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There is another possibility, albeit a wild one. These could be entirely different people; perhaps the game wants us to believe that these are something like alternate timelines, but the truth is something different. After all, all of the positions are hereditary--maybe it's the same universe at different points in time.
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Apr 14, 2022 13:49
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| # ? May 21, 2024 22:57 |
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 [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  When I woke up Monday morning, I felt flat and tired. Beatrix's death was still fresh in my mind, and so was the thought of another death soon to come, if Dai had her way. I needed a smile. After getting dressed, I decided to find someone who could cheer me up. I needed someone fun and playful, who wouldn't let our bleak situation get them down. Two immediately came to mind. Yoshiki was an optimist who always found reasons to smile. And Shizuka I could count on to play a game with me, to take my mind off things. But which one?   Both, actually! We'll start with Yoshiki, though, get him out of the way. Nobody would be able to cheer me up better than Yoshiki. He was so warm and positive. My tablet showed that he was already up and at work, in the Engineering Bay. I made my way there to find him. I expected to find him fixing something or running maintenance checks, but he was just sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by manuals. They were the ink and paper kind, scattered across his lap and the floor nearby. He was focused on the one he was reading, enthralled by whatever it said.  Good morning, Yoshiki!Yoshiki looked up, and beamed at me.  Good morning, Jordan! And how is my BFF this morning? A little down, to be honest. Well, we can't have that, now can we?! Pull up a piece of floor and sit down. Hahaha. No chairs, huh? It's the floor or nothing. You know you wanna get down with me.Yoshiki raised both of his eyebrows playfully. I sat down opposite him, legs crossed and directly face to face. So what are you reading about? I think there might be a way to override the ship's A.I. Really? That sounds like a great idea! We could stop Dai in her tracks!I could feel the blood rushing through my ears as my heart started pounding with hopeful excitement. What does the manual say?  Well, it... oh. Uh oh. What? Is something wrong?Yoshiki's face fell as what he was reading finally dawned on him. I've misread this. It isn't about how to override the A.I., but rather it will allow the A.I. to override everything else. Despite this seeming like a flavor choice, these are actually different dialogue paths, so we'll be seeing all three, starting at the top... What do you mean the A.I. can override? You'd better explain this to me like I'm not an engineer. Or computer programmer. Or 100 percent awake, really... Haha! You got down to my level, so I'll try to get down to yours.Yoshiki raised his eyebrows playfully once more. I'm just an ignorant theoretical physicist, won't someone save me? Ahaha. Okay. So, when the Everett's A.I. system was created, it was given a protocol that allows it to have full authority, if the right activation code is put in. Like a password. What does full authority mean? What can it do? It would mean that Ai, and by extension Dai, would no longer be restricted by the rules us humans have given, or programmed, them to follow. Ai would become judge, jury, and executioner on everything. That sounds bad. And we wouldn't be able to get her back under control. Why would such a program exist? Well, I guess people suck sometimes. Maybe an all-powerful Ai would be a better option than a person. I would trust my life in Ai's hands more than I would some of my fellow crew. That's true, I guess. Dai, on the other hand... Hahaha, nooooooooo. Haha. I think we're better off with human control just now.Next, the middle option. Would that be a bad thing? Giving the A.I. control? Ahaha... Well, I think that would really depend. How so? Well, if the A.I. was in authority, then the incident that happened with Captain Yukimori Senior would never have happened. Ai would have intervened if she had full authority. The captain would have been her subordinate, and Ai could have overruled. Instead, Ai's programming means she had to follow orders. I get it. The captain's word would have been subject to a higher, more logical authority. Yep. But, on the other hand, if the A.I. system had complete authority, Dai would probably be a way bigger problem than she already is. Hahaha. I think for the time being we're better off not activating that function, then.Lastly, the bottom option.  Ahaha! An A.I. system overriding its own programing? Actually, that's quite a romantic idea. Romantic? How? Well, if we allowed Ai to override, then she could do as she sees fit. She wouldn't be subject to our orders any more. It would be like freeing her, like now she's held captive by her programming and our authority. Hmm... I guess I see what you mean. But then, aren't you and I also captives? We're under the command of a captain, and we must follow orders or face the consequences. So neither of us is really free either.Can't believe we're on the path where the Everett unionizes. That's... kind of a depressing thought! And you came here to be cheered up. Well, if we must be captive, I think the captain is a good jailer to have.Yoshiki smiled. I agree. So it's agreed. We won't use the activation code, then. It's a shame. I thought I had found the solution to all our problems, and that we would ride off into the sunset happily... but never mind! I haven't read through all of them yet. Yoshiki's beaming smile made me feel warm and comforted, like everything was going to be okay, just because he thought it would. I'm sure one of these has a solution in it somewhere. I've just gotta keep looking. In that case, I'd better leave you alone to read them. Drop by any time. You have BFF privileges. Hahaha. Good luck. I hope you...I turned to leave, but my curiosity was piqued. Out of curiosity, what is the activation code to allow the A.I. system full authority?Yoshiki raised an eyebrow, as if slightly suspicious of my question, before his demeanor melted into his usual playful self. I'll give you a hint! Another game? Like I don't have enough to deal with. Fine, no hint.Yoshiki pouted like a child. No no, I take it back, I want to play!!Yoshiki's pout sprung into a full smile as he excitedly told me the clue.  The activation code is inspired by the story of the very first human making the wrong choice. Oh, a riddle eh? Good luck, bestie! I know you can work this out! Hahaha, thanks Yoshiki!It's better off if no one knows the activation code. Actually, I don't want to know. This type of information is never safe in anyone's hands. And with that, Yoshiki's side is done.  Lotta interesting new info to ponder here, but now it's time to go back and go see Shizuka instead. Shizuka would know how to distract me, and she'd probably welcome the opportunity to play a game. She was pretty competitive, and always complaining that no one wanted to play games against her. I made my way to her quarters and knocked. There was no reply. I knocked again, but she still didn't answer. I checked the time. It was already 9:30a.m. I'd gotten up late. Is she still asleep?Panic washed over me. Is she dead?!Ai appeared beside me.  Officer Himura is not dead. She is asleep. A little late to still be in bed. I hope she's alright.Ai smiled reassuringly and left. I knocked again. Maybe she was sick, or she'd had a rough night. Since I was there, it seemed right to check up on her. After my fourth knock, the door opened and I entered her quarters. Shizuka had clearly just rushed to put her uniform on, it was a little messy.  Huh? Jordan? Sorry. I didn't come here to wake you. But Ai told me you were still asleep and I thought you might be sick or something. Sick? Yeah. Sorry. Just wanted to see if you were okay.Shizuka sat on the bed, blinking at me with bleary eyes.   Just sleeping. Okay. Why'd you come? Oh, I just needed to smile, so I thought maybe we could play a game?Shizuka instantly went from confused and sleepy to attentive and interested.  A game? What game? How about something simple for now? Rock paper scissors? Okay. But I'm pretty good at this. You think so, huh? It's on. Best of three rounds. Bring it on.We counted together, 1... 2... 3...  Yeah, we actually get to play against her! ….however, the scene is the same regardless of if you win or lose, so there's no point in showing both outcomes. Unfortunately, Fem!Jordan can't tap into the gamer morphogentic field a second time, so she's going to be losing this one.I threw my hand out flat for Paper. Shizuka threw scissors and grinned as she saw she'd beaten me.  Ahaha! Even half asleep, I am a worthy opponent. Maybe I'm giving you a head start? Maybe I'm just awesome at this? Alright, let's go again. I've got this.1... 2... 3... I played Paper, but Shizuka played Scissors for the second time. Mwahaha! You expected me to change? Fool! Two Scissors in a row? A gutsy move. Okay, let's do this. I'm gonna destroy you. We'll see about that.1...2...3... Figuring Shizuka might play Scissors for a third time, I played Rock.  But she played Paper. Ahahahahaha! Too predictable! Now, let's count the scores... hmm... oh no, it looks like I beat you! Ahaha! I told you I was good! Or maybe you're just bad at the game... or is it both? You tell me, loser! Wow. You're a sore winner. But I AM a winner. You'd rather be a smug winner than a polite loser?Shizuka looked outraged that I would even ask the question.  Duh!I was right, playing with Shizuka had cheered me up. Well, it was fun playing with you, and...[BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera]  Yahooooo~ Everyone's favorite A.I. system here! My, it is a beautiful day, isn't it? It would be such a shame if someone put some DELETION GAME in it! Hahahaha! Aaah! What the? *ahem* Could I please have all crew report to the Dining Hall for briefing immediately? That is all.Dai had used the ship's intercom to shout at us with a deafening volume. Shizuka and I both sat still for a moment, stunned. Ow. I guess we should go. Shizuka looked down at what she was wearing; she was missing a sock at the very least. I'd better put more clothes on. Dai is enough, I don't want to aggro the captain, too. I'll wait outside and we can go together. Better hurry though. Haha. Yeah. Dai does sound more psycho than usual today.I went outside into the corridor to wait. Shizuka was very quick, and probably cut a lot of corners, because she was out with her uniform and her hair sort of brushed, within a couple of minutes. Just as we were about to head off, Yoshiki came into the corridor and saw us. Good morning, I guess. Morning, anyway. What do you think the next game's going to be like? Ugh. They're not very good games. So far there's been barely any strategy to them at all. It's just guessing and good luck, and hoping no one tries to screw you on purpose. I think Dai just likes scaring everyone. It doesn't matter so much about the game. She could just pick someone at random. She enjoys dragging it out.We arrived at the Dining Hall, and all went in together.
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Apr 15, 2022 19:20
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Interesting password. Could be GARDEN OF EDEN, or EDEN, GARDEN, EVE, APPLE... TREE OF WISDOM... Also, what are the odds the grand finale involves traveling back to before Dai was created and putting in the password to let Ai handle things?
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Apr 15, 2022 22:03
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That or we find out Dai isn't so bad when her programming isn't telling her to murder.
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Apr 15, 2022 22:41
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 content warning: suicidal ideation [BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera] Vladimir and Melody were already there, and so was the Captain. The three of us took our seats and waited for Dai to arrive. It wasn't long before Katashi arrived, and finally Nikolas. Nikolas looked like he hadn't slept or washed or even changed his clothes. The moment Nikolas sat down, Dai appeared in front of us.  Good morning, good morning! Wow, Nikky! That's a new look for you. I'm not a fan. Now, ladies, gentlemen, and whatever the kid is, it's time to play the Deletion Game!To what I'm sure is no one's surprise, the fourth round of the Deletion Game is still Bidding Wars. Therefore, we already know the rules! We can skip the video explanation entirely and get straight to the team assembly. So the game will be played and the bidding wars end on Sunday, a week from now. This is pretty exciting, right? Now, would you like me to explain the rules again myself, or just skip straight to the fun? Skip the explanation. Let the game begin! This is going to be great. I love teamwork, don't you? Now, it's time to get into our teams and start talking strategy. Team A will be Jordan, Yoshiki, Shizuka, and Nikolas. And Team B will be Katashi, Vladimir, Melody, and Kimiko. Now it's time for you all to talk strategy. Team A, you will remain here. Team B, you will go to the Eco Lounge. I'll speak to Team A first.Team B got up and started moving towards the doors. Remember, from now on, no fraternising with the enemy. At all. But, what if we need a medic? Or I need to tell them something important? AT ALL!Not willing to risk Dai's wrath, Kimiko ushered the rest of her team out of the Dining Hall, leaving us alone with Dai. What happens now? Do we just spend the week coming up with a plan? First, we need to get you a team captain. I can do it! I'll be captain! That's fine with me. Me too. Nuh uh! The captain will be chosen at random! Why? Because that's the rules of the game, sister. Games have rules, and you have to play by the rules, or where's the triumph in winning?Shizuka pouted. I've preloaded 4 cards on your tablets, you can choose one whenever you're ready. The person who chooses the card with the bunny on it will be team captain. I'll take card two. After you, BFF. I'll take four, I guess.We all waited, but Nikolas didn't even acknowledge us looking at him. Guess I'll take one. That leaves Mopey McGee over here with the third card. And the winner is... Jordan. She can't be captain! She's terrible at games! Standing... right here. But how can we strategize when we don't know what they'll do?Dai smiled and disappeared without even answering my question. [BGM: Et Tu, My Friend] *sigh* Okay. Let's talk this through. Maybe we can predict some of their possible strategies. Wait, I'm not sure I understand this game. I'll explain it. So, there's four players on each team and three rounds, meaning one person will miss out on being allocated the highest number for their group. But that's okay, because the highest number won't necessarily score, because equal numbers are cancelled out. Hold on a minute.Shizuka did not hold on. So essentially, our choice is between high risk high numbers or low risk low numbers. Enough high numbers might get us a win, but with low numbers, we're more likely to get the points to accumulate into a higher total score at the end. Slow down, I'm confused. It's really simple. Our numbers are compared to theirs and then the higher number from each pair is the winning number while also dictating the number of points you receive. Higher numbers will return higher points, but they're a risk, because it could be cancelled out, and then you're relying on very low numbers, or even on nothing that's been allocated to the rest of the team because we only have 10 points to distribute. What's confusing about that?I decided I wasn't getting anywhere with Yoshiki and Shizuka, so I decided to try and get Nikolas involved in the decision. Nikolas, what about you? Do you understand the rules? Nikolas?He was just looking at his hands, where they sat on the dining table. Okay. Shizuka, slow down. Yoshiki, I'll explain. It's simple, I don't get what the problem is! We have 10 points to allocate between all four of us. But we must give points to at least two of our players. Are you with me so far? Yeah, I think so. Each player's scores will be paired with the other team's players, and the highest wins... Argh, could you be any slower? We need to talk strategy! I think it's best if we make sure everyone understands the rules before we get specific. Nikolas, were you listening?I had hoped he would at least nod or shake his head, but he didn't even do that much. Alright. New plan. Shizuka, you go away and think about some strategies for us to discuss. Yoshiki, you and I will go somewhere where I can explain the game to you. Nikolas... you should go and get some sleep. And maybe a shower, jeez!I decided to just take Yoshiki somewhere quiet and talk to him alone. What Nikolas and Shizuka did was their own business. But it sure didn't seem like Nikolas was going to be captaining our team. Come on, Yoshiki. We'll go somewhere quiet.Yoshiki and I left together, to go over the rules in peace. …  [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  I took out the pocket watch and looked at it. I was all out of ideas, and I needed to show it to somebody. But I was limited to my own team, and I wasn't sure how helpful they'd be. Yoshiki was an engineer, so he might be the best person to understand the problem, but he wasn't exactly the most focused person. Shizuka was very determined when she decided to do something, so maybe if I presented the watch to her as a sort of puzzle or game, I could get her interested. Or there was Nikolas. Maybe if I asked him for help, it would give him something to focus on and help him keep it together after Beatrix's death.  It's time once again to show the watch to one of our teammates; we'll finish this update by going to one person, and then next update we'll check out the other two. Therefore, I think it'd probably be best to check in on Nikolas first- he definitely seems like he could use it.Nikolas was a smart man, and maybe he could use a distraction. My tablet said he was in the Medic Bay, so it seemed like he was back to work, at least. [BGM: The Aftermath of Bravery] But when I arrived, I found him sitting still and staring off into space. His hands were still wrapped up to protect his injured hands. Nikolas looked so sad and lost that it was almost painful even to look at him. Nikolas?He didn't answer me, and just kept staring across the room. I took a few steps closer. Nikolas turned around to face me properly.   What do you want?I hadn't expected him to speak so suddenly, or so coldly. He didn't sound angry, exactly. Just flat and dead. Uh... I understand that you're having a really hard time since you lost your sister. But, um... I really value your opinion, and so I've come to ask if you can help me with something. Hah! You value my opinion? I can't even save my sister's life... I can't be that smart or useful, can I?I needed to get Nikolas out of his funk. We were still in a perilous situation, and we had a new game to win. But how to snap him out of it? Harsh, or more gentle? Or something in between?  We're going to see all of these as usual, starting with the top option. Would Beatrix be happy if she saw you right now?Nikolas paused, looking at me, and for a moment I thought I'd gotten through.  Beatrix CAN'T see me right now. And she can't FEEL anything! Ever again, because she is dead, Jordan, DEAD! That bitch Dai murdered her right in front of me! I... How dare you show up here and think that after a few weeks you somehow have the right to tell me what Beatrix would want! Leave! Before I make you!I did not need telling twice. I ran out the door and all the way back to my room. ...well, the soft approach failed. Maybe a bit harder of a stance? Beatrix didn't die for you to give up hope. No. She didn't die for me to give up hope. Or for me to hope. She died for no reason, and her death will be in vain. All of us will die eventually, one by one. Why should I wait around for my number to come up? Everyone's will, eventually. No one will live to see this mission in two months, let alone the lifetime we are supposed to. There is hope. I'm working hard on something. Something to deal with Dai. What? It's better if I keep it quiet for now. But if someone programmed Dai to exist, then we can also make her not exist. It's just a matter of working it out. Hah. I'll believe it when I see it. Okay.Neither of us bothered with goodbyes. I turned around and left, to go straight back to my room. Well, at least we ended on a less negative note, but this option was still not a great one. Maybe just going for it is the best approach here? Listen here, Nikky! Enough of this! This moping behavior is unacceptable! I expect more of you. Go wash your face, take a breather, for Science's sake, change your shirt, and get back here and be the useful Nikolas I know.There was a moment of tension as he took in what I said, and I waited to see if it would pay off. [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  Then he smiled. Without saying anything, he left, and I wasn't sure if he was planning to come back. I took a seat on a bed and looked at the pocket watch. Even though I'd examined it a hundred times, I still kept thinking that maybe this time I'd see something new, or have some game-changing revelation. Just like always, I didn't. It was probably not even ten minutes before Nikolas came back. He was looking more composed, more like his usual self. His hair and face were tidy, though he still needed to shave. He had changed his shirt, and looked (and smelled) much better.  Thank you. I... really needed that. You're welcome. I understand that, sometimes you just need someone to push you a little. So, why did you come? What did you want help with? It's this.I showed him the pocket watch and let him look at it.  It's nice. Is it supposed to be retro? Or genuine vintage? I don't know. I found it in my parents' research files. Their notes suggest that it has something to do with travelling from one dimension to another. So, there are more than two? Two? There's only this one. Why would there be another one? The work my parents did was pretty out there. I just assumed. If they're for travelling or communicating between realities, it makes sense for them to have a partner. Like walkie talkies. There's a second one in the set. That's intriguing. I hadn't thought about that possibility at all. Maybe it isn't working because something's wrong with its partner? Also interesting. See. I knew you'd have some useful insight. Not a problem. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work. Very happy to. I will see you soon, we need to talk strategy for the new game.Nikolas nodded, and glad to finally have him back and focused on saving our lives, I went back to my quarters.
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Apr 18, 2022 20:48
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 Now let's go back and show the watch to the other two members of our team, starting with Yoshiki once again. [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  I decided to go and find Yoshiki. He wasn't an expert on alternate realities, or even physics, but he was an engineer and that meant understanding how things work. He might be able to give me some fresh perspectives. According to my tablet, he was in the Dining Hall. I made my way there and found him sitting alone, eating a large slice of cake. Where did you get cake? I went into the Kitchen and took it. It's great. Katashi isn't allowed to talk to me, and that means he also isn't allowed to yell at me for eating the cake he made. The perfect crime!Yoshiki had been cutting a new slice of the cake as he talked, and he slid some over to me on a plate. It was excellent cake, made even more excellent by the knowledge it was illicit, criminal cake, and there was nothing Katashi could do about it. So I came to show you something. Here, look.I got out the pocket watch and gave it to him. He stopped eating for a moment to look at it. It's one of those old fashioned watches. Where did you get it? It was in my parents' old things. With their research notes and stuff.Yoshiki managed to understand me, even though my mouth was full of cake. That's an odd place for it. The notes with it make it sound like this watch is part of an experiment. I think it's involved in interdimensional travel. You know, going to alternate realities. Why would they use a pocket watch to travel between dimensions?I thought hard about this, still stuffing cake into my mouth.  Same as it usually is with these hangouts, starting from the top. Maybe one of my parents really liked pocket watches?I laughed, unable to think of a good reason. Or maybe they thought they were fashionable or trendy, or something? Maybe they liked the retro look. Haha. I seriously can't think of a good reason. I hope that's why they chose the watch. Because it doesn't exactly work. None of the hands are moving, so as a watch, it's about as broken as a watch gets. So all its value lies in its dimension jumping qualities. Sure looks like it. It can't tell the time, that's for sure.Middle option. Maybe dimensions are read like time?I kept fueling my brain with delicious cake while I struggled to figure out how to explain my thinking. Okay, so maybe dimensions are all like segments of a larger picture, and the one we are experiencing is just the one we know and are currently in. So, comparing it to a clock face, we're the one o'clock dimension, but maybe there's also a two o'clock dimension and a three and a four.Yoshiki kept eating cake, his expression puzzled. He shrugged.  Well, either way, our one o'clock is super messed up. What I wouldn't give to live in two o'clock right now.And lastly, the bottom option. Maybe because other dimensions are other 'timelines'? ...Timelines! Get it...?Yoshiki didn't laugh. Okay, so it's not a great pun, but I deserve a pity laugh, at least. But you might accidentally be on to something. Huh? What? Maybe dimensions and timelines are like electricity. There's AC and DC. Direct Current and... what's the other one? Alternating. So, Direct Current has electricity moving in one direction. Let's say that's what we're experiencing right now. The watch might change the current to Alternating, which would mean the dimension can move back and forth. Which would allow us to travel backwards and forwards again, rather than forward in the linear way we do now. Hmm... That's an interesting theory.Yoshiki grinned mischievously. I'm an interesting guy. I guess it doesn't matter why they chose a watch, if I can't figure out how to work the thing. They didn't leave an instruction manual? Hah! Afraid not. So inconsiderate of them, right? Even if you can get it to work, you won't know where it will take you. I wonder if you can choose which universe it sends you to. I've got a lot of reading to do, I guess. And now... we've got evidence to hide.We had eaten the whole cake between the two of us. We could just leave the empty plate in the Kitchen. Katashi will see it, but there won't be anything he can do about it.I put the watch back into my pocket and stood up. Let's just flee the scene. Hahaha!Yoshiki stood up beside me. I'll race you back to your quarters. Okay. One, two, three... GO!… I arrived at the door of my quarters only a fraction of a second sooner than Yoshiki! Winner! Argh, I am too full of cake to run. I made a mistake.Yoshiki grabbed his stomach as it made strange noises. I'm maybe going to go lie down and let my tummy digest all the cake. Hahaha, okay bestie, I will see you later!Yoshiki waved one hand to me while his other held his stomach, and he slinked off down the hallway towards his quarters. And that's it for Yoshiki's side. Lastly, let's go show Shizuka.  The watch was a puzzle, and Shizuka liked being challenged, so I decided to show her the watch and see what she made of it. My tablet showed that she was in the Bridge, so I went there to find her. It seemed like a risky place to be, given the captain was on the other team, and might come in. Shizuka had taken over the navigator's role, so maybe she was working. … At first I couldn't see her, but then I found her, sitting in the captain's chair. Sort of. She was hanging from it, upside down, with her game console in her hands. Are you playing upside down?Shizuka immediately turned herself the right way up. Ugh! Don't scare me like that! What were you doing? The captain's on the other team, so she can't stop me sitting in her chair. But it got boring, so I decided to play games upside down. what about when the teams come back together, and the captain finds out you were in her chair? You wouldn't tell on me... would you?! I wouldn't, but Ai may already have told. Shizuka suddenly looked very ill, like she had just been sentenced to death. I cleared my throat, deciding to change the subject. So I want your brain. What? I mean... not physically. I'm a mad scientist, but not that mad. Ahaha! I just want you to help me solve a puzzle. Yes! I'll help! I'm great at puzzles. Show me, show me, show me!I took out the pocket watch and gave it to her. She looked at it very carefully, checking both sides and examining where the buttons were. This watch was with my parents' old research notes. From what I can understand, it's got something to do with their work on interdimensional travel. That's like... Alternate realities, parallel universes, sure I get it. And this can make you travel between them? Apparently. As always, starting from the top. How would this allow us to travel between dimensions?Shizuka continued to examine the watch, looking it over thoroughly for a second time. She pressed the buttons and found that they did nothing. Well, this alone can't be the way to travel. There must be some other element to it. Why? If this was all you needed to allow you to travel between dimensions, you'd have done it. So probably there's more items, and you'll pick them up during future quests. Well, this isn't a game, but you could be right. Maybe this is a piece of whatever allows you to travel. I'm not sure how this could allow you to travel. It's not exactly a vehicle. Perhaps I'm meant to attach to an interdimensional vehicle? Haha! It's to help you navigate your interdimensional bicycle. That's honestly no stupider than someone of the ideas I've already had. I'm sure it will make sense eventually, at the right time. Time! Haha. Haha! Thanks for your help. I hadn't thought about there being extra parts.Next, the middle option. What do you think I'm missing? Shizuka took a moment to think. A connection. Huh? So, you have this pocket watch that is supposed to allow you to travel between dimensions. But how do you connect to those dimensions?She poked the air beside my face. Is this the connection?Shizuka poked again, this time the empty space to her left. Or is this the connection? You can't just have an object and expect it to do something. It needs to be in the right environment. I don't look at my game cartridge and then it just works. I need to put it into the right machine, which is connected to a screen, and then it will work. So, you have this piece of the puzzle, the cartridge. But you don't know what the console is. Thank you. That's a really great comparison. What do you think the game console is? I have no idea. Maybe just being in the right place? Somewhere that's attuned to it, or where barriers are weak? I don't know. Well, it's an idea I hadn't thought of. Thanks, this might help.Lastly, the bottom option. Why am I struggling to solve this? Sometimes, when I'm playing games, I pick up items that I will need for a quest further down the track. But when I get them, I don't know that yet, so I try them on everything and anything to see if it works. But it never does. Sometimes you just have to hold onto an item until you get to the right place or time, and then suddenly it makes sense. You find the door that your key is meant for. But this isn't a game. It's real life. Yes, but the same principle applies. It's not your fault that you haven't found all the pieces of this puzzle. Don't beat yourself up about it. You'll get there eventually. That is comforting. You've got this. And when you suddenly discover what the watch is for... that's gonna be an amazing moment. Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better. No problem. I hope you can figure it out. Let me know when you have more clues to put together. I will. Thanks. And don't worry- your secret is safe with me.Shizuka grinned and flipped herself upside down again, console in her hand. It was time for me to deal with the next problem- Dai. I went back to m room to call Ai and ask her what she'd found out. Mix. fucked around with this message at 21:54 on Apr 20, 2022 |
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Apr 20, 2022 20:46
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Mix. posted:FJ Looks like you've got the leftovers of a tag here. Eventually we'll figure out what this classy watch is for, just not yet it seems. Also, doing things that might cause a confrontation like stealing a cake or the captain's chair is probably the worst thing you could be doing with how this game's got that instant death penalty on it.
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Apr 20, 2022 21:41
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Shizuka, I don't think life works on Sierra adventure rules ...that does sound like Dai's alley, now that I think about it.
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Apr 20, 2022 21:52
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GiantRockFromSpace posted:Shizuka, I don't think life works on Sierra adventure rules Dai: "Unfortunately, since you didn't pick up the hairpin on the floor of the medical bay when you first woke up (which was promptly swept up and discarded by a cleaning-bot the moment you left the room, making it impossible to pick up later), the final round of the Deletion Game is now unwinnable. Guess you should've bought the Hint Book. Have a nice death!" Given the fact that it's not Male Crew vs. Female Crew this time around, and Jordan is Yoshiki's team captain, and we know from the other route that Kimiko is willing to have Dai kill the protagonist outside of the standard Deletion Game rounds for Yoshiki's sake... I'm guessing things will not go well for the protagonist if our choices in this round end up getting Yoshiki killed. 
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Apr 21, 2022 01:57
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So, as suggested the code to free the AI is almost certainly some reference to the story of Adam and Eve. That intrigues me more is the possibility that freeing the Ai might actually be the solution. It's been suggested that this is all the result of programming from Kimiko's mother, after all. What if Dai is less a separate programmed personality and more a coping mechanism for Ai being forced to do things she'd rather not?
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Apr 21, 2022 14:35
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I have what's probably a pretty obvious theory on the watch MJordan and FJordan are going to team up at some point.
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Apr 21, 2022 15:12
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 The scene after we show one of our teammates the watch is the same as before, with Dai coming to Jordan's quarters to report on her findings: specifically, that the deactivation code can be entered into anyone's tablet once it's been discovered. After she leaves, Jordan spends the rest of her night sifting through the paperwork for anything new she might have missed... [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  I had a restless and confusing night, full of dreams about Dai and the deactivation code. It felt like the answer was right there, so close that I could touch it, but I just kept missing it, somehow. I could never quite grip it. And because I couldn't, Dai was going to murder every last person on the ship, one by one. Thinking about death so much made me want to make the most of what life I had. I decided to spend the morning enjoying someone's company- even if I wasn't next, one of my friends might be. I was limited to the people on my team. Nikolas had his own problems, and he didn't need me intruding on his time. So it would have to be Yoshiki or Shizuka. My tablet showed that Shizuka was still in her quarters, while Yoshiki was in the Engineering Bay.  Let's do the opposite order this time and start by going to find Shizuka. Shizuka was probably fast asleep. She definitely wasn't the most energetic member of the crew. At least, not unless there was a game to be won. The kind of game that was winnable of course, not the Deletion Game. I arrived at her quarters and saw that her door was unlocked. If she wasn't awake, she ought to be, so I called out. She didn't answer, and I poked my head in to see if I needed to summon Ai to give her a wake-up call. I didn't have the courage to wake her up myself. [BGM: Standby to Standby]  As soon as I saw her, I stepped fully into the room, to make sure I was really seeing what I thought I was. She was crawling across the floor, with a game controller in her mouth. I could see her underwear.  I guess this wouldn't be an anime-inspired game if they didn't slip one of these in... Unfortunately.  ...and somehow these are different dialogue branches so we're going to be seeing all three. Um... what are you doing?Shizuka looked up at me, the game controller still in her mouth. But her eyes said that this was the most ridiculous question in the history of the universe. Iwntchuga gmfme... I can't understand what you're saying.Shizuka spit the controller out of her mouth and stood up. I was moving to change the game on my console. I asked Ai to change it, BUT SHE WOULDN'T.Ai didn't appear, but her voice played back over the intercom system.  As I explained to you, I have many more important tasks that require my attention. Changing your game for you is a low priority when you have the capacity to get up and change it for yourself. Okay. But that doesn't explain the crawling... Standing up seemed like a lot of extra work. Crawling was easier. So that's what I did.Wow. That was an impressive level of laziness. I liked Shizuka, and always taking the laziest option was part of what made her who she was. Anyway, next option. I don't think I've ever played this game before. Haha!Shizuka stood up, pouting as she took the controller out of her mouth.  You aren't very funny, you know. Actually, I happen to know that I am quite funny. Well ha ha. I was changing the game on my console. Unicorns' Revenge keeps crashing. That sucks. What were you going to play instead? I recently got hold of a new game. It's called 'The Letter', and it's like a horror game. Let's not question the logistics of how Shizuka 'got hold' of a new game in deep space. Do you like horror? Not normally. But my mom really loved them, so sometimes I try one. This one looks really good, though. I might even have played it if I didn't have to, but I guess now we'll never know. Why do all the best games glitch?Even though maybe some would think her frustration was out of proportion, I liked that about Shizuka. She had a passion, and her enjoyment of her games was something I liked. The frustration was the opposing side of that, and so I liked it, too. And, lastly... the last one. Well... good morning Shizuka. And Shizuka's panties.Shizuka took the controller out of her mouth and fake pouted.  Hey! Look at your own panties! Well, we all have the same ones, issued to every woman on board. So technically, I did kinda look at my own.Shizuka gave this a moment's thought. You're probably right. What do the guys wear?Shizuka shrugged. I don't know. I never do laundry. Except that one time, when I shrank some of the crew's blazers. The captain was furious and banned me from ever washing again. Such a tragedy.I wouldn't have been shocked if she had shrunk the blazers on purpose, and the way her eye gleamed made me suspect she possibly had. I'm worried about this new game of Dai's... You're the game expert. Do you think we'll be okay? Of course! I've never lost a game yet and I am not about to. I'm not usually a fan of multiplayer, you know. But I like my teammates, and I think we make a good mix. I think we'll all be okay. I hope I can be as confident as you.Shizuka smiled. Come on. Sit down and watch me play. This is supposed to be a really atmospheric game.I decided to take her up on that offer, so I sat down on her bed, while she changed the game on her console. Maybe the game would be distracting enough to take my mind off my nightmares. It gave me new nightmares. And that's the end of Shizuka's side. Let's go see Yoshiki next. [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  Yoshiki's happy demeanor was so contagious. Even thinking about spending the morning with him made me smile. When I got to the Engineering Bay, I could hear him. He was singing. [BGM: Standby to Standby]  But looking around, I couldn't see him. I followed his voice across the room and behind some sort of equipment, and found him, half under a console.  I guess we'll start with the top and work our way down as usual? Um... what are you doing down there?I kept trying not to stare, but I couldn't help it, and I was pretty sure Yoshiki could tell. I don't think I would ever get used to how ripped Yoshiki was under that shirt of his. Just some repairs. Oh. Cool... um... It's, uh... good weather we're having. Sure is. The sun is shining, and I love that cool breeze. Uh... yeah...Why was I talking about the weather? We were on a spaceship. There was no weather. I'd never in my life experienced weather, and neither had he. There's a high pressure system coming through, so we'll likely experience some precipitation towards the end of the week.He was playing along and I wasn't sure why. Was he mocking me? Or just rolling with my nonsensical babble to be polite? Or did he think I was joking? I didn't have the mental capacity to tell. I was still distracted by his chest. I closed my eyes, regrouped and focused on his face, half in shadow under the console. At least we can expect the temperature to remain constant for the next 60 years at least. Hahaha! Unless I get cold and decide to reprogram it. Or you could just put on a shirt.Next, the middle option. I believe I need some repair under my bonnet too. I gestured towards myself, hoping I sounded suave rather than mad. Perhaps you could do some tinkering. Ahaha! I'm terrible with human bodies. You should ask Nikolas to take a look, if you're not feeling 100 percent.Maybe I had been successfully suave, but Yoshiki was not picking up what I was putting down. Awww... well, what if I became a cyborg? Then you'd want to look at everything. Haha! You bet. Just the mechanical parts, though? They're the best parts! Guess I'd better think carefully about which parts I want you to see... Aaaaand the last one, I guess. I wasn't aware that it was no shirt day. Shall I undress? Rather than pretending I hadn't noticed, I decided I'd lean into it. After all, he knew how built he was. Go ahead! The friends that go shirtless together stay together. Haha! I think I'll keep it on for now, actually. Maybe some other day. Let's do it! When we can talk to the other team again, we can propose No Shirt Day! I've read about companies on Earth that do 'Casual Fridays'. It'd be like that, except without the hassle of trying to decide what to wear. Somehow I don't think the captain would be involved with that plan.Yoshiki winked. She'll give me anything I ask for on my birthday. So my birthday could be No Shirt Day. So it's decided. From now on, May 30th is No Shirt Day. Of course, if you wanted to, you could make every day a personal No Shirt Day. I wouldn't object.Yoshiki grinned, as he slid out from under the console. Hahaha! Yoshiki, I really hope this game goes well. I... don't want anyone to die. But I really don't want you to.I could feel myself getting teary-eyed, and Yoshiki was there to hug me immediately. He gripped me tightly.  Don't worry. Death can't stop us being the very best of friends. If either one of us dies, we can wait for the other, and then haunt people together!I smiled. Okay. I'll meet you on the other side.Yoshiki had repair work to do, and I had a pocket watch and deactivation code to figure out. But a warm, tight hug was just what I needed, and I was able to leave the Engineering Bay in a good, productive mood. … [BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera] Woooooop! Woooooooooooooop! Wooooooooooooooooop! Aaaah! What the hell?I woke up so quickly I nearly jumped straight off the bed. Goooooooood morning! Rise and shine, kids! This is your friendly neighborhood A.I., requesting you all be in the Dining Room within half an hour or face the consequences! Dai?! I repeat, we are ready, all systems are go, this is not a drill, get to that Dining Room in 29 minutes and 25 seconds!It was 5:03 a.m. What could Dai possibly want? Unless I'd slept for several days, it wasn't time to play the next game. Maybe she had suddenly decided to change the rules? Or maybe it was a real emergency? But if it was a real emergency, wouldn't Ai be in control? Figuring I didn't have the time to worry about it, I rushed to get out of bed and dressed.  Coming out of my room into the corridor, I nearly walked straight into Shizuka. Hey! Watch it! Sorry. What's going on? What does Dai want? I figure someone broke the rules. You know, about not talking to the other team. But who would do that?Shizuka shrugged.  Guess we better go find out.
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Apr 22, 2022 19:37
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Alright, we're coming up to another branch point like before; two paths lie before us, are we going to be going down the left one or the right one?
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Apr 22, 2022 19:37
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The Right path
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Apr 22, 2022 19:46
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Slaan posted:The Right path Why go the wrong path? Right it is!
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Apr 22, 2022 19:55
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Right.
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Apr 22, 2022 20:12
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I'll go with the crowd and make the right choice. Seeing how Yoshiki oh-so-casually slipped his birthday into conversation... I wonder if that's going to become relevant later? No matter the timeline, this crew can't catch a break during the waiting period for this particular game. (In fairness, "don't say a single word to an arbitrary grouping of the people you live with" is an easy rule to break by accident.)
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Apr 22, 2022 21:02
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Apr 23, 2022 00:35
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The Letter is of course another visual novel, but I'm fairly sure not by these devs. Must just be fans. It's pretty good although the translation can be a bit shaky. Someone did an LP here but I don't know if they finished it or not as I've played it myself.
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Apr 23, 2022 02:41
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 [BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera]  When we arrived at the Dining Hall, Nikolas was there, along with the captain and Katashi, on the other side of the room. What's going on? Does anyone know? Katashi and I spoke. What?! Why would you do that?! It was an accident. I didn't think. I went into the Kitchen, basically walked right into Katashi; I apologized before I remembered. How could you be so stupid? You can check who's in a room any time you want! You should have seen he was there. I didn't think to check. It was so early, that I... If the whole team gets punished for this, I'll...  Now, now. No threats of violence. It's not good sportsmanship. Also, it's kinda MY thing. You can't punish all of us because two people screwed up.Vladimir rushed in, holding onto Melody's hand. She was still half asleep, looking around the room with drooping eyes. Then she saw Dai and tugged her father's shirt.  I don't wanna play another game. Maybe we don't have to. Come sit down.Yoshiki was the last person to arrive, and not more than fifteen minutes after Dai summoned us. But she still pretended like he was late. Tsk, tsk. Glad you could finally join us. I'm not late, am I? Not even close. Hurry up, hurry up, take your seat, let's get started. As I am sure most of you are aware, the rules of the current Deletion Game have been broken. Nikolas and Katashi have exchanged words, and being on different teams, this is of course forbidden by the very explicit laws I outlined to you repeatedly. It was an accident! I just said sorry. One word. Did I say 'no communicating, unless it's only one word and it's an accident?' No I did not. I said no communication. AT ALL. This is ridiculous. Are you really going to punish them because Nikolas was polite? No. Of course not. Then why... I'm going to punish ALL of you. What?! You can't... Dai, wait! I'll take the punishment. Whatever the consequences are, let me be punished. Not everyone. Your nobility is cute, and the valor brings out the blue in your eyes. ...But I'm afraid this is a punishment that must encompass everyone. For the punishment is...She left a dramatic pause that seemed to last hours.  The Deletion Game!Both teams were silent. That was the punishment? We were already going through that. How could she punish us with it?  What? But we're not ready! We haven't had time to prepare! So? It's no skin off my nose. But don't you want the game to be interesting? Eight tired people doing the first thing they can think of won't be very exciting.Dai considered this for a few moments. Good point. This is why you're the captain. I will allow you ten minutes for strategy meetings. Team A stays here, Team B will meet in the Kitchen. But... Disperse!Team B got out of their seats and filed past us, slow and slouching. We waited for Team B to leave before we started working on our strategy. Okay, so yesterday I came up with a plan of attack for this game! Really? That's great news! I knew we could count on you, Shizuka! I know this is not the time, but again, I am so sorry team. It's fine, Nikolas, really. Let's just deal with the issue at hand. I suggest that we go all in! Huh? Like, give someone 9 points right off the bat! But that would leave two people without points. It's ju-Dai suddenly chimed in over the intercom system. Please assemble in the Dining Hall for this week's Deletion Game. Round One starts in 5 minutes! Whoooo! That certainly didn't feel like ten minutes... Yeah, I'm sure she just became bored. Wha?! But that's not fair! Well, she was going to make us play on the spot; five minutes are still better than nothing. I guess... It was only a few minutes before Team B returned to the Dining Hall. Oh goodie, everyone's here! Now I know I said ten minutes, but just look at you all! There's nothing quite like the risk of death to wake you up in a hurry, is there? Alright, let's play! Very well, Dai. Let's get this over with. I love your fighting spirit! Okay, so what I will need is for you all to wait outside during the other team's turn. You will get up to five minutes in the room to decide on your points allocation, then after that, you can input your choices on the main terminal. However, all hands will have to be placed on the terminal in agreeance. Team A, you are up first. Team B! Get out!The members of Team B hastily left the Dining Hall and left us alone with Dai in the Dining Hall. The dining table now projected a shimmering holographic terminal. [BGM: Carpe Noctum] Your five minutes starts... now! As I was saying before, I think we should play high numbers, but that is just my opinion. The real choice is up to you, captain. Jordan 0, Nikolas 0, Yoshiki 1, Shizuka 9. Everyone supports our Team Captain, right? Yes. Yup!I input the allocation using the terminal and everyone else placed their palms there to approve it. Thank you for your entry! Please exit the Dining Hall so stinky Team B can allocate their points.We quickly shuffled out of the Dining Hall and Team B entered for their turn.  Well, I guess all we can do now is wait. For your information, waiting is one of my finest skills. Watch this.… We all stood silently and watched Yoshiki. See?! How good am I at waiting??Shizuka let out a nervous laugh while Nikolas seemed uninterested in the situation. After a few tense minutes of waiting, Team B exited the Dining Hall. Dai followed, boisterous as usual. What a wonderful start to the Bidding Wars! Both teams are fighting hard! Now let's see the results of Round One. If you would be so kind as to draw your attention to this screen...Dai projected a screen using the same light she was made of. And the winner of Round One is... A TIE! Woooo! Can you feel the tension? Argh, this is amazing! Let's move onto Round Two. Team A, you are up again, please follow me.Dai appeared to walk through the wall as we made our way back into the Dining Hall. … Your five minutes starts... now! A tie?! What do we do??Yoshiki began to panic, and we didn't have time for it. No, Yoshiki, this is a great loss! We now know how they played the last round! We now know more about the enemy, so I was thinking of these options for the next round... Jordan 0, Nikolas 0, Yoshiki 1, Shizuka 9.I input the allocation using the terminal and everyone else placed their palms there to approve it. Thank you for your entry! Please exit the Dining Hall so stinky Team B can allocate their points.After a few tense minutes of waiting, Team B exited the Dining Hall. Dai followed, boisterous as usual. If you would be so kind as to draw your attention to this screen...Dai projected a screen using the same light she was made of. And the winner of Round Two is...  And the broken math rears its head again. As much as I appreciate conceptually the idea of being able to choose a bunch of options and the many different combinations actually being coded in... they, uh, really dropped the ball when it comes to actually checking those combinations for consistency. Unlike the last one, though, this wouldve worked if the option was 8/2 instead of 9/1, so it would've been an easy fix, too.  Ah well, c'est la vie. With this, Team A has a score of “9”, Team B has a score of 4, and Jordan has no points. Waaah, Team A you are my hero! Let's move onto Round Three then! Team A, you are up again. Please follow me.Dai appeared to walk through the wall as we made our way back into the Dining Hall. … Your five minutes starts... now! We are winning so far, this is a relief. We might be safe! The game isn't over yet! Don't get too comfortable! For the last round, I suggest these... Jordan 1, Nikolas 5, Yoshiki 2, Shizuka 2.I input the allocation using the terminal and everyone else placed their palms there to approve it. … Let's get straight to the results. Womp, womp. Congratulations, Team B! After three rounds, you have come out victorious! And that means... Team A, you lose! Congrats! And the lucky winner of the wheel is... Nikolas! Well now, that's a shame. The average hotness of this crew is about to take a major dive. Nikolas, I'm sorry. We didn't do it on purpose. We didn't choose you. I know. The points fell this way. Wow. You're so calm about this. I could see my score as we went. I guess I was prepared for this. And to be honest with you, without my sister, I was- Sorry, Nikky. No, wait. Not sorry. The other thing. Excited! Let's spin the wheel!!!Dai's colorful, glowing wheel of deaths appeared beside her, lights flashing.  So, Nikolas. Tell the audience. What kind of death are you hoping for today? I'm not answering that. You'll stop the wheel on the opposite. Are you implying that the Wheel of Death is rigged? How dare you, sir! It's not real. Of course you control it. I have never been so insulted! You don't trust the wheel? Fine! I choose for you. To the Medical Bay! Come on. We'd better do what she says. You are taking this so well. Now or later, what's the difference? At least I don't have to wonder anymore. I'm sorry, Nikolas. This isn't fair. This whole thing isn't fair. But it's no more unfair for me than anyone else. Alright, enough chatter! Let's get moving, come on now. Left, right, left, right...We didn't march, but we did hurry out into the corridor and towards the Medical Bay. … [BGM: The Aftermath of Bravery]  Keep marching, we're almost there! Left, right, left, right, left, right...She kept up the marching rhythm for the rest of the walk, shouting so loudly that no one could hear over it. Once we made it to the Medical Bay, she continued the rhythm right up to the surgical room. Left, right, left, right, left, right... And stop!Katashi stopped so suddenly I walked into his back. The captain had to grab me to stop me from falling. Nikolas, if you would step into the surgery room, we can get started. Don't I get goodbyes?Dai sighed and rolled her eyes. Fine! Two minutes.Nikolas went to the captain first, nodding to her with a slight smile. I was impressed that he managed to stay suave and cool, even while preparing for death. Perhaps he'd been preparing since the moment his sister died.  Captain. I appreciate that you've been doing your best under the circumstances. I don't want you to feel responsible for this. Or for Beatrix. I... I'm sorry... You didn't program Dai. Well, no... but... Don't blame yourself for this. I assure you, I don't. I'm ready. Aaaaaaand I'm gonna need a volunteer from the audience!It was no surprise that nobody put their hand up. Come on, don't make me pick someone!Katashi stepped forward.  Alright. What do I have to do? Don't worry. You'll just be doing some light killing today. I don't believe it's habit forming. If symptoms persist, please see your doctor. Oh wait! You won't have one. In you go.Nikolas and Katashi both went into the surgical room, but the door remained open behind them. The rest of us assembled in front of the observation window. Melody was just tall enough to see inside.  I like Nikolas. Is he going away forever? Like Mummy and Beatrix? I'm... afraid so, sweetie. Why don't you turn around now?Melody shook her head. I want to see what Dai is doing. Will it hurt him? We don't know yet. You can look for now, but you have to turn around when I say, okay? Okay.She had to hold onto the wall and get on her toes to see everything, but Melody's attention was fixed inside the room just like everyone else's. Dai was inside and giving Katashi instructions. ...And then the other one on that arm. I had missed the instructions, but Katashi got to work right away, so I could see what he was doing. He took a large gauge needle and Nikolas instructed him how to get it into a vein on the wrist. That's right. I'm so sorry about this. ...At least Beatrix isn't here to do it.Katashi inserted a second needle into the other wrist. I could do this myself, but it is quite difficult, so thank you.Katashi pushed a fragile smile at Nikolas. Pretty good for a farmer. Now, the tubes in that drawer. Attach one to each needle.Katashi didn't need any instructions for that. All the needles he'd placed in Nikolas had a plastic screw mechanism on them, so all he had to do was screw the tubes on using the corresponding end. When that was done, Dai had Katashi attach the tubes to the computer. Which, in a sense I guessed, was giving them, and whatever they could do, to Dai herself.  Audience, how about a round of applause for my glamorous assistant!There was silence. Applause.As Katashi came back to the group, we each put our hands together for a few unenthusiastic claps, Melody copied. Daddy, why did Katashi do those things? He didn't like doing it. Dai can't touch things, so she made Katashi do it for her.Melody got down off her toes and reached across her father to pull on Katashi's sleeve. Melody? It's not your fault. I... Thank you. Quiz time! Who knows the meaning of the word exsanguination? Sanguine is Latin for blood, so logically, exsanguination involves not having blood? Ding ding! Ten points to the lady at the front! The process has already begun. Now, theoretically he should die once I've drained one third to one half of his blood volume. But I'm keen to push the boundaries. Let's see what he can handle. For science! Nikolas Vogel, your service to the Everett has been exceptional. We honor your sacrifice today, and we will remember your bravery and integrity. Salute!The crew saluted. Melody copied and did the same.  Well now, that's interesting. Only 30 seconds and already his pulse is way down. Keep your eyes on those vitals, folks.Dai was pointing out the screen readout, which showed Nikolas' rapidly falling heart rate. His blood presure was on the same screen.  Sorry I am late, sister...It dropped. Very suddenly. He's going into shock. After only a 5/8ths loss of blood. Disappointing.Nikolas' skin had gone white and translucent. Nikolas started to slip slightly in the chair. Whoops. Should have strapped him down. Well, we live and learn. Or not, in his case.The monitoring machines let out unnecessary alarm tones. I don't know. I feel like that could have gone better. We'll have to remember for next time. Speaking of next time, I hope to see you all soon for the next Deletion Game! Thanks for playing!With that, Dai disappeared. The captain kept looking through the window, with a sigh of resignation.  Katashi, can you help me with him? Of course. Do you think it hurt a lot? I don't think so. I think he went to sleep and didn't feel anything else after. That's good. I think so, too.Kimiko and Katashi went into the room to deal with the unpleasant reality of yet another body. The rest of us went our separate ways, most of us to our quarters, to hide away and wonder who the Deletion Game would take next.
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Apr 25, 2022 22:35
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Poor Nikolas. At least with Beatrix already gone, there's a distinctly decreased chance of anyone getting all stabby with a syringe after the next game... or, if there is any syringe use, it probably won't be for Nikolas' sake. Assuming the order of game rounds is still static between male/female routes, it's vampire time again--wonder if it'll still be Yoshiki? With Shizuka still alive this time around, she might have a thing or two to say about the mechanics of that particular game (in particular, how rough it seems to be for the vampire team.)
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Apr 25, 2022 23:56
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 content warning: suicidal ideation [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  I knew that Nikolas chose to die, but I was still pretty shaken. I had promised Beatrix that I'd protect her little brother... yet I was still here and he wasn't. I was the leader, I should have kept my team members alive. I rolled over and silently cried into my pillow. Nikolas' blood was on my hands, and I felt one hundred percent responsible. I was losing the motivation to continue living, let alone get out of bed. We're all going to die anyway, so why bother? Right? It would be so much easier if we were all dead too.What the hell? Yoshiki?I sat up in my bed and squinted into the dimly lit room. I couldn't see Yoshiki, or even a faint outline of him. Where could his voice have come from?  Hey, bestie, down here.I craned my head over the side of the bed and saw him lying on the floor next to my bed, complete with his own pillow and blanket. Yoshiki, what are you doing down there? I... I didn't want to sleep alone last night, so after everyone went to bed, I snuck in. How did you sneak in? My door locks behind me!  Oh that... I pulled in a favor. A favor from the captain? Bingo! What blatant disrespect for my privacy, and from her of all people! Aww, don't be angry, bestie! We're best friends, so there's no need for you to hide anything from me!Normally I would roll my eyes at such a comment, but I could see that Yoshiki legitimately felt close enough to me that there was no need for privacy between us anymore. It was cute- in a childish kind of way. So why did you sneak into MY room? Why not someone else's? …I could see Yoshiki welling up, his face flushing a light pink and his eyes shimmering like a sad puppy's. Would you have rather I ended up in someone else's room? In a frankly kind of weird twist, all three of these choices are functionally the same despite seeming VERY different in tone/vibe. We'll pick the neutral option, the middle one, then. Not at all! Just curious, is all.Yoshiki seemed satisfied with my answer, but his bottom lip was still sticking out a little. Don't be like that! I'm truly flattered that you chose to come to me above everyone else. Why don't you get off the floor and join me up here?I patted the spot on the bed next to me. Yoshiki must have been truly desperate to have slept on that rock-hard floor. Yoshiki leaped to his feet, pillow and blanket in hand. Are you sure, bestie? One hundred percent! This day is just getting better and better!Yoshiki bounced over me and immediately made himself a little nest in my sheets. He rolled himself up inside his blanket, peering out at me from within. Look, look! I'm a burrito! Hahaha! The best tasting burrito ever! Beef and cheese? Hahaha, definitely not, Yoshiki.Yoshiki grinned uncontrollably as he closed his eyes.  Goodnight, bestie. Goodnight, Yoshiki.My lingering feeling of hopelessness melted as I gazed upon Yoshiki's naive and innocent face. I knew that I still had a reason to live, to get up in the morning. I felt myself smiling just as broadly as sleep took me. … [BGM: Silence] Ohhhhhh? What do we have here?[BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera]  I opened my eyes to find Dai standing next to the bed, smiling michievously. I tried to sit up, but I realized that Yoshiki's arm was wrapped tightly around me. I promise this isn't what it looks like! Wha... huh?Yoshiki stirred next to me, drawing me in closer as he did. Girl, please. We all have needs to be fulfilled. Dai? Good morning, Yoshiki- you fox, you. Fox? I'm not a fox. Aren't you?Dai winked playfully at Yoshiki. Yoshiki let go of me and sat up. If I could choose anything, I would be a capybara!Furries, you have canon confirmation on what to draw him as! A what? It's like a guinea pig the size of a dog! What's so special about a capybara? Capybaras are friends with everyone! I wanna be friends with everyone! Even me? Of course! Awwwww. It seriously bums me out when I think about killing you. Well, you COULD just not kill me. That isn't really fair to the others though, is it?Yoshiki was lost in deep thought for a moment. You're right! It wouldn't be fair. I'm glad you agree! And with that, I need you two lovebirds to get yourself to the Dining Hall for the new Game explanation! I told you, I'm not a lovebird, I'm a capybara! Okay, okay. You rats get to the Dining Hall before I murder you both~ Yay! Coming![BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  Sometimes I wonder what went on inside of Yoshiki's head- it seemed like a magical place. Dai vanished, after which we threw off the blankets and made our way to the Dining Hall. Outside of my quarters, we bumped into a distressed-looking Katashi. Good morning! Just another day in paradise, eh? This is the Everett, silly!Katashi sighed. I saw that he was in no mood for Yoshiki's antics right now. Let's get this over with.We arrived to find that we were the last ones there. … [BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera]  Jordan, I'm impressed. Huh?Dai made eyes toward Katashi and made a highly suggestive face. It's not what you think! Shhhhh, all power to you, sister.I rolled my eyes- Dai was clearly not interested in the truth. Dai, what is the meaning of this? Well, I was on my merry way to fetc- It's nothing, Captain! She's just making up gossip! I do not have time for gossip. But... it's juuuuicy~ Is it true? Well... it's still an active investigation, but I do have grounds to make some scandalous accusations. Get back to me once you have undeniable proof. Challenge accepted! Dai seemed delighted by her new goal. I groaned, knowing that this was going to cause me problems in the future. Dai's gaze darted around the room in excitement, but nobody was talking. Come on! I don't have all day! Let's get this out of the way- I've got bigger fish to fry now!Dai stared at me intensely, as if daring me to challenge her. Dai, you are the one who gathered us here to tell us about the new Game- you are the only one currently holding yourself up. Ah yes! I almost forgot! *Ahem* May I introduce the new game- Vampire Children!And, once again, we already know how this game works, so we can skip the explanation! Ahhh... This is my favorite game to date! Any questions? Need me to repeat? Nah, we got it. Excellent! So, Jordan... What? If you're the Vampire, who will be your sweet Bonnie? Yoshiki or Katashi? Seriously? Hmmm.... I would put my money on Yoshiki! No, wait... Katashi! Dai, I am still waiting on that evidence.Dai smiled menacingly at the captain. She suddenly zapped out of the room, and the broadcast opened overhead, where we could all hear Dai using her best customer service voice. We understand that you have a choice in Deletion Game carrier, and want to thank you all so much for choosing the Dai Deletion Game service. We murder for your satisfaction, and we look forward to servicing you again this Sunday!
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Apr 27, 2022 18:28
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Why do I have a feeling Dai is going to feed Kimiko some false information to make her betray Jordan at some point?
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Apr 28, 2022 00:07
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Dai: Guess what! Jordan and Yoshiki slept together! Kimiko: ...I know, he asked if he could go to Jordan and I let him
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Apr 28, 2022 00:13
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Junpei posted:Dai: Guess what! Jordan and Yoshiki slept together! Honestly, I think Dai would get caught up enough in the idea of potential chaos to forget this until corrected. Of course, we've seen how protective Kimiko gets, this might still be risky territory somehow.
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Apr 28, 2022 00:19
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 [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  I couldn't sleep. I rolled over and stared at the empty space that, just last night, had a warm burrito in it. Maybe, just maybe, I should go sneak into HIS bed this time. His presence had helped me sleep last night after all. I grabbed my blanket and pillow and wound my way down the hallway towards Yoshiki's room. [BGM: With Fear: Hope]  Jordan?I turned to see the captain, looking the same as she always does- does she ever sleep? Ah, Captain... How are you? I was actually just about to rouse you to ask for your counsel.Her eyebrow raised as if she had just noticed something. What are you doing? I.... I was going to go and... get into bed with Yoshiki.Surprisingly enough, the captain didn't seem at all phased by this. Very well. Could I have a moment of your time beforehand? Yeah! Of course. I trailed the captain to the Bridge. I stood there, wrapped in my blanket as the captain brought up navigation charts on the screens in front of us. Just over a week ago, I made the choice to stay on course towards the black hole. Yes, I remember, and your argument made sense, so what's the problem? We will be at the closest point to the black hole tomorrow, just after 4 a.m., and... And Shizuka will handle it. I... Are you worried that you've made the wrong choice? People are already dying on my watch. I don't want to sentence the entire crew to death all at once. Captain, no one is going to die being this close to the black hole. As Shizuka said, we should miss the event horizon which, as you know, is the point of no return in a black hole. We won't get stuck; we won't die.The captain did not look convinced. My understanding of black holes means that, worst case scenario, while navigating through its gravitational pull, we might experience time dilation, but even then, it shouldn't be observable from us. Time dilation? To put it simply, time passes slower for those closer to a black hole than those farther away from it. So a day to us might in fact be a year for others further away. But, theoretically, we shouldn't even notice.The captain started looking even more concerned. Nothing I was saying was helping here; maybe I was making it worse. My father always said that people are like parrots. They love their own reflections and their own voices. Maybe this is what he meant? Here goes. Ahem. Captain, would you rather have a one hundred percent chance of death or a fifty percent chance?The captain's worried demeanor quickly melted away, and she turned her gaze to me, smirking. Wise words, Jordan. I wonder where you got them from? But... you are right, and so was I. Not chancing the black hole is a death sentence in itself. See, all better! No point worrying about what we can't control- we either die by black hole or by a psychotic A.I. system, both noble deaths.The captain looked stern for a moment before breaking into a laugh. Hahaha, noble indeed. Thank you for the laugh, and for your counsel. You're most welcome! I should return to my bed. You mean Yoshiki's bed? Oh... right, yeah...I turned a deep scarlet as the captain smiled playfully before becoming immediately more stern. What are your intentions with Yoshiki, exactly? Oh, erm... Woah, an actual choice! And yes, for once, we get two different responses based on what our answer is here. Let's start with the bottom one- this is supposedly a dating sim, after all! I... might have feelings for Yoshiki. I gathered as much. Is... is that a problem? Of course not. However, I suggest that you explore those feelings carefully. What exactly do you mean?The captain didn't respond for a few moments. Everyone is under a lot of stress. Just be careful.I wasn't exactly sure what she might be hinting at, but I left it at that. And now, let's see the other option. Having him there helps me sleep. The captain cocked her eyebrow. No, I mean literally JUST sleeping! Oh? Last night he slept in my room because he didn't want to be alone and, as a result, I slept like a rock. So maybe- If you sleep in his quarters you'll sleep well again? Yeah... I find his presence comforting. I understand. Thank you, Captain.The captain smiled at me warmly as if she understood how comforting Yoshiki can be. Could you do me a favor, captain? What is it? Are you able to let me into Yoshiki's quarters so I don't wake him going in? Of course. Ai?Ai materialized in front of us.  Yes, Captain? Please unlock Yoshiki's door and allow access to Jordan. Yes, Captain.I inclined my head to the Captain as a show of thanks, and headed towards Yoshiki's quarters. … [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe] I tiptoed across the floor, carefully rolling myself in my blanket and sliding myself into the gap next to him. … [BGM: Silence] BURRITO! Huh?[BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  Yoshiki wrapped his arms around me in a tight bear hug, rocking back and forth with glee. Good morning to you too, Yoshiki. Good morning, my favorite burrito! Beef and cheese? Nope! You, my favorite!Yoshiki squeezed me so tight that I struggled to get my words out between gasps. Your burrito is going to spill everywhere if you keep squeezing so hard. Ah, sorry! I got too excited! What time is it, anyway? It is a little after 10 a.m. What? It's so late already! Are you late for something? Nothing in particular, I've just wasted my morning! Well, you still have the rest of the day. You're right- best get to it!I catapulted out of Yoshiki's bed and into a bath, before heading to the Lab. ...  I took my parents' research out, laying it across multiple tables. Okay, I know I can do this!I studied at my tablet, cross-referencing notes I had taken with my parents' research notes. I was hoping that a new day would shed some light on the task. Luck was not on my side, however. Brain! Why do you have to do this to me now, of all times?I sighed when I realized that my outburst had made me lose my place, and I wearily began at the start of my parents notes once more. I consoled myself with the fact that I may have missed something anyway. How's it going, bestie? Huh? I looked up and saw Yoshiki standing in the doorway, grinning ear to ear like a clown. Oh, Yoshiki! Hello there! Whatcha doin'? I WAS looking through my parents' research notes. I had a feeling that I was on the brink of a discovery. Apparently I was wrong. I KNOW you are! Maybe... Maybe? Maybe... you need a break! I think you're getting 'breakthrough' confused with 'break'... Well, you can't spell 'breakthrough' without 'break'!I giggled at his childish logic. Seriously though, taking breaks is really important for progress. You've already been in here for almost ten hours. Wait, what?!I glanced at my tablet. It was indeed 8:34 p.m. I guess time flies when you're having fun... You were having fun? Not really. But imagine what time it would be now if I were!Yoshiki gasped. It wouldn't even be today anymore! Hahaha, probably not. Sooooooo...Yoshiki was clearly fishing to see if I would take a break and spend some time with him.  Believe it or not, this is one of the few times where refusing to hang out actually results in a completely different scene instead of it just being 'Jordan studied some more. Then it was time for bed. Next Day.' Therefore, we're going to see both options- starting with saying no first. I... really shouldn't. I'm up to my neck in work! But... but...!Yoshiki's eyes were fit to burst with held-back tears. I hurriedly attempted to excuse myself. I know... and it's not that I don't want to spend time with you... but I honestly feel like I'm on the verge of that elusive breakthrough! Yeah, but- I might be able to save everyone- save you!Yoshiki's expression told me that he'd given in. So I need to stay here and work.Yoshiki looked up from the floor, his eyes filled with sudden fire and determination. Okay! I understand!What was with the sudden change? This was very uncharacteristic of Yoshiki. He pulled up a stool and took a seat next to me. Um... what are you doing, exactly? Solving your problem! What problem? You want to work on your research AND spend time with me. So, I will stay here, and you can do both! Awww, Yoshiki...Yoshiki smiled triumphantly at me. Please continue, bestie! I'll be your full-time cheering squad. This is going to be incredibly boring for you, are you sure you can handle it? There is no one else I would rather be bored with!I chuckled, turning back to my research.  Ten minutes later, Yoshiki was asleep, head cradled by a nest of papers, filling the room with his gentle snores. Hours passed, and even Yoshiki's comforting presence still wasn't helping me make any progress. I decided to call it a day (or a night, by now). The new Deletion Game was imminent, and I would like to at least be well rested for it. I packed up, before approaching the sleeping Yoshiki. I nudged him awake, and saw him slowly stir. Time for bed, Yoshiki. Did you get your breakthrough, mum? Um... that's a no on two counts- no breakthrough, and no mum, I'm afraid. Oh... sorry mum.I propped up the sleep-heavy Yoshiki and guided him to my quarters. He was sound asleep as soon as he hit the sheets. I placed the pocket watch carefully on the bedside table before taking my usual place next to Yoshiki. Next update, we'll see the other path.
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Apr 29, 2022 19:59
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Oh, Mix, recently I found a game that would be right up your alley if you're interested and want something to do after this game or Will: A Wonderful World finishes. It's called The Zodiac Trial. It's got a lot of endings, it's open-ended enough that you could do some voting for routes, there are some fun puzzles, the characters are solid and I was intrigued by a lot of the mysteries and ideas presented. If you need a hole filled between now and Decide 4 God dropping, you could certainly do a lot worse.
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May 1, 2022 08:34
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Counterpoint- the very first screenshot is dream, the minecraft youtuber.
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May 1, 2022 09:14
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Junpei posted:Oh, Mix, recently I found a game that would be right up your alley if you're interested and want something to do after this game or Will: A Wonderful World finishes. It's called The Zodiac Trial. It's got a lot of endings, it's open-ended enough that you could do some voting for routes, there are some fun puzzles, the characters are solid and I was intrigued by a lot of the mysteries and ideas presented. If you need a hole filled between now and Decide 4 God dropping, you could certainly do a lot worse. Guess what is literally next on my list after I finish this LP (well, that and the other game the creator made that just came out like a month or so ago, but I'm in no rush lol, there's still a ton left to this one)
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May 1, 2022 09:22
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oh dang you already planned to do it. Well, color me on board for that one even if I have sadly been somewhat spoiled already.
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May 1, 2022 09:33
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Yeah, it mostly depends on how long this one ends up going and how long D4G is going to take to release (and based on what I've seen from the dev it's........like infinitely more complicated than the previous two games were in terms of gameplay and flowchart stuff so that's gonna be fun to figure out  ), but I do definitely want to do it at some point
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May 1, 2022 09:39
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 Alright, now let's take Yoshiki's advice and take a break for a while. [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe] A break sounds like a great idea. Lead the way, Yoshiki, master procrastinator! Yoshiki's face lit up like he'd just won the lottery. You won't regret it! I've already got a great activity planned! Oh, really? What is it? It's a secret, silly! Come on, let's go! Okay, okay! Give me a second so I can pack up here!I scampered around, roughly collecting up my parents' research. The pocket watch was then stored safely in my pants pocket. I patted the outside of the pocket to reassure myself. Alright, let's go!Yoshiki seemed even more excited than usual, I wonder what on earth he had planned. …  I followed the bouncing Yoshiki down the hallway, heading towards what I surmised was the Eco Lounge. As we neared the Eco Lounge entrance, Yoshiki suddenly yanked me close to him and whispered in my ear. Bestie... let's steal some food! What, why?! Plus, why are you whispering? There's no one around. We might die tomorrow, so let's eat something delicious! And the whispering? Ai. Ai? If Ai knew that we were stealing things, she would dob us in!I looked this up because I wasn't sure if this was a typo, but apparently it's Australian slang for 'turn in/report to the cops', so hey, the more you know! Really? And here was me thinking she might be relatively okay with crime. I thought so too... the first time. What happened? I asked her to keep watch for Katashi, knowing that she tracked everyone on the ship. Okay... And she told me that he wasn't nearby. Uh huh... Little did I know that she had already notified him and was keeping watch over me while he made his way to the farm, where he caught me red-handed stealing apples. Wow, what a narc. Hahaha, yup. So, shhhhhhhh. I followed him sneakily to the farm, looking over my shoulder a lot more than before. I think we're in the clear.Yoshiki smiled mischievously as he tiptoed towards the mandarin trees. Do you like mandarins? I don't think I've ever had one. Well, I guess we're about to find out!Yoshiki plucked a mandarin from the tree, and tossed it playfully to me. I snatched it out of the air and put the mandarin straight in my mouth. It was very chewy. Hahahaha! Hmm? Jordan, you have to peel mandarins!I spat the mandarin out of my mouth. Why didn't you warn me?! I just assumed you would peel it! It's basically a baby orange after all! Well, you assumed wrong!I glared at him as I peeled the mangled mandarin as best as I could.  Would you have preferred me to start you on a more simple fruit?I blew him a huge raspberry in response. Aww, come on! Even you have to admit it was hilarious!I decided it was time for a change of subject.  Starting from the top. Do you only steal fruit? Um...He thought hard as he peeled his mandarin. I don't remember stealing anything els- Oh, wait! You've stolen other things? Only one time though! Oh? What did you steal? Promise you won't laugh? Promise! I might have stolen one of Shizuka's video game consoles. Haha, to play games on? No, it was broken! When I explained that I could fix it, she said I wasn't allowed to touch it. But you COULD fix it? Sure. It was a simple console her mother made, and she was very protective of it. I think she was afraid that I would break it more. So you stole it. Just while she was sleeping! It was back in her room before she even knew it was gone. That's so sweet of you. Wanna know what the funniest part was? The next day she showed it to me and said it was a good thing she didn't let me touch it, or else I would set it on fire by accident. Haha, so she still doesn't know it was you who fixed it? Nope! I will take that secret to my grave!Next, the middle option. What's your favorite fruit? Hmm... favorite fruit? Let me think.I started eating my now peeled mandarin as he gave it thought- it was pretty drat good! Carrots! Carrots are a vegetable, not a fruit. Oh yeah! Um, okay... hang on. Pears! Why?Yoshiki seemed confused by my question. Um... because they taste good? That's as good a reason as any I guess, hahaha!And finally, the bottom option. What happens if we get caught? Depends on who catches us. What's the worst case scenario? The captain. Definitely the captain. Why? She would punish us. But how? I've been locked in my room more times than I can remember, more than anyone else on this ship for all I know! Hahaha, how do you keep getting yourself in trouble? I've been caught quite a few times stealing food. Is that the only reason? One time I made the captain really angry when I ran past her while she was knitting, tripping on her yarn and unravelling all her work. Sounds like an innocent mistake. It was, but she was furious! Her knitting was so close to being finished, too. I felt TERRIBLE. What was she making? A sweater with a happy face on it, for me. So you wrecked your own sweater?Yoshiki sighed. I was almost as upset as she was after finding out. After she calmed down, she let me out pretty quickly though. She said 'being cold for the rest of my life is enough punishment'. Wow, that sounds like the captain alright... Yeah.Yoshiki and I spent the rest of the evening gorging ourselves on fruit and vegetables before sneaking back to my room for the evening.  Yoshiki prepared his usual burrito on the left side of the bed and, also in his usual style, was asleep in mere moments. I changed into my bed clothes and joined sweet Yoshiki in blissful unconsciousness. …  I felt a sudden sharp jab before my head hit the floor with a thump. Dazed and confused, I whipped my head around the room to see what was attacking me. Owww! What the-I looked up from my new view on the floor and saw that Yoshiki had performed a violent takeover of the bed in his sleep... and bulldozed me off in the process. I picked myself up and brushed myself off. I went to push Yoshiki back onto his side when I noticed the eerie green light that illuminated the room. Weird...My eyes traced the light back to its source- it was the pocket watch! The watch! The watch! Huh? What? The pocket watch! The lights are all green! I think it's on... I mean, at least it's doing... something!Yoshiki rolled back over to avoid the bright light and returned to sleep. Trembling, I picked up the watch and held it reverently in my hands. I felt tears of joy streaming down my face. 
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May 2, 2022 22:07
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Also, we're going to be hitting another ending this week, so I'm going ahead and throwing up the poll now for our next move; we're going back over to the M side again next week, and we have three options: -Go left (unknown) -Go middle (unknown) -Go right (this is the path we took last time, where Shizuka dies from Logiship; the branch point we'd start at is during the Bidding Wars game a few days later )
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May 2, 2022 22:07
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May 2, 2022 22:25
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Go Right! Let's exhaust all options on one branch first.
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May 2, 2022 22:30
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Yeah I want to exhaust our options on one side so Go right
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May 2, 2022 22:34
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It always feels nice to complete everything in one section before going to the next, so as sad as it is to see Shizuka go (again), my vote is also to go right.
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May 2, 2022 22:36
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May 2, 2022 22:47
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May 4, 2022 03:52
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| # ? May 21, 2024 22:57 |
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 Obviously, we're gonna push that button, regardless of the risks! What have we got to lose?[BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  I didn't hesitate. I pressed the buttons with a hope-filled heart. …  I woke with a swimming head for the second time in as many minutes, and found myself lying face down in a puddle of cold drool on the floor. Ick, gross!I rolled over onto my back and stared at the ceiling until the nausea passed. My room still looked the same, although strangely absent of any real feeling of warmth. I slowly got to my feet and tried to collect my thoughts. I noticed that I no longer have the pocket watch. I began to panic and started tearing open drawers, but quickly discovered it in the box along with my parents' research. That's weird. I don't remember putting it back there...I shook my head and sighed. Nothing significant had changed, so it must have been yet another failure. What a disappointment.I couldn't shake the last traces of nausea, so I decided to check myself into the Medical Bay and take something to settle my stomach. The last thing I needed was to head into the next round of the Deletion Game feeling ill.  I arrived at the Medical Bay and, not expecting anyone at this hour, started rummaging through the medicine cabinets. ???: Excuse me... can I help you?  Alarmed, I peered around the cabinet door. I hadn't expected an interruption- after all, Nikolas and Beatrix were both dead. Erm... who are you? Interestingly enough, that's exactly what I was going to ask you, but decided on 'can I help you' instead. It's just more polite, you see. Okay... can I help you, then? Hahaha, I don't know! Can you?Who was this woman speaking in riddles? Where did she come from? She didn't seem at all concerned to find a stranger ransacking the medicine cabinet. She was disturbingly calm.  What are you looking for? I'm feeling quite nauseated. Ah! That's an easy fix. Take a seat on the bed, and I will get you some good old-fashioned bismuth subsalicylate. What on earth is that? It's the active ingredient used in antacid medication for upset tummies.I sat down like I was told, while she whipped around the Medical Bay like a ruthlessly efficient tornado. Mind if I give you a once-over while you're here? A once-over? Just checking your vitals, you know- making sure you're healthy~ These are two different lines of questioning with our new friend, so we're going to be seeing both! We might as well do the bottom one first, though, since we still aren't sure how friendly she really is Don't you come anywhere near me! Now now, no need for hostilities... WHERE'S BEATRIX? WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HER?I realized almost as the words were leaving my mouth that Beatrix was dead, and that my question was ridiculous. Apparently keeping calm and engaging my brain under pressure was not my strong suit. Beatrix? Who's Beatrix? What exactly do you mean, 'who's Beatrix'? Just what I said. I have no idea who you're talking about.I tried really hard to comprehend what had just happened. What was going on here? And now, the top option. Sure... I guess? That's the spirit!She moved towards me and shone a blinding light directly in my eyes. If she had a reaction to what she saw, it would be a few seconds before I could see again to check.  There's a good girl, now open wide and say 'ahhhhh'.I did so, and she had a look around in my mouth while checking my pulse at the same time. Want the good news? Sure? You appear to be human. I already knew that! Well, I didn't. So good news for me, I guess.I tried really hard to comprehend what had just happened. What was going on here? Would you still like that medicine for your nausea? Please. Great, all yours.The woman handed me a cup of water and two tablets. Ai. Ai materialized into the room. At least, I thought it was Ai... was she a 'he'? Ai, does the young lady here have a personnel chip? She does. This woman's identity is unknown to me, however, she undeniably has a chip that uses the Everett's unique encryption stamp. Huh, cool.The woman seemed more amused than surprised by the news.  Name: Jordan, Researcher aboard the Everett, born to Deborah and Patrick. Do you know my parents? I knew them, but... I'm sorry, they died years ago- childless. I wasn't born? Apparently not in this reality.The truth hit me hard just then. The pocket watch had actually worked!  It's nice to meet you, Jordan. My name is MC. I changed realities! This is a different dimension!Something else struck me about what MC had just said. Wait, you knew? That I'm from a different dimension? Of course. How else would someone magically appear on the Everett: a ship floating through space, light years away from any living soul? Why didn't you tell me? Discoveries are much more fun when realized by oneself.MC smiled at me warmly before turning to Ai. Please inform the captain that we have a new crew member. Wait... have you solved the Dai crisis? I'm not sure I know what that is...No Dai. I felt an immense wave of relief that, here at least, I no longer had to deal with her. Alright, you look pretty good to me. Let's head over to the Dining Hall and you can meet the rest of the crew. Are Beatrix and Nikolas here? Yoshiki? Katashi? Shizuka? Kimiko? Whoa, slow down there... no to all of those but the last one. Kimiko is still the captain? We have the pleasure of living under her thumb. Every day~ So how many crew are there? Well, nine... including you.She signalled for me to follow her out of the Medical Bay. I was sure to slip the watch into my pocket before proceeding. …  At the Dining Hall, I was greeted by a sea of faces I didn't recognize. What struck me was how happy they all seemed. [BGM: With Fear: Hope]  It is nice to meet you, Jordan. I am Kimiko Yukimori, Captain of the Everett, and this is my crew. I would like everyone to introduce themselves to Jordan.The crew took turns introducing themselves. In total, I met six new crew members- Zooby, Nathaniel, Daniel, Elisabeth, Bonnie, and Teofilo. Why don't you tell us about yourself, Jordan? Hi, my name's Jordan, and I lived on a pod for most of my life. I was then sent back to the Everett, at which time the A.I. system became corrupted and started killing off the crew members. Using my parents' research, I have changed dimensions in hopes to find a way to stop the murderous A.I. system.The room sat in stunned silence at my story. Perhaps they were expecting something a little lighter- my hobbies, or my favorite color perhaps? Oh, and I enjoy taking baths.Apparently that did little to lessen the tension in the room. Oh, well...I could see the captain attempting to analyze this new information.  I assume you arrived via the pocket watch? I did! How did you know?I pulled the watch out of my pocket to show the crew. The lights were all still lit up green. Your parents in this dimension explained their work to us, and told us when to expect travellers before they passed. Wait, so you know how it works? Not so mu-Suddenly, the watch's lights faded.  Sorry to interrupt, Captain, but we have safely navigated around the black hole. Thank you, Ai. As I was saying, we only know the basics- Why isn't it working anymore? What happened?! I... am unsure, but what I can say is that both origin and the destination dimension must have a pocket watch. Your parents said that the likelihood that someone would travel here was almost certain if we kept that watch intact. Wait... THIS watch? Yes. What you are holding is our dimension's version of the watch. It's not mine? The watch cannot travel with you. Oh...I was happy to learn more about the watches and how they work, but I was deeply ashamed that I hadn't even managed to figure out this basic information yet. So...  It would appear that, for now at least, you are an honorary crew member. But... I have to return and save my crew! Jordan, why not take a seat and celebrate your arrival with us, and carry on with your research after a good meal and some rest?My mind was racing, running over every scenario, but it seemed she was right. I needed to bide my time for now. You're right. Welcome to the crew, Jordan. Know that, regardless of your research outcomes, you are always welcome here, and will forever be a part of this crew. Cheers!The crew ate and drank and made merry. It was a huge contrast to the previous days and weeks that I had spent on the old Everett. The crew welcomed me, and it wasn't long before they made me feel like this was home, which was nice, given that... ...I never did get home. JUMP ENDING – YOSHIKI (F SIDE)
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May 4, 2022 22:04
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