Dark Side of the Moon
Cross Effects => Cross Effects => Areas => Topic started by: Aiden on March 23, 2019, 03:05:01 PM
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The Citadel of Sorcery
Long ago, in what at the time had been the center of the growing Nexus, a cabal of magic users from across the multiverse gathered together with one purpose. They had hoped to harness the many unique forms of magical energy their presence had brought to the Nexus in one place, to master all power within this strange dimension in which they had been imprisoned. Perhaps they had wished to become gods, or to free themselves from this place, but whatever it was they aimed to do it all went horribly wrong. All that remains is a massive hole in the ground, and the largest focal point of magical energy in the Nexus today.
A spiraling Omphalos rises up from the center of this massive crater, consisting of thousands of threads winding up to the sky. Each is a different form and color of mana. Here the sky is violet with crackling power, all normal weather patterns suspended. Around this center an assembly of towers have been constructed of a variety of materials, each surrounding it in circles of increasing height and distance from the center. The oldest and most prestigious towers directly surround the Omphalos, squat edifices of stone bathed in its titanic energies. Each subsequent circle of towers is taller and more numerous than the last, size and opulence compensating for lessening importance and access to the Omphalos.
At the edge of the crater where the rest of the Nexus begins again is a thick wall of enchanted glass, impervious to all but the most divine of spells and unbreakable by any force short of hours of constant artillery barrage. Only a series of gates equidistant from one another around the circumference of the wall present notable weak points, and these only relatively so. The tallest and most durable of towers extend up from just behind the wall, home to the most militant and least prestigious of the crater’s inhabitants. Visitors seeking to partake of the Omphalos’ seemingly infinite might must first prove themselves to these guardians, a task easier said than done.
Culture
The Citadel of Sorcery, as it’s now known, is home to a population of magical users numbering in the thousands - largest in the Nexus. Every tower is home to either an eclectic bunch of sorcerous squatters, or the headquarters of a magical society of varying size and potency. The line there is a little blurry, with old orders declining over time into hyper-competitive rabble while the squatters organize and start deciding on dress codes and fancy titles. The only true commonality between them is a dedication to the art, science, practice, or whatever of magic as their members know - and a thirst for easily accessible energy.
Toward the center are the most successful and powerful of the magical orders calling the Citadel their home. The unimpressive but sturdy towers they live in are full of wonders and horrors scarcely seen elsewhere, enabled by the Omphalos. Competition for positions within their ranks are fierce, and they prefer to train their own members from scratch rather than accept powerful outsiders who have their own ideas and the weight to push them. They keep to themselves.
Further out this become less the case, with various magical orders jockeying to attract the attention of outsiders to fill their ranks and give them an edge that might allow them to claim the coveted central towers. Politicking and productivity abound in these intermediate towers, each of them eager to prove themselves superior by showing off the fruits of their sorcery. This activity forms a cornerstone of the Citadel of Sorcery’s economy as enchanted items, unique lifeforms, and potent potions flow out to practitioners and wealthy people in other districts of the Nexus in exchange for everyday staple commodities.
It’s not all knowledge and and power here of course. A substantial underclass of non-magical people are bound through fear and contract to labor beneath the shadows of the towers for their sorcerous overlords. Some of them have lived in the Citadel for generations, and exposure to the abundant mana has produced various mutations that make many of these people unsuitable for everyday life in most other districts. Joining them are the multitude of homunculi, summoned beings, and custom creatures who allow for impossible feats of engineering. Some of them are even rented out to the neighbors. Non-magical immigrants are for this reason uncommon.
Politics
There are four tiers of magical orders to be found in the Citadel. The highest and most exclusive rule from the towers directly adjacent to the Omphalos and its great power, and prefer to focus on their research into harnessing its power. They produce wonders, and horrors, the like of which the other orders can scarcely dream of and leverage access to their products in exchange for all the raw materials and necessities they need to otherwise ignore the world around them. They rule no territory beyond the immediate defensible territory around their towers.
The most publicly known of the first tier orders are the Silver Seekers, an order of masked and robed alchemists who allegedly transfer their souls into golems after completing their apprenticeships. Those few who profess to have seen what they look like under it claim their bodies gleam with an outer coating of precious metals, and that their masters spend their days harnessing the vast might of the Omphalos as fuel for otherwise impossible acts of transmutation. Unique elements with properties not found in nature sometimes find their way into the hands of those who satisfy their eccentric demands.
The second tier consists of those orders who rule from intermediate towers are much more competitive and socially engaged. They maintain territories of varying size and productivity, turning raw materials into reagents and enchanted items and constructing “capacitors” for mana out of metal and stone. The means available to them begins with human and demihuman slaves and goes up to whatever the order can procure through their magic at the time.
Perhaps the most economically active of the second tier orders are the Scribes of Thoth. Known for their pure white linen robes, their shaved heads, and their Ibis headdresses, the Scribes have harnessed the magical power they claim is inherent in record keeping. By making exacting records of every transaction, every discovery, and every historical event they can they seek to perfect their understanding of the Scroll of Ages, a cosmic record containing all knowledge. There appears to be something to this theory, because through numerological examination of their records and the proper application of mana they can make forecasts of incredible accuracy regarding future events - especially economic ones. They are the go to for anyone looking to figure out which markets to break into, and when. Their ability to call upon the spirits of the dead and bend them to their will is pretty neat, too.
The third tier is made of the militant orders whose towers loom over the peak of the great wall surrounding the Citadel. They are both the most popular and most tedious of magicians, battle mages who specialize in blowing things up and enhancing their own physical abilities to ward off invaders. They also have a surprising aptitude for customs enforcement - if only in the form of opportunistic extortion.
An exception to the normal mold, the Sidereal Order seek to protect the Citadel of Sorcery by means of advanced divination. More a secret society of mystical intelligence operators than fire-crazy spellswords, the Sidereals are masters of scrying upon past and current events in order to perceive potential threats and investigate conflicts. Other orders are wary of them, as it is not unknown for the militant third tier orders to pull the occasional coup against a second tier one in hopes of gaining access to more mana and research materials. The Sidereal Order reassures its contemporaries that they are more interested in what lies beyond the Citadel’s walls than within.
The fourth tier consists of those magical orders, covens, and individuals who have either not yet acquired a tower of their own, or who have acquired a tower but have not yet secured their hold over it and the surrounding territories. The former are tolerated by the higher tier orders simply because the effort of removing them is too much, or because they can serve as useful test subjects. The latter are looked upon warily as potential rivals, and they see regular efforts to undermine their attempt to join a higher tier with their new acquisition.
Who is the Chief at the head of all this? Their representative is no ruler at all, in truth, but a construct forged from the heart of the Omphalos. None can claim with any credibility to be its creator, but the Keeper is essentially perfect for the job. It is a shapeshifting paragon of magical communication methods, able to poll representatives from the Citadel's constituent orders at any time on the rare occasions when diplomacy demands collective decision-making. It can withstand artillery fire unscathed, but is otherwise limited to the abilities of an exceptional mortal human. If the Keeper is destroyed, it will reform within the Omphalos within a month's time. In the absence of consensus it will default to whatever decisions will best preserve the Omphalos from total subjugation, and in fact it may well be playing the orders against each other to prevent any one group from having total control.
But that last one's just a conspiracy theory.
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Edelgard
An icy itch clung to Edelgard's skin after stepping out of Sakura's dark portals for the eighth or ninth time. She understood the infinite depths of the girl's gateways better each trip, and once they planted their feet on the ground at their destination, she stayed still for a second longer than strictly needed, unwilling to show evidence of the cascading nausea over her senses. Edelgard glimpsed up at the sight that greeted them, her gaze sliding up the wall, and up, and further up, past its edge.
The warrior scoffed and began to walk towards the guardians of the gate, slightly ahead of the mage. "Hurts my eyes," she remarked. "But could stop an elder dragon. Impregnable."
Once they were facing the ornate gate, engraved with runes and something Edelgard thought much like orichalc, she struck the butt of her spear against the ground to call the guards' attention, and allowed Sakura to speak.
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Sakura
Sakura gingerly stepped out of her shadow with a serene smile, taking in the awe inspiring works of magic seemingly everpresent in this city. The demon she didn't dare go near, little convinences that she'd found on the internet, this wall, and the secrets held within it.
It was enough to make even her feel a bit tingly.
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The Citadel of Sorcery
10:00 am
The border between the Citadel and the many surrounding districts was unlike any other. Where most borders build up as close to their borders as possible, here there was a small no-mans-land between the enormous walls and the closest outsider structures. In that zone the sky took on the seeming of twilight, royal purples and brilliant reds and oranges overtaking the mid-morning blues. The wall itself went up and up, taller than any nearby building and visibly absorbing the sunlight into itself. It shone with that harnessed power, and added to it a lovely azure hue that threatened to crackle out like lightning.
Looming even above the wall were a pair of enormous crystalline towers. Anyone with good enough eyesight could see the heavily armored guards standing atop it, looking down with pikes that seemed to double as wizard's staves with the way they hummed with power. Four more like them were present down on the ground by the large open gates where large wooden crates were being moved in and out of trucks lined up in No Man's Land. One of them, a larger man, was shouting out orders. "Keep it moving! The next shipment is due in five minutes, this lot need to be out of here in four!"
The laborers were men and women and... things, of all sorts. Muscular, wiry, exotic hair colors and a mix of animal ears. Some had scaly hides, others had four eyes, and all of them shared the simple reality of not having much in common at all. And here they were, moving big wooden crates.
One of the guards turned to recognize the newcomers who had arrived by obvious magic. "State your business, ladies."
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The Citadel of Sorcery
10:00 am
The border between the Citadel and the many surrounding districts was unlike any other. Where most borders build up as close to their borders as possible, here there was a small no-mans-land between the enormous walls and the closest outsider structures. In that zone the sky took on the seeming of twilight, royal purples and brilliant reds and oranges overtaking the mid-morning blues. The wall itself went up and up, taller than any nearby building and visibly absorbing the sunlight into itself. It shone with that harnessed power, and added to it a lovely azure hue that threatened to crackle out like lightning.
Looming even above the wall were a pair of enormous crystalline towers. Anyone with good enough eyesight could see the heavily armored guards standing atop it, looking down with pikes that seemed to double as wizard's staves with the way they hummed with power. Four more like them were present down on the ground by the large open gates where large wooden crates were being moved in and out of trucks lined up in No Man's Land. One of them, a larger man, was shouting out orders. "Keep it moving! The next shipment is due in five minutes, this lot need to be out of here in four!"
The laborers were men and women and... things, of all sorts. Muscular, wiry, exotic hair colors and a mix of animal ears. Some had scaly hides, others had four eyes, and all of them shared the simple reality of not having much in common at all. And here they were, moving big wooden crates.
One of the guards turned to recognize the newcomers who had arrived by obvious magic. "State your business, ladies."
Sakura
Sakura was overwhelmed by the grand and opulent magesty of the structure, able to feel its overbearing strength from even here, but only for a moment. She quickly composed herself before elegantly flipping her hair with a hmph, projecting the air befitting nobility. "I am a new arrival and I wish to join a magic order, as well as to reside within your-ah, district, I think they were called here."
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The Citadel of Sorcery
The guard looked both of them over carefully for several seconds, then nodded his head. "Very well. If you will follow me to the gatehouse one of our scribes can process your immigration request. At this time of day there shouldn't be too much of a line." The armored warrior tapped his pike on the ground twice, and then Sakura could feel something in the air shift.
A subtle ward had adjusted around them. He turned to lead them to the gate and into a passage off to the side. It led to a small and functional office lined with archaic weapons all along the walls. It was full of chairs, and there was a desk in the middle. Behind it sat a hooded figure in deep grey robes who was handwriting something with a fountain pen.
He waved the guard off, silently, and then motioned for Edelgard and Sakura to take seats in front of him.
The subtle wards were no longer so subtle, settling on them with a noticeable pressure. A slight discomfort.
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Edelgard
Edelgard stayed close to Sakura like her own shadow when they moved inside. Her companion was by no means frail, and she was someone of the arcane world, not merely versed in it, but it still made the Forsaken irrevocably nervous to stride into a stronghold of magic so boldly and with so few.
At first she made to stand to Sakura's side on her feet, placed as an observer but not a participant, but she reminded herself this was for her too, and took her seat next to the girl. She cast her gaze around, taking her impressions of the magic that surrounded them, resting her original weapon diagonally against her body, hands still wrapped loosely around it.
The other spear was strapped to her back, and covered up from tip to ip.
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The Citadel of Sorcery
The scribe made them wait for another ten seconds as he apparently marked his place. He carefully placed his pen side, folded his hands in front of himself, and let out a sigh. In a soft whisper that somehow carried to the rest of the room he said, "Immigration, then. You will need to provide some demographic information, and register your magical specialty. This information will be made available by request to..."
He paused, taking another breath.
"... to interested magical orders upon request. Optional information is appreciated, such as if your magic is an innate gift or an academic... discipline."
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Lawrence
7:30 AM
Kyahahahaha!
A fiery hawk soared the skies and spun trails of fire above the rooftops before diving down to the streets. Its eyes glowed as it scouted the area, surveying the corners and the cracks in the streets. Heheheh, this was too easy! These towers were no match for him, he dived and spun in the air acrobatically before taking the low ground, flying between the passerby's legs without a care, much to their panic and fright. With a snappy beak movement he snatched their purses while he was at it and cackled. This is what he lived for!
Suckers.
With a smug grin, he looked back and laughed, only for his eyes to widen as a horse carriage suddenly trotted right in his path, throwing him off track while he flew back and barely avoided a splash of filthy water. A screech of indignation the stolen purses to fall on the ground.
"Hey, hey, hey! Watch it you!" He snapped, unbelievably shocked by this lack of manners! Dumb animal, what did he think he was, he almost got hit by that! It wasn't his fault the traffic laws didn't abide to his whims. But just as the carriage left his field of vision, something behind it that certainly wasn't there appeared the moment it left appeared.
"You seem to enjoy yourself, little flame." An ashen figure with hair as burnt coal stared at the creature with the ghost of a smile. Despite that, its stare was as icy as a dagger in the back.
The bird gulped.
10:00
"Dammit! For the last time, I didn't steal anything! I swear! It ain't thieving if it's in broad daylight, just some friendly borrowing! C'mon, you could've let me keep the diamonds!" The flaming creature flew around the dark man, who had just finished returned the so called borrowed goods. Compared to the familiar's graceful aerial maneuvers, his stride was much calmer and lithe, with a hint of a limp to it. His cane clacked against the hard ground and his steps carried a certain lack of weight to them.
Despite that, he seemed much heavier than someone of his size. Perhaps it was the weight of having to hear to such rambling.
"I won't hear any of it. If a pressured stone can become a gem, it'll be your turn to shine soon enough." He seemed unconcerned with the creature, instead walking towards his destination with cane in one hand and book in another, reading to his heart's content.
"Are you sure you saw her?" His silken words fell like gravity, and the bird felt a certain pressure when he spoke of that woman. "Erm, yeah! No doubt about it, she looks the part alright. You shouldn't be doubting your pal like that!" He finally decided to land on his shoulder and rest a little. "Think she'll be able to help us? With our... problem, I mean." It finally decided to ask him.
A ghost of a smile appeared on the pale man's lips. "Who knows? The threads of fate are fickle, and they are not the kind who'd smile so easily upon us. There is only one way to find out." He snapped the book shut with a dramatic gesture and stopped, for just as he said that he arrived exactly where he meant to be. Before him was a simple door.
"Kah! Sure, whatever you say Shakespeare!"
Despite the man's confident tone, for a second, he hesitated to touch the door knob. His hand flinched back for a second, and his expression grew somber. No, it wouldn't be right to just enter like this. It just... wouldn't.
He decided to take his cane and knocked on the door thrice. "Is anyone here?" He asked simply.
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Sakura Edelfeldt
Magic coursed through Sakura's veins as she sat down, gripping tightly on her magic wand, as if she were holding Sapphire's hand for comfort more than anything else. She bit her lip as the wards settled down and took a deep breath.
Oh, how she hated talking about her demographics. Talking about her magical talents was fine, to an extent, but talking about her past, ugh...
She'd avoid that line of questioning, if at all possible. Some people didn't bat an eye when an obviously Asian woman called herself Finnish. Others were more probing.
She clicked her tongue before speaking up, settling down into her chair as much as she could, under the circumstances. "My name is Sakura Edelfeldt, and my companion here is named Edelgard. I'm from Finland, and am formally trained in mineralogy, alchemy, and in the study of the Imaginary Abyss."
She leaned back a bit, smiling just a tad. "Would a demonstration be helpful?"
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Edelgard
She stared intensily at the scribe, and only stopped when Sakura finished speaking, directing an inquisitive glance at the edges of her expressions. Finland was not a familiar name to her, as expected, but Edelgard didn't hope that anyone would know her birthplace either.
"I am a Forsaken. From the Wasteland which borders Illyris," she said, and rested on her next words for a moment. "Combat specialist. Magic to murder mages."
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The Scribe
The man in his robes dutifully penned down everything Sakura stated, though in more words it seemed than she had used. There were also some motions that resembled someone checking off boxes as well. However, the scribe's pen paused when Edelgard revealed her own specialty. The man took a deep, wheezing breath at that, and then let out a cough. "That... is not a field which will make you many friends in this place, miss. But, I suspect you will find ones who would court you soon enough."
His attention shifted back to Sakura. "Not... with me, no. I will say your stated specialty in Mineralogy has... flagged you for interest by at least one order already. There is a..."
He paused. "... standing request by the Lapidarian Society to alert them of prospective recruits with a background in the field. Shall I place you down as desiring a meeting?"
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Lawrence
"Hrm. How odd. I thought this place was open."
He thought he was being courteous, but it seemed this place was vacant after all. What a shame. It couldn't be helped though. That hesitation seemed to be hilarious for the fiery bird, who had to try its hardest to resist the most violent fit of guffawing in the whole Nexus. Cackling, it flew around him, keeping its flaming wings on its beak in shock and trembling in the most obviously fake fright imaginable.
"Eep! Oh shit! It's our arch enemy, the door's back with a vengeance! What will you do, we are so screwed. Okay, don't panic bud! You know this is too much for you, we can always run. Running's aaaaalways an option. No shame in it, nope. I mean, what if a breeze shut it on your fingers? Huh?"
The man sighed, of course he'd have to remain as insufferable as ever. And yet, he shook his head and spun his cane with a simple motion, grabbed the doorknob by its edge and hooked the door open with a graceful arm motion.
"Leave my loneliness unbroken—quit the bust above my door. Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door. Quoth the Raven Nevermore." And with that, he smiled. He pulled it off smoother than he thought, maybe this would silence h-
"AAAAAAAND BEHOLD, WE HAVE A WINNER! BOW DOWN Y'ALL, THE GREAT PHENEX AND HIS SIDEKICK LAMESPEARE HAVE TWARTED CRAPPY HOME SECURITY ONCE MORE!! The bird gloated,
"Must you be so loud?" He pressed his middle finger against the bridge of his nose, hoping it might just get the ringing off his ears. "Of course! It might just wake up your 'noggin baby! Or wis pwoww Wawencwe twoo swy... kyehehehe~"
Well, two heads are better than one they say. At least, as long as he didn't lose his. So with that the two waltzed in, one strolling and the other flying.
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Neptune
10:00
"Snoooore....... Snooooore....."
The fanciful room presented when the door opened itself before him would have looked so much better, it would have looked so much better if it wasn't covered in various lying around everywhere. How could anyone work in an environment? It was complete chaos.
"Snoore....."
No it wasn't empty. The strange was coming from human. More precisely someone was lying on her stomach on top of a pile of books. The girl would have been real beauty for sure if she was ust dressed differently.... but how could she even sleep on the books? They didn't look comfortable at all.
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The Scribe
The man in his robes dutifully penned down everything Sakura stated, though in more words it seemed than she had used. There were also some motions that resembled someone checking off boxes as well. However, the scribe's pen paused when Edelgard revealed her own specialty. The man took a deep, wheezing breath at that, and then let out a cough. "That... is not a field which will make you many friends in this place, miss. But, I suspect you will find ones who would court you soon enough."
His attention shifted back to Sakura. "Not... with me, no. I will say your stated specialty in Mineralogy has... flagged you for interest by at least one order already. There is a..."
He paused. "... standing request by the Lapidarian Society to alert them of prospective recruits with a background in the field. Shall I place you down as desiring a meeting?"
Sakura
Sakura nodded. "That would be quite amicable to me. I wish to engross myself in the world of magic with the utmost haste once more."
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Edelgard
She leaned towards the mage.
"Can I come?" Edelgard asked, her expression back to a monotonous lull. "Safer."
The Forsaken had no interest in learning, so the justification was a genuine one. She had a talent for magic, she'd been told, but it had never been a path that spoke to her. What Edelgard knew, she had learned like weapons, meant to aid her in battle, and she forgotten basics that had been impressed upon her once.
But then, one of those had been useless against Sakura, hadn't it? She hadn't probed the girl about it, but if like their worlds, her magic was different too, then her arsenal had a hole in it. This could be the occasion to fill it. Later.
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The Scribe
After a moment of renewed scribbling with that fancy fountain pen of his, the scribe pulled out a sack from one of the drawers in his desk. Then he grabbed a handful of a fine green powder, and threw it into something behind his desk. A big green flame exploded out from it, and the smoke from it whisked its way out of the room by passing between Sakura and Edelgard.
"I have sent the message... for them to prepare for your arrival." The scribe pointed to the door they entered by with his pen. "You may await their delegate in the bazaar within House Antioch's territory, just beyond the gatehouse. They will know... how to find you."
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Neptune
10:00
"Snoooore....... Snooooore....."
The fanciful room presented when the door opened itself before him would have looked so much better, it would have looked so much better if it wasn't covered in various lying around everywhere. How could anyone work in an environment? It was complete chaos.
"Snoore....."
No it wasn't empty. The strange was coming from human. More precisely someone was lying on her stomach on top of a pile of books. The girl would have been real beauty for sure if she was ust dressed differently.... but how could she even sleep on the books? They didn't look comfortable at all.
Lawrence
When the ashen man stepped in, he hummed a pleasant tune. It was....difficult to navigate this labyrinth, he had to admit. Where paper did not block his path, he tried exercising as much carefulness as he could to not step on anything undesirable. "Where could she be...ah." He smiled, turning his eyes until he finally caught the sleeping beauty on her bed of paper.
"You looks well."
But his companion had caught something else in the corner of its eyes, and cackled in glee at the sight of it all. Gold, jewels, swords, a whoopin' treasure den all for him. Seeing all this plunder ripe for the taking, it glowed and flapped his wings, ready to dive and take it all for himself. Not like Lamespeare'd care about the good stuff, what a lame-o.
"Yes! Kyahaaa! It's free real esta-aghrhraghrhrgggrrhhh.." Before it could dive down to get its fiery claws all over that sweet treasure, a claw of its own clutched straight into his throat. Lawrence spun his cane and reeled the bird back in, plunging him down the ground to pin him with a light thud. The bird struggled, scandalously indignant. How dare he! Being manhandled by a mere human. But despite their difference in power, something imperceptible kept him from resisting the hold.
Lawrence put a finger to his lips and smiled, before releasing the creature. "Shh. The lady is sleeping."
The bird grit his teeth, and shook the dust off his fiery plumage. Oddly enough, he showed enough restraint not to burn all the paper around him, somehow.
"Oi oi, Hello? Anyone? This is what we've been looking for numbskull. With all due respect, are you just going to stand there? She's right there. "
But Lawrence didn't seem preoccupied. Smiling, he painstakingly walked up to one of the toppled chairs and pulled it back in place with a struggle. He sat, and simply opened his book.
"I can wait." It was all he needed to say. And with that, he turned to a new page.
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Neptune
12:00
"Hnngauuurghhhhhhh!..."
She rolled around and almost fell off the desk. It was really hard to sleep on but It did help her coming up with more creative ideas like nothing else. She took her time and stretched her legs and then her arms, yes her whole body in fact. Being relaxed was key for having a productive day after all! She thought about checking the clock, maybe she'd actually woken up in the morning this time.
So she turned her head slightly to the right and opened her eyes for the first time that day, revealing her purple orbs.
"...... H-hello?"
There was a man sitting on a chair next to her, what were the odds of that even? She probably forgot to lock the door again, although leaving it open like that was quite exciting and it looked like she'd gotten an interesting type here.
" hehee.... Did I keep you waiting for long?"
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Lawrence
12:00 AM
The reading kept him occupied, and for a while his familiar behaved. For a moment, one could wonder if he seriously planned to stay here all day. That is, until the girl's voice caught his attention. But he didn't turn to look at her, instead he kept reading with a satisfied smile.
"Mountains toppling evermore, into seas without a shore. Seas that restlessly aspire, surging unto skies of fire." And with that, the book was closed, the thud a period to the sentence.
"Merely two hours. Your rest seemed to be pleasant, to disturb it would haunt me for years."
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Neptune
She looked at him inquisitevly, he hadn't even looked back at her, was he here on official business? It was entirely possible and would explain why he was acting that way. "Are you from the order? You can tell them to go fuck themselves before I'll ever join them! I'm a free girl!" She nodded along with her statement.
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Lawrence
"If I find someone from this so called order, I'll be sure to pass the word along." He spoke softly, like silken smoke over saltwater. "But alas I am not. Forgive the disappointment, I am but a man of no consequence." His lips curled into a wry smile, and he turned to look directly at her. And perhaps, it would have been better if he did not.
His eyes were pale, of a sickly lifeless grey, yet they were as sharp as they could get. And they narrowed as if to pounce and swallow her whole, as if there was something he was trying to see past her.
"They call you the forger of the stars, and I couldn't deny that the title piqued my interest. Someone who can create anything from nothing. Anything? I asked, and they answered: Everything."
Basically he was really just asking one thing.
"Are the tales of your skill true?"
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Neptune
Even if he was sickly pale and gave off a completely unpleasant aura, she wasn't phased much at all. She'd dealt with scarier customers in the past and this guy didn't seem so ad even if his presence was what it was. But she understood that had more to do with his eing than his actual demeaner.
As he questioned her about her skills, her eyes roamed over his body once more before she confidently met his gaze and cut him off by answering his question with one of her own. "Let me guess, you want to make your body more stable?"
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Lawrence
Lawrence shook his head.
"You are a perceptive one. But... no. If it were so simple, I wouldn't have needed to come all this way. I believe the expression would be.... barking at the wrong tree?" For a moment, he grimaced. This wasn't the most pleasant of topics, but for her to notice already...
"My body is fine for what it is. You work with many different materials, yes? In this case, think of my existence as more like the iron meant to be smelted. If left outside carelessly for too long, the rains and winds will scatter down on me and shatter me into dust. That is the will of this world."
But despite the grimness of this topic, for a moment he smiled at her sincerely. Meanwhile, the fiery creature just watched in silence.
to be human
"That is what it means to accept mortality, no?"
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Neptune
"No."
She leapt of the table and landed on her feet, only to tower over his sitting form. "You're clearly not okay if you're discussing philosophy this early besides... Mortality is way overrated. You sound like a total pessimist, but rest assured, I'll fix you up in no time. I swear that on my name as the Forger of the Stars."
"So why did you really come here?...."
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Lawrence
Lawrence blinked, his face dumbstruck. For a moment, he just stared wide eyed at her scene, unsure of what to say. And there was nothing wrong with discussing philosophy in the first place. Morning had scattered away a while ago either way, so he felt justified in his cultured mannerisms. Perhaps she needed some tea to calm down.
"Ah? Well, um-"
"Pffffffffffffffft!! Kahahahaha! Damn right sister! Finally someone is talking some sense in this city! At this rate, I was going to jump off the roof or somethin'!"
The bird just guffawed before he could even muster a proper response, and flew around the two with a smug grin, cackling at the situation. "Here's one for you Shakespeare: quit trying to slack, cause dyin' is whack!"
Lawrence looked down and sighed at it all. But he assumed he had a point. If he were his original self, he'd probably had gone straight to the point and charged down. But alas...
"A powerful demon is being resurrected, and I need your help Neptune."
-
Neptune
"Oh a demon you say...." She said with a sly chuckle to go with it. That bird was rather funny.
"What kind of demon are we talking aboout? The murderous kind, the scheming plotter felllow, or the pervert who prays on young girls with icky tentacles?"
She took a step closer to him, almost invading his prvacy now as she leaned forward slightly, her new pose was far more challenging than before. "But don't think you can worm your way out of that, I told you I'd help so I will. If you still don't believe me, then why don't you try to beat me at wrestling? If you win I'll let you have what you want for free, no fees attached..."
-
Lawrence
Wrestling? How interesting... The resemblance didn't stop at her face. But still, this was a bit more forward than he planned. Was she really someone he could fight?
"Hee hee! Look at the boy, he's all skin and sticks! You'd crush him!" Phenex seemed to find the prospect hilarious, and flapped his wings behind him with a big avian grin. Seeing Lawrence getting manhandled by the bosslady would make getting dragged all the way here almost worth it.
It didn't take a genius to figure it out, he stood no chance against her in a physical contest.
"Very well. I accept." Lawrence stood up from his seat with a calm expression. Just as she loomed over him with a challenging gaze, he too now leaned against her in kind, staring straight into her with a challenging gaze of his own. No, something about it was different. Resolute.
"Kahahaha- eh?" The bird gasped in shock. Wait wait wait, this couldn't be right. He wasn't seriously going to do this was he? He literally didn't have the strength to spare! Hello? Anyone in that thick skull? Lifting a chair was hard as it was, and now he was trying to be the next Triple H? No no no, nope, not happening.
"Hey hey hey, with all due respect, you're not exactly in top shape right now. You're not seriously into mopping the floor with your face at 12:00? I know she's cute and all, but you literally can't fight her."
"He who desires but acts not breeds pestilence; So it is written." He smiled curtly at the girl. Perhaps he had a point, but if there was one thing he had in common with his old self, it was the simple fact that he loathed losing.
"Shall we dance here, Neptune? Now?"
-
Nrptune
"Damn straight I'm cute, see even your birdie is better at complimenting ladies than you are, you're just way to stiff so I'll unstiffen you and don't worry...." She crouched down on all making it obvious she was gonna leap on him. "I'll make sure he enjoys every second of it...... And don't you dare call me that! Call me neppers, even sweetie or darling would be better since you're kinda pretty in that mopey guy way.... Hey Birdie what's his type? I bet it's something really boring. "
-
Lawrence
But the bird was hardly paying attention, for he was very busy cooking up a sweet, sweet pan of delicious buttery popcorn for the bash. It cracked and popped and snapped and about where he found it.... don't ask.
"Ah! Uh, definitely fierce ladies who can kick his butt! So don't you dare go easy on him! I wanna see blood and sweat, kahahaha!"
Meanwhile, he took a bit of distance and circled her, before settling on just the right spot. He picked his cane and tapped it on his palm, smiling.
"Very well... Neppers. Don't worry, I'll be gentle."
-
Neptune
She raised an eyebrow at the sheer dumbness of the line being thrown at her, was his script really that broken? Maybe she should really take off the kiddie gloves.
"Fool don't you know anything? When dealing with uppity girls, you should just jam it in. Really though... You should have just told me you were that backed up. I have nice collection of sex toys for sale too, my pocket pussies feel almost like the real deal, but having a guy's opinion would be like really great too."
Throughout all that she hadn't moved out of her stance.
-
The Scribe
After a moment of renewed scribbling with that fancy fountain pen of his, the scribe pulled out a sack from one of the drawers in his desk. Then he grabbed a handful of a fine green powder, and threw it into something behind his desk. A big green flame exploded out from it, and the smoke from it whisked its way out of the room by passing between Sakura and Edelgard.
"I have sent the message... for them to prepare for your arrival." The scribe pointed to the door they entered by with his pen. "You may await their delegate in the bazaar within House Antioch's territory, just beyond the gatehouse. They will know... how to find you."
Sakura
"Hold on." Sakura held up her hand, not standing up. "Can you tell me a bit more about this House of Antioch? The rules here? I only know what I skimmed on the net right now, so I don't want to commit any faux paux."
-
The Scribe
The scribe let out a sigh. "House Antioch is... the magical family whose members have held the rights to defending this gate and processing its customs duties for three generations. You saw their retainers outside, with their focusing pikes and enchanted armors." The scribe pulled out some more paper, and dipped his pen again, and turned the bulk of his attention back to his work. "Keep to the areas marked for the public, and... take care not to aggravate the guards. That is all."
-
Edelgard
Her fingers tightened and relaxed rythmically around the handle of her weapon. Antioch. A dynasty of honor guards for a sanctum of magic. Her people had fought the likes of them before, and knew the importance of these roles. Had things been different, would she be heading such a group for the High King?
She shook her head of the thought and asked, "Their leader, who?"
The warrior wanted to know at least that much.
-
Sakura
Sakura cocked her eyes back at the man, looking at him expectantly.
-
Lawrence
He opened his book with one smooth hand movement and started reading poetry. What a rude child. Not only did she challenge a defenceless man, she even expected him to make the first move nonetheless?
"Sorry, not interested." He flipped a page, and the ink covering his skin began to ripple and change shape, shifting and crawling over his body as if it took a life of its own. An ominous feeling filled the room with dread.
The bird's wings suddenly flapped, and the creature jumped back and cried out with wide eyes. "Wha wha wha wha what? You- you're not seriously going to whip that out here? Now!? Have you gone mad? You're going to-"
Lawrence smirked. And with a graceful snap of his fingers, the tattoos covering his left arm and breast scattered and vanished, his hair swept up wildly and lost all color. White as snow, the conductor was done preparing the stage. When he moved around aimlessly earlier, he already took note of his cute little bird's position and moved accordingly. Its flames only stretched the room's shadows further, moving them along its panicked flight.
"Come, Grail King."
Thus she was stepping on his shadow. That is until now, until a massive black lion jumped from it and pounced on her, like a living mass of darkness coming to swallow her whole from beneath her feet.
-
The Scribe
The scribe sighed, and returned to his work. "You may inquire further with the locals, please. I have much work left to be done, and no time to speak... the praises of my so-called employers."
-
Sakura
Sakura nodded, although she disliked his dismissive air. An immigration officer should be there to answer questions, no?
Not that she'd really know any better. She just swore to herself under her breath in her native Finnish before standing up and taking her place slightly in front of her mage-killing friend.
"Let's go."
-
Neptune
"Aww you look so backed up though, I was even gonna give you a nice discount-" She was cut off by the sudden worried tone of the birdie, she flicked her gaze his way as he complained about something new.
"what do you mean...."
Her vision spun around and she saw the floor as something heavy pushed down on her. "whoa you have cool pets too? That's awesome, but..."
She put bit hands against the ground and pushed as hard as she could, and then harder, until it felt like her bones would break.
"That doesn't mean I'll give up on you! I'll beat this thing somehow and then I'll save you! I don't care how hard it gets, I, will, do, it!"
-
Lawrence
The bird just stared wide eyed with a dumbfounded wide beak. Only then did it turn its stare and glared with an evil grin at his partner in crime, the only guy in the world worth his respect. Yep, he was totally on his side, and had been all this time. The whole betting he'd get his butt kicked and all? Pfft, as if. He was just kidding, just kidding! H-hey, don't you laugh. There's no way he was going to stick to the losing horse, even if it meant putting up with that guy.
"Wow. You're horrible. How could you cheat like that? That's no way to fight." He snickered and flapped its wings to perch up his shoulder. Lawrence could be a real dirty cheat when it came to this stuff, blacker than the worst crook. The kind of guy who'd pirate music and games illegally if he could. At least, that's what he liked to think.
"Why, I told her I'd be gentle. But I never said anything about being fair."
He walked calmly to the poor, poor Neppers. The poor Neppers who was being smothered by the massive black cat, whose heavy paws pressed on her while its fur coated her like an ebony cloak. It sniffed at her, its bloodshot red eyes sized her up like prey.
It licked her cheek. It purred softly and shifted its body around so it would tug at her, and began to tend to the poor girl's hair like a cub. And the weight became heavier and heavier, like a soft blanket that simply wouldn'y let go. And the worst thing was...
It tickled.
-
Neptune
"Oh so you wanna play ball huh? If that's how it is then I don't have any reason to hold back now do I?"
Yes with every word she spoke an ominous presence flowed over the room and it was not of the man's making. Surely it was impossible, she was entirely pinned and couldn't do anything from below the tickly massive cat that was smothering her? Surely it was all just talk?
Then why was there a murderous intent right behind him?
Don't turn around, it can't hurt you if you don't look at it.
-
Lawrence
"Ho ho. She seems to take a liking to you." His feet clapped on the ground ominously as he drew closer. Closer. Despite that his eyes and thoughts focused on his litterature.
That is, until a deathly presence smouldered his very being. Behind him, something akin true doom crept down his spine, like a cold hedge of frozen thorns sinking into his flesh.
But he did not look. Instead, he turned to the next page. As someone who already met lady death, such a threat was just the thread he danced upon with each sunrise. "That is quite the dangerous toy. Aren't you full of surprises..."
He glanced behind him. Not out of fear, but curiosity.
-
Neptune
But it was too late.
just as he was turning around, a monstrous blue gelatinous mass assaulted his senses, invaded and perverted his very being with it's unholy form as it came crashing down upon with the fury of the scorned Gods.
"Dogoo!"
-
Lawrence
For a moment, shock overcame his senses. "Wha-?" "Wha-?"
But he could not, his time had come, and the wretched creature shot him down, as God's judgment did to Satan, into the final rung of frozen stillness. His face crashed on the wooden ground, and he found moving quite difficult. No, difficult couldn't quite describe it. It was as if his very spirit was being oppressed by this malignant being.
"How... curious...." You could hear his muffled voice despite being pressed over the wood. You could also hear a muffled cry of protest from a really angry bird who happened to get stuck on the bottom of the sandwich. It was quite the despairing view.
“O human race, born to fly upward, wherefore at a little wind dost thou so fall?” He remarked sadly, trying to reach for his book which flew away in the midst of the chaos. But he could not, rooted as he was. Unbelievable, simply unbelievable...
He lost the page.
-
Sakura
Sakura nodded, although she disliked his dismissive air. An immigration officer should be there to answer questions, no?
Not that she'd really know any better. She just swore to herself under her breath in her native Finnish before standing up and taking her place slightly in front of her mage-killing friend.
"Let's go."
House Antioch
10:30 AM
"... welcome to the Citadel."
Those were the words that followed Sakura and Edelgard out to the gatehouse, and onto the cobblestone street that followed. Down it went, a subtle sloping that allowed the pair to witness far more than they had any hope to see. They could see spires of white-washed stone rise above large wooden buildings with gambrel roofs, blocks and blocks of them all arranged around a central point. Above them all, fifty stories with a base as large as any plaza they could find, was the Tower of Antioch. Or so a brown-robed passerby explained, along the way, as they saw the pair stare up and up its way.
The sky was twilit, an untimely shroud of royal purples and vibrant reds. It swirled around a single point, a dark flame at the tower's peak that crackled with so much mana it were as if someone were sticking needles in Edelgard's eyes.
The road led not directly to this tower, but rather to a large open square bustling with stands and commerce. People of all shapes and colors moved about: conventionally attractive ones in robes or showy dresses, old men with pointed hats and beards, all kinds of staves and walking sticks. They were a noteworthy, loud minority patronizing the wares - exotic foods, spices that reached to the nose with an unregulated allure, jewelry and showpiece weapons and jars upon jars of cheap magical reagents.
Eye of newt the least among it.
But more than those were the people gathered at the edges, watched by the men and women in their armors and carrying their enchanted pikes. People with animal ears, feathers, scaled skin and gemstone eyes. Boxes moved around on carts pulled by big, burly beings who could well be men.
The bazaar of House Antioch catered to, and employed, all.
-
Edelgard
She kept her gaze low as they strode under the wonders and multicolored layers of this town level. In another time, the diversity and rich bluster of the Citadel would have amazed Edelgard. Today there was only a thin trace of envy, mixed with practical curiosity.
"Want anything, Sakura?" The warior asked, surveilling the many who were stuck with manual labor amidst the climate of opulence and fantasy.
-
Sakura
Sakura slowly walked around starry-eyed at the opulent display of unrestrained knowledge and wealth, practically drooling at the sight of it all. She didn't really notice when Edelgard asked her question, simply walking forwards, looking for a shop that specialized in physical enhancements.
-
Neptune
"hahahahahah.... Now yield to me, acknowledge that you were utterly beaten by me! You're not getting away now!" Even being stuck under this giant cat couldn't deter her for her celebration, a winner was a winner was a winner after all. No need to care for the losers or their lost pages or whatever. No no no.... What she did do however was something far more diabolical and cutesy.... she begun scratching the feline that was on top of her.
-
Sakura
Sakura slowly walked around starry-eyed at the opulent display of unrestrained knowledge and wealth, practically drooling at the sight of it all. She didn't really notice when Edelgard asked her question, simply walking forwards, looking for a shop that specialized in physical enhancements.
House Antioch
Many of the shop signs here were in languages that, at first look, neither girl could understand at all. But paying more attention to them revealed the genius behind them - translation charms imbued into the wood via carved runes which made them comprehensible to anyone with even a hint of literacy. Examples included "Ward's Wards for Warriors", "Matty's Specialist Reagents," and "The Hackity Hag's Poultices." None of them have window displays exactly, except for Ward's with show pieces for weapons and armor, but they were alluring.
There were also some lines outside the doors. The two of them could overhear conversation between patrons. "... get that bullet barrier touched up yet?" "I'm trying to bargain him down a bit, ya know? He charges an arm and a leg for fixing other peoples' work..."
"... son needs more of that ah, rash cream." Another pair whispered, hushed conversation. "Well it's his fault for not going to the Luscious Angel for his demon fun, lass. Discount whores just cause trouble!" "It's not exactly close."
And so forth.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard didn't know why the name grated on her so much, but that shop for warriors got her interest. She understood the sign even though the script was unfamiliar because of magic, but the contents were more important. She felt slightly as she once did as a prospective commander, looking for the best that a new troop had to offer, despite herself.
Her companion seemed of a similar mind, and the Forsaken was soon enough near-stomping up to that shopfront, staring through the display in furrowed focus, practically looming on the two having an unrelated conversation about the price of a barrier. (The forsaken had long learned to tune out the constant buzz of chatter in big cities, a necessity of her once uprooted life.)
-
Neptune
"hahahahahah.... Now yield to me, acknowledge that you were utterly beaten by me! You're not getting away now!" Even being stuck under this giant cat couldn't deter her for her celebration, a winner was a winner was a winner after all. No need to care for the losers or their lost pages or whatever. No no no.... What she did do however was something far more diabolical and cutesy.... she begun scratching the feline that was on top of her.
Lawrence
The large lion purred and only sat down further on the lady, pressing down on her like she was its newfound bed and nuzzled her comfortably.
The ashen man panted and wheezed, but it was no use. His struggling vessel of paper could hardly lift the creature, let alone itself. His eyes shot at her, and yet there was no hopelessness to it. You could almost see a weak smile. "Hey. That's...not fair... I got you first this time... hehehehe..."
His expression was almost happy for a moment. Only after a moment was there hesitation; Then silence. And so it all falls back, back to how it is and has been and will ever be. And the faint smile turned into a sorrowful expression. The cat melted down into nothing, and Phenex returned into to him as well. His pale body was now again covered by tattoos that crawled into his skin, and his white hair turned black as a raven.
"Victory is yours, I suppose. May I get up?"
-
Neptune
"Awwww..."
You could hear the disappointment in her voice as the fluffy cat disappeared, but it did no last for long. She jumped back onto her feet and turned towards the downed man.
"You can get off him now."
"......."
"I said get off him, look I get you're jealous that he had pushed down, but that doesn't mean you can crush him."
"..........."
"Fine, you're unbelievable geez..... You can fuck me later ok mr. Dogoo~"
The slimey monster bounced away from the downed magician the moment those words were spoken with great speed.
"I hope you have something interesting for me after I basically sold myself for your sake~"
-
Lawrence
His eyes narrowed for a moment.
With a pained struggle, he managed to get up with his feeble limbs. Lawrence coughed sickly, trying to hold himself balanced before he wiped the dust off his ebon coat. His hands ran across his disheveled hair a bit, only enough so that he could look at her in the eye for a moment.
"Who knows? My sake is quite the meager thing." Despite his weak body, the pale man spun his cane about and let it clack on the ground, and turned away from her. He smiled.
"That demon has spread its roots about like a disease, but his influence is spread thin... for now. Perhaps we could harvest some materials."
He stepped calmly towards the exit, slowly, not even so much as looking back at her before he picked up his book and re-opened it. Ah, yes, there. Of course...
"It's your choice, but I could show you around a bit. And of course, you would be rewarded for your assistance." As he said that, his other hand reached for his pocket and revealed something amazing. Something incredible. Concealed all this time, he revealed the nectar of the gods.
It was a convenience store pudding snack.
He didn't really like sweets, you know? He just wanted to get rid of it really.
-
Neptune
Her eyes lit up as he begun speaking off why he had actually arrived. "Oh materials? Harvest? Tell me more!"
Quick as a flash she caught up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. "What makes you think I'll just let you leave without spilling the beans on exactly what you want. Surely it can't have anything to do with those sweets you're dangling around? Her breathe tickled his ear as she leaned closer. "And don't you dare think I'm giving up on you...."
She breathed in an continued with an even softer sounding voice. "You came in and sought my help, so I'll make damn sure you leave satisfied, even if it kills me."
-
Lawrence
"Hrm, I thought you'd say that." He sighed, but really he didn't expect less. He counted on it.
...
...
He just stood there, incredibly stiff and uncomfortable.
...
He really needed to stop getting worked up about these things. "Very well. I suppose I'll make the first move." He raised his hand high in the air and snapped his fingers. In that moment, the ground beneath them caught fire, and in a moment they flew on top of a flaming bird at top speed. Dragged away without mercy! Where? Who knows...
"Gyahahahah! It's barbecue time!"
-
Sakura
Sakura, without question, pushed her way through the doors into the weapons shop, excited to see what was inside.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard didn't know why the name grated on her so much, but that shop for warriors got her interest. She understood the sign even though the script was unfamiliar because of magic, but the contents were more important. She felt slightly as she once did as a prospective commander, looking for the best that a new troop had to offer, despite herself.
Her companion seemed of a similar mind, and the Forsaken was soon enough near-stomping up to that shopfront, staring through the display in furrowed focus, practically looming on the two having an unrelated conversation about the price of a barrier. (The forsaken had long learned to tune out the constant buzz of chatter in big cities, a necessity of her once uprooted life.)
House Antioch
The inside of the workshop appeared somewhat larger than the exterior suggested. Each wall hummed with magical energy, and the sounds of pounding hammers and crackling lightning reverberated throughout the shop. The entry chamber itself was wide open, display stands for armor and weapons lining each wall. At the center was a large table where a tanned, muscular bald man with mystical tattoos up and down his arms chiseled something into hot steel plating.
"It bends, but does not break. It shares the load, stronger together..."
His words echoed with power. Two grey-robed figures held the plate in place with gloved hands, and appeared to be feeding heat into it with magic to keep it malleable while he worked.
Off to the side stood a red-headed woman (https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.520446077.9223/flat,550x550,075,f.u4.jpg) in armor of her own. She kept her arms crossed, observing the process with a frown of concentration.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard hadn't seen such intensive smithing work in a while. Even before they had been banished to the Wastelands, where their magical crafts had turned to warped and horrific relics, the most revered makers among the Forsaken did not use magic; they understood the art of creation in a different way, like Edelgard understood her blades and polearms.
She walked past the group and up to the red-haired woman. "Work here?"
-
Sakura
"Haaah, it's like harry potter..." Sakura remarked to herself, smiling at this fun new experience. She contented herself to simply watching the magical smiths at work.
-
House Antioch
"Unite, unite..." The smith chanted as they began to bend the material, revealing more fully the shape of the runes as they stretched across its surface. Then they started to graft more plates of metal, more ornate ones, to the piece.
The redheaded woman blinked at being addressed like that, then looked Edelgard over once. And twice, blinking a few more times. "Oh, no I wouldn't say that. I'm here waiting for them to finish putting the last touches on my order."
She smiled, and shrugged. "You know how it is; you want to celebrate your old apprentice taking on their first apprentice, but you can't get anyone in your own order to do it because they're all a bunch of gossips."
Her emerald jewelry and the gems inset in her armor hummed with an abundance of stored mana to Edelgard's eyes.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard understood. Gossip was like poison, but people supped on it like milk, regardless of the contents. It was no wonder the woman would bring this task away from prying eyes. But as to the purpose, she frowned neutrally.
"Apprentices are... a pain." The Forsaken exhaled. Her body returned to the taut, casual state of preparation that it almost always was, staring long at the red-head. "Armor or weapon?"
-
Sakura Edelfeldt
Sakura gripped Sapphire tightly, holding her up to her face. "Sapp, that jewel..." She whispered, staring at it with hungry eyes.
"Yes, it is of an impressive quality, I think you should introduce-" Sakura quickly shut Sapphire up, holding her inside her pocket dimension. She was a fool, a dammned fool.
Why the hell did she say that at her normal speaking volume!?!
Sakura awkwardly walked forward, extending her hand. "Hello, my name is Sakura Edelfeldt, and this is my friend, Edelgard."
-
House Antioch
The redhead looked to be holding in a laugh as Sakura's magical item revealed her true motives, a hand over her mouth to cover up her smile. "T-That's an impressive bit of spatial magic you just used there, Sakura Edelfelt."
She moved her from her mouth to take hold of Sakura's, and nodded. "My name is Christina Verde. I'm a Magus of Elements from the Lapidarian Society."
Christina moved to shake Edelgard's hand too. "And I was hoping to get my apprentice some armor like mine. It's just right for channeling the mana stored in my jewels without having to hold them myself."
-
Edelgard
She shook the woman's hand with an affirmative grunt and directed her attention at said suit of armor. It looked light, but that explained its expectations clearly. It was a practical way to have your main resource accessible, and far less gruesome than what the forsaken had seen the alchemists of the eastern strands do to keep their empowering mixtures on hand.
To the warrior, the encrusted jewels also presented grave weak points and an open window to the assets you could count on in battle, but she kept that to herself.
-
Sakura
"You practice jewel magic, Miss Verde?" Sakura asked politely, a hunger for knowledge hiding in her eyes. "I happen to be trained in the arts myself." She grasped her hand firmly, holding it tightly as she shook it. "I'd be honored if you could demonstrate your prowess to a novice like myself."
-
Christina Verde
"I don't have mystic eyes, you know. You can look at them." Christina smirked as she chided Edelgard for blatantly checking her out.
But then she turned her attention to Sakura, and raised an eyebrow in interest. "Oh, are you the one House Antioch alerted us to earlier? Wow; that saves me the trouble of finding you. How lucky am I?"
Christina looked Sakura over one more time, this time seriously, and nodded. "We will definitely be showing you what we have to offer when we get somewhere more private. Not here. It would be... rude, to practice in another sorcerer's sanctum like this."
The sound of chisel on metal made its point for her, a tad late.
-
Sakura Edelfeldt
Sakura nodded. "Yes, I am. But I'd consider myself to be the lucky one, having found you earlier than I otherwise would have."
She was blushing a bit at how rude she'd been, asking her to show off her powers in another's workshop.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard tilted her head, but stepped slightly away from the woman. She didn't understand what those things had to do with each other, but it was clear her stare was indiscreet.
She poked Sakura's shoulder and asked, "We wait then?"
-
Christina Verde
Christina gave Edelgard one more look, frowning in concentration like she was trying to figure something out about her, but then shook her head and focused on Sakura again. "This takes priority, I think. I can pick it up after. Jenn, uh, my apprentice, isn't going anywhere anytime soon."
Then she hopped in place once, and grinned. "So, want to get right to the point?"
---------------
12:00 PM
"It's too bad I didn't specialize in Spatial Studies." Christina lamented with an exaggerated sigh as she led Edelgard and Sakura through the plazas and thoroughfares of House Antioch. "One of them could have gotten us there easy peasy."
She looked back over her shoulder at them, short red hair framing her face nicely from that angle. "So, how long have you been practicing magic for?"
From here the crowds thinned out, and they began to see what was on the other end of the area. Another wall, substantially smaller and made of stone, encircled House Antioch's territory and separated it from the lands held by other Orders.
-
Christina Verde
Christina gave Edelgard one more look, frowning in concentration like she was trying to figure something out about her, but then shook her head and focused on Sakura again. "This takes priority, I think. I can pick it up after. Jenn, uh, my apprentice, isn't going anywhere anytime soon."
Then she hopped in place once, and grinned. "So, want to get right to the point?"
---------------
12:00 PM
"It's too bad I didn't specialize in Spatial Studies." Christina lamented with an exaggerated sigh as she led Edelgard and Sakura through the plazas and thoroughfares of House Antioch. "One of them could have gotten us there easy peasy."
She looked back over her shoulder at them, short red hair framing her face nicely from that angle. "So, how long have you been practicing magic for?"
From here the crowds thinned out, and they began to see what was on the other end of the area. Another wall, substantially smaller and made of stone, encircled House Antioch's territory and separated it from the lands held by other Orders.
Sakura
Sakura reinforced her eyes, wanting to see the patterns of the magical energy better. "I've been practicing since I was four years old, unfortunately." She smiled sadly at the thought of how painful it had been losing her old family, and the time before she gained her new one. It was a bittersweet feeling, filling her with thoughts of what she'd lost, and what she'd ultimately gained. It made her think about if it had really been worth it.
"I'm considered a rare talent." Sakura idly played with her purple curled drills, running her fingers through them. "My magical affinity is with the imaginary abyss, and my circuits are considered top quality."
-
Edelgard
Her eyes hadn't kept still during the time they'd been walking, constantly assessing their surroundings for escape routes, weak points, and the magics shown by those that frequented these routes. A portion of her actions was intuition, and a portion was training, which she was comfortable to recall.
She was only half-processing the conversation, but Edelgard was here as Sakura's escort anyway. It was unimportant for her role at this moment. Nevertheless, some notes of Sakura's story made the warrior contemplate. She reflected on the circunstances of the mage, and her own past.
"Started... decades ago," she answered. Edelgard could not truly say that she practiced exactly, outside of the rare times when one or the other of her spells turned the direction of a battle in a time of need. It was a tool to her, and she did not improve it because her priorities had not aligned.
-
Christina Verde
The magic seemed to grow fainter the further from the central tower they moved, as if everything in the area that wasn't tied up in a spell or enchantment or someone's body was being drawn up to that singular point. And yet the sky was still filled with the royal colors of a perpetual twilight, the noon day sun entirely obscured by the arcane miasma that engulfed the district. They sensed small wards here and there, intruder alarms and pest controls, and saw from time to time beings who seemed human but whose eyes and subtle seamed joints shone with an inner mana.
Christina let out a hum of interest at Sakura's story. "Unfortunately, huh? Interesting." She seemed to think for a moment, tapping her lips and then turning around to start walking backwards. She showed plenty of curiosity now as she watched both of them. "The Imaginary Abyss, was it? You mean your spatial magic? Well, hopefully Magister Mantala or one of her Magi have an opening for you then. Our Department of Spatial Studies is one of the best in the Nexus!" Christina winked at that, and traced a circle in the air with her index finger.
But then she frowned, slowing down their pace. "Circuits... where have I heard that term before? You mean your internal mana reserves? I know I've heard it..."
-
Amanda
12:00 pm
"come on Eru we're almost there, if you drag your feet behind anymore then I swear I'll find a way to shrink your boobs until they're smaller than mine." Amanda threatened her partner, jokingly. But was it really a joke with the ways her eyes were spinning.
" it's so unfair.... " She turned around and hung her head in defeat. The two of them were almost at the Citadel of Sorcery now, it's towering gates welcoming them in the distance.
-
Christina Verde
The magic seemed to grow fainter the further from the central tower they moved, as if everything in the area that wasn't tied up in a spell or enchantment or someone's body was being drawn up to that singular point. And yet the sky was still filled with the royal colors of a perpetual twilight, the noon day sun entirely obscured by the arcane miasma that engulfed the district. They sensed small wards here and there, intruder alarms and pest controls, and saw from time to time beings who seemed human but whose eyes and subtle seamed joints shone with an inner mana.
Christina let out a hum of interest at Sakura's story. "Unfortunately, huh? Interesting." She seemed to think for a moment, tapping her lips and then turning around to start walking backwards. She showed plenty of curiosity now as she watched both of them. "The Imaginary Abyss, was it? You mean your spatial magic? Well, hopefully Magister Mantala or one of her Magi have an opening for you then. Our Department of Spatial Studies is one of the best in the Nexus!" Christina winked at that, and traced a circle in the air with her index finger.
But then she frowned, slowing down their pace. "Circuits... where have I heard that term before? You mean your internal mana reserves? I know I've heard it..."
Sakura
Sakura blinked. She stopped moving, paused, brought her finger to her chin, and thought carefully.
Right. She was in another world now. She couldn't just speak magese and expect everyone to understand it, anymore.
That was weird.
"Well, that's part of it, but they also determine how much I can output, as well. The quantity and quality of a circuit is the most important consideration when talking about the innate talent of a mage."
She shrugged theatrically, holding her hands up in the air. "Me and my-sister-had the same quality, so my father decided the best course of action would be to ship me off halfway around the globe to a cold country whose language I didn't speak."
Oddly, she was smiling as she described what sounded like a traumatic event.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard tilted her head at Sakura. Her stiffness didn't match the way her expression bent in cheerful politeness. The warrior was ignorant of the more guarded ways or customs of spellcaster clans and orders, but she was quite familiar with this concept.
"Fosterage is a useful tradition. Chance to learn beyond means of your birth," the Forsaken commented. "Dissatisfied? What was wrong?"
-
Edelgard
Edelgard tilted her head at Sakura. Her stiffness didn't match the way her expression bent in cheerful politeness. The warrior was ignorant of the more guarded ways or customs of spellcaster clans and orders, but she was quite familiar with this concept.
"Fosterage is a useful tradition. Chance to learn beyond means of your birth," the Forsaken commented. "Dissatisfied? What was wrong?"
Sakura
"It's not fosterage if you never go back and are forbidden from contacting them, Edelgard." Sakura answered curtly. "It's abandonment."
-
Amanda
12:00 pm
"come on Eru we're almost there, if you drag your feet behind anymore then I swear I'll find a way to shrink your boobs until they're smaller than mine." Amanda threatened her partner, jokingly. But was it really a joke with the ways her eyes were spinning.
" it's so unfair.... " She turned around and hung her head in defeat. The two of them were almost at the Citadel of Sorcery now, it's towering gates welcoming them in the distance.
The Citadel of Sorcery
The border between the Citadel and the many surrounding districts was unlike any other. Where most borders build up as close to their borders as possible, here there was a small no-mans-land between the enormous walls and the closest outsider structures. The wall itself went up and up, taller than any nearby building and visibly absorbing the sunlight into itself. It shone with that harnessed power, and added to it a lovely azure hue that threatened to crackle out like lightning. The sky above and beyond the wall though was a blend of wintery white and twilit purples, and snow was gently falling.
Looming even above the wall were a pair of enormous crystalline towers built into the back of the wall facing inward. Atop the ramparts were quartets of squat beings, frosty of complexion and carrying enormous harpoons seemingly made of ice. At the gates were lines of silent, floating sentinels - empty armors animated by electrically charged mana given shape and will by powerful spells.
Yet despite this militant welcoming, people from all around were lining up to enter.
-
Sakura
"It's not fosterage if you never go back and are forbidden from contacting them, Edelgard." Sakura answered curtly. "It's abandonment."
Christina Verde
"... that is pretty messed up."
It was so much so that she actually stopped in her tracks, looking between the two prospective magi cautiously.
"Why would a magical family not want to keep as many members with compatible traits as they could, anyway? It's not like you can only share the knowledge with one of them."
-
Edelgard
Her furrowing brows formed a deep crease like a canyon, casting a shadow over her eyes. "I don't understand. Fosterage creates ties, produces family thicker than blood, but keeps birth links."
She spoke such with a heavy, unsure tone, shaking her head. It was as if she'd swallowed acid. "Waste."
-
Eruraviel
"Ahahaha, you're more than fine in your other assets." Eru slapped Amanda's ass lightly as they waited in line, looking idly at the immense guardhouse and wall. Its scale was fairly impressive, all in all, despite most of the mages shortcomings.
Their petty politicing was such a bore, honestly. At least she'd met her good friend Neptune there.
As she bobbed back and forth, waiting, she leaned over, poking Amanda with an ear. "I could help you with that, you know?"
-
Amanda
She sent a glare in the way of the Elf for her improper conduct in public, it wouldnt do to have a Chief been seen touched like this.
The line was long but when they finally reached the guard house, she couldn't help but word out her irritation to the guards. "I don't remember the entrance lines being anywhere near this long, are you holding a festival in there?" Maybe they'd feel sorry and afraid for their jobs for having made a Chief wait this long to enter, she didn't count on it though. While she was famous enough to be recognizable, she wasn't quite sure how they'd react to a famous outsider magician.
-
The Citadel of Sorcery
The head guard, a blue-skinned man with glowing white eyes, a shocking white beard wearing stereotypical sorcerer robes with a hood over his head, carrying a staff, was flanked on each side by a trio of the phantasmal warriors who lined the rest of the entry. "Her Majesty's Winter Festival is soon to be underway for the rest of the season, miss. We are simply checking for enchantments that may disrupt the intended atmosphere."
He inclined his head, and motioned to the snowy road leading within. "Please, avail yourself of the festivities and the local wares."
-
Eruraviel
"Hmmph." She shook her head at the man, intertwining her long, slender fingers with Amanda's as she pulled her inside. She glanced around a few times before turning to face the only thing of note, her fiancee, Amanda, and her beautiful eyes.
The elf smiled at her. "So, which way is the shop? Do you come here often?"
-
? ? ?
"Oi, ya bitches need to get in line, the big boss has said so."
Something pushed through the crowd with overwhelming strength and power, actually it would be more accurate to say they moved out of the way by their own will even if they had not intended to.
It was a tall man with wild hair and even wilder eyes.
"Y-you...." Amanda stammered as she saw him, her eyes widening just the slightest in fear and apprehension. Why HIM? Out of them all it had to be him...
"So you're retarded too... can't say I wasn't expecting much from someone as trash as you but to think you're hanging out with one of them even after the big man himself forbade it. You're just begging for a spanking aren't ya!"
"The Ten Swords don't have the authority to act he-"
"Shut the fuck up bitch, ya don't get to talk unless I tell ya to." He directed his gaze at that thing with the pointy ears. "She's quite the fine catch though, I might be willing to overlook some thing if ya give her to me."
-
The Citadel of Sorcery
The blue creature in the robes coughed, loudly, and his retinue of summoned beings arrayed themselves around the sudden interlopers. "Sir, I would recommend you cease to harass people in such proximity to Her Majesty's sector of the district."
-
Eruraviel
Eru's eyes flashed red, looking into his soul, reading what he could do like an open book. "I believe that I'm perfectly free to act however I please, human."
-
?????
"PFTHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA...... Really?"
It wasn't the men insisting him to leave, it was that thing, snooping around in places that it shouldn't.
"I love it, loooove it, feeling this right, ya are aaaaallll retarded."
Amanda grasped Eru's shoulder. "He's a magic null, don't piss him off."
"WAAAAAAY TOOOOO LATE FOR THAT...... HAHAHAHA......HAHA.......Ya two follow me or I'll start going reeaal wild and everyone here will have a bad day."
-
Eruraviel
"Oh, how bothersome. Your abilities are rather interesting, human~" She giggled girlishly, as if she weren't terribly worried about him. "You not only null magic, but also other supernatural abilities? No wonder Amanda was having so much trouble with you lot."
-
The Citadel of Sorcery
"Sir, I will insist upon your departure if you persist in threatening those seeking entry." The guard raised his voice this time, striking his staff upon the chilly earth. The sound of thunder accompanied it. "Take your quarrel elsewhere!"
-
Sakura
"It's not fosterage if you never go back and are forbidden from contacting them, Edelgard." Sakura answered curtly. "It's abandonment."
Christina Verde
"... that is pretty messed up."
It was so much so that she actually stopped in her tracks, looking between the two prospective magi cautiously.
"Why would a magical family not want to keep as many members with compatible traits as they could, anyway? It's not like you can only share the knowledge with one of them."
Sakura
Sakura chuckled a bit, dryly, as if what Christina had said was rather humorous. "Yes, that would be nice, wouldn't it?"
-
Christina Verde
After a moment of awkwardness the redhead clapped her hands together and forced a smile on. "Well, at the Lapidarian Society we don't particularly care about what family you're from. As long as you have the talent, you could be the child of a demon or something!"
Christina nodded firmly, and then turned back around for the rest of their journey. "But that goes both ways too - don't think we'll respect you just because you have a nice name after yours."
-
Edelgard
Respect for one's accomplishments over names sounded agreeable. In fact, as far as Edelgard was concerned, the only names you could call your own, the ones you could swing around rather than the ones you were obligated to defend, were the ones you'd earned.
But she felt uneasy, out of place here. Useless to really understand what was swimming through Sakura's head, but at the moment, she wouldn't be doing anything else by leaving, and she might be doing worse than that by leaving her potential accomplice alone. So she simply remained silent for most of it. When her voice came out impatiently, it was slightly unexpected.
"Then, what is your intention now?"
-
Edelgard
Respect for one's accomplishments over names sounded agreeable. In fact, as far as Edelgard was concerned, the only names you could call your own, the ones you could swing around rather than the ones you were obligated to defend, were the ones you'd earned.
But she felt uneasy, out of place here. Useless to really understand what was swimming through Sakura's head, but at the moment, she wouldn't be doing anything else by leaving, and she might be doing worse than that by leaving her potential accomplice alone. So she simply remained silent for most of it. When her voice came out impatiently, it was slightly unexpected.
"Then, what is your intention now?"
Sakura
Sakura nodded sullenly at Christina, following behind her quietly. She cocked her head in confusion at Edelgard's nebulous question.
-
? ? ? ?
"OI YA SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU NOISY EL-"
He suddenly shook his head and hit his ear.
"Whatta you mean pull back? I was just gonn- Fine Fine I'll leave, but don't think this'll be the last ya see of me, Ya hear that!!"
Amanda let out a sigh of relief as he the crazed men limped away, yeah limped, it looked like his left leg wasn't quite as sturdy as his right. "Don't even think about fighting him, for people like us he's the worst enemy." she spoke up quickly knowing Eru would probably do something drastic otherwise.
-
Christina Verde
She was quiet at first, leading on and listening to see what Sakura said, but then after about half a minute of awkward silence Christina caught on. "Oh, you mean me? I'm just trying to get us a cute new recruit!"
She waved back over her shoulder at Sakura, grinning. "Now hold on, the boundary between our lands and House Antioch's can be a little far."
--------------------------------
The Lapis Spire
12:15
Past the curtain wall of the House Antioch the landscape quickly took on a more natural bent. They were walking along an old stone road lined with twisted branches. At their tips were vibrant green flames, cool and harmless to the touch and blending into the twilit hues of the Citadel's mana-filled skies. Trees full of leaves in all the colors of autumn guarded the sides of the path, and the chirping of birds welcomed them.
Christina's smile was as bright as her red hair now, and she was practically bouncing about. "Welcome to the lands of the Lapis Spire! Generations of magi and our students have tended to this place."
Her movements did interesting things to her big chest.
-
Edelgard
It looked quite tranquil, even with the small, sorcerous details that dotted the landscape, reminding her this was not merely a pleasant, natural estate, but a residence of mages. She blinked, refocusing on the woman. Edelgard wondered if the brightness of her expression was pride for the legacy of generations that this seeming oasis was.
The forsaken's teeth scratched each other under her pursued lips. She hummed in affirmation.
-
? ? ? ?
"OI YA SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU NOISY EL-"
He suddenly shook his head and hit his ear.
"Whatta you mean pull back? I was just gonn- Fine Fine I'll leave, but don't think this'll be the last ya see of me, Ya hear that!!"
Amanda let out a sigh of relief as he the crazed men limped away, yeah limped, it looked like his left leg wasn't quite as sturdy as his right. "Don't even think about fighting him, for people like us he's the worst enemy." she spoke up quickly knowing Eru would probably do something drastic otherwise.
Eruraviel
Eru stuck her tongue out, putting her arm protectively in front of Amanda as he limped away. "Oh, he's nothing too special~ I've fought golems made of nullsteel before~ they were guarding the tomb of Ahkententum, a great and powerful lich~"
She began telling a story in her typical, carefree, singsongy voice. She wrapped.her arm around Amanda, pulling her close. "I just need to hire an adventurer helper or two, and we'll be invincible!" She waved her hand in front of them, towards the snow.
-
Sakura
As the conversation died down into an awkward, painful silence, Sakura's eyes slowly traveled down from Christina's face towards her ample bosom, settling on it for a good ten seconds as she took the girl's bountiful assets in.
She swallowed when she finally spoke, nodding silently. Her eyes traveled back up and nodded.
------
As they entered, Sakura's eyes wandered, widening. This level of magic was making her feel overwhelmed, and more than a little ill.
It was making her dizzy and nausous. She simply wasn't made to deal with this level of ambient magical energy, and her circuits were starting to buzz, whirring inside her. She put a hand up against a tree, her eyes again settling on Christina's assets. They were familar, and comforting.
"Sorry, I'm-not used to this."
-
Christina Verde
If Christina noticed where Sakura's eyes kept going, she didn't comment on it. Then again, it was likely she had a lot of experience with being stared at already. When they stopped at that tree the red-headed magus turned, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, I forgot!"
She hurried over to Sakura and placed the back of her hand against the purple-haired girl's forehead. "People who aren't acclimated for high-mana environments take some time to adjust. Because you can use magic you shouldn't have to worry about any long-term effects, at least."
Christina frowned in concern though, and reached into her satchel with her free hand to fish something out. It was... an amethyst? She removed her hand from Sakura's forehead, and placed the amethyst against it instead. "Here, channel some of your internal reserves into this. If you make space your body can start the process faster."
-
The Citadel of Sorcery
The guards did not stand down until the abrasive man was out of sight altogether, and even then the harpooners were just looking for an excuse to throw icy, spear-y death down upon him from atop the walls. The lead guardian inclined his head. "You may proceed inside, if you can say we will have no more unpleasant surprises."
-
Christina Verde
If Christina noticed where Sakura's eyes kept going, she didn't comment on it. Then again, it was likely she had a lot of experience with being stared at already. When they stopped at that tree the red-headed magus turned, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, I forgot!"
She hurried over to Sakura and placed the back of her hand against the purple-haired girl's forehead. "People who aren't acclimated for high-mana environments take some time to adjust. Because you can use magic you shouldn't have to worry about any long-term effects, at least."
Christina frowned in concern though, and reached into her satchel with her free hand to fish something out. It was... an amethyst? She removed her hand from Sakura's forehead, and placed the amethyst against it instead. "Here, channel some of your internal reserves into this. If you make space your body can start the process faster."
Sakura
Sakura took the gem, looked at it, and nodded. She activated her circuits, and Christina would feel a burst of magical power as she poured an immense amount of mana into the gem before pocketing it. She looked a little woozy. "Thanks..."
-
Amanda
"No No, no trouble here, I'll make sure she behaves." Amanda told the guards as she pushed Eru through, intent on taking her to nearest the nearest high quality shop as fast as possible, she even reinforced herself to make sure Eru didn't run off somewhere at the magical sight that would bombard her any second now.
"How about we make a bet Princess? If I manage to impress you with our fashion, I'll get to be the one railing you when we get back. It's not fair I'm the only one giving hmpfff..."
-
Eruraviel
"W-wait!" Eru cried out! She wasn't done styling on the man, and then he just left!?!
What an absolute coward.
Once they were inside, Eru seemed to detense a bit. Amanda could feel her hard muscles soften as she calmed down and relaxed them. Amanda could feel the soft curves of Eru's body reasserting themselves, her full butt jiggling along with her thicc thighs.
"Hoho, you're on, Amanda. This place you're taking me to better have quite the selection, or else I'm going to do whatever I want with you~"
-
Amanda
Smack.
Amanda playfully slapped Eru rear, savoring just how doughy it was now that the Elf was tense. "Aww, you make such cute faces when you don't get what you want, but trust me. By the time I'm through with you, you'll be on your knees begging me to do it."
Her body was so damn squishy and soft tho, it wasn't fair. "You're gonna look amazing, the hottest girl in the whole city..... Are all Elves built like you?" Ah she found it.
The Witching Hour.
A fashion store that carried everything a young lady of their stature could possibly need. It was good she brought her credit card, cause most of the things in there cost more than the average person earned in a month.
-
Edelgard
The forsaken looked on carefully, but the exchange made a question float up to Edelgard's lips that had been lost in the spectacle and occasional silences of their visit.
"With so much magic active, is there no danger?" She asked, eyes darting to Christina. "This Citadel. Denser energy, denser pollution. Even if you store it for use..."
Expectations couldn't be trusted in this world called the Nexus. Her veil tainting had not slowed Sakura's spells in the slightest. But maybe it was a matter of her tools, like these gems, and no one here was deaf to what pervaded the space around them. It was a testament to how heavy it was that her companion felt ill. Greater mystic energy made spells more powerful, easier, but it was supposed to be a boon to even the weakest casters.
It was nothing to Edelgard, despite the sting in her eyes. Her people had made it through whole in a place where the air had crossed the line into poison.
-
The Citadel of Sorcery
The streets leading to the shop had been snow-filled and majestic. The buildings in this part of the district appeared as though they had been carved out of a glacier, white walls each blending almost seamlessly into the others adjacent to them. At the center, from whence all of the thoroughfares being constantly shoveled by glowing figures of mana and metal originated, was a towering palace of ice. They could see even at this distance how it served as an anchor for a multitude of powerful protective barriers subtly laid over the entire district. It was, all too clearly, the source of this supernatural winter that covered everything.
And yet everything was clean, and peaceful, and there were people in winter outfits moving about chatting and window shopping. Here and there a being assembled of wind and lightning would rush across the sky, set on some unknown task.
The shops themselves consisted of a multitude of magical storefronts from across the rest of the district. It was common practice for members of all the different magical orders to congregate in the sections with direct access to the walls, where most commerce took place with the outside world. The Witching Hour was no different. It displayed outfits in many modern styles for women, but the interest was in the details: clothes floating in place in the proper shape without mannequins, adjusting slowly to the sizes of the viewer to give them an idea of what it would look like on them before they even tried it on.
Designs that clung to the body perfectly despite the laws of physics.
And so on.
-
Edelgard
The forsaken looked on carefully, but the exchange made a question float up to Edelgard's lips that had been lost in the spectacle and occasional silences of their visit.
"With so much magic active, is there no danger?" She asked, eyes darting to Christina. "This Citadel. Denser energy, denser pollution. Even if you store it for use..."
Expectations couldn't be trusted in this world called the Nexus. Her veil tainting had not slowed Sakura's spells in the slightest. But maybe it was a matter of her tools, like these gems, and no one here was deaf to what pervaded the space around them. It was a testament to how heavy it was that her companion felt ill. Greater mystic energy made spells more powerful, easier, but it was supposed to be a boon to even the weakest casters.
It was nothing to Edelgard, despite the sting in her eyes. Her people had made it through whole in a place where the air had crossed the line into poison.
Christina Verde
Sakura could feel the mana of the world around them seep into the emptiness left behind in the absence of all the prana she'd expended thanks to Christina's generosity. It felt strange, like her awareness of her place in the Nexus was trying to expand in her mind. It was only a brief sensation, followed by warmth.
Christina glanced at Edelgard, blinking from her question. Then she shrugged, and smiled. "As long as you can learn to use it, you adjust over time. You come out stronger for it in the end, and you know how to handle stronger spells with less exhaustion too. It does get stronger as you get closer to the center..."
She pat Sakura on the shoulder. "Feel better?"
-
Sakura
"Mmm. Yea. Thanks." Sakura answered, her mind still in a fog. She began thinking about if she could use sapphire to alliviate the problem.
-
Amanda
Smack.
Amanda playfully slapped Eru rear, savoring just how doughy it was now that the Elf was tense. "Aww, you make such cute faces when you don't get what you want, but trust me. By the time I'm through with you, you'll be on your knees begging me to do it."
Her body was so damn squishy and soft tho, it wasn't fair. "You're gonna look amazing, the hottest girl in the whole city..... Are all Elves built like you?" Ah she found it.
The Witching Hour.
A fashion store that carried everything a young lady of their stature could possibly need. It was good she brought her credit card, cause most of the things in there cost more than the average person earned in a month.
Eruraviel
Amanda could feel her hand sink into Eru's perfect ass as she smacked it, a hint of the muscle underneath the layers of fat. She looked at Amanda with bemusement.
"What? I always get what I want, so I don't know what you're talking about. You're going to be my toy for the rest of the day."
She smacked Amanda's rear back. "I may be perfect amoung elves, but we generally are more voluptuous than human females."
And then, she saw the building, and her heart skipped a beat. The casual use of magic, the way it fitted it to her! She could see it tightening around her breasts, her cock, showing her how wonderful she'd look in the clothes.
Seeming to forget their bet, she pulled Amanda inside with an insistant force.
"Come on! This place is great!"
-
Edelgard
She laid a firm hand on Sakura's back, supporting her with a wordless sound.
-
Amanda
"Who's the one with the collar? Little miss elf~"
She held her ground against Eru's insistent tugging of her arm, preventing the princess from rushing into the impressive store. "Come to think of it, that store's pretty garbage, and I wanna really see you crawl..."
With a determined tug of her superior reinforced strength, she pulled Eru allong with her, away from fancy clothes store.
"You won't even recoginize yourself once we're done ufufufu....."
-
Eruraviel
"Collars are a high class fasion accessory!" Eru protested vehemently, running her fingers along the smooth leather. She pulled back against Amanda, but Amanda was stronger! Damnit, she really wanted to go into that store...
"Wait, noooo, I wanted to go shoppppingggg." She sounded defeated and sorrowful as despair filled her life. Those pretty clothes, noooo...
-
The Citadel of Sorcery
Hardly anybody gave Amanda or Eruraviel more than a second look. That, mainly, was due to the elf's abundantly desirable assets and their shamelessly open play with one another. Evidently this behavior with the tugging of collars and the declaration of somebody being somebody else's pet was also natural here. The guards didn't even bother looking to see if Eruraviel needed help!
And why should they?
------------------------------
Christina Verde
Then Christina reached out and pat Sakura on the shoulder, smiling. "Come on, once we get inside the tower you should feel better. The wards suck up so much mana that the stuff in the air won't bother a mage like you."
She grabbed onto Sakura's hand, and started pulling her along.
And, along they went for a time along the weathered path until they reached it:
(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/82/b1/2f/82b12fdaca7b1deb49e8a08dc72f62cb.jpg)
The Lapis Spire. A misnomer, to be sure, for it did not look like lapis in any way shape or form. But to those who could see the flow of mana it was a different story - a magnificent aura of azure light enshrouded the ancient stone, firm and shameless in its power.
Christina's face lit up as they reached it, and she almost let Sakura run right into her chest as she stopped and turned to catch her reaction. "Well, here it is! The home of the Lapidarian Society!"
-
Amanda
"No can do, ufufufu...." She kept dragging Eru in spite of her despairing cry, as if such a ridiculous act would stop her, no not when she was finally getting what she wanted at last.
"Shut up priness, you've already admitted defeat, so that's make you all mine~"
-
Sakura
Sakura smiled politely, but wasn't particularly impressed. "It's amazing." It truly was amazing, but it wasn't-well, she was expecting a bit more, after seeing how immense and grandiose the mana crystal was. This wasn't as impressive as some parts of the clocktower that she'd seen.
"Mmm, shall we go inside?"
-
Edelgard
The blue enveloping the tower was brighter than the unclouded sky she had seen in the land that was once their own, where their empire stood before even their name was forsaken. It made Edelgard's stomach twist in a familiar way, like many things here.
Sakura and Christina's words didn't register fully before the warrior was allowing herself in, walking without a twitch of recognition on her face.
-
Amanda
"No can do, ufufufu...." She kept dragging Eru in spite of her despairing cry, as if such a ridiculous act would stop her, no not when she was finally getting what she wanted at last.
"Shut up priness, you've already admitted defeat, so that's make you all mine~"
Eruraviel
"Juuuust because you have decent clothes doesn't mean that you've won, Lady Harrington~" Eru continued on in the exact same tone of voice, grasping at the ever shrinking clothing store. Her ears twitched in longing.
"You have failed to impress me enough, so that makes you mine!"
Amanda could feel Eru's shadow creaping up her leg, tickling her behind the knees.
-
The Winter Principality
The guards, and the shoppers, were watching the two sorceress' back and forth from a safe distance. They were all trying of course not to draw attention to the fact that they were watching, and hoping for some sort of action to take place despite the early winter chill hanging over the snow-covered streets. But nobody thought to try to stop them, not yet anyway.
---------------------------
The Lapis Spire
12:30 PM
Christina seemed only to smile mysteriously at Sakura's subdued reaction to the tower's visual display, and it grew into an outright grin as Edelgard attempted to walk right up to and into the place. Despite its size and importance the Lapis Spire seemed utterly unguarded save for its wards, and so nothing appeared to try to stop the forsaken woman from entering.
Then she crossed the doorless threshold, and rather than an opening to the stone interior Edelgard found herself... somewhere else. Somewhere dark, and cold, and familiar - the Imaginary Abyss which Sakura had shown her before. And the next thing she knew, she was turned around and walking right back out the way she came.
The redheaded magus who led them there started to giggle.
-
Edelgard
She halted mid-step already out of the threshold, like she'd walked out instead of in. The hold on her spear tightened. Disgraceful. She hadn't even looked at the threshold, assuming the mage woman's invitation made her moving forward fine.
"Rude," Edelgard clicked her teeth, cheeks puffing slightly.
-
Amanda
"Oh hush, and stop fooling around or I'll have to discipline you Eru sweetie~" Eru made the cutest faces when she got snubbed, it was just way to delicous to resist, which brought her to current idea. The elf had agreed to try anything on, so she was gonna squeeze as much as possible out of that.
""We're going somewhere much better, Where we're going they have authentic maid uniforms, I'v always wanted my own cute little elf maid, who does my bidding. And you're gonna looook juuuust perfect in it, Uwaaah, I can't wait to see how you make it pop out."
-
Amanda
"Oh hush, and stop fooling around or I'll have to discipline you Eru sweetie~" Eru made the cutest faces when she got snubbed, it was just way to delicous to resist, which brought her to current idea. The elf had agreed to try anything on, so she was gonna squeeze as much as possible out of that.
""We're going somewhere much better, Where we're going they have authentic maid uniforms, I'v always wanted my own cute little elf maid, who does my bidding. And you're gonna looook juuuust perfect in it, Uwaaah, I can't wait to see how you make it pop out."
Eruraviel
"Bwah? Maid???" Eru sounded shocked, even appaled. "I've never dressed up like that before, it's unbecoming!" She sounded legitimately upset and shaken, unlike her normal teasing tone of voice. "Y-you're going to need to do some pretty impressive stuff to get me to agree to putting th-that on, Amanda!"
As she protested, her breasts began jiggling with her movements. They swayed back and forth as she was dragged along towards the next destination.
-
Amanda
"Pfft... you're not seriously expecting me to put something that boring on you. Oh no, the one you're gonna be wearing will have more frills than any dress you've ever worn, and it'll be even shorter than my skirt, and don't even pretend you don't like how short my skirt is." Amanda replied, sounding clearly amused. Meanwhile she kept dragging her along while ignoring the complaints, because they were almost at their destination now.
"Hmm... That does leave the question of Thigh highs or pantyhose open. The former does have its appeal, but you don't really fit the archetype for it. Pantyhose on the other hand, you certainly have the body for it, and your airheadedness lends itself well to fortunate accidents."
-
Amanda
"Pfft... you're not seriously expecting me to put something that boring on you. Oh no, the one you're gonna be wearing will have more frills than any dress you've ever worn, and it'll be even shorter than my skirt, and don't even pretend you don't like how short my skirt is." Amanda replied, sounding clearly amused. Meanwhile she kept dragging her along while ignoring the complaints, because they were almost at their destination now.
"Hmm... That does leave the question of Thigh highs or pantyhose open. The former does have its appeal, but you don't really fit the archetype for it. Pantyhose on the other hand, you certainly have the body for it, and your airheadedness lends itself well to fortunate accidents."
Eruraviel
"I don't know what either of those are, but pantyhose sounds fun. I don't know what you mean by airheaded, though. I'm anything but!"
She thought about herself getting dressed up in a frilly maid uniform and screwing Amanda's brains out, and had to admit it was arousing. Plus, she enjoyed showing off her assets rather much.
She began to blush, her ears twitching in arousal.
"You'll be the one to lose, Amanda!"
Although maybe losing on purpose would be fun too.
-
The Winter Principality
The guards, and the shoppers, were watching the two sorceress' back and forth from a safe distance. They were all trying of course not to draw attention to the fact that they were watching, and hoping for some sort of action to take place despite the early winter chill hanging over the snow-covered streets. But nobody thought to try to stop them, not yet anyway.
---------------------------
The Lapis Spire
12:30 PM
Christina seemed only to smile mysteriously at Sakura's subdued reaction to the tower's visual display, and it grew into an outright grin as Edelgard attempted to walk right up to and into the place. Despite its size and importance the Lapis Spire seemed utterly unguarded save for its wards, and so nothing appeared to try to stop the forsaken woman from entering.
Then she crossed the doorless threshold, and rather than an opening to the stone interior Edelgard found herself... somewhere else. Somewhere dark, and cold, and familiar - the Imaginary Abyss which Sakura had shown her before. And the next thing she knew, she was turned around and walking right back out the way she came.
The redheaded magus who led them there started to giggle.
Sakura
Sakura raised her eyebrow, giggling at Edelgard with Christina. "Not bad. You set up a portal to deter intruders?"
-
The Lapis Spire
Christina let out a loud 'mmhmm~!' with a wink and a victory sign at that one. "Oh no, if I was trying to be rude about this you would have never gotten out of there. That was just a little joke. The College of Spatial Studies does a lot of good work with trans-dimensional spaces and portals."
Then she skipped on over to the threshold, bouncing slightly in her bodysuit, and tapped a few times on the stone. "Here, try again."
And indeed, the dark portal vanished to reveal the luxurious entryway to the tower's central chamber. Rather than single floors, each with ceilings dividing them, the interior of the Lapis Spire appeared to rise straight up to its pinnacle. Along the edges of the chamber were long spiraling staircases that let off onto a multitude of different floors, whose contents could be only partially seen from here. A few figures in various forms of robes or armor were levitating across the vast space between the walls, and they were accompanied by all sorts of figures - elegant humanoids of smoke and fire, tiny imps with wings and horns, floating orbs of azure light. It was a shameless display of power and ingenuity.
It was also an ideal configuration for an entire order of sorcerers to bombard intruders from every direction.
-
Amanda
"Oh so you aren't just afraid of what comes after losing, me finding out just how bad you're at being on the giving end fufufu..." She chuckled teasingly, she'd be shocked if this didn't push Eru's buttons.
"But First!" Amanda pushed Eru into a more secluded alley before pulling out something that looked like a long piece of paper, except it kept moving around in Amanda's hands as well as making weird chirping noises.
"I'll have to get your three sizes."
-
Eruraviel
"Fufufu~" The elf's lip slowly curled up. She let out a little giggle when Amanda pressed her against the wall. Her heart was pounding with arousal, her face was flushed. She was absolutely turned on by Amanda's assertiveness, and it showed. A small tent grew on her dress as her eyes watched Amanda pull out some sort of measuring device.
"Fufufu, I have more than three sizes, Mandy."
-
Edelgard
"Mm," Edelgard affirmed, swallowing her shaking, acidic tongue. She stepped inside with them, more cautiously this time.
The arrangement of the entry chamber was a naked display of both security and prestige. Inwardly, she approved of the blatant efficiency that it threatened to show hostile visitors.
-
Amanda
A low screeching sound could be heard as Amanda seemed to stretch the device out with both hands. She looked curiously at Eru, unsure if she should pounce on the cute elf girl or laugh at her for her shoddy self control.
"Oh but measuring that thing won't be necessary at all dear Eru, if it stick out, that'll be your problem fufufu..."
As Amanda giggled, the device shout out from between her hands and wrapped itself around Eru's hips.
-
Amanda
A low screeching sound could be heard as Amanda seemed to stretch the device out with both hands. She looked curiously at Eru, unsure if she should pounce on the cute elf girl or laugh at her for her shoddy self control.
"Oh but measuring that thing won't be necessary at all dear Eru, if it stick out, that'll be your problem fufufu..."
As Amanda giggled, the device shout out from between her hands and wrapped itself around Eru's hips.
Eruraviel
"Kyaa~ Noooo..." She complained facetiously when the magical measuring stick wrapped itself around her hips. It tightened around them, pinning her cock down. She squirmed in discomfort against the wall.
Her hips were large in an almost inhuman standard of perfection. Surrounded by a soft layer of fat covering up her powerful muscular structure, she groaned. "So rough..."
After a moment, the measuring device let out a congragulatory bing. "Her measurements are 89 centimeters!" A cheery feminine voice announce Eru's measurements loudly. The elf turned away from Amanda and blushed a bit. "H-hey, it talks?"
-
The Lapis Spire
Christina let out a loud 'mmhmm~!' with a wink and a victory sign at that one. "Oh no, if I was trying to be rude about this you would have never gotten out of there. That was just a little joke. The College of Spatial Studies does a lot of good work with trans-dimensional spaces and portals."
Then she skipped on over to the threshold, bouncing slightly in her bodysuit, and tapped a few times on the stone. "Here, try again."
And indeed, the dark portal vanished to reveal the luxurious entryway to the tower's central chamber. Rather than single floors, each with ceilings dividing them, the interior of the Lapis Spire appeared to rise straight up to its pinnacle. Along the edges of the chamber were long spiraling staircases that let off onto a multitude of different floors, whose contents could be only partially seen from here. A few figures in various forms of robes or armor were levitating across the vast space between the walls, and they were accompanied by all sorts of figures - elegant humanoids of smoke and fire, tiny imps with wings and horns, floating orbs of azure light. It was a shameless display of power and ingenuity.
It was also an ideal configuration for an entire order of sorcerers to bombard intruders from every direction.
Sakura Edelfeldt
Ah, so it was like this... That made sense. Showing off one's power so blatantly was something they muzt look down on here. She nodded. Bragging about being nobility and ohohoing like Luvia wouldn't be a good idea.
She nodded, shivering a bit. She reached into her shadow, and pulled out Sapphire. She didn't want to be shut out by more powerful mages. Sapphire made her feel stronger, safer.
-
Amanda
"Just give up, you're completely at my mercy fufufu...." Amanda chuckled as she waved her hands and directed the movements of the device. Through the link to it, she could directly feel the texture of her skin, the fat under the skin, and the hard muscles hiding beneath it all.
Damn that's bigger than me and I'm taller! It's not fair. She frowned briefly as she thought about the results.
"Having this much body fat, in the right places while being fit, you can't believe how jealous I am." With another wave of her, the device whirled up Eru's body before squeezing her waist tighly.
"Whiiiir... 55 centimeters...."
"Was your world made by lewd gods??"
-
Eruraviel
"Fufufu..." Eru chuckled at Amanda's inferiority. While she was a fije specimen for humans, it was only natural for her to fall in despair when comparing herself to an elf. "No, not at all. There are many different species, all made by different gods. Us elves were made by Damara, the goddess of fertility, lust, love, nature, and power. As her beloved children, it's simply natural that we'd be blessed with superior physices."
She reached up, balancing on the tips of her big toes in order to better look at Amanda. "For a human female, you'd be considered as a peak beauty in my world." She patted Amanda apologetically on the head.
"I'd be happy to make you a body on par with mine, however~"
She giggled, thrusting her chest forward. "I take it you want to measure my puppies, too."
-
The Lapis Spire
A figure in black robes appeared out of a black rift from beside the entryway, and Christina turned on a heel to greet them with a smile. "Hello there, Hassan. Is your Magister in right now?" She tilted her head, and leaned in closer to the man who refused to show even an inch of skin.
His raspy voice replied. "Is this about the new applicant? Strange, that you should ask for her and not your own school..."
Christina shrugged her shoulders at that, and motioned to Sakura. "This one looks like she's got some nice talent in your area. She'd be wasted throwing fire around all day like me."
Hassan let out a sigh. "I will contact Magister Mantala, then. She will wish to review the applicant herself."
The redhead who'd led them this far looked back at Sakura again and asked, "Is that fine with you?"
-
Amanda
Amanda smirked and waved her hands one more time in response to that. "Don't mind if I do-"
"Whiiir.... No those puppies are mine. Only I can molest my elf." The measuring device said as it gave Amanda the finger. Yeah, it actually curled itself together into a hand like form and gave her the finger. Then it turned to 'look' at Eru before speaking again. Amanda's hands had stopped moving as she gaped at it, she wasn't doing any of that.
"You still haven't given me your eggs miss Eru huh HUH? Do you expect me to like work for free or something, maybe I should just break your stuff hmm hmm?.... Why don't you come over and get that sorted out, that reminds me. I got this kinda pocket pussy toy I was working on recently, but none of my clients wanted to help me with it, would you mind giving it a go?"
Meanwhile Amanda just stared at the now.... talking piece of she didn't even know what to call it at this point, she'd gotten it as a joke gift from a noble back in Pine Garden, but clearly it was something more, and Eru seemed to know whoever was talking. "Who's that?"
-
Eruraviel
Eruraviel was extremely surprised at first, but it didn't show. She just curled her lips upwards, holding back a giggle at Amanda's expense. She clearly wasn't in control, and after a moment, Eru figured it out. It was her! She was nearby, wasn't she?
Her ears twitched as she figured it out, and then she nodded. "I'm nearby, so I'll stop by now, ok?" She looked at the measuring device, and poked it. "That would be Neptune, although I guess you might know her better as the um, forger of the stars, was it?" She looked back up to Amanda, bringing her finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, I think it's that. You said you wanted to meet her, so it works out."
She looked to the left of Amanda, and then to the right. "Um, can you let me up, though? I can teleport us there, but this position is a bit awkward..."
-
Amanda
"But I'm not even holding you...."
Amanda took a few steps back before...
"Wait you know the forger of the stars?? How is he? No wait, where is he????" she was almost jumping on the spot, meanwhile the measuring device had lost all life and fell to the ground with an odd clanging sound.
-
Amanda
"But I'm not even holding you...."
Amanda took a few steps back before...
"Wait you know the forger of the stars?? How is he? No wait, where is he????" she was almost jumping on the spot, meanwhile the measuring device had lost all life and fell to the ground with an odd clanging sound.
Eruraviel
12:15
"Hohohoho~ Of course I do! Great minds attract, you know! He called my work trash! Trash! It was hilarious!" She began giggling, laughing as if the mere thought of it was hilarious. Her breasts jiggled, threatening to escape her dress through the window as she chortled. The elf walked over to Amanda, giggling still. "And she was right. Compared to hers, I'm just an apprentice."
The gem on her skull flashed, and the scenery changed. They were suddenly inside a shop, selling many magical items, fameous through the Nexus.
"Hehehehe..." he She found that the funniest. Boy, would Amanda be in for a surprise.
-
Shop
The purple wonder was not pleased, of course it had to disappear just as she was looking for it. Hmppffff.... It couldn't be that to find could it? And seriously, where did all this junk come from? She could literally swim through it.
Which is exactly what she was doing, diving through a 2 meter tall pile of magical junk the size of a baseball court, all so she could fine one simple toy.
She didn't even notice the bright flash and the thunk of a certain Chief falling over from the sudden teleportation.
"Ahaha! I found it!"
The only thing visible was her arm sticking up from the pile of junk, holding the toy she'd been looking. "Now I just need to....." A tumbling was suddenly heard in the distance, it rumbled, growing in intensity as it came ever closer.
"NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!"
The Purple wonder was swept up by the tidal wave of collapsing junk, plowed through the entire shop and delivered right to the entrance, but half buried under a pile of armors.
"Yikes when did I tell you you could just teleport right in like a dumb dumb, That's like way too ru-"
"Can you please tell us where the Forger of the Stars is, you must be his assistant right?"
Amanda cut her with an expectant look.
"He's not too far away, in fact he'll be arriving very very soon!" Neptune rapidly replied with the most absolute most serious of serious voices, then she got to her feet with an athletic jump, her massive boobs bouncing and looking like they were about to burst out of her jacket. This was completely contrary to the clumsy girl of just a second ago. The armors slid off of her and hit the ground with a loud crash, one of the m even shattering from the impact.
-
Shop
The purple wonder was not pleased, of course it had to disappear just as she was looking for it. Hmppffff.... It couldn't be that to find could it? And seriously, where did all this junk come from? She could literally swim through it.
Which is exactly what she was doing, diving through a 2 meter tall pile of magical junk the size of a baseball court, all so she could fine one simple toy.
She didn't even notice the bright flash and the thunk of a certain Chief falling over from the sudden teleportation.
"Ahaha! I found it!"
The only thing visible was her arm sticking up from the pile of junk, holding the toy she'd been looking. "Now I just need to....." A tumbling was suddenly heard in the distance, it rumbled, growing in intensity as it came ever closer.
"NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!"
The Purple wonder was swept up by the tidal wave of collapsing junk, plowed through the entire shop and delivered right to the entrance, but half buried under a pile of armors.
"Yikes when did I tell you you could just teleport right in like a dumb dumb, That's like way too ru-"
"Can you please tell us where the Forger of the Stars is, you must be his assistant right?"
Amanda cut her with an expectant look.
"He's not too far away, in fact he'll be arriving very very soon!" Neptune rapidly replied with the most absolute most serious of serious voices, then she got to her feet with an athletic jump, her massive boobs bouncing and looking like they were about to burst out of her jacket. This was completely contrary to the clumsy girl of just a second ago. The armors slid off of her and hit the ground with a loud crash, one of the m even shattering from the impact.
Eruraviel
Eru simply took a step back as she watched the junk careen towards her. Her shadow formed a semicircle around her and Amanda, protecting them from the avalanche of trash. She turned to look at Amanda, waiting to see her reaction, when she mistook the girl for his assistant!
"Bwahahahaha... hehe, hahahaha..." She burst out into uproarious laughter. "A-amanda... Pffftttt..."
She couldn't stop laughing. Not that she could blame her, but seeing her fooled by the girl's excentricities was just hilarious. "She-he'll be right out. Yes. You could say he's almost in front of you. You just can't see him."
Unable to contain her giggling any more, she contented herself with checking out Neptune's amazing proportions. Her eyes raked over her body like an elf in heat.
-
Shoooop
As the Elf begun laughing a flash of vibrant purple was seen before a thud was heard as a long soft cylindrical thing hit Eru in the face, Neptune had thrown it at her the moment she had the audacity to burst out into laughter in her great presence.
"Oh but of course, She's right here! The amazing Neptune in the flesh, greatest blacksmith under the stars, Worship me, Worship me and the ground I walk on fools!" She proudly proclaimed while pointing to the heavens with all her being. With every word out her mouth, Amanda's eyes narrowed, until she finally had enough.
"Shut up you skank, I'll never worship someone who used their slutty body to land a job as a secretary."
-
Eruraviel
Even as she was laughing her ass off at Amanda, Eru's instinctive elvish reflexes still held strong. She saw an object hurtling towards her out of the corner of her eye, and her ears twitched, focusing in on it. Her hand shot up, catching it moments before it was to impact her face and held it in front of her face, grinning. She still had the erection from before, and this toy Neptune had made looked as amazing as everything else she'd seen. She stuck a finger inside and it seemed slick, alive, and needy. "Exceptional work as always." She smiled, sticking it in between her breasts and stowing it in an extradimensional space.
She gave Neptune a little smug wink, smirking at her teasingly as if to say "it won't be that easy to surprise me, but I'll try it out in a bit."
She decided to burst Amanda's bubble, too. The time was ripe, just after she'd insulted her better. Oh, this would be deliciously awkward. She tapped Amanda on the shoulder. "Miss Neptune is actually the great smith you were so excited for me to introduce you to, so you should show some respect. Unless all of that worshipping and begging was for show, tee-hee~"
Lies, but they were lies that Amanda couldn't easily refute. She winked at her. Oh, revenge was a sweet and delectable dish indeed.
-
Shop
"B-bu-bu-but LOOK AT HOW SHE'S DRESSED!" Despite them only being a few paces apart, Amanda was pointing at Neptune and he revealing outfit with her whole arm, The poor girl was completely from the indignation and refusal to accept this absurd reality.
"Yeah it's really great for sales, if you look as great as I do why not use it? I do get a lot of horny teenagers lately but I got an idea to remedy that...." She turned to Eru, completely ignoring the fangirl, she didn't look to important after all.
"Hey! don't just ignore me like tha..."
"Aren't you the least bit curious 'bout how I made it? I'll let you in on lil' secret if you agree."
-
Eruraviel
Eru reveled in Amanda's discomfort. She smacked the girl's behind, squeezing her butt before running her fingers down her long legs, feeling the supple skin through the sock. "You're hardly dressed any more modestly, Amanda. She's just showing off different parts. You humans are ao funny with your emphasis on hiding your assets while also teasing their outlines."
The elf shook her head and giggled at Neptune's question. She disengaged from Amanda, taking a step forward. She gave Neptune all her attention as well, ears twitching up and down, her eyes glued to the girl's purple eyes. "Of course I'm curious!" She pulled it back out, pushing her fist into it. It was tight, stretchy, hot and wet. She pushed forward until her fist popped out the other side. "It's an amazing tool of pleasure! We don't have anything like this back home!"
-
Shop
"Whaaaa..." Amanda jumped back, this was too much, it was completely overwhelming. "Don't just play around like tha-"
Neptune herself stumbled a bit right after that, almost doubling over before jumping straight back up, making it seem like she was just acting out on purpose, her zipper slid down another few notches as she moved, almost spilling the goods entirely at this point.
"Hehe, that's wh-why I'm the greatest, why don't you try it out properly in-instead...... You kn-know cocks are supposed to go in there, not ha-hands."
-
Eruraviel
Eru put her finger up against Amanda's mouth. It just happened to be slick with the sleeve's juices after having been forced through. "Shhhh, look at how cute her reaction was~"
Eru pointed at Neptune, who seemed to be intensely hot and bothered, having stumbled. She could see a faint flush in her cheeks. Her large breasts nearly fell out of the shirt, and Eru could even see a hint of areolae now.
The elf flexed her muscles just a little bit, stretching out the sleeve even more before taking it off. "Sorry~ I just really hoped I'd get to see a cute face~☆"
She winked at Neptune before flipping her dress up with her shadow. Her large dick easily held up the fabric, hanging out a full foot in front of her now that she was unrestrained. And then, slowly, she slid the sleeve over the head of her cock, letting out a soft feminine grunt. "Ehehe, Amanda, you need to try this..."
-
Shop
Neptune took a step back and seemed to normalize, of course it was only because she'd cut off the feedback from her toy, leavving that on had been a mistake.
"OH so you won't mind if I do this?" Amanda snapped back as she grabbed onto the toy and pushed it all the way down Rtu's shaft in a single stroke.
"why would I play with a silly toy when I'm going to be deep into my Elven princess maid's pussy?" She leaned closer to her as she spoke, with theor height difference it was quite easy to loom over her.
-
Shop
Neptune took a step back and seemed to normalize, of course it was only because she'd cut off the feedback from her toy, leavving that on had been a mistake.
"OH so you won't mind if I do this?" Amanda snapped back as she grabbed onto the toy and pushed it all the way down Rtu's shaft in a single stroke.
"why would I play with a silly toy when I'm going to be deep into my Elven princess maid's pussy?" She leaned closer to her as she spoke, with theor height difference it was quite easy to loom over her.
Eruraviel
"Kyah~" Eru gasped as the cocksleeve was forced all the way down her shaft in one go. It was too fast! She gave Amanda an annoyed look. "Easy!" Then, she blinked, the gravity of what Amanda had just said hitting her. "Wait, you have a dick too!?!"
She leaned forward, hand reaching down towards Amanda's crotch. She had to verify!
-
The Lapis Spire
A figure in black robes appeared out of a black rift from beside the entryway, and Christina turned on a heel to greet them with a smile. "Hello there, Hassan. Is your Magister in right now?" She tilted her head, and leaned in closer to the man who refused to show even an inch of skin.
His raspy voice replied. "Is this about the new applicant? Strange, that you should ask for her and not your own school..."
Christina shrugged her shoulders at that, and motioned to Sakura. "This one looks like she's got some nice talent in your area. She'd be wasted throwing fire around all day like me."
Hassan let out a sigh. "I will contact Magister Mantala, then. She will wish to review the applicant herself."
The redhead who'd led them this far looked back at Sakura again and asked, "Is that fine with you?"
Sakura
Sakura nodded quietly and demurely, holding onto sapphire. She was feeling pretty intimidated by this place.
-
Edelgard
She placed herself closer to Sakura. Her gaze spoke volumes with recently-renewed confidence, as Edelgard stood there, a silent guardian.
-
The Lapis Spire
The man in his robes began making his way across the rest of the open chamber, which the two newcomers quickly noted was bereft of anything resembling cover either. And yet Christina was still smiling, and moving her way next to them. "Aren't you excited?! If you've got the talent you're a sure in!"
When Hassan reached the center he tapped his staff on the ground once, twice, three times - and then a black rip in the air opened before him. It felt cold as it stretched wide enough for three people to walk in side by side. Christina grabbed them both by the hands and led them in. "Come on!"
-----------------
???
It was a room. A simple floor, perfectly level. It had chairs, a desk covered in papers and nick knacks including a little bird dipping its beak against a flat surface. It was well lit by dozens of spheres gently orbiting over their heads, each one filled with a white light of pure mana.
That platform was floating in the center of a transparent crystalline sphere. Beyond it was a void - utter darkness.
At the center of it all, sitting at the desk, was their host.
(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/33/81/ee/3381eebb8d177c2496607d376dedcf32.jpg)
She looked up from her papers with a smile, and stood from her chair with the grace that seemed to fit her youthful age. A staff appeared in her hand with a magnificent gem at its peak, and she walked around the desk to greet them. "Ah, Magus Verde - you have brought the candidate then?"
The woman, presumably Magister Mantala, motioned with her free hand to either of Sakura or Edelgard.
"Mmhm!" Christina, of course. "This is Magister Mala Mantala - you can introduce yourselves, right?"
-
Edelgard
It was like a spirit sanctum more than a mage's abode, and Edelgard could not help but shiver at the complexity of the sorcery woven in around them. The presence of its master was not light to those who could see, but it was still not like the other she had met and sworn to, recently. The Edelgard of now would only bow towards her.
She banged her first over her chest, nodding lightly to the magister. "Edelgard," she said, eyes flitting towards the young woman with her. "Sakura's companion."
-
Sakura
Sakura took a deep breath. She closed her eyes before clearing her throat. Edelgard may not have understood what was happening in this room, but she did.
It scared her. To know how much better they were than her in this field.
"Sakura Edelfeldt. I'm applying to join."
-
Mala Mantala
Christina took a step back, looking between the Magister and Sakura from a spot next to Edelgard. She was grinning and holding her hands together almost as if in prayer.
The Magister smiled beatifically at her, a glimmer of mischief shining in her eyes as Sakura so admirably hid her nervousness. Her free hand extended itself, palm held up. "Please, have a seat, Miss Edelfelt and companion. I always have time for new potential."
Once they did she returned to her own chair, legs crossing beneath her magnificently made dress, and moved her hand in a circular motion atop her desk. A cup rose from a blank, lightless disk atop her desk, and the air rippled with warmth as she heated up... something. It smelled like tea. Two more cups appeared opposite her, ready for her guests. "Help yourselves. Our discussion of your admission, and where your potential would rightfully place you, begins."
She lifted her cup up to sip her tea, and sighed. "Tell me why you seek us, to start."
-
Mala Mantala
Christina took a step back, looking between the Magister and Sakura from a spot next to Edelgard. She was grinning and holding her hands together almost as if in prayer.
The Magister smiled beatifically at her, a glimmer of mischief shining in her eyes as Sakura so admirably hid her nervousness. Her free hand extended itself, palm held up. "Please, have a seat, Miss Edelfelt and companion. I always have time for new potential."
Once they did she returned to her own chair, legs crossing beneath her magnificently made dress, and moved her hand in a circular motion atop her desk. A cup rose from a blank, lightless disk atop her desk, and the air rippled with warmth as she heated up... something. It smelled like tea. Two more cups appeared opposite her, ready for her guests. "Help yourselves. Our discussion of your admission, and where your potential would rightfully place you, begins."
She lifted her cup up to sip her tea, and sighed. "Tell me why you seek us, to start."
Sakura Edelfeldt
"I want to, need to go home. Both me and her. Starting here seemed like a good place to start."
Sakura said down, taking a cup of tea. She took a sip, taking the taste in.
"It's good, thank you."
-
Edelgard
Edelgard sat warily, holding both her weapons - her own and the lent, wrapped up one - on the crook of her arm, and reached forward with a sigh for the tea. There were people she knew to drink such things around home the Wasteland, but it was purely medicinal. She knew some foreigners and humans especially, liked it as a leisure drink, but her worldview could not help but find it an affront against need.
The Forsaken raised the cup to her lips and did not sip, merely inhaling the flowering, mild scent. "Help Sakura, help myself," she said against the tea. "Learn about casters here. My countermeasures apparently... outdated."
The warrior glanced meaningfully at the girl besides her.
-
Mala Mantala
One of the Magister's elegant eyebrows lifted in curiosity. Or possibly bemusement. Mala placed her hands atop her desk, folded, and seemed to consider both of them. Her eyes flicked over to Christina, who even now looked a tad downtrodden after hearing Sakura explain herself. Then the older woman with black hair sighed. "That does make this a touch more difficult, then. You are asking to learn our secrets, to partake in our traditions and our lore, for the purpose of... abandoning us the moment you get what you want."
Her staff seemed to float by her side on its own, upright.
-
Sakura
"I don't see it that way, Magister."
She took another sip before putting her tea down.
Knowing the nature of this Nexus, leaving it would prove fairly problematic. During that time, I'll be sharing my secrets with you as well, will I not? It would be more of a trade than anything."
Sakura flipped her hair with the pomp of a noblewoman. "Furthermore, although I cannot speak for my friend, if the accomidations prove favorable for me, I am quite happy to return here after I pick up my sister."
-
Edelgard
The forsaken closed her eyes, pondering on her words. She unfurrowed her brows and directed her straightforward gaze at the magister. "Still long-term investment. For both sides."
-
The Lapidarian Society
Christina seemed eager to interject there, poking her head forward to remind everyone she was still present. "Well if it's the benefits you're worried about, you don't have to worry about those at all! There are so many!"
As she made a peace sign the Magister sitting behind her hid a smile behind her fingers. "Yes, that shall not be a concern. A trade then - one in which we shall hope to see results for all parties involved. Miss Verde seems quite eager," Mala said with a Look sent the chipper redhead's way. Christina blushed in embarrassment and pulled herself back, putting her arms behind her back and wiggling a little from being put on the spot. "So I shall have her explain the benefits on our end. Then, I shall examine what you have to offer us."
Christina coughed into her hand at that, and straightened herself up. "Right. So, since you're interested I'll explain the way our ranking system works. The benefits you get depend on how high you go." She motioned to Mala at her desk, who waved politely. "Magister Mantala is one of the seven Magisters, the ones recognized as the greatest of each of our seven colleges of magic. The colleges are: Alchemy, Binding, Elementalism (I'm here!), Geomancy, Rejuvenation, Spatial Studies, and Warding. Miss Mantala is the Magister of Spatial Studies, and you can see why."
The crystal sphere hung ominously, beatifically, in the abyss.
"Below the Magisters are the 77 Magi, like me! Each oversees the work of 11 of us. We each teach up to 7 apprentices, and we receive all kinds of benefits in exchange for sharing our work with our college." Christina leans in toward Sakura, and smiles mischievously. "I have so much grant money. And so many helpers!"
Mala coughs into her hand, interrupting and taking over. "Yes, that is essentially the gist of it. A Magus will take on apprentices, and the most capable of those is elected by the other Magi of their college to take the Magus' place should they retire, move up, or otherwise be... indisposed. The same is so for reaching the position of Magister."
Christina was all but hopping on her heels as the explanation from the Magister wrapped up.
"Even as an Apprentice you still receive financial and material assistance with your research - and should you graduate without the opportunity for advancement, you are given a position in one of our satellite enclaves in one of the other districts. Should you so desire, of course."
A big redheaded grin topped it all off.
"Sounds pretty great, right?!"
-
Sakura
Sakura grabbed her chin, scratching the underside of it as she listened to what the two had to say. Her face was somber and thoughtful, not showing too much emotion from what the two had to say. It would be nice for any other magus, but one of the great Edelfeldt line?
The money was trivial. Even just accounting for the little that she had on her, it was still enough to construct an extravagant and elegant workshop. The support was enticing, but she figured that she'd be largely unable to train any apprentices beyond a basic level, considering how specialized her knowledge was.
And she would never give up the crest that her sister had granted to her. All of the knowledge within it was hers and hers alone.
With her ancient knowledge, combined with Sapphire, she would surely be granted an extremely high rank, potentially even above Christina. She wasn't entirely clear on her magical abilities, but she didn't seem like one of the higher ups. The bigwigs in the clocktower were far more intimidating than anything that she'd seen here.
So, once the explanation was done, Sakura smiled, giving Christina a little wave. "Mmm, well. It all sounds very enticing, but how am I to be tested for this ranking system?" She turned her body, striking an elegant pose as she regarded the two of them. "Am I to be tested in an arena? Will I be able to choose my apprentices?"
She smiled confidently as she implied that she'd surely be a high ranking member were she to join.
-
Lapidarian Society
"There are certain terms to be set for your test, yes." Mala waved a hand across her desk, which vanished in a swirl of darkness. Then, the sphere began to rotate, the center platform splitting off the section where the Magister stood and the rest of it seemingly to extrude more material to make up a more complete center platform. Edelgard too was removed in a similar fashion, a section of the platform where she stood splitting off and hovering over the area to overlook things.
"You will bring with you only what your own knowledge has built." Her voice grew louder, echoing through the sphere. "I care not to see what the work of others brings you - anyone can cheat. I want to see only what your own skill with the magical arts can do."
Christina, seemingly prepared for what was to come, grinned and loudly cracked her knuckles together as she moved back to the other side of the platform. A magical barrier formed tightly around her body as she performed a brief incantation. "Don't hold back, 'kay?"
"Do not kill one another - but do not underestimate your opponent. And most importantly... try to have fun with it."
-
Lapidarian Society
"There are certain terms to be set for your test, yes." Mala waved a hand across her desk, which vanished in a swirl of darkness. Then, the sphere began to rotate, the center platform splitting off the section where the Magister stood and the rest of it seemingly to extrude more material to make up a more complete center platform. Edelgard too was removed in a similar fashion, a section of the platform where she stood splitting off and hovering over the area to overlook things.
"You will bring with you only what your own knowledge has built." Her voice grew louder, echoing through the sphere. "I care not to see what the work of others brings you - anyone can cheat. I want to see only what your own skill with the magical arts can do."
Christina, seemingly prepared for what was to come, grinned and loudly cracked her knuckles together as she moved back to the other side of the platform. A magical barrier formed tightly around her body as she performed a brief incantation. "Don't hold back, 'kay?"
"Do not kill one another - but do not underestimate your opponent. And most importantly... try to have fun with it."
Sakura
Shadows burst out of Sakura's feet, wrapping themselves around her body almost instantaneously. "I don't want to hurt you, but I'm not going to lose, either!"
Sapphire was swallowed up into the shadow as Sakura assumed a stance, beaten into her by her sister. An impossibly black mist began to billow out from her feet as she reached into her shadow for several gems.
-
Christina Verde
"Maybe you won't, but I'm gonna make you work for it!" Christina's eyes gleamed red as fire appeared in her fists, and she she swung her arms in wide arcs that met together at the center. "Haaah!"
Immense waves of fire shot out in the wake of her arm motions, the air around them rippling with the heat of their passage as they made their way around Sakura. Christina's hands guided them further as they went, expanding the wavefront of the inferno until it was unavoidable without space to move backward. Space that platform did not allow for.
"Hope your barriers are up to snuff!"
-
Christina Verde
"Maybe you won't, but I'm gonna make you work for it!" Christina's eyes gleamed red as fire appeared in her fists, and she she swung her arms in wide arcs that met together at the center. "Haaah!"
Immense waves of fire shot out in the wake of her arm motions, the air around them rippling with the heat of their passage as they made their way around Sakura. Christina's hands guided them further as they went, expanding the wavefront of the inferno until it was unavoidable without space to move backward. Space that platform did not allow for.
"Hope your barriers are up to snuff!"
Sakura
Fire. Good. Predictable, considering her personality. Sakura ignored it, allowing her shadows to consume it wholesale, devouring the spells Christina threw at her and snuffing them out. She tossed a gem at Christina with her full strength. It hurtled towards the red-haired woman. "You'll need to make me move, first!"
-
Christina Verde
Christina, to her credit, didn't allow the complete invalidation of her entire style of magical combat to stop her dead in her tracks. Instead she moved, using her own magic to propel herself like a rocket up into the air just above the impact zone for Sakura's gem! In that same moment one of the jewels from her armor fell out of its slot and into her hand, and she tossed it down from her new vantage point at her opponent. "APOLLYON!"
The gem exploded, and a column of white hot fire extended up and down vertically from the impact point to strike the platform and the pinnacle of the crystal sphere. It spread from both points of impact like a tidal wave, turning all that it touched searing red with its heat.
-
Christina Verde
Christina, to her credit, didn't allow the complete invalidation of her entire style of magical combat to stop her dead in her tracks. Instead she moved, using her own magic to propel herself like a rocket up into the air just above the impact zone for Sakura's gem! In that same moment one of the jewels from her armor fell out of its slot and into her hand, and she tossed it down from her new vantage point at her opponent. "APOLLYON!"
The gem exploded, and a column of white hot fire extended up and down vertically from the impact point to strike the platform and the pinnacle of the crystal sphere. It spread from both points of impact like a tidal wave, turning all that it touched searing red with its heat.
Sakura
Sakura snapped her fingers as Christina jumped up into the air. The gem exploded. Black shadows burst out of it, arcing towards Christina like hungry wolves. They shot out in every direction, a few of the tendrils headed straight towards her. The inky black things seemed strange, dangerous. As if they didn't belong in this world, or they were a creation of somewhere else.
Then, Sakura tossed another gem at the airborn woman. Her mask opened up, revealing her face. She didn't need so many precautions against her, after all.
Sakura winked as the mist continued to proliferate, saturating the area, feeding her. It devoured the fire overhead, returning the magical power back to Sakura, allowing her to spread the mist even further.
-
Christina
Her eyes widened at the unnatural force coming her way, and desperately shot her hands out at both incoming threats - the gem and the cloud of inky hell. Power visibly surged through her veins, the spaces where her skin was exposed through her armor lighting up. "Damn it, PALISADE!"
A wall of solid metal violently shot up from the platform, reaching just high enough to give Christina some breathing room the shadows couldn't penetrate - the mist's attempts to drain the mana merely halted its advance before it could reach the roof of the crystal sphere, but couldn't destroy the now entirely mundane structure with the same ease as a spell.
"JINN!"
And in her place, a spectral figure of wind and fire took whatever terrible fate the second gem had in store instead of her.
That being said, she formed another platform of solid stone for her feet to make purchase on, and shot herself like a rocket right at her foe with her fist cocked back.
"COMET STRIKE!"
-
Christina
Her eyes widened at the unnatural force coming her way, and desperately shot her hands out at both incoming threats - the gem and the cloud of inky hell. Power visibly surged through her veins, the spaces where her skin was exposed through her armor lighting up. "Damn it, PALISADE!"
A wall of solid metal violently shot up from the platform, reaching just high enough to give Christina some breathing room the shadows couldn't penetrate - the mist's attempts to drain the mana merely halted its advance before it could reach the roof of the crystal sphere, but couldn't destroy the now entirely mundane structure with the same ease as a spell.
"JINN!"
And in her place, a spectral figure of wind and fire took whatever terrible fate the second gem had in store instead of her.
That being said, she formed another platform of solid stone for her feet to make purchase on, and shot herself like a rocket right at her foe with her fist cocked back.
"COMET STRIKE!"
Sakura
"Suoja!" Sakura exclaimed. The shadows merging into the floor suddenly shot upwards, right in Cristina's path. They merged together into a solid wall, or perhaps a portal.
It was unclear. The only thing that was certain was that it wouldn't be good to fly right into it.
-
Christina
Fighting against her own momentum, Christina scrambled to place her hands and feet to the side and push herself away! A gust of hurricane-force wind knocked her off course, out of the path of the shadow barrier, and left her with one last chance to slip around past it and get her hit in! A flying roundhouse kick was all she needed to pull off...!
-
Sakura
And then, just as Christina was so confident in her victory, Sakura clapped. The mist suddenly focused around her, closing in on them, nearly instantly draining all of Christina's magic. It ate away at her spells, but it wasn't nearly at a level where it ate at her lifeforce anymore. Sakura's arm streaked out, grabbing at her leg.
The wall also didn't disappear, instead morphing in shape, into more of an amorphous blob of black hole.
-
Christina
"Nnnn... damn it!" And then something seemed to snap in Christina, and her other leg spun around in Sakura's grasp to strike at her side with an unnatural amount of force. Her eyes wide, ferocious, the redhead tried to wrap that leg around the other sorceress' side and use it to lift herself up so she could punch the purple head right in her pretty smug face!
-
Sakura
Oh, she's pretty good. That's the thought that flashed through her mind at that moment. She hadn't expected her to be trained in the feminine art of close quarters combat.
A corner of Sakura's mouth curled upwards.
"Very well! I'll take your challenge!"
The mist dispursed, and Sakura ducked underneath the girl's swing. She sprung upwards, slamming her arms into Cristina's midriff and lifting her up, leaping into the air herself. "As a properly bred Edelfeldt Lady, I accept your challenge!"
There was a new fire to her voice as she slammed Cristina into the ground.
-
Christina
They struck the platform hard enough to make it tremble oh so slightly, but with the mist gone it was simple for Christina to draw on the mana in one of her armor's crystals, protected by their housing from direct contact with the siphoning mist, and reinstate her reinforcement.
Once she hit the ground she, with a red burning tint to eyes, used her legs to shove Sakura several feet off her of her with a howl of challenge! "That's fine by me!"
In that same moment she returned to her feet, and moved in to strike as many opportunistic blows as she could.
-
Sakura
Sakura leaped back, landing on her feet. She grinned at her opponent as she got caught up in the heat of it all. She instantly took a defensive stance, ready to catch Christina's attacks on an instinctual level, as if it had been physically beaten into her by somebody. She dodged out of the way of the first blow, turning her body and transferring her momentum into a powerful roundhouse kick at the redhead's side.
-
Christina
She dropped to the ground at the last moment, following an instinct of her own that saw her go right for Sakura's other leg from her prone position!
-
Sakura
Sakura knew her attack wasn't going to hit, but she didn't retreat. It just wasn't her style to fall back in a hot-blooded contest of wills! Instead, she hopped, just barely in time to dodge christina's counterattack. She repositioned herself midair, attempting to slamming down towards Christina's back.
-
Christina
Christina turned over onto her back at the last moment, taking the blow directly into her stomach instead. And yet, seemingly impervious to the immense pain such an impact would cause she latched bone-crushingly hard onto Sakura with her legs and roared in fury as she took advantage of the moment to start hitting her about with her hands.
-
Sakura
Sakura ignored the pain from the fierce flurry of blows and responded to Christina's lock with one of her own. She wrapped her legs around the woman's neck, tightening her grip with her thighs constricting her ability to breathe.
-
Sakura
Sakura ignored the pain from the fierce flurry of blows and responded to Christina's lock with one of her own. She wrapped her legs around the woman's neck, tightening her grip with her thighs constricting her ability to breathe.
Christina
Christina's face was red for more than one reason as she struggled for air. She gave up on trying to punch Sakura into submission as the urgency of muscular thighs pressing in around her head took precedence. Instead she started to close the vice of her own deceptively powerful legs, hoping to be the one to crush her opponent first.
She was clearly running on more than just adrenaline and mana.
-
Sakura
Sakura ignored the pain from the fierce flurry of blows and responded to Christina's lock with one of her own. She wrapped her legs around the woman's neck, tightening her grip with her thighs constricting her ability to breathe.
Christina
Christina's face was red for more than one reason as she struggled for air. She gave up on trying to punch Sakura into submission as the urgency of muscular thighs pressing in around her head took precedence. Instead she started to close the vice of her own deceptively powerful legs, hoping to be the one to crush her opponent first.
She was clearly running on more than just adrenaline and mana.
Sakura
Sakura tightened her grip. What a deviant this lady was! Her only choice was to intensify her efforts, and take advantage of her obvious attraction to her to the utmost.
Her heart and soul were for Luvia, so she felt secure in what she was about to do.
"Ahhhnnn~" She let out a loud, pained, erotic moan. She clamped down on Christina, pulling her closer. Her large, musclebound thighs tightened their iron grip on her neck, making it even harder to breath. "Not there~"
-
Edelgard
The initial exchange of magic, reminding the Forsaken of the expertise of her new companion, had given way to a spirited, unyielding exchange of force and brutal finesse. In might and speed Edelgard had nothing to envy in the slightest, but their techniques were honed, their battle sense acute, and their commitment would have been worthy of praise in any inter-clan competition.
She blinked at the flushed expressions in the arena.
This isn't a magic test anymore, though?
-
Christina
"Nnnmph?!" That reaction seemed to be enough to distract Christina, causing her to grab tightly onto Sakura's ankles in the hopes of freeing her head from its smothering fate. Their bodies inevitably rubbed together as the redhead fought to stop her opponent from choking her out before she could crush her torso into submission! But the distraction, it seemed to slowly weaken Christina's efforts.
-
Christina
"Nnnmph?!" That reaction seemed to be enough to distract Christina, causing her to grab tightly onto Sakura's ankles in the hopes of freeing her head from its smothering fate. Their bodies inevitably rubbed together as the redhead fought to stop her opponent from choking her out before she could crush her torso into submission! But the distraction, it seemed to slowly weaken Christina's efforts.
Sakura
During the split second Christina was distracted, Sakura grabbed her legs and yanked herself free, sitting up suddenly. She maintained her grip around Christina's head, loosening it enough for her to breath again before triumphantly claiming victory.
"Is this going to be enough? I don't feel like my full magical abilities were tested, and I don't want to be prejeduced as a result of that." She turned to look at the Magister, releasing Christina and rewarding the woman by sitting on her face. Christina's world momentarily became the rolls of fat and muscle of Sakura's tremendous ass.
-
Lapidarian Society
Christina gasped for breath, panting as being almost asphyxiated seemed enough to take the edge off whatever was driving her before. "Y-You can't just say you won and- mmph!" Sakura felt her opponent shudder for some reason. She reached up to grab at the big fat ass sitting on top of her face, but her efforts to push Sakura up off herself were... lackluster. At best.
"Ohohoho..." It was such a distinct laugh, but Mala couldn't help herself and the structure of the sphere allowed it to carry and reach all of them with ease. "Yes, I am afraid that was not quite the test I was expecting it to be. Your style of sorcery is magnificent - and uniquely suited to rendering the fighting styles of many of our members useless."
Then she sank into the miniature offshoot platform she stood on, and rose up from the main platform with an eager smile on her face. "However, I believe you would find my own specialty to be quite a bit less simple to face. And that, my dear, is where I make my offer!"
She motioned for Edelgard's platform to return to the main one, so she could join them in this discussion.
"I have no more room in the College of Spatial Studies to make you a Magus at this time - and that is the bare minimum I would propose to you." She seemed to get that the standard apprenticeship was... inappropriate given the circumstances. "And of course, I have no plans to relinquish my position as Magister to you when you are not even a member. Therefore, I offer you this: become my apprentice."
She held a hand out to her, as if offering to help her off of Christina's face. Her grin became absolutely wicked when the redhead under Sakura let out a muffled cry of shock.
"You will hold all the same privileges as a Magus, but you won't have the responsibility of training apprentices yourself for some time. We will work together to discover a solution to your dilemma, and in the process enrich our understanding of the darkness between spaces."
-
Sakura
Sakura's plump ass sank into Christina's face as Sakura considered what the magister had said. She'd read that, well, people at that level of power didn't really take apprentices.
Period.
So, she was rather surprised at the proposal. "Hohoho, of course, I wouldn't dream of aspiring to your position as an outsider. That would be entirely unbefitting." Sakura did a sort or half curtsy, making sure to remain upon her throne.
"I'm honored by your offer, but I have a condition to accepting it. I would like to bring my friend here along as my apprentice. She's important into my research into this and other worlds."
The noblewoman smiled, flipping her singular purple drill. "Would that be agreeable?"
-
Edelgard
Sakura and her had barely discussed Edelgard's sorcery. The Forsaken understood that her... friend, put this clause forward to her benfit, regardless of what her distinct assumptions and skills with magical corruption could do for them. It was a legitimate position where she could remain close to Sakura.
And whether her hopes produced results or no, perhaps this place in this college would be of use to Othinus, as well.
Edelgard approached to stand by Sakura's side, avoiding the girl splayed beneath her, casting the young magician a confident stare.
-
Lapidarian Society
"Nnnn...."
It was either something Sakura said, or just the result of prolonged exposure, but Christina seemed to stop resisting by the time Edelgard got to her new (old?) spot by the purple head's side. Meanwhile, Mala gave the Forsaken woman a look over and frowned in concentration. Then, she nodded.
"I suppose that's reasonable. I would not wish to disrupt or limit your research by limiting your access to another so involved in it after all. Do we have a deal, then?"
The grin returned.
-
Sakura
Sakura nodded. "Of course." She finally stood up, releasing the redhead from her prison to shake Mala's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Lady Mala. I hope our partnership goes well and that the results are fruitful."
-
Lapidarian Society
"It is nice to properly meet you as well, Miss Edelfelt." Mala smiled, and giggled just slightly. "Now then, I suppose you have had a busy day. Shall I have Magus Verde show you to your quarters? By the time you arrive I will have taken the liberty of... creating them."
The way she was smiling made it clear the how was a mystery Sakura was intended to unravel.
Speaking of whom, Christina gasped for air and whined as her victorious opponent lifted herself up off the redhead's face. She pushed herself up onto her feet, and put her arms around herself, blushing as she looked away slightly. "You sure do know how to show a girl a good time..."
-
Sakura
Sakura nodded at Mala. "Thank you. I anticipate the results of your magecraft."
Sakura suddenly turned in surprise when she heard the redhead whining. It was sensual and lewd. She looked at her, flipped her hair, and scoffed. "Did you really get off to that?" A wry, teasing half grin came onto her face with an eyebrow raised. 'I didn't take you for that sort."
-
Lapis Spire
1:30 PM
Christina let out a short huff, and shook her head. "It's nothing! Let's just um, go find your room." She turned abruptly on her heel, and made her way back to the door that stood at the end of the Magister's crystal sphere - one that from this end seemed as if it should do nothing more than release them into the abyss. But as soon as Christina opened the door they could see the hallway from before, and it was a simple matter to leave.
The air immediately felt different - cooler, more refreshing. Or perhaps that was merely an illusion derived from the discomfort of staying so long inside an imaginary space? Christina certainly took a deep breath and sighed in relief. "That's why I'm not so great at Spatial Studies."
She took a moment to straighten herself out, and then nodded and smiled to Sakura and Edelgard. "So, what did you think?"
-
Lapis Spire
1:30 PM
Christina let out a short huff, and shook her head. "It's nothing! Let's just um, go find your room." She turned abruptly on her heel, and made her way back to the door that stood at the end of the Magister's crystal sphere - one that from this end seemed as if it should do nothing more than release them into the abyss. But as soon as Christina opened the door they could see the hallway from before, and it was a simple matter to leave.
The air immediately felt different - cooler, more refreshing. Or perhaps that was merely an illusion derived from the discomfort of staying so long inside an imaginary space? Christina certainly took a deep breath and sighed in relief. "That's why I'm not so great at Spatial Studies."
She took a moment to straighten herself out, and then nodded and smiled to Sakura and Edelgard. "So, what did you think?"
Sakura
Sakura just smiled. She wasn't going to be rude and disparage her new order by answering honestly. She'd been expecting something far, far more imposing and powerful than what she'd found. Someone stronger than the lords, someone like the wizard marshels. Going by the people she'd met in this city, she had had no issues believing that she'd meet someone like that.
Eventually though, she answered. "Relieved. Can you take me to my room, I'd like to work on decorating it."
-
Edelgard
The Forsaken didn't voice it, but the tingling on the edge of her vision finally fading brought a similar relief to that the woman voiced. She blinked a few times and then leaned out from her position behind Sakura's shoulder to stare at Christina.
"Make sure mine is close," she remarked simply.
-
Lapis Spire
Christina seemed to pick up on something, if only because she started to look a little downcast. "Oh. Yeah, sure, I can do that." Then her jewels began to glow, and she started her ascent up through the central chamber by waving her hand over one of the adjacent wall - which opened to reveal a long set of spiral stairs. "It should be somewhere higher up - Spatial Studies members usually like to have a view."
The first trip was likely to be the longest given how tall the tower was from the inside. They passed by communal reading spaces, what seemed to be a kitchen from the delightful smell of baked bread and searing meats coming from one floor, and a pair of younger sorts carrying large boxes full of lower quality crystals and complaining quietly to themselves about getting the bum jobs.
But eventually, despite Christina being oddly quiet on the way there, they reached a single door in a side corridor leading off the stairs and away from the central opening space. An unassuming wooden door appeared before her in the blink of an eye, and she waved toward it. "I probably can't open this. Sakura, if you would...?"
And indeed, the door was enchanted upon further examination. Sakura couldn't really tell how it was done yet, but anyone who tried to open this thing without knowing what they were doing would likely suffer a terrible fate.
-
Sakura
The purple-haired woman glanced around as they walked up the stairs, taking note of Christina's dispiritedness more than anything. Everything seemed very mundane and open here, with no proper safeguards for secrets, no bloodthirsty murderpus politics...
It was giving her the heebie jeebies, honestly. She felt constantly on edge, and her magus senses were constantly tingling. She was waiting for the moment somebody would try to curse her today with bad luck out of jealousy for her position. She was waiting to have to countercurse them into oblivion.
Yet, nothing came, and Sakura stared at this plain wooden door, enchanted with countless magics. She slowly reached out, turned the knob and opened the door.
She let out a sigh of relief as she walked in. She was half expecting for it to be a trap, where they'd try to put her in a jar or something.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard didn't have any complaints about the walk. It was easier on her sight than the meeting in that folded space had been, though none of the small magics and spells scattered abouts escaped her.
It was paradoxical. In a place like this, astral corruption ought to make her more at home than any magician, for such was the curse of the Forsaken in this time, but they had also been gifted with prescient, sorcery-seeing sight, and though few knew this, it was as possible to overload as the rest of their senses. It was no more than the taxonomy of their eyeballs they were talking about, after all.
But there was little corruption here, despite her expectations, and Edelgard had been for long enough in untouched lands, too far from nexuses of the mystic arts, and her tolerance had somehow grown... dull.
So, the Forsaken was too concerned with these grumble-provoking thoughts and her watching of Sakura to notice how the woman accompanying them was so much more downcast after her blunt words. As they reached the one door, literally shining with its secrets to her, the warrior gripped her spear closely, and stood ready to grab Sakura.
Fortunately, it was just a formality. She tried to relax, her own sigh hidden under her companion's. She turned to the redhead with a question. "All mage quarters guarded like this?"
-
Christina
What she walked into was a room that was, in fact, worthy of someone of her status. It had a bed of the appropriate size for nobility such as herself, well designed cabinets and armoires, mirrors and gentle lighting that seemed to derive from the ambient mana drawn into the tower from somewhere outside. Sakura could find no fault in any of its appointments, although it had a fondness for dark blues and purples. That was not the surprising part of it all.
It was all the unknown enchantments hanging on everything. Christina nodded slowly as she took the place in. "Wow, she's giving you a treat. All this magic to reverse engineer right off the bat? Then again, I guess you are her apprentice now."
She turned to Edelgard. "Only the Spatial Studies people. The rest of us find other ways."
-
Christina
What she walked into was a room that was, in fact, worthy of someone of her status. It had a bed of the appropriate size for nobility such as herself, well designed cabinets and armoires, mirrors and gentle lighting that seemed to derive from the ambient mana drawn into the tower from somewhere outside. Sakura could find no fault in any of its appointments, although it had a fondness for dark blues and purples. That was not the surprising part of it all.
It was all the unknown enchantments hanging on everything. Christina nodded slowly as she took the place in. "Wow, she's giving you a treat. All this magic to reverse engineer right off the bat? Then again, I guess you are her apprentice now."
She turned to Edelgard. "Only the Spatial Studies people. The rest of us find other ways."
Sakura Edelfeldt
Sakura whistled out in appreciation. It was quite a bit more than adequate for her own personal tastes, but she certainly had a persona to maintain for the sake of her family. "Hmm, it's quite-acceptable, in terms of lodgings. I'll have to consider selling my penthouse condo..." She muttered to herself, scratching her chin. A shadow burst out of her feet, and she attempted to teleport a couple feet by sinking into her shadow.
-
Lapis Spire
It was soon that Sakura realized the subtleties of the magic she had so casually dismissed before - she could not use her shadow to travel within this room, because it was already a form of alternate space to begin with! It was not in phase with the rest of the building - or the rest of the normal space in which it exists. At the very least it would require Sakura to reformulate how she approached this particular form of magic if she was going to conveniently enter or leave the room.
-
Edelgard
Outside the Citadel of Magic, Outskirts
Nexus Time, 12:30 AM
Edelgard took her time looking for a place where she wouldn't be disturbed. Outside of the Citadel's sorcerously secured walls, surveillance still extended like a prideful net. Instead of seeking privacy in the city proper, she turned the other way from the crater, walking off into where the population receded, and amid the trees and ridges. She stopped at the edge of a dusty and worn gate. All traces of magic and vision spells had been left behind, where the Forsaken's sight could no longer perceive them.
The rest in those new, annoyingly enchanted, soft, fully realized living quarters had been more than adequate. Later she would ask Sakura if she had a way to secure them from the makers. It was time to speak with Othinus. It was quite possible she had been keeping an eye on events all along, but it was only appropriate to report directly.
The nameless spear unwrapped from the cover that was strung around Edelgard's back. She twirled it in her hand and swung decisively through the air, prepared for the drop into nothing before being welcome into the witch's hall.
Nothing happened.
She stared at the glimmering tip and squinted. And did it again, towards the other side. The force of her swing displaced dust and dirt from the innocent ground, but still nothing opened and nothing appeared. Why? Had she gotten it wrong? She couldn't, the instructions she'd received were actually this simple, for once. Maybe someting had happened. And the former commander stared at the weapon as though it would give her an answer.
A crack appeared on the shaft. The noise echoed like a taunt in Edelgard's ears. She shook her head, but when she looked again, it had only lengthened. Her other hand moved to hold the spear as well, as if that could stop it, but -
The spiderweb reached the tip, and the weapon softly snapped into pieces like porcelain, falling out of her grasp.
Edelgard's pupils dilated, and she grabbed at them, snapping into motion forthe shards, like trying to stop jewels from falling. They crumbled into small pieces with each touch, even as she held them to her chest, and grains of nameless metal rolled down her skin. What was this? Why did the invincible weapon break, like its power had never been there? Had Edelgard done something wrong? Had she offended Othinus? Her knee hit grass and dirt, as she gathered up the scattered bits, looking around for the punchline of a terrible joke.
Should she not have shared even as little as she did? It couldn't be. No, it couldn't. Othinus wouldn't disregard her so easily without even a warning, she said she needed Edelgard.
So why! Had their only means of communication! Obliterated itself like this?!
She started running. She didn't look back, and her body crashed through trees and even rocks without stopping. She must have done something wrong. Even with her eyes, she wasn't a sorcerer. She could have messed something up. Or maybe the Citadel itself did.
If not, WHY? Why was she abandoned? In what way had she disappointed? Why did it always - why did it end up like this again?!
What was the point of her vow! Why did she try to deceive herself about the future? How come NO ONE returned the same trust she put in them?!
"Sakura! Sakura!!"
She heard herself scream for her only other friend, rushing past every checkpoint in the Citadel. Bowling over more than one guard, she zoomed past the streets, ignored the blinding flare hitting her eyes, as she burst into the domain of Spatial Studies. She ignored anyone else who was trying to stop her.
"SAKURAAA!!"
-
Lapidarian Society
Many had attempted to stop Edelgard, but she had already been welcomed and so many of the defenses that would have otherwise put the dark-skinned magus slayer in her place did nothing in the absence of hostile intent. It was only as she arrived that the Forsaken was greeted by an entourage of identical blonde-haired women in formal maid uniforms, each of them carrying enchanted weapons at their sides and smiling. "Ah, hello. Miss Edelfelt is not physically present at this time. May we assist you, Miss Edelgard?"
-
Edelgard
She froze. Her eyes darted impatiently across them. "Where? Where did she go?"
-
Lapidarian Society
"She did not say, Miss Edelgard." One of them, the leftmost, said apologetically. Then the one on the right picked up for her. "However, she did leave instructions to allow you access to her quarters in the event of her absence."
-
Edelgard
She stopped breathing for a second, but inhaled deeply the next, clutching at her chest. "Fine." The forsaken said, speeding past them.
Edelgard ignored anything else they had to say, stomping her way to Sakura's quarters. They were right next to hers, she remembered. Her cheeks felt hot with something like acid, but she didn't care for her appearance. She just got there, and attempted to burst inside with a kick to the door.
-
Edelgard
She stopped breathing for a second, but inhaled deeply the next, clutching at her chest. "Fine." The forsaken said, speeding past them.
Edelgard ignored anything else they had to say, stomping her way to Sakura's quarters. They were right next to hers, she remembered. Her cheeks felt hot with something like acid, but she didn't care for her appearance. She just got there, and attempted to burst inside with a kick to the door.
Citadel
The door shuddered with the kick, but all it served to do was give Edelgard a sore leg from the kickback. It held strong and impenetrable, taunting her with its firm and impenetrable doorness. It simply stood there, uncaring of her fear and upset, bearing silent witness to her panic.
But then, the swung open. A raven-haired woman with brilliant aquamarine eyes stared at Edelgard, raising her eyebrows at her mistress's strange elvish friend. She wore a western-style maid uniform, white with many frills, as well as a miniskirt showing off her long legs, which themselves were covered by black stockings. She bowed, gesturing for her to come in. "My lady is away at the moment, but she instructed me to take care of you if you came to visit her. Please, take a seat on the couch, I'll return with a batch of tea for you shortly."
-
Edelgard
She didn't mind the pain, and she would have cracked her leg kicking the door again and again if it hadn't opened. Instead Edelgard had to pause in the middle of raising it again, staring at the young servant woman who welcomed her. If the Forsaken's eyes didn't reveal otherwise, she would not believe her entire figure was the product of magic.
Edelgard swept past her, one hand balled tightly into a fist, spilling one or two grains of something. "Where did she go?" She asked, voice hard but her enunciation almost swallowing the words.
She let herself fall uncerimoniously on the couch, staring into nothing.
-
Rin
The maid bowed while the door closed itself behind them, latching shut once again. "My mistress went to explore the city on her own, much as you have been. I believe she went to visit the so called Vampire King."
The servant bowed again in apology to her guest. "I'm afraid I do not know any more than that. There are enchantments in this room that prevent me from getting in contact with her as I normally would." A teapot and cut suddenly appeared in her hands. She placed the delicate china on the coffee table in front of Edelgard and began pouring the foggy brown liquid into the cut. Its sensual aroma wafted through the air, enticing Edelgard's appitite.
"Is there anything I can do to calm your nerves, my lady?"
-
Edelgard
She held on to Forthright End with one hand, keeping it close to her body, while the other, clenched tight, trembled against her skin. She had no hands left for the tea, and simply stared down.
"No." Edelgard responded. The tempting scent of the drink only frayed her patience, leaving her to hesitantly flap her lips without speaking, as the moment dragged. "... can I stay?"
-
Edelgard
She held on to Forthright End with one hand, keeping it close to her body, while the other, clenched tight, trembled against her skin. She had no hands left for the tea, and simply stared down.
"No." Edelgard responded. The tempting scent of the drink only frayed her patience, leaving her to hesitantly flap her lips without speaking, as the moment dragged. "... can I stay?"
Rin
"Yes, of course." The magical construct seemed to only have one tone, helpful. "I have already prepared accomidations for an extended stay."
Seeing that her guest was not terribly interested in the tea, she simply placed the cup on the table, along with the pot. "If you wish to talk, everything you tell me will be automatically relayed to my master upon her triumphant return. Otherwise, would you care to see your quarters?"
-
Edelgard
The unchanging tone was no more unnerving than some of the enemies she'd faced in her lifetime. It should have been nothing. But to Edelgard, it was somehow no better than being alone. Maybe worse.
She spoke unsteadily. "Here is... fine. I will wait."
Pulling her feet up, crossing her legs on top of the couch, she forced herself to lean back. Edelgard wondered if Sakura would be upset for this abuse of her place. Maybe she would be frustrated, and regret giving her sympathy. What was the point of a warrior that was so brittle, or a protector that was so easy to fool?
She closed her eyes and breathed shallowly.
-
Edelgard
The unchanging tone was no more unnerving than some of the enemies she'd faced in her lifetime. It should have been nothing. But to Edelgard, it was somehow no better than being alone. Maybe worse.
She spoke unsteadily. "Here is... fine. I will wait."
Pulling her feet up, crossing her legs on top of the couch, she forced herself to lean back. Edelgard wondered if Sakura would be upset for this abuse of her place. Maybe she would be frustrated, and regret giving her sympathy. What was the point of a warrior that was so brittle, or a protector that was so easy to fool?
Rin
Rin simply bowed. "Very well. If you have any need for me, please just call for me, and I will assist you at once."
The servant then walked over to a wall and melded into it, flattening against it before turning to the same color and texture of the wall.
-
Sakura
2:00 am Nexus Time
Sakura, finding herself out of the grasp of the terrifyingly powerful demon, and still remembering the feeling of being filled up by her immense prick, how unearthly good it felt...
She shuddered, grasping herself to stop shaking. She was too powerful. Too enticing. She couldn't even hope to resist if Elizabeth decided to make her a concubine. She wouldn't even be able to think of such a thing.
It scared her a little.
The shadows ate her up, and she found herself at the foot of the lapis spire. She sighed, and slowly walked upstairs. She opened her door, and walked inside...
-
Edelgard
2:00 AM Nexus Time
The aimless warrior stirred to wakefulness, and after a moment, jumped to her feet. Edelgard was standing in front of Sakura, her face stained by exhausted lines and panicked shadows. Those feelings had settled in hours ago, like plaster on her otherwise firm skin.
"Sakura," she began, but soon trailed off, hesitating in how to phrase her request. In what her request even was.
Seeing the caster, belatedly realizing she did not know when she'd dozed off, Edelgard felt like it had been an uncountable amount of time since they spoke. It did not soften the harshness on her expression, but the little differences in Sakura's appearance, the shifts that might have gone unnoticed to a casual observer, made the Forsaken refocus slightly.
She extended a fist and opened it. On her palm lay splinters and dust that could only barely resemble a ghost of the weapon the girl had seen before, which in Sakura's mind had been equal to a legendary treasure.
"I don't... know why. It broke. I don't understand." Edelgard said quietly.
-
Sakura
Sakura's crimson red eyes stared at Edelgard, her face filling with ever more concern. The door slammed shut behind her, latching once more.
Then, she understood. She grabbed the elf-girl and pulled her into a hug, pulling her head down to her chest.
She remembered feeling comforted by her mother, before she'd been thrown away. Edelgard could feel the girl's beating heart against her head.
"Magic is confusing and strange." She began stroking the girl's hair with one hand, her other hand resting against her back. "How long have you been here?"
-
Edelgard
Magic is mad. It's unpredictable. It's what ruined all of them, and she only learned it because she needed help, but in the Nexus it had not helped her even once yet! All she had to show for getting involved with sorcery here was pain and anxiety.
The drum of Sakura's heart was distant in Edelgard's ears. Her breath was erratic against the mage's skin, and her posture drew in on itself. "Don't know," she said, tightening her fist around the remnants of the nameless spear again, pushing it lightly against Sakura's belly. "You do these things. You understand better. Why did it break? Look at it."
She did not look up to meet the girl's eyes.
-
Sakura
"Rin." She ordered curtly. The familar pulled herself out of the wall and bowed. She walked forward and took the remnants from Edelgard's outstretched hand.
Secretly, Sakura was relieved. Edelgard had gotten herself into something dangerous, and she was too simple minded in her thoughts, or too focused to care about the consequences.
Sakura lifted Edelgard up and began walking to the couch. "I'll do my best." She answered softly. "My honest guess would be that its creator is no longer with us in this realm, however."
-
Edelgard
She winced like the sword that had been pointed at her gut all this time was finally driven in, and came out the other side. Its weight sank into her iron stomach, and mechanically she followed Sakura to the couch.
Edelgard had been sitting there for too long before, pondering useless things like her future, and implausible things like what she could possibly do for the young mage in this citadel, before her thoughts melted into restless sleep. If she sat down it was all going to come rushing back again, but she couldn't avoid it.
She swayed awkwardly on her heels. Her heart should be roaring, her hands tensing for blood, her very self furious for this deception. All those grand plans, those great promises and that refuge of purpose, and it was gone, just like that?
Yet the only thing Edelgard wanted to break was herself. She saw nothing else.
-
Sakura
Sakura laid her friend down on the couch, wishing this news would hurt her less than it had. She sat down herself, and placed Edelgard's head on her thighs, resting her there.
She began gently petting her hair. Silently, she thought back to when she'd lost everything she believed in. She remembered the dagger that was buried into her heart when she'd found out she wasn't needed or wanted by her own family. She recalled the feeling of fear and loss upon finding herself in a foreign country across the world, where day and night had been swapped. Where night lasted forever.
And then, she remembered her sister. Her auroa borealis. The one beautiful thing in her life.
"You're not going to be abandoned, Edel. Just take deep breaths, and remember that."
She was afraid more complicated words would unnessecarily confuse her.
-
Edelgard
She breathed in, and her throat trembled like it was frostbite and sharpness that invaded it. It was what she expected. The only thing Edelgard remembered from growing up was fierceness, and gentleness was so distant that these gestures felt new.
Gentleness from afar, reflected but not felt, given shallowly but not received, those things she understood. But the Forsaken were not soft, their land was not kind, and they could not breathe without armoring even their innermost parts. They would have suffocated in the pit they dug themselves, had they not torn out what was unneeded. But it hurt to do so, every day and then some. Edelgard's failures were a thesis written on these premises.
Did comfort have the right to be anything but illusion? Was refuge anything but a complacency? Was self-sacrifice not a poison? Edelgard could not change these things. She was more prisoner to them than most of her kinsmen; and when she remembered this today she hated them too.
She scoffed at Sakura. "Swears who? Thoughtless."
-
Sakura
"Swears me." She immediately answered back without skipping a beat, as if she had been expecting such an answer. "I wouldn't say it if I hadn't given it a lot of thought. Every day at the Clock Tower, I faced constant discrimination for the circumstances of my birth. People would attempt to steal me or to take me away. To many, I was seen as a useful tool."
She suddenly flicked Edelgard's forehead, and it felt like Sakura was stronger than she previously had been. "But that's not an issue here. You wear your emotions on your face. You don't try to convince me of your benevolence with stupid platitudes and nice words. You're honest, and that's why I like you. That's why I've gone out of my way to help you out. Because I trust you'd do the same for me."
-
Edelgard
She blinked, and one of her hands came up on its down to slap away the fingers that had flicked at her forehead - but there was little strength to that rebuke. Instead, Edelgard felt, as if starting from that touch, all of her senses awaken in fire, the previous numbness of her perception painfully diminishing.
The Forsaken opened her mouth. A bundle of knots strained in her entrails, pulling her in every direction at once. For one instant though, they loosened. Enough for her to let out a breath she was holding in like a lifeline.
"Schemers. I hate them too," she said, miserable yet calm.
-
Edelgard
She blinked, and one of her hands came up on its down to slap away the fingers that had flicked at her forehead - but there was little strength to that rebuke. Instead, Edelgard felt, as if starting from that touch, all of her senses awaken in fire, the previous numbness of her perception painfully diminishing.
The Forsaken opened her mouth. A bundle of knots strained in her entrails, pulling her in every direction at once. For one instant though, they loosened. Enough for her to let out a breath she was holding in like a lifeline.
"Schemers. I hate them too," she said, miserable yet calm.
Sakura
"Hah. Yes, I hate them too. They like to make everything out to be so unnecessarily complicated."
-
Edelgard
Complex. Yes. It was... excruciatingly painful to have to think so backwards and twisted. Edelgard felt a headache come on just remembering her experiences, and wished she could just close her eyes and let it go away. Was she allowed to do that in Sakura's lap?
The forsaken groaned. "Should sleep. Tomorrow I'll... listen."
-
Edelgard
Complex. Yes. It was... excruciatingly painful to have to think so backwards and twisted. Edelgard felt a headache come on just remembering her experiences, and wished she could just close her eyes and let it go away. Was she allowed to do that in Sakura's lap?
The forsaken groaned. "Should sleep. Tomorrow I'll... listen."
Sakura
Sakura blinked. "Ah-I guess it is late, isn't it? I don't feel it at all..."
It was strange, feeling as wide awake as if it were 12 pm at 3 am. Like she was supposed to be up and about right now.
"Oh well." She shrugged before leaning back, allowing Edelgard to rest up against her. A shadow wrapped itself up around her before depositing a blanket over the exhausted girl, as well as the laptop Sakura had purchased.
She quietly began searching for a place selling one of these daylight rings. She'd send Rin out and make her buy her one before dawn.
-
Edelgard
3:45 AM Nexus Time
There was something soft over her. And a roof overhead. She couldn't hear any threatening sounds, nor feel any bloodlust or bluster of action. The air smelled neutral, perhaps the slightest bit perfumed - not quite incense. She could feel her own heart beeting and move all of her limbs.
Edelgard's eyes opened blearily, and she slowly sat up from the counch, scanning the room. "Sakura?" She called out, impassive.
-
Edelgard
3:45 AM
There was something soft over her. And a roof overhead. She couldn't hear any threatening sounds, nor feel any bloodlust or bluster of action. The air smelled neutral, perhaps the slightest bit perfumed - not quite incense. She could feel her own heart beeting and move all of her limbs.
Edelgard's eyes opened blearily, and she slowly sat up from the counch, scanning the room. "Sakura?" She called out, impassive.
Sakura
Sakura was quietly tapping away at a computer, which itself was sitting upon a shadowy desk suspended midair. A shiny ring now adorned her right ring finger, glistening in the darkness.
"Ah? You're awake? I thought you'd be sleepier after what you went through. I didn't leave bed for a week after I was shipped off to Finland."
She paused, opening her mouth, but didn't say anything. Her crimson red eyes, still pupilless, stared down at her. "Better now?" She finally asked.
-
Edelgard
She paced closer to Sakura after grabbing her spear again - the one she'd always used - and gave the caster a long, uneven stare in response, tilting her head only slightly in neither disagreement nor affirmation.
"What happened to you?" Edelgard asked.
She had no intention of specifying the subject of the inquiry. There were a dozen details the Forsaken had not missed before that she was immensily more certain of now, and there was little way Sakura would be unaware of them.
-
Edelgard
She paced closer to Sakura after grabbing her spear again - the one she'd always used - and gave the caster a long, uneven stare in response, tilting her head only slightly in neither disagreement nor affirmation.
"What happened to you?" Edelgard asked.
She had no intention of specifying the subject of the inquiry. There were a dozen details the Forsaken had not missed before that she was immensily more certain of now, and there was little way Sakura would be unaware of them.
Sakura
"Foof. That's a bit of a hard question you're asking me." Sakura answered sheepishly. "You, well, I signed a contract, and part of that involved granting me eternal youth." She extended her fangs, a now strangely natural function of her body. "I feed off blood, and am stronger at night. Otherwise, I'm the same as I always was."
-
Edelgard
A deep furrow formed between her brows. "Contract with what?" She asked, impatiently. Edelgard looked more closely for the changes to Sakura's physique, in lieu of the ones she couldn't see, as she tried to wrap her mind around the explanation.
"Blood from cannibalism?" The forsaken's voice grew heavy with something that could have been anxiety or disgust.
-
Sakura
Sakura furrowed her brow. "It's a bussiness contract, nothing more. I'm under the employment of a vampire, and it's nothing so dour as that. Any blood will work. I'll just be eating a lot more rare steaks than I used to."
She gulped. "And, it doesn't hurt people when I feed on them. I just drink a little bit of blood. And it feels really good for them too."
-
Edelgard
Her expression unfurrowed, but she couldn't help herself and leaned forward. Was her distress not obvious enough? Or perhaps it was too obvious, as to Edelgard the consequences to Sakura appeared like an obvious astral scar. She didn't remember a single story where one cursed to such strange needs ended up well.
Still, she asked, "Vampire?"
-
Sakura
Sakura blinked, pausing a second before answering. "Bloodsucker. Creature of the night." She answered. "I drink blood to survive instead of eating. That's the only thing you need to worry about."
-
Edelgard
She fought back a grumble. That wasn't very descriptive. Nightly monsters weren't uncommon, but the word for monsters that consumed only blood was a foreign one. Any Forsaken that preyed on their fellows from such a mutation was a cannibal, irrespective of their other traits. Fortunately Sakura didn't sound limited to other humans.
"How often?"
-
Sakura
Sakura blinked. "I'm not sure, I think it depends on how much I feed in one sitting. I get really antsy and cranky when I'm hungry."
She reached over and pulled Edelgard into a hug. "I'm not dangerous, don't worry. I won't feed on anybody who ism't willing."
-
Edelgard
She stiffened. But the forsaken woman's breathing remained solid, even as she allowed the hug to continue. "Not concerned," she spoke, pausing for an instant after though her mouth was still open. And then she contiued. "Feed on me, if needing."
-
Sakura
Sakura leaned down and pressed her lips againstthe base of Edelgard's neck. "You don't mind? That makes everything a lot easier for me."
She sounded relieved, and then bared her fangs, pressing them against Edelgard's neck.
"You're a lifesaver. Thank you."
Sakura's fangs sank into the girl's neck and began to slowly drink from her best friend in this strange world.
-
Edelgard
She was going to hum in affirmation and let Sakura take what she needed, but Edelgard was expecting pain. A sting. And a vague tremor of invasion to tolerate. Not whatever it was that instead crashed down her neck like electricity, making the warrior choke on a disarmed whine instead.
Lest she be able to reconsider, her blood thrummed and spilled from between her taunt muscles. She squeezed the haft of her spear, as her other hand twitched, claw-like, without respite. Heat pulsed in her body like a drum, and Edelgard bit down on her lips pointlessly, only adding to a mess of sensations she was already failing to herd. She knew sexual feeling, but this was sexual pleasure.
And for the life of her, she wasn't quite sure why she knew there was a big difference there.
-
Edelgard
She was going to hum in affirmation and let Sakura take what she needed, but Edelgard was expecting pain. A sting. And a vague tremor of invasion to tolerate. Not whatever it was that instead crashed down her neck like electricity, making the warrior choke on a disarmed whine instead.
Lest she be able to reconsider, her blood thrummed and spilled from between her taunt muscles. She squeezed the haft of her spear, as her other hand twitched, claw-like, without respite. Heat pulsed in her body like a drum, and Edelgard bit down on her lips pointlessly, only adding to a mess of sensations she was already failing to herd. She knew sexual feeling, but this was sexual pleasure.
And for the life of her, she wasn't quite sure why she knew there was a big difference there.
Sakura
Sakura drank. She climbed into Edelgard's lap, straddling her friend as she fed on the surprisingly tart and sour blood. She gently grabbed onto Edelgard's shoulders, a bit of her spit sliding down it as she did so. Edelgard could feel the thick, weighty addition that Sakura most certainly had not had during their duel the day before pressed right up against her thigh-
But then, Sakura broke contact and pressed herself against Edelgard to hide the sour face she was making. "Your blood-it's got a unique taste, Edel..."
Sakura's large breasts were pressed right up against Edelgard's smaller ones, and she could feel Edelgard's arousal awash against her. "S-see, it feels good. I was surprised at first too..."
-
Edelgard
Another drop of blood fell from Edelgard's lips as Sakura parted from her, and then pressed closer as if it was natural. There was relief, and at the same time a suffocated sigh from the Forsaken's lips. Her thighs quivered, unseemly, under the mage, and she became dreadfully aware of every patch of burning skin her friend was touching, directly or indirectly.
"Is... it done?" She asked, voice faded. Things Edelgard expected and others she didn't, soft or hard against skin and thin clothing, were distracting even to her breathing now.
She inhaled, turning her head just a touch, such that Sakura's hair rubbed against her cheek. "You. Shaft. When did you get one?"
-
Edelgard
Another drop of blood fell from Edelgard's lips as Sakura parted from her, and then pressed closer as if it was natural. There was relief, and at the same time a suffocated sigh from the Forsaken's lips. Her thighs quivered, unseemly, under the mage, and she became dreadfully aware of every patch of burning skin her friend was touching, directly or indirectly.
"Is... it done?" She asked, voice faded. Things Edelgard expected and others she didn't, soft or hard against skin and thin clothing, were distracting even to her breathing now.
She inhaled, turning her head just a touch, such that Sakura's hair rubbed against her cheek. "You. Shaft. When did you get one?"
Sakura
Sakura's cheeks were flushed from the influx of Edelgard's blood. "L-last night. Sapphire played a prank on me and injected me with some concoction of hers that made me grow it... It's supposed to go away, but it hasn't shown any signs of doing so yet..."
Now that it had been brought to her attention again, Sakura felt it twitch against Edelgard's steely thigh as blood rushed into it.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard didn't want what was flooding through her head right now. It was disorienting, foreign, and completely inappropriate. Sakura should have warned her about that part first. No. No, it didn't make a difference. She wasn't that shallow. SHe offered. The least she could do was pointedly not squirm pathetically in the younger woman's hold.
"Your wand needs... discipline," she grumbled. Her free arm had wound itself around Sakura, fighting with itself to not tighten further. It wasn't alone. It ached when her muscles inadvertently rubbed against the other's, and sweat ran down her forehead while she tried to keep her lap as still as possible.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard didn't want what was flooding through her head right now. It was disorienting, foreign, and completely inappropriate. Sakura should have warned her about that part first. No. No, it didn't make a difference. She wasn't that shallow. SHe offered. The least she could do was pointedly not squirm pathetically in the younger woman's hold.
"Your wand needs... discipline," she grumbled. Her free arm had wound itself around Sakura, fighting with itself to not tighten further. It wasn't alone. It ached when her muscles inadvertently rubbed against the other's, and sweat ran down her forehead while she tried to keep her lap as still as possible.
Sakura
"My wand would rebel, so I remain vulnerable to her whimsies."
Sakura sighed, pulling Edelgard closer into a tight hug. "I'm sorry for leaving without telling you where I was going. I'd hate it if you did that to me."
-
Edelgard
She inhaled deeply, blinking away the wetness in her eyes. Her twitching cooled, just for a moment, and she coiled closer instead of retreating.
"I... nothing to apologize for." She swallowed dry. If Sakura could allow her this much, if she could let her do something for her and tolerate her flaws, then that was good enough. "Next time, please say. When you go."
-
Edelgard
She inhaled deeply, blinking away the wetness in her eyes. Her twitching cooled, just for a moment, and she coiled closer instead of retreating.
"I... nothing to apologize for." She swallowed dry. If Sakura could allow her this much, if she could let her do something for her and tolerate her flaws, then that was good enough. "Next time, please say. When you go."
Sakura
"I will." She answered simply, holding the emotionally vulnerable elf close. Her shaft, restrained by her panties as it was, still twitched restlessly as she held the sweaty girl close. "Do you want to go do something. I'm honestly wide awake right now, and I'm getting a bit restless."
-
Edelgard
Accompanying Sakura, whatever she needed to do, sounded good. Yes. Distracting. She nodded against the girl's shoulder, but held herself. She didn't unattach from her yet.
"You're still flushed. No problem?" Edelgard asked, as though her breathing was not yet imperfect and her own skin still flushed.
-
Edelgard
Accompanying Sakura, whatever she needed to do, sounded good. Yes. Distracting. She nodded against the girl's shoulder, but held herself. She didn't unattach from her yet.
"You're still flushed. No problem?" Edelgard asked, as though her breathing was not yet imperfect and her own skin still flushed.
Sakura
"You're one to talk, you're still hot and bothered from my bite..." She teased her friend a bit before freeing herself from Edelgard. "I'm fine. Great, even. I think it means that I recently fed."
-
Edelgard
So it was obvious. Even if it wasn't, Sakura would know, she knew how it worked, and she wasn't stupid.
Edelgard shook her head out of it, re-winding her fingers around her spear. Sakura gave her space, and she returned it. Sitting up, pacing silently in place, until her breaths were not so obvious, and her sullen expression was returned to life.
"Good," she said. And stared, expectant.
-
Edelgard
So it was obvious. Even if it wasn't, Sakura would know, she knew how it worked, and she wasn't stupid.
Edelgard shook her head out of it, re-winding her fingers around her spear. Sakura gave her space, and she returned it. Sitting up, pacing silently in place, until her breaths were not so obvious, and her sullen expression was returned to life.
"Good," she said. And stared, expectant.
Sakura
Sakura reached out and rubbed Edelgard's head with a wide smile. "Good, good. I feel invigorated and strong, thanks to you. I don't know what I would do without you."
Hopefully, that would make Edelgard feel better. Sakura reached out and lifted her up off the couch, holding onto her hand gently. She gently patted her own chest, making sure that Sapphire was comfortable inside there before pulling Edelgard onwards. "Come on, let's go find something to kill and make some money. My blood's boiling, I want to test my new powers!"
-
Thorra
6:00 PM Nexus Time
Thorra was lost. The tall woman walked down the streets of this strange new city, in this exceptionally strange world. She couldn't contact Arn, which wasn't too strange, she was sure her attendant was going to show up anyway of her own accord. What was strange, though, was the overbearing abundance of magic. She could feel it, sense it in the air.
She tightened her grip, ready for the inevitable magical enemies to strike her. She wanted to give whomever had created this place a good clobbering.
8:00 PM Nexus Time
But, that never came. She was getting tired of their cowardice, but no matter.
She walked right into the first shop she saw, trusting fate to send her towards an interesting person.
-
Neptune
"Ring the fucking bell!"
The shop was immaculate, clean and structured, unlike anything it had looked like before. There were no piles of junk on the floor, everything was in order, everything except for the angry girl purple head marching up on the new intruder to her sanctum.
"I've had it with these motherfucking clients barging in like they own the place!"
She drew closer with every step, which only served to make the difference in height more and more pronounced. The owner of the shop was by no means short, no it was the other woman who was simply huge, huge enough to have violated some traffic laws on her way here, probably.
"Can't you read? It's after eight, we're closed. CLOSED!" She jabbed her finger into the exposed belly of the horrendously tall woman, was she a half breed giant or something? And then there was the indecency shown here, Neptune was quite scandalous herself but this girl was so lightly dressed it would have made her blush if she wasn't so annoyed.
Calm down, just breathe in, breathe in....
She had to calm down before her magic went even more out of control and they sent a team to check in on her. It was already cascading off her in massive waves that was even overpowering the presence of her workshop, if this kept it would be bad....
Neptune crossed her arms and breathed in.
"Why are you possessing her?"
-
Thorra
"Why am I possessing her? You already know what I really am?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the bizzare little girl. Was it really that big a deal to come after closing...?
She hunched down to better fit inside the cramped building, crouching down to Neptune's height. She stared into the girl's purple eyes with a sense of wonder. "Are you the one, who's been letting off so much magic I could sense it?"
She smiled. "You're interesting! My name is Thorra!"
She reached out and grabbed Neptune's hand, shaking it vigorously, as if the girl hadn't been yelling at her. Neptune felt a calming feeling upon seeing her smile, relaxing her and making her reconsider if yelling at such a cute girl was really worth it.
-
Neptune
"Pretty much yeah, my stuff is pretty amazing hehe..." She tapped her hair clips absentmindedly or at least it appeared so on the surface. In truth she was analyzing Thorra's composition, every second she glanced revealing more and more to her.
"Neptune.....That's my name." Her purple eyes met Thorra's.
"What? Is my magic that unpleasant?" It really shouldn't be, if anything it should be soothing to someone like her.
-
Neptune
"Pretty much yeah, my stuff is pretty amazing hehe..." She tapped her hair clips absentmindedly or at least it appeared so on the surface. In truth she was analyzing Thorra's composition, every second she glanced revealing more and more to her.
"Neptune.....That's my name." Her purple eyes met Thorra's.
"What? Is my magic that unpleasant?" It really shouldn't be, if anything it should be soothing to someone like her.
Thorra
Thorra's lightning-bolt eyes gleamed, seeming to crackle with electricity when Neptune met her eyes. Thorra's body contained untold power and strength, but the real incredibleness of her was the godlike manufacturing of her-the hammer. She was truly alive, bursting with soul and energy.
"Nice to meet you, Neptune." The large woman sat down, stretching her arms before placing herself down upon her lap. "I don't know if it's your magic! It feels like there's magic everywhere, which is super weird! Where in the world am I right now?"
-
Neptune
As the half giant sat down something odd occurred within the workshop itself. It was like the floor shifted beneath her until it become like a soft cushion that perfectly followed her shape for maximum comfort. Despite it did not change its visual appearance whatsoever.
The owner however, was having some real troubles of her own however. As the electrifying gaze met her she couldn't bare it for even a second. She to look somewhere, anywhere but directly at her. She could practically feel her cheeks flush.
Come on think something, anything!
"Ca-can I hold you?"
During the internal struggle, she had ended up looking right at the hammer with brimming curiosity.
-
Neptune
As the half giant sat down something odd occurred within the workshop itself. It was like the floor shifted beneath her until it become like a soft cushion that perfectly followed her shape for maximum comfort. Despite it did not change its visual appearance whatsoever.
The owner however, was having some real troubles of her own however. As the electrifying gaze met her she couldn't bare it for even a second. She to look somewhere, anywhere but directly at her. She could practically feel her cheeks flush.
Come on think something, anything!
"Ca-can I hold you?"
During the internal struggle, she had ended up looking right at the hammer with brimming curiosity.
Thorra
Thorra leaned forward, staring at Neptune. "I guess, but only if you stay near my body."
An idea bulb seemed to go off in her head. She picked herself back up and then patted her lap. "I'll let you play with me if you sit here, Nep."
She crossed her legs, creating a comfortable seat for the smith to sit on. "And, you can tell me about yourself and what you do."
-
Neptune
Neptune nodded shyly and slowly sat down on the offered seat.
"I make things, equipment and stuff but mostly kick ass weapons that go pew pew... Even then, you're amazing Thorra! I can't even begin to imagine the materials needed to make this, well I could but getting it would be super duper hard and the guilds are already yelling about some weird lab they want examined...."
In the midst of her monologue, Neptune reached down to try and pick up the hammer.
-
Neptune
Neptune nodded shyly and slowly sat down on the offered seat.
"I make things, equipment and stuff but mostly kick ass weapons that go pew pew... Even then, you're amazing Thorra! I can't even begin to imagine the materials needed to make this, well I could but getting it would be super duper hard and the guilds are already yelling about some weird lab they want examined...."
In the midst of her monologue, Neptune reached down to try and pick up the hammer.
Thorra
As Neptune lifted up the hammer, she felt herself grow, in both height and strength. Power coursed through her veins. "I am amazing, aren't I, ehehe~" She giggled, petting her friend's head. As she grew, she felt her clothes grow tight. "You're pretty cool yourself! So you, like, could you forge me to be stronger, then? In theory, I mean. I'm trying to become stronger and better than my mother and all..."
Neptune could feel Thorra's worry and jealousy in that moment.
-
Neptune
"Whoaoahoh..."
Neptune was way too occupied with her changing body to answer any questions. It wasn't every day that you sprouted an extra half foot of height. She felt herself get much bigger or rather the floor was further away, it was disorienting but only for a second or two.
Then when got a grip she immediately twirled the hammer around and hummed in appreciation.
"As balanced as the best of swords, and the power boost is nice... Elemental manipulation too a hint of divinity Humm Humm I could work with this, still... ."
She turned to look at Thorra's puppet body. "Why the growing?? My panties are on full display and that's B A D." Indeed her jacket hadn't grown along with her and only went down to her waist leaving them fully exposed.
-
Neptune
"Whoaoahoh..."
Neptune was way too occupied with her changing body to answer any questions. It wasn't every day that you sprouted an extra half foot of height. She felt herself get much bigger or rather the floor was further away, it was disorienting but only for a second or two.
Then when got a grip she immediately twirled the hammer around and hummed in appreciation.
"As balanced as the best of swords, and the power boost is nice... Elemental manipulation too a hint of divinity Humm Humm I could work with this, still... ."
She turned to look at Thorra's puppet body. "Why the growing?? My panties are on full display and that's B A D." Indeed her jacket hadn't grown along with her and only went down to her waist leaving them fully exposed.
Thorra
"Just put on my clothes, they'll fit you now." Thorra laughed. "You grow because I was made by giants, that's why!" Neptune felt her arm move on its own, swinging her arm as a test. "Your body isn't half bad either, Neptune. Why do you want hide it!"
She stood Neptune up, and flexed her muscles. "So, what's this about a guild, Nep?"
-
Neptune
"Guilds, plural jeez. They are these big groups of mages here in the Citadel of Sorcery that fight fight fight for supremacy! Okay not literally fight, most of the time but they compete for control and now with that new piece of land getting available everybody is just a teeny bit antsy. But never mind that. "
She glared at the hammer.
"I'd call you out for the super rude moving my body bit but that's beside the point. Less is more! Don't just hand them all the goods at the start, you won't keep their interest like that. But if you keep them right there on the edge, they're gonna go absolutely crazy about you!"
Her jacket suddenly dissolved in a bright array of color before reforming itself from the deepest level all the way up until it was an exact copy of what she'd just worn, only bigger.
-
Neptune
"Guilds, plural jeez. They are these big groups of mages here in the Citadel of Sorcery that fight fight fight for supremacy! Okay not literally fight, most of the time but they compete for control and now with that new piece of land getting available everybody is just a teeny bit antsy. But never mind that. "
She glared at the hammer.
"I'd call you out for the super rude moving my body bit but that's beside the point. Less is more! Don't just hand them all the goods at the start, you won't keep their interest like that. But if you keep them right there on the edge, they're gonna go absolutely crazy about you!"
Her jacket suddenly dissolved in a bright array of color before reforming itself from the deepest level all the way up until it was an exact copy of what she'd just worn, only bigger.
Thorra
"I've never had any issues with that, Nep!" The purple haired woman felt her heart suddenly start throbbing for Thorra. She felt the other woman's hands reach around and grope her. "You've got such a fine body, and such cool enchanted relics-do you make them all yourself?"
She stood up, lifting Neptune up with her own, larger, body. "Can you show me, your stuff!?! I'll let you play with my lightning if you do! Try out all my neat features!"
-
Neptune
"Hey hey, just because you're cool and smooth don't mean you can bad touch, stop being so handy, you totally can't afford it."
Neptune was squirming in her hold, clearly not comfortable with what was happening.
"And of course I made them all, that's why I'm famous. You're looking at the Forger of the Stars herself hahaha!"
-
Neptune
"Hey hey, just because you're cool and smooth don't mean you can bad touch, stop being so handy, you totally can't afford it."
Neptune was squirming in her hold, clearly not comfortable with what was happening.
"And of course I made them all, that's why I'm famous. You're looking at the Forger of the Stars herself hahaha!"
Thorra
"Hahaha!" She laughed through Neptune's mouth. "I don't want to like, not talk though. That's boring. How could I build my legend like that!"
But, she stopped controlling Neptune's movements, for the moment. "So, is that like your legendary title, Nep? Show me your greatest creation!"
The adhd Hammer insisted excitedly, before grabbing Neptune into a hug. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
-
Neptune
"Hah....hahahaha..."
Neptune burst out in fullblown laughter like Thorra had just said something absolutely hilariously, because to her,, the hammer definitely had. This girl was just way to gullible.
"Whadda you mean greatest creation? Any worthy weapon smith who ever says they've made their greatest creation should just go and kill themselves already. Who cares about being greater than other people if you can't even beat yourself!"
-
Neptune
"Hah....hahahaha..."
Neptune burst out in fullblown laughter like Thorra had just said something absolutely hilariously, because to her,, the hammer definitely had. This girl was just way to gullible.
"Whadda you mean greatest creation? Any worthy weapon smith who ever says they've made their greatest creation should just go and kill themselves already. Who cares about being greater than other people if you can't even beat yourself!"
Thorra
"W-wow..." Thorra began to crackle with excitement. Electricity crackled all along Neptune's body, blanketing her in a blue-glowing aura.
"So, you're the real deal then! Do you think that you could improve me, if I got you the materials? You are the Forger of the Stars, are you not?"
-
Neptune
"Then what about a god ray? All I'd need for that is high quality crystal and the patience to jam it into, it might hurt a bit though hmmm.."
She looked down at the hammer. "Would it be too much to ask for you to transfer the burden of this onto my reserves? I wanna see how high maintenance you are."
-
Thorra
"J-jam it in?!?" She shook her head. "No, no, no. I can't do that Nep. There isn't any maintainance on my end. This isn't magic, not at all. It's just something I do."
She raised Nep's arm up, and then it came hurtling down in an arc towards the floor. "I just grant you these powers, and you share your body with me in exchange. There isn't really anything more to it than that."
-
Neptune °
"Ah I see that does makes things easier."Neptune replied while walking into the backroom, this is where she stored protypes not meant for sale as well as raw materials.
"But yeah I'll have to jam it in. The bigger it is, the better but... It's gonna be a real tight fit, do you think you can handle that?"
-
Neptune °
"Ah I see that does makes things easier."Neptune replied while walking into the backroom, this is where she stored protypes not meant for sale as well as raw materials.
"But yeah I'll have to jam it in. The bigger it is, the better but... It's gonna be a real tight fit, do you think you can handle that?"
Thorra
The hammer's body followed Dutifully along behind them, but hit her head with a grunt as she walked into the doorway. She shook her head before ducking down, following Neptune properly.
"I'm totally ready. Super duper ready. I've taken some enormous things inside of me before."
Thorra sounded excited, but apprehensive. A little fear followed by a swell of pride.
Neptune felt her breating quicken as Thorra glanced around at the loot, and her many prototype relics.
-
Neptune
"Oh so you're a tough girl huh...."
Neptune pqced around for a bit seemingly searching for something, eventually she pulled out what looked like your regular big dildo, almost a full foot in length.
"Then why don't you prove your determination by taking all of this." of course she wasn't gonna tell her about the secret function, how it grew and grew and was always more than you could handle. It was a test after all.
-
Thorra
Thorra's cheeks grew flushed. She smiled a big wide toothy grin at Neptune. She got right up next to Neptune before grabbing the large purple plastic dick.
"Easy!" She exclaimed, stripping off the covering to her crotch and depositing it haphhazardly on the floor. She placed the dick down upon the floor and squatted down upon it, gasping as it entered into her. Her eyes widened as she realized it was growing bigger, longer, thicker. She began to pant, but ignored the discomofrt and smirked.
"Cheap tricks-they won't do anything to mw."
-
Neptune
IT was far more intriguing than she'd believed it would be, and she even had to cross her legs at the realization that she was getting damp down there. Nevertheless she smirked and leaned closer.
"I think I said all the way, or are you giving up now?"
-
Thorra
Thorra's cheeks flared red and lightning began to crackle all along her body, focusing especially hard on her eyes.
"I'll show you!"
She sat down on the floor, forcing the too large, painfully thick silocone penis all the way inside herself, despite her body's screams of protest. Her walls clenched around it, desperately trying to eject it, and a faint bulge rounded out her belly as visable proof of how large it had gotten inside of her.
As her smirk turned into a grimmace from how the member was grinding against her cervix, demanding entry further, she forced out a laugh and stood up, towering over Neptune. The dildo didn't even slide out an inch, simply slowly expanding further inside of her, now stuck without outside interference.
"Hehe." She winked, and then winced in pain. "Is this-proof enough, oh great smith?" Then, she sniffed the air, and leaned down toward's Neptune, pushing her back against the wall.
"Did that little show make you wet?"
-
Neptune
"Maybe, but you should move your hands if you want any upgrades in the future."
Neptune looked away, it was clear she didn't appreciate being cornered like this.
-
Thorra
Thorra frowned, and then took a couple steps back, until she felt like she was a reasonable distance away from Neptune.
"Is this better?"
-
Neptune
"Yes."
She brushed her arm off to calm herself down. People getting that close, it had never been something she'd been good dealing with. While she enjoyed teasing her clients it was all a sale tactic, she never got physical with them.
"So... did you have any specific requests on the upgrades you wanted?" She asked in an attempt to regain control over the situation.
-
Neptune
"Yes."
She brushed her arm off to calm herself down. People getting that close, it had never been something she'd been good dealing with. While she enjoyed teasing her clients it was all a sale tactic, she never got physical with them.
"So... did you have any specific requests on the upgrades you wanted?" She asked in an attempt to regain control over the situation.
Thorra
Thorra smacked her body's chest and pointed at herself. "Making this body tougher would be nice. But I'd also like to be able to shoot stronger bolts of lightning, like my father can."
Thorra seemed to be shrinking a bit, in Neptune's eyes, with various other small adjustments to make her more appealing to Neptune's specific tastes. "Hah~"
She reached down and grabbed the balls of the dildo that was still stuck inside of her. "As an aside, can I take this out now? It's still getting bigger..."
-
Neptune
The smith wasn't really paying attention to the physical changes transpiring in front of her as she was much too busy racking her brain on what catalysts would be required to complete the request. She sighed as she realized that none of it was in stock.
"Yeah, you're already quite strong, I don't have the necessary reagents on me, but we're talking about rare quartz here and dragon parts, that sort of stuff. And sure sure go ahead, you've proven your point."
-
Thorra
Thorra immediately reached down, grabed the immense plastic dick and yanked it out of her with a loud, wet pop. She cried out in pain and relief as the two foot length came bursting out of her. Her vagina remained gaping after it was removed, and Thorra reached down and put her coverings back on.
"Dragons!" Thorra then exclaimed excitedly, standing up back to her full height before banging her head on the ceiling. "Give me a list of whatever you need, and I'll bring it to you, Neptune!"
-
Neptune
"Hmm hmm.."
The forger of the Stars had whipped out a notebook out of seemingly nowhere and was furiously writing into it, then scratched out some lines with her pencil even more furiously. So focused was she on her writing that she wasn't paying the Hammer any mind.
"There, that's all of them I think, I hope whew...."
She shoved the notebook towards Thorra...
In it was listed a lot of ingredients, most notably dragon bones, pure demon essence and soul shards.
-
Thorra
Thorra's body reached out and took the notebook, studying it closely. Each line brought a wider and wider grin to the hammer's face, electricity crackling with excitement around her eyes.
"That's a lot of stuff!" She handed the notebook back to Neptune and waved goodbye to her. "I'll see you later, once I get you the stuff you need, great smith!"
-
Edelgard
5:15 AM Nexus Time
Continued from Longdale (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,805.msg62177.html#msg62177)
Edelgard had reasserted her footing as soon as they walked out of the dark gate, squinting to spare her eyesight the blaring mess of the Citadel of Sorcery. This late, it was less so, but sorcerers no doubt kept eerie schedules even by the standards of someone used to uneven sleep. The only saving grace was each caster's experiments or mystic research appeared sequestered in the boundaries of their sanctuaries.
The bloodied woman unattached herself from her companion as they passed one of the gates of the tower towards the residences they'd been given. It was not she didn't welcome the familiarity, or the easy assurance. Edelgard should not be sticky. The gruesome tracks she left on these floors didn't matter, but she should not be an unwilling inconvenience, nevermind a willing one.
She paused, with a confused look around. "Clothes... need cleaning, also," she remarked to Sakura. It would be convenient if she could simply use part of her quarters for it. Edelgard didn't have another set of clothes - but this one was remarkably resistant to stains, a necessity in her usual activities.
-
Edelgard
5:15 AM Nexus Time
Continued from Longdale (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,805.msg62177.html#msg62177)
Edelgard had reasserted her footing as soon as they walked out of the dark gate, squinting to spare her eyesight the blaring mess of the Citadel of Sorcery. This late, it was less so, but sorcerers no doubt kept eerie schedules even by the standards of someone used to uneven sleep. The only saving grace was each caster's experiments or mystic research appeared sequestered in the boundaries of their sanctuaries.
The bloodied woman unattached herself from her companion as they passed one of the gates of the tower towards the residences they'd been given. It was not she didn't welcome the familiarity, or the easy assurance. Edelgard should not be sticky. The gruesome tracks she left on these floors didn't matter, but she should not be an unwilling inconvenience, nevermind a willing one.
She paused, with a confused look around. "Clothes... need cleaning, also," she remarked to Sakura. It would be convenient if she could simply use part of her quarters for it. Edelgard didn't have another set of clothes - but this one was remarkably resistant to stains, a necessity in her usual activities.
Sakura
Sakura blinked, uncaring of the blood and viscera getting anywhere, certain that there was magic at work that would simply clean it up with no inconvinence to anybody. "Well-yes. I can make you some stuff while we put them through the wash, Edel. But first, we should bathe."
-
Edelgard
She nodded stiffly. "Wonder if... clothes in the closets," Edelgard said, as she sauntered off towards the door to her quarters. There was nothing else to discuss right now.
-
Edelgard
She nodded stiffly. "Wonder if... clothes in the closets," Edelgard said, as she sauntered off towards the door to her quarters. There was nothing else to discuss right now.
Sakura
Sakura held tightly onto Edelgard, pulling her past her own quarters and towards her own. "Aren't you staying with me from now on? I'll figure out how to set it up so you can get in on your own."
The vampiress flashed a toothy grin, inadvertantly showing off her elongated fangs. "I'll feel safter with you around while I sleep during the day, anyway."
-
Edelgard
Edelgard's mouth hung open in a small circle as Sakura dragged her. It was not her intention to disturb, but put that way, she realized her mistake.
She snapped her mouth closed with a click of the teeth. "Understood." The Forsaken said, straightening out the flaws of her expression. Falling into step, she waited for Sakura to head for the bath first.
-
Edelgard
Edelgard's mouth hung open in a small circle as Sakura dragged her. It was not her intention to disturb, but put that way, she realized her mistake.
She snapped her mouth closed with a click of the teeth. "Understood." The Forsaken said, straightening out the flaws of her expression. Falling into step, she waited for Sakura to head for the bath first.
Sakura
Yet, Sakura pulled her in with her. "We're both girls. We can bathe together, and I don't want you to be covered in that any longer than you do. Rin will take care of the cleaning while we're in the bath." Sakura insisted, pulling on her arm towards the bathroom, which was already filling itself with hot water.
"...Just ignore my addition. It should disappear soon." She muttered under her breath, finally looking away with a face full of red.
-
Edelgard
Something about this whole situation left her uncomfortable, but Sakura wanted... the opposite. Well, then she would stay close and look out for her. Regardless of their genders or parts.
"No problem," she said.
She set her weapon aside with a sigh, and undid the stained clothes. The metal parts fell one of by one on the flooring along with darkened fiber and cloth, and she loosed her shoes from her feet before leaning in to test the water.
-
Edelgard
Something about this whole situation left her uncomfortable, but Sakura wanted... the opposite. Well, then she would stay close and look out for her. Regardless of their genders or parts.
"No problem," she said.
She set her weapon aside with a sigh, and undid the stained clothes. The metal parts fell one of by one on the flooring along with darkened fiber and cloth, and she loosed her shoes from her feet before leaning in to test the water.
Sakura
Sakura proceeded to do the same. Her clothes vanished into thin air, leaving the purple-haired woman stark naked in front of Edelgard. Her penis gently dangled between her legs, but, doing her best to ignore it, she climbed into the bathtub, submerging herself in the warm water.
-
Edelgard
It was a clipped and silent affair, for Edelgard felt not the need to speak of the relief of washing away the grime and gore. She took a basin and dipped hot water and soap over herself, ignoring the scratch of absence in washing away what clung to her skin, until she was satisfied, then sank into the opposite end of the bathtub of her companion.
-
Sakura
Sakura idly watched her companion scrub away the grime, watching in rapture as she found herself able to count the grains that were falling off her with her newly enhanced senses. It was only stopping after almost a minute.
She sighed, shaking her head as Edelgard entered next to her. "It's going to be hard. Adjusting to this new body."
-
Edelgard
She looked up from the disarmingly hot water, not bothering to push away the wet hair that fell on her face like crumpled curtains. "Didn't think it would? Or regretting?" Edelgard asked, the gently rising steam and other things placing a sliver of pressure in her tone.
-
Edelgard
She looked up from the disarmingly hot water, not bothering to push away the wet hair that fell on her face like crumpled curtains. "Didn't think it would? Or regretting?" Edelgard asked, the gently rising steam and other things placing a sliver of pressure in her tone.
Sakura Edelfeldt
Sakura knew she was not going to get the most complex answer from her partner, but she knew that she would at least be listening. So, the fledgling vampire began to talk.
"No, I don't regret it. I can't. How stupid would that be, having regrets before the first night was even over?" She shook her head. "No, I'm quite happy with it. I no longer age. I'm immune to diseases. I'm stronger, and naturally regenerate. I have an unlimited period of time to research my magic. No, I don't regret it at all." Clicking her tongue, she paused before continuing her monologue. "It's just-I don't know how to say it. It's a bit more intense than I expected. I can see things with clarity far beyond what I've ever experienced before. My reflexes are similarly improved, and I can hear the quietest whispers. Imagine not being able see, and then, one day, you make a choice and boom!" She slammed her fist against the water. "Suddenly, you can see perfectly."
Sakura sank deeper into the water, submerging her chin. "It's a little bit like that."
Then, she sank deeper, leaving only her glowing red eyes staring at Edelgard's face, waiting for her inevitably curt responce.
-
Edelgard
She stared intently at Sakura, holding her limbs closer to herself. When Edelgard answered, her words were lined with exhaustion. "Big choices have never done good for me. I make the wrong ones. And they are... are irrevocable."
The warrior's gaze fell away, drawn to the polearm left just outside the bath. "Those things - becoming stronger in those ways, those matter to you?"
-
Edelgard
She stared intently at Sakura, holding her limbs closer to herself. When Edelgard answered, her words were lined with exhaustion. "Big choices have never done good for me. I make the wrong ones. And they are... are irrevocable."
The warrior's gaze fell away, drawn to the polearm left just outside the bath. "Those things - becoming stronger in those ways, those matter to you?"
Sakura
Sakura slowly nodded after several long seconds. "Not the physical boons so much, but I don't want to age if I don't have to. I don't want to grow old. I don't want to die before I manage to find my sister. And having to drink blood instead of eating for nourishment isn't a terribly bad price that I had to pay."
She suddenly perked up. "Oh, I also got us a job! Guarding the vampire king, she's offered to pay us well!"
-
Edelgard
She titled her head in turn. "Vampire king? One who made you a bloocksucker?" Edelgard asked.
Guarding a king was not such a new concept for the Forsaken, yet it made her spine tingle coldly. How many enemies did this one have? Was she hunted for their consumption practices, or other things?
-
Sakura
"Yes, she made me a baron. It should give us some connections to work with, as well as a healthy sized steady paycheck on top of whatever the citadel provides us." Sakura answered. "If she needs us, we can take a portal to her."
She slid over to Edelgard on the other side of the bath and pullrd her into a loose hug. "Everything will be fine, don't worry." She said.
-
Edelgard
She frowned at the term. Title-granted nobility was always stranger to grasp than lines of birth and role. But whatever Sakura decided they were to do, she would follow. They were sworn to a common goal, and for it they needed assets.
Edelgard wanted to believe it was that simple. She didn't avoid the loose embrace, but merely leaned weightlessly on her companion in response.
-
Edelgard
She frowned at the term. Title-granted nobility was always stranger to grasp than lines of birth and role. But whatever Sakura decided they were to do, she would follow. They were sworn to a common goal, and for it they needed assets.
Edelgard wanted to believe it was that simple. She didn't avoid the loose embrace, but merely leaned weightlessly on her companion in response.
Sakura
Oh, she wasn't going to miss that social cue! She pulled Edelgard closer. "What's wrong?"
-
Edelgard
She shook her head, and rose out of the water, clambering from Sakura's arms. "I am fine," Edelgard said, pulling herself out of the tub, one leg after the other. She turned to the girl, throwing lines of dripping hair over her shoulder, and looked into her eyes with composed finality.
"Maybe... later."
-
Sakura
Sakura felt helpless. Edelgard needed speech therapy or something. She just couldn't always communicate effectively with her, and it made her feel bad.
None of this showed in her mannerisms, however. She simply nodded, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, this is also pretty new to me. This having a friend thing. I don't know what sort of boundries I should be using."
-
Edelgard
She inhaled sharply. "No, not your fault," Edelgard said.
Edelgard, daughter of Eirun, daughter of Tymros, son of Thorin, son of Lothrin, son of Lothbrok, son of Ratan, was like a chipped blade that insisted on damaging itself against things that could not be cut. Her sharpness could impose respect, and her toughess would let lesser blades break against her. But no matter how she polished, how she filled it in the gaps, the more she did the more scars she gained.
Sometimes, just sometimes, she felt she wanted for more, but had no name to give that impulse.
"I'm glad," she continued, breathing through all of her lungs. "That you're here."
-
Sakura
Sakura got out of the bathtub and stood in front of her. She nodded, patting her on the shoulder. "Same to you. I'd feel lost without another woman I felt safe talking to, Edel."
-
Edelgard
She recognized a gesture of connection for what it was, and weighted it against her poor judgement in these matters. It wouldn't do to let Sakura think it was not reciprocal, regardless of how little Edelgard could offer in return. Nakedness did not demonstrate trust by itself, but in the bath their vulnerability was mutual. Edelgard would... follow that thought.
"Do you need - want help with your hair?" The warrior asked.
-
Edelgard
She recognized a gesture of connection for what it was, and weighted it against her poor judgement in these matters. It wouldn't do to let Sakura think it was not reciprocal, regardless of how little Edelgard could offer in return. Nakedness did not demonstrate trust by itself, but in the bath their vulnerability was mutual. Edelgard would... follow that thought.
"Do you need - want help with your hair?" The warrior asked.
Sakura
Sakura nodded with a face full of joy. "Sure! I'll help you with yours, too."
She felt like any social contact with her would be good for this broken girl. While she wasn't privy to the specifics or the depth of whatever traumatic experiences that had driven her to this point, and probably never would, Sakura was positive that with enough time, and enough paitence, she would be able to slowly pull Edelgard out of her shell. Her sister had done it for her, and now it was her turn to pay that kindness back to somebody else.
So, she sat down, a shadowy bench forming underneath her. She reached into it, and pulled out a full hairdressers kit for them both to use. It had everything even a professional might want, although only the brushes seemed to have been worn down.
Her long purple hair glistened with moisture as it hung loosely down her back, untangled and undressed from its usual drills.
-
Edelgard
The brushes were much finer than Edelgard was used to. She ran her calloused, tense fingers through Sakura's locks, stopping to slip them free whenever they hit a tangle of slight resistance, and thought of how she had done this in the past. Her teacher had only commanded her to do his hair when she could parry him while balanced over the needle pit, but disentangling that mane had been a trial of its own. She herself had allowed the foolish junior who called her master to do it in hopes of countering her stickiness, and had only made it worse.
Edelgard tested the weight and form of multiple brushes, but all she needed was one. She smoothed out Sakura's hair, from the roots to the tips, taking her time empty of thoughts, before she discarded the object and began to lace the tresses she divided into a braid. Braiding hair was like stringing a bow, to the Forsaken woman. It was like oiling and sharpening her weapons, like testing a move before battle until it was perfect in memory if not form. It was like doing those things for someone else.
She hummed for a moment as she worked, the softest sound the young magician had ever heard from her throat.
-
Edelgard
The brushes were much finer than Edelgard was used to. She ran her calloused, tense fingers through Sakura's locks, stopping to slip them free whenever they hit a tangle of slight resistance, and thought of how she had done this in the past. Her teacher had only commanded her to do his hair when she could parry him while balanced over the needle pit, but disentangling that mane had been a trial of its own. She herself had allowed the foolish junior who called her master to do it in hopes of countering her stickiness, and had only made it worse.
Edelgard tested the weight and form of multiple brushes, but all she needed was one. She smoothed out Sakura's hair, from the roots to the tips, taking her time empty of thoughts, before she discarded the object and began to lace the tresses she divided into a braid. Braiding hair was like stringing a bow, to the Forsaken woman. It was like oiling and sharpening her weapons, like testing a move before battle until it was perfect in memory if not form. It was like doing those things for someone else.
She hummed for a moment as she worked, the softest sound the young magician had ever heard from her throat.
Sakura Edelfeldt
Sakura didn't say anything. She didn't complain about the lack of regard for her preferred hairstyle, nor did she compliment Edelgard's pleasently surprising skill at the brushing of the hair.
She just sat there, smiling, letting Edelgard brush and do her hair, and finally have a moment where she seemed to have put her guard down and be at ease.
She wanted it to last for as long as possible.
-
Edelgard
She allowed it to last much longer in the iron-walled confines of her mind than she was sure it had lasted in truth. When Edelgard came to, tying the end of Sakura's hair into the tail end of a volumous braid, she blinked and pulled her hands away. Instead of a hum, she grunted in affirmation that her work was done, hitting Sakura's shoulder lightly with her palm.
"Is it fine?" She asked.
-
Sakura
Only then did Sakura finally turn around and allow herself to move. She'd even stopped breathing for a little while, although she certainly hadn't noticed.
Edelgard could see the evidence of her hard work etched onto her musculature now, and see the strength of her chisled body. She grabbed the braid and slung it ocer her shoulder, feeling the fine work.
"I like it a lot. Can you do this for me every day?" She asked. "I don't know if I can replicate it."
-
Edelgard
She could tell from their first interactions that Sakura did not train merely her knowledge. And the evidence of that professional dedication was plain to see, though not plain at all to Edelgard; she naturally took note of every toned line and exceptional muscle.
It was as the request was said though, that a surprise flush cast itself on the Forsaken warrior's face. "It would be my honor," Edelgard said, bowing her head.
-
Edelgard
She could tell from their first interactions that Sakura did not train merely her knowledge. And the evidence of that professional dedication was plain to see, though not plain at all to Edelgard; she naturally took note of every toned line and exceptional muscle.
It was as the request was said though, that a surprise flush cast itself on the Forsaken warrior's face. "It would be my honor," Edelgard said, bowing her head.
Sakura
Sakura held back a good natured chuckle and just nodded. "Thanks." She said simply. She didn't feel a need to say long sentences with Edelgard. It was nice.
"Turn around, please. It's my turn."
-
Edelgard
She raised her head with a sharp inhale, and lingered on Sakura's smile before doing as she asked. Under her damp hair, Edelgard's well defined back was an expanse of bronze beaten into even greater strength, sprinkled with faded scars from blades, fangs and bruises.
-
Edelgard
She raised her head with a sharp inhale, and lingered on Sakura's smile before doing as she asked. Under her damp hair, Edelgard's well defined back was an expanse of bronze beaten into even greater strength, sprinkled with faded scars from blades, fangs and bruises.
Sakura
Sakura scooted forward, and pulled out the purple hairs from the hairbrush before getting to work. She pulled out a spraycan of detangler from her shadow, and judiciously sprayed it whenever she reached a knot, practically melting them away and making the process much, much easier. As the process went on, her tentacles began working too, digging through her hair and straightening it as Sakura began to hum.
Sakura ran one of her fingers down the scar on Edelgard's back while the shadows did their work. It was the largest one, a clear remnant of a large gash Edelgard had once suffered. Her touch was ginger, and she mumbled to herself quietly before speaking up. "I like your scars, Edel. They tell an amazing story."
-
Edelgard
It had been years since she'd gotten this treatment. Edelgard wasn't sure of what to say of how little appealing it felt, though the care continued even more thorough than anything received from young Regin or heartless Oller, and she focused harder on the small, careful sensations. She let them tremble into her scalp, prized them as she ought, coming from the time Sakura invested in this.
Edelgard grunted, rolling her shoulders in an attempt to shake the tension from them. "Some are stupid. But, I remember most."
Most of her scars were older than twenty years, and their importance had waned. No matter how many she gained, they could not replace accomplishments, nor the victories she truly desired, and a handful only spoke of bitter defeat. The pride of them had cooled, indifference settling in its place. Today, how she had received each one was just a matter of fact.
-
Sakura
"Mhm." Sakura answered succinctly. Her shadows began to skillgully braid her hair into a single, long drill shaped lock hanging down her back. "My sister, Luvia. She doesn't like scars. We use magic to heal them." Sakura continued on. "But I think they can add to the rugged beauty of something, personally."
She patted Edelgard on the shoulder. "Done."
-
Edelgard
She ran a hand through the elaborately woven hair, glancing at the girl over the patted shoulder. Her focus reflected a tacit approval of the getup. It wouldn't be a hindrance, and it felt solid. The effort lavished on it seemed to Edelgard to be redundantly regal, but it was reminiscent of how Sakura had her own hair previously. Perhaps it could show their allegiance too.
Edelgard gave a slight nod to Sakura, and rose to grab for the towels. She responded as she began to dry her body. "Scars are badges. For many, they're shame. But, in truth, always both."
-
Edelgard
She ran a hand through the elaborately woven hair, glancing at the girl over the patted shoulder. Her focus reflected a tacit approval of the getup. It wouldn't be a hindrance, and it felt solid. The effort lavished on it seemed to Edelgard to be redundantly regal, but it was reminiscent of how Sakura had her own hair previously. Perhaps it could show their allegiance too.
Edelgard gave a slight nod to Sakura, and rose to grab for the towels. She responded as she began to dry her body. "Scars are badges. For many, they're shame. But, in truth, always both."
Sakura
Sakura did the same, standing up and grabbing her own, wrapping it around herself and covering herself up. "Yeah. They are."
-
Edelgard
Once she was content with the excess of water she'd pulled off herself, the Forsaken woman wrapped the towel around herself, grabbing her spear again as she strode out of the bathroom. She paused a second later to look back at Sakura. "Ah... are clothes for me here?"
-
Sakura
"Yeah, uh, I make my own clothes." Sakura answered. "With my magic."
To demonstrate, her shadow suddenly wrapped around her, solidifying into the shape of pajamas around her, the color and texture quickly following behind that process to mimic the feeling of silk.
"Yours are still in the wash, but I could design you something in the meantime."
-
Edelgard
She frowned at the convenience of it. It rankled at her because it would have rankled at cloth-makers and weavers she knew to know it was so simple, and that the someone who made it so simple had no qualms in sharing her work.
Nonetheless, that vague bother was a world away, and she nodded. "Please."
-
Thorra
8:00 AM Nexus Time
Thorra had flown straight to the Citadel. Gawking spectators took pictures of the nearly naked woman flying lazily through the sky carring a dragon's corpse through the air by its tail. It had taken her a little bit to go through customs, arguing briefly about paying them some sort of toll, she made it inside. She carefully carried it to Neptune's, making sure not to bump into anything with the gargantuan corpse until she arrived outside the familar shop.
Carefully balancing the dragon on her shoulder, she wrapped on the door with her foot.
-
Neptune
Thee door opened by itself for her with a slightly creaking but otherwise nothing else happened. What she would see, clearly visible from the entrance was Neptune's downed form on the top of a pile of junk.
"Zzzzz...."
She was fast asleep and she was holding something, no, upon a closer look she was clearly spooning a big blue blob. Her legs came around it neatly enough to hold it in place against her stomach, not that it looked like it wanted to get away either as it was rubbing against her too.
-
Thorra
"Heeeeey! Wake up! I brought you goodies!" Thorra exclaimed, stomping her foot in the doorway. She didn't want to leave her prize unguarded! Who knew how hard it would be to find and kill another dragon if somebody stole it! They were on guard for her now!
-
Neptune
Snoooooore.
The purplehead remained asleep even as the doorway magically expanded to let Thorra and her prize in, not only that but the interior grew as well with a whooshing and cranking noise of cogs
Yet the owner slept through it all.
-
Neptune
Snoooooore.
The purplehead remained asleep even as the doorway magically expanded to let Thorra and her prize in, not only that but the interior grew as well with a whooshing and cranking noise of cogs
Yet the owner slept through it all.
Thorra
Thorra snorted in annoyance, in a manner not dissimilar to a horse. she dragged the dragon inside and closed the door behind her before finally letting go of it. Then, the giant woman marched over towards Neptune in a huff and bruskly lifted her up, shaking the sleepyhead. "Come on, wake up! I brought you what you asked for!"
-
Neptune
"Uwuah!"
The surprise yelp was followed by her eyes snapping open as the alchemist began flailing wildly.
"Whoa-where are they at? Have they breached the gates yet? Don't let them in, just don't, HOLD THE DOOR!"
-
Neptune
"Uwuah!"
The surprise yelp was followed by her eyes snapping open as the alchemist began flailing wildly.
"Whoa-where are they at? Have they breached the gates yet? Don't let them in, just don't, HOLD THE DOOR!"
Thorra
Thorra gave Neptune a bemused look before putting her down. She looked down at the flailing purple-head's expression and shook her head. "No, it's just me!" She exclaimed. "Chill!"
She crouched down to Neptune's height and stared her in the eye. "I brought you a dragon, like you asked."
-
Neptune
"Ohhhhhh...."
The shopkeeper blinked and noticed the large carcass on the floor. Then she blinked again before shaking her head.
"No, that won't work. The affinity is all wrong. A fire or lightning dragon would have been perfect, even a water dragon might have worked. But that is too much of a clash, if I infused it with this, it'll just end up weaker." Neptune kept shaking her head as she looked at the dragon.
-
Thorra
Thorra furrowed her brows and scowled at Neptune. "That's rather important information, isn't it?" She tapped her heel against the floor, shaking the building rythmically with her annoyance. "They'll be onto me now. I'd have gone to the mountains if you'd let me know earlier."
She took a glance at the carcass and frowned again. She didn't want to waste the corpse...
That would make this brave creature's death to have been in vain, which was completely unacceptable to her. There had to be meaning in the murder of such a magestic beast.
"Even if you can't upgrade me with this, there has to be something you can make with his body, right?" She pointed at her chestpiece and then looked at her cape. "Can't you upgrade my cape or something, or make me new armor? Maybe make me a ring that lets me breathe acid?"
She looked cute, earnest, and hopeful. "Please?"
-
Neptune
She examined the dragon corpse more thoroughly, seeing it how much it was truly worth and what could actually be used from it, and then turned to Thorra. "I could make you armor, but your size doesn't really help ya when it comes down to the cost, it would be like making two sets for someone of average size."
"...And stop making the house bounce or I'll charge you and you don't wanna find out how bad that'll be for you." She crossed her arms while waiting for a response. Truth be told, she couldn't make too much from that dragon as every ingredient would have to be further refined to meet her standards.
-
Neptune
She examined the dragon corpse more thoroughly, seeing it how much it was truly worth and what could actually be used from it, and then turned to Thorra. "I could make you armor, but your size doesn't really help ya when it comes down to the cost, it would be like making two sets for someone of average size."
"...And stop making the house bounce or I'll charge you and you don't wanna find out how bad that'll be for you." She crossed her arms while waiting for a response. Truth be told, she couldn't make too much from that dragon as every ingredient would have to be further refined to meet her standards.
Thorra
"Urk." She stopped tapping her foot immediately, and everything in the house stopped shaking and creaking. "It's not my fault I'm of giantish worksmanship..." She muttered, shuffling her feet and twiddling her thumbs. "How much is the corpse worth, at least? Just a nice dragonscale cape would be pretty nice."
She looked longingly at the smaller woman, and then at the dragon she'd so brutally murdered.
She felt a little bad about doing it, with all said and done with.
-
Thorra
"Urk." She stopped tapping her foot immediately, and everything in the house stopped shaking and creaking. "It's not my fault I'm of giantish worksmanship..." She muttered, shuffling her feet and twiddling her thumbs. "How much is the corpse worth, at least? Just a nice dragonscale cape would be pretty nice."
She looked longingly at the smaller woman, and then at the dragon she'd so brutally murdered.
She felt a little bad about doing it, with all said and done with.
Neptune
"Cape? Now that would be a waste. Your cape is fine. Hmm.." The purplehead stepped closer and grabbed hold of Thorra's breasts...
"Yup, not properly supported. It's decided! I'll make you a better top that really enhances your cleavage and brings out your full potential fufufu-" Neptune giggled as she bounced around her new customer with a elated spring to her step.
"Just look at how good my own my own look, yours are gonna be amazing, I mean that's what you want right? Going by how you're dressed..."
-
Thorra
"Nngh." Thorra grunted as Neptune grabbed the lower half of her breasts, feeling their heavy weight and firmness in her small hands. She shuffled back and forth, looking at her tiny compatriat and smiling. "Ah. You understand, Nep!" She exclaimed. "Most people don't understand why I like showing off my skin so much, but you definetely do, right!"
She reached out and swooped Neptune up into the air, holding the smaller woman at eye-level. "Yes. Armor like what I have now would be just perfect!"
-
Neptune
"Hmm hmmm..." Neptune nodded as she was lifted off the ground, seemingly not minding it this time as she was too enamored with her work. "Maybe add a strikingly designed belt to add more flair to your hips."
Then she continued as her eyes were lit with an intense passion. "Then it's decided, But if I'm gonna be your tailor then I gotta know what I'm working with. Yup, yup nothing less than perfection accepted here."
-
Thorra
Lightning excitedly ran down her skin, making the air sizzle and glow a faint blue around the giantess. "It'd be wonderful if you were my tailor and my smith!" She exclaimed. "Examine whatever you want!"
-
Neptune
"It's been done, my shop automatically scans everyone who enters, but don't tell anyone that. It's supposed to be a secret~" She put a finger before to tell the girl to be hush about it.
"Oh and put me down, I can't do no nothing from all the way up here."
-
Thorra
"Bwahahahahaha!" Thorra chortled. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me!" She put Nep down and thumped her chest. "I'm great at keeping fun secrets!"
-
Neil
10:00 AM Nexus Time
Damn I'm getting old.
It was a lie, of course. All the same, it was the only answer Neil could really find to his current situation, having somehow sleep-walked from the district's border gates all the way to the gaudy edifice of Neptune's shop. Even switching over to wolf senses hardly helped matters, dulling the colors but making them shine all the brighter. Shaking his head, Neil quickly checked his pockets and pouches to make sure nothing had been misplaced while he'd been sleep-walking.
Much as Neil wanted to blame it on last night's hunt, he knew that wasn't why. He couldn't even blame the blonde who'd started haunting his dreams again. Well, not that he would blame her even if it was her fault. The border crossing had just been that boring, even while mulling over the various ways he might have killed the guards, too unmotivated to even bother suppressing that instinct.
Yawning quietly, Neil straightened out his olive drab outfit, knocked on the door.
-
Neptune
"Welcome to Neptune's Fabulous Forge!"
Right after he knocked, a quirky purplehead had slammed opened the door with much anticipation. After her latest client she was way more pumped up than usual. However, her excitement died the moment she saw him and the bubbly girl froze while her mouth widened comically.
She blinked.
"Whoaaa... I haven't had a total stud like you come over in so loooong-"
-
Neil
Neil cocked an eyebrow at how quickly the door was answered, his other eyebrow soon following as he took in the great forgemaster he'd been hearing so much about. She was younger than he'd figured, but he'd been expecting that. More surprising was that he could've sworn the woman's lilac hair had been raven-black for a moment. Blinking as she did, Neil met her gaze as she went from bubbly to dead silent so fast that the werewolf had to hold back a laugh.
Ah, she's open from head to toe. Either she's got defenses in place or she just doesn't care. Probably both.
What she said finally tipped things over, Neil allowing a brief chuckle and a warm smile as he took his hat off.
"Well, I haven't met a forgemaster as cute as you in a long time," the werewolf mused, "So I'd say we've both got something to be surprised about. Mind if I come in?"
-
Neptune
"I'd mind if you didn't come in. come on don't just stand there!" She nodded and bounced on the spot like a set of fireworks that was about to go off prematurely. Then she latched onto his arm like a starved puppy, begging to be noticed and fed her favorite appetizer. "You sure you don't mean smoking hot or drop dead gorgeous? I'm not really the cutesy type. Aye, maybe when I was younger."
Her workshop was a... cluttered mess, that was the only way to describe it. Yet there was something to it, some method to the madness. "Wadda you want? I hope it something that goes booom... I haven't made a kick ass weapon in tooo long~"
-
Neil
The werewolf's balance was hardly disturbed as the purplehead latched onto his arm, Neil watching her bounce with that warm smile still on his face. His eyes almost seemed like they were shining in whatever light there was in the workshop, the way a wolf's eyes might at night. Almost idly, the his free hand came up to gently pat her on the head, taking in the feel of silky smooth hair and the way she was practically pressing herself against him.
"Let's go with smoking hot, then," Neil said, looking over Neptune again before taking a moment to survey the cluttered mess. He was sure there was some hidden order among the chaos, but that would be better left to the maker of this mess.
"Sorry to say, but weapons are the second thing on my list," he admitted, "First things first, I'm looking for a new suit. Something nice and light, armored, and it'll need to fit a couple different sizes. Preferably something that'll mend itself, if that can fit."
-
Npetune
"Aww that's a shame, your bod is way too good to just hide away.... Hmm... You're about 9 inches taller than me already just how big do you grow? You're not human are you." It wasn't a question as much as a statement of fact. She poked his chest playfully and then pulled back before pulling something out of her pocket.
The purple head happily twirled it around in her hand like it was some cool item to show off when in fact it was nothing more than a piece of measuring tape. "Any abilities or so I should be aware about? Seeing as you needed to look me over twice I could throw something in to boost your senses~" She said humorously as she wrapped it around him and begun taking mental notes.
-
Neil
"If that's how you feel, I wouldn't be opposed to the suit being form-fitting," Neil said, watching Neptune make a show of measuring him with a bemused glint lighting eyes, "It's more that I'll need it to fit a smaller form as well."
With that, Neil shrank down and filled out, blue eyes blinking as dark hair now framed her face. Nicole stared at the purplehead, locking her gaze with Neptune's for a moment before relaxing with a warm laugh. The olive drab uniform changed with the werewolf as well, tightening itself against her smaller frame, giving her a much sharper look.
"As for other abilities, I can breath fire and mold it to my needs, and I've got a couple other forms. Don't think my senses need a boost though, not with all the sex toys you've got lying around. Doesn't seem like you were the only one testing them either," Nicole mused, putting her hands behind her back and arching up just a bit, "Do you need to take measurements on this form, or can I change back?"
-
Neptune
"You're cute but I prefer your other form, so you're some sort of shape shifter huh...." She scratched her head as she tried to figure out what it was. Not knowing something really got on her nerve and this was no different, and she had noticed the toys too. She was gonna pack then up Buuut....
She grinned smugly and put her hands on her hips then leaned forward slightly as she called her customer on the claim. "If you're that good at seeing things why don't we make a bet? I'll give you a 10% discount for each one of my sizes you get right."
-
Neil
Nicole shrugged at Neptune's evaluation, the werewolf unable to help a slight smirk as the woman's frustration played out. Her offer had Nicole returning the smile as her eyes lit with mirth, however, Nicole reaching out to pull Neptune in closer. For a brief moment, her focus sharpened to a razor's edge, Nicole scanning Neptune one last time and comparing with her own measurements.
"Hm, your three sizes?" she said, relaxing again as she locked her eyes to Neptune's, "I'd say Bust 87, Waist 58, and Hips 85. While we're here, I'd say you're probably an E-cup and...48 kilos. Wonder how much work it is to maintain a figure like that around here?"
-
Neptune
"He-hey! You gotta be cheating there-there's no way you got all of them right! And of course it's a lot of work, I have to keep my appeal up, at least half of it comes from looking like this, Running a business is all about appearances."
She pushed herself closer to the shape shifter and whispered in her ear. "And the ditziness is an act too.... Guys are way more likely to accept my prices if they think I'm a bit dumb. But I can't let you get away with a 50% discount either~"
-
Neil
The werewolf watched Neptune with just a little bit more smugness than she'd care to admit, her grin widening right up until the purplehead leaned in. Between the sudden switch to a more serious Neptune, her closeness, the way the purplehead's figure pressed up against hers, and the quiet whisper, Nicole could've sworn the woman's hair had just turned jet-black for a moment. A familiar voice crept into her ear for all of a moment instead of Neptune's, the shapeshifter starting to lean back before she caught herself, quickly shaking off the reminiscence.
"Seems like it's been working out pretty well for you so far," Nicole whispered back, pressing back against her in turn as a slight flush spread across her face, "As for the discount, well. I'll be fine taking a lower discount, but I wonder what you'll offer to make up for it~?"
She already had something in mind, of course, but what was the harm in letting her squirm for a bit?
-
Neptune
The purplehead wore a far mor eerily smile now, she had noticed the reaction which meant her approach had been effective. So rather than pull back she pushed forward when the suggestive question was posed to her by her target. She wrapped a hand around Nicole's waist and another around her neck to prevent her from pulling back again. She would catch her.
Her hot breathe lingered over the side of her client's face as well as her neck, Neptune was breathing more heavily than before, that moment just before you reeled the catch in was so exciting. "Whatever you may want from me... Everything is negotiable with me, everything~"
-
Neil
Nicole quickly found her attempted retreat stymied, even before she had the chance to halt herself. The purplehead was pressing more firmly against her now, her chest pushing against the werewolf's as she was held in place. Heated breaths tickled her neck and her cheek, Nicole unsure what was working Neptune up more, the proximity or the prospect of a new commission. Or it was just another sales tactic, though the darker girl found herself beyond caring at this point. Even the workshop seemed to change around them now, turning darker and slightly lesser cluttered, lit by soft moonlight drifting in through a window as that familiar voice crept into her ear again. The girl had her good and cornered, and congratulations were in order for that. Still, a cornered beast was often more dangerous than expected.
"Everything?" Nicole said after a long moment, her blush spreading further as she wrapped her arms around the purplehead's waist in turn, seemingly transfixed by the forgemaster, "Quite the deal you're offering."
Then her grip tightened and she suddenly shifted back to Neil, flesh flowing like quicksilver yet remaining firm as he hoisted Neptune up off the ground, arms still wrapped around her waist. Steely grey eyes bored into hers as he brought his face closer to hers. With mere inches separating them, however, his lips curled up in a heated smirk.
"Careful now, are you sure you want to be offering yourself up so freely?" Neil said, his curiosity getting the better of him.
-
Neptune
"If you don't even go all in then where's the fun in it?"
She wrapped her legs around the now masculine form that was the same that had first entered her shop. "But you're the one who should be careful. Going around and hunting prey that's way out your league, you naughty boy-"
-
Neil
The werewolf smirked at Neptune's reply, seeing that familiar face again, before glancing behind the purplehead for a moment. Carrying the girl with ease, Neil moved her over to the nearest convenient table, nudging its contents aside with Neptune before setting the girl down on it.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Neil mused, "It wouldn't be my first hunt."
With that, the werewolf closed the gap between them, one hand moving to the back of her head as he pulled her firmly up against him pressed his lips to hers. He practical sealed them closed for a long moment as he took his time tasting her, relishing every feeling he could. Then he pulled back, just as suddenly, eyes alight with heated sparks as his eyes bored into hers.
"So, how about half of the original discount, and we go 'all in' as you call it," Neil said, quickly catching his breath, "And I'll run errands for you to pay the rest off."
-
Neptune
"Then that's settled! No worming your way out of that!"
She'd gotten him exactly where he wanted him, as a new fresh errand boy. This would be so much fun, the amount of rare materials she could get with a shapeshifter working for her was an exhilarating thought. She leapt of the table and did a victorious spin before facing him again, seemingly unaffected by the recent make out session.
"Now what do you want? The bigger it is, the more I get to work you to the bone now heehehe..."
-
Neil
Neil raised an eyebrow as Neptune suddenly broke off from the heated closeness the moment he proposed his deal. The werewolf looked at her for a moment, before shaking his head with a bemused chuckle, realizing that she'd gotten just what she wanted after all.
"What do I want? A new hunting outfit will do for now," Neil said, "I'll need it light, armored, quiet, and it'll need to fit me in more shapes than this one. Well, I'd like it to look nice as well, but I'm sure I can trust a forgemaster of your caliber to manage that anyway. Can you make it self-repairing? I'd imagine it'd be troublesome to come back frequently for repairs."
-
Neptune
"Mhm... Mhm.." Neptune nodded and then starting shooing him away. "Come back tomorrow and I'll have something ready work fo you. We can discuss the exact payment method if you're satisfied. But I gotta work on some things now and you're in the way big time Mr. Massive.."
-
Neil
"Tomorrow then," Neil said with a nod, giving Neptune one last look before turning and strolling out, his mantle billowing slightly behind him.
Looks like that'll be another familiar face to see in my sleep.
-
Marc
Continued from the Pleasure Palace (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,743.msg66472.html#msg66472)
Lights flashing, music pounding on his ears, a man and his motorbike shot through the city. The red streak crossed the highway streets, swaying and swerving until it finally arrived at its destination. A brake and a cloud of dust kicked up in the air, and the man took off his helmet with a relaxed smile.
"So this is... the Citadel? Mon dieu."
The architecture twisted and stretched unnaturally, like some freaky version of a wizard's tower... but a whole damn neighborhood. People of all shapes, sizes, colors and digit counts walked around, greeting and otherwise going by their day to day under an eternal twilight. And of course, horrifying storms and thunder crashed far off into the distance, blistering the skies with all sorts of colors. Thank the heavens this was all the way back there, and not here.
He scratched the back of his ear aloofly and sighed. That thing in the distance, it was enough to give him chills.
"This doesn't seem to be the kind of place where you'd find sushi. That old man... what a client. This is going to be one tough job."
But no sense beating around the bush. There was plenty to do, and only so much time to fatten up his wallet. That's why he came all the way here, and why he went as far as to look for 'her'.
A drug-fueled nightmare of neon colors and assaults to the sense later, he swaggered his way up to the front door of the shop. Opening it wide with a fell swoop like it was his best friend's place, his smile stretched from ear to ear and he greeted the owner with the best cheer in the neighborhood.
"Hey!"
...But the whole place was barren and empty. He just stared at the totally vacant building, then looked out to make sure it was the right address. Huh...
He had to drive all this way, and the place had moved? Today was getting peachy at this point. No, that couldn't be right. Maybe if he asked around a bit, he'd figure out where she was. But gas was getting just way too expensive these days.
Continued in Campus Town (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,764.msg66479.html#msg66479)
-
Outer Wards - Lapidarian Enclave
Early Evening
There were a multitude of shops and compounds in the Outer Wards of the Citadel of Sorcery. Each was under the protection of the most militant of magical orders, those whose low status but high membership afforded them the least abundant access to the Omphalos' mana - but also the most access to the world beyond the Citadel's fearsome walls. They would barter, then, with the Orders closer to the center of the district for increased access to mana in exchange for facilitating commerce between them and the outside world.
This commercial activity most typically took place in special neighborhoods within the militant orders' Outer Wards - compounds controlled by some other inner order or another to provide goods and services to visitors from beyond. The Lapidarian Enclave was one such compound, a place surrounded by shimmering walls of violet and azure light projected up from crystalline emitters buried in the ground which violently shocked anyone attempting to reach down to pry them out. Within the borders of this mystical barrier was a large medieval style stone structure with a trio of white towers rising up, shorter than the central tower belonging to the ward's dominant order and yet quietly drawing in power toward themselves from it to those with the sight to recognize this.
It was open for business still, advertising 'one-shot spell quartz,' 'warding services,' and 'enchanting work by commission.' All one had to do was walk up, announce their intention to purchase, and the barrier would let them in and open the way to the emporium floor...
-
Eruraviel
The Elven magus had found herself in this very emporium of magic as a result of her quest for shiny magical trinkets which would help Sage cheer up. However, she'd been...
Rather disappointed with most of that which was on display. They failed to interest her keep eyes-powerful tools in their own right, to be sure. On a better day, she might have even purchased a few of them. But not what she desired at all. Not right now. Not for her Sage.
She wanted grander, more powerful items which could excite even an ancient dragon. And to do that, they'd have to excite her. So, when she plopped a sack full of platinum coins, she'd been lead by the staff to the invitation only section of the store...
-
Jenn (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/179056149222391808/568860440352915478/masou_shizuka_rance_series_drawn_by_aa_rance__8a253d7da946fc86cddd4679667d597c.png)
It wasn't everyday you saw a short little elf with huge tits walk into your store with those big sparkly star eyes. Jenn, the proprietor of the store and apprentice to the great Christina Verde, been just leaning over the counter, chin in her hand, twirling at her long green hair bored out of her mind until that happened. She might have been a little more alert and attentive to the customer if she hadn't obviously been looking for something really specific, but as soon as the big fat stack was plopped down Jenn perked right up. "Oh! Well, if your expense range is like that we gotcha all kinds of stuff! Let me just open up some of the... special stock."
They reached a great, looming vault door encrusted with glittering gems of all kinds, each a storage and centering point for magic that produced many layers of warding to defend the space there. Jenn, the green haired proprietor, stood aside and motioned to it. "So, whatcha do is ya place your hand on the center gem and project ya intentions to it. If you're just here ta buy, it'll open. If yer here ta steal or worse, ya gonna lose that arm. Try ta think of something particular and it'll rearrange the room ta... meet ya expectations."
-
Eruraviel
Eruraviel smiled at the green-haired woman. She could feel how much the mana loved this woman-her eyes flashed red, and her smile widened. With a blink, her eyes returned to normal and she quickened her pace to walk next to the other woman towards the back. "You seem like a pretty powerful mage yourself-mind if I ask you your name, and why you've been given a job like this?"
Her ears flicked as she skipped forwards to place her palm atop the gem-she wanted truly magnificent items, and didn't particularly care what they did-she knew Sage wouldn't, and these would simply serve as tropheys for the dragon to carefully place inside her hoard. She turned to look at Jenn and smiled, flicking her ears in interest. They bobbed around in a small circular pattern, with the pointed tips moving in small circles.
Eruraviel wanted stuff that she wasn't herself able to create.
-
Eruraviel
Eruraviel smiled at the green-haired woman. She could feel how much the mana loved this woman-her eyes flashed red, and her smile widened. With a blink, her eyes returned to normal and she quickened her pace to walk next to the other woman towards the back. "You seem like a pretty powerful mage yourself-mind if I ask you your name, and why you've been given a job like this?"
Her ears flicked as she skipped forwards to place her palm atop the gem-she wanted truly magnificent items, and didn't particularly care what they did-she knew Sage wouldn't, and these would simply serve as trophies for the dragon to carefully place inside her hoard. She turned to look at Jenn and smiled, flicking her ears in interest. They bobbed around in a small circular pattern, with the pointed tips moving in small circles.
Eruraviel wanted stuff that she wasn't herself able to create.
Jenn
The young witch paused at those words, and turned her head aside with a hint of a blush. "I-It's just a really important job, that's all! I have to be the one to stop people from just trying to break into the vault after all!" She grabbed the rim of her witch's hat, and turned with a very smug smile and a 'hmph' to face Eruraviel again. "My name is Jennifer, and Master Verde trusted me with this of all her other apprentices because I'm the best."
Then she seemed to come up short as she took another look at the hand Eru had placed on the vault, and gulped. "U-Uh. That's quite the uh, impressive set of jewels you have there. There's so much mana packed into them!"
Eruraviel could feel the wards of the vault respond to her wishes, and begin to ... sort? Select? It was doing something back there, and she could witness with those eyes of hers the way the flow of magic between all the focusing gems along its surface increased rapidly.
-
Jenn
The young witch paused at those words, and turned her head aside with a hint of a blush. "I-It's just a really important job, that's all! I have to be the one to stop people from just trying to break into the vault after all!" She grabbed the rim of her witch's hat, and turned with a very smug smile and a 'hmph' to face Eruraviel again. "My name is Jennifer, and Master Verde trusted me with this of all her other apprentices because I'm the best."
Then she seemed to come up short as she took another look at the hand Eru had placed on the vault, and gulped. "U-Uh. That's quite the uh, impressive set of jewels you have there. There's so much mana packed into them!"
Eruraviel could feel the wards of the vault respond to her wishes, and begin to ... sort? Select? It was doing something back there, and she could witness with those eyes of hers the way the flow of magic between all the focusing gems along its surface increased rapidly.
Eruraviel
The elf's grin widened. She felt the powerful magics at work, coursing through the air and her own body. The magical items were perfectly satisfactory, but if she could, she'd have wanted to just buy the whole setup so she could build one in her home.
It was just so cool.
Shit, I'm getting a little hard. Eruraviel bit her lip and turned to smile at the young human. "Do you want a closer look?" She offered Jennifer her other hand. "I'm quite proud of their quality."
-
Jenn
"Are they implanted into your skin? How do you stop all that extra energy from causing damage...?" She sounded so fascinated now, tilting her head this way and that and doing her best to get as great a view as she could. "Just having that inside your body so much, is it because you're an elf?!"
The vault projected an image then, a shimmering high quality illusion of a fine pair of magical rings which... was it creating some form of connection between the wearers? That's what Eru could pick up on while half paying attention as she was.
-
Eruraviel
"Hufu." Eruraviel chuckled. Her ears stood straight out as she beamed with pride. Her entire demeanor ozzed off the idea of 'yes, praise and fawn over me more!'
"Well, it took a few bodies to get the system to sync up with my body right. After that, I implanted the jewels all over my body and grafted them to me." She lifted her hand, and looked at the perfectly melded jewel which was now part of it. "And ever since my ascension, it's as if they really are a real part of my body now."
She reached out and grabbed the other woman's hand. "Your turn!" She grinned. "Tell me all about yourself!"
-
Eruraviel
"Hufu." Eruraviel chuckled. Her ears stood straight out as she beamed with pride. Her entire demeanor oozed off the idea of 'yes, praise and fawn over me more!'
"Well, it took a few bodies to get the system to sync up with my body right. After that, I implanted the jewels all over my body and grafted them to me." She lifted her hand, and looked at the perfectly melded jewel which was now part of it. "And ever since my ascension, it's as if they really are a real part of my body now."
She reached out and grabbed the other woman's hand. "Your turn!" She grinned. "Tell me all about yourself!"
Jenn
She had obviously been listening, excited herself to hear about all kinds of magic and wait, what was this about an ascension, but then Eruraviel took hold of her hand and Jennifer was staring at her wide-eyed. "M-Me?! W-Well, I'm-"
The vault, and Jennifer's response, would have to go ignored for just a moment longer. It was in that moment that the door that had closed behind them slammed open once more, and from out of it strode a beautiful redhead (https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.520446077.9223/flat,550x550,075,f.u4.jpg) adorned in armor of red and black, with magnificent emeralds inset in auspicious locations to optimize the flow of mana across her body. She took a good look at Jennifer, whose hand was still being held by Eruraviel, and let out a "hmmm."
Then she pointed dramatically at the elf in question. "I haven't given you permission to court my apprentice yet! Unhand her, fiend!"
Jennifer sputtered at that and pulled her hand away from Eruraviel's. "M-M-Master Verde, wait, it's not what it looks like!"
"Oh, I think it does - my cute little Venny Jenny is getting seduced while she's on the job!" The redhead, Master Verde, placed her arms akimbo and tilted her head back to look down at the shorties present.
"Don't call me that!"
-
Eruraviel
The stars in Eru's eyes twinkled with the entry of the powerful mage-she could feel how blessed her blood was. Her smile grew into a grin, and she suddenly grabbed onto Jenn's arm. With blinding speed, her ample chest sandwiched Jenn's right arm with cloudlike cusions, and she could feel the great jewel embedded in-between them pressing against her arm, roiling with magical power. "We're just chatting about magical items! She's helping me pick out what's best for my needs!"
Her ear flicked the lobe of Jenn's own, and she made a show of licking her lips. Then, her eyes flashed red, and she began to nod with an approving grunt. "Mmm mmm, you've got a lot of potential, Chris~"
-
Eruraviel
The stars in Eru's eyes twinkled with the entry of the powerful mage-she could feel how blessed her blood was. Her smile grew into a grin, and she suddenly grabbed onto Jenn's arm. With blinding speed, her ample chest sandwiched Jenn's right arm with cloudlike cusions, and she could feel the great jewel embedded in-between them pressing against her arm, roiling with magical power. "We're just chatting about magical items! She's helping me pick out what's best for my needs!"
Her ear flicked the lobe of Jenn's own, and she made a show of licking her lips. Then, her eyes flashed red, and she began to nod with an approving grunt. "Mmm mmm, you've got a lot of potential, Chris~"
Christina
The redhead crossed her arms, and tilted her head as she took in the sight of her apprentice flailing in Eruraviel's plump grasp. "Some kind of magical ocular enchantment? Reading into how my body is acclimating to ambient mana? Huh."
Then she pointed abruptly in the elf's direction. "Interesting, but that doesn't give you leave to keep molesting my apprentice like that! Isn't that right, Jenn?"
The green-haired one glanced rapidly between the other two ladies present. "T-T-This is just a business transaction, I'm not being seduced!"
"Why is your hand on her butt?"
"I-It's not!"
-
Eruraviel
The elven vixen just continued to smile at Christina. She ran a finger idly down through her hair, staring deeply and drinking the beauty of the woman in. "No no no, there's more to you than meets the eye, demon girl..." Eruraviel pointed right at the other woman's forehead and smugged. "That horn you have-I can see the potential it represents within you!"
She pulled herself back from Jenn and took a step towards Christina, standing up on the tips of her toes to elevate her height to match the redhead. Then, she leaned forwards, giving Jenn a flash of underboob to take in while her dress clung to her ass, giving both of the perverts a show. She stared up with a big and unblinking smile at Christina, waving her butt gracefully from side to side. "Jenn was just helping me out-but I'd be happy to take both of you lovely ladies out on a date-I'd love to get to know you guys better!"
-
Christina Verde
The redheaded sorceress took a step back, looking back and forth between her apprentice and the elf who was getting into her space like this. "Wait, hold on a moment - you go from trying to find a gift for a close friend of yours to trying to go on a date with both of us at the same time?" She tried to look to her apprentice again, but Jenn's eyes were glued to Eruraivel's butt now.
Her face was uselessly red.
So Christina turned her attention back to Eruraviel, and adjusted her hair and headpiece so her horn wasn't quite so visible. "Are all of you Outsiders just full of magical power and thirsty for local mages?!"
-
Eruraviel
Eruraviel straighted her spine and stood up. She pursed her lips and paused. After a short lick of her lips, she chuckled. "She'll-be busy for a while. So don't worry about that." Eruraviel's ears sagged just a little bit. She knew that Sage would be happy with whatever gift that she was presented with by her. But she wanted it to be as fancy as possible, too.
Her eyes seemed to refocus on Christina, and her smile never faltered once. She took a step back, bringing her butt closer to Jenn's hands, as well as getting close enough to be able to smell Eru's springlike aroma. "Come on-we both know if I just wanted to bed you, that you'd protest a little bit and then enjoy yourself while I sat on your face or something similarly perverted." She offered Christina her hand, palm up. "The date is just an excuse to get to know each other better. I'm being entirely genuine when I say that I can tell you have a lot of potential. I am a goddess of magic, after all!" She exclaimed with a smug, shit-eating grin.
-
Eruraviel
Eruraviel straighted her spine and stood up. She pursed her lips and paused. After a short lick of her lips, she chuckled. "She'll-be busy for a while. So don't worry about that." Eruraviel's ears sagged just a little bit. She knew that Sage would be happy with whatever gift that she was presented with by her. But she wanted it to be as fancy as possible, too.
Her eyes seemed to refocus on Christina, and her smile never faltered once. She took a step back, bringing her butt closer to Jenn's hands, as well as getting close enough to be able to smell Eru's springlike aroma. "Come on-we both know if I just wanted to bed you, that you'd protest a little bit and then enjoy yourself while I sat on your face or something similarly perverted." She offered Christina her hand, palm up. "The date is just an excuse to get to know each other better. I'm being entirely genuine when I say that I can tell you have a lot of potential. I am a goddess of magic, after all!" She exclaimed with a smug, shit-eating grin.
Chris + Jenn
"I'm just not into being the one someone's cheating with, you know?" Christina shrugged at that, and Jenn seemed to shake out of it for a moment until she was presented with even more big elf butt. The green haired apprentice seemed to wring her hands in indecision, taking a couple steps back lest she immediately give into temptation, while the redheaded master's face grew increasing bright with every word Eruraviel spoke.
The accusations, at least, seemed to knock Jenn out of it again, and with a flush she stomped her foot and scowled. "Y-You can't just say things like that about my master! She's nothing like-" And then Christina sidestepped over to her apprentice and covered her mouth with a gloved hand.
"We'll go on a date with you if you promise you'll tell me how you came to those, those conclusions! And never repeat them again!"
-
Eruraviel
Eruraviel's eyes seemed to sparkle with a joyful impishness, glowing with a faint purple hue as a result of the magic that naturally ran through her when she got excited. She grabbed onto both of their arms, and with blinding speed, pulled them both up against her. "Oh, cheating. My kind are a lot more open to this sort of thing, so don't worry." They felt Eru's divine powers rush through the three, and they winked out of existence. (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,750.msg67372.html#msg67372)
-
Mai
9:00 AM Nexus Time
Violence is not freedom. Mai understands this well. One only leaps heedlessly into violence if they wish to be lost, so drunk on blood that they cannot find anything but their next target. It is an escape. So if she must shed blood she will not take a life. She will not take a life. These words repeat in her head again and again, a mantra, even when violence comes to her.
So Mai confronts her foe with a blade blunted by resolve. It looms over her, and she can see the obvious advantages. An armored body, a polearm, and the simple advantage of height. The helmet it wore covered its whole face, leaving no openings. Yes, it was all so obvious.
She tries not to sigh when the halberd is swung in a perfect, exact arc to take her head.
Her feet leave the ground with the all the grace of a wraith, free from dust as she rises right above the strike before her feet plant onto the flat of the blade. Then she strikes in turn. The knight turns, almost incredulously, as it sees her outstretched blade. As it sees the drop of blood on its edge and feels the slightest cut on its neck where her sword passed through metal like water. Then it swings, the air howling with its force as it moves to smash her against the ground. But she is no longer there.
As if it was swinging at a mirage, Mai stands before it with her clothes fluttering in the violent air of the halberd's impact. The weapon is more than half deep into the asphalt of the street, but there is not a single cut on her. Even the vague hostility she moved with until now vanishes. There is only a trace of pity.
"You poor thing. You demanded my soul, but you will never be able to cut me. Has your master sent you to die only to test my capabilities?" There is a silence then. A pause between the young girl and her attacker.
-
Tsumiko
By the time her headache had dispersed and she'd gotten herself dressed in her fancy new clothes, Archer had already left, leaving a note telling her he had bussiness to attend to, and wouldn't be home soon. While she'd been a bit disappointed to be left home alone, it hadn't bothered her much beyond the initial moment. Solitude suited her. She enjoyed the loneliness as much as she did the company.
So she'd eaten a full breakfast and headed out. The voices whispering at her in her head were quiet. Almost absent.
"..."
Actually, they were absent—in their entirety. Only the dull, faint throbbing at the back of her head accompanied her! "Silence!" She cried out in ecstatic joy. "It's wonderful! This is like living in a dream!" The young child danced around inside of her shadow, containing her outburst to her most private place. Here, nobody could ever get her. Here, she was alone. Here, she was in control.
Here, she was safe.
From inside of her command center, Tsumiko artfully directed her shadows, searching for harm being done, people to covertly save, and criminals to punish.
Her search soon lead her to the Citadel, where she quickly spread out the scope of her search. Small shadows rushed through pipes and along walls, scouring the area for injustice which needed attention. It burst forth from underneath Mai, seeking to wrap its tentacled darkness around both her and her assailant to draw her in!
-
Mai
It was a rudely interrupted silence.
Her footing is steady; her focus is pure. A ripple on the surface of a lake may seem unnoticeable, but if the waters are tranquil even the mildest disturbance is as noticeable as a writhing wave. So she feels the earth below her shift. Her awareness extends to the minute cracks in the asphalt of the street below her. She moves.
Living shadow erupts from the place where she stood. It coils like a serpent, wrapping itself around the knight as Mai warily watches its movements. It is fast, certainly. From what she saw it may even be faster than her, and it was certainly stronger if its ability to restrain the knight was any indication. It was... a challenge. A thing without skin or sinew, something that seemed to share more in common with a twisted spirit than a man.
She feels her heart beat. The air grows sharp. Her tongue tastes blood.
Fingers bloom from her back.
She raises her sword. Is she smiling? She does not want to know. There is no usefulness in knowing. Right now, there is only her and an enemy. "Will you chase me? Or should I cut you down there?"
-
Mai
It was a rudely interrupted silence.
Her footing is steady; her focus is pure. A ripple on the surface of a lake may seem unnoticeable, but if the waters are tranquil even the mildest disturbance is as noticeable as a writhing wave. So she feels the earth below her shift. Her awareness extends to the minute cracks in the asphalt of the street below her. She moves.
Living shadow erupts from the place where she stood. It coils like a serpent, wrapping itself around the knight as Mai warily watches its movements. It is fast, certainly. From what she saw it may even be faster than her, and it was certainly stronger if its ability to restrain the knight was any indication. It was... a challenge. A thing without skin or sinew, something that seemed to share more in common with a twisted spirit than a man.
She feels her heart beat. The air grows sharp. Her tongue tastes blood.
Fingers bloom from her back.
She raises her sword. Is she smiling? She does not want to know. There is no usefulness in knowing. Right now, there is only her and an enemy. "Will you chase me? Or should I cut you down there?"
Tsumiko
The shadows coiled around the knight's body, feeding into his wounds and dragged him down through the world, into the abyss beneath.
"Why!" A distorted yet human voice reverberated through the shadow. "Why were you fighting this man!"
-
Mai
It can talk?
The disappointment rips through Mai's body like a spasm, her grip on her sword violently tightening until her knuckles whiten. Her veins are flush against her hand as she presses the tip of her sword against the ground. She takes in the moment then, a brief exhale attempting to dismiss the trembling in her free hand.
If only it was fear that made it shake.
After a scant few seconds, habit reasserts itself. Measured, even breaths escape Mai as she stares at the shadowy mass before her. It is alive, perhaps? Or some sort of familiar. Could she cut a shadow with her sword...? It has form, even as it shifts. All things with form will shatter. Her finger thumbs the hilt of her blade as a more calm confidence reasserts itself. Yes, if needed she can certainly cut it. But was there any point in battle?
Mai's dull, almost blank eyes gave nothing of her swirling thoughts away. Instead, she tilted her head just a tad. A sliver of inquisitiveness slipping into her frame as she responds. "It attacked me first. Why is such a thing your concern?"
-
Tsumiko
Tsumiko recognized those eyes. She'd seen them in the mirror every day of her life—dead, lifeless eyes of someone just trying to get through the day to day without breaking; without despair. The shadow puppet retreated, retracting its tendrils back into its abyssal corpse and morphing back into a pool on the ground which lead to another world.
The purple-haired child emerged from within, draped in the same shadows which had assaulted Mai. They tightly covered her torso, while she wore a loose pair of shorts underneath, her legs covered up by more of her familars. "I'm sorry, then. I was just trying to break up the fight." Tsumiko bowed at her politely with the mannerisms of her hosts. She took a step forwards, staring at Mai with curious eyes which looked much like her own. "My name is Tsumiko. What's yours?"
-
Mai
Mai warily eyes the knight as it is drawn into the shadow. Sorcery was not a field she was familiar with, and there was something unnerving in the ways the shadows shifted and skittered. She did not want to be touched by it. But she was not so rude to make that discomfort visible. So she bows in turn, back straight but not bent low enough to assume inferiority. It was simply a show of respect towards a powerful stranger.
"I am Mai. What is it that you plan to do with that knight? I will not allow him to be killed." There was no heat in her voice. In fact, her body grew almost unnaturally still. There was only a firmness to her tone. At the very least, she would not allow for senseless killing.
-
Tsumiko
"I'm holding him prisoner, just as I was trying to do to you. I saw a fight, I wanted to break it up. Figure out what's going on before taking any steps too drastic. Try to prevent either of you from killing the other."
Tsumiko straightened up and began to nervously shuffle her feet. She wasn't used to really talking so much with strangers like this, and it showed. Nervous energy barely contained by a force of will greater than her own was bundled up, present in her every movement. "So, were you... not trying to kill him?"
-
Mai
"No." Her answer is short and blunt. She considers the careless movements, how the other girl almost shuffles in place simply from having to talk. To have all that power despite that might be something worth praising... or it was something to be concerned about. She kept her distance regardless, always keeping several steps away from the other girl. "I am no judge. It is not in my purview to weigh the lives of others, and I will not allow others to do so either."
"It seems you think similarly?" She raises a single, elegant brow. Mai's eyes watch the shadows for any possible threat. Sorcery was... distasteful. It was easy to know the character of a swordsman. If their hands do not tremble, they cannot be trusted. But those who practice the arts can kill without a care, sometimes without meaning to. It made them much more difficult to evaluate.
-
Tsumiko
"Well, I don't know about all that." She replied with a sheepish expression that spoke of her inexperience with these matters. "I've never had the chance to discuss such matters, or to give too much thought to whom should and should not be meeting out the fist of justice. Still—I don't think anyone who doesn't deserve it should die."
The inescapable, cavernous maw of Tsumiko's shadow opened up, ejecting the now-shivering man from its gullet. "I'm sorry for making an assumption."
-
Mai
Mai spares the man a quick, careful glance. Her piercing gaze checks his armor for any damage, any hint of blood, but only the gap she had carved early remained. For now, it seems she can trust the other girl's word. That was... relieving. While she did not look much older than her, there was a newness and uncertainty to Tsumiko's face like a child's. It would not bring her any joy to shed her blood. Still, her sword is as ready as ever even as she gives the knight a dismissive look. Her eyes only slightly narrowed, she points away towards the grand spires of the Citadel proper.
"Go, pawn. May this stranger's interference be satisfactory enough to spare your life, should you return to your master." Stumbling to his feet, she notices the hesitation in his posture for a moment. But perhaps the experience taught him enough wisdom. The knight stumbles off back to the depths of the city. Mai almost... no, she does feel pity for him. If only because he returns since he knows nothing else.
But she cannot shoulder the responsibility of all who suffer. Instead, she looks towards Tsumiko with the vaguest tinge of curiosity. "Where will you go now?" It felt too cruel to simply leave. Even she was not so heartless as to abandon children on the street.
-
Mai
Mai spares the man a quick, careful glance. Her piercing gaze checks his armor for any damage, any hint of blood, but only the gap she had carved early remained. For now, it seems she can trust the other girl's word. That was... relieving. While she did not look much older than her, there was a newness and uncertainty to Tsumiko's face like a child's. It would not bring her any joy to shed her blood. Still, her sword is as ready as ever even as she gives the knight a dismissive look. Her eyes only slightly narrowed, she points away towards the grand spires of the Citadel proper.
"Go, pawn. May this stranger's interference be satisfactory enough to spare your life, should you return to your master." Stumbling to his feet, she notices the hesitation in his posture for a moment. But perhaps the experience taught him enough wisdom. The knight stumbles off back to the depths of the city. Mai almost... no, she does feel pity for him. If only because he returns since he knows nothing else.
But she cannot shoulder the responsibility of all who suffer. Instead, she looks towards Tsumiko with the vaguest tinge of curiosity. "Where will you go now?" It felt too cruel to simply leave. Even she was not so heartless as to abandon children on the street.
Tsumiko
"So what did you do? To be chased, hounded, and assaulted as such?" Tsumiko asked with a plain, casual expression. "What is your sin?" She didn't seem to be too concerned with the knight anymore. Her interest had vanished the moment that she'd released him and he fled from the young girls before him.
She knew it. She knew that Mai had a deep scar, the same as her. And she wanted to learn more.
-
Nanako
Some time later...
It had taken around half an hour for the wound to close up, and about an hour after that for the internal damage to heal, by which time the squirrel girl'd had plenty of time to clean off the blood, take a shower, and get a fresh change of clothes that didn't smell like burned flesh and gore. Putting the incident behind her both figuratively and literally, the squirrel girl had since made her way to the Citadel, figuring that it was about time she got her hands on some armor, at least for her arms and legs.
Sure you need that, ma?
Nanako started for a moment, then shook it off and went back to roaming the streets, looking for the right shop. Since the seraph's fire had washed over her, that presence in the back of her head seemed to have awakened, crawling up her spine from where the feathers had implanted into her up into her mind. Whatever it was, it was surprisingly talkative, considering that Zeke had said it was basically a baby.
Heaving a quiet sigh, the squirrel girl finally found a shop promising decent armor, zipping inside and searching the shelves for something that would meet her standards, fluffy tail swishing excitedly behind her as she went.
-
Lulu
If one thing could be said about the blonde Angel, it was that she embodied femininity. That was the first thought most people would have when they gazed upon her form. It was a heavenly feast for your visions, so soft you could feel it with your very eyes, and with curves in just the right places that would entrance most men and make women question their own looks. Yet that was a fleeting emotion, for even more overwhelming to behold than her beauty was her divine radience. That aura of calm that swept over you like the gentle rocking of the waves at the beach, such was her presence.
And now in her haste to rush in the squirrel girl had slammed right into the Angel's front who had teleported into that one store just for the sake of her own amusement. And that was how she ended up on her back with the taller girl on top of her. With how soft her body surely it must have felt for Nanako like she was landing on a pillow.
"Oh my how violent, I haven't seen you in... You're hurt?" She could feel the taint of something thay ought not be on this girl, something she did not have the last time they'd met.
-
Nanako
To Nanako's surprise, the step that should've taken her inside the shop was interrupted by a very pretty blonde, one that she could've sworn she recognized, at that. She didn't have the time to think it over, however, her momentum carrying her face-first into the busty blonde and bowling her over. When the dust settled, Nanako was the one on top, face buried in that soft chest and soothed by the woman's calm aura.
The squirrel girl wondered how she'd run into a pillow for a moment before reaching about blindly with her hands, finding something surprisingly soft to brace herself on, and pushed up to free her head from the comforting confines of those tits.
"Hm? Yeah, got impaled an hour ago, but that should finish healing up soon," Nanako said, giving the blonde beneath her a curious look, "Hm...We've met before, but I don't think I got your name."
-
Lulu
"Heh getting to second base without even knowing my name, how naughty Nanako. And you do know me. It's Lulu, the bouncy Angel of Lust.." Lulu answered while giggling at the mishaps of the squirrel girl. In her attempt to get up up she'd grabbed her boobs, and now those sturdy hands were sinking into her soft cloud like tits, with only the soft fabric of her dress in the way of direct skin contact.
"By heavenly law groping the breasts of a high ranking Angel is a sin. " A complete lie, but it would be fun to see if she could prank Nanako "Are you a sinner Nanako?" The Angel asked while barely holding her laughter back.
.
-
Nanako
Nanako blinked as she glanced down to see that she'd indeed grabbed two handfuls of those soft tits that had just been pillowing her face. The squirrel bit the corner of her lip as she looked down at Lulu, then cocked an eyebrow at what she said.
"That so? Well, in that case," Nanako said with a small smile, giving those breasts a firm squeeze, fingers sinking deeper into that divine softness, "Worth it."
-
Mai
"What concern is that of yours? If there is any blame to assert, it is not with me." She points her finger towards the arcane towers and sorcerous workings at the true heart of the district. "Their hunger for secrets and knowledge is all-consuming. If it was not me, I am sure one of their ranks would descend upon any curiosity of note. That is the nature of those who would poke their instruments into the wounds of the world."
Her brow furrows with an irritation that borders anger. She will never understand those who so recklessly utilize their own abilities for an ideal of knowledge identical to greed. As for herself, for her sins, there are none alive who would hunt her for such a thing. The maggots and worms have stolen those secrets from their tongue. Who would wish to speak of it? She has said enough to fill the frozen hells for today. But Mai can recognize a hook, a question meant to dig and prod not for the sake of another but one's own satisfaction. At the very least, this girl does not look so deranged that it was for pleasure.
So Mai merely frowns, her hold on her sword firm. "I do not know what you wish from me, but you will not find it. My crimes are not yours. ...And you are a child. If you have committed evils, then you have a life to make up for them. If others have asked it of you, then the blame is far from yours alone."
-
Nanako
Nanako blinked as she glanced down to see that she'd indeed grabbed two handfuls of those soft tits that had just been pillowing her face. The squirrel bit the corner of her lip as she looked down at Lulu, then cocked an eyebrow at what she said.
"That so? Well, in that case," Nanako said with a small smile, giving those breasts a firm squeeze, fingers sinking deeper into that divine softness, "Worth it."
Lulu
Lulu bit her lip to prevent a moan from escaping her pretty lips but even that didn't stop the reddening of her cheeks. The unmistakable flush of arousal, well she could stop that too but she didn't truly feel like it. "Really now? You're getting me real riled up here and you'll to make up for it." Her blue eyes roamed over Nanako's sublime form, she liked what she saw, toned muscles yet curves in all the right places, the perfect opposite of her own classic feminine appearance.
"you shall assist me in carrying out my mission, of spreading the gospel of lust! That shall be your penance."
-
Nanako
The squirrel girl canted her head to the side as Lulu made her proclamation, tail swishing rapidly behind her as she was sentenced. She didn't miss the woman's reaction to the groping, smile widening a little as she met the busty blonde's eyes and held her gaze, her own bust swaying slightly under her top, hanging perilously over Lulu's.
"Oh, so that's my punishment?" Nanako giggled, "And how would I help you spread a gospel like that, hmm?"
-
Lulu
"By offering yourself up to the desires of our believers of course!." Lulu smiled as she'd found something fun to do, a new follower to pass on the teachings and one who possessed all of the qualifications to learn the gospel.
"And you have been extraordinarily blessed for this reason." The blonde suddenly began floating upwards, which pushed the two of them to their feet, however she was still clinging to Nanako, now embracing her wholeheartedly. She was shorter than the Squirrel girl, especially so considering she wasn't even wearing any shoes on her feet. And as she embraced Nanako, her divine power gently poured into the other girl, mending whatever remained of her injuries and filled her with energy, removing any signs of fatigue she may have.
"My order exist to spread the love of the lord and to liberate lonely people who has no one for them..."
-
Nanako
"Offering myself up to them, huh?" Nanako licked her lips and smiled, "So you want someone to tempt them?"
The squirrel girl canted her head curious as Lulu rose up, bringing Nanako with them. She wound up a bit off the ground, clinging to the squirrel girl as strange warmth seeped into her. Already, she could feel it soothing the delicious aches and twinges left over from the brief battle before, nudging something deeper inside her as well.
Hey, I know this taste...
"You'd be pretty tempting to the lonely ones already," Nanako giggled, eyes sparkling with lascivious amusement, "But if it's both of us, well..."
-
Mai
"What concern is that of yours? If there is any blame to assert, it is not with me." She points her finger towards the arcane towers and sorcerous workings at the true heart of the district. "Their hunger for secrets and knowledge is all-consuming. If it was not me, I am sure one of their ranks would descend upon any curiosity of note. That is the nature of those who would poke their instruments into the wounds of the world."
Her brow furrows with an irritation that borders anger. She will never understand those who so recklessly utilize their own abilities for an ideal of knowledge identical to greed. As for herself, for her sins, there are none alive who would hunt her for such a thing. The maggots and worms have stolen those secrets from their tongue. Who would wish to speak of it? She has said enough to fill the frozen hells for today. But Mai can recognize a hook, a question meant to dig and prod not for the sake of another but one's own satisfaction. At the very least, this girl does not look so deranged that it was for pleasure.
So Mai merely frowns, her hold on her sword firm. "I do not know what you wish from me, but you will not find it. My crimes are not yours. ...And you are a child. If you have committed evils, then you have a life to make up for them. If others have asked it of you, then the blame is far from yours alone."
Tsumiko
"Tch. Don't call me a child and talk down to me. Your pain and suffering isn't greater than my own." Tsumiko crossed her arms under her chest, glaring intently at Mai with a serious face. "The way that I make up for the sins of my creation is helping save people—that's why I showed up here and did what I did."
She gestured up at the large, walled city of mages. "And I know little of what goes on in there. My sorcery is my own, self-taught and used only for good. I'm a hero, and I'd like to be your friend."
-
Lulu
"there are things you can do with two girls that you can't with just one, besides...." Lulu grinned in amusement, she was clearly enjoying the response she was getting here, now she just needed a final push. A quick glance at the girl's mind was all it took for her to find what she was searching for.
"You want to feel it don't you, the pain of being taken by someone who's lost all inhibition?" The Angel softly whispered this to her, not wanting anyone else to hear this conversation, but also because the shift in tone would make the statement all the more deliciously dramatic.
-
Nanako
The squirrel girl perked up with the busty blonde's question, ears swiveling towards her as she hugged Lulu just a little tighter.
"That definitely...sounds like a fun time," Nanako admitted, curiosity and anticipation quivering in her voice, "But you're right, there's plenty you can do with two that you can't do with one."
"Like this!" mirth lit up the squirrel girl's eyes as she suddenly took one of Lulu's hands in her own, fingers weaving together to better hold the other girl's hand, "Now lead the way!"
-
Mai
"For what reason?" It was not suspicious, for suspicion was reserved for those who had been burned. It was the confusion of an idea that was fundamentally foreign. "We hold nothing in common. You do not know me in any way. There is no need to rub shoulders with another simply because you both carry wounds." She turns around then, her sword at her side, and begins to walk away. But a moment of hesitation brings her footsteps to a halt. The sin of her creation? Mai looked towards her own blade. It was not evil. It was not cruel. It did not want to be born, did not want to be anything. It was not capable of such feelings.
Only she was. How infuriating.
So Mai turns around. At the very least, she cannot keep quiet about this. Even if it is tiresome and a distraction she must address it as cleanly as possible. A thorn in the foot may be ignorable for a single step, but after a thousand it is agony. "There is no sin in being born, only in creation. If that alone constitutes your sins then abhor your makers, but their evils are not yours."
That is suitable enough, is it not? She is no sage to give lessons and dispense wisdom. A few words are fitting enough for her. So she turns away and resumes her walk, blade still in hand.
-
Nanako
The squirrel girl perked up with the busty blonde's question, ears swiveling towards her as she hugged Lulu just a little tighter.
"That definitely...sounds like a fun time," Nanako admitted, curiosity and anticipation quivering in her voice, "But you're right, there's plenty you can do with two that you can't do with one."
"Like this!" mirth lit up the squirrel girl's eyes as she suddenly took one of Lulu's hands in her own, fingers weaving together to better hold the other girl's hand, "Now lead the way!"
Lulu
"Oh I will be testing you first however. I cannot just take on a disciple who doesn't at least show herself worthy of it. That's why we're going to go to a vry sinful place.... Say Nanako, are you comfortable with being teleported? It's the fastest way there." The blonde angel smiled at her partner and there was no deceit in her voice. Just a calm gentleness that swept over the squirrel girl and was very inviting to say the least.
-
Nanako
Nanako gave Lulu a curious look, her head tilting to one side as her tail swished eagerly behind her. All this talk about gospels and such, and now the blonde thought to test her? Still, the way she said it, it certainly sounded like it'd be fun.
"Hm, never tried it before," Nanako noted, firmly holding Lulu's hand, "Guess it's time to find out, then. Go ahead."
-
Lulu
Lulu's smile only brightened at that response and in the next second with only a rush of air to announce their departure, the two of them were gone. And they would reappear in the Pleasure Palace (https://forums.darksidemoon.net/index.php/topic,743.msg68453.html#msg68453) just as soon as they'd left.
-
Mai
"For what reason?" It was not suspicious, for suspicion was reserved for those who had been burned. It was the confusion of an idea that was fundamentally foreign. "We hold nothing in common. You do not know me in any way. There is no need to rub shoulders with another simply because you both carry wounds." She turns around then, her sword at her side, and begins to walk away. But a moment of hesitation brings her footsteps to a halt. The sin of her creation? Mai looked towards her own blade. It was not evil. It was not cruel. It did not want to be born, did not want to be anything. It was not capable of such feelings.
Only she was. How infuriating.
So Mai turns around. At the very least, she cannot keep quiet about this. Even if it is tiresome and a distraction she must address it as cleanly as possible. A thorn in the foot may be ignorable for a single step, but after a thousand it is agony. "There is no sin in being born, only in creation. If that alone constitutes your sins then abhor your makers, but their evils are not yours."
That is suitable enough, is it not? She is no sage to give lessons and dispense wisdom. A few words are fitting enough for her. So she turns away and resumes her walk, blade still in hand.
Tsumiko
Tsumiko frowned, and blinked back welling tears. She shook her head once, then a second time to cement her feelings. Tsumiko wiped her shirt with a sleeve. "No." She replied, feeling the anvil of guilt laying upon her back. The sin was hers to bear, nobody else's.
"No." Tsumiko repeated. "I don't know you in any way. You don't know me either. Can't you see, that's why I want to talk to you! I want to be your friend because you... you looked so sad! Isn't that enough?!?"
-
Mai
She looked sad? It was almost innocent enough to make Mai giggle. There was a familiarity to it, if a faint one. It slipped across the surface of her mind. A gentle, simple kindness. A smile that was warmer than anything else. That hand, why couldn't she take that hand?" She blinks with surprise, raising her hand to her face as if to wipe away tears. But her eyes are dry. Of course they are. The real surprise is the sword in her hand, how she reflexively drew it as if to cut... to cut down a memory
Her stomach turns, and she feels vaguely sick. A nausea that she can't quite place. For the second time before this girl, Mai attempts to relax and lowers her blade. She looked sad. Was that enough? "No," she replies, her gaze distant. "It isn't. Live as well as you can, Tsumiko. May your path be shorter than mine." And she continues to walk.