours is what sparked the murder of Maximillian Collins, isn't that right? Heh. I'd blame that part less, though it was certainly a factor. Max, the moron. Looking for a quick way to relieve himself of debts, he broke into his aunt's storage locker to look for valuables. And apparently, he found something quite valuable: Veronica's diary. In it, she detailed all sorts of things. And one of those entries, written in stunning detail, talked about the confession Odin, the drat braggart, had made to her in private. About how he masterminded this city with two others in a makeshift triumvirate. How he had worked with Zahhak and Marduk. Reading this, Max was at least sharp enough to know that he had stumbled onto something big. However, unable to see anything beyond the most immediate, small-term use for this information, Max decided it could be good blackmail fodder. It was a real scandal, people would pay to keep it hushed. Max must've decided against blackmailing Marduk, the head of the Duats, directly. And perhaps showing a wisdom I wouldn't have pegged from him, he also must've figured Odin was too dangerous to blackmail directly. Which left him one third to try and abuse. He didn't know much about Zahhak, at the time. But he went, did his research, found out that I was his descendant. And as a semi-public figure, a reporter with a reputation, he must have figured I was the perfect target. I cared enough to try and hide this scandal about my grandfather, I likely had some funds to pay him with, but I didn't actually pose a threat. Or at least, that's what he thought. When he came to you to blackmail him, you realized how dangerous he was, knowing about the Trimurti. After all, you used those connections to puppet the city, right? Pretty much. I used the fact that I was Zahhak's descendant, trying to fulfill his legacy, to turn Odin and Marduk to my side. It took a bit of convincing for both of them, Odin was particularly arbitrary with some tests, but both men always had too much respect for my grandfather, and too much faith in his ideals. Even if they had grown older, past the whole thing, they still felt like they owed me their ear, if only to swap information. Being able to pull some strings with Odin and Marduk gave me the sway I needed on the Olympo and Duat fronts. But if Maximillian Collins knew about the Trimurti, then my secret was a threat. Honestly, I didn't even mind the blackmail that much; I could easily put together that sort of cash. The issue was the information he knew. Even if he promised not to talk, an idiot like him, he was bound to slip up. Get in more debt, push for more money... just a general liability in all senses. So, you know, I just... took matters into my own hands. Don't like to, for obvious reasons, but sometimes it's called for. The night of the gala, I put his body into my truck and brought him over to dump outside the venue. Matched with the bell, the crime was neatly pinned as a double killing for the Cock Robin Killer. Good way to cover my tracks. A little late on my part, but good to know I finally solved the case. Did you? ...Ah, what the hell, I'll give it to you.I needed to keep jumping to topics Kane was interested in. You said you used your Trimurti connections to sway Olympo and the Duats. Then, to complete the trifecta, you just needed to put the Governor into your debt. That's where the Djinn comes in? You know about the Djinn too? God drat, are you thorough. But yeah, I told you all way back when, given my history there was no chance I could ever be elected legitimately. And you know? That was fine. I had learned from Zahhak. ...And I had learned from his mistakes, too. Being Governor openly had too many weaknesses. It made you a high profile, which then made you a target. It was also the most temporary of the three heads. I wanted my plans to be a bit more sustainable, so electing a puppet head just made more sense, you know? But drat, I think I kind of screwed it up. Sure, Aija seemed like a good choice. Vaguely resembled Zahhak, likely to fall under the influence of the Djinn, easily electable. Early days, I was big on keeping her in the front. But before long, she just... wasn't working out. She acted too slow, hoarded too much power. She had lost the plot, so to speak. I mean, I am a very patient man. I was willing to wait if that was what perfection took. But even I have my limits, and Aija has reached them. That why you were having more coverage on the Oracle that wasn't just pro-Aija? Transitioning away from backing her? Well, that and the fact that I just needed to keep up my credibility. Of course. So then, Bach is your next puppet? That's what you contacted him with? That guy was super clueless. And the person in his corner was a criminal extorting him. Wasn't hard to turn him to my side. Of course, a piece like that? Not destined to go far. But for this temporary measure, yeah, he might make a decent stopgap Governor while I get my other ducks in line. That's...I didn't have a clever response. ...Heh. Ah, man. This was fun. Really, it was. I mean, incredibly frustrating at times? Sure. But looking at it from a grand scale, I really did enjoy this little game the two of us played. Sniping back and forth at each other, this weird cold proxy war that's finally come to a head? It was the most interesting thing to happen in a long-rear end time. Not that I do it for the entertainment, but you know. It's a nice perk. Shame it has to end now.No, no! A bit more time, surely, I can fix this with a bit more time. Keep him talking... somehow, got to keep him talking! You don't do it for the entertainment, huh? Then why? What's the point of it all? Oh? I thought you already figured out my motive. I mean, I know you're following in Zahhak's footsteps. But what the hell does that even mean? Do you even know? Oh, Mercury. Again, I told you my motivation straight from the get-go.[BGM: The Pistol]  I believe that amassing power is the way we make Panthea a paradise. I just want to make improvements. And I want to keep everything in line. Trust me, I've given a lot of thought to all this. It's the best way for long-term growth. The issue you run into so often with these attempts at paradise is that so few people can really share a vision. Guess that was my problem with Aija. But I find that there are a lot of different paradises, each better than what we have now. If you just pick a direction, march forwards in it proudly, you'll make something better than what we have around here. So, what? You just want to play God with Panthea? Is that it? Am I not owed that?!Kane had an edge in his voice now. This might as well be my grandfather's city. They scorned him, locked him up, but this place became better under his reign, and everyone drat well knows that! He left this city for me. He left it for me to play with, and he left it for me to keep making better. And things will be better, trust me. It's been some slow years, that's true. I've been finding my footing, and had something of a dud in charge on the legislative side, but that's all going to be in the past before long! I'm the only thing that can make Panthea be what it must. Wow. What a narcissist. All men with ambition are. What Panthea 'must' be? Why does it need your help? Why must it be sculpted by you? Are you kidding? Mercury, decay is the natural state of things! Until we reach a paradise equilibrium, things will just get worse if nothing is done. Hell, you can see examples all over the country, how this whole place has slowly been going to poo poo! In Hightower, there are mass-kidnappings with death collars and explosive belts, spurred by years of corruption! In Aurea, celebrities of all types are using their fame and fortune to sway the public just for the sake of their little games! It's madness, I tell you. Every spot of the map, you're feeling a slow, collective fall to madness It's as though the whole country is reaching some sort of tipping point. But not Panthea! Not us. Through it all, we stand tall. We shall become the shining standard the country can aspire to. People will find safety from the madness in Panthea's golden gates. 'Stand tall'? 'Resisting chaos and decline'? The hell are you on about?! Panthea was no different from any other of these places. Under your hosed up puppet state, a war was brewing under the surface! It could have broken out at any moment! Bah, I had it under control. When you've got eyes and ears everywhere, you can nip conflicts like that in the bud before they get out of hand. What do you think I had Aija get Devon for? Of course, Devon also went off the rails. But I'm blaming you for that one. So, what, you think that Panthea can reach its true form under you, you alone? Acting by yourself, making whatever decisions you want, you're going to create this perfect city? Pretty much. You know that's just a dictatorship, right? Spot on! I'm trying to make a dictatorship. That's bad! Oh, grow up. What a brain-dead, level one outlook on things. A dictatorship just means the state will reflect the ruler. Maybe I'm vain, but I quite like my reflection. Tch. You can't know that for sure. You're making some real assumptions, to think that a dictatorship will be better than the alternatives. What alternatives? Mercury, I know you're really sad about Jacy, but just look at it logically. This is the best way, and I've got proof. I mean, look at the products of democracy. Look what the masses come up with on a regular basis. You want to trust them to come up with what's right? That's no drat good, that's no drat good at all! Hell, I know deep down, you agree with me, that things would be better if smart people could just control it all. I know because you pretty much did the same thing! What? I mean, am I wrong? You acted completely independently, doing the work and making the decisions by yourself. And look how far you got! You know just as well as me the power of the motivated, talented individual. That's what I am. A motivated, talented individual.This asshat... he was just like Aija. As much of a Zahhak devotee he might claim to be, he's completely missed the point.  The more I was talking with Kane, the more I realized that he wasn't really motivated by ideals of reform, at least not in the same way Zahhak could be. He had some rough ideas about how to make Panthea better, sure, but it wasn't really what drove him. His motivation could better be described as a blind sense of nationalism towards Panthea, combined with a real god complex. ...Er, cityism? Pantheism? Whatever, hardly the point. Ah, man. I don't want to do this, Mercury, I really don't. But I just don't think I can bring myself to forgive you. You know why? Indulge me.Anything to keep him talking. I'm mad because you had to gently caress up Olympo. That's the thing I can't stand for. Politics, by their very nature, change. And I mean, the Duats were always a temporary measure, to be replaced with a strict police state when the time was right. But commerce stays the titan's hand. Fundamentally, Olympo was the thing that was the key to raising Panthea above its station. Creating a city of superior technology, superior economy, that would be an achievement to raise us even higher on the national map. And because of your stupid meddling, that's all in a mess right now.Kane just sighed. Ah, well. I'll just rebuild. It'll be annoying, but if you'd believe it, I'm actually pretty young. I've got time. Just like that? You just rebuild everything? Pretty much. You want to know why I can? Because I have power. The power of information. The power of money. The power of connections. And the power of talent. With those four things, I really can do whatever I set my mind to. I'll fill the voids you created, patch over the holes you tore, and begin work towards the perfect Panthea again. But that's the far future. Right now, I've got something to handle with the power of a gun.poo poo! I had vamped all I could, but in the end, I was still out of time.There had to be something... ...I was reaching a blank. Kane lifted his pistol. But then, he looked up, and with a scared expression dived right back into Aija's office. *bang!* [BGM: Tsumo]  I turned around, and to my rescue was Bach Underwood, wielding a pistol with an extremely nervous expression. Bach! Looks like I got here in time, huh? The nick of it, more like. Real showman, huh?On my way to the Governor's Office I thought about what edge I had on Kane... and I thought of one. Kane might make good use of people like tools, he never really trusted anybody else. When collecting evidence against him, he'd be alone. He might have claimed I was a one-man-army, and true, I preferred to work alone, but that's exactly why he wouldn't expect me to call someone else in. The only question, then, was who could I really trust. My options were disturbingly limited. Krish was objectionable, for a few different reasons. Baldera was probably too upstanding to get involved with something like this. But Bach... I had called him, and explained the situation as quickly as I could. I plead with him, pulled on his heartstrings. He also loved Panthea, believed in a better one than what he had. He wanted to live, he wanted to help. We had never had an honest relationship. But I prayed we had enough trust that he would believe me. Before I could get an answer, however, the call was interrupted. Bach was still being interviewed by police in his apartment. I thought that was probably that, and decided to move on without him, knowing the time frame to catch Kane was likely slim... and yet! I never should have doubted you. Eh, a fair bit of doubt is probably warranted at this point. But this is what standing up for the underdog is really about!I had an idea, but then reconsidered. Kane was a sly bastard. I got close to the back fence and mouthed the following phrase to Bach as clearly as I could: 'I am lying. Keep the gun aimed at the door'. Bach looked confused, but gave me a small nod. There's probably a way to shut off the electricity to these fences over by the front desk. Pass me the pistol through one of the openings, then you can go look for it.I looked over to Aija's office, and sure enough, Kane took the bait. The moment I said this, he popped out. He had been listening in, waiting for a good chance to ambush us. Hearing that the pistol was moving through the fence, he thought he could kill us both. However, in reality he was greeted with a very prepared Bach aiming his pistol right at him. *bang!* gently caress! The shot had hit Kane right in the shoulder, causing the pistol in his hand to fly further down the hallway. He slunk back into Aija's office, wounded. Yes! Nice work Bach! ...Now, do what I said for real.Bach just nodded, slipping the pistol through the fence's crack. I grabbed it, and aimed it straight at the office door. Kane wasn't getting a chance to grab his gun again. Uh, so, you said there was a way to shut off this fence's electricity at the front desk? ...Wait, the gate's electrified? Yes Bach, keep up. Try, uh, I think it was a low cabinet. Look for switches. On it.Mission settled, Bach ran over to try and turn off this security measure. You know... I wasn't sure you'd come. Neither was I. I didn't have good reason to. And yet, I ended up coming all the same. Weird. You're telling me. Well... what can I say. Despite it all, you're a convincing person, Mercury. I decided that if I'm going to live, then I'm really going to live. And, well... I guess I'd rather work with a bastard like you than a scumbag like Kane. Don't know what that says about me, but it was the conclusion I came to.For some reason, this small little statement made me feel... quite nice. But I didn't have time to revel in that. I think I found it!*click!* All right, the power should be out now. Awesome![BGM: Silence]  I reached forwards to the gate in front of me. Sure enough, no signs of shocking. I began to try and lift the chain-link gate. It was actually pretty heavy, and took some effort to move. But giving it some energy, I was able to raise it high enough to duck under it. I took a few moments after that to catch my breath. Whew. Okay. Time to settle this. I held the pistol firm in my hand. I looked down the hall, and saw Kane's pistol still discarded. That was all I needed for a green light. I walked forward, into Aija's office, with the pistol held out. I didn't remember any exit from Aija's office... so where was Kane, the bastard? The lights were off, so it was really dark in the room. I walked in the room, scanning it quickly to try and spot Kane, but I didn't qui– *wham!* Before I could finish my thought, I felt a slamming hit to my side. Oh, poo poo! I had really fallen for the 'wait to ambush by the door' trick?! [BGM: Danrasu]  Kane, bleeding but far from out of the fight, slammed me against the wall, causing me to drop the pistol in pain. No! Usually, I wouldn't be this weak. But I had done a lot of hard work today, most recently culminating in a brawl with the Deisma brothers. I was wiped. Still, I could take on loving Kane! I slugged him in the stomach, and he stumbled back into Aija's desk. I ran forward, ready to bring him to the floor. However, as I quickly approached, Kane sprung up and got a lucky break. He let off a kick which happened to land square in my gut. It hit right in the worst spot, sending me toppling over onto the floor. Kane might not have been a fighter, but he knew street tactics. Without a moment to compose myself, he followed me to the floor, putting his hands around my throat. And then, with a rage I could feel, he began to choke me. poo poo. Choking was no fun. I could already attest to this fact. I tried pushing him off me, but... my arms failed. What? After all this time, they were failing now? It wasn't a matter of Kane being strong; I was weak. I had run around all day, acting as a wrecking ball in my own right, and the physical toll was beginning to catch up to me. I pushed, I pushed, but I couldn't get him off me. Not as I was getting weaker. loving... die!Kane's strangle became tighter. I could hear the gargled noises my throat was making. No, no! Could Bach come to my rescue? No... those two fences were heavy, and took time to get under. Nobody would get here in time to save me. Was this the end? No, no... …Limply, I started grabbing around with my arms, looking for anything that might help. And then... my right hand felt something. Something metal. I patted around some more, and found a handle of some sort. I didn't have time to consider any more, I just swung whatever I was holding in at Kane's body. *shhhk!* gently caress!Kane let out a howl of pain, and his grip loosened substantially. I used the opportunity to butt him in the head with my head. ...Ow. That hurt me just as much as it hurt him, but combined with the stab wound, Kane fell back. I began coughing, catching my breath, as I stood up. Once I had my composure, I looked down at the weapon in my hand. A dagger? No... a kunai. Huh, what was that doing here? Whatever, not remotely the time. I rushed over to the side of the room and picked up the pistol I had dropped. Then, I spun it around and held it right at Kane. At this point, he had gotten to his knees. [BGM: Silence]  I put the gun right up to his head. Then, for a couple seconds, the two of us just let out some ragged breaths.  ...poo poo. To think... it came down to something this stupid. That's what caused my plans for Panthea to crumble. You're deluded, Kane. This wasn't what decided poo poo. If you killed me here, it wouldn't have changed anything. What? You claim you were going to rebuild, make a stronger Panthea. But that's not true. There are too many loose threads already, too many to tie up away easily. And your whole hosed up way of running things, it creates too many risks. Too many ways to go wrong, too many people like me. Your loss... it was inevitable. Everytime you made a back alley move, you risked it all crumbling down. And someone like you... you'd never stop making those moves. So, your defeat, it was inevitable. ...That right?Kane just looked up at me sadly. Then back down. drat.  You know... I get the feeling I'm going to be replaying a lot of today in my head, when I'm in prison. Thinking of how things could have gone differently. Agonizing over my mistakes. Sounds like torture. ...Prison, huh? How optimistic. Oh, please. You're not going to just shoot me here. How do you figure? 'Cuz you're not like me, not really. Sure, you run around on your own, handling things how you want, not in accordance with the law. All the same, I've seen enough from you to know: you do care about justice. You're not just some random vigilante. If I posed a threat, sure, you'd be justified in killing me. But look at me. I'm defeated. It's over. We both know it'd be better if I just went to prison, coughed up to everything I did. So stop playing tough, it's your worst act so far. … You're wrong, Kane. Unfortunately, I am a lot like you.For Jacy, you gently caress. *BANG!* With the pull of a finger, I sent a bullet straight through Kane's skull. Moments later, he lifelessly slumped to the floor. I looked at the body before me. It was... over. I looked around a bit more, and noticed Devon's body, lying dead against another wall. Aija, too, she lay limp in the corner. Dead, or unconscious? Either way, it was the end of the road for her, after all this. [BGM: Stand]  At this point, Bach made his way into the room. He looked around for a moment, taking it all in. Oh. Yeah. Uh, well... good thing you didn't die? Yeah, good thing. Was pretty close too. So, what now? I'm not sure. I've probably got a lot of loose ends to clean up. But I can probably guess one thing: you're likely going to be Governor. That's... yeah, huh. It's a lot. You're telling me. I could shoot you right now, save you the trouble, if you want? Not a funny joke. No, it's not, is it? I looked at Kane, and I felt... an emptiness. That was weird. Whatever. I had done most of what I came for. One last objective left, and I'd be satisfied. All right. I'll let you walk, be the Governor you want to be. I just have one condition. ...Well, two, actually. Conditions? Yup. Can't say I like where this is going, but go on. First of all, since the election seems already handled, I get to keep all of the cash. Huh? Oh, right. I mean... yeah, fine, I guess.The suitcases were back at Bach's apartment. Good thing I decided to have them stuffed in a closet, else they likely would've been seized when the police came. All right. ...Oh, and that goes for all the money in your room and this room. This room? Right, this room.I had a hunch that Aija's secret stash was in here. In fact, based on her behavior I had caught on the hidden camera... [BGM: Silence]  I walked over to the large painting of Aija. With a bit of effort, I pulled, and it swung open. Sure enough, behind the painting was a safe. A safe with a four digit combination. At first, this looked like it would be a problem to me. But then, I looked a bit closer. Saw that four of the numbers on the keypad seemed to have been worn down a lot more than the others. ...'1', '2', '3', and '4.' ... I typed in my guess at the combination. I heard an affirmative beep. I guess Aija was only human too. I opened the safe, and was met with a glorious sight: stacks and stacks of cold, hard cash. Woah... Woah, indeed, my friend.It was a sight to behold. I took a few steps back. Then, I looked around the room. Kane, bullet to the head. Aija, slumped across the wall. Safe, filled to the brim with money. I had gotten everything I came for. Revolution, revenge, and a tremendous payout. It was my complete victory. And I felt... … … … …  Well, what do you know? ...Like I said I would, I'll hold my tongue. We're not quite done yet, are we? No, I'm just here to rule on that bet of ours. Sorry, but as you can see, you bet wrong. Your chips are lost. But... what if I gave you an opportunity to win some back? Right now, it looks like the road is lined perfectly for Bach to come in, claim the Governorship. So, do you think it'll be that simple? Or will something else come out to thwart him? Something you've forgotten? What do you think? Bach will be Governor.The votes were ultimately tied, so I had an unrelated person tiebreak as usual. Always the optimist, huh? Although, I suppose it's questionable if that's the 'optimstic' outcome, isn't it? All right. Now, here's the rub. How much are you willing to bet on that?Once again, 50% is 50%, so we're betting 54 chips, rounded down. Good, good. Well then. I'll go back to letting you finish the story.
Mix. fucked around with this message at 00:52 on Apr 6, 2024 |
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 01:05
|
|
|
Not sure how much I like the last act of the game, the real interesting bits were the showdown at the Duat headquarters and the Olympo takeover. But it’s alright. Maybe the third game will be set in Aurea? Anyway uhh I’ll be optimistic and say Bach will be fine. A simple end.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 03:03
|
|
|
Bach will lose, if only because narrative justice demands someone say "I'll be Bach"
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 03:30
|
|
|
Something will thwart him. There are too many ways it can go wrong. Aija's has blackmail on him still. He's caught on Mercury's camera here, which is a problem if anyone else gets a hold of it. Or if he leaves any other evidence for the police to find. The police chief might act anyway. Or maybe someone else gets suddenly popular enough to run. There's also whatever interloper threw that kunai for Mercury to grab, clearly they've been keeping an eye on things and could well have their own plans.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 14:27
|
|
|
I'm pretty sure the kunai was already there. I forget where, but I definitely remember it being mentioned before this update.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 14:42
|
|
|
I think Devon dropped/threw it in his final moments. Hey, he was actually useful for something. I'm going to go against my instincts and say Bach will be fine. This whole story he's basically been a guy who listened to the last person to talk to him, so him breaking out of that or somehow turning that instinct towards good would be a nice surprise for the epilogue.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 14:53
|
|
|
Sybot posted:I think Devon dropped/threw it in his final moments. Hey, he was actually useful for something. Gangiri always hits the target, no matter what or how long that takes. High-quality gift from Odin.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 17:00
|
|
|
I think someone else will beat Bach to the governorship. He’s a nice guy but he’s already been taken advantage of multiple times. Weirdly I’m leaning toward Krish.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2024 23:01
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 16:23 |
|
|
Bach will be Governor. The votes were ultimately tied, so I had an unrelated person tiebreak as usual. Always the optimist, huh? Although, I suppose it's questionable if that's the 'optimstic' outcome, isn't it? All right. Now, here's the rub. How much are you willing to bet on that?Once again, 50% is 50%, so we're betting 54 chips, rounded down. Good, good. Well then. I'll go back to letting you finish the story.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2024 00:52
|
|