Her Mantle Is Love

[Evenstar]

"...I appreciate your kind guidance and I thank you for your time. I'll be certain to attend the First Quarter rite next month, and I will of course bring my violin to our next meeting so that you can appraise my skills."

Liath nods. "Good."

You do your best to keep from smiling. "Was that all, Blessed One?"

"Yes, you certainly seem to have improved over the last few months."

"Then with your permission..." You take a step back towards the doorway.

Liath raises a finger. "Wait a moment. Next month? "

Damn it, your lips must have twitched. "Yes, Blessed One."

"You're going to attend the First Quarter rite in three days, Sister." She clicks her claw against the glass surface of her desk, tap-tap-tap. "We can't have you bumbling about incompetently for a whole month simply because of a date. You'll lead, and I'll be there to make sure you don't embarrass us all."

"That date is with a temple client, L - Blessed One. Surely my first duty is to her?"

"Your first duty is to the Goddess you serve, Elisandra." Liath gives you a pointed look, and you wince. She's… not wrong. Damn it.

"But - surely Tasha is more experienced at the rite? If you want to teach me how to be a good priestess - "

"Then I had better start now, not in a month! You've been shamefully lax: there are trainees in the Supplicant's hall right now who have a better idea of how to perform a First Quarter rite than you do. They've actually been to one in the last year."

A sudden stab of guilt pierces your heart. Are you really that bad a priestess…?

[X] No. That can't be right. You're a good and faithful priestess, no matter what fucking Liath says. She's just - picking her words to hurt you, as is usual for a fucking sadist bitch of a succubus like her. You're going to make her fucking eat those words: your date with Thistle is at stake! (TAKE 1 STRESS, quash Duty, continue social combat.)

[X] WRITE IN a reason or argument why Liath should excuse you from the First Quarter rite this month, ideally as spoken by Elisandra. There will be no further suboptions provided to vote on.​

[ ] ...Liath's right. You've been terribly neglectful of your duties. A crash course is just what you need to clear your head and get yourself back into your proper role. (Concede Social Combat.)

 

[Evenstar]

((Additional CWs for this threadmark: Escalation beyond all reason, serious & calculated threats, ego the size of a planet, dirty, vicious arguments.))

You take a deep breath, and raise your gaze to meet Liath's eyes again.

"You're right. My first duty is to the Goddess I serve. Not you. Which is why I will spend the next month re-devoting myself to her, and lead the next ritual out of love for her, rather than embarrassing her at your behest."

Liath's fingernails screech across the glass of her desk.

"What did you just say."

"You're not my Goddess, and you don't speak for her. You're my Sister, not my keeper, and I'll follow the Goddess as I deem best. Blessed One."

Liath slams her hands down on her desk, shoving her chair across the floor as she rises.

"I'm the closest damn thing to the Goddess on this planet, Sister. I outrank you, and my orders will be obeyed."

"Your orders are blind, petty, arrogant and hurtful. It's no wonder everyone calls you fucking Liath behind your back."

She snarls. "I maintain discipline! Without me, this temple would fall apart! The only reason you hate me is because you're an incomptent layabout!"

"I'm doing my best, which is more than I can say for you." You shrug. "You're the biggest threat to this temple's survival, Liath. You abuse us and make us dance for your amusement: we just pay lip service to your orders because it's easier than confronting you."

Liath laughs bitterly. "Yes, isn't it wonderful? It's a true test of everyone's competence, watching them tapdance around me."

You eyeball her. "Really, this was your master plan all along. How glorious."

"It's my goddamn order and I can do what I want with it."

"Perhaps the order's yours, but my soul belongs to the Goddess, not to you. You have no hold over me, and you absolutely don't have the right to order me to be raped."

Liath's claws cut into the glass of the table, shearing it neatly and gouging the wood beneath.

"I'm your goddess' emissary on this fucking petty planet. I'm your fucking direct superior. You're not even a demoness, much less one of the Seventh Circle. You're beneath me. Even daring to suggest you're not is an affront to the Goddess."

"'All things are born in emptiness, dwell in emptiness, and return to emptiness.' You're no more my superior than a rock outside: we're all equal in the end."

You offer your hand. "So. As your equal, I'll take your advice and do the First Quarter rite. Next month. You'll not order me nor command me, but I'll go all the same. Is that sufficient?"

Liath takes a breath. Retrieving her chair, she sits down and runs a hand through her scarlet hair.

She considers your hand for a long moment, then:

"No."

"No?"

"No." She steeples her fingers. "You'll obey my commands, or I'll have you turned out of the order. You know I can do it. Don't pretend that we're equals, you and I. Here, now? I'm in charge. Remember it."

You stare at her. That - wouldn't be so bad, right? You could be with Thistle... except you'd lose your blessing, and. And fuck, what would happen to the child you're carrying? You - don't think that the Goddess would. Hurt them, but -

"- go ahead then!" You slam your hand down on the table, hard enough to make your arm shake. "Go ahead, if you want to hurt me that badly!"

Liath smiles at you. "I will. If you cross me, I won't hesitate to fucking destroy you. I'll turn you out onto the street. I'll forbid the other Sisters to see you. You live on Temple earnings, don't you? I wonder how you'll afford a place to stay."

A shiver runs down your spine. As much as you'd like to say she's bluffing... she's absolutely capable of it.

- but. But the Goddess wouldn't allow her own Demoness to abuse one of her Priestesses like that, would she?

"Try it. Try it and see who loses more. The Goddess would cast you into the Void before she'd let you destroy one of her own Sisters."

Liath huffs out a breath. "No. Nice try, but no. I'm far, far more important to her. Between a succubus and a Sister like you, she'll pick me every time."

"Are you sure about that? There are ever so many Succubi these days, and only so many Sisters. Why take the chance? Can't you see you've escalated beyond all reason? Let me do the damn rite next month, and then you'll have all the time in the world to punish me for it."

"Are you implying that I'm doing this to hurt you, love?" Liath shakes her head. "No. I'm here to make sure the Goddess' dictates are respected. If you break beneath them, that's on you, not me."

"You're a sadistic bitch who's abusing her Goddess-given gifts to destroy the things she holds most dear. You might be able to fool yourself, but you can't fool me and you can't fool her. So come on," you take a breath, "fucking try me. You're in the wrong and you know it."

Liath leans forwards again, and her voice falls. "Fine then. Let's say I really am the sadistic bitch you say I am. Then there's no reason for me not to destroy you just for the fun of it, is there?"

- she really means it, doesn't she. Fucking bitch. Fucking bitch fucking fuck -

You whisper back. "Fuck you, Blessed One. Being thrown into the Void is too good a fate for you. You deserve everything the Goddess does to you and more."

She sighs. "How many times do I have to tell you? The Goddess won't save you. Anything I do is Her will. That's what it means, that I'm her Demon."

"What you're doing is counter to the most basic teachings. Haven't you ever heard of compassion? Devotion? Love?"

Liath shakes her head, and leans back into her chair. "No, Goddess never told me about any of that. I don't need it. I'm just a weapon." She looks at you, and the edge of her lip quirks. "I'll destroy you too."

Despite the threat... she almost sounds regretful.

... Liath? Showing weakness? She's not okay. She's really not okay. And - fuck, the heartless bitch is your Sister.

[ ] - she's faking, isn't she. You're not falling for it: she'll hurt you more the moment you let your guard down. Win the damn argument.
[2] You're hurting her? She's abused all of you for years, treated you like disposable minions. Win the damn argument for once.
[ ] If her fragile ego can't take losing an argument, she's not the Demoness you thought she was. Win: you know she can deal.
[ ] You're not backing down, but maybe she'll accept a draw. Make an excuse to leave, and maybe she won't bring this back up before First Quarter.
[1] - you're baring your damn throat here, but - ask her what's wrong.
[ ] God damn it if it means so fucking much to her you'll do the damn ritual, she's a bitch but she's your Sister.

[ ] Hug her.​

 

[Evenstar]

Liath Talks, see warnings for Seventh-Circle.
Fucked up relationships even by Liath's standards, hurting your loved ones, being hurt by your loved ones, doing things you'll later regret, being the monster, trauma and/or aftermath thereof, serious & calculated threats, sexual harassment/assault, extremely dubious consent, minor hostile mind control, misapplied sadism.

 

[Evenstar]

((Scroll up or see the Informational index for additional Content Warnings.))

She could be faking. She could always be faking.

- then again, Liath's far too damn proud to even fake weakness.

The words escape you before you can stop them: "What's wrong, Liath?"

She stiffens, and looks at you sharply. "What a fucking question. As if the answer's not obvious. You're the problem, you absolute numbskull: you want to be with Thistle? You want to have a happy life with her outside the temple? Just fucking do the ritual! Boo hoo, you'll be tired, just sleep in the next morning! Were you expecting to see Thistle at 8 AM? That's the Goddess' Judgement? That's the wisdom of a priestess? That's being true to Her you worship? You're talking back to a Succubus without even fucking thinking about the facts! Goddess damn you, I really should throw you out. Then you can be with your shadow girl! That's what you want, right? Who gives a shit if you don't have any money?"

You bite back an angry reply: Liath's just hurting, she doesn't mean it, you need to help her. Cats scratch you when you're trying to get them out of trees, it happens. If Liath won't be the adult in the room, then you'll have to be.

"Liath, I agree, this has gotten blown all out of proportion, let's just step back and take a breath -"

"Oh, I'm over-invested, am I? I'm not supposed to be angry that you're so behind on your basic duties that you've forgotten a fucking monthly ritual? I'm made for this shit, love." She shakes her head, and sighs. "So. Do the ritual or I'll throw you out. Yes or no?"

You stand, and take a deep breath.

"No, you're not made for this, Liath. Or at least not only for this. Look around you." You gesture out her office window. "You're surrounded by ways to learn how to - to build people up rather than destroy them, to learn compassion and love instead of, of, rage and hatred - "

You take another shuddering breath, and pace, shaking your head to try and clear it. Liath watches you with a slight smile on her lips.

She doesn't say anything.

You look over at her. "- yes?"

She shakes her head just slightly. "no," she mouths.

You dig your fingernails into your palm, shake your head, sigh. Your distracted pacing takes you around the desk: when you're standing over her like this, she seems more pitiable than fierce.

"- you're wrong. Anybody can find love, and it can - transform you, make you better than you thought you were, make you stronger - "
You flail for words, find none, and settle for resting a hand on Liath's shoulder. "It - it'll be okay."

Liath reaches up, and very gently lays a hand on your chest, just over your heart.

"You have a good soul, Elisandra."

Her fingers curl inwards, balling a fist into your robes, and she drags you down. Your collar digs hard into the back of your neck, and you stare involuntarily into her ophidian eyes.

"But if you cross me, I will bury you. I could take your heart right now, girl. My claws are right there. I've done it before, and I will again. Do you have even the barest understanding of what Demonesses do?"

Her nails press hard against your ribs through the thin cloth. You can't break her gaze. You can't move. You can't breathe goddess please just get me the fuck out of here please -

Liath smiles slowly. "Aaaaaaahhhh," she breathes, baring her fangs, and she -

- close teeth neck wet hot close -

- teethhotneck -

- liphotnoyeswhat -

- no -

- Liath settles back into her chair, and her tail against your leg no balance falling -

you're in her lap and she's looking at you and you feel like a fucking meal

"Thaaaaaat's the look I've been wanting to see," she croons.

You shove yourself backwards, out of her lap, scrabbling backwards on your palms. She grins down at you, her face flushed -

"You fucking sadist!", you gasp. "You're fucking getting off on this! Your own Sister! What the fuck? What the fuck!?"

Liath - seems to remember where she is. Her gaze flicks across your body, and you remember it exists -

- there's a kiss burned into your neck, and a red stain spreading slowly down your chest, staining your ripped dress with blood. It - doesn't hurt, she must have just nicked you with her claws -

With a trembling hand, you reach up and touch the ache of her kiss - FUCK okay no don't do that - and Liath is looking down at you and the light in her eyes burns like fire.

"I'm going to fuck you," she says. "I'll be gentle. No more pain. But I - need this, Eli - I - " She falters.

Despite all the thousands of reasons why that's an incredibly shitty idea, your libido agrees with Liath. Strongly. Fuck, you're all torn up and she kissed you and your top is shredded and you're at her mercy and she's a fucking succubus and oh hi she's standing over you now and her overlarge t-shirt hides exactly fucking nothing.

- NOPE NOPE NOPE FUCK THAT YOU ARE NOT LETTING QUEEN BITCH FUCK YOU. This shit is BEYOND FUCKED UP and you are DONE HERE and you're ENDING THIS SHIT NOW.

You gather breath, and start - "Uh, L- Liath, you're not - "

She fixes you with her gaze, and Pure Fucking Elemental Sex hits you like a bolt of lightning.

Oh.

Oh she can do that deliberately.

- your lips form the words, without any conscious control. Your voice sounds different in your own ears, cold and harsh and utterly, deeply fair. You knew what you would be doing the moment you thought of the words to say -

"Liath Seventh-Circle, you disgrace this order and yourself with these reckless, self-destructive and vicious hysterics. You are a Succubus. You are expected to be above such petty, human failings. You are better than this. If you are not, then you don't deserve the title.

If you want to be a Sister who shames, belittles and destroys your own kith and kin, turning love against itself to make it a weapon - then fine. Destroy me. Take my heart as you threatened. Prove you'll never be anything more than that creature that fought for the Goddess centuries ago.

But I want you to be better than this."

- thus do you pass judgment upon her.

Liath stares at you: then her gaze flicks down to her bloodstained clawtips. She takes a step away from you, and thunks heavily against her desk. Wobbling, she sits down hard, her back against the polished wood.

She stares at her claws.

"- Liath?"

She doesn't look at you.

"Liath!"

She touches her claws to her mouth. A pause, then a shallow nod - no, she's not answering you, she's ignoring you -

- The fucking bitch did all of this to you and now she won't even give you one single fucking word?

You roll over, and push yourself up onto your hands and knees, then to your feet. Liath stays where she is, not stirring.

"Liath! Look at me!"

She shakes her head slightly.

"- fucking bitch I swear would it kill you to fucking talk to someone honestly for once in your life - "

You reach for her head, look at me you bitch -

And a hand grabs your elbow.

You whirl, open your mouth to yell, curse -

- Tasha. It's Tasha. Her midnight wings folded in demurely, her delicate fingers still firm on your arm.

"Enough," she says. "This isn't justice. She's beaten, even if she doesn't know it. What will you do when she doesn't speak after you've forced her to look at you? Will you slap her then? Make her talk for you? Make her hurt, the way she did to you? Do you want to be that woman, the woman who'd kick her own Sister while she's down?"

"I was going to - teach her - "

"She doesn't need that kind of lesson, and you need to prove you can let go of this. Go to bed, Elisandra. I'll take care of Liath."

You -

Tasha gives you a knowing look.

- you go to bed.

Bed is full of soft blankets and pillows and warmth and exactly zero Liaths.

 

[Evenstar]

((CW: Emotional processing of highly stressful recent events, discussion thereof. See CWs for Judgement.))

- whip, blood, laughter -

You wake with a gasp, and start up from your bed - only to be pushed gently back down by a blanket of tails.

"Kumi," you breathe - and then you realize the tails are golden, not white.

Aya smiles sadly at you from a chair by your bedside. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me, Eli. Kumi's with her elfwife."

You hug her tails anyway. "...thank you. How long have you been-?"

"About half an hour now: Ishaza couldn't delay her clients any longer."

You take a breath: somehow everything seems lighter. Your sisters - they still care about you, even though -

"- how's Liath?"

"She's alright, or as alright as anyone can ever be after one of these things. Tasha's been attending her."

Slowly, you sit up in bed, still hugging the foof of Aya's tails. "- I hurt her, and I - I was going to hurt her more - "

Aya nods. "Yes. But you didn't, and you know you were wrong. Right?"

You take another deep breath. "I - "

"Oh, don't get me wrong, she was fucking wrong too and I'm glad to see her taken down a peg, we all knew this was going to happen sometime and you drew the short straw of something worth confronting her directly over - but you still hurt her. You're in the wrong too. Less than her, but some."

"...yeah." You hug her tail closer. "I should - apologize -" You take another shuddering breath - "don'tmakemeapologizerightnow."

Aya - shifts her hand in, and you nod a little. She pets you gently.

"I wasn't planning on it. Nobody is in any state for you two to try and kiss and make up. You've still got her damn kiss on you, for Goddess' sake - she kissedyou, what was she thinking - so. Ishaza's orders are simple: you're not to do anything even mildly stressful until that kiss fades, you're not to leave the temple, and you're not to see Liath at all, nor is she to see you. Wonder of wonders, she actually agreed to that. I think she's rationalizing it as you being unworthy of her time, but Liath Almighty took a damn order from another Sister who knew better. It's a fucking miracle."

Aya lets out a sigh, heh, and shakes her head. "I think, in the long term, that everyone might be better off from this. Maybe Liath will be less of a prick. I'm just - I'm sad it had to come to this, that she couldn't bend and so she had to shatter. It - happens sometimes, but… It's never fun for anyone." Her fingers tangle in your hair, and she carefully unteases the knot caught between them. "So - how can I help, Elisandra? Just tell me and I'll be at your service."

You - take stock. Fuck, your neck still aches - you're not poking that. The scratches on your chest have faded, but you've bled a little on your bedsheets and your dress is probably beyond saving.

As for your emotions… you take a breath, and don't flinch away. You're a priestess, you can do this. You've got… guilt, for hurting her. Fear... of being thrown out of the order, of Liath hurting you more, of being a bad person, of being a bad priestess. Shame… you really should know how to do the First Quarter rite, Liath had a point, but that's not all… fuck. Fuck, you got off on it, didn't you. It was terrifying and scary and hot and you're not sure that was all Liath getting into your head. What the fuck, Elisandra.

Your fingers tighten on Aya's tail, and your breath hitches, but you keep going. You - you can't stop halfway. Okay, you got off on it, that's called masochism, there's nothing wrong with that, you already knew that you were a masochist, and to be frank being bossed around by a literal succubus has been the subject of your idle fantasies before. There's nothing weird about that.

… okay, that's. Settled enough for the moment let's just. Keep going. What else… - Anger. It would be stupid if you weren't angry at her, she fucking sexually assaulted you, actually really assaulted you, threatened to kill you, of course you're angry, your own Sister -

Okay, okay you're feeling betrayed. That. Makes some sense, yeah. But nothing to be done about that right now, only time will help with that. You rub your face against the floof of Aya's tail: it helps a bit.

Oh, you're crying. You're probably sad. That makes sense too, everything's gone to hell and it's all because you wanted to protect your date with Thistle -

Doesn't Liath perform in Threefold?

Oh Goddess you've been such a fucking idiot. The performance is going to be cancelled at this rate, your date's going to be ruined because you fucked up Liath so hard and it'll be one hundred percent your fault -

"Breathe," says a soft voice at your shoulder.

You startle, pull away - IT'S AYA you idiot, it's not her - you manage to meet her eyes.

"Breathe for me," she says. "Innnnnnnn…"

You take a deep breath.

"And ouuuuuuuuut."

You exhale.

"Innnnnnnn…"

Another breath.

"And ouuuuuut."

Exhale.

You press your head to your knees, feeling the fluff of Aya's tails, and sigh.

"I've been such a fucking idiot."

"Which many people say is the first step to improvement." Aya's voice carries a smile.

You laugh despite yourself: it comes out a little choked, but your lips curve up. You lay your head back against the headboard, and look at Aya: she's - beautiful.

"Thank you for caring about me," you say.

Aya smiles, and takes your hand. "I'm your Sister," she says. "It's my job to care about you."

You squeeze her hand. "Yeah," you say. "Thanks for not fucking up."

Her smile widens into a smirk. "Yeah, it'd just be embarrassing for three sisters to screw up in one day."

You grin, and - then the laughter pours out of you, all your nervous tension bubbling over, spilling out, and when you finally stop you feel lighter again, tired but - everything could turn out okay, everything could be fine. You run a hand through the mess of your hair, brush away your tears.

"- I," You start, "I need to be with you. All of you. I've only really spent time with Kumi since Choosing Day, I miss you all, but -"

"But you were scared we'd realize how much Thiassa mattered to you."

"Yeah." You - can't lie to her.

"Well, cat's out of the bag on that one now, Eli. You don't get in a screaming argument with Liath over just any old client. You love her, don't you?"

"Yeah." It feels - freeing, admitting it. "I really, really do."

"And you were worried you'd be thrown out of the order for it?"

You nod.

Aya smiles sadly. "That's not how it works, Eli. You need to review your vows. Yes, you can't be a priestess if you've dedicated yourself to the love of another - but that's because you're supposed to be dedicating all your time to the one you love, that's the most important duty, you silly girl. You'll be released from your vows and given a permanent stipend - did you think we charged such exorbitant fees just to maintain a handful of buildings and keep the shrines looking pretty?"

You blush. "I, uh, I never really thought about it. I considered getting in touch with a retired Sister, but -"

"You had other things on your mind, I understand." Aya smiles. "Don't worry, you'll not be - excommunicated. You'll just retire."

"Will I still be able to come see you all?"

Aya nods. "Like any other visitor, yes. But you'll not take clients or maintain the shrines, you'll be forbidden from performing any other duty in the Goddess' service - ah ah ah, you're about to argue, let me finish - because while the Goddess realizes that love is infinite and can be shared with many, your time is not, and the best way to prevent former priestesses from fucking up their work-life balance is by forbidding them to work. You can't put both us and Thiassa first, that's just not how priorities work in the real world."

You - nod. "That seems - fair, I guess."

Aya squeezes your hand gently. "It'll be okay. Whatever you choose, we're here for you. Yes, there'll be some trouble finding a successor, but I'm told we have a new Marked in our next batch of supplicants..."

You nod. "Rose. - we're looking after her right, right? She seemed - sad, when I met her -"

Aya pats your hand gently. "It'll be okay. The Goddess knows best in these matters. As for you, Elisandra: you need to get out of bed and do something, if you just sit here in your bloody dress you'll stew and make things worse for yourself. Get up, take the damn thing off, have a hot shower so you feel half-decent, and we'll talk about what to do next when you return. Alright?"

You nod. "Alright."

Aya stands, still holding your hand tight. She looks down at you expectantly.

You shift, letting your feet fall to the floor, cough and sniffle, then look up at her. Pulling on her arm, you hoist yourself to your feet.

"I trust you know where your own shower is?"

You nod.

"Give me your robes and I'll take them for mending while you're in the shower."

You shrug them off: Aya's seen you naked before, and you're too exhausted to really give a fuck.

"Now go clean yourself up, and we'll see each other again soon."

You nod.

-----

When you return from the shower, Aya's lying on your bed, reading a book. She looks up at you, and smiles. "You look a lot less dead now, girl. Shower helped?"

You nod, absently adjusting your towel toga. "Yeah. Is the dress salvageable?"

She dips her head from side to side. "It'll never be quite the same - some of the more delicate embroidery was lost - but it's mendable. Like your relationship."

You sigh. "Yes, Aya, I got the metaphor, you don't need to use a ten-ton sledgehammer."

She shrugs. "You seem to be missing things lately, so..."

You scowl at her, but - yeah, you deserved that. You grumpily flop down in a nearby chair.

"So," Aya says. "What now?"

[ ] "... could you hug me and reassure me that I'm a good person and that you don't hate me?"
[ ] "... could you carry an apology to Liath for me?"
[ ] "... can I see Tasha?"
[ ] "- who else can I talk to I've been distant for far too long -"
[X] "Her kiss - aches - what does it do, am I going to be okay?"
[X] "I - I need to work through something. Promise you'll listen and not judge?"

[X] "- have I really been falling down on the job as a priestess?"
[X] "- I got off on it when, um. When Liath assaulted me. It was hot and I - I don't know what to do about it."
[X] "- why didn't anybody do anything about Liath sooner? Why me? Why by accident?"
[ ] "- I was going to hurt her and it felt completely justified, it felt right, and I'm scared of being that person -"
[ ] "I still want to hurt her, part of me wants to fuck her up, it's not satisfied -"
[ ] "- Liath will fucking kill me if she can I know she will she has every reason to I was going to abuse her -"
[ ] "- Liath can't really throw me out of the order, can she? Please, please tell me she can't."
[ ] "- I didn't break her, right? Liath is ok? Tell me again that she's ok."
[X] "- I have no idea what I'm going to tell Thistle about all this shit."
[ ] "I - being hurt like that, walked on, it makes me need to have control but I don't trust my own decisions right now -"
[ ] "- what the fuck happened to Liath that made her like that, she's terrifying -"
[ ] "Please, please reassure me that I'm nothing like Liath."
[ ] "If Liath can hurt me this much, and I can hurt her, what sort of place are we making for Rose?"
[ ] "Why isn't Tasha here?"
[ ] "- you're not just helping me because you're afraid I'll hurt Liath more, right, you're not - taking her side -"
[ ] "Do you think the Goddess can forgive me?"
[ ] "- Liath's not going to recover in time for the Sunday performance, is she?"
[ ] "I feel like this is all my fault even though it's not."
[ ] "- I feel like you shouldn't trust me anymore."
[ ] "I - my libido is acting up, I don't want to - have you here, it's bad, I - want to do things -"​

[ ] "- could I play my violin for you, I never got a chance to practice yesterday -"
[ ] "Want to play chess?"
[ ] "What are you reading?"
[ ] "Can I call Thistle, she needs to know -"
[X] "I want to - go visit the shrines."
[ ] "Where's the furthest place in the temple from Liath?"
[ ] "Are you going to just - shadow me all day to make sure I don't get into another fight with Liath?"
[ ] "Why can't I leave the temple?"
[ ] "Rose needs to know that this kind of thing happens here, she deserves to -"
[X] "Can we - catch up, a little? I've missed you."

[X] Tell her about your date with Thistle.
[ ] In sexy detail!
[X] Tell her about how Ishaza found fresh sunflowers for you.
[ ] Tell her how Ishaza read you like a damn book with her box of "sex toys."
[ ] Tell her about your date with Spike.
[ ] In sexy detail!
[ ] - or should you say Tori?
[ ] Ask if she knows anything more about Rose.
[ ] Tell her about what you did with Kumi yesterday.
[ ] And invite her to help you get back at Ishaza.
[ ] In sexy detail!
[ ] And how much it helped you.
[ ] And ask her to thank her for you.
[X] Ask about the First Quarter Ritual - what does it involve again? You remember it being long and exhausting and having lots of fucking, but -
[ ] Why does Tasha usually do it?
[ ] Tell her about your plans for Sunday.
[ ] And ask her if she's seen any of Cheri's shows recently.
[ ] Tell her about your sunflower necklace.
[ ] And ask her if she knows where you could find a matching one for Thistle.
[ ] Tell her about how you've been keeping up with your duties around the temple.
[X] "What have you been doing since Choosing? Is Direwolf - good to you?"
[ ] "He's surprisingly hot for, well, a wolf."
[ ] "- do you feel like sharing at all?"
[ ] "Why on earth is he interested in tea?"
[ ] "Have you taken other clients?"
[X] "What's been happening around the temple?"
[X] "I'm not - interrupting you, am I?"​

[ ] "... please just go away, I want to be alone."

 

[Evenstar]

You sigh. "Well, we could - catch up some, I guess." The mark on your neck twinges, and you wince. "Ow! - what the fuck is up with this thing, I was expecting it to be gone when I woke up, doesn't the Goddess' blessing just, ergh, deal with things like this?"

Aya gives you a raised eyebrow. "That's a kiss from a succubus, Elisandra. A capital-k Kiss, from a demoness of the seventh circle no less. The Goddess' blessing is doing its job."

You stare at Aya. "... it is going to heal, right?"

"Eventually. It'll take a day or two, I expect. Until then, steer clear of Liath."

"...or?"

"Or her aura will seriously fuck with you. It's not as bad as if you were without the blessing, but -" Aya bites the inside of her cheek. "Best not to risk it. Your libido might also act up over the next couple days, but it's not like you've ever had to deal with that before, right?"

You laugh. "Oh, I have definitely never been inappropriately aroused, what a thought!"

Aya laughs as well - then cuts herself off as she notices your sudden silence.

You look at her.

She looks at you.

"- Aya, can I -"

"Are you about to say you're ashamed about finding a succubus attack arousing?"

"Uh, well -"

"You're ashamed of being aroused by a Succubus."

"More confused, but-"

"But nothing. Succ-u-bus. Read my lips. It is an objective fact that Liath Seventh-Circle, Queen Bitch, is the hottest thing on this entire planet. She was built that way."

You eyeball Aya. "Don't you go badmouthing my Thistle like that. She's at least a dozen times hotter than Liath."

She grins at you. "Yep, you're in love. Don't worry, happens to everybody."

You roll your eyes, and sigh. "Yeah, yeah. - what am I going to tell her, Aya? She needs to know about this, I can't just - ignore it -"

Aya hums. "Wellllll, that depends. Have you told her that you're considering leaving the order to be with her yet?"

"Uh. No."

One of Aya's tails pokes you firmly in the chest. "Stupid girl. Make sure your target of affection wants to elope with you before you sell all your jewellery. Haven't you ever seen a single soap opera? Or perhaps the issue is you've seen too many."

You flush, and stare at your feet.

"Start with finding a good way to tell her that, and then you can complain to her about getting sexually assaulted by your boss.

Anything else to get off your chest while we're doing Embarrass Elisandra Horribly Hour?"

"- I'm not actually incompetent as a priestess, am I?"

Aya lets out a low whistle. "Oh, so that's how this all started. Well, that depends, Eli: do you want comfort, or truth?"

"...yes?"

"Sorry, girl, you only get one."

"...honest analysis."

Aya sets down her book, and sits up on the edge of the bed. Slipping her golden kiseru out of one sleeve of her dress, she delicately taps red Chi powder into it from a glass vial in her other hand.

"In my honest analysis, Liath was right to ream you out for not being able to drop everything to do First Quarter if necessary. What if Tasha had been the one to get in a screaming argument with her? Are you just going to trust that there will always be someone else to step in? We're sisters. That means we watch each others' backs and take over each other's Duties as necessary, and you can't take over a duty you don't know how to do."

You - take a deep breath, feeling slightly nauseous. "So she... was right?"

Aya produces a butterfly-pattern lighter from her other sleeve, and strikes it, skrtchhh-skrrrtch-sckrrtch. Finally it catches: she lights her pipe with it, and back it goes into her dress.

"She had one good point, girl. That's a hell of a long way from being in the right, and you know it." She puts her pipe into her mouth, and the cloying, spicy-sweet scent of Chi drifts towards you across the room. You wave it away.

Aya's eyes dart up at you - then she coughs, and puts the pipe down. "I... should probably not fill your rooms with my Chi, that would not be considerate of me. Though - are you sure you don't want a try? It's perfectly harmless, just a mild stimulant -"

You wave her off. "Which is addictive to humans, Aya. I would really rather not risk my clients picking up the habit."

She shrugs. "Suit yourself. Do you actually mind if I smoke? It helps me think."

You sigh. "If you must."

She takes a long drag on her pipe. "Thanks. So as I was saying, Liath did have a point: you've been lax in your more everyday duties, girl. You've got a great heart and whenever there's a problem client we can trust you to be there for us, but nobody trusts you to keep the shrines clear, you know? You've improved a lot in the few days since you met Thiassa - maybe a bit of guilt there, hm? - but you're still kind of flaky."

"...but?"

The bowl of Aya's pipe glows cherry-red. "Don't rush me, girl. You're casually inconsiderate of the work Ishaza and Tasha do to keep things running smoothly around here, you take advice grudgingly if at all, and the other sisters have to hunt you down if they want you to do something for them. You do return favours, which is better than Liath or Kumi manages, but you don't go looking for work to do. Neither do I, but it must be said that Cheri, Ishaza and Tasha all manage to be better than us at that particular measure of competence and dedication."

She breathes out: thin, fine grey smoke.

"However. Returning to your good points: you're never hesitant to take on a challenge, you're always putting in your best effort when you do get called upon, and you really, honestly care about your clients. That last one is shockingly rare: even I'm not sure I qualify. I think only Tasha can really claim the same level of investment as you."

You look down at your feet. "So..."

"In my considered opinion, you're a wonderful priestess and we're lucky to have you in the Order with us."

You blink. "Run that by me again?"

"You're doing just fine, Elisandra. Yeah, there's room for improvement, and yeah, you fucked up by neglecting an essential duty, but your heart is in the right place and it's no worse than any of us have done at some point. You certainly don't deserve to be thrown out or any other horrible punishment you may be devising for yourself."

You take a deep breath.

"...okay. Can I ask a personal question, then?"

Aya shrugs. "Seems only fair."

"- Why didn't anybody do anything about Liath before this? Why did we let somebody draw the short straw instead of - I don't know, something."

Aya shrugs, and exhales more smoke. "Nobody who could do it wanted to be the ringleader. Tasha's too gentle, Ishaza's too self-preserving, and I'm just too damn lazy. Cheri, Kumi and you aren't senior enough for it to be thinkable."

"- Ishaza's really starting to get on my fucking nerves."

"Have some compassion: keeping aware of everything that happens around here is a full-time job. It may seem like she's doing nothing, and badly, but if she stopped doing what she does the whole damn temple would implode within three days, and that's a promise."

You frown. "Yeah, I get it, she does crucial administrative work, but -"

"But nothing. Didn't she arrange your whole date with Thiassa?"

You nod. "...yes, and she even left fresh sunflowers in the room. I have honestly no idea how she did it."

Aya smiles. "Ishaza lives for those little moments of magic. Give her her due: without her, that date of yours would have been straight-up impossible."

"... Yeah, I recognize I owe her, but she's just so cagey - "

"She's doing her best to give you only the information you actually need, so you don't have to worry about everything that's happening everywhere in the temple all the time. That's her job. If you don't like the way she does it, trade duties with her on a slow week sometime: she could use the holiday."

"... what has been happening, anyway? Am I - interrupting you? I've been - really out of touch -"

Aya shakes her head. "No no no no no, I'll not tell you a dozen things to fret about while you're still recovering. We're doing well enough and that's that."

You open your mouth to argue, and Aya points the end of her pipe at you. "No. I mean it, you're not to worry about us. That's our job right now."

... you acquiesce with a sigh. "Alright, I get the point. Strict bed rest. Can I at least go see the shrines?"

Aya smiles. "That's the best question you've had all day."

-----

Aya watches in studied silence as you offer up a candle, a rose, and a careful bow: you're too exhausted to manage the full rites right now. Is the corner of her mouth twitching up? No, she's just adjusting her pipe.

You had thought that you'd have some - deep prayer, some true thing to ask, something that mattered - but right now all you have is three words: I miss Thistle. You give them to the Goddess anyway.

Aya's still puffing away contentedly when you return from the shrines, apparently bored out of her skull.

You sigh. "Why do you smoke that thing, anyway?"

"Relic of an earlier time, Eli. We used to light the whole temple with Chi - blood of the goddess, we called it. It gives off hardly any smoke, heats the place for hours, and the stimulant effects keep everyone going, heh."

She drags a sandal along the ground, lost in reverie. "I miss it. Liath knows, but everyone else is too damn young." She sighs.

"Wait," you say, suddenly realizing the blindingly obvious. "You've known Liath for how long?"

"Oh, about three centuries."

"- you lived through the Awakening! You were a priestess for - two hundred years before the Awakening!"

"Yes," Aya admits, tapping ash from her pipe. "Maybe if you're very good I'll tell you about it sometime. Until then, mind your own beeswax."

"...yes, Sister. Or should I say Mother?"

"Only if you're prepared for me to call you Daughter."

"... Let's forget I ever said that."

"Agreed." Aya looks out among the shrines. "Ach, we're so much better and so much worse all at once. Kids these days..." She smiles to herself.

"- can you get the old fogey impression done with, it's kind of weirding me out."

"Would you prefer to discuss the proper form for a First Quarter rite, then?"

You sigh. "I guess I walked right into that one. Go ahead, Sister."

Aya smiles, and takes her pipe out of her mouth: never a good sign. You brace for the inevitable monologue.

"At the New Moon, we celebrate Love, formless and ageless, in all its glory: the other three quarters are for its shards. First quarter, a waxing halfmoon: desire. Second quarter, the full moon: intimacy. Third quarter, a waning halfmoon: devotion. The specific rituals are different depending on where we are in the year, of course, but the first first quarter is always the Supplicants' Awakening."

" - right, whoever's leading the ritual has to have sex with all twenty-one of this year's supplicants before the day is over, individually, no groups - it's supposed to, uh -"

"Help them acclimate to becoming people whose lives revolve to a large degree around sex, and ensure that they experience sex with a skilled and caring partner so they know what it's supposed to be like. Of course, there is the slight issue of it all being one priestess doing this: tough luck if you're last in line."

"Yeah, that's - nearly one client every hour for a whole day straight with no rest. Probably closer to two an hour if you want to have any food, breaks or sleep. Half an hour for each supplicant is - aggressive at best, especially if some of them are virgins - so that means you will go long, and you will go short on sleep that night."

"I see you remember the last time you did it. When was that, seven years ago now? I seem to recall you swore it off completely afterwards."

"- Well, I've learned a lot since then. If it wasn't for my date the next day, I'd be very tempted..."

"If your mark's faded by then I'd argue for you, and cover all your duties on Sunday so you could sleep in before your date. I mean - do you want to be worrying about whether you really couldn't hack it for the next year? Next month's First Quarter will be different again, so this is really your only chance to make Liath eat her words."

"- Haven't I hurt her enough? I - don't want to become the kind of person who does things out of spite."

Aya pats your shoulder with her free hand. "You're doing this for you, not for her. Don't let the bitch enter into it: do you want to try?"

You take another breath. "I'm really really tempted to say yes, but part of me would jump off a cliff if it could show up Liath right now. So - give me some time to think and come back with an answer, alright?"

She nods. "Yeah. So - what now? Back to your room for a game of chess? Off to see another sister? Something else entirely?"

[X] Play chess with Aya.
[ ] Go see whoever else is free.
[ ] Go talk to Rose.
[X] Go look at the current crop of supplicants.
[X] Drink tea with Aya.
[ ] Press Aya harder for news.
[ ] You could use some decent sex right about now.
[ ] Try to pry more of Aya's history out of her.
[ ] Call Thistle.
[X] Tell Aya you'll do the First Quarter rite.
[ ] Tell Aya you're not going to do the First Quarter rite regardless of her offer.
[ ] Get Aya to read to you from her book.
[X] - snuggles?
[ ] Try to pick Aya's brain for insights into Liath.
[ ] Write-in.

 

[Evenstar]

You shrug. "Sure, let's play chess. White or black?"

"White."

"Fine by me. And you can press that new tea blend of yours on me, if you insist."

Aya frowns. "You're being awfully accommodating..."

"And I'll sit in your lap while we play in the Supplicants' Hall."

Aya cackles. "Oh, oh you're on. Think I'm too high and mighty to snuggle you in front of the supplicants, huh? Well you are dead wrong, Miss Whyte. One hundred percent dead wrong. And I'll beat you at chess, too."

You grin. "We'll see about that."

-----

A short walk later, you and Aya set your board up on an unclaimed table in the Supplicant's Hall - then she steps away to make tea, leaving you with no opponent. With any luck, some Supplicant will take advantage of the artful opening to challenge a full Priestess of the order...

... And here comes one now, a dark-haired catgirl. Her posture is... relaxed, even lazy, with a deep slouch and a casual tail-flick accompanying each step. Her trainee's robe is a bit disarrayed, and she's hiked the skirts up to approximate a qipao.

"Hey," she says, sliding into the chair a cross from you. "You one of the bigshots around here?"

You smile. "Depends who's asking. Did you want a game, miss...?"

"Blackfur. Yes, my parents were terribly uncreative. I go by Cocoa."

"Cocoa, then. I'm Elisandra Whyte, one of the Sisters here."

Cocoa grins. "Black playing white and Whyte playing black, huh? What a mess. Go on then, let's start the game: I'm sure your golden-furred friend won't appreciate my keeping them waiting."

You smile. "It's your move "

"So it is."

Cocoa tries the Scholar's Mate on you. It doesn't work, because you have in fact played chess before. She seems to have played as well: she just doesn't care. Her attention drifts off the board to the personal habits of the other supplicants: apparently Rose is too uptight, Alice is a barbarian, you couldn't pay her to get in bed with Portia's spider legs, and the chocolate here sucks. "They don't call me Cocoa for nothing," she says, heedlessly tossing a knight into the jaws of your army. "Care to try some?" She produces a contraband chocolate bar from the sleeve of her robe, and you whistle lowly: getting something past Ishaza is no easy feat.

"Sure," you say, and take a piece.

It's bitter and chalky and awful. You sneak a glance at the wrapper: 95% pure cacao ultradark. Well. That explains that. You chew and swallow dedicatedly, not letting Cocoa see weakness - but she grins anyway. Yes, you think to yourself, definitely a sadist.

Cocoa loses quickly after that, her waning attention puttering out completely: she shakes your hand and bows to you, then goes wandering off into the lunchtime crowd. Her lackluster showing doesn't seem to have drawn much attention from the rest of the supplicants.

Aya announces herself by draping a tail across your shoulders: accepting the teacup she offers you with both hands, you take a measured sip. Anything's better than the lingering taste of that chocolate bar.

This tea really isn't much of an improvement, though.

Aya smiles at your sour look, and pats your shoulder gently. "Alright, alright, there's no need to make such a face. I'll take it away."

"Please." You hand your cup back up to her, and off she goes again.

And here's another challenger, right on cue. She doesn't speak, just sits down across from you and starts arranging her pieces. She has dusky grey wings, and feathers in her silver hair. Harpy? Aasimar? Something unusual, at least.

You play in companiable silence: she's more of a match than Cocoa, but you still defeat her solidly. Seeing your mate in three, she lays her king down, curtseys, and retreats. Shy girl, that one.

Aya's still not back yet, and you're starting to attract some attention, so you go on and make short work of the next two challengers: the first, Kayla, a wolfgirl who was definitely getting off on losing: the second, Shannon, a thirtysomething human woman who you deeply suspect has been day-drinking since four AM. You make a mental note to inquire about her later: you'd follow up now, but a crowd is starting to form. Apparently the sight of a full Priestess playing chess is somewhat of an attraction - one that draws even more eyes once you're sitting snuggled in Aya's lap.

A fair-skinned elven woman, Lily, gives the pair of you a good run for your money, but you eke out a win. The crowd seems relieved: she seems disappointed. You pick up more gossip as you play: apparently you should have a match with Ipsea in the garden if you have any spare time, she's starved for company.

Rose appears from her private room while you're in the middle of a tutorial match with a butterfly-winged girl who's never played before: Cocoa tries to flag her down, but she flees before she can be accosted by the crowd. You can't blame her.

You're more surprised when the crowd ropes in an unfamiliar green-eyed woman. She shrugs. She doesn't speak. She makes her first move.

Aya takes over for you six moves in, and the woman laughs. "Finally, matchingly, gorgeously, finally!", she chirps - and though her sing-song halfrhyme should be childish and eccentric at best, every note of it thrums through your body, raising the hairs on the back of your neck.

"Namelessly?", you find yourself echoing back.

"Melody!" she trills, and a impish smile parts her lips.
"Chess, the best/
to test, conquest/
a perfect board/
to overlord/
black and white and gaily!"

- that shouldn't work. That shouldn't work at all, but she makes it work.

You're in the presence of a muse.

"A muse, amused, bemused, confused?
Are you so rude, unintroduced?
Melody sings for all to use,
but must you stare so, Lady?"

You take a breath.
"Please don't shape my words to fit
some rhyme scheme of your choosing -
Will you not stop? Please cease, desist,
This game is not amusing."

She laughs, high and wild, like knives through windchimes.
"I am the muse! This is my game!
Though it's your board I'm playing,
yet still I'll play it just the same,
since I do plan on staying."

"I'd rather not I rhymed so much,
It just rather unsettles -
If you can make my words your bitch,
What's next? My mind, my - kettles?"

Melody winces.

You cough, and do your best to look apologetic.

-----

It's a close game, but Melody wins in the end. Everyone agrees it was a beautiful victory: Melody curtseys elegantly, and takes her leave.

You nuzzle Aya, and whisper in her ear:

"That one could be trouble."

 

[Evenstar]

Nobody else wants to follow Melody's performance, so you play Aya to give yourself an excuse to stay. As she slowly forces you to succumb with her damn bullshit fortress style, you casually scan your audience.

Cocoa's still hanging around: half of her chocolate bar is gone now, so apparently she actually eats the stuff. You suppose there's no accounting for taste. She's chatting with the wolfgirl - Kayla - and they're making a game of trading little claw-jabs when they think nobody is looking. They seem more embarrassed than angry, though, so it's proooobably a kink thing. Or maybe their friendship is just like that.

Lily is sitting at a table nearby, apparently reading a book but really hunting for weaknesses in your game. She notices you noticing her: closing her book with a snap, she gets up and steps in for a better view. You smile and nod to her, and then your gaze wanders onward.

The butterfly girl - you never did get her name - is hovering intently. Not a figure of speech: she's literally hovering, only barely managing to keep her nose out of the game. She's already cut herself off at the start of a sentence a half-dozen times now. Gently, Lily reaches up and pushes down on her shoulder: she flushes, and drops to the floor with a soft thump.

- wait, soft? Your gaze flicks downwards - yes, butterfly girl isn't wearing any shoes. You hide a giggle in a sip of your tea, and try to focus on the game for a moment.

The situation on the board is hopeless. The situation in your mind, though... you think you're starting to get a feel for the room. Cocoa is popular but also a bit of a dick: the shy feathered girl is very deliberately keeping the chess-table between the two of them. The butterfly girl - was that her name there? Anise? - no, there it is again. Alice. She doesn't get along with Cocoa, but is herself popular, probably because she's cute as heck and so obviously lost. Lily keeps her own counsel, but is more in Alice's camp than Cocoa's. Nobody's mentioned Shannon in a non-disparaging light, which only deepens your feeling that she needs help pronto: on the contrary, Melody's name is uttered with almost an air of reverence. "Spider lady" is never actually named: she supposedly associates with "violin weirdo", but unsurprisingly neither are in attendance. You could mention that you play violin, but... best to let that lie for now, before you really understand what's going on here. "Ipsea" also gets a lot of mentions - Alice won't stop talking about how wonderful she is and how you should definitely do next match with her, and wonder of wonders, Cocoa agrees. That alone makes you want to see her - though you are a little perplexed by the fact that nobody has run to go get her, instead insisting that the game move out to the garden.

You give Aya a significant look: she raises an eyebrow at you. It's at times like this that you wish the Goddess' blessings included telepathy. Instead, you concede the match.

- Okay, well, you had planned to get some lunch with Aya and talk to her about what to do next, but you know crowds well enough to not even raise the suggestion. Everyone is intent that the two of you go talk to Ipsea, so you and Aya allow yourselves to be herded out into the sunny garden.

Ipsea, it turns out, is a plant. A plant-woman, to be precise: it's immediately obvious why she couldn't come to you, given that she was obviously transplantedto the garden. She calls out as the crowd appears: "Oh, what's this? What treasures have been brought for me now?" Wiggling back and forth in the enormous blossom that - is her legs, it doesn't hide them, it is them - she claps her hands together and grins. "Oh, how marvelous, an entire two full priestesses have come to court! Thanks for dropping in, Elisandra, Aya: I'm afraid I'm rather short on accommodations, but anything to distract. Soul of a wanderer short a good pair of legs, you know how it is." She waves down at her flower - then her attention shifts to the crowd surrounding you.

"Won't someone get these two priestesses something to eat? I don't want them to starve, and I expect you've been utterly hogging their attention!"

Kayla grins, and snaps off a crisp salute. "Yes Ipsea, right away Ipsea!" She vaults a planter of flowers in her haste to obey.

As you step into Ipsea's presence, you curtsey demurely: out of the corner of your eye, you notice Aya doing the same. "Thank you for your generosity, Ipsea. Do you have a table we could use? Your court seems to be rather insistent that we play you at chess."

Ipsea looks around, and meets Lily's gaze. "Would you mind bringing a table and chairs for our esteemed guests, Lily? I'm not sure where Alice's left them - over by the patio, perhaps?"

Lily goes and fetches.

Then her attention falls on you: she smiles, and it's warm and genuine and charming and lovely. She's not beautiful, not really, for all that she's a giant flower - but that smillllle. You could sun yourself on it.

"Do you want anything else?" she asks, and you have to visibly pause before you answer. It's just so hard not to trust her.

"Nothing comes to mind," you lie. In truth, you want lessons. This must be the level of persuasive skill you develop when you're dependent on others for anything that takes more than a long reach. Even Aya...

You glance at her, and she nods the slightest fraction. Yeah, even Aya might not be able to match her on approachability. How on earth hadn't you heard about this woman's skills? She had to have been transplanted at considerable expense -

... This smells of Ishaza. From the subtle shift in Aya's expression, you assume she's come to the same conclusion.

You open your mouth -

And Aya cuts you off. "But I'll take a vanilla ice cream if you've got one."

You blink - such disrespect! - and then your thoughts jumble as you remember that you outrank Ipsea, not the other way around. Is there something in the air?

Ipsea laughs. "Sure, I'll get you one if we turn out to have any. Anything else?"

Calmly, Aya lights her pipe, and breathes out sweet-smelling smoke. "Really, I'd settle for that match I wanted. Where's Lily with the table?"

Ipsea shrugs. "She'll probably be back any minute now. Care to chat while we wait?"

"Well," Aya says, "I'd like to discuss how you're enjoying our accommodations here. I've heard Tasha is managing your garden?"

"She keeps me very well looked after, yes. Was there some concern...?"

"Just double-checking my sister's work. Speaking of which, I believe you had some duties to attend to, Elisandra?"

You take the hint, and curtsey. "Yes, I do. If you'll excuse me...?"

"It's no trouble."

You retreat with dignity: thaaaaaat was not a conversation you wanted to be in right now.

- now then. Aya's providing such a nice distraction, it would be a shame to waste it: it's time to go check up on the outcasts.

 

[Evenstar]

You find the outcasts in one of the hall's private rooms: voices drifting through a doorway, accompanied by the shuffling of cards. You knock, and -

"Eep!"

-thaaaaat is a really big spider. Woman. Spider-woman. She's seven feet tall if she's an inch, and her entire lower body is, um, spider. You don't flee, but - that is really a lot of spider.

She sighs. "I told Shannon to keep it down. What do you want?"

"Um, I - I heard there was a poker game," you guess. "Could I join?"

She raises an eyebrow, but - scuttles - back, opening the door wider. It's. It's going to take you a little while to get used to how all those legs move.

"Come in," she says. "Welcome to the table. I'm Portia, the giant spider. Aura's a violin, Shannon's constantly drunk, Sofya will give you unsolicited fashion advice, and Sunshine's gender is 'fuck you.' If you've got a problem with any of that, leave now. It'll save us all a lot of trouble."

You shrug as you step inside. "I'll manage. What are the stakes?"

"Well, we considered betting for Cocoa's chocolate, but nobody wanted to win it. So we tried betting for not having to eat it, but that made the game too desperate and unfun. We're doing truths now, Sofya folded us origami chips for it. Cranes are casual, boats are naughty, seashells are deep, roses are anything. Ten cranes to a boat, ten boats to a seashell, ten seashells to a rose. - Speaking of Rose, if you're just here because you're looking for her, she's out right now."

You shake your head. "No, no, deal me in please. I'll break a seashell to start with."

"Most of us are playing with a full rose, but - Sofya, do you have another color for the elven lady?"

A pink-haired woman in a business suit looks over her shoulder. "Yeah, I do, and show some respect: that's Elisandra Whyte you're talking to there."

Portia rolls her eyes. "Yes, I didn't notice. Deal her in, if you would?"

"Give me a second to finish this round and settle up, and then I'll fold her some chips." She looks back at the table as a deathly-pale girl makes the flop, and raps her knuckles twice against the wood. " - Does Elisandra get to hear the truths? She hasn't been playing."

"We're still working with it's one chip larger to make somebody tell everyone, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then she hears those: they're public anyway."

Sauntering across the room as casually as you can manage, you take in the players. Despite the rule about trainees wearing robes, everyone here's dressed in their own things: you suppose it would have been hard to get a dress fit for Portia's hairy exoskeleton (ew ew ew), but Sofya's got her business suit and pencil skirt, Aura's wearing a deep blue dress speckled with stars, Shannon's going with a dress shirt and slacks, and Sunshine - you aren't sure wether to call that a kilt or a skirt, though that's definitely a tank top, and, uh. - why are you staring, there is a giant spider not two feet away and you are pretty sure Aura's literally dead, what the fuck brain.

Sunshine waves. "Hey." His - her - their voice is a light baritone, or possibly a deep alto, with a slight trace of a southern drawl. "I see the look works." They smile, cherry-red lips curving up, and lean forwards, tanned arms shifting with sculpted muscle. You'd usually call a ponytail like that feminine, but on Sunshine it strikes you as the kind of style a regimental officer might have worn a few centuries ago. "Are we going to have a problem?"

You flush. "Uh - you're very attractive in an entirely third way from the ways I'm attracted to either men or women, and I may have to take some time to have an existential crisis. Also I may fuck up your pronouns. Other than that, I think we're good?"

She shrugs. "I accept anything except he or she: if you're having serious trouble, just call me Sunshine a lot, or alternate between the two. 'You there' is fine. If you've got other questions, win them off me like everybody else." Gesturing at his large pile of chips, he grins. "Though you might have some trouble with that."

Your gaze flicks around the table, taking in the current standings: Shannon's losing the shirt off her back, while Sofya's traded half her stack for about the same amount in three other colors. It looks like Aura's a tight player: she's hardly gained or lost anything. Portia's down a bit, which makes Sunshine the current table leader - they've got a full Shell off of Shannon already.

Aura wins the current round, turning over her cards with a jerky hand: her glassy-eyed stare and white-knuckled grip on the violin in her lap are almost as creepy in their own way as Portia's spider legs. "Reeeeeead 'mn weeeep," she slurs. "'fl howwwwwz, kins fla threes."

You have to glance down to make sure you got that right: full house, kings full of threes.

Grinning like a dope, Aura sweeps the pot, taking boats off of Sunshine, Shannon and Portia alike. You refrain from asking why the boats appear to have a clitoris.

Sofya catches you looking, though, and grins. "That's the boatman."

You nod seriously. "I see."

"Mmmmmhm," she deadpans. "I believe you do."

Well then, uh. Let's. Let's get this game started, shall we?

[ ] On second thought, flee. Flee to the fucking hills. You're supposed to be avoiding stress, right? Poker with too many legs and not enough living people is not your idea of a fun time.
[ ] Sofya seems alright, and you need to talk to Shannon. You'll stay and do your best to be polite.
[X] Despite being really aggressively weird, they don't seem like bad people. Don't judge books by their covers, etc. You'll do your best to get to know them.

[ ] Everyone else is playing with a full rose: if you deal in with just a shell, you'll be eaten alive. Bet some of your larger secrets.
[X] A shell is quite enough, thank you very much.

[ ] Sit between Shannon and Sofya.
[ ] Sit between Sofya and Aura.
[ ] Sit between Aura and Portia.
[X] Sit between Portia and Sunshine.
[ ] Sit between Sunshine and Shannon.

 

[Evenstar]

- well, there's no helping it now. You've done this before, right? Like with that slime girl a few years back. It'll be an adventure!

Taking a deep breath, you sit down between Sunshine and Portia. Your gaze starts to tend to your right, at all those spider legs -

No, dwelling on it won't do anyone any good. You look to your left.

...okay, that's a more pleasant sort of dwelling (Black nail polish! Chunky bracelets!) but you're supposed to be focussing on the game. You look at Sofya across the table: she's gotten out a stack of violet origami paper, her adroit hands firmly putting in creases. It seems she's already on to her second crane.

Looking up at you, she winces sympathetically. "Sorry, I don't have chips already built for you - you'll have to sit out a round, assuming I can do these fast. Which I can." She keeps folding as she talks, her hands working on their own. "I've only folded what, a million cranes? I'll admit I'm less practiced with the boats, and the shells and roses take a bit of time, but I can get you a starting stake reasonably quickly. You're sure you just want a shell? The blind is a boat, so..."

You shrug. "I'll just have to win some more chips quickly, then."

"Wellllll," Sofya hums, "It doesn't quite work like that in this version..."

"Mmmmmmhm," mumbles Shannon. "'tupid rule."

"We decided it was unfair to let people bet secrets that aren't theirs," Sunshine clarifies. "It would mean good players wouldn't ever have to tell anybody anything, which is against the spirit of the game."

You raise an eyebrow. "Poker?"

"Truth."

"Truth is a game?"

"It's truth or dare, without dares, so..." Sunshine tosses a green boat into the table's centre, then glances down at their cards: they sigh. "Check."

"And with poker," Sofya continues, hands still folding, "so really it's Truth Poker, except you'd expect Truth Poker to involve, I dunno, face-up hole cards or something. So just Truth."

"Nnnnnna trubez?"

Portia rolls her eyes. "Truth Bets is just awkward. I wanted to call it Spider's Web, but for some reason nobody else thought that was a good idea."

"Izzen' your game, Legseses," Shannon slurs. "S'mine. Raise!" She shoves forwards a pair of boats.

You blink. "Wait, you came up with this?"

"dammnright I did. An don' you forgeddit."

You look around the table: everyone nods assent, though Aura's nod is more like she's headbanging at a concert.

Sunshine leans in: "She's sharper than she looks beneath all that vodka."

"I'll say. It's a good idea for a game."

"And she's good at it, too: she wins whenever she's halfway sober."

"...Which is why you're all taking the opportunity to fleece her while you can."

"Yep." They grin.

"Miss Whyte! Stop conspiring and pay attention!"

You look up, and Sofya waves a boatful of cranes at you. "This should be enough for you to get started, I'll fold more as we go along, please take it you're holding up play 'cause I can't see my cards."

You take the offered chips. "Deal me in?"

"Yeah, round hasn't reached you yet -" She checks her cards, and slides forwards two boats of her own. "Call."

Aura pushes her cards into the centre of the table, and flops back into her chair. "mmmmmmmmmrrrrn," she grumbles.

Portia checks her cards, and sighs. "Fold."

You sneak a peek at your own. Queen of spades, 8 of hearts - maybe worth seeing the flop. But you'd be betting a fifth of your stake... Better to get an idea of the players first. "I fold."

"Smart move," Sunshine says. "Call."

Reaching into the middle of the table, Sofya turns over the flop. Five, three and Jack of hearts.

Shannon groans. "Ugh. Fine, I fold. Stupid damn deck..."

Sofya raises an eyebrow. "Alright then. Check." She looks levelly at Sunshine across the table.

They look at their pile of chips, then nod. "Check."

Sofya turns over another card: 9 of diamonds. "Hmmm. Well then... Raise you a crane."

"Call."

Sofya flips the final card: Jack of Diamonds. She smiles. "I raise you a shell."

Sunshine blinks. "- you're bluffing."

"Try me."

They tap their cards. "Uhhhhh..."

Portia sighs. "Hurry up and play!"

As Sunshine deliberates, you look over at Aura: yes, she's not breathing. How do you make small talk with a zombie...?

"Uh, Aura...?"

"Yez?"

"Portia says you're a violin - how does that, uh, work, exactly?"

She rolls her eyes. "Bet for it."

You blink. "- wait, did you just - "

"mmmmmuuuh?"

- okay, fine, you will bet for it if that's how it's going to be.

You look back at Sunshine, just in time for Sofya to scoop the pot. "Good call," she taunts.

"I wasn't betting a full shell against those odds, love." Sunshine shakes her head. "Next time raise smaller."

"Or I could have been bluffing. Now you'll never know!"

Sunshine shrugs. "You're the blind now, Eli."

You toss a boat into the pot, and accept the cards Shannon deals you. Two of clubs, Ace of hearts. "Check."

Sunshine adds another boat to the pot. "Check."

Shannon and Sofya call: Portia and Aura fold. Shannon sighs deeply, and eyeballs Aura. "You're gonna have to play soooometime, girrrrl."

Aura flops her head back and stares at the ceiling.

"Mhm. Yep. Okay. Well then, here's the flop you don't get to play."

Ace of spades, Six of clubs, Jack of spades - you've got a pair of aces!

Shannon grins. "Raise you a boat."

Sofya sighs. "Fold. It's to you, Miss Whyte."

You eyeball Shannon: from what you've seen already, she bluffs too much. "Call. Sofya, do you have a second boat for me?"

"Yep." She shows the table her masterwork, and puts it into the pot for you. "Sunshine?"

"Call."

Shannon picks up the deck, pauses, sets it down again, then turns over the top card. "Not dealing. Turn."

Sunshine raises an eyebrow. "You sure you should still be drinking?"

"I cn pace mysel... Sevenna heart, raise 'nother booooat."

That doesn't do much for your hand, but you're not any worse off either. "Call."

Sunshine considers.

"Oh get on with it!" snaps Portia, two of her forelegs rubbing together. "I want to see what our priestess has in hand."

"Fine then, I call."

Last card: King of Clubs. Shannon rolls her eyes. "Raise 'nother boat."

You wince: four out of ten boats is - a lot. But it's also a good chunk of a juicy secret from Shannon or Sunshine... "Call."

Sunshine glances at Portia. "I see your raise and raise you another boat."

- Wait, Sunshine's still in. Shit. You may have made a tactical error.

"Call," insists Shannon. "Blufffiiiiiiiinnnng."

Well, you still have a pair of aces: worst case Sunshine has a queen and a ten for an ace-high straight, but you don't think they'd have gone chasing that. So maybe they also have an ace. Your other hole card is a two...

You suck in air through your teeth, and tap the table. "mmmmmmmmmm..."

Portia's anxious leg-rubbing sounds coming from next to your ear aren't helping. You look up at her, and she opens her mouth -

"I call."

Sofya tosses another boat into the pot for you: you do your best not to stare at it morosely.

"Annnd showdown. Shannon, what've you got?"

"Pair of aces, King high."

- she wasn't bluffing?!

"Miss Whyte?"

"Same: Pair of aces, King high."

"Sunshine?"

They grin. "Sorry ladies, but this one's mine. Two pair, Jacks and Sevens."

You and Shannon groan in unison, watching as your stakes disappear into Sunshine's growing pile of chips.

"I swear yor cheatin somehow," Shannon grouses.

"How?" Sunshine asks. "You dealt that whole round."

"I dunnnno, but when I find ouuuut..." She waves an unsteady finger.

"I'll tell you how I do it, Shannon: I play well."

"Bah!" Shannon grins. "Not cheating is for lossseerrrs like me."

"You're not a loser, Shannon - "

"Why'm I down so many chips then?" She rolls her eyes. "Geddonwifit an' deal."

"What she said," Portia agrees.

Another round of cards: you're still in the blinds, so you put a sixth boat into the pot with a sigh.Sofya's really making good time folding these for you. Your cards are meh at best: four and five of hearts. Portia checks, Sunshine calls, Shannon folds, Sofya and Aura call.

Sunshine smiles as they turn over the flop: "Glad you could join us, Aura."

She flops her head forwards in a nod. "mmmmhhhrrrm."

You look at the flop: Seven of hearts, Four of diamonds, Queen of hearts. You've got a pair of fours... Wait, you're one card away from a queen-high flush! Biting your cheek, you watch as the other players bet. Sunshine raises a boat, Sofya folds, Aura flings another boat into the pot, Portia calls, you - call, fuck it. You have a what, 50% chance of getting another heart in the next two cards? Something like that.

Sunshine turns over the next card, and it's the Jack of Fucking Hearts.

You keep your best poker face: Aura raises another boat, but unless she has the Ace or King of hearts she'll lose to you. You call, Sunshine calls: the last card is the Queen of Diamonds.

Sunshine grins, and raises a shell.

Aura stares at them glassily, and raises a shell right back.

And then Portia raises a third damn shell.

- normally you'd fold right about now, but you have a queen-high flush, and Sunshine only raised a shell after that second queen came up. They could maybe have a flush, but if they do it's probably no better than yours - and if they have a queen in hand, they could only have a full house! A flush beats a full house, right?

You...
[ ] Fold.
[ ] Go all in with your current chips.
[ ] Get Sofya to break a rose for you, and call three shells.
[X] Get Sofya to break a rose for you, and raise another shell to four.
[ ] Get Sofya to break a rose for you, and raise with all of it.