When you wake up, you find yourself back in the woods, all alone and face down in the dirt. Your body is very numb, but it is functional, healthy even. You can feel the warm daylight on your skin, but it does not burn like it should on this planet. You are fairly certain this is a dream, but considering your last dream you are expecting a nightmare.
Cautiously, you pick yourself up and scan your surroundings. You see that you are in a small circular clearing of soft grass, blocked in by an impenetrable wall of overgrown oak trees. You cannot see anyone around you, but you know for a fact you are not alone. You can simply feel him in your bones, the unwelcome guest of your mind.
You: …Good morning.
Your intruder responds with a faint glimmer in the middle of the clearing. Curious, you approach it, leaning down to see that it is… your lucky coin. A golden coin that displays the face of the Patron Saint Jude, the Saint of lost causes. It was said that this coin is the very coin that Saint Jude used to cure an ailing king through the power of Christ. Of course, that is a bold lie. In actuality, it came from a con man you met in Israel. This is not the dimension that Saint Jude existed in, it is not even real gold, just painted copper. However, at the time you needed all the luck you could get. At least that is what she said when she gifted it to you.
You found the coin to be very fitting for you. Copper painted gold with delusions of grandeur. Yet, with how boldly it claimed to be a gift from the divine, maybe it was. Everything in this world is a dream, but somehow this coin is real, you know it in what little of your soul is left. You thought it was destroyed with everything else.
You: Is this your way of saying I'm hopeless? A lost cause? Ha, you aren't wrong… Me.
You roll the coin across your knuckles, thinking of a better time.
You: How about I call you Me? I am You, and you are Me. I might as well call you something if we're going to be fighting over the next few years. Say nothing if you like it.
Me: …
You: Great, I'm glad we could agree on something… Look, I know I must have done something truly terrible to you, but I can't remember a thing about you. I'm sorry. However, I still can't just give up like you want me to. I have people on this planet, people who have killed for me, who I am now responsible for. So, if you wanted to stop me you're a few nights too late. My rebellion stops for no one, not even me.
Me is fairly unimpressed with your determination. He does not dignify it with a response, he will just let you make your mistakes. He will let you make them again and again until you finally learn too not mess with what you do not understand. Sadly, your skull is thicker than titanium and twice as sturdy.
You: Well, thanks for my coin, at the very least. I missed my lucky charm.
Without warning your entire world returns to nonexistence. Perhaps he is just done with you, for now. When you next wake up, your body is surrounded with warm sopor and wrapped up with bandages. You have a bit of a headache, but otherwise you are absolutely fine. This pool is certainly a lot roomier than your last recooperacoon, but you have to leave it all the same.
You lift yourself out of the slime to see you are in Cillya's room. Well, it is your room now, since you lead to his painful elongated death. The only difference from when you last saw it is a surplus of medical waste and a lot of your blood. It is messy, but at the very least it indicates that your companions did their best to save your life. You hop out of bed as limber as ever.
You try to steal Cillya's clothes, but they are much too big for you. Before you can find a solution to this, someone enters your room. It is the cowardly gold blood that you momentarily met earlier. He has a nice mauve colored sweater vest and well maintained short hair that shows off his shaven horns. His eyes are gray and his body is small, not as short as you but still. He plinks away on a shiny tablet, not even noticing you.
You politely cough. He responds by nearly dropping his tablet in shock.
Sweater Vest: Y-YOU'RE ALIVE???
You: Sadly yes. I promise I'll do better next time.
A gasp of sheer joy emanates from the doorway as Joe pokes his head through. Before you know it you are wrapped up in an inescapable bear hug.
Joe: You're alive my lord! : D
You: You don't have to rub it in. But in all seriousness, did uh... did we win?
Joe: Of course we did. Once you uh... Well, those robots you brought in did a number on the crowd once they got worked up. They just kept shooting and flying all over the place while Angel rained fire from above. One of em even took a punch for poor Bubbles.
You: That is very relieving to know ~w~
Joe: Though they did kinda leave after the battle and left us to handle the raging fire, but we all lived.
You: They kept you lot alive and that is all I can ask for. How long was I out? I hope I haven't left you hanging for too many months.
Joe: Uh... Actually it's only been about two nights. The doctor said you wouldn't make it, but I knew he was a hack! Didn't even clean his syringe till I made em.
Sweater Vest: H-He came highly recommended among medical circle$! I am $o $orry he wa$ not up to expectation$, I promi$e I'll do better if you decide to let me live.
You: I'm sorry, but who are you?
Kirbil: K-Kirbil Poyont, at your beck and call! I wa$ Cillya'$ financial advi$or and per$onal a$$i$tant before you ah, did your work. I wa$ hoping that, $ince Cillya i$ dead now, you would be willing to accept my $ervice$ at a $imilar rate... O-Or le$$er rate!
Joe: I know he was working for the enemy, but look at him, he's harmless. He's been helping out a lot with all the math stuffs while you were napping, my lord.
You: Hm, loathe as I am to accept the burden of navigating this world's financial system on my own, I'm also a bit hesitant to trust a stranger with my money. What exactly can you do for me?
Kirbil: I can do your taxe$.
You: SOLD TO THE MAN IN THE PINK SHIRT! YOU'RE HIRED!
Kirbil: N-NO! I-It's mauve! Just mauve! A-As a gold, I would never assume to wear the colors of our great heiress and our Condesence goddess. I am but a simple gold blood, I would never ever insult them like that! I simply wish to show my support and adoration for our great leaders! Hahaha, it's not pink!
You: You are aware that we are a rebellion group, right? We want to cull the heiress and drag the Condie's corpse through the street...
Kirbil: Of cour$e! And I 100% $upport thi$ rebellion and will do everything in my power to help it $ucceed! And... In exchange, I would hope that you would write me a glowing reference like $ome of my previou$ rebellion employer$. I-It'$ $o hard to avoid becoming a battery the$e night$ you know, I ju$t need to prove my$elf before I get $hipped off.
You: ...Prove yourself with a rebellion, who murdered your highblood boss.
Kirbil: Oh who i$n't in a rebellion the$e night$, ha ha!
You: Right, at the very least, may I ask what you've been doing while I was out?
Kirbil: Of cour$e you can bo$$! If you would plea$e walk with me, I'll get you into $ome proper attire and we can go over your financial $ituation, if you wi$h.
Joe helpfully wraps your best traits in a towel so you can walk outside your room. Kirbil rapidly types on his electronic pad as you do. If he was typing any faster he would probably poke through the device. You take a peek over the railing to see what condition your new manor is in. It is not in good condition. The entire great hall is smashed and scorched, bodies are strewn about, and the front doors have fallen off their busted hinges.
Kirbil: Don't worry bo$$! I have already contacted $ome profe$$ional rebel carpenter$ to help fix your new hive. They will be here in a few week$. I tried to get $omeone $ooner, but there i$ a lot of con$truction to be done in this town, ha ha.
You: Thank you kindly. Perhaps setting my house on fire wasn't my best idea… How much money will I have left after repairs?
Kirbil; $ee for yourself, bo$$.
Your friendly accountant hands over his tablet. You are not well versed in Alternian mathematics or economics, but that is one BIG HONKING NUMBER on screen!
You: Oh wow! Ah… forgive my ignorance, but this is a lot of money, right?
Kirbil: To u$e layman'$ term$, by draining Cillya'$ variou$ bank account$ you have enough money to buy, demoli$h, and rebuild the entire town twice over.
You: Lovely. Please set aside half of the money for my personal account. Split the other half into six even amounts, do not touch any of that money unless specifically asked.
Kirbil: Ye$ bo$$. I know that I haven't been officially hired, but I would $till like to thank you not culling me yet. I have done my be$t to accompli$h what your knight a$ked me to do before you woke up. O-Of cour$e, your recovery wa$ much fa$ter than expected, $o I wa$ only able to get one made in time. I am $o $orry…
You: You're forgiven and did nothing wrong in the first place, I think. What did you get for me?
When you have made your way to the other side of the second floor, Joe giddily opens the fancy door for you. The room seems to be some kind of walk in closet, but honestly it does not matter. The only thing that matters is the golden outfit set out for you on a mannequin.
You: …You got this for me?
Kirbil: I$ it okay? Your knight $aid that it had to be very very $pecific. There wa$n't actually any tailor that wa$ familiar with the de$ign he $pecified, $o I had to find a tailor from another continent and $hip it overnight. I tried to get more like your knight a$ked, but the $hipping wa$ interrupted. I'm $o $orry.
You: What did Cillya pay you?
Kirbil: Oh uh, it wa$ about-
You: Increase it tenfold. You're hired in whatever position you want.
Kirbil: WH-
You: Oh right! I had almost forgotten, thank you for reminding me. For a signing bonus, I would like you to take 7% of the money in my personal account. And, of course, I'll be writing a glowing recommendation for you. Does that sound good?
Kirbil: …Wh…b-but…i uh…cag….c-can uh… c-can i g-get that in writing?!?!?!
You: Kirbil, get me a paper and pen, please.
Kirbil rushes off to grab whatever paper he can find. Within seconds he is back, pushing your asked for materials in your face with incredible excitement. He watches intently as you scribble down your contract. You are not versed with Alternia law, but you hope you do a good job writing down his new employment contract.
Kirbil: …A-Are you… n-nevermind! Thank you $-$o much bo$$! I-I'll work my harde$t for you, I $wear!
You: I know you will, getting one of my suits on such short notice is nothing short of a miracle. Thank you Kirbil.
Kirbil: Y-Y-You're welcome! I mean, uh, thank you, thank you, thank you for your incredible genero$ity bo$$!
You: Trust me, you'll earn your money, but for tonight please assemble my party in the remains of the entrance hall. I need to get dressed.
Kirbil: Ye$ bo$$! T-Thank you bo$$! Uh, $orry bo$$!
Your new personal assistant leaves you to enter your new walk in closet. Joe enters behind you, closes the door, and turns around. You get a good look at your new golden suit, a wonderful button up attire. The fabric is exactly suited for your figure, tight enough to feel like a second skin with enough heft to conceal body armor. It's made complete with a pair of black gloves, perfect for the cold and for casually not leaving behind fingerprints.
Putting on the clothes feels like the familiar touch of a lover. Next is your cape, golden and glittering. Some people say the cape is pointlessly gaudy, but you have two words for these people, break away. Need a bandage? BAM! Need to choke someone? BA BAM! Need to escape some jerk? They're left with a cape while you're halfway to Peru! It brings a tear to your eye.
You put on your cape and mask and finally, you top off your outfit with a top hat, tall and black with a golden trim near your head. Honestly, even you would agree that this is just overkill, but Lolth will rise again before you give it up. It is your brand, the thing that has been with you longer than anyone else. To leave a hat on the Condesence's ship after it is broken and smashed by your hand is your greatest wish right now.
You: Done.
You do a little twirl when Joe turns around, happy as can be to show off your new clothes.
Joe: You look amazing, my lord.
You: I know ; D
Joe: I'm glad it fits you. I figured I owed you one after uh... y'know.
You: Don't you dare think that, you owe me nothing. All you did was arrive just in time to save a kid.
Joe: ...I put you at risk.
You: That's what this is Joe, risk! We risk our lives to do the right thing. What happened is my fault, I didn't ask the right questions when I had the chance.
Joe: I could have done better though, I know I could have done better. At least I could have been a little more calm...
You: If you could stay calm while seeing a child in danger, then I don't know who the hell you are. You and me, we are the most cursed men alive. It would be a crime to not act like you did, for it proves the accursed deathless gods despise you so! To act like they should, but never will, it proves the immortals hate you so. It proves you are better than they ever were. I can only pray I share your standards when my time comes.
Joe: I thought we were Telemachus, not the stupid boat guy?
You: Eh, they were pretty much the same when you get right down to it.
Joe: I don't think you're the same.
You: ...Shhhh, I'm comforting you, not the other way around!
But your shushing falls on deaf ears as Joe huggles your stupid self.
You: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Joe: Yes.
You: FFfffffine.
After your medically required dose of hugging is acquired, you slip back out of the room with your loyal knight by your side. With an ungodly amount of swagger brought on by your new suit, you walk to the top of the staircase. Your accountant has dutifully gathered your growing party into the corpse littered hall. It may not look good right now, but you find no other room more symbolic for your future success. With arms outstretched, you address your friends from on high.
You: Good night and how do you do? As you can all clearly see, I am not dead. And with this undeadness, I would like to thank each and every one of you for what you have done. Whatever your reasons, you have brought down a tyrant and given this town a second chance at life. You helped me before you even had the chance to know me, and for that I will forever be grateful.
A moment of panic grips you as you remember the fact you are an idiot. Taco was rendered deaf by your efforts, how the hell is she going to understand a word you are saying? Luckily, when you look down, you see that your assistant Kirbil is already transcribing your words and letting Taco read them. He probably even said you told him to do that. You swear to Lolth you are giving that man a raise.
You: And while I am sure that gratitude of a thembo weeb is enough for all of you, I would still like to reward your efforts. Ofbeel, Beecat, Bestra, Sarima, Tulips, I have had a part of Cillya's fortune reserved for your use, courtesy of our new friend Kirbil. This money is yours and yours alone, payment for a job well done. It is honestly less than you deserve, but I hope it can tide you over until we take another fortune.
You: There is still much work to be done, that I won't deny, but you have all bought yourselves some rest! For right now, I beg you to eat, drink, and be merry. I'm sure there's at least one room in this hive of ours that can still serve that purpose! Let us commemorate our success, I swear it is the first of many to come. Stay with me, and this bounty will seem like the scraps it is.
You look down to see that your party isn't actually listening to you. Instead, they're listening to Kirbil and the influx of monetary freedom being siphoned into their personal accounts. Bubbles and Taco are especially enraptured, filled with disbelief. There is someone listening to you though, in the broken and burnt doorway is a professional troll wearing a nice cerulean suit and the fakest smile in all of Alternia. She gives you slow applause as she lets herself in, a short burgundy lugging an expensive camera close behind. You know her type anywhere... Lolth have mercy on your soul, wherever it is.
Paparazzi: Well you must feel like a real super hero, with your cute lil cape and fancy speeches~ I could just faint from the drama~ ~ To think that a cute little battery would attract this much attention, you had the entire town betting on whether you'd wake up or not y'know~ ~ ~
You: Well I-
Paparazzi: Oh don't be so coy cutie~ That's fatal in this town ; D I've already promised my followers that I'd be covering your funeral, but now I get to have an exclusive first, what a treat~ ~ Let's see, I think I'll take the olive first, no no the rustie, no no no the violet first, ah I'm spoiled for choice~ ~ ~ Just my luck that you'd gather an entire rainbow~ ~ ~ ~
You: If I may-
Without hesitation the cerulean takes her microphone and approaches your group of killers, setting her sights towards the poor violet babo clutching onto Angel's leg.
Sarima immediately picks up the small child and holds her close. Both the wings on her back immediately stretch out to make herself look larger, seemingly out of some sort of instinct. It is hard to find emotion in such eyes, but the balls of stars seem to be burning with extra heat as she stares down the gaudy media star.
Sarima: 𝓥𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓱. 𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓮𝓯𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓫𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓾𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓼𝓾𝓬𝓱 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓾𝓵𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓼 𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝔂𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓾𝓼! 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓘'𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓲𝓵𝓴.
Paparazzi: Oh. My. Gog. THE BUTTERBEAST TROLL! My fans have been dying for a follow up on our towns very own cryptid~ Tell me, how did a cutie like you get involved with a battery~ ~ You're pailing right, that's the only way a cerulean would go along with it~ ~ ~ YOU HEARD IT HERE FOLKS, YOUR NEW REVOLUTIONARY AND YOUR LOVABLE CRYPTID ARE SMOOCHING!
She seems to be utterly incapable of sensing danger in any capacity, but at the very least she has lost interest in the poor baby. She waggles a microphone in Sarima's face and yet leaves no time for her to speak. Tulips is only keeping quiet out of a sense of respect for Sarima, this is Sarima's fight. Also the lady kinda scares her a lil.
Sarima promptly takes the microphone, bites down into the middle of it effectively destroying the mechanisms inside of it, ruining the eardrums of almost anyone listening, and then just sorta…pockets it. Cuz shit that's a shiny microphone that's within her interests :3.
She immediately pulls out another one exactly like it, not flinching whatsoever.
Bap. There it goes.
Paparazzi: I can't believe you would suppress the free press like this…
Sarima: 𝓘𝓽 𝓲𝓼𝓷'𝓽 𝓷𝓮𝔀𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮'𝓼 𝓼𝓾𝓬𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓮. 𝓘𝓽'𝓼 𝓼𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓵𝔂 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓽𝓮.
Sarima: 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓯𝓲𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓷𝓮𝔀𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓐𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓪 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓭𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭.
Paparazzi: If I had a coin for every time someone's said that to me I could retire before ever serving in the military~ But it's alright, I guess my exclusive will just need to help of a burgundy, you can go now sweetie~ ~
WHAP
With all the fuss nobody seemed to notice yourself walking up to the paparazzi and smacking her right across the face with all your strength. You didn't manage to hurt her thick cerulean skin, but her pride has been utterly shattered in a single blow.
You: My friend is unwilling to talk with you. Get the fuck out of my hive and never return.
Paparazzi: …
For a moment she glances towards her cameraman, filled with dread about how she'll be perceived for this little mistake. She looks towards the hulking bronze by your side and a bit of hope enters her eyes.
Paparazzi: Kill him.
You feel a chill run up your spine as you feel her intense psychic power channel through the air, an indestructible will trying its hardest to kill your friend's very soul. With the power of an awe inspiring psychic coursing through his body, Joe is forced into action.
Joe: Their pronouns are they/them
Paparazzi: …W-What?
Joe: My lord's pronouns are they/them. You said "he." Don't worry, it happens all the time.
Paparazzi: …Well than kill "them!" Shoot them, crush them, I don't care just kill them!
Joe: …No?
Sarima: 𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽'𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻, 𝓥𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓱? 𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓾𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽 𝓵𝓰𝓫𝓽𝓺 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼~?
Sarima has no idea what the words she just said mean, but she has the SMUGGEST grin on her face~
Paparazzi: S-Shut up! Kill them you trollbeast, I COMMAND you kill her and them and everyone!
Sarima gently places Tulips behind her, grabs the evil paparazzi and CLENCHES down on her neck with her shark teeth. The vile media girl can feel her blood pouring out of her veins as she begins drinking her blood.
The poor streamer futilely struggles against the superior cerulean, beating against her sides while she's drained of her very life. Without her powers she's utterly powerless, yet still she tries to use them, directing all of her attention towards Joe due to her inability to accept failure.
Joe awkwardly scratches the back of his neck. He feels a lil itchy.
Joe: Uh… is this my fault?
You: No Joe, you're fine.
Sarima: 𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓻𝔂 𝓙𝓸𝓮, 𝓷𝓸 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓫𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 :3
OMNOMNOMNOM
It doesn't take long for the cerulean to pass out from blood loss, Sarima's teeth stained by the sweet blue. Her burgundy cameraman streams the entire thing, faintly smiling as he gets every last detail of his boss' final moments.
Joe: Okie.
Sarima….DOESNT really understand why Joe was unaffected. From what she's seen, the only way that a person wouldn't do as a Ceruleans mind-control commanded was either that they were to high-blooded for it, or…the request was simply impossible for the person to perform.
…
She goes right up to Joe and just…hugs him. A huge hug. One of the biggest.
Joe: Oh! Hello Angel : )
Sarima: ;w;;;;;
Joe doesn't know what he did to deserve this, but he is more than happy to return the hug live on camera.
Joe: Do uh… you know what was going on with that weird troll? She gave me a headache.
Sarima: 𝓝𝓸 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓿𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓶𝓹𝓽𝓼 𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓵 :3
Joe: She tried to control my mind to make me kill you and my lord?! That's… that's depraved!
You: Would you like to shoot her? We can't safely keep her captured nor can we let this killer walk.
Sarima: 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝔂 𝓹𝓾𝓽 𝓹𝓸𝓸𝓻 𝓣𝓾𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓲𝓭𝓭𝓵𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓮𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓫𝓪𝓭 𝓲𝓷𝓯𝓵𝓾𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮. 𝓛𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓸𝓸𝓶 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷.
Tulips: BUT I WANNA KAPUNCH HER >: 0
You: Go right ahead Angel, all of you are excused. Except you, mauve shirt, you're needed for a bit.
Sarima: 𝓓𝓲𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓻?
Tulips: …
She silently raises her little arms for some uppies.
Sarima: 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽'𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓾𝔀𝓾
She walks over to the grubling and lifts her into her arms, carrying Tulips like the baby she is and leaving the room for the job to be done
The rest of your party follow suit, deciding that some relaxation would be better than yet more bloodshed in this poor abused entry way. The sole exception is Taco, who gives Joe a big hug and the cerulean a bigger wad of spit before scampering off.
You: Alright then.
Joe uses his Sidney Sweeper to execute as the burgundy cameraman records everything, unwilling to let even a moment pass without being broadcast to the world.
You: So… who exactly was that?
Kirbil: I believe her name wa$ Villah Excard, a rather famous blogger in town. $ince $he'$ currently unable to kill me, I'll $ay that $he wa$, to put it bluntly, a bitch. When I wa$ fir$t abducted to work with Cillya $he ran a ma$$ive $mear campaign about Cillya'$ $uppo$ed gutter blood fetish. I can't $ay I mourn her.
You: And how is this going to come back to haunt me?
Kirbil: $he wa$ apart of the cerulean club, a little group of influencer$ that have an appreciation for the more violent thing$ in life… They're doubtle$$ly going to cull us all…
You gently guide the camera towards yourself, the burgundy more than happy to comply.
You: gOOD mORNING aND hOW dO yOU dO? i hOPE yOU'RE aLL dOING wELL! aS tHE nEW pOWER iN tHIS lITTLE tOWN oF mINE, i wANT tO sAY tHANK yOU fOR tHIS gIFT. tO hAVE mY eNEMY dELIVERED tO mY dOORSTEP pRACTICALLY dEFENSELESS iS aMAZING. tHINGS aRE sOON gOING tO cHANGE qUITE a lOT, i pROMISE, bUT dONT tAKE mY wORD fOR iT. tAKE vILLAH'S~
You: sADLY tHIS pARASITE sOMEHOW hAD fRIENDS, sO mY pOOR pUBLIC, yOULL hAVE tO wAIT fOR mY pUBLIC aDDRESS. i sWEAR, iN jUST a fEW nIGHTS yOULL hEAR fROM mE aGAIN, aFTER tHE sTREETS tURN cERULEAN wITH bLOOD oF tHE eLITE!
You blow the camera a kiss before smashing the front lens with a grandiose roundhouse kick. You technically could have just asked the cameraman to turn it off, but no one respects the technically illiterate.
You: …I'll buy you a new one, I promise.
The cameraman does not care whatsoever, he just silently celebrates the streamed victory over his previous employer. He dances over her corpse with glee.
You: Can you speak?
He shakes his head no.
You: Fair enough. Would you like a job then? I'm in need of a good camera specialist and I'm sure we could work out a good pay.
He thinks for a moment and then nods. You direct him into the back rooms of the mansion to relax until you require him, you'll have Kirbil make a contract soon. But for right now, you have to make good on your promise.
You: So, Kirbil, how many ceruleans did I just promise to kill? Assuming I wanted to make any highblood competitor go extinct.
Kirbil: Ah... I'm $o $orry bo$$, but there'$ about $even cerulean$ for you to worry about, well, $ix now. I would have to do more re$earch to get $pecific$, but I know that their group ha$ been here longer than Cillya. It'$ not uncommon to have torture arti$t$ living in the $lum$ for ea$y lowblood acce$$, but their group ha$ ama$$ed a fortune doing it... they won't decide to leave ea$ily.
You: Good, saves me the trouble of having to hunt anyone down. Would you kindly look into them? I'd like to know everything I can about them.
Kirbil: Ye$ bo$$!
You: Hold on, is there anything you need to do it quickly? I'm not Cillya, you can have anything you want for a job well done.
Kirbil: Don't fret bo$$, I've managed to create $even hundred ninety three profile$ for rebellion $ect$. Re$earching a group of local celebritie$ i$ practically a vacation. N-Not that I'm a$king for a vacation bo$$! I'm $orry, I'll $tart right away.
Your nervous wreck of an assistant rushes off to do research. You on the other hand are going to gear up for war. You may not be able to protect your mind, but you can certainly work to protect your body.
You: Hey Joe, did you happen to find anything useful in this place while I was out?
Joe: Not much if I'm being honest. I think the old owner must have had something against guns because I could only find one in the whole place! I put it in the garage, but I'll warn you, it's not in good shape.
You: Thank you very much, guard and yada yada you know what to do.
Joe: Yes my lord!
You make your way into the garage by your lonesome. Inside you find a rather expensive looking car/insect hybrid. Long spindly legs stand idle, jutting out of a metal large metal chassis designed to carry individuals of great size. Thankfully, the insides resemble a normal car, with gas pedals and a wheel. Out of curiosity, you check if you are tall enough to reach the pedals. You are not.
The rest of the garage is dedicated to a workshop, giving the tools within you would guess that Cillya liked to tinker with his car. On a workbench you find it, the poor poor weapon Joe found for you. Based on the shape and size of the gun, you would guess it is a nine millimeter semi automatic pistol, but a surplus of rust and mistreatment makes that difficult to gauge. The barrel is covered in mysterious black gunk and rust, the grip is falling apart, and the trigger is stuck. Purchasing a new pistol would likely be the smart option, but seeing such a sorry sight makes your blood boil.
You take off your mask for a more personal experience before you set about dismantling the weapon, carefully laying out every spring, pin, and lever for close examination. There are a few components you do not immediately recognize, but a gun is a gun, no matter how alien. You know that much of this weapon will need to be replaced and the rest require a deep cleaning, but it can be saved. It will be saved.
While your concentration is focused on the weapon, you fail to notice the creature stalking you from the shadows. The terrible beast sneaks right up to you and makes itself known, smugly. While staring you right in the eyes, they take the barrel of the gun and just slide it off the table, like the remorseless hell spawn they are.
You: ...Taco please, this is very important.
Taco: I save purr life and this is the thanks I get? Ignored for a purriece of metal and furced to share a room with a cerulean? Fur shame, pet, fur shame.
You: You're a millionaire now, it can't be that bad.
Taco: Oh? Are you trying to say something? I can't exactly hear because my poor ears were ripped off defending you. Only fur you to abandon me furever and ever, alone to starve to death.
Despite being ripped off a couple of nights ago, Taco's ears are making a good recovery. Already new ears are sprouting out of her skull, like a fleshy plant bud covered in fur. She gets annoyed once she notices you staring at them. They respond by dramatically flopping on your helpless body, forcing you to the ground under the sheer weight of cat.
Taco: Can't even say hello after getting out of purr coma, after everyone thought you wouldn't make it. Fur shame fur shame.
Her tone is playful as she stretches on top of you, trapping you. Though she still manages to keep you comfortable and breathing even under her comparatively greater weight. She keeps you trapped, though it is not like how a cat traps prey. It is more like a cat trying to keep their kitten safe and warm. You ask her to get off you, but she purposefully does not look at your face, avoiding the request you would obviously make.
Taco: I should have just left you to die, all the money in the world can't help if the highbloods have it out for me. Even if it is an impurressive sum~ I should just go and disappurr, you ungrateful little pet. Just look at you, all smol and soft, it's a disgrace to the troll race.
She holds you very close to her, close enough that you can feel abnormal bumps covering her chest and stomach. It seems to cause her a bit of pain to have something touching them, yet she can not bring herself to loosen up. She desperately tries and fails to communicate the fact that she is on your chest means absolutely nothing.
Taco: Purr just going to die in this rebellion, you know? Little soft things don't last on Alternia... Just... stop being small, stop it, stop itttttt!
Sadly, you do not stop being small.
Taco: Wrrraaaoo...
She keeps you close for quite awhile, deep in thought. Instinctively she nuzzles against you, her floofy tail swishing against your leg. You can feel the unsteadiness in her breathing as she tries in vain to convince herself this is normal. You are not able to do anything to help, yet you do not do anything to hurt her either. Time is short, but this is important to her and you do not struggle while she works herself out.
Eventually, she partially releases you to look you in the eyes. You make no attempt to leave, you are with her for as long as she wants, as she is with you. She cannot hear your voice, but your calm expression speaks volumes.
Taco: ...Aren't you worried at all about dying?
You are not worried, you are not going to die.
Taco: ...I can't tell if purr cocky or just insane, but somehow you aren't dead. I just... I don't want you to die, so don't. please?
You nod your head and gently hold her hand. Even without hearing you, she knows exactly what you say.
You: I promise.
Satisfied by your answer, she decides that the only course she can take is to trust you. She cups your cheeks in her hands, the fuzzy warmth giving you comfort. She presses her forehead against your for a full minute, waiting out the time with you, before she leaves without another word. Alone, you are left on the floor, burdened by yet another promise you need to keep.
You pick yourself up and you get back to work, retrieving the barrel from the floor. With a brush and some cleaning acid you meticulously cure the barrel of its rust and impurities. You do the long task of cleaning and repairing with a smile. With Cillya, you got lucky, but this is what a revolution should be. Careful hours of planning for a moment of fantastic success.
While you are doing that, your party has commandeered the living room. Cillya refused to let anyone enter into his expansive gaming den, so Taco has found it especially gratify to be as messy as she can. Beecat has been desperately trying to clean the snack crumbs and spills Taco has left on the rug, but in Taco's absence the little Kakick has gotten involved in the merry mess making. Nothing in this room is safe.
Tulips: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Sarima: 𝓣𝓾𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼, 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽!
Sarima scoops up Tulips in her loving arms, moving to help Beecat clean up all of the mess that the little girl is making. She gives Beecat some pettins for her help as she attempts to find some sort of a vacuum cleaner.
Sarima: 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓽!
Tulips: I HAVE A MILLION BILLION DOLLARS I CAN JUST BUY MORE STUFF!
Beecat swears to all that is good and holy she is going to shred Kirbil for teaching Tulips what money is.
Sarima: 𝓑𝓾𝓽 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴, 𝓼𝓸𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝔂 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓪𝓭.
Tulips: ...WAIT MONEY RUNS OUT?? WHY WOULD THAT HAPPEN, I THOUGHT I HAD ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD?
Sarima: 𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓽𝓮𝓶𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓻𝔂. 𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓪 𝓫𝓾𝔂 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓮. 𝓝𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝓶𝓾𝓬𝓱 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓾𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂. 𝓢𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓽! 𝓞𝓴𝓪𝔂, 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻?
Tulips: >: P
Tulips reluctantly stops her rampage of the comfort room, letting the couches and the carpet live on for another night. She doesn't want to, but if she has too, she will.
Sarima: 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓮.
She gives Tulips a loving nuzzle on their floof as a good bat parent should, before moving back to Beecat. They are given plenty of scritches to help calm themself down.
Beecat gently purrs in Sarima's lap right next to Tulips, the two dumbo babos enjoying quality bat time. Beecat says that she is a little surprised that a troll could make such a good lusus. Angel will put lusi out of a job if she keeps it up, ha ha.
Tulips: SHE ISNT MY LUSUS, SHES MY SIDEKICK! I DONT THINK I EVER GOT A LUSUS, PROBABLY.
Sarima: 𝓘 𝓭𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓿𝓮 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓯𝓲𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓬𝓱 𝓪 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓲𝓯𝓾𝓵 𝓰𝓻𝓾𝓫𝓼 𝓛𝓾𝓼𝓾𝓼. 𝓐𝓵𝓼𝓸 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 90% 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓰𝓪𝓵.
So is busting into an Indigo's hive and leaving his carcass for the beeasts, but either way she is glad that Tulips has Angel in her life. Beecat did not want to get back into grub raising.
Tulips: YOU ARE SO FIT FOR THAT! THE LAW IS JUST STUPID, IT TRIED TO TELL ME IM SOMEONE IM NOT AND I KAPUNCHED! THEN IT TRIED TO KILL ME AND YOU KAPOWED IT BEFORE I COULD!
Sarima: 𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓾𝓼.
Tulips: IM JUST SAYING, YOURE PERFECT FOR IT AND YOU SHOULDNT LET THE LAW EVER TELL YOU WHAT TO DO! IF YOU EVER DO ILL KAKICK YOUR KNEECAPS AWAY!
pat pat
Sarima: 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓵𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓼 :3
Tulips: OF COURSE I DO, IM A HERO! IM GONNA BE THE NEXT COND... CONDA... CONDESS... THE BIG FISH LADY! IM GONNA REVOLT HER BUTT!
Sarima: 𝓞𝓯 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓮, 𝓣𝓾𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓵𝓵 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓪 𝓹𝓾𝓷𝓬𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮, 𝓸𝓴𝓪𝔂?
The small babo pumps her fists in the air, your new Condesence in all of her mighty glory. Truly she shall reign for a thousand lifetimes and usher the troll race into a new era of peace.
Tulips: YOU MEAN IT? YOURE GONNA HELP ME KAKICK THE FISH?
She'll punch gender norms right in their stupid face!
Sarima: 𝓐𝓫𝓼𝓸𝓵𝓾𝓽𝓮𝓵𝔂! 𝓘'𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓭𝓸 𝓶𝔂 𝓫𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓽𝓸
Tulips: WHY THO?
Sarima: 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓶𝓾𝓬𝓱.
Tulips: …WHY THOUGH?
Sarima: 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓭𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓘 𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓭 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓾𝓹𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮𝓼 𝓘'𝓿𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓷.
Angel's answer satisfied Tulips and she returns to relaxing, using the butterfly mama as a pillow. Today was quite the exciting day for her, confronting a dangerous egirl and destroying an entire living room. For a smol child like herself, that's practically exhausting.
Tulips: IM GLAD SOMEONE SEES THAT! YOU MUST BE A REALLY GREAT TREASURE HUNTER… ARE YOU A PIRATE?
Sarima: 𝓘'𝓶 𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓻
Tulips: WHAT? WHATS A COLLE… COLLLL… WHATS A FANCY RICH TROLL DOING FIGHTING EVIL AND SAVING HEROES?
Sarima: 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓻𝓲𝓬𝓱! 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽…𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼. 𝓘𝓽 𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝓲𝓽?
Tulips: DAS GOOD. I THOUGHT IT WAS CAUSE YOU GOT SEDUCED BY THE THEMBO.
Sarima: 𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓪𝓪𝓪𝓽? 𝓝𝓸𝓸𝓸𝓸𝓸𝓸… >_>
Tulips: I DEMAND TO KNOW WHATS GOING ON BETWEEN YOU AND THEMBO! HAVE THEY SEDUCED EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE CAUSE?? HAVE I BEEN SEDUCED???????????
Sarima: 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓮𝓭𝓾𝓬𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮…𝓶𝓪𝔂𝓫𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓽? 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓬𝓮𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓷'𝓽 𝓼𝓮𝓭𝓾𝓬𝓮𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓐𝓵𝓼𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓼𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓰.
Tulips: IF IM OLD ENOUGH TO FIGHT IM OLD TO SAY ANYTHING I WANNA SAY! ALL I WANNA KNOW IS LIKE… WHY ARE YOU SO DIFFERENT, HUH?
Tulips: IF… LOW BLOODS ARE OPP… DAMSELS AND HIGH BLOODS ARE BAD GUYS THEN WHY ARE YOU AND YOUR GROUP HEROES? ARENT YOU BLUE?
Sarima: 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓿𝓲𝓸𝓵𝓮𝓽. 𝓐𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓾𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓽𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓭 𝓰𝓾𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽?
Tulips: WELL… I DONT KNOW, WHY AM I A HERO??
Sarima: 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝔀𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓽 :3
Tulips: WHY
Sarima: 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓼𝓷'𝓽 𝓪 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷. 𝓘𝓽'𝓼 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓿𝓪𝓵𝓾𝓮𝓼. 𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓭𝓲𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓻𝓮, 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓲𝓽'𝓼 𝓫𝓪𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓮𝓷𝓿𝓲𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽, 𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓵𝔂 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓻𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝔂. 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽'𝓼 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮, 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻. 𝓦𝓮'𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓭𝓲𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝔂𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓶𝓮.
Tulips: …WELL LIFE IS WEIRD AND CONFUSING BUT HURTING PEOPLE IS STILL WRONG. IM GONNA KAPUNCH EM UNTIL THE BADNESS IS BEATEN OUT OF THE WHOLE WORLD! >: D
Tulips: ALSO WHATS A HONEY?
Sarima: 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓼 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓮 :33
Sarima: 𝓓𝓸𝓷𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓻𝔂 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓲𝓽.
Tulips: O! I GOT AN IDEA! SINCE YOURE LIKE A SUPER GENIUS ON BAD PEOPLE, WHY DONT YOU TELL ME WHOS NOT BAD? THEN I CAN NOT KAPUNCH EM AND YOU CAN DO STUFF AS MY SIDEKICK!
Sarima: 𝓦𝓮𝓵𝓵…𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓲𝓼 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓪𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮. 𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮…𝓼𝓲𝓽 𝓷𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘'𝓵𝓵 𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓽 𝓭𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷
Tulips happily sits next to Angel, looking up at her with wide eyes. At just the promise of a direction Tulips is already shaking with excitement. Her resolve to be a hero is absolute, her smol child body full to bursting with justice!
SARIMA HAS BECOME A PARENT!
HER SPECIAL CERULEAN GRACE HAS ADVANCED TO VIOLET GRACE!
Beecat decides that this conversation should be private, and that she has already done her fair share of dealing with screaming wigglers. She gives Angel a smol cat lick before leaping off of the couch and out of the room. She decides to go on a walk before the sun comes up.
She returns to the main hall to find Joe staring down the demolished entrance, gun in hand. He has not moved from the cerulean corpse in all the time he has been alone. His dedication is admirable, but it can not be good the giant wound on his back.
Beecat snuggles up to Joe's leg, he looks down with a smile at the lil kitty.
Joe: Hello there little furry creature. What can I do for you?
Beecat says that Joe can sit down for her, he has been doing this every night and he needs some time to rest beefore his back gives out.
Joe: I'm fine.
Beecat disagrees, but she is just a cat; she can not make Joe do anything. So she just flies up and plops down right on his head, inbetween his horns. Beecat finds squeezing between the horns quite uncomfortable. Joe finds the kitty paws swinging down and covering his eyes equally uncomfortable.
Joe gently places the kitty on the ground, but she just climbs right back up. The two are at an incredible impasse.
Joe: …Please, I gotta keep watch for more trolls.
Mrrrrroww ^w^
Joe: Ma'am, please.
PurrrrrrRRRRrrrRRRRRrrrrrrRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Joe: Are you just hungry or something?
Murrup!
Joe: Why don't you ask Bubbles for some nectar?
Tchhh!
Joe: I'd love too, but I can't stop guarding.
Beecat says that she could watch the door, just for a little. Joe is apprehensive to leave his post for even a moment, however he is eventually defeated by the constant mewling and nibbling of his ear.
Joe: Argh, fine fine. But if anything happens don't do nothing I would do, just yell.
That's what Beecat says she is beest at!
She plops herself down on the floor and loafs right in front of the door. Her stinger tail gently wags as she watches the star filled night sky. The cool night air does a lot to make the corpse filled room feel comfortable. She has not had the chance to really think until this point, everything has been going far too quickly. She wonders about her ward, sweet little Ofbeel.
The stranger has been putting her child in danger, yet… if they were not there Ofbeel might have been culled. So would Beecat. To admit to fearing death in this world is practically taboo, but in her thoughts she is able to admit it all she wants.
…If Joe fails to recover, who can protect her?
Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of shattering glass and a grunt of pain. She leaps several meters into the air and yelps, but the noise came from Joe. The bruiser's back has once again failed and he accidentally dropped the nectar jar meant for Beecat.
Joe: Sorry! Sorry, I'll get you another, promise.
Beecat absolutely will not accept another jar, she will only accept Joe marching straight into a recooperacoon and not leaving until he is better!
Joe: I'm fine, I promise I promise.
Beecat trots up to Joe and gently paps him on the back, his body's response does not inspire confidence.
Joe: Tch, j-just let me alone, okay? I gotta make sure you're safe.
She says that she is incredibly grateful for what you did back at her hive. She would be dead if Joe was not there to save her and her grub.
Joe: Uh… thank you for thanking me. But I still need to guard.
So please, do not try and bee a hero all the time. Joe needs his rest too. How can he save everyone if he gets himself killed? She likes him.
Joe: …Y'know uh… it was uh… it was a good several decades since last I swore. I remember it pretty clear too. See there was this uh… never mind. I just mean to say that I… I messed up, can't do it again.
People make mistakes, she says. Gog knows that she has, but he can't just blame himself for everything.
Joe: You're a good kitty, real good. But I can blame myself for something that's my fault. I… put your kid at risk.
Then it is even, isn't it? He saved her baby once and then accidentally got them hurt. That just means Joe is even with her, doesn't it? She is still only alive beecause of him.
Joe: I ain't thought of it like that… Do you mean that?
Of course she does, she has faith in Joe she says. She promises.
Joe: …Thanks.
DIAMOND RELATIONSHIP RANK C! Joe X Beecat!
Joe: Though uh… I still probably shouldn't go against what my lord says for me to do.
You: In that case, I order you to take a rest in my personal bedroom.
Joe: Ah! How long have you been listening, my lord?
You: Not very, just enough to say that you need rest. C'mon, do me a favor~
Joe is about to comply with your request, but then he sees a glint of light on the horizon, headlights. He quickly takes aim at the encroaching car with the Sidney Sweeper. You take hold of the tip of the gun and gently lower it. If it were anyone else this would be an awful idea, but Joe's sense of gun safety is absolute. You gently take the gun from your friend and lay it on the ground.
You: Don't worry, this is just the pizzas I ordered.
Joe: Pizza? : D
You: Don't get excited, they'll have meat on them. You just get some rest in my room, understand?
Joe: Yes my lord.
The curious kitty leaps onto your shoulder as you await for the burgundy pizza delivery girl with a short stature, a flat chest, and a great set of legs. You find it incredibly concerning that one can pay extra to get a specific delivery driver, but it suits your purposes for now. A girl exactly as you specified gets out of the large delivery van and runs with all her might to you. When she arrives the poor thing nearly collapses from exhaustion.
You: tWENTY nINE mINUTES aND fORTY tHREE sECONDS, yOU pUT iT tO tHE wIRE mISS.
Somehow, she musters up the strength to talk in-between panting sprees.
Pizza: Y-You really like flavordiscs Mister Meyers! T-Two hundred... In t-thirty minutes... wwoooooo...
You: aRE tHEY cHEESE?
Pizza: T-They have cheese, y-yeah!
You: nO, eXCLUSIVELY cHEESE, i wANTED nO mEAT.
Pizza: ...
You: hAHAHAHAHA! i cAN hIRE a cUSTOM tROLL tO cULL wITH mY fOOD, dOWN tO tHE sIZE oF yOUR hORNS, yET tHEY sTILL cANT hANDLE a vEGETARIAN! aAAAAHH, sOME tHINGS nEVER cHANGE nO mATTER tHE pLANET.
Pizza: ...I-I... I'm not s-supposed to ask this, b-but please d-don't cull me... p-please, I-I have a lusus who r-relies on me!
You: wOULDN'T dREAM oF iT! iN fACT, i wOULD lIKE tO oFFER yOU a jOB.
You pull out a large quantity of plastic alternian currency to show you are serious. They look at the cash like a starving dog looks at food.
Pizza: D-Don't make fun of me S-Sir, I'm j-just trying to make ends meet.
You: i aSSURE yOU mY oFFER iS eNTIRELY sERIOUS. lOOK aROUND yOU, mY hOME iS iN oBVIOUS nEED oF sOME tROLLS tO cLEAN uP! i cAN gUARANTEE sAFETY, sHELTER, aND a pAY wELL aBOVE tHE cOMPETITIVE rATE.
Pizza: What's the catch?
You: i wANT tO bUY yOUR pIZZA vAN aND oUTFIT fOR tHIRTY tHOUSAND.
Pizza: W-Well... it's actually my bosses personal van, your order was too big for our bikes. I don't know if it's mine to sell really.
You: fORTY tHOUSAND aND i wILL pERSONALLY eSCORT yOUR lUSUS tO tHIS hIVE fOR sAFEKEEPING.
The grease covered burgundy is frozen in place by your offer. You have not even shown your face to her and already you have offered them a significantly better life. Their terrified expression shows her mistrust, but with an offer like yours is one she simply cannot refuse. She agrees and changes into a bathrobe you provide. You in turn put on her clothes without a care for modesty. You find them to be a decent fit, though the pants are incredibly snug. At the very least you look and smell like pizza.
After you are done swapping clothes with the pizza girl, Beecat asks you what happened to make you lose your gog damn mind? What are you doing?
In response you hand over your fancy suit and mask, placed inside a velvet box meant for this exact purpose.
You: Would you ever so kindly tell my noninjuried friends that I am forcing poor people to strip for my personal amusement in the entrance hall? I need them here. And you, my new employee, do you have a way to tell your Lusus to expect a pick up?
Pizza o_o uh... S-Sure, I'll just uh, text them. Anything else?
You: Kindly go up the stairs and to the right, into the door at the end of the hallway. Tell the troll inside that you're here to work.
You give the Troll an ungodly amount of money and pat them on the head. Their legs eventually manage to work in this surreal situation, eventually. You walk right past them and use the keys in the pocket of your new uniform to open up your new pizza van. Just as you hoped, the van looks big enough to house your entire party. Out of curiosity you open one of the pizza boxes and as you predicted there are, in fact, dead baby bits scattered on top. You swiftly toss the pizza boxes straight into the garbage, keeping only a few boxes for your plan.
It took you a while to think of it, but you find gunsmithing to be an incredibly calming activity. You take a good look at your new repaired friend. Although the repairs necessitated some heavy modification, your gun can be best described as a 9mm 1A pistol. The model is not particularly popular, but it can kill all the same and the recoil will not break your fragile hands. You only have a single 13 round clip in your possession, but it will be enough. You only need twelve, two per target.
You look up into the sky to see yet another guest, a delivery drone. Good to his word, Kirbil has ordered some armor for you with express express delivery. The sleek drone resembles a jet engine with a glowing red strip for a cockpit. It scans your house, drops off a large metal box, and speeds off into the night at incredible speeds. You make a mental note to steal a few of those things in the future.
For now, you do not have the time. You have, not counting expected travel time, three hours to attract and kill six powerful ceruleans and their deadly lusi with nothing but a pizza van and two guns. But you are not worried, for you know exactly how you are going to do it. Firstly, you will go to the hive of Wizzaz Killta, she is holding a crossover stream with another one of your targets. Secondly, you will draw her out with your pizza delivery girl disguise. Thirdly, you shoot Killta dead. Then things will get complicated...
1. Preform a successful Pizza Assassination. (Combat, Party) [11]
People like pizza, such is a universal truth. By luring your target outside with pizza you can guarantee their death. With the element of surprise on your side it will be possible to subdue the other combatants before they can kill you. However, the stream will reveal your actions to the four remaining ceruleans and make it much more difficult to draw out. This option is the safest, but it will make killing the others before they escape much more difficult.
2. Preform a botched Pizza Assassination (Charisma, You) [11]
People like pizza, such is a universal truth. By luring your target outside with pizza you can guarantee their death. However, by doing this your targets will be alerted. If you kill one and then "fail" to kill the other, they will be able to capture you. With how much you have insulted the ceruleans, she will probably want to torture you to death. With reverse psychology you could probably convince her to do it on stream with all of her friends. This option would get all of your targets in one spot, but you'll be injured and have to rely solely on your teammates.
In both scenarios, you will leave Taco, Joe, and Kirbil behind to defend the base. Every other party member will come with.
((Dear Lolth I really need to learn to contain myself when it comes to this kind of character writing. Either way I hope you enjoy : 3 Also, I decided to put a little indicator of what abilities a roll will be based on and who will be making the roll. I figured it might be nice, but I am looking for feedback on if you want me to continue doing it. Oh and don't worry about Taco, your relationship will rank up in the next update without any cost. There is a little scene I wanted to have occur, but I figured this update was long enough already : 3. Anyways, thanks for reading my chaos gremlins in training.