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So You've Become a Villainess: an (Otome) Isekai Raising Project

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Weekend 2 - Courting Death
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    • A villainess is always courting death, so why not become a xianxia protagonist? :V

    ***​

    Your weekend starts off like your week has, sneaking out of your bedroom for a run. This time, you're doing something a bit more college-appropriate. A secret rendezvous with a cute boy.

    You're not going to do anything untoward, just get some training in with Camille before your scheduled fencing lessons. Justine scheduled an orthodox sword and board fighter, a severe man with a severe mustache.

    Sword and board is cool and all, but you just have to learn Camille's style. Not only does it help Chiaki know what to look out for if worst comes to worst, it also looks way cooler.

    The way Chiaki works through the mechanics of his style from your loose interpretation makes you even more interested. It uses momentum and speed to create extra force, with quick movements to take advantage of the unwieldy nature of battle dresses. The aerial attacks aim for the face, shoulders, arms, and neck: places where the outfit's enchantments are weak or nonexistent.

    You can't contain your excitement, you jog a little faster than usual. You find Camille waiting for you under the big tree with two wooden swords.

    He tosses you one. "You've earned this."

    You snatch it out of the air. It's lighter than your expected, the wood grip on it has a pleasant grain. It feels like athletic tape.

    "Thank you, shishou," you say, bowing. You take a few practice swings, the blade wobbles a little. "Is it supposed to do that?"

    "Yeah," Camille says. "Our tailor-blades have a little bit of wobble to them. Helps us slip through gaps in battle dresses and throw off an opponent's spacing."

    You wiggle the wooden sword with two hand and watch it go.

    "Focus," Camille says sharply. "Didn't you wanna learn with your body?"

    <Sensible> "But we're too young for that!"

    <Emo> "What happened to you being the sensible one?"

    <Sporty> "We gotta learn stuff by doing. That's learning with your body, isn't it?"

    <Sensible> "Erm, well...yes. Our lack of sleep is getting to me..."

    You stop wriggling the sword and rest it on your shoulder. "Oh. Kay!"

    "Normally I'd start with calisthenics and jumping exercises, but you're basically a monkey-girl already so we can skip that."

    You're hanging off a branch one-handed. "Hey! I'm a monkey lady!"

    Camille snickers. "Alright monkey lady, we'll start with basic sword handling once your arms get tired."

    You let go and land softly in a crouch. "I literally can't get tired."

    Camille gives you a wolfish grin. "Let's put that to the test, monkey lady."

    He starts you off with basic sword handling and stances, until you boop him with your sword. That sets him off and he starts playfully sparring with you.

    By "playful sparring," you mean he hands you your ass. Over and over, in ways that would be borderline bullying if it weren't so fun. After a point, it turns more into a wrestling competition, as your martial arts skills and youthful exuberance turn things into a scrap. Eventually, the two of you collapse onto the grass dirty, sweaty, and happy.

    ***
    Fencing Lessons with Camille: Easy Sporty Check - 1,4
    Sporty Check Success! Sporty +4, Flashy +4, Brainy -1
    ***​

    Camille gives you a warm look. "I didn't know you were this boyish, monkey-girl."

    You laugh. "I get that a lot. You're still the coolest guy I've met, though."

    He blushes and pouts. "S'not fair hearing that from a cutesy, frilly princess..."

    "What, I thought I was a monkey?"

    "Well you are!" He blurts. "You're also a noblewoman, and they're all frilly and boring and mean."

    ***​

    [What do you say to Camille?]
    [ ] Awww, that sucks. If any noble girls give you trouble, we can beat 'em up together.
    [ ] Don't worry about it. Your newest student is a Claudius and nobody messes with us.
    [ ] Trust me, I'm nothing like those girls. You ever wanna vent about 'em, I'll totally listen.

    ***​

    Camille blushes harder and yells. "S'blood, stop being so cool! Girls are supposed to be icky and not cool!" He mumbles. "It's making my stomach feel all weird."

    You hear a little jingle in your head.

    ***
    Camille Relationship Up! Pre-capture route unlocked.
    ***​

    <Flashy> "There we go, dahling! One adorable little boy wrapped around our finger already."

    <Emo> "Word choice..."

    Woah, you weren't even in capture mode. You kinda already forgot you were in an otome game where all roads led to doom. Kinda stupid of you in retrospect, but nobody ever said you were smart.

    The thought of your impending doom reminds you of a much closer death flag: you have to go to Justine's scheduled fencing lessons!

    You roll over and hug Camille. "Sorry, gotta go. Mom's gonna kill me if I miss this lesson."

    Camille is dumbstruck by your feminine affection. "Uh...bye."

    You kip-up to your feet and run back to the mansion. Chiaki meets you halfway home, cutting through your running path with a carriage.

    "Oh. Young Mistress," she says with mock surprise. "Fancy meeting you here."

    She extends a hand. You grab it and hoist yourself up.

    Chiaki hugs you close with one arm. "You are to meet Ser Vandergraff at the training grounds at the top of the hour. Your training dress is in back of the carriage, as is a fairy bell. Ring the bell and the fairies will clean you off. I'll have a full bubble bath prepared for you when you're done with your scheduled fencing practice."

    You look up at her, slightly ashamed. "You knew?"

    She nods and squeezes you closer. "Scrying pool. Didn't want to lose you again." She smiles to you. "Proud of you, though. Camille's cute when he's not trying to kill me, and I'm glad you've made another friend."

    You whisper to Chiaki. "I think I made him a capture target on accident..."

    Chiaki blinks. "Oh."

    ***
    You avoided getting caught by Justine! Stress +2 out of a possible +10.
    ***

    ***
    [It is week three in the third month of Anno Sophia 92. You are twelve years old.]
    ***​

    [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-)

    NAME
    Kid A Grace Claudia, Age 12

    AVATAR GRADES
    Brainy: Average (+3)
    Artsy: Below Average (+2)
    Flashy: Great (+4)
    Sporty: Great (+4)
    Sensible: Great (+4)

    ACTUALIZATION SCORES
    BRN 42 ART 37 FLA 54 SPO 98 SEN 54
    STRESS 43

    DESTRUDO LEVEL
    Elevated
     
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    • Omake: Hair Mettle
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    • "Chi-I mean Autumn do you really think I'm making more progress towards raising my stats?" You ask during your morning rituals where she brushes your hair.

    "Your magical teacher certainly thinks so, Young Mistress," Chiaki informs you. "She believes you show 'great promise'."

    You haven't quite figured out how to enchant your fists yet, but you're sure you'll get it!

    "And you seem more poised and confident recently," your maid continues.

    You preen from the praise. It seems the magic of your new frillier gown was already having an impact. Clearly, the grace and confidence of Justine were already beginning to flow through you!

    "It's only to be expected from the heir of the Claudius family," you say, trying your best to emulate a haughty tone. But you can't keep a straight face and break down into giggles, Chiaki joining it too.

    <Flashy> "Ohohoho~You're well on your way to becoming an elegant young lady indeed!"

    <Brainy> "Why do I have a foreboding sense?"

    <Emo> "I always feel that way, death awaits us all in the end…"

    After she finishes brushing, Chiaki pulls out a new dress for you to change into.

    You clasp your hands together excitedly. "Is that…"

    "It is indeed, Young Mistress," your bespectacled friend confirms. "The tailors have already finished adjusting the first of your dresses per your request." So fast! This was what you called personal service.

    You recognized the lime green dress as the one you'd spotted earlier in your closet. It's been modified to have the additional frills and fuller skirts and train in the style Justine wore.

    Chiaki helps you into it, and you can feel yourself smile. You feel more regal and confident already! Now that's a great way to start the day.

    "Any plans for what we'll do today, Young Mistress?" she asks you.

    "Since I've already seen some improvement from improving my Flashy stat, why not keep at it? Better than wasting time on grinding Sensible," you answer.

    <Sensible> "What's wrong with trying to have some common sense! Someone has to keep the other personalities on track!

    <Sporty> "Hey! I'll have you know I have a one-track mind!"

    <Sensible> "That's not meant as a compliment!"

    "A wise deduction, Young Mistress," Chiaki admits, "It wouldn't be good to force things and raise your stress level."

    Brainy stares disbelievingly at the conversation between the two of you.

    <Brainy> "Wise, how can it be wise if it's going to make me even dumber! At this rate, I won't be able to understand the majesty of the heavens!"

    ((()))​

    As you and Chiaki look through your walk-in closet, you find yourself hard up for coming with ideas for how to improve your appearance.

    "Is there anything you'd like to try on Young Mistress?" Your maid inquires. Glumly you shake your head. You suppose that's to be expected when you're mirroring Justine's awesomeness already.

    Still, that gives you an idea. You tap your chin thinking. If there aren't any dresses that are any better than what you're wearing, you can at least bring the others up to match it.

    "Autumn, have the tailors alter these dresses to have the same improvements as this one," you instruct her.

    "All the dresses, Young Mistress?" Your maid confirms.

    "All of them, "You nod. "With the win conditions set so high, there's no way half measures will succeed." You grin confidently. "You know my motto. FULL EFFORT, FULL THROTTLE!"

    Chiaki can't quite stifle a giggle. "I'll issue the necessary instructions, Young Mistress."

    You were already planning on dressing like this again, after all when you could look awesome like Justine why wouldn't you-This way you can feel graceful and confident all the time!

    Hmm. Still, you should look to improve your style. If you can't improve the clothes, maybe some accessories?

    "Do you think some accessories might look good on me," you ask your maid.

    "Perhaps a bracelet or a necklace?" Chiaki suggests.

    You shake your head, you weren't a particularly big fan of jewelry, all too likely to get lost on a run, but something like a hair scrunchie was something else entirely.

    "Maybe something to do with my hair," you mused.

    "What about a ribbon or two?" Your fellow reincarnate offers. "It would go well with the ribbons you wear on your dress."

    You nod. "That helps, but I'd like to do something more…" Your hair was one of your best features, what could you do to make your hair stand out more. The Claudius were well known for their golden blonde hair, fitting considering how much gold your family commanded, particularly the ringlets on the female side. Why Justine's hair felt in elegant ringlets past her knees-

    "That's it!" You say excitedly. Since you already felt empowered by echoing Justine's gowns, then it only made sense to draw on her inspiration from her hair too. "I can grow out my hair like Mother's and…and…" Reality sets in and you slump a bit.

    "But that'll take months and months." Sure you had that long until the events of the game, but there's a part of you that was hoping to see results today. There were times when not being able to speed up events in-game was really frustrating.

    "There are ways to grow your hair out faster, Young Mistress," Chiaki notes.

    "Really?" You ask enthused. Come to think of it, there were options during character gen for the heroine in the main Our Bloody Valentine series to customize appearance. But you weren't aware of any way to do it in-game.

    "For someone who spent so much time on the game I'm surprised you don't know about it," she informs you. "There are options in the game store you purchase with real money to modify your hairstyle after game start."

    Bleh! Pay to win nonsense. After having spent way too much on a gacha minigame on another video game you always steered clear of anything requiring money after purchase. Loot crates were the worst money sink!

    "It actually does exist here, as expensive herbal treatments," Chiaki continues.

    "You're so knowledgeable Chiaki! You're my best maid ever!"

    "I'm the only maid you've had, Young Mistress," she notes, though you detect a hint of amusement in her tone.

    "So the only competition for best maid is yourself," you observe, and she chuckles. "Still, will it take long to gather it? I take it's some rare mountain herb that only grows in a particular meadow?"

    "It's expensive, not rare," Chiaki explains. "Please wait a minute."

    She goes to a cabinet and returns with a familiar glass bottle, you think that's the shampoo she uses to wash your hair with. "A highly diluted version is used to promote healthy hair," she continues, passing the container to you.

    Glancing at it, you notice it's a light blue color but seems otherwise unremarkable.

    "So we'll need to use a lot of it when washing?" You guess.

    "Easier than that actually, it's usually sent to the mansion as a powder that we dilute with water to make it last longer," Chiaki informs you. "Just applying it directly to your hair should have the desired effect." Returning to the cabinet she takes out a small vial of dark blue almost violet powder, no more than an ounce or so. "This would usually be enough for half a year or more."

    "Half a year for my shampoo?" You question.

    "Oh, Young Mistress, your father, Lady Claudius herself as well as some members of the staff." That sounded …potent. "I can issue a request for a restock, and we should get it within a few days." That was quick!

    You nod, trying to not let your surprise show.

    "If Young Mistress wishes, we could handle it now."

    "Yes please!" You say breathlessly.

    Chiaki titters and then leads you through the mansion to a nearby bath. This one has one of those deep sinks next to a recliner like you see at a hairdresser's. You lay down, and let Chiaki run your hair under the hot water to get it good and soaked.

    "How much would you like me to apply, Young Mistress?" Chiaki asks you. "I'm not sure how much to use."

    "I'm not one for half measures, so all of it!" You tell her. Diligently your maid empties the vial of green dust into her hands, making a kind of paste before massaging your scalp.

    "It tingles!" You laugh, as she works.

    "That's how you know it's working, Young Mistress," your personal maid tells you.

    It's a very relaxing experience and you can feel yourself begin to nod off. You hear quiet giggling in the background before sleep takes you.

    ((()))​

    You eventually wake up, feeling like something soft and fluffy is wrapped around you. Rubbing your eyes you realize that you're on your bed, Chiaki no doubt having moved you there while you slept.

    You let out a little yelp when you realize that the soft and fluffy material isn't a blanket, it's your hair! Lifting it with one hand you're amazed at how soft and silky it is, but most of all how much of it there is!

    You knew your hair would grow, but it's wrapped around you like a long silken cloak. As you make to stand up, it seems like your hair is now at easily as long as you are tall, probably more!

    "Sorry Aachan, I didn't know it'd be this potent," Chiaki apologizes. "We can cut it down to a more manageable size-"

    "It's not your fault Chiaki," you interrupt her. "A-after all I meant for it to be this long!" She gives you a dubious look, but you double down. "You know how I think anything worth doing, is worth overdoing. If long hair is better, then even longer hair is even better! "

    "That does something like you'd think of, Young Mistress," she says with a long-suffering voice. She bought it-Wait Hey, I'm not that bad you want to protest! But you fight down that urge if it means Chiaki believed you.

    "Besides, it'd be a sin to cut hair that looks this beautiful," you insist lifting some of it up in your hair. Your hair, usually a pleasant golden blonde is practically shimmering in your hand like spun gold. It felt so silky soft-it even felt it had more volume than before. You were sure this definitely had to have raised your Flashy stat a bit with this!

    "I'm sure I can make this work!" You tell her with feigned confidence. Your attempt at dignity is ruined as your stomach growls, and you blush.

    "Well, the hair had to come from somewhere," your maid muses. "How about an early lunch?"

    "Yes, that sounds splendid!" You agree.
     
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    • Week 3 Activity
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    • Grace is so smart, Grace is so smart: S-M-R-T, I mean S-M-A-R-T :V

    ***​

    A stray thought leads you to study for once: Chiaki had brought up stuff that was pay to win in Our Bloody Valentine (and by extension, Fall From Grace) just...existed in this world. If you studied, you could find about it for realsies! No selling your soul or emptying your PayPig account for vertical advancement, you were going to do it the old-fashioned way.

    With dosh!

    <Sensible> "Even when we do something reasonable I can't help but feel concerned."

    <Brainy> "Reason is the hobgoblin of small minds."

    <Emo> "Says miss 'bash my head against a wall because this reality doesn't make sense'..."

    <Brainy> "T-That was merely attuning my mind to the backwards nature of this place."

    In order to learn more about this world, you hit the books like a particularly boring punching bag. In order to do so, you headed to the family library, which is where you are now; your little legs kick air in a chair that belongs in a throne room. Around you is a book collector's wet dream; you're not a bookish kind of person, but the smell of parchment and lovingly worn leather makes you nostalgic for after-school practice.

    It makes sense why this nerd haven does it for you; the Claudius estate has one of the best libraries in the land. Justine says the only thing preventing it from being the best is "fair play". You don't really get it, but you think it might be how you never went all-out until the last event during Sports Day.

    Granted, you still managed to pick up a doped-up Soviet Olympic level of high school accolades, but the idea is probably there.

    You're starting to wonder how Grace developed into such a shitheel with such a cool mom, but then you realize having parents with clout and money turns kids into monsters back in the real world. You can only imagine how much that gets amplified with magic and literal nobility. Also the God-Empress blood. That's probably a thing.

    You look into a mythic history of the God-Imperatrix: a being who fell from the sky like lightning, with words beyond understanding and tools from a distant star. One who bent the elements to her will and could make matter from fairy dust. An invincible hero with golden hair who slayed the Witch-King and their Ebon Generals.

    ...It kinda reads like a trashy isekai, now that you think about it.

    ***
    Studying - Medium Brainy Check: 4, 5 +3
    Check success! Brainy +2, Sporty -1
    ***​

    The more you read, the more you start to get a handle on how things work with what the magic teacher lady told you. The elemental magic is pretty standard, but you pick up on the God-Imperatrix speaking in tongues. As you do, that command line bit your magic teacher said sticks out at you. The God-Imperatrix was the first user of Enchantment magic and the one to give it to the people. She enchanted her whole body without runes, using what looks like snippets of code from how they're written out in the texts you're reading.

    You know a little code from messing around with website design, but being a code monkey wasn't as fun as touching grass, so you just let Chiaki do the heavy lifting. She was way better at it than you, anyway. You think she'll be able to figure this Enchantment stuff out too, if you hand her the book. Once she does, that's one step closer to enchanted fists!

    You excitedly start playing with your own golden hair, now styled into a bouquet of ojou ringlets. It thrums with magical power in tune with your heartbeat.

    "I wonder if I can be a hero..." you muse to the air.

    You hear someone mutter "No more heroes..." in response.

    You walk over to the responder: a petite, bedraggled looking girl with her hair done in ornate, rust-colored twintails, pouring over dense alchemical tomes. She's got a school-nurse-special eyepatch on, the other eye has bags heavy enough to make her look like the wrong end of a fight. Brass tubes and vials of a grey-black powder are strewn about her table, alongside cups filled with varying amounts of a deep brown liquid you think is coffee.

    The girl doesn't notice you, but you notice what she's reading: mathematics and physics that not even college you could fully grasp. It's heavy stuff, and this girl look younger than you are now.

    <Brainy> "An intellectual? We must befriend her or eliminate her posthaste. No two can stand under heaven, but two minds can tear it asunder!"

    <Sporty> "Where's your competitive spirit, bro?"

    <Brainy> "I am not your bro. I am a woman. As are you."

    <Sporty> "Bro, chill."

    You ignore Brainy you's supervillain grumbling and turn your attention to the girl again.

    ***​

    [What do you do?]
    [ ] Ask for help studying
    [ ] Ask what she's reading
    [ ] Ask if she needs someone to beat up whoever beat her up
    [ ] Drink some of the leftover liquid

    NAME
    Kid A Grace Claudia, Age 12

    AVATAR GRADES
    Brainy: Average (+3)
    Artsy: Below Average (+2)
    Flashy: Great (+4)
    Sporty: Great (+4)
    Sensible: Great (+4)

    ACTUALIZATION SCORES
    BRN 45 ART 37 FLA 52 SPO 93 SEN 54
    STRESS 41

    DESTRUDO LEVEL
    Elevated
     
    Last edited:
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    • Week 3: Calm Like A Bomb
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    • Adhoc vote count started by FourthWall on Mar 9, 2022 at 10:25 PM, finished with 16 posts and 15 votes.
    Click to expand...

    Reach Friendship Through Violence :V

    ***​

    Someone who looks this needy and bedraggled definitely has a bullying problem. In the chalkboard jungle of primary school, the strongest eat and the weak are meat. So it went with you and Chiaki, so it goes here.

    Look at her: the shiners, the standoffish, don't-touch-me body language, the nerd books; she's got victim written all over her. The school shooter vibes she gives off don't hurt, either.

    You don't want to see someone become a school shooter, just like in primary school. So you're gonna go and do the same thing you did then.

    You crack your knuckles and your neck. "If you need the bullies who did that to you beat up, just point me at 'em."

    She glances up at you and back to her book. "Not being bullied..."

    You nod. "I understand if you don't want to snitch. It's admirable, even! But you can't just get kicked around, you know?"

    She puts down her book and glares at you with dirty blue eyes. "I'm not getting bull-"

    You meet her glare with a guileless smile, your hair flowing along your face to its own wind. "Then how about I have your back? Y'know, in case you do get bullied." You give her an exaggerated wink to show you understand what's really going on.

    Her glare falls slack, you can see gears turning in her head.

    <Sensible> "We might be mistaken on her being bullied..."

    <Sporty> "But she looks so noodly..."

    <Emo> "If she wasn't being bullied before, we're bullying her now..."

    You see her eyes light up. She smiles in a way you can tell she doesn't smile much. "Someone watching my back would be Sophia-sent! Especially with those golden locks."

    ***
    Medium Sensible Check - 3, 4 +4
    Check success!
    ***​

    You realize she's buttering you up and thinks you're an idiot, but you also realize that she is in some danger you can help her in. Which means you were the best kind of correct: technically correct!

    You pat your drills, the hair caressing your fingers at the touch. "Flattery will get you everywhere."

    She chokes a little, realizing you aren't quite as dumb as she thought you were.

    "Who are you, anyway?" The girl asks.

    "Who am I? Who am I?!" You puff up your chest and stick your nose high in the air. "I'm...your new friend!" You laugh and give her a goofy smile.

    The girl looks at you like you've grown three heads. "...You confuse me."

    "I get that a lot," you say. "But it helps to be close to someone who has your back. Keeps them from stabbing you in it. N-Not that I'm going to stab you in the back!"

    The girl frowns, scrunching up her face.

    You shyly shrug and put your hands up. "I won't stab you in your front, either. I swear on the Claudius name, or something."

    The girl slams her hands on the table hard enough to knock the coffee-like drink out of her cup. "Claudius...YOU'RE Grace Claudius?!" She stares at you in wide eyed, slack-jawed astonishment.

    <Emo> "Well not exactly...we're more of a going nowhere college student wearing a Grace Claudius suit."

    <Sporty> "The girl looks a nerd, but not enough of a nerd to get that."

    You play with a lock of hair. "Yep, eheheh..."

    "I heard horror stories about you from my attendants, lesser nobles all." Her hands creep towards the most dangerous looking of her vials. "That you were a tyrant and a bully, sadism incarnate. And you're offering to beat up my bullies?"

    "Well yeah," you say plainly.

    You can almost see steam coming out of her ears. "Did you hit your head? Are you a changeling? Is this some kind of prank?!"

    ***​

    [Dialog Point! What do you say?]
    [ ] Funny story, I did hit my head!
    [ ] I'm atoning for my past sins by helping as many people I can.
    [ ] Does it really matter? You have a Claudius offering friendship; you'd be a fool to turn it down.

    ***​

    "Putting that aside," you say, putting aside an invisible box. "You should give me your name. It's only proper since I gave you mine."

    "Schwartzwald," the girl says. "Tanya Schwartzwald."

    Oh, you remember her! She's the mad scientist-

    <Brainy> "ALCHEMIST! Don't sully the good name of science with this superstitious claptrap."

    <Sensible> "Now now, Brainy. Without Alchemy, we wouldn't have modern science."

    The Brainy you stares pure hate at the Sensible you.

    As you were saying, Tanya Schwartzwald is the morally suspect alchemist who Grace mercilessly bullies in Our Bloody Valentine. A lowborn girl promoted to landed gentry at the age of 12 due to her advancements in the alchemical arts. Tanya being lowborn, Grace had a special displeasure towards her, which spurred the villainess towards the most petty cruelty. Valentine got Grace's loving hatred, Tanya got the coldest disdain.

    By the time Our Bloody Valentine's Saga of Tanya the Devil route ends, Tanya had developed modern firearms using a combination of her knowhow and Valentine's spirit arts...Firearms she would use to go school shooter on Grace, her friends, and her family. You vividly remember the CG of her lighting a cigar with the flames from your family's estate.

    You gulp. Those vials she's reaching for are probably volatile and possibly lethal. You don't want to catch a Bad End this early into your young life!

    ***​

    [What Do You Do?]
    [ ] Make your case that you're not that Grace anymore.
    [ ] Sell your friendship as something that'll make her untouchable.
    [ ] Give her a hug.
    [ ] Stay cool and get her to talk more about herself.

    NAME
    Kid A Grace Claudia, Age 12

    AVATAR GRADES
    Brainy: Average (+3)
    Artsy: Below Average (+2)
    Flashy: Great (+4)
    Sporty: Great (+4)
    Sensible: Great (+4)

    ACTUALIZATION SCORES
    BRN 45 ART 37 FLA 52 SPO 93 SEN 54
    STRESS 41

    DESTRUDO LEVEL
    Elevated
     
    Last edited:
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    • Week 3: Lil' Firecracker
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    • Adhoc vote count started by FourthWall on Mar 17, 2022 at 11:15 PM, finished with 19 posts and 15 votes.
    Click to expand...

    Happy St. Paddy's Day, here's a sober update

    ***​

    "Funny story," you say, rapping yourself lightly on the head. "I did hit my head! Knocked the jerk right out of me."

    Tanya stares at you in abject, Brainy-having-an-aneurysm shock. You know Grace's reputation preceded her in game, but you didn't expect it to be this big of a problem this young.

    You can almost see the loading bar behind Tanya's eyes until she barks out a mad laugh. "Of course you're sick in the head. It's the only way someone like you would be this persistent to befriend someone like me."

    <Emo> "I like this one. She understands..."

    <Sensible> "Quiet, you."

    You shrug. "However you wanna take it, as long as you don't do anything stupid with those vials. I heard you're good at making stuff go boom, but maybe we can skip the part you use me as a guinea pig?"

    Tanya's hands spasm, an inch away from her vials. "...What do you know about me?"

    "I know you're a genius and landed gentry, plus glowy vials usually go boom. Especially if they're red like those ones."

    "Hoh?" Tanya makes an intrigued noise. "The oh-so-lofty Claudius line deigns to look underfoot to a jumped up commoner?"

    "Noble's noble," you say, shrugging again. You pull up your skirts and sit on the table beside Tanya. "And I like people who do cool stuff. The Claudius family appreciates talent, no matter where it came from, too."

    "Maybe I should take you up on your offer," Tanya says. "If head trauma turned you into someone who can appreciate talent, it should work for the others, right?"

    There's a dangerous glint in her eye, but she's definitely relaxing around you. And she's not reaching for the vials anymore.

    You chuckle nervously. "I can't really say, but the Crown Prince's sister took getting knocked on her butt by me pretty well."

    "You did what?!" Tanya shouts.

    You buff your knuckles on your dress. "I punched her out. She wanted to get satisfaction after I accidentally kicked my shoes into the Crown Prince's face, so I punched her out."

    Tanya pulls out a pair of goggles from her work coat and looks you over with them. "Abnormal magical readings in the hair, but otherwise human standard." She slides them off her head with a snap. "You're not a shapeshifter or changeling..."

    <Emo> "Heh, that's what you think..."

    <Sporty> "We're not a shapeshifter, we're a swoleomancer!"

    <Brainy> "Using technology to detect superstition feels so dirty..."

    "You're a fool," Tanya says. "A dangerous fool."

    You take offense to that. "Hey! I'm not dangerous. Give me a couple years more martial arts training, then I'll be dangerous!"

    Tanya gives you a smile that makes it clear she doesn't smile often. "Of course. If you haven't been executed by now, your family name must truly be bulletproof. Do you have a house Physiker?"

    You wince at School Shooter-tan referencing bullets. "I'm more of an Eva girl, myself."

    You cover your mouth, realizing Neon Genesis Evangelion (probably) doesn't exist here.

    ***
    Formidable Sensible check: 4, 1 +4
    Check failed!
    ***​

    Tanya mutters something you can't catch. It sounds kinda snide, but you'll let it slide.

    "Soooo, are you cool with me beating up your bullies?"

    She sighs. "I can't really refuse, can I? It's clear you're going to ingratiate yourself to me regardless of what I do, short of aggravated assault." She looks to your fists and her vials. "And starting an incident with the soon-to-be Crown Princess in her own estate is essentially committing suicide."

    You give her hopeful puppy eyes, your hair wiggles in anticipation. "Which means?"

    She looks up at you with gallows trepidation. "You're my friend by default..."

    You tackle-hug her. "Score!"

    "Ack! Watch out for the vials, you fool! They're highly volatile!"

    You lift her up and away from explosive death. She's tiny, so it's not very hard for you to do so.

    She pouts and glares at you, blushing to the tips of her ears. "W-Who said you could be so touchy-feely?!"

    You grin broadly. "Me."

    "Geh!" She struggles futilely in your grasp. "And you said you were no longer a bully..."

    You literally hold her at arm's length. "Sorry, you just look like you need a hug. Or twenty."

    "You're a real charmer, aren't you?" Tanya grumbles. She's not struggling anymore, so you'll take that as a victory.

    You giggle. "I'm trying to be."

    You give her a quick hug she fights more out of pride, then set her down.

    She gives you a flustered look, harrumphs, and goes back to her books. You head back to your table to finish up your own studies.

    You can hear her humming happily now. Every once in a while, you catch her sneaking furtive glances at you to check if you're making fun of her. You look right into her eyes one time and smile; she meeps and hides behind her book.

    <Sensible> "Oh dear, she's tsundere..."

    ***​

    [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-)
    (NEW!) [ ] Hang Out (Stress-)
    -[ ] With Prince Alteisen (Sensible+)
    -[ ] With Bridgette (Flashy+)
    -[ ] With Camille (Sporty+)
    -[ ] With Tanya (Brainy+)
    [ ] Do Nothing (Stress--, all others-)

    NAME
    Kid A Grace Claudia, Age 12

    AVATAR GRADES
    Brainy: Average (+3)
    Artsy: Below Average (+2)
    Flashy: Great (+4)
    Sporty: Great (+4)
    Sensible: Great (+4)

    ACTUALIZATION SCORES
    BRN 45 ART 37 FLA 52 SPO 93 SEN 54
    STRESS 41

    DESTRUDO LEVEL
    Elevated
     
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    • Omake - Walk It Like You Talk It
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    • "Young Mistress… What are you doing?" Your maid asks as she watches you pace back and forth along the hallway.

    "I would think that should be self-evident," you say, your tone removing any sharpness from your words. You don't see Chiaki's expression, what with the pacing and all, but you can imagine her rolling her eyes.

    "Practicing I can see…" she says, a bit curious. "But I would expect you would just go running again if you wanted to stretch your legs."

    You turn back to walk towards Chiaki and gesture at your heels. "If I tried to run in these, I'd probably fall flat on my face," you grumble.

    "I see." Your personal maid covers her face with one hand, but can't quite conceal a smile. "Not going to kick them off like last time Young Mistress?"

    You blush a bit, but don't answer. The bait's a bit obvious even to you, and she wasn't wrong. Striking the prince and princess with your shoes was a contributing factor to your decision to get used to them.

    <Sporty> "You shouldn't ever give up because you fail at something, just try again harder!"

    <Emo> "Try harder, fail worse, never learn from your mistakes. Yaaaay..."

    <Sensible> "At least she's trying to walk before she runs this time…"

    Instead, you do your best to project poise with what you think is a dignified expression. Chiaki trying to stifle her giggles makes it somewhat difficult.

    <Flashy> "A lady must look her all-time best at all times."

    <Brainy> "And make a infinite feedback loop? "

    Soon enough, you find your maid matching your stride, moving back up and down the hallway. It's impressive how she can match your stubby legs and boundless energy.

    "Autumn, why are you following me?" You ask her confused.

    "It's my duty to be at your side should you need anything Young Mistress," she says primly. "Besides, I was just headed the same way."

    You'd find that a tad more believable if she wasn't walking back and forth with you. She starts outpacing you; you could feel yourself getting annoyed.

    You hitch up your dress and hurry to match her. "I thought a maid's place was at her lady's side?"

    Your maid ahems. "Just want to be sure the route was free of obstructions Young Mistress. As you said, we want to make sure you don't fall."

    Chiaki said that with a straight face, but you don't believe a word of it! Besides the fact your friend was always a bit better at concealing her feelings than you, if she was being serious she'd offer you more than such a transparent lie. What was this, some child's cartoon? There's not going to be some banana peel in the way, or a toy left in the middle of the room, or something else to make you the punchline of a gag.

    <Emo> "With the way our souls ended up here, we're certainly a cosmic punchline to someone."

    For good or for ill you were your parent's only child, and neither you nor Chiaki were sloppy enough to leave that much of a mess-

    "Young Mistress's footwork is much improved," Chiaki says, all of a sudden. You blink, confused, unable to parse such a sudden change in conversation.

    "I guess…" you say cautiously, before it occurs to you why exactly it might be worse. You had been walking at a fast clip in the heels for the last several minutes, all without consciously being aware of it.

    Your eyes widen. "Chi-cha...I mean Autumn! I'm walking in heels! I'm really walking in heels!" Not that you hadn't before, but it didn't take the conscious effort or sheer force of will you needed before.

    You stare down at your heels, with half a mind to kick them off in celebration. "How did that happen…"

    "Young Mistress has always been a fast learner, she just needed a little bit of…priming," your maid says demurely.

    Brainy preens at the compliment while Flashy raises an eyebrow skeptically.

    <Flashy> "I believe that's a compliment more aimed at me than you, Darling."

    <Brainy> "Clearly, everything involving learning falls under my domain!"

    You pout at her. "So you were just gonna troll me until walking in heels *clicked* for me?" You stifle a chuckle of your own. "Heh, heels clicking."

    Your maid looks faux-shocked. "I would never troll you, Young Mistress." That's a lie and you both know it.

    "Okay, now you're just goading me," you say, and something clicks again. She tried to make you feel competitive in order to spark your inner drive to succeed, and it worked.

    <Sporty> "Hoo-yeah! A challenge is always a way to get the blood pumping!"

    Chiaki's figured out that you've figured it out; she has the biggest, smuggest, most frustrating smile on her face right now.

    <Sensible> "Shouldn't we take it as a compliment our friend knows us so well?"

    "Congratulations on making a breakthrough Young Mistress," she says, glowing with honest pride. Darn it! She said it so earnestly too you couldn't even be mad at her.

    With one last victorious glance at you, your maid shifts back into character. "Just in time too, Duchess Claudius wanted to meet with you."

    "Justine wants to-" You panic. "Chiakiiiiii! You can't just drop bombshells like that on me!" You needed time to mentally prepare yourself for meeting with the blonde Duchess and current self's mom.

    "It's nothing bad Young Mistress," Chiaki says. "I think she just wants to see your hair for yourself; rumors have been spreading all around the manor."

    You pluck self-consciously on your new golden locks, they curl tightly against your fingers.

    "Now don't you feel more confident now that you've had a breakthrough in your training?" Chiaki says, trying to salvage the situation.

    You stand up taller, more confident at that. "I guess I do, so I'll let this go...for now," you say, hoping it didn't come out as childish as it sounded!

    She might have meant it for the best, but Chiaki could get really pushy when she thought she was helping you. And her cocky smile was practically begging for a reaction! You couldn't be too mad at her, she always knew what to say or do to make you the best version of yourself.

    You'd need to be, in order to handle Justine.

    ((()))

    As you enter her study, you note your mother's attention is consumed by a large stack of documents at her desk. A reminder that being a noble means a lot of administration, which means a lot of paperwork

    You bow your head to Justine and do a textbook perfect curtsy. "Hello, mother. My maid said you called for me?"

    "Your maid tells me you treated your hair with a lot of the Sverna herb," Justine says casually, not looking up from her papers.

    "Are you displeased, Mother?" You ask, trying to match her calm tone despite your sudden case of nerves.

    The Claudius matriarch sets down the paper she was reviewing to look at you with dispassionate eyes. She gives you no hints at what she's thinking or feeling.

    "Just curious as to your reasoning," she says.

    You sweat under her gaze. Why did you have to remember just how much of that hair product you ended up using now? It probably isn't about the cost, right? With how rich you are, it'd be a rounding error and Chiaki would have told you if using that much would cause a problem! You could always count on your best friend to hold you back when needed.

    You glance to your side and see empty air.
    You know you throw yourself into things at full effort and full throttle, but for the first time since you got here, you realize how much of that is due to Chiaki being at your side.

    Your eyes drop to the floor, not able to meet her gaze. "Y-you're so elegant and amazing, Mother. An S-class adventurer, a Duchess, a guiding light to all nobility." You're starting to gush, blushing as you stumble over your words."…And despite not meaning to, it seems like I only cause you headaches. I w-wanted to be more like you, even if in just one small way…a-and your hair is so long and pretty…" You run your hands through your golden locks, unconsciously mirroring her.

    <Flashy> "Your delivery was little gauché, Darling, but it's understandable to be cowed by the Platonic ideal of fashion in Justine."

    <Sporty> "Anyone who can put lions in a chokehold has to be pretty badass. The Adventurer thing just adds to it."

    "Oh, Grace." Justine says.

    You trail off and look back up at her. To your surprise, you see Justine's expression soften in a way you don't think you've ever seen before.


    She gets up from behind her desk and comes over to stand by you. Unlike her usual demeanor, she doesn't radiate intimidation, but tenderness.

    "If I'm strict with you sometimes," she says, "it's only because I know you have such potential. And honestly? I love what you've done with your hair. Soft to the touch, but as dazzling as molten gold."

    She runs a hand through your locks, you shiver at the contact. You're unprepared for the gesture of physical closeness with Justine who always seemed to keep her distance.

    "So you're not mad?" You ask in a small voice.

    Justine is taken aback. "Why would I be upset by such an inspired choice? I was curious if you did so with the goal of drawing allusions to the God-Imperatrix. Our hair is a sign of our direct descent from her," she explains. "It was a more…political ploy than you usually make."

    You wince inwardly at that. It was a rather polite way of saying that Grace tended to act without consideration of how it would look to others, riding on her family name to get whatever she wanted.

    Justine appraises your enchanted light blue dress, which had a large fluffy skirt and train to rival her own outfit. "Your explanation does give some context to other decisions you've made recently as well."

    "D-do you like them, too?" You ask quietly, your voice lacking its usual confident energy.

    She nods. "I do. They give you an air of elegance and maturity, daughter, if one you seem to flout on occasion."

    Her gentle chiding makes you flush a bit.

    "Though I suppose I shouldn't be *that* surprised, I was unruly at that age too." Justine pauses to reminisce.

    "R-really!?" You squeak disbelievingly. You suddenly imagine Justine as a delinquent, every inch a 'foreigner' stereotype with her blonde hair. She's in a blue jean skirt and a black leather jacket over an American flag shirt. She's chewing bubblegum, while resting a baseball bat casually over one shoulder while giving a challenging look.

    Justine sighs. "My mother was aghast of course. Only now do I realize how many headaches I gave her. I was far more interested in becoming a knight than in inheriting our family's responsibilities, always sneaking off to learn to use the sword."

    Suddenly you were glad she had no knowledge of your lessons with Camille.

    "What changed?" You ask.

    "I realized that a noble's duties call for her to defend those under her care, to be their shield, and ensure justice is done." Justine says. "And that as a knight, I'd lack the authority or influence to right certain wrongs."

    You remembered the tale of Lady Augustine, and the efforts by her stepmother to seize the title from her. You wondered if that was when she made that choice.

    "But to wield that authority, I would need to accept the responsibilities that came with it," Justine says. "I would need to prove myself worthy. And earning that worthiness would be a quest any knight would gladly undertake."

    …That jived with what you knew about your mother. She was heavily driven by her sense of duty…and that made you feel bad about the way canon Grace turned out. With such a cool mother, how could you turn into a bully!

    "Once I reconsidered my assumptions on my duty, I also reconsidered other assumptions I made, and realized that what I once considered mere ostentation could instead become a source of strength," Justine says with a hint of pride, running a hand down the battle dress she wears.

    You nod vigorously, recalling that even as an adventurer the various books detailing her exploits always had her elegant gowns. While she hadn't been the first to wear layered enchanted dresses, she pushed the design further than anyone else, and popularized the style.

    As a cosplayer, you always wanted to feel as cool and elegant as the characters you liked. Cosplaying Grace Claudius was the coolest you ever felt, which probably explained to a degree your affinity for her. But to have the approval of Justine herself for your changes to Grace's setting was a compliment of the highest order! Plus being able to combine style with kicking ass? The best kind of combination. You felt the heady thrill of vindication at your choices.

    "Looking at you like this makes me feel nostalgic..." Justine's face grows slightly stern. "But don't forget Grace, it's not enough to complete a task, you must ensure it's done with style and grace lest your opponents try to undermine you as a brutal simpleton."

    Huh, you're guessing someone tried that with her? It feels hard to imagine anyone talking down about Justine.

    "I've been worried the last few years," shw says, "but you're growing into a fine lady now. With time, we'll smooth out your rough edges. And hearing you wanted to be like me… it warms me to know I've raised such a dutiful daughter."

    "M-mother..." You can feel tears at the edge of your vision. Justine was always scant with her praise…to say something like that-

    "There there, Grace," Justine says, dabbing at your eyes with a handkerchief. "Nothing, to cry over."

    You shake your head. They weren't tears of sadness but joy. Emotion overcoming you, you reach out and pull her into a hug. She freezes, seemingly caught off guard again. But her body softens and she slowly wraps her arms around your back.

    "It might not seem this way now, but know this: one day, Grace, you will bloom into your full potential, that you will carve out a legend of your own."

    The tears were coming heavy now, and you wondered a bit how much of that was Grace shining through, of hearing the words she always wanted to from her mother.

    "I'll seize that legend with full effort, at full throttle," you mumble against her chest, repeating your motto. You want so dearly to match her expectations for you.

    Justine laughs. "That's right Grace, boldness, conviction, duty. The hallmark of our family," Justine whispers to you. "Never forget we are the descendants of the God-Imperatrix, that same potential for greatness lives within you. Build upon what I've accomplished, yes, but surpass it. That if I am a moon, then you will be the blazing sun." You hug her tighter, desperately wanting to meet her expectations.

    You had a good relationship with your family, but they were always a bit lackadaisical, content as long as your grades were good and you went to college. Hearing someone encourage you, to not only shine brighter, but the brightest? It ignites an inferno within you. And in that moment you can feel your desires match with the motivations of Grace Claudius. To make Justine, no, your mother proud.

    "I promise Mother," you solemnly swear. "I'll further your legacy, to be an inspiration for everyone. " Not just in this life, but when you return home. And for the first time, you truly feel you can do it.

    Justine pulls away, offering you a confident smile. "I know you will."

    You accept the handkerchief from her and dry your eyes. Ideas race through your head like you do on the track, all of them ways you can do better, do more. And to achieve it all with style!

    Sporty and Flashy share a knowing smile.

    <Sporty> "The best way to kick ass-"

    <Flashy> "And look good doing it, darling."

    <Sensible> "Why do I feel a sudden sense of foreboding?"

    <Emo> "Because you're finally starting to understand..."

    Running a hand through your hair, you preen remembering the praise Justine gave it. Hmm, perhaps a pair of ribbons would add a splash of color to contrast nicely with your golden ringlets. Blue perhaps?

    Another change you'd like to make is to eventually enchant your fists for more damage. Perhaps anchor any such spells to a bracelet on each arm? Gloves might work better but you've never liked wearing them. Felt too thick and restrictive of your movements, and took away from the sensation of punching someone who deserves it in the face. Well it's not like you're even sure that kind of magic is possible anyways, so you can table the idea for the moment.

    What else…you think about the other signature parts of Justine's look and style. Something to do with the gown itself, perhaps. But how might you improve on it there-An idea comes to mind. Yeah that's a particular threat it might be good to prepare yourself for.

    "Mother, I just had some inspiration…" You explain your ideas to her the best you can.

    She nods in consideration. "Not a bad notion, as an Adventurer, I can see it has some potential, and certainly none but the Claudius line could achieve it. Something quintessential of our family, but with your own flair. I would caution it would take practice to get used to that particular change. So for the moment, let's have the House Tailor modify some of your outfits so you can get used to it. Get changed and expect something by the end of the day."

    "Oh mother dear," you say, all smiles. "The modifications weren't just for me."

    ((()))

    "Young Mistress," Chiaki asks as she covers her eyes. "Is this really necessary?"

    "It most certainly is," you say primly. "No peeking."

    Mother had certainly delivered, within only a few hours the Manor's local tailor had finished modifications towards your request. You weren't sure how he did it, but you wouldn't be surprised if there was some type of tailoring magic involved.

    It'd taken some effort to keep your maid busy, so she wouldn't hear of what you had planned. Chiaki always did have a sixth sense for gossip, but you managed to get the modified outfit delivered to you and changed into it while she waited, eyes covered.

    Positioning yourself in front of the mirror you grinned. "Okay, you can look now."

    Chiaki uncovers her eyes, and let out a little gasp. "Young Mistress! It's so pretty. "Your hair…your dress."

    You preened at her compliment. Even for a rush order, the quality was exquisite.

    The new dark blue ribbons contrasted nicely with your hair, and your skirt's new floral pattern was rather eyecatching, if you said so yourself.

    "Still…I thought you were taking after your mother, Young Mistress?" She asks, turning around to look at your dress directly.

    "I promised Mother to find a way to further her legacy, to build upon it and make my own legend," you tell her. "And her signature enchanted battledress was a corner stone of it, this simply builds further on it."

    What you didn't want to admit was that meeting Tanya had … been an uncomfortable reminder of the number of landmines you'd have to get around. You'd been so focused on dealing with your death from the Prince and the other love interests, that you'd entirely forgotten the alchemist mowing down you and everyone you knew in an attack on your estate. You fought off the bile rising in your throat at the thought it had been intended as a hidden extra you could unlock in My Bloody Valentine game.

    To help prevent, you decided to up the defensive protection of your outfit having the tailor fluff out your skirt more, adding additional layers of petticoats you would be able to layer more defensive enchantments over. As well, you added more decorative ribbons and flowers cleverly interworking some gemstones as anchor points for future spells that would help cover the battle gown's traditional exposed areas. While Mother's enchanted gown made her resistant to damage, resisting gunfire simply wasn't anything it had been designed to deal with. Something your planned changes hopefully would. If her battle gown made her as resilient as a World War II battle tank, then yours made you think of something like an advanced battle tank with reactive armor.

    "This dress only has comfort enchantments for the moment, but this helps me get used to the weight and moving in them. Later, after I prove myself, Mother says I can expect an enchanted battledress." Something you were very eager to get.

    As your mother explained. It wasn't as much a matter of money, such that there were only so many skilled enchanters capable of that kind of work, particularly with the novel ideas you had. More importantly the Claudius matriarch had stressed that just as she had to prove herself responsible to receive her first fencing sword, so you would need to prove yourself responsible. But with how unstable Tanya got in canon there was no telling when she might go off. So getting as much prep time as you could ahead of it only made sense.

    Chiaki nods, "It's a very you think to do Aachan." Somehow leaving you unsure if it's a compliment or not.

    <Sensible> "It's the only way to describe the logic we run on, sometimes."

    "Glad you agree," you say giving her a bit of a toothy smile. "It's only fitting you get a reward for your hard work from earlier too."

    Now your maid's expression seemed a bit concerned. "Now Young Mistress that's not necessary, it's a pleasure to serve."

    "And a maid's dignity reflects on your master," you counter. Her shoulders slump.

    "What…'reward' did you have in mind Young Mistress?" You could practically hear the air quotes there.

    "Why a modified dress of your own," you say, heading to your closet to take out the other rush order the tailors handled. It was a maid outfit, but modified with additional frills and ribbons added to it and fluff out the skirt till it mirrored your own.

    "You shouldn't have," she says a bit mechanically.

    No, you really needed to. Tanya didn't just target you or your family in that bad ending, but had mowed down both your friends and the entire Claudius servant staff. There wasn't any way you'd leave her any less protected than you.

    "Thank me later, change into it!" You encourage her holding the dress in front of you.

    'Young Mistress, a maid should help her lady dress not the other way around-" She protests as you help her into the outfit.

    "Just think of it like that time you cosplayed with me, and I helped you with your outfit!" You'd gone as Livira Matsuragi, sole heiress of the Matsuragi Heavy Industry corporation. Chiaki as your maid and protector Isa Steele, a homeless girl who you insisted on hiring on one of your many vacations around the world and had become fiercely devoted to you.

    It had been the later season depiction of her so she even had an eyepatch!

    "Ooh, it looks even better than I expected," you squeal excitedly. The adorable sight helping to take your mind off why you commissioned it. Adding a bit of pink definitely made the normal black and white maid outfit cuter.

    For her part, your friend was plucking at the skirt unfamiliarly while giving you a long-suffering look.

    "Don't be like that Chiaki! it's so cute! Besides, Combat Maid August! Just think of it!"

    At this, your personal maid can't avoid chuckling. "You'll never lay a hand on my mistress!" She says, mimicking Isa Steele's voice and even doing the pose!

    "And you tell me you didn't have talent at cosplay," you tease, giving her a smug smile of your own. "Mother says she'll have a warded outfit for you when I get mine. Something about me needing a guide most when I'm in the thick of things?"

    Chiaki nods. "Young Mistress is helpless without a minder. And I suppose our dresses will match this way." And she was seeing the bright side already!

    You clap your hands together, pleased with yourself. "This is the only one the tailor has ready yet, but he promises he'll have most of our wardrobe done by week's end."

    Your maid's eyes widen. "Ours?"

    You smile brightly. "As you said, this way our outfits match!"

    Chiaki gives you a smile that says "I'm ditching the dress the moment your back is turned."

    If your scheme was to work, you couldn't give her any wiggle room. While the battle gown would remain out of your reach for a while, getting your ordinary clothes enchanted with all the defensive enchantments they could hold wasn't something entirely different. You wouldn't be shrugging off bullets, but it'd ensure you'd survive being shot with just some bruises.

    You hoped so, at least.

    The more layers of defensive enchantments the better, so it made sense to have your dresses tailored to include the extra petticoats you planned for your battle gown to have. You never knew when the Bad End flag would trigger, so it only made sense to ensure your whole wardrobe provided that protection, and there was no way you'd leave Chiaki vulnerable either. Which meant getting the both of you into gowns with full skirts stuffed with defensive enchantments.

    Knowing Chiaki, she'd just insist you were being paranoid, but if you play it off as a flight of fancy...

    Well, sometimes there were advantages to a friend thinking they could read you like a book.
     
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    • Omake - Your First Impression's Got To Be Your Very Best!
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    • You fussed over your appearance in the mirror. Not a single lock was out of place on your long golden curls; they fell neatly along your shoulders, held in place by two dark blue ribbons like grand prize bouquets. No wrinkle dared mar the floor-length white gown with light blue highlights you were wearing, either. It had been modified with your latest changes, patterned along Justine's style including her train but even frillier: with elaborate floral roses and bows and an even fuller skirt fluffed out with petticoats.

    It looked, if you weren't being immodest, quite pretty. And yet despite your reflection being pristine, you were anything but composed.

    "What could Bridgette want with this invitation," you nervously said aloud. "Why would she want a meeting with me given how badly our last encounter went." Revenge! It had to be revenge.

    <Sensible> "Now now, you're the daughter of a Duchess and you haven't had any consequences yet. Presumably, it's all been smoothed over-"

    <Emo> "Ha. That's funny. You're funny."

    <Sensible> "And you're dripping with sarcasm."

    You could see it now! She'd scrutinize your appearance, finding some fault and then wham, slap you across the face with the full weight of Royal authority!

    <Sensible> "...We can't rule out the option that she could be looking for some pretense, yes."

    <Emo> "Like Royals need any excuse to exert their authority..."

    You start to pace back and forth. "I knew I should have practiced running in my heels more!"

    <Sporty> "You gotta run on your toes though?"

    <Sensible> "In her heels, not on her heels."

    You start chewing on a nail. "At this rate I'll definitely need to make a run for it..."

    Your choice of outfit hadn't been by chance, this was the first one to reflect the defensive enchantments you would incorporate into the rest. It was far inferior to a Battle Gown, but it would at least let you take a hit and still run away-

    Your loyal maid places a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "Everything will be fine, Young Mistress."

    Of course she'd say that! Even if everything was on fire, Chiaki would still say things would be fine, if only to keep your panicking from making everything worse.

    Rather than ruminate on Chiaki's honeyed words, you try to distract yourself by focusing on her outfit. Its cuteness soothes your screaming soul. Her new maid outfit was a fluffy, frilly white and pink number with a full skirt to rival your own. Sadly, her outfit didn't have any protections worked in yet, so you intended to ask her to stay behind.

    "I have it on good authority that her Royal Highness Bridgette intends this as a social visit, not a trap," your maid says.

    You stare at her in disbelief "Ch-Autumn, how can she not have it in for me, I beat her up." You're so frayed you didn't want to even bother keeping the setting right.

    "As I recall, she was the one that wanted a fight with you, Young Mistress."

    "Royalty plays by their own set of rules," you protest, arms flailing. "That's why half of my bad ends involve the prince just cutting me down!"

    "From my observations," your maid says, "She's a lot like you, Young Mistress. And you wouldn't hold a grudge there."

    You roll your eyes, hands balled into fists at your side. "Even I know how weird I am about fights, Autumn."

    "You're not the only fight weirdo in this world, Acchan," your maid says, giggling. "Her Royal Highness Bridgette is known to enjoy a spirited bout of fisticuffs. She's well known for pestering the soldiers on duty for fighting lessons. Not that any would risk injuring her in a spar."

    <Flashy> "Hmm. She DID have a…rather…rustic quality to her, dahling."

    <Sporty> "And it sucks not having trainers take you seriously when you're trying to git gud."

    You started pacing faster, shaking out your wrists as you went. Despite Chiaki's reassurances you were still agitated, and the more agitated you got, the more fidgety you got. It didn't help that the click-clack of your heels kept reminded you of the faux pas that lead you into this mess.

    Your maid coughs to get your attention. "Young Mistress, have you considered wearing a pair of enchanted high heels?"

    You pause, looking down at your feet. "Enchanted...heels?" You look back, bewildered, to your maid-slash-bestie. "Did you say enchanted heels?"

    Your maid holds out a hand for you to consider the following. "Just as comfort enchantments can be passed to clothing, so too can they be passed to footwear. I'm told moving in enchanted heels is akin to moving barefoot."

    "Hopefully they're not as likely to leave me barefoot," you say morosely.

    "Just wait here, Young Mistress," Chiaki deigns not to respond to your remark, instead hurrying off to rifle through some cabinet. She returns moments later with a high quality mahogany box. Your curiosity starts winning over your moodiness and you crane your neck to see the box better. Your maid takes a knee and presents the contents of the box to you; a pair of crystal blue pumps glimmering with enchantment.

    Despite your mood, you can feel your toes tingling in anticipation as you slip off your red heels and slip into the new ones. You notice the difference immediately. The little pinch at your Achilles tendon from the red heels are gone; these fit as though they were custom-made for your feet.

    <Flashy> "Dahling, all your footwear is custom-made. All your couture is custom-made."

    Gingerly, you take a step. To your surprise, while the heels have the usual effect of shifting your center mass forward, there isn't the discomfort from all the weight falling to one part of your foot. It's like wearing top-of-the-line athletic wear from your world, the stuff you had to work three part-time jobs to even be let in the store to buy.

    You begin to walk, lifting your skirts to break into a jog, then a full on sprint as you gain confidence. You rush from one side of the room to another completely unencumbered. You whoop with unhindered delight.

    "Okay," you think, "My running form is unimpeded, but how well do these bad boys hold up to combat?" You lean instinctively into a fighting pose, one foot forward and your hands up in a guard position. You toss out a quick jab and pivot into an uppercut. And finally, for the real test, you lash out with your foot to kick an imaginary opponent square in the crotch. Your footing remains rocksteady, even with a kick chambered.

    There's some quiet applause behind you, you turn back to see your maid giving you the slow clap. "Satisfied, Young Mistress?"

    You bring your leg down and nod, flushing. It surprised you to see how much of your stress had abated, too.

    <Sporty> "Effort and friendship are the best ways to deal with stress!"

    Flashy nods in agreement.

    <Flashy> "The effort that True Elegance requires finds its reward with an audience bearing witness."

    <Emo> "When did this turn into Shonen Jump..."

    "But if we had enchanted high heels, why did Mother issue me normal heels to begin with," you ask. "These are *so* much better!"

    "Luxuries are a privilege the Claudius family can well afford, but Lady Claudius did not wish for you to grow overly dependent on them." Your maid clears her throat before launching into an impressive impression of your isekai mom. " 'One must learn to act without assistance before requesting it' were her exact words."

    You sigh and flop onto your bed. "Yeah, that sounds like Justine alright."

    It's not like she didn't make sense. In a way, you guess past experiences had prepared you for your current full gown. During your cosplays you always welcomed the challenge of particularly intricate dresses and dresses, and while your costumes were always visually appealing they were often difficult to move in. Learning to move gracefully and not show any discomfort had taken long time.

    And despite the fact your current dress was far frillier and poofier than any of your cosplays had become, with its comfort enchantments it was still much easier to move in compared to any of your costumes. Honestly, you'd worn dresses to dances more difficult to move in than this. Awkward teenage experiences had become modern poise, all thanks to a fantasy land that combined fighting with high fashion.

    Your maid sidles up beside you. "I wrote up a few notes on her Highness Princess Bridgette. If the Young Mistress would like to study them, I'm sure it could only help~."

    You pull her into a hug, drawing a surprised squawk. "You're the best Chiaki!"

    She blushes and mumbles as you leaf through her notes.

    Bridgette is a secondary antagonist of the first Bloody Valentine visual novel game, who opposes the romance of Prince Alteisen to the Heroine protagonist. She is known to have inherited the short temper typical of the Royal Family.

    1. Appearance

    Younger Bridgette



    Older Bridgette



    Princess Bridgette has blonde hair reaching her knees, though she tended to wear it shorter as she grew older. Her skin is moderately tanned from outdoor activities and has a few pale scars on her upper thigh due to an unfortunate fall. She favors white and other pastel colors in her clothes, with a tendency towards white frills and and blue ribbons when she wears outfits with any ornamentation.

    She's in decent physical shape especially upon entering the Academy, though retained some childhood pudginess before she entered her teens.

    2. Personality

    Bridgette outwardly has a rough and prickly persona, with a sharp tongue. She is very defensive over any perceived offense to her brother, and tends to discourage anyone outside the family, particularly other girls, from hanging out with him. Beneath her combative veneer, she secretly has an insecurity complex regarding her ability, as she lacks much attitude at social graces but also lacking the affinity for command and the sword her brother has. Not helped that none of the Royal Guard is willing to teach her to use weapons. This has inclined her to fighting with her fists.

    She throws herself into training, but has stymied from lack of a good trainer. One of the few sources of frustration she has against Prince has been his unwillingness to fight her 'seriously.' She deeply respects those stronger than herself, and will dedicate herself to learning from them and patterning herself after them in hopes of echoing their prowess.

    While her behavior is outwardly tomboyish, she does secretly enjoy cute things and dresses, feeling the more feminine and frilly the better which her brother likes to tease her over. Her inability to talk about them with peers without seeming denigrating has led her to lean into her 'tough girl' persona, and wearing simpler clothes. If no one expects much of her, then there isn't any way she can disappoint them. She's secretly envious of other girls who can pull it off girly fashions well.

    3. In Game Encounters

    Bridgette can be encountered in any of the Heroine's routes, but for most only appears if certain event flags are triggered, such as visiting the Academy's Training Yard Tuesday and Thursday at sunset She will also challenge her, if you win any of the athletic competitions.

    She has the largest presence during the Prince Alteisen route, where she has a 60% chance of interrupting a date with the prince, and will occasionally pilfer gift items from the heroine's inventory if she's gifted that type to the prince before. Upon achieving a 50% route completion, she will challenge the Heroine to a spar for the right to date him. It's recommended players have at least a Great Athletic rating before attempting it. Failure will lead the Prince to ending the romance with the Heroine, out of a desire to protect her and appease his sister.

    Should the Heroine win, Bridgette will change her tune and become a follower of the Heroine, cheering her on and occasionally offering advice on date locations and gifts to win the Prince over. She will also notably change her clothing style to mirror what in game outfit the Heroine is wearing including purchase outfits. She's often depicted in fanworks as a comedic character, despite most of her own screen lines being opposed to the Heroine.

    In the other routes, she is defeated by Camille Asuka and can be seen pursuing a romance with him. While canonicity is debatable, supplemental material from the mobile game has the two become engaged. Noticeably, Bridgette changes her outfit to better match with Camille.
    [/Spoiler]

    You were glad your maid had written this all in Japanese. Otherwise, your reincarnated friend would risk running afoul of lèse-majesté laws.

    "Autumn, where did you get all this information?" you ask, already having an idea. The wording, the phrasing didn't seem the kind of thing she'd come up with.

    "Valentine Wiki," she answers succinctly.

    Yeeeah, that makes sense. Chiaki always did like reading all the supplemental material for games.

    You remain unconvinced on some things, though. "You suuure this information about her becoming a fan of anyone who defeats her is true? This isn't Nanoha; you can't just befriend people by beating them up." You admit the idea of Bridgette becoming your Fate Testarossa is funny, though.

    Your maid gives you a "Seriously?" look. "You're an isekai case reincarnated into the twelve-year-old body of a fantasy otome game villain, but befriending someone through fighting is somehow a bridge too far?"

    Your maid's counter catches you between the eyes. You don't have a good response to that. Hell, you had kinda forgotted you died IRL.

    <Sensible> "...Yeah I got nothing either, she has a point."

    "It's definitely story canon for the Prince Alteisen route," your maid says, "and you definitely walloped her pretty good. If she asks you to train her, then I'd consider it solid enough to rely on. Whatever the case, I'd give her some encouragement, she doesn't seem to have a lot of people who think she can achieve much."

    You wince with shared pain. You definitely had a few teachers who didn't think you'd amount to much, if anything. In your darker moods, sometimes you agreed with them.

    "Aw great," you groan. "Now I'm imaging Bridgette as some kind of beer-swilling delinquent let down by the system."

    Your maid pats your head like she used to when you were JKs instead of master and servant. "Hitting too close to home, Acchan?"

    You lean into her. "I can't be afraid of someone I'd offer a drink to back home, Chiaki."

    She smiles. "Isn't that a good thing? Know your enemy, and you will not fear one hundred battles."

    You look at the clock, and realize you don't have many minutes left to prepare. Time to accept the inevitable.

    Your maid cheers you on. "You'll do great Young Mistress! You befriended Tanya, surely you can manage Bridgette."

    You let out a nervous laugh. Calling Tanya your friend felt like a bit of a stretch, but you put on a brave face for Chiaki.

    <Sporty> "Don't think about it just do it! Go befriend Bridgette and be the best friend she never had!"
     
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    ***​

    You take your first step into destiny, and by destiny, you mean your play-date with Bridgette. She's in front of the royal gardens, a short, tan sunflower amongst tall, iridescent poppies. You notice she's wearing a goldenrod silk dress somewhat in Justine's style, but with the black shoulder cages uncovered.

    It looks pretty metal in at least two senses of the term.

    She appraises you as you walk in with your ass-saving finery. "One of these days you're going to be one giant frill."

    It's blunt, but not mean.

    You chuckle. "If I'm gonna be a frill, it'll be the fanciest frill of all!"

    Bridgette rolls her eyes. "Why'd you decide to hang out with me anyway? Don't you have that petty noble fighty kid to hang out with?"

    You tense up. "Who, Camille?"

    <Sensible> "How does she know about Camille?"

    <Emo> "Probably a stalker..."

    Bridgette snaps her fingers. "Yeah, that one. His dad's like a baron or something."

    You can't out and say "I'm learning his way of combat to protect myself and my maid from a horrific Bad End and also may have gotten him to fall for me a little?"

    Bridgette gets really close to you, face scrunched with concern. "Wait huh? You think people are gonna come after you and your maid?"

    <All> "She said that out loud?!"

    Sensible cracks open a beer, Emo grabs some popcorn.

    <Sensible> "Sapporo give me strength..."

    <Emo> "Toss one here, Sensible. Self-schadenfreude is best enjoyed with beer."

    Sensible beans Emo with another can of beer, sending her into a heap of stringy hair and scattered popcorn.

    The internal drama rages as you're frozen to the floor. At least you didn't tell her you were from a different world. You bite down on your inner lip to prevent yourself from telling her that by mistake too.

    Bridgette huffs. "Yeah, yeah, you're a Claudius. Everybody who doesn't kiss your mom's feet wants your family knocked down a peg, especially the Royalists who think your mom's gonna try and make a move for the kingdom."

    "Mother would never do that!" You snap, feeling the most like Grace you have since getting here. Your ringlets writhe with anger.

    Bridgette leaps back and into a boxing stance. "S'blood! What is going on with your hair?!"

    You pat your hair to calm it down, feel magic pulsing through it more than usual. "Just a new hair treatment is all..."

    Bridgette frowns. "You trying to become a Zhenzhu Hair Witch?"

    "A what now?"

    She snorts. "Never mind. You're weird, you know that?"

    You're taken aback a bit. "Well yeah...But you're really blunt!"

    Bridgette laughs and stretches. "Course I am. I'm Crown Princess right now so I can say what I want and do what I want..." She suddenly gets glum and kicks a rock.

    <Sensible> "Touchy subject?"

    <Flashy> "Freedom can be paralyzing, dahling. Why, even I can falter with an infinite closet of haute couture."

    "Well, uh, we're gonna be princess sisters eventually," you say. You remember that marrying the prince makes you a princess too, but you also remember that the knot doesn't get tied until after graduation.

    You wince and rub your neck as you remember Grace doesn't make it to graduation.

    Bridgette's nostrils flare and she gets back in your face. On a second look, you can tell she's very built for a kid, with the same functional fighting muscles as Camille.

    "I won't accept you as a princess or as Big Bro's wife! You're all weird after falling off your horse now but once you recover you're gonna turn into that she-devil PUNK you used to be!"

    <Sporty> "Man, we haven't been called a punk since we punked out that girl-hating judo captain!"

    You get up in Bridgette's face. "Hey! I'm not that person anymore, and I'm not gonna go back to BEING that person!"

    ***
    Dialogue Choice! What does Grace tell Bridgette?
    ***    ​

    [ ] The way I used to act was a disgrace to the Claudius line. I will no longer be that disgrace.
    [ ] That fall really knocked some sense into me. Sometimes you just need to get hit to see the truth.
    [ ] If I go back to that, bad things will eventually happen to everyone I care about. I can't let that happen.

    ***​
    ​

    Bridgette shoves you and puts up her dukes. "Prove it then, Fist Princess. Fight me again."

    You put your hands up. "Hey, I said I'd train you so we can spar if you want, but do we have to get into a fight fight?"

    "What, am I not good enough? You say you've changed, but you're gonna look down on me like everyone else?!"

    You watch her blink back tears and grit her teeth.

    <Emo> "There is a gaping wound in this girl's heart and I say we poke it as hard as possible."

    <Sporty> "You're a mean drunk, Emo."

    <Sensible> "At least we're not depressed drunk; she's even worse then..."

    "What? No!" You shake your head, causing your ringlets to slap you about the face. "I'm not looking down on you, I just don't normally punch people I want to be friends with!"

    "Talk talk talk, all everyone does is talk! They talk and they lie!" Bridgette yells, stamping her ballet flat-clad feet.

    It's your turn to stomp in your enchanted heels. "I'm not lying!"

    She takes a peek-a-boo stance again, like the first time you met. "Fists don't lie, Grace Claudius."

    ***
    Salty Runback Time! What do you do?
    ***    ​

    [ ] Accept her challenge...
    -[ ] But go easy on her {Formidable Sporty check: DC 13}
    -[ ] But let her win {Challenging Flashy check: DC 12}
    -[ ] But go all-out {Normal Sporty check: DC 10. Chance of injury on failure}
    [ ] Convince her to do a different challenge {Challenging Brainy or Flashy check: DC 12}
    -[ ] Write in challenge type
    [ ] Talk her out of the fight {Challenging Sensible check: DC 12}
    [ ] Refuse the challenge {You're too Sporty for that!}

    ***​


    NAME
    Kid A Grace Claudia, Age 12

    AVATAR GRADES
    Brainy: Average (+3)
    Artsy: Below Average (+2)
    Flashy: Great (+4)
    Sporty: Great (+4)
    Sensible: Great (+4)

    ACTUALIZATION SCORES
    BRN 45 ART 37 FLA 52 SPO 93 SEN 54
    STRESS 41

    DESTRUDO LEVEL
    Elevated
     
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    ***​

    You know what you have to do. You have to meet her fists with your own. No tricks, no dives, no shoe-kicking competition (fun as that might be). Just an honest conversation without words.

    You take your fighting stance again: rear foot planted, front toes barely touching the floor. Arms open in front of you, ready to accept all of Bridgette's anger and sorrow.

    "Bring it!" You shout your assent to her attack. She obliges, rushing you again in a peekaboo stance. You preemptively slip a punch to the head, only to catch a glancing blow to the body. Your petticoats absorb the blow through sheer poofiness, but you still feel the sting of her knuckles in your solarplexus.

    Bridgette whoops with delight. "Gotcha!" She launches an uppercut strong enough to knock your head clean off.

    Time slows down.

    ***
    Weekend Event - Salty Runback vs. Bridgette
    Normal Sporty Check: 5, 6 +4 = 15
    Check success!
    ***​

    <Sporty> "I see it!"

    You nod, smile, and twist out of the way, grabbing Bridgette's outstretched arm. "I see your strength and I respect it. Now let me show you mine!" You hoist her over your shoulder in a modified Ippon-seoi and chuck her like a workout bag.

    She hits the ground with a thud and a yelp. "Wha?"

    You put a little pressure on her shoulder to let her know the armlock is in, then let her go. "Come at me again."

    She spits, gets up, and dusts herself off. "Are you mocking me?"

    You shake your head no. "You were right. The way I acted was a disgrace to the Claudius line. I will no longer be that disgrace." You take your stance again. "Come at me as many times as it takes for you to understand my sincerity."

    Bridgette swoons for a moment, before shaking it away and slamming her fists together. "Awright! You're gonna hafta beat respect into me!"

    <Sensible> "...Isn't that supposed to be 'beat some respect into us'?"

    Bridgette comes at you again and again, a completely earnest and linear in boxing style. You fend her off with judo and karate, knocking her down over and over. Every time she thinks she has a read on your style, you break out a new trick. Skill-wise, she's no match for you.

    Heart-wise, she's more than your equal.

    Frustration turns to anger turns to enthusiasm as she gets closer and closer to actually catching you again. After an hour of non-stop fighting, she's smiling and laughing.

    The sun starts to dip, turning the sky a brilliant orange. Bridgette's staring at you through her peek-a-boo stance, her shoulders sag with fatigue. She's gulping down air and chuckling between wheezes. "You could've...finished me off at any time...why haven't you?"

    You wipe sweat from your brow. "I already told you, I don't wanna knock out a prospective friend." You're feeling the burn in a way not even Camille's training made you. "But I also want you to keep going until you believe me. So do you believe I've turned over a new leaf yet?"

    "Can't say until I catch you cleanly!" Bridgette dashes in once more, her speed unaffected by how long you two have been fighting. Her gas tank is unreal.

    <Emo> "Our victory is inevitable... Why won't she quit..."

    <Sporty> "Because she's got GUTS!"

    You wait for her to weave into a Dempsey Roll, step back into a horse stance, and strike Bridgette in the stomach, solar plexus, sternum, chest and jaw.

    "First Dragon Fist: Five Strikes, Dead Cent-OOF?!"

    She catches you with a looping, overhand right right when you plant your fist into her jaw. Explosions play behind your eyes, she rocked you pretty good. You fall on your butt; she goes flying into the poppies.

    <Brainy> "Are you daft? Is this a targeted attack on my person?!"

    It takes you a second to find your legs again; the comfort enhancements make fighting in this less unwieldy, but it's still a lot of weight and mass to balance in.

    Once the birds stop chirping in your ears, you shake out your hands, blow on your knuckles, and call out to Bridgette. "Bridgette? You okay? Wanna keep going?"

    You get soft sobbing as a response.

    <Sensible> "Oh dear, oh dear..."

    You hurry over to Bridgette, held up by poppies crushed down to her size. She's got her forearm over her face and fat tears running down her scuffed cheeks. Her smile is pained and broad.

    "Dammit..." she hiccups. "You're too honest now. How can I hate fists as honest and gentle as that?"

    You offer her a hand and smile back. "Are you okay?"

    She pushes your hand away and gets up on her own power. "S'blood, it's not like you knocked me out or anything..." She pouts playfully. "I just got stuck in these dumb poppies."

    You step away, hands up. "Are you satisfied, then?"

    She snorts and gets up in your face. "Not until I beat you," she hugs you tightly, burying her face in your shoulder lace. "...Sis Claudius."

    ***​

    After you and Bridgette get a hell of a scolding from Chi...your maid, your play date goes the way a play date between two noble girls in an Otome game probably should. Lots of tea, lots of cake, lots of small talk. Sure, it's about martial arts instead of boys and stuff, but at least it's just talk now. You learn Bridgette was taught how to box by another Isekai case, which Bridgette called an Etranger. Thankfully, you don't slip up and tell her you're one too.

    You offer to teach her judo and karate to fill out her game and make her a true mixed martial artist and she hugs you again. She's a real hotblooded, heart on her sleeve kind of girl, like you were at her (actual) age.

    <Emo> "Before life taught you to bow and scrape..."

    She tells you you're the only person who's taken her desire for pugilism seriously; her family wants her to be a tame, passive, "proper" lady, unlike your demon of a mother.

    <Flashy> "How backwards, dahling! How dare they consider Justine a demon? Or consider the only proper lady a delicate one?"

    The way she describes it, her warrior's soul conflicting with her parents' desire for a passive princess is the cause of her stress. Stress fighting you has helped relieve a little.

    [What do you tell Bridgette?]
    [ ] Screw your parents (politely)! You're a princess, thst means you can do what you want and be who you want!
    [ ] I don't really know what your family situation is like, but if you need to blow off some steam I'm always ready to spar.
    [ ] Hey, you can look all passive and whatever while still being an asskicker! Just let the silk your parents want hide the steel inside.

    In any case, passing the time with her has relieved you of some stress. The vision of Emo in your mind's eye fades, making her look even more like a ghost.

    ***
    Hanging out with Bridgette success! Flashy +4, Stress -2!
    ***

    ***
    Bridgette Relationship Up! Pre-capture route unlocked.
    ***

    ***
    Stress Level has decreased! Emo's influence over you has weakened.
    ***​

    ***
    [It is week four in the third month of Anno Sophia 92. You are twelve years old.]
    ***​

    [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-)

    ***​

    NAME
    Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 12

    AVATAR GRADES
    Brainy: Average (+3)
    Artsy: Below Average (+2)
    Flashy: Great (+4)
    Sporty: Great (+4)
    Sensible: Great (+4)

    ACTUALIZATION SCORES
    BRN 45 ART 37 FLA 56 SPO 93 SEN 54
    STRESS 39

    DESTRUDO LEVEL
    Normal

    PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
    Camille Asuka
    Bridgette Alteisen
     
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    ☆☆☆​

    You decided to paint this week, it seemed like a good idea to do something that wouldn't start a fight...probably. Your maid had been hiding it well, but you know Chiaki's tics when she's upset and being Autumn hasn't changed them at all. When you said you were going to paint and try to stay out of trouble, she damn near wept when she hugged you.

    You keep your promise to be Bridgette's any time sparring buddy to yourself, just for a little bit. Chiaki knows you well enough to know you would set up that kind of arrangement, and she hasn't been passive-aggressive about it, so you think you're in the clear.

    ☆☆☆
    Bridgette's opinion of you improved!
    ☆☆☆​

    You show up to art class on time in a light blue dress, lighter on the underwiring this time. Your petticoats are treated with anti-dirt and stain enchantments, which will hopefully also do the job against paint. You're getting used to enormous trains, but you go for something smaller so you don't have to worry about smushing your dress or not reaching the canvas.

    Your art teacher is a real kabukimono type, all guyliner and bright colors. You think he's actually wearing a happi over a bare chest with leather leggings. It's the first bit of something Japanese you've seen in weeks; you tear up unbidden.

    "Oh you sweet summer child...the creative process is moving, isn't it?" He pulls a gold lamé monogrammed silk kerchief from his happi's sleeves, which is impressive given happi have short sleeves.

    You take the kerchief and keep your mouth shut, not wanting to say anything too isekai-ish. You notice the kerchief is in romaji, much like everything else in this world. It sucks you still needed the Standard Isekai Translator (loaded in your brain when you died) to understand what was essentially English script and speech.

    <Flashy> "HANAVI? Wasn't that the famous visual kei artist who died in Saigon, dahling?"

    <Sporty> "Iunno, that's either you or Sense's wheelhouse and Sense has been sad-drinking since the other voices keep bullying her."

    You sneak a glance at your art teacher, he does look a lot like a Japanese visual kei artist, but you don't wanna be racist. Or other-world-ist? Is that a thing?

    "Now, miss petit mademoiselle, cry not, for we shall dye this canvas," your art teacher slaps a canvas almost as big as you, "in the color of your soul!"

    <Emo> "Bleed for your art..."

    <Sporty> "Whoa, you're all translucent and stuff...some protein shakes will fix that right up!"

    <Brainy> "Your sheer illogic will drive me to drink, Sporty."

    <Sporty> "Whatever works."

    "Uh, is there some magical, soul-baring paint we're going to use?" you ask.

    Your teacher laughs long and loud. "No. We're going to use normal paints." He makes a great sweeping gesture with his hand outstretched. "But with your hand and your heart, those paints will bare your soul all the same!"

    You scratch your head, your enchanted hair curls around your finger. "I don't get it..."

    Your art teacher gives an exaggerated sigh. "It's a figure of speech, miss petit mademoiselle. You can paint whatever you desire, and what you desire is within your soul."

    You nod the nod of the understanding. "Yep, I don't get it at all."

    Your art teacher runs a hand through their pink-tipped bleach blonde hair. "I've heard you're more of a physical learner so..." He heads to the front of the atelier, past chiseled nudes and vibrant still life paintings, and rummages around for an easel and tubes of paint.

    He's right about you being a hands-on kind of girl, so that's something. "So...?" You rock back and forth on your toes, feeling left hanging.

    He returns with the materials balanced on his hand like a serving tray. "Sooooo I have oil paints and a canvas prepared for you, miss petit mademoiselle." With a bow and a flourish, he presents the paint, brushes, trowel and palette to you.

    "Do you want me to paint fruit and stuff?" You ask.

    "Paint whatever you wish," your art teacher responds. "Your white, gray, neutral green, red, and brown can be used to block out basic shapes. Once you've made your shapes, paint over them with solid colors, then finish with the glazes."

    "...Kay!" Your hair snatches up one of the brushes to put behind your ear while you grab the palette. Once you have the palette, your hair drops the brush in your free hand. Holding the brush aloft, you squint at the canvas and stick out your tongue.

    "Gauging distance, petit mademoiselle?"

    You look to your art teacher. "That's what it's for? I thought it was a ritual thing, like bowing to your instructor or sprinkling salt?"

    That gets a snicker out of him. "This isn't sumo..."

    ☆☆☆
    Medium Artsy check - 4, 4 +2
    Check success! Artsy +2!
    ☆☆☆​

    All that out of the way, you manage to make a decent go of things. A lot less oil paint ends up on you than you expected, but you do end up flicking a bit back on your face with overly vigorous strokes. You wouldn't say you're a natural, but you're not a disaster either.

    Honestly, the repetitive motion and creative stimulation of the thing is relaxing. You feel yourself slipping into a Zen flow as you start adding the base colors to your underpainting. On your canvas now are vaguely animal blobs, but when you finish, they'll (hopefully) be your favorite stuffed animals in this new world: a monkey princess and a fox maid.

    Just like you and Chiaki.

    While you paint, you notice another child enter the atelier. He (you're pretty sure they're a he) looks to be around your age, with messy strawberry blonde hair hiding a cherubic face. They look pretty scrawny and soft, the classic artistic type.

    You notice them take furtive glances to the door and the windows as they prepare their station. Grunting with exertion, they bring over an easel and canvas to a marble statue of Sophia, prepare their oil paints, and begin their work.

    ☆☆☆​

    [What do you do?]
    [ ] Strike up a conversation
    [ ] Watch him(?) paint
    [ ] Go paint what they're painting, maybe make a competition out of it
    [ ] Focus on your own work

    NAME
    Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 12

    AVATAR GRADES
    Brainy: Average (+3)
    Artsy: Below Average (+2)
    Flashy: Great (+4)
    Sporty: Great (+4)
    Sensible: Great (+4)

    ACTUALIZATION SCORES
    BRN 45 ART 39 FLA 56 SPO 93 SEN 54
    STRESS 39

    DESTRUDO LEVEL
    Normal

    PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
    Camille Asuka
    Bridgette Alteisen
     
    Last edited:
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