Turn 4 Results
Turn 4 Results
Martial: Squash Some Bugs (Buzz Buzz)
DC: 55/80
[CD] is Recovering: They suffer disadvantage on all Martial checks involving combat until their next turn.
1d100 = 19 + 16 + 35 (+ Buzz Buzz Loyalty bonus 4.5 rounded to +5) (+4 from Griffinlw's 400 EXP spent) = 79
[Tier 1 Success]
The sun shone brightly overhead.
A light wind blew through the forest that boxed in the path leading up to the Entertainer's Shack.
Most kids your age were at school, playing hooky, or working part time jobs.
You?
You were killing giant insects in the woods with a baseball bat.
Just a few days after losing most of your blood and forcibly regenerating it through the power of high fructose corn-syrup and psychic powers.
It felt like you were constantly swimming and your entire body was made of goddamn concrete.
Even breathing required some amount of effort.
All that kept you moving, pushing yourself, was just your sheer frustration and disgust with the aliens before you.
Your shoulder muscles burned as you brought your bat down on another Attack Slug.
But it was like hitting a pond.
There was a splash, a wet crunch of membranes popping and exploding beneath the force of your bat, but like water rushing in to fill a void there was always something else to take its place.
Buzz Buzz had warned against going after the bugs around the Entertainer's Shack in your state.
But you didn't fuckin' care.
Every day it seemed like there were more and more of the things outside the shack, hidden out of sight. And when you weren't even certain they were solely limited to sticking by the shack anymore?
You knew it was time to go in swinging.
Whatever was in that cave was going to learn about you eventually, you intended to make sure it got a "good" first impression.
For three straight hours you fought up and down the path leading to the Entertainer's Shack. The grass, dirt, tree trunks lining the road soon splattered with the viscous grey slime that made up the slugs. Your bat was stained with the stuff and your clothes would have been soaked with the filth if they weren't already soaked through with your sweat.
Buzz Buzz disagreed with the whole thing, but he was with you the whole time. Taking up the considerable slack your pained, slowed body left.
Watching your back, ramming clean through slugs like a bullet from a gun, and calling out to you when you started to miss things due to fatigue.
"CD, I think that's enough. You can't continue like this in your state."
Buzz Buzz broached the topic after you had won a rare breather. Left leaning against your bat like a crutch, fighting for breath as as a migraine started to blossom in your temples from the slug's numerous failed attempts to hypnotize you.
You fight to say "Fuck that", but the words simply wouldn't form properly.
Glancing down the dirt path, towards the shack, you see more white and grey lines crawling out from under rocks and slithering out of the forest. Another fresh wave of Attack Slugs oozing their way towards you.
...
It's not a matter of swallowing your pride as much as it is swallowing a bit of your own blood.
With a weak, angry stomp to splatter one last Attack Slug, you beat a retreat from the Entertainer's Shack.
"We still thinned there numbers. You did good, especially in your state."
Buzz Buzz's words of encouragement fell flat as you hobbled your way back home. Unable to fight off the feeling you could have done more if you'd just pushed yourself more.
And uh, if you'd stop coughing up blood every couple minutes.
[The Alien Presence in Onnet has been partially diminished]
Stewardship: Beak Point Grift Issues
DC: 25/40/75
1d100 = 68 + 7 = 75[Tier 3 Success]
Beak Point was truly a sight.
Seated on the outskirts of Onnet to the north where the forest met the cliffs, Beak Point was situated right on the edge. Overlooking the vast, dark ocean that stretched out into the unknown.
When the sun rose or set, the light would hit the water and display colors that seemed so rare in the world.
It made Beak Point beautiful...
And made the Vacant House there a decrepit goddamn eyesore.
Personally, you wished someone would just bulldoze that place but that wasn't going to happen when the fucker who owned continued to insist it was worth the price of a penthouse in Fourside.
But if it wasn't going anywhere, then you might as well see if you can make some money off of it yourself.
If it ended up fucking over the scammer who currently owns the place as a side effect? That was just a bonus.
Issue is, just about anyone you know in the Quarter knows that it's a scam and that the property itself is probably worth less than the bug guts on your bat, meaning you won't be able to trick any rich local to buy your bullshit, thankfully that won't be needed.
All you need to do is to find someone who isn't from around here and has more money than sense, and you have just the plan to find your golden goose!
That plan being…punching in random numbers on telephone and hoping for the best.
...
…Yeah, after the fifth hour you were beginning to regret everything.
It felt like you talked to the whole damn city and then some.
Janitors, housewives, hell even a clown from Raccoon City somehow, and everything in between.
All of which weren't interested in the slightest about your proposition.
You became increasingly thankful you were using someone else's phone (sorry not sorry Porky), you could only imagine what the long distance call charges would look like.
Then, as you were taking a breather with the receiver down, the phone rang.
Someone had called…you?
Picking up the receiver, you pressed it to your ear.
"Yeah? Who is this?"
"Who is this? Why it's Slade Percy Benedict the Third. Esquire!"
The voice of the thing pretending to be a man on the other end of the line made your skin crawl. You could practically envision what they looked like just from the noise.
If a gilded urinal could speak, this was the voice you would imagine it having.
"Who else would be calling you? Your ex-wife? Oh right, she's my wife now. Ahaha~"
Just the way the man, if you dared call this thing a human, laughed made you wish more then anything you could PUNCH him through the receiver.
"Anyway, time is money, and I want MORE of it. I came to chat about that Million Zenny Mansion you have on offer. I need it to complete Uncle's will requirements and I refuse to live in some cheap fast-food quality manor with doors that look like they were made to fit Eggman's derrière through!"
Every second listening to the man was like chugging a milk jug filled with slime.
However, through the ever increasing sense of disgust, you sensed opportunity. Because unless Porky's parents were casually selling mansions, this fucker dialed the wrong number.
"Yeah, sure! I have what you want." You cleared your throat, suddenly trying to muffle your voice.
"Fantastic my good man! So a smooth million is fine then? I'll be paying in cash once the-"
"But, SLADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
A distant, shrill voice sounded out in the background of the call. Somehow both quiet and painfully loud at the same time.
"But Slade! What about the ooooooooooother mansion? I don't want to live in a neighborhood with filthy animal people! What if one gets caught under the wheels of the limo you're DEFINITELY going to buy me?"
"Hahah. Yes, FASCINATING dear-"
You could tell the man on the other end was laughing through gritted teeth as he leaned closer to the receiver.
"Nevermind her. WOMEN, am I right?" A far more genuine laugh escaped the caller's lips.
"I'd shut her up the cheap way, but uncle really had some sort of fetish for 'legal marriage'. Anyway, about that transaction- "
"Slade?" You abruptly cut him off, your knuckle going white around the phone.
"Yesssss~?"
"I have some very sound financial advice that I'm going to give you. For free."
You point the receiver at your face, glaring into it.
"Get the sharpest knife you own, castrate yourself, and go sign up for clown college. Trust me, it's your calling!"
You slam down the receiver and end the call.
…
"Wait-"
A wave of realization surges over you as your anger passes.
"FUCK! No! I should have waited till they sent me the money! Why didn't I-ARGHHHHH."
You grip the sides of your head as you sink to the floor, a mix of unreleased anger and regret boiling in your stomach.
It takes a few minutes, but you're able to collect yourself.
You tell yourself that it was probably a good thing that you didn't try to take the man's money.
"Fuck it. One more try, then I'm going home."
Standing to your feet you dialed the phone one last time. Pressing the receiver back against your ear.
After a few rings, someone picks up.
Practically on auto-pilot at this point, you give your pitch. Waiting to either hear the person on the other side hang up or-
"...Tell me more."
You blinked.
The voice on the other side was…strange. You could understand him clearly, yet at the same time it sounded less like a voice and more like a chew toy getting eviscerated by a pit bull.
"Hello? I'm starting to lose my patience here."
You shake your head to clear it.
"R-Right, sorry. As I was saying, there's some prime land up for grabs that I can help you get for less than what it is on the market if you've send some of your savings my way."
You feel the hairs on your neck starting to stand, why the hell were you feeling intimidated by talking to this guy? It's not like you accidently got a hold of a fucking mob boss or anything.
What followed were several moments of very uncomfortable silence, with the exception of faint chittering you heard on the other side of the line,
"...And you said this was in the Eagle Quarter, right?"
"Uh…Yeah."
"...I'm interested, so let's talk about the details and you'll be compensated accordingly."
1 week later
Buzz-Buzz tilted his horn as he landed on the table where you had upturned the sack.
"Is this…currency?"
You grunted as you looked at the small pile on the table before you.
"Hell if I know, they definitely aren't Eagle Dollars though."
Not that you really expected Eagle Dollars from someone outside the Quarter, but you would have been fine with some corporate scrip like Zenny, something you could easily exchange.
What you got from the last guy you called was not anything like that. It came in a small burlap sack that was shoved into your mailbox.
After a few minutes of pulling the damn thing out, you finally took it in your house and proceeded to dump the whole damn thing onto the kitchen table.
What was inside where a ton of gold coins…or at least you think they were gold?
They were mostly blank with the exception of a carving of a star on both sides of it in the center. At the very bottom of the bag was a letter:
"Thanks for the tip kid, and a pretty crafty plan too. Beak Point ain't much, but it'll serve its purpose once I send a few of my boys and introduce my business to a market that I've been trying to get into for a while.
Let's keep in touch, I can tell you're planning big things and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do. Hell, I'll even give you a discount on my real estate offers once I fully engrained myself into the Quarter.
Sincerely,
Tom Nook, CEO of Nook Homes Inc."
…You don't recognize the name, but suddenly your gut is saying that a fucking mob boss would have been preferable.
[You gain +2 Funds and +15 Reputation with Nook Homes Inc]
Intrigue: Investigate Local Assets in Town (Porky)
DC: 20/60/90
1d100 = 35 +3 +24 = 62[Tier 2 Success]
When you told Porky you wanted to look around to see what businesses were around in Onnet (and then clarified, no, not for the purpose of breaking in and stealing shit at night), you expected a lot of grousing from your prick of a neighbor and for him to half-ass the whole thing.
The former did happen, but surprisingly he ended up pulling his weight fully when put into action, and that's sure as hell saying something.
…It's almost scary how good someone like him is at snooping around in places he shouldn't.
That being said, despite both of your efforts the end result was less than you hoped, but it's not out of a lack of trying, more just-
It's fucking Onett.
A place where most businesses are either mom-and-pop shops owned by people that are too stubborn to divorce, or those rundown thrift stores that you're certain would have been drug dens dispensing Rings and Power Pellets to toddlers if Captain Strong wasn't who he was.
In conclusion, not many places you could milk for funds to kickstart your organization were present.
So, you two moved on looking for details on the bigger businesses you normally wouldn't think you had a chance of getting in on.
The Arcade was immediately dismissed by virtue of being the Sharks HQ, followed soon by the Burger Shop because the Manager there was suspicious of you after catching you rooting through their trash for their thrown away orders back when you needed to bribe Baseball Cap earlier.
That left two other places you could possibly get some cash from:
The first is Mach Pizza, the slowest pizza delivery service in the Quarter (and you'd bet your right kidney it was in the whole City too) that's only still around because they are the only one of their kind in the Quarter.
The second was the local baseball bat factory (which apparently also has a building for more general sporting goods on the side that you weren't aware of) on the outskirts of town whose products are probably used to break open heads more often than they are to play ball.
You didn't look much deeper than that.
Porky though? Next time you met him, he apparently went deeper and found a few interesting tidbits (while also being insufferably smug).
From what he told you, the lockdown has apparently hit those two hard.
They were already struggling, but now cut off from the rest of the Quarter?
It's a nightmare for any red-blooded capitalist as demand dries up and finished products are either left in storage or thrown away outright.
You're sure you can use this to your advantage, the question is: How?
If you can find some way to leverage the situation, legal, illicit, or otherwise, you could get the passive income needed to run some kind of group.
[MACH PIZZA & The ONNET BASEBALL BAT FACTORY have been discovered as potential passive income sources!]
[DC for actions related to Mach Pizza and the Onnet Baseball Factory are slightly lowered for the next three turns.]
[DC for actions related to Mach Pizza and the Onnet Baseball Factory are slightly lowered for the next three turns.]
Learning: Poke Around Town
DC: [AUTOPASS]
"...And that's about the gist of what happened."
You finish explaining as you hold an ice pack on your head while lying in bed.
They really did have to hit you from behind, those bastards.
On your nightstand stood Buzz-Buzz who was listening intently, "You were ambushed by the Sharks while you were scouting out the town then?"
"Pretty much, bastards jumped me while I was passing through an alleyway, hence-" you make a vague gesture towards your own body, "The new bruises and shit, and I've already exhausted my healing today."
Wait…shit, how are you going to explain them to your siblings now that you think about it?
Hmmm, may have to break into your sis' makeup to cover up the worst of it, she's going to either get angry or tease you relentlessly if she finds out but either would be better than the squirts thinking you're getting into fights again.
"I see…" Buzz-Buzz hummed, "despite the circumstances, you still seem to be in good spirits."
"Of course, I just love getting my shit kicked in when I'm at my weakest, what gave you that idea?"
A moment of silence
"...Well, until now you have been smiling slightly ever since you came home."
Wait, really?
...
Goddammit.
"Tch…fine, I guess I am."
"Did something else happen then?"
"Yeah, yeah, I was getting there anyway. Hold your horses."
Buzz-Buzz tilted his head, "Those are the quadruped creatures humans are fond of, yes? I don't have any of my own to hold, nor do I think I could even so."
…right…alien.
You sigh, "Figure of speech, BB. It means to be patient."
"Ah…" Buzz-Buzz pauses again, "...I don't see the correlation."
"It's because…look, do you really want me to give you a fucking English lesson or do you want me to finish my story?"
"...Apologies then, please continue."
"Right…" you groan as you clutch the icepack tighter to your head, "...Shit, where to I even begin with this one…"
[CANON CONVERGENCE]
[Omake: Birds of a Feather has occurred!]
-Once an organization is founded Kyōko is available for recruitment at any time, regardless of the roll made-
You've gained insight into Kyoko's capabilities...
Name: Kyōko
Stats
Traits:
A peppy yet rough and tumble girl from River City. They moved to Onnet recently due to the troubles going on in their old home town. Having helped you in a scrape, they seem friendly and reliable. They seem to have moved to Onnet just prior to the lockdown and only really became known after finishing up with the hassles of moving so abruptly. Seems the River City residents knew things were getting bad long before the news got out...
Stats
- PSI: X
- Martial: 15
- Diplomacy: 7
- Stewardship: 8
- Intrigue: 9
- Learning: 9
Traits:
- River City Girl: You can take the girl out of River City, but not the River City out of the girl. During Combat Encounters Kyoko will always have access to one of following actions for 0 Action Points per turn unless explicitly stated otherwise.
- Find Weapon [0 AP]: A stick, a bat, a chain, a rock, a brick. It'll fall apart after the fight, maybe even during the fight, but you can always find something. And disposable weapons have their place...
- Throw Something [0 AP]: A rock, a trash can, a bicycle, maybe even an enemy!
- Pat Down Bodies [0 AP]: Money has a habit of disappearing as soon as it hits the ground in River City, so making a habit of looting is natural. In combat using this action on a defeated has a chance to give a temporary item, a small amount of Funds, or information.
- Bird of a Feather: Kyoko's really hit it off with you. People tend to focus on two delinquents rather then what the delinquents are doing. Kyoko's resting Opinion with CD will always be +10 unless betrayed. When assigned to an action with CD that would otherwise generate Suspicion due to PSI usage, etc, roll a 1d100. If the result is 1 to 5, no suspicion is generated. Otherwise the amount of Suspicion generated is merely lowered.
- Homesick: The current state of River City is upsetting to Ryoko, even if they don't show it or make it clear. As the situation deteriorates, so too will Ryoko's mood and ability to focus...
A peppy yet rough and tumble girl from River City. They moved to Onnet recently due to the troubles going on in their old home town. Having helped you in a scrape, they seem friendly and reliable. They seem to have moved to Onnet just prior to the lockdown and only really became known after finishing up with the hassles of moving so abruptly. Seems the River City residents knew things were getting bad long before the news got out...
Buzz Buzz: Explore the Town
1d100 = 36Buzz Buzz hadn't really wandered too far from CD after arriving on the planet.
It wasn't simply the fact they were being pursued, or that the fledgling pink-haired psychic clearly needed help. The fact of the matter was that Buzz Buzz as an alien.
Even after all the research they did to figure out the technological standards of the world, there was so much that they simply didn't know.
Assumed facts after all differed from real experiences.
Prior to the defeat of the Starman JR, whenever Buzz Buzz wasn't working with CD they had simply loitered around CD's home and stayed out of trouble.
While the Starman JR's death hardly signified the end to Giygas's pursuit or the possible presence of his agents, it certainly felt like a opportunity to be more adventurous.
Flying out CD's second story bedroom window Buzz Buzz's wings cut through the air as he flew around the town.
It really put in perspective both how big and small Onnet was when seen from above.
Onnet was a place of conflicting concepts.
For all intents and purposes it was a proper, urbanized city. Yet at the same time it felt like a town, not being too big and having a smaller feel to it.
Brick buildings, hot asphalt roads, and merciless stretches of concrete ended at thick forests, natural cliffs, and steep drop-offs into the sea.
Idyllic streets with individual houses and white picket fences existed in the same city as cramped brick apartments situated between alleyways teeming with delinquents, feral dogs, and unforgiving police on patrol.
Compared to the rest of The City, with it's all consuming steel giants and relentless urban sprawl, Onnet and by extension the rest of the Eagle Quarter, seemed like a slice of Earth.
...But it had it's own problems and it's own dangers.
While there was greenery and an actual ecosystem, Buzz Buzz could tell that was mostly due to the ambient PSI influence of the Sanctuaries.
Either they had greatly enhanced the efforts of early settlers to terraform the area using conventional methods, or the subconscious desire of the people to have a 'piece of Earth' manifested over time.
Even then, how long would that last?
How long until the local ecosystem was ruined for profit, or through simple neglect or foolishness?
Flying past the tightly guarded barricades of the O.P.F, the state of the forest to the south of Onnet was impressive. Thick, dense, and intimidating with only dirt paths cutting through the woods instead of proper asphalt roads or any sort of highway.
Of course, the woods appeared to be more active then Buzz Buzz first assumed.
Even though they could avoid the notice of humans and grounded animals very easily, birds and things that enjoyed 'bugs' were far more of an issue. Buzz Buzz left the woods earlier then he wanted to, only probing shallowly into it.
Still. Even without Giygas's influence, the wildlife in the Eagle Quarter seemed particularly...hostile at times.
As the sun began to set on yet another day of exploring, Buzz Buzz couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.
Though they had gained a greater understanding of Onnet and the Eagle Quarter to some degree...he hadn't come away with many, if any practical realizations.
Understanding the place he was protecting was special and worth saving in it's own right wouldn't help him, or CD actually protect it.
On the way home however, Buzz Buzz couldn't help but notice the strange smell in the air as they cautiously buzzed past the police station.
A large stone building sat on the corner adjacent to the O.P.F headquarters.
The smell of grain products and caramelized sugars wafted through the air, tickling various parts of Buzz Buzz's brain. It was only when they flew closer that they realized it was a Bakery.
"SKIP BREAKFAST BAKERY"
It was a cozy looking establishment. Large glass front windows gave obvious views of sandwiches, breads, and pastries. Beyond it a brightly lit interior with tiled floors and a warm atmosphere, both literally and figuratively.Buzz Buzz was surprised CD had never mentioned the place and wondered why it hadn't been brought up before.
Those questions stopped almost immediately when Buzz Buzz saw nearly all of the customers were police officers.
In the few moments they were present, Buzz Buzz saw more law enforcement enter and leave the bakery then potentially the O.P.F headquarters itself.
It became abundantly clear why the youth of the city steered clear of the bakery, especially with it's proximity to the station. However, Buzz Buzz couldn't help but notice how particularly good looking the sandwiches were and how well off the bakery was.
Buzz Buzz kept thinking about the bakery well after he had arrived back at C.D's home.
Maybe his exploration wasn't a waste after all.
[The Skip Breakfast Bakery has been discovered as a place of interest!]
Porky: Check on Picky
1d100 = 86Ugh.
Cass was making Porky do too much work.
In that, she was making him do any work.
It didn't help they were literal next door neighbors. Porky couldn't exactly stay home and sleep in without the bat lugging future-criminal lumbering over to disturb his sleep.
"Porky did you even go outside today?"
"Porky what did you learn about the local businesses?"
"How the fuck are we going to make money Porky?"
"Did you just FART right next to me, Porky?"
Nag nag nag nag nag.
Porky never realized how much more he wanted to sleep after spending days slinking around town.
He was already regretting not weaseling out of CD's request when she knocked on his door.
...Except not really.
Porky hated having to run around so much. He hated having to wake up early. He hated having to hide in trash cans and avoid cops, Sharks, and those fucking stray dogs.
But he'd be a pretty impressive liar if he could hide the fact he actually having a lot of fun.
Porky always known people in town were stupid, but now that he was actually fishing for information and sneaking around(or having other people sneak around for him)? He knew they were more dumbasses in town then actual asses.
CD wasn't much of an exception given how bad she was at being subtle.
The difference with her though was that she actually needed him.
...
And she could bend his body into a pretzel if she wanted too. Which was the primary reason Porky bothered listening to her. Yeah, that was it.
Of course, even if he was having fun, Porky grew desperate for a 'vacation day'.
Problem was that CD could smell most of his bullshit with surprising ease. None of the usual excuses worked with her, so one day he just went with whatever came off the top of his head.
"Uh, I need to check up on Picky! It's been a while and he's probably gotten into trouble without me around."
"...Alright. I'll handle the rest myself."
And it WORKED.
Going home Porky was thrilled at the idea of being able to slack off and do jack-and-shit for a day.
Of course, when he closed the front door behind him it was only then he realized how quiet his house felt.
Normally, that was a good thing. The opposite meant that his 'parents' were home.
Yet it was only when Porky returned to the house after not being there constantly that he sensed a distinct absence.
"Picky?"
Porky vaguely recalled his brother being around at points? He remembered bullshitting to him about a snake, and seeing him around town where the Sharks were...
The more Porky thought about it the more problematic it seemed. If something had happened to Picky then it would mean hell for him if his parents ever found out.
Letting out a groan, Porky began to look around the house. His heavy footsteps coming across as equally labored as they were concerned.
"Picky where the frick are you! You better not have drowned in the bathtub!"
Throwing open the door to their shared, cramped, filthy room, Porky watched as Picky leaned up in bed holding a comic book.
"Hi!" Picky said, rather absent-minded.
"Picky! Where have you been?"
"I've been here?"
"I know that now but where have you been the past couple of weeks?"
"Well where have you been?"
"That's uh, that's not important. Tell me what you've been up to!"
Porky ended up regretting that question.
Because Picky did end up telling him about what he had been up to. In excruciating detail. Down to every last snake, Shark, and hospital visit.
By the end Porky's eyes were glazed over and he was barely listening. Seated firmly on the couch and having something as close to an out of body experience as he probably could.
Night had fallen by the time Picky was finished.
"Why did you ask?" Picky said, staring for several seconds as Porky's large body sank further into the couch cushions.
"I'm wondering that myself...I mean-" Porky muttered to himself as he started to wake up, realizing to his horror how the entire day had slipped by.
"I just wanted to make sure you weren't dead from snakebites or something."
Porky's had was shot and he was hungry.
Reaching into his back overall pocket, Porky pulled out a snack. A large, soft chocolate chip cookie. Wrapped in plastic and warmed from the radiant heat of his body to the point the chocolate chips were nice and gooey.
As he started to unwrap it however, Porky could feel Picky's eyes on it.
He considered breaking off a crumb to share, but-
"Here, take this." Porky said, breaking eye contact with the large cookie before he could reconsider. "It's a reward for not dying."
"Really!?" Picky's eyes lit up as he had to ate the large, partially sat on cookie with both hands. "You're not...mad?"
"Ugh, Mom and Dad are mad at us enough as it is for being here. So no." Porky sank further into the seat, simply wanting to sleep.
"Thanks, Porky!"
Porky watched through half-closed eyes as Picky scampered off, taking bites out of the cookie as he did so.
For once Porky was too tired to lie. Well, except about the hospital.
The hospital visit and subsequent bill, was a potentially BIG problem. If it actually got back to Porky, or god forbid his parents, then he'd be in for hell. Even getting a doctor to look at you cost an arm and a leg.
At the same time though, it got Porky thinking...
The hospital in Onnet was one of the few 'big' places outside of the police station. It had lots of staff, all kinds of drugs, and various machinery. He was no doctor, and hell maybe the people who worked there weren't, but It was supposedly a proper hospital.
Using the excuse of trying to pay a bill would probably get the staff salivating at a chance to scalp more money. While, at the same time, could open up an opportunity to nab some stuff or break in later on.
CD was seemingly against robbing people, for SOME reason...
But she'd robbed the mayor's house, or one of his houses, without losing a wink. And next to the mayor the hospital were probably the second biggest crooks in town.
Maybe CD just needed a little convincing that there was a good opening to go along with the idea.
Porky thought that as he properly fell asleep. Miserable at his day off had been ruined...
And thankful that his little brother wasn't dead.
[Porky's Diplomacy score has increased by +1. His relationship with his brother is maintained]
[The DC for any Intrigue actions against the local hospital are halved for the first attempt due to a potential exploit being found.]
[The DC for any Intrigue actions against the local hospital are halved for the first attempt due to a potential exploit being found.]
Diplomacy: Speak with your Mother
DC: [UNKNOWN]
[Advantage on roll due to enthusiasm from your siblings]1d100 = 23 + 7 = 30
It's been two hours.
The sun has already set outside the living room window. Most people are wrapping up work or already heading home.
You continue to stand in your own living room, staring at it.
Your hands won't stop shaking.
A hot, angry shame rises into your throat.
You've been mauled by birds and by literal horrors from space.
You've pushed yourself till your bones broke and your blood vessels burst.
You've nearly died twice this year alone.
…
And you would happily suffer through all of it again then pick up the telephone and call that dreaded number.
You promised your siblings you would.
That was at the start of the month.
Every time they brought it up, you'd find or make an excuse.
That you had somewhere you needed to go, someone you needed to see, something more important that just couldn't be put off.
It was only yesterday when your siblings just didn't bother asking, simply glancing at you from across the dinner table with disappointment in their eyes during breakfast that you realized something.
You're afraid.
"There's no point."
Some part of you whispers. Just like it always has.
"Nothing good will come of it. It'll just hurt. It'll just cause you pain and misery."
Every time you reached for the phone, you'd almost flinch away.
"You aren't going to hear what you want to hear."
One step towards the phone, two steps back. Hands trembling even harder.
"She's fine. She's always fine. She's just fine without us. I bet she's partying it up right now. We have more important things to do. We have a world to save. We don't need her!"
All you want to do is run away. Climb up the stairs and slide into bed.
"And if she's not fine? Who cares!"
To drift off into some idyllic dream and not have to feel any of this.
"We'd be happy if she was dead!"
You wince as the thought crosses your mind.No.
Nononononono.
NO!
That's not true.
Some part of you hates your mother.
Resents her.
You grow frustrated just thinking about her.
But the idea of her dying?
Of being hurt?
Of never being able to talk to her. To lose out on a chance to feel...normal around her?
...
You forced yourself to walk forward.
The steps you take towards the living room telephone are the hardest you've ever taken.
Your hands shake to the point you can barely hold the receiver. You end up dialing the wrong number several times before you get it right.
Just hearing the dial tone in your ear feels deafening. Your stomach clenches.
Then you hear someone on the other end pick up.
The office around you is filled with a dull drone. The clatter of keys being pushed, phones ringing off the hook, and the thrum of computer fans and servers working in the background. Poorly lit and poorly ventilated, the 14th Customer Service Department of WilyCorp feels sterile and dead.
Despite nearly a hundred people working the floor, there's no unnecessary talking or human sounds. All anyone does is read off the scripts, pick up the phones, and fill out paperwork.
You doubt the rest of the company would even believe people are actually employed in the department and not machines.
You certainly don't.
You've worked here long enough to know better.
...
It's not important.
It's easier not to think about things that upset you.
The phone rings in front of you.
You pick it up, ready to speak your usual line.
"Mother, it's me."
"Cassie-" You stammer, your hand already slick with sweat. The world starts to abruptly come back into focus.
"It's CD, Mother."
"Listen, Mom-"
"D-don't get all pissy and take this the wrong way-"
"But are you...alright?"
...
...
...
You feel something torn from you.
It's as if a hand was on your head the entire time. Squeezing your thoughts, your very mind.
Hearing Cassie's voice, feeling the panic rush through you, leaves you feeling like you just woke up.
All while another hand pries the other hand off your head and breaks it's fingers.
"Mother?"
When you hear Cass's voice speak, another voice speaks to you.
A kind voice.
A familiar voice.
One you stopped caring about you a long time ago.
"I don't think I've been alright since I was a little girl."
"Back on Earth, things were wonderful."
The words spill from your mouth.
Part of you wants to stop. Knows this will only hurt-
"I would get up every day with so many things I wanted to do. So many aspirations, so much possibility. I had so many things to look forward to."
"Even when things were at their worst, I could look outside and find something to smile about. I had my friends and my family, I had the familiar blue sky."
"...And one day all that was gone. Forever."
But it continues to spill out. As if the walls you built in your mind were bulldozed and there's nothing to keep the truth inside anymore.
"I still remember how cold and frightening it was on those ships."
"Crammed shoulder to shoulder with strangers as we left the Earth behind. Trying to stifle my cries as everything I knew, everyone I cared about, died."
"When we arrived here Cass, we were told it would be a chance to start over. To begin again. To make things better."
"But that was a lie."
"It was all bullshit. All they have ever done is lie since we got here."
"Because the truth has a way of ruining things."
"The reality of this city is that it's everyone for themselves. You're either out for yourself and striving to gain power, or you're the one getting stepped on or used for someone else's gain."
"Love? Compassion? Those died with the Earth."
"I used to be like Light, you know."
"I tried to convince myself that wasn't the case for a while. I tried not to live in the past. I worked hard. Hell, I was even brave enough to try and fall in love…"
"And look at me now."
"M-Mom? Where is this all coming from?"
"Mom?" You ask, as if the word was something alien.
Something you didn't deserve to be called.
"A mother is supposed to love their children. Unconditionally."
"No matter the difficulties, no matter the obstacles, no matter the opinions, or the stress, or the things you see in your children, you need to love them."
"Anyone who doesn't is evil, aren't they?"
"What kind of person can't love the very life they brought into the world? What kind of person can't imagine the anguish that a child would go through being told they weren't loved? Being told they weren't wanted?"
"..."
On the other end of the line you can hear CD's breathing grow erratic. You can all but imagine her finger curling around the phone.
Just the thought of her face is enough to force the air from your lungs.
But you say it anyway.
"It just feels like another obligation."
"Another expectation to fill. Another checkbox to sign off on. Just another mistake to live with. Just another thing I'm supposed to do."
"But I've done my best, haven't I?"
Your voice withers with uncertainty, sounding more like a plea.
"I've worked a job I hate to provide for all of you. I've thrown away my youth, my health, my potential just to provide for you."
"I get up every day with nothing I want to do or can do. I have no prospects, the possibilities of my youth are gone. There's nothing I have to look forward to, except maybe ATARI blowing up the offices or someone leaving the roof door unlocked…"
A laugh escapes your lips.
But you and CD know you aren't kidding.
"I've gotten this far. I've endured this much. I want to think of myself as being strong. As enduring something so awful for so long. For sacrificing for my children…"
"But no matter what I tell myself, it doesn't change the fact I only did all this because I'm scared to try anything else."
"It doesn't change the truth that just hearing your voices churns my stomach."
"I'm filled with dread every time I see your face. Their faces. It was all I could do not to run out the door or hide in the bathroom the last time I came home."
"It's why I stay at work. I hate it here, but I feel worse when I go home. All I am is reminded of how much I'm losing. How much time I have left."
Hunching over you clutch your head with your free hand.
Just mentioning it brings back memories of the dreams.
Dreams are supposed to fade with time. But the ones you've been having for the past few months are still vivid in your mind.
"I can feel the sand sifting through my fingers."
"My skin wrinkling, my body slowing, my mind rotting inside my skull! How long do I have before I'm left stuck in a hospital bed. A babbling, senile husk who can only shit themselves and look forward to dying!?"
"What am I supposed to do?"
Your voice cracks like broken glass.
"WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"
Shouting into the phone you nearly choke on the words.
The world around you blur as tears burn your eyes.
You press your face into the desk, no longer willing to sit up straight.
"I just want to feel something again. I want to live for myself instead of people I barely know!"
"I don't want this life anymore! I want the person I could be, instead of the person I'm doomed to be!"
"Is that wrong? Even after trying for so long…Am I evil?"
Looking down to the floor, you nearly press your hands together in prayer.
It's been years since you prayed to her.
You'd always assumed they had forsaken you once you turned your back on them but...
They never left you.
"But that wouldn't be out of the ordinary for this place, would it?"
Pushing your head off the desk, vitriol and anger begin to surge forth. Brushing aside your sadness and your weakness.
"This city is evil. Those in charge are evil. Maybe this entire planet, down to its core, down to its forgotten history, is evil. And nothing is ever going to change-"
You stop.
"Nothing is going to change until we stop lying to ourselves."
"The people in power are afraid of the truth. So…I think it's time I start being honest."
CD remains silent on the other line. All you can hear is her shaky breathing. You know she wants to say something, but can't find the words.
Or she's too afraid to say them.
...
You don't want to be afraid anymore.
"The truth is Cass...I don't want to pretend to be a good mother anymore."
"I hate having to lie to you. I hate having to lie to your siblings. I hate your slithering waste of flesh of a father who tricked me into this. I hate my job. I hate this world. And above all I hate myself."
"For the longest time, I was convinced nothing could change that. That I was better off just doing what I was supposed to instead of suffering the humiliation of trying anything else."
"That being honest with myself, honest to you, would just ruin what little still works in my life."
"...But she has shown me that's not true. That I can have what I desire. That I can be the person I want to be as long as I'm honest with what I want to be."
"That the truth can lead to more than just consequences and suffering."
"That life is more than just trying to convince yourself you're a 'moral' person. That you can live a life that's for yourself and don't deserve to be damned for it."
"I don't-" Cassie stammers on the other end of the line. "I don't understand, Mom."
"I'm not your mother anymore, Cassie. Then again, as far as you're concerned, I'm sure you feel you've never had a mother. Right?"
A weak, sardonic laugh escapes your lips.
"I have no children. You have no mother. And…things are better this way."
"MOM PLEASE STOP-!" Cassie's voice shouts out over the phone, you can hear the loud crash as she drops to her knees.
"I'M SORRY. WHATEVER I DID I'M SORRY. I'LL BE GOOD. I'LL GO TO SCHOOL. I'LL STOP HURTING PEOPLE I'LL BE WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE. I'LL BE WHATEVER YOU WANT. PLEASE JUST TELL ME WHAT I DID WRONG. DON'T LEAVE."
The strength in her voice disintegrates like paper put to the flame.
"PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!"
The girl's desperate, sobbing pleas twist something inside of you.
Guilt and shame threat to strangle you.
You've never understood more completely why you wanted to avoid ever doing this.
"You didn't do anything wrong, CD." You swallow, fighting back further tears.
"You're a good girl. A strong girl. Much stronger then me. That's probably why you hate me. I'm...weak. And when you're weak, your weakness reminds other people of their own weakness. That's why we're better off parting ways. If I don't, we'll both be miserable. And I'll just end up hurting you even more."
Looking down at the satchel on the floor of your cubical, you remember exactly what you were made to build over the last month.
He wanted to hurt CD, didn't he?
"I don't hate you." CD's voice shrinks as she cries, she can barely string together words.
Your eyes start to blister as you reach your limit.
"If we ever meet again, I hope you don't recognize me. I'm leaving to become the person I'm supposed to be. Goodbye…CD."
"MOM WAIT-!"
You hang up the phone.
Tears begin to stream down your cheeks.
Cradling your head in your hands, you breathe deep and force yourself to your feet.
Standing from your desk you leave your cubicle. Walking through the maze like paths to the elevator.
Rising from your desk you leave your cubicle and walk to the elevator.
No one looks at you as you pass.
Amidst the clatter of keyboards and the thrum of electronic equipment, not a single being living or otherwise looks in your direction.
Even though you know your outburst carried through the office.
No one cared.
But you've known that for a while.
As you reach the elevator, you're reminded of the weight pulling at your side.
Your satchel bag.
Flipping open the top you reach inside and pull.
Several handfuls of wires, mismatched fuses dangling off the ends, are ripped clean.
You dump them and your satchel bag in the nearby trash.
The nerve gas bombs built from Robodyne parts won't go off now.
Someone will check the trash and security will be called. No one will die, not like he wanted.
Stepping into the elevator, you press a button and wait in silence for the doors to close.
Everything hurts.
Your body, your mind, and above all else your heart.
You recognize the only reason this is happening was because your daughter-
...
Was because CD called you. That she was worried about you.
That makes it hurt so, so much more.
But it's done. It's over now.
You're free.
You can start your journey now.
[Your actions have narrowly averted disaster in The City]
[Recerd Darnel is no longer supporting the household...but she is still alive]
Last edited:
