[X] Bridgette's Nickname: Bridge
I was considering something like Gette/Jet but it doesn't quite work since she has golden hair. Making up nicknames is hard.
I wanted to save a fight scene chapter for EVO as a bit
[O] Nickname: Bridge
[O] Rejoin the Nerds
***
You look up at the multicolored Mazinger of Slimes, look to Bridgette, and make a hasty advance to the rear. Even a monkey girl like you knows there's strength in numbers; if your opponent is going to take advantage of it, so are you.
"Big Sis, you're gonna just run?" Bridgette says from behind you.
"I'm drawing it into a better position!" You call back, before cupping your hands to your mouth and yelling with all the force your little lungs could muster.
"AUTUMN! LILY! INCOMING!"
Chiaki teleports beside you, silver knives at the ready. "What is the matter, Young Mistress?"
You hook a thumb back at the Slimeotron, currently walking down a stanced up Bridgette. "That!"
"Aac-" Chiaki coughs in her hand to keep kayfabe. "Ah. Centurion Slimes."
"That's a thing?"
Chiaki whispers to you. "It most certainly isn't, Aachan; I'm just saying something plausible sounding to avoid suspicion. What happened?"
"Me and Bridge styled on some Slimes too hard and they turned into that."
You hear the heavy whump of meat on steel and see Bridgette sail past you. You scream and reach out a hand to catch her, miss her by fingertips.
A shadow stands tall to snare her, Lily's head pops out from it. She checks to see if Bridgette is conscious, then gives you a thumbs up. She keeps Bridgette in the shadow's loving embrace, then slips out with a pop.
"Who spawned the raid boss?" She asks, gliding to you on her own shadow.
"I did, kinda? Me and Bridge were showing off against some regular Slimes and they turned into that."
Lily gives Chiaki a look. "This is a normal Slime hunt to nobles?"
Chiaki curtsies, her face right with contrition. "My apologies, the situation has rather escalated."
You frown, your hair moving to comfort your maid. "It's not her fault, Lily."
Lily shrinks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to blame her. What do we do about this?"
"We beat it down," Bridgette says, back on her feet. Her gauntlets are dented in and speckled with Technicolor slime. She glowers at the vacant Slime giant. "An Alteisen isn't to be outdone by a bloody Slime."
"Pardon my impudence for saying this, milady," Lily says with a gulp, her doe eyes taking in the 10-foot-tall jelly titan. "But I don't think this is a mere slime."
The Slimeotron lumbers forward, shaking the treetops, every eye on its faces locked on the party. The nonchalance of it all creeps you right out.
It punches the air, loosing a boulder sized chunk of itself at your party with a sickening glorp.
"Scatter!" You yell, diving for cover. Lily sinks into the shadows, Chiaki grabs Bridgette and teleports away.
The wiggly Rocket Punch detonates when it hits the ground, uprooting dirt and trees where it lands. The shockwave blows over your hunched form, sending your skirts and petticoats aflutter. Splotches of slime-stuff splatter on your back and in your hair.
<Sensible> "What in blazes have we gotten ourselves into?"
<Brainy> "The parameters have changed. This requires more study."
<Emo> "A heroine's just reward, fufu..."
You shake the slime out of your unhappy hair and look for your friends. Lily's behind a tree ahead of you, Chiaki and Bridgette are on the opposite end of the Slimeotron-made clearing.
The Slimeotron twists around itself, its component parts slosh and churn, eyes tracking in 360 degrees. A face notices you, then every face notices you.
It lumbers towards your position only to be cut off by Bridgette charging it. She clinches one of its massive legs and throws heavy rights to myriad faces, the wet smack of each blow sounds like tenderizing meat.
Silver knives pierce more eyes, thrown by your ever-loving maid with deadly precision. The pierced Slimes sink into the depths of the Slimeotron's body, to be replaced by fresh eyes and fresh faces.
It takes clumsy swings at Chiaki, large enough to pulp trees and create cutting winds. None of them hit the mark, but they get dangerously close. They box Chiaki into a denser part of the forest, dragging Bridgette along with each ungainly step. The leg Slimes begin to devour Bridgette now, pulling her in as she holds on. She furiously tries to beat herself free as the violent embrace grows mutual.
You slap your cheeks, grit your teeth, and rush the Slimeotron; timing your run to slip underfoot and cut the thing off at the knee with your sword, partially freeing Bridgette.
She tumbles to the floor as the leg Slimes disperse, flowing back to reform their place on the translucent Voltron assaulting your maid.
She spits a glob of blue-green Slime and scowls. " 'Sblood, I hate this thing."
You rest a hand on the back of Bridgette's neck. "You okay, Bridge?"
She cracks her neck. " 'M not hurt. And why are you calling me Bridge now?"
"You didn't like Buri and I wanted to give you a nickname."
She gives you an amused chuckle. "Your nicknames kinda suck, Big Sis."
<Artsy> "...I'm more comfortable with paints than words."
You hear a cry and a bitten-back curse from Chaki; the Slimeotron's got her cornered. She throws another set of silver knives which sink into its eyes, then sink into its body. You can see a good dozen floating inside the thing now.
It levels another Rocket Punch at her, only for a patch of shadows to swallow Chiaki up before the mass of jelly does. There's a loud crack and another, greater detonation; dull thuds and hi-hat drumrolls from dirt displaced and plant life shredded.
From a creeping shadow, Chiaki is vomited out beside you and Bridgette. She's clearly rattled. Lily follows suit, half-in, half-out. She's sweating and pale, almost translucent.
"Dunno how much longer I can keep casting," she says, breathing heavily. Her eyes dart to your bare neck before she screws them shut. "There's a stream a bit to the west, we might be able to bait it there and flush it away."
Chiaki composes herself. "It may be prudent to fully retreat and entreat our house mages to deal with this issue, Young Mistress. We should not expose ourselves to further danger."
Bridgette smashes her half-ruined gauntlets together. A flash of pain mars her face. "An Alteisen never turns their back on an enemy! We can beat this thing. We will beat this thing, head on!"
***
[Who do you listen to?]
[ ] Chiaki. We get out of here and get the Claudius family mages to help.
[ ] Bridgette. We stand our ground and fight as one. [Formidable (DC 13) Sporty check]
[ ] Lily. We bait it into the river and flush it away [Challenging (DC 12) Brainy check]
AVATAR GRADES
Brainy: Average (+3)
Artsy: Average (+3)
Flashy: Good (+4)
Sporty: Good (+4)
Sensible: Good (+4)
ACTUALIZATION SCORES
BRN 48 ART 48 FLA 67 SPO 97 SEN 55
STRESS 40
DESTRUDO LEVEL
Elevated
LORES
<Heavenly Magic Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Heavenly Magic, spells that call upon the power of Sophia, the Sevenfold Goddess of this world.
<Bloodpact Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Bloodpacts, Heavenly Magic in its most primal form.
SKILLS
<Minor Bloodpact>: Can make minor oaths and pacts, backed up by blood and the power of Sophia Madim, the Forgemother.
<Blood Sisters> (Bridgette Alteisen): Gain minor stat boosts when you or Bridgette act to protect or assist each other.
<Teflon Cherub>: When dodging accusations and foul rumors, or convincing people of your moral character, you may roll twice on a Flashy or Sensible check and keep the higher result. People generally trust and like you more unless they already hate you, you're actively harming them, or you're pissing them off.
STUFF
Enchanted Dress xN
Justine's Old Sword x1
PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
Camille Asuka
Lily Valentine
Prince Bryn Alteisen
You'd have a better chance at convincing Bridgette you're not a wimp if you decide to let the house mages take care of things, and the blood pact would help you and her move in sync for confronting the thing head-on.
