[centre][colour=lightpink][h2]Disloyalty[/h2][/colour][/centre] [hr] The hiss of squirting blood took over as the dominant sound next to the wind as the gurgles of the fresh carcass subsided. With a dull sigh, Twilight pulled the blood red mask, so coloured by both paint and blood at this rate, off its owner to behold the grotesque face underneath. He had collected quite a few of these over the past day or so, and the sack which he had been putting them was filling to the brim. He dragged Tsukigami-no-Kokoro through the muddy grass of the swamp floor, not quite sure why he expected that to clean it. Using the hem of his robe instead, he managed to clean it at the expense of his clothes. That was the only time the sword had actually cut something, though - the majority of the masks in his sack had violent cracks and dents from the fact that, most of the time, Twilight had been forced to employ his weapon as a club. This last bandit had been fortunate, really - encountering Twilight in the middle of a moonbeam had sealed his fate quick and (probably) painlessly. He kicked at the spear the bandit had wielded. Why couldn’t Gibbou have made him an actual viable weapon? Tsukigami-no-Kokoro was absolutely useless here - swamp trees covered the skydome three fourth of the journey, and the last fourth, it was either day or overcast night. He would’ve been satisfied with anything - anything other than this. Bashing in someone’s head with a weapon not designed to be used as a club was hard work - even for someone of divine might. He fell to his knees and cast his arms outwards, facing the sky: [colour=lightpink]”Why can’t I have a weapon like them, huh?! Am I not good enough?!”[/colour] There was a brisk silence as his words rang out into the swamp. In the distance, a lonely crow offered its pity with a single caw. For a few precious seconds, the world mocked him with its distant loneliness. Then, the wind seemed to brush against his hair and clothes, and the air grew thick with a distant presence. For a simple simple mortal it might have seemed like an especially cloying gust of wind, but on some level Twilight could feel there was more to it. A few seconds more, and a gentle voice rang out in his mind. [colour=8493ca]”Life is not fair, is it?”[/colour] it whispered with a seductive tone. [colour=8493ca]”What ails you, my sweet?”[/colour] Twilight sucked in a deep breath and pursed his lips. [colour=lightpink]”That’s something I haven’t smelled before. Who are you?”[/colour] He eyed the trees and the foliage around him. Beyond the lone crow giving him the stink-eye in the distance, there wasn’t much of note happening in the swamp any more. Still, the voice continued. [colour=8493ca]”I am Neiya. Goddess of Love,”[/colour] she voiced with some notion of pride. [colour=8493ca]”Your plight reached my ears, and I suffer it with you. Though, something is different about you, is it not?”[/colour] [colour=lightpink]”Neiya, goddess of love, huh?”[/colour] mumbled Twilight with some resemblance of a cocky smirk. [colour=lightpink]”My, oh my, what kind’a plight did I have to call upon your beautiful presence tonight?”[/colour] [colour=8493ca]”If I remember correctly, my dear, it was something about your equipment not being good enough,”[/colour] the goddess offered with a honeyed voice. [colour=8493ca]”Do I have that right?”[/colour] [colour=lightpink]”You’ve got that right,”[/colour] muttered the avatar. [colour=lightpink]”I asked Blueberry for a weapon in the heat of the moment and she gave me a club that might sharpen up if the moon’s out. Like, who does that?”[/colour] [colour=8493ca]”Blueberry? Moon?”[/colour] came an initial question. A pause followed, silence spreading as the presence remained, but no sound followed. Almost as a tease, when Twilight was almost entirely certain no more words were coming, the voice spoke again. [colour=8493ca]”Truly a mystery, my sweet. Perhaps she wishes for you to fail? A mistake? A cruel joke? You’ll find no such malice with me, whatever the purpose may be.”[/colour] [colour=lightpink]”Probably. She’s dumb, slow, [i]whiney[/i] and has no idea what she’s doing. Wouldn’t surprise me if it was an outright mistake, honestly. She didn’t even correct it, though. That’s just who she is, though - as reliable as a bridge of rotten wood.”[/colour] He eyed the blade and then the skies again, stuffing the sword into its sheath. [colour=lightpink]”Are you saying you would make me something better?”[/colour] [colour=8493ca]”Happily,”[/colour] the voice responded. The sigh that followed was more of a seductive exhale, and seemed to brush against his hair. [colour=8493ca]”If that is what you truly want. I wouldn’t want you to suffer needlessly.”[/colour] Twilight felt an urgent need for a cold bath. [colour=lightpink]”What, uh, what’d you have in mind?”[/colour] [colour=8493ca]”Anyone important enough to have met my kin is important to me. I want you to be safe,”[/colour] the goddess replied with a consistently sweet voice. [colour=8493ca]”To know that you are in my heart, as I hope I shall be in yours. My love is eternal.”[/colour] Twilight offered a long whistle. [colour=lightpink]”Are you like this with everyone you meet, or just me?”[/colour] There was a half-scoff rung through their connection, a brief and fleeting amusement. [colour=8493ca]”You wound me. Perhaps my affection would be best served with another valiant who appreciates my love.”[/colour] Her words made Twilight physically chase forward a few steps. [colour=lightpink]”Woah, woah, heeeey, I didn’t mean it like thaaat, beautiful. Old Twilight here’s just playin’, y’know. Hey, you didn’t leave, right? Neiya?”[/colour] There was another brief pause before the voice returned. [colour=8493ca]”I’m still here, Twilight. I would never abandon you in your hour of need.”[/colour] In the distance, the crow offered another solitary caw. [colour=8493ca]”I’m happy to offer you something that would display our shared affection. Something that shall protect you, when all you have is the memory of our meeting.”[/colour] Twilight smirked. [colour=lightpink]”And what would that be, beautiful?”[/colour] The wind grew in intensity around Twilight not long after his question, whipping the ground and tugging at his clothes. Whispers of all manner of languages forced their way into his ears, a chorus of mortal wants and needs, a maelstrom of voices and emotions. Then, as soon as it had begun, the wind stilled, and the voices grew quiet. Everything was the same, except for the stout black and silver shield now strapped around his arm, and the jingle of metal around his neck - an arrowhead of silver holding a blood-red ruby. Twilight eyed the shield with saucer-like eyes. [colour=lightpink]”... This… This is beautiful. What’s it made of?”[/colour] He turned his arm around, and the shield, by extension, admiring its surface and colour. [colour=8493ca]”Nothing short of my affection would do, my sweet,”[/colour] the goddess replied modestly, neglecting to directly respond to the question. [colour=8493ca]”It shall forever keep me in your mind - and in return, I shall forever extend my protection. It will keep you safe, no matter the quality of your blade.”[/colour] [colour=lightpink]”It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect. Oh, what did I do to run into such an angel such as you? Did I die and go to paradise? Am I finally free from her squeaky nagging?”[/colour] He brandished the shield in different poses and blew a kiss to the skies. [colour=lightpink]”You’re the best, babe.”[/colour] There was another pause, before a more straight-laced tone returned to her voice. [colour=8493ca]”I’m afraid you’re stuck for now. Keep me in your thoughts, and you’ll never be alone.”[/colour] Twilight smirked and swung the shield over his back. [colour=lightpink]”Oh, babe, I won’t forget you ever, I promise.”[/colour] He paused. [colour=lightpink]”So… Wanna, maybe, meet up some time? I met this great guy back on Toraan who I’m sure could lend us his cave for the night.”[/colour] He paused. [colour=lightpink]”Oh wait, you probably can’t make it down here, like Blueberry. Hmm… Hey, you got a spare cave, by chance?”[/colour] [colour=8493ca]”Such an enticing offer.”[/colour] the voice replied with barely contained frustration. There was another pause, another sigh. [colour=8493ca]”Alas, I cannot give my heart to someone yet unproven. When our bond is unbreakable, I will offer you the paradise you seek, my sweet.”[/colour] [colour=lightpink]”I’ll be counting the days, babe.”[/colour] He smooched the air. [colour=lightpink]”Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go test this shield in my love’s honour. Toodles!”[/colour] With that, he set off into the swampy woods with a whistle on his lips. The goddess did not reply. The wind seemed to still for a moment, and the connection was broken. At last, it was just Twilight and the nosy crow, who insisted on his continued folly with a lonesome caw. [hr] [i]Meanwhile, somewhere far, far away…[/i] [colour=lightblue]... That... Mother… FU--!”[/colour] [hider=SummaREEE!] Twilight hates sword. Asks for better thing. Lovegirl says she will give better thing. Twilight hasn’t gotten his rocks off for 2000 years and instantly agreed. Receives Shield of Fragile Manhood and Necklace of Power(bottoms). Chads his way out when he really virgined it hard. Neiya’s not too impressed, but secretly super into him, totally. Meanwhile, Gibbou’s jimmies are so rustled that they can be heard across space and time. [/hider] [hider=EmPee] Neiya Starting MP/DP: 2/5 Created: [i]Eternal Shield[/i] - Artifact This black and silver shield appears to be made of a steel-like, reflective metal. Eternal I: (The shield reforms and rebuilds itself slowly after being broken.) -1 MP Love Fortress II: (This shield is stronger than most materials and take a massive beating, but only while the wielder is thinking of Neiya. While not thinking of Neiya, it's no stronger than a pane of glass.) -2 DP [i]Heart's Compass[/i] - Artifact A silver arrowhead with a blood-red ruby in its midst, this medallion hangs on a silver chain. Guided Love I: (The ruby and metal arrowhead at the end of this necklace points towards the fielder's deepest love when laid in the palm.) -1 DP Ending MP/DP: 1/2 [/hider]