[center][color=f49ac2][h3]Liliana[/h3][/color][/center] [hr] [@Enkryption] [color=f49ac2][b]"...Ha...Mm...Nn...Nnnnn..."[/b][/color] Liliana grumbled, having worked up the will to leave her flower at the training grounds and return, only to find a comfy flower to mope in cradled amongst a pile of weeds. She was still rather upset with how her training had ended, and that Shizuka's advice boiled down to: "Sure, you may be the literal worst fighter of the entire group training, but you're [i]special![/i] Just work on what you're good at!" ...What do you work on when you're good for nothing? Moping a bit harder, Liliana was actually starting to physically lose color, going monochromatic as she tried to think of what she'd done...like, at all right. Her big snake thing only made Alice's situation worse, and her magic punchy rush didn't even dent Shizuka after she made big talk about only using magic to fight. Shizuka had told her to come at her with everything she had, and she hadn't used a single directly offensive magic spell. Curling up a bit more, her wings shriveled a bit as she realized she'd disrespected him, and everyone else by holding herself back like that. Maybe the task force would be better off without her- "After Lord Takeshi left, I saw some of my men take off after him without telling me. I have a bad feeling about this so I intend to follow." ... ... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzGGT-0DeE0]...Takeshi was in trouble!?[/url] The fairy sprang back to life, eyes focused on Kikyo as she spoke to Alice and the others that had returned from training. Launching herself from the flower she was in, Liliana's wilted wings sprang back to life as she rocketed towards the conversation at hand, her TOTALLY NOBLE eavesdropping renewing her vigor as color returned to her form. Feeling bad for the horse that Alice was standing atop, she would channel her magic once more into herself, focusing harder as she remembered what Shizuka said in like...specifics, this time. [color=0072bc]"Instead of comparing yourself to others, continue to use the principles you’ve learned in this training to shape your magic in a way that feels natural to you."[/color] [color=f49ac2][b]"Whimsy, can I pretty please with honey on top get Giant's Strength?"[/b][/color] the fairy asked, at which the splinter-sword on her back considered it for a moment, and would cycle magic a grand total of two times, resulting in a cow suddenly appearing under Liliana, and a burst of healing magic to erupt from her that washed over the nothing around her. Returning to human size, Liliana would suddenly ride in on a cow next to Kikyo, her tiny arms looking no different, but having the strength of ten thousand men. Enough so that she would gently pick Alice up by her legs like a goal post, saying: [color=f49ac2][b]"Your Highness, this is no time for axe pointing and horse standing! We have to save Takeshi!"[/b][/color] ...The sight was ridiculous to behold, but...every knight needed a steed. Even if Liliana's was just a dairy cow. [center][color=C48BD3][h3]Eula[/h3][/color][/center] [hr] ...Well. This was certainly a day, thus far. While the bandits were busy packing up and heading out to the temple, Eula was left...oddly baffled. This result was desirable, optimal even, so why did she have the burning urge to snap the tree beside her in half? She didn't think she was particularly vain but... Shaking such thoughts from her head after a solid minute of thought, the automaton would gather up the abandoned supplies before she wasted too much processing power on imagining "ballistics" upgrades. She would return to her charge, and deposit the food... And, depart without another word beyond a slight bow. She already knew that she'd been deceived yet again...but what point was there in exposing this woman? If she had the guilt to feel bad about robbing bandits, she wouldn't have lied to Eula to get their food in the first place. It wasn't likely that the bandits would return to this area for now, but...something was bugging Eula. Why was there a need for deception to begin with? In Eula's mind, humans were proving far more complicated to understand than she'd anticipated. Good people, bad people...what was the defining characteristic? What was the discerning variable? Was all of her data worthless? Thus far, she'd only encountered rather decent farming folk before joining the task force, so the idea that there were Shizuyamans willing to deceive her and bandits that could rob others, even kill other humans... It was a fundamental contradiction in her mind. returning to the temple, she would report that Honoka was now fine, having been given enough food to last for a few weeks, at least. With her task completed, Eula would begin considering what to do next while crouching beside a crate. Her mind would be occupied with humanity's nature, before a delicate mewling came from the right of her. Something soft brushed against her leg, as a young black cat nestled up against her. Showing no fear, this creature would rub around her leg before marching on its way. That brief touch, that momentary warmth of life against her, was enough to make Eula smile. ...She was happy, in spite of being lied to. She didn't have to hurt anyone today. [i]"Well yeah, life's precious! That's why we were built to protect it, right? You and me, Eula! So long as you and I have power, we're as good as golden, or my name isn't - [STRING MISSING, ABORTING MEMORY READ]"[/i] Her head hurt again, but...Eula wished she'd had those memories. Whoever her first friend was...they were still alive in her data banks. Her face, her voice...garbled, but there. Rising to her feet, Eula would have the faintest of smiles on her usually frigid face, her slightly damaged arm being cradled by her intact one. She still had a lot of things worth protecting. Now, she was free to join others for more missions, or to just rest and repair her arm.