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Post by Ambrienne on May 23, 2009 21:12:36 GMT -5
There you go. We'd never have to leave our rooms again... except for Pizza (unless you like it with ham and pineapple, because that's all that a Netherworld issued cellphone will deliver), some drink other than Nastea, grocery shopping trips in the month of Junes, and those times when we go out to save the universe (again). It would be almost like we were hundreds of miles apart instead of in neighboring hotel rooms, playing at all hours until we fall asleep and Let the butterflies spread until the dawn. ...Wait, that sounds too much like (un)reality. We'll have to be sure to limit our hours reasonably. Any violators could be forced to watch some inane kid's show involving a purple dinosaur until they beg for mercy. Or, if that's too much of a generality, I'm sure we could come up with specific punishments for each person. Now, there's an incentive to be good. (Disgaea 2-3 item gotten through cellphone calls during battle, drink from Persona 3, Persona 4's grocery store, Persona track)
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Post by Solana on May 23, 2009 22:03:48 GMT -5
Well, we wouldn't have to stay in our rooms until the End of Time or even End of Day. Maybe we could have the screens be able to pick up where one left off on the way to the kitchen for munchies, or we could take turns for the fixing of said munchies. (I do like pineapple pizza, but the fruit is so very much better when it's chilled and on top of chicken fried rice fresh out of the pan and slathered with sweet and sour sauce.) ...ohhh, the Barney punishment. I used to do that when babysitting my little brothers, racking up five minute increments that they'd have to watch for bad behavior. We recently got a book in that shows Barney in various forms of painful and permanent death. I'd say that would be pretty good incentive, especially because we all have quite a bit of dirt on each other after all these years. I'd have to ask to leave my hydro's Funky Fish out of it- they'd be innocent. (That goes for the birthday ice cream mishap, too, please!) ("Location" in Chrono Trigger, Olimar and Pikmin's Final Smash in Smash Brothers Brawl, game title.)
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Post by skylark on May 23, 2009 22:40:50 GMT -5
I don't know. I'm gonna need to Tink about that. > J/K It's all good. (Character in Disgaea 2)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 24, 2009 0:28:48 GMT -5
Ah, there would be no harming (or a threat thereof) of defenseless animals or such. You see, if that were done it would give you the will to resist and break free of your imprisonment to take revenge (if it were impossible to break free, that would be another thing all together, but with the power spread we've got, we can leave that option out). It's only good if there's nothing to spark the anger beyond a certain level. Then, it's just a matter of time before you're clay to be molded.
Cries of 'No more Opera; I'm being Ernst' or 'That's not a Rhapsody, that's a cacophony' could be a sign that your subject has approached a level of sufficent malleability. Not that you should take that as any hint on which button to push for somebody or anything. Not at all. Especially not since they might be capable of escaping that Paine and Agoni with the right amount of Concentration.
(Two Star Ocean 2 characters, a certain game that anyone who has played probably wants to forget in either version, those random popup guys from Dragon Force, and either a skill from the SO series or a port of an old game show)
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Post by Solana on May 24, 2009 10:42:42 GMT -5
I don't know. I'm gonna need to Tink about that. > J/K It's all good. (I know, I'm just playing along. That newscast was damn funny.) Ooh, so you're going for psychological warfare now, eh? We're just puppets to dance to the tune of punishment and Toya-round with? I don't know, I think that strapping folk down and forcefeeding 'The Numa Numa Dance' to their eardrums until their very brainwaves synchronize to it and it becomes the new rhythm of their very existence goes against the healer's code somehow. It just feels too cruel. ....not that that's what you'd want to use. Oh, no, personally I really like that song. Yup. (Crosses fingers behind back.) At least the wildlife will be safe. Tell me, would that be included in Enigma's Code of Honor? Because I can tell you now, if it was, it would make a difference between having some scars in payback and being liquified by kama blades. > I'm sure the same would go with spears and katana if he messed around with Kalia's Giblet. Aryn (muttering)- And even though I'm out looking for peppers, he'd probably still find a way to pin it on me. (Character in Enchanted Arms, PC game series.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 24, 2009 22:34:01 GMT -5
Well, since Giblet's not a rooster, she's probably safe. Because, you know, interrupting a person's sleep at some unsightly hour that the bird thinks is morning cannot be tolerated. Especially if the person whose sleep is getting interrupted spent the night before making life interesting for last minute exam crammers/paper writers. Even then, there are probably any number of methods Enigma would use to ensure that someone else got even more annoyed by the bird involved and would thus take care of the problem for him. After all, picking on farm animals doesn't do much for your image. Here's looking at you, hero of Hyrule. In general, I'm sure the average animals are safe. It's the ones that have sentience that need to watch out. Because, you know, they probably won't just be minding their own business, so neither will he. Enigma: Hey, thanks for the idea of blaming you, Aryn. I know a nice place called Zork where Giblet would be right at home with the local wildlife. ::scene cut to a certain hillbilly cabin that has a pet poodle hellhound:: HH: ::is nowhere to be found:: Giblet: ::is posing triumphantly with a bit of fur clutched in one claw:: ::scene flashes back:: Enigma: ...Well, that didn't work quite like I expected. Oh, well. ;D
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Post by Solana on May 25, 2009 9:47:38 GMT -5
So he even picks on people trying to finish papers? Ooh, that's mean. I'd hate to see that guy turned loose in some of the science labs with the Cornucopia of chemicals to play with. Enigma: Hey, thanks for the idea of blaming you, Aryn. I know a nice place called Zork where Giblet would be right at home with the local wildlife. Aryn (knocks head against wall)- Dammit. But there's still the struggle of catching her in the first place without tripping Lark's Dad-ar. Good luck on THAT! > It'd probably be as tough as dealing with the bunny on the Castlevania RPG webcomic. Beacuse, as everyone knows, the bunny is the most resourceful and intelligent character on there. I got kind of lucky in the 'bird waking us up too early' department. I have an adorable little cockatiel that fortunately is not an early bird. She'll squawk or hiss at me if I try to lift her Cover too early, but starts calling if she hears people up or birds outside. Maybe it's because she too is a lady and wants her beauty sleep. (BTW, I'm going to be out of town tonight for my grandmother's funeral, so my next post will be a little delayed.) (Item in KQVII, game series, materia in FFVII.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 25, 2009 18:35:26 GMT -5
Hey, it's a demon school. If people there wait until the last minute to work on things, they're asking for it. Asking for what, I don't know The Answer to; but they are asking for it. And what's that about the bunny? Is it, by any chance, related to the infamous vorpal bunnies that dodge the slow mouse clicker and make hash of an unwary adventurer? Adventurer: I have beat countless goblins, bandits, an evil vizier or two and outwitted the hag with the chicken leg hut to boot. I am all powerful! Oooh, look. A cute fuzzy bunny... which brought all its friends. They seem to have surrounded me. They look hungry. Uh oh. (The title given to the added portion in Persona 3: Fes, a monster type of QFG 4)
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Post by Solana on May 26, 2009 18:39:41 GMT -5
Well, would getting things done earlier there really be an advantage? I mean, if the paper's not done yet, then conceivably nothing can be done to it. On the other hand, if you get it done early, you'd probably want to set a Mighty Guard around it. (Consequently, how many students are there that only want the academia? Is being a traditional "good student" even a way to score brownie points, or is it more useful to learn how to sabotage your fellow classmates on your own way to the top?) You asked about the bunny. Here's a snapshot of one of the many, many, many ways it's smarter than the main characters. Darrell first posted something from this comic years back, and I've been following it ever since. It's pretty funny and has some great lines and plenty of old school cameos. If you're looking for a serious fantasy story with noble heroes... you've come to the wrong place. There are also a number of prologue arcs for the main characters and the current one is dedicated to the bunny. Even here, chicken armies are invincible and should be avoided at all costs. ;D (Enemy skill in multiple FF titles.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 26, 2009 21:57:10 GMT -5
Well... you might be at risk from other students, especially the Genin, because that might be considered good training for stealing the secret documents. But Enigma probably wouldn't do anything to it (unless he's in a perverse mood; then he might take it for a while and then return it 'graded' for you). So, you've got to ask yourself; what's the bigger danger, the faceless masses or one that decides you're the target du jour? As for how many are there for the learning, well... that's hard to say. Unless we're referring to Evil Academy, in which case, almost no one is there for the classroom learning. And you certainly wouldn't get brownie points there for being good. But since we're not (Enigma wouldn't bother with EA, because if he caused chaos there, the difference would probably be negligible/go unnoticed), I'd say that a good portion of them are there for the learning... at least in the field of study they're interested in. Just like students of every other university in the multiverse, they'll whine about Gen Ed classes, their most disliked teachers, lousy movies, random fire drills that get them out at odd hours, textbook fees, etc. But even those among them who don't like the traditional (and some not so traditional) classroom settings will have to admit that it's a good opportunity to observe and collect data on people who could be the next generation of world makers and breakers. You might have to fight with or against them someday... or go to them begging for a job. Or maybe they'll come to you looking for a job. It's that kind of world, after all. As for how effective sabotage is... that would depend entirely on the vindictiveness of the target and how good you are at covering your tracks, mostly for the reasons just mentioned above. I mean, it's one thing if they suspect you of being a clever mastermind but have no actual proof. Then, you're slick and cool. Leave unintentional proof behind and then you're just sloppy. Oh, so the bunny is just smarter and not bloodthirsty. That's a relief. And, if the world of CV RPG has the ICA (Invincible Chicken... yeah, you get the point), I guess that KFC will never branch out into that world. For that matter, if there's an ICA, does anyone ever get to eat any form of chicken other than an egg? Does that mean that they're, perish the thought, incapable of completing the wondrous Panacea known as chicken noodle soup? ::shudders:: (Low level ninja unit in the Disgaea/Makai series, the logo/acronym for Electronic Arts which, come to think of it, Enigma wouldn't want to visit either, a cure all status ailments item from more than one series)
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Post by Solana on May 27, 2009 8:41:48 GMT -5
Hmmmm, seems there are still plenty of similarities between this academy and universities in RL. (Consequently, why did they always pick such odd hours for fire drills?) I'd say that there are probably a few strategies one could employ to protect papers from the faceless masses. 1. Blind them with your innocence and make it look like you're Angel Bless- ed. A lot of times, more obvious or annoying targets are chosen. Unfortunately, this one only lasts for so long if you want to actually pull some stunts yourself. People figure things out eventually. 2. "If I go down I'm taking everyone with me." Good for protecting yourself from the mediocre, that you can actually get the goods on. The very slick ones probably wouldn't let anything slip, or would have a backup plan. Still, a useful card to play. 3. Recruit your own little army of followers. A double-edged sword. There's the problem of maintaining loyalty and having to watch your back, but getting info ahead of time can be priceless. 4. Rule by fear. A very effective strategy, unless you get to the point where people are plotting your downfall. And heroes often get more lucky than villains in the end. As for the chicken... that's a good question. Obviously, Giblet is off-limits. I suspect we'd have to order it from worlds that have less enlightened or less flock loyalty than the CV:RPG one or Hyrule, or be very clever about luring one or more away without harming it. The army shows up when harassing or injuring a single chicken. Still, I wouldn't put it past them to be able to launch an assault on a spaceship. (Note to self- talk to Ninya about incorporating an invincible chicken army.) (Status effect in many games, one of Zidane's weapons in FFIX.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 27, 2009 23:12:56 GMT -5
They did the fire drill times to throw you off. To see if you were paying attention. To evaluate worse case scenario response times.
But most of all, they did it because they love seeing people dance around in the cold/inclement elements due to a lack of coat and/or umbrella.
So, what's the difference between a real life university and one run by demons again? ;D
Another strategy I'd love to add to our list of Working Designs for protecting your important school papers is to feign procrastinative tendencies. They won't try to steal your homework if they don't think it's finished.
Either that or create a bunch of faux papers to use as decoys. Stick one of the most realistic fakes inside a safe while you do something creative with the real one like create a chain of origami cranes. If you're trying to hide your intelligence, you may want to go for the simpler, but ever popular, paper airplane.
Another dangerous, but equally devious strategy would be to hide your paper inside another student's room. If they have a tendency to be sloppy/not clean very often, there's a decent chance that they'll never know it's there. If said slob is a real procrastinator, then retrieving your paper later could be the hardest part of the operation.
Hey, could we fool the chicken army if we drugged our victims before transport? Of course, we'd have to wait for them to detox before we could safely eat them. We'd have to be sure that they were outside effective ICA calling range. ...And that they don't have some hidden GPS-like device that will lead them to the purloined fowl.
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Post by Solana on May 28, 2009 9:32:53 GMT -5
I love the ideas of using someone else's room or a safe for a more realistic touch. In both cases, I think it would be a good idea to booby-trap them for more security. Maybe a nice Bomb or even Spring would add to the illusion, or even just be funny if a person tried to open it that didn't know what they were doing.
I don't know if drugging chickens would work. They're pretty relentless, and birds already have very high metabolisms. (Look at how much Hummingbyrds can polish off in one day for being so tiny.) It'd be difficult to figure out the right dosage to be effective without being lethal. (While we'd plan on eating them, it would tip off the other chickens that something's gone awry.)
Maybe we'd need a distraction, like a mini chicken theme park with lots of food or something. They'd probably get pretty tired after that and be taken more easily, as if on a silver platter.
(Traps in Spy VS. Spy, monster in Lunar EB.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 28, 2009 22:14:12 GMT -5
...Now, I've got visions of all the mama chickens clucking at each other about the commercialization of society while their chicks peep incessantly about wanting their candy corn while they guzzle down Rooster Booster (how many of these silly energy drinks can they make?) and whine how slow the line for the ride they want to get on is.
They will also want to get their picture taken with Mighty Cluck (you know... a chicken that can actually fly and all of them want to be when they grow up). The souvenir shop will sell Chick-in-the Boxes and lucky feather keychains. A perennial ride favorite will be 'It's a Small Coop, After All.' But, at all costs, do not let them get on the egg cup ride after they've eaten. All the Porta-Barnyards in the world won't be able to prevent that mess.
Or maybe we could interbreed the chickens with ones from the farms on Harvest Moon, where they will finally learn to live an Innocent Life free of militant tendencies. They might be suspicious if we bring in foreign chickens by the truckload, so we'll have to be extra sneaky. We'll teach them to use the Internet and go to websites called e-Hominy or Hatch.com.
(One of the many HM games)
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Post by Solana on May 28, 2009 23:32:50 GMT -5
Ouch, you are on a ROLL!!! (Especially that delightfully nasty "hominy" one.) Well, I think if the chickens would be raised anywhere near us, being militaristic is going to be a given. (Like little feathered Fionas, if you will. ). Perhaps a different tactic could be used for the best chicken instead of materialism. We could instead buy a HUGE farm of our own and let the chickens get Back to Nature. I'm thinking free range, maybe a nice Grass Valley, with wild-grown feed and naturally occuring bugs. The very first chickens acquired could be from other worlds, where chickens were not taught to unify against us and we could avoid opening up that Can 'O Worms. (Even if in some instances, it's well deserved.) They could pass on these peace-loving traits to their offspring in a sort of chicken utopia. There would never be fowl play to speak of. Aryn- You were watching nature documentaries again, weren't you? Solana- ...maybe. But, we can't count our chicks before they hatch. First thing to do would be to find some land and some farmers to make a deal with. (Another Harvest Moon title, level in Road Rash, item from Alfred Chicken.)
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