The Exposition Dragon

He/Him (sort of; It's complicated) American with ADHD.

[tobiasdrake]

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Master Detective Archives: Rain Code (Finished) Octopath Traveler 2 (Finished) Sea of Stars / The Messenger (Finished) Dragon Ball Daima (Finished) Ranma 1/2 (2024) The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy - Navigation Menu

[papyrussuggestions-archive]

DON'T ASK YOURSELF "AM I A GOOD PERSON?" ASK YOURSELF "IS WHAT I AM DOING GOOD?" OR EVEN! "WHAT'S A GOOD THING I CAN DO RIGHT NOW?"

DON'T WORRY ABOUT JUDGING AND SORTING YOURSELF! JUST MAKE YOUR BEST CHOICES!!

[tinkerbitch69]

Ok but pls actually do this people. There is no such thing as a good person. Stop trying to be one and starting trying to do good instead

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2110 - I Second That Motion

Day 10. We've got some Free Time now, and we still need to finish the gift lists for Kyoshika and Kurara. Plus find time to give Moko her final item.

I second that motion! G?

Wait, what are we doing?

G agrees. Motion passes. Takky, you must now blow up this school.

Takumi: I'm not going to blow up the school just because Kurara doesn't like the decor!

What's this about the decor? I wasn't paying attention.

I can't believe we actually found a hangout activity more deranged than kidnapping Takemaru.

And I'm here for it.

Alright, that gave us #Party Clothes.

There's no way it would be the Ugly Sweater but I want to try anyway just to see how mad she gets.

Worth it!

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2109 - Low Blood Pressure

Day 10. We found what we expected at 2LDA but now we need to unpack and see if Nigou sent us anything.

Seems to me like you could have stood to learn how to use a fucking napkin but what do I know. Obviously it's too late now.

Pervy comic? That was weirdly specific, Kurara. Do you write pervy comics in your brain about molesting Nozomi?

I'm surprised Kyoshika and Moko aren't here. Didn't you all have a personal relationship with Nigou?

Is it going to be anything valuable, or is Nigou just going to go "Farewell! I blow myself up!" I can't expect he'd have said anything he didn't say in other timelines.

That's valid. She should rest up and drink plenty of fluids. She's going to need her strength for when the murders start happening.

She also won't bleed as much from her murderer's killing stroke if she has low blood pressure. I'm sure she wants to make a whole scene when it happens.

Oh, that's a good point too. Yeah, Bestie needs to take good care of herself.

Yep, nothing really new there. It's exactly what it obviously was, but at least the 2LDA crew can get a bit of closure from this.

It's still sad, mind you. But it'd be more sad if I hadn't already heard many variations on this.

Or not. Well, this was a complete waste of time. Uh, sorry for your loss.

It's always wild to me the way you came back in time specifically to change history and then you get all weirded out when history starts changing. Ultimately, our goal is to not repeat the events of the first timeline, right? That's what we're doing here?

Why did I just get a chill down my spine? G, was that you?

What do you mean?

Did you just make Takky say we need to train hard to survive the invader attacks?

Oh, surely not. We do need to train hard, don't we? If this academy falls, then V'ehxness wins. And you don't want V'ehxness to win.

I mean, I don't exactly want her to lose either. But. Yeah. I guess so.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2108 - A Real Mystery

Day 9. Here we are again. Second-to-Last Defense Academy. Not much to do but sift through the inevitable ruins.

Nothing's stopping us right now. We don't need the Futurans to kill each other. We could still play that cool game Yugamu suggested all throughout the 2LDA ruins! While we explore!

Oh, uh, we should have Tsubasa bring the Revive-o-Matic online first, though.

That gut feeling was probably y'all sensing other timelines through the morphogenetic field. Nigou always stays behind and dies here unless physically forced to come with us.

I vote Nigou! Nigou is the Blackened!

What, diced into pieces? Yeah, he does!

Oh, I think I see something, actually. It's scrawled into the sand just a few feet behind the blast site. It looks like he wrote, "Why did you come back!?"

Yeah, it's a real mystery why 2LDA would immediately fall to the Futurans after every last one of its defenders left. Truly, no one could have foreseen this outcome.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2107 - Seal of Approval

Day 9. I know what we're going to find and I wonder if we're going to fight Parmith while we're at it?

Then explain Mistress Hiruko.

Oh yeah, you two barely got to talk in the last iteration of the polycule, huh? Yugamu was already fixated on Takky, and Darumi only had eyes for Tsubasa.

I think you'd have a lot in common. And Hiruko's already given Yugamu her seal of approval, so....

YUGAMU

NOT WHILE SHE'S DRIVING

DO YOU WANT TO CRASH IN A FIERY BALL OF DEATH

Nah, he's fine. He just needs to learn that there's a time and place for it. And antagonizing Tsubasa while she's behind the wheel is neither time nor place.

She's probably sifting the future right now. It's fine. Leave her to her own devices.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2106 - A Perfect Polycule

Day 8. Well that was uneventful. I have no idea what to make of how rushed that battle was.

Y'all should try Serial Battles Route and see how you like that.

Don't worry. Unless Parmith decides she wants to come play with us, we should be in the clear until Day 15 now.

That's a valid point, Kurara. Historically, odds are pretty good on it being you, too. You seem to die a lot.

Oh, that's not going to go well. Parmith attacks 2LDA today, so Nigou's probably blown himself up by now.

Again, it's hard not to notice Hiruko taking us by the hand and walking us step by step through the standard revelations we need to have in every timeline. She's so used to doing this.

Hiruko, Darumi, Tsubasa, Takky, and Yugamu? What a perfect polycule we're taking to 2LDA! The Anti-Sponsor League or whatever we called ourselves rides again!

Takky, try not to get too handsy with Yugamu on the bus; It is only a first date, after all.

Um.

Oh, right, what the hell am I saying? Yugamu's a cheap date. You're fine to get as handsy as you want.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2105 - It's Time to Sortie

Day 8. What a fulfilling day where absolutely nothing wrong has happened!

Yet.

Future sight credibility just got shot right in the foot!

It IS! And just like that, a significant amount of Takky's foresight is rendered completely useless. Have fun, y'all!

What is with everyone and that phrase all of a sudden? Nobody says "It's time to sortie." That's not a thing.

Why? Is there a purpose to holding Darumi and Shouma specifically in reserve again? Or are you just too panicked to bother coming up with a viable rotation right now?

Well, this was boring. Nobody had anything to say during that battle? Really? No one at all? Lame!

We're not even getting V'ehxness revealing herself to be the cloaked person, swiping Pakron's body, and running off with it. We're just whole-ass skipping the entire plot of this fight.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2104 - Trust

Day 8. Still waiting on Pakron to show up, so now we need to figure out what to do with ourselves for the day.

(snerk)

Ooh, that's my specialty! I love spending time with people and getting to know them! I'll cover that while the rest of you focus on training!

You know, for one of the cursed timelines where we doomed ourselves by killing Eito, this is surprisingly upbeat and positive. I have no delusions about that remaining the case! I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Awwww. I trust you, Bestie.

You accused her of being the Sponsor twice.

I thought she had a G'ie in her head! I don't trust anyone with a G'ie in their head!

Do you trust me?

Hahaha fuck no! I enjoy your company. That's different. Why, do you trust me?

Yes, completely.

Wha-- Wait, really?

I have absolute confidence that if I were to kill everyone here, you would be hostile to the attempt at first but eventually you would shrug your shoulders and just go with it.

That's not--

I wouldn't--

...

I hate that you know me so well.

No, you don't.

Talking to a brick wall, Takky. Shouma's always going to be like this, even if he does make friends.

I guess this is the timeline where you just set me loose and let me do my thing, then?

I'm not complaining. I just expected a lot more homicide.

Well, first things first.

This should be the final item on Hiruko's wishlist.

You're going to be a terrifying mother but nonetheless I can see it.

So what I'm hearing is that Darumi's locked in regardless of who else you might end up hooking up with. I'll be sure to relay that to her and then jump up and down screaming for seven straight hours while everyone is trying to sleep.

Oh, he would die. Immediately.

If we're not limited by monogamy, then might I recommend Takemaru for breeding stock and then Gaku for child-rearing duties? With Darumi as well, of course.

Alright, next up:

I had a good feeling about that one after it didn't work for Moko!

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2103 - Narrowing Down Our List of Suspects

Day 8. Today should be Pakron. Don't tell Takky, though. I want it to be a surprise.

That's the polite way of saying NO, NOT ON YOUR LIFE.

That one sounds good. Takky, let's get some of that.

Not everyone! Eito isn't! But yes, we've unfortunately skipped Gaku's death and now we all have to live with the consequences.

Am I the consequences?

Possibly!

Ooh, good instincts, Bestie. That is totally the body we would have found if we made better choices with our lives!

Yes, she does. She actively participated with a self-deprecating joke. Back off, Ima; Your smugness is unwarranted!

It means one of three things.

1 - The killer is Darumi or Shouma. They didn't pull anything because it'd be too suspicious. 2 - The killer is someone other than Darumi or Shouma. They didn't pull anything because they were out fighting. 3 - The killer is someone from outside the SDU. They didn't pull anything because they weren't here and didn't pull anything.

From this, we can safely narrow down our list of suspects to every single person in the universe.

Don't sell yourself short, Bestie. I bet you could murder at least half the people in here by Day 50.

That's right! It's unbecoming of an investigator.

Didn't you accuse Gaku as recently as yesterday?

That was different. I was very cleverly creating the circumstances by which his innocence could then come to light.

[tobiasdrake]

And on Peach and Rosalina's relationship, what's really interesting about it is how it reveals the Mystery Boxing that the first movie was doing.

Okay, so Galaxy reveals that Peach and Rosalina are actually cosmic sisters. Even though they look human, they're actually godlike beings birthed by the universe itself out of pure stardust. This forms the basis of Bowser Junior's plan: Drain all of Rosalina's stardust into his Boomsday Weapon.

...

So. Like.

You remember in the first movie when Peach met Mario and was like, "I never thought I'd see another human here!"

Peach is not human. She never was. There are no humans in the Mushroom Kingdom, and she should have no frame of reference for what being human means.

Her entire backstory about traveling through a warp pipe as a baby and getting adopted by Toads is explained in this movie; Danger came for Rosalina and Peach, so big sister Rosalina sent baby Peach alone through the warp pipe so that she would be safe.

And then, for some reason, Peach and the Toads both learned that humans are a thing that exists and decided apropos of nothing that Peach must be human. Somehow. But they were wrong and Mario and Luigi were, in fact, the first humans to enter the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach was wrong all this time to self-identify that way.

Not only does this prove unsatisfactory as the answer to the question the first movie raised, but it also raises whole new questions.

Like.

What was the danger that was so great that Rosalina had to send Peach away? When we see Rosalina, she's chilling with her Luma babies enjoying life. Everything seems great. What happened to the danger? Did she just beat its ass in five seconds and then slap herself in the forehead for overreacting?

If the danger was so great that she had to send Peach away to safety, why didn't Rosalina also go away to safety? Like. There is no reason provided for why they both couldn't have gone to the Mushroom Kingdom, other than the sequel reality that this is not what the first film established about Peach's arrival. Rosalina has to be respectful of the fact that she's a brand new character inserting herself into Peach's backstory, and step lightly around the parts already established.

Was whatever was hunting them only looking for Rosalina? How did it know to hunt for Rosalina and not for Peach? it's a plot point that if Rosalina and Peach combine their powers then they become super stardust powerful, but it's also stated that Rosalina's stardust alone is enough to destroy the universe so Peach having stardust power too is entirely superfluous.

Why did Rosalina never go back for Peach? She knows what became of her. Her magical storybook is so up-to-date on current events that it contains the story of the first movie in it. There's a scene where Rosalina wants to read Peach's story to the Lumas but they say that's boring and stupid, and they want to hear about the Mario Bros. instead. The first warning sign of how the film's going to treat Peach.

But for some reason, Rosalina's been content to just chill up in space with her Lumas and let Peach be sad and alone for her entire life. Sisters?

Was the thing that was hunting them Bowser? The plan to use Rosalina to power the Boomsday Weapon originated from Bowser so it's kinda implied that Bowser was the thing that Rosalina sent Peach away to keep her safe from. But that doesn't really track because if Rosalina was so invested in keeping Peach safe from Bowser, why did this never come up in the first movie when Bowser was trying to force Peach to marry him? Where was Rosalina then?

This explanation of Peach's backstory hurts both Peach and Rosalina alike, and also serves as a slap in the face to Daisy since she's not invited to the Super Special Stardust Sister Club. I wonder why.

But it also clearly wasn't what the first movie was hinting at. And that suggests that the first movie, in laying this groundwork, wasn't hinting at anything in particular. They had no plan for where to go from there, and just made something up on the spot for Galaxy.

Much like the post-credits scene with Yoshi being answered in like ten minutes at the start of Galaxy, and then Yoshi's just part of the crew. The story's not about him in any significant way; He's just one of The Boys now. The unofficial third Mario Bro to get into hijinx with Mario and Luigi. The filmmakers even make a joke about the fact that they don't know how Yoshi got in that sewer in New York, and they're never gonna explain it.

"I guess we'll never know."

The stardust sisters take the opposite route. They don't know how Peach ended up in that pipe, but they have this Rosalina story they want to tell now, so they're just going to connect Peach to it and shrug like that was the plan all along.

[tobiasdrake]

And another thing! Wart. Like a lot of things in this movie, the fight with Wart is really fucking cool and full of visual splendor but it sours in the mouth during the rest of the film as it slowly becomes apparent what its purpose was.

Wart serves two purposes in the movie. The first is, of course, references galore. The movie, as previously noted, wants to cram as many Super Mario things as possible into every second of its screentime rather than doing anything interesting with them. To that end, we have Wart's casino.

Rosalina's Luma comes to Peach and tells her that Rosalina's been kidnapped and they need to go save her, but doesn't know where she was taken. This puts Peach on a sidequest that conveniently resolves itself when a thieving monkey steals Toad's backpack and takes it to Wart.

Wart is, in some capacity and for no reason that is ever made clear, working for Bowser Jr. and happens to know exactly where Peach can find him. So, basically, Peach just happens to luck into a sidequest that will reveal where the plot needs to go because she conveniently got robbed by one of Junior's minions.

Terrible. But it positions Peach for the Wart's casino fight, wherein Peach beats up the entirety of Super Mario Bros. 2 simultaneously. Just. The entire game jumps on her face for a five-minute brawl where she easily defeats them all and then shitstomps Wart in a single attack.

Why is this sequence in the movie? One, so they can squeeze all of Super Mario Bros. 2 into a five-minute fight scene as part of their overarching goal to Abridged Parody the entire Super Mario game franchise in a single film.

And two, because it gives Peach a really cool fight. One that's not really that plot relevant; Wart just happens to be working for Junior in some capacity but this is his first and last appearance in the film. He is not actually involved in anything that's going on, but conveniently knows where Junior's base is. And the Luma conveniently doesn't know so that Peach can have this cool fight scene and then find out from Wart.

So. Y'know. This was entirely skippable and means nothing to the film but it gives Peach an excuse to have a big fight.

Why did we need Peach to have an excuse to have a big fight? Easy. So that you can't complain when she does not do anything for the entire rest of the movie after that.

She gets this big fight now so that if you complain later about her getting disinvited from the No Girls Allowed final fight, you won't have a leg to stand on.

"See? We gave her that cool pointless battle with Wart! Why should she also be involved in the important climactic Bowser fight when she already got to have a big fight all to herself?" ~Chud logic

The Wart fight is very cool. But it's also the movie using SMB2 as a mechanism to pander to Peach in order to then justify marginalizing her from the important parts of the plot.

[tobiasdrake]

RE: Super Mario. I'm not defending them. But I suspect this was to keep the dudebros from complaining that Mario was over overshadowed in his own film. Peach can't be the hero only Mario can be /s.

Probably. But. Like. They could have at least given Mario more of an actual story to go with it.

That's not to say he doesn't have something approaching a character arc. It's just. Weird?

Mario's approval is something that's interwoven into Bowser and Bowser Jr.'s story thread. Bowser wants to prove to Mario that he's switched sides and he's good now. However, Mario resents him for his villainous ways and his desires for Peach. Luigi wants to give Bowser a chance but Mario is a hard no.

It's through this that Mario finds a brief moment of empathy for Bowser when he hears about Bowser being estranged from his son.

Then Bowser ultimately proves his newfound goodness despite Mario's negativity and earns Mario's respect, only to lose it again when Junior convinces Bowser to double-switch-sides and be evil again. Mario gets to say "I told you so" and have his cynical outlook proven correct.

This never gets revisited. Mario was right; Restorative justice is stupid and a bad guy can never change his spikes. That is the final note the movie has on this topic.

But that moment of empathy Mario had for Bowser's family does come back and forms the basis of part of the finale. Because of his newfound respect for Bowser's familial affection, Mario saves Bowser Jr. from certain death and returns Junior to Bowser safe and sound.

So. There's a lot we need to talk about here.

First off, the movie unambiguously puts serious threat of permanent death on the table. This is most noticeable with Rosalina. Once he has her in captivity, Junior is very clear and unambiguous about his intentions: He means to kill her. He is going to murder her to death, permanently and irreversibly.

Junior has a ridiculous superweapon called the Boomsday Weapon that will destroy the universe, and to power it, they need to extract stardust from Rosalina's body until her entire essence is consumed and she dies a serious, permanent, entirely for real death. He openly gloats about how he's going to murder her to final and irreversible death.

It's not just a peril, like falling towards a lava pit; The characters openly discuss in complete seriousness Junior's intent to execute Rosalina in cold blood, which plays out as the dramatic stakes of Peach's arc in the third act.

So, it already hits weird that a Super Mario Bros. movie positions murdering Princess Rosalina as the villains' central objective.

But then the serious threat of actual death forms the basis of Mario's payoff.

Mario's ultimate decision hinges on the question of whether or not he should let Bowser Jr. die. And the answer seems to be that Mario would absolutely let this kid roast, but because he had that moment of bonding with Bowser over love of family, Mario is unwilling to consign the kid to his early grave.

Like.

An idealistic argument could be made that saving Junior is right because of the sanctity of life, especially the life of a child.

A cynical argument could be made that letting Junior die is right because Junior's a monster who's trying to kill the universe.

Mario comes down on the side of neither of those, saving Junior because he respects Bowser after going through the first act with him. That is neither of the arguments that could be made. That is a weird third thing.

He starts off as someone who would let Junior die because fuck him and fuck his father, and ends the film as someone who would save Junior from certain death only out of mutual respect for Bowser.

None of this, from the answer to the implied effects of character development to the question itself, really feels appropriate as the final conundrum for Super Mario, the guy who goes "WA-HOO" and then jumps on Koopa shells.

Why are we even talking about human sacrifices and whether or not to kill our villains? Why is this the subject matter that the film wants to explore?

And then Bowser and Bowser Jr. get locked away in prison with a sadistic warden because the film's already made its point clear about villains like Bowser being irredeemable scum. Something that the movie didn't really need to stake a position on but for some reason decided to make into a talking point and then answer super cynically.

"They're monsters, they're beyond redemption, forgiveness is a futile gesture for subhuman filth like them, and they should rot in a hole like the pieces of shit they are - BUT at least they're together." ~The film's final statement on Bowser and Bowser Jr.

But I also need to bring up that, like Peach and Rosalina having a bottled conclusion that ultimately has no bearing on the climactic final battle, Mario's moment of "character growth" also happens in a bottle after the fight has already been decided.

It's neither Rosalina's rescue nor Mario's compassion that defeats Bowser. Bowser is defeated by a Mr. Game and Watch cameo hitting him with its hammer. Then that's it. Bowser's done.

Bowser Jr. then promptly self-terminates by paint-summoning the Ruined Dragon from Super Mario Odyssey and then being eaten by it. He's cooked. Bowser's cooked. It's over. We don't even have to fight the dragon if we don't want to; It just fucks off.

So at the time that both Mario makes his fateful choice and Peach saves Rosalina, the fight is over, the universe is saved, and the only things left to decide are whether or not Junior and Rosalina will live to see another sunrise.

Which, I repeat, is a serious topic that for some reason the film wants to discuss between playing Yoshi's Island in the middle of Mario Odyssey with a Super Scope for maximum references and Star Fox unsubtly inserting a trailer for his spinoff film to get the Smash Bros Cinematic Universe started.

[tobiasdrake]

Okay, I need to complain about Super Mario Galaxy some more. Its handling of Rosalina and Peach were my immediate kneejerk thoughts but after digesting it a bit more, I have issues with Mario and Bowser too.

First, the obvious. The film presents Mario more like a Chris Pratt character than like Mario. Mario's cynical and catty now.

Bowser's first scene reintroduces his feelings for Peach not because Peach is in any way relevant to Bowser's character arc but to set up Mario's romance with Peach by way of having Mario and Bowser bicker over her.

Mario is callous, mean, and dismissive towards Bowser throughout the first act of the film, and it's indicated that this is partly because Bowser is a villain whose reformation he doesn't trust but also partly due to possessive feelings towards Peach, who Bowser openly desires. It's a combination of two sentiments.

-> Bowser is a vile scumbag piece of shit worth less than the bottom of my shoe, and he doesn't deserve a chance at any sort of life beyond the inside of a jail cell. -> And he's making moves on MY WOMAN.

None of which really feels true to Mario as a character. It feels like some hypothetical Legend of Neil version of Mario. Dudebro Parody Mario.

Mario is so unrecognizable in this film that there is actually a joke in the movie where Mario meets Fox for the first time and there's a moment of suspense before Mario is like "Oh, he's a cool guy!" Why is that moment of suspense there? Because the audience is supposed to expect Mario to just hate him on sight.

It's actually treated like a subversion of expectations when Mario sees Fox in the proximity of Peach and doesn't decide to be pointlessly shitty to him.

That is the character they have written.

Which is only made weirder by Bowser's bizarre character arc throughout the film. It's a shocking twist when Bowser genuinely, sincerely turns good.

He actually has turned over a new leaf! He does want to work on himself and stop being such a violent menace, but the constant negative reinforcement from Mario being such a mean-spirited and weirdly possessive piece of shit keeps triggering him into backsliding.

This culminates in Bowser provoking Mario into hitting him, which deactivates the Shrink Mushroom power-up and returns him to normal size, only for him to then reveal his genuine and sincere reformation despite Mario's aggression. He goes on to sacrifice himself for the bros, selling himself into slavery so that they can go help Peach.

...and then Bowser Jr. picks him up and it's a second, separate shocking twist when Bowser genuinely, sincerely turns evil. For love of his son, Bowser abandons his newfound goodness and returns to being the villain for the film.

...movie, what are you doing? What is accomplished by this complete circle of a character arc?

I mean. I know what's accomplished. Jack Black gets to riff onscreen for an hour.

But. Like. It's so weird how they made Bowser a genuine good guy just to make Pratt's Mario look even more like a mean-spirited asshole only to then turn around and have Bowser become the villain again anyway.

What a weird movie.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2102 - An Ending That's All Our Own

Day 7. We're just about finished with today and ready to head to bed.

( ⚆_⚆)

What? What!? I'm not the one who killed Eito! That was all Takumi!

Yeah, but you're still doing shit to Takky's mind.

I don't think you have a moral high ground to stand on.

Well... shut up!

It's ironic, really. Shion feels like Takky's changed when really what he's feeling is probably you. Meanwhile, the thing he sights as proof of that change is the one thing he did before meeting you.

A little from column A and a little from column B. Was she influencing that hostility, Takky?

You know you can just ask me, right?

Will you give me a straight answer or be evasive.

Mmm, maybe.

That's what I thought.

A brand new ending that's all our own.

Eh, overrated. I've seen 74 endings. By now, they kinda blur together sometimes.

But none of them have ever been ours. Haven't you ever thought about an ending of your own? If he works hard enough at it, Takky might just be able to make that happen.

An ending for me? That would be-- Wait, do you mean "an ending that I get to define" or do you mean, like, me coming to an end?

...are we still friends if I mean it in the scary way?

NO!!!

Then the first. Definitely the first. Don't even worry about the second.

...G, you're kinda freaking me out.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2101 - Just for Spite

Day 7. End of the road for Murvrum.

Maybe we should think about that. Think about what it might mean for them. What it might mean for us.

Maybe.

Hang on now, I think we should hear Kurara out.

You do!?

In this timeline? Yes, it'd probably be better for everyone if we were executed right alongside everyone else.

That's ridiculous!

Well, it's what might have to happen to protect our team from YOU!

Look at her face. Hiruko standing there trying to pretend this isn't the 75th time she's had this conversation.

The point, Gaku, is advance notification of every move the enemy makes!

Which, as we've recently discussed, has also been compromised. So. Uh. I guess we need a new point.

To make me happy.

The point, Gaku, is to make G happy! She didn't get a chance to enjoy herself the first time around!

Thank you.

You're welc--HEY!!!

Follow that feeling to its necessary conclusion, Takemaru. You owe it to yourself and your world.

Hiruko, have you even tried making peace? You've done everything you can think of to reach the Artificial Satellite, right? But have you ever tried just hearing Murvrum out and trying to get along with the Paragons rather than killing them?

Because I haven't seen a single timeline where we've tried that.

YUGAMU

This was a rare attempt to actually talk to Murvrum! Usually he gets his throat crushed! I can't believe-- I mean, I can totally believe you, BUT STILL!!!

HOW DARE

Again, is this not a consideration you had to worry about with Kyoshika and Nozomi? How did your friendships begin?

Tsubasa, if you're heading off to shower anyways, could I convince you to Sea Cucumber Yugamu on your way out? Just for spite.

We should wash up too while we're at it.

Why? We didn't get covered in blood.

Not yet, but I can fix that.

G! Behave yourself!

The only purpose for it that I can see is getting us out of here so that we aren't in the building when Parallel Hiruko and Takky show up. Thus sparing G from being taken by Hiruko, which I'm pretty sure they did in the other timeline, and letting her run loose.

Though the only person who'd be able to foresee their arrival like that is Hiruko. Hiruko would fit the bill for the person with a lustful blend of love and hate shockingly well, to be honest. This could easily have been her.

But why would she want to do that? That's not a question I can answer.

[tobiasdrake]

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2100 - We Should Try Violence

Day 7. V'ehxness has joined the party and everything is proceeding as usual.

Yes. Not for Takky, but it is for me.

You're trying really hard not to look like you have no idea what's going on now that you just got them to trust your future knowledge. I see you, Takky.

We've fought Dahl'xia so many times compared to the handful of times we've fought Murvrum that now every time I see him, I'm just struck by how Murvrum is the spitting image of his dad.

B-Team doesn't have the required context to understand why this is weird.

You don't!? How do you not!?

Yeah, the cloaky person is weird, but next steps are still pretty obvious: We should try violence!

We can be confused after the violence is over!

YEAH WHAT HE SAID

"Spider-Man, why did you create that guy?"

Hiruko isn't speculating, is she?

Oh, definitely not. She knows this from experiencing the other timelines.

Thank you!

Wait, what was that?

Oh, that was Nozomi. She was lining up the shot while everyone else was bragging about how tough they are. Nozomi gets shit done.