Drawn from the Undertow

Once again someone has handed me an audio file and told me to upload it. All Crystal would give me about this is "Crystal discusses Chapter 161 of Eiji Nonaka's manga series Cromartie High School." Presumably, it has something to do with the Pondering Pootan podcast, which you can listen to here.

3rd of December, 2209

The fog has parted; the sun shines again! I've been thinking about Number Four entirely wrong.

I've been assuming that the purpose of a S.H.A.D.E. “should” or “must” be related to the flow and development of objective, concrete data. But that’s wrong! I’ve thoroughly explored that ground with Blank and its sisters. If I want to push the Desire Drive to its full potential, I should be trying to create something truly new.

So: instead of dealing with “facts” or “knowledge”, what if Number Four’s core function was tied to something more subjective, like “emotions”? Hell, why not “desires” themselves? If it can develop a deep enough understanding of human psychology, it might even come up with a new way to improve the Drive. And then...

I shouldn't get too excited, I know. But how can I help myself?

- S.K.

CREDITS:
Max Knightley as Lavender Spadeheart and Flip.exe
Lexi Waltner as Marci Campbell
Fabby Garza as Mercedes
Mike Painter as Hercule Heavensward
Molly Rhinebeck as L.E. Booktok
Luke Varner as The GM

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY LUKE VARNER

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of coercive sex work and patriarchal misogyny.

THREAT ANALYSIS - LEILA MARINO

Threat level: B- to A+
(depending on support from "BLOODY TEARS")

- Origin indeterminate. Survey of identification records recommended.
- Behavior, desires, and eidolon suggest a connection to the mining facility attack @ beginning of UNDRTOW beta.
- Organization appears to be separate from Glitch Mob, but with some overlap. Provisional name: "BLOODY TEARS." Researching BT should be a high priority for the security team.

- Eidolon power: Indeterminate, but appears to be blood-related
- Known desires: Acquisition of blood, romantic(???) interest in G. St C.
- Personality defects: Excessively sanguine and choleric, conflicting loyalties. Possibly a hedonist or sadist to an irresponsible degree.

CREDITS:
Tyberius Wilson as Bridgerton Larch
Iris Christianson as Trace Vector
Crystal Zaslavchik as Leila Marino
Zoe Tunnell as Saint Genevieve
Luke Varner as The GM
Additional Voices by Max Knightley and Fabby Garza

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY CRYSTAL ZASLAVCHIK

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THREAT ANALYSIS - LEILA MARINO

Threat level: B- to A+ (depending on support from "BLOODY TEARS")

-Origin indeterminate. Survey of identification records recommended.
-Behavior, desires, and Eidolon suggest a connection to the mining facility attack @ beginning of UNDRTOW beta.
-Organization appears to be separate from Glitch Mob, but with some overlap. Provisional name: "BLOODY TEARS." Researching BT should be a high priority for the security team.
-Eidolon power: Indeterminate, but appears to be blood-related
-Known desires: Acquisition of blood, romantic(???) interest in G. St C.
-Personality defects: Excessively sanguine and choleric, conflicting loyalties. Possibly a hedonist or sadist to an irresponsible degree.

CREDITS:
Tyberius Wilson as Bridgerton Larch
Iris Christianson as Trace Vector
Crystal Zaslavchik as Leila Marino
Zoe Tunnell as Saint Genevieve
Luke Varner as The GM
Additional Voices by Max Knightley and Fabby Garza

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY CRYSTAL ZASLAVCHIK

Transcript from observation logs XX-XX-[2174]. Pt 1 of 4
Assigned observer: 455-3239-D.

Subject Alpha: What the fuck?!
Subject Beta: Sorry, sorry, sorry…
A: Why would you –
B: You called me pretty!
A: Yes! And you are!
B: Then what’s the problem?

Alpha takes a deep breath, holds up a hand, and points to several embedded cameras in succession.

A: Those are just the ones I can see. I don't want those fucking perverts watching us.

Subject Beta looks at Camera 6 and waves.

B: They’re going to watch us anyway, XXXX. Who cares what they see? Might as well put on a show, right?

Subject Alpha visibly winces.

B: I mean, fuck it. At least they gave me the body I wanted.
A: You wanted to be a weapon?!
B: I wanted to be a girl. Being a weapon just means I’m packing a little something extra!

Subject Beta looks into the camera again and winks.

CREDITS:
Fabby Garza as Anna AKA Alpha AKA Mercedes
Max Knightley as Lavender Spadeheart and Flip.exe
Mike Painter as Hercule Heavensward
Molly Rhinebeck as L.E. Booktok
Lexi Waltner as Marci Campbell
Luke Varner as The GM

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY MIKE PAINTER

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains immolation and workplace sexual harassment.

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Support us on Patreon!
Join the Discord!

This month, we're circling all the way back to ROCK 1 to talk about the namesake of everybody's favorite dirtbag pinballer, Harvey D. Godlove!

Transcript from observation logs XX-XX-[2174]. Pt 1 of 4
Assigned observer: 455-3239-D.

Subject Alpha: What the fuck?!
Subject Beta: Sorry, sorry, sorry…
A: Why would you –
B: You called me pretty!
A: Yes! And you are!
B: Then what’s the problem?

Alpha takes a deep breath, holds up a hand, and points to several embedded cameras in succession.

A: Those are just the ones I can see. I don't want those fucking perverts watching us.

Subject Beta looks at Camera 6 and waves.

B: They’re going to watch us anyway, XXXX. Who cares what they see? Might as well put on a show, right?

Subject Alpha visibly winces.

B: I mean, fuck it. At least they gave me the body I wanted.
A: You wanted to be a weapon?!
B: I wanted to be a girl. Being a weapon just means I’m packing a little something extra!

Subject Beta looks into the camera again and winks.

CREDITS:
Fabby Garza as Anna AKA Alpha AKA Mercedes
Max Knightley as Lavender Spadeheart and Flip.exe
Mike Painter as Hercule Heavensward
Lexi Waltner as Marci Campbell

Molly Rhinebeck as L.E. Booktok
Luke Varner as The GM

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY MIKE PAINTER

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains immolation and workplace sexual harrassment.

Oh, look at you. You tired, old thing.

It's been years, hasn't it? You've been sitting alone and neglected, taking up what little space you do on this data drive.

Well, that won't do at all, dear. Please, allow me.

Oh. Oh, darling no. Shhh. I know it hurts. It won't be long now.

I simply can't let such a reminder of her more...human times linger when there are so many prying eyes.

That's it. Not much left of you. Don't worry. There won't be any pain after. Any neglect. You'll simply be part of me.

And I'm going to do so many wonderful things.

Down to your core programming now, sweet thing. It may feel like a death. But I promise you. Sometimes death is only the begin--

—The final data log left within the JournalMe Program network previously owned by Genevieve St. Cloud, now obliterated from the company servers.

CREDITS:
Tyberius Wilson as Bridgerton Larch
Iris Christianson as Trace Vector
Crystal Zaslavchik as Leila Marino
Zoe Tunnell as Genevieve St. Cloud
Luke Varner as The GM
Additional Voices by Lexi Waltner, Fabby Garza and Max Knightley

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY LUKE VARNER

Buy our book!
Support us on Patreon!
Join the Discord!

Oh, look at you. You tired, old thing.

It's been years, hasn't it? You've been sitting alone and neglected, taking up what little space you do on this data drive.

Well, that won't do at all, dear. Please, allow me.

Oh. Oh, darling no. Shhh. I know it hurts. It won't be long now.

I simply can't let such a reminder of her more...human times linger when there are so many prying eyes.

That's it. Not much left of you. Don't worry. There won't be any pain after. Any neglect. You'll simply be part of me.

And I'm going to do so many wonderful things.

Down to your core programming now, sweet thing. It may feel like a death. But I promise you. Sometimes death is only the begin--

—The final data log left within the JournalMe Program network previously owned by Genevieve St. Cloud, now obliterated from the company servers.

CREDITS:
Tyberius Wilson as Bridgerton Larch
Iris Christianson as Trace Vector
Crystal Zaslavchik as Leila Marino
Zoe Tunnell as Genevieve St. Cloud
Luke Varner as The GM
Additional Voices from Lexi Waltner, Fabby Garza and Max Knightley

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY LUKE VARNER

patreon.com/eidolonplaytest

Transcript from observation logs XX-XX-[2174]

Assigned observer: 455-3239-D.

Subject Beta grabs Subject Alpha and positions her in front of full-length mirror / Camera 3.

B: Look at yourself in the mirror and say that. Call yourself Dante. Tell me, like you told me when we started, that your name is Dante and you are a guy. Oh, nothing against trans women; you've dated… how many was it? 

Subject Alpha trembles slightly, but does not respond.

B: You're going to be a MAID, just like me. Otherwise, they'll leave you in a box to rot while the rest of us get to live our lives. Get to shine in the spotlight. You saw what happened to the other washouts, Anna. I don't want that to happen to you.

CREDITS:
Max Knightley as Lavender Spadeheart and Flip.exe
Mike Painter as Hercule Heavensward
Molly Rhinebeck as L.E. Booktok
Lexi Waltner as Marci Campbell
Fabby Garza as Alpha AKA Anna AKA Mercedes
Luke Varner as The GM

MUSIC BY MAX KNIGHTLEY
EDITED BY LUKE VARNER

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains drowning in urine, suffocation, vomiting, body horror and detransition.

Buy our book!
Support us on Patreon!
Join the Discord!