Part 99: Episode LXXV: In Which We Introduce the Gang to our Weird Nerd Friend

Episode LXXV: In Which We Introduce the Gang to our Weird Nerd Friend



Music: Inquitus

The sisters are coming undone.



Mikhail suddenly evolved two levels at once. In the midst of all these anomalies...





Music: Strumble



And the stronger an Intoner's magical force, the stronger that craving becomes. That said, some of them do manage to control such longings. That's why Mikhail here can stay calm around Zero, for example.
Yeah! I can control it! I'm awesome!
Hmmm... I still have some unanswered questions. True, this explains why dragons seem intent on devouring Intoners. But why would they have such a craving in the first place?
I'm afraid I can't tell you that.
So, like, who are you, anyway?
My name is Accord. I'm a friend of Zero's.
Tch. Liar. I barely know you.



So the narrator has decided to just directly start interacting with the party. That's weird and must be against a few rules for time traveling/trans-dimensional narrators. Accord, you're weird. Knock it off! Right, Dito? You don't seem to like change.



You planning to let her join us, Zero?
Are you kidding?
Good. I can't stand that type.
What type?
You know! The type that looks all prim and proper and whatever. The type who walks around like their shit don't stink. ...The type like Five, okay!? Can't stand 'em. Makes me wanna puke.
You're as bad as Cent.
Just... keep her out of my sight.

Dito, she can straight up teleport and possibly bend the laws of nature in some vague unexplained way. Don't come bitching to me if she pops up from behind a pole and begins giving an advanced dissertation on Foreshadowlogy.



You mean the bit about how you're gonna eat me?
Yeah! That's mean! I'd never eat you, Zero! Never!
You sure? I mean, you already eat rotten meat. It's not like you're picky.
No way! I bet you taste WAAAY worse than rotten meat!
You really know how to cheer a girl up.
Look, I'm not going to eat you, okay?

Yeah... yeah. Whatever you say, Mikhail. Or should we just start calling you Chekhov's Dragon...?



Huh?
No, it's fine.
But...
I need him.
Huh!?
Well, okay. I don't necessarily need him. But I need a dragon, and he's the only one I got.
I shall follow your lead, my lady, no matter where it may take me.

Dead or a bird. Or a dead bird. I mean... Look, ask the bespectacled mysterious lady. She can probably vaguely explain it.



Nope. It'd be a waste of time to try.
Mikhail seems content enough at the moment. If he's held it back until now, why would that change in the future?
Forget it. He's got a role to fulfill in all this.
What a pity...

I will spoil part of the party eventually just gets to be over Zero's vague overarching knowledge of the plot she's clearly holding back on and just goes “look for fuck sake we're getting backstory it's like the end game here” to which Zero eventually goes “Tch fiiiiiiine.” Things may escalate quickly up until that point.



That's sweet of you.
Hey there, beautiful. You make my heart go pitty-pat.
<continues staring off into distance waiting for Zero to start the mission>
...Er, ahem. I SAID, you make my heart go pitty-pat.
Your emotional state and my response to it is irrelevant to this branch.
Yeah. See, now you're breaking out the big words... Even a smart guy like me is having trouble following. But GOODNESS, you certainly are beautiful... Of course, you cooould be even more lovely if you wanted. Maybe trim the hair... Take off the glasses... A quick dye job up top...
Are you trying to make her look like Two?
Meee? Whaaat?! Nooo. That's absurd.
…
I just want her to look beautiful. I can't help it if I have a type!

Look, Cent. We don't have time to do Taro Yoko's She's All That for your taste in ladies. We've got a vaguely fucked up timeline with possibly an apocalypse event on the horizon we need to deal with here... Or at least bring it into mid-range continent extinction event to make room for the next one (or four) down the timeline. Get it together, man!

Speaking of getting it together, let's get with Accord and start this next mission.



The... bullshit? Ah. You must be referring to my statement that Mikhail was going to eat you.
You don't need to repeat it.
...Does this scare you?
Scare me? Hell no. One death is as good as another.
Not that. I'm talking about the idea of losing your friends.
...I don't have friends. I never have.
I really have no opinion on the matter. I'm just here to observe and record.
.....
What will you do next?
Track down Three and kill her. Oh, and if you follow me, I'll kill you too.
Don't worry. I don't have permission to interfere in battle.
Well, good then.
Do take care of yourself. This branch you're in is heavily damaged, and the world will only grow more chaotic as you proceed.
Thanks for the... tip.









Branch D: Verse 3 Campfire Scene