>>564103
"You fought well."
Congratulate her for a good fight and that she caused you pain, something you hadn't felt for a long time. Then let her go.

how about "that was fun, now let's celebrate by making out with each other"

Give her a kiss and tell her she reads the earth pulse beautifully.

>>564110
>>564111
No.

>>564105
Better.

"I take it I win"

then if she admits defeat let her go, if not then this battle isn't over quite yet.

If she admits defeat then release her and thank her for the fight and then ask her what she thinks of your offer for her to join your dungeon now.

>>564110
>>564111
That's terrible.

>what do
Hold that position for a moment, then disentangle and step back, and offer her a hand. And say this stuff. >>564105 (Maybe "Well fought" instead of "you fought well"? The later sounds more like a teacher or master than a close-fought rival).

Then ask her if you've proven yourself to her satisfaction.

>>564103
Make sure you've got Mariko held securely. Don't glet her go until she actually gives up or gives you another reason to let her go. Mariko doesn't seem to be the type that gives up TOO easily. On the other hand I think Mariko knows why she lost. She hit the sentient Deem body dead on with the hammer, but still got grappled and defeated.

Tell Moriko that you can go for another round of fighting if she wants. Best of 3 perhaps? I don't think she will want to, but it's nice to be humble in victory. Let Moriko know you're always up for a rematch if she thinks she's gotten strong enough to beat you.

Merud :- Isn't this such a fascinating battle? Spontaneous re-animaton of the damaged scarf golem. The firm, yet flexible construction of Deems body (that allows her to withstand a hammer blow like that). Isn't Deem just wonderfully more capable than Moriko?

"Thank you."

>>564103
She struck potentially disabling blows against both of your golems. If she had a magic-rending hammer or something like that, you would have lost. Feel free to point that out to her. Heck, if she merely had a guaranteed way to escape a grapple you wouldn't be able to beat her ever, I expect. Her only weakness seems to be that her weapon can be grabbed and she cannot let go of it. Enchanting the hammer with Returning or something so that she can never actually lose it would allow her to foil that tactic quite handily. She could also then use it as a ranged weapon.

Wait a minute, I don't see your lower body. Did she break you in half? Did you only win because your golem does not need half its body? Or would that count as you losing? Without clear terms of the duel I don't know what it would count as. If you are broken, then you are at least demonstrating a formidable will, and that should impress her even if this counts as a loss.

"skills that would beat a person are not enough to beat a dungeon."

be sure to just put your legs back on like putting on some pants.

Just because we *maybe* won a single sparring session doesn't mean she's satisfied with our skill and character.

"So, that was once. Do I release you and we try again, or is it time to talk?"

This is all about the big impactful moments and this should be one. Use the scarf to draw her even closer to you until you are face to face, and once you are tell her that you are both creatures attuned to the earth pulse, two of a kind if you will.

>>564105
I second something like this. A potential alteration would be "fight" instead of "fought", though I suppose the latter carries a bit of "so, we're done, right?" which might be a good thing to double check. Though, from your description, maybe that's already clear to both of you.

...wait a minute, how does a dungeon feel pain anyway, aside from using golem bodies like this?

Let's not get overcomplicated here:
Withdraw, step back, and bow.

1/3 Deem 2014/02/28(Fri)22:44 No. 564793 ID: 256d52
File 139365627793.png - (31.76KB , 700x600 , lets_talk.png )

>be sure to just put your legs back on like putting on some pants.
They are quite firmly attached and I have never worn pants.

>To Merud :- Isn't this such a fascinating battle? Spontaneous re-animation of the damaged scarf golem. The firm, yet flexible construction of Deems body (that allows her to withstand a hammer blow like that). Isn't Deem just wonderfully more capable than Moriko?
First things first.In any case, I'm sure he's quite capable of appreciating such things without my needing to point them out to him.

>"Skills that would beat a person are not enough to beat a dungeon."
Merud and Kallia are the only ones aware that I am really a dungeon.

>...wait a minute, how does a dungeon feel pain anyway, aside from using golem bodies like this?
By being hurt.

>"I take it I win?"
Still holing on to her and with my dagger leveled at her neck, I ask Moriko this.

Moriko opens her eyes again as I speak. "Yes, I submit. You've won this duel."

>"You fought well."

"I was careless." she replies.

>She struck potentially disabling blows against both of your golems. If she had a magic-rending hammer or something like that, you would have lost. Feel free to point that out to her. Heck, if she merely had a guaranteed way to escape a grapple you wouldn't be able to beat her ever, I expect.
"It was close, very close." I tell her. "I knew I would struggle against your skill at reading the earth pulse and that in raw power you'd probably still have the advantage even after I applied reinforcement." I exaggerate a wince as I straighten. Something definitely is broken inside me. "Those hammer blows of yours are not something to be taken lightly."

She's still hard to read. I'm not sure how she's taking the compliment.

2/3 Deem 2014/02/28(Fri)22:45 No. 564794 ID: 256d52
File 139365635180.png - (23.83KB , 600x500 , oh_sempai.png )

>Tell Moriko that you can go for another round of fighting if she wants. Best of 3 perhaps? I don't think she will want to, but it's nice to be humble in victory. Let Moriko know you're always up for a rematch if she thinks she's gotten strong enough to beat you.
I will make her that offer then, I don't want her to feel she was beaten through trickery or because she made a mistake.

"I suspect a second match would go in your favour, now you've seen the tricks I prepared for this duel." I move a little closer and smile to her. "My stamina is sadly sorely limited but should you desire it, another match between us should be possible."

Moriko considers it for a moment and shakes her head. "That isn't necessary."

>Then ask her if you've proven yourself to her satisfaction.
>Ask her what she thinks of your offer for her to join your dungeon now.
"Then have I proven myself to your satisfaction? Is there anything more you wish to see?" I let my eagerness show. I've slept too long. It is a time for action. "Have you decided to join with me? To build a dungeon together, to become my champion and defend it against against all comers?"

I think she's having trouble deciding what to say.

>This is all about the big impactful moments and this should be one. Use the scarf to draw her even closer to you until you are face to face, and once you are tell her that you are both creatures attuned to the earth pulse, two of a kind if you will.
...

3/3 Deem 2014/02/28(Fri)22:46 No. 564795 ID: 256d52
File 139365637806.png - (25.59KB , 600x500 , dropped.png )

No...

I let the scarf turn back to simple cloth and fall away. I step back.

...She's nothing like me.

anyone asks, you are just getting antsy about finally getting this place p and running properly. let's start excavating.

huh, dramatic.

Well I think you left an impression on the girl at least so I guess all that's left is to wait for her answer. But now that it's actually relevant lets talk about you building your dungeon. I'm not going to get into details of what goes where as it's still to early for that but I have to ask how long do you think this will take to set up your dungeon? I mean first we have to find where the gold is found in the mountains since that's what attracted us in the first place, then we have to carve out the dungeon proper, and then all the spell work we have to put in to make it so our guys respawn after dying, the wards to make sure that people trying to beat the dungeon don't go where they're not meant to, and other things I'm sure I'm forgetting. Just how long do you think this will all take just to set up a basic dungeon, hours, days, weeks, months, years?

Hmm, so we should outline the plan and the location we've got so far: The mountain location, building a dungeon off of the beaten path where there's plenty of good ore and minerals to mine. Planning route travelling, the question of whether to employ a guide to take us, methods of conveyance, rations and such are something we should discuss. We should make sure everyone is on board with the plan, double check for problems or opportunities we've missed or a need to redraft the plan from scratch, and acquire agreement. Agreement is important to help with morale issues during the travel, pacification and early construction.

>>564795
What will you do with your clone-golem now? Keep it active, or deconstruct it? Use part of its body to repair whatever's broken inside this one?

At any rate, we have two choices right now to deal with Moriko.
1) Wait for her response somewhat awkwardly, especially after that display.
2) Tell her she can think about it if she wishes, and to meet us at X time at the city gates if she chooses to join us. We have to go ahead and begin construction of the dungeon, which will take some time.

Calling it now she's going to leave the scarf tied to her hammer as a 'reminder'. Though she'll probably tie it on the handle better so no one goes trying to catch it.

>No, she's nothing like me.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. You're looking for people who can help you, who will be useful to you, not people who are you.

Don't let your personal issues get in the way of that.

Good news is you clearly had an impact on her. She's uncertain, and obviously affected by your withdrawal. Question is, will she close the gap you opened up and offer you her service, or withdraw?

I'd give here a moment of silence, standing there, to see if she takes that step on her own. If she doesn't make a response, you can turn and force the issue. (Your decision, Aritawa. Do I have your sword hammer?). Respect her decision, either way.

(There's always the possibility instead of inspiring devotion, we got foe-yay instead. Deem could have established herself as a worthy rival rather than a worthy master. Meaning we could have just inspired her to be a dungeon challenger rather than a dungeon defender).

>what do with the deemplicate?
I would assume Deem can't keep that level of sync up in two bodies indefinitely. It will either need to be deactivated, or downgraded to a more regular golem control system.

Best use of it might be re-absorption to repair the damage to Deem's form.

I now ship these two.

Now that our recruiting is done lets consult with our new employees on location and dungeon layout.

>>564793
Three arms?

Gather around everyone who needs to know about the dungeon and outline a plan for building it.

She hasn't yet given you the answer Deem. Wait until she says yes or no.

Also, we might want to outline our plan as >>564798 has suggested along the way to our dungeon. That way we start everyone off on the right foot.

She's all blushing and stuff!

You might want to outline the plan to set up a dungeon in the mountains. Let them know what's going to happen and when they can move in. I don't think there's anything else we need so we might as well get started.

http://instantyeah.org/

I'll just leave that here.

leave. she'll give you an answer when she decides. no need to push her- it's not like you're an impatient little kid at a millennium years old.

>plan dungeon!
Getting ahead of ourselves, here. We haven't even found an appropriate site, yet. Travel plans would come first.

And more importantly, we haven't finished here, yet. Ignoring Moriko is an insult.

Deem, cover for your sudden mood-shift by calling over Merud to figure out what the hammer-strike has broken.

Wow, asked for an impactful moment, and I'll be damned if that wasn't one. Maybe not in the way expected, but I don't expect Moriko is gonna forget that.

Say what you will Deem, but in the heat of combat you were totally enjoying yourself, and somehow I think it was the same for Moriko.

>>564819
>And more importantly, we haven't finished here, yet. Ignoring Moriko is an insult.

Well, my idea was to give her the option to claim membership in this group and our plans by engaging in group decisionmaking. Is this not obvious enough?

I don't think Deem ever had any intention of letting anyone else in on the decisionmaking.

>>565040
>I don't think Deem ever had any intention of letting anyone else in on the decisionmaking.

Well, that would be stupid: Her knowledge of current events is just ever so slightly stale.

1/4 Deem 2014/03/04(Tue)07:16 No. 565170 ID: 256d52
File 139394618066.png - (37.26KB , 1000x475 , revenge_of_the_peanut_gallery.png )

Silence reigns for an awkward interval.

"So are they going to make out or what?"

"I'm sure it's not what it looks like, Kallia." Merud says.

"Didn't see this coming." Hin says. "But she does seem to get a bit too into things."

"It's only natural." Reisarf says agreeably.

"For love to bloom, even on the battlefield?" Kallia says.

Hin cuts in. "What's up with her other golem?"

"Ignore it for now I think." Reisarf says. "Deem's spacing out."

"Maybe we should head over." Merud says, frowning.

"They were just throwing knives a swinging hammers at each other with wild abandon and looks like they just had a falling out. Not going over there." Kallia says.

"Not looking for love, eh?" Hin says.

"Pffft!"

2/4 Deem 2014/03/04(Tue)07:18 No. 565171 ID: 256d52
File 139394631060.png - (25.33KB , 600x460 , the_heart_is_lower_merud.png )

>Say what you will Deem, but in the heat of combat you were totally enjoying yourself, and somehow I think it was the same for Moriko.
Of course I was. The thrill of battle. Challenging others with my wit and skill. The roar of the earth pulse! It sharpens my senses, fills my Heart with fire and makes me feel alive.

>Deem, cover for your sudden mood-shift by calling over Merud to figure out what the hammer-strike has broken.
I feel a hand on my shoulder. Oh, he's already here.

"...I think that last attack did a little more damage than I first thought." I offer weakly, putting my hand over my chest piece.

Merud looks at me, a question in his eyes. He holds still for a moment and then inspects my injury. A dull pain when he prods. "I think it'll have to wait until you change back to look at it. How much longer does the change last?"

I shrug. "A few minutes maybe?"

"Is Moriko injured?" he prompts, eyes flicking past me significantly.

>Wait for her response somewhat awkwardly, especially after that display.
Ugh, stupid of me! I glance backward.

3/4 Deem 2014/03/04(Tue)07:19 No. 565172 ID: 256d52
File 139394639455.png - (22.01KB , 600x400 , ham_it_up.png )

>She's all blushing and stuff!
Oh, Moriko's embarrassed she lost? I'll try not to draw attention to it then.

>Good news is you clearly had an impact on her. She's uncertain, and obviously affected by your withdrawal. Question is, will she close the gap you opened up and offer you her service, or withdraw? I'd give here a moment of silence, standing there, to see if she takes that step on her own. If she doesn't make a response, you can turn and force the issue.
I keep Merud close a moment longer and then turn and approach Moriko. She has some of her composure back.

"I must apologise." I say. "I suffered more damage than I first thought. Are you injured?"

"Hmmph, liar." the hammerai says.

I should have known better.

>You're looking for people who can help you, who will be useful to you, not people who are you.
>Don't let your personal issues get in the way of that.
Be bold, I tell myself. "I apologise in truth then. I am a stranger to this era. For a moment I was struck by a painful recollection of how alone I was. But you haven't answered my question. Is a destiny of battle what you desire? Do you need more time to decide? Meet me at the city gates at dusk with your answer."

She looks at me for a moment. "No! I mean yes! Yes, I'll join you."

MORIKO HAS BEEN RECRUITED!

4/4 Deem 2014/03/04(Tue)07:20 No. 565173 ID: 256d52
File 139394645556.png - (62.14KB , 1000x720 , pose_like_a_team_2_pose_harder.png )

>Just how long do you think it will take just to set up a basic dungeon, hours, days, weeks, months, years?
Several days for the most essential parts, weeks to get something I could call a dungeon.

>Gather around everyone who needs to know about the dungeon and outline a plan for building it.
"This is where our journey begins." I say. "The mountains to the north-east have strong sites for the earth-pulse and are rich in resources. We'll carve out our dungeon there. The sooner we can prepare ourselves, the sooner we can begin. We'll make our mark in the wilderness there. I can't say it'll be easy but I know that we're up to the task."

Only a few days have passed since I woke from my long sleep and I can hardly believe how much things have changed.

I am weak and broken but I am surrounded by companions now. We'll face the future together. Though it will only be greater challenges ahead of us, I find a warmth bubbling up inside me that I haven't felt for a very long time.

After a long, long wait... this is a new beginning.

END CHAPTER ONE

yay for Les Yay!

>Oh, Moriko's embarrassed she lost?
...no. She's embarrassed by a different emotional response. In getting caught up in the excitement and afterglow of the earth pulse, your closing remarks came across rather more intimately than I think you intended.

>>565173
Pose like a Deem because the team got real.

and we'll be there to help every step of the way

Yay!

Make sure to thank Kallia for her help with the training and fight suggestions. She showed you so many new things about your body and you wouldn't have been able to make Moriko happy otherwise.

>>565245
Now this can be easily misconstrued.

>>565245
Let's not. It's funny every so often, but doing it continuously just makes it look like Deem doesn't know how to function in society.

Thank Moriko for helping train you.

Deem is a dungeon, of course she doesn't know how to operate in society. She's like a newborn as far as interpersonal relationships go.

Deem double that Kalia has forgotten is standing behind her: lean forward and whisper a quiet 'Chu' into her ear.
She's been messing with Merud for days, turnabout's fair play

>>565258
And that is the precise reason we are here to advise her. Let's not intentionally be complete and utter failures, mm?

Oh Chac... Chakra... Shark O'Shay? Ehhhh. Close enough. You're still the best of them all.