[hider=Bonetrousle]
Mamoru received word from Butterfly that an unknown high speed entity was making their way to the Chateau. At the time, Mamoru was trying her hand at making some snacks to munch on, but she immediately put this task aside as she went into serious mode. Her first priority was to ensure Rodias was okay, and to figure out what he had planned. She was certain that he already knew and was preparing accordingly.

In a flash of speed Mamoru was by Rodias’ side. “Lord Rodias, I have received your message for the Chateau. I’m afraid that I am merely a shadow of my original self, but to that end do not hesitate to use me, even if it would end my life.” Under better circumstances Mamoru would flirt endlessly on Rodias even if her original self wouldn't, knowing that her life was short either way, but now was not the time for those shenanigans. Not to mention that based off the orders she received, Rodias intended to confront this threat alone, while everyone else rallied at the Climax Hour. Ever a foolish decision; how can he, their leader, expect his followers to cower at the heart of the Chateau while he battles this threat alone? It may disobey a direct order, but Mamoru has no intentions of leaving Rodias’ side.

Rodias was frozen, staring in abject fear at the figure that, by all stretches of the imagination, was nothing more than a little girl, visually. But judging from how badly she’d already damaged the ESPER that she’d shot, and her almost instantaneous victory over Isolde listed in the report, Rodias knew that there wasn’t a single good thing that could come of this...and now Bone Daddy was facing her alone. Even if it wasn’t in a fight, that was beyond dangerous. The last Sable Lord would ball his fists, and start making his way forward, not going too fast as he didn’t want to cause the girl to retaliate and, potentially, end his life before she’s even aware that he’s there.

Mamoru followed Rodias quietly, having already commanded the skeletal butlers to ready themselves for battle. She knows that Bone Daddy had given them orders otherwise, but she was superseding his orders in order to make sure everyone is ready to fight with whatever it takes. Mamoru wasn’t about to lose her home to this unknown strumpet. 

[hr]

Caught quite off guard by the offerings of snacks, refreshments, and general politeness, the girl’s eyes would light up as she sipped the vanilla cola, excitedly waving the glass around. [color=9370DB][b]”More of this please!”[/b][/color] she would say, before starting to munch on the macarons, cookies, and madelines eagerly, cheeks stuffed much like a squirrel’s would be from how much she was eating in rapidity. If it weren’t for the fact that she could kill everyone, it might actually be a bit cute.

Next came the meat, which she would choose to be a mixture of pancetta and pastrami, paired with a thick slice of gouda atop it. She looked enraptured by the food, happily clutching her cheek as a serpentine tail swished to and fro behind her, slamming against her chair lightly again and again. [color=9370DB][b]”Sho good…”[/b][/color] she murmured, eagerly looking over the spicy foods, eyes watering from the imminent spice that was going to likely scald her mouth...but everything had been so good so far, she had no choice but to partake.

Partaking in the buffalo wings first, the girl would turn the barest base of the saucy wing to stone to not get her fingers dirty, before biting the meat and skin off the bone, face lighting up pink as she fanned herself. [color=9370DB][b]”H-H-H-Hot! Way too hot!”[/b][/color] she said, chugging her vanilla cola and exhaling. [color=9370DB][b]”But...so delicious…”[/b][/color] she said, tears in her eyes from her complete lack of ability to process anything even remotely spicy. With the buffalo wings having defeated her, she would instead start eating parts of the blooming onion, hissing happily as she swallowed her first bite. [color=9370DB][b]”I love it!”[/b][/color] she said, mixing in bites of curly fries between, completely avoiding the Jalapeno poppers out of raw FEAR for their spicy nature. That, and she liked her ass to not be on fire.

Wiping her mouth contently with a napkin, the medusa was satisfied, clapping slowly. [color=9370DB][b]”Five stars, and then some. So, what’s your plan? Butter me up with food until I go away?”[/b][/color] the girl would ask, crossing her legs in her seat and watching Birthday Butterfly curiously. 

Ever emotionless, Butterfly simply served the girl quietly, refilling her drink as desired and cleaning up any messes or spills she might’ve made. He also covered the Jalapeno poppers since she showed no interest in eating those. When she seemed to have eaten her fill she questioned his motives. He saw no reason to lie to her. “I am Butterfly, Bone Daddy and Head Butler of the Chateau’s Bone Butler Battalion. My kin had noticed your imminent arrival and so it is my duty to greet you as a guest and offer you all the comforts I can provide as a guest of the Chateau.” He bowed his head towards her once again.

“If I may be so bold to ask, honored guest, might I have your name and what business you have here at the Chateau? Additionally, do you desire any more refreshments?”

[color=9370DB][b]”Hm...well, I guess you’d find out anyways in a few minutes. I’m here to talk to your master. Whoever that is. Mind pointing me to where they are?”[/b][/color] the girl asked, oblivious to Rodias approaching a fair distance away, coming out from the Beast Pens.

“I’m afraid that I do not know where he is at, however I am certain that one of my kin has already informed him of your arrival, so I’ve no doubt he is making preparations to greet you. You have come so suddenly I am certain he was not expecting your arrival, much like how we could only offer you these meager assortments of drinks and foodstuff.” Butterfly says cooly. He also picked up communications from Mamoru about preparing the skeleton butlers to battle. He wanted to avoid it in the event that the gorgon notices the unusual activity, but he could not do anything about it right now. Instead Butterfly needed to improvise.

“As we wait for my Lord to arrive, would you care for some entertainment? I and my kin are capable of more than simply food service. We are skilled in various performing arts including acting, singing, acrobatics, pyrogenics, and impersonation.” All of these things the previous Sable Lords had taught Bone Daddy and his skeleton legion for their entertainment. Usually the skeletons simply served as extras or stage hands for these performances, but since the usual actors (the players themselves) were not present, Bone Daddy could easily prepare his kin to play their parts instead.

[color=9370DB][b]”No thanks. I’ll just wait, if he’s on his way,”[/b][/color] the medusa would state, not dropping her guard at all. She seemed completely focused on Bone Daddy and his actions, clearly not willing to be lied to, or be misled. Judging by the impatient tapping of her left index finger on the table, she wasn’t going to wait long…

“So be it then.” Butterfly knew he needed to stall for a bit longer. Something, anything, and then he had an idea. While typically ill-advisable to take an unknown threat inside of the Chateau, there was one place he could take her that will be safer than the courtyard here. “Then shall I show you to one of our guest areas? It is closer to my lord’s throne room, and I am certain that if he has not already left, he would be waiting there. There will also be better furniture than simply the outdoor chair if you wish for a more relaxing environment and further accommodations.”

[color=9370DB][b]”Oh? Well, that sounds lovely...but I’m not moving from this chair,”[/b][/color] the golden-eyed girl would state, running a finger through one of her bangs. [color=9370DB][b]”I’m not asking for an audience. I’m asking for him to come talk to me,”[/b][/color] she said, glaring ever so slightly at Bone Daddy. It was growing more and more apparent that this girl was not only stubborn, but difficult to convince of anything.

“Of course. If you so desire, I can simply call for some servants who may carry you whilst seated to wherever he may be.” The girl was being stubborn and quickly impatient. Such was the nature of such powerful beings. But silence would be death and destruction: Butterfly could not simply assume Rodias would actually arrive here, and the longer Bone Daddy can stall the longer his own people could prepare themselves. Most were already geared up as quickly as they could and were now simply trying to get to their battle stations. Not to mention, though Butterfly could not feel anger, he knew this girl was disrespecting Rodias by demanding he come to her for an audience rather than her requesting one. But she was not simply a peasant Butterfly could dispose of, at least not in any clean manner. A very delicate situation indeed.

“It would seem that he is indeed arriving soon, honored guest. If you’ll excuse me, I shall prepare this spot for a more pleasant sojourn.” With a simple bow of the head, a few more skeletal servants appeared from the doorway with more tables and furniture. They took away the previous table and food and replaced it with a low coffee table and a large couch meant for Rodias, though another couch was also brought in case the girl wanted a more comfortable seat as well. Butterfly simply stood there at attention, keeping an ever watchful eye on the girl. 

[color=9370DB][b]”I’m not going anywhere,”[/b][/color] the girl said, watching as the couch was brought in, immediately going elsewhere by plopping herself onto the couch and waiting idly before a flurry of shadow and a billowing of wind preceded Rodias’ entrance, the Sable Lord sitting opposite of the girl, bowing his head. [color=f7976a][b]”My apologies for making you wait. I am-”[/b][/color]

In an instant, the girl was tilting her head, interrupting Rodias with: [color=9370DB][b]”Wow...you’re really green. And a vampire. Half-Vampire?”[/b][/color] she said, suddenly reaching forward and tugging at Rodias’ cheek, revealing the pointed fangs in place of the Sable Lord’s canines. [color=9370DB][b]”Half-Vampire,”[/b][/color] she said, smiling at her own assertion before releasing Rodias’ cheek.

Rodias was stunned. What...even just happened? He felt more than a little violated by the girl’s rudeness, but it seemed that she didn’t mean harm...for now. [color=f7976a][b]”Erm...yes...I’m a Dhampir. Do you mind if I ask what brings you here, Miss…?”[/b][/color]

[color=9370DB][b]”You can call me Morgan. My username was WitCHazel. Stupid, I know. Anyways, nice to meet you. You’re a Player, right?”[/b][/color] the girl asked, her tone friendly, even as her golden eyes shifted pitch to being purple, staring in anticipation of Rodias’ answer.

[color=f7976a][b]”Yeah. I was. My name is Rodias,”[/b][/color] he said, answer seeming to satisfy Morgan as she reclined back in her seat. [color=9370DB][b]”I’ll keep this simple...ditch this place and come with me. I’m with a guild.”[/b][/color]

Rodias just kind of stared in disbelief. Partially at the idea of just up and leaving Bandersnatch’s home, and partially at the ludicrous idea that not just one other person got transported here, but an [i]entire guild[/i] did as well. It was all way too much to take in, but Rodias had absolutely no time as the girl hurriedly took his hand and smiled. [color=9370DB][b]”Besides, not like its your job to waste away in one place, talking to bones, robots, and a bunch of things other people made. RPGs were made to do whatever you want, when you want it. That’s what Ardion says, at least. You look like a box of razor blades dumped onto a mound of duct tape edgy, so I bet you wanna do all kinds of evil things. Don’t deny it; I had urges too coming here. But Ardion helped me fulfill them all!”[/b][/color] Morgan said, each word bringing her inch by inch closer to Rodias, her eyes that were once shining with a gleam of curiosity instead turning to one of hollow fascination. 

Whoever this...Ardion was, he had her, heart and soul. By either charisma or enchantment.

“And what would he possibly gain from being a proud lord to a lowly servant?” Mamoru asks standing behind the woman. She had disengaged previously and positioned herself here purposely. Butterfly was also suspiciously and suddenly absent. “Lord Rodias is no mere sellsword, nor a charlatan. He is the proud Sable Lord of the Bandersnatch, with all of the Gothika Chateau at his beck and call. He has not and will never abandon us, nor shall we forsake him.” Mamoru said all of these things unprompted, vaguely aware that Rodias was the only one this woman cared to listen to. But regardless of her status as a mere doppelgänger, she was still Mamoru in both mind and soul, and her desire for defiance against this obvious tyranny bleeds through.

She was also prepared for this woman to retaliate, either physically or magically, and was readying herself to do battle to defend the chateau with her life. 

There was a brief pause, before a lock of the girl’s hair lashed out behind her, a silver-scaled snake having lunged and bitten into the Mamoru clone’s neck, fangs ripping, gouging, slowly tearing at her throat to keep her from speaking further. A smile crept upon Morgan’s lips as she said: [color=9370DB][b]”Nobody’s a servant when you join Ardion. He helps everyone. Even me. He’ll even help you,”[/b][/color] she said, as the snake continued its gouging, purposefully avoiding killing the clone outright. 

Rodias was physically shaking. What...what was this? What was happening?

In a moment, Morgan would toss the Mamoru clone aside with a single motion, the girl’s throat filled to the brim with venom. Her eyes locked on Rodias again, a hand reaching out to touch his cheek, before the roar of a gun rang out and slammed into the back of Morgan’s head, the medusa caught completely off-guard by the shot from the rooftop. Finding her body not responding to her commands the medusa could do little else but look back, seeing the sniper leaving the rooftop, and hissing lowly under her breath, eyes shining their usual gold. She was more than a little angry, now...but was completely immobile. 

Rodias was frozen, already partially petrified as his legs and lower body became stone, the Dhampir’s resistance failing as stone crept up his flesh.

It was time.

The tension in the air had been thick enough for it to be shattered with a hammer. Ever since her arrival Bone Daddy had his skeletons move to prepare for this contingency, and even Mamoru’s overriding command did little to prevent what was about to happen. By the time the echoes of the gunshot was heard, Butterfly had already started the ritual as a thousand of his skeletal brothers began to fuse together, forming ten colossal sized giants of bone. Gashadokuro was formed, but not just one, but ten of them at a time. However these ten alone would not be enough to defeat the monster above. He needed precious few more seconds to truly complete the ritual, and to that end, he needed Rodias and Mamoru to hold out just a few seconds longer.

Mamoru, despite all of her defenses, was caught surprised by the gorgon’s attack. She was only fast enough to witness it and could do little to stop, however the girl had made the mistake of holding back. The venom would do next to nothing to actually harm Mamoru thanks to her innate poison immunity, however she knew that she was but a single errant twitch away from dying. But as the bullet rang throughout the Chateau, Mamoru knew she had her duty. She needed to protect Rodias, by any means necessary. Her own life was no longer relevant. With the last of her strength, Mamoru shattered a panacea against Rodias; a high level curative item capable of undoing most status effects. She had no idea if Morgan’s petrifying gaze was anything beyond that, so a panacea would hopefully be able to cure any other affliction that she put onto Rodias. Mamoru would normally be gentler, but she could not afford to do so right now as she then took out a second item: a lead mesh sack. Largely meant for Mamoru’s actual maid duties to hold onto any acidic or corrosive material, it’ll also be usable to wrap over the gorgon’s head, hopefully keeping her effectively blind and unable to use her gaze attacks for just a few seconds. It wasn’t going to be an effective maneuver for very long, but for the few seconds she can provide, this was the best that the clone could do. [/hider]