>>36006513


Your wooden hand creaks in futility as you examine the damage from the new model's lance. Split like a starburst, the remains hang on only by the virtue of wooden fibers, flora veins and what passes for the bones of such plants.
The flight from the Overwatch camp was smooth, no pursuers after you landed outside of the quarantine zone. Donneth assured you of that. Didn't bother to dick around with fixing your hand there either, after a rendezvous with Echo, it was straight back to the safety of base. Fucking Marcus put Camille in the trunk.

Speaking of Camille, she was put in the basement level with a blindfold and restraints. That's all it really takes to restrain a nerve anyway. With Emilia's help you looked through her personalized outfit. For the left hand, a glove that you might call “Fingerpaint” that ejects the three primary colors. Two of the fingers seem to be for shading or mixing while on the other side there's an arm-mounted pallet that holds premixed and preset colors.
Fucking weaponized paint. Have to admit yourself, for as niche as it is, it's pretty thought out. All the paint's charged with mana too, rippling with it. You see a dark black and a lustrous steel gray ready on the pallet with a bright red thumbed on with some yellow as though she were about to mix it...

With XIX's help, you fix the hand, piggybacking off of her latent knowledge to get it back to pristine condition. Even if you just let it hang there most of the time, it's nice to not have a broken hand...

With that all done and well, you head down to your room to check on the sleeping Emilia, a hand upon her cheek, she smiles a little and you feel a bit better inside. No one's going to take her from you.
No one.

To the basement for Camille, you pull up a chair with Saph on the other side. After some moments pass, you catch her looking at you, “What? Something on my face?”

>>36006546


She chuckles, “No, nothing. I just wanted to tell you that you did a good job this time. Gave me a heart attack when you ran off like that but...”

“You said you didn't want unnecessary casualties, and I just wanted to get Emilia back. I'm not some psycho, they surrendered anyway.”

(By right, you could have taken them as prisoner.) Legna whispers through the ether. (Though the agreement was to let them go, you need not oblige cowardice.)

(Good to know.) You return with a slight squint of your eyes. Dragging back anymore after those lance-mechs came would've been a bitch and a half. No thanks.

Saph seems a bit surprised, “They surrendered?”

“Yeah. Some guy named Wallie and Claire. There was another one, Jake, but... Let's just say that was the only casualty.”

“That's fine. Wallie though, you heard that right?”

“Yeah, it's what their fat mouths told me. Say, we don't tend to run our mouths with our real names during an operation, right?”

“That's right, I'm led to believe that they weren't trained to fight. Which is funny, because I actually know Wallie?”

You stop and stare at Saph, “That so? I've been wondering just how well connected you are.” Flexing your wooden fingers. You test the connections. Still stiff, but not wholly immobile.

“Well, it isn't much a matter of my connections. I met him in Hollywood a few months back when the Followers hit the West coast. He was part of the party that took down Susej.”

You continue staring, nearly speechless, the awe written over your face until you make good on drawing it back. “A guy like him?” You laugh it off, “He was in flip-flops. That's fucked up, you're lying.”

>>36006617
>“Well, it isn't much a matter of my connections. I met him in Hollywood a few months back when the Followers hit the West coast. He was part of the party that took down Susej.”
Oh boy. We get to hear Saph gush about the Petre "Wrecking Ball" Lupei.

>>36006617


“Still have lingering feelings for the followers?” Saph gives you an almost teasing smile, even though the question itself is a serious one.

“No, it's just crazy. You knew someone that took him down. I never saw the guy, but... Well, How is it to say that I 'felt' him.” You stop to think about it a moment, “Like, I was just a leaf on a branch to a great tree. That's how it felt. And I just know that he was powerful.”

Saph crosses her arm to rest her cheek against her knuckles, “Yes, he was amazing. But for all the power he had, a tree with enough swings taken to it will eventually fall.”

“What was his power? What was he like?” You ask, almost like a child that's never met their father. Curious, but distant.

“Well, he had power over light. And as a vein, he held those properties within his aura. He could move faster than Marcus, cut through concrete with only light, and he wasn't anything to scoff at from what I saw of his hand to hand. But that wasn't nearly as awful as when he unveiled the full extent of his power.” Saph trembles with a partway giddy smile on her face, “He spoke some words, and then it was like looking at a god.”

“What happened to him? How did you guys beat that?”

“I already told you, if you can chip away at a tree, you can make it fall. Susej, even if he was deific, he was still a man.”

>[] “Good to know...”
>[] “There was another name too... Violet ring any bells?”
>[] “If he came back, could we defeat him?”
>[] Wait for Camille to come around.
>[] Who else was involved?
>[] (other)

>>36006686
>[] “There was another name too... Violet ring any bells?”

>>36006513
http://pastebin.com/Zn1VgHXW


>>36006686
>[x] Who else was involved?
>[x] “There was another name too... Violet ring any bells?”

>>36006686
>[] “There was another name too... Violet ring any bells?”
>[] Who else was involved?

>>36006665
-Certified- Wrecking Ball, anon. Get it right.

>>36006686
>[] Wait for Camille to come around.
>[] Who else was involved?

>>36006617
>a few months back
Maybe I'm misunderstanding the timelines, but didn't OH:PL not happen until October 2014? How could that have happened months ago if it's Oct 2014 now?

>>36007178
I recall it also being during the summer. I might need to check.

>>36007202
I just checked. It was June, my mistake.

>>36006686


“There was another name I heard. Violet ring any bells?”

Saph shakes her head, “No, I didn't know anyone by that name.”

“Well, who else was involved in taking down Susej?”

Saph thinks for a moment, a knuckle to her lips to contemplate, “Marcus, myself, Wallie or Walter as he prefers, A gypsy that lost his parents and brother, a barista that died in the struggle, a man of the armed forces by the name of Jacque Moreu, a hitman by the alias “Lock On,” a girl by the name of Margaret or Maggie...” She closes her eyes, “I can't remember anyone else. It took a lot of us, and he'd already been hurt badly by a man that became Atlas. You may have felt the Earth shake around that time. Veins can't heal their wounds. I just hope he stays dead.”

“You think it's possible for him to return?”

She lets out a deep sigh, “Resurrection is not impossible, though it is difficult and even life-threatening. The story of Jesus of Nazareth shows that it's possible to walk from death. It's even possible to make a deal with Hades and other afterlives to bring back the dearly departed. I'm not sure if it only brings them back as shades though.”

Well there's a thought. Death may not be the end, eh?

Camille moves under her binds, eyes flickering behind the black cloth. “What... Where am I?” She wheezes and coughs, still touched by Marcus's smoke.

“Easy now, easy. You're okay now.” Saph says, gently placing a hand upon Camille's knee, she doesn't flinch.

“Who... are you?”

“That's not important right now. Someone that knew you wanted to see you, to talk to you.” She speaks gently and soft. It isn't a glamour in her voice, just a soft comfort.

Despite some haggard breathing, Camille is more or less at ease. “Can I... See them?”

“Not yet.” Saph whispers, then looks to you.

>[] “Camille, do you remember me?”
>[] “I'm sorry.”
>[] “How have you been?”
>[] “How's Hunter?”

>>36007545
>[] “How have you been?”
>[] “How's Hunter?”

>>36007545
>[] “How have you been?”
>[] “I'm sorry.”
Not sure which one would be better. Sorry is kinda needed to be said at some point, but I dunno if we want to start with it.

>>36007545
>"Hows the dick situation?"

>>36007632
>being sorry
For what? We wanted to chat, bitch attacked us with her friends

>>36007545
>lost his parents and brother
>and brother
Sheeeeiiiiiiit. Pali died? Or did Petre die and Pali was the one who lived?

>>36007545
>[x] “How have you been?”

>>36007675
For summoning up Biggie and getting a fuckton of people killed? That's the entire reason she didn't meet up like we wanted. Can at least pretend to give half a fuck about it.

>>36007675
Not that guy but I guess for getting Camille involved in the Mage's Life. It's a rough world.

>>36007714
Nah. Not sorry about that.

By the way, discussion thread is still up. I've been reading all the stuff there.
>>35989869

File: shrug.png (126 KB, 551x664)

126 KB PNG

>>36007545
>Resurrection is not impossible, though it is difficult and even life-threatening.
>coming back to life is life-threatening
Saph pls

>>36007707
Hey, we didn't know it would kill people. We just pressed the shiny red button, it's biggies fault, he is a being of his own will and we are not at fault for his actions
We dindu nuffin

>>36007545


You've never really been good at this kind of thing. It's not like putting on airs and bullshitting a crowd.
This? This is personal.

“How have you been?” It's a little meeker than you expected. Perhaps you should've started with “sorry.”

“That.. voice.” She coughs some more, “Ash...er? That you?” She grits her teeth, her fingertips turning white from pressing against the armrests of her chair. “You bastard. Those people.” She breaks into coughing again, “Those people. Families. Children.”

Saph looks at you again, expectantly. “It wasn't my fault-” You start and she spits at you. It misses entirely.

“You're response...” A cough, “You're responsible. You tried to make that thing listen. You summoned it...” You can almost feel her glaring through the black cloth. “It's your mess. That we were cleaning up. So many linger there... I can see them.”

You begin to speak, but Saph raises a finger for her own turn, “My dear, you see the departed?”

“And the workings of magic... A world of beauty. And great suffering.”
“When I heard... When I heard that you escaped, when Wolfgang said that you'd left the followers, I thought you'd be doing the right thing.” She shudders a breath, holding back on incoming cough, wheezing. “The one touching me, I feel so much kindness. But why are you next to a person like this? Is she fucking with my head? Is this some kind of brainwashing?”

“My dear, relax. I'm doing nothing to alter your mind. You're among friends and we both care about you. We want to work things out. You can leave after you've heard us out, we will not force you to stay. Asher just wanted to see you.”

You're silent for a few moments, Camille's breathing softens for the time. “You'll really let me leave?”

“Of course.”

>>36008324

Camille coughs in her throat, slowly nodding, “Okay then. He wants to talk, then let's talk. Then I'm going.”

>[] “It wasn't my fault.”
>[] “I lost control, but I won't again.”
>[] “Why do you work for Overwatch?”
>[] “How's Hunter doing?”
>[] (other)

>>36008324
>moralfags
Kek

>>36008346
>[] “Why do you work for Overwatch?"
Nigga overwatch is fucking worse than asher "hey bby u got magic, join us." "No" "you ded now lol"

>>36008346
>I dindu nuffin
>it da hu mans fault
>holdin a tree down and shit

>>36008346
>[] “I lost control, but I won't again.”
Damn I'm already so tired of hearing about this. We seriously had no way of knowing that would happen
>[] “How's Hunter doing?”

>>36008315
Bringing someone else back to life.

>>36008353
How many times do I need to say that people outside of the followers are most likely going to give a shit even if you kill just one "innocent" person. We're talking unarmed civilians that are in all likelihood NOT scumbags.

Soldiers, terrorists, and other criminals are often outside of that moral scope, but in this case Asher is responsible for Biggie as it's a result of his own magic, and all the lives lost to the errant spell. Responsibility to the responsible and shit.
>>36008411
They imprison dangerous people too, Like Gertrude, Asher, and Tony.

>>36008346
>[] “I lost control, but I won't again.”
>[] (other)
Maybe say something about how we wanted to stop splodeyman from sploding our people, but we fucked up.

>>36008346
>[] “It wasn't my fault.”
>[] “I lost control, but I won't again.”
Camille a shit
I be hunter would be down with killing some dudes, hunter was a bro
>[] “How's Hunter doing?”

>>36008324
"Camille, one thing that has always been true about me is my apathy. I will be quite honest when I say I did not want that to happen. I did not think it would...it was not even supposed to be a summon. But whatever I did, it was powerful enough to take on a life of its own. But still, I did pay for it. I got that beast under control and I paid for it." Hold up the wood arm. "Beneath this is a burnt out scrap of flesh used to the charred remains of bone. I could not and cannot feel it. I know what I did was wrong...and now, I'm going to try and make things better. I'd like your help...there's so few people here I can truly trust anymore. That I truly want to trust."

>>36008346
>[] “I lost control, but I won't again.”
Maybe something like, "I lost control of a spell and then lost my arm and part of my soul because of it. It's not something I intend to repeat."

>>36008346
>[] “It wasn't my fault.”
hey, someone was trying to murder me and I defended myself. It wasn't my intention to kill those people or even summon the damn thing for that matter, you wanted to fight in a crowded space, not us. (We did technically start it, but we were just stealing shit. It didn't get violent until they made it violent.)
>[] “Why do you work for Overwatch?”
>>36008411
I know. I'm going to go review our speech from like the third thread for the bullet points I'm gonna need, brb.

If there's a calm point,
>[] “How's Hunter doing?”
Otherwise, it's not worth talking about right now, she didn't even know him. plus if we diplomance this bitch we'll have all the time in the world later.

>>36008448
You can say it a thousand times dran, it's stupid and childish to believe that a few "innocent" lives are worth more than taking down a dangerous enemy who has the capabilities to be a real threat to all people involved. Is it the ideal solution? Fuck no. Is it still a solution that is viable? Yes. Is it something you should bitch and moan about? In my opinion no.

>>36008471
>[] “I lost control, but I won't again.”
>[] (other)
If we want to do this right, we acknowledge that we lost control, that those peoples' deaths are on our hands, -maybe- throw in a line about how the shit we did with the Followers is still blood on our hands or some shit, and follow it with saying that we are trying to do the right thing and help make the world a better place.

She's just going to get madder if we keep trying to deflect and say it wasn't our fault. Same thing if we try to pull the "I suffered too! It burned off my arm!" That shit NEVER works in Dran quests. I guarantee you that she'd just counter with screaming about how she can see the suffering of the people we got toasted.

>>36008539
Do remember that dran is from Cali, fucking liberals

>>36008555
linked to the wrong post instead of the vote prompt t>>36008346

>>36008346
Seconding >>36008555
Don't say the thing about the Followers though. That's too much right now.

>>36008346
>>36008346
>tfw would bother to write out a manipulative speech
>tfw not going to because dran will write it as if asher actually believes it
I'm not gonna let asher get further pussified

>>36008638
At this point, it's not a matter of whether or not he believes this hypothetical speech, it's a matter of whether or not he can articulate it properly.

Pussification is already complete, anon.

>>36008555
I won't accept those deaths being on our hands.

War is war yo, maybe shit got out of hand, but that doesn't mean we intended to hurt civilians or that we need to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.. If an Overwatch dude wasn't trying to kill us that shit wouldn't have happened.

>>36008555
Shit like this is just gonna be a "wahhhh muh feels" off, and considering asher doesn't give a shit, we can't win.
Also why the fuck isn't saph handling this? We both know she's the better talker, and I don't think anyone here actually wants to talk to camille, why isn't saph recruiting

>>36008693
I agree, but we need to talk because we're the reason Camille is pissed, so only we can diffuse this shit.

>>36008693
Saph's diplomancy goes as far as feeling and understanding how other people feel. It allows her to say the right then and understand what direction a conversation is going. It doesn't make her the one necessarily able to say the right thing and even if Camille joined, there'd be unresolved. bad blood between the two of them.

She doesn't glamour people the way Friend does, but it's pretty damn close.

>>36008684
The deaths were on our hands. It doesn't matter whether or not Asher didn't intend to kill them, it still happened. He feels bad about shit in-character now that the Followers anti-empathy mindfuck is gone. Voting to keep trying to deflect blame isn't going to do anything but make him flounder around incompetently and fuck everything up.

And explosion guy wasn't Overwatch

>>36008781
Her core power is Intuitive Empathy.
She's an emotion lord.

>>36008684
I don't think its been pushed through these numb skulls heads that this is serious shit. Ever single over is a potential nuke, if you want to take one out, you can't worry about the casualties. This is a three way war, possibly bigger, and they are treating this shit like its a playground game.
Limit what you can, but don't go punishing your soldiers for doing their damnedest

>>36008819
>every over
Every last human being is a potential nuke, when magic came back, the kiddy gloves should have come off, but they seem to be having some trouble with that.

I miss the followers
I miss eshe
I miss hunter
I miss friend

>>36008346
"Haha, if you think that use of my magic was reckless, wait till you see this portal I'm about to make!"

>>36008978
"It's a T-rex, nigga! A T-rex made of plants! Shit's gonna be like a dragon, soooo cash."

>>36009008
"Its breath attack is fairies! FAIERIES!"
>Asher then stands up and starts cackling madly.

>>36008978
Fuck I'm so ready for the faepocalypse to happen

>>36009008
"Oh, don't mind her, she's just the cannibal spider-woman that I enslaved in exchange for saving her from ebola-aids-cancer."

>>36009051
>thinking asher can do anything anymore
Nah he'd go eat emilia out like a good boy

>>36009061
I'm really fucking curious about what the fuck Morgan did and how exactly it's going to make Saph calm down when it happens.

>>36009082
I bet she unleashed the unseelie

>Only now realizing just how hard we all fucked up by leaving Luci route.
She didn't give a fuck about collateral. She wasn't all gung-ho about massacre, but she wouldn't have given a fuck about Biggie.

>>36008803
>Voting to keep trying to deflect blame isn't going to do anything but make him flounder around incompetently and fuck everything up.
Normally I'm all for people having our their own opinion, but this one is dumb as fuck and makes no sense. Even if you're right about it being Asher's fault, it's normal to not fucking want that crap on your shoulders, a sane individual will usually try to come up with an excuse. Being a bitch and letting other people tell us we're a bad person and going "Ok..." is dumb.

I have no idea how Asher not wanting responsibility for those deaths translates to "Floundering incompetently" at all.

>And explosion guy wasn't Overwatch
Still a valid enough excuse for needing to unleash the beast.

>>36009072
On second thought, I don't know how the fuck we are going to convince Camille that we are the good guys.

>>36009138
We aren't, no one is the good guys, ZG is still better than overwatch

>>36009120
>I have no idea how Asher not wanting responsibility for those deaths translates to "Floundering incompetently" at all.
Because that's how Dran is going to write it. Asher is just going to go "b-but it wasn't my f-fault..." and he'll be lucky if he isn't cut off right then and there.

We're dealing with someone who is pissed off, thinks they have the moral highground (they do), and has literally been standing around dealing with the ghosts of the people we got killed for a while now.

Even if Dran wasn't going to write it as Asher fucking up and floundering, deflection would be completely inn effective.

>>36009185
>inn effective
I don't want to insult you because that was actually a pretty reasonable answer, but just know that I could have.

>>36009235
Fucking autocorrect...

>>36008346


ou think for a moment, and then those moments turn to seconds, minutes even as Camille just waits. Rattling your brain for something to say to her, that obviously wants to hear you apologetic for the deaths of human fodder. It almost makes you simmer.
Breath. Calm down. She serves a purpose. You need to use your humanity, your words to bend her ear. Let yourself feel, even a little. There.
“I lost control.”

Camille leers accusingly in your direction as though to say, “No shit.”

“I was trying to get rid of one person and it all got out of hand. My life was in danger and now the lives of many are on my hands. It is now, and what was so back when I was with the Followers.”

“They let me read your record. Choice Hills Baptist. You summoned.. A goddess. And you drowned a priest. There were few survivors and the ones that did turned that town into a hell hole for anyone that ignored their goddess. You initiated a goddamn cult.”

You almost feel a smile come on. Holy shit, you'd barely heard about that in so long. No, keep it calm, steady. “I wasn't in my right mind. But I'm trying to do some real good now, and I want you to help me.”

She seems considerate now, as though she's closer to the fence, “Help with what?”

“Well. I want to bring faeries back to the world. The Seelie. They're good faeries, they'll help people and the nature preserves.”

“Faeries?” She smirks a bit, “That's ridiculous. How would you do that?”

“By creating a gate for them.”

Saph interjects, “We'll also be removing the followers and those that would run America into the ground. We want you to help us.”

Camille withdraws, her head hanging loosely. “You oppose the followers... Why don't you just join Overwatch?”

>>36009317
>You almost feel a smile come on.
HA

>>36009317
>Why don't you just join Overwatch?
Because fuck that asshole who taunted us in a hole for 3 months while we got to listen to a screaming wendigo, that's why.

>>36009317
>You almost feel a smile come on.
IS OUR GOLDEN BOY BACK IN TOWN? Dear god it's the promised day

>>36009317
>Why don't you just join Overwatch?
because Overwatch is even worse...?

>>36009317
>You almost feel a smile come on. Holy shit, you'd barely heard about that in so long. No, keep it calm, steady. “I wasn't in my right mind. But I'm trying to do some real good now, and I want you to help me.”
Is this actually Asher acting like a manipulative dick instead of drinking his own koolaid? Is it happening? Is Dran being awesome today?

>>36009364
Hell YEAH he is. Check out this shit that came before it.
>Breath. Calm down. She serves a purpose. You need to use your humanity, your words to bend her ear. Let yourself feel, even a little. There.

Maybe he does actually feel crummy every once in a while, and maybe he does actually like Emilia now, but at least we know Asher's still our Asher.

>>36009317
>"Too much bad blood, Marcus would kill me, and I think that if I asked they'd put a round through my head just because of the security risk."

>>36009317
>for the deaths of human fodder. It almost makes you simmer.
this is almost perfect but
>simmer
Seriously asher? "Simmer"? You're fucking 19 stop being Gertrude's father

>>36009483
Shhh. It's ok anon. Asher is grandpa.

>>36009483
It's the rage beast's influence. It associates heat with anger

>>36009317
Camille doesn't even know, overwatch is a big shit stain, us or ded, that's their motto

>>36009524
Boil
Boil would be a better word

You know what the best part of all this is?

Saph was sitting there listening to Asher's emotional process the entire time.

She felt him get PISSED that Camille would dare bitch at him over those people he killed, then she felt him force calm because he wants her to join, then she felt him think the Asherah thing was funny.

And she still sat there and pretended nothing happened and continued to do the ZG pitch.

>>36009558
Remember, compared to marcus, ashers emotions are probably less insane

>>36009610
Do you think she gets nervous in the back of her mind every time she feels Marcus get hungry?

>>36009558
Lel. It's not so bad. In addition to feeling the emotions she also understands and empathizes with the emotions. She can probably feel our shitty childhood radiating off of us like the stench of a dead animal.

>>36009610
Yeah, even with how bad we are, we're still within the realm of human emotion. At least we don't fucking eat people.

>>36009610
>that nigga looks tasty
>nah can't eat em saph would be mad
>maybe just a little bite
>nah she doesn't like when I try to weasel my way out of stuff
>maybe if I just lick him a bit

>>36009655
I don't doubt it at all

>>36009666
>tfw based dad is dead

>>36009670
Pffftttt hahahahaha this is gold

>>36009689
I thought he was in prison or some shit.

>>36009317
"Do you know why I joined the Followers after I awoke? Because they had answers for me. Insane as they are, they taught me about the potential each of us has locked within. Overwatch is the dog of the government and thus, they exist to enforce the status quo. We can go beyond that, Camille. We humans don't have to be bound by the limitations of our bodies. We have the chance to make a new world now, a better one. Why would I not take that chance?"

I want to throw in that subtle idea of magic allowing for things beyond the mundane (AKA magical sex change). Manipulation!

>>36009689
We don't know if he's dead. He wasn't in the city for the wave, though. He was in prison since he got blamed for Asher's arson-murder.

>>36009717
That prison was probably in Cali. You know, prisons arnt generally built to withstand tidal waves

>>36009745
>Prisons are within the city, right next to the coast.
Nigger was probably shoved in some place miles from the coast, where he sat until he awakened. I'm personally 100% that he's a follower now, and we're gonna have to face him eventually. Our mom is definitely dead though, and I don't care.

>>36009798
I think Dad might be an Overwatch cyborg. Daedalus was getting all his labrats from the prison system.

>>36009798
Considering all her drinking she probably didn't even see it coming

>>36009728
Dude no sex change. What the hell anon. "Hey if you join me I'll make your outie an innie free of charge!"

>>36009728
There's no way she didn't already have Eustene use his flesh shaping spell to do it.

>>36009317
>inb4 Camille can tell that Asher was scumbagging it up just now.

>>36009878
>implying Dran gave up on his trap fetish.

>>36009916
Pshh, if she couldn't tell when we awakened her, I doubt she can tell now.

>>36009810
Oooo fuck, that's pretty likely... Except I think he's getting them from... nearby Mount Olympus I guess? Wherever that's at. I assume it's just the name of their base, and not a real place in fucking Greece.

>>36009317


“Because once the followers are gone, Overwatch will become a military force for instilling fear and military state into the commonfolk. Anything the men in charge will become word of god and that applies too for life or death. We want all people to be free and make what choices they want for themselves and their lives.”

Camille goes quiet, “You're not lying, are you? Who are you?”

Saphira begins to say something, yet backs off and smiles. “Just a friend,” she whispers.

Feeling that the time is right, you say,“Camille. I need you.”

She gasps a moment, but no words come of that. Saph rises, turning, “Come on, we'll give her some time to think.”

Leaving the room with Saph, you look back to Camille, she looks up as the door closes. Normally it'd be bad to leave her alone, but Saph assures you that her thought's aren't of escaping.
“Also, good job. You handled your feelings well.”

Taken aback, and without any better words to say, “Thank you, I guess.”

Saph smiles at you, “Keep up the good work, okay?”

A short chuckle from you, “Alright,” You start heading upstairs, “I'm going to go check on Emilia.”

Heading back up to XIX's room, you check on Emilia, who's already come around. She lays there in the bed with the child resting her head upon a clump of the sheets. The way Emilia's hair spills around the pillows and the way she looks at you with half-lidded eyes in a pose accentuating the curves of her body not unlike a model... She's lovely.

You sit on the bed beside her, taking her hand into your own.

“How'd it go?” She asks, yet she seems a touch distant, like a flower disdained.

>>36009941

“She's thinking now... You're not jealous, are you?” There's a bit of a tease in your tone, but it seems to have been on the mark.

“I remember... I was upset when you sought that... person out. And you did it again.”

Exploding into laughter, you quickly diminuendo when you find that she's upset, “Sorry, sorry. It's just funny that you feel threatened. She's not even a real woman. Besides-” You let your hand slip from hers as you stand up, “I know who's always been there for me.” You takes a deep swallow as you grow somber, “And I'm glad that I was able to be there for you.”

Emilia shifts slightly in the bed to look at you a bit better, a hand gently scratching at XIX's hair, “Asher, I...”

“You don't need to say anything Camille. Get well soon, okay?”

“Right.”

With that, you leave to find Gertrude standing just outside. She leans against the wall, with her rouge lips pouting, quickly forming into a coy smile of sorts, “Visiting your lady?” Her voice is a seductive purr. From the wrinkles and bent back of old age, her younger self is supple, eyes clear, face showing only the barest signs of maturity, and white hair falling over her shoulders.

>[] “None of your damn business.”
>[] “What if I am?”
>[] Ignore her and go to the woods.
>[] Ignore her and go to your room, time for bed.
>[] (other)

>>36009961
>You don't need to say anything Camille.
Wot.

>>36009961
>"That I am...shouldn't you be off enacting some childhood nightmare somewhere?"

>>36009961
>You don't need to say anything Camille
Lol, this would have caused so much drama.

>>36009980
THAT was my own fuckup.

REPLACE THAT with Emilia.

>>36009961
>>36010000
>“You don't need to say anything Camille. Get well soon, okay?”
Hell of an intense Freudian slip there Dranzy.

>>36009961
>"That I am...shouldn't you be off enacting some childhood nightmare somewhere?"
>go to bed

>>36009961
>[] Ignore her and go to the woods.
If we were to contract the Tetras, would they still be able to come through the portal afterwards?

>>36009961
>[] “What if I am?”
"Not trying to snack on Xix again, are you?"

>>36009961
>[] “What if I am?”

>>36009961
>[] Ignore her and go to the woods.
>Feel free to go eat a civie, just don't get caught, and don't tell saph
No one wants an ugly pet

>>36009961
Anyone have an idea what any of these choices do?

>[] “None of your damn business.”
Conversation with Gertrude, colors Asher more hostile.
>[] “What if I am?”
Conversation with Gertrude, colors Asher less hostile.
>[] Ignore her and go to the woods.
No talk, do fae stuff.
>[] Ignore her and go to your room, time for bed.
No talk, Faust stuff.

Are my guesses.

>>36009961
>[] Ignore her and go to your room, time for bed.
>>36010190
>No talk, Faust stuff.
I'm down for that.

>>36009961
>[] “What if I am?”

>>36009961
"So, hypothetically, if you had to tell a woman that you married her, how would you do it?"

>>36009961
>[] Ignore her and go to the woods.

>inb4 Asher is the reincarnation of Gertrude's late husband who died 20 years ago

>>36009961
So is she old again now or what?

>>36010472
No she's not.

>>36010472
She probably just has weird holdovers from how she used to be.

>>36009961
>she was pouting
I want to fuck the spider lady

>>36010544
i would be for it if I wasnt sure she planned on eating us

>>36010544
I don't

>>36010579
She totally wants us dead. Or wants our dick. Whichever, both are dangerous occurrences.

>>36009961

“What if I am?” You say dismissively, starting already to walk down the hall, her footsteps soon following after.

“Just curious. You were so angry when they took her. She's really special to you, isn't she?”

You stop, spinning around to glare at her, flexing the fingers of your wooden hand, “Yes. And I'd appreciate if you kept away from her.”

Gertrude raises her hands, fingernails painted as red as her lips, “Woah, easy there. No need to get so hostile. It's just...” She crosses her arms to press against her bust, “I barely know you even after you... enslaved me.” She says that with a smile.
“Is it so wrong for me to want to get to know my master?” She starts forward, with a bedroom haze over her eyes and her hips in full sway and you raise your hand for her to stop.

“Leave it.” You say, minding your contract with Meli. Doing something with Gertrude would be unfaithful. The nymph was very clear about that being a violation of your marriage. She halts, “If you want, go find some undesirable and drink them or something. I don't need you bothering me with this bullshit. If I needed to get off, I'd just jack it.”

Gertrude grins, “Oh? I just wanted to try out my new body. It's been so long since anyone's pleasured little old me, and wouldn't you get splinters?” She refers to your new right hand.

“I said fuck off,” You clench the wooden fist harder, the grinding of wood against wood, “I'm not interested.”

She begins to say something, yet thinks better on it. “As you wish... Master.” She bows and takes a few steps back, “Suppose I'll just fine some nubile whore to prey upon...” She lowers her vision, smiling as she sees what she was looking for, “I'll be waiting...” She disappears around the corner.

Turning away, you clutch a part of your body that's betrayed you. Perhaps a cold shower will help you settle down...

>[] Bed.
>[] Woods.

>>36010704
>Perhaps a cold shower will help you settle down...
Our Ice might be nerfed, but I'm sure it'd be good enough to slush a water ball, dump it over ourself, and then remove the water.

>[] Woods.

>>36010704
>“Suppose I'll just fine some nubile whore to prey upon...”
Ladywhore or manwhore?

>>36010704
>[] Bed.

>>36010704
Meli ruins everything.
Also I wanna pound that spider ass, while she eats some poor fucker. That'd be hot

>>36010765
I still can't believe you guys don't realize who she is.

Also, she speaks with a british accent, I need to channel that more.

>>36010747
We can use ice for non offensive purposes right? Does wrapping our dick in ice count as offensive?

>>36010837
She's supposed to be someone? Just tell us, no one cares enough to figure it out themselves

>>36010704
>[] Bed.

>>36010837
Do you mean we should recognize the mythos she invoked or we should recognize the old lady she was beforehand?

>>36010704
>[] Woods.

>>36010817
I might've fucked her just to purposefully break our marriage contract, but I figure we can wait until the portal is open first.

>>36010837
Fuck. Now I've gotta wrack my brain... She was old, so she couldn't have already been a vampire. That also means she couldn't have been associated with Dracula either, that shit happened to long ago... wait a minute... NO IT DIDN"T, THAT SHIT WAS 1897!

That would mean Gertrude is like 130 though, which is just a smidge outside the realm of possibility. Is she the daughter of Mina Harker or something?

>>36010837
I swear to Christ if she's Jack the Ripper I'll kill you

Alright... Let's just say that Asher likes his showers, while Gertrude prefers a bathory.

>>36010999
She's a fucking countess? This bitch is OLD God damn

>>36010999
Oh, well that's just giving it away.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory

>>36010999
>1560
NIGGA THE FUCK
How is she this old? And when she said she fell and couldn't get up or whatever that was her getting magicked out of prison?

>>36011025
Well, i should've said "Who she's drawing example from."

>>36011031
I should've let it occur naturally where you guys eventually find her bathing in the blood of young maidens.

>>36011055
That one queen then? Sweet.

>>36011055
Huh. So I guess it's ladywhores then.

>>36011086
Men are for fucking, not sucking.

>>36011055
I'm gonna go ahead and ask, how the fuck is she so shit? Do bone powers go away if they don't eat enough? Because she should have grown in power immensely over the years

>>36011086
That makes me really sad. I hope the whores are gonna be ugly at least, my chivalry can't handle innocent young attractive women being murdered.

>>36011096
Is she gonna be another slut for the slut throne? Or does she pick one until they die. She seems to be a pick one and bang them till they die kind of chick

>>36011110
Gertrude isn't actually Bathory, she invoked her legend.

>>36011133
I thought dran was alluding to the fact that she was the one English queen, I think she was the catholic one, the one they made a rhyme about?

>>36011114
All to nourish a sex bombshell back into her prime...

>>36011110
She based herself on Bathory. A way to get young again and so on.
Then the spider was thrown in to make her a bloody black vampire widow.

>>36011129
She's a devout Catholic.

>>36011169
>She's a devout Catholic.
Ahahahahahahahahahaha

>>36011169
>She's a devout Catholic.
At least she'll burn in hell one day then. =)

I like that the above phrase is actually true in this universe. if she was an atheist then that wouldn't happen, right?

>>36011169
>devout catholic
>bathes in virgins blood
>English
My dick can't be any harder right now

>>36011195
>implying the queen will burn in hell
God has saved the queen anon, this bitch is probably rolling in holy blessings, she's gonna walk through them pearly gates like it ain't shit, besides who cares about filthy Protestant whores?

>>36011206
You forgot
>white hair
I still want nothing more to do with her than is necessary. A waifu for afar, not up close.

I can't wait to make the first tree person with Xix. That's gonna be cool.

>>36011255
But why anon, she doesn't kill dudes. And she couldn't if she wanted to
Besides she's both our shot back at EVIL

>>36011252
>who cares about filthy Protestant whores?
Me. Honestly if I was in Overhuman I'm pretty sure I would've died because of my moralfaggotry a looooooong time ago.

>>36011270
She's a fucking deathtrap given human form. We should have just killed her when we had the chance.

>>36011279
Well my point stands, she believes in old ass catholic God, he could care less about those protestant whores

>>36011291
I'm all for shadow running out the ass, but she's safe. Though we should check with echo to make sure our contract is still strong

>>36011317
Stop thinking with your boner.

>>36010704

You get to your room and run the water of the shower, letting the droplets run down your skin, putting out the fire rising in your... spirit. Eventually, you begin to shiver even as the wooden prosthetic relishes the water running across its barkskin. The fingers flex, slowly, without magical input. The movement is still so stiff, so haphazard. But it's growing, it's bonding you can feel it.

As you're occupied with your hand, you fail to notice water accumulating on your shoulders, wrapping around you slowly with a tender lover's caress. At first you're startled, but then you relax as her head materializes upon your shoulders. Melisa.
“Hello, my darling dearest. I thought I'd visit you again.”

You begin to say something, but her hand slips lower, “You're... throbbing...” Her voice is dripping with sympathy. At first, you buck against her touch. She shushes you to calm, quickly working you to proper attention, “It's okay, let your wife take care of you love...”

After fulfilling one of her duties as a wife, she draws you from the shower, her ephemeral hands lingering ever so slightly upon your own, “I've been... Thinking. And I know, I know... It's barely been very long for me. I just like to see you...”

“What is it?” You ask as you lie back in bed.

“I wanted to know if you wanted me to remain as a nymph.”

“You want to change?”

“Of course. I could ask Titania. I just thought it'd be inconvenient to be bound to lakes and ponds. I'd barely get to see you even after I came through. So. I was thinking, what if I became a fawn? Sure my lower quarters would get a bit... erm, like a deer. But I'd be able to follow you wherever, and we'd never need be separated by circumstance.”
“Well?”

>[] “Stay as you are.”
>[] “That sounds nice.”
>[] (Other)

>>36011344
I'm not though, we are/should be safe with both our contract, and the dudes are for fucking thing.

>>36011380
>Do whatever
I don't care, my dick is fine with nymphs or fawns.

>>36011380
[deerfucking intensifies]
Oh lawd...

>>36011380
Wait so she could only change her fin into feet in Tir na nog?

>>36011380
>[] “Stay as you are.”

>>36011380
>emilia finds what looks like asher fucking a deer in the woods
Do it. Fawns are my fetish anyway

>>36011380
Does she mean she'd be, like, entirely a deer or does she mean she'd just have deer legs or something?

>>36011380
Why not a human form?

>>36011380
Could we suggest some other kind of nymph? Anthousai are neat.

>>36011380
>[] “That sounds nice.”
She better get tiny little horns, also potential for fauna magic without needing to put limit into it.

>>36011423
She could only walk freely in Tir Na Nog. Otherwise she's bound to her place of power. Water, especially that which is "blessed."

>>36011447
faun* She'd basically be a female satyr.

>>36011465
>faun* She'd basically be a female satyr.
Well I guess go for it in that case.

>>36011447
She'd be a saytr, so just her lower half.

>>36011380
>[x] “That sounds nice.”

Do you think we could potentially bring up the whole "how do I break this whole thing to Emilia holy shit I'm stupid" thing and at least see if she has any input on this?

>>36011488
>she's already jealous of the trap
Imagine how jealous she'll be when she finds out we are married to a sexy faun/nymph whatever wins.

>Faun Meli
This has potential funnies happening with Donneth since wendigo are basically big cannibal deer demon things.

>>36011507
Technically, she's married to Meli too. Do you think it'd be less awkward to do it as
>"Say hi to my wife, oh we're married too btw"
>"Say hi to your wife"
>"Say hi to our wife"

>>36011514
Thats nothing near what a wendigo is. It's like you don't even mythos

>>36011462
>Nymph of flowers.

That may work too.

>>36011488
She's not exactly the brightest on that point, but hey, go for it.

I really want to write the SURPRISE sisterwaif scene though.

>>36011537
Our wife, it makes it seem less like we just went off and married some hot chick
Should also say that her and us are married first.

>>36011539
Close enough. Asher originally named Donner after the reindeer because the dude looked like a big deer thing when we summoned him.

>>36011380

>Water Nymph
>Flower Nymph
>Faun.

Take yer votes!

>>36011462
This gets my vote

>>36011549
I kinda wanna keep meli a secret, just keep her in the forest, pretend emilia doesn't wanna meet her or something

>>36011563
>>Faun.

>>36011563
>Faun.

>>36011563
>Flower

>>36011563
>Flower Nymph

>>36011563
>Faun.

>>36011563
If we pick faun, is she going to suddenly start flipping out about how we kill the shit out of deers all the time for food?

>>36011595
Cannabalism time?
I seriously want to eat people

>>36011563
>Faun.

>>36011604
It doesn't actually do much of anything for Nerves though except make them go crazy. Cannibalism=power is pretty much just a Bone thing.

>>36011380
>[] “That sounds nice.”
"You can do what you want, as long as you understand I can't be seen with you in places that would blow my cover. BUT GODDAMMIT LET ME BREAK IT TO EMILIA FIRST, I SWEAR TO GOD."
>>36011563
>Flower Nymph
"You remember that faun thing? Yeah, fuck that, flowers are more relevant to my... interests..."

>>36011563
>Faun

>>36011604
I originally said that cannibalism was the one thing I never wanted Asher to do, but since his edginess has gone down considerably and is no longer entertaining. I'm reconsidering.

>>36011624
>You can do what you want, as long as you understand I can't be seen with you in places that would blow my cover.
Don't, like, 99% of fae have some form of at least superficial shapeshifting/illusion?

>>36011563
>Flower Nymph

End vote Faun wins.

>>36011549
>I really want to write the SURPRISE sisterwaif scene though.
I'm not going to kick and scream and throw a fit to try to take that away from you, but I'm going to please ask that you don't turn it into a painful multi-thread drama shitfest.

>>36011380
Were they doing the telepathic mindlink thing or are they speaking aloud? Should I just assume that Asher is always doing the telepathic thing with summons/astrals? You used to use the ~ instead of " but you stopped so I'm unclear now.

>tfw fae portal not happening this thread unless Dran runs far later than he usually does

>>36011748
They're speaking aloud. now I just use () and say who's speaking.

>>36011380


“That sounds nice.” You say, relaxing beside her as she traces the grooves of your wooden arm.

Her fingers tighten around the bark digits, “Really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, no reason not to, right? Besides, it's your choice in the first place.” You say absently as you doze off. Being with Meli's relaxing. Her liquid fingers run through your hair until she bids you good night with a kiss on the forhead. She vanishes with the water sloshing over the mattress. With a wave, you remove the water, roll over and get the fuck back to sleep.

The next day, Saph informs you of Camille's choice to join, if only to see the deeds of Zeitgeist before she makes her final decision. Bound by the contract that'll instill memory loss should she act against Zeitgeist's goals, she's with all of you for the time being.

In the days before Samhain you meditate in the woods and work on a new power, conjuring up thoughtforms that detonate themselves into Fiends. Simple constructs, they still have the fallacy of requiring a face to lock target. You assume a name would make the homing ability more accurate. Meli hasn't much bothered you considering the time apart. Perhaps the change takes more time than just a couple of their minutes? As it is, you're allowed freedom of interruption.

Your max conjuration potential of A'-Will-O'-Fiend right now is about two with the freedom to cast additional spells, four if you contrate solely on them. You've noticed that aberrations can occur in the wones that are stored and put to the back of your mind in terms of importance. When drawn out again... You aren't sure how exactly, but they change. Inconsistencies in their flight, certain leanings to target location of detonation... It's odd.

Waking up the day of Samhain, you feel a certain kind of tingle in the air. Collecting Emilia, Saph, Tony, and Camille, you take a trip to the Field Museum.

>[End Thread]

>>36011849
>this short ass thread
>next thread is going to end with pointless drama

>>36011849
So, just clarifying here, we'll be starting future encounters with 2 charged up Wisps? Or do we not keep them on retainer because they get kinda wonky?

>>36011895
Yes. If Asher keeps more in reserve they get weird. Not unusable exactly, but weird.

>>36011849
Enjoyed it. It's nice to see that Asher's still Asher. We really need to see him interact with people that aren't Emilia/Xix more often for it to show, but I'm glad the crotchety fucker we all love is still in there.

>>36011905
Weird how? Can you give an example of some of the abnormal behavior that they exhibited when he was making the things?

>>36011849
>A'-Will-O'-Fiend
Could we just call them "Wisps"? iirc, the entire reason we changed "Devil's Grin" to "Fiend" was because shorter works better, and it fits better with Asher's cantrip collection anyway.

>>36011921
One went to chase a bird. The target was a bug.

Another skipped the transmutation step and defaulted to a fiery conflagration.

Then there was one that switched it up entirely and went into the ground to make lava spikes explode from the ground. That one was unintentional and also quite a bit draining.

Another refused to detonate until Asher forcefully detonated it.

He's still figuring out how to make thoughtforms. But the first thing he's finding out is that they pick up things that weren't exactly intended if you try to keep too many on automatic control.

>>36011849
Thanks for the thread. Things felt a little short today, but I like how it turned out overall.

When d'ya think the next one will be?

>>36012000
Getting my schedule tomorrow.

>>36011974
Alright. I guess they're not exactly super useful right now since they're pretty much just slightly more costly Fiends that act as a missile instead of a coordinate detonation.

If Asher keeps working at it, eventually we'll be able to keep a barrage of them on retainer without them getting -too- wonky?

>>36012020
Yes.

>>36012019
Was it Petre or Pali that got killed? Or do you not wanna reveal spoilers? Or were both of them there and it was just awkward wording?

>>36012033
Not answering that.

>>36012035
So you're confirming that it wasn't just awkward wording on your part? I just want to know whether I read it right or not.

>>36012040
What was even awkward about it?

>>36012053
>A gypsy that lost his parents and brother

Quests are rough drafts and people make mistakes. The thing looked like you could either be saying that his brother was dead, or you could have just written it weird while meaning that both brothers were there and only their parents died.

>>36011849
Are these magic missile things specific to Fiend only or can we stick any spell we know into one?

Anyone else get the vibe camille took the "I need you" line a lot stronger than it was meant

>>36012273
More for the harem

>>36011849
>Collecting Emilia, Saph, Tony, and Camille, you take a trip to the Field Museum.
Did we ever get word on whether or not Dorothy is coming?

>Camille rages at us about ghosts.
>We immediately bring her on a mission with Tony, the serial killer who likes to collect ghosts and break them.
This is going to be good.

>>36012340
We got thrown out before we could

>>36012451
I just figured she might have gave us a buzz at some point over the three or so days. She can beam a "please come to the shop" signal anywhere, anytime she wants.

It seems like Asher is getting more "fae-like" with talking about his humanity as some strange tool he doesn't have a real connection with
I also wonder how Camille is going to react to Tony

>>36013454
That's not really unusual for Asher though, he is kind of detached.

>>36011169
>She's a devout Catholic.
Wait is Father Assrape catholic or protestant?

>>36013454
I kinda wonder whether we also "slip" into using glamour