Constellations (Worm/Okami)

Dragonskyt · Oct 27, 2016

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"Directorrrrr, this talking thing! It's amaaaaazing!"

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"...and then th' dog went all Jules Verne an' dug to the center of the earth, an' now there's gonna be a hot springs episode 'cause there's always a hot springs episode, y'know?"

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"But Directorrrrr we need to--"

Assault knows his anime.
Why am I not surprised?

Mandabar · Oct 27, 2016

Thelunarwolf said:
Fire.

The Bombs is Bakugami, the Boar.

That sounds like we would need beads from Piggot to unlock... :lol

Terrabrand · Oct 27, 2016

UnwelcomeStorm said:
Principal Blackwell looked… almost exactly the same as she had every other time Taylor had seen the woman. She had to wonder if Blackwell owned multiple copies of the same three-piece suit, or if maybe there was only the one, and Blackwell simply oozed into it every day as her chosen carapace for her gelatinous, pod-person body. It was probably the former. Probably.

I love how much Taylor has internalized the weirdness of her life.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
Lunch was… palatable. For cafeteria food, anyway. More palatable was watching Emma sidle up for an attempt at needling her, only to shrink away when Yuuta, Haru, and a few of their friends chose to almost crowd around Taylor. Answering their questions was well worth the show and companionship. A few rumors had circulated among older siblings and friends, and friends of those friends, and so forth, until the recent meetings Taylor had endured were a topic that simultaneously managed to be very known about, and yet hardly understood. Apparently, gang circles worked in much the same fashion as high school ones. That… Taylor wasn't sure if that was comforting, or terrible.

Okay, the 'gang circles= highschool circles' thing amused me.

AbZHz101 · Oct 27, 2016

Rooster is fire control, though when it upgrades you can make your own fire with the infinity sign.

The bigger the sign the more fire you make.

Hunter 1 · Oct 27, 2016

AbZHz101 said:
Rooster is fire control, though when it upgrades you can make your own fire with the infinity sign.

The bigger the sign the more fire you make.

...and you consume more ink pots in the process. Not such a big deal for the most part in Okami, but spamming it is generally considered a bad idea unless you've got a Inkfinity Stone running.

That's actually a rule of thumb, the element producing brush powers have more power the bigger they're drawn but cost more ink pots as they scale up. Using the more basic elemental manipulation powers is a lot easier on the ink, but does require that there first be a preexisting source of that element.

Zephyrus · Oct 27, 2016

pianoman said:
Everything is going too well, Taylor is actually happy, something is gonna go worn soon or I'm just paranoid due to reading way too many depressing worm fics

I think it's actually pretty great that the author is focusing on a theme of hope and general happiness.

We get enough of that in other Worm fanfiction and the source itself, not to mention every day in real life.

Relax and enjoy the fun! Don't wait for the other shoe to drop. It'll make reading this story less enjoyable than it could be.

Ψυχή · Oct 27, 2016

Hunter 1 said:
...and you consume more ink pots in the process. Not such a big deal for the most part in Okami, but spamming it is generally considered a bad idea unless you've got a Inkfinity Stone running.

That's actually a rule of thumb, the element producing brush powers have more power the bigger they're drawn but cost more ink pots as they scale up. Using the more basic elemental manipulation powers is a lot easier on the ink, but does require that there first be a preexisting source of that element.

In-game I never found burning ink w/o the item a big deal, but I definitely liked mixing up physical combat with ink prowess; Taylor doesn't have that option, but then again gaining the Inferno bonus is a fairly late-game thing for the most part.

Khona Moshr · Oct 27, 2016

Zephyrus said:
I think it's actually pretty great that the author is focusing on a theme of hope and general happiness.

We get enough of that in other Worm fanfiction and the source itself, not to mention every day in real life.

Relax and enjoy the fun! Don't wait for the other shoe to drop. It'll make reading this story less enjoyable than it could be.

Oh yeah it's a great story and got me interested in okami which reminds me

Curse you @UnwelcomeStorm I didn't have much free time before and now I have even less due to the playing okami and okamiden

JamesB · Oct 27, 2016

BF110C4 said:
Her father is still hiding his secret identity, Coil is still free and unmolested, and this is Earth Bet. I hate to agree, but there are enough shoes to fill a mall just ready to drop.

What makes you think Sunny will let anything bad happen to Taylor? The Empire was just in the way and not a deliberate target that Taylor was looking to eliminate. Now, imagine what would happen if she specifically decides to go after something.

Thelunarwolf · Oct 27, 2016

JamesB said:
What makes you think Sunny will let anything bad happen to Taylor? The Empire was just in the way and not a deliberate target that Taylor was looking to eliminate. Now, imagine what would happen if she specifically decides to go after something.

I reiterate my point from after the third Empire takedown scene where Kid Win was singing a duet with Sunny...

"I have the feeling Mr. Calvert is about to do something very silly"

Datcord · Oct 27, 2016

UnwelcomeStorm said:
27

When we last left our intrepid heroes, they were trying to erase the realization that they'd all been played for MONTHS by a "dog" solely so it could get a hot spring for itself. Let's see how that turned out for them!

Emily pushed back her chair a few inches so that the panic button would be easily reachable, and took a moment to unlock the nearby drawer that held her sidearm. Just in case.

Either for whoever was about to break into her office, or (if her luck was running consistently) for herself when the person who broke into her office dumped a massive load of shit she'd have to deal with in her lap.

Piggot leaned back a bit from Assault,

And, more importantly, the MASSIVE scent of alcohol he brought with him.

"I said get in the tank."

My new mental image of Director Piggot:

She was happy to go to school.

Oh, that explains it. Taylor's been replaced by a pod person. It's so obvious now.

Hello, faulty central heating system! Good morning, uneven chairs and squeaky lockers! Great to see you, parting waves of asshole teenagers!

Hurrah! No Lung! No Protectorate! No... wait, what was that last one? "parting waves"? .... TEENAGERS DON'T DO THAT.

So what if people stared, or kept sneaking glances at her? Screw them. So what if their frequent checking of phones reminded her of her to-do list? That was a worry for another day.

Is... is Taylor at school in her miko outfit? Is that what's happening right now? I... I think that might be what's happening right now?

"Miss Hebert, please have a seat," she instructed, then peered intently at Taylor in her red sweater and white, already-stained painter's pants.

CLOSE ENOUGH. I'm counting that as a point for me.

"I wanted to ask why you felt it appropriate to wear… that garment… to school."

"My dad says I can't go skyclad, even though I've checked and it's TECHNICALLY not illegal due to religious exemptions, the jerk!"

Well, what was her problem?

*coff*"Cape"openlyrunningaroundinherschool*coff*

Well, I suppose it is ultimately your decision.

...ah, that's the next plot point then. The visit from New Wave praising her for joining their cause of capes being open about their identities! (And a visit from their new kitten overlord, of course.)

I can't wait to see how Sunny deals with the Dallon sisters.

Try to ruin her Normal Day, would she? Taylor didn't have to take that silently. She gave the older woman an appraising glance and said, "Of course, Principal Blackwell. All students should be mindful of their school conduct. And, naturally, of the Golden Rule." Taylor smiled. "'Treat others as you wish to be treated.'"

Taylor uses "Fear the Nice Ones!"

Taylor saw Principal Blackwell's eyes widen just a fraction, and she smiled a little wider in response. She could almost see all of the complaints and reports she'd filed last year flash behind Blackwell's pupils.

It was SUPER EFFECTIVE.

Mr. Henrick must have seriously put the fear of God into that woman, though it was still a bit weird to be singled out like she was being. What had gotten under Blackwell's skin?

*eyes Taylor* Taylor, dear... maybe you should start making sure the ventilation is a bit better when you do your painting? I'm starting to suspect that you've fried more than a few brain cells with paint fumes, is all.

I don't really have the room or funds for a resort or anything, so I guess I'm building a bath house? Not entirely sure how that's going to come about, but it'll probably be fun.

The next day, a VERY large check arrives from Max Anders, accompanied by a note that read: "Please take this and use it to build a bath house that your dog can spend all its time in. Please."

It was supposed to be a Normal Day, but… well, a little bit of Shrine Business was Normal.

And slowly but surely, Taylor's definition of "Normal" is eroded more and more....

Even things they'd mostly just seen in cartoons… the less questionable parts, anyway.

"-and that's when the schoolgirls are introduced to the joys of cephalapodic eroticism!"

There was a long, horrified silence.

There was the sound of a fist meeting a nose.

"Thank you." Taylor said, eye twitching. "Please kick him a few times, too."

When her last period rolled around on the clock,

*pauses*
*shakes head*
No, the menopause joke is too easy.

She squished the wolf's face in her hands in greeting (as one does),

SQUEEE*coff*shut up, you saw nothing.

muttering a quick 'excuse me' to a student who was holding their phone up instead of looking where they were going.

Taylor's just... gonna keep ignoring all the people taking her picture, isn't she. Just... not even going to recognize them. She's REALLY taking that "Today is A Normal Day!" thing all the way, isn't she.

...well, it worked for "Tea Time is Courtesy Time."

Anything really worth doing is never easy.

"Speaking of which, let me tell you about my nephew ...or maybe my niece? I don't judge, dear."

"Ohohoho!" Old Mrs. Henrick laughed,

Oh, god! She's Kodachi Kuno! HIDE ME.

He's been hounding the new superintendent and yelling at PTA meetings like he was thirty again!

"It's been a great change of pace from his usual yelling at the clouds!"

The cookies were still warm, right at that point between 'too hot' and 'not as gooey as it could be.' Perfection.

So I'm baking cookies tonight. That's good to know.

"It's good to see him with a fire in his engines again. Just the sight makes me feel more energetic, too!"

I'd like to take this moment to remind everyone reading this that the rate of sexually transmitted diseases among the residents of nursing homes and assisted care facilities is shockingly high.

Taylor chewed a bit on her lip, getting her thoughts in order. Sunny moved to sit closer by, pressed against her knee, and she rubbed the wolf's ears as she spoke.

For the record, I really enjoyed Sunny being silently supportive here. It was a nice little touch.

while there was only one spring now, somehow she was sure that if she asked, Sunny would be happy to dig holes until she found another one.

I think you'd have to ask her to STOP digging, actually.

The shrine was suddenly more than just a space, more than just a hobby:

It was an investment. It was an opportunity.

Taylor Hebert, professional shrine maiden. She's in the Yellow Pages.

Taylor wouldn't necessarily have to quit. She wouldn't have to leave the shrine and go on to a career-- the shrine could be her career. Sunny (and Lung) hadn't given her a hot spring-- she'd given her options.

Which is really awesome for Taylor and I really, really like the fact that she's realized this and is starting to explore what it could mean for her.

Lung, of course, is only trying to give her options in the hopes that one of them involves LEAVING HIM ALONE.

"Really." Taylor's grin was in full force, and Sunny wagged her tail. "Let me tell you about Baachan."

"Have you heard the word of Baachan? I have some literature I'd like to share with you...."\

NecroMac said:
So, Assault is the only hero that managed to return to base?

I have this mental image of everyone else who was at that meeting (minus Taylor) sprawled around the shrine in various stages of drunkenness and/or consciousness. (Lung and Purity both agreed that what happened during drunken commiserations STAYS during drunken commiserations. ...eventually they'll realize Armsmaster's helmet has a camera.)

Torgamous · Oct 27, 2016

Thelunarwolf said:
Fire.

The Bombs is Bakugami, the Boar.

So Haru's cousin is going to show up at some point?

Khona Moshr · Oct 27, 2016

Hey isn't it a breach of authority for Piggot to use the M/S tank as a drunk tank

taovkool · Oct 27, 2016

pianoman said:
Everything is going too well, Taylor is actually happy, something is gonna go worn soon or I'm just paranoid due to reading way too many depressing worm fics

Actually, that's exactly my opinion on this. Taylor being happy is like the moon suddenly caught on fire. It's so wrong and unnatural on so many levels that a nuclear winter is much more preferable.

Who wants to bet that Levi-chan's gonna bust in the Shrine and ruin the day?

Thelunarwolf · Oct 27, 2016

Torgamous said:
So Haru's cousin is going to show up at some point?

She got defused by the Charm Token for Academic Success.

taovkool said:
Taylor being happy is like the moon suddenly caught on fire.

The Rooster is online, Inferno Power is Active, Setting the Moon on fire is now a viable plan.

But the Moon is fine.

Terrabrand · Oct 27, 2016

pianoman said:
Hey isn't it a breach of authority for Piggot to use the M/S tank as a drunk tank

Only if you assume she isn't operating under the assumption he got drunk from a master or stranger power, I would think.

Unseelie · Oct 27, 2016

Datcord said:
*pauses*
*shakes head*
No, the menopause joke is too easy.

Oh, I read "last" as "previous".

Datcord said:
gonna keep ignoring all the people taking her picture

...I didn't even notice the possibility, maybe because I'm running around with my phone (reading) all the time, maybe I'm becoming as oblivious as Taylor.

Khona Moshr · Oct 27, 2016

Terrabrand said:
Only if you assume she isn't operating under the assumption he got drunk from a master or stranger power, I would think.

Well either way best Piggot remains best Piggot

Highwind · Oct 27, 2016

After their dangerous mission using experimental and highly unorthodox methods ended, Assault went to the Director's Office to make his report. Meanwhile Taylor has a Perfectly Normal Day.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
Director Piggot looked up at her closed office door with a sudden, inexplicable feeling of dread. Her instincts quickly proved themselves right as noise started to filter through, soft at first, then louder as footsteps and arguing voices approached. Emily pushed back her chair a few inches so that the panic button would be easily reachable, and took a moment to unlock the nearby drawer that held her sidearm. Just in case.

Very good instincts there Piggot.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"Directorrrrr, this talking thing! It's amaaaaazing!"

Piggot leaned back a bit from Assault, then shifted her gaze over to the PRT security who were making excuses. They cut off all attempts as she looked at them, then turned back to Assault, who was still in mid-babble.

"...and then th' dog went all Jules Verne an' dug to the center of the earth, an' now there's gonna be a hot springs episode 'cause there's always a hot springs episode, y'know?"

Assault continues to be the goddamned best Hero. Of course he knows anime cliches, he probably tried the whole ecchi protagonist "trip with girl and fall on her breasts" thing with Battery enough times to get it down to an art form.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"What the hell are you three standing there for? M/S tank them, all of them, NOW."

"But Directorrrrr we need to--"

"I said get in the tank."

Piggot won't have any of you crazy shit right now. Not without some good scotch to take the edge off the inevitable headache.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
The morning air was crisp and scented with the melancholy of falling leaves, and the sun had taken pity on the poor East coast and decided to stay unhidden by clouds more often than not. It was truly a day for the record books, not because of the unusually nice weather, but from the blue-moon occurrence that, months ago, would have sent Taylor running for the conspiracy theorist sections of PHO to explain:

She was happy to go to school.

My God! Sound the Sirens, Call the Triumvirate, Assemble the heroes and villains and if the endbringers want to pitch in, they're welcome to, because the apocalypse has surely begun!

UnwelcomeStorm said:
Taylor pressed her cheek against the cold brick wall near Winslow's main entrance and sighed. Sweet, sweet normalcy! Let the other kids stare and whisper, she needed this. Homework, and boring lectures, and petty insults-- a return to the dull things in life! Taylor pulled back from hugging the building and nearly skipped inside. Hello, faulty central heating system! Good morning, uneven chairs and squeaky lockers! Great to see you, parting waves of asshole teenagers!

Taylor hiked her backpack a little higher on her shoulder, and sighed happily. Not a cape in sight. Wonderful.

Yeah, after the bullshit of that meeting, a bunch of asshole teenagers is nothing. Hell, compared to having to mediate a meeting between Lung and Armsmaster using nothing but your wits, your manners and your Dog, a few minutes of pathetic attempts at bullying might even be funny.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"I… see." Ms. Blackwell shuffled some of her papers around, stacking them neatly, and Taylor's frown intensified at the obvious time-stretching gesture. "Well, I suppose it is ultimately your decision. However, you will obey school rules and regulations while you are here, Miss Hebert. Don't cause any trouble, you understand?"

Try to ruin her Normal Day, would she? Taylor didn't have to take that silently. She gave the older woman an appraising glance and said, "Of course, Principal Blackwell. All students should be mindful of their school conduct. And, naturally, of the Golden Rule." Taylor smiled. "'Treat others as you wish to be treated.'"

Those lessons on being a good host and on Japanese etiquette are being understood, memorized, mastered and put to use faster than I ever thought possible. She can already make someone quiver in fear with just a single polite comment! The baachans must be proud!

UnwelcomeStorm said:
Taylor had to wonder, for a moment, if maybe she was absorbing some sort of vindictive streak from the Baachan Collective. And if she was, did she particularly care? No, Taylor decided. She did not. She deserved a little vindictiveness now and then.

I see Taylor is aware of the Assimilation into the Collective, and not only does she know, she's embracing it.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"Hm…" Taylor started chewing on her lip. It was supposed to be a Normal Day, but… well, a little bit of Shrine Business was Normal. She reached down for her backpack, rummaged a bit, then pulled out a notebook and a pencil. She started scribbling a bulleted list, getting her thoughts on paper before they could flutter away.

Notice the Capitals. She has fully become a Miko.

...Wait, She's enthusiastic about her job, has a popular shrine in what would normally be considered dangerous territory, with a Goddess that walks around and drinks loads of Sake and she is trying to increase the popularity of her shrine at all costs. She's not Reimu, She's Sanae!

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"It-- yeah, I am. It is fun. Hard sometimes, really hard, but fun." Taylor chewed a bit on her lip, getting her thoughts in order. Sunny moved to sit closer by, pressed against her knee, and she rubbed the wolf's ears as she spoke. "And there's a bunch more I think I could do, but… well, it kinda occurred to me to wonder how I'll keep up with it after I graduate. Dad's been keeping a college fund, and I know it's what Mom would want…"

It's nice to see Taylor still has normal teenage problems and worries, besides her troubles appeasing drunkard Wolf Goddesses and driving Dragons deeper into debt.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
"Well, then you do that, Taylor. Just do be careful, though. I hear the ABB is thick on the ground around those parts."

It was Taylor's turn to smile. "Oh, kinda. I've seen some around. They don't really want to bother the shrine, though." Another thought nudged its way to her awareness, and made Taylor smile wider. "Though, I've met even more cool old people, since I've been working there."

"Oh really?"

"Really." Taylor's grin was in full force, and Sunny wagged her tail. "Let me tell you about Baachan."

Ms. Henrick working together with the Baachan Collective? Good thing we called the Heroes earlier, because this seems like the recipe for a Grandma-Related Apocalypse and/or World Domination plan.

UnwelcomeStorm said:
When he asked about the box he'd built, and if she enjoyed it, Taylor had nodded and explained about how she and Sunny were collecting beads. Old Mrs. Henrick thought it a lovely idea and had shuffled off to go find her jewelry box. She'd come back with a handful of loose beads, taken from old bracelets and necklaces, and even a few that looked like some of Mr. Henrick's work. None of them matched, but somehow that made them look even better, cupped in Taylor's hands. Sunny gave both of the retired pair a nuzzle and slobbery kisses.

Taylor kept the beads wrapped in a handkerchief until she and Sunny got to the shrine, and the wolf led the way into the shrine's interior. She pushed the top of the wooden box off with her nose, then pawed at one of the small cubbies until Taylor gently poured the beads inside. The wolf gave a happy sigh and leaned hard against Taylor's leg until she petted her, then after a moment carefully set the box lid back in its place. Taylor eyed the character above the newly-occupied space, and wracked her brain a bit for what she'd put in her notebooks until she recalled the translation:

Ondori, the Rooster.

Moegami, Brush God of Fire. I guess renewed flames of passion and warm feelings are also appropriate for him as well.

RogueInquisitor · Oct 27, 2016

Datcord said:
And slowly but surely, Taylor's definition of "Normal" is eroded more and more....

Note the capital 'N' - this is probably more "sanity is in visual range" than "actual normal people who don't host tea parties for significant parts of the city's cape population."

Datcord said:
I'd like to take this moment to remind everyone reading this that the rate of sexually transmitted diseases among the residents of nursing homes and assisted care facilities is shockingly high.

I'm going to assume for the sake of my sanity that most people would find a value greater than 0 to be 'shocking.'

Datcord said:
Taylor Hebert, professional shrine maiden. She's in the Yellow Pages.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, a Wizard sneezed.

UnwelcomeStorm · Oct 27, 2016

Datcord said:
I have this mental image of everyone else who was at that meeting (minus Taylor) sprawled around the shrine in various stages of drunkenness and/or consciousness. (Lung and Purity both agreed that what happened during drunken commiserations STAYS during drunken commiserations. ...eventually they'll realize Armsmaster's helmet has a camera.)

The only real problem I have with this chapter is that my original planned opening had to be cut, it just wouldn't flow correctly. I was going to start with Taylor delivering the sloshed heroes to the PRT building (Assault flirting outrageously with Battery, while Armsmaster is passed out in the front seat) by means of having Souta drive them there. I suspect Souta would end up playing Angry Birds on his phone, giving absolutely zero fucks about wearing his ABB bandanna on PRT property.

Alternatively, it wasn't Souta who was called, and Oni Lee helped instead. Miss Militia couldn't handle it.

MM: Why is Oni Lee here?
Lee: Designated driver.
MM: ...what?
Lee: I obey all traffic safety laws.

Leeanderthal · Oct 27, 2016

UnwelcomeStorm said:
It was Taylor's turn to smile. "Oh, kinda. I've seen some around. They don't really want to bother the shrine, though." Another thought nudged its way to her awareness, and made Taylor smile wider. "Though, I've met even more cool old people, since I've been working there."

"Oh really?"

"Really." Taylor's grin was in full force, and Sunny wagged her tail. "Let me tell you about Baachan."

The Baachan Brigade grows.

Soon no criminal will be safe from the disapproving glares of their grandmas!

Pietersielie · Oct 27, 2016

UnwelcomeStorm said:
The only real problem I have with this chapter is that my original planned opening had to be cut, it just wouldn't flow correctly. I was going to start with Taylor delivering the sloshed heroes to the PRT building (Assault flirting outrageously with Battery, while Armsmaster is passed out in the front seat) by means of having Souta drive them there. I suspect Souta would end up playing Angry Birds on his phone, giving absolutely zero fucks about wearing his ABB bandanna on PRT property.

Alternatively, it wasn't Souta who was called, and Oni Lee helped instead. Miss Militia couldn't handle it.

MM: Why is Oni Lee here?
Lee: Designated driver.
MM: ...what?
Lee: I obey all traffic safety laws.

Pity... that sounds hilarious on so many levels.

Torgamous · Oct 27, 2016

UnwelcomeStorm said:
The only real problem I have with this chapter is that my original planned opening had to be cut, it just wouldn't flow correctly. I was going to start with Taylor delivering the sloshed heroes to the PRT building (Assault flirting outrageously with Battery, while Armsmaster is passed out in the front seat) by means of having Souta drive them there. I suspect Souta would end up playing Angry Birds on his phone, giving absolutely zero fucks about wearing his ABB bandanna on PRT property.

Alternatively, it wasn't Souta who was called, and Oni Lee helped instead. Miss Militia couldn't handle it.

MM: Why is Oni Lee here?
Lee: Designated driver.
MM: ...what?
Lee: I obey all traffic safety laws.

I understand if you couldn't get it to fit in the chapter, but it's still canon, right?

qsurf · Oct 27, 2016

I will admit that I actually squee'd a little when I saw the Alert. I really do love this Taylor so much.

Constellations (Worm/Okami)

Ashen one, hearest thou my voice, still?

Waifu of choice is Rem. Give that girl some hugs!

the Ordainer

You may fire when ready.

Beyond my wingbeats lie the fate of all worlds...

Pink Flamingo Cabal Healer(they/them)

You needed worthy opponents.

I will sing you the giggle of my people.

Aspiring Gynoid

Pink Flamingo Cabal Healer(they/them)

Forever Gone

the Ordainer

(Verified True Fae)

Pink Flamingo Cabal Healer(they/them)

To Rise From The Ashes

Unexpected!

BARK! BARK! BARK!

Derp Dragon

Aspiring Gynoid