i'd say considering you already have an amazing arm, and that you can use that way more than you can enchantments with charge time, learning hand to hand combat would be really effective. I'm not sure how great guns would be with you being somewhat blind, but I can't see enchantments being that great for the same reason, so I'd say go with unarmed and gun training.

>"They're such a problem because they've got my pride and joy at the mercy of their sinister mitts! No, taking the king's daughter just wasn't enough for them either. Let's bomb a few towns over there and unleash a chimera or two over here while we're at it! Still not enough? Let's get the people to start a rebellion against their beloved king a hand out military grade enchantments to help out with that!"
I'm really still wondering how they got the bombs, magic, etc to do any of that in the first place. It's like someone started handing out real world weapons and terrorist resources to children.

>"But Candy and Officer Nibbles did most of the work there, I didn't really do much to help."
Which reminds us. We're gonna have to check on Candy as we can, and we'll have to figure out what happened to Nibbles in all the chaos I'm sure the castle is in right now after the failed attack. She could be anywhere. Also maybe we should probably check what happened to Dr Gene.

>what kind of training?
Your secret forest training was mostly hand to hand, wasn't it? I'd favor refining that, and getting in practice with a ranged weapon, too. Ideally, the blindar should make that possible, but every time you've tried has been in a crunch situation, and we've had mixed results. Plus, it capitalizes on your existing advantage of the cybernetic arm.

Magic is cool, but I think it would take more than a few days crash course to learn to be good at it. At best they could teach you some quick and dirty enchantments, like that required aids (enchanted objects) to cast? (Although maybe being able to "see" magic on the blindar would lower the learning curve).

If it comes down to allies, though, you already know a mage and tiny enchanter who might be coming along.

End Chapter 3...? Buckwheat 2016/03/31(Thu)11:38 No. 712695 ID: 15a025
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>Your secret forest training was mostly hand to hand, wasn't it?
In a nut shell yeah. I also learned some basic survival skills out there as well.

>I'd say considering you already have an amazing arm, and that you can use that way more than you can enchantments with charge time, learning hand to hand combat would be really effective.
>Magic is cool, but I think it would take more than a few days crash course to learn to be good at it. At best they could teach you some quick and dirty enchantments, like that required aids (enchanted objects) to cast? (Although maybe being able to "see" magic on the blindar would lower the learning curve).
Yeah, magic and enchantments go way over my head as it is. I feel like learning even the bare basics would honestly take more than a few days. Sounds like I better stick to my guns here and start refining my hand to hand combat skills. If it really comes down to magical warfare, hopefully Oscar or Nibbles is around to back me up.
"I'll take up some good old hand to hand combat."
"Excellent. You should probably retire for the night then and get some rest. Six in the morning comes quick when you've got things to do. Good night and good luck tomorrow!"
"Are you going to unlock the door so I can go do that or...?"
"Oh yes, sorry! Let me get the door for you."
The locks click again and the door creeks slowly as the king opens it.
"That was rather short."
"Please see Lady Brasshoof to her room. You've both got a long day tomorrow."
"It shall be done!"
Oscar holds my hand and we start walking down the long set of stairs.

>We're gonna have to check on Candy as we can, and we'll have to figure out what happened to Nibbles in all the chaos I'm sure the castle is in right now after the failed attack. She could be anywhere. Also maybe we should probably check what happened to Dr Gene.
"Say Oscar, before I get ready for bed and that I'd like to go check up on my friend Candy."
"I'm sure she'd love to see you as well! Conveniently the medical wing is close by to where the guest rooms are."
"Also have you seen my other friend that was invited here as well, Dr. Gene?"
"Small little rabbit doctor? If that's her I believe she's in the medical wing as well, helping out with some of the more minor patients."
As we walk down the stairs we have some nice small talk and get to know each other a little more. Apparently Oscar is actually a professor here and takes on apprentices.

"Here, let me get the door for you."
"You're such a gentlemen Oscar."
"Just doing my job. Excuse us, where could we find Miss Kane?"
"Down the hall, eighth door on the right."
Oscar walks me down the hall and we enter Candy's room.
"Hey it's the hero of the day! How was dinner? I heard the food was 'exploding' with flavor, that the whole event was 'the bomb.' Tell me you saved me some leftovers Rainy."
"Sorry Candy, I barely got to eat much myself. How'd you hear about the bomb threat?"
"Nibbles heard about and told me."
"Is she still here?"
"I'm still here. Thanks for ditching me at the entrance you two."
"Sorry about that Nibbles. So Candy, how's the arm doing?"
"Hurts like hell still but they got me patched up a bit. Said I should be fine and ready to go in a few days."
"Sorry to rush you La-, Rainy, but it is getting late and we should all be getting for tomorrrow."
"Darn. Well, goodnight Candy. Hope you're doing better tomorrow."
"Ha, so do I... Goodnight!"

We leave the medical wing and Oscar leads me over to one of the guest rooms. When we get inside I hear him open a drawer and he gives me some kind of really soft silky nightgown feeling thing.
"You going to leave the room so I can change or...?"
"It'd be my luck I'd walk out of the room only to hear someone rotten mongrel busts in through a window and kill you. I promise I won't look while you're change though, I swear it on my mage's honor."
Good enough for me, not like there's much to see anyway... I quickly change into the nightgown thing and tell Oscar I'm done changing. He kindly guides me over to the bed and evens tucks me in. I start to doze off when I hear something being dragged on the floor
"Oscar, what are you doing? It sounds like you're dragging a body across the floor."
"Sorry about the noise. I'm just dragging out the sleeping mat from under the bed so I have something to sleep on. As nice as sleeping on the floor can be, having a mat and some sheets help."
"Oh okay, good night Oscar."
"Good night!"


To be continued....

Animated...?

>As nice as sleeping on the floor can be
Pff. C'mon, the palace doesn't have any rooms with two beds? Or a couch?

Chapter 4 Buckwheat 2016/03/31(Thu)21:26 No. 712860 ID: 15a025
File 145948480449.png - (8.97KB , 800x600 , cq1.png )

When I wake up things feel...weird. I've a got mild headache and this creepy feeling. It feels like something's just holding onto my shoulders but there's nothing there. Another odd thing is the air around my neck feels frigid. Blindar is kind of funky looking now too. I get off the bed and try to wake Oscar up.

"Good morning Rainy. Get a good night's rest?"
"Y-ow...yeah."
"Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale...and your necklace is purple now..."
>No it isn't.
I must not be the only one feeling sick, you spooky guide spirits don't sound to good either.

"Could you try taking that necklace off real quick? I'm getting a bad suspicion here."
>Don't take us off!
Aw, don't worry it'll only be for a second...? Weird, it feels like something's tugging at the necklace to keep me from taking it off...

>>712860
Rainy, purple is our bad danger color. Please remember that, cause I don't know if you'll hear me. Us being that color is an alarm.

That wasn't us talking.

Take us off, get us and yourself checked by enchanting professionals. Trust Oscar and Nibble's opinions.

If the necklace is broken, cursed, corrupted, or otherwise compromised, maybe you can reestablish contact through Candy's earring.

Buckwheat 2016/04/02(Sat)10:55 No. 713304 ID: 15a025
File 145961974208.gif - (10.40KB , 800x600 , cq.gif )

>Rainy, purple is our bad danger color. Please remember that, cause I don't know if you'll hear me. Us being that color is an alarm.
>That wasn't us talking.
Okay I'm a little spooked now. Yeah I remember now, purple's been pretty dangerous for us in the past.

>Nah it's fiiiine. Just follow our advice like always. We'll keep you safe.
That's about all I can do.

>Take us off, get us and yourself checked by enchanting professionals. Trust Oscar and Nibble's opinions.
I can't take it off, it's like it's glued onto my neck now or something?
"Just as I feared then, it's been cursed. We need to hurry and get you done to my lab. We've got someone down there who knows how to purify curses."

>Don't go with him! It's a trap!
I don't see how that could be a trap...

>Exactly, you don't see at all!
Hey that was completely uncalled for!

"This isn't good... the doors sealed shut by some kind of enchantment, we're trapped inside!"
"There isn't some kind of secret passage or?"
"Unfortunately not. I'm getting the feeling there's someone else in here with us keeping that door sealed. It's too dark in here to see though..."

Rainy, please vet what you hear. The curse is talking too. Any advice that doesn't make sense or is just plain mean almost certainly isn't coming from us.

>It's too dark in here to see though
Turning on the lights isn't an option? Or c'mon, are you telling me you're a wizard without a basic light spell? His eyes aren't going to be messed up, if he can see.

>I don't see how that could be a trap...
If you can't trust Oscar, you've already lost. Let's disregard that line of thought.

And someone cursing you to get you to get you to run to a curse removal location, where they have a trap ready, doesn't make sense. If they could get to you, and get past Oscar, and place a powerful curse on you without setting off any alarms or being caught, they don't need to lure you into a trap.

Getting uncursed is the only reasonable course of action. If that makes you predictable to your enemies, so be it. They forced your hand. All you can try to do is be smart about it.

>blindsight
Pink heart (person?) right next to the lamp, tiny purple heart blinking on the lamp. Could be the problem, or a trap if you try to turn the light on? Or it could be lies. We can't be sure the curse isn't feeding you false information.

Check other sense. Listen! Do you smell anything? (You've gotten used to identifying people around you by scent). What about magic- is Oscar picking up anything else?

Buckwheat 2016/04/02(Sat)21:54 No. 713446 ID: 15a025
File 145965926265.png - (4.52KB , 800x600 , cq4.png )

>Rainy, please vet what you hear. The curse is talking too. Any advice that doesn't make sense or is just plain mean almost certainly isn't coming from us.
>Don't listen to them, they're just back peddling and making excuses for their rude remarks.
I can hear a clear difference between your voices now that I think about it a bit. Starting to think you're lying to me, mister sickly sounding spirit.

>Turning on the lights isn't an option?
"Did you try turning the lights on?"
"Yeah, someone took out all the light bulbs."
"What about using an enchantment to light up the area?"
"I'm a water mage, I can't use any light enchantments."

>He's lying again. The lamp is turned on, it's even marked like that on the blindar.
>We can't be sure the curse isn't feeding you false information.
That's also a good point, think it's possible you good guide spirits can fight off the imposter spirit or cursed one? It might help clear things up if you can.

>If you can't trust Oscar, you've already lost.
I trust Oscar, plus if he was going to do something to me he would've done it by now.

>Check other sense. Listen! Do you smell anything? (You've gotten used to identifying people around you by scent). What about magic- is Oscar picking up anything else?
Since the blindar seems like it might have been compromised I'll have to rely on my hearing and scent for the most part. I sniff around the lamp, nothing out of the ordinary. Smells like, well nothing really.
"Any reason why you're sniffing that lamp so much?"
"I'm trying to sniff out whoever's trying to keep us in here."
"Ah good thinking!"
Next thing I smell around is the bookshelf, and bingo!
"Oscar! someone's hiding behind this bookshelf! They smell like a duck."
"A duck? Rainy move!"
Too late, the bookshelf crashes down onto me. I'm practically drowning in books and pain now.
"Rainy are you okay?!"

>"I'm a water mage, I can't use any light enchantments."
Huh, I didn't realize the type restrictions were that strict. I expected him to be able to use low-level cross-school stuff, and only his high level stuff to all be water.

>think it's possible you good guide spirits can fight off the imposter spirit or cursed one?
We'll try? No promises it'll work.

[Attack the curse]

>"A duck? Rainy move!"
No "!". Yeah, blindar compromised.

>Are you okay?!
Get the duck, first!

While he's dealing with the threat, try using your arm to push the bookshelf off.

1/2 Buckwheat 2016/04/04(Mon)15:54 No. 713908 ID: 15a025
File 145981047352.png - (7.56KB , 800x600 , chambers.png )

>While he's dealing with the threat, try using your arm to push the bookshelf off.
I start pushing trying to push the bookshelf back up. Even with the serious business arm pushing this thing up is taking a lot of effort. Doesn't help there's a nice mountain of books piled on me either...
"I'm alright, just deal with the duck!"

>No "!". Yeah, blindar compromised.
No exclamation marks is going to make dodging dangers a pain then.
"Drats! He teleported out of here like a coward!
Oscar helps me push the bookshelf and books off me.
"Thanks."
"There's a red light flashing on your fancy little robot arm, is that normal?"
"Probably not. Might mean it's charge might be running low or something's busted on it."
"Well let's get out of here and hope it's the former and not the latter. Doors no longer sealed shut."
Oscar picks me up and we leave the guest room. Outside is an angry sounding guard waiting for us.
"Oscar what's the meaning of this! Why did you seal the door shut with an enchantment!"
"It wasn't me who sealed the door shut, now hurry! Sound the alarms!"
"Sound the alarms? For what?"
"Someone's laid a curse on Lady Brasshoof!"
"A curse! Hurry and get down to the enchantment wing then and get that fixed before she turns into a chimera or something, I'll make sure that heathen is taken care of."

>Come on, don't you want to be powerful hell spawn with unlimited magical powers?
Never in a billion years.
Oscar rushes me into that one lab we went to yesterday.

"Everybody drop what you're doing and lock the whole wing down! Someone skilled in the dark arts has infiltrated into the castle! I need someone out here to help with a purification and someone to check the storage lockers for cursed items"
"Sister Rhapsody here! What can I do you for?
"Please lend us your powers and purify the foul curse that lies within Lady Brasshoof's necklace.
"Purification? yikes..."
"Is there a problem?
"Just...I hate asking but you know how mentally straining purifications can be. I'm going to need like five bags of the good stuff after this..."
Whatever it takes, just rid her of this curse!"
"Alright, let's bring her into my chambers then. Oscar you still remember how to play my harp right?"
"Kind of...why do you ask?"
"The peaceful harp music helps fight off the evil spirits and keep a calm atmosphere in the room, and helps me keep a clear mind...."

And so Oscar guides me into a another room in the lab. It smells very sweet and peaceful in here. The room is filled with the sweet aroma of all sorts of flowers.
"Your room smells very nice Sister Rhapsody. I love the smell of all the flowers in here."
"Thank you very much! We're lucky to have a few windows where the sun shines. Flowers help lighten up the mood in here a bit as well. Now have a seat and relax a bit while Oscar helps me get things ready."
"What can I help you with?"
"Just start reacquainting yourself with the harp while I get the lighting in here fixed and brush over my notes real quick. It's been awhile since I've done this."
Oscar starts playing a catchy little tune on the harp while Sister Rhapsody flutters around the room getting things ready.
"Alright I'm all set! Now just a heads up here, this might sting you a bit depending on how strong this curse is. Also, don't get up from your seat till I say it's clear. You ready?"
>This is a horrible idea! You realize if she messes this up you could die right?"
"Yup!"

2/2 Buckwheat 2016/04/04(Mon)15:55 No. 713909 ID: 15a025
File 145981053708.gif - (8.03KB , 800x600 , d arrow attack.gif )

"Oh dear Mother Nature! Lend me your holy powers and help me purge the wicked spirits that haunt this unfortunate soul today! Help me seal these foul spirits from the netherworld away so that they can torture no one no longer!"
A loud boom echoes through the room and sends a chill down my spine.
"Divine Arrow! Peirce the corrupted spirits send them back from which they came!"

Something sharp shoots into my neck. Presumably the "Divine Arrow." It stings like I'm being zapped by a bolt of lightning. Soon another shot hits me, and then a third! Just when I feel like I'm about to pass out, it's over.
"All clear...

A loud thud comes from where Sister Rhapsody was.
"Did she just...?"
"Yup, she's pased-"
"Still awake! Just too tired to keep myself in the air that's all... Oscar, do me a favor and pull out one of the purification collars out of the closest for me, she's definitely going to need one."
"What's with the strong "definitely" there?"
"I had to use not one, not two, but three arrows to purge that curse off the necklace! Usually one arrow can kill off any regular curse, two just in case it's a bugger or something kind of serious, but three? We're talking like powerful eat your soul away, kill ya, and or turn you into a hell spawn chimera thing in the matter of hours kind of curses that love to leave something behind with them. So yeah, collar for a week."
"I thought all curses turned the victim into a chimera? Never mind. Uh...what color tickles your fancy Rainy? These things come in just about every color you can think of."

Yowie! That tingles!

>intruder teleports out
Come on, shouldn't the palace have teleport wards or something? Gotta stop assassins from popping in and out.

>>Come on, don't you want to be powerful hell spawn with unlimited magical powers?
Actually, they had some pretty clear limitations, as I recall.

>color
Not purple! Anything buy purple.

Red maybe?

>Shot in the neck with three magic arrows
You...okay?
>Color
Red or green sounds like your color. Also what kind of animal is Sister Rhapsody?

Buckwheat 2016/04/05(Tue)16:24 No. 714065 ID: 15a025
File 145989869442.png - (9.40KB , 800x600 , pick another path.png )

>Not purple! Anything but purple. Red maybe?
"Do they come in red?"
"Yup!
"I'll take red then."
Something jingles and rings as Oscar hurries back over. He helps fasten the collar on.
"Why is there a jingly bell on it?"
"It's a special bell that drives of the evil spirits."

>what kind of animal is Sister Rhapsody?
She seems like some kind of smaller bird but other than that I'm not sure.

>You...okay?
Despite feeling like someone jabbed me in the neck with three sharp feeling arrow things a few moments ago, I actually feel just fine now.
"So....now what do we do Oscar?"
"Go check on the status of the enchantments we've got locked up in the wing here and pray none of them have been cursed. Sister Rhapsody I'll see that you get rewarded for your help."

We bump into someone as Oscar escorts me out of the room.
"There you two are! I've been looking for you all morning."
"Ah Captain Konkerii! It's been awhile. What can we do for you?"
"King Gort himself asked me to share my hand to hand combat knowledge with you. He also wants me to teach our deer pal here how to shoot better."
"I can see why he might want you to teach me a bit about unarmed combat, but why Lady Brasshoof?"
"I asked the same thing, said it was not my business."
"I'm a little paranoid here, what with this lock down and last night bomb threat. Got any papers to prove he asked you to train us?
"Ah! He knew you'd asked for some papers! Here you go, the official royal order paper from the King himself."
"Mhmm...Looks all right and proper. Yup, you're all good. So what's first on the schedule here?"
"Depends on what the little lady would like to do first. We can either go beat the splinters off some training dummies and work out or we can head down to the shooting range and I teach you how to pop a bullet out of a gun and into the head of an enemy."

Have you examined your arm yet? Has it given you any trouble since Oscar noticed the indicator light? If it's acting up, that might effect what training is immediately available to you (do we need to find Dr. Gene and get her to take a look?).

Aside from that, I'd favor target practice. Learning to aim with blindar will be useful in more than just shooting.

Buckwheat 2016/04/07(Thu)17:53 No. 714581 ID: 15a025
File 146007680009.gif - (48.49KB , 800x600 , you cant aim.gif )

>Have you examined your arm yet? Has it given you any trouble since Oscar noticed the indicator light? If it's acting up, that might affect what training is immediately available to you (do we need to find Dr. Gene and get her to take a look?).
Thanks for reminding me! That actually kind of slipped my mind somehow...
"Before we get any practice in or anything I need to get my arm looked at, might be busted or just running low on battery power."
"That reminds me, Dr. Gene gave me some big charger. It's sitting in my office if you want to try it out?"
"Worth a shot."
Oscar guides me into his office and helps me hook up the charger to the arm. Upon plugging it in Oscar tells me the light turns orange. So we sit around in his office for a bit for a quick juice up. While we wait the Captain brings us a nice pancake breakfast. After the delicious breakfast I decide two hours of charging is enough to last the lesson at the shooting range.

"I'm just going to say for the record here I don't expect much from you Lady Brasshoof, but that doesn't mean I won't try to bring the best of you out. Since you can't see your targets, I felt sticking some cheap audio players behind your targets might help your aim. We also express safety more than anything here, so here's some ear plugs to keep your hearing safe and some glasses to keep your eyeballs from getting anything in them. Also, always turn the safety on when you're done shooting or handing someone a gun. Rule of thumb, if you need to ask if the safety should be on, then it should be on."
"Sounds like some good advice."
"Now here's a nice pump action shotgun, know how to use it?"
"Not really..."
"Welp, let's go over the basics then."
So Captain Konkerii helps show me how to shoot and reload the gun and teaches me how to turn the safety on and off.
"Alright, now that you know how to use it, let's see what you got!"
Captain hands me the gun and I turn the safety off. Soon the blindar draws out some scenery for me and some music starts playing somewhere. I take my best aim and fire!
"Not bad, you were actually pretty close. Try again."
I readjust my aim a bit and fire again.
"Oh you almost had the bugger! You're aiming just a tad bit too low and shaking a little too. Keep her steady and raise it a smidgen."
"The biggest hurdle I'm having is just holding the gun up. It's really weird when you've got one hoof and an actual hand to work with."
"Well, you've got all day to jump that hurdle and get used to it. Now, let's see you hit it this time!"
I fire again and surprise! It's a miss.
"Now you're shooting way to high up. Lower it a bit and try again."

And it pretty much goes like this for a few hours. Most of my shots miss with a few lucky ones hitting. Just when I feel like I'm getting my aim down I end up missing it more.
"Lady Brasshoof, I hate to be the downer here but I think it's time for you to throw in the towel and move on."
"Ah don't listen to fish breath over there. I still think you can do it. I'm willing to spend another hour down here with you if you'd like."

Tell Oscar he sucks for giving up on you like that. Keep shooting for it Rainy!

What kind of animal is the captain?

>>714581
If the problem is you have a weapon inappropriate for your hands, they can't find you a better one? I thought this kind of training was usually done with a pistol of some kind, not a shotgun. Shotguns aren't exactly precision weapons.

Also, if you've gotten better at blind targeting, even if not with that weapon, that helps. Maybe see if you can hit the bullseye with your built in taser? (no need to tase, just fire the leads).

Buckwheat 2016/04/10(Sun)18:02 No. 715664 ID: 15a025
File 146033655167.gif - (41.91KB , 800x600 , speedy target.gif )

>What kind of animal is the captain?
I want to say they're mandrill.

>Tell Oscar he sucks for giving up on you like that. Keep shooting for it Rainy!
"Oscar that's kind of disappointing to hear and I beg to differ. I'd like to keep shooting at it."
"That's the spirit! Now let's see you hit that sucker right in the center!"

>I thought this kind of training was usually done with a pistol of some kind, not a shotgun. Shotguns aren't exactly precision weapons.
They aren't? I actually didn't know. Maybe a pistol would work better seeing as I can hold that with one hand.
"Excuse me Captain, do you think I could try shooting with a pistol instead of a shotgun? I feel like I might do better with something I can actually hold. Plus aren't pistols a little more accurate?"
"Sure thing!"

The captain takes the shotgun from me and gives me a small pistol. My aim is a little better now that I can actually hold the gun more comfortably. After about a half hour of practice my aim is pretty consistent now.
"Ha ha! Now for the real fun!"

Oscar and the Captain walk me over to a new booth.
"Let's see how well you can shoot a moving target now."
There's a loud whirl of moving machine parts coming from the booth, the blindar maps out what's in front of me....Oh come on! How am I suppose to shoot this!

>>715664
The process of 'leading' a target is to aim ahead of it and fire so that it moves into the life of fire. As long as you are aiming at the right elevation all you need to do is get your timing right and let the target move into the path of your shot.

Unless the movement isnt real time.

>Oh come on! How am I suppose to shoot this!
Timing. With practice, you should have a sense of how long it takes to fire and hit the target. You anticipate where the target is going to be, and fire before it gets there, so it meets the bullet.

In the real world, people probably aren't gonna stand still and wait for you to shoot them. (Although no guarantees with the crazy incompetent people you've been up against).

Buckwheat 2016/04/11(Mon)13:18 No. 715848 ID: 15a025
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>In the real world, people probably aren't gonna stand still and wait for you to shoot them.
True. Still, they could have started me off with a slower and easier target.

>The process of 'leading' a target is to aim ahead of it and fire so that it moves into the life of fire. As long as you are aiming at the right elevation all you need to do is get your timing right and let the target move into the path of your shot.
So all I do is just shoot where I think my target will move to? Sounds easy enough.
After a couple of shots I realize this is easier said than done, as to be expected. Two reloads later, I start realizing there might be a small delay with the blindar. After another few more tires I get the timing down and manage to sink in two successful hits on the target. Captain Konkerii pats me on the back.
"Nice shot! Now let's see you land five hits in a row on this bugger!"
It takes a bit but I get really close with four hits in a row and then blow the fifth shot like a moron. I manage to get back up there and reach 5 shots in a row!

"Hey hey, not bad at all there. Two of those shots even hit the bullseye. I think you've got this down pact for now. What do you say we head back on to the ol professor's office up there and relax a bit with some lunch."
"Lunch sounds great. How about it Lady Brasshoof?"
"Sure!"

I give the captain his pistol back and we all have a nice lunch in Oscar's office. Captain himself made me a tasty salad while Oscar cooks up some fish. While we eat I have Oscar plug the charger back into my serious business arm just in case I'm close to running out of juice.

"So after we're all done eating shall we head back down and refine them shooting skills of yours or do ya feel like venting some anger out and learn how to fight with your bare hands?"

>>715848
You're at least passable with a firearm now, and you got practice with the blindar (and figured out the render delay). Let's move on to hand to hand.

I'm assuming diminishing returns here- with an expert on hand you can get the basics to some kind of competency down in reasonable time, but past a certain point, refining skills requires practice and time. Since we have a time constraint, you're better off getting all the low(er) hanging fruit you can.

Buckwheat 2016/04/13(Wed)14:00 No. 716284 ID: 15a025
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>I'm assuming diminishing returns here- with an expert on hand you can get the basics to some kind of competency down in reasonable time, but past a certain point, refining skills requires practice and time. Since we have a time constraint, you're better off getting all the low(er) hanging fruit you can.
I feel like I might be able to jump ahead a bit in my hand to hand combat. Back when Dr. Gene and I went out on that three month long trip to work on my arm, George had me practice some self defense tricks. Though, those tricks were more or less how to dodge and block a punch or free myself from a grab.
"Some hand to hand combat training sounds like fun."
"Great! I promise I won't hammer ya too hard."
"Please don't talk with your mouth full Captain, it's rather rude and you've gotten crumbs all over my books now."
"Heheh, sorry about that."
After eating, Captain Konkerii spares no time in running me and Oscar down to train some more.

"Alrighty now! Let's start by showing me what you can do. Try and land a hit on me."
I get into stance and throw a couple of punches his way.
"Ah come on what do you call that? Those were some pretty slow blows there. You even left your-self wide open for a blow to the gut."
And so the entire training session is spent on working on my stance and form. Once training is over we head up and eat a pretty boring dinner. It's just boring old cooked carrots with a side dish of carrot slices. Thankfully no one tried to blow us all up in a blaze of terrorist glory. After dinner Oscar walks me down to the showers and I get cleaned up and ready for bed.

"Hopefully tonight we won't have any un-wanted guests sneaking in here. Goodnight Rainy!"
"Good night Oscar!"
I slip into the large bed and curl up under the thick fuzzy covers. It isn't long before someone wakes me up though.

"Rainy! Can you hear me?"
"yeessss. Who are you and why did you wake me up?"
"Rainy we need to get out of here! Fast! I know about your little mission. It's a trap! He's secretly working with the badgers, this whole terrorist thing is just to send you to their base!"
"Candy? How'd you get in here? The door was locked and being guarded! And why do you smell like cheap perfume?"
"Door was being guarded and it was locked! Buuttt...I kinda got the guards really high with my special smokes."
"W..where's Oscar? I don't see him on the blindar?"
"Blindar? Rainy, did you like get high off the second hand smoke or something? Never mind let's just go already!"

>Blindar? Rainy, did you like get high off the second hand smoke or something?
...Candy is familiar with the term "blindar". We used it with her. And her speech isn't normally purple. ...and the room is all purple too, and that's probably some kind of magic circle over there.

This looks like another trick / attempt on you. I don't think that's Candy. The perfume is probably to prevent you from identifying the person by smell.

If i remember right smokes candy canes, ask her what she's smoking if its the wrong answer prentend its right and then punch her in the face. Coz cearly shes a bad-guy.

>>716340
Good idea!
Oh hey, try to remember if she's ever worn perfume before. Does Candy even like perfume?

Buckwheat 2016/04/14(Thu)12:37 No. 716498 ID: 15a025
File 146066264970.png - (12.83KB , 800x600 , cq9.png )

>Candy is familiar with the term "blindar". We used it with her.
"Candy I think it's you who's gotten high. The 'blindar' is one of my necklace enchantments remember? It's what lets me get around."
"Yeah...no. If you had a magic bullshit radar you wouldn't need a one that fancy walking stick."

>And her speech isn't normally purple. ...and the room is all purple too, and that's probably some kind of magic circle over there.
I don't get what you mean by her speech being purple but yeah...the room is definitely purple.
"So...what's up with the weird magic circle thing by the door?"
"Ah for the love of, they drugged you or some shit didn't they? You're blind! How can you see anything!
"I can see some things with the blindar."
"Okay whatever, anyway to answer your question no, that's just a floor mat."

>I don't think that's Candy. The perfume is probably to prevent you from identifying the person by smell.
>Does Candy even like perfume?
I can't remember if Candy's ever worn perfume or not actually. Something's really weird about the smell to, like I feel like I'm not even actually smelling it, but just know it's lingering about. Hard to explain.

>If I remember right Candy smokes candy canes. Ask her what she's smoking. If It's the wrong answer pretend it's right and then punch her in the face, cause then she's clearly a bad-guy.
Could work.
"So what kind of smokes did you and the guards have?"
"Oh you...just some uh...weed."
"Wrong answer, imposter!"
I throw a pretty hefty punch at the Candy imposter and make for it out the door.
"Like hell you're getting anywhere! Tybalt activate the portal!"
Something knocks me off balance and I crash into the door. The same something is dragging me away from the door. Imposter Candy is chanting some spooky sounding ritual stuff while I'm pinned down onto the "carpet" by whatever dragged me away from the door. Somehow it's overpowering my serious business arm and I can't knock them off me.
"See you on the other side buddy!"

A loud explosion goes off and before I know it...I'm somewhere else now?

Omg the bag guys accully got you, what a shocker I mean this because they accully succeded at somthing, which is slighly strang, any way, investigate the area, and maybe yell for someone.
What it seems to mean when we see people speak we see in colours, so when we identify some as a different colour from before it means there a different person, it also seems to bipass some magic. Hmmm, something to think about.

Oh come on, how did they manage to sneak someone back in, and with a chimera too. How can they possibly be capable of infiltrating the security of the royal palace, when they don't even think to do basic research on the person they're pretending to be.

New rule: next impostor, punch first, ask questions later.

So... there's someone in a cage over there. Or more likely, you're in the cage, and there's someone on the other side. And your cage has pillars of fire, for some reason.

What do you have to work with? Just your arm and a nightie?

Buckwheat 2016/04/15(Fri)13:28 No. 716746 ID: 15a025
File 146075213096.png - (13.02KB , 800x600 , cq10.png )

>Oh come on, how did they manage to sneak someone back in, and with a chimera too. How can they possibly be capable of infiltrating the security of the royal palace, when they don't even think to do basic research on the person they're pretending to be.
I'm just going assume they had someone teleport in. Speaking of chimera, how did they manage to bring Tybalt back to life? And Candy's drugs? Not really surprised they didn't know about that one. Other than Candy, her clients, and me, I don't think anyone knows about those peppermint smokes.

>Omg the bag guys actually got you, what a shocker I mean this because they actually succeeded at something, which is slightly strange.
And a little alarming. Seems like they've managed to up their game a bit.
>What do you have to work with? Just your arm and a nightie?
Hmm...Yeah all I have is you guys, my arm, and night gown....and a wax candle? When did I get this?

>So... there's someone in a cage over there. Or more likely, you're in the cage, and there's someone on the other side. And your cage has pillars of fire, for some reason.
>investigate the area, and maybe yell for someone.
I walk over to the gate, avoiding the sinister looking carpet thing and inspect it. I don't think it's a cage door, but a fence with a lock on my side. I could probably bust through with my serious business arm. There's no walls by the gate, if I'm not careful I could fall off. Next I carefully check the pillars of fire and yup. They're pillars of fire, nothing special. Maybe whoever's on the other side of the gate knows what's up?

"Hello? Is anyone here?"
"Meeeeeeeooooooow"
Sounds like just an annoy-
"Meow!"
Sounds like just an annoying cat here.

>Speaking of chimera, how did they manage to bring Tybalt back to life?
Did the guard beating on Tybalt even kill him the first time, or did it just dismiss him back to hell? (Or whatever plane chimeras are native to).

>There's no walls by the gate, if I'm not careful I could fall off.
So... there's nothing stopping you from stepping around it, over the gap? No need to knock the bars down, you can use them as a handhold or railing to make sure you don't fall.

>annoying cat
Careful, it might be a chimera or something.

Buckwheat 2016/04/15(Fri)23:02 No. 716913 ID: 15a025
File 146078654679.png - (6.46KB , 800x600 , cq11.png )

>Did the guard beating on Tybalt even kill him the first time, or did it just dismiss him back to hell? (Or whatever plane chimeras are native to).
That's actually a good question. I just kind of assumed he died because he faded out of the blindar when that happened. Maybe he just went back to the netherworld?

>So... there's nothing stopping you from stepping around it, over the gap?
Just my total fear of falling off to my death like a klutz.

>you can use the gate as a handhold or railing to make sure you don't fall.
But what if my serious business decides to show off its power and knock the gate down on me?

>Careful, it might be a chimera or-
"Meeeowww!"
Something very capable at annoying me. That has to be the most obnoxious cat I've heard yet. Screw this puny gate and scary gap that could go on forever. I take the serious business arm and...the gate just tipped over like nothing.
"Meeew!"
The annoying cat chimera thing rushes up to me and aw...it's rubbing it's head on my leg and purring! I reach down and pet the little thing for a bit before moving onto the next room.

"Ah heheheh look what the...heh...look what the...hah...look what the cat dragged in!! Oh that was too good. Now, how about telling me all about that fancy arm ya got there. I promise if you do I'll let ya keep it. If not...welll...let's just say it'll...heheh...It's gonna cost you an...Ahahah...It'll cost you and arm and a leg! "

No...nonono...I know this voice. This is one of the two guys who kidnapped and assaulted me for info on the weapon prototype. This sadistic monster is the hyena that splashed who knows what at my face for hours on end. I...I'm half tempted to just give him whatever he wants just to avoid getting tortured with whatever vile tricks he in stored for my resistance. Any motivational ideas?

Your not the same girl from that time remember you kinda train for this, and I think it will be really statiffying to beat him up, but first we have to get over your fear.
Basically dont tell him about the arm because whats stopping him from keeping you here after you tell him. Also wouldnt it be nice to get some payback for your eyes.
I cant think of any motivation lines over than stupid anime quotes, like channel the spirt of your friends and some other radom nonsense, I kinda just like to think what would candy do in this situation...

Keep petting the kitty. Keep petting, it, hard, untill it stops purring, and lies bleeding on the ground. Dont stop petting, harder and harder, until nothing but paste and flakes of bone and the floor beneath it are left.

Maybe some shotgun blasts too.

Man, you got a crazy powerful robot arm and he's got jack shit. You spent 3 months in the woods learning how to use that arm and he didn't. Fuck this p.o.s. up. Blast him with your hand gun, zap him with the taser, bust has ass!!!!

>Any motivational ideas?
Tell him fine, you'll tell him all about your arm.

Then give him a first hand demonstration.

Buckwheat 2016/04/16(Sat)14:16 No. 717026 ID: 15a025
File 146084139246.png - (5.66KB , 800x600 , cq12.png )

>Tell him fine, you'll tell him all about your arm. Then give him a firsthand demonstration.
>Your not the same girl from that time remember you kind of trained for this, and I think it will be really stratifying to beat him up, but first we have to get over your fear. Also wouldn't it be nice to get some payback for your eyes.
>Blast him with your hand gun, zap him with the taser, bust has ass!!!!
"How about I give you a little firsthand demonstration instead!"
"HA! I take it you're looking for a little payback? HA! Like you can tak-"
I hurry up and switch the hand to gun mode and shoot a couple shots at him.
"Missed me! Now it's my turn"
I hear a small beep come from the necklace and three more red exclamation marks pop up on the radar. I dodge out the way but one of them still manages to get me in the leg. Something feels weird though...I don't actually feel anything from the blow, I don't even feel the thing sticking in my leg yet...I know it's in my leg somehow. I pull it out regardless, think it's a knife.

"Not bad. You're still pretty sluggish though!"
I run up to the hyena and throw a heavy punch at him dodges that too!
"Too slow!"
He clocks me in the head and sends me face first onto the floor.
"Heh...Have...have a nice trip! See ya next...fall! hah!
While he's cackling over his own corny joke, I swing my leg out and trip him. While he's enjoying his own little trip there I spring up and shoot three bullets at him before it looks like I'm out of those now? I switch the arm back to being just a regular hand and punch him but...he's not there now?
"Hah! If only you could see the look on your face right now. Oh it's priceless! Gotta love these wonderful little magic trinkets. Teleport powers and enchanted bullet shields are such fun little tricks to play with!"

Judging from what I know about other enchantments they have some kind of cool down period before they can get used again. If that goes for his teleporting trick then he can't just stand there and poof all over the place on me all day. I lunge at him to throw a punch but he grabs my mechanical arm. Big mistake on his part. I easily break it out of his hold and snap his arm like a twig.
"HA! hahaaha! Oh good thing this is just the cursed realm or I'd be in big trouble."
"What? What's the cursed realm!"
"HA! She doesn't know what the cursed realm is. Hahahaha! Let's just say it's a fun little place where people with a curse like you come to in your sleep sometimes. To make it a guaranteed trip though, the person who laid the curse can sneak into your dreams and bring ya in as well. Best part is we can duke it out all we want here and only feel just feel like our arm is busted, but have it not be broken. I suppose you want out? Well...that's a bit tricky you see. Oh wait..you can't see! HA! Anyway, to get out you need to solve a puzzle of increasing difficulty. Too bad for you though, you can't see anything. Heheheh. Only other way out is to have a special enchantment like me! Have fun being stuck here forever!!!!

The Hyena disappears and some weird yellow outlines come up on the blindar around the little specks of fire? Is this suppose to be the puzzle he was talking about?

>it's some kind of dream realm only accessible because of the curse earlier
Okay... I guess that makes them being able to get to you again so soon a little more plausible.

Although really, they continue to be incompetent. Really shouldn't have told you what was going on.

>is this supposed to be the puzzle?
6 little yellow rings, 4 with fire. Are we supposed to light the last 2, somehow?

What's that cross in the background, with the exclamation points on it?

Buckwheat 2016/04/16(Sat)18:23 No. 717096 ID: 15a025
File 146085622052.png - (5.74KB , 800x600 , cq13.png )

>Okay... I guess that makes them being able to get to you again so soon a little more plausible. Although really, they continue to be incompetent. Really shouldn't have told you what was going on.
What's even more baffling is if they can get someone into the room with Oscar and me...why don't they just steal the arm themselves right then and there?

>6 little yellow rings, 4 with fire. Are we supposed to light the last 2, somehow?
Let me check what I have on me again. Maybe there's something I missed? See...night gown, magic necklace, serious business arm, wax candle, a backpack? When did I have a backpack with me? There's also a box of...somethings and a knife in the backpack? Where is all this junk coming from!
"Meow! Meow! Meeeow!"
I shake the box by the kitty chimera and it seems to want the box of whatevers?

>What's that cross in the background, with the exclamation points on it?
I put the box of thingys away into the backpack and check out the cross. Where there are exclamation points on the cross there are some knives jammed in and some loose rope. I'll pocket the rope for now and leave the knives in the cross. The flames in the circle seem to be growing as well.

>What's even more baffling is if they can get someone into the room with Oscar and me...why don't they just steal the arm themselves right then and there?
Are we sure that wasn't part of the dream too? Maybe all they had to do was reach out and pull you deeper, as it were.

>>717096
Touch a finger to the ground in an empty circle. Is there some kind of fuel there to light? If so, you can light the candle from one of the other flames, and use the candle to light the other two spots. (Then put it out to save it).

If there's nothing in the circles to burn, you could use the knife to cut the candle in half, making two smaller candles (the annoying bit will be cutting away material to expose the wick on the lower half), and then lighting them both and placing them in the circles.

>I shake the box by the kitty chimera and it seems to want the box of whatevers?
Maybe they're treats? Give em a sniff.

...I wonder if the cat is Tybalt. Maybe getting killed demotes a Chimera, makes them less? That might be why he stuck around. He knows you.

Light Candle, then light chimera kitty with the candle.

1/2 Buckwheat 2016/04/18(Mon)14:29 No. 717641 ID: 15a025
File 146101495463.gif - (14.08KB , 800x600 , portal back1.gif )

>Maybe all they had to do was reach out and pull you deeper, as it were.
That could also be possible.

>Touch a finger to the ground in an empty circle. Is there some kind of fuel there to light? If so, you can light the candle from one of the other flames, and use the candle to light the other two spots. (Then put it out to save it).
I touch one of the empty circles. There seems to be something there? I pull out the candle and use it to spread the flames to the empty circles. A little ding comes from somewhere and a white circle appears on the blindar.

>Maybe they're treats? Give em a sniff.
Smells like food alright. I throw the chimera kitty one.
"Mew!
Sounds like they are some kind of treats then.

>I wonder if the cat is Tybalt. Maybe getting killed demotes a Chimera, makes them less? That might be why he stuck around. He knows you.
That could be a possible.
There isn't anything else in the room so I decide to step in the white circle. When I step inside I feel oddly clean and refreshed. As I bask in the warmth of the circle something grabs onto me and starts slowly carrying me away. It's not long till I find myself back laying in bed. I get up and find Oscar's still snoring away.
"Oscar wake up! Rise and shine!"
"Wha..? Morning already?"
"Someone snuck in here again and messed with my dreams. They sent me into some cursed realm or something?"
"Oh this isn't good at all...be thankful you made it out of there safely. Many who go find themselves there either never come back, or come back as chimeras. But your collar should have preve...your collar is off. Let me put it back on real quick.
I crouch down and Oscar puts the little collar back on for me.
"Like I was saying, this isn't good. I could see someone breaking in here once and pulling this off, but not twice in a row like this. Looks like I'll have to ask about pumping up the security around here even more."

The door opens and Captain Konkerii comes in.
"Morning Lady Brasshoof and Scallop! I've come with some breakfast for you all."
"Ah you shouldn't have. What's it today?
"Carrot Salads."
"You shouldn't have.
"I know. I'd kill for a little more varity around here. Gets boring eating carrots all day every day."
"Didn't Oscar cook some fish yesterday though?"
"Secret stash."
Oh well...salad is okay, more of a lunch kind of food though. After breakfast the Captain brings me down and helps me work on my aim some more. After that is lunch, and after lunch he teaches me about keeping my guard up in fight... the hard and painful way.
Dinner is the same carrot and cabbage themed foods as usual. After dinner though the King had Oscar and I head up into his chambers...

2/2 Buckwheat 2016/04/18(Mon)14:30 No. 717642 ID: 15a025
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"There's been a slight change in plans...I recommend both of you start packing your bags tonight. We're sending you out tomorrow morning at six a.m.."
"Sending us out where? What's going on?"
"Forgive me Oscar, I haven't had the chance to brief you on what's happening. You, Lady Brasshoof, and the other three mages, as well as a few of our finest members of the royal guard are going out to put an end to this terrorist scum and rescue my daughter."
"Are you insane! What do you expect us to do? Just walk right in, blow up a couple things like it's nothing and rescue the princess? Not to mention sending the person they're desperately trying to kidnap for her insane robot arm?"
"Honestly given their competency you probably could do just that. Anyway, Lady Brasshoof is playing the role of our bait Oscar. I think you're at least smart enough to figure out the rest of things. If not the other mages know the game plan. Now get going and start packing your things and try to get a good nights rest. I'll see that your room is heavily guarded."

Oscar rushes me down into his lab and he takes my necklace from me.
"Oscar what are you doing! I need that necklace to get around!"
"Don't worry! I'm just giving it adding new enchantment to it. How does being able to make giant rocks spikes grow out of the ground sound?"
"Like a blast...just don't 'spike' my necklace with anything I kind of really need it."
After like an hour or so of waiting around Oscar gives me my necklace back.
"Since we're going on what is pretty much a war mission you can legally have this enchantment. Using it is pretty simple but takes a little practice. Hold your hand over the necklace and focus on a mental image of giant spike jetting up from the ground. Once you've got a clear image in your head, fling your arm out and the target and then raise your hand."
Oscar takes me into a training room and he has me practice it a bit but the results are pretty lackluster. The biggest I could make the spikes were like the size of thumbtacks and that took a lot of energy to do just that.

"Don't feel bad, for someone who's never really used an offensive enchantment before you did alright. It doesn't really help that I don't know how to really use earth magic very well either. Let's retire for the night though, it's getting late and we still need to pack your bags."
"Not much to really pack. Just need my charger for the arm and that's about it."
"I'll go grab that real quick, and then we'll head in for the night."

It doesn't take long at all and before I know it I'm crawled into bed with my PJs on.
"Oh hey before I go to bed, who are these other three mages the King mentioned?"
"They're the other mage professors here."
"There's other mage professors here?"
"Yes, one for each element. We all don't really get along very well though...except for Buddy. Everybody loves Buddy, and Buddy loves everybody."
"Why's that?"
"He's just so nice and loyal to everyone."
"No I mean, why don't you and the other three mages get along?"
"The other two are...eh...you'll meet them tomorrow. Speaking of which you should get to sleep soon, it's already ten p.m."
"Goodnight Oscar!"
"Night Rainy."

End Chapter Four

>your collar is off.
Geeze, how did they get that off without waking you.

>Gets boring eating carrots all day every day.
That's how the bad guys keep getting in! The palace personnel are malnourished and suffering from deficiencies due to their restricted and imbalanced diet that's not appropriate for most of them.

>King sending us out early
I'm getting a bad feeling that they know whats up here.

So...how are you're getting to this unknown location of the base?

Kind of sort of small news update thingy concerning the quest over here in the dis. thread here: www.tgchan.org/kusaba/questdis/res/96175.html#99281