>>40308643
The black ship sails onward, repaired haphazardly but with skill. The Melach had been fine shipwrights once and were permitted to be such once again, getting the ship sea-ready in just under a day. As you depart, Hiss hands her twice-stolen staff to Kom Nah and his cabal.
“This and the leadership is yours. Keep it safe because one day I’ll return and I promise that I’ll kill you all!”
The Melach cheer as you leave but you can only watch in puzzlement. That staff had a very real power to it. Why abandon it? That’s not the Hiss you know.

You ask her about it later and she laughs.
“I’ve had enough of staffs. And besides, it’s that which bears their curse in the first place. If I were to take the staff away from them they might die. Best to leave the fools with it.”
She doesn’t want any of them to die save by her own hand for that is the only method she has of keeping power over them. You know that she’d prefer that they never died at all and that she could just tempt them into submission for eternity but you have your doubts on just how long that scheme would last.
Later that night as Tash argues with the captain on setting course and Oster broods alone, you use your final wish to free Hiss of the Melach souls rotting inside her. The destruction of the wish-bond marks the end of your current little arrangement with her.

It’s been some time since then. With who have you been spending your days?

>With Hiss (Benefit: Hiss gains a new Snake Art)

>With Oster (Benefit: Accelerate your sword training)

>With Tash (Benefit: Learning how to speak Quedeshi)

>With the constrictor (Benefit: The Mystery Box)

>With yourself (Benefit: More alchemy)

>With the Bunyip (Benefit: A mystery solved)

>>40308652
>With Oster (Benefit: Accelerate your sword training)

>>40308652
>>With the Bunyip (Benefit: A mystery solved)

>>40308652
>With Oster (Benefit: Accelerate your sword training)

>>40308652
>With the constrictor (Benefit: The Mystery Box)

We should see what we're getting into

>>40308652
>>With Hiss (Benefit: Hiss gains a new Snake Art)

>>40308652
>With the constrictor (Benefit: The Mystery Box)

>With Oster (Benefit: Accelerate your sword training)

You'd already been having daily sessions with the swordsman but after leaving the Teeth behind you you've really begun to throw yourself into it. And why not? You hadn't been able to fight the Melach when they had attacked you. Not that would have helped in that situation since they were immortal skeletons but still...

Oster seems happy with your renewed attention and his sessions grow less bruising with time. He seems to have accepted you as just a fellow servant and guardian of the princess and is ignorant of the uh, less dignified aspect of that relationship. Or so you hope anyway.

You never manage to ever lay a hit on him but at the end of one of your exhausting sessions, Oster beckons you over.
"Here, this is yours now I figure."
He passes you the guardsman's sword, the one you'd been using to practice.
"Don't get your head all swollen now, you're still far from GOOD but I reckon you can at least hold it without killing yourself."

[Cennen gains Basic Swordsman]

"You don't mind me keeping it? I thought this was yours."

He shakes you off.
"I've got more than enough. Go on, take it. It's yours now. It'd be cruel to teach you how to use a sword but never give you one."

You slide the sword back into its scabbard and hold it close.
"Thanks. I'll pay you back someday."

He shakes his head.
"Just use it to protect the princess. We're brothers in mark, no need for any payment."
He motions for you to sit down beside him in his cabin.
"That said, you better load me up with those brews you were talking about."

"Yeah, I've already got them ready."
In return for your training, you made the choice to supply Oster with a selection of combat-ready brews to supplement his blade.

"Thanks mate. I'm happy that you're here. The princess spends too much time with Tash sometimes so...I guess I'm just happy that I know I can trust at least one person not to try anything with her."

Uh...
1/2

>>40309203
2/2

> Thank him and leave awkwardly.

> Change the subject right now.

> "Actually Oster, there's something you should probably know by now..."

> Wait, how much time with Tash exactly?

> Other

>>40309225
> Wait, how much time with Tash exactly?

>>40309198
Oh welp, your vote came just a little too late.

>>40309225
>> Wait, how much time with Tash exactly?

>>40309225
> Thank him and leave awkwardly.

>>40309225
>> "Actually Oster, there's something you should probably know by now..."

He'll find out eventually, better if we tell him

>>40309225
> Wait, how much time with Tash exactly?
I think Oster would become suspicious if we didn't seem jealous or worried

> Wait, how much time with Tash exactly?

You're contemplating whether you just leave awkwardly or try to tell Oster the truth before you settle on something he said.
"Wait, how much time with Tash exactly?"

You're not suspicious. Much. You have fairly evident proof that Hiss prefers you. But asking such would help lower any suspicions that Oster might have about you. And Tash will forever be your enemy in this regard.

"Oh yeah," Oster says. "He's been in her quarters a few times later. Sometimes with that constrictor, sometimes not. She always sends me away too so I have no idea what they're doing in there."
He frowns.
"I trust the princess to be powerful and to always make the right decision but...I do not always trust her to be wise. If that makes any sense?"

You nod. Hiss being 'wise' has caused you more than your fair share of worries in the past and has been the cause for more than one brush with near-death.
And the idea of Tash being with her alone, on some sort of secret task that not even Oster is permitted to know of...Bah. You're not worried. She doesn't even have a wish-bond with him.
But that doesn't mean you have to like it!

"I'm sure it's fine," you grind out.

"I can only hope so," Oster remarks. "He's with her right now."

He is?

> Thank him and leave to go find Hiss.

> Stay where you are. Oster wants you to go do something and you don't have to oblige him.

> Leave and go find the constrictor instead.

> "If you want me to intervene, just ask!"

> Other

>>40309641
>> Thank him and leave to go find Hiss.
Oster You're about as subtle as a brick to the face when it comes to being social.

>>40309641
>> Thank him and leave to go find Hiss.

>>40309641
> Thank him and leave to go find Hiss.

>>40309641
>> Leave and go find the constrictor instead.
Guess what, Tesh: Two can play that game!

> Thank him and leave to go find Hiss.

"Thanks, I've got to go."
You do your best impression at storming off while Oster nods behind you. Does he really think that you're THAT predictable?
Well, you are doing it in the end, aren't you?

You know this is exactly what he wanted you to do. Oster knows that you have much more influence with Hiss than he does and he's come to live with that. So he wants you to intercede on his behalf, huh?
You're certainly curious enough on your own.

You make your way down to the back of the ship, stopping when you see two of Tash's faceless soldiers standing guard over the door to Hiss' cabin. Looks like Oster was right.

You sidle up close and the two men don't stop you. They don't relax or show any difference in demeanor but you know that they approve of you. Your actions saved the lives of their brothers (or possibly them, you can't tell the difference between them) in Teleran and all of them know that you brought the Saltlord low. You think that that might matter more to them than simply being favored by the snake princess.
They don't stop you from approaching the door. As you get close, you can hear something from within Hiss' chambers. Is that music?

> Try to strike up a conversation with them.

> Just barge in.

> Eavesdrop.

> Other

>>40309861
> Try to strike up a conversation with them.

>>40309641
> Leave and go find the constrictor instead.

>>40309861
> Eavesdrop.

>>40309861
> Just barge in.

>>40309861
>> Eavesdrop.

>>40309861
> Eavesdrop.

> Eavesdrop.

Rather than barging in you decide to just dawdle around with the two guards while you do your best to surreptitiously listen in. You don't sell it very well but they let you hang around anyway.

Yeah, it's definitely music of some sort. Just not any you've ever heard. It's a low-pitched droning sound, some sort of flute or pipe? It sounds pretty nice you suppose but you know that Hiss isn't one for music.

So you're pretty surprised at what you hear when the music ends.
"How do you do it?," you can hear Hiss inquiring. "It sounds...nice."

Tash speaks but his words are Quedeshi and cannot be deciphered. Hiss sighs and says something back in the same language. You can't understand their conversation but you can track Hiss' tone all the same.
She doesn't sound irritated at all! In fact, she sounds almost playful.

> Well, you found out what you need to know. Time to leave.

> Knock on the door.

> Barge in.

> Just stay outside and listen a little longer.

> Other

>>40310253
> Knock on the door.

>>40310253
> Well, you found out what you need to know. Time to leave.
being super jealous is getting tiresome

>>40310253
>> Just stay outside and listen a little longer.

>>40310253
> Knock on the door.

>40310334

I'm >>40310344 and I agree, but it's in character for cennen to freak out about this

> Knock on the door.

You can't keep getting het up by someone else having contact with Hiss, can you? You trust her. You have faith.

You turn around and go to leave but find yourself knocking on the door anyway. Fuck this. In the end you suppose that you don't really trust her that much.
And besides, you have other things to talk to her about.

Tash opens the door on the second note. He's not wearing his mask or his feathers. A long double-barreled pipe nearly the size of you is resting on the cushioned ground behind him.
Hiss is reclining by the fireplace. She looks up at you and a flash of irritation crosses her features.

"Oh Cennen. Please, come in."

At her words, Tash stands aside and you walk inside. Everything looks normal, there doesn't seem to be any issues here. Except Hiss' fangs are bared.
"Take a seat," she says sweetly, motioning for you to sit on a cushion right next to her. "Tash was just leaving."

You don't think that was what Tash was intending at all but to his credit he doesn't let it show.
"Of course, your highness."
He hefts the huge pipe with him as he leaves. Leaving just you and Hiss alone in the room. She pats the cushion beside her again. Her fangs are glinting in the firelight and you have no wish-bond.
"Didn't you hear me? Sit."

> Invite Tash back in.

> Sit down but not right next to her.

> Sit down where she indicates.

> Apologize and leave.

> Other

>>40310604
> Sit down where she indicates.

>>40310604
> Sit down where she indicates.
Ouro have anti-venom on our belt at all times.

>>40310604
> Sit down where she indicates.
Apologize for interrupting
damn it i told you guys the jealousy was getting tiresome

File: crap.jpg (278 KB, 1886x1519)

278 KB JPG

Hey guys, it's great to see ya'all again. It's been so long since we had a Snakecatcher qu-

God damn it guys.

>>40310604
>> Sit down but not right next to her.
>> Other
We should talk strategy: what's the plan once we reach the constrictors? Also, let's not act like a clingy jealous manchild, that's how we get dumped.

>>40310604
>> Sit down where she indicates.

> Sit down where she indicates.

You slowly cross the room, noting with unease the moment you pass through that invisible boundary of striking range. You aren't fast enough to stop her if she does anything.

You sit down right beside her and she holds out her hand. You take it. The fire is stiflingly hot but she remains as cold as a corpse. She doesn't move, the usual human movements giving way for a poised stillness. A coiled serpent waiting to bite.

"Um. Good morning?"

"I think we need to talk," Hiss says lazily. "There's a certain habit of yours. It was cute but it's starting to get on my nerves."

You don't move. You're suddenly not sure if you can. Would it incite her to strike? Her eyes meet yours, snake-slits that would draw your soul to sleep if you were still capable of it.
And you know that she would if it weren't for your Bane. You might have become like Oster a long time ago.

"Wh-What did you have in mind?"

"I think it's time we discuss faith."

"Oh?"

She nods, barely twitching from keeping her gaze boring into you.
"I know you have antivenom in your pack. I want you to take it out. And to give it to me."

> Give her the antivenom.

> Give her one antivenom but don't tell her about the second flask you have.

> Give her your whole pack instead.

> Refuse.

> Other

>>40310931
> Give her the antivenom.
We really need to start trusting her more

>>40310931
> Give her the antivenom.

>>40310931
>> Give her the antivenom.

>>40310931
>> Give her the antivenom.

>>40310931
>> Give her one antivenom but don't tell her about the second flask you have.

>>40310931
> Give her one antivenom but don't tell her about the second flask you have.

>>40310931
>> Give her the antivenom.

> Give her the antivenom.

You set your pack down and pass her both flasks of antivenom. She lets go of your hand and takes them both, weighing them in her hands.
"Two? Just what were you planning, hm?"

Not that it matters now. She can kill you now. She can kill you and you wouldn't be able to stop her.
She uncorks one bottle and upends it, watching as the potion splashes over the rug beneath her. You watch it uneasily and you can't help but feel it as if those drops were your own life draining away. She empties the first bottle and keeps the second.
Her remaining eye is still staring at you, she hadn't broken eye contact during any of it.

"So I think it goes without saying that your life is literally in my hands right now," she says, juggling the last antivenom around.
"And yet you surrendered them to me. Why is that?"

You struggle to speak, all to aware not to make any sort of sudden movement.
"Because...Because I trust you. You are my princess and I know you won't kill me."

"So why are your hands shaking? Cennen, I question your faith in me. You keep telling me all about your trust but in the end you act like I'm some sort of child. That you can't trust me to make decisions by myself. Your jealousy is flattering but I'm starting to find the implications of it to be rather insulting."

"Uh."

"And haven't I trusted you? I find myself in your wish-bond repeatedly thanks to your sordid little habits, placing myself quite literally in your power. Would you do the same to me?"

You nod and say nothing.
She's being a hypocrite right now, the biggest hypocrite in the world. She gets jealous of you all the goddamn time! She's clingy and hateful and actively tries to drive away every other girl you know. But trying to tell her this right now might not be the greatest idea.

"I know you have some acid in there. I want you to get your acid from your pack and hold it."

You do so.

"Now open the bottle."

1/2

>>40311268
2/2

You take the top off the flask, feeling the acid swish around inside. There's nothing to keep it from spilling now save that you keep it outright.

Hiss holds the last antivenom up high before curling an arm around your shoulder. You can't stop her, she's too fast and much too strong. She pulls her arm in closer, slowly inching you towards her fangs.
"I'm going to bite you now, Cennen. And I'm going to do it verrry slowly. And you're going to let me do this and it'll be only my choice whether to give you this antivenom. But if you want, you have a weapon."

She pulls you closer, her mouth opening in anticipation.
"If you don't trust me with your life, you can use that acid. It'll probably kill me but you can use it."

She keeps on dragging you ever closer. You can't break her grip.

> Let her bite you.

> Use the acid

> Other

>>40311348
>> Let her bite you.
Keep our hand very still

>>40311348
>> Let her bite you.
Its not like this is the first time.

>>40311348
> Let her bite you.

>>40311348
>> Let her bite you.

>>40311348
> Let her bite you.

>>40311348
Put the lid back on the acid bottle

>>40311348
Put the acid down. Carefully. It's all fun and games until somebody loses ALL OF THEIR SKIN.

> Let her bite you.

The acid shakes in your grasp as your fingers tremble. You're right next to Hiss now, her body cold against yours. She draws you closer, up towards her fangs.
Her lips brush against your neck and you nearly drop the acid. She's going to bite you there? That'll kill you without the venom!

She lingers there for a moment to gauge your reaction and then pulls you up, letting her mouth trail down it onto your shoulder. You can feel the points of her fangs gently pushed against your flesh, poking but not breaking the skin.

The acid stops shaking and you set it down. You're not going to reach for it. Instead you just do your best to grit your teeth as her jaw slowly clamps down on your shoulder. It hurts. It hurts so much more than just being bitten regularly. Her fangs break the skin and slide in slowly, burying themselves inside you inch by inch. You can feel them dig down within you, dragging painfully through your flesh.

And the venom strikes but a moment later, a growing numbness that sweeps your entire body. This isn't a kiss or a shallow bite through your boot, this is a long full bite filled with venom. You feel sick and you can no longer move. Everything is growing dark.
Even with your resistance, you know you only have seconds to live. And yet Hiss keeps the antivenom bottle raised high beyond your reach.
She's still firmly attached to your shoulder, her human teeth grinding agonizingly against your skin as the fangs continue to pump venom.

Your eyes close and everything goes cold.

...

The first thing you hear is the crackling of the fire. The darkness clears, the taste of antivenom still on your lips. You're lying in Hiss' room right next to the fireplace. Hiss is lying right beside you, her mouth and chin covered in dried blood. Your blood.

"That," she says, "turned out well. I nearly forgot to give you it in time."

"Erhg?"

1/2

>>40311650
2/2

You struggle to sit up but she just extends one finger and pokes it into your chest, pushing you back down. Her hands are warm with absorbed heat.
"So, why were you here anyway?"

> "Oster told me about you and Tash."

> "I just wanted to see you."

> "I wanted some more alchemical ingredients."

> "I had something to ask you."

> "I was actually on my way to see the constrictor."

> Other

>>40311716
>> I was being stupid and jealous and afraid.

> "Oster told me about you and Tash."

Learned your lesson yet lads?

>>40311716
> "I just wanted to see you."
Music made me curious, since I remember you hated it.


>>40311729
She was going to do this anyways stop being smug.

>>40311716
Ask if she would tell us a bit about our memories that she ate
Promise to resist our jealous urges in the future

>>40311716
> "Oster told me about you and Tash."

>>40311729
>>40311854
>being this dense
welp bite time again.

>>40311772
>>40311716
Huh. I can support bringing up the music.

> "Oster told me about you and Tash."

You do your best to speak, still dazed and weary from yet another near-death experience.
"Oster told me, uh, told me about you and Tash. And yes, I was being stupid and je-"

"Hush."
She cuts off your apology without care. Her eye narrows.
"Oster told you?"

She suddenly stands up, dragging you up with her by the front of your shirt.
"Up you get! Go get Oster for me, will you? I want to speak with him."

You try to say something more but she pushes you out the door with ease and you can't exactly stop her.

> Do as she says.

> Do as she says but warn Oster beforehand.

> "It wasn't his fault!"

> Other

>>40312019
> Do as she says but warn Oster beforehand.
Yeah you might want to disappear til she calms down, I got bit and she likes me.

>>40312019
> Do as she says but warn Oster beforehand.

>>40312019
> Do as she says but warn Oster beforehand.

>>40312019
>> "It wasn't his fault!"
and because it wont matter
> Do as she says but warn Oster beforehand.

> Do as she says but warn Oster beforehand.

You do your best to stagger back down towards Oster's quarters. Your shoulder seems to have been bandaged but it was done inexpertly and you don't want to bleed anymore than you have to.

"Yes?"
Oster takes in your appearance and draws his sword immediately.
"What's going on? Where are they?"

"No no no mate, nobody's attacking us. Just calm down. This is, uh, Hiss did this to me."

"She did? What did you do?"

"It doesn't matter. But look, she's not happy with you either. She knows about you trying to send me down to intervene and she seems pretty pissed."

Oster nods solemnly.
"Fear not, I will take any punishment the princess sees fit to visit upon me and I know I will have deserved it. But thanks for the warning, brother."

The two of you make your way to the princess' quarters once more. She's sitting cross-legged by the fire and waves both of you in.
"Oster! We have so much to talk about. Cennen, you can sit down here. Oster, remain standing."

She pulls you down to sit beside her, her arm curled around you familiarly. Oster frowns at the display.
What is she trying to pull here?

"Now Oster, Cennen's told me that you're still so very worried about me. Do you think that I can't protect myself?"

Oster bows.
"Not at all, your highness. I was just afraid that you might have been taken advantage of."

"Someone taking advantage of me? Are you implying that I am weak, servant?"

Oster does not look like he wants to be here at all but he keeps talking.
"There are some areas that you are...inexperienced in, your Highness. It's just that-"

"Am I? And what would you know about that?"
She pulls you virtually into her lap and you are suddenly struck by the truth of her intentions.

So this is what she's planning. She's going to punish Oster and do her best to destroy the friendship you've been developing with him in one fell swoop so that the two of you could never conspire behind her back again.
1/2

>>40312414
2/2

You're here as a weapon for her to strike him down with, nothing more. She wants you to hurt him and she wants him to hate you.
And what's more, she seems to expect you to do it of your own free will. Is this just another test of loyalty?

"Cennen, this moronic servant dares to presume what his queen does or does not know. Why don't you correct him?"

She spins you around to face her.

> Correct him.

> Flee

> "I'm sorry Hiss but this is too far."

> Use Potion (Specify, you can be assumed to have access to every potion except antivenom in your pack right now).

> Other

>>40312519
> "I'm sorry Hiss but this is too far."
and making your servants hate one another leaves you weaker in the long run.

>>40312519
> Correct him.
Damn. I suppose it was really just a matter of time until oster found out

>>40312519
> "I'm sorry Hiss but this is too far."

>>40312519
> Correct him.

>>40312519
> Correct him.

>>40312519
> Other, "Oster. We've kinda been screwing for the last few weeks regularly."
I mean, no need to smash it in his face. Throwing ought to be bad enough.

>>40312572
>>40312603
>>40312628
Anons thinking with their dicks 101.

Just sad at this point.

>>40312631
>>40312519
I'll go for supporting this. Maybe with a

> "I'm sorry Hiss but this is too far."

>>40312519
>Other
We should tell Oster about Hiss and us, but lets do it in a not-so-confrontational way.

>>40312519
>>40312756
also
>> "I'm sorry Hiss but this is too far."
Apologize for our jealousy and tell Oster we should trust her decisions

> "I'm sorry Hiss but this is too far."
> Tell Oster but in a not so direct way.

You judge Hiss' grip on you and it isn't that strong. She's relying on you to do it for her. Well too bad. You slip out of her grip and scramble away from her, watching her twitch in biting reflex as a response.

"Sorry Hiss but this is too much!"
You turn to Oster, who is just watching the spectacle open-mouthed.
"Sorry mate but me and her have been kinda s-"

You're interrupted by Hiss throwing herself at you in a fit of pique. She pins you beneath her, catching your arms and holding them back with irresistible force. Her fangs are out once more as she straddles you and part of you can't help responding to that despite yourself.
And with it comes a certain realization. You can't throw her off, you can't stop her. She can just...take it from you without heed for your consent.
And there's nothing you can do about it right now. You're powerless to stop her.

And for a long moment, it looks like that's exactly what she's going to do. Not because of any desire or need on her part but out of pure spite alone, to punish you both for defying her. But then her gaze meets yours and she sees you fear. And she looks away, unable to bear it. She pushes you away from her as if it was your fault.
"Argh! Get out! Both of you!"

Oster hurries out the door, looking shocked and betrayed. You try to say something but Hiss picks you up and quite literally throws you out the door.
A second later and your pack beans you on the head as it follows your trajectory.

You hear a bottle breaking inside it and your entire pack implodes upon itself, everything within it shrinking thanks to a broken Collapsible Brew. Perfect.

Oster has hurried off to do who knows what and while you can't see her, you know that Hiss is fuming behind you, trapped between her spite and her genuine affection for you.

> Follow Oster.

> Go back into the room.

> Go off on your own. Let them stew for a while.

> Other

>>40313134
> Follow Oster.

>>40313134

> Follow Oster.
With him we can reason right now, lets give Hiss some time.

>>40313134
> Go back into the room.

>>40313134
>> Follow Oster.

>>40313134
> Go back into the room.

> Follow Oster.

You pick up your now fist-sized pack in one hand and trudge off down the corridor. You're not sure how you're supposed to take that. You and Hiss had promised to be with each other all the way to the end, you still remember that fondly. But whose end? Can you even feel safe around her anymore? You know that she doesn't want you to feel safe. But you do and she had promised to honor your promises.
Argh.

You find Oster swinging his sword in his room. You just watch for a few moments, even though you know that he knows you're there. This isn't practice, there's no finesse.
"Look mate," you search for words. "I'm sorry how that turned out. And that me and her, we've been-"

"Fucking. I know. I thoroughly got the message."
His voice is dull and blunt. And then he sheathes his sword and sits down with a long sigh.
"But I can't blame you."

"You can't?"
He isn't?

"No, you tried to warn me. And I've crossed swords with you at least a dozen times now. You think I don't know what kind of person you are?"

"Is that a compliment or..."

"I know you're a pretty good guy, man. You don't mean harm. You're too good for us to be honest. I'd tell you that it'd be best for you to just run and forget that you ever met the princess but I know you're trapped here just as much as me."
He looks at you and you can see a vacancy behind his eyes, one that grows further every day.
"No. You're trapped here even more than I am. Neither of us can get away. So that's why I know it's not your fault. She's right, she makes her own decisions. If you two fucked it's 'cause she wanted you to. And from what I saw, it didn't seem like you ever had much say in the matter. So I can't blame you. And I can't blame her, I can never blame her."
He moves with a sudden violence, punching the wall beside him until his fist is bleeding and covered in splinters.
"I just wish there was something I could do!"

> Stay with him.

> Go back to Hiss.

> Draw your sword.

> Find someone else (Specify)

>>40313556
Drink a regen and potence Potion offer to spar with him.

Best I can offer Oster.

>>40313556
> Stay with him.

Also: Is everyone's capcha window dancing or is it just that my autist pc?

>>40313556
> Go back to Hiss.

>>40313556
> Go back to Hiss.

>>40313556
>> Stay with him.
Well, he could always try to screw us out of every romantic encounter we are in with inconvenient news and such.

>>40313595
This

Well it looked like a threeway tie so I'm just going to fold the votes for staying with him and sparring with him into one and call it there.

>Stay with him.
>Spar with him.

You interrupt him by drawing your sword, Oster looking up as you wince as you bear the weight along your injured shoulder. You shake your pack back to its full size and pull out two potions of Regen.
"I don't have an answer for you, mate. But I do have this. Best I can do."

You both drink, Oster throwing the bottle to the side as he draws his sword.
"Thanks."

You raise your sword and get ready for the beating of your life.
"No worries."

...

It's an hour later and even the Regen potions can't make you stop feeling like shit. Your shoulder is still a mess thanks to Hiss and Oster spent the good part of the last hour beating the shit out of you.
But he ended up feeling much better by the end of it and you can't help but feel that Hiss' spite has backfired on her. Whatever thing you have going with Oster, it might have only gotten stronger.

> Retire to your room.

> It's been long enough. Go find Hiss.

> Find the constrictor.

> Find Tash.

> Find the Bunyip.

> Other

>>40313953
> It's been long enough. Go find Hiss.

>>40313953
> It's been long enough. Go find Hiss.

>>40313953
> It's been long enough. Go find Hiss.

>>40313953
> It's been long enough. Go find Hiss.
drink a healing potion too

>>40313953
>> Find the constrictor.
>> Find Tash.

Let's learn something about where we're going to, so we don't insta-fuck ourselves the moment we reach land

> It's been long enough. Go find Hiss
One bond mended, time for the next.

> It's been long enough. Go find Hiss.

You trudge your way down to the back end of the ship a third time, chugging a healing potion as you do so to tend to your shoulder. At least it's stopped bleeding.

And once more, you find yourself outside her door. You knock a few times but don't get an answer. You let yourself in.

The room is in a shambles, the tapestries pulled down and left in shreds around you floor with cushions strewn everywhere. The fire is out.

Hiss is sitting in the middle of the carnage, fiddling with her eyepatch. Her right eye is bared for you to see once more, a melted ruin of scarred tissue.

"You alright?"
You sit down next to her and with the fire out she instinctively leans in against you for warmth.

"Yeah. I'm sorry."
She spits the words out almost resentfully.
"About all that. About trying to...do that. And about biting you too."

"It's fine, I know you didn't mean it."
You have to believe that. You don't want to think about the alternative, that you're trapped here with an abusive monster because of your own pathetic need for her.
"We all make mistakes."

"You know that I'd never hurt you on purpose Cennen. I just...I just have so many accidents."

You hold her tight and she clings to you with enough casual force to cause a long spike of pain down your still-healing shoulder.
"Cennen...you don't think I'm a bad person, do you?"
Her voice is small, almost nonexistent.

> "Of course not."

> "Uhhhh..."

> "You're an atrocious person, Hiss. But that's never mattered."

> "You might be a bad person, I've certainly never met a good one."

> "That's a very human question, Hiss."

> Other

>>40314338
> "That's a very human question, Hiss."
> If you're even asking me that question, I don't think you can be that terrible.

>>40314338
>> "That's a very human question, Hiss."
I think it means you starting to think things through. You think like a dragon Hiss, this coming from a human who got to rattlecaround in ones head. You're strong Hiss but you're not invincible.

>>40314382
This.

>>40314338
> "That's a very human question, Hiss."
> "You might be a bad person, I've certainly never met a good one."
>I'm still here, and you can always improve

>>40314448
>>40314338
I rather like that last line, that she could improve. Supporting that last bit.

>>40314338
> "You might be a bad person, I've certainly never met a good one."

>>40314382
THIS!

I mean, from our 5 minutes spent with a similar mind to hers (the whole dragon thing), it must be incredibly hard for her to be as reasonable as she is to begin with, I mean holy shit, we saw everyone as ants and possible slaves for those 5 seconds and were willing to burn anything to make that an example.

>>40314640
Yeah dragons were predisposed to be massive assholes.

>>40314640
You're right, we can't judge her like a human, yet she isn't without faults. Look at the constrictor(s) she doesn't go out of her way to be malicious towards her servants and other humans in general. But, as >>40314382 said, is she's worried about it then it means there's laso some good in her.

> > "That's a very human question, Hiss."
> If you're even asking me that question, I don't think you can be that terrible

"That's a very human question, Hiss."
She looks at you crossly, the comparison clearly not going down well.
"But if you're even asking me that question, I don't think you can be that terrible. I mean, I'm still here aren't I?"

"Because you swore to follow me."

"And that's still valid. You're still the same Hiss I said that to. And nothing's gonna change that."
You know how much of a sacrifice simply asking a question like that must have been for her. She'd rather bite her own tail than admit weakness in any form. But what is love if not someone you can be weak to?

"You're right. There's nothing wrong with me. And as for your little remark, I don't care about how I measure up to the standards of humanity. What the chattel think has never bothered the master. But...I do care what YOU think of me."

"That's normal, Hiss and it runs both ways."
You shake your shoulder as a demonstration, to remind her that you'd just recently put what she thought of you before your own life.
"And I don't care about what everyone else judges you to be either, as long as we're together."

"And I guess I could stand to be a bit nicer to Oster. He can only threaten my pride if I want him to."

"That too. You're already killing him, you could at least be nice about it."

She gives you a playful shove that nearly knocks the wind out of you.
"Oh hush. It isn't death but a honing, a sharpening."

"And would you do the same to me, if you could?"

Her one good eye stares into yours for long moment and this time, it doesn't look away.
"No. You're a rough fool with ideas far beyond his station but I think I like you just the way you are."

You tap your head.
"I didn't have the choice in the end though, did I?"

Hiss purses her lips in slight exasperation.
"Oh, you're still not caught up on all those childhood memories are you? I can't give them back."
1/2

>>40314874
2/2

You shake your head.
"You can. Just not in the way you think."

She looks at you shrewdly.
"I'm not a very good storyteller."

"I'd still like to know. It doesn't have to be all at once."
You'd made the choice to try and keep those stolen pieces of your soul to yourself back when you were dancing with her soul. And she had swept you aside and stolen them back anyway.

She sighs and takes you by the hand, affecting a singsong voice, the kind that a mother would sing to her child when telling them a bedtime story.
You try not to think too hard on just who had to die to give her those details.

"Once upon a time in a land far away, there was a young little idiot, apprentice to the village's alchemist and his name was ...."

>>40314978
Damn Ouro-bro. Got a real Saya no Uta vibe going on at the end there. Good run. Thanks.

>>40314978
Well and that's that for today. I hope you guys had fun, I certainly did. Been a while since the Quest has been up so I decided to keep things fairly quiet and subdued.

Next thread tomorrow at the usual time as we finally reach Quedesh. It'll also herald the return of the inventory system since you no longer have access to a large amount of boat-time to arbitrarily have at least one of everything anymore.

File: hi.png (91 KB, 600x222)

91 KB PNG

>>40315091
>to keep things fairly quiet and subdued.
Whatever you say boss. Whatever you say.

>>40315091
Thanks for running. So are our social links with Hiss and Oster still good?

How did you expect us to talk to the constrictor without nibbling it and wishing fir it to speak our tongue?

>>40315105
I think you'll find that coming close to death only once per thread is about the traditional norm for quiet episodes.

>>40315122
>So are our social links with Hiss and Oster still good?
Yeah. It was good that you made the choice to warn Oster. While it made no difference in the short-term, it was that which let him forgive you in the end.

>How did you expect us to talk to the constrictor without nobbling it and wishing for it to speak our tongue?
That's why it's the mystery box option anon. Now you'll never know.

>>40315251
How much of a problem is the language barrier gonna be when we're in quedesh?

>>40315347
It's gonna be an official big problem. Hiss can translate of course but she can't be everywhere. Also letting Hiss have complete control over your social perceptions isn't a super-good idea.

>>40315422
We have any ideas how to make a potion of comp languages?

>>40315422
Alright lads. Let which one of our magical ingredients would be suitable for rapidly learning Quedeshi or whatever? I'm think snake skin.

>>40315465
Either skin or blood. We also need to talk to Tash about learning the language.
>>40315422
Oster know the tongue?

>>40315490
Oster doesn't know. He could almost certainly pick it up quicker than Cennen could though.