Quest Beyond the Gate: Chapter 74

>>1815456
>>What do you think he wants?

>>1815456
>I'm not going to get billed for property damages, right?

>>1815456
>>What do you think he wants?

>writing

"What do you think he wants?" You ask as you make your way to the stairs.
"Not sure" Derrick replies.

"He's not gonna bill me for the damage to the generator, is he?" You ask. "I don't think I have that kind of money..."
"He won't" Derrick says. "At least I hope not... the Rynia's agreed to split the repair cost between them, the kingdom, and the funds Altea gained for the rebellion"

"Nice of them" You say.
"It's their city, and it's not safe while the generator is down" He says. "Technically we're being the nice ones by splitting the bill"
"Oh" You say. "Nice of us"

Derrick chuckles.

You head the rest of the way up, avoiding the collapsed stair and eventually reaching the king's chamber.

There isn't an actual entrance to it, rather another set of stairs. The King's chamber is the room highest up in the main tower of the palace...

When you reach the top of the stairs, you see the King sitting in a chair by the window.

He looks old... old enough to be Derrick's grandfather. But you sense that he is younger than he looks. The last several years have likely taken a toll on him.

Derrick looks nervous when he sees him, swallowing a lump in his throat and looking like he wants to leave before he's noticed.

You pat him on the back, and step forward...

>Lovely morning

>Hello Uncle

>You summoned us, Your Majesty?

>Other

>>1815620
>>Hello Uncle

>>1815620
>>Hello Uncle
Eh, fuck it.

>writing

>>1815620
>Hello Uncle

"H-hello Uncle" You say, drawing his attention.

"Ah, you're here" The King says, as he stands from his chair. His voice is gruff. "Please, come forward"

You and Derrick step a bit further into the room, still apprehensive about this whole thing...

"You've grown..." The King says, as he walks over to a table to pour himself something... looks a bit like wine. "Feels like just yesterday I made that horrible mistake..."

"Sending me off to die?" Derrick asks.

The King finishes pouring and takes a sip. "Not calling you my son" He says. "I've treated you terribly, but all else is just an echo of that"

The room is so quiet so you can hear blood flowing in your ears...

"Is that why you called us here?" Derrick asks. "Am I supposed to forgive you?"
"No" The King says. "Sometimes water must run under the bridge, and sometimes the bridge must come down... I asked you here so I could give you this"

King Dein picks up a sheathed sword from the table, and hands it to Derrick. The sheath is ornate, trimmed with an orange-gold metal. The hilt is made from the same metal, and designed to look like a dragon, with a pair of wings as a guard, and a curving tail as the pommel, with a large red gem set in what looks to be a saddle...

"Flametongue...?" Derrick asks. "This should go to Daria"
"Your sister is not a fighter" The King says. "My fault. After your older sister died I... sheltered her... she has a gentle soul, and a gentle soul doesn't belong on the battlefield"
"Altea then" Derrick says.

"If Altea wanted it, she would have it already" The King says.

"I can't take this..." Derrick says.
"You will take it" The King replies. "It belongs in our family, and it belongs in the hands of a fighter. You are my son, and you have proven that you're worthy to hold it and I will hear no more complaints"

Derrick takes a breath. "Y-yes father..." He says.

"Now, you may go... unless you wish to speak with me" The King says.

Derrick lingers for a moment, like he's teetering on whether he wants to say anything or not. Then he bows, turns, and leaves.

"He's grown strong" The King says. "Perhaps I was right to send him to his aunt... she's always had a good eye for potential, where most only see weakness"

"Sh-should I go too?" You ask.
"Not yet" He says. "I understand I have you to thank for my defeat"

>You're welcome

>Sorry about the generator...

>Not entirely...

>Other

>>1815794
>>Sorry about the generator...

>>1815794
>>Sorry about the generator...
>
>>Not entirely...

>>1815794
>>Not entirely...
>>Sorry about the generator...
>>Other, "Not sorry about Mortifas"

>writing

>>1815794
>I think it was more a matter of defeating enemies around you.

"I can't take credit for all of it..." You say.

King Dein sits down and sips his wine. "When Sir Frederick returned from Mortifas and told me of a boy that broke into the engine and used it to bring the whole place down... well I was understandably skeptical" He says. "But here you are, having blazed a trail of victories across Lubars... even breaking through the guardians to bring down the automatons"

"To be fair, we only really brought down one. The other blew itself up after we hit it enough" You say.
"And humble" He says. "What is your name, again?"

"Yuu" You say.
"Yuu Gallant" The King replies. "That name means something still, and you should wear it with pride"
"I will" You say.

"Now then... Your mother believes that you hold the key to defeating the Legion" He says. "I think that's a heavy weight for one person to carry, but she seems to believe you're up to the task"

"I think I am" You say. "At the very least, the Legion commanders are always surprised when their weapons don't work"
"You can't rely on surprise forever. Word will spread, and they'll try new things" He says, as he gets up from his chair and goes over to a shelf along the wall. He grabs a fist sized black ball and tosses it to you. "Take this"

"What is it?" You ask.
"Something the Inquisitors were working on, after the Chaos Engine's 'success'..." He says.

You look it over, and see that there's a pin in it...

"A spellbomb?" You ask.
"No... more like a smokebomb" He says. "Sort of an experimental thing. Pulling the pin lights a fuse, which lights the firepowder core, and scatters powder chaos crystal. Makes using magic difficult, moreso after a long fight, and someone like you could do interesting things in an area littered with that stuff"

"Uhh... thanks..." You say.

"Use it wisely. That is the only one in existance, and I'm not about to commission more" He says. "Lubars is done with making weapons using Chaos. At least until the red stain that Mortifas left on our history has faded"

>Anything to say?

>>1815957
Mortifas will never fade, and you have too accept it.

>writing

>>1815957
>Mortifas was a bad use of chaos, but that's just how it was used. If it's something effective against the Legion, I think we should keep it in mind.

"I don't think Mortifas is the kind of thing history forgets" You say.
"History..." He says. "Did you know that the Dragon King was a monster? He blazed a path of fire and murder across this land, and built this very palace on the bones of it's rulers. History remembers him as a valiant hero king who carved out a nation for his people"

King Dein walks back to his chair and sits down again.

"We remember him that way because his ancestors have been mostly good, so it's easy to think their progenitor was good as well" He says. "Mortifas has shown the world how chaos can be used for evil, but in 100 years when they look back, do you know what they'll remember?"

"What?" You ask.
"You" He says. "How you used Chaos as a weapon against the Mad King Dein, and struck down the Legion of Demons with a glowing red blade. Mortifas, this rebellion, the Legion, all footnotes"

"You really think so?" You ask.
"I don't, but Altea does" He says. "And she's always been a better judge than I"

"You can't be that bad..." You say.
"Don't humour me. The only worthwhile people in my life were the ones that were chosen for me" He says. "I married Derrick's mother out of ambition, not knowing she'd be the best thing that ever happened to me. She chose Frederick as the first knight, and the only one of my children who stayed around me has grown soft... and who did I choose"

"Okay, that does sound bad..." You say.

"Meanwhile, she's picked nothing but winners... her knights, my son, you, her allies in the war" He says. "Meanwhile I sided with Arlen... that madman"

"On the bright side, you'll have better council now" You say.

King Dein chuckles. "That I will" He says. "Fight well, Yuu Gallant. Perhaps there's a future for this nation after all..."
"We can only hope" You reply

>Anything else?

>>1816062
>It's not too late for you and Daria. Things can always turn around for the better.

>writing

"It's not too late for you" You say. "There's always time to make things right"

"Time..." He says. "Time is something we sorely lack at the moment. Every second spent making amends with the people I've wronged brings the Legion closer... I am fine if they continue to hate me for the time being, if it guarantees their safety. If we all live... then maybe..."

You nod, and bid farewell to the King, thanking him for the bomb, and heading out.

Derrick is standing at the bottom of the stairs, sitting sith the blade unsheathed in his lap. The length of the blade seems to be made of some kind of orange crystal...

"Is it important, that sword?" You ask.
"Flametongue was forged by the Dragon King" Derrick says. "The original Dragon king wasn't actually a Dragon. It was later that the royal line married into a draconic family, and passed the crown down the female side"

"So why was he called the Dragon King?" You ask.
"Because of this" He says, as he stands up and brandishes the blade. Derrick focuses, and the blade ignites. "The crystal that the blade is made from only occurs in draconic monsters. It's what gives them their fiery breath. The King slew the mightiest dragon ever known, and cut Flametongue from its breath crystal"

"Wow" You say, as you look closer at the blade. The flames burn hot. Hot enough that you probably couldn't touch it...

The flames go out, and Derrick puts it in its sheath. He still seems conflicted...

>Let's go show it off!

>You'll put it to good use

>Do you have a breath crystal?

>What's wrong?

>>1816158
>>You'll put it to good use

>>What's wrong?

>>1816158
>>What's wrong?

>>1816158
>What's wrong?

>writing

"What's wrong?" You ask.

"This belonged to my sister..." He says.
"But Daria-"
"Not Daria..." He says. "She left it here when she went west... it was a mission of peace, so they didn't bring weapons"

You think for a moment. "You think it might've gone differently if she'd had it" You say.

Derrick nods.

"One sword wouldn't have made the difference" You say. "If she had gone with it, the Legion would have it. Now, you have it instead"
"But-"

"But nothing. We're going to bring the fight to them. The Legion will pay for what they did to Antolia, and Mahron will pay for what they did to you family" You say, as you remember the subject of your talk with the King... "You can't erase the past... but with a sword like that, I think we can carve out a better future"

Derrick nods and straps flametongue to his belt.

"It suits you" You say.
"It does" He replies. "Let's go. The Tower awaits"

The two of you head off, back toward your rooms.

"Do the human dragons have those breath crystals too?" You ask him
"Well actually..."

>1/2

Once you get back to your room, you pack up your things. A fast process, because you never really unpacked to begin with.

Then you take a minute to wash yourself off, check all your equipment, get dressed, throw on your cloak, and head out.

You figure you'll head down to the main entrance, since that's where everyone is supposed to meet. Along the way you run into Madelaine.

"Heya" She says.
"You look like you're feeling better" You say.
"Yep" She replies. "Feeling better, and I've learned my lesson about drinking... hopefully"

"Hopefully?" You ask.
"Meyu says it's a lesson that takes a few tries to learn... I hope he's wrong" She says.

You nod. "So what's the plan?" You ask.
"It's a straight shot to Contique, but we won't have the daylight left to reach Sherton before sundown" She says. "We were pretty lucky on the road to Bell's Run at night, but Meyu doesn't like the odds"

"Odds?" You ask.
"Monsters" She says. "So we'll be staying the night in Contique, then we'll go straight through Sherton and swing north to a town called Dofton, spend the night there, and then hit the Tower by midday the next day"

"Sounds like a solid plan" You say.
"Oh, and we sent a message to Locke as well, so if anyone from there wants to join us, they'll be meeting us in Dofton" She says.

You reach the entrance with Madelaine, and look around. Derrick's not here yet, but Altea and her knights are, as well as Stoencht and Emi...

>Go see Emi

>Talk to Stoencht

>Talk to Altea

>Other

>>1816306
>Go see Emi

>>1816306
>>Talk to Altea

>>1816306
>>Talk to Altea

>writing

You walk over to Altea, who smiles as you approach.

"I saw Derrick" She says.
"Where is he?" You ask.
"With his sister, saying goodbye" She says. "Flametongue suits him. He's always had a great deal of fire within him, perhaps now he can finally let some of it out"

"It's a nice sword" You say.
"There was a time when I wanted to wield that blade more than anything in the world" She says.
"And?" You ask.
"That time passed" She says. "I'm a commander now. I'll leave the heroic things like fighting monstrous demons and wielding burning swords to you two"
"I can handle that" You say.

"Take care of yourself out there" She says, as she puts a hand on your shoulder. "You can hold your own in a fight, but the Tower... it doesn't sound like a fight"

Pip pops her head around Altea's wing. "And bring me back a souvenir!" She says.

Altea glares at her.

...

"You guys were havin' a moment there, weren't you?" Pip asks. "Dang it..."
"Nevermind that now" Altea says. "There is still much for us to do. When you're finished up north, be sure to write"
"I will" You say.

Altea kisses your forehead, says farewell to the others, and walks off.

Pip gives you a loose salute as she follows her. "Maybe one of those green bricks on the outside" She whispers as she passes.
"I'll try" You reply.

Pip smiles and winks, before hopping after her commander with Marybell in tow.

Looks like everyone but Derrick is here. So while you're waiting for him, you'll-

>Talk to Emi

>Talk to Stoencht

>Talk to Meyu

>Other

>>1816366
>>Talk to Emi
It must have taken a lot of alcohol to put her down like that.

>>1816366
>>Talk to Emi

>>1816366
>>Talk to Emi

>writing

"How are you feeling?" You ask Emi.

Emi turns to face you very slowly, looking very tired.

"That answers my question..." You say. "You know I came to check on you this morning"
"Marybell told me" She says. "Sorry about that..."
"No harm done" You say. "What was with the pillow?"

"It's a warmth pillow" She says. "Got a bunch of little devices in it to warm it up. She gave it to me as a present"
"Nice" You say. "Does it work outside of a city?"
"The devices are small enough to run off a cart's engine for a night" She says. "Hopefully I won't need it, but it'll be good to have"

"And you were... talking in your sleep" You say. "In another language"
"Esuvali" She says. "Southern tongue"

...

"I won't have to learn another language if I visit your homeland, will I?" You ask.
"You're a foreign prince, they'll likely have a translator for you" She says.
"Good... I have trouble with Lubrian language sometimes, I don't even wanna think about learning a second one" You say.

Emi giggles. "It's not that hard to learn" She says. "Not as easy as old Antolian or Noric would be, but still not hard... and if you want, I could always teach you"

"If we get a chance, sure" You say. "Maybe teach me some of the basic stuff: How to say hello, how to ask for food-"

"How to curse" Madelaine adds.
"Madelaine" Emi says in a scolding tone.
"What? That's the best part of learning a new language" Madelaine says.

>Explain further

>Ask what's taking Derrick so long

>Ask Emi what she learned first in Lubrian

>Other

>>1816425
>Ask Emi what she learned first in Lubrian

>>1816425
>>Explain further
>Ask Emi what she learned first in Lubrian

>writing

"What was the first thing you learned in Lubrian?" You ask.

Emi's face goes bright red, and she looks away. "Th-the curse words..." She mumbles.

You and Madelaine both crack up, and Emi huffs.

"It's not funny!" She says.
"Oh, come on!" Madelaine says. "So, what are the good curses in Esuvali?"

Emi puffs out her cheeks.

"Well..." Meyu says. "There's Agtfelo"

Emi whips her head around to Meyu. "H-how do you know that?" She asks.

Meyu puts a hand on Emi's shoulder. "Miss, I'm old. I've been to the isles, and you'll never guess what the first words I learned were" He says.

"The curses?" You ask.
"The curses" He replies. "Agtfelo means 'layer of donkeys'"
You tilt your head. "Slayer of donkeys?" You ask.
"No, layer of donkeys" Meyu says. "As in, someone who has sex with donkeys. Agt is the word for donkey, and Felo is the verb for having sex with something... I'd say about half the Esuvali curse words end in Felo"

You hear someone at the other end of the entryway clearing their throat, and you turn to see Derrick. "Did I... come at a bad time?" He asks.

>Yes

>You're just in time!

>You're here, let's go!

>Other

>>1816491
>>You're just in time!

>>1816491
>You're just in time!

>>1816491
>>You're just in time!

>>1816491
>You're just in time!

>writing

"You're just in time! Meyu's teaching us how to swear in Esuvali" You say.

Derrick squeezes his eyes shut. "Do I want to know how you guys got to that subject?" He asks.
"Not really..." Emi says.

Derrick takes a breath. "Looks like everyone's here" He says. "Shall we go?"
"Aww..." You say.

"You can learn more curse words later" Meyu says. "Now it's time we ride. Tower's not goin' anywhere, but I ain't gettin' any younger"

>Anything before you leave?

>>1816530
Nope

>>1816530
>Nope

>writing

"Let's hit the road" You say. "It's a long way to the tower, and I'm not very patient"
"You heard the man, to the carts!" Meyu says.

You all make your way out. Stoencht stops you at the door.

"I'm... coming too, right?" He asks.
"Of course" You say. "Derrick!"

Derrick stops walking and turns.

"This is Stoencht, the scholar I mentioned" You say.
"Nice to meet you" Derrick says.
"Likewi- oh my god!" Stoencht says, as he bends down to looks at Derrick's sword. "Is that Flametongue?"

"Yes" Derrick says.
Stoencht stutters for a moment. "Well then you must be-"
"A prince. Yuu and I both" He says.

"My goodness... had I known I'd be in such regal company I'd've dressed for it" Stoencht says.
"Not a problem" Derrick says. "You'll ride with us. Has Yuu told you everything?"

"Not quite" You say.
"Then Emi can fill you in on the rest" Derrick says. "We look forward to working with you"
"As do I" Stoencht replies. "I'll uhh... see you at the carts"

Stoencht walks off, and you continue on with Derrick.

"So, what'll it be. You gonna stick with us, or go on ahead?" Derrick asks. "I know you wanted to go visit Miss Namaki again... with the Rook you could probably be in Sherton before nightfall, spend the next night in Otuna or Locke, and meet us all at the tower"

>Go visit Namaki

>Go visit Locke

>Stick with the group

>Other

>>1816590
>>Go visit Namaki

>>1816590
>>Go visit Namaki

>writing

>>1816590
>>Go visit Namaki

"I'll ride ahead" You say. "Get to Otuna, visit the old fox. I could use some of her advice right now"

"Good luck" Derrick says. "You'll need to ride fast to hit Sherton tonight, but the rest should be fairly easy"
"Good luck to you too" You reply. "I'll see you at the tower"

You bump fists with him, and head off to the carts.

After giving everyone else a short 'see you soon', you mount up and head off. The streets of Leon are still slow going, but toward the outer wall it begins to open up.

Finally you reach the Dragon's gate, and the bridge connecting the city to the mainland. The bridge is noticeably empty, and beyond you can see nothing but clear roads for miles...

You smirk.

"Ready to go Coral?" You ask.

Coral rustles around in your pocket, poking her head out with a smile.

"Let's go"

>Nothing really interesting happens between here and Otuna. Want me to skip ahead?

>>1816647
>Yuu starts doing drifts along the way

>>1816647
Yes pleass

>>1816647
>Yes.

>writing

The trip passes quickly enough. You stop for a minute just after Contique to talk to Lulu and Rhea, who are at the head of the column of troops heading back to Locke, then it's smooth riding all the way to Sherton.

There, you spend the night at the same inn you usually sleep at, give the Rook a quick tune-up in the morning, and make a straight shot down to Otuna.

Your only stop along the way there is to dip your feet in a river. Looking at your map, you see that it's called Raider's River... interesting name. You'll have to ask someone why it's called that.

When your feet are dry, you stick your boots back on and continue the rest of the way to Otuna.

After all the high walls and thick gates of Sherton, Contique, and Leon, the simple fence that surrounds Otuna is a welcome change.

You decide to park the Rook at said fence and make your way in on foot, heading towards the hil at the center of town.

A few people wave hello to you as you pass, and you wave back. You don't think you've seen people do that before. Must be a small town thing...

Your pleasant walk through town ends at the stairway up the hill...

"Why is it always stairs?" You ask, as you make your way up.

>1/2

GUYS WE FORGOT TO LEARN SHEILD SPELLS FROM PIP.

Or maybe my memory is just bad.

>>1816703
ah crap

>>1816703
Damn

At the top of the stairs you stop to take a breath and compose yourself before heading towards the front entrance.

You see Namaki sitting in a chair on her front porch, with a cup of tea in hand. There's a table and another cup of tea next to her...

"You were expecting me" You say.
"I was" She says. "I understand you have a letter for me"

"I did... but Coral slept in so I decided just to see you in person" You say.

Namaki smiles. "Please, sit" She says. "Tea's still hot. I was planning on pouring it as you came in, but you took longer to get up the stairs than I thought"

"I decided to take my time... it's a lot of stairs" You say.
"I know" She says. "How are you?"

"Not sure" You say. "I thought winning the war would bring some kind of peace, but-"
"But there is another war" She says.
"There is" You say.

"There was never going to be peace after you ended things in Leon" She says. "It was one threat of many"

You nod.

"Sit. Drink. Relax" She says.

You do as she says, sitting down and sipping the cup of tea she made for you. It's good tea.

>Ask her for advice

>Ask how things have been here

>Is Miranda already gone?

>Other

>>1816720
>Ask how things have been here

>Ask her for advice

>>1816720
>Is Miranda already gone?

>>1816720
>>Ask how things have been here
>Other, "What's the deal with raider's river?"
Maybe it comes from Oakland...

>>1816720
>>Ask her for advice
>>Tell her we are going to investigate the tower.

>>1816720
>Ask how things have been here

>Is Miranda already gone?

>>1816727
Oshi a wild Cleric

>writing

"How have things been here?" You ask. "Has Miranda left yet?"
"They are packing, currently" She says. "Lots of opportunies for work in Leon right now, with Automatons down. Her husband means to capitalize"

You frown.

"I don't blame you" She says. "Miranda was always going to leave. Otuna is much too small for a girl like her... other than that, the city has been mostly quiet"
"Mostly?" You ask.
"We got some murmurs of a siege on Contique, but it seems that's not where the real story lay" She says.

"For a while, yeah. But then the Servants of Eternal contacted me" You say. "They brought the barrier down so we could slip in"
"Nice of them" She says. "But, you didn't come to talk of your exploits..."

"No... I came because I could use some advice" You say. "The Legion is coming, and I want to be ready for them, but... well..."

"How to prepare?" She asks. "Tell me, when your eyes glow, what do you see?"

You take a breath. "The outcome" You say.
"And you skip everything in between. No longer performing an action, but achieving the result" She says. "You must look at this the same way"

You tilt your head.

"Which Yuu do you want to become?" She asks. "In the months to come, the first knight can make you the strongest Yuu. A skilled warrior, and a force to be reckoned with"
"That sounds good..." You say.

"But the hunters can make you the cleverest Yuu" She says. "The mind is a Hunter's true weapon. Speed and strength are the realms of monsters, to fight them with those is to fight on their terms. And to fight on their terms is to lose. The Hunters will teach you to name your terms in every fight, so the advantage will always be yours"

"So those are my choices?" You ask.

"Not quite..." She says. "The scholars at the Archive have longed for someone like you. They would hone not your body or mind, but your soul. That would be the most powerful Yuu. One wielding spells of chaos the likes of which have never been seen on this earth"

"So... strong, clever, or powerful" You say. "Tough choice"

Namaki picks up her cup and stands. "When the choice comes, you will be ready to make it" She says. "Just know that whatever you choose, you will come out better than you are now"

"Will it be enough?" You ask.
"That is the big question, isn't it?" She says. "Come, we'll talk more inside. It's far too windy out here"

That's all for tonight!

Next thread should be tomorrow night

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time

>>1816780
thanks smiley

>>1816775
so Tank Yuu, Rogue Yuu, or WIZARD Yuu. thats a hard choice

>>1816775
>>1816790
I think one thing to ask ourselves is whether we can't compensate for some of these better than the others. We are the only one we can count on to use chaos, but we can cultivate clever and strong allies.

>>1816799
I say we go wizard. We'll learn more about chaos and how to use it, potentially more about ourselves, and control over chaos will directly translate into a more powerful mage blade. It will also give us a repatoir of techniques we can always fall back to, even if we're disarmed, not to mention allowing us to deal with combat in more way than one.
And we're one of the three (known) chaos users in the world; that's a big advantage that shouldn't be left to waste. And it'll help us learn how to fight Terry.

>>1816775
I don't see why clever and powerful have to be separate. To dictate the terms to to be the strongest. We should learn from both the Hunters and the scholars. Send Derrick to the first knight, as he is already entrenched in that path.

>Choosing Frederick will make Yuu a warrior/knight, who overpowers their opponents through weapon technique and physical prowess.
>Choosing the Hunters will make Yuu more of a rogue, who overpowers opponents through wits, traps, gadgets, maybe even words and mindgames.
>Choosing the scholars will make Yuu a one-of-a-kind mage, who overpowers opponents through chaos spells and magical prowess.
That's the way I interpret it: I personally agree with >>1817302 Yuu is one of the few chaotics around, so developing his soul would allow him to best use what makes him unique. More chaos spells means more options against the Legion's mana-sucking weapons. There's also the surprise factor of having only chaos spells, but it will only last until Yuu gets really popular as a mage.

>>1816780
Thanks smiley!

Yeah, wizard route seems the best option for no other reason than to push a niche we have that others don't.

Well, if we're going to be a wizard, no pussy for Yuu.

>>1818516
looks at prank rabbit, yeah if we go for stelia that ain't fucking happening, poor yu is gonna need hip replacement surgery.

>>1818516
Bruh we got that "aesthetic" look that makes the girls cream themselves, besides magic in this isn't just all "i cast fireball" gotta keep on your toes and be active to move around the fight and keep mobile. Gotta work the body and mind and nothing makes the girl wet better than a strong and smart badass. t.virgin

"How did you like the capital?" She asks.
"It was very... clean" You say.

"So I've heard... but that was not what I asked" She says. "I asked how you liked it"
"I didn't... maybe it was just my experience there" You say. "Too grand. Too many things that just toppled down when we crippled the generator"

"In some ways Otuna is the same. For Leon it's the generator, here..."
"It's you" You say. "I don't know which of you would be harder to face, you or those automatons..."

"You got by them alright" She says.
"Because Pip was there, and we took the first one out with one of Gretchen's lances..." You say.

Namaki gives you a knowing smile. "Now I get it" She says.
"Get what?" You ask.
"Why you came" She says.
"I wanted to ask-"

"What you should do, yes. But there's an underlying reason you're not acknowledging" She says. "You've been struck by your limitations too often for your liking"

Namaki lets that hang in the air for a moment, as she gets up and walks over to a drawer.

"I guess..." You say. "Sometimes my eyes get me through, sometimes..."
"I'd prefer it if you didn't rely on your eyes for the time being" She says.
"Why?" You ask.
"Because they are unreliable" She says with a smirk.

>I guess...

>How so?

>But they always work...

>Other

>>1825024
>>How so?

>>But they always work...

>>1825024
>>How so?

>>1825024
>Okay..... But then how am I supposed to see?

>>1825024
>I guess...
>They don't always activate you mean?

>writing

"How so?" You ask.
"If you were to be attacked right now by a foe you had no hope of defeating, could you count on your eyes to see you through?" She asks.
"Not always..." You say.

"Then they are unreliable" She says.
"I get it... they don't do the 'outcome' thing all the time..." You say.
"They do not" She says. "And if you go into everything hoping that they will..."

"It's a good way to get myself killed" You say.

Namaki smiles and ruffles your hair. "Now that that business is settled, what say we get some lunch?" She asks.
"Lunch sounds good" You say.

She takes a moment to fix your hair, and then heads off to the kitchen, motioning for you to follow.

>1/2

"So you hope to become stronger" She says, as you go about grabbing the stuff needed to make lunch.

"I do... I've come a long way since the cave, but there's still a long way to go" You say.
"Indeed you do" She says. "I suppose there's another option I failed to mention..."

"What is it?" You ask.
"The Dancer" She says.
"Tian?" You ask.

"Not as much potential in that route, but there are things to be gained" She says.

You hand Namaki a bunch of stuff, and she gets to work cutting it all up. "She was thinking of moving her show to Leon" You say. "Assuming I'll be getting at least some off-hours, I'm sure she'd be willing to teach me a few things... maybe I could even introduce her to Ava"

Namaki turns to you with a curious look. "Who's Ava?" She asks.
"Someone from the army. Altea made her my apprentice after her old partner complained" You say.

She raises an eyebrow. "Did you leave your apprentice behind?" She asks.
"Nah, she's with Derrick and the others... I think" You say.

"You sound so confident" She says.
"I'll admit to not being great at this whole 'having a subordinate' thing..." You say. "Some days I think the only reason I can keep track of Coral is because she lives in my clothing"

At the mention of her name, Coral pops her head out and smiles.

>Maybe I should ask about Ava...

>Ask if Namaki has ever had someone like that

>Ask what she's making

>Other

>>1825164
>>Maybe I should ask about Ava...
>>Ask if Namaki has ever had someone like that

>>1825164

>Ask if Namaki has ever had someone like that

>>1825164
>Ask what she's making

>writing

"Maybe I should ask about Ava..." You say. "Give me a minute"

You walk out, grabbing a pen from your pocket and a paper from the table. Then you scribble a quick note to Derrick about Ava, and give it to Coral. The little sprite salutes and flies off, and you head back in.

"Must be handy having a sprite that lives in your clothes" Namaki says.
"I don't make her work that often" You say. "Like when I wanted to send the letter to you... but I'm not really sure what her range is, so I didn't feel comfortable sending that from Leon"

"Range...?" She asks.
"I'm the only person who can feed Coral energy, which means that she can only go about half the distance of a normal sprite" You say.
"Ahh... I hadn't thought of that" She says.

"At some point I'll have to find some way to make it so others can feed her, but for now I'm fine just keeping her close" You say.
"Where is she headed?" Namaki asks.

"Sherton, or close to it" You say. "That's where they should be by now, if they got out of Contique on time"

She nods, before directing you to a few more things she needs.

"Have you ever had anyone like that?" You ask, as you grab what she asked for. "An apprentice, I mean?"
"Not as of yet" She replies. "But eventually I must train my replacement, so give it a few years"

>Looking forward to that?

>Ask if she's ever tried to teach someone else her magic

>What happens if your replacement doesn't get all 9 tails?

>Other

>>1825238

>Looking forward to that?

>What happens if your replacement doesn't get all 9 tails?

>>1825238
>Looking forward to that?

>What happens if your replacement doesn't get all 9 tails?

>>1825238
>Ask if she's ever tried to teach someone else her magic
>I would like to learn what I could from you if there's anything.

>writing

>>1825238

>Looking forward to that?

>What happens if your replacement doesn't get all 9 tails?

"Looking forward to that?" You ask.
"Yes and no" She says. "I've been around for a long time... when the girl comes to me to begin learning, well... it took me about 20 years to finish my own training..."

"I see. You've never really had to worry about it before" You say.
"It's comforting to know that I'll get the chance to make sure the girl is prepared, but at the same time..."
"Once she's prepared..."

"Exactly" She says with a sigh and a sad smile...

"Would you like a hug?" You ask.
She shrugs. "It couldn't hurt"

You step forward and wrap the old Kitsune in a tight hug, staying that way for a while, until something on the stove starts to bubble...

"I suppose that did help a little..." She says, as she pulls away.
"You'd be surprised at how many problems a good hug can solve" You say.

"Not all of them, unfortunately" She says, as she tends to the pot on the stove.
"If only..." You say.

>1/2

While Namaki cooks, you tell her about some of the fun times you had in Locke with the little kids.

"-so I wound up having to share my cake with her..." You say.
"You couldn't have just told her to wait her turn?" She asks.
"Munchkin cries when you say no to her" You say. "I didn't wanna have to deal with that..."

Namaki breaks out laughing.

"What?" You ask.

"Such a mighty warrior, brought low by the tears of an infant" She says, as she wipes a tear from her eye
"You only say that because you've never met her" You say.

"My dear, I've had children. I know how to say no to one" She says.
"Not this one" You say. "She's got these big eyes, and floppy ears..."

"Yes, I'm sure she's cute" She says. "But the basilisk tears don't work on me"

>Maybe I'll bring her to visit...

>Ask what her kids were like

>Basilisk tears?

>Other

>>1825379

>Ask what her kids were like

>Basilisk tears?

>>1825379
>Ask what her kids were like

>Basilisk tears?

>>1825379
>Maybe I'll bring her to visit...

>Ask what her kids were like

>>1825379
>Maybe I'll bring her to visit...
>Basilisk tears?

>writing

You take a moment to consider younext words, wondering if you actually want to ask this question...

"You know I can tell exactly what you want to ask, right?" She asks.

...

"What basilisk tears are?" You ask.
"That's not it, but I'll indulge" She says. "Basilisks are highly toxic beasts that shoot poison from their eyes"

You reel back in shock. "Like..." You point outward from your eyes.

Namaki nods. "A basilisk's gaze turns all to stone" She says, as though quoting something. "Because of this their eyes 'leak', making it look like they're always crying"
"Oh..." You say. "Freaky"

"Now, onto your actual question" She says.
"Right... what were your kids like?" You ask.

"There it is" She says. "Was that so hard?"
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to..." You say.

She chuckles. "My dear, I have had over 200 years to get over their loss" She says, as she stirs the pot and sips some liquid from the spoon. "But this is done, so we'll talk about it while we eat. Sound good?"

"Yeah" You say.
"Good. Put those mitts on and take this into the other room..."

>1/2

When you're both settled in with a bowl of soup, Namaki takes a moment to collect herself.

"I had 7..." She says. "3 girls, 4 boys"
"So many?" You ask.

She laughs. "Not uncommon back then, especially with the plague going around..." She says.
"What plague?" You ask.
"It's had a few names over the years, but now people just call it the plague" She says. "A sickness that tore through the continent, and left few survivors. Some people say that the population is still recovering"

"So you had so many... in case..."
"In case the plague took some, yes" She says. "And it did... of those 7, only 2 lasted past their teenage years"

"Oh..." You say. "Healers couldn't fix it?"
"Healers restore vitality and mend wounds. Against a sickness there's only so much they can do" She says. "And even then, there are few healers even now with the skill to mend the body without empowering the sickness itself"

She takes a moment to eat some of her soup before continuing. "Of the 7, we named them Gregory, Samuel, Theo, Dustin, Marina, and 2 of the girls were named Lylah" She says. "Lylah was both the first and the last"

"I guess you like the name?" You ask.
"I do" She says. "The second Lylah, and Gregory were the two survivors. Lylah was born after the plague passed through Otuna, and Gregory survived it"

"How?" You ask.
She smiles. "Because he was a tough son of a bitch" She says. "He came out with scars and a slur in his speech, but he came out"

...

>Does that make you the bitch?

>That must have been hard...

>Which one is Miranda's ancestor?

>Other

>>1825488
>>That must have been hard...
>>Which one is Miranda's ancestor?

>>1825488
>That must have been hard...

>Which one is Miranda's ancestor?

>>1825488
>Which one is Miranda's ancestor?
>I wonder if a chaotic could do better with a sickness if they tried.

>>1825488
>That must have been hard...

>Which one is Miranda's ancestor?

>>1825488


>Does that make you the bitch?

>Which one is Miranda's ancestor?

>writing

"That must have been hard" You say.

She glances to the side. "It was 300 years ago" She says, as she leans back with a smile. "Gods they were precious, though... at the time I would've given anything to..."

...

"Nevermind, it's in the past" She says.
"So which one is Miranda's ancestor?" You ask.
"Lylah" She says. "Gregory left to join the army and found himself a lovely young centaur. Lylah stayed here in Otuna to raise her family"

"Hmm... what if your replacement comes from Gregory's line?" You ask. "Is there such a thing as a nine-tailed centaur?"

Namaki laughs. "No, I don't believe there is" She says. "Centaurs have their own variants, though. Like the unicorn"

"What's that?" You ask.
"Like a normal centaur, but white, and with a single horn" She says.
"Sounds neat" You say.
"Must be... though I've never seen one myself" She says. "I've heard they're quite beautiful"

>Any idea where I'd find one?

>I've yet to meet a girl who isn't

>Any idea where Gregory's ancestors are?

>Other

>>1825572
>But you still have the most beautiful fluffy tails.

>>1825572

>>I've yet to meet a girl who isn't

>But you still have the most beautiful fluffy tails.

>>Any idea where Gregory's ancestors are?

>>1825572
>I've yet to meet a girl who isn't

>Any idea where Gregory's ancestors are?

>>1825607
this works

>writing

"I've yet to meet a girl who isn't" You say, "Though you easily have the most beautiful tails"
"You've got an eye for the-" She stops, and her cheeks turn red. She smiles at you, and rests her head on her hand. "We talked about flattery, didn't we?"

"I believe you said 'flattery will get me nowhere, but feel free to keep it up', right?" You ask.
"Glad you took that to heart" She says.

"Anything for a pretty lady" You say with a smile.
Namaki chuckles. "Alright, you. That's enough of that" She says.

"Fiiine" You say. "I'm out of witty things to say anyway. Come back to me in about an hour"
She smiles. "Maybe I will" She says. "If there's one thing any woman likes, it's being told how good looking she is"

"Ah yes, lesson 3" You say. "Always recognize cuteness"
"Your bunny friend teach you that?" She asks.
"She did" You say.
"Good teacher, that one" She says.

You take a few more spoonfuls of soup, as you sort out your next question. "Any idea where Gregory's descendants might be?" You ask.
"Not a clue" She says. "I've had a hard enough time keeping track of the ones that stayed in Otuna. I think that's a door I'd rather not open"

"Why not?" You ask.
She raises an eyebrow. "Say I do discover who my descendants are... what then do I do with that information?" She asks. "Do I invite them for dinner? 'how's it going? I'm your great-great-great-great- etc. Grandmother?"

>Yes

>You've never been curious?

>Maybe not...

>Other

>>1825669
>>Yes
>>You've never been curious?

>>1825669
>>Yes
>>You've never been curious?

>>1825669
>Yeah, they'd never believe it.
>Though it'd be neat if one was a unicorn.

>>1825669
>Yes

>You've never been curious?

>>1825669

>Yes...

>Maybe not

>>1825669
>Yes

>writing

You think for a moment. "Yes" You say with a smile.

"You really think they'd go for that?" She asks.
"Come on, how many people get to meet their great ancestor?" You ask. "Haven't you ever been curious?"

She purses her lips. "Oh... fine" She says. "I'll send a message to the Sherton registry, that's where he settled down. Ask what they know of him and his descendants"

You smile.

"And if it comes up with nothing, that'll be the end of it" She says. "I'm not going to hunt these people down..."
"That's fair" You say. "What if one of them was a unicorn?"
"Doubtful, but it would be interesting" She says.

"And it would be easy to say where she got her good looks from" You say.
"Well it'd probably be-..." She stops as she realizes what you meant, once more giving you an amused grin. "Didn't I tell you to stop that?"
"Your heart wasn't in it" You say.

Namaki rolls her eyes. "So, anything else interesting happen in Leon?"

>I got to meet the king

>Nobles are weird

>My cousin is nice

>Other

>>1825735
>>I got to meet the king

>>1825735
>We picked up a researcher on pure demons. He almost made a bad mistake trying to make a mana and soul void.

>>1825735
>I got to meet the king
but more important than that,
>>Other, South Antolian Food

>>1825735
>My cousin is nice

>writing

"I got to meet the king" You say. "He's a very sad person, but he seems nice enough"
"Yes, I imagine that sorrow weighs heavily over someone who has lost so much..." She says.

"Oh! I met a scholar too, the one that Fran and Kieve told me about" You say. "I managed to stop him from accidentally opening a hole into the Black God's realm"
"How so?" She asks.

"He had the same set up that the Grand Inquisitor had" You say. "Apparently he was trying to create... nothing?"

"A noble pursuit, to be sure" She says.
"Anyways, his original work was about Pure Demons, and with any luck I'll be able to help with his research so he can help me learn more about what I am"

"So why come down here instead of staying with them?" She asks. "Surely there was much to be learned, even on the road"

>I needed advice

>He doesn't have fluffy tails

>Thought you might get lonely

>Other

>>1825793
>>I needed advice

>>He doesn't have fluffy tails
Seduce the Namaki

>>1825793
>I needed advice from you. Researchers don't know that much about the howling tower.
>Thought you might get lonely.
>Brushing your tails is soothing.

>>1825793
>>He doesn't have fluffy tails
>>Thought you might get lonely
discard rabbit, acquire kitsune milf

>>1825793
>I needed advice

>He doesn't have fluffy tails

>writing

>>1825807
no, i'll never discard the rabbit you heartless son of a female dog

"I needed the advice" You say. "Plus he doesn't have any tails, nevermind fluffy ones"

"That makes sense to me, though there isn't all that much you can gain here" She says.
"Nonsense. You've got 300 years of experience over me" You say.
"Most of that has been spent relaxing here in Otuna" She says.

"I've been alive for a couple weeks" You say.
"Ah yes... I forget that sometimes" She says. "Mind you, most people your actual age can't walk or talk, nevermind ask for advice"

"Maybe they can, but they only speak baby" You say.
"Baby is not a language" She says.
"It is to a baby" You say with a smile.

...

"Is there another subject that we can dicuss?" She asks.
"Absolutely"

>Ask if she can teach you how to make a shield

>Ask if she reads romance novels

>Ask if you can brush her tails

>Other

>>1825856
>>Ask if she reads romance novels

>>Ask if you can brush her tails

>>1825856
>>Ask if she can teach you how to make a shield
i just want to get this so yuu doesn't have to keep getting stabbed as often

>>1825856
>Ask if you can brush her tails.
>Ask if she can help teach you to deal with mental threats like the Howling Tower might have.

>>1825856
>>Ask if she can teach you how to make a shield

>>1825856
>>Ask if she reads romance novels
>>Ask if you can brush her tails

>>1825856
>Ask if she can teach you how to make a shield
>Ask if she reads romance novels

>writing

"Could you show me how to make a shield with magic?" You ask. "I meant to get Pip to show me back in Leon, and then I forgot... but you use the same kind of shield"

"I certainly could" She says. "Why the sudden interest in defensive spells?"
"Pip's light screen saved our butts a few times in Leon" You say. "If I could do that myself, I think I could save my own butt a few more times"

"Alright then..." She says, as she looks up at the timekeeper. "Plenty of time. Wait for me in the back, I'll be right with you"

You nod and head out to the back, where you find yourself a chair and sit down while you wait.

You can see why Namaki likes this place. There is a certain tranquility to it. The only sound you hear is the wind through the trees, which occasionally picks up some steam from the hot spring and carries it off.

After a few minutes, Namaki emerges. She's dressed differently... not the casual, comfortable robe you're used to seeing her in. What she's wearing now looks more rugged, like you mght wear it if you wante to go out adventuring...

"What's with the outfit?" You ask.
"I figured this may get a liiiiittle messy, so I threw on my old clothes from my adventuring days" She says, as she smooths the fabric over her stomach and stretches around.

"It looks good" You say.
"It certainly does" She says. "I'm surprised that it was all still in one piece..."

"When's the last time you wore it?" You ask.
"Three centuries, give or take a few decades?" She says. "It's kept remarkably well"
"No kidding... I've ruined shirts that were only a few days old..." You say.
"You're not as careful as I was" She says. "Shall we get started?"

>Roll 1d100

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>1825897

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>1825897

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>1825897

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>1825897

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>1825897

>writing

"Now, managing a larger screen is a task you never start with. Most times, you don't need a 6 by 6 wall to block something-" She says, as s circle of light forms in front of her hand. "Sometimes all you need is a little barrier"

The circle floats away from her hand, positioning itself in front of her.

"In fact, you can do quite a lot with a little thing like this" She says. "Try and hit me with a spell"

You shrug and do as she says, firing off a quick set of bolts from both of your hands. Namaki's little light shield flicks about as each bolt approaches, blocking them all in turn.

"Now, shaping energy is your thing, is it not?" She asks. "Try and mimic my shield"

You nod, focusing energy into your hand and shaping it into a circle.

"Good!" She says. "Can you move it around?"
"I can try..." You say. The circle floats away from your hand, and you try to get it into a centered position.

But before you can get a feel for it, Namaki launches something your way...

>Roll 1d100

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>1825948

i would roll but i tend to roll terribly, so i ain't gonna risk it

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>1825948
Check out this nat 100

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>1825948

Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>1825948

>writing

>>1825965
This won extra brushing right?

Without even using your hands, you bring the shield up to block her spell by focus alone.

"Very good" She says.
"A little warning would have been nice" You reply.

"You seem like the type who learns quickly under pressure" She says.

You puff out your cheeks.

"Aww, don't be like that" She says. "Fine, you get some warning this time..."

She fires off some more shots, and you manage to block them all. As soon as you fall into a rhythm, she sends off two at once. You think about blocking them, but instead you make a second shield and add it to the first.

Namaki looks impressed, and begins sending all of her shots in groups of two now. Then she adds a third and a fourth, forcing you to do the same.

It's easy for your to keep track of all the different shots, even the ones she arcs behind you. You're comfortably managing five of the little shields when you finally hit your limit and one of them breaks, letting a projectile pass through it and hit you right in the forehead.

You fall over on your back, breathing heavily despite not noticing you were stressing yourself...

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She says, as she rushes over. "I got a little carried away there... are you hurt?"
You reach up and touch your forehead. It hurts a bit, and you're sweating. "I'll be fine. Just a bruise" You say.

She leans down beside you, lending you a hand to help you get up. Once you're standing she brushes your hair out of the way to get a look at your forehead.

"We might want to put some ice on that..." She says.

>It's fine

>Alright

>Ask how you did

>Other

>>1826003
>It's fine
>Ask how you did

>>1826003
>>Alright

>>1826003
>>Ask how you did

>>1826003
>>Alright
>>Ask how you did

>writing

"How'd I do?" You ask.
"Very well. I almost believed you weren't a beginner there..." She says.

"Untilthe shield broke and I took a hit to the face?" You ask.
"Right up until that point" She says with a smile. "So ice or no ice?"
"Yes ice" You say.

She plants a kiss on your forehead, and then steps away. "You remember which room you stayed in last time?" She asks.
"Yeah" You reply.

"There should be a pair of bathing shorts in one of the drawers" She says. "Put those on and hop in the spring, I'll join you shortly"

You nod, and you both head back inside.

"Now... where was my icemaker again..." Namaki says as she heads to the kitchen.

That's all for tonight!

Next thread will be tomorrow evening.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time

File: 2dd.jpg (14KB, 300x300px) Image search: [Google]

14KB, 300x300px

It's hard to resist lewding the fox

>>1826055
Resist? I think the resistance failed tonight.

>>1826055
why resist?

>>1826055
She's honestly best girl which is why she won't win.

>>1826149
well don't forget she is fated to pass away soon, and depending on how far this quest goes she might not be alive by the end of it

>>1826195
Soon being 80 years

>>1826195
>>1826262
She won't pass away until her replacement (who hasn't even been conceived yet) grows her 9th tail, so she has around 30-35 years left.

>>1827673
>30-35 years left.
Just enough to see her and Yuu's grandkids.

>>1827673
That's more than enough time to give her another family. If she can have children at her age, that is.

You slide back, stretching out your ams as you settle into Namaki's spring. The warm water instantly relaxes you, and you tilt your head back and shut your eyes.

There's something calming about this spring that makes it that much easier to unwind than if you were in a simple tub. You're laying back for what feels like a while, when suddenly something cold comes to rest on your forehead.

You gasp and flinch, losing your footing in the spring and accidentally dunking your head in. When you resurface, you see Namaki dressed in a plain white bathing robe, holding bundled up towel.

"Sorry, dear. Couldn't resist" She says.

You walk back to the edge of the spring and she hands you the towel. It isn't just bundled up, it's wrapped around something cold...

"For your forehead" She says, as she slips in next to you.

You continue to stare at her with an accusatory glare, for which you recieve an innocent smile.

"Best use that quickly, or the steam will melt it" She says, closing her eyes as she settles in.

...

A thought occurs to you...

>Exact revenge

>Settle down

>Other

>>1827947
>Settle down

>>1827947
>>Settle down

>>1827947
>Exact revenge

>writing

>>1827725
>>1827726
It occurs to me to wonder, but putting aside unusual ones like nine tails and unicorns, do you see variations in how long females live as a general rule depending on what kind of animal they are or how the young are born or develop? Are males all the same regardless of parentage?

>>1828024
Not huge variations in age, but some kinds do enjoy fairly long lives, turtles for instance. Males are mostly the same, but as has been mentioned before they can sometimes take traits from their mothers: Merfolk men can breathe underwater, Dragon men gain fire breath, sons of centaurs tend to be fairly hardy, at least in comparison to the son of a Felid, etc.

You swallow your anger and settle in next to Namaki, gently placing the cold towel on your forehead. It hurts a bit, but if Namaki says it'll help, then you can handle it.

"And here I was expecting revenge" She says.
"I figured" You say. "Which is why I'm saving it for when you don't expect it"

She smiles and opens one eye. "Keeping me on my toes, hmm?" She asks. "I'll have to keep my eyes on you..."

"I can be surprisingly sneaky" You say.
"Then I shall have to watch carefully, won't I?"

...

You both start laughing.

"Is your forehead feeling any better?" She asks.
"A little" You say. "I'm still gonna get Emi to take a look when I meet up with the others, but I'll be fine until then"
"Must be nice having a friend like her" She says.
"It is" You reply. "Without her we might never have reached Sherton..."

Namaki shuts her eyes again and sinks into the spring. "She'll need you" She says. "She won't say as much herself, in fact she'll probably try to push you away. But she'll need you"

>That's vague

>And I'll be there

>It'll be fine. I'm a stubborn guy

>Other

>>1828053
>>It'll be fine. I'm a stubborn guy

>>1828053
>>And I'll be there

>>1828053
>>It'll be fine. I'm a stubborn guy

>>1828053
>>It'll be fine. I'm a stubborn guy

>>1828053
>>It'll be fine. I'm a stubborn guy

>writing

"It'll be fine. I'm a stubborn guy" You say. "How will I know when it happens?"

"The moment wll present itself, in time" She says. "Standing up won't be the easiest thing in the world, and what comes after will be even more difficult, but..."

"But?"

She smiles. "You'll be fine" She says. "Have you given any thought to the path you wish to take?"
"I'm leaning towards learning from the scholars at the Archive" You say.

"Oh? Why is that?" She asks.
"Because I have friends who are strong, and friends who are clever" You say. "But there's only one person who can cast spells with Soul"
"Interesting..." She says. "I didn't think of it like that"

>Ask if she has any other insights

>Ask if you can scratch her ears

>Ask if she can tell you anything about the tower

>Other

>>1828133
>>Ask if you can scratch her ears

>>Ask if she can tell you anything about the tower

>>1828133
>>Ask if you can scratch her ears

>>Ask if she can tell you anything about the tower

>>1828133
>Ask if she can tell you anything about the tower
>Ask if you can scratch her ears

>>1828133
>>Ask if you can scratch her ears
>>Ask if she can tell you anything about the tower

>writing

"This may be a weird question, but... can I scratch your ears?" You ask.

She tilts her head towards you, silently answering your question. You reach around behind her and start scratching at the usual spot where a person's ears usually are, eliciting a contented hum and a smile from Namaki.

"Another thing... you wouldn't happen to know anything else about the tower, would you?" You ask, as you continue scratching.
"Just what I've sensed off the people that came out..." She says. "Fear, exhaustion, sorrow, loneliness"

"Is that not normal?" You ask.
"Not like this it isn't..." She says. "I could feel it from here without even looking for it. They weren't just tired, afraid, sad, or lonely... those emotions had consumed them, hollowing out their beings and taking root deep within..."

"And you felt it all the way here in Otuna?" You ask.
"It was hard to miss" She says. "Like a flare going up in the sky, only in reverse"

>...a flare coming down?

>Can emotions do that to a person?

>Just how much can you sense?

>Other

>>1828230
>>...a flare coming down?

>>Can emotions do that to a person?

>>1828230
>>...a flare coming down?
>>Can emotions do that to a person?

>>1828230
>Just how much can you sense?
>This is why I needed you instead of just the researcher.

>>1828230
>...a flare coming down?
>Can emotions do that to a person?

>writing

"... a flare coming down?" You ask.

She sighs and rests her head on your shoulder, giving you better leverage for scratching. "Flares light up the sky, this darkened it" She says.
"Ohhhh... yeah that makes more sense" You say. "Can emotions really do that to a person?"

"You met the king, did you not?" She asks. "His despair may not have torn him apart and left him a broken husk like those who came out of the tower, but he is a now a shadow of the man he once was"

You nod. "See, this is why I'm glad I came to you instead of asking some researcher" You say.
"Glad to know my insights are valuable to you" She says with a smile, as she shifts herself to get more comfortable.

The two of you sit quietly for a while, until you start to feel something moving next to you. Looking down through the murk, you see one of Namaki's legs twitching...

>Ask why it's doing that

>Leave it be

>Other

>>1828311
>See if frequency and intensity of scratching affects it.

>>1828317
this

>>1828317
Seconding

>writing

You slow the pace of your scratching, and watch as her leg slows down as well. Then you speed it up and really dig into that little spot, causing her leg to quicken as well. You go back and forth a few times, alternating between fast and slow to see how she reacts...

"Are you having fun?" She asks.
"Absolutely" You say. "Does it always do that?"

She takes a breath, opens her eyes, leans back a bit, and lifts her twitchy leg out of the water. "Only when someone hits one of my spots" She says.

"One of them?" You ask.

Her leg twitches again, and she lowers it back into the water. "I've a few others..." She says.

>Ask where they are

>Try and find one

>Does everyone have spots like that?

>Other

>>1828384
>>Try and find one

>>1828384
>>Ask where they are
>>Does everyone have spots like that?

>>1828384
>>Try and find one
>>Does everyone have spots like that?
Here we go boys

>>1828384
>Try and find one
>Declare revenge time

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>"I've a few others..."
O-oh my...
>Try and find one.

>writing

"A few others, huh? How about..." You bring your free hand up to her neck, just under her cheekbone, and rub it gently. "Here?"

She inhales deeply and relaxes into you a little more. "That's one..." She says.

"Hmm..." You move that hand foreward to her chin, and scratch her there. "Here too?"

"L-lucky guess..." She says, as she involuntarily lifts her head to give you better access.

Now you take your hand away from her ear, and move it down under her arm just below the armpit, to scratch along her ribs. "Sill lucky?" You ask.

She squeezes her eyes shut. "M-maybe not..." She says.

>Keep going

>I'm hungry

>Other

>>1828454
>>Keep going
No breaks on this train.

>Captcha is dang
Dang indeed

>>1828454
>>Keep going

>>1828454
>>Keep going
CANT STOP, WONT STOP

File: 77e.png (539KB, 714x592px) Image search: [Google]

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If we keep going, there may be no going back...

>>1828476
i am okay with that

File: Nothing_stops_this_train.gif (890KB, 360x203px) Image search: [Google]

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>>1828476

>writing

You start alternating between her chin and the spot under her cheekbone. Meanwhile she shifts her body towards you, nuzzling her face into your neck and almost sitting in your lap.

Part of you thinks you might be taking this a little bit too far, but the better part is intrigued by the reaction you've been getting. You decide that it's too late to turn back...

Remembering that one spot just above the tail that Ilica had, you take your hand away from her ribs and move it lower. Starting by scratching her lower back, you feel around for that tuft of fur above her tail...

Namaki sighs and gives your neck a little nip, then a big nip, and then her tails wrap around your hand and pull it away...

She takes a deep breath. "That's enough for now..." She says, as she slides away from you and stands up. "Go dry yourself off, and we can get started on dinner"

You nod to her, feeling more than a little-

>Disappointed

>Relieved

>Hungry

>Other

>>1828514

>Disappointed

>>1828514
>>Disappointed
one does not stop petting Fluffy tail

>>1828514
>Hungry

>>1828514
>Disappointed

>writing

-disappointed... and apparently it shows on your face, as Namaki giggles at you.

She leans over, lifting your face up by the chin. "I said enough for now" She says with a smile. "Now go dry yourself off"
"O-okay" You say, as you stand up and hop out of the spring.

You stop for a moment to give Namaki a hand getting out, and then head off to grab a towel. For whatever reason your breathing is heavy, and your blood is flowing much quicker than usual... it's probably nothing.

After quickly drying yourself off, you throw your clothes back on and head over to the kitchen. Namaki is already there, looking kind of silly with 2 or 3 towels wrapped around her tails, and another one on her head.

"Are you alright with leftovers? There's a few things here that need to be eaten..." She says.
"Sounds good to me" You reply. "What can I do?"
"For starters..."

>1/2

Namaki walks you through the process of combining leftovers, and even takes the time to teach you a few things about cooking.

It's also a quick process, much quicker than making everything from scratch, and before long you're back in the dining room...

Though you can't say it isn't a little awkward for some reason...

Not wanting to pass the whole meal in silence, you look for something to say...

"This is pretty good for leftovers" You say.
She smiles. "4 of my personal favourites... and I've always got leftovers" She says. "340-something years of cooking experience, and I've yet to learn how to portion properly"

>Lucky for me

>I should visit more often

>You've been cooking since you were 8?

>Other

>>1828617
>>Lucky for me

>>You've been cooking since you were 8?

>>1828617
>>I should visit more often
>You've been cooking since you were 8?

>>1828617
>I should visit more often

>You've been cooking since you were 8?

>>1828617
>Lucky for me

>I should visit more often

>>1828617
>>Lucky for me
>>I should visit more often

There's gotta be some weird Freudian shit going on that the first motherly figure Yuu meets he tries to lewd.

>>1828636
Yuu is secretly Freud reincarnated

>>1828636
none can resist the power of the Fluffy Tails anon

>writing

>>1828636
Altea would be more the Freudian event I'd think. I just feel that Namaki fits well with Yuu. You have someone really old and knowledgeable who has a fixed span left and a guy who doesn't know anything and has probably had more holes in his chest than weeks of memory and will be lucky to live as long.

I tend to think they share some basic traits as well like being curious and interested in self-advancement. And they have a perfectly complimentary power set since she's an illusionist and Yuu is immune to illusions. I'd want Namaki to join our group eventually even if she was not able to be pursued. I bet she could hold her own against a lot of the legion and the complimentary powers just makes it really strong.

File: Sigmund_Freud_LIFE.jpg (876KB, 1066x1500px) Image search: [Google]

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>>1828643
>"So Namaki, tell me about your mother."

"I should visit more often, then" You say.
"You're always welcome" She says.
"But 340 years... you've been cooking since you were 8?" You ask.
"Possibly before... it's difficult to remember details from back then" She says.

"Didn't they know you were the nine tails?" You ask.
"Of course, my 'grandmother' knew before I was even born, just as I know now" She says. "But they didn't tell me until I started showing my powers and asking questions about them... up until then I was a normal girl, and they treated me as such"

That brings to mind a fairly difficult question, one that you're not sure you want to ask... you quiet down as you think it over.

"Yes" She says.
"What?" You ask.
"To the question you wanted to ask" She says. "I have thought how my life might've been had I just been normal. Many times"

...

"No I would not have preferred it" She says. "As sad as it's been to have outlived all those I grew up with, I've experienced many things that one with a regular lifespan could never know"
"How do you keep doing that?" You ask.

"Please, I don't even need to use my other senses to know what you were thinking" She says. "You have a very expressive face, dear. It's one of your many endearing traits, but it also makes you easy to read, and even easier to catch in a lie"

>Ask about said experiences

>Ask if she can teach you to read faces

>What am I thinking now, then?

>Other

>>1828680
>>What am I thinking now, then?

>>1828680
>Ask if she can teach you to read faces

WEW I sure missed alot tonight

>>1828680
>What am I thinking now, then?

>>1828680
>Ask if she can teach you to read faces

>>1828680
>>What am I thinking now, then?
>>Ask if she can teach you to read faces
>Try to not think lewd thoughts
>Fail

>writing

"What am I thinking now, then?" You ask.
"That's not how it works..." She says. "But the obvious answer is 'she couldn't possibly guess what I'm thinking this time'"

Your expression drops, and your shoulders sag...

"I thought I had her there" Namaki says with a smile.

...

"Now she's just being cheeky" She says.
"Cheeky is not the word I was thinking of" You say.
"Oh, was it a better one, or a worse one?" She asks.

...

"Better. Good" She says.
"Could I learn how to read faces?" You ask.
"You could learn, yes... but I imagine you're more curious as to whether I can teach you" She says. "The answer to that being no"
"Aww..." You say.
"Yes, I know. Unfortunately it's a skill you have to learn, without being taught" She says. "Not a difficult pursuit, with eyes like yours. But it will still take time"

...

"Oh, don't look so disappointed" She says. "If I can't teach you that, perhaps there's something else you'd like"

>Can I brush your tails?

>Is there dessert?

>Is there something else you can teach me?

>Other

>>1828723
>Can I brush your tails?
>Is there something else you can teach me?

>>1828723
>Is there dessert?

>>1828723
>>Can I brush your tails?
>Is there something else you can teach me?

>>1828723
>Can I brush your tails?
>Is there something else you can teach me?

>>1828723
>>Is there something else you can teach me?
Waa~ What are we going to do on the bed?

>>1828723
>Is there dessert?

>writing

"Can I brush your tails?" You ask.

Namaki starts laughing.

"What?" You ask.
"I'm fairly sure I'd get more out of that than you would" She says. "Perhaps there's something else?"
"Is there anything else you could teach me?" You ask.

"Depends on what you want to learn" She says. "I'm not the most knowledgeable person in the world, but I've picked some things up over the years..."

You think for a moment on what you might want to know, until namaki continues...

"But we'll leave that for now" She says. "Why don't we head outside? The sun should be setting soon, and we'll have a clear view of the stars"

You agree, helping with the clean up a bit before heading out back again...

Namaki comes out a minute or so after you, with a big, rolled up mat under one arm, and a basket with a handled device and a brush in the other...

>Ask her if Lubrians have constellations

>Must be nice, being served by a prince

>Ask where the mat came from

>Other

>>1828765
>Ask her if Lubrians have constellations

>>1828765
>>Ask her if Lubrians have constellations

>>1828765
>Must be nice, being served by a prince

>>1828765
>Ask her if Lubrians have constellations
>Brush tails extensively.

>>1828765
>>Ask her if Lubrians have constellations

>>1828765
>>Ask her if Lubrians have constellations

>writing

Namaki lays out the mat and sits down, beckoning for you to sit behind her, as she pulls the towels off of her tails.

"Do Lubrians have constellations?" You ask as you take your seat.
"Constellations?" She asks, looking over her shoulder quizzically.

"Like... shapes and pictures in the sky that you make by connecting the stars" You say.

She brings one of her tails around, and starts up the strange device. It's actually a pair of rings: one for wind and the other for heat, so it functions as something like a blowdryer.

"We call them Silvalai" She says. "At least, I think we still do... it's an old Kazudi word that means something like 'sky story'"
"Neat" You say. "And what is the sky story?"

"You should be familiar with it" She says.
"Caian and Malieria?" You ask.

She smiles and nods, handing you the brush as she starts drying of another tail. You happily get to work, running the brush through her soft fur.

"As the old story goes, Malieria summoned up a darkness that swallowed the stars" She says. "Once he was defeated, Caian and his allies ascended, shining brightly and scattering across the heavens to make new ones"

>Who were Caian's allies?

>I really should get around to reading that story...

>Sounds way more interesting than the constellations...

>Other

>>1828813

>I really should get around to reading that story...
>Sounds way more interesting than the constellations

>>1828813
>>Who were Caian's allies?
>>I really should get around to reading that story...

>>1828813
>I really should get around to reading that story...
>Who were Caian's allies?

>>1828813
>I really should get around to reading that story...

>writing

"I really should get around to reading that story" You say.
"If you'd like, I could tell it to you" She says. "It's not that long to hear it told, but the story itself does a lot of meandering..."

"Sure" You say. "We've got time. Sun's not quite down yet"
"Alright... so it starts out with Caian, a stranger from a foreign land..."

You continue to brush Namaki's tails as she regales you with the story of the first hero.

It starts by describing Caian: a handsome young knight who was strange for a foreigner, as he spoke the language, but with an accent no one could place. At the same time, strange monsters started appearing. They could be killed, but they would always return...

"What were they?" You ask.
"No one really knows" She says. "They were said to be harbingers of the end... servants of Malieria who could not truly die while he lived..."

Caian was the first to realize this, and he gathered some of the greatest fighters in history to battle this new threat...

"One of whom will be above us tonight" She says. "I believe it's... hmm... it's autumn now, so it would be Calist"
"Who was he?" You ask.
"She" Namaki says. "Calist was a famed archer, an elf from the southern continent who went where the winds took her"

Caian eventually gathered the 8 strongest warriors in the world, and took the battle to Malieria and his harbingers. One by one, both hero and harbinger fell, until it was just the two of them. Malieria sundered the world in two, playing with existence as he saw fit, until Caian could make things right again... but he could not killed Malieria, so he trapped him between the broken pieces of the world as they came back together.

"What happened to Caian after that?" You ask.
"It never says" She says. "Everybody's got a different idea of how the story ends, but nobody actually knows"

>That's kind of anticlimactic

>He probably lived happily ever after

>Ask if there's anything more about the 'harbingers'

>Other

>>1828855
>>He probably lived happily ever after

>>1828855
>What's your idea?

>>1828855
>He probably lived happily ever after

>>1828855
>>Ask if there's anything more about the 'harbingers'
"And who were the allies of the hero?"

>>1828866
this

>writing

"What do you think?" You ask.
"I'd like to think he lived a long and happy life after that" She says. "To go through all of that fighting and lose so much, just to die, or while away in sadness... much too cruel"

"Yeah" You say. "Who were the other heroes?"
"I don't remember their names off hand..." She says. "Calist only came to mind because... well..."
"Well?"
"Sh-she was always my favourite" She says.

"I can see why" You say. "The strong female warrior type would make a good role model... maybe I should tell this story to the devils"

Namaki chuckles. "You'd make a good father some day" She says.
"I think I'm good with being the cool pseudo-big brother for now" You say, getting another laugh out of Namaki.

"Now the sun's down... look up there" She says, pointing out the stars that make out Calist.
"Neat" You say, as you finish brushing her tails. "All done back here"
"Why thank you" She says.
"My pleasure" You reply. "It's not every day that you get to work with something so incredibly soft"
"And it's not every day that an old gal like me gets serviced by a prince" She says.
"I guess this isn't one of those 'every days'" You say.

"I suppose not..." She says.

It gets quiet for a moment.

>Continue where you left off in the spring? [Y/N]

>>1828905
>N
And now to be horribly out voted

>>1828905
>Y
Duh

>>1828905
>>Continue where you left off in the spring? Yes

>>1828905
>Y

>>1828905
>Y
>>1828908
Sorry man

>>1828905
>N

>>1828918
Well at least it isn't the rabbit
Good bye Yuu's purity

>>1828905
>Y