They say the old chapel in the middle of Heart-Under-Blade Academy is blessed by the gods. That any oath, any vow, any bond made within its hallowed halls was unbreakable. That anyone who would violate such a bond would have their soul cursed to never know peace.
Prince Alteisen swore on your first day at school that you'd be together 'til death did you part.
Unfortunately, death will do you part right here and right now.
"Don't look at me with that face, dear," Prince Alteisen says tenderly. "And please don't think of me as a sadist for this."
Your vision's going black and white but Prince Alteisen's curls still glow like Rhinegold.
Beyond him is a hill of corpses.
You can't move. You look to your limbs, each nailed to the floor at the extremities with a stake of burnished silver. You see your body outside of your body, realize your head is no longer attached to it. You gnash cruelly fanged teeth to try and tear out the holy scripture gagging you, burning your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
Prince Alteisen walks around your headless body. The sharp click of his boots echo through the silent chapel. "I've learned from Miss Valentine that even those tainted by darkness deserve empathy, understanding."
The Miss Valentine in question stirs; the one who gave you this body, this hunger. The one you wanted more than anyone, anything else. She looks to you, head bowed with shame, and whispers an apology.
Soul-eroding pain brings you from her and back onto your body. Prince Alteisen has driven a stake through your heart.
"And with this understanding," Prince Alteisen says to you, "there is no joy or glory in what I have to do here."
You hiss and glare at him. A million wicked thoughts are roiling inside of you.
"Grace," he says, "my dear, sweet Grace. I want you to know, if there's any scrap of you left, that this is no sadism."
He's walking toward your head now. Click. Click.
He draws a silver scholar's sword, its guard inlaid with the Sign of Sophia. It hurts to look at.
Click. Click.
"This is me at my most masochistic."
The rest is silence.
DEAD END
***
"Holy shit!" You, blanket wrapped and college bound, cover your mouth. You knew the Bloody Valentine series could get hardcore, but Fall From Grace crossed a line. How dare they do the villainess like that? How could you playing as Grace give her a worse ending than she had in Our Bloody Valentine?
I mean, yeah, the original scene in Our Bloody Valentine had the villainess get killed, but it was after an epic swordfight on top of an airship! And came from the villainess smacking the heroine's hand away and falling, laughing, to her death. Not torture porn that would make a young Tarantino blush!
And Fall from Grace was supposed to be a spin-off giving the villainess a better send-off! You got to play as her, for God's sake! She swept popularity polls for the original game, corporations love money like the people loved her, so the game's existence was a formality.
Grace's combination of wicked culture and unrequited love for the heroine (plus how nice she looked in a dress and a suit) gave her broad appeal. Her fiddling while the heroine's dormitory burned worked up so many wotas you had to become a hermit just to not get spoiled!
And spoiler-free you stayed, in order to play a virgin run. No guides, no hints, no nothing. Just you, your portable full-dive TenCo VR rig, and no plans for the holidays. It's how your bestie did things, how she used to do things.
Your gaming work done for the moment, you take off the fashionably retro headset, get out of your comfy cocoon and grab two cans of Musashi Super Dry.
You place a can on the little shrine that takes up your shoe closet, in front of a Buddhist memorial picture of your bestie, Chiaki Aihara. After a moment of silent, kneeling prayer, you crack open your can, clink it against hers, and drink.
"Fall From Grace was just as fun as you said it'd be," you say to the picture. "You would've loved it. I did it clean too, bestie. Just like you. Fucked it up though."
You rest your forehead on the can and close your eyes. "Always was good at that."
<It should've been you,> your Emo side says, her lank black hair looms over you like Sadako. <It should've been us.>
It usually takes a few drinks to shut her up, so you finish your can and go to grab another. You open your mini-fridge; it's full of beer, half-eaten takeout, and Kewpie mayo. You'll go shopping tomorrow, maybe.
<Drinking only hides the problem> your Emo side says.
You grab a beer, stare your raggedy Emo self down, and crack open the can with one hand. You think about grabbing a couple more until you feel a cool hand on your shoulder.
<We can't party too hard just yet> your common sense says softly, looking to you with sad, baggy red eyes. <It's orientation day at Uni.>
You groan. "Isn't that tomorrow?"
<You stayed up all night> your common sense says. <You've got about thirty minutes before the first event.>
"SHIT!" You slam the beer you grabbed and hastily throw on the closest to clean clothes you have over your sleepwear. "Where'd I put that orientation questionnaire?!"
Your common sense, a portrait in plain, taps at a sheaf of papers hanging out of a takeout pizza box.
You snag the papers, make sure they're not too grease-soaked, and realize you only got as far as your name, which you put as Kid A. Fuck it, no time to put your government on it. You pray the person reading these things has taste.
There are four questions, the kind that you have a hard time answering honestly. There's a fine line between "normal" and "mental case," and it takes a lot of brain power to stay on the right side of that line. You grab a pen and your barely fashionable Buddy Hollys, then get to work.
[Question 1: Why did you choose to come to this university?]
[ ] Because it's the most prestigious university in the country
[ ] Because the school merch is designer made
[ ] Because it has the most prestigious athletics programs
[Question 2: How do you normally spend a weekend?]
[ ] Throwing myself into novel experiences
[ ] Mall-crawling with my friends
[ ] Alone.
[Question 3: What do you hope to achieve in your time as a student?]
[ ] A diploma lol
[ ] A rose-colored campus life
[ ] A love that transcends despair
[Question 4: What is your motto on life?]
[ ] Full effort, full throttle!
[ ] Everything in moderation.
[ ] Life sucks, then you die...
After spending more time than a normal person really should on four questions, you fold up the questionnaire and throw it in your hoodie's pocket. You grab your beat up Converse, the backpack that's had your back since grade school, and take the first step towards the rest of your life.
"Watch me, Chiaki. My battle is just beginning!"
Unfortunately for you, the first step towards the rest of your life is in front of a truck.
***
SO YOU'VE BEEN HIT BY A TRUCK
TenCo Agent: Wait, no, we did that one already.
SO YOU'VE BECOME A VILLAINESS {KID A}'s Tokimeki Requiem
Inspired by the Winter Quest contest, this is the third try in making an Isekai quest for people who don't like Isekai, now in Otome flavor! Mechanically, the game idea is Tokimeki Memorial meets Disco Elysium. Stylistically, it's Grindhouse Bakarina.
Absolutely nothing about this is original, but if I throw enough shit in a blender it might get close enough
AVATAR GRADES
Brainy: Average (+3)
Artsy: Average (+3)
Flashy: Good (+4)
Sporty: Good (+4)
Sensible: Good (+4)
ACTUALIZATION SCORES
BRN 46 ART 45 FLA 62 SPO 96 SEN 53
STRESS 39
DESTRUDO LEVEL
Normal
LORES
<Heavenly Magic Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Heavenly Magic, spells that call upon the power of Sophia, the Sevenfold Goddess of this world.
<Bloodpact Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Bloodpacts, Heavenly Magic in its most primal form.
SKILLS
<Minor Bloodpact>: Can make minor oaths and pacts, backed up by blood and the power of Sophia Madim, the Forgemother.
<Blood Sisters> (Bridgette Alteisen): Gain minor stat boosts when you or Bridgette act to protect or assist each other.
PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
Camille Asuka
Lily Valentine
Prince Bryn Alteisen
Actions you take and dialog choices you make will change your Psychegraph scores for better or worse. Reaching score thresholds will increase or decrease your grade, changing the strength of the corresponding Avatar and your ability to succeed at tasks involving that Avatar.
During weekly activities or other actions, your effort is determined by 2d6 plus a numerical rating based on your relevant Avatar's grade as shown below.
Your effort is checked against a difficulty level. If your effort meets or exceeds the difficulty level, your efforts are successful. If they aren't, your efforts are unsuccessful or of a diminished success level.
Given your sporty, outgoing nature, Exercise and Socialize come Easy to you. Everything else is Medium difficulty.
The Actualization thresholds for each grade are as such:
200: Legendary
150: Nigh-Legendary
100: Great
50: Good
40: Average
30: Below Average
20: Endangered
10 or below: Critical
You are the thoughts in the head of Kid A: college student turned road pizza turned otome villainess Grace Claudia.
You share space with six Aspects of Kid A: Brainy, Sporty, Flashy, Artsy, Sensible and Emo. They serve as your Stats mechanically and they are the CK council in your body politic.
Brainy represents academic knowledge, studying ability, and deductive abilities.
Sporty represents athletic ability, guts, and overall stamina.
Flashy represents charm, fashion sense, and overall charisma.
Artsy represents artistic ability, abstract thinking, and Disco Elysium Inland Empire stuff.
Sensible is your Common Sense: it determines your ability to read people, not listen to the bad voices, and general adulting power.
Emo is Emo You: it's a measure of your overall Stress levels.
As a Tokimemo-style raising project, your goal is to raise your Aspects in order to catch the eye of potential suitors. Unlike Tokimemo and like Disco Elysium, the higher you raise one Aspect at the expense of the others, the louder that particular Aspect gets and the more deranged your character can become.
Your Aspects have not been set just yet, but can be changed through votes, actions, discussion, and items.
So as of now, it looks like you're a sporty, outgoing tomboy with crippling depression, but we have a tie as to why you're going to Uni, so let's have a runoff/story post.
E: I swear this will get less dark later
[O] Sports program
[O] Mall crawling
[O] Full effort, full throttle!
***
Your first thought as you glide through the air is getting hit by a truck doesn't hurt as bad as you thought it would. Your second thought was "what the hell did I want out of going to school?"
[Once again: What do you hope to achieve in your time as a student?]
[ ] A diploma lol
[ ] A love that transcends despair
You know why you went to Uni; Chiaki said it'd be a waste of your God-given athletic talent not to go to a sports-based school. You didn't see your skills as any big deal, but she did. She pushed you to aim for the best sports school in the country at...
[Bonus question: What's your athletic specialty?]
[ ] Track and Field
[ ] Volleyball
[ ] Swimming
[ ] Tennis
[ ] Fencing
[ ] Karate
As you fall like a leaf without wind, you think of all the good times you had doing your sport of choice. All the friends you've made, all the competitions you've won, all the aggressive hanging out you've done. You think of them visiting you in the hospital when you broke your leg, hope they'll do the same this time.
Your head cracks off the pavement, making that your last thought.
@Astra Myst Making up for missed opportunities is the essence of Tokimemo.
***
You're in a starry void, an empty boundary with neither sea nor sky. On your back is Emo you, pulling you under.
<Emo> "It's useless, you know. Don't struggle. Let things be easy for once."
Your eyes start to close. You've been under more stress than you could let anyone know. You don't even know what you want out of school besides a diploma. Yeah, you still hang out with your friends, you still throw yourself into new experiences, you still carry the motto of "Full Effort, Full Throttle", but you're breaking down. You can feel you're not working at full capacity. Not since Chiaki, anyway.
Maybe you should just take a dive for once. Nobody'd fault you, you got hit by a motherloving truck. Maybe you should close your eyes and let the waves take you.
<Sporty> "Akko! Grit those teeth!"
You're Rider Kicked by expensive kicks. A super deformed version of you in a loose gi, high-class running shoes, and a flowing white headband starts slapping the despair of you. Her swim goggles covered eyes blaze with justice and passion.
<Sporty> "We didn't come this far in the rat race to drop out! That's no way for 573 High's Golden Eyed Orion to go out!"
Sporty you grabs you by the collar and starts shaking.
"Alright, alright, damn," you say. "I'm up."
<Sporty> "Are you? Then what's the motto?"
"Full effort, full throttle," you say half-heartedly.
<Sporty> "Sound off like you've got a pair!"
You yell. "FULL EFFORT, FULL THROTTLE!"
<Sporty> "Atta girl."
<Emo> "Setting her up for more failure..."
Sporty sticks her tongue out at Emo, then beans her with a thrown shoe. Emo finally gets off your back, she's now a super deformed Sadaclone floating in the void.
<Sporty> "So, where are we?"
You shrug. "Between life and death, probably."
<Sensible> "Makes sense. Oh, press that button in front of you."
Sure enough, there's a button floating in the ether that says Start. Above it is some text in the same font as your full-dive rig's OS.
***
TenCo Transmigration Protocol
Press START to begin
***
"Oh, it's one of those things," you say.
<Sporty> "Isekai!"
<Emo> "Isekai..."
<Sensible> "Definitely isekai."
You mull it over; usually it's miserable OLs, shitty NEETs, overworked salarymen, and potential school shooters who get isekai'd. You must've been spiraling hard if your number got called like this.
"You think we'll be able to make it back home?"
<Sporty> "Of course! Punch it, sister!"
<Sensible> "We might as well try. In our current state, we might not have a home to go back to."
<Emo> "This is what brain death must be like."
You shrug and push the button. You trust your common sense and you trust your sporty instincts, they gave you the tools to become the star of swimming, karate, and track during high school. Without them, you wouldn't be the Golden Eyed Orion.
You wouldn't be you.
The system springs to life, it really does feel like your VR rig.
Man, you always though you were kinda dumb, but not Villainess Reincarnation dumb. Good thing you played Fall from Grace, huh?
The stars rush past you, melting into pure white light. You, the Sporty you, the Sensible you, and the Emo you all scream in the same register. It feels like your soul is getting sucked through a bendy straw. Eventually the pressure is too much and you white out.
There's a thump and a scream.
You open your eyes to impossibly blue skies and grassy hills straight out of Ghibli. Before you can process it, your view is obstructed by...
[Who Blocks Your View?]
[ ] An aloof, delicate blond boy.
[ ] A kind, spunky blond girl.
[ ] A reliable, familiar maid.
Their mouth is moving but you're mentally underwater. It takes you a while to resurface.
"...ear me," the person blocking your view asks. "Can you hear me? Are you alright? "
You groan and respond with...
[How Do You Respond?]
[ ] Did I hit my head? I feel strange...
[ ] Lemme rub some dirt on it and I'm good.
[ ] Oh, so we're doing the head trauma reincarnation gimmick
[ ] Get your hands off me you filthmonger!
[O] A reliable, familiar maid
[O] Did I hit my head? I feel strange
***
"Did I hit my head? I feel strange..." Your speech is slow and slurred. You might have a concussion.
<Sensible> "Good decision. We should play along with the scenario while we get our bearings."
"You took a dreadful tumble off a horse, Young Mistress Claudius." You recognize that voice. It's your maid. Your ever-reliable maid, the only person you trust with your tender secret heart.
A techno-blue popup appears in your mind's eye.
***
+2 Sensible
-2 Stress
***
Actions you take and dialog choices you make will change your Psychegraph scores for better or worse. Reaching score thresholds will increase or decrease your grade, changing the strength of the corresponding Avatar and your ability to succeed at tasks involving that Avatar.
You blink it away and gaze upon the face of a maid. Autumn Lovelace, to be exact; the ever-busy, ever-loving combat maid of Grace Claudius. But something's off. Autumn had a hair covering bonnet and NPC face in Our Bloody Valentine and Fall from Grace. The Autumn before you has an anachronistically fashionable bob cut with blunt bangs, smiling, fox-like blue eyes, and a pair of (anime small) red-rimmed glasses. If anything, she looks like...
"Chiaki?"
Autumn smiles knowingly. "My name is Autumn, Young Mistress Claudius. A spirit must have entered you during that tumble, you were never one for the Wa tongue." The twinkle in her eye is unmistakably Chiaki's.
You grab her tightly and cry ugly.
She pats your back. "There, there Young Mistress," she says soothingly into your ear. "It's okay. You're okay. Let it all out."
***
-30 Stress!
Destrudo level is now Elevated.
***
You hold fast to her until your torrent of emotions downgrades to a light shower.
"Is it really you?" You ask.
"It is I, Autumn Lovelace, Young Mistress." She hugs you close to her. "My soul has traveled through time and space to be by your side."
"You always had a flair for the dramatic, Chiaki."
"And you still have no art in your soul, Young Mistress Acchan." She smiles that impish smile at you and there's no room left for doubt. "I thought you wanted to play along more."
"Nah," you say. "Isn't the original line 'get your hands off me, you filthmonger'?"
"In Our Bloody Valentine," she says. "Wasn't Fall from Grace going to start one month before the academy?"
"It did. How'd you get here?"
"Heart attack from overwork," Chiaki says. "A fun-sized goddess let me pick a world to reincarnate in for living a righteous life and I picked this one. How about you?"
"Hit by a truck on my way to orientation."
Chiaki winces. "Oof." She blushes and scratches her cheek. "Geez, I guess I really was born to take care of you, huh? Since I'm doing it in another world."
You hang your head in shame. "Sorry for being a fuck-up."
She pinches your cheek. "Hey. You're not a fuck-up. You're a hot-headed sports maniac, get it right."
You giggle. "Awright, Awright, let go~"
She does so. "So, did you get into the U?"
You grin. "Full ride athletic scholarship."
Chiaki hugs you. "I knew you could do it!"
"...Fat lot of good that does me here, though," you say.
"Right," Chiaki says. "Did you see a goddess when you died?"
"Nah, just a VR-looking OS."
"Did it say Transmigration Protocol?"
"Yeah, actually."
"Oh," Chiaki says. "All you have to do is beat the game as yourself without getting a bad end. Pretty simple, really."
"As myself?"
"Since you're Grace Claudius now, you life her life, make her decisions...and deal with whatever ending you get."
You flash back to your playthrough, but this time through Grace's eyes. Your hands and feet burn with phantom pain, you gag and retch as your heart pounds it's way out of your head.
"Young Mistress? Young Mistress?! ACCHAN!"
You're underwater again.
***
You wake up to an unfamiliar ceiling and a sinfully cozy bed. Chiaki's at your side, checking your temperature with a crystal wand.
"Bad trip, Young Mistress?"
"...I'm good," you say.
"Fall from Grace must've been hardcore," Chiaki says.
"And how," you say. "She...I turned into a vampire and the Prince brutally put me down."
"Vampire, huh? Guess Lily couldn't control herself on Grace's Bad End." Chiaki winces again. "So that must mean Lily Valentine's the Shiori-type in FFG."
"Shiori-type?" You ask. What's a kinda-common Japanese name have to do with vampires or the heroine of Our Bloody Valentine?
"From Tokimeki Memorial's Shiori Fujisaki," Chiaki says. "The main, canonical capture target you woo to get the game's True End."
You sit up with a start. "Wait, huh? To win the game, I have to win the heroine's heart?"
Chiaki adjusts her glasses. "Or die trying, presumably."
"Isn't she supposed to end up with one of the guys?"
"They made the yuri subtext between Grace and Lily text, I guess."
You rub your temples. "No wonder I messed up, I didn't even see her as a capture target.
Chiaki smiles. "Well now you do. Now lie down, you're a growing girl and you have a concussion."
You frown. "Growing girl? The hell do you mean?"
Chiaki whistles a tune and an old, turtle shell mirror floats into her hand. She holds it up to you and you see what she means.
Staring back at you isn't the charmingly scruffy, sporty tomboy you were in life, but a fair-skinned little girl with platinum ringlets, a cross-shaped scar on her forehead, and sharp golden eyes.
You slap your forehead with a dainty hand. "Right, fuck. I'm Grace Claudius."
Chiaki giggles. "Grace Claudius at age 12, to be exact. Right around the time she met the Dramatis Personae of Our Bloody Valentine."
"And around the time she was betrothed to Prince Alteisen." You hug yourself and shiver with fear.
Chiaki hands you the biggest, fluffiest stuffed animal in your bedroom fiefdom, a fox dressed up like a miko. You grab it from behind and sink into the fluffiness of its goose-down tail.
"This is a good opportunity," Chiaki says. "It appears that you're being given ample time to stack the deck in your favor." She touches your temples and her eyes go glassy. You see command line text running across her irises.
She blinks and nods to herself. "Done. I've got a grasp on your Psychegraph and the parameters of your transmigration." She ruffles your hair. "Your Stress is really high, girl. Were you not taking care of yourself?"
You silently pout.
"We can talk about it when you're ready," Chiaki says. "In any case, you're not the all-conquering goddess of Sports Day anymore given your new age and body, but your Athletic Actualization and grade's still pretty great."
<Sporty> "Damn straight it is!"
"Your Artistic side's a little weak, your Self-Actualization's pretty strong, everything else is solid. Now to woo Lily Valentine, you're going to need to get your Intellectual, Artistic, Charismatic and Athletic Actualization Scores to 150 or better, while also keeping your Self-Actualization at 110 or better and lowering your Destrudo to at least 30."
You scrunch up your now baby face. "Huh?"
"You have to be nigh-legendarily brainy, artsy, flashy and sporty, have great common sense, and not let yourself get too emo."
<Sensible> "That sounds pretty challenging."
<Sporty> "A challenge? Woo-hoo!"
<Emo> "An impossible challenge? Ufufu..."
You hop out of bed, ready to take on the world. "Well what are we waiting for?! Let's get this breeeeeohgodmylegs..."
The world flips you ass-over-teakettle and you collapse into Chiaki's waiting arms.
She shakes her head, chuckling. "Let's get you some bedrest first."
***
[You spent a week resting. -5 Stress.]
[It is week one in the third month of Anno Sophia 92. You are twelve years old.]
***
[Riot Vote: When's your birthday? Day/Month is exactly like the Gregorian Calendar]
[ ] Write-in
[Weekly Activity: What do you plan to do this week?]
[ ] Study (Brainy++, Sporty-)
[ ] Paint (Artsy++, Sensible-)
[ ] Exercise (Sporty++, Flashy-)
[ ] Play Dress-up (Flashy++, Brainy-)
[ ] Socialize (Sensible++, Artsy-)
During weekly activities or other actions, your effort is determined by 2d6 plus a numerical rating based on your relevant Avatar's grade as shown below.
Your effort is checked against a difficulty level. If your effort meets or exceeds the difficulty level, your efforts are successful. If they aren't, your efforts are unsuccessful or of a diminished success level.
Given your sporty, outgoing nature, Exercise and Socialize come Easy to you. Everything else is Medium difficulty.
NAME Kid A Grace Claudia, Age 12
AVATAR GRADES
Brainy: Average (+3)
Artsy: Below Average (+2)
Flashy: Average (+3)
Sporty: Great (+4)
Sensible: Great (+4)
ACTUALIZATION SCORES
BRN 40 ART 35 FLA 45 SPO 90 SEN 52
STRESS 43
The bed is soft and fluffy. You don't think you've slept on a bed so comfy since you went on vacation with your family to Okinawa. A small gift for winning a full sports scholarship to College.
"-oung Mistress, it's time to get up." The voice was more insistent now.
"Don't wanna," you say, burying your head beneath a pillow. It's like leaning against a giant marshmallow.
"Ugh, Acchan you really need to get up."
"Five more minutes Chiaki," you answer back. Your eyes go wide open as you realize where you are, who you're speaking too.
"Chiaki!" You suddenly rush over and hug your friend, too overcome at the thought yesterday wasn't a dream. Your friend was really here with you again! Unfortunately you misjudge just how much smaller your new body is, and so instead of pulling her back onto your wonderful bed, you fall over the side taking your maid with you.
You fall into a tangle of limbs making it difficult to get back up, something not helped by the way you refuse to fully let go of Chiaki, as if she might vanish if you do.
When you're both back on your feet, Chiaki places a hand on her head. "Well at least you're up now," she declares, looking for some silver lining. "Hopefully it doesn't take that every day." You blush, embarrassed about your childish reaction.
"What now?" You ask.
Your maid adjusts her red-rimmed glasses. You still can't get over how they don't fall off with how small they are. They aren't even resting on her nose really. "That's up to you Young Mistress. I only ask that you remember that certain events are almost upon us, so you should prepare yourself accordingly."
You nod along. It's so nice to have Chiaki with you. And while you feel a little guilty that it meant she died too to be with you, being together with your friend makes it easier to face what comes next.
"That sounds like a good idea," you agree. You were always the sort to throw yourself into whatever task was right before you. Chiaki also helped you to make sure you weren't forgetting important stuff. It wasn't that you weren't smart, but you had a habit of forgetting when homework was due or when exams were coming up.
<Sporty> "You've got a whole place to explore! Hell you probably have one of those enormous lawns with all that nice grass. It'd feel great to run over!"
<Sensible> It'd be better to prepare some court etiquette, we don't know the first thing about how to carry ourselves as a noble-
<Sporty> "People respect strength right? We should just train. We know how to do that well-
<Sensible> Noblewomen can't just go off and run off! Besides, everyone will be watching more closely with our head injury.
<Emo> "We're doomed no matter what we do, so what does it matter what we choose?"
"Might I suggest getting dressed for a start?" Chiaki suggests.
"Yeah that sounds like a good idea," you agree.
((()))
You stare at your closet wide-eyed. You've heard of walk in closets, but this was bigger than your whole room back at home!
"The Claudius family is one of the richest in the kingdom," your constant companion Chi-Autumn explains. "Besides for one of your stature it would be considered a faux pas to wear the same dress in a week, let alone the same day."
"I probably have a dress for each day of the month!" You exclaim looking at the large number of dresses and gowns in front of you.
You knew from dialogue in game your family was rich, but the developers put all their effort into the Academy and fleshing out the various love interests, less on background assets. Honestly despite the game selling point being able to play as the villainess, you don't think they even changed up her canon outfit for the game, even her vampire form was just wearing a stained and ripped variant of her typical clothes.
Still looking at the wide arrange of clothes in front of you was evidence enough that the world was larger than just the developer's art asset build. For some reason that filled you with some hope. If there was plenty of stuff the developers didn't cover, maybe one of those was a way out of this mess than the ridiculous stats Chiaki said you had to keep!
You were going to find a way through this!
<Sporty> "Just try hard enough and you can get through anything!"
<Sensible> "Perhaps work smarter not harder?"
"Let's start with this?" You point out a light blue dress with ruffles.
"An excellent choice Young Mistress, the color really brings out your eyes," your maid says approvingly.
Normally you wouldn't ever wear that sort of thing, but you suppose it's different now that you're actually yourself anymore.
'Just think of it as cosplaying!' You tell yourself. It would be far from the first time you dragged Chiaki with you to a convention dressing up as your favorite characters. You can feel your eyes light up at the idea. This was like having access to a high class wardrobe of custom fit dresses for your favorite character. In any other situation you'd never forgive yourself for passing up this opportunity.
Your maid helps you slip into the blue dress, and it's a little more fun to have Chiaki be the one to help you change into something rather than having to convince her to join you. It's nice…but you think you can do better…
((()))
"Somehow I thought you'd be … less enthusiastic about this Young Mistress," your maid observed.
You'd already swapped through a half dozen sets of clothes. Even the simplest of them was way more high quality and a close fit than anything you'd worn for conventions!
"There's no way I'd be able to afford any of these back home," you explain excitedly. And your closet was certainly not short of elegant dresses.
You noticed your choice of gown grew a bit more elaborate with each outfit, but you couldn't help it! It was like finding out that your budget for a convention was unlimited. Who wouldn't want to try everything if they could buy whatever they wanted? And each dress you tried on was even better than the last!
"It's just that you never seemed to favor clothes like this?" Your maid noted.
"I wear plenty of different styles when cosplaying," you defend yourself, grasping for reasons to defend your behavior. "Anyways, I'm…a noblewoman now. Grace Cladius is one of the most highly ranked ladies of the Kingdom, it wouldn't do for her to be seen looking anything but her best."
Chiaki giggles, giving you a warm smile at your reaction. "Far be it from me to object to Young Mistress looking her best."
"Besides, like I do anything at half effort Chiaki. You know my motto! 'FULL EFFORT, FULL THROTTLE!'
Besides you'd said you'd put your full effort into it so you did! You had no doubt if you had worn *this* to the anime convention last year you'd have won first prize. You objected to the idea of someone winning just because they were cosplaying a fighting game where the women basically wore bikinis.
Your friend rolls her eyes. "If only you put this much effort into studying."
You crossed your arms huffing. "I'll have you know I got into college on a full scholarship. I'm plenty smart."
"I thought you said it was a sports scholarship Aachan," your friend teases.
"I could have managed that too if I wanted, who needs two full scholarships?" Chiaki just giggles again.
Frilly dress acquired and closet sufficiently dug through, you dash into the expansive halls of Claudius Manor.
Rich velvet banners hang from the wall like soldiers in formation. Each has the family's crest woven in spun gold; a lion and dragon above seven crowns. You remember from the games that meant the Claudius family stood above all other nobility. Yours were kingmakers, dragon slayers, direct descendants of the God-Imperatrix that tamed these lands before Sophia's order.
It meant you, well Grace, were kind of a big deal. It also explained why Grace was such a jerk: put the blood of the First Hero in you and try not to turn into Gilgamesh.
As far as you could tell, in all ways but physical you were still Kid A, so you hoped you didn't have to worry about that. You had more pressing concerns, like how awkward it was to run in the little red heels you decided on with this ensemble. The frills were fine, you were used to hiking up frilly skirts to make a mad dash for the last train or bus back home from a con. But these heels and your stubby legs were throwing off your running form.
<Sporty> "If these heels throw off your from, you should throw them off instead!"
"Good idea, me!" You kick off your heels with a jump and a whoop, almost cry for joy with the feeling of freedom.
You hear two cries: one male, one female, and wonder where the guy voice in your head came from.
You open your eyes and see two kids with shoe prints on their faces. A handsome, fair-skinned boy and a chubby-cheeked, lightly tanned girl. It's Prince Alteisen and his sister, Bridgette.
<Sensible> "Aheh, that might have made a poor impression..."
<Emo> "The shoe'll be on the other foot soon. And by shoe I mean boot. And by 'the other foot' I mean on your face."
"Young Mistress!" Chiaki finally catches up with you. You're faster than her even in kid form. "Young Mistress, you..."
You give Chiaki an apologetic shrug.
Prince Alteisen gives you a droll look and a long, dragging facepalm. When he's done, his face is a smiling, bland mask.
"Hello Miss Autumn," he says to Chiaki. "I see Lady Claudius has more than made a full recovery."
Chiaki curtsies deeply, head unbowed. "A thousand pardons, Prince Alteisen."
"It's fine," Prince Alteisen says, dusting imaginary dirt off his white military uniform. "It was my inability to control my horse that led to Lady Claudius's incident." He gives you a cheeky little smile. "The Claudius family motto is 'Pay Back Tenfold' after all. I should steel myself for greater retaliation."
Bridgette tears a mobility slit in her blue and white Alice dress and takes an old-fashioned boxing stance in front of her brother. "She's gonna hafta get past me first!"
Prince Alteisen sighs. "What happened to being more ladylike, sister dear?"
[How do you respond?]
[ ] Put up your dukes. (Sporty+, Flashy+, Brainy-)
[ ] Apologize and try to make amends. (Sensible++, Stress-)
[ ] Overwhelm them with noble-sounding dialogue from the games (Artsy+, Brainy+, Sensible-)
You don't need to think about your next action. When someone challenges you to a fight, the only proper thing is to face them head on.
<Emo> "That's right, never back down from a fight, no matter how stupid or pointless!"
<Sporty> "Aw man, if you just stopped a little bit earlier that would've been cool."
<Sensible> "I know this is futile, but please try and think this through a little more! Brainy's been beating her head against the wall at the sheer illogic of our situation since we got here and this isn't helping! We are actively getting dumber!"
<Sporty> "Where we're goin' we don't need brains!"
You nod, to yourself and your Sporty side. Your Sensible side has given up and is now chugging beer beside your Brainy side. You feel that should worry you, but beer helps you think better. Maybe it'll help your Sensible side too.
Back to the matter at hand. You're not ripping up this dress and you sure as hell aren't taking it off, so you'll have to forgo kicking in this fight. Honestly? That'll make it fair for Bridgette.
You take a karate ready stance: weight on your back leg, nail of your big toe the only part of your front leg touching the ground. One hand in front of the other, chin down, eyes forward.
Even in this body, the motions are automatic.
You exhale, engaging your core, then give Bridgette a toothy smile. "Come get some!"
Bridgette nods, grunts, and dashes in. She's shifted to a peekaboo boxing stance, her baby face shielded by surprisingly built forearms. The way she bobs and weaves reminds you of a manga...
"No way," you say. "That can't be-"
"A Dempsey Roll?" Chiaki finishes your sentence. "Young Mistress, look out!"
Bridgette chambers a punch with a downright feral grin. "Say goodnight, Miss!"
She swings at your head with an overhand right. If it touches you, you're kissing floor. Time slows down, your blood rushes in your ears.
You swing your lead leg back into an unbreakable horse stance. The wind from Bridgette's punch grazes the goosebumps on your nose.
With a yell full of guts, you unleash a punch of your own into Bridgette's stomach. Confirming the hit, you instinctively follow up with strikes to the solar plexus, sternum, chest and jaw.
You hold your fist up in victory. "First Dragon Fist: Five Strikes, Dead Center!"
Bridgette goes flying at your final strike and into the waiting arms of Prince Alteisen.
Prince Alteisen's bemused mask shatters into utter bewilderment. "Wh-bu-how?!"
You wink and punch the air at him. "The House of Claudius stands unrivaled under Heaven! Just kidding~"
Prince Alteisen laughs. "That fall has certainly made you more interesting, Lady Claudius." He pulls out a red rose and tosses it to you.
You catch it between your knuckles with a flicker jab. You wince despite yourself, it's still thorned.
"I suppose I'll have to avenge my little sister's honor now." He runs a free hand through his hair. "What's another responsibility on my shoulders, eh?"
Bridgette stirs in his arms. "Sorry I wasn't strong enough, Bryn."
Prince Alteisen hugs her close. "There, there. Only the Iron-Blooded need to be strong. You can be whatever you want to be, sister dear."
"Hey!" You cry out. "Little Miss Alteisen! I can be your sparring buddy if you want!"
Bridgette wipes her face and looks at you with sparkling eyes. "Really?"
"Of course!"
Prince Alteisen chuckles bitterly. "I don't think either of our parents would approve." He points behind you. "In fact, try asking your mother right now."
You're hit by a wave of killing intent like unto a demon. It brings you to your knees, you look behind you with the terror of one looking death in the face.
It's your (Grace's) mother, Justine Valeria Nero Claudius. Her leonine eyes, gritted teeth and voluminous strawberry blonde hair reminds you of nothing more than a lion.
You remember from the Fall from Grace booklet Justine chokes out lions.
<Emo> "Remember that thing about getting into pointless fights? Forget it. There's enough train on that skirt we can probably hide from her in it."
<Sporty> "Our dress is less frilly, we might be able to outrun her."
<Sensible> "We're her daughter! *hic* It'll be fiiiiiiine~"
"Grace Julia Augusta Claudius!" Justine says with weaponized Mom Voice. "What in Sophia's name are you doing?"
Prince Alteisen takes this as his cue to leave. "Farewell, Fist Princess," he says with a breezy bow. "Sophia be with you."
***
You're in the study now, a stately room full of distinguished looking wooden furniture. It has the air of an older gentleman who has taken impeccable care of himself.
Justine sits behind a cherrywood desk almost as tall as you are. She's smoking a Japanese styled kiseru pipe.
"So?" She says. "Explain yourself."
You look up at her from a too big chair and feel very small. "Bridgette started it..."
Chiaki steps forth from beside you. "A thousand pardons, your Excellence. It was my folly in not properly giving the Young Mistress an outlet for her passions during her convalescence."
Justine's eyebrow quirks up. "Oho? And how do you suppose we rectify this?"
Chiaki kneels and lowers her head. "I have painstakingly sought after the finest instructors to occupy the Young Mistress's weekends in order to forge her into a woman worthy of the Claudius name."
Justine blows smoke into the air, taps her ashes into a burnished gold ashtray shaped like a roaring lion. "Raise your head, Lovelace. We both know you're too useful to us to play the sniveling servant."
Chiaki raises her head and meets Justine's eyes. "You honor this one greatly, your Excellence."
"Well that should prevent an episode like this from happening again..." Justine looks to you; you feel like a rabbit about to be eaten. "But what does my daughter have to say for the incident that just happened?"
***
[What Do You Say?]
[ ] I was only upholding the honor of our name.
[ ] I'm sorry Mother, I forgot myself.
[ ] She challenged me to a fight, so I knocked her flat on her butt!
***
After an eternity of questioning, pleading, and having to talk your new mother out of sending for an exorcist, you were free to go. Chiaki walks beside you, unfazed.
"I did the best I could, Young Mistress," she says. "You can really tell where Grace got the scary bitch villainess energy from."
"I know, right?" You say excitedly. "It was awesome! Well, not the getting Mom Voiced at part, but Justine is awesome!"
Chiaki opens the door to your room. You jump out of your frilly dress and onto your huge bed.
Chiaki gathers up your dress and smiles. "You'll catch cold in that, Young Mistress."
"Listen, sister," you say. "I sleep in a sports bra and panties in the real world, if that! I think I'll be fine in bloomers and a camisole."
Chiaki giggles behind a hand. "I suppose idiots truly don't catch colds."
You playfully toss the fox miko plushie at her. She catches it and throws it back in one smooth motion, catching you unaware. The fluffy impact bowls you over.
"Now would like to select your weekend activity, or would you rather play catch?"
***
[Weekend Activity: Actualization gains on successes are doubled!]
[ ] Magic Lessons (Brainy and Artsy++, Sensible-)
[ ] Ballet Lessons (Artsy and Sporty++, Flashy-)
[ ] Fencing Lessons (Sporty and Flashy++, Brainy-)
[ ] Oratory Lessons (Flashy and Sensible++, Artsy-)
[ ] Cooking Lessons (Sensible and Brainy++, Sporty-) [ ] Do Nothing (Stress--, all others-)
