I don't even remember the name, so no.
Candidate for Goddess (FI)
- Thread starter dingbat779
- Start date
That honestly sounds like it's going to kill someone to use the Booster. She specifically has Shares, which means that's Share Energy and not Divine Energy in the same way the Goddess and Vile God are (if that even makes a difference?).
Considering what happened in Victory to people who were not suited for using Share Energy, this sounds like a bad idea.
Also this is introducing a completely alien energy form into their systems (whether that "their" is the human or Fairy). I guess I wouldn't expect a Fairy to have as bad a reaction to Share energy as a straight up mortal would considering who/what they were all born from (so they have the equivalent of an immune system to foreign energy I would think?), but it still doesn't seem like it would be something that would go over well in the mid to long-term.
Just because Nepgear is nice doesn't mean her Shares are.
On a whole I do enjoy how everything has been expanded on and the new things added in though. *Gives thumbs up*
I don't think I said anything spoiler-y. I hope?
Considering what happened in Victory to people who were not suited for using Share Energy, this sounds like a bad idea.
Also this is introducing a completely alien energy form into their systems (whether that "their" is the human or Fairy). I guess I wouldn't expect a Fairy to have as bad a reaction to Share energy as a straight up mortal would considering who/what they were all born from (so they have the equivalent of an immune system to foreign energy I would think?), but it still doesn't seem like it would be something that would go over well in the mid to long-term.
Just because Nepgear is nice doesn't mean her Shares are.
On a whole I do enjoy how everything has been expanded on and the new things added in though. *Gives thumbs up*
I don't think I said anything spoiler-y. I hope?
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joe6168
Just a humble lurker
- Location
- Michigan, The lower left glove
Looking at it another way she is giving this energy freely to her friends and with purpose, so it should probably count as a form of blessing and should be perfectly safe for them to use. Now someone trying to take that power by force on the other hand may be in for a Bad Time.
... No? I already specifically called that out.
Shares do not play nice with mortals who don't have the potential to be CPUs.
Could she Bless them? Yeah, probably.
But no one except for CPUs ever uses Shares straight-up. They can be used to power machines fairly easily, but directly into people? We never see any CPU try to empower their teammates or friends with Share Energy and the one time it comes up (Victory) it turns whoever tries to use it into monsters if they can't become CPUs.
- Location
- PA
The difference is that the energy wouldn't be going straight into the person. It would be going through the Fairy first and it's already been proven Fairies can handle the energy. The Boosters would add an extra layer of protection in that it would be using multiple Fairies.
*Shrug* Like I said earlier, I can't see that being particularly healthy for them, but it would work as intended at least.
Crash Test Dummies
- Location
- PA
AN: Here we go @UbeOne!
Crash Test Dummies
To everyone's surprise, Fang was at breakfast. He looked better today. Eryn was keeping a close eye on him, but appeared satisfied with his recovery. She wasn't the only one watching him as Tiara also sat nearby. The placement of their chairs was quite a bit closer than before. It looked like Fang was oblivious to the implications, but the girls certainly weren't. At first glance, it was a nice, cozy scene. Unfortunately, it was not to be.
"Fang? We're having Harley install soundproofing on your room. Got it?" Galdo was only partly teasing. His room was right next to Fang's on the left, and he understandably looked a little tired today. I slightly shifted at my seat, knowing what he was referring to, but feeling rather uncomfortable about it.
"I already moved Tiara's things to the room right of Fang's," Marianne said stiffly. She was the one who originally had the room.
Eryn and Tiara were turning redder by the moment, but Fang continued to eat, oblivious to everything. A closer look revealed his eyes were a little glazed. The look on his face was actually content, relaxed. He was so distracted he almost ate the napkin.
"He's actually awake?" Chiaki looked both scandalized and intrigued. She settled for giggling. Her mind was a strange place at times.
"Did he even sleep?" Marissa fretted. The motherly Fairy picked the strangest things to worry about. From my point of view, however, he probably had the best sleep in a while.
"Kill kill kill…" Ethel deadpanned.
"'I'm surrounded by deviants.' Ethel said," Karin translated.
{The girl wearing a fetishy bunny hoodie outfit is calling other people deviants. That's rich.} Konton snarked.
{Now Konton… for some people it is just a lifestyle choice… It doesn't mean she's a 'deviant.'} Amethyst scolded.
The girls continued to turn redder. As one, they both punched Fang in the shoulder eliciting a pained yelp. "What did you do that for?" He demanded. They pointed at us as if expecting him to deal with this. Fang blinked, "S'up guys? Sleep well?"
Fortunately for me, all was quiet in my room last night. However, I didn't know about the cases of the others, except for Galdo and Marianne. If my room was nearby, though, I probably would have dived into my soul just to sleep undisturbed. "Yeah. How about you?"
"I slept great. How about you?" Fang seemed far peppier now that he was talking. There was probably a certain way to describe it, but it would be rather blunt.
"Sleep was good/It was nice…" Eryn and Tiara were currently suffering a case of terminal embarrassment. Rather than move their chairs away, like in most anime cliches, they stayed next to him.
"Mmm… what's going on…?" Emily entered the dining area and stretched. Lola quickly moved to intercept her, "Oh, we were just getting breakfast… Let's help Bahus in the kitchen…" The blonde shot everyone a glare, promising pain. She didn't look in my direction, which was nice.
Harley sighed, "I have so many jokes that will go unsaid. No way would I tell any of them in front of a child…" The Fairyologist looked put out.
"Maybe we can talk about what to do today?" I suggested, trying to shift the topic to a comfortable one.
"Well, thanks to last night…" Galdo glared at his buddy who looked confused at the gesture, "...We'll explore the Ruins tomorrow. Today, we'll try and get some meat and vegetables to supplement our food supply. Luckily for you guys, I'm a survivalist." He cheered up by the end.
"Kill kill," Ethel said.
"'I can hunt, too.' Ethel said. I know how to forage for vegetables and fruits," Karin offered.
"The rest of us are just going to sit around?" Fang asked.
"Phew… I'm too tired…" Eryn yawned.
"How is he still going…? Not that I'm complaining…" Tiara giggled.
"Can we please get our minds out of the gutter? I swear…" Marissa folded her arms imperiously, a sentiment I was in agreement with.
"Nah. Whoever wants to come with us can do so. Basically, we need more eyes in case someone is after us," Galdo was quick to intervene.
"Can I help you two today?" Chiaki looked between Harley and I hopefully.
"I don't see anything wrong with that," Harley smiled.
"Me neither," I added. Being able to examine a piece of ancient history would surely pique her interest.
"Excellent! I really wanted to be involved yesterday, but exploration would have been harder without me," Chiaki looked happy that her contributions were so important. She wasn't as uncertain as before.
"Besides we need someone who can help us test the Booster," Harley said.
"You already have one made?" Chiaki asked in surprise.
"Not yet, but once we've finished studying the metal from yesterday, we'll make a prototype," the Fairyologist replied.
"Actually, would you like to call it a Booster, or a Processor?" I queried. The latter was a more familiar and nicer-sounding term to me.
"How does it work?" Chiaki asked. The others turned to listen in as it concerned them as well.
"Well…" Harley summarized what we talked about yesterday. As she spoke, the group grew more interested and thoughtful. What it would mean for future battles was obvious. Being able to mix and match up to four Fairies was an intriguing concept.
"So it 'processes' Nepgear's energy with the aid of four Fairies to strengthen the user. Processor sounds about right to me," Chiaki finally said.
"Processor DOES sound better…" Fang agreed.
Harley nodded slowly as more people were in favor of Processor, "Processor it is. Booster was always just a placeholder name." She shrugged easily. It clearly didn't bother her.
"Will you keep it a secret, please?" I implored them. Word of it getting out could make things worse for us and for me.
"Don't you trust us after all this time?" Tiara asked.
Chiaki laid a hand on my shoulder, "We're all in this together. We can't afford to betray each other…" Her eyes showed that she understood what I meant.
"It's not that she doesn't trust us. We might blurt out something like 'Oh wow this super upgrade is awesome!' Then everyone will want to know where we got it. Our troubles would only increase," Lola explained as she helped Bahus bring in more breakfast. Emily trailed behind carrying the beverages.
I nodded, concurring with the Fairy's point. "Think of it like... military research. It's best kept classified."
"Sorry for jumping to conclusions… I know you aren't like that," Tiara flushed with embarrassment. Fang patted her hand reassuringly.
"Nepgear doesn't usually speak up unless it's important," Fang smiled in my direction.
"Thanks, Lola. For translating what Nepgear meant," Eryn said.
"I thought it was just common sense to keep this to ourselves," Marianne said.
"Just making sure," I remarked. She would know, considering she worked for Dorfa, and would likely be privy to that sort of info, but I felt I had to cover our bases.
"What are you going to need to examine the metal? Do you have everything?" Galdo switched the subject to something less tense.
"Since Fang is staying behind, I need him and Eryn. Together, they can create divine flames. With their fire, we could melt the metal and separate it based on its properties," Harley answered.
"Could you have done it without us?" Fang asked curiously.
"I could have, eventually, but the results would have been subpar. We would have needed a lot more time," she replied.
While I had a bit of fire magic myself, I wasn't inclined on using it. However, a device then came to mind. "There's no spectrometer or something?" I asked. If I remembered right, it was for analyzing materials. A piece of Big Sis's knowledge then refreshed my memory, informing me that it was usually for finding the chemical composition of a substance.
Harley started to sweat. Fang's eyes narrowed, "You just wanted to examine our fire, didn't you?" He asked.
"Okay, there are devices for determining chemical compositions as well as materials. What I was hoping to do was to see how divine flame would interact with the metal. Not only that, but I also wanted to test your connection to Eryn. After everything…" Harley trailed off. There were any number of changes in his relationship with Eryn. She was trying to see what effect they had on his powers.
"You mean you want to examine Eryn?" My tone was half-serious and half-lighthearted.
"Of course I do!" Harley didn't seem upset in the slightest. However, her expression turned serious, "We have never seen anything like this. Usually when a Fury is broken, it takes time to rejuvenate. The relationship between Fencer and Fairy can also break. I don't think their bond is likely to break anytime soon." She concluded dryly. Fang, Eryn, and Tiara all turned bright red.
"What's going on? I can't see anything, Lola," Emily complained. Lola was keeping her Fencer's eyes and ears covered.
"Yeah, fine, do your examination," Eryn huffed.
"I'm glad I don't have to get involved…" Tiara patted her chest in relief. She briefly shivered before turning to see that Harley was smiling. "W-wait! I'm not Eryn's Fencer so it doesn't concern me!"
"Nope. Sorry Tiara, but I am going to be checking the resonance of every Fairy/Fencer pair. Now that we have some actual downtime, it's time for a proper check-up," Harley chirped.
"O-on that note… Time to go hunting!" Galdo jumped up from the table, grabbed Marissa's hand, and started running for the door. 'Talk about perfect timing.'
"Right!/Later!/Kill!" There was a veritable stampede hurrying for the door. Harley planted her hands on her hips.
"Now that was just rude…" She pouted.
{Is it too late to go with them?} Amethyst asked.
{Doomed!} Konton intoned.
"Is it really that bad?" I was confused, and also nervous. Was it because of Harley's demeanor towards Fairies? Or was it an uncomfortable process?
{It's like if your OBGYN was a Spark.} Konton explained.
{Spark…?} Amethyst asked.
{Mad scientist that makes other mad scientists look sane.} Konton replied.
{What does feminine healthcare have to do with anything?} The Spark part, I understood, but not the other part.
{I was making an analogy about how embarrassing it is.} Konton said.
{And it IS embarrassing. If she wasn't so interested in the results, and get that wild look in her eyes, I would feel more comfortable.} Amethyst said.
{Basically she would think a Sexual Harassment seminar is a How To Class.} Konton snarked.
{Goodness…} Now my cheeks were turning pink at what they meant. I gave them a hug in sympathy.
"Just remember not to distress Emily," Bahus said to Harley.
"Dial it back, right?" Harley winced.
"You're giving the other Fairies a complex," he chided her.
"I'm not fast enough to get away from Ethel anyway…" Harley bit her thumbnail.
"Do I want to know?" Emily asked Lola. 'Probably not.'
"She's a good person. Just… really… enthusiastic about Fairies…" Lola said diplomatically.
"That's one way to put it," Eryn muttered, a thought that I shared.
Marissa, who suddenly came back, quietly whispered something to Tiara and slipped her a packet. The blue haired Fencer flushed scarlet with mortification before sheepishly stuffing the packet in her pocket. Marissa patted her on the shoulder before striding away, leaving to go hunting without looking back. 'Goodness...' Cui held her paws over her eyes in embarrassment. Konton tried to ask what was wrong only for Cui to bare her fangs. The Chaos Fairy wisely backed down.
{Yeah… Cui needs no translation. I don't need to know what's going on.} Konton was quick to say.
{Me neither,} I concurred, opting not to think about it either. It was certainly related to last night.
"Ahem… Right. Why don't we get to work? Come on everyone! We have science to do!" Harley lead the way to the workshop.
"Let's get this over with…" Fang sighed as he shuffled into the workshop just ahead of Eryn. Neither one looked all that thrilled to be subjected to Harley's scrutiny.
"Do you think we could avoid doing the examinations?" Chiaki asked.
"Just stay out here and talk. I'll have Fang and Eryn do their thing before coming to get you," Harley said before shutting the door.
"At least she isn't trying to examine all of us at the same time," Giselle remarked.
"I think even she has limits," Tiara said dryly.
That brought a chuckle out of me. "Good thing she does," I lightheartedly remarked.
"Uhm… could someone train me? Since we have time… and I'm not really all that familiar with weapons…" Emily fidgeted.
"Sure, we can. What feels the most comfortable?" Tiara asked.
"Lola's Spear Form, but I also like her Gun Form," Emily replied.
"Right, because the Sword Forms would be too big. What do you have available?" Tiara asked.
"Spear, Gun, Sword, Knuckle, Greatsword, and Launcher," Emily rattle off dutifully. 'That's a whole lot of weapon forms!'
Chiaki stared incredulously at the younger girl. "Launcher!?" She gawked.
"Fencer Weapon Affinities run in families. Her brother probably had the same Forms unlocked," Lola explained.
"Yeah… She should stay away from anything bigger than herself…" Konton sweated.
"She'll be fine… right?" I asked. I would think she would use the weapon forms that are comfortable for her.
"The Spear Form is fine. Lola isn't longer than a broom. All I have to do is put the pointy end in the other guy," Emily nodded firmly.
"I taught her that," Lola puffed up proudly.
"The Gun doesn't have any recoil," Emily said.
"Does it fire solid projectiles or your element?" Chiaki asked.
"Light Element bullets," Emily answered.
"Nice," I complimented. Amethyst's gunblade form had similar properties.
"Let's find a safe place to practice," Tiara suggested.
There was a small area for personal training off of the first floor. It wasn't perfect, but no one was planning on actually sparring with Emily. Emily held up Lola in Spear Form. The dark haired girl was so little that the spear was twice her height. Tiara grimaced faintly. Chiaki merely shook her head slowly.
"Right. That doesn't look safe. Why don't you try a couple swings?" Tiara demonstrated what she was talking about by swing Cui down.
"Okay," Emily nodded firmly. She brought Lola down and immediately stumbled forward. The young girl yelped as she hit the floor. Her spear skittered off along the ground. Lola popped out of Spear Form and rubbed her head.
"Are you okay?" I asked. She wasn't to blame. She was just getting started, after all. In my case, I had Big Sis's skills to guide me, while Emily had to start from scratch.
"Spears are surprisingly heavy…" Emily rubbed the back of her head just like Lola.
"Sorry, Emily. I thought my Spear Form would be easier for you," Lola apologized.
"It's okay. You couldn't have known," Emily hugged her Fairy.
"I think we should hold off gun training," Chiaki said.
"This really isn't the place," Tiara agreed. The training area wasn't set up for gun combat.
"Maybe she could work on stances, footwork, or lighter weapons?" I suggested. What I had in mind were the basics that would be invaluable later on.
In the end, the Sword was the best fit for her. It was the size of a two-handed sword in her grip, but she was able to hold it well. She needed training in using a Greatsword because of that. Emily was guided through just walking in a basic stance, sliding around the room with her knees bent and without lowering her guard. It wasn't flashy, or even exciting, but it would promote good habits later. It would make it easier for her to maneuver while in combat.
"How is it, moving around like that?" I asked.
"My legs are really tired… and my shoulders ache…" Emily grunted.
"Okay, you can stop. Right now we're just working to build up your stamina and strength. It's a boring exercise, but one of the most important. You need to learn to move with your Fairy. Some Fencers swing their Fury like a normal weapon. You and your partner are extensions of each other. You need to move as one, be as one, and fight as one," Tiara lectured.
Chiaki turned to Giselle, "She's really intense."
"No kidding," Giselle blinked.
"She has a point, though," I commented.
"Is there anything else?" Emily asked.
"You can use Heal to remove the muscle soreness," Lola offered.
"Nice idea, but it wouldn't really work. To build proper muscle requires breaking down the muscle, and allowing it to heal naturally. The next exercise is swings. Twenty left arm swings, twenty right arm swings, and repeat," Tiara said.
Emily stared at Tiara as if she were speaking a foreign language. She didn't question the Water Fencer's instruction, but was plainly skeptical. Emily was swinging with both hands to the left, when Tiara didn't correct her, she continued. Tiara nodded approvingly as the younger girl doggedly slogged through the grueling exercise.
For now, I looked on as she trained. What came to my mind was when Big Sis was first practicing swordsmanship herself...
The door to the workshop opened, drawing attention from Emily's training. Fang and Eryn were very quickly walking away from Harley's domain. Neither one looked anywhere but straight ahead. A disgruntled Harley appeared at the door, "Not funny, you two! Next time you try to blow up my workshop, I'm getting out the ACTUAL needles! I swear! If they set our research back, I would've…" She turned to look directly at Tiara. "Get in here for your check up! Now!" Her sudden anger made me flinch.
"What in the name of the Goddess did they do?" Tiara rubbed her forehead. She turned to Emily, "Sorry, but I better see what she wants."
"O-kay…" Emily panted.
"Take a break. You did great," Tiara ruffled her hair fondly.
"Move it Splashy!" Harley yelled.
"I'm coming! Come on, Cui…" Tiara hurried over to the irate Fairyologist.
Emily fell to the ground with a tired groan. Chiaki passed her a water bottle, "Slow sips. You don't want to choke…" The younger Fencer would have choked with how she tried to gulp it all down at once.
With Chiaki attending to Emily, that left something for me to inquire. "What happened back there?" I asked Fang.
Fang tilted his head before coming over to investigate. "Training Emily, huh? Good call."
"She asked you a question, Fang," Eryn reminded him.
"You could answer," he said.
"I could, but she asked you," his Fairy folded her arms.
Fang nodded, "Yes, she did."
When no answer was immediately forthcoming, Eryn scowled. Fang suddenly flinched as if struck. He narrowed his eyes back at her. She arched an eyebrow and smiled smugly. He capitulated soon after. Was he the one who slipped up? It would explain the attempt at dodging.
"Okay, okay… Harley told us to give it everything we got. I might have used Serious Face to increase my power and use Synch Boost with Eryn. She wasn't really set to handle that much fire," Fang chuckled sheepishly.
"How big was the boom?" Chiaki rubbed her forehead.
"No boom, but we almost burned up her notes…" Fang rubbed the back of his neck.
"No wonder she was pissed!" Konton gawked.
On the other hand, "She did say to go all-out," I noted. It might had been better to ramp up more gradually, but that felt like a product of hindsight.
Emily stood up again and took a stance. The oddly serious look on her face made Amethyst coo over how adorable she was. After a moment she lowered the sword, "What was I supposed to do next?"
"Tiara had a lesson plan… I think?" Chiaki tilted her head.
"What have you done so far?" Fang asked.
"Uhhh… walking in stance… and swinging Lola twenty times with each arm," Emily said.
"Hmmm… How tired are you feeling?" Fang asked.
"I'm still good," she assured him quickly. 'That was fast.'
"What do you think?" Fang turned to Chiaki and me.
"Any tips you have in mind?" I queried him. Swordsmanship was his specialty as well.
"Did your brother show you anything?" Fang asked kindly.
Emily smiled faintly, "I used to watch him train a lot. Most of what I'm doing is stuff I saw him do." She explained.
"Why don't you show us?" Fang suggested.
"Okay!" Emily perked up. She took a stance with the sword held at an angle. The dark haired girl swept the sword in a surprisingly crisp arc. An look of intense concentration crossed her face, as each swing was made at full strength. She kept stepping with the swings to prevent overbalancing.
"Wow… She's actually really good…" Chiaki stared in amazement.
Fang's smile turned wistful as he watched Emily give it her all. The Fire Fencer drew Eryn to his side. His Fairy smiled as well.
"Agreed." My impression was the same as Chiaki's.
"Shouldn't I be tired? I feel like I can go longer…" Emily looked puzzled.
"Yeah, that is kind of weird. I didn't even notice," Fang folded his arms.
"Fencers have superior powers of recuperation. Emily was exhausted before, but some water and rest, and she's ready to keep going. I won't let her overexert herself," Lola promised.
"That is what we do. Different Fencers can have different rates of recovery, just like normal people. Fang just flat out doesn't get tired unless all of his inner energy is used up. Which is true of most Fencers," Eryn said.
"Nice." I didn't know that, either. In my case, I thought it was just because I became more fit as Nepgear.
"I can keep training without stopping?" Emily looked amazed.
Lola made a buzzer noise, "Nope! You can still injure yourself through overexertion. You just won't get as tired. If you train too hard, it could stunt your growth too." She wagged her finger at Emily.
"Oh… I don't want that!" Emily was taken aback.
"Being small isn't fun," Eryn pouted.
"You're not small, you're fun-sized," Fang gave her shoulder a squeeze. His partner smiled with pleasure.
That brought a chuckle out of me, as I remembered Konton. I'd say she was cute-sized.
"Awww… gee…" Konton blushed before hiding in my hair. 'Oh, I must have voiced my thoughts.'
"So cute~!" Amethyst cooed.
A smile crossed my face as I reached out to pat my plum-loving Fairy on her head.
"Next!" Harley called from the workshop. "Come on, Chiaki! Bring Giselle!" Tiara walked out of the workshop with a bemused look.
"How bad was it?" Chiaki asked.
"It wasn't bad. Just weird. She was very professional today," Tiara said.
"Harley can't outrun Ethel," Giselle helpfully explained.
Tiara blinked, "Scythe-wielding Ethel…? Suddenly it all makes sense." Cui looked like she was snickering.
"Let's go, Giselle," Chiaki picked up her Fairy before heading into the workshop.
"Why does Ethel say 'kill' all the time?" Emily asked.
"That's… not something I have a complete answer for, but I believe it has something to do with her background," I replied. If I remembered right, she was an assassin, and my guess was that she was trained that way from an early age. I could be mistaken, though.
"Ethel was trained as an assassin. It was the only thing she was told to do from any early age. She's learning other words, but it's become a habit by this point," Lola said, confirming my thoughts.
"She's a very sweet person and protective of her Fairy. As Harley found out," Eryn giggled.
"Did she really chase Harley with a scythe?" Emily asked with wide eyes.
Amethyst hastened to reassure the child, "No, no. She just threatened to because Harley's exuberance traumatizes Fairies." Konton facepalmed.
"She traumatizes Fairies?" Emily suddenly clutched Lola. The blonde Fairy didn't mind the hug at all.
"Only a little bit…?" Amethyst dug herself in deeper.
Emily tapped her chin, "Weren't we saying I didn't have a target for gun practice…?"
Fang facepalmed, "Please don't use Harley for target practice. One Ethel is enough."
"Harley can take it, right?" I joked.
"On a scale of one to ten, how serious are you?" Tiara asked Emily.
"About a seven," Emily replied.
"Still better than Ethel," Tiara said.
"We kind of need her expertise, though," I pointed out, my tone still lighthearted.
Emily mock pouted, "I'll behave myself."
"Such a good girl," Lola pet her hair. Emily blushed lightly with pleasure.
"Was there anything else we were supposed to do?" Fang asked.
"Good question. I guess someone could see if Bahus needs help with lunch," Tiara suggested.
"Not me. He kicked me out of the kitchen at the Inn," Fang said.
"Well, that's only because you kept 'sampling'," Eryn said.
A chuckle found its way out of my mouth. Someone couldn't resist the food. "In my case, I don't cook. I just eat."
"I can help cook," Emily offered.
"Oh no. You trained most of the morning. That means you get to sit back and relax," Fang said as he started to lead her from the training room.
"Really?" Emily asked.
"Take a nice hot shower and relax," Lola agreed.
"I just don't want to hold anyone back…" She protested weakly.
Tiara sighed softly, "We're going to have to watch her. I thought training would help her channel her energies. We have to make sure she doesn't overdo it…" Cui licked her face comfortingly.
"Being injured from overtraining won't help," I added. If anything, that would hold Emily back. Recovery was important, too.
The workshop door opened and Chiaki left carrying Giselle. "Your turn, Nepgear!" Chiaki called over.
"Time to face the music…" Amethyst sighed.
"She'll behave herself," Konton assured her.
"Here we go…" I said, giving my Fairies a pat on their shoulders as I accompanied them.
The workshop didn't appear any different from yesterday, if I ignored the smell of smoke in the air. Harley was seated at the desk making notations on a notepad. The Fairyologist looked up as we entered, "I swear I'm being punished. Having my behavior thrown back at me is humbling." She shook her head.
"How so?" I asked, unsure of what she meant.
"I'll admit my people skills could use some work. Ethel's extremely… energetic… reaction to Karin's distress shamed me. Now the other Fairies are worried I'll molest them. I only have myself to blame," she admitted. Amethyst rubbed her back soothingly, eliciting a tiny smile.
"You really didn't know?" Amethyst asked.
"Eh… I had an 'idea' that my attention wasn't welcome. I'm not misunderstood. Just wiser now," Harley shrugged.
"The first step is admitting there's a problem," Konton assumed her larger size.
"Okay, what would be done about it?" I inquired of Harley.
"Apologize and just work on not being so 'creepy' anymore. It's just so hard with so many fascinating Fairies around," Harley whined.
I nodded. That did not sound easy to admit. "They're people, too. Maybe think of it as making friends?"
"Thank you for listening. You're probably the only one who would believe me now," Harley smiled. She took a breath before releasing it slowly. "Okay then. Time to check your bond."
"Do we have to get naked or something?" Konton suddenly looked apprehensive.
"No no no… Nothing like that. I just want to see the three of you interact. Use their weapon forms, see how their Resonance is affected, basic things," Harley said.
{Want to start with a sword dance?} I asked my Fairies. This wasn't a place for gunfire nor launcher use, though magic was also an option.
{Let's go!} Konton cheered.
{We can do that.} Amethyst smiled.
After making sure that there was enough space for me to move about, I took a stance and let my instincts flow through me. They weren't only Big Sis's anymore. They were also mine, what with the fighting I had done. It was said that one's weapon was an extension of oneself, but it felt more than that, deeper than that in my case.
Harley adjusted a couple strange devices. The Fairyologist made notations from whatever it was she was reading. She tilted her head at one point with an uncertain frown. A bit of fiddling with a silver device that resembled a top and spindle caused the frown to deepen. Harley slowly shook her head before double checking her results.
"Okay… Stop. Something is really weird about these readings," Harley said.
"What do you mean?" I had a confused expression as I came to a halt. Was it because I had two Fairies instead of one?
"I thought your Fairies were merely resonating like normal. Except for one thing. You're bonded to both of them. Normally a Fencer only bonds completely to one Fairy," Harley explained.
{We broke the system?} Konton asked.
{Nothing about us is normal.} Amethyst seemed amused.
"How does another Fairy change things?" Aside from it not being the norm, I was curious as to what it meant.
"Humans just can't handle the strain of supporting multiple Fairies. It isn't possible. There were attempts made in the past to circumvent the rule, all ended in disaster. The closest we've come is the Processor," Harley insisted.
{Which would only matter if you were human.} Konton said.
{That's right! Nepgear is a Goddess herself!} Amethyst realized.
That was interesting to know. I nodded, though I preferred the term 'CPU'. Less grandiose. Still, I had to acknowledge that being Nepgear had privileges. "Maybe it's because of the divine energy?" I inferred. The Processor also used it to allow multiple Fairies to assist, after all.
"That must be it… I was just commenting because it looks as if you would wield both of them," Harley said. Amethyst and Konton were surprised by the suggestion.
"The three of us go hand-in-hand." A smile crossed my face. I wouldn't be here without them.
"I mean that you might be able to wield them separately," Harley clarified. 'Oh.'
{That's an interesting idea…} Amethyst mused.
{No one would expect that.} Konton agreed.
{Want to try it?} I figured it could be a useful tactic later on.
{Okay!} Konton separated from Amethyst. The smaller Fairy glowed briefly before assuming a Sword Form that resembled the blue-green Share Blade. She lowered slowly into my hand. The connection felt even stronger with direct contact.
{How is it on your end?} I asked Konton.
{I would say it's better than sex, but I'm a virgin.} Konton replied.
(L-lewd Konton!} Amethyst was scandalized.
My palm met my face, not expecting such a comment from Konton at all. It felt embarrassing to hear such lewdness. {Maybe not say it like that?}
Harley nodded slowly, "It looks more natural like this, actually. Before, it sort of looked like your auras were tangled. Now, I can see the clear lines of connection." She remarked.
Much like a while ago, I took some swings with the blade, letting Harley see the difference in the data, if any. The Fairyologist quickly made new notations in her notebook. She made appreciative noises in between making adjustments to the instruments.
"I can see the difference. The flow is much more natural. Very interesting indeed! I can make some definite improvements on the Processor with this. That was the whole point of the check-ups. I wanted to see where everyone's bonds are with their Fairies, and to see if they could handle the Processors. So far, I can't see anyone having trouble. We'll know more once I finish all of the check-ups," Harley said.
"Yay, I'll look forward to it." Really, I was, and not only to see the product of our efforts, but also to witness the process of doing so.
"Why are you doing all of us separately? Just curious!" Konton appeared along with Amethyst.
"I'm trying to keep the results as pure as possible. Due to the all the time we've spent together, we have a certain 'affinity' with one another. Our auras instinctively reach for one another, improving our coordination, but also muddling the results. I'm sitting across the room to prevent further contamination," Harley explained.
"Now that is something I didn't know…" Amethyst looked impressed.
"Interesting…" I was as impressed as my Fairy. There was a lot to discover about Fencers and Fairies.
"Most Fencers are solitary or act as the heavy in teams with non-Fencers. This isn't entirely unprecedented, but it's the first time someone has been around to observe the phenomena. You probably noticed that some of us have stronger affinities with different Fencers. Fang and Galdo by far have the highest affinity. Fire and Wind naturally support one another. Tiara, as a Water Fencer, would normally be Fang's direct opposite and therefore terrible compatibility. However, they have a bond born through battle. Even now that same bond transcended time. It's interesting to witness. No one has been able to see the effects of time travel on bonds," Harley warmed up to her subject.
"Marianne as a Lightning and Wind Fencer holds an affinity with Fang and Galdo, but her own personality somewhat weakens the bond. She's very serious while they're more relaxed. The effects of personality are worth a full study by itself. Ethel should have a strong affinity with Tiara as they are both Water types, but Ethel's 'cool' personality creates Ice. Ethel actually has a stronger bond with Pippin and Fang. Then again Fang's bond with her has to do entirely with his own feelings of guilt over her death…" The Fairyologist trailed off.
"Wow…" Konton gawked.
"My own actions have created a weakened bond with just about everyone. It's beneficial in this case as I have an 'outsider's perspective', but it means I have less 'synergy.' I really need to correct that soon. Now we get to the bond I find to be the most fascinating. Your bond with Chiaki. You two have an extraordinary bond as well. As the only two Lights for the longest time, and how friendly you are, it makes a certain amount of sense. In fact you even share the quality of having strong bonds with everyone in the party. Whether we realize it or not, we tend to tell you things we wouldn't tell anyone else," she said.
"Is that why Nepgear can just talk to anyone and hear their life story?" Amethyst asked.
"Exactly! She exudes an aura of trust. Much as Chiaki does in fact. Now, I believe that when Nepgear freed her from the corrupt Fury, she pushed some of her own energy into Chiaki, awakening her as a Fencer and strengthening her potential. Out of all of us, outside of you and Fang…" Harley turned to me,"...her potential is the highest."
"Wow…" I didn't know they were having that effect around me. It was nice and an honor to share such close bonds with them. The saying 'my friends are my power' would apply well here.
"Does that make Chiaki your Candidate?" Konton leered at me. 'Ehhh?'
"...Why do I have a feeling I'm going to want to facepalm shortly?" Amethyst deadpanned.
"Candidate?" Harley tilted her head curiously.
"A CPU Candidate is a little sister of a CPU, a goddess," I stated. Why would she be one, though? She wasn't my sister.
"CPU? I think we skipped a few pages of exposition," Harley commented.
"And I'm just winding her up," Konton giggled.
"I can't tell if Konton is a shameless shipper or just a troll," Amethyst rubbed her temples.
"That doesn't make sense," I commented. 'I mean, calling her a Candidate? One doesn't ship sisters.'
"They're not related by blood so it IS possible," Konton pointed out.
"Ahem!" Harley loudly cleared her throat. She arched an eyebrow, "Why don't you stop teasing her? If that's what they want, great. If it's not? Also great. Honestly! We already have a source of relationship gossip. We don't need another."
"Did she just save Nepgear or throw someone else under the bus?" Amethyst muttered.
I shrugged, unsure and preferring to change the topic. "So, what's next?"
Harley nodded before getting out a new set of instruments. "Now we're going to see your transformations. According to the others you have Fairize, a form that doesn't use a Fury, and a combined form?" She asked.
"Yup," I answered.
"Could you please show me? One at a time," Harley picked up a device that looked like a radar gun attached to a computer.
Nodding, I did just that. A flash of light appeared around me before vanishing to show my transformed state. First was the Fairize, which would be the most familiar one to her. The gun beeped and words scrolled across the computer screen. Harley nodded absently while making notations in her notebook.
Next was my HDD, the only outward differences being my hair and my eyes. I could feel a shift as I drew power from my Shares instead of my bond with my Fairies. On a side note, I hadn't thought of a name for my HDD yet, and I felt that 'Purple Sister' wouldn't fit, not when I was my own person, my own Nepgear. The gun whistled sharply, drawing Harley's attention to the screen intently. Her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline in surprise. It took her a moment to regain her composure and make the notes. She gestured for me to continue.
Wondering what that was about, I then drew power from both my Shares and Fairy bonds at the same time, resulting in my NEXT Form, still as revealing as ever. Since I wasn't distracted by battle, I resorted to wrapping my arms around myself. It felt weird using the form just to show it to someone else.
The gun whistled twice while Harley dropped her pencil. The Fairyologist stared at the highly suggestive outfit, which only made me feel embarrassed. Her face turned a brilliant shade of red, for some reason. My costume was somehow heavily armored and yet revealing at the same time. She slowly raised a finger as if to say something before lowering it. The computer chimed rapidly flashing with arcane symbols in red. Harley's head whipped around to stare at the results in surprise. "You can release it now. I just need a few minutes to compile the data…" She exhaled slowly. The interruption was welcome as I changed back to my normal form.
"So, why the reactions?" I asked. Was I the source of weird stuff again?
"You felt like a Fairy actually… Only on a much grander scale… In fact, your 'HDD' and 'NEXT' Forms felt like Eryn in a sense…" Harley's face was slowly returning to a normal shade.
"Do I need to hide behind Ethel, then?" I asked, half-jokingly. While she did say a while ago she would make some changes, I couldn't help but be reminded of her usual thing about Fairies, which explained why she was blushing so much. Goodness…
On a side note, was the Eryn thing because of being divine, a CPU? That was my guess.
"You're safe, I promise. Except I think I might have also had a revelation about my own issues…" Harley murmured to herself. She shook herself before turning back to me. "Okay then. Your Fairize is actually pretty normal. Nothing unusual about it at all. The readings were well within tolerance of the instruments. You're perhaps as strong as Tiara in Fairize. She's not the strongest, but certainly no slouch." She glanced at her notes again.
"Your 'HDD' Form is around the same strength as your Fairize. What makes it so strange is that you feel like a Fairy. There is a synchronization reading between you, Amethyst, and Konton but more like Fairy Resonance. You confused the instruments. I got a reading, but some of the numbers don't really make any sense. Your max power output fluctuates between nothing and the same strength as Fairize…" Harley shook her head in confusion.
{Yeah she's trying to use her instruments to measure a Gamindustri phenomenon. The fact she's getting anything is a credit to her skills.} Konton said.
{Or a credit to the flexibility of the instruments,} I suggested.
"NEXT is probably the most confusing out of the three. Your projected power output is simply too much for my instruments to gauge. Much like Fang's current Fairize. Both of you give me a strange triple reading. Human, Fairy, and Other. The Other is most likely the Divine Power you wield. The gun almost fried taking your reading. In this instance Fang might actually be lesser than you are. However, your NEXT Form puts considerably more strain on you. Have you noticed anything?" Harley asked with concern.
I shook my head. "None at all." To me, there was nothing other than a feeling of strength and a closeness with my Fairies and friends. It could be tiring with extended use though. Maybe I could ask Big Sis about it later, in case I missed something?
"Thank goodness…" Harley whispered with heartfelt relief. An expression of deep worry crossed her face before smoothing to a neutral mask. She managed a smile, "Thank you, Nepgear. Perhaps we should conclude for the day. There is much I need to look into."
"Okay. Why the worry, though?" That was concerning to me. Could something be wrong?
Harley bit her lip, clearing warring with herself on what to say, before finally relenting. "Fang and Eryn generate nearly as much power as your NEXT Form. The amount of power flooding your bodies is too much for a human to handle without severe repercussions. He could put terrible strain on his body that may result in shortening his lifespan. Once, twice, it wouldn't matter. If he was given time to recover between uses, that is. However… I don't think we'll have that option in the coming days…" Harley fretted.
"Oh dear…" Now I really had to ask Nepgear. Perhaps I was in the clear because of being a CPU, but I had to make sure. And now Fang was in danger… "Would the Processor be able to make it safer for him to handle?" If it could handle energy from multiple Furies, then it would be able to handle Eryn's, right?
"It… actually it should…" Harley let out a sigh of relief. "However, his will need to be a special model. We'll have to check the ruins for more parts. I'll need the parts we earmarked just to make his." The Fairyologist was already busily redesigning the Processor for Fang. It would be bulkier, but at least her mood was improved.
I pitched in when I could, taking a look at the design and seeing how it could be further improved. As it turned out, Harley was right. Most of the parts would be needed just to make Fang's. It was as bulky as the Stone Processor. Hopefully there would be something of use from the ruins. If not, another expedition would have to be made.
No one knew how much time we had. With any luck there would be enough.
Crash Test Dummies
To everyone's surprise, Fang was at breakfast. He looked better today. Eryn was keeping a close eye on him, but appeared satisfied with his recovery. She wasn't the only one watching him as Tiara also sat nearby. The placement of their chairs was quite a bit closer than before. It looked like Fang was oblivious to the implications, but the girls certainly weren't. At first glance, it was a nice, cozy scene. Unfortunately, it was not to be.
"Fang? We're having Harley install soundproofing on your room. Got it?" Galdo was only partly teasing. His room was right next to Fang's on the left, and he understandably looked a little tired today. I slightly shifted at my seat, knowing what he was referring to, but feeling rather uncomfortable about it.
"I already moved Tiara's things to the room right of Fang's," Marianne said stiffly. She was the one who originally had the room.
Eryn and Tiara were turning redder by the moment, but Fang continued to eat, oblivious to everything. A closer look revealed his eyes were a little glazed. The look on his face was actually content, relaxed. He was so distracted he almost ate the napkin.
"He's actually awake?" Chiaki looked both scandalized and intrigued. She settled for giggling. Her mind was a strange place at times.
"Did he even sleep?" Marissa fretted. The motherly Fairy picked the strangest things to worry about. From my point of view, however, he probably had the best sleep in a while.
"Kill kill kill…" Ethel deadpanned.
"'I'm surrounded by deviants.' Ethel said," Karin translated.
{The girl wearing a fetishy bunny hoodie outfit is calling other people deviants. That's rich.} Konton snarked.
{Now Konton… for some people it is just a lifestyle choice… It doesn't mean she's a 'deviant.'} Amethyst scolded.
The girls continued to turn redder. As one, they both punched Fang in the shoulder eliciting a pained yelp. "What did you do that for?" He demanded. They pointed at us as if expecting him to deal with this. Fang blinked, "S'up guys? Sleep well?"
Fortunately for me, all was quiet in my room last night. However, I didn't know about the cases of the others, except for Galdo and Marianne. If my room was nearby, though, I probably would have dived into my soul just to sleep undisturbed. "Yeah. How about you?"
"I slept great. How about you?" Fang seemed far peppier now that he was talking. There was probably a certain way to describe it, but it would be rather blunt.
"Sleep was good/It was nice…" Eryn and Tiara were currently suffering a case of terminal embarrassment. Rather than move their chairs away, like in most anime cliches, they stayed next to him.
"Mmm… what's going on…?" Emily entered the dining area and stretched. Lola quickly moved to intercept her, "Oh, we were just getting breakfast… Let's help Bahus in the kitchen…" The blonde shot everyone a glare, promising pain. She didn't look in my direction, which was nice.
Harley sighed, "I have so many jokes that will go unsaid. No way would I tell any of them in front of a child…" The Fairyologist looked put out.
"Maybe we can talk about what to do today?" I suggested, trying to shift the topic to a comfortable one.
"Well, thanks to last night…" Galdo glared at his buddy who looked confused at the gesture, "...We'll explore the Ruins tomorrow. Today, we'll try and get some meat and vegetables to supplement our food supply. Luckily for you guys, I'm a survivalist." He cheered up by the end.
"Kill kill," Ethel said.
"'I can hunt, too.' Ethel said. I know how to forage for vegetables and fruits," Karin offered.
"The rest of us are just going to sit around?" Fang asked.
"Phew… I'm too tired…" Eryn yawned.
"How is he still going…? Not that I'm complaining…" Tiara giggled.
"Can we please get our minds out of the gutter? I swear…" Marissa folded her arms imperiously, a sentiment I was in agreement with.
"Nah. Whoever wants to come with us can do so. Basically, we need more eyes in case someone is after us," Galdo was quick to intervene.
"Can I help you two today?" Chiaki looked between Harley and I hopefully.
"I don't see anything wrong with that," Harley smiled.
"Me neither," I added. Being able to examine a piece of ancient history would surely pique her interest.
"Excellent! I really wanted to be involved yesterday, but exploration would have been harder without me," Chiaki looked happy that her contributions were so important. She wasn't as uncertain as before.
"Besides we need someone who can help us test the Booster," Harley said.
"You already have one made?" Chiaki asked in surprise.
"Not yet, but once we've finished studying the metal from yesterday, we'll make a prototype," the Fairyologist replied.
"Actually, would you like to call it a Booster, or a Processor?" I queried. The latter was a more familiar and nicer-sounding term to me.
"How does it work?" Chiaki asked. The others turned to listen in as it concerned them as well.
"Well…" Harley summarized what we talked about yesterday. As she spoke, the group grew more interested and thoughtful. What it would mean for future battles was obvious. Being able to mix and match up to four Fairies was an intriguing concept.
"So it 'processes' Nepgear's energy with the aid of four Fairies to strengthen the user. Processor sounds about right to me," Chiaki finally said.
"Processor DOES sound better…" Fang agreed.
Harley nodded slowly as more people were in favor of Processor, "Processor it is. Booster was always just a placeholder name." She shrugged easily. It clearly didn't bother her.
"Will you keep it a secret, please?" I implored them. Word of it getting out could make things worse for us and for me.
"Don't you trust us after all this time?" Tiara asked.
Chiaki laid a hand on my shoulder, "We're all in this together. We can't afford to betray each other…" Her eyes showed that she understood what I meant.
"It's not that she doesn't trust us. We might blurt out something like 'Oh wow this super upgrade is awesome!' Then everyone will want to know where we got it. Our troubles would only increase," Lola explained as she helped Bahus bring in more breakfast. Emily trailed behind carrying the beverages.
I nodded, concurring with the Fairy's point. "Think of it like... military research. It's best kept classified."
"Sorry for jumping to conclusions… I know you aren't like that," Tiara flushed with embarrassment. Fang patted her hand reassuringly.
"Nepgear doesn't usually speak up unless it's important," Fang smiled in my direction.
"Thanks, Lola. For translating what Nepgear meant," Eryn said.
"I thought it was just common sense to keep this to ourselves," Marianne said.
"Just making sure," I remarked. She would know, considering she worked for Dorfa, and would likely be privy to that sort of info, but I felt I had to cover our bases.
"What are you going to need to examine the metal? Do you have everything?" Galdo switched the subject to something less tense.
"Since Fang is staying behind, I need him and Eryn. Together, they can create divine flames. With their fire, we could melt the metal and separate it based on its properties," Harley answered.
"Could you have done it without us?" Fang asked curiously.
"I could have, eventually, but the results would have been subpar. We would have needed a lot more time," she replied.
While I had a bit of fire magic myself, I wasn't inclined on using it. However, a device then came to mind. "There's no spectrometer or something?" I asked. If I remembered right, it was for analyzing materials. A piece of Big Sis's knowledge then refreshed my memory, informing me that it was usually for finding the chemical composition of a substance.
Harley started to sweat. Fang's eyes narrowed, "You just wanted to examine our fire, didn't you?" He asked.
"Okay, there are devices for determining chemical compositions as well as materials. What I was hoping to do was to see how divine flame would interact with the metal. Not only that, but I also wanted to test your connection to Eryn. After everything…" Harley trailed off. There were any number of changes in his relationship with Eryn. She was trying to see what effect they had on his powers.
"You mean you want to examine Eryn?" My tone was half-serious and half-lighthearted.
"Of course I do!" Harley didn't seem upset in the slightest. However, her expression turned serious, "We have never seen anything like this. Usually when a Fury is broken, it takes time to rejuvenate. The relationship between Fencer and Fairy can also break. I don't think their bond is likely to break anytime soon." She concluded dryly. Fang, Eryn, and Tiara all turned bright red.
"What's going on? I can't see anything, Lola," Emily complained. Lola was keeping her Fencer's eyes and ears covered.
"Yeah, fine, do your examination," Eryn huffed.
"I'm glad I don't have to get involved…" Tiara patted her chest in relief. She briefly shivered before turning to see that Harley was smiling. "W-wait! I'm not Eryn's Fencer so it doesn't concern me!"
"Nope. Sorry Tiara, but I am going to be checking the resonance of every Fairy/Fencer pair. Now that we have some actual downtime, it's time for a proper check-up," Harley chirped.
"O-on that note… Time to go hunting!" Galdo jumped up from the table, grabbed Marissa's hand, and started running for the door. 'Talk about perfect timing.'
"Right!/Later!/Kill!" There was a veritable stampede hurrying for the door. Harley planted her hands on her hips.
"Now that was just rude…" She pouted.
{Is it too late to go with them?} Amethyst asked.
{Doomed!} Konton intoned.
"Is it really that bad?" I was confused, and also nervous. Was it because of Harley's demeanor towards Fairies? Or was it an uncomfortable process?
{It's like if your OBGYN was a Spark.} Konton explained.
{Spark…?} Amethyst asked.
{Mad scientist that makes other mad scientists look sane.} Konton replied.
{What does feminine healthcare have to do with anything?} The Spark part, I understood, but not the other part.
{I was making an analogy about how embarrassing it is.} Konton said.
{And it IS embarrassing. If she wasn't so interested in the results, and get that wild look in her eyes, I would feel more comfortable.} Amethyst said.
{Basically she would think a Sexual Harassment seminar is a How To Class.} Konton snarked.
{Goodness…} Now my cheeks were turning pink at what they meant. I gave them a hug in sympathy.
"Just remember not to distress Emily," Bahus said to Harley.
"Dial it back, right?" Harley winced.
"You're giving the other Fairies a complex," he chided her.
"I'm not fast enough to get away from Ethel anyway…" Harley bit her thumbnail.
"Do I want to know?" Emily asked Lola. 'Probably not.'
"She's a good person. Just… really… enthusiastic about Fairies…" Lola said diplomatically.
"That's one way to put it," Eryn muttered, a thought that I shared.
Marissa, who suddenly came back, quietly whispered something to Tiara and slipped her a packet. The blue haired Fencer flushed scarlet with mortification before sheepishly stuffing the packet in her pocket. Marissa patted her on the shoulder before striding away, leaving to go hunting without looking back. 'Goodness...' Cui held her paws over her eyes in embarrassment. Konton tried to ask what was wrong only for Cui to bare her fangs. The Chaos Fairy wisely backed down.
{Yeah… Cui needs no translation. I don't need to know what's going on.} Konton was quick to say.
{Me neither,} I concurred, opting not to think about it either. It was certainly related to last night.
"Ahem… Right. Why don't we get to work? Come on everyone! We have science to do!" Harley lead the way to the workshop.
"Let's get this over with…" Fang sighed as he shuffled into the workshop just ahead of Eryn. Neither one looked all that thrilled to be subjected to Harley's scrutiny.
"Do you think we could avoid doing the examinations?" Chiaki asked.
"Just stay out here and talk. I'll have Fang and Eryn do their thing before coming to get you," Harley said before shutting the door.
"At least she isn't trying to examine all of us at the same time," Giselle remarked.
"I think even she has limits," Tiara said dryly.
That brought a chuckle out of me. "Good thing she does," I lightheartedly remarked.
"Uhm… could someone train me? Since we have time… and I'm not really all that familiar with weapons…" Emily fidgeted.
"Sure, we can. What feels the most comfortable?" Tiara asked.
"Lola's Spear Form, but I also like her Gun Form," Emily replied.
"Right, because the Sword Forms would be too big. What do you have available?" Tiara asked.
"Spear, Gun, Sword, Knuckle, Greatsword, and Launcher," Emily rattle off dutifully. 'That's a whole lot of weapon forms!'
Chiaki stared incredulously at the younger girl. "Launcher!?" She gawked.
"Fencer Weapon Affinities run in families. Her brother probably had the same Forms unlocked," Lola explained.
"Yeah… She should stay away from anything bigger than herself…" Konton sweated.
"She'll be fine… right?" I asked. I would think she would use the weapon forms that are comfortable for her.
"The Spear Form is fine. Lola isn't longer than a broom. All I have to do is put the pointy end in the other guy," Emily nodded firmly.
"I taught her that," Lola puffed up proudly.
"The Gun doesn't have any recoil," Emily said.
"Does it fire solid projectiles or your element?" Chiaki asked.
"Light Element bullets," Emily answered.
"Nice," I complimented. Amethyst's gunblade form had similar properties.
"Let's find a safe place to practice," Tiara suggested.
There was a small area for personal training off of the first floor. It wasn't perfect, but no one was planning on actually sparring with Emily. Emily held up Lola in Spear Form. The dark haired girl was so little that the spear was twice her height. Tiara grimaced faintly. Chiaki merely shook her head slowly.
"Right. That doesn't look safe. Why don't you try a couple swings?" Tiara demonstrated what she was talking about by swing Cui down.
"Okay," Emily nodded firmly. She brought Lola down and immediately stumbled forward. The young girl yelped as she hit the floor. Her spear skittered off along the ground. Lola popped out of Spear Form and rubbed her head.
"Are you okay?" I asked. She wasn't to blame. She was just getting started, after all. In my case, I had Big Sis's skills to guide me, while Emily had to start from scratch.
"Spears are surprisingly heavy…" Emily rubbed the back of her head just like Lola.
"Sorry, Emily. I thought my Spear Form would be easier for you," Lola apologized.
"It's okay. You couldn't have known," Emily hugged her Fairy.
"I think we should hold off gun training," Chiaki said.
"This really isn't the place," Tiara agreed. The training area wasn't set up for gun combat.
"Maybe she could work on stances, footwork, or lighter weapons?" I suggested. What I had in mind were the basics that would be invaluable later on.
In the end, the Sword was the best fit for her. It was the size of a two-handed sword in her grip, but she was able to hold it well. She needed training in using a Greatsword because of that. Emily was guided through just walking in a basic stance, sliding around the room with her knees bent and without lowering her guard. It wasn't flashy, or even exciting, but it would promote good habits later. It would make it easier for her to maneuver while in combat.
"How is it, moving around like that?" I asked.
"My legs are really tired… and my shoulders ache…" Emily grunted.
"Okay, you can stop. Right now we're just working to build up your stamina and strength. It's a boring exercise, but one of the most important. You need to learn to move with your Fairy. Some Fencers swing their Fury like a normal weapon. You and your partner are extensions of each other. You need to move as one, be as one, and fight as one," Tiara lectured.
Chiaki turned to Giselle, "She's really intense."
"No kidding," Giselle blinked.
"She has a point, though," I commented.
"Is there anything else?" Emily asked.
"You can use Heal to remove the muscle soreness," Lola offered.
"Nice idea, but it wouldn't really work. To build proper muscle requires breaking down the muscle, and allowing it to heal naturally. The next exercise is swings. Twenty left arm swings, twenty right arm swings, and repeat," Tiara said.
Emily stared at Tiara as if she were speaking a foreign language. She didn't question the Water Fencer's instruction, but was plainly skeptical. Emily was swinging with both hands to the left, when Tiara didn't correct her, she continued. Tiara nodded approvingly as the younger girl doggedly slogged through the grueling exercise.
For now, I looked on as she trained. What came to my mind was when Big Sis was first practicing swordsmanship herself...
The door to the workshop opened, drawing attention from Emily's training. Fang and Eryn were very quickly walking away from Harley's domain. Neither one looked anywhere but straight ahead. A disgruntled Harley appeared at the door, "Not funny, you two! Next time you try to blow up my workshop, I'm getting out the ACTUAL needles! I swear! If they set our research back, I would've…" She turned to look directly at Tiara. "Get in here for your check up! Now!" Her sudden anger made me flinch.
"What in the name of the Goddess did they do?" Tiara rubbed her forehead. She turned to Emily, "Sorry, but I better see what she wants."
"O-kay…" Emily panted.
"Take a break. You did great," Tiara ruffled her hair fondly.
"Move it Splashy!" Harley yelled.
"I'm coming! Come on, Cui…" Tiara hurried over to the irate Fairyologist.
Emily fell to the ground with a tired groan. Chiaki passed her a water bottle, "Slow sips. You don't want to choke…" The younger Fencer would have choked with how she tried to gulp it all down at once.
With Chiaki attending to Emily, that left something for me to inquire. "What happened back there?" I asked Fang.
Fang tilted his head before coming over to investigate. "Training Emily, huh? Good call."
"She asked you a question, Fang," Eryn reminded him.
"You could answer," he said.
"I could, but she asked you," his Fairy folded her arms.
Fang nodded, "Yes, she did."
When no answer was immediately forthcoming, Eryn scowled. Fang suddenly flinched as if struck. He narrowed his eyes back at her. She arched an eyebrow and smiled smugly. He capitulated soon after. Was he the one who slipped up? It would explain the attempt at dodging.
"Okay, okay… Harley told us to give it everything we got. I might have used Serious Face to increase my power and use Synch Boost with Eryn. She wasn't really set to handle that much fire," Fang chuckled sheepishly.
"How big was the boom?" Chiaki rubbed her forehead.
"No boom, but we almost burned up her notes…" Fang rubbed the back of his neck.
"No wonder she was pissed!" Konton gawked.
On the other hand, "She did say to go all-out," I noted. It might had been better to ramp up more gradually, but that felt like a product of hindsight.
Emily stood up again and took a stance. The oddly serious look on her face made Amethyst coo over how adorable she was. After a moment she lowered the sword, "What was I supposed to do next?"
"Tiara had a lesson plan… I think?" Chiaki tilted her head.
"What have you done so far?" Fang asked.
"Uhhh… walking in stance… and swinging Lola twenty times with each arm," Emily said.
"Hmmm… How tired are you feeling?" Fang asked.
"I'm still good," she assured him quickly. 'That was fast.'
"What do you think?" Fang turned to Chiaki and me.
"Any tips you have in mind?" I queried him. Swordsmanship was his specialty as well.
"Did your brother show you anything?" Fang asked kindly.
Emily smiled faintly, "I used to watch him train a lot. Most of what I'm doing is stuff I saw him do." She explained.
"Why don't you show us?" Fang suggested.
"Okay!" Emily perked up. She took a stance with the sword held at an angle. The dark haired girl swept the sword in a surprisingly crisp arc. An look of intense concentration crossed her face, as each swing was made at full strength. She kept stepping with the swings to prevent overbalancing.
"Wow… She's actually really good…" Chiaki stared in amazement.
Fang's smile turned wistful as he watched Emily give it her all. The Fire Fencer drew Eryn to his side. His Fairy smiled as well.
"Agreed." My impression was the same as Chiaki's.
"Shouldn't I be tired? I feel like I can go longer…" Emily looked puzzled.
"Yeah, that is kind of weird. I didn't even notice," Fang folded his arms.
"Fencers have superior powers of recuperation. Emily was exhausted before, but some water and rest, and she's ready to keep going. I won't let her overexert herself," Lola promised.
"That is what we do. Different Fencers can have different rates of recovery, just like normal people. Fang just flat out doesn't get tired unless all of his inner energy is used up. Which is true of most Fencers," Eryn said.
"Nice." I didn't know that, either. In my case, I thought it was just because I became more fit as Nepgear.
"I can keep training without stopping?" Emily looked amazed.
Lola made a buzzer noise, "Nope! You can still injure yourself through overexertion. You just won't get as tired. If you train too hard, it could stunt your growth too." She wagged her finger at Emily.
"Oh… I don't want that!" Emily was taken aback.
"Being small isn't fun," Eryn pouted.
"You're not small, you're fun-sized," Fang gave her shoulder a squeeze. His partner smiled with pleasure.
That brought a chuckle out of me, as I remembered Konton. I'd say she was cute-sized.
"Awww… gee…" Konton blushed before hiding in my hair. 'Oh, I must have voiced my thoughts.'
"So cute~!" Amethyst cooed.
A smile crossed my face as I reached out to pat my plum-loving Fairy on her head.
"Next!" Harley called from the workshop. "Come on, Chiaki! Bring Giselle!" Tiara walked out of the workshop with a bemused look.
"How bad was it?" Chiaki asked.
"It wasn't bad. Just weird. She was very professional today," Tiara said.
"Harley can't outrun Ethel," Giselle helpfully explained.
Tiara blinked, "Scythe-wielding Ethel…? Suddenly it all makes sense." Cui looked like she was snickering.
"Let's go, Giselle," Chiaki picked up her Fairy before heading into the workshop.
"Why does Ethel say 'kill' all the time?" Emily asked.
"That's… not something I have a complete answer for, but I believe it has something to do with her background," I replied. If I remembered right, she was an assassin, and my guess was that she was trained that way from an early age. I could be mistaken, though.
"Ethel was trained as an assassin. It was the only thing she was told to do from any early age. She's learning other words, but it's become a habit by this point," Lola said, confirming my thoughts.
"She's a very sweet person and protective of her Fairy. As Harley found out," Eryn giggled.
"Did she really chase Harley with a scythe?" Emily asked with wide eyes.
Amethyst hastened to reassure the child, "No, no. She just threatened to because Harley's exuberance traumatizes Fairies." Konton facepalmed.
"She traumatizes Fairies?" Emily suddenly clutched Lola. The blonde Fairy didn't mind the hug at all.
"Only a little bit…?" Amethyst dug herself in deeper.
Emily tapped her chin, "Weren't we saying I didn't have a target for gun practice…?"
Fang facepalmed, "Please don't use Harley for target practice. One Ethel is enough."
"Harley can take it, right?" I joked.
"On a scale of one to ten, how serious are you?" Tiara asked Emily.
"About a seven," Emily replied.
"Still better than Ethel," Tiara said.
"We kind of need her expertise, though," I pointed out, my tone still lighthearted.
Emily mock pouted, "I'll behave myself."
"Such a good girl," Lola pet her hair. Emily blushed lightly with pleasure.
"Was there anything else we were supposed to do?" Fang asked.
"Good question. I guess someone could see if Bahus needs help with lunch," Tiara suggested.
"Not me. He kicked me out of the kitchen at the Inn," Fang said.
"Well, that's only because you kept 'sampling'," Eryn said.
A chuckle found its way out of my mouth. Someone couldn't resist the food. "In my case, I don't cook. I just eat."
"I can help cook," Emily offered.
"Oh no. You trained most of the morning. That means you get to sit back and relax," Fang said as he started to lead her from the training room.
"Really?" Emily asked.
"Take a nice hot shower and relax," Lola agreed.
"I just don't want to hold anyone back…" She protested weakly.
Tiara sighed softly, "We're going to have to watch her. I thought training would help her channel her energies. We have to make sure she doesn't overdo it…" Cui licked her face comfortingly.
"Being injured from overtraining won't help," I added. If anything, that would hold Emily back. Recovery was important, too.
The workshop door opened and Chiaki left carrying Giselle. "Your turn, Nepgear!" Chiaki called over.
"Time to face the music…" Amethyst sighed.
"She'll behave herself," Konton assured her.
"Here we go…" I said, giving my Fairies a pat on their shoulders as I accompanied them.
The workshop didn't appear any different from yesterday, if I ignored the smell of smoke in the air. Harley was seated at the desk making notations on a notepad. The Fairyologist looked up as we entered, "I swear I'm being punished. Having my behavior thrown back at me is humbling." She shook her head.
"How so?" I asked, unsure of what she meant.
"I'll admit my people skills could use some work. Ethel's extremely… energetic… reaction to Karin's distress shamed me. Now the other Fairies are worried I'll molest them. I only have myself to blame," she admitted. Amethyst rubbed her back soothingly, eliciting a tiny smile.
"You really didn't know?" Amethyst asked.
"Eh… I had an 'idea' that my attention wasn't welcome. I'm not misunderstood. Just wiser now," Harley shrugged.
"The first step is admitting there's a problem," Konton assumed her larger size.
"Okay, what would be done about it?" I inquired of Harley.
"Apologize and just work on not being so 'creepy' anymore. It's just so hard with so many fascinating Fairies around," Harley whined.
I nodded. That did not sound easy to admit. "They're people, too. Maybe think of it as making friends?"
"Thank you for listening. You're probably the only one who would believe me now," Harley smiled. She took a breath before releasing it slowly. "Okay then. Time to check your bond."
"Do we have to get naked or something?" Konton suddenly looked apprehensive.
"No no no… Nothing like that. I just want to see the three of you interact. Use their weapon forms, see how their Resonance is affected, basic things," Harley said.
{Want to start with a sword dance?} I asked my Fairies. This wasn't a place for gunfire nor launcher use, though magic was also an option.
{Let's go!} Konton cheered.
{We can do that.} Amethyst smiled.
After making sure that there was enough space for me to move about, I took a stance and let my instincts flow through me. They weren't only Big Sis's anymore. They were also mine, what with the fighting I had done. It was said that one's weapon was an extension of oneself, but it felt more than that, deeper than that in my case.
Harley adjusted a couple strange devices. The Fairyologist made notations from whatever it was she was reading. She tilted her head at one point with an uncertain frown. A bit of fiddling with a silver device that resembled a top and spindle caused the frown to deepen. Harley slowly shook her head before double checking her results.
"Okay… Stop. Something is really weird about these readings," Harley said.
"What do you mean?" I had a confused expression as I came to a halt. Was it because I had two Fairies instead of one?
"I thought your Fairies were merely resonating like normal. Except for one thing. You're bonded to both of them. Normally a Fencer only bonds completely to one Fairy," Harley explained.
{We broke the system?} Konton asked.
{Nothing about us is normal.} Amethyst seemed amused.
"How does another Fairy change things?" Aside from it not being the norm, I was curious as to what it meant.
"Humans just can't handle the strain of supporting multiple Fairies. It isn't possible. There were attempts made in the past to circumvent the rule, all ended in disaster. The closest we've come is the Processor," Harley insisted.
{Which would only matter if you were human.} Konton said.
{That's right! Nepgear is a Goddess herself!} Amethyst realized.
That was interesting to know. I nodded, though I preferred the term 'CPU'. Less grandiose. Still, I had to acknowledge that being Nepgear had privileges. "Maybe it's because of the divine energy?" I inferred. The Processor also used it to allow multiple Fairies to assist, after all.
"That must be it… I was just commenting because it looks as if you would wield both of them," Harley said. Amethyst and Konton were surprised by the suggestion.
"The three of us go hand-in-hand." A smile crossed my face. I wouldn't be here without them.
"I mean that you might be able to wield them separately," Harley clarified. 'Oh.'
{That's an interesting idea…} Amethyst mused.
{No one would expect that.} Konton agreed.
{Want to try it?} I figured it could be a useful tactic later on.
{Okay!} Konton separated from Amethyst. The smaller Fairy glowed briefly before assuming a Sword Form that resembled the blue-green Share Blade. She lowered slowly into my hand. The connection felt even stronger with direct contact.
{How is it on your end?} I asked Konton.
{I would say it's better than sex, but I'm a virgin.} Konton replied.
(L-lewd Konton!} Amethyst was scandalized.
My palm met my face, not expecting such a comment from Konton at all. It felt embarrassing to hear such lewdness. {Maybe not say it like that?}
Harley nodded slowly, "It looks more natural like this, actually. Before, it sort of looked like your auras were tangled. Now, I can see the clear lines of connection." She remarked.
Much like a while ago, I took some swings with the blade, letting Harley see the difference in the data, if any. The Fairyologist quickly made new notations in her notebook. She made appreciative noises in between making adjustments to the instruments.
"I can see the difference. The flow is much more natural. Very interesting indeed! I can make some definite improvements on the Processor with this. That was the whole point of the check-ups. I wanted to see where everyone's bonds are with their Fairies, and to see if they could handle the Processors. So far, I can't see anyone having trouble. We'll know more once I finish all of the check-ups," Harley said.
"Yay, I'll look forward to it." Really, I was, and not only to see the product of our efforts, but also to witness the process of doing so.
"Why are you doing all of us separately? Just curious!" Konton appeared along with Amethyst.
"I'm trying to keep the results as pure as possible. Due to the all the time we've spent together, we have a certain 'affinity' with one another. Our auras instinctively reach for one another, improving our coordination, but also muddling the results. I'm sitting across the room to prevent further contamination," Harley explained.
"Now that is something I didn't know…" Amethyst looked impressed.
"Interesting…" I was as impressed as my Fairy. There was a lot to discover about Fencers and Fairies.
"Most Fencers are solitary or act as the heavy in teams with non-Fencers. This isn't entirely unprecedented, but it's the first time someone has been around to observe the phenomena. You probably noticed that some of us have stronger affinities with different Fencers. Fang and Galdo by far have the highest affinity. Fire and Wind naturally support one another. Tiara, as a Water Fencer, would normally be Fang's direct opposite and therefore terrible compatibility. However, they have a bond born through battle. Even now that same bond transcended time. It's interesting to witness. No one has been able to see the effects of time travel on bonds," Harley warmed up to her subject.
"Marianne as a Lightning and Wind Fencer holds an affinity with Fang and Galdo, but her own personality somewhat weakens the bond. She's very serious while they're more relaxed. The effects of personality are worth a full study by itself. Ethel should have a strong affinity with Tiara as they are both Water types, but Ethel's 'cool' personality creates Ice. Ethel actually has a stronger bond with Pippin and Fang. Then again Fang's bond with her has to do entirely with his own feelings of guilt over her death…" The Fairyologist trailed off.
"Wow…" Konton gawked.
"My own actions have created a weakened bond with just about everyone. It's beneficial in this case as I have an 'outsider's perspective', but it means I have less 'synergy.' I really need to correct that soon. Now we get to the bond I find to be the most fascinating. Your bond with Chiaki. You two have an extraordinary bond as well. As the only two Lights for the longest time, and how friendly you are, it makes a certain amount of sense. In fact you even share the quality of having strong bonds with everyone in the party. Whether we realize it or not, we tend to tell you things we wouldn't tell anyone else," she said.
"Is that why Nepgear can just talk to anyone and hear their life story?" Amethyst asked.
"Exactly! She exudes an aura of trust. Much as Chiaki does in fact. Now, I believe that when Nepgear freed her from the corrupt Fury, she pushed some of her own energy into Chiaki, awakening her as a Fencer and strengthening her potential. Out of all of us, outside of you and Fang…" Harley turned to me,"...her potential is the highest."
"Wow…" I didn't know they were having that effect around me. It was nice and an honor to share such close bonds with them. The saying 'my friends are my power' would apply well here.
"Does that make Chiaki your Candidate?" Konton leered at me. 'Ehhh?'
"...Why do I have a feeling I'm going to want to facepalm shortly?" Amethyst deadpanned.
"Candidate?" Harley tilted her head curiously.
"A CPU Candidate is a little sister of a CPU, a goddess," I stated. Why would she be one, though? She wasn't my sister.
"CPU? I think we skipped a few pages of exposition," Harley commented.
"And I'm just winding her up," Konton giggled.
"I can't tell if Konton is a shameless shipper or just a troll," Amethyst rubbed her temples.
"That doesn't make sense," I commented. 'I mean, calling her a Candidate? One doesn't ship sisters.'
"They're not related by blood so it IS possible," Konton pointed out.
"Ahem!" Harley loudly cleared her throat. She arched an eyebrow, "Why don't you stop teasing her? If that's what they want, great. If it's not? Also great. Honestly! We already have a source of relationship gossip. We don't need another."
"Did she just save Nepgear or throw someone else under the bus?" Amethyst muttered.
I shrugged, unsure and preferring to change the topic. "So, what's next?"
Harley nodded before getting out a new set of instruments. "Now we're going to see your transformations. According to the others you have Fairize, a form that doesn't use a Fury, and a combined form?" She asked.
"Yup," I answered.
"Could you please show me? One at a time," Harley picked up a device that looked like a radar gun attached to a computer.
Nodding, I did just that. A flash of light appeared around me before vanishing to show my transformed state. First was the Fairize, which would be the most familiar one to her. The gun beeped and words scrolled across the computer screen. Harley nodded absently while making notations in her notebook.
Next was my HDD, the only outward differences being my hair and my eyes. I could feel a shift as I drew power from my Shares instead of my bond with my Fairies. On a side note, I hadn't thought of a name for my HDD yet, and I felt that 'Purple Sister' wouldn't fit, not when I was my own person, my own Nepgear. The gun whistled sharply, drawing Harley's attention to the screen intently. Her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline in surprise. It took her a moment to regain her composure and make the notes. She gestured for me to continue.
Wondering what that was about, I then drew power from both my Shares and Fairy bonds at the same time, resulting in my NEXT Form, still as revealing as ever. Since I wasn't distracted by battle, I resorted to wrapping my arms around myself. It felt weird using the form just to show it to someone else.
The gun whistled twice while Harley dropped her pencil. The Fairyologist stared at the highly suggestive outfit, which only made me feel embarrassed. Her face turned a brilliant shade of red, for some reason. My costume was somehow heavily armored and yet revealing at the same time. She slowly raised a finger as if to say something before lowering it. The computer chimed rapidly flashing with arcane symbols in red. Harley's head whipped around to stare at the results in surprise. "You can release it now. I just need a few minutes to compile the data…" She exhaled slowly. The interruption was welcome as I changed back to my normal form.
"So, why the reactions?" I asked. Was I the source of weird stuff again?
"You felt like a Fairy actually… Only on a much grander scale… In fact, your 'HDD' and 'NEXT' Forms felt like Eryn in a sense…" Harley's face was slowly returning to a normal shade.
"Do I need to hide behind Ethel, then?" I asked, half-jokingly. While she did say a while ago she would make some changes, I couldn't help but be reminded of her usual thing about Fairies, which explained why she was blushing so much. Goodness…
On a side note, was the Eryn thing because of being divine, a CPU? That was my guess.
"You're safe, I promise. Except I think I might have also had a revelation about my own issues…" Harley murmured to herself. She shook herself before turning back to me. "Okay then. Your Fairize is actually pretty normal. Nothing unusual about it at all. The readings were well within tolerance of the instruments. You're perhaps as strong as Tiara in Fairize. She's not the strongest, but certainly no slouch." She glanced at her notes again.
"Your 'HDD' Form is around the same strength as your Fairize. What makes it so strange is that you feel like a Fairy. There is a synchronization reading between you, Amethyst, and Konton but more like Fairy Resonance. You confused the instruments. I got a reading, but some of the numbers don't really make any sense. Your max power output fluctuates between nothing and the same strength as Fairize…" Harley shook her head in confusion.
{Yeah she's trying to use her instruments to measure a Gamindustri phenomenon. The fact she's getting anything is a credit to her skills.} Konton said.
{Or a credit to the flexibility of the instruments,} I suggested.
"NEXT is probably the most confusing out of the three. Your projected power output is simply too much for my instruments to gauge. Much like Fang's current Fairize. Both of you give me a strange triple reading. Human, Fairy, and Other. The Other is most likely the Divine Power you wield. The gun almost fried taking your reading. In this instance Fang might actually be lesser than you are. However, your NEXT Form puts considerably more strain on you. Have you noticed anything?" Harley asked with concern.
I shook my head. "None at all." To me, there was nothing other than a feeling of strength and a closeness with my Fairies and friends. It could be tiring with extended use though. Maybe I could ask Big Sis about it later, in case I missed something?
"Thank goodness…" Harley whispered with heartfelt relief. An expression of deep worry crossed her face before smoothing to a neutral mask. She managed a smile, "Thank you, Nepgear. Perhaps we should conclude for the day. There is much I need to look into."
"Okay. Why the worry, though?" That was concerning to me. Could something be wrong?
Harley bit her lip, clearing warring with herself on what to say, before finally relenting. "Fang and Eryn generate nearly as much power as your NEXT Form. The amount of power flooding your bodies is too much for a human to handle without severe repercussions. He could put terrible strain on his body that may result in shortening his lifespan. Once, twice, it wouldn't matter. If he was given time to recover between uses, that is. However… I don't think we'll have that option in the coming days…" Harley fretted.
"Oh dear…" Now I really had to ask Nepgear. Perhaps I was in the clear because of being a CPU, but I had to make sure. And now Fang was in danger… "Would the Processor be able to make it safer for him to handle?" If it could handle energy from multiple Furies, then it would be able to handle Eryn's, right?
"It… actually it should…" Harley let out a sigh of relief. "However, his will need to be a special model. We'll have to check the ruins for more parts. I'll need the parts we earmarked just to make his." The Fairyologist was already busily redesigning the Processor for Fang. It would be bulkier, but at least her mood was improved.
I pitched in when I could, taking a look at the design and seeing how it could be further improved. As it turned out, Harley was right. Most of the parts would be needed just to make Fang's. It was as bulky as the Stone Processor. Hopefully there would be something of use from the ruins. If not, another expedition would have to be made.
No one knew how much time we had. With any luck there would be enough.
Mirriam Grave
The Bemused. The Amused. The Unstable.
- Location
- The edge of a point.
I refuse to believe that Ube, a veteran of the internet, much less a veteran of SB and SV, actually thought that.
Unless there is more bleedover from Nepgear than shown ( of which there has been a considerable amount).
UbeOne
Daydreaming CPU
- Location
- Philippines
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I really do not ship sisters.
I feel offended that you assume I do.
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OverReactionGuy
Verified Sanity
As for me I ship everyone with anything, especially chairs.
-edit-
I miss my comfy chair.
-edit-
I miss my comfy chair.
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- Location
- PA
Mirriam Grave
The Bemused. The Amused. The Unstable.
- Location
- The edge of a point.
Got it in one.
I did in fact mean it in the sense that I was disbelieving that you disbelieved that someone out there was in fact shipping sisters. As pointed out, humanity is vast, and the internet is open to them all. And for some reason, the shippers and trolls and those who wish to weaponize EVERYTHING (and succeed far too often for comfort), have gathered in SB/SV/QQ.
I do apologize if I did not explain myself properly and caused distress of any kind. It was not my intention.
Crystalwatcher
(Verified GM)
- Location
- Limbo
Am I the only one who feels like there were a lot of death flags this chapter?
UbeOne
Daydreaming CPU
- Location
- Philippines
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Eh? Why?
Yes, you are. I didn't notice anything that would qualify as a death flag, at least by FFF's standards. And I have played the game.
OverReactionGuy
Verified Sanity
All the time, even with innocent little mentions.
Important Message
- Location
- PA
OverReactionGuy
Verified Sanity
Is there a reason you can't update both threads?
PAGDTenno
Verified Warmind. Probably on fire.
- Location
- South Carolina
Ding's leaving SV. He's annoyed with some recent policy decisions. It is not up for discussion.
OverReactionGuy
Verified Sanity
Just wanted to know the reason.
KuletXCore
Reviver of Good Shit/Creator of Underrated Ideas.
- Location
- Flipland
oh... That's one way to put it...