Hiveswap Friendship Simulator: Volume Eleven, entitled "Of Pals And Promises, Made And Broken", is the eleventh installment of Hiveswap Friendship Simulator, a series of "loosely-canonical" Hiveswap spinoff visual novels in the style of dating sim games, but termed "friendship simulators" instead due to their focus on platonic friendships instead of romance. The befriendable characters in this installment (first introduced in the Troll Call) are Mallek Adalov and Lynera Skalbi.
As with all other volumes, it is sold as $0.99 DLC for Volume One. It was also made available on the Google Play Store for the same amount.
Plot
You continue your long trek accross Alternia, musing whether your current situation on a dangerous alien planet is any better than what you had to deal with on Earth. Regardless, you are determined to make new companions, as friends are the only thing that makes this journey worth it.
Mallek
You spend a few moments pondering whether to crash at a friend's place for the moment, but you ultimately decide that you'd rather walk around for a bit. Abruptly, a long car pulls to a stop next to you and two large trolls exit the vehicle. Before you can make a break for it, you are seized by the arms and dragged into the car. The limo takes off, and you find yourself face to face with Mallek. He gives you a casual greeting.
- If you greet him hesitantly, you find yourself considering your current options: stay with a dangerous blueblood, or try something decidedly stupid to save yourself. You go with the latter, opening the car door and launching out of the vehicle before the trolls can protest. While you were right in the fact that doing idiotic stunts wouldn't kill you, the jarring impact is more than you can bear at the moment. SWEET PLANT!
- If you return his greeting in a decidedly rude manner, Mallek strangely doesn't get offended and instead takes in your appearance. Mallek gives you a half-hearted apology for the surprise meeting, formally introducing himself as well. You turn to regard one of Mallek's lackeys, shocked to see Diemen looking right back at you. After you chat a little with Diemen, Mallek reveals that he'd been following you for a while so that he could get to you before someone else could beat him to the punch. Mallek goes on to talk about his initial suspicions regarding your presence on Alternia, ultimately deciding that you have to be a robot to survive this long without being culled. Despite his guess being sorely incorrect, you roll with it just for the sake of making a new friend. Mallek is delighted to hear that his assumptions were correct, prompting Diemen to remark that the possibility of you being a robot did not cross his mind at all. Mallek spends the next few moments texting furiously, then snaps a photo of you and uploads it. You are slightly nervous about things, but follow Mallek to the apartment block he calls home. Before he opens the door, Mallek fiddles with his palmhusk once more and gives his two lackeys a heads-up. Diemen and the bronzeblood take their leave, while Mallek takes you up to his loft apartment at the top of the hivestem. Mallek runs a couple of scans on you, which makes you realize that he's someone well versed in information technology. You feel the urge to ask whether he's working with Tyzias on her anti-establishment agenda, but stop yourself from doing so at the very last minute. Mallek doesn't notice your antics and comments on the fact that there aren't many blues involved with technology; goldbloods are significantly better at it as they have psionics. Puzzled by your reaction, Mallek wonders why your 'creators' didn't program you with cultural sterotypes. When he tries to connect a wire to your being, however, you thwart his efforts, irritating him in the process. Slightly taken aback with how ludicrous the situation is (you decided to let him stick the wire under your armpit), you watch as Mallek gets more and more frustrated as he can't obtain a connection on his computer. You become quite uneasy when Mallek's snake lusus begins winding around your legs, though Mallek reassures you that his lusus wouldn't do anything to harm you. You find yourself getting slightly exasperated with the ongoing charade.
- Should you tell him that you're a special kind of robot his technology can't detect, Mallek will become fascinated declare that he will be the first person to crack your code. Abruptly he asks whether you're hungry, then disappears downstairs to grab a snack. You follow and watch him rumage around in his kitchen while answering a phone call, all the while wondering about all sorts of things regarding Mallek. He snaps you out of your reprieve by addressing you again, and the two of you begin chatting. Mallek gets suspicious about your apparent confusion regarding troll lingo and Alternian words, which confuses you just as much as it befuddles him. A loud crash from above interrupts you both, causing Mallek to round on you as he believes the drones had followed you here. You attempt to explain yourself, but Mallek pays your words no heed and escapes on a rocket board while you dangle precariously over the ten-storey drop.
- Should you tell him that you're not a robot, Mallek will just sink back into his chair dejectedly. You begin to apologize, but he insists that everything's alright--he did snatch you off the street, after all. He then expresses that it was rather foolish of him to believe that robots would be able to solve his problems, which prompts you to ask what's bothering him. He laughs for a bit, but an incoming phone call interrupts proceedings. Irked, Mallek refrains from answering and beckons you to follow him downstairs. When the elevator goes beyond basement level, you become understandably nervous and are less than thrilled to see him leading you into a dungeon-like space. Fear gripping your heart, you follow him past a hidden doorway to the banks of an underground river. Mallek begins talking about himself, making it clear that he wasn't one to fight for lowblood rights as he has no desire to be culled. Despite this, however, he is aware that the rules on Alternia aren't suited for everyone, and hopes to create an impact someday by hacking into all the drones and controlling them en masse. Even so, he is very reluctant to set foot in space as his hacking skills would not be utilized in any capacity. Frustrated with his lack of options, Mallek reaches for his palmhusk and starts tapping away. For some reason, you snatch his device out of his hands, but end up dropping it into the rushing river below. Stunned, Mallek stares at you for a brief moment before shoving you into the drink. You flail around in the dark water hopelessly until someone drags you back up the surface, and you turn to see Mallek apologizing for his thoughtless action. You apologize as well, and he bashfully asks that you keep his plans a secret from others. You agree, and he helps you back upstairs, offering you something else to wear in the meantime. FRIENDSHIP!!
Lynera
You find yourself back in the outskirts of town, hoping to meet someone that's familiar for a change. Realizing that you're quite close to the brooding caverns, you decide to give Bronya a quick heads-up text so you can go hang out with her. She gives you directions on how to meet her right away, but you notice somone else approaching you. Lynera snaps at you, remembering you as the troublemaker that bothered Bronya when a lusus stampede was about to take place. You feel slightly upset with her choice of words, but Lynera is shocked when you believed that you and Bronya shared a bond after all that. You are stunned to learn that Lynera had somehow seen the text you sent Bronya, though Lynera dismisses your enquriy. Lynera sharply informs you that she is Bronya's best friend, there to protect her from shifty individuals that might lead her away from her jadeblood duties. Skeptical with Lynera's claim, you decide that you'd rather meet Bronya in person to hear her side of the story. Lynera is against the idea, and demands to know the exact nature of your relationship with Bronya.
- If you exaggerate your friendship with Bronya in a bid to save yourself, Lynera remains unimpressed with your claims and looms over you threateningly. You then realize that if Lynera had intercepted Bronya's text, no one would know if you were to disappear suddenly. Lynera lunges for you, stunning you with how fast she could move in a long dress.
- If you demand to know what right does Lynera have to creep on Bronya's phone, Lynera will become quite indignant with your response and reiterate that it's her duty to keep tabs on Bronya. Even though you are unconvinced by her answer, you decide that stepping back is in order--Lynera has wrongfully accused you of being in league with the seadwellers, which does not make you trustworthy. Before you can clear things up, Lynera loudly insists that she shall have a private conversation with you instead, botching your chances of meeting Bronya. Lynera abruptly knocks you out, and you wake to find yourself tied up in a small chamber somewhere in the cave network. As the lights flicker on, you see Lynera brandishing a knife in your face. She urges you to tell her the real intentions you have towards Bronya, and gets irritated when you feel bad for yourself. Lynera rambles a bit about her current relationship with Bronya, then becomes sad as Bronya doesn't seem to notice her at all. Your attempt to cheer her up fails miserably, and Lynera begins weeping about her less-than-favourable chances of winning Bronya's heart. You spend the next few moments consoling and reasoning with Lynera, but she stubbornly insists on fixating on Bronya, even though it's evidently unhealthy of her to do so. Watching her break down into tears once more distresses you, but you also realize that using her misery as a distraction would be a great opportunity to abscond.
- Should you choose to attempt an escape, you notice a nearby notebook that has a sharp edge. Discreetly scooting your chair closer, you manage to grab hold of the book and saw through your restraints. Hearing Lynera rant about her desire to murder Elwurd makes you saw faster, and you are free in mere moments. As Lynera turns to face you, you point the notebook at her, warning Lynera to stay back or you'll destroy the tome containing precious moments between Lynera and Bronya. Lynera reluctantly steps aside, but as your palmhusk is still is her possession, you make no move towards the exit. Lynera refuses to return your phone, insisting that you would not be allowed to contact Bronya. In response, you blackmail her into returning your phone, or watch you inform Bronya about everything that has taken place. Genuinely upset, Lynera allows you to leave, declaring that Bronya's her only friend. The player flees while Lynera clutches her notebook to her chest.
- Should you choose to try and comfort her, you realize that this is harder to accomplish when tied to a chair. As it were, you wind up tipping the chair and would have impaled yourself on Lynera's knife if she hadn't yanked your chair back. Shaken by what happened, Lynera quickly tells you that she never wanted you to die, and that maybe what she's doing is wrong. Touched by your bid to console her, she frees you from your bonds. Wanting to help her feel better, you take her to the cafe you once went with Elwurd so that you can introduce Lynera to someone new. Right after you order the drinks, Lynera shyly informs you that she doesn't leave the caverns much on account of her numerous responsibilites, and is rather uncomfortable interacting with trolls of other blood castes. You reassure her that it's alright to be nervous, which causes Lynera to snap that she's not afraid of socialization; it's because everyone else seems disorganized and untrustworthy in her eyes. As it were, a teal approaches you both, claiming that she's seen you at the bookhive before. Just as you were about to reply, Lynera rudely sends the teal packing. You are vaguely upset with her unwillingness to make new friends, but Lynera insists that having you as a friend would be enough for her. Despite your trepidation with the arrangement, you are hopeful that Lynera will be able to make healthy friendships someday. FRIENDSHIP!
Character Sprites
Mallek's character sprites
Lynera's character sprites
Gallery
Mallek's first bad ending
Mallek's second bad ending
Mallek's good ending
Lynera's first bad ending
Lynera's second bad ending
Lynera's good ending
Trivia
- While this volume was released on Android on its intended date, the Steam release had to be delayed due to unforseen changes to the times in which games could be launched.
- At one point in each route, some signs from The Extended Zodiac can be seen. Mallek's route has the signs of Scorcen, Caprisci and Sagittanius in the background of the room with the underground river, and Lynera's study cave has books with the signs of Caprilo, Virpia, Gemo, Scorpia, Capries, Sagipio and Taurmino.
- There seems to be a Iron Maiden of sorts in Lynera's study cave, with jade blood oozing out of it.
- The teal that approaches Lynera and the player is called Nufren, a play on the words 'new friend'.
