Headgear "Silent Strong-Arm" unequipped.
Another bust. That's to be expected, though.
Track Cue: New Los Angeles - Day (Xenoblade Chronicles X)
Jeez. I know the setting kinda fits, but isn't this a little… I dunno, over-the-top? I'm no expert, but I don't think rock really fits with simply walking downtown.
Oh, quit your whining! I'm doing the best I can, here! I'd like to see you come up with a good alternative!
What about Alba Cavanich's theme?
Does this place look like a sand-coated wasteland to you?
Fair point. How far away am I from the next shop?
About three blocks. Check your map for directions.
...I'm sure you know that was kinda pointless, but… ehh, first amendment.
'MURICA, FUCK YEAH!
COMIN' AGAIN TO SAVE THE MOTHERFUCKIN' DAY, YEAH!
Okay, enough of that. I gotta get back to Neo-hunting.
No idea why the hell I'm scoping out someone who could end my life in under five seconds if she wanted, but whatever. I'm within my rights to have a death wish.
Headgear 'Silent Strong-Arm" equipped.
Let's see, here…
Hm? What's this, now?
Neopolitan
Cream-Blooded Killer
Thief
Level 26
Heh. The disguise is nice, I'll give her that. But nothing escapes the system. Nothing.
'Observe.'
Neopolitan
Title: Cream-Blooded Killer
Class: Thief
Level: 26
EXP: 1,750
Level Up at: 6,500
HP: 96
AP: 2,440
VIT: 122
STR: 122
INT: 96
DEX: 257
AGI: 267
RES: 90
LUK: 107
CHR: 163
Status: Healthy
Not much is known about this deadly connoisseur of sweets. What is known, however, is that she is highly dangerous to anyone who opposes her. (And that she's in love with ice cream, but that's not really important.) Rumors concerning her abilities are commonplace around the lower tiers of the criminal underworld, but whether or not they hold any grains of truth is debatable. She has recently come to work under the eye of one Roman Torchwick, a promising up-and-coming professional thief of Vale. Crossing her is not recommended under any circumstances.
Notable Skills
Semblance (Looking Glass) [Active] [Stage 1]
Allows the user to create illusions made out of a fragile glass-like material. The user and other individuals as decided by the user will be rendered invisible for as long as the illusion remains unbroken. The illusions can produce sound, but will deal no damage. Costs 5 AP/sec. Cost is doubled for every extra person included in the illusion.
Sword Mastery [Passive] - Level 45
Sadist [Passive] - Level MAX
Some prefer ending battles as quickly as possible, but to others, the screams of their enemies are music to their ears. 5% of the damage dealt of any attack on a sentient being is returned to the user as AP. WARNING: this skill may also cause the user to prolong battles to the point where they themselves may end up losing to unexpected developments.
Remnant Physiology [Passive] - Level MAX
Equipment
Dignified Needler
Might: 130
The envy of prim and proper ladies of war the world over, this umbrella packs a nasty hidden blade within the shaft that can be used for stabbing or somewhat limited slashing techniques. The blade can also be removed from the rest of the weapon if the wielder so desires. The umbrella itself is unusually durable, providing as much, if not more protection than a standard metal shield, enabling it to guard against all manner of attacks. Although it can be picked up and used by anyone, it has been in the possession of Neopolitan for so long that it has gained the rank of 'Personal Weapon', and with it, the ability to grow in strength with it's prime user.
Weapon damage scales with Neopolitan's level.
Modifies certain Sword Skills to better fit the weapon's fighting style.
Allows the user to perform unique combat skills based on weapon parameters.
Oh.
Ohhh.
Shit.
I mean, I was kinda expecting her to be promoted, but this is just… oh, man.
It's almost like she was designed for PK-ing. Which makes sense, since, y'know, she's kind of the contract killer type, but I never expected her stats to be on this level.
What to do now…
Well, I haven't had me a good bowl in a while. Let's see what this joint has to offer.
Vanilla… maybe, if nothing else is good. Chocolate… ehh, it's fine for the first few spoonfuls, but any more than that and it starts getting too thick for me to handle. Chocolate chip… too standard. Mint… never really was a fan of that. Strawberry… well, it's not bad, but I prefer others. Ooh, cotton candy! That's going on the reserve list. Anything else look good?
Oh, what, they have cookie dough?! Hell yes!
Birthday cake, too?! Is this Remnant's version of Cold Stone? Have I died and gone to Ice Cream Heaven?! Gimme dat shit! GIVE IT TO ME NOW!
Oh lol, Neapolitan's on the menu. Should I make a scene ordering it to catch her attention?
…fuck it, I'll get all four. Hopefully the Gamer skills prevent taste bud exhaustion.
Employee
"Hello there, sir. You decided what you want yet?"
"Yeah… yeah, I think I have. Buckle up, buddy, 'cause boy do I have a doozy for you. I'll be taking the cotton candy, the cookie dough, the birthday cake, and the neapolitan. All in one bowl."
Employee
"Whoa, there! You sure you wanna do that? I've seen people conk out for less!"
"You haven't seen me before, then. Do it."
Employee
"Well… if you're sure. 'Customer is always right', as the old saying goes. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
"I'm pretty sure I'll be fine."
Skill [Sixth Sense] triggered.
Big Sister is watching you.
Wow. You butchered that reference harder than a cow.
That analogy stopped being relevant the year slaughterhouses were invented.
I beg to differ.
Employee
"Here you go, sir. Good luck - you're gonna need it."
"Thank you."
Mega Mash-up
A bowl of ice cream with four scoops, all different flavors. Try at your own risk.
Heals 1,000 HP.
Reduces all active cooldown times by ¼.
Inflicts status effect "Stuffed" for 2 hours.
And now, for something completely insane.
I'mma plop down riiiiight… here.
"'Sup?"
Neo
^w^
(Hi! Nice shades!)
Hail the almighty power of subtitles!
"Thanks, I worked hard for 'em. Wanna see somethin' even cooler?"
Neo
OvO
(Sure!)
"Then get comfortable. Show starts in three, two, one, now."
A short time later…
Well, whaddaya know - my hunch was right. Taste exhaustion has no effect on me.
But… argh, those pupper eyes… and my natural Boy Scout instinct is telling me to do it.
"All right, fine. Take it."
Neo
:D
(Yaaaay! My favorite!)
(Not-so) coincidentally, the only scoop left's the neapolitan one. 10/10, would keikaku again.
+750 HP
Cooldown times reduced by 3/16.
Status effect "Stuffed" inflicted.
Time until natural cure: 01:19:59
Stuffed
The absolute worst condition for an animal to be in. Prevents the victim from eating any food for as long as the effect lasts.
Oog…
Neo
0^0
(You okay?)
"No, no, I'm fine, I just… think the sugar-induced adrenaline rush stopped my body from telling my brain that this was a really bad idea and I'm just now realizing how stupid it was to try and eat all of that in one sitting. Ooohhh…"
Neo
T_T
(You don't look very fine to me.)
"On second thought, yeah, you're right. I don't think I'm fine at all. I feel like I need to go lay down somewhere."
Neo
一_一
(Hmm…)
Ugh… note to self: avoid doing this in the future if at all possible.
Neo
;)
(Ah, what the hell. Not like I have anything better to do at the moment. Follow me.)
"...alright. I trust you won't lead me astray."
Neo
¬‿¬
(Oh, don't you worry. I'll take reeeal good care of you…)
"Yeah, that doesn't exactly give me confidence that this won't end horribly for me."
Neo
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
(Heh heh heh…)
"...I have made a terrible mistake…"
Secret Area Discovered!
SDC Vale Emissary Roof
+400 EXP
Well, isn't this quite a view.
"So… mind telling me how you got us past all those high-security checkpoints without so much as being glanced at?"
Neo
TvT
(Trade secret!)
"Yeah, guess that was a little too much to hope for. I suppose I'll just take what I can get. Which isn't a bad deal by any means, mind you. I feel like I can see Atlas from up here."
…
"Say… why'd you even bring me up here, anyway? I wouldn't exactly count giving you a scoop as asking you out or anything of the sort. So what possessed you to take a guy you met not five minutes ago to a place like this?"
Neo
^_^;
(To be honest, I was bored out of my mind and running empty on interesting things to do. My… job, let's call it, either has me on the clock or running free. Tasks have been few and far between recently, despite hooking up with a new employer. You just so happened to give me a convenient excuse to go and do something silly.)
"I hear that. Me, I'm a wanderer. For the moment, at least. Walking the world, seeing the sights, fighting the battles, meeting the locals, all that fun stuff. I'm gonna be going to Beacon someday, that's a fact, but I'm two years short of the recommended applicant age, and I don't feel like enrolling in a combat school halfway to graduation - would make it feel hollow and incomplete. Besides, why do that when I can just ace an alternative entry exam anyway? 'S pointless. But that's then, and this is now. And right this second, the only thing tying me down is that I have to be back here before the 24-month deadline ends. So I figured, 'hey, I never really traveled outside my hometown much before it was burned to the ground, so why not take this chance to catch up on what I've been missing?' Probably the single best idea I ever had, though that's not much, given I've only been alive for a paltry 15 years. Anyway, that's my story. No idea why I blurted it out to someone I just met, but whatever."
Neo
U_U
(That's another thing… you're one of the few people who can actually understand me.)
Ī_Ī
(But more than that, you pulled it off on what should be our first meeting. What I want to know is how you were able to do it, and something tells me I might have to work for my answer. Now, under normal circumstances, I'd go through standard procedure for my line of work's method of persuasion, but I have a feeling that wouldn't be as fun or last as long that way, and if you want to get technical, I'm not putting in time right now, so I'm not obligated in any way to do that.)
TvT
(So… I wanna do this the old fashioned way. How 'bout it?)
Hm… A, or Y… truth, or lie…
Nah, X to doubt instead.
"I'd love to, but… if I answered you completely truthfully, I know that there's a pretty high chance of more questions coming right after - questions that would have some… well, interesting answers that I would like to keep under wraps for as long as possible."
Neo
:)
(You do know that only makes me more determined, right?)
"Yeah, I figured. But I'm not too worried."
Neo
TwĪ
(Oh, really? Why?)
"Because I can do this."
Aaaaand-
SNAP!
'ID Create: Empty.'
Cue the Switch advertisement. Heh. Now...
Casually walk over here, lean on the wall all suave-like…
Am I trying too hard?
...yeah, definitely. But hey, if you've got it, flaunt it. I always did have a flair for dramatic re-enactments anyway. Might as well put that to good use.
'ID Escape.'
"Neat little trick, huh?"
Neo
(0_0)
(Well… that's a new one.)
"Oh, by the way, you can cut the disguise if you feel like it… Neopolitan."
Neo
-w-
(Heh heh… two surprises within ten seconds of each other. Today's getting more and more interesting every second.)
There's the hair everyone knows and loves.
Neo
TwT
(So, what's your angle?)
Of course she pulls that pose. Still haven't figured out how to lean on the blade without it sliding out from under me… eh, maybe I could take a page out of Saber's book and try using a sheath for extra weight displacement? Bah, not important.
"Believe it or not, nothing, to be honest. I felt like doing something impulsive, so I thought I'd introduce myself to Vale's scariest (and cutest) criminal contractor. Judging by how today went, I'd say it was a smashing success."
Neo
^w^
(That it was. So how'd you see through my semblance?)
"Oh, that? These."
And now, for my next trick, I shall pull out a pair of sick shades from behind my back!
Headgear "Silent Strong-Arm" equipped.
"Nifty little pair of specs I found online. Cost a lustrous lien, but I can now say they're worth their weight in dust. Bonus points for looking badass as hell, too."
Total lie, but she seems to be buying it. Operative word being 'seems'. I don't know how good she is at putting on a mask…
"Oh, and don't you worry - far as I know, these little beauties aren't being rolled off an assembly line somewhere. You ask me, I'd say they would be common in places guarded by folks with a boss at least as rich as a councilman, likely richer. Kinda how grown-ups get grown-up toys. You stay where you are on the ladder right now, and you'll be fine."
Wait, what's she… oh. Right. Probably should've expected that.
Back into the inventory you go!
Headgear "Silent Strong-Arm" unequipped.
"Ah-ah-ah! No touching! You must be at least this tall to wear!"
Neo
:(
(Aww! No fair! I wanna look cool, too!)
"You have an illusionary Semblance. I'd assume that looking cool would be the least of your concerns."
Neo
LwL;
(Ah… right. Touché.)
More awkward silence. Because everybody needs it, no matter how much they say otherwise.
"...so, you wanna do anything else? I like feeling higher up than everyone else as much as the next guy, but standing up here doing nothing but talking doesn't get the blood flowing as much as I'd like. And before you make a joke about the wording… don't."
Neo
TwT
(And tell me - how exactly could you stop me?)
"Well, I could always just blip away, leaving you with the crushing guilt of knowing that you denied yourself a great friend and potential contact all because you couldn't keep your little trap shut."
Neo
UwU
(Mmm… you drive a pretty hard bargain… all right, I'll hold back. This time.)
"Thank you. Anyway, you got another place in mind?"
Neo
一_一
(Let me think… well, we could try visiting my workspace, but I have a feeling that might not work out too well…)
|:/
(Strip club…? Nah, I went there yesterday and it got stale in record time…)
T_Ī
(Wait, what about Junior's…? Eh, why not? He makes a mean cocktail, and I think this might be the one time of day when he doesn't blast shitty dubstep. Yeah, he'll do nicely.)
:)
(C'mon, follow me.)
Landmark Discovered!
Three Bears Club
+100 EXP
Because of course it had to be named that.
"A club, huh? Nice. I trust you have a way to get around the ID issue?"
Neo
9_9
(Would I have taken you here if I didn't?)
"Right, stupid question. Carry on."
Something tells me that intimidation's the name of the game here.
Yep, called it. If that bouncer's undies aren't soiled, he'll have earned my respect.
Track Cue: Mos Eisley Cantina (Star Wars: A New Hope)
AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh my GOD, that fits so hilariously well!
Now, what to get…?
Hey, G, can I get a list of popular cocktails? I wanna look hip.
Well, all right, but don't blame me if you get in over your head.
Thanks. Let's see, here…
Ooh, that looks nice.
"I'll take a Brandy Daisy."
Never tried it before, but eh. If it's shit, that's my own fault.
?
"Pardon the interruption, buddy, but… aren't you a little young to be ordering a cocktail?"
Well, hello, mister black bear. I think you may be mistaking me for a blondie.
'Observe.'
Hei 'Junior' Xiong
Title: String-Can Overseer
Class: Ruffian
Level: 18
EXP: 2,350
To Next Level: 2,900
HP: 111
AP: 2,340
VIT: 117
STR: 134
INT: 111
DEX: 59
AGI: 78
RES: 117
LUK: 57
CHR: 80
Status: Healthy
A man who's made a living off of buying and selling information. Well-known for having the low-down on practically everything that happens inside Vale, whether it be legitimate transactions or back-alley dealings. If it went down inside the walls, chances are he knows it happened and at least a few of the details, and is more than happy to tell a paying customer all about it. He purchased a bar a while back and transformed it into the 'Three Bears Club', turning it into an unassuming front for all dealings concerning him. While he does have quite a few henchmen in his employ, he can often be found expressing his extreme displeasure at their rather poor performance.
Notable Skills
Club Mastery [Passive] - Level 34
Allows the user to wield clubs of all shapes and sizes with increased efficiency. Each level increases damage the user deals with clubs by 1%. Club Skills will be unlocked upon reaching certain levels of this skill. Note that some weapons may require a certain level or higher of this skill to use properly.
Rocket Launcher Mastery [Passive] - Level 32
Allows the user to wield rocket launchers of all shapes and sizes with increased efficiency. Each level increases accuracy and blast radius by 1%. Rocket Launcher Skills will be unlocked upon reaching certain levels of this skill. Note that some weapons may require a certain level or higher of this skill to use properly.
Remnant Physiology [Passive] - Level MAX
Equipment
Big Stick
Might: 108
Speak softly, carry this weapon, and you will go far. This bat-bazooka packs a ridiculous punch, at the cost of accuracy and ease of use. However, it's nature negates the need for precision, only requiring pure brute strength to be made the most of. Getting hit by this monster will cause staggering at the very least, and a Star K.O. at most. Although it can be picked up and used by anyone, it has been in the possession of Junior for so long that it has gained the rank of 'Personal Weapon', and with it, the ability to grow in strength with it's prime user.
Weapon damage scales with Junior's level.
Deals 144 damage using standard HE rockets.
When attacking at range, adds wielder's DEX to damage dealt.
Allows the user to perform unique combat skills based on weapon parameters.
Damn. If I don't dodge-tank, he'll own me pretty fast. Not that it would be very hard. I'm two levels below him, and I still trump him in both dexterity and agility.
"Yes. Yes, I am."
Junior
"So then why are you here, and not out there?"
"Because of her."
Got a problem? Throw a Tactical Neo at it. Guaranteed solution in thirty seconds or your money back.
Junior
"Ah-oh. I… see. Um… I'll leave you to your business, then."
Huh. Is he… stealth speed-walking? He totally is.
"Shame. He seemed nice. Why'd you have to go and scare him away?"
Neo
T~T
(Because he would be a condescending dick the entire time. I'll admit that Junior's good at what he does, but there's a reason why pretty much nobody comes here for reasons other than dancing or getting drunk. He's… not the best conversation partner, to put it lightly. People respect him for his work, but very few can stand him.)
"Doesn't exactly sound like a good reputation to have, does it?"
Neo
1^1
(He couldn't give less shits about that even if he tried. He's the most profitable information broker this side of Vale, and he knows it. He also makes sure to rub that in every chance he gets. Put simply, he's an asshole who can get away with it.)
"Hm… I suppose I'll take your word for it. He does seem like that kinda guy, to tell the truth. His attire doesn't exactly help matters, either."
He cleans up nice, I'll admit that, but there's just something about him that screams 'douchebag' to everyone in a twenty-foot radius.
On another note… I don't see the Malachite sisters anywhere. Makes sense, given how young they looked in the Yellow trailer. I doubt Junior would go as far as to hire children as bouncers…
Actually, disregard that. He totally would, the bastard.
Bartender
"Here you go."
Sweet, my order's here.
"Thanks."
Moment of truth.
Sssssssslrp!
Well, well… not bad. Not great, but not bad. I could see myself getting used to this.
Status effect "Influenced" negated by Skill [Poison Resistance].
Huh. That's a new one.
"So, if I may ask… what exactly is it that you do whenever you're not… y'know… kicking ass and taking names?"
Neo
=/
(To be honest, not a whole lot. I've only recently gotten the chance to live a life that's close to what passes for normal these days. The leisure experience is… somewhat of a new concept for me.)
1_1
(Back before I got to where I am now, I hardly knew the meanings of 'rest' and 'relaxation'. It was always one thing after another, and whether it was good or bad didn't mean shit. There was always something that needed doing. Breaks, even if they only lasted anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour, were seen as gifts from the higher powers themselves. If you were caught trying to take an unscheduled pit stop of your own, well…)
O~O
(Let's just say it wasn't pretty and leave it at that.)
;¬_¬
(Anyway, the point is that I lived most of my life treating rest time as what basically amounts to a commodity of sorts. So when I eventually struck out on my own and made a name for myself here in Vale, then got enough money to keep myself afloat and then some… I found I had a lot more free time than I was used to.)
1w1
(I mean, don't get me wrong, I like having more chances to enjoy my trademark favorite food, not to mention that I don't go to sleep feeling like a walking corpse nearly as much anymore. It's just that… I don't know what else is really worth doing.)
-＿-
(I've tried, but… nothing's really worked out. Hell, even destroying smaller gangs loses its luster and starts getting monotonous after the first three or so times. Unfortunately, there are only so many ways you can kill someone with a glorified poker before you start repeating yourself. And I can't just murder everyone in public - my reputation would drop straight into the negatives. So all I can really do is wander around the city, hoping against hope that a new job will come in or something interesting will happen soon.)
Hel-looo, sense of kinship. Replace her early life with school, and that would be me in a nutshell.
"Well, damn if that isn't disheartening. But… thanks, I guess. You didn't have to tell me all that, but you did it anyway."
Neo
TwT
(Buddy, I have to say that you're either the bravest or stupidest person I've ever met. No ordinary man would just knowingly sit next to me without express insurance that they'd still have their balls intact in five minutes. And you just waltzed in without giving a single damn, despite knowing that I could kick your ass to the moon and back without breaking a sweat. I felt that deserved something.)
"Huh. Nice to know. So, wait… does that mean that I won't be getting special treatment if I try that again?"
Neo
ÒvÓ
(Yep. You test me again, and I will shove this needle so far up your ass that you'll be able to use it as a tongue replacement.)
"Really. Well… guess I'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen, then."
Neo
TwĪ
(And how exactly will you do that?)
"By making sure that it gets shoved up your ass first."
Neo
ÒwÓ
(Oooh-hoo-hooo, tough guy, eh? We'll see about that.)
"All in due time, my dear Ice Screamer. All in due time."
Oh, my drink's gone already? That was fast. Convenient, though.
"Oh, one more thing - just so you know, my name's Zeiss Serven. Remember that."
Neo
òwó
(Count on it. I'll be waiting for you, ya cocky little shit.)
A short time later (what is this, number… four? Five? I forget)...
Okay, seriously, I did not expect that to work out the way it did. But I'm kinda happy with the result. After all, I didn't die. And any crash that you can walk away from is a good one.
So…
Now what?
Hmm…
Hey, off in the distance… is that… Mountain Glenn?
Yeah, looks like it. Decently sized, I'd say. Nowhere near the height of giants like Everest or something, but more like, say… St. Helens size. Yeah, that seems about right.
Failed colonies are always either creepy or depressing. Depends on the setting, and the state of the buildings, I'd say. The better and more well-kept it looks, the creepier. Mint condition equals max creepiness. But if it looks like it was nuked and left to deal with the fallout, then it's demotivating as hell. Nothing like a post-apocalyptic wasteland to make you feel empty inside.
But it's not what's on the surface that I'm really worried about. It's what's sitting beneath.
I'm gonna need to find a way to deal with that damned dragon. That problem could be solved if I got my own personal space station that every other Gamer gets for whatever reason, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of the interdimensional market, so until further notice, the Kill Sat Ion Cannon idea's shot.
I could try fighting it on foot, but… c'mon, the thing's at least the size of the CCT tower. Even with a huge sword, I doubt I'll be able to reach it consistently.
What to do…
Quest Alert!
Oh, there we go!
Wargod's Vessel
Mountain Glenn's infamous Grimm Dragon won't kill itself, and you have a sneaking suspicion that an on-foot assault won't be up-to-code in terms of destructive force. As such, you've decided to create a weapon worthy of taking on this mighty task. Find a way to build something capable of defeating the superboss!
Objectives
-Collect materials
(Prototype Paladin Heart - 0/2)
(Silver-Class Airship Core - 0/4)
(Crude Grimm Mask - 0/12)
(Knight Control Device - 0/8)
(Advanced Core - 0/12)
(Upgraded Lens - 0/16)
(Schnee Sulfide - 0/2)
-Find a suitable builder
-OR-
-Grind 'Crafting' to level 35
-Collect 100,000 units of compatible ore
-Construct the weapon
Rewards
-15,000 EXP
-200,000 Lien
-Ares 90
...no way.
No way.
No fucking way.
Did I seriously just get the approval to build one of the single most game-breaking mech suits in JRPG history?!
Holy shit, I DID.
Oh-ho-ho-hoooo, man. This is gonna be fuuuuuun.
Although… hm. There's still a bit of an issue with this plan.
Check the materials - I've never even heard that stuff like this existed. And I can only assume they'll be incredibly hard to come by.
Not to mention that doing it completely by myself is… well, really unfeasible, if not outright impossible. If I want to finish it in two years or less, that is. I don't doubt that I could eventually work my way up to one hundred thousand units, but that would take… oh, man, way too long to be considered even remotely practical.
Extracting the stuff - whatever it is - on my own would likely require 24/7/365 maintenance, meaning that I won't be able to spend time grinding and leveling up my skills. The only way I can reasonably get that much ore in the time frame I have is to either create my own company - which would take way too much responsibility and planning - or hire someone else to do the job. If I can find the right builder with the proper sponsor, all my ore problems vanish in a puff of smoke.
Both these issues, however, revolve around a singular problem: Atlas. If I want to pull this off correctly, I need to personally oversee it. Trying to "phone it in," for lack of a better term, would be quite possibly the single worst course of action I can take. The materials all seem to be exclusive to Atlas, and while many business deals are made electronically in this day and age, something tells me that won't cut it in this instance.
So, this means that unless a miracle happens… I need to travel to the frozen north.
Oh well, I guess. My plan to mostly stay away from that political warzone of a kingdom was inevitably doomed to fail at some point, anyway. Might as well bite the bullet now and get it over with.
Sigh...
No, no, c'mon, Zeiss, get a hold of yourself! It's not the end of the world. You just have to find a bunch of ultra-rare materials, and then enlist the help of someone insane enough to invest in your idea in order to build a robot superweapon with the destructive capabilities of an interplanetary warship. It's not like you'll have to actually do any real heavy lifting. Hell, you probably won't even have to fight at all! It'll just be an interesting little fetch quest that'll earn you a serviceable hard-counter to the Disc Two Final Boss. Right?
Right…?
...oh, who am I kidding? This is gonna suuuuuuuck…
A/N: Heeeeeere's NEO! Gotta say, writing her was an... interesting experience. I wanted to find a way to capture her usual method of speaking while still incorporating Zeiss's ability to understand her via subtitles, so that paved the way for the introduction of the text faces and parentheses. And... well, that's something this site has a few problems with. I had to rework a few of them so that the format could accept them without difficulty. I'm not sure how well this is gonna end up working in the future - the human face is very expressive, and there's only so many things you can do to emulate that using text. Luckily for me, everyone's favorite Ice Cream Gal won't be appearing again for at least a while, so I won't have to worry about that for a good long time.
Oh, and Junior's also here, but he's kind of a dick, so he won't be getting a spotlight.
To everyone out there who owns an Ares 90 of their own - I salute you all. Getting mine was an ordeal and a half, especially the Miranium storage deal. Sure, it's not the be-all-end-all final word when certain Tyrants get into the mix, but I'll be damned if tire-skating around and ripping enemies to shreds with arm-mounted Gatling guns, energy flails, discus missiles, and frickin' laser beams isn't fun as hell.
Oh, before I go, a little editorial on the subject of the "Brandy Daisy" bit (which is actually a real-life thing, look it up) - a beginner writer wouldn't see anything wrong with putting in a statement like that. An intermediate writer would recognize that something like that probably wouldn't exist in the 'verse's context, but wouldn't be bothered to change it without a convenient alternative on hand. But an advanced writer would go out of their way to figure out a different version of the statement that makes sense within context. Notice what I ended up doing? Yeah.
Anyway, cue the Merrie Melodies outro, annnnd...
"That's all, folks!"
[TRANSMISSION ENDED]