[LP CYOA] Epic

[treave]

There is a grunt of acknowledgement in my earpiece. "Well then, good luck with your mission, and please be more careful this time. I think it is an advantage that you will not be starstruck. Keeping a level-head is important, Hoshikawa.”

“Starstruck?”

“She is the most popular teen idol in the world, you know. Well, at least you have an... ah, commitment to someone. I trust you not to stray.”

She is able to trace her ancestry in an unbroken line from the Concordiat refugees, a rare thing in Higashi... Kawano had then proved herself to be more than just a pretty face, demonstrating her ability at singing, dancing and acting.

“To you,

I am watching. I am always watching.
I know everything.

Cyber Jack.”

Note: It was vague enough for Esquilax to mistake it as a message addressed to Senya. Interesting insight to be had there.

“Qin, this is the bodyguard they sent. He'll be at your beck and call until all this cyber-terrorist nonsense is over.” says Nancy nonchalantly

I can feel Kawano staring at me from the side. Is anything strange? Suddenly, I realize that my shades are off. They must have fallen when I saved her just now. Damn, I hope that isn't a stare of recognition.

“Your phobia of frames. How did you get it? Wait, don’t tell me – you were almost killed by one at…” she mimes thinking really hard. “Neo Heliopolis, perhaps?”

I feign surprise myself. That was the story I was going to tell her anyway. “How did you know?” She beams. “I’m a mind-reader. Haven’t you seen me give performances on TV?”

“Hoshikawa, right? The cult’s assassin? I get that a lot. It’s unfortunate, but I’m not him at all. Would I be standing here if I was?”

“I guess not. No one would be that daring,” smiles the girl, putting her face closer to mine. “Upon closer look you two don’t really look alike anyway. The pictures of him they put out – he has that killer look in his face. You don’t look like you would kill anything.”

“Well,” she winks. “Perhaps it’s fate? A princess meets her shining knight again.”

I walk around the frame, examining it. The exterior looks normal, if damaged from the crash. I bring up the scene in my mind again – on hindsight, judging from its trajectory, it would likely have missed us by a whisker even if I hadn’t carried Kawano away.

“Thank you, Sir Naim. I did meet with her, once, when she came aboard the Spirit of Adventure. I suppose you could say the princess was the reason I decided to enter show business.”

“She was just… well, how do I put this… stunning? She was a person that shone brightly. She sang a song to us and it just touched all of us deeply. After that, I told myself that I want to be someone just like her. Someone that can inspire hope in the hearts of the people.”

“Well, can you imagine the mindset of one of the worst traitors in history, or how his target must have felt when he stabbed her in the back? Was he utterly ruthless, or did he feel conflicted about it? It would take an excellent young actor to portray the character convincingly.” Qin turns to address me. “How about you, Kurou? What did you think of Hoshikawa? You met him too, right?”

Once we are in the washroom – the ceiling is opaque here – Naim wastes no time before grabbing my collar. He shakes me strongly enough for my sunglasses to fall off. “What are you doing here? Are you insane? I almost didn’t recognize you. If Kawano hadn't said anything...”

Qin is on the pebbled floor, surrounded by three people in serving uniform; two males, one female.

As he tries to berate them, the girl's eyes flicker for a moment, and her face writhes in an inhuman manner. Her hand flashes up quickly, almost a blur. The man stops and stumbles backwards, staring at his chest. A kitchen knife is embedded in it, penetrating from under his sternum towards his heart.

“Here is Cyber Jack's present to you!” they shout, in perfect synchronicity, as if one of them hadn't just stabbed the manager.

Then, they run in line towards the gap and jump out of it.

Let's go with C, then?

 

[Esquilax]

... It's tied

 

[Rex Feral]

Flopping to C. As per Equilax's advice.

 

[treave]

Smashing Axe - C
Kipeci - C
Rex Feral - C
m4davis - B
TOME - B
ScubaV - B
Esquilax - C
Lambchop19 - C
aleam iacis - C
Kayerts - B
Azira - C
Zwist - C
Storyfag - B

B - 5
C - 8

Rex Feral's flop wasn't needed.



edit: Well, I didn't post those quotes for nothing. They are among the more helpful clues, though they don't tell the whole story.

 

[treave]

In a few hours, probably. Well, the sooner we off Shulgi (or end the story arc) the sooner we can go Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Kinda missed the chance to do it soon when we reloaded, though.

 

[Storyfag]

Would have flopped to C, as per Esquilax's advice. But decided to sleep instead.

 

[Esquilax]

Would have flopped to C, as per Esquilax's advice. But decided to sleep instead.

Good call. Timezones are a bitch.

 

[Azira]

edit: Well, I didn't post those quotes for nothing. They are among the more helpful clues, though they don't tell the whole story.

Not the whole story, but all of them points towards Qin possibly being Kyrie.

[EDIT]
And now Qin/Kyrie will be subjected to tasteful tentacle rape.

 

[treave]

Sorry to disappoint.

 

[Azira]

I have this video running in my mind now, and nothing you post is going to change that.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

The other option besides it being Kyrie is that it's our sis.

 

[Azira]

Kinky...

 

[treave]

The Case of the Cursed Songstress, Act V


My duty is to stay with her. I breathe in deeply, feeling myself grow calmer. It will take a while for the chaos to settle down. In the meantime, Naim and I bring Qin over to the kitchen, asking Chinatsu to make her a serving of hot cocoa - the rest of the staff have been called out to the front, probably to help with the panicking customers. Qin's face is deathly pale - I suppose having three people jump off a building to celebrate her 'birthday' would do that to you. On the other hand, that's probably the least of her worries right now. They had called out her name in public. I expect the fan is going to be quite brown very soon. They had not wanted a police escort to keep things low key, but it seems that Cyber Jack has successfully upped the ante with his latest move. Accidents on the set can be covered up or explained away, but what happened just now is going to turn into an all-you-can-eat for the media. After Chinatsu hands Qin the mug of cocoa, she asks for my help with putting some pans back on the shelf, in the opposite corner from where Qin is sitting.

"You're not fooling me, you know." she whispers.

"Hey, most of the city hasn't identified me yet."

She snorts. "I suppose others could buy that, but I can probably spot your stupid head from the other side of town. Stay discreet, okay?"

"Yeah, I know. About Mom and Dad..."

"You have your reasons, I'm sure. I won't let them know a thing, they'll just worry about it needlessly. We'll talk another time."

"When it's safer." I emphasize firmly.

"When it's safer," she agrees. "Still... it's good to see you again, stupid brother."

"It's good to see you too. You've really grown. I mean, emotionally. Not physically."

I earn a stomp for that one.

Seeing Chinatsu again makes me wonder about my other sister. Rei is probably still in space, fighting on the frontlines of the war. With my recently made cultist contacts, perhaps I should see if I can do anything about that. But that would have to wait. Right now, I have a job to do.

"Is there any other way out of Yamaten?" I ask Chinatsu.

"Well, there is the staff entrance, over there." She points over at a door near the back of the kitchen. "It leads straight to the fire exits."

"We'll take that. Qin, are you alright with walking?"

She nods wordlessly.

"Then let's get out of here. I think the papparazi are going to break down the door once they've gotten news of this - and they probably already have."

"Hold on a minute, Mr. Kurou." Naim calls out. He tosses a small box at me. I catch it - it's the electronic key for his car. "I'll stay here to handle the situation. Not to brag, but I am relatively famous after all. They will listen to me. Please see Ms. Kawano back home safely."

"Do you know what to say?" I ask.

"Deny, distract, disseminate." He recites. "I took a course on propaganda studies back in my academy days. I should be able to handle this."

"Alright. I'll leave that up to you, Sir Naim. Oh, yes, before I leave... there's one important thing I need to ask. Who recommended the Yamaten to you?"

"How did you know - right, never mind. Ms. Kawano's manager said she would probably like to dine in a place like this."

"Thanks. That's all I need to know." I grab Qin's hand and run off.

"Wait! Actually, do you have a driving license?"

I can hear Naim shouting after me, but I ignore him as we dash down the stairs.

***

As a matter of fact, I don't have a driving license. I do, however, manage to make it back to Qin's apartment without so much as denting the car, so there's no worries there. If I can handle a frame, I can handle a sportscar. Qin looks much better after the ride - the fresh air and cold breeze has done her complexion some good.

She is surprised when I follow her in without waiting for an invitation.

"Quite forward, aren't you?" she giggles.

"I am your bodyguard after all. The job doesn't end after you get home. Don't worry, I'll sleep in the living room."

"A dragon of my own to guard my quarters. I'm honoured. Make yourself at home, Kurou. I'll prepare something to drink. What would you like?"

"Plain water will do."

"Are you sure? I stocked my freezer up with fruit juice, and there's plenty of tea leaves and coffee beans my fans sent to me from all over the world," she says.

"Pretty sure about that. I'm not exactly in the mood for something flavourful at the moment."

"It's the first time I've brought a guy back to my place, so I insist that you try something out. I know, I'll make you one of my special blends to commemorate the occasion!"

"Well, if you insist... thank you, Qin."

"Excellent." She goes into the kitchen, humming a song beautifully.

I take a seat on the cushy sofa, then start talking to Yua.

"Has the incident made the news yet?"

"Yes. All major news channels are reporting on it right now. If you were to switch on the television right now Naim would be on all of the channels."

"How is he handling it?"

"Acceptably."

If I had a cybernetic eye or a proper neural implant I would be able to observe the feed directly via Yua, but I'm pretty old-fashioned when it comes to my body, surprisingly. I hear Qin talking loudly inside the kitchen - she must be talking to her manager. They seem to be arguing about something; it's likely because of the incident at the restaurant.

"What do you think of the idol?"

"I would not drink anything she makes... if I could drink."

I laugh. "It depends on how nice her blend is."

It takes some time for Qin to come out of the kitchen, holding two glasses of iced coffee. A good choice; they have just the right amount of bitterness and sweetness. I thank her and take a glass, sipping from it. She watches me carefully. She seems to be somewhat tense.

"Can I ask you a bit more about the incident?"

"Yes, you can," she replies, her expression growing more and more nervous as she recalls the scene.

"What happened, exactly?”

“I’m not sure. There was a bright flash, and then those three just walked towards me. They said something about how ‘I will spread Cyber Jack’s message to the world’. Then, the glass was shattered. You saw the rest.”

“You really don’t know why he’s targeting you?”

She shakes her head exasperatedly. “Of course not. I have no idea who this hacker is and I don’t care. I told you, it’s really starting to scare me. I’m not sure what to do anymore.”

I observe her carefully. My senses tell me that she doesn’t seem to be lying – then again, she’s a good actress. I can’t be certain, and I won’t say that my powers of observation are foolproof. My senses also tell me that the sedative circulating through my body is being counter-acted by Yua’s stimulation of my nervous system. That I am certain of.

"By the way," I say brightly, "I need to have a look around your apartment."

"Why's that?"

"I'm quite particular about... well... roaches, bugs and the like. I'm scared of them."

"My bodyguard, scared of bugs?" Qin laughs. The mood lightens.

"Deathly afraid. So if you'll permit me..."

"Sure, if you want. Luckily I cleaned up this morning."

I get up and begin my search. The bugs I'm looking for are of a more electronic sort, and I activate my ability to help with the search. I find nothing as I move from room to room. Finally, I reach Qin's bedroom. It's full of frills and ribbons, as expected of a girl. There are pictures lining one of the walls, but surprisingly, it isn't of her. The pictures were all of Kyrie.

"You seem to be a very big fan of the princess.”

“Yeah. She was a wonderful person. The moment I met her I knew she was someone special. I didn’t get to be with her for long, but sometimes you just know that… well, some people you only need to see once to understand how precious they are.”

“It almost sounds like you were enamoured with her.” I laugh.

“Maybe I was. I know that I wanted to be just like her the moment we met. I only agreed to become an idol so that I could have met her again. A poor refugee from space wouldn’t have a chance, but as a celebrity…”

“She died before you could.”

“Yes, she did. Killed by someone dear to her. I have no idea how he could have had the heart to do it… I saw them together when she visited the Spirit of Adventure. I could sense that she put all her trust in him, and this was how he repaid her? I can’t even imagine how she must have felt, or what he was thinking.” This conversation is rapidly going places I don’t want it to go.

“I don’t know how you can say that she-“

“Well, I’m a mind-reader.” She sticks out her tongue mischievously. I can’t really tell if she’s joking or serious. “By the way, you haven’t answered my question in the restaurant. What do you think of Hoshikawa Senya’s crime?”

I look at the pictures of Kyrie. Most of them are of her in official functions. I see myself in one of those pictures – it’s one taken right before Julius’s familiars began their rampage at the Imperial Academy. Well, I only know it's me because I remember what I was wearing when the photo was taken. My head in the picture has been removed, a jagged hole where it used to be.

“I think that what befell her is his fault.” I say quietly.

“So you agree that he is guilty?” There’s an edge in her tone I don’t like, but she seems hesistant.

“He needs to atone for his sins. But not with death.” I straighten up, glancing back over my shoulder to look at Qin. “Oh, if you’re waiting for the sedative to kick in, don’t bother. Also, you aren’t hiding that knife very well.”

Her pretty face freezes in astonishment. It only lasts for a while, though, before she’s leaping at me, a glinting kitchen knife in her hand. It looks like the little play is over. Unfortunately for her, I’m faster and stronger. I intercept her swing, grasping her wrist painfully enough for her to drop the knife. I flip her onto the double-bed – no point in hurting her by flinging her to the ground – and straddle her, pinning her supple body to the soft mattress.

“Your plot was too hasty,” I remark. “Sleeping pills? Knife? I mean, sure, you have the clout to get away with it, but I think it would have been better had you considered other options before rushing into the only one you had, just because I’m at your place for the first time.” I must admit that she is devious, for an amateur. Her little trick with Naim could have ended in disaster for me.

“Don’t lecture me, you bastard,” she hisses, all traces of friendliness gone. There is only anger and hatred in her eyes. “How can I stand by and let the one who killed her walk free in my house? I was hoping the Hero of the Federation could do the job, but it seems that you managed to fool him somehow.”

“I manage to fool a lot of people nowadays.”

“You can’t fool me. The day I heard she died, I cried for two days,” she snarls, struggling as I tighten my grip on her. “Then, I memorized every detail about you. I would recognize you even if you were ashes.”

I whistle. “That’s a really amazing power, Qin. It doesn’t matter to me, though. Now, we have two ways to go about this peacefully. One, we pretend nothing happened, and I continue being your bodyguard. Two, you fire me and request a new person to guard you. All the other options would be… less than peaceful.”

“Fuck you,” yells Qin, trying to throw me off her. “I’d rather die than listen to you, you murderer!”

“If you kill me you’ll be a murderer too,” I point out.

“I prefer to think of it as executing the guilty.” She retorts, angrily.

"If I die, do you think your next bodyguard will be able to protect you against Cyber Jack?"

"I don't care about that! If I bring you with me, she will finally be able to rest in peace!"

It looks like I won’t be able to talk her down easily, though from the looks of it the stress of the Cyber Jack situation seems to be aggravating her paranoia. I wonder if she's told me all she knows about this Cyber Jack case, though she seems to clearly regard taking revenge for Kyrie as her utmost priority.

***

A. I tell her Kyrie is still alive and put on my best act to try to convince her of what has happened, letting her know as much as is necessary and showing as much proof as I need to so that she will believe my words. I feel that once the misunderstanding is cleared up we can actually work together well.

B. This might be a good time to test the power of persuasion from my TENTACLES! I can implant a simple suggestion – theory suggests that complex orders or commands won’t stick at all, and it has to be something that they are likely to believe as having come from their own mind. In other parlance, I can’t make them break character. (10 word limit on the suggestion’s wording, feel free to ask for clarification on what might or might not break character for Kawano)

C. I let her go – she can do as she wants after that. I will prepare for my identity to be exposed and leave the department; Azo isn’t going to be happy about this, but I don’t really care – since I’m to be revealed, my last act in the department will be to hack their servers by brute force to get whatever information their network has. Kyrie is out there somewhere, and I’m not going to waste any more time in searching for her.

D. She knows my identity, she is hostile towards me, she’s just experienced a threatening event caused by Cyber Jack… and there are no surveillance bugs in her apartment. There’ll be no better chance to silence her. I rip Qin’s mind to shreds, violating it with my tendrils. Dredging up any other knowledge she is keeping to herself, if any, is just a bonus.

 

[Azira]

Ohoho. I wonder if any of these choices lead to immediate bad ends?

Must ponder my choice. I'm not fond of A. We owe this girl nothing. C doesn't rock my boat either.
So it's either full grimdarkness with D, or some clever ploy with B.

Time to think...

 

[treave]

It shouldn't be too hard to coin something that allows for the status quo to be kept. Going further than that, though, might be tricky.

 

[ScubaV]

Channeling Baltika9 for a moment: What if Qin in her crazy obsession was actually involved in Kyrie's attempted murder. Then, due to selective amnesia she puts the blame on Senya. Kyrie discovered this and secondary to her treatment at the hands of Shulgi and friends has become Cyber Jack. She wants to exact revenge on Qin. The ten thousand suicides was just a side effect of being grimdark.

Ok seriously, I think B is the choice with the best potential, but we have to choose our words carefully. What if we tried to go about A another way, without revealing everything?. treave, would thinking Kyrie might be alive be in character for Qin? I'm sure she would wish Kyrie was alive.

We could try something like: "What if Kyrie was alive? Senya could lead to her."

 

[Zwist]

"Naim killed Kyrie, this guy is to big a pussy to do that"

 

[treave]

Well, Kawano was at the funeral. She saw not-Kyrie buried, since you didn't mess with the corpse. She firmly believes that Kyrie is dead, and a simple suggestion won't be enough to break that belief, at least not without reinforcement.

Even with A I will state upfront that you spill pretty much everything before she grudgingly believes part of your story.

edit: Naim killing Kyrie... could work. She doesn't trust him either, she senses he's hiding something too. Hence her willingness to kick him in the balls should you suggest she do it. She would be probing him instead if you hadn't so gallantly shown up as her bodyguard. The pussy part probably won't stick since you're currently on top of her right now in a dominant position.

 

[Rex Feral]

Indeed. Do these choices lead to a bad end ? If yes then the choices leading to bad ends would be either A or C.

A is the option I would choose, but if someone comes with something good for B then I'll flip flop.

 

[treave]

Okay, consider this the last bad end warning, since it'll become a proper game mechanism now.

No bad endings here.

Not that you should worry about bad ends too much anyway. You get an automatic reload most of the time.

 

[Rex Feral]

What would have happened if we'd have gone after the robot ?

 

[treave]

Catch up to it, fight it, try to disable it via your tendrils only to get countered by Cyber Jack, then you get into a hacking battle.

 

[Rex Feral]

And if we went after those nuts ? :D

 

[treave]

You capture one successfully. The others go splat.

 

[Azira]

That would have been awesome. It's also going to be awesome to implant a suggestion into little Qin's pretty head.
Would "Empress killed Kyrie for political gain, Hoshikawa is a scapegoat" be pushing it? Break character? If she's so enamoured by Kyrie, that could possibly extend to the empress Julie, and then again it might not.

What do you guys think? I would love to turn Qin like that, if possible. It's delightfully devious, and what if Qin actually made that accusation in public at some point?