Blake

The event takes a lot of planning. And, if changes are to occur, it's very clear they need to be more than 2 months in advance, based on past years. I'd post a schedule and make sure to tag people when their turn is coming up, so forgetting the day shouldn't be that big an issue. I feel like that is half of the problem, on top of just many of them feeling like they burn out because they have shortform ideas (Erma, Squid Sisters, and a few others stand out as being outstanding but not having lasting power), and the community tiring of/not taking to their gimmick so much. The changes could allow the one-shot style of monsters to fair a bit better, as opposed to the longform ones the event has favored in the past. However, I cannot state enough that this is tentative, so it's not a 100%decision by any means, and the input is appreciated ^^ Hopefully Discord will help with that, regardless. I feel another big issue is that the monsters are a gaggle of randoms that can't effectively communicate, due to needing to stay in character when doing so, and only the fabled WEIRDMAGEDDON remotely pulled that sort of collaboration off. Turning the hunt into something people do for themselves instead of an incentivized part of the event allows this idea to work. I'd still tell monsters to keep mum about their identities, tho. RN, It's 2-2 on approval and rejection of the first idea, so I really wanna hear more thoughts. EDIT: i'm sorry this got so long winded

Yes, dearies, it's that time of year again! No, not the one where you channel a monster, the one where you figure out the exacts for the process of bringing these monsters to our fair forum. So, I feel like we need a bit of a shake-up. No, not in the form of a theme or anything, but the event hasn't been performing as well in the past few years. I would posit this is due to it being static, instead of adopting to its community. As such, I have an idea that I would like to hear some thoughts on: Monster Showcase. Instead of having the monsters be active 24/7 for the duration of the event, it would instead look like this: Opening Day: Every monster is able to introduce themselves, interact, and make a general first impression. Day 2 through October 30th: Either 1 or 2 monsters for that day, intended to make a stronger showing on their own, without overstaying their welcome for the entire event. October 31st-November 1st: All monsters are able to post, like opening day, with them maintaining their role on the 31st and saying goodbyes on the 1st. AMA/Game/Intro threads: Monsters will be allowed to use their own threads of these types regardless of the day, so to keep some sort of presence up, should they so choose. It just means people have to go look at the monsters they're interested in, instead of the monsters taking that day's limelight. This way, it keeps both the players and the community observing them from growing bored of it as quickly. However, this is only an idea on paper, not set in stone, and I really want to hear feedback on it. I understand that this would require working around people's schedules, and I would work hard to make sure it works for everyone. Additionally, I will probably make a Discord Server for this year's Event, most likely in late September. I would consider asking people to make burner monster accounts on discord... but that seems too much like a hassle. Instead, I would instead say that we do away with the actual Monster Hunting facet. It is largely ignored, instead just letting the monsters run around and act, so the players could join a server where everyone knows their identity. Treat it more like one grand stage play. However, even if this happens, monster identities would still be private until the deadline for signing up. The anonymity of the monsters is still a major factor in the event's fun, even if there's no real hunting going on. So, yeah, please let me know! I don't want to charge forward and act on something the community wouldn't enjoy, after all.

I talk to the golem as much as to Berserker and her master. "It seems there's another servant out here fighting zombies. Caster isn't sure why he couldn't detect them, as they don't appear to be an assassin... And someone like that seems like a major concern. If Caster can pull this servant away, can Berserker get the drop on them? Possibly Archer as well."

I send Caster in alone. "Leave this to him," I assure the other two, "I'm certain that Caster can handle it."

"Probably. That's the coaches problem though, not mine. Shoulda shown up." He noticed one of the new recruits approaching them. David, if he remembered right. "And no. Only two-hundred-eighty-eighty." "Oh yeah, two-hundred-eighty-eighty, so you've done 28080?" Charlie gave a cheeky grin, before their attention was pulled away to David. "Excuse me, but I wanted to ask you and possibly of Avi something, Charlie." The boy spoke, pulling his deck box from his bag. "Would you both take a look at my Time Thieves? I...want to be absolutely positive my deck is running at it's full capacity. Since you and he both Dueled me and made it obvious I still have a ways to go...I figure it's only right that you two take the look at it." Avi responded before they had a chance, but Charlie wasn't entirely disagreeing with Avi. He was too harsh, but not entirely in the wrong. Taking a deep breath, the teen added their two cents. "We can't really... do that much for you. After all, I don't really use Xyz. I know how they work, of course, but not their decks. I only own my deck and a few older cards that used to be in it, and I've never had much chance to play others... But you should take Avi's advice. Look over your deck and think about what belongs and what doesn't. What cards seem to perform well in testing? Which seem situational? Things like that." “So if we compare the structures of our decks and find where we’re lacking so we can fix it… That could be a huge help.” Charlie turned slightly to look at Terry, cocking a brow and smirking. Seemed like little miss evil overlord wasn't here for the day, instead a cute, eager girl was. Where oh where did the evil overlord go? "It's possible... but I'd have to say Avi would probably know more about your deck than I would... Well, maybe I do have an idea beyond Avi's advice," They muttered, a finger to their lips as they looked up, "Why don't you try seperating your decks into two piles. One full of cards related to your deck's core, like your Time Thieves or Generaiders, and then the cards that aren't related. Stuff like Monster Reborn or Forbidden Lance, y'know? The core cards probably require less focus than the others, though of course both are important. Start with the generic pile, then go onto the core. And if I have one more piece of advice, find a central goal for your deck. After all..." Charlie grinned, flashing a monster that looked like a scythe, ever so briefly, "My goal is to just take your head, and my babies are good at that~ Though, of course, there's lots of card generation as well, to make sure I can fuel my plays, which is more secondary. Do your decks aim to control? Burst? Just be a lot of good cards? Categorization is important, too..." Charlie rattled on and on, despite saying they had no other ideas, talking about things like deck classifications, the place of trap cards, and more, completely losing track of themselves as they rambled.

-April 15th, 2000- -9:20 AM- -Training Grounds, Diluculo Branch 22- A loud clap filled the air, even louder than the previous one, drawing the three boys' attention to Nika. "And that's time. If the three of you need a quick shower, there's a locker room at the back of the gym. You will receive reports about your performance and things you need to work on, as well as your future assignments, once we are done with our meeting in the mission room. It is down the hall, on the right. You are dismissed until then." With that, Nika left, grabbing a clipboard off the wall as she did. Jotting down notes as she headed to the next location, she felt the urge to shake her head. There was absolutely potential, but Maddy was completely wrong... They had not received an easy group. Instead of heading directly to the meeting place, she instead headed back to her office, quickly typing up the reports. The info she lacked would have to be combined with Maddy's, but there was more than enough time. ----- -April 15th, 2000- -9:20 AM- -Infirmary, Diluculo Branch 22- "I think I got the wrong message... She said it was for Mathilde... Unless... was my message the lie? Fascinating... I'm guessing the random gibberish coming from the thingy was the other messages, so... gibberish... Kinda like this. What did you hear?" "Mmhmm, like Lucia said, it sounds like total gibberish when it's not aimed at us." "And I heard only gibberish," Alek added to the discussion, "Most curious... However, if they say they hear things, then they must be able to. We'll have to see what you can do for communication efforts, because it seems like the most likely area for you to excel in." Things wrapped up quickly in the infirmary, the three recruits being informed to head to the mission room and wait, like the first group. As the three left, Mathilde gave them a wave, turning to hear a beep coming from Alek's computer. "Ah, it seems the major finished up her assessments and wants to know about ours. My, she is quite fast," The man commented, trailing off a bit, "And what did you think of them?" "I think the girls are good natured kids in a bad situation... And that Raida is a perfect fit. I'm not too confident about sending Akiko out to combat, though... She'll have to work twice as hard as everyone else, or more." Alek nodded back to Maddy as he typed up quickly, "Anything that you would like to add?" "Hm... nothing official, no. Thanks for writing them up for me~" ----- -April 15th, 2000- -10 AM- -Mission Room, Diluculo Branch 22- Once the recruits had assembled, they would find themselves waiting longer than was implied. After 30-40 minutes of sitting with one another, Nika and Maddy finally made their appearance, handing out manilla envelopes to each of the young members. The captain found a seat near the end of the table, while Nika stood at the head of it, clearing her throat. "No need to stand, I'm going to keep this brief. Inside each of the files you have been given, you have been assigned to one of two groups for later today. We will be having a mock battle with teams of four, with either the captain or myself serving as proctor and advisor. We will not get involved, but we will be there to make sure no one gets injured too badly." "On top of that, you have room assignments~" Maddy cut in, producing a smaller piece of paper, "I don't know if you were informed that last night's rooms were temporary or not, but we have larger rooms fit for two people, bathrooms built in and all. Your file includes your room number, as well as your roomie." "That is correct. Please settle into your rooms and relax for a few hours. Camaraderie is important in a line of work like this, so the only criteria from now until 2 PM is that you must not spend your time alone. Your files also contain information about where to report at 2. That will be all for now." "Have fun~"

-April 15th, 2000- -9:15 AM- -Training Grounds, Diluculo Branch 22- The Major watched the trio fighting as she waited on Marcel to prepare himself again, a deeper frown creeping across her face. Cade and Sergei showed some promise, but the taunting wasn't needed... And Austin was definitely getting in over his head, as she had expected. Traits like taunting and arrogance were hard to break the habit of, and Nika was sure they weren't the only ones that would do it. Suppressing a sigh, she turned back to the two with her, nodding as Marcel began again. As he made his move, Nika used her Id once more to prepare... But was met with searing pain instead. She flinched, but gathered herself quickly. "Ahhg... That's a bit more than I was expecting so soon," Nika rubbed where her arm afflicted, but otherwise held her composure. "At least the results are good. You should work on your focus, then. It appears that you force sensations into people's minds, and that it works more efficiently when you focus on them as a whole, as opposed to a part of them." Calmly grabbing the vial and holding it out to Marcel, with a look that told him to drink it, now, she felt Ann's gaze on her skin. "Major, if you would like, I could take this. It is pretty painful, and that was the feedback. Just give me your hand, and I can just deal with it, um, if you want me to." "That's very kind of you, Miss Fernace... But focus on yourself first. I've had worse, and Barrett will be healed up in no time... Even if he was a little reckless. Now, I think that's a sufficient enough test for both of you. Well done." Nika gave a nod of her head, with maybe the slightest hint of her lips curling upward, "Once you two are ready, head to the mission room. It will be down the hall on your right, and we will meet you there shortly." Standing, Nika walked over to the other three, clapping her hands loudly, with a sound almost like rocks slamming into each other. "You have about 3 minutes! Do what you can with your remaining time, and make it count. When I call it, stop what you're doing and line up in front of the bleachers, shoulder to shoulder. Do I make myself clear?" ----- -April 15th, 2000- -9:15 AM- -Infirmary, Diluculo Branch 22- Maddy watched Akiko wander into the hallway as Lucia began, thinking the girl just needed to breathe. They were going through a lot, and it was clear that she felt bad about her Id. Turning back to the Mexican girl, Lucia began. "Uncomfortable? No... at least, not physically. These... things feel surprisingly... natural. Like I've always had them.Woah...Oh dios mio! I'm so sorry!" The Captain did her best as she watched Lucia's display, but she quickly found herself crocuhing and holding her stomach, laughing to the point of tears. So cute, so innocent. The shifting girl let out a sigh and turned back to Maddy. "I... don't know, really. I've never done this with a spider before... All I know is that, well, I can do whatever a spider can." "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," Maddy picked herself up, still laughing softly, "That was just too perfect... whew. Anyway, that seems like a good showing for a start. Can you disable it now, or does it have to fade?" Tch, why would you want to be useful to a kidnapper anyways? Why on earth do I feel bad, I should be angry about it still!" "Uh... let's hold that thought..." Akiko slowly poked her head back into the room, "Ah, apologies Captain but... you didn't hear any of that did you?" "I'm afraid I did, Akiko," Mathilde sighed, head leaning against her palm and letting out a soft sigh, "Before Alek and Raida return, why don't you two listen to me for a bit." Walking past Akiko and closing the door to the infirmary, Maddy turned around and leaned against it, covering the window with her body. She crossed her arms and tapped her lip, deciding where to start... And then she did. "I won't say too much, but... When I arrived here a few years back, I was like you guys. Scared, not sure what I could do or why, and honestly forced to be here. You guys are the second wave, while I was part of the first. We were much smaller back then, but... Arms were still bent, as they were for people like you, Akiko. Or circumstances led to where you are, like Lucia. But... We don't approve of the methods the recruiters use. I'll leave it at that, but I promise, the Major and myself will do everything in our power to make this a safe place for the both of you... alright?" Maddy waited to hear responses from the two girls, replying to them in kind. As they wrapped up their conversation there was a knock on the door, with the two boys returning, walky-talkies in hand. Maddy handed one to Akiko with a smile, stepping aside. "Just head outside and talk to us whenever you're ready... Focus on who you want to hear what when you speak, and we'll see how it works out. Alright?"

I laugh at the golems. "Cute." I pull caster back for a moment to confer with him, then continue following Berserker and her master.

Let's just say I was... encouraged to do something like this. Like an opinion thread, but more positive.

ace attorney is a visual novel Honestly, this mostly sums up my earlier post. Ye Olde Puzzle Adventure Games just kinda evolved into Visual Novels, for the most part, and it's a really interesting development.

Upon arriving, Charlie nearly blanched at the sight of Ms. Breiner. It wasn't that they thought the woman wasn't lovely, but... she had no business being their coach. Now, then, or in the future. She barely knew how to duel! But their fears were assuaged as she said she was simply filling in for the day. Still not optimal, but better than expected. With a sigh of relief, they listened in as the sub continued. "She also asked for someone - or someones - to go take care of a little shopping errand for her." "Oooh pick me! I wanna go! I'm VERY good at spending money." Uhoh. Peter volunteered alongside Hana, but Charlie could still feel Avi's gaze on their skin. Looking at their friend, they shot a glare back, gesturing, with the slightest pout on their face. Again, clear: You're the bad cop, I'm the good cop! Huff! With another sigh, now of defeat, the co-captain walked up to Peter and pulled him aside, grabbing Makoto along the way. "You two seemed great together in practice last week~" Charlie laid it on a little thick as they whispered, "So why don't you go with them, Makoto? After all, we don't want Hana spending our extremely limited budget on food and other frivolities, do we~? Avi and I can't tag along if the other senior member is going, so I trust you two will take care of it. Never let the money out of your siiiight~~~" Walking away and waving to Hana, Charlie headed over to Avi and leaned against the wall next to him, trying their best to not let their smile fade. "You know we're doomed, right~?" Charlie cleared their throat abruptly, "Ah, sorry, forgot to drop the tone. And you've had your nose buried in the phone all week. If I didn't know what a knucklehead you are, I'd say you finally got a lover... but you've already racked up 300 duels on that app, haven't you?"

Visual Novels or games that take on elements of visual novels in order to enhance their characters. I know that sounds like a loaded answer, given the association with dating sims/porn that VNs have, but it's mostly the detective type games that really appeal to me, as well as things like Persona or Fire Emblem that have similar elements mixed in. Beyond that, I greatly enjoy JRPGs and TRPs. Real time just isn't for me, overall. Even the pseudo-real time JRPGs aren't my thing.

-April 15th, 2000- -9:10 AM- -Training Grounds, Diluculo Branch 22- Nika observed the trio as they began their battle, arms crossed. From the initial scene, one would think that the battle favored the book wielder, but the major wasn't sure that was the case. Despite his abilities, he looked like the physically weakest of the three. As if a strong breeze could take him out. If his defense was good enough, perhaps Cade would win, but it seemed just as likely that Sergei would take the crown. Casting a glance at Austin, the boy seemed to be the most eager of the three to indulge in combat, even if he wasn't the first to move. Glancing at her watch, Nika sighed and shook her head. That one had a lot to learn. Looking back to the duo she was directly overseeing, Marcel had finished preparing as he addressed her. "Alright, you may begin." After a few attempts, Marcel had managed to cause a twinge of pain in her arm, but nothing beyond mild muscle ache. Curious. The way she read his file, she assumed that the pain was transferred by... "I don't really know which one did it or how long it'll last but that's about all I've tried with it so far, not sure what'll happen if I go for somethin' bigga." "Marcel, I know your celebrating a relieve from your pain, but just so you know, I didn't think pricking yourself with pins up and down your arm caused only slight discomfort. I expected it to hurt. Is there some pain dampener, or...?" Ann asked, hoping someone would fill her in. "Hm... We'll go again." Nika replied to the two, reaching into the cooler to produce a vial full of a dark red gelatin-like substance, "I believe I understand what happened. I noticed you focused on the parts of my body as you applied your Id... So try and focus on me as a 'target' instead. Transfer the pain you feel from your body to my mind, not to my body. If you start to bleed too much, drink that and keep going. I will warn you that it tastes like cherry and iron blended together." ----- -April 15th, 2000- -9:10 AM- -Infirmary, Diluculo Branch 22- "Well, I dunno, I was just told we shouldn't just show our Ids all willy nilly. You all know about so much about our Ids already. Well, I suppose I can make an exception for a fellow scientist." "Please do not be so hard on Major Nika. After al-" "That's classified, Alek." For the first time since the recruits met Maddy that morning, they heard a harsh voice escape her lips. Commanding. It made it clear how she was a captain, in contrast to her normal demeanor. Her face didn't seem to carry the same harsh sentiment as her voice, instead holding a nicer expression. "Right, yes, sorry. Anyway... your Id is quite interesting. Formshifts are quite rare, especially one that involves consuming or fusing with something. I wonder, did your parents have Ids? Or are they Idless? My, there's so much to look into... Ah, but let's come back to this later!" "I can handle the rest," Maddy spoke, the warmth back in her voice, "You two can just watch and I'll handle them. After all, I don't think these girls want to hear you go on too much, thought maybe Raida should stick with you after this. You seem like a great match!" "I suppose so... If that's alright with Raida, I will give him a tour and a general overview later." "Perfect! Now, for you, Akiko..." Akiko gives a small nod, "Truth be told I don't even know if it works as a truth and lie, but that seems to be the way I've been able to... seperate them consciously I guess? I am speaking to Captain Mathilde/I am speaking to the Queen of England, who has knighted the only homosexual Russian in this facility." Maddy listened intently as the showcase went on, hitting pause on a recording device as Akiko finished up. When played back, the first sentence was completely coherent, but the latter was... Gibberish? Pure, unmistakable gibberish. "Well, that's disappointing," Alek interjected after hearing the playback, "I though that Miss Akiko would be good at telecommunications, but it appears I was wrong." "Wrong how?" Maddy cocked her head to the side, "I heard her just fine... Thought it was only the part about 'I am speaking to Captain Mathilde' again." "How strange..." Alek muttered, "You said that you don't know your Id very well, Miss Akiko, but have you tried it with, say, walky talkies? You could step out into the hallway with one, and we can test you in here." "I don't think we have any on hand... If you and Raida want to go secure a pair, we can do that next." "B-but what about Miss Lucia?" Alek pouted, earning a whisper in reply from Maddy. "You can observe her later. Given how she's shifting about, I don't think she's quite comfortable, so please?" With a sigh, Alek walked out, signalling for Raida to follow. Once the boys had left, Maddy turned back to Lucia as she shifted in place with her spider form. The girl reacted in a way that made it seem like she was fully aware of her surroundings, but not necessarily her own form. "How do you feel? Like a webslinger? Is it uncomfortable or anything? And do the spider legs on your back respond? This really is fascinating when it's not just... y'know..." The captain lifted her hand and waved it, laughing softly, "I can tell your eyes work like a spider's, and I'm sure those fangs do... So what can you tell me about it?"

This time, however, Alexandre approached the Dragon Slayer's side and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Sieg...I wanted to apologize again for letting myself go during that training." he stated, bowing slightly. "Like I mentioned, I...have yet to properly control that side of myself. Although, I'm unsure I even can." "Now, now, cut that out.," Lopt hummed softly as he approached the two as they left, tapping his cane on the ground, "After all, it's not like you did it out of nowhere. The goading of others, or even our own thoughts, can cause us to do wild things. I'm sure Sieg here knows that as well, right? So don't be too hard on yourself. No one was hurt. So long as you work on it, all's well that ends well." He stuck with the two as the group entered the town, murmurs from the townsfolk hit his bunny ears, causing them to twitch around. Confusion, sorrow, dread. Seems the recent attack did a number on the town. A bit further in, some of the others began to break off, each their own way. Tapping a finger to his lips Lopt glanced at the general store further down the road. "Well, gentlemen, it seems that the store down there is the only one no one has gone to yet, so I believe I'll head that way. Why don't you tag along, Alex? Perhaps you'll find something interesting in there. Or perhaps a simple distraction. Life's not worth living if you spend it wallowing in regret~" As Lopt turned away and heard towards the store, Alex and Sieg may have noticed a strange spike in his voice at the end, Lopt maintaining his composure externally. However, inside was another story. "Don't get too invested, damn it. You slip when you start caring. They don't need to know what you can do... yet."

Charlie had intended to stay around for the entirety of Clara's address, but with a glance at the clock, they had disappeared without a trace. The next time anyone saw the co-captain, it would be with the teen sprinting wildly across campus, adjusting a neck tie as they did. 10 minutes later, Charlie hunched over in the back of a restaurant, breathing heavily. "Ya alright dere? Not like ya t'be cutting it dis close." "Sorry, sir, my club at school ran long!" The teen brushed their hair in front of a mirror, fixing the damage done in their rush, "Training new recruits and all, it seems like the duel team might actually have a shot this year!" "Ye, and I'm the queen of England," the owner laughed, shaking his head ever so softly, "But hey, if yer leading, maybe ya can do something halfway decent. Now, on da clock!" Charlie puffed their cheeks out as their employer walked away, hurriedly getting themselves in order to head out. As they placed their phone into a locker, they saw a message from Clara. They would have to look at that later. For now, work! ----- Later that night, Charlie stepped into their dorm room as they dried their hair, before tying the towel atop their head and pulling out their phone. "Now, let's see... Ooh, Clara sent that top of the line dueling app! I wonder what cards I can find here..." Charlie flopped onto the bed with their phone held above, scrolling through and reading lots of cards. There were so many they had never seen, never dreamed of owning, yet here they were at their fingertips... Of course, they could only use their own cards in the app, but it still would likely make playtesting much easier. And databases never hurt, either! "Mm... I don't know if I'll even have time to use this!" Charlie laughed as they set the phone aside and stretched out, eyes closing gently, "But maybe it'll be worth it, at least to play with the other team members... Here's hoping."

-April 15th, 2000- -9 AM- -Training Grounds, Diluculo Branch 22- Nika had waited patiently as five of the recruits had piled in. She had expected an even split, but when two of them came as a duo, it became less likely. As her subordinates had entered, the room they found would be about the size of a basketball court, complete with a small set of bleachers on one side of the room. There were hatches on the floor at either end of the long room, as well as what looked to be projectors lining the walls. Curiously, they all seemed to be pointed directly at the ground in front of them, instead of upward. Finally, there was a closet along the same wall as the entrance, sitting open. As the clock struck 9, she picked up a small cooler began to move towards the ones that had gathered, only for Sergei to beat her to the punch. <Good morning, Major,> Nika cocked a brow at the young man as he corrected himself, "Er, good morning. Sergei Shustakov, reporting in for training." "I'm glad you corrected yourself, but please make sure you use English in the future, Shustakov. After all, it's the one language all of you can communicate in, as well as the language quickly on the rise in the world. However, I doubt I have to tell you that." Walking past Sergei with her hands behind her back, Nika positioned herself about the same distance from each of the recruits, before raising her voice. "Well, there are some faces I didn't expect to see here. Can't say I'm upset with that, either, but let's cut to the chase. Laurent, Shustakov, and Rankin will be sparring each other in the center of the room. I would have preferred to have you in one versus ones, but that's not the situation we find ourselves in. Never forget that adapting is important. If you desire weapons for your fight, there are some basic options in the closet just over there, though there are nor fire arms. Once you're all ready to start, go for it. I'll be watching from the bleachers." Turning to the two remaining, Nika motioned to where she was headed. "I understand that you need to pierce your skin in order to activate your Id, Barrett, so I suggest you grab something smaller from the closet. There are some thumbtacks, safety pins, and sewing needles in there just for you. You will be trying to inflict pain on me with your ability while we observe the other three. Similarly, Fernace, you will be joining us... Except I want you to focus on my pain. I want you to tell Barrett when he has successfully caused me so much as discomfort. If I've made myself clear, get to it. You have five minutes to prepare." ----- -April 15th, 2000- -9 AM- -Infirmary, Diluculo Branch 22- When the three who headed to the infirmary arrived, they would find a larger room than the name suggested. Looking more like the pristine ICU of a hospital, a number of gurneys and beds lined the room, as well as a door in the back labeled 'Lab'. "Eh, you three are all? That's a bit of a shame, I wanted to see what that voodoo kid could do." The three who had arrived would hear a male voice from behind them, only to turn around to find both the captain and a blonde man, ever so slightly shorter than her, standing at her side in a lab coat. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his voice before continuing. "However, I am pleased with you three. Two of you are fairly easy to study, while the last of you is quite interesting." "Manners, Alek! You can ramble at them all you want after you properly introduce yourself!" "Ah, yes. I am the officer stationed here in the infirmary, Aleksander Pavlov. Call me Alek. I may be your superior, but you'll find that I'm not fussed about it and easy to get along with. My interests incl-" "Enough Alek! Jesus, you're the perfect opposite of Nika..." Maddy sighed and shook her head, walking in and setting a box with small holes on a desk near the door, "Anyway, our resident medic will be helping me administer tests! After all, Lucia needed his help a bit if she was going to show off, hm~?" "Quite. Here, miss Lucia, take this." Alek handed the latina girl a vial with a light red gelatin jello-like substance inside, "I was told that your Id takes an hour to cool down due to bodily stress, and that you used it this morning. Ingesting this should enable you to be able to use it sooner. Then you'll find a creature in that box Mathilde placed on my desk. Please use your ability on it. Do not worry, it cannot harm you." He then turned to Raida, "Similarly, there are a lot of inanimate objects in this room, ranging from medical equipment to plastic implements. I ask that you show us how your ability works, so that I can analyze the specifics. Just please avoid damaging anything that is vital. I assume you know which is which, given your background." "Aaand that brings us to Akiko!! All you have to do is talk to us, and alternate between which we can hear. Truth for me, lie for Alek. Then the opposite. And then both, if you can! We'll be recording you as you speak, so that we can see how useful you'll be in regards to communications. Seems like the best field for you, with your skill set, hm?" "Please, begin whenever you are ready," Alek spoke barely above a mutter as he grabbed a clipboard, "I'm excited to see what we can learn about how to help each of you."

Decline wanton destruction. It could jeopardize our alliance. Decide to follow after Berserker.

There's plain too many to count. I keep beginning to type something here, but every time I do, I'm kinda... unsure. After all, there's so many pivotal moments in my life. It seems like a rather plain thing to me to have so many. Names? I've got plenty. 820, Phantom, Andx, Jake the Sage, Proto, Ice, Nexev, Kokonoe, Fenrir, Clair, Cherry, Kazooie, BlindMonkey, Fusion, DL, El Make, Creator, Hina, Klavier, Rodrigo, Pika, Chris, Barty, Ashley, PhoenixOfCute, SunshineJesse, CowCow, Sai, Yui, and probably some I've neglected to mention. And that's just YCM/NCM and people I've met through it. Acceptance, rejection, fear, loneliness, hardening, love, friendship, kindness, confusion, adversity, heartbreak, healing, understanding, freedom, and beyond. Games? While the largest once I can wax about is UNDERTALE, plenty have had a serious impact on me. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness/Time/Sky, multiple Zeldas, Bravely, Danganronpa, Fire Emblem, etc. All full of lessons that I've used to come to know myself better. What I truly desire from this life. This world. What I want to do, what I want to see. Who I want to be. Same with other media. The line between fiction and reality blurs for me very, very easily, so getting in touch with works of fiction has been a huge part of my life, especially in getting to know myself. I feel like... if I go into details, I'd be here forever, basically writing an in-depth autobiography. I've done something to that effect before, but it wasn't for public eyes. Maybe I'll edit it...

I guess that's enough waiting. Because then you could capitalize on the types of clothing you love. Also because it comes with riches. My favorite RPG is UNDERTALE... but that's mostly because of emotional resonance and the writing. So I'll skip that and go on to second favorite. That spot is easily both of the Bravely games. I feel like they do a good job of shaking up a JRPG, while being both tongue-in-cheek and a normal plot. The voice acting is often criticized, but I actually enjoy the slightly hammy reads for the game, and stuff like MRGRGR is funny as hell. And I usually hate hammy. Least favorite... Unsure? I think games with no tangible progression system, like the Megaman Battle Network series, tend to age poorly, but they're not exactly things I hate, nor are they what I'd apply here... I hate YIIK as well, but that's because it kinda spits on everything good that games like UNDERTALE, Bravely, or even Octopath have to offer, all while telling the player/viewer that THEY are the one who is wrong. I don't really pay attention to current artists anymore. If I had to pick a name, it'd likely be a youtube remix or cover artist. No shame in what they do, but not sure it's what you were really looking for. I'd like to give special mention to those like RichaadEB, Lollia, or Man on the Internet, though. Yep! I'm Blake, and Blake is me!

Might do a recording if I feel like it, but yeah, feels like a nice follow up to the buddy quiz. I'm also sleeping soon, but bursting with excitement over upcoming things and projects.

4 isn't so bad

a 5 out of 10 is fine

ayyy i got 4 of them right