[hr]ATTN: [@AzureKnight] & [@The Irish Tree][hr][hider=Wrapping Up Loose Ends Before Heading Out (Collab w/ AzureKnight)][hider=A Meeting of the Minds]

Scarlett, under the guise of Valentina, dutifully fills out her assessment sheet. Along with all of the other new hires within the onboarding process, she was doing quite well in particular. While she ultimately didn’t return to the Tower with Brun, in a sense, she nonetheless acknowledged the appeal to Scarlett’s humanity that she showed her - by way of a silent promise. For now, though, she’d continue advancing in her personal endeavors. 

While filling out her sheet, there was one girl who seemed to already be finished. [url=https://imgur.com/GRY8OgZ] She wore a long white lab coat over a black collar shirt that didn’t do much to hide her moderately endowed chest, complete with a white skirt and pantyhose.[/url] She flicked her solid gray hair as she put her pencil down, she turned to Valentine. 

[color=lemonchiffon]”Ugh, what’s with this silly highschool test prep?”[/color] She said in an annoyed tone. [color=lemonchiffon]”I thought that by now, amateur hour would’ve been over… Hey, I heard that the CEO, Donovan himself, is affiliated with the so-called Eon Tower. You know anything about them? They’re led by that hotshot sage Irvin.”[/color]

Scarlett’s eyes narrowed; her mask held firm, the thin veneer of lies clung tight to her visage. However, unbidden, her disgust boiled to the surface, before simmering under the surface. "[color=ffc1cc]Hotshots are a dime a dozen, darlin’,[/color]" she says, "[color=ffc1cc]Did you need somethin’, or is makin’ small talk to strangers jus’ a talent of yours, Miss Amatuer Hour?[/color]"

[color=lemonchiffon]”Among others.~”[/color] Mused the lab coat woman. [color=lemonchiffon]”Funny, of the dozen of dimes, this is the one you chose. You must be curious, at least to SOME degree, no? Fortunate that this company is relatively new, and therefore has plenty of openings for new talent. What role did you apply for?”[/color] 

"[color=ffc1cc]Secretary,[/color]" Scarlett says, "[color=ffc1cc]As fer yer more pointless question, curiosity drives all minds. Even those as passin’ly pedestrian as yers seems t’ be.[/color]"

[color=lemonchiffon]”Oh my, that’s quite the tongue you have! Such a pension for insults, much unlike a bifocal dork I used to know. She always blabbed on about using spirits to push technological advancements forward, some old folk nonsense honestly. Such old concepts of spirituality have no place in this new industrial boom. This company seems to understand that too, hence why I got brought on as an alchemy consultant and magitech engineer!”[/color] She said proudly. 

[color=lemonchiffon]”It’s a far cry more tedious than being a secretary, but it has its perks.~”[/color]

"[color=ffc1cc]Nadia...[/color]" Scarlett queried. "[color=ffc1cc]Are you implying that you are better than her,[/color]" she asks, her accent disappearing, "[color=ffc1cc]Surely, you aren’t that impressed with yourself...[/color]"

Nadia.

At the mention of that name, the woman’s eyes shot wide open, then became a narrow squint. 

[color=lemonchiffon]”Wait… You, you actually [i]know[/i] her?? Nadia, the socially awkward, ditzy, spirit-obsessed shut in who doesn’t know how to stop talking? That Nadia? Seriously??”[/color] Her volume increased, attracting the attention of some of the other applicants. She quickly caught herself, having a rather embarrassed look on her face. 

[color=lemonchiffon]”How do you know about her? Don’t tell me that they hired that charlatan here as well…”[/color]

"[color=ffc1cc]I’d best know her,[/color]" Scarlett says, raising her left hand; a shimmering, metal band encircling her left finger. "[color=ffc1cc]This engagement ring was rather expensive,[/color]" she muses, "[color=ffc1cc]Funny, you have all this to say about my fiancée, and yet she’s never had a word to speak about you.[/color]"

Scarlett smirked behind her mask, "[color=ffc1cc]Always like that, huh? Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Although, in your case, neither are true, are they?[/color]"

"[color=ffc1cc]To answer your boorish question, though, no,[/color]" Scarlett says, "[color=ffc1cc]I’m on-loan to Mr. Donovon from Eon Tower, where Nadia is stationed. She works for the “hotshot up-and-comer” as you put it. I work for the boss. I’m sure we’ll cross paths, though. If I’m not busy being an “up-and-coming hotshot” and all.[/color]"

Lies, left and right, told with a silver tongue dripping with honey-sweet words. Scarlett’s forte was lying, after all. Add in a little alchemy to form a ring out of sight, a dash of plausible truth and tangible lies about her relationships to mix, and you had a solid story with simple upkeep.

Scarlett would see a flabbergasted expression envelop the snotty girl’s face, which perhaps was part of her intention. She looked as though she was still attempting to process everything that was just heard, and was suffering a fatal system error due to it…

[color=lemonchiffon]”...So, let us unpack this for a moment. Nadia Whitsett is your wife, was personally selected to work directly under [i]the[/i] Arteus Navarre Irvin, and [i]both[/i] of you now work under his contract?? I…I have [i]so[/i] many questions. How, when, why? Why would that, that [i]loser[/i] be chosen over [i]me[/i]??”[/color]

"[color=ffc1cc]So many personal questions, and all of them, likely to never be answered,[/color]" Scarlett says, "[color=ffc1cc]I can answer that last one. Bookworms are my fetish. Harlots aren't.[/color]"

The woman snapped out of her stupor, and looked at Scarlett with an annoyed squint. 

[color=lemonchiffon]”Oh, don’t flatter yourself, You WISH you could land someone like me. Not that I swing that way anyway! Hmph!”[/color] She replied coldly to Scarlett’s jab. [color=lemonchiffon]”I was obviously referring to not being chosen as a new addition to Eon Tower! I’m not about to get hung up over some focals totting bookworm, but you’re also a curious case. You say you just plan on being a secretary here, but somehow you’ve still caught Eon’s eye. I feel there’s something more to you than what’s on the surface.”[/color]

"[color=ffc1cc]There’s more to you than meet the eye, too,[/color]" Scarlett says, "[color=ffc1cc]Unfortunately, it all went to your chest, and not your brain or charm.[/color]"

[color=lemonchiffon]”You’ve been mentioning my chest this whole time, I'm starting to think there’s something [i]you’re[/i] unhappy about…”[/color] She said. 

"[color=ffc1cc]There is, actually,[/color]" Scarlett says, "[color=ffc1cc]There’s this creature I’ve been studying for most of my doctorate. It’s an elusive type of Cryptid, a kind of mutated Belua,[/color]" she says. "[color=ffc1cc]In this world, I’ve only spotted one. I took as many notes as I could,[/color]" Scarlett produced a notebook from her satchel, "[color=ffc1cc]It’s a carnivore with a mouth line with teeth like a Shark Belua, but thin like a Canine Belua, yet it’s... Human. At least, I think it is...[/color]"

Scarlett sighed, "[color=ffc1cc]Hard to tell. Not something I want to remember. I saw her in the reflection of a broken mirror, atop a pile of dead bodies... half-eaten...[/color]"

The woman looked at Scarlett with a creeped out look on her face, not expecting such a profound glimpse into her troubled psyche. 

[color=lemonchiffon]”Uh…wow… You sure know how to make conversation awkward at the drop of a dime.”[/color] She said, scratching her cheek. [color=lemonchiffon]”I’ve never heard of such a cryptid before, not that I research that sort of thing anyway. You also mentioned it left a pile of bodies in its wake? Why in the Six’s name would you want to study such a thing??”[/color]

Scarlett shrugged, "[color=ffc1cc]Why do you look in the mirror in the morning?[/color]"

Time’s up. Everyone, put your pencils down and turn in your papers up front to the proctor.” Said one of the assessment assistants. Scarlett and her new friend were among the ones who were first to finish, so that’s mainly why they had so much time to chatter away. 

[color=lemonchiffon]”Whelp, looks like it’s time for my perfect grade. Hopefully, you at least get a passing score. I’d hate to lose one of the only interesting people here as a conversation partner. What’s your name by the way? ”[/color]

Scarlett would unfasten her mask, and allow it to fall away; showcasing her bright smile... of nothing but shark-like, canine-thin teeth. "[color=ffc1cc]Cryptids don't have names,[/color]" she says, "[color=ffc1cc]Eat more fatty foods, dear. Those breasts are almost delicious looking enough...[/color]"

Retying her mask, Scarlett would turn in her paper, and disappear out the door.

[color=lemonchiffon]”Wha?”[/color] The woman froze for a moment, recoiling from what she had just witnessed. The woman was quite the accomplished alchemist, and was no stranger to those who didn’t shy away from performing alchemic altercations to their own bodies. But, something the way in which Scarlett did it was different, it was more primal and rapacious. Whilst purists would call modern alchemy unnatural by traditional standards, Scarlett took it to uncanny degrees. Then, the woman recalled the odd story that her fellow applicant told her, which caused her to break into a cold sweat. 

Before Scarlett left, she had caught a glimpse of the woman’s name tag on her coat. 

Wayu Balthory

Scarlett rounded the corner of the door, but dropped a wire that snaked around and through, before winding around his rival's rival, and whispered into her ear, "[color=00ccff][i][b]Do your best to get delicious for me, Wagyu. I can't wait to eat you.[/b][/i][/color]" before the wire disintegrated.[/hider][hr][hider="Morning Routine" Subroutine: Rise and Shine]There was a distinctly unavoidable conflict to the nature of a crepuscular sleep schedule: between dusk and dawn lies several hours of sunlight and several hours of moonlight. By nature, a beast rose with the sun or with the moon, but never both in their passing, and a Human, most especially, did not strain themselves in such fashion. Therefore, to combat the dragging claws of fatigue, Scarlett, both Man and Mer, took to power-napping - a form of extended cat-napping - in order to supply herself with bursts of energy to go from her most awake hours to her sleep hours.

This staccato sleep hygiene left her with a condition not too dissimilar to those with low-blood pressure, and required more than half of her time spent napping to wake up and function nominally.

To forgo the stress, she normally woke herself with a clone - just an vestigial arm to shake her up, as opposed to the full-bodied affair playing Valentina.

...and, the reason that she was sat like a lump of naked clay, stripped of all reason and purpose, awaiting someone to sculpt her.

[color=fff79a]"Scarlett."[/color] A familiar voice rang out within the confines of the Scarred Alchemist’s room. [color=fff79a]"I’d say this is quite the time for a cat nap, but then again, that stunt you pulled must’ve taken a lot out of you."[/color]

Brunhylida made a casual stroll through the door, looking at Scarlett with stern eyes. She was over her bed, gazing down at her. There was, however, a genuine sincerity in her expression as well. 

[color=fff79a]"Come now, Ms. Ishval, it’s time to wake up. There’s no rest for the weary."[/color]

Scarlett's attention drifted, lazily, towards the source of the voice. "[color=00ccff][i]Nadia...[/i][/color]" she groaned, blinking red from her eyes, "[color=00ccff][i]...sorry. Tired... Too light...[/i][/color]"

A small surprise popped on Brun’s face when she heard Scarlett mumble a few words from her lazied breath. [color=fff79a]"Nadia…?"[/color] She couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. [color=fff79a]"I did hear from Elaine that you and her had quite the scuffle a couple of days ago. But no, I’m afraid it’s me. The dreaded taskmaster assistant admin of Eon Tower."[/color]

Brunhyldia raised her index and middle finger, generating a small flash of light from their tips. Pointing it at Scarlett, it would let loose a shining stream that covered her body. Scarlett would feel her body being rejuvenated from the gentle burst of sacred light. 

[color=fff79a]"If you want, there’s still time to apologize to her if you’re feeling a bit of guilt, dearie."[/color]

Scarlett groaned, as the light bathed her - the healing blessing causing her skin to itch and crawl. Almost literally, as iron bubbled to the surface, and formed scales to hide her darkened skin.

"[color=00ccff][i]Too light... Nnn...[/i][/color]" Scarlett shielded her eyes, squeezing them tight, even so.l

Brun looked at the alchemist’s skin as it bubbled and writhed, scales forming to hide the lesions of her flesh. She looked over Scarlett like a concerned parent would to their child. Elaine had a similar expression on her face. 

[color=fff79a]"You know, Elaine also talked about how many of your abilities cause you substantial pain, taking their toll on your heart. She’s very worried about you, understand? She’s not the only one."[/color] Stepping closer, Brun sat next to her on the bed, she gently rubbed her fingers over the scales that Scarlett’s body produced as if on instinct. 

[color=fff79a]"Shutting your eyes to shield yourself from the light, you attempt to find reprieve in the darkness. You’ll lose yourself if all you let yourself see is an abyss…"[/color]

"[color=00ccff][i]Pain... It reminds monsters... they can die...[/i][/color]" Scarlett’s arm tensed, but didn’t move nor react further to Brun’s taste. "[color=00ccff][i]Dying is too good for me. Monsters are to be killed,[/i][/color]" she says, "[color=00ccff][i]Cast deep into that abyss.[/i][/color]"

[color=fff79a]"Pain reminds [i]people[/i] to find a way to live."[/color] Brun responded firmly. [color=fff79a]"I’ve seen the line between man and monster blurred too many times, and I don’t think you’re the latter. Tell me Scarlett, do you cast yourself into the darkness because you wish to atone, or is it because you are simply afraid?"[/color]

"[color=00ccff][i]Don’t remember any more...[/i][/color]" Scarlett says. "[color=00ccff][i]Too tired. Too hungry. Hurts.[/i][/color]"

Brun could sense that the Valentina persona was starting to fade, as if the few phrased answers weren’t enough of an indicator. [color=fff79a]"Goodness girl, you’re quite the handful, you know that? And here I thought that Evelyn was a problem child…"[/color] Brun recalled the expression on Scarlett’s face, deducing that she felt irritation from her blessing spell. Creating a small ball of icy wind, she let the breeze gently wash over her scaly skin. 

[color=fff79a]"There, that should ease the irritation."[/color] She said. [color=fff79a]"Tell me, how do you feel about Nadia?"[/color]

Scarlett seemed to almost purr at the different approach. "[color=00ccff][i]Hm...[/i][/color]" she hummed, not answering, but looking at her left hand, as she raised it; the undamaged arm bearing the ring that she’d forged against Wagy, "[color=00ccff][i]Mine...[/i][/color]"

Brun looked at the makeshift ring Scarlett wore on her finger, and after hearing the word ‘mine’ she immediately made the connection. [color=fff79a]"I wonder if I were to go visit Nadia, would I see a ring of similar design on her finger? You certainly gave the impression that you felt the stark opposite. I guess you’re just that type of girl."[/color]

Brun had gotten up from the bed, placing her hands on her hips. [color=fff79a]"I presume you’ll be done with your cat nap and have prepared to depart before the time comes? I believe I’ve coddled you enough. Ms. Shavis must’ve had her hands full dealing with you!"[/color]

Scarlett whined, following the breeze, and flopping over as a result.

Brun began walking out of the room, but turned one last time at the magus playing at being a feline. 

[color=fff79a]"You’re lucky that it wasn’t Elaine speaking to you - you would’ve lost your ear from speech alone. Try to take better care of yourself."[/color]

Scarlett groaned, as she rolled onto the floor.

In the distance, Valentina would grant herself entry into Nadia’s, placing the ring from her own finger upon a table, easily in sight, before the Alchemical Doll would finally crumble into nothingness - her purpose complete.

As a result, Scarlett would start to regenerate her divided magical energy.[/hider][/hider][hr][hider=First Impression of Snipers and Summons (Collab w/ The Irish Tree)][hider=When Hector Met Lupina...]As Lupina was leashed back to Eon Tower by her benefactor's less-than-subtle guidance, the Dire Sheep would gladly break her bondage, and escape her shepherd, only they were within the borders of the establishment. A sharp bleed escaped her, as she rocketed away from him - her thighs explosively sending her forward, as her cloven hooves gave her the minimum required contact with each spring to keep her full sprint going and her turns sharp.

As a result, the headmaster wasn't catching up without magical enhancement, but in return, Lupina wasn't necessarily stopping without physical aid.

...aid that came in the form of a certain disgraced (by rumoured death) nobleman and his rifle.

"[color=BDD3E9]Baa![/color]" Lupina bleeted, as her bow went skittering away with Hector's rifle, before the war-weary gentleman could enter the office with his undue company.

Just as Hector’s bodyaches were resolved, new ones came as something, or some[i]one[/i] just slammed into him from behind, sending himself and the young woman belly-up onto the floor. Wincing and exhaling sharply, Hector would say: [color=8493ca][b]"...Would you mind terribly to get off of me?“[/b][/color] as politely as he could, while Herne emerged from under the collar of Hector’s shirt to curiously observe Lupina, its phantasmal tongue flicking once before it started slithering after Hector's rifle.

"[color=BDD3E9]Ow... my existence... hurts...[/color]" Lupina bleeted, as she rolled onto her back.

"[color=D8B895]Nobody told you to run, fool,[/color]" Baast says, manifesting, and picking up Herne like a kitten between his right foreclaw and thumb. "[color=D8B895]Paltry offerings, this,[/color]" he says, shifting his gaze to Hector, "[color=D8B895]You reek of power, but this is all you've bothered to summon? Barely serviceable as a second pair of eyes.[/color]"

"[color=BDD3E9]Baast... you're being rude...[/color]" Lupina whined, reaching out and firing a string of Galdric Mana at her bow; the bow stringing itself with the tread, before slowly being reeled in.

"[color=D8B895]Rude. Matter-of-fact. Two sides of the same coin,[/color]" Baast says, looking Herne to his well-put-together face; feminine beauty only enhanced by the husky growl of his voice.

Herne would bare his tail and shake it as if it had a rattle. He wasn’t lacking in confidence, at least, before suddenly phasing through Baast’s claw and thumb to land back atop Hector’s back. A neat trick for a spirit so weak, as to become intangible yet remain in the material world.

Hector would rise and dust himself off before offering Lupina a hand to help her up. [color=8493ca][b]"Did you injure yourself at all?“[/b][/color]

While his master was a gentleman, Herne would coil around Hector’s shoulders and neck in a figure eight, as if boasting of his magus.

'[color=D8B895][i]...cute.[/i][/color]' Baast looked away, cheeks reddening, as Herne "rattled" at him, before his little trick of intangibility freed him.

"[color=BDD3E9]Inuwanaove...[/color]" Lupina whined, kicking her hooves on the floor. "[color=BDD3E9]You're not a wall. Hurt hitting you...[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"I see. I apologize then,“[/b][/color] Hector said, letting his offer to help Lupina stand as she childishly kicked at the floor. Herne was astounded that his intimidation tactic had worked, meanwhile, proudly balling up on Hector’s left shoulder while shaking his imaginary rattle.

Baast peeked over, looking away, anew, as Herne flaunted a victory never won in the fashion he imagined. He was just cute, and Baast was rather weak to cute things - such came as a side effect of dealing with his big sister, and her adorable tantrums. It had further reaching problems, but those were not as important here.

"[color=BDD3E9]Nnrgh![/color]" Lupina snorted, before kipping to her feet, or hooves, as they were. "[color=BDD3E9]I trust that crude, expensive toy of yours is not broken?[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"If it broke that easily, I’d have died a few times already,“[/b][/color] Hector said, stooping low to pick it up and dust it off, before inspecting the barrel and taking it apart to verify its integrity. [color=8493ca][b]"All’s right with it.“[/b][/color]

Lupina yanked her finger, and reeled her bow in like a yo-yo. "[color=BDD3E9]All those moving parts, vulnerabilities left and right, with zero charm or grace,[/color]" she critiques, "[color=BDD3E9]A toy that turns killing into a matter of sport, not survival. A Human plaything.[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"Its worthwhile for the added penetrating power and distance. That and, Herne wouldn’t know what to do with something simpler,“[/b][/color] Hector explained, as Herne proudly slithered along the barrel of the gun, halfway melting into the barrel.

"[color=BDD3E9]Distance...[/color]" Lupina says, "[color=BDD3E9]Any target you can hit, I can hit. No contest. My bow would never lose to your toy.[/color]"

"[color=D8B895]Lord... she's going to be annoying about this...[/color]" Baast sighed, trying not to watch Herne be adorableness personified.

Hector would smirk, competitiveness coming alive. [color=8493ca][b]"Is that so, then? Could you hit it through a boulder in the way too? This rifle’s more than capable of that.“[/b][/color]

Hissing sadly, Herne shook his head. Hector was doing that thing again. The thing where he gets too into proving himself.

"[color=BDD3E9]Easy,[/color]" Lupina says. "[color=BDD3E9]If I can see it  I can hit it. Zero accuracy lost to wind, temperature, or elevation,[/color]" she says, extending her firing hand, and forming a standard fletched arrow out of solidified Galdric Mana. "[color=BDD3E9]My arrows never miss. And, they aren't intangible creations either - [/color]" Lupina tossed the arrow to Hector, "[color=BDD3E9] - see for yourself. Spirit Ashwood shaft. Spectral Raven feather fletching. Tipped with one of Baast's teeth as an arrowhead, so it bites into whatever it hits like a Dire Wolf.[/color]"

As if supporting her demo, Baast would shift into his Summon Form, and loom around Lupina with his serpentine body; resting his head on her shoulder.

Hector would catch the arrow, flip it between two fingers, and hand it back. [color=8493ca][b]"Impressive. Herne,“[/b][/color] Hector said before the serpent emerged from the barrel of his gun, sliding along it until grabbing the barrel’s bolt with his tail, ejecting a cartridge that had yet to be spent and spun in the air, before Hector cough it and displayed it for Lupina. [color=8493ca][b]"Custom .348 rounds infused with alchemy, fitted with slug jackets for maximum impact power before releasing in full. Took a brigand’s arm off with one clean shot to the shoulder.“[/b][/color]

Herne would slide along Hector’s arm, ready to retrieve it, waving his tail as if to warn Baast he meant business if they had to fight!

"[color=BDD3E9]Fancy accessory for that toy. I won't deny the power, though. But, actions and words, as they say,[/color]" Lupina says. "[color=BDD3E9]I believe in reliability. This bow has never broken down since I made it,[/color]" she extended it along both hands, so Hector could fully admire the handcrafted bow, "[color=BDD3E9]Composition Channelwood with a Spirit Ashwood core for the body of the bow, finished with a mana-sensitive paint that I make by hand, which is attuned to me, and at both ends are psy-crystal that allow me to channel my Magic and create an unbreakable string - [/color]" Lupina would sudden string the bow, "[color=BDD3E9] - like so.[/color]"

Rather than go on showboating, Hector instead seemed curious as he looked along its length carefully. [color=8493ca][b]"What do you use for polish? Composite Channelwood and Spirit Ashwood…must be Bluebreeze Oil…“[/b][/color]

Lupina stumbled, mentally, as she was taken aback. A gentleman type like Hector would surely have wanted to brag more about his toy, as they all did, before she shot down their superiority with her own "primitive" toy.

Yet... he's devested himself of her preconception, and taken a vested interest in her choices of wood, and more importantly...

"[color=BDD3E9]Y-Yes, it is. I grow the berries myself,[/color]" Lupina stammered, her forward momentum stalled by genuine interest.

Hector would run a gloved hand along the length of the bow, scanning it with the eye for craftsmanship needed of a man who maintained his own weapon. [color=8493ca][b]"I had a feeling. Have you tried combining it with one part Cliffwheat ground up? It should make it shine just a bit more, if that interests you. I use something similar for Freischütz, albeit mine is Channelwood and Gildgreen Oak.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]Gildgreen Oak? That's Faewood. How could you compost Channelwood with a Faewood, and not a Beluawood,[/color]" Lupina asks, gears changing tracks, "[color=BDD3E9]And, ground Cliffwheat? I never thought to grind it. I press it for oil.[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"I layered them in thin lines to improve magic conductivity while bracing them against metal to keep it stable in case the resin expands. As for Cliffwheat, when ground up and submerged in Bluebreeze oil in a 1-2 ratio, it forms a paste you can use for polish. I saw a few Fae use this method in the village I learned magecraft in,“[/b][/color] Hector explained. [color=8493ca][b]"The paste removes the dark splotches that you have to sand off with bluebreeze, leaving you with the best sheen out of it.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]Fae village,[/color]" Lupina asks. "[color=BDD3E9]That explains why a Human would learn to summon something so minimal. But, to take a beast to a man's tool is perverting its nature,[/color]" she says, scratching under Baast's chin, "[color=BDD3E9]Man and Beast separated for a reason, same as Magic and Technology parted ways. Coexistence isn't a guarantee.[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"Herne isn’t minimal,“[/b][/color] Hector said. [color=8493ca][b]"He was always the only one to answer my call. As such, he’s worth every random spirit that finds purchase in my hands when I call for them.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]Baast is my only, my last attachment to my village, my family, my home...[/color]" Lupina says, "[color=BDD3E9]Any other spirit is minimal in my eyes. Though, that's devaluing your summon. Clearly, he sees a value in you, and you share that sight. I can't judge.[/color]"

Baast resumed his Human form, and nearly pounced to scoop Herne into his hand. "[color=D8B895]Plus, look at him! He's so cute! I wanna eat him up![/color]" he mewled, nuzzling Herne with his cheeks, as if he wasn't a Dire Wolf and Herne decidedly not.

Herne would rattle his tail defensively once more. He’d do it! He was crazy!

Hector would say: [color=8493ca][b]"Your’s seems powerful, given his ability to shapeshift. Baast, was it? This is Herne.“[/b][/color]


"[color=D8B895]Herne.[/color]" Baast says, with a sense of finality, as if, he'd never forget. "[color=D8B895]He can't assume a Human form? It's basic for Spirits. After all, we are just collective energy that is shaped by a manifested will. If you're smart enough, you can reassemble that shape, as long as allowed.[/color]"

Herne was plenty smart and would indignantly turn his head away, coiling his tail around Hector’s neck.

[color=8493ca][b]"Perhaps he can, or perhaps he can’t. But, Herne has always been the way he is. …I wouldn’t ask him to change on my behalf.“[/b][/color] 

…As if he himself needed to hear that more than anyone, Herne’s lidless eyes sparkled just a bit, looking towards Hector with a look of fealty.

Baast pouted, looking hurt. "[color=D8B895]Nn...[/color]"

Lupina hummed, never having thought about these things from an outside perspective.

Hector would gently pet his familiar’s head, the snake happily coiling between his fingers.

Baast huffed, before stepping back into obscurity - literally, as he faded from sight.

…Taking a moment of pity upon the [i]lesser[/i] predator, Herne suddenly darted off into the shadows.

"[color=BDD3E9]Awkward...[/color]" Lupina says.

[color=8493ca][b]"Very…“[/b][/color] Hector agreed.

"[color=BDD3E9]So, do you grow anything,[/color]" Lupina asks.

[color=8493ca][b]"No. I haven’t the patience for gardening,“[/b][/color] Hector replied.

"[color=BDD3E9]A shame. You seem the type for the knack,[/color]" Lupina says. "[color=BDD3E9]Gentlemen always appreciate growing their own hash and tobacco from my experience. Something about manliness.[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"My father said much the same.“[/b][/color] Hector said, looking off into the distance.


"[color=BDD3E9]I could... teach you....[/color]" Lupina offered awkwardly.

[color=8493ca][b]"...Perhaps. I don’t have much to offer in return,“[/b][/color] Hector returned as awkwardly.

Lupina rubbed her arm sheepishly, "[color=BDD3E9]I could... use, um, if it... my...[/color]" Lupina fidgeted, bringing attention to her - a less critical person would just assume she was nervous, and hesitant, but someone with sharpshooter eyes could see her motions were repetitive, extenuating - drawing the eye.

Hector's eyes would see, not Lupina, but an attire of a priestess that had seen military service and not come out unscarred. Those well-sewn, and tailored and retailored by a practiced hand, Hector could see her dress was ready for retirement.

It wasn't hard to surmise what she was asking for from there.

[color=8493ca][b]"Your dress has seen better days. …I could speak with a tailor,“[/b][/color] Hector offered, seeing as he had little to offer in terms of practical skills that would interest a young woman.

Lupina blushed, looking away. "[color=BDD3E9]I'm a serviceable seamstress in my own right. Just... need a new... dress...[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"Mm. You take good care of your things,“[/b][/color] Hector said simply.

"[color=BDD3E9]I do![/color]" Lupina nodded, beaming from the praise. Her point almost forgotten.

Hector hadn’t gotten a chance to boast about his rifle, but…that could be for another time.[hr]Baast could never drift too far from Lupina, tethered as they were, brother and sister, spirit and living, forever separated by Life and Death, yet bound by love transcendent. However, he could go far away enough to round the corner, so he could headbutt the wall a few dozen times without notice.

A small slithering of cool scales would be felt along his ankle, or closest approximation to one.

"[color=D8B895]Eh,[/color]" Baast asks, looking down.

A familiar ghostly Serpent would rear his head, then tilt it quizzically.

"[color=D8B895]What the.... What are you doing,[/color]" Baast asks.

Herne would flick his tongue out a few times, before suddenly curling up, the muscles making up its phantasmal body undulating as his eyes grew glassy. …Something was happening, though what it was didn’t make sense.

"[color=D8B895]You... uh... break,[/color]" Baast asks, squatting down.

Before things made sense, they only become weirder as Herne’s jaw went slack, then opened, only for a human hand to emerge from it, half-slickened with saliva as the fingers skittered along the floor, more and more of the apparent arm coming out with the same white scales hardening along its length once it was exposed to the air.

…Herne was shedding his skin.

"[color=D8B895]Eh?![/color]" Baast was very confused, now.

[url=https://i.imgur.com/Ej3l72v.png]Herne’s body went limp as the hand kept pulling more and more of itself out, another hand soon meeting it before more and more “arm” slipped free, until eventually there was a young man cloaked in silken white on the ground, the shed skin of his former body hanging limply above his head in a mobius strip, the snake’s fangs biting down on the tail in a perfect loop. His humanity seemed to stop halfway down his face, as everything beneath his upper lip was covered in pale white scales, the slightest indication of a mouth parting to the lipless maw of a snake.[/url]

Cracking his neck from side to side, he would free himself of the outer slimy layer that coated him, gradually crawling towards Baast.

"[color=D8B895]Uh...[/color]" Baast offered.

[color=FFFAFA][b]"Difficult…yessss…very…not assss…ssssimple…“[/b][/color] the creature that was once Herne said, before rising to his feet, wobbling to and fro, stabilizing himself with one clawed hand against a nearby wall as he eyed Baast. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Herne. Name isssss Herne. Hello. Hell…ooo…“[/b][/color]

"[color=D8B895]Hello...[/color]" Baast says, hands drifting to his swords.

Herne tilted his head at a sharp 90 degree angle. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Why run and bang head?“[/b][/color]

"[color=D8B895]You wanna finish pulling yourself together,[/color]" Baast asks. "[color=D8B895]You don't seem all there.[/color]"

[color=FFFAFA][b]"Born that way,“[/b][/color] Herne stated, his secondary eyelids blinking once as he stood, transfixed on Baast. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Egg cracked early. No tail. Went firsssst. Mother left. Left too after.“[/b][/color]

Baast tilted his head, before sighing, "[color=D8B895]So, you've never been more than what you've been told to be by your instincts? I remember those days, confusion and lost... anger, for me.[/color]"

Herne was quiet as he observed Baast, his forked tongue flicking out from between his lips on occasion. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Ssssmaller issss better. Eassssy for Hector.“[/b][/color]

"[color=D8B895]Maybe,[/color]" Baast hummed, "[color=D8B895]Though, you are neither smaller, nor better, but large, and flawed. Stuck in an instinctive bind, and limbo. You’d be no good to him like that.[/color]"

[color=FFFAFA][b]"...Yesss. …Ssssmaller…issss better…“[/b][/color] Herne said, surprisingly self conscious as he shrunk back just a bit.

"[color=D8B895]It can be, true,[/color]" Baast says, "[color=D8B895]It is also just as good to be bigger, however,[/color]" he says, pointing to his eyes, slit pupils narrowing, "[color=D8B895]Large eyes see further targets. I can spot things that even my sister cannot see.[/color]"

Baast pointed at the distant wall; his eyes widening, pupil narrowing to thin lines, before his shot an arrow from his finger that jammed into the wall... fluttering to the floor, a pair of fly wings, as the disabled body squirmed on the ground.

"[color=D8B895]All snipers need a spotter,[/color]" Baast says.

Herne gasped in surprise at that revelation, his milk white eyes looking as if they’d burn up in direct sunlight. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Wissssdom! Good Wissssdom!“[/b][/color]

"[color=D8B895]Before anything, we need to get you into a stable form,[/color]" Baast says. "[color=D8B895]As you are, it’s barely safe for you to exist.[/color]"

Herne tilted his head, clearly needing an explanation from a subject matter expert.

"[color=D8B895]You're kind of, like, an unborn newborn, so your connection is weak. You need to focus, and stabilize yourself and your tether to Hector,[/color]" Baast says, "[color=D8B895]Take on a form that aids and doesn't hinder Hector.[/color]

Herne would nod, before going limp and falling over, his former tiny self emerging from his dissolving humanoid form, proudly raising his snout in the air. He was already perfect after all.

"[color=D8B895]Yeah, I guess,[/color]" Baast shrugged.

Herne would circle around in a figure eight, waiting for the rest of the explanation.

"[color=D8B895]Are you waiting on something from me,[/color]" Baast asks.

Herne thought there was more to this than just turning back into himself admittedly.

Baast frowned, before sitting criss-cross, and forming an arrow. Pressing the tip into his finger, he drew blood, and drew a square in the floor. "[color=D8B895]I'll try to explain this simply,[/color]" he says, "[color=D8B895]This body of yours is like this square. Inside the square is all your magic, all the Galdric Mana that keeps you running,[/color]" Baast would draw a straight line through the diagonal center from top-right to bottom-left, "[color=D8B895]By sectioning off your Galdric Mana, you can change the look of your body without changing the power within.[/color]"

Baast would draw two more squares; the second one, he would draw an X; the third one, he would draw four lines to create a diamond within.

"[color=D8B895]By sectioning off your Mana in certain way, you can completely overhaul your looks,[/color]" Baast would draw a fourth square, but curve the four lines within to make a circle instead of a circle, "[color=D8B895]And, the smaller and more refined the sections, the more complex you can get,[/color]" he says, as he drew a square with a circle inside, but an X through it as well, and two concentric circles inside and outside the main circle using the new guidelines. "[color=D8B895]Follow?[/color]"

Herne would nod and try again, this time now way creepier as just a head spidering along the ground from his hair. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Ssssmall! Fassst!“[/b][/color]

…This might take a while.

Baast would sighed, and lie on his side, propped up on his right elbow. "[color=D8B895]Not even close.[/color]"

Herne rested on his cheek, frowning. It might help to explain how humans thought, given that the serpentine spirit was operating entirely on reptile brain.

Baast reached out, "[color=D8B895]You need to make a stable form, first, so you need to make a passable body.[/color]"

[color=FFFAFA][b]"Passssable?“[/b][/color]

"[color=D8B895]Like me,[/color]" Baast says, "[color=D8B895]But, smaller, and cuter, and you-er.[/color]"

Herne hummed before shedding skin once more, this time taking on a decidedly more…normal looking humanoid shape as his “skin” burst free, the spirit’s toes and fingers still half-transparent. A figure of androgyny with silvery hair and pointed, almost fae-like ears that was adorned in a simple white tunic of scales that coiled around his body like a snake clung to a meal to constrict it. [color=FFFAFA][b]"“This Feels Weird…my tongue…blegh…”“[/b][/color] he childishly whined, before approaching Baast. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Better? Still small, but better?“[/b][/color] Herne asked, his milk-colored eyes now looking more human with defined pupils, the serpent now circling Baast with fumbling, but more founded steps.

"[color=D8B895]Nn![/color]" Baast yipped, as his tail stiffened, and her ears perked up straight, "[color=D8B895]S-So it would seem![/color]"

Herne smirked, leaning in close against Baast’s back, gripping his shoulders. [color=FFFAFA][b]"I must be quite hideous now, to make you freeze up so readily.“[/b][/color]

"[color=D8B895]No! Quite the opposite![/color]" Baast blurted.

[color=FFFAFA][b]"Hm?“[/b][/color] Herne asked, surprised that his terrifying visage wasn’t petrifying Baast.

"[color=D8B895]Oi, oi, oi...[/color]" Baasta says, unable to really go anywhere, laying on his side as he was. Not that Herne seemed to catch on.

[color=FFFAFA][b]"Hm!?“[/b][/color] Herne questioned, flopping onto Baast as if he were still a tiny snake. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Are you tired already? Did I frighten you so much that your legs ceased working?“[/b][/color]

"[color=D8B895]No, you spaz![/color]" Baast says, "[color=D8B895]I’m perfectly functional![/color]"

Herne smirked confidently, inching in close, his breath right against Baast’s neck, the familiar chill of death that a half-phantasmal spirit carried. [color=FFFAFA][b]"You’re panicking…I can hear you shudder…“[/b][/color]

Baast was shuddering, true, but not for the misconstrued narrative the serpent had conceived for himself. There were more... primal... forces... currently at play with the Demiphantasm. "[color=D8B895]You are delusional,[/color]" Baast says, skin warmed and chilled at the same time, as Herne invaded his privacy; lithe body, shamelessly, lay across his own, as if he were no more his tiny self. "[color=D8B895]I’m barely trifled.[/color]"

“Riled up” was the more accurate term.

“Turnt” was the correct term, but he wasn’t admitting that - Herne had too much power in this situation by sheer chance. To Hell, if he was giving more willingly.

More power would be wrested away as Herne did as a snake did, sliding his tongue along the back of Herne’s neck. [color=FFFAFA][b]"Who’s weak now?“[/b][/color]

Baast yipped in surprise; tail wagging, as his ears flattened. "[color=D8B895]What are you doing!?[/color]" he tried to maintain a tough visage.

[color=FFFAFA][b]"Relax…I won’t hurt you…“[/b][/color] Herne promised.

Blissfully unaware, Hector would finally relent to taking Lupina shopping.

Before Baast could attempt to keep his tough guy image up, Lupina would step beyond the length of their shared tether, and Baast would start to dematerialize. "[color=D8B895]Lupina is leaving. I can’t stray far from her side,[/color]" he says, "[color=D8B895]You better get back to Hector, Herne.[/color]"

Herne clicked his tongue before rising up, then slithering back to Hector in his diminutive normal form, back to being a snake, none the wiser to the…”feelings” he’d awoken in Baast.

"[color=BDD3E9]Ah, you’re back,[/color]" Lupina says.

"[color=D8B895]I am,[/color]" Baast says.

Leaving it there, the siblings would follow Hector’s lead.

Herne would nonchalantly take up residence on Hector’s shoulder once more, while the marksman simply offered a small scratch on the head as acknowledgement, his companion much enjoying the modicum of attention. Heading out of the tower for the time being, Hector would find a suitable shop with Lupina, figuring that a young lady should pick a style that best suited her, rather than rely on his stuffy sensibilities.[/hider][hr][hider=My Big, Fat, Fluffy Shopping Trip]As Hector lead Lupina into the cityscape - a trip that would have taken much longer if Baast couldn’t fly rather fast - the Dire Sheep would take in the sights in a different fashion, as she always flew along, until now.

"[color=BDD3E9]Are you sure you’ll be able to see at this pace,[/color]" Lupina asks.

[color=8493ca][b]"No need to worry. I know my way around plenty of cities. Now, as for what to replace that dress with…were you hoping for something similar? I don’t know many Beluan tailories here,“[/b][/color] Hector said, figuring it best to be upfront and honest about what he did and didn’t know.

"[color=BDD3E9]I don’t remember where I even got this,[/color]" Lupin admits. "[color=BDD3E9]It was just something I picked up one day, and never changed. As much as I wish to keep repairing it...[/color]" Lupina sighed, "[color=BDD3E9]I can’t patch patches. I just need to replace it with something.[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"I see. In that case, is there anything you like or dislike about it? Best to find clothes you like while you’re capable. As an archer, you might want some new gloves too,“[/b][/color] Hector said, surprisingly generous with what she’d need.

"[color=BDD3E9]I just like clothes that flow well, but look nice, too, so I'm fashionable and functional,[/color]" Lupina says, as Baast came in for touchdown. "[color=BDD3E9]Just... not that good with cities...[/color]"

Hector would sigh, before saying: [color=8493ca][b]"That narrows it down very little. But, there must something to suit your tastes.“[/b][/color] Taking the lead, Hector would try to find something more fitting than a regular dress for an archer.

"[color=BDD3E9]I mean, I like this dress, and this look, so...[/color]" Lupina trailed off, before crossing her arms, "[color=BDD3E9]...but, if you are going to be like that, I would like to see you find me something, then.[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"Something more rurally suited, then…“[/b][/color] Hector said, looking towards some of the more middle of the road stores, beckoning for Lupina to follow after him.

"[color=BDD3E9]Rural...[/color]" Lupina asks. Did she strike him as a country bumpkin? Surely, she didn’t give off that kind of vibe, right? Yeah, she was from a village in the Southlands, and, yes, she was definitely a “live off the land” kinda gal, but rural? That was like... like... NOT her.

"[color=BDD3E9][i]Psst... Baast...[/i][/color]"

"[color=D8B895]Yes?[/color]" Baast asks.

"[color=BDD3E9][i]Tell me, do I smell rural,[/i][/color]" Lupin asks, in a hushed whisper, before raising her arms above her head in an exaggerated stretch.

"[color=D8B895][b]I’m not smelling your armpits...[/b][/color]"

"[color=BDD3E9]Jerk![/color]" Lupina snapped, flailing her arms at the Demiphantasm, as he flew above her.

Hector looked back to see Lupina arguing at her spirit, before sighing and continuing on, disregarding it.

"[color=BDD3E9]I don’t smell rural...[/color]" Lupina pouted.

"[color=D8B895]You did forget to shower last night... and this morning...[/color]" Baast says, "[color=D8B895]And, you did run at full speed a bit ago...[/color]"

Lupina’s eyes wobbled, as she choked up at the mere concept - not used to her emotions and hormones being active in a positive fashion. Much like Baast, she didn’t need to regulate anything but “survive” and “nihilism” to do what needs doing to see tomorrow, again and again. Suddenly, she was concerned with something new - impressing someone new - in a way that was queer and disconcerting.

"[color=D8B895]H-Hey... don’t look at me like that![/color]" Baast says.

"[color=BDD3E9]So mean...[/color]" Lupina whined.

"[color=D8B895]But, you asked![/color]" Baast groaned.

Herne would poke his head up and flick his tongue out for a moment. People were so complicated sometimes…

Lupin and Baast would squabble until interrupted - such was the way of the big sister, little brother dynamic. 

Slithering over so that they could stop fighting, Herne would pop up between the two of them to flop atop Baast’s head. A simple reminder that they were in public.

Baast grunted in shock, and nearly flew through a wall. "[color=D8B895]What?![/color]"

The snake offered little answer aside from slithering back over to Hector. [color=8493ca][b]"We still have shops to check for something that suits you, you know,“[/b][/color] the marksman reminded.

"[color=BDD3E9]I was waiting on you![/color]" Lupina says, hiding her face behind a mask.

[color=8493ca][b]"I see. Sorry then,“[/b][/color] Hector said before continuing on anyways.

"[color=BDD3E9]R-Right...[/color]" Lupina says, "[color=BDD3E9]S-So... what kind of fashion do you think suits me...[/color]"

Hector considered his words for a moment before saying: [color=8493ca][b]"You strike me as being free-spirited and tomboyish, so tight-fitting clothes would likely make you miserable. Yet you have lovingly maintained that dress and bow, showing a great amount of care for things you possess. I’d suggest something that isn’t cheaply made, but isn’t overly fanciful either, since I imagine you’d fret over ruining it. They do make proper armaments for archers that resemble long tabards, but that may be too stiff for you. And it wouldn’t let you run as quickly as you did before. …And, to speak of colors, your hair is a light blue, best complimented by reds, pinks, and whites, in my opinion.“[/b][/color]

Having given his analytical side of things, Hector would then follow it up with: [color=8493ca][b]"But then again, I’ve always been terrible at picking gifts for the opposite sex.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]Whoa...[/color]" Lupina says. "[color=BDD3E9]Well, uh, sounds like you could pick a gift for me, so... I’d like to see you pick me something. I’d just settle with this old thing, but, like, you know, new,[/color]" she says, dismissively, "[color=BDD3E9]But, uh, you get me something. I’ll try it on, just to see if you’re right or wrong about your gift-giving sense.[/color]"

Hector would close his eyes. [color=8493ca][b]"To do that, I’d have to ask you a question no man can ask a woman he barely knows.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]If you need my tailoring sizes, that’s nothing so secret,[/color]" Lupin says, before spinning off her three sizes of a modest chest, trim waist, and thicc ass; a sheep tended to be bottom-heavy, after all, so a Dire Sheep would be no different.

Hector rubbed the bridge of his nose, having desperately not wanted to hear all of that from a young lady’s mouth. [color=8493ca][b]"I’ll do what I can. Feel free to have a seat.“[/b][/color]

Lupina was confused by the subtle note of tension from Hector, but decided to sit - ignoring Baast struggling with Herne.

Herne would keep wiggling atop Baast, always just out of reach to pluck off.

Meanwhile Hector agonized alone over what clothes were suitable for a young lady who fought with archery, while also trying not to describe her measurements to the tailor, lest someone mention a certain disgraced third noble son frivolously spending to woo some lass with a large rear.

"[color=D8B895]My head is not a place to play![/color]" Baast says, despite being a massive wolf head with a serpentine body of ghostliness.

Not one to do things by halves, Hector would make sure to even factor in the color of Lupina’s bow in his purchases, soon coming out with two large tote bags, looking as if he’d just felled an impossible task with how straight his back was. [color=8493ca][b]"Done.“[/b][/color]

Herne meanwhile kept it up, teasingly sliding along Baast’s neck.

"[color=D8B895]Will you stopppp...[/color]" Baast groaned.

"[color=BDD3E9]Are you okay...?[/color]" Lupina asks. "[color=BDD3E9]You look... happy.[/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"It was slow-going for a moment, but I believe I found three that you’ll like, and even haggled the price down. Care to make use of their fitting room?“[/b][/color] Hector said, lifting the bags up.

"[color=BDD3E9]Sounds good to me![/color]" Lupina says, before looking around for the noted place.

Hector didn’t take long to bring Lupina over to it, handing her the bags and entrusting Baast to keep her in there until she finished changing into any of the ensembles present, between a more [url=https://i.imgur.com/pCrvGVY.jpeg]formal style of blue topped by a white tabard[/url] with a design appealing more to Flugellan women, [url=https://i.imgur.com/EgNc963.png]a fae piece designed for[/url] freedom of movement and casual everyday use, followed up by something that might have well been the reason Hector was so proud-looking, [url=https://i.imgur.com/3zffxjd.jpg]a Beluan dress that bore great resemblance to Lupina’s[/url], albeit in a rich purple and with a bit more room around the arms by comparison.

"[color=BDD3E9]Oh, my! Baast, look![/color]" Lupina says, genuinely surprised. "[color=BDD3E9]I was just expecting a replacement, and I’d pay him back once I had money, but this! Look at this one! It’s so regal and serious! And, this one! All flowy and free! And, especially this one! It’s so spooky![/color]"

Lupina squealed, though it was more of a pleased bleating, as she struggled with which to try on first.

Baast was just glad that Herne was back on Hector’s head. Fashion was nothing to him, since he was fashionable by default.

Hector was posted up in a corner on a bench, smug as fuck as he posed with one leg crossed over the other, and one hand before his face. [color=8493ca][b]"I suppose I’m better at this than I thought!“[/b][/color]

Suddenly, the curtain to blow back, and Lupina would peek out; though, she held it with a firm grip, Hector would be witness to the slope of the nape of her neck, as it transitioned into her shoulders, and dipped down to where the inside of her arm pressed to the top of her breast, cloaked by the curtain, the rest of the way until her cloven hooves peeked out from below, due to the bunching.

"[color=BDD3E9]Which... would you like to see first...[/color]"

A sincere shyness pervaded the question, as Lupin looked just away enough to be able to look at him, if she turned her eyes, but not in full, so her blush wasn’t so apparent.

Hector’s smugness evaporated as he turned his head to the side. [color=8493ca][b]"Aaa…hrm…w-well, whatever you think would suit you the best. Personally I like them all,“[/b][/color] the nobleman said noncommittally, trying to not give Baast a reason to bite his head off.

"[color=BDD3E9]Pick one. You went through the trouble of finding them, after all,[/color]" Lupina says, "[color=BDD3E9]So... pick one, dummy...[/color]"

Sighing, Hector folded his arms. [color=8493ca][b]"If that’s the case, then try the Faewoven one first.“[/b][/color]

Lupina nodded, and turned fast - the curtain opening enough for Hector to get a good shot of her upper back. Her flouncy wear betrayed her, as he could see the definition of her muscles - archery was no mere sport, but a workout and a demanding one. It took great upper body and core strength to draw back on pounds of force in the low-hundreds, and the proof before him would dispel the notion that Lupina did not exert herself to draw her bow, despite the bowstring being a creation of her own magic.

It was clearly heavy enough to sculpt her form.

..it also begged the question: [i]Why would she emulate weight?[/i]

Hector would be lost in thought thinking about back muscles until she emerged again, staring at the ceiling while Herne poked at him with his snout.

Herne’s poke would coincide with Lupina’s emergence; gently swishing her sleeves, as she rubbed her bare shoulders; the choker-hung bell tinkling with her fidgety movements. "[color=BDD3E9]So...[/color]" she stood in an A-pose, and stared at her hooves.

[color=8493ca][b]"You seem uncomfortable,“[/b][/color] Hector said, almost certain it was because of the bell. …Why the hell had he decided to listen to the shopkeeper that a sheep Belua would like it!?

"[color=BDD3E9]I’m not![/color]" Lupina says, "[color=BDD3E9]It’s so soft and fluffy, and light, and swishy, and, and, and...[/color]" she hid her face behind her hands, "[color=BDD3E9][i]Like it?[/i][/color]"

Clearing his throat, Hector would say: [color=8493ca][b]"I…think it suits you well.“[/b][/color]

Herne hissed in agreement, nodding.

Lupina bleated, before scampering behind the curtain. "[color=BDD3E9]Pick the next one![/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"The Flugellan style, next. This is the one I’m most worried about you wearing.“[/b][/color]

Lupina would call back, "[color=BDD3E9]It should be fine![/color]"

"[color=D8B895]You are decidedly girly today, it seems,[/color]" Baast teased.

"[color=BDD3E9]Today is great! I haven’t been in a situation like this in years! If Hector likes all of these, I’ll make sure to buy them back once I’m paid,[/color]" Lupina says.

"[color=D8B895]If he likes them...[/color]" Baast asked, talking to himself, "[color=D8B895]Interesting qualifier...[/color]"

Lupina would be too busy fastening things in place, and adjusting her balance to notice her own Freudian slip. After a much longer time period, she would emerge; adjusting her helm and standing on her booted hooves.

"[color=BDD3E9]Lupina, at the ready, sir![/color]" she saluted Hector, before sticking out her tongue playfully. 

Unlike before, she seemed a lot more comfortable being seen as a soldier, a woman of duty, and not embarrassed to be viewed as a woman before anything else.

Hector nodded, significantly less hesitant about accepting this one. [color=8493ca][b]"Looks good. Don’t call me sir, though.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]Aye, sir~[/color]" Lupina smirked.

Hector’s approval was a simple nod. [color=8493ca][b]"It suits you. I’d advise wearing it for missions around nobility, if you wish to. Now for the last one.“[/b][/color]

Lupina nodded.

...but, her apprehension would skyrocket as she stood skyclad before the last attire.

"[color=BDD3E9]I’m not good enough for something like this...[/color]" Lupina says, as her doubts washed over her, her self-loathing and fears climbing back up; itching to claim their place, restake their control. "[color=BDD3E9]I’m just a silly girl, playing in a woman’s world. I’m not fooling anyone...[/color]" Lupina stared at herself, her developed form - torn between the natural softness of a woman and the decided firmness of warrior; neither side winning, neither side giving, twisting around the other in her own, warped view. "[color=BDD3E9]Don’t be stupid, Lupina. Playing dress-up like a child. Hector’s a Human. Humans don’t see Belua as companions. Especially freaks like you...[/color]"

Baast held a solemn silence. There was never anything he could do to pull her up and out of this state. Her magic was built around negativity - the strength in the darkness of the Void. It was the curse that she took on her shoulders to keep him tethered to her soul, instead of drifting through Limbo - unfulfilled and unsaved.

He couldn’t offer words of encouragement. She wouldn’t have them.

"[color=D8B895][i]Almost there...[/i][/color]"

Hector would be waiting, while Herne as a snake was more sensitive to the nihilistic muttering going on within. Escaping his Master’s notice, Herne would slip inside the dressing room before a soft voice would utter a single question behind Lupina.

[center][color=FFFAFA][b]"So what?“[/b][/color][/center]
"[color=BDD3E9]Nn![/color]" Lupina nearly leapt out of her skin.

"[color=D8B895]...[/color]" Baast was curious where this would go. Herne didn’t know Lupina’s Curse, nor their world, so... maybe... he had room to, for lack of a better word, slither in between the crack that his claws could not fit.

Herne would simply say: [color=FFFAFA][b]"People are always so complicated about things. Even Hector gets dumb when he thinks too much, and you’re probably doing the same. If it looks good on you, it does, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. You won’t know until you try, but…Hector said once, ‘You’ve missed every shot you didn’t pull the trigger on’. But you aren’t stuffy like the girls Hector talks to a lot. I think he just wants to make you happy.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]I’m not high society... I’m... rural...[/color]" Lupina says. "[color=BDD3E9]I’m not well-groomed or soft-edged or anything a nobleman should be see carting around...[/color]" she looked herself up and down, seeing big flaws in the small things. "[color=BDD3E9]I’m just a sheep on two legs. Fluffy and meaty.[/color]"

[color=FFFAFA][b]"Fluffy’s cute!“[/b][/color] Herne no-nonsense argued, grabbing the dress and inching closer to Lupina.

"[color=BDD3E9]H-Hey, you![/color]" Lupina stammered, being backed into the mirror wall. "[color=BDD3E9]THAT’S SO COLD![/color]" she yelped, as her bare dumptruck hit the reflective glass. "[color=BDD3E9]GIMME THAT![/color]"

Baast snickered as Lupina snatched the clothing to dress in the nearest, warmest thing.

Smugly placing his hands on his hips, Herne would dissolve back into a snake, job done.

[color=8493ca][i][b]"Everything alright?“[/b][/i][/color] Hector called out from outside the dressing room.

"[color=BDD3E9]It’s fine![/color]" Lupina says. "[color=BDD3E9]Lots of moving parts is all![/color]"

[color=8493ca][b]"I see…oh, there you are Herne,“[/b][/color] Hector said, spying the spectral serpent perched where he’d just been sitting, none the wiser to his aid in Lupina’s self-esteem issues.

Lupina would stand before the curtain. [color=BDD3E9][i]Just one more show...[/i][/color] However, her feet weren’t moving. Everything about this attire screamed, “Noblewoman.” - a far-cry from anything she could ever be. Her hooves double-tapped the floor, as she wore the accompanying, thick sandals - the first tap was the heel of the sandal, followed sharply by the tap of her hoof; a stark reminder of her inhuman dress-up.

Here, at the climax, she was about to retreat.

"[color=D8B895]On with the show![/color]" Baast says, putting his booted foot to her bouncy ass, and kicking her through the curtain.

Caterwauling, Lupina would throw her hands out to catch herself - only to catch firm shoulders, used to supporting heavy backpacks of supplies and ammo, as she crashed into a firm chest, and her nose buried against the collar of a fine shirt that wasn’t scented as she would expect. For a moment, she was lost - almost indulgently - in the staining smells of gunpowder, lead, and machining oil; the cologne of a rifleman, the musk of a soldier.

Hector was never destined for a throne, nor any seat of power. He smelled like a man of his own purpose, not other’s intentions.

"[color=D8B895]Oops. Kicked too hard,[/color]" Baast says, smirking.

That was enough to snap Lupina back to reality, and cause her to leap back with a hurried, "[color=D8B895]Sorry![/color]" - before her awkward landing resulted in a sandal attempting to part ways at the cost of her plummeting towards the floor.

[color=8493ca][b]"A-Are you alright,“[/b][/color] Hector asked, catching her and gently lifting her up by her shoulders just before she leapt back, diving forward just enough to catch her as she slipped and fell. [color=8493ca][b]"...You move far too quickly for someone so clumsy.“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]I’m not clumsy![/color]" Lupina says. "[color=BDD3E9]I... I don’t... My feet are wrong...[/color]" she says, "[color=BDD3E9]All this is silly. Trying to wear Human clothing. I’m dumb, aren’t I?[/color]"

Immediately realizing his mistake, Hector would say: [color=8493ca][b]"It slipped my mind entirely…I got the wrong shoes for that dress, didn’t I?“[/b][/color]

"[color=BDD3E9]They're not wrong. I'm just wrong. The dress is lovely and the shoes are nice. It's just me...[/color]" Lupina says.

Hector frowned. [color=8493ca][b]"No, the fault is mine. Why don’t you try it on with the Flugellan shoes? Or…we can try and find ones to fit your hooves.“[/b][/color]

Lupina blushed, hiding behind her hair, "[color=BDD3E9][i]I like what you picked for me...[/i][/color]"

"[color=D8B895]The real question is, does she look good or not? That's what this little show has been about, after all,[/color]" Baast reminds. "[color=D8B895]So, Mr. Nobleman Sniper, how's Rural polish?[/color]"

Herne raised his head, ready for Hector’s super-cool answer before his Master would respond with: [color=8493ca][b]"Were there any ‘rural’ people to snatch the eye of a prince, it would be you. It suits you radiantly, I think. You’re too harsh on yourself.“[/b][/color]

Pomp and circumstance would likely never fully leave Hector…but he was honest to what he thought of someone. Lupina wouldn’t have received his time had he not wanted to give it.

Lupina stared blankly for a moment, before her emotions crashed upon her, and swelling tears broke with a soft, "[color=BDD3E9][i]Thank you for saying that...[/i][/color]"

Baast sighed, as Lupina's negativity broke, allowing positive to flow back in, even if that was in the form of her wailing in the middle of a department store.

Girls were loud... 

"[color=D8B895][i]She's happy, though...[/i][/color]"

Given the scene being made it wasn’t long until Hector was promptly escorted out and banned from the store for making women cry, with this likely causing a scandal that kept getting telephoned all the way to “Wayward son of Wyland caught trafficking young Beluan lady”, but…well, it was worth it for just a moment of making someone feel good.

The scandal would be less of a trafficking charge, and more of Lupina, crackling with Void Magic, holding the store at Antidimensional Arrowpoint, while screaming, "[color=BDD3E9][b][i]HE MADE ME HAPPY, YOU JERKS! TAKE BACK THAT BAN, BEFORE YOU DON'T HAVE A STORE, ASSHOLES! YOU WON'T RUIN MY DAY OR HIS OR OURS!!![/i][/b][/color]"

Eon Tower would definitely hear of that...

After a TRULY exciting day of wrangling someone with a black hole arrow, Hector would be haggard, exhausted, and now thoroughly looking forward to passing out. …Still…

…It was fun.

"[color=D8B895]Thanks,[/color]" Baast says, as he floated by the window to Hector's personal room at Eon Tower. "[color=D8B895]She hasn't cried in almost a year, so...[/color]" Baast would leave it there, as he closed his eyes. "[color=D8B895]I'm getting tired, so off you get. Ready for sleep...[/color]"

Hector smiled, giving a small two-finger-salute to Baast. [color=8493ca][b]"I’ve never been thanked for making a woman cry…but, I’m happy to have helped. Make sure she wears proper shoes though.“[/b][/color]

Herne would drop onto Baast’s head and coil around it for just a bit before returning to Hector. A farewell from a snake.

"[color=D8B895]You made sure for that, it’ll mean more,[/color]" Baast says, before flying off, once Herne departed, as well. Fortunately, once Lupina was inside his mouth, she could be ghosted through the thin surface of the window that overlooked the view of all Eon Tower surveyed, as he set her onto her bed, and stretched out; transforming into his Human form, and settled by the window.

"[color=D8B895][i]What a day...[/i][/color]" he sighed, looking at the trio of bags that he’d managed to steal away in the chaos. "[color=D8B895][i]This place... it might just be a good home...[/i][/color]"

Baast settled against the warm window, and drifted off to sleep.

Hector wasn’t long for the waking world, passing out in his clothes as soon as he hit his bed, with Herne drifting off to the immaterial next to Hector, glad that he was right about Hector. He always had been.[/hider][/hider]