[IC] A Guild Adventure: An RP with Monster Girls! (ENDED)

[BKburke]

@PaulHaynek

John followed Bart inside. He waved goodbye to Talia for now before walking off. Well Bart, I got to admit, I'm a little uncomfortable here at the moment. I never really encountereda monster or anything and the descriptions I'm getting aren't exactly inviting. John paused for a moment as he sat down. I haven't been up to much Bart. Just helping Talia make a stable for the horses. Also, if you didn't find anyone to fix that hole out front, I can do it. As far as what I've been up to outside of this place, I couldn't risk taking some of my things on the road incase someone tried to rob me. I'm working on a magic weapon and I'm having it mailed here so I can finish it later. It's gonna take a bit to get here but I would prefer it sent directly to what ever room is now mine. John again paused. There was something he had meant to be asking. He thought about for a long enough time that it might cause a bit of concern.

You know Bart. I've been thinking for most of the day now. Why did you ask me to come along? I'm not a warrior or fighter, you guys already have a blacksmith with a skill set arguably better than mine. And I'm certain you didn't ask me to come along because I can patch up the roof. Did you really ask me to come along because Talia would need a helping hand? In my experience, a lot of people came to me for magic arms and armament. While I wouldn't say they are rare in my field, they aren't exactly easy to make. It just so happens, that I can in particular, use magic to enchant things much better than others. I'm not going to take offenseif that's the case, but is that why you asked me here?

[Restalaan]

@PaulHaynek@ShwiggityShwah

Yang Bethlehem

While her initial strike was true, it still wasn't enough to bring the warrior down as she managed to recover far faster than Yang expected. A long arc of the axe was narrowly avoided as she ducked downwards, only to have a hidden shield strike follow up.

Raising her own shield, it clashed with the champion with a bang and sharp echo. Yang was strong but the champion was larger and stronger, the impact rocked her arm and shock to her head she briefly lost focus for a moment. That was all it took as the champion continued and sent her tumbling to the ground.

Her axe raised to bissect her, Yang eyes snapped upward to it before someone else prevented it from bearing down on her.

Ozzy, bless her, had interrupted the champion and managed to even enrage her. Though whatever joy she had was quickly silenced when Ozzy was brutally slammed several times and discarded like trash.

That brought fury and rage within Yang as her knuckles and teeth clenched tightly, eyes went bloodshot, and her breathe increased. A fire churned within her and the usual stable Ki energies in her was increased in response to her emotions.

Without hesitation, her muscle coiled and legs sprung forward like a tiger bearing down onto its prey. Letting out a wordless cry, she swung the mace with both hand right to the legs of the champion. Mace met bone and kneecap, as a sickening sound and crunch was heard across the battlefield.

The moment this happened, Yang leapt upwards with a single leg, twist and turn in mid-air before landing a hammer blow with both of her fist dead center of the champion head. The impact shock and force went through the helmet and straight to the brain, then the spine and finally the legs.

And still, she wasn't done as she was right on top of the champion shoulders in an upside down fashion. Her hand was already clenched down on the shoulders, and for the champion, it felt like an iron claw had sunk itself into her flesh.

Utilizing the momentum as they fell forward due to Yang extra weight and one broken leg, Yang managed to land feet-first and then tossed the champion like a sack of potato into the ground shoulder first. Combining weight, momentum and force altogether. She barely halted herself ,as one leg was raised upwards into an axe kick position, in time when the haze lifted from her vision.

Yang hissed and clicked her tongue hard before she ignored the champion and head towards Ozzy, smashing and getting rid of any Varjan knight that stood in their path.

Once she reached Ozzy, Yang quickly examined the harpy for any severe damage.

"You alright?!" She quickly said and gently touched him, not wanting to aggravate any damage done.

---
@13org@AzureKnight

Ditzy Stoneclub

While he managed to held Nera down, the Viera was still able to find footing and clawed at him desperately in order to escape.

Ditzy saw it and let one hand free from the grasp to protect his sides by raising a guard against it, confident that he can take it.

It didn't and it resulted in having a claw raking his skin and flesh, which elicited a cry of pain and blood pouring from the wound. This brief window slacked his grip on Nera and she was free to escape from Ditzy grasp.

That usually works against hell boars. He thought to himself but then again, he never really tried to simply hold a hell boar down. Ditzy had often snapped it before it could do anything further, unless the boar was really strong or large. He thought a rabbit would've been easier.

To Ditzy luck, the slashes wasn't as deep to expose the bone and was a shallow one as his physical body was a lot tougher than that. He tested his fingers and it still moved, though he winced as each action had blood slowly spurting from it.

"That hurts." Ditzy only responded in a flat tone, not too pleased and trying to ignore the pain.

Ditzy tightened himself and went low, carefully inching forward to her reach. Ditzy had felt Nera body and muscle, deducing that she was reaching the end of her stamina too. Ditzy eyed the sandbag weapon that laid close to Nera, the scuffle had them rolling and moving around that it was next to her.

An idea hatched in his head and he decided to act on it.

Got to keep her moving, dad often said you got to make sure the prey is always on the run. Ditzy thought and he smiled.

"Hey, hey, let's play tag!" He smiled despite the wound and loss of blood that had slowly stopped itself. Ditzy was very good in tag after all.

That was the only warning Nera got as Ditzy moved forward in an almost insulting speed, or at least, insulting for a Viera standard as he jogged towards her leisurely. It was the most stable run Ditzy can afford to do without falling over as he approached her with his guard up, and if Nera wasn't careful, those arms would soon be around her and this time, much tighter and stronger.

If Nera tries to take a fight, Ditzy would immediately dive into her once again but otherwise, he often move, doubleback his steps and try to head straight to Nera. Inadvertently buying time but also keeping pressure in exhausting Nera. He was lacking in agility and speed but he can make it up with stamina and a burst of speed.

"Gonna catch ya, push ya, and wrestle ya!" Ditzy sung a tune that most goblins in his tribe did whenever they're the catcher. Unaware that Ditzy actual aim was his sandbag weapon as he tried to scare Nera from approaching him, and allowing him to retrieve it.

Once he got his weapon, he can use it as a way to make up for range and continued his game of 'tag'. Only this time, Ditzy had a sandbag that he can fully utilized more with his strength. It won't kill outright but it certainly hurt if it hits.

[ShwiggityShwah]

Yang @Restalaan; @PaulHaynek

---

There is something a good little harpy learns at a very young age before they learn to fly. How to fall. Its very possible that like a baby bird; they can't quite get the hang of it on their first go. Toddler harpies are taught what to do if they fall, you curl up at the last moment. You protect your head, and your wings. Its going to hurt, but you're less likely to break those hollow bones. If you do, you're in real trouble.

And so with a surprised squawk, Ozzy felt hands on his legs and with a flap, he couldn't dislodge himself, and so being swung like a ball in chain, he curled up, hitting the ground. Shoulder, back, feathers cushioned that one, ribs. Crack. He sucked in wind and felt blood pool in his mouth. Another shoulder against the ground, a rock happened to be there, dislocating it. That would keep him from flying too... he was in real trouble. The gods were with him though as in a moment where his world was blacking out he found himself free and crumpled in a heap nearby.

He lied motionless, unable to put thoughts to action.

Nothing happened for a little bit before a familiar voice shouted to him. What responded was a rather pitiful. "Oww..." He tried to move but when his muscles attempted to move his shoulder her suddenly cried out, unable to hold it in anymore. He wasn't a warrior, he was a scholar, and this was probably the worst he's ever been hurt. A tear did form in his eye unconsciously. Uncoiling he felt the burning pain in his stomach. He quieted himself. Making audible sucking sounds to keep himself quiet. "Sh-Shoulder... my side too." He told her, unsure of exactly what she could do.

He kind of remembered they were in a battle. "Go-, get out - of here." He was a goner, and she put herself in danger just focusing on him. He might have been over estimating the situation though. Pain could make things seem worse then they are.

[AzureKnight]

🔥Vară Riemsianne🔥

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio

"Uh...Sam Scout?" And she thought that Neil gave off an underwhelming air. His name aside, Vară took the rose Sam offered, albeit hesitantly. She smiled at the knight's compliment, grateful he understood what true beauty entailed. Noticing Haley's unease, Vară decided to put the flower in her lap for now, she cleared her throat before speaking again.

"At any rate, these two are my fellow comrades. Haley here is our guide so to speak." She motioned toward the harpy. "And this woman is Titanica." She then motioned toward the female kaiju. At this point, what exactly the knight wanted still wasn't clear. At looking at the expression on Haley's face, there was the possibility that he could be more friend than foe. Of course, with Titanica with them, Vară wasn't the least bit concerned.

"Well sir knight, I imagine you didn't decide to talk with us specifically just because you want to 'see how big the world is'. Was there something in particular you needed from the guild?"

---

❄️Nagare❄️

@13org @Restalaan

Much to her dismay, Nagare felt the barrier draining her magic. It seemed at first that her breath was having little effect on their prison. However, she began to feel less and less of her energy being absorb. Does the barrier have some sort of limit, perhaps? The fact that bits of the ice were starting to poke through the barrier supported this theory. As the barrier continued to tear open, Nagare started to feel the natural magic of the forest peeling through. She could faintly hear the voice of the woodlands again, Nagare could feel the energy of the trees were combing with her own to further damage the barrier. Most curiously, however, was witnessing how the black crystal nearest to her was reacting.

The glow of the runes on the crystal began to dim, and she even saw that it began to crack. At that point she was able to piece two and two together - the runic crystals allowed the mage to move undetected because it absorbed the magic around it, using the barrier to create a 'void' space and rendering the magics of the Spellweavers useless. Realizing this, Nagare further strengthened her breath attack to expedite the destruction of the crystal and thereby create a hole in the barrier to escape through.

She noticed that Freyr had finally awoken and advised Ditzy on how to deal with Nera. She was thankfully that Ditzy was strong enough to keep himself going despite Nera's frenzied state, but she could smell his blood dripping out. She hoped to quickly destroy the crystal for the sake of her comrades.

Nagare would have to be careful, however - the more energy she used, the less time she had left to spend in her dragon form.

[PaulHaynek]

~@Lmpkio (TCA), @AzureKnight (VRA)~

"Well sir knight, I imagine you didn't decide to talk with us specifically just because you want to 'see how big the world is'. Was there something in particular you needed from the guild?"

Vară Riemsianne

"Oh my, you don't believe me?" Sam replied, still in a charming tone. "Like I said, I am--"

"...You're an Ortusian knight." Haley suddenly interjected. "A Lot Knight, to be precise. Probably gathering information."

"Now why would you call me such, Miss Haley?" Sam's friendly tone disappeared.

"Because I know. I've heard stories about your order." Haley said before pausing. "I'm also an Ortusian myself, actually..." She revealed, as if it was a dark secret. "...and you know what they say, everyone in Ortus knows the Lot Knights."

"I'd stop talking if I were you, Miss." Sam quickly told the Siren. "You know how the world looks at us."

"I know." Haley sadly replied and said no more.

Heaving a sigh, Sam stood up. "I thank you for the talk, ladies, but I'm afraid I must go." He said, his charming tone returned. "As promised, I shall pay for your meal. And please, be nice to my Harpy kinswoman here." The knight then left and went to the counter. Presumably to pay for the monster girls' dinner.

Haley turned to Vară and Titanica and shrugged. "Mm, I guess the cat's out of the bag." The Siren said. "Come on, girls. Let's go back." She then stood up and went for the exit.

---

Liberation At Any Price
~@ShwiggityShwah, @Restalaan (YNG)~

Yang, with a devastating melee combo, managed to take down the Varjan leader and send her flying away.

Seeing their leader in a crumpled mess made the Varjans' spirits fall. The rebels took the upper hand as the Varjans began to retreat, dragging their leader with them. It was not clear if the leader was dead or not "Look at the cowards! They're running away!" Felipe remarked. Once the last of the Varjans were routed or killed, the rebels gave a round of cheer.

Felipe approached Yang and Ozzy. "Magaling! Magaling na magaling! You did a good thing for Sonarra today. Emilio will be very pleased." He told them. Upon seeing the injured Ozzy however, he quickly went over to check on him. "Are you alright, my friend? Ahh, nothing a couple of healing salves couldn't fix." He remarked about Ozzy's wounds. "I've seen a man take worse and you're a monster!"

"Come, let us get you treated." He hefted Ozzy back to his feet and began walking him through the aftermath of the battle. The fighting was small but there were still a dozen or so bodies littering the rocky terrain, the corpses of both Varjan and Sonarran. "Is this the first time you have fought, you two?"

---

Laying The Foundations 3
~@BKburke~

You know Bart. I've been thinking for most of the day now. Why did you ask me to come along? I'm not a warrior or fighter, you guys already have a blacksmith with a skill set arguably better than mine. And I'm certain you didn't ask me to come along because I can patch up the roof. Did you really ask me to come along because Talia would need a helping hand? In my experience, a lot of people came to me for magic arms and armament. While I wouldn't say they are rare in my field, they aren't exactly easy to make. It just so happens, that I can in particular, use magic to enchant things much better than others. I'm not going to take offenseif that's the case, but is that why you asked me here?

John Clark

"You misunderstand, friend. I didn't invite Talia here. She came here because of other circumstances." said Bart. "Besides, it's not like we can't use two blacksmiths. You are more than welcome here, John. I invited you after all, didn't I?"

"Anyway, I already found some people to work on the entrance so don't worry about that. And we'll keep an eye out for your package. Make sure it comes to you." Bart continued as he led you to the dining hall. "Thanks for working on the stable too. In fact, I was thinking of erecting a wall around our guild. Not a tall one, just to show the limits of our land and territory. Think you can do that with our Cyclops friend?"

"And you're uncomfortable with monsters? Well, I hope that wouldn't cause you too much trouble because maybe half of us consists of monsters."

[Lmpkio]

_{Mentions: @AzureKnight, @PaulHaynek}

---

Titanica followed the little Harpy willingly as they made it to the town of Ambran. Despite the staring that was concentrated upon them, the titan showed no worry or care for the natives. She was used to them giving her unusual stares and in response she simply didn't look at them back. She considered it more as a mutual agreement - they may look, but they may not touch. She will leave them alone so as long as they keep their distance. Once they received their pay, the three would proceed to eat a well deserved meal, with Titanica chomping down on the town's cooked meat - from barbequed chicken, to rare-steak (her favorite), and other hearty delights - including some seafood delicacies.

Of course, she was so into her meal, she almost brushed aside a voice that was directed at her general vicinity. Yet while Haley and Vãra took care of the traveler - later revealed to be a knight called Sam Scout - all the titan did was stare before returning to her meal. She was not in the mood for complying with others at the moment. However, she still kept a stray ear to listen to the conversation...

And then she heard Haley's voice mutter that he was an Ortusian knight.

Or more precisely, a knight pursuing espionage for his master.

Titanica had no idea what was an Ortusian or where they are in the globe, but she believed that whatever he wanted it wasn't going to be good. She dropped her meaty rib to glare at the opposing knight before slowly standing up. However by that time, the knight had retreated from the table to 'supposedly' pay for their meals.

Haley, who revealed she was an Ortusian, ordered for the two to make their way to the exit. The titan would look back into the crowd one last time, as if hoping to spot the knight, before complying.

"Who are these so-called 'Ortusians' you speak of?" Titanica asked curiously with a low growl, "You yourself say to be one of them, yet speak of maliciousness to said knight. I take it he bares ill?"

---

_{Mentions: @Stern Algorithm, @PaulHaynek}

---

Morgan's impulsive response wasn't necessarily mean't to be taken with utter malevolency, rather it was more of a warning that Darren was dealing with powers he perhaps did not recognize fully. As a shaman of nature, she believed that nature in her entirety was enough to satisfy any illness that comes to affect. Still, his seemingly ignorant attitude towards all this definitely set her off just a tad. And one thing was for certain...

Mankind still had a long way to go with discovering medicine.

Darren fumbled to collect their reward and after apologizing he hastily returned to his lab to improve on his 'Huwana'. As soon as he was gone, Morgan had to recollect herself. She took several deep breaths, regulating her heart rate and blood flow, before she found herself at peace once more. Yet strangely, she could feel her amulet glowing a faint golden light upon her chest. Morgan proceeded to fumble around with it before glancing at it. She hadn't felt it glow for several millennia... so why was it~?

"Neil! Take off your clothes!"

Morgan's concentration would be severed as she turned to see the Altissima sisters panicking over Neil, who was covered in a slimy nectar. The moth girl seemed somewhat confused herself as to why they were panicking so profusely, still somewhat dazed by her amulet.

"Do you know what Alraune nectar does to humans, especially men?"

Then it suddenly hit Morgan like the great eagle in her hallucinogenic vision. Her experience with Alraunes were limited, yet she can remember taking care of a few with her clan.

"Morgan! You know what my nectar does, right? Help me undress Neil!"

That she knows. She knows all too well of what aphrodisiac properties their nectar contains. And with it being smeared all over Neil - a still developing human boy - the consequences for him would be damning if they didn't do something to rid him of said substance in time. The boy was already apologizing profusely, yet it didn't stop him from growing incredibly flustered and heated like a beat.

With her daze finally being extinguished, Morgan nodded as her hands surged in archaic magic and pointed them at the tensed-up boy. Niel would be restrained by invisible hands by his wrists and ankles, before finding himself being quickly lifted a few feet into the air via levitation. Then, with a sudden motion of her hands, Morgan stretched her arms to the side, ripping off the clothes clean from the boy's body. He would be fully nude at this point. Then Morgan slowly had him descend back to the ground, allowing the Altissma sisters to get to work on whatever needs to be done.

[13org]

The Vieran Woods

---

^@Restalaan

Despite the pain and the bleeding that Nera's attack caused, it was obvious for Ditzy that his efforts were indeed having results, as Nera was slowly reaching physical exhaustion despite her enhanced stamina due to the frenzied state she was. As he provoked her, smiling and moving forward Nera seemed to almost completely ignore his provocations, or maybe she wasn't even capable of understanding his words clearly due to the state she was.

The moment Ditzy got closer to her, Nera immediately lunged towards him, with her claws out, aiming for his throat. Unlike the previous time though, Nera knew by instinct not to underestimate Ditzy's strength and was prepared to quickly jump away as Ditzy dove towards her once more. Even though Ditzy's attack didn't succeed, it was clear to him that Nera, who was already exhausted, was spending much more energy in those lunges and dashes she gave than Ditzy. Being wary of him also meant that Ditzy could use that in his favor to move closer to the sandbag without her realizing it.

---

Freyr

Finally having recovered his senses, Freyr quickly analyzed the situation going on between Nera and Ditzy. While he was indeed relieved to see that Ditzy was somehow being able to keep Nera in check, he knew he could do something. Even if Nera was exhausted, she was still a frenzied Viera, and thus, was extremely deadly.

As Ditzy maneuvered around the battlefield, Freyr sneaked behind Nera, waiting for the perfect opportunity to tackle her. The second she jumped back, avoiding Ditzy's attack was the perfect moment.

Lunging towards Nera with a surprising burst of speed, even for Freyr himself, he tackled her from behind, getting her by surprise as both of them went to the ground.

While Freyr wasn't as strong as Ditzy and certainly couldn't compete in strength against a frenzied Viera, he could still buy some time for Ditzy to get his weapon.

"NOW! Get your weapon and knock her out!" Freyr shouted as Nera quickly got up and swung her claws in a deadly swipe, aiming for Freyr, who was able to dodge it by little.

---

^@AzureKnight

Nagare's breath, already strong due to her assuming her dragon form, was further enhanced by the fores's magic, which, surprisingly enough was combining with her own. The more she damaged the barrier, the more Nagare could feel the forest's breath and magic revitalizing her.

The crystal, which was already beggining to crack was finally overwhelmed by Nagare's magic coupled with the forest's, causing it to shatter in many small pieced, immediately opening the section of the barrier it was mantaining.

As the hole in the barrier opened, Nagare could feel, much more clearly than before as the forest's magic rushed inside the barrier, quickly overloading the rest of the crystals, which had exactly the same fate as the one in front of Nagare. Not only that, but with that surge of magic coming from the forest, Nagare felt it more than just a 'weird energy'. Maybe it was a result from her magic combining with the forest's to break the barrier, or maybe it was a sign that the forest had accepted her and Ditzy as allies, but she definitely felt a connection to the forest. She could feel the trees breathing magic around her and even their roots, entangling themselves into each other under the forest's soil. Even though that connection was still somewhat superficial, it was still an overwhelming amount of information for someone that wasn't accustomed to it as the Viera were. Despite that, Nagare somehow felt that she could further develop that connection if she trained, meditated and understood more about the forest and nature.

It was thanks to that connection and influx of information though that Nagare would realize a small spot on the soil that was completely 'devoid' of magic. Upon closer inspection, she would find a shard of the large black crystals that were used to maintain the barrier. Unlike the others, this one somehow was still working, despite having a lower potency compared to the whole crystal. Whether she would ignore it or maybe take it with her, it was a choice she would have to make, but after understanding how those crystals worked, it was clear that it could have it's uses for her or any strange situation regarding magic that she eventually faced.

[Stern Algorithm]

Vivian & Sylvia Altissima

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio

Sylvia and Vivian were taken aback by Morgan's display of telekinetic power. Vivian recovered first and said, "Thanks, Morgan!" before both Vivian and Sylvia yelped as Morgan telekinetically stripped Neil completely. Sylvia was sure only his shirt had been contaminated, but maybe it was better to be safe than sorry. Still, the Vivian tore off one of her leaves and dropped it over Neil's crotch to cover his bits, while Sylvia leaned across her pot, down to Neil, putting her soft hands against his bare chest, and bringing her face close to his chest, sniffing for traces of her nectar.

[Restalaan]

@ShwiggityShwah@PaulHaynek

Yang Bethlehem

"Only your shoulder and side? You're lucky then." Yang let out a relieved sigh when she examined Ozzy, if all the damage he got was shoulder and sides then it was considered well. Her worry had been more on concussion and internal bleeding, or a broken neck from all that. She gingerly picked Ozzy up and hoped that they can find a healer after this.

Hearing the uproar nature of the battle, she quickly glanced around to see the lack of leadership had the Varjo knights quickly crumble and folded. The battle turning to their side as the rebels managed to win the day.

Seeing Felipe approach them, she inclined her head slightly to his presence even his attention came to Ozzy.

"It would be much appreciated." Yang politely said with a smile as he helped carry Ozzy to a healer.

When he inquired on this being their first combat, Yang looked around and saw the devastation. She schooled a neutral expression but her brows was furrowed.

"I'm no stranger to combat." She spoke slowly, counting the number of people passed away before reciting the passages for the departed internally in her heart. "It's still never easy."

She was a martial artist. Something she was drilled and taught endlessly. Other from the more wayward path consider the taking of life to be a step closer to true strength, she, however, disagrees with that path and pray would never go there.

"Nevertheless, our task is completed. After my companion is healed, we would have to depart soon." She then turned to Ozzy to share a look that brooked no arguments from her, she was already doing something she shouldn't and now, Ozzy was injured because of it.

Yang softly placed a hand over her heart and chest. A gesture that she copied from Rebecca and those of the western priest have done from time to time. "May fortune smile on you on your endeavor Felipe."

---
@AzureKnight@13org

Ditzy Stoneclub

The moment Nera lunged forward again, Ditzy grinned as he immediately dove forward like an arrow.

This time, however, he only hit the air as the Viera had learned her lesson despite her feral state. This nearly offset Ditzy footing but he quickly stamped a foot down forward as he kept a focused look on Nera. Not taking his eyes off her for a single moment, unaware that his stamping had left a deep imprint on the ground itself.

Shifting and standing straight up again to balance himself, Ditzy continued his pursuit. Not letting a single moment of rest to Nera, the blood was still pouring but the adrenaline in him had slowly stopped it.

This continued on until Freyr, who had recovered, ambushed Nera with a tackle. He urged him to pick up his weapon, and Ditzy obliged him quickly.

The sandbag was deftly pulled and then spun around with his fingers, building momentum and force as Ditzy swung it around before he felt the right moment to come. Fingers tightened and snap around the straps, his arm raised before it streaks downward like a meteor.

"Hah!"

Nera who was briefly distracted looked upwards and saw Ditzy sandbag descending straight on her head, the force of a hob-goblin now amplified with a weapon, proved too much as she felt the strike went right to the brain. The firm body of the sandbag collapsed and molded itself around her skull as it dispersed much of the lethal strike into a pushing force right into the ground.

Involuntarily, Nera head met the ground first before her body went stiff at first before going limp, collapsing as she lay flat like a fish.

Ditzy slowly lifted his weapon up and approached Nera, knelt down and turn her around. He then placed his ear onto her chest and listened for a heartbeat.

The steady and slow rhythmic thumps confirmed she was still alive.

"Still alive!" He declared proudly with a smile as he stood back up, approached Freyr and offered a hand to him. Feeling like a boy who did something well even as Ditzy didn't seem to register his wounds. "I didn't disappoint Papa at all!"

The sandbag was the only reason why Nera was alive, had it been any other weapon, the results would've been similar to what befell on the knights that faced Nera.

[PaulHaynek]

~@Lmpkio (TCA), @AzureKnight (VRA)~

"Who are these so-called 'Ortusians' you speak of? You yourself say to be one of them, yet speak of maliciousness to said knight. I take it he bares ill?"

Titanica

"What? No!" Haley replied, incredulous. "Why would you think that--"

The Siren stopped and sighed. "I'm not sure if you know but... Ortus is a human nation that has had a... strange relationship with the rest of humanity. I don't know the specifics, maybe they worshiped the Chief God differently or something, but the Order treated Ortus differently. Looked down on them, accused them of things." Haley began. "Back when we were scary monsters, the Order had no choice but accept Ortus into its ranks since you need every human you can get to fight us monsters."

"And when we monsters changed and the human-monster war became less of a priority among the human nations, the tensions against Ortus blew up and so began the ongoing Order-Ortusian War. I've read that Varjo meddled in our civil war and the Order took their side, said that Ortus was with the monsters anyway." Haley made an amused snicker. "Ironically, this made Ortus unintentionally sympathetic to monsters. Due to the war, the kingdom didn't have enough troops and resources to keep monsters out and so, monsters began openly living in Ortusian towns and no one batted an eye."

"My parents were from an Order kingdom and planned to move to a monster-friendly state or maybe even a Green Demon Realm. They were going to cut through Ortus to make the traveling easier. But the plan fell apart when my mom gave birth to me in an Ortusian village and used up all their money to take care of me, an egg at the time." The Siren sighed again. "So there, I was born and raised an Ortusian. I was there first monster born there and I've never met a fellow monster, 'cept my monther, until I was... I don't know, twelve or something."

"Oh by the way, Ortus is also and mostly called the 'Moon Kingdom' because of our heavy references to the Moon in our culture." Haley added. "People use 'Moonies' as a slur because of it."

---

Herbal Medicine 2
~@Lmpkio (MOR), @Stern Algorithm~

With his body bare and with the beautiful Sylvia all over him, Neil resisted his bodily responses the best he could. "Guys! Stop this! I'm gonna pop a--!"

The seemingly-harassing activity was put to a halt when a guard patrol showed up to the scene due to the sounds of magic and commotion happening. Long story short, Neil and the monster girls were caught and hauled to the guardhouse located quite into the town of Ambran. With Neil buck naked with little covering his modesty, it was also a sort of walk of shame for him.

The guild members were charged with public indecency, believing that Morgan and the Altissima sisters were having intercourse with Neil outdoors in broad daylight. The guild members were now in front of the Guard Captain of Ambran in his office who appeared more tired than angry. He wore heavy armor compared to the typical guard. Fair-skinned, bald and had some aging facial hair.

"Okay, so I understand you are monsters and sometimes the urge just becomes too strong." He began. "But couldn't you at least hold off until you find a room or something? Ambran has plenty of inns who don't mind what happens inside their rooms so long as it doesn't spill out."

---

Liberation At Any Price
~@ShwiggityShwah, @Restalaan (YNG)~

"Nevertheless, our task is completed. After my companion is healed, we would have to depart soon. May fortune smile on you on your endeavor Felipe."

Yang Bethlehem

"Likewise, you two! Likewise!"

After Ozzy was fixed up with some healing salves, the rebels retired back to their homes and left the two guild members just outside the town. "With the Varjan detachment routed, you two are unlikely to encounter any Varjan presence on your way out of here. Unless of course you are not lucky, hahaha! Stay safe, you two." Felipe bode Yang and Ozzy farewell before leaving.

Wait a minute, the guild members don't have the reward with them. Perhaps it was because Felipe did not know they were from the Guild?

[Lmpkio]

_{Mentions: @AzureKnight, @PaulHaynek}

---

Haley's initial response did little to cease Titanica's curiosity. She continued to gaze at the little harpy, giving a look as if silently knowing that there was indeed more to all this. It was not a look of anger or disappointment - but perhaps a hint of sympathy. Only then did Haley respond, causing the titan to fall into silence as she patiently listened to her story.

When Haley was finally finished, Titanica's nostrils exhaled a faint light of blue mist as she reflected on what she was told. An abhorrent look was present on her for a brief second before her face reverted back to nullness.

"Humanity will never fully recognize the folly of their actions," she muttered bluntly, "No matter how many times you tell them. When backed into a corner, they will always blame others for the messes they've created to save their guilty hide. Not everyone perhaps, but the majority of them, especially those who hold power. It is in their very nature. All the atrocities they've committed, all the wars, they blame the things they cannot understand rather than cooperating with them. If you are not one of them, then you surely 'must' be against them. They have a desire to control everything, an indomitable will to grovel all who oppose them onto their knees while raping the lands around them. They are the real 'monsters' - the parasites upon this once pure world. And they will not stop until nothing remains..."

Her ranting would suddenly end as she finally remembered Haley right beside her. She shook her head briefly before looking down at the little harpy with her warm amber eyes.

"I pity that you've had to go through all this," the titan replied more reservedly, "It's not easy when your own home is struggling with controversy and lies. Rest assured, they will eventually get what's coming to them. It's only... inevitable."

---

_{Mentions: @Stern Algorithm, @PaulHaynek}

---

Morgan's sudden rush to get Neil's clothes off had caused her to rip all of his clothes from top to bottom. One would expect for the moth shaman to recognize her 'error' in such a prudishly public environment, however she was not fazed by any form of nudity regarding the practice of medicine. After all, in this instance if the boy wasn't decontaminated off of such nectar, his hormones would've caused him to go on a horny rampage having intercourse with everyone he could get his hands on.

It would be truly a disaster that Morgan wouldn't handle to dread upon.

So when a guard patrol came and arrested all who were involved, Morgan attempted to persuade of them the situation. However, she couldn't formulate her words fast enough for them to shut down the situation and escort them to the nearest guardhouse. Confused yet unaware of human customs, she had no choice but to concede and go with them.

Once they were taken to a very exhausted-looking Guard Captain of Ambran, he attempted to explain why they should keep their urges in check and for them to get a room. Morgan would be the first to counter his statement.

"I'm sorry," she began politely, as her hands were clasped together in front of her, "But I'm afraid you've mistook the situation. We were not projecting intercourse with the boy - rather we were preventing him from undergoing such lewdish actions!"

She then proceeded to explain about what had happened prior; regarding how they were from a guild, the job they undertook, as well as the 'doctor' and his hallucinogenic 'anesthesia', before finally mentioning how Neil accidentally smeared himself with the highly erotic nectar and how they tried to get it off him before the guards showed up to take them away.

"And that's everything that lead up to this moment." she finally finished, being nearly out of breath from all of that explaining.

[ShwiggityShwah]

Yang @Restalaan; @PaulHaynek

---

Getting the look over, apparently it felt worse then it actually was. Ozzy's moment of self sacrifice was a premature. "It is?" He coughed out, his chest burning from the attempt as he forced the facade, his voice getting a little higher. "It is?" 'She' repeated.

He allowed himself to reach the healer, and when spoke about whether they fought before. Was it that obvious he's never been in a real battle. In fact, the moment of chaos really hadn't been put into perspective until he felt the pain. It was awful. Why would anyone want to do this? It was the foolishness of civilization. He thought of his parents work, seemingly in some kind of stunned state. A simple. "No." Escaping her lips. She hadn't really spoke even while getting treated, the pain of getting a shoulder popped back in, though Ozzy was very much against stripping down, afraid to give away her secret identity. The salves were great though, really dulled the pain.

Ozzy also made no arguments about leaving. He did want to leave as soon as possible. He said nothing to Felipe, only giving the man a nod, a little mystery harpy that only spoke when she needed. The Guild was never a part of it. Ozzy completely forgot about the money too until part way home. He felt no pride in helping people get hurt, even if it was a net positive on the world.

He didn't speak again until the village was far behind them. He threw off the pitch and timbre of his voice speaking normally."No reward. We'll say the job was taken before we got there. I got injured in sparing practice or something. Make it up to the guild tomorrow." Ozzy apparently had no problem lying. If anything fabricating stories seemed effortless to him. He knew flying was going to be hard for a bit, soreness really. Maybe Morgan could fix it. Still, he really did seem depressed about the whole state of affairs.

Was it the right thing, fighting against evil? Is it right to fight at all? "Why do people fight?" He whispered. It seemed so... stupid. His parents were working with others, bringing a sense of enlightenment. Why are some people so stubborn to do harm to others?

The only thing he could come up with. Laziness. It's easy to take. Harder to build. His parents plan was an end to all of it he believed. That was the right thing to do. Make sure the plan, the embassy succeeds. Even as they walked, Ozzy winced before bringing out his journal and began writing. The event must be chronicled.

[AzureKnight]

❄️Nagare❄️

@13org @Restalaan

Having finally destroyed the barrier, Nagare could feel the energy of the forest rushing over her, more now than ever. It would seem that the woodlands have now fully accepted them as their allies; she could clearly hear the voices of the forest whispering within her mind. Nagare also felt the revitalization that was brought about from the flush of magic. The earlier fatigue she felt from overuse of her dragon form nearly vanished, it’s possible that she could remain in her dragonic form all day even! The whispers and overflowing energy must be what Freyr was used to, she thought.

She turned to see that Ditzy had managed to subdue Nera, signify by his proclamation that she still was alive. Nagare was relieved that Freyr and Ditzy were alright, but she was still worried about Nera. Hopefully they could find a way to restore her to normal. But for right now, she motioned for Freyr and Ditzy to exit the barrier through the crack she made and take Nera with them.

She also noticed that there was a shard of the black crystal that still has some activity, despite this part of the barrier no longer being active. She didn’t know what to make of it, but she felt that to ensure they could counteract this in the future, some of the more magictech-fluent members of the guild may be able to ascertain it’s meaning. She pointed her claw at the ground where the shard laid for Freyr to get.

---

🔥Vară Riemsianne🔥

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio

Vară listened intently as Haley explained the story behind her home town. Apparently Ortus has sympathetic ties with mamono, due to being ostracized by the Order. Haley and her folks are from there and she explained that knight served the same realm and was probably trying to gain information about the guild. Titanica’s somewhat misanthropic comments made the fire demon wince a bit. She understood that among the humans they were some bad apples, but perhaps the Kaiju was going a bit far?

“Hey, since Haley’s hometown is rather friendly with monsters, maybe he wasn’t too untrustworthy? I mean, I’m not sure what information he wanted about the guild, but perhaps he could make a decent ally? Although I saw that his presence made you uncomfortable…” She said.

She then turned to Titanica. “I…don’t think that majority of humans are bad. So far the only bad nation I’ve come across is Varjo. I think Bart was just upset, I don’t think he has any ill will towards us, his uncouth nature aside. And Neil has been most helpful-" Vară had stopped herself mid-sentence the moment she mentioned Neil by name. Her cheeks rosy, she simply leaned her head down, hiding her embarrassment.

[Restalaan]

@PaulHaynek@ShwiggityShwah

Yang Bethlehem

Hearing Ozzy spoke finally dissolved the awkward and budding tension between them, she was never that great in breaking the silence and this situation was hardly time for her antics at least.

"We're never there in the first place, don't forget that," Yang said as she stretched her arm upwards, not really comfortable with the robe getup. She'll have to get rid of it on the way back. "Besides, we did a job yesterday, so us fooling around for today should be overlooked."

"I'll recommend you take it easy for now, do some jobs that are at least close by or not require physical activity." She added with a hint of worry as Yang glanced at Ozzy injuries. It was due to her weaknesses that Ozzy had to step in, if she had been stronger or more decisive...

Yang shook her head at that and lightly slapped her head. It was best she focus on getting stronger in the right way.

Hearing Ozzy asked that question had her completely silent, not sure on how or where to even answer that.

"Funny, that you would ask me that." Yang finally answered back after a long moment of silence and walking, her mind wandering and thinking to memories past. Both hands behind her head as her thumb tapped the nape of her neck. "My master asked me a similar thing and his master asked him that question as well.

"Why do people suffer? Why do bad things happen? Why do they fight?" Yang had an inkling suspicion that this was a question that almost everyone in the temple probably been asked or ask themselves.

"Well, it's because people are bounded by their desires in the material world. Never realizing that in the end, everything will be for naught and that cultivation of the mind and soul is what matters." Yang recited parts of her temple knowledge with her eyes closed in a bored manner. Almost like an expected answer that a monk would preach.

People fight because they put themselves first and only chase things that matter to them now but not understanding that once they're dead, those things stop to matter a lot less. Karma will also then catch up to them and they'll face judgment. A perfect answer.

One that she herself doesn't fully believe in, recalling how an old woman was unjustly killed as she waited in vain for a lover that never even knew or love her back. That dampened her spirits, eyes cast downwards with a bitter frown. If that was the answer, she wanted no part in it.

"Gautama, the very founder of our belief, cannot answer that till the end. He merely showed us the way to save ourselves from the inevitability of our karma." Yang despondently said though she could be wrong on the details since she can't memorize the entirety of the scrolls.

"But...speaking on more concrete things." Yang gently placed a hand on Ozzy head, ruffling it playfully with a smile. "I'm thankful for you intervening. It was foolish, but also the right thing to do."

"Second, if you want, I can train you a bit in utilizing your legs." Yang went to a more mentor tone as she pointed out Ozzy physical strength. "You managed to lift someone that I thought you couldn't with your entire body, and I'm sure that some kicking techniques and with your talons, it's sure to help you."

"Ultimately, justice without strength is nothing but words. So get stronger, okay?" Yang winked at Ozzy to get his spirits back.

[BKburke]

-snip-

[BKburke]

"You misunderstand, friend. I didn't invite Talia here. She came here because of other circumstances." said Bart. "Besides, it's not like we can't use two blacksmiths. You are more than welcome here, John. I invited you after all, didn't I?"

"Anyway, I already found some people to work on the entrance so don't worry about that. And we'll keep an eye out for your package. Make sure it comes to you." Bart continued as he led you to the dining hall. "Thanks for working on the stable too. In fact, I was thinking of erecting a wall around our guild. Not a tall one, just to show the limits of our land and territory. Think you can do that with our Cyclops friend?"

"And you're uncomfortable with monsters? Well, I hope that wouldn't cause you too much trouble because maybe half of us consists of monsters."

@PaulHaynek

I suppose I could help with the wall. Do you have any schematics written out or anything or do you need me to do that? Also, will there be a certain material you want implemented into the wall?"

John paused for a moment. It might be best to just wait. It's only been a day and john was certainly not yet accustomed to his new home. It was still strange and the wide array of monsters did not help to ease his mind. Though what worried John was that Bart dodged his question about his talents in making magical equipment. This could have simply been a case of paranoia from John however.

I'll see to it that things get done, might take another job or two on the board tomorrow. I'll see how things go. I just have one question though. I dont know where my room is. I have no idea about the layout of this place."

[PaulHaynek]

~@Lmpkio (TCA), @AzureKnight (VRA)~

"It's not easy when your own home is struggling with controversy and lies. Rest assured, they will eventually get what's coming to them. It's only... inevitable."

Titanica

"Well, you better hope that's not the case." Haley sternly replied to the kaiju. "Because if they get what's coming to them, it's us who's going to pay the price."

“Hey, since Haley’s hometown is rather friendly with monsters, maybe he wasn’t too untrustworthy? I mean, I’m not sure what information he wanted about the guild, but perhaps he could make a decent ally? Although I saw that his presence made you uncomfortable…”

Vară Riemsianne

"Oh, well I was uncomfortable, but not in a bad way." Haley waved a wing. "It was just weird to see an Ortusian this far away from Ortus. He's probably here as a spy since there's an Order city near here and Varjo is just below us."

“I…don’t think that majority of humans are bad. So far the only bad nation I’ve come across is Varjo. I think Bart was just upset, I don’t think he has any ill will towards us, his uncouth nature aside. And Neil has been most helpful-"

Vară Riemsianne

Haley noticed Vară's sudden halt in her words and her blush. Shifting beside the Flame Demon, Haley began. "What was that about Neil again, Vară?" The Siren teased with a smirk. "What about Neil that's got you flushed?"

---

~@Lmpkio (MOR), @Stern Algorithm~

"And that's everything that lead up to this moment."

Morgan

The Guard Captain sighed. "I know of him. No one really cares about him and he's harmless and pays his rent and taxes so, you know." Looking at Neil, he asked. "But is the moth's story true, boy?"

Neil nodded. His face still red, but he was given some basic rags to protect his dignity. "Y-Yes, sir."

"Very well. I'll let you all go for now. But next time this happens, I'm gonna have to demand compensation for disturbing the public peace." The Head Captain declared. "However, I'm not gonna hand you any freebies for this. You're gonna have to buy new clothes with your own coin. Now then, I believe our business here is over."

After Neil purchased new and similar to the original clothing, the four guild members went back home. Neil was quiet and downtrodden on the way and it was not hard to see why.

---------

~@Lmpkio (MOR & TCA), @Stern Algorithm, @AzureKnight (VRA)~

On the intersection leading to the guild, Neil and his group had coincidentally met up with Haley and her group. Quite a surprise to be sure but Haley was the first to speak. "Oh, Neil! Funny, we were just talking about you." She said. "Also, hi Morgan and Sylvia and Vivian!"

"Huh?! What?" Neil was taken by surprise. "Why are you guys talking about me?"

Haley nudged Vară, still with the smirk. "Go ahead, Vară. Tell him."

---

~@BKburke~

I suppose I could help with the wall. Do you have any schematics written out or anything or do you need me to do that? Also, will there be a certain material you want implemented into the wall?"

John Clark

"Oh, I'll leave the details to you." Bart replied. "Just make sure we have a nice, big backyard alright?"

I'll see to it that things get done, might take another job or two on the board tomorrow. I'll see how things go. I just have one question though. I dont know where my room is. I have no idea about the layout of this place."

John Clark

"Oh, no problem. I'll give you a brief tour."

Bart lead you across the guild headquarters. The main hall had a stairwell at its end that led to the second floor. Left of the main hall was the guild's lounge and library and above that was the recently-built bathroom. On the right was the guild's kitchen and dining area. Behind the building was the forge, which you knew already.

The main hall had nothing above it, the second floor consisted of a series of rooms built on top of the dining hall and the lounge. These were the guild members' quarters. "Back then, these were full since there were so many of us but times change so I believe you can take a room up there."

(You can see the guild layout specifics at the Characters Tab)

------

~@BKburke, @ShwiggityShwah, @Restalaan (YNG)~

Yang and Ozzy's trip back to the guild was, fortunately, uneventful. The sun had set and the moon had risen by the time they got back.

The hole on the guild's entrance was still there and upon entering into the main hall, they saw Bart with John. "Oh hey, Yang. Ozzy." The guild master greeted them with a smile, which then disappeared. "What did you guys do today?" He asked, nay, questioned.

Bart glared at the two guild members, his friendly tone with John disappearing.

[13org]

The Vieran Woods

---

^{@Restalaan@AzureKnight}

Freyr didn't knew for how much longer he could hold the frenzied Nera down, but luckily, Ditzy was quick to act following his tackle, immediately grabbing his sandbag and in a single, fluid motion, built moment before striking Nera in the head with a mighty blow.

As Freyr felt Nera's strength waning as she stopped struggling and her body fell unconscious on top of him, he let out a relieved sigh. Much like Ditzy, who almost immediately came to confirm her pulse, he also felt the signs she was still alive, thanks for her body being basically on top of him. Despite the terrible headache, he was glad that she was still alive.

"Quick thinking, Ditzy." he said, praising Ditzy as he gently laid Nera's unconscious body on the ground before standing up.

"We were lucky... If she wasn't tired already, it would be much harder to fight against her... How are your wounds?" Freyr asked, looking to Ditzy.

The moment he stood up though, he noticed the forest's voice and it's energy, flooding the place where the barrier once was. Nagare, who was still in her dragon form, was successful in opening a crack in the barrier, an entire section had collapsed thanks to her power. It also seemed like she was starting to understand a little better the special connection the Viera had with the forest, as Freyr could feel that the forest was starting to accept her.

Gently getting Nera's unconscious body into his arms, they exitted the barrier. Once outside, Freyr turned to both Ditzy and Nagare.

"Thanks, both of you. Nera is still alive and the Vieran Spellweavers will be able to revert her current state. It will take a while to completely undo the runes carved into her body and return her to normal, but she will be fine." Freyr said, looking to Nera with a worried expression.

"Now that the barrier is partially gone, the Wood Warders should be arriving shortly together with Jote. You can feel it too, can't you Nagare?" Freyr asked, looking to her with a curious expression.

On that exact moment, they heard a hushed sound coming from the trees together with a breeze, followed by five figures dropping down from the branches. It was Jote and another four Wood Warders, who had just arrived.

As she approached them, the mixed emotions on her expression were clear. Curiosity, sadness, regret, anger...

"Nera..." she said, looking to her unconscious body, covered with runes, carved into her very flesh.

"I assume this is the work of those 'Varjans' you spoke of." Jote said, looking to the group. It was clear to them that she was doing everything she could to keep her composure.

"I... We might be wrong... About everything... First it was you, Freyr, you who left the forest but despite that, the Forest still considers you as one of it's children and now a complete outsider... It's not merely a coincidence. It's the first time that a complete outside was granted the favor of the woods." Jote said as two of the wood warders gently came to get Nera from Freyr's arms.

"Take her to the Spellweavers, now. They need to start their work while she is still unconscious. Don't take your eyes away from her, not even a second in case she wakes up." Jote said as she dismissed the two Wood Warders who were carrying Nera with a wave of her hand.

"We, the Viera need to rethink our ways and plan our actions. The Woods know and now, we do too. If we don't change our ways now, when we decide to do so later, it might be too late. These Varjans... They are a threat to the woods and to the Viera alike." Jote said. Despite her apparent calm, her eyes were burning with anger.

"For saving Nera and for opening our eyes, you three have my eternal gratitude." Jote said, thanking them.

"The Village and the Woods will always welcome you with open arms. If you ever need our aid, you have but to ask." Jote said as she turned away from them, disappearing inside the forest.

After a moment, Freyr looked back both to Ditzy and Nagare with a conflicted expression.

"For better or for worse, for the first time in a long while, the Viera are going to act, instead of simply observe." Freyr said. Despite his sad expression, he knew very well that the Viera being dragged into that conflict against the Varjans was unavoidable, especially when they starting taking interest in using the Vieras as weapons.

"Maybe I shouldn't be the one to say this, as the one who encouraged the Viera to prepare for a War but... Thank you, Ditzy, Nagare. Thank you for helping me show the Viera that there is no other choice but to fight in order to protect what they hold dear." Freyr said. It was clear that he had mixed feelings about the outcome of all that, despite knowing that it was simply unvoidable. Either the Viera would fall due to their own negligence or they would go to war to protect the woods and their way of life.

"Regarding this..." Freyr said, getting the crystal shard that Nagare had pointed a moment earlier.

"It might still have it's uses. Maybe it would be better to leave it with someone who understands better about these type of things back in the guild." Freyr completed.

With the quest over, they were free to go back to the guild. Despite coming back empty handed, they gained something much more valuable than money, they had earned the Viera's trust and gained a powerful ally against the Varjans. Whether Bartholomew would be happy or not to hear about that, it was still to be seen.

[Stern Algorithm]

Vivian & Sylvia Altissima

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio @AzureKnight

During the entire arrest, Sylvia merely hung her head in embarrassed shame, while Vivian kept staring daggers at Neil, blaming him for not disrobing voluntarily, forcing them to make a scene. While the guard captain berated them them, Vivian set to comforting the mortified Sylvia, letting Morgan do all the talking. When they were released, the liliraune gave Neil the silent treatment, but Vivian perked up upon seeing Haley, Titanica, and Vara. "Heyo!" Vivian waved back, hoping that some energy and socializing will lift Sylvia's spirits, however she didn't like the fact that the conversation was turning to Neil. It stood to reason that if he worked with monsters on a day-to-day basis, yet seemed oblivious to the 'erotic dangers' of his guildmates, there had no doubt been embarrassing events aplenty, which is what Vivian surmised Haley and Vara might be talking about. Still, though Vivian was currently angry at Neil, it wasn't like she hated him, she just hated the situation that his resistance to being stripped had landed them in, and the shame that Sylvia suffered from it. Although if she wanted to blame anyone, it would have to be the quack alchemist. Thinking on it, Vivian's rage abated somewhat, so instead of projecting her anger at Neil, she set to comforting Sylvia some more, while keeping her ear on the ensuing conversation.

[ShwiggityShwah]

Yang @Restalaan; @PaulHaynek

---

He rubbed his shoulder when she mentioned it. "I think I saw enough action for a good long while." He agreed with her, he'd still be able to fly but its going to hurt for a little bit. She mentioned that they weren't there. "Easy, no agreeable jobs available, we set out to find our own work. It was a wash, so we trained for a bit." He sighed. Always have to lie, still didn't sit right with him.

Yang opening up to him about her people had a very profound effect on him. It helped him break out of his funk. It reminded him that it was only some people. Not everyone. Even people that knew how to fight didn't really need or want to. He asked her, her master asked her, and her masters master before him. He wasn't weak or wrong by questioning the flaws of the world. He gave her a look, a glimmer in his eyes showing he was brightening up a little. But then even her culture's founding couldn't really answer the question either. He hummed aloud before looking at his hands. "I hope I didn't ruin my karma today." He said, only kind of getting it. People fight for what they need or want. He closed his eyes, putting a fist to his chest. His parents dream. It would stop all of this. Or atleast, it will help.

Yang got him out of his head again, rubbing his head like she was an older sister. He wasn't exactly bothered by this. He smiled back kind of nervously. "Some people call bravery stupidity. If it keeps my friends safe, I'll do it every time." he responded actually kind of proud he didn't freeze in the moment. Maybe there was hope for him. Then Yang really lifted his spirits. He gave her a wide eyed look, stopping. He looked at his legs. He looked completely human cause he wore what looked like boots but spreading his toes revealed it to be more like a covered sandle. He turned his ankle and flexed his talons. "You think?" and she told him get stronger. He looked back, appreciative and almost blushing. "With your training, definitely!"

The rest of the road trip was Ozzy talking as usual, asking questions, kicking the air, and generally being his usual plucky self.

---

Back at the Guild, and after he removed the make up and the additional clothes, Ozzy was infront of Bart with his wings folded in front of him. He was bowing, and actually pleading and begging forgiveness.

"Im so sorry Master Bart!" He said, before bowing. "All of the good jobs on the board were taken so me and Yang tried to go find some work ourselves and we couldn't find anything! Yang's been nice enough to atleast train me so I can be of better service to you!" That would explain the wounds. He bowed again. "We're so sorry! We promise we'll work extra hard tomorrow!" His head dipping towards the floor.