You are Cindy Moon; Warrior Priest of Khonshu, Ward of Ben Parker, Part-time local vigilante. And, just recently, you somehow obtained the title of "Slayer" from an ancient Vampire Lord with an evil agenda. Between going to school, fighting bad guys, wrangling an overeager sidekick and dealing with an <span class="mu-s">insane</span> amount of family drama, now you're expected to potentially help save the world! No pressure.
Archive:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Max%20Spider%20Quest Last time: After accepting the help of Wilhelmina the Blood Witch, Cindy defeated her brother Ward, and not only managed to convince him to stand down, but got the rest of Monster Council to stop fighting each other, and instead direct their anger at the creature responsible for deceiving them all: Varnae, The First Vampire!
Thanks to her quick thinking, she and the council made it out of Varnae's trap in one piece, and reconvened at a tavern in Monster Metropolis. There, she learned that her new blue friend was actually a clone mashup of Beast and Wolverine, and that the mutant scientist (Hank McCoy) had offered his help to Varnae, Skul the Slayer, and the current ruler of Limbo, Belasco.
Now that they know who their enemies truly are, Cindy and her group devise a plan to appeal to the Kaiju King, in hopes that he can muster up an army for the battle to come.
Will the Kaiju King's help be enough to save the day? Is Cindy capable of slaying something as old and powerful as Varnae, or even Belasco? And why is a member of the X-Men lending aid to a bunch of monsters?
Find out more in the latest issue of…<span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-r">MAXIMUM SPIDER QUEST!</span></span>
Rules:
Most dice rolls will be 1d100. Modifiers will be added depending on the situation or on the alien being used(Usually +10 or -10). Crit successes and crit fails apply. Crit fails can be overridden by crit successes, but crit failures cannot override crit successes.
How to Roll:
To roll dice, type “dice+1d100” in the options field without the quotations. To roll dice with positive modifiers, type “dice+1d100+modifier number” in the options field without quotations, and with an actual modifier number. To roll dice with negative modifiers, type “dice+1d100+-modifier number” in the options field without quotations, and with an actual modifier number.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s 10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2 The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR Good luck and have fun!
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Fri 11 Apr 2025 23:34:04 No. 6227500 Report Quoted By:
Here's the last post as a recap: <span class="mu-s">“I think you were right about going to the Kaiju King, Grandma Young.”</span> you admitted, leaving the tavern along with the others. <span class="mu-s">“We'll need his help to organize a response.”</span> Young grabs you by the hand, and quickly pulls you out of the way of an oncoming troll. You were still a little shaken by the close call when you felt Young still squeezing your hand. It was gentler this time, though. <span class="mu-s">“I'm glad we're on the same page.”</span> Young agreed, rubbing the back of your hand with her thumb. <span class="mu-s">“If what we heard is true, we'll need his help to slay the Kaiju playing for the other team.”</span> <span class="mu-b">“Let’s just hope they didn't make too many.”</span> Deadhead commented. <span class="mu-r">“What's the matter? Not excited for your first giant monster battle?”</span> Ben teased. <span class="mu-b">“Almost got digested once.”</span> Deadhead said bitterly. <span class="mu-b">“I try to keep that kind of activity down to an absolute minimum these days.”</span> <span class="mu-r">“Try not to go down without a fight.”</span> Ben recommended. <span class="mu-r">“Make them choke on it.”</span> Harpy hissed from behind you. <span class="mu-g">“Aim for sensitive areas.”</span> Ana advised. <span class="mu-s">“They're more likely to be picking you out of their teeth.”</span> Young added unhelpfully. <span class="mu-b">“Fuck you all very much.”</span> Deadhead blurted out, his choice of words telling you just how much he appreciated all the unsolicited advice from the group. He walked up to stand opposite Young, and gave you a pat on the back. Young's posture changed, ever so slightly, and you knew that she was preparing for him to do something stupid. <span class="mu-b">“Come on. Time's wasting. Let's go see this ‘Kaiju King’ guy.”</span> he encouraged. <span class="mu-s">“Sure. But…maybe don't call him that during the meeting.”</span> you said, feeling your ears bounce and your tail wag as a result of your jovial remark. Instead of getting annoyed, however, you focused on getting them back under control right away. In order to master this new form, you would have to be conscious of every movement. No matter how small. As your group started walking towards the palace, Ben moved closer to you as well. He didn't seem entirely comfortable with letting a mercenary like Deadhead get this close to you, and after the ambush you all just escaped from, you couldn't blame him for being a little paranoid. —---- It didn't take long for you all to get tired of the traffic, and, before you knew it, you ended up using the nearby buildings as terrain. Deadhead wasn't as agile as any of you, and had to be carried by Harpy. Neither of them seemed pleased with the arrangement. Harder still was your ascent of the palace steps. You, Ana and Young, who was now in her ‘young adult’ form, raced up the steps so quickly that it was hard to keep track of your legs. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Fri 11 Apr 2025 23:35:06 No. 6227503 Report Quoted By:
Harpy flew up alone after a particularly nasty argument with Deadhead, and the mercenary was forced to ascend the stairs at a much slower pace. You couldn't hear his grumbling from where you were, but you could easily imagine him doing so in response. Ben was flying beside you all, looking out at the phenomenal view that this absurdly long staircase offered. Minutes later, you and everyone other than Deadhead arrived in the throne room, and were immediately greeted by the Kaiju tasked with protecting their King. You got right into things, not wanting to waste too much time on explanations and recaps. And with Ben and Young's help, you managed to impart all of the knowledge you'd gained within the last hour or two. Afterwards, the Kaiju King was silent in his consternation, his fingers steepled, and his upper body leaning forward atop his throne. <span class="mu-b">“Hmmm. This is most troubling. It never ends well when creatures like Varnae are allowed to roam free.”</span> King Kei said. <span class="mu-b">“We've been so preoccupied with Skul that we failed to notice the <span class="mu-s">true</span> orchestrator of these tragedies.”</span> <span class="mu-r">“We were right//correct//on-point about that acid lizard being one of his, though.”</span> Mekara said, folding her arms over her chest. <span class="mu-r"><span class="mu-i">“Ya see!? I <span class="mu-s">knew</span> he was buildin’ an army! Didn't I say that!?”</span></span> said Aegis, emoting vividly beside her. Slizzik said something utterly incomprehensible, and Slizzik nodded seriously. <span class="mu-g">“Guys, now's not the time to ask who was right about what. From the sound of things, the whole world might be at stake here.”</span> <span class="mu-g">“Scragg thinks we should interrogate the feathered thing for vital information.”</span> the giant insect man suggested. Everyone ignored him, but you saw Harpy retreating behind the group a little. Ben went to console her, like you knew he would, and you decided to leave that problem to him. <span class="mu-s">“If any of the lab-grown Kaiju are half as strong as the last one, then we're going to need your help to keep them away from the smaller guys.”</span> you explained. <span class="mu-s">“Cindy has the support of the entire Monster Council.”</span> Young added. <span class="mu-s">“They are convincing their people to march with us as we speak.”</span> Everyone looked genuinely surprised at that. <span class="mu-b">“Really? Even the Nosferatu Twins?”</span> King Kei inquired, stroking his beard quizzically. <span class="mu-b">“But you've only been here less than a day.”</span> You gave him a confident smile. <span class="mu-s">“I'll admit, saving their lives was a pretty big motivator.”</span> you declared proudly. <span class="mu-s">“But, honestly? It was their willingness to put their differences aside and come together when the situation called for it. You guys did a good job of picking your leaders.”</span> The Kaiju King smiled and rose from his throne. <span class="mu-b">“Very well. You have my strength at your disposal. Anything you need, it's yours.”</span> He lowered his head in a respectful bow. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Fri 11 Apr 2025 23:36:07 No. 6227504 Report Quoted By:
You blinked in surprise, unsure of what to say, even when the others in your group were all sighing in relief and congratulating you. <span class="mu-s">“ What!? Just like that?”</span> you asked before you could stop yourself. He picked up his head and chuckled. <span class="mu-b">“Of course. I trust Young, and if she and the rest of the council considers this a threat worthy of overcoming their…’considerable’ differences, then I see no reason to be stingy.”</span> he explained. <span class="mu-b">“You have accomplished the impossible here today, Cindy Moon. You got the council to agree on something, and ended their meeting ahead of schedule.”</span> He let out a mirthful laugh and a round of applause at his own words. <span class="mu-s">“<span class="mu-i">And</span> she saved all our lives!”</span> Young said, her tone heavy with disbelief at the Kaiju King's lack of acknowledgement. <span class="mu-b">“That too!”</span> he agreed, pointing a wrinkled finger at her. <span class="mu-b">“Just ask, and I will support you to the best of my ability.”</span>
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Fri 11 Apr 2025 23:40:02 No. 6227508 Report And we're all caught up! I'm finally back and ready to write, but I'd like to resolve that last vote first. Here are the options I gave you last time.>"I need you to convince your people to take up arms against Varnae. We can't afford to have people sitting on the sidelines for this one." >"Can we borrow one of your Kaiju friends again?" (Which one?) >"You said that you could bring any monster to life just by drawing it, right? Do you mind if I make a suggestion?" (Post/Draw picture of monster)) >"We could all use some new equipment. None of us came down here expecting all of this, and we're a little low on supplies." >Write-in. Out of those votes, the most commonly picked option was this vote:>"I need you to convince your people to take up arms against Varnae. We can't afford to have people sitting on the sidelines for this one." Now, I saw someone say that they wanted to try drawing their idea for a monster, but I'll understand if you guys don't want to keep waiting. So, I'll let you decide. Should we wait for more votes and potential drawings to roll in, or should we proceed with the most commonly picked vote? What do you all think?
Anonymous
>>6227508 Just go with the vote
Anonymous
>>6227508 I guess we’ll go with the vote!
Anonymous
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 01:09:19 No. 6228768 Report Quoted By:
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 05:30:49 No. 6228855 Report Quoted By:
<span class="mu-s">“I need you to convince your people to take up arms against Varnae. We can't afford to have people sitting on the sidelines for this one."</span> you declared. The Kaiju King’s hand abruptly <span class="mu-i">stopped</span> in the middle of rubbing his illustrious beard. <span class="mu-b">“Our army should be returning shortly. They were out responding to an invasive species breaching our boundaries.”</span> he explained. <span class="mu-r">“Actually, yer highness…”</span> Aegis spoke up, his considerable weight shifting slightly. <span class="mu-r">“The army’s return got delayed by another Brood outbreak. It, uh…wasn’t pretty to say the least.”</span> All at once, everyone in the room other than you <span class="mu-i">shivered</span> slightly. You stared around in confusion. <span class="mu-r">“Ugh! You’ve got Brood here too?”</span> Ben asked. <span class="mu-b">“Unfortunately. They’re a real menace.”</span> James answered, his head still somewhat lowered in deference to the Kaiju King. <span class="mu-b">“My father thinks they’re ‘beautiful creatures’, though.”</span> <span class="mu-g">“He isn’t entirely wrong.”</span> Ana added, glancing between Ben and James. Everyone turned to stare at Ana, you and Ben included. Except, you were the only one not looking at her like she’d grown a second head. Ana, not noticing this, went on to elaborate. <span class="mu-g">“I looked into them during my time away. They breed and consume any resource. They can impregnate any organic creature with their parasitic embryo, and the embryo <span class="mu-i">converts</span> the host’s body into a desirable Brood body. This offspring will also inherit metahuman abilities from their hosts.”</span> she said, taking a moment to glance around, and perhaps just now realizing that she was losing her crowd. <span class="mu-g">“They might be murderous pests, but there is no denying that their biology is beautiful.”</span> <span class="mu-r">“I can deny that easily.”</span> Mekara mentioned. <span class="mu-g">“<span class="mu-s">Very</span> easily.”</span> Slizzik chimed in. <span class="mu-g">“They taste terrible! But Scragg does not hate them.”</span> Scragg added. Mekara narrowed her metal eyelids and peeled her shiny red lips back in a disgusted sneer. Ben narrowed his eyes slightly. <span class="mu-r">“How can you say that? After what they did.”</span> he said, his voice sounding contemptuous. <span class="mu-g">“Do not mistake my words. I neither like them nor approve of what they do. I am simply acknowledging that they are a well engineered species.”</span> she explained. <span class="mu-r">“Well, stop it. They’re alien death machines. They shouldn’t be <span class="mu-i">admired</span> by anyone.”</span> There was real heat in those words. He was getting seriously worked up. You, on the other hand, knew very little of these things. You thought you remembered Ben telling you something about giant bugs, but the details were hazy. Ana’s eyes searched his face, and she smoothly slipped a hand behind Ben’s head. <span class="mu-g">“Forgive me. That was thoughtless of me to say.”</span> (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 05:31:51 No. 6228856 Report Quoted By:
She said it with a straight face, but you could tell that her apology was sincere. Ben must have thought so too, because the tension was beginning to ease from his muscles. <span class="mu-b">“Slizzik, what are your projections for the time needed to clear this infestation?”</span> King Kei asked. <span class="mu-b">“Aegis. Show us their coordinates, and the approximate size of the hive.”</span> Slizzik requested. Aegis groaned in irritation, but did as he was told. From his eyes, a flickering holographic grid appeared, showing a lightly detailed map of the region. A green dot marked Aegis’ location, and about 20.4 miles northeast, there was another green dot. Both of them were connected by a white dotted line. <span class="mu-r">“I don’t think I like where this is going…”</span> he muttered. <span class="mu-r">“Me neither…”</span> Mekara mumbled. <span class="mu-b">“They’re still about a day out.”</span> James said from his lowered position. <span class="mu-g">“That was my thought as well.”</span> Slizzik said, regarding him now with those slitted eyes of his. King Kei nodded, and signaled for Aegis to suspend the projection. The giant Texan robot did so with great relief. <span class="mu-b">“If you don’t mind waiting two–no...three days,”</span> King Kei began, looking directly at you. <span class="mu-b">“I can lend you the strength of our mighty Roving Army!”</span> He said it like you were supposed to be impressed, so you made sure to look properly grateful, while paying careful attention to the movement of your ears and tail, just to make sure they wouldn’t give you away. <span class="mu-s">“With all due respect, sir…I don’t think this is a threat we should take lightly.”</span> you stressed. He nodded. <span class="mu-b">“I know. But what have we to gain from sending in untrained civilians? That would only increase the death toll.”</span> he countered. <span class="mu-s">“Your people are strong, Kei.”</span> Grandma Young pleaded. <span class="mu-s">“Heck, everything living down here is tough in their own way. We should at least offer them a chance to prove their worth to the army.”</span> <span class="mu-b">“You would have me conscript my own citizens?”</span> King Kei said, his eyes widening in outrage. <span class="mu-s">“We cannot take away their choice to fight for their country.”</span> Young replied, her eyes resolute as she stared up at the Kaiju King. The old man’s eyes closed, and you could practically make out the pain in them from behind his eyelids. After a moment, he let out a deep sigh, and opened his eyes to stare down at you and Grandma Young. <span class="mu-b">“You are right. I cannot.”</span> he confessed. <span class="mu-b">“They will have their chance. Slizzik, make the necessary arrangements. Aegis? Mekara?…”</span> The two stiffened. <span class="mu-b">“I’ll need the two of you to go help deal with Brood cleanup.”</span> he finally said. The two started complaining immediately, but they were quickly silenced by a single look from their King. <span class="mu-b">“Please, and thank you.”</span> Kei said, a little more stern than last time. (Cont.)
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 06:09:18 No. 6228865 Report Quoted By:
Mekara and Aegis groaned in unison, and shuffled their way out of the room. As soon as they left, he returned his gaze to you. <span class="mu-b">“Is there anything else that you require?”</span> he asked, his voice sounding practically serene for how calm it was. You stared down at your feet, caught yourself, and glanced back up to meet his eyes properly. <span class="mu-s">“Probably, but I can’t think of everything just right now.”</span> you said, turning your head towards Grandma Young. <span class="mu-s">“Grandma, would you be cool with staying here to help with things for a bit?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“Wh–why? Where are you going?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“Back to your shop. I forgot something there that I think I’m gonna need.”</span>you answered. <span class="mu-s">“Do you know your way back?”</span> she asked, looking surprised. <span class="mu-s">“Of course. I saw the city from above on the way over. Plus, you get a good view from the stairs. I’ve got a route already mapped out in my head.”</span> you proudly declared, tapping the side of your head with your pointer finger. The look on Young’s face told you exactly how satisfactory she found that answer. <span class="mu-s">“I won’t be going alone. I’ll have Harpy with me.”</span> you said. The Harpy swung her head over to look at you, and she looked just as surprised as Young. <span class="mu-s">“You want me to let the Bandit Queen chaperone my grandbaby.”</span> Grandma Young said in disbelief, not quite phrasing it as a question. <span class="mu-s">“Not just her, but-”</span> <span class="mu-r">“Cindy. We’re gonna go find out more about that Brood outbreak. All three of you turned surprised gazes on Ben and Ana. The two of them looked a little more tense than usual. You noticed James a slight distance away from them, clearly listening in. <span class="mu-g">“There is a decent chance that this Varnae’s doing. We cannot afford to let the army be delayed any further.”</span> Ana explained. <span class="mu-s">“Wait…you’re both leaving?”</span> you asked, deflating a bit. The two exchanged glances. “We just want to make sure. You don’t want any of these things surviving.” Ben said. Ana nodded her agreement. <span class="mu-g">"They are a dangerous animal. The king was right to call them an invasive species."</span> And that’s when it hit you. The Brood weren’t just space pests to your surrogate father. They’re the monsters that killed his friend. A twinge of guilt pricked your heart as you mentally chastised your past self for being so callous in your opinion of the Brood. <span class="mu-s">“Okay, I believe you. Just...be careful.”</span> you requested. Ben casually crossed the distance between you in a heartbeat and wrapped his arms around you in a hug. The shock of it had your vulpine ears standing straight up, and your tail sticking straight out. “You too. Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m away.” <span class="mu-s">“I’ll be fine.”</span> you promised, feeling a little embarrassed from all the eyes on you. <span class="mu-s">"I've got Harpy, and, uh..."</span> The throne room doors opened, and you all turned to find Walker entering the room. (Cont.)</span>
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 06:13:30 No. 6228869 Report Quoted By:
Mekara and Aegis groaned in unison, and shuffled their way out of the room. As soon as they left, he returned his gaze to you. <span class="mu-b">“Is there anything else that you require?”</span> he asked, his voice sounding practically serene for how calm it was. You stared down at your feet, caught yourself, and glanced back up to meet his eyes properly. <span class="mu-s">“Probably, but I can’t think of everything just right now.”</span> you said, turning your head towards Grandma Young. <span class="mu-s">“Grandma, would you be cool with staying here to help with things for a bit?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“Wh–why? Where are you going?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“Back to your shop. I forgot something there that I think I’m gonna need.”</span>you answered. <span class="mu-s">“Do you know your way back?”</span> she asked, looking surprised. <span class="mu-s">“Of course. I saw the city from above on the way over. Plus, you get a good view from the stairs. I’ve got a route already mapped out in my head.”</span> you proudly declared, tapping the side of your head with your pointer finger. The look on Young’s face told you exactly how satisfactory she found that answer. <span class="mu-s">“I won’t be going alone. I’ll have Harpy with me.”</span> you said. The Harpy swung her head over to look at you, and she looked just as surprised as Young. <span class="mu-s">“You want me to let the Bandit Queen chaperone my grandbaby.”</span> Grandma Young said in disbelief, not quite phrasing it as a question. <span class="mu-s">“Not just her, but-”</span> <span class="mu-r">“Cindy. We’re gonna go find out more about that Brood outbreak.”</span> All three of you turned surprised gazes on Ben and Ana. The two of them were understandably tense, considering the circumstances. You noticed James a slight distance away from them, clearly listening in. <span class="mu-g">“There is a decent chance that this Varnae’s doing. We cannot afford to let the army be delayed any further.”</span> Ana explained. <span class="mu-s">“Wait…you’re both leaving?”</span> you asked, deflating a bit. The two exchanged glances. <span class="mu-r">“We just want to make sure. You don’t want any of these things surviving.”</span> Ben said. Ana nodded her agreement. And that’s when it hit you. The Brood weren’t just space pests to your surrogate father. They’re the monsters that killed his friend. A twinge of guilt pricked your heart as you mentally chastised your past self for being so callous in your opinion of the Brood. <span class="mu-s">“Okay. Just be careful.”</span> you requested. Ben casually crossed the distance between you in a heartbeat and wrapped his arms around you in a hug. The shock of it had your vulpine ears standing straight up, and your tail sticking straight out. <span class="mu-r">“You too. Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m away.”</span> <span class="mu-s">“I’ll be fine.”</span> you promised, feeling a little embarrassed by all the eyes on you. "I've got Harpy, and, uh..." Suddenly, the throne room doors opened, and you all turned to find Walker strolling the room. <span class="mu-r">"You took your sweet time."</span> Ben mentioned, releasing you from his grasp. <span class="mu-r">"Do you need a moment to take a breather?"</span> (Cont.)
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 06:16:09 No. 6228870 Report Quoted By:
Walker shrugged his shoulders. <span class="mu-b">"Not tired. I was mostly just bored."</span> he said in a completely normal voice. <span class="mu-b">"Can you guys catch me up on whatever we're talking about?"</span> <span class="mu-s">"Ooh! We were actually about to head back out."</span> you admitted gently. <span class="mu-s">"Harpy's gonna fly us both over to Grandma Young's shop."</span> Walker turned his head towards Harpy. <span class="mu-b">"Somehow I doubt that."</span> Harpy remained silent, but maintained eye contact with him. <span class="mu-r">"Can I trust you two to look after her?"</span> Ben inquired. <span class="mu-b">"Well, it <span class="mu-i">is</span> in my contract."</span> Deadhead casually said. <span class="mu-r">"Will protect her."</span> Harpy promised, lowering her body a bit, and gesturing for you to climb onto her back. You did so carefully. <span class="mu-s">"You'd better."</span> Young threatened. Ben's agreement to that statement went unspoken. <span class="mu-s">"Then let's all meet back here when we're done."</span> you suggested. <span class="mu-s">"Agreed?"</span> <span class="mu-r">"Sounds like a plan."[/ed] Ben agreed. <span class="mu-b">"You are all welcome to stay here in the meantime."</span> King Kei stated. Hi-Vo uttered another series of pops and crackles. <span class="mu-g">"He's offering to be your tour guide."</span> Slizzik translated with an amused look on his scaly face. You were about to tell him that you'd love to take him up on his offer, when Harpy turned, and started racing towards the door! <span class="mu-s">"Whoa!"</span> She started flapping her powerful wing, and could feel her feet starting to leave the floor as your combined weight was momentarily propelled by the massive wind gusts she was generating. Deadhead, who was in the path of her flight, tried to turn around and leave back out the door. Too late. Harpy's talons extended, and were afraid that she would try to eviscerate the poor zombie. But instead, she just grabbed him by the belt with one foot, lifted him up, and dropped him back down the stairs. You winced and shielded your eyes from the first impact. Walker's descent was long, painful, and narrated through an impressive variety expletives. <span class="mu-s">"Shouldn't we stop him?"</span> you suggested. Harpy let out a thoughtful hum. "Maybe in a little while." she decided ---------->>Part 1 of the post has been completed! >>In the next update, Cindy will be recovering the sword that her mother gave her. >>The next update will be posted after I've had a chance to get some sleep!</span>
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 06:21:34 No. 6228873 Report Quoted By:
Walker shrugged his shoulders. <span class="mu-b">"Not tired. I was mostly just bored."</span> he said in a completely normal voice. <span class="mu-b">"Can you guys catch me up on whatever we're talking about?"</span> <span class="mu-s">"Ooh! We were actually about to head back out."</span> you admitted gently. <span class="mu-s">"Harpy's gonna fly us both over to Grandma Young's shop."</span> Walker turned his head towards Harpy. <span class="mu-b">"Somehow I doubt that."</span> Harpy remained silent, but maintained eye contact with him. <span class="mu-r">"Can I trust you two to look after her?"</span> Ben inquired. <span class="mu-b">"Well, it <span class="mu-i">is</span> in my contract."</span> Deadhead casually replied. <span class="mu-r">"Will protect her."</span> Harpy promised, lowering her body a bit, and gesturing for you to climb onto her back. You did so carefully. <span class="mu-s">"You'd better."</span> Young threatened. Ben's agreement to that statement went unspoken. <span class="mu-s">"Then let's all meet back here when we're done."</span> you suggested. <span class="mu-s">"Agreed?"</span> <span class="mu-r">"Sounds like a plan."</span> Ben agreed. <span class="mu-b">"You are all welcome to stay here in the meantime."</span> King Kei stated. Hi-Vo uttered another series of pops and crackles. <span class="mu-g">"He's offering to be your tour guide."</span> Slizzik translated with an amused look on his scaly face. You were about to tell him that you'd love to take him up on his offer, when Harpy turned, and started racing towards the door! <span class="mu-s">"Whoa!"</span> She started flapping her powerful wing, and could feel her feet starting to leave the floor as your combined weight was momentarily propelled by the massive wind gusts she was generating. Deadhead, who was in the path of her flight, tried to turn around and leave back out the door. Too late. Harpy's talons extended, and were afraid that she would try to eviscerate the poor zombie. But instead, she just grabbed him by the belt with one foot, lifted him up, and dropped him back down the stairs. You winced and shielded your eyes from the first impact. Walker's descent was long, painful, and narrated through an impressive variety expletives. <span class="mu-s">"Shouldn't we like, stop him?"</span> you suggested. Harpy let out a thoughtful hum. <span class="mu-r">"Hmm. Maybe in a little while."</span> she decided ---------->>Part 1 of the post has been completed! >>In the next update, Cindy will be recovering the sword that her mother gave her. >>The next update will be posted after I've had a chance to get some sleep!
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 19:12:58 No. 6229172 Report Quoted By:
Eventually, after Harpy had decided that Walker had gone through enough punishment, she caught him by the leg and took flight in a direction of your choosing. <span class="mu-r">"Scared of falling?"</span> <span class="mu-s">"Huh?"</span> You looked at Harpy in confusion. She glanced down at her shoulder, and your eyes followed hers. That's when you noticed that Mercy had been fashioning a makeshift harness from the bandages on your hand. <span class="mu-s">"Oh! Sorry. I've just never been up this high."</span> you lied. <span class="mu-r">"No problem. Just don't tickle me."</span> Harpy warned. <span class="mu-s">"Duly noted."</span> you agreed, wondering what she would do if you even attempted such a thing. Despite your claims, you had no problems staring down at the city below. You found it strange how all of these creatures were going about their regular day, completely unaware that the whole world might be in danger at this very moment. Just then, the thought of "danger" drew your attention back to Harpy's other passenger. <span class="mu-s">“You okay down there?”</span> you asked Walker. The man was dangling upside down by one leg that was being tightly clutched in Harpy’s talons. It looked a little too tight, but you were more concerned about the blood dripping from the open slots in his helmet. <span class="mu-b">“Yeah. Just peachy.”</span> he said with a lot of sarcasm, but a general lack of malice towards you. <span class="mu-s">“Are we sure we don’t need to check for brain damage?”</span> <span class="mu-r">“He most certainly has it.”</span> Harpy put in, clearly amused by his suffering. <span class="mu-b">“Hey, kid. Could you do me a favor and reach into this pouch pocket on my leg here?”</span> he said, pointing at the pocket in question. <span class="mu-s">“Why? What’s in it?”</span> you asked warily. <span class="mu-b">“My house keys. If you jingle them in front of her face, it might distract her long enough for my bones to reset.”</span> Deadhead seemed to enjoy the joke more than anybody, because he let out a laugh that had him coughing up even more blood. You winced again, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. <span class="mu-r">“Your body is strange.”</span> Harpy said, regarding him with some interest. <span class="mu-b">“Another thing we have in common.”</span> he breathed. <span class="mu-b">“Seeing as how you can't kill me, why don't we call a truce?”</span> <span class="mu-r">“That is a dangerous assumption.”</span> Harpy observed, tightening her grip on his leg. <span class="mu-b">“Trust me, Tyson. I have it on good authority that I'll outlive everything, and everyone on this planet. I'll be here when you're all dust in the wind. And that's just the way it is. So let's make it easier on ourselves, and try to get along, alright?”</span> he proposed. His words surprised you. For most of the time you've known him, his attitude has been pretty lousy. But if what he said was true, then you truly couldn't blame him for being cranky. Maybe that has something to do with why he's palling around with a reaper. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 19:18:36 No. 6229175 Report Quoted By:
Harpy stopped speaking for a full minute, and you wondered whether she was just going to drop Walker and be done with it. But instead, she scooped him up and reoriented him until her talons were gripping him by the torso. <span class="mu-b">“Thanks. Much better.”</span> he sighed. <span class="mu-s">“What <span class="mu-i">are</span> you, exactly?”</span> you asked, leaning over Harpy’s shoulder to look at him. <span class="mu-s">“Are you a zombie like Simon?”</span> Deadhead barked out a laugh. <span class="mu-b">“Are you kidding me? That guy's a fucking idiot. He barely had a brain anymore.”</span> <span class="mu-r">“Something else in common.”</span> Harpy added. <span class="mu-b">“What are you, a parrot? That's <span class="mu-i">my</span> joke.”</span> he declared, jabbing a thumb at his chest as he stared up at her. <span class="mu-r">“I'm stealing it.”</span> Harpy said with a toothy grin. <span class="mu-b">“Right. Bandit Queen. How could I forget?”</span> <span class="mu-r">“Brain. Damaged.”</span> Harpy reminded him. <span class="mu-b">“It's probably more than that, honestly.”</span> he admitted, rubbing the side of his helmet. <span class="mu-b">“Remind me to bill you later.”</span> <span class="mu-s">“Seriously, though…”</span> you cut in. <span class="mu-s">“Your body can take some serious punishment. Is that like your superpower, or something?”</span> <span class="mu-b">“It's not a superpower. It's human experimentation.”</span> he corrected you, a clear note of bitterness creeping into his voice. <span class="mu-b">“Harlan motherfuckin’ Ryker. That's the asshole that did this to me. He's the reason I look like a killer smurf. And he's gonna pay for it someday...”</span> <span class="mu-s">“Why would he do that to you?”</span> you asked. <span class="mu-b">“Who knows? And who cares?”</span> he said with a shrug. Somehow, you knew that he wasn't being entirely honest about his lack of interest. <span class="mu-b">“Whatever reason he has for turning me into this, it won't be good enough to save him.”</span> <span class="mu-r">“Make him hurt.”</span> Harpy muttered. <span class="mu-r">“Make him pay.”</span> You both looked at her. <span class="mu-b">“Why? He screw you over too?”</span> he asked. Harpy shook her head. [re]d“No. But he should pay. He deserves it. If you’re speaking the truth.” Deadhead nodded. <span class="mu-b">“Oh, he deserves it alright. So long as I can still move, Ryker's cause of death'll be anything but natural.”</span> You've never heard of this guy that Walker hates so much, but you could empathize with being angry about having something done to you without your knowledge. You spent the rest of your trip in silence, and Walker miraculously didn't get himself dropped from hundreds of feet above the ground. That was, until Harpy eventually realized what Deadhead had meant by referring to her as "Tyson", and she ended up dropping him on top of a particularly spiky fence. For all the trouble it caused him, though, Walker didn't seem to regret having said it very much. On the way down, you were pretty sure you could hear him laughing about how the joke could be interpreted in more than one way. He was still laughing, even whilst being impaled on the spiky fence. —------ (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 20:12:34 No. 6229203 Report Quoted By:
After arriving back at Young’s shop, Harpy promised to keep an eye out, and perched herself atop the roof. Deadhead had yet to catch up to you, but you were certain that he would catch hell as soon as Harpy spotted him. For his sake, you hoped that his claims of immortality were accurate. <span class="mu-s">“I won’t be long!”</span> you shouted up at her. <span class="mu-r">“Take your time.” Harpy replied casually, her eyes still scanning the horizon. You smiled up at her, and opened the door to Young’s shop. Immediately, you spotted Shaggy sitting in the corner of the room, leafing through a tome of some sort. He looked up to stare at you as soon as you entered. <span class="mu-i">“Cindy. I take it the council meeting went well.”</span> he said, peering at from over a pair of reading glasses that he was wearing. <span class="mu-s">“All things considered? Yeah. I guess you could say that.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“Ah. And isn’t that all we can ask for?”</span> he said, rising to stand on all fours. <span class="mu-i">“How are Young and the others?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“A little beaten up, but still good. Everyone’s fine. Well—maybe not <span class="mu-i">everyone</span>.”</span> you quickly amended. <span class="mu-s">“The Zombie Prince is missing half his head, and I think a vampire lord is spreading rumors about me.”</span> Shaggy nodded seriously. <span class="mu-i">“So I’ve heard. Young’s been keeping me apprised of the situation. I’m researching potential counter-spells to the ritual that I think he’s trying to use.”</span> You blinked in surprise, and stepped further inside to get a better look at the books, materials and diagrams that he had lying around. It all looked pretty advanced. You could barely read some of them! <span class="mu-s">“Whoa. And here I was thinking that you were just in here taking a nap this whole time.”</span> Shaggy lowered his glasses and gave you a reproachful look. <span class="mu-i">“Don't insult my commitment to the craft. I haven't been in your family for this long without picking up a few tricks.”</span> <span class="mu-s">“No, it's really impressive. I could never put together a ritual this complex on such short notice.”</span> you said, bending down to get a better look at his work. Shaggy turned his head and let out a disinterested huff, but you could tell that he was preening a bit. <span class="mu-i">“Well…is never too late to learn. You still have your mum's cookbooks, don't you?”</span> You nodded eagerly. <span class="mu-s">“Yeah. I've been <span class="mu-i">dying</span> to know what's in there.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“So are me and Young.”</span> he admitted. <span class="mu-i">“We'd understand if you said no, but we'd like to comb through them for any traces of dark magic. Just in case...”</span> You were momentarily at a loss for words. And during the time it took for your brain to process what he had just said, a young red-headed girl entered the room. She was precariously balancing multiple jars and flasks of alchemical reagents, much to Shaggy's annoyance. <span class="mu-i">“Didn't I tell you not to carry them all at once!? You'll ruin the whole ritual at this rate.”</span> “Sorry! It's quicker this way.” she said, gently placing the bundle of fragile materials next to the dog. (Cont.)</span>
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky
Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 20:14:29 No. 6229205 Report Quoted By:
After you arrived back at Young’s shop, Harpy promised to keep an eye out, and perched herself atop the roof. Deadhead had yet to catch up to you, but you were certain that he would catch hell as soon as Harpy spotted him. For his sake, you hoped that his claims of immortality were accurate. <span class="mu-s">“I won’t be long!”</span> you shouted up at her. <span class="mu-r">“Take your time.”</span> Harpy replied casually, her eyes still scanning the horizon. You smiled up at her, and opened the door to Young’s shop. Immediately, you spotted Shaggy sitting in the corner of the room, leafing through a tome of some sort. He looked up to stare at you as soon as you entered. <span class="mu-i">“Cindy. I take it the council meeting went well.”</span> he said, peering at from over a pair of reading glasses that he was wearing. <span class="mu-s">“All things considered? Yeah. I guess you could say that.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“Ah. And isn’t that all we can ask for?”</span> he said, rising to stand on all fours. <span class="mu-i">“How are Young and the others?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“A little beaten up, but still good. Everyone’s fine. Well—maybe not <span class="mu-i">everyone</span>.”</span> you quickly amended. <span class="mu-s">“The Zombie Prince is missing half his head, and I think a vampire lord is spreading rumors about me.”</span> Shaggy nodded seriously. <span class="mu-i">“So I’ve heard. Young’s been keeping me apprised of the situation. I’m researching potential counter-spells to the ritual that I think he’s trying to use.”</span> You blinked in surprise, and stepped further inside to get a better look at the books, materials and diagrams that he had lying around. It all looked pretty advanced. You could barely read some of them! <span class="mu-s">“Whoa. And here I was thinking that you were just in here taking a nap this whole time.”</span> Shaggy lowered his glasses and gave you a reproachful look. <span class="mu-i">“Don't insult my commitment to the craft. I haven't been in your family for this long without picking up a few tricks.”</span> <span class="mu-s">“No, it's really impressive. I could never put together a ritual this complex on such short notice.”</span> you said, bending down to get a better look at his work. Shaggy turned his head and let out a disinterested huff, but you could tell that he was preening a bit. <span class="mu-i">“Well…is never too late to learn. You still have your mum's cookbooks, don't you?”</span> You nodded eagerly. <span class="mu-s">“Yeah. I've been <span class="mu-i">dying</span> to know what's in there.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“So are me and Young.”</span> he admitted. <span class="mu-i">“We'd understand if you said no, but we'd like to comb through them for any traces of dark magic. Just in case...”</span> You were momentarily at a loss for words. And during the time it took for your brain to process what he had just said, a young red-headed girl entered the room. She was precariously balancing multiple jars and flasks of alchemical reagents, much to Shaggy's annoyance. <span class="mu-i">“Didn't I tell you not to carry them all at once!? You'll ruin the whole ritual at this rate.”</span> <span class="mu-r">“Sorry! It's quicker this way.”</span> she said, gently placing the bundle of fragile materials next to the dog.
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Scorekeeper !!urZ1qzDpXky ID:PnGrOTXD Mon 14 Apr 2025 20:15:30 No. 6229206 Report You eyed her curiously. She wore a colorful striped shirt, some scuffed up sneakers, and a pair of overalls. When she turned to look at you, you noticed that she had a large scar running down one side of her freckled face. <span class="mu-r">“Welcome back!”</span> she cheerfully greeted you. <span class="mu-s">“Hi! Sorry, but…have we…met before?”</span> you asked, careful not to hurt her feelings? The girl gave you a strange look for a second, before smacking herself in the head with an open palm. <span class="mu-r">“Duh! Hello, Janine! Of course you don't recognize me with my skinsuit on!”</span> You quirked an eyebrow at her. <span class="mu-s">“Excuse me, but…what? What's a ’skinsuit’? And who's Janine?”</span> <span class="mu-i">“That, my dear, is the Mask Maker making a mockery of your species.”</span> Shaggy dryly explained, not even looking up from his book this time. <span class="mu-i">“And that ghastly thing she's wearing is made from real human skin.”</span> The girl nodded eagerly. <span class="mu-r">“Yup! It's my skinsuit! And while I'm wearing it, my name's Janine.”</span> she said, reintroducing herself and twirling around so that you could see her from every angle. <span class="mu-r">“It's my best one yet!”</span> She seemed proud of her work. So much so that you were having trouble figuring out whether you should be creeped out, or impressed. What will you say?>”Please don't tell me you got that from actual, living people…” >”I really hope Khonshu doesn't find out about this...” >”That's…actually impressive. You look like a real human. You must have worked hard on this.” >”Why don’t the rest of your costumes look this good? Is it hard to make enchanted costumes like this?” >”Nice human cosplay! It kind of reminds me of something, though…” >”I don't think I've ever heard of a Limbo demon that didn't actually like being a demon.” >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6229206 >>”Please don't tell me you got that from actual, living people…” Anonymous
>>6229206 >”Please don't tell me you got that from actual, living people…” I’m sure they were already dead…
>”That's…actually impressive. You look like a real human. You must have worked hard on this.” Though what’s her excuse for the scar? I’m sure people question it.
>”I don't think I've ever heard of a Limbo demon that didn't actually like being a demon.” Anonymous
Omg we are back. Here's hoping OP is still going to continue
Anonymous
That took forever to fix. Back and ready to vote.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sat 26 Apr 2025 20:32:48 No. 6230150 Report >>6229401 Hey all! It's been a while! Glad to see my thread is still up and on the front page! I'd say an update is long overdue, but it'll unfortunately have to wait until I have some time to sit down and write it.
>>6230143 Feel free to cast your vote while I'm preoccupied!
Anonymous
>”Please don't tell me you got that from actual, living people…”
Anonymous
>>6230150 My honest reaction to 4chan going down was "how will maximum spider quest continue"
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 27 Apr 2025 16:37:26 No. 6230603 Report Quoted By:
>>6229207 >>6229283 >>6230151 >”Please don't tell me you got that from actual, living people…” Taking these. Writing...
>>6230273 Mine too!
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 27 Apr 2025 18:11:16 No. 6230652 Report Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">Testing</span>
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 27 Apr 2025 18:18:43 No. 6230659 Report Quoted By:
Your stomach turned, and you fought the urge to take a step away from her. <span class="mu-s">“Please don't tell me you got that from actual, living people…”</span> Janine, unaware of your feelings or even your change in tone, kept on smiling. <span class="mu-r">“I wish! I got all this flesh from the meat market. Only the freshest cuts!”</span> She pinched the skin on her arm between two fingers, pulled slightly, and let it snap back into place. <span class="mu-r">“Look how springy it is! I had to go through so many natural oils to get it like this.”</span> It <span class="mu-i">was</span> impressive. A little freaky, but you couldn't deny the talent and effort that such a creation would require. You might have even complimented her on it, if the thought of monsters buying and selling human flesh wasn't taking up prime real estate in your head right now. <span class="mu-i">“Quit bothering the girl, Janine.”</span> Shaggy sighed. <span class="mu-i">“Here. Come help me grind up this poultice.”</span> Janine's face fell, and, with extreme reluctance, she dragged herself over to where Shaggy sat on the floor. Your brows drew together in confusion. <span class="mu-s">“Poultice? What for?”</span> <span class="mu-i">“For you, in case that wound gets infected. Although…I don't see much of a wound anymore.”</span> Shaggy answering, staring up at your face. Your hand reflexively moved to touch the wound that zombie Were had given you. It didn't burn or itch like it had when you'd first received it. And, now that you were paying attention to it, you realized that the pain was nearly gone completely. With some subtle prodding, Mercy released your phone to you, and you opened up to your camera app so that you could get a better look at yourself. In the camera's reflection, your fingers found nothing but tender, pink flesh. It was the only evidence that you'd been injured at all! This must be your Kumiho healing factor at work. The more you thought about it, the more you realized that Wanda might’ve had a point about all this. It could turn out to be more of a blessing than a curse. So long as there weren't any unforeseen side effects, that is. And until you could confirm that for yourself, you weren't going to be thanking your mother, or anyone else for doing this to you. <span class="mu-i">“No visible infection, but I’ll whip something up for you, just in case.”</span> You nodded gratefully and turned towards the stairs. <span class="mu-s">“Thanks. I'm gonna head upstairs for a bit. I left something in the guest room.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“Take as much time as you need, girl. I'll be down here if you need me.”</span> Shaggy said, returning his attention to the open tome propped up before him. As you ascended the creaky wooden steps, you kept your eyes on the pair until walking past the first floor's ceiling made them impossible to see. In a daze, you entered the second story's hallway and made your way towards the guest bedroom, unsure of why your footing was so certain, despite you never having walked this path. Maybe you were remembering it from when you were still delirious from the summoning ritual. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 27 Apr 2025 18:19:46 No. 6230660 Report Quoted By:
You stopped in front of the still open door, your eyes hunting for the familiar sword. You found it almost immediately, still propped up at the foot of the guest bed. The scabbard and hilt were black as pitch, with only a single white crescent moon resting near the scabbard’s opening to decorate it. You walked over to pick it up, and then gasped slightly at how light it felt in your hands. It definitely wasn’t your imagination. You were getting stronger. You hadn’t even felt Mercy helping you that time. You slowly lifted the sword up to eye level, and popped the blade out of its sheath by several inches. To your surprise, the metal appeared to have a golden sheen to it. You drew out the blade even further, and found that the entire thing was forged out of this gold metal. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“What is that?”</span> Mercy asked, her head materializing over your shoulder. You didn’t answer at first, your focus entirely absorbed by the golden weapon in your hands. The blade had a slight curve to it, similar to Japanese swords. But this metal was…entirely unfamiliar to you. Sure, you weren’t exactly an expert, but you felt somewhat confident in your ability to identify the properties of metals used in most weapons. <span class="mu-s">“I don’t know. But I think I know who we can ask.”</span> you declared, sheathing the blade once more. —------- The next time you unsheathed the blade, Shaggy was close enough to inspect it. He squinted, sniffed at it, and touched his tongue slightly to the flat of the blade. After another minute of contemplation, his eyes flew wide open. “Well, I’ll be damned…” he muttered, holding out a paw to block Janine from touching it. <span class="mu-r">“Move! I wanna see!”</span> she protested. “You can see just fine from there.” he countered. <span class="mu-s">“What? What is it?”</span> you asked, eager to learn more about it. “This sword is forged from Orichalcum. An exceedingly rare material used Pre-Cataclysm. Some say that the ancient Atlanteans used it in their technology, and that the mineral possessed the ability to act as a conduit for magic spells.” he explained, sounding genuinely impressed. You pulled the sword away from Shaggy and raised it up to the light. What will you say?>”Why would my mom have a magical, Atlantean sword? And why’d she give it to me?” >”Soooo what? I can use this thing to cast spells? Or are you telling me that I can cut magic with it?” >”Exactly how rare is this thing? Like, should I be worried that the Huntsman might want to sell it later?” >”Wanda’s gonna be so mad when she finds out I got a magic sword too…” >Write-in.</span>
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 27 Apr 2025 18:28:41 No. 6230671 Report You stopped in front of the still open door, your eyes hunting for the familiar sword. You found it almost immediately, still propped up at the foot of the guest bed. The scabbard and hilt were black as pitch, with only a single white crescent moon resting near the scabbard’s opening to decorate it. You walked over to pick it up, and then gasped slightly at how light it felt in your hands. It definitely wasn’t your imagination. You were getting stronger. You hadn’t even felt Mercy helping you that time. You slowly lifted the sword up to eye level, and popped the blade out of its sheath by several inches. To your surprise, the metal appeared to have a golden sheen to it. You drew out the blade even further, and found that the entire thing was forged out of this gold metal. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“What is that?”</span></span> Mercy asked, her head materializing over your shoulder. You didn’t answer at first, your focus entirely absorbed by the golden weapon in your hands. The blade had a slight curve to it, similar to Japanese swords. But this metal was…entirely unfamiliar to you. Sure, you weren’t exactly an expert, but you felt somewhat confident in your ability to identify the properties of metals used in most weapons. <span class="mu-s">“I don’t know. But I think I know who we can ask.”</span> you declared, sheathing the blade once more. —------- The next time you unsheathed the blade, Shaggy was close enough to inspect it. He squinted, sniffed at it, and touched his tongue slightly to the flat of the blade. After another minute of contemplation, his eyes flew wide open. <span class="mu-i">“Well, I’ll be damned…”</span> he muttered, holding out a paw to block Janine from touching it. <span class="mu-r">“Move! I wanna see!”</span> she protested. <span class="mu-i">“You can see just fine from there.”</span> he countered. <span class="mu-s">“What? What is it?”</span> you asked, eager to learn more about it. <span class="mu-i">“This sword is forged from Orichalcum. An exceedingly rare material used Pre-Cataclysm. Some say that the ancient Atlanteans used it in their technology, and that the mineral possessed the ability to act as a conduit for magic spells.”</span> he explained, sounding genuinely impressed. You pulled the sword away from Shaggy and raised it up to the light. What will you say?>”Why would my mom have a magical, Atlantean sword? And why’d she give it to me?” >”Soooo what? I can use this thing to cast spells? Or are you telling me that I can cut magic with it?” >”Exactly how rare is this thing? Like, should I be worried that the Huntsman might want to sell it later?” >”Wanda’s gonna be so mad when she finds out I got a magic sword too…” >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6230671 >>”Soooo what? I can use this thing to cast spells? Or are you telling me that I can cut magic with it?” Anonymous
>>6230671 >”Soooo what? I can use this thing to cast spells? Or are you telling me that I can cut magic with it?” What magic are Kumiho known for? Also, what would its effectiveness be on divine creatures?
I’ll guess using it will draw out our Kumiho side more. That seems to be what mom wants.
>”Wanda’s gonna be so mad when she finds out I got a magic sword too…” Maybe we should get her a gift before we get back.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Tue 29 Apr 2025 22:56:01 No. 6232021 Report Quoted By:
>>6230800 >>6230867 >”Soooo what? I can use this thing to cast spells? Or are you telling me that I can cut magic with it?” Taking these. Writing...
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Wed 30 Apr 2025 02:02:24 No. 6232111 Report Quoted By:
You lowered the blade until it was at chest level, and ran a claw along the line of its razor sharp edge. <span class="mu-s">“Soooo what? I can use this thing to cast spells? Or are you telling me that I can cut magic with it?”</span> you asked. Shaggy let out a contemplative grumble before replying. <span class="mu-i">“Depending on where your talents lie, and the nature of this blade’s enchantment, I'd say that neither would be completely out of the question.”</span> he confirmed. You couldn't help but grin at the thought of that. Ever since you were a little girl, you've always wanted your own magic sword! <span class="mu-s">“Is there any way that we can test that?”</span> you said, perhaps a little <span class="mu-i">too</span> eagerly. Janine grinned, and looked about ready to bolt from the room, but Shaggy wasted no time in snagging her by her suspenders with his teeth. <span class="mu-i">“Hold on! I think I still have my witch costume!”</span> she said, frantically running in place, as she was unable to free herself from Shaggy’s grasp. <span class="mu-s">“But what about your human costume? You looked so happy to be wearing it.”</span> you said. Shaggy tried to say something, but it was muffled by the suspenders still stuck in his mouth. Begrudgingly, he let go of the girl, and she immediately sprinted into another room. Presumably, to find that witch costume of hers. <span class="mu-i">“Bah! That little imp is going to burn a hole through these floors with all that scampering.”</span> he groused, before turning his attention back to you. <span class="mu-i">“But to answer your question, it’s because her human costume is special. She’s designed it to work with her other costumes.”</span> <span class="mu-s">“What’s the point of that?”</span> <span class="mu-i">“I think it’s because deep down, she wants to resemble a human as closely as possible. Even when she’s dressed up as something else.”</span> You both turned to stare at the door that Janine had disappeared through, but neither of you said anything further on the topic. Shortly afterwards, Janine had returned. Only, this time, her skin was green, her nose had gotten a bit longer, and she was wearing a black tattered dress and wide-brimmed, pointy hat. <span class="mu-r">“You ready to slice up some fireballs!?”</span> the little witch said. Shaggy let out a low growl. <span class="mu-i">“What did I say about throwing fireballs around the shop…?”</span> Janine just cackled like the wicked little thing she was cosplaying as. —------- It took some convincing, but you managed to get Shaggy to let you and Janine practice out front, where he could properly supervise you. Harpy was still keeping a lookout from atop her perch, and Deadhead had yet to find his way here. You hoped he hadn’t gotten lost or stuck somewhere. You might have to go looking for him if he doesn't turn up soon. <span class="mu-r">“Hey! Are you done warming up yet?”</span> Janine called out, casually tossing a fireball up and down in one hand, while the other rested on her hip. You gripped your sword a little tighter, and tried your very best to ignore the disapproving look on Shaggy’s face. (Cont.)
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Wed 30 Apr 2025 02:03:25 No. 6232112 Report What will you say/do?>”I’m ready whenever you are!” (Try to cut through Janine’s fireballs) >”Actually, I was thinking we could try something else? Maybe you could have me cut through a magic construct instead. Like a golem, or something.” >”I’m surprised that you can actually cast magic in that form. Do you know any other spells?” >”Shaggy’s right. We might be a little too close to Grandma Young’s shop to start throwing fireballs around.” >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6232112 >>”I’m ready whenever you are!” (Try to cut through Janine’s fireballs) Anonymous
>>6232112 >”I’m ready whenever you are!” (Try to cut through Janine’s fireballs) We ever play baseball?
Maybe we scoot to the side a bit so the shop isn’t directly behind either of us. It’d suck if we went to cut a fireball only to reflect it instead.
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Thu 01 May 2025 01:43:48 No. 6232731 Report >>6232133 >>6232605 >”I’m ready whenever you are!” (Try to cut through Janine’s fireballs) Roll 1d100, bo3!
>>6232605 Cindy enjoys playing baseball! It was among her favorite sports that she played with her parents.
Anonymous
Rolled 2 (1d100) >>6232731 Anonymous
Rolled 42 (1d100) >>6232731 Anonymous
Rolled 79 (1d100) >>6232731 Time to see how good she was then.
I didn’t think about Mercy. Man I hope we don’t miss.
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Fri 02 May 2025 04:29:44 No. 6233452 Report Quoted By:
>>6232732 >>6233214 >>6233248 >79 Taking these. Writing...
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Fri 02 May 2025 06:47:37 No. 6233502 Report Quoted By:
Your eyes narrowed with determination as you stared down the little witch girl. You focused on retracting your claws, and found the task surprisingly easy. Detailed images of Kumiho anatomy flickered through your mind with an uncanny amount of clarity. Particularly, the areas around their hands and fingers. You remembered reading that, in their human form, a Kumiho's hands operated on musculature not too dissimilar from that of a feline's. This included a network of tendons and ligaments that allowed them to extend and retract their claws. So, it stood to reason that you also possessed them. The muscles would be a little weak, and underdeveloped, but they should still work. You imagined a detailed diagram of muscles pulling your claws back into your fingers, and focused on replicating the feeling. Slowly, your nails subtly <span class="mu-i">shifted</span> in place, before retreating back into your flesh. Not all the way, of course, but you needed them short enough to where they wouldn’t interfere with your grip on the sword's hilt. After that, you focused on getting your breathing under control. Or at least...you tried to, because the way Mercy was writhing and slithering along your skin was enough to distract you from the fact that you were staring down about half a dozen fireballs. How many more is she going to make!? <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“This is unwise…!”</span></span> Mercy hissed from between your shoulder blades. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“We will burn…!”</span></span> <span class="mu-s">“Relax~! This isn't my first time dodging fireballs.”</span> you said in a hushed tone. <span class="mu-s">“And if we get singed, I'll just roll around in the dirt.”</span> She started squirming even harder. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“You would dirty us so soon after your apostate mother bathed us!?”</span></span> You frowned over your shoulder. <span class="mu-s">“First of all, she didn’t <span class="mu-i">bathe</span> us. I bathed myself, and you got thrown in the washer/dryer.”</span> you corrected. <span class="mu-s">“Second, don't talk about my mom like that.”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“It is the truth!”</span></span> she protested. Unable to look your alien ghost companion in the eye, you glared over at Janine. She was officially up to ten fireballs. You really should've set a limit. <span class="mu-s">“We don't know the full story yet.”</span> you groused, adjusting your footing and your grip on the sword's hilt until you were taking a batter's stance. Janine’s grin widened, flashing you a mouth full of yellow teeth as she started juggling the fireballs in more complex, winding patterns. <span class="mu-i">“Who’re you talking to over there?”</span> Shaggy called out. <span class="mu-s">“Myself. Now let’s play ball!”</span> you shouted back. Before he could get another word in, Janine let loose a volley of fireballs by frantically windmilling her arms at you. One after another, the magically formed projectiles streaked towards you, quickly eating up the distance between Janine’s hand and your incredibly flammable clothes. <span class="mu-s">“Mercy, stop...squirming…! It tickles!”</span> you muttered, using every ounce of willpower you had left to bite back a laugh. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Fri 02 May 2025 06:51:52 No. 6233506 Report Quoted By:
When she realized that she was preventing you from focusing on the task at hand, she stopped moving, and tightened herself around your body. <span class="mu-s">“That’s more like it.”</span> you whispered, before swinging your sword at the first cluster of fireballs. Since there were this many, you had to be sure that each of your swings were as efficient as possible. And that meant having to take out multiple fireballs in one stroke. Like so. You leaned your body slightly away from the flaming projectiles, Mercy quivering from the heat that they were giving off. All the while, your Atlantean blade’s edge was gliding through the fireballs and…cutting them clean in half!? Your sword came out the other end, glowing a little brighter than it had before, but completely unscathed. And along the path that the sword’s edge had traveled, there existed a gap in which Janine’s magic simply didn’t exist. You had literally carved a path straight through the path of her spell! You swiftly rotated the sword in your hand, and swung out with another horizontal slash going in the opposite direction, allowing you to bisect another two fireballs. You spun away from them before they could touch your clothes, and kept a careful watch over all the ones you’d slashed so far. With their magic disrupted, each one fizzled out, and faded into embers. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Look forward!”</span></span> Mercy warned. You swung your head back around and tucked it to the side just in time to avoid a fireball to the face. It was immediately followed by another, which you side-stepped easily enough. Another three were still headed your way. You rotated your sword, slammed it into the first of the oncoming volley, batting it away so that it could explode harmlessly into the ground. You maintained your sword form and swatted the second one away as well. But for the third, you decided to do something a little different. Instead of deflecting the projectile into the ground, you made use of the fireball’s momentum and allowed your body to move with it. You twirled around, spun your sword along your wrist, and launched the fireball back at Janine with another swing. Her eyes widened, and she extended a finger in your direction. A bolt of light shot from its tip and struck the incoming fireball, causing the whole thing to burst into a tiny cloud of smoke. You expected her to be annoyed, or surprised, but the little girl looked delighted that you had even attempted such a thing. <span class="mu-r">“Haha! That. Was. <span class="mu-s">AWESOME</span>! Do it again!”</span> the little witch girl cackled. Her laughter must’ve been contagious, because you soon found yourself joining in. Even Harpy was watching you both with some curiosity. The only one opposed to all this was currently hiding his eyes behind a single raised paw. <span class="mu-i">“Please…just tell me when it’s over…”</span> he sighed. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Fri 02 May 2025 06:53:12 No. 6233507 Report Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“Better pop open those peepers, Smokey! Because I’m about to put some pepper on this one!”</span> Janine declared, taking a more serious pitcher’s stance. She even raised her leg and everything. You decided to humor her, and waggled your sword around like an impatient batter. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“No more!”</span></span> Mercy begged. <span class="mu-s">“Just one more. I promise.”</span> you said. <span class="mu-s">“I really wanna knock this one out of the park.”</span>>79 Mercy coiled tighter around you, and you felt an itching sensation around your tailbone, but you ignored it all, and focused on the fireball still firmly clutched in Janine’s hands. The green witch girl wound her arm up, and launched the flaming projectile in an underhand pitch that shot towards you in the blink of an eye. The fireball zig-zagged wildly as it flew, leaving a winding comet-tail as the only thing connecting it to Janine’s hand. You watched it closely, waiting for it to rapidly change trajectory. And when it did, you were ready- <span class="mu-b">“There you guys are! These streets are too damn confusing.”</span> You lost focus, turning around to glance back at Deadhead. He was approaching the shop, entirely unaware of the thing hurtling past you, and now at him. And in the next second, Deadhead was fully engulfed in flames. <span class="mu-b">“WHAT THE FU-AAAAAH!”</span> You gasped, dropped your sword, and used your free hand to muffle a cry. Janine <span class="mu-i">froze</span>, her delighted expression faltering after she saw what she had done. Shaggy was racing around the house, looking for a bucket to fill some water with. <span class="mu-i">“Water scrolls! We need water scrolls!”</span> he shouted. Harpy was throwing her head back in <span class="mu-i">wild</span> laughter, not even attempting to rescue Walker from his plight. You didn’t know what to do, so you recommended the one method that your parents drilled into your head as a child. <span class="mu-s">“Stop, drop and roll!”</span> you shouted. Deadhead did exactly that, and several moments later, Shaggy was sprinting towards him with a bundle of scrolls held in his mouth. —------ Once the screaming had stopped and the fire was put out, everyone was standing in a circle, staring down at Deadhead. He was laying on his back, his breath labored, his flesh still charred and smoldering from the ordeal. <span class="mu-r">“Sorry…”</span> Janine moaned pitifully, clutching her witch mask in her hands tightly. <span class="mu-s">“Yeah, Shaggy warned us not to play with fire.”</span> you added. <span class="mu-s">“We should’ve listened.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“Yes. You should have.”</span> the dog huffed. <span class="mu-b">“Holy shit…he can talk.”</span> Deadhead said, turning his head towards Shaggy. The old dog let out a weary sigh. <span class="mu-s">“But seriously,”</span> you cut in. <span class="mu-s">“You lit up like a Christmas tree back there! Are you sure you’re okay?”</span> <span class="mu-b">“Oh yeah, no worries. I took some anti-inflammatory medication earlier.”</span> he said, right before going into a rasping, laughing cough. That sounded like it hurt. Shaggy groaned and placed a paw between his eyes. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Fri 02 May 2025 06:58:51 No. 6233511 Report <span class="mu-b">“I think you should worry more about yourself, though.”</span> he added, looking past your legs. <span class="mu-b">“It looks like you’re not done putting out that fire.”</span> You tilted your head in confusion. <span class="mu-s">“Huh?”</span> And that’s when you glanced down and saw what had grabbed his attention. Your heart <span class="mu-i">dropped</span> when you saw the multi-colored flames dancing along your fox tails. Plural. As in…more than one. You spun around, thrashing your tails in order to put out the fire. But they didn’t go out, no matter how hard you tried. Then, you stopped and realized something else. This fire wasn’t actually hot. Not even a little bit. Shaggy was looking at you with concern, but, after a few seconds you could see him coming to the same conclusion that you had. <span class="mu-i">“Fox lights.”</span> he concluded. You nodded absently. <span class="mu-s">“Kitsunebi.”</span> <span class="mu-b">“Huh?”</span> Deadhead blurted out, looking to Harpy for help. She just shrugged at him. <span class="mu-s">“Foxfire.”</span> you clarified. <span class="mu-s">“It’s virtually harmless, but they say that Kumiho and Kitsune used them to mislead travelers and bring about misfortune.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“And now…it’s something that you can do as well.”</span> Shaggy commented. How do you feel about this?>Worried. Your body's going through so many changes so quickly. You just hope you can manage to hide all this before you have to go back to school. >Curious. You wonder what you can accomplish with these fox lights. You might need to experiment with them later. >Excited. If you can create foxfire, then that must also mean that you can create illusions. At least, you think that's how it works. You're honestly not sure. >Exhausted. This was honestly within your expectations. It isn't a surprise for a half-Kumiho to develop Kumiho traits. >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6233511 >>Worried. Your body's going through so many changes so quickly. You just hope you can manage to hide all this before you have to go back to school. Anonymous
>>6233511 >Exhausted. This was honestly within your expectations. It isn't a surprise for a half-Kumiho to develop Kumiho traits. >Worried. Your body's going through so many changes so quickly. When will the changes stop being physical? Tweaked the worried option. We have options to hide what it’s doing physically, but none if it makes us less empathetic or more aggressive.
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 04 May 2025 21:36:38 No. 6235392 Report Quoted By:
>>6233872 >>6234063 >Worried. Your body's going through so many changes so quickly. When will the changes stop being physical? You just hope you can manage to hide all this before you have to go back to school. Combining these. Writing...
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 04 May 2025 22:45:57 No. 6235444 Report Quoted By:
You flexed your tails, watching as they bounced, rainbow flames dancing along your pristine white fur. It would've been a breathtaking sight, if only it wasn't growing out of your back… How many tails were you supposed to grow? All nine of them? How would you even hide that? What if… What if the changes weren't just physical? What if this curse was changing you, inside and out? Would it change who you were? What if it was already happening? Would you even realize it if that was the case? What if-? <span class="mu-i">“Cindy.”</span> You blinked for a second, numbly realizing that Shaggy was addressing you directly. Everyone was looking at you, and you instinctively hid your tails behind your back. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Fire…!”</span></span> That had come from Mercy. You weren’t sure if the others could hear it. <span class="mu-i">“It's okay. Those flames can't hurt you.”</span> <span class="mu-s">“I know that!”</span> you snapped. <span class="mu-s">“I'm just wondering what size pants I'll have to wear to hide these in public.”</span> <span class="mu-b">“Hey…it'll be alright.”</span> Deadhead said, trying his best to comfort you, which honestly left you feeling a little confused. <span class="mu-b">“That asshole werewolf showed you how to change back right?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“Yeah, but that was before I grew a whole other tail and started shooting flames out of my butt!”</span> you exclaimed. <span class="mu-r">“I don’t know about anyone else, but I think that sounds pretty cool…”</span> Janine offered. You gave her a scathing look, and the girl shrank back, hiding her face behind her pointy hat. <span class="mu-s">“‘Pretty cool’? I can't just take this off like a…mask or costume! I'm turning into a demon, and I don't know how to stop it! I don't even know if I'll be able to turn back after-”</span> Shaggy barked at you. Actually barked. It was so loud that it left your vulpine ears ringing. It also brought your rant to a screeching halt. You were still breathing hard, your hand gripping the hilt of your sword so hard that your knuckles were going white. Shaggy glanced at it, and you finally remembered to sheathe it. You took a deep, shuddering breath, and tried to get your heart rate under control. <span class="mu-i">“I know you're upset.”</span> Shaggy began. <span class="mu-i">“And you have every reason to be. Your life has changed so much in only the last 24 hours, and I wouldn't expect you to be able to cope with it all so soon.”</span> Just then, Mercy bandages started constricting you, making it that much harder to get your breathing under control. Shaggy either didn’t notice this, or didn't understand what was happening, because he went on. <span class="mu-i">“But I also know that there are people who love you, and would move mountains for you. Your grandmother. Your mother. Your guardian. They all want to help you.”</span> The multicolored flames slowly began to creep up your back, steadily spreading to other parts of your body. Mercy started to thrash, and it all you could do to keep her under control! <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Fire…! Fire…!”</span></span> <span class="mu-s">“Mercy…! It's not real!”</span> you said in a hushed tone. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 04 May 2025 22:46:58 No. 6235446 Report <span class="mu-i">“You just have to let them.”</span> Shaggy finished. And then…all hell broke loose. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Fire!”</span></span> Mercy roared, and her cloth tendrils shot out in all directions as she moved to cover your entire body, giving you a downright monstrous appearance. Janine hopped back just in time to avoid being struck, and Harpy took flight without hesitation. Deadhead was struck squarely in the chest and flew back a dozen feet. Shaggy hadn't gotten any closer, but he also wasn't willing to leave without trying to help. You tried to tell them to run, to get out of here! But your voice was muffled under all these layers. You could barely breathe…! What will you do?>Flee the scene, and find somewhere safe to calm Mercy down. >Tear yourself free from Mercy's embrace, and try to reason with her. >Focus on calming yourself down, and try meditating. You could still vaguely feel Khonshu's presence, so maybe he could get her to chill out. >Try to put out the fox lights. If you created them, then it stood to reason that you could get rid of them. >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6235446 >>Try to put out the fox lights. If you created them, then it stood to reason that you could get rid of them. Anonymous
>>6235446 >Try to put out the fox lights. If you created them, then it stood to reason that you could get rid of them. Splitting the party is never a great idea.
If we can’t dispel them naturally, our sword might disperse the flames if we aim it where they started at the tail tips. If that doesn’t work well enough, it might work to cut the tip of our tail entirely. Which will absolutely hurt, but we can tell ourself we heal fast…
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Tue 06 May 2025 22:45:09 No. 6236707 Report Quoted By:
>>6235449 >>6235516 >Try to put out the fox lights. If you created them, then it stood to reason that you could get rid of them. Taking these. Writing...
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Tue 06 May 2025 23:29:25 No. 6236717 Report You wrestled–no, <span class="mu-i">struggled</span> to regain control of your own body, but Mercy wasn't exactly making it easy for you. The only reason you weren’t currently suffocating inside of your own suit was because your claws were far sharper than they reasonably should be. With them, you were mostly able to free yourself from her clutches. Now, you just had to eliminate the reason behind her freakout. The radiant fox lights outlined Mercy’s thrashing form in varying shades of vibrant, making her appear as if she were a part of some insane pyrotechnics display. Knowing that the flames couldn't burn you was the only comfort you were afforded in this situation. If only you had your toolbelt with- …You glanced down at your stomach. Your <span class="mu-i">bare</span> stomach… OH GOSH! You were in your underwear!! <span class="mu-s">“AH! Mercy! Did you eat my clothes!?”</span> you exclaimed, frantically trying to cover yourself with your own tails, even as they were burning with illusory flame. She wasn’t listening, of course. And you doubted that the others were paying much attention to what you were wearing while Mercy was freaking out like this. You just had to figure out how exactly you were gonna put these flames out.>Exert control over the fox-lights using your inherent magical abilities. >Use your sword to make careful, precise cuts along the edges of where your fox lights are burning.
Anonymous
>>6236717 >>Exert control over the fox-lights using your inherent magical abilities. Anonymous
>>6236717 >Exert control over the fox-lights using your inherent magical abilities. The sword is the backup option since “fine control” is clearly not a thing Mercy will allow us to have right now.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Thu 08 May 2025 00:19:45 No. 6237355 Report >>6236723 >>6237142 >Exert control over the fox-lights using your inherent magical abilities. Roll 1d100, bo3!
Anonymous
Rolled 95 (1d100) >>6237355 Anonymous
Rolled 11 (1d100) >>6237355 Anonymous
Rolled 54 (1d100) >>6237355 Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Thu 08 May 2025 22:37:10 No. 6237852 Report Quoted By:
>>6237368 >>6237388 >>6237655 >95 Taking these. Writing...
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Fri 09 May 2025 00:07:42 No. 6237906 Report Quoted By:
>95 You gripped your sword hilt, a decade of training betraying your temptation to use it. But as you watched your fellow acolyte writhing and lashing out in panic… Your hand loosened, allowing your sword to fall into the dirt, and took a careful step forward. You then raised your hands, palms facing outward to show that you possessed no weapons, and meant no harm. Mercy didn't appear to register this, but you still felt it necessary to lead with that. By now, the colorful, shifting flames were beginning to crawl their way up your arms and back. You watched in numb horror, and maybe a bit of amazement. They were beautiful. Harmless, really. You weren’t even sure how something like this could be useful in the modern day, where there was barely an unlit street to speak of. But…it was also a part of you. A new ability to master. That was all. You closed your eyes, breathed in deep through your nose, and took another step towards Mercy. And then another. And another. On your fourth step, you felt a bolt of cloth whipping past your face hard and fast enough to slice your flesh. You felt a tiny trickle of blood, but nothing serious. You could probably heal that in less than a minute. You could hear Shaggy calling out to you, but you chose to ignore him. More alarming, was the sound of Walker pulling back the hammer on his hand cannon. He didn't fire, but you could tell he was ready to. <span class="mu-s">“It's okay.”</span> you whispered, opening your arms to her. You threw them around the cloth creature, embracing both her and the illusory flames. <span class="mu-s">“I'm here.”</span> Now fully engulfed, you thought you could detect a vague sense of heat or warmth from what must’ve looked like a blazing inferno to any outsider. Normally, that sort of information wouldn't have told you anything important, but you also thought you could feel that very same heat radiating from your skin. In fact, it felt like it was practically <span class="mu-i">pouring</span> out of you. When you tried to draw this heat back into yourself, you only succeeded in making your chest feel warmer. On instinct, you exhaled abruptly, and the Kitsunebi fluctuated almost immediately. Within only seconds, the foxfire went out completely, and Mercy immediately threw herself over you like a blanket. It reminded you of when you used to hide under the covers as a kid. <span class="mu-s">“Don't worry. You're safe.”</span> you reassured her. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“I…I am sorry…I”</span></span> Mercy said in a shaky voice. It sounded like it was coming from all directions. You quickly shushed her before she could start panicking again. <span class="mu-s">“I told you, it's fine. We all have something we're afraid of.”</span> you said, grateful for the blanket to cover up your indecency. <span class="mu-s">“The foxfire surprised me too.”</span> You stared down at your hands. <span class="mu-s">“I think I can control it. I don’t think it can hurt you like real fire, but I don’t blame you if you don't want to be worn by me anymore. It's because of me that you were out there dodging fireballs in the first place.”</span>
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Fri 09 May 2025 00:08:43 No. 6237907 Report You exhaled through your nose and ran a hand through your ivory hair. <span class="mu-s">“And I just yelled at a kid earlier…”</span> you muttered to yourself. “Fox demon or not, the only thing <span class="mu-i">I'm</span> turning into is a colossal jerk.” Suddenly, three tears appeared along the surface of the cloth hanging in front of you. It very much looked like two eyes and a mouth. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“That is now what I have seen.”</span></span> she said softly. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Your ability to be kind, even to your enemies, is most admirable. In that, you show great courage, as well as great strength in your ability to enforce your ideals.”</span></span> You were too stunned to reply, so you never got the chance to interrupt her. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“You are a fine Warrior Priest, Cindy Moon. I can see that your path will be a difficult one, but I feel that you might possess the qualities to overcome those obstacles. If you would still have me, I would be honored to continue serving alongside you.”</span></span> What will you say?>”Of course. You're not getting rid of me that easily.” >”The honor is mine, elder.” >”That depends. Do you think you can help me come up with a cool name and costume to commemorate this partnership?” >”I'd love that, but…don't you want a body of your own? An organic one, I mean.” >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6237907 >>”The honor is mine, elder.” Anonymous
So close to M-M-MAXIMUM SPIDER, yet so far.
>>6237907 >”I'd love that, but…don't you want a body of your own? An organic one, I mean.” I’ll still back
>>6237908 , but I do want to know how she really feels about the idea of being a true Klynar again.
Not that we could talk to anyone about making that happen, of course. That’d be silly. If Khonshu couldn’t make it happen, no mere mortal could.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 11 May 2025 23:54:13 No. 6239740 Report >>6237908 >>6237987 How would you guys like to settle this tie?
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 11 May 2025 23:55:19 No. 6239741 Report Quoted By:
>>6237908 >>6237987 >>6239740 Actually, nvm. I should just move things along.
>”The honor is mine, elder.” Taking this. Writing...
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Sun 11 May 2025 23:56:20 No. 6239742 Report >>6237987 >Not that we could talk to anyone about making that happen, of course. That’d be silly. If Khonshu couldn’t make it happen, no mere mortal could. There are technically other ways to go about it!
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Mon 12 May 2025 04:57:10 No. 6239907 Report Quoted By:
You closed your eyes and bowed your head in deference, a pleased grin on your face. <span class="mu-s">“No. The honor is mine, elder. You’ve been serving for longer than I have.”</span> The tear that represented Mercy’s mouth split open even further. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Long have I desired for a powerful host with devotion such as yours. Together, we shall retake the night in his name.”</span></span> And with those words, the cloth tent collapsed around you. You relaxed, allowing Mercy to slide and slither all over you. It was a bit awkward when you remembered that she used to be an organic being, but she didn’t seem to mind it at all. Her touch felt like a gentle caress, now. It was a gentleness that she didn’t have in the beginning. You were being treated far more delicately, now, her bandages gliding into place as she reformed your outfit. This one was a bit tighter. Tighter in the way that’d make a high school freshman feel self-conscious about her figure. The material felt <span class="mu-i">smooth</span> too. So smooth that it made you feel like you were wearing nothing at all. You could feel some heat creeping into your cheeks as you followed that thread of thought. That feeling immediately went away when you felt Mercy sowing herself into a skirt around your waist. Next was a vest that curved down your chest and looped itself into a belt. After that, you felt a pair of gloves curling around your fingers, and a pair of sandals slipping between your toes. The only time you flinched was when you felt a band of cloth sliding past your eyes and wrapping around your head. Was this a…blindfold? <span class="mu-s">“Uhhh, Mercy?”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Yes, my child?”</span></span> <span class="mu-s">“‘My child’?”</span> you thought, a little startled by the way she was addressing you now. <span class="mu-s">“What’re you doing?”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Hm? Oh, I’m experimenting with our aesthetic, of course. We must be at our finest.”</span></span> You raised an eyebrow as you slowly rose to your feet. <span class="mu-s">“What, was the raggedy mummy look not working for you?”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“I was tired, and stitchwork is complicated.”</span></span> Mercy replied, a bit testily. <span class="mu-s">“So…you were being lazy.”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“It was made for comfort. Was it not comfortable?”</span> “No no, it totally was. It was really light and breathable.” <span class="mu-i">“Good. It was designed with that mind.”</span> Mercy said with no small amount of pride. <span class="mu-i">“It is meant to obscure, not restrict.”</span> “Wow! So you’re like a tailor. Or a fashion designer.” <span class="mu-b">“Uhhh, kid?”</span> You froze, turned your head, and stared at the one who had just spoken. It was Deadhead, his gun now holstered. <span class="mu-b">“Who’re you talking to?”</span> he asked. <span class="mu-r">“Good question.”</span> Harpy remarked, flying up beside him. She was surprisingly swift for someone so big. You were more surprised by that, than the fact that you could now suddenly see, despite your eyes being covered.</span>
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Mon 12 May 2025 04:59:59 No. 6239910 Report Quoted By:
You closed your eyes and bowed your head in deference, a pleased grin on your face. <span class="mu-s">“No. The honor is mine, elder. You’ve been serving for longer than I have.”</span> The tear that represented Mercy’s mouth split open even further. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Long have I desired for a powerful host with devotion such as yours. Together, we shall retake the night in his name.”</span></span> And with those words, the cloth tent collapsed around you. You relaxed, allowing Mercy to slide and slither all over you. It was a bit awkward when you remembered that she used to be an organic being, but she didn’t seem to mind it at all. Her touch felt like a gentle caress, now. It was a gentleness that she didn’t have in the beginning. You were being treated far more delicately, now, her bandages gliding into place as she reformed your outfit. This one was a bit tighter. Tighter in the way that’d make a high school freshman feel self-conscious about her figure. The material felt <span class="mu-i">smooth</span> too. So smooth that it made you feel like you were wearing nothing at all. You could feel some heat creeping into your cheeks as you followed that thread of thought. That feeling immediately went away when you felt Mercy sowing herself into a skirt around your waist. Next was a vest that curved down your chest and looped itself into a belt. After that, you felt a pair of gloves curling around your fingers, and a pair of sandals slipping between your toes. The only time you flinched was when you felt a band of cloth sliding past your eyes and wrapping around your head. Was this a…blindfold? <span class="mu-s">“Uhhh, Mercy?”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Yes, my child?”</span></span> <span class="mu-s">“‘My child’?”</span> you thought, a little startled by the way she was addressing you now. <span class="mu-s">“What’re you doing?”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Hm? Oh, I’m experimenting with our aesthetic, of course. We must be at our finest.”</span></span> You raised an eyebrow as you slowly rose to your feet. <span class="mu-s">“What, was the raggedy mummy look not working for you?”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“My mind was hazy, and stitchwork is complicated.”</span></span> Mercy replied, a bit testily. <span class="mu-s">“So…you were being lazy.”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“It was made for comfort. Was it not comfortable?”</span></span> <span class="mu-s">“No no, it totally was. It was really light and breathable.”</span> <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“Good. It was designed with that mind.”</span></span> Mercy said with no small amount of pride. <span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-i">“It is meant to obscure, not restrict.”</span></span> <span class="mu-s">“Wow! So you’re like a tailor, then. Or a fashion designer.”</span> <span class="mu-b">“Uhhh...kid?”</span> You froze, turned your head, and stared at the one who had just spoken. It was Deadhead, his gun now holstered. <span class="mu-b">“Who’re you talking to?”</span> he asked. <span class="mu-r">“Good question.”</span> Harpy remarked, flying up beside him. She was surprisingly swift for someone so big. You were more surprised by that, than the fact that you could now suddenly see, despite your eyes being covered. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:mR/un7Zk Mon 12 May 2025 05:02:05 No. 6239912 Report <span class="mu-i">“A <span class="mu-s">very</span> good question.”</span> Shaggy added, stepping up beside you, and sniffing at your leg skeptically. <span class="mu-i">“I knew it weren’t natural. What is it?”</span> <span class="mu-s">“A gift. From Khonshu.”</span> you assured him. <span class="mu-s">“Don't worry, she's a friend. The fire just spooked her.”</span> <span class="mu-i">“Yeah? Well, it spooked us too.”</span> Shaggy retorted, his expression deadly serious. <span class="mu-i">“Now, I don’t mean to be a nag,”</span> he went on, lowering his voice as he moved in close. <span class="mu-i">“But are you sure this isn’t something we should all be worrying about?”</span> You firmly shook your head. <span class="mu-s">“No. I trust her. She’s been on our side since the beginning. If it weren’t for her, we might not have made it out of that summit in one piece.”</span> Everyone exchanged glances. After a few seconds of tense silence, they all seemed to grudgingly come to the same unspoken agreement that it wouldn’t be worth it to argue the matter any further. So, they dropped it for now. In order to make that happen, though, you had to promise to explain everything to them later. You wondered how much you were going to tell them. You didn’t think that anyone here would have any motives to kill her, but you were going to have to be a little more careful going forward. It was your job to protect Mercy, after all. Now that you have your sword, what will you do?>Apologize to Janine. She didn’t deserve to be yelled at like that. >Load up on potions and magic equipment from Young’s shop. She probably won’t mind if you help yourself to the good stuff. >Head into town and see if you can’t help with the army’s recruitment process. >Try to catch up with Ben and Ana to lend a hand in Brood Extermination. >Introduce everyone to Mercy. If you were going to work together, people would have to start getting used to seeing the two of you interacting. >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6239912 >>Apologize to Janine. She didn’t deserve to be yelled at like that. >>Load up on potions and magic equipment from Young’s shop. She probably won’t mind if you help yourself to the good stuff. Anonymous
>>6239742 Well, that’s just how we pitch it to Ben. He’ll recognize the reverse psychology, but I bet it’d still work.
>>6239912 Supporting
>>6239914 , but I’d like to add
>Introduce everyone to Mercy. If you were going to work together, people would have to start getting used to seeing the two of you interacting. or something like
>Explain who Khonshu is in general and to you specifically. Shaggy might know of him, but you doubt the others do. It’ll help them understand why you trust Mercy. We can talk about either while we rummage through the shop. It’d be nice if literally anyone in our family was able to talk positively about our god. Ben doesn’t like him and mom only saw him as a tool.
Also, the outfit is nice but Mummy Mode is probably better for stealth. Mercy seems amenable to multiple suits/styles though, so we can tag this as the “regular” outfit.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Wed 14 May 2025 22:26:58 No. 6241557 Report Quoted By:
>>6239914 >>6240248 >Apologize to Janine. She didn’t deserve to be yelled at like that. >Load up on potions and magic equipment from Young’s shop. She probably won’t mind if you help yourself to the good stuff. >Explain who Khonshu is in general and to you specifically. Shaggy might know of him, but you doubt the others do. It’ll help them understand why you trust Mercy. Taking these. Writing...
>>6240248 >We can talk about either while we rummage through the shop. It’d be nice if literally anyone in our family was able to talk positively about our god. Ben doesn’t like him and mom only saw him as a tool. That is a good point! At this rate, Marc is the only one she knows that views Khonshu in a somewhat positive light.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Thu 15 May 2025 00:37:34 No. 6241676 Report Quoted By:
Before you did anything else, you made sure to pull Janine aside and take her back to the shop. The demon girl had changed out of her witch costume by this point, and was now back in her human skinsuit. She had also noticeably deflated ever since you’d yelled at her. That was something you were going to correct, right here and right now. You led her to a wooden crate, helped her onto it, and bent your knees and back until you were at eye level with her. The girl was having trouble meeting your eyes, which only made you feel even worse. [b:lit]“Janine? I'm…I'm really sorry about what I said back there. I shouldn't have yelled at you.”[/b:lit] you admitted, massaging your temple as if to alleviate an oncoming headache. [b:lit]“[i:lit]So[/i:lit] many things have happened to me today, and it's making me feel like I'm going crazy. What I'm trying to say is-”[/b:lit] [red]“I get it.”[/red] Janine interrupted, her voice low. [red]“You lost your temper. Smokey says I have that effect on people. He also says that I'm annoying.”[/red] You opened your mouth to reply, but Janine just talked right over you. [red]“And loud.”[/red] she added. You tried to say something else, but you were interrupted yet again. [red]“And ‘highly disruptive’.”[/red] she put in. [red]“Sorry for being all those things...”[/red] She tried to lower her head, but you managed to lift her chin for her so that you could maintain eye contact. [b:lit]“Hey. What you call annoying, I call…’excitable’!”[/b:lit] you tried, giving her your most encouraging and understanding smile. [b:lit]“You know what we call people like you up top? Small creatures that run around, screaming their heads off and getting into trouble?”[/b:lit] [red]“Annoyingly loud and highly disruptive-”[/red] [b:lit]“No.”[/b:lit] you laughed, placing a hand on her knee. [b:lit]“We just call them kids. Because that's what kids do. They make messes and play and run around, because that's what they're supposed to do. Because when they grow up, they have less and less chances to play around and express themselves freely.”[/b:lit] You released Janine's chin, and it looked like she was once again capable of holding her own head up. [red]“Is that why Smokey's so cranky all the time?”[/red] she asked. You giggled, and Janine did the same. [b:lit]“Probably, yeah.”[/b:lit] you agreed with a nod. [b:lit]“I was a little cranky myself back there.”[/b:lit] Janine started nodding unconsciously before she caught herself. You just shrugged to let her know that it was okay. [b:lit]“No, I deserve that. I normally don't yell at kids, and today shouldn't have been an exception.”[/b:lit] you said, shaking your head. [b:lit]“If you're willing to forgive me, I'd like to start fresh. As friends.”[/b:lit] Janine smiled sheepishly and glanced down at your outstretched hand. Instead of taking your hand, the girl lunged at you and wrapped her arms around your shoulders. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Thu 15 May 2025 00:41:18 No. 6241684 Report Quoted By:
It looks like my IP's changed since my internet went down yesterday. [red]Testing[/red]
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Thu 15 May 2025 00:42:19 No. 6241686 Report Quoted By:
In that case, I'll be posting this update without the usual formatting.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Thu 15 May 2025 00:46:10 No. 6241695 Report Quoted By:
Before you did anything else, you made sure to pull Janine aside and take her back to the shop. The demon girl had changed out of her witch costume by this point, and was now back in her human skinsuit. She had also noticeably deflated ever since you’d yelled at her. That was something you were going to correct, right here and right now. You led her to a wooden crate, helped her onto it, and bent your knees and back until you were at eye level with her. The girl was having trouble meeting your eyes, which only made you feel even worse. “Janine? I'm…I'm really sorry about what I said back there. I shouldn't have yelled at you.” you admitted, massaging your temple as if to alleviate an oncoming headache. “So many things have happened to me today, and it's making me feel like I'm going crazy. What I'm trying to say is-” “I get it.” Janine interrupted, her voice low. “You lost your temper. Smokey says I have that effect on people. He also says that I'm annoying.” You opened your mouth to reply, but Janine just talked right over you. “And loud.” she added. You tried to say something else, but you were interrupted yet again. “And ‘highly disruptive’.” she put in. “Sorry for being all those things...” She tried to lower her head, but you managed to lift her chin for her so that you could maintain eye contact. “Hey. What you call annoying, I call…’excitable’!” you tried, giving her your most encouraging and understanding smile. “You know what we call people like you up top? Small creatures that run around, screaming their heads off and getting into trouble?” “Annoyingly loud, highly disruptive-” “No.” you laughed, placing a hand on her knee. “We just call them kids. Because that's what kids do. They make messes and play and run around, because that's what they're supposed to do. Because when they grow up, they have less and less chances to play around and express themselves freely.” You released Janine's chin, and it looked like she was once again capable of holding her own head up. “Is that why Smokey's so cranky all the time?” she asked. You giggled, and Janine did the same. “Probably, yeah.” you agreed with a nod. “I was a little cranky myself back there.” Janine started nodding unconsciously before she caught herself. You just shrugged to let her know that it was okay. “No, I deserve that. I normally don't yell at kids, and today shouldn't have been an exception.” you said, shaking your head. “If you're willing to forgive me, I'd like to start fresh. As friends.” Janine smiled sheepishly and glanced down at your outstretched hand. Instead of taking your hand, the girl lunged at you and wrapped her arms around your shoulders. Your body stiffened as you took a moment to register what was happening to you. But it wasn't long before you were hugging her back, a contented grin on your face. After about a minute, she broke off the hug, and you both ended up smiling at each other.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Thu 15 May 2025 00:47:12 No. 6241697 Report Quoted By:
“Say…you know your way around this place, right?” you asked, gesturing at the room as a whole. Janine nodded eagerly. “Yup! I've watched the shop by myself loads of times before.” she explained in a way that told you she was very proud of that fact. You tousled her hair, and she giggled. “Great. Maybe you can help me pick out some equipment for this big battle we've got coming up.” Janine gasped with all the drama and enthusiasm that she could reasonably express with her human features, and you couldn't help but mirror her excitement. But before she could reply, Shaggy threw the front door open and stepped inside. “Not without direct supervision, you're not.” he interjected. Deadhead followed him in, glancing around the room with interest. “Got any grub? I worked up an appetite having to climb all those stairs earlier.” he said, patting his stomach. After him, was Harpy. But due to her immense size, she was having far more trouble fitting through the door than everyone else. “Should've had soup.” Harpy suggested as she grunted with exertion. “Was…adequate…!” “I would have! If someone didn't house the entire pot!” he exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “And look who can't fit through the door.” Harpy bared her fangs and gave Deadhead a dangerous look. The blue, muscled merc then threw his arms up in a placating gesture. “I'm joking. You’ve got a great figure.” he tried. “You're a little bottom-heavy, but–hey, guys love a gal with a little meat on her bones. It's a sign of wealth, and good health. Plus, big butts are really fashionable right now.” You shook your head at him. The moment Harpy managed to wiggle her way inside, it was all Shaggy could to keep her from eviscerating him. “Not in the house! Not in the house!” he pleaded. —---- “You pray to the moon?” Deadhead said with a poorly concealed scoff. The man was currently healing from his last scuffle with Harpy. This one wasn't nearly as bad as the last one had been, so maybe that was progress. “No, he's real. He's an Egyptian deity that works to protect the travelers of the night.” you explained while picking through the assortment of potions, artifacts and baubles that Janine was bringing you. “Typically, he acts through his servants, like me. I'm supposed to protect the innocent in his name.” Shaggy placed his forelegs onto the counter, immediately snagged a magical artifact that he apparently didn't approve of you using, and moved to place it in a pile with the others. So far, you managed to hold onto the staff that switched between different weapon forms, a couple of acid jars, and a bag full of bombs that could forcefully shapeshift anyone that it hit.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Thu 15 May 2025 00:48:14 No. 6241698 Report Deadhead watched the shaggy black dog trot past from his place on Young's couch. Harpy glanced at him, but only for a second, before she busied herself sniffing Young's collection of potions. Shaggy had cautioned her against trying to drink them, but he was at least allowing her to do this, even if it looked like he didn't want to. “How exactly does this God of yours decide who's innocent, and who isn't?” “He just…knows.” you said with a shrug. “He's a God, remember? All powerful and all knowing?” Deadhead nodded and waved his hand lazily. Mercy had to sew his fingers back on after that last fight. “Right, I got that. But to my knowledge, there are multiple gods that fulfill roughly the same role. Not even counting the gods from the Egyptian pantheon.” Deadhead said, his tone betraying a bit of his exasperation. “There are other moon gods out there too. What makes you believe in yours so much?” It was an irritating question, but a fair one. Thankfully, Janine picked now to come over and bring you another handful of trinkets. She pointed at a gauntlet, first. “This one oozes sticky tree sap to trap your enemies.”[/red] she said, before moving on to a pair of rubber latex gloves. [red]“These make it so that you can punch people as hard as you can without killing them!”[/red] She was about to explain what the spinning top did, when Shaggy scooped it up and carried it away. “Not that one.” Janine harrumphed and went back to digging. You returned your attention to Deadhead. What will you say?>”I believe in Khonshu because he's made it his mission to protect the innocent and helpless, and I admire that.” >”I don't care that there are other moon gods out there. The world would be a worse place without Khonshu's intervention, and I don't see the other moon gods doing nearly as much to help.” >”I've known him since I was little. I might be biased because of it, but Khonshu's always felt like a third parent to me. He's always been there when I needed him, and now I'm in a position to repay the favor.” >”Why don’t you guys tell me a little more about yourselves? Do you have any gods or deities that you believe in?” >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6241698 >”Because he still listens to me, even as I’m listening to him less.” I can buy that we’ve been with Ben long enough to realize our whole family/god situation wasn’t the healthiest. We’re not dedicating our full time to Khonshu like we used to either since Ben has us in school and we’re making friends. If he wanted a tool, we’re not the best one anymore.
In spite of that, he still responds when we call to him. We still matter to a god, even as our own attention to him wanes. I say that’s enough to believe in him on a personal level, not just because we were raised to.
Anonymous
Anonymous
>>6241698 >”I've known him since I was little. I might be biased because of it, but Khonshu's always felt like a third parent to me. He's always been there when I needed him, and now I'm in a position to repay the favor.” From what I remember, Khonshu doesn't resent calculated worship like our mother gave, but ours was genuine despite that. I mean technically we weren't raised to keep following him because we were supposed to abandon him 'to assist our growth' or whatever.
Anonymous
>>6242194 I back this as a starting point myself since it makes sense. My write-in is to suggest it’s been made even deeper after Ben’s influence. He made us question assumptions on how we were raised, and Khonshu checks out even after that.
Not that Ben would like to hear he made us a more devout worshipper, but thems the breaks.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 17 May 2025 01:04:17 No. 6242821 Report Quoted By:
>>6241835 >>6242082 >>6242194 >>6242324 >”Because he still listens to me, even as I’m listening to him less.” >”I've known him since I was little. I might be biased because of it, but Khonshu's always felt like a third parent to me. He's always been there when I needed him, and now I'm in a position to repay the favor.” Taking these. Writing...
>>6241835 >>6242082 >>6242194 >>6242324 Your faith in Khonshu in inspiring!
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 17 May 2025 02:14:22 No. 6242869 Report Quoted By:
“I've known him since I was little. I might be a bit biased because of it, but Khonshu's always felt like a third parent to me.” you said, practically pouring your heart to these people you just met today. “He's always been there when I needed him, and now I'm in a position to repay the favor. And…” You paused for a moment, unsure if you should go on. But when you felt Mercy’s cloth rubbing against your shoulders, as if urging you to keep going, you ended up sharing one of your most private thoughts with these people. “I believe in him because…he still listens to me.” you admitted, feeling a little exposed, even while being clothed by a devout follower of Khonshu. “Even though I'm listening to him less and less. I'm not sure how much use I am to him, but he still believes in me. And to me, that's worth…” You met everyone's eyes in turn. “Everything.” For once, Deadhead didn't look like he had anything smart to say. Harpy and the others were similarly speechless. Not out of awe or shock, or anything so dramatic. It was more like everyone came to the same conclusion—that your faith was coming from a deeply personal place. They would either choose to respect it, or not talk about it at all. After a few moments of respectful silence, Deadhead nodded slowly and casually threw up his hands. “Alright...I guess that's not the worst reason to devote your life to an Egyptian moon god.” “And your ‘afterlife’.” Harpy added, playing with a shiny silver bell. “Not the worst moon god she could've devoted herself to, either.” Shaggy said, not noticing as Janine snuck a pair of purple crystals past him. “Khonshu's a bit of a nut, but then again…what god isn't?” Janine secretly placed the crystals directly into your hand, as gently as she could manage. Each was about as large as a baby's fist, and were somewhat ovular in shape, like an egg with slightly jagged edges. The girl gave a furtive glance over her shoulder, before turning back to give you the cheesiest wink you've ever seen. “If you clack them together, they release a beam of concentrated mana that pushes stuff away.” she said in a hushed tone. “But if you get good at using them, they can help you fly!” Your eyes widened at that, but you quickly schooled your expression when you saw Shaggy turning back around to inspect Janine's latest find. You hid the stones behind sight, and Mercy graciously bound them in separate pouches and tied them onto your belt. As if he suspected your treachery, Shaggy came sniffing around a moment later. Both of you tried to act natural, but you were worried that Janine's odd facial expressions would give you away. Somehow, Shaggy didn't find any real proof of wrongdoing, and he eventually went back to check on what Harpy was up to. Janine breathed a quiet sigh of relief, and the two of you shared a conspiratory grin. “Hold on. I'll try and find some more…!” she whispered. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 17 May 2025 02:16:24 No. 6242871 Report Quoted By:
And as soon as she turned her back on you, you felt a cold, familiar chill start to wash over you. The shadows in the room lengthened, and everyone's voices were reduced to barely noticeable background noise. You knew this feeling well. And if Mercy’s trembling was anything to go by, so did she. “Fine words, my Hunter's Moon. You grow more eloquent by the day.” His voice was verbose and soothing. His words, though brief, reverberated with your very soul. You slowly glanced up, and the sight of a long, ivory beak pointed down at you was almost too much. He appeared in many forms, but this one was your favorite. His skull, hands and ribs were the only parts of him that were visible. The rest was wreathed in radiant light. The light flowed off of him, and if you looked closely enough, you'd find that Khonshu was quite literally robed within that light. They shone off of him like gentle moonbeams. He was back! He really came back! You were so worried that he- “I have been watching over you, my child. My chest swells with pride at the sight of your growth.” You bowed your head, your heart practically overflowing as the weight of his words sank in. “You honor me, Great Protector.” you said. The sound of creaking bones told you that Khonshu was in the process of turning his head. “And I hear that you and Mercy have formed a pact.” he observed. “Mm. This pleases me. I suspect that the two of you will have much to learn from the other.” There was another, briefer creaking sound. A nod, you thought. Mercy was practically quivering from being acknowledged by him. It was starting to feel a little ticklish, but you tried your best to refrain from squirming. “I shall raise and protect her like my own, Lord Khonshu.” “I am sure you will.” he assured you. “I shudder to imagine the terrible things you might accomplish through your combined strength.” “Hopefully not too terrible…” you muttered, earning you an unpleasant squeeze from Mercy. “Cut that out.” “Your tolerance for pain is baffling, child. Do you truly feel nothing?” she asked, sounding both exasperated and concerned at the same time. “Of course I can still feel things. My pain-sense is just a little dull.” you replied. A frown formed on your face as soon as you registered what she just did. “Were you just trying to hurt me?” “Unsuccessfully, it would seem. ‘A little dull’. Ha!” she scoffed, muttering that last part under her breath. “The time for bickering has passed,” Khonshu intervened. “And the time for monumental opportunity has arrived.” The two of you stiffened, and immediately gave the moon god your full attention. When he was sure that he had it, he moved on. “This land reeks with the stench of death. It is an undeniable, cloying thing. And it threatens to swallow this entire city whole.” (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 17 May 2025 02:19:49 No. 6242875 Report Your blood froze. You should have stayed quiet and allowed him to finish, or at least deliberated on what your next words should be. But instead, you blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “How can we stop it?” Khonshu shook his head, and leaned closer to you. “That…is the wrong question, child. These people are doomed, and it is entirely the fault of one by the name of Varnae, an ancient Vampire Lord.” he explained. You were about to tell him that you literally already knew that, but he managed to finish his sentence before you could get a word in. “And he knows we are coming…” Your eyes went wide. “Already!? But it hasn't even been that long since we got back from the summit.” He shook his head again, leaning closer again. “You misunderstand. He has always known. There is a spy among your ranks. Your first instinct will be to track them down--make them pay...but that is the wrong course of action.” he advised. “Then which one's the right one?” you asked, your heart racing. “Allow Varnae to spring his trap. Let him think that you are unaware of this deception, and use this as an opportunity to strike at him when he least expects it.” he said, clenching a bony fist. His voice sounded downright feverish now. “Go now. Gather a small group of allies, sneak past their armies, enter Varnae's castle and eliminate him…” “What!? But those monsters will tear us to pieces as soon as we reveal ourselves!” “Not if you act swiftly! Stopping Varnae's plan is your top priority." he urged, becoming more insistent. "The entire world is at stake, my child. You cannot let your attachment to these creatures prevent you from completing your greatest mission." Was he telling you to just...abandon these people? Sure, they were monsters, but... What will you do?>"I'm sorry, but...I'm not doing that. I'm gonna stop Varnae, save everyone, and ace my bio-chem test when I get back!" >"They may be monsters, Khonshu, but they're still people. And innocent people deserve to be protected by you." >"That's not what heroes do, Khonshu. It's not who I am, and it's not the kind of person you and my parents raised me to be. Varnae can tell all the lies he wants, but he doesn't get to change who I am." >"...Give me some time to think about it." >"How would we even sneak past their forces? I assume you have a plan in mind?" >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6242875 >>"I'm sorry, but...I'm not doing that. I'm gonna stop Varnae, save everyone, and ace my bio-chem test when I get back!" Go for broke
Anonymous
>>6242875 Yoooooou absolute fucker, Scorekeeper. You couldn’t he content using our mom to turn us against Khonshu, you’re using Khonshu to turn us against Khonshu. I can’t even easily claim it’s not him since he recognized Mercy. Are we the only ones who believe in his teachings?!
>"I'm not doing that. I'm gonna stop Varnae, save everyone, and ace my bio-chem test when I get back!" I can’t bring myself to apologize for this because it sounds like we’re not committed. As far as I’m concerned, this land, which is destined to never see the light of the sun, deserves the protection of one who guards the night. If our reflection of his Moon is insufficient to provide what is needed here, it only means we have to be MORE.
And while I personally hate this, in-character I think Cindy is suddenly lot more comfortable with her fox side, her title of Slayer, and shoving away her personal concerns over everything happening here. Her god has placed a greater mission on her than he intended, and she will rise to meet its challenge.
Hell, if breaking this so-called prophecy of devastation to humanity or monsterkind means turning the Slayer against Fate itself then fuck it, we ball if they playin’ like that.
Unrelated, wouldn’t Varnae know about the summit result since he has the ruler of Limbo on his side? I assume he’d notice that no one died.
Anonymous
>>6242875 >"They may be monsters, Khonshu, but they're still people. And innocent people deserve to be protected by you." >>6243079 lmao. This is classic Khonshu.
> In the actual Egyptian mythos, he's not just the god of the moon but of time also, changing his aspect depending of the aspects of the moon, and being able to interact with other aspects of himself if so desired. So the idea of him being incomprehensible is more built into his identity than it is for a monotheistic god. The god one worships now, might not be the same god one will worship tomorrow. Of course Khonshu is going to turn us against Khonshu, in some incomprehensible ways Khonshu is against Khonshu.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Tue 20 May 2025 01:20:03 No. 6244914 Report Quoted By:
>>6242905 >>6243079 >"I'm not doing that. I'm gonna stop Varnae, save everyone, and ace my bio-chem test when I get back!" Taking these. Writing...
>>6243079 >>6243141 Cindy's faith must be tested! And well said, both of you!
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Tue 20 May 2025 04:04:33 No. 6245010 Report Quoted By:
Gonna finish and post this update tomorrow, late afternoon. I want to take my time with this one.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Wed 21 May 2025 00:29:11 No. 6245438 Report If it weren’t for the genocidal implications of Khonshu's plan, you might have thought about your answer for more than half a second. Your eyebrows drew together as you stared up at him in defiance, your arms folding over your chest to communicate just how much you hated the idea. "I'm not doing that. I'm gonna stop Varnae, save everyone, and ace my bio-chem test when I get back!" you proudly declared, waving a fist at his face. “Mind your tongue, child!” Mercy chastised. A tiny version of her head had formed out of the sash she'd tied around your waist. “Still worrying about school? At a time like this?” Khonshu said, sounding more amused than upset. “You still wish to juggle a civilian life, when you could achieve greatness by living up to your full potential.” “I can do both.” you said, continuing to stare him down through squinted eyes. Khonshu chuckled slightly. It was the kind of laugh that might have developed into maniacal cackling if he didn't keep himself under control. “I would very much like to see that, my apprentice…” he said, his voice unreadable. Normally, this kind of behavior would be entirely unbefitting for a protector god, but this was one of the few times Khonshu deserved a bit of your sympathy. As a moon god, Khonshu's personality is somewhat affected by the various lunar phases that take place throughout the year. That made him a little trickier to work with sometimes, but that was just part of the job. There were four aspects that Khonshu represented. The Embracer, the Pathfinder, the Defender, and the Healer. In this case, it sounded like he was being influenced by the Harvest Moon. And that meant that he was emulating his “Pathfinder” aspect. Pathfinder Khonshu wasn't always this unstable, either. He was just so focused on accomplishing his goals that he sometimes lost sight of certain things. And it wasn't often that he would be asking you to help save the world, so there was that too. “Will you still tell me where to find the castle?” you asked. “Of course, my daughter. As things stand, the two of you are our greatest hope…” You swallowed hard, but your voice somehow didn't waver. Mercy, on the other hand, was practically quivering just from being in the presence of her god. “We'll make it in time. We swear.” you said, speaking for the both of you. “Then I shall be your guiding light, once more.” he declared, enveloping the entire room in blinding light as he wrapped his arms around you. "Tread carefully..." You closed your eyes for only a moment, and when you opened them again, you saw that Khonshu had disappeared, and the room had gone back to normal. In fact, it seemed like the conversation that had been carrying on in your absence hadn't progressed very far at all. No one even noticed that you had just had a private conversation with a moon god. It felt like barely any time had passed at all. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Wed 21 May 2025 00:39:32 No. 6245444 Report Quoted By:
You glanced around at everybody, wondering if there was any way for you to root out the rat that Khonshu had told you about. But before you could dwell on it for much longer, Janine popped up in front of you again, nearly causing you to flinch back in surprise. “I managed to sneak some explosive potions, too!” she whispered, while trying very hard not to look over at Shaggy. You nodded gratefully, and carefully started piling everything into a cloth bag that Mercy had made with various compartments meant for holding the smaller items you had collected from the shop.>You have gained 5 explosive potions >You have gained 12 Polymorph Potions >You have gained a pair of Sap Gloves >You have gained a pair of Nonlethal Latex Gloves >You have gained a Staff of Mercurial Form >You have gained 2 Gems of Propulsion You still didn't know how to use the staff, so that was going to have to go on your back for now. The pitter patter of Shaggy's paws warned you of his approach, and you were grateful to have avoided his attention while Janine was sneaking potions your way. “Hold on. Let me see what's in that bag.” the dog demanded. Or at least you thought you did… “I don't have any drugs in here if that's what you're thinking." you said, clutching your bag protectively. “I wasn't before, but now you've got me wondering.” he said, sniffing at it. “There are dangerous things in this shop, Cindy. Something in there might be capable of peeling your face off, or turning you into a chicken.” You planted your hands on your hips and flexed your pair of fox tails on either side of your waist. “I'm already turning into a demon fox. A demon chicken might be a refreshing change of pace.” you said with a teasing grin. Janine chuckled, and Deadhead looked at Harpy like he wanted to say something. He didn't say what he was thinking, but the smug aura that he gave off was enough to get her agitated. Shaggy was similarly unamused, and he was about to express that sentiment, when he paused to listen for something. Your sensitive vulpine ears were picking up on it as well. It almost sounded like… “Someone's screaming…!” you said, bolting for the door. You burst through, and a moment later, Harpy came smashing through the door frame, tearing an extremely noticeable chunk out of the storefront in the process. “Damn!” Deadhead exclaimed, stopping to admire her handiwork. “Maybe you should've been a linebacker instead of a bandit queen.” “You're paying for that, Bandit Queen!” Shaggy shouted after her. You ignored all of them and raced towards the main streets, where the screams were coming from. The closer you got, the more you were able to pick the sounds apart. There were multiple people screaming. An entire crowd. Maybe this whole part of the city! What was happening!? Was this another Kaiju attack? Was this the tragedy that Khonshu spoke of? (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Wed 21 May 2025 01:15:27 No. 6245464 Report Quoted By:
Your thoughts raced as your feet tore through the cobblestone road, each step propelling you forward faster and faster, until it felt like your limbs were nothing more than a blur. The roar of rushing wind was almost deafening to both sets of ears, but you were close enough now that you could still pick up the screams, even without super sensitive hearing. When it came time to turn a corner, you barely slowed down. Instead, you sprang off of the side of a building, swung yourself from a light pole covered in glowing lichen, and covered the remaining distance by having Mercy rapidly reshape your uniform into a wingsuit variant. A shadow passed by overhead, and you turned back to see Harpy flying high above you, surveying the scene. When you returned your gaze to the busy streets below, you caught your first glance of what had caused people to start screaming in the first place. Undead. An army of them! They were crawling up through the evacuation grates that had been placed all throughout the city. The ones that were meant to take people to shelter in case of an emergency! You dropped down immediately, brandishing your sword and cutting down a zombie before they could ravage a tiny, humanoid bat creature. Your senses told you that another three were approaching you from behind. You twirled around and lashed out with your sword in a diagonal arc, cleanly dismembering all three in one fell swoop. Another five began to surround you from all sides, and Mercy's cloth tendrils shot out to impale their hearts. It didn't kill them outright, but it was enough to slow them down. Most of the residents of Monster Metropolis were fleeing for their lives, but some were actively fighting to defend their city. They were clumsy; untrained. They shouldn't have to deal with an invasion on this scale. Where were the guards!? How had no one raised the alarm yet!? Just then, someone shoulder checked you, nearly causing you to stumble. Not a zombie, but a civilian fishman scrambling to get away from a particularly persistent group of undead. You tried to move past him to dispatch them, but you suddenly found yourself being thrown around and forced back by the sheer amount of people struggling to survive this nightmarish invasion. Some fled for their houses and other nearby shops, others attempted to climb the rowhouses to get to higher ground, and an unlucky few tried to escape through the very grates that were being used by the undead. They were everywhere... This had to be Varnae's doing! You just knew...! "What's happening!?" The familiar voice drew your attention to a nearby roof, where Shaggy was climbing out from a magic portal very similar to the one he had been digging at that construction site. "Zombies! Zombies everywhere!" you shouted, blowing a mouthful of blue foxfire into a zombie's face in order to blind it. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Wed 21 May 2025 01:18:44 No. 6245465 Report "We can see that!" Deadhead commented as he clumsily climbed out of the portal next, immediately firing at a cluster of zombies with his trusty hand cannon as soon as he had at least one leg firmly planted under him. "How the hell'd this happen?" "It doesn't matter!" Shaggy barked back, surveying the scene with an increasing look of horror. "We need to round up the town guard!" At that, he started frantically digging another portal. What will you do?>Have everyone stay and help you clean up the streets. The road back towards Grandma Young's shop was clear of zombies, so they can take shelter in that part of the city. >Use your magical senses to try and find your grandmother. If there's anyone who might know what to do in this situation, it would be her! >Use the Sap Gloves to clog up the vents where the zombies are pouring through. >Send Harpy to go fetch someone. (Who?) >Try to manipulate your own chi, so that you can make yourself a more enticing target for these zombies. >Have Harpy take you back to the Kaiju King's palace. Maybe he can draw something up that can help you win this. >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6245465 >>Use the Sap Gloves to clog up the vents where the zombies are pouring through. Anonymous
>>6243141 >>6245438 Glad Cindy is more used to this than I am.
>>6245465 >Use the Sap Gloves to clog up the vents where the zombies are pouring through. We’re a big girl, we can do a job without calling in help to tell us what our job is. We can also cling to walls to avoid getting crushed by civilians and zombies. Seems like we’ll need that to travel around quickly.
I don’t suppose Shaggy can dig portals to the ocean/a river and flood the vents we don’t get to? I imagine zombies don’t have the constitution to push through a wall of water.
Simon, I gotta say that things aren’t looking good on you being one of the good guys given all the zombies we keep fighting. Yourself included…
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Fri 23 May 2025 23:42:47 No. 6246959 Report >>6245466 >>6245476 >Use the Sap Gloves to clog up the vents where the zombies are pouring through. I started working on this update last night, so I'm gonna wrap it up and post it in a bit!
>>6245476 Up until now, Cindy's been digging her claws into walls in order to scale them. And while Shaggy may be capable of such feats, he would have to be careful so as to not dig into a high pressure area.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 24 May 2025 02:39:34 No. 6247063 Report Quoted By:
“Mercy! Sap Gloves!” Immediately, the cloth that made up your gloves retreated further into your costume, rolling down your arms to make room for a pair of bronze gauntlets. You shoved your hands into them next, allowing Mercy to alter them to your liking. They looked and felt more like heavy duty work gloves, but you could feel the ambient magic radiating off of them. These were the real deal. All you had to do was attune to it. The telltale rainbow shimmer flashed over the gauntlets for a second, and your skin buzzed with the sudden surge of mana, confirming that you had attuned to them properly. Experimentally, you pointed an open palm at one of the evacuation grates and flexed your fingers. A glob of golden, sticky sap oozed from tiny openings in the gauntlet's fingers, coating your palm and remaining stuck there like a viscous jelly. You spread your fingers, watching with mild interest as the sap clumped together, but refused to drip down onto the floor. Must be a product of the enchantment. At least you didn't have to worry about making too much of a mess with these things. You curled your fingers, rolled some of the sap up into a ball, and flicked it at the nearest excavation grate. The ball sped up as soon as it left your hand, nailing a groaning zombie right in the eye, and causing its head to rock back a bit. You stared at the glove in surprise for a moment, before rolling up an even bigger ball and flicking it with even more force. The next glob flew as fast as a dodgeball thrown by Ari, and hit nearly as hard. And due to the increased volume of this one, it was able to cover a larger surface area. In this case, it was large enough to nearly cover the entire opening! The zombies' noises were greatly muffled as they struggled to extricate themselves from the sticky trap. This might actually work! “Dammit!” Your gaze traveled up towards a struggling Deadhead. He was currently fighting off his own horde of zombies. One climbed up and lunged at him, only to collide with a heavy black boot that caved its entire face in. Another came crawling up to take its place, and with a heavy stomp, Deadhead managed to crush and pin its arm. He reached down, gripped the arm, and ripped it out of its socket, and stabbed the jagged bone into its head. He dragged the arm out, kicked the corpse off of the house's ledge, and twisted around to stab it through the eye socket of another zombie that had been creeping up on him. The blue berserker immediately moved to rip both of its arms off, and then proceeded to viciously beat the other nearby zombies with them. A moment later, Harpy descended on them like the monstrous raptor she, her powerful talons tearing through their rotten flesh with unsettling ease. She made multiple passes, rapidly swooping down and around in an impressive display of aerial agility. “Whoa…” you said, marveling at the- (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 24 May 2025 02:40:36 No. 6247066 Report Quoted By:
“Pay attention!” Mercy warned, forcefully maneuvering your body until you were pinned against a wall, and out of the way of oncoming traffic. “Sorry! And thanks.” you said, using the Sap Gloves to scale the wall you were pressed up against in a sort of vertical crab walk. “I was just…studying the way that they fight.” “There is nothing valuable to be learned from them.” Mercy advised. “Maybe...” you mused, returning your attention to the giant bird lady. Surprisingly, she never once targeted Deadhead. Instead, she kept the other zombies off of him by disemboweling or dismembering them with her claws. Then, she turned and dove down towards the streets. The resulting downdraft kicked up a sizable plume of dust, and you were suddenly very grateful to be wearing a blindfold. You watched in awe as she flew into an oncoming horde of zombies, carefully avoiding civilian monsters as she did, before unfurling her wings right before she barreled into the one in front. And with her massive wings, she performed a literal barrel roll, flinging the zombies away from all those still trying to escape. “Cindy!” Your eyes shifted over to where Shaggy had been digging. Now, only his butt and hind legs were sticking out of the portal. “Come on! We need to get you out of here!” You shook your head, forgetting that he couldn't see you with his head stuck in that portal. “No! You go! I still need to seal up these grates!” you shouted back. Now, Shaggy did remove his head from the portal to give you a surprised look. “That's where they're coming from!” you went on. “We can't fight them all, but we can slow them down, and that's gonna have to be enough for now.” Shaggy looked conflicted for a moment as he glanced between you and the portal. Then, after a brief pause, he closed the portal and walked over to the edge of the roof. “Then you're going to need a guide. I'll show you where they are.” he declared. You grinned at him, and gave a grateful nod. “So we're leaving?” Deadhead asked, after punching a zombie's head clean off. Shaggy nodded. “That's right. I hope the Blood Witch paid you for your trouble.” he said. Deadhead froze in place, and then reached down to grab a green capsule from his belt. “Dog…you're a fuckin’ genius!” he declared, holding the capsule up for all to see. From her place perched atop a nearby rooftop, Harpy tilted her head, and sneered at the object in his hand. Shaggy sniffed the air, and, for some reason, you caught yourself trying to do the same. “What's that?” you asked. “An advance on my payment.” Deadhead laughed. “Hulk blood…” Harpy hissed the words, her mood darkening a bit at the mere mention of one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. “Uhhh…what're you planning on doing with that?” you asked. The mercenary inserted the capsule into a tiny slot in his glove, and pressed down on it, flattening the capsule, and causing its contents to flow through a tube-like structure that had been built into his glove. “This.”
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 24 May 2025 02:41:37 No. 6247067 Report Quoted By:
You watched in mild horror as the substance lit up his veins with a green fluorescent hue. “Crazy! Stupid!” Harpy angrily squawked. “Green blood kills!” “I'm afraid I'm going to have to side with the Bandit Queen on this one.” Shaggy said, warily stepping away from the man. “Most people die within minutes, or, if they're lucky, they transform into a horrible monster.” Harpy gave the dog a sideways glance. “No offense.” “Well I guess we'll just have to find out what's tougher. My freaky ass body, or a few concentrated drops of Hulk blood.” Deadhead said, gripping his right arm as the Gamma irradiated blood lit up the entire circulatory system within the affected limb. He groaned in discomfort, but he remained steady throughout the early stages of the process. He let out a shaky laugh. “See? Nothing to worry ab-” His words immediately cut off at the sound of his neck bones popping. You could visibly see his muscles shifting under his skin as well. The sight was simultaneously fascinating and disgusting, but you couldn't peel your eyes away. Deadhead briefly fell to one knee as more of his veins lit up and started bulging slightly. His skin was beginning to turn a different shade, as well. Something closer to…cyan maybe? He doubled over, slamming his fist into the roof to prevent himself from falling flat on his face. A small crater formed as a result of the impact, and spider-web cracks spread out from it, forcing Shaggy to evacuate the roof. Harpy was quick to scoop him up, but she didn't immediately fly away. She was watching Deadhead carefully, waiting to see what would become of him. He struggled back to his feet, his legs slightly unstable, and you could tell that he was still visibly in pain…but he remained standing. You didn’t know if that was a testament to his fortitude, or if the Hulk blood wasn't as potent as you were led to believe. His muscles still shifted under his skin–growing, tightening, and finally…compressing into a less grotesque form. Deadhead stared down at his hands, and flexed them experimentally. Everyone watched him cautiously, waiting for a sign that you were now dealing with a roided out criminal amidst on top of a zombie horde. The man looked up, met each of your eyes, and slammed his fist into an open palm. “See? Told you this Hulk blood wasn't shit…” His words might’ve been more convincing if he hadn't just spat up some dark green blood, but it was a miracle for him to even be standing at all after that. Harpy just shook her head at him. —------ “Take the next left!” Shaggy shouted, pedaling his limbs helplessly in Harpy’s grip. You were being gripped in her other claw, lobbing sap globs at the evacuation grates as you passed them. You were getting better and better at handling them with each use. With enough practice, you might be precise enough to hit real moving targets with some consistency. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sat 24 May 2025 02:42:38 No. 6247070 Report As Harpy hit this latest turn, you glanced back to see if your Gamma infused ally was keeping up. And when you saw the hulking brute crashing down after another of his “mighty leaps”, you decided that it was pointless to ask yourself stupid questions, and instead focused on the task at hand. This zombie infestation was just as bad as you imagined it would be. The streets were filled with shambling, rotting corpses. They endlessly pursued the living, and were trying desperately to break into the homes of the ones that had managed to barricade themselves in. In cases such as those, Harpy would release you from her grasp, allowing you to save those that you perceived to be in immediate danger. It wasn't enough, but it would have to do for now. You had to trust that the people of Monster Metropolis were at least capable of defending themselves in a crisis. Thankfully, your insistence on having the Kaiju King arm the populace was beginning to bear fruit. Some of these monsters wielded weapons, and some even looked like they knew how to use them. Others possessed inherent traits or supernatural abilities. One in particular, a Salamander girl with fiery red hair tied into a ponytail, and wielding a large battleaxe, was spewing flames and chopping away at large swathes of undead. A few streets down, you spotted a Satyr child in a blue tunic, pacifying a horde with nothing more than a lyre and the power of his music. And, of course, there was Deadhead. After taking the Hulk blood, he had become an absolute Juggernaut of a man. His punches were powerful enough to clear an entire block in seconds, and his body had become so durable that he was now capable of slaying a horde simply by running through them! So long as he was careful, there were minimal casualties involved in his rampage. You were about to call out to him, when a bright light flared in the corner of your vision. Once again, your new spirit senses were picking up on traces of positive energy in the distance. This city was practically filthy with negative energy, which made the real living beings within this city stand out that much more. But in this case, the signal you were picking up was burning noticeably brighter than most of the others. You almost didn't notice it, on account of the massive amount of undead permeating the area. What will you do?>Investigate the strong life signal. >Send Deadhead after them, and continue with your objective. He should be strong enough now to deal with whatever it is. >Continue clogging up drains. You can't afford to let any more zombies flood this city. >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6247070 >>Investigate the strong life signal. Anonymous
>>6246959 Ah, I hadn’t paid enough attention. I thought Mercy was clinging to them for us.
>Investigate the strong life signal. Sure, I’ll support the distraction. They should be a magnet for the undead anyway, right?
If we have time, we can try the chi-boosting thing from an earlier vote to draw them in further as we travel. Focus on things we know motivate us, like defending the weak.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sun 25 May 2025 18:01:18 No. 6248114 Report Quoted By:
>>6247307 >>6247104 >Investigate the strong life signal. Taking these. Writing...
>>6247307 You can definitely make an attempt!
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sun 25 May 2025 21:01:04 No. 6248203 Report Quoted By:
“Harpy! There's something over there.” you warned. “What kind of ‘something'?” Shaggy asked. Harpy turned her head in the direction you were pointing, and squinted. “Fighting.” she said, before swinging around to fly towards it without elaborating any further. Her shadow passed over Deadhead along the way, and the roided-out rumbler stopped to gaze up at her. “Wait! Where are we going now?” he asked, leaping onto a nearby rooftop in a single bound. You watched him struggle to catch up, but lucky for him, your target wasn't terribly far. And as soon as you got close enough, you found yourself feeling both relieved and intrigued. This person wasn't your grandmother. But…who–or what were they? A lone, masked warrior flitted around the battlefield, expertly dispatching any and all undead that dared oppose her. The cloak she wore was adorned with bronze, upside down crosses, all of them hanging from chains made of a similar material. Her mannequin mask was plain and dull, not bearing any sort of opulent decoration, only having openings for her eyes and nose, and a wreath of white flowers lining her hood. Some had been stained by black ichor from the undead, and a few of her crosses appeared to have been torn off sometime during the fighting. A pair of silvery swords flashed amidst the chaos, standing out more than even the radiant glow of her life energy. She swung them so fast and with such elegance that you could've swore they left shimmering trails through the air in their wake. From the looks of things, she had already slain scores of undead, and wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down. You were beginning to wonder whether you were needed at all, when Shaggy pointed out a herd of undead centaur stampeding towards her. “Harpy, drop me!” you demanded. “Hold on, now! We're too high up!” Shaggy protested. “Too high up for you, maybe.” you said, patting Harpy’s leg. And before Shaggy could say anything in reply, the giant bird woman released you from her grasp. The dog called out after you, but you ignored him, rolled up a ball of sap, and flung it at the raised arm of a marble statue erected in the middle of the plaza. Attached to that ball was a strand of sap, directly connecting the palm of your hand to the statue's own hand. When you were at an appropriate height, you swung from the sap strand, in a very similar fashion to the way you witnessed Ben do it. “I could have done that…” Mercy remarked, sounding a little pouty as she did. “I know, but I need you for something else.” you said, swinging in a tight arc around the statue, until you were close enough to the ground to land beside the masked warrior. She immediately whirled around to face you, her dual katanas at the ready. Her tension eased a bit when she was able to get a better look at you. “Hey. Thought you could use some help.” you tried, gesturing at the giant harpy and shaggy black dog flying overhead. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Sun 25 May 2025 21:02:50 No. 6248206 Report The masked warrior glanced up at them, and then back at you. Out of the three of you, she seemed more fascinated by you for some reason. She raised one of her swords slowly, and you prepared to defend yourself if need be. But instead of attacking you, she reached up to remove her mask and lower her hood. And what you thought was a mysterious masked warrior, turned out to be the most beautiful woman you've ever seen in your life. Her skin was a warm caramel, her eyes a penetrating gold that shook you to your very core. Her hair was slightly tousled, but you felt as if you could get lost in those long dark brown curls of hers. The thought of running your fingers through them dominated your mind for a moment, and it was all nearly enough to make you overlook two very important details. One, was the fact that this lady's smile contained a pair of fangs that wouldn't look terribly out of place on a vampire. The other was…wait… You knew this person! The fellow vampire hunter flashed a brilliant white smile in your direction, and your face momentarily flushed in the presence of her undeniable beauty. “Petit Cindy!? What are you doing here? Did you do something with your hair?” Louise of the Nightguard placed one of her swords back in its sheath, and used her free hand to try to reach down and touch one of your vulpine ears. “Oh, mon chéri! What cute little ears you have.” You found yourself wishing that she would touch them, but you resolved yourself to keep things professional, and batted her hand away gently instead. What will you say?>”There's no time to explain! You have to come with me.” >”’What am I doing here’!? What are you doing here? Please tell me you brought Blade with you.” >”Where have you been? We've all been worried sick about you. I never even got to thank you for everything you did for me.” >”Ben's here too. We could really use your help here.” >Give her a big hug! “Louise! I'm so glad you're alright!” >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6248206 >>”’What am I doing here’!? What are you doing here? Please tell me you brought Blade with you.” hooooly shit, long time no see
Anonymous
>>6248206 I was hoping she’d show back up! Vampire hunting is right up her and Blade’s alley. Odd that Louise has positive energy when undead normally have negative though.
On a funnier note, we have become full cat. We want to be pet, yet bat away the hand that goes to pet us. Next thing you know we’ll be taking naps in high places and knocking things off tables just for fun.
Also, there’s always time to explain Cindy. You just give the bullet points and let them unpack.
>”Varnae’s alive, I have part of the Bloodstone, Huntsman is beating back Skrull with Ana, I was fused with a fox demon as a baby, we’re plugging entrances to the zombie horde and you’re coming with.” Point between Harpy and Louise to signal a pickup while she’s busy thinking over that so we can continue our mission.
>”’What am I doing here’!? What are you doing here? Please tell me you brought Blade with you.” >”Where have you been? We've all been worried sick about you. I never even got to thank you for everything you did for me.” We can ask all the questions once she’s secured her seat on the best airline in the Metropolis. We can ask if it’s okay to hug her later.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:z/IrOr4E Thu 29 May 2025 01:41:34 No. 6249759 Report >>6248207 >>6248555 Hey guys! I might have to take a break from writing for a little bit, on account of the fact that I'm in the process of moving out of my apartment. I'm not going to be moving very far in the immediate future, but in about two or three months, me and my girlfriend will be moving in together. She's very supportive of my passion for writing, and I don't expect to have many problems updating the quest, so don't worry!
Unfortunately, I'll still need to put the next update on hold for the rest of this week. I might be able to get some work done on Sunday, but I'll try to keep you guys updated as the situation develops!
>”’What am I doing here’!? What are you doing here? Please tell me you brought Blade with you.” And if nothing else comes up, I'll assume that this is the vote that we'll be moving forward with.
>>6248207 >>6248555 I'm excited to see her too! I've been eagerly awaiting her reintroduction for some time now.
>>6248555 There's an even sillier Kumiho development coming up in the next arc! I'm very excited to write about it.
>>6248555 >Odd that Louise has positive energy when undead normally have negative though. That IS strange!
Anonymous
>>6249759 Cheers on moving in together! Bonus points if you’re not moving into another apartment and are getting something a little bigger. Shame about the delayed update, but I can wait for a good cause.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Tue 03 Jun 2025 22:50:45 No. 6252502 Report Quoted By:
>>6250237 Thanks! And we're going to have a lot more space. I'm pretty excited about it!
Also, writing...
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Wed 04 Jun 2025 02:15:18 No. 6252603 Report Quoted By:
“‘What am I doing here’? What are YOU doing here? And please tell me you brought Blade with you.” you said, glancing around hopefully. But alas, there wasn’t much here other than a courtyard full of freshly slain zombies, and a handful of stragglers. Louise shook her head, her playful expression telling you that she was still thinking of a way to get away with petting you. “Unfortunately not. Eric sent me here to better understand the social tendencies of mon–” She paused to clear her throat. “‘Supernatural citizens’.” she corrected herself, affecting a tone heavy with the implication that this wasn’t her first time making this correction. Your shoulders drooped. “So…no backup?” “Don’t look so disappointed.” Louise said with a pouty expression. “I’m not! It’s good to see you. Really.” you said, perhaps a little too quickly. The tender smile that she gave you in return was so precious that you made a mental note to sketch it from memory once you were back in your dorm. Her gaze traveled down to one of your tails, and you watched as her eyes lit up the moment she recognized what it was she was looking at. And boy were your tails wagging up a storm right now. “Oh...I can see that you are very happy to see me~!” “Ha! Sorry, it’s like they have a mind of their own sometimes…” you said with a sheepish grin and a nervous chuckle. “The second one is new. Actually…come to think of it, they both kinda are.” You fought hard to get them under control, and almost missed the moment when she reached a hand towards one. You swiftly turned away from her, just fast enough where her hand groped empty air instead of a bundle of fluff. “My my! You’ve grown so much! In height AND appendages.” she said, reaching up to grab your face while you were preoccupied with getting your tails under control. “And you’re speaking so fluently. I do hope that no one else has tried stealing that beautiful voice of yours.” She pinched your cheeks with that last comment. Your heart was racing so fast! She was so close, and her hands were…surprisingly warm for that of a vampire. That thought pulled you back to reality. How was an undead creature of the night such as herself putting out so much life energy? Just then, your ears twitched, and you glanced to your left to see a shambling zombie creeping up on you. A half-second later, Louise’s eyes flitted to her left, where another zombie was quickly approaching the two of you. “One moment, s’il vous plaît.” she said, her eyes going cold as she released her grip on your face, and brought her hands up to draw both swords from where they rested on her back. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Wed 04 Jun 2025 02:17:08 No. 6252606 Report Quoted By:
Despite having to pull them from an uncomfortable angle, she effortlessly drew her blades and dashed towards her target. Her limbs blurred as she moved, and you swore you could hear a distinct click as her heels skipped off of the ground. She closed the distance in the blink of an eye, skipped again, and she was suddenly out of range of its counterattack. You barely saw the silvery trail of her katana pass through its neck, and before its head could even hit the ground, she was already moving onto another target. With each clack of her heels, she darted around the battlefield, expertly dispatching the undead in rapid succession. It was almost as if she was dancing, the edges of her black robes and silvery blades whirling around her with dizzying speed. You eventually snapped out of your awe-induced fugue state, and drew your own sword, moving to intercept another group of approaching zombies. But before you even got there, a bright red beam crashed down from above, turning the zombies into undead pulp, and reminding you that Harpy and the others were waiting to pick you up. You looked up and waved at them. Shaggy was quite literally barking mad, and you just smiled and pretended that you couldn’t hear him muttering curses under his breath. Louise skipped ahead of you and raised her swords defensively. She squinted up at the two, and you watched with mild amusement as her brows creased in confusion. “What is that giant bird doing to that poor animal?” she asked. “They’re friends.” you said simply. And, as if to confirm this, Harpy unleashed another bright red Gamma Beam from her fanged maw, and completely obliterated another approaching horde. Louise cautiously lowered her swords, her mouth hanging slightly open. “Huh. I suppose the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree when it comes to keeping strange company.” she said, a bit of humor creeping back into her voice as she gave you the side eye. You didn’t miss the implication that she considered Ben to be your father, and you didn't bother to correct her. Explaining your jacked up family situation would have to come after you survived this zombie invasion. “Says the vampire hunting vampire living in an underground monster city.” you sniped back. Louise pursed her lips and lowered her lashes. “Ooh, touché~.” she said, clearly enjoying this little back and forth. She seemed genuinely happy to see you, and that made you a feel little better about how your day was currently going. “HEADS UP!” You both turned around just in time to see a green bundle of muscle slam down into the ground several meters away, causing cracks to spiderweb from the crater he had just formed. You managed to stop Louise before she could get her swords up this time. “He's a friend too.” you offered. “I think.” Louise’s flat expression told you exactly what she thought of your uncertain response, but...she stayed her hand nonetheless. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Wed 04 Jun 2025 02:19:09 No. 6252608 Report Quoted By:
You both watched as Deadhead rose from a cloud of dust and debris, his large physique making his appearance that much more foreboding. His change in skin color was undoubtedly due to the Hulk blood flowing through his veins, but he still seemed coherent enough to differentiate between friend and foe. He coughed, glanced around to get an idea of the situation, and stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he noticed Louise. “Damn.” Louise frowned slightly as the helmeted hulk openly leered at her. You might've rescinded your earlier statement of him being of yours, if you didn’t completely understand his reaction upon seeing the french vampiress. You weren’t embarrassed to admit that she was attractive. Not in your own head, at least. Deadhead seemed to recognize that he was staring, and tried to snap himself out of it. “Sorry, sorry. I was just…damn!” Louise sighed and shook her head before glancing down at you. “You should pick friends with a slightly larger vocabulary, mon amour.” “I think you make him nervous.” you whispered back, trying to hold back a giggle. She gave you an exasperated look. “Him nervous–I should be nervous.” she said, waving the end of her sword at him. “He smells like death.” Deadhead paused to do a quick smell check. “To be fair…we probably all do.” you begrudgingly admitted. Louise grimaced at that uncomfortable truth, but said nothing further on the matter. A fresh horde of zombies entered the courtyard, pouring in from every crack and crevice they could possibly squeeze through. Louise became a whirlwind of steel once more, and you held your own sword at the ready. “Mercy! Mummy mode!” you commanded. A moment later, your new form-fitting costume reshaped itself to form several layers of cloth bandages. Atlantean steel met rotting flesh, and for the ones you weren’t able to reach, Mercy sent out multiple bolts of cloth to stab into and restrain them. A few of them tried to grab hold of your tails, and you had to be extra mindful of their position at all times. It was a little more exhausting, but not impossible. A brief glance at Deadhead showed him casually clobbering the undead menace. With his every punch and kick, zombies were flung around and flattened with ease. The scene of wanton destruction was rather satisfying to watch, but you had your own battle to pay attention to. “You. What is your name?” Louise asked as she cut apart a mass of sagging flesh that was twice as large as your average undead. “The name's ‘Deadhead’.” he replied, forcefully shoving a zombie's head down into its own stomach, and kicking it away from him so hard that it sliced through everything in its path until its body was reduced to nothing. She paused, tilted her head to the side and, despite herself, smirked a bit. “Did you name yourself that, or…?” “It kinda just caught on.” he offered, rapping a knuckle on his sturdy helmet. “Wanna see what's underneath?” (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Wed 04 Jun 2025 02:26:48 No. 6252611 Report “Not particularly.” Louise answered easily, beheading a zombie with a kind of correlating finality. “Good idea. I was never much of a looker.” Deadhead admitted with a chuckle. “And I don’t think all this green is doing much to offset the ugly.” Louise snorted a laugh, caught herself, and cleared her throat. “Well…you know what they say.” she began, lowering her swords once more. “A good sense of humor helps make up for that.” “GET UP HERE THIS INSTANT, YOUNG LADY!” The three of you glanced up at Shaggy, and you cupped your hands in front of your face to shout right back at him. “IN A MINUTE!” “When did you have time to change clothes!?” Louise exclaimed, eyeing you with wide-eyed fascination. Before you could answer, you were given a rude reminder of the reason for your urgency. The ground started to rumble, and the five of you turned to see the large dust cloud that was just barely concealing a herd of stampeding centaur. And they were coming right for you! “Okay! We’re ready to go now!” you shouted up at Harpy. But as soon as you did, you noticed the giant bird lady staring at a growing black mass spreading out above the city. And, using your life-sense, you got a pretty good idea of what it was you were looking at. “Zombie birds!? Oh, come on!” you whined. Louise grunted as she pulled both swords free from a recently slain zombie ogre. “Go! I’ll hold them off.” she demanded. “I’m the one they want.” “Nah.” Deadhead protested, staring down the oncoming stampede and cracking his knuckles in anticipation. “You two go. I’ll catch up.” You glanced between the two frantically, wondering what you should do to get everyone out alive. With your life-sense still active, you started to notice the presence of more life signs hiding in nearby buildings. There were people here What will you do?>Stay with them both and hold your ground. No one gets left behind. >Use Louise as bait, and have her run around the city corralling any and every zombie that’s willing to chase her. >Leave this to Deadhead and try to rescue the civilians hiding within the nearby buildings. If he says he can’t die, then you’re willing to believe him. >Have Harpy take everyone and flee! You'll draw them away. If you could find a way to project your chi like Grandma Young and Pei, then maybe you can get them to leave everyone else alone. >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6252611 >>Leave this to Deadhead and try to rescue the civilians hiding within the nearby buildings. If he says he can’t die, then you’re willing to believe him. He's pretty cool
Anonymous
>>6252611 >Leave this to Deadhead and try to rescue the civilians hiding within the nearby buildings. If he says he can’t die, then you’re willing to believe him. Yeah, Deadhead won’t have much of a problem with them. Kinda wish we could leave something with him, but I can’t see him handling a polymorph potion or propulsion gem well while in Hulk mode.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Thu 05 Jun 2025 23:50:53 No. 6253480 Report Quoted By:
>>6252612 >>6252705 >Leave this to Deadhead and try to rescue the civilians hiding within the nearby buildings. If he says he can’t die, then you’re willing to believe him. It's time for Deadhead to show off a little!
Writing...
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Fri 06 Jun 2025 00:42:13 No. 6253493 Report Quoted By:
You both turned to stare at him in shock. “We're not leaving you.” you protested. But really, you were ashamed of yourself for having thought of that very same solution. “You're not. I'm volunteering to stay behind.” he corrected you. “Trust me on this, kid. If there’s anyone that can live through this, it's gonna be me…” He didn't even turn around to look at you. His eyes were firmly locked on the centaur herd. You and Louise exchanged a worried glance. “Hurry up and go. I can’t cut loose with you here.” he urged, taking several steps towards the oncoming stampede. “Be sure to come back in one piece!” you shouted after him. “Don't do anything too stupid!” Louise called out. “Sorry ladies…but I can't guarantee either of those things.” Louise looked like she wanted to protest, but Harpy swooped down and scooped both of you up before anyone else could get a word in. She started to lift off, when Deadhead looked back at her from over his shoulder. The two locked eyes for a while, and Deadhead gave her a slight nod of acknowledgement. Harpy didn't return the gesture. She only uttered a single word. “Smash.” Deadhead turned his head back around, and gave her a thumbs up before clenching his right hand into a fist. Green sparks danced along the surface of his darkening flesh. Likely the residual gamma radiation from the Hulk Blood. According to Harpy, it should have killed him several times over by now, but here he stood, staring down an entire horde of zombies by himself. He wound his hand back, clenching his fist even tighter, and causing additional sparks to generate from the affected limb. His veins were throbbing, and his muscles were quivering so much that you were afraid that it might explode! But he held it for as long as he could. After a few more seconds, when the centaur herd had gotten a little closer, Deadhead finally swung his arm down. “Death-Blow.” A powerful shockwave ran through the ground, and tore straight through the middle of the herd! The sheer wind pressure of his punch had completely obliterated everything in its path, carving a small trench where a great number of centaur had once stood. The herd split up and ran around to pincer him from both sides. They quickly formed a tight circle around him, with centaur running in layered, concentric patterns. As they did so, you noticed a few of them wielding bows and carrying spears. “Look out! These guys are smarter than your average zombie!” you shouted. Deadhead barely made to move as dozens of arrows sprouted from multiple points on his body. None of them penetrated very deep, however. The speartips, similarly, only achieved minor injuries, and barely warranted an appropriate reaction for someone who was being pelted from all sides by sharp projectiles. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Fri 06 Jun 2025 00:43:15 No. 6253494 Report Quoted By:
This went on for several more seconds, before Deadhead raised both arms, and slammed them onto the ground. The resulting shockwave sent the centaur flying in every direction, most of them having died before they even hit the ground. Louise watched whole thing with a wide-eyed look that bordered somewhere between horror and awe. “I'm starting to see why you keep this one around…” she commented. “He's doing a good job of distracting them. We need to get back down there!” you demanded. Shaggy shook his head at you profusely. “Are you mad!? I thought the whole point of having the brute make a noble sacrifice was so that we could escape with our lives! It'd be a lot less noble if we all went and died now, wouldn't it?” “There are people down there! They need our help!” you snapped. Shaggy's face fell, and he gave you a serious look. “How do you know that?” he asked in a gruff-sounding voice. “Kumiho powers. I think they're letting me sense other sources of life energy.” Shaggy hummed and nodded to himself. “You've only had them for a day. How do you know that you can trust them?” Now it was your turn to shake your head at him. “I don't. But I've still gotta try.” you pleaded. The two of you locked eyes for nearly a minute before Shaggy broke off the staredown by squeezing his eyes shut. It was very obviously a mark of frustration. “Right. No…you're absolutely right.” he agreed. “You go. I'll try and find them a way out of here.” You gave him a determined nod and patted Harpy’s leg. Having heard the entire thing, she flew over to a nearby building and set both you and Shaggy down. Louise was still being held firmly in her clutches, however. The french vampire hunting vampire waved politely at her. “Miss? Hello, miss? I would like to be let down as well.” “She can help.” you offered. “She's a friend of the Huntsman.” At that, Harpy gently set the woman down and took several steps back. “Where victims?” the big bird asked. You opened your mouth, and then closed it again as you were just now starting to realize that you had no easy way of translating what you were seeing to these people. There was an awkward pause, and you pointed at the closest life signal that you could perceive. It was at that moment where Mercy’s bandages began to unravel, and lines of ink slowly started to coalesce into…a crude map of the building's exterior? No…wait! Mercy was drawing maps! Maps indicating the rough location of the civilian you had just pointed to. It wasn't very detailed, and neither of you had any way of knowing the interior layout, but it was at least a decent visual aid that would allow them to track down each person using their own skills. Louise snagged the cloth map from your arm and examined it curiously. “Petit Cindy…how are you doing this?” “Let’s just say that we've got a lot to catch up on later.” you said, giving her a sheepish grin. —---- (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Fri 06 Jun 2025 00:44:15 No. 6253495 Report With your guidance, and Louise and Harpy’s mobility, rescue efforts were now well underway. There was only one issue with this whole process, and that was the matter of where you would store the civilians. The quickest and easiest solution was for Shaggy to dig a portal, have Harpy fly into it with as many people as she could carry, and have them join the others at one of the various shelters placed throughout the city. Louise was strictly on rescue duty for now, but from the way she kept glancing down at Deadhead, you could tell that she wanted to help him as well. The lean green fighting machine was practically drowning in undead by this point. All the noise and commotion from his earlier attacks had attracted even more zombies. And now, you could barely see him over the literal sea of undead washing over him. He was still going strong, fighting with all his might, but you were all afraid that it might now be enough. That his hulk blood might run dry before you had completed your mission. For Khonshu's sake, the guy was even keeping the flocks of undead birds away from you! Whenever he spotted them, he would leap high into the air, and bring his palms together for a seismic thunderclap of incredible proportions. You both loved and hated when he did that. Loved it for the amount of birds it killed upon contact. Hated it because it made you feel like you were going deaf in both sets of ears. Everyone else seemed to share your sentiment, but didn't complain about it too loudly or openly. But worst of all, were the stares you were getting from the people that you were saving. Sure, it wasn't everyone, but you could tell that some of these people truly did believe in the prophecy. And despite your efforts to defend their lives, some of them… Some of them looked at you as if you were a monster waiting to gobble them up. Even now, a family of people with zebra-stripe patterned skin were cowering away from you, despite the fact that you were busy hacking away the zombies threatening their safety. What will you say?>”Oh, come on! Am I really that scary? How is my reputation down here even worse than the one I have at school!?” >”A little emotional support would be nice. I'm not asking for any ‘thank-you's’, but I'd appreciate it if you guys could show a little encouragement.” >”There. Is. No. Such. Thing. As. A. Slayer prophecy!” >Say nothing and keep fighting. Let them think what they want. It's not your job to change their minds. >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6253495 >>”There. Is. No. Such. Thing. As. A. Slayer prophecy!” Anonymous
>>6253495 >”My role is a protector, first and foremost. No human, monster, god, or damned prophecy will take that from me.” I don’t have a funny or disarming comment that feels appropriate after this. Maybe I’ll think of one later tonight.
Anonymous
>>6253495 >>6253713 >”But if you ever meet a time wizard, send them my way. I have a lot of extra roles and would love more hours each day.” There’s the quip I couldn’t think of earlier. I wouldn’t be surprised if they bolt before they hear it.
How often does that happen in the comics? Spiderman readies a quip for someone he saves, but they’re gone before they can catch it?
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Sat 07 Jun 2025 22:20:34 No. 6254465 Report >>6253870 I believe it's happened more than a few times throughout his career! Some people are just used to his antics and end up ignoring him, while others might be a little too pumped up on adrenaline to even hear what he's saying.
Anonymous
>>6254465 Man, just leaving Spidey hanging like that feels like kicking a puppy. A hyperactive puppy that won’t stop barking, but still.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 09 Jun 2025 19:56:28 No. 6255735 Report Quoted By:
>>6253549 >>6253713 >>6253870 >”There. Is. No. Such. Thing. As. A. Slayer prophecy!” >”My role is a protector, first and foremost. No human, monster, god, or damned prophecy will take that from me.” >”But if you ever meet a time wizard, send them my way. I have a lot of extra roles and would love more hours each day.” Taking and combining these. Writing...
>>6254843 You've got to admire the man's ability to quip while under pressure.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 09 Jun 2025 20:28:48 No. 6255760 Report Quoted By:
“There. Is. No. Such. Thing. As. A. Slayer Prophecy!” you declared, punctuating each and every word with a swing of your sword. “I’m a protector, first and foremost. And there isn’t a human, monster, or god alive that can change that. The same goes for your stupid prophecy!” A massive hulking zombie approached you from your left, its arms poised to crash down on your skull. He got a face-full of foxfire for his trouble, and you watched with mild interest as frost started to form over the affected area. You made a mental note to study up on the properties of foxfire, and swiftly beheaded the large zombie. “But if you ever meet a time wizard, be sure to send them my way.” you added, planting your sword into the ground and leaning on it for support. “I’ve got other responsibilities waiting for me up there, and I could use a few more hours to round out my day.” You brought your hand down to massage your lower back, pushed your shoulders back, and pushed out with your chest. You heard and felt a satisfying pop as your vertebrae clicked back into place, and you could barely resist letting out a groan as you did so. “You know what I mean?” you asked, turning back to face your audience, only to find that they had already evacuated without so much as goodbye or a thank you. “Oh. No, that’s cool. It’s not like I was pouring my heart out or anything.” you snapped at nobody in particular. “We fight for a higher purpose. We walk this world knowing that our cause is just.” Mercy whispered. “Our god’s approval is all the reward that we require.” “Right right right,” you quickly muttered. “I just think that people could show a little courtesy every now and again.” “You are aware that the casual use of time magic is strictly prohibited by W.A.N.D. and various other magic societies.” Shaggy mentioned. “Yeah yeah, I know!” you blurted out, plucking your sword out of the ground and raising it to defend yourself against a zombie wielding a metal pipe as a weapon. “It’s called wishful thinking.” “Contact with Jinn is also strictly prohibited.” he put in, not slowing down in his task as he did so. You let out a frustrated battle cry that was just barely drowned out by the ever-increasing horde of zombies. Having heard this, Louise floated down to stand beside you, and placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “Are you alright, Cindy? Do you need a break? We need only keep this up for a little while longer.” You straightened your back, and tightened your grip on your sword in an effort to appear less tired than you truly were. “No…I can keep going. It’s just-” Your words cut off when you realized that there was a faint purple glow radiating from your hands. You looked down, and an audible gasp escaped your lips. Your whole body was glowing. This was either another weird symptom of being a Kumiho, or-” “Cindy? What is happening?” Louise asked in alarm, her hands now gripping both shoulders. (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 09 Jun 2025 20:29:51 No. 6255761 Report Quoted By:
The sudden commotion made Shaggy turn to see what was going on, and his jaw dropped as well. “The Kaiju King is summoning you…!” Both you and Louise turned to stare at him in disbelief. Why now? You couldn’t leave yet. There were still people that needed saving! “How do I stop it!? I don’t wanna leave you guys!” you exclaimed. “Can I bring you all with me?” Shaggy shook his head in resignation, and you thought you could see visible relief in his expression. “I’m afraid that it doesn’t work like that, lass. If the King has put out a summons, then it means that he has need of you.” he said, sounding more calm than he reasonably should. “His safety takes priority over ours. Don’t worry about us. We can finish things up here.” You felt like he was saying this more for your sake than anyone else’s. You wanted to say more, but any thoughts you had regarding the matter were suddenly blown away when Louise leaned in to give you a gentle kiss on the cheek. Your face felt like it was on fire after that. “He’s right. Stay safe, Petit Cindy. We will come find you after.” “Wait! No-!” But it was too late. Your vision swam, and your stomach turned. It was the same feeling as last time, except not nearly as disorienting. You managed to retain your senses, and you hoped that you’d be able to prevent yourself from throwing up that soup you had at that inn. Several seconds later, you found yourself crouched down before a dais. You brought your head up slowly, recognizing the Kaiju King’s throne, as well as the man seated atop. He hadn’t even stopped to regard you. He was feverishly drawing, his pencil moving so fast that your eyes could barely keep up. The giant dragon-man, Slizzik, was hovering behind him protectively, his large slitted eyes scanning the room. Blearily, you did the same, noticing that it was slowly filling with monsters. These looked like pedestrians, and the ones that weren’t being led inside through a crack in the giant stone doors were being teleported inside via the Kaiju King’s summoning method. A thought passed through your mind, and you squinted, narrowing your focus so that the life energy of those present became more apparent. And to your great relief, you recognized your grandmother’s aura almost immediately. You shoved through the crowd, barely stopping to apologize in your haste. When you found her, she was laying down on the cold hard floor, looking more exhausted than you’ve ever seen her. A crowd of monsters were gathering around her, looking more than a little concerned. But you noticed a few of them gasp and back away slightly at the sight of you. “Grandma!” you shouted, moving to kneel beside her. Your eyes searched her wrinkled face for any signs of life, but it was as if she had been placed in a deep sleep. You could barely sense any life energy in her at all! “Grandma, wake up! It’s me!” you urged, gently shaking her by the shoulder. “You have to wake up. We need you.”
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 09 Jun 2025 20:30:53 No. 6255763 Report Your vision grew blurry, and your heart started hammering in your ears. “I need you...” you whispered through shallow breaths. “I can’t lose my only grandma…” This couldn’t be happening! You were only just starting to get to know each other. Things can’t end like this! Just then, a pair of hooves came into view on the other side of Young’s body. Your head rose, and you frowned up at a small goat boy covered in white fur and wearing a blue tunic. It was the one you had seen fighting the undead before! His smile was gentle, and his eyes appeared to be glued shut by a gold, waxy material. In his hands, he carried a lyre made of dark wood. “She requires Goldblood.” he said. “W-what?” “Goldblood.” he said again. “He requires blood from the Gilded Lady.” Your frown deepened. What was this kid even talking about? “Who?” “He speaks of the masked woman who wears pagan symbols.” a nearby troll added. Masked woman? Pagan symbols? Were they talking about Louise? “The Goldblood nourishes all. It can save your grandmother as well.” the goat boy said. What will you do?>Draw up a portrait of Louise and demand that the Kaiju King summon her here. Maybe she really can help. >Try to share some of your chi with your grandma. You’ve never done it before, but she needs you right now. >Ask around to see if anyone has a healing potion on them. You know they’re illegal, but desperate times call for desperate measures. >Ask the Kaiju King to summon someone else. (Write-in) >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6255763 >>Draw up a portrait of Louise and demand that the Kaiju King summon her here. Maybe she really can help. No way, does she have cure-all elixir for blood?
Anonymous
>>6255763 >You have the Bloodstone fragment still. It’s not like you needed it anyway, you can give it up if it’ll save your grandmother. Taking Louise away might put Shaggy and the others in danger. The fragment should give life energy too, shouldn’t it?
I’d been hoping to keep that for longer, but this seems like a good cause to spend it on.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Fri 13 Jun 2025 12:04:25 No. 6257676 Report Quoted By:
>>6255765 >>6256160 How would you guys like me to settle this? Should we flip a coin, or would one of you like to switch votes? It doesn't seem like there are any new votes coming in for this one.
Anonymous
>>6256160 i'll switch to this, no big deal
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Fri 13 Jun 2025 23:28:18 No. 6257825 Report Quoted By:
>>6256160 >>6257693 >You have the Bloodstone fragment still. It’s not like you needed it anyway, you can give it up if it’ll save your grandmother. Taking these, then! Writing...
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Sat 14 Jun 2025 00:50:28 No. 6257854 Report Quoted By:
You briefly considered the possibility of having the Kaiju King summon Louise here to test Goat Boy's theory, but you quickly dismissed the idea. If you took Louise away from the other group, that might place Shaggy, Harpy and Deadhead in danger. It might even cause the deaths of innocent supernatural creatures. No. You couldn't. But if you didn't l, Grandma Young might… Your hands frantically patted your body up and down, looking for something–anything that could- Your hand found something hard and slightly sharp. You froze momentarily, before pulling out the peace offering that Mina had granted you. It shone crimson in the dim light, illuminating both your face and Young's. Susurrations rippled through the crowd as they leaned closer to get a better look at what you were holding. You stared deeply into the bloodstone shard, unsure of what you expected to find out from it. As if you could detect signs of duplicity or malice through your naked eyes. You didn’t know the Nosferatu Twins very well at all, and you haven't really had a chance to get this thing examined, but it was starting to look like you didn't have much of a choice here. If you sat here and did nothing, you might lose your only remaining grandparent. Your eyes moved from the stone, and back to Young’s face, still bathed in red from the stone's eerie glow. You bent down, swept your hair over your shoulder, and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. Then, you set your expression, and loosened her robes enough for a portion of her chest to be exposed. “Please work…” you prayed. And then, you pressed the bloodstone shard against the exposed portion of flesh. A network of veins rose up to meet it, just barely contained by her thin layers of skin. Slowly, the stone began to sink deeper into her flesh, its eerie glow blinking in sync with her heartbeat. Your own heart started to beat faster as you carefully removed your hand from the stone. After a few seconds, the stone settled in place, right below her collarbone. Your eyes searched her face for any sign of her waking up, but all she did was groan in discomfort. “Come on. Wake up…” you muttered, nudging her arm tenderly. A moment later, Young’s eyes flew open, and a pair of blood red orbs stared up at you in shock. You nearly jumped in surprise, but you somehow managed to maintain your composure. “Grandma!?” Young opened her mouth to let out a faint whimper, and you slid your hand under her head to prop it up. “What's wrong? Are you alright?” you asked, your eyes darting between the bloodstone shard and her face. Her mouth shut, and you could tell that she was gritting her teeth tightly. She looked like she was in pain! You swore, on Khonshu's honor, and on the lives of your remaining loved ones, if Mina had tricked you into killing your own grandmother… (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Sat 14 Jun 2025 00:51:30 No. 6257856 Report Quoted By:
She began to thrash, and now everyone around you was growing uneasy at the state of their protector. Her arm reached up to grip your shoulder, and you could feel her nails digging into your flesh. But then, something strange happened. Her hair was starting to change color. It went from white, to orange, and finally, to a deep shade of red! Her body began to change as well. Her limbs elongated, and her features softened. Her youth was returning to her with seemingly no effort on her part. Life energy flooded her body, reigniting her spark, and forcing you to shield your eyes momentarily! You had read somewhere that the Bloodgem granted immortality to anyone that merged with it, but this was the first time you've ever witnessed its power with your own eyes! Her skin was a bit paler than usual, but was at least far healthier than she had been before having the stone implanted in her flesh. The skin around it was looking a lot less irritated and veiny, and was beginning to look like a surgical implant that had been there long before the two of you had ever met. She blinked several times, and her eyes returned to a darker, more natural hue. Her legs shifted, and you felt the need to have Mercy cover her legs to preserve her modesty. With how long her legs had gotten, she would need a few alterations to that robe of hers. Your grandmother, now sporting the appearance of a pretty, red-headed Korean woman in her twenties, blinked up at you several more times. “...Cindy? Cindy, is that you...!?” she asked, trying to sit up a little too quickly. You allowed her to sit up, but kept a firm grip on her shoulder so that she wouldn't move around too much. Seeing her now, you had to admit that you looked more like her than your actual mother. It was like looking at a grown up version of yourself that had decided to dye her hair in an act of rebellion. The thought made you laugh, despite yourself, and you threw your arms around her shoulders. “Hey Grandma.” you said with a sniffle, nuzzling her neck as you tightened your hold over her. “Don't scare me like that ever again.” You heard another sniffle, and felt warmth dripping onto your shoulder and running down your back. A pair of equally warm hands wrapped around your back and hugged you tight. “Thank the heavens you are alright…!” she said through a shuddering breath. “I could not bear to lose you.” Your tearful embrace lasted several minutes longer, with the two of you indulging in a healthy amount of back-rubbing and exchanging loving gestures in the form of gentle whispers. The monsters around you all collectively breathed sighs of relief as they quietly celebrated Young’s return to health. You didn’t care that you were currently the center of attention. You didn’t even care that everyone was watching and listening to you blubbering over your grandma. This was your moment. And no one could take this away from you. —--- (Cont.)
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Sat 14 Jun 2025 00:52:31 No. 6257857 Report When you were both satisfied, you pulled away from Young and allowed her to slowly rise to her feet. She was easily a head taller than you now, and thanks to Mercy’s alterations, was able to stand, walk and run without exposing herself. She gently prodded the bloodstone shard now embedded into her flesh, and ran a finger along the area where organic material and magic crystal met. “A Bloodstone. You used this to preserve my life?” she asked, eyeing the crystal dubiously. You averted your gaze, feeling a little guilty now that the moment had passed. “It was all I had, and you weren't waking up, and-” A pair of hands gripped both your shoulders, and your grandmother pulled you in for another hug. Thai time, you were thankful that the others had decided to give the two of you a little space. “Don't you dare apologize.” she said in a slightly stern voice, pulling back to look you in the eye. “Smokey’s the one that should be apologizing for letting you out in this mess.” Her hand brushed your cheek, and you reached up to hold it in place. “Don’t blame him.” you chuckled. “He did his best to protect me. Harpy and Deadhead too.” Young breathed out through her nose and shook her head slightly. “Fine. He’s off the hook…for now.” she offered, her pupils flashing red briefly. “I will have to thank the other two later. I trust they are all safe?” Your smile faded, and Young didn’t miss the look of uncertainty that flashed across your face. “They’re all still out there, saving people and fighting their way through a zombie tsunami!” Young gave you a resolute nod. “Then we must hurry. I’m not sure how long the King can keep this up.” she said, casting a worried glance in his direction. Even now, the population of monsters in this room was rapidly swelling due to the Kaiju King’s efforts. The strain on his face was plain to see, and you almost wanted to tell him to stop…but you didn’t think that he would even register what you were saying in his current state. What will you say?>”Do you feel up for it? I’ve never planted a Bloodstone in anybody before.” >”No, I’ll go. You should stay here and rest for a bit. You looked like you were in a coma five minutes ago!” >”Let’s stay here for now. I’m sure Shaggy’s going to tunnel his way here once he and the others finish evacuating the last of those civilians.” >”Do you think he’ll let me try? I mean, I can remember the faces of everyone I’ve met today, and I’m a decent artist.” >Write-in.
Anonymous
>>6257857 >>”Do you feel up for it? I’ve never planted a Bloodstone in anybody before.” if she says she's good she's good
Anonymous
Traveling sucks. It’s hard to keep in touch with the quest when bouncing around so often.
>>6257857 >”Do you feel up for it? I’ve never planted a Bloodstone in anybody before.” >Start calling on nearby people, asking their names, and assigning them simple jobs to help with your excursion. If we’re going back out, we should be smart about it. We know we cleared routes starting from the shop up through wherever we were last at. If we can get a map, we can figure out how to get back to our corridor and make a path for civilians to get to the palace area (or other known defended position) on their own while heroes focus on keeping the corridors clear. The Kaiju King shouldn’t teleport anyone that we can move through a safe route since the man is clearly working too hard right now.
Others can handle the task of getting a map for us, gathering individuals who would be willing to travel along our route and keep it open for civilians, and setting up an area for injured monsters if one isn’t already established.
The latter should be as easy as getting a long pole with an “infirmary” sign on it. Even if the infirmary is elsewhere, people can go there to get guidance to it.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 16 Jun 2025 16:36:14 No. 6259316 Report >>6257875 >>6258667 >”Do you feel up for it? I’ve never planted a Bloodstone in anybody before.” >Start calling on nearby people, asking their names, and assigning them simple jobs to help with your excursion. Taking these. Writing...
>>6258667 It's good to have you back! I'll take your suggestions.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 16 Jun 2025 18:26:16 No. 6259345 Report Quoted By:
You gave her a worried look out of the corner of your eye. “Do you feel up for it? I’ve never planted a Bloodstone in anybody before.” Young stared down at her hand, flexing it a couple of times before tightening it into a fist. To your supernatural senses, that same fist was becoming encased in a red, pulsing energy. After a moment, you recognized it as your grandmother’s chi. Only, now it felt…’heavier’? Was that the word for it? There was an undeniable and oppressive density about the life energy that flowed around her fist. At various points in that chi flow, you noticed that the energy would occasionally crackle like lightning. “Oh, yes. I will not rest until I have repaid Varnae for everything he has done here.” Her eyes took on that eerie red glow once more, and you could feel your worry deepening. But at the same time… “Save some for me.” you said, jabbing a thumb back at yourself. “I haven’t wanted to stake a vampire this bad since my parents faked their own deaths.” You noticed a look of guilt briefly flash over Young’s face, her downcast eyes eventually finding the golden blade resting at your side. Mercy was keeping it close, just in case you needed it. “Is that Atlantean steel!?” You nodded, adopting a slightly sheepish grin as you patted it with one hand. “Yup. It was a gift from mom before I got summoned here.” Grandma Young slapped a hand to her forehead. “It looks like that’s not all you took.” she said, pointing at the various potions and pieces of magical equipment you were currently wearing. “It was an emergency!” you argued. “Emergency or not, you need to be careful with what you take, or even touch in that shop.” she admonished. You folded your arms over your chest and raised an eyebrow. “You seriously think I can’t identify a cursed object when I see one? Mom wouldn't let me out of my room until I could do it with my eyes closed.” Despite herself, Young grinned and let out a light chuckle. “Yeah. That sounds like Nari, alright. She taught you well, I see.” “Yeah. She really did...” you said, wishing that you had gotten a little more time to speak with her. She nodded. “Another thing to be grateful for. But there will be time to reminisce later.” she declared. “Now is the time to retake our city.” You nodded as well, waiting for her to address the citizens of Monster Metropolis. She turned, cupped a hand to her mouth, and shouted at the top of her lungs. “Hey everybody! My granddaughter has something to say!” “Wha-!? Grandma…!” you whined. She winked at you, grabbed you by the arms, and positioned you to stand in front of her. You gave her an accusatory glare over your shoulder, before turning to face the crowd of monsters now staring directly at you. Some were giving you dubious looks, but most of them were staring expectantly, as if you were supposed to give them an inspiring pre-battle speech. And you might have, if you were given advance warning and at least a couple of minutes to prepare!
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 16 Jun 2025 18:27:18 No. 6259347 Report Quoted By:
But no. You were put on the spot, and had nothing to rely on but your reportedly poor sense of improv. Why couldn't Ben be here to do this? He was so much better at talking to people he didn't know! You opened your mouth to speak, and not even you knew what was going to come flying out of it. All you knew was that these people were all counting on you. The whole world might be counting on you… “Hi. I know you're all scared, and confused, and probably more than a little angry about your city getting invaded by zombies.” you began, still feeling a little embarrassed about all this. There were murmurs of agreement echoing throughout the crowd. “But I know the one who’s really responsible for all this.” you continued. There were multiple gasps of surprise and outrage. “I mean…I don't know him personally, but I know where we can find him.” you went on. “How do you know all this?” a bat creature called out, narrowing his eyes in scrutiny. You turned to face him. “The Nosferatu Twins told me. He's an ancient vampire lord that goes by the name ‘Varnae’.” There were even more murmurs now. Good. You were starting to pick up steam now. “He's been deceiving all of you with these fake prophecies. He's been using his minion Skul to build an army. And he nearly took out the entire Monster Council a few hours ago!” Your audience was growing increasingly rowdy with each and every revelation. By yourself, you would have been hard pressed to convince them of even one of these things, but with Grandma Young literally backing you up, they would have no choice but to seriously consider the things you were saying. “And if I were you guys, I'd be seriously pissed about it!” You got a raucous agreement from the crowd, and you felt Young giving your shoulders an encouraging squeeze. You reached out a hand, and pointed out three people who you recognized from your time flying above the city. Goat Boy, despite having his eyes closed, calmly stepped forward as soon as you pointed at him. Further in the back, another man reluctantly stepped forward. He was trying to blend in with the wall, but was now unable to after you pointed him out to everyone. He appeared to be a Were-rat with beady red eyes and brown fur. He wore hempen pants that were being held up by his tail, a short beige hooded cloak with little holes cut out for his ears, and an old rifle that he'd slung over his shoulder. And lastly, the Salamander girl wearing the green cloak, who stood at a remarkable seven feet and two inches, stepped forward to meet your eyes. No one had dared get in her way. Like all Salamanders, her skin radiated an intense heat due to the furnace of everburning flame that served as their body's metabolic function. She had the appearance of a bipedal reptile with spindly limbs, a thick, serpentine torso, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 16 Jun 2025 18:28:21 No. 6259348 Report Quoted By:
Even from here, you could see the outline of her circulatory system being lit up by her internal flame. They pulsed at the same rate of her flame's fluctuations, portraying to all the world how nervous she was to be called out in public. Which was odd, on account of the massive battle-axe hanging from her back, and the fervor with which you saw her wielding it earlier. “You three! What're your names?” “Mellis, ma'am.” the Goat Boy answered with a short bow. “...Ed.” the Were-rat complied, after a brief pause. To your surprise, he sounded like he had a typical New York accent. “R-rhyssa…” said the Salamander girl, unable to hide her nervousness. “Mellis, Ed, Rhyssa. I want you three leading the next assault.” With the exception of Mellis, everyone's eyes widened in surprise. “I saw you guys fighting earlier, and I've gotta say, I'm impressed with your work.” you admitted, nodding to each of them. Mellis was clearly a bard of some sort. That was the only way you could justify what he did to that undead horde with nothing but the power of music. Ed the Were-rat seemed to be a sniper, judging from the looks of those weapon mods. And that shy Salamander was giving off a faint magical aura. A battle-mage, then. That must have been why she was able to stand amidst all these people without roasting them alive. It did nothing to erase the stigma of Salamanders being dangerous to be around, though. “Now hold on-” Ed was beginning to say. “At once, my lady.” Mellis agreed, his brow furrowing in what might have been a look of determination. “We will spare no quarter until the Goldblood is found and protected.” “It's not just her that needs our protection.” Rhyssa noted with a lisp. “This is our home.” She reached out a clawed hand, made a few swift hand signs, and her entire body shifted from bright red and orange to varying shades of cool blue. Immediately, the people standing within her vicinity visibly relaxed. That looked like a hastily cast heat barrier spell. Rhyssa then reached up, and drew her large battleaxe, hefting it in her skinny hands. Mellis strummed his string instrument and gave an encouraging nod. Ed grumbled to himself, but still unslung his rifle. You gave them all a satisfied smile. “Great. First, we’re gonna need a map of the city.” you demanded. “I’ll mark down the areas that I know have been cleared out, and we’ll set up a route for people to follow if they want to take shelter in the palace. We should set up an infirmary too, if we haven’t already.” There was a brief pause, where everyone was unsure of which order they should follow first, but Young managed to snap them out of it. “Well? What are you all waiting for? Do what the girl says! The more time we waste, the more lives are at risk!”
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 16 Jun 2025 18:29:22 No. 6259349 Report That was enough to stir them to action, it seemed. The palace buzzed with noise and activity now, but it wasn’t entirely chaotic. By themselves, the citizens of Monster Metropolis were beginning to create some semblance of order as they talked among themselves to decide who would be better suited to what role. The three generals you’d handpicked were taking the lead when it came to organizing a proper fighting force. Even the shy Rhyssa was trying her best not to shrink back from all the attention she was receiving. Young made a satisfied grunt and gave you a pat on the back. “Good work.” You wanted to be angry with her, but you couldn’t entirely bring yourself to feel dissatisfied with the end result. It was time to start fighting back. —--------- What will you do?>Join your Monster Generals in clearing out the streets of more zombies. >Accompany Young in setting up the infirmary. You don’t exactly have a wealth of medical knowledge, but you were at least taught the basics. And having Mercy there to stitch people up and dress wounds should make things go smoother. >Head back out to look for your friends. The rescue operation should be wrapping back up now, and Ben and Ana should be returning as well. >Give the Kaiju King an accounting of each face you remember from your rescue operation. It wouldn’t do to have him take on extra work for no reason. >Write-in.
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Mon 16 Jun 2025 18:30:25 No. 6259350 Report ????!!
Anonymous
>>6259316 Still traveling now. I’ll be back home in a week, but I expect random IPs for a while given the lackluster wi-fi where I’m at.
>>6259349 >Give the Kaiju King an accounting of each face you remember from your rescue operation. It wouldn’t do to have him take on extra work for no reason. Given his manic state, it might be best to draw their faces and tell him the drawings we give him DON’T need summoning. He doesn’t need to listen or respond much, and it lets us work without distracting him until we’re ready to dump a stack on him.
I hope Cindy is good at speed drawing. Mercy probably is!
I’d also back
>Join your Monster Generals in clearing out the streets of more zombies. either as a follow-up or switching to it. As a follow-up, I’m thinking we’d make sure the corridor behind them is still clear some time after they leave if they head out before we finished with the Kaiju King.
>>6259350 Looks like “Aryan equals colon” if you add two of the dots to the right. Not sure if that’s saying they’re shit or if they often give colonoscopies. I’ll leave that for the rest of the board to argue over.
Anonymous
>>6259349 >>Head back out to look for your friends. The rescue operation should be wrapping back up now, and Ben and Ana should be returning as well. Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED
Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Thu 19 Jun 2025 03:25:42 No. 6261071 Report >>6259409 >I hope Cindy is good at speed drawing. Mercy probably is! She'll try her best! Mercy isn't as good at capturing fine details, but her ability to form shapes and images using ink gives her a surprisingly useful skill!
>I’ll leave that for the rest of the board to argue over. Agreed!
>>6259421 >>6259409 If no new votes roll in, then I'll archive this thread and repost the last vote in the new thread.
Since I have you guys here though, how are you enjoying Cindy's adventure? I know it's gone on for a while, so I'll try to wrap things up within the next thread if possible.
Anonymous
>>6261071 I can switch from
>>6259409 to
>>6259421 . Getting access to the pocket dimension would speed up this whole evacuation process.
>Cindy’s adventure It’s been a nice break from Ben’s adventures. A focused campaign compared to the more freeform stuff Ben does since he has so many potential plot hooks in him. It (hopefully will) end on a high note when this arc concludes.
Anonymous
>>6261071 >how are you enjoying Cindy's adventure? It's been pretty fun! Cindy is really cool to play as, she's really grown from being the players' morality pet into her own thing
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Thu 19 Jun 2025 23:05:02 No. 6261582 Report Quoted By:
>>6261225 >>6261527 Glad to hear you guys are enjoying the side story so far! Making Cindy more independent, and having her carve out her own niche has been an important goal of mine. And, like all teenage vigilantes, she's got some serious challenges ahead of her!
>>6261225 Don't worry! This finale is going to be very epic, and, in some ways, very shocking!
>>6259421 >>6261225 >Head back out to look for your friends. The rescue operation should be wrapping back up now, and Ben and Ana should be returning as well. The switch is appreciated, thank you. I'll start working on the opening post for the next thread. It should be up by tomorrow evening!
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Scorekeeper !!qcHMjYPsvED ID:TYlFQUZ5 Fri 20 Jun 2025 05:08:33 No. 6261798 Report Quoted By:
This thread has been archived!
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Max%20Spider%20Quest Once again, thank you guys for playing, and I hope to see you all next time!