[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

As soon as they stepped foot inside, the iconography drew an ironic smile to Susan's lips. Of course it would snakes. Why wouldn't it be?

Nisha seemed to be correct on her assumptions, no strife yet between the members of the cloth. "Sure, you can wait back here if you're more comfortable that way," the magus offered, sensing some hesitation, or at least discomfort, from the other's stutter, but for herself she strode forward, entering under the shadow of the serpentine statue, facing the priest directly.

"It's been ages since I've been to a church, and never to one of your faith. Hopefully that's not an issue for you, but you might need to explain things to me like I were five years old. Why don't we skip past any bits of creation or cosmology and just start with what feels most important, at least to me:
What does following Hess impact in the day-to-day? What does she demand of her adherents, and what does she provide them? What are the flaws of the competing faiths, and why is yours superior?"

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Nisha's panicked reaction brought unforeseen levity to the situation and, much to Susan's surprise, she found the comedy of the situation bringing her to laughter. The flailing hands, the look on the wraith's face, and this from one she had pegged as a seasoned killer. It was just, so, counter to her suppositions she couldn't help herself. Would Nisha take her laughter as a sign she'd been playing up a joke at her expense the whole time, though? The thought crossed her mind in short order, and Susan found her mirth melt away as it did.

"Maybe I am a touch mad," she mused. "Most of my travelling has been alone. A few occasions with a partner, once a small group, but even that paled to this company's caravan. Whatever trouble my whims and impulses got me into tended to be mine alone to try and escape, or to suffer through the consequences." Susan disagreed with Nisha's point of view that this would be done 'without reason', but if the other woman wasn't inclined to help willingly, then neither arguing with her, nor trying to go it alone would be good ideas. Maybe there were adjustments to her approaches that would need to be made, but striking back at the church today was dead in the water now.

At least, after peeking in quick, Nisha was still amenable to letting her go ahead with their previous plans, take a look around the church, maybe get up to date on, well if not everything that's going on in the world of religion these days, perhaps the basic primer. "Yeah, you win. I'm still looking for answers and we did come all the way here, so I'm glad you're not going to make us turn around and leave because I suggested something foolish. Let's head inside, maybe have a chat with the priest of Hess, who'll probably be equally confused what this other fellow is doing here..."

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Wasteland Woes

Spoiler

Susan had ended up in a cart full of people she didn't know. On the one hand that was for the best, it gave her a lot of time to process the events that had unfolded, and try to piece things back together.

On the other hand, these draining wastes sucked to suffer through alone and isolated. It was even worse than the thinness of the world these days in general, and she felt like she was dying. She might even have, if someone hadn't forced her to drink a mana potion that she hadn't been aware had even existed, much less been stocked up for just such purpose of prevention. Precautions obviously discussed among the original group, yet the assumptions and presumptions hadn't trickled down to her awareness.

The group's choice to constantly be on the move hadn't made it any easier, either. Aside from the occasional break for the horses, the wagon wheels were constantly rolling. Susan hadn't been asked to take the reins, at least, so she hadn't really bothered to pay attention to how the drivers were handling it. But it wasn't great as a passenger, proper rest was hard to find. At least they'd leave this ruined patch of earth all the sooner for it.

That said, when they finally did stomp for a proper camp, Susan jumped on the opportunity to stretch her legs, to find a piece of solid earth that didn't move beneath her and sit for awhile, and... well that was mostly it, really. It was still the wastes, there was no scenery, nothing to do. Well, no, there was still something she needed to do. Someone she needed to speak with. And preferably alone this time. So she watched, and she waited, and she gathered her feelings and tried to be ready to say what needed to be said, or answer what might possibly be asked.

And so it ended up not being right away when the opportunity presented, but probably closer to twenty minutes after Lucille was alone in her tent that Susan approached, stood outside the entrance flap, and spoke up. "If you're not busy we need to..." No, that was coming off too strong, rephrase it. "I would like to talk, hopefully get on the same page..." Wait, she probably can't recognize just by voice alone, yet, we've hardly met. "This is Susan."

 

Lucille found herself reading one of her mother's letters again. For the second evening in a row, she poured over the words wishing her well, and reassuring Lucille that she was alright. That was what she needed right now, after her talks with Ayane and Bladen, and particularly after everything that happened in the labyrinth. It had happened a couple time so far since joining this group. Lucille had felt and noticed similarities between Nessraya and her mother, and then... there was Susan from the labyrinth. She hadn't really been paying attention to much back then; Susan's hug had put Lucille's anxiety to near unmanageable levels, and she was panicking until Seilan, Nisha, and the fox woman came into defuse the situation.

Once Lucille could get a good look, and a feeling for Susan, she couldn't help but notice similarities. They weren't quite the same as Nessraya's, but they were present. What made this one all the more confusing was the idea that Susan had mistaken her for her sister, calling her Cosette. The confused woman was displaced in time--if what the fox woman said was true--but for her to have such a strong reaction and belief... was there something more here? 

Lucille popped her head up as she heard a voice outside her tent. She didn't fully recognize it, but it sounded like Susan's voice. What are the odds of this? First, the request felt like a command, and then was immediately edited with confirmation that the voice did belong to the displaced mage. Her anxiety was now starting to mount, but it was held at bay by Lucille's curiosity. She could brave it to figure out exactly what was going on, and she felt like she had to apologize for threatening her back then. Panicked as she may have been, it still didn't make it reasonable to be threatening people who weren't truly threatening her. 

"S-Susan?" Lucille took a deep breath, "Y-You, can, come in. G-Getting, uh, on the same page does sound... like a good idea." Lucille stashed the letter, before turning herself towards the opening of the tent. 

 

At the acceptance of her request, even though the invitation extended did not seem to be an eager one, Susan pushed herself in past the flap, hunched over until she cleared the threshold and entered the tent proper where she could straighten up some. Lucille was seated on one side of her mattress, stowing some loose sheet of paper or another into an envelope, before turning to face her. As their gazes met, the uncanny resemblance once again struck Susan hard, like a warhammer to the side of the skull, and she couldn't help but break line of sight, turning her head to the side. Moving deeper into the tent, she stepped past her sister's doppleganger--one stride, two strides--then took a seat of her own on the far side of the mattress. Seated, side-by-side, with ample separation, perhaps she would better be able to handle this?

Laying her hands to rest on her knees, she interlocked her fingers, the bare ones of her good hand nestling between the gloved replacements on the ever present reminder of her other. In the spirit of vulnerability with which she came, she allowed her mouth to twist a bit downward, and a wistful sigh escape her lips. Then a deep breath in, and a light shake of her head and she opened with,

"We've had some time now to think, each of us, and there's many questions on both sides to be sure. Would you like the first go at asking, or should I begin?"

There was still a bit of that unspoken fear, that Lucille would simply refuse to deal with her entirely, would cut off any chance at a budding relationship wholesale, demand she leave and never speak to her again. But. She'd gotten this far. Why give the woman the opportunity to slam the door in her face directly, by asking 'Do you mind? Does my curiosity bother you? Is it troublesome, for me to seek some sort of attachment here?' If a deepening uncomfortable silence didn't prompt Lucille to ask anything, Susan steeled herself to push past those and ask something else--something less vulnerable, something of more substance--to ask her something directly. She had no shortage of targets to work with, after all.

 

Susan entered, and Lucille immediately felt her pulse quicken. The woman striding towards the other side of the bed was a complete unknown, aside from her name, the fact that she was from an era almost seven hundred years ago, and that she believed, mistakenly, that Lucille had been her sister, Cosette. The similarities between Susan, and her own mother, how they felt to her was unnerving. But because it was unnerving meant that it might of had some sort of merit. 

Lucille pulled her gloved arm behind her, and took a series of breaths before turning to look at Susan in earnest. "I, I think... it would be better for you to explain. I have too many questions... and not a good idea of where to really begin." The closeness with which Susan did make Lucille shrink herself a bit. There was so much that could be said here, and Lucille had no idea how to prepare herself for any of it. 

Though, the manner in which Susan spoke, the sigh, the interlocking of fingers, even the shift in speech seemed to tell Lucille that Susan was feeling much the same way. Which was helping in the short term of things. Both of them walking into a miasma of unknowns with only their shared reservations linking the two together as they prepared to take the plunge; Lucille into the potential of ancient familial relations, and Susan into a world seven hundred years removed from her own. 

 

Well, not unexpected. Lucille wanted answers but had no clue on how to start narrowing down the field, so she asked for basically a blanket recounting of everything. Susan grit her teeth, nodded, then began.

"I... just one request. I'm willing to tell you, because I still see you as family, even if you object. But please, do not pass along anything I say. The others surely see me odd enough already, maybe even untrustworthy, and no reason to give them more fuel for the fire." Susan unclasped her hands and moved them to rest them on the edge of the bed beside her, leaning back slightly. "There were six of us at the start, unless there had been more before I arrived at the monastery. The Order had given each of us a last name corresponding to a different color, implying there was no shared blood between us, but we were all young and had no memories of our parents, blurry memories of anything really, so that could have just been another of their lies. They killed Pat, Cleo, and Lily with their experiments, and I never found out what happened to Norma after she failed to display the result they wanted. They were trying to turn us into miracles, you see? Install us with the kind of magic nobody could do, nobody thought possible, until that red devil showed up and surprised everyone, upset the whole order of the world."

Susan twisted to the side, facing away from Lucille as she pulled up the back of her shirt and revealed the scar at the base of her spine, an ugly looking raised welt in the shape of a U with a squiggle through it. "The Order of the Snake were trying... implants, I guess you could say? I showed promise--not dying was a start--and my magic was developing well, but not fast enough, or flashy enough, so they did the surgery to Cosette too, the last of us. She survived, but after initial success, her consciousness slipped away and she fell to sleep." This glossed over some of the more uncomfortable details, but there would be room for follow-up questions after she was done, so she didn't feel too guilty about trying to get the basic outline laid down first, without diving too deep into any of the particulars.

Letting her shirt fall back down, and shifting to face forward again, Susan continued. "My greatest powers are a bit subtle, magic affecting the mind you could call it, I suppose? So maybe even if I'd mastered that immediately it might not have saved her. And, impressive though it may be, mere magic at a thought--no rituals, tomes, or conduits--well that only went so far, especially when the spells didn't all come to me at once. And now, with the changes in the world since I'd been sealed, I'm having trouble doing all that I used to. No more walking the wind in an instant, or calling down flaming rocks from the heavens," she punctuated these comments with a wry smile before continuing. "But maybe you'll believe me if I show you this?" Susan raised her left hand, closed her eyes, steadied her breathing, thought inwards, and snapped. A small flame sprang to life and danced atop her index finger. The tiniest of fireballs.

 

Lucille's eyes narrowed at Susan asked for secrecy on what she wanted to say. She rubbed her gloved arm as she thought for a moment, before she nodded her head at Susan. "I... I'd ask you to do the same. I don't exactly want people knowing about my past yet either, so... it would be hypocritical of me to not give you the same courtesy." Lucille took a deep breath; she had prepared herself for a number of different stories, and ideas. However, as Susan began to recount her story, Lucille realized that she couldn't have possibly been prepared. Every sentence made Lucille's occasional sparking quicken, until it almost seemed like she was planning on casting a spell. It was all much, much too close to what had happened to her. The Order was just the Church; the mentioned children were all the people that Lucille saw who were subjected to the same treatment that she was; and the experiments were self explanatory. Lucille shrank smaller, and smaller. 

Then Susan showed her a scar on the lower part of her back. Lucille felt a wave of confusion, anger, and greater anxiety wash over her. Please, stop... It apparently was an implant of some sort, and it was responsible for her magic. "S-s-so they... they implanted you with whatever they implanted with to... create mages?" Something about all of that made Lucille's blood boil. They harmed children for this, and it sounded like the process wasn't even completely effective. The rapidly building anger kept Lucille from asking Susan to stop. Her arm was gripped tight.

Then the explanation about what her magic actually was. Lucille couldn't help but be a little interested, rising ever so slightly. "A-a-affect the mind? That... sounds like how some... staves work and like... succubi magic?" Then there was something that Susan hit upon that made Lucille's eyes widen for a moment, "...Magic at a thought? Y-y-you mean like... c-c-could your magic just happen? As if you-- huh?" Then Lucille's eyes flew completely wide as Susan snapped and fire appeared above her hand. Her reaction was almost superhuman, being up and off the bed the moment the flames appeared. "S-s-stop that! Get... get that away from me!" Lucille took further steps backwards before stumbling onto her rear. "Please... stop that... and, and w-warn... me before you..." Great... fantastic start.

 

A couple of questions had come up along the way, but Susan had delayed answering them until a convenient break in her story, to avoid getting sidetracked or losing her attention. She could not have expected the reaction that came at this planned pause, however, when the poor girl seemed almost to vault off the bed, turning as she did as if to make sure Susan wasn't chasing after her. But trying to do so many things at once in her flight proved a downfall, and Lucille crashed to the ground, landing heftily on her bottom.

"Are you all..." Susan moved to stand up, but stopped, barely having made any separation from the bed before frantic waving of the arms met her, along with an exhortation to stay away and to... oh? The fire was the problem? Nothing else quite made sense, they'd been doing just fine so far, so that must have been the trigger. Covering her good hand with her gloved one, the fireball was swiftly snuffed, smoke spilling out around the edges of her palm before that too was just a distant memory.

"I had no idea, uh. I'm not sure what to... Fire is the quintessential spell so I just thought, I guess I should have gone with a globe of water instead. Especially in the wastes here, water is more useful now than ever, even if it isn't specially fortified..." She didn't catch that she was rambling for a moment or two, but when she did she frowned, wiped her hands on her clothes to get any last soot off in case that was still a problem, then cautiously started reaching out with her right. "I'm sorry. I'll help you up, if you need it. But if I'm overstepping just..."

 

"Mmmm..." Once Lucille had launched herself away from the flames, and Susan seemed to pick up that it was the fire that had set her off, Lucille was left with just her embarrassment. Lucille scooted back as Susan reached out her hand, "...No, no... I'll, haah... just sit, right, here." Lucille let her face fall into her hands, and let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Y-you did have no idea, so, so it's not y-your fault. I, just need a moment. I, I can't, I don't deal well with f-fire, at all."

After another sigh, Lucille lifted her head from hands, face tinged with red. "Y-you're not overstepping, but... I, I just need to be... here, and you can, just, be over there." She took several breaths, before looking up and noticing her gloved hand. She remembered how odd the woman's hand felt. Lucille shook her head; it took focus to not start shivering as her thoughts began to take shape regarding Susan's hand. The only way to know for sure was to ask, and frankly, it couldn't be too much worse than anything she'd already said. "Y-your arm..." Lucille looked away, and down to her own covered arm, hand clenched tight. "Did... did something happen to it? I, I noticed it when we were down in the Labyrinth. It was... cold. Not like another person's hand... I... I'm s-sorry, there was probably a better way to... put that." 

It was a struggle to ask questions after being so abruptly set off, and just knowing that if it was what Lucille thought, how close she was to being just like Susan.

 

Susan frowned and stiffened a little at the partial rejection, and then the accompanying question didn't do any favors as far as softening the mood. But it was certainly an inevitable one. "Heh, you seem like you know enough to not believe me if I lied and told you it's just for fashion, but let me put off answering that right away. I owe you your other questions first," she replied with as much levity as she could muster, and started slowly working at loosening her glove with her left hand while she spoke on the other matters.

"Maybe implants wasn't the best of terms, but I'm not a doctor. Transplants maybe? They're alive, whatever they are, and yes, they made a mage out of me. Or, more than a mage, I guess, as you just saw. A magi. You'd have to explain what you mean by succubi magic though, that word isn't exactly familiar to me, so all I can give you on that front is 'maybe' for now?" Susan's head tilted in inquiry as she finished pulling her glove off.

What Lucille saw underneath was an obviously fake hand. It was black--much like the color of the glove that usually contained it--at least where it wasn't surrounded by a leather harness that attached it to Susan's stump, just below the elbow. The apparatus was appropriately jointed and covered with various buckles and cables running to and fro.

"You're right. It's not a normal hand, I had to have it replaced after I lost my real one. A very skilled puppeteer made this, and nearly all of the major movements are done mechanically. I have to supplement with magic for finer ones, but even still I'll never pick a lock or thread a needle or the like with it." In demonstration, one of the cables running down to the top of the wrist shortened and the prosthetic raised, palm outward. Then, as Susan concentrated, the fingers lightly curled down.

"The shoulder harness for this one is actually pretty comfortable, helps keep the weight distributed right. If you're in the market, I'll happily refer..." and then the realization that no, a referral wouldn't be possible, as the man must surely be long dead by now. There was nothing to do but awkwardly trail off and rest her hands in her lap.

 

"O-oh, right." Susan seemed to tense, both from the question and Lucille's refusal of her assistance. It wasn't out of ill will or distrust, but Lucille simply just needed to be away. Lucille sighed, perhaps it would just be better if she prepared for people to just cast fire more often than not. Susan was right that it was the most quintessential spell, and most anima trained mages would be proficient in using it--even herself.

The resulting answers from her hastily forgotten questions had Lucille tense. There were people long ago who took children, and transplanted living entities inside of them. She didn't know everything that the church was up to but, this put these people beyond the church's machinations. A spark ran up Lucille's arm, "What exactly do you mean by... Magi? You said what these, these... people did to you made you more than a mage. And... succubi, at least to my understanding, have special magical pheromones that they can use to entice other people. It affects a person's mind, and it was the first thing I thought of. Though... it seems to only really affect humans, since we're not typically magically adept."

Susan pulled the glove off, and revealed the frightening marvel underneath. Cords and cables ran all over, and a harness kept the system in place. Lucille's free arm drifted back towards her gloved one, slowly grasping it and squeezing. Lucille flinched as she remembered that she could feel with her arm once more. It hadn't been long since Tenebria worked a genuine miracle. Though, Lucille half expected what she saw; what she felt when she helped Susan up wasn't the feeling of a normal hand. Lucille kept silent, only the squeezing of her arm and the faint quickening of her breath giving away any discomfort. 

"N-no, that's, that's fine. I don't... need anything like that. Your... your arm, they... they didn't take it from you when they experimented on you, did they?" Lucille couldn't help it. Lucille felt almost compelled to know. It was almost cosmic, really. Two women experimented on by psychopaths, and losing their arms because of it. It would have been a horrific coincidence normally, but there was the possibility that the two were distantly related. Lucille had been supremely lucky that Serena was as talented as she was and willing to put her own well being at risk for her. Otherwise... Lucille glanced at the prosthetic again. Keep calm... just breathe...

 

"Humans always needed extensive training, study, tomes, and foci to use magic. The introduction of the Changed, beings that didn't need any of that, was a huge shock to the world. So of course, greedy humans wanted to take what the Changed had and make it their own. A human who could magic on a whim. Ideally with full mastery of all elements, and unchallenged in a field of specialty too. That was the glorious pipe dream the Order wanted out of Magi, as I remember it," a melancholic, wistful look passed across Susan's face as she relayed the definition seemingly lost to time and dust.

"And from what you're saying about succubi, I guess that does sound a little like me? Not really sure pheromones is the right word for it, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I've abused my power to bend minds and wills when I needed to to survive. It's certainly a lot easier to evoke desires in people already predisposed, so sometimes it was best to grease the wheels a bit first but... mmm, you don't really care or need to hear any of that, I suppose."

Lucille wasn't sickened by her arm, but the sight certainly did seem to make the girl uncomfortable in several ways. That was as good a cue as any to start sliding the glove back on. Out of sight made it easier to out of mind something, and Susan was adept at placating. The final stuttering query on the subject stopped her before she actually made any progress though, and Susan turned to stare at Lucille's face a little closer. Was that fear and apprehension mixed in with the horror?

The magi pressed her lips tight a moment, then spoke the truth. "It... yes and no. They didn't take it directly, but were it not for what they'd done I wouldn't have had to make Cecilia cut it off for me. I couldn't very well have done it myself, not with my off-hand, and she certainly wouldn't have done it if I'd just asked her nicely, she was too kind-hearted for that. Part of it was my fault for not noticing the blood poisoning early enough. I didn't know enough about my condition at that point to be so observant, all I knew was I needed enough food to sustain not only myself but to keep them fed as well. I hadn't been aware of just how much strain they put on my body, how I was weakened in other ways. To this day I can't exactly tell you what the initial injury that soured and rotted was. Did I cut myself slicing vegetables? Did I burn myself lighting a fire? Was it an animal that bit me? An itch or sore that festered? But unseen it developed, and by the time the pain and discoloration were severe enough to truly alert me, nothing I knew to try and treat it with worked. We were far enough from civilization at the time that if the hand didn't go when it did, it would have taken me with it..." She looked down at her fake hand again, opened and closed it, then looked back to Lucille.

 

The explanation of magi in comparison to a mage was... odd. Lucille looked down at her own hands; she had a pretty large repertoire of magic that she could wield--wind, thunder and, begrudgingly, fire, and all without tomes. She had enough understanding to use water magic, but it didn't appear that she could use it without having a tome on standby. The ability to use all types of magic though... sounded like more of a pipe dream than Susan was making it out to be. Perhaps the world was so much different back then; complete mastery over the elements sounded nonsensically difficult. A brighter, stronger spark ran up Lucille's arm, "Greedy humans is right... they did all of that just to try to create more powerful mages? Did they--" Lucille paused. There was no reason to ask that question. She knew the answer already. Coteon's current actions were proof. 

The admission of how Susan used her mind magic made Lucille narrow her eyes. Lucille almost immediately focused, searching for anything out of the ordinary. She wouldn't know what she was searching for but that was useful in and of itself; any magic that she didn't recognize could possibly be that magic. She was assuming she could notice it at all, but bending someone's will... it left a bad taste in Lucille's mouth. Lucille left her thoughts unsaid, but yet another of the sparks--still brighter than usual--ran up her arm. 

Lucille couldn't have properly prepared herself for the explanation behind Susan's arm. It brought everything together. The Order's misdeeds, and Susan's usage of her mind magic. Lucille slid her arms around herself, and held herself tight. There was almost literally a single difference between the two scenarios. The difference was simply Serena. Had Serena not been present, Lucille learned that they would of had to have removed Lucille's arm or she definitely wouldn't have made it. Slowly she began to shiver, "...How. How could they have done that?" Her voice was an odd mix. The quivering in her voice was definitely fear, but there was an underlying flame to them. "Really... n-nothing has changed in seven hundred years, then. Humans were still treating other humans like their damn playthings!" 

Lucille held herself tighter before looking back at Susan, "S-sorry... I, I'll be okay in a moment, I just... shouldn't have asked. It brings up... so many... bad memories. I knew it would... but, but I... I just to had to." Lucille hadn't realized that her self hug had slowly rolled her long white glove down, such that parts of her discolored skin were visible. 

 

The girl was sparking again now, well, harder than she had been previously at least. Maybe it was a constant thing at lower levels, but a few times in Susan's story she'd noticed, and now it was coming especially bright. She was too absorbed in the past to have noticed any hints of suspicion, but even if she'd seen them it was doubtful it would have made a difference, as that reaction would simply be par for the course for the few times she's told the bare truth like this.

The outbursts, the almost shrill yet strident condemnation, the shrinking into a ball and holding tight to herself--because there was no-one else around to do it for her. These were signposts Susan knew very well how to read, even before the map unfurled fully, with white glove joining black in sliding down its owner's arm. One of the specific points of frustration was a bit bemusing: Wouldn't you be happier to hear the past was just as shitty as the present? Regression would surely be worse than stagnation, no? True though that may be, there was no reason to speak it.

Susan wanted to hug Lucille so badly right now, but the mood from earlier still hung heavy, so all she did was stand up from the bed, step over, and gently, comfortingly squeeze her on the shoulder before stepping back again and turning to the side, unwilling or maybe just afraid to continue to look her in the eyes, to catch the reaction to her actions.

"Thank you... for your sympathy. And... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your evening, I just..." She paused. No matter how things had gone down, the results would likely have reached this point or somewhere similar, wouldn't they have? Sure, it wasn't the goal, it wasn't a desired outcome, but there hadn't been any other way to get where she needed without dredging up these horrors, had there? Her lips twisted in an uncomfortable grimace, and she shifted tacks.

"The world doesn't care about us, about anyone. Nobody looks after anyone but themselves and their close companions. All we can do is choose. Choose who to love, to protect, to avenge. I was too late for Cosette, and clearly too late for you as well, but I... I can't just stop trying... I guess? I..." Susan trailed off, unhappy by how this was developing and frustrated at not being able to express herself any better. Not sure exactly what she wanted to say.

 

Lucille had so wrapped herself up in her emotions that she hadn't even noticed Susan rising from the bed until the woman's hand had squeezed her shoulder. Lucille tensed, but after a moment, her guard relaxed some. Her current tone, the way she had been speaking before, even how she'd squeezed her shoulder--all of it telling Lucille that there was little reason to be on edge. "I... just understand what it's like. A lot better then you would know. I'd, I'd be lying... if I didn't notice how disturbingly... similar our circumstances were." Lucille couldn't yet bring herself to look up at Susan, but finally noticed that her glove had slipped down just enough for her scarred skin to be visible. She tore her eyes away from the sight before a blight laugh escaped her lips, "But... I, I g-guess you can sort of see that now." She quickly fixed her glove removing the traumatic sight from view. "And, and, don't apologize for that... or this. I, I knew what I asked, I knew this... would happen, but, but, I can't leave things like that well enough alone."

Susan's switch in focus did finally get Lucille to look up at the magi. The switch was grim, and it painted a bleak outlook onto the world around them. Lucille's head had already begun shaking, but the words weren't exactly lining up yet. The world turned regardless of who lived or died. Many people weren't going to fight injustice if it didn't harm them. It was up to the people who cared to make that difference, and those people appeared so vanishingly few in a world as large as their own. Even having lived through what the Church had done to her, her stint with Coteon, how she'd been treated as just another person trying to find her own way in this world. Even after everything that happened to Lucille piled on and proved Susan's words, the words that finally left Lucille's lips were a simple refutation. 

"You're... You're wrong. You're right that... we have to choose who to love, and protect. But you're wrong about other people." The words sounded so true to Lucille, and yet so alien on her lips at the same time. Words that she couldn't have even imagined would have left her mouth even a month ago. "...You, and I... we just keep getting more similar. I thought the same thing, and I, I still do sometimes. After everything that's happened to me, why should I trust another person? Everyone is just here to use me, my magical skill, and they'll abandon me when I don't live up to expectations. Even when I do, I still expect to be treated as a liability. Not treated as a person, never... never as person." Her conversation with Bladen returned to her thoughts, before pushing it away to continue. "That's... not what happened here. They could have killed me without a second thought, and instead... they decided to keep a useless pegasus riding mage. No one here had any reason to do that after what I originally tried to do. People... care more than you think they do, and you're proof of that too. Maybe it's just because... I look like Cosette, but even still, the way, way you've talked, acted... I might not be related to Cosette, and thus, you at all, but you want to believe. You, you can't stop trying to be there. Call it naive if you want, but... I want to believe in people. It's still really hard for me, but... I don't believe no one looks after people outside of their circle of companions." 

 

Susan's eyebrows raised, as Lucille refuted her conclusion, but she waited until the end of any coming explanation or clarification rather than interrupting. When the other girl had finished, she softly spoke up.

"I suppose I don't have any real understanding of your connection to this current group, and only an inferred one of your other circumstances, but your optimism here does surprise me. So far the rest of these fellows have seemed much the same as any other group I've come across. Nisha has seemed to view me with tempered suspicion, perhaps with some faint hopefulness underneath. Ren seemed warm and open, but he is a man and that's pretty much an expected pattern when you're an unattached female. The dragon ignored me, and the red-headed healer who was with her showed a slight bemused interest, yet nothing more--even after I was injured by the magic reflection from one of Hecate's dolls while we were fighting them together. A regular spectrum of normal reactions. Your righteous indignation and threats on my life were the most focused attention anyone has paid to me, and that too was just matter of course from the situation I thrust upon you. Your holding onto hope does sound naive, but I'll give it more time for judgement. I have nowhere else to be, after all, and you are right about one thing. I do still want to believe there is something about you and I that is more than just random chance. I'm not sure that proves the case you want it to, but..."

Susan stepped back as she trailed off, bringing a hand to her chin as she contemplated how many exceptions were needed to disprove the rule, and whether she should continue to pry about why Lucille viewed herself as useless or other matters. She may have already overstayed her welcome, but the other party certainly wasn't shy about expressing her thoughts when she needed to, so there might be an avenue there if she wanted to pursue things.

 

Lucille's nose slowly scrunched as Susan went down the list of interactions she'd had with the group. Nisha was the woman who seemed to appear, and disappear with the shadows, and was there when Susan and Lucille had met. Xalrei's response was expected; the woman seemed like she would have treated a human child like an enemy combatant. So it was marginally surprising that she just ignored Susan, and Tenebria was as shy if not more than Lucille was, and she probably would have avoided Susan especially after everything she had happened that day. She didn't know all that much about Ren, but she did glean that he and Gabriela were at least close, so the immediate break down of his kindness to their genders rubbed Lucille poorly. 

In fact, Susan's explanations seemed to be more on a transactional wavelength. Surely, there wasn't much else to go on, but the sentient, emotional factor between people was seemingly absent. "I... do get that at least. There are so many people in this group that you're bound to get a range of reactions, but... it's not like you've spoken with all of them after first impressions. I mean," Lucille shifted a tad, "I was threatening to attack you the first time we met. It's... not exactly something that happens overnight. I just... don't want to live in a world where everyone is only out for themselves. I don't believe that, I don't want to believe that, and I've met people who reaffirm that outlook. It's... all I have sometimes."

Lucille shook her head, and held herself. "Mmm... I know it won't change your mind, but... I just can't believe that. Is, uh, there anything... you wanted to ask? You've, uh, been doing all the talking."

 

Susan frowned as Lucille countered her narrative with a few good points. She hadn't talked to everybody, or even to most. And not only were her first impressions just that, but they were also colored by the baggage she was bringing to the table, seen through a lens she'd already focused in a certain way. Was she justified? Yes. Was it fair and accurate? Not necessarily. Thankfully, the conversation turned, and she didn't have to keep spending time uncomfortably evaluating how she should adjust her outlook, if at all.

Lucille was now offering to field her questions, and it was just a matter of where to start. Some of what Susan might have asked had come to light in the conversation springing from the offering of her own story, but there were still many avenues available to pursue. The one that caught her attention most for the moment was...

"Tell me about," Susan stopped to search her memory. She'd heard the name, but only once, and it was a heated exchange with a lot going on, so it had passed through like sands through ones fingers. "Uh, I think you called her Anna? Your younger sister? What is she like, where is she now? Your parents too, actually... I'd like to hear about the family you do have, I think."

 

Lucille had left herself open to this line of inquiry. It would have been simple if Susan had just asked about her, but she also asked about where she was. She then opened it to her entire family. Lucille's face took on a wry smile before she lightly sighed. "Yeah... Anna, or Soleanna. She's my younger sister, only a year and some change younger than me. She's, um, sweet. Really sweet, and just fun to be around. She'd always been more outgoing than I ever was, even when we were children. That's despite the fact that she gets sick easily, and when she gets sick, she gets sick for a long time too." Lucille felt her smile turning genuine. "She's really good with a bow too. She's not a mage like me, or our parents, but that's because... her eyes are overly sensitive to magic. Uh, like... she can see and pinpoint magic to a supernaturally high degree? So high that she needs glasses to cover her eyes since she can't turn them off without being asleep or things like that. Powerful magic without her glasses on overloads her senses, and it tends to make her sick if she uses her magic too much."

Lucille turned to Susan, head slowly bobbing, "Speaking of parents... both of mine are mages, both... were knights in a Coteon order. Father is a talented fire mage, and is the person who taught me how to ride my pegasus. Mother... basically taught me everything else. Both of them are incredible... I, I love them, they're the reason... I'm still here at all." Then Lucille's smile slowly faded, "...But I haven't seen them in... almost three years now. All because of Coteon. They took my sister, and father to make my mother and I assist them in fighting against Vaia and the monsters. Mother was... never in line with the church of Coteon. She was born in Hwein, and had grown up alongside monsters, so she never aligned with the stories of the church, and also raised us in the same way. And... Mother was, is, an extremely talented fighter and mage, so they needed a way to guarantee her assistance. So they used her family, my father, my sister, and me."

 

As Lucille recited facts about her sister, Susan nodded with a touch of a smile and soft expression on her face. The love felt between the pair was obvious, and amidst that was mixed with what felt like obvious pride and protectiveness--all too familiar and natural of emotions. The mention of the ability to see magic raw, to pinpoint it with one's eyes, as if picking out eddies in the water, swirls within a current, that was intriguing, and the magi's head tilted: What might that be like? A fleeting musing, wondering if she were to wake Dee and Dee, to focus on an idea like that, would it be something she too could do?

This was quickly brushed to the background as Lucille's story continued, shifting to her mother and father. Both still lived, and yet all were cruelly separated, shackled by their love for each other, for their family. Leveraged as pawns, tools for war by this, the church of Coteon. Unforgivable. In a low voice, not far above a whisper, yet firm and audible, "Truly a cursed position. In some ways even worse than," the comparison trailed off, unvoiced as Susan closed her mouth, set her jaw and shook her head. "...Yet, with vigilance, with diligence..." Susan drew a deep breath, having reached something of an understanding.

There was no place for her here. Not yet, at any rate. The girl's life was still whole, if fractured for a time. There was no space to just slip in and fill, and even if there was, it wasn't the sort of question asked with words. It would have to be one posed through actions, and even then, through the doing she might foreclose the answer hoped for. Still...

Crossing the tent toward the entrance, taking a flap in hand and preparing to push past, Susan turned back to cast a glance over her shoulder. "Maybe this is out of line, but... I'd like..." Her grip tightened on the canvas fabric and she squeezed out the words as she prepared to slip back out into the night. "Think not of me a stranger."

 

Lucille found herself surprised. Firstly, at her seeming composure at recounting the whereabouts of her parents. Surely, she shivered, but felt warm, a mismatch it seemed, but a feeling she'd was used to. Both anger and anxiety swirled within her, but perhaps she'd just exhausted herself from earlier. Second, was Susan's response to the mention of her family. She couldn't quite tell where the woman's disposition lie; she felt as detached as she perhaps was from the world around her, but there was a real sense of desperately wanting something to hold onto. It was so matter-of-fact when she explained her hand, and what happened to her sister--Lucille's possible ancestor--but now, there was a steel to her voice. An oddly comforting steel. 

Yet what Susan had meant to say seemed to trail off, and push her to the opening of the tent. She paused, and turned over her shoulder and asked a simple question. A question that made Susan's hand grip the fabric. Lucille just stared at her a moment, before she slowly nodded, "Y-y-yeah. I won't. T-thank you for coming to talk to me, with me. I... yeah. Good night, Susan. And, uh, you, you didn't ruin my evening. I'm, I'm always like this, but... thanks." 

 

Susan just shrugged at being given the judgement of weird. Even if she wanted to protest, it was absolutely true. How many people in this world were as fucked up as she was? Probably not many. So the shoe fit. "You asked," was what she settled with, and apparently the wraithkin wasn't done asking, or too put off with her weirdness, and there came another batch of questions.

"Myrreenthia? She's one of the gods who I'm used to, and honestly I don't know why it's always her name upon my lips, considering she's never answered any of my many prayers, but, old habits I guess?" A slight frown at this bit of introspection, but it swiftly passed, leaving in its place a thoughtful expression. "I wonder if she's just changed her name, or faded to the background, or something else entirely."

Being questioned about Lucille was somewhat surprising though, and it showed on her face as she turned and looked Nisha in the eyes for a few seconds, before once again facing forwards as they navigated the streets. "I rather expected you knew her..." better than I were words that almost slipped out, but were bit off and reconsidered, given the rather deep talks the two had had when Susan had found some time to press her for questions--well strictly speaking, she'd been the one spending most of the time in the hot seat, but she had learned much through Lucille's reactions to her story as it was told, as well as from the questions of her own that did make it to the fore.

"Oh, maybe just my phrasing? Uh, there was a forested country to the northeast, I'm sure it has different borders and a different name now, but there were many dark folk tales from the region, and one of them involved the doppleganger. Depending on the telling details differed, and mostly it was used just to frighten small children, but the jist of it was a being who shared the exact likeness of another, and frequently its goal was to hunt out its image partner, kill them, and take their place. So, I suppose my usage was inexact, considering my sister is firmly in the past, Lucille has no such motives, and..." Susan's mouth had been going faster than her brain had been laying track, so she wasn't sure exactly how to finish the thought. "What do you call such lookalikes today, or has that concept not survived?"

It was comforting, just rambling back and forth like this, even if Nisha didn't end up believing a word she said, or even if it placed her more firmly in the weird column she already definitely inhabited. But the woman's curiosity could be trusted enough that it wasn't like she was suddenly going to leave her in the lurch, abandon her at a church and disappear. At least that was the impression that she got.

Speaking of which, they finally did arrive, after the wraith led them the long way around, avoiding the bazaar, much to Susan's indifference on that matter. As previously stated, she didn't have the coin to spend, so it was probably just as well not seeing any curious or exotic wares, lest temptation take hold. The building they arrived at was sized according to its esteem, certainly among its adherents if not shared by everyone. It was larger than other structures in the vicinity, and designed to attract the eye, and the coiled carving atop its entrance put in a goodly amount of work on that front. Susan was trying to figure out the best way to reply to Nisha's comment doubting the veracity of Hess 'birthing all monsters', when an interrupting voice spoke up from behind them. An older man in some rather ornate robes, clearly the priest then, and they were blocking his entrance.

"Ah, go ahead then, Father," Susan murmured, as her companion stuttered her own similar message of approval, and the pair of them parted to allow passage.

After he'd disappeared inside ahead of them, however, Nisha's next words sunk into Susan like a knife, and she felt her blood run a little cold.

"Ilrios..." a small shudder at that name, much a curious one to hear as Hess's. "That's Coteon's church, is it not?" Confirmation was not fully needed here, but speaking the words still felt right, as did the next words, seeking, searching... suggesting.

"So, we're killing him then, right? Best to follow him in, finish it quick and fast? Or, hmmm, wait outside here in an ambush? Your opinions?"

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Jade's first instinct was to reply by telling Lavinia that even without her armor she's strong, that she could put up a helluva fight. Vampire that she was, a lot of really fearsome wounds could be shrugged off, recovered from, mitigated. And maybe if it were night-time that was what she would have gone with. After all, she'd already survived the decapitation in the arena, a few towns back, hadn't she? But the zombie had an inkling that, while convenient, that particular voiced discontent didn't truly strike to the heart of the matter. And when she heard the shifting of fabric, and the sound of the tall woman lowering herself onto the massage bed to her left--the star then taking the one to her right at the end of the row--as Jade turned to give a reassuring smile, Lavinia's next complaint perhaps spoke to the truth of the matter. Disarmed of protective pride, struggling with shame and vulnerability, that must be the real bother of the moment. It was a battle the merchant understood quite well, with her own feelings of inadequacy, and tainted beauty, but it was one Lavinia had been helping her through.

"I daresay few actually seek out and hope to embarrassed, that would take a rather special kind of person," Jade snorted softly as she imagined such a scene. "Getting used to this is probably just, mmm," the zombie broke off in a groan as the elf delivering her massage first began to sink her fingers into her shoulders.  A few moments to recompose, then she continued. "Just mindset, and realization, I guess? To the establishment, this is just a transaction, and they've surely seen it all before. Even us, we're probably well within the middle band of their clientèle. And by all means, this should be a place of safety. We've enough time to let our hair down and relax a little before worrying over any possible upcoming dangers, so let's just, ahhh, yes, right there."

Maybe Jade needn't have said anything at all, as almost the same time the zombie was melting under the ministrations of the masseuse, she heard uttered an agreement from her partner, and the level of contentment in her tone... wheels started spinning in the merchant's head. She knew she wouldn't hold a candle to professionals, but perhaps with practice? It would be a nice way to give back, surely, and maybe...

"Mmm," Jade just breathed deep the soothing scents, and let herself succumb for now.

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Jade followed along as they were led up the stairs and passed off to a different elf, clad in green. The use of the tree as architecture was no less stunning as they continued to travel, the branch leading outside was sure to be some sort of an option, though, not likely one to be exercised for their particular services. Aromatherapy worked better in a room with controlled air circulation. Not that it couldn't be done outdoors, but controlling for all those variables...

As Lavinia expressed a sense of admiration for the establishment, the zombie couldn't help but echo the sentiment. "Truly, I would have felt guilty if I hadn't spent anything, assuming the delivery matches the ambience they've built up for us here."

Then following the directions given, she moved to one of the changing stalls, and began disrobing. There was some hesitation in removing the ribbon around her neck, hiding the absolute worst of her scars, but after some second thoughts, off it came. The robe looked comfortable, felt comfortable, but... the masseuse would need to work on her anyway, and there wasn't anything Lavinia hadn't seen of her body by this point, so all she had to do was leave her stall before the star, and lay down on her designated bed quickly, before Astraea had finished changing and had the opportunity to catch any glimpses.

Still, it was one thing to resolve it, and another to do it, and so Jade ended up carrying the robe with her, folded up, hanging over her arm in front of her, providing a minimal modesty as she made her way to her destination. And it would serve her well for transit on the way back, after the massage was done, a secondary benefit she hadn't consciously planned for at first, but realized quickly after the first couple paces out from the safety of the stall, feeling a bit more exposed than she had thought it would seem to be.

---

The grumbling protestations and sense of embarrassment her off-hand comment seemed to cause Nisha struck in a Susan a queer sense of confusion. Especially when juxtaposed to the sense of hurt and betrayal the shade's previous comments had given her reason to believe was the other's baseline. Well, she owed it to her 'acquaintance at best' to put to bed any misunderstandings.

"Sorry, turn of the phrase. I have no expectations in that regard, and you shouldn't either. Just, was joking to lighten the mood, you know? You had seemed like you'd every bit as much reason to know, it appeared as if you were just as jaded as I, that you knew 'romance' was something that only exists in fairy tales. In real life, everyone wants something from you, and sometimes that something just happens to be..." a shrug here, but things should have become perfectly clear now. No need to be gauche and go any further. "I don't desire that from anyone, not any more. But if I need to to get what I want... I guess it's not off the table." Perhaps that was more truth than she needed to drop here, time to change the subject.

"You are right there on at least one thing, though. The doll-maker being sealed up along with the rest of us doesn't make any sense... and I can't believe she and the red devil have set aside their differences, and both seem to be ignoring me, or maybe even have legitimately forgotten. But who am I to look that gift horse in the mouth?" Then there were a few moments of dead air, with Nisha moving to fill that void with background noise, which was fine until.

'Prolly Hess.'

One of the most unlikely of names possible for gods of the new pantheon. Susan couldn't help but stop suddenly, then feel a thump as Nisha continued walking right into her. "Ah, sorry," she mumbled, and the lurched back into motion, a bit detached from reality, as her mind whirred, and she tried to figure out if this was impossible coincidence or actually something even stranger. Again her wraith companion tried to fill the void with speech, and some of it passed through her entirely, but at the mention of food her stomach gave the most unfortunate of growls, and a rare wave of embarrassment took hold of Susan. She sighed and hoped that Nisha hadn't heard, and maybe that was true, as the other asked the unrelated question, 'What happened really', (well not exactly those words, but that meaning, more or less). An escape rope of sorts, and far be it from the magi to let that slip past her, when she could use it to help divert attention.

"Look, tens of years, hundreds of years, I couldn't answer definitively from anything I've seen just yet. But yeah, either enough time has passed for people to have completely redrawn the map, or maybe a council of wizards rewrote the fabric of reality, or perhaps the whole lot of us just died and were reborn in another world. Together. In some twisted replica of her tower..." It sounded more and more fanciful the longer she drew it out. "The razor of truth is tending to suggest the former, though," Susan sighed and shrugged. "Sweet Myrreenthia, though, the shock of seeing my sister's doppleganger... it really has been hard to process. But I'm forced to come to grips with it, as long as I draw breath I've got to keep moving forward."

Susan stopped and stared up and down the streets. She'd been walking with only vague sense of destination, but the interruption had jolted her out of autopilot, and now she wasn't quite sure which way was best. What would Hess, of all people, have chosen to adorn her houses of worship? What sorts of holy symbols were in vogue these days? What traditions, what expectations? Was it confession, penance, flagellation, ablation, indulgences? A slight wave of dizziness, with dark despondence threatening to advance, and she had to shake it off.

"...Where are we?" A question unconsciously slipped from her lips.

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

"Full body as well," Jade replied at Lavinia's prompting, "But I'll spring for some aromatherapy in addition to the base package. Call it weakness if you want, but what can I say, I love good smells."

The star still seemed to be a little nervous, but was hopefully mellowing out. If everything went right, that was one goal well on its way to being met.

---

The sudden voice caused a bit of a start, but Susan quickly regained her composure, turning to face the wraith she'd been half searching for. Giving a semblance of a shrug, she responded. "Wasn't looking for anything specific, just trying to get a feel for things in general. You can learn a lot about a society by seeing how its least fortunate are treated..." She tilted her head as she trailed of, then added, "Except maybe looking for you, I guess? I hadn't seen you disappear, and well... That egg thing you bring up is more connection I have with most of this world. The only stronger bond was elsewise occupied and I didn't wish to intrude." "As far as danger goes, I'm not really looking for trouble, but I couldn't care less if I find it..." Susan shrugged dismissively, but as a small twinge in her arm reminded her, she amended her statement somewhat. "That said, overconfidence has bitten me before, so maybe I should stop tempting fate. Especially when I'm still not completely sure how things have... changed." Nisha's remark that she hated crowds, disliked cities, was a bit of a surprise, if not really shocking. Biting back an almost involuntary 'Who hurt you?' only a faint 'wh' sound left Susan's mouth, but it could have also been a 'what', 'where', or even 'well', for all a listener knew. In the end she pivoted to the following, "Well, I'll have you know I'm not going to be a good date. Without so much as pennies to my name, the only place I can think of that's not like to throw me on my ass for not having two coins to rub together would be a church. For all their rotten underbelly of corruption, they generally like to keep up a good public image. And hell, if nothing else, it'll get me updated on whose names I should be taking in vain these days." As she started walking off with this vague new destination as a goal, she turned back over her shoulder and called out, "Of course, this is just unless you've got any better ideas."

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Susan's connections, from faint to strong, had gone off already. Some when she had been looking, and some when she hadn't. Some permanently, like when Ren got a ritual to deal with other matters, and some just temporarily, like Lucille going on a date with her boy-- her close friend, and a couple of clearly unwanted plus ones. If it hadn't been the red devil, she would have stepped up as a sister and tried to play interference, but interfering with Ishtaria herself was more than she could handle at the moment. The dragon and the redhead seemed to be spending time together as well, and while it was hard to get a solid read, probably better to leave them alone as well.

So that left Nisha, who she hadn't seen disappear, but if nothing else she could explore the city while looking for her. The axewoman hadn't had much presence to begin with, so it was no wonder Susan hadn't noticed, and probably meant the best places to go hunting were in shady alleys and backstreets. Such snooping around would also be informative whether or not she ended up successfully tracking her quarry, since you can tell a lot about a kingdom by the way it treats its least fortunate citizens. Beggars, whores, crazed doomsayers, if you took the time to listen, could grant interesting snatches of wisdom. Or complete loads of bollocks, you honestly never know what you're going to get. Thieves, cutpurses, urchins, more reliable--if more dangerous to get mixed up in, though without much in the way of assets she was pretty hard to rob at present.

Whatever she end up coming across, Susan would have to hope that playing the "out of town" card would explain enough of her being out of touch and out of time, without having to break out any of the impossible to believe truths. The magi headed off, alone, in a random direction, ending up behind Mead Mead Mead, and then continuing to wind her way through the backstreets, looking for signs of Nisha, or of something else interesting or informative.

---

The Willow was an impressive establishment, and were it not for having been forced to serve a literal witch for a time, the touch of mystery and magic mixed with more mundane magnificence of tamed natural wilds would have had much more of a breathtaking effect on Jade. Assuming she had been remembering to take breaths in the first place, which sometimes slipped the zombie's mind. As it was though, it was certainly a sight to take in. Lavinia seemed a bit gobsmacked, and only gave a faltering reply to the elven woman checking in customers, whose manner of query seemed to presuppose a level of familiarity that may not be entirely warranted.

"Lavinia has given you our names now, but I must admit a bit of curiosity on what you mean by preference? My awareness of this place and its services was mostly from vague reputation, so are you asking if we're looking for say, aromatherapy, acupuncture, massage, or what was that foreign one I was hearing of from... was it reiki or something? Or were you merely inquiring about a particular focus are of the body being sought, like say the legs," Jade glanced at Lavinia here, mostly because the vampire was tall and not because she knew that was a particular point of need, "one's neck," she rubbed her own, unconsciously as the thought came to mind, "or something else like the arms or back?"

The star here also chimed in, a bit wet-blanket like and ashamed at her lack of currency. Such behavior had to be put a stop to, and the merchant would see that it was. "No, don't be that way, Astraea. You shall have the same level of service as us, if not the same course or courses, I've enough coin to cover it, and enough mind to do so. We shall enjoy ourselves, all of us."

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Hearing her girlfriend's voice from behind her brought a smile to Jade's face, and she turned to show that to her. "Not interrupting at all," she assured her, echoing Astraea's assuagement, then stepping closer, leaning up on tiptoes to whisper into Lavinia's ear, "I think she's lonely, so honestly, the more the merrier." The zombie then both indulged herself, and badly attempted to cover things up by giving the vampire a kiss on the cheek on her way back down to normal standing height.

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

"I didn't have anything especial planned," Jade began to respond before qualifying, "Though I do hope to visit the Trade Guild at some point before we leave, that will require a bit more planning and organizing to go about properly. So for now, the docket should be fairly open. Where were you thinking you'd like to..." The zombie trailed off, realizing that her question was stupid. The star was still so unfamiliar with the mortal realm that putting the decision in her hands would likely cause more confusion and apprehension than comfort in getting to choose.

"Greg's might be fun, but hmm," no, on second thought, let's not take the innocent to a den of gambling, what are you stupid. "Actually, I just had a better idea. What would you say to the spa? Especially after having come through the wastes I feel like it would be quite invigorating."

Spoiler

Oh. That's odd. The star was still in her wagon, even after they'd set up camp. And, hmm, come to think of it, she'd never... was she avoiding someone? Jade felt a little guilty that it's taken her this long to pay attention to one of her passengers, but the honeymoon effect had been hitting her pretty strong. Lavinia was attending the King right now, so that lovely distraction was gone, maybe it was time to take an interest?

Walking around to the rear of the wagon, Jade took a seat at the edge, and swung her legs a little before turning over her shoulder and looking back at the star once again. How to start up the conversation?

"So... How have the wastes been treating you?"

 

Astraea huddled in the back of the wagon that she had spent most of their trip in, trying to fit her whole body under the cloak she had been given back when they first made their way into this forsaken place. The drain on her energy, as a being made almost entirely of magical energy, was too strong to be doing much more than survive. As such, she barely noticed the person approaching, flinching as the wagon owner called out to her.

"A-ah, thou are Jade, yes? I... I am afraid that this is not an easy place for me to sustain my life. This body that thou can see, it is energy, made of mine mana. So to be in a place that wants to suck away my very essence, my very being, it is. Unpleasant. I am. Afraid. Which is a constant state for me these days, I am finding." She shook her head, a half, sad smile on her face. "I am alone in this world that does not seem to want to welcome my kind. I wish that I could return to my family above, but I am stuck with thee and thine group. Who have been most welcoming, it is true, but I am not a person that belongs here."

 

"Yes, 'tis I, Jade," the merchant unconsciously slipped somewhat into the speech patterns of her partner, a technique that often went a good way in negotiations. It took a very thin-skinned person to take offense and assume mockery, rather than the honest intention of meeting in the middle and putting everyone at ease. She listened as the star recounted her recent woes, which were thankfully much the same as everyone's suffering, though perhaps more pronounced.

"I will admit, I too am finding this passage a harsher one than times previous, whilst I was alive. Whether the wastes are just growing worse, or 'tis a product of my change, well, one simply hopes for the best, yes? Still it does good to hear that your current isolation is just for this cause of circumstance, and not that you are being bullied or otherwise treated unkindly by the group," Jade set about preparing to produce her pipe and pouch, and have a small smoke while she chatted. As she did, she paused and reflected on what she'd just said. She was perhaps treating things too lightly? The way Astraea had phrased it, unwelcomed by the world, that was certainly a step farther than just the mana-draining wastes. Certainly, not anything caused by the group, but not a worry to just be brushed aside either.

And that stray thought launched a bit of a curious cascade, with the zombie remembering those ancients that had been unsealed from the times reaching back to the golden age. Surrounded by those folks and the star, her own worries about being removed from the world of the living seemed quaint and overblown. In the scheme of things, she could be much worse off. "We're growing close to the end of the trek at least, so some of this should be swiftly addressed, but I wonder if you mightn't speak to some of our newest arrivals about feeling ill at ease with the current state of the world. Perchance they have a closer sense of understanding, with the vast gulf of time they've been subject to, and what they claim to be experiencing as changes to the core workings of the world. Clearly 'tis no one-to-one, but, well... Myself, it is still a bit foreign to comprehend the life where you came from." How had it been described again?

"Visiting mortal dreams, returning to speak of them with your friends, then diving in again?" Jade paused to pack a pad into the bowl of her pipe and prepared to light it before musing. "I must say, that is one of the things I miss most about sleep. The dreams."

 

"Mmm, no, these people... They are kind. Unknowing of my race, yes, but kind to me. I am simply tired, so I stay here. Apologies if thou wished to be using this wagon. I can vacate if it is needed." She shuffled awkwardly in her seat, hoping that it wouldn't come to that. Astraea liked this wagon. It was safe and cozy. And it protected her from looking up and seeing the life that she had lost. She pulled the cloak tighter around her body as the zombie across from her continued talking.

"Mmm, these new faces, yes they are... Different. I have seen different types of your races throughout my dreams. My old dreams. Perhaps they might know something. Perhaps. I shall consider thine words. It cannot hurt. I suppose." Except to further drive in the point that I am alone here in this world... 

It seemed her companion had some regrets involving dreams herself. "It is, well, yes essentially thou are correct. Our dreams do not visit yours however. Rather, our dreams show us this world. Thine history and present. The changing ages and constant life. And we can rejoice together in these dreams, sharing the joy, the sorrow, the light... But now there is only dark. I would trade you, in a second. The ability to never sleep and thus to never have these empty dreams, that is something I would love."

 

"Ah, you are fine to stay as you are," Jade issued a reassurance, as she sensed the passenger might be preparing to vacate.

"I will charge you, mind," the merchant joked, her tone of voice lightening and brightening to broadcast that fact, "Though the fare be cheap. 'Tis nothing more than conversation I'm after, and so far you're earning your keep." A smile crept across her face, both in response to her own levity, as well as the fact that the star seemed to be taking her suggestion about the ancient ones under consideration. Good, good.

Then came the reply on the matter of dreams, however, and the mood changed. Jade didn't notice the full impact immediately, as for a start Astraea stuck to just the factual corrections of what the zombie had gotten wrong. But by the end it was clear. 'I would trade places with you in a second,' was a phrase the zombie would never have expected to hear uttered, at least not directed at her. Maybe if overhearing another's conversation but. Someone willingly wishing her fate for theirs? The poor girl must well and truly be in a funk, and that left her troubled as how to respond.

After a lengthening awkward pause, she began with what was easiest. "...I am told... that I am not so ripe as to help you with that, if that be what you're truly asking." Even this statement though was no simple matter, as now Jade's thoughts were back in Aensbrook, when these conversations had been fresh and relevant. Her hand slid to the pouch in which the vial of vampire blood rested, the out Lavinia had given her if her condition ever became unbearable. She remembered the fear on Bladen's face--

They'd... never really talked, after that, had they? She should...

Jade shook her head, trying to get her thoughts back on the track of who she was dealing with now. The vampire vial. Probably wouldn't be the solution the star was seeking either, assuming she were serious and not just waxing poetic in a moment of self-pity. But even if it was a possible remedy...

Not a decision to be made on a whim. It had been entrusted to her for a specific purpose.

So how to respond instead? Jade puffed her pipe and stalled for time.

 

"Ah, no, apologies." Astraea shook her head, a small, sad, smile on her face. "I suspect that even if I wished for that which thou are suggesting, it would not be possible. I am not... Mmm. My body is not that of true flesh and blood like yours. I am a creature of mana more than anything else. It is why this wasteland is so scary to me. It sucks at mine very essence. So I suspect that even if thou were able and I were willing, it would be a waste of time for all." She sighed, sinking further against the wagon, pulling the cloak closer around her body. She shook her head, looking down at the ground. "I am sorry for being such a negative presence. I would understand if thou would prefer to leave and talk to others. Perhaps after we leave this place I will be a better company, but tonight, I am afraid that I am too caught up in my fears..."

 

"I have nowhere to go, least not till Lavinia returns and takes me away, so I'll just sit here and smoke until that happens. If you don't feel like conversation tonight that's fine, but maybe at least my presence will transform the silence from a cold, dark, and hungry one; to a more warm, pleasant, and comforting alternative." Jade took another puff, and made herself comfortable, leaning up against the side of the wagon.

 

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Nisha's question brought Susan's mind back to the surface, but it wasn't really an easy one to answer.

"You were... convenient, I guess? I wasn't really, but I think a part of me..." Following the other woman's lead, Susan let gravity slide her body down the wall until her butt hit the floor. Unlike the chaos of her thoughts, there was actually a bottom for her body here. "In an instant... I've lost pretty much all my goals and hopes. It's hard to say if there's anything left to live for, or if I would've been better off locked away asleep for another several hundred years... heh." Sniffing back tears after her derisive laugh, she rubbed her eyes and cheeks, then shook her head. "And here I am, in uncommon honest and open mood. I know better, I should just shut up and ride it out, and yet... haaa." Another deep sigh and Susan tilted her head back, suddenly a burning urge to examine the ceiling.

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Apparently her unconscious actions had laid an invitation, one not fully realized by Susan until the touch of hands on her body somewhat startlingly woke her to the realization. She could only guess at the exact sequence of events that had led two people trying to help, one of them taking her "offered" hand, and the other, presumably having aimed to do the same ending up shifting to a different supporting role, helping to stabilize with a hand on the opposite shoulder and a bit of a boost from below the armpit. A little embarrassed, but there was nothing to be done but lean into the help and push herself back to her feet, then thank each of the girls in turn, shaking the one's hand after the other released hers upon her having gained her feet.

"Ah, um, thanks..."

The fox Changed took her moment to interject here as well, which was also embarrassing. Susan certainly hadn't been expecting to have her hair stroked or her head pat or anything, and honestly was feeling rather overwhelmed and done with the whole situation. Her 'sister' was no doubt in the same boat.

"I should, uh, let you get back to your boyfriend now... and I'm gonna need some time to think about all this. But, later, when I'm ready... expect another visit from me, and umm... well, whatever happens, you know," it ended with a bit of a trailing ramble that probably made no sense, but Susan had surely overstayed her welcome, so she turned to leave, and without really knowing why grabbed Nisha's hand again in the process and pulled her along after her as well. Maybe it was a fear of being left behind, the rest of the group somehow receiving Hecate's blessing, mystically departing this sunken tomb of a tower, and she didn't want to be passed over, wouldn't be with the proper company? Or maybe it was just nervous energy at work, with no higher purpose? The urge not to be alone in a time when she desperately wanted to be was paradoxical, but not unreasonable. And who else was there for her, really?

Enough distance later, and a bit of wall to lean against found and engaged, Susan loudly sighed and covered her face with both hands. What was the next step here?

[I'm back! And to celebrate, let's have a SRW Draft! (MXP this time)]

Garmraid Blaze G: Ending up with the version that Hugo pilots is not as big an advantage as it might otherwise have been, since Aqua can get a solid 30 kills in her solo map, nearly getting her up to Ace. The problem then comes with how you've prioritized your skills between fighter and backpack. So it's nice that I didn't have to pilot swap, I think that would have dragged me down a little bit, but probably nothing insurmountable. I have no idea on comparison with the Cerberus as a machine, but Real Hugo swaps Zeal for Soul, which is basically a run ender, imo. So somehow despite drafting last, I got the best possible OG for my playstyle. The OG unit is strong, and while it's a bit held-back until the upgrade, giving it favored unit series boost for extra upgrade bars helps. Hugo was top ace for most of the run, until Akira really managed to get enough skills bought from PP to absolutely take off.
 
Getter Robo G: A solid second pick, but with full hindsight I probably should have picked Raideen in this slot. There were several Getter plot maps were it being forced and levelled absolutely saved turns though, so still an invaluable pick and an absolute powerhouse. Juggling kills between Ryouma and Hayato was a bit of a balancing act. Ryouma only got his Ace at the final kill of the game, so I could maybe have done better there. I definitely misallocated a skill here or there as well, triple main pilots is always a bit of a puzzle robo.

Raideen: God Voice MAP attack made so many things so much more managable. I should have prioritized Hit and Away sooner, but still managed it in a fairly timely fashion. It's held back by having a somewhat short movement range, needs that Infight to patch it up. Almost made it to a clean 400 melee stat by then end, only 19 off.

EVA-01: Quite a bit of a disappointment, comparatively, to the headliners from other major series. The tether hurts a lot, and most of its attacks are quite weak, even at full upgrades. Amazing defensively, of course, but LTC doesn't jive with that all too well most times. That said, it packs a MAP attack, and there's always room for more of those in one's army.

EVA-00: So much better than Shinji once she learns Zeal because hers is ridiculous cheap. The N2 Mine MAP on top of her other MAP? Stop, I can only get so excited. Biggest drawback is being forcibly removed from the roster due to plot, but she saved so many turns with the flexibility brought to the team in a game where Zeal is the only Enable.

Dragon Gundam: Definitely the better of the two Gundam Fighters I drafted due to movement range, which enabled a huge influx of early PP which lead to more movement range via Infight, which spiralled it so far ahead of the heavier hitting Bolt. Basically benched during endgame though, due to no Zeal. Invaluable for the quasi-route split maps where I had awkward amounts of forced units, so still gets very high marks for that.

Getter Q: While initially drafted at this position because I was eyeing the Combo Attack potential, she ended up being one of my weaker overall support spirit bots and not really stellar at combat. She did pull her weight, but, and I'd have to look at jointimes etc. to be completely certain, it does feel like Mari's spirit list overall outclasses her.

Blueger: The cheapest Bless, Cheer, Hopes you could ask for. She does her thing and she does it well.

Super Gundam: Gave me a place to train Judau early. I needed some UC coverage for quasi-route splits, and this was what fell in my lap. I initially drafted it because Elle had a Daunt, and she did end up getting cycled in, but in retrospect I could have grabbed just about any of the machines for this slot.

Fuunsaiki: Drafted primarily for jointime and useful support spirits. Apologies to Domon's drafter, but I have no regrets. This horse has a lot of move, which also helped in certain maps.

Galvar FX-II: Another support bot. I may have overloaded on them, but I still had enough combat capable units, so I guess that was the right call, as being able to rake in double money and double XP kept the gravy train rolling and financed a lot of important upgrades.

Daimos: Held back by jointime and actual route splits. I could easily see it being a powerhouse with more PP and more investment, although the spirit list does hold it back somewhat compared to the top tier drafts.

Bolt Gundam: See Dragon Gundam.

Triple Jim: My only source of Renew. A crutch. Literally invaluable.

Re-GZ: Surprisingly versatile, and an S rank in Space on its finisher gave it more punch than it probably deserves. A good home for Zeal UC pilots.
 
Venus A: Sayaka and Jun are both fantastic supports, with slightly different focuses (lategame it's Rouse vs Hope, earlier it's Bless vs Cheer). Being able to mix and match is great.

MP Great Mazinger: Being able to use both is even better. What an amazing bottom pick for me. If Boss's goon's spirits weren't locked to level 80 he'd have put up a good fight for this, but as it is Jun just does so well here.

[I'm back! And to celebrate, let's have a SRW Draft! (MXP this time)]

Chapter 54, Soul's Refrain , in 2+1?+2 turns:

Spoiler

 

We head back to Earth, now that Dendoh is all wrapped up, and prepare to be bewildered by Eva and Rah Xephon plot.

I don't think this story minimap we don't have any control in logs the mystery turn, but then again, I can't be certain it doesn't.

First we have to do Rah Xephon plot. I start by weakening an enemy in this position. This allows us to get 2 kills and build up some will.

With a little more XP from chipping we learn a vital spirit.
Turn 2:

We cast Valor and go sit in this position and defend/evade forever on EP.

Elvy charges and Valors the boss. On EP she kills 7 enemies and no more. That leaves the boss at 119 Will, right below his barrier turns on. She easily could kill more but we can't allow that.

The matchup isn't great, but it's fine. We have to ration our EN so we can take the barrier hit and still fire it off, which means balancing dodges versus defends earlier, and it's especially vital because getting hit build will and...

Well, we push it just past retreat threshold here. Obviously this could be solved by spending more money, but it's a waste when they're only getting used on this stage and never again.

Anyway, with the early fuck off forced, we save a good amount of time.

Ayato is surrounded and in dire straits. What a cliffhanger!

Now we switch over to the real map of the map. If that makes any sense.

Asuka is getting a fire lit under her.

There's a plot mandated movement and combat. Maybe this is the mystery missing turn?

When we have full control I cast Gain and Alert (to save EN) and move here. We don't attack since with Revenge she's stronger on counters.

Two of the far Dragoons attack at max range, and have to die to this alpha strike move.

The rest of them run at her and die quite easily with much higher hit rates. I recommend using the Palette Rifle for best value. Only this last one gets to 1-range for the knife.

This asshole and Omzack fuck off at this point.

Oh dear. Here they come.

It's still Enemy Phase, so they'll start in on me immediately.

They give us the courtesy of a new wincon, for whatever reason.

This part of the EP is rough. You're rigging for crits, or your spending money upgrading weapons, and you're definitely funneling any PP she has from spare forced kills into raw stats. Attacker would have been amazing but she didn't have that much for me. Also, you only have enough EN for 3 AT fields, so there's the 5/7 of the ammo weapon, and the last MP Eva I just can't kill on EP no matter what happens.


See you just don't have the resources after a certain point.

She's excited about it, though.
Turn 2:

Anyway, it's for the best, as if you did kill it on EP, they'd respawn and continue attacking and then Asuka would die and there'd be penalties and shit. Have Alert up here so she can survive a MAP attack from the team.

It hurts seeing, every time.

Yeah, that's a blue-screen.


God, I love this background girl back in the control room. So expressive.

Anyway, Rom gives a speech as our team makes their timely arrival.

We can see the mystery turn definitely happened somewhere in here already. So strange.

We start all the way at 150 Will, thankfully.


Shinji shows up way over here, but that's fine, cause we positioned Asuka as close as we possibly could, so he can at least contribute something.

Final conditions.


We obviously stow the jobbers we can't use.

What an amazing powerlevelling session that was, lmao. Alert preserved through that event combat, thankfully.


Judau delivers some support attacks to start softening up two of the top four.

Hit and Aways over toward this area.

Elle delivers another Akira support.

MAP

And Away. All the enemies are still alive because of their monstrous health, but it's okay.

We give a Hope.

And we can unleash a Souled Assisted attack.

It doesn't do as much as I'd like, but 150 Will enemies, what can you do.

Judau's job's not done, he heads vaguely toward Raideen.

More Hope.


Shinji puts on his running shoes and comes to help.


A little softening action with our only battleship for the map (thanks boson jumping).

Pay no attention to the fact Shinji nearly got jobbed, he cleans up a second of the top enemy quad.

Daimos grabs a third, and I transition my attention to the bottom half of the map.


Yeah, get fucked!

And Away.

Renew.

Hope.

You love to see it.

I am actually fishing for non-crits on both or else I'll kill, lol.

He comes back to be a repair target later.

Feeding kills to Ryouma.

Sai can play too.


Kamille needs a Zeal to get in place, but then goes in.

Judau takes the last.

Hope.

I change my mind (as you can tell from the spirits) and deliberately don't crit, so I can get hurt and provide a healing target.

Still have enough casts to get the money, it's no biggie.




Heals.

Resupply.


Hugo Zealed to get close enough to give the support attack XP bonus, lol. When I actually have units it turns out maps are easy.

Eva series dealt with.

We return to base.

Finish 54
FUB:  H=HP, E=EN, B=Mobility, R=Armor, M=Move, ALWS=Terrain
WFUB: H=Hit, C=Crit, B=Bullets, R=Range, E=EN, V=Will, ALWS=Terrain
Char      Lv  XP     K   PP  Mel/Sht/Hit/Eva/Skl/Def  HP/EN/Mo/Ar|* Wn/Ht/Ct|* Sh    Skills                                                                          Parts                                             
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Jim       60  142    9   28  173/185/198/186/201/173  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL4   | Guard      | Concentrat | SPUpL2     |             || Shuffle    | AlloyZ     | NewAlloyZ  | HighAccSgt ||
Shinji    62   90   86*  26  223/190/199/174/212/134  00/01/00/00|- 08/00/10|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | AssistL3   | Morale     | Concentrat  || MBooster   | Minovsky   |------------|------------||
Harry     61  293    8    7  144/183/208/157/201/133  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SPUpL5     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Ruri      61  256   65*   1  143/206/210/158/218/135  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Hacking    | SupAtkL3   | Concentrat | Hit&Away   | Morale     | Attacker    || Shuffle    | Shuffle    |------------|------------||
Kamiyu|R2 62  472   22   58  197/199/244/242/223/138  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | ShieldL7   | Revenge    | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || ApogeeMotor| PsychoFrame| Radar      |------------||
Elle|SG   63   14   27   44  171/181/233/216/200/147  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    NewtypeL7  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat |            |             || Biosensor  | Biosensor  | PsychoFrame|------------||
Judau|R1  63  356   61*  16  197/204/244/239/223/149  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | Attacker   | AssistL4   | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || MBooster   | MBooster   | Radar      |------------||
Sai Saici 62   28   59*  14  202/174/222/219/226/150  00/07/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL7  | SwordL7    | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || ImageSensor| ImageSensor|------------|------------||
Fuuinsaki 59   53   55*  45  187/133/208/213/213/150  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SupDefL3   | SupAtkL3   | Hit&Away   | Concentrat | SPUpL3     |             ||            |            | NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Sayaka|V  62  135   19    9  159/182/202/174/208/160  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    Guard      | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || HighAccSgt | EWAC       | ApogeeMotor| Booster    ||
Jun|MPG   62  256   48   48  186/187/204/182/216/163  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    PrevailL6  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL3     |             || Minovsky   | ImageSensor| NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Hayato    68  249   65*  29  215/195/222/216/226/157  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupAtk+2   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | InfightL7  | Revenge     ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Benkei    68  249    2   27  196/190/202/181/220/168  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Concentrat | SP Regen   | SPUpL8      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Michiru   61  178   27    3  156/184/205/183/208/153  00/05/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SwordL3    | SupDefL3   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || Radar      | ApogeeMotor|            |------------||
Ryouma    68  249   47   29  260/189/210/183/223/161  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|S --    PrevailL9  | SP Regen   | UnyldSpirit| Attacker   | Concentrat | SPUpL1      || MBooster   | Booster    |------------|------------||
Kazuya    64  198   36   85  202/169/221/192/226/166  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    PrevailL9  | Concentrat | CounterL9  | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Radar      | Shuffle    |------------|------------||
Kyoshiro  66  234    9    6  159/188/218/211/220/154  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | CounterL7  | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || ApogeeMotor| Chobham    | AlloyGren  | EWAC       ||
Nana      66  234    0   25  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat |            |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Akira     68  414  214*   2  357/199/218/193/223/157  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|A 00    Telekinetic| Hit&Away   | InfightL7  | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker    || Booster    | Haro       |------------|------------||
Mari      63  278   11    6  160/186/211/203/215/145  00/00/00/00|- 12/00/00|- --    HardWorker | UnyldSpirit| SupDefL4   | Concentrat |            |             || Dustproof  | ApogeeMotor| AlloyGren  | Biosensor  ||
Aqua      67  179   30   14  193/196/222/213/218/152  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    InfightL7  | ExpUp      | SupDefL4   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SPUpL9      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Hugo      67  123  140*   2  251/182/220/218/227/154  00/10/00/00|- 11/12/12|S 00    Fortune    | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   ||            |            | Haro       |------------||

Saegusa   60  192    0   38  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Torres    60  192    0   38  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Bright    60  192  132*  20  138/264/213/158/225/139  00/04/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Attacker   | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | ESave      | Hit&Away   | Morale      || Repair     |            |            |------------||
Argo      57  272   26   80  195/176/216/210/223/159  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL7  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Minovsky   | ImageSensor|------------|------------||


Dead
Rei       60  480   92* 124  189/189/196/172/214/138  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL3   | Attacker   | Concentrat | Morale     | SP Regen    ||            |            |------------|------------||

Total Cash:  675423
Total Turns: 202

 

 

 

Chapter 55, Across Far Away Eternity, in 1 turn:

Spoiler

 

The scene goes on.

MX name drop. Again.

Picking up where we left off...


Event movies. Oops, suddenly awakened.

Title card.


Big Rei.

She's looking healthy. I guess.

Taking out the trash.

Okay, enough forced units I can deploy everyone. But using them? Impossible, we're placed so far away.

Kill all non RahXephons.

Positioning my units so the useful ones cna reach things.

Rouse.

Get wounded by the counter.

Approaching.


Damage each of the ones the MAP can't reach.

Even without the S rank in Space it still puts up big numbers.

Return to get healed later.

SP incoming.


Noticably less than last map.


Juicing back up.


We'll get 'em on the third wave.


Told you.

Returning to base.

Rouse.


We head to the right one first.

Valor + nonValor is good enough after the earlier soften.

Hope.


Same story as before with a XP granting session in the middle.

SP granting as well, lol.

We kill it now.

NANI!?

Oh. These assholes.

Rouse.

Accel and barely reach.


Accel and barely reach.


Love Love Rouse.

Barely reach.


Can't reach, need to Zeal. Also get Roused.

Can't reach, need to Zeal.


Been awhile since we broke out this tool in our arsenal.

We gave Shinji S Space weapons, so it does good work.


A couple more moves from Judau to get 'em nice and soft.

Hope.


Feeding Ryouma.

Captain, somethings coming!


It's friendly(?) Medius Locus.

New conditions.

Also this asshole.


I still have way more than enough Hope.


Just take your beating.

After I fill the tanks.

Yeah, one more after this.


Some heals tho.

I have a genius idea for more XP.




Okay, it took awhile and didn't pay off that well, but try and stop me.

Unnecessary/10.

After the kill.


Comes the story kill.

All enemies but the Xephons are down.

Now they're story fighting each other. Right in front of my salad.




It's very pretty.



Raideen has joined the battle!

RIP.



Oh shit. She's stealing the Star of La Mu.

Welp. That's our next mission.

Finish 55
FUB:  H=HP, E=EN, B=Mobility, R=Armor, M=Move, ALWS=Terrain
WFUB: H=Hit, C=Crit, B=Bullets, R=Range, E=EN, V=Will, ALWS=Terrain
Char      Lv  XP     K   PP  Mel/Sht/Hit/Eva/Skl/Def  HP/EN/Mo/Ar|* Wn/Ht/Ct|* Sh    Skills                                                                          Parts                                             
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Jim       61  262    9   28  173/185/198/186/201/173  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL4   | Guard      | Concentrat | SPUpL2     |             || Shuffle    | AlloyZ     | NewAlloyZ  | HighAccSgt ||
Shinji    62  257   86*  26  223/190/199/174/212/134  00/01/00/00|- 08/10/10|S --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | AssistL3   | Morale     | Concentrat  || MBooster   | Wolf       |------------|------------||
Harry     61  293    8    7  144/183/208/157/201/133  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SPUpL5     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Ruri      61  256   65*   1  143/206/210/158/218/135  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Hacking    | SupAtkL3   | Concentrat | Hit&Away   | Morale     | Attacker    || Repair     |            |------------|------------||
Kamiyu|R2 63   50   22   58  198/200/245/243/224/139  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | ShieldL7   | Revenge    | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || Haro       | Radar      | AlloyGren  |------------||
Elle|SG   63   14   27   44  171/181/233/216/200/147  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    NewtypeL7  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat |            |             || Biosensor  | Biosensor  | PsychoFrame|------------||
Saegusa   60  192    0   38  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Torres    60  192    0   38  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Bright    60  192  132*  20  138/264/213/158/225/139  00/04/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Attacker   | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | ESave      | Hit&Away   | Morale      || Repair     |            |            |------------||
Judau|R1  64    0   61*  16  198/205/245/240/224/150  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | Attacker   | AssistL4   | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || Wolf       | Shuffle    | Shuffle    |------------||
Argo      57  272   26   80  195/176/216/210/223/159  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL7  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Minovsky   | ImageSensor|------------|------------||
Sai Saici 62   28   59*  14  202/174/222/219/226/150  00/07/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL7  | SwordL7    | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || ImageSensor| ImageSensor|------------|------------||
Fuuinsaki 59   53   55*  45  187/133/208/213/213/150  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SupDefL3   | SupAtkL3   | Hit&Away   | Concentrat | SPUpL3     |             ||            |            | NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Sayaka|V  64  167   19    9  161/184/204/176/210/162  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    Guard      | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || MBooster   | MBooster   | MBooster   | Booster    ||
Jun|MPG   62  256   48   48  186/187/204/182/216/163  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    PrevailL6  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL3     |             || Minovsky   | ImageSensor| NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Hayato    70   27   65*  60  217/197/224/218/228/159  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupAtk+2   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | InfightL7  | Revenge     ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Benkei    70   27    2   58  198/192/204/183/222/170  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Concentrat | SP Regen   | SPUpL8      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Michiru   64   92   27    3  159/187/208/186/211/156  00/05/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SwordL3    | SupDefL3   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || Radar      |            | ApogeeMotor|------------||
Ryouma    70   27   49   60  262/191/212/185/225/163  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|S --    PrevailL9  | SP Regen   | UnyldSpirit| Attacker   | Concentrat | SPUpL1      || Haro       | Booster    |------------|------------||
Kazuya    64  344   36   85  202/169/221/192/226/166  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    PrevailL9  | Concentrat | CounterL9  | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Haro       | Haro       |------------|------------||
Kyoshiro  66  494    9    6  159/188/218/211/220/154  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | CounterL7  | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || ApogeeMotor| Chobham    | AlloyGren  | EWAC       ||
Nana      66  494    0   25  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat |            |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Akira     69  139  222*  93  358/200/219/194/224/158  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|A 00    Telekinetic| Hit&Away   | InfightL7  | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker    || Booster    | Radar      |------------|------------||
Mari      64  306   11    6  161/187/212/204/216/146  00/00/00/00|- 12/00/00|- --    HardWorker | UnyldSpirit| SupDefL4   | Concentrat |            |             || Dustproof  | ApogeeMotor| AlloyGren  | Biosensor  ||
Aqua      70  179   30   56  195/198/224/215/220/154  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    InfightL7  | ExpUp      | SupDefL4   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SPUpL9      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Hugo      69  375  143*  44  252/183/221/219/228/155  00/10/00/00|- 11/12/12|S 00    Fortune    | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || MBooster   | MBooster   | MegaGen    |------------||

Dead
Rei       60  480   92* 124  189/189/196/172/214/138  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL3   | Attacker   | Concentrat | Morale     | SP Regen    ||            |            |------------|------------||

Total Cash:  621663
Total Turns: 203

 

 

 

Chapter 56, The Promised Land, in 2 turns:

Spoiler

Here we go.

Jupiter Terra.


The Final deployment.

Conditions.

Most people don't get to play.




Spirit raising efforts.

Hit rate reduction.

Drive.




The first batch of attacks.

Judau just approaches.




And we regroup back toward him.


I piled all my people in here.



Next batch of attacks.


Finally.

Form one is down.


Now we have to kick Form 2's ass.

No hit rates for you.

Since I couldn't math out how to do another 600000 HP I just end my turn and double evade the All in 1.
Turn 2:

Ruri putting in work here.

She's big.

Sadly even my triple Daunt won't be enough to turn off her barrier.

More Love prep.


Full EN refill.


More support delivery.


Some Rouses off of SP Regen.



Some support delivery and Hugo Renewal.

Also Hope.


Hugo repositions and Akira gets Hope.


More Support delivery.


Snipe allows them to contribute via support.


Dropping below 70% triggers Rah Xephon to show up. Part of why I didn't bother chunking and just ended immediately. That and the 10% health regen.

Don't let Ayato die. Okay.

Our Hit and Away lands us here.


4 way Assist.

For just a meager ReGZ I'll take that output.


We'll also deliver Shinji support.


3 way Assist.


I'd even given Benkei a level in support attack in my mad efforts to try to find a 1 turn, lol.

Hope springs eternal.


Harry can get another hope with this fancy beverage.

Keep fighting.

Dropping below 40% or so Albero talks to us from inside the beast.


Fight Hope Fight Hope. It's basically all down to my Zeals.


And Renews.


And away with you.

I do end up with a lot of unused hope, but only because of all the extra damage I could put out due to a second turn.



I do spend a few of them getting through these next few attacks.



Confidence, confusion, confrontation.

Remember to always survive. That's the Cry Wolves' Iron Rule.

We did it, gang!

The Nadesico B comes to pick us up when we return to regular space.

The Epilogue and the End Scroll.


Thank you for reading.

You get an Alloy Gren for clearing, all of the equipable parts you haven't used (rip expendables), and a chunk of $ on NG+. No kill counts and questionable levels of PP are retained. It didn't let me keep record of final kills/levels/etc. I'm too lazy to go through the final stats window for final upgrades etc. I FUB Eva01 because I needed to give it one more move (short on MBooster/Haros so I had to make due), and I gave some mobility and HP to Hugo IIRC.

Finish 55
Total Turns: 205

Unit thoughts and draft musings to follow shortly,

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

"Mmm, I suppose it counts for you, Tundyssa, though I wouldn't have counted it for me," Jade kept an upbeat and joking manner as the dragon relayed how her primary company had been the cursed sword that had made its curious journey from the demon king's family, through unknown numbers of hands until reaching the merchant's, and then back again to a royal member. "I'm surprised to hear it worked against the golems, to be honest. I thought it hungered life force, and that's why I never had much luck with it until I lent it out..." A shrug, a glance to Lavinia for her thoughts, and then the zombie considered the final matter raised.

"No strange humans in our sector, but I'd say our find outranked yours, whoever she was. So you're not exactly wrong there. We were lucky she aimed her spell away from us," Jade's voice lowered in contemplation and she continued. "I may be hardier than most, but looking at the devastation it caused I wouldn't have wanted to be in its path. Magic is rather outside my wheelhouse, so I left her to the General to figure out. Focus on the things I can do instead, you know?"

The Saint's name coming from Xalrei's--Tundyssa's lips--was a surprise ending there as well. Hadn't she just said she'd been alone? Jade found herself looking around for where the tall, cowardly-seeming woman had ended up. She hadn't really much in the way of personal interactions, an inescapable consequence as the ragtag militia group had continued to expand, often in completely unexpected ways. Perhaps a conversation was coming due...

---

Altair meant nothing to Susan, and of course neither did Laranoa nor anything else this Lucille was saying. Enough was said to know she was not Cosette, but as far as what else any of it went to prove...

And then something startling and shocking was said, causing Susan to freeze. She, Susan, looked like Lucille's mother, like someone else as well? But that, that would be impossible? Certainly they were sisters, but they weren't that kind of sisters. They all had different colors for names, they all had shown up at various times, they all...

But the monks were proven liars. What if they also...

Susan's skull pounded, her head throbbed, it hurt to think. And to make matters worse, here came the sibilant voices she knew too well, adding to the present confusion. Truth be damned we can alwayssss jussst, make her family. A nudge of Desssire and--

Shut up! Susan found herself mouthing the words to add force to her mental refutation. Initial outburst aside, she managed to regain enough presence to keep the next sentences to just pure thought. Family is family. It's not something you can fake!

Sssaysss the one who Deceived the farmer, the other sneering voice teased.

Enough! Sleep! These words again were silently mouthed, then Susan clasped her hands in front of her, took a deep breath, held it, and set about forcing the snakes to slumber. There was enough on her plate without them butting in, and active combat was over. She needed time alone, to think, to process, to decide.

Susan made to stand, not quite sure where she planned to go, but certain she couldn't just stay slumped on the ground, that she had to move. But her legs betrayed her and she only managed a little lift before stumbling, barely saving herself from planting her face into the hard tiles of the floor by putting her good arm out in front of her and bracing against it.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to... I just... I should, I need some..." Offering scarcely coherent words, Susan raised her right arm absent any conscious thought, perhaps seeking aid from someone as she geared up for another go at standing. Final destination was still unsure, but one step at a time. Susan's harness was strong enough that even if the prosthetic were gripped hard and pulled by someone, it would stay attached. But anyone taking hold would be able to tell immediately, by both temperature and firmness, that there was not living flesh beneath her glove.

[I'm back! And to celebrate, let's have a SRW Draft! (MXP this time)]

Chapter 51, Elegy of the Victors, in 1 turns:

Spoiler

 

First map of the final scene.

Well, we found the Devil Gundam. It's taken over the Giganos Mass Driver and now is the Devil Mass Driver.

Title Card.

Nearly every G Gundam is force deployed. And Hugo, of course given how they tied the OC storyline. Only Domon gets a Will boost here, IIRC.

We get to deploy the rest of our army on the bottom half of the map.

The map starts as a rout map.

I went with this line-up.


Some SP juggling going on, Hoping after Zeals.

We used bird form to eke out a couple extra tiles.


Elle nets some support bumps off of Sayaka's support.

With Harry's Hope's cast, we're free to kill this enemy and free up space.

Hit and Away for resupply XP later.


Advance and kill.



Rouse.

Hope.


Saegusa's Hopes spent we can have Bright get a Kill and Away.


More bodies killing for more Blesses, even though they'd ordinarily be repairing. They had enough move to go visit the top side.


Kamille and Away.


Grand Gundam is the beefiest boss, so we hit it with the God Voice before repositioning.


Then we hit them all with a Valored MAP.

Doing enough damage to a boss triggers the friendly Medius appearance.

They're also added to the defeat condition.

Hope.

With Jun spent, she's free to kill.

Ten kills marks Ace of Clubs.

And it also triggers the first wave of reinforcements. One set of two and two, on both top and bottom.

We toss another fat MAP down.

Kazuya preps Love but doesn't cash that check just yet.

Instead Hugo goes for a W.

"So long, Champ"

Allenby has some words about the Walter.

That's a healthy payout.

Well well well, what have we here...


Eldy spent, they're free to take a kill.

Renew.

Bless/Cheers spent, Mari engages kill.

Ryouma frantically trying to get Ace before the game ends.

Kamille notching another one.

15 kills trips Argo's Black Joker.

Hayato taking a W for best value.

Sayaka with the final zombie takedown.


Because killing the final of the three bosses is a trigger.

The remaining enemies retreat, and the wave(s) we didn't spawn won't do so any more.

Instead we have the final pair of enemies.

So, Judau tickles the Devil Gundam here on purpose, because it's an easier threshold for the next event. (Either Grandmaster Gundam goes below 90% HP, or Devil Gundam takes any amount of damage.)


This triggers a full heal on both of the bosses, but allows us to proceed.

The condition finally changes to defeat Grandmaster Gundam.


Knocking Grandmaster Gundam to 60 or below is the next threshold event.

It does a lolguts, but then...



All the Shuffle crew get full will and teleport to attack.


This is such a cool combination attack.

We actually end up ahead of where we left off, by a fair chunk.

No Bless or Cheer here because despite claiming to have rewards when scanned, we don't get any, presumably because...


Ulabe jumps ship to the Devil.

And our conditions change again.

I need Fuuinsaki since its on my team, so I separate away from Domon. Sadly it doesn't land below (which would be best case), but instead this awkward diagonal.

Instead we rewind, move George first, and have Fuuinsaki come out to the right, for a second best scenario.


Judau delivers a Hugo support, and then Hit and Aways to prime real estate.

Renew.


That's some serious damage.

Raideen fucked off somewhere on the H&A I forgot to screen it, but we have Fuuinsaki's Hopes banked and are spending them here.

Hugo advances so we can stop spending Snipe in the future.

Fuuinsaki sadly doesn't have enough range on Horn attack to contribute to the Assist.


We finally get visible digits.


The Gundam Fighter that I have drafted take their turns.

Last Fuuinsaki Hope.


More pounding on the Devil Gundam. Hugo is saving SP and EN here with a cheaper attack.

Bright was worth more XP.


We have the damage.

Another big windfall for Hugo and Aqua.

Another lolvigor.


For a scripted combination attack.


Damn, that's badass.

No more reaction from the Devil Gundam.

A job well done.

Finish 51
FUB:  H=HP, E=EN, B=Mobility, R=Armor, M=Move, ALWS=Terrain
WFUB: H=Hit, C=Crit, B=Bullets, R=Range, E=EN, V=Will, ALWS=Terrain
Char      Lv  XP     K   PP  Mel/Sht/Hit/Eva/Skl/Def  HP/EN/Mo/Ar|* Wn/Ht/Ct|* Sh    Skills                                                                          Parts                                             
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Jim       52  105    1   65  167/179/192/180/195/167  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL4   | Guard      | Concentrat |            |             ||            |            | AlloyGren  | HighAccSgt ||
Harry     55   75    8  100  140/179/204/153/197/129  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SPUpL2     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Ruri      54  390   51*  11  138/181/205/153/213/130  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Hacking    | SupAtkL3   | Concentrat | Hit&Away   | Morale     | Attacker    || Shuffle    | Shuffle    |------------|------------||
Kamiyu|R2 57   68   17   30  194/196/241/239/220/135  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL7    | ShieldL7   | Revenge    | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || PsychoFrame| PsychoFrame| ApogeeMotor|------------||
Saegusa   56  409    0   10  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Torres    56  409    0   10  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Elle|SG   56  461   23   14  166/176/222/205/195/142  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    NewtypeL5  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat |            |             || HighAccSgt | Biosensor  | Biosensor  |------------||
Judau|R1  58  120   58*   9  194/197/241/236/220/146  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | Attacker   | AssistL4   | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || MBooster   | Haro       | Haro       |------------||
Bright    56  409  118*  98  135/224/210/155/222/136  00/04/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Attacker   | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | ESave      | Hit&Away   | Morale      || Radar      | Radar      | Shuffle    |------------||
Argo      49  399   21   65  189/170/210/204/217/153  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL6  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || ImageSensor| ImageSensor|------------|------------||
Sai Saici 55  335   55*  11  192/169/217/214/221/145  00/07/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL6  | SwordL7    | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || ImageSensor| ImageSensor|------------|------------||
Fuuinsaki 52   27   50*  29  181/127/202/207/207/144  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SupDefL3   | SupAtkL3   | Hit&Away   | Concentrat | SPUpL3     |             || AlloyGren  | NewAlloyZ  | NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Sayaka|V  56  116   19    9  155/178/198/170/204/156  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    Guard      | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || HighAccSgt | MBooster   | Ewac       |            ||
Jun|MPG   54  270   31   56  180/181/198/176/210/157  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    PrevailL6  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL2     |             || Booster    | NewAlloyZ  | Minovsky   |------------||
Hayato    62  119   64*  79  194/191/218/212/222/153  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupAtk+1   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | InfightL7  | Revenge     ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Benkei    62  119    2   29  192/186/198/177/216/164  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Concentrat | SP Regen   | SPUpL7      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Michiru   57  335   26   28  154/182/203/181/206/151  00/05/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SwordL3    | SupDefL3   | SP Regen   | Concentrat |            |             || MBooster   | Booster    | Minovsky   |------------||
Ryouma    62  119   41   46  236/185/206/179/219/157  00/10/00/00|- 09/00/12|- --    PrevailL9  | SP Regen   | UnyldSpirit| Attacker   | Concentrat | SPUpL1      || Radar      | Radar      |------------|------------||
Kazuya    58  329   30   45  198/165/217/188/222/162  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    PrevailL9  | Concentrat | CounterL8  | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Haro       | Radar      |------------|------------||
Kyoshiro  57  403    8    6  152/181/211/204/213/147  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | CounterL6  | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || ApogeeMotor| ApogeeMotor| ApogeeMotor| ApogeeMotor||
Nana      57  403    0   25  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat |            |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Akira     63   59  197*   3  329/196/215/190/220/154  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|A 00    Telekinetic| Hit&Away   | InfightL7  | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker    || Wolf       | Wolf       |------------|------------||
Mari      57  139   10    3  156/182/207/199/211/141  00/00/00/00|- 12/00/00|- --    HardWorker | UnyldSpirit| SupDefL4   | Concentrat |            |             || Biosensor  | Biosensor  | Biosensor  | Biosensor  ||
Aqua      66  369   30  109  193/196/222/213/218/152  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    InfightL7  | ShieldL5   | SupDefL4   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SPUpL9      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Hugo      66  364  139*  33  242/182/220/218/227/154  00/10/00/00|- 11/00/12|- 00    Fortune    | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || MBooster   | MBooster   | MBooster   |------------||

Sleeping
Shinji    53  137   84* 124  186/184/193/168/206/128  00/01/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | AssistL3   | Morale     | Concentrat  || Repair     |            |------------|------------||

Dead
Rei       60  480   92* 124  189/189/196/172/214/138  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL3   | Attacker   | Concentrat | Morale     | SP Regen    ||            |            |------------|------------||

Total Cash:  659103
Total Turns: 192

 

Chapter 52, The final GEAR is Hope, in 3 turns:

Spoiler

 

I ran into some emulation trouble where the game froze up on me. After some troubleshooting, my best guess was that I had gone too long on a single go, which was unexpected. Saving to the memory card (not a save state) and reloading managed to get me past this hurdle.

And then it's straight away to the second map in the scene.

Aqua is having a dream about chatting with Sensei, teasing her that she's popular with the boys. But then she wakes up and remembers she's out for blood now. Sad.

Title Card.

Deploy screen, forced Dendoh units, and they can't actually be stuffed in the battlships this time. Technically that means I could use them, but it doesn't feel right so I don't.


It highlights the destination square for us.

We need to make it there in 8 turns. It's not physically possible to get there faster than three, barring possible Infight7 shenanigans, but who buys Infight on battleships?

Our loadout deploy, featuring Love prep.

Also Drive cast.

Deliberately damaging Hugo.

Then we juice his Will.


Same idea with Akira.


Milking these support attacks to feed support units.


The ReGz aren't capable of killing, but they'll deliver enough damage to get the job done on the next pass.

I fished for Judau damage too, I guess.


Kill and Heal.

Hugo advances, positioning for prime supports next turn.

Heal.


MAP chip and Away.



Ryouma into Hayato supports clean up what's left.

We sneak a heal off Elle.


Hayato chunks it enough for Kazuya to kill.


Our battleships advance to their limits.

We grap a final heal.

And Enemy phase.

Some of the Bugs advance, but most of the enemies are stationary.
Turn 2:


We notch a couple of Virus kills and then,

Enemy reinforcement wave 1 arrives.

I ran out of things I needed to do, and Akira's overlevelled, so he ends up just moving.

In range for heals, of course.

Jun gets this kill with Nadesico support.


Then the Nadesico Kill and Away, they stop ahead of their full move, but with enough in the tank to make it out next turn.


The Argama cast Guard and does their own Kill and Away, right into the thick of things.



Three more kills and then,

Enemy reinforcement wave 2 arrives.

Sneaking some heal XP as usual.


Jim and Michiru have bad space ranks, so any of those tiles with rocks are a huge problem for them, which is why they have to go the bottom route. Top was just not working out when I tried it initially.

Heal.

Assist sneaking out additional uses of Hugo.


Getting some chip in with my heavy hitters with their placements being a focus towards the future.

It's actually less health than this, I just missed the final frame.

The enemies cluster, with their AI being unpredictable, and honestly, after around this point my "plan" was just "I don't know where things are going to go, let's just try it". I end up being woefully inefficient with SP, and could have easily squeezed out more Cheers if I reran it properly, but at least everything died to double $.
Turn 3:

Zero spawns and does serious damage to the Nadesico.


Akito spawns and does fixed damage to Zero.

I misplayed the EP EN, but I had spare Renew on hand so again, I didn't replay it.


We toss down a couple Hope.

Hugo repositions and chunks Zero.

More Hope.


I gave Elle this kill, which is the only one that gives full XP and any PP, due to the quirk in the Rebirth skill Zero possesses. I wanted her to hit a threshold for SP to get to triple Daunt cast in case I need it, and this way I have that locked up and don't need to worry.

Another chunking.



Another Zero kill.

We Rouse Nadesico.

Heal Hugo.


Hope and Renew.

The final Nadesico support.


I needed a touch more damage on this Lock. This Away positioning was terrible, but I was flying by the seat of my pants here.

Bright will be fine guys, don't worry.

That's some juicy rewards.

Peace out.



Freed up space for our third Zero kill.

Just repositioning, nothing to see here.

Hope.


Chunk and heal.



The fourth and final (for me) Zero kill. So far he kept giving unique dialogue as I did it, but I ran out of gas about here. Different guides gave differing numbers for how many are needed for the secret, so ymmv.

These guys all have support defend, so this gets a little tricky. W attacks help.


Support attacks also, to an extent.

Hugo helps out as well.

More Hope for more Cheers etc.

We can't reach anything, so we bring her down to get healed.

Judau gets the kill with his final shot, and peaces out.


Akira claims a huge swath with MAP.

Peaces out.

Renew first.



Last two kills.

Now the resupply.


Heal, resupply.

Getter is fine, don't worry about it.


And out.

Target point reached.

Zero targets Ogre.

They fall to the Galf planet while everyone else heads after them.

Mission accomplished.

Finish 52
FUB:  H=HP, E=EN, B=Mobility, R=Armor, M=Move, ALWS=Terrain
WFUB: H=Hit, C=Crit, B=Bullets, R=Range, E=EN, V=Will, ALWS=Terrain
Char      Lv  XP     K   PP  Mel/Sht/Hit/Eva/Skl/Def  HP/EN/Mo/Ar|* Wn/Ht/Ct|* Sh    Skills                                                                          Parts                                             
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Jim       57  147    3   75  171/183/196/184/199/171  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL4   | Guard      | Concentrat |            |             || MBooster   | HighAccSgt | NewAlloyZ  | HighAccSgt ||
Harry     61   31    8  127  144/183/208/157/201/133  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SPUpL2     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Ruri      60  484   60*  56  143/186/210/158/218/135  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Hacking    | SupAtkL3   | Concentrat | Hit&Away   | Morale     | Attacker    || MBooster   | MBooster   |------------|------------||
Kamiyu|R2 58  353   19   40  195/197/242/240/221/136  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | ShieldL7   | Revenge    | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || Radar      | PsychoFrame| ApogeeMotor|------------||
Saegusa   59  300    0   30  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Torres    59  300    0   30  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Elle|SG   62  376   26   41  170/180/229/212/199/146  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    NewtypeL6  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat |            |             || Haro       | ImageSensor| ImageSensor|------------||
Judau|R1  58  422   59*  14  194/197/241/236/220/146  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | Attacker   | AssistL4   | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || Wolf       | Radar      | Shuffle    |------------||
Bright    59  300  128*  52  138/251/213/158/225/139  00/04/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Attacker   | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | ESave      | Hit&Away   | Morale      || MBooster   | MBooster   | MBooster   |------------||
Sai Saici 58  292   58*  21  195/172/220/217/224/148  00/07/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL7  | SwordL7    | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || Shuffle    | LargeGen   |------------|------------||
Fuuinsaki 57   14   53*  39  185/131/206/211/211/148  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SupDefL3   | SupAtkL3   | Hit&Away   | Concentrat | SPUpL3     |             || Radar      | NewAlloyZ  | NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Sayaka|V  59  476   19    9  158/181/201/173/207/159  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    Guard      | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || HighAccSgt | EWAC       | IField     | ApogeeMotor||
Jun|MPG   57   85   33   66  183/184/201/179/213/160  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    PrevailL6  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL2     |             || Booster    | ImageSensor| ApogeeMotor|------------||
Hayato    62  207   64*  94  194/191/218/212/222/153  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupAtk+1   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | InfightL7  | Revenge     ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Benkei    62  207    2   44  192/186/198/177/216/164  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Concentrat | SP Regen   | SPUpL7      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Michiru   59  116   27   33  156/184/205/183/208/153  00/05/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SwordL3    | SupDefL3   | SP Regen   | Concentrat |            |             || Radar      | ImageSensor| EWAC       |------------||
Ryouma    62  207   44   61  236/185/206/179/219/157  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|S --    PrevailL9  | SP Regen   | UnyldSpirit| Attacker   | Concentrat | SPUpL1      || Haro       | MegaGen    |------------|------------||
Kazuya    59  389   33   55  199/166/218/189/223/163  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    PrevailL9  | Concentrat | CounterL8  | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Booster    | Shuffle    |------------|------------||
Kyoshiro  62  219    8    6  155/184/214/207/216/150  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | CounterL6  | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || Biosensor  | Biosensor  | AlloyGren  | EWAC       ||
Nana      62  219    0   25  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat |            |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Akira     63  186  201*  23  329/196/215/190/220/154  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|A 00    Telekinetic| Hit&Away   | InfightL7  | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker    || Booster    | Wolf       |------------|------------||
Mari      59  244   10    3  158/184/209/201/213/143  00/00/00/00|- 12/00/00|- --    HardWorker | UnyldSpirit| SupDefL4   | Concentrat |            |             || ApogeeMotor| ApogeeMotor| AlloyGren  | Biosensor  ||
Aqua      66  460   30   14  193/196/222/213/218/152  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    InfightL7  | ExpUp      | SupDefL4   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SPUpL9      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Hugo      66  441  140*  38  242/182/220/218/227/154  00/10/00/00|- 11/12/12|S 00    Fortune    | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || Shuffle    | Radar      | Haro       |------------||

Argo      49  399   21   65  189/170/210/204/217/153  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL6  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Repair     | Repair     |------------|------------||


Sleeping
Shinji    53  137   84* 124  186/184/193/168/206/128  00/01/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | AssistL3   | Morale     | Concentrat  || Repair     |            |------------|------------||

Dead
Rei       60  480   92* 124  189/189/196/172/214/138  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL3   | Attacker   | Concentrat | Morale     | SP Regen    ||            |            |------------|------------||

Total Cash:  409583
Total Turns: 195

 

Chapter 53, Ｗ－Ｉｎｆｉｎｉｔｙ, in 2 turns:

Spoiler

 

Third mission of the final scene.

No scenario mode, we go straight to the Title card.

Deploy screen.

Shoot down Zero.

This is our setup.




Varying amounts of Rouse.

Topped with Love.

And Hope.

Taking this opportunity to power-level Argo and giving Sai a chance to take the bench for a change.



Some initial kills to build Will.


Hit and Away.

Load Dendoh onto the Argama. I wasn't sure this was going to work, but it did and simplified other problems I was having, so huzzah.

Shine Spark.


Hit and Away.


Okay, we killed Zero. Sadly, it seems to have kept track that we killed him last map, and we don't get full XP or any PP for this or subsequent kills. What a ripoff.


Hit and Away.

Judau engaging Hugo.


Second Zero kill.

Our objective is still to kill Zero. How frustrating.


Judau delivers Hugo supports.


Assist and Away. We want him within Bug range so they can attack and get countered.

I needed a high-levelled unit to get hurt and healed, so this one won.


Yeah, I hear you. He respawns again, who could have seen this coming.

This is new at least, he's changes his form.


I wasn't aware he'd move if I'd moved Dendoh, as this negates some of the other things I planned specifically to open a hole, but neat. The fact that he can still event battle without forcing Dendoh to leave the battleship is amazing.

The last Data Weapon awakens. It's a girl.


Altair tags into Ogre, and does some fixed damage to Zero.

The wincon is now to bring Dendoh to the basement.

I stuff the event units onto Argama.


Kamille and Away.


This would have opened a hole if Zero was still blocking my way, but I needed Dendoh's square for the final support attack position alongside Getter.

Hugo loads up.

Heal XP.

We snipe this Bug. The reinforcement ones have more bloated HP pools.

Getter will be fine.

We fish for a crit on the Spiral Castle here.

And everything else dies to Valor.

And Away.


Once more, with feeling.

And onto the battleship you go.

I could have taken this kill earlier, but I was still juggling ideas about resupplying instead and taking it on EP.


A couple heals.

Argo hulks out on EP.

I have Mari tank for Michiru.

Bright needs to land this shot.
Turn 2:

Strike while the enemy Will is low(ish).

Otherwise it one-shots you.

Argo delivers some damage to Zero.


Judau Kills and Away.

So Kamille can take his spot.

Elle Alerts and delivers support.


We spend Fuuinsaki's Hopes.


I had to land on the ground because I was lazy and didn't fish for a dodge on EP. Thankfully terrain saves me.



Love gets it done. This kill was wholly unnecessary, but I had a lot of units that otherwise had nothing to do.


MAP.

And Away.

Anywhere in the basement is fine.


They bust through a wall and reveal the Galf Emperor.


The Phoenix gives them a giant sword and they hack away in an event battle.

Conditions now allow us to kill Zero without him respawning. The downside is if we don't also kill the Emperor on the same turn we lose.

I'll take that bet.

"Hurry!"

Nice rewards.


Empty turns of Zealed movement from my carries.


Hugo first.

Hope.


Oof that hurts.

Hope.


We have visible numeros!

Hope.


Renews.

Another chunking.

Fuuinsaki can dodge this.

Good cash.

Stray Bless/Cheers.


Some heals.

Mari had a free Cheer from her passive, so she got the nod here.

I still had a Hope in the tank, and nothing to really use it on.

Oh well.


Onore ningen!!

Huge gains.

There's a movie for it disintigrating.

The remaining Spiral Castles go up in smoke. There was no way I had the juice to kill a second without losing turns.

Galf Emperor and Zero eliminated.

Hail to the Victors.

Finish 53
FUB:  H=HP, E=EN, B=Mobility, R=Armor, M=Move, ALWS=Terrain
WFUB: H=Hit, C=Crit, B=Bullets, R=Range, E=EN, V=Will, ALWS=Terrain
Char      Lv  XP     K   PP  Mel/Sht/Hit/Eva/Skl/Def  HP/EN/Mo/Ar|* Wn/Ht/Ct|* Sh    Skills                                                                          Parts                                             
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Jim       59  322    9   28  173/185/198/186/201/173  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL4   | Guard      | Concentrat | SPUpL2     |             || Shuffle    | AlloyZ     | NewAlloyZ  | HighAccSgt ||
Harry     61  235    8   57  144/183/208/157/201/133  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SPUpL4     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Ruri      61  198   65*  25  143/200/210/158/218/135  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Hacking    | SupAtkL3   | Concentrat | Hit&Away   | Morale     | Attacker    || Radar      | MBooster   |------------|------------||
Kamiyu|R2 59  267   21   45  196/198/243/241/222/137  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | ShieldL7   | Revenge    | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || Shuffle    | PsychoFrame| ImageSensor|------------||
Saegusa   60  192    0   38  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Torres    60  192    0   38  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL3     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Elle|SG   62  405   27   44  170/180/229/212/199/146  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    NewtypeL6  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat |            |             || ApogeeMotor| ApogeeMotor| Radar      |------------||
Judau|R1  60  131   60*  19  195/198/242/237/221/147  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | Attacker   | AssistL4   | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || Wolf       | Wolf       | Haro       |------------||
Bright    60  192  132*  20  138/264/213/158/225/139  00/04/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Attacker   | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | ESave      | Hit&Away   | Morale      || MBooster   | MBooster   | MBooster   |------------||
Argo      57  272   26   80  195/176/216/210/223/159  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL7  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Minovsky   | ImageSensor|------------|------------||
Fuuinsaki 59   53   55*  45  187/133/208/213/213/150  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SupDefL3   | SupAtkL3   | Hit&Away   | Concentrat | SPUpL3     |             || Radar      | ApogeeMotor| NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Sayaka|V  61   95   19    9  158/181/201/173/207/159  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    Guard      | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || HighAccSgt | EWAC       | IField     | Booster    ||
Jun|MPG   59   51   36   35  185/186/203/181/215/162  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    PrevailL6  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL3     |             || Minovsky   | ImageSensor| NewAlloyZ  |------------||
Hayato    68  119   65*  23  210/195/222/216/226/157  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupAtk+2   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | InfightL7  | Revenge     ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Benkei    68  119    2   66  196/190/202/181/220/168  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Concentrat | SP Regen   | SPUpL7      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Michiru   60  466   27    3  156/184/205/183/208/153  00/05/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SwordL3    | SupDefL3   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || Radar      | Booster    | Booster    |------------||
Ryouma    68  119   45   23  255/189/210/183/223/161  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|S --    PrevailL9  | SP Regen   | UnyldSpirit| Attacker   | Concentrat | SPUpL1      || PsychoFrame| MegaGen    |------------|------------||
Kazuya    62  107   35   72  200/167/219/190/224/164  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    PrevailL9  | Concentrat | CounterL9  | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    || Radar      | Shuffle    |------------|------------||
Kyoshiro  64  280    9    6  157/186/216/209/218/152  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | CounterL7  | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             || ImageSensor| Chobham    | AlloyGren  | EWAC       ||
Nana      64  280    0   25  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat |            |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Akira     68  399  214*  82  337/199/218/193/223/157  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|A 00    Telekinetic| Hit&Away   | InfightL7  | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker    || MBooster   | Haro       |------------|------------||
Mari      61   89   11    6  158/184/209/201/213/143  00/00/00/00|- 12/00/00|- --    HardWorker | UnyldSpirit| SupDefL4   | Concentrat |            |             || Dustproof  | ApogeeMotor| AlloyGren  | Biosensor  ||
Aqua      67  179   30   14  193/196/222/213/218/152  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    InfightL7  | ExpUp      | SupDefL4   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SPUpL9      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Hugo      67  123  140*   2  251/182/220/218/227/154  00/10/00/00|- 11/12/12|S 00    Fortune    | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || MBooster   | Haro       | Haro       |------------||

Sai Saici 58  292   58*  21  195/172/220/217/224/148  00/07/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL7  | SwordL7    | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   ||            | LargeGen   |------------|------------||


Sleeping
Shinji    53  137   84* 124  186/184/193/168/206/128  00/01/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | AssistL3   | Morale     | Concentrat  || Repair     |            |------------|------------||

Dead
Rei       60  480   92* 124  189/189/196/172/214/138  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL3   | Attacker   | Concentrat | Morale     | SP Regen    ||            |            |------------|------------||

Total Cash:  611663
Total Turns: 197

 

Total Turns: 197

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Okay, the lifting hug was unexpected, prompting a few peals of joyous laughter. "Lavinia, love, I'm here. We're both here, safe, together." Jade squeezed back as soon as she was set down on the ground. At her partner's apology, she snickered a bit and countered. "You know it would take more than that to hurt me, it's fine." Then she listened to the account of current affairs and nodded.

After a brief bit of back and forth with herself, the vampire had decided the pair of them should check in with Xalrei--with Tundyssa, Jade had to correct mentally the old habit. A smile on her face, she walked over to where the dragonewt had taken up--leaning against a wall, alone--leading Lavinia along behind her. "All by yourself, huh? You look well enough, at least, no real problems in whatever corner of the maze you landed in?"

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

As Cosette began to rebut her, the facts didn't quite line up. It was surely possible that she had a younger sister. If the farmer and his wife had gone and expanded their family, it would simply be a matter of course, so that wasn't a strict contradiction. And it seemed she did remember the experiments--somewhat, at least, though her details of them were a little twisted. Susan cocked her head to the side and bit her lip, trying to figure out how to make her see the truth. Should she show her her scar, apologize for not having developed her powers quick enough to stop them from doing it again, for not being the big sister she deserved, the kind she so clearly imagined would have kept the younger ones safe?

No, there were too many people around, that would only draw even more questions than she was already inviting, and honestly none of that would be comfortable. She can at least answer this bit about the church though... And a small opportunity arose when the girl seemed like she was having a mental break, wishing everything were just a bad dream.

"I was too wrapped up in escaping the monastery with you to do much about the Order at the time, but going back and killing them was always part of the plan..." No headway on understanding here, this was met with another refusal, another threat, another ultimatum.

"Cosette, I'm so sorry. I don't know what else to say."

A pair of interlopers interrupted before anything actually turned violent though. A fox Changed, with a claim that made Susan's head spin. Seven hundred years? Susan brought her gloved hand to her forehead, squeezed it a bit and shook her head. That might... explain why nobody knew Isharia, and why the atmosphere didn't support magic very well. But that doesn't explain...? She sank to her knees as Nisha spoke up in her defense. An unexpected gesture, to be vouched for by someone she barely knew, but an appreciated one. And maybe her explanation was plausible?

"I... sweet Myrreenthia, there's no way to really know then. Whether you... she kept the last name of Green or took up that of the farmer's, either would have been lost when she married and then from who knows how many generations thereafter. Ha. Haha." A couple short nervous catches of laughter.

"What, what a cruel joke." She let her right hand fall to the floor leadenly, closed her eyes and tried not to cry. A rather successful effort, thanks to long years of practice.

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Jade having called out to both Ren and Ayane had had the side effect of both of the cousins being more interested in their reunion than in answering the zombie, so she was glad that Nisha, another from that group had stopped to answer her. She smiled in response and then pulled her wagon up along a wall and put it in park. As the group began centrally gathering, and the threats diminishing, it would be more awkward than not to keep manuevering as she had been without running someone over or blocking friends off from other friends. There was the fact that they had entered a more ornate room with a throne as well; it didn't feel right to keep driving around. Too impolite.

Shortly after she had done so, she spotted Lavinia come into sight, on the heels of several of their winged warriors, and Jade's mood brightened considerably. It wasn't that she'd been afraid. Lavinia was a vampire, and as resilient as they came. She knew that, so she couldn't possibly have been worried. And yet, the difference between having her off somewhere, places unknown, compared with now, finally coming into view. Well, thankfully she didn't have to put her feelings into words, simply shambling over to reach out a hand.

After the initial moments of reunion, she turned to look around, and pondered aloud. "Well, should we go to check up on the Hero, the king, or her sister?"

---

Susan had to admit Cosette's initial reaction, her sister shrinking back in fear and anger, hurt her feelings more than she cared to show. She pursed her lips, tried to remind herself that it had been years, not to mention there was any number of reasons for wariness, some she knew about and others she could only speculate over. She'd just have to talk it out, and smooth things over.

"It's Big Sis Susan? I, uh, well sure I don't look quite the same as a few years back, but it shouldn't be that..." Okay, no, in light of the clear and increasing panic now, focusing on matters of appearance was unlikely to find any traction. Raising her palms forward in a gesture of surrender and harmlessness she took a step back as well, in the hopes that some additional space might bring some calm to the situation. "You were in a coma, after the experiment, the surgeries? The farmer and his wife I left you with wouldn't know all the details, but they should have at least told you something when you woke...?" The magi's own confusion was starting to manifest as well, crinkles forming on her brow as she tried to process the situation. "Look, at the time I couldn't... There was just too much... I wanted nothing but the best for you, I still do. Please don't be upset."

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Susan winced as she felt the blowback from her attack on the construct. She'd known it was coming, but that hadn't make it hurt any less. The healer focusing on her dragon friend instead of the mysterious stranger wasn't unexpected either. The only one Susan could trust to have her interests at heart, was Susan herself.

After that, there hadn't been any more interruptions by any further automatons. She followed along behind the group she'd ditched originally, wounded now and not willing to risk exploring too far afield looking for staircases up to the higher levels alone. That said, when she caught sight of the red devil and her pet, she did dip into a side room, though there wasn't any danger of it leading to uninhabited dead ends, as conversational voices could be heard bouncing off walls on the far side, and sure enough, slinking through that room she poked her head around the corner and saw that the room opened up into a large area beneath the foot of a throne, upon which was seated the doll-maker.

Immediately disappearing back out of sight, pressing her back up against the bit of wall there, reminiscent of a doorframe without a door, she slid down to the ground and brought her fingers to her temple. Think, Susan, think. She wasn't on good terms with either devil or doll. But it was surprising that the latter hadn't just sealed the former once again, as unceremoniously as before. Surely that meant safety for herself as well then? At the very least, there were enough newcomers she stood a reasonable chance of not being noticed if she just blended in...

A deep breath, standing tall and heading out with confidence, headed over toward a small congregation of folk on the other side of the room, the words 'You can take us out whenever ready, Hecate,' coming from her left caused a break in her stride. After a moment's hesitation, she decided the only natural response for any bystander would be to turn and look, and that had the added benefit of being able to react if she was indeed spotted and attacked. But when she pivoted that direction,

"Hey Susan," seemingly out of nowhere, the same Nisha from before, the one who had freed her, showed her face for friendly conversation. Small mercies put the other woman between her and the throne, so not all was lost, and it wasn't likely random small-talk here would be enough to catch the attention of the parties she was worried about, so there was no point running from it. Listening to the rest of the other's concerns, and request for answers, Susan shook her head with a defeated looking twist of a smile.

"I did warn you, didn't I?" the magi sighed, then followed up apologetically. "I probably should have been clearer about things, but if you were unfamiliar with the empire itself I didn't really expect naming her as Moth'Tudon Ilvales Zath'Tanaz Githon, Miss 'I am Ishtaria' herself to have made a difference. Such a mouthful... now you know why I just call her the red devil, yeah? Shorter and more descriptive." Her gaze swivelled from her conversation partner to check on the status of the topic being discussed. Still on the outskirts of the group a fair distance away. No longer actively embraced by retainer, but still as subdued looking as last Susan had seen her.

"Anyway, she's evil, or if you think that a leap too far, allow for simply incredibly self-centered and tyrannical. Ishtaria's prosperity is a byproduct of her curiousity, experiments, and aptitude rather than any focused design. But she is without a doubt powerful, the first of the Changed, and there are many who would foolishly seek to emulate her. Of course, you're free to disbelieve me, this is purely from my perspective, how she's seen through the lens of the poor and the wretched. I'm sure if you asked a wealthy subject, you'd get quite the different answer. As for what business she had with Hecate, that reclusive scholar, researcher, and doll-maker, I can only speculate, but it certainly did not end as she had hoped."

Her explanation having changed targets, so too did Susan's attention, but as she turned to look at the throne and its occupant again, something wholly unexpected jumped out at her from the periphery. It couldn't be, but yet it was. She had grown, obviously, and so her clothes were different as well. The ornament in her hair was similar in spirit only, but the hair itself, and the face it framed. Unmistakable. Her jaw dropped, a few moments of silence, and she managed a final half thought or two to Nisha, before pushing past the girl. "I'm... my sister? I have to..."

Caution now disregarded, not quite breaking into a sprint, she bumped into and muscled past one, two? individuals before closing the distance. She almost threw herself at Cosette, hugging her firmly from her left side, before loosing her grasp and sliding around to the front. "Haha, I don't... I had hoped, but never expected to see you wake. It's been years, how are you?"

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Jade turned back to Seilan, a bit touched by the unexpected action. Unless she'd actually been hurt worse than she felt, maybe that's why... Sometimes it was hard to know. "Ah, thanks. Looks like nothing pressing here anymore,"  A smile and a laugh, trying to keep a positive outlook on things. "I am still concerned about how we have yet to find most of our group," though there was now a small trickle of them coming up from a door to the south that was no longer closed. "I think I'm going to push ahead, and see what I can find out."

As the zombie was wheeling down toward the door, Ren broke to his right, her left, so she switched tack and followed, that was the direction the damage had been as well, so it was a classic case of two birds, one stone. "Ren, is it just the three of you from down there then," she called out as she passed by the oni. "Our end has myself, Seilan, the General, Ember, and Nashwa. So far at least, though, I think I caught a glimpse of someone I didn't recognize. Was a little distracted by these golems at the time."

Jade moves to 14,29

Her nightmares kept her wagon rolling, and as she ended up passing Ren, she began to slow them down, to give the man a chance to catch up and converse, but as she came alongside a pillar and could see past it, another welcome sight came into view. "Ayane! How are you, are you alone?" The small red figure she had seen before was nearby, so she kept her custom pistol at the ready in case she needed it, but she was not training the sights unless and until an indication of hostility arose.

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

The dragon finally took notice of her, and began to talk, as Susan and the pair trailed behind those who had foolishly rushed ahead.

"I can only assume. The sunken tower was located within its borders when I entered, and barring some feat of unknown magicks I would assume that be where it remains." This answer segued in part to answer the other question directed her as well, though she got the feeling the redhaired woman desired a few more details that just that.

"Yes, White. Susan White. I'm not entirely sure what business the ruler had here, but I had discreetly followed her and her retainer because I had there was something I needed to discuss with her, though when I caught up with them inside the labyrinth, that meeting didn't quite work out how I had hoped..." She frowned as wisps of memory surrounding the event swirled to the surface, and her words dried up and trailed off.

The sound of gears whirring to life, and the sight of the golem she had helped the earlier group dispatch only just a short while earlier caught her attention, and provided more than adequate reason to change the subject. "That one reflects magic, we have to be careful, it would be best if we could defeat it from range with weapons, but," a glance at the dragon and her companion didn't indicate this was likely.

In fact, she wasn't sure the dragon could deal with it alone, qne her friend seemed to be a healer and nothing more. Very worrisome. Clucking her tongue in irritation, Susan changed her mind. "No, we don't have a choice, I'll just have to deal with the pain, I guess. Follow my lead."

What about usss...

Not now, this shouldn't be too bad, and I'd rather keep you in reserve. Just the standard magic, nothing more. Thinking that, she reached for the most accurate, yet simplest of the spells she knew. It was barely more complicated than a Fireball, it shouldn't fail her. It shouldn't.

Susan to 3,15 cast Elwind at Construct 9

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

"There's absolutely massive devastation here," Jade called back behind her. "Forget messing with the runes on the ground and come back, there's much more important matters afoot now." She stared at the unfamiliar individual slumped against a wall, then turned an inquisitive look to Nessraya. The merchant's concentration was only brought back to her immediate vicinity by the unpleasant tugging sensation of the enemy's sword cutting across her flesh. Still, better she suffer the wounds than her companions. Clucking her tongue, she reloaded her gun, pointed the barrel, and discharged another shot.

Jade to 6,35 fires Glacial Gun at Construct 10, keeping her body between it and the living members of the group.

 

---

 

Was everyone here stupid, or just stubborn? As the redheaded girl made her way past Susan, in spite of her warning, she turned to see that none of the previous ones she'd been introduced too had taken her advice either. If either of the staircases here had been ascending ones she absolutely would have ditched these fools to make her escape, but she had no interest in climbing deeper into the bowels of this labyrinth on the off chance of finding a roundabout way back to an upward path.

"Fuck." With the devil still at full power, her magic would just roll off of her like water off a duck's ass. Instinctively her right hand moved to draw her knife, and Susan had to stop and correct the motion. She was left-handed now, and her right wouldn't find a sheath on the side it was reaching for. But then oddly neither did her other. Frowning, she looked down. No knife in sight. "Merciful Myrreenthia what have I done to the deserve this," she cursed softly. In that case there literally wasn't any choice, she had to stay with these other people. Had to use them. Reversing course she moved back to her previous position, peering around the corner. Nisha and the others were clustered, no enemy in sight. The worst still ahead, if encountered at all. Small blessings here.

Susan to 4,9

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

"Miss White," Susan answered the tall red-haired human, who seemed to be inquiring her identity. The dragon didn't seem to pay her any attention, focused more on taking care of the dolls. Honestly, not a bad priority, however her musing aloud and her shouted instructions did warrant some comment.

"In all likelihood that was the aftermath of someone unsealing the ruler of Ishtaria. And the red devil doesn't seem to be in a pleasant mood. Better to wait it out, or find a different way out of this place if you ask me."

[Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 2: What Once Was is Once More]

Jade had been focused on the approaching enemy from around the corner, and was on the way to back up Seilan as the human mage moved in to give assault. An unexpected event gave her pause for a moment though, as unfamiliar sensations resonated throughout her body. It was as if her bones were a tuning fork, and someone was hammering on them. Confused, she turned to look past the rear of the wagon, searching for any sign or clue to the cause, but saw nothing save for one of the downed constructs from before, now reanimated and on the chase.

"Fiddlesticks," the merchant swore lightly. Drawing close enough to the axe-wielding golem to discharge her firearm, she wheeled her cart in an arc, turning around to try and cut off the new (old?) threat from catching them in a pincer. It pained Jade to leave Seilan behind, especially with him standing right next to the foe, but if her shot didn't finish the monster off she would simply have to hope the shotgun succubus could seal the deal while she tried to contain aggression from the other source.

Jade moves to 6,41, fires Glacial Gun at Construct 12, Cantos to 6,34

---

Susan visibly winced at the discharge of magical energies coming from the direction the crew she'd found herself caught up in had been heading.

"Oh. That's bad. She didn't lose her powers, but I'm down most of mine? Yeah, no... sorry, I'm finding a different route." Apologizing to her current companions, she made her position on the matter clear.

Then with almost comically choreographed precision, Susan turned on her heel and swiftly moved past the door she'd just left with Nisha, the crumbled remains of her egglike entombment still staining the floor within. Deliberately striding along the wall until passing the bend and finding the labyrinth open up a bit to a room with no real promising leads. Just a dragonkin, a human, and a collapsed construct.

"Well fuck me." She stopped to think, trying to place just where in the maze this could be, if she'd even made it to this part of it before she'd been sealed away.

Susan moves to 12,7

[I'm back! And to celebrate, let's have a SRW Draft! (MXP this time)]

Chapter "49", Starlight Serenade, in 1+6 turns:

Spoiler

 

I physically can't put it off any longer.

First map has an easy misleading condition. We don't actually need 5 turns to pass though.


Killing an enemy triggers an event.

Now it's even easier, D2 or D3 has to convince D1.


First we clean up as many enemies as we can with Zeal.

I'm aiming for the higher levelled generics for better XP.

Then the convince goes off and we win the map.

By win, I mean, retreat, read some plot about our plan to liberate Mommy and fix the problems.

Map 2 is when they give us the title card.

The Dragonars are obviously still forced, and we get to deploy.

"Win" condition is to get D2 or D3 to the inside part of the map.

We get Bright to the required amount of Will.

We cast our regenerating SP.


Chip and board the Battleship.


Chip and board the Battleship.


Kill and Away. Guard spirit is obviously cast here (Michiru boarded off screen with Getter etc.)

Some of the Gebai couldn't reach. That is why we chipped and killed those ones.

The end of the day sees us with some health to spare even. Completely out of missiles and getting low on EN, but this is fine.
Turn 2:


Someone needs to help because the Daimaijin didn't have enough Will to use it's gated attack on us to provoke a counter. Michiru was the most expendable.


Kill and Away. We lose one square of movement for our people disembarking, but this ends up a better strategic choice in the long term.



Bringing one in brings the other in and changes the "Win" condition. This new one is of course a lie, but we'll pretend this is a rout map.


We bring our units in, hugging the wall to affect the AI so they don't block us. Unfortunately they won't stationary and fire, they're coded to move, likely because they're hunting the D Team?

I have Fury cast for the barrier pierce. It's only 1k extra damage but it helps.

Michiru took a decent chunk on counter, so she can only live two attacks on EP. We dodge the full health one to let her net two kills.

This looks scary, but for some reason Kaine fucks off and doesn't kill her.

We defend all the Denjins.

We use the last of our EN fighting the Daimajin trio that remain.


We defend all the long range attacks of the Gilgazamunes, effectively neutering them since they only have 1 ammo. We have enough HP remaining, not even close.

I don't really understand, but this is how the AI works here.

The Daitetsujins attack Kamille, which is okay because Revenge. The second Daimajin just futzed around and did nothing though.
Turn 3:

D3 activates a start of turn event.

We've located Mommy, she's behind a wall. We need to break it.

Elle is going to choke this point, and get what kills she can while preventing us from taking penalties.

Kamille busts open the wall.


All the D Team, plus the new recruits gather in this conveniently blocked off (by Elle) room.

Now it's a Defeat Boss map. That's much better. But he retreated behind a bunch of walls. That's much worse.

It's okay, Hit and Away.

Kamille had to use Zeal here, instead of fighting enemies, he's fighting walls, but my other units need it to happen to use their movement.

At least he can keep up with the squad, more or less.


Judau gives a parting shot before Hit and Away.

Getter kills a bitch. The Gilgazamune has too much health to be worth it, we'll take guaranteed small dollars.


Gasp. Using consumables. I know.


I do it a fair bit this playthrough. Be proud of me.

This doesn't kill, but the wounding is important.


As is the repositioning.

She needs Valor to kill, but it's better than taking more EP damage.

I arrange them as far away from the open window to cut the angle and prevent stray attacks. Possibly hugging near wall would be better for that, but this is good enough.

We defend the first three Denjins.

Starting from here we fight back.

Michiru's supports are saved till the three Daimajins.

Point choking is working. The one Daimaijin is just getting hella stuck. Unfortunate, but not much I can do.

Hayato kills the other blue, and these two yellows get wounded badly.
Turn 4:

Elle kills the second Daitetsujin.

I reevaluate my chances of killing either the Daimaijin, and realize I have to spend my spirits on something more profitable.


Kamilles Breaks and Aways.

This W kill ended up being slightly less optimal than a W I end up snagging later, but I couldn't predict the future well enough and the difference in value isn't really too large. I'll live, and I'm not replaying this for pennies on the dollar.


We line up next to the final door.


This time we get the kill.


We accel far far away, and start repairing.

End Turn.

Denjins are hot on our heels.

The Gilgazamunes start moving now, but we've got distance and they're not going inside because we're close enough? Wounded enough?

Point choking continues.

These guys chase us left.
Turn 5:


Break and Away. We have to stay out of Dorchenkov's range here. But we also need to stay close enough to do some chip damage next turn and can't farm the mid reinforcements.


We need to kill one of the Gilgazamune bodyguards to use any of our really damaging attacks, so this is slow going but the best we can really do with the squad we have.

I'm softening with W attacks now.


Chip damage, and a close enough Away to keep Michiru out of danger after her repair, but still get the counters in on EP.

Argama has enough health now, finally, to not be in danger.

End Turn.

We're getting low on EN again, so we are using missiles.

Except for this guy that I hadn't planned on, but he moved into the cone so he needs more damage.

Not even close.

These guys are making good time catching up.

Fucking 1 de HP. Sigh.

Point continues to be choked.

Generics continue to chase.

Dorchenkov.

The bodyguard.

Apparently Revenge multiplies the 250 from Infight, where Attacker doesn't. Curious, but we take Bank Error In Your Favor in these parts of the woods.
Turn 6:

Ryouma casts a Zeal to make room for Hope.

Kamille only has one shot, but he makes it count.

Letting Judau swoop in for a kill.

There's 3 bodyguards remaining, so I geared up Hayato for 3 Support Attacks.

But apparently not all of the bodyguards actually had Support Defend???

Whatever. Judau has the range to go back into the hallway.


We get in a good couple of Zealed Valored Shine Sparks.

At which point I noticed I miscounted my Valors, so I have to switch to Hayato and rely on EP and Revenge and S Terrain Ranks to try and make up the difference.

It's going to be close.

I do some quick math (ignore where I put the 1.2 in the wrong box and underestimate my outgoing damage). I didn't even relabel the attack, I was on a mission.

We Hope Michiru for some extra Bless.

This is the W I should have taken over the Gebai one, but again, small potatoes difference in the grand scheme of things.


Get 4 out of 6 Denjins, a good effort.

Get one last repair in.

The final phase.

One of the Gilgazamunes had enough move to reach, but I was prepared by accident.

She doesn't get everything, but she did her job and choked that point.

Judau ran out of EN, but even at full power I think the shield saves the Gebais, so we take the other kills.


Suck it! This map was Hell! And now it's over!

That's a huge payout.

Bakana!

We all warp out before the explosion.

That's a wrap.

Finish 49
FUB:  H=HP, E=EN, B=Mobility, R=Armor, M=Move, ALWS=Terrain
WFUB: H=Hit, C=Crit, B=Bullets, R=Range, E=EN, V=Will, ALWS=Terrain
Char      Lv  XP     K   PP  Mel/Sht/Hit/Eva/Skl/Def  HP/EN/Mo/Ar|* Wn/Ht/Ct|* Sh    Skills                                                                          Parts                                             
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Kamiyu|R2 52  352   14   21  190/192/237/235/216/131  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL7    | ShieldL7   | Revenge    | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || MBooster   | ApogeeMotor| ApogeeMotor|------------||
Saegusa   55  363    0   49  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL2     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Torres    55  363    0   49  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL2     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Elle|SG   55  361   22   91  165/175/221/204/194/141  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    NewtypeL5  | SupAtkL2   | SupDefL2   |            |            |             || PsychoFrame| PsychoFrame| ApogeeMotor|------------||
Judau|R1  57  175   58* 109  193/196/240/235/219/145  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | ShieldL7   | AssistL4   | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || MBooster   | MBooster   | Haro       |------------||
Bright    55  363  117*  95  134/223/209/154/221/135  00/04/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Attacker   | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | ESave      | Hit&Away   | Morale      || MBooster   | MBooster   | (SRepair)  |------------||
Hayato    61  499   62*  67  193/190/217/211/221/152  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupAtk+1   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | InfightL7  | Revenge     ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Benkei    61  499    2   77  191/185/197/176/215/163  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Concentrat | SP Regen   | SPUpL6      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Michiru   57  178   25   25  154/182/203/181/206/151  00/05/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SwordL3    | SupDefL3   | SP Regen   | Concentrat |            |             || (Repair)   | Radar      | Radar      |------------||
Ryouma    61  499   39   34  235/184/205/178/218/156  00/10/00/00|- 09/00/12|- --    PrevailL9  | SP Regen   | UnyldSpirit| Attacker   | Concentrat | SPUpL1      || MBooster   | Haro       |------------|------------||

Total Cash:  653343
Total Turns: 189

 

Chapter 50, Death and Rebirth, in 1+1 turns:

Spoiler

 

Final chapter in the scene.

Today I realized this Evangelion title was a play on words with dual meaning since in Japanese the Angels are not referred to by what I would have expected (天使 - tenshi, angel [heaven's messenger]) but rather (使徒 - shito, disciple/apostle [messenger person]). By leaving the first in kana you could have 死と新生 (death and rebirth) or 使徒新生 (newborn "Angel"). Although I think it stretches the grammar a bit to make it work, it doesn't seem beyond the pale.

This claims to be a rout map, but it lies to us.

We unplug Rei for her last hurrah.

Zeal to move close to position.

We Rouse her.


Chip and Away.


God damn that's a lot of XP.

LOL.

And Away.

This one drops a great part, we need to kill it.


This is just chip enabling kills.

I decide to get the front one instead because it drops a part.

In the real run I have Rei do the chip and Hugo gets the kill, since he won't take that PP to the bench never to return.

I didn't have enough move to do everything I wanted, so instead I gave Subaru SP skills to get a second Zeal out of him.

Elvy gets one kill without using a Support. Assist coming in big here.

The Obligato does nothing but defend. Again.

We get the last Allegretto kill.

Non-canon, see earlier note.


Dropping it below 90% health triggers the same event that would trigger by routing everything else.


This Vivace motherfucker shows up.

We literally can't hurt it.

But moving into any EP after its arrival triggers the event that ends this map segment.

Good night, sweet prince.

No more enemy reactions here. Frantic Evangelion story proceeds and then.

Weird Al Yankovitch - I think I'm a Clone Now.

Wait, that's not Adam. That's Lilith!

Time to squish.


The first hit is always completely blocked.

But that summons our reinforcements and activates Rah Xephon.

0 funds, 0 pp, and 0 xp. You bastard.


Let's get this started.

And again.


I have so many units, now I'm just having fun with some I don't get to use ever. Far from optimally as well, I should have stayed put and Voiced.


I should have Roused before the supports.

But I'm having fun.


I let Shinji do the honors. It's fitting.

Love that trauma.

Okay, that was short and sweet, and no Battleship means forced units free, and that made incredibly manageable.

Finish 50
FUB:  H=HP, E=EN, B=Mobility, R=Armor, M=Move, ALWS=Terrain
WFUB: H=Hit, C=Crit, B=Bullets, R=Range, E=EN, V=Will, ALWS=Terrain
Char      Lv  XP     K   PP  Mel/Sht/Hit/Eva/Skl/Def  HP/EN/Mo/Ar|* Wn/Ht/Ct|* Sh    Skills                                                                          Parts                                             
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Shinji    53  137   84* 124  186/184/193/168/206/128  00/01/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | AssistL3   | Morale     | Concentrat  ||            |            |------------|------------||
Rei       60  480   92* 124  189/189/196/172/214/138  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    Hit&Away   | SupAtkL3   | Attacker   | Concentrat | Morale     | SP Regen    || Haro       | MBooster   |------------|------------||
Aqua      58  417   30   77  187/190/216/207/212/146  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    InfightL6  | ShieldL5   | SupDefL4   | SP Regen   | Concentrat | SPUpL9      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Hugo      59   26  135*  37  228/177/215/213/222/149  00/10/00/00|- 11/00/00|- 00    Fortune    | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker   | Morale     | InfightL7   || Haro       | MBooster   |            |------------||

Jim       51  105    1   65  167/179/192/180/195/167  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL4   | Guard      | Concentrat |            |             ||            |            |            |            ||
Harry     53  277    8   98  139/178/203/152/196/128  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SPUpL2     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Ruri      52  466   50*  88  137/180/204/152/212/129  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Hacking    | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Hit&Away   | Morale     | Attacker    ||            |            |------------|------------||
Kamiyu|R2 52  352   14   21  190/192/237/235/216/131  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL7    | ShieldL7   | Revenge    | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || MBooster   | ApogeeMotor| ApogeeMotor|------------||
Saegusa   55  363    0   49  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL2     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Torres    55  363    0   49  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat | SpUpL2     |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Elle|SG   55  361   22   91  165/175/221/204/194/141  00/00/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    NewtypeL5  | SupAtkL2   | SupDefL2   |            |            |             || PsychoFrame| PsychoFrame| ApogeeMotor|------------||
Judau|R1  57  175   58* 109  193/196/240/235/219/145  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- 00    NewtypeL8  | SwordL8    | ShieldL7   | AssistL4   | Concentrat | Hit&Away    || MBooster   | MBooster   | Haro       |------------||
Bright    55  363  117*  95  134/223/209/154/221/135  00/04/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    Attacker   | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | ESave      | Hit&Away   | Morale      || MBooster   | MBooster   | (SRepair)  |------------||
Argo      49  161   21   65  189/170/210/204/217/153  00/05/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL6  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    ||            |            |------------|------------||
Sai Saici 55   97   55* 111  192/169/217/214/221/145  00/07/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SuperMode  | PrevailL6  | SwordL7    | CounterL6  | Morale     | InfightL7   ||            |            |------------|------------||
Fuuinsaki 51  225   50*  29  181/127/202/207/207/144  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    SupDefL3   | SupAtkL3   | Hit&Away   | Concentrat | SPUpL3     |             ||            |            |            |------------||
Sayaka|V  54  444   18    6  153/176/196/168/202/154  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    Guard      | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             ||            |            |            |            ||
Jun|MPG   53   31   30   53  180/181/198/176/210/157  00/00/00/00|- 07/00/00|- --    PrevailL5  | SupAtkL3   | SupDefL2   | Concentrat | SpUpL2     |             ||            |            |            |------------||
Hayato    61  499   62*  67  193/190/217/211/221/152  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupAtk+1   | SupAtkL2   | Attacker   | InfightL7  | Revenge     ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Benkei    61  499    2   77  191/185/197/176/215/163  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    PrevailL9  | SupDefL2   | Guard      | Concentrat | SP Regen   | SPUpL6      ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Michiru   57  178   25   25  154/182/203/181/206/151  00/05/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SwordL3    | SupDefL3   | SP Regen   | Concentrat |            |             || (Repair)   | Radar      | Radar      |------------||
Ryouma    61  499   39   34  235/184/205/178/218/156  00/10/00/00|- 09/00/12|- --    PrevailL9  | SP Regen   | UnyldSpirit| Attacker   | Concentrat | SPUpL1      || MBooster   | Haro       |------------|------------||
Kazuya    57   29   29   38  197/164/216/187/221/161  00/05/00/00|- 08/00/00|- --    PrevailL9  | Concentrat | CounterL8  | Guard      | Morale     | Attacker    ||            |            |------------|------------||
Kyoshiro  56  483    7    3  151/180/210/203/212/146  00/00/00/00|- 10/00/00|- --    SupAtkL3   | SupDefL3   | CounterL6  | Concentrat | SpUpL1     |             ||            |            |            |            ||
Nana      56  483    0   23  ---/---/---/---/---/---  --/--/--/--|- --/--/--|- --    Concentrat |            |            |            |            |             ||------------|------------|------------|------------||
Akira     62  294  196*  60  313/195/214/189/219/153  00/10/00/00|- 09/12/12|A 00    Telekinetic| Hit&Away   | InfightL7  | SupAtkL2   | Concentrat | Attacker    ||            |            |------------|------------||
Mari      55  446    9    0  154/180/205/197/209/139  00/00/00/00|- 12/00/00|- --    HardWorker | UnyldSpirit| SupDefL4   | Concentrat |            |             ||            |            |            |            ||

Total Cash:  718623
Total Turns: 191

 

Total Turns: 191