Part 98: Day 44 - Gameplay

Day 44: Gameplay

Music: neutral 3




Manager, that problem Abnormality has taken up residence in my department.

I can see that. At least it means we don't have to worry about any more meltdowns. Yesterday wound up being a bust on getting information, though…

We managed to determine that it didn't have a body under there. That's not nothing~

A reaction has been building with each interaction an agent has with it, however.

Except for Dimi, anyways! So we know it's what the Abnormality does that causes it!

Based on the CCTV footage, it seems to be related to the blessings it has been providing and the clock that the manager's been seeing!

And once it gives enough of them, and the clock hits midnight…

Um… the energy should crystalize? Then we'll find out what it's building towards.

There's also what it always says… the "time of reunion." I bet that time is midnight.

This kind of indecisiveness isn't like you, A.

Well, I'm trying to not get my people killed.

I've already explained to you many times that their lives are simply not-

One: They're still people and I should probably avoid letting them die. Two: They're good agents. Each one would cost over thirty LOB to replace and they still wouldn't be on the same level.

Sir, we have over 370-

That's my rainy day fund. We're not touching it.

<sub>Aren't we underground, though..?

All the more important. Groundwater is a terror.</sub> Anyways-circumstances have made it so that we don't have much choice but to press forward and see what we can find out.

The choice remains completely in your hands, manager. I only ever intend to observe.

Ah, I see that circumstances is also on the call for once. Whatever, we'll play it by ear and see how it goes. Let's do this.





Work. Sleep. Work. The cycle continues, unbroken.



It's time. Remember to follow the protocols.

D.A.D. Kaori. My interest has been piqued by that new creature.

The one that moved in next dooor..? It dooes seem rather exootic…

Management's been in a tizzy about it-they're not sure what to make of it.

Regardless, I should greet it in a friendly manner, as a normal human. Which I am.

Knock yourself out.



Thou has come.

I need to know what you know.

I know that thou art not from here. That thine mission is misplaced, pointless.

Pointless? But the Ethereals-

Forget them. They couldst no more hold against the horrors in this city than thou couldst stop a train with thine meager body.

Then… all of this… what do I do? I have to call them, but my equipment isn't-it doesn't...

Thou must evolve. Become more than thyself. Accept mine blessing.



This power… psionics? No… something more!

Do not attempt to comprehend everything. Simply accept the protection thou has been given.



...You have my thanks, creature.

Hence we shall go together 'ere the time of reunion.



Manager, we have a situation! That Plague Doctor… there's been a change.

Is it important? I'm watching something here.

Ow. Ow. Ow.

I must insist, Manager.



As you can see, its hat is gone.

Yes. And?

Something's peeking out from behind it.

A halo… wait. I thought it didn't have anything behind its mask?

I'd surmise this means it's nearly complete, sir.



Wait, what the hell is Elle doing in there?!

Um… didn't you order her to work with it, sir?

Thou hast come as I have requested.

I… did, yes, but it was an order from-

Thou feelest guilty about not speaking out before. Thou put thine work off, knowing full well it was thy duty.

What? Hahaha-no. No. That's silly.

You cannot hide thy inner thoughts from me. There is no need to fear. I wouldst offer you a blessing, that this malady holding thee back may pass from this world.

That's a little suspicious…

There is naught to fear. Come.



Hey! Your cloak! And the mask!

I've no more need for masks. The power of mine blessed have provided me much, returning mine body. Soon, the disease I have sought to defeat shall pass from this world.

You look… adorable. Can I pet you?

Thou cannot. Hence we shall go together 'ere the time of reunion.



What the…

Okay, so it has a body now. And that body is…

Some kind of flying angel fetus?

Yes, that… that sums it up perfectly. That doesn't explain who it was who had Elle and T work with that thing. Malkuth, what's going on in Control?

I'll check right away, manager!



Huh. So that's why you like posing so much.

Yeah, nothing complicated at all. It's just fun.

Orders from the top, everyone! Do we have any records of work orders for Plague Doctor?

Hold on, I'll check… Yeah, we have two. Shows they came from… huh, that's odd.

Did you find something?

It says it's from the manager, but this isn't his usual workstation's network address. It's coming from… Information?

Did you catch that, manager?

No… no way. But Information's where...

I take it mine ploy has been spotted?

How long have you been on this line?!

Long enough. Thine power is great, but with the fervent belief of mine own followers I am more than its equal.

You are a literal baby! The hell are you on about?!

How unfortunate. Thou hast not opened thine eyes to see, nor thine ears to hear. Open thine heart to receive all I have for thee. The time of reunion is nigh. I wouldst blesseth thee, manager.

Not happening. Someone has to run this place.



This burden dost not have to belong to thee alone.

That siren… Was that what I think it was?

We've hit meltdown level two, manager! What, are you spacing out?

I didn't order anyone to work yet!

I hath handled such trifles. Thou art not needed here. Let us cure this disease, and enact her will. The will of mother… a world where this disease is no more.

That's not happening. You're just an Abnormality. If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that you can't be trusted.

O arrogant son of man… thou dost not realize that thou art wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

Hah! Nice try! I'm wearing proper pants and everything this time!

<sub>Is that something the manager should be bragging about?

Let's just consider it an improvement...</sub>

Very well. I doth not require thee. I shall simply call another.

Manager! Bishop's just said he caught the Control system doing that thing again!

What's the target?!

He blocked Training and Information's backdoors manually, so the next closest department is...



It's targeting my team..?

Chesed, can you turn up the Deterrence on just one cell?

I can only control it by department.

Good enough. Max it out on Plague Doctor now! Er-Information, I guess!

Manager, the Qliphoth Deterrence is not something which can be changed without-

Shut up, Angela! Do it!

Roger that, boss~



Sephiroth, you have a-oh.

Hm?

It was canceled as quickly as it came in. I suppose that silly manager of ours changed his mind! HAHA!

I wish he'd stop pestering us with these requests and changing his mind halfway through…



...The Deterrence has been increased, Manager. I have cancelled the work order.

Information's Abnormalities have returned to a deep slumber. We won't be able to harvest energy from them any more today.

And just in the nick of time. Who knows what could have happened~

I really don't like that thing.

It's an Abnormality, the same as any other. It simply seems to have some sort of unknown ability. With study, we shall find our path forward.

There's no way. That thing is just… strange. Until we've got countermeasures for it, I don't want anyone touching it. Leave the department it's in on lockdown for all I care.

Ah… running away once more?

It's not 'running' to keep away from something like that. Provoking it would just lead to pointless deaths, and we're trying to avoid those.

As I have said time and again, A, death has no meaning here.

Yeah, and I'm starting to think that believing that is why I haven't broken out this stupid loop so far.

Breaking it? Why would you want to-



Look around, Hokma. Really look at where we are. I'm going to try doing things differently, and I'm going to break out of here. If that makes me a coward or… whatever, then I don't care. I want out.

...I see. It's clear that you still don't understand. Worry not, I will prepare another presentation for you.

No more presentations, Hokma!

Manager, he has disconnected.

Of course he did.

Do not worry. I feel quite certain you have accomplished your objective here. With this, his instability should be peaking.

Oh..? Oh, yeah. I guess that's true…

You didn't mean to provoke him?

I… Didn't not mean to.

...Of course, A.



Crimson Dawn.



Thanks for inviting me back. It's nice to get out of Central every now and then.

No problem. It's nice to have you around.

Thanks for helping out with these clowns, too.

It's no problem at all. Up in Central the team'd probably miss one by accident without me around to direct them... so it's nice to have such a simple layout.

Hey… you're not around to direct them right now, right? Aren't we doing something really dangerous?

...Oh. It… It's probably fine! Don't worry! Manager picks up anything I miss, and he's always in top form.



Manager, why didn't you catch this one?!

I DON'T KNOW! I've been off my game since this morning, okay?!

That's no excuse! Even setting aside that you can't afford to have an off day, that Nothing There is about to escape because of your mistake!

It's okay, I'll send everyone in before-



Why are Thursdays always like this?!



Alright everyone, calm down.

I don't know what happened to that poor irradiated scorpion, but now we have to put it down! Fast!

Given my suit is weak to Red, should I even be here..?

No time to think. I'll keep its attention, you all try to stay alive.

Nobody called, but here I am! Tada!

Oh, can you get to work on stopping that Abnormality?

Sounds like I get to inconvenience something new today! Muahahaha!

Nothing There isn't immune to Red damage in this form, so I apply Red bullets and focus fire it with everyone-if it gets to that third form things will get unpleasant so I want it downed here.



We've finished suppressing those damn clowns!

Great. Get Tenebrais over here-we need her now!

I'm on it, boss!



Backup from Records is here!

I'll cover you! Close and attack!

Good timing, guys! This monster's resistant to our attacks.

There's only so much of a dent we could put in it with its own E.G.O weapon, in the end.

Disciplinary's busting into the party too!

I'll open it up with this, so be ready to follow up with more Black attacks!

Despite being an ALEPH, Nothing There can't deal enough damage to get through our bullets-but we aren't able to kill it quickly enough to prevent a phase change either.



The phase 2 egg is immune to Red damage, so Biceps, Boksi, Twee, and anyone else with Red damage are useless here.

It's turned into some kind of... cocoon?

We need to take it down, now. We've got 30 seconds before things get a hell of a lot worse!

Thirty seconds? Plenty of time!

Luckily for us, our facility's damage output is more than equal to the challenge. Most ALEPHs aren't really a problem anymore so long as we react quickly.

Thank goodness I can pause time. I really wouldn't want to do that on the fly...



Good hustle today, Switch.

Thanks. This blessing is really helping with my reaction time. It's like it whispers what to handle before I get there, and then I just let the E.G.O equipment react to that.

That sounds like quite the handy gift. Not that I would ever need such a thing, of course. I'm too amazing already.

Yeah! You sure were going at that cocoon, even though you couldn't hurt it at all. Speaking of… who cleans those up, anyways?

Oh, they move back to containment on their own after they're suppressed.



Would it kill them to clean up after themselves once..?



Punishing Bird's breaching, we've got Sweepers coming up, and it looks like we won't quite be at the threshold before we roll over. Guess there's still a little more to do, huh..?

That is the way of this job, manager.



Oh, hey again. I was just about to go see your brother. Anything I should tell them?



Got it, I'll tell them you said hi.



Sweepers. I'd rather we didn't have Mizu go wild today. Is there anything you can do?

I have no intention to interfere, Manager. The workday is done with your own power.



Then I guess I wasn't talking to you. Chiral, anything you can do?

Sniff sniff! I smell… unpleasantries!

Maybe one thing. Hey, Mizu, check this out?

But that smell… Sniff! Sniff sniff! Ooo, is that lavender?

It sure is. I got some scented candles to spruce up the place.

Ooooh, it smells super duper good. I'm gonna go show Miss Binah!

Thank goodness. I didn't need another ALEPH on my hands.

Manager, she's just an agent.

Some days I wonder.



Remember, take care of them ASAP! If they get to Extraction…

What happens then?

Zeta21 told me a story about what Mizu'll do to these things. It makes that CENSORED in Records look like Laetitia.



Dude, seriously?! I felt my hair go off just from hearing it!



Dammit! Two seconds too late.

Try not to let it get to you… these things happen.

It's partly my fault-I missed the chance to shield.

Still, I don't like it when things end like that. I'll have to hit harder next time.



Given how easily we suppressed Nothing There earlier, it shouldn't be much surprise to say that Noons are never an actual threat to us anymore.

Well, thank you for cheering. Let's call the day here, Angela.

Of course, manager.



Good work out there today, team. We're all done.

...

Dang. And here after that ALEPH escaped I was hoping things would be exciting.

They were-you just weren't around for it.

Huh? What's she talking about?

Probably Manager bullshit. I am so glad I don't have to pay attention to that stuff anymore.

Heh. Say, where's Credentia, anyways?

Upstairs. She was looking after La Luna today.



Such a nice old lady… the way she always talks about the piano's almost enough to make me wish we had one to try playing here.



Good work, everyone. Take care on your way out.

Hnhnhn… as expected, I got done first. Don't feel badly about it, Gaia. It's only natural that you fall behind my incredible speed and business acumen.

You are amazing, ma'am.

Hey, we've gotten word that Tylana's sticking around Records to help them, and we've got her pile of work to do.

Well, hey, Dimi, that works out perfectly. You can take care of it, right ma'am?

What? But-I was going to go home!

Here you go.

This--this isn't fair!

I'm sure you've got it, ma'am! I'm almost done myself.

Come ooooon!



We made it through, somehow.

I'll have to keep Chesed on top of keeping up the Deterrence of that thing 'til we understand how to deal with it.

Don't worry about that, Manager. I'll be able to take care of it, no problem.

What a pain in the ass…

It's just a challenge we have to overcome like any other, Netzach! Chin up!

Challenges mean more work for me than you. I still have to deal with all the agents that get left injured, you know...

Don't worry too much. I'm sure something good will happen next ti-

Okay, that's enough talking! Everyone get out of here, we're done for the day!



Next time, on Lobotomy Corporation: We disrespect our elders.

_{*Plague Doctor cannot actually issue work orders on its own and will not speak to the manager in normal gameplay}