2/6 Cross 2023/11/09(Thu)16:57 No. 1076894 ID: 78048b
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The air blows past us as we fall through the windless sky.

I let the momentum carry her. I've already chosen a new direction for us.
I can feel her fist striking at my face, my chest.
Doesn't matter though.
She can't make portals instantly under herself - I already learned that from before.

Now, I'm the one pushing her away.
I thrust out my palm, a chill wrapping itself around my arm.
We collide with the field of flowers, a harsh layer of ice forming on her body.

3/6 Cross 2023/11/09(Thu)16:57 No. 1076895 ID: 78048b
File 169957785475.png - (1.80MB , 1000x1000 , dunked.png )

Cracks spread across growing ice as I hold her there, the impact shaking both of us to our cores.
The field of flowers are engulfed by a layer of frost, thick enough that escape would be difficult.
My arm stings, and in the corner of my eye, I can see stray hairs freeze, shatter, scatter on the wind.

Silence hangs over us both.

Finally, as I steady my shaking body, I stand up.
I hold myself at a distance, waiting for her to teleport away, to form another portal and escape. Both arms are frozen, one sticking out like she's reaching out for someone.
There's no telltale sound of a portal being formed.
And there, Mnemosyne lies.

A new sound fills my ears.

4/6 Cross 2023/11/09(Thu)16:57 No. 1076896 ID: 78048b
File 169957787347.png - (1.16MB , 1000x1000 , shelaughed.png )

She's... laughing?

I wanted to ask, 'What's the matter with you?'.
She just lost to me, someone she's supposed to prevent from getting out. Someone who, more likely than not, reminds her of something that led to the death of someone she cared about.

Instead... I find myself asking something else.
"You doin' okay, Mnemosyne?"

It feels weird even saying her name. Like invoking a natural disaster, rather than calling out to a woman.

"Yes, yes... you win, Argine. I concede."
That... wasn't what I expected.

5/6 Cross 2023/11/09(Thu)16:58 No. 1076897 ID: 78048b
File 169957788617.png - (428.65KB , 1000x1000 , reachingout.png )

I step over her, the ice sticking to my boots.
The aches and pains in my body make themselves apparent again, now that the fight's over.
I've earned it though.

"This was one of the hardest fights I've been in. You... you fought well. Honourably."
God, look at me. I sound like a bloody idiot. Talking with 'honor' isn't something I'm good at.

Not sure how I'm supposed to make this ice go away... but as I reached out to take Mnemosyne's arm, the ice around her cracked, then dissipated.

I extend a hand to Mnemosyne to help her up.

6/6 Cross 2023/11/09(Thu)16:58 No. 1076898 ID: 78048b
File 169957790751.png - (651.97KB , 1000x1000 , sidebyside.png )

Finally, we clean ourselves up a little. I watch as Mnemosyne wipes the blood from her face with her arm. The throbbing pain in my side; it's not going to go away for a bit. I should get myself bandaged up after this.

Unclipping my gunbelt, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Sitting here in the middle of the storm... the silence is pleasant. If I listen closely, I can hear our breathing.
This is honestly a really nice place.
I don't know how her Pseudosignia works, or what exactly this place is supposed to be... but it's nice. If Parasignias are an extension of us... then is this place a reflection of Mnemosyne?

We'll head out soon enough, but... for now, a break is in order.
"Something on your mind?", I ask, watching Mnemosyne contemplate something.

"It's just... it's been a long time since I've last fought like this. Without guns."
She flexes her arm, and I watch the tendons bulge underneath her armor.

"I forgot that conflict can be fun."

"Yeah. I get that."
Fun, huh...
A long time ago, before everything, before I found out that my sister was a sociopath, we used to have fun. Learning, together.
I'll admit, sometimes this can be fun. Surpassing your opponents, watching as they fall for your plans and traps.
But the fact that my freedom rides on this makes it less pleasant than it should be.
And apparently she's the one who's planned all this out? I don't know what Jin's thinking.
But it doesn't change much either. I'm going to beat her and leave all of this behind.

...

This place's quiet when we're not talking. Serene, not eerie.
The storm rages on outside, sparing the both of us.

I'll ask for my gadgets in time, but... you guys were the ones who saw her past, right? I didn't get to see that, only past recollections. Is there.. something you'd like to ask?

>>1076898
Your sister isn't a sociopath... well, it's not the time to talk about that, nevermind.

Well, the obvious question is to ask how he died.

Secondly, I'm curious as to how she developed this pseudosignia. It's like... the absence of her parasignia... was it brought about by her bond with HIM? I thought a pseudosignia was parasignias sharing power and creating a hybrid mini-power but it might be a kind of... recontextualization instead.

>>1076906
Apparently, pseudosignias are born from bonding with other people.

Speaking of which, Mnemosyne wanted you to win all along? Is this tournament really about proving your combat prowess... or something else entirely?

And what happened in the past? What was Site-77 like in those early years? And how did the war reach them?

Oh, yeah, and does she know Amica?

Ever fought Nickel? She seems to find... fulfillment in conflict so it just seems she'd at least attempt to have the title you have. Of ultimate soldier that is. How'd you get that title if you don't mind?

Did Armintell adopt a kid?

How did the world get nuked, and what were the days of evacuation like?

I think it'd be great to just hear about Armintell from herself. Not from some recordings from the past, but right from the heart herself.

An ever-dour face smiling is a strange sort of sublime, but there it is. You did that. Congratulations on a hard fought and well-deserved victory, Argine.

Let Mnemosyne enjoy her good mood a while longer. She's rediscovering something lost to her. Let her have these moments, before we start prying into the painful past. And as we pry, let's do it delicately. Or at least make the attempt. That matters, even if we do end up picking at old scabs.

As for what to ask?

There are many things you could inquire about. Whether she'd be interested in sparring again. This windy realm of hers. How it was formed and how it ended up being integral to the work done on the portal that'll let you leave. The past of the base and the mysteries we've poked at so far regarding the directors' goals and intentions. Armintell, his fate, or more indirectly what happened with the deaths (and you have a natural way into asking about this - you were at the graves, after all) that occured on the base, the ones we know about. What she knows of the others still here at base - you have impressions of them, but you clearly don't know them as well as you thought. Does she, or has she kept her distance, too?

You could focus on just getting to know her a little better, speak of more mundane matters, her interests and beliefs. She's not some natural disaster, clearly, just someone who has been caught in a tempest her entire life. Your feelings are just a matter of distance - and a bit of alienation, self-inflicted. Which you can close and reduce. You have beat her once fair and square, seen a long-held façade crack. How could she remain some distant figure after this? You know - and we know - there is far more to her. Or was, once. Perhaps again.

You could also share. Some of your own thoughts, woes and troubles; regarding your sister and her mysterious motivations, the need for this whole tournament. Or something of your worries regarding Amica. Or us, the SAI. Or the base's past and your own uniqueness that Nanoweaver has attempted to hide. Here, after all, is as private a place as you'll likely ever find in the base - since it's NOT in the base. Beaten in this contest she is under no obligation to aid the others, too, so told anything in confidence she may be likely to keep it so. The question is - what do you think you can trust her with? Hm. Maybe you should just get to know her better first.

But still. As private a place as any. Maybe you can return here later. For sparring.

Oh, one more thing. You could ask.

Does she need help with anything?

1/3 Cross 2024/01/08(Mon)17:18 No. 1080643 ID: 78048b
File 170476309741.png - (1.01MB , 1000x1000 , lyingdown.png )

>Ask about how Armintell died.
You... sure?

>Let her enjoy the good mood a while longer.
It's rare to even see someone like her smile. Really, it's odd seeing most of the oldest clones smile at all.

>You should hear about Armintell from her directly.
Yeah. Even if we're wanting to know how he died... I'm more curious about what he meant to her.
Because he's a part of her strength. Part of this world of hers.

"So... what was Armintell like? He must have meant a lot to you."

"He was the first to greet me. And someone I loved. Not everyone could say that they had someone like that in this facility."
The flowers swayed, an invisible breeze passing through the eye of the storm.
"He made things easier. And he was strong too. Though I was granted many, many advantages he was not, he was a genuine individual."

Genuine. Weird way to talk about a person. Am I genuine?
"I miss him. But I remember him, too."

"Sometimes that's what you need to do the most."
I wish I could let go of some of the people in my life. But like usual, I don't have a choice. At least for her, it's something that makes her stronger.

>What was Site 70 like in the earlier years?

"So what was it like in the years before I was around?"
I've only ever heard little snippets here and there. And Diagram certainly didn't talk that much about her past.
I guess until you Sykes came around, the past wasn't really something I was curious about.
Doesn't really matter what past a cage has when the one thing I want is freedom.

"Quieter. Even though we were trained, we never did see the war we were intended for."
She reclines on the flowerbed, the two of us staring up at the sky.
Lying down in the flower's a bit pokier than I expected. The grass nips at the skin under my fur.

"Sometimes I wonder how useful we would have been. This was before Parasignias, when a bullet or a grenade could kill you instantly. Would our training have overcome our lack of experience?"
The idea of loss, of actually seeing someone die... I don't think I'd know what it's like.
I'm no stranger to being blown up now, but getting away with nasty burns and blackened fur's better than what Mnemo's seen.

"I hear that many of us are finding success out there in the Weave. Perhaps this all did amount to something in the end. But I can't imagine that being my life either."
If I gotta knock some heads around to get food and a place to sleep, then so be it. I'm doing it my way first and foremost.

"Judicium has been encouraging me to join the PCC, find new people to protect. But I never even met the people I was supposed to protect in the first place, besides the one at my side. And I failed him in the end."
...

"We can still fight for ourselves like we did a few minutes ago."

"Maybe. But that's the danger of being made for someone else's sake. Even if you're trapped here - when you leave, you won't be bound by anyone."
I hope so. It feels like a lie to me.
The idea of people like Jin haunting me for the rest of my life... it makes me wonder why I'm even doing any of this.

2/3 Cross 2024/01/08(Mon)17:18 No. 1080644 ID: 78048b
File 170476311607.png - (542.22KB , 1000x1000 , gadgetselection1.png )

Fighting and sparring with Mnemosyne... I should ask her about it eventually. Maybe now that I've beaten her, it's an option. I'm aching too much right now to even think about the idea though.

>How'd she get the title of Ultimate Soldier anyway?
I think it's more of a reputation she built up as one of the oldest clones around. She thoroughly annihilated most people who've even tried to spar with her. I'm sure Nickel would be amongst that rank, but she's someone who lets other people challenge her.

>Aren't Pseudosignias formed with people?
Yeah... that's supposed to be the case, but Diagram mentioned there was exceptions. That they can be formed with places and objects too.
Given the documents that Nanoweaver gave us though... whatever this world is, it's not a Parasignia or a Pseudosignia. Maybe it grew out of her Parasignia or something?

Mnemosyne turns to me, this time asking me a question.
"You don't have those nightmares, do you?"
"Nightmares?"

There's a disturbed look in her eyes.
"So the rumors are true. You don't have memories of the past before you were born. Belonging to other people."

I can't say that I have. People have brought this up before, but... I don't have those memories, or flashes.
I've had dreams before. But never memories belonging to other people.
...There's those brief flashes from the past, from other people's perspectives. But I'm pretty sure that's a 'you' thing, not me. Never had 'em before I had a SAI in my bloodstream.
And before... you told me that Nanoweaver's been having nightmares, too. I just wonder if these were what she meant.

"What do you mean, memories belonging to other people?"

"It's something unpleasant. You'd feel nostalgia for countries that no longer exist, or want to be with people you've never met. Most clones in Site 70 have had these dreams. It's a good thing you don't."
Does Diagram get them too?
"It's hard to leave a place when it's all you've ever known in your life, for many, many years. Harder still when you remember a world that you were never part of."

She turns to look at me.
"This fight makes for a good excuse to leave. I had one of my questions answered."
...What's that supposed to mean?
Mnemosyne stands up in the field, staring off into the distant storm.
I've still got a question for her.

"Do you need help with anything?"
The adrenaline's wearing off a little, and.. in spite of it, Mnemosyne reminds me a bit of my sister. The two most independent people in the facility, and I've beaten one of them.
If the circumstances were different, I'd feel bad for her.
But my own freedom matters too. It feels like this fight means more to her than to Nickel and Astrolysis.
She was never playing around.

"You already did", comes the reply.
If she says so. It's really not my business to pry into someone else's problems more if they don't want my help.
Similarly, I'm not one to share my woes with others so quick. Different story for a bunch of idiots in my bloodstream though, hah!

3/3 Cross 2024/01/08(Mon)17:20 No. 1080647 ID: 78048b
File 170476320687.png - (475.84KB , 1000x1000 , gadgetselection2.png )

"Before we depart, I think it is necessary to grant you one of my gadgets."
Mnemosyne, in a brief flash, re-equips her previous gadgets. It's amazing how quick she can slide her gear on.

"Choose wisely. Remember, you only get one."
Hard choice coming up.



>[DEVICE ANALYSIS]

>[SQUALL JET] -

>Though ill-suited for long sustained periods of flight, the Squall Jet was prized for its ability to let soldiers quickly correct their position and navigate hostile terrain through controlled bursts of powerful blasts of air. Naturally, this technology was a cornerstone of the Keletzar's Seventh Flight's military, widely built upon and utilized by their soldiers due to their familiarity with airborne combat. While less suited for specie without innate gliding capabilities or wings, other divisions of militaries have found use for the device in repositioning their troops due to its long battery life. Due to its design, it can also be used as a short-ranged horizontal 'dash', though one must take care to land properly.

>DIAGRAM'S NOTE: Who doesn't want to fly? It's a shame that you can't get very high up with the Squall Jet unless your Parasignia happens to support it, so it's mostly something used to help people jump to higher vantage spots.
>The Squall Jet's also proportionally better depending on how big the user is. I don't think someone as big as Astrolysis or Reichenbach could use the Squall Jet at all. On the other hand, if you're as small as Nickel, you're probably going to get launched into the roof! The Keletzar didn't exactly plan for multiple different species to use this technology to begin with. I'm sure most people could still use it properly!

>Tags: Blustering, Streamlining, Leaping

>[VELOCITY JAVELIN] -

>A more recent creation of Site 70, the Velocity Javelin was invented by Engineer Sawdust while experimenting with high speed payload delivery mechanisms intended for usage in mounted gun turrets. Now, it's been re-engineered into a palm-sized device that imbues held projectiles with principles derived from the Weave Nexus and other paracosmic technologies.
>Though ill-suited for the purposes of automated weaponry due to critical overheating issues, the Velocity Javelin's ability to turn projectiles into super-accelerated slugs with high destructive force had made it a particularly prized gadget for usage in the Weave, at least in situations where friendly fire, property damage and ricochets are not an issue. One downside to the Velocity Javelin is its relatively poor accuracy due to most objects being ill-suited for throwing at high speeds. In addition, the hyper-acceleration provided by the gadget only lingers temporarily, meaning projectiles quickly lose speed due to drag. Conventional rifles and long-ranged weaponry are able to out-range this device and its heat dissipation issues still persist, meaning it has a lengthy cooldown unless an operator wishes to have their hand covered in molten slag.

>DIAGRAM'S NOTE: Using the Velocity Javelin in stealth situations isn't advised, either. Considering how loud and bright it is due to the energies wrapping around whatever you're throwing, it's very noticeable! You're likely not catching anyone off-guard with it. And maybe this is obvious, but you have to think about what you're throwing with the Velocity Javelin! If it's something soft, then it won't be very destructive if it hits the target.

>Tags: Accelerating, Imbuing, Overclocking

>Currently owned Tags:
>Beam Unit - Focusing, Energizing, Pinpointing
>Explosive Disc - Explosive, Volatile, Destructive
>Barrier Generator - Reflective, Protective, Repelling
>Pitch Prefect - Slowing, Sticky, Congealing
>Blink Capacitor - Displacing, Replacing, Intangible
>Blade Printer: Replicating, Cutting, Aerodynamic
>Amp Rings: Empowering, Amplifying, Intensifying

...Oh, the Javelin was made by Sawdust? She didn't bring it up last I talked to her. Can't blame me considering she has turrets in the brain. What's the point of guns you're not shooting yourself? Takes out a lot of the joy of making your own weapons if you don't even get to fire them yourself.
There's only two opponents left in this sham of a tournament.
What's the pick you guys have in mind? These are both really good options, so either one would be a big addition to my kit.
And if you guys want to reiterate a question to ask Mnemosyne about before we head to the medbay or something, you should bring that up now. I didn't feel like I could ask all of it when we were having that quiet moment just then.

>I wish I could let go of some of the people in my life.
It's easier than you think, but the consequences are serious.
Rule of thumb is that certain relationships which make it easier and more tempting to break others are the ones that need to be dropped first.

>"Judicium has been encouraging me to join the PCC, find new people to protect. But I never even met the people I was supposed to protect in the first place, besides the one at my side. And I failed him in the end."
It's just tragic. This world was diseased, but it had its own culture, and an entire population that just wanted what was best for their respective peoples. Now it's all gone... and the one thing it gave to the universe was the exact opposite of what it represented. Worse than being forgotten, they will be worshipped and respected for everything that they didn't believe in.
Or maybe just hated for what they unintentionally unleashed.

>SQUALL JET
...Hm. I was never good at ordering troopers with these. Still, you can't deny how useful they are. They can save you in a fight, reverse-uno an entire tactical round of careful positioning against you. If you do take them, I recommend you use them for flanking or repositioning and not direct combat; essential for sniper builds in poor vertical-mobility areas, but if your giant jetpack is shot up, you're screwed.

>VELOCITY JAVELIN
...
>What's the point of guns you're not shooting yours-
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!
Argine, the greatest threat to superior firepower in a war was losing all the people who could shoot the damn things! Having the guns shoot by themselves means less of your soldiers need to risk themselves dying to a hail of gunfire to get them into shooting position! Please understand that most biological organisms were more likely to break from sustained firepower than the guns were!
Turrets are essential on any industrial-age battlefield and beyond! While they may be inefficient due to accuracy and jamming issues, and that's if they're made with sub-par engineering, it means all the unused ammo in your packs get spent faster where they're needed the most. More things shooting at once means your opponents have to concentrate on more targets to neutralize or evade! And that's not getting into the sheer intelligence that can be programmed into something the size of your fist! It's like having a disposable sidekick!
Also, you can manually shoot a turret if you really need to. So now you have the versatility of more guns to use before you need to reload.
Get this. It'll pair well with your other utilities and turn them into DPS-centralized superweapons. Your shotguns will get the most value out of these shortenings.

>>1080647
Hmm. I'd say Velocity Javelin. Overclocking your gadgets will be useful for burst damage, and using it as a tool means you can really chuck stuff. Rubble, explosive discs, knives, even Plug if it can handle the rough treatment.
It's an anti-Mnemosyne gadget. She blocks bullets but nothing else, so use the javelin to make everything else your weapon. Shame about the cooldown though. You'd probably have to set your loadout to something you can stand up to Mnemosyne in melee with for long enough to get away with blink or amp, and use the javelin for occasional big hits.

I also like its tags more.

I'm in favor of the Squall Jet, focusing on mobility has been very helpful so far.

>>1080647
Squall jet, I see use in the the velocity javelin for throwing props around or even potentially creating cover, but it would be somewhat more situational than the ability to go fast on command in any direction we need and doubling down on mobility has helped us most so far.

I'd say go with the Velocity Javelin. We can already blink away if we're in a pinch. Can't stop thinking about all the possibilities we could use that with other gadgets for.

I'll make a vote for Squall Jet, as it's likely that flight or self-propelled jumps will likely be very useful going forward, pun intended.

As for questions left unanswered, I would like to ask:
What did Mnemosyne figure out about herself with this fight?

and

Who attacked the Site all those years ago, and why?

1/5 Cross 2024/02/05(Mon)15:05 No. 1082609 ID: 32ff81
File 170717430108.png - (696.45KB , 1000x1000 , jetpackin.png )

>Turrets, Argine! They're essential on any battlefield!
Ehh... I mean, I see what you're talking about, but turrets don't mean much in the context of this facility. There's not a lot of honor to just watching a remote-controlled gun mow someone down, you're not really proving anything there. I guess battlefields don't really care about 'proving' oneself though.


>We could ask Mnemosyne about what she learned or what exactly happened to the site.
Maybe not when we're in the middle of her big mind world. I can already hazard a good enough guess myself, given the information we've been given. People died. Armintell died.
She lost him. I think that's all I need to know for now.

But anyway...
I'm going with the Squall Jet. Close vote this time.
Honestly, both these gadgets are amazing for me, but when I can literally teleport a jetpack onto my back with my Parasignia?
That's going to be extremely useful for getting around.
It's a shame I have to give up the Velocity Javelin, but that's just how things are.
Beside that, we did spend some cards in this fight... given that we won, it was a worthwhile investment.

We're down to:
Solburst - 2 (None used)
Frozeneye - 3 (None used)
Breezecycle - 2 (1 used)
Briarspirit - 1 (None used)
Voidsplit - 1 (None used)
Echoscribe - 3 (1 used)

Given that we've got two fights left, this is going pretty well. I wanted to use a Frozeneye against Mnemosyne earlier, but when I can't actually physically reach them, then they're not viable. Better keep my distance in future.
Picking up the jetpack, it feels surprisingly light when I hook the device to my back. Lots of little parts inside - this one's going to be interesting to break down.

2/5 Cross 2024/02/05(Mon)15:05 No. 1082610 ID: 32ff81
File 170717432887.png - (628.00KB , 1000x1000 , offintothedistance.png )

With the new gadget in tow, I stand.
My legs ache.
"Mind accompanying me to the medbay?"

Feels nice actually getting to ask that this time around.
"Would you like me to drop you there with a portal?"
The sensation of plummeting through the air, tumbling without any idea of where the ground is...
"Nah."

"Then we'll take the longer way out. This portal won't drop you quite so far."
"Fine. Let's go."
A portal forms on the ground, under the flowers. While Mnemosyne doesn't seem to use her Parasignia much... I can imagine how convenient it is for her, like mine is for me.
But speaking of things I'm carrying around...
Agh. I'm going to need a new shirt, and a shower.

3/5 Cross 2024/02/05(Mon)15:06 No. 1082613 ID: 32ff81
File 170717436558.png - (830.94KB , 1000x1000 , gossip.png )

Whispers dance through the evening halls of the facility.

"...it's so tragic..."

"I heard that over a dozen were killed..."

"Who'd have thought that the enemy would come from within..."

The lone soldier in red trains by her lonesome, her thoughts a thousand miles away.
Why?
Why?
She wasn't there for him.
If she had been, things could have been different. She could have made a difference.
A week had passed, and her dye was fading.
Thwack. Thwack.
Her knuckles bleed, a thin trickle of blood seeping into her fur, dying her hands red.
Her body ached. Compared to taking a grenade, it felt all-encompassing.

4/5 Cross 2024/02/05(Mon)15:06 No. 1082616 ID: 32ff81
File 170717440322.png - (928.84KB , 1000x1000 , trauma.png )

She wouldn't let go. She couldn't let go.
Where else was there to go from here?

The others didn't understand.
The first - or was it the second - time loss had been felt in Site 70.

Is this what war is? Is this what the citizenry felt, all the time?

If so, she wasn't ready.
She needed to be ready.
So that she would be there when she needed to be.

5/5 Cross 2024/02/05(Mon)15:07 No. 1082620 ID: 32ff81
File 170717445886.png - (762.88KB , 1000x1000 , shesitt.png )

Feels good to be here because I won, for once.
Mnemosyne's already left a while back, said something about picking something up for me, but I deserve a bit of a break while I'm here.
Got a chunk taken out of my side after all.
We mostly dressed each others' wounds... I don't think I'm ready to see Nanoweaver yet. Sent her to Judi's, to get my coat and shirt fixed up as well, so I'm in the 'bay blues again.

Still got the rest of the day, though. While we wait, we may as well plan some things out and address some things.

I've got a Pseudosignia now! With Judi, of all people.
I was expecting it to be Diagram, but what I said before, about not really feeling like I know her or her past? Maybe that's a big reason why I connected up with Judi's sentiments instead.
Cold War's a completely different experience. Like jumping into the ocean after having a hot shower.
Simplest way to explain it's that it's combining Judi's 'freezing' ability with my focus on equipment to disable things or make them more brittle.
Risky, but it's technically a defensive move considering it seemed to make my gauntlets even tougher. Even if I didn't have the gauntlets, I'm pretty sure I could block a rifle shot with it... but maybe not an explosive.

It's a bit bittersweet, isn't it? Figures the instructor who beat the shit out of me for most of my life would leave a few bruises, heh.
I still feel like a bloody idiot, that I didn't listen to all of what she had to say before. Thought she was just a frigid bitch for months...
At least I'm past that now.
...But those memories, they happened after the fight with Judicium.
Mnemosyne...
This happened with Nickel and Astrolysis before too, right?
I don't remember the ones with those two well, but the one with Judicium in it? That one featured me, and it changed how I saw her for the better. Explained some of what was going on.
I just... who's the one talking in those memories?
Sounds like a guy, but not one I've ever heard before.
In fact, he kinda sounds like one of your voices. But why would a Splinter be showing me these thoughts? You're all recordings able to respond to what I'm doing, not complete replicas of someone's mind.
...
I get the feeling we're going to get some answers soon.


More importantly, there was that situation with the vial - whether we should bring it to Amica or Nanoweaver or not.
A vial of SAI splinters, hidden in the Project Lead's Office. A prototype SAI that led us to it in the first place.
What's the beef between Amica and Nanoweaver?
I'm going to see Amica before the fight with Ozone no matter what, but it doesn't mean I have to bring the vial to her.
We don't even have to make this decision now - we could hear out both their stories before the fight, then give the vial over to whomever we trust.
Something's going on with this facility. Even if I'm going to leave it behind, I don't want there to be any regrets for me, Diagram, or the few damn people who give a shit about me.

>>1082620
hypothesis: we might not be what we seem, or in some way built off the architecture of this dude.

Most likely explanation is, the way we interface with you "stimulates" the trace or whatever that you were born from.

With how you've been seeing recordings of the past. Maybe you could bring up the vial to Nanoweaver. Don't tell her you have it, but describe a vague "recording"/memory trace that played while you were dreaming.

1/2 Cross 2024/03/09(Sat)06:04 No. 1085890 ID: 32ff81
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>My theory's that when we're integrated with you, we're interfacing with the traces that you're made of.

That's not impossible. I mean, Nanoweaver even told me - I wasn't made from the Memory Traces of normal soldiers, I was made from recollections of the other clones.
But that doesn't explain some of the memories I've seen - particularly the one with both me and Judi in it. It was clearly one of my memories, but expanded with more context.
The traces I was made from couldn't possibly account for the future, but that memory happened before you were injected into me as well.
I feel like the root cause has to be something different.

>Maybe there's more to us. Maybe we're built off of the architecture of the guy who's narrating the Splinter recordings?
Could be possible. The dude doesn't sound like a soldier. I haven't heard the Project Lead's voices though, so it isn't as if I can verify who it is myself.

My ears twitch - I hear footsteps.
Oh! Looks like Mnemosyne's back.
She's looking a little better.
I wouldn't be surprised if her regeneration was better than most of the clones in Site 70. She got up from being piledrived into the ground pretty quick just a few hours ago.

She's got a box with her.
"Apologies for the delay. I was looking through some of my old belongings."

2/2 Cross 2024/03/09(Sat)06:05 No. 1085891 ID: 32ff81
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Something floats in from behind her, carried in by the wind.

An assault rifle.
It's old. But in great condition regardless.

The metal's been polished, with no signs of rust or corrosion.
It even has its original trophies.
Asliann soldiers are said to hunt with their weapons as well. It's like a rite for them. They'd put bits and pieces of bone onto their gun, make leather coverings for the carry handles.
It hits me.
"This is..."

Mnemosyne nods.
"That's Armintell's gun. Considering the majority of quality firearms have been removed from the facility and the nature of your powers... I imagine you would be capable of bringing out more of its potential than I could."

I hold the gun before me.
For a moment, I feel a breeze come through the room. Leaves falling, the ocean's air...
Then the feeling passes.

"You sure?"
I've... never inherited a gun before.
Diagram's sentiments are in the Creirwy D-3, but that was a gift, from someone still in this world.

I gently trace a finger over its hand-guard, finding zero trace of dust.
A classic model XM-18. Asliann-manufactured, synthetic plastic furniture. And the bones of that man's first kill.
Compared to the majority of weapons in this facility, it's old.
Reliable, tried and tested. A true classic.

I can feel the weight it carries.
It hasn't been fired in a long time, despite it being maintained for years, parts gradually being replaced...

From the corner of my eye, I can see Mnemosyne scrutinize me as I hold the gun that once belonged to her lover.
I wasn't expecting a veteran to join my circle of friends, but I welcome it.

"Don't feel afraid to make adjustments to it. Armintell... he wouldn't be overly sentimental about his gun. I'm a different story. But some things should be passed down more than others."
Hard to improve on something so well-balanced. But I'll take that under consideration.

"Does it have a name?", I ask.
"It doesn't."
A pause.

"I suppose we didn't have that practice until later."
Right. Makes sense. Armintell's a normal soldier from what I know.
Mnemosyne chimes in.
"You can name it if you'd like."

...What COULD I name it?
I mean... I named my gals after two heroes. It was like they were with me even as I struggled. Watching.
I don't even know where to start with a dead man's gun.
Is Mnemosyne going to judge me for what we'd pick?

>>1085891
Legacy.

Legacy Endures, or just Legacy if that's too verbose. Has a double meaning. First is to the firearm's age. Other is that it's probably one of the closest things he and she will have as a legacy because, well, clone genetics.

Something about that weapon feels... autumnal. Armintell.

Autumn's Tell

Speaks of summer's waning, leaves falling, trees bare, flowers withering beneath rain and sleet and hail. Winter on its way soon enough, cold ends a-comin'. Yet traced with summer still. Lingering warmth. Potential yet on the vine or branch, ready to pluck. Fire in the hearth, burning, crackling.

Name it for a season of endings, and all its a crack-crack-crackly tells.

A little poetic and abstract, maybe. But Legacy sounds a little inexact to me. Whose legacy? The man we, arguably, barely knew? How can we keep his legacy when we know only brief periods of his life, and never met in truth? Maybe we'll discover more, and the name be more fitting.

Mnemosyne's legacy? More pertinent. But we're fairly fresh acquainted on this level. Might be weird to name it so, in her apparent honor. I don't know. You will have to choose - or think about it.

Whitemaw.

Hmm, Enduring Legacy?

>>1085912
My votes for Autumn's Tell. I couldn't think of a more beautiful or symbolic name if I tried.

"Endurance" sounds really compelling.

If not, maybe another defining trait of Armintel might fit. Or something related to the bone trophies.

1/3 Cross 2024/03/14(Thu)15:48 No. 1086398 ID: 32ff81
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"Autumn's Tell..."
The name speaks to me.
I'll hold onto this for now. Not like it'll be easy for me to break it down in front of the person originally entrusted with it.

A quick nod confirms Mnemosyne's approval.
She sits down beside me.
I can't help but feel a little self-conscious about all of this.
Mnemosyne's still one of the most capable people in the facility. Even if I beat her, I can't say I can do it consistently.
And having her hand me gifts like I'm on my deathbed feels a little ironic considering I'm the one who won the previous fight.

"...Guess your ears haven't grown back yet, huh."

"I've yet to eat. You've a long day ahead of you as well, don't you?"
She's damn right about that.
"But before that, there's something here for you first."
I put the gun behind me, taking the box she presses into my hands.

2/3 Cross 2024/03/14(Thu)15:49 No. 1086399 ID: 32ff81
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"Since I destroyed part of your coat in the previous battle, I thought it prudent to requisition more outfitting for you."
Opening the box, I find my repaired coat - and a bunch of materials.
Judi works fast, huh? Wish she'd done the same when she was instructing me as a cadet.

"Should I rip off half of my ears since I shot yours off?", I tease.
"That wouldn't be necessary", she replies with no sense of irony.
I guess she isn't used to smalltalk.

Underneath my coat...
Ooh. Spare armor parts? Yeah, I can roll with that. Been a while since I last saw what you came up with, but given that Ozone's my next opponent... maybe something nice and tactical is just right for the situation.
What's more is, there's enough left over to make me a new outfit AND for me to cobble together some impromptu protection for the next fight.

[Acquired: Armor Pieces. One attack in the next battle will be nullified.]

[NEW COSTUME EVENT: Elite Tactical Suit]
Please check the discussion thread for further details!

You all did a great job with my previous outfit. Heh. Cmon, I deserve something for winning, right? Make something cool for me.
"Hey, thanks! You didn't need to go out of your way for this."

"I beg to differ. You deserved it."
Mnemosyne stands, turning to face me.
"I must depart. If there isn't anything else you need from me, I'll be leaving."
I nod and she disappears... through the floor.
I'm really not used to the whole teleportation thing.

3/3 Cross 2024/03/14(Thu)15:50 No. 1086400 ID: 32ff81
File 171045663288.png - (568.83KB , 1000x1000 , argithonk.png )

...Well I've got the rest of the day ahead of me.
There's other matters to tend to. For one, my stomach feels like it's trying to eat itself.
Funny, isn't it.
I was healing off an entire missing chunk from my abdomen and now it's trying to eat me from the inside out.
This is still much better than when I got shot through the head.
Gotta have lunch soon and prep for Ozone's fight but first? I think we need to get this situation sorted.

Amica led us to a mysterious vial hidden under a table in the Site Director's office.
It's full of SAI Splinters, and we can't read it as is. I'm not going to shove it into my bloodstream either.
Whatever's inside of it's important, somehow. Wouldn't have gone on a hunt for it if it wasn't important.

>Maybe you could bring up the vial to Nanoweaver, but don't tell her that you have it.
Not the worst idea.
She's a bit jumpy about the whole... Amica topic though.


The way I see it, we have a few options before us:

1. We go and see Amica, give her the vial, no questions asked.
2. We go and see Nanoweaver and give her the vial without asking questions.
3. We spend extra time to scope things out with Nanoweaver before handing it to one of them. Amica isn't someone easily questioned, so she's not an option.
4. We hold onto it until later. Given that there's only one fight left before... I'm out of time, I'm not sure this is a smart move.

What'll it be, Sykes?

Inject it into yourself.

>>1086405

She just said she wasn't going to do that, sheesh!

>>1086400
3, if we really can't just inject it while yelling YOLO.
I hope this will confirm my suspicion that Nanoweaver is the one you can't trust.

3

3. Let's ask Nanoweaver.

Option 3

Also, as much as you probably don't want to hear this... is it possible that Jin-r brutalized you because she also this... "pacification trigger" that went haywire? Is it possible you may have beat her up after the fight because you have one that also went haywire?

I also wonder when it'd be a good time to ask why Jin wears those shades all the time. Like... who wears sunglasses indoors? Unless their vision is augmented, or it's an unusual fashion statement, what if something has happened to her eyes?

There's also another thing bugging me. If these shards belonged to the head of this entire facility, why were they just... left behind, buried under a desk? That's kinda weird. Hell, why did the scientists leave anyway

Something strange is happening. Like, should we be asking why all the scientists have left when their projects aren't done yet? Was it really just that they didn't need to be there anymore because the war ended? That doesn't really track with what we've seen of some of them struggling emotionally with the very concept of the program and then forming emotional attachments with the clones.

And about that war... I feel like we should be significantly alarmed that the world is ending soon. Why aren't you more alarmed by this?! What happened to the nations, the armies, the leaders, the scientists, that princess we saw and everything that everyone was fighting for?! That shit doesn't just go away. Did everyone get nuked? Did the earth itself turn over and swallow everything whole? What's happened to this world, and what's the deal with the Weave?

What the fuck is happening?!