One day... A letter arrived.

...

CECE
It was an ordinary afternoon in a pious winter. The sky was somewhat cloudy, but nothing threatening. The laughter of children in the yard, the television in the living room. Life in this home was humble, sometimes worse than that, but the kids gave their best.

>child
"ah I wish I could be outside... jumm..."

Says one of the children with the cleaning task of the day sweeping the floor.

>girl
"shh... Mrs. María can hear you..."

>child
gasp -covers her mouth-

>Speaker
"Cece, Alicia, go to my office immediately."

The voice of Mrs. María calls you and Alicia, one of the older girls in the home. Besides living together, she and you don't have a very special connection.

You could obey... Or not. You had the whole house to roam and it was 5:00 pm. One of the best times of the day to play or do anything else.

>yard
>bedrooms
-your room
-Alicia's room
>María's office
>bathroom
>garden

>(To fast forward in case you decide to go to her office)

Without time or interest for walks, you head where you're needed. You take a route you know by heart through those old velvet-covered corridors until you cross paths with the other girl, waiting silently by the door.

>Alicia
"¿Uh?"

The creaking boards make your arrival anything but discreet. Alicia greets you with her hand. She's a blonde, tired-looking young girl who looked worried until she made eye contact with you and decided to smile.

"¡Hey! Good afternoon, ¿Roja...?, ¿Cece...? Uh- I'm not sure how to actually call you but- uh-"

She approaches you with some steps.

"I think we never properly introduced ourselves... I'm Alicia. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She says extending her arms for a hug, but quickly lowers them and stretches out her little hand to better offer a handshake, then regrets it halfway and puts up a fist with which she makes a sailor's arm.

"You look very pretty today, and you smell very nice. Did you do something to your hair?"

She's socially inept, but trying to be nice. After that, she turns back towards the door again. Well closed, made of wood and with an opaque glass pane on which it read "director."

"It's just a door... but it gives me a bit of fear." -she lets out a genuine giggle- "having fear of a door... Jaja what a joke. I'm a stupid, aren't I? -she covers her mouth to let out another giggle-"

"You were waiting for me to go in together. Like... friends do."

Even though she isn't your friend.

"But- I mean! We don't have to go right now if you don't want. I mean... She said yes, but... No... Actually it would be better if we obey but... It's your decision, obviously."

>>1675
Pues... Not really. The role was planned to be single player, but if you're interested I'll leave you a character sheet and I'll try to think of a storyline that works.
>real name
>appearance
(The clothing is the same as Little Red Riding Hood, the hair can only be brown or blonde)
>age
You must be a girl

If you tell me if you have any particular approach that catches your attention it would also be helpful.

>>1677
Feel free to reject it if it doesn't fit the OP format
>Real name
Jan, Ken and Pon.
>Clothing
Orthodox witch outfit embroidered with mimicry, her crepe layers flutter in accordance with her cerulean habit. Hats with so pointed wings they could be used as white weapons, oscillating between the faded purplish hue of a girl who doesn't bathe and the tattered scarlet of Pon. The belt at the height of her skirts holds nothing useful except the illusion of discipline and a trio of staffs bound to library grimoires.
>Age
Jan 8 (the half-dead sister who doesn't blink), Ken 9 (the sister with bottle-bottom glasses umbilically tied to the sense of duty) and Pon 10 (the one who wasn't planned, but acts as if she was). They were born in consecutive years because their parents confused natural control with fertility spells. Technically sisters... Clinically a case study.

My idea of plot is those cozy chronicles all very nice and pretty until someone dies and everything goes to hell, is it mandatory to rhyme and rap or can I just talk?

>>118826
(Not because you can't touch it, you're going to look down on it! Didn't you say you liked music? Literature is art! Someone has to write it before they can sing it to you.)

Merlinus
"Little fags?"

>Ribbon
"W-wah? Crying is fine, Dementia... And I like ladybugs."

>Sturlu
"And what's that?"

>Ribbon
"They're like a small insect, with black spots on their red wings."

>Sturlu
"Oohhh... I want to see one."

>Ribbon
"Maybe later..."

(Because first they had to go get the stone. So the group leaves the room to save the Earth.)

(A footstep on an ancient plank and Little Red Riding Hood falls down from carelessness. The infinite darkness promises... But all she feels is pain.)

(But out of nowhere, she's on the floor. Saved!)

Sturlu
Merlinus
"I... Also..." -looks up- "...actually I can see her... and the fairy too."

>Sturlu
"Bwaa" -wipes his 'eyes', sniffs, and looks at both of them- "I can toooo!" -says sadly-

Ribbon slaps her own face.

>Merlinus
"..." -observes you for a moment- "impossible..." -says, back to normal for him-

>Sturlu
"Huh?" -stops crying and looks at you confused-

>Merlinus
"Why didn't you die?"

>Ribbon
"Can't you ask it in a softer way?!"

Merlinus
"It's impossible." -stands up and points a finger at you- "How many abilities do you have?" -already lost the mood for mourning-

>Ribbon
Sturlu
"Huh?, Huh?" -kept switching his gaze between you and the dark mage- "Then is it real?!" -referring to you-

>Ribbon
"Yes it is!"

>Sturlu
"Ayy!" -jumps to his feet with arms at his sides- "What luck! I thought you fell and a a and you died and a a and..." -looks up- "BWAA!" -cries again- "IT WAS MY FAULT!"

...

More calm, you face the door to the next trial. The trial of courage. You don't lack courage...

(But it's not that kind of courage!)

>Ribbon
Sturlu
"Can't we name it ourselves?"

>Ribbon
"I-I don't think so, no..."

>Merlinus
Sturlu
"And what if the dragon is just a dragon?"

>Merlinus
"Hmm..." -thoughtful-

Then maybe Ribbon's idea works, right?

>Sturlu
Ribbon
"Well... Actually it's not a bad idea, Dementia. Dragons can fly... If we could convince it, it would help us travel..."

>Merlinus
"Or we could use its body parts to make potions."
>Merlinus
"Hey, yeah! I've never tried a potion."

>Ribbon
"T-that idea doesn't sit well with me..."

...

(They venture into the darkness, seeing nothing but those beside them. Up, down, to the side, only black, no purple.)

(This is how the best ideas are born, and this time it's Little Red Riding Hood who thinks best!)

>Ribbon
Sturlu
"Hey yeah, I totally remember that!" -not really-

>Sturlu
"Alright."

Merlinus joins his little hands, creating a platform, a base for his spell.

"Agi."

A flame ignites in his hand, which the mage holds without trouble...

>Ribbon
"..."

But looking around... Nothing is illuminated.

"Hm... What the ra-"

SLAM

A sound similar to a door slamming shut echoes in the darkness, and Merlinus disappears into it.

"EEK! WHAT HAPPENED?!"

>Sturlu
"HE DISAPPEARED!"

SLAM

Sturlu follows, Ribbon panics.

>Ribbon
"STURLU!" -turns quickly to look at you- "!D-Dementia-!" -extends his little hand toward you-

SLAM!

And now it's her turn to disappear.

(There was Little Red Riding Hood. Alone in the darkness. Like a cruel joke of fate, a separation after tightening their bonds in the other trial.)

(Oh poor, poor Little Red Riding Hood...)

Without friends, without voices, without anything to see or hear. Alone once more... Lost...

>???
"Do you care about your friends?"

Until a voice, incorporeal and omnipresent, speaks to you.

(Don't look at me, I wasn't the one.)

"How much do your friends matter to you?"

Hmm... You passed the trust test! Shouldn't that be much by default?

"Do you want this?"

From above, just a few meters away, a light slowly descends. Like a spotlight, giving its moment to the biggest star... A blue stone, floating in the air, magical and tempting.

(Hey, Little Red Riding Hood! That's it! It's the Space Stone! One of the Goddess Stones!)

"Or this...?"

A second light appears in the darkness... Sturlu, whom you see walking without moving toward any place.

>Sturlu
"Eh... Little Red Riding Hooooo! Uh... Magooo! Fairyyyy!" -exclaims, with a little hand by his mouth- "...Anyone...?"

Apparently he couldn't see you, only you could see him.

>???
"Sacrifice the companion you know the least... And get the stone to leave with the other two. Or save him... And abandon the stone to leave with your companions."

>>119051
You want it, you have it keksito

>make it look like he has red hair instead of pink/purple.
Okay, but his original hair should be brown or blonde. So it's a brown-haired girl with pink hair spikes that are actually dyed red kek

>maybe make the temple/session/trial/etc sessions shorter?
Perfect. I'll cut some stuff then, for now and for the other two. Thanks for saying that negrito, I was actually feeling the same kek

Speed it up! Speed it up! I'll keep that in mind now. I'm so sorry for the detour.

>>1678
Ohh heavens.
Well, let's see. Problems in itself, none.
But on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you care about using all three girls at the same time? Because I'm being honest, it's a pain. Normally I'd accept it without complaining, but I have too many anons to respond to keksito
Still, if you're 100% decided to use all three, then I'll swallow my tears and try. I don't want to ruin your initial idea for my convenience even though I prefer it.

In the same way, if I accept that, only one can be Little Red Riding Hood.

>is it mandatory to rhyme and rap or can I just talk?
It's not mandatory. It's a gimmick of the roleplay that's only consistent with the narrator. The characters only rhyme occasionally.

>>1680
>But on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you care about using the three sluts at the same time? Because I'm being honest, it bores me.
Zero coma zero, king. That was the idea since they came out of the womb in cooperative mode. Setting up a witches party where each one covers the other's cognitive deficiencies. something like deltaraune actually kek
>Same goes if I accept that, only one can be Little Red.
If one has to be sent to the forest with a basket and zero hope, let it be Pon. I don't like Pon and I didn't even sit down to imagine her first beggar line, hopefully she rolls terrible dice and the wolf looks at her ugly.
>The characters only rhyme occasionally.
I make it clear upfront that I'm a terrible rhyming ass, it doesn't match with me, sorry if my poetic abortions come out kek

>>1681
>Cero coma cero, king. That was the idea since they came out of the womb in cooperative mode.
Keksito but 0,0 would be like you care 0/10.

>Set up a witches party where each one covers the other's cognitive shortcomings.
So that's your idea. Good.

>If one has to be sent into the woods with a basket and zero hope, let it be Pon. I don't like Pon
In reality you should make Little Red Riding Hood your fav because she would be the protagonist and get all the good stuff from being the main character keksito

>By the way I'm a terrible rhyming, it doesn't match with me, sorry if my poetic abortions come out kek
Keksito I repeat that it's not necessary for you to do it, but throwing in a rhyme now and then doesn't hurt.

One thing though, I'll only accept you with one condition: you must promise in super mega serious that you won't abandon. And if you lolmueres a ghost (man and ugly) it will lick your ass while you sleep for a week.

>>1682
>In reality you should make Little Red Riding Hood your fav because she would be the protagonist and get all the good stuff of being the main character keksito
How does guts in berserk? :D
>That said, I'll only accept you with one condition: you must promise in super mega serious that you won't abandon.
L- I read it with the fandub voice of noelle kek
Sworn and perjured, if lolmuero that irl gets me the aids and breaks me with a lightning bolt

>>1683
>alsito
If they appear, pics of his dad and his mom

>>1683
>>1684
>How does guts work in berserk? :D
Cy something like that I guess kek
I'd say with less chances of suffering but sure and no. Being Little Red comes with benefits and sacrifices.

>L- I read it with the fandub voice of noelle kek
>Sworn and perjured
Keksito. Well... Now put on this spiky ring kekdoble

You'll be inside then. I have a small idea of what I want to do, when I can I'll send you the turnito and you start.
Just confirm me which of the three will be your Main (Caperucita) and we'll be ready. Any questions you have before starting I'll answer too.

>>1685
>Solo confirm me which of the three will be your Main (Caperucita) and we'll be ready.
Let the all-knowing mememagia speak:
1-25: Jan
25-50: Ken
50-75: Pon
75-100: Jan, again, has more fanarts
1d100 = 90

>Any doubts you may have
Can they profess faith in a ritualistic god?

>>1686
I can't say I didn't expect it Jan will be then

>>1686
>>1687
Well, then Jan is the protagonist at the end it seems they ended up in the roles of Kris - Ralsei - Susie kek

>Can you profess faith in a ritualistic god?
I don't see why not.
Well. Now to detail what I'll do, hopefully you like it. See you in a few days.

Fuck it. PAPER DEMENTIA.

I'm trying to practice drawing because it's the only way to improve kek maybe someday I can make decent things for the rolcitos I owe so much to.

For now things like this are the best I can do. But anyway... This is part of something bigger I'm planning.

Just a quick question anoncito: What is the canon clothing color of Dementia under the hat? Referring to the color
Wapeach is represented as wearing purple or black, and then there's that edit I made where Dementia was wearing red.

What color does she actually use? It's for possible future drawings

>>1686
Regarding you anoncito, I already have something in mind. Sure thing the weekend I'll send you a turn.

>>1678
There once was, among the oldest trees of a dense forest, a village of witches and wizards hidden and secluded from the rest of the world.

Golems, wands, witches, fairies. Magic was the norm. And every year, to introduce children and teenagers to the world of magic, a festival was held...

To become a witch, to find a familiar. It's the time, it's the place.

Thus begins our story, the story of...

Little Red Riding Hood (and two others)

There once was, in a small house of that special village, a triple bed with three girls who complemented each other like ham, cheese and bread. One inhaled, another exhaled, and the third snored.

Nothing special, but even the greatest stories begin like this, in a bed.

It's time to get up when the sun shines and the cuckoo sings. Does Ken do it? Not much. Does Pon? Better the next girl. Let's make it short: today Jan is the one who matters most.

It was the day of the festival, the moment when a simple girl becomes a real witch. The ceremonial hood is on the coat rack, a red flower to wear on the chest still needs to be grabbed... But by the end of the day, it's your decision, since it's optional. They say that those who wear the red flower have more luck in their life as a witch... or something like that.

On the nightstand there was a basket that wasn't there yesterday. And a note that had been stuck on it said:

>Note
"Jan, I know you're going to the festival today. Take this basket with sweets and bread to your grandmother's stall, she needs it. I'll see you at the ceremony, it's the biggest day of your story."

It's almost like a celebration of becoming a woman! Except instead of majority, you become a witch.

Wait, there was something else in the letter.

"Oh, and be careful of the wolf."

Well, it was time to start the day! Nothing can be done by staying in bed all day... You put on your ceremonial hood, take your basket of errands, and outside, to the festival and the errand!

...

https://youtu.be/yCtQR4AdeYg?si=UcUuCITvlhpUkOPQ▾
Little Red and her sisters had to walk through the forest, a little far from the other houses, they built their own.

Life was as always lively. Ants climbing trees and birds singing, whether they were hawks or not. The most unexpected little animal is the one that approaches, a drowsy owl that stands on a branch that was nearby.

>owl
yaaaawn "Are you going to the festival, or did I guess wrong?" - asks before leaning in, interested in Little Red - "I see the ceremonial clothes, but not the flower to go with it... Are you going without one?"

The owl proceeds to yawn.

"Sorry, at this time I usually doze off..." - apologizes, running his wings over his eyes as if to shake off a bit of sleep - "I just wanted to warn you that I saw a wolf passing by... be careful, it could hurt them..."

The wolf was around!, Was the ceremony worth so much to you?

>>1676
>Cece
(What am I here for...?)

Red thinks a few steps from the office. To be where? At home? In the world? In life?

(Will he know I did it...? No. No one can know I did it...)

She was very attentive, careful, and zero ambitious. She didn't steal much from the church donation box, just enough to buy new nails for her bat. She likes them smooth and fresh, not rusty. Rusty nails bend and ruin the wood, it's a mess.

While reflecting with her gaze fixed on her shoes, she hears a background noise. A little voice that the more it insisted, the clearer it became, until Red finally deigned to look at her, contemplating her with a firm, silent, and joyless expression, until Alicia utters a few words that force her to respond.

"We are not friends... And don't you dare touch me" With a quick movement of the back of her hand, she pushes Alicia's little fist away.

She moves towards the door, extends a palm, and pushes, entering the office first.

>>1691
Between old planks you dissociate. Sins? Chores? Reasons escape your imagination, and that girl's irritating chatter finally grabs your attention.

(Jovial, cheerful for no reason. That was Alice, sharing sweetness with expertise. But no matter how much she tried, Little Red Riding Hood only responded tiredly...)

>Alice
Director Maria
"Sit down."

She spoke without taking her eyes off whatever she was writing. Her voice was normal, calm, but always enough to scare children. Alice was proof, who fell silent, stammered, and obeyed.

>Alice
"Ah, yes... Excuse me..."

You comply, or perhaps you don't. If you did, you'd end up in a simple wooden chair in front of the director's large oak wood desk. Tall and sturdy. On a slightly higher level than the floor, making you look small before it.

"..."

The silence stretched on. The only noise was the director's quill, as if it were the only thing permitted. Alice didn't dare to even cough.

>Director Maria
"..."

After a few minutes, she looks up. Her eyes fall on Alice, who shivers slightly as they look at her with no apparent emotion.

No words are exchanged, and after a few empty seconds, the director's eyes go to you. Her nose wrinkles slightly as she looks at you, as if an unpleasant smell had reached her.

"A letter arrived this morning."

(Maria said, sliding an envelope with an elegant, intense red seal with two fingers.)

Alice looked at the letter with curiosity, enough to make her take her hand from her nose and open her mouth, unable to guess what it meant.

"It seems a known benefactor of high resources and... questionable tastes has decided to adopt you. Both of you."

(Alice gasped in joy)

>Alice
"Really?!"

She straightens up in the seat where she had been cowering the whole time, but a simple look from the director makes her shrink back down.

"Sorry..." - she mumbled, lowering her head -

>Director Maria
"Don't ask me why, I don't understand it either." - she says, ignoring the blonde, but confirming it was serious - "Mr. Barclay..." - the name escaped her lips with an almost mocking tone that contrasted with her otherwise uniform delivery - "Has handled all the paperwork. Documents, signatures. Everything in order... I want you out by 18:30 today."

>Alice
"?" -she's surprised by the suddenness, but says nothing, looks at you with that surprised little face, trying to see what you thought-

>Director María
"..." -her eyes lock onto you, seriously, then she looks at Alicia- "you, leave."

>Alicia
"Huh?" -she doesn't understand, looks at her, looks at you... but doesn't have the courage to refuse or ask for reasons. She nods her head uncertainly and hops off her chair-

Alicia walks towards the door, looking back a couple of times.

"Uh... Bye... Thanks, Ms. Barrows... And Cece..."

She waves a little hand in your direction, María doesn't stop looking at you. The girl opens the door and looks at them one last time, peeking from behind it... Then she finally leaves.

>Director María
"7 times..." -she says, it's not hard to imagine what she was referring to- "you should consider this a stroke of luck, kid..." -you could feel the aversion she had for you in every syllable spoken- "don't screw it up this time."

She folds the piece of paper she was writing on a couple of times before bringing it closer to you as well. You have to stand up to take it because the desk is a bit higher than the rest of the things in the room.

"Leave now, I'm busy. Don't waste more of my time."

You take the sheet she brought you and can leave... Not without a few last words once you touch the doorknob.

"I hope you're more useful there than you are here."

And so, you can leave. The thick door closes and blocks all sound behind you, you can breathe again in the hallway... But not calm down, as another annoyance is added.

>Alicia
"Cece! O- Or... Roja...?" -she still can't decide- "What did she tell you?"

Whether you tell her or not, the parrot doesn't shut up.

"Did you hear that? We got adopted! They never adopted me before. You said we weren't friends, and now we're like adoptive sisters. That's... Funny, right?" -she lets out a little laugh- "or... Cool. It's cool, right?" -she tries to talk like the other kids today- "uh... I don't think I should have secrets if you're my sister! we have an hour and a half before we leave... uh... Wanna go to my room? there's something... that... I haven't shown anyone... A- and I think... I think if we live together I can show it to you now! it'll be fun. Just you and me... Alicia... And Cece... Can I call you Cece?" -she keeps asking- "the Barclay sisters hehe... Sounds funny, huh?"

Damn, she really talks a lot. Would you waste your time with her, or would you do it on your own?

“Dementia”

“I'm not talking about crying that brings friends closer and helps them, Ribboncita—I mean crying in a bad way,” she explains with closed eyes and index finger raised, perfectly clear to herself about the distinction. What's confusing to everyone, though, is how the girl keeps pulling more powers out from the depths of her hood...

Not even Merlinus can comprehend it! And seeing that, a lightbulb flicks on above Dementia’s head.

“Oh…! Ugh! Ack!” Dementia hunches over, face twisted, clutching her heart as if containing intense pain. “I think… I think… Another power is coming! I-It's here!”

Her right hand grabs Sturlu, her left takes Ribbon’s tiny hands. Her breathing is strained and rapid, with deep inhales puffing her cheeks and forceful puffs blowing them out. After one final gasp, Dementia straightens her back, opens her eyes wide with sudden clarity, and exclaims:

“I have the ability…! The ability to be way better than the lady!”

She glances sideways at the magician.

“You have to accept it now, Merlinus. This is a power!” she adds, wiggling her fingers in his direction. Powers are like laws of the universe, right?

...

Might as well make some use of that boring paper found during the adventure. Who says you can't write on the back of a map or sacred scroll? Under Ribbon’s supervision, they jot down Dementia’s powers—and not just that:

“What if we keep a full record of everything? We need to preserve the adventure, every victory, every enemy defeated. We mustn't forget it all started with a wicked wolf who ate the sweets meant for my grandmother!”

Those steps, big and small, turned her into the chosen girl she is today. Example: Losing Goldilocks made her realize how important it is to pay attention to companions, so when Sturlu breaks into inconsolable sobs, Dementia goes to him, hugs him, and pats his back.

“There, there, don’t be a baby.”

...

There are still trials and secrets to unravel within that temple.
“Better. I don’t wanna hit puberty yet, either—don’t want to bleed without a wound or have boys go crazy over me. Sounds horrible.”

She sticks out her tongue to express her disgust with the topic. The hooded girl remains a sweet, innocent young thing, blissfully distant from such biological details.

“What if we name it Sturlu’s Temple? We found Sturlu inside—it makes sense.” She nods, satisfied with her own idea.
Ironic that she referred to the new member, because it would be his image that the temple would use to judge him in the darkness.

SLAM

“Merlinus!

SLAM

“Sturlu!” She shouts with Ribbon.

SLAM!

“R-Ribboooon!”

She shakes the axe, futilely trying to hit the invisible threat from the gloom.

“Give them back!” she growls, grinding her teeth and baring her fangs. “If you hurt them, I’ll cut you to pieces! I swear I will!” she threatens.

A light falls and illuminates a blue stone, and another lights up over a bewildered Sturlu. The judgment has only two answers. Dementia looks at one option, then the other. She clutches her head with both hands, closes her eyes tightly, and resumes her exasperated growls.

“I need that rock to save the world. Save the world. Save the world.” She repeats to herself, it’s not insignificant that a while ago they were talking about the importance of considering how and why they got where they are.

Dementia opens one eye, extends a trembling hand towards the rock, and…

‘’ZAP!’’

She bats it away with the axe.

“I don’t care if he hasn’t been with me long, and if he’s weird, and eyeless, and clueless!” She points the axe towards the uncertain origin of the voice. “Sturlu became a companion, and companions are never abandoned! So give them back, all of them, and don’t let a single hair on their heads be harmed… I’ll find a way to save the world, one way or another.”

...

>PAPER DEMENTIA
qt. But is this foreshadowing that Dementia will wake up in a hospital without legs?

>trying to practice drawing because it's the only way to improve kek
My best wishes, little nigga. If I had a digital tablet, I would try it too since it's a marvelous art. I highly recommend using drawing and anatomy manuals, I used them ages ago and they helped me a lot. There are also cartoon style manuals like Loomis's, but the recommendation everyone gives is to learn anatomy, lighting, and perspective, like learning the basics of the complicated so that simple design comes out naturally. Although it's also true that many artists learned on the fly, hitting walls and trying what worked best for them.

Lots of encouragement! Aim for Miura, try to draw something every day, but without breaking your wrists, kek.

>What color is she really? It's for possible future drawings
She has that strange tight dress resembling latex, a purple that looks black depending on the light.

>>1692
I forgot to put the areas of the orphanage you can access now.
>yard (you can go outside from here)
>bedrooms
-your room
-Alicia's room
>Maria's office
>bathroom
>garden
There's also a dining room, kitchen, attic and that stuff. If Cece doesn't have any interest in doing anything special it can be timeskipped and that's it kek

Although the schedule indicates that everyone has dinner at 18:00! If she wants to participate in the last dinner together.

>>1686
I will never trust anyone again... kek

>>1693
>But is this a foreshadowing of Dementia waking up in a hospital without legs?
Yes
Kek seriously, no. It's just that I made the drawing on a cardboard texture and that texture wasn't big enough to draw her legs. My mistake although it doesn't affect what I plan, I think it looks good. You'll see!

>My greatest wishes, negrin
Thank you negrito!

>If I had a digital tablet I would also try it since it's a wonderful art
It is, I admire the drawers a lot. I also don't have a graphic tablet, but I plan to buy one next year when I'll be more free and can enroll in an art school as I so want kek
Now I have to draw with my thumb on my phone... ayy

>I recommend(...)
Ayy well, yes, I should. For now between working, studying, vidyas and roleo I find little time to sit down and read, but I know I need that. But I'll do it little by little, and yes, as you say that's the basics but for now I barely draw better than a primary school kid, my little dolls in paint don't need much technique.

Little by little, little by little.

>Much encouragement! Aim for Miura, try to do a drawing every day although without breaking your wrists, kek.
Keksito, do you know what? I'll try. I'll try to do a little drawing every day... Starting tomorrow because today impossible kek
Let's see what comes out...
>Miura
Ayy I don't see myself. With drawing something at the level of these pics is enough. Pic 1 is the objective, pic 2 is a dream kek

>It has that strange tight dress similar to latex, a purple that seems black depending on the light.
Perfect. Noted for the future Red Riding Hood comic I'll make kek

I'm handing over this week.
And I'll put it up the weekend sure I'll finally respond

>>1693
Happiness, sadness! There are several ways to cry—you're referring to the one that's bad.

>Ribbon
Merlinus
"They don't seem that important to me." (The emotionless mage replied)

>Ribbon
"Oh, Merlinus... You miss so many things by not being able to feel..."

>Merlinus
"I'm not interested in those things, only in the young miss."

(With just a dismissive "hm," Ribbon lets it go. Merlinus not understanding is exactly what Ribbon sees. If he's never had feelings, it's hard to expect him to understand them now!)

>Ribbon
"...What do you think, Sturlu? About feelings."

>Sturlu
"Huh? About feelings? Aaaah I dunnooo! That's way too hard a question for me..." -scratches his head with one finger, unable to form an opinion-

Feelings are hard to grasp for some of your companions, but you've got powers in spades! In the confusion, the mage confronts you, demanding to know the limits of your abilities... To which you respond with a convincing performance.

(With "owches" and "owws," Little Red writhed! No wonder the whole team quickly grew concerned.)

>Ribbon
"D-Dementia!"

>Sturlu
"AAH, SHE'S DYING, THE FALL JUST NOW TOOK EFFECT AND IT'S MY FAULT!"

>Ribbon
"EH?!" -gets scared-

>Merlinus
"...Are you dying?" -wants to confirm-

>Ribbon
"N-no one's gonna die!" -exclaims, waving little arms-

Sturlu
"Huh? Can I—AAAAHHH" -you squeeze his hand tightly-

>Merlinus
"It makes no sense..." -sounding annoyed-

>Ribbon
"Yes, Dementia, yes!"

(Puffed and puffed, twisted and writhed. But after a few minutes of agonized acting, Little Red cried out!)

Merlinus
"..." -his little eyes narrow into yellow crescent moons of irritation- "It's not true." >:|

>Sturlu
"My little hand..." -oblivious to the conversation-

>Ribbon
Merlinus
"Merlinus..." -she says-

>Merlinus
"What" -still wearing that annoyed face-

>Ribbon
She points at him with her tiny finger.

"...Are you angry?"

>Merlinus
"Angry...?"

A... tiny flicker of emotion. Ribbon nods her head and confirms with a yes.

"I don't know..."

...

Take notes. Note powers, note what you're buying at the supermarket, and of course, note everything you've been through.

>Ribbon
Merlinus
"A record..."

>Sturlu
"What if?" -just wanted to join in, earns a brief, odd look from Ribbon-

>Merlinus
Sturlu
"Every taco eaten!"

>Ribbon
"Every friend made!"

>Sturlu
Ribbon
"Did he steal sweets from you too?" -she doesn't remember that part- "How awful..." -frowns for a moment... that wolf's really hurt Ribbon- "Well... I wouldn't mind writing it all down, Dementia... but we need a pen."

A key item is missing! You could've just taken one from Merlinus's study or something. Anyway, time for another trial at the Temple of Puberty!

(It's NOT puberty!)

Sturlu
"Will the boys go crazy when they see you?"
>Merlinus
"Some being the lady once mentioned. There are entities that some cannot see without going mad. And it's worse the more knowledge you possess."

>Ribbon
"Eep! I hope that's not another one of Dementia's powers..."

>Sturlu
"Me too! I wouldn't like to go crazy..."

Your other two companions look at him. Probably he'd be fine, considering what Merlinus just said.

(Jaja hey Little Red, if Goldilocks were here, she'd remind you there's already a little mad prince who's into you!)

Sure... your self-proclaimed rival. Not a very threatening enemy, but she exists.

Ribbon
"Eh... I don't know, Dementia. I don't think we can... or should name a god's temple. It... it feels wrong."

>Merlinus
"...we found it outside." —more precisely, standing at the entrance unable to open the doors due to their tiny brains—

(Amid mundane chatter, the human team proceeded to the second trial.)

(Darkness is fireproof, flames don't even make it budge.)

(And then, out of nowhere! When confusion reigned... the commotion was caused! Everyone, one after another, disappearing. Darkness crushed them! Separated them! Voices of one or another could no longer be heard.)

(Just like that, Little Red... Alone she was. No matter where her axe struck! Help did not arrive.)

???
"Why did you decide to do that?"

Sturlu
"Ah!" —jumps as everything suddenly lights up—

>Ribbon
"Bububu- Uh...?" —trembling with glassy eyes— "DEMENTIA!" —she exclaims and flies over to you— "What happened?! Everyone disappeared and- and- I stayed still because- because that's best when you're lost..."

>???
"You have surpassed the trial..."

>Merlinus
"Hm" —stands up and rejoins you—

>Sturlu
"Oh?" —looks surprised— "Really? That was easy!"

If only he knew... Ribbon smiles.

>Ribbon
"Dementia... did you do it all by yourself?"

>Sturlu
"Huh? She told her? I thought it was me."

Again, looking around, it's almost funny how small the place was to get lost in. The only things present were the door... and a chest in the middle of the room.

>Ribbon
"That must be..."

Going to open it...

https://youtu.be/69AyYUJUBTg?si=WpRhJTIylDQ0TzPP▾
You lift the lid and dive headfirst into rummaging through its interior... soon yanking the contents from the depths of the box and hoisting them over your head!

>YOU FOUND KEY HALF 2!
>key half 2: the other half of a key leading to the boss door.
>Key Half 2 has been added to Key Items.

>Sturlu
"THE KEY!"

>Merlinus
"Half of a key."

>Ribbon
"I-it's the piece we were missing, Dementia! Now you just need to go to your Key Items and combine the two halves to make a complete key!"

With the key half in hand, the door finally opens, allowing you to return to the temple's center.

Only the boss remains.

...I'll speed things up

1/2

>>1693
The lock of the big door waits for your key. The metal looks so dense... Someone really wanted to keep people out, or whatever was inside.

>Ribbon
"B-bueno... Let's see what's inside, Dementia."

You introduce the key, turn it, the mechanism makes a satisfying click. The golden chains, as dense as tense, loosen and fall jingling, ending with a sharp click of the golden lock.

>Sturlu
"¡AH!" -the lock scares him-

>Ribbon
"¡EEK!" -Sturlu scared her- "¡¿Why are you screaming?!"

>Sturlu
"I got scared."

>Ribbon
Exhales

(The team faced the door, which soon, on its own, was opened...)

(Caperucita then entered the boss's room, and found a huge room to contain a huge monster)

(Standing, four legs, four heads. Ribbon stiffened, it was...)

"¡U-UNA HIDRA!"

(...yes, one of those.)

The monster rises before you, impressive as nothing you've ever seen before. Heads high as masts that almost touch the ceiling of the temple, a robust body of muscles thicker than the columns that support the place, claws and teeth so sharp they seem like they'd cut you just by looking at them.

Before the beast, they were tiny. You reached up to its ankle, its heads twist like snakes, and, upon realizing you...

>Hidra
"¡ROOAAAAAAAR!"

Three heads growl in unison, it's a noise so loud it makes the whole place vibrate, Ribbon, Merlinus and Sturlu are thrown back. Even your feet slide a bit on the floor, threatening to detach and fly. The screams of your companions are drowned out by the violent roar, which you feel in your bones.

Ribbon
"Ugh... This doesn't look good..."

>Sturlu
"¡¿QUÉ?!" -he had tinnitus-

>Merlinus
"..." -he gets up, and joins you-

The fight is in another post for convenience

>>1693
https://youtu.be/ERWRYzsHe9I?si=KM6rVvPToRDuKHBq▾
>[¡THE HYDRA HAS FOUR THINGS TO SAY TO YOU!]
>*Also guards the door

https://youtu.be/GPL5Hkl11IQ?si=eFt1Pz-AXRLd-dx6▾
>Head 1
"¡¿WHO DARES TO RAID THIS SACRED HOMESTEAD?!"

>Ribbon
"¡¿Can it talk?!"

>Head 2
"¡Hola!, What are you doing?"

>Head 1
"¡INTRUDERS! DON'T TALK TO THEM LIKE THAT."

>Head 3
"¿T-t-tenemos q-q-que pe-pelear?" -trembles-

>Head 1
"¡OF COURSE YOU DO!"

>Head 4
"I'm so handsome... Why am I so handsome?"

>Head 1
"¡¿WHAT?!, ¡FOCUS!"

Only one seemed serious about fighting.

>Head 1
"¡WE WILL STOP YOU, INTRUDER!"

>Merlinus
"I'm going to burn it..." -says-

>Ribbon
"Dementia... ¡Let's think carefully about what we're going to do!"

>Sturlu
"¡¿WHAT?!" -is somewhat dazed-

STATS
Dementia: (level 4) 70% EXP
HP: 14/14
ATT: 123 (115 + 8 por Cariñitos)
DEF: 109

DT: 9/9
-charge: +1 attack (1 DT)
-gran grieta: ¡Creates a crack that causes a painful earthquake! (-2 HP to all enemies) (3 DT)
Luck: 3

Ribbon: (level 3) 50% EXP
HP: 6/7
DT: 5/5
-description: describes the enemy (0 DT)
-small healing: heals 2 (2 DT)
DEF: 6
ATT: 0

Merlinus: (level 4) 0% EXP
HP: 7/8
DT: 8/8
-bufu: low ice damage (2 DT)
-agi: low fire damage (2 DT)
ATT: 88
DEF: 88

Sturlu: (level 3) 20% EXP
HP: 7/8
DT: 8/8
-aterrar: scares the enemy (2 DT)
-tocar raro: unsettles the enemy (2 DT)
-hei: low dark damage (3 DT)

ATT: 90
DEF: 50

Status: ¡DAZED! (cannot attack for one turn)

>>1695
Sure... Just be honest, say you don't like me! Bwaaa kek. Good luck then, dude. I swear I thought you'd quit because I gave your characters a granny thinking "he didn't even pay attention to the sheet" when the joke was supposed to be that she was a goat too

>>1692
>Cece
After the initial slap, she's more than capable of enduring that saturated atmosphere for as long as the scolding demands... And yet, she soon rubs her nose and frowns. The message is clear: "Your place stinks." Sometimes she likes doing that, hurting without punches or words, just gestures. She discovered that sometimes all it takes is staring at a kid to make them cry... It's not that she likes abusing, but she prefers to be alone.

(Friends are annoying. Who needs them...? I don't)

More than sitting, she sprawls in the chair with her legs open. As always with the director (or "Blood Maria" as Cece disrespectfully insists on calling her), there are constant and subtle grudges... This time, Cese pulls a tasteless piece of gum from behind her ear and takes it to her mouth. She chews hard and clearly, as if the air were leaving her and that were her only way of breathing, opening her mouth wide, fighting against the silence the woman tries to impose.

Unlike Alicia, Cece keeps eye contact without blinking. Of course, Maria can slap her until her face is bruised, she's an adult, they possess that strange power. But Cece well knows that bruises heal.

She raises an eyebrow upon hearing the news: No joy or surprise, just a slight irritation that translates into a murmur.

"Another one..."

She leans back in the chair and watches the ceiling, swaying with her arms dangling at her sides. Alicia is sent out, Cece doesn't look at her. When she's alone with Maria, she runs her hands over her face, sighs and gets off the chair. She was about to grab the paper and leave, until Maria lists the opportunities she lost.

She plants her hand on the desk and pushes herself up. The next instant, Maria discovers Cece's dusty shoes on her work desk. With her hands on her hips and satisfied with this new height that balances them, Red leans toward the woman and glares at her with narrowed eyes.

"Why are you still here?" She asks with contained aggression. "You hate kids. Why the hell are you still here?" She spreads her arms to the sides, waiting for an explanation.

Answer or not, Cece jumps down and heads toward the door.

"See you next week, Blood"

She lets out a fatalistic remark without looking back and closes. Already in the hallway, she exhales the air she had been holding in, crouches down and grabs her face between both hands.

"Again"

She doesn't want to go through that again, she doesn't want to get desperate, or disappointed, or have false hopes. Everything always goes wrong. That's the law of her life.

"Damn it"

She straightens up and pushes her hair back. The look she lingers on Alicia is sly and dark, the look of someone who takes the news with many reservations. She waits for Alicia to get tired of talking, but that never happens.

"Red, only Red" She answers slowly and severely.

Cece heads toward the yard or toward the entrance of the orphanage, where she can find one of the older kids. Those who leave because they have work, or because they have nothing else to do, and are very close to crossing that threshold of age where they are expelled.

If Alicia insists on following her and asking what she wants, Cece would answer with a dry word: Information.

Cece looks for someone to ask who that man Barclay is. But first she goes to her room to grab Napoleon. That's the name of her bat.

>>1700
The dust penetrates your nasal passages, each breath is a test of suffocating antiquity that has already become routine for the director. You are no different, the disgust would be just welcome if it weren't your intention to annoy her.

Act of rebellion? Simple malice? Regardless of what it is, it doesn't work today. María's eyes are fixed on the sheet on which she writes. Even when she addresses you, her voice goes toward the desk.

An order for both of you. The order that imposes from fear manifests in Alicia and her uncertain steps. Fearful of making a mistake in the presence of the director...

'María bloody'... That's what you called her. Everything she did, every movement she made seemed to be done with the intention of maintaining the fear the children have toward her. Even when she did nothing, as now...

But still, you don't let yourself be affected. You sit in an inappropriate way, you rebel against the heavy silence, seeking any reaction. Observing the detail, you notice her grip on the pen strengthens, her strokes become louder and more abrupt. Alicia trembles, and with her hands she makes gestures to lower the volume.

>Alicia
"Cece... please don't do that..." -she begs with all the urgency her strong whisper can transmit-

When she finally deigns to look at them, they receive a peculiar, but not novel, news. You don't share Alicia's joy or surprise. For you it's just...

María
"¡I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS, YOU GET DOWN RIGHT NOW!"

She looks at you directly, as if trying to hurt you with just her eyes. Behind her, the candle casts a huge shadow that wants to fall on you like a wave... With real courage or not, you stand up to those glaring eyes and spit out the accusatory words you can no longer contain.

Alicia
"Are you... okay?" -she leans to one side to try to find your face. It sounds concerned-

What a burden. You stand up and choose to keep your distance. Stoic before the chatter, your serious gaze makes Alicia gradually lose strength in her speech... As if your eyes were weakening her, but still she wants to keep trying.

Napoleón has been added to your inventory

You take it without more. Perhaps the courtyard is a good place to start asking. You go down the stairs and exit through the main door. Outside, the children are playing, running. You see them playing hide and seek among the playground equipment: one is Lily, the youngest girl, crouched behind a climbing net, believing that to be a functional hiding spot. Another behind the dollhouse, Joseph, the child object of the jokes about poverty. The others must have hidden quite well, and the one searching is Cody, the gay. That's a big part of his personality.

They are all younger than you, Joseph and Cody are 10, Lily is about 4 years old.

>Cody
"¡They better not have hidden too far! I don't have a good vis-" -he finds Lily instantly, ignores her because she's found first, she's crying, looks at the dollhouse, sees Joseph and walks toward him- "¡Joseph, that's the stupidest hiding spot-!"

1/2 because it turned out long kek

>>1700
Enough of those two. Further ahead, out on the street, you see kids running around full of energy, playing tag. A little black-haired girl is chasing a taller boy—those are Molly, the liar, and Zack, the athlete. Also playing are Amélie, the little diva—you don’t like her—and Elena, the ventriloquist!

Milo and Amélie are your age. Molly is one year younger, and Elena is one of the oldest girls, at 15—older than Alicia (14) by a few months.

>Amélie
"Bleeeh!" –she sticks her tongue out at you and wiggles her fingers by her ears in mockery as she runs past–

If you head over to the vacant lot across the street, right opposite the orphanage—a place that's been up for sale for years—you'll find the last three kids from the yard. Two older boys: Chowder, the gluttonous kid, a fat one. 16 years old, meaning he's among those forced to work. He's about to fight another boy his age named Lee, much smaller and more delicate, almost feminine. He's got bruises in several places; an easy target at school. It's no surprise—you feel like even you could beat him up despite the age difference.

>Lee
"E-e-estoy..."

Chowder runs at him before he can finish stammering, grabs his small body, and slams him to the ground effortlessly. Lee screams in shock and tries to break free, but it's no use.

"A-ah!"

>Chowder
"1, 2, 3!"

He leaps back up to his feet.

"Jajajaaa! You're out!"

>Lee
"N-n-no fair! I wasn't ready... A-ayy... It hurt..."

>Chowder
"Expect the unexpected! You gotta get tougher if you wanna stop getting picked on at school."

>Lee
"Ayy..."

You almost don't notice her, but there's also a girl sitting there. She's drawing—you recognize her. Marcy. She's one of the older ones too, though you don't know exactly how old. She doesn't talk much... she likes to draw. That's all you know.

Anyway, you came here with a purpose. You approach the two older boys. Chowder turns to face you. Lee looks up at you from the ground.

>Chowder
"Ah, Red. What's up? Wanna fight?"

>Lee
D-don't... tell him to..." –he suggests–
You ask the question. Keywords: Barclay, millionaire.

>Chowder
"Huh? Barclay? Sounds familiar... Why're you asking?"

>Lee
"Isn't he... from that company...?"

>Chowder
"Oh yeah... Yeah, I think so. I never forget a food brand."

Before you can dig deeper, you hear someone skid to a stop nearby, peeking over to see what's going on.

>Molly
"Barclay? Mr. Barclay?"

The lying girl asks, hopping closer, followed by Amélie, your rival, who struts up like a cat with her little hands on her hips.

>Chowder
"Hey, Molly! Yeah, Roja was just asking about him..."

>Molly
"I know him! I saw him once at school!"

>Chowder
"No way?!"

>Molly
"Yeah... A tall man, like 3 meters high"—she raises her hand to show his height—"wearing a big hat and super expensive clothes. They told us he eats kids who go to his house and turns them into food. It's true! He took one of us and bit my leg, that's why it looks like this."—she points at her knee, showing a small scrape—

>Chowder
"..."

>Lee
"Uh... okay..."

>Amélie
"Pff bu-hahaha~"—she has a weird laugh—"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

>Molly
"It's true! I saw him!"

>Amélie
"Alright you two idiots, why were you even talking about that?"—she crosses her arms, acting smug like she's the expert—

>Lee
"I-I'm not an idiot..."—says it so low it's almost inaudible—

>Chowder
"Ah, Roja was asking us."

>Amélie
"Ohh~ Roja?"—Lee, Molly, and Chowder all nod—"And whoeee is that?"—slowly turns her head in your direction—"Ohh Cecilia, didn't see you there."—she totally did, the other three exchange uneasy glances—"You're the so-called Roja? Ah, sorry... It's just not the nickname I'd give you... Hmm... About Barclay? Bohohoo... Why do you wanna know about him? He's not exactly a manufacturer of..."—her eyes drop down to your feet, then crawl back up your body, judging you before she makes a mock-innocent face—"whatever it is a tomboy like you would wanna buy..."

>>1696
>>1697
>>1694
>Dementia
Ribbon defends all kinds of crying. Dementia squints her eyes and gives her a suspicious look.

"Ah, right...? What if I do this?!"

She takes advantage of the fairy being close by, and with finger-like hands, she tickles her, on the belly, the feet, the armpits.

"Merlinus: I don't think they're that important to me."

"Ah, right...? Let's see how you respond to this, insensitive sir!"

The witch's fingers launch themselves upon her second victim, the mage. Since Merlinus is the most rebellious of the group, Dementia uses her superior size and weight to mount and throw him to the ground. She even takes off his hat and puts it on her crown... Hmm... Why is Dementia wearing a crown...? Mystery.

"Sturlu: It's a very difficult question for-"

"Ah, right...?" Sturlu doesn't get to finish the sentence and is the next to fall. After that, there's only inventing her powers to continue with the adventure.

"(Narrator: I think that doesn't work like that, Little Red.)"

(Ah, right?)

She closes her eyes and visualizes an imaginary version of herself mercilessly assaulting a bald, faceless man. She bites him, pulls his clothes... Those aren't tickles, it's abuse.

But in the background, a sense of unease is brewing, and it's that Merlinus isn't liking the witch's games. Ribbon, being the most empathetic, is the first to notice the mage's annoyance. Dementia gasps, opens her mouth wide, and points at Merlinus.

"Wait... That means I was right, you can feel things, Merlinus!"

But how to prove it 100% that it's annoyance? Dementia furrows her brow and places a hand under her chin, obvious thinking moment. With a snap of her fingers and a particular gleam in her eyes, Dementia gets her eureka.

"Easy. Just make the feeling grow and find out what Merlinus wants to do! Do you want to laugh...? Or do you want to scream? Having feelings isn't bad at all!"

Dementia starts jumping around the mage, repeating his name, sticking out her tongue, pointing with her buttocks, and giving loud slaps. The hydra at the back of the dungeon surely can hear her antics.

1/2

>You'll see.
I believe you.

>and I'll be able to get into an art school as I've always wanted
It's always a pleasure to pursue what one loves.

>Pic 1 is the objective, pic 2 is the dream
They aren't that far from what memories Ib has a very simple, effective style. Plus, now, with the rise of AI and the well-made Chinese dolls that are indistinguishable from one another, it's much appreciated to draw with a unique style. Look at Black Souls, their style is "ugly" but cute. Or that comic of the elf and the human, it's very charismatic.

Also, moment of insecurity from the anon. Is Dementia not coming off as hateful, or is she? I'm trying to balance it as best as I can.

>>116466
>I didn't know about the comics
Neither did I, I had the same reaction a while back on /ac/ of the 4th and they told me there.

>I said it more as a 4hojas meme... Which, speaking of that, apparently died...
Ayy yeah I took too long to reply to this... but well, yeah it was crazy when it happened. I remember I was scrolling /v/, I felt like asking a Metal Gear question and suddenly I couldn't post anymore. I wouldn't have imagined it would be something of that magnitude.

>I still think it'll come back any moment.
You predicted it

>we know that a chan change means leaving a lot behind with no possibility of recovering it.
Ayy it's true ;_;
So much lost media... Although we wouldn't have lost much if hispafiles hadn't also stretched its leg and many files got lost kek

>Jane Eyre and Huckleberry Finn
I completely understand the feeling you had with that book. I've had to feel it too, sometimes things just arrive at the right moment for one. And even if they're not exceptional, they become something special.
Outside of that, I didn't start it, and I left Huckleberry Finn halfway. It wasn't too interesting and apparently it's a sequel, I paused it and then lost my little book collection when I changed phones kek

I should download them again... "Its mouth tasted like wormwood" was cool by the way, the character characterization is very good, it really makes you feel like that duo is the worst of humanity.

>Well I'm a bit disillusioned, keksito. But it's my fault, I think I played it too much by insisting on finding all the amulets and upgrades

Ah well, that explains it. Everyone plays how they want, but going for everything during the first playthrough seems too heavy to me. Besides that's a recurring complaint of HK, that you can't have much idea of where to get certain things and all you're left with is walking and walking and it gets tedious.

>Grimm
Same kek

>the final boss.
Which one are you referring to?

>Urban Myth Dissolution Center
Uh...

>The Messenger
Uhhh... kek it doesn't ring a bell

>the Omori…
Finally something I know, even if just by name.

>All great games, by the way.

I might check them out; right now I'm trying to P-rank every Pizza Tower. I love that game.

>Telita with Omori… I can't get it out of my head. If it syncs with you, it crushes your heart like few others do.
Seems you like it; I only knew it because Mari always shows up in Queen of /v/ and because there was a little controversy that its plushies have removable underwear even Cece

>For some reason it made me think of The Last of Us 2
puaaj sorry, what were we saying?

>that tries its best with all its millions to provoke the same pain while Omori makes it look so easy...

I like pain. And yes, that's a recurring thing with TLoU; not to mention, with something I'm more familiar with, LISA tells a similar story but with fewer resources and is much better at conveying sensations.

>But no, with Omori they did a lot with little.

I like that. And the little RPG Maker games...

>That said, I'd never recommend it to someone too sensitive.

Keksito, I do consider myself somewhat sensitive, but I like exposing myself to things that can use that. I enjoy it, and honestly with videos I find it hard to cry. In fact, I think I only did it with the ending of Metal Gear Solid 4 (having played everything in chronological order, and I started the third one as a teen)

>I didn't look it up, but I imagine there are several conclusions since it's obvious there are many parts where you can screw up if you don't take it seriously…
I understand that yes. No idea how many endings there are either, but I know there's more than 1.

>Half curiosity-half minor spoiler
Hmm... Ok I'll read it.

>that's what it seems like with the whale and the witches…
Huh?

>Or rather, would it be Sunny's fetish?
By assumption since you mentioned whale I guess it's vore so yes, the creator's (canon) fetish is shotacon from what I understand kek
>Of Yume Nikki's children (Off, Lisa, etc.) I think it's the best or most well-rounded so far.

Hmm.. Ok, I'll judge that! I hold The Painful in very high regard, but I already downloaded Omori for you. As soon as I have time I'll start it and give you my opinions.

>Yeah, until I found out you had to defeat the Dream Zote 4 times to progress with his story.
Kek, yeah, it's not worth it.

ESQUIZOMANYT (72 subs) "I FOUND AN ARTIST WHO IS PASSING AS ANOTHER PERSON" (1:05:32 min)
keksito

>It's almost like Doom trying to keep doing anime reviews like nothing ever happened.

Only that yes, that does happen, right? kek

>I have it saved on my PC for some day, when I gather the courage…
Ugh, I hope it happens because it's seriously a very good game, I loved it. It's a game that feels like it overflows with love everywhere, starting with the little trick they did of filling it with fog that turned out so well, the level design so genius... And how beautiful it looks. The game's art direction is top, the enemy designs are grand, the lighting is perfect, camera angles that give you weird sensations...

Normally I don't care, but the graphics are quality, Masahiro Ito did a top-tier job on the textures. From what I read he's very good at understanding rust and stuff like that because he likes tiny mechas like pic related (it's not his artwork, but it's a pic he likes I think)

I don't care about the debate of whether games are art or not, but SH1 is one of the arguments in favor of yes for me.

>Silent Hill 2 has a very funny part when you take the sword off Pyramid Head and he has to chase you with a stick.

Kek it was a spear okeey

Honestly I don't know if I share that the 1 is scarier than the 2, but your argument is impossible to debate kek I just find it hard to compare them I guess. I love both equally.

>If you're seasoned in classic Western RPGs with isometric view

Well... no. I guess Vampire... When I have a computer again.
>The games from that studio were very broken.

Bethesda, no!

Ah sorry, that's just the habit kek

>I went crazy when at the end
I'm anti-spoilers but this reveals nothing so zero problems kek

>they added Spanish narration

What?, So was that the only dialogue moment in the game and they added several languages?

>Yes, and I feel that what the author denounces is like how the atmosphere and lack of opportunities can destroy that potential that exists in poor areas of third-world countries.
True. Zezé never had a chance... kek
It's sad.

>It reminded me of a song, the one from "Somewhere"

I haven't listened to it, I'll check it later.

>especially when in many of our countries poverty is romanticized...

True, not only that, but sometimes even crime. Here in Arjensimia the upper-middle class seem unable to get excited seeing a new series of black thieves from the slums being subhuman. There are several such series here, they are shit kek.

>Generally hand in hand with people who haven't experienced or never experienced what it's like...

Yeah, I don't know why that always happens. "Poverty porn" sells. I think from those things I've only enjoyed "Slumdog Millionaire", it must have some merit because I liked it and I hate Indians.

>I think it's people who want poor people to stay exactly the same forever.

>I feel the scariest part is the apartment complex.

Ugh yeah. Gives the creeps. Especially the penthouse and that. But maybe for me it was the sewers? I couldn't say either.

>the other scenarios didn't seem so heavy to me

I got scared even in the first one when Michael suddenly appeared from the side the first time. I wasn't prepared and it made me jump kek

>the kindergarten.

What part was that? I played it a long time ago and I kind of forgot.

>Whoever made the anime frames knew what they were doing.
kek

>It was one with some

>>1703
This is the separate post I'll use to talk about Dementia as you asked kek.

>What's your opinion on Dementia so far, negro?
>Also, moment of insecurity from the anon. Is Dementia not coming off as annoying to you, or is she? I'm trying to balance her as best as I can.
I'm sorry for taking so long to respond to this kek
Well, I always start these opinion posts by saying that I'm not a critic. At most, I'm a fan who can say something more or less.

Starting with the second question, does Dementia seem annoying to me? Well, no, first of all I think it would be difficult for a roleplay character to really bother me. I don't think it's happened yet and Dementia won't be the first, I think kek

Now to say more general things that also connect with the above.

What do I think? I like her. I think it would be hard to roleplay a year with her as a character and not like her. I've grown attached to her, she's far from the love and peace heroines expected for this role. That's not bad, I would say the opposite, although I'm not one of those who say that goodness is out of fashion, seeing Dementia interact with the roleplay world seems entertaining, really makes me want to see how she reacts to certain situations I plan for the future.

Still, that's a somewhat superficial view of the character. Dementia changes, maybe a little but it's noticeable, maybe she struggles, but sometimes people are like that. Changing is hard. It's nice to see her evolution, from threatening to kill Ribbon for existing to risking it for the well-being of a new friend. From analyzing Gren and Red to seeking more peaceful solutions despite the insistence of the blue prince.

It's a progression that, I don't know, feels right for the heroine's adventure, and although her soul is always that of a warrior, that's also fine.

What about her annoying attitudes? They're part of her, going from being a mischievous and somewhat abusive child to a sugar cube in an instant would be strange. I find it amusing. It allows for a variety of reactions too, and as I said, I wanted this to be a very character/interaction-heavy role. Some live with Dementia's attitudes, others can't ajem Little Red ajem

In short, I like roleplaying with you, negro, if you want to change Dementia's attitudes, go ahead, but from my side there are no problems. I think it fits well with the idea of exploring interactions keksito

I just hope you're also enjoying the roleplay and that. I trust that you'll tell me if I'm falling short, I don't want to give you a poor experience.

And if at any point you need to take a break from a cute one or another, I don't see a problem with you responding twice or more in a row to the story of one of the two until you want to pick up the other. No problemo.

>>1703
>>1698
>Dementia
"Fue un pelín confuso" She lightly taps her temple with her knuckles. "But no one can deny that there were sweets in my basket and then there weren't!"

A pen... Maybe they can get one in the goblin village. But first, they have to get out of the temple, a challenge much simpler than unraveling the mysteries of puberty, a topic of conversation that makes Dementia clench her mouth and avert her gaze, uncomfortable.

(Tsk! C-Close your mouth! He's not crazy about me. He hates me! And I hate him too!)

She responds by puffing out her cheeks, but she knows that at least from her side, the hatred is a lie and the little boy attracts her a lot. The prince is... pleasant to look at and she would like to touch him, but wanting that frustrates her, causing her to also want to hit him a little. In conclusion: Mixed feelings.

...

If for some things the capuchon hesitates, for others she is firm as an ancestral monolith. Among the shadows, she chooses her companions above the magic stone. It seems that exactly that was what the presence was waiting for... The room clears. Dementia stands with her back straight, rests the axe belly-down like a walking stick, and blows vapor from her nose, exhaling her anger and calming down. Her friends are safe! Did she do it all alone...?

"You helped me without knowing" She replies, closing her eyes as if showing much dignity and composure, without going into details to not be too sentimental. The attention soon travels towards the chest, where they find the other half of the key. Dementia follows the tutorial, grabs the two parts, spits on the broken tip of one half, and then joins them using the saliva of the chosen girl as glue. Ultra-viscous and special!

With the key ready, they open the final door. The golden chains retract, and Dementia tells the group to stay behind her when entering. She advances with the axe ready when...

"¡...!"

A head.

"¡That's...!"

Two heads.

"¡I can't believe it...!"

Three heads. Dementia's pupils dilate, her hands tremble from a growing emotion she can't control. Even her teeth chatter.

"It's a..."

Four heads. The trembling stops almost instantly, as if someone had pressed a button on her. The creature roars, causing screams to her friends and making Dementia's cap flutter. The girl's mouth becomes a straight line, her eyes narrowed.

"Bah, it's just a hydra... I thought it was a dragon!" She shouts without hiding her disappointment. "Hydras are like bad dragons!"

Perhaps if they hadn't fantasized about encountering a dragon, their reaction would have been different. But this is like wanting a unicorn and finding a horse, somewhat fulfilling, but not the same. In any case, the plan continues, Dementia feels in her chosen soul that she has to defeat this monster to claim victory.

However...

They start talking.

Dementia makes a weird face. It's a face she doesn't usually make. Only when something... Doesn't happen as she expects it to. She bets Ribbon can already detect her weird face on the first attempt.

"Why do monsters have to talk? This would be simpler if they roared like brutes!" She mutters, stomping her feet. Now Ribbon realizes they can communicate, which means she at least has to try... Act. She takes a deep breath and tells the group again to stay behind, then approaches.

She looks at the first head with one eye more open than the other, annoyed. She looks at the second, raises her open hand. She looks at the third, shrugs her shoulders. She looks at the fourth, arching an eyebrow.

"Alright... Get together... Are you good or bad? You can't be four different things at the same time. Who is the leader of the four?"

2/2

>>1703
>>1706
Do not open the spoiler image yet
Tears are like diamonds, and Ribbon values them properly. But you disagree! You were going to show the fairy what happens when you go against a dogmatist.

>Ribbon
Sturlu
"Hahaha" -she catches the laughter, though of course, less intense- "Is it okay?"

>Merlinus
"Yes."

>Sturlu
"HA!" -points at Ribbon-

>Ribbon
"HAHAHA... Ah-" -stops her laughter suddenly, her little face turns into one of embarrassed surprise- "oh..." -turns red- "...me mié."

(...oh...)

>Sturlu
"...HAHAHA" -points at her with a finger-

>Ribbon
"Ayy..." -covers her face with both hands and hides from shame-

>Merlinus
"What?" -he doesn't pee-

Fortunately Ribbon is wearing a diaper... although she should change it soon because otherwise she would get in a bad mood!

Embarrassed, she sits back up. Now that a bad moment for Ribbon wasn't enough, it was Merlinus's turn, who had a diametrically opposite view to Ribbon regarding feelings.

>Merlinus
Ribbon
"Eh... This doesn't seem right..."

>Sturlu
"HAHAHA, LOOK THE MAGICIAN CAN'T ESCAPE!"

You begin your assault, your fingers, powerful, ripple swiftly like lightning continuously striking the ground... which is Merlinus's fragile little body.

>Merlinus
"Don't touch me!"

He twists, but not from laughter. Whether his somewhat thick clothes or his peculiar body, they didn't seem to be having any effect. But that wouldn't make you give up.

>Sturlu
"HAHAHA, THEY'RE TOUCHING HIM!"

>Ribbon
"Hehe... Well... Maybe it's a little funny..."

>Merlinus
"Rghh"

You hear him struggle to free himself from your grip, thrashing, but he can't. And your tickles have no effect!

>Sturlu/Ribbon
"HAHAHA!"/"hehe..."

And then you pull the hat off his head and-!

>Sturlu/Ribbon
"A-"/"._."

(...)

The laughter stops suddenly.

https://youtu.be/Z2YBC5vZU9Q?si=eLoOOq7fiRWmIeMC▾
>Merlinus
"What?"

you can open the image now kek
Your head... As expected, it was made of the same material as his body, that black magical substance... but... it's pointy. Like it was meant to fill the hat he was wearing.

...ok, two unfortunate events in a row is a bad sign, but that wouldn't stop you.

You still had a companion to attack without reason! Sturlu can't even give an opinion before being thrown to the floor by you and punished.

>Sturlu
"Ah!"

>Ribbon
"D-Dementia! A-a him too?!"

>Sturlu
"Haha it's my turn- AJAJAJAJA!"

You start tickling him. His body is strange, feels especially cold, and when your fingers tap his sides... it's almost like touching a hollow log. Aside from that, he reacts normally, laughing and writhing. Ribbon sighs, Merlinus moves some distance away from you, already suspicious.

"JAJAASVIESBJABAVAGATWGQKQQMH̷s̷y̷a̸j̶a̴v̷q̷h̶w̵w̵7̴j̸w̸w̴k̵q̸m̴w̷b̷q̷b̴!"

Suddenly, he starts making incomprehensible noises. Ribbon seems especially affected, covering her ears and suffering. Merlinus too, just without making pain noises. Strangely, you aren't affected at all, and seeing his body have unnatural spasms, his skin stretching and contracting, along with every part of his clothing. You hear his bones crunching, like they're rearranging... but that's all. He stays like that until you let go and he's left panting.

>Sturlu
"Ah. It's only funny when it happens to someone else!"

>Ribbon
"Au... Au... My... My head..."

>Merlinus
"What... kind of witchcraft was that...?

(Sorry for seeing you without your permission) kek

Merlinus
Ribbon
"E-even he has a point, Dementia... Dark mages are just like servants... They shouldn't have feelings..."

But he did look annoyed... There must be a way to verify this info! Ribbon doesn't think it's necessary, but you think... and think hard.

(Little Red Riding Hood thought and thought. The feeling mage could show... But how were they going to prove it?)

(Well of course, just annoy him!)

(Wait... That's not right!)
>Ribbon
Merlinus
Ribbon
"U-uhm... This isn't working, Dementia..."

You show them your ass. Merlinus doesn't flinch, Ribbon blinks in confusion, and Sturlu tilts his head, utterly thrown off.

(Why the hell is this happening?!)

PAM PAM

Your ass echoes through the sacred temple with the slaps you're giving it, but the sound waves don't seem to affect the mage, who lately has been back to his usual round-eyed look.

>Merlinus/Ribbon/Sturlu
"What are you doing?"/"W-what are you doing, Dementia?"/"What's he doing?" -he asks Ribbon-

(That's a good question, Little Red Riding Hood... THAT IS NOT A MENTAL IMAGE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES!)

(Heh...)

(I mean... maybe it's not the time for these experiments, Little Red Riding Hood.)

There had to be a way to make him angry again! But what could be the key?

Anyway, a little while later they leave, and the conversation shifts to writing Little Red Riding Hood's chronicles. Ribbon agrees, and is surprised by the new detail.

>Ribbon
Ribbon
Sturlu
"Great, I helped!" -says, making a victory fist-

>Ribbon
"Huh? Did you do it?"

Sturlu looks at Merlinus to confirm.

>Merlinus
"I didn't do anything."

>Sturlu
"Haha, so it was me! Wahoo!" -jumps up in excitement- "I've never helped before!"

>Ribbon
"Huh..."

(The reward chest was opened, and inside was what was missing for the great lock to be opened.)

(Yes, I rhymed "abierto" with "abierto". But once isn't bad, right?)

Ribbon proceeds to give you a small tutorial on how to make the key work. You start with something simple: opening the inventory.

Open inventory
>inventory 5/8
-slingshot
"A hairpin with a handle, to whose ends are joined those of a rubber band to stretch it and thus shoot pebbles, pellets." That's how the RAE describes it. Charia calls it 'the thingy for throwing coconut nuts'
(Ranged weapon. Equipable.)

-super mushroom
A power-up and a heal at the same time. Grows in height and capacity with a single bite, with a low heal bonus.
(Cures 5HP. Increases your size and physical capabilities.)

- little honey cup
Nothing sweeter than a spoonful of honey! Imagine drinking a whole glass. (Recovers 5 DT)

- fire flower
Spicy, nutritious! Bite it once and the fire power-up activates! (+3HP and turn into Fire Dementia [one-time use])

- koopa leaf
A leaf that koopas love to eat. They say it's nutritious. (Recovers 3 DT)

>Ribbon
"Very good, Dementia! Now go to the Key Items section."

>Key Items
-Fairy Dust: A unique dust from fairies. Grants the ability to fly, among other things. This one is from the queen, so it's special. (Belongs to Ribbon)

-empty bottle
A good-sized glass container. Useful for filling it with something. (Fill it with various liquids to drink from here.)

-old scroll
An ancient scroll written in a language you can't understand.
(Can be used to learn magic if you find someone who understands this language)

-Map 1:
An ancient map marking a mysterious place of interest on some island in the ocean. (Received from Goldilocks. Find someone who can read maps to travel to unknown areas like this.)

-half key 1: Half of a key that leads to the boss door.

-half key 2: The other half of the key that leads to the boss door.

>Ribbon
"Very good! Now you just have to choose one half, and press Combine. That way you can combine the two items."

>*Select♡
>*Half Key 1♡

You grab the item, bring it close to your little face, and...

>*Spit♡

>Ribbon
"Eh—that..." -didn't need to- "N-never mind, it doesn't matter..." -better leave it-

>*Combine♡

You join the two halves perfectly, like after a molecular cut. The place where they were once broken emits a faint glow... and...

>YOU GOT THE BOSS KEY!
>Boss Key: a key made to open the boss door... it also has a bit of ba

>>1707
After that, you can open the door. You do so without hesitation, and you ask everyone to line up behind you.

>Ribbon
"A-ah, yes."

>Merlinus
"As you command."

>Sturlu
"I'm coming!"

The formation is: you in front, Ribbon second, Merlinus third, Sturlu at the end. Basically the order in which you met them. One after another, they cross through the great door to find the boss...

Enormous like a tower, noisy like a nuclear explosion, the hydra flings your comrades into the air with a roar powerful like a hurricane...

But you are not impressed.

Ribbon
"¡¿Only a hydra?!" -¡IT'S A DAMN HYDRA!-

>Head 4 (arrogant)
Head 3 (fearful)
"N-no, I don't like dragons..."

>Head 2 (friendly)
"Jeehee, me!"

>Head 1 (guardian)
"¡ATTENTION! WE MUST DEFEND THE STONE WITH OUR LIVES... ¡WE WILL INITIATE A BATTLE!"

>Head 3 (fearful)
"Nuuuu"

2/3

>>1706
STATS
Dementia: (level 4) 70% EXP
HP: 14/14
ATT: 123 (115 + 8 from Cuddles)
DEF: 109

DT: 9/9
-charge: +1 attack (1 DT)
-great rift: Creates a rift causing a painful earthquake! (-2 HP to all enemies) (3 DT)
Luck: 3

Ribbon: (level 3) 50% EXP
HP: 5/7
DT: 5/5
-description: describes the enemy (0 DT)
-small heal: heals 2 (2 DT)
DEF: 6
ATT: 0

Merlinus: (level 4) 0% EXP
HP: 7/8
DT: 8/8
-bufu: low ice damage (2 DT)
-agi: low fire damage (2 DT)
ATT: 88
DEF: 88

Sturlu: (level 3) 20% EXP
HP: 6/8
DT: 8/8
-stun: scares the enemy (2 DT)
-weird touch: unsettles the enemy (2 DT)
-hei: low dark damage (3 DT)

ATT: 90
DEF: 50

Status: STUNNED! (cannot attack for one turn)

https://youtu.be/GPL5Hkl11IQ?si=JvC7N_CU_JiuPiu8▾
Battle music! Ribbon asks you to think carefully about your next move... And it would be clear: beat them up! If only the hydra spoke like a human... All its heads do! And when there is wisdom... there is doubt.

>Ribbon
"U-uh?, Did you say something, Dementia?"

>team.
>manual
>Ribbon: wait/Merlinus: wait/Sturlu: wait

>Ribbon
"Huh?"

>Merlinus
"Don't you want to attack?"

>Ribbon
"N-not always is the solution!"

>Sturlu
"What?" -Stunned. Cannot do anything this turn-

You took a step forward, facing the enemy without fear, you decided...

>Dementia
>[ACT♡]
>*Head 1 (guardian)♡
>*Angry look

You give a serious look to the most antagonistic head of the quartet. This one returns your look with anger.

>Guardian Head
"DO YOU DARE LOOK AT ME BADLY, INTRUDER?!, YOU'LL NEVER GET THE STONE!"

>Merlinus
"What are you doing?"

>Ribbon
"It's ACTing..." -says surprised. Then smiles-

>Merlinus
"Again?"

>Dementia
>[ACT♡]
>Friendly Head♡
>*Greet♡

You raise your little hand, the corners of the lips of the monster's second head seem to form a smile.

>Friendly Head
"Hello!, Are you here for the stone, friends?"

>Guardian Head
"WHAT?!, No, don't talk to them like that, they're not your friends! They're intruders."

>Friendly Head
"They don't seem so bad."

>Dementia
>[ACT♡]
>Scared Head♡
>*Shrug♡
You shrug. The fearful head calms down a little.

>Fearful Head
"E-eh?, Is that a no? S-so it means no, right?"

>Guardian Head
"Not at all! We must stop these intruders."

>Dementia
>[ACT♡]
>Vain Head♡
>Raise eyebrow♡

You see the fourth head looking confused. It ignores you.

>Vain Head
"Hmph... Peasants. They don't understand beauty."

>Guardian Head
"Eh... I guess it's not that bad..."

>Ribbon
"Hmm..." -looks thoughtful-

>Guardian Head
Friendly Head
"Good!"

>Fearful Head
"N-n-no I don't know..."

>Vain Head
"Beautiful."

>Guardian Head
Fearful Head
"H-he... I think."

>Friendly Head
"We're all equal!"

>Vain Head
"Ha... Obviously me."

>Guardian Head
"Of course not!"

>Friendly Head
"Don't argue, guys, we're friends."

>Guardian Head
"Shut up!"

>Fearful Head
"And I think..."

>Guardian Head
"And you too, shut up! Get ready to fight."

>Fearful Head
"Ay..." -looks sad-

>Friendly Head
"B-but..."

>Vain Head
"Hmph... Whatever."

Everyone seemed to think differently... and they weren't making a very good team.

>Merlinus
"This isn't working..."

>Ribbon
"Dementia, we need a plan! A way to calm everyone down together or something..."

Sturlu
"Eh?, A plan?, What do we do?"

You can now order everyone to ACT... The difference is that unlike you, they can only do one action at a time.

>Ribbon
>ACTs:
-convince
-compliment
-encourage
-dance

>Merlinus
>ACTs
-talk (Merlinus isn't good at ACTing)

>Sturlu
>ACTs
-scare
-shout

since you're in manual mode, you must say which head you want to perform their ACT

>Guardian Head
"Now I'm going to shoot a lightning bolt from my mouth!"

Friendly Head
"Eh... I don't know..."

>Guardian Head
"What?!"

>Friendly Head
"They don't seem bad to me! He greeted me."

>Guardian Head
"Just for that?!"

They couldn't agree on attacking...

>HYDRA: 1d120 = 11

repost because I forgot to quote you and I don't like how it looks kek

Once I read that when Nintendo thinks they're doing well, they bet everything on a passionate project without knowing if it will work out or not. And from there came things like Tingle, which no one asked for.
This little roleplay was, or rather is, my passionate project. I had a lot of desire to carry it out and didn't know if it would work out. And when it died with two posts I let it go.
If it hadn't been because you were interested, even a little bit, enough to send a file, we wouldn't have gotten this far. I appreciate that despite the irregular rhythm and any ups and downs you decided to come this far.
I'm not saying this to tie you down, if someday you get bored, I would most desire you to be direct, I would accept it and move on.
But, for the time you've invested and the good times that this has given me, I wanted to do something for you. One is a small nonsense of mine, telling the story of Dementia with the sinking town trend, and the other is the cover of Cece. I hope you like them.
In short, what I want to say is...
Thank you for a whole year being the girl of the legends!
(The sinking town via catbox because the chon is giving me problems uploading due to its weight uugh)
https://files.catbox.moe/hdt7sz.mp4

>>1711
I always debate that, but I think yes.
I mean, I have two roles I want to carry out 100% and then two others I'm unsure about (Blood Omen, one from the Planet of the Apes, superheroes ending because I promised my favorite anoncete, and the sequel of the other role I'm currently playing) not counting something spontaneous that comes to me and opens up by autism (what I sometimes do) that would be everything
I like writing for the negritos, giving them a story and trying hard so they have fun, but I also know I'll eventually stop. I want to retire, I'm sure of that.
But yes, you have at least one rolcito more for the future in case you want to join keksito
I take the opportunity to leave the drawings I made, they aren't very good but I made them with love kek

>>1701
>>1702
>Cece
She craved the blows and the screams; they filled her with fire, reminding her she was alive and that she could trust no one. With that sensation roaring in her chest, she stood atop the desk, fists clenched, towering far above her usual height. But what Cece never expected—what disarmed her like a paper boat before a powerful current—was the gentle touch of the woman on her smooth face.

Wide-eyed, shoulders tense, hair bristling... The girl's throat moved as she swallowed her gum. She acted as if those kind fingers were a knife about to slice her jugular, an alien scythe wielded by a giant mantis. Only the words that followed—laden with an hatred as subtle as it was virulent and authentic—returned Cece control of her body and the real world.

It's your job. You take it or cry.

At least they're still looking for me; you'll die alone.

Problems, you say? I'll show you what real problems are. While I'm here, I'll make your life impossible.

Those were the phrases that came to her mind after leaving the office. She cursed under her breath, regretting they hadn't occurred to her sooner. She hated going blank; what good was always being prepared for the worst then? Any display of affection, even if it were a disguise for a cruel gesture, was something she needed immunity against.

María's final verdict was a relief. She wouldn't have known how to react otherwise. She might have fled. She shook her head to clear her worries and kept moving forward until her "sister's" little voice faded into an inaudible hum.

She arrived at the charging station (her room) and grabbed Napoleon. Abominable faces and gaping mouths of horror surrounded and followed her; the posters—countless and varied—lined the walls like a cavern of grotesque titles: Cannibal Holocaust, The Texas Massacre, Killer Clowns from Outer Space. But if someone were to tear the paper, they'd see a white, pristine wall underneath.
In contrast to her reputation as a troublemaker, as she moves across the yard Cece's expression is calm, almost hollow, lost in her own thoughts inside and a shambling zombie on the outside. She sees Cody... A couple of years ago Roja grabbed him by the wrists hard and kissed him against his will. The whole experience was horrifying for both of them, but for Cece it helped confirm that that nonsense about love was a fake invented by adults to trick the naive.

Amélie... Cece scrunches her nose and bares her teeth. She wishes Amélie would hit her; with that she'd have an excuse to do whatever she wanted. Amélie probably senses the situation too, which is why to this day their brushes haven't gone physical. For Cece, fights aren't bad at all; they help you get rid of the monsters you carry inside that sometimes clog your chest and keep you from sleeping. You just have to be careful that the worst monsters—the dark ones, the biggest ones—stay locked up and never show themselves.

(I'm not Michael Myers, I'm Jamie Lee Curtis)

She moves into the vacant lot. Cece notices Marcy drawing and resists the urge to go look... She draws too, but that's a secret. Chowder wants to fight, but Cece has other plans; besides, with Napoleon weighing on her shoulder, any fight she decides to get into would be anything but friendly.

"The guy wants to adopt me" she reveals as if it were a minor matter. "What company? What food?"

Molly jumps in; as always Cece doesn't believe half of what she says and the other half remains uncertain information. Amélie is also interested, but only to provoke, and Cece is quick and dry in her stance:

"Not your problem" she says without looking at her, while at the same time grabbing Lee by the arm and yanking him to force him to stand up. She was getting annoyed seeing him lying there. "If you know anything about Barclay, spit it out or get lost" she turns her face toward the hateful girl and narrows her eyes. "But what would you know? You're a nobody like the rest of us"

She moves toward Amélie and, just like with María, she plants herself, this time leaning in until she almost touches her nose. Cece thinks:

(A headbutt this close would hurt a lot)

She doesn't care; her forehead is hard.

>MCC
They're really doing it! And I was on your side thinking they wouldn't do it so fast keksito

>>1713
With gentleness, those fingers slither across your face in a slow, sweet journey, yet more disorienting than the writhing of worms. That touch, however, was not real. It was preparing your skin for the cruelty boiling within them, leaving you so far out of yourself that you couldn't tell if the sight of the pink dye before the cut was sugar or salt on the wound.

You could think about it a bit later, coldly, generating a new unease. Affection becomes the plague you now want to avoid the most. Whether it's fake or real. Whether it's María or your sister, from whom you choose to distance yourself...

You are in your room. It is your safe place. No one enters without your permission, even at midnight, when the faces that look at you and deform on the walls, you know you are alone. The monsters are made of paper, the protagonists' scared faces are inaudible, fictional. In the real world there are things that truly worry. Even in this house. It would be a matter of asking Marcy, but she doesn't speak...

You take your little friend. The bats don't talk, they are good at keeping secrets... but not for conversation. Not that they aren't inseparable. He rests on your shoulder, like your homemade aposematism method. You can go down the old stairs.

The yard. Walking and seeing bring back memories, which although perhaps not so distant, today appear through a sepia filter.

>Cody (memory)
"Ugh! Puke!" -after shoving himself away from you, he fell to the ground to spit- "What the fuck, Red?! You KNOW I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!"

...

...you haven't been his favorite person by a long shot since then. When their eyes meet, he simply looks away, indifferent. But... it's not like you cared anyway, right? He's just a nerd... and his 'boyfriend' is a Ken doll... He probably hid it somewhere for it to participate in hide-and-seek.

Amélie matters to you. She's on your blacklist, and you're on hers. Who knows the reason, but she has made it her goal to annoy you as much as possible. You aren't the only one she bothers, but you are among the handful she treats badly every passing second.

>Amélie (memory)
"...What's your name? Do you want to be my friend...?"

...that was when she arrived. Her attitude changed too much... and very... very quickly.

Marcy, for her part, catches your attention. Always silent, always drawing. She might be mute. She is also one of the few people in the house called by the psychologist... That's the little you know about her... Even if the shared hobby is a good way to start talking, you refrain from even trying.

You focus on what you wanted. No drawings, no fights... but information. Who was she? Where were you going? Barclay, a surname that is almost common knowledge, catches your classmates' attention... And blows their minds when you drop the bomb.

>Lee/Chowder
Chowder
"Are you serious, Red?"

He asks, as if, even despite the look you're wearing, there still existed the possibility that you were joking.
Lee
"W-wait-"

You pull, it's so light you lift it as if it were nothing. He stands, but wobbles, his head spinning.

"aHhHh..." -he got dizzy from standing up suddenly- "I wasn't ready..."

Chowder shakes his head, disappointed by his student's weakness.

>Amélie
"Pathetic uselessness..." -she mutters- "And how is it 'not ready'?" -she asks, one eyebrow raised, head tilted, lips forming a diagonal line of annoyance- "This place is basically mine, I'm the little princess~ everything concerns me... Even the little problems of the peasants, Cecilia..."

>Chowder
"Peasants?"

>Amélie
"Don't interfere, fatso."

>Chowder
"Hey! Don't call me that... I'll tell María!"

Amélie smiles at that threat, as if the mere idea of Miss María moving a finger to stop something like that was laughable. Because it was... Chowder puffs out a cheek, swallowing his annoyance.

>Molly
"I'm also a little princess. My mom was the Queen of England, but she couldn't take care of me and left me here."

>Amélie
"You're more... Little Boy Blue." -from that story about the boy who cried 'wolf'-

>Molly
"Who...?" -it's not that she doesn't know it, she just doesn't make the connection. Amélie, for her part, has no intention of connecting the dots for her-

>Amélie
Molly
"..." -she thinks this is getting awkward-

>Chowder
"Hey..."

>Amélie
"Pfff... bu-hahaha~ What do I know? I remind you that I'm not like you, I'm a little princess and-..."

You closed the distance between the two completely as she spoke...

And so, they were face to face... Mirrored. And they were actually so similar... Same height, same skin tone, a nice bow on the head and another on the neck, light eyes...

But they were so different at the same time. Yellow against red, like a risk indicator. Her serious face, transformed by the proximity, must also hide thoughts less violent than the one you long to execute now.

"What? You think you scare me? Get that period face off, Cecilia." -Molly covers her ears- "Or what? You want to hit me?"

>Lee
"I don't like this..."

>Chowder
"Girls-"

>Amélie
"I know you do, right? I guess a peasant can't control himself! Look at you. Ugly, tomboy, carrying a bat..." -she makes a face of surprise, looking at Napoleon for a second- "With nails? You want to hit me with that?" -she points at him with a finger- "bu-hahaha~ You'll go to prison if you do! No one would let a horrible girl hurt a beautiful princess like me."

>Chowder
"Girls!"

>Amélie
"I just came to tell you about Barclay and you threaten me!" -she says, pointing at your chest- "Go ahead, hit me. Show me what you really are. And then? Pfft..." -she shakes her head- "No one will stand by your side. Alone, all alone like a bad dog. That's how you'll end up! Rotting in prison, bu-hahaha~"

>>1714
>I recommend Lectulandia. It's a great page for downloading PDFs. They have everything, and well organized.
Oh no, I didn't know that, thanks for the rec. I always used zlibrary, it's super good too, and you can download them as epubs, a super comfortable format you can transfer to Google Play Books and read as an ebook.
This has many advantages, like an included dictionary for definitions, translator, bookmarks, add notes and such. I'll leave you its current domain:
https://1lib.sk/
Be careful with other links because there's a fake z library that doesn't let you download books and sends you spam. If this link goes down I recommend using the wiki of its official reddit I know, reddit is shit but this is useful

https://www.reddit.com/r/zlibrary/wiki/index/access/

It lets you download 10 books a day, you don't need an account. But if you do you can try their premium version that lets you download all the books you want in a day and convert formats over 8MB (the free version lets you, for example, convert PDF to Epub but only if it weighs less than 8MB)

Hope it helps.

>I won't forgive her for deciding to stop being a goth slut and become a dude, kek.
Ayy kek I had no idea about that. Not just about what she did, but who she was, I'm not that familiar with many authors.

>Anyway, I hope she ended up happy.

It's her decision and it's respected. It's not like we were going to waifu her anyway.

In any case, it's a bit curious the increase of trans authors in so many media in recent times. The agenda has won. Honestly I kinda don't care kek

>Also, did you read 24 Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai?
Cy, I couldn't help but feel a bit of you in some points. It has something of your style, I guess it influenced you even a little and I've noticed it especially with that recent turn kek that's cool.

I liked it, I enjoy that resource where characters go off on tangents in their thoughts and expand. It's not that I'm a great reader, as I already said, but reading something like that always makes me feel comfortable, like... Does it feel right? It's very "literature" I don't know keksito
Anyway, I liked it, although I did feel low on powerlevel because of all the direct references I hadn't read. At one point it even named Huckleberry Finn as an essential and I was like "vaya" since it actually bored me kek

Maybe I should give it another chance...

>That's another little gem.
Second, it left me pedaling in the air because I was expecting something like "in the end it'll be exactly the same as the poster and some Lovecraftian thing will happen, right?" I liked how it went against my expectations. I suppose there are many more things I could highlight, but right now nothing comes to mind. If you have something to talk about regarding the story I'll follow you kek

>It has a Milf as the protagonist, so for me it already wins a lot of points.
I understand, she's a very elegant and super sensual woman according to her external personality, and as a reader you see more, she's a very experienced woman in many things. Although it lacked body description to be more immersive kek

>What cost me the most was finding the entrance to the hive, for that I had to use a guide.
Kek understandable, many people recommend a guide for that. What actually pisses me off, I'm anti-guide. But sometimes some games seem like you need them no matter what. Reeee

>The glow, if I remember correctly that's what that light moth was called.
Ah yes, she is the ending.

>I really like the art.
It's very fun, that old cartoon style I love. It reminds me of Ed, Edd and Eddy.

>Although I was more fascinated by the cute GB ones they released, very qt.
Kek, too many people only see them. Minus8 is too powerful (Cheese is the best btw)
But beyond that, it has super good level designs, the most memorable bosses, a top tier OST and something else I won't say because if you ever try it someday I don't want you to expect it, but that pushed it to be one of my favorite games in general.
If you ever play it, go blind.

>Uuuuuh... Potential foreshadowing?
Kek

>I still haven't gotten around to that saga. What I've seen in passing calls to me, all the spy and military experiment stuff.
It's very unique in how it tells the story; the games have a lot of personality. Maybe it's not the ideal order, but I still recommend playing it chronologically because I loved experiencing the saga that way, and playing 4 as the last one (not counting Rising which comes after) makes everything fit well.

>Ah, well, that also explains why Omori (Sunny) looks like a kid even though he's like 16.
Kekazo I didn't know (I'm just starting the game) I would never have imagined he's 16.

And in case there were any doubts... This shirt Omocat wanted to release, ayy.

>I tried it out a couple days ago, just walked around a bit in the starting zone. I still haven't decided if I'm going to embark on that adventure, but my body is asking for it, so it might happen soon if life gives me the free space.

Don't force yourself either; you tackle whatever you want, whenever you want and can. Even though it's not a long game, I lost muuuuch time because I like walking every single centimeter of the map (and sometimes I couldn't find where to go) and the game didn't last that long.

>I was referring to the fandom. The game only came out in English.
Ah keksito. Well, that's normal for those times.

The now-extinct Clandlan did the translation work and they added the final, amateur dub, but it was a nice touch.
Ahh... Sovl. Something like that they wouldn't do today, I think. The golden age of fandubs passed a long time ago. And by the way, the fansubs too; I heard they don't even put the color-coded powers on the subtitles anymore. How traditions die.

>Hey, but they also made When Evil Lurks, a total movie.
Keksito, I only watched it because you mentioned it. I'd seen some divided opinions online before, truth is I enjoyed it. The way the evil works kept me hooked, and truthfully I felt it was more relatable because it's Arjensimia and I've spent some time in rural contexts. Ruiz's countryside was super similar to the one I used to go to, kekazo.
I like how the world is built, those are things I appreciate, you build the story around it with pieces that get thrown at you sporadically.

I don't usually get scared by movies, this one is no exception, but it conveys stress well with the situations it puts you in and makes you interested in what's going to happen.

I liked it, thanks. But when I said they make a lot of shit series here I didn't mean all of them. They also made the simulators and... and... And that's it

>USA Moment.
Ah yeah. I remember that, it was fun kek

>the annual gobou video
One of the few things that keeps the yummy nikkers fandom alive...

My favorite is still:
https://youtu.be/ea7VkwmfSeM?si=FamYlYCYu85C7wlp▾
>For now I don't find the resemblance, but I'll take your word for it.
Wolf: I'll eliminate you once and for all... WITH THE POWER OF RAP!

>Kek, really?
Keksito yes. It was back in the Secondary Hispa era, the original from /r/
Maybe you don't remember, but that thread put something under the sheet like "because a high school role can be good" or something like that.

>Don't apologize, these last few days I've also been sinning with a slow pace. It doesn't help that the turbulent geo-politics ends up distracting me. The day they put a Tomahawk missile on Maduro, I'll celebrate.
That worried me a bit too, I can only wish you the best. Take care, life is only lived once.

>The last thing I want is for my monkeys/monas to be too much for you and ruin the experience
Don't worry, for a reason it's already been a year since this started. Besides, I already told you when you thought I wanted to quit that nothing to do with it, I'm happy with how things are going.

But I also understand where the uncertainty comes from, it's hard to communicate well how one feels about a role just by roleplaying, I guess. It's normal that sometimes doubt creeps in about whether the other one still enjoys it

>>1707
>>1708
>>1709
I summarized some points to move forward faster and compensate for my lateness.

>Dementia
"Oh..." The caperuza becomes tense as a board facing the sudden and impactful naturalistic information. All eyes on Ribbon. Sturlu keeps laughing from the back. "Ah, yes... I... I-I also" He averts his gaze and blushes when thick substance creates a caramel-colored puddle near his boots. Discreetly, the girl throws the empty honey cup out of the scene. Maybe that will make Ribbon feel better and give them enough time to get him a new diaper.

But just because it ended badly with Ribbon, doesn't mean it won't work with the rest, right?

"..."

He blinks several times. Slowly, he puts the hat back on Merlinus's head and smooths it. He looks at the group and places a finger near his lip.

"Nothing of this to the world"

But just because it ended badly with Merlinus, doesn't mean it won't go wrong with the one left, right?

"Mmmm..."

Sturlu needs to recover from the tickles, the other two have headaches. The green one laughed, it was weird, but overall that's a victory for the caperuza.

"Sturlu, what's your race called?"

Dementia is human, Merlinus a black mage, Ribbon a fairy, Narrator is a narrator, but Sturlu...?

Dementia is capable of splitting the world in half, but making Merlinus explode with feelings still seems impossible. Maybe someday.

(What did you say about my feelings?)

A metaphorical question mark appears over Dementia's head, she raises an eyebrow in the direction of nothing, towards the narrator.

...

"It's legendary girl's saliva. Definitely give her powers!"

Answer: No.

He concludes the tutorial, but instead of opening the door immediately, he puts a mischievous smile and brings the slimy key close to Sturlu's face as if threatening to touch him.

"Ujuju, be careful, I'll tickle you!"

Clarification: Dementia doesn't have lice.

...

"Neither farmer nor farmer's daughter" She points her chest with her thumb. "I'm the legendary girl!" Pic related is what the hydra sees, yes, surely it perceives the caché...

The heads never agree. Ribbon asks for a plan, but before speaking, Dementia steps in the middle blocking with Cariñitos to stop that first attack and protect her friends.

ATT: 1d123 = 50
DEF: 1d109 = 44

In case she remains standing, and comes out with a smoldering body, she would point with Cariñitos at the guardian's head and have fierce words for him.

"TRAMPOSO!"

She accuses him shouting, stomping.

"You're taking advantage of me because you're stuck with the rest! And if you attack me, I'll hurt the others!"

It's as if the bad wolf is stuck with Ribbon, Dementia couldn't attack first!

She lowers her little arm, her brow remains furrowed.

"Either you all agree to attack the four, or I'm leaving!"

And the stone-?

"I'm leaving, and I'll tell all the other temple guardians I know (None), that there's a tricky hydra head here! And that they eat dirt!"

But just as the guardian has to convince the other three for the offensive, Dementia works to get the other three to leave the guardian alone.

"Pstt! Sturlu..." She calls him and makes signs with her arm. With Sturlu nearby, she pulls him by the shoulders and whispers. "Pstpstpstpsts..."

If Sturlu understands, he will go to the front of the scared hydra and use Scare.

With the proud head, Dementia would order Ribbon to praise. And as the happy head has the highest tolerance level, the caperuza would tell Merlinus to go talk to him.

"Try to be nice, talk to him as if he were your little lady" That's her advice, but as Merlinus surely would say Ah, but that's not the little lady, the caperuza rolls her eyes and adds: "Use your imagination"

>>1719
Okis even though there's nothing to compensate kek. Don't worry about the delay, take your time.
Laughter is your friend, but it can also be debilitating, especially for the bladder. Ribbon falls victim to the grace and pees.

(Laughter is your friend... Except when it makes you pee your pants.)

Oh, poor thing! Ribbon goes from laughing to being the butt of the joke. Sturlu points and cackles while the little one dies of embarrassment. A puddle forms under your feet; it's not that her diaper failed, but you wanted to lighten her discomfort.

Sturlu
"Huh?" -stops laughing for a second-

Ribbon timidly pulls her tiny hands from her watery eyes, her face flushed red all the way to her temples, looking like a high-pitched meter of sorrow. But for a moment, her concern was something else.

>Ribbon
"Really...?"

Her pupils slowly drift down to where the external dampness lies. The honey, somewhat thick, of a peculiar color. Ribbon considers for a second that you should drink more water before lifting her little face again to confirm, with your palpable shame, that you aren't lying. She closes her little mouth, her lips trembling before timidly standing up.

"It's okay, Dementia..."

She confirms with a hug around your leg, wrapping her arms around your calf and rubbing her chubby cheeks against your shin.

"It can happen to anyone..." -it happened to her- "b-but... You should drink more water..." -she won't keep that for later-

>Sturlu
"...HAHAHAHA" -slaps his knee- "they peed."

>Ribbon
"Jumm..." -puffs her cheeks, as mentioned before, having a wet diaper made her irritable- "IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE!" -repeats, waving her little arms-

>Sturlu
"Not me. It hasn't happened to me in muuuch hours."

>Ribbon
"-.-"

(The next victim is the mage; there's no pretense here. Little Red Riding Hood was quick and brutal in catching Merlinus; his efforts are in vain, nothing can be done against his strong hand.)

(However, tickling the mage didn't seem to affect him much; the laughter of the others was enough fuel to keep attacking...)

(Although no one liked what the girl was about to reveal...)

Everyone falls silent. Merlinus doesn't understand the situation, but seeing that almost felt like receiving a curse. You returned his hat and left him alone. He finishes adjusting it a bit with his own hands.

>Merlinus
"...don't touch my hat again." -it's a memory, but... it's very likely you have no intention of doing that anymore-

The other two couldn't take their eyes off you, still perplexed. You approach them and ask them to take this secret to the grave.

Sturlu
"Ahh..." -pants, tired-

Ribbon held her head; the pain for her was sharp, like those powerful ice cream headaches. Merlinus suffered it too, but not as much. This leaves everyone with doubts, things like what kind of witchcraft that was.
>Ribbon
"A-au... Au... That was... Malicious..."

Ribbon is weak to malicious things and dark attacks but resistant to holy attacks. Conversely, Merlinus is weak to light attacks but resistant to black magic. You don't know it, but you aren't especially weak to any element; the catch is that for now, you don't have any special resistances either.

"What was that?"

>Sturlu
sighs "Ah. Sorry... I didn't mean to do that." -says, without explaining-

>Ribbon
"But-"

Sturlu
"Ah-!"

Sturlu went blank for a second. Mouth agape, paralyzed in a 'if I don't move, they won't see me' or 'I have all the time to think' state. His words take their time, and impatient a cursed fairy, who already had an eyebrow raised and a look of judgment.

>Merlinus
"It's a race of dark magic."

But it's the mage who speaks first, earning a look of surprise from Ribbon, who once again realizes it's true. What just happened was, without a doubt, the work of dark arts, malicious even. She looks seriously at Sturlu again, who was still sweating and trembling on the floor, this time in a more human way.

>Ribbon
"Sturlu...?"

>Sturlu
"Eh... A gnome?" -seems to ask them-

>Ribbon
"..." -makes a ಠ_ಠ face-

>Merlinus
"Hmm... So it's just a gnome." -never saw one in person-

>Ribbon
"Merlinus... You- he-" -interchanges her gaze between the mage and the gnome- "Are you just going to-?" -stops herself, keeping her gaze on the mage- "..."

>Merlinus
"To what?"

>Ribbon
sigh "Let's see...!" -makes gestures with tiny hands- "Merlinus, Dementia... Doesn't it seem too tall to be a gnome?"

Just then, he stands up. If you look, well... He's still shorter than you, of course. But he was taller than Ribbon and Merlinus... Something doesn't add up.

>Merlinus
"Hmm..." -observes him closely-

>Sturlu
"Eh... No?"

>Merlinus
"Hm..." -gives up in silence- "..." -looks at you, needs guidance-

Sturlu gives you a grin from ear to ear. His spectral appearance makes him look utterly monstrous, but the gesture he tries to convey is one of innocence. Ribbon, who now looks uncomfortable seeing him, looks at you next, also with a 'Did you see that?' vibe.

It's rare for Ribbon to act like this with a companion. It must be a symptom of being cursed.

Ribbon
Ribbon
"What are you doing, Dementia?"

>Sturlu
"Oh!" -gets alert, making some distance from your key-

And then, you unleash a threat that freezes the blood.

Ribbon
"Dementia, you're scaring him!" -exclaims- "Does... it seem like that scares him...?"

(The reality Ribbon still didn't see or understand... was that Sturlu feared small insects. Those that fit in his palms.)

(Not the big ones, not the medium ones. Those very small ones that fit with plenty of free space in the palm of your hand.)

1/2

>>1719
>*THE HYDRA IS READY TO FIGHT!
>*What? No, I'm not
>*Yes you are
>*No I'm not

>Guardian Head
Vain Head
"Pft... nonsense and illusions of ugly peasants."

>Friendly Head
"Hey! I believe her." -replies cheerfully-

>Scared Head
"W-w-well really?" -asks-

>Friendly Head
"Yes! They passed the test, didn't they?"

>Ribbon
"Yes!, Yes, it's true, Dementia is the girl of the legends!"

>Friendly Head
"See?! The girl doesn't lie!"

>Scared Head
"O-oh..."

>Vain Head
"...hmp..."

>Persuasion +50%!

You had convinced the two easy heads... But there were still detractors left.

>Guardian Head
"DO NOT BE DECEIVED!" -and with a shout, the worst of the two takes the lead and chooses violence-

The Guardian Head opens its mouth, creating a giant fireball, ready to launch directly at Ribbon, who seemed the easiest target.

>Ribbon
"ABABABABAAAA!"

She screams flapping her little arms and letting little tears fly as she sees she's about to be incinerated; the Friendly Head gets startled.

>Friendly Head
"HEY, WAIT!"

It moves fast and headbutts to push the Guardian one...

>Friendly Head. Attack: die roll 27. Bad!

...but it was already too late, the fireball shoots out and the head is pushed just as the trajectory is decided. The fire comes out like an explosive ray, the whole room vibrates and the intense heat like the sun dries the tears that jump from Ribbon's little eyes as soon as they come out.

>Friendly Head (slow motion)
"nooooo"

>Ribbon
"Aaaaa!"

>Sturlu
"WAAAAA!" -clutches head-

The fire hits its target in a violent explosion that makes the whole temple shake.

>GUARDIAN. Attack: die roll 83. Great!

>Guardian Head
"HA!"

...or so it seemed at first.

>Dementia. Defense: die roll 20. BAD!
Your remaining glove is incinerated, your clothes bear burn marks just like your hands and arms. They feel sensitive, and somewhat hardened. It's uncomfortable. The head of cuddles is glowing red-hot and your body is steaming. The explosion was like a blow all around your body, violent as a grenade; somehow, taking it head-on allowed you to prevent it from spreading too much and hurting your companions... But it left you with a very annoying tinnitus.

The ground beneath your feet shattered into a medium-sized crater, with only a small piece of floor where you were standing left standing. Ribbon, Merlinus, and Sturlu fell into that crater, the first one completely white from shock. The pebbles on the ground, mostly turned into a sticky blue mass after being melted, show that you wouldn't have wanted to take that hit head-on.

Ah... Wait. That's exactly what you did.

Sturlu
"FAIRY!" -approaches to check on her, kneeling beside her- "HEY, WAKE UP!"

>Ribbon
"Abababa..."

Merlinus stands up without saying anything. As for you? You were standing there, unmoving. Three of the four heads look at you in surprise.

>Guardian Head
"H-HOW?!, ARE YOU STILL STANDING?!" -unable to believe you survived-

>Friendly Head
"OHH!, IT'S FOR REAL, IT'S THE GIRL!" -astonished by the pleasant truth-

>Guardian Head
"Impossible!"

>Scared Head
"A-a-a... What... What fear!" -fear of the power-

>Vain Head
"Ha... It's no big deal... I would have resisted it too, but in a more beautiful way."

You weren't coming for beauty; that came as a rebound. You were coming for the stone! And the obstacle was clear: the Guardian. You face him with your warrior gaze; he flinches.

>Guardian Head
Friendly Head
"Aww..."

>Sturlu
"Yes, he's a cheater!" -exclaims, standing up-

>Guardian Head
"NO HE'S NOT! I'M DEFENDING THE SANCTUARY! IT'S MY DUTY, AND THEY SHOULD DO THE SAME!"

>Friendly Head
"To me, that sounds like cheating!"

>Guardian Head
"SILENCE!"

>Vain Head
"And who put you in charge...?"

>Guardian Head
"I SAID SILENCE!"

You were starting discord... Well, no. It was already there before, but you were feeding it quite well. You're making demands.
Ribbon
"BU-!"

Ribbon -scared

Ribbon understands then. The Guardian Head looks furious, grinding teeth and holding back rage.

>Guardian Head
"FINE! THEN GO, I DON'T CARE! MY MISSION IS TO SHOO YOU AWAY BY ANY MEANS."

>Vain Head
"Wait! No." -says, suddenly interested- "My image is important. You shouldn't soil it just for... the rabble that accompanies me."

>Guardian Head
"WHAT?!"

>Friendly Head
"Yeah! Don't go so soon."

>Guardian Head
"WHAT are you talking about, vermin?! We were about to win!"

>Scared Head
"A-and... I don't even want to fight..."

>Friendly Head
"See? She doesn't want to fight!"

>Guardian Head
"IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER SHE WANTS TO OR NOT!"

>Sturlu
"I don't want to either."

>Guardian Head
"YOU DON'T GET INVOLVED!"

>Sturlu
"Oy, sorry" kek "Huh?" -you call, he leans his ear closer- "What? Oh? Ohh..." -he pulls back- "Huh?" -puts ear back again- "ahh" -pulls back, nods head- "oki doki!"

>Sturlu
>[ACT♡]
>*Scared Head♡
>*SCARE♡

Sturlu steps forward, straight in front of the scared head; she already tenses up at his mere presence. Then the gnome looks down, stomps hard, and suddenly lifts his face, opening his mouth as wide as an anaconda.

>Sturlu
AAAAAAHHHHH

He lets out a terrifying scream. The sockets of his eyes grow in diameter and spill black liquid. The Scared Head trembles to her soul before fleeing in terror. Then the Scared Hydra loses the shine in her eyes.

>Scared Head +too scared (fainted from fright)

>Guardian Head
"WHAT THE HELL?!"

>Friendly Head
"Oh... Oh dear... Are you okay? Hey."

>Ribbon
"D:" -didn't expect THAT-

Sturlu returns his face to normal and goes back to you.

>Sturlu
"Did I do it right?"

>Merlinus
"Yes."

>Ribbon
>[ACT♡]
>Vain Head♡
>*Flatter♡

>Ribbon
"Understood, Dementia!"

She exclaims and flies up to stand before the vain head, who doesn't even deign to look at her. Ribbon swallows, then clears her throat.

"Hello! You're very cute, did you know?"

>Vain Head
"Hmph. Tell me something I don't know, little peasant."

>Ribbon
"Ah-!" -she jumps, it didn't work- "Your teeth! They're as cute as a little flower..." -she starts waving her little arms, gesturing as she speaks- "They should change the name of the 'dandelion' to 'hydra tooth' because of you!"

The head finally seems to smile, and deigns to look at Ribbon.

>Vain Head
"You actually know what you're talking about... Tell me more."

>Persuasion 70%!

Ribbon smiles, then smiles at you, even bigger.

>Guardian Head
"EY, NO!, NOT YOU TOO!"

>Merlinus
>[ACT♡]
>Friendly Head♡
>*Talk♡

>Merlinus
"Huh?" -doesn't understand- "Me? I don't like to ACT..."

Friendly Head
"Eh..." -looks around uncomfortably-

...suddenly, Merlinus lifts his gaze.

"No!"

He stands up.

"I can't... You're not the lady. I'm only loyal to her."

>Ribbon
"And Dementia?"

Merlinus doesn't answer, nor does he look at Ribbon. As if he hadn't heard her at all, she lets out a small nasal growl.

>Friendly Head
"Ehh... I'll give you points for trying."

>Persuasion 90%

>Guardian Head
"WHAT?!"

Ribbon looks at you happily, hopping in place.

>Ribbon
"DEMENTIA, IT'S WORKING! If we ACT together we can forgive him, you just need 10% more!"

>Friendly Head
"Oh come on, calm down..."

>Vain Head
"Sorry, I don't talk with the rabble..."

>Guardian Head
"YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THIS POSITION!, GIVING UP LIKE THIS FOR SOME INTRUDERS WHO TREATED YOU A LITTLE NICELY!"

While they argue, you and your team notice something. A shadow darker than the darkness surrounding the giant hydra's body, moving through the air at full speed as if spinning. They didn't seem to feel it, but Ribbon's eyes c

>>1719
https://youtu.be/ikmSfQmtq20?si=tWGLd5jZH3Ecf1lp▾Ribbon shivers.

>Ribbon
"Brother...?"

She turns alongside Merlinus; they are the last to face the monochromatic figure. A bit taller than you, with an impenetrable shadow where eyes should be. Ribbon's gaze twists into pure horror.

"AAH! DEMENTIA... IT'S- IT'S- IT'S-...!"

>Merlinus
"Starlo..."

(WHAT?! STURLU AND STARLO ARE BROTHERS?!)

(No... Wait. That was a bit... to be expected.)

>Starlo
"Yeah... Maybe even too obvious for them to imagine, huh?"

(That's possible... WAIT!, Little Red Riding Hood... He responded!, Did you see that?!)

>Ribbon
"W-what?" -she sharply turns to face Sturlu, who remained fixed on his brother- "What?! And- why?!"

Sturlu doesn't look at her.

>Starlo
"Ah... I think it's pretty obvious too..." -Ribbon's shocked gaze returns to the villain- "I sent my brother to get me the stone... and to eliminate Little Red Riding Hood."

>Ribbon
"WHAT?!" -she gets startled-

>Merlinus
-Traitor- (he thought)

Sturlu lowers his gaze.

>Starlo
"My brother is... useless in many ways." -clumsy, brainless, inconsistently cowardly are negative traits of Sturlu that come to your mind- "But... this time it worked like a charm."

Starlo starts walking normally. Like it's his own house, Ribbon and Merlinus stare at him, nervous as he passes by your side. Sharing a brief glance with you. His huge mustache completely covers his mouth... but you can almost feel the mocking smile before he moves forward, leaving your team behind. Ignoring them to reach the great door guarding the Hydra, trampling the dust it turned into.

He stopped for a second, placed his palm on it.

"My brother will take care of you."

Ribbon turns quickly.

>Ribbon
"N-no! He's after the stone!"

The evil mage pushes the door without effort and enters the room where the space stone is kept. Ribbon exclaims, hoping someone more capable, one of the three of you, reacts and stops him.

And Sturlu walked too, took several steps without looking back, without looking at you. Only at the door, leaving you behind.
"Ah...?"

>Sturlu
"I'm sorry..."

After those words, the brother turned towards you with all his might. His body creaked, his limbs stretched and enlarged, while his face became monstrous, elongated, with a dislocated jaw and a reddish glow in the sockets that simulated demonic eyes.

"HAHAHAHA!"

https://youtu.be/u2Jj9H1Q9As?si=OYu4PWuueAPHjGT8▾
>[I'm sorry]
Jumpscare alert at the start kek
https://youtu.be/ZyNkuuVosVs?si=p7QdeY05oMe2RaeC▾
The room begins to warp into undulations, as if everything were a fragile mirage in the middle of a terrible day in the worst desert. You hear distant, spectral weeping and wailing. Ribbon trembles more than ever, her pupils shrinking into almost imperceptible dots. Witnessing the specter's true form instills immense fear in the hearts of the less strong. Merlinus holds his ground, preparing fire in his hands.

>Ribbon
"A-ah..."

>Merlinus
"Traitor..."

>Sturlu
"This is my true form... THE ONE WITH WHICH I TERRIFY EVERYONE! I WON'T LET YOU PASS!"

It seems they were really going to do this.

>Merlinus (automatic, but you can order him to do something else)
>Magic
>Agi
1d88 = 61
Defense: (block) 1d88 = 49

>Ribbon (SCARED) (Does nothing this turn)

>Sturlu (TRUE)
>Magic
>Frighten
1d100 = 16
Defense: ...

//Hello, I am a separator//

STATS
Dementia: (level 4) 70% EXP
HP: 9/14 (a burn turn was applied)
ATT: 123 (115 + 8 from Cuddles)
DEF: 109

DT: 9/9
-charge: +1 attack (1 DT)
-great rift: Creates a rift that causes a painful earthquake! (-2 HP to all enemies) (3 DT)
Luck: 3
Effects: None. Burn was removed after the previous combat ended.

Ribbon: (level 3) 50% EXP
HP: 5/7
DT: 5/5
-description: describe the enemy (0 DT)
-small heal: heals 2 (2 DT)
DEF: 6
ATT: 0

Effects: Scared. (Too scared to attack. Loses a turn.)

Merlinus: (level 4) 0% EXP
HP: 7/8
DT: 6/8 (if you let him use Agi this turn)
-bufu: low ice damage (2 DT)
-agi: low fire damage (2 DT)
ATT: 88

>Enemies
-Sturlu
-stats unknown
DEF: 88

Cafe, flour, bread, jam...

"That's not everything, that's just food."

Molly appears. Cece wants to believe her, if only because Amélie recommends against it.

"No, you won't tell her." She glares at Chowder. María getting involved is... annoying, especially after their last exchange. Chowder has to defend himself, or well, she could do it too. That's what movie heroes do, right? Defend the weak and confront evil in all its forms.

In this case, the evil takes the shape of a lousy brat with an ego the size of her ass... Cece looks down, then up. Maybe the ego is even bigger. Either way, she plants herself directly in front of the other girl, mirroring her stance—except Amélie keeps spewing venomous jabs while Cece waits poker-faced, dangerously silent. Her gestures betray her though—she grips Napoleon's hilt so hard the wood creaks, until...

She stops squeezing.

She glances sideways into the distance, where Cody is playing. Ever since that trial, he's either avoided her or treated her with indifference. What Cece wouldn't give for Amélie to just leave her the hell alone—she doesn't need more problems. She's already got so many they're spilling out of her pockets.

"... Oh..."

The girl's eyes widen and sparkle. She turns her attention back to Amélie, who's still ranting about how Red will end up in a cage like a bad dog, blah blah blah, she'd pay to slap her. The others stand frozen, waiting for the worst... Then Cece closes the distance.

Amélie doesn't have time to react. She only watches in horror as the ugly tomboy's face fills her field of vision and rough lips press against hers for a painful two seconds.

Cece steps back. Her eyes remain fierce. She trusts her plan worked—just like with Cody, Amélie won't come near her again if she knows what's good for her.

>>1721
>>1722
>>1723
>Dementia
A gnomish.

"Where is your cone hat? And your beard?" She raises an eyebrow with great suspicion. The suspicions grow because Ribbon mode meada has a cunning and severity beyond, not letting anything pass. With the situation like this, it's now the turn of Little Red Riding Hood to be the understanding one. She wraps her arm around Sturlu's shoulders and pulls him towards her. "If he says he's a gnomish, then he is... What reasons would Sturlu have to lie to us?"

The reasons would soon be revealed.

...

The Little Red Riding Hood remains like a smoking and unmoving monolith. She opens her eyes, her cheeks are full, spits out a stream of fire that got into her mouth and then wipes her forearm across her lips. She pins Cariñitos to the crater floor and pulls herself up, ending up on the edge from where she starts to demand the tramposería from the hydra.

Together they slowly convince, almost succeeding! But a mysterious explosion of concentrated darkness swallows the hydra and spits out the bones. Dementia, has her eyes wide open and her jaw stretched to the ground. Only when she senses the danger behind her does she compose herself, and uses all her strength to turn around.

"You killed the hydra! ¡'SON OF 💣⚡$%@!

Sturlu's brother, Starlo. No one could have known. ¡No one!

(Me imagined him taller...) Says the Little Red Riding Hood to the narrator.

She clenches her teeth, clenches the handle of the axe, clenches her round little nunchucks. The Little Red Riding Hood doesn't back down from having the bad guy in front. But when having Sturlu in front, now as an enemy... The girl's eyes are not only precious, they also hold doubt. Ribbon points out that Starlo is going for the stone, but Dementia doesn't turn around, the Little Red Riding Hood has her head down, reflective.

She takes a deep breath, exhales slowly, faces the demonic form of Sturlu. Dementia isn't scared of deformities and weird faces, she has other fears that someone attentive could surely guess.

"Sturlu... Don't make me do it. I forbid you to become bad! You are no longer part of his team, but mine!" She stomps her foot and points at him with her finger, her lips forming a pout. Sturlu continues laughing. "Very well, you don't let me off that easily. I'll have to make you enter by force... ¡By the bad way!"

The Little Red Riding Hood throws herself, spins in the air like a ninja star, ending up embedded in Sturlu's body like a koala. Then it begins, her fingers are impatient worm-like ticklers attacking without mercy...

Tickles here. Tickles there. It's a new level of tickles, one capable of making Ribbon urinate ten times.

Dice just in case.
ATT: 1d123 = 62
DEF: 1d109 = 98

>>1724
The cheerful role: fighting a ugly ghost that creates illusions.
The "more horror-leaning" role: two girls kiss kek
Herbs, jam, cocoa, and minced meat. Dad supplied the entire pantry to countless households, but there was a visible hole in the can that is the plot, one of those serious defects that make you just stop wanting them, stop even looking at them. The kind you should complain about if they arrive in an order.

>Chowder
Molly
"Ooohhh"

>Chowder
Looks away

>Lee
"._."

>Marcy
":o"

The onlookers were left gaping, witnessing that moment, a kiss barely touching the third second, was shocking for several reasons. For them, and for your partner, whose eyes were open until they almost popped out of their sockets. Her soft lips... assaulted!

You separated as you had joined, in silence and suddenly, more with calm. Your lips and hers were now wet, maybe every lip of Amélie was. The rest watched with intrigue whatever it was that was going to happen now. She seemed lost, in a way you would never have imagined seeing her.

She looked at you silently for a moment. As if... she was far from you? As if she were a witness to a horrible crime watching from a building window. As if her soul had slipped away between your lips. In her mind, she tried to process what happened over and over again, and when Molly looked with a grin from ear to ear that defied the general stupor by imagining the new love story, the pale face of Amélie... did the opposite of lighting up... It darkened.

>Amélie
"No... No... No... No..."

She murmured in rapid succession, like someone regretting a crime. Everyone lost their attitudes of surprise or joy when they saw Amélie shrinking in on herself, her gaze twisting, not in classic fury, but in a twisted faction of someone whose entire world had just been destroyed.

"WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!"

She questioned you with a voice so tearing that one would swear she was ripping it out manually from her neck.

"YOU HATE ME!"

She screamed at you, looking you in the face now with zero composure, comparable to a lunatic beggar. She grabs her head, scratches her temples a bit.

"YOU HATE ME!, I HATE YOU!"

She shook her head desperately.

"So why did you do that?!"

She lowered her head again, not letting go of her head, let out a whimper.

"Everything... Everything... Everything... Damn crazy... You ruin everything. Why did you have to ruin it?, Why?, Why?, Why? Why do you hate me so much..."

She suddenly lifted her gaze, separating her arms from her head.

"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS RUIN EVERYTHING?!"

And she crossed the line you would never have imagined she would dare to cross. Your chest felt a small dry double blow when with her palms, in a fit of madness, she pushed you, making you sit on the floor. 'The worst she can say is no'. She:

"You're so dirty... I don't want to see you again..."
He gave an ultimatum with a look of infinite contempt and stepped away from the place. His screams had attracted the other kids playing in the street; she shoved them aside, angrier than ever. They didn't understand. Those who were with you moved to surround you after half-emerging from the impact of such a stressful scene. Molly looked a bit sad; it was Lee who offered you his hand, helping you up just as you had done for him today. Whether you accepted or did it alone, it was inevitable to address this topic now.

>Molly
"I'm sorry, Red..."

She thinks you liked it, that a kiss like that would set things right and make you love each other. She's lying, but she's innocent.

>Chowder
"Wow. I knew she was crazy, but not that crazy."

>Lee
"Uh... No... Don't listen to her... She... She's bad..."

He says, imagining that maybe all that nonsense she spewed affected you somehow. She said a lot. She's a cruel kid.

"About Barclay... Uh... Yeah... She also does clothes and makeup..."

That's why Amélie suggested she didn't do things of your interest.

>Chowder
"Oh, I wasn't even aware. I only knew about her food, hehe."

Lee slowly blinks and ignores him.

>Lee
"Uh... yeah... I think she does even more things... I just don't remember what..."

In the background, the whispering of the other kids who just arrived finally dies down. A girl approaches, Elena, the ventriloquist.

>Elena
"Uh, kidzz"

She spoke with a hiss from her squirrel-like teeth and braces, but when she had the puppet, it didn't happen. Right now, she doesn't have it with her; Molly said it walks on its own and kills people, but it's Molly.

"What's up, pumpkinn?"

She's funny. Also bold. Zack, the other kid who noticed, didn't dare to jump in after reading the room. Chowder and Lee, uncomfortable, decide to put your feelings first and just look at each other to confirm neither will say anything. Then they look at you; Molly, in her place, steps forward.

>Molly
"Red and Amélie kissed and she got mad..." -she says with melancholy in her voice-

>Elena
"Ho-ho-ho!" -she laughs and gives Molly a little tap on the arm- "Good one, Molly. But now stop it."

Molly makes an annoyed face. She looks at everyone smiling; Lee doesn't look at her, he can't lie but he can stay silent. Chowder just responds with a face of exaggerated seriousness, like a superhero with hands on hips. He wasn't going to talk to gossips.

You didn't have to either. But she seems interested.

Anyway, you already have some of the info you wanted. You can leave.

>patio (you are here)
>dormitories
-your room
-Alicia's room
>María's office
>bathroom
>garden
>dining room
If you don't want to do anything special anymore, we can close the orphanage arc and move forward with a timeskip to the journey

>Aldo
On his first day at the orphanage, Amélie would have asked Cece to be friends. Would Cece have accepted? There's no prior knowledge on either side; it almost seems random.

Depending on what Cece decided, many things change.

>>1724
>>1727
Summary of the shift so you don't have to read it

>>1728
And for defense keksito

>>1726
They do well to be inquisitive; there are races by the ton, and Sturlu didn't look like a gnome even a little bit.

>Sturlu
Ribbon
"That's not a beard, it's a mustache!"

>Sturlu
"Ah- oh... eh... uh..."

He spits out almost every vowel searching for a sensible answer. For the first time, Ribbon is the tough one. The roles are reversed; you're sheltering the helpless, nervous gnome under your wing. He darts his gaze between you and Ribbon rapidly, never stopping his "ahs, ehs, and uhs" while his empty skull works at max power to find a response. Ribbon, on the other hand, looks at you with confusion.

Ribbon
"What?" -she pulls a suspicious face, then a surprised one, pointing at you with her palms- "b-but Dementia, he... But- I..."

Her hands move toward Sturlu. The accused forces a nasty smile, twisted like a monster's. It's the best he can manage... Ribbon slowly lowers her hands, looking dissatisfied, her lips straight, her gaze downcast.

"Hm... I'm sorry..."

But she resigns herself, tucking her little hands behind her back. She looks like a naughty kid after a scolding.

"I don't have to be mean to friends..."

It's not just a basic lesson from the queen, but... it wouldn't be nice to have another incident like with Goldilocks.

>Sturlu
"Ah, it's okay."

Ribbon lifts her gaze, offering a little smile.

>Ribbon
"T-thank you..."

>Sturlu
"Huh? Why?"

>Ribbon
"B-because... Because you didn't get mad..."

>Sturlu
"Ah..." -well then-

Ribbon is still Ribbon. Even blinded by the rage of... the recent accident. But this time, they would have done well to doubt.

...

There was darkness, and then there was death. The air weighed as if gravity had increased tenfold in that instant due to the mere presence of the supreme evil in the magical world.

In life there are rules. Water boils at 100 degrees, we breathe air, and what Ribbon said: 'all magical beings have some goodness'.

Sometimes, even those laws you thought impossible to challenge, can be twisted. Starlo can boil water at 20 degrees! Starlo doesn't need to breathe! And above all... Starlo is a being of pure evil.

But you were the one who had to stand above that.

Anger gave you more than enough courage to overcome the paralyzing evil in a single move. You faced the beast with eyes made of darkness, and you screamed obscenities without fear of the consequences.

>Starlo
Merlinus
"What... is this magic...?"

>Merlinus: Defense. Die roll 11... BAD!

>Merlinus +fear!

>Sturlu
"Hehe..."

>Sturlu: Attack. Die roll 49. OK!

But you... lifted your gaze. In the middle of that carnival of flesh, eyes, bones, and teeth, your eyes met the... Enemy...? Your face, despite the screams of despair and the repulsive scene...

>Dementia: Defense. Die roll 109!, CELESTIAL!

...held anything but fear. Sturlu jumped, then looked at you more closely, bringing his face closer to yours.

>Sturlu
"W-wah? But- But why aren't you scared?"

Ribbon
"EEEEEEK!"

>Merlinus
"!?!"
Your foot is now the corrector of reality. Like an oil painting under a torrential downpour, the illusion unravels around you fast enough to vanish completely before any of the three could touch the ground.

pomf

>Ribbon
"Oof! Uh...?" -looks around- "What...? I feel... fine..."

Merlinus
"How...?"

Sturlu
"Ouch..." -clutches his head- "H-huh?! M-my spell!"

He jumped up quickly.

"No—this isn't supposed to be happening..."

Ribbon
"D-Dementia, be careful!" -she shouted, waving her arms frantically-

But despite the expected danger, there were no attempts by the enemy to harm you. Nor did you let them, for as soon as you were sure you were firmly grabbed...

https://youtu.be/dWhtPByViJU?si=ZfEY0XfWlw2hVcPQ▾
>Sturlu
"HAHA! A- HAHAHA!, NO!, STOP!"

Your fingers showed no mercy. At maximum power, the appendages brushed against his body, tickling him down to the very DNA of that wretched, giggling wretch. More effective than a myriad of feather dusters, Sturlu collapsed like a lead weight, kicking, flailing, and writhing with no escape from the torture that wouldn't even let him breathe.

"STOP, P-PLEASE HAHAHA! STOP!"

Ribbon and Merlinus watched from their spot, the first now as expressionless as the second. The fairy blinked a couple of times and halfway raised her hands from her sides, as if to gesture at the situation with both hands, stopping midway.

>Ribbon
"Oh, Dementia..."

Rice again. By this point, it seemed you'd tickled more than you'd swung the axe. Sturlu finally formed an idea in that empty skull and tried to get you off by grabbing your arms and yanking you away from him as if you were a facehugger.

>Dementia. Attack: die roll 2... TERRIBLE

>Sturlu. Defense: didn't roll. WORSE THAN TERRIBLE

>Sturlu
"HAHAHA AHH...BUU...! Bujuju... Stop... Haha... please..."

Black tears began streaming down his 'eyes' as he begged you to stop. Ribbon was surprised.

>If you let him go...

Sturlu sniffled through his nose and knelt on the floor, covering his eyes while still crying. You could hear him sobbing and babbling, forming sounds with no meaning until he finally managed to bypass the knot in his throat and form something between unintelligible.

"I... I'm sorry!"

>Ribbon
"H-huh?"

>Merlinus
"There is no place for traitors..."

>Sturlu
Sniff "no... You don't understand...!" -lowered his little hands, the black liquid staining his long face- "if... if I let you go... My brother... He... will do the same to you as to the Hydra! And I don't want...!" Sniff "BWAAA" -cried toward the ceiling, tears splashing to the sides like a pair of tar fountains, Ribbon now looked sad-

>Ribbon
"..." -felt pity, her mouth opened and her little hand rose toward him, but the first closed and the second went back down. Her kindness was somewhat clouded by this- and after peeing herself

>Merlinus
"...he's right, Little Red Riding Hood."

As always, he was so positive.

"He could do the same to us as to that Hydra with a single attack."

>Sturlu
"Please, don't go...! Who cares about that stone...?"

Ribbon pursed her lips. She cared... A LOT. They couldn't let Starlo get his hands on the power of space.

>[STURLU IS NOW FORGIVABLE]
Kek I was expecting an attack

>>1727
Cece
The face of Roja on a brick waiting for Amélie to process what happened. The little princess doesn't take long to lose it, ¿how dare the bate girl violate her like that?! The subtle smile of Cece curves and defines as Amélie's hysteria grows.

"Another one?" She offers, crosses her arms behind her head, puts on a duck lips expression and winks.

It's a suggestive pose that appears on many covers of old movies, usually with girls in bikinis much more voluptuous than her, and with a scaly monster behind. Amélie explodes, pushes Cece, and Cece ends up sitting on the floor. Roja is too satisfied with the results to bother. Hence, when she gets up, she grabs Molly by the waist and spins with her on her heels, more cheerful than ever.

"Yes, everything is getting better for me" She sighs, and returns Molly to the ground, then retrieves Napoleon who had fallen down. She doesn't notice the general sympathy her failed confession caused. But then Cece squints, because deep down something bothered her.

(... Why was he richer than Cody's...?)

She shakes her head not understanding. She assumes it's due to the taste of victory. Elena, the hissing girl, helps her refocus on reality. Molly announces what happened, but no one believes her.

"At this point your reputation is ruined, Moll" Cece is shortening names, it's a sign she's in a good mood. She also spins Napoleon, another positive sign. "If you want to be believed, you'll have to burn the world... Or bite someone... Your sincerity has to be intense, proactive, like Ash"

Perhaps none of them know the protagonist of Evil Dead, and Cece isn't in the mood to explain the movies. She loves the third one because skeletons appear, and Roja likes skeletons, they're cute. In any case, Roja decides it's better they start playing to pass the time and starts a game of hide and seek.

"Like the other time, the first one I find will have to lick Chowder's sweaty belly"

That always serves as motivation.

Next stop: The journey.

...

Question, would Cece interact with these monkeys again? They grew on me.

<Would Cece have accepted?
It depends on when it was, if it's pre-roja Cece (Pic related), that is, the good and innocent girl she was before the world hardened her, she would say yes.

>>1730
>Dementia
Pillars of flesh, pulsating tissues, black eyes and yellow teeth. The stage transforms into the scream of a pandemonium, but Dementia...

Doesn't flinch.

She doesn't have a heart of iron, she has cried, but the universe knows well what she fears and what she doesn't. It would scare her more that Ribbon or her parents were disappointed, because monsters -whether pretty or ugly- can bleed, and if they bleed, they can be defeated.

With a stomp the illusion evaporates, the girl's momentum manages to make the group stop being frozen by fear. She jumps, grabs, and tickles. Sturlu has no escape... First step: Futilely resist. Second step: Give in. She ends up begging on the floor. The caperuza doesn't stop her lash until the bearded one is back to his original form and size.

She steps back, moves away a step and looks down at Sturlu with a fierce face. Merlinus is very strict with the Judas, and Dementia doesn't like them either, but she has some pearls of wisdom to drop while looking at the mage.

"Yes, Sturlu betrayed us... but I betrayed us too, because the alternative is to surrender with friends, and that's not my style" Dementia is now that meme of the chinese monkey who turns the cuckoo into a concubine to descuck himself

The brother of the villain sobs and assures that they don't want to end up like the hydra... And yes, the caperuza admits to herself that that would be ugly. Dementia is strong, but she's still far from eliminating a hydra with one hit. At least two heads would be nice, and the timid one seemed cute, a pity.

"Hmmmm..."

Hand on the chin. Foot tapping. And finally... A lightbulb over her head!

"I have an idea! But you'll have to help us, Sturlu" She grabs him by the neck and lifts him off the ground, Dementia was already getting tired of seeing him lying there (Similarities). "You just have to do this thing you did before, the walls..."

The plan is simple. They have to go to the stone quickly, and Sturlu use his powers to release the "corpses" of Dementia and company in front of Starlo, just so that -when Starlo is distracted- an invisible Dementia through the magic of the mustache sneaks up to the stone and replaces it with a normal stone only spit out by her to get the shine of the saliva and look special.

If they're lucky Starlo won't notice the trick. It's a risky plan, and that's why the caperuza asks Ribbon and Merlinus to stay out of it. What if Sturlu betrays her halfway through? It's a danger, but the caperuza under her ferocity keeps a pure heart that wants to believe.

Also, in the Cece scene, I would like a moment to give Mercy a drawing before leaving.

>>1731
The kiss is a strange ritual, object of poems and general fascination as a symbol of love. But when your lips joined hers, they didn't forge bonds; they seemed to burn a bridge. You made her lose her head, and provoked even further. You promised another, and she looked at you with soulless eyes, asking insistently why you hate her before exploding and attacking.

You fell by the hand of your victim, but you couldn't care less. Your world turns golden. You feel, after hundreds of gray days... victory, and it's as if the sun only shines on you. You share your illuminated world with the little liar who truly felt it, snatching her from the ground unexpectedly to take her to heights she never reached. Her surprise spread to the others, but hers changed when you started spinning.

>Molly
"Ah, ahahaha!"

She stretched out her little arms and legs like a cheerful little airplane, she's just a kid. And among so many lies, you could see that this joy was genuine, and valuable in this shithole home.

Molly
Elena
"I earned it with my own hands. Akikiki"

That pulls the pair accompanying you out of their confusion, only to look ahead and nod, Lee with tired eyes giving him an expression of little surprise, and Chowder with total certainty.

>Lee/Chowder
"Yes..."/"It's true."

>Molly
"Jumm..."

>Elena
Lee
"...Ash...?"

>Elena
"It's the Pokémon one!"

>Lee
"I don't watch-"

>Chowder
"Hey, I like Pokémon! It's like catching beetles. We should go look for some one of these days..."

>Molly
"I'm going to call the wild dog, who eats children and will bite everyone! He bit me once, but I managed to escape. You'll see! And I'll burn everyone. They'll believe me!"

The three just look at her moving their eyes, deciding to ignore her. It's best when she gets like this, like a chihuahua. But yes, she barks and doesn't bite.

"Hey!, Hey, you'll see! The wild dog is coming!" -it's the umpteenth time she says that-

>Elena
"Great, I'm in... Beetles, right? And maybe some scarab beetles? Akikiki"

>Lee
"I don't think Roja can..." -he comments, his discouragement is usual so you can't say he mentions it with sorrow, but it's a reminder-

>Chowder
"Oh, that's right..." -scratches his bald head, he forgot for a moment-

>Elena
"Don't you like thezz insectzz? I understand, they're ugly. They scare me a bit." -So why does she want to go for the beetles?-

>Molly
"Insects are poisonous... Once one poisoned me and I went to the hospital..."

You don't need to be told how true that is. Even in simple things so easy to verify when everyone lives with her, she lies. But it didn't matter, you were happy, you got what you wanted and a bit more. You propose a classic game of hide-and-seek, everyone agrees.

>Elena
"Ojojo... Yeez, I like hide-and-zeek."

>Lee
"Eh... I-It's fiiine-"

>Chowder
"Let's go! But I'm the master of hide-and-seek hehe. You'll never find me."

>Molly
"Hehehe I'm gonna hide behind a bush." -...Is that a lie?-

>Chowder
Elena
"Wuaaj..." -closes her eyes and waves her hands in super waka- "Better I disappear akikiki"

>Molly
"It'll be Lee again." -warns-

>Lee
"Ay..." -he doesn't like it anymore- "What if they find Chowder first...?"

>Chowder
"Ha. In my secret hideout it'll be impossible!"

Yes, it'll be Lee again.

>Lee
"Agh..."

Amidst the misery, you had your hour of laughter and childish play. Sometimes, this little decaying madhouse where they lived seemed to have killed the chances of a good life. For someone to leave the house was the strangest thing... you practically live with these people you like more... or less... for years.

They do what they can to have fun, it's good to smile. But once six o'clock arrived, once again they had to go back inside, to face reality... the bell rang. It was dinner time.

>Elena
"I think that concludes Lee's belly-tasting akikiki."

>Lee
"I need to wash my mouth..." -looks traumatized-

>Molly
"Hehehe today is the day! Today we'll eat chicken, and hamburgers, and delicious little cakes with coke-colaaa!"

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