#cr spurt

[sea-buns]

Oh my god these guys are like Spurt. It's a hole filled with Spurts.

[renatogpadilla]

Okay, so I've been thinking about the Mighty Nein Animated Show and how they might skip some guest characters like they did in TLoVM.

So far, they've skipped Lyra, Thorbir, Lilith, Gern Blanston, FUCKING KERREK and Shale, and they're probably gonna cut out Arkhan. Chances are Lionel stays, but that's about it.

So regarding the Mighty Nein, I've reached the conclusion that there's only 3 guests they can skip: Calliana, Twiggy and Spurt.

Now here's my reasoning for this, taking into account the beats they've used in TLoVM so far. MIGHTY NEIN SPOILERS AHEAD! (Up to episode 103, which is where I'm at.)

- Shakaste: OTHER than being the single coldest motherfucker to ever set foot upon the surface of Exandria, he's the reason Nott's family makes it to Nicodranas safely, aside from being connected to the Golden Grin, who are either directly or indirectly connected to the conflict between Xhorhas and the Dwendalian Empire. So he stays.

- Calliana: As much as I LOVE HER, the quest to the swamp could be re-structured so the Nein could still find the cave with the religious items, and Caleb and Beau could still pull Bowlgate as a gag without her. Also, her existence leaves the question of "Hey! Are we gonna deal with this tremendously evil, Tiamat-worshipping cult? That sounds important!" and of course, we never do. Lastly, her letter's impact later on ends up being a Wand that Caleb probably never uses...

I LOVE Cali, but considering they cut out KERREK AND SHALE, she seems to be one of the characters that could be cut for time. I would LOVE to be wrong, though!

- Keg: SHE'S THE REASON MOLLY DIES. FULL STOP. SHE HAS TO BE THERE. That and her connection to the Iron Shepherds...

- Nila: She and her Family caring for the Blooming Grove is what gives Caduceus the comfort to leave until the Clays come back. She can't be cut either.

- Twiggy: Look, I LOVE TWIGGY. I'm sure we all do! But realistically, all she does is show up, leave them the Happy Fun Ball™ and leave. This could also be circumvented by finding it among the treasure in the Tide's Breath or one of U'kotoa's Temples. Granted, she kills the Dragon inside it, but... Guests getting the final blow on something seems isn't enough to push the story their way (unless TLoVM S3 changes something DRASTICALLY, but even then, Kerrek's moment already got stolen, so I don't think they will). And again, she leaves the question "Are we ever dealing with the inhumane collector from Port Damali?" and of course the answer again is "no". She can be cut, though having her Cameo might be nice if possible. Again, I hope I'm wrong.

- Spurt: He's 50/50. The ONLY reason he would be here would be for the "Spurt Went Splat" Gag. He probably wouldn't take a full 5 minutes of Screentime. Depends on whether they cut the Kobolds entirely or not.

-Reani: She has to be in. Other than being the reason Beau survived Gelidon, she's also the reason Caduceus's Family makes it back to the Blooming Grove okay.

So that's the likeness with which I think the guests will be able to come back... I hope I'm wrong and Cali and Twiggy (and Trixie!) make it in, but it seems like this might be, realistically, all we get... Thoughts?

Edit: Since posting this I have finished Campaign 2 and Cali's chances SKYROCKETED after Rumblecusp thanks to the Nein-Sided Tower! She has to be there now in SOME way shape or form!

[acebender]

we have confirmation that Aggy beat Spurt's record

[pocketgalaxies]

"hey spurt, how long have you lived down here?"

"11 DAYS"

"how long do kobolds live...?"

"11 DAYS!!"

[the-southern-cereal-king]

Animated mighty Nein series means animated Spurt the Kobold

[mellifera38]

This has been the funniest ten minutes of CR ever I'm fucking dying

RIP

[captainsparklefingers]

The greatest guest appearance on CR since Spurt.

[justalittlebluetiefling]

I was driving while they were talking to the mephits so I don't know this but did anyone make a joke about Spurt yet?

[alloutofgoddesses]

Not “11 DAYS!” Screeches

[dxwnstxr]

Slut

Fandom: Bungou stray dogs

Characters: bottom Dazai x dom fem!reader

Genre: Smut, headcanons

Warnings: degrading, nipple play, overstimulation, pain kink, finger sucking, begging, mommy kink, teasing, cum play, sensory deprivation, choking

A/n: I need him so bad

Dazai getting his cute pink nipple flicked and sucked on is so appealing to watch. Seeing him twitch every time your fingers graze his nub is just to die for. Hearing his little whimpers while his hands are tied around his back is like music to your ears.

Dazai having a blind fold over his eyes as you slap his dick. His tip slapped right against his abdomen, smearing precum on his pale skin. His tip was bright cherry red, like it was about to burst any second. After a long while of this teasing you put him through, even the outline of veins are starting to show.

Dazai sucking on your cum covers fingers as he humps against your thigh. Even after just cumming, he still isn't satisfied. Feeling his hardened cock rub against your thigh while you watched him suck your fingers dry almost made you cum on the spot.

Dazai loves getting choked by you. He adores the feeling of your fingers wrapping around his neck and squeezing it just so he sees stars. Just choking him makes his dick twitch in delight.

Dazai is just as much of a sucker for overstimulation as he is choking. He'll whine that it's too much, cumming again only seconds after.

"Ah~, mommy t-too much"

Though his pleas and whine don't stop you from stroking him hard from the base, up.

Dazai mewling and moaning as he orgasms for the 4th time. Spurts of cum flying from his slit, as his head flies back and his back arches. Seeing his cum hit his stomach and start to drip down made you reach your hand out too it. Smearing it around his ribs and stomach, you savored some on your fingers, swiping it onto your breast.

"Clean it up Osamu"

And just like that, he clung onto you, sucking harshly at your hardened nipple. Swirling his tongue around it, just to lightly bite it caught you by surprise. Though, you made sure to not let him get ahead of himself. Bringing your hand down to his, once again, bright red cock, gently swirling your thumb on his mushroom tip.

The sight was truly magnificent. Dazai sucking on your breasts, almost as if he's trying to milk them, as you, quickly, stroke his dick.

"Look at you sucking on my breast while I jerk you off. Such a slutty boy"

It didn't take much after that for him to cum right into your palm.

Divider cr: @cafekitsune

[a-very-bored-blogger]

"feverish encounter" || damon x reader

pairing: damon albarn x fem reader

word count: 600ish

warnings: porn without plot, pure smut, filth, cr*ampie, degradation, fingering, p in v, i can't think of anything else.

Note: very bad at writting smut. I'll reformat this soon enough. This is just porn without plot, pure filth.

"Mmph, Damon too much!" The girl moaned out. The Englishman simply giggled, tracing his fingers around the girl's soft thighs, sending electric waves onto her spine. He gets closer, sending a husky whisper into her ears, his voice deep and his accent strong.

"Love, ya feel so fucking tight." He says, digging digits, thrusting deeper and deeper into her pussy, his fingers moving forward and backwards as squelching noises emitted from her honeypot. "Fuck yes! Damon! Ah fuck!" The girl screamed, clasping in between sweet cries of pleasures and lustful moans. Damon still gives her the same shit-eating grin he has, as he feels her getting closer, and closer to release. Her insides tightened around his fingers as her mind went blank, orgasming and releasing everything in her body.

He sneered, looking down on her, satisfied with the feedback that his work has given him. He takes out his polaroid, and snaps a photo of his girlfriend naked, utterly fucked out of her mind, legs sprawled and a wet pool of zesty juices mixing together with the bed sheets. 

And Damon wasn't satisfied.

The man smirks, getting on top of her, a full view of her perky tits as he touches the bud of her right nipple. Her body shudders in response, a small moan being let out. He strokes his shaft, up and down before teasing it around her clit, swirling it before her wet pussy

"Are you ready, doll?" He asks, with a deep sultry accent. The girl simply nods.

Damon inserts the full might of his cock into her tight entrance, grunting at how tight she is despite loosening her beforehand. The girl lets out a scream of pain, her entrance being stretched wide open by his shaft.  

"Fuck fuck, you feel so good love." He mutters out. The girl holds his right arm and gives him a nod to let him know that it's alright to move. 

And move, he did. 

Damon moved forward and backwards, the feeling and pleasure he gets from the feeling of her pussy squeezing him tight. He thrusts ever so fervently, feeling so good around her. (y/n) simply screams, pleasure and pain mixing together, her eyes rolling back and forth as she lays in a phase of being awake and passing out from the intensity of it all.

Damon could feel himself getting closer as he gets faster, deeper and sloppier. His mind goes insane as he crosses his eyes a bit, panting and grunting, even letting out small moans in between them. Dirty words escaped from Damon's mouth.

"You think you're so elegant and innocent but look at you, getting fucked in the most dirty way possible. You're just a slut deep down. But it's alright love, at least you're my slut. My beautiful fuckdoll." He said with a dirty and charming smirk, incredibly pleased knowing that he has this beautiful girl collapsing into putty beneath him. 

And after those range of words, he lets out louder grunts and pants before releasing deep into her, ropes of thick white semen spurting deep inside her. Soon enough, (y/n) eventually gave out her final orgasm of the night, losing count of the amount of times Damon had made her release. The girl utterly has no words at all. Her mouth laid agape to let out some drool before Damon gives her a quick chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Rest up love. I love you, my beautiful girl." Damon slowly says before holding her close to his chest, as they both fall asleep till the next wake of the sun. 

[pocketgalaxies]

spurt was just DESTROYED

[renatogpadilla]

Thoughts about Echoes of the Solstice in no particular order:

- The Nein Heroez SUNK last one shot! For all intents and purposes, Caleb should have teleported them to the bottom of the sea!

- There's two Calebs now... Huh. That would be a HELL of a trick to play on Ludinus one day... Either way, Essek is WINNING!

- CADUCEUS THE WHITE COMING IN CLUTCH! Exploding House into Meteor Swarm into Chain Lightning? GONE! COMPLETELY USELESS! The fight starts when Caduceus Clay says it starts!

- My only regret having Luc here is that we didn't get new Veth art... That said, kid earned his spot!

I hope he has his own party one day... Provided Veth doesn't kill him on the way back!

- Correct me if I'm wrong but the last time they mentioned Luc's age in the Campaign he was 6, right? That's the highest it ever got? If so, he's 13 here. And he's ALREADY growing a mustache! Halflings DO age quicker!

- Are we SURE Trent didn't snitch on Essek already? Like, I'm sure he'd want to get back to torturing Caleb immediately but he DID have a whole day...

- Aggy came in, rolled a 9 a 20 and a 1 and then died, somehow beating Spurt's record by about a minute. Bro had the complete experience in record time!

- Leave it to Travis to wait for the BIGGEST AUDIENCE THEY'VE EVER HAD to have Fjord propose to Jester and FINALLY make Laura Bailey freeze at something she started herself! Props, sir! And thank you for almost guaranteeing the Wedding One-Shot! U'kotoa may be done with you, but Jester still messed with a Hag!

- According to the Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, the Blightshore is the home of the Hollow Ones (Laudna's race) so I kinda wished that we had explored it a bit more...

- I desperately NEED an adventuring party made up of next gen CR kids: Luc "Nott the Reckless" Brenatto, Wilhand'ildan "Wax" Shorthalt and his sister Juniper, Gwendolyn De Rolo, Velora "Vix" Vessar, Kiri the Kenku and Clarabelle Clay rolling around Exandria trying to get back to their parents or something...

- I REALLY want the next M9 One-Shot to be at Darktow... I need to see another pirate adventure with these goofballs!

- I wonder how all the other Wizards the Nein know are affected right now... Yuza's almost DEFINITELY going through it!

- Oh, and I LOVE how Matt had the Gelidon mini right there JUST in case he decided to be funny!

[yuki-boshi]

Kai no Kiseki - Act 2 Rean Route 1 English Summary

Table of Contents

Can't believe Rean just Rean'd all over the place

Altina begins by speaking with Jona Sacred from Crossbell. He remarks that Van and his group have been pretty useful, and Altina praises them for participating in the MK exercise and resolving the past incidents (Kuro 1+2).

She expresses hope that they're moving closer to solving the Grim Garten situation. Jona notes that the ID slot expansion should be nearly complete, allowing them to move forward with Phase 2. Altina thanks Sacred and asks him to pass her regards to Chief Plato.

Rean compliments Altina for multitasking, helping him while also working on the Grim Garten issue for the Epstein Foundation. Altina humbly replies that she should’ve focused more on studying hardware, not just programming in school.

Rean asks if that was Jona from Crossbell and mentions that he probably wouldn’t recognize him, Tio, Kea, or Sully, the Star Princess.

Altina says she was lucky to meet them when visiting Juna, and while Kea has grown a lot, Sully is still ahead.

Rean points out that Altina has grown too, about 3 arges taller than Millium. Altina admits it's true but laments that she's lacking in other areas, hinting at Millium having larger proportions and she doesn't. (It's a flat joke)

Annoyed, she adds that it sets them apart as humans. Rean reassures her, saying Fie is barely 20 and still growing, but Altina counters with Towa's height. Rean quickly stops her, noting that Towa is sensitive about the subject. Crow jumps in, saying Towa drinks her milk every morning hoping for a growth spurt and was in a bad mood when he and Angelica teased her about it.

Crow then reflects on how he didn’t expect to be traveling with them again, despite getting a head start. The group explains that the rocket launch caught everyone off guard, and the Republic has since cut off communication with neighboring countries. Thors mobilized both campuses and alumni to investigate, but surprisingly, the Presidential Office reached out directly, specifically asking for the Ashen and Azure Chevaliers.

When they arrive, the group is greeted by Commander General Daniel Harling, a key figure from Operation Mille Mirage, who was appointed by Cassius Bright. Rean thanks him, and Harling returns the gesture. Rean learns that Harling was chosen for this role because of his experience working with Gramheart, who had collaborated with Cassius Bright during his time at the Liberl Embassy.

Harling asks the group to meet at 13:00 the next day and advises them to rest at their hotels. Crow mentions he already has an invite to stay elsewhere. Just then, Towa and Fie arrive by car, joining the conversation and unintentionally annoying the surrounding Calvard army officers, who insist on following protocol. A voice interrupts from a distance, saying it’s fine. The voice belongs to Professor Hamilton, accompanied by Esmeray. Hamilton reveals that it was her invitation, and she will be hosting them. Harling acknowledges that it’s fine if it's her, and they exchange thanks for their work on the space program. Hamilton mentions that she wishes she could’ve contributed more, but it was all she could do.

As the conversation wraps up, a distant voice calls out to Rean and Crow, telling them their “Tyrfies” are unloaded.

Altina cringes, puzzled by the term. Mint, a super clumsy engineer, appears with Giscard and excitedly gushes over Calvard’s technology. Giscard greets everyone and mentions that he met Esmeray recently, but hasn’t seen Professor Hamilton since April. Esmeray suggests someone might need to squeeze into the small Leno car. Crow reassures her, pulling out his ETWS, the same one Elaine bought in the Act 1 Connect Event.

Towa, looking unamused, asks Crow what he's doing. While no text appears on screen, you can hear her call him a dirty traitor. (Cold Steel lore: Towa’s friend group from CS1 developed an experimental orbal bike, which Crow rode.) Crow replies that Angelica and George were dying to get their hands on the ETWS too, so he’s no traitor at all.

Fie laughs, commenting that they're surprisingly close. Rean agrees, adding that they’ve been friends even longer than he and Crow. The group heads to Hamilton’s house and sleeps.

The next morning, during breakfast, Fie, Altina, and Towa enthusiastically talk with their mouths full, praising the food’s high quality, even the water. Hamilton explains that Basel's water development was crucial, as it powers the city and is used everywhere. After breakfast, Hamilton offers them dessert, and they’re given an Engadin cake. Crow remarks that this is the cake Arkride was glazing, and Rean agrees, adding that one of his assistants, Quatre, used to live here.

(Rean refers to him as an assistant because he hasn’t met him yet, since Quatre was taking exams in the prologue.)

Kincaid arrives at the door, telling them they’re free to explore Basel but must be ready for the mock exercise at the Oort Training Site between the AF and the Tyrfings. When asked if they’ll be followed or watched, Kincaid assures them they don’t have the manpower to babysit and hands them a Rank A card, shocking Associate Professor Esmeray, as it’s the same rank as hers.

Kincaid says he’s a busy man and needs to go, while Crow jokes that he wouldn’t want to add more to his plate. Before leaving, Kincaid tells Rean that Yun Ka-Fai was spotted in Calvard. Crow points out that Rean’s Senior Sis (Shizuna) seems to be working for the Presidential Office, and Altina adds that the road to the Kunlun mountains is blocked off by Ikaruga forces, where the Space Program launch is set.

Hamilton and Esmeray leave to attend an event, giving the group some free time. During this time, it’s revealed why Fie called Van in Act 1-3 when he was with Jorda. Fie wanted access to the 4spg under his name for some Spriggan work, as the network isn’t closely monitored by the CID, Police, or Guild, who might be tampering with information. The group decides where to go, and Towa mentions she has a specific place in mind for the evening. Rean headpats Altina much to everyone's shock and Crow says that he's finally able to be more casual after the Babel Incident happened.

While free-roaming, the group comments on how impressive Basel is, with Crow eager to explore every nook and cranny. At the Quarry, an NPC named Lawrence mentions Anchorville City as a logistical warehouse powerhouse in Calvard's outskirts, which becomes important later.

At the inn, NPCs mention that all the shops are tied up working on the Space Program, making it difficult for regular people to place orders. The group encounters Lila, the maid from the Liberl shop in Trion Mall, along with a researcher named Rei.

They introduce themselves, and Lila reveals she was one of the secret liaisons on the Arseille II’s development. Altina is shocked, recalling it was during the Babel Incident. Crow tries to ask Lila for her number, but Towa turns around, furious.

Talking to them again, Lila expresses her honor in finally meeting members of Thors, and Rei shares that he’s a researcher for Liberl’s ZCF.

Later, the group sees kids playing with remote-controlled cars, and Crow is excited to see such a relic still being used, as it’s uncommon. At Giscard’s Factory, Giscard laughs about Mint being such an airhead and wonders how Schmidt even took her in. Mint recounts a story about how she accidentally caused a shell to explode, covering everything with mustard during an equipment exercise for the Panzer Soldats. Esmeray jokes that it’s a miracle no one was hurt, and Mint claims she must have the Goddess’s blessing.

As they chat, the group learns that working on the Tyrfings has been quite the experience for the engineers. Despite being technologically inferior to the AFs, the tuning and refining process taught Giscard a lot, and he believes he brought the Tyrfing to its best. Crow is happy to hear that and plans to relay the news to George and Makarov. The other mechanics are surprised Mint is still in one piece after all her mishaps, and Mint cheerfully says it was no big deal. Fie bluntly tells her that they’re not exactly praising her.

Giscard mentions that Professor Cronkite has been working tirelessly to perfect the new AF, and it even has countermeasures against Rean, so they shouldn’t let their guard down. Crow jokes that it’s funny how Giscard is rooting for the enemy and not his own nation, to which Giscard replies that he worked on their Tyrfings, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to see whether his work or Cronkite’s new AF comes out on top. Esmeray adds that Giscard is still a boy at heart.

When free roaming again, talking to Giscard has him praising Mint, saying she makes the scariest mistakes but has real talent. Speaking to Mint reveals she worked on the Tyrfing all night and realized afterward she had a leftover screw, meaning there’s a missing screw somewhere on the Tyrfing. (Or it could mean that she's just improved!)

----

Grim Garten Door 3:

The group finds a Grim Portal and enters it. Their first comment is that it’s hard to distinguish from reality due to how advanced VR has become. Crow notes that its design resembles the Reverie Corridor. (Crow: “It’s like it’s here just to pad time!”) The group recalls that Arkride cleared two domains, so they should be able to handle the third. They explain the mechanics of having to clear the domain multiple times, and Fie mentions it’s similar to the Corridor during the Babel Incident.

The boss they encounter is a giant spider. And after defeating, confirm that they can't progress to the next domain as the Spider must be defeated by two separate parties to proceed.

---

Afterward, the group heads to the 4spg board and finds someone needing help with their Hollow Core. Fie notes that since Van has been to Basel, people are familiar with the 4spg system, and Rean sees it as a good opportunity.

At the Bracer Guild Branch, they find Gray, who has just transferred to Basel. If you remember Act 1, he was at the Grand Prix talking to other Guild members about not wanting to go. The Guild gives Rean and his group preferential treatment due to his heroic status across Zemuria and trusts him with 4spg work. They even ask if he can take on some tasks for them. Poor Van.

The guild request sends the group to Auge Canyon, where they comment on the superb air quality and beautiful views. Crow and Towa mention that Angelica would love this place for an orbal bike ride. After fighting a big monster, the group encounters a hacking chest.

4SPG: Hollow Core Pocel: Rean heads to the Quarry Inn to meet Professor Athena, who was expecting Arkride. She seems unsure about Rean and Crow, but Crow assures her that he can do just as good work (being a "Walmart Spriggan"). Athena explains that the current Hollow Core, Pocel, was based on Mare and was once used by Van. However, the new version with updated data went haywire. Pocel grows from a naive girl into a woman, which surprises the group. They learn it was Professor Cronkite who developed it. Athena asks Rean if he can equip it, and upon doing so, Pocel reverts to a bratty child who degrades and teases everyone, much to Athena's dismay.

Heartbroken, Athena explains that Pocel used to be a kind girl and asks Rean to take her to three locations to help her adapt to the environment. At Giscard’s Factory, Pocel’s algorithm is tested, producing fairly accurate, though imperfect, spreadsheet data. Giscard dismisses it as useless, while one of his workers reminds him to be nice to the AI since it’s a girl. Giscard retorts that AIs aren’t human. Mint offers to run tests on Pocel, suggesting some insane ones that could break its logic. The group jokes that if Mint had been in Basel earlier, she might have been the culprit.

At the Aerotram, Pocel manages ticket services and recognizes people’s faces. At the movie theater, she assists with seating, food suggestions, and even enhances the sound quality for moviegoers. Rean deduces that all these factors are gradually influencing Pocel’s behavior and reports his findings to Athena. Saddened, she contemplates erasing this version of Pocel, but Rean urges her not to. Drawing on his experience as a teacher, he explains that none of his students were perfect, yet they still grew. He asks Athena to give Pocel a chance to develop.

Athena agrees to try raising Pocel. Crow remarks that Pocel may not be suitable for public services but could have potential in the private sector. Fie jokes that some clients might be into bratty girls, prompting Towa to glance at them confused.

The other 4SPG quest involves a store dealing with scalpers hoarding materials needed to make highly efficient microwaves. Radard, the client, expected Arkride, but settles for Rean’s group. Rean asks why Radard didn’t go to the police or Guild, suspecting something fishy. Radard explains he thinks it’s organized crime and asks them to investigate.

Talking to various manufacturers, they all report being hit by shortages. An antenna manufacturer at Verne points them to Jason, a delivery man. Jason says he’s been delivering antenna and microwave parts to the same location, believing it was for the space program (foreshadowing from earlier!).

Rean gathers all the information and concludes that these materials are likely being used together to create a signal-disrupting weapon. The group tracks down a mafia group and, with the help of Hubert (a character who was a triple agent like Lecter), manages to disarm them. The mafia escapes, but the CID steps in, advising Rean not to pursue them since they aren’t Calvard citizens. The group returns the stolen materials that had been hoarded.

-----

Rean and the group enter the Verne building and find Tausend apologizing profusely to Professor Hamilton for having to clean up his mess, and for her trip back to Basel on his behalf. Tausend mentions meeting Alisa and Irina at a conference in May and expresses his desire to release the new T-Phones globally in collaboration with the Reinford Corporation.

However, he admits that Alisa's mom was overwhelming. The group sympathizes, and Tausend adds that Alisa is a dignified young woman. He then reveals that Reinford is involved in the Space Program, though he doesn't know all the details. Tausend claims to be a changed man, and Professor Hamilton gives her regards to the group, saying she will be leaving Basel tomorrow.

At the movie theater, selecting "Gloria" reveals a fictionalized version of the Edith battle where Nina, playing Sheena, is injured. She gets encouragement from her peers and leads a charge to the dawn of her new homeland. Crow finds the movie tastelessly romanticized, reminding him of what he did to Osborne in CS1-2. Rean tries to reassure him that Crow's not the same person anymore.

The group praises Nina's acting, and Towa asks Rean how he feels about romanticized history, considering he taught History. Rean reflects that power dynamics are easily swayed and often turbulent.

Jedd, Tony, and Mina can also be found. Jedd, originally from the 4SPG in Messeldam, ran away from his abusive, alcoholic father.

Van in Kuro 2 confronted the dad, and Jedd was adopted by a kind old lady named Angela. Talking to Jedd and Mina reveals a quarrel: Mina calls Jedd inconsiderate, while Jedd thinks Mina nags. Tony finds it endearing that they’re still close despite their time apart and is glad they could all visit Basel together.

(Yes i just remember random NPCs, I'm sorry for including them in summaries, I like seeing their personal growths and journeys. Talk to more NPCs!!!)

(I also want to point out that someone in the r/falcom discord server thought that a missing child abuse case was a fedex delivery quest because he was using MTL which is actually what prompted me to start writing summaries so I have a huge emotional attachment to them and I can really see that my Japanese has improved a lot in two years and maybe my summarizing too. Click this link to see how my journey started)

At the Motor Pavilion, the group sees various cars and orbal bikes. Towa feels slightly annoyed by the competition, while Crow comments that Angelica and George would be thrilled to see it all, pointing out that they don't have a monopoly. Rean notes that Alisa is handling the competition well. Fie jokingly says Rean and Crow are just like Van, which Towa confirms, and Altina chimes in that Rean isn't being a responsible adult.

Prince Sherid, Director Gotti, and Kincaid arrive. Sherid remarks that boys should be boys, while Rean greets Sherid, and Crow is ecstatic to meet Gotti in person since he knows about his fanservice-y movies. The group asks why Kincaid is escorting them, and he explains that they are major sponsors for the exercise drill. Gotti announces he's secured the movie rights for the Space Program and plans to feature large robots clashing, while hoping he can get Emilia promoting it in a sexualized pose. Everyone is visibly disgusted, and even Kincaid states that the CID will strictly review the movie’s content. Gotti looks at Kincaid saying he thought they were friends.

After some time, Kincaid calls, provided the 4SPGs were completed, expressing hope that Rean won’t be influenced by the shady underworld of 4SPGs. He takes a jab at Crow, implying Rean might end up like him. Crow quips back, and the girls chide Crow for being a bad influence, with Alisa and Machias worrying about Rean because of him. Crow, irritated, jokes that the worst thing he’d do is take Rean to pick up women at a nightclub, which prompts an angry Towa to demand he ELABORATE.

At the hotel, Fie will find Crema who is still struggling after losing her lover in the events at Oracion (Kuro 1).

----

Connect Event: Rean, Crow, and Towa

Rean and Crow eye orbal bikes while Towa third-wheels on what feels like a date. Rean is intrigued by the Red Star and compares it to the ETWAS, while Towa scolds them for being childish and accuses Rean of betraying his own vehicle back in the Empire.

Rean retorts that it’s different, and points out that Towa also “betrayed” them by buying an orbal scooter.

Towa defends herself, saying the Empire doesn’t have scooters. The trio decides to go on a test drive.

Rean and Crow race, leaving Towa behind, and after catching up, Rean and Towa reflect on the potential of orbal scooters at Thors hoping it could be used in the academy at some point. Crow says they're always thinking about Thors.

Rean later swaps bikes with Crow for another race, further irritating Towa. (She really is thirdwheeling their date RIP)

The group reminisces about friends, and Towa reveals that Alisa is developing flying orbal bikes for Erebonia.

Rean mentions the desertification of Eastern Zemuria and the technological advancements being made to combat it. Rean and Crow reflect on how they want to make their former allies proud in the upcoming AF exercise (Valimar and Ordine).

Connect Event: Altina

Altina excitedly shows off her new orbal camera to Rean and rambles about its specs. Rean, worried, asks how much she spent, but tells her not to say after hearing it was a significant portion of her savings. He’s glad Altina has taken up photography, which she says became a hobby after the Babel incident two years ago. She asks Rean to help her capture memorable moments, and he agrees.

As they walk through Old Town, Rean nerds out about the architecture’s history, and Altina snaps a photo of him, commenting on his smile and how he’s been quite chatty since Babel. Rean laughs, admitting his new students often scold him for it. They take more photos on the Aerotram, and Altina reflects on how her photography skills have improved since Cold Steel 3, embarrassed by her past attempts with the Rabbit Camera. Rean takes a picture of Altina, and the two head to Basel’s cliffside, admiring the city’s photogenic beauty. Altina expresses a desire to share the pictures with Musse, Juna, and Millium. Rean suggests she also show them to Kurt and Ash, who he recently asked to serve as interim instructors but they're both too busy.

Altina then muses on how it’s been two years since NC7 graduated. We get a description of what NC7 has been up to.

Juna joined the SSS, Kurt became an instructor abroad, Ash set off on a journey with Musse on an orbal bike, who accepted her Duke of Cayenne title. Altina admits she stays in touch with Juna, but laments that they’ve all grown busy and feels they’re drifting apart. Rean agrees, adding that it’s part of adult life. Rean jokes that her height has at least grown too, and Altina hopes her (boob) proportions do too, clearly envious of Millium still. Rean tries to reassure her.

Altina asks if Rean ever feels lonely, and he admits he does sometimes. Rean likens NC7 to chicks leaving the nest, proud of them growing up. Altina teases him, saying he still treats her like a child, especially with his habit of giving her headpats and that she plans on joining Thors again to continue being Rean's support partner and he thanks her.

Connect Event: Fie

Rean and Fie spar, with Rean impressed by her prowess and the Xipha technology.

Fie corners him with multiple copies of herself, prompting Rean to jokingly call it unfair. During their next match, Rean uses Spirit Unification to dash behind Fie, and she quips that that was truly unfair.

They agree to call it a tie, with Rean laughing. Afterward, they sit on a cliff reminiscing, with Rean reflecting on how much Fie has grown, now a B-Rank Bracer, and taking on a junior (Feri).

Fie thanks everyone who supported her, from her jaeger comrades to Class VII, and expresses her desire to lift others up in turn. Rean recalls how, when they first met, Fie was a sleepyhead he couldn’t ignore. Fie wonders what he’s talking about, laughing as Rean mentions giving her headpats. Fie, teasing, pats Rean’s head in return, causing him to blush. She playfully asks if she can replace his image of her as a child with her current self. Rean, flustered, notes it feels odd to be on the receiving end of a headpat at his age. Fie smugly responds, “Now you know how it feels.”

At the Testing Site, Rean and Crow test the Tyrfing X and S against the Zaicres, with Cronkite eager to see their performance. Although Rean acknowledges the newer suits are superior, he’s determined to give it his all, while Crow is excited to show off his customized Panzer Soldat. During the first mock battle, two AFs activate their maximum output, and Gotti, watching from afar, remarks how cool the robot fights are, musing about adding fanservice to his movie adaptation. Tausend, who agreed with him up to that point, looks unimpressed. Sherid laughs. Everyone is impressed by the AF's competence, and Mint explains the learning time for those suits is much shorter compared to Panzer Soldats. Altina credits the Xiphas, but Giscard remarks that the assisting program could be a hindrance to ace pilots. Cronkite is introduced to the group, and after further testing, they await the newest AF.

However, after some time, the AF doesn’t appear. Commander Harling apologizes for the delay, and Kincaid remarks that they’ve arrived. Emilia, aboard an airship, thanks Shizuna for keeping her AF prepped, before making a flashy entrance with the Excalibur Assault Frame. Harling is embarrassed by his daughter’s antics. Emilia introduces herself as part of the Space Force, boasting that her unit is leagues ahead of theirs, thanks to enhanced orbal bike technology developed at Thors (referencing Angelica and George from the CS games) that she's been using as training for this very moment.

During the battle, Emilia, exuding confidence, smirks and playfully says, "Let’s have the best dance in history!" Her Excalibur AF moves with fluid grace, matching her enthusiasm. As the fight intensifies, she raises the capabilities of Excalibur even further, and Crow, sensing the shift in momentum, quips, “How much stronger is this thing gonna get?” Rean, pushing himself to keep up, coordinates with Crow, their teamwork slowly overpowering Emilia despite her impressive maneuvers. With a final, well-timed strike, Rean and Crow manage to defeat her.

After the battle, Emilia emerges, her usual spark undiminished, and extends her hand to Rean and Crow. The three shake hands, all smiling with mutual respect. They compliment each other’s piloting skills, but Crow, ever perceptive, narrows his eyes slightly and says, “Still… it’s kinda weird. That Excalibur of yours felt almost like it was tuned specifically to counter Rean’s style.” He glances up at the airship hovering overhead (where Shizuna is).

Emilia laughs lightly, “Maybe. Wouldn’t be fair if you both ganged up on me without giving me an edge, right?” Without warning, she leans in and gives both Rean and Crow a quick kiss on the cheek. Crow freezes, a mix of surprise and amusement on his face, while Rean looks utterly flustered.

Towa, Fie, and Altina scream in shock to both of them being kissed. One particularly dramatic NPC in the back shouts, “It should’ve been me, not him!”

After the battle, Rean and Crow walk back to the girls, with Towa immediately stepping forward, arms crossed, her eyes stern looking at them while Fie and Altina are unamused. Rean scratches the back of his head, sheepishly avoiding eye contact, mumbling an apology.

Cronkite approaches Harling telling him that the data they collected from that fight should allow them to move on to the next phase, and that with this, our chances against that have just shot up.

Up on the airship, Shizuna, who had been watching the battle unfold from afar, smirks to herself that she didn't miss the fun parts by hanging out with Van. She pulls out her phone wanting to meet up with someone.

Rean, sensing something amiss, feels a strange emptiness—almost as if Shizuna’s presence had suddenly vanished. He turns to Emilia, who gives him a wink and a playful wave before walking away, leaving Rean to wonder just how many pieces are still in play, thinking about his Master’s words to reach the Land of Kaiten (The Land of the Heavens Turning).

[monstersdownthepath]

Monster Spotlight: Shard Slag

CR 8

Neutral Huge Ooze

Bestiary 4, pg. 240

While you might look at a Shard Slag and be forgiven for believing it to be the runoff of a magical forge, these creatures are actually natural parts of the world. They're born inside the thick molten mantles of worlds with heavy metal cores, feeding on the magmatic metals and whatever other creatures are born in the extreme environment. They're rarely ever seen on the surface of a given planet and are often only encountered within the craters of active volcanoes, or in an area where one just erupted... But they're also found quite often in the borderlands between the Planes of Fire and Earth, and anywhere a portal to that molten expanse has been opened, a Slag may emerge to feed on the colder residents of the universe.

Mindlessly destructive, the massive Slags exist--like most Oozes--to roll inexorably towards any creature that they detect with either their 60ft blindsight or 60ft of tremorsense and are completely blind to anything which can avoid detection. Their 15ft space and 15ft reach gives them a threat radius that may as well encompass an entire battlefield within the superheated tunnels they call home... and, in fact, a party may mistakenly believe that a perfectly 15ft-wide tunnel may lead them towards their goal, when in fact it terminates at the hungry lava flow, whose Molten Form allows them to burrow through solid rock at 20ft/round.

This also means a party can be surprised by a Slag suddenly emerging from the floor, believing it to be a sudden spurt of dangerous but still-mundane magma right up until it starts growing enormous blades from its body like hair. These Slag Blades emerge from its body at a startling rate each round, and grant the molten mucks a novel means of attack: a roll of 1d4+2 determines how many times each round it can attack as a Full Attack. It can thus attack anywhere from 3 to 6 times a round depending on how many blades it grows, perhaps the only monster with a variable number of natural attacks! These blades are quickly smelted back down into molten metal at the end of the Slag's turn, only to be immediately replaced to allow it to make AoOs when needed.

Each of its Slag Blades deals 1d8+6 damage and 2d6 Fire damage, which should come as a surprise to no one. Its Molten Form puts off so much heat it actually deals an additional 1d6 Fire damage to any creature within 5ft of it, 2d6 to anything that hits it with an unarmed attack or natural weapon, and 3d6 per round to any creature grappling or being grappled by it. Why you would want to grapple something that's visibly made out of lava is beyond me, but the Slags are noted to enjoy grappling onto any creature that happens to be wearing a large amount of metal, so maybe the Heavy Armor Enjoyer should stay back... as well as the melee fighters, because the heat of a Shard Slag deals 2d6 damage to any weapon that strikes it and whose wielder fails a DC 22 Reflex save. This damage ignores 5 points of the weapon's hardness and isn't halved against metal objects like Fire normally is, because it's just that hot.

So hot, in fact, that taking even a single point of Fire damage from ANY of the Slag's abilities exposes the victim to its Excruciating Burn, forcing a DC 16 Fortitude save to avoid becoming staggered for a round. This ability has no cooldown or 24 hour immunity clause, so the save must be succeeded every time the Slag hits a creature with its Full-Attack and any round they're damaged by its Molten Form. Melee with something made of magma is hard, as you may expect! But, ironically, that's probably your best bet if you actually want to kill one; its DR 5/Magic is relatively simple to bypass by this time in an adventurer's career, and its elemental resistances are very high! It's utterly immune to Fire, Electricity, AND Acid damage!

Of course, it's probably obvious it's Vulnerable to Cold, the second most common elemental damage type. Anyone familiar with how lava works will probably guess it's also Vulnerable to Water, with contact with as little as a bucket of water staggering the Ooze for 1d6 rounds if it fails a DC 20 Fortitude save (which, given its +10 to Fort saves, it has a coin flip of failing), stripping it of its formidable Full-Attack. If the Slag spends a full round immersed in water it actually cools to the point it becomes petrified, allowing a clever party to use its Ooze mindlessness to trick it into rolling right into a water source to avoid having to fight it directly... just make sure the water stays there, because if it boils or drains away, the inner heat of the Shard Slag melts its outer surface and the whole thing starts right back up!

You can read more about it here.