...Wonder if they're getting along alright...?
Les go.
I'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH HELL ONCE AND I'M NOT GOING THERE TWICE!!
You have reached the Oliver residence.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!
...Did I traumatize her?
Do you wanna die?
Not exactly, but not because of fear. I can't end up perishing in some trivial manner when I'm destined to outlive the ultimate fate of the universe.
In English, jerk! Not in Dork!
....No.
Th-then... don't call me soft. I'm not that kind of person. And I don't need others getting the wrong idea about that as well.
I'm not insulting you. I'm just saying you can be more sensitive then you let on. And I admire that.
Keh! Good for you, Player. but I don't need admiration. Least of all from the likes of you!
...Right. I'll see you around, then, 'Strong Independent Woman'.
I didn't say leave, stupid. I'm bored, and I can't beat people up anymore. You're rich. So... I figured you could make me not bored.
N-not like that night! That was a one time thing, and--
Alright, fine. I myself am quite bored, anyway.
And you promise you won't do anything embarrassing like call me "princess", or anything like that!?
...I had an interesting talk with Delta not so long ago. He said he did not enjoy seeing us argue.
So... I am not averse to making amends.
Uhuh. Sure. Where to, then?
Have you ever been to an aquarium?
...The hell's that?
...Eh? Finished already, boy? The whole point was to light a fire in you.... Metaphorically and literally.
...
Now, I wonder... what happened to all that excitement I saw from that other fight? Do I have to dress up as some haughty blonde girl to excite you, you little reprobate? How mighty the Igna have fallen.
...
...
...So you really are done. How unfortunate. Then there is nothing to do but eliminate you. Our clan needs not the weak. So you can die, right here. Not just like the weakling dog you are...
...but also the pitiful ones your parents were as well.
...
...
Farewell, lost child. May paradise treat you well.
...
...Grrhh...! Gghhh... Gh!
..GHHHHHH!!!!
Ah... not out yet, are you? (What in increase in power!? The density of his strength has skyrocketed!!)
GGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!
Well done... but now that we've brought your power to the surface... we need to work on your control.
HROAHHHH!!!!
!?
Th-this...!? (To make me readjust my power...! ... Can this boy really maintain the prodigious potential hidden within him?)
Kid, what are you doing?!
Tell her to get away from you and Ms. Yuugen!
No, hold on, YOU step away from the grub or she's gonna-
Gukh!!
Let's save our breaths, I ain't here for veal.
Fine by me.
Look, there's a time n' place to make deals. Not that I'd be sayin' yes at the right time.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, let's not get riled up now. I can come back later if I gotta.
Y'know, if sales ain't doin' great here, I could always give ya pointers on other markets† to look int-
Missy, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. And that means people who're tryin' to whip up shady deals.
I ain't gonna ask this again. Do you want the card or not?
Y'know, I try to be more open than my co-workers most o' the time. After what you pulled with the black water, you should be happy I let you have the card at all.
...well, if I gotta give anyone 'sides you a reason to listen, I'll give it at the right time.
Thank you. Have a nice day. Just have it somewhere else.
AGH!!! YOU BLASPHEMOUS PILE OF BIOLOGICAL LITTER!!!!
HAND TO ME THE vibrational link LEST THOU WISH FOR THINE ETERNAL DEMISE!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
You got the bat kid to blast me to bits, the hell am I gonna have to do get you outta my hair?!
Now, now, let's think about this for a moment. How did she defeat you?
...
You let the energy you coveted take over your mind. You became nothing more than a monster of grief, pleasure, loathing, resentment...
...and fear.
You thinkin' I forgot that whole ordeal?
My point, Toutetsu, is that the "black water" is dangerous in the wrong hands. What do you think would have happened had the leaks not risen to Gensokyo's surface?
To be trapped in the darkest depths as a mindless beast...surely even as the black sheep of the Animal Realm you would want more than that.
Now, I'm here for an offer. You and I both know the danger of leaving the "petroleum" deposit unchecked.
But you've shown you have the ability to defend the deposit from the few others who have reached it.
If you do me the favor of guarding the pools without consuming them, I will repay you and all the Gouyoku Alliance.
What do you say?
...Y'know, this is a bit of an odd time to ask me this kinda stuff, ain't it?
I'm gonna need to sleep on this one. Whaddaya say I get back to you in a day or three?
...
...I will give you four days. If you do not make a choice by then, there will be consequences.
You have my word, cross my heart and hope not to die, see ya then.
(...She's real darn fixated on Gensokyo, ain't she? You'd think the rest of the world wasn't a thing with how she was talkin'.)
(...Come to think of it, what does the rest of the world even know about my little slip-up?)
How do you like me now, clumsy monster?
Uh.... no I didn't? I never meant to! Because I have nothing to hide! At all!
Yep! And right after we met and we instantly became the bestest of friends and are currently living happily ever after! But she's busy, so I have to answer this call instead!
Naaaaah. W-we're getting along fine!
...
N-not... really...
(A little...?)
...
...Go ahead. It's him.
...Alright, guys. It's been about a whole week since the last day she's attended, and we've gotten no reasoning as to her repeated absences. This isn't the first class-cutting spree she's gone on... but she's stinking upn the class average.
Y-yeah... B-but... maybe she's sick? It's not out of the question that maybe she had a cold, and--
Cut the crap. We all know you're her only friend. You have a clear bias. How are you to be trusted?
...Sorry.
Hey, Clair has just as much a right to be as concerned as we do. Vyolen our classmate-- not just some responsibility.
And I'm sure you wouldn't lie about something like that. You know her best-- Might you be able to get in touch with her?
She hasn't responded to any of my texts...
Oh?
...but! I can still try! And if she decides to ignore me, I could pay her place a visit as well!
Tch.
That sounds fair. We'll give it until the end of the week. If there's no dice, we'll have to take more drastic measures.
...Thanks.
Why is she such a burden on our conscious? She's been a loudmouth to us, and it's not like she's given our cares the light of day. I think we're concerned for the wrong reasons, here.
That's not how it works. It doesn't matter what we are to her. She's one of us.
...Whatever. Just... don't expect me to get all enthusiastic at whatever happens. She could be a sleeping beauty for all I care.
!!
He must be talking about...Exee.
I wasn't actually sure there was a version of her here, but considering there was an alternate version of literally every other reaper including me, it makes sense.
I can only hope these reapers didn't do anything unforgivable like the others did...
Woah! Some of these fellas look damn cool! I like the jaws on that bad boy over there!
You would take a liking to something like that. That's a great white shark. It has the strongest bite of any sea creature.
No way. Get me one.
What would you even do with that? And where would you put it? You don't have a pool.
Then get me a pool, and then get me a great white to put in that pool!... N-nonono, get me three!
(She acts like such a kid... forget being a gold digger, she's a platinum miner.)
WHAT ARE THOSE.
Ah! Those would be orcas. Also known as the 'killer wha--
Five. I want five of them.
I didn't finish speaking.
Yeah? Well, I did finish making up my mind! That's 3 sharks, and 5 killers. I hope you have a pen and paper.
Exactly how long do you plan to go around looking for fish you find fascinating?
Until I get bored. Duh?
GOD DAMN IT CAN NO ONE MAKE AN EMAIL THESE DAYS?
Oh it's you.
Spectrum man again?
Th...this is what I'm talking about!

We're holding nothing back! We're giving all we got! Mayflies got more time than us, so we're using ours for glory...
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE TAKE OUR LIVES AS LONG AS WE CALL THE-
Yuugen, take the shot, quick!

GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
...I think she got knocked out.
...
Well, I can say with confidence the winners are the Fighting Mecha Team!
...wait, how-
...we cheated, didn't we? There's no way we actually-
〈...huh. How long has this been going?〉
Ah, Yoshisaur! It's a pleasure to see you could make it!
What you saw was just the second battle. The first was a formidable showdown between Emperor Germanicus and I, where Nero proved her worthiness of leadership!
〈Honestly, I expected way worse. Glad this has been going well for you all.〉
...well, I dunno about Meandra...
In any case...who shall be the next two to-
I appreciate the belated admiration, but please give me a moment to think.
...That...wasn't us.
Hm?
Gotta say, Nero, using an X-year-old tower for a battle arena with kid's doodles as promotion? Great idea.
JK, of course; this sucks!
Excuse me?!
〈Son of a...I thought Beck and Duo killed you!*〉
Citation needed on that one, kazoo boy! He packed a punch, sure, but what he took out was a page out of an age 15 two-tailed fox: It was a hologram!
...well, technically it's still a hologram right now, that's just the data ghost life...
But new thread: I've been keeping tabs and windows on this whole thing, and at first I thought I had an easy historical target. Playing the lute while your Rome burns, running away like a wimp after they ere fed up with you, marrying that Sporus kid by-
You do not know what my life was like, you flying wretch!
'Course not! You're some weeb chick version of that emperor, from who knows where! Social media wouldn't have known the difference, of course...
TL;DR, I realized that was a fail, and I settled on something else!
A headline about a murder.
NERO FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 2022 IS POPULATED BY THOSE WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO AN OPTIMAL FIGHTING STYLE.
THE FESTIVAL WILL BE PURGED FOR THE SAKE OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING EXPERIENCE:
MARVEL VS CAPCOM 2: NEW AGE OF HEROES.
...well, what are you waiting for?
...wait, what do you mean?
I lost. I'm gonna be gone any second, so might as well put me down with a bang.
...why would you fade? Or...be gone? Or...?
*sigh*
You don't get it. Our leader doesn't just tell us what to do, he's how we're alive.
He's never told me the details, but when I'm working with someone who can take that away from me, I'm not prodding for questions.
But I just wanted a good, fair fight. I'm not one to lead a big army or any trash like that.
I wanted to live my way. Dying standing is a heck of a lot better than living kneeling, and if nothing else it'd mean the leader would actually recognize me.
Willowarp and Rottentest are bonuses to him. The ice rep and I? We're living messages of what the boss wants. And if I can't even be a good figurehead, why make him waste ink?
...
I-is this what you really want? To be kicked while you're down for doing what you want?
If we can't control what your leader does, I'm truly sorry.
But...we don't want to kill you. You have standards - you didn't want to hurt Terumi - and your leader is clearly the one pushing this conquest agenda and not you.
...what does it feel like to go away?
Beats me. I barely even noticed when I came to life, I probably won't even notice when I'm gone.
...
This is gonna sound stupid, but hear us out.
If you really think this guy's gonna erase you either way, why not spend your last moments at full strength?
Pffh...what would I even get to use it on? Just 'cause I'm fast doesn't mean I can overthrow him in seconds.
Well, it's gonna hurt a lot less, for one.
Other thing, though: If you can live any longer, you're showing even if your boss is gonna call you disposable, you ain't gonna accept it.
Even if it doesn't change his mind, you're still gonna be you. Not his "wind troop", not his "figurehead", you. Even if just for a moment.
I'd say that's a way better message than saying you want to die for him.
*sigh*
The ice troop is in a cavern through that hole over there. Get past him, and the boss is the only one left.
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