Story Reader / Affection / Chrome: Arclight / Story

All of the stories in Punishing: Gray Raven, for your reading pleasure. Will contain all the stories that can be found in the archive in-game, together with all affection stories.
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Chrome: Arclight VI

Pleeeaaase—

This kind of behavior will not help your recovery. Plus, it's not like I have all the time in the world.

But I really want to see it!

If you have so much time on your hands, why don't you go play your games? As soon as the limb repair is done, we'll get started on a new training program.

Besides, I don't think [player name] will approve of your idea.

Commandant?

Commandant! Commandant!

Please help me out here!

Ugh, Commandant is heartless! I thought you were here to see me!

What's up?

Oh, how nice of you!

He wanted to go see a play.

You go out on missions every day, while I've been cooped up in here!

How could you leave me to suffer in such boredom—

Com—man—dant!

I'm bored to death here because of my damn injury!

I'm down to picking fights and annoying people at this rate...

Leader's here too, isn't he?

The cast is all here then!

Well, if [player name] says so...

Nanami is here with her little cart-ami!

Nanami waltzes in pushing a cart stacked to twice her height.

Hey, careful! I went to a lot of trouble to make that smoke bomb!

I brought the stage.

Lucia painted it.

Commandant, these are the... costumes I prepared for the play, but they're not finished yet...

Nanami is outta here with her nana-cart!

The otherwise empty space starts filling up with props and laughter.

Kamui, stop picking fights with people.

Yeah.

I've been too busy these days to look after my team members...

Thank you, [player name].

Never a dull moment with you... and Strike Hawk.

You're not aware?

Well, it's not a bad thing.

No, that was not a complaint.

Perhaps I should say... you are a pleasant surprise.

Commandant, Commandant?

What are you two doing in the corner? We're all set!

Commandant, have you memorized the lines?

...

Then we'll just read off the script. I'll show you how.

Pick a role you like.

Scene 2, act 2, Chrome's back garden, action!

On the stage, Chrome leans against the prop window, supporting his gloomy face with both hands.

O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?

O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose; By any other name would smell as sweet.

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd; Retain that dear perfection which he owes...

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love; And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

[player name] steps onto the stage from the side.

What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night; So stumblest on my counsel?

My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words; Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound: Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?

How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb.

And the place death, considering who thou art; If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

By whose direction found'st thou out this place?

Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say "Ay,"; And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st; Thou mayst prove false;

If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.

Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won; I'll frown and be perverse and say thee nay; So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.

O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon; That monthly changes in her circled orb; Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Time for bed, Madam.

I come, anon.—But if thou mean'st not well; I do beseech thee.

Madam...

By and by, I come—; To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief: To-morrow will I send.

Sweet Montague, be true.

Parting is such sweet sorrow... That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

Chrome reaches his hand down toward [player name] from the window.

At that moment, pink billowing smoke rises from down the stage, accompanied by the pungent smell of gunpowder and crackles from beneath the stage floor.

W-wait!

Audience

Aah!

Commandant!

...

Chrome... caught Commandant in his arms...

That... wasn't part of the script! B-but it sure spiced up the play, didn't it?

That was perfect! Commandant, Chrome, that was so slick!

As Nanami closes the curtains, trumpets on either side of the stage let out deafening blasts. Confetti also fills the stage. Kamui claps his hands in excitement.

Are you okay?

...That's good.

Don't mention it.

That's what friends are for, right?

If you ever need me again, just let me know.

I'd be... glad to help.

You mean acting in a play?

Nothing in particular.

But it does feel good to do this with you.

Time to clean up.

Let's go.

...You will be too one day.

Let's go.

Scene 2, act 2, Commandant's back garden, action!

[player name] leans against the prop window.

Standing in the fake grass, Chrome looks up toward the window with admiration in his eyes.

He jests at scars that never felt a wound.

What light through yonder window breaks? O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses.

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven; To twinkle in their spheres till they return; What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars; As daylight doth a lamp.

She speaks: O, speak again, bright angel!

Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

I know not how to tell thee who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself; Because it is an enemy to thee; Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Neither, if either thee dislike.

With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out; And what love can do that dares love attempt.

Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye; Than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet; And I am proof against their enmity.

And but thou love me, let them find me here: My life were better ended by their hate; Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

Time for bed, Madam.

O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? I gave thee mine before thou didst request it. And yet I would it were to give again.

Madam...

By my soul I swear.

A thousand times the worse to want thy light.

It is my soul that calls upon my name: How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night; Like softest music to attending ears!

Chrome lifts his hand toward [player name].