Hold It In (RWBY/Transistor)

[ADeshantis]

Jaune's Hero Academia: 2/3

You and Pyrrha manage to get yourselves horribly lost in short order. Orienteering has never been your strong suit, and apparently, your partner is somehow even more directionally challenged than you are. That's the only explanation you have for why you've wound up in this dark cave in the forest. You manage to fumble out your scroll and turn on the flashlight, after Pyrrha pointed out that you didn't have the requisite pitch to make a torch like you initially wanted to.

The scroll light proves useful in that it stops you from running into walls, stalactites, and stalagmites. You descend into the depths of the cave with Pyrrha in tow, convinced this cave lets out somewhere. The light isn't very bright, sadly, so when the cave heats up and you see a glowing orange... thing floating above a red and white table, you mistakenly assume it is the relic you've come into the woods for, pass Pyrrha your scroll, and grab it with both hands, thus triggering an unfortunate series of events.

The "table" rumbles and shifts, standing on eight chitinous black and white legs. Myriad red eyes open, and the "relic" draws back with you still on it, glow revealing the contours of a strong, black tail as big as you are.

A Deathstalker.

One For All would be really useful right now come on stupid hair.

Your panic fails to generate any newfound, overwhelming might. Unfortunately. So you fall back on Plan B: create a plan B. "Pyrrha, run! I'll be fine as long as I'm on the stinger like this, it can't reach me!"

Pyrrha understands how bad close quarters and low visibility are with Deathstalkers, and obligingly hightails it out of the cave, giant Grimm scorpion on her figurative tail and you clinging to its not-so-figurative tail for dear life. The ride is far from smooth, but you emerge into the daylight without losing your tenuous grip on relative safety. Before you can gracefully dismount, however, the Deathstalkers uses the newfound space to swing its tail fully back and fling you like a catapult through the sky.

And that's two times today you've been forcibly launched against your will. This time, you're somehow more stable than the launch platform, so you reach for Crocea Mors, unclipping the sword on your belt and fumbling for the strap on the sheath for most of your ascending arc. It's only when you start angling back towards the treeline that you remember Deku taking your family sword from you and replacing it with an unadorned sword and shield.

"You can have these back when you won't break them," he'd said. Crocea Mors was Aura infused steel forged by someone whose Semblance allowed them an unparalleled level of skill as a blacksmith, something about manipulating the metal's structure on the atomic level. You weren't sure it could be broken, and you'd told Deku this, but he'd just shaken his head and said "Trust me, Jaune. You'd break it."

Unfortunately, this remembrance comes too late to actually don your shield and use it to defend yourself from the arboreal menace rushing to meet you. Then, as you're about to strike a tree, you slam into someone who's falling straight down. It hurts, but you're both Aura users and your souls absorb the brunt of the impact, distributing it between you two and sending you both sprawling on the relatively soft grass.

You pick yourself up first and manage to identify your fellow fall-ee as Ruby, that nice, quirky girl from yesterday. You help her up as she shakes the spots from her vision. "Hey, Ruby. I didn't think you'd drop in here," you pun lamely. Ruby rolls her eyes, but you think you catch a chuckle from the buxom blonde standing over by the ruins just a short distance away.

"Oh, ha-ha," the red cloaked girl deadpans. "I thought you were better than this, Jaune. Has Yang already brought you over to the Pun side?"

"Hey, we have cookies too!" The blonde, who you assume is Yang and further assume is some relation of Ruby's, if not familial then platonic, shouts. You laugh: not much and not loudly, but man, you needed a chuckle. You're still stumbling through Initiation without a Semblance, Pyrrha is stuck with that Deathstalkers, and you got a flying lesson. Today needed a little levity in it.

Speaking of Pyrrha, you see your partner run into the clearing, weapons in hand. You know that she hasn't lost her tail, despite how unharmed she looks, thanks to that; Pyrrha would have put away her gear if she no longer needed it. She hadn't drawn her sword and shield until after she started running from the Deathstalker.

Sure enough, your guess proves correct. A scream distracts you from the giant scorpion Grimm for a moment, but Ruby appears to be rushing to Weiss' aid and given the Crater Face incident yesterday, and your partner's mortal peril, you decide to let her handle that as you take your sword in two hands and resolve to just try the advice that Deku gave you. You might idolize him, but the instructions he gave you just sound like he's trolling you.

"Clench your asshole and scream, at the top of your lungs, 'SMASH!'"

The "advice" doesn't make any sense. You haven't heard Deku yell "Smash" unless he's being hammy and using one of his special moves. You're still not sure what a New Hampshire is or what it has to do with your mentor punching himself through the air at ludicrous speeds, but that's a matter for another time.

Despite a nagging doubt that this is going to make you look stupid, you run towards your partner, gripping your longsword two-handed and holding it behind you as you sprint. When you step past her, you take a swing that resembles baseball more than swordplay, throwing your whole body into it, butt clenched tight as you yell as loud as you can.

"SMAAAAAASH!"

BOOM
CRUNCH
CRACK
SNAP
THUD-THUD-THUD.

You feel it as you start the swing: time seems to slow down, and Aura, more Aura than you've ever considered possible to possess, fills your body, tracing out a lattice of thick red lines across your skin. It feels like, for the briefest of moments, you've immersed your soul in a vast ocean of Power. The swipe rends the air, the very sound, around your sword as it impacts with, then slides through, the Deathstalker carapace. Your arms feel like they've been immersed in fire, and you can't move them, but inertia carries you through the swing and spins you around twice.

The Deathstalker falls to the ground in two pieces before dissolving. Your sword's blade thumps to the ground several yards away, the handle still gripped in your hands. You collapse soon after, feeling simultaneously more alive than you've ever been and drop-dead tired.

You hear Pyrrha calling your name and attempt to raise a hand to wave, causing a fresh surge of agony from broken bones that pushes you over the edge and into unconsciousness.

 

[ADeshantis]

Alright. Back home, with a comfy chair, a glass of water, and an actual keyboard. Time to wrap the Jaune's Hero Academia omake.

Edit: *cackles at leaving loose plot threads for other people to agonize over/pick up*

---

You slowly return to consciousness in a hospital bed. From the lack of any obnoxious beeping, you guess that you were never actual imperiled beyond, you know, falling unconscious from pain in the middle of the Emerald Forest. You need to remember to thank the other seven people who were in that clearing for covering for you after you royally screwed up your initiation. Opening your eyes, you see a monitor clamped around your finger, but no IV in either arm. No cast, either, and you can move it without hurting too much, so your Aura is doing its job. You've got a splint on each arm keeping it straight, but obviously the nurse didn't think it would take long for you to heal. It wasn't a complicated break if you've got motion back already. Or you've been out longer than you thought, but you really hope it's still the same day, judging by the fading sunlight streaming through the window. Classes were the first day after initiation and you really didn't want to miss any.

"Hey!" An abrasive voice cuts through your thoughts. "Hey, you little mini-Deku, stop waving your damn arms around like they're sparklers, you're gonna fuck up your bones again, especially if you don't have a handle on One For All yet." You jump; there's only a handful of people who know about One For All being both your and Midoriya's Semblance, you know, but you've never asked who the others are. The voice sounds familiar, though, but you struggle to place it until its source enters your field of view, gesturing menacingly with his ham sandwich. Ground Zero, real name Katsuki Bakugo, competitor for the #2 spot in Huntsman combat performance rankings. He's Deku's self-proclaimed eternal rival, even if these days he's more dedicated to his rivalry with Shoto Todoroki, the other main competitor for the #2 ranking. Perhaps more relevant to you, Bakugo is the combat instructor's aid at Beacon, working with Glynda Goodwitch much like Deku works with Ozpin. Something about wanting an excuse for more combat-oriented Huntsmen on staff, Deku said. Though, that still doesn't explain your main question.

"Umm... Mr. Bakugo, why are you here?" You ask hesitantly. You've met Bakugo before while working with Deku. He's... volatile, is the best way to put it. His Semblance, Explosion, suits him perfectly, as Semblances often do.

The blond man scoffs at your question, but seems oddly calm otherwise. He's looking at you with... nostalgia? Was it like this when Deku first got One For All, maybe? "Uraraka needed to get out of the infirmary and eat some real food for once. She's been obsessing over getting everything in exactly the right spot and clean for the past two days, and I put down an ultimatum. I am trained in field medicine, you know. Most Beacon graduates have at least the first aid certification." He rolls his eyes at you. "And I know exactly what happens to someone who doesn't know how to rein in their Semblance." The blond taps his arms pointedly, where you know his grenade vambraces usually rest. That's right, Ground Zero's gear is a collection mechanism so he doesn't over-stress his body's ability to produce nitroglycerin for large blasts. "Deku was in my class too, you know. He kept hurting himself like an idiot until he wised up and learned to copy me."

With that odd advice dispensed, Bakugo took another bite of his sandwich and wandered off, leaving you to think about what he said. Copy him? It's true that Ground Zero and Deku both had similar movement methods with the former's Explosion and the latter's New Hampshire Smash (and you were still going to find out what a Hampshire, new or otherwise, was if it killed you) providing both rapid acceleration and mid-air maneuverability. They tended to move in short, quick bursts, but your problem wasn't movement. Your legs are sore, but you seem to have avoided shattering them like your arms. Focus on that, then. What was different about your leg movement and your arms?

That's a dead end. You don't remember even thinking about your legs when you moved. You make a mental note to talk to Deku about it. He did say that once you knew how to call on One For All he'd start telling you about how to control it more finely.

He also said he'd ramp up your physical training to further strengthen your body. You shudder in horror at the thought and settle back into the hospital bed to wait for your discharge. You're pretty sure you know where the plate with half a ham sandwich on it came from, just like you're pretty sure he'd kick your ass if you thanked him for it.

Deku always said Kacchan hated people noticing his soft side.

 

[The Oldman]

Alright, here it is!
I don't know how good it is, but I did my best here, enjoy.

No Voice To Cry Suffering
(Hold It In/Hollow Knight)

+===============+
♫​

Rain falls mercilessly all around you.
You shiver and shake, wrapping yourself in the ragged gray cloak to stave off the cold, but it's no use. Even if you decided to take shelter as soon as it started pouring, you still got soaked.

You will probably get sick. If you still can.

No cost too great.​

The words that slithered into your mind back then find their way inside your head once more. You try to shut them out, but it's no use.

No mind to think.​

You try to sniff. To cry. You want to. You really want to.
But you can't. You couldn't back when Mom and Dad chased you out and called you a monster. You couldn't when your sister screamed and threw a rock at you.
And you can't now, all alone, on this cold steel bench you're sitting on.

No will to break.​

Slowly, you hold out your hand in front of your face.
It's black.
It's pitch black.
It's completely black. You can't see any creases or veins in its smooth surface.

What...are you?

No voice to cry suffering.​

You hear a growl from your left. Turning around, you see a Grimm. It stands on four legs, glaring at you with its gleaming red eyes as it approaches you.
You don't think. You just grab the battered and cracked jousting lance. A part of your mind calls it a nail, but that is not important to you. what's important is that you grabbing it was the right choice, as the monster lunges at you.

You manage to roll out of the way and impale the Beowolf on its shoulder. It lets out a drawn out howl of pain, and while it does that you rip your weapon out of its body. You swing at its head, but you're too late, as it draws back slightly and bats away the weapon, sending it flying out of your grasp.

You cannot scream as the Grimm pins you down to the ground. As it drives it's claws into your forearms. As it bites down on your arms, ripping apart whatever muscles or bones there might be inside them, if there are even any inside your body now.

By god, you want to scream so loud.

Born of God and Void.
You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams.
You are the Vessel.

You are the Hollow Knight.

+===============+
​

You're shaken awake by the red haired girl you met shortly after landing.

"Jaune? Are you alright?" She says as she stares at you with concern on her eyes. "You were moving around a lot in your sleep."

Right, you fell asleep. That wasn't a good idea, especially with you being in the middle of the initiation. This was just supposed to be a quick break, not naptime.

You nod once and get up, grabbing your nail. She doesn't seem to buy it but there's not really much you can do about that, what with you being completely unable to talk. It was already a chore and a half to write out your name on the ground when you met her, writing out a whole sentence is out of the question.

"Look..." She tries to think of something to say, wearing a worried expression as she does. "We're going to be partners for the next four years, aren't we? If there's something you need to get off your chest, then we can...I mean, you can write it and let me know about it. Bottling things up isn't healthy."

You shake your head. This girl is really a kind person, but she's wasting her breath. She might be acting normally now, but you don't doubt she'll turn on you the second she finds out you're actually a monster.

Thanks to you growing plates all over your body, you look like you're just wearing a black bodysuit underneath a set of armor whenever she gets a chance to look beneath your cloak, but she'll eventually find out that it's actually your skin.

That's not even considering your mask. Your goddamn mask that is actually your whole head, horns and all.

"Or maybe we could learn sign language." She adds. "That way we could hold entire conversations easily."

You nod, if only to get her to stop. You never bothered learning sign language and don't see much of a reason to; she'll probably figure it out by the end of the month.

"Alright then, we have our relic so we should probably get back now." She smiles and turns her face to the right. "I think it's that way."

When you shake your head, she seems a bit confused.

"No?" She asks.

You point towards a small trail leading to a more forested area.

"Jaune, that's where we came from." The red haired girl crosses her arms as you nod and confirm that, yes, you know that.

"Did you drop something?" Yes, something very important. You can't leave behind your lingering regrets in such an out of the way place, it'd be a huge pain to come for them later, so it'd be best to take care of this now.

She seems to be resigned to the fact that we're going back and lets you lead the way.

The two of you start moving. You take a couple shortcuts to make things easier on you but you still take a while to get where you want to go. Along the way, you see the girl's face fill with anxiety as she realizes where you're going.

"Is it back there where you..." Before she can finish, you nod. She looks away from you. You don't know if it's because she can't stand to look at you or if she doesn't want you to see her expression.

Eventually you arrive.

A small depression with trees full of claw marks and large gashes. The girl must have really gone to town on those Grimm. You can hardly blame her for it, though.

Right in the middle of this place is a gray rag and an utterly shattered white mask.
Above it is a black shape, a tentacled splotch of darkness with a head identical to your mask with two lights instead of eyesockets.
An echo of a previous life. A Shade.
Your Shade.

"Is ...is this an effect of your Semblance?" The girl asks. You nod only because you have no better explanation or idea of why this happens to you.

On your way back to the teachers, you got ambushed by Grimm. In a moment of surprising brilliance, they struck at you first; a chain is only as strong as its weakest link after all. You died in that moment.

Of course, that wasn't the end of you. Not by a long shot. This ability, Semblance or not, won't let you stay dead forever. Every time you die, you wake up in a nearby area as if nothing ever happened.

Of course this comes at the cost of a full third of your maximum Aura capacity but if you get to the spot where you died, or rather, to the Shade you leave behind when you die, you can get it back.

You pounce on the Shade, which is startled by your presence. There's absolutely nothing it can do before you run the nail through its ethereal skull and it explodes into black particles which then coalesce and gathers inside you.

When you get back to the girl she looks at you with a shocked expression.

"Was that really necessary?" She asks.

You nod. She closes her eyes and shakes her head.

"Please tell me and our other teammates all about your Semblance later." She all but demands.

Ah, that's right, you won't be the only ones working together, there's also whatever pair got a matching relic to yours. Joy.

You raise both shoulders and begin walking back on the trail.
You have a long road ahead of you. Best to get moving.
​

 

[bigpianist]

Simple enough, no?

Click to shrink...

No.

Spoiler: write came out wrong

Jaune hates relying on the Outsider. The entity makes him feel as a pawn in a grand scheme. Blessings offered freely, usually come with a hidden price. Well, two can play at subterfuge.

'I won't tell Pyrrha my secrets. I can only rely on myself. Everyone else is a means to an end. The Abbey will end ME in my weak state, if I get careless.'

Too many civilians live like parasitic worms. They compel children to shoulder their burdens, even the ones who barely show the discipline required to protect themselves from unending hordes of Grimm. Cities barely organize themselves into productivity, preferring the hedonistic pleasures to dull the sorrows of reality. It's even mainstream to marginalize those with unfortunate circumstances of birth, and the poor.

This world wouldn't need heroes, if people indulged less, stopped killing each other out of pride and prejudice, and throttled the real problems in their infancy. But Grimm bred fear, and some groups capitalized by perpetuating this cycle. Common folk settle for this, fearing change, rapid growth, and distance from the councils, from what the failure of Mountain Glenn instilled. Some even spoke of shadowy state-sponsored police forces, which removed even peaceful dissenters. People can't stop using ScrollNet, but there's some tension about expressing honest opinions, for fear of admins tipping off corrupt authority.

Jaune ran exacting calculations and scenarios, knowing that the prevalent cultures around Remnant have stagnated society, even going so far as to rot it from within.

'They disgust me, but I can use this to my advantage. Irony. As with iron deficiency in blood, the kingdoms can't maintain this ragged pace. If I control the dust trade...'

Future direction set, schemes streamed through Jaune's thoughts.

'The Transistor gives me clarity of perception within only a localized area. I must widen my influence in powerful circles to steer the world.'

Jaune sifted through the encyclopedic database of the Transistor. His speedy thought process giving him peerless ability to absorb information, though using it wisely was another matter. Jaune took to multidisciplinary sciences with a fervor seen mainly in professional Atlesian military scientists, before coming to his greatest obstacle.

'The soul. Believed to be of ultimate importance in life for the boons of semblance and aura, thought to endure after death, yet it's still only a metaphysical field! If I learn to manipulate souls, perhaps I can surpass the old legends?'

---

Jaune's schoolmates saw him less as time went on. It was ever so gradual. They accepted his excuse that he was just nerding out, and seriously planning to secure his future. It was admirable, so they didn't stand in the way of it. The gifts he bestowed on them for missed time, and extreme charisma despite being a shut-in, never ceased to amaze.

It was that time when they'd take a gap year before deciding whether to advance to Beacon. Such a choice was not for the weak-willed, and became something of a huntsman tradition, contributing to a wider variance in ages between enrollment. They hoped that Jaune would find what's right for him.

---

"So these blue glowing mushrooms are similar to those in Goldwalk?"

The Transistor answered.
'Yes. Their forms are fragile, but given time, they can burrow into even hard metals, make dust deposits costly to refine, and override the ecosystem. People flourish their weapons in these fields as a civic duty."

---

"Jaune, it's inadvisable to explore these tunnels."

"You have your sensor suite, I can stop time, and spam jaunt if we run into danger we can't handle."

"Even so, the main network was collapsed for a reason."

"I get that, but it's not like the corpses of the failed settlement are going to rise up as zombies, and hand me their loot. They have no need for their tech, their money, and other supplies. You alone can keep me safe as a huntsman merc force I can't afford, and I'm not taking desperate small fry who'd be liabilities.

Employing the full extent of my knowledge, despite my non-prodigious background, would lead to further pubic scrutiny. I don't want the Abbey to suspect me for being a tech-genius, who can't answer all the questions from their inquisition."

"And you're too lazy to work part time." The Transistor would facepalm if it had hands.

"This is adventure. That is drudgery. Shh. We're getting to more echoing chambers."

---

Using mapping functions and impulse radar, Jaune had discovered ancient ruins.
"I forgot to bring a shovel. Still, this'll be a decent haul. I'll market these discreetly. I think I'll hold onto this mask as a souvenir. Would spruce up my room."

"You need to be more delicate in archaeological digs. And you better not do what I think you're thinking!"

---

Jaune Arc comforted Cream Daylaw.

He shared half-truths with her which he might have with Pyrrha Nikos, in an alternate continuum. It was a calculated risk, based on her moment of weakness, and faunus heritage. By showing goodwill and empathy, and already being one of her good friends, Jaune decided it would enhance their bond. It wasn't the proper time to share the heavy weight of his ambition with her, but this was a opportunity he'd cultivate.

"My brother is in the White Fang! How can I get him to leave?"

Disgust was written on Jaune's features. "Have me spar him. You kicked his ass, but you're his beloved sis, so he thinks it's worth enduring it to help you. Let me show him what he'd be getting into, because he's less likely to think I'd take it easy on him. I can virtualize the ass kicking by temporarily making it data, and do it to levels where holding back is less of an issue, because the injuries can be reset."

The Transistor agreed that torturing his friend's brother was for a good cause.

---

Bruno Daylaw was inexperienced, but he made up for it through sheer grit. Even after having bones broken, spines snapped, and arms lopped off, he'd get back up after each reset, and charge Jaune with animalistic fury. Such a strong will would not be broken anytime soon...he would make excellent cannon fodder.

Jaune used an aura-enhanced palm-strike against the horned protrusions of Bruno's head. A hardheaded, thick-skulled guy like that is not worth spending precious time on breaking through normal means.

"I give up. Sorry Cream. We just have to keep living our lives, and hope he doesn't suffer, or cause others to for his mistakes." Said Jaune.

Bruno made some rude gestures at Jaune. "I'm changing things for the better by fighting real monsters. Stop hitting on faunus, and get back to ******* grimm."

---

"How are you doing Bruno?" Adam Taurus liked to assess new recruits, and help them feel glad to serve the cause.

"My head itches. These new antlers are driving me crazy, and my hands are too big to reach between the growths to add enough force to scratch my scalp! My family won't help, because they're upset I've joined the White Fang!"

Adam chuckled. "Auraless recruits with densely-packed horns are lucky in the sense that they can just use a pencil. But faunus with aura like you? You'd probably bend a screwdriver and not feel relieved. Here, my smaller hands can handle this itch. What's this? It looks like you have another horn sprouting beneath the skin. But it looks kinda fleshy. A tumor?"

Tentacles sprouted from Bruno's head, and drilled through Adam's aura through one of the least protected parts of his body: through his eye, and into his brain. His last unadulterated thoughts were 'I regret watching that Mistralian tentacle porn.'

"All shall serve Lord Jaune." "Thank oum I have stylish red hair to hide this zit-looking thing."

Bruno was mind-controlled the moment Jaune concealed his genetically altered flesh-bud between the antlers. Jaune received inspiration from the mushrooms the Transistor taught him about.

---

Jacques Schnee's jaw dropped. "F-father?! I thought I'd disposed of you and claimed your fortune! Er...I mean, placed you in a retirement home?"

Nicolas Schnee was having none of that. Because he was a zombie. He bit Jacques and made him into a zombie. It was anticlimactic really.

The Schnee were albino pale already, so people didn't see much difference when they turned slightly gray.

"The Power of the SDC is at your command, Jaune, Lord of the Earth."

---

"We think a multiracial gang killed Zwei but not because of his breeding."

It was a heartbreaking sight. Nobody could lie to Ruby, because she was the one doing the chores, and found Zwei's metal collar tags in the incinerator.

---

Jaune had amassed a robot/zombie/faunus/human army, and strove to conquer the world. It was basically a multiracial gang, and it pissed off Ruby, while making Blake happy for some reason. Blake said there was hope yet. But there were a few brave heroes who were able to stand in Jaune's way.

"You're wondering why I punched this frog Ruby?"
Ruby nodded, eager to learn from the Ozpin, the famed Headmaster of Beacon.
"I was getting hungry, and frogs taste like chicken."

---

"I reject my humanity Ruby!"

"JAUUUNNNE!"

---

Ruby steeled herself to fight her adopted brother, Jaune. The betrayer took everything from her. Her family, her ancestral home, and now even her voice. She could still hum, and sing in her mind. It kept her going.

'I see the spine of Za Warudo.'

 

[Captain Clever]

I'd say no, but honestly you've been dead on so many times that I'm beginning to wonder if you're what happens when I-

Click to shrink...

No I am not your tulpa, however because of your status as an internet non-person I can't confirm you aren't mine. Have fun with that bit of philosophical existentialism!

... Either way, enlighten me- what do you think this is?

Click to shrink...

I specified in my my edit! To specify further: "not you-you", a meta entity like the player gestalt that's made changes to one or more details/characters of the setting, provenance unknown.

Yes I'm running a quest within my quest because I'm slowly becoming more desperate for ways to keep this quest a quest and not just a random collection of snippets while I'm waiting for mod approval.

Click to shrink...

Oh, I can help with that. Posting at your suggestion: 1 omake set in the main continuity, of dubious canonicity.

Spoiler: A Matter of Control()

"Hey Jauney, heard you weren't feeling so hot."

The mass of blankets in the middle of the bed groaned. Blond hair followed by blue eyes peeked out of the speaker before pulling back. "Please close the door," Jaune begged.

She smiled and did, returning the room to near total darkness. He'd covered up the glowing stars that decorated his room and unplugged his digital clock, all his devices, and the nightlight he insisted he didn't need. As her eyes adjusted she just barely made out the laundry, comics and toys occupying every surface of the room. And of course, on his bed under the drawn curtains, was her cocooned baby brother. Still smiling, she sat on the edge of the bed and patted where she thought his head was.

As quietly as possible she asked, "Headache?"

The mass rocked back and forth.

"And light makes it worse?" More rocking. "Loud noises?" Again. "How about nausea? Is your stomach okay?" The rocking paused. "Right, you skipped dinner. How about I bring you some leftovers and some pain pills?"

The blankets shivered. "No? Okay, but I'll leave a pitcher outside your door just in case. See you in the morning little brother."

She stepped carefully to the door and paused, turning her head just in case he emerged to watch her go. The lump stayed put so she let the smile give way to a frown as she opened the door just wide enough to slip through.

"Migraine," she announced. The door closed, but some of what his parents and older sisters said came through.

"Third one since..."
"...we sure it's not puberty?"
"...doctor said it could be, but suggested..."
"...Semblance? Really?"
"...the hell unlocked his Aura?"
"...obviously had to be months ago..."
"...way to be sure, could have been..."
"...stupid, headstrong, irresponsible..."

"He'll have to go to Signal." His mother's voice, quiet and sad, cut through the growing noise. He strained to listen, and suddenly he heard her voice like he was standing right next to her. "They have experience with Semblances that... harm the user. They'll help him learn to control his."

With that there was a shooing and a shuffling, and as his concerned family tromped away Jaune finally pulled his sheets down to breathe.

He promptly collapsed.

Control, he thought dizzily. Mom was right: he needed control.

It had started the night in the alley. Time had frozen and he'd seen himself grabbing Elaine's hand and dodging past the older kids. He'd seen exactly how they'd react, and the hilarious looks on their faces as the two of them dodged past. And he'd taken one step to make that perfect grey vision a reality and woken up in the hospital.

The doctors checked him all over and said he was fine, and then the headache started. He'd opened his mouth to ask a question and a spike of pain punched into his brain so suddenly he'd howled.

That led to a flurry of tests, this time with x-rays and special doctors and him having to pee in a cup. Jaune had questions about everything, but trying to ask them a surge of pain. By the third time it was pretty obvious to Jaune what was happening, but learning not to form questions into complete thoughts still took most of the day.

The doctors let his parents take him home in the morning without answers but with a number to call if it happened again.

And it happened again. Over the next few days Jaune learned that questions weren't the only trigger: looking straight at something or someone, thinking on a single subject for too long, overhearing parts of conversations (even from a long way away), all caused headpains. Mom noticed his distress and called the new number, then taken him to a special hospital. A Huntsman hospital. Mom talked to a nurse, who took him to a room, where a doctor had pulled out a gun and shot him.

It was a popgun. Jaune knew that, in fact he knew it before he fell and he fell before the bullet hit, so no mom nuh-uh, he definitely did not scream because he saw a gun. But he did scream, because the single worst pain of his life exploded behind his eyes when he set eyes on the toy.

He'd woken up to the doctor telling his mother that Jaune's Semblance—a special power from his soul—caused his headaches. The doctor explained further about how newly awoken Semblances put a great strain on a person's mind and body until they learned control. That Jaune's unlocked Aura made him a target for the Grimm unless he learned to defend himself. That Signal, on Patch, had teachers who could teach him enough to live a normal life… or prepare him for a real Huntsman academy. Shade. Haven. Atlas. Beacon.

And that Jaune's naturally strong Aura could make him an excellent Huntsman... if he learned to control his Semblance.

Control...

Jaune never wanted anything more.

The rest of the visit and the drive home blurred past as Jaune thought and thought about all the ways he might take control over his Semblance. Sitting at his desk in his room, he thought about training to fight blindfolded so he didn't get headaches when he looked at something. He thought about getting into fights until he learned how to stop time without passing out when time started again. He thought about learning ask questions without asking questions. He thought about ways to avoid headaches.

Mostly he thought about ways to make his Semblance stop.

With every new thought the light hurt his eyes a bit more, the noises he heard reverbed in his ears a bit worse, and the left half of his brain pounded just a bit harder. So he ignored the call to dinner, got rid of the lights in his room, and wrapped himself in his blankets to think a little longer.

He was stuck. His Semblance caused too many problems to train away one by one. Maybe there was something he could use to turn off his Semblance, or tell him why his head was hurting. Except the doctor hadn't said anything about any tools for that. The closest Jaune could think of were the magic tools heroes used in fairy tales—but those didn't fix powers you already had.

Besides, magic wasn't real.

He needed control.

The more he thought about it the worse his head hurt. So Jaune decided to stop thinking about it and sleep, but that was just like giving up, and giving up on his Semblance meant giving up on being a Huntsman so he had to think of a way to control his powers but his head was really starting to hurt so—

He needed control().

What if I just... make something? Jaune stopped and carefully considered that thought. His Semblance was out of control. Training wouldn't help. He couldn't find something to help. That left making something.

Yes. That would work. Relief was immediate and so total that even his head hurt less. Now freed from worry, Jaune realized skipping dinner'd made him really hungry... but he was already in bed.

He'd eat double breakfast in the morning

Sleep came quickly, and as Jaune closed his eyes the first glowing line drew its way across the inside of his mind.

 

[Redshirt Army]

God damn you, @Captain Clever , for beating me to the punch.

That said? Have my take on a few things.

Ready: Run

"-he's been far too quiet. It's nice to have some peace in the house, but it's not normal to monofocus on a single topic like this." The woman shakes her head, sadly. "Do you think he's still... affected?"

Her husband leans back on his chair, his expression only barely hiding his exasperation with the topic. "He's young, Anne. They bounce back quick at this age."

She sends him a tired smile. "It's just... he'd normally have moved on to a new obsession by now. Is it because of an unlocked Aura...?"

The front legs of the chair clack against the kitchen tiles as he stops leaning backwards. "By eight? It's not actually that uncommon in Huntsman families. I'm pretty sure his 'Semblance' is just imagination, though. That would be unusual."

She reaches forwards, to hold her husbands hand-

-and the door to the kitchen slams open. "Nuh-uh! It's totally real! I can make the numbers do things!"

"Jaune. Arc." He gulps. "Why aren't you asleep, at this hour?"

He wriggles in place, looking down. "Violet said my books were dumb. I couldn't sleep."

His mother kneels before him, bringing her face down to his level, and the boy collapses into her. "I don't know if numbers are your semblance, sweetie, but I'll support you all the way, just the same." He makes a noise of protest, but doesn't extract himself from the hug.

---

He sits, sullenly, in the back of the classroom. He told the other children about what he can make the numbers do, but no matter how hard he tried, none of the others could see what he sees. So now he hunches in on himself, concentrates on the mathematics, and hopes to be ignored. Better that, then to be called a liar. Again.

The teacher walks in, and it's not the usual one. He's seen Ms. Platt before, teaching the older students. She's probably here as a substitute. He shuts his book, uncertain if she'll uphold the same detente of letting him quietly read that he normally enjoys. In math, he's far ahead of the curriculum, and for everything else, it's not as interesting anyway. Not as important. Gym class is slightly different - with his Aura unlocked, he has an unfair advantage on the other kids, but he tries not to stand out there either. The ostracism can only get worse. Better to just quietly read his math books.

When she announces that it's a free computer period, he tries to fade into the background amidst the cheers. He'll be able to finish Contemporary Abstract Algebra before the libraries due date, it seems. He only shrinks in further on himself when, nearly an hour later, Ms. Platt approaches him. She smiles kindly at him, as he sullenly looks up. "That's quite an advanced book you have there. What are you hoping to be when you grow up?"

"Huntsman.", he doesn't say. How can he be a Huntsman, with a Semblance that doesn't do anything, no matter how much he tries? So he just looks down. "Idunno."

She just laughs. "Maybe you should sign up for my class, computer programming, in a few years. You can have a very successful career as a coder if you're good at math, after all."

He's not sure, later, why he asked her what he did - maybe it was some vauge sense of familiarity stemming from his Semblance. At the moment, all he does is ask... "How come?"

"Well, computers can do tedious math much quicker and more precisely than people. And I'm sure you know how powerful math can be." He'll never forget that dawning feeling of hope, not for as long as he lives.

---

It's well after school has ended, but as he has been for the better part of the previous school year, Jaune is still inside the computer lab. He's found himself to hold a prodigious natural talent for programming. His foundations in mathematics have served him well, but beyond that, the lines and indents sing to him like sweet music, and he's left behind the introductory, simple languages for the modern workhorses of industry. The crisp, clean code of Atlasian SNO holds the most appeal of those he's tried, but it still isn't quite right. It still doesn't quite capture the roiling symphonies he can imagine in his mind.

And for all that, his progress is minimal. The computer (the best in the lab, not that that's saying much) is locked up, the fan whining like a thing possessed, and yet no matter how much he squints, Jaune can't see any light. He's programmed the instructions at the machine code level, to absolutely minimize the overhead, and yet he still has nothing to show for it. Just his delusions, quietly unvoiced. He knows his mother is relieved he's stopped talking about his Semblance, whatever she says.

He steps out of the room in disgust, the program still running. Maybe once he has a sip of water things will be different. He flicks off the light switch, turns to walk away... and notices what he couldn't see from his previous vantage point. A tiny thing, barely visible as it slips through the vents on the back of the desktop tower.

When Ms. Platt comes in to check on him (and shoo him home), she finds him crowing in success in the dark, the computer's case disassembled in front of him. It takes him three tries to articulate what has him so happy, as ever so faintly, the air just above the processor gives off a soft cyan glow.

---

Having proof changes everything, it feels like. His parents, rather than quietly being concerned about his "obsession" and social withdrawal, instead now throw what limited support they can towards him. They can't afford anything truly top-of-the-line, not with so many other siblings to raise, but Jaune gets his own computer to work with, and his parents sign him up for all the math and programming courses he asks for. Competitions, too. His social status changes, from "weirdo liar" to "quiet recluse". Ms. Platt is probably the closest thing he has to a friend, despite the multitude of her other commitments cutting into her time. It's still a step up.

He forces himself to put a smidgen more of an effort into gym and physical training, however unappealing they may be. His faraway dream of being a Huntsman seems more possible than ever, and he's not foolish enough to think that just his System will be enough to carry him through. His father is happy to support him, at first.

With every passing year that his programming skill grows and his Semblance fails to make more than the most minor physical effects, though, the opinion shifts. Being a Huntsman is an exceedingly dangerous occupation, and while an applicable semblance isn't entirely required if one is skilled enough physically, it's undoubtedly a setback. And whatever his gifts for computation, Jaune is not exceedingly talented at physical combat - his father can tell he does the training far more out of determination then any actual enjoyment. He'd be a mediocre Huntsman, and an amazing programmer, so why settle for second best?

He needs something more - something physical, something tangible. Something to surpass the limits on the all-too-weak computers surounding him.

---

<begin noncanon omake portion>

His parents are overjoyed when he asks to participate in the school-wide sleepover - it's the last year before he'll be moving on to high school, they think, and some socialization will do him good. Of course, while he will be staying at school all night, partaking of the festivities is the last thing on his mind.

Ms. Platt is nervous, as she herds the disappointed children out of the computer lab with the excuse of "system maitenance", depriving them of their hoped-for multiplayer extravaganza. Nobody other than Jaune seems to notice, which is only reasonable - none of the other students know her as well as she does. He managed to get her to agree to this, for which he is thankful. He doesn't know what he'd have done without her help. Several dozen computers hum, those normally in this lab and those brought in from elsewhere. Parallel processing to distribute the workload, as much as they could manage to aquire.

His skills on the topic have outstripped those of Ms. Platt, by this point - she's here to give the whole operation a veneer of legitimacy, but the actual technical consultation comes from an altogether different source. Jaune doesn't really like Royce, but he can't help but respect him. Mr. Bracket is a friend of a friend of a friend of his teacher, and he treats Jaune with a kind of fascination that makes him uncomfortable. Still, he's exceptionally skilled. He's shown Jaune how to slim code down considerably, and he's even managed to get some tiny insight into the inner logic of what equations his Semblance will translate into what specific effect. Jaune still wonders what exactly he does for a living, but the man is tight-lipped.

With Royce's help, setting up the network cables and synchronising the various subcomponents is a fairly quick task. And so, Jaune sits down in the center of his Dust and Silicon kingdom. Concentrates. And waits.

It's agonising. Bit by bit by bit, ever so slowly crawling by as minutes turn to hours. He can't let his concentration waver, as for the first time ever, his Semblance strains enough to put an actual load on his Aura. An aurora of blue and orange builds on itself in Jaune's cupped hands, but his eyes are firmly shut. He can't risk breaking his focus.

It's nine hours later, firmly in the morning, when the program finally completes. Jaune is beyond exhausted, but he forces his eyes open to examine what's in his hands. A tiny, fingernail sized shard of sky-blue crystal. The most dense computational substrate on all of Remnant. Jaune smiles, and lets himself sleep. Beside him, Royce shakes his head at the Aura sensor - Jaune was nearly in the red, there. And he suspects that if the boy's Semblance broke, the Transition would collapse entirely, and need to be begun from scratch.

---

It's not enough. As a computer, the tiny chip blows his desktop far out of the water - nearly a hundred times as fast. But it still isnt practical for his purposes. It needs a base, a power supply, an interface to let him load programs onto it. And he needs more computational power. He can make more complex effects occur, now, but the Grimm won't wait around for hours for his programs to compile - even a few seconds is a major risk in combat. He could try to iterate on it, build it up bit by bit as he strains his Aura to its limits for weeks on end.

He doesn't have enough time. Signal is determining who it'll accept in just a few weeks. What he needs is to make a single, beautiful, self contained design, snatch enough processing power to create it out of nothing, and complete his masterpiece in one fell swoop. It's the only way. The only way he'll make his dream come true.

Ms. Platt can't help him here. He talks to Royce, explains how much processing power he'll need, and how quickly. The man is as inscrutable as ever in the chatroom, but he finally asks the fateful question. "how much are you willing to risk to do this?"

And as it turns out, to become a Huntsman, Jaune is willing to risk a very great deal indeed. Royce... his participation in the plan is harder for Jaune to place. As far as he can tell, it's because the man finds the very idea of Jaune's proposed hypercomputer to be incredibly fascinating, and playing a role in it's creation is something he can't turn down.

And the plan... Jaune wants to say he doesn't like it, but there's a childish thrill to it that he can't deny. The various universities' supercomputers are already fully booked months in advance, if they could even convince them to give them the time of day. So instead, Royce has Jaune intersperse his creation of the item's blueprint with a little bit of light reading on network infrastructure and protocols, while he goes to talk with some "old friends".

Jaune isn't sure where Royce is getting "friends" willing to do what he says they can, and at that moment, he doesn't care. He is increasingly curious what exactly Royce Bracket does in his daily life, but that question, too, can wait.

After all, if you're pressed for time and money, have a starting seed of computer power, and want to multiply it quickly? If you have a problem that breaks down well with massively parallel processing? If you have a sufficent lack of care for scruples and the rule of law? Then there's one solution right in front of your face.

A botnet.

---

>connect user CCT001ALP
>passcode ************

Jaune sits in front of his screen, idly glancing at the shard of blue resting in its cradle, as he waits for the connection to be established. Computers won't just blindly accept any "update" that comes their way - they need to verify that it's from a trusted source, first. He could try to fake the authentication straight from the SDC, but that would take a lot of time - and put a huge target on him if it's ever noticed. Not that the current plan is any less audacious. After all, the primary other system that's authorised to provide updates-

[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]

- is the Cross Continent Transmit system. Royce came through on his end, it seems. Jaune spends a moment of worry wondering who exactly Mr. Bracket associates with that has physical access to the Tower, then shoves those thoughts aside entirely as he focusses on fulfilling his part.

He's had access to a smuggled pre-release build, but he needs to make sure nothing has changed in the official version before the patch launches if he wants to piggyback on it. He's staking his hopes on the fact that whoever worked on the multiplayer update to the Doorway operating system's bundled chess game had a few dozen other things eating up their time, and they wouldn't have time to have noticed the glaring issues with the networking code.

"After all, how popular can some tiny, automatically included game even be?" "It's not like there would be a massive outcry if the multiplayer function didn't quite work right on patch release." This was what he was betting on.

He tries to work the tension out of his spine. If this was a book, or a movie, there'd be some last minute complication for his to frantically try to overcome. (Probably by pounding with both hands on two seperate keyboards or something equally silly.) Instead... he breathes a sigh of relief. The stupid game hasn't even been touched since the final beta. He glances over any other changes for the release version, but none of them seem likely to affect his plans at all.

He tries to read something to calm his nerves, so full of pent up energy, but it's futile. He ends up mostly staring at the clock, waiting for the countdown. He wants as little time between his changes and the release as possible, just in case someone's paying attention. (He doubts it.) Finally, as the moment arrives, he copies his previously written code, and with a key press, uploads it.

<end noncanon omake portion>

And then-

Then-

He's never felt this before.

A million circuits, all humming as one to a single beat, for a single cause, all funneled to a single place, for him to shape.

Dizzying fractal patterns all subtly different from the baseline, circling around a perfect central axis.

He feels the rush of power in a way he didn't know was possible, and lets it take shape. It flows in the only possible way it can flow, into the grooves in the numbers that he tended, that have become grooves in reality.

It builds upon itself, a chain reaction, folded space and folded time, energy unfurling to power the equations to create the energy and more. A perpetual motion machine with a diagram of itself imbedded in every tiny piece of itself - a mechanism that knows its own shape and will always strive to restore its ideal.

It takes shape before him, a second sun illuminating the night with the hue of the sky, and the scant minutes it takes to form are the longest moments Jaune has ever experienced.

He has made this.

He has made this?

He has made this.

And then it's over. His Aura barely even feels like it dipped.

<reinstate noncanon omake portion>

He glances at his (former, pathetic) computer's screen. He's missed a message while he was in his trance. A message from Royce.

"we need"
"we need to cut ties"

Ah.

Of course. A connection between them could endanger them both if any hints the authorities picked up pointed at either of them. Jaune... Jaune is fine with it, as it happens. He still doesn't really like Royce, but he can trust him with the remains of the virus, he thinks. Royce is owed that much, at least, for helping him bring this fragment of infinity down to the base earth. Jaune's reply is sussinct.

"Understood. It is done."
"Thank you."

He turns to the terminal, and types the last lines of code for the CCT Tower he hopes to see in his life.

>execute QueenFall(terminate);
>disconnect

It's time to put all this behind him. That code can lie there, forgotten, forever. He hopes it does. After all, as it stands right now...

{Transistor Online}​

 

[Prok]

... Allow me a moment of weakness.

If I had not put up the omake rules, if I wasn't offering points for them, if I had just come out and asked, "I would love to see people writing their own snippets and posting them in the thread," would you have?

I know the 'enjoy yourself' rule was more a joke than anything, but... how true is it?

...Strange...I have She Shines.

Click to shrink...

She Shines, if Spotify is to be believed, is its own single, which might explain why it's not included on the soundtrack- it was released about two years later, in 2016. Personally, I've never heard it in-game, and the release date, at least to me, hints as to why, but I'm no expert in these matters.

Anyway, it's finally been voted on, and part 2 of The Nobody interlude is good to go, and part 3 will be up directly after!

To finish a thought-

OMAKE OUTTA NOWHERE

I AM IN SHOCK

Click to shrink...

AAAAAGH. AAAAAAGH.

Ok, ok, time to be a professional- the first four parts, I'm separating them with the horizontal lines here- beautiful. Between you and Clever, you've pretty much captured exactly what Jaune was like pre-Transistor. Frequent migraines, a grasp for maths and computer programming far, far beyond his educational level, eventually reaching the point where you could, true to your skills description, easily grab a Bachelor's degree in any computing course you even looked at, Mrs Platt, the book, the ostracism caused by his unlocked Aura and , I would happily slap a Canon sticker on those bits alone.

Everything else is divergent, bar the part where the Transistor actually comes into existence, that, one 200 word snippet, sent shivers down my spine, because you got what I've been trying to get ever since I started writing this- what the Transistor... is.

I've gone on about silicon and circuitry before, and it's never felt right, that's always felt too weak to me, but this, a perpetual motion machine powered by energy created through equations that are powered by the energy created through the equations...

You've pointed out to me that I'm thinking too small when it comes to your Semblance. I've been thinking too... mundanely. Thank you.

20 Fate Points and Partial Canon status.

... Where was I? Ah, yes, to finally finish a thought-

@Prok

So how are we going to go about getting the other Functions? Is it going to be like in the game where we get a choice after we level up or...?

Click to shrink...

You code them yourself, with each one taking a couple weeks at least to create. If you scan someone's Semblance, a process that takes several hours, you get a small bonus to the accuracy of the Function compared to if you'd just tried to eyeball it- think of it as the difference between drawing from memory and drawing from an actual reference. The full mechanics will be discussed fairly soon, as well as an opening for Function suggestions.

Ok, ok, third time's the charm-

To finally finish a thought-

How would we turn that into a color? I suck at this!

Click to shrink...

J, C, N, T, jacinth is a reddish-orange variety of zircon.

To... finally finish a thought...

Nothing? Nobody else? Great!

To finally finish a thought, I feel, in RWBY, between the Grimm, the White Fang, Salem's lot, and, hell, even Torchwick's goons... it's easy to forget that people make perfectly good monsters on their own.

|||

You take a sip of the drink set in front of you, the mixture of vodka and tomato juice, hints of salt, pepper, some Shade sauce, lemon, a hint of beef stock, which is a nice twist, gives a nice, meaty backbone to the drink- yes, the Bloody Maiden.

It's like a comforting meal in a glass.

Setting it down, you manage not to jerk back as a drop of blood falls from the ceiling, directly into your drink. You look up and see the corpse wedged between the ceiling boards, hanging directly above your glass.

... Oh. Yeah.

You did that.

Somewhere between... drinks two and three, you believe?

... Eh, you're paying for it anyway- you pick it up and take a deeper drink, the iron of the blood adding another layer to the drink, as well as making the name that much more literal. Soon, the glass is drained, and it joins its companions on the other side of the table. You're on... four, now, you think?

Lifting a bony hand, noting the gentle sway to it, you gently tap the counter to get the barmaid's attention, startling the still-shaking girl. The motion draws your eyes to her, and she immediately stops moving. Already, black streaks of mascara stain her cheeks from all the quiet crying she's been doing since you finished your works.

"So, that's the Bloody Maiden, a strawberry daiquiri, a sex on the beach- two… sex, on the beaches... sexes on the beach... a threesome on the beach, blast it- what else is on the menu?"

She just blubbers, and you find yourself smiling at her. You would call it a warm smile, but you don't really... do warmth. Really, you're just showing your teeth.

She breaks further into hysterics, quickly babbling something about... Atlesians?

"... White Atlesian?" You guess.

She nods her head hard, desperate to do something that'll keep you happy.

"Sounds good. Er, use one of the harsher vodkas you have- I like a bit of roughness to it."

The barmaid begins to work, frantically grabbing everything she can to make your next order, uncaring of the bottles or glasses she knocks off shelves, working under the illusion that you're going to do to her what you did to the rest of the bar. You're not, you need her because she talked to him, and you can tell she talked to him because every barmaid tries to talk to him- it's like he radiates some aura of 'please talk to me about my problems!'-ness despite his attitude saying otherwise.

Still, you're going to be waiting a while, so you spin in your stool, catching yourself on the countertop and giving yourself a moment while your brain stops spinning.

Oof. Best make this the last one before you get down to business. While she makes up your next drink, you look out on the fruits of your labours.

As always, it started with someone thinking you were worth picking on.

College kid, drunk off his ass, armour and a weapon at his side- tournament scholarship, Hunter-in-training, you don't particularly care about anything besides the fact that he just felt like being annoying. So, when he put an arm on your shoulder, leaning in to try and intimidate you, you gently took it off.

At the elbow.

It took him a full three seconds to realise what you'd done, and the look on his face when he did! And the scream! He screamed like a little girl!

God, you could have pissed yourself laughing!

Obviously, his teammates took offence to that, so they had to go, you think a good chunk of the girl's sitting on that table over there, you definitely needed her for your surprise, you're not sure where the rest of her is, one of them you just turned into a red smear on the wall, the third...

What did you do with the third?

No, seriously, where the hell is he- frowning, you look around, unable to spot your fourth victim of the night. Lessee, number one, lying right in front of you, missing an arm, face inverted, seems right, number six is in various pieces inside numbers seven through ten, most of two's on the table directly in front of you, delicately arranged for your surprise, you remember that much. You take a moment to look over the patterns you painted in their blood again and- follow the lines, look for the shapes, don't let your eyes focus on any one piece for too long- find them correct for their purpose.

... You look up...

Mmm... no, that was the guy who tried to smash a bottle over your head. Hence why he got the compression treatment.

Where the blue blazes is he?! Ok, ok, retrace your steps, he was... number four, so he came before the bisection, but after the pasting and the heart-breaking you gone and did, so he must have been... you hear a gentle creaking behind one of the wooden pillars, and lean out a bit to see what it is, and spot your missing person, hanging from the rafters, arms splayed out to the sides.

... Right, yes, of course! That one was fun. They all were, but that one was new to you. You haven't done tendons much before, that was, that was very nice improvisation, if you may say so yourself.

Behind you, you hear the shaky rattle of glass on wood, and turn to see a nice, squat glass filled with vodka, coffee liqueur, and what you hope is heavy cream and not milk. A quick sip tells you that, yes, yes it is heavy cream. Excellent.

"So!" You start, making the girl flinch. "I... am looking for someone. Big guy, more pile of sentient scar tissue than a human being, beard like someone unclogged the drains at a pet groomer's?"

"I-I-I saw him! H-he was- he was j-just sitting there-" She points at the seat you're sitting in, in the middle of the bar, before stammering through a story about what drink he ordered, and how she pointed out the college team to get him to open up and oh good God woman get on with it!

"Get to the point. What did he say he was doing?" You tell her flatly. The slight squeak she gives is almost pathetic.

"He-he-he said he was looking for his d-daughter, er, A-Ada!"

You take another sip, enjoying the richness and the slight acidity the coffee liqueur gives it, the slight roughness of the vodka saving it from just feeling like a boozy milkshake.

"Ah, Ada. I remember her. A tiny girl, last I saw her- barely scraped four feet and change. She was lovely, a bit of a daddy's girl, but nice enough to chat to."

She nods, just agreeing with you out of fear, instead of actually engaging you in conversation. You huff a little, but choose not to hold it against her. You mean, you did kill the rest of her clientele. You doubt you'd be very chatty either.

You get to it and ask her if he said where he was going.

"V-Vale! He said he was going to search for her in Vale, b-because she would have been stuck to walking and hitchhiking!"

Hmm. If she is in Vale... referring to your own mental map of the Kingdoms, hazy as it is, you believe...

Yes, you believe you know how to get to Vale before him! Excellent!

You begin to laugh, a shrill, shuddering, clicking noise, the girl freezing in place like if she stays still, the sound will stop.

"Wonderful! Why, if I leave right away, I might be able to get there before him, surprise them both!" You tell her, downing the rest of the White Atlesian in your hand, slamming it down on the table, tearing a scream from her throat.

Heurgh. That's really starting to get on your nerves quite a bit. Really, really on your nerves, it's just such a grating sound-

Well, you have what you came for. And the girl does mix a damn good Bloody Maiden, even scared out of her mind. That kind of talent deserves to be rewarded. No, you won't kill her.

Just... shut her up a little. You reach your arm out a little, your Semblance shifting the bone and flesh like putty until your hand covers her mouth even as she backs away, your arm looking like an outstretched coil of rope.

"Shh... it's like listening to nails on a chalkboard." You tell her, gently pinching her lips together, before changing your mind and just wiping them away completely.

You bring your hand back, flicking the splat of flesh away from your hand as you do. She paws at the smooth skin where her mouth should be, still silently screaming through her nose.

... You're bored.

Getting up off your stool, you walk around the bar, eventually finding... eh, somebody's wallet, and pulling out a few cards of lien, lobbing them onto the counter before putting it back where it should go.

"That should about cover it!" You call back as you walk out, poking various lines and streaks of drying blood, pulsing your Aura through them as you do, before gently closing the door behind you. That should keep them busy- you think he's got deputies with him now.

You take a deep breath, the brisk midnight air cool on your face, the thin cotton shirt you have woefully inadequate for keeping the chill out of your bones.

That's alright, though. You like the cold anyway.

As you begin to walk down the road, only the slightest of sway to your swagger, you feel compelled to whistle a tune you haven't thought of in a long time.

And with that, it's time to move along.

Always is.

 

[Prok]

He's a nasty piece of work. I assume he's a big part of the Ada plotline?

Click to shrink...

Can't give you that one for free, champ.

Frankly, I'd rather stay as tight-lipped about it as possible. That's not to say you can't guess some stuff, though.

Also, was than an intentional reference to 'I have no mouth and I must scream'?

Click to shrink...

... Beyond her literally having no mouth and needing to scream, not, that I'm aware of.

I don't write omakes for the rewards - I do them because I love writing for settings that grip me.

I will say that the "3.2k" number you threw out inflamed my competitive spirit a bit, but ultimately, the omake is done when it's done, and forcing 200 extra words just to hit an arbitrary benchmark didn't sit well with me.

Click to shrink...

Honestly, if I'd made it any lower, you'd probably be sitting pretty at 500 points already. This really is an economy that's been set up, and setting the bar any lower would have just led to inflation. Not to mention it lines up quite well with the Beta Testing threshold, so, it works. It was hard finding a balance between what would be accessible to people and what wouldn't let you gain thousands of points in a week. I have to keep things kind of balanced, after all.

Still, thank you for being honest- I'm not sure what came over me, but it's passed now. I blame that quest analysis thread- shit's like a fucking boogieman for me.

Anyway, it's been about two hours, so I'm ready to bring this full circle! The final interlude, and with it, we're finally going back to everyone's favourite giant computer-sword wielding dork!

|||

"... Eesh. Went over this place good, didn't he?"

"You don't say."

You don't bother questioning your partner's oddly obvious comment as she stares at the carnage in front of you, watching with those blank eyes of hers. You know that's not right, she's perfectly intelligent, but those eyes, with that constant, dull smile, it's like... she's not taking it in, really. It just... slides off her.

... You decide, trying to ignore your deputies as they rush outside to bring up dinner, that you kind of envy her in that regard.

"Go help the deputies. I'll start logging." You tell her, drawing a small humming sigh in response. As the blonde bob leaves your peripheral vision, you walk inside, pulling your Scroll out and opening the voice recording program as you take pictures of the aftermath.

"Date, Saturday 2nd of July, location, 'Vacuo 89,' gods know why- at a glance, ten victims, fitting with the MO of subject Lee, Boriah. As much as mindless death and violence can be called an MO. Refer to file 57-E, under threat level 'Titan' for previous reports."

You walk through the bar, documenting in as much detail as possible the carnage Boriah leaves in his wake, keeping as neutral a tone as you can, despite your stomach's roiling.

No matter how much you do this, you just can't get used to... how one person can be capable of this. Emotionally. Mentally.

It continues like that, you monologuing in as impartial a tone as you can the injuries and death wounds of each person.

Then you come to the girl. Or, what's left of her.

Despite yourself, despite your best efforts to compartmentalise, one thought slips through.

She couldn't have been out of school.

Mid-description, you burp a little, bringing up a mouthful of bile that leaves you wincing a little, and you quickly swallow it and cough a little before the taste can linger, continuing as if nothing had happened.

"-Female, no older than school age, remnants of armour within chest cavity- presence of weapon unknown, but presumed to be Huntress in training. Signs of exsanguination, positioning and... special attention to her body, point to her being the centrepiece of one of Boriah's traps. Beginning search for Oculus Glyphcraft, normal precautions will be taken."

... God this always sucks Ursa sack- turning the Scroll towards you, you trigger the camera flash in both eyes, blinding you completely for a moment. As the whiteness begins to fade from the outside in, you wipe the tears away and watch from the edge of your vision, looking at the walls, the streaks of drying blood creating something altogether much worse. Even seeing as little as you are, you can feel the symbols and lines... clawing at your mind, looking for a way in.

Some would just tell him how many people looked at them. Some do so much worse. Most do both.

Before your blindness fades, you take your weapon, a collapsible bec de corbin, and try your best to scratch away the key lines of the glyph, listening for the telltale signs of Aura being released. He never leaves more than two or three in any one place- as much of a monster he is, he's never had the patience to properly trap a place.

"Oculus Glyphs are present, as usual, possible effects can only be guessed at, since direct observation before destruction is, obviously, impossible." Turning away from your scroll, you call your partner in.

"Arc, your turn."

Walking in, two still slightly green-faced deputies in tow, Juniper Arc surveys the scene once more, that dull smile never leaving her face.

"Time for clean up?" She asks.

"I've gotten everything I can. Careful, the glyphs are on the walls past these pillars. I've scratched out at least three, but keep your eyes forward anyway."

She gives you a sighing hum to confirm she heard you before laying her hands on the first person she comes across, a man strung up to the rafters by... ech. Her Aura flares, and spreads to the man, unwrapping him from the rafters, and pulling him back together. In seconds, the corpse is... spotless.

Like he just fell asleep, and never woke up again.

Laying him down on the floor, you hear Juniper sigh again, and note her smile waning a little. The deputies- look, if this pair makes it more than a month, you'll learn their names, until then, they're cannon fodder- watch with equal parts wonder and horror as she does the same for everyone on that side of the bar, unsullying their bodies.

You watch one of them as the pair of fox ears on top of her head begin to twitch. Frowning, the girl starts looking around, searching for something.

"What is it, girl? Found something?" The other asks, earning him a reprimand in his monthly report. Juniper, as always, is oblivious to what's happening, focused on restoring the bodies as best she can.

Instead of telling him to piss off, the fox Faunus turns to look at you, mouthing a phrase that stops your heart.

One person, behind the counter, still breathing.

Your legs catch up to what she said before your head does, sprinting to the bar as quickly as possible, just about managing not to slip in a puddle of still wet blood, and you almost wind yourself on the counter as you lean over and see a woman, crying, clawing at the empty space where her mouth should be, already scratched to hell and back. Your arrival only makes her scream, muffled by, well, the obvious thing.

You turn back.

"Juniper! Get over here, we have a live one!"

To say you saw her make her way across the bar would be to lie. As soon as you finish your sentence, she's there, behind the bar, startling the girl even further into her chosen corner.

"Shh... hey, hey hey hey, I'm not gonna hurt you." You hear her coo at the girl, her voice as tranquil as her smile. "Give me your hands."

When the barmaid just draws in closer, Juniper puts hers out, palms up, and after a moment receives the hands she asked for. Her aura, a light, somehow dusty blue, flows over the girl. For a moment, it only illuminates the horrors inflicted upon her, before brightening further, just washing them out of existence.

Once the light fades, the girl is pristine.

Taking her hands back, she lightly brushed her fingers over new lips, opening them slightly and feeling the cold air of a gasp between them, before she breaks down crying again, throwing herself at your partner.

Deciding to... leave them to their tender moment, you look at the counter, and see five separate glasses sitting there.

One strawberry daiquiri. Two Sex On The Beach cocktails. One Bloody Maiden. And a White Atlesian. You don't even need to look at them to know, anymore.

Still... one lived!

That's... you look over the corpses, laid out on the tables and the floor, complete, now untouched, able to be identified and given proper burials.

You sigh, knowing that telling yourself that one living through this makes it any better is just a lie.

... Doesn't mean you don't want to believe it sometimes.

 

[Prok]

Ok look I will 100% own up to this fuckup here, this is entirely my fault because I tried to do it on mobile, but, uh, the Ada interlude's borked.

In that, it's become the Creme interlude because I wanted to swap them around for the sake of the flow from character to character, I did the same with the Creme interlude except that one didn't seem to stick for some reason, so now I have two Creme interludes, and no copies of the Ada interlude anywhere. Not in google docs, not on my phone's clip tray, it is, nowhere. Apparently, it's the one interlude I finished in a single sitting, so, uh, if someone happens to be keeping an archive of every chapter for personal reading, here's your chance to put that to use.

I'm not even sure how that happened, I distinctly remember swapping them around properly, but apparently not. Great.

Rewriting it probably wouldn't take too long barring personal reasons since the chapter's completely figured out, but if someone feels like saving me three or four hours, that would be great.

Edit: It's back up! Thank you to a mod I won't mention again because I'm pretty sure he's getting sick of it!

|||

Blue and Bracket, as usual, were right- visiting Teal did make you feel better. Soon, you left the office, with a promise that you can come and see her at some point to scan her Semblance, a prospect she seemed… really quite interested in, you realise as you think on it.

The train's rumbling suddenly closes in as the fields of the Agricultural District give way to blackness in less than a second as it enters the tunnel.

Signal lost.

The webpages you were browsing suddenly blink out of existence, leaving you to adjust to a world where your sight is not 40%, er, site.

{I'm sure you can live without cat videos or children's cartoons or whatever it is you veg out on the train with for like ten minutes.}

Hey, Camp Camp is art and you know it!

Statement technically true.

Blue's snickering does nothing to improve your mood, and instead of responding, you pull up a reading app, opening a fantasy novel you've been chewing your way through over the past week.

Sure, the protagonist is a foppish milksop, his companions are infinitely more interesting and only explored through him, the rogue is either a brilliant piece of writing on the topic of mixed-heritage kids, or just an excuse for the author to be low-key racist, but you have some faith there, and the various races are interesting, seeming to take different aspects of humans and Faunus alike and expanding them into their own species, then some completely out-there ones- people who've died before their time, their shades risen from the grave to continue living for them until they're done, barely-corporeal beings that suffer from spontaneous ascension to a higher plane of existence...

You enjoy it, at least.

A chapter or so is chewed through by the time the tunnel opens up again, the sun blinding you for a moment before the industrial district fades into view.

The sight is... breathtaking, more than ever. You find it odd that such a beautiful view can exist on a route you've travelled five times a week for four years.

Unlike the residential or commercial districts, where compact, almost squat buildings with brick façades and an almost homey feel to them, streets tight and quiet, are the norm, the industrial district is dominated by monoliths of glass and steel and polished stone, unbidden by the resource squeeze of the other regions of Vale, big companies throwing their economic weight behind the skyscrapers, the railways winding their way between them like veins and arteries, the people, their lifeblood. The setting sun glints off them, its reddening visage reflected in a thousand different mirrors alongside the bruising sky, slowly dipping below the horizon, bringing the world into twilight.

Even now, though, lights are turning on in the few places the sun cannot shine, covering the faces of buildings in blue stripes, green blocks, each casting their own gauntlet into the arena of hazy lighting and painting the dusk sky in a thousand unnatural colours. Below you, you see streets busy with people and Air Dust-powered cars eager to get home or walking among the parks the district gives way to every now and then, alone, together, with dogs, all enjoying the little patches of nature within the busy city.

People. Living. Completely unaware of each other, the name of the person they just walked past, simply extras in each other's lives, knowing nothing about each other even though they could, it would just take a simple hello, how are you...

You feel... odd, for a moment, but you quickly dismiss it. You're just tired. That's all.

You hear the sound of a camera somewhere, and turn to see the source, gaining an eyeful of rabbit Faunus for your efforts. Camera pointed at the window, you wonder how she can get a decent shot.

{They look relatively clean. Without the flash, it should still get a decent shot, and it's not like she can open them.}

Point. You turn back to your book for a while, eyes flicking over the superimposed screen. You've got a while on this train before you reach the residential district anyway.

|||

Half an hour, and about seven chapters later, you're at your stop. The rabbit Faunus got off a while ago, looking somewhat unhappy as she checked her camera, every click of the button garnering another moan of disappointment. You think you saw her meet up with another girl in a beret and sunglasses.

You don't know why, but that makes you feel a little better.

{She isn't walking home alone, at least.}

"Mm."

You walk along the train to the cargo cart, pulling your Huntsman's license from your wallet as you do, showing it to the official. She checks it over, raising an eyebrow at you after a moment, before handing it back and letting you through, muttering something about Signal letting anyone in these days where she thinks she can't hear you.

Several vials and crystals of Dust and pre-infused glyphs detected on her person, alongside an awakened Aura. Possibly a Huntress in training specialising in magework, or otherwise an enthusiast. Either way, capable of defending herself, and most likely others as well.

... Huh. Books and covers.

Ok, let's see, bags, suitcases, some other weapons- ah! You spot the cyan glow of your sword in the corner you... think you left it in.

{Bracket, what have we said about scanning people?}

1. That was specifically about telling Jaune, not scanning people in general.
2. She had enough Dust to trigger an automatic scan anyway.
3. Scanning for Aura is allowed as long as said scans are kept to a binary yes/no question.
4. All specified items were kept in outer layers of clothing- jacket and skirt pockets. No privacy settings or laws were broken.

{What have we said about the letter of the rule over the spirit?}

Make better rules.

"Hey, calm down, both of you." You say, trying to placate the AIs inside as you lift it and let it float. "It's nice to know that she can defend herself-"

Mmhm.

"But, Blue does have a point. Did she seem likely to hurt someone?"

{Aside from the Dust store's worth of explosives on her, I'd say no. She probably was just a Huntress in training, which is weird, because we didn't find any form-shifting weapons in our scans, and she didn't come to the cargo hold to pick anything up. As far as we can tell, aside from the Dust and glyphs, she was completely unarmed. I don't know what to think of her.}

Hrm. That is kinda weird.

... Wait, skirt pockets?

I'm as surprised as you.

|||

Twenty minutes later, after some wide eyes in the station, including, much to your satisfaction, the security guard who doubted your claim to Huntsmanhood, you finally make it home as twilight fades to night, the stars and the shattered moon slowly fading into visibility.

You close the door behind you, setting your sword to the side for the moment.

"I'm home!" You call out, the noise echoing through the halls in a way that makes you wince a little.

"Yo, little bro!" You hear Jasper call from somewhere around the dining room, you think. "We're having dinner, get in here!"

Your stomach rumbles slightly, and after a gentle cough to stop it, you make your way to the voice, and the sounds of dinner being eaten.

"Armour." Your mother says as soon as you walk in, and you duck back out, unclipping your armour quickly and throwing it on a chair before walking back in. "Sword."

"It whines if I leave it outside."

{Hey!}

"Well, as long as it doesn't beg for scraps then." She relents, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

Taking your seat at the table between Jasper and Jade, finally able to take in the gigantic turkey taking up the middle of the table, a plate holding carvings from it, and various other dishes around it holding vegetables and stuffing and whatnot.

Well. You know what dinner is, now.

Reaching over, you make yourself up a plate, trying to ignore Jaana's death glare as you take some of the remaining thigh meat.

You've had a rough day, she can just carve the other leg if she wants some dark meat that badly.

"So, how did it go?" Your father asks as soon as you have some food in your mouth. Quickly chewing and swallowing, you tell them all about your day.

|||

You're not sure how a simple question turned into a blow-by-blow account involving your sword hovering above the table and playing holographic recordings of everything as you narrate it, the sound playing through your Scroll, but it did, and your family's not complaining about the movie that comes with their dinner. Naturally, you mentally skip past some of the more, er, sensitive things, like Ada's breakdown, Creme's bullying, most of Saff's ranting... stuff like that.

As you watch the simulated Dust crystal fly through the air into a digital Naia's armour, you can't help but smirk a little at the twin's reaction.

""No way!"" Jade and Julia shout together, watching it plink through the gap between his helmet and his chestplate.

"... Screw you, Jaune." He says, one of the AIs thankfully censoring some of the cruder language spoken throughout the fight.

{You're welcome.}

Gotta keep it family-friendly.

"Way. I have no idea how I did it, but I did."

You watch Naia go up in flames again, and find yourself grinning a little at the sight.

… You are so fucked up.

|||

"So you just... gave up?" Jasmine asks, cracking into one of the Baked Mantles your big sister made, scraping some of the fruit coulis spread on the plate with it. Despite the caramelised meringue covering it, the ice cream inside is still cold, the sponge around it not even warm.

{Truly, basic thermal insulation is a wondrous thing.}

Quiet, you.

"I mean, yeah- I could barely walk, Lumen was sick, Ada wasn't doing too great either, and Creme getting hit would have hurt us just as badly. We might have won that fight, but... we'd won already."

Silence takes its place at the dining table, and you use the moment to break into your own dessert. The warmth of the meringue gives way to the chill of the vanilla ice cream in a way that's really quite pleasant, the textures and flavours mixing well.

"Well, I think that was very mature of you, little brother," Jaana tells you, somehow having already finished her sweet, gently wiping the plate with a pinky for the leftover coulis. "knowing when to quit is a valuable skill in life, after all. Still, aren't you at least a little curious about how a fight between your team and Salem would have gone?"

You consider the question for a moment, wondering on it for a moment. You suppose, honestly, you probably would have won, eventually- Creme proved she was fast enough to grab him, Spin() would have taken care of him easily if you tracked his movements...

But none of those really answer the question of if you would have definitely won. Sure, you can say that they would have assured your victory, but you wouldn't... know.

Hrm.

{... Honestly? I'm not sure. Salem seemed to survive on transient alliances if Moss was to be believed. At the same time, he seemed to be capable of holding his own. I'm not sure who would have won.}

I believe Salem would have won. Creme was the only person out of our team who effectively attacked him, and that was because he made the mistake of coming within grabbing distance. At the same time, as you think, we simply cannot know.

"... Jaune?" Jasper asks, gently shaking you by the shoulder, snapping you out of your minor fugue.

"... Nah. I'm not gonna dwell on it." You tell her.

|||

Bed!

Wonderful, warm, comfy bed!

You change into your pyjamas and flop onto your bed, your sword's lights dimming to a deep red as it floats to its little corner of the room, emulating circadian darkness for you. Teal's healing may have invigorated you somewhat, but fatigue really is beginning to set in.

Still, today's been... good. You made new friends, really... the first you've made in years. Hell, you have contacts in your Scroll that aren't your family anymore. Three of them! That's, great!

... You're going to Beacon.

It just... hits you, that you're going to Beacon. Seven years ago, you never would have bet on getting in, but... you did it!

A triumphant grin splits your face, quickly turning into a near jaw-popping yawn. Once it passes, you find your hands slipping behind your head.

"... We did it. We actually did it."

{You did it. We've just been along for the ride.}

We were essential to your victory, but not because of any effort on our part.

You shake your head a little at that, your grin softening to a smile. "Hey, don't sell yourselves short. I really couldn't have done it without you."

{And we wouldn't exist without you, so I think that's a fair trade.}

A sigh escapes you, and you pull your hands out from beneath your head, shifting onto your side.

"Goodnight, you two."

{Goodnight, Jaune.}

Sweet dreams.

You close your eyes, and sleep takes you quickly.

"Sweet dreams are made of this..." Event Roll, d1000: 420.

Moving along- look, I'm a very... blow-by-blow author. I don't do condensing time well. Mainly because I've never had much chance to write it. So, let's do baby steps.

You know Persona? Choose like two, maybe three things to do, and that's a day? Yeah, well, we're doing that right now. It is currently the 2nd of July, and you're expected to enter Beacon on August 2nd. That's 30 days and after the 4th, I'm hopefully upgrading this format to weeks instead of days, which means we are six updates away from Beacon, barring any events that might happen in between, like going to see Teal, or bumping into [REDACTED] or [REDACTED] or [HOLY FUCK REDACTED].

Everybody got that? Good! Pick three, with the caveat that picking the same one more than once may lead to... consequences.

[] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
-[] Lumen- he seems like a bro. The kind of person you can joke about stupid shit with and just, generally a chill guy.
-[] Creme- sure, she seems a little high-strung at times, but she's nice enough, and you think she could do with the company. Your sisters must never know about this. They will find out over your cold, dead body.
-[] Ada-... You don't even know where to begin with her, but she genuinely seems like she could use a friend.
-[] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.

[] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
-[] Which one, if any?

[] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.
-[] You'll get a whole post about this soon, chill.

[] Go Into Town- Oh hell yeah, time to paint this motherfucker red! Or, just wander about town, maybe find a bookshop or something, ooh, that cafe you heard about sounds nice... (5k Lien minimum to make Jaune think it's worth going into town. You have 6k, and therefore can.)

[] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.
-[] Ask about- it's the simplest way to do it, really. Just go and ask about jobs in some shops. More likely to find steady, practical work this way.
-[] Use The Information Superhighway- go and use the internet, as all you youngsters do, to find a job perfect for you. Jobs are less stable, and rarer overall, but they will almost exclusively cater to your talents.

Adhoc vote count started by Prok on Oct 6, 2017 at 4:36 AM, finished with 1226 posts and 15 votes.

• ---

  11 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine
  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo
  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato
  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus
  • Captain Clever
  • ScorpioBot

  9 people have voted

  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.

  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo
  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato
  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus
  • Captain Clever
  • ScorpioBot

  8 people have voted

  [X] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine
  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo
  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato
  • bigpianist

  6 people have voted

  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.

  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo
  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato
  • bigpianist

  4 people have voted

  [X] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine
  • bigpianist
  • ScorpioBot

  3 people have voted

  -[X] Athletics

  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo

  3 people have voted

  -[X] Swordsmanship

  • ADeshantis
  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato

  3 people have voted

  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway- go and use the internet, as all you youngsters do, to find a job perfect for you. Jobs are less stable, and rarer overall, but they will almost exclusively cater to your talents.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine
  • bigpianist

  2 people have voted

  [X] Code

  • PhDEevee
  • The Oldman

  2 people have voted

  -[X] Lumen- he seems like a bro. The kind of person you can joke about stupid shit with and just, generally a chill guy.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine

  2 people have voted

  [X] Go Into Town- Oh hell yeah, time to paint this motherfucker red! Or, just wander about town, maybe find a bookshop or something, ooh, that cafe you heard about sounds nice... (5k Lien minimum to make Jaune think it's worth going into town. You have 6k, and therefore can.).

  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus

  2 people have voted

  [X] Acquire Moolah

  • The Oldman
  • ADeshantis

  2 people have voted

  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway

  • The Oldman
  • ADeshantis

  2 people have voted

  [X] Socialise

  • PhDEevee
  • The Oldman

  2 people have voted

  -[X] Second try to find a graduate or upperclassman Huntsman or Huntress to train with. Consider an apprenticeship. Learn from their experience.

  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus

  2 people have voted

  -[X] First go to a real library. Computers eat enough of our time.

  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus

  1 people have voted

  [X] Talk, hermit, talk

  • PhDEevee

  1 people have voted

  -[X] You'll get a whole post about this soon, chill.

  • bigpianist

  1 people have voted

  -[X] Ada-... You don't even know where to begin with her, but she genuinely seems like she could use a friend.

  • ScorpioBot

  1 people have voted

  -[X] Strength

  • bigpianist

  1 people have voted

  [X] Set the town ablaze.

  • ADeshantis

  1 people have voted

  [X] TRAIN

  • ADeshantis

  1 people have voted

  [X] Go into town

  • ADeshantis

  1 people have voted

  -[X] Lumen

  • The Oldman

  1 people have voted

  -[X] Ada

  • PhDEevee

  1 people have voted

  -[X] Why choose?

  • PhDEevee

  1 people have voted

  -[X] Ask about- it's the simplest way to do it, really. Just go and ask about jobs in some shops. More likely to find steady, practical work this way.

  • ScorpioBot

Adhoc vote count started by Prok on Oct 6, 2017 at 4:37 AM, finished with 1226 posts and 15 votes.

• ---

  3 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.
  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Athletics
  [X] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.

  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo

  2 people have voted

  [X] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.
  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Lumen- he seems like a bro. The kind of person you can joke about stupid shit with and just, generally a chill guy.
  [X] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.
  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway- go and use the internet, as all you youngsters do, to find a job perfect for you. Jobs are less stable, and rarer overall, but they will almost exclusively cater to your talents.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine

  2 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.
  [X] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.
  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Swordsmanship

  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato

  2 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.
  [X] Go Into Town- Oh hell yeah, time to paint this motherfucker red! Or, just wander about town, maybe find a bookshop or something, ooh, that cafe you heard about sounds nice... (5k Lien minimum to make Jaune think it's worth going into town. You have 6k, and therefore can.).
  -[X] First go to a real library. Computers eat enough of our time.
  -[X] Second try to find a graduate or upperclassman Huntsman or Huntress to train with. Consider an apprenticeship. Learn from their experience.

  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus

  1 people have voted

  [X] Talk, hermit, talk
  [X] Socialise
  -[X] Why choose?
  [X] Code
  [X] Socialise
  -[X] Ada

  • PhDEevee

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise
  -[X] Lumen
  [X] Code
  [X] Acquire Moolah
  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway

  • The Oldman

  1 people have voted

  [X] Set the town ablaze.
  [X] Acquire Moolah
  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway
  [X] Go into town
  [X] TRAIN
  -[X] Swordsmanship

  • ADeshantis

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.

  • Captain Clever

  1 people have voted

  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Strength
  [X] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.
  -[X] You'll get a whole post about this soon, chill.
  [X] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.
  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway- go and use the internet, as all you youngsters do, to find a job perfect for you. Jobs are less stable, and rarer overall, but they will almost exclusively cater to your talents.

  • bigpianist

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Ada-... You don't even know where to begin with her, but she genuinely seems like she could use a friend.
  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.
  [X] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.
  -[X] Ask about- it's the simplest way to do it, really. Just go and ask about jobs in some shops. More likely to find steady, practical work this way.

  • ScorpioBot

Adhoc vote count started by Prok on Oct 6, 2017 at 4:20 PM, finished with 1233 posts and 20 votes.

• ---

  12 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.

  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo
  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato
  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus
  • Captain Clever
  • Enerael
  • ChildishChimera
  • Alexander89
  • NexysDhyArchen

  8 people have voted

  [X] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine
  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo
  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato
  • ChildishChimera

  5 people have voted

  [X] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.
  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway- go and use the internet, as all you youngsters do, to find a job perfect for you. Jobs are less stable, and rarer overall, but they will almost exclusively cater to your talents.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine
  • bigpianist
  • Alexander89
  • NexysDhyArchen

  3 people have voted

  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Athletics

  • Chronocide
  • Hexxart
  • Tiypo

  2 people have voted

  [X] Go Into Town- Oh hell yeah, time to paint this motherfucker red! Or, just wander about town, maybe find a bookshop or something, ooh, that cafe you heard about sounds nice... (5k Lien minimum to make Jaune think it's worth going into town. You have 6k, and therefore can.).
  -[X] First go to a real library. Computers eat enough of our time.
  -[X] Second try to find a graduate or upperclassman Huntsman or Huntress to train with. Consider an apprenticeship. Learn from their experience.

  • nmWarden
  • NuclearConsensus

  2 people have voted

  [X] Code

  • PhDEevee
  • The Oldman

  2 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Lumen- he seems like a bro. The kind of person you can joke about stupid shit with and just, generally a chill guy.

  • will408914
  • Red Bovine

  2 people have voted

  [X] Go Into Town- Oh hell yeah, time to paint this motherfucker red! Or, just wander about town, maybe find a bookshop or something, ooh, that cafe you heard about sounds nice... (5k Lien minimum to make Jaune think it's worth going into town. You have 6k, and therefore can.).

  • Alexander89
  • NexysDhyArchen

  2 people have voted

  [X] Acquire Moolah
  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway

  • The Oldman
  • ADeshantis

  2 people have voted

  [X] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.
  -[X] Ask about- it's the simplest way to do it, really. Just go and ask about jobs in some shops. More likely to find steady, practical work this way.

  • ScorpioBot
  • ChildishChimera

  2 people have voted

  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Swordsmanship

  • PsyFarrow
  • ConfusedPotato

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Creme- sure, she seems a little high-strung at times, but she's nice enough, and you think she could do with the company. Your sisters must never know about this. They will find out over your cold, dead body.

  • Blue Dullahan

  1 people have voted

  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Which one, if any? Accuracy with Functions.

  • Enerael

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise- Now that you have new friends you don't have to live with, it's time to get used to the task of maintaining those friendships. I know, I was surprised too!
  -[X] Ada-... You don't even know where to begin with her, but she genuinely seems like she could use a friend.
  -[X] Why Choose- fuck it, invite the whole gang out! You're not gonna get any heart to hearts, but friends are friends are friends. Bond as a group.

  • ScorpioBot

  1 people have voted

  [X] Code- You are the hermit, destroyer of social lives. Well, your social life, anyway. Coop yourself up, and work on a new Function. May overlap with jobs.
  -[X] You'll get a whole post about this soon, chill.

  • bigpianist

  1 people have voted

  [X] Talk, hermit, talk

  • PhDEevee

  1 people have voted

  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Strength

  • bigpianist

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise
  -[X] Why choose?

  • PhDEevee

  1 people have voted

  [X] TRAIN
  -[X] Swordsmanship

  • ADeshantis

  1 people have voted

  [X] Go into town

  • ADeshantis

  1 people have voted

  [X] Set the town ablaze.

  • ADeshantis

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise
  -[X] Lumen

  • The Oldman

  1 people have voted

  [X] Socialise
  -[X] Ada

  • PhDEevee

  1 people have voted

  [X] Train- Swordsmanship, Gunmanship, Athletics, all kinds of things need training if you're gonna be an effective Huntsman. Pick a skill you have and you'll train it as best you can for a while.
  -[X] Swordsmanship
  [X] Acquire Moolah- You may not have bills, but some extra dosh never killed a man. At least, the man making it. Go find a job somewhere.
  -[X] Use The Information Superhighway- go and use the internet, as all you youngsters do, to find a job perfect for you. Jobs are less stable, and rarer overall, but they will almost exclusively cater to your talents.

  • Blue Dullahan

 

[Prok]

[x] It's heavy handed intervention from beyond the fourth wall inexplicably shifting the flow of the narrative. Cultures differ, but in mine, that's unspeakably gauche. And, to be clear - the DoMT has a well earned reputation as a ruiner of campaigns. No, I'll maintain my decision to leave, that much I'm sure of.

I actually kinda liked these snippets, since I figured it was Prok having trouble writing J-Crew and taking a break from it while still giving us content.

Even if that wasn't the case and I misunderstood, this has been an interesting encounter.

Click to shrink...

Unfortunately, no- this was meant to be a thing, granted, this was meant to be the final thing of the thing, but I think the thing's just started to collapse under its own weight. I did plan to introduce something like Desdemona to the Fate Shop, which is still a thing, don't worry, your Fate Points are still worth something around these here parts, but I think the execution of this part just spiralled so hilariously out of control that it swung back around to being completely unfunny again.

Eh. Can't win 'em all. I think I can work it, it just needs... a lot of work.

Consider this vote null and void, and the votes for the main update closed. At a glance, hanging out with the entire gang, coding, and trying to find a job online win!

Man I've been waiting to say that for a while. It's a rush.

Since it's taken me so long to put this up, I'm just going to apply the flat +50 rate to all Functions, and then you can pick and choose your research.

Also, @Ridiculously Average Guy, time to cash in your reward. Pick a Function, any Function, yours, someone's suggestion from way back when, one of the ones below, go wild!

PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR CODING MAY CEASE CHILLING. OR MAY NOT. I'M NOT THEIR MOTHER.

|||

Here's how Function Research will work- every Function starts off in Alpha. Every Function.

You advance Functions through Alpha and into Beta through research.

How do you research?

You roll. Yes, you roll. You give it one timeslot's worth of research, you get 1d100, 2, you get two, three, you get the idea- More timeslots, more dice. No matter how you roll, you get 50 points per timeslot put into coding- progress is always made, no matter how slow.

Every Function, once they are introduced to Alpha, needs 700 Code Points to be introduced to Beta as a flat standard. After that, Costs may change depending on the Function in question.

So, let's recap, all in one sentence, just for easy reference- Every timeslot spent on coding Functions gets you 1d100 to roll for progress, plus a flat rate of 50+bonuses, and once you reach 700, the Function in question moves from Alpha to Beta, where the cost will change. No more than five (5) Functions may occupy Alpha or Beta combined.

So! Let's get started!

Function Suggestions

Just fill out the form, slick.

Function Name*: self-explanatory, the more computer-y, the better.
Function Category*: Utility/Combat/Other, delete as appropriate
Function, er, Function*: What does it do on its own, what does it do as a passive, and what does it do as an upgrade to another Function? Fill out at least two.
Projected MEM Cost: Also self-explanatory, but be reasonable.
Function Discovery: This isn't strictly necessary, but if you want to put in a little note on what inspired Jaune to code this, go right ahead.

*Mandatory

This outline is subject to change, depending on what's needed, and I'll update it as necessary. All suggestions are subject to change by the QM.

The maximum number of Functions to be suggested at any one time by a person is three (3), and the max number of Functions to occupy it is a soft limit of 'as many as it takes for me to open this tab and then watch my computer burn.'

|||

Spoiler: Recursion(), Tiypo

Function Name: Recursion()
Function Category: Combat/Other
Function, er, Function:
---Stand-alone: As a stand-alone function Recursion() can only be used during a Turn(). When used a phantom copy of Jaune will be created that will repeat any functions that he does for the remainder of the Turn() at a lessened power a split second after he does. If used multiple times the first copy will make an even weaker copy when it performs Recursion(), creating a trail of Jaunes performing a flurry of weak but distracting functions. The phantom copies are fragile and an opponent sufficiently fast enough to strike one will easily break it.
---Upgrade: When used as an upgrade to another function Recursion() creates a undamaging illusionary copy of the upgraded function a split second after it is performed, attempting to trick opponents into reacting to an attack that is not coming.
---Passive: As a passive function Recursion() causes functions that are repeated to cost 1 MEM less after they are first performed.
Projected MEM Cost: Medium
Function Discovery: Recursion is often viewed as the first step into more advanced programming and a rite of passage for those learning computer science. In the process of creating the Transistor Jaune has managed to twist his mind around the bizarre behaviours of what happens when a program must create another instance of itself to complete its goals and overcome the infamous stack overflow error, where the program never stops creating copies until all available memory is used. With the memories of that indispensable but troublesome programming concept in mind, Jaune has created this function.

Spoiler: Block(), Shell(), Shield(), ConfusedPotato, QM Meddling: Mild-Middling

Function Name*: Block()
Function Category*: Combat/Other
Function, er, Function*:
Active: Creates a 1m³ invisible solid block at the desired location, can be dismissed at will. Passive: Your attacks can now be used to block other attacks.
Upgrade: turns a single target function into an AOE.
Projected MEM Cost: 3 MEM
Function Discovery: After seeing what Saff did with his maze it is rather obvious how being able to rearrange the battlefield is an advantage. Granted, one block is hardly battlefield mastery, but IT'S A START DAMMIT-

Function Name*: Shell()
Function Category*: Utility
Function, er, Function*: Acts as a one-hit shield, designed to completely block the first attack that hits it before going down, takes time to recharge, prevents surprise attacks but is otherwise useless in combat.
Function Discovery: Jaune's first attempt at a force field after a night of watching too much anime and drinking way too much soft drink, he found this partially programmed the next morning after.

Function Name*: Shield()
Function Category*: Combat
Function, er, Function*:
Active: Creates a shield around a target that will have to go down first before they can be hurt.
Passive: same as active but for yourself only, slightly stronger due to resource efficiencies. Upgrade: makes the attack unblockable.
Projected MEM Cost: 3 MEM
Function Discovery: After the events that led to Shell() Jaune decided to create a function that actually works as a shield in combat situations.

Spoiler: Pipe() and Derivatives, mastigos, QM Meddling- Middling-Major

Function Name: Pipe()
Function Category: Attack/Utility/Other
Function:

• Passive: On its own, this Function allows designated allies nearby the use of a SEVERELY cut back version of Inform, projected onto their field of view via ScreenCopy. They don't get localized omniscience but instead have an AR HUD that can retrieve information from the Transistor's localized omniscience. Things like highlighting enemies, chat screens, ammo tracking, asking what temperature the food is, etc. So Inform() but ratcheted down to a level they can actually process.
• Active: Subjects an enemy to information overload and blinds them with ScreenCopy filling their heads with random data from their environment, or specific data, depending on preference.

Projected MEM Cost: 2

Network(): an originate the function from allies (ex. launch a Bounce() from Ada's weapon) which, combined with Inform() effectively means they can launch it off by saying a trigger. But also means Jaune can launch it off arbitrarily without warning them.

• Allies can participate in Turn() planning but purely as a planning session, instead of bonuses they get a -1 headache penalty

Projected MEM Cost: 4

Function Discovery: ScreenCopy is a cludgy hack and he finally got around to fixing that because now he has friends this would be helpful for, then he kind of wandered off in a tangent during implementation

Spoiler: Pointer(), Pyrotech51

Function Name: Pointer()
Function Category: Utility/Combat
Function, er, Function:
Primary - Pointer() serves as a target designator in its primary form, marking the location of the enemy it strikes and guiding any further attacks towards itself. The projectile is extremely fast and difficult to dodge due to inherent aim correction, but only has a moderate effect on corrections to all other Functions.

Upgrade - adds a much more significant aim correction to that specific function.

Pointer()+Bounce() - Marks main target then marks all targets in range of jump as secondaries. All secondaries within range are hit by a % of the damage taken by the main target.

Passive - repeated functions during Turn() use less processing power after the first use. Breaking the chain resets the effect

Projected MEM Cost: 3

Function Discovery: I really don't know what fits for this, beyond some sort of frustration over excessively evasive targets anyways....

The active uses are based around the nature of pointers telling you where a specific thing is located, and then letting you interact with it directly.

The passive is instead based around the fact that passing a pointer to a function takes less memory than passing in a raw value.

Spoiler: Hold(), Blam(), Get() (formerly SweepUp()), MoonSerpent, QM Meddling- little to none

Function Name*: Hold()
Function Category*: Combat
Function, er, Function*: The upgrade of Freeze()! Now works against biological targets, Grimm
Projected MEM Cost: ?
Function Discovery: When at the end of turn(), Jaune realises it isn't enough to account for every enemy wanting to dome him and the team. Or when he just wants to lock that one enemy out of combat for a time. Further upgrades add AOE, removes protective stasis so attacks now actually damage targets.

Function Name*: Blam()
Function Category*: Combat
Function, er, Function*: A Modified Ping. Instead of a burst of fire, the energy is transferred into a concussive blast, best used for striking armoured targets. Highly synergies with Crash().
Projected MEM Cost: 1
Function Discovery: Sometimes you just need one good hit instead of many tiny ones.

Function Name*: SweepUp()
Function Category*: Combat/Utility
Function, er, Function*: Creates a pulling vacuum from swinging The Transistor, pulls light to medium sized enemies into the range of your sword. At the very least, stagger enemy movement.
Projected MEM Cost: ?
Function Discovery: Observing the use of Pyrrha's Polarity in pulling, pushing people around, The frustration to just wanting to hit Grimm hordes all at once.

Spoiler: Shunt(), Drive(), Port(), BlackCoat13

Spoiler: New Function Idea: Shunt()

Function Category: Combat

Function: Target and remove a enemy / target from the field, shoving them into a twist of space for a time (8 seconds base). Similar to the currently Beta Function Cache() or completed Function Freeze(), Shunt() is intended to be usable in combat due to targeting enemies instead of objects. Shunt() can target beings with Aura (or not) below a certain size threshold (Nothing bigger than a regular Ursa without modification). Shunt() cannot be used in its base forms against buildings, obstacles, or terrain.

-Function, Modified: Shunt() can be modified for a variety of effects. Shunt() can be improved to effect an area instead of just a single target, to Shunt() larger targets, Shunt() terrain away for a time leaving a smoothed landscape without obstacles, or to Shunt() the target for longer. Additionally, if paired with a DoT (Damage over Time) Function (Like Purge()) Shunt() can be used to do DoT, or certain Functions can cause Shunt() to do some damage immediately or upon release to the target as well as its base effects.

Spoiler: Example List for Shunt with Upgrades

Bounce(): When Shunt()+Bounce() is used the Bounce() is sent out to deal damage to a target. Upon hitting a target, Shunt() is then applied for 4 seconds. Bounce() then seeks out and hits a second target if one is within range, applying Shunt() again for 4 seconds.

Breach(): When Shunt()+Breach() is used, Shunt() deals the damage of Breach() to the target at that is Shunted() at the start of Shunt().

Crash(): When Shunt()+Crash() is used, Shunt() applies first, dealing Crash's() damage at the end of the Shunt(), any target released from Shunt() to takes more damage for 6 seconds.

Cull(): When Shunt()+Cull() is used, at the end of Cull's() damage is applied during Shunt(). If Overkill is applied, Shunt() explodes in an area at the end of Shunt(), dealing the overkill damage in an area around the Shunt() target's location.

Flood(): When Shunt()+Flood() is used, the area of Shunt is increased, turning from effectively a small target area into a medium. Increases size of Shunt() area.

Get(): When Shunt()+Get() is used, enemies and targets are pulled towards the Shunt() for 2 seconds before the Shunt() is applied. Minor Get() damage is inflicted at the end of the Shunt().

Help(): Shunt()+Help() creates a Shunt() that can remove obstacles and terrain. The area left behind is flattened. Doesn't work if an object inside the effective Shunt() terrain would be destroyed by the absence inflicted by Shunt().

Jaunt(): Shunt()+Jaunt() lengthens the time of Shunt from 8 seconds to 16 seconds.

Load(): Shunt()+Load() causes immense damage at the end of Shunt() to any enemies near the end of the Shunt() and to the target of the Shunt(). 4 second Shunt() duration.

Mask(): Shunt()+ Mask() causes User to become intangible but able to reposition about the battlefield. Essentially Ada's semblance without the Telefragging damage ability.

Ping(): Shunt()+Ping() causes Shunt to recharge quicker, enabling a Shunt to be used while another Shunt() is on the field.

Purge(): Shunt()+ Purge() causes Purge() damage to be done for the entire duration of Shunt() and for 3 seconds after Shunt(). Vicious combo.

Spark(): Shunt()+Spark() causes Shunt() to apply in many smaller areas, clustered together, enabling an entire Beowolf pack to be Shunted() at once. Deal no damage, lasts for 8 seconds. Large area effect.

Switch(): Shunt()+ Switch() causes Shunt() to effect a larger area for a shorter period of time.

Tap(): Shunt()+Tap() causes any enemy target Shunted() away to take damage for the 8 second duration and the User to get minor Aura restoration as life heal from the Shunted Target. Works on Grimm, may be partially magic rather than pure Aura / Science?

Void(): Shunt()+Void() causes Shunt() to reduce the attack and defense of the target caught by Shunt() once Shunt() is over for 6 seconds. Effectiveness reduced on Aura users.

Slice(): Shunt()+Slice() causes Shunt() to lock the enemy in place, but not place them in a special warp. Essentially a murder hold. Less effective on targets with Aura. Very high MEM cost. Base duration lasts for 4 seconds.

Spin(): Shunt()+Spin() turns the target area for Shunt() into a horizontal column of area in front of the user to be locked away for 15 meters and 6 seconds. Does not lock away terrain or obstacles, blocked by terrain and obstacles.

Drive(): Shunt()+Drive Increases the size of Shunt() the largest of all Shunt() size increases. You want to lock away the Grimm dragon for exactly 3 seconds? Increase the cooldown length of Shunt() based on the area locked away.

Shunt(): Shunt()+Shunt() Increases the size and length of the Shunt(). Time up to 14 seconds. Area up to medium.

-Function, Passive: As a passive, Shunt() wraps Jaune in what is effectively a damage mitigation aura that reduces all incoming physical based attacks before Aura damage. Shunt() could also be used to 'dodge' large attacks by using Shunt on Jaune himself, though this would not be used as a 'Passive' Function effect.

-Function, Upgrading: Used attached to other Functions Shunt() locks the target of the Function away for a few seconds on hit (based on what Function Shunt() was attached to), useful on close range Functions to prevent attacks or counter-attacks. Used on ranged Functions Shunt() can be used to lock away pesky ranged fighters for the time needed to close in on them or to remove them from attacking while you do something else. Used on some Functions, Shunt() no longer locks the target away but can somehow bypass physical resilience or armor, or possibly even Aura if you dare. Paired with Directory_Repair() Shunt() would shove the target (hopefully an ally) away into the spatial twist to heal them for 14 seconds, providing protection and healing. Attaching Shunt() to certain other combat Functions removes the effects of Shunt() entirely an instead freezes the target in place spatially, leaving them stunlocked and available to be damaged, but this has high MEM cost.

Spoiler: Example List for Upgrading with Shunt()

Bounce(): Bounce()+Shunt() causes Bounce to be able to target enemies over a larger area between bounces.

Breach(): Breach()+Shunt() causes all enemies hit by Breach() to take Breach() damage and by locked away in Shunt() for 3 seconds.

Crash(): Crash()+Breach() causes the target to be stunned by Crash() and left more vulnerable more much longer.

Cull() Cull()+Shunt() causes any enemy hit by Cull() to be thrown much higher into the air from Cull, increasing damage and causing the enemies thrown by Cull() to take 3 seconds to come back down.

Flood(): Flood()+Shunt() causes any enemy hit by Flood to be unable to move while taking damage from Flood().

Get(): Get()+Shunt(), any enemies drawn by Get() take damage and are locked away inside Shunt() for 2 seconds. Enemies drawn by this combo take doubled Get() damage at the end of the Shunt(), perfect for a light hit to kill them at the end of the combo.

Help(): Help()+Shunt() causes Luna to become intangible while moving, allowing Luna to have what is essentially Ada's Semblance.

Jaunt(): Jaunt()+Shunt() causes Jaunt() to enable User to Jaunt() through solid objects.

Load(): Load()+Shunt() causes enemies hit by Load() to take increased damage. Shunt() effects cause targets hit by the Load() to be paralyzed in place for 2 seconds.

Mask(): Mask()+Shunt() [Strike-Dependant] Hitting an enemy deals damage and causes them to be Shunted() for 8 seconds. User gains slight damage reduction for 5 seconds after becoming visible once more.

Ping(): Ping()+Shunt() enables Ping() to stop a target in its tracks for .3 seconds. Low MEM usage.

Purge(): Purge()+Shunt() causes Purge() to last longer.

Spark(): Spark()+ Shunt() causes an enemy hit by Spark() to be stunned for longer.

Switch(): Switch()+Shunt() causes Switch() to last longer.

Tap(): Tap()+ Shunt() causes an area around the User to be locked away in Shunt() but not the User. Useful as a panic move against enemy groups who have closed on the User. In addition, it does Tap() damage first and still heals the User for 1% of Tap() damage.

Void(): Void()+Shunt() causes an enemy caught within Void's() area to move slower for 2 seconds.

Slice(): Slice()+Shunt() causes an vertical arc of energy that deals Slice() damage but slows enemies hit by it for 4 seconds.

Spin(): Spin()+Shunt() increases the 'drag' Spin() has on things caught in the projectile of Spin().

Drive(): Drive()+Shunt() [Strike-Dependant] causes Drive() to stop at the first enemy hit and Shunting() that enemy for 5 seconds. Turns Drive() into a melee counter-attack.

Shunt(): Shunt()+Shunt() Increases the size and length of the Shunt(). Time up to 14 seconds. Area up to medium.

Projected MEM Cost: As a solo Function Shunt uses 3 MEM, as a passive Shunt uses 2 MEM, as an Upgrade Shunt() costs 3 MEM.
Function Discovery: Inspired by Ada, without scanning her Semblance, but based off her '4th dimensional being' state. An idea to weaponize Freeze() based on what scans the Transistor had already taken of Ada's Semblance.

Tl:dr: Temporary target removal. Like banishing your opponent's monster face down. Can be modified to adapt how it operates pretty extensively, useful for targeting big enemies who would otherwise be really nasty to have on the field but are too tough to kill outright where there's minions on the field.

Spoiler: New Function Idea, Drive()

Function Category: Combat

Function: A straight charge, similar but much slower than Jaunt(). Drive() maps poorly to Turn(), leaving its use best used without Turn(). On its own Drive() does decent damage, but it's real usage is hooking other Functions on it, making it a slower but much more damaging cousin to Jaunt().

-Function, Upgraded: Hook nearly any Function to Drive() to cause Drive() to perform that second Function either during or at the end of Drive(). Attach Crash() to Drive() to cause damage, stun, and leave vulnerable any target hit by the Function. Attach to Breach() to cause even more damage along the Drive() Function's length. Attach Jaunt() to Drive() to extend the length and speed of both but do only limited damage. Attach 2 Jaunt() to Drive() to hit Mach 1.

Spoiler: Example List for Drive() with Upgrades

Bounce(): Drive()+Bounce() [Strike-Dependant] upon hitting a target with Drive(), Drive() is aimed for the next closest enemy after trampling through the first enemy.

Breach(): Drive()+Breach() Increase the speed and length of Drive().

Crash(): Drive()+Crash() any enemy hit by Drive() is stunned for 3 seconds and left vulnerable for 4 seconds.

Cull(): Drive()+Cull() massively increase the damage of Drive().

Flood(): Drive()+Flood() causes Drive() to have a corona of Plasma generated just in front of the User during Drive(), increasing damage.

Get(): Drive()+Get() Enemies are drawn to the front of Drive() as the User charges forwards.

Help(): Drive()+Help() transforms Drive() utterly, turning a charge the user performs into creating and then launching a duplicate of the User to perform the Drive(), leaving the User free to act.

Jaunt(): Drive()+Jaunt() increases the speed of Drive() to instantaneous speed.

Load(): Drive()+Load() build up a load as the User travels with Drive() to explode at the end of Drive(). Massive damage.

Mask(): Drive()+Mask() causes the User to become temporarily invisible at the end of Drive() for 3 seconds, enabling retreat or further attacks.

Ping(): Drive()+Ping() causes Drive to be more efficient in Turn() and recharge faster.

Purge(): Drive()+Purge() causes any enemies still alive at the end of the Drive to be afflicted with a Damage over Time effect.

Spark(): Drive()+Spark() causes Drive() to explode at the end of the Drive(), dealing more damage than a regular Drive() but costing significantly less than Drive()+Cull().

Switch(): Drive()+Switch() causes any enemies alive at the end of Drive() to be Switched() for 3 seconds.

Tap(): Drive()+Tap() causes you to heal for a third of the damage inflicted to enemies by Drive().

Void(): Drive()+Void() causes any enemy alive at the end of Drive() to be weakened, having less Attack, Defense, and increasing incoming attack's powers.

Slice(): Drive()+Slice() widens Drive's() width by double.

Spin(): Drive()+Spin() causes a trail to be left behind by Drive() that yanks the enemies crossing the trail towards the end of Drive(). Trail persists for 4 seconds.

Shunt(): Drive()+Shunt() causes any enemies alive at the end of Drive() to be Shunted() for 4 seconds, enabling retreat.

Drive(): Drive()+Drive() causes Drive() more damage and move the User faster, but also take longer to cooldown.

-Function, Passive: Drive() gives a boost to your movement speed and increases damage from non-Function attacks User performs.

-Function, Upgrading: Causes the Function Drive() is attached to do more damage and also move forward on most Functions. Functionally little difference whether Drive() is the one being Upgraded or the one Upgrading.

Spoiler: Example List for Upgrading with Drive()

Bounce(): Bounce()+Drive() causes Bounce() to do more damage and move faster as a projectile.

Breach(): Breach()+Drive() causes Breach to be much wider, enabling more enemies to be caught in Breach().

Crash(): Crash()+Drive() causes Crash() to do more damage and have slightly longer range.

Cull(): Cull()+Drive() causes User to charge forwards using Drive() for a short distance, 'scooping' enemies before completing Cull() by throwing the gathered enemies into the sky.

Flood(): Flood()+Drive() causes Flood() to have more velocity and damage by a moderate amount.

Get(): Get()+Drive() causes Get() to draw enemies more fiercely and to increase Get() damage.

Help(): Help()+Drive() causes Luna to charge about with Drive() rather than attack by biting.

Jaunt(): Jaunt()+Drive() causes all enemies passed through with Jaunt() to take minor damage.

Load(): Load()+Drive() causes Load() to explode if an enemy touches the Load() bomb.

Mask(): Mask()+Drive() causes Mask() to do proximity damage to any enemy close to you while invisible. Duration of Mask changes to 4 seconds.

Ping(): Ping()+Drive() causes the User to kick with the force of Drive() without moving. Low MEM usage.

Purge(): Purge()+Drive() causes any enemy to take greatly increased Damage over Time over a shortened duration. Base damage of Purge() 120 over 3 seconds. Purge()+Drive() causes 160 damage over 2 seconds. High MEM usage.

Spark(): Spark()+Drive() is very similar to a Crash()+Spark() or Spark()+Crash(), being a three pronged near-melee attack. The user does not move during Spark()+Drive() but instead throws out three Sparks() that push enemies away from the user with Drive()-like force.

Switch(): Switch()+Drive() causes the enemy affected by Switch() to move much faster towards other enemies.

Tap(): Tap()+Drive() causes Tap() to have a greatly increased area. As Tap() causes the user to slam the Transistor into the ground at their feet and unleash a pulse of damaging energy that also heals the User by 1% of the Tap damage, this attack changes only a little by increased area of attack.

Void(): Void()+Drive() causes the enemies hit by Void() to have their defenses and attack reduced even further.

Slice(): Slice()+Drive() causes Slice() to be wider and thicker, and deal more damage on impact with enemies.

Spin(): Spin()+Drive() causes the Spin() to have more velocity and deal more damage.

Shunt(): Shunt()+Drive() Increases the size of Shunt() the largest of all Shunt() size increases. You want to lock away the Grimm dragon for exactly 3 seconds? Increase the cooldown length of Shunt() based on the area locked away.

Drive(): Drive()+Drive() causes Drive() more damage and move the User faster, but also take longer to cooldown.

Projected MEM Cost: As a solo Function, Drive() costs 4 MEM, as a Passive Drive() costs 3 MEM, as a upgrade Drive() costs 3 MEM.
Function Discovery: Created after witnessing Xanadu and his bullshit Inertia Semblance from Signal's Final and deciding, you know what? You want that. And so it was. It's nowhere near as impressive as the original, but it's still something that could be used to charge straight through a Beowolf pack, and with the right Upgrades attached to it you'll be able to charge straight through Ursa Majors.

Tl:dr: Drive is a damaging version of Jaunt. Slower, but rather than just being disorientating it incorporates damaging elements that can be further modded with other functions, such as Crash or Spiral, or by leaving a trail of Process matter behind us to spawn a small or medium unit behind us after we've already charged through an enemy.

Spoiler: New Function Idea: Port(), non-combat Function

Function Category: Utility / Other

Function: Teleportation. Yeah seriously. It's done in Transistor towards the end with the doors that link to other doors with weird spatial stuff. To pull it off a certain level of Process density has to have been achieved, so it's not like you'll be able to go just anywhere at will, you'll have to do work with the Process to set up 'Gates', stationary portal locations. Done right, you might even be able to bring other people with you. Who needs Raven?
Create those teleport gates in combination with the Process to create remote teleport marks and teleport to them. Not a combat skill.

Projected MEM Cost: Arbitrarily large MEM costs don't matter because it's not a combat Function so you could swap it in and out as needed with the help of the Process teleport gates. High research costs and time, but once it's done... teleport places, because travel makes us sick and we've got the capability by that point, so why not? May need to somehow capture and Trace() Raven to pull it off unless we want to spend 8 turns researching just this one Function though.

Function Discovery: You asked yourself, could it be done? You needed to fulfill that promise to fix the moon for Weiss, right? How would you even get the Process up there? This might not be the method due to needing a Process Gate on the other side, but you considered it.

Alpha Functions

Alpha Functions are the start- unsafe for use, and usually useless anyway. Worth a flat rate of 700 Code Points to shove into Beta or about three weeks on average. Two if you're lucky. One if you crit every single roll.

[] Lift()- You realised, with some... a lot... ok, if you butcher the Transistor's telekinesis code, you can... maybe... apply that to other things? It wouldn't be useful for too much, anything much larger than the sword itself is out, but you think you can probably find something for this.
Progress: 250/700

[] Directory_Repair()- A Function created from the Semblance scan of Professor Mary Edwards Teal, your old teacher and school nurse. Heals everything. Everything. Including the things that really kinda need to die off if you want to keep a person alive.
Progress: 538/700

Beta Functions

Now you're cooking with gas! Beta Functions are... technically usable, but prone to backfiring. Horribly.

... That poor cat never stood a chance- ER, TIDDLES JUST WENT TO SEE HIS FAMILY IN THE AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT. NOTHING BAD HAPPENED TO HIM AT ALL. HONEST.

[] Cache()- You're not sure where this one came from, honestly. Must've been one of those '4 am and your seventh cup of coffee' Functions. Looking it over, you think it would let you hide the Transistor in a small pocket dimension. As well as, other things, but mainly the Transistor. It wouldn't occupy space, or, actually have mass, but you would still be able to communicate with it, and it would still be able to float and follow you around. At least you can have it around without breaking any laws! Or, at least, breaking a different set of laws.
Progress: 0/1200

[] Slice()- It's like Breach(), a stream of high-energy particles, but more... focused. Instead of a wave, it comes as more of a slice. It's less of a shotgun, and more of, well, a sword-slice.
Progress: 1000/1500

Completed Functions

This is where all the Functions you've actually completed go. These are 100% safe to use, so long as you're not a moron with them.
Combat Functions:

Combat Functions are exactly that- Functions, for combat. However, some of them have a minor caveat- they require physical contact with a surface or opponent to trigger. This is usually a sign that the Function in question is meant to be used in close-quarters, not at range.

Crash(), 1 MEM: A weak, short-range attack that exposes weaknesses and leaves opponents open for a follow-up attack. Best used in a combo. (Strike-Dependant)

Breach(), 3 MEM: Creates a stream of high-energy particles that form a sideways pillar of death. (Strike-Dependant)

Spark(), 2 MEM: Launches unstable projectiles that split into explosive particles.

Jaunt(), 3 MEM: Transports User to a location directly ahead. Essentially a short-range teleport.

Bounce(), 2 MEM: Creates a ricocheting bolt that jumps from target to target.

Load(), 3 MEM: Creates a volatile Packet that, when struck, releases a violent explosion. Can be designated as a target.

Ping(), 1 MEM: Low-damage, low-MEM cost, low Turn() cost, high rate of fire. It's like a minigun made by Derringer!

Spin(), formerly known as Spiral(), 3 MEM: Fires a projectile that seems to barrel through everything, dragging along what it cannot destroy. Automatically dissipates after 8 seconds.

Freeze(), 1 MEM: Freezes an object at its current XYZW axes for 30 seconds, with compensation for Remnant's celestial movement so they don't just launch into space. During this time, it's impossible to affect the object in question during this period- you could crash a car into it, and the car would lose. Most likely.

List of Utility Functions: (Utility Functions do not count towards overall MEM, as they are base parts of the Transistor's programming, or otherwise of negligible MEM Cost.)

Restore(): Allows you to return an object to a former state as long as the Transistor has said state logged. {I'll even do things I don't have a former state for, but it might take a while.)

Search(): Highlights objects within a radius around the user according to certain criteria. {You'll never lose your keys again.}

Inform()- The Transistor is constantly feeding you information about the world around you, streamed directly into your eyeballs. Essentially, functional omniscience about everything within your direct line of sight. And everything not, it just chooses not to tell you about that stuff. FOR GOOD REASON.

Bridge(): You work with lots of different computers. But as it turns out, hypercomputers summoned out of pure math don't naturally fit standard I/O ports. This initially started as a simple means of using the Transistor to transfer data, but you've been continually iterating upon it for years. For simple magnetic drives or transistor {Lowercase!} chips, high fidelity scans combined with directed physical manipulation let you read and write arbitrary data to and from any section, without even requiring the device to be powered. Unfortunately, (or perhaps not, given the power it'd give you...) Dust based systems are far more difficult to manipulate in such a way. Still, the control chips of toasters everywhere cower in fear!

Antenna(): A minor sub-function piggybacking off of Inform(), which streamlines the process of interpreting separate data streams out of the radio noise around you, and making transmissions of your own. Theoretically, you made this thing able to pick up just about every communications standard in use on Remnant. Practically, you've actually finished coding the backend for about three of them.

ScreenCopy(): This copies the display of Jaune's scroll and imposes it onto his field of view. By default, it's set to be a page display that can be moved and have its opacity adjusted. ...Yes, it's a cludgy hack, okay!? Do you feel like working out all the garbage needed to make multimedia work properly?

FakeInput(): This translates mental commands into simulated synaptic touchpad inputs, which are then fed to Jaune's scroll in place of the data from the touchscreen. A surprising amount of the code was copy-pasted from the control scheme for the Transistor's 'telekinetic' movement. {It's almost impressive how little effort went into this.}

More will be added to this, as they become relevant or people remind me of things, but these are the main things you'll be focusing on- Alpha, Beta, Complete. Function Modding will be added when I stop screaming at the thought of trying to figure out every different effect and every different number without breaking everything else and OH GOD THE CRIPPLING ANXIETY IS BACK-