WEEK 6 CYOA - CLAUDE, FUTABA, LUX, KON

[dormheads]

Comments

[illuminance]

I am not so skilled with swords - we may have to run sooner than later.

[ she assumes her inability to damage them is her own failing, here.

luckily any good lux main knows to kite and run back towards safety. and it's a pretty straight shot to the town, so she's trying to at least keep the two of them backing in that direction? well. as best she can, anyway. ]

[refate]

[ are you, hei??? ]

I think the issue is their builds, more than your skills, Lux.

[ neither of them is well-equipped for this, in shade experience or weaponry, because they're just not hitting them how they need to. he's savvy enough to know that.

he's also savvy enough to agree that they need to fall back. kon will angle himself so his back is towards their exit, but a little to lux, as well - just trying to not let them get cornered or allow a shade around behind them. ]

I don't want to jinx us and say "they're slow, let's run blindly for it."

[amain]

[ The unfortunate part of NieR game is that magic, seemingly good against armored monsters in practice, does not do that here. You need enough armor break. As Kon and Lux use their advantage, speed and agility, over these Shades, the monsters spread out in attempts to follow them... Those that were hit take a bit longer to do the same.

They are slow. They are pitifully slow. That's the tradeoff for heavy armor.

Because of Lux and Kon retreated towards the direction of Seafront, there are large gaps in the Shades' shoddy attempt at a lineup. They're kind of littered with three Shades closer to Kon and Lux, two Shades kind of trying to follow up, etc.

Again, they are very slow. ]

[illuminance]

I am not very adept at running fast, right now.

[ mostly because she never got healed after her first cyoa. she thinks a demacian does not retreat with no small amount of frustration because they are definitely retreating right now... ]

[refate]

Consider it strategic regrouping, now that we know what some Shades are. [ kon will wallop one of the three that are at the forefront with the sword in his hands, to see if he can slow it a little more once he notices that particular detail. ]

We could powerwalk away from them, at this point. Go, that gate's open, right - I'll follow.

[amain]

[ Wow... but going north would be fun. When Kon smacks one with his sword, with enough force, the Shade topples backwards. It's going to have to spend some time getting up now.

The Shades all converge toward Kon, though slowly... Which makes a wider opening on one side. ]

[illuminance]

[ hrmrmrmg she doesn't follow kon's advice and make use of that opening because she doesn't want to just leave him with those shades converging toward him.

instead she comes over to swing a wide arc at them and try and get them away from him! ]

[refate]

[ you know, she's her own person? kon won't stop her? even if she isn't healed from her first trip. so he'll just apply the same force to try and knock another one over when she comes swooping in. maybe that'll buy them some extra time.

north, south, west? there's a few different options, but they need to actually have the time to choose them. even if they're slow and now turtled on the ground. ]

[amain]

[ This is mean. This is bullying? The Shades might not get hurt by their attacks, but they do fall back with enough force. They're left on the floor, trying to get up. It will take them some time due to their heavy armor.

They're in their weird bundle on this side, which should give Kon and Lux time to figure out where they want to go.

West to that open gate? South back to Seafront? North toward the village with the library? ]

[illuminance]

[ we'll bully the shades if we want to. anyway it is farthest away but now that she's seen how slow these shades can be - lux thinks they can make it if they can keep this up. ]

Let's go north. Quick as we can.

[ which isn't that quick but. whatever. ]

[refate]

Blow by blow a giant is knocked down. [ wow these things aren't that scary once you knock them over?

time to bully for the rest of the cyoa until eventually karma catches up to us! ]

North it is. [ off they go! kon knows he'll be faster if he goes on his own, since lux needs more heals, but doesn't - sticking together kept him alive, his last trip, and he'd like it if they both got out as intact as possible. ]

[amain]

[ Also, I fucked up directions. The gate is on the east side on the right. I forgot we were coming from seafront.

As they both go North, they reach a large opening that has more space on the left, REAL WEST. I'M NOT DUMB THIS TIME. There's a small shore there, some deer, and also a massive Shade hanging out. It's a little over ten feet tall, chilling.

Unfortunately, it notices the two of them. I need you both to roll for evasion. You may deduct how much you think is reasonable for your injuries. ]

[illuminance]

[ i got a 6 so i'm gonna be real with you i don't think deductions matter ]

[refate]

[ go north, the metatext said. go north, we decided.

i rolled a 13, hm. ]

[amain]

[ looks at these numbers and looks into the camera

The Shade unleashes a long-ranged flurry of wind scythes. They come fast, they're difficult to dodge due to the breadth. It sends them both flying the opposite side of the opening. The deer startle and gallop away, so there goes their chance of having a meat cushion.

Kon fortunately collides with a lone tree, having only been hit by one end of the attack. The couple of scythes leave Kon with a myriad of cuts across his body, filleting his clothes and leaving quite an injury on his face... It's a slash that starts from the end of his neck and crosses to his forehead. He starts bleeding from all wounds and the aches echo through his body.

Lux, however, is sent crashing into the rock formation that wraps around these plains. The force comes with a chorus of broken bones... And the concentrated array of scythes cut into her. She dies instantly for rolling a 6.

It is just Kon... Kon is here, by himself, as this large Shade makes strides over. As if called, smaller Shades the size of toddlers start appearing, too. ]

[refate]

[ goodbye, meat cushions. hello, arbor...

kon hits the tree and has all the wind knocked out of him in the process, not able to do much in the way of getting out of dodge. there's a choked, pained noise, but - where'd lux go? is she..? no time to really process, that, as more shades start showing up and the bigger one is making its way over.

fuck, fuck, fuck. he tries to push himself back, around the tree, scrambling to find his footing at the same time. ]

[amain]

[ I guess Lux will stay as a nice bloody mural for these plains. People will be able to see her when they travel.

Fortunately, the large Shade is slow. It moves at the same pace as the armored Shades and Kon isn't so far where it thinks to use its ranged skills. However, the smaller ones are quick and nimble. They jump at him like little goblins. They try to rip off his skin. They try to bite at his ankles. Do they have mouths? Do they have teeth? Kon won't be able to tell. They're merely black and gold scrawls, monsters created by what looks like to be... Words. ]

[refate]

[ what is he gonna do with two weeds and a bunch of monsters beating him up??

probably, honestly, try to bash the little goblin shades off of him so that he can not have all of his skin ripped off of him. he's not going to try and read the words, this close up to them. except getting distance from the bigger shade probably isn't smart, either.

maybe people will be able to see kon, too, at this rate. ]

[amain]

[ They will see Kon... If he can't move fast enough, then the smaller Shades merely pile on him. They rip, they tear, and yet their silhouettes don't give away what they are. They don't tell of any claws, any fangs, yet they have a way with going at human flesh. It's as if they are too familiar with human flesh.

The smaller Shades start grounding him, almost shackling him down with their joined weight, and the large Shade finally makes it to Kon.

It raises its large arms, then slams it down. There's no time for pain. Instantly, Kon is made to be a crunchy pancake inside and out. ]

[amain]

BAD END

---

You needed to both roll for a total of 20. You may load up your last save file and try again. What save point will you choose?

[illuminance]

[ › Tavern ]

[amain]

[ You guys are back inside the tavern!

It feels like all you experienced was a bad dream... But if it was a bad dream, why is it that Lux remembers that jolt before death? Why does Kon feel like there's a weight dragging him down? They both are walking in one piece now, but there are litters of cuts under their clothes, albeit not as severe as the "bad dream." If they check them, the cuts look to be healed maybe a day or two.

Kon also has that slash that starts from the bottom of his neck, crosses to his face, and ends at corner of his forehead. It's fortunately not bleeding, but it isn't completely healed, either. ]

[illuminance]

... A different strategy this time, perhaps? Let's spend more time here before we venture past the walls of safety.

[ but she doesn't move right away because she just had a Nier Death Experience and she is emotionally recovering. even if it doesn't show on her face. ]

[refate]

[ yeah, he's not going anywhere right away, either, and has to close his eyes for a few minutes. being torn apart and then flattened isn't very fun? he reaches up to touch the slash on his face, testing the edges. ]

Yeah. That sounds fine. [ a deep breath, and time to look around and see if anything looks different? we're fine. this was fine. ] Should we find the post office, or talk to more merchants?

[amain]

[ It looks exactly the same as you guys remembered!

The edges of the slash sure are there. These injuries are very real, despite how it feels surreal that you're back. ]