...
After Hibiki finished working on Aris' new 'Sword of Light', we went back to the Game Development Department room.
Momoi, with a happy expression, flops down onto a beanbag with a laugh. "Now that all the hard stuff is out of the way, we can kick back and play games, right? We've got a raid today. Are you ready, Aris?"
Aris, who's looking at a screen, replies. "Aris understands the strategy. Our gear is ready, and Aris posted the announcement. 'Beginners welcome. Four man Burning Forest Expedition. Healers slash DPS needed'. Ah. Peroro32 joined."
Fifty bucks that's Hifumi, I think to myself with a quiet chuckle as I sit down.
"Can we really afford to take it easy?" Midori asks, worried, before turning to her twin. "Did you talk to Yuuka and tell her we have four members now?"
" 'Course I did. She said she'll come this afternoon to screen Aris' eligibility." The pink twin says, waving her twin's concerns off, but turns her attention back to the game. "Oh! Aris! The boss is about to do its AOE breath attack! Careful or we'll get wiped!"
"Evasive maneuvers! Casting protection magic." Aris replies. I swear, she's taken to games like a fish to water.
"We're in danger in real life too!" The green twin snaps. "Screening her eligibility?! What does that even mean?!" She shouts, before accosting her twin. "The survival of our club is on the line, and you're raiding in an MMO!"
"Chillax, Midori. Aris is totally ready." Momoi replies, casually.
"Really?" I ask.
"Really." The pink twin replies.
"Okay, then. Pretend I'm Yuuka for a sec, Aris. Introduce yourself to me." I challenge, testing the girls.
"Okay, Aris! Do your introduction!" Momoi says to the robot girl as they pause the game.
Aris clears her throat. "I am known as Aris the Blue Eyes." The fucking what? "A dwarven lancer wielding the Flame Dragon Fang gunlance. I hail from the Steel Mountains, but lost my family at an early age due to a demon attack-"
"No, not your game character! I mean you, yourself, Aris!" Momoi chides.
"Oh, understood." Aris says. "Hello. My name is Tendou Aris." Tendou? When'd they decide on that? "I am a first-year here at the Millennium School. I recently transferred, but missed registration, so I will not be starting my classes until next month. Even though I am not in any classes yet, I was told I could still join a club, so I ended up joining the Game Development Department."
Huh... so she can switch from referring to herself in third-person?
Midori lets out a sound in awe. "That was actually pretty good."
"Not bad, Aris. Not bad." I say with a smile.
"My role in the Game Development Department is to tank and deal light-type melee damage-" Aris starts.
"You're a programmer!" Momoi interjects.
"R-Right! Programming..." Aris corrects. "I learned to code in JABA before I ever spoke my first word..."
"And it's falling apart." I say, putting my head in my hand.
"Are we going to make it through this...?" Midori asks worried.
As I begin to answer the question, a new voice pipes up.
"...There's no way this is true."
My head snaps to the door, where Yuuka is standing. "There's no way someone would join the Game Development Department now!" She accuses.
"Sorry, but you're wrong!" The pink twin argues.
"Yuuka..." The green twin mutters, annoyed.
Aris tilts her head in curiosity.
"So, you must be the 'Aris' everyone is talking about." Yuuka says, walking up the robotic girl, a smug grin on her face. Seriously, Yuuka? "The supposed fourth member of the Game Development Department." She pauses to hum in thought. "I thought I knew every single Millennium student... How could I have missed such a cute girl...?"
Momoi locks up, as Aris lets out a 'Huh?', then an "Oh'. "It is here, the specter..."
"Wh-Who are you calling a specter?!" Yuuka shouts, in confusion and anger.
"It's, uh, a misunderstanding!" Momoi says, trying to salvage the situation. "Aris is a little scatterbrained so she didn't finish her word. She must have been trying to say the 'spectacular' something!"
"Ugh, I don't take kindly to strangers speaking to me this way." Yuuka says, upset. "You have a sharp tongue, newcomer."
"C-Calm down! It wasn't personal!" Momoi shouts. "All confusion aside, we got the number of members we needed! Can we keep the Game Development Department now?"
"What you say is true." The treasurer says with a sigh. "Assuming your new member joined of her own free will."
Momoi locks up again.
"In the past, there were times clubs got by on just notifying us that they had found some new members." Yuuka begins to explain. "Recently, however, the rules have become more strict. So, as per the new rules, I've got an interrogation waiting for Aris." She says smugly, causing the twins to flinch in fright. After a moment, Yuuka corrects herself, with a deadpan voice, realizing her mistake. "Wait, I didn't mean to say it like that. Anyway, I've just got a few simple questions for her."
"You TOTALLY meant to say it that way." The pink twin says, deadpan.
"Don't worry. This won't take long." Yuuka says, turning to Aris, who looks nervous and actually swallows.
"I-Is it possible to achieve a bad ending depending on the answers Aris chooses?" Aris shakily asks.
"Well..." Yuuka begins, taking a moment to understand Aris' question. "I suppose anything's possible." Aris looks more nervous. "Okay, then. Aris. Let the games begin."
Yuuka then leans over to Aris and whispers. She's quiet enough the twins can't hear her, but I can. "Psst. Hey, Aris, if the Game Development Department is threatening you into staying here, blink your left eye." Aris, however, blankly stares into space.
"What are you whispering about?! What are you trying to do to our Aris?!" Momoi accuses, before pulling something out. "Here, take a look at this pristine student ID! She's the real deal!"
"I already confirmed that she's in the student registry and was issued a student ID card." The purple haired girl says. "But, you're going to have to do better than that to satisfy me."
Momoi locks up yet again. Midori quietly looks worried.
"Enough preamble, let's begin the interrogation." Yuuka says.
"She didn't even try to hide it that time..." Momoi mutters.
"So, tell me, Aris, how did you come to join the Game Development Department?" Yuuka asks the robot girl.
"Well, when Aris woke up, she was here..." Fuck. "Wait, no, that is not right..." Aris says, correcting herself, nervously.
Yuuka then whirls around. "Momoi, can you please stop glaring daggers at us like that?!"
"I, um... I wanted to play Castlemania and then I heard there was a game club here..." Aris begins, nervously.
Yuuka hums. "I see... You said 'game club' in your previous answer. As I'm sure you're aware by now, the Game Development Department doesn't exist solely to play games. If you're to be involved in development, what is your role here?"
"Tank and light-type melee fighter." Aris says, quickly and proudly.
"...What?" Yuuka asks, dumbfounded.
"Whoops! I-I mean... I am a... p-p-pro... glamor!" Aris nervously stutters.
"You mean 'programmer'?" Yuuka asks.
"Oh, yes, that one! I am the very picture of the perfect programmer." Aris says.
"I see... Programming is a difficult position." Yuuka says with a nod.
"Oh, yes, it is tough being a p-programmer. Sometimes we die from working too much." Aris says... what?
"Wh-What?!" Yuuka shouts, mirroring my confusion, but with more shock.
"But it is not actually that big of a deal!" Aris says, attempting to placate the treasurer.
"DYING isn't a big deal?!" Yuuka snaps back in disbelief.
"Yeah! Usually, you just wake up at an inn or give money to the cathedral, and you are totally revived!" Aris says, proudly.
"Huh...? Wh-What are you talking about?" Yuuka asks, as I am practically on the edge of my seat. The twins are sweating to my sides.
"Hm? It is common sense, really. Have you not played The Fable of Heroes or any of the games in the Brother series?" Aris asks with a head tilt, before smiling brightly. "They are very good. You should give them a try."
Yuuka breathes in slowly, then exhales slowly. "All right, I think we're done here. I think I understand exactly who Aris is now."
The twins are frozen in fright and worry.
"For one, I can tell you're an odd duck." Yuuka says to Aris. "But more than that, you're someone who like to explore new worlds, work with your friends, and achieve new things... I have no doubt in my mind that you're a member of the Game Development Department."
"Wait, really...?" Momoi asks.
"Then that means...?!" Midori asks with hope in her eyes.
"You've met the necessary requirements to maintain your status as an official club." Yuuka confirms with a smile.
"Woohoo!" Momoi cheers as she hugs her twin.
"We did it!" Midori cheers as she hugs back.
"S-So we keep the club room? Oh, and are we gonna get a budget?!" Momoi asks, hopeful.
"Of course." Yuuka says with a nod, before a sly grin appears on her face. "Well, until the end of the semester, that is."
"There it is." I mutter.
"Wow! Wait, what?" Momoi asks.
"Wh-What did you say?!" Midori shouts.
"But we have enough people! What more do you want?!" Momoi roars.
"Huh? Oh, I thought you already knew. Sure, the low member count was an issue, but you also need to produce some tangible results as a club." Yuuka explains. "Of course, you get a grace period since these rules just changed recently. However, if you can't produce results within a month, your club will be shut down regardless of whether you have four members of four hundred!"
"Th-This can't be happening!" The pink twin shouts in worry.
"But it is! I've already explained this to all the club presidents." Yuuka corrects. "Now that I think about it, your president, Yuzu, was absent from that meeting."
"Huh?!" Midori shouts.
"So the onus to comply with the changes falls on you." Yuuka says, smugly.
"Honestly, you can't expect someone as shy as Yuzu to show up to a meeting." I say.
"Oh, Sensei, when did you get there?" Yuuka asks, turning to face me with genuine surprise on her face.
"...Seriously...?" I ask, deadpan. "I know I didn't say anything, but come on."
The pink twin growls. "This is so unfair!"
"What's unfair about it? In fact, making everyone follow the same rules is the definition of fair, really." Yuuka says. "If I'm being honest, I still have my suspicions about Aris' identity and I had come in here today intent on shutting down this club."
"Huh?!" Midori squeaks.
"But one thing is clear to me... Aris has a real passion of gaming." Yuuka compliments. "Given that passion, I don't think I can take away your grace period in good conscience. If that passion is real, it should produce fitting results. As I recall, Momoi-" She says, turning to the pink twin, who wilts under her gaze. "-, didn't you tell me you'd have something amazing to show us at the Millennium Prize?"
"I, uh... I guess I did." Momoi says, trembling as she remembers her words from yesterday.
"Well, now that you have a new member, you'll have more resources to make your new game all that much more fun, right?" Yuuka asks, smugly. "I'm looking forward to playing it." She says, as she walks out of the room. "Bye!"
The door closes behind her with a soft click.
"Hold on you... You... ARGH!" Momoi shouts, trying to stop the treasurer's sudden departure.
"She's gone." Midori observes.
Aris just looks on in confusion and slight apprehension. I reach over and pat her on the head, which, thankfully, seems to calm the girl.
The green twin lets out a big sigh, as I pull my hand from Aris' head. "So in the end, we're still in big trouble."
"Gah! This sucks! They're just trying to get us kicked out!" The pink twin rants.
"...I'm sorry." A voice says. Looking to the side, I see Yuzu peeking out from within her cabinet. "I should have gone to the club meeting. If I had gone..."
"Don't beat yourself up over what-ifs, Yuzu." I advise the girl.
"Yeah, it's not your fault, Yuzu! Momoi was supposed to go in your place if you couldn't make it." Midori says.
"Right, but, um..." Momoi begins, weakly. "Well, y'know... The item drop rate was doubled at that time."
"Delete that game right now!" Midori orders her twin. "Ugh, there's only one option left."
"Get to work makin' a game?" I ask.
"Yeah." Momoi confirms, serious.
"We have to make a game that we can take to the Millennium Prize." Midori adds, serious as well.
"So we need the G.BIBLE after all? Ugh, does that mean we're going back to the ruins?" Momoi asks, annoyed.
"Seriously? We don't need that thing. Look, what's the one thing most important for making a video game?" I ask the girls, seriously.
"Um... A concept for gameplay?" Midori asks.
"Nope." I say.
"Oh! Oh! Catchy music!" Momoi guesses.
"Nope."
"A... story?" Yuzu asks, shyly.
"Nope."
"Programming?" Aris asks, tilting her head.
"Nope."
"Then what?" Momoi asks.
"...Passion." I say, after a moment.
"Huh...?" Midori asks.
"You four are easily the most passionate people I've ever seen, when it comes to games." I explain. "You don't need no silly magic video game bible. What can it possibly tell you that you don't already know? You four already have all that you need, passion, and you've got more than enough of that."
When I finish, the four girl's eyes are wide in surprise as they take a moment to ruminate my words.
"Sensei..." Midori mutters.
"Still... the G.BIBLE could help. You... You don't know what could be in there." Momoi weakly counters.
I let out a long sigh at the pink twin's words. "Fine. Fine! I'll prove you wrong. Let's go find the damn bible, and I guarantee that it's not gonna tell you anything different from what I'm sayin'."
"If you're going back to the ruins... then I'm coming with you." The shy redhead says, determined.
"You WHAT?!" Momoi shouts.
"B-But you haven't left the school building in half a year! You've even taken every class online!" Midori exclaims.
"Yuzu... Are you sure of this?" I ask the shy girl with a soft tone.
"I need to take responsibility for my mistake... This club belongs to everyone, not just me." Yuzu says. "For the sake of everyone, I want to protect it."
The twins and I look at Yuzu with a sort of awe in our eyes.
However, the seriousness of this moment is broken by Aris. "Bum bum bum! Yuzu has joined the party!" The robot girl says with a smile.
I can't help myself as I let out a bark of laughter. Smiles appear on the twin's and Yuzu's faces.
"All right. Let's do this!" Momoi proclaims.
"Aris. Make sure your weapon and equipment is ready." Midori advises.
Aris then grabs her railgun with minimal effort, slinging it over her back and hanging it there with it's new strap. "Loadout complete. I have equipped 'Supernova: The Sword of Light' to my weapon slot." Aris says with a determined face.
"That's the spirit! This time, that G.BIBLE is ours! Let's go!" The pink twin declares.
"Right." The green twin adds with a nod.
I grunt as I stand to my feet, readying myself as well.
"We'll protect this club room, together!" Midori proclaims.
—————
AN
Bit of a short chapter, but oh well.
Sensei doesn't do a whole lot in this part of the story in canon, but trust me, Joshua will later.
Edit: January 5, 2023: Changed Aris referring to herself from 'I' to 'Aris', since she speaks in third person. The text in Global has her speak normally.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and look forward to the next!