tippler 2022/06/14(Tue)16:58 No. 1034996 ID: eedbeb
File 165525110489.png - (109.27KB , 500x500 , p52.png )

You have a vague recollection of some famous chef named Caesar, but you DOUBT it’s the same guy.

Myriad: Is your boss also a professor?
Normal: Yeah he is, this is a research project, we’re going to get lots of credit.
Myriad: So you said you wanted to study me, what exactly about me are you studying? I have a pretty underwhelming POWER.
Guy: We learned you use it a ton though, and that’s why you’re so–so–
Normal: CORRUPTED. You’re almost a demon yourself! You’re way ahead of most of the other AWAKENED, but if we can show that you’re turning into a demon then they’ll push up the timeline for the BIG DAY.
Myriad: Can you tell me a little more about Caesar? What does he look like?
Normal: He’s kind of like a big noodle with lots of thin arms. Very handsome.

These ANGELS are terrible and you hate them.

A. Kill: Pull the OCTUPLE GRENADE MANEUVER on these clowns. Four clones will die, but can be retrieved. Both ANGELS will be slain and the BASE with all the CRATES will be destroyed. Afterwards, your tasks will continue without major interruption.

B. Business as Usual: Guy and Normal will follow you around and be annoying while you try to sell and obtain CRATES. You can’t have Earle and Zuri nearby while they’re there, and Agis and Big Momma will be unsettled. You’ll be unable to gain additional allies.

C. Attempt Rehabilitation: You’ll quit your current CRATE collection duties and try to educate Guy and Normal on how to not be insane. You can still send out the crates you currently have. This is the wild card option.

Can't rehabilitate something that has zero ability to think for itself. These things are mentally and emotionally crippled.

B, then A. Get the crates sold, keep two grenades, octuple grenade them later when there's less nearby to destroy.

C seems... interesting. They subscribe to the Path of [PURITY] (which I'm sure you'll find out if you talk to them further), yet think killing dudes and wearing their skin as a fur coat is somehow a-ok for their immortal soul. There's a contradiction here that isn't a contradiction to them, and figuring out why that is will be step one. If it's anything like the "we think you're turning into a demon" bombshell... (Do update the others with that info; it might shed some light on the red-eyed clone situation.)

Oh, and needless to say that you're keeping them isolated from society until you're sure that reintroducing them is no longer a massive mistake.

Fortunately, the power of clones means you don't actually have to stop doing your crate operation; just gotta find a separate place to do your "talks with angels" project.

>>1034995
They really are Nazis.

>>1034998
Seconded. You aren't exactly a paragon of light after all your theft.
At least you're not turning into an Angel.

Also, play along. Whether or not they're insane, this is intel you can't pass up. Ask the two about the strengths and weaknesses of demons. Do they live forever? What does the average demon do to torture mortals? How long does it take for a virtuous soul in Heaven's University to graduate to an angel? Are mortal souls destroyed when eaten by spirit monsters?
The moment you feel uncomfortable, turn around and give them a great big hug while you unplug the grenades.

C. as >>1035000 said, we can still probably rehabilitate them somewhere private while the clone we sent out is doing crate duty, we will just be down one clone slot. Just leave a note for your clone for when Big Momma and you clone get back to let them know the situation, and that you'll be trying to teach these knuckleheads some morality somewhere private. (if it's not possible, we can probably just send out the crates, we have enough to send at least one of the two clones out to help us with the rescue mission, hay or pellet. I'm thinking pellet for when we decide to go do the rescue mission with her, they won't see a demon possessed Hay, but we'll probably decide who to send later)

And who knows, if rehabilitation is possible, they could become an unlikely ally... an annoying unlikely ally, and we get the opportunity to learn more about angels and demons.

Really, they are dummies, and since they are freshmen, we can still teach them right from wrong as it could be possible they are not totally brainwashed from Caesar's teachings.

Wow, I hate them.

Tentative C, but keep A very much on the table. Take a gamble that they are indoctrinated sheep that need a reality check instead of a pair of assholes that need to be taken out immediately. If you can't make any progress with them however, then you've just gotta take them out. Keep an itchy trigger finger, as it's better to succeed at taking them out than it'd be to fail and let them go back to their bosses with proof that the BIG DAY should come sooner.

>>1034998

Absolutely not this. This sounds like the option in which we get it all, which means this is the option most likely to result in something frustrating happening later to punish us for being greedy. Make a sacrifice now, or else I promise either those angels will head home earlier than we expect, getting the data they were looking for, or some complication will make us have to risk something more important than the crates to kill the angels, putting us in a worse place than we started.

This ain't easy street people, this is a Tippler quest. Make your sacrifices early, or pay double down the line.

>>1035009
>option in which we get it all, which means this is the option most likely to result in something frustrating happening later to punish us for being greedy. Make a sacrifice now, or else I promise either those angels will head home earlier than we expect, getting the data they were looking for, or some complication will make us have to risk something more important than the crates to kill the angels, putting us in a worse place than we started.

Yeah, good point. With that in mind, it's probably not worth it to attempt C and B and have a clone continue crate work while we distract the angels with teaching them, let alone A and B. Financial management was real fun, but... yeah, sadly, we might get punished for being greedy for doing both C and B. The worst case scenario I can think of for doing both B and C is that another one of our clones becomes a demon from using our powers too much, making us more of a target to the angels. not using our clone powers for the rest of the time we rehabilitate the two angels might reduce that risk.

I'm going to bank that working on rehabilitating the angels while just sending the crates to pellet or hay might lead to something good if we manage to do this right.

Still thinking we should just give the supplies to Pellet as when the rescue mission comes and Normal and Guy decide to follow us to the military compound, they won't risk seeing demon clone from Hay, causing them to schedule the "BIG DAY" closer.

Main reason why I picked C: other angels might get suspicious if we kill Normal and Guy, making Myriad and her clones more of a target to the angels, and B will just have Guy and Normal continue investigating us until they find more concrete evidence from us. Best to do C and hope we can get them off of Caesar's brainwashing.

Ask them if the whole "turning into a demon" thing is related to ACHIEVEMENTS.

>not doing it now will mean we can't do it later, or we'll have to suffer more to do it later
>can't try to use a clone to rehabilitate them and sell the crates at the same time
I feel like this kind of metagaming is the self-defeating kind.
We *already* used clones once before to work around limitations. That is, in fact, the whole goddamn point of the quest, to leverage clones to do shit that would be unreasonable otherwise.

That said, there is a baked-in disadvantage to using clones for long projects like this. Other Myriads lose access to those clone slots! If a different Myriad gets attacked while we're using up clone slots, they could die.

>>1034939
Hmm smarts can be aquired by the other branches gobbling up the smart ones but then into buff bodies

>>1035052
Also depending on the amount needed could one not kill and eat your clones in a emergency too keep main body alive?

tippler 2022/06/15(Wed)16:55 No. 1035084 ID: 9ea24b
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>C, with a clone doing B
You’re going to take a risk here and branch off from CC so you can try to understand the ANGELS and hopefully teach them that murder is bad. CC will get you a very low-end used COMM and you’ll need to come up with a CODENAME that is rabbit food related. The number of available clone slots will drop to THREE.

This way CC will get PP and HH their necessary supplies using methods consistent with what she’s been doing before while you get to know Normal and Guy. She’ll even give you a report of her activities each time of day.

You do not have any allies, though you have access to the same food, water, weapons, and shelter as CC. Everyone has a lower opinion of you for associating with the ANGELS.

>MORNING report
CC returns to BASE at lunch and you fill her in on the new developments. She looks taken aback and concerned, but you’re similar enough that she eventually understands your reasoning and promises to buy you a shitty COMM for around 100 BUX. She couldn’t find any magical artifacts in the MARKET that were going for less than 500 BUX, so now she’s going to sell one of each CRATE and send the rest to HAY to complete the fighting rabbits’ needs.

You thank her for understanding and return to Normal and Guy, who are buzzing with excitement that you still want to talk to them.

tippler 2022/06/15(Wed)16:55 No. 1035085 ID: 9ea24b
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>More clone questions
If you ABSORBED a knowledgeable clone like PP, you’d gain some but not all of her smarts. Similarly you wouldn’t be as buff as HH if you ABSORBED her. There are some losses in any merge between two DIFFERENT clones.

>Could you kill and eat your clones in an emergency?
Great line of thinking, yes you could but you’d get fucked in the mental health department.

>More ANGEL questions
Myriad: Does this turning into a demon thing have anything to do with ACHIEVEMENTS?
Guy: Caesar said it does, so yeah, it does. You still have ONE achievement to go before you can turn into a DEMON, though you’ll also need some extra STIMULUS.
Myriad: So if DEMONS are bad, and I’m turning into a one, I don’t see this ending very well for me.
Normal: Oh. I didn’t think about that, but I bet we can SAVE you before it gets too serious. You’re helping us so we should help you!
Myriad: Gee, that’s real considerate. Are you guys really that strong?
Guy: We’re not, but Caesar is much higher level than us and once we GRADUATE we’ll be higher level too.
Normal: Maybe enough to have our own soldiers…Those NASTY Demons have all kinds of weird gross POWERS, if we fought an average demon right now we’d probably DIE.

The pair collectively shiver at the thought.

What is your new CODENAME? How do you want to structure your EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS? For example, you could make it something like a kindergarten class where you give the lads minor rewards for small acts of good (stickers) and also rank them on a class behavior system for naughtiness.

Codename: Veggie Vorer

Teaching Method: How about your start with the Socratic Method? You don't agree with their beliefs, you think that they're fundamentally flawed, and you'd like them to see that too. If you just tell them that they're wrong though, then they'll have to choose between whether to trust you or people they probably have more respect for. So instead, make them point out the flaws in their own beliefs by asking them questions.

Example:

Myriad: "Why is killing angels a sin?"
Them: "Because angels are good, and don't deserve to be purged."
Myriad: "So killing good people is wrong?"
Them: "Yes."
Myriad: "What makes angels good?"
Them: "They just are. Like how demons are just bad."
Myriad: "So morality is decided by species?"
Them: "Yeah, obviously."
Myriad: "What if a demon performed all of the acts that you have done, or another angel done the acts that you have purged demons for. Would the acts be good or bad depending on species, or would the angels doing wrong be bad and the demons doing right be good?"
Them: "...An angel wouldn't do things demons would."
Myriad: "Do angels lack free will?"
Them: "No?"
Myriad: "So is it impossible for an angel to do immoral actions?"
Them: "Theoretically no-"
Myriad: "Then there's nothing wrong with my theoretical example then, is there?"
Them: "...No."
Myriad: "So: Are the actions moral/immoral, or are the people performing the actions moral/immoral?"

And so on and so forth. These two don't seem like they've put much consideration into their morality, so eventually they're very likely to either contradict themselves, or reach a conclusion that they don't agree with despite their previous answers all leading straight towards it. Once that happens, they'll be more willing to listen to what you have to say, or at least start mulling over it themselves.

>>1035098
Agreed. This has the added benefit of quickly revealing EXACTLY how deep the moon-logic rabbit hole goes. Be careful; it could go way deeper than the above example implies. Be prepared to discard assumptions even more basic than the ones the angels have already shown themselves to be flying in the face of; for instance, they could believe that lacking free will is an ideal to strive for, or that actions can't redeem or condemn you from being a particular species (at least not without a physical shift from that species).

Also, don't go full-throttle adversarial with this method the whole time. Take breaks to genuinely explain stuff like a friend would if they want clarification. Ease into the Socratic method when it's their turn to explain stuff, giving them a chance to say their piece before you begin in earnest. If the angels believe you're genuinely engaging with them without hostility, they'll be more open to listening.

Rabbits LOVE bananas.
Banana biter.
Oh wait, this is CATALYST world. It would be long yellow not banana.
Screw it, support Himitsu's name idea.

Anyway, I would also support the Socratic Method, with maybe rewarding them with candy every now and then whenever they make some progress. If this method works and we fulfill this goal, these angels can bring our teaching methods to other angels and maybe something might change. They seem passionate enough to make that change to angel's way of thinking if we can steer them in that direction

some thoughts for the future, if we need one more achievement, and it's what we assume is losing all our clones, then maybe we just don't have to lose our clones. Maybe if we let them know after we teach them murdering innocent lives is wrong about what exactly our last achievement is, then they can help prevent it by helping with the rescue mission. I think we'll cross that bridge when we get there though, no need to mention this this early on.

But a theory in CATALYST story as to why Angels would want to kill people after the demon war, if people have awakened abilities, they'd want to kill them so that they don't become demons themselves.

tippler 2022/06/16(Thu)08:42 No. 1035125 ID: 9ea24b
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>Veggie Viewer
>Socratic Method, Q&A time
It’s getting hot on the sand in the sun, so you grudgingly bring Normal and Guy inside. Normal rubs dead fox grease all over the furniture.

Myriad: I want to ask some questions about your beliefs and what you learn at COLLEGE.
Normal: You’re totally trying to change our minds, aren’t you?
Guy: We won’t fall for that, but we’ll answer your questions if you promise to come with us to see Caesar soon.
Myriad: I mean, I was already planning to go to the military COMPOUND in a few days.
Normal: Yes yes yes, good.
Myriad: I even have these small ROCK CANDIES for rewards when you answer honestly.
Guy: We’re always honest! That candy is as good as ours.

You sigh and fetch the bag of brightly colored sugar jewels from the food stash.

Myriad: Why is killing angels a sin?
Guy: Because angels are good and PURE and help heal the world.
Myriad: Okay, so killing good people is wrong?
Normal: Yes, if they’re truly good.
Myriad: What if a DEMON is good? Or even a KIN?
Normal: Um, but they’re not. DEMONS are bad and KIN are sinful.
Myriad: Do ANGELS never sin?
Guy: Well sometimes they have to punish students who mess up, but we’re still learning so it's okay.
Myriad: Can you give me an example?
Guy: Well Normal has made mistakes before–
Normal: UGH.
Guy: He’s supposed to PROTECT me in our practice battles but sometimes he gets carried away and beats up our opponents.

You follow this particular line of thought for a while. It seems like ANGELS have free will and inherently believe in PURITY, but are indoctrinated at their school to accept violence towards others to fulfill their goals. Some, like Normal, are more bloodthirsty, but both accept the teachings of their professor and whatever other higher AUTHORITY exists in ANGEL land.

tippler 2022/06/16(Thu)08:42 No. 1035126 ID: 9ea24b
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>AFTERNOON report
CC returns in the evening to give you your COMM (-100). She explains that she shipped two rations CRATES and one weapons CRATE to HH (-210) and sold one of each crate (+750). Unfortunately, two BRAWLS broke out, one with the sailors who rightfully suspected CC of stealing and another with suspicious DOCKINGTON residents. No one was injured in the first BRAWL but Agis’ arm was broken in the second, making him unable to fight or carry crates in the near future. She’s planning to buy two rations crates and steal three weapons crates tonight with Big Momma (-60) and her own clone power. This should ensure she can get PP her crates by the morning of DAY 8, thus leaving plenty of time for everyone to travel to the COMPOUND on DAY 9.

You type out a lengthy message to the group describing what you’ve learned.

>Chat Log 17:45
Hay Haver: Okay, so RED Myriad is our demon form but we can’t use her until we get our last ACHIEVEMENT, which involves being alive with no clone slots.
Pellet Purveyor: I think we also have to be alone. No other Myriads.
Carrot Crammer: We’re trying to avoid that anyway since it’s what the ANGELS want.

>Chat Log 17:47
Hay Haver: Yeah, let's go fuck up this CAESAR guy, retrieve LL and GG, and be done with it.
Veggie Viewer: But if we kill him the other ANGELS will be upset and might send more soldiers to kill us.
Hay Haver: What are we supposed to do then? Ignore the problem and hope it goes away?
Veggie Viewer: I don’t know.
Pellet Purveyor: If these are the things attacking LYST I’m worried about our sisters.

Without drastic intervention on your part, the other three Myriads will meet on DAY 9 with the intent to kill Caesar. Normal and Guy currently expect you to go with CC but then cooperate with Caesar after arriving. What follow up questions would you like to ask the ANGELS this evening?

"Okay, so the point I'm getting at is that you have FREE WILL, meaning angels are capable of doing bad things. Assuming demons and kin also have FREE WILL, they're capable of doing good things. I guess what I'm asking is; do actions actually matter, or is morality solely based in what you are? If it's the latter, why do you care to act on the world around you at all if you're already saved?"

"What is PURITY? How is it defined, and who decides that? Who decided that it should be the metric by which GOOD and EVIL are measured? Because from this humble mortal's perspective, IMPURITY is a bit more complicated than 'being the wrong species' or 'premarital sex.' Most folks would say that taking a life - no matter the reason - taints the soul something fierce."

> Veggie Viewer

Coward.

You've got the groundwork there to make them think about whether morality is inherited or the result of actions. Follow up on that.

If you can make them acknowledge that actions are what matter, then take it further and ask what the difference between good and bad people are if both occasionally do good and bad things. Is NORMAL a good person even though he goes too far on missions? Would a kin who steals bread to feed her children be a bad person, even if the crime had a good intention?

If you really want to make them think: How does intention relate to morality? If I did something with good intentions, and something bad results of it, was my action good or bad? Like if I make my friend a peanut butter and jelly for lunch, but she ends up being allergic and has a bad reaction to it?

What if I do something with evil and selfish intentions, but something good comes out of it? Like if I kill somebody so that I can take their wallet, but my victim was planning on setting a bomb off a bomb at city hall. Am I a hero for saving all the people who would have died there, or am I a loser crook who took a life to make a quick buck?

And what about accidents? Like if I accidentally drop my glasses off a bridge, someone below it catches them and looks through them, and they suddenly realize that they need glasses. Have I really done anything good if I didn't know I was doing it?

How do our intentions affect our morality? Does it only matter that we mean well, or that we do well? Or is it both?

And if only meaning well and doing well make an act good, which feels like the quick answer they'd give, then does that mean that the only evil acts are when somebody has poor intentions and hurts people as a result? What does that mean for all the people who are trying their best but coming up short?

So if angels are capable of making the mistakes of sinning just like kin do like the mistakes Normal made, but be forgiven for it since they're still learning and not receive death for their mistakes, why can't kin be forgiven for the mistakes they made as well since they could still be taught or still be learning themselves like angels could?

If angels are worried kin might be sinning too much, why not build colleges churches based off of cheaching PURITY in Faunus to teach them the dangers of sin and demons, and lower the amount of kins who sin a significant amount, and lower the amount of how much they sin? Especially if kin can make mistakes like angels do?

What about kins who have done a significant amount of good deeds, but have still sinned even if the good deeds they have done outweigh the sins? in fact, here's an example: what if a kin who has sinned does something to SAVE an angel? are they still incapable of being forgiven?

What do angels get out of killing sinful kin? do they get points for "cleansing" the world of sin? is there alternatives like changing the world for the better that doesn't involve killing which could help spread the word to prevent corruption and prevent sin... like say, changing the world with that purity college building idea for kin and starting a religion to steer kin from sin or demons? points for cleansing might be Karma points if SHARDS is anything to go by since you can get karma by making significant changes to the world, or killing a lot.

(note to self: finally contact our sisters the day before we meet Caesar, and we'll decide from there whether we'll go to LYST or stay here...)

(also, feel free to omit any questions since this might be a lot, these were just ideas)

to add on to the church idea, if they say that Kin can't be taught not to sin, tell them that they actually taught you that you were being corrupted and might become a demon, and thanks to learning that, you're going to be doing what you can to prevent becoming a demon with that knowledge you didn't know before since if you didn't learn this fact, you would have kept going. and if other kin are taught that they could be corrupted by powers like you do now, they can prevent others and themselves from becoming too corrupted like you did, and like how you're now trying to prevent from getting worse.

tippler 2022/06/16(Thu)15:41 No. 1035165 ID: 9ea24b
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>Philosophical mastermind
Now that you have a better understanding of the lads, you have all kinds of hypothetical ethical scenarios without clear answers that will surely throw them into doubt. After an uncomfortable dinner where Normal and Guy insist on sitting at the table, you settle back down for more deep intellectual discussion.

Myriad: Going back to that example where Normal misbehaves during spars, what if his actions make your team win?
Guy: Winning is GOOD but he still disobeyed, which is BAD.
Myriad: Would that good ever outweigh the bad? What if he saved you by taking a risk?

Guy looks uncertain for a moment, or at least as far as you can tell from a magical being with eyes on his shoulders whose body is totally covered.

Guy: I’d have to ask a professor.
Myriad: Okay, so professors decide what’s RIGHT and WRONG.
Normal: There’s a ranking system, y’know, with the levels. Higher level ANGELS get more say. Guy: When you make a mistake, your superior can FORGIVE you.
Myriad: Who’s the highest ranking ANGEL then?
Normal: There’s a few who are really strong, but the one in charge of most young ANGELS is DADDY.
Myriad: What.
Normal: That’s his title. He’s our Daddy.
Myriad: Is this a sex thing?
Guy: No! That’s disgusting, you KIN have such dirty minds.
Myriad: I’m sorry, I misspoke, is this a kink thing?
Guy: I don’t know what that means, but it’s especially important that we follow Daddy’s orders. He defines PURITY for us and gathers EGGS from across the different worlds to bring more ANGELS to the college.

You have a sudden vision of a large stork carrying a baby in a cloth with its beak.

tippler 2022/06/16(Thu)15:42 No. 1035166 ID: 9ea24b
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Myriad: FAUNUS doesn’t have, uh, a Daddy like you do. How are we supposed to be FORGIVEN if there’s no one to forgive us?
Normal: So what? You people just aren’t special enough to have a Daddy. The DEMONS already got to your WORLDPLATE first so it’d be way too much work to try and fix everyone.
Myriad: I don’t know what a WORLDPLATE is but I’m pretty sure FAUNUS is a planet.
Normal: What does that mean?
Myriad: Uh, we’re like, a round rock spinning in space? Not plate-like at all.
Normal:
Guy:
Normal: Sure…

This is taxing work, so you pour yourself a cold glass of beer and give a heavy sigh.

Myriad: You’re higher ranking than me, can’t you make a decision about my morality? I’m helping you on something really important, which is GOOD enough that you want to SAVE me.
Guy: Yeah, that’s true, we are BETTER than you!
Normal: Yes, I’m glad you’ve realized your place.
Guy: And we say that you are REDEEMING yourself by being nice even though you are still very DIRTY.

Progress, in a weird way. You’re starting to get a headache so you call it an early evening and wait for CC to return.

>EVENING report
CC returns with the three weapons CRATES without a scratch. Big Momma is unharmed as well. Having a smaller party helped them sneak past the sailors, even with an additional guard.

Who do you dream about?
A. PP
B. HH
C. A mysterious motherly presence…

C, we just learned about Daddy, now to learn about Mommy

The angel boss is a Daddy, not a Mommy, so there shouldn't be too much danger in C.

C.

Motherly presence... Mizz Es?

Wait, just remembered this: https://questden.org/kusaba/questarch/res/1006261.html#1007816

>You look up for some reason and see a pair of eyes. You feel like you’ve seen them before. It’s got almost a MOTHERLY feel to it, but you don’t quite understand why it is you feel that way about it.

MOTHERLY... If it's not Mizz Es... then the motherly presence gotta be...

SET??? https://questden.org/kusaba/questarch/res/993796.html#998714

Okay, im overthinking it.

C.

tippler 2022/06/17(Fri)09:58 No. 1035231 ID: 9ea24b
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>C
As you sleep, you reach out in your mind for anything that could help you get through to Normal and Guy. You thought reasoning with them would work, but at the first sign of self-doubt they retreated behind this nebulous ultimate authority DOM BIRD entity. What’s a simple kin supposed to do? At least the ANGELS seem to like you, in a patronizing way.

You find yourself sitting in a classroom while the feline teacher and a canine, one of your classmate’s mom, talk. They’re both hotties. You’re doodling on the front of your MATH homework, waiting for them to finish so you can ask teach a couple questions, turn it in, and leave.

Set: No disrespect ma’am, but it’s like you’re not even trying. The other LORDS have mobilized their forces while you’re still fussing around with the MORTALS.
Mizz Es: I…maybe I’m just too old to FIGHT nowadays. I’d be happy to support you if you want to ally with your SON.
Set: He’s made good progress but I fear it won’t be enough. I will stand with him though, wherever he chooses to go.
Mizz Es: Good.
Set: I see you have a STUDENT here. I’m sure you’re eager to HELP her, let us discuss business later.

The canine walks into the star scattered darkness that lies around the edges of the classroom.

tippler 2022/06/17(Fri)09:58 No. 1035232 ID: 9ea24b
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The woman smiles at you and you feel less nervous. You’re good at math so you always enjoyed this class, especially when the teacher praised you for still working hard when you could take it easy and goof off with some of the other students.

Myriad: Hello, I’m having some trouble with question 9.
Mizz Es: Let me see, ah, well the way you’ve solved the equation works fine. There’s more than one right answer to this problem.
Myriad: Oh, ok, I might change it then, I don’t like my current solution. Um, can I also ask you for some advice about a personal question?
Mizz Es: Certainly, my dear.
Myriad: I’m tutoring these two boys, and they have a teacher who’s taught them how to do things completely wrong! They won’t even listen to me when I try to help. It’s so frustrating.

Mizz Es’ toothy smile turns into something like a grimace for a split second.

Mizz Es: I know who you’re talking about. I don’t say this lightly, but that BIRD is a terrible educator and a massive HYPOCRITE. Unfortunately he has tenure, so I’m afraid I’ll have to put up with him whenever we cross paths in the teacher’s lounge for several more millenia.
Myriad: I just want to help these kids learn.
Mizz Es: That’s an admirable sentiment, but a difficult task. I will say these two boys are very fond of you already, and even if they aren’t learning logical problem solving they still benefit from having a good influence to show them a different path.
Myriad: I don’t know how good of an influence I can be when I’m only here for a few more days.
Mizz Es: It’s up to you, but I’d keep spending time with them.

You wake up the next morning to see Normal and Guy watching you intently from next to the sofa. You groan and look around. Seems like you slept in and CC is already gone.

>Complicating Event: HH
You read through the chat logs and frown. It looks like HH had to use clones for a battle with a DUNGEON beast last night and summoned RED Myriad again. She didn’t have as bad of a headache this time, but afterwards her powers stopped working and she can’t use clones any more.

What would you like to do this morning?

Have breakfast with your angel companions. If Math Mommy believes in you, then you have to keep trying.

Present a hypothetical. A horrible demon attack takes place, and every angel above Normal and Guy is obliterated in a brutal war. Tragic, rest their souls. That means Normal and Guy are at the top of the foodchain now though.

So here's the question: What is now right? You can no longer run your moral quandaries by Daddy, and by all accounts you are the ones in charge.

Are you allowed to change the rules? If so, then what does that mean for the concept of goodness itself if it can be influenced by the whims of whoever the top angel is? Is there no such thing as a truly right action if different management might have different opinions?

If not, then that would mean you have to follow everything you learned from Daddy, right? But do you remember everything? Didn't you just say that you would need to talk to a professor for one of our hypotheticals yesterday? What do you do when you aren't sure what your professors or Daddy would do in a situation? Do you have to guess, and hope you give the advice that they would?

Final question: Who taught Daddy, and how much of what Daddy teaches matches what his teachers would say?

If it's even 1% off, then try bumping the question up. If his teacher was 1% off of his teacher, and his teacher's teacher was 1% off of his teacher... In the end, how much has what is right shifted over time? And what does it mean that it even CAN shift? If an angel 100 generations before you was taught something completely different, what does that mean for the actions angels take now?

And if you want to say that it's remained fully consistent, then let's come back to the first question. You're suddenly put up top. Can you perfectly match the teachings of your Daddy?

Okay, so we hit a roadblock, but at least we've identified it; their professors have an overwhelming advantage in the "Ethos" corner of the argumentative theatre. Also, their alien experiences will likely make any Pathos argument you make against their path fizzle, as they know literally nothing else.

The solutions are obvious when you think about it: attack that Ethos directly, making them doubt the reasoning behind those professors having any unbiased and verifiable authority on the subject of morality; second, as Mizz Es seemed to imply, we need to actually present an alternative answer to what's good vs. evil (possibly multiple) instead of just shooting down what they do know without addressing the core issue they're clearly concerned with.

So point out the circular reasoning they've surely been fed about why the "authorities" in their life are the only ones allowed to forgive and dictate what's moral, and show them that the definition of morality they were given is far from the only one.

I think the first part can easily be torn down the same way one would dispel the social contract theory.

"So here's another hypothetical; if this 'Daddy' of yours has free will, that means it's feasibly possible for him to mess up. Who forgives him, in that case?" And who forgives he who forgives Daddy? And so on, and so forth.

As for the latter, maybe avoid pointing out the "DESIRE is GOOD, PURITY is EVIL" alternative some people in your world almost certainly believe in. Maybe just point out that it's considered common sense among mortals that COMPASSION is unequivocally GOOD while MURDER is always considered BAD for the soul, no matter how justified the reason. "Not that I haven't done that, but I still wish there were other ways to resolve it. Maybe I could have talked out my differences with someone, you know? Changing minds is a lot easier when you aren't trying to kill each other."

Tell Hay you suspect the red eyed myriad deactivated her powers so that it would ensure we'd get that final achievement, which means we probably shouldnt absorb hay during the rescue mission even if she dies or else we might suffer not activating clones. Tell her to stop doing more missions and rest up for the rescue mission coming up along with her troops. They deserve a break.

Whoa! I just had a rare a-ha moment!

Okay, so if we want to show that higher ranking angels like Caesar or Daddy could be wrong about stuff, what if at some point we show PROOF that something they taught these angels are incorrect.

And we already have one: their belief that we are living on a flat WORLDPLATE, not a round WORLDBALL

If the higher ranking angels taught these angels that this is a worldplate, and we prove them wrong, that could be a way to get them to start questioning their beliefs and wonder if other things are wrong.

We can do it in a future update, but just something we gotta try sooner or later. To show proof, we can show video proof and pics on a comm (time-lapse videos of the world rotating like a ball for example) or take them to a library.

tippler 2022/06/17(Fri)17:16 No. 1035252 ID: 9ea24b
File 165551137228.png - (147.01KB , 500x500 , p61.png )

>Question authority
You make a hot breakfast and share it with Normal and Guy. They’re sloppy eaters, but very enthusiastic. You get the bright idea to show them pictures of FAUNUS from outer space on your COMM to prove it’s a sphere before returning to the sofa.

Myriad: Alright, time for more hypothetical scenarios. What if you two were assigned to be the head ANGELS of some planet like FAUNUS, you had what you learned from Daddy but you were on your own afterwards, without CONTACT from other ANGELS.
Normal: I like the sound of that.
Guy: Yeah!
Myriad: So what would you do?
Normal: Kill!!! Eat the bad demons!!!
Guy: Blast ‘em!
Myriad: Okay, let’s say you’re fighting a strong DEMON and Normal, you can kill him but if you do Guy will get seriously hurt and would die.
Normal: Well I’d kill him so fast Guy wouldn’t get hurt.
Myriad: He’s very sneaky and wicked so he has, uh, a POWER where he has revenge damage.
Normal: I’d still kill him if he’s so wicked.
Guy: Hey, but I’d die! I don’t want that.
Normal: I wouldn’t die, so I’m stronger, so what I say is the rules!
Guy: That’s not fair…

Guy seems legitimately upset, so you take a short break to go to the beach and make sandcastles. You drop a few follow-up questions about how they can be sure Daddy is being fair if there’s no one to disagree with him, but try to keep it subtle.

tippler 2022/06/17(Fri)17:16 No. 1035253 ID: 9ea24b
File 165551138127.png - (97.06KB , 500x500 , p62.png )

>MORNING Report
CC successfully sold the extra weapons CRATE without issue (+450) and sent four crates to PP to arrive tomorrow morning (-280). She paid Big Momma for her support (-20) and heard from Agis that Bessie has stabilized and will make a full recovery. Since everyone will be ready to go by midday tomorrow, the plan is for Big Momma to drive CC and you to the military compound tomorrow afternoon, expected arrival around midnight. The collected Myriads will form a plan to take out Caesar once everyone is there. PP will bring ALLIES and HH will bring a variety of ARTIFACTS thanks to their full availability.

CC wants to relax a bit after working hard for several days, so she takes Big Momma on a city outing while you continue to suffer.

You’re about to resume your efforts when you hear a ringing sound. Guy puts his hand to his head like he’s answering the phone and Normal fusses around him, trying to get near the crisp voice and strange clicking coming from the ANGEL’s palm.

Guy: Hello Professor! We’ve secured a cooperative Myriad and we’ll return to base tomorrow night with her. All the other Myriads are planning to converge there as well.
Caesar: Excellent work, I hope you didn’t injure her too much. I need the sample intact.
Guy: She’s fine, very healthy. We just had lunch.
Caesar: I’m impressed, how did you manage to convince her?
Normal: We told her what ANGELS were about and she understood what we’re doing is super important and good.
Caesar: Is that so? Interesting.
Normal: Professor, we have some questions about Daddy. Who taught him about PURITY?
Caesar: He embodies PURITY and dispenses his eternal knowledge to his flock.
Normal: Okay, but what if he makes a mistake? Or gets entangled in an ambiguous moral situation?
Caesar: There are no ambiguous situations. There is one TRUTH that we are working to fulfill. You’d do well to listen to your superiors and not challenge my words.
Normal: But you said this was a WORLDPLATE and Myriad says it's a planet. She even showed us pictures. You were wrong.

Do you:
A. Interject and make yourself known to Caesar (he’ll want to talk to you in PRIVATE)
B. Stay quiet and see what he has to say to Normal and Guy

A, Interject! If you don't, he's going to give them some bullshit lines that they will immediately be won over by.

>>1035255
Either that or he's about to resolve this for us by expelling them over the phone. Holy cow, this is a high-stakes decision... Though then again, we could always make the sacrifice play if they become hostile. B.

B) Let Caesar's mask slip a little. But be ready to interrupt if he says anything that isolates Guy and Normal from... well, normal guys. Stuff like "it is a sin to communicate with the damned" or "you cannot sympathize with the servants of evil".

Y'know what, y'all make good points. I'll swap to B, and agree that it'd be best to just talk to them afterwards and react to whatever he says.

tippler 2022/06/17(Fri)21:05 No. 1035288 ID: 9ea24b
File 165552515567.png - (130.00KB , 500x500 , p63.png )

>B
You stay silent. You’re curious to hear Caesar’s reaction to his underling’s newfound contrariness. If it sounds like things are going south you can always SPEAK UP.

Caesar: I suppose I may have made a small factual error. The celestial status of FAUNUS is not terribly important to the mission.
Normal: You said there’s one TRUTH, but you don’t even know basic stuff.
Caesar: I am not OMNISCIENT, yes. Is there a point to this line of questioning?
Normal: If me and Guy are both fighting a DEMON that has revenge damage powers would it be wrong of me to kill him?
Caesar: What are you talking about?
Guy: Normal thinks he’s stronger so he gets to do whatever he WANTS. Tell him he’s wrong!

You shed a single tear of pride at raising your boys to be this incredibly fucking annoying. Caesar, perhaps sensing his loss of control over the situation, makes a swift pivot.

Caesar: Once we complete this mission I’ll make sure you both are RECOGNIZED and REWARDED by the entire college. Who knows, maybe even ugh Daddy will come to congratulate you.
Guy: O:
Normal: O:
Caesar: Just make sure you bring Myriad to me and I will handle things from there. I must go now to make preparations for the battle.
Guy: We will! Thank you for calling us!

tippler 2022/06/17(Fri)21:06 No. 1035289 ID: 9ea24b
File 165552516671.png - (133.85KB , 500x500 , p64.png )

The ANGELS are useless wriggling larvae of excitement for the rest of the afternoon. They chatter about the awards they might win and how their classmates will be in awe of their new prestige. You were impressed by how they questioned Caesar, but slightly disappointed that they were distracted so easily by nebulous promises of glory.

>AFTERNOON Report
CC confides in you that Big Momma does indeed have a functioning pseudopenis.

What would you like to do this evening?

I think It's time.
Time to contact our sisters.
From there, we will decide if after the mission we want to stay, or go to Lyst maybe.
It all depends on where the conversation will lead really... and if we survive

Yeah contacting your sisters might be a good idea, you have information they might want. Also you might be dying soon.

You should re-merge for a minute and experience that big momma memory for yourself

I will also support contacting your sisters. Maybe bring up that one of your clones got some, Andrea would like that.

tippler 2022/06/18(Sat)11:05 No. 1035313 ID: 9ea24b
File 165557555271.png - (95.86KB , 500x500 , p65.png )

>MERGE with CC to experience the Big Momma SEX memories
It’s tempting, but the desire to recombine should be mutual and you don’t think CC would want to mix psyches based on a fairly FRIVOLOUS desire. RED Myriad seems to be an exception to this rule, but for the ordinary Myriads it pays to be sensible.

>Call sisters
You have their numbers memorized, despite not having talked to them in, GODDESS, at least a couple years. Andrea will be awake no matter the TIME ZONE difference and you sit at the kitchen table with CC and use her higher quality COMM to make the call.

You both wait with baited breath. There’s a good chance she just won’t answer an unfamiliar number from a foreign country, but after several rings you hear your sister’s voice.

Andrea: Hello?
CC: Hi Andrea, it’s your sister Myriad. Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve called.
VV: There’s a clone here too, hi.
CC: Just wanted to check in since I might be dead or a DEMON in a couple days. Er, do you know about DEMONS? We just learned about them and ANGELS.
Andrea:

Andrea tells you about the imminent DEMON WAR that will kill 30% of the world’s population.

She tells you how afterwards the ANGELS will invade and wipe out the rest.

She tells you how about a third of LYST’s citizens were murdered by a collision of DEMON and ANGEL forces that were actually WEAK in the grand scheme of things. How Adriana died trying to get her fellow KIN to safety.

The survivors are still fighting, of course, holed up in the dungeon that became their base, but morale is low.

Really puts your problems in perspective. CC is similarly stunned into silence.

tippler 2022/06/18(Sat)11:06 No. 1035314 ID: 9ea24b
File 165557556067.png - (63.98KB , 500x500 , p66.png )

Andrea: Yeah, so if you want to come to MIDLAND after your mission and hang out before everything goes to SHIT I’d appreciate seeing family. You do you though.
CC: Andrea are you okay?
Andrea: No, but whatever. Oh yeah, our leader died and came back as a DEMON, which is pretty sick.
VV: Do you think we should become a DEMON? Would that help you guys?
Andrea: Sis I dunno, it’s up to you. Anyway that was a lot of DOOM and GLOOM shit so I’m going to go have sex. Feel free to call me again anytime.

You don’t sleep very well.

>Complicating Event: PP
You and CC seem to be the bearers of bad news during daily updates. You share the tragedy of Adriana’s death and hear that PP finally had to break the bad news to Matteo that the kingdom was in RUINS and to shut the fuck up. Since she’s leaving shortly to go NORTH, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
This beautiful sea breeze morning in DOCKINGTON is your last chance for some levity before you meet up with the Myriad crew for the final battle. What would you like to do?

Let's say our goodbyes to our friends of Dockington here, like Aegis. Give him Carrot's comm number and your sister's number and let him know if you don't make it back, try to contact your sisters of the bad news, but if you survive, you are planning on going back to Lyst to help your sister and he'll have your number to contact you... unless he wants to come with you to Lyst when this is over. But also ask if Big Momma or Aegis would like to go to Lyst with you after this mission is over, while warning that it might be dangerous, but it'd be nice to have friends help save your old town, and it's probably no different then what it is like in this wasteland anyways. Give him some BUX as well for his services as well.

And HUG THEM!

During the car ride, last minute conversation with Normal and Guy about how you're proud of them for what they've learned and that they should use what you taught them to teach your lessons to other angels since if they were being rewarded to think for themselves and question higher ranking angel's teachings, they should do the same by teaching other angels so that can get rewarded too with the Socratic Method as the basis

We're telling them to do this so that more angels can start questioning if their professors and Daddy is wrong about stuff, and this might actually make other angels to question their own beliefs in the future if these two knuckleheads can teach the other lower status angels, and perhaps cause a spark of change to actually make angels question if killing kin is actually wrong. Whatever the case, they seem PASSIONATE enough to incite change

whatever the case, Mizz Es wants us to stick with them, and that's what we'll do even when we meet Caesar. She believes in us.

Have sex with Big Momma.

tippler 2022/06/18(Sat)16:25 No. 1035341 ID: 9ea24b
File 165559474011.png - (104.17KB , 500x500 , p67.png )

You leave the ANGELS at the BASE and go with CC to say goodbye to Agis, whose arm is in a cast. He already has Carrot’s number, but you give him Andrea’s number as well in case something happens to all the Myriads and he needs to pass on a message. He happily accepts a double hug from the two of you.

While CC is distracted haggling the cost of the ride with Big Momma (-100), you take Agis aside and offer to take him to LYST after this. He looks at you in confusion, and you can’t find it in yourself to tell him about the apocalypse, so you accept his polite refusal with a small smile.

>Sex with Big Momma
Naw, she doesn’t like you for associating with Normal and Guy. Speaking of…

You find yourself sandwiched between your students in the backseat of Big Momma’s compact car on the RIDE to the COMPOUND. Despite Normal’s stink and Guy’s unpleasant warmth, you start feeling drowsy.

Myriad: I’m proud of you guys for learning about the Socratic Method. Maybe you can teach your classmates about how to ask more questions.
Guy: It’s fun to ask questions, thanks for talking to us.
Normal: Yeah, we’ve never been friends with a KIN before. Like we said earlier, we’ll get Caesar to help you so you don’t get stuck as a DEMON.
Myriad: Thanks…

tippler 2022/06/18(Sat)16:26 No. 1035342 ID: 9ea24b
File 165559476277.png - (61.12KB , 500x500 , p68.png )

You wake up with a huge yawn when Big Momma pulls to a stop with a loud crunch of gravel. The military compound is a fenced area in the desert with several metal buildings that no doubt lead to more structures underground. It’s dark except for the headlights of the cars.

The other Myriads are already there. HH gives CC a hug while you stand to the side awkwardly with the ANGELS. PP has a whole truck full of a variety of KIN, including several INSECT-KIN the size of your head that scurry over her body and chitter.

Normal and Guy point you toward the main entrance of the metal building that leads downstairs to the bulk of the BASE. If you die, the other Myriads will attempt to infiltrate together to retrieve you and the other lost SLOTS. They’ll have a fixed 2/3 chance of success.

What do you bring to your meeting with Caesar? The options are mutually exclusive.


A. Standard weapons and grenades - General utility
B. One of HH’s potent MANA explosives - Good for hostage and self-sacrifice situations
C. One of PP’s spy BUGS - Can chew through electrical cables and bindings

Standard weapons and grenades, be prepared for a world of hurt.

Going to attempt diplomacy with Normal and Guy, with our clones coming to save us if we die. We got far with teaching Normal and Guy, and if we go in without the intent of killing at first (without weapons), Normal and Guy will be more willing to help us to some degrees, maybe even a stepping stone to help convince them to change their minds against Caesar's teachings for the better.

I say C. That way, if we die, the spy bug could escape and let the other Myriads know about what happened, and the can decide from there what to do.

>>1035348
seconded

tippler 2022/06/18(Sat)20:40 No. 1035388 ID: 9ea24b
File 165561002752.png - (96.61KB , 500x500 , p69.png )

>C
You slip a bug under your robe and say a brief goodbye to CC. Guy takes your arm and walks with you into the dark building. You hear a slight rustle and blink at the sudden illumination from Guy’s head, a powerful beam of light bringing the concrete and steel walls into sharp relief.

After passing through a maze of corridors, you arrive in what must have been an operating room. You’re quaking before you even see the large serpentine creature that’s fussing over some vials of rainbow colored sludge. Ah, that must be Caesar. He has those distinctive eyes along his body, which seems split into segments, each sprouting numerous narrow appendages.

There’s a surprisingly normal tripod set up with an eyeball shaped CAMERA pointed at an operating table. You gulp when Normal leads you to it. When you touch the surface, you feel LL’s presence and refrain from absorbing her. THAT would leave you catatonic from the death memory trauma and all but confirms she was dismembered, for SCIENCE.

Normal: Here you go prof, just like we said.
Guy: What should we do now?
Caesar: Go stand by the wall and stay SILENT.
Normal: Righto!

The lads wave to you from their vantage point by the door while Caesar grabs several of the colorful vials and a large syringe.

tippler 2022/06/18(Sat)20:40 No. 1035389 ID: 9ea24b
File 165561003450.png - (122.75KB , 500x500 , p70.png )

Myriad: W-what’s that?
Caesar: Unstable MANA residue I collected from near the blast zone of those INGENIOUS mana bombs that destroyed this area. I’ve been studying the effects on AWAKENED. I’m going to inject you with it, unless you’d prefer to drink it.
Myriad: What does it do?
Caesar: Theoretically it will let you access your inner DEMON without fulfilling your last ACHIEVEMENT. It’d be an utter nightmare to track down and eliminate all of your clones, and then there’s the matter of making sure all of your additional SLOTS have been exhausted. Torture was inaffective with the last Myriad who came here so I made sure to have a contingency.

He seizes you with his pincers, one on each limb in a too tight grip, forces you onto the table, and straps you in.

>>1035389
>Torture was ineffective with the last Myriad who came here so I made sure to have a contingency
"BAD TOUCH! BAD TOUCH!"

>>1035389
"But I don't WANT to be a demon, that's why I came here!"
Also wait, how does this prove the hypothesis that you're being corrupted too fast and they need to step up their plans? If the mana injection unlocks it before it's supposed to be unlocked, then that's like forcing someone to do something bad as evidence that they're immoral.
Ask him if they're really going to kill every person on the planet after the great war happens.

Oh, and obviously set the bug on the bindings after you get injected. What happens next is probably that you're going to be killed because you're "corrupted", even though it's an angel that caused you to be corrupted in the first place. I wonder if Guy and Normal will be swayed at all by the first-hand evidence that angels don't actually care about morality? The kind of purity they want is the kind where no people exist at all. Pure nothingness.

We should probably get him distracted by having Guy and Normal ask him questions so we can remove the bindings with spy bug and he doesn't inject us with that. We don't want that camera to show us turning demon.

Weaponize ourselves with the SOCRATIC METHOD again, in front of Guy and Normal!

Tell him he did not yet answer Guy and Normal's question from earlier >>1035288, and if he is unable to answer them, and can only offer them RECOGNITION and
REWARDED to avoid their question, how can he be sure that what he's going to do to you here is correct under the teachings of the one TRUTH they believe in?

If the goal of an angel is preventing corruption from kin, or prevent more demons from being unleashed from kin, wouldn't that mean from that logic that it is wrong to create more demons with his experimentation on you, even if it's for science? Would doing this mean he would be LYING and is he going against his teachings for our FRIENDS Guy and NORMAL? The same teachings DADDY passed down to him? Does turning us into a demon for SCIENCE goes against the ONE TRUTH they believe in?

Also you're kind of a walking contradiction to their teachings as well, say if an angel is tasked to kill all corrupted kin, but is also tasked with not awakening an inner demon within a kin and risk giving them unmatched power, like killing all the Myriad clones until one is left for the achievement to awaken her inner demon for example, would that mean that an angel would be in the wrong for unleashing a powerful demon to this world after killing the clones, or would they be in the wrong for not killing the corrupted clones?

Guy and Normal did offer help to NOT turn into a demon, which means they were already taught that turning kin into demons is BAD. asking Caesar these will hopefully get the angels to realize that Caesar is not as good as he seem.

Hopefully this will get Guy and Normal to start seeing the wrong that Caesar is trying to do, and if he is distracted by their protest, we can use Spy Bug to release us before he has a chance to demonify us, which is what we don't want to happen in front of the cam or else the apocolypse could happen sooner.

Speaking of which, destroy the camera after you are free. We do NOT want them to record anything.

Say no to drugs!
So, how fast does does the bug chew through bindings, exactly?
Distract him, try to get a clone off when he's not looking and before you drink the juice, if you can help it. Ask how they're supposed to be asking questions if they're standing by the wall and remaining silent.

Don't turn demon if you can help it. It might not make Guy and Normal happy with us after everything we taught them and side more with Caesar. If we want to turn demon on purpose, lets wait to decide until after this ordeal.

Get Caesar distracted, then use bug to free yourself.

"So let me get this straight; to prove that kin are turning into demons too fast, you're going to force me to rush the process with stuff that you provided? Man, that's so unscientific, it's not even funny. Not to mention completely unconscionable by your own faction's standards. But I assume 'Daddy' is gonna forgive you for this?"

Have the bug disable the camera first and undo your bindings second.

"Isn't it wrong to forgive someone for doing something so awful? So... who forgives the guy at the top for forgiving people?"

>>1035422
Good point. Support on having bug destroy the cam first, could be a livestream after all.

But here's an idea, I sugget waiting until we get a recording of our question and his reaction to our difficult question for other angels to see if it is a livestream

>>1035400
I already support not becoming demon, but yeah, we dont need demon power to defeat him, our friendship with normal and guy will pull through. (Also, Hay already has a demon clone in her).

tippler 2022/06/19(Sun)08:24 No. 1035434 ID: 9ea24b
File 165565226928.png - (99.26KB , 500x500 , p71.png )

You grit your teeth and force your breathing to stay even. You still have time and options, even if this is a terrifying situation and you’re immobilized.

>Camera
Caesar is either recording video or doing a livestream to his ANGEL superiors. You’re thinking it’s the former since it doesn’t make sense for him to prove you’re naturally turning into a DEMON by feeding you special goop. That at least means no one else is currently watching and you can focus on getting free first.

>Bindings
The BUG is awkwardly pressed against your thigh, and seems smart enough not to move while Caesar is paying close attention. You saw it had nasty big pincers so hopefully it can make quick work of the straps holding you down. You just need a…

>DISTRACTION
Caesar presses the large needle of the syringe deep into your right arm, into the vein on the other side of your elbow.

You feel the jolt of ENERGY, swiftly followed by a throbbing pain in your skull. Okay, you’re fine though, you just can’t make clones or RED Myriad might come out. Caesar watches you for a reaction.

Myriad: I don’t WANT to be a DEMON though, that’s why I came here so you could help me! That’s what Normal and Guy told me.
Caesar: I have no idea where they’re getting these ideas, but no, they lied. You’ll make a delicious SNACK for me and then I’ll return HOME with my proof that the CLEANSING needs to happen soon.

tippler 2022/06/19(Sun)08:24 No. 1035435 ID: 9ea24b
File 165565228158.png - (135.51KB , 500x500 , p72.png )

You squeeze your eyes shut and pray that Normal and Guy are listening. Sure enough–

Normal: Hey, what? You can’t kill Myriad, that’s not GOOD.
Guy: Yeah, she’s helping us so it's JUST that we repay her. Also she’s nice and we like her.

Caesar growls and rounds on his underlings. You nudge the bug and it scurries under the metal frame and starts chewing on the bindings on your left leg.

Caesar: I thought I told you two to BE QUIET.
Guy: You’re not being logically consistent though and logical consistency is very important.
Caesar: If you’re so attached to your PET we can take one of the ones outside back to school for you to play with.
Normal: No, we don’t want you to hurt THIS Myriad. She’s different from the others. She cares about us!
Guy: Professor, you’re being very rude.

You feel the strap loosen on your leg and the tapping of the bug under the table as it moves to the next limb. You flinch when Caesar grabs Normal and pushes him into the concrete wall. Guy shrieks with alarm as Caesar repeatedly slams Normal’s head into the hard surface, with enough FORCE to form cracks.

Geez.

Remember that Guy said that killing angels is sinful. Announce to Caesar (and Guy) that killing angels is a SIN and that the fact that he is attempting to kill Normal means that he is most likely CORRUPTED now much like they view kin as being corrupted and going against his and Daddy's own teachings.

This might have Guy be more willing to save Normal if we remind him of what he told us. they gotta kill those who are corrupted after all, and he might try to stop Caesar so he doesn't get corrupted, or attempt to kill Caesar if he believes Caesar is corrupted.

Oh yeah, and try your best not to summon a clone. We do NOT want them to witness a demon. And We got principles. Don't bring out a demon for your students' sake.

Is there some way you can contact the others outside and let them know to bust in? If so, I'd suggest doing it, and also warning them not to fire at Normal or Guy, as they're cool.

Then try to help Normal, either by pushing Guy into protecting his partner or by trying to do it yourself. Remember, you can't make a clone right now or else it'll be red-eyed, so you'll have to do this one solo until the cavalry arrives. Maybe throw stuff at his eyes?

>>1035442
We could grab our comm and contact the other Myriads once the bug releases one of our arms, yeah. Until it does that, we'll just have to trust and put in our HOPE that Guy will see the corruption in Caesar and try to protect Normal because of that, thus letting them allow the clones to dispose of Caesar with their help.

Express concern for Normal.

Go

For

The

Eyes!

tippler 2022/06/19(Sun)16:03 No. 1035464 ID: 9ea24b
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>No clones
You’re determined not to let out RED Myriad, so your options are limited until the bug is finished cutting your restraints.

Guy is trembling, frozen with indecision and not shock, you hope. Can ANGELS even experience SHOCK? Maybe you’ve given him a fear of DEATH with your teachings.

Myriad: Guy, you have to stop him, blast him in the eyes!
Guy: B-but he’s my professor.
Myriad: He’s killing Normal, that’s a SIN, isn’t it? Help your partner like he’d help you.

You hear the tell-tale rustle of fabric and shield your eyes. Caesar roars with rage and crashes around while Guy shrieks and hopefully dodges the claws of insect-snake.

Your left arm is FREE now, and you reach for you COMM to type a frantic message into the group chat asking for backup. It’ll take at least ten minute for the other Myriads to find this room though.

tippler 2022/06/19(Sun)16:04 No. 1035465 ID: 9ea24b
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>Guy Evasion Check: FAILURE
Unfortunately Guy can’t dodge forever and Caesar snatches him up, ignoring the burn marks across his hard carapace.

Caesar: I’m disappointed, it looks like both of you need to be REPROGRAMMED. What a waste of time for Gray.

Normal’s face is shattered like a porcelain doll and looks unconscious. Guy is squirming a little, but doesn’t seem physically strong enough to break Caesar’s grip.

The elder ANGEL tosses Normal into the corner and returns to the operating table. His eyes look foggy, so he doesn’t notice your loose restraints while he preps the next syringe. Your right arm is almost free.

Remember his arms are thin! as soon as your right arm is free, toss the spy bug on the thin arm that is holding Guy to free him! should be able to free Guy with one bite!

But if you're right arm is not free by then, suprise him by using your other arm to try to resist the syringe from entering your veins again (slap the syringe away, or grab his arm and push away). Hopefully the bug will finish releasing you before he even finishes filling his syringe or before he restrains you after you try to stop him with your arm.

Another option could be to pick up spy bug with our left arm before it finishes freeing our right arm now that I think about it, but it might make it more obvious that our restraints are loose and lose the element of surprise before we can even throw the bug at him...

Support using the bug as a weapon against him.

Oh yeah, and once we toss Spy Bug at his arm holding Guy, and he is distracted by Guy again, we can free ourself from our last restraint with our two free arms

"Seriously, though, have you really thought this through? Forcing me to become a demon by injecting all this gunk yourself proves jack-all at the end of the day, doesn't it? I'm hardly a 'control' group at this point, after all. -80 points for being unscientific, and -200 points for bringing more evil into the world - your definition, not mine. Very IMPURE of you."

If we are throwing the spy bug, I recommend throwing it at the camera. It'd completely derail this whole session for him no matter what else happens.

We could probably have spy bug bite off more of Guy's wrappings instead to cause more damage to Caesar and drop everything he is holding, including Guy.

Distract him by asking him what this is going to prove exactly. From your perspective, all he's proving is that mana juice can be used to turn someone into a demon.
Also, ask him why demons are so bad; try to provoke him into a self-righteous rant about sin and demons etc.

tippler 2022/06/19(Sun)19:57 No. 1035486 ID: 9ea24b
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>Throw bug at Caesar’s arms
Those limbs might be stick-thin, but they’re sturdy enough to effortlessly move you around. A bug bludgeoning would be ineffective.

>Throw bug at Guy
You’d just be bullying the poor ANGEL. You’re pretty sure Guy could unwrap himself more, but doing so would put you and himself at risk.

>Throw bug at camera
Now we’re talking! You use your newly freed right arm to seize the insect around the middle and toss it towards the ominous eyeball tripod. It actually extends its wings, lands neatly on the stand, and begins to chew through whatever wiring is inside the MAGIC camera.

Caesar huffs with surprise and slithers toward the bug. You take advantage of the distraction to undo the straps on your leg and jump off the table. Caesar hesitates, unsure to go after you or the camera.

A. Run (chase in the dark)
B. Talk (previous suggestions will be considered for topics)

Shrug. "I mean, you forcibly turning me into a demon through a means you introduced was only gonna prove jack and shit, anyway."

Bolt.

A, GTFO. Try to catch up with the Myriads who'll be coming for you.

Well, obviously you can't let that camera see Red Myriad, otherwise the jig is up.
Running away seems like a good plan. Caesar's eyesight is impaired, which means you'll see better in the dark!

Run.

You can't split up, or you'll create a demon Myriad in your current state.

"SUCK MY CARROT PROCESSOR!"
'Whoop' the entire way out of the room.

If we stay, he'll be more inclined to fix the camera since we're not going anywhere, and the other Myriads might target Guy and Normal as well without context if they show up. Also, there are some people that unfortunately cannot be reasoned with, and I feel Caesar is someone we cannot reason with through talking. It's time to get him to chase us, but taunt him before you leave to get him to chase you so he can leave Guy, Normal, and Spy Bug eating cam alone.
If you have your pistol, shoot the syringe off his claw (hopefully breaking it) and tell him he can't catch you if his claws are too full to use them to chase you. (tell him this even if you don't have pistol to shoot the syringe) this might prompt him to drop Guy.

Chase in the dark? most COMMS have flashlight apps. Does ours have one, or is it too shitty? we can use flashlight to see where we're going and find the other Myriads and their army so we can take him down. Plus Caesar's eyesight will be too foggy to properly keep track of us.

tippler 2022/06/20(Mon)08:36 No. 1035502 ID: 9ea24b
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>Get outta there
No more injections and no more dealing with super powerful beings when you don’t have any weapons. The bug was a great help, and you’re very grateful to Normal and Guy for distracting Caesar, but you have to cut your losses and try to meet up with your CLONES who have guns.

You bolt with all the speed of a frightened prey animal, out of the lab into the dark corridors beyond. The light feature on your COMM is enough to keep you from running into walls.

>Route Check: SUCCESS
A vision of RED Myriad points you in the right direction a couple times when you can’t remember if you took a right or left on the way in. You try not to dwell on the hallucinations.

>Evasion Check: SUCCESS
You don’t hear anyone behind you and soon you spot a few lights up ahead. You raise your hands about your head as you approach to show you mean no harm.

VV: It’s me, I just escaped.
CC: I’m glad you’re alright, what happened?

You summarize the past half hour of terror, including your discovery of LL’s place of death and the apparent hypocrisy of Caesar’s attempt to artificially DEMONIZE you.

tippler 2022/06/20(Mon)08:39 No. 1035504 ID: 9ea24b
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LARGE and BIG Choice:

A. Cut our losses, HH favored option: Since LL and probably GG died horribly, let’s learn to live with fewer available slots and blow this place up. Caesar (along with Normal and Guy) will each have a 50/50 chance to escape or die.

B. Camera theft, PP favored option: Steal the ANGEL camera so Caesar has no choice but to abandon his mission and return home. Can choose to rescue either Normal or Guy as well.

C. Head on fight, CC favored option: Use the POWER of guns and grenades to kill Caesar. Each Myriad has a 1/4 chance of dying, but Normal and Guy can both be rescued.

>>1035504
Screw it, go in and end that fascist doctor!

VV, be ready to sacrifice yourself to save your sisters and the two dodos. Hey, you're only a few days old and this act of dedication to their safety will make a lasting impression on Guy and Normal.
CC, you get two clone slots. Have one split now and take a sniping position, the other will split mid-battle. And be sure to shoot or capture the camera!
Everyone else, do what you do best!

C is clearly the play. Cesar has to be stopped, or else he will keep this shit up somewhere. Maybe not here, maybe not with us, but we'd just be letting him become someone else's problem. Plus, one less angel to try and purge the planet during the apocalypse.

Most important of all, Normal and Guy need to live. They're the first signs of hope we've seen from the angels. They're idiots, yeah, but they're finally starting to question things and push against their shitty system. We need to protect and nurture them.

C. We gotta rescue them both! for Mizz Es believes in us. Plus, this is our reward for getting both PP and HH here after much careful planning.

>Each Myriad has a 1/4 chance of dying
In that case have CC and PP summon the other three clones to raise the odds of success. 7 clones! Keep in mind that CC and PP and whatever clones they summon should be the only ones to summon clones, NOT VV or HH, they might summon a demon. If HH or VV die, just have one of the clones CC or PP summoned absorb them, don't let the clones who absorb VV or HH summon anymore clones and CC and/or PP and/or clones without a demon in them will summon a new clone in HH or VV's or a demon infested clone in their place.

Also, HH, VV, and any clone who absorbs them after death should mark themselve in some way to let the other clones know they are the Myriad with a demon in them.

C, for reasons detailed by Himitsu. Rescuing these two is our best hope.

>>1035511
I agree with this plan. No reason to go in swinging unless we're bringing everything we can to the table. (Plus, if nothing else, one can focus on destroying/blinding the camera before joining the primary fight in case the worst happens and our achievement triggers. Of course, ignore this idea if he isn't with the camera when we fight him.)

Steal a camera, after all that? No, you should go in and do what you should have done in the first place. Roll in there like a seal team and give unto Caesar what’s coming to him!

tippler 2022/06/20(Mon)14:35 No. 1035523 ID: 9ea24b
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>C
You didn’t come all this way and spend literal days teaching Normal and Guy how to have independent thoughts just to give up on them! Also Caesar needs to be stopped now or he’ll just find another victim.

Yes, there’s a risk, especially to you and HH since you can’t use clones, but you’ll have the overwhelming weapons and numbers advantage. At least some of your memories and mannerisms can be retained if you’re ABSORBED, though the resulting Myriads will be different from the originals.

CC SPLITS and assigns the clone to ABSORB you if you die, with PP doing the same for HH. The last clone slot is left for flexibility. You take an assault rifle and some hearing protection before striding purposefully back towards the lab.

tippler 2022/06/20(Mon)14:35 No. 1035524 ID: 9ea24b
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>HH: SUCCESS
>PP: SUCCESS
>VV: SUCCESS
>CC: SUCCESS

It’s an overwhelming victory. You find Caesar trying to fix his camera and take him by surprise. Luckily, Guy and Normal are both beat up in the corner, out of the line of fire. HH has some weird mist-blowing ARTIFACT that makes all of you more alert, and it’s a simple matter to take the appropriate angles and start blasting.

You work perfectly together. It’s so beautiful you cry. Caesar tries to escape by splitting his segments apart and having them run in different directions, but that just makes his squishy insides more vulnerable to bullets. Once all of his limbs have stopped wriggling, you sling Normal’s arm over your shoulder and drag him back outside, Guy following meekly behind.

In the end, you and CC decide to travel to LYST with Normal and Guy to meet up with Andrea, while PP and HH stay behind in their respective positions. PP plans to recover the other slots, though it’ll take her a while to manage the trauma. She estimates she’ll do one a month.

After hugs all around, you get back in Big Momma’s car and start the long drive back to DOCKINGTON. A boat from there will take you to MIDLAND, and then you’ll find your way to your childhood HOME. Normal twitches while he’s leaning against you as he slowly heals, and you find yourself falling asleep once again under the starry desert sky.

tippler 2022/06/20(Mon)14:35 No. 1035525 ID: 9ea24b
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You’re playing tag during recess, but the cluster of excitement surrounding the KIN who’s IT is a long way away, and you find yourself getting distracted by the pretty flowers in the window boxes near the back wall. The small patch of lawn adjacent to the boxes also hosts several dense shrubs that are good for hiding under. You’ve spent lots of time here pretending to be a secret agent, and there’s usually a few BUGS in the grass that you like to pick up and examine.

After a few minutes, you hear the door open and the clack of heels as the 5th grade teacher, Mizz Es, steps out. You’re only in 4th, but you recognize the tall woman by her sharp clothes, missing eye, and wireframe glasses.

To your surprise, she pulls out some kind of stick with a CIGARETTE stuck in the end, lights it, and starts puffing furiously. Your SISTER, Adriana, always says that smoking looks cool, though you don’t agree. This thought hurts for some reason.

The door opens again soon after and the GYM teacher, Mr. Gray, comes out. You stay huddled behind the bushes as they start to argue.

Mizz Es: Fuck off, I’m not dealing with you today.
Mr. Gray: I just want to talk. Give me two minutes, okay? Then I promise I won’t bother you again all week.
Mizz Es: I’m not even a little curious what’s gotten you this worked up. What, did you drop an EGG on the way over here because your head was too big to keep upright? Oh no, how will you ever survive not having another child to BRAINWASH.
Mr. Gray: Okay, but you didn’t leave so I’m taking that as tacit agreement. A freakin’ Kin-born DEMON just took out one of my subordinates! How is that allowed?
Mizz Es: She wasn’t a DEMON.
Mr. Gray: She was like, BASICALLY a DEMON.
Mizz Es: You are BULLSHIT given physical form.
Mr. Gray: AND she made off with two ANGELS. That’s some kind of super DEMON manipulation right there.
Mizz Es: Those boys were practically hatchlings, I don’t see how that’s a big loss to you.
Mr. Gray: Well, yeah it’s not, but it’s the INSULT of it all that’s really bothering me.
Mizz Es: You know you’re not supposed to RETALIATE.
Mr. Gray: Ugh, fine, whatever. But I’m not forgetting this.

He looks directly at where you’re hiding in the shrubs.

Daddy: After all, killing ANGELS is a SIN.


Thanks for reading!