[center][h1][color=gold]Aerith Hastings[/color] and [color=tan]???[/color][/h1][/center] [center][i]-A Collab between [@BrokenPromise] and [@Crusader Lord]-[/i][/center] Aerith was alone At least that was how she felt in what should have been her final moments. Aerith opened her eyes, and they slowly adjusted to her surroundings. [color=gold]“A-Ah…..”[/color] The dark-haired girl moaned as her eyes had opened, vision and mind initially fuzzy as they tried to adjust to the strange setting. Lingering sensations of the initial pain, the flow of hot blood cascading down over her skin, the last grasps of her life flitting off into the wind like scattered ashes, and even the desperate cries from the back of her mind for help and relief...even thoughts which sought to cling to life even at the very last. All this seemed to echo in the back of her mind and in her body initially. However, an alien sense of nostalgia seemed to creep into her as she looked up at the dark sky, at the gray shifting fog whose image never seemed to clear...it reminded her of “that” time. Yes, it was like when she had met Talus! Actually, much like it perhaps had been when they all had met Talus to tell the truth… ...but just like that a chill ran down her back. Talus and his dark offer. All of those deaths she had suffered and seen at the hands of others. Attempting to….attempting to save Chieko and the others from the clinic. Her mind feeling like a shattered pane of glass, like all the world had lost its color, the despair she had been holding back gripping her heart in a vice. Then the culmination of it all, shoving a hot bunch of wax and tools into her own neck without any bit of hesitation….in front of Chieko and the others. Oh no...nonononono!!! By the gods, if that new world had any, she’d fallen to pieces, drowned in ‘those’ feelings and hit ‘that’ point in front of everyone. All those things she had tried to hold back as best as she could, all these years, in front of so many people...only for her house of cards, her very soul, to finally collapse. She almost felt like laughing to herself at the hilarity, the absolute stupidity, of it all. Yet her heart felt too numb to let out so much as a chuckle. She’d probably looked like a fool, a selfish fool who wanted attention. That worthless girl who had taken her own life in front of others, filled to the brim as the dam of her despair buckled like it was made of wet paper. [color=gold]”I...what is this place?”[/color] the glassy-eyed girl weakly stated, her throat virtually croaking out the sounds whilst she was attempting to use her legs and one arm to sit up...and the other arm reached up to unthinkingly touch where she had stabbed herself. When Aerith looked to where the wound was, she could see that it was healed. More importantly though, she could also see a slender pair of fingers wrapped around her shoulder. That was when she could feel it on her torso, and her back as well. [i]Someone[/i] was holding her! And it was at this moment that Aerith realized that her shirt was missing. She felt a chill run along the upper half of her body as she came fully awake. A jolt of surprise ran through Aerith’s brain, sending a burst of energy and minor panic into her body. She-she-she had no idea who this was! It certainly wasn’t Hiro, nor would Chieko be able to carry her corpse for that matter. Was it another? Fritzi even? Though the warmth of those fingers on her skin….wait, was she actually alive?! And her shirt was gone?!?! Yet as soon as this idea hit her, the nature of her carry also finally hit her. Before she could utter another word, a deep red blush erupted into the girl’s face. She was being carried [b]bridal style[/b], by some slender-fingered individual in what felt like a gentle and careful manner to her. Aerith, top only covered by the top part of her swimsuit, barely stammered out a mixture of sounds. What she had meant to originally say was something to the end of “Who are you?” in a nutshell. But second most notable at the time, at least for Aerith herself, was the feeling of massive, soft tits resting on top of her own. They...were like big, soft pillows of happiness! Like she could sleep on them, or touch them all day in a heated pass-....ah. She liked girls, and sexy bodies like Fritzi’s, but this was not perhaps the best time for letting it slip either. Not that it helped her case any, only intensifying her blush and making her beating heart skip a beat. After Aerith stammered and got out some mad flailing, she managed to to get a look at the [url=https://i.imgur.com/hC57Ftv.png]very happy-looking girl in blue[/url] that was holding her. [b]”Ahhhhhh!”[/b] she immediately dropped Aerith and crossed her hands over her chest. [b]”What's the matter!? Why are you screaming? Were you suffocating?”[/b] [color=gold]”Ah!......H-H-Hello t-there! A-Ah….I…I’m ok i think. Y-You’re beautiful….oh! W-What is going on, here?”[/color] At least the dark haired girl managed to stammer out a clear enough message this time around, though was in the middle of speaking momentarily distracted by the girl’s inherently beauty and looks. Even the cute way she held her hands over her chest, asking about how Aerith herself was doing, was….so damned cute, dangit! If she had seen this girl back home, at least in her mind, the dark-haired girl felt she’d have asked her out on sight. Maybe….ah. But she wasn’t home, really...could maybe be in the afterlife for all she knew, since the wound was not there at all. Not even so much as a scar. Aerith felt a drop in her chest as the situation hit her once more, despair attempting to creep back in as she attempted to, poorly, hold a proper face for the situation. This was all...a lot to handle already, as it were, for a person who had just killed herself in front of everyone….even the thought of that and how she felt threatened to tear away at her mind and spirit and body all over again. [b]”I'm beautiful?”[/b] She put her hands on her hips and smiled. [b]”I mean duh, of course I'm beautiful. Though if I do say so myself, I thought you were a fallen angel for a moment, but then I remembered I was the one who dropped you.”[/b] she snickered. [b]”As for where we are, we're sealed in the witch shrine over by the Augria Sand Dunes. Perfectly safe from any would-be witch hunters or royal guards.”[/b] She waved her hand. [b]”But none of that really matters. Aerith, I've waited a [i]really[/i] long time to see you.”[/b] she got down on all fours and crawled up beside her prone form. [b]”You're not mad about being dragged out here, are you? Out of your home world?”[/b] Wait...was this- It couldn’t be, but she knew her name and everything, and stated it outright even. Taking all things into account...well, it made enough sense so far. This was the person who said they loved her, and wanted to bring her to this world. This was the person Lord Talus had told her about! It reminded her of those words from however long ago, uttered from her very own mouth. All of those things…. [quote][color=gold]“I can’t say i am not worried about all of this, but….to know someone loves me enough to want me in their world literally, i….how can i refuse?” “I’ll never give up. That is what i can offer to her in return, at the very least. The determination to not leave her, the will and drive to do what i must to remain by her side.” “Even if my body is broken, even if my fate has so far been to hurt in life before now, i will not relent.” “For her genuine love, to be her companion, i can only offer her my best. The best of myself, even all of myself.”[/color][/quote] Despite this, she felt Talus deserved a strong backhand slap to the face. But this was a shocking truth to be sure...one that caught her off guard as she was compared to a fallen angel. [color=gold]”I...I can’t lie to you. I might miss some things, like a friend or two, but that world was hell….my family was hell even. I-I couldn’t stand it…. But all those resets here….they also hurt. Dying so much, i just wanted to choke Talus for…..for lying. Because i thought he’d lied to me, sent me here thinking someone loved her. I tried to help others, but….but it brought out the worst in me just trying to hold on….”[/color] Aerith attempted to stammer out more of her thoughts, not wanting to lie to “this” person if they were truly “that” individual she’d been told of. Someone who truly loved her. Someone she’d wanted to find for a long time back home, so very long, and who (if she was to believe it) was kneeling next to her right now. There in all of her radiant beauty, lovey figure, ripe bust, and who actually sounded like she cared. She didn’t want anything else, in some sense, and forced herself up into a kneeling position in front of this girl in front of her very eyes. The emotions were hard to hold back, welling up in her chest and eyes….an overflowing dam. Then, without warning, she latched onto this strange girl, hugging her close….and starting to cry. Just crying, the heaves of the hurt, the pain, the suffering coming out with each sob. It wasn’t by any means a perfect solution...but just having the moment to let it out was overwhelmingly great. [color=gold]”I...It hurts so much! I-I-I….I never thought i’d find you! Someone w-who truly loves me….i’ve wanted to find you all my life...i-its been so long…. ...I-I don’t care if you are a witch, or some dark being, i….i’ve wanted to meet you, and now finally you’re here! F-Finally...here! How can i ever be mad that you love me….enough to want me here with you in this world? I was willing to...suffer this long, whatever i needed to even, just to meet you here. In person. To be able to give you my all….just….just so i won’t ever be so alone again!”[/color] For the first time, she was letting it out. Everything, even things she hadn’t shown others in her life before. [b]”Wahhhhh! You're leaking!”[/b] She scooted closer to Aerith and sat her upright. A nervous chuckle escaped the witch's lips. [b]”Yea, well, uh, I can definitely relate to the loneliness thing. The cultists raised us for a time before sealing us in here. I forget how long ago that was, but it's just been us in here. We don't even really like each other.”[/b] She patted Aerith on the back. [b]”But I'm glad you're ready to devote yourself to me so willingly. I mean again, I'm pretty amazing, so I know you won't be disappointed. It's just that you don't know how awesome I am yet, given that you've only known me for less than a minute. This isn't even a fraction of how cool I can be.”[/b] The witch blinked a few times. [b]”Aaaaaaaand you're still crying.”[/b] She sighed. [b]”Alright, time for the big guns.”[/b] The witch pulled Aerith in close and locked lips with her. She could feel a foreign tongue swabbing the inside of her mouth. It wasn’t like Aerith’s body could, much less would, say no to the very intimate and pleasurable...distraction. The last few tears rolled down her cheeks finally as she returned the kiss without thinking, and intimately intertwined her tongue with the witch’s own as she held her close. This girl’s body was so soft...so warm, and her voice was so reassured and reassuring to boot. If this was the “big guns”, she wanted to see what the “nuke it from orbit” option along this line of action was. But...she perhaps needed to calm down a bit right now. That odd mixture of raw joy, the former panic, the hanging weight of despair not long ago for her, it all wasn’t exactly the best mix right now to try to handle all at once. One step at a time...that’s what she needed to do. [color=gold]”Ah...I-I’m sorry. Haha, but you are amazing, if that kiss was any indication right now. So i have a lot more to look forward to, it seems,”[/color] Aerith said, after slowly pulling back from the kiss after a little time, smiling back at the girl in front of her softly with a hint of playful teasing in her tone of voice. Though as she felt the tension begin to decompress out of her chest, questions began to bombard her mind. In fact...there was a lot she wanted to know about all this. Last time she’d been in a place like this with Talus, she’d not asked enough questions. This time she wanted it to be different, especially since this was “that” person it seemed. [color=gold]”Ah! I almost forgot. What is your name, by the way? And how did i end up here? Plus, what happened back in the city with the others? And why am i not...dead?”[/color] Aerith said, looking about her and this girl’s surroundings as she spoke, before looking back at the girl again with a mixture of curiosity and concern in her voice. The witch blinked a few times. [b]”Oh right! We skipped right over introductions didn't we? I just know so much about you already.”[/b] She snickered. [b]”We weren't really given names. We just call ourselves by whatever authority it is that we possess. So that would make me Vainglory.”[/b] She frowned. [b]”But we weren't made purely from the witches of sin. I'm told even further back there were witches of virtue. And each of us share their powers as well.”[/b] She smiled again. [b]”Everyone calls me Vainglory, but how about calling me Joy instead?”[/b] Joy needed a bit more time to think about her other questions. [b]”Honestly, I've been pretty much just paying attention to you, since we got you here. As for how I got you here? Well, I needed some help for that. Yes, even amazing people need help from time to time.”[/b] She leaned into Aerith before giving her a sly grin. [b]”So I can pretty much transport people wherever I want. Unfortunately that wasn't going to save your life. For that, I needed Wrath to heal you up before you killed yourself. So she cast this powerful healing spell that's so strong, it causes a calamity somewhere else in the world. Totally worth it!”[/b] She snickered again. [b]”But she only did it so that I'd save Chieko, so instead I just sort of transported everyone to safety, but I made sure you wound up here with me.”[/b] Joy. That sounded like a good name, though from the sounds of it there were more witches than one, raised by some kind of cultists, without a proper name. And Wrath had a healing power, and Joy had cut a deal to save her? But as much as this girl’s pride seemed to shine through it all, along with a snickering sense of glee about certain details, Aerith felt a genuine warmth from her all the same. Albeit, this was far from answering all of the questions she had about things. Speaking of saving, though- [color=gold]”Ah...she’s safe...thank goodness,”[/color] Aerith said, a bit of relief about Chieko being finally safe washing over her mind as she thought about what she’d been told, [color=gold]”Thank you, Joy. For saving her where i….did much worse in trying so, and….i want to thank you especially for saving me, and bringing me here to meet you. You really are amazing!”[/color] The others were safe. Thank goodness that was a thing as well. Chieko, Hiro, the others, they would all be safe for now it seemed. Were they still in the city, though? Were they having a similar experience that she was right now? She had no idea for sure, and guesses abounded in her headspace. Albeit, a pang of hurt leapt into her chest as she spoke of her failed attempt to save Chieko...and what of course had come after it when she’d finally buckled. Joy hummed. [b]”I just sort of lumped everyone together to draw out the other witches. In hindsight, it wasn't the coolest thing I could have done. Talus is probably going to send them all back.”[/b] She raised her brow. [b]”Wasn't Chieko sort of a brat though?”[/b] She snorted. [b]”Anyway, I did a bit better job hiding you, so I'm hoping he doesn't notice. Especially if Wrath keeps her mouth shut. But enough about that.”[/b] Joy crawled on top of Aerith, planting her knees and hands at the corners of her torso. Gravity was having a very real effect on Joy's curves. [b]”What are we going to do, huh?”[/b] She did have some point...Chieko was a bit of a brat. But at the same time Aerith couldn’t bring herself to truly hate her. She didn’t have romantic feelings for her sure, but she didn’t want to see her suffer either. But at the same time the witch seemed entirely focused on her, and Aerith couldn’t argue that being a thing if she was the focus of this person’s love. Though whilst she had a lot of questions that needed to be answered, and promised herself she would get to asking them, her libido kicked in a bit as Joy crawled over the top of her. The dark-haired girl would have cursed her hormones for it, if she wasn’t enjoying it so very much in this position. The other girl’s lovely chest hung over her, those perfect curves were just right, and almost instantly it blanked out Aerith’s mind. Hormones rushed in, desire began to take over once more, and Aerith leaned up a little and pecked Joy on the lips. [color=gold]”If he ever asks we can just say we were….’busy’~”[/color] she said, before cupping a hand to the side of Joy’s face and leaning in to kiss her again, intertwining their tongues intimately as a hint that if Joy wanted to they could do ‘that’. Not like anyone was watching them, anywho. They were...well, here alone for all intents and purposes. Joy giggled. [b]”Well I was going to get us to my bed, but if you can't wait...”[/b] [hr] Aerith eventually took Joy up on her offer to get carried to a tiny wooden lodge in the fog, where they could rest on a mattress. To her right was Joy's body. She was already asleep with a puddle of drool under the side of her head. To Aerith's left was a pile of clothes that the two of them had been wearing just a bit ago. Aerith was about to nod off too, when she heard a voice. [b]”Hmmm.”[/b] The voice sounded alien to Aerith. When she looked up, someone was walking into the cabin. [b]”Can't say I'm too surprised by this turn of events.”[/b] They were hard to make out in the shadows, but they had long white hair and a slender figure. [b]”Don't wake up Vainglory. It'll just upset her, and there's nothing she can do.”[/b] [color=gold]”Wh-...Who are you? What are you trying to do to Joy?”[/color] [s]Thotticus Maximus[/s] Aerith said, shifting out of her former position of cuddling the lovely witch in her arms, trying not to wake her sleeping lover by moderating the loudness of her voice. One hand was pulling the sheets up to cover herself, as she used the other to proper herself up in the bed carefully. She couldn’t tell how long she and Joy had been at it since earlier, though it had all burned itself into her memories like a brand. But she felt a defensive feeling surge into her, worried about Joy and what this intruder was wanting to do. Not like she could stop them, perhaps, but in all honesty this had been the best thing to happen to her so far. Meeting Joy, having some conversation...getting as close as possible~ [s]Joke is on you, perverts of the world, she isn’t going to go into more details about it. Lel.[/s] However, this person was a wake-up, a thing from beyond wherever this area was, within a shrine that was in the Augria Sand Dunes. Though it wasn’t like Aerith was being hostile, more or less speaking out of surprise and a bit of embarrassment at being seen “after the act” like this by another party. It was odd, though the sinking feeling this connected back to Talus was ringing off in the back of her mind. [b]”Joy? That almost makes me want to smile.”[/b] She sighed. [b]”I suppose if you're calling her joy, you could call me J-”[/b] She stopped herself. [b]”No, that wouldn't be appropriate. I'm Melancholy, another witch who dwells here. You don't have to worry about me hurting her, none of us can really do that here.”[/b] Melancholy's eyes drifted onto Joy. [b]”Even if I wanted to.”[/b] She turned back to Aerith. [b]”I would have liked to have had you first, but it's true what they say: good girls finish last, don't they?”[/b] [color=gold]”Wait...please don’t leave. I can call you whatever name you want, we can talk even. It’s ok. But...do you also love me?”[/color] Aerith said, curious as she slid up into a sitting position on the end of the bed, using the sheets to protect herself without disrupting her bed partner, [color=gold]”And...do you know what happened to everything? To the others, even?”[/color] [b]”Why, do you love them?”[/b] Melancholy opened up her eyes. Even in the dim light of the cabin, they glowed like embers. But her voice was calm and devoid of emotion. [b]”And what if I did love you? Would you sleep with me too? Can it even be called love when you don't know what my favorite color is yet?”[/b] She pointed at Joy. [b]”Do you know hers?”[/b] [color=gold]”...I’ll admit, i jumped on this rather fast...one can say very foolishly letting myself go wild after what happened back in the city…,”[/color] Aerith said, after in biting her lip for a bit and letting this girl’s words soak in...it made a pit of guilt form in her gut, but nonetheless she wouldn’t lie about it. She had enjoyed the physical contact, the letting things out, and now this chance to sleep with a lover. But…even as her hands gripped the sheets tightly she knew she hadn’t done the best thing, [color=gold]”...As much as i am a fool to rush this far this fast, i want to get to know her. To love her for who she is. And i will, as best as i can, even for you if you really want. As for the others- I don’t know what to call it yet, after all i and they went through. I don’t want to see them horribly die, that i know for certain. I don’t want to see Chieko suffer...though i feel i have made it worse. But as much as it takes, one step at a time, i’ll do it. I’ll get to know her. I’ll get to know both of you. I’ll help those closest to me. I once said i would give all of me to those who love me, and i will. If i have to put all of me on the line to save those i care about, to better come to love others and prove it to you both here, i’ll do it.” She spoke trying not to wake Joy still, but at the same time she spoke with a level of serious determination in her words. As child-like as they perhaps were, that is. But she was serious. She wasn’t just saying this over feelings of guilt, because she had already promised her all and would give it. Conversations, day to day things, whatever she had to to get to better know them and love them. She had nothing else to go back to, and had agreed to this situation in coming to this world of her own volition. [b]”So once you're done with her, you'd be open to spending time with me?”[/b] Melancholy rose an eyebrow. [b]”You'll share yourself with everyone who loves you? One step at a time? For those you care about? I'm not sure if it's lust, pride, or greed that's making you act this way. And just for clarity, I was [i]not[/i] referring to the other witches.”[/b] She closed her eyes again. [b]”What I want doesn't matter in this situation. When you give your all to everyone, you aren't giving everyone your all. You're giving them fragments. You're giving them crumbs, scraps, leftovers.”[/b] She stepped backward away from the doorway. [b]”Aerith, you don't even know if Joy is telling you the truth. I mean, I could tell you that her real virtue is wit, but it's her word against mine. Until you ask everyone else that is.[/b] She placed a hand on her head. [b]”This is just such a waste! You're just going to be a personal concubine for her. [/b] Melancholy opened her eyes again, and the glow shined through her fingers. [b]”Wouldn't you at least like to see what the rest of us are about before you settle on anyone?[/b] Aerith thought about the words Melancholy said for a moment….before letting out a quiet sigh. She couldn’t argue the witch’s logic, even though it made her heart pang like it was being stabbed with a knife. Did she want to risk giving into a possible lie, to spend her life in blind Joy without ever looking up at the world around her? Did she want to potentially follow a lie, and be distracted from potential true happiness here? What was real, and what was fake in this situation? Her life, her lack of a shirt, those were real. But what else was...and did she want to ask more questions about it all? Joy had been there first, let her become emotional, distracted her with sensual delights. It had been enjoyable, and admittedly it had calmed her down...that much she was thankful for. Joy in that sense had saved her. But...she wanted to know the truth. Could she love a lie, throw her all into it? Or was she steps away from real truth? Did she, as this witch seemed to be suggesting, run the risk of being some witch’s concubine in bed for the rest of her life? Or was she being tempted to walk into a lion’s den where they’d tear her apart? [color=gold]”Melancholy...i suppose you’re right. I am being a very...selfish person. I’m...i’m someone whose for so long felt like they had nothing, and just seeing someone happy to see me was enough to stop me from thinking clearly. It was just enough for me to greedily cling to, to lust after with wild abandon to sate those cravings...heh, in that sense i am still the fool i thought i was... Thinking i could love everyone, split myself into pieces for those around me, you are right that it wouldn’t amount to anything in the end. Except, maybe hurt feelings, a shattered soul, and being alone again….”[/color] It was like a damned soap opera, and she was the fool harem protagonist at the center of it. The desperate soul wanting someone, something, real. Grasping, emotionally, onto the nearest cute bodied girl she could find after a tragic...dammit! She was a fool of a girl, a fool of a person. But here, at least, was being offered one tiny thing that did feel a bit more solid. A chance to learn, whether for the better or the worse. Gently, Aerith left the bed, gently and carefully to avoid waking Joy even still in her voice and movements. She gently put the covers back over her, warm and soft as they were. She then grabbed her swimsuit, pulling it on along with her shorts. That was all she had left of her clothes right now, anywho. [color=gold]”...So i guess i really do want to know the truth. I desire something real, whether it turns out to be Joy, or you, or someone else out there since you weren’t referring to the witches. Someone to give all of my love to, to get to know, and know its real and tangible with my own two hands. I want to hear what you and the others have to say, what you are about even. I’d rather take another painful truth, i want to know what is truly real, rather than settle for all the lies. But...i can’t just abandon Joy. She’d been kind, shared a bed with me, and arranged to save me. I can’t just look her in the face, spit in it, and be that ungrateful.”[/color] She had to know. No more facades...no more lies like her family had made. No more false-faced Fritzi’s, no being turned into a toy for someone else’s amusement. She wanted that love, and she needed to give that person everything and not just meager fragments. Sure, she could seek out friends to give that friendship out to, and that was a thing. But in the end she had to decide. And for now, that decision was to stay by Joy’s side, though she got the feeling Melancholy’s words about ‘It will upset her, there is nothing she can do’ rang in the back of her mind. It felt likely Talus, or someone else if this sin got here, would take her away again….not the best thing. But at the same time, it was her way to return the kindness of Joy as well. [b]”You made me wait here while you got dressed just to tell me [i]that?”[/i][/b] Melancholy sighed and closed her eyes again. [b]”It's true then, I suppose. You're going to settle for the one you found first. It really could have been anyone. This cabin is a cozy little retreat, and a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”[/b] Melancholy turned around and started to walk out the door. It was slow, taking several seconds for her to put one foot in front of the other. If Aerith wasn't looking at her feet, she might have assumed she was staying in place. But as soon as Melancholy got to the door, she froze in place. [b]”We're all named after sins. It's not very flattering, but you do realize that all humans sin. Even in your world, the first humans sinned.”[/b] When she turned to face Aerith, the corners of her lips curled into a smile. [b]”What a lovely story about the first sin. Adam and Eve eating the fruit of knowledge. What was that sin? You can't quite pick it out of the seven deadly sins of Christianity. It wasn't quite pride, as they seemed to know they were below god. It certainly wasn't greed, the apple was there long before the serpent came.”[/b] Melancholy scuffed towards Aerith. [b]”It wasn't wrath, nor lust, sloth, or gluttony. Many people say god punished them for being disobedient, but I don't really believe that.”[/b] Melancholy “looked” at Aerith. [b]”All sins share one thing in common. Even if you don't know the seven deadly sins, you can identify them with one trait.”[/b] She opened her eyes, and the neon glow caused Aerith to wince. [b]”They are selfish. Each of the seven sins put one's own needs before the needs of others. That's why melancholy is a sin, because when you're depressed, you're really just so absorbed in your own woes that you don't care about anyone else.”[/b] Melancholy took hold of Aerith's shoulders and pulled her close. She could feel her ragged breath on her cheek. [b]”So Aerith, you took your own life out of self pity, even when Chieko and Hiro did so much to keep you safe. Your resurrection caused a calamity, and the witch that really saved you is being cheated out of her end of the bargain. And that’s all true if you believe what Vainglory told you. Meanwhile, the witch who wanted to see you so badly is still waiting for you, while you lay here with Vainglory. But you're content because the two of you are happy.”[/b] She tipped her head. [b]”Do you think it's fair to say that you have sinned?”[/b] Aerith’s breath caught in her throat. Joy...but hadn’t she made a deal with Wrath like she had said? To get her to be saved?! No, wait, was Wrath the one who wanted to see her so badly? Was it...was it Melancholy here?! She had no idea, but the sensation she felt from learning about this sent a terrible pang into her chest, throbbing and searing. But she couldn’t run from it, and...she wouldn’t even if she could. It hurt, but she loathed those lies, even ones said to herself by her own mind. In truth...yes, she really was a fool. Choosing this carnal pleasure, so selfish as to take her own life when despair had crushed her very soul, so stupid not to think of anyone else but herself after arriving in this place. It made her want to run out into the ether and scream, to beg for the witch who wanted to see her so badly to open a way so she could see her. The heart-tearing regret itself was a teacher in this instance, and a reminder of what she truly desired, even as Aerith reached up and gripped Melancholy’s shoulders tightly. [color=gold]”I have sinned...greatly. That i can’t deny, nor is a past i can undo. It would be...selfish to think i could do so.”[/color] [b]”If only putting yourself down made things better.”[/b] Melancholy backed away from Aerith. [b]”Joy isn't a sin. But it's only a virtue when you can share it.”[/b] As the witch backed into the shadows, the glow in her eyes dimmed until she vanished from sight. It seemed that, so too, did the door to the cabin disappear. [b]”Hmm?”[/b] Joy propped herself up in bed. [b]”Uh oh! Looks like we have a problem!”[/b] She put a hand over her mouth. [b]”Somebody's covered in clothes!”[/b] Joy huffed. [b]”Well, we can fix that.”[/b] She waved for Aerith to come back into bed. It wasn’t like she had a choice at this point in time...but it was the path she had chosen for now. Joy’s warm body, the beautiful smile, all of it in one package. The door out of the cabin was gone, just outright a wall now like it wasn’t there. Though whilst the pangs of regret thumbed the strings of her heart, like they were playing the gentle harp, she couldn’t just sit and belittle herself either. No...Melancholy had that much of a point, and potentially some experience with it if she has to place her suspicions. Overall there had been made a lot of points, actually, that she would have to and wanted to take to heart for the future. She would pick herself up, and move on one day, one step even, at a time. That was all she had, and after having tried to kill herself the thought of attempting it again sent chills down her back now. [color=gold]”Heh, i was just thinking we could talk some tomorrow. I want to get to know the amazing you better, after all~ But for now, i think we are late on round two, hmm? And here i was thinking about trying some of the tricks you used on me earlier~”[/color] Aerith said, making her way back over to Joy on the bed, leaning over and planting a soft but passionate kiss on the witch’s lips. For the moment all she had was this little, lustful wonderland. A warm bed, a sweet face...and a lot of time to talk. She couldn’t despair right now...she couldn’t bear it anymore. She felt how it was like for her soul to finally buckle under all the weight. Just for tonight...couldn’t she be a bit more selfish, just a little?