Enkryption

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

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ATTN: @The Irish Tree (Eula/Liliana) & @Rezod92 (Kerry)

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Binary Decisions on Mercy and Murder, Checked and Balanced (Collab w/ The Irish Tree

A fair distance away, still in the midsts of her minor preparations for Takeshi’s mission to liberate his father, Eula would suddenly feel an intense surge of mana encroach and try to consume her core…or perhaps direct it, before she placed her hands over her shoulders and stunned herself, momentarily pulsing demonic energy of her own make to flush out the foreign presence before the feeling faded. Then, a colossal reading spiked on her sensors, sending the automaton running towards the potential threat.

It took a moment of processing that would be verified by her eyes soon enough, but this was definitely Dinah activating…and lo and behold, she would find Alice with her eyes closed, wounded slightly and bearing a scar while also cradling…something against her bosom.

Sort of a round, floppy, pinkish looking thing that was perfectly spherical, perfectly contented, and was now lazily floating in a small orbit as it digested whatever had filled its belly. It looked slightly familiar, but Eula pushed that thought out of her head in order to check on Carroll.

"I can’ eat ‘nymore honey Marigold…" the sphere of a fairy complained, metabolizing the foreign hatter milk rather slowly.

"...I believe there was a fairy in the task force but…I’ve never seen one gorge enough to become a bowling ball," Eula noted, before grabbing Liliana and poking her stomach, causing the fairy to wince in her sleep.

"At last, someone with sense in their head, and not thoughts of milk." Carroll sighed, stuck in her sword form, as Alice was unconscious and she was weakened herself. "Though, you were the last I expected to be curious."

"Carroll," a soft smiled crossed Eula’s lips as she reached out. "You haven’t forgotten me in just a few hours, correct? I may have to force-feed you again to make you remember if that’s the case."

"I remember you just fine." Carroll says, "I’m not food, so I don’t expect you to just become curious enough to investigate."

Eula would lift Carroll up in her blade form, saying: "You make it sound as if food is all I care about."

"You memorized what I taste like." Carroll says, flatly.

Eula would flick a finger along the dangerously sharp vorpal blade. "And you didn’t memorize how I taste?" she retorted.

"I’d plenty of time to do that." Carroll says. "Though, with you stripping me like this, I’d not pass up a reminder." Carroll teased, as Eula drew her from her scabbard, which was, essentially, her clothing, "Sadly, I’m sure you didn’t come here for that, did you?"

Eula shook her head and then sheathed Carroll. "I came to investigate the mana surge. I thought something dangerous had to be close…but…all I found was the two of you and her," Eula said, before bouncing the floating spherical Liliana in one hand.

"Less my drama, more between them." Carroll says. "Also, careful, or she might throw up on you. She drank, like, a lot of milk."

"Noted," Eula said before gently putting her down to decompress.

"Interesting that you felt that for such a short period of time. That could be problematic in the future. A theoretical downside to that form..." Carroll hummed.

"More than a theory if it was tangible," Eula said. "But, I did receive that invitation. Heavenly Strike, was it?"

"If that’s what she wrote, I suppose." Carroll says, simply.

Eula would do due diligence and show Carroll the bachelor party invitation, before asking: "Is it truly necessary to have the entire task force attack three men?"

"It far exceeds the original three." Carroll says. "It would seem, someone had taken to bootlegging, and passing this technique around like a cheap Succubus at a party." Eula could feel her frown, "We have much more to do than just stop a handful of bandits with a fancy new trick. We have to kill them, and cull the weed at the root, before it spreads further than just this island. If the Varjans were to learn such a powerful piece of swordplay..."

”Shizuyama wouldn’t be the end of it. They’d take all of Zipangu next," Eula finished.

"Indeed. Before we even attempt to ship off to the mainland or whatever that foolish child intends, we have to sort out this mess." Carroll says. "It’s been left to fester, and we’re dangerously close to losing more than just time."

Eula nodded. "I will make sure to not get in the way, cumbersome as my limitations are."

"I was thinking about that, actually, and your “Do Not Harm” rule." Carroll says. "I want to say, I have a loophole."

Eula looked a bit nervous to hear it. ”…What did you have in mind?"

"You just need to use a weapon that isn’t your body." Carroll says. "It falls back to the idea I had before, about repairing your arm by using mine, and then using my body to restore your original arm." she says. "Sword Devils were made to integrate into anything, after all, and restore to functionality."

Eula shook her head slightly. "It isn’t just that my programming prevents it. I was able to use a sword in the earlier attack to fend off Varjans but…even if it were within my programming to do so, I don’t think I could harm humans with a weapon."

"If it were possible, that’d be lovely, but harm is the only option we have to avoid the only outcome we’ll get." Carroll stresses. "Harm a few, now, or have them hurt the many later. At a point, the tough choices are -- no, the tough choices demand to be made. Irregardless of us personal feelings or creeds."

"This boils down to: save the many or save none."

Eula would look down at her arm and hold it by the elbow, asking: "...Then…I really am useless unless I can take a life?"

"That’s not a fair question. Any answer I could give you, regardless of truth, subjectivity, or objectivity, isn’t going to answer you in any satisfactory fashion, and will only put me in a corner." Carroll says. "It is the same as asking me, am I useless without someone to swing me? Do I have value as a sword that cannot swing herself, and must rely on everyone else? Can you answer that question in a satisfactory fashion to me?"

Seeming to realize her mistake, Eula would hang her head. "...I…but…I can’t help but think…that if I do accept needing to kill humans, that I’ll lose value for everything I cherish."

"I don’t disagree. The act of talking a live is something that shouldn’t be made trivial. It is to be measured, understood, and limited to the last act..." Carroll says, "However, are we to be given that same thoughtfulness? Those swordsman aimed to cut us down, and have choose to incite force for profit, regardless of the lives they’ll ruin." Carroll sighed, "At the end of the day, I’ve plenty of blood on my hands, so forgive an old woman her yammerings, but... I believe that killing that saves lives and brings reform for the better does not detract from one’s own justice. Heroes make the decision that civilians shouldn’t have to, and that includes killing."

Eula still looked hesitant. "...The guards that…fought beside me…if I’d have fought to kill…would more have survived the Varjans?"

"I don’t know. If I hadn’t left Alice alone for so long, would Io still be alive?" Carroll asks. "I can’t dwell on the past, any more than I can ruminate on the future. All I can do is this: protect you. If killing is what that takes, so be it."

Balling a hand, Eula would then ask: "...Am I…going back on saying I love humans too much to hurt them, if I kill some in order to prevent harm?"

"Pragmatically, no." Carroll says, simply, "The idiom goes, ‘Sometimes, we have to hurt those we love,’ after all. It is a matter of when and where you draw the line, ultimately."

Hesitation would get cut through along with the tension as a loud belch sounded from beside Eula, the formerly spherical Liliana now having processed the milk back down to her normal size and would stretch and yawn. "Plus, it isn’t like just because you kill a bad person that you hate good people. That just makes no sense."

A living being’s logic was different from a mechanical ones. A bruised pear was fine to the farmer to eat, but the machine saw the defect and tossed the whole thing. A pointless distinction, but…humans were like pears. Easily bruised and hurt, and discarded cruelly by the machines far above them.

…Wait, no, maybe that was Liliana’s lack of brain power affecting the narrative space around her.

"The former blob, still dummy, has a point - even if it’s stunted in it development, like her..." Carroll sighed. "The validity of your worries are not overshadowed by the pragmatism of my experience. However, it is something akin to shades of gray." she says, "To put it in more “you” terminology, an apple does not stop being an apple, just because you took the core out, but a bad apple will spoil the bushell, if you don’t take it out."

Eula would grimly nod. "...Then…what will it take?"

"Whatever you need to put it right between you and yourself." Carroll says. "Killing is no easy starting affair. It gets easier, true, if you have the aptitude and the time. And, a cause." she says, "As long as you can adhere to that, and measure yourself... it really is case-by-case from there. The Varjans cannot possess the knowledge of the Heavenly Strike. That’s what I know. I won’t force you to follow me."

"...I’ve lost my whole life, forcing someone to follow me."

Looking at her left arm, Eula would nod. "Then, I’ll follow you anywhere, of my own will. And if I think you’re going the wrong way, I’ll grab hold of your hand."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Carroll says, before joking, "Even if I don’t have hands, right now."

Eula took hold of Carroll’s handle to show she was serious.

Carroll vibrated softly in response.

Eula chuckled and stroked along the handle, slowly with an index finger.

"H-Hey, frisky~" Carroll mewled.

"We’ve yet to go on a date yet. Consider this my promise to," Eula said before releasing Carroll’s handle.

"You could, at least, wait until I’m Human to say that." Carroll says, her blade turning a light red.

Eula chuckled softly. "Nothing has stopped you thus far. I think you like being handled like this."

"As tempting as that is to say, no, I am stuck like this, until Alice wakes up. It’s her will that transforms me. I can only move freely between forms while she’s conscious." Carroll says. "That super-move knocks me out, too, though not for as long."

"Hm…" Eula said before deciding to experiment, gently holding Carroll in her hands and trying to will her back to human form, thinking it might work.

Carroll would wobble a bit, and Eula’s connected arm would run a touch warm.

Eula hummed, continuing to think it, wishing for it even.

Carroll groaned, as the heat spread, and cracks formed along her blade and handle.

Eula maintained her focus, imagining Carroll in her arms.

After a few minutes of shaking, Carroll would burst into slime and reform into a body better - no, perfectly - suited for Eula. Carroll stood taller, taller than Eula, and heads taller than her original form, yet she bore no malice not discontent - despite her compassionless, disconnected expression.

Eula stared blankly, before saying: "You look…significantly taller."

"That’s you fault, dear," Carroll says.

"I…but, all I did was hope that you would come out as you were…" Eula said, feeling bad and rubbing her head. "Perhaps its finally happening. My memory bank is failing me."

Carroll would bonk Eula on her head. "I did just that," she says, "At least, I did that, as you wished inside yourself."

Eula winced as her head was bonked, opening one eye to look at Carroll. "...Well…I do suppose…" she started before raising a hand, gently tracing her cool metal fingers along Carroll’s chin. "...I do like this. But I’d rather you be how you want to look."

"My Autonomous Form is one that suit the taste of my... lover would be the right word. I don’t necessarily need to be wielded to change," Carroll says, "As such," she would shift down, back into her AFM for Alice, before shifting back up, "Ta-dara-ara~"

Eula’s eyes would sparkle. "I see…I’ve heard of some automatons capable of something similar. Only larger!"

"My kind tend to - well, I tend to, prefer your kind," Carroll says, storing Eula’s cheek down to her chin, tipping it up. "You’re even cuter short."

Eula would be on the backfoot for once in the relationship, not used to the height difference in play as she looked up at Carroll, eyes transfixed on every new detail.

"I must say, you’ve quite regal taste," Carroll says, leaning down to Eula’s eye level, the huskiness of her voice better matched this more mature form, and her weight was better distributed from her hair to her chest and hips, "Tell me, do I look delicious, my love?"

Eula would look away slightly, a tinge of pink staining her cheeks. "...I thought you didn’t like that kind of metaphor about you."

"Tell me, what you really think," Carroll leaned to her exposed her, "chef~"

Eula gulped before looking Carroll straight on, picking her up, and hugging her. "I wish to take you on a date to court you! That is what I’m thinking when I see you!"

"Oh, my~!" Carroll giggled. "Well, perhaps, we have a smidgeon of time to squeeze in such a thing."

Eula would squeeze Carroll’s hand gently. "...I don’t want to rush before our mission."

"This is true..." Carroll hummed, "Perhaps, then, we’ll need to be drastic, hrm?”"

"Drastic…?" Eula questioned.

"Think of something absolutely wild," Carroll says, "Absolutely mad."

Eula would look like she had an epiphany. "Dine and Dashing!"

…Perhaps, madness didn’t come naturally to an Automaton.

"Then, let’s do it," Carroll smirked, before taking Eula’s hand tight, and rushing back to Terauchi Temple.

"But that’s illegaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!" Eula complained as she was dragged along.

Carroll would giggle, as they ran past Kerry, and planned their “borrowing” spree for the evening.

Eula was certainly in for a wild evening, after which she was liable to pay for everything anyways.

Magus Reaver: Scions of Sorcery

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ATTN: @AzureKnight & @The Irish Tree

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Wrapping Up Loose Ends Before Heading Out (Collab w/ AzureKnight)

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. 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. She flicked her solid gray hair as she put her pencil down, she turned to Valentine.

”Ugh, what’s with this silly highschool test prep?” She said in an annoyed tone. ”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.”

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. "Hotshots are a dime a dozen, darlin’," she says, "Did you need somethin’, or is makin’ small talk to strangers jus’ a talent of yours, Miss Amatuer Hour?"

”Among others.~” Mused the lab coat woman. ”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?”

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

”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!” She said proudly.

”It’s a far cry more tedious than being a secretary, but it has its perks.~”

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

Nadia.

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

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

”How do you know about her? Don’t tell me that they hired that charlatan here as well…”

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

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

"To answer your boorish question, though, no," Scarlett says, "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."

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…

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

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

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

”Oh, don’t flatter yourself, You WISH you could land someone like me. Not that I swing that way anyway! Hmph!” She replied coldly to Scarlett’s jab. ”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.”

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

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

"There is, actually," Scarlett says, "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," she says. "In this world, I’ve only spotted one. I took as many notes as I could," Scarlett produced a notebook from her satchel, "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..."

Scarlett sighed, "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..."

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

”Uh…wow… You sure know how to make conversation awkward at the drop of a dime.” She said, scratching her cheek. ”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??”

Scarlett shrugged, "Why do you look in the mirror in the morning?"

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.

”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? ”

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

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

”Wha?” 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, "Do your best to get delicious for me, Wagyu. I can't wait to eat you." before the wire disintegrated.

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"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.

"Scarlett." A familiar voice rang out within the confines of the Scarred Alchemist’s room. "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."

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.

"Come now, Ms. Ishval, it’s time to wake up. There’s no rest for the weary."

Scarlett's attention drifted, lazily, towards the source of the voice. "Nadia..." she groaned, blinking red from her eyes, "...sorry. Tired... Too light..."

A small surprise popped on Brun’s face when she heard Scarlett mumble a few words from her lazied breath. "Nadia…?" She couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. "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."

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.

"If you want, there’s still time to apologize to her if you’re feeling a bit of guilt, dearie."

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.

"Too light... Nnn..." 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.

"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." 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.

"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…"

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

"Pain reminds people to find a way to live." Brun responded firmly. "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?"

"Don’t remember any more..." Scarlett says. "Too tired. Too hungry. Hurts."

Brun could sense that the Valentina persona was starting to fade, as if the few phrased answers weren’t enough of an indicator. "Goodness girl, you’re quite the handful, you know that? And here I thought that Evelyn was a problem child…" 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.

"There, that should ease the irritation." She said. "Tell me, how do you feel about Nadia?"

Scarlett seemed to almost purr at the different approach. "Hm..." 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, "Mine..."

Brun looked at the makeshift ring Scarlett wore on her finger, and after hearing the word ‘mine’ she immediately made the connection. "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."

Brun had gotten up from the bed, placing her hands on her hips. "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!"

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.

"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."

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.

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First Impression of Snipers and Summons (Collab w/ The Irish Tree)

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.

"Baa!" 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 someone just slammed into him from behind, sending himself and the young woman belly-up onto the floor. Wincing and exhaling sharply, Hector would say: "...Would you mind terribly to get off of me?“ 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.

"Ow... my existence... hurts..." Lupina bleeted, as she rolled onto her back.

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

"Baast... you're being rude..." 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.

"Rude. Matter-of-fact. Two sides of the same coin," 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. "Did you injure yourself at all?“

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.

'...cute.' Baast looked away, cheeks reddening, as Herne "rattled" at him, before his little trick of intangibility freed him.

"Inuwanaove..." Lupina whined, kicking her hooves on the floor. "You're not a wall. Hurt hitting you..."

"I see. I apologize then,“ 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.

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

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

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

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

"Distance..." Lupina says, "Any target you can hit, I can hit. No contest. My bow would never lose to your toy."

"Lord... she's going to be annoying about this..." Baast sighed, trying not to watch Herne be adorableness personified.

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

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

"Easy," Lupina says. "If I can see it I can hit it. Zero accuracy lost to wind, temperature, or elevation," she says, extending her firing hand, and forming a standard fletched arrow out of solidified Galdric Mana. "My arrows never miss. And, they aren't intangible creations either - " Lupina tossed the arrow to Hector, " - 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."

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. "Impressive. Herne,“ 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. "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.“

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!

"Fancy accessory for that toy. I won't deny the power, though. But, actions and words, as they say," Lupina says. "I believe in reliability. This bow has never broken down since I made it," she extended it along both hands, so Hector could fully admire the handcrafted bow, "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 - " Lupina would sudden string the bow, " - like so."

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

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...

"Y-Yes, it is. I grow the berries myself," 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. "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.“

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

"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,“ Hector explained. "The paste removes the dark splotches that you have to sand off with bluebreeze, leaving you with the best sheen out of it.“

"Fae village," Lupina asks. "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," she says, scratching under Baast's chin, "Man and Beast separated for a reason, same as Magic and Technology parted ways. Coexistence isn't a guarantee."

"Herne isn’t minimal,“ Hector said. "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.“

"Baast is my only, my last attachment to my village, my family, my home..." Lupina says, "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."

Baast resumed his Human form, and nearly pounced to scoop Herne into his hand. "Plus, look at him! He's so cute! I wanna eat him up!" 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: "Your’s seems powerful, given his ability to shapeshift. Baast, was it? This is Herne.“

"Herne." Baast says, with a sense of finality, as if, he'd never forget. "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."

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

"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.“

…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. "Nn..."

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 lesser predator, Herne suddenly darted off into the shadows.

"Awkward..." Lupina says.

"Very…“ Hector agreed.

"So, do you grow anything," Lupina asks.

"No. I haven’t the patience for gardening,“ Hector replied.

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

"My father said much the same.“ Hector said, looking off into the distance.

"I could... teach you...." Lupina offered awkwardly.

"...Perhaps. I don’t have much to offer in return,“ Hector returned as awkwardly.

Lupina rubbed her arm sheepishly, "I could... use, um, if it... my..." 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.

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

Lupina blushed, looking away. "I'm a serviceable seamstress in my own right. Just... need a new... dress..."

"Mm. You take good care of your things,“ Hector said simply.

"I do!" 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.

---

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.

"Eh," Baast asks, looking down.

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

"What the.... What are you doing," 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.

"You... uh... break," 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.

"Eh?!" Baast was very confused, now.

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.

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

"Uh..." Baast offered.

"Difficult…yessss…very…not assss…ssssimple…“ 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. "Herne. Name isssss Herne. Hello. Hell…ooo…“

"Hello..." Baast says, hands drifting to his swords.

Herne tilted his head at a sharp 90 degree angle. "Why run and bang head?“

"You wanna finish pulling yourself together," Baast asks. "You don't seem all there."

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

Baast tilted his head, before sighing, "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."

Herne was quiet as he observed Baast, his forked tongue flicking out from between his lips on occasion. "Ssssmaller issss better. Eassssy for Hector.“

"Maybe," Baast hummed, "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."

"...Yesss. …Ssssmaller…issss better…“ Herne said, surprisingly self conscious as he shrunk back just a bit.

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

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.

"All snipers need a spotter," Baast says.

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

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

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

"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," Baast says, "Take on a form that aids and doesn't hinder Hector.

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.

"Yeah, I guess," Baast shrugged.

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

"Are you waiting on something from me," 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. "I'll try to explain this simply," he says, "This body of yours is like this square. Inside the square is all your magic, all the Galdric Mana that keeps you running," Baast would draw a straight line through the diagonal center from top-right to bottom-left, "By sectioning off your Galdric Mana, you can change the look of your body without changing the power within."

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.

"By sectioning off your Mana in certain way, you can completely overhaul your looks," Baast would draw a fourth square, but curve the four lines within to make a circle instead of a circle, "And, the smaller and more refined the sections, the more complex you can get," 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. "Follow?"

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

…This might take a while.

Baast would sighed, and lie on his side, propped up on his right elbow. "Not even close."

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, "You need to make a stable form, first, so you need to make a passable body."

"Passssable?“

"Like me," Baast says, "But, smaller, and cuter, and you-er."

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. "“This Feels Weird…my tongue…blegh…”“ he childishly whined, before approaching Baast. "Better? Still small, but better?“ Herne asked, his milk-colored eyes now looking more human with defined pupils, the serpent now circling Baast with fumbling, but more founded steps.

"Nn!" Baast yipped, as his tail stiffened, and her ears perked up straight, "S-So it would seem!"

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

"No! Quite the opposite!" Baast blurted.

"Hm?“ Herne asked, surprised that his terrifying visage wasn’t petrifying Baast.

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

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

"No, you spaz!" Baast says, "I’m perfectly functional!"

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

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. "You are delusional," 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. "I’m barely trifled."

“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. "Who’s weak now?“

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

"Relax…I won’t hurt you…“ 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. "Lupina is leaving. I can’t stray far from her side," he says, "You better get back to Hector, Herne."

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.

"Ah, you’re back," Lupina says.

"I am," 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.

---

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.

"Are you sure you’ll be able to see at this pace," Lupina asks.

"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,“ Hector said, figuring it best to be upfront and honest about what he did and didn’t know.

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

"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,“ Hector said, surprisingly generous with what she’d need.

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

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

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

"Something more rurally suited, then…“ Hector said, looking towards some of the more middle of the road stores, beckoning for Lupina to follow after him.

"Rural..." 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.

"Psst... Baast..."

"Yes?" Baast asks.

"Tell me, do I smell rural," Lupin asks, in a hushed whisper, before raising her arms above her head in an exaggerated stretch.

"I’m not smelling your armpits..."

"Jerk!" 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.

"I don’t smell rural..." Lupina pouted.

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

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.

"H-Hey... don’t look at me like that!" Baast says.

"So mean..." Lupina whined.

"But, you asked!" 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. "What?!"

The snake offered little answer aside from slithering back over to Hector. "We still have shops to check for something that suits you, you know,“ the marksman reminded.

"I was waiting on you!" Lupina says, hiding her face behind a mask.

"I see. Sorry then,“ Hector said before continuing on anyways.

"R-Right..." Lupina says, "S-So... what kind of fashion do you think suits me..."

Hector considered his words for a moment before saying: "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.“

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

"Whoa..." Lupina says. "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," she says, dismissively, "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."

Hector would close his eyes. "To do that, I’d have to ask you a question no man can ask a woman he barely knows.“

"If you need my tailoring sizes, that’s nothing so secret," 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. "I’ll do what I can. Feel free to have a seat.“

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.

"My head is not a place to play!" 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. "Done.“

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

"Will you stopppp..." Baast groaned.

"Are you okay...?" Lupina asks. "You look... happy."

"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?“ Hector said, lifting the bags up.

"Sounds good to me!" 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 formal style of blue topped by a white tabard with a design appealing more to Flugellan women, a fae piece designed for freedom of movement and casual everyday use, followed up by something that might have well been the reason Hector was so proud-looking, a Beluan dress that bore great resemblance to Lupina’s, albeit in a rich purple and with a bit more room around the arms by comparison.

"Oh, my! Baast, look!" Lupina says, genuinely surprised. "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!"

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. "I suppose I’m better at this than I thought!“

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.

"Which... would you like to see first..."

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. "Aaa…hrm…w-well, whatever you think would suit you the best. Personally I like them all,“ the nobleman said noncommittally, trying to not give Baast a reason to bite his head off.

"Pick one. You went through the trouble of finding them, after all," Lupina says, "So... pick one, dummy..."

Sighing, Hector folded his arms. "If that’s the case, then try the Faewoven one first.“

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: Why would she emulate weight?

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. "So..." she stood in an A-pose, and stared at her hooves.

"You seem uncomfortable,“ 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!?

"I’m not!" Lupina says, "It’s so soft and fluffy, and light, and swishy, and, and, and..." she hid her face behind her hands, "Like it?"

Clearing his throat, Hector would say: "I…think it suits you well.“

Herne hissed in agreement, nodding.

Lupina bleated, before scampering behind the curtain. "Pick the next one!"

"The Flugellan style, next. This is the one I’m most worried about you wearing.“

Lupina would call back, "It should be fine!"

"You are decidedly girly today, it seems," Baast teased.

"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," Lupina says.

"If he likes them..." Baast asked, talking to himself, "Interesting qualifier..."

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.

"Lupina, at the ready, sir!" 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. "Looks good. Don’t call me sir, though.“

"Aye, sir~" Lupina smirked.

Hector’s approval was a simple nod. "It suits you. I’d advise wearing it for missions around nobility, if you wish to. Now for the last one.“

Lupina nodded.

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

"I’m not good enough for something like this..." Lupina says, as her doubts washed over her, her self-loathing and fears climbing back up; itching to claim their place, restake their control. "I’m just a silly girl, playing in a woman’s world. I’m not fooling anyone..." 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. "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..."

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.

"Almost there..."

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.

"So what?“

"Nn!" Lupina nearly leapt out of her skin.

"..." 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: "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.“

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

"Fluffy’s cute!“ Herne no-nonsense argued, grabbing the dress and inching closer to Lupina.

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

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.

"Everything alright?“ Hector called out from outside the dressing room.

"It’s fine!" Lupina says. "Lots of moving parts is all!"

"I see…oh, there you are Herne,“ 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. Just one more show... 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.

"On with the show!" 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.

"Oops. Kicked too hard," Baast says, smirking.

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

"A-Are you alright,“ 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. "...You move far too quickly for someone so clumsy.“

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

Immediately realizing his mistake, Hector would say: "It slipped my mind entirely…I got the wrong shoes for that dress, didn’t I?“

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

Hector frowned. "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.“

Lupina blushed, hiding behind her hair, "I like what you picked for me..."

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

Herne raised his head, ready for Hector’s super-cool answer before his Master would respond with: "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.“

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, "Thank you for saying that..."

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...

"She's happy, though..."

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, "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!!!"

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.

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

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

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

"You made sure for that, it’ll mean more," 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.

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

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.

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

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ATTN: @PaulHaynek (Takeshi) & @The Irish Tree (Liliana)

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In Matters of Upheld Honor, Applied Chivalry, and Forgotten Friendship (Collab w/ The Irish Tree)

The Royally Decided Consequence of Selectiveness (Prologue - Alice, Solo Post)

As Takeshi rallied the collected Taskforce, his words carried clearly and cleanly across the temple grounds. Alice kept her tongue, as Kerry cast her invitations skyward; naming and remembering her rather extended family, one by one, from youngest to father, and ending with her mother. As the bits of Time-Space Magic traveled along dimensional current across reality, they would get to where they were needed exactly when they were needed, and not a moment sooner.

Once they were all cast, Alice would look up at Takeshi, the Young Lord Oda, son of Hideo, and Leader of the Taskforce that occupied Terauchi Temple.

"I'll pass~!" Alice chirped. It seems to me, you were able to handle your little liberation mission all fine and dandy without me," she says, "Didn't even seem to think you needed little, old me for the biggest push in this campaign that you and your benefactor drafted me into. I'm sure you'll do nicely selfsame without me in this endeavor."

"I'd wager the same," Carroll says, "It's not like you didn't know where we were, after all. You chose to leave us behind. Such thoughtlessness," she shrugged, turning her palms skyward, "I'm not all that spurred to action, right now, dear Prince. Maybe later."

Alice lifted her dress in curtsy, as did Carroll, "If you'll excuse us."

Allowing little in the way of words, the duo would depart from the gathering to do their own thing.

At first there was disbelief…after all, it sounded like Alice, but looked nothing like her. And as for acting like her…well, it was hard for Liliana to really know much about Alice’s mannerisms when half the time she kind of treated Liliana as a baby when talking to her, but she seemed…different. "Lady Alice?" the recently awakened fairy exclaimed, immediately flying after the duo, fast as she could in her tiny form.

Alice was strolling along, as she spoke to Carroll, "We'll need to plan accordingly for the Assault on Kenshiro's Rest."

"Once we find Kenshiro's Rest," Carroll cut in.

"Yes, yes," Alice grimaced.

"Lady Alice!" A tiny cute voice said, as Carroll would recognize the beguiling aura of a magicked blade strapped on a being no larger than a sparrow, flying rapidly towards the duo.

As Carroll fussed at Alice, Liliana would feel herself dart, like a sparrow, across a Line of Intention, and a needle blitz at her, as, autonomically, Carroll's hair formed into a blade, and whipped at Liliana to defend herself from the incoming threat.

Spinning in midair to have her sword-covered back slide along the needle, Liliana would focus her eyes and glide along Carroll’s hair, a familiar sounding giggle resounding for just a moment in Carroll’s mind as Whimsy made contact. "My, two against one. You don’t stand a chance at all, little fairy." the blade warned into Liliana’s mind, before she struck with Whimsy to knock herself away, landing before Alice, using Size Trick to enter her human-sized state.

"You…you’re lady Alice, right?" Liliana asked, sure that if Alice just saw her, she’d call off Carroll.

An open palm would answer Liliana, as Alice, reflexively, struck at the figure that popped up in front of her. Her stance was strong, rooted, and generated a lot of her Mamono strength with a flowing strike, which sent Liliana tumbling, before Alice's narrowed eyes unfocused, and she stared.

"Who the hell are you, and how do you know me," Alice asks.

"Is that a Fairy," Carroll questioned, as her hair settled from "attack" to "defense". "No way a Fairly triggered my reflexes..."

Liliana’s fall didn’t hurt her anywhere near as much as the slap did, emotionally speaking.

…Maybe…this really wasn’t Alice but…

"Owie…" Liliana whined, rubbing her reddened cheek, tears welled in her eyes. "What’s your problem!? Don’t you…remember me, Lady Alice?" she asked, looking up at the Mad Hatter, while Carroll would note that the thing triggering her reflexes had more been the sword itself possessing tremendous power, compared to the milquetoast fairy holding it.

"My problem," Alice asks."I'm not the idiot that appeared in the front of someone suddenly!"

Liliana would remember that voice, so sharp and above her, both in station and power; the Queen of Summerheld that called her Bladeflower, First.

...yet there was no recognition in her eyes.

"Something wrong with that sword. It's not one of my kith, but definitely cursed," Carroll says, as her hair formed the blade of an axe. "Best I hack it apart, and the Fairy's hands, too."

"...So…I guess…you don’t remember me," Liliana said, rubbing the tears from her eyes with her forearm, before standing. "But, that isn’t important right now. I’m just glad you’re back…I knew everyone was lying. Lady Alice would never run away! But…why’re you going this way? Takeshi needs everyone to help rescue his dad."

"Remember you? I wouldn't spare a moment to remembering a mosquito," Alice says, rubbing her temple. "Nor do I care what some Human wants from me. I am the Queen of Summerheld, beyond you all, and... and... " Alice grit her teeth. "My head... it hurts again...."

Carroll seemed to be in similar discomfort, as her axe unraveled into strands of hair.

"Who the hell are you...'' Alice asks, glaring at Liliana, as her mind battled to remember and to forget.

"I!" Liliana would stand tall in her human height, looking up at Alice without a hint of fear. "Am Bladeflower Six of Thirteen, Liliana, wielder of Whimsy, lover of all things pink, knightly, fun, and I’m lucky enough to be your friend." Liliana said, undeterred. She could see that Alice was struggling…and knew, somehow, they’d come to blows. But she was still holding out hope her friend would remember her.

"You said one day I could be your First Bladeflower…but…I’m still somebody else’s knight, Lady Alice. So I’ll settle for being your best friend!"

"I don't have friends..." Alice says, extending her left hand, and drawing Carroll; gripping the massive axe, as her right arm hung loose. "And, I don't need Bladeflowers! So, settle for death!"

Alice flickered, and Liliana would feel the kiss of vorpal steel upon her neck, but nothing else, as Alice's right arm was holding her left back from swinging true.

"Lili! Run!" Alice groaned, as she struggled against herself; her memories, good and bad, vying to align Liliana as either a friend or a stranger, and corroding her sense, but not self.

Liliana had squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the end as vorpal steel approached…before Alice stopped herself, vying to let Liliana escape. To flee. To run away and never see her again. To make sure Alice stayed in the oblivion of amnesia forevermore.

"...No way!" the fairy proclaimed, now drawing her sword. "I’m not strong like Gringor and Alice…I’m not skilled like Shizuka and Kerry…and I’m not smart like Skarsneek or Io…but Lady Alice, I know one thing nobody else does right now!"

Liliana would smile, eyes focused as a bead of sweat rolled down her cheek. "Right now…I can’t lose to anybody! Not even you! So if you want to execute me, at least have the honor to duel me for that right!"

Standing against the storm of a queen and a cursed blade, the flower sharpened her petals and braced her stem. She wouldn’t be scattered, nor would she retreat.

Alice grit her teeth; not from effort, but containing her laughing, as Carroll's axe unraveled in full, as the Sword Devil cackled. Both were taken aback by the proclamation, and stricken by laughter.

"Still proclaiming such nonsense so boldly, huh," Alice asks, somewhere between. "I'll need to sort your pathetic optimism for harsh reality..." she says, as she held up her right hand, "You picked this fight, little Fairy. Show me that you can't lose, Liliana..."

"Better not disappoint me, you plank of wood," Carroll says, before she would swirl into Alice's right hand, and offer her battle-stance with the thin sword drawn.

Liliana smiled, as she suddenly turned to the side. "Alright then. Let’s go somewhere other people won’t get involved," she said, before turning her back to Alice. Not out of foolishness, or disrespect…but because she knew that Alice wouldn’t attack her from behind before the match had even started. And somehow…that fairy’s back had become dangerous. As if an attempt to spit on her chivalry would mean it was Liliana’s victory.

That back had become the largest target Alice could pray for, and one that would instantly lose her everything.

"It would seem you understand me. I... remember your voice... annoying..." Alice says, before sheathing her blade. "Only a Fairy would be foolhardy enough to test my honor..." she walked past Liliana, "It is time you and I had a long overdue conversation, Liliana, my First Bladeflower."

Alice would lead Liliana to the cleaning of felled trees, and draw into her stance; extending her left hand forward, palm facing her, fingers extended, as she curled a fist with her right hand, and crossed it behind her back.

"You are not yet verses in the Languages of Wars, so I teach you as I would any beginner...

---

Speaking One Truth in the Language of Swords (Combat Post - PVP, Alice vs. Liliana)

"...how to speak the Language of Swords! Draw your blade, Liliana!" Alice commanded, before flickering forwards, and lashing out with her left hand alone.

At once, Liliana would shrink down using her size trick, utilizing her small size and the pressure from Alice’s blow to avoid it, already going straight for the Mad Hatter’s neck as she slid along her arm.

Alice spun with her lash, and snapped her arm stiff - the lane turning into a wall, as Alice bashed it into Liliana. Straight from the arm bar, Alice would raise her right hand above the stunned Liliana, and hammer the heel of her palm down upon her - moving straight into an intended stomp with her heeled boot.

As soon as the boot was about to collide, Liliana would shout: "Now, Whimsy!" before she would dart back, her sword casting the infamously powerful summoning spell, as Alice kicked her heel right into a magic circle, a large brown highland cow now firmly sitting right atop her foot as the fairy vaulted over its haunches to return Alice’s kick in kind.

Alice’s eyes narrowed, as she pressed down on her heel; spiking the blunted post through the cow, before catching Liliana’s foot. "Sloppy. Even with [Quick Casting], your control is no better," she says, as the damaged summon disappeared. A lesser fighter would have been thrown off-balance, likely as Liliana intended, but Alice merely used the forward motion as momentum to slam Liliana down. "If you intend to use this sword as a wand, then I will take it," she says, wrapping her left hand around Whimsy to pull it away.

Just when defeat seemed imminent, Liliana suddenly flickered, a devious smile on her lips as she completely disappeared, as did Whimsy, as the fake Mirror Image was dissipated, another Liliana flying in from above Alice’s blind spot to attempt to skewer her with Whimsy.

Alice suddenly turned, and swatted Liliana out of her joust.

"Attacking my blind spot," Alice smirked. "I’m actually impressed. You have [Silent Casting] and [Quick Casting], and being naturally mischievous, a natural talent of subterfuge...." She straightened her pose, "Summon something to distract me, and block my sight of you, then cast your illusion to keep my attention, and go invisible to reposition for a sneak attack where I cannot see you from."

"If only you hadn’t forgotten I can see all behind her..." Carroll chuckled.

"360-degrees of awareness," Alice says, doing a twirl, and creating a five-foot circle of mushrooms. "This is my Line of Intention. As soon as you cross it, Carroll will know your intention, and so will I. There is no attack you can launch that I cannot block with my swords - be they my hands or Carroll.”

This is what it means to speak the Language of Swords."

"Even if your intentions are pure, as long as that hateful bitch is against your success, you will never take us off-guard in earnest, Fairy Knight." Carroll says. "You claim you will never lose, but you can never win on your lonesome. Just like that Human, you NEED the help. However, help is not given because you WANT it." she lectures cruelly. "Spare yourself the embarrassment, and flutter back to the Human. Humble yourself before someone weaker than you. You’re sixth in line for a reason. This is as far as you can go, until you and your sword can speak the same language, like Alice and I."

"That is, for the most part, what I told her. But how fascinating. A line of perception," Whimsy spoke through Liliana’s mouth, the mirror image flickering a bit, revealing itself to also not be the real Liliana…and yet…Whimsy wasn’t flickering like before. The sword was real. "I told her the plan was stupid, but she insisted. Even still…right now, it should be finished. You won’t be able to leave this circle you love so much in just a moment," the splinter said, before smiling sinisterly, twisting Liliana’s visage enough to look horrifying.

"I’ve heard this is how Devil Bugs fight, too…" she said before something darted through the circle, taking a large chunk out of Alice’s arm. A blur of pink speeding past, ripping part of her flesh with just her hands. …How many spells had been cast all at once?

"A Fairy would play by such tricks and traps," Alice says, as her arm gushed green blood from the gaping wound. "However, can you keep that up for longer than I can survive? Just how long can you maintain such magicks?"

Liliana would strike twice more, before, just when she knew Alice and Carroll would be capable of predicting where she’d strike next, her target became seizing Whimsy once more after accumulating damage on the two, dashing out of the circle with Alice’s blood staining her hands, and her sword once more firmly held. "About…that…long…" the fairy said, arms red and steaming after having to stress herself with Giant’s Strength, Haste, and keeping Triple Reflection up. Whereas a normal mage would burn themselves out chaining spells so much, the damage done inside of Liliana’s body was already being repaired by the Queen’s Blessing, letting her continue the fight as she now took up a proper sword stance.

"I already know I’m nowhere near as strong, and frankly…Whimsy and me’ll never get along as good as you and Carroll. But that doesn’t matter one bit! I would rather die than accept someone else’s help right now, because this is my fight, and you’re my friend!" Liliana said, lowering her stance, eyes focused. "Whimsy. Save everything you have from now on."

Carroll would sense it best as Whimsy became aglow with its own magic, hardening, condensing, strengthening, buffs cast upon the sword itself rather than its wielder in order to survive against clashing with Carroll.

From here on out, this was no longer a fairy fighting a hatter. It was a Knight battling a Queen.

Alice stretched, as she raised her arms above her head, and cracked her neck. "So, so, so... curious..." she says, "Last I remember you, you were such a cowardly thing. A furled petal with no color," Alice set her arms before her, crackling her elbows and shoulders, "Now, look are you. Green. A beautiful color. Royal. Promising. Rejuvenating. It’s warm, isn’t it? My blood..." she asks, as she did side stretches. "Tell me, are you confident?"

Liliana had buffed Whimsy to the nines, yet Carroll remained sheathed, and Alice straightened out.

"I loath fighting the unconfident..."

"Of course I am. I’m gonna win!" Liliana said, eyes not once wavering as she unfurled her wings. "And then, I’ll just have to bang you on the head just enough that you remember everything!"

"It seems you’ve learned a few words," Alice says, before walking forward.

Liliana would make the first move, lunging at Alice with a horizontal slash, utilizing her flight to be able to pivot faster than she could on the ground.

Alice stiffened her arms at once - intending to catch Whimsy in the muscle of her left arm, and drive her right elbow into the flat of the blade, before snapping her right leg at Liliana.

Having learned plenty of dirty tricks fighting against Varjans, Liliana was privy to how someone might try to catch Whimsy due to her size, and would use that to her advantage to shrink herself down just as the attack would have connected, feinting and flying up past Alice’s foot to slice along it.

"How dirty," Alice says, as her boot was cleaved open, and her leg bled freely, as she set it back down. "How smart, as well," she tested her leg, before planting it firmly, "Speed. Force. Precision. So serious."

Alice smiled, "How much blood are you planning to spill..."

"Just enough until I win," Liliana said, flicking Whimsy to remove the blood from it, and her hands. "Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about you Lady Alice, its that I can’t win by just hacking away like you’re a normal person. I gotta do something crazier!"

"Do tell," Alice asks, shaking her arm; casting blood on the ground. Well, more. She’d been freely letting it stain the ground, and not healing.

"Well, using your blood for starters. And those chunks of flesh I tore out earlier," Liliana said, before poking the ground with Whimsy, a pale green light extending from the blade to small lumps on the ground, the very same that Liliana had ripped out earlier as the myconid flesh twisted and writhed, the pale green light following along to the pools of blood Liliana and Alice had cast off from the queen. Suddenly, a gargantuan snake formed from it using Plants to Snakes as a catalyst, a fair portion of the grass being consumed to make a large serpent…and the magic was trailing up Alice’s arm. If she didn’t think fast, any extra blood would only strengthen the forming beast.

"How curious," Alice says. "You would go so far to prove a point? Or, rather... to make a point."

"Of course! That point being…you can’t beat me either, unless you stop holding back," Liliana said, staring Alice down.

Alice chuckled, and squatted. "That's what you want in earnest, then," she asks.

"You’ll have to. Otherwise, I’m gonna win too easily," Liliana boasted.

Alice would stand, as Carroll slid up her arm, and morphed into her scissor blade. "Very well," she says.

"Don't blink, plank of wood. I want you to understand the power difference between a Queen of Wonderland and a Queen of Fairytale..." Carroll chuckled, as she transformed further.

All of a sudden, the pressure of the figure that stood before Liliana would smile.

"My dearest Liliana, so brave, so stubborn, I will honor you," Dinah says, "I will shower you in the rain of the Heavens..." Dinah extended her sword, and the blade split in two half, before she took the Heavenly Strike stance with both swords, "My First Bladeflower, become baptized in the [Heavenly Striking Rainfall]..."

Dinah would disappear for but a moment, and reappear behind Liliana... as thousands of slash marks formed a giant, cartoon, six-petaled flower around her.

"Stand proudly, Liliana, and fall proudly, too, because I'm so proud of you... and you, little Whimsy," Dinah says, before de-transforming.

"Oh, that was exhausting," Alice says, healing her wounds. "Good job, Liliana. Another thousand years, and you won't need sneak attacks to hit me."

…

…

…

…………………………

…

…So…this was what true, complete, utter defeat felt like, as Liliana fell to her knees, arms nearly cleaved off entirely, a large gash in her side, wings torn to ribbons, one eye crushed, and a feeling as if one of her lungs didn’t work for now. Regeneration would take care of most of that for now, even as her limp wrist let go of Whimsy, the magic leaving the blade as Whimsy’s mind retreated, utterly spent from the clash…

And, from the counterattack that had been launched, as Alice would finally register the blow from Liliana’s own Gaia Hazard: Heavenly Strike, a head-on, honest to goodness strike in a real sword fight. The only one Liliana landed, and the most powerful one that could ever have broken through one of the petals of Alice’s strike.

Once. Just once. And yet it was enough to make the magic-infused damage from Alice ache like nothing else. An entirely unique pain as Liliana collapsed, of the true disastrous interaction that Wild Magic had with Wonderland Magic....

---

When All Words Are Said, Only Actions Remain (Post Combat)

Alice would catch Liliana, and flop back onto her plush rear. "That was a nice shot," she says, as there was a large hole punched through her right side; opposite her heart. It cleaved from her shoulder to the lowest rib; decimating the entirety of her breast, and most of the lung and rib cage underneath. "Still, too soft. You have to go all the way, kiddo."

Alice sighed, as strands of mycelium bridged the gap to start repairs, and her blood soaked back into her body. and cradled Liliana close to her left breast; opening her blouse to rest the injured Fairy against her warm skin, as cuddled up. "I have a code, you know," she says, stroking Liliana’s hair with a finger, "A strong person stands between two doors. Before them, all the evils of the world. Behind them, all the innocence of the world. It is their mission to hold the front door close, so the back door can stay open, and if they cannot, they must give their all to stem the tide, and make it right..."

"I do not feel it is my task to close the door that Lord Oda left his son," Alice says, "And yet... you were fully prepared to die... just to make me."

"Fairies are ever fools."

Alice finished regenerating, but the hole left a twisted, diamond-shaped scar upon her right side from her shoulder and lowest rib; a reminder that everyone had conviction, and could use it to break the mightiest powers - even fools.

"Lucky for you, fools remind me of home," Alice says, yawning.

It took everything Liliana had to wake back up then and there, desperately clinging to consciousness as red stained her vision and she grabbed a torn fragment of Alice’s garb. "...I can’t do…anything right…" she choked out, tears starting to stream down her face, nose running as she sniffled. "Even…e-even when…I give it everything…I’ll never…never win when it counts. I know that…I knew it all along…so…" Liliana inhaled deeply, before sobbing out: "But this time…this one time…I would have been fine losing forever if I won this one time…and even then I…I…"

"Scored a point," Alice says. "I haven’t lost a duel in nine-hundred and ninety-nine years. I don’t plan to, for as many more years," she says, "I’ve never had someone score a point on me, either. I let people hit me. I bleed to spread my spores, spreading paralytics and neurotoxins. People have long forgotten the honor of dueling, of speaking with their swords, so I stopped dueling honorably..."

Alice held Liliana close, and beamed, "But, you... in the end... it was you that had what I missed. A duelist’s spirit. I’m... actually happy to lose to a proper duelist - even if your form is sloppy, your footwork is terrible, you rely on your wings too much, you have so many tells, and your bond with your sword is like... unspeakably awful."

"You may be Sixth of Thirteen to your Queen, but you’re Second to None for the Queen of Diamonds."

Liliana tried to say something else, but was too choked by tears to manage it, instead settling to sob into Alice’s chest until she passed out from the pain of her injuries. Still…she’d won something, today.

Alice would be still - she didn’t have healing spores, but she could quicken time with her racial spell, and supply Liliana with succor at the same time. Granted, the Fairy was unconscious; still, if a sleeping baby could manage it, a sleeping Fairy could do the same.

Focusing her dwindling magic, Alice would cast a circle large enough to throw a party for two, "O’ Frabjous Day~" before nudging Liliana into place to drink some healing “milk tea” while time flowed significantly faster for the two of them.

Now fully repaired, Liliana was free to slumber free of pain, a tiny bit of Whimsy’s green glow returning, before dissipating as another wave of energy passed over Liliana…a Greater Healing that flowed from Liliana to Alice. A prize from Whimsy, it seemed.

"You like milk tea, huh," Alice asks, looking down into her closed blouse.

Liliana was sleeping as soundly as a babe, most of the damage done to her body no longer visible, sans a small torn scar across the top section of her right wing.

In a way, they would forever match. Though, where Alice would wear her scar with pride (although, she dreaded Kerry’s reaction), she was sure Liliana was going to summon a cow to have. Liliana tended to overreact, after all. Still, they were close again - closer, even, perhaps - which was one step closer to fulfilling the Fairy’s fondest dream.

Staring into the sky, Alice sighed, "I still have things to do, before we go..."

Removing her hat, Alice would reach in and pull out a fistful of papers. As she willed it, her spell would be cast on it, and they would read out: <O’ FRABJOUS DAY~! You [Recipient Name Here] are so cordially invited to the Alice and Kerry’s Bachelor/Bachelorette Double Feature Heavenly Strike Reclamation Party For Tying Up Loose Ends Before A Big Rescue Mission!! RSVP! Or, be a loser, and don’t!>

"That’ll do," Alice says, casting all but one to each member of the Taskforce. "This one is for you, my Bladeflower. I’ll give it to you directly."

---

A Dream of Someday (Epilogue - Liliana, Solo Post)

Mushroom milk often had…something a little funky about it. Just enough hallucinations and comfort were bound to have one imagining simpler, warmer times…and for the pink fairy that just outdrank a grown man when it came to milk consumption, she was imagining another duel, another time, another rest, and another promise of being someone’s #1…

"Ughhh…I just can’t beat you, Rosebud. Its no fair…"

"Now now, don’t be like that. You’re getting much better. I’d say you’d even be a match for Marigold if you keep up this pace."

"Really!? But…I’ve been Thirteen for so long…wouldn’t Marigold be really upset if I took her spot? She works hard too.."

"Yes, she does. But every one of the Bladeflowers works as hard as they can to move up. Just because someone is number thirteen doesn’t make them weak, or a loser, like you seem to keep thinking you are."

"W-Well its hard not to when you keep kicking my butt!"

"You make it a liiiiittle too easy sometimes, little sister. Your form’s got a long ways to go, your footwork is…not the best, and you keep arguing with Whimsy in the middle of your duels. "

"Yeah…I know…but she’s so mean ALL the time!"

"Splinterswords are just like that, until you fully tame them, Lili. I know you’ll manage it someday…hehe, I bet you could even make Second once you do. But then I’ll really have to go all out on you~"

"Ugghhh…no way…I’m already flying in circles trying to catch you and Vim. I give up for today~"

"Lili? ...You sure can be a brat sometimes, Liliana, helping yourself to somebody’s time and then napping during it. …But…you’re still small, so rest up a lot. I’m sure you’ll be as strong as me someday."

"And when you do…I’ll take you all over the world, wherever the Queen needs us. Just you and me."

…But, that day hadn’t come yet. Even as Liliana fought a Lilim-spawn and emerged with a strike won…she was still certain that Rosebud could at least have brought Dinah out by overwhelming Alice and Carroll. Perhaps, even manage to tie against her…

Tales Of Shizuyama: Alternative (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

---

ATTN: @PaulHaynek (Ayu) & @AzureKnight (Kirei/Lavinia)

---

Complacency in Old Habits (Mildly Spicy)

Ripcord was barely attentive to the presence of the resident Spymaster, as Ayu attempted to access the situation, before questioning the strange mark that the Varjan Commander had left on her neck. In truth, it didn't bother her in the slightest, and served a counter-purpose to its own creation, as it existed to bring Varjan attention to her, and free food for her and her sister. And yet, the query made it clear that there was more than idle wondering put forth.

Sighing, Ripcord shrugged, "I couldn't tell you. Something I was intending to get rid of, once I was bored of it. But, if it's going to be a problem..." Ripcord whistle, attracting Umami's attention; causing the playful Lesser Chimera to break her fun, and fly over. "See if you can remove this mark, Mami."

Umami nodded, "Sì, Papi," before shifting back to normal, and looking at the mark. In all honesty, if it wasn't boring Ripcord, it wasn't bothering her, so she wasn't sure what Ayu's problem was, but if she was asked to remove it, she'd try.

At first, she'd use her nails to slice through the mark, but breaking the skin didn't break the magic, so she opted to peel around the mark, and peel off the surface layer of skin... to no avail, however. It persisted into subdermal later, which meant it was burned into the muscle.

"I'm going to have to remove the muscle. Are you okay with that," Umami asks.

"Do what you need to," Ripcord says, sitting down, as her skin regenerated from the biopsy.

Umami sighed, and squatted; steadying herself on her knees. Flicking her fingers, she sank them deeper into her neck, creating a circular biopsy in the upper muscle, and pulling the hunk out with a steady hand. However, when she revealed the biopsied muscle and flesh, the mark was gone.

"I'll have to go deeper, then... Ripcord, be still as stone," Umami says, as the wound closed as if nothing happened.

"Don't tease me too badly, Umami," Ripcord giggled, before going still as stone - her chest didn't even move.

Umami gathered a length of cloth from her pocket, and drooled on to it, before rubbing the mark, as if sanitizing the location. Steadying her breath ,the brunette would breathe softly upon the redhead's neck, before suddenly winding her jaw beyond Human measure, and snapping the entire space out with her teeth.

Ripcord lunged forward, catching Umami's arm, and sinking her teeth into the forearm; pink blood splurged from between her lips, as her throat flexed, and she swallowed. At the same time, Umami was chewing with a blissful expression, as she messily ate; black blood leaked from her lips, as she squeezed her legs together, and swallowed. Ripcord's eyes widened while her spiral pupils tightened into a single circle, as she crawled up; pushing Umami onto her back, and attacked her - blood-stained lips doing war with blood-stained lips.

However, the wound regenerated and the mark remained, as it was.

Even Umami's ability to devour anything organic couldn't remove whatever the spell was.

Even so, that conundrum seemed far and away the least of the Claremont Sisters' concerns. Pushing forward, as the aggressor, Ripcord would dissolve her clothing; the acid slime that it was created from dissolving Umami's below in a similar mass - as if, reclaiming it. Skyclad, the first stared down at the last of the Claremont Decuplets... sisters, ten in number; paired, five in total; an elder with a younger, from top to bottom; an equal and an opposite, a lover and a soulmate.

Eternity, promised.

Neither knew the fates of their sisters, elder and younger alike, and... in this moment... didn't care.

Life was about feeling good, and they wanted to feel great.

It was like a musical sting, when both cried out.

For the briefest moment, Umami was Human again, as her feline features retreated internally; only to be replaced by those of a hound. Ripcord delighted in the large, fluffy tail that wagged; a bestial expression of happiness. Born for each other, the Claremont Decuplets had to fulfill the role of Husband and Wife; Dominant and Submissive; so, paired off as such, one of them was given the Mutation of Spontaneous Targeted Masculinization.

In short, the ability to lay pipe.

"Mine again..." Umami breathed, tail wagging incessantly, impatiently.

There was a carnal shamelessness in it, a wildness that came naturally to Mamono; stronger than Humans, unbound to their laws, both societal and moral, yet their were clear reservations and limitations. If one looked, Ripcord was running the show, but Umami was writing the script, even if the surface presented the opposite. In relationships, the Wife's pleasure superseded the Husband's pleasure - he would receive it, but only for so long as she wanted it.

Luckily, Umami always wanted it. It wasn't a matter of where for her, but a matter of when; public or private, it mattered not - she was more beast than beauty, so an alleyway behind a storefront in Otomo Port was as good as the hardwood floor of an old shrine in Terauchi Temple. It was up to Ripcord to control the how long and how hard, as Umami could live off her body -- and, during their career in the Mafia, the food scarcity had demanded that for a time.

A Lesser Shoggoth needed far less edible foodstuffs than a Lesser Chimera, to the extent that waking up to Umami's needy demands had become normal - the risk of death from starvation driving them to feed recklessly wore down the sharpened blade of incest and the toxicity of religious sin.

They crossed that bridge and burned it down long ago.

They lived for each other, as they were made to by choice and by chance.

"Mami!" Ripcord cried out, pressing forward.

"Papi!" Umami responded in kind, back arching.

A symphonic crescendo crested in their cries, as orgasms were reached in earnest, and the song died to silence, as the last note faded. A moment of clarity, of weakness, of limitations restoring; Ripcord would drag Umami with her descent to her side, and lie there for a spell without motion beyond breathing.

As they rested, a keen eye could spy the glint of a silver band around Umami's left ring finger and a golden band around Ripcord's matching finger; neither of which had been present throughout the affair, likely bewitched to stay hidden as long as they were focused. It was no issue to surmise they were promise bands, a solemn vow of matrimony given material form.

Eventually, the girls would pull themselves into a sitting position; unspoken words passing between the couple, a special communication developed by soulmates, as Ripcord rested her hands on Umami's thighs, face-up, and spread five lines of slime between her fingers like a circular loom for yarn crafts.

"Are you going to make the same clothes again," Ripcord asks.

"I like the look," Umami argued. "It's trendy."

"It's Varjan, though. We already stand out like sore thumbs," Ripcord says, pragmatically.

"I won't let countryside bumpkins dictate this city girl's fashion," Umami says, firmly.

"We want them to like us, you know," Ripcord reminded.

"Papi, I am not making you a yukata or kimono just to cull favour," Umami says, putting her foot, figuratively, down, as her naked toes were currently playing with Ripcord's. "Besides, I like matching cute ribbons, not gaudy sashes."

"My ribbon is red, and yours is black, Mami, and sashes are just big ribbons..." Ripcord says, before manifesting her cigarettes and lighter, as well as pseudopods from her hair to hold them and work the lighter. "Ah, whatever. So stubborn," she chuckled, before taking a drag, and holding it to Umami, " You're my stubborn, though."

"Forever and every, amen," Umami says, before taking her drag, as she formed new apparel.

There was nothing more indicative of post-sex than aftercare and smoking.

Ripcord giggled, as Umami fussed about fashion over function, while they played footsie and split the difference of a cigarette. Soon, they would be redressed and ready to resume construction once they were finished basking in the afterglow of aftercare.

Though, as Ripcord and Umami stood and stretched, recalling where and when they were, who they were around, they couldn't exactly recall what they were doing, though they remembered why they stalled in the first place.

"You know, I forgot what we had planned next," Ripcord admitted. "I should likely get rid of this mark, since it’s not coming off by brute force."

"Think that the Human Leader, uh, what did Boss K call him, Takeshi, yeah," Umami asks. "Think he can solve the problem? Or, know someone that can?"

"Probably, loath as I am to admit, Magic isn’t my strong suit, nor yours," Ripcord says, before looking back to Ayu, pointing her cigarette, "Spywoman, where’s Takeshi at? I’d rather not wander this place on a fruitless endeavor."

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

---

ATTN: @The Irish Tree (Eula) & @Rezod92 (Kerry)

---

The Promises of A G.E.C.K. Wonderland (An Accidental Collab w/ The Irish Tree & Rezod92)

As the silence fell, Alice was of two minds once Kerry settled before her in a less-than-ideal squat to lock-in those crystal, hazel-like-honey eyes with her eyes; orbs that settled in a perfect shade of red like anger; like hate; like revenge with her diamond-shaped pupils

”You both fucked up. Royally and without a doubt.”

Kerry

"Tell me something new," Alice says, bitingly, a bit of tired venom in her voice, but no real pressure to back it up. "I'm sure you have more to, so out with it."

”Is this the part where I judge you?”

Kerry

"At some point," Alice injected.

”Where I condemn your foolish dive into self-destruction -- ”

Kerry

"If you want," Alice sighed.

” -- take off this ring -- ”

Kerry

"Okay, little hasty, there," Alice says, catching the signs of trouble brewing.

”” -- and vow to have Gwen never see you before I forever cut you out of my life?

Kerry

Alice sat up, stuff as a board, as she turned her body to face Kerry, "You can't do that! You can't take her, or you! I won't allow it!"

Alice could see Kerry's expression unchanged, as she said:

”Well, sorry...”

Kerry

The feeling of her heart sinking almost broke Alice, before Kerry concluded:

”...but that's not happening.”

Kerry

Alice nearly set to strangling Kerry for her melodramatic pausing, before she was asked the most difficult question in earnest:

”Because what would that solve, Ali? What. Would. That. Solve?”

Kerry

What would that solve? What was the question asking?

Running away with Gwen, away from her; from them; from... from... revenge?

Taking everything away but the all-encompassing, all-consuming, ultimate goal of revenge; of vengeance; of... validation.

"I don't know. I don't... I don't think I have for a long time..." Alice says, "Every day is: left foot, right foot, march, and fight. A wastrel here. A scullery maid there. A windower. A lonely wife. A confused innocent. All victims of my sword, a different type, but just as deadly in its own way," she says, "Only one squiggled her way beyond my defenses. Slippery, little Shoggoth. Darling, little Tekelili."

"I don't know what anything would solve, but I know what killing her would do. It is her fault. She sends them, Invitations of Hatred, and reveals me to those that want to harm me and mine," Alice says, reflexively pulling Kerry's head into her lap, as if protecting her neck from a decapitation-happy Queen, "To defend what's mine, she has to die..." she swears, "But, now, because I tried to return early, I fucked up the terms of my exile - ones I couldn't even remember."

There was a sudden stirring, as Eula stood up, and crossed over from the foot of the bed to Carroll... and attacked her with a flick of the finger?

"What'd the hell I do!?" Carroll shrieked, as she was knocked into her back, and Eula straddled her hips, as she launched into a lecture.

"Both of you seem to be misunderstanding the exile."

Eula

"Oh, and how so, Miss Smartybolts," Carroll asks, dryly sarcastic, 500 years is 500 years, not 499. That's clear as crystal."

Unperturbed by the interruption, Eula carried on:

"You just have to wait one year longer, correct? Win then, after a year."

Eula

There was no way it was that simple. But... No... Right...?

"There's no way the exile is... actually just... going to lift after 500 years, and that's it..." Carroll says.

Alice started to laugh, as the contractual wording of the spell played through her head. Five-hundred years. A hundred years for each toe. The Queen of Hearts really meant exactly what she said. "How childish! How utterly childish! I feel so stupid!" she cackled, "To be fooled by a child for so long..."

"Well, what would you have us do, then, Miss Smartybolts," Carroll asks, taking Eula's hands; her arm reflexively transforming to complete the closeness.

"Train. Learn. Study the weakness of Lilim's. And this time, I will come as well. That should even the odds somewhat."

Eula

"You would risk your life for what gain," Carroll asks, locking her grey eyes with Eula's crimson eyes, "Unlike these two dummies, you have no matrimonial or custodial obligation to such a task, as we are unwed and I didn't knock you up."

Eula would push forward, straddling Carroll as she pushed her onto her back. "I don’t gain anything fighting for Shizuyama either. But, as humans have shown me, the right choice isn’t always the smart one."

"I am neither of Shizuyama, nor Human. That logic isn't sound in this matter," Carroll says.

Another flick graced Carroll’s forehead, Eula’s half-lidded gaze indicating she really, really wanted to call her an idiot. "Missing the point. I will join you regardless.”

"Ow! Would you stop that!? And, regardless, my pommel, you owe me nothing of the sort!" Carroll groused.

Eula really considered going three-for-three on forehead flicks but settled with poking Carroll’s forehead. "Since when did this become about a debt to repay?"

Carroll would suddenly burst into slime and twist around Eula, slamming hurt into the bed, and reforming with her lips pressed tight to Eula's, aggressively making out with her, before drawing back, and growing, "I don't want you to risk dying for the sins of my mother and my own rebellion, stupid!"

A pause broke the conversation, before Eula broke it by kissing Carroll once. "There is no risk. This unit can be rebuilt if you survive, or one of sufficient skill finds me. I do not know how old I am, but to wander for 500 years, unable to return home, to be made to forget…" Eula clenched an open hand. "Even a lilim must answer for cruelty. "

Carroll narrowed her eyes, before caressing Eula's cheeks, "Fine. We'll be stupid together, then," before she kissed her in gentle earnest.

On the other side of the bed, a rather jealous Alice would turn her attention to the woman in her lap, and her life, and easily hoist her into her lap with a few vines and her inhuman strength.

"Well, I can't just sit idly by with such energy in the air," Alice says, nipping Kerry's nape, "And, I can't let my Queen's Blade be a dummy alone, either."

Eula didn’t take much convincing to be stupid, and would all but drag Carroll under the sheets for another kiss that would kill most species with its length. …Priorities would eventually need to be established, but right now she just wanted Carroll to know she had her back. And front. And lips.

Huffing, Alice had no intention of being shown up, and would take Kerry's lips for her own; resting a hand upon her belly to gently pulse Mana to her unborn.

Ugh….These two idiots, I swear., Kerry thought, rolling her eyes as her husband and king made out with her, a gentle warmth emanating from the growing egg within her in response to her father’s touch.

”Eula’s right, though.””, she spoke, pulling her lips away from Alice. ”I’m with you to the end, Ali. That means if the Queen of Hearts is your enemy, then that bitch is mine as well.”

"Oh, if you must," Alice says, leaning to Kerry's ear, as she whispered, "I've never been that good at making you budge, after all. Just eating me."

As Alice spoke in that haughtily familiar voice, Kerry would realize that Alice likely remembered their prior meetings, including the training they did together.

"Glad to see you still like the taste," Alice purred in her ear.

”Last I checked, I only ate a severed finger of yours the first time. But….you’re right about one thing…”

Kerry focused her attention on Alice’s neck. Licking, kissing and nibbling on the mad hatter’s flesh.

”....You do taste heavenly.”

"Oh, I know I do," Alice says, tracing her right pointer around Kerry's lips. "Such nice hue, like silky chocolate," she dipped her finger between them, "But, I remember how much I loved seeing them stained by your tearing into me. Such a brutal, beautiful mercenary behind these pretty lips."

Alice pressed down on Kerry's tongue, "If you are going to follow down my path, you better not die on me. I'll kill you, if you do."

Kerry’s eyes became half-lidded as she closed her mouth on Alice’s finger, licking and savoring the digit like a candied delicacy. She looked at her lover and winked….

….before biting down harder.

Alice mewled, and smirked. "Careful, now..." she purrs, as Alice pulled Kerry closer, seating her over her sidearm. "I might draw my sword in you."

”Oh, control yourself, Ali.”, quipped Kerry, playfully as she gestured her head toward Eula and Carroll. ”We have a prudish audience here.”

Alice snickered, as Carroll and Eula continued their, comparatively, chaste make-out session of not requiring oxygen like normal Mamono. "I suppose, I'll respect the vanilla," she says, "and quietly enjoy my chocolate two-scoop."

”Oh?”

Then it was Kerry’s turn to lean in and whisper in Alice’s ear.

”Did you like those two scoops when they were around that thick hickory-smoked ham rod?”

Alice's eyes lit up, and Kerry was suddenly rising in the air, as the Queen of Diamonds stood, and held her. "I hope you didn't have plans for the afternoon," she says, "That question requires a THOROUGH investigation that might take a few hours..."

As she made her proclamation, Alice was already striding across her room, beelining, pun intended, for Kerry's.

The hornet’s laughter echoed through the halls as her lover carried her to her room/nesting grounds, leaving Eula and Carroll to their own slice of heaven.

Alice would turn that delighted laughter into raucous moaning behind a slammed door, choked closed by vines, while Carroll threw her arm at the door; the crimson scissor blade rammed into the floor, jamming it shut.

DND signs, if ever there was one.

At least, they would all be available, when needed.

After all... the future was fast approaching, as the liberation of Komatsu Bay allowed the Taskforce to go on the offensive, but the fact that the Heavenly Strike was still loose and used as a weapon, they were torn between the hammer and the anvil, and what to do first:

Take down the students of the evil Heavenly Strike users, or take the war efforts forward?

Whatever the choice made, in the back of their minds, Kerry and Eula had some security that Alice and Carroll were walking beside them in the same path.

...though, darkness loomed behind them, ready to overtake.

A year's time remained before the Queen of Hearts' Barrier would fall, and Alice and Carroll could return home to take their old war of revenge - with or without their current lovers. All the promises in the world meant nothing in the heat of the moment, after all.

They'd walked away from good things - Carroll from her happiness and family - lost everything - Alice, her castle and daughter in Summerheld - but never surrendered the fight in earnest...

...they've attempted to throw everything away naught but a short jaunt in time ago.

Next time, they'd just wait until they could cross without fail...

Unless stopped...

Enkryption's Decoded Characters

Master

Basics

Name: Amalie Harris
Sex: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

History:

History

Born into a broken home, Amalie barely remembers her mother's face or voice; distant recollections from the primal memories of an infant and pictures torn behind smashed frames. A child of disturbingly low Magic Circuit Quality, yet shockingly high Magic Circuit Quantity, Amalie was made her father's problem for her formative years. And, though the patriarch of the broken family would do his best, as Bronze-rank Magus, his opportunities to nurture and strengthen the Quality of her Magic Circuit were few and far between.

It was a divine miracle in his book, when the organization CHALDEAS asked that his daughter join their illustrious membership with the promise to bring her into her most proper power.

It was with a tearful goodbye that father and daughter of nineteen years would part for the last time...

Magecraft

Magic Circuits Quality: E
Magic Circuits Quantity: A

Magical Affinity: Espermancy;

Amalie was cruelly named by her mother, and, in some ways, one could say cursed, as her name is, quite literally, "Am A Lie," due to the circumstances of her birth. As a defense against a childhood of prejudice and torment, Amalie developed powerful, yet difficult warding spells that trigger when stressed and make people forget her temporarily.

As a result, she always looks a cross between exhausted and depressed, due to the polar extremes of her Magic Circuits.

Attribute: Berserker

Primary Servant Install

"Asterios... the Minotauros... Leave me... alone"

Asterios, the Bull-King of Crete, Master of the Labyrinth.

For what reason Asterios choose Amalie is unknown. Perhaps, he feels a kinship with another that doesn't wish to be judged? Perhaps, it is the simplistic nature of her name, her curse. Perhaps, it was just happenstance. Whatever the case, the pair are inseparable.

Amalie has access to Asterios's axes and his superhuman strength while inside Singularities, as well as his keen senses as a half-beast; making her good at tracking by scent, and sensitive to changes in the weather and situation. Upon Install, Amalie is granted full access to Asterios's power and his manner of dress - through, the minotaur is aware enough to increase the coverage of his cast-iron corset to give her some modesty.

Servant Active Skills (Install)

• Monstrous Strength A: Loosing a mighty roar, Amalie releases her mental limits on her physical form, and greatly increases her Attack for a short period of time.
  
  [Attack Boost (Self), 3/Post]
• Natural Demon A++: Steeling herself, Amalie increases her Offensive Debuff Resistance and Defense for a short period of time.
  
  [Offense Debuff Resist Up (Self), Defense Boost (Self), 3/Post]
• Labrys of the Abyss C: Focusing on her battle rage, Amalie can absorb all nearby Critical Stars, and channel them into a even bigger, singular strike.
  
  [Critical Star Absorption (Self), Buster Attack Boost (Self), 1/Post]

Servant Passive Skill (Include)

• Mad Enhancement B: Driven slightly mad by her shared atychiphobia with Asterios, Amalie tends to attack harder and faster, as if desperately - perhaps, instinctively - seeking to validate herself to others.
  
  [Buster Attack Boost (Self)

Noble Phantasm

"Chaos Labyrinth"

Labyrinth-type Noble Phantasm that creates a massive labyrinth that hides allies within its walls, rendering them weak and defenseless to attack from its allies, but requires Amalie to maintain it.

NP1: Letter Rank: B. Reduces Attack (Enemy) and Defense (Enemy) 2/Posts

NP2: Letter Rank: A. Reduces Attack (Enemy) and Defense (Enemy) 4/Posts

NP3: Letter Rank: EX. Reduces Attack (Enemy) and Defense (Enemy) 6/Post

Magecraft Abilities/Items

• Silver Tongue: Influences NPC mood for better or worse when currying favour. Doesn't work if the NPC dislikes or can't understand Amalie.
• Charming Smile: Temporarily force an NPC to be fond of Amalie and willing to aid her, as long as the task doesn't conflict with their morals or religion. If the NPC is aware of this, or resists, they might attack Amalie or report her.
• Infuriating Gaze: Cast a look that set a target NPC's mood to [Angry] and leaves them to slow boil over - or quickly, depending on the need at the time.

---

[hider=Master]
[center][img][/img][/center]
[center][b]Basics[/b][/center]
[b][i]Name[/i]: Amalie Harris[/b]
[b][i]Sex[/i]: Female[/b]
[b][i]Alignment[/i]: Chaotic Neutral[/b]

[b][i]History[/i][/b]: [hider=History][/hider]
[center][b]Magecraft[/b][/center]
[b][i]Magic Circuits Quality[/i]: [/b]
[b][i]Magic Circuits Quantity[/i]: [/b]

[b][i]Magical Affinity[/i]: [/b]

[b][i]Attribute[/i]: [/b]

[center][b]Primary Servant Install[/b][/center]
[center][img][/img][/center]
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Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

---

ATTN: @The Irish Tree (Eula) & @Rezod92 (Kerry)

---

As Carroll was princess carried by Eula, and Alice was caveman carried by Kerry, the Sword Devil would maintain a thoughtful silence. As Dinah, they had access to their memories of old - all of them - for weal and for woe.

It was harsh... remembering who you were in anger, in sadness, and grief...

Carroll remembered all her hosts, including her Paladin. However, she also remembered walking away from her family for revenge - walking away from Io to strike back at her mother for striking at her. Tit for Tat had cost her happiness, even if in destitution and isolation.

Alice remembered her life, her Human life as Cecilia, and her Mamono life as Hatter - the vengeful, yet cowardly Mad Hatter that sought only to burn everything stolen from her, yet couldn't leave her cave until power fell, quite literally, into her lap, and allowed her to create a braver self that could fight her battles.

But, for all the harhsness of reality, there was goodness interspersed.

As Kerry set Alice to rest, the Mad Hatter would awaken, and sit up. Sighing, she held up a finger to keep Kerry from speaking, as her form changed to the blonde that Kerry knew, before shifting away into someone else that felt warmly similar to her Alice.

"My name is Cecilia Lewis, and..." Alice extended her hand, to which Carroll took.

...my name is Carrollynn Wunderland, and this..." Carrol says, before forming into her True Form.

"...is the story of a would-be Queen and her Blade," Dinah says, before telling the story of Alice and Carroll from start to end..

---

Some Endings Are Best Unknown

*BZZXT~!*

Mana crackling off her form, the Queen of Hearts stared, haughtily, at the woman before her and the axe in her right hand. "Look who is it, little Princess of Diamonds, Cecilia, and my naughty daughter, Carrollynn," she says, looking down, "Oh? Finally got the full range of your right hand back. It only took fifty-two years this time."

Cecilia grunted, as she hefted her benefactor, the Sword Devil, Carrollynn; naught but contempt filled her eyes, as the Mad Hatter glared down her eternal rival.

"Such hatred, unbecoming a woman that calls herself a Queen," smirked The Queen of Hearts, as she stood with a small flourish of her power. "Once again, you ride to challenge me, and once again, I'll knock you down; broke and battered, the lesson yet learned in the fullness of blood," she says, as she manifested a scythe in the form of a long-necked, wide-beaked bird. A twisted up, repurposed Jubjub, most certainly. "Yet something feels different here~! I think our game has reached its apex after half a millennia... I've stripped you down to your last hat, haven't I?"

Cecilia bit her lower, left lip; reflexively, tellingly.

"So I have, then..." chuckled The Queen of Hearts, as she descended her throne. "I suppose that I'll need to fit you for your death's veil. No... More... White... Roses..." she drawled, as she dragged her scythe's beak along the floor, "We're painting the roses RED WITH YOUR BLOOD!"

Disappearing, The Queen of Hearts reappeared behind Cecilia to make a wide cleave --

*PLANNG~!*

-- only to have it parried off a massive pair of scissors.

"Oh, ho~" questioned The Queen of Heart, "You've cut those strings that held you down, little Carrollynn, and taken full control. How captivating. I'm almost -- "

A sudden blade passing through her chest interrupted the playful, immortal child, as Cecilia doffed her hat, and revealed the pink spreading down her lengthening locks. Her manner changed, as she pulled her dislocated arm back with her sword, and looked down.

"That's one. Four-hundred-ninety-nine to go..." Cecilia says, though her voice was different, as if merged with Carroll's. "Cast aside your assessment, and kindly prepare to die."

"Look. At. You." grinned the bloodied Queen of Hearts, as she took in the proper fusion of a Sword Devil and her Host, yet the unmistakable separateness of them, as well. "You two, on your last life, figured out a way to unite your minds and bodies, as opposed to working like your parasitic existence should," she shrugged her shoulder with a bemused look, "S'pose that's my comeuppance for wanting intelligent conversation while I take my tea."

"My name is Dinah Wunderland, Queen of Diamonds! Let's settle this! Off with your head!"

The Queen of Hearts leered at the new challenge with a twisted, manic expression, as she cackled, "That's big talk, and big talk -- "

*BZZXT~!*

" -- better be backed up..." panted The Queen of Heart, as she stood over Dinah; five of ten perfect toes pushed into the bruised and bloodied cheek of her rival, as she stepped on Dinah's face. "Admittedly, though, you came closer than expected for someone of your caliber. If only you tried this with you older sisters, you might have overcome me," she says, twisting her foot. "Still, I'm impressed... You've actually become a threat for the first time in almost five-hundred years. Another five centuries, and maybe -- YOWCH!"

Dinah glared up, as she twisted her head, and DUG her broken teeth into the perfect Loli God's foot, sinking her teeth into her toes, and TUGGED, as if she could drag her to the ground by force. Her body might have been broken, but her soul was intact, and her spirit burned with the will to press on.

As long as she breathed, she would do war

"INSOLET CHILD! And, after I was set to praise you! Death is too kind for your troublesome ass," growled The Queen of Hearts, as she hooked Dinah's collar with her dulled scythe and yanked her off the floor. "I won't kill you, now, but over time... little by little... five-hundred years of penance for biting my toes!"

Dinah smirked, "Do your worst."

"With pleasure..."

Dinah would feel a massive surge of magic hammer her forehead; piercing like a bullet, but impacting like a punch. Her mind rattled in it's cage, as said cage formed, and started to cleave sections of her memories behind walls.

"I want you to remember this mission, little Demigoddess: challenge me, forevermore. But, I won't take your weak attempts any longer, no..." sneering, The Queen of Hearts opened a portal, a rift between worlds. "I want your absolute best, and that will only come when you can crawl back from the depths of Hell itself," she says, "Love with nothing but this drive in mind, and return, if you can, from this exile in five-hundred years to face me."

"I'll gladly beat the shit out of you, loligaki..." Dinah swore. "I swear on my name, Dinah Wunderland, Queen of Diamonds."

"I almost forgot, that's quite clever," praised The Queen of Hearts, "Dynasty. Diner. A nice play on words. Remember it, if you wish to keep your promise in five-hundred years..."

Suddenly, Dinah was shunted through the portal, her memories sealed, and her body formed into a new and different woman with a new and different hat, as she broke into Mad Hatter and Sword Devil...

---

"...and, that's how I got here," Dinah says, looking at Kerry and Eula, lying in bed like a sick patient in an anime, as she told her life story.

Dinah spoke of her last five centuries; from the time she landed on another island and began to her campaigns to amass power to the great wars that earned her to the title of Barbarian Queen of Summerheld - a title that she used to secure her two-hundred-and-forty-nine-year rule of the nation, until its capital was overturned by the united forces of those she left defeated, and all she had was lost to roaring flames that consumed her Castle and only daughter, Tekelili.

A great loss that brought her to her knees before Lady Kyouko, and set her upon Shizuyama to seek asylum, and renewed purpose to take her revenge, under the guise of aiding the plights of Terauchi Temple and the people of her island...

"...and, all that to fuck up at the finish line. Four-hundred-ninety-nine-years. I fell short with one year left on my exile..."

"Now, I can never go home..."

Dinah sighed, rolling into her side. She looked ready to crumble, burdened with memory of all that she'd lost, as she reverted to Alice and Carroll.

Looking away, Alice pulled the sheets up to her chin, and stared at the wall, as she transformed back into the pale redhead with her floppy hat, while Carroll sat opposite of her, and faced the floor with her hair over her face.

All the two could do was trust that Kerry and Eula wouldn't deem them selfish monsters for all they'd done and failed in the name of revenge...

Tales Of Shizuyama (Far-Eastern Monster Girl RP)

---

ATTN: @PaulHaynek (Takeshi), @The Irish Tree (Eula), & @Rezod92 (Kerry)

---

Broken Doors Open Dangerous Paths To Explore

Like an explosion, everything happened with an unpredictable suddenness, as Carroll kicked the door in, then Eula shows up, then Takeshi showed up, with the Sword Devil barking at her, the Automaton holding two onigiri, the Human looking like he'd never seen a pair of lesbians, and all while she was buck-ass naked with several bite taken out of her from Kerry's efforts.

However, there was one thing that held true about Alice, and that was her recovery speed - upstairs and downstairs - as her combat style was based on quick and sharp parries and feint attacks. As such, recovering from shock and awe tactics was nothing but a momentary bout of hesitation, before she launched out of the bed - as if, phasing through Kerry.

"Carroll~" Alice says, extending her left hand, in all too familiar motion, as her right arm fell eerily limp, "To me."

Carroll groaned, as her body liquefied slowly, and was being removed from Takeshi's hold, as she was being transformed by Alice's sheer force of will, and reformed in Alice's hand as a demonic axe.

"Don't you get uppity with me..." Carroll growled, "'LEST I CUT YOU WIDE, LITTLE GIRL!"

In a moment of tension, Kerry, Takeshi, and Eula were witness to the return of the Wonderlandian Monarch, Alice... No, the Queen of Diamonds was back.

"So confident someone under MY CONTROL," Alice says, as she flexed her arm, and Carroll writhed in pain and fury.

"Control!? You know nothing of the word, but how to speak it! I'll show you control, YOU IMPUDENT BRAT!" Carroll snapped, as she unraveled and reformed in Alice's right arm - the muscles snapping to existence, and strengthening.

"Release me!" Alice growled, wrenching her right arm with her left, as armor raced down, and plunged into her shoulder.

Carroll just cackled, as she glowed red-hot, and initiated the transformation. Alice's dress transformed, as her height increased, and silver merged into her crimson hair, turning it pink, as it grew long. As Alice changed, so, too, did Carroll, as she lengthened into a long sword with a split blade that separated in the middle, then merged at the top once again, and deep, reddish-purple mixture for her two scissor blades.

For a moment, the figure stood motionless, and Terauchi Temple and further beyond would feel the Expression of Subjugation that only a Lilim possessed, as Alice's Mana gushed freely from her - flowers growing beneath her feet, and spreading their petals across the floor.

"Nnn!" Alice suddenly groaned, as she reached up with her left hand, and started to strangle herself.

It was now or never for Eula and Kerry to react and separate the two…

What the hell!? Can’t even start making a nest around here without some shit going down, IN MY ROOM no less!

Kerry wisely kept that comment in her mind, barely able to redress herself once more before looking up just in time to see Alice in the middle of a transformation she has never seen before, Carroll encasing the mad hatter’s right arm in armor, up to her shoulder. Where did this form come from!? Questions for another day as the hornet saw Alice trying to choke herself out. Thinking quickly, Kerry threw out her right hand, black bracelet vibrating as Dusk flew into her hand. Then, she threw the spear into Alice’s right arm, hoping to disrupt this transformation because it was clear her future husband didn’t want any of this. As that was happening, the hornet then buzzed up to Alice’s new height.

”Alice, stop!”, shouted Kerry as she tried to pry Alice’s hand off her neck.

After a moment’s hesitation in which Eula detached her head to escape Takeshi’s headlock, Eula would swoop into the room just as Kerry threw a spear at Carroll, the Automaton rushing to catch it rather than having it strike her…lover? Fiancee? Brunch buddy? She wasn’t sure…but she was sure she could reach Carroll. A hand would gently seize Alice’s right wrist, tracing down it ever so slightly until she touched Carroll’s midpoint.

Her spare hand was fumbling a bit to not drop her head or the riceballs, until she tossed her head back onto her shoulders, a mechanical hiss sounding as her head repressurized. "Carroll. I have brought breakfast," the automaton said, leaving Alice to Kerry to deal with.

"Breakfast!? Pests, the both of you! You would assault divinity!? I will trade your souls for forgiveness!" Alice barked, as Kerry and Eula pried at the two.

Her expression was empty, yet dark, as she spoke with confidence and hatred, yet authority and kindness, all feigned and genuine at once. However, as Carroll was gripped by Eula, and Kerry got a hold for Alice, her expression switched to panic and elation.

"I can barely control this! She's only distracted! Hurry!" Alice groaned. "Pull, Kerry! As hard as you can!"

"Pull harder, Automaton! Before she takes over again!" Carroll barked, as she barely peeled away from the armored hand, "Eula, be careful! My blade is vorpal! A single slip, and you'll rend your hand!"

"I won’t apologize for bringing the most important meal of the day. That aside, we need to speak," Eula said before fearlessly grabbing Carroll’s hand, using small pulses of her demonic energy stun gun to identify the cutting points and avoid them while tugging at Carroll.

”You two can talk AFTER we deal with this!”, exclaimed Kerry as she flew behind Alice, one hand still trying to pry the hand on her neck while the other wrapped around the mad hatter’s waist for a decent grip before hovering backwards, pulling.

Between the two, and whatever was keeping the new form distracted, Eula and Kerry would be able to separate sword and duelist.

As soon as the duo was separated, Kerry and Alice careened into the wall and slid down to floor, both panting harrowing experience. The hornet being the faster to recover as both of her hands smacked into Alice’s cheeks before forcing her to look toward the bewildered and exasperated visage of Kerry.

”Alice, what the FUCK was that!?”

Eula would pull with care, and all the power a mechanical being had to try and pry Carroll off of Alice, digging her heels into the tatami flooring beneath before yanking the cursed sword off, holding her securely in one arm, braced against the other. "I did not know what type of filling you would like, so I bought both plum and shrimp," she said, heedless of the danger holding a cursed weapon possessed…or, given that she’d done it once before, she didn’t fear Carroll’s weapon form.

Much like with Kerry, Eula would find herself crashing with a unpleasantly heavy body on top of her, and be met with a deep frown; her free hand no longer gripping a blade, but groping a boob. "Shrimp is gross, and plum is for old people that can’t shit," groused the Sword Devil, in a familiarly grumpy tone. Eula would notice, as Kerry was distracted, that Carroll looked like Alice, who didn’t look like Alice, but looked like someone entirely new, so didn’t really look like Alice in the same sense. It was as complicated and straightforward as Wonderland ought to be, but before Carroll could resume speaking, Alice would snap back to Kerry.

"How should I know!? I don’t even know you!"

---

A Fork in the Road, Going Left (Collab w/ The Irish Tree)

At the mere mention that plums were only for old people who can’t shit, Eula would lift the riceball up, as if offended on its behalf. "They’re perfect when paired with carbs to slow sugar spikes, and when pickled provide a good amount of salt for your dietary needs…" Eula analyz-splained, before looking down at what she’d brought. "But I can…bring something else, if you like."

"Hm~" Carroll smirked, as she opened her mouth, only to be interrupted:

”Huh? Alice, come on. Now’s really not the time for you to be fucking with me”,

"Not here," Carroll says, standing up, "If you are offering food, I’ll take you up on it, whoever you are," Carroll would pass Takeshi without saying a word, "Lead on, Automaton."

Judging from the conversation in place on the other side of the room, Eula had a feeling some memory jogging was in order…but, she knew very little about Carroll. The only action they’d shared was a simple one, one that bears repeating, as Eula walked beside Carroll and held her hand.

Carroll tilted her head; her shock of pink hair tumbling over her stranger’s face. It was nothing like the Carroll that Eula bounded with, nothing like the Carroll that she was before that, but someone else. A stranger, standing where a friend once stood, wearing her skin... slime... and warming Eula’s hand just the same, yet not.

It was like putting sugar in a beef stew, instead of salt. Sure, it worked, but it was wrong.

"Handsy, aren’t we," Carroll teased.

Eula would simply respond with: "You entrusted your memories to me with that hand. I won’t let go simply because you aren’t yourself at the moment."

"My memories..." Carroll hummed. "Surely, you don’t expect me to take a Prototype Synth at face value?"

"I am Eula 039. I am nobody’s prototype," Eula said, gently squeezing Carroll’s hand. "I can bear you not remembering me. But you must remember Io. You have to."

Carroll’s playful flippantness evaporated, as she suddenly slammed Eula into a wall, and glared at her. "Why do you know that name!? Are you one of mother’s spies!?" she growled, her hair fusing into a long, thin blade, before splitting in twain like scissors.

After colliding with the wall with a loud thunk, Eula looked Carroll in the eyes, gaze unwavering as one hand remained gently holding Carroll’s wrist. "Those memories were entrusted to me by the Carroll I know. …That chose to…hold my hand. Even if the only spark is a resemblance…" Eula’s other hand would suddenly shoot up, shoving the entire pickle plum-filled onigiri into Carroll’s mouth, the automaton saying: "That scene…the breakfast you shared with her and your children. I remember all of it. Because you let me."

Carroll gagged, as she was force-fed plum - of all things. It was infuriating in a uniquely distracting way. It tasted as terrible as she suspected, and expected - though, perhaps, that was because she wanted it to, so it did. However, it was... something she would do. Io was the type to push Carroll to do new things, regardless of how much of a spoiled brat she was being; you didn’t have seven children with someone you didn’t value, even Mamono understood that much.

Still... why would she trust her memories to someone that bore but a passing resemblance?

"Who are you... to me," Carroll asks, lowering her scissors.

"I am Eula 039. And I…" …What was Eula to Carroll, even? The automaton wasn’t sure. But…she knew the last thing her and Carroll did. With a gentle hand, Eula would cup Carroll’s chin before pressing her lips softly against her cheek, the automaton’s cold expression melting a bit as she blushed, pulling away. "...Have…yet to discuss what we are to one another. And would like you to remember so we can talk about it."

"Huh!?" Carroll reflexively touched her cheek. Snippets of thoughts flashed by, like framed in a projection, across the canvas of her mind. Memories of Io. Memories of her daughter. Memories of the war. Her Mother’s Game. The explosion of magic, and the silence of exile. Memories of years of war, of fighting, of learning, of growing in hatred, until... silence again... exile again...

Snapshots.

Fragments.

Errant thought.

"I... I don’t belong here... I... We... Alice and I... Mother’s spell, the Curse of Exile.. I lost so much! I lost everything! I don’t want to remember!" Carroll shouted, taking her head in her free hand; digging into her flesh. "I don’t want to be here! I’m not -- It’s not right! I... I am... no-one... An excuse... A waste..."

Carroll drew blood from her nails, and put pressure on Eula’s hand; threatening to crack it.

Eula would seize Carroll’s wrist, then gently hold both of her hands even as the metal of her hands creaked. "Carroll. You have to. Even if its painful…even if it hurts you more than dying…that is the only way Io can stay with you forever. You have to remember," Eula said, her cruel kindness sealed with her moving Carroll’s hands away from her body, then looking her right in the eyes. "Absence of memory is oblivion. I have no memories before awakening some time ago. If it grows too painful to remember…then share the burden. I have sufficient space for your grief. Your anguish. Your tears."

"I don’t want to remember like this..." Carroll says, "Hate-filled. Angry. Io was my everything. That was centuries ago. Her power core is likely long since drained. Reduced to nothing more than a statue. My daughters... mine... the same..." she grit her teeth, metal grinding, "They’re gone! Dead! You would have me remember them, and burden you with my pain and hatred!? For what gain?! Pity?!"

"To feel something other than emptiness," Eula said, smiling softly as she held Carroll’s hands tighter. "I could never pity someone with a love so pure that they miss it more than anything. …But…I am simply a machine. If I can aid you, then I will. To stand by as you entrusted your memories to me, only to see you run from them…I wouldn’t dare break that promise. To you, or to Io."

"A machine doesn’t aid. A machine assists. Aid heals. Assistance helps. There’s a difference," Carroll says, "My head hurts... That plum is disgusting... I knew it would be..." she says, "You are..." Carroll closed her eyes, "...still confusing to me."

"You are simply too picky!" Eula asserted, releasing a hand to boop Carroll’s nose. "Come. Let’s find something you like for breakfast, instead. Though…given the state of the area, you may have to settle for rice dishes, like onigiri. Perhaps, they have some fish, too…"

"I am not picky in the slightest," Carroll says, "You are simply too tasteless."

"You insisting that a delicious fruit is only for old people who cannot defecate is crass and overly picky in nature. …But…what do you like to eat?"

"Me? I can simply show you what I like to eat," Carroll smirked, her familiar smirk looked off still on the face of a stranger, "Follow me, Little Miss Epicurean."

Taking Eula’s hand, Carroll would pull her to the kitchen area.

Eula would follow quickly, especially since the automaton’s (fair for her species) weight was rather hard to tug, following Carroll into the kitchen.

Carroll would look around, before smirking. "I know exactly what to make for breakfast," she says, before letting go of Eula’s hand, so she could work her magic.

From baskets, she’d pluck eggs, carrots, and potatoes; scoops of rice, salt, and pepper; hocks of hams; handful of cheese; all with a purpose. To fire, she’d set water to cook the rice, pre-salting it with a splash of oil to keep it loose. As the rice cooked, she’d chop the carrots into thin slices, then quarter them, before cubing the potatoes, and setting them to sear and caramelize in an oiled pan. To the side, she’d set the veggies, and place down thin slices of the ham to char in the used pan, gaining flavour from the vegetables.

Finishing the rice, she would transfer a few scoops to a bowl, and mix in the veggies and ham while the rice was still warm and loose, while she cracked four eggs, and readied a skillet. Laying out the egg, she’d cook the underside semi-dry, before transferring it to a plate, and flipping the raw side back onto the skillet - spreading her hearty mixture upon the omelette, and let the bottom dry a bit, before she would use a spatula to bring up one side, and roll it over like a rolled omelette with the thickness of a folded omelette.

"Try that,”" Carroll says, presenting the plate with a sprinkling of pepper.

"Quite the display of cooking skills," Eula said, always impressed when someone cooked. She couldn’t really get a knack for it, and food made by someone else always tasted better anyways. Picking up a knife and a fork, Eula would take a bite of it and smile softly, suddenly lost in nostalgia. "...It tastes wonderful. I haven’t had something like this since I came to Shizuyama."

"You'd be hard-pressed to find a creative touch in such a traditional place. Cooking is a wonderful adventure, with no place for stifling traditions!" Carroll says, as she clapped her hands, the pink in her hair was turning silver, as the stranger was crumbling away.

Eula chuckled softly. "Not necessarily. Traditional cooking like Shizuyama’s have their place. The flavor of their rice, the texture of it…the sound of fish grilling over an open flame…" Eula would take another bite of the omelette, before saying: "Everything about one’s cooking informs you of their life. And, of their home."

"Mayhaps, maybe, but nevertheless, if risks are not taken, then ground is never gained," Carroll says, "Though, risk-taking does come with abominations like that plum ball covered in rice..."

Carroll's hair would settle back into its boring, lifeless state, unlike the lovely, lively state it was before, and hang as hair and not cooking utensils. Eula was eye-to-eye with those piercing, hollow eyes that seemed to carry naught but contempt.

"Fruit and rice go together!" Eula said. "A tavern in Eastersland had a wonderful dish in spring, a chicken and rice dish with peaches in it. It was delectable."

"Curious," Carroll says, before leaning forward, and pressing her lips with the left corner of Eula's, "My cooking is still unbeaten. Though, perhaps, I'll try a dish like that..." she says, one she drew back from stealing the bit of rice.

Eula would gently touch where Carroll had kissed, then, upon realizing she was just stealing rice, would promptly gain a deadpan expression as she threateningly lifted up the shrimp onigiri she’d had earlier. "Now…try iiiiiit!" Eula said, getting up and waving it menacingly.

"If I do, I want you to try something in return," Carroll says.

"I can agree to that."

"Kiss me," Carroll says, simply.

There was one surefire way to settle the strongest matter of emotions:

Chin up, face forward.

Eula would press forward without hesitation and kiss Carroll before she’d even tried the onigiri, experiencing the first true kiss in her life then and there as she held Carroll against the countertop.

Normally, Sword Devils made bargains, then reversed the order of execution in their favor as means of possession. To be outmaneuvered by Eula, it wasn't something Carroll had accounted for - largely due to how docile the Automaton was.

However, that wasn't the case here.

Leaning back, Carroll would take Eula's hands; unconcerned with the seafood-flavored ball of rice plummeting to the floor, as her arm transformed, and her link with Eula deepened.

Testing the waters, her tongue teased the lips against hers.

Eula wasn’t adept at romance, but could sense a desire for Carroll to taste of her, of the machine that knew nothing of touch, and allowed it. With lips parted she invited Carroll in, tightening her hold on her hands as they embraced as something more for the first time.

Carroll would bring Eula into a clash of tongues, a battle of emotions, and the flavors of each other - even if that flavor was a PLUM and her rolled omelette. After a minute or two of trading synthetic spit, Carroll would pull back, blushing, as she said, "There's your fruit and rice dish. Happy?"

The automaton would plainly say: "No," before diving back in for seconds, this time pinning Carroll to the countertop and kissing her once more. …She was a glutton, after all.

Carroll was momentarily taken aback by the simple refutation, before Eula took all the initiative, and pinned her down to feast.

Once the machine woman had her fill Carroll would be freed from her iron grasp, Eula’s lack of needing to breathe meaning that the cursed sword would never need to come up for air if she didn’t choose to stop. "There. Now, I have eaten my fill. …I wonder, if Kerry has helped Alice recover her memory as well…"

Carroll never felt so blessed that her biology was relative to a Slime, so she didn't need to address most biological functions - like breathing. Instead, she could indulge her gluttonous... lover?... girlfriend?... the right term was yet to be decided.

Dinner guest, perhaps?

Regardless, her question would rouse Carroll's attention. It was true, if Carroll's memory had been temporarily corrupted... most likely Alice's was, too.

"I could always check, I suppose," Carroll offered.

Eula would get up and offer a hand to Carroll, as if she hadn’t just sucked her face for three solid minutes. "...This time, I will accompany you. If you lose your memory again, I’m feeding you shrimps and plums to make sure you remember."

"Such a threat, I don't think I would dare lose myself again, but..." Carroll took Eula's hands in her head, pressing their foreheads together, "...will you be there, in case I spill? Will you catch me, if I start to fall again? Will you kiss me, as Eula, and only as Eula 039?""

"If I need to use that power again, will you be who I use it for?"

Eula would press forward, gently hold the sides of Carroll’s head in kind, and then nod. "I can only be myself. I will be by your side as long as you want me," the automaton said, before suddenly picking Carroll up in a bridal carry, starting to walk towards the door.

"He-Hey! I can walk, you know!" Carroll says, kicking her legs fussily.

"I am aware. But I am faster."

"Yeah, but I need to sort this myself. Alice and I have to reconcile, both what happened and why," Carroll says, "All I need from you is to believe that I can."

Eula would smile faintly as she let Carroll down, somehow already back at the building they’d started in.

"I believe in you, Carroll."

Carroll nodded. "Then, I can. But, maybe, one more kiss for the road?"

No more words needed to be said as Eula leaned in, giving a chaste kiss on the cheek before going in for the kill once more, this time only going for thirty seconds before releasing her blade of a lover.

Carroll drew back, and smirked. "I'll be off, then," she purred, "darling~"

Maybe, it didn't mean anything to Eula; terms of endearment, displays of affection, and the like. Maybe, she was operating on a system of call-and-response, gauging Carroll's calls and adjusting her responses.

Maybe, she really could process and replicate emotion.

Whatever the reason, it was a boost of confidence that Carroll needed to charge forward into the barracks.

A silent wave would see Carroll off, while Eula held a hand up, touching her own lips in fascination. So…this was how it felt…to be able to follow and complete a directive.

---

A Fork in the Road, Going Right (Collab w/ Rezod92)

”Huh? Alice, come on. Now’s really not the time for you to be fucking with me”, Kerry replied, not wanting anymore stress today. ”You and Carroll got into an argument and turned into….. whatever the hell that was.”

"That..." Alice asks, looking at herself; she hadn't changed back to herself in any capacity, so she was just seeing... who she thought she was. "I understand Hornets are prone to flights of fancy, but..." she huffed, "Regardless, you called me Alice. Such is not my name. It is my Title, Alice, the Queen of Diamonds."

”What? How can your name be a ti-”

It was at this point that Kerry recalled a crucial bit of information about Alice. Specifically, how Alice…..wasn’t exactly one person.

”Then….who are you right now?”, the hornet queried, her lowering to a neutral tone. Her hands were still on Alice(?)’s face as she gazed into the mad hatter’s eyes.

Looking for her Alice.

"You..." Alice started, "...have..." she locked eyes, "really pretty eyes. Big, too. Like, whoa. Huge. Beautiful. Anyone tell you that?"

”Hmph….you’d be the first. Moving around as much as I have tends to make people not notice my eyes in more detail.”, the merc answered with a slight chuckle, still neutral and focused on Alice. ”Quick question: Do you know where you are?”

"I am here, as you are," Alice asks. "Better question, why do you smell so familiar?"

”It’s familiar because you know who I am, you idiot.”Kerry whispered, the slightest hint of worry now creeping into her voice, but forged onward with hope. ”Do you remember why you are in this room?”

"It’s a bedroom - mess of petals and goo? Why would I be in here..." Alice asks, before closing her eyes. "Shit... Something... Familiar... I sense something... but, it’s small... out of the way..."

"There’s a Mana source in here... buzzing around, out of my senses... but, I feel it..."

”Why would I be in here?”

Kerry closed her eyes and bit down on her lip as a sudden piercing pain was felt within her heart upon hearing those words. The worry had now mutated into dreadful fear. Yet still….

”Y-You’re here in this room because of this.”, Kerry muttered, leaning to touch foreheads as one of her hands took one of Alice’s and placed it on her stomach, holding it there. ”Because it’s here where our family started.”

The hornet opened her eyes and Alice would see that they had become very wet.

"Family? Family..." Alice tilted her eyes, before frowned. "A family... I... wait... I remember something... vague... I..."

"I remember... the wind... you... I remember you... and... something... It... We fought... I yelled... then, I left... we argued..." Alice grit her teeth, "Kerry... Mors? Morrigan? Moss... Help me... I..."

Alice was struggling, but coming around.

There! There it was, in Alice’s eyes. A spark of memory!

”Kerry Maros! That’s my name, yes!”, the merc responded, the fear being pushed back as hope surged within her heart as she made sure Alice’s hand was still on her stomach and Alice’s eyes remained on her. ”Come on, Ali. Come back to me. You can do it, love.”

"Love? Love? I’ve... we..." Alice asks. "All we’ve done is fight... argue... trifle... we couldn’t love each other."

”Yes, we have. We already did…”

Tears welled and fell down Kerry’s cheeks, tightening her hold on Alice’s hand to the life growing within her womb.

”You came back….and next thing you know……We fell in love.”

"That sounds insane..." Alice says. "But..." she felt the swirling of Mana beneath her palm. "But..." Alice grit her teeth again, "Lying isn’t your strong suit, Kerry. You’re not clever enough for it," she says, "That’s my favourite part of you."

Kerry gasped.

”Ali? Are you…?”

"My head is killing me. I don’t think it’s blood loss... so... what happened," Alice asks.

”Ali, you…..you……”

Next thing Alice knew, she was on the floor, her hands bound by Kerry’s as she looked up to a crying, irate pregnant hornet.

”YOU PERPETUAL DUMBASS!”, she shouted, uncaring to the ones nearby that heard her as her tears fell onto the mad hatter. ”What happened was you and Carroll getting into a fight after she barged in here with Eula and Takeshi! Next thing any of us knew, you two fuckheads fuse and transform into…..I don’t know what you turned into! All I know is that it took Eula and I to pry the two of you off each other! You almost didn’t remember me, Alice! You almost forgot Gwen!”

"Oi... That's harsh..." Alice pouted. "Curious turn of events, however, from the sound of it. Though, I'd never forget you or my little jellybean," she says, snapped back to her usual overt confident tone, "The whole of Varjo would have to kill me first. And, that's would take doing against the Queen of Terauchi Temple, and her King, Alice the Queen of Diamonds."

"Now, in regards to this position of yours..." Alice smirked.

Kerry stared incredulously at her lover. Their budding family just averted a heartbreaking crisis and Alice is more concerned with how she is straddling her. Unbelievable.

”Don’t give me that shit. You made me cry, you ass. Do you have any idea how scared I got at the thought of you not remembering us? ”

"I could ask the same..." Alice says, dropping all pretenses. "Can you tell me how terrifying it is for your memories to rip apart and glue themselves back together, while staring at someone you can't remember or barely know, crying and begging for you, all the while, a voice is whispering venomous promises of power and strength if you just give in..." she asks, "It's not like I wanted you to cry... I don't even remember what happened... No... I don't remember who happened..."

It would become painfully apparent, Alice wasn't playing around and being horny - she was deflecting.

”Stop that.”

Seeing Alice putting on a front again, Kerry placed her hands on Alice’s face once more, more gently this time.

”Stop putting on that damn mask like shit doesn’t get to you because it clearly does. I just saw it!”

It would become crystal clear, Kerry wasn’t gonna let Alice shrug this off like she normally did.

Alice worried her lower lip, before she squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to banish all thoughts. Surrender was the last option after killing herself, but Kerry was slipping beyond her defenses.

"I have to..."

”No…..You don’t have to…”

The kiss that followed chaste and simple, yet the weight of emotion and trust behind it would be enough to knock out even the Demon Lord herself.

”.....Not with me.”

Alice whine softly, though tears had broken beyond the barrier, and dripped down her face. "I have to be strong..."

"I can't fail her. I have to make this place her Kingdom..."

”A kingdom is a people, not a place. It’s wherever we make it, no matter how small or big it is.”, whispered Kerry, a heartfelt smile on her crying face. She meant those words, one hundred percent.”As far as I’m concerned, my kingdom is wherever you are. And I don’t think Gwen would care either….

”....As long as her daddy is there to give and receive hugs and kisses.”

Alice crumbled, "...I don't know if I can come back from there, if I cross that line again..."

”If you cross that line, then I will cross it with you. If you ever should fall, I will be the one to catch you. Should you stray and feel lost, I will be your guiding light in the darkness. No matter what comes our way. Gwen and I will always be with you. After all….”

Kerry then showed Alice the ring and gave a warm smile.

”....I am your wife.”

"Say it again..." Alice says, "Burn it into my memory. Sear it into my soul, so I won't drift..." she says, taking Kerry's hand, "Promise me, you won't regret running headlong and blindly down this wild road. Bind that power to you, heart and soul, so I can never be overcome again."

"Kerry Maros... Marry me."

”....Allisyn Wunderland…”, Kerry began with eyes filled with love, her voice lowered but her tone brimming with warmth and conviction. ”I, Kerry Maros, do solemnly swear, through sickness and in health, through good times and bad, that I will always be by your side forevermore. Be it the gates of heaven or the depths of hell, nothing in this world will break this bond. I do, Ali…..I do.”

"It's a Frabjous Day, then! We'll need to throw a party! A wedding party! We'll need a priest, and invitations, and you will need a dress to show off!" Alice beamed, "We'll do this to tradition!"

"Hm. I should likely speak to Carroll about this, as well, and there is that pesky Heavenly Strike thing to accomplish," Alice says, pressing a perfectly filed nail to get lower lip, before clapping, "We'll just make a thing of it! A shared bachelor and bachelorette party of kicking some ass and taking back the Heavenly Strike technique!"

The hornet giggled as she laid a finger on Alice’s lips, halting her joyous spiel about planning a wedding. A wedding. Again, Mamono don’t do this. Yet here was Alice, doing exactly that.

”A wedding sounds fun, Ali. While I think it’s unnecessary, my mom would kill me if she found out I got married and she was the last to know. Not to mention my father would never forgive me if he didn’t walk me down the aisle. The invitations will take some time, considering the size of my family. HOWEVER....we can plan all of this after we drive the Varjans away from the island. We wouldn't want our big day to be crashed by a roving warband, now would we?”

"True, true. I would hate to get blood on my suit," Alice says, sitting up, and propping her chin on her fist, and her elbow on her knee, as she put on a grumpy, thinking face. "So, take back the Heavenly Strike technique, then slaughter all the Varjans, and send out the invites. That's the easiest part," as if blown away in a breeze, the powerful form of the Lilim blew away in magical dust, leaving Alice behind, so she could reach into her hat, "Ta-da!"

Alice would produce a fistful of fancily embroidered tickets with names and destinations, all of them being Kerry's extensive family. "Anytime, anywhere, a Mad Hatter can throw a party by bending Time and Space. Her invitation will find you, no matter where you hide, as long as you are alive, that is. Accepting it will teleport you to the party, until it ends," she beamed, "We call it [O' Frabjous Day!] and it's the only spell I actually know."

”How did you-”, Kerry began to question as she took the tickets, only to then remember who she was talking to. ”Ah. Nevermind. Mad hatter shenanigans is something I won’t question. You probably got the names of my family members just from touching me so much.”

Which might sound creepy to others, but after spending so much time with the wacky fungi woman, Kerry just went with the flow of it.

”How does a small spring wedding back in the Verdanlands sound?”

"Sounds like a wonderful adventure," Alice says. "And, a magician never tells her secrets."

”Pffft, fine. Keep your secrets. As your future wife, I have ways to make you talk.”, the merc responded with a mischievous wink.

"Well, the only secret I won't keep is you," Alice says, before standing up. "I better go talk to Carroll, since I can't leave my Best Man in the dark. You have to find yourself a Bridesmaid, too," she says, "Busy, busy!"

”Ugh, guess I’ll have to find a Maid of Honor as well. I guess that could be Liliana, I don’t exactly feel confident in her being Gwen’s godmother. Jeez, we are going to be so busy, huh?”

Alice nodded. "Indeed," she says, "Though, might be better off asking for someone else to play Maid of Honor. Not sure if a Fairy truly understands that much responsibility." Suddenly, before Kerry could really formulate a rebuttal - if one did exist - Alice would sneakily press a kiss to Kerry's cheek, before ducking down, and pressing a second to her belly. "Don’t bully Mommy, little jellybean. Okay?"

Standing with a wink, Alice would flitter from the room without another word.

For a moment, Kerry stood with a surprised look on her face, rubbing both her cheek and stomach after Alice snuck a smooch on them.

She could’ve sworn she felt a pulse in her belly, as if in response to the affectionate gesture.

”....Heh”, she chuckled, blushing. ”Daddy’s a smooth one, ain’t she Gwen?”

Then, the hornet made her way out the room as well, ready to take on another day.

---

Forked Roads Often Merge Into New Paths

Having spend the better part of five centuries, or half a millenia, operating as a duo - sometimes as allies, often as enemies, but always for their shared goal of skewering their warden - Alice and Carroll would always line up, no matter how their paths diverged and forked off into their own solo jaunts. As such, it was no surprise to either that they would cross paths with the same purpose.

Stopping short of crashing into each other, Alice looked at Carroll, and Carroll looked Alice; the shortstack Queen and her Blade holding an awkward silence, before:

"Hey there..."

They spoke in unison, inciting burning blushing.

"You first."

Again.

"I’m sorry!"

A steep bow tossed their head down; though, a step back on either end would have been advised, as the respectful motion resulted in a bonking of heads and hats.

"Ow! My head!" Alice groaned.

"Yours!? Mine, too!" Carroll groused.

For a moment, the two locked glaring eyes before their expression softened, and they broke into a mirthful chuckle of shared pain and forgiveness.

"I see you have your mind as right as it can be for a Mad Hatter," Carroll says.

"And, you, yours, selfsame, eh," Alice asks.

"To wit," Carroll says. "Eula... she broke through to me, and pulled me back from Her grip, and..." she looked at the ground, "...whatever that I hateful creature I used to be."

"It wasn’t just me, then," Alice asks, "There was a... different memory... like... someone I was, and she..." Alice frowned deeply, "She didn’t want to leave. I’ve never felt like that."

"I don’t know if its a product of my nature, yours, or both... but... I know this much," Carroll looked up, her expression firm, "I never want to lose control again, so we need to train to gain a foothold on that power."

Alice smirked, "Seems like you read my mind." Alice adjusted her hat, and looked to the sky, "I have a child coming into this world. For her, nothing will hold me back - not even myself."

"Agreed," Carroll nodded, as she started to melt, and formed into her True Form; a large pair of scissors, one blade red, and one blade purple. "There’s still plenty of sunlight left. So, let’s get this figured out. I promised Eula, I would come back to her, and I never break my promises."

"Same.There’s too much at stake to get lost in power struggles with my own mind," Alice says, "I swore to Kerry, I’d never leave her behind again. I meant that. Promises have power in every world, and we’ll turn those promises into the power to stay in control."

Carroll hummed in agreement, as Alice took the red blade, and held the finger ring in her right hand as if a handle on a sword. At the same time, the purple blade’s finger ring would reach out and wrap around her sword arm; melting and reforming into a powerful, connective armor that brought Sword Devil and Mad Hatter under a single unity.

As the armor formed, the two blades split away from each other, and lengthened, before merging once more to form an empty hollow, like a tuning fork, and shared their color with each other.

Finally, Alice herself transformed; releasing her aura once more, and blasting Terauchi Temple and the surrounding area.

A moment of silence passed... before the fusion took off with an explosive speed, and disappeared into the woods.

<SHE’S OUT OF CONTROL!>

<I NOTICED!>

<THERE’S A TREE IN THE WAY!>

<I SEE IT!>

<IT’S GETTING CLOSER!>

<THANKS FOR THE UPDATE!>

<WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING!>

<GREAT IDEA!>

<YEAH! IT IS!>

<THEN DO SOMETHING!>

<LIKE!?>

<I DON’T KNOW! ATTACK THE TREE!>

<WORKS FOR ME! ATTACK THE TREE>

Suddenly, the fusion drew back on her blade, and passed through the tree...

"Heavenly Strike."

...before landing in a clearing, as several trees fell behind her.

"...yeah, We can work with this."

<Though, isn't that the technique we are looking for?>

<Yeah. Though, I have no recollection of it. She just... did it.>

<It seems she remembers things that we can't. Like, a repository of knowledge.>

<That could be handy... IF WE CAN CONTROL HER!>

As Alice and Carroll spoke, the fusion was Heavenly Striking trees with reckless abandon, as if testing her blade like an overzealous rookie or an arrogant bandit. Deforestation was the name of the game in her heart, and she loved to play, as she swept in a whirling dervish of angles and death. Her motions only came to a stop whenever Alice and Carroll could unify and wrench control back.

"We gained control again. We are so reckless, if we hesitate for even a moment, We act instinctually," the fusion managed between gulps of breath. "We have to focus on unification of tasks, of Our very thoughts; We must be One," she surmises. "We need a name."

<What's a good name, though?>

<No idea. I'm sure we'll think of something... wait... WE STOPPED CONTROLLING HER!>

Loose, the fusion was back to playing her destructive game, until she was tired enough that control could be wrenched back.

"By the Queen's Cards..." the fusion panted. "All this power. It feels like... hers. Could this be the power of a Lilim's daughter? Insane. It's so hard to control..." she grit her teeth, and sank to one knee, using her sword to steady herself. "The sheer power of dynasty..."

Suddenly, the fusion looked up with a pretty smirk. "Dinah!" she stood with a clap, "It's a perfect play! Dynasty! Diner! A name for We! A name for Me!"

"My name is Dinah, Queen of Di..." Suddenly, the newly named fusion wobbled, "Queen of Di... Dia..." she groaned, and fell backwards, as her eyes closed, "...Diamonds...~"

As she hit the ground, Dinah would split into Alice and Carroll; the Sword Devil tumbling away from the Mad Hatter, and reforming to her Human Form to gather herself.

Alice... you okay..." Carroll asks, as she crawled over. Unconscious, huh. I guess that takes a lot out of you more than me. Perks of being half-Lilim..."

Carroll groaned, and forced herself to her feet, and collected Alice. It was a long trek back to Terauchi Temple...

Rain World: Dying God, Four Drops of Poison (Looking for players)

One Wilted Rose

Name: One Wilted Rose

Title: The Canary

Pronouns: She/Her

Body Color/Eye Color/Any potential patterning: Rose once had a delightfully red coat and matches eyes with a cream colored underside. After surviving The Illness, her red coat became a sickly green and her underside darkened, while her whiskers and eyes turned a more dangerous, warning red.

Animalistic Ability: Immunization. Due to The Illness, Rose has developed hyper-aggressive antibodies that makes her more resistant to venom, poison, illness, and spider bites, allowing her to explore otherwise dangerous areas, but at the cost of a heightened metabolism.

Diet: By and large, Rose is omnivorous, preferring a diet of bugs and fruits. However, using her ability to immunize herself causes her metabolism to go into overdrive, and she becomes an obligate carnivore for a while.

What even gave your character their title: Known once as the One Shining Rose, upon falling sick and miraculously surviving, the Elder Slugcats of her pride would damn her with her new name and the cruel title she now shouldered; pushing her to the outskirt to survive on her own in fear that she could sicken them and as an early warning of any new sicknesses approaching, much like a canary set loose in a mineshaft.

What brought your character to go on a potentially deadly quest to end the sickness: Having survived The Illness herself, Rose yearns to find if her survival can ensure future Slugcats will never fall victim like she did, because they might not be so lucky.

What is your character’s greatest fear and why: Rose fears, above all things, failing to find a cure for The Illness, for that which changed her so thoroughly. Finding a cure is the only thing that gives her life meaning, and losing that...

Is there an item your character keeps with them at all times: Rose keeps a little, die-cast thimble that she once found in a board game box. It is good at trapping bugs and scooping water.

How has your character’s life been affected by the illness: In addition to changing her life, Rose has lost her pride, and is an outcast with nothing but her mission.

Picture:

Rain World: Dying God, Four Drops of Poison (Looking for players)

@Enkryption She looks great! Feel free to put her in the Characters section. Just know that if you copy her over, the hider still says "One Poisoned Rose".

@JewelSerket

Lol.

I guess I should fix that, eh? XD