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

[FourthWall]

Remember all that shit Chiaki bought in an omake? I did!

***​

You head to the haunted house with your not traditionally masculine guy posse. Tanya and Chiaki meet up with you on the way; quietly, yet animatedly talking about the best ways to keep up with your unbridled energy.

Tanya's suggested tranquilizer darts by the time you get to the house of horrors in question. It's a ghoulish, imperious building; a reproduction of the Royal Villa with just enough differences to not cause an incident. But you can tell from the forbidding iron gates, spikes tipped with blood-dark rust, what the designer was aiming for.

Chiaki clicks her tongue and mutters something about tempting fate. Tanya is unimpressed. Lucciano shivers in fear. Camille puffs out his chest and stands beside you.

"Bravery in the face of fear is a hallmark of the Asuka family," he says, a little extra bass in his voice.

You hear Tanya snerk at that one.

The iron gates wail as they swing open. Camille, to his credit, does not flinch.

<Flashy> "Trying to show off his cool side? How precious, dahling~"

<Sporty> "If he don't scare, we don't."

You stride alongside him, chin up and eyes forward. "Ready to get the pants scared off of you?"

Camille blushes. "A man without pants being around a lady is obscene."

Your brain takes a while to parse that.

You wave your hand in front of your face. "Whoa, not like that! No hanky-panky with the Birthday Princess."

Chiaki slides beside you from your blind spot. "I understand Young Master Asuka's position here, but I shan't let any would-be suitors have you assume the position, Young Mistress."

It's your turn to blush. "Geez, can't a girl banter with her guy pal without it being all lovey-dovey?"

Camille cringes as if shot. You see Chiaki measure his reaction.

"...Pal, huh?" Camille says, all his zest gone. He trudges his way to the attraction's line ahead of you.

You pout. This relationship stuff was hard enough when you were actually a kid. Now, you're mentally older and playing an otomege IRL where the road is paved in Bad Ends. Camille's cool, too; you don't wanna make things awkward between you.

"The road of the heroine is hard indeed," Chiaki says, pulling you into a hug. "Especially for one such as you."

You look up at her. "Is this a monkey joke?"

Chiaki giggles. "I would never~ You always were a charismatic one, but all that product seems to have had an exponential effect."

"Bwuh?"

"I wasn't sure of it until today, but watching your interactions has given me enough information to make that hypothesis," Chiaki says, before whispering to you. "Sure, there were whispers of the God-Imperatrix shining through you, that you were an angel incarnate and such, but that was background lore in OBV."

You whisper back. "Who would consider me, uh, Grace an angel?"

"Those who value strength and ambition over grace and kindness," Chiaki whispers. "In any case, Camille seems to be considering you in romantic terms; doing so this quickly is unprecedented. As is earning yourself a blood sister and words from the Prince's secret heart."

You ask, "Is this because of me or in spite of me?"

"Because of you and enhanced by the product," she replies. "With everything, you'll likely be the most desired girl in the land by the time the actual story starts."

"Whoa..." You're used to being the coolest or the most athletic girl in school, or the most desirable dance partner/cosplayer among girls at nerd events, but this is on a whole new level.

<Flashy> "Now that's what I want to hear, dahling~! Raise my profile in your mind and I shall make us a superstar~!"

<Sensible> "More desirability means more suitors. More suitors mean more headaches."

<Sporty> "Look on the bright side, Sense. That means more challenges to overcome!"

<Brainy> "All I desire is the power to tear this world asunder."

<Ghost!Emo> "Let's go, struggle... *clap clap clapclapclap* Let's go, hardship... *clap clap clapclapclap*"

You chew on that information in a daze. Now that you think about it, you have noticed your natural charm has gone above and beyond the call of duty lately...

***
<DLC Power Unlock! Choose how all that product has manifested itself>​

[ ] When you sing, animals come up to you like you're a D*sney princess and do what you want. (Artsy++, gain {Woodland Boogie} Skill)
[ ] People always assume the best of you unless they have a reason to hate you, even if you're doing something wrong. (Flashy++, gain {Teflon Cherub} Skill)
[ ] You're so healthy, people are blinded by your radiant smile and shiny teeth. Sometimes literally. (Sporty++, gain {Natural Body} Skill)

***​

Before you can think too much harder, you hear a high-pitched yell from up ahead. It's Camille's voice.

You run past Chiaki to him, protective mode running on automatic. When you get to him, he's chalk-white with fear, staring mute at a Darkling girl hung by the neck. Her glossy raven hair hangs as limply as she does.

Wait, you recognize that hair.

You gasp. "Lily?"

The corpse snaps to attention, one eager red eye on you. "Young Lady Claudius?"

"You're alive?" You heave a sigh of relief. "You're alive!"

"As much as a Darkling can be," she says, before waving at you. "How's it hangin'?"

You groan at the pun.

The other ride patrons share conspiratorial whispers among themselves.

You turn to them with your hands on your hips. "This girl is part of my entourage and you will treat her with respect."

A nameless male noble chimes in. "We know, Milady. We saw that Darkling girl-"

"You can call me Lily if you want," Lily mumbles.

"-That Darkling girl during your audience with the Crown Prince," the noble says. "What concerns is you three contuing to hold up the line."

"Oh. Whoops." You laugh it off and nudge Camille back to reality. He tries to laugh it off, but is clearly a little shaken.

"Young Lady Claudius," Lily asks, "would you be so kind as to grace me with a private audience? We wouldn't hold up the line."

You ask, "Was that a name pun?"

She gives you a gentle smile. "If it pleases you."

***​

[What do you do?]
[ ] Give Lily the private audience
[ ] Turn the request into showing off how cool you are (Challenging Flashy check - DC 12, Flashy++ on success)
[ ] Press-gang her into hanging out with the whole crew first
[ ] Deny Lily the private audience

Spoiler: TenCo Avatar Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

AVATAR GRADES
Brainy: Average (+3)
Artsy: Average (+3)
Flashy: Good (+4)
Sporty: Good (+4)
Sensible: Good (+4)

ACTUALIZATION SCORES
BRN 48 ART 48 FLA 62 SPO 96 SEN 55
STRESS 38

DESTRUDO LEVEL
Normal

LORES
<Heavenly Magic Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Heavenly Magic, spells that call upon the power of Sophia, the Sevenfold Goddess of this world.
<Bloodpact Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Bloodpacts, Heavenly Magic in its most primal form.

SKILLS
<Minor Bloodpact>: Can make minor oaths and pacts, backed up by blood and the power of Sophia Madim, the Forgemother.
<Blood Sisters> (Bridgette Alteisen): Gain minor stat boosts when you or Bridgette act to protect or assist each other.

PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
Camille Asuka
Lily Valentine
Prince Bryn Alteisen

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[FourthWall]

Isekai protags gotta stick together

***

Flashy +4!

{Teflon Cherub} unlocked!

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.

***​

You graciously accept Lily's request. The crowd looks upon you with kind eyes and rosy smiles, except for the hardcore haunted house enthusiasts annoyed you're holding up the line. It kinda feels like a track meet after you win an event; a warm bath of admiration from everyone you didn't embarrass with your ungodly athletic talent.

<Flashy> "You should let me take the wheel, dahling. We could wrap this world around our little finger."

<Sensible> "No world domination plans until we're legal."

<Brainy> "Blast!"

You and Lily walk over to a secluded area among some prop ghosts and goblins, freeing up the line logjam.

Lily leans in and whispers conspiratorially to you, "You're an Etranger too, aren't you?"

"A what now?" You reply.

"You know, an offworlder. An Isaac case. A ronin."

You stare blankly at her.

She sighs. "You got reincarnated, isekai-style"

Your ahoge curls into a lightbulb. "Oh. Ohhhhh! Yeah, I'm one of those." You playfully nudge her with an elbow. "I bet you are too, you shipper you."

"Guilty," she says with a chuckle. "So how'd you go, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Hit by a truck," you say without a lick of remorse. Getting Minky Momo'd didn't hurt nearly as badly as your phantom pains of Grace's demise.

"The classic," Lily says, nodding sagely. "A bunch of bullies pushed me down a flight of stairs and I broke my neck."

You blanch. Your hair cradles Lily in a hug, unbidden.

<Sporty> "Those jerks need the foot of JUSTICE up their collective asses!"

"That's hecked up," you say. "Do you need a moment?"

"Nah," she says, "I didn't really like living. Guess that's why I'm undead now." She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

You pull her into a regular hug. She tenses up, only to relax when she senses you're safe.

"Is it weird if I said you smell nice?" Lily asks, nuzzling against your neck. "Cuz I can smell how pure hearted you are through your blood. It's like sniffing fresh baked bread and also cocaine."

[How do you respond?]
[ ] If that's a compliment, I'll take it!
[ ] Nothing wrong with girls sniffing girls.
[ ] That's nice, but don't get all bitey; I'm trying to dodge that Bad End.

"Anywho," Lily says, breaking the hug. "I got the most ironic Hell of a wish-fulfillment reincarnation, but you're absolutely nothing like Canon Grace outside of being unfairly cute, sooooo let's make a deal: I stick with your entourage, you protect me from bullies, and we can both graduate without me triggering the standard Fall From Grace Bad Ending!"

You boggle at this. Avoiding the thing that haunts your nightmares, even with this body being thoroughly yours now? This early? It almost feels like cheating.

"What's the catch?"

"If your revival's contingent on wooing me with the secret route..." Lily looks down, "I don't know if it'll still work if we sequence break here. Also, things could get weird."

"How weird?

"Glitchy weird. At best, another character ends up taking your role as Shoujo Villainess Mean Girl. At worst, reality starts falling apart."

You put a hand on her shoulder. "Before all that, are you into girls? I'm not gonna try and make you play for the other team just so I can go home."

Lily blushes. "There's a reason I reincarnated into a girl named Lily...b-but I can go for the guys in this series too! Especially Camille, heh heh."

You notice she's got the dirty eyes of a fujoshi at a BL circle booth and immediately peg the kind of girl she used to be.

It's your turn to nod sagely. "He's pretty cute in a dress. Don't tell him I said this, but he makes a really good girl."

Lily wraps an arm around your shoulders. "I see you are a woman of culture."

You laugh. "We're both kids now, but yeah."

Lily smiles with little fangs, clearly enjoying talking to a fellow Earth nerd. You don't remember Lily ever smiling in Fall From Grace.

"So are you okay with the deal?" Lily asks, getting off of you. She looks away from you, gives herself a one-armed hug. "It's totally cool if you're not, but I'd rather not have to go Redux of Healer on everybody for my own safety..."

***​

[Do you take Lily's offer?]
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[ ] Phone a Maid

***​

Spoiler: TenCo Avatar Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

AVATAR GRADES
Brainy: Average (+3)
Artsy: Average (+3)
Flashy: Good (+4)
Sporty: Good (+4)
Sensible: Good (+4)

ACTUALIZATION SCORES
BRN 48 ART 48 FLA 66 SPO 96 SEN 55
STRESS 38

DESTRUDO LEVEL
Normal

LORES
<Heavenly Magic Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Heavenly Magic, spells that call upon the power of Sophia, the Sevenfold Goddess of this world.
<Bloodpact Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Bloodpacts, Heavenly Magic in its most primal form.

SKILLS
<Minor Bloodpact>: Can make minor oaths and pacts, backed up by blood and the power of Sophia Madim, the Forgemother.
<Blood Sisters> (Bridgette Alteisen): Gain minor stat boosts when you or Bridgette act to protect or assist each other.
<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.

PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
Camille Asuka
Lily Valentine
Prince Bryn Alteisen

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[FourthWall]

Like Diego Sanchez or Daniel Bryan Danielson, it's yes yes yes

***​

This one takes a while for you to work through. You've never had someone say you smell like fresh baked bread or cocaine, and you're not sure if that's a come-on, a compliment, or a statement of fact. It could be all three, for all you know.

Now there's nothing wrong with girls sniffing girls (you personally appreciate the parchment and autumn leaves smell of Chiaki), so you want to pay the possible compliment the proper respect.

"If the blood thing was a compliment, I'll take it," you say, your hair giving Lily a thumbs-up for emphasis.

Lily smiles with little fangs again. "Just stating facts. But yeah, it's a compliment. You seem like a real cinnamon bun." She rocks on her heels, half nervous, half eager. "So what about the deal?"

You pause as the inner yous hijack your higher brain patterns.

<Sensible> "We should consult Chiaki on this one; we don't know the mechanics of this world or what would happen if we fundamentally alter our way of going home."

<Brainy> "You would turn down the chance to warp fate itself and observe the results? Have you turned into a coward as well as a drunk?"

<Artsy> "Don't be so gauche, Brainy. Chiaki's our collaborator, handler, and muse. A decision made without any of those things is très peu esthétique~"

<Flashy> "Dahling, don't start using French because Lily did. An artist should be avant-garde, not a trendhopper."

<Artsy> "Hehe, got you doing it now too. That makes me the avant-garde among us~

<Sensible> "Can we please focus on the possibly life-defining question ahead of us? If we take the deal and things go bad, we'll never see our family again. We'll never have ramen with Gabby and Sayoko, or finish college like Chiaki wanted us to. We'll never sleep in our own bed, in our own body."

<Flashy> "Who needs that humdrum life? We have wealth, we have beauty, we have our youth, and we have Chiaki right here, dahling. What more could we ask for?"

<Sensible> "Not dying to some seething rich kid or turning into a vampire, for one."

<Artsy> "We'd leave a beautiful corpse, probably."

<Sensible> "That's not reassuring. We're the guiding forces in our head, not a Van Gogh painting!"

<Ghost!Emo> "We got turned into a Pollock on pavement, fufu..."

Sensible beans Emo with a beer can; impressive given Emo's current incorporeality.

<Sensible> "Sporty, please back me up here. You trust Chiaki, right?"

<Sporty> "Heck yeah I do, she's like our life coach."

<Sensible> "So you'd agree we should consult her on stuff like this, right?"

<Sporty> "Normally yeah, but I got a good feeling about saying yes."

<Sensible> "Bwuh?"

<Sporty> "Look. When we get an opportunity to help somebody out, we gotta take it; full effort and full throttle."

<Flashy> "And with our already prodigious taste-making powers, we'll be able to turn Lily from doormat to debutant!"

<Artsy> "More French~"

<Brainy> "We could study Lily's biology, see how a vampiric humanoid functions...my brain trembles with experiment ideas!"

<Sensible> "Word choice, Brainy."

<Brainy> "You always nitpick when you're losing consensus, I spoke no vulgarity."

Sensible pulls out another beer can from Grace's mindscape, rests her forehead on it. She closes her eyes and breathes deeply.

<Sensible> "...You're right. I'm sorry. Majority goes to saying yes, so let's say yes."

You're drawn from the mental drama by Lily waving her face in front of you.

"Are you okay?" she asks. "You're drooling, and you have this glazed look in your eye."

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Spaced out." You wipe the drool from your mouth. "I'm cool with your deal."

Lily throws her hands up, eyes sparkling like a Stephanie Meyer wet dream. "Yayifications!"

You throw your hands up, caught up in her energy. "Yeah, that!"

After a happy dance that makes her look like Sadako off a bean, Lily calms down. She tosses her hair from her face and tries to look cool. "This could be the start of a beautiful relationship."

***​

Eventually, Chiaki finds you and the rest of your entourage. You end your first birthday with them and enough sweets to give an elephant diabetes. Tanya chides the decadence with playful derision, unable to hide the joy of good company on her normally-dour face. Camille talks a mile a minute about the fun he had and the fun he wants to keep having, smoothly but unsubtly implying he wants to have it with you. Lily, clearly not used to being around so many people, eats pastries like a pet hamster, alternating between frightened and ecstatic. Lucci sketches the scene between bites of sweet and spicy Pixie Poppers, promising to give you his finished results as a birthday present.

So caught up in merriment are you, you miss the blinking cascade of unhandled exception errors in your brain-HUD.

***​

[It is week four in the sixth month of Anno Sophia 92. You are thirteen 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-)

***​

Spoiler: TenCo Avat@r Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

AVATAR GRADES
Brainy: Average (+3)
Artsy: Average (+3)
Flashy: Good (+4)
Sporty: Good (+4)
Sensible: Good (+4)

ACTUALIZATION SCORES
BRN 48 ART 48 FLA 66 SPO 96 SEN 55
STRESS 38

DESTRUDO LEVEL
Normal

LORES
<Heavenly Magic Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Heavenly Magic, spells that call upon the power of Sophia, the Sevenfold Goddess of this world.
<Bloodpact Lore L1>: Can learn and cast Bloodpacts, Heavenly Magic in its most primal form.

SKILLS
<Minor Bloodpact>: Can make minor oaths and pacts, backed up by blood and the power of Sophia Madim, the Forgemother.
<Blood Sisters> (Bridgette Alteisen): Gain minor stat boosts when you or Bridgette act to protect or assist each other.
<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.

PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
Camille Asuka
Lily Valentine
Prince Bryn Alteisen

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[FourthWall]

The unthinkable has happened...

***
Exerecise - Medium Sporty Check: 3, 1+ 4 = 8
Sporty Check Failed?! +1 Sporty, -1 Flashy, +2 Stress
***
WARNING! Destrudo Level: Elevated
***​

You had a sneaking feeling something was off ever since your birthday. At first, you thought it was just too much sugar; you always had a weakness for sweet stuff and are pretty sure you ate an entire confectionary store's worth of sweets back then.

That would explain why you felt a little heavy on your morning runs this week. Why you felt your growing body rebelling against you in ways big and small. You know from your old body that a growth spurt's coming. If it was anything like your old body, you were about to shoot up like a weed.

And that subtle sense of wrongness sure as shoot explains why you're flat on your face now, the damp grass soothing your aching muscles.

"You okay, Grace?" Camille says from above you, voice heavy with worry. "Did I overdo it with the secret techniques?"

You roll around in the grass before lifting yourself onto your knees. "Pfaaaaaah! This week's been super weird!"

Camille shyly offers you a hand. "Even for you?"

You take it and stand up. "Even for me. You know I added Lily to my entourage, right?"

"The Darkling girl who kept looking at me like a new dress?" he asks.

"Yeppers," you say, stretching. "Everything's been a little wiggy since then."

Camille gulps, trying manfully not to show his concern. "You think she hexed you or something?"

"Doesn't seem the type," you say. "I think it's nerves, maybe?"

Camille laughs. "You, nervous? Is that physically possible?"

You playfully slug his arm. "Duh."

He takes it like a champ. "Well, I'm technically your swordsmanship teacher, so listening to a student's worries is something I'd do."

You run your hand through your golden locks, lustrous enough now to blind people if you catch the light just right. "Thanks. It's like, I love being under pressure in the moment, but when the moment's gone and I start thinking about stuff it just gets," you gesture with your hands, "You know?"

"Like reverse stage fright?" Camille says, finger on his chin.

"Yeah! Just wondering if something's gonna come back and bite me on on the butt later."

Camille salutes you, hand in palm. "If anything happens, I've got your butt...I mean back!" He blushes and kicks himself in the calf.

You laugh and pat his shoulder. "I'd trust you with my butt when my maid's not around."

That just makes him blush harder.

<Sensible> "Our HUD's been glitchy all week, are you sure he's not on the capture route?"

<Flashy> "Dahling, at this point we can make half the kingdom swoon with our charms."

<Emo> "And the other half want to kill us, fufufu..."

<Sensible> "Oh god, you're corporeal again. Is that why Sporty's in the Shame Corner?"

You freak out a little, waving your hands to clear any misconceptions. "Not like that! Mom'd kill me if we did that kinda butt stuff! And then my maid would resurrect me so she could kill me again!"

Camille laughs his hurt away. "Yeah, we're in totally different classes for that, anyway. You have the Prince, Young Lady Alteisen, or any other high ranking noble for that kinda stuff when you're older."

"I'm not thinking of that kinda stuff anyway," you say, pouting. "And don't put yourself down like that. You're super cool and a part of my crew, so that nobility ranking stuff doesn't mean spit."

You remember from FFG that Camille's status as a lesser noble caused him no end of discrimination, usually at your (Grace's) hands. It was the fuel for the fires of his resentment, those fires tempered the blade that killed the maid, and you'd rather die than let that happen.

Besides, nobody who teaches you how to do crazy Wuxia stuff with a scissor-sword deserves to be bullied. That's just common sense.

Camille smiles shyly towards you. "Sblood, you're swell..."

You give him a cheeky monkey smile. "You're pretty neat too, mister. I'd trust you with my back any day."

His smile gets broader and gooey from your approval.

You rock on your toes. "And maaaaaaybe, once we're older, I'll trust you with my butt. Y'know, after we see how the whole bethrotal thing goes."

It's his turn to flail. "Now you're just doing it on purpose!" He grabs his wooden training sword and points it at you. "As your instructor, it's my job to correct that cheekiness of yours!"

You limber up and pick your own sword off the ground. "Right, right~ A good workout'll make things make sense again, so let's go 'til you're satisfied."

"That's the spirit," he says, grinning.

The two of you touch swords, then spar until the sweet sting of fatigue draws you both down into the grass.

***​

It's Gildsday, Friday in non-isekai, and you're in your room trying to do your hair up like Sailor Moon. Your hair, unused to such contortions, fights you every step of the way.

Why isn't Chiaki doing this, you ask (to yourself)? One, you wanted to be more self sufficient and two, Justine's been pulling her aside a lot this week.

Chiaki hasn't told you anything's wrong, and you believe her. Also, she hasn't been showing any of her "bad stuff's happening but I don't wanna say it" tells. If anything, it's probably something super cool.

Sure enough, once you've gotten your hair properly dango-fied and have told your mirror you're gonna punish it in the name of the Moon, Chiaki slides into your room and up behind you.

She hides a giggle with a white gloved hand. "Having fun, Young Mistress?"

You look up and back at her. "Totes! I was just thinking I needed an Ami to my Usagi."

"Well I can't provide the bubbles or the bloodlust, but I can handle analysis," she says, handing you a sword in a tastefully opulent crimson and gold sheath. "It'll help in the future."

The heft of it tells you it's a real blade. The balance tells you it's impeccably made.

"I know I've got death flags, but aren't I a little young for a preemptive strike?" you tease.

"Your charming monkey self has screwed up the initial parameters so much that might not be necessary," she says. "So instead, we're going to focus on making the best you possible before things get heavy."

You hoist up the sword. "So time to grind?"

Chiaki nods. "Time to grind. That's Lady Justine's old sword, by the way. Managed to talk her into naming you as its formal master, too, so it'll grow with you."

Your eyes go wide. Not only was this a huge sentimental gift and a magic blade, Our Bloody Valentine taught you that being named a blade's master is the first step towards true badassery.

The game's Grace was badass enough to force her blade, Razortongue, to acknowledge her as master. But since she stole it from Justine's armory, it never truly accepted her and happily transferred itself over to Prince Alteisen once Grace became a vampire.

With a formal transfer, you wouldn't have to worry about that. You're not sure how much of the old plot you have to worry about now, but every little bit helps, you know?

Chiaki clears her throat, drawing your attention back to her. "Lady Justine wants you to get a taste of the adventurer's life now that you're thirteen. She was slaying Slimes as a ten-year-old, but decided to give you a bit more time to grow, given everything."

"Hardcore," you say. "Do I get to bring friends?"

"Of course," Chiaki says. "We'll make it a playdate."

***
New Weekend Activity Unlocked! Adventuring: Kill things and take their stuff, like a proper fantasy protagonist. Potential for high stat gains, but also potential for high Stress or injury.

Bringing more party members friends raises their affection towards you and lowers your chances of Stress or injury. Going it alone increases your stat gains, but raises your chance of getting Stress or injury.​

Chiaki will automatically come with you until you've come of age or you explicitly tell her not to. Since this is your first adventure, you can't tell her not to this time.

***
​

[Adventure time, c'mon pick your friends!] {Choose up to 2, or choose None if you're feeling yourself}

[ ] Prince Alteisen
[ ] Bridgette Alteisen
[ ] Camille Asuka
[ ] Tanya Schwartzwald
[ ] Lucciano Morningstar
[ ] Lily Valentine
[ ] None

Spoiler: TenCo Avat@r Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

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

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[FourthWall]

I already made the Adventure Time joke, sue me.

[O] Bridgette and Lily

***​

It's high noon at the Claudius estate and you are ready for adventure.

You're dressed to the nines in a light blue and white Alice dress, slathered with defensive enchantments. Justine's old sword dangles at your hip, the gems gleaming in the sunlight. Your belly is full, your spirits are high, and your galpals are at your side.

You feel like you could cut down a truck. Or a god.

Bridgette shadowboxes beside you, full of nervous energy. She's in half plate with an open-fronted skirt underneath, the matte grey iron of her armor embossed with crimson roses. She told you that the roses were in your honor; to capture your beauty and gallantry, and to show how much you've grown on her.

Her admiration of you hasn't gone unnoticed since the event with the Prince. Chiaki told you of the gossip surrounding her abrupt exit after you danced with her brother. How some think that she would make a more fitting companion for you, how the Claudius house was planting its seed not just in the Prince's heart.

What you learned from it, outside of a few Loyalists thinking you're the devil, is that this world is surprisingly okay with yuri.

"You ready for this, Big Sis?" Bridgette says, bouncing on her toes.

"Heck yeah I am," you say. "Especially since I have you beside me."

Bridgette beams. "Nothing's getting past me! I'm gonna be your shield!"

Lily peeks her head out from the shadow of a particularly majestic tree. "I'm a squishy mage, so could I get some of that shield action, too?"

Bridgette nods. "Protecting Big Sis means I protect her crew."

"Is it too bright for you, Lily?" You ask.

"Nah, I just have to commune with darkness to recharge my specials, I mean spells." She hums a tune from an old game show, makes a quick spell circle in the dirt, and nods. "And done."

You swear you hear a ding when she's done.

She heads over to you, the shadows cling to her like seaweed. They flow over her body, turning her peasant dress into a jet black witch outfit, complete with floppy hat.

Chiaki looks over to her while checking on healing potions greener than Midori cocktails. "What happened to the dress we gave you?"

"I snuggle with it every night," Lily says, "but It's far too fine for a lowly girl like me to actually wear."

"Anyone cool enough to hang out with me is cool enough to wear my stuff," you say to her. "But if it's too much, we can hook you up with something less floofy."

"Oh, I like floofy. It's just, you know..." Lily pulls at the side of her mouth, showing her cute little fangs. "Darklings don't get to have nice things."

"She has a point," Bridgette says. "We aren't on a crusade against them anymore, but it's not like the populace is accepting them with open arms."

You stomp your ruby flat-clad foot, causing your sword to rattle. "That's stupid. I accept Lily and I say she gets to have nice things."

Lily blushes towards your adamant kindness.

"As you should, Young Mistress," Chiaki says. "But we can discuss the inequality of this world later. For now, let's focus on this first adventure."

"Kaaaaay," you say.

Chiaki hands you her potion, then hands one to Bridgette and Lily. "We aren't doing anything too fancy since it's the Young Mistress's first time; just a simple Slime hunt. Stick close to each other, don't travel too deep into the forest, and don't be afraid to use your potions."

Bridgette blows a strand of hair from her face and pouts. "How bad can a couple of Slimes be?"

"Depends on if they've fed recently," Lily says. "If they're starving, they can eat gear."

Bridgette double-takes. "Really?"

"Yep," Lily says. "Corpses, too. One time, I fell asleep in a forest like this and woke up to a Slime eating my arm."

"Hardcore," Bridgette says with something like awe.

Chiaki steps in. "There won't be any corpses on my watch. We're going to be safe and have fun."

You chuckle at Chiaki. "You sound like my mom."

Chiaki gives you a serious look. "The safety of you and your entourage is paramount, Young Mistress. That is why Lady Claudius has entrusted me with it."

You give her a quick hug. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

She pats your head, then ties your hair into a slipknot ponytail. Your hair graciously accepts her touch.

She whispers to you. "Ready, Aachan?"

You grin. "I was born ready!"

She smiles back. "Let's go."

You unsheathe your sword and point into the forest, channeling as much DQ Yuusha as possible. "Onward, my trusty companions! Adventure awaits!"

With an enthusiastic holler from Bridgette and a snorting giggle from Lily, you head boldly into the forest. Warm sunlight filters through the canopy, cutting the cool, damp air. The ground crunches deliciously underfoot. The sweet smell of grass and mud almost makes you want to have a picnic instead of an adventure.

Chiaki silently slides up to you. "We can have a picnic after we're done."

"Get out of my head," you say playfully.

"A proper maid must be able to read their master's desires to the point of prescience," she says back, eyes smiling.

You laugh and run forward, catching up to Bridgette and Lily behind her. Bridgette's got her dukes up, itching for something to punch. Lily has her eyes wide, you can tell she's scanning for danger.

Sure enough, she's the first person to spot something; a trio of slimes in primary colors, looking like they escaped a copyright claim from the Toriyama estate.

"They haven't noticed us," Lily says. "How do you want to do this?"

***​

[Go For It Girl! Triumph or Die Look Really Silly!]
[ ] Go Loud. Charge in like a proper baka heroine!
[ ] Go Quiet. Have Lily do her magic stuff and clean up afterward.
[ ] Go Tanky. Have Bridgette be the vanguard and attack from behind your willing shield.
[ ] Go Phone a Maid. Have Chiaki assess the situation, then go in.

Spoiler: TenCo Avat@r Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

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

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[megrisvernin]

A Revolutionary's New Loyalties

Tanya fussed over her latest gun design. For some reason the barrel was warping after just firing a few dozen times, when it should be able to hold up to far more. Sure, that was enough to last a few battles, but an armed insurgent was only as effective as their weapon. As she worked, her mind drifted to the golden blonde she was now in the orbit of.

Grace Claudius was ridiculous, trusting with little compunction or common sense - And yet because of it, rather than despite it, Tanya had to admit it made her a better woman than any other noblewoman she could name. Not that that was a very high bar, mind you.

Certainly no aristocrat should trust a revolutionary like herself, one motivated to overthrow the entire corrupt edifice of nobility. And yet… and yet Grace had. When they arrived at the carnival, she was so overwhelmed that she told the budding revolutionary to handle matters for her till she regained her composure. Well nothing so elegant.

"You're gonna have to do the thinky stuff until I calm down." She snorted at the recollection.

Trusting her to be her aide… it was a tremendous honor for anyone, let alone a commoner. Especially one she hardly knew, and from her perspective had every reason to expect to not have her interests at heart.

It confused Tanya then, it still did now. And yet that very offer of trust caused strange emotions to burble within her. A desire to live up to the trust Grace had given her, to protect the strange quixotic noble that was practically one of a kind. The one noble who seemed to live up to that motto of theirs, noblesse obligee.

"If every noble became sensible with a bit of head trauma, we should use more rocks," she mused. The sensible thing would be to assume that it wouldn't hold. That pre-head injury Grace's personality would reassert itself, and she'd revert back to the exploitive plutocrat template.

And yet, if anything it was the opposite… Grace's brand of crazy was seemingly contagious. She'd befriended Bridgette, despite the Royal daughter having gotten into a fight with her initially over her opposition to marrying her brother. Her ideas and fashions were even starting to circulate among other nobles that rode on her coattails.

Tanya paused at her work, running her hands down the black and gold poofy gown she wore, realizing she wasn't unaffected either. She'd initially worn the dress as a condition of her alignment with her liege lady, and because of the durability advantages she'd get. With the bullying she was getting she expected it to escalate to violence eventually.

And yet since putting it on, not only was the commoner unmolested, but some nobles were even making friendly with her. She could see the distaste in many of their eyes, but they still acted polite with her, even trying to curry her favor since for whatever reason she was now the aide-de-camp of a future Duchess, perhaps even queen if her engagement with the prince held strong. Something likely given the clear fondness between the two.

Tanya didn't just feel safe protected in Grace Claudius's gowns, but more powerful, commanding respect and influence she'd never felt before. "No, not just powerful." Elegant. Pretty.

The gowns were gorgeous, and sinfully comfortable. Wearing them, Tanya was miles more feminine, rather than a rail thin slip of a girl, the frills and fluff concealed her little developed figure. The attendant corset she wore helped lift her chest, while the full skirt gave the impression of some hips. Even the high heels Grace had included helped, shifting her posture to push her chest and rear out.

"How long has it been since I've worn something else?" She wondered. During classes, in her quarters. Even here in her own lab Tanya was wearing the gowns Grace had gifted her. "She's infected me too," Tanya groused. For she didn't just not mind wearing the gowns, she preferred them. The thought of going back to her itchy and scratchy clothes an unpleasant one.

Nor was that the only sign of changes she'd gone through. Her long luscious locks of hair for one, the hair conditioning formula Grace had negligently handed off to her, gave her silky luxurious hair that was the envy of her classmates. Sales of small samples proved a huge windfall of funds for her tinkering. It seemed what passed for allowances of young noblewoman still amounted to tremendous sums. Tanya had taken to using herself as a walking advertisement, letting her hair grow out.

Not perhaps to Grace's silly lengths, her hair wasn't sentient, but easily longer than she was tall, so she kept it in an eyecatching braid that fell to her ankles. Tanya took some pride in having hair nicer than other noblewomen, and was happy to charge them an arm and a leg to have what she did.

Tanya finally finished disassembling the gun barrel, finding out the issue was something in the casting process, some parts of it heating and cooling at different rates weakening the barrel.

The most incredible part of it was, Tanya thought Grace might actually carry through with changes. The idiot genius was so headstrong that she'd act without thinking of the consequences, like the way she confronted those three bullies at the Carnival. If she was Queen…if she was queen, the once diehard revolutionary had hope an aristocrat would change things for the better.

That even if she lost her way… she might listen to Tanya's advice and help right her. 'Look at me, believing in humanity's better nature. Hers at least.'

Well, if she was living out a fantasy, Tanya decided she might as well enjoy it. Certainly, with the opposition the Claudius had garnered, she'd get plenty of opportunities to plot the downfall of some nobles.

Speaking of fantasies, Tanya accepted she felt a surge of delight in wearing such poofy dresses, dressing up in outfits a younger her dreamed of wearing, fantasizing about being a secret princess. The way part of her squirmed seeing Grace's newest gown, frillier and foofier than ever. Wanting to wear it herself. Running her hands down the gown, Tanya felt the temptation overwhelm her and she shifted to the wardrobe she kept in her lab. She couldn't match the expert frills woven into it, yet, but fluffing out her gown with more petticoats was certainly doable. Likely rivaling Grace's gowns wouldn't be an issue, the musclehead shoved her maid into a gown, and would likely feel happy about Tanya's efforts. Unknowingly, that thought caused a small smile to cross her lips.

 

[FourthWall]

Adhoc vote count started by FourthWall on May 11, 2024 at 1:34 AM, finished with 19 posts and 15 votes.

• ---

  10 people have voted

  [X] Go Tanky. Have Bridgette be the vanguard and attack from behind your willing shield.

  • goable
  • Parzival95
  • MrRageQuit
  • Zaealix
  • DragonOfAtlantis
  • sheep-dodger
  • Dreaming Circuit
  • dc3mjh
  • The Crimson King
  • megrisvernin

  5 people have voted

  [X] Go Loud. Charge in like a proper baka heroine!

  • Koyori
  • JAGwin
  • Glau
  • LawsOfRobotics
  • Solarstream

Lights out, guerrilla story post! Wake this thread up!

***​

A part of you, deeper and more primordial than the council of Yous, wants to go full baka. Run in and start cracking skulls in an explosion of glorious violence. Your hand grips, white knuckle, onto the hilt of your newly granted sword.

But then you get a rush of brains to your luxuriously-coiffed head.

You have Bridgette. A friend and blood sister willing and eager to be your shield. One who, under her brassy bluster and edgy attire, feels useless and stymied. One who has a lot of frustration to work out.

One who could probably use the punching bag these Slimes provide more than you do.

"Hey Buri?" You whisper to Bridgette.

"Can't I get a cooler nickname than that?" She asks you.

"When I come up with one," you reply. "Wanna be my shield so we can bumrush these Slimes?"

"Shit yeah I would!" She slams her gauntlets together and lets loose a battle woop, drawing the Slimes' formless eyes upon her now charging form.

"Welp," Lily says, melding into the shadows. "Guess we're not doing stealthy. Pls don't let them geek me."

You give her a quick nod, a firm pat on the shoulder, and your cheeky monkey smile, before running off behind Bridgette.

She's gotten faster than you remember, but you weren't the Golden-Eyed Orion for nothing. You catch up to her in a bakers dozen strides close enough to hear her giddy chuckling behind the same peek-a-boo stance she first used against you.

There's a twinge of sympathetic energies between the two of you, your blood pact thrumming in time with both your hearts. On shared impulse, you draw your sword as she slams into the crowd of Slimes. One by one, she pops them up and you rend them into travel-sized pieces. She makes a game of it, juggling them high into the air with hits that would crush bone if they had any. Bits of Slime slide slickly off your enchanted hair and dress as the two of you work in tandem.

The two of you turn to view your handiwork. You step beside Bridgette with a flourish, sword out, her covering your side as a readied shield would. The candied carcasses of your foes glitter in the noonday sun.

"Man, that wasn't even a warm-up," Bridgette says airily. "Good thing Slimes can regenerate."

You're struck dumb by flashes of the combat mechanics of Fall From Grace. Slimes made great grinding fodder because they weren't very dangerous, but they came back like zombies unless you pounded them into paste or hit them with Water magic. And since they came back, you could train skills all you wanted!

"Hey Buri, wanna see me do some really cool stuff?"

"Cooler than you already are?" She asks. "And stop calling me Buri. Say I'm your noble shield or something."

"How about my No-Buri Shield?"

She turns to you, face scrunched in cringing consternation. "Anything but that."

<Artsy> "Hmmm, guess we've hit a creative block with nicknames..."

***

[Name Entry: Enter Bridgette's new nickname here]
[ ] Write-In
[ ] Default: BURI

***​

"Anyway, what's this cool stuff you wanna do?" Bridgette asks.

You let your grip on your sword loosen in the way Camille taught you. "Oh, you'll see. Watch my back, okay?"

She nods and hunkers back into her peek-a-boo stance as the Slimes reform themselves. "Gotcha."

The Slimes, noting you as their slayer, turn their vacant expressions to you before rocketing forth with un-Slime-like velocity.

Your cheeky monkey smile turns into the fierce, fanged grin of competition. With a woop of your own, you spring off of Bridgette's ready gauntlets into an arc of death, slicing through the Slimes as they pass under you. Technicolor goop splatters against Bridgette's guard as you land in a crouch facing her.

The Slimes reform, you cut them down. They reform again. You skewer them, then flick your wrist, popping them open against your blade with the ease of unhooking a bra. They try to encircle you, you slice them apart with the mechanical precision of a weedwhacker.

You can feel Camille's subtle guidance on your hands, your feet, your arms and hips. The drilling of proper posture giving you a killer's poise. The muscle memory of your former Kendo and this new art go hand in glove. The free expression of your talent, your dominance spreads your foes across the canvas of this grassy forest knoll.

For the first time since you've been here, your muscles sing.

Once you feel you've shown off enough, you sheathe your sword and smile at Bridgette. The both of you are streaked with Slime stuff; Bridgette on her gear, you on your dimpled cheeks and button nose. The two of you look like kids who got into your art teacher's paints.

"That cool enough for ya?" You say, hand on your hip.

Bridgette stares at you in abject awe. "...'Sblood, girl, what was that technique?"

You giggle. "Cool stuff, like I said!"

"Can you teach it to me?"

"I am but a student," you say to her, stroking an imaginary beard. "But I can see if my teacher's willing to take on another disciple." You turn back to the shade where Lily is hiding. "But first, let's regroup and have that pic-"

Your words are cut short by the cool, slimy sensation of Slime stuff sliding off you. Rivulets of gunk ooze into the grass, coating the ground with little jelly gems. You see the stuff flow off of Bridgette too, she squirms and yelps as it flows inside and down her outfit.

You fear the slime will puppet her, but something far weirder happens. The rivulets turn into rivers, as much more Slime stuff than you felt you cut through starts to coalesce. First in a puddle, then a pool, then a pillar, before forming into something you knew quite well.

A humanoid mecha. Gigantor in gelatin, towering over the two of you.

A panopticon of blank eyes and doofy smiles all focus on you and Bridgette.

You don't remember this being a part of Fall From Grace or Our Bloody Valentine. Something like this wouldn't slip your mind, no matter how booze-addled.

***​

[> GRACE COMMAND]
[ ] FIGHT
[ ] Tag-team it with Bridgette
[ ] Rejoin Lily and Chiaki
[ ] Run like hell

Spoiler: TenCo Avat@r Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

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

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[FourthWall]

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?"

<Flashy> "Something exceptionally messy, dahling~"

<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]

***​

Spoiler: TenCo Avat@r Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

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

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[FourthWall]

Sorry for getting off-schedule with this but hey, running multiple Quests is earning me that Questionable Life Choices tag IRL

***​

You decide to stand your ground. You're the protagonist, for cripes sake, you can't just run from a slime. Yeah, the slime is actually a bunch of slimes, is the size of a small mecha, and has been making mincemeat out of your merry crew, but that just means it'll be that much cooler when you beat it.

<Sensible> Shit, we're getting stubborn. Sporty, abort, abort!

<Sporty> Why?

<Sensible> This thing's way beyond us, and competition's your jurisdiction. You've gotta throw in the towel.

<Sporty> Nah, we'll win.

You grit your teeth and hold your sword in front of you. "Bridge, Lily, Autumn; we hit this thing with everything we've got. Full force, full throttle."

"Shit yeah!" Bridgette says, smashing her gauntlets together. "That's what I wanna hear, Big Sis!"

Lily sucks on her teeth, clearly worried. "Forgive me for doubting a noble, but I don't think we can take that thing."

Bridgette scowls. "You doubt the mettle of the Alteisen line, Darkling? Of the Claudius?"

Lily shrinks into her shadow. "O-Of course not...I just, look, this is my first playdate and you guys are my first friends and I don't want to have something bad happen!"

"Nothing. Bad. Will happen," Bridgette says, cold and curt. She glares Lily into submission, looking all the world like Lord Alteisen at the banquet.

Lily meeps and dives completely into her shadow. You see it writhe and fold, Lily must be pulling it over her like a security blanket.

Chiaki whispers to you. "Are you sure about this, Aachan?"

You nod and grunt.

Chiaki gives you a concerned look, before putting on the porcelain mask of service. Her glasses glint in the light, hiding her eyes. "As you wish, Young Mistress."

You dig your feet into the ruined path, underbrush crackles underfoot. You empty your mind of fear, of doubt, of uncertainty. The blade in your hands, while not the wood or bamboo you're used to, feels just as much a part of you.

"Hey jiggly!" You yell a challenge to the Slimeotron. "Come get some."

The Slimeotron flexes acceptance to your challenge, then lumbers towards you with boneless grace.

You kiai high and loud, a monkey scream from a monkey girl. Bridgette moves on your impulse, the power of blood sisterhood makes your hearts beat in sync. Chiaki is half a step behind, loosing an endless seeming barrage of silver knives. The shadows behind you lurch forward as a wave of utter darkness, Lily's half-frightened, half- determined scream echoes from the depths.

You ride the wave, sword held high for a killing blow, before leaping off and slicing at the Slimeotron's neck

***
Formidable DC (13) Sporty Check - 2, 1 +4 =7
Check Failed!

***​

<Emo> We're going to be defeated by a slime, fufufu... How embarrassing...

***​

You wake up in the hospital ward of the Claudius estate, with the dour face of Tanya Schwartzwald looking down upon you.

"Ah, you're awake," she says, her copper curls catching the candle light. "And I was hoping I'd get to remove your brain for study."

<Brainy> "The girl will find naught of interest."

<Sensible> "Just because we did a dumb thing doesn't mean we're brainless, Brainy. It just means Sporty's gonna have to share the Shame Corner with Emo while she thinks about what she's done."

Outside of your other yous talking, it feels like everything else is fuzzy. You stir stiffly in your hospital bed, realize your right arm and left leg are in a sling.

"Wha happen?"

"You got thrashed by some new species of slime colony," she says. "They had to send for men from Lady Claudius' Legio XIII to vanquish it, with Lady Claudius as the vanguard."

You remember enough side material from Our Bloody Valentine to know Legio XIII are Justine's best of the best; men and women trained to the absolute peak of martial ability.

Knowing how big a deal they are, and how badly you're hurt despite them, fills you with animal panic. "Chi-My maid, how is she? How's Bridgette and Lily?"

"The Darkling girl, your maid, and that muscle-brained Alteisen took their lumps, and are currently convalescing." Tanya sees the sadness distort your face and sighs. "You're perverse enough for this to make you feel better, so I can tell you they escaped with minor harm. You took the worst of it by far."

It does not, in fact, make you feel better.

You start to cry, hot and bitter. Not just for failing, not just for dashed pride, but because you got the people you care about hurt. You should've listened to Chiaki, you should've run, you should've assessed the situation better, you-

Tanya squeezes your undamaged hand. "Oi. I know that dark expression. That's the face of someone ruminating on their failures." She smiles gently, unused to the gesture. "It doesn't suit you, Young Lady Claudius."

"But I screwed up," you say, sniffling. "I screwed up big."

"As do we all," Tanya says. "Given your noble blood, or your freakish, Sophia-given physical talents, you may have forgotten your mortality. Mortals err as they doth strive, but it's that errant path which leads to truth."

<Artsy> "She didn't seem the poetic type, no?"

<Brainy> "The girl is the only one among our entourage with some sense, a few pretty words wouldn't be beyond her."

You blink away tears, talking and crying has sapped a lot of your energy. "I don' get it."

Tanya chuckles. "If you never screw up, you never learn your limits. Screw-ups are a learning experience." She sits beside your bed and starts setting up a small chemistry set, with powders and brightly colored vials.

"Whatcha doin'?"

Tanya inspects a vial of bubbling green liquid, no longer looking at you. "As part of my training as House Physicker, and as part of your punishment for letting things get out of hand, I get to test my new medications on you."

A wicked grin blooms on Tanya's face and you start thinking of Bad Ends.

***​

You are Bedridden! (And not from Tanya's shady new drugs!) Stress +5.

You cannot undertake Weekly or Weekend Activities while Bedridden.

[It is week two in the seventh month of Anno Sophia 92. You are thirteen years old.]

***​

[Who comes to visit you in the hospital first?]
[ ] Prince Alteisen, with a bouquet
[ ] Lucciano Morningstar, with a painting
[ ] Camille Asuka, with some sweets
[ ] Lady Claudius, with words

***​

Spoiler: TenCo Avat@r Cheatsheet

NAME
Kid A Grace Claudius, Age 13

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 45

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
Wounded Pride

PRE-CAPTURE ROUTES
Camille Asuka
Lily Valentine
Prince Bryn Alteisen

CAPTURE ROUTES
Bridgette Alteisen {Blood Sister}

 

[megrisvernin]

Omake:

A Fashion Revolution(ary)

'Grace Claudius is such an idiot,' Tanya opined to herself as she stirred the cauldron, preparing the next round of medications for the duchess' heir. She wore a heavy, well-worn apron over herself to keep any spills off her gold and black gown.

The more she stirred, the more she stewed on her patron's stupidity. Grace was reckless, impetuous, and far too ready to throw herself into danger! Dummy, Idiot, 'Baka'. The last, a term Tanya had heard her maid address Grace with when correcting her on something.

"Can't you make these taste any better?" Grace blanched as she almost gagged on the foul tasting concoction the revolutionary had previously prepared.

"Good medicine is bitter," the coppery blonde addressed Grace without turning around.

It was true she could have made them taste better, but she didn't feel like encouraging the aristocrat right then. Grace deserved it for making her worry so much!

"What were you even thinking of charging a monster like that?" She groused.

"I thought a head shot would do massive damage-" Grace groaned, defending herself.

Tanya sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. It figured that the first time this commoner began to have hope for the future, an inkling of optimism, she got a reminder why exactly Grace might be willing to upset social convention in favor of the masses. She was too much of an idiot to pay attention to logic in any other case!

"It's not worth it if you get hurt!" Was Tanya's riposte.

And wasn't that a surprise, Tanya worrying about a noble when not long before she'd been plotting the execution en masse of the social class.

"I-I'm sorry I worried you," she heard Grace mumble, like a child fussed at by her mother.

Infuriated, Tanya turned around to glare at her benefactor, hands balled into fists at her sides. "Don't say you're sorry, say you won't do something like that again. If you weren't for your battle gown's enchantments you could have…you would have…" She trailed off, unable to voice her fears aloud.

Grace twiddled her fingers a bit sheepishly. "I'll try not to be so reckless again."

"You'd better." Was Tanya's brisk reply before she turned back to managing the cauldron.

"T-Tsundere? Was that tsundere?" Tanya heard her mistress repeating to herself, another of those nonsense terms she'd like to use. She had no idea what it meant but she felt like she should be insulted.

An unpleasant smile came to her lips as she added a drop of a forest green tincture to the mixture. It would increase the effects a bit, but she had a more pertinent reason for its inclusion.

Using a ladle, she poured some of the slightly glowing mixture into a mug and brought it over to Grace, who stared at it dubiously.

"Drink it," Tanya demanded, pressing it into her hands.

Grace looked up at Tanya with pleading eyes, sighed and took a sip. She immediately made a face. "Bitter!"

Tanya's secret ingredient was Sauerwort extract: a pain reliever, fever reducer, and the bitterest tincture in her kit.

If Grace would do something so stupid, worry Tanya so much, the little revolutionary would subtly make her displeasure known by any means necessary.

((()))​

After finishing Grace's morning potion regiment, which the headstrong noble dramatically described as tortuous, Tanya returned to her workshop. She was eager to put the finishing touches on her latest series of projects.

First she turned to the guns she had set up. The breakthrough there was less in the guns being deadlier, but instead the inventor trying to find a way to cut down on their weight without compromising their function. While it'd make it easier for the average farmhand or worker to carry, really she wanted those of less imposing stature to be able to bear their weight as well. The downtrodden deserved a levelling tool; one that cared not if you were strong or weak, young or old, man or woman. One that cried thunder for all who'd suffered injustices and would rightly flock to the cause of justice and liberation if given the means.

That it would let her personally wield her own weapons was a nice touch too.

Hefting it, she went through the firing sequence, using dud ammunition rather than live rounds. Examining the gun barrel, it hadn't cracked like the earlier prototypes, but she thought she could still shave a few grams off around the gun mount. Something to note for later.

Setting the gun down, she moved to her other projects. This one less martial and more economic. Looking at the light blue vials, she carefully added rose oil to it. Rather than adding anything magical to the concoction, she was hoping it might add a nice smell to it. Normally, such ornamentation was beyond her, but there was a method to her madness. Such an addition would let her divest nobles of even more filthy lucre with her product!

Tanya carefully marked the doctored vials and made a mental note to distribute them to the Grace posers later. They were vapid noblewomen whose thoughtless treatment of the servants at her school hadn't escaped her notice. They'd view the early access to it as a plus, a sign of 'favored' treatment from the Claudius when really they would be test subjects should there be "unfortunate" interactions.

Tanya ran a tentative finger through a lush, curled pigtail. It felt like angel down, and reflected light like quicksilver, but reacted like regular hair.

'Good,' Tanya nodded. She was determined to avoid her hair gaining sentience like Grace. With her luck, it'd inadvertently squeeze the life out of some irritating nobles and undo her schemes.

Satisfied, she moved to a mannequin where her last, but by no means least project waited. She changed out of her shapeless work jumper, and slipped into the gown that seemingly beckoned her to wear it. It was in its final stages and she was just about ready to debut it.

The gown had come out wonderfully, with appealing bows and floral flowers, and a wide flaring skirt to match the poofiest of Grace's. It had a few comfort utilities worked in to make it easier to move in, necessarily with the many petticoats required to fluff it out.

Tanya took a few steps, noting with pride that it didn't encumber her mobility like she was worried it might. Stepping in front of a mirror, she did a little twirl and felt a surge of girlish delight. The scowl she'd been wearing all day vanished into a smile. All those vapid nobles couldn't hold a candle to her marriage of form and function!

The embittered teenager felt her stress melt away as she struck some poses, fantasizing about wearing the outfit to a gala. After some deep pondering some time before, when she realized how Grace had won her allegiance, Tanya had also admitted to herself then how much she enjoyed the poofy gowns the Claudius scion preferred. It reminded her of simpler times, when she'd been a carefree child and fantasized about being princesses with her sister. So she designed the kind of gown she always dreamed about wearing, drawing heavily on Grace's own style.

Both for the practical reasons of alluding to her allegiance, like her use of black and gold colors and echoing the preferred silhouette of both Ladies Claudius, but also as a reference. Fashion designer she was not, but she could draw on an existing design easily enough. No substantial combat enhancements, though as it was still a prototype that was expected. House Claudius might have endless money, but that didn't mean she did, even with them sponsoring her. Even if their doors (and coffers) were open to her, Tanya was nervous what Grace's mother might find if she turned a closer lens to her and discovered her prior revolutionary rhetoric.

But most of all she felt so elegant and feminine in it, so unlike her usual scrawny self. Wearing it she felt, if only slightly, more cheerful and upbeat. Less put upon by the world, certainly. She could almost dare to consider herself beautiful.

Tanya ran her hands down the gown, letting out a blissful sigh from the fabric's silken decadence. She had hoped to surprise Grace on her return with it, but the big dum dum had to go and get herself hurt, ruining the moment for her.

She paused, considering said dum dum. Grace had promised to be more careful, the best she was likely to get from her. Getting the girl to listen to reason was worth a reward, she supposed. With a light, airy chuckle, Tanya decided she'd deign to wear her new gown when she delivered the noblewoman's evening potions. While a part of her protested, more softly than usual, she could admit to herself she was looking forward to Grace's reaction. Glancing out a window at how late in the evening it was, she realized she was almost due to give her next dose anyways.

((()))

"Tannnya I'm feeling fine, really I can go without my potions." Grace whined as Tanya entered. As always, the little noble tried to wheedle her out of Tanya's next treatment.

"Perish the thought, Young Lady Claudius, I'll not fail in carrying out my duty." The blonde revolutionary answered, ignoring her patron's pleas for mercy as she rolled in her cauldron and supplies on a cart.

"Your duty in messing with me? I saw that little smile on your face "

"If I'm smiling, it's only from joy in service to such a noble fool," Tanya replied back, her smile more impish than wicked.

"I just wished you'd listen to me more…" Grace pouted.

As Tanya began to turn a fire under the cauldron to begin boiling the water, she heard a gasp from behind her followed by a high pitched cheer.

"Tanya, you changed your gown."

"I hope it meets with your approval."

"Do I ever- You look gorgeous in it!" Grace gushed. Tanya was pleased she was facing away from her benefactor, as it let her conceal the dimple-cheeked smile on her face.

"My, what part of it do you like," Tanya asked coyly.

"Everything! The lace, the full skirts, it practically makes you look like a princess."

Hearing those words filled her with elation, especially to come from a noblewoman as highly placed as Grace. Tanya feeling her mood lift with the realization of a childhood fantasy…And despite her best efforts she giggled in delight.

"Woh." It was her mistress's awed exhalation that brought her back down to earth, and had Tanya turn around and face her patient.

"I merely emulated your style Grace, so it'd be more like saying you're a princess. Fitting since you'll be the next queen." Tanya did her best to answer matter of factly, but couldn't quite keep the saccharine grin off her face.

"Holy Gap Moe." The Claudius heir whispered aloud to herself.

"What was that?" Tanya pressed upon yet another one of Grace's Gracisms.

"I, uh, didn't expect to see you wearing it. You really do look pretty in it."

Before she realized it, before the dour, rational side of her that was not at all filled with gooey girlish pride from the prettiest girl she knew's praise could stop her, Tanya gave her benefactor a bright, beaming smile.

"Okay, we definitely need to get you more outfits like these. Do you just have the one?" Grace decided, smiling back. Knowing how she'd dragooned her maid into outfits, Tanya knew there was no resisting it and so just nodded and smiled, letting her rationality drown in the warm bliss of fashionable satisfaction.

"Then I'll get you enough to fill out your wardrobe-" Grace declared.

Tanya Schwartzwald had won the war over herself. She loved poofy, floofy, pretty dresses.

But she had yet more battles to fight in her war against nobility and stupidity.

"Now just lie back down and I'll get you your potions-"

"We're still doing that…" Grace complained, suddenly crestfallen.

Which only had Tanya shaking her head in amusement. "Of course, you fool. My heart is not so easily swayed."

Author's Note

Was inspired by the Tanya making medicine for Grace, so thought I'd do a followup to my last omake for her. Tanya POV is fun.