seasonsrpg | Quest Mingle: April-May

Quest Mingle: April-May

Quest Mingle: April-May
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• These quests are valid from start of April until end of May.
• Characters don't need to be a member of the guild to do quests and anyone can do any segment's quest!
• City Location Details | Segment Location details
• Remember to keep distances (times are calculated as walking times) in mind when planning what quests to do when. You have two full months, so there's no rush!
• For some of the monsters, additional details can be found from the Beastiary.
• Rewards are for one completion of the Quest, but characters can do it multiple times to earn more money from them, as the problems do repeat.

• Please see the guild page for permanent quests.

City Quests

Even in your city... quests! [ Click to Expand ]

Quest Name	Description	OOC Notes	Rewards
Catch the Void	The animal shelter in Amberfall has its own section for a cat species called "the void cat". They look like normal black cats, but they have a habit of disappearing into the shadows of dark corners. A group of these cats has made an escape and are running around doing what cats do: stealing food, dropping things down from high places, scratching everything and absorbing light from light sources. Help the shelter staff catch and bring them back to the shelter.	Yes, the void cats are adoptable, hence why they are in the animal shelter. They just like running off a lot and sometimes make all light in a room disappear. The cats can be anywhere in the city, but generally don't go out into the segments as they do love people, but are just also adventurous.	50 Moon Coins
It's in Your Mayo	Solarpeak is known for its street food. And what goes well with street food? Mayonnaise. It's not, however, all it's used for as it's a way of attracting a culinary creature that only flies around the Summer District skies at this time of the year: The Cabbage Kites. They're flying cabbages that move around restlessly, but once they taste a mayonnaise that they deem tasty, they will turn into regular, very tasty and nutritious cabbages. Anyone around the place is challenged to make their own mayonnaise from scratch and see how well you do with the cabbage kites.	Cabbage Kites are creatures that search for the right food (mayo) that satisfies them all their life before their souls ascend, leaving their cabbage body behind. They can be attacked by other means, but the natives would find this disrespectful and likely throw mayonnaise at the characters, so it's not recommended when there's a peaceful way out.	any cabbage you catch
Welcome to the Jungle	When delivering new potions to people, please remember to use caution and don't trip. Someone did, right next to the clocktower. Now there's an almost literal jungle surrounding Coldreach's infamous clocktower and making it hard to access parts of it. Since the vines that surround the place were made by potions, they're impossible to cut through by normal means and making a potion to counter this one would take time. Use your imagination to deal with this problem without burning the place down. Anyone who burns the clocktower will be arrested.	Due to the excess amount of potions that fell on the tower, the vines regrow over time, making this quest be available for the whole two months even if someone manages to solve the problem right away. The vines are also alive and will try to grab anyone who tries destroying them and keep them as a meat shield.	100 Moon Coins
Who You Gonna Call	A group of mischievous ghosts have possessed some of the trash bins all over the city. Some of them have grown large enough to consume two people at once. They're not really in danger, just stuck in the trash bins. Help the people stuck in trash bins and try to chase the mischievous ghosts out of the city.	One way to get ghosts to evacuate the trash bins is to make them feel uncomfortable with temperature changes or shaking the bins enough (you might want to rescue the people before attempting these). That way they will find something else to possess or leave entirely. Ghosts can only be seen if they possess something, unless you're a Winter power holder.	100 Moon Coins
NSFW Quest Stranger Burglaries	Nightwake Center and it's Red Light Sub-district is in chaos. A group of burglars have been going around stealing people's lingerie. Any lingerie left unattended has been swiped and anyone has needed to go home commando afterwards. The natives that frequent the district and the staff members of clubs are all asking to get to the bottom of this.	The burglars are regular perverts who want to use them for magical enhancement purposes as the power of intimacy will work wonders for intimate items, or so the rumor goes.	500 Moon Coins

Winter Segment

Lights, Snow, Quests [ Click to Expand ]

Quest Name	Description	OOC Notes	Rewards
Bridge of the Lost CW: forced truths	At exactly noon, the bridge crossing the biggest river in the Winter Segment shines a peculiar light. In the past, it was a way of natives meeting their lost loved ones one last time. No one knows what would happen now, with the changes in the world, so we are looking for brave souls willing to go to the bridge and see what happens.	The Bridge only works now if people go on it in pairs and there are three possible scenarios that can happen: 1) The characters who entered the bridge will see each other as someone they lost. 2) The characters will see their worst enemy in each other. 3) The characters will see themselves in each other, but either an idealistic version of themselves or something they would never want to see themselves become. The barrier around the bridge will disappear once something truthful about the person they see in front of them has been said.	70 Moon Coins
Bone Sucker's Coming to Town CW: Gore, Death	Some natives enjoy going to the Watcher's Tower to look at the Winter Segment from a safe place. Unfortunately, bodies of the natives have started to turn up. They're all in the same condition: all of their bones in their body have been sucked out. Everything else is completely intact. Solve the mystery and bring peace to the lost ones.	The monsters behind the case are called Warlock Skeletons. The suck bones out of living things with their dark magic to make skeletons that move and do their bidding. They can be killed as long as the powerful jewel on their neck is destroyed.	200 Moon Coins
Harvest the Colors	In the evenings, by the Unfrozen Lake, various Northern Lights colored winter animals appear. These animals have absorbed the light and magic of the beautiful multicolored night sky. If you manage to befriend one, the animal will accepts pets. Touching the animals will lead to dust sticking to your hands and that dust can then be put into an empty bottle. Please collect a few bottles for the Tower of Potions to use.	The dust can only be collected by being kind to the animals. Being mean or killing them will make all of the dust around the area turn into regular powder and make the other animals flee. The Northern Light dust can be used for different power enhancing potions and medicine.	50 Moon Coins, a bottle of the dust
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's an... Orca?	One of the rarer visitors of the night skies of the Winter Segment is a species called the Sky Orca. They usually appear once a year and seeing them is a sign of good luck. The guilds are encouraging people to visit the segments to pay a visit to the Orca offspring that want to play with people and to protect them from the dangers of the segment while they are here. After a successful playdate, the mother Orcas will drop clouds down that can be used as comfortable beds.	Seeing and playing with the Orcas will literally boost anyone's luck and make them less likely to get into accidents for a whole week. On the flip side, if someone would kill any of the orcas, they would experience nothing but bad luck for two weeks.	A comfy cloud bed, or 100 Moon Coins for giving it away
Test of Courage	A few times a year, a mysterious house appears near the border with the Spring Segment, close to the Flower Yard. No one knows how or why it appears, but for decades it has been used as a "Test of Courage" site. It appears at nightfall and disappears before the sun rises (on several nights for several weeks). There have been times when someone has walked into the house and didn't get out on time... and had to spend the whole night until next in there. They weren't the same after that... Otherwise the house is safe, even if very spooky. How about a test of courage?	The house is very much a haunted house. More accurately it's a house that has been possessed by several ghosts so they make the house move on its own and move things to spook people. They just want to have fun and don't do this out of malice. The only danger is staying in the house when the sun rises as the house will disappear into a void space with anyone inside. What happens in void space? The ghosts start showing characters' greatest fears on display for anyone inside the void space to see and make fun of them.	20 Moon Coins

Spring Segment

Breezing through quests [ Click to Expand ]

Quest Name	Description	OOC Notes	Rewards
Can You Dye With All the Colors of the Lake	The annual fashion show is in June and fashion designers are looking for new inspirations. In fact, they are all looking for unique colors for their fabrics. They are asking for people who would be willing to travel to Prism Lake to dye their fabrics into new creations. They are given a potion that will make the fabric permanently absorb the color - but before using it, it's easy to test out different combinations. As a reward they will make you any outfit, either out of the colored fabrics or something else.	The biggest threat on this mission are the rainbow dyed bears that will occasionally come to find delicious fish from the lake. They aren't anything special, just normal bears that have been dyed by the lake. Characters can also fall into the lake and get a new coloring... but it's only permanent if they drink the potion. There are counter potions for it, however.	50 Moon Coins, free designer outfit
Duck, Duck!	Lately, anyone who has been going into the Spring Segment has been bombarded by none other than ducks. Not just any ducks, but magical Kung Fu Ducks. They're ducks that know Kung Fu and can use wind powers with their moves! We don't know where they are even coming from, but somehow I blame Jeffrey.	There have been catapult prototypes that have been stolen from The Research Center scientists who came to test them out. The Kung Fu Ducks are using these to launch themselves to fight opponents bigger than they are... since they're no larger than normal ducks. Still, they can be pretty menacing.	80 Moon Coins
In the Eye of a Hurricane	Lately, a lot of tornadoes have been forming around the segment, especially near the safe zones. Unfortunately, this means people are getting trapped inside tornadoes, unable to get out of them. The tornadoes are stubbornly staying in the same spot for a long time, almost as if challenging people to break through the wall of wind and get people out. Which is exactly what we're asking people to do.	The tornadoes are mostly normal tornadoes, expect for the fact that they can stay in one place for a long time, almost as if someone would be controlling them. And they are, by a group of Hurricane Birds that fly around the tornadoes. They look like eagles that are made out of steel. Their weak point is their stomachs. Chase them off or kill them, as long as you get them to stop making hurricanes.	100 Moon Coins
On the Wings of a Butterfly	Once a year, for two month period, a group of giant butterflies arrive. They offer lifts for anyone who need them and they are very fast flyers. Due to their size they're also not affected by the strong gusts of winds. The butterflies will help anyone harvest fresh cherry blossom petals from the Cherry Blossom Park without getting in unnecessary danger down below.	Cherry Blossom Petals can be used for various cosmetics, food, drinks and potions. Their magical qualities lies in prolonging life, making them important for medical departments to have.	100 Moon Coins if you sell a bag of your cherry blossom petals or just cherry blossom petals
Slime Desserts	Everyone knows there are slimes everywhere in the Spring Segment. However, only a few know that there are special slimes called Dessert Slimes among them. Their essence, the slime they produce, is a great ingredient in many cakes and desserts. Depending on the color it can taste like chocolate, fudge, liquorice and many other things. The best part of it is you don't have to kill them - just collect some slime residue. A chef in Nightwake has requested a variety of flavors and promises to pay anyone who is willing to collect some slime.	Slime Desserts are the same as slime: very weak and easy to intimidate. They are, however, rarer than the normal slime and only their scent will be an obvious way to tell them apart.	30 Moon Coins

Summer Segment

Get your hottest quests here [ Click to Expand ]

Quest Name	Description	OOC Notes	Rewards
Hope You Have a Landing Strategy	Since the Mermaids have invited people to The Great Ocean Lake (see the Rain Dance quest), we have come up with different ways to get people there. There's, of course, the airship but for those who want to get there faster there's a big catapult waiting at the Dayrise Bridge. It's strong enough to throw anyone over the forest and beach, straight into the lake. It should only take a few hours through the sky, maybe even less! Scientists will pay anyone who is willing to use it.	The landing may very well end up getting them a bit too short and landing onto the beach instead, but with a right landing strategy there shouldn't be any problems. Right? Right. Use any powers available to make sure your landing is safe or depend on others for to help you out. Getting back from the lake is definitely a different story.	100 Moon Coins
It Only Stings a Little CW: scorpions, willing poisoning	Coldreach's Tower of Potions has made a request to go to the Deserter's Desert and find a specific scorpion species there that produces a poison that will make them sick (high fever), will also make them invincible for as long as the poison is in their system. The poison needs to be harvested by letting the scorpions sting someone, so bring a partner who can help you come back from the Desert.	There's a time limit of 72 hours to get the poison out of someone's system before they pass away, which is why the members of the Tower have made a safe place to treat patients near the Summer Flower Yard. Doing it yourself is also an option, if you know how.	200 Moon Coins
They Lava You CW: Lava, Fire, Possible Burns	A larger group of Lava Lizards have left their home of the Lava-Ridden Land and are now terrorizing everything at the edge of the Jungle of Judgement. They're spitting lava at everything and anything, making the area dangerous to walk in and burning trees. They are steadily walking towards the city barrier. The larger pits of lava they manage to make also attract the Wyverns, so the fight may get dangerous and fast if something isn't done about it.	Both the Lava Lizards and Wyverns are tough skinned and hard to fight with. Wyverns also breathe fire so things may get very heated, very fast. Some of the lizards are also chameleons and will mask themselves to ambush their prey. Mermaids will send pillars or water with their magic, as well as work on the Rain Dance to put out fires (see Rain Dance quest).	500 Moon Coins
Technical Move: Rain Dance	The Summer Segment is known for its rough droughts. The Mermaids of the the Great Ocean Lake have decided to do something about it: a special dance called the Rain Dance. They need a lot of help though and are inviting everyone to participate either in the water or on the beach nearby. As a prize they will give you a special seashell necklace. Be careful of the Sirens though because some may be pretending to be mermaids and will try to drag you with them underwater.	The seashell necklace will release a temperature altering bubble when used underwater, making the water around the user a pleasant temperature and also lets the user breathe under water. Out of water it's just a pretty shell that you can put on your ear and hear a whale sing. The necklace needs to be powered up by touch energy and it lasts for 12 hours per charge.	Seashell necklace
Temple of Frustration	The Temple of Life has been a mystery for the longest of time. For some unknown reason all of the monsters avoid it and no one has been able to figure out why. We would like to investigate what's inside so use any methods possible to break down the temple door. If that doesn't work, please leave our measuring devices there so we can monitor any changes to the temple. Enter the Jungle of Judgement from the Spring Airship Station side for the easiest route.	The Temple of Life's door remains closed no matter what you do to it. It seems that something really powerful is protecting it. The Research team will pay for a full report of all the methods characters have tried of accessing the temple and for leaving their measuring technology on the scene. Otherwise, the Temple will surely be important later. If your character decides to wander to the Jungle of Judgement, please let us know and we will let you know what to expect.	50 Moon Coins

Autumn Segment

Maple scented Quests [ Click to Expand ]

Quest Name	Description	OOC Notes	Rewards
Blood Bloom CW: Blood, Blood loss	A species thought lost to the darkness has been spotted around the Autumn Segment. It's called Treanpire and it's a living, walking tree that also has the qualities of a vampire. It uses its roots and vines to suck blood out of all living things. After a feast its branches will bloom different colored flowers, depending on the blood it drank. They're dangerous and like to stalk people around the Airship Station and the Flower Yard. Take care of them.	The flowers on a Treanpire can be used for various blood related potions and medicine, but they can only be plucked out when the Treanpires are alive. When they die, the flowers die with them. If plucked before death, they remain good for potions.	500 Moon Coins
Chef Needs Maple Syrup Badly	A chef working at Coldreach has sadly run out of maple syrup for his restaurant that sells creations made out of maple syrup. He has requested that people would travel to Maybe it's Mapleline forest in the Autumn Segment to gather some more of it. He warns that staying there for too long might be a bad idea, so just quickly take some maple syrup from a tree and run (yes it comes as ready to bottle maple syrup).	Maybe it's Mapleline is a mysterious forest that turns anyone partially into a maple monster when they spent too much time there. It's said seasonal power holders are more resistant to it, but eventually the forest's power will affect them, too (in around a full day in the forest). Normally herbivorous animals that live there are now carnivorous and the other way around, so try not to get killed by a small, cute, maple squirrel.	50 Moon Coins per jar of Maple Syrup
The Graveyard Shift	The Abandoned Graveyard needs some maintenance every now and then. Cleaning the graves, sweeping some fallen leaves and leaving fresh flowers by the graves as a memorial. The natives would usually do this themselves, but with the increase of monsters and catastrophes, they're asking for otherworlders to do it instead.	A part of the graveyard is flooded, but it's still safe as it's inside the barrier made by the whole graveyard. However, if someone goes outside of the barrier and near the water, there are vicious Skelefish waiting outside. They're believed to be related to piranhas, but they're made out of sharp bones.	30 Moon Coins
Thunderbolts and Lightning, Very Very Exciting	A group of Research Center staff has been interested in the thunderstorms over the Autumn Segment. Because of that they are looking for volunteers who would wear a rubber suit and stand in the storms to collect some data on special thunderproof devices. It should be safe with the specially made rubber suits. They're not the comfiest to walk in or do anything, but it's better to be safe than sorry!	During the thunderstorms a species called a Storm Surfer (foxes made out of pure electricity) will appear. They're playful and curious and will likely try to take off anyone's rubber suit by using the zipper on the back and if they touch someone who isn't resistant to electricity they will most likely paralyze them.	100 Moon Coins
With Great Power Comes Great Frogs	The Research Center has a capture quest. There is a species called "Almighty Frog" that's living in the Autumn Segment that they have taken an interest in. It's a frog that can wield all the basic elements (water, wind, fire, earth). The scientists are curious as to why a native frog can use all elements without everything going to hell, but native humans cannot. It's important the frogs are captured alive and brought back to the Center... but they're hard to catch and challenge people to a duel.	Almighty Frogs are the size of an infant, so larger than normal frogs, but still relatively small. They still pack quite a punch as they are agile and can use all elements simultaneously. Usually they are pacifists, but they love challenging people to battle. They mostly live in the swamps near the Pumpkin Spice Trail that drains seasonal magical energy (ineffective against the frogs) so they need to be lured out to fight.	200 Moon Coins

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Light and dark. Selfishness and selflessness. Things of that nature. Dual impulses.

[He could say she's unlikely too, but boy.]

[Oh boy that would be some emotions. Which he's feeling, but Admitting the feeling is another thing.]

[ Buddy you are getting so interrogated when they're out of this nightmare. Considering her own dual nature, she can't imagine how that works. She's terrible at balancing it. ]

All right.

While we're here, there's something I should tell you. Just a factual thing, before I forget. [ The urge to rub at her neck where he was nipping at it before is strong, but she fights the impulse. ]

My blood is extremely potent. It turns humans into my servants. A blood bond. Removes most of their free will. I'm not sure what it would do to someone nonhuman, but I have no desire to find out.

[ The implication is pretty clear: he can't swallow her blood if they get carried away, but she doesn't say it. ]

That's what a Chevalier is, by the way; one of my servants. What some of those ghosts crying out for me were. The word means "knight." They've all been gone a long time.

[Mostly in how he describes his fire. Creation and destruction. And quite a lot of meditation. Maybe or maybe not having a stint with a compassion goddess for a while, TELL ME THE DEETS ALREADY CANON]

Hmm. A shame. [He. He doesn't expand why it might be a shame.]

[Its the demon instinct.]

[He is making a note of that. And another note to have water on hand, but doesn't think beyond that little thought.]

[Though he does tilt his head a bit at that thought.] Is it free will in general, or just compelled to follow whatever you say while being normal otherwise? I would need to do some serious reworking, but I know alchemical means to counter things like that, as long as I have a sample of the source of mind control. At least for something to fully subjugate a will over a charm to a specific person. Is the statue part normal?

[Because facts and knowledge is the easiest thing to talk about while he's dual focusing. It keeps his focus from faltering.]

It is. [ For oh so many reasons. ]

Not having all my memories makes my understanding a little shaky, but it seems they can still defy me. It's just unnatural for them to do it. Like fighting gravity -- it can be overcome with magic or technology, but not entirely, and not forever. When my twin died, her remaining Chevalier begged me to kill him rather than live without her.

If you want to run some tests, I don't object. After you get the journal, maybe it will be more clear. They did all sorts of tests on our blood. I do know my blood doesn't stay potent for very long, and anticoagulants disrupt the purity. It can't be stored or used for more than a handful of hours at the absolute most.

The statue used to be one of my Chevaliers. We turn to stone and gems when we die.

[ She draws her sword and shows him the bright red gem embedded near the hilt. ] This was a part of my father.

Then that may be too chemically different for what I have counter potions for. I could take a look, if it works on animals. [He'll experiment on animals, seems like a great time. She mentioned something before about not making more Chevaliers.] Otherwise it sounds more like an obsessive kind of love and I have less on that. Demonkind learned to never attempt that kind of magic on my family after a fool tried once.

[His mother was not one so easily taken by that and she believes in payment times ten at minimum.]

So a chevalier would be a vampire knight versus a queen? [He looks at the gem and he closes his eyes. Silent as he breathes a few moments before opening his eyes again. His hand moving to rest on her knee.] My condolences.

I'm afraid I can't offer a more thorough attempt at comfort. [Both in he's never been particularly good at it and trying to figure out what to do might be too many disruptive emotions.]

We're called Chiropterans, if that matters at all. I think it's a scientific term for a bat, which is biologically closest. One of my shift forms is batlike, for example, and a hybrid shift form has wings like one. A silver bat.

Vampire is just a word I use that is more familiar to most of those from other worlds that gets the point across. Of course then I have to contend with ridiculous stories about not having a soul or having garlic as a weakness. Mortal stories are bizarre. [ She pulls a bit of a face. Not her favorite thing, having to explain herself to humans. ]

There are Queens, and there are Chevaliers who serve us. That's it. Queens give birth to other Queens, Chevaliers we make from humans. And I don't do that anymore.

[ She peers at his hand on her knee, but doesn't comment. She doesn't smile despite wanting to, though her mouth twitches a little. ] It's all right. It was before my last hibernation or even several cycles ago, so all those memories are far away. Unless they're screaming at me out of a ghost's mouth, of course.

It could have. Unfortunately I don't know many bat demons even in the most casual sense, let alone for any scientific information to work from. While there is a similar base for all demons, there is certainly differences in how we're related to the animals that are part of us, so it might have helped. I've met a vampire or two, but they would be Jiangshi. Though you might be pleased to know they do have souls, that is rather important for their creation. But they're also different from what the Western World considers vampires, which I believe you're more similar too.

But those I think are just bat demons or perhaps something from the siren family in my world.

And chevaliers are necessary for the birth of a new queen?

[He squeezes her knee briefly and pulls back, resting his hands on his knees for a moment. As he talks, he is remarkably still overall. If the movement doesn't have to do with the conversation or breathing, it isn't happening.] Still. Grief may last and it is...

It is better to not feel alone with those feelings.

[ A little smile, ] I can sing very well, not that it's the same as being a siren. Opera. The human who owned me and my twin wanted to test my abilities, so he taught me voice and violin and cello, many languages, to paint and sculpt, to fence. They didn't feed me enough for my speed and strength to be anything like they are now, of course.

Chevaliers are required for a new Queen, yes. The opposite Queen's Chevaliers, specifically. Since my sister and all her Chevaliers are gone, any new ones I make wouldn't do a bit of good there. And --

Well. It's an extreme form of love. Losing them causes an extreme form of grief. [ Speaking of grief. Like him right now, she can't let it in. She won't survive it. ]

I do occasionally take voluntary servants. Most don't have the temperament for it, but some do. And of those that have the disposition, few of those are strong enough. [ Her Servants, be they biological or chosen, will be worthy of the title, thank you very much. ]

I suppose that is a way to figure out various forms of dexterity and control. I'm quite surprised he would let you have anything close to a weapon in your hand. [Sculpting and fencing would allow for some fairly violent tools.] Even with reduced physical abilities, that is why humans made tools in the first place. To make up for their physical lack.

That makes sense, with how much you work is biological over any energy that would be considered magic. Genetic diversity is important and even with a different male, the source of the chiropteranism does seem like it'd risk inbreeding mutations.

So even if you accidentally turned someone, you would feel that connection?

True. The immortality alone can be maddening. More than one mortal whose stumbled upon the gift has gotten rather weird in the head.

Accident or intentional, if they swallow my blood it's the same result.

Sorry, I should clarify. By voluntary, I mean they remain mortal. Assuming they were to begin with. It's essentially swearing an allegiance. I had one where I was, and I have one here. [ Just so there's no shock if someone starts fawning over her and calling her his queen. These things come out at weird times. ]

I much prefer immortal relationships personally. There's nothing like someone who understands.

Huh. Now that is interesting, but it does make a certain amount of sense. Even if they are largely compelled to obey, one does better if they're subordinates are in at least decent condition. Care would make sure you don't push them beyond their means and they can better serve you.

Oh. Yes, that would make sense with what you said before. Do you have a way to make them be compelled to their oath, or is it just normal servant recruitment?

It does make things less...complicated. [His hands twitch.]

The reason I let them stay mortal is that I don't want to compel anyone. Whoever loves me, I want it to be for me, not because they had no choice.

That said, I do miss it sometimes. Not the commands, the bond. The intimacy.

A valid want to have. No one wants to be loved under false pretenses. Even if the alternative does seem like it would be quite intense.

...the Noodle Boy and Dragon Girl-

MK and Mei...they're mortal. There is a chance the Noodle Boy will be offered the means of immortality as Sun Wukong's successor. Though whether he would accept it or not, I couldn't say. He was just a human before Wukong chose him.

Mei has dragon blood, but its been too diluted. And even if she was offered the same as the Noodle Boy, even if she accepted...

Her last full dragon ancestor was Ao Lie. It had been a shock to hear he died, he was not a being known to be weak. But I have wondered now if its because part of the Samadhi Fire had attached to his soul. If it had burned him up too much before he had a descendant it moved to.

[His voice lacks that edge. The fire is still there, still strong, mostly because thinking of Mei makes him think of protection, and in that, there is the rock. He would protect Saya. He would keep their sanity in check.]

I wonder even if I could convince her to let me keep her, if the fire I created would just burn her up anyway.

[ Saya is still while she listens. What he says... hm. Her species has a long and wide possessive streak. Call it jealousy, or envy, she never gets the two straight. Queens are covetous, they want to make everything theirs. It's a necessary instinct, otherwise they'd never make Chevaliers and the species would die out (which is, of course, what Saya's fighting when she says she'll never make another one). Saya has that possessive feeling about most people she meets, and the more she gets to like them the stronger it is. Even strictly platonic friendships, she feels a sting when they're close to someone else, no matter how happy she is for them. She's ashamed of it, but she's learned to live with it. ]

[ When Red Son talks about Mei, Saya doesn't feel the way she would have expected. Foremost, when he expresses that want to keep Mei, Saya wants that for him. Then she worries about his impending loss, which looms in his mind regardless of whether it bears out. And then... an odd feeling of ease which surprises her. As if her instincts take for granted that she doesn't need to bother with all that usual nonsense. ]

[ It's a familiar feeling, although she can't say why. Amnesia sucks. ]

[ She reaches out to clasp his hand. ]

Mortals... are hard. [ "Loving them is hard," but she doesn't want to say that. Trying to keep her emoting neutral is such a challenge, her kind has particularly strong emotions. ]

You'll figure it out. [ She takes a breath like she might have said more, then stops. She'll be glad when it's sunrise so she can be all over the place with her feelings again -- speaking of. ]

[ Saya pulls out her phone and checks the time, the shows it to Red Son. Not too long until sunrise. ] We're almost through with this place, assuming void time is the same as regular time.

They are. [He looks at their hands and he'll turn his to squeeze hers briefly, a rueful smile on his face.] Especially when they thwart your father's plans and then turn around and declare you a friend.

I could have probably swinged things with the Dragon Girl. But it was Sun Wukong who imprisoned my father. Even if father is willing to entertain the most tentatives of truces with the Noodle Boy....that is quite different than tolerating my.... [He trails off then.]

[Demons were also possessive by nature. Sure, it may vary, but things like claiming bites were instinctive for a reason. Even demon royalty who tried to act better their base instincts still had traditions like courtnapping as part of marriage proposals. The desire to covet and take and keep were strong.]

[There was no friendship that was 'casual,' like what humans do online with their games or 'work friends.' To admit MK was a friend was to admit he wants to keep him and that was very much in conflict to whenever his father wanted to take over the mortal world again.]

I know what I should do. The answer is obvious. [But it isn't what he wants to do.]

[He looks at the time and hums.] It may be faster. I don't feel as strained as I should.

[ Bites are -- a whole thing. And she wants to get into that, but this is very much not the time. It would be the most distracting conversation possible, even if she didn't intend for it to be (and she sort of does, she can't talk about biting in a casual way, it's just not how that works). ]

[ Also hmm, don't love that about the feeling strained. But also not going there. ]

Is there any way to gauge the time other than the clock and your energy level? Or letting down your barrier, I guess. ...Which I'd be willing to do rather than exhaust you. I'm ready for them.

[There is a chuckle.] You know the barrier is as much protecting my own mind as yours. [He may not have the level of loss, but the Lady Bome Demon knew the things that dug deep, to issues beyond just the situation itself.]

[His self doubt. His self worth. How necessary be was to those he cares about. If he could ever do what was needed to not be a failure. The things that could take his legs out from under him.]

[How he could be afraid of his own father.]

The clock and energy levels is what I have.

I can make a gap, I just need my full focus.

I know. And I know you can handle them, too.

[ And she doesn't judge him for any of those things she discovered. Her history is at least that painful, but more the point, she sees too many parallels in what the ghosts were saying to each of them. It would be impossible for her to think badly of him even if there weren't. ]

But we can wait some more, for good measure. It's a little difficult to keep my feelings from bouncing all over the place, but I can manage. My species has emotions like a tsunami.

If I have learned anything from the Dragon Girl, I can keep my focus even with someone doing her absolute best to be a sugar hyped ferret.

That is also why I wanted space. I know you don't like sitting still. You don't need to control your own emotions.

I think you might also be underestimating how hard it is not to flirt.

[ Before he has time to react, she does a quick backflip and then a few stretches. She gauges the distance of the fire and then does some more twisting flips, neatly avoiding it. ]

I'm trying not to make this harder on you, is all.

...

Is the flirting a floodgate situation?

[He does close his eyes because boy watching wouldn't Help.]

I guess you'll find out.

[ She can't really do handstands in a dress (flips are fine, she moves fast enough that things stay mostly in place) so she does some of those impossibly balanced yoga poses. ]

Admittedly, we were interrupted.

Not one to like things to be interrupted?

[He is very much resisting the urge to watch, even as he hears her move. Though it should be noted, Saya had watched him in their spar. There had been a ton of fight then, let alone what they did in here, and not once did Red Son even get close to breaking a sweat.]

[Temperature doesn't really affect him, heat wise.]

[There is actually some beading on his brow now, so there is definitely different things happening with this fire and what it does to him.]

If they interrupted with a cake I'd be singing a different tune.

[ "Surprise, have some trauma!" ranks far below getting her neck chomped on in the scheme of things. ]

[ She glances over and -- that's not good. ]

...Think maybe it's worth checking to see if they're gone yet? It should be fine by the time on my phone.

A cake would have been better then...

[False hope his father was free, even with the anger. He'll take whatever punishment his parents want for him running and failing if it meant they were okay.]

...okay. Be ready to hit anything that slips through. Hopefully whatever they gleaned from my mind has scared them off from risking getting close.

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