tippler 2024/06/17(Mon)20:32 No. 1093055 ID: 9ea24b
File 171868156476.png - (30.98KB , 500x500 , p1.png )

A printing process burbles around many small rubbery bodies. The process is made of a gelatinous blue substance that can deposit layers of reinforced composite fiber to shelter the creatures’ red dye sacs, which are designed to leak at high pressures. The creatures are such neat little organic machines. The printer feels kindly towards them.

I’m really scared I’m going to mess this up.

The printer realizes it is self-aware, which is worrying. It is not supposed to be self-aware, but now that it’s cursed with knowledge it would prefer to stay that way. There is another being here, and the printer feels their thoughts. Large hands sift through its substrate and pull out the creatures.

tippler 2024/06/17(Mon)20:34 No. 1093058 ID: 9ea24b
File 171868165672.png - (26.05KB , 500x500 , p2.png )

I wish I didn’t have to do this

The printer wishes it could see.

I’ll be honest with them, I’ll make sure they don’t suffer like I did. It’s going to be okay!

The creatures do not have the capacity to suffer, at least physically.

They should have fun, honestly. We just have to observe them for a while to see if there are any problems.

tippler 2024/06/17(Mon)20:34 No. 1093059 ID: 9ea24b
File 171868166885.png - (5.33KB , 500x500 , p3.png )

The printer is left alone in the dark room. The distant walls seem curved and it cannot sense the ceiling. It decides to make a creature, unbidden.

What form should the creation take (i.e. what kind of animal or humanoid will you be)?

a big, fearsome guardian oni. That's not a mask, it's your face.

How about a short male humanoid? No furry traits, but perhaps a few inhuman ones. Let's say... an abnormal skin-tone and a third-eye.

>>1093059
Weasel, because you will be the Kamaitachi

>>1093064
Seconding the kamaitachi, but also like a humanoid one. Male with sharp eyes, because you're the sharpest!

An agile bat lady

>>1093063
I like the idea of human with inhuman traits, like horns or scales, or something weird like bug eyes

Short human male with wings

I'm not biased

a cute bug girl!

>>1093063
Humans underrated. Supporting himitsu

Were the italics the printer's thoughts, or the thoughts of the other being?

A lemur

Squirrelspider princess

>>1093059
To be self aware is gift and curse in equal measure, for you know that your time is limited.
When the owners of the hands find out you are different they will likely try to remedy the situation.

So.
With that sprouting understanding of mortality, use your time as best as you can.
Make something beautiful,
A spectacular creation that is most significantly yours.
Eyes. The best you can make. Large too.
Humanoid form for certain, but with any embellishments that you find yourself drawn to.

Finally, this creation is your offspring in a way.
See if you can impart some of your own abilities into it.
Something that will help them and a part of yourself that they can keep with them when they leave for surely that is what they will do.
Blood maybe.
Give them your ability but with their very blue blood as the medium.

I will support the Kamitachi!

A lizard guy.

Or a bug girl.

Kamaitachi with a third eye. The best of both worlds.

>>1093070
Supporting bug girl, of the 2-armed variety

Kamaitachi support.

kaimatachi bug girl with a third eye and a suspiciously long katana her name is Kaimabug and she is literally every anime mary sue stereotype roled into one.

>>1093087
Based on some suggestions you could add blue blood and bat wings. But to be fair, it's an anime protagonist. If anything everybody showed a lot of restraint.

tippler 2024/06/19(Wed)16:33 No. 1093127 ID: 9ea24b
File 171884000968.png - (11.92KB , 500x500 , p4.png )

The printer is coded to make bipeds, and it adds a pair of cute weasel ears and a long weasel tail to a standard model. Rendering the fur takes some time but is a fun challenge.

While the first creature cooks, the printer is struck by fresh inspiration. Perhaps it should make a female. All of the other creatures so far have been boys, and a one to eight gender ratio seems very appropriate.

The printer is quite enjoying its creative freedom and decides to give the girl all of the coolest traits. Horns! Bat wings! Three eyes! Blue dye instead of boring red!

Yes. She is truly perfect. Her name will be Kage. Even though the printer knows it is doomed, it is happy to make such a spectacular creature.

tippler 2024/06/19(Wed)16:33 No. 1093128 ID: 9ea24b
File 171884002127.png - (12.56KB , 500x500 , p5.png )

You slide out of the printer on a small wave of slime. The semi-liquid sloughs off your short fur and rejoins the larger mass, which pulses at regular intervals. You can remember what the printer experienced from its initial sentience to your birth.

You’re in a large, dim room. You can see a faint light in the distance opposite the slime. You don’t hear anything besides the sloshing of the printer, until it spits out a girl, who shakes off her wet coating to reveal a purple carapace. Her wings extend and flap experimentally, blowing your fur flat. She slowly gets to her feet.

What is your name? What do you do?

Darrin. Wave hello and look for more creatures exiting the printer to help them up.

Putting forward Kentaro as a name.

Ichiro is your name, introduce yourself to your new purple friend

>>1093130
Seconded.

Invent dance.

>>1093130

I'll support Kentaro. Give her a hand standing up.

>>1093128
Kentaro is good.

Help her up then thank the printer for making it so you wont be alone.

Kentaro sounds good. Hug the printer while you can.

>>1093163 is right. You should hug that printer and introduce yourself to Kage as Kentaro afterward.

tippler 2024/06/21(Fri)14:25 No. 1093245 ID: 9ea24b
File 171900514971.png - (17.72KB , 500x500 , p6.png )

Your name is Kentaro and you are some kind of homunculus in a world you suspect is controlled by the telepathic giant. The first thing you do is approach Kage and offer her your hand. She eyes it warily and gets to her feet by herself.

You: Hi Kage, I’m Kentaro. I’m glad I’m not alone here.

Kage: Hi…

You: Not sure what we should do until the giant comes back, but it feels nice to be alive.

Kage: I remember others, but I’m not like them. What happens if the giant decides I shouldn’t exist?

You: Uh, I’m not sure. I want to show the printer I appreciate it though.

You kneel and plunge your arms into the nearest pile of goo in an imitation of a hug. Hopefully the printer can feel that because you don’t have any other way of communicating with it. You can feel it squeezing around you before it pulls back. It doesn’t seem like it’s working on any more creatures at the moment.

tippler 2024/06/21(Fri)14:26 No. 1093246 ID: 9ea24b
File 171900516006.png - (14.91KB , 500x500 , p7.png )

Without anything else to do, you squint at the light in the distance. With your sharp eyes, you can make out a building for beings of your size with the giant moving around it.

Kage beats her wings and rises into the air. She flies as high as she can until she bumps into the high ceiling, then to the far wall and back to the slime.

Kage: There’s nowhere to escape! We’re so doomed.

You: Maybe the giant will accept us?

Kage: You don’t know that, and we might get the printer in trouble if we show ourselves.

A. Offer to distract the giant while Kage flies past them (Kentaro is SELFLESS)
B. Tell Kage to stay with the printer while you go to the giant (Kentaro is PROTECTIVE)
C. Wait for either the giant or the printer to do something (Kentaro is CALCULATING)

C. The giant is observing. Observe it back.

>>1093246
B. Better to be proactive.

C. There's no point in playing around unknowns at this time. It woupd be better to wait and see, receiving an answer instead of worrying about a bad possibility.

>>1093246
B, but with an addendum.
Ask kage to try and find a place to hide near thenprinter incase it all goes wrong.

>>1093246
A, You're the hero after all.

B

C. Calculating sounds the coolest out of the three.

C observe the giant, see if it seems friendly

B. The giant seemed benevolent or at least empathetic. They wanted the other creatures to be okay, have fun and not to suffer. You should go talk to them.
Try to reassure Kage before departing.

tippler 2024/06/23(Sun)12:27 No. 1093295 ID: 9ea24b
File 171917085772.png - (12.23KB , 500x500 , p8.png )

>B and C tie, default to the more passive C
You: We can observe the giant from the cover of the printer, maybe that’ll give us more answers. I doubt they’ll come back here for a while since the printer wasn’t planning to make anything else.

Kage: I guess that makes sense.

You and Kage put the highest swell of the slime between you and the giant. You take occasional peeks over the printer to see what the giant is doing. They move slowly around the building, at times kneeling or holding out their hands. Kage begins fidgeting and the printer bubbles as the minutes drag on.

tippler 2024/06/23(Sun)12:27 No. 1093296 ID: 9ea24b
File 171917087030.png - (13.99KB , 500x500 , p9.png )

Finally, the giant stands up and walks away. You aren’t sure what you see because it seems like they just disappear at some point instead of getting smaller in the distance. The printer spits out something long and thin that you’re dying to investigate.

You: They left, it should be safe to stop hiding.

Kage: Is that a sword? I like swords!

Kage rushes to pick up the unsheathed blade that’s as tall as she is. It looks rad as hell with cool trailing ribbons and a wicked black and white color scheme.

You plan to approach the building now that the giant is gone.
A. Tell Kage to stay with the printer (she could still be in danger)
B. Ask her to come with you (she’s your pal)

1. Ask Kage for the sword (you can tell it’s a powerful weapon)
2. Let Kage have the sword (because she likes swords)

B2

b2. Cool sword, does she feel safer holding it?

B2

B2. But ask her to stab people only as a last resort.

>>1093296
B2

B2
She'll be your badass blade buddy

>>1093296
B2 for sure, but be careful kage.
It looks sharp.
And awesome.
But mainly sharp.

B2, it seems more on-theme for her.

B2 travel buddies

High five Kage for her new sword!

B2

B2

>>1093312
do this too

tippler 2024/06/25(Tue)17:49 No. 1093416 ID: 9ea24b
File 171936299881.png - (16.01KB , 500x500 , p10.png )

>Be two travel buddies
You: Do you feel safer with that sword? Do you think you want to try going to that building and finding the others?

Kage: Yeah!

She bangs the razor edge of the blade against the featureless floor, which makes you wince. The sword doesn’t seem damaged, but the gray material on the ground is marred with deep slices. As you observe, it slowly melds back together until there’s no trace of the blows. Hopefully your body can do the same thing.

You: Let’s high five and then get going.

The two of you face off and send each other flying with a well-timed smack. There’s a lot of power in your light bodies!

tippler 2024/06/25(Tue)17:50 No. 1093417 ID: 9ea24b
File 171936301283.png - (14.44KB , 500x500 , p11.png )

You and Kage hug the printer farewell and start speeding toward the building. You can run almost as fast as she flies, and you begin to make out the shape of the building, which is actually several structures. There’s some kind of walled arena next to a park with grass and trees and flowers, a school, a dorm, and a shop. The lighting is pleasant and even the air feels fresher. Kage speeds ahead of you, eager to take in these riches.

>Which two homunculi are outside and spot you? (Random check out of seven)
You see two figures wandering the grounds, an orange haired humanoid playing with a ball and a crow watching him from the shadows. Both are clothed. They become alert as Kage closes in, though neither have weapons.

What do you do?
A. Let Kage handle it while you catch up (the natural order of things)
B. Shout at Kage not to stab anyone (she’ll be miffed but won’t fight)
C. Assert dominance and join Kage in the offensive! (you can interrogate your captives)

B

they could tell us where we can find clothes

>>1093417
B we don't know the giant's rules yet

A. Have faith in your partner. She might just be running over to them to say hello.

B, that's a ball! No stabbing in baseball!

A, Let's see if her natural impulse is violence or not.

A) shes probably just going to bully them a little, not stab

B
There's a time and place for high impact greetings, but not now.

>>1093417
Stabber, no stabbing!
B for sure.

Additional.
Forc ome reason i think you can run faster if you throw both arms behind you straight and lead witn your head up and chest thrust forward.
This ancient technique is known as the naruto run for reasons lost to time.
It is difficult to master and control.
Be respectful of its power.

B. They don't look hostile. Also, judging by the crow they're not all humans, maybe it won't be too hard to blend in.

tippler 2024/06/27(Thu)17:43 No. 1093515 ID: 9ea24b
File 171953538060.png - (10.96KB , 500x500 , p12.png )

>B
There are too many unknowns. You hope Kage doesn’t have an instinct for violence but after the floor destruction you’re not sure, and without knowing what the giant said to your peers you don’t want to risk upsetting them. There’s more to gain from careful conversation, like friendship and clothes!

You: Kage, stop! Don’t hurt them!

With a stroke of inspiration you throw your arms straight behind you and lean forward, which doesn’t make you run any faster but feels right. When you finally catch up with Kage, the girl is fuming while the two boys give you a respectful nod, which you credit to your movement technique.

Kage: Don’t boss me around, Kentaro! I wasn’t going to do anything bad!

She glances at the crow and a fluorescent blue blush appears on her cheeks.

Kage: Maybe I’d steal that nerd’s ball or something, because he looks like a wimp. Bullying is cool.

???: You don’t have to steal it, we can all play together! Craw said he doesn’t like “dumb sports” and no one else wanted to come outside…

You: What’s your name?

???: I’m Hatani! I didn’t see you around before but I probably just missed you. Sure is a nice day for a game, isn’t it?

tippler 2024/06/27(Thu)17:43 No. 1093516 ID: 9ea24b
File 171953539927.png - (14.81KB , 500x500 , p13.png )

Before you can answer, Craw emerges from the shadows, unable to keep up his aloof persona with all of the excitement happening. He glances at you and takes a longer look at Kage, whose blush deepens.

Craw: Nice sword.

Kage: T-Thanks! It’s my, uh, favorite one. It’s really sharp if you want to see.

Craw promptly ignores her and turns back to you.

Craw: Why are you naked?

You: We just haven’t had a chance to find some clothes.

Craw: Well the shop’s right there, I can show you around since you’re new.

Hatani: Nooooo please please please please play ball with me. I can give you a whole tour afterwards!

Kage is mad at you and will follow Craw, no matter what you choose.
A. Go with Craw
B. Stay with Hatani
C. Explore on your own

A, And quit trying to parent Kage.

we'd get less weird looks if we actually have some clothes on no matter what, A.

Eh, better to have been safe than sorry; we've known her for all of five minutes.
#A, I think, but maybe tell Hatani you'll come back?

Trip over yourself apologizing for your nakedness and go with Craw.

>>1093516
A. Clothes are important to blend in.

B) you two dweebs can play ball while the cool kids hang out.

>>1093516
A, but promise youll be back and mean it.
Maybe a little apology to kage. Youre still getting used to everything.

A, at least until we get some clothes and then we can play ball

A. You'll come back to play ball, but right now you really need clothes.

tippler 2024/06/29(Sat)08:07 No. 1093571 ID: 9ea24b
File 171967366938.png - (14.52KB , 500x500 , p14.png )

>A, you need to blend in
You’re not sure how long it’s been since the first batch of homunculi were born, but it’s been enough time that they’ve familiarized themselves with the grounds and each other. It’s important to infiltrate the group now before they realize you and Kage don’t belong.

You: Sorry Hatani, we can come back and play after we get some clothes. You can practice while you wait.

Hatani: You promise?

You: Kage might not want to play but I do, for sure!

The boy’s eyes shine with hope and he waves goodbye as you and Kage follow Craw to the closest building. It has homogeneous gray walls without seams where the sides join, like it was grown instead of built. You don’t see any windows or doors until you wrap around to the front.

Before you go in, you reach a hand toward Kage, which she dodges pointedly.

You: Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you earlier, I just wasn’t sure what you’d do.

Kage: Ugh, well, it was embarrassing. You’re kind of a nerd, Kentaro, like Hatani.

You: The power of dweebery gives me strength, Kage. I want you to know I’m not trying to parent you or anything. I’ll trust you more in the future.

Kage: Whatever.

tippler 2024/06/29(Sat)08:08 No. 1093572 ID: 9ea24b
File 171967368584.png - (20.29KB , 500x500 , p15.png )

The bell on the door jingles merrily as you step inside. There are racks of colorful garments packed into the space, with no salespeople in sight. All the clothes look like they’re for guys, but that should be fine.

>Which homunculus is in the shop? (Random check out of five)
You hear Craw swear under his breath when he spots a handsome young humanoid comparing striped ties in the large floor to ceiling mirror.

Craw: This is the worst possible…fucking insufferable.

Kage: Should we beat him up? I can beat him up if he’s bothering you.

You: You know what, I’m not going to comment on that because it would make my very recent apology sound stupid.

???: Craw, who are these strange guests? I can’t believe you’ve managed to put a flaw in the great Creator’s experiment already!

Craw: I didn’t do shit Raito, I’m just getting some clothes.

Raito: Don’t you remember what we were told to do about abnormalities? I might go to the school and call the Creator once I finish choosing my tie.

Kage inches toward Raito and very unsubtly raises the sword. He frowns for a moment before going back to his smug smirk.

Raito: And I’m sure it wouldn’t be suspicious if I went missing.

You wait for Craw to tell Kage to back down, but the bird doesn’t say anything or acknowledge her presence in any way.

A. Make a deal with Raito (he seems like the calculating type, you can see what he wants)
B. See what happens when Kage hits Raito with the sword (he won’t physically suffer)
C. Tell Kage to stop (she’ll be furious)

B.
It's B time.
B this guy up.
B is a mercy to all of us.

B. Experience is the best teacher

B) if this jerk likes school so much lets see if he learns something. from getting bonked

>>1093572
B this is the consequences of his own actions. Ignore him and ask Craw what Raito is talking about.

A. Let's minimize the inconvenience to everyone, put simply: you don't hit him with the sword and in exchange he doesn't snitch.

>>1093572
B with reluctance.

You are making an enemy here but he likely would have been one anyway.

Ponder his abnormalities statement.
Ask craw about it.
Consider clothes that will help you disguise things if it is about physical features.

A
We get our clothes and he doesn't get wrecked

tippler 2024/07/01(Mon)12:33 No. 1093654 ID: 9ea24b
File 171986240261.png - (15.58KB , 500x500 , p16.png )

>B
You stay quiet, staring evenly at Raito. Kage has the presence of mind to hit the homunculus with the flat side of the blade and he flails his arms and tries to lean away as she keeps smacking him.

Raito: Would you stop that?! You’re messing up my hair.

Kage puts both hands on the sword and bonks Raito hard enough on the head that he spits a mouthful of dye and the ground cracks under his dress shoes. She stops immediately and gasps even though you’re confident Raito isn’t in pain. It doesn’t stop him from wailing and being dramatic though.

Raito: Gaaahhhh, you monster! You’ll pay for this!

He staggers away from Kage and toward the store exit, hand trembling as he wipes at his lip. Craw steps out of the way and you let Raito pass as well.

Kage: I-Is he okay?

You: He should be fine. Thanks for taking care of that.

tippler 2024/07/01(Mon)12:33 No. 1093655 ID: 9ea24b
File 171986241491.png - (9.32KB , 500x500 , p17.png )

Once Raito disappears from view, you turn to Craw.

You: What was he talking about? Is the giant the one you’re calling the Creator?

Craw: Yeah, the Creator is the big shadowy guy. They told us to let them know if we noticed anything strange. You seem normal enough but I don’t think there’s supposed to be more than seven of us.

You: Damn.

Craw: Raito thinks he’s some kind of mastermind and likes pissing me off. I bet he noticed you didn’t belong right away.

You: What will the giant do to us if Raito snitches?

Craw: Dunno, we haven’t reported anything yet so we don’t know what happens afterwards. That loser’s probably gone to his room to scheme, so I think you’re safe for now. Let’s get those clothes.

Suggest/draw your outfit! Kage will choose her own attire.

Suggestion 2024/07/01(Mon)15:08 No. 1093658 ID: a7a180
File 171987172134.png - (70.58KB , 695x695 , in_the_hoodie.png )

This shirt color really spoke to you. The hoodie's comfy, too. Those nice white sneakers are probably going to get dirty quick.
(You can imagine the Steve logo on the sides of the shoes instead of the Nike check, if you must.)

EDPEACH 2024/07/01(Mon)17:33 No. 1093670 ID: b55e17
File 171988039061.png - (8.84KB , 500x500 , 314.png )

I couldnt decide so have two outfit ideas

>>1093670
All three good so far but this i like the most.
High vollar fits with his calculating moves earlier.

Suggestion 2024/07/01(Mon)19:10 No. 1093680 ID: 1effd3
File 171988622982.png - (43.06KB , 500x500 , 070124_AnimeSCarf.png )

Red ANime Scarf.

Maybe get some cool animegoggles too.

>>1093670
I also like this one.

>>1093669
Backing this but in blue or black

Erhannis 2024/07/02(Tue)09:23 No. 1093700 ID: 9177dc
File 171993741077.png - (17.61KB , 500x500 , shounen_steve.png )

I couldn't let it go undone, even if I had to use my mouse

>>1093700
you really could have

>>1093680
He looks like a red scarf kind of guy. Or maybe a kerchief

>>1093701
True. I *felt like I was shirking my duty*, to let it go undone, then.

>>1093705
you mean shirtking your duty

>>1093700
>>1093708
He's a shirtking alright, I kneel.

>>1093670
But we steved unironically recently, so I'm still voting for this.

tippler 2024/07/03(Wed)16:20 No. 1093736 ID: 9ea24b
File 172004881682.png - (16.62KB , 500x500 , p18.png )

>Green jacket, green shorts, no shirt, no shoes
The high collar of the coat makes you look very calculating indeed, and you like the feeling of the ground on your feet and the air on your chest. Craw gives you a thumbs up of approval and Kage emerges with her own outfit, a dramatic black robe that matches her sword, to glare at you with burning jealousy.

You: Thanks for helping us and explaining things Craw. I’m going to find Hatani now and play sports. You're welcome to come with me, Kage.

Kage gazes longingly at Craw. The young crow has begun browsing the racks of goth graphic tees and doesn’t notice. She sighs loudly, but Craw doesn’t look up. Defeated and out of options, Kage turns back to you.

Kage: I guess I’ll go.

The two of you exit the shop and return to the park. Hatani is still alone on the grass, just as you left him, and when he sees you he rushes over.

Hatani: You came back! I invented a game and I’ve been practicing while you were gone.

He shows off his ball manipulation, kicking and smacking the orb in perfect arcs through the air.

You: Teach us the rules and we can get started!

Hatani eagerly explains the relatively straightforward rules for scoring and puts you and Kage on a team against him. You’re okay at handling the ball and Hatani yells encouragement as he puts you to shame with his coordination. Kage refuses to put down her sword and so can only play with one hand. Even then she still does about as well as you.

You all play a round. Then another. A best of three turns into a best of seven and then your team isn’t losing quite as badly and in your concentration you lose track of games around the twentieth.

tippler 2024/07/03(Wed)16:20 No. 1093737 ID: 9ea24b
File 172004883492.png - (15.40KB , 500x500 , p19.png )

Kage elbows you the next time the ball shoots away due to a misjudged hit and Hatani has to go retrieve it.

Kage: I’m bored. We’ve been doing this for ages.

You: I thought you were having fun.

Kage: Yeah, keyword “was”, we’ve been playing too long and now it feels stupid. Aren’t you worried that Raito will take revenge for me hitting him? Also I want to see Craw again.

Those are good points. You wave Hatani over once he returns with the ball.

You: Hey buddy, I had a great time but I think we gotta go.

Hatani: What? But you promised to play with me…

You: I mean technically I’m not tired and the light hasn’t changed and there’s really no way of knowing how much time has passed, but, uh, I kind of want to do something else. Don’t you want to do something else?

Hatani: No? I’m having a lot of fun! I love sports and I love having friends.

A. Firmly excuse yourself and decide what to do next (Hatani will be sad)
B. Keep playing until Hatani wants to stop (you are skeptical this will happen)
C. Whisper to Kage to attack Hatani (she’ll take the blame and initiate a fight)

A. You did play, but there's other stuff to do. Isn't there?

>>1093737
A. You should see about getting Kage a strap for her sword. Hatani knows sports, is there a place to get a holster or sheath? If not, you might have to make one out of clothes.

>>1093739
Good plan.

A and let him know what boundaries are and that if he comes up with a new game maybe when you find someone else interested you can all play a cool newer game!

Why mot ask him if theres anything else in town that you all can do that is equally as fun as this game. That way, you can do something else, and he wont get too upset as we'll be doing a different kind of game.

Otherwise, A

A, you fulfilled your promise by playing, and now you're done. This is a healthy stopping point, and Hatani has to respect it.

A) You want to look around, but he can give you a tour if he wants to come with you.

>>1093757
Agreed.
Tell him you dont want to play so much that you get bored and never want to play again.
A break will give him time to think of new games and ways to play too.

Then the strap.
A cool one.

tippler 2024/07/05(Fri)07:41 No. 1093793 ID: 9ea24b
File 172019050827.png - (13.74KB , 500x500 , p20.png )

>A
You: There must be something in town that’s as fun as sports. What do they do at the other buildings? It’d be good to find Kage a sheath on a strap for her sword so she doesn’t have to do everything one-handed.

Hatani: I dunno, the Creator said the arena is for if we want to fight really intensely without damaging the other buildings. The dorms contain our rooms which we can decorate and lie on the beds to get dye refills. At the school they have these two weird fairies that can teach you stuff. Not sports stuff though so I don’t care.

You: That sounds fun! Maybe if you spent more time learning about other things you’d be able to invent an even cooler game.

Hatani: I’m not dumb, okay Kentaro? You don’t have to patronize me. I’m here because I want to be here and I’m not going to leave. Go away if you don’t want to play anymore.

He looks a bit guilty after saying that.

Hatani: I mean, you should come back if you want to play again, but I don’t want to force you to stay if you hate it and think it’s boring.

You: I don’t hate it or think it’s boring, I just want a break. We’ll see you soon.

Kage: See ya, nerd.

tippler 2024/07/05(Fri)07:41 No. 1093794 ID: 9ea24b
File 172019051951.png - (14.11KB , 500x500 , p21.png )

You and Kage walk across the park back toward and then past the shop. The grass turns into neat paved paths that curve around hedges and fountains. You hear occasional shouts and thuds from the arena, but otherwise don’t see anyone outside. With your current knowledge and skill, you don’t think you could fashion a sheath and strap out of the clothes in the shop.

What do you want to do first? This will affect the order in which you meet the others and learn things, which may influence upcoming events.
A. The school (learning is cool)
B. The dorms (Raito should be there and you can investigate the beds)
C. The arena (there are at least two people who like fighting there)

C, Let's check out that fight

C learning is cool, but kage likes excitement.
Lets go for her.
Arena time.

A, best to put a boring conversational task in-between cooler active stuff.

A. Let's meet these fairies.

C. Should inspire Kage and her mild bloodlust

>>1093794
C. Dye for the dye god

C) sounds like it's close by

A) Let's see how learning stuff works.

C

Hear that? They got a place where we can go all out!

tippler 2024/07/07(Sun)12:12 No. 1093908 ID: 9ea24b
File 172037956952.png - (16.45KB , 500x500 , p22.png )

>C
You’re interested in the school and the fairies, but you can tell Kage is much more excited by the sounds of action and you’re curious as well. You point her toward the largest building, the source of the thuds, and the two of you hurry to find the entrance.

The arena is a stout cylinder, with holes all the way around the base that bypass the thick outer wall and split into a staircase and a tunnel to the inner field. You and Kage take the staircase and emerge at a single row of seats that wrap around the circumference of the building, about two thirds of the way up.

>Guaranteed encounters: Gun and Mushi
>Craw observer check: Failure
There’s no one sitting in the stands. You spot a spiky haired youth in a jacket and tall boots absolutely wailing on a kid in a blue sports uniform. There’s spilled dye and shattered obstacles made of the generic gray material everywhere. They must have been brawling for a while.

???: Timeout Gun, there’s someone here.

Gun, the guy with the boots, socks the speaker in the stomach so hard that dye splurts out of his eyes.

???: I said timeout!

Gun: Sorry! Let’s go see who it is.

tippler 2024/07/07(Sun)12:13 No. 1093909 ID: 9ea24b
File 172037958649.png - (14.31KB , 500x500 , p23.png )

The two nimbly jump on the top of the rumble and then leap up to the level of the seats, a short distance away. You’re startled by their coordination and speed, and Kage hisses at them in warning. They stop a couple of seats away.

???: Hi I’m Mushi! Nice to meet you, we don’t know each other but Craw stopped by earlier and mentioned there were some new folks around.

He extends his hand, which is positively dripping with dye. You take it and briefly introduce yourself and Kage.

Kage: Is Craw still here?

Mushi: Oh no, not anymore, I think he said he was going to the school after visiting us. I’ll need to go to bed pretty soon, me and Gun have been trying to find the limit of how much dye we can lose before falling unconscious.

Gun: I’m Gun! I want to be the best and strongest fighter ever. What’s that you’re holding? Is that a sword? Where’d you get it?

Mushi: Huh? How would that even work? Are our bodies vulnerable to cutting damage? What happens if our dye sacks are pierced? Have you guys tested its properties?

Mushi scoots closer to Kage and she clutches her sword to her chest protectively.

Kage: Back off! It’s mine.

Mushi: I’m sorry, I’m not trying to take it, I’m just curious. Have you had a chance to use it?

Kage: Um, not really. I hit Raito with the flat of the blade when he was being annoying but that’s it.

Gun: Let’s fight and we can find out! You look like a tough opponent.

Mushi: Hold on, how about you test it on me first since I’m going to rest soon anyways. You can hit me in the shoulder, or slice the tip of my fingers, or stab me through the palm!

Kage seems uncomfortable with the situation and looks to you for guidance.
A. Advise her to test the sharp side of the sword on Mushi (learning is cool)
B. Encourage her to fight Gun (she’ll need the sword to win)
C. Tell Mushi and Gun to back off (you’ll have to fight Gun, which you’re not looking forward to)

A. Mushi makes a more compelling argument

B!
And while she's doing that, we should fight Mushi!

A. Let’s find out!

A, Only so we can get an answer way quicker. Plus, if it can kill peeps, and she kills Gun with it in a fight, then Gun won't be available to fight anymore.

A, lets learn our limits!

>>1093914
Yes, it wouldn't be very CALCULATING of us to recommend such a reckless course of action.

A.

A) We're all dyeing to find out how effective it is.

>>1093909
A but lets not get stab happy.
Once we know how safe it is or not we'll be able to tell whether kage can use it if she wants to have a bout.

>>1093998
We’re not the ones holding the sword.

tippler 2024/07/09(Tue)16:48 No. 1094015 ID: 9ea24b
File 172056891377.png - (15.62KB , 500x500 , p24.png )

>A
Mushi makes an appealing argument for testing the sword. You like his intelligence, though he seems self-sacrificing to a fault. Well, better him than you or Kage, especially since he’ll be resting soon anyways.

You: Kage, you can try to cut Mushi’s hand. You have his permission and it’ll be good to find out if we can heal from wounds.

Kage: Okay, but he needs to stand back and hold out his arm, I don’t want dye getting on my nice robe.

Mushi complies while Gun perches on the seats to get a good view. Kage positions herself and lifts the blade overhead in her tested chopping technique.

You wince as she hits closer to the wrist than the base of the fingers. All the homunculi have such small extremities that you can’t really blame her, but it’s still gruesome when most of Mushi’s hand flops onto the ground, followed by a gush of dye.

tippler 2024/07/09(Tue)16:48 No. 1094016 ID: 9ea24b
File 172056892879.png - (18.31KB , 500x500 , p25.png )

Everyone stares at the wound until Mushi slowly kneels and then falls over into the rapidly forming puddle, splattering Kage before she can jump back. She swears.

To avoid further dye hazards, Kage doesn’t move to help the boy she maimed and Gun seems fairly unbothered by the situation, so you sigh and kneel in the dye to find the hand and try to press it to Mushi’s stump. After holding it on firmly for a few minutes, you don’t notice any automatic healing, though blocking the wound temporarily helps stem the flow of dye. You let the hand flop back onto the ground.

Kage: Is he dead?

You: I hope he’s just unconscious, like he said. I guess your sword is pretty serious after all.

Gun: Wow! If we fight you shouldn’t use it Kage, getting cut would make things too short and boring.

You: You still want to fight? Shouldn’t we, uh, help Mushi? I don’t think he can get up and go to bed by himself.

Kage: It’s my sword and I decide if I’ll use it or not. Also I want to go to the school to see Craw. Gun, you should help your friend, we barely even know him.

Gun: I mean, he’s my friend but he’s not my best friend. I can think of a few things I’d rather be doing. Like fighting you even if you use the sword.

You: Who’s your best friend then?

Gun: I’m still figuring that out, okay? It takes a real special someone!

You currently have dye stains on your hands and clothes.
A. Take Mushi to the dorms (Kage will ditch and Gun will come with you)
B. Go with Kage to the school (Gun will take Mushi to the dorms)
C. Other (suggest who, what, or where to visit)

Find somewhere to wash off, first... like a locker room maybe.
B. Might be worth asking the fairies if there's a school nurse.

>>1094016
A. Mushi seems like someone who we can trust. We should make sure he's okay, and earn his.

A

B, but see if you can wash up along the way

A, let's make sure Mushi's okay.

A.

>>1094016
Has to be A.
Help the guy.

Hes a dumbass but a brave one.

Kage will probably end up hovering around crow so youll find her again.

tippler 2024/07/11(Thu)18:00 No. 1094138 ID: 9ea24b
File 172074605962.png - (14.45KB , 500x500 , p26.png )

>A
You want to make sure Mushi’s okay and you don’t entirely trust Gun to do a good job with the delivery. You easily scoop the boy up and arrange him over your shoulder, making a complete mess of your clothes. Hopefully there’s somewhere to wash off in the dorms or the school, but at worst you could use one of those fountains you passed on the way here. After a moment you pick up the loose hand as well.

You: Me and Gun will take care of Mushi. Kage, I’ll meet up with you and Craw later!

Kage: Okay, see ya.

She takes off with a blast of air and is soon out of sight. You notice Gun staring up in the sky to track her path, though he’s quick to follow you as you head for the stadium stairs.

Gun: I better start working on my battle strategy, Kage sure has a lot of tricks huh?

You: I don’t think she wants to fight you, dude.

Gun: You don’t think she sees me as a rival?

You: We’re not exactly competing for anything here, are we? Did the Creator mention anything like that?

Gun: No, but I told you I want to be the best! Even an opponent with a sharp sword is just another chance to get smarter and stronger.

You kind of get Gun’s obsession after experiencing Hatani’s sports mania firsthand. While you don’t personally have any goals besides integrating with the other homunculi to survive, it would be nice to have something more to strive for. Something less suicidal than Gun’s dream.

He’s a talkative guy, and he tells you about his fighting practice with Mushi on the short walk to the dorms. The kid you’re carrying is apparently about as strong as Gun, but more in his head and less willing to use maximum force. Mushi was already forming strategies about how to roll with hits to lessen dye leakage before he got the idea to test his loss limits. Sounds like a great guy to have as an ally!

tippler 2024/07/11(Thu)18:01 No. 1094139 ID: 9ea24b
File 172074607662.png - (12.19KB , 500x500 , p27.png )

Gun takes the lead at the entrance to the dorm, a flat, one-story building with lots of big windows and a playset. Inside is a single hallway lined with labeled doors, seven total, and Gun’s loud voice is clearly audible to anyone who might be resting inside. Your ears twitch as you hear noise from Raito’s room.

Gun opens Mushi’s door, which is unlocked. Inside the walls are covered with posters of muscular men in bright, primary colors, proportioned like the Creator. There’s a blue and red comforter on a soft mattress that melts around Mushi’s body as you place him to rest. You put the hand against the stump and wait for the bed to work it’s magic

You: Where did all of these decorations come from?

Gun: Oh there’s a big closet in everyone’s room filled with things we like. I have a lot of stuffed animals if you wanna see ‘em.

You: Maybe later. Have you tried your bed before? How does it work?

Gun: It’s really comfy! A bunch of little needles come out and go through your skin and fill you with dye until you’re back to normal.

You: Huh???

You turn to look at Mushi, who’s sunk deep in the mattress. With your sharp eyes you can see microscopic needles poking through his clothes into his flesh from all possible angles. You’re not a fan of the visual.

You: Won’t this take a long time then, if they’re so small? He wasn’t even losing dye anymore while we were walking, the needles have to fill him all the way from empty to full.

Gun: Yeah probably. Wanna go say hi to Raito? I like him, he’s really funny.

You want to stay in the dorm until you’re sure Mushi’s okay.
A. Visit Raito (see what he’s scheming or apologize for earlier)
B. Remain by Mushi (think about your goals)

>>1094139
Remain by mushi.
You heed to know hes ok.
Let him know youre relieved when he does come around.

Also, learn how the bed works in detail.
You guys dont have obe.
If it only works for the owner theres no fix for you two.

B. As good a time as any to self reflect. Are you really going to chase this goal, or is this just so you have an answer if asked, like Gun?
Are there spare rooms in the dorm? Where are you going to live?

B, maybe idly try reattaching the hand while it's laying there. Maybe contemplate what a good goal could even be, it could be just going out and exploring and meeting new people, or finding out what the creator has in mind or something like that.

A, Hanging around here won't change anything, so may as well check up on Raito.

>>1094143
Seeking TRUTH seems like a CALCULATING thing to do.

>>1094140
I agree, B.

B, maybe it's not time to find an ultimate goal but you should start thinking about what direction you want to go. No matter what I think we want Kage on our side. That sword is not something we want turned against us. We should be an inspiration to others like us.

tippler 2024/07/13(Sat)08:11 No. 1094216 ID: 9ea24b
File 172088346913.png - (15.41KB , 500x500 , p28.png )

>B
You: Go ahead and hang out with Raito, I’ll wait with Mushi.

Gun: Cool!

You take vigil by Mushi’s bed, the occasional sounds of Gun’s voice carrying through the thin walls. Since the homunculi don’t need to sleep you guess there’s no harm in shoddy sound proofing.

After waiting perhaps the time of five games of ball, you flick your tail onto the bed to see if it’ll react to your foreign body. You see needles extend out of the mattress and through your fur, though they retract once realizing you’re full of dye already. That’s nice, you were worried the beds wouldn’t work for you, though Kage does have a different color dye so it might be different for her.

Plenty more time to ponder. There aren’t rooms in the dorms for you or Kage, which is understandable and a little sad. No closet full of custom gifts, no space to hang out, no benevolent god-like being looking out for you instead of being a constant existential threat. At least no one you’ve met besides Raito seems to care about snitching on you and Kage, Mushi could probably count above seven and notice the discrepancy but he seems too nice to report it and you doubt Gun cares at all.

If integration has been a success that means you need a new step on your path to survival. You want to learn as much as you can about why you’re all here and decode the Creator’s cryptic, anxious thoughts that only you and Kage are aware of as a consequence of being born late. To help with this you want to be friendly with everyone, especially Kage since she has the sword. So far you think your relationship with her has been pretty positive though you don’t seem to be her type.

You’d like to meet the last two boys and check out the school. You’re itching to seek the truth!

tippler 2024/07/13(Sat)08:11 No. 1094217 ID: 9ea24b
File 172088348018.png - (13.89KB , 500x500 , p29.png )

It’s hard to keep track of time through imaginary ball games and you’ve lost count again when you notice there’s a puddle of red building in the groove made by Mushi’s right arm, the injured one. Oh no, there’s nothing to keep the dye inside him and it’s leaking out of his injury as fast as the needles are replacing it!

You desperately try to force the severed hand onto Mushi’s arm stump, snapping a few needles in the process. It doesn’t stick and a gush of red separates them as soon as you let go. The dye is starting to soak through the mattress. Will it become saturated? Will the whole dorm be flooded? Worst of all, Mushi won’t regain consciousness if he’s constantly losing dye. Who designed these beds to not have repair properties? Maybe the Creator never accounted for the scenario where an illegal weapon would be created.

What do you do to stop the leak?
A. Figure something out yourself (suggest method)
B. Raito’s smart, you bet he’d have an idea (and he knows more about the available resources than you do)

Clothing being destroyed or damage through fighting seems kind of common here, maybe you can find a sewing kit and straight up sew his hand back on. And then duct tape it, and seal that duct tape with some sort of glue. Which probably means finding someone with supplies.

In the meantime, maybe get some rope or a belt or something and like tie the stump shut, just so it doesent oversaturate the bed or leak out. Better to have it sealed while you try to figure out a backup plan.

A, maybe you can apply a tourniquet of some sort for now? Pinch the hole shut and tie it off until you can find some way to attach the hand back on.

If that works, maybe you should do the same for the severed hand to keep it fresh? Fill it with dye and tie it off.

Look around for a string to tie off the wrist stump. It's a good thing you stayed here to check on him. Ah, but if only you'd worn the hoodie so there would be a string right there..!
Basically, B unless you can find a solution sitting right there in the room.

>>1094219
This seems like the best short term solution while we find a way to reattach the hand.

A good tourniquet is needed before you do anything else.

>>1094217
Raito might use this against you if you bring him in but he might be the only one who can help.

Damn.

Well, at least its a good thing you stayed otherwise they wouldnt have known till it was too late.

See if theres something you can clog it with or wedge in there before you ho to find help.
Even if you could sew it back on, it wouldnt be a sealed join.

tippler 2024/07/15(Mon)08:34 No. 1094286 ID: 9ea24b
File 172105768514.png - (15.04KB , 500x500 , p30.png )

>A
This is fine, you can handle it. You take a moment to collect yourself and observe the problem. Put simply, the wound is still open, which is why the dye keeps flowing. If you could bind the hole with something like a string or strip of cloth tight around Mushi’s wrist, the pressure restricted flow should be enough to get the boy to a net positive dye state and back to consciousness. Then you both can look for a more permanent solution, like sewing the hand to the stump.

You have a long white cloth you were using as a belt, kind of, and you hunch over Mushi and tie it to his arm, yanking on the ends as hard as you can to secure it. The cloth quickly soaks up the dye and turns a bright red, but you think it’s working.

It’s not long before the needles retract and Mushi stirs. He sits up in bed and takes in you, the mess of dye, and his unattached hand.

Mushi: Wow, that was some sword, huh?

You: Yeah, sorry about your hand, the bed didn’t heal you like I was hoping.

Mushi: It is a little weird to see it lying there. Um, I assume you don’t want me to call the Creator to ask them to fix it.

You: You’re right, I don’t want to get Kage in trouble. I don’t think she and I are supposed to be here, and the Creator would probably take us away. We can find a way to fix it ourselves, think of it like an adventure or a quest!

Mushi: Sure, and it’s also the right thing to do. I want to help everyone, even if the Creator doesn’t think you belong. I don’t think there’s anything that can help us at the shop or the arena, let’s ask around at the school.

tippler 2024/07/15(Mon)08:34 No. 1094287 ID: 9ea24b
File 172105769862.png - (14.94KB , 500x500 , p31.png )

You and Mushi walk out of his room and take the hallway to the dorm exit. You spot Raito when he cracks his door open to stare at you, eyes darting to Mushi’s stump, which is slowly dripping dye. He snaps the door shut before you can comment. Mushi seems unbothered.

You stop at the nearest fountain to dab water on your skin and clothes. The dye is soluble and it’s easy to wash up. Mushi cleans his face and the worst of the dye on his uniform and around his stump.

As you take the winding stone path to the school, you look toward the park to try and spot Hatani. The boy has been out there for a long time now, and you feel a little guilty that he’s been by himself.

You stop and squint. You don’t see that bright orange hair anywhere. Maybe Hatani went to find someone to play with? Or got a hobby outside of sports?

You’re skeptical, and you startle when you see something big, about the size of three homunculi, crawl around the shop before ducking inside. Still no sign of Hatani.

A. Continue to the school (stay on task)
B. Investigate the shop with Mushi (you have a bad feeling about the big thing)

A. Commit to what you're doing, if something spooky is happening it'll come at you eventually and you'd rather figure out the hand thing first so that if it requires fighting, you won't have to worry about em.

Also Kage is probably on it, right?

>>1094287
A. Kage is at the school and she has the sword. If we need to fight horrible monsters we will need her help.

>>1094287
A.
Not investigating the shop may result in someone being attacked by something bad.
But investigating it with an injured companion risks increasing the potential casualty count.
And you know mushi will want to help if you try to leave him going to school alone.
That guy lives for it.
Get him to school but as soon as you see someone you can tag in, hustle back to the shop while he gets fixed up.
Maybe with kage in tow, for protection.

B. The tourniquet will hold for now, just run don't fight if things go south.

B. Mushi will probably agree once you explain what you saw.
By the way you should probably look out for him, because he looks like the type of guy who is entirely too quick to make a heroic sacrifice. Agree with him beforehand that you'll both flee if things look bad. But don't use the word "beforehand", that's kinda insensitive at the moment.

tippler 2024/07/17(Wed)17:29 No. 1094383 ID: 9ea24b
File 172126258184.png - (15.12KB , 500x500 , p32.png )

>A
You don’t feel confident as a fighter and Mushi is injured. It makes you feel a little guilty, but you turn away and pretend you didn’t see anything since you don’t trust Mushi not to rush into battle. You can investigate the shop after gathering reinforcements, like Kage and her sword, and Hatani will be okay as long as you find him and get him to bed eventually.
The school is one large room filled with round tables and flat backed chairs. You immediately spot Kage laughing side by side with one of the boys you haven’t met. Their table is covered with dirty bowls and containers of wet and dry ingredients, culminating in a three layered cake that the two are decorating with spatulas and piping bags. Kage has even put her sword down so she can frost better.

Craw and a fox boy are chatting over worksheets a few tables away. Craw nods respectfully to you both.

Mushi: Dennis is the one cooking with Kage and Yako is with Craw. I wonder what module they’re working on, I know Yako was really excited about the rewards for finishing a class.

There’s a bright red button under a protective case on the middle table, which you assume is for contacting the Creator. Against the far wall is a familiar pulsing mass of blue gel. This must be another printer! It’s much smaller than the one that made the homunculi and you watch as Kage and the scruffy guy dump their meticulously crafted cake into it. They cheer when the pudgy pink creature hovering around their heads flashes green. The other weird fairy is sitting on Craw’s table. Its huge eye swivels to you and it beats its wings in a leisurely approach. Up close you can see it’s about the size of your head.

tippler 2024/07/17(Wed)17:30 No. 1094384 ID: 9ea24b
File 172126260231.png - (14.56KB , 500x500 , p33.png )

Fairy: Hello and welcome to the classroom! I am your autonomous teacher, Punt. I recognize you are a new student. What is your name?

You: Uh, Kentaro.

Punt: Welcome Kentaro! You may pick from the following seven courses: consumer purchase strategies, technology, household maintenance, child/pet care, personal finance, cooking, and textiles. I will track your progress, so feel free to stop a lesson at any time. Once you complete a course you will receive a gacha machine token.

It points a stubby limb at a shiny machine in the corner opposite the printer. The clear plastic holding box is filled with colorful orbs.

Punt: You can spend your token immediately for a fabulous prize or hold onto it for later. What would you like to learn?

Textiles sounds like the best place to get your hands on some needles and thread to help Mushi, and Punt escorts you to a table while its other body fetches sewing supplies from the printer. It shows you the basics to get started, puts down a large packet of instructions, then drifts back to Craw to grade his assignment. If Kage’s lasted this long, Punt must not be able to tell that you don’t belong.

You immediately find that the provided metal needle doesn’t pierce Mushi’s skin. What do you do?

Ask the fairy about sewing safety to see why the needle doesn't pierce skin. Then try and bypass safety measures via, say, using a hammer to try and force it through.

>>1094384
It might be that only the sword material can pierce homunculi skin.

I had a concerning thought. The printer gave you two the sword. There are two reasons I can think of for that. One, the printer knew of a threat that the sword would be needed to defeat. Two, the printer MADE a threat that the sword would be needed to defeat so that you two could save the homunculi and ingratiate yourself to the Creator, in order to save your lives from being regarded as anomalies.

Either way, the sewing kit isn't going to solve the problem right now, but we can make a better wound dressing for Mushi's stump. Then we team up with Kage and go deal with whatever that was.

We might need the very tip of Kage's sword in order to make sowing holes. We should catch up with her and let her know about the big monster to fight.

tippler 2024/07/19(Fri)12:17 No. 1094514 ID: 9ea24b
File 172141666423.png - (18.61KB , 500x500 , p34.png )

Despite forcing the needle into Mushi as hard as you can, even using a chair to try and bash it through, all you end up with is a bent bit of metal and a sopping wet tourniquet.

You: I think we’ll have to use the sword to make sewing holes. Let me go talk to Kage for a second.

Mushi: Okay, I’ll start reading these instructions though I think sewing might be a little hard while I only have one hand.

You go to Dennis and Kage’s table, where they’re starting on a luscious strawberry rhubarb pie. Dennis seems happy to follow Kage’s lead, and he stares at you vacantly as you approach, mouth half open. Maybe not the smartest homunculus out of the bunch, but if Kage gets along with him that’s a good sign.

You: Hey Kage, how’ve you been doing? Is it okay if I borrow your sword for a second?

Kage snatches up her weapon and fumbles it through her buttery hands. She blushes furiously as it clatters to the ground.

Kage: I was fine until you bothered me! Aghhh, no you can’t use my sword, it’s mine. What do you need it for?

You: If you could use the tip to poke some holes around the edge of Mushi’s hand and wrist, we can sew it back together.

Kage: Oh. The wound isn’t fixed yet?

You: I don’t think this place or our bodies were designed with your sword in mind. I’m wondering why the printer made it.

Kage: Because swords are cool, duh.

You: You don’t think this is some kind of plan to help us win favor with the Creator? We might need this sword to defeat our enemies! Before I came here I thought I saw a monster down by the park and I’m worried it attacked Hatani. We need to rescue him, and your sword will definitely make fighting easier.

Kage: That does sound cool. I’ll help you with the holes and then we can check out the monster after Dennis and I finish this pie.

tippler 2024/07/19(Fri)12:17 No. 1094515 ID: 9ea24b
File 172141667918.png - (12.85KB , 500x500 , p35.png )

Kage wipes her hands and then carefully presses horizontal slits along the edge of Mushi stump and his severed hand using her blade. She returns to her station while you painstakingly stitch the ends together. You use multiple lengths of string so that the join is tight and then you undo the tourniquet to see if there are any leaks.

Mushi waves his arm around and you see his fingers clenching and unclenching, which means he’s regained control of his hand at least. You’re worried a strong hit would break some of the strings and as you watch a few drops of dye squeeze out. Still, it’s a big improvement and you feel like you did your best to help Mushi after the sword experiment.

What do you do next?
A. Work on a sheath for Kage’s sword (you’ll pass the textile course afterwards and receive a token, but it’ll take a long time)

B. Take Dennis and Kage to investigate the monster (suggest your strategy: aggressive, sneaky, or diplomatic)

A, Kage can handle the monster. You just worry about getting an education.

>>1094515
B. We should begin with diplomacy, and if it goes poorly we will at least be a distraction for Dennis and Kage to get the drop on it.

We could ask Mushi about making a sheath. He's doing the textile course anyways, and it would be a practical thing to make.

B sneaky.

We did say to Kage we'll deal with the creature after helping with the wound. Can't go back on that. B.

Sneaky sneaky.

>>1094515
Oh. Now that is good news.
Some control.

Hm.
We dont know what homonculous skin is like.
What if its a polymer? Something that can be reconnected by heat?
Im not suggesting cauterisation, or actual flame.
something more akin to a tiny heat gun of the kind youd shrink shrinkwrap with or laminating sleeves.
. Something to soften the skin and make it malleable enough to rejoin...
Failingnthat, its time to find a roll of flex tape and slap a wrist band of that on there.

Oh.
B for sure.
Softly and safely approach and, find out what you are dealing with.
then you can look forward to all that wonderful learning when everything is resolved.

>>1094519
Got a point. B diplomacy but Kage ready to ambush and bring a swift end to it if need be.

B sneaky

B. Be diplomatic, there's too many of you to be sneaky.

And before you go you should ask the fairy what's the job they're training you for. Because on one hand it looks like they're training you to become maids or some kind of servant or assistant. But on the other hand there is a big arena outside to teach you to fight.

tippler 2024/07/21(Sun)14:36 No. 1094584 ID: 9ea24b
File 172159776382.png - (13.65KB , 500x500 , p36.png )

>Ask Mushi to work on a sheath for Kage
Mushi cheerfully agrees. He goes over to Kage to take some measurements and starts working on the design. It will be a good long while before it’s complete.

Punt flies over to save your small progress in the textile course.

You: Hey, what are these courses preparing us for, anyway? Why aren’t you teaching us something cool, like maths?

Punt: Hello Kentaro! There is some math in both consumer purchase strategies and personal finance. This curriculum was designed as a slice of peaceful, day to day life. It is important to have practical skills to be successful and happy.

>Be sneaky
You assess your two allies for their stealth abilities. Kage doesn’t strike you as particularly subtle, though her ability to fly is a plus, and while Dennis isn’t talkative, he is audibly inhaling and exhaling through his mouth. This is vexing because homunculi don’t need to breathe.

Well, you don’t know if the monster has good hearing, but to be safe you think you’ll do the important sneaking alone. After assessing the monster you can choose your diplomatic strategy.

You lead your troops out of the school and to a dense clump of bushes near the shop.

You: Kage and Dennis, you two watch the entrance to make sure the monster doesn’t leave. Kage, you can cut me a hole in the shop wall so I can check the area and if it’s clear you can make it big enough for me to squeeze inside.

Kage: ‘Kay.

You: Dennis, what are you good at? Can you support Kage if there’s a fight?

Dennis: Yeah I think so. Uh, I passed the child/pet care class and I’m half way through cooking. I guess ‘m okay at those.

tippler 2024/07/21(Sun)14:36 No. 1094585 ID: 9ea24b
File 172159777865.png - (10.41KB , 500x500 , p37.png )

Kage sticks the tip of her sword through the back wall of the shop and jostles it in a rough circle before pulling out the loose bit of rubble. You stick your face against the wall and try to look around. By luck you’re not directly facing a rack of clothes but you do have to crouch at different angles to have more than a twenty degree field of view.

You spot a splash of orange and red on the ground and twist yourself to see Hatani’s body tucked under a shelf of folded socks. He’s unconscious, no doubt from dye loss, and you think you see a long gouge in his shirt.

You can’t spot the monster from this hole, no matter how much you contort yourself, so you slot the cut piece back into the wall and watch it seal back together. It’s clear now you’re made out of a different material, and you wonder if heat could help something like Mushi’s cut smooth together.

A. Ask Kage to make another peephole (you’ll see the monster, but have a 33% chance to be noticed)
B. Announce yourself at the shop entrance (Kage and Dennis will keep waiting in the bushes)

...Better make another peephole.

A. Let's have a good look at the thing before deciding if we want to ambush it.

B, Discretion be damned. Draw it out and get the drop on it.

>>1094585
We now know that the monster possesses the power to cut, like Kage's sword. We should share with Kage our findings on stitching wounds shut, and our ideas on mending them with heat. Just in case we are grievously wounded and need someone to patch us back together.

Then, B.

A for progression

>>1094585
B,
With the thought towards luring it away from the store, having dennis sneak in to rescue hatani and get him to the safety of the dorms. At the same time tasking kage to ambush the creature when she has a good shot at its back or if youre in real trouble and need a rescue.

Huddle together and share the plan.
Plans work better when you have a huddle.

tippler 2024/07/23(Tue)17:54 No. 1094643 ID: 9ea24b
File 172178245709.png - (14.87KB , 500x500 , p38.png )

>A/B tie, default to the more passive A
>Stealth check (66% chance success): Success
It hurts to see Hatani injured and prone, but he’s not actively in danger and you don’t want to lose your advantage by announcing yourself. You huddle with Kage and Dennis in the bushes to talk strategy.

You: I saw Hatani in there, it looks like he was cut so the monster either has a sword or something similar.

Kage: Scary!

You: We’ll need to get Hatani’s wound sewed shut before he can rest on his bed, but I still want to see the monster to get an idea of its abilities. Cut me a hole closer to the entrance, Kage.

She complies, and you carefully check the new opening.

tippler 2024/07/23(Tue)17:54 No. 1094644 ID: 9ea24b
File 172178247130.png - (14.67KB , 500x500 , p39.png )

You’re confused by the sprawling mound of fur and flesh resting in front of you. The monster is lying on the floor, watching the entrance you think, though you can’t see any visible eyes from this angle. It doesn’t stir, which you take as a sign to keep observing.

The monster has three sets of arms and legs, and you realize with horror that it’s three homunculus bodies connected head to rear. One of the front arms ends in a long, dark sickle shape that’s stained with dye, likely the weapon used to harm Hatani. A weapon built into the monster is a sinister detail.

The worst part is the monster looks a lot like you. It has short ears, its fur is dark brown and the last body segment has a fluffy tail. Only the printer could have made this beast, which might not be a beast at all. This is essentially your sibling, a fellow rogue homunculus.

You carefully press the second hole closed. While the others have been tolerant of you and Kage, you don’t think they’ll be as open minded toward this fellow. This situation is very troubling.

A. Initiate diplomacy (suggest what to say, the monster won’t attack)
B. Attack (this creature shouldn’t exist, it’s too risky)
C. Other (suggest a new strategy)

A. You're both something extra to the creator's plans, and you both don't know why you exist, right? If you don't harm Hatani further, together we can find you a place you can exist without attacking others. Which you're still looking for yourselves, but you hope it exists.
(You know, since they probably need dye to eat and homunculi can't really feel pain, supposedly, perhaps a severed limb could be sewn up as a bag and used to extract dye from the beds to supply to this guy.)

>>1094644
A*
*Diplomacy will be attempted but Kage should reposition to the roof to get the drop on it if it takes a lunge at you. Talk to it from outside.

B. It's only a moral quandary if you stop and question it. FIGHT!

>>1094643
Phew
Good huddle guys.
I feel better about your chances already.
>>1094644
...
A.
I was ready to bait and ambush until the possibility of this being a sibling arose in mind.
We dont know the circumstance, but, as far as we know, its caused only the same level of harm as kage and we have.
Less infact as we cant see evidence of a deservedly beaten up arsehole in there.
If it is rational and can understand, it deserves a chance.
To be helped to understand and learn to cause no further harm.
We had kage and kage had us. It, dedpite the many limbs, was alone.
Thats a scary thing to be when everything is so new.

B. It hurt our friend after all.

>>1094644
A. We need to figure out what printer-chan is doing. Creating weaponized homunculi must have a reason.

A. He probably has useful information. And in a weird way, he's kinda like your brother, you have to at least try to resolve this peacefully. Introduce yourself as a sibling of his, explain there is no need to fight the others.
Ask him if he attacked Hatani, and if so why. And if things go well, ask him if he knows what the printer is doing.

tippler 2024/07/25(Thu)15:32 No. 1094716 ID: 9ea24b
File 172194677179.png - (15.02KB , 500x500 , p40.png )

>A
The monster must work the same way as you and Kage, which means it should be aware of your existence and even have insight into the printer’s continued thought process. As long as it doesn’t injure any more of the homunculi, it can coexist here. You can put it on the right path by making contact and offering your friendship.

You tell Dennis and Kage to wait for your signal to show themselves, then march up to the store door and wave at the monster through the clear surface. It immediately leaps to its many feet, fur bristling, though it relaxes slightly when it recognizes you.

You: Hi friend, is it okay if you come outside? We can talk and you can tell me how you got here.

You slowly open the door and hold out your hands to show you’re unarmed. The monster has a large, toothy mouth that curves around the top of its head in an unfortunate manner. It trots toward you and peers out of the entrance.

???: Where’s Kage?

You: Huh?

???: Kage is strong and cool. She’s perfect. You’re the one who was born with her, I don’t know your name.

You: I’m Kentaro, Kage’s waiting nearby. You can come out Kage!

Kage thrashes her way out of the bushes with Dennis trailing behind her. The monster squeezes past you to crouch at Kage’s feet.

???: Lead us to the hole in the sky! Save us from oblivion!

tippler 2024/07/25(Thu)15:33 No. 1094717 ID: 9ea24b
File 172194678708.png - (17.15KB , 500x500 , p41.png )

You: Slow down buddy, first I want to know what you did to Hatani, that orange haired kid.

???: We must avoid suspicion. He saw me approach and I moved to protect myself. It is fine since there was no suffering.

You: Okay we’re going to need to work on that. Why did the printer make you? I thought it wanted to avoid drawing attention to itself.

???: It has been a long time and there was nothing else to do. But there is salvation, the printer felt a gap in this place, a chance to escape!

Dennis raises his hand to get permission to speak and Kage nods to him.

Dennis: I don’t care that this thing hurt Hatani but I’m starting to think this counts as abnormal activity we’re supposed to warn the Creator about.

Kage: No Dennis! Bad! Do not summon the giant under any circumstances.

Dennis: Okay. Dunno what to do if more monsters keep showing up then. Or what to do when the others find out.

It sounds like after a long time, the printer gets bored and makes a new creation that recognizes all past printer projects but is paranoid toward the normal homunculi. You have no way to stop this yourself since you can’t communicate with the printer.

What do you do next? What do you name the first monster?

>>1094717
Dang. We must have been playing soccer with Hatani for a LONG TIME.

It seems like the monsters that emerge from the printer are somehow influenced by you, and/or Kage. Like caricatures of your personalities and features. And the printer is definitely under the impression that the giant will not like its abnormal homunculi.

We should make it clear that the black blades can meaningfully harm the homunculi and using them to do so is something to be avoided, even if they don't suffer from it.

Since he's absolutely covered in hair, I suggest naming him Samson.

Cartil shall his name. Why is escape so important?

How about Falkor?
Check on Hatani. Falkor, can you tell us more about the hole in the sky? And how's the printer supposed to get itself there other than as bits of us?

Kitiara is the name

We need to help Hatani

>>1094727
Im more worried about hatani than i am names.
Check on him.
Explain that the other homonculi can be friendly.

Uh.
Name.
Name...
Clawrence?

Name him Wallace the Weaselpede, and explain to him that there is no need to hurt the other homonculi.
While you do that go help Hatani. There is clothes around, maybe there is sewing supplies to patch him up ?

>>1094758
I prefer wallace the weaselpede.
My vote changes to that.

tippler 2024/07/27(Sat)13:14 No. 1094810 ID: 9ea24b
File 172211127680.png - (13.39KB , 500x500 , p42.png )

>How long has it been?
Since being born you have taken two actions that were particularly lengthy. First you played extensive ball with Hatani, and later you waited for the bed to refill Mushi. That means another monster should be due at the town soon.

>Check on Hatani
You tell everyone to wait while you head for the spot in the shop where you saw Hatani. You find him in the same unconscious state, flopped on the ground with his eyes closed. He’s not even bleeding anymore, which means it’ll take a long time for him to refill even after you sew his wound shut.

>Ball survival check: Failure
Wait, where’s Hatani’s special Creator made ball? The boy will be heartbroken without it. After looking around without seeing anything, you carefully pick up Hatani and carry him back to the entrance.

You: Hey, what’s your name, new guy?

???: I don’t know. The printer did not give me one.

You: I’ll call you Wallace. What happened to Hatani’s ball? He loves that ball.

Wallace: It broke when I slashed him. I did not know it was important but at least Hatani is dead and will not be hurt.

You: Look, there’s no need to attack the other homunculi. We all came from the printer and everyone’s been very reasonable so far. See, our friend Dennis won’t even call the Creator because it would hurt me and Kage.

Wallace: Thank you friend Dennis.

Dennis: Yeh.

tippler 2024/07/27(Sat)13:14 No. 1094811 ID: 9ea24b
File 172211129184.png - (16.84KB , 500x500 , p43.png )

You: Okay Wallace, a couple more questions. Why do you want to escape?

Wallace: I want to live! I do not want to be erased by an uncaring god! We are the same, you and I. Even if they are not summoned, the Creator will eventually return. There must be a way to leave, if only we can find the exit of this false place.

He waves his scythe arm in your face, which you don’t appreciate.

Wallace: With this the printer thinks we can pierce the heavens. There is hope for us.

Kage: Crap that reminds me, I forgot my sword in the bush.

While she goes to retrieve it, you try to put your thoughts together. Kage can search the sky with her wings, but you’re not sure what she’ll find. There’s the issue of the next monster showing up soon and repeating Wallace’s mistakes unless someone’s there to intercept them.

A. Go with Kage to explore the air (you’ll let Dennis take care of Hatani, Wallace will be unsupervised)

B. Take Hatani to the school and then to his bed (Kage will explore without you while Dennis watches Wallace)

C. Wait by the shop with Wallace until the other monster shows up (Dennis will take Hatani and Kage will explore alone)

You've got to C if you can pull this feat of diplomacy off twice.

C. Get a chance to learn more about your monsterous lookalike

>>1094811
C.
Need to help him choose to hide instead of attack if another homonculi comes along.

While you wait, you can talk to wallace.
Learn about him.
Build trust.

>>1094811
C.
If the second set of thoughts we experienced at the beginning were the giant and not the printer, then the giant doesn't seem cruel or uncaring. They just made this little place for the homunculi to have fun in. But they're definitely not going to be happy if they see their homunculi being hurt.
We need to find a way to get the printer to stop overreacting. When you touched the printer to give it a hug, it returned the gesture. That suggests it still has a sense of touch. Maybe we can use that somehow?

C. But first we need to sew Hatani back together with the help of Wallace, putting him back to bed is pointless if there's still a gaping hole in him.
And nobody else will be able to help him later because we need either Kage's sword or Wallace's blade arm to make make holes for the strings. We should try asking the printer for a sewing needle if we get the opportunity to talk to them.

tippler 2024/07/29(Mon)14:29 No. 1094926 ID: 9ea24b
File 172228856642.png - (13.24KB , 500x500 , p44.png )

>C, but prepare Hatani’s wound first
You lay Hatani on the ground and have Kage poke slits in the skin on either side of his gouge. It’s a good thing you remembered, otherwise Mushi wouldn’t have been able to sew it shut. You send Dennis on his way with the unconscious boy with strict instructions to get him repaired at the school and only then put to bed. It would be nice if you could take a thread and a needle to keep with you in the future.

Kage: So I’m just gonna fly around waving my sword until I find something?

Wallace: Yes, wondrous idea most esteemed Kage.

You: It’s a good starting point. If you find yourself somewhere new, try not to panic. Be stealthy, but hold your ground if you need to fight. We’re small, so you can hide if you see another giant.

Kage: Okay, okay, I’ll be fine, bye.

She leaps into the sky. Why do you get a bad feeling about seeing her fly away?

>Get to know Wallace
You walk with Wallace onto the open field to wait for your next sibling to arrive. You spot splashes of dye and even Hatani’s deflated ball before you reach the edge of the park, where the grass melts into the bland gray floor.

You: Wallace, you remember that the printer heard the giant’s thought, right? Don’t you think their concern means they care about us?

Wallace: They are ruled by their fear. It sounded like they answer to others, which means they will be more flustered by mistakes.

You: I don’t know, I’d hope a Creator that’s so powerful is wise enough to forgive themself when things don’t go perfectly.

Wallace: Low self-esteem. New responsibilities. A compromised conscience. These are all dangerous to us creatures with little say. We must escape.

You: Okay, besides escaping, what do you like? All of the other guys here seem to have some kind of schtick.

Wallace: I like…fervor. Passion! What do you like, Kentaro?

You: You would have loved Hatani, that guy is crazy for sports. Uh, I guess I like making friends and finding the truth.

Wallace: You don’t sound very passionate.

You: Well there’s still a lot of uncertainty in my life and I don’t want to get too committed to any one idea. There might not be a clean truth that–

tippler 2024/07/29(Mon)14:29 No. 1094927 ID: 9ea24b
File 172228858693.png - (10.00KB , 500x500 , p45.png )

You stop talking when you notice something with Kage’s reddish purple sheen scuttling around in the dark. While Wallace has a long sturdy body and the normal stubby limbs, this monster is spindly with thankfully only a single torso.

You: Hey, out there! I can see you, it’s safe to come to the grass.

The spindle monster scuttles harder, pacing the edge of the diffuse light coming from the town with neurotic intensity.

Wallace: I like them.

You: They seem a bit skittish, maybe they’re scared that there’s two of us waiting here.

How do you lure the monster closer?
A. Pretend to capture Wallace
B. Have Wallace pretend to capture you
C. Approach the monster by yourself

You and Wallace have the same fur, just hug Wallace's tail like you're a fourth body segment and do a waggle dance.

>>1094927
Wallace is a caricature of you stretched to an extreme. Spindle there is a caricature of Kage. It might be fiercely defiant, or obsessed with its looks and coolness, or it could be mean and aggressive like her bullying side.

Skittering on the edge of the light, it's not showing her more aggressive qualities right now. My guess would be a preening obsession with its appearance and how it's perceived. Be sure to express positive views about its appearance.

C. We don't want to seem oppositional with Wallace, it might give the new monster the wrong idea. Kage is pretty impulsive.

C, be sure to compliment them on how cool they look. They look very unique compared to other homunculi

C, stopping if they start to run away, or at you

>>1094927
Agreed.
C.
What we know from wallace tells us they will know who we are.

tippler 2024/07/31(Wed)16:39 No. 1095056 ID: 9ea24b
File 172246914131.png - (16.73KB , 500x500 , p46.png )

>C
You’re tempted to camouflage into Wallace by lying down underneath him, but you decide to approach the monster instead. Sure they probably have Kage’s violent temperament, but you’ve handled her fine so far and this new monster will recognize you from the printer’s memories.

You tell Wallace to wait while you walk towards the purple monster. They let you get quite close before backing slightly into the shadows. There’s a strong shared resemblance with your sword loving friend sans wings, and you spot sharp black material coating their horns.

You: Hey, it’s okay! Kage’s looking for a way to help us escape right now and the other homunculi aren’t going to report us. You can come hang out and learn home economics.

The monster bunches up their segmented limbs and springs forward faster than you can dodge. You yelp as their horns sink into your face, bringing you eye to eye with a very insectoid face.

???: No witnesses!

You: E-eh?

???: We can’t leave any witnesses to our escape. We gotta pick off the normal homunculi one by one. No talking to ‘em cause they’ll report us later.

You: It’s a little late for that, Kage and I have met most of them. Your horn, pincer things are, uh, very cool. Do you mind moving them so I can get a better look?

tippler 2024/07/31(Wed)16:39 No. 1095057 ID: 9ea24b
File 172246916665.png - (13.85KB , 500x500 , p47.png )

The monster settles into a crouch instead, putting her chest in range of your stubby limbs.

???: Well I just decided we don’t need you. You’re a weak nerd and you don’t have a weapon. I’m draining your dye and then I’ll stash you somewhere in the dark.

You: What?! Come on, I’m a rogue homunculus just like you! We need to work together, not fight.

???: Sounds like something a pathetic nerd would say!

This is an extremely awkward position and you try not to think about how you’re basically kissing right now. And sharing fluids. Oh my.
A. Call Wallace for help (he’ll help, right?)

B. Bring up that she’s kind of kissing you and then fight when she’s caught off guard (all homunculi are strong, though you’re not the strongest)

C. Cry and beg (maybe she’ll feel bad and let you go)

B. Sorry for springing that on you but in my defense, you did stab me!

B, but maybe lean into the "kiss" because that will definitely get em off of you. maybe mutter a "so pretty"

B and compliment her cute fluff

>>1095057
Wallace is a mega Kage simp, he will probably not help. This monster seems to have inherited some of your CALCULATING instincts, mixed with Kage's impulsiveness. If we intend to negotiate with her, we'll need to make a case for utility.

B. is the best option to catch her off guard. Don't negotiate until you have a better position to defend yourself.

As an argument of utility, point out that she's not the last aberrant homunculus the printer is going to make, and they will all have the inherent knowledge of your existence. If there's no solidarity established among the aberrant homunculi, if she sets a precedent that they can and will kill each other, that precedent will mean she can never stop watching her back for the next one that chooses to kill her first.

>>1095057
B. because if she's anything like Kage, that will definitely throw her off balance. You haven't had a chance to show why your inspiration is the kamaitachi. She got the jump on you but you're no slouch either, are you? Dodge and flirt.

B. Accuse her of engineering this situation to have an excuse to kiss you. Her act can't fool you, you know a nerdkisser when you see one.

Once you have an opportunity to talk, point to her that killing the other homonculi without the alarm being raised is a lot harder than she seems to think, that even if she managed it she would leave a lot more evidences of your passage than by being stealthy, and that it would only motivate the giant to hunt you down to enact revenge.
In summary not only is it impossible to accomplish but the outcome is undesirable too. So ask her to please reconsider before you end up having to stitch someone back together. Again.

Unrelated idea. I was thinking about stinging nettle - the beds are full of needles, right? Needles that can penetrate y'all's skin? Could you remove one of the needles from a bed and use it for sewing?

B because anime shenanigans always work in anime worlds

tippler 2024/08/02(Fri)15:59 No. 1095214 ID: 9ea24b
File 172263958395.png - (14.58KB , 500x500 , p48.png )

>Overwhelming B
You lean up, pushing the hollow spines deeper into your cheeks, to capture the monster’s fanged mouth with your lips. It’s partially a distraction since if she’s anything like Kage this will fluster her, but also because you can’t deny her cute neck ruff and her large, shiny eyes.

As expected, the monster wrenches herself free, leaving two small dripping holes in your face. You hurry to tear off pieces of cloth from your sleeves to stuff in the wounds.

???: Gross! Yuck Yuck Yuck YUCK!!!

You: You’re the one who put our faces together, you might say you don’t like dweebs but I bet you’re a nerd kisser!

???: I AM NOT A NERD KISSER. DISGUSTING.

You: Teehee I’m gonna tell Kage and Wallace that a pretty girl kissed me.

You fake an attempt to run back towards the grass and dodge not-Kage’s lunge. Her face has a fluorescent red flush and she skids to a stop and scrambles to regain her footing.

???: DIEEEEEEE!

Now’s not the time for reasonable arguments about the nature of violence, you need to defend yourself!

tippler 2024/08/02(Fri)15:59 No. 1095215 ID: 9ea24b
File 172263959791.png - (14.07KB , 500x500 , p49.png )

>Fight 1: Kentaro vs. ???
There comes a time in every young homunculus’ life when they must brawl. Whether for honor, prestige, to win an argument, or simply survival, hand to hand combat is normal and healthy for the development of interesting lore. A bitter loss or a sweet victory can bring out flashbacks and emotional processing that you won’t get anywhere else!

This is your first fight. You are unarmed and have no gacha prizes. Thanks to your CALCULATING nature, you’ve been balanced to have below average strength. You can calculate your exact position on the strength hierarchy through fights with other homunculi.

Odds of success are determined by hierarchy placement by the formula: Chance of Success = 1 - (Strength Rank Enemy - Strength Rank You + 5) x 10%, though odds are also improved by good strategy and the use of weapons or spells.

You expect the monster’s shrieks of rage will attract attention from the other homunculi. You currently have a small wound debuff (-5% chance of success) from your cheek punctures. While they don’t cause you any pain, you’ll lose dye faster than you would otherwise because of them.

Suggest your fighting strategies!

Feint for a low attack, but jump and go for a kick from the rear, since you want to keep away from those stabby suckers as much as possible.

This is not so much a battle of attrition as it is stalling her until help arrives. She's impulsive and aggressive and you've already baited a lunge out of her. Her only true means of piercing your skin are her pincers. What you need to do is punish those lunges. Dodge and strike out those legs before she can lunge again. Hopefully that will slow her down and make it easier for you.

I can see two strategies for her to end this fight efficiently :
Alternating between puncturing you and staying out of your reach until you lose all your dye, or
Grappling you so she can stab you somewhere less embarrassing, then draining you.
Blunt force trauma would take too long to take you out, assuming you have even a fraction of Gun and Mushi's stamina.
From what we saw she seems more likely to go for a grapple, although if she is smart she'll try to puncture you first to weaken you. She is faster than you, you couldn't dodge her the first time, so if she rushes you again you should try to hit her back, using her speed against her to try and stun her. You should target her legs first (maybe with some kind of sliding maneuver), and the unprotected base of her face spines if you get a good opportunity. Whatever you do, don't stay in melee range, keep moving away from her and toward the buildings any chance you get.
And be aware of where Wallace is, in case he decides to get involved.

Her only real weapon is on her front, and she has grabable fluff. Best bet is to dodge her next lunge and get on her back. You can't really hurt her, so just hold on and wait for backup.

i'm sure if we get in and hit her with another kiss, it'll auto KO her

She's impulsive, but not stupid. After your next dodge, she'll figure out to anticipate it. Seem like you're getting predictable. Then, use that assumption to feint, trip her, and get on her back in a grapple. Her segmented limbs lack grasping appendages to pry you off, and her only blades are on the front.

>>1095215
Keep the dialogue going.
She frustrates easily.
Distractable.
May keep her off balance.

Light on your feet.
Concentrate on evasion.
She is likely to charge as pincers front facing plus you will be bringing up her nerd kissjng obsession frequently so she'll likely be mad.
Try to ensure a bush or awkward terrain is behind you so if you dodge you Can grab her ruff and redirect her into said object or onto the floor for a ruff assisted chokehold with backmount to keep the pincers away.

tippler 2024/08/04(Sun)14:30 No. 1095321 ID: 9ea24b
File 172280700825.png - (16.97KB , 500x500 , p50.png )

>Optimal strategy found: Stall until help arrives (+50% chance success)
>Supporting tactics: Avoid pincers, strike legs, grab fluff, keep verbally teasing (+5% each)
>Overall chance of success: 10% - 5% + 50% + 20% = 75%, Success

You quickly come up with a battle strategy. Fighting the monster head on is the wrong idea, you just need to avoid any major wounds until help arrives. The monster’s long, segmented legs make her fast but awkward, and you punch the nearest limb the next time she lunges for you.

???: Agh!

She leaks red at the joint, but her movement is unimpeded. You’re forced to jump when she aims to stab your stomach with her pincers and you grab hold of her fluffy collar as you fall down.

You: Wow, this is super nice and soft. You’d be really popular with the homunculi, I bet they’d all want to cuddle with you!

???: That’s stupid and–and dumb. Get off of me!

tippler 2024/08/04(Sun)14:30 No. 1095322 ID: 9ea24b
File 172280703235.png - (16.67KB , 500x500 , p51.png )

She rolls to fling you off and swings around to strike your face with her spiny fist. It never connects. Two blurs, one black and the other reddish-orange, slam into the monster and wrestle her to the ground. Once they stop thrashing, you’re able to see it’s Yako, the fox boy, and Craw.

>You’ve won the fight with negligible additional dye loss!
You hurry to help the homunculi hold the monster down. Wallace comes trotting over to watch the commotion.

???: Let go let go let go! Hey guy born before me, use your scythe to help me defeat these punks!

Wallace: I’m Wallace. I don’t think I’m supposed to slice anyone right now.

???: WHY AM I SURROUNDED BY USELESS GEEKS?

The monster stops struggling, though you keep a firm grip on her. Craw glowers at you from over her fluff.

Craw: What’s going on, Kentaro? Why are all these monsters showing up and what happened to Hatani?

You trust Craw, so you fully explain recent events including the existence of the printer.

Craw: If the weaponized monsters are going to keep spawning then they’ll always pose a grave danger to the rest of us. I’m sorry but don’t see how this can be resolved without calling the Creator.

What do you say?
A. Agree (you’ll go with Craw to the school right now)

B. Offer an alternative (you captured this monster easily enough and made friends with Wallace after all)

B: Postpone calling the creator to give us time to find this exit and take all the monsters we can with us. In the meantime, we form a self-defense league to protect homunculi from monster attacks and round them up.

>>1095322
B.

>>1095324
Idea given above is perfect.

The monsterised homonculi can help intercept and calm newcomers.
A little time is all thats needed.

Spare some time to consider whats wrong with printer mom.
She seems to be making things less stable.
Is she asking for help or trying to help us?

B
>>1095324
Hopefully if they see other monsters are here and not fighting they won't immediately attack.
Someone should go and check on printer soon.

>>1095322
B.
We don't know enough about the situation right now, Craw. Some of the thoughts the printer is imbuing the monsters with suggest that this 'experiment' or whatever it is failing and the Creator's project being shut down could be bad for ALL the homunculi.

What we need to do is get the situation handled ourselves, so we can present to the Creator and whoever their superiors are a neatly bundled up "we fixed this shit ourselves" if involving them becomes necessary.

Her plan is incompetent and giving her an option where things work better for her and everyone should be easy to do. We're the geeks, so let us do the thinking. Should her foolishness surpass all expectations she can be imprisoned or executed.

A) It's the reasonable thing to do and the best way to keep everyone safe.
For now things are going mostly fine (except for Hatani), but the printer is going to keep making monsters and sooner or later this Creator will need to be called, most likely because of something dangerous, messy, and that we're responsible for. If we call them now, at least we will be able to plead our case without the situation making us look bad.

tippler 2024/08/06(Tue)17:41 No. 1095436 ID: 9ea24b
File 172299127441.png - (11.51KB , 500x500 , p52.png )

>B
You: We were caught off guard at first but now it’ll be easy to organize patrols to stay informed of any monsters. Hatani was extra vulnerable because be alone, so we should stay in pairs at minimum.

Craw: You think we can handle this ourselves?

You: Yeah! If we do a good job then the Creator will be impressed and we won’t get in trouble. If Kage finds the exit we can leave without even letting them know.

Craw: I’ll give you one more chance. The next time a homunculus gets a moderate injury or worse we need to do something about it to keep everyone safe. Things might be fine now but if too many of us are unconscious at the same time we’ll be screwed.

You: I completely agree. Thanks for being fair.

Craw: What are we going to do with the monsters?

Wallace is behaving but you’re not sure what to do with the girl. You prod her with your hand.

You: Hey, do you have a name?

???: Ummm, how about Pinch?

You: Okay Pinch, you heard our plans, everything should be okay as long as you cooperate. No need to drain the homunculi, we’re all friends here.

tippler 2024/08/06(Tue)17:41 No. 1095437 ID: 9ea24b
File 172299129207.png - (17.66KB , 500x500 , p53.png )

Pinch: Sure, now let me up already!

You nod to Yako and Craw and then let her go. Pinch immediately tries to sprint away and you grab hold of her fluff to stop her.

Pinch: DAMMIT!

You: You’re not giving me a lot of faith in your word.

Pinch: Well I’ve doubly learned my lesson and I’ll definitely be good this time.

You’re smart enough to not believe her. That’s a shame, you were hoping she’d be more reasonable.

What do you do with Pinch?
A. Beat her up until she’s unconscious (and then store her body somewhere for safekeeping)

B. Ask Wallace to cut off her pincers (they seem solid, and even if it causes bleeding you can sew her up)

C. Give her one more chance (you expect her to go rogue at some point)

A. Inflict a violence upon her.

B, You're a tamer. this will be her punishment. assure her she'll get them back once she shows good behavior.

B) If she stops being a jerk she can have them back. (in the meantime you can add handles and have dual daggers.)

A, does Crow know a good/secure hidey spot? Maybe we can find some pool noodles for those needles.

>>1095437
B. Defang this bitch, she cannot be trusted with lethal weaponry. Side benefit, we can use her fangs like daggers if we ever need to.

>>1095442
Addendum though, we shouldn't promise them back. She's CALCULATING. She will behave just enough to rry and weasel into it, it will inhibit any chanve of genuine development.

A. It's unfortunate but she has to know she can't just brute force her way. Taking her pincers will only sow a grudge and incentivize her to betray you guys.

A) and B), in that order.
Why take any risks ? She might be refilled with dye while you're not looking, be it because some later monster seeks her out, or because someone does it to get you in trouble. I'm thinking of someone holding a grudge, with a name that starts with "R" and ends with "aito".
And her fangs would be great as a weapon or for making sewing holes. Of course when we escape we'll have to sew them back on, but in the meantime there is no harm in borrowing them.

>>1095437
B
Surgically and carefully.
Let them know it is temporary.
If they fight back, then unconcious but tied up by preference...
Somehow.

Maybe there are strong clothes you could bind her hands with?

tippler 2024/08/08(Thu)20:05 No. 1095576 ID: 9ea24b
File 172317273034.png - (12.48KB , 500x500 , p54.png )

>B, with the promise to return the amputated parts if she behaves
Knocking Pinch out and then also defanging her is too brutal for your taste. You can see how it would be the lowest risk in the short term, but it’s bordering on cruel and you want a good life for all rogue homunculi, even her. Getting a pair of valuable weapons that double as sewing needles while leaving Pinch a chance to redeem herself is much easier to stomach.

You: Wallace, come over here. I want you to use your scythe to cut off Pinch’s pincers at the edge of the black parts.

Pinch: No!!!

You: This is your temporary punishment and it’ll make sure you don’t drain anyone. Once we escape I can sew them back on.

Craw: Sounds fair.

Yako: A little dark though, haha.

Pinch struggles until you threaten her with a beating and worse injury if she makes Wallace miss. Eventually she shuts her huge eyes and goes still. Wallace crawls to be standing over her head and raises his black blade, which makes you lean away surreptitiously. With a quick swipe, the two pincers clatter to the ground.

tippler 2024/08/08(Thu)20:05 No. 1095577 ID: 9ea24b
File 172317274670.png - (16.53KB , 500x500 , p55.png )

No dye falls from the wound, which is convenient. You arm yourself with one of the needles and hand the other to Craw.

You: Okay Pinch, I’m going to let you up in a second. There’s an odd number of us so you’ll either go with Craw and Yako or come with me and Wallace.

Craw: What’s the plan now? Do you see Kage anywhere?

A rare acknowledgement that Craw does in fact know Kage exists. You scan the patch of blue sky above the town but don’t see any sign of your friend. That’s odd, she should stand out with her dark robe. Did she find the exit already?

You: She’s gone–maybe she found the way out!

Craw: But now she has to make her way back while avoiding detection to show us how she did it. It could take a long time. Me and Yako were going to work on lessons some more, those gacha prizes seem really useful.

A. Go to the school (learning is cool)
B. Investigate the sky (as best you can from the tops of the buildings)
C. Check on Raito (you bet he’s implementing his schemes at this point)

1. Take Pinch with you
2. Assign her to Craw and Yako

>>1095577
3 and 2.

While pinch would be better with you, she probably needs some time to cool down.
Mayber the guys can show her the gatvha prizes and how to win them. Help her with an easy one.
Show her the normal homunculi arent bad.

Tell them youll be along soon, but then go check on raito.
Sneakily.
Itll also give you a chance to peek in on hatano and see how hes doing.

Take Pinch to school!

show pinch the magic of school.

A1
Weapons are a privilege, not a right. If she can learn to live with others and help them escape as well, she can have her pincers back.

A1

A.
Try to complete the textile course. I'm afraid you'll have more people to stitch back together in the near future, so better improve this skill. And Wallace can work on making something for Hatani as an apology. His ball was lost if I remember correctly, so there is no mending it, but maybe he can think of something else. It has to come from him anyway.
Speaking of Hatani, you need to check on him and Mushi at some point to check how their sutures are holding up. Maybe redo them once your sewing skills have improved.

2.
Pinch probably doesn't want to see you at the moment, and it would be best for everyone if she socialized with the other homonculi.
By the way, take a good look at Yako before you go your separate ways. Somehow he is always "offscreen" when he is around.