[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/3qYu1n5.png[/img] [color=cfff04]"Pffft, like you’d do [i]anything[/i] but serve Mariette anyway!”[/color] [color=888888]— Tonya “Knows you’re only interested in the Slime Bunny cult” Murphy[/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/D8A8SOp.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/OGWuw89.png[/img][/url] [color=fc6828]‘Hey, as long as you just don’t ask me to [i]leave[/i] the others, I can work something out!’[/color] [color=888888]— Mayra “This is too fun to turn down” McCullough[/color][/center] After that totally pointless clusterfuck, Mac was ready to call it a day. She wasn’t up for continued sexual harassment from Nefer, nor did she want to bother Oliver. He probably needed some time to process what had happened. Hell, [i]Mac[/i] needed time to process it. But that could happen later. She actually liked this Iron Mouse persona, and figured she could hold it up a bit longer and have some fun too. [color=cfff04]"Okay Mayra, this is it!”[/color] Iron Mouse had Nefer drop her and Mayra off in the old abandoned warehouse district. Penrose was recovering, but there were still many areas that hadn’t recovered post Ascendency. Iron Mouse guided Mayra to a pair of double doors that were covered in graffiti. There was nothing artistic here. Just some random tags that had been covered by gang signs, then expletives, and then more gang signs. [color=cfff04]"This cult business isn’t for the faint of heart. Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into? Are you sure you wish to join the Sisterhood of the Black Behemoth?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Ooooooh! Wall paintings!’[/color] Mayra called with excitement as they came up to the doors of the supposed cult. She listened with full attention to Iron Mouse, and looked so excited as she heard the name of the place. [color=fc6828]‘The Black Behemoth… Yeah! I wanna see what’s up! I’ve already confronted my nightmares’[/color] [sub]and lost[/sub] [color=fc6828]‘, I can handle whatever this throws at me! Just let me-’[/color] Mayra went up to the doors, superheated her fingers, and started drawing with them. [color=fc6828]‘I wanna add some fire dragons!’[/color] Mayra said excitedly as she started burning the door over the drawings of whoever else had drawn first in order to draw a crude drawing of a big and pretty ugly dragon, done by burning parts of the door instead of actually drawing with any kind of paint. [color=cfff04]"That’s the spirit!”[/color] Iron Mouse pumped her fist in the air. [color=cfff04]"Once you’re done there, I’ll-”[/color] The door swung inward while Mayra was drawing. It appeared that a young [url=https://wiki.dfo.world/images/d/d5/OpheliaPortrait1.jpg] cultist girl [/url] had opened the door. Alternatively, maybe some gravity magic was used to open the door while an illusion was placed behind it. Who could say? Regardless, she looked very cult like. She was wearing ropes, she held a golden mask that had to be of a behemoth, and an alluring beauty that only a cultist could possibly possess. She had to have bathed in the blood of some virgins at least once. [color=cfff04]”Mouse?”[/color] The cultist looked at the rodent magical girl with a raised brow. [color=cfff04]"Finn and I ran into a snag, But Mayra here got us out of it. She’s one bad bitch, and I think we need her on the team!”[/color] [color=cfff04]”Really now?”[/color] The cultist looked Mayra up and down. [color=fc6828]‘Yepp! Finn got his head cut off, but I saved him from it!’[/color] Mayra replied with zero hesitation, holding her superheated fingers that she’d been using to draw on the door up in salute. [color=fc6828]‘´Sooo, what do you do here? Do you feed the Behemoth? Is it a big Behemoth? Would it win against a fire dragon? Is it like a deity or a horror? Does one need to wear robes? ‘Cause, you know, I am pretty sure I would light them on fire, hahahaha!’[/color] Mayra laughed as she finished what she was saying. [color=fc6828]‘Anyway! In here?’[/color] Mayra asked and is already about to walk in. She had potentially already forgotten the questions she’d previously asked. But before Mayra could get much further, the cultist placed her hand on Mayra’s stomach and pushed her back. [color=cfff04]”I’m sorry, but what makes you think you can just waltz in here?!”[/color] She looked at Iron Mouse. [color=cfff04]”Did you tell her about the trials?”[/color] [color=cfff04]"Woops! Slipped my mind!”[/color] Iron Mouse chuckled. [color=cfff04]"Sorry about that Mayra. You did good helping Finn out, but Korone here is really serious about the trials.”[/color] She scooched over to Korone and patted her shoulder. [color=cfff04]"Mayra is interested, so just give her the spiel.”[/color] Korone cleared her throat. [color=cfff04]”The Black Behemoth will only be served by those untethered by human morality. To this end, we have created several trials for you. The trials are Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride, Acedia, and Vainglory. Only after you have displayed these dark virtues may you walk past these doors. Iron Mouse may act as a witness to your trials.”[/color] Iron Mouse placed her hands on her hips. [color=cfff04]"In that case, consider Acedia and Vainglory as good as done. She rescued Finn from a very dangerous magical girl and her plan worked without a hitch. Can’t get more vainglorious than that. And for Acedia, well, it’s kind of built into her personality isn’t it? She’s the embodiment of ‘a lack of care’ wouldn’t you say?”[/color] [color=cfff04]”Two down, then.”[/color] Korone’s eyes didn’t move from Mayra. [color=fc6828]‘Trials? Oh, oooh! Like challenges!?’[/color] Mayra suddenly looked quite excited. She did like challenges. She listened to the rest of that, and… [color=fc6828]‘Huh. Okay, so the trials are created, it’s not just that I have to go around proving I’m, er, all of those things? I don’t even know what “acedia” and “vainglory” is, but I kinda want to see the trials for them, haha,’[/color] Mayra said, then clutched both fists, lizard-tail swinging a little as she took a prepared stance. [color=fc6828]‘Alright! Lead me to the trials, or tell me how I otherwise accomplish them! I got a few ideas, already…!’[/color] Iron Mouse chuckled [color=cfff04]"I’ll let Korone tell you the details, but as for the ones you completed, Vainglory is characterized as an excessive belief in one’s own abilities. So to clear that trial you just need to prove that you can do something extraordinary without any screw ups. That’s why rescuing Finn worked. Acedia is just a latin word that means ‘without care.’ This is shown by having a willingness to do something dangerous. It was good that we got those out of the way first, because they are easily the hardest.”[/color] [color=cfff04]"Quite.”[/color] Korone agreed. [color=cfff04]"The nine dark virtues aren’t created. Iron mouse was just being coy when she said you embodied Acedia. You’re a very, hmmmm, carefree sort is all. The trials have nebulous clear conditions, but that’s mostly to let the one joining demonstrate their creativity when displaying their virtues. As for the trials themselves, the first one is Lust, which-”[/color] [color=cfff04]"We’re going to do Lust last, so just skip that one for now.”[/color] Iron Mouse winked. Korone had been fairly stern so far, but this made her crack a face wide grin that curled all the way under her cheek bones. [color=cfff04]"If you insist, very well.”[/color] In the next instant, she went back to normal and looked at Mayra. [color=cfff04]"Gluttony is consumption in excess. Greed is taking more than you need, Sloth is completing a task with little effort, Wrath is based in revenge, Envy requires you to mimic or take from someone you admire, and Pride requires you to demonstrate that you are the best at something. ”[/color] Iron mouse approached Mayra. [color=cfff04]"So! Got any ideas?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Er. Gluttony. Eating a lot, right? Greed. Taking more than I need. I mean, I don’t really [i]need[/i] a lot, but. Hm. Revenge…’[/color] Mayra had to think back if there was anyone in particular she wanted to take revenge on… [color=fc6828]‘Oh, yeah…’[/color] An idea clearly occurred to her, as Mayra started smiling again, as she thought of it. [color=fc6828]‘I got something. We’re gonna need to jump dimensions to get there, but…’[/color] ~~~ Later ~~~ After a brief shaking down of some people in the Overcity… The two arrived in a new dimension. It was one devoid of human civilization, one where monstrous lifeforms ran plenty, gigantic creatures were a relatively common sight and so on. After all, as Mayra might have told, it was the dimension she was from. Within the crater of a mountain Mayra excitedly climbed was a lake. A still, beautiful and shimmering lake beneath an open sky, and standing atop the mountain looking out across that lake Mayra stopped her trek. [color=fc6828]‘Here we are!’[/color] Mayra announced happily, as she rolled her shoulders and smiled with anticipation, then kneeled to stretch her legs as well. Iron Mouse stretched once she got to the top. [color=cfff04]"Fun hike, but why are we all the way up here?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Okay… so… to achieve one of my trials…’[/color] Mayra looked over, and located a giant boulder. [color=fc6828]‘That one will do!’[/color] she said, and leaped up on the giant boulder. Kneeling down on the boulder, she slowly, surely superheated the thing, the entire boulder starting to glow and smoke as it grew hotter and hotter, Mayra smiling as she did… Then she leapt backwards, blasting out with her feet as she did, and the entire giant superheated boulder flew down towards the lake…! [color=fc6828]‘HERE’S FOR ALMOST DROWNING ME, YOU ROTTEN MERMAIDS!’[/color] Mayra screamed at them as the smoldering rock hit the waters and immediately caused a cloud of steam and shaking… not just where the rock hit, but [i]all over the lake[/i]. It was as if the whole lake came alive at once, creatures splashing out of the surface. Creatures that only kinda looked like what came to mind when the general public thought of a “mermaid”. [url=https://i.imgur.com/YvwU0kL.jpg]Like this.[/url] [color=cfff04]"Oh wow! They have so much personality!”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Brace yourself, they’re gonna start shooting water,’[/color] Mayra said, and just then she had to dodge aside because a shower of water-projectiles came shooting at her from the clearly agitated lake of mermaids…! [color=cfff04]"Please, Mayra! I’ve been to my share of parties.”[/color] Iron Mouse twisted her body side to side as some streams of water flew past her. Of course, they would only be able to fight back for so long. The water that they relied on to live was boiling all over. That didn’t stop Iron Mouse from drawing her machine gun and firing a few rounds. [color=cfff04]"It’s too bad they aren’t crabs, they might have tasted good boiled!”[/color] A couple of them definitely fell from Iron Mouse shooting at them, albeit they’re also strong enough to dodge relatively well, mid-power-level creatures and such. Mayra wasn’t shooting at them, however. [color=fc6828]‘Well, they’re not gonna be our meal, anyway,’[/color] Mayra shrugged. [color=fc6828]‘See, they survive pretty well on land, too, just only for a limited time,’[/color] she continued, and as she said, the mermaids were leaping out of the water, gathering as a decently huge army on the shores and also turning to look very angrily at Mayra and Iron Mouse… [color=fc6828]‘Hey, can I do more than one of the trials at once? Because, sure, I could fight these guys in a probably pretty cool fight, but that would be a ton of effort. Instead, I could just…’[/color] Mayra breathed in… and then roared. A very inhuman monster-like roar. A roar… that made the mermaids panic, and a couple of them even decided they’d rather jump back into the boiling water. Mayra turned around and put her arms behind her head. [color=fc6828]‘Aaaaaaaand now they’re not long for this world. Let’s go~’[/color] Mayra said with a smirk as she started casually walking away, while the skies in the opposite direction were starting to darken with the wide wingspans of airborne creatures… Iron mouse skipped beside Mayra. [color=cfff04]"So that was definitely a very ‘wrath,’ but what was the scream for? What trial were you trying to clear with that one?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Sloth. I could have fought them all myself, but why do that when I can just summon the denizens of this world to do the job for me?’[/color] Mayra asked, then chuckled a little. [color=fc6828]‘Man, I wish I could do that in any world, hahaha.’[/color] Iron mouse hesitated, but she eventually raised her eyebrows. [color=cfff04]"Yea! I see it now! That [i]is[/i] a fitting one for sloth!”[/color] She drew a small list from her jacket and crossed something off. [color=cfff04]"Gluttony, greed, envy, and pride are the only ones you need to do before we report back.”[/color] she ignored the sounds of winged creatures diving into the pool behind herself, as well as the final cries of the mermaids. [color=cfff04]"Where are we going next?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Hmmm, lesse…’[/color] Mayra thought about it. [color=fc6828]‘Greed and gluttony… I just need to take a lot, right? Huh, how would I do that…’[/color] she tilted her head and thought about it. [color=fc6828]‘Envy, take from or mimic someone I admire. Who do I admire?’[/color] She thought about it a little. [color=fc6828]‘The Matriarch, kinda. That is, the leader of the tribe I was in. Oooh, there’s also old man Dronach, the biggest and toughest of all of dragonkind, hahaha. Messing with him is kinda dangerous, though. Otherwise, hm…’[/color] She thought a little more. [color=fc6828]‘Penny. Sanngridr, a little. As for pride…’[/color] Mayra grinned a bit. [color=fc6828]‘I just need to win a contest of some kind, right?’[/color] [color=cfff04]"That’s the easiest way to prove you’re the best at something. Though getting recorded in Guinness would also qualify. That’s just, you know, above and beyond what we expect from our followers.”[/color] Iron Mouse stepped in front of Mayra. [color=cfff04]"Whatcha got?”[/color] Mayra thought some more… then her eyes lit up. [color=fc6828]‘Oh. Ooooh! Wait, that works!’[/color] She then spun around and grabbed Iron Mouse’s arm. [color=fc6828]‘C’mon, let’s go!’[/color] she requested, and then pulled hard to break into a run… ~~~ Later ~~~ As was often the case whenever she had some free time, Connie was in her room, working on yet another tranquil landscape painting. Such work was quite soothing for the nervous girl, and she hoped it would help her relax after the distressing battle and follow up interrogation she had just returned from. This particular painting was a springtime scene with lots of colorful flowers. She was just putting the finishing touches on a vibrant lilac, when she heard someone call her name… [color=fc6828]‘CONNIE!’[/color] … And not in a calm way, or anything, it was Mayra, suddenly having inserted her dragon-self through the window, beaming excitedly at her. [color=DarkOrchid]“Eeep!”[/color] Connie yelped, before calming slightly upon realizing it was just her friend. [color=DarkOrchid]“O-Oh! H-H-Hi, M-Mayra,”[/color] the nervous girl replied once she’d caught her breath. [color=DarkOrchid]“D-Did you, um, w-want to c-come in?”[/color] she asked with an awkward smile. [color=fc6828]‘I did!’[/color] Mayra called happily and slipped inside. [color=fc6828]‘So, I came here because- ooooh, painting!’[/color] Aaand she's distracted. [color=fc6828]‘I draw, too! Though, mostly by burning images into walls, hahaha!’[/color] she said, then wandered over to inspect. [color=fc6828]‘Oooh. Really good! But, hm,’[/color] she made a thinking expression. [color=fc6828]‘Needs more dragons,’[/color] she said, grabbed a spare brush, dipped in black color, and then started happily drawing a badly drawn black dragon in the top right. At first, Connie was taken aback by the suddenness of it all, but she was only too happy to allow Mayra to contribute to her painting. After all, she had always wanted to work on a painting together with a friend, and now she was finally getting the chance! [color=DarkOrchid]“O-Oh! U-Umm, I-I n-never would h-have g-guessed y-you l-liked artistic t-things, M-Mayra,”[/color] she replied as she watched her friend paint an admittedly crude dragon in her peaceful painting’s sky. [color=DarkOrchid]“I-It’s r-really c-cool to k-know I h-have a f-friend who l-likes t-that s-stuff, t-too! A-And, uh, t-that’s a v-very n-nice d-dragon y-you’re w-working on,”[/color] she added as encouragingly as she could, even as a small sweat drop appeared on her forehead. [color=DarkOrchid]“U-Umm, t-that [i]is[/i] a d-dragon, r-right?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Yepp!’[/color] Mayra said, finishing her not-really-matching-the-rest-of-the-painting dragon. She took a step back, admired her handiwork, and then nodded. [color=fc6828]‘I like it. Good job!’[/color] she said, unclear if she meant to herself for her dragon or Connie for the rest of it. [color=fc6828]‘ANYWAY!’[/color] Mayra now spun around to face Connie. [color=fc6828]‘You're awesome, you know that, right? You command those powers that can best even [i]me[/i], yet you're also so nice to me! I've realized I admire you!’[/color] Mayra said with a grin. [color=DarkOrchid]“O-Oh, g-gosh! U-Umm, t-thanks, Mayra…”[/color] Connie replied, her face reddening considerably in response to Mayra’s praise. [color=DarkOrchid]“T-That r-really m-means a l-lot…”[/color] she added with a smile, while nervously playing with her hair. [color=fc6828]‘Good! Now, with that said,’[/color] Mayra said, grinning as she lifted the brush in her hand, [color=fc6828]‘I'm keeping this!’[/color] So she said, before turning around and promptly leaping out the open window. With the brush. [color=DarkOrchid]“O-Okay…”[/color] Connie replied even as Mayra darted out the window. [color=DarkOrchid]“U-Umm… S-See you later…”[/color] she added as she hesitantly waved to the draconic girl’s departing form. Connie was more than a little confused by everything that had just happened, but if her friend was in need of a paintbrush, she was only too happy to provide one. She also very much hoped that they could paint together again sometime. Smiling at the sight of Mayra’s slightly deformed dragon, she got back to work on her painting. Outside, Mayra did a combat roll and then landed right next to Iron Mouse, and then triumphantly held up the brush she’d taken. [color=fc6828]‘Envy!’[/color] she said with a happy grin. Not that she’d taken it while particularly representing said sin. Iron Mouse let out a deep, nearly infinite sigh. [color=cfff04]"That just [i]barely[/i] qualifies. But you saved Finn’s life, so I’ll count it. Not everyone can school these trials as hard as I did.”[/color] Her smile returned. [color=cfff04]"Just three left, then we return to the meeting place. Where did you want to go next?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Huh? Barely? But I did what the challenge told. I took something from someone I admire,’[/color] Mayra asked, but then just grinned. [color=fc6828]‘But, eh! If it counts, it counts! Alright, then, from here…’[/color] ~~~ Later ~~~ It was a separate dimension again. One that harkened back to Earth one or two thousands years ago. There was an arena, surrounded by a city, inside of which the audience were cheering loudly. Numerous tough-looking men in armor and with shields and weapons of varying kinds were bashing against one another until either one surrendered or died. Certainly a barbaric practice that the audience was being entertained by… [color=fc6828]‘So, for Pride, I just have to prove I’m the very best, right?’[/color] Mayra asked with a grin in the staging area as she pulled a halberd from the array of weapons prepared on the wall, spun with it a bit with her arms before it ended up behind her head as she held the pole between her neck and two lazily raised hands as she turned and smiled towards Iron Mouse… [url=https://i.imgur.com/xjKG66G.png]in her human disguise[/url], without her regular dragon-boosts. Wearing [url=https://i.imgur.com/GJ92Mmy.jpg]something[/url] that had been provided by the arena staff as appropriate wearing for fighting in the arena. [color=fc6828]‘I’ve been practicing doing stuff without all my fancy powers. It’s pretty fun, it means I can face epic challenges that would normally have been trivial! Like, for instance, fighting a bunch of big men…’[/color] Mayra chuckled. [color=fc6828]‘I’d like to see Penny pull this off.’[/color] She took a very brief break. [color=fc6828]‘No, really. I am super-confident Penny could do it and look super-cool while doing it. I’d like to see it.’[/color] Iron Mouse didn’t bother giving herself a disguise because, obviously, she was a magical girl and not a monster girl. [color=cfff04]"You know, I thought that we were going to just go down to a bar somewhere and have a few drinks, maybe arm wrestle a few guys, play some pool… But this works!”[/color] She leaned against one of the walls. [color=cfff04]"Even if Penny could, it doesn’t really count for pride. I take it you plan on fighting the reigning champion?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Of course! The idea is that I’m gonna show I’m the best magical monster girl at fighting [i]without my powers[/i], and since nobody like me has tried beating this arena this way before, doing so will prove I’m the best!’[/color] Mayra nodded at her fool-proof logic. [color=cfff04]"It’s certainly the most out there way of tackling pride.”[/color] Iron mouse folded her hands behind her back. [color=cfff04]"Guess I’ll head up to the grand stands so that I can cheer for you!”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Great! Thanks! Now, I’m off!’[/color] Mayra grabbed one of the nets on the side (because I seem to remember there being nets in gladiator arenas) and then ran off up the stairs towards the arena… [color=orange]‘Hold on, it is not your turn yet,’[/color] said the guard standing in the way of the stairs, looking like a typical legionnaire with shield and sword frowning somewhat at the strange contestant that had entered herself into the game. [color=fc6828]‘Even better!’[/color] Mayra said, and promptly attempted to jump above the guard. However, due to her complete lack of dragon powers, her jump was entirely insufficient and she jumped just straight into his shield instead. [color=orange]‘H-hey! Stop!’[/color] the guard said, but Mayra would not be opposed. If she could not jump over him, she would simply [i]climb[/i] over him instead. Still with net in one hand and halberd in the other, she swung one arm up and got it over the top of the shield, heaved herself upwards so she could get the other hand over his helmet, pulled herself over him and raised her leg so she accidentally kicked him in the face trying to climb over him, causing him to fall backwards as human-Mayra jumped from his falling armored figure and dashed on into the arena upon landing…! Once Mayra left the staging area, a massive wooden gate fell behind her. It shook the earth when it closed, but the spectators hardly cared. All one-hundred-thousand of them had been shaking the coliseum with their cheers. As distinct as Iron Mouse should have been, she was impossible to pick out of the crowd. She might as well have been a single speck of sand in the arena itself. Things looked a lot different now that she was standing there. The sand looked pure and clean at a distance, but constant battle had stained it a shade of red. It shifted under her feet and spilled into her sandals. It was a lot easier to pick out the bones of slain beasts nestled among the dead sands. But the previous fight had not concluded, but it looked like the champion was just finishing up. Now, there was a part of Mayra that wanted to allow a duel to conclude. She knew that, if she fought someone, she wanted to be let to finish on her own. That said, she had a couple sins to knock off. Mayra grinned and hoped the following would count for Greed, seeing how she had forgotten the actual requirements. [color=fc6828]‘HEY, LET ME HAVE SOME!’[/color] she shouted out and dashed to join the fray… against the champion’s opponents. Because they needed picking off, first. Mayra might as well have been whispering amongst a group of protesters, as her shout didn’t carry very far with all the cheering. The champion wouldn’t need any help either, as he knocked down his last opponent with a swing of his trident. He was [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/87/ce/f2/87cef20e624cfc8bf1ab40e3e7888c02.jpg]a big guy[/url]. He had to be at least eight feet tall and clad in gladiator armor. The only thing more impressive than his size was that there were those that were willing to fight him. But at least they had numbers on their side, who was this thin girl charging at him from across the arena? The crowd’s cheers changed from excitement to outrage, or was it concern? It was impossible to tell from inside the arena, and the champion didn’t seem to care. After you fell a hundred men, killing becomes natural, and after a thousand, it’s as natural as breathing. He had a new opponent, and so he would charge. Mayra let out a little noise of disappointment when the champion finished off all the enemies without her help. She totally wanted to co-op the last few before they had to contend with each other. Oh, well! [color=fc6828]‘Well, okay!’[/color] Mayra said and threw the net aside for the moment (because honestly it was kinda heavy) [color=fc6828]‘Let’s tumble!’[/color] With that, she dashed at her opponent… somewhat sideways, because there was a bunch of downed guys in that direction, and forcing him to walk over those sounded amusing. Still, it was the champion, so she expected him to handle that pretty well. She bent down quickly and fished up a dropped shield, probably good to have. Still, she couldn’t let this end without a straight clash at least once, even if she probably had a severe disadvantage~! So she swung the halberd in his direction at least once, diagonally, ready to probably need to dodge a counter! As Mayra suspected, the giant had little difficulty walking over the slain. He easily pressed them into the sand as he stepped on them. Though it wasn’t like the champion got this far being a mindless brute. If he could hop over them, he did. But before long, they would be in striking range of each other. Mayra prepared to strike, and so did he. They seemed to be going for the exact same move. Both warriors timed their swings and attacked at the same time. Though reflex, they both anticipated getting hit and leaped backwards. The heads of their weapons collided, and the halberd and trident became intertwined. At the moment, it was like they were holding either end of an unusual nunchuck. Both fighters were strong, but the champion was taller than Mayra was. He was able to lift her into the air and start spinning. The centrifugal force lifted her into the air as he continued to spin and spin. [color=fc6828]‘Woh…!’[/color] As fun as being flung around could possibly have been, Mayra had better plans. As soon as she realized what the champion was doing, she let go of her halberd before gaining enough speed to break bones upon landing. Instead, she ducked down among the bodies of fallen challengers and fished up a sword and shield! [color=fc6828]‘Hey, big guy! What does fighting mean to you!?’[/color] Mayra asked excitedly, as she bounced forward to clash one more time, probably aiming to avoid taking a direct attack and do some quick stabs if possible. While Mayra was as bubbly as ever, the champion did not share her sentiment. He remained mute as he twirled his trident in his hand. Her halberd was cast aside as he attempted to bather sword off course. Most of her thrusts missed, while the rest grazed his thighs. Even if the wounds were superficial, she had drawn first blood. He stopped spinning his trident and thrust it into the ground, trapping Mayra’s sword in the sand. She had just enough time to stop him from stepping on her by raising her shield. Her arm was strong, but there was a lot of pressure under his heel. The shield was starting to buckle and splinter. Mayra blinked a bit as her sword got stuck to the ground, and her arm hurt as his muscular leg broke into her shield. Without being transformed, Mayra was at a strength disadvantage. She let go of the sword so that she could leap back and let his boot back to the ground before it broke through her arm/shield. [color=fc6828]‘Stoic dude, eh? Well, I admire that, too!’[/color] Mayra shouted as she rolled back and fished up another sword from a fallen gladiator. Now, then. How to end this. However it was going to end, the gladiator wasn’t going to give her much time to think. It didn’t take much effort for the champion to wrench his trident out of the sand and lunge for Mayra. This time she could hear a beastial roar as he closed in. [color=fc6828]‘Woa-!’[/color] Of course, in her untransformed body, her body wasn’t quite as fast as her normal self. Mayra felt forced to simply lift her shield-arm… and the trident basically broke through it and pierced her arm. The untransformed dragon-girl gasped in the pain, and also had to restrain herself from just accidentally releasing the transformation then and there. That said… Mayra might have met the champion’s eyes… and her eyes grew momentarily beastly before she grinned. [color=fc6828]‘CHA-!’[/color] Mayra kicked up with one of her feet. Her leg wasn’t long enough to hit anything, but her intentionally loose metal boot sure flew straight off and into his face. She tore her arm off the trident to just charge straight into him, trying to knock him just the slightest diagonally back and right… because that’s where she’d thrown the net earlier. He’d never step into it and get trapped on his own, but now Mayra planted both her feet on him and kicked off! It wasn’t possible to see the champion’s face, but his unsteady footing had to be a result of iron boot enacted vertigo. He fell backwards into the net, and Mayra wasted no time pulling it around him. But a mere net wasn’t going to hold him for long. Every muscle in his body flexed as he attempted to tear out of his confines. The champion was not going to surrender. His body would give out before he did. So Mayra did the only sensible thing and swung a shield at his head. The massive object slammed into the side of his helmet. It cracked so loud that even the spectators could hear it. Not long after, the champion’s body went limp. As soft as sand is, Mayra had little difficulty hearing her opponent fall over. That wasn’t because it was loud, but because the spectators had gone silent. It was almost eerie. Mayra couldn’t even hear herself think just seconds earlier, and now she could hear the sand under her feet. [color=fc6828]‘… Phew!’[/color] Mayra stumbled back from her accomplishment, panting, still feeling the pain in her arm. [color=fc6828]‘How’s that, Mousy!? I don’t need no… ow…’[/color] With mere human endurance, that wound to her shield-arm was pretty serious, and she went down on one knee to balance herself and clutch the wound a bit. Still, she grinned, looking to where the champion lay. [color=fc6828]‘Good fight! You make me proud to have this human form! Now, I’m… ow,’[/color] she shuddered, but chuckled. [color=fc6828]‘Heeey, isn’t this where you’re supposed to cheer for your new champion!?’[/color] Mayra grinned as she looked up at the audience. The colosseum came alive with noise, but it wasn’t happy. Mayra’s ears were assaulted from all sides with outrage. She was called a cheater among other much more harsh things. Some of the onlookers threw their half eaten chicken legs into the arena in protest. It wasn’t long before the guards had made their way into the arena. [color=cfff04]"Well! That more than made up for the last one!”[/color] Iron Mouse phased into existence beside Mayra. [color=cfff04]"Just gluttony and greed now. Oh! And maybe some way to escape!”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘… Huh,’[/color] Mayra made a curious noise as she looked at the audience being really angry. It wasn’t the reaction she was expecting, neither did she really understand it. Did she break some rule she hadn’t realized existed? Still, just escaping and all that… [color=fc6828]‘… Hey, saaaay…’[/color] Mayra asked, smirking a little. [color=fc6828]‘If I were to transform right now and play a bit with these guards for just a bit and enjoy playing with my food, would that count for gluttony? It’s certainly not something I NEED to do, but I sure could. Or maybe it’d be greedy of me, to fight on when I just don’t have to?’[/color] [color=cfff04]"That’s…really something you want to do?”[/color] Iron mouse looked over her notes. [color=cfff04]"Let’s see…”[/color] While she looked things over the guards got closer and closer. [color=cfff04]"It could qualify for both! Really depends on how you go about it.”[/color] The guards had started to slow down, and were drawing their weapons. [color=cfff04]"Whatever you do, I’m sure it will be entertaining!”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Hehehehehe… Alright…’[/color] Mayra grinned, and then bent down. She placed one hand on the ground, holding herself up and bending her knees, looking significantly more animalistic already with just this pose. [color=fc6828]‘[i]Don’t you worry, normies, later on your minds will come up with some explanation for what you actually saw, or something, point is, as long as I don’t kill ya I will be a-okay![/i]’[/color] Somehow, that doubled as Mayra’s magical incantation as a flash of fire and darkness enveloped her form, and then scales popped up from underneath her human disguise. The human guards staggered, unable to believe what they were seeing, before Mayra suddenly blasted forward. She kicked a guard’s sword clean out of his hand with an upward kick. The same upward kick sent her up slightly into the air. A blast of fire spun her around so she could deliver a light kick (from Mayra’s perspective) into the same guard, sending him flying into one of his allies. A spear was thrust at her, and Mayra caught the tip with her teeth. She grinned at the wielder, melted the tip in her mouth, and then spit it at the guard’s shield. The guard screamed in terror before a sudden punch knocked him out. The molten spear-tip didn’t hurt him physically. Maybe mentally. A couple more like that and the remaining guards started retreating or fleeing, clearly not geared to take on a monster of this caliber. But when they spun around… a burst of fire delivered Mayra straight past them, where she rolled twice before getting back up on her dragon-feet. She turned and smirked at them. [color=fc6828]‘Just so you know, I used none of this strength against the champion. That was aaaallll human-level strength. No cheating. So I won fair and square, alright?’[/color] With that and a friendly grin, she then dashed at them and continued playing with her food… Later, but in the same world… [color=fc6828]‘Aaaah, that was fun. Sure, I [i]prefer[/i] fighting worthy enemies, but playing with weak ones is also fun sometimes,’[/color] Mayra sat in a tree outside the city in a nearby forest and laughed, as they had escaped that dimension earlier and left quite a mess behind them in that dimension. She’d avoided killing the guards, though. They weren’t ready to die. Not to a monster dragon, anyway. [color=fc6828]‘So, what’s next? Did I get them?’[/color] Mayra asked, grinning towards her companion. Iron Mouse was checking things off in her notes. [color=cfff04]”Alllll but one. Let’s get out of here.”[/color] [hr] Once they had returned to the temple of the “Black Behemoth” Korone went over the trials with Iron Mouse. [color=cfff04]”It sounds like you went on quite the adventure.”[/color] Korone nodded. [color=cfff04]”You have a creative and wild mind. If you pass the final test, I’m sure you will be among our most prestigious members in no time.”[/color] She turned around and gestured for Iron Mouse and Mayra to follow. The path ahead was dark, and the flames from Mayra’s tail and the torches weren’t throwing a lot of light. [color=cfff04]”Before we begin the final test, I have a question to ask you. I would say it is personal, but as a sisterhood we share information freely between each other. Have you been in many… romantic, relationships? And if not, have you ever wanted to?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Oh, yeah, one!’[/color] Mayra said, walking along with them with her hands behind her head, elbows in the air and tail swinging excitedly behind her. And yes, she was acting very much like a living torch, with that hair and glowing lines so. [color=fc6828]‘My current one, in fact! I have a boyfriend!’[/color] she said, in a happy tone that implied pride in the fact (and not the way one usually imagines that phrase being said). [color=fc6828]‘I’m keeping him a secret, for his sake, buuuut since you asked, I guess it’s fine!’[/color] Iron mouse elbowed Mayra’s arm. [color=cfff04]”A boyfriend huh? You must really like him. Given how impulsive you are, I’m surprised you only have one! Have you been together long?”[/color] Korone placed a finger over Iron Mouse’s lips. [color=cfff04]”She said that she was keeping him a secret. Which, for the moment, is probably for the best.”[/color] She turned to look at Mayra. [color=cfff04]”Because she’s probably going to want to keep us a secret from them, too.”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Hehe, maybe. But nope, only one. Because he’s the best, most handsome, and he’s mine, hehehe,’[/color] Mayra replied anyway, looking very happy as she did. Still, moving on. By the time they had stopped, they were in the center of a square chamber. One by one, more robed girls surfaced out of the darkness and looked to Mayra. They were all different shapes and sizes, ranging from quite short to very tall. They also had nearly every hair style imaginable and in every hue. Their cloaks were the only things that made them look the same. [color=cfff04]”Unless he’s into stuff like this?”[/color] Iron Mouse scratched the back of her head. But Iron Mouse went ignored as the droves of cultist magical girls closed in around Mayra. Dozens of hands clung to her as she was embraced on all sides. Even Korone moved in to wrap her arms around Mayra’s neck, which pressed a shorter girl’s head into Mayra’s stomach. [color=cfff04]”You’re practically one of us now Mayra.”[/color] Korone pulled herself closer to Mayra. [color=cfff04]”I trust you find the situation, agreeable?”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Huh, this is kinda your initiation, I suppose?’[/color] Mayra asked, looking a bit confused with the cultists that had wrapped themselves around her. [color=fc6828]‘Eh, sure!’[/color] With them hugging her like this, Mayra did her best to wrap some arms around them in turn, albeit they were a bit too numerous to manage that. Even more girls clung to Mayra, and then girls clung to the girls clinging to Mayra. But before Mayra could become three layers deep in girls, the uneven weight distribution of the girls caused Mayra to topple backwards. But she didn’t fall, but rather sunk deeper into what seemed like a giant harem. [hr] [color=fc6828]‘Humans are weird,’[/color] Mayra said, standing and scratching her cheek. If she could blush she probably would. Now, Mayra's always open for trying new things, but that one was out there. [color=cfff04]”You are officially one of us.”[/color] Korone adjusted her robe. [color=cfff04]”As you likely guessed, we’ve infiltrated Cradle, who we have vested interest in both protecting and learning more about. Helping them is helping our cause. That’s why Iron Mouse here is among their ranks.”[/color] The aforementioned mouse was cleaning her ears. [color=cfff04]”Sorry, all I can think about is that huge girl ball Mayra was a part of.”[/color] [color=cfff04]”You could have been a part of it too. Though there’s only so much Mayra to go around, isn’t there?”[/color] Korone folded her arms together. [color=cfff04]”You are presently an acolyte. Once you reach the rank of black apostle, I’ll show you the black behemoth itself.”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Oh, I can’t see it yet? Huh,’[/color] Mayra commented. [color=fc6828]‘What’s needed to become one of those?’[/color] [color=cfff04]”Just continue to serve us. If you continue to perform well, you will get promoted eventually.”[/color] She nodded to Iron Mouse. [color=cfff04]”If you have any other questions, just speak with the mouse.”[/color] Korone departed with the other girls. Mayra kind of lost interest there, when it wasn’t really defined what she needed to do for the next step. [color=cfff04]”I did warn you this cult stuff could get weird.”[/color] Iron Mouse patted Mayra on the shoulder. [color=cfff04]”I know you had chicken wings already, but did you wanna have some pizza? Though I won’t stop you if you have something else to do or want to snuggle with the cultists some more.”[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Oh, yeah, pizza, sure!’[/color] Mayra shone up. [color=fc6828]‘Jelena introduced me to pizza! It’s really good! Let’s go get some!’[/color] she called, grinning and jumping up. [hr] [color=fc6828]‘Hehehehehe,’[/color] Mayra chuckled as she approached the warehouse “temple” once more, this time without any companionship because she’d made sure to come alone. [color=fc6828]‘Gotta reach the rank of black apostle, eh? That, or I just sneak in myself and skip all the hassle,’[/color] the dragon-girl chuckled, hidden by her darkness magic. She sought up the entrance that she knew was there… And found nothing. Not even an entrance. You know, into those rooms she remembered walking just yesterday. [color=fc6828]‘… Uh.’[/color] She searched around, but all she could find was old normal warehouses. It was like the place she’d been to had just gone up in smoke. Confused, she jumped up on a roof and surveyed the area once more in a crouched position. [color=fc6828]‘… Whelp, guess they have pretty good security. Oh, well. Guess it’s not the end of the world if I can’t find it. It’s a bit disappointing, though…’[/color] But, with that, Mayra shrugged and jumped off somewhere else. Plenty of other things to hold her attention.