Thozmp
Gets my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
If you mean all the missed perception checks, then it was scripted in the sense that we never trained our perception.
A Bro's Life (AGG-ish Anime Bro Quest)
- Thread starter LinkOnScepter
- Start date
- Original
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
1. Weren't any rolls.
2. Nope. Based all off current Skill levels.
pingas plight
-Most cunning scientific fuck-up in all of Mobius
Makes sense.
But I feel like we would have need to have 2/3s to 3/4s of our grinding be for perception to pass a 90 dc.
- Location
- Goose Land
It is to be noted that in other AGGs, simply increasing a Skill can decrease the DCs within it, that getting All-Perks within a Skill Tree tends to lower DCs, and that having supplemental Skills like Culture, Supernatural Knowledge, Empathy, or Education, can also decrease the DC.
I imagine it's simply a case of us being almost entirely uninvested in the related areas that would have lowered the DC.
pingas plight
-Most cunning scientific fuck-up in all of Mobius
Ah.
This is literally the first AGG that I have read, so I did not know that.
In fact, I don't even know what it stands for.
Thozmp
Gets my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
Actually, those were for "Supernatural: The Who." Which is basically our ability to play Who's That Pokemon with the supernatural. Identifying a creature as a kitsune, or a kappa, or a dragon. This particular monster is kind of obscure so it was likely to always be a high DC. We should probably up it a bit before that one girl calls us out on our inability to identify the supernatural creatures we want to befriend.
Also, before it's asked, I assume The Who identifies a creature (Like say a manticore) and The What is more about what it does (Manticore: Watch out for the poisonous spines it can launch).
Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
There is a very, very good reason why that DC was 90.
It is a reference to the quest "A Geek's Guide" by Sage_Of_Eyes who created this system, said in the opening post.
Don't worry, I've not read it either and knowing it is not necessary for this quest.
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
Basically it's like this:
The Who: What a Monster is in terms of it's name, general myth, and legend. It's what you need to know that a Manticore is a Manticore and any particular things about it's legend that might be of use.
The What: What exactly a Monster is in terms of...what it is. It's abilities, temperament, general attitude. It's what you need to know that a Manticore has Poison on its spines, has sharp claws, and likes to pounce it's prey.
The Why: Why a Monster is the way it is. This is usually its Creation Myth and anything that could explain why it's the way it is.
The DC for Aina was 90 cause what she is, is something that has been wiped from the record of a lot of people. Only the oldest of Supernaturals would know what she is. And Yato ain't that.
Icipall's post explains what I was gonna say.
You don't need to read any of the previous Geek's Guides to understand what I'm doing here. However, if you want to have some reading and ideas to either check out cool Quests or get an idea of what exactly I'm doing:
A Geek's Guide: CORE
Technically the first AGG Quest (to my knowledge) CORE is more in line with a CK2 Style Quest set in an AU of High School DXD. However, it sets the foundations for what would be AGG Quests in the future.
A Geek's Guide: Eastern Rhapsody
The Geek's Guide that got me into the Quest Style in the first place. I still see it as one of the best, and it's the main one I base a lot of this Quest's Mechanics off of. It's a really entertaining read, with one of the best MCs I've read in Questing...granted he is a Henry from Fire Emblem Awakening Expy, but still.
A Geek's Guide: Deathworld Earth
Another good one, and one of the few AGG's (well, long running ones that I know of) with a Female Protagonist. Where Eastern Rhapsody is Wuxia Fantasy, Deathworld Earth is Grimdark Sci-Fi. But everything I said about AGG: ER applies here too.
Throne Of Tokyo
An AGG not by the original creator of the system (Sage_Of_Eyes) but one of the best that uses its system. It's set in Tokyo Ghoul and has a pretty awesome way of using its Characters. One of my favorite parts was that this MC actually had a guy for one of his Best Friends and he was the first one they maxed the SL on. It was awesome.
And to further simplify how the system works:
Think the Skill System from Fallout 3 and New Vegas, then add in supernatural bullshit and higher levels being the equivalent of Godlike Beings. Add in a dash of Persona/Shin Megami Tensei for the Relationship System and you've got yourself an AGG Quest.
- Location
- Attempting to cast animate object on a black hole.
There's a few other earlier AGG quests where Sage tried to balance mechanics, but basically yes.
Massively over-leveled luck was a real balance breaker with rolls not exploding becoming very rare, and making a taser spell hilariously OP was nice.
Massively over-leveled luck was a real balance breaker with rolls not exploding becoming very rare, and making a taser spell hilariously OP was nice.
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- Location
- Goose Land
Actually, the first AGG was AGG: Conquering High Fantasy.
Eastern Rhapsody is where things really started coming together into what we think of as the "modern AGG system", and the modern system was originally inspired by "Long Live The Queen" anyway.
If you search this site and Spacebattles for AGG you'll dig up a lot of quests that used the system.
With that in mind, I'll go over some basic conceits that I remember offhand.
Specialization vs Broad Foundation:
Having one or a few Skills exceptionally high can provide a crutch that helps you survive and win encounters you really shouldn't have.
At that same time, it can leave you exceptionally under educated on several key subjects which would have helped informed your decisions.
In addition to that, getting all of the Skills in a Skill Tree to 50, 100, 150, and 200 unlock All-Perks, which provide very helpful abilities ranging from Combining Skills Of The Same Tree For Checks to Unlocking Abilities Otherwise Unaccessable to Literally Immortality.
So there's a balance needed between striving to be the Best at something so you don't get your ass kicked, and having a broad enough foundation to unlock abilities you wouldn't otherwise be able to get.
SLs Are King:
The Buddy system is fantastic, and the closer you grow to someone the more likely they are to 1) increase AP efficiency in training certain Skills, 2) ride or die with you when shit goes down, and 3) give you specific SL perks that range from Autosuccesses On Certain Skill Checks to Not Dying When Killed to Even More Efficient Training.
Building Tall rather than Broad is usually the way to go for getting the real juicy SLs.
Social, Combat, Utility:
The three broadest Catagory of Skills can be summarized as the title of this section.
Social Skills help you actually talk and interact with people, and lacking them can be....stressful for decision making during SLs.
Combat Skills help you stay alive when someone tries to kill you. Seems obvious, but sometimes people "rest on their laurels" to quote a specific, salty, scene in one particular AGG.
Utility Skills help with the other two, or with doing things completely unrelated to them. Some AGGs have a Survival Skill Tree, with such things as "Not Getting Lost", "Surviving Off The Lands", and "A Gut Instinct For Things" being the usual trio of Skills within it. Education could be called a Utility Skill because it doesn't directly help with Combat or Socials, but it sure makes them easier.
Perks:
Every other level we get a Perk. Some Skills or Perks or Levels can change that, but let's set that aside for now.
Perks unlock in a Skill for purchase every increment of 20, so 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, and 140.
There are sometimes Class Related Perks that unlock depending on your level in a Class, but we'll also set that aside.
The 100, 120, and 140 Perks tend to be Significant in some way, either being game changers on their own or synergizing significantly with the prior perks along that particular Skill's list.
Some AGGs allow you to buy them immediately if your Skill is high enough, others limit you in some fashion, sometimes needing a certain amount of Perks to be bought first, other times introducing a Gatekeeping Mechanic of some kind that needs to be activated first.
That's about all I can think of for now, but feel free to ask questions.
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
In case you're all wondering where the next update is...
...I got sick.
Couldn't even stand up for more than a minute. So...yeah.
...I got sick.
Couldn't even stand up for more than a minute. So...yeah.
Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
Hey, no need to feel sorry over that. Take care of yourself first.
kinglugia
Hora hora~
Was it Covid, or monke-pox?
NewbieSV
<Certified Newbie>
- Location
- Below the Foot of Gatotkaca
- Pronouns
- He
Well, as The Indonesian saying goes....
GWS
For real, tho.
Rest up, drink some meds or oils or whatever remedy you have.
Updates can wait, your health cannot.
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LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
Neither.
Just a bug that usually hits me around this time.
It's usually gone within 3 days.
Bro Trip #2.1
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
[X] Talk. Maybe you can convince her to calm down...if she even understands your words.
Well, you came out here to make friends.
So, lets do that.
[CSC: Motives + Persuasion = 30 + 33 = 63 VS DC: 50: Success]
[+1 RP]
"Listen," you begin, letting your guard down just a little bit, "I feel like there's been a misunderstanding here. We're not here to hurt anyone, and it's pretty clear you don't want to hurt us."
She lets out a curious growl but doesn't drop her stance in the slightest.
You shrug, "If you really wanted to take us down, you would've kept attacking. And my ability to shrug off your strike wouldn't have mattered. And if we were here to fight you, do you think I would be talking with you right now?"
Her facial expressions and body language keeps shifting. She scowls at you, then raises an eyebrow, before shaking her head and growling, then she looks around in confusion. One tail is ramrod straight and pointed at the sky, while the other is starting to droop. Her legs and claws are pawing at the ground but the tension within them has begun to lessen.
"And on top of that," you cross your arms and smile, "I can tell you're not attacking us because you want us dead. Where's your Partner?"
That makes her eyes go wide. She immediately gets back into a fighting stance, but you've already got a response to that. You raise up your arms and show off Yato, "Hold on there, we're not enemies. Yato?"
"Salutations...creature," the sound of your Partner's deep, ringing voice makes her eyes widen even more. Yato takes this as a reason to keep speaking, "I am the Partner of Lord Nagai Hayato, brother of Lord Nagai Yamato. We have come seeking an accord with you and any you consider allies."
"An...accord?"
Everyone's gaze whips to the east. From within the tall grass, a man just a bit older than rises to his full height.
Which isn't much.
Cause, you're a head taller than him.
"KEISHI!" the monster shouts before bounding over to the human. She stands in front of him, teeth bared to the two of you while her tails wrap around the newcomer's waist.
When you're about to speak, Yamato finally steps out from behind you and interrupts you. He stands places both his arms behind his back as he begins to speak, "Yes, an accord. Or an agreement. Or an alliance. Whatever synonym you wish to use. The main point is that we came here looking for assistance."
Keishi doesn't respond at first. Not because he refuses to. But because he's busy calming down the monster. He's at her side, hands running up and down her fur. Her tails stay wrapped around him but every time he touches her she starts to relax.
"Easy, Aina, easy," he says in a soothing voice, hand rubbing her head right in between her horns. She keeps her eyes locked onto you two, one leg in front of Keishi despite the fact that he is moving forward of his own admission. But, while she is still on guard, it's clear the young man's presence is calming her down. Much of the tension in her body is gone and her gaze softens every time she looks his way.
After making sure that "Aina" isn't going to try anything else, Keishi steps forward and stares both you and your brother down. You lock eyes with the guy and-
[Motives + Feelings: 33 + 35 = 68]
[Keishi Motives + Feelings: ???]
....
The two of you blink at the same time.
Then you both let out tension filled sighs at the same time.
"It's alright, Yamato-"
"It's alright, Aina-"
"He's a good dude," you both say in unison.
You turn to Keishi at the same time as he turns to you.
You both blink at the same time again. Yamato doesn't look that bothered, but Aina's confused gaze keeps moving from Keishi to you.
Then the both of you start laughing. You both walk forward and meet half-way in the field of tall grass. Yato disappears when you ask him to, and you hold out your right hand for a shake. You smile at the guy, "Sorry about that. How about we start this off right? Nagai Hayato."
"Sakutaro Keishi," Keishi grabs your hand softly. He doesn't seem to have a very strong grip. Must not train that much. Though considering he's Partnered up with a Supernatural, saying he couldn't throw a punch would probably be a mistake.
"Good to meetcha," you say while letting go of the shorter boy's hand. You gesture towards the dilapidated warehouse, "Mind showing us around your home? It'd probably be more comfortable to talk in there than out here."
As if to prove you right, the wind suddenly turns chilly and starts blowing a lot harder than before. Sakutaro shivers which causes Aina to lope her way over and drape her furred limbs around him. He thanks her, placing a hand on her claw before turning back to you, "Yes, that sounds nice. I...I feel like we have a lot to talk about."
"You went to Kirin?"
Sakutaro looks bashful at your question but nods. He places his own soda down on the table you're all sitting at.
Well, you, Yamato, and Sakutaro are sitting in chairs.
Aina is big enough to just rest on her haunches. She's certainly less aggressive, but you still catch her glaring at you or Yamato out the corner of her eye. Being near Sakutaro seems to be the main thing putting her at ease, while also making her extremely protective.
"But you graduated. Which is why you were not at all involved in the raid on Raijin Academy," Yamato says in his same matter of fact tone.
"Ye-yeah. I, uh, didn't really want anything to do with that place after I left. And I had other responsibilities," his quick glance at Aina tells you exactly what he means.
"Good thing, but I'm upset you didn't get to see it. We beat those suckers black and blue," you pound your left fist into your right palm for emphasis.
He nods but takes on a solemn expression, "To be honest...I'm not that shocked. That place was always crap. The students were crap. The faculty were crap. Everything was...crap."
He lets out a sad chuckle, "Hate to admit it, but a part of me is glad to hear that you thrashed those idiots. Maybe now they'll learn something."
"That will be decided by many factors that we have little control over," Yamato admits before sipping from his own drink. It's just regular water, but he seems to be enjoying it a lot, "Such as the response of their parents, their significant others, the police, and the school itself."
Sakutaro blinks at your brother. Then he says, "Huh. You know, I'd mistake you for the older brother with the way you talk."
"Boy have I heard that before," you roll your eyes with a smile. Then you point a finger at him, "Also, are you sure you're older than me? You hardly come up to my shoulders."
"I am. Some adults just...happen to not get growth spurts after they leave high school," he says sheepishly, trying to avoid your gaze.
"Keishi," Aina pulls at her Partner's shirt, immediately gaining her full attention. She tries to say something else, her mouth managing to make the "Ki" sound but little else. Eventually, she gives up and just points at her Partner's chest. Then she points to you two, then at the windowless wall, before making aggressive strikes at the empty air. Then she looks at him with pleading eyes.
Sakutaro pats Aina on the head, "I understand, Aina. And you're right. Those guys were from Kirin High. Just some jerks from my past that I had hoped wouldn't come back."
You raise an eyebrow and lean back in your chair, "Sounds like there's a story there."
"Well...kind of," Sakutaro places his drink down. Then he grabs his shirt, a move that makes Aina tense up. But she doesn't do anything else as he lifts his shirt up to reveal...
"Holy!" you exclaim at the sight of a wide, fist sized, circular scar on the guy's stomach. Yamato expression is still stoic, but you've known him long enough to know that even he's surprised.
[Medicine: Surgery: 3]
[Yamato Medicine: Surgery: 6]
Mainly because neither of you know how the hell that happened.
"I had a late day at work," Sakutaro pulls his shirt back down as he starts to complain, "and on my way to this warehouse I ran into this asshole Inoshishi Ryota. He brought his gang with him and tried to pressure me to join them."
"What'd you do?" you ask.
"Told him to go fuck himself," he says with a smug grin.
"Nice," you give him a thumbs up.
"It was, indeed, rather brave of you," Yamato replies.
Sakutaro nods but sighs, "Yeah, but dumb. The guy tased me when I tried to get away. They started beating me up and I thought that was it. Then, Aina showed up."
At the mention of her name, Aina immediately tackles Sakutaro. He grunts as he falls to the ground, suddenly finding himself in a rather fluffy and strong hug.
"Keishi! Save!" she shouts while cuddling the human in her embrace.
"Ye-yes you...di-did...Aina. Can...you...let go? Hard to...breathe..."
She's soon up on her haunches again, pulling Sakutaro up with her. The man takes a minute to get his breath back. Once he does, he continues, "Anyway, she came. And she started beating up his entire gang. I wasn't as shocked as you might think I was. I've seen her tackle a pack of wild dogs before. Kind of expected her to win that."
Aina takes his opportunity to look smug. Her wings flair out a bit and she seems to stand taller. But that only last until Sakutaro bites his lip as he continues. Then she looks concerned and grabs the guy's hand.
"But...that bastard Inoshishi. He threw me over the bridge and...that's where it goes black. When I woke up, I had this scar in my stomach and knew that I was Bonded to Aina."
You hum while shaking your head, "Damn. Least you two are alright now."
Sakutaro nods, something Aina mirrors. The two take their seats at the table before he starts the conversation up again, "Now then, I've told my story. Time for you two to tell me yours."
"Not much to say...but..."
From there you give him the basic rundown of the current situation. What's going on at Raijin, why you two came out here, and your plans for the future. You supply the basics, while Yamato supplies the details. At the mention of how the Organization is hunting Supernatural's like Aina, Sakutaro nearly leaps from his seat. His normally calm face is a mixture of anger and resolve for a moment. Then he calms himself and sits back down. When you mention Hiroko and Agano, he seems to have...mixed feelings.
"I mean...I had heard of Agano," he says with a shrug, "while I did leave Kirin behind me, I caught some gossip every now and then. She always sounded like a 'Sleeper Hit' or something like that. A quiet girl, wielding a knife, known to be really dour and an easy target, only to turn out to be a powerful combatant? Those are the type of people Kirin breeds."
He shakes his head, "But to think she would Bond with a Kumiho, and lead an attack on another school. That actually shocks me a bit."
"Shocked us too," you admit with a shrug, "But both Hiroko and her are cool now...at least, Hiroko is. Agano still needs to get her trial and all that."
Sakutaro nods while Aina seems a bit confused. Yamato speaks up at that moment, "Speaking of Bonds, what was yours like, Sakutaro?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"From the scarce amount of information I have gathered, different Supernaturals have different ways of Bonding with humans. Yato Bonded with Hayato through a simple contract ritual. I did the same with my own Partner, Yameko. She is not with us right now. How was the Bonding Ritual between the two of you conducted?"
Sakutaro shakes his head, "Sorry. I can't remember much of it. I just remember hearing a voice in my head, then saying the words 'I do'. After that...I was Aina's Partner. Do you remember, Aina?"
Aina is...blushing?
She has her hands on her cheeks which are glowing red by this point. Her wings are wrapped around her while her tails whip back and forth. She turns to Sakutaro, giggles, then turns away again.
"...Guess she's not telling," you say with a sigh.
Sakutaro chuckles, sweat dripping down his brow. Then his eyes go wide as he suddenly realizes something. He stands up and looks at you, "Oh, right! Hayato! Let me take a look at your back! I need to make sure Aina didn't hurt you!"
You hold up a hand to stop from coming over, "No need. She didn't even scratch me."
"What?" he shakes his head, "But...but Aina's really strong."
"Yeah. And I'm really tough. And I've got Yato with me," you materialize the gauntlets on your hands, startling the Kirin graduate somewhat. Aina lets out another low growl at the sight but you don't let that bother you. You clang your gauntlets together, the ringing sound they make music to your ears, "Our whole thing is being able to take every punch the enemy throws at us. So long as we're together, nothing's getting through our rock hard defense. Ain't that right, Yato?"
"Indeed it is, my Lord," Yato says, pride and joy clear in his tone, "None will breach the iron fortress we have built."
Sakutaro, still looking unconvinced, sits back down, "If you say so."
You let Yato disappear then wave a hand towards Yamato. Your brother nods then speaks, "With all this in mind, would you be willing to help us?"
Sakutaro hums in thought. Then he turns to Aina, "What do you think?"
Aina, rather than say his name or anything else, pulls him in and places her forehead against his. You swear you see the gem on her head emit a faint glow before the two pull away. Then Sakutaro nods and turns back to you, "We'll help you. If this Organization is really hunting Supernatural creatures, then we need to do something about them. We're likely some of the only ones who can. Though, I'm unsure what the two of us could do from here. I'm just a store clerk. And while Aina's strong I don't think she should go busting up a school to help get these guys."
"You are correct. And there's no need to worry. All we ask is that you act as our general allies. If we ask for you help, you will do what you can to accommodate without putting yourselves at undue risk. Offer us information that you know about the general area or other Supernatural beings that maybe close by. And the possibility of using this warehouse as a forward operating base should we require it," Yamato says all of this in a single breath.
"Um...right," Sakutaro seems a bit floored by your brother's words. He clears his throat before saying, "Well, alright then. Um...where are you two going after this? You did say we were your first stop, right?"
"Yep. Heading off to Kirin High next," you say with a nod.
"In that case, keep an eye out," he says with a frown, "There was this one girl who managed to break the norm at the school. She actually seemed interested in studying and graduating. I doubt she got involved in the raid, so she's probably still at the school....maybe."
"Hmm...thank you for the information," Yamato says before standing up, "and for showing such hospitality to us. But I'm afraid we must be going. Hayato?"
You nod then stand up from your seat. Sakutaro waves goodbye as you both head towards the door, "It's no trouble. Stop by whenever you can! Alright, Aina, lets start-"
"Keishi!"
"Uuuwwaaa!"
You both hear a thump as soon as you're out the door.
Followed by the sound of a guy being smothered beneath fluff and fur.
"Huh."
"What is is, Hayato?"
"I just noticed that all of the Bonded Pairs we know of, as of now, are either a guy and a girl or two girls. I'm the only one around here with a male for a Partner."
"Hmm. You are correct. Interesting observation."
[Established Contact with Sakutaro Keishi and Aina the ???]
[SLs for Sakutaro and Aina Unlocked! Sakutaro's starts at 3/10, Aina's starts at 2/10! Both have 6/3 Relationship Points. Can be Leveled Up!]
[Learned of a possible regular student that could still be at Kirin High! DCs to find said student will be lower!]
In case you couldn't tell, I'm feeling a lot better.
Still not back to 100%.
But good enough to has this all-nighter out.
Well, you came out here to make friends.
So, lets do that.
[CSC: Motives + Persuasion = 30 + 33 = 63 VS DC: 50: Success]
[+1 RP]
"Listen," you begin, letting your guard down just a little bit, "I feel like there's been a misunderstanding here. We're not here to hurt anyone, and it's pretty clear you don't want to hurt us."
She lets out a curious growl but doesn't drop her stance in the slightest.
You shrug, "If you really wanted to take us down, you would've kept attacking. And my ability to shrug off your strike wouldn't have mattered. And if we were here to fight you, do you think I would be talking with you right now?"
Her facial expressions and body language keeps shifting. She scowls at you, then raises an eyebrow, before shaking her head and growling, then she looks around in confusion. One tail is ramrod straight and pointed at the sky, while the other is starting to droop. Her legs and claws are pawing at the ground but the tension within them has begun to lessen.
"And on top of that," you cross your arms and smile, "I can tell you're not attacking us because you want us dead. Where's your Partner?"
That makes her eyes go wide. She immediately gets back into a fighting stance, but you've already got a response to that. You raise up your arms and show off Yato, "Hold on there, we're not enemies. Yato?"
"Salutations...creature," the sound of your Partner's deep, ringing voice makes her eyes widen even more. Yato takes this as a reason to keep speaking, "I am the Partner of Lord Nagai Hayato, brother of Lord Nagai Yamato. We have come seeking an accord with you and any you consider allies."
"An...accord?"
Everyone's gaze whips to the east. From within the tall grass, a man just a bit older than rises to his full height.
Which isn't much.
Cause, you're a head taller than him.
"KEISHI!" the monster shouts before bounding over to the human. She stands in front of him, teeth bared to the two of you while her tails wrap around the newcomer's waist.
When you're about to speak, Yamato finally steps out from behind you and interrupts you. He stands places both his arms behind his back as he begins to speak, "Yes, an accord. Or an agreement. Or an alliance. Whatever synonym you wish to use. The main point is that we came here looking for assistance."
Keishi doesn't respond at first. Not because he refuses to. But because he's busy calming down the monster. He's at her side, hands running up and down her fur. Her tails stay wrapped around him but every time he touches her she starts to relax.
"Easy, Aina, easy," he says in a soothing voice, hand rubbing her head right in between her horns. She keeps her eyes locked onto you two, one leg in front of Keishi despite the fact that he is moving forward of his own admission. But, while she is still on guard, it's clear the young man's presence is calming her down. Much of the tension in her body is gone and her gaze softens every time she looks his way.
After making sure that "Aina" isn't going to try anything else, Keishi steps forward and stares both you and your brother down. You lock eyes with the guy and-
[Motives + Feelings: 33 + 35 = 68]
[Keishi Motives + Feelings: ???]
....
The two of you blink at the same time.
Then you both let out tension filled sighs at the same time.
"It's alright, Yamato-"
"It's alright, Aina-"
"He's a good dude," you both say in unison.
You turn to Keishi at the same time as he turns to you.
You both blink at the same time again. Yamato doesn't look that bothered, but Aina's confused gaze keeps moving from Keishi to you.
Then the both of you start laughing. You both walk forward and meet half-way in the field of tall grass. Yato disappears when you ask him to, and you hold out your right hand for a shake. You smile at the guy, "Sorry about that. How about we start this off right? Nagai Hayato."
"Sakutaro Keishi," Keishi grabs your hand softly. He doesn't seem to have a very strong grip. Must not train that much. Though considering he's Partnered up with a Supernatural, saying he couldn't throw a punch would probably be a mistake.
"Good to meetcha," you say while letting go of the shorter boy's hand. You gesture towards the dilapidated warehouse, "Mind showing us around your home? It'd probably be more comfortable to talk in there than out here."
As if to prove you right, the wind suddenly turns chilly and starts blowing a lot harder than before. Sakutaro shivers which causes Aina to lope her way over and drape her furred limbs around him. He thanks her, placing a hand on her claw before turning back to you, "Yes, that sounds nice. I...I feel like we have a lot to talk about."
"You went to Kirin?"
Sakutaro looks bashful at your question but nods. He places his own soda down on the table you're all sitting at.
Well, you, Yamato, and Sakutaro are sitting in chairs.
Aina is big enough to just rest on her haunches. She's certainly less aggressive, but you still catch her glaring at you or Yamato out the corner of her eye. Being near Sakutaro seems to be the main thing putting her at ease, while also making her extremely protective.
"But you graduated. Which is why you were not at all involved in the raid on Raijin Academy," Yamato says in his same matter of fact tone.
"Ye-yeah. I, uh, didn't really want anything to do with that place after I left. And I had other responsibilities," his quick glance at Aina tells you exactly what he means.
"Good thing, but I'm upset you didn't get to see it. We beat those suckers black and blue," you pound your left fist into your right palm for emphasis.
He nods but takes on a solemn expression, "To be honest...I'm not that shocked. That place was always crap. The students were crap. The faculty were crap. Everything was...crap."
He lets out a sad chuckle, "Hate to admit it, but a part of me is glad to hear that you thrashed those idiots. Maybe now they'll learn something."
"That will be decided by many factors that we have little control over," Yamato admits before sipping from his own drink. It's just regular water, but he seems to be enjoying it a lot, "Such as the response of their parents, their significant others, the police, and the school itself."
Sakutaro blinks at your brother. Then he says, "Huh. You know, I'd mistake you for the older brother with the way you talk."
"Boy have I heard that before," you roll your eyes with a smile. Then you point a finger at him, "Also, are you sure you're older than me? You hardly come up to my shoulders."
"I am. Some adults just...happen to not get growth spurts after they leave high school," he says sheepishly, trying to avoid your gaze.
"Keishi," Aina pulls at her Partner's shirt, immediately gaining her full attention. She tries to say something else, her mouth managing to make the "Ki" sound but little else. Eventually, she gives up and just points at her Partner's chest. Then she points to you two, then at the windowless wall, before making aggressive strikes at the empty air. Then she looks at him with pleading eyes.
Sakutaro pats Aina on the head, "I understand, Aina. And you're right. Those guys were from Kirin High. Just some jerks from my past that I had hoped wouldn't come back."
You raise an eyebrow and lean back in your chair, "Sounds like there's a story there."
"Well...kind of," Sakutaro places his drink down. Then he grabs his shirt, a move that makes Aina tense up. But she doesn't do anything else as he lifts his shirt up to reveal...
"Holy!" you exclaim at the sight of a wide, fist sized, circular scar on the guy's stomach. Yamato expression is still stoic, but you've known him long enough to know that even he's surprised.
[Medicine: Surgery: 3]
[Yamato Medicine: Surgery: 6]
Mainly because neither of you know how the hell that happened.
"I had a late day at work," Sakutaro pulls his shirt back down as he starts to complain, "and on my way to this warehouse I ran into this asshole Inoshishi Ryota. He brought his gang with him and tried to pressure me to join them."
"What'd you do?" you ask.
"Told him to go fuck himself," he says with a smug grin.
"Nice," you give him a thumbs up.
"It was, indeed, rather brave of you," Yamato replies.
Sakutaro nods but sighs, "Yeah, but dumb. The guy tased me when I tried to get away. They started beating me up and I thought that was it. Then, Aina showed up."
At the mention of her name, Aina immediately tackles Sakutaro. He grunts as he falls to the ground, suddenly finding himself in a rather fluffy and strong hug.
"Keishi! Save!" she shouts while cuddling the human in her embrace.
"Ye-yes you...di-did...Aina. Can...you...let go? Hard to...breathe..."
She's soon up on her haunches again, pulling Sakutaro up with her. The man takes a minute to get his breath back. Once he does, he continues, "Anyway, she came. And she started beating up his entire gang. I wasn't as shocked as you might think I was. I've seen her tackle a pack of wild dogs before. Kind of expected her to win that."
Aina takes his opportunity to look smug. Her wings flair out a bit and she seems to stand taller. But that only last until Sakutaro bites his lip as he continues. Then she looks concerned and grabs the guy's hand.
"But...that bastard Inoshishi. He threw me over the bridge and...that's where it goes black. When I woke up, I had this scar in my stomach and knew that I was Bonded to Aina."
You hum while shaking your head, "Damn. Least you two are alright now."
Sakutaro nods, something Aina mirrors. The two take their seats at the table before he starts the conversation up again, "Now then, I've told my story. Time for you two to tell me yours."
"Not much to say...but..."
From there you give him the basic rundown of the current situation. What's going on at Raijin, why you two came out here, and your plans for the future. You supply the basics, while Yamato supplies the details. At the mention of how the Organization is hunting Supernatural's like Aina, Sakutaro nearly leaps from his seat. His normally calm face is a mixture of anger and resolve for a moment. Then he calms himself and sits back down. When you mention Hiroko and Agano, he seems to have...mixed feelings.
"I mean...I had heard of Agano," he says with a shrug, "while I did leave Kirin behind me, I caught some gossip every now and then. She always sounded like a 'Sleeper Hit' or something like that. A quiet girl, wielding a knife, known to be really dour and an easy target, only to turn out to be a powerful combatant? Those are the type of people Kirin breeds."
He shakes his head, "But to think she would Bond with a Kumiho, and lead an attack on another school. That actually shocks me a bit."
"Shocked us too," you admit with a shrug, "But both Hiroko and her are cool now...at least, Hiroko is. Agano still needs to get her trial and all that."
Sakutaro nods while Aina seems a bit confused. Yamato speaks up at that moment, "Speaking of Bonds, what was yours like, Sakutaro?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"From the scarce amount of information I have gathered, different Supernaturals have different ways of Bonding with humans. Yato Bonded with Hayato through a simple contract ritual. I did the same with my own Partner, Yameko. She is not with us right now. How was the Bonding Ritual between the two of you conducted?"
Sakutaro shakes his head, "Sorry. I can't remember much of it. I just remember hearing a voice in my head, then saying the words 'I do'. After that...I was Aina's Partner. Do you remember, Aina?"
Aina is...blushing?
She has her hands on her cheeks which are glowing red by this point. Her wings are wrapped around her while her tails whip back and forth. She turns to Sakutaro, giggles, then turns away again.
"...Guess she's not telling," you say with a sigh.
Sakutaro chuckles, sweat dripping down his brow. Then his eyes go wide as he suddenly realizes something. He stands up and looks at you, "Oh, right! Hayato! Let me take a look at your back! I need to make sure Aina didn't hurt you!"
You hold up a hand to stop from coming over, "No need. She didn't even scratch me."
"What?" he shakes his head, "But...but Aina's really strong."
"Yeah. And I'm really tough. And I've got Yato with me," you materialize the gauntlets on your hands, startling the Kirin graduate somewhat. Aina lets out another low growl at the sight but you don't let that bother you. You clang your gauntlets together, the ringing sound they make music to your ears, "Our whole thing is being able to take every punch the enemy throws at us. So long as we're together, nothing's getting through our rock hard defense. Ain't that right, Yato?"
"Indeed it is, my Lord," Yato says, pride and joy clear in his tone, "None will breach the iron fortress we have built."
Sakutaro, still looking unconvinced, sits back down, "If you say so."
You let Yato disappear then wave a hand towards Yamato. Your brother nods then speaks, "With all this in mind, would you be willing to help us?"
Sakutaro hums in thought. Then he turns to Aina, "What do you think?"
Aina, rather than say his name or anything else, pulls him in and places her forehead against his. You swear you see the gem on her head emit a faint glow before the two pull away. Then Sakutaro nods and turns back to you, "We'll help you. If this Organization is really hunting Supernatural creatures, then we need to do something about them. We're likely some of the only ones who can. Though, I'm unsure what the two of us could do from here. I'm just a store clerk. And while Aina's strong I don't think she should go busting up a school to help get these guys."
"You are correct. And there's no need to worry. All we ask is that you act as our general allies. If we ask for you help, you will do what you can to accommodate without putting yourselves at undue risk. Offer us information that you know about the general area or other Supernatural beings that maybe close by. And the possibility of using this warehouse as a forward operating base should we require it," Yamato says all of this in a single breath.
"Um...right," Sakutaro seems a bit floored by your brother's words. He clears his throat before saying, "Well, alright then. Um...where are you two going after this? You did say we were your first stop, right?"
"Yep. Heading off to Kirin High next," you say with a nod.
"In that case, keep an eye out," he says with a frown, "There was this one girl who managed to break the norm at the school. She actually seemed interested in studying and graduating. I doubt she got involved in the raid, so she's probably still at the school....maybe."
"Hmm...thank you for the information," Yamato says before standing up, "and for showing such hospitality to us. But I'm afraid we must be going. Hayato?"
You nod then stand up from your seat. Sakutaro waves goodbye as you both head towards the door, "It's no trouble. Stop by whenever you can! Alright, Aina, lets start-"
"Keishi!"
"Uuuwwaaa!"
You both hear a thump as soon as you're out the door.
Followed by the sound of a guy being smothered beneath fluff and fur.
"Huh."
"What is is, Hayato?"
"I just noticed that all of the Bonded Pairs we know of, as of now, are either a guy and a girl or two girls. I'm the only one around here with a male for a Partner."
"Hmm. You are correct. Interesting observation."
[Established Contact with Sakutaro Keishi and Aina the ???]
[SLs for Sakutaro and Aina Unlocked! Sakutaro's starts at 3/10, Aina's starts at 2/10! Both have 6/3 Relationship Points. Can be Leveled Up!]
[Learned of a possible regular student that could still be at Kirin High! DCs to find said student will be lower!]
In case you couldn't tell, I'm feeling a lot better.
Still not back to 100%.
But good enough to has this all-nighter out.
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Sir Plusse
Overly Vicious Quester
- Location
- Kansas
Maybe, but that's for us to decide, isn't it? I mean... we're Hayato. If the QM tells us our sexual preference like 40 updates in, that feels a bit railroad-y to me.
Now, if our sexual preference is stated right from the start (for example: Gay Quest- you are a boy out to get a boyfriend), that's fine, because the readers know what they're getting into; however, when the PC's sexual preference is not stated outright in the first few posts, it's generally assumed to be "whatever the players say it is."
Also: Ritsuko. If you want Hayato to be gay, expect a lot of voters to fight you just to get together with her.
kinglugia
Hora hora~
Friends with benefits not possible?
LinkOnScepter
The One who Strangles Concepts to death
- Location
- Interwebs
I honestly wouldn't do it.
I would not be able to write that well at all.
Fluffy_serpent
a snake pretending to be human
for me, he is fightsexual
Sir Plusse
Overly Vicious Quester
- Location
- Kansas
It could be a sign that Yato is gay, without reflecting on Yamato.
Or it could potentially be a sign that Yato isn't as male as he thinks; we don't know what he looked like as a human, and it's pretty strongly implied that he's forgotten a lot after turning into the haunted gauntlets.