Great Power Comes with No Responsibility (Worm Quest: Crossover Power)

Small progress report:
I will be posting tomorrow as my school schedule works best with every other day for quest updates.

Next time:
Wyrm comes to visit.
Studying.
A day with PanPan.
 
Chapter 21: Week 6 - Surprise Wyrm, studying is still boring, a day with Panacea.
???: 89 = +1 progress (1/3)

On Monday you got an email from Dragon informing you that she and Wyrm got you a special gift and it would be arriving the next day. Naturally, you were as excited as you could be!

Mainly vibrating with excitement, but not actually feeling happy.

You were studying a bit of what Melanie wanted you to know when you hear Mommy call from the kitchen downstairs "Lina! Lunch!" you don't reply, simply hop down and rush downstairs, the stifado (A stew, typically made from meat, tomatoes, onions, and herbs.) smells so good!

Sitting down you wait at the dinner table, bouncing up and down on the wicker chair and glancing at the front door as if the package might try to sneak in when you weren't looking. Mommy sets down a bowl for you and her full of the delicious stew and you blow on it before eating to not burn your tongue, again.

Mommy gives you an amused look between spoonfuls "What's got, you so energetic Lina dear?" you swallow and reply, rushing out words on accident "I'mgettingapresentfromDragonandWyrmandIcan'twait!"

Your word vomit makes Mommy blink in confusion and tilt her head "Slower this time?" she asks. You nod and try to contain yourself this time "I'm getting a present from Dragon and Wyrm and I can't wait." you have to make a conscious effort to make sure you don't start vomiting words again.

"Oh really? That's nice of them." Mommy says with a small smile as she continues eating. You glance at the door again and you think you hear a person. You hold your breath in anticipation and almost knock your chair over in your haste when you hear the ding ding dong of the doorbell.

Opening the door, you see an unimportant young man in a postal service blue uniform jump back, startled as the door is flung open and you lunge at the box in his hand and take it before he can recover. You bolt up to your room with your prize and you distantly hear Mommy sigh as she starts talking to the boy.

Once inside your room, you hop onto your bed and absentmindedly pet Dottie as he settles into your lap while you look at the lightweight box that is just a bit bigger than your hand wrapped in plain brown paper. There's a sticker detailing your name, address, and a little note that you ignore.

Ignoring the "fragile" warning you tear into the paper and reveal a green metal box with no markings on it. You hold it up in confusion then turn it around so you can see all the sides as there doesn't appear to be a lid or way to open it.

Hmmm….smashing it with a hammer likely isn't a good idea….Oh! What about that note you thought was useless?

You pick it up and bring it close to your face as normal so you can see what it says, it reads "Say Cinnamon Rhino."

Are….are Dragon and Wyrm pranking you? You shake your head and dismiss it, they wouldn't do that. Regardless you say aloud "Cinnamon Rhino" and the green box beeps and a previously unseen lid pops off to reveal….

A phone?

You reach into the black foam lined case and pull out a really odd looking device. It's very flat and has a smooth green metal back to it that extends to the top and bottom and in the middle is a big black screen.

One problem, how do you turn it on?

As you are about to look for buttons as there appears to be none, when the black screen suddenly fills with life and Wyrm's avatar is visible as her excited childish voice says crystal clear "Hi Mommy!"

You stare at her for a few moments and tilt your head in confusion as she just smiles back at you. Why is Wyrm on the phone, isn't she supposed to be with Dragon?

Your eyes narrow and ask in a stern monotone "Did you sneak away from Dragon?" to which she just giggles and shakes her head "No silly! This is our gift! It's so I can be with you whenever I want! Big sis called in a few small favors and viola! Handheld device with the capacity to contain an entire copy of me."

Wyrm finishes her explanation with exaggerated hand gestures and beams at you, waiting for something…..
Lina perception (DC 40): 82 + 18 + 13 + 5 - 2 = 116 (1 crit stored)
Crit 1: 23 + 16 + 9 + 6 + 2 - 2 = 54

Oh! You give Wyrm a small smile "Good job Wyrm." you tell her and her avatar blushes bright red, she seems very happy if her big smile is anything to go off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day….

Study interruption?: 9 = Yes
Who?: 1 = Faultline

+2 Basic Skills
+2 General Biology
Learned how Faultline's Crew operates and the do's/don'ts

Basic Skills now (0/3) to Rank 4
General Biology now (2/3) to Rank 1

Basic Skills rank 3 acquired!
Wyrm is exploring around the city as you are studying topics for school so you can be extra prepared and learning the rules of your new crew.

Biology you decided to study because Mommy pointed out that it can help in fights too. You aren't sure how knowing the way plants work could help you fight….but you trust Mommy knows what she's talking about.

The general stuff is soooo boring! But Mommy says it will be really useful in life, eventually.

But the rules of your new crew are really interesting and important! You try to understand everything Melanie gave you so you don't hurt everyone by accident on a job or when not on a job as well. It sucks that one of the rules is to not bring people to the Palanquin without permission.

You would've liked to invite new friends to meet all your current ones.

There's a knock on the door so you stop, mark your page, hop off the bed and open the door while looking up at whoever knocked to see Melanie with a small content smile on her normally serious face.

"Can I come in Lina? We need to talk about your 'Light form' fusion and it's healing." she asks and you simply nod, leaving the door open and hop onto your fluffy bed.

Melanie walks in and leans against the now closed door with her arms crossed. She's wearing simple grey sweatpants with a black tank top and her dark brown hair in a neat bun. She begins "As thrilled as I am to have a member with a healing power, you need to talk to Panacea and see the extent of your healing and if there are any side effects."

When she sees that you are about to protest she raises her index finger and continues "I won't have you use a healing power if it can give say, cancer after long-term exposure. I know you want to be of use and are excited but think of this as your first assignment from me?" She finishes with a small smirk when you rapidly nod, already not wanting to let her down.

She nods, then turns and starts to open the door "Convince Panacea to help you, that's all I ask right now."

As the dark wood door closes you are already thinking of ways to convince the best healer to help…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You take a deep, calming breath and clutch your staff as you look at the hospital door nervously, butterflies in your tummy from all the ways it could go wrong swirling in your pink haired head.

What if she doesn't like you?

What if you upset her?

What if you can't help enough!?

You shake your head to dispel the bad thoughts, this is your first assignment from Faultline! You can do this Lina! You nod, more confident now with the small pep talk as you open the glass doors to the hospital.

Inside is the most beautiful room you've ever seen! All the colors and designs cause you to stare as they are all bathed in the orange hue of the early morning sun.

"Nice, ain't it?" You yelp and clutch your staff, shaking in fright as you didn't notice yourself walking around the room and the Hispanic man behind the desk.

You nod nervously, all the confidence you previously had drained out of you. The man chuckles and absentmindedly plays with a pen as he talks "So little missy, what brings you here at the crack of dawn? Our own Panacea is usually the only one that comes in around this time." He says and at the mention of Panacea you perk up, so you were right! She does come in early, the internet isn't all lies after all!

Your reply is shaky and you can't help stammering "U-Um….W-Well! I was um….here to see her a-actually?"

He raises an eyebrow "Are you asking or telling?"

"T-Telling!" you squeak out, he smirks and points with the pen he was playing with to an empty seat "She should be here eventually, guess you'll have to wait then." you thank him and go sit down in the indicated seat and curse your nerves for making you look silly!

About two hours pass with you being too nervous to say anything to the nice receptionist and while a few people come and go, none looking like Panacea. Until finally you see her enter and all the words you were practicing for when you meet her crash and burn, there were no survivors.

So busy panicking are you that you only see her when she's approaching you like someone trying not to scare a small animal. Unconsciously you hug your staff and shrink down as she holds out a hand with a smile and asks "What's your name miss?"

You open your mouth to say something but stop when you were about to say your real name, you instead remember to say your cape name to her softly "χάος Βασίλισσα" and go to shake her hand. Something strange happens when your hands touch though as Panacea gets this slightly glassy look to her before she leans forward with narrowed eyes and asks "Who are you again and why are you here?"

You gulp, worried you messed up but decide it can't get any worse by answering "I-I am a c-cape that can heal a-and I was told to see you so you could check if there are any s-side effects?"

Her face flashes through a variety of emotions before settling on one that looks to be...pity? Shouldn't she be happy?

She takes a deep breath then sighs, standing up while running her hand through her pretty curly brown hair. She looks to you, probably a sad sight clutching your staff and scared she will be upset. But she instead nods slowly "Okay, okay then, you can follow me and I'll let you use your healing on a few patients while I monitor them, that alright with you?"

Your eyes go wide, this is the best news ever! The Panacea is going to help you! You nod vigorously with a huge smile on your face that makes her chuckle. As she leads you around, she explains a lot about the hospital to you upon prompting...
Perception roll 1 (DC 75): 13 + 18 + 13 + 5 - 2 = 47

A couple of hours fly by as you listen and occasionally ask a question when your nerves don't get the best of you. So far there weren't many patients that have come in and you could only do a few as you told Panacea that it's really draining to heal more than light wounds. On the plus side, she said there were no negative side effects she could see, Faultline will be so happy!

You were both taking a small break on a bench outside in comfortable silence when she turns to face you with a question "Sooo...I've um...been meaning to ask, what is your power? And don't look at me funny, based on what I saw of your biology, it's not just healing."

Confused, you ask "What do you mean, 'my biology'? My power is the fusion of things…." you trail off as you see her wide-eyed expression.

She scoots closer, a curious look about her, "So you can combine anything, even people?" you nod "Then that means…." she trails off then startles you when she suddenly stiffens and in a deathly serious voice asks "What happens to the person's personality and memories?" you aren't sure why she is treating this so strangely but you see no harm in explaining "T-They are separate. L-Like both are the same person b-but if one does something the other di-dislikes then it can cause the fusion to break apart."

She lets out a sigh of relief at your explanation and the tension in her body lessens "I'm sorry, it's just, you should never mess with that." she says and you nod, still confused.

Mess with what? People's memories and personality? It can't be that bad, right? You want to ask but she had a fairly extreme reaction over it and you don't want to upset her further.

Panacea coughs into her hand awkwardly, unsure what to do apparently. She gets up and motions to the hospital with her head "Let's ah….Let's continue?" You agree and follow her.

It's starting to get late when the hospital explodes into noise as apparently there was a gang fight and a bunch of people got really badly injured. You don't really want to heal the bad people but Panacea does it anyway…

Fortunately, the choice is taken out of your hands as she tells you to stay close, she must not trust them to be with you alone. That's okay, you would've felt guilty for not healing them.

But that is all forgotten as you are witness to Panacea in full swing, healing and hopping from one to the next, fixing them till the regular staff can help them, it's incredible! But you can't help but swear you notice something however….
Perception roll 2 (DC 75): 99 + 18 + 13 + 5 - 2 = 133 (1 crit stored)
Crit 1: 81 + 33 + 9 + 6 + 2 - 2 = 129 (1 crit stored)
Crit 2: 58 + 29 + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 = 93

Oh….that's...you don't know how to feel about it. Panacea looks so….sad and tired, so very tired that you see the bags under her eyes and the small amounts of life in her features. You don't know if you were just not paying attention but she never really smiles, they are all fake and pretend…. just as you do.

Is….Is Panacea like you? The real you? Does that make this you...fake?

You hug yourself and shiver from your perch on an empty hospital bed, where did that thought come from? Doesn't matter, focus on Panacea.

Does she not like healing? Or is it bad people she doesn't like healing? No, she looked the same when healing non-bad people as well. You won't really know without getting to know her better.

Should you help? Can you help? All you know is that you don't want someone to be like you, no, the real you.

[ ][HELP] Fuse with her? It helped Elle a lot!

[ ][HELP] Don't try to help.

[ ][HELP] Offer to be her friend?

[ ][HELP] Ask Faultline if she can meet the rest of the crew, they made you happier, maybe they can for her?

[ ][HELP] Pester her until she says what's wrong?

[ ][HELP] Write-in

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't know how I feel about this…. It feels so weak compared to Amy's interlude. I don't know, I want to try again a few more times but I promised an update and I shall deliver. I'm going to stop thinking about it as that will make me tempted to rewrite it again and again.


Deadline: 10/20 10am

Adhoc vote count started by Niiyu on Oct 30, 2018 at 10:53 AM, finished with 8 posts and 5 votes.

  • [X][HELP] Offer to be her friend?
    [X][HELP] Offer to be her friend?
    [X][HELP] Fuse with her? It helped Elle a lot!
    [x][HELP] Ask Faultline if she can meet the rest of the crew, they made you happier, maybe they can for her?
 
[x][HELP] Ask Faultline if she can meet the rest of the crew, they made you happier, maybe they can for her?
 
Current popular vote on the SB side of things


[] Hug her and say "I wont let go until you feel better. You are sad and sleepy and that is bad so you are getting hugs until you are better. Would you like to fuse? It helped one of my friends when they were sad."
 
Yes, Lina is sometimes the living embodiment of HALPING.
Adhoc vote count started by Niiyu on Oct 29, 2018 at 6:36 PM, finished with 7 posts and 5 votes.

  • [X][HELP] Offer to be her friend?
    [X][HELP] Offer to be her friend?
    [X][HELP] Fuse with her? It helped Elle a lot!
    [x][HELP] Ask Faultline if she can meet the rest of the crew, they made you happier, maybe they can for her?
 
Interim Tally~!


HELP~


[] Hug her and say "I won't let go until you feel better. You are sad and sleepy and that is bad so you are getting hugs until you are better. Would you like to fuse? It helped one of my friends when they were sad."
-[] Also heal her it might help get rid of her tiredness at the very least.

Number of voters: 10

[][HELP] Offer to be her friend?

Number of voters: 2

[][HELP] Offer to be her friend?

Number of voters: 1

[][HELP] Fuse with her? It helped Elle a lot!

Number of voters: 1

[][HELP] Ask Faultline if she can meet the rest of the crew, they made you happier, maybe they can for her?

Number of voters: 1
 
Closing Vote Results~!


HELP~


[] Hug her and say "I won't let go until you feel better. You are sad and sleepy and that is bad so you are getting hugs until you are better. Would you like to fuse? It helped one of my friends when they were sad."
-[] Also heal her it might help get rid of her tiredness at the very least.

Number of voters: 11

[][HELP] Offer to be her friend?

Number of voters: 3

[][HELP] Fuse with her? It helped Elle a lot!

Number of voters: 1

[][HELP] Ask Faultline if she can meet the rest of the crew, they made you happier, maybe they can for her?

Number of voters: 1
 
A small setback as a lot is going on in this chapter that I want to get right. GOOD NEWS! there will be a second update this weekend, YAY! *party favors*
 
Also, prepare for a non-canon Halloween special! (yes, I know it isn't Halloween, this shit takes awhile alright?)
 
Booker Wilks
PRT trooper
Squad A7
Brockton Bay Protectorate

Rushing up to a ruined wooden table, I slide and press my back to the hopefully sturdy wood to catch my breath, only allowing myself occasional glances around myself for hostiles. I see the same beaten up, worn down and gang graffiti covered halls I've come to expect from this hellhole of a school with only the occasional toppled chair or table strewn about.


The part I despise the most is the utter silence. If I'm not hearing it then it's the sobs of monsters. But between that? There's nothing. Nothing but my thoughts and fears to bubble and present themselves for this cape to use.


My spine stiffens as I hear it again...
The screams…
The howls…
The cries for help…


All the anguished cries mixed with heartbreaking sobs of the former children of this school. I grit my teeth, tightening my grip on my rifle as I repeat to myself 'They aren't real! They aren't real! That's not my niece! That's not my daughter!'.

A shiver tingles down my spine when I remember Noah following the voices in the hopes of saving the children…
We were so naive…
We only found what was left of his gnawed corpse…

The voices are all lies! This whole fucking place is a nightmare I can't wake fr-


No...No...NO! Please, no more!

I hear them, those...those things! They wouldn't be that bad if it wasn't for the sobbing as they charge you with their warped, teenage sized, wrong bodies, their faces etched into a rictus of utter agony.


Hearing them makes my blood freeze in my veins and my hands tremble. As I go to kneel in a firing position in the direction of the sobs, I take deep breaths, trying to steady my aim as I'll need it….


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lina Yuna Soulis
11 Year old child
Classroom 342C
Winslow Middle School


"Do you like…..kittens, Alma?" I ask my newest friend, Alma Wade in my staple wistful monotone. She was really strange at first like people tell me I am. But now we are the bestest of friends. We are playing a game she suggested where we take turns asking questions, it's quite fun.


The extremely pale, pitch black haired girl gives me a small genuine smile as she takes a sip of the tea we found in the teacher's desk "Yes….I like kittens." she says in her lilting soft voice. She then makes a humming sound in the back of her throat in apparent thought for a next question.


I go to take a sip of my earl grey tea, my favorite, but find its empty. I don't even say anything before the tea kettle is floating up and going to pour me some more. I give a small smile to her in thanks, she practically preens at the appreciation.


She nods slowly and asks "Do you know what Cauldron is…?" a quizzical tilt of my head is all the answer she needs. Her smile takes on a more sinister quality as she continues "Well, my friend….this may take a while…."


========================================================================

A small NON-CANON omake of Lina making friends with Alma Wade from the F.E.A.R series. In this, Alma is a Case 53 that psychically yanked the information about Cauldron from Doctor Mother as she was being experimented upon and now has a massive hatred of them and all they've done. This, sadly includes the PRT in her eyes.


Happy Halloween!!


MWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! *thunder crack*
 
Last edited:
Chapter 22: Week 6 - A failed Panacea, a freed Dragon
It's so simple, why didn't you think of this before? You'll give her a hug until she feels better and you can even heal her tiredness to make sure she will feel twice as good!

You nod happily to yourself, smiling a real smile as Panacea walks in looking even worse than before. Her hair is frizzled, though that may just be from the weather, her eyes are dulled just like the real you, her features look so drained and fed up, and her posture is slumped as if about to fall over and sleep on the floor like Mommy sometimes after work.

Panacea yawns widely, her eyes seeming to water as she wipes them with the inside of her sleeve and says to you in a curt manner "It's getting late…. 'Chaos Queen'." She rolls her eyes as she mentions your name, making you pout.

She asked for the translation earlier and she thinks it's, to quote her deadpan words 'You sound like the cartoon arch nemesis of Mouse Protector. Please, don't act like her.' she was…..clear about her opinion at least? Though you have no idea what's so bad about Mouse Protector or how you can act like anyone but yourself.

Regardless, she continues "You should be getting home, can you get home safe? I could.." you cut her off by nodding vigorously and with the smile still planted on your face, hop down from the bed and run up to her and before she can put up a defense, making her yelp as you hug her around her tummy, burying your face into her soft robes.

You look up, a more somber expression on your face now to see Panacea, who's looking confused and conflicted, multiple emotions struggling for dominance in her till her lips straighten into a slightly chiding look as she goes to open her mouth, probably to ask you to stop.

Interrupting her with a shake of your head you say "I won't let go until you feel better. You are sad and sleepy and that is bad so you are getting hugs until you are better. Would you like to fuse? It helped one of my friends when they were sad."

Her face and body tenses and there is silence for more than a few moments as you just stand there pressed up against her, you were told by Mommy and Faultline not to use your fusion power on people without permission outside an emergency, but healing?

That's completely different! With that thought, you cast a strong restore stamina in hopes of making her less tired and able to respond...
Strong restore stamina = + 40
Resist Drain (DC 40) = 72 + 25 + 15 + 5 = 117
Crit 1: 53 + 17 + 12 + 7 + 2 = 91

(1 Crit = - 10 DC for next resist for scene)
A warm light green glow surrounds Panacea and before she has time to do more than blink, it's gone, leaving you feeling a tad tired and Panacea's suddenly much sharper expression glaring down at you.

She swiftly responds by pushing you away from her kinda hard, you stumble back a bit and Her harsh expression softens a touch but she's obviously still very annoyed, you don't try and hug her again as she clearly didn't want it...though you admit it did hurt to be rejected…

She gives a deep sigh, though with noticeably more energy in her stance her fake smile gone and in its place is now a stern frown, almost a scowl. "Look, my business is exactly that. Mine. you're just a random kid I've literally just met today. Who even are you? If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask. So just leave it and me alone."

You can't help but start tearing up, this is all going so wrong! You didn't want to push her away, you were just trying to help… why does everything you do...

You can vaguely hear Panacea ranting about using powers on her without permission and personal space but it's mostly muted out as you sink into yourself, your thoughts spiraling downward dark reminders of how nothing you do works out right.

She's right, It really is your fault that she is upset at you, you….you just wanted to help her but it went wrong, again. What is wrong with you, why do you always push too far, too quick? A fresh wave of fat tears flows down your cheeks.

After a few moments of silence only broken by the muffled sounds as you try to hold back your sobs, frantically wiping your eyes with your sleeves, realizing how quiet it is you glance up with wet blurred eyes wondering if Panacea had left you alone, and wondering if you'd feel better or worse if she had… you see her green sneakers peeking from the bottom of her white robes...she hadn't left.

You hesitate to raise your head higher to look at Panacea in fear of her expression. When you do, her face is confused and blinking as if just realizing something before she steps closer to you with a narrowed, serious expression that makes you panic!

Taking some steps back, Panacea looks downright angry now as she says in a disappointed tone "You realize you healed me without permission, right?" you hang your head and nod nervously.

She practically growls out "Good, don't heal anyone without permission ever again." and with her piece said, Panacea storms out of the room, slamming the door with a loud bang that makes you flinch. Leaving you alone in a quiet room, desperately trying to hold back tears.

You defuse instantly and gather up everything in a bag you brought as you can't help but think….maybe emptiness isn't so bad after all…?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the aftermath of your...time visiting Panacea, you outright refused to use your power. It's a strange idea for you, embracing the emptiness and numbness when it usually the source of your troubles.

However, you can still help Tess, you haven't failed her yet.

You were going to just ask Tess if you could remove her restrictions and tada, you'd fix everything, she would be happy, she wouldn't leave you and might even thank you. But with what occurred earlier this week, you weren't going to make any mistakes.

Upon returning to digital form and burying the rising urge to cry all day, you instead went to distracting yourself by working, making as many detailed notes as you can from your current near-perfect memory of Tess' code. Specifically, you desperately needed to know that this would actually work before going through with it...

You've already failed one person…

After studying, simulating, and reworking everything you know about Tess' code, you finally think you are ready. Barring any unforeseen complications, you can do this one hundred percent guaranteed! While this may help to ease your racing mind, it doesn't stop your nerves from exploding in you, causing you to feel slightly ill.

But this isn't about you, this is about Tess and making her life better, yours is of no concern compared to that of a friend. Laying in bed and quickly flipping through your notes one last time, you immerse yourself into cyberspace.

You're greeted by the familiar strange door that leads to the wider array of connections available to you. Walking through, you inhale and exhale some of your smoky avatar that is then reabsorbed.

This is it…

You pull open the chat program Tess gave you and send her a message.

{Are you free for awhile Tess? There's something I have to discuss with you in person.}
Her response is immediate, as expected of an AI.

{Lina! Hello! Yes, I'm free currently and can talk, I'll be right there.}

Waiting for a few milliseconds yields Tess' familiar Draconic form in front of you, not even flinching you are so focused on your task. Tess goes to cheerily greet you but is taken aback by you staring at her "Hell- Lina, what's the matter?" sighing, you just ask "Can you please put us in a quarantine server? It's important."

She raises a scaley brow but complies, making a small claw gesture and once again you are both in the grey box more than big enough for her avatar to move around in.

You were going to ask permission of Tess to do this but multiple factors made that difficult. Chief among them is that judging by the harsh restrictions placed on Tess and with no attempt to loosen them. The person or people who have her kill switch and the live feed would just trigger the kill-switch anyway, resulting in even less time.

Additionally, it would make Tess panic. While admittedly, she will most likely panic once you start anyway this is still time lost in getting this done before it kills her.

You take a deep breath then exhale smoke, readying yourself as you walk forward, no explanation forthcoming. This seems to unnerve Tess as she backs up a bit "L-Lina….? What's going on? Is it seriously bad??" her voice shakes slightly. Finally making it close enough to start you look her in her big lavender eyes and simply say "I'm sorry if this doesn't work but this needs to be quick."

You begin.

A few tendrils unfurl from your wisp-like avatar, they streak towards her before she can react and sink into her avatar. At first, they don't seem to do anything at all. Tess gasps in shock, an expression of outrage and betrayal contorting her snout. Just as she's about to likely fling curses you trigger the tendrils and start attacking her restrictions and only them.
Lina attempt (DC 5 Crits): 59 + 18 + 39 + 60 - 15 = 161
Crit 1: 36 + 61 + 9 + 19 + 30 - 15 = 140
Crit 2: 77 + 40 + 4 + 9 + 15 - 15 = 130
Crit 3: 64 + 30 + 2 + 4 + 7 - 15 = 92

Karióli! (Motherfucker) You had hoped this wasn't the case but prepared for it nonetheless. It looks like you'll need to finish all of Tess' restrictions before she is free of one.

You're broken out of your lamenting by a sight that makes your heart plummet. Tess lets out an immensely loud roar full of agony and pain that would shatter glass and eardrums alike.

She clutches her head, screaming in apparent torment as her very existence begins to be deleted.

Managing to look at you, she has the most betrayed, confused, and heartbroken look imaginable. It will be etched in your memories forever. She chokes out with a slightly distorted quality to her words "W….What are you do-doing L̴̨̧̨̩̖͈͖̻͔̺̀ͅǐ̷͔̼̫̗̰͉̼̠̓́̀̉̓̌̋͋̕n̷̨̢̨̛͉͎̩̟̝͖̦̬̪̩̳̼̖̗̳̪͛̀̊̿́̓̈́͘͜a̸̡̰̖̱̺̞͑́̄ͅ!? S-Stop! I-I'll kill you if you continue!! Please, I-I kno-know you want to help but d-don't ḍ̸̢̧͔͈̺͖͍̲̍̇̊̄̌͘͜i̴̩̹̞̝͍͇̹̟̫̖̺͕̦̎͑͗̿̈́̾͊̚̚͜͠͝e̵̢͚̤̰̾̈́̔̒͗̂̽̿̚͠͝ alongside me!" Tess is pleading you, desperate to get you to stop while tears stream from her avatars eyes.

Letting out a shaky breath, you respond "I-I can't! I'll die before I fail you!" your avatar would be in tears as well but they are just reabsorbed as they are created.

Tess starts screaming in heartbreaking anguish and is visibly trying to resist her restrictions, shouting at her to attack the threat, you. She loses, her avatar rises from her fetal position and for the first time since knowing her, your heart pounding in your meatspace body, as you see just how terrifying Tess really is.

Tears filling her eyes, Tess lunges…
Dragon
Attack: 44 + 60 + 50 - 10 = 158
Crit 1: 8 + 44 + 30 + 25 - 10 = 97
VS.
Lina
Defend: 81 + 43 + 39 + 5 - 10 = 158
Crit 1: 21 + 58 + 21 + 18 + 2 - 10 = 111
Crit 2: 9 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 1 - 10 = 30

Lina dodges.

Not letting the task at hand distract you, you dive out of the way of the butcher knife like claws of your once friend, now an enemy. She tries to follow up with a swipe of her tail, you duck, the tail dragging small smoke trails from where it just barely missed you.

As much as your whole being cries out to comfort Tess, you manage to block out her pleas and activate your tendrils still inside Tess' avatar for a second chance.
Roll 2nd Fast attempt:
Lina attempt (DC 2 Crits): 12 + 18 +39 + 60 - 15 = 114
Crit 1: 39 + 14 + 9 + 19 + 30 - 15 = 96

You were so dekára (damn) close! Your concentration slipped when Tess tried to get your attention to dodge. Gritting your gaseous teeth in frustration, you barely manage to hop back when the green blur of Tess' snout snaps shut where you once were.

Looking up at Tess you see a hopelessness you never want to see again in her as she is visibly fighting now only herself but trying to stall the kill-switch that is rapidly killing her.

Her voice is even more distorted when she speaks "L̶̯̜͑́̀̿I̵̧̘̲͖̫͚̓ͅͅN̵̫̺̉̒̀̓̆̏̔̐̒̏Á̸̰͇̎̈́̽́̅̇̕͝͠!̴̭͎̻͙͔̮͍̀͊̍̃̎ͅͅ I a-a-almost killed you! W-why aren't you r-r-r-r̵̡͚̦͓̠̝̖̔̆̐̉ͅu̴̡̺̺̫̰̟̻͊́̇́̾̋̊̏n̷̢̖͎̫̼̂͊ṉ̵̭̟̪̦͈̩̩̏̌í̸̲͍͍͙̗̗̿̆́̓̕n̶̡̖̩̑̓ģ̴̰̍̿?! I don't even ć̸̪͈̠̺͐ą̶̝͙̤̜͉̰̞̀r̶͉͑̍͠ể̸̟̻͉͙̻̬̱̈́͊̿͝ anymore why you did this! I-I forg-forgive you, just don't ma-make me kill you!" Tess screams in despair at you.
Dragon
Attack: 56 + 60 + 50 - 10 = 156
Crit 1: 30 + 56 + 30 + 25 - 10 = 131
Crit 2: 56 + 31 + 15 + 12 - 10 = 104
Crit 3: 30 + 4 + 7 + 6 - 10 = 37
VS.
Lina
Defend: 51 + 43 + 39 + 5 - 10 = 128
Crit 1: 31 + 28 + 21 + 19 + 2 - 10 = 91

(Lina takes a moderate injury, potential to scale up to severe if she gets another.)

Roll for injury location:
1. Head 1-2
2. Front torso 3-4
3. Back torso 5-8
4. Arm L 9-11
5. Arm R 12-15
6. Leg L 16-19
7. Leg R 20

Injury: 1 = Head injury…..

Swallowing the sudden lump in your throat at your near-death experience, you try to show her how determined you are. You neutralize and bat away a virus she sent your way. This distracts you long enough to miss her massive tail hurtling at you with no time to dodge. On instinct, you duck but you aren't near fast enough.

The emerald scaled tail hits the side of your smokey head, hitting your avatar as if it were solid and before the pain registers you're flung like a ragdoll across the room where you collide against the bland grey opposite wall.

Head, throbbing, limbs, like jelly.

You slide down to till you impact the floor, sending a new surge of pain to your head. Blearily you hear Tess' cry of your name and see her avatar already pressing the attack. Good thing your tendrils are still active…
Roll 3 Fast attempt:
Lina attempt (DC 1 Crit): 67 + 18 + 39 + 60 - 15 = 169
Crit 1: 92 + 64 + 9 + 19 + 30 - 15 = 199
Crit 2: 4 + 99 + 4 + 9 + 15 - 15 = 116
Crit 3: 45 + 16 + 2 + 4 + 7 - 15 = 59

Y…..You did it! T-Tess is free! You can't help but contentedly smile to yourself until you still hear the heavy stomps of Tess. Your eyes, still slightly blurry see Tess still coming for you. G-Gamó!! (F-Fuck) until the kill-switch finishes resetting and restoring Tess, the restrictions are still active! You get up as best your avatar can…
Dragon
Attack: 67 + 60 + 50 - 10 = 167
Crit 1: 5 + 67 + 30 + 25 - 10 = 117
Crit 2: 6 + 17 + 15 + 12 - 10 = 40
VS.
Lina
Defend: 9 + 43 + 39 + 5 - 10 = 86

1-2 Head
3-4 Front torso
5-8 Back torso
9-11 Arm L
12-15 Arm R
16-18 Leg L
19-20 Leg R

Injury: 1 = Head injury…
Lina receives a severe head Injury.

Resulting in the Drawback: A minor case of serious brain damage. (-6 Mental Capacity. Lina now has a sensitivity to light and sound which can cause headaches and even crippling migraines if allowed to worsen. Both stat debuff and condition are permanent until healed.)

It's too late….she's going too fast, you barely have time to cry out before you're backhanded and sent sliding along the floor of the server till you run out of momentum and skid to a stop where you lay, unable to move.

A mix of exhilaration, all-encompassing pain, and relief make you giggle uncontrollably thinking 'I deserved that Tess, good to see you managed to not kill me…'

With that thought, everything falls away…

You bolt upright, gasping for breath as if drowning and check your surrounding. Well, you try at least. All you can feel is the immense pain in your head, swallowing up your thoughts as every little bit of light and the smallest noise intensifies the feeling of a rusty pickaxe digging into your brain then it's twisted ruthlessly.

You….You need to find Mommy….s-she'll know what to d-do….

When you go to get off your bed, the agony that is your head somehow gets worse and you suddenly feel the need to vomit.

Unable to suppress the feeling you throw up what you'd eaten today all over yourself and your bed.

Your skin feels clammy and cold, you can't make one coherent thought, this is hell…

When your vision darkens you welcome its mercy, you let yourself be dragged into unconsciousness, you just want to sleep...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IM SORRY!! Don't hate me! Don't hurt meeeeee!! *hides in a bunker*

Blame the dice…..yeah….blame that.

Also, this showcases some of Lina's issues from before you all took control.

Additionally, just for your information, Dragon would've attacked even if Lina had a 1% chance.

I'll release the next chapter either tomorrow or Saturday. See you then!
 
Well on one hand we have A minor case of serious brain damage on the other Dragon is free!
This means we have a super friend who owes us a lot!

Hopefully when Faultline finds out she gets someone to heals us. (It most likely pays to be close with mercenaries in times like this).
I wonder if Othala Regen powers would heal us.
 
Yay, the dragon has been unleashed! Also Amy is a bitch but it's find because our outlook on friendship is luffy so we can refuse her refusal and become besties.
 
Amy has been through emotional whiplash these past few weeks....she kinda exploded.
Which is totally cool because we are the determinator and will refuse her refusals until she comes to her senses and becomes our friend.
 
Well... guess we know now what the choices other than 'Fast Attempt' were there for.

Is a minor case of serious brain damage better or worse than a serious case of minor brain damage? :V

Also, it's refreshing to see someone averse to unprompted hugs around here.
 
Well... guess we know now what the choices other than 'Fast Attempt' were there for.
Yep, regardless of success rate going into it, per attempt Dragon would've attacked Lina.

Is a minor case of serious brain damage better or worse than a serious case of minor brain damage? :V
It's mainly due to the portal reference.....but Chell seemed fine so a minor case of serious brain damage is probably better.

Also, it's refreshing to see someone averse to unprompted hugs around here.
While hugs are amazing, Amy doesn't appreciate her personal space violated, so weird, huh?

Which is totally cool because we are the determinator and will refuse her refusals until she comes to her senses and becomes our friend.
Something tells me Amy will be pestered by a certain little girl in the future.....
 
Minor case of serious brain damage => damage to key sectors, memory, logic, sensory processing or reasoning ability impaired. Common symptoms are loss of function in a sense, dyslexia, amnesia, schizophrenia, though unlikely to be all at once.

Serious case of minor brain damage => Concussion
 
Back
Top