The trio, staring at the mysterious girl, debates what to do. Standing around changes nothing.
"Let's get closer," Mash says.
"Is that safe?" Midori asks.
"It's fine. If she attacks, I'll knock her out," Mash replies.
"Super reassuring," Momo says.
"But… Sensei, don't you think anything about… her being naked?" Midori asks.
"Huh?"
"She's… naked!" Midori blushes.
"Oh, right. Staring at a stranger's naked body is rude," Mash says, closing his eyes.
"That's not what I meant!" Midori protests.
The twins realize Mash lacks that knowledge and plan to educate him later.
"She's cold," Mash says, touching her hand blindly. No body heat, no decay—alive, yet not. He opens his eyes slightly, noticing the chair. "Words here… 'AL-1S'?"
"Alice?" Mash mutters.
Beep-beep-beep!
"What's that sound?" Momo asks.
"No robots nearby… it's her," Midori says.
An electronic sound comes from the girl. Mash kneels, peering at her face.
"Status change detected. Authorized contact confirmed. Deactivating sleep mode."
Her eyes snap open, scanning around.
"You okay?" Mash asks.
"…"
"Sorry for seeing you naked. I don't have weird intentions—"
She touches Mash's face, curiously, like a baby.
"Something on my face?" Mash asks.
"Situation… analysis failing," she says.
"Failing?"
"Attempting… conversation. Can you explain?" she asks.
"Who are you? What's this place?" Mash asks.
"Unit's identity, memory, purpose… lost. Cannot answer," she replies.
"I'm Mash Burnedead," he says.
"Mash Burnedead… registered," she notes.
"Your outfit's… awkward to talk around. Let's get you clothes," Mash says.
"Sensei, I brought spare clothes. Shall I dress her?" Midori offers.
"Please," Mash says.
Midori dresses her while Momo watches. "Why'd she wake when you touched her, Sensei?"
"No clue," Mash says.
"Likely… first reaction in deep consciousness triggered," the girl says.
"Hmm… meaning?" Momo asks.
"Don't ask us," Midori says.
"For now…" Mash stands, lifting the girl. "Let's take her."
"What!?" Momo gasps.
"Is that okay!?" Midori asks.
"Can't leave her with dangerous robots," Mash says.
"True…" Momo agrees.
"Okay…" Midori relents.
"Decided," Mash says.
They leave the ruins with the girl, not finding the G.Bible but bringing back a memory-less, mechanical girl. Momo's a bit satisfied with the fantasy vibe.
Game Development Clubroom
Discussing the girl's future, chaos erupts.
"Don't eat that! It's a rare god-tier game among trash!" Momo yells.
"Spit it out!" Midori orders.
Ptoo! The girl spits, embedding the cartridge in the wall.
"It's in the wall!" Momo cries.
The girl tries eating everything—controllers, magazines, discs. Mash stops her.
"That's not tasty. Only eat these cream puffs," Mash says, offering one.
"Question… how did you retrieve that from your pocket without mess? Why is the cream puff intact… incomprehensible," the girl says.
"We don't get it either," Midori says.
"Don't overthink it. It's delicious," Mash says.
"Unit will now… consume cream puff," she says, eating cautiously. Sweet custard fills her mouth. "Delicious!" Munch munch.
"Plenty more, take your time," Mash says.
"Sensei's like a hero taming a wild monster," Momo says.
"Denial. I am not a monster," the girl says, cream on her face.
"Not convincing with that face," Momo teases. "Can we eat too?"
"Sure. Let's talk over cream puffs," Mash says.
"Yay!" the twins cheer.
Mash, eating custard, leans against the girl, who munches custard. The twins eat strawberry and melon. It's a heartwarming sibling-like scene.
"What now?" Mash asks.
"Should we contact Valkyrie?" Midori suggests.
"Keep her at Schale? Can't abandon her," Momo says.
"After we finish our task," Mash says.
"Task?" Midori asks.
"She needs a name. You saw 'AL-1S,' right?" Momo says.
"Yes," Mash confirms.
"Named… Alice!" Momo declares.
"Wait! That's just you reading it! Shouldn't it be AL-1S-chan?" Midori argues.
"Too long. Like it, Alice?" Momo asks.
"…Affirmative. I am… Alice," she says.
"See my naming skills!" Momo brags.
"I thought of Robo-Shoe-chan or Shoe-Alice-chan, but Alice is better," Mash says.
"Your Pokkemon were all named after muscles or cream puffs," Midori recalls.
Mash's naming sense—muscles or cream puffs—nearly doomed the girl. Midori thanks Momo for saving her.
"As long as she likes it," Mash says.
"Next step!" Momo says.
"What's your plan? This isn't just picking up a kitten!" Midori protests.
"Think, Midori. Why did we risk the ruins?" Momo asks.
"To make a great game and save the club," Midori says.
"Exactly. Saving the club is priority. We need one of two conditions met," Momo says.
"You're serious," Mash says.
"Of course! Millennium Prize is one option, but more cards help!" Momo says.
"You're making her a member!?" Midori gasps.
"Alice, join us!" Momo says.
Alice, focused on her cream puff, ignores her.
"Sensei, I'm out of cream puffs," Alice says.
"More?" Mash asks.
"Affirmative."
"Here," Mash offers.
"She's not listening!" Momo says.
"Lost to cream puffs," Midori teases.
"So frustrating!" Momo huffs.
"Here, open wide," Mash says.
"Ahhh—" Alice bites, including Mash's hand.
"Good bite," Mash says.
"Seriously!?" Midori yells.
"Alice, let go! You're eating his hand!" Momo shouts.
"It's fine, doesn't hurt," Mash says, hand bleeding slightly.
"You're bleeding!" Midori cries.
"I taste… iron?" Alice says.
"That's Sensei's blood!" Momo shrieks.
After chaos, Alice joins the club. Despite student ID and speech issues, they accept her, and she accepts them.
"Clothes sorted. Now weapons and student registration," Momo says.
"Can you do that?" Mash asks.
"I'll handle the ID!" Momo says confidently.
"Impressive," Mash says.
"Midori, teach Alice to talk!" Momo orders.
"Speech?" Midori asks.
"If Yuuka questions her and she says…" Momo mimics, "'Affirmative, I am a Game Development member,' it's over."
"Nice impression," Mash says.
"That's not the point! Fine, I'll try," Midori sighs.
"Counting on you!" Momo says.
"Wait!?" Midori protests.
"I'll help. I'm a teacher, after all," Mash says, serious.
"Not sure if that's reassuring…" Midori mutters, searching for kids' education programs.
Alice spots something. "Unknown object detected. Analyzing."
"Oh, that's…" Midori starts.
"A magazine?" Mash asks.
"Yeah… it's embarrassing, but our game's reviewed in it. Harshly," Midori says.
"Making a game's impressive," Mash says.
"Haha, thanks… It's number one on the worst-game list, but maybe Alice will like it," Midori says.
"Alice, want to try our game? It might help with speech," Midori suggests.
"Intent unclear… but affirmative. I will play," Alice says.
"Really!? Hold on, I'll set it up!" Midori rushes.
Alice sits in front of Mash, ready. He's excited too.
"Done!" Midori says.
"I begin," Alice says.
"It's a fairy-tale-themed, colorful classic RPG," Midori explains.
Cosmos Century 2354, humanity engulfed in flames…
"Huh?" Mash says.
"It's classic but mixed with trends to avoid being outdated," Midori says.
"Fantasy's cool," Mash says, from a fantasy world.
Alice presses a button.
Tutorial: Press B to equip the weapon.
"B button…" Click.
BOOM!
GAME OVER
"What!?" they gasp.
"Over?" Mash asks.
"Hahaha! Predictable's boring! You're supposed to press A!" Momo laughs.
"Didn't you go for the ID?" Midori asks.
"No one was there. I'll try tomorrow. This part's harsh," Momo says.
"No, it's confusing," Midori says.
"I restart… inexplicable emotions detected," Alice says.
"I get it! Excitement, maybe!" Midori says.
"Need help?" Mash asks.
"No, I chose this," Alice says.
"Okay," Mash says.
Two hours later:
"Electrical and expression systems… critical error," Alice says.
"Keep going, Alice! Almost at the climax!" Midori cheers.
Tales Saga Chronicle is beyond trash—a ridiculous mess.
"Why is the mother the heroine, also the past-life wife, and why does her childhood friend time-travel to her!?" Alice cries, erroring.
"Past-life wife, mother, heroine, kid… time-travel… gah!" Mash chokes.
"Sensei's spitting blood!" Momo yells.
"Almost there!" Midori urges.
One hour later:
BOOM!
"Sensei!? Alice!?" Momo gasps.
"Explosion sounds!?" Midori yells.
"Abububu!" Mash babbles.
"…&!)$&8%…*%#%#…" Alice glitches.
"Alice's speaking nonsense… but three hours to true end with us? Amazing!" Midori says.
"The more she plays, the better her speech gets!" Momo says.
"But the cost…" Midori says.
"O hero, if thou seekest agreement, I affirm," Alice says.
"Yeah, maybe," Mash agrees.
"Still unnatural, but better," Midori says.
"Way better!" Momo adds.
"Um, this is awkward, but…" the twins say.
"What?" Alice tilts her head.
"Was our game fun!?" they ask.
"…Inexplicable," Alice says.
"What!?" they gasp.
"Searching similar expressions…" Alice says.
"She's looking for insults…?" Midori worries.
"Fun… it exists clearly," Alice says.
"Oh!" they cheer.
"Playing felt like… traveling another world, dreaming…" Alice says, staring at the controller. A tear falls.
"Huh!?" Momo gasps.
"Why's she crying!?" Midori asks.
"Obviously, our game's that moving!" Momo says.
"That's a stretch…" Midori says.
"Thanks, Alice! Your tears mean more than any critic!" Momo says. "Gotta tell Yuzu!"
"Yuzu?" Alice asks.
"I saw everything," a voice says.
"Intruder?" Mash says.
"Yuzu!" Momo exclaims.
"Yuzu?" Alice repeats.
A girl emerges from a locker.
"Yuzu-chan!? We couldn't find you! Since when were you in there?" Momo asks.
"Since you returned from the ruins…" Yuzu says.
"Felt a presence…" Mash says.
"Alice, Sensei, this is Yuzu, our club leader," Momo introduces.
"…?" Alice tilts her head.
"Um, uh…" Yuzu stammers.
"Huh?" Mash says.
"Thanks… for saying our game's fun, for wanting to play again… for crying… thank you," Yuzu says, holding Alice's hand.
Alice stares, confused.
"Officially, I'm Yuzu Hanaoka, Game Development Club leader. Thanks for joining, Alice," Yuzu says.
"Nice to… meet? Yuzu joins… fanfare?" Alice says.
"Close enough," Yuzu laughs.
"You enjoyed our RPG, huh? I'll recommend more!" Yuzu says.
"Wait! I'm recommending first! More games, better speech, higher success!" Momo says.
"So many games… Sensei, help!" Midori says.
"Really?" Momo asks.
"I'll teach not just games, but fun stuff I know," Mash says.
"Sensei's fun stuff…" Midori muses.
"You'll love it," Mash says.
"Understood. I'll resume gaming and learn from Sensei," Alice says.
Mash stays with Alice, gaming together.
Click click click…
"Alice, you read crazy fast!" Momo says.
"Next, Legend Oak Battle! I'll teach you turn-based fun!" Midori says.
Two hours later:
Mash teaches Alice his knowledge.
"This is triceps, this is biceps," Mash says.
"Amazing… like a game character's perfect muscles," Alice says.
"Muscle training gets you there," Mash says.
"Muscle training… noted," Alice says.
"I'll teach cream puff-making too," Mash adds.
"Thank… you?" Alice tries.
"Nice thank you!" Mash praises.
Three hours later:
Click click click…
"Cleared," Alice says.
"Nice, Alice! Next?" Midori asks.
"I want more of Sensei's stories," Alice says.
"Cool. Next, muscle-based techniques," Mash says.
They spend the night gaming and talking. Alice looks happy; Mash is too.
The next morning:
"Oh, good morning! I get it… this world can be saved with muscles and cream puffs!" Alice says, holding Mash's workout gear with a huge smile.
"Sensei!?" the twins scream.
"…I might've messed up," Mash says.
Thought Alice learning Mash's moves would make things easy, but too OP, so I held back.
Comments, ratings, and likes keep me going! Please!
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