[OOC][PLOT] The Seventh Thread of Planning for Arc 1 - Arrivals

[Black Aeronaut]

That compresses the timeline enough for Ben to get a Taiga persocom for Valentine's Day.

We have to make a few assumptions:

• Somebody at Piffle is smart enough to realize what happened to them without it being explained by a manager (Chitose or Minoru might, but I suspect Zima with his government databases would notice the discrepencies as soon as he went online the first time);
  
• Somebody (Yumi? Yuzuki? Sumomo?) would have to watch Toradora as soon as they realize what's happened, and suggest making a "palmtop Taiga";
  
• Piffle would have to have their rapid-prototyping fabricator (3D printer) online early;
  
• Ottawa has to be Kobayashi &co.'s first stop; and
  
• The Taiga Persocom that Ben gets is the prototype.
  

Which means the Persocom Unison Device that Tomo somebody gets in order to become a magical girl wouldn't be built for a long, long time - definitely not until the beta-testing is completed.

EDIT: As for the "archiving" of memories, that sounds suspiciously like what happened to Freya in Chobits canon.

I know you've dropped tidbits about Piffle here and there, but so far the only solid thing I know about them is "We make Persocoms!"

Have you...  *Checks the wiki*  Ah, good, so there is a page...  Though the individual character pages are kinda lacking.  I'll have to do a bit more research later, but who are Dita and Zima?  I don't recall them from the anime.

Anyhow, I think we can make those suppositions ring true.  It just depends on how we write the damn thing. 

If we want Tomo or someone else to have a Taiga Unit as well, then it wouldn't be out of the question for them to be part of the testing group.  I mean, combat conditions *are* a scenario you want to see data from, and no simulation, no matter how good, can offer the true randomness of actual combat.  And also, pretty sure there'd be ordinary "Palmtop Taiga" Persocom-chibis.  In all reality, in addition to Ben's Reinforce Taiga, this means there'd be two additional prototypes, bare minimum.  More would be preferred - like somewhere in the neighborhood of six or eight units.  (No, no need to say specifically who they go to or anything like that.  They can simply be collectively referred to as the "Testing Group".  But if we do want to give someone else a "Palmtop Taiga" as either a Persocom or a Unison Device, then this will provide that opportunity.)

Besides, Reinforce Taiga would only be the FIRST prototype - albeit a high-spec custom build co-designed by Hayate[1], and for the specific purpose of being a Unison Device intended for the special cases that are Anti-Mages like Ben or Touma (because a 'regular' Unison Device cannot unison with them).  It's only a prototype in the sense that they're using the data she generates to refine the personality matrix for the production models.

Interesting idea: all the Taiga Units will actually revere Aisaka Taiga when she shows up.
"Hey... I know this warm and fuzzy stuff kinda comes hard for us.  But... really.  We're all grateful for you, you know?  Because without you... we would never have existed."

It's one of those watershed moments where you realize that merely even *existing* has had a profound effect on others.

In regards to Freya and how her memories were repressed...  Eh.  From what I recall, Freya didn't *want* that.  But in the case of a Persocom that's been abused?  Pretty sure they'd dearly love to be able to pack those memories away so they're not constantly being haunted by what happened to them.  God knows I'd love to be able to do that to myself.

1

I have this interesting idea about Hayate going waaayyyyy overboard with the biomimetics in Reinforce Taiga.  Something along the lines of, "If the Wolkenritter and Reinforce Zwei get to have it, then so does Taiga!  I want her to be able to be as close to being a real girl as possible so she can be happy!"  This can also have the added fun of making Ben flip genders when he unisons with Reinforce Taiga.  Though not always - it will turn out that with a bit of concentration, they can go male or female when they unison.  One thing is for sure....  "Nanoha, are you drooling?~"  "How can you say something like that, Fate-chan...  (*whispers* feito-chan?  tasukete.)"

[robkelk]

Have you...  *Checks the wiki*  Ah, good, so there is a page...  Though the individual character pages are kinda lacking.  I'll have to do a bit more research later, but who are Dita and Zima?  I don't recall them from the anime.

They're there, at the end of the series, just not with as big a role as in the manga. They're the ones who are really worried about what Chii's about to do - until she does it.

In the manga, Zima's a government database server and Dita is his firewall/bodyguard. (And now that I've phrased it that way, I realize Dita has that "firewall" function in common with Last Order.)

[robkelk]

Anyhow, I think we can make those suppositions ring true.  It just depends on how we write the damn thing. 

For your consideration:


"Let's see what you've got."

Gil Graham opened his laptop to reveal an already-running CAD program displaying specifications for something called a "unison device". As he passed the laptop to his hosts, he commented, "Ms. Hanyu said that you were probably the only people here short of Washuu-chan who could do anything with this."

The first thing that Chitose Hibiya noticed was the sheer amount of hardware required - there was easily enough listed to fill a full-sized persocom shell, leaving no room for a processor. "It can't be done. There's no way that this will fit into a palmtop."

"Only if you confine yourself to three dimensions," replied Gil's companion, Aria Lieze. "We have proof that there are more. We can connect three-dimensional items in a seven-dimensional sheaf. This" - she pointed at one device schematic - "is the only hardware that needs to be in the same three-space as the interface."

"If it wasn't for what Ms. Uiharu's friend Skuld showed me back in January, I'd think that either you were insane or you thought that I was." Chitose turned to her own palmtop. "Kotoko, what do you think?"

"Considering what Kobayashi-san showed us yesterday, I think the only way we're going to find out is to try it."

Gil and Aria smiled. "Thank you, ladies. Hayate will be happy to hear that."

Chitose looked straight at Gil. "We didn't say that we were going to do this, Mr. Graham. It takes time and money to develop a persocom personality matrix and a matching shell."

"Money is not an issue, Ms. Hibiya." Aria opened her own briefcase to reveal a half-dozen gold bars (making the staff of Piffle wonder just how strong this young woman was). "I trust one of these will be sufficient."

"I'd say two of those, if they're pure gold," Kotoko countered. "But I'm just a persocom, so what do I know."

"Oh, don't be like that, Kotoko. You're a valuable member of the team." Chitose turned back to Gil and Aria. "She's right - assuming that those are what they look like, we'd need two to cover our costs. And while that covers the financial issue, there's stil the matter of time. We couldn't have a new persocom design ready for you within the time you need it."

Both of the visitors to Piffle looked dismayed. Then Aria had an idea. "Father, does the new unison device need to look like Reinforce Zwei?"

Gil thought for a moment, then replied, "It would probably be better if it didn't."

"Father..."

"I'm sorry. It would probably be better if he or she didn't."

Minoru Kokubunji raised his hand. "In that case, we do have a new persocom design that I was working on to keep my skills from going stale."

"The Aisaka personality matrix?" Kotoko shook her head, "That's nowhere near ready for general release."

"But it is ready for beta-testing."

Gil laughed. "Hayate did say she wanted to give Mr. Rhodes something that would give him a challenge."

"Beta-testing a persocom is definitely a challenge," Kotoko replied.

[Black Aeronaut]

I like what I see here.  There's just one thing that jumps out at me...

"Father, does the new unison device need to look like Reinforce Zwei?"

Gil thought for a moment, then replied, "It would probably be better if it didn't."

"Father..."

"I'm sorry. It would probably be better if he or she didn't."

The Department of Redundancy Dept. wishes to inform you.... 

For the reiteration, it'd probably better if a real brief reason were given.  Like maybe, "We already have Reinforce and Reinforce Zwei.  It will start to become confusing if a third Reinforce were present."

[robkelk]

I like what I see here.  There's just one thing that jumps out at me...

"Father, does the new unison device need to look like Reinforce Zwei?"

Gil thought for a moment, then replied, "It would probably be better if it didn't."

"Father..."

"I'm sorry. It would probably be better if he or she didn't."

The Department of Redundancy Dept. wishes to inform you.... 

For the reiteration, it'd probably better if a real brief reason were given.  Like maybe, "We already have Reinforce and Reinforce Zwei.  It will start to become confusing if a third Reinforce were present."

That bit was supposed to be read as Aria complaining, "Father, don't call a thinking being 'it'."

[robkelk]

Speaking of Piffle and persocoms... I was browsing Behind the Name and came across a name that they could use for their first all-original design in the Metacontinuity: Ririka.

According to the website, ordinarily one would write "Ririka" as "花" or "華", either one meaning "flower". But one can also write "Ririka" as "理倫加" - the first "ri" as in "logic", the second "ri" as in "companion", and "ka" as in Canada. It might not be an actual Japanese name when written that way, but that just makes it more attractive as a name for a Canadian-made "logic companion".

And, you know, Maika could use some help with the cleaning at Blossom...

Now to decide what she looks like. That's what a Safebooru source for "original" and "maid_apron" is for, right? (gives that a try - 139 pages of results) Hmmmmm... this image looks good. She's definitely a maid, not a meido, and the ornament at her waist shows that her personality has a bit of whimsy to it. As for glasses on a persocom, maybe she's borrowing one of the zero-prescription pairs that Skuld gave the residence a while back.

[Black Aeronaut]

She's lovely~.  And I can imagine that Kobayashi and her friends would have all kinds of input for Piffle for creating Maid-themed Persocoms.

For more character art, original and otherwise, may I recommend r/Patchuu?  Their selection isn't the largest, but they do tend to filter through the masses for some of the most visually stunning pieces out there.

[Labster]

Nice story, Rob.  Maybe use italics so it seems less redundant.

"The Aisaka personality matrix?" Kotoko shook her head, "That's nowhere near ready for general release."

"But it is ready for beta-testing."

I haven't exactly figured out how to introduce my SI's unison device, but I was thinking of something like this, a personality that's more grown than programmed.  Maybe after listening to Dartz about what an electronic mind is supposed to be, we decide to let a persocom grow up?  Anyway, the serial number is 48-51Y and it won't be my fault if she decides to turn that into Yotsuba Koiwai.  (Actually totally my fault.)  She might come with some combat skills built in, but her choice of barrier jacket is somewhat derivative.

I was also thinking she'd be Rein2 or Sumomo sized, which is only a bit smaller than usual Yotsuba size.

[robkelk]

Speaking of Piffle and persocoms... I was browsing Behind the Name and came across a name that they could use for their first all-original design in the Metacontinuity: Ririka.

According to the website, ordinarily one would write "Ririka" as "花" or "華", either one meaning "flower". But one can also write "Ririka" as "理倫加" - the first "ri" as in "logic", the second "ri" as in "companion", and "ka" as in Canada. It might not be an actual Japanese name when written that way, but that just makes it more attractive as a name for a Canadian-made "logic companion".

And, you know, Maika could use some help with the cleaning at Blossom...

Now to decide what she looks like. That's what a Safebooru source for "original" and "maid_apron" is for, right? (gives that a try - 139 pages of results) Hmmmmm... this image looks good. She's definitely a maid, not a meido, and the ornament at her waist shows that her personality has a bit of whimsy to it. As for glasses on a persocom, maybe she's borrowing one of the zero-prescription pairs that Skuld gave the residence a while back.

It looks like we're all good with robot mages, so... one writeup-stub, copied from the wiki. Let me know when the story's ready for her to show up - but she won;t show up for at least a month after the palmtop Taiga is online and in Ben's hands.


Ririka
理倫加

• Residence: Blossom Apartments
  
• Original ficton: There's Nothing Better, via Chobits, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, and Lyrical Nanoha
  
• Height: 150 cm
  
• Blood Type: n/a
  

She started as an experiment - could Piffle make a persocom using only of-the-shelf parts available in the Metacontinuity? Well... no. So they fabbed their own parts. Her original design came from Minoru Kokubunji's notes, but when Chitose Hibiya saw the plans, she immediately redesigned the chassis to be less "teenaged boy's wet dream" and more "cute girl next door", and told Minoru to revise the personality programming from "meido" to "maid".

The Kobayashis and Gil Graham visited as she was being developed, and Chitose quickly added a magic coprocessor to her design - delaying the design phase of her build project. ("Feature creep" happens.) After her physical design had been finalized save for cosmetic matters, Rob Donaldson was invited to see the "Project Ririka" during one of their visits to Piffle, at which point he volunteered (after being asked by Chitose) to beta-test the completed persocom. A month later, after alpha-testing was completed, Ririka arrived at Blossom's doorstep.

Description

Ririka is original to There's Nothing Better.

Her name is written 理倫加 - logic, companion, "Ka" as in "Canada" - as an indication that she's the first persocom made in Canada from the ground up (instead of being based on an existing flesh-and-blood person or persocom model).

Her glasses are an affectation.

Skills and Powers

Ririka has the standard persocom abilities. She does not have the chobit abilities.

She also has a basic grasp of magic, which she uses in the performance of her duties. Her forte is in cantrips/charms for spot removal, light dusting, and related matters, but she does know some offensive and defensive spells.

Her mundane skills, to begin with, focus on her role as a maid-of-all-work... but she also has a childlike fondness for baby animals, and has learned the basics of pet care.

Relationships with Other Characters

Ririka thinks of Chitose as a mother and Chii as a big sister.

She thinks of Rob as her employer and Maika as her "sempai" co-worker.

Ririka has not yet found her "the one who is only for me".

[robkelk]

I was tempted to add "Her duster handle is oak, with a Senshi hair core - suited for blending in until the monster of the week appears."

Maybe I will, at that. Since it's oak, it would have to have one of Makoto's hairs...

[Labster]

Geez, talk about Jupiter Oak Evolution.

[Labster]

I just posted a new scene/chapter on the wiki in Channeling Mana, but I want all of the lead authors to approve it going in, because it throws in some real-world politics.  I'm completely okay with trashing the scene, as it's not at the heart of the story I'm writing.  But it can go in if it's somewhere we're willing to go, and it improves the story.

[robkelk]

No issues here - everybody's in character, and I seem to recall we already had this discussion about including real politics back in real life 2017.

[Labster]

Fair enough, but I hasn't actually written anything until now. BA approved on Discord, so I think we're just about ready to start serializing that story.

[robkelk]

I have been stuck on a combat scene for weeks, if not months.

I have finally powered through it, which is why the running count for chapter 4 at the forum top just jumped 11K.  I do have to tie it all off yet, but I think I just bludgeoned the hard part into a manageable paste.

...

And now it's time for me to power through a combat scene here... so I don't know when my next chapter will be up.

Oh, this is annoying...

My story notes say "characters reach Kingston, ON, stay at the local youth hostel, head to Ottawa the next day". Care to guess how many youth hostels there are in Kingston, ON?

If you said "zero", you know more about that city than I did up until now.

So I need to come up with (or justify handwaving away) a reason for them to have enough cash to stay at a budget hotel instead...

[Bob Schroeck]

What's wrong with postulating a youth hostel that's not in our timeline?

[robkelk]

D'oh!

It isn't as if they're going to know, after all.

[robkelk]

Speaking of that story, I just realized that I am remiss in acknowledging copyrights.

Without further ado, credits for what I've already used:

• Lyrics from "She Ain't Pretty", performed by The Northern Pikes, written by Bryan Potvin, from the album Snow in June, © 1990 Virgin Records
  

And for what I'm planning on using in the final chapter:

• Lyrics from "Lovers in a Dangerous Time", written and performed by Bruce Cockburn, from the album Stealing Fire, © 1984 True North Records
  
• Lyrics from "Stairway to Heaven", performed by Led Zeppelin, written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, from the album Led Zeppelin IV, © 1971 Atlantic Records
  

[Labster]

I had long pondered how exactly they have pure white gondolas in Neo Venezia, where they are traditionally black, and for good reason -- the waters in the canals of real life Venezia are pretty filthy, and even the lagoon isn't exactly clean.  I was playing Terraforming Mars lately, and I finally decided to look up exactly what the "Soletta" card represented.  It comes from Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy, and apparently is an orbital device to focus sunlight on the ground.  All of which explains how you can keep the canals so clean on a living world -- the canals are glass-sided, because they've been etched into the ground with the power of the Sun.

Which is kind of the fun thing about crossover fiction -- you can use one fiction to explain another.

I am trying to post a chapter of Channeling Mana every two or three days, but we'll see how well that works out, since my buffer is not all that long in terms of finished chapters.  I have a bunch of half-finished material that's been waiting months to appear.  Chapter 17 is basically finished, chapter 24 predates the idea for the plot, even. But there are some chapters in the middle that still need the vast majority of the writing to be done.  Currently, I think the story takes 27 chapters to finish, which I guess means I'll be done in two months or so.

[robkelk]

Did some more "writing about writing" today. Folks with wiki access can see my current plans here and my notes for my current story here

And the scene where Mii, Ami, and Rob talk about where they're going to live once they all go home is now taking place on November 9. (tl;dr: If interuniversal portals are okay, stay at Blossom, buy the building from Ciel and run it as a normal apartment building; if not, everybody lives in Ami's world because she can't be Usagi's daimyo anywhere else and the others are free to pull up stakes.) Too bad that idea goes down the tubes once Academy City shows up in the Metacontinuity, right?

[robkelk]

Oh, this is awkward... I just realized that a scene in the story that I've been posting won't make sense unless I post another story first - and I'll have to write that story before posting it. So I'm going to have two stories on the go at the same time - with one story only a single chapter away from being completed.

Such is life.

[robkelk]

Am I missing seeing somebody obvious, or are there no priests among the displacees? There's a Shepherd (Book), a shrine maiden (Rei Hino), and a guru (Clef), but is there a priest?

If not, I'll need to bring the Rental Magica folks in earlier than I'd planned, just for Nekoyashiki...

[Labster]

I'd say shepherd is the same as pastor, it's just a translation.  I've definitely got a mainline protestant feel out of Book, though.  And Saber, well... actually Arturia probably predates the era where monarchs had a special role in the church.  Caster may well be a priestess of Hecate, if that counts?

We do have the SIs, though.  I'm a cantor, and have assisted a pastor in conducting church services.  I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say that Ben is a deacon.

Oh right, I brought in Black Lagoon! We have the Rip-Off Church, which includes a priest named Rico.  If you don't mind your church services with an extra dose of ultraviolence, that is.

On another topic, maybe we need an images thread just for us.  Make it easier to find our reference material.

[Black Aeronaut]

I'm actually considered a priest.  LDS starts us off pretty early.  We're Deacons at age 12, Priests at 16, and then Elders at age 19 when we take off on our missions, and then high priests by...  35, I think?  The reason for this is that we're steeped so much in Gospel Doctrine and Book of Mormon History from so early on, we pretty much know all the major details by the time we're ten.  We pretty much get thrown into the deep end as soon as we're out of the Nursery and into Primary (Sunday school for children).

I guess that's one of the other reasons why I'm not so active anymore.  (Note: I never went on a mission and was never ordained as an Elder.)  The fixation for the gospel to occupy every aspect of your life is just plain smothering, and as we've seen so far, I am so much more multifaceted than that.

[Bob Schroeck]

I just realized that a scene in the story that I've been posting won't make sense unless I post another story first

<COSBY>I told you that story so I could tell you this story.</COSBY>