[The Norkari Mtns.] Chalet du Sommet Minuit

Aaaaaand I just remembered that there are reasons why I don't make a habit of fucking virgins. They're all so damn clingy... She wasn't a bad lay, though, for all her inexperience. I'll have to see if I can set it up so that she gets that I'm not interested in anything beyond the physical, but wants to continue that physicality.

Artemis throws her legs over the side of the bed and sits up, leaving the blankets behind her. The chilly air of the room raises goosebumps on her bare skin. Spotting a half-filled wineglass on the side table, she takes it up, swirls the contents once, and takes a deep sip, looking up towards the ceiling as she enjoys the tingle of the alcoholic liquid against her throat.

"I wouldn't dream of this being the last time." She turns to her bedfellow. "I will, however, be candid with you. I will be perfectly happy to make you scream my name in ecstasy again and again, but that is all I offer. I am not looking for a lover, or a long-term relationship, and if you are looking for those things, you will not find them in me."

She stands, and makes her way to the window. Casting open the curtains, she regards the scenery in silence for a moment. The bright sun that awoke them is slowly becoming hidden behind an ominous, heavy-laden bank of gray clouds. A snowstorm was coming in, it would seem.

We're likely going to be here full-time for a few more days, at least, even if there is some little teleporting back and forth. The storm will probably go that long as well. I ordinarily wouldn't do this, but the opportunity does exist. What's the harm in a little game?

"Ordinarily, you would be correct," she remarks, after another sip of wine. "My obligations to Naoki consume virtually all of my time on a daily basis. However, here at the chalet, there is a much lower risk of anything bad happening, and I therefore find myself with an amount of free time. As such, I'll make you an offer. I have obligations to Naoki and Miss Green for goodly portions of the next few days, but they will not take up the whole of my time. This remainder is yours, should you wish to use it, to whatever ends you desire, in whatever manner you see fit. If you want nothing more than to have sex for hours, I will show you pleasures you didn't even know existed. If you want to spar, I'll kick your ass. If you want to talk about the past, the present, or the future, I will indulge you."

She gestures with her wine glass, past the frosted panes of the window to the oncoming clouds. "That blizzard will cover the mountains in snow for days. You have until we see the sun again."

As Kate offers a preamble to her story, Naoki is rather surprised. She had been expecting a tragic tale, yes, with some level of unusual circumstance, but nothing quite so… dangerously confidential. Still, fair enough; Naoki is willing to do much more for Kate than simply keep secrets. Though her earring doesn’t come out, all shimmering and glimmering comes to a halt as she gradually ceases all communication and safely disables the otherwise continuous scrying of Reese’s. She hopes that Kate won’t take her seeming refusal to remove the earring as any sort of disrespect, but figures that it’s best not to interrupt, and the matter can be explained later anyway.

Regardless, Naoki listens carefully as Kate relates the details of her childhood, retaining each and every word as she tends to. A portion of her mind wanders, attempting to put herself in those metaphorical shoes. To have a parental figure, the mere concept of it is an interesting and foreign one to Naoki. She had been putting more thought into the matter as of late- dealing with Skarlet and all, but to hear Kate refer to her father with such admiration and reverence… It’s interesting, at the very least. Worth more thought later- should focus on the matter at hand.

The note about Kate’s eyes, and her unknown mother is another bit that piques Naoki’s interest. She knows full well that she and Kate seemingly have the very same set of amber eyes. The passing thought that they may be in some way related is mildly off-putting, but highly unlikely, Naoki figures. Well. Who is she to say, she supposes. Too many unknowns to say anything with any degree of certainty.

The comment about the other children regarding Kate as abnormal rubs Naoki in entirely the wrong direction. So what if she’s got strangely colored eyes and hair? Who doesn’t, in this day and age? They’re beautiful, dammit. To think that some children were raised so intolerantly as to discriminate based on such inconsequential thing as color… ugh. Naoki finds it disgusting to think about. Naoki has had a few “freak” comments leveled in her direction as well, but they were no more justified. Human nature is awful, Naoki muses. She doesn’t understand how some can be so idealistic in the context of human nature when humans so regularly make such a mess about things as inconsequential as the mere color of one’s eyes. Disgust aside however, Naoki again doesn't interrupt. She knows that Kate knows fully well what she thinks of those eyes of hers, and if she was searching for further confirmation, the way in which Naoki’s own eyes are gazing into them ought to be plenty.

As Kate breaks into tears, Naoki instinctually extends her arms and leans over to offer her shoulder. Though she hasn’t thought about it consciously up until this very moment, she supposes that it is her job to support Kate in the same way. Everyone needs a shoulder to lean on sometimes, she supposes. Even the likes of these three fools sitting on the bench. She’s cried on Kate’s shoulder on… quite a few occasions, goodness knows, this small gesture is the least she can do. Naoki attempts to emulate the same warm sort of feel that she herself has been so comforted by in the past, but finds herself without words. The words are the important part, she knows, but how can she be expected to say something comforting when she isn’t even quite sure what’s wrong? Something to do with her father, obviously, but what? Figuring that silence is probably superior to saying something obnoxiously general like “It will be alright”, Naoki keeps her mouth shut, but attempts to be present and comforting in whatever way she can. For Artemis, at least, simply being there physically is quite enough. In her silence Naoki regrets not adding a kerchief or two to her ensemble; now would be an excellent time for one.

Once Arya was fully clothed, including panties, she would turn towards Artemis again.

"Thank you for your words of reassurance, and I accept your apology even though it was unnecessary. The fault lies with me," Arya said firmly. Artemis' words before he apology did not have much impact on Arya. Indeed she treated this as a valuable lesson learned, however the regret would not go away as easily. The ease of which Arya had forgotten all of her past beliefs, all of her sense to be with this woman had frightened her. 

Artemis' honesty afterwards, which snapped Arya back into reality was a good thing in some ways. The longer Arya went ignorant, the more the truth would have hurt in the end after all. Arya would offer a small smile to Artemis before she left, as if to reassure her that she was alright, to convince her not to worry.

"Goodbye, Artemis," and with that she left the room.

Arya would make her way back to her own room, where her armor and her sword waited. Here she would abandon the clothes she wore, donning her armor and sword once again. In truth Arya had felt used, and stupid. Like one would feel after falling victim to some sort of scam. Artemis had only wanted to be with her for how she looked, and nothing else. If Arya made a habit of making such connections, what would happen if she lost her own visual appeal? It was obvious what would happen, she would be alone once again. There would have to be some changes made in the near future.

Arya would sit and watch the blizzard approach outside of her window. Eventually snowflakes would begin to fall, slowly at first but growing faster by the moment. Eventually the world outside was obscured by the thick snowfall, and the ground would quickly become coated in a thin layer of snow as the winds grew. 

Arya would get up then, sheathing her sword upon her back as she left the room. She would walk straight to the nearest exit, and out into the blizzard. She would leave the trunk of clothes that Artemis had given her behind, as it was to heavy to travel with, and she would also leave a note for Lum'valia so she would not worry about her and come looking for her. 

Artemis listens to Kate's story with interest. Not a happy childhood, then, and a father who was dabbling in some strange flora. What was a 'Cordyceps', anyway?

When Kate breaks down, Artemis reaches across the table, and grasps one of her hands. She lets Naoki do the bulk of the comforting.

Kate paused to gather herself before continuing the story. "Some soldiers came by a few days later. My father gave them a bottle of creamy white liquid, something I'd never seen before. They gave him a small satchel of gold, and left without saying a word.” Kate clenched her fist. “I should have confronted him here and then. Maybe then I could have stopped it all. But, I didn’t. It went on for a long time. Each month the soldiers came, soldiers left. Every time the payment was a little bit more. Father spent more and more time in his study. When granduncle died he didn’t even notice. His brother, my uncle, took over the upkeep. We had to hire help to keep the place running. ”

“Dad told me to never come to his study ever again. I barely saw him anymore. One morning he was sitting at the breakfast table. He was eating a sandwich, mechanically, staring at a wall. When I entered, he smiled. I couldn’t say anything. He touched my cheek and said: “I’m doing this for both of us. We’re going to be alright.”. There were bags under his eyes, his voice wasn’t his own. But when he looked at me with those green eyes of his, I couldn’t do anything else but believe every word. He kissed me.” Kate touched her forehead. “-right here. Then he left again, leaving behind a mostly eaten sandwich… I had never felt so conflicted in my life.”

“The six months following that were the most painful in my life. Dad would barely come outside, anymore. I was to bring him his food in front of his door, and knock. Sometimes he would answer. He never allowed me to look in. When the soldiers came, he would hurry down and do the transaction with haste. He wore a brown coat that covered his hands and arms. His hair was tangled and dirty, his eyes were darting. They didn’t shine like they used to. He would look at me and then turn away. Not even… He couldn’t bare looking at me for longer than a second. So I eventually decided… I couldn’t bare looking at him like this. So I disobeyed.”

“One morning I made him an omelet and two slices of bread for breakfast. Orange Juice, too. I hid behind the door and when he peeked out, I tore the door open. He… fell out of the balance and… I saw it.” Kate trembled. She looked frightened as she bared her wrists. She looked at them as in shock. “His hands, palms... Weren’t human anymore. Orange juice... Everywhere... His fingers… Oh, God! The fingers!” The image drew a grimace on her face.

“I tried talking to him, but no words came. He shrieked and crawled back in like a cockroach. He didn’t look anything like my father anymore. I followed him inside. I had to cover my mouth just to keep myself conscious, the smell was pungent. I could not recognise the place anymore. It’s as if the entire attic had become one big, living, breathing organism. The walls were covered in wild creepers. Father was squatting in the corner, shying away from the light. He was a sorry sight, I chose not to torment him further. His papers were scattered on the floor, patterned geometrically. I didn’t get a good look, but he was using the orange flower, “Magenta Supremium”, as the base for his solution. Then I saw the syringes. There must have been dozens. He was using himself as a subject, and hadn’t told me.”

“‘I’m growing, Kate.’ he croaked. ‘They want me to grow more. But it’s getting to me. I thought I could last long enough to provide you for your life, but my body can’t take this.’ I wanted to be angry so bad. But I could not bare to shout at him. I could already see that he was fading away. He told me, head between his knees, that he was sorry, that he had no option, and I listened, and I believed. As his final request, he pleaded me to end his life. He wanted to die in my arms, rather than being consumed by the devilish thing that was feeding on him. I took a letter opener, he always kept it on his drawer, I pressed it against his aorta, I kissed him, on his brow, he smiled, and breathed for the last time."

"I heard something fall on the floor. Sunflower seeds, stained with blood. He had them, so I think. I closed his eyes, that was all I could muster at that point. I had done what he had asked, but now I had no one to tell me what to do next. I couldn't let my uncle see him like that. I feared that his disease would grow if I buried him, so I did the only thing I could. I burned the house, the lab, and hid his notes somewhere no one could find them. Then I ran away. I knew there would be consequences, but I couldn't let them find out what happened."

"I started life again here, but no matter how I try, my past still haunts me. I planted the seeds in my shoppe, to bury my father. In spirit, at least. My greatest fear, Naoki, is that someone might find his notes and replicate his work. The soldiers were using it as a war drug, I overheard them say it numbed the senses. But he was only giving them the diluted solution. It was far, far more potent than that. The adrenaline levels, muscle tissue growth... If his notes are to be believed, they were off the charts. I dare not to think about what would happen if anyone found out."

Kate stroke her arms and shivered feverishly. Her visage was a grim mask of repentance. "Promise me you wont tell a soul. Let this secret die with us. I only want to spend the rest of my days with you", the petite girl pleaded with mournful eyes.

Kate manages to bring out a radiant smile through the tears to mark her gratitude. Her chest felt lighter now. All the boundaries they had, were broken. Their pasts had become a past. Just another chapter in the story that had wound up to present. From here, they were free to choose their own future, together.

"Don't worry. They are safe. I’m keeping them somewhere nobody would guess to look. But destroying them is something that I just couldn’t do. There knowledge was dangerous, but also valuable. If someone were to conduct their own experiments with a similar formula, and spread the symptoms, I believe I could make an antidote. For father it was too late... But I could save someone else's life. Of course, I wish that it would never come to pass, but I would rather be prepared for the worst.”

Kate let a somber silence set upon the scene for a moment. Hoping she wouldn’t enquire further, Kate stood up and indicated the exit. “I would love to see the pool right about now. We could use some R&R between the waterworks, right? Besides, whey could talk all they like there, without soiling our shoes.” She remarked and poked Naoki with her handbag. She spoke with more spirit than before. "Artemis, could you be a dear and bring us some drinks? My throat is getting dry..." Kate was swift to pull her partner up, and lead her towards the exit with a wave to the darling bodyguard.

"Ahm. This way?" Kate pointed left and shot a clueless look at Naoki.

<Enter from teleporter in Gauldin>

"BLARGH WHHYYYYY?" Jun wined as appeared with a flash. The otherwise dull room was lit up with empowered glyphs which then faded back into obscurity. Jun stumbled out of the room, exhausted, and into the bright looking antechamber. She was still in her blue sun dress adapted to Carmela's weather, so naturally she felt out of place in the royal decor that Madame Naoki was so fond of surrounding herself in. It all seemed so dumb to her now. All this pretention, all this waste, all this, this lace.

She strode over to a satin-lined chair and sat down, pouting. Her chin rested on her palms, scrunching her face together thereby greatly enhancing said pout. Her sudden animosity towards the decor wasn't personal, just a result of her foul mood. The queen was absolutely, positively unwilling to divulge any information about the crystal, and so Jun knew she might be forced to take more drastic measures, or abandon her mission. Right now she just wanted to work up the courage to speak to Empress Naoki .

Blackbean was sitting on her shoulder. He gave a little warble. "Yah I know I know." She pulled out a little piece of dried jerky for him to nibble on. As she stared at the bird, a thought occurred to her. It was a mischievous thought, something a child might come up with, but a thought none-the-less.

"Madame Naoki!" Jun raised her chin from her hands and straightened her back. Wide-eyed, she said "Well that was fast."

At least she's in a good mood, she thought. "I'm... I'm doing good I just..." Her facade quickly fell and she returned to her lassitude, her chin returning to her hands. "I've got some bad news. And I need your advice." There was a brief pause as Jun got over her apprehension. "I don't think I'm going to be able to get your crystal. The queen is absolutely unwilling to part with the crystal, at all. She's completely closed off to the idea of bartering and she won't even allow anyone to see it. It's strange, because she implied during our conversation that she isn't even aware of any special properties it might have..."

The more she spoke the more she actually thought about it. It was a real puzzle indeed. "I... I got the impression it has some sort of sentimental value. It doesn't make sense that someone would guard something so jealously that has no practical or unknown practical use... huh..."

After a few more seconds of staring at the wall opposite the two, Jun shook her head and turned to Naoki. "So yah, unless you want me to steal it or be an accomplice to stealing it, which..." She grimaced and turned to Blackbean. "I have some ideas about that. I'd need some time and maybe some tutoring from a transfiguration mage, some kind of gift to present the queen, and another telepathy crystal for my friend here." Blackbean cawed. Jun scratched his chin. "He wouldn't mind, but I wouldn't feel right about stealing the crystal. But with the resources I just listed me and Blackbean could possibly help located it... if you really want me to that is."

The reluctance was practically oozing out of Jun's eyes.

Jun leaned back on her chair and vacated all the air in her lungs at once. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she folded her arms. Her posture was distinctly un-lady like. In fact, she wasn't even bothering to cross her legs, a fact Naoki may or may not mixed feelings towards. "Uhhh... eh. I just have a lot on my mind. The Inferno Assembly, my homeland, my boy-"

Jun paused and thought back to the incident in the Moonlight Eclipse. "b-b-b...boy boy boy boiling... cauldron... that I left... at my place... in Goraia..." She said all this in a monotone voice. "Because I boil things a lot you see. It was my grandmother's cauldron and I miss it... terribly..."

Jun tapped her fingers together and, surprisingly unruffled, thought about how to continue the conversation. "You know, now that I think about it, I don't really do anything for fun. I learned a bit of cooking from Rowena Fletcher, and I like to read a lot, but... I'm not enjoying life as much as I thought I would. I was so naive, leaving home. I was excited, hungry, now... now I just want to..."

She reached up and petted Blackbean again, who was staring intently at Naoki's chocolate. "What do you do for fun Miss Naoki?"