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Does not incldue side stories.", "count": "65", "submission_left_submission_id": "1310035", "submission_left_file_name": "1838105_TerraMGP_whitehat.doc", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/1838/1838105_TerraMGP_whitehat.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/1838/1838105_TerraMGP_whitehat.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/1838/1838105_TerraMGP_whitehat.jpg", "submission_left_thumb_huge_x": "300", "submission_left_thumb_huge_y": "300", "submission_left_thumb_large_x": "200", "submission_left_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_left_thumb_medium_x": "120", "submission_left_thumb_medium_y": "120", "submission_right_submission_id": "1298997", "submission_right_file_name": "1835453_TerraMGP_by_design_precipice.doc", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/1835/1835453_TerraMGP_by_design_precipice.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/1835/1835453_TerraMGP_by_design_precipice.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/1835/1835453_TerraMGP_by_design_precipice.jpg", "submission_right_thumb_huge_x": "300", "submission_right_thumb_huge_y": "300", "submission_right_thumb_large_x": "200", "submission_right_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_right_thumb_medium_x": "120", "submission_right_thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "description": "So yeah, assuming anyone I don't talk to regularly reads these... two things.\n\nFirst, keeping this 'sexually explicit' even though it is not.\n\nWhy? Because Honestly I'd rather not see people search this out, get confused, then have to deal with harassment for having a story involving cub later. Call me paranoid I suppose. I'm not ashamed of what I do, I just think that with all the other stuff surrounding this It's easier to keep things consistent for the story.\n\nSecond? You can probably skip this. read it if you want, it's a shorter story. But this is more world building and another attempt at a fight scene. I don't know that I am any good at those. It's mostly here to set up the status quo in 'by design' a bit more before it gets shaken but it felt I had to have something and hopefully this helps. \n\nThen again again I may have blown every shred of pathos i could have had by stating this.\n\nRegardless, if you do enjoy let me know please. thank you.\n\nQuestions comments and criticism adored.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "So yeah, assuming anyone I don't talk to regularly reads these... two things.

First, keeping this 'sexually explicit' even though it is not.

Why? Because Honestly I'd rather not see people search this out, get confused, then have to deal with harassment for having a story involving cub later. Call me paranoid I suppose. I'm not ashamed of what I do, I just think that with all the other stuff surrounding this It's easier to keep things consistent for the story.

Second? You can probably skip this. read it if you want, it's a shorter story. But this is more world building and another attempt at a fight scene. I don't know that I am any good at those. It's mostly here to set up the status quo in 'by design' a bit more before it gets shaken but it felt I had to have something and hopefully this helps.

Then again again I may have blown every shred of pathos i could have had by stating this.

Regardless, if you do enjoy let me know please. thank you.

Questions comments and criticism adored.", "writing": "By Design: Topple\n\nBy TerraMGP\n\n\t“We all know why we are here.” A pudgy, balding, brown furred beaver said from his position behind a large faux-wood podium “I want to say first that I am honored, as your Chairman, to stand before you tonight and lead this meeting about a most shocking turn of events.”\n\n\tThe town hall, if it could be called that, wasn’t large. One of countless prefab building about twice the size of a standard prefab house in the main room with two small offices built out of the back. One for the Chairman and one for his secretary.\n\n\tThe people massed were those currently not on a work assignment, or those who had felt that the meeting was important enough to use ‘emergency’ time to attend. A smattering of about a dozen colony citizens sat in various cheap folding chairs looking up at the man. Most of them were parents, though a few young adults who were only about a year or two out of the school system.\n\n\t“First, let me be clear here. I do not wish to take this matter lightly. Warriors of Elysian have been with our colony since the game first came out. Practically since we started. It was my own grandfather in his duties that first signed the contract to officiate it here and I would argue his influence was in fact a key factor when it came to solidifying the game all over K-137. I am proud of our achievements. We have the planet-wide champion and current representative for our regional bracket hailing from our own humble colony. Not for the first time, either. I like to think we all take pride in that and indeed share an affinity for the game.”\n\n\tThe crowd nodded to each other as small murmurs of consensus came up.\n\n\tThree figures sitting just outside the large double doors listened to this and looked at each other with unease. Raven, Hye and Riff all shifting. They knew what this was about, and all three had stopped here instead of going to school, nervous after rumors over the past week.\n\n\t“However.” the chairman continued “When we took this game on I do feel it was with the understanding that it fit our standards as a community. The great Jonathon Whittaker, my dear departed great grandfather, sought to make this colony a place where decent people could find a stable society away from the shallow corruption of the greater galaxy. A place where we would be free to follow higher pursuits without the worry of lower thoughts or crass, uninvolved minds polluting us.”\n\n\tThe crowd cheered for the most part, swayed by his words. Clearly quite pleased with the warbly bombast emanating from the community leader.\n\n\t“However. It has become clear to me now, as I hope it has to you, that the company with whom we have traded so fairly for rights to use their fine products no longer care about the future of our children.” The old holos kicked in, showing a display of the images from the newest set.\n\n\t“This… filth… has been on full display in front of our community game shop. A shop that until now, our loyal Mister Castle has so kindly stewarded for us with total respect for the concerns of the colony that bore him. Yet now I feel it is safe to say we can see where his true loyalty rests.”\n\n\tAnother murmur and a few off the cuff accusatory comments started to rise up as the assembled crowd stirred into a pre frenzy hum.\n\n\t“Now wait a minute here.” a white furred badger muttered as he stood. His sleeveless jump suit and thick glasses all but unmistakable “Chairman, I’m sorry but I thought you said I’d get a chance to defend myself if I came.”\n\n\t“You will, boy. Don’t you worry.” The man said with a nod “But I think we are all aware your defense can only go so far. After all. It was your shop that had these inappropriate images depicted in front, wasn’t it?”\n\n\tCastle sighed and shook his head “Yeah, yeah I put up the displays. The same as I always do” he grumbled \n\n\t“Then by your own volition you admit you were participating in the corruption of our youth. It’s good to see that you don’t deny it. We already allow you quite a bit of dispensation with your task, Mr. Castle. Considering the importance of it. You are already permitted to act on the basis of… commerce” the rotund man behind the podium let the word ooze from his lips.\n\n\t“That’s the nature of the job, yeah.” Castle nodded “Along with coaching and advising. I do the same thing each time, and that means putting up the same materials I’m given along with everything else.”\n\n\t“Really? So when you first heard of this ’Chains of Fate’ set. When you first saw what was in it. You didn’t think it wise to come to me? I am, after all, your Chairman. If something this corrupting comes out I would think it is only right that I be made aware of it. That we, the people, be made aware of it?”\n\n\tThe badger grumbled and shook his head as he leaned a hand on the empty chair in front of him. “Look I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Honestly I never fully got why you want to get censored versions to begin with. I mean the game isn’t bloody or anything. It’s not dipping into any real elements of horror or the like. Trust me. There are far worse games out there.”\n\n\t“Trust you? So then am I to take it you have permitted some of this… filth to be held in your personal collection as well?” The man asked coldly.\n\n\t“I run a game shop. I get Ad copy. If you want me to judge what is safe for kids then I have to keep an eye on every preview and demo I get sent. Hell even before that I never really saw what was so bad about showing a bit more fur. Would that really be so horrible?”\n\n\tThe crowd grew louder, more displeased as he said this. Even the three youths outside could hear the tension growing.\n\n\t“This is just turning into a witch hunt, isn’t it?” Castle sighed in growing frustration.\n\n\t“A witch hunt? An interesting choice of words, Mister Castle.” The man behind the podium laughed “now that term would imply that there is no fault to be had. That you didn’t act knowingly against the standards of this community. That you don’t clearly harbor subversive ideas. It implies your innocence, when clearly it was a mistake to leave you in charge of such a shop. Just as it would be a mistake to allow this game to continue in our community until we address some serious changes to the themes and tone.”\n\n\t“Wait!” A high pitched voice yelled out from outside. Raven and his companions dashed around the corner of the door and into the main hall.\n\n\t“Oh my!” the chairman laughed, fidgeting with his jumpsuit “it seems that our brave colony champ and his little friends have taken an interest in these proceedings. Good for you. Civic awareness is important.”\n\n\t“You can’t do this.” Raven said, half out of breath as he looked around the crowd. “We were listening and, and this isn’t fair”\n\n\t“Oh?” the man laughed back “Unfair? How exactly is it unfair, dear boy?”\n\n\t“Look, I don’t know what’s so important that it has all the grown ups in this town upset. But It’s not fair that you are picking on Mr. Castle. WoE is important to everyone. He’s just trying to do his job and help out the community. He didn’t make the parts did he?”\n\n\tThe stocky beaver man behind the podium narrowed his eyes a bit “Now look here, boy. We need to ensure that everyone in this colony is of a good and decent moral fiber. I realize he has no control over the parts and material as they are sent to him. But he should have come and contacted us the moment he knew what they had sent. We cannot have bad colony members spreading corruption. Regardless of their intentions.”\n\n\tThe assembled crowd cheered and applauded the chairman wildly. The older man smiled and adjusted the collar of his suit slowly letting a measure of smarmy pride seep onto his face.\n\n\t“Yeah, well. It’s not fair and you all know it. I know he’s not corrupt, and he’s not bad. He’s been a good friend to all of us for years and he always looks out for us like a big brother. Us kids won’t just let you punish him and take away his shop because you don’t like the stuff in the new set!”\n\n\t“Oh but I can.” The beaver nodded “I know you feel strongly Mister Himora I do. I can understand the attachment you children may have. But in the end you are simply kids. You don’t understand what is really gong on here, and there is nothing you can do about it.”\n\n\tRaven clenched his fists and grumbled. The bunny seeming ready to burst. He winced and curled his toes a bit on the soft plastic floor before taking a hard stomping step forward. “Oh yes there is!” Raven said loudly. The sudden and rather angry outburst shocked many of the colony members gathered. Many seemed flat out unable to process the audacity of the boys actions. Others muttered in discontent as they spoke in loud whispers and looked around for his parents. “Chairman Whittaker, I challenge you to a Duel!”\n\n\tThe crowds that had been hushed started to murmur loudly. Many looking around in shock as they glanced up at the stunned man at the podium. “You what, boy?” the Chairman muttered. His nerves were easy enough to see, and even as he regained his composure the shock and worry was clear on his face.\n\n\t“You heard me. I win you all stop picking on Mr. Castle and leave him alone. You win and we all drop it. What do ya say? I mean after all, I‘m just a kid.”\n\n\tThe Chairman gazed in stunned shock for another long moment before shaking his head. His words as he spoke quickly inflated with hot bravado that flew freely out over the crowd. “Fine. Of course I accept. I think it’s high time someone reminded the children of this community what it means to show respect to their elders.” The man turned quickly and trundled off to his office. Everyone watching the rotund leader fishing though pockets and pouches before removing an old metal stick-style key on a lanyard from his pocket. It took quite a while for him to fish the thing open and as he did the gathered assembly got a good look of his rump though the clearly too-small jumpsuit.\n\n\tAs he returned Whittaker held up an old and slightly tarnished box stuck into a small plastic-and-spring launching mechanism. The mechanism itself was old, having fallen out of favor decades ago and the dust seemed to indicate that the whole assembly had likely been in that drawer untouched for a while.\n\n\tThe murmurs returned, this time about the Chairman. Both his and Ravens ears buzzed at the all too unpleasant assertions. Whittaker could imagine what they were about. The damn Himora boy had already cast a pal over his whole town meeting. This simply could not stand.\n\n\t“Gentlemans rules then, boy? No fancy flips off of terrain or using the crowd for cover. Just two men” he said the word with a smarmy sneer “in honorable combat. I trust you can agree to that?”\n\n\tRaven grinned and pulled his own well worn and better loved case from his belt. the bunny taking one step back into his usual stance and nodding “Lets do this” he growled.\n\n\tThe two looked each other in the eye and nodded knowingly “Three, two, one. For Elysian!” the two cried the phrase out, but the Chairman was a half moment late. His out of practice fingers fumbling as it launched the thin and simple case out. It hit the ground with a thud and popped open. From it sprang a figure in an archaic red coat and tri-corner hat. It was a capybara, a rather large and dapper one. Large double-breasted red and white surcoat done up to the nines and carrying a large baton under his arm. \n\n\tThe figure surfside Raven, and Starduster as the figure popped out of his confines as well. The little Kangaroo rat blinking and looking up in confusion a moment before his attention turned to the opponent.\n\n\tStarduster quickly pulled his massive sword from his back and started to charge. His fleet feet padding quickly over the plastic as he closed the distance with his odd opponent.\n\n\tIn spite of the building flop-sweat the Chairman managed a large grin as he saw this. A shaky sweaty hand lifted a bit and he nodded his approval. “Cromwell, Lay on” he said happily. The stiff battler lifted the baton from under his arm, waved it, and instantly a streaking volley of glowing energy spheres manifested from a quarter-meter behind him. Starduster blinked and quickly tried to jump off to one side only to be caught as one of the many attacking cannon balls slammed into him and caused him to crumple.\n\n\t“What the heck was that?” Raven yelped.\n\n\t“Perhaps if you knew a bit more about history, my dear boy, you’d recognize a proper artillery volley. Who needs silly little spells and massive swords when a virtual sea of support troops rest at your command.”\n\n\tEven as the Chairman said it, the archaic battler lifted his baton and motioned with it once more. A line appeared on the ground right in front of it and, at least for those who had their HUDs set correctly, A collection of ten soldiers standing in a line slowly rose up from it. Each one held a thick heavy musket which they quickly lowered to bare on Starduster. Seemingly waiting for the commander to drop his baton and give the order.\n\n\t“Oh you’ve got to be kidding.” Raven sighed\n\n\t“First volley” the pudgy beaver growled, clearly getting into the spirit of things. “Fire!”\n\n\tStarduster threw his sword up quickly. The shots bounced off in a hard volley that all but exploded off of the guarding surface like tiny grenades. Both Star and raven shook hard after the impact. The Battler braced and narrowed his eyes as he took a new stance and watched the row of holographic gunners set up for another round.\n\n\t“Yow. That was a new one.” Raven blinked\n\n\t“Are you ready to give up now, boy? You young ones need to learn your place. Seriously, challenging an adult is bad enough. But someone of my stature” he said with a rather booming laugh.\n\n\t“Well I’m not done yet.” Raven growled. \n\n\tStar nodded and touched his hand to the bracer full of vials on his left arm, taking a small mimed swig from a holographic flask an wiping his mouth clean. “You ready to do this, Raven?” Star asked as he fell back into stance.\n\n\t“Ready” Raven nodded.\n\n\t“Second Volley ready.” The Chairman growled “And… fire!”\n\n\tThis time the battler was prepared. Starduster darted off to the side as the shots rang out. A few bounced off of his blade and at least one struck home. Most however flew wide. With the clear miss Star was able to dash forward quickly and outflank the whole line. Once again the battler lifted up from the ground and spun at a high arc. The bot and his heavy blade came down with a ringing smash. It contacted the shoulder of that bright red coat… and did nothing.\n\n\tStarduster growled and pushed harder. Raven looked on in shock and glanced his eyes to his opponents guard gauge. “What gives? Why isn’t your guard going down?”\n\n\t“Oh didn’t you know, boy? Cromwell here is a leader of men. Too important to take the fight to foes directly. As such you can’t get to him without getting though his men first.”\n\n\t“Are you serious?” Raven growled “no way that’s fair.”\n\n\t“It is fair boy, and right. It’s the way of the world for those who lead to be surrounded by those who need leadership. Just as those who need to be lead flock to natural leaders” The man put his hand on his thick belly and laughed loudly “And so long as those followers are around.”\n\n\tThere was a hard jolt and Starduster was knocked back with a simple swing of the opponents arm. He flew back, over the holograms and landed hard with a thud on the other side. Raven winced hard and shook his head in shock.\n\n\t“And while we are on the topic… Second row!” Another row of holographic soldiers started to rise up behind the first.\n\n\t“Wait! How did he just do that?” Hye whimpered out from where she stood near the entrance. “There’s no way he should be able to afford another set of Ads.”\n\n\t“I donno.” Riff muttered “It seems kind of broken. Really cheap too.”\n\n\t“Now children, don‘t complain simply because you see tactics you aren’t used to.” Whittaker laughed softly. “Who needs hit points when you have the TP and regeneration to fill your ranks with loyal soldiers?”\n\n“Seriously“ Raven growled as he narrowed his eyes “this is nuts. Ads workings a shield? What kinda set did you even get that from?”\n\n\t“And here I thought you knew your stuff, boy. I guess kids today really have gotten soft. Now did you think I’d be an easy opponent just because of my position? I was one of the best in the colony back in the day.”\n\n\tChairman Whittaker laughed once more. Laughed harder, a few tears even forming in his eyes. “ Now boy, I think it’s about time you give in. Maybe save a bit of face. If not…”\n\n\t“No way!” Raven snarled. “Mr. Castle has been good to us. I owe him that much. We all do. I’m not going to lose. Especially not to some cheap tactics like that. ”It’s one thing to have Ads. But hiding behind them like a coward? A battler needs to stand on his own. Right Starduster?”\n\n\t“You know it Raven” the small figure said proudly. “It’s about the connection between Raven and me. Between User and Battler.”\n\n\t“If you say so” Whittaker laughed “I’ll be more than happy to teach you the truth, boy. True strength rests in numbers. A leader and his people. If you can’t beat one you can’t beat the other. Not that it will help. You knock one down” Another row of troops started to form up behind the last with another baton wave. “A new row will just spring up… and I have plenty of TP to spare.”\n\n\t“Well then I guess I’ll just have to beat all of them in one shot, won‘t ” Raven smirked\n\n\t“W-what do you mean?” The Chairman blinked and instantly started to flop-sweat. “You can’t be serious.”\n\n\tRaven’s wry smirk grew. His battler took a hard stance and a small shimmer started to swirl around Mountain Breaker. He stood there simply building up power and watching.\n\n\t“Fine, then I’ll finish this now. First Volley, ready! Aim!”\n\n\tStarduster dashed. Kicking off the second the order was given to fire. He moved at breakneck speed. A shimmering blue aura starting to form around him. Peeling off of the dashing kangaroo rat as the first round of bullets streaked towards him only to be cut by a sudden slash. The second row fired only to meet the same result. Then the third. \n\n\tNot once was the stride broken. Even as all three lines were broken with another hard flurry of swings that ripped each holograph troop down of its hit points and scattered them to the winds.\n\n\t“Wait! No! Stop you can’t do that! Cromwell, form the first line!”\n\n\t“Not this time” Raven growled. His battler slammed his blade down on the baton arm. Starduster grinning in amusement “Now finish him off. Meteor Shower Slash!”\n\n\tStarduster let loose a heavy barrage of slashes an hacks, each one seemingly met by after-images each in rapid succession. The now undefended Battler took each hit hard and bounced around as the blade slammed into its target twitching and jolting from every single apparent blow. Finally the sword raised and came down with a hard, heavy blow. It knocked Cromwell back an made him skid on the ground.\n\n\t“There. Told you!” Raven said as he wiped his nose casually with his index finger and grinned wide. “No way I am gonna lose. Especially not to tactics like that.”\n\n\t“Wha… what did you do?” the Chairman blinked and looked down in absolute shock. The crowd gathering around to look at the fallen toy in horror.\n\n\t“Hey, wait.” Hye gasped “Your TP.”\n\n\t“huh?” the stunned beaver looked up at the young girl\n\n\t“Mister Chairman. Your battler. His TP just went back up. He was knocked out! What gives?”\n\n\t“What? N-no they didn’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about little girl.”\n\n\t“No She’s right. Look” one of the adults in the crowd turned, then others. The murmurs quickly growing amongst each other.\n\n\t“now now people” the Chairman muttered softly. “This isn’t quite what it looks like.”\n\n\t“That’s an illegal program mod. You cheated!” someone from the crowd called out.\n\n\tSoon the crowd was gathering around the man and slowly moving forwards. The overweight beaver holding his Battler as he backed slowly towards his office. “now look I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. I do. But shouldn’t we be getting back to the matter at hand? I… I think we need to take a recess and calm down everyone. Now come. Be reasonable. Let’s not allow tempers to get the best of us.”\n\n\tRaven, Hye and Riff watched as the Chairman was backed slowly towards his office. Finally turning and running in to the room as he shut the thick blast door. It slammed hard and locked as people began to bang on it, demanding answers for his conduct.\n\n\t“So wait, he was cheating?” Riff blinked.\n\n\t“Are you really shocked?” A familiar voice sighed. Castle walked up beside the trio and smirked proudly. “Chairman Whittaker was apparently a real bully back in his day. I heard a ton of stories about it too. That is up until Ravens mom beat him.”\n\n\t“Wait mom beat him?”\n\n\t“She was in his class.” The shop owner shrugged “A few years younger maybe but old enough to have some bad interactions from what I hear. I guess he figured nobody would remember.”\n\n\t“I sure never heard anything about it.” Riff said as he shook his head.\n\n\t“And I don’t know how he would have held on to that kind of mod this long.” Hye shook her head “It seems like something they would have patched with an update”\n\n\t“He probably hasn’t updated, probably hasn’t touched his Battler in years. I mean He’s Chairman. He doesn’t have anything to prove.”\n\n\t“Didn’t.” Raven said firmly “I’m just lucky he was rusty I guess. He should have been spamming lines of those stupid soldiers and cannon balls.”\n\n\t“Would have made it too obvious.” Castle shrugged. “Not that it matters. I knew from the start you’d pull though Raven.”\n\n\tThe black furred bunny nod and slumped down a bit. “But people are still going to picket your store.” he sighed. “They’re still gonna protest just because the send you is kinda… dirty I guess.”\n\n\tCastle shrugged as he looked the three over. “Yeah. Well things may get a bit hard for a while. But knowing I have backing like you three helps a lot. Reminds me why I got in to this stuff.”\n\n\tAll three smiled and laughed as they looked at each other proudly. A small knowing not shared between them. “So you think we can get them to maybe hold off all the protesting?” Hye asked nervously\n\n\t“I think they’re going to have a bigger focus for now.” Castle nodded “I don’t know if it’s going to hold until the launch date. But after that beat down Raven gave him and getting caught cheating the Mayor has bigger issues at hand.\n\n\tAll three nodded as they looked between each other and smiled. “Well until then I think I should probably head home.” Raven nodded “I still got a bit of work at home to do. I don’t want you guys leaving me in the dust when launch date hits.”\n\n\tHis two friends nodded a happy affirmation and glanced at each other. Both quite amused. The three friends sharing a moment of well deserved accomplishment.”\n\n-------------------------------\n\n\t“You wanted to see me, chief?” Kimi muttered as she walked into the small corner office. She looked a bit bad off. Worse than usual. A few knots and mats finally forming in her hair and her fur bordering on greasy. There were bags under her eyes that pushed the fur out of the way due to the swelling and a bit of a smell indicated she hadn’t done much in the way of laundry lately.\n\n\tIt was worse than what Molly expected, but not by much.\n\n\t“Sit down Kimi. We need to have a talk.” The grizzled boar muttered as she brought up a few files from the holo display in her desk. “I’ve been looking over the designs. There are a few issues with them. I think you knew that already but I’d like to hear it from you, what do you think those issues might be?”\n\n\t“I don’t know” Kimi muttered as she slowly sat in the over-engineered excuse for an ergonomic chair. Scooting back a bit and fidgeting to get her tail comfortable in the hole that was far too small for it. \n\n\t“I think you do.” Molly said flatly “First of all, there are the design similarities. I’m getting back documents from just about every artist and dev in here. Do you know what they have in common?”\n\n\t“What?” Kimi muttered\n\n\t“Everything. The same design elements, the same themes. The same love of passives. Smaller guns, bigger melee, tight genera theming with a near total lack of vanilla parts or sets. Almost nothing ‘per battle’ or ‘per day’. All creative. But it’s all creative in the exact same way.”\n\n\tKimi looked down a bit and bit her lip, shuddering a bit.\n\n\t“How much of this did you do, Kimi. Be honest. Because we both know I can check.”\n\n\t“A lot” Kimi muttered\n\n\t“how much ‘a lot’?” The boar growled back.\n\n\t“Most of it. Probably. I think” Kimi said with a soft sigh.\n\n\t“And you let them put their name on your work again. Again. Every set I’ve had since you started here I’ve seen you passing off finished work to other people so they can turn it in as their own. I’d say you’re just trying to be nice but we both know that’s not the case. When was the last time you went out with the others to have some fun? Hell when was the last time you left the office?”\n\n\tKimi shrugged softly\n\n\t“No, you don’t know. I don’t know either. I could check, but frankly you are an adult and I shouldn’t be yelling at you like this in the first place.” Molly grumbled and leaned back as she eyed the meek looking little Opossum carefully “Technically I didn’t even call you in here to discuss that. If you choose to let the others cheat off of you then I can only do so much. But it’s not healthy. It’s not healthy for the brand and it’s not healthy for you. Collaboration is one thing but we hire the design staff we have now to ensure we get a flood of new ideas. Frankly if I could get you to admit you gave it to them, if I knew why, I’d be more than happy to fire them and replace them with people willing to collaborate. But for now that’s an issue to cover later.”\n\n\tMolly brought up one of the designs. A generic torso model. The fur and materials all set to a ‘default’ color scheme. It was simple enough. A lithe, skinny female torso with heavy leather straps crossing the body. One strap running down between the legs and meeting with a leather thong, going up to the sternum where it hooked via O rings to smaller straps forming a leather lattice work that acted as a crude and barely concealing top for the figure. The figure neck was left bare but hints of straps went over the shoulders and up to it as well.\n\n\t“This is an example from the new set we’ve been test printing in the lab. A vanilla. A common. Do you see anything wrong with this picture, Kimi?”\n\n\tKimi looked at it a moment and shook her head as a small blush kissed her cheeks. “No ma’am. It fits right into the design specifications Ms. Thanedottr sent.”\n\n\t“Does it now? Well I may have to review the specs she sent you then. Because my packet didn’t say anything about shoehorning kinky bondage gear into a robot fighting game for kids. Especially not when we service so many different and varied communities all across the known galaxy. Now I don’t know what you were thinking but I can’t see a massive group of parents ready and eager to shell out whatever currency they have on hand simply so they can explain to little Billy and Jenny why over half the new ‘neck slot’ items we’re trying to back door hype look like they belong in some kinky after hours club.”\n\n\tThe poor dirty little Opossum bit her lip hard and looked at the powerful woman getting a bit red-faced. She wasn’t as pretty, or elegant, or cool as Ms. Thanedottr. Not at all. But her weak little heart had to flutter a bit in spite of itself.\n\n\t“I promise you, Chief. It was all in the design specs.” Kimi whined out softly “I wouldn’t’ do anything to deviate from set theming from our new owner.”\n\n\tThe boar gave her subordinate a long, hard, steely glair before finally slipping back into her seat. “I believe you.” she muttered “mainly because I don’t think you have it in you to bullshit me on this. I sure as hell don’t buy that someone like you could be this big of a perv.” She growled a bit to herself. That last part was an obvious lie. But then she always had a soft spot for Kimi.\n\n\t“For now, take a break. I mean it. Take a nap, do something that isn’t work. Maybe try to go outside.” Molly sighed, wishing she could make that an order “A lap around the station might do you some good. For now I’m going to get in contact with Ms. Thanedottr and try to sort this out. I’m warning you though. I’m already planning to talk with all the other people you’ve ‘helped’ meet quota. If I find out you have done any more for them then they’re getting a suspension, and your butt is going to be back in here for a long, loud conversation. I make myself understood?”\n\n\t“I understand Chief. I’ll go do something else for a while.” Kimi said as she stood. She walked out slowly, stopping only a moment to swoon against the door frame, quite thankful her boss couldn’t see her.\n\n\tShe was quite hopeful that her boss would make good on that threat.\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "By Design: Topple

By TerraMGP

\t“We all know why we are here.” A pudgy, balding, brown furred beaver said from his position behind a large faux-wood podium “I want to say first that I am honored, as your Chairman, to stand before you tonight and lead this meeting about a most shocking turn of events.”

\tThe town hall, if it could be called that, wasn’t large. One of countless prefab building about twice the size of a standard prefab house in the main room with two small offices built out of the back. One for the Chairman and one for his secretary.

\tThe people massed were those currently not on a work assignment, or those who had felt that the meeting was important enough to use ‘emergency’ time to attend. A smattering of about a dozen colony citizens sat in various cheap folding chairs looking up at the man. Most of them were parents, though a few young adults who were only about a year or two out of the school system.

\t“First, let me be clear here. I do not wish to take this matter lightly. Warriors of Elysian have been with our colony since the game first came out. Practically since we started. It was my own grandfather in his duties that first signed the contract to officiate it here and I would argue his influence was in fact a key factor when it came to solidifying the game all over K-137. I am proud of our achievements. We have the planet-wide champion and current representative for our regional bracket hailing from our own humble colony. Not for the first time, either. I like to think we all take pride in that and indeed share an affinity for the game.”

\tThe crowd nodded to each other as small murmurs of consensus came up.

\tThree figures sitting just outside the large double doors listened to this and looked at each other with unease. Raven, Hye and Riff all shifting. They knew what this was about, and all three had stopped here instead of going to school, nervous after rumors over the past week.

\t“However.” the chairman continued “When we took this game on I do feel it was with the understanding that it fit our standards as a community. The great Jonathon Whittaker, my dear departed great grandfather, sought to make this colony a place where decent people could find a stable society away from the shallow corruption of the greater galaxy. A place where we would be free to follow higher pursuits without the worry of lower thoughts or crass, uninvolved  minds polluting us.”

\tThe crowd cheered for the most part, swayed by his words. Clearly quite pleased with the warbly bombast emanating from the community leader.

\t“However. It has become clear to me now, as I hope it has to you, that the company with whom we have traded so fairly for rights to use their fine products no longer care about the future of our children.” The old holos kicked in, showing a display of the images from the newest set.

\t“This… filth… has been on full display in front of our community game shop. A shop that until now, our loyal Mister Castle has so kindly stewarded for us with total respect for the concerns of the colony that bore him. Yet now I feel it is safe to say we can see where his true loyalty rests.”

\tAnother murmur and a few off the cuff accusatory comments started to rise up as the assembled crowd stirred into a pre frenzy hum.

\t“Now wait a minute here.” a white furred badger muttered as he stood. His sleeveless jump suit and thick glasses all but unmistakable “Chairman, I’m sorry but I thought you said I’d get a chance to defend myself if I came.”

\t“You will, boy. Don’t you worry.” The man said with a nod “But I think we are all aware your defense can only go so far. After all. It was your shop that had these inappropriate images depicted in front, wasn’t it?”

\tCastle sighed and shook his head “Yeah, yeah I put up the displays. The same as I always do” he grumbled

\t“Then by your own volition you admit you were participating in the corruption of our youth. It’s good to see that you don’t deny it. We already allow you quite a bit of dispensation with your task, Mr. Castle. Considering the importance of it. You are already permitted to act on the basis of… commerce” the rotund man behind the podium let the word ooze from his lips.

\t“That’s the nature of the job, yeah.” Castle nodded “Along with coaching and advising. I do the same thing each time, and that means putting up the same materials I’m given along with everything else.”

\t“Really? So when you first heard of this ’Chains of Fate’ set. When you first saw what was in it. You didn’t think it wise to come to me? I am, after all, your Chairman. If something this corrupting comes out I would think it is only right that I be made aware of it. That we, the people, be made aware of it?”

\tThe badger grumbled and shook his head as he leaned a hand on the empty chair in front of him. “Look I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Honestly I never fully got why you want to get censored versions to begin with. I mean the game isn’t bloody or anything. It’s not dipping into any real elements of horror or the like. Trust me. There are far worse games out there.”

\t“Trust you? So then am I to take it you have permitted some of this… filth to be held in your personal collection as well?” The man asked coldly.

\t“I run a game shop. I get Ad copy. If you want me to judge what is safe for kids then I have to keep an eye on every preview and demo I get sent. Hell even before that I never really saw what was so bad about showing a bit more fur. Would that really be so horrible?”

\tThe crowd grew louder, more displeased as he said this. Even the three youths outside could hear the tension growing.

\t“This is just turning into a witch hunt, isn’t it?” Castle sighed in growing frustration.

\t“A witch hunt? An interesting choice of words, Mister Castle.” The man behind the podium laughed “now that term would imply that there is no fault to be had. That you didn’t act knowingly against the standards of this community. That you don’t clearly harbor subversive ideas. It implies your innocence, when clearly it was a mistake to leave you in charge of such a shop. Just as it would be a mistake to allow this game to continue in our community until we address some serious changes to the themes and tone.”

\t“Wait!” A high pitched voice yelled out from outside. Raven and his companions dashed around the corner of the door and into the main hall.

\t“Oh my!” the chairman laughed, fidgeting with his jumpsuit “it seems that our brave colony champ and his little friends have taken an interest in these proceedings. Good for you. Civic awareness is important.”

\t“You can’t do this.” Raven said, half out of breath as he looked around the crowd. “We were listening and, and this isn’t fair”

\t“Oh?” the man laughed back “Unfair? How exactly is it unfair, dear boy?”

\t“Look, I don’t know what’s so important that it has all the grown ups in this town upset. But It’s not fair that you are picking on Mr. Castle. WoE is important to everyone. He’s just trying to do his job and help out the community. He didn’t make the parts did he?”

\tThe stocky beaver man behind the podium narrowed his eyes a bit “Now look here, boy. We need to ensure that everyone in this colony is of a good and decent moral fiber. I realize he has no control over the parts and material as they are sent to him. But he should have come and contacted us the moment he knew what they had sent. We cannot have bad colony members spreading corruption. Regardless of their intentions.”

\tThe assembled crowd cheered and applauded the chairman wildly. The older man smiled and adjusted the collar of his suit slowly letting a measure of smarmy pride seep onto his face.

\t“Yeah, well. It’s not fair and you all know it. I know he’s not corrupt, and he’s not bad. He’s been a good friend to all of us for years and he always looks out for us like a big brother. Us kids won’t just let you punish him and take away his shop because you don’t like the stuff in the new set!”

\t“Oh but I can.” The beaver nodded “I know you feel strongly Mister Himora I do. I can understand the attachment you children may have. But in the end you are simply kids. You don’t understand what is really gong on here, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

\tRaven clenched his fists and grumbled. The bunny seeming ready to burst. He winced and curled his toes a bit on the soft plastic floor before taking a hard stomping step forward. “Oh yes there is!” Raven said loudly. The sudden and rather angry outburst shocked many of the colony members gathered. Many seemed flat out unable to process the audacity of the boys actions. Others muttered in discontent as they spoke in loud whispers and looked around for his parents. “Chairman Whittaker, I challenge you to a Duel!”

\tThe crowds that had been hushed started to murmur loudly. Many looking around in shock as they glanced up at the stunned man at the podium. “You what, boy?” the Chairman muttered. His nerves were easy enough to see, and even as he regained his composure the shock and worry was clear on his face.

\t“You heard me. I win you all stop picking on Mr. Castle and leave him alone. You win and we all drop it. What do ya say? I mean after all, I‘m just a kid.”

\tThe  Chairman gazed in stunned shock for another long moment before shaking his head. His words as he spoke quickly inflated with hot bravado that flew freely out over the crowd. “Fine. Of course I accept. I think it’s high time someone reminded the children of this community what it means to show respect to their elders.” The man turned quickly and trundled off to his office. Everyone watching the rotund leader fishing though pockets and pouches before removing an old metal stick-style key on a lanyard from his pocket. It took quite a while for him to fish the thing open and as he did the gathered assembly got a good look of his rump though the clearly too-small jumpsuit.

\tAs he returned Whittaker held up an old and slightly tarnished box stuck into a small plastic-and-spring launching mechanism. The mechanism itself was old, having fallen out of favor decades ago and the dust seemed to indicate that the whole assembly had likely been in that drawer untouched for a while.

\tThe murmurs returned, this time about the Chairman. Both his and Ravens ears buzzed at the all too unpleasant assertions. Whittaker could imagine what they were about. The damn Himora boy had already cast a pal over his whole town meeting. This simply could not stand.

\t“Gentlemans rules then, boy? No fancy flips off of terrain or using the crowd for cover. Just two men” he said the word with a smarmy sneer “in honorable combat. I trust you can agree to that?”

\tRaven grinned and pulled his own well worn and better loved case from his belt. the bunny taking one step back into his usual stance and nodding “Lets do this” he growled.

\tThe two looked each other in the eye and nodded knowingly “Three, two, one. For Elysian!” the two cried the phrase out, but the Chairman was a half moment late. His out of practice fingers fumbling as it launched the thin and simple case out. It hit the ground with a thud and popped open. From it sprang a figure in an archaic red coat and tri-corner hat. It was a capybara, a rather large and dapper one. Large double-breasted red and white surcoat done up to the nines and carrying a large baton under his arm.

\tThe figure surfside Raven, and Starduster as the figure popped out of his confines as well. The little Kangaroo rat blinking and looking up in confusion a moment before his attention turned to the opponent.

\tStarduster quickly pulled his massive sword from his back and started to charge. His fleet feet padding quickly over the plastic as he closed the distance with his odd opponent.

\tIn spite of the building flop-sweat the Chairman managed a large grin as he saw this. A shaky sweaty hand lifted a bit and he nodded his approval. “Cromwell, Lay on” he said happily. The stiff battler lifted the baton from under his arm, waved it, and instantly a streaking volley of glowing energy spheres manifested from a quarter-meter behind him. Starduster blinked and quickly tried to jump off to one side only to be caught as one of the many attacking cannon balls slammed into him and caused him to crumple.

\t“What the heck was that?” Raven yelped.

\t“Perhaps if you knew a bit more about history, my dear boy, you’d recognize a proper artillery volley. Who needs silly little spells and massive swords when a virtual sea of support troops rest at your command.”

\tEven as the Chairman said it, the archaic battler lifted his baton and motioned with it once more. A line appeared on the ground right in front of it and, at least for those who had their HUDs set correctly, A collection of ten soldiers standing in a line slowly rose up from it. Each one held a thick heavy musket which they quickly lowered to bare on Starduster. Seemingly waiting for the commander to drop his baton and give the order.

\t“Oh you’ve got to be kidding.” Raven sighed

\t“First volley” the pudgy beaver growled, clearly getting into the spirit of things. “Fire!”

\tStarduster threw his sword up quickly. The shots bounced off in a hard volley that all but exploded off of the guarding surface like tiny grenades. Both Star and raven shook hard after the impact. The Battler braced and narrowed his eyes as he took a new stance and watched the row of holographic gunners set up for another round.

\t“Yow. That was a new one.” Raven blinked

\t“Are you ready to give up now, boy? You young ones need to learn your place. Seriously, challenging an adult is bad enough. But someone of my stature” he said with a rather booming laugh.

\t“Well I’m not done yet.” Raven growled.

\tStar nodded and touched his hand to the bracer full of vials on his left arm, taking a small mimed swig from a holographic flask an wiping his mouth clean. “You ready to do this, Raven?” Star asked as he fell back into stance.

\t“Ready” Raven nodded.

\t“Second Volley ready.” The Chairman growled “And… fire!”

\tThis time the battler was prepared. Starduster darted off to the side as the shots rang out. A few bounced off of his blade and at least one struck home. Most however flew wide. With the clear miss Star was able to dash forward quickly and outflank the whole line. Once again the battler lifted up from the ground and spun at a high arc. The bot and his heavy blade came down with a ringing smash. It contacted the shoulder of that bright red coat… and did nothing.

\tStarduster growled and pushed harder. Raven looked on in shock and glanced his eyes to his opponents guard gauge. “What gives? Why isn’t your guard going down?”

\t“Oh didn’t you know, boy? Cromwell here is a leader of men. Too important to take the fight to foes directly. As such you can’t get to him without getting though his men first.”

\t“Are you serious?” Raven growled “no way that’s fair.”

\t“It is fair boy, and right. It’s the way of the world for those who lead to be surrounded by those who need leadership. Just as those who need to be lead flock to natural leaders” The man put his hand on his thick belly and laughed loudly “And so long as those followers are around.”

\tThere was a hard jolt and Starduster was knocked back with a simple swing of the opponents arm. He flew back, over the holograms and landed hard with a thud on the other side. Raven winced hard and shook his head in shock.

\t“And while we are on the topic… Second row!” Another row of holographic soldiers started to rise up behind the first.

\t“Wait! How did he just do that?” Hye whimpered out from where she stood near the entrance. “There’s no way he should be able to afford another set of Ads.”

\t“I donno.” Riff muttered “It seems kind of broken. Really cheap too.”

\t“Now children, don‘t complain simply because you see tactics you aren’t used to.” Whittaker laughed softly. “Who needs hit points when you have the TP and regeneration to fill your ranks with loyal soldiers?”

“Seriously“ Raven growled as he narrowed his eyes “this is nuts. Ads workings a shield? What kinda set did you even get that from?”

\t“And here I thought you knew your stuff, boy. I guess kids today really have gotten soft. Now did you think I’d be an easy opponent just because of my position? I was one of the best in the colony back in the day.”

\tChairman Whittaker laughed once more. Laughed harder, a few tears even forming in his eyes. “ Now boy, I think it’s about time you give in. Maybe save a bit of face. If not…”

\t“No way!” Raven snarled. “Mr. Castle has been good to us. I owe him that much. We all do. I’m not going to lose. Especially not to some cheap tactics like that. ”It’s one thing to have Ads. But hiding behind them like a coward? A battler needs to stand on his own. Right Starduster?”

\t“You know it Raven” the small figure said proudly. “It’s about the connection between Raven and me. Between User and Battler.”

\t“If you say so” Whittaker laughed “I’ll be more than happy to teach you the truth, boy. True strength rests in numbers. A leader and his people. If you can’t beat one you can’t beat the other. Not that it will help. You knock one down” Another row of troops started to form up behind the last with another baton wave. “A new row will just spring up… and I have plenty of TP to spare.”

\t“Well then I guess I’ll just have to beat all of them in one shot, won‘t ” Raven smirked

\t“W-what do you mean?” The Chairman blinked and instantly started to flop-sweat. “You can’t be serious.”

\tRaven’s wry smirk grew. His battler took a hard stance and a small shimmer started to swirl around Mountain Breaker. He stood there simply building up power and watching.

\t“Fine, then I’ll finish this now. First Volley, ready! Aim!”

\tStarduster dashed. Kicking off the second the order was given to fire. He moved at breakneck speed. A shimmering blue aura starting to form around him. Peeling off of the dashing kangaroo rat as the first round of bullets streaked towards him only to be cut by a sudden slash. The second row fired only to meet the same result. Then the third.

\tNot once was the stride broken. Even as all three lines were broken with another hard flurry of swings that ripped each holograph troop down of its hit points and scattered them to the winds.

\t“Wait! No! Stop you can’t do that! Cromwell, form the first line!”

\t“Not this time” Raven growled. His battler slammed his blade down on the baton arm. Starduster grinning in amusement “Now finish him off. Meteor Shower Slash!”

\tStarduster let loose a heavy barrage of slashes an hacks, each one seemingly met by after-images each in rapid succession. The now undefended Battler took each hit hard and bounced around as the blade slammed into its target twitching and jolting from every single apparent blow. Finally the sword raised and came down with a hard, heavy blow. It knocked Cromwell back an made him skid on the ground.

\t“There. Told you!” Raven said as he wiped his nose casually with his index finger and grinned wide. “No way I am gonna lose. Especially not to tactics like that.”

\t“Wha… what did you do?” the Chairman blinked and looked down in absolute shock. The crowd gathering around to look at the fallen toy in horror.

\t“Hey, wait.” Hye gasped “Your TP.”

\t“huh?” the stunned beaver looked up at the young girl

\t“Mister Chairman. Your battler. His TP just went back up. He was knocked out! What gives?”

\t“What? N-no they didn’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about little girl.”

\t“No She’s right. Look” one of the adults in the crowd turned, then others. The murmurs quickly growing amongst each other.

\t“now now people” the Chairman muttered softly. “This isn’t quite what it looks like.”

\t“That’s an illegal program mod. You cheated!” someone from the crowd called out.

\tSoon the crowd was gathering around the man and slowly moving forwards. The overweight beaver holding his Battler as he backed slowly towards his office. “now look I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. I do. But shouldn’t we be getting back to the matter at hand? I… I think we need to take a recess and calm down everyone. Now come. Be reasonable. Let’s not allow tempers to get the best of us.”

\tRaven, Hye and Riff watched as the Chairman was backed slowly towards his office. Finally turning and running in to the room as he shut the thick blast door. It slammed hard and locked as people began to bang on it, demanding answers for his conduct.

\t“So wait, he was cheating?” Riff blinked.

\t“Are you really shocked?” A familiar voice sighed. Castle walked up beside the trio and smirked proudly. “Chairman Whittaker was apparently a real bully back in his day. I heard a ton of stories about it too. That is up until Ravens mom beat him.”

\t“Wait mom beat him?”

\t“She was in his class.” The shop owner shrugged “A few years younger maybe but old enough to have some bad interactions from what I hear. I guess he figured nobody would remember.”

\t“I sure never heard anything about it.” Riff said as he shook his head.

\t“And I don’t know how he would have held on to that kind of mod this long.” Hye shook her head “It seems like something they would have patched with an update”

\t“He probably hasn’t updated, probably hasn’t touched his Battler in years. I mean He’s Chairman. He doesn’t have anything to prove.”

\t“Didn’t.” Raven said firmly “I’m just lucky he was rusty I guess. He should have been spamming lines of those stupid soldiers and cannon balls.”

\t“Would have made it too obvious.” Castle shrugged. “Not that it matters. I knew from the start you’d pull though Raven.”

\tThe black furred bunny nod and slumped down a bit. “But people are still going to picket your store.” he sighed. “They’re still gonna protest just because the send you is kinda… dirty I guess.”

\tCastle shrugged as he looked the three over. “Yeah. Well things may get a bit hard for a while. But knowing I have backing like you three helps a lot. Reminds me why I got in to this stuff.”

\tAll three smiled and laughed as they looked at each other proudly. A small knowing not shared between them. “So you think we can get them to maybe hold off all the protesting?” Hye asked nervously

\t“I think they’re going to have a bigger focus for now.” Castle nodded “I don’t know if it’s going to hold until the launch date. But after that beat down Raven gave him and getting caught cheating the Mayor has bigger issues at hand.

\tAll three nodded as they looked between each other and smiled. “Well until then I think I should probably head home.” Raven nodded “I still got a bit of work at home to do. I don’t want you guys leaving me in the dust when launch date hits.”

\tHis two friends nodded a happy affirmation and glanced at each other. Both quite amused. The three friends sharing a moment of well deserved accomplishment.”

-------------------------------

\t“You wanted to see me, chief?” Kimi muttered as she walked into the small corner office. She looked a bit bad off. Worse than usual. A few knots and mats finally forming in her hair and her fur bordering on greasy. There were bags under her eyes that pushed the fur out of the way due to the swelling and a bit of a smell indicated she hadn’t done much in the way of laundry lately.

\tIt was worse than what Molly expected, but not by much.

\t“Sit down Kimi. We need to have a talk.” The grizzled boar muttered as she brought up a few files from the holo display in her desk. “I’ve been looking over the designs. There are a few issues with them. I think you knew that already but I’d like to hear it from you, what do you think those issues might be?”

\t“I don’t know” Kimi muttered as she slowly sat in the over-engineered excuse for an ergonomic chair. Scooting back a bit and fidgeting to get her tail comfortable in the hole that was far too small for it.

\t“I think you do.” Molly said flatly “First of all, there are the design similarities. I’m getting back documents from just about every artist and dev in here. Do you know what they have in common?”

\t“What?” Kimi muttered

\t“Everything. The same design elements, the same themes. The same love of passives. Smaller guns, bigger melee, tight genera theming with a near total lack of vanilla parts or sets. Almost nothing ‘per battle’ or ‘per day’. All creative. But it’s all creative in the exact same way.”

\tKimi looked down a bit and bit her lip, shuddering a bit.

\t“How much of this did you do, Kimi. Be honest. Because we both know I can check.”

\t“A lot” Kimi muttered

\t“how much ‘a lot’?” The boar growled back.

\t“Most of it. Probably. I think” Kimi said with a soft sigh.

\t“And you let them put their name on your work again. Again. Every set I’ve had since you started here I’ve seen you passing off finished work to other people so they can turn it in as their own. I’d say you’re just trying to be nice but we both know that’s not the case. When was the last time you went out with the others to have some fun? Hell when was the last time you left the office?”

\tKimi shrugged softly

\t“No, you don’t know. I don’t know either. I could check, but frankly you are an adult and I shouldn’t be yelling at you like this in the first place.” Molly grumbled and leaned back as she eyed the meek looking little Opossum carefully “Technically I didn’t even call you in here to discuss that. If you choose to let the others cheat off of you then I can only do so much. But it’s not healthy. It’s not healthy for the brand and it’s not healthy for you. Collaboration is one thing but we hire the design staff we have now to ensure we get a flood of new ideas. Frankly if I could get you to admit you gave it to them, if I knew why, I’d be more than happy to fire them and replace them with people willing to collaborate. But for now that’s an issue to cover later.”

\tMolly brought up one of the designs. A generic torso model. The fur and materials all set to a ‘default’ color scheme. It was simple enough. A lithe, skinny female torso with heavy leather straps crossing the body. One strap running down between the legs and meeting with a leather thong, going up to the sternum where it hooked via O rings to smaller straps forming a leather lattice work that acted as a crude and barely concealing top for the figure. The figure neck was left bare but hints of straps went over the shoulders and up to it as well.

\t“This is an example from the new set we’ve been test printing in the lab. A vanilla. A common. Do you see anything wrong with this picture, Kimi?”

\tKimi looked at it a moment and shook her head as a small blush kissed her cheeks. “No ma’am. It fits right into the design specifications Ms. Thanedottr sent.”

\t“Does it now? Well I may have to review the specs she sent you then. Because my packet didn’t say anything about shoehorning kinky bondage gear into a robot fighting game for kids. Especially not when we service so many different and varied communities all across the known galaxy. Now I don’t know what you were thinking but I can’t see a massive group of parents ready and eager to shell out whatever currency they have on hand simply so they can explain to little Billy and Jenny why over half the new ‘neck slot’ items we’re trying to back door hype look like they belong in some kinky after hours club.”

\tThe poor dirty little Opossum bit her lip hard and looked at the powerful woman getting a bit red-faced. She wasn’t as pretty, or elegant, or cool as Ms. Thanedottr. Not at all. But her weak little heart had to flutter a bit in spite of itself.

\t“I promise you, Chief. It was all in the design specs.” Kimi whined out softly “I wouldn’t’ do anything to deviate from set theming from our new owner.”

\tThe boar gave her subordinate a long, hard, steely glair before finally slipping back into her seat. “I believe you.” she muttered “mainly because I don’t think you have it in you to bullshit me on this. I sure as hell don’t buy that someone like you could be this big of a perv.” She growled a bit to herself. That last part was an obvious lie. But then she always had a soft spot for Kimi.

\t“For now, take a break. I mean it. Take a nap, do something that isn’t work. Maybe try to go outside.” Molly sighed, wishing she could make that an order “A lap around the station might do you some good. For now I’m going to get in contact with Ms. Thanedottr and try to sort this out. I’m warning you though. I’m already planning to talk with all the other people you’ve ‘helped’ meet quota. If I find out you have done any more for them then they’re getting a suspension, and your butt is going to be back in here for a long, loud conversation. I make myself understood?”

\t“I understand Chief. I’ll go do something else for a while.” Kimi said as she stood. She walked out slowly, stopping only a moment to swoon against the door frame, quite thankful her boss couldn’t see her.

\tShe was quite hopeful that her boss would make good on that threat.

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