A [i]handicap.[/i]

Soon she will know everything about this Whispered Promise. She has ordered her engineer-cult to begin gathering information. That is what cultists are for, after all: doing the hard work of gathering and interpretation for her. An offering of time and effort for her glory. And it means she doesn’t have to stop clinging to Dolly, who is sandwiched between her and Angela Victoria Miera Antonius just like Angela Victoria Miera Antonius is sandwiched between Dolly and Ksharta Talonna.

A handicap. Of all the arrogant bluster. Who did she think she was? Doubtless she would not hold a candle to Dolly, let alone Jade herself. Though, perhaps, the specific skills that a mecha pilot would learn over the course of their career might make it possible to surprise Jade once. Only once. The hunt-goddesses are not omnipotent, after all, and neither are they omniscient. It is simply that they, that she is sacred. Set apart. Of a different class of being. So even if this Whispered Promise, this cunning little trickster who slunk out of one of Dolly’s stories (and nearly right out of that ridiculously unzipped suit), were to overcome her once, well, it wouldn’t really be an existential threat. Not really.

It would just be fucking infuriating. Imagine how Dolly would feel, seeing her goddess humbled! Would she ever look at Jade the same way? Jade has never had to worry about this before; the thought of losing was always so far away as to make it impossible to consider. But that arrogant, preening, dappled minx! She was hiding some trick up her sleeve, and why couldn’t Dolly see that?

(Because she’s Dolly. Because she’s sweet. Because she’ll forgive you even if you lose. Probably. She won’t abandon you for a real girl like Whispered Promise or Angela Victoria Miera Antonius. Not after everything you’ve offered her. Not after you’ve danced with her and let her ride in your heart. She can’t. You won’t let her. You won’t let her? The thought is uncomfortable. Therefore the thought is bad. Let it be chewed between your teeth; you make nothingness of it. Let it be sufficient that Dolly will not abandon you and there is no need to consider the potential response. You are the beast that devours that which displeases you in your self. You make of yourself perfection through shedding. You are perfect. You are radiant.)

“You’re welcome,” Jade says, her hand wandering underneath Dolly’s top. “I knew that you would look even more beautiful like this.” [i]”Lkk— like what?”[/i] “Sitting next to Angela Victoria Miera Antonius. Play with her hair a little for me?” [i]Dolly leans against Angela more, reaches up and begins twining curls around one finger, purring. “Hee~”[/i] “Good girl. My girl. Pretty girl.” Jade kneads like a needy kitten, uncaring of the noises she’s squeezing out of Dolly in Angela Victoria Miera Antonius’s ear. “You have been very good. You may ask of me one boon before we leave Akar, and it is yours.”

[i]Dolly’s head spins. Not literally, but… her immediate thoughts are not appropriate at dinner, or in front of Angela. Maybe even Ksharta. But what else could she ask of Jade? What was appropriate to ask a goddess? What was—

“Actually,” she stage-whispers, resting her forehead against Jade’s, as Angela huffs and doesn’t pull her hair out of Dolly’s playful fingers, “can you… get me a present from Mayze Szerpaws?”[/i]

“Not just for you. For the harem.” Jade nips possessively at the softest part of Dolly’s neck; her purr ratchets up appropriately. “You deserve for everyone to see you as you are.”

It will, of course, be no easy thing to commission Mayze Szerpaws in the first place. She will need to sort through the art pieces she wishes to send as inspiration, before giving them in a portfolio and demanding “something like these.” She will need to convince Szerpaws that it is a religious offering and that payment may be in unusual forms. And she will need to prepare backups, up to and including kidnapping Szerpaws to make her work. But her Dolly made a request.

And her Dolly gets whatever, [i]whatever[/i] she wants.