The Measure Of A Person (Bleuenn & Trishna)

“Is it over? Have I gone the way of all the others who seek fame and fortune”. Piping out a self defeated chuckle Bleuenn would lift herself off the ground or whatever the black void that took on the properties of the ground was. “Okay.. now what”? Looking around her vertical position offered no more information than when she was on the ground. Stepping forward the slapping of her bare feet was the only thing that accompanied the hybrid as she pressed forward or what appeared to be forward. “I know that I was always pessimistic about what the afterlife would be like, but this is just boring. Hey! Whoever or whatever is listening do your worst! At least that would be…”! Touching her lips she felt the cool refreshing feeling of water or something like it permeate through her mouth and then throat. However, while the feeling was there no excess moisture or liquid bleed onto her fingers as she examined the feeling.

“If this is some kind of joke I'm not laughing”.

“No joke, I'm telling you how it is girlie”!

Spinning around she would be met with the wrinkled face of an odd barkeep as she stood just outside of the entrance soaked to the bone by the storm that continued to pelt and push at her. Staring in disbelief at how she was not just a moment ago stuck in some unending void to then suddenly be trusted into what looked to be her world. “Hey… hey”! Snapping out of her daze and looking back to the barkeep that was talking to her. Examining the man and his tavern more, Bleuenn had a strange moment of déjà vu as if she had seen the man before. “Don’t I know you”? Scrunching his face the innkeeper looked to Bleuenn as if she had spite in his face. “Great not only are you a half breed but a dumb one at that. Listen, I've never seen you before in my life! I should just tell you to leave instead of offering a spot in the stables! Now I'll say this one more time, no hybrid allowed”! Slamming the door the pools of water collecting along the door frame shot out at Bleuenn complemented by the loud slamming of the thick wooden door.

Along once again with her own confusion the half witch’s mind was completely boggled at the current events taking place. Wrapping her arms around herself, rubbing her soaked body as she shivered from the elements. Real or not the perceived cold and dampness was still as uncomfortable as ever, not to mention shameful as her clothes cling to her body revealing far more than she’d ever want others to see. Piter pattering towards the stables she tried her best to cover herself from the rain and however may be trying to peek at her. Slamming into the large barn door Bleuenn rolled along the door to slip through the small opening she made to then meet the door once more with her back to close and hold it while she slid the latch through praying that the small metal lock would hold against the elements.

With a deep breath she slid down the door to rest for a moment listening to the neighs and snots of the horses as they took note of her entry. With a forceful exhale she jumped back up taking off and ringing her robe as dry as she could before resting it along the gate door of the now occupied corral. Moving onto her body she tried to whip away the excess water that cling to her body in an attempt to improve comfort. Ringing her hair she sighed as the dampness of her body and undergarments mixed with the hay would not make for the most comfortable of times, but risking someone seeing her nude was not worth the extra comfort.
Flopping back first onto the hay pile the itchy and prickly feeling took on immediately as the hay stuck to her damp skin. “The floor would have been more comfortable than this”! Wiggling on the hay to get more comfortable did the exact opposite of the intended goal. Grinding her teeth as the itching and pricking managed to get even worse! Continuing to vent and persist towards the goal of comfort, the opening of the latch and door silenced Bleuenn quickly as her mind had finally managed to figure out why she remembered the innkeeper's face. Wait, the rain, the man, the stables! No!.. No I refuse to experience this moment again you hear me puppeteer! Her protest to whatever god did nothing as the sounds of footsteps would draw closer until she was face to face with the group of men she knew all too well.

Backing up against the wall trying to best distance herself as the innkeeper stepped forward “There she is boys, not bad for a hybrid”. Taking the pouch of coin he turned away leaving the three men to their business. “Stay, back! Don’t come any closer, I'm warning you”! Feeling the past once again she did not understand why she felt the same fear and apprehension as she had in the past. They were already dead, her first kill the killer's guilt should no longer apply.

Laughs erupted through the farm as the men entered the corral and closed in on the half naked Bleuenn. Moving to the corner raises her hands to tell them to not press any further. Ignoring her protests they continued to close into reach. “Come on now, we will treat you well, promise”. Tears and the fear she had felt at that moment in time welled up within her despite knowing that she was not in reality. Yet even with her knowledge and her practiced hands she could not change the past. Just as one of the men went to grab her body took over. “I said stay back”! Forcing out a magic sigil an explosive force erupted from her hands, blasting and tearing the men into pieces giving the stable a fresh coat of paints with new decor with whatever bits remained.

Falling to her knees Bleuenn’s stomach felt like it had been inverted. Retching and vomiting she would go through the guilt of killing another all over again. Hacking and coughing she tried to get the feeling done and over with, but the feeling of taking a life for the first time can never be forgotten. “Why are you showing this to me again!? I did not want to do it, I had to defend myself”! Once again she was met with silence, once again she had killed another person. I know that killing is wrong, but there is no other way! If I did not kill then others would die, Daiko, Trishna and the others would die if I simply did nothing!

Feeling her stomach ease up she wiped her mouth, looking up only to be frozen by the sight before her. She was no longer at the stable, she was once again back on the battlefield with the others laying with the rest of the dead. “No… no...no”!


Gasping for air her eyes opened as she rose out of bed. Hyperventilating and covered with sweat her eyes were met with what appeared to be a room with Trishna resting her head on the bedside. Taking deep breaths and slowly calming down, Bleuenn looked over the area and down at herself to see a white gown covering her. Touching and examining her body a pinch was enough to tell her that she was indeed in a room with Trishna. Taking one last deep breath she focused on the succubus. Slowly reaching her hand out a sharp pain spread throughout her head. Ringing ears along with an unfocused vison halting her from interacting with Trishna.

Grasping her head the pain only got worse. “It feels like my head is on fire”. Squinting, clenching her teeth she tried to ignore the pain as she slowly slid her leg out from the covers to not wake Trishna. Shifting her legs toward the floor Bleuenn got off of the bed only to have her legs give out. Grabbing at anything nearby she would knock over an end table knocking over the glass of water and the rest of the tables contents as she met the floor.

Wc: 1398

Howling winds, bitter cold, a final gunshot ringing from the direction of the cart. The nightmare haunted the young succubus’ dreams, along with a bitter sense of helplessness every time Trishna closed her eyes. Every single time she dreamed, it seemed just as unreal as it had in the moment....

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Trishna crouched over the corpses of the two cowled fire mages, heaving breathfuls of bitterly cold air as she surveyed the battlefield. Steam rose from her body into the air, a combination of the heat from her exertion and the remnants of the combustion that had engulfed her just moments before. Trishna seethed with rage, the pain of her burned body drowned out by the massive amounts of adrenaline that coursed through her veins. Like a wild animal, she looked about the battlefield in search of another target to release her anger upon, but the chaos of the battle seemed to be slowly ebbing.

A single final shot broke the descending quiet as the battle came to an end, bringing the succubus’s attention back towards the caravan they had been protecting. From her vantage point, Trishna couldn’t see any major damage to the caravan despite the ferocity of the battle, but for some reason the resounding shot brought her back from the battlerage that had gripped her. Something felt… wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but a sense of foreboding horror gripped her heart as she ran desperately towards the caravan.

It took only a moment for her to reach the caravan, despite the distance. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong, Trishna could feel it in the pit of her stomach. The caravan was safe, from what she could see of it but… Trishna could just barely hear snippets of conversation, what sounded like panicked pleading, confirming her fears of SOMETHING being wrong. It was enough to get the adrenaline flowing once more, and in a single smooth motion she lept up the side of the caravan, catching the lip of the roof and pulling herself up.

She crouched at the top of the carriage, looking down on the scene before her for only a moment before her eyes widened in horror to see the priest crouched over the unconscious form of her partner. The priestess seemed to be in distress, and Bleu looked so small compared to her usual vibrant self. Even from here, Trishna could see the soft glow of the priestess’ healing magics flowing into her friend. The succubus watched from her vantage point as the priestess told Bleu not to give up, and looked up to see who else might be injured.

“What are you doing?” Trishna’s voice rang out, even despite the chill winds the cold rage in her voice was obvious. Priestess Amelia looked up to see the crouching form of the succubus sitting atop the carriage, her eyes almost shining with power and rage. At the moment, the succubus looked more like a wild animal preparing to pounce than the bubbly, if misguided, demoness they had beheld earlier. Through gritted teeth, the demoness continued, “She is still unconscious. You’re not done.”

“Ah…” Priestess Amelia began, her words catching in her throat as she beheld this raging demoness so unlike the one she had met earlier. “I’ve done what I can for her, we need to save the others!”

“FINISH. HEALING. MY. FRIEND.” Trishna responded through gritted teeth, her eyes glinting dangerously with a threat that hardly needed to be stated out loud.

“I told you…” the priestess began, trying to soothe the wild demoness with her calm tone. She never finished her sentence, however, as Trishna leapt towards the clergywoman. Her words once again caught in her throat as she flinched and braced for an impact that never came. Trishna never even saw the mobster with the scarlet hair, so consumed as she was by her rage. One moment she was sailing through the air at her target, her claws extended, the next she found the air driven out of her as Wes caught her attack midway with a shoulder to her exposed midsection.

Trishna’s vision blurred, and perhaps for a second even left her completely because the very next thing she was aware of she was being held down forcefully by the smaller red haired man. He was mounted on the succubus, one hand holding her wrists tightly while the other firmly held her tail planted into the snow. His eyes held a mixture of pity and annoyance as he looked down upon her.

“Let me go… NOW!” she growled at the man, struggling in vain to get free.

“The fight is over. Calm down, you’re not thinking straight…” Wes replied, his expression neutral and his tone firm.

“Not until she heals Bleu! She did so much for us and you’d just leave her-” Trish interrupted, struggling even harder to no avail.

Suddenly his grip tightened and he forced her wrists and tail down even harder into the snow, hard enough to cause pain even through the adrenaline that coursed through her. “She’s tried! She has poured more than enough healing into your friend, it’s doing nothing. Bleuenn’s best chance is for us to get her to Newdale, where they might have the capability to help, and you throwing a tantrum isn’t doing anything but slowing us down!”

Trishna’s eyes widened at the realization that this man was absolutely right, and her frustration finally came out in the form of tears that began to stream down her face. Wes’s face softened, and he released his iron grip on the succubus. He climbed back to his feet and straightened his suit before looking once more at the succubus before him. “You wanna help your friend? Help me move her, we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Trishna struggled to get to her feet, wincing as the pain from her rampage all came back to her. The burns were uncomfortable, and where she had been held down certainly hurt, but more than anything her midsection was on fire. She looked up to see the priestess looking down on her with a sorrowful expression, and she sheepishly averted her eyes. Wes was right, it was going to be a long trip...


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The following days were a blur. She was eventually healed by Priestess Amerlia despite her attempt to harm her, and the Priestess displayed a fair bit of understanding towards her, even offering a bit of covering for the succubus who had nearly harmed her in a fit of rage. Trishna couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, though not nearly so guilty as she felt towards her friend… in this she felt guilty for being helpless to assist. She could only watch as her small blue haired friend rested, unable to wake…

Even after they arrived, the days continued to blend. Trishna refused to leave the side of her partner, as much as she could. She just didn’t feel right to do so, after all her partner had done to help them. Bleu had shown her the ropes, whether the demonata truly felt like she needed the help at the time. She had proven herself a valuable leader in their mission together, and had gone above and beyond to protect the team of mages when things had come to a head. The doctors told her Bleu was physically fine, and just needed time to wake on her own. Trishna coudn’t do anything to help, but she felt it would be wrong of her to leave her friend to wake alone. So she stayed.

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A resounding crash brought Trishna from her dreams with a start, and for a split second she had forgotten where she was.

“Wha…” Trishna began, her eyes taking just a moment to adjust. She just saw the top of a blue-haired head hidden mostly behind the hospital bed on which she had been resting her own head on. She blinked once while her mind processed what she was seeing, then stood with a start. “Oh! Bleuenn!” Trishna rushed around the hospital bed to find her partner sitting besides the bed, amid a scattering of broken glass and a toppled bedstand.

“Oh my gods, I was so afraid you wouldn’t wake up!” Trishna exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes as she bent down to hug her friend and assist her in getting back on the bed and out of the mess before the small witch cut herself.

WC: 1413
Total: 2811

Whispering out a few disparaging words at her stupid mistake as Bleuenn tried to pick herself up and force her noodling legs to listen. After realising that her legs were momentarily out of commission the witch like girl Dragged her legs along the floor rattling the shards of glass around as she tried to get to the wall.

The sound of Trishna restlessness made her head snap back to the resting succubus as she did not want to be seen in her current state by her friend. Trying her best to shuffle towards the wall and brace herself, but as Trishna called out her name she froze as she knew that she had been caught. “H...hi Trishna”. Return only but a meek response as she could not bear to face her friend while she was crawling on the floor like a babe. Just as she was about to respond to the how and why she was on the floor, Trishna’s joyful exclamations kill any attempts for Bleuenn to save face. With her pride now fully wounded she tried to move to the wall only to feel her friend's touch pulling her away from her intended goal. Bleuenn wanted to protest Trishna’s actions, but only a high pitched squeak came out from the unexpected embrace.

Rather miffed that Trishna had placed her back on the bed and treated her more like a doll than a person. However, Bleuenn’s annoyance was nothing towards the concern and joy she felt about having Trishna by her side. Hushing her friend as she ran her fingers through the Demonata’s less than clean hair as it was clear that her friend forgo everything just to be by her side. “I am awake now, no need to fear about the ifs”. Continuing to console her friend, Trishna’s tears began to soak through the middle of her chest causing the white gown to cling to her chest and become more transparent. Wishing to keep what little decency remained, Bleuenn lifted her friend's head and wiped the Demonata’s tears away. Gently botching the tears away with part of her gown, Bleuenn remained silent as she looked into Trishna’s tired redden black eyes. Continuing to work diligently clearing her friend’s eyes the more she touched Trishna the more she realized that the person in front of her was real. Aside from her grandfather she had never had anyone care for her so deeply. Memorized by the person before her she could not help but continue to hold onto the person before her in fear that they would disappear if she let go.

Enjoying the silent embrace for a moment longer, her body felt light and full of boundless energy the more time passed by. Breaking the silence with a mere grin she pulled back her hands and gently gripped Trishna’s while never breaking eye contact with her. “Thank you for remaining by my side for the entire time. I know it could not have been easy and it must have been quite awhile as you look so worn and ragged”. Brushing her thumb along the back of Trishna’s hand she truly wished that she could stay like this forever as this has been what she had always wanted. Pulling her hands back hesitating at parts to take in the moment a bit longer to burn the moment into her mind. Slowly and painfully breaking contact with Trishna she sighed as reality would not allow them to simply enjoy each other’s company forever.

Lowering her head the thoughts of the battle crept into the front of her mind. “I’m sorry I tried to hold out a bit longer to try and help just a moment more, but I could not”. Peeking up at the Demonata in hopes that she would forgive her and allow further questioning. “Please tell me the aftermath, are the others alright did everyone make it back safely? Was there any more trouble for the remainder of the trip”!? Dread seeped into the hybrid as she hoped that those that saved her life were still alive.

Wc: 678
Total 3489

Bleuenn let out a cute squeal as Trishna set her on the bed, her friend told her there was no need to be concerned about the ifs… as though she could see right through the succubus’ worst fears. It was absolutely true that the thought had crossed Trishna’s mind on more than one occasion while she waited, hoping that her friend might open her eyes once more. Trishna couldn’t help but begin to cry once more, multiple days worth of barely contained emotions spilling out of her. To her credit, Bleuenn seemed to stay in control of herself even now, and she gently dabbed the succubus’ eyes.

More than a simple crush, Trishna had to admit to herself as she looked into those brilliant scarlet orbs through which her dear friend saw the world, Trishna was beginning to think she might be truly falling for the small witch in front of her. Despite the fact that her friend must be feeling terribly weak right now after being unconscious for literally days, she was still managing to be the one consoling her instead of the other way around.

This was how Bleuenn always was though, always looking after those who stood by her side. From her willingness to mentor the succubus despite her less than honest original goal of simply getting close to the cute witch to her forethought to bring a picnics worth of food for both herself and Trishna, to her immediately jumping to protect Trishna when the otherworlder showed up, even inviting him to feast with the two of them when he was deemed to not be a threat despite the fact that as a new arrival to Vyl he couldn’t possibly have anything to offer them. Trishna had never seen or experienced the kind of selflessness which the frost witch routinely showed to everyone around her!

Bleuenn pulled away for a moment as she thanked Trishna, though she kept her eyes on the succubus’ own. For her part, Trishna was completely entranced by this wonderful woman in front of her, and the more she thought of their very short history together the more amazing she found Bleuenn to be. She immediately felt a bit self conscious about her own looks when Bleu commented how ragged she looked, and Trishna couldn’t argue; she felt ragged after the turmoil her mind had put her through in the past few days. She resolved to shower and get some clean clothes at her earliest convenience, so she might be able to give her beautiful friend something easier on the eyes than this dreadful appearance she must have right now.

The smaller witch made her jaw drop when she began to apologize for not doing more and asking about the aftermath of the battle. It took a long moment for Trishna to show much reaction before she began to chuckle softly, building up to fully gut-busting laughter after a few moments. When she managed to settle down, she wiped a tear from her eyes and looked up at her friend who was likely not exactly happy with her reaction. This had solidified everything in the pink demonata’s mind though, it seemed she really was in love with this wonderful witch she had the pleasure to call her partner.

“I…” Trishna began, stifling a giggle before it turned into another round of full blown laughter that her friend might thing was at her expense. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. Bleuenn, you really are amazing, you know that?” Trishna continued, a genuine smile growing on her face. Just like that, it seemed not only had her partner comforted her, she had completely wiped away the negative feelings that Trishna had been feeling altogether.”Everyone is fine, in no small part thanks to you and your quick acting. If I am honest, you were the only one with lasting injuries… but if not for you shielding us, I really doubt we all would have made it out alive, much less the shipment.”

WC: 668
Total:4157

On the edge of her seat… bed, Bleuenn awaited Trishna's answer. Praying that everyone came out alive she was stunned when the Demonata broke into a hearty laugh at her concerns. Balling her hands into a fist and scrunching her nose at her companion’s laughter she could not believe that her friend would take the lives of their alles so lightly. After Trishna had her fun she attempted to speak up only to burst into a fit of laughter again. Still unsure what was there to laugh at as it was a serious question, but she assumed that everyone made it back safely by how jovial Trishna appeared even though it was not a laughing matter. Once the Demonata’s laughter finally ceased her complement only confused her more as she was asking about the others not herself. Listening to the rest of Trishna’s words she was relieved that everyone made it back safely. Still a bit upset about how Trishna delivered the news, she lowered her head mumbling, “You did not have to laugh about it”.

Peering back up at her friend she spoke up to cover over her disapproval of the method she received the information. “It was nothing really… I studied about the previous attacks and knew that many of the previous shipments went missing around that area. The ones who deserve a majority of the credit were you and the others that charged headlong into danger to make sure the shipment stayed intact”. Leaning slightly forward she placed her hands lightly on Trishna’s face turning it slowly to each side as she looked for any permanent damage. “Don’t act like I was the only one who was injured. I saw how each and everyone one of you were wounded as I was forced to remain on the defensive”. Softening her scolding tone and expression, she traced her fingers along her friend's face making sure she was truly okay. However, while she reconnected with her friend for a second time it felt different from the last. The enjoyment and lightness were still prevalent, but an almost magnetic force drew her closer and closer to Trishna as she unknowingly leaned her face closer to the Demonata’s. Mere inches from her friend’s face she could feel Trishna’s breath brush against her face causing her to realize that she had gotten so close to her. “Trishna… I’m”. Before Bleuenn could finish what she wanted to tell Trishna, the squeak of the doorknob caught Bleuenn’s attention causing her to move her face back and let go of Trishna. As the door opened the kind face of Amélie poked into the door. “Oh, Bleuenn you're finally awake”! Opening the door to fully enter, Amélie would rush over to the bedside only stopping for a moment as slightly unnerved as she saw Trishna sitting nearby. Trying not to make her fear too obvious she almost launched herself onto Bleuenn, shocking the small witch as she was far too weak to hold herself and Amélie up. “I’m so glad you woke up”! Patting the Priestess’ back to console yet another person who almost broke down at the sight of her return to the conscious world. “Amélie i’m glad that you were worried about me, but could you please get off me as you are squishing me”! Shooting back instantly as she had completely forgotten about the witch’s weakened state. Bowing and apologizing profusely, Bleuenn was beginning to regret waking up.

Dragging herself back up caused her head to spin once again from the small change in posture. Holding onto her head as it was still pounding throughout her body. Unfortunately her show of pain only bolstered Amélie’s apologetic symphony. Raising her hand to tell Amélie that she did not have to continue to apologise as the priestess’ unending apologies only made her head hurt more. “I get why my legs are a bit numb as I have been bedridden for days, but this does not explain why I feel so weak and out of touch with my mind and body”. Focusing on Amélie the priestess’ face turned from apologetic to grim as she looked as if she had the answer, but did not wish to say. Waiting for Amélie as she deeply inhaled and exhaled to build up the courage only increased Bleuenn’s fear. With one last exhale, Amélie gripped the bottom of her dress tightly as she began to explain what she had been told. “In the battle you used up all of your mana. I’m sure you know more about magic than I do, so I don’t have to explain why that is bad”. Bleuenn simply nodded as she knew that she overexerted herself and that all magic has a cost. If it could not be taken from her own mana pool something else would have to be offered up in exchange. Not wanting to look Amélie in the eye as she already knew what she was going to say next as the hybrid felt that something was missing. “Most of the time when people use up their mana they simply passout or worse depending on the overcast. However, your willful nature allowed you to fight against that and continue to fight when you had nothing left resulting in what many call mana burns. Most die from doing what you did, but thankfully you are still alive, but it seems that you cannot currently store or use mana no doubt due to the mana burn. Are best healers did what they could, but even they are unsure if you’ll ever again”.

Amélie’s words hit Bleuenn like a tsunami. She knew that she could not use magic as she tried to use it to brace her legs. Remaining silent with her head down the magicless hybrid did not respond as she had lost the one thing that made her worth a damn. Unsure of what to say Amélie merely stood in silence as she tried to build the courage to tell Bleuenn that she was going to be fine. Though the more she tried to force out the words to encourage Bleuenn the worse she felt as she knew that the healers said that her regaining her magic was unlikely. Assumed and disappointed in herself the priestess quietly exited to give Bleuenn and Trishna time alone.

Alone with her thoughts, Bleuenn thought about how she would be able to achieve her goals without her magic. She did know how to use a sword and fight with her hands, but she did not have the strength or speed that more melee inclined fighters had. Her skill could only take her so fair as there were many far more skilled than her in swordsmanship and hand to hand. Someone of equal or even slightly trained would be difficult for her to deal with as they had the natural advantage. More thoughts crept in as her magic was the only thing that protected her from those that would take advantage or use her for their own desires. If she no longer had her magic she would just be a pretty hybrid and she knew exactly what she would be used for. Feeling her world crash down in front of her more thoughts and what ifs continued to bare down on her in an attempt to crush and break her spirit. Spiraling into the abyss she remembered what she told Trishna, don’t worry about ifs’. Raising her hand and bringing it down on her face she would slap herself as hard as she could to snap herself out of the loop of negativity. Wincing and rubbing her reddened cheek she focused on what she has gained instead of lost.

Raising her head up to look at Trishna once again she would force out a smile as she had found at least part of what she wanted. “I can’t let myself worry about things out of my control after I told you not to worry. Nothing is set in stone and look on the bright side we could both use some rest and relaxation. Until now I never had a good enough reason to relax as I was always working towards my goals, but now I can finally enjoy myself with what I have earned with you”.

Wc: 1378
Total: 5535

Trishna’s smile widened as Bleu let a small bit of frustration show at the succubus’ inability to keep a straight face. It was adorable seeing this side of her friend, whom up to this point always seemed to have full control of every situation that had been brought before them. Almost on cue, Bleu waved away Trishna’s praise as though it weren’t a big deal that the young witch had been so instrumental in stopping that attack. Trishna’s smile remained, but her eyebrows raised slightly as the young witch spoke and the demonata could scarcely believe that even as amazing as Bleu was she somehow didn’t see it in herself. As though any of the other caravans hadn’t tried to do their own research and failed miserably anyhow. From what little the demonata knew of the others abilities, only Bleu herself had been capable of blunting the surprise attack against the group the way she had. Why didn’t the small witch realize just how amazing she was?

Trishna's thoughts were interrupted as the smaller witch reached out to her, at first simply checking the demonata over for her own injuries. She couldn’t even react, being touched again by this witch whom Trish thought the world of was a pleasant shock and her mind just blanked on anything else going through her mind. Trishna felt her cheeks flush and her breathe catch in her throat as Bleu leaned closer to the demonata, looking almost as drawn to her. Trishna couldn’t be sure how long the beautiful, wonderful moment lasted before Bleu seemed to realize how close to the succubus she had gotten. She began to say something before the squeak of the doorknob brought both of them altogether out of the moment, and Bleu turned to greet Amelie as the priestess entered to check up on her.

Trishna stood shell shocked for a moment, slowly registering what had just happened… had she accidentally used some of her succubus powers on her friend? She had never actually managed to use any of her mental manipulation without truly conscious effort, and even then it was still hit and miss whether it had the desired effect… but if that weren’t the case, was the small witch somehow interested in her? Trishna’s hands shot up to cover her mouth, her face still flush from their encounter and all of these thoughts racing through her mind. Was she just seeing what she wanted to see? Was it too greedy to hope that Bleu might feel more than simple friendship with her?

Her moment of cautious glee was immediately wiped from her when she managed to tune back into reality and found that the air between Amelie and Bleu had grown serious. Trishna was not as aware of the basics of overuse of magic, aside from being told to never attempt to go beyond her limits, but she knew enough to grasp the severity of the situation as Amelie explained it to Bleu. Trish had been worried for her friend, but hadn't realized how close the small witch had come to possibly death until now. It had likely been a mercy on the priestess’ part to not worry the succubus more than she had already been worried, but it was like a punch in the gut to realize that all of her worst fears had been real possibilities. Trish had managed to control herself a bit by repeating to herself that Bleu would be fine, and that it was only a matter of time til she woke. She had told herself to stop worrying so many times, but it seemed she had been right all along to do so… and Bleu had done it all in order to protect them all. It only made sense considering how much the ice witch had done. With how she always seemed to be one step ahead it was sometimes easy to forget that she wasn’t all powerful…
A ringing slap once more brought Trishna from her thoughts, and she abruptly realized the priestess had slipped out. Her eyes focused on her friend rubbing a freshly reddened cheek and sporting a forced smile as she repeated what she had said about not worrying, and that at least this would afford them a chance to relax while they waited to see what the future brought... with the obvious implications therein. Trishna smiled helplessly at her brave little friend. Even now, after receiving soul-shattering news, she was putting on a brave face for Trishna. The succubus had no idea whether she could possibly be so strong if she had received similar news herself, and she didn’t have but the barest bit of power to lose compared to what the witch might have lost herself. Even if she was forcing herself right now, Trishna didn’t think she would have the willpower to do the same. What a truly remarkable person she had found… she never would have guessed how special Bleu truly was when they first met before Trishna’s first mission.

“You’re absolutely right. You have more than earned some relaxation time!” Trishna exclaimed, trying to fire herself up for her friend. It simply wouldn’t do for her to let on that she was worried considering how hard Bleu was trying to mask it herself. “I won’t lie, it’s kind of my first time in this city myself, so I don’t know the layout well, but I’m sure as big as it is we can find some great spots!”

Trishna moved over to the front end of the bed where a small chest sat, opening it to reveal what they had found of Bleu’s belongings. She pulled the bag out and brought it over to where Bleu stood, offering it to her friend. “I’m sure you can’t wait to change out of that hospital attire, and I could use a bit of cleaning up myself, but then how about we find a good place to sit down and eat? You’ll never regain your strength if we dont get you something a bit better than this bland hospital food, eh? It’ll be my treat!”

Trish put one finger to her chin, as though thinking, then continued. “Come to think of it, I don’t know much about human cuisine… do you have any favourites? And don’t go cheap just because I’m buying, you deserve something super tasty to celebrate a job well done and finally being on your feet again!”

WC: 1074
Total: 6619

Trishna’s response to her obvious attempt at deflecting both Trishna’s and her own concern’s allowed for a splinter of a genuine smile to peek through the otherwise false one that she had placed in front of her friend. “Don’t forget about yourself, I want you to relax as well as I caused you so much worry”. Letting out a breathy giggle in spite of the recent news. The joy she felt from her friend’s genuine concern helped clear the darkness away. However, as one cloud parted another one greyed the otherwise clear skies of her budding friendship with Trishna. After all, her friend thought of her as a fellow pure Eldritch. Would their bond still hold if her friend knew of what she truly was?

Before the dark clouds could fully encircle her mind, Trishna continued the conversation stating her lack of knowledge about the city and it’s attractions. Staring back at her friend as she moved over to a nearby chest as the hybrid was at a loss for a venue as well. Thinking about the times she had come to the city for work only brought back less then fond memories of the sex cult that Kyr and herself found themselves in and a bakery owned by Wesley. Thinking against returning to the suspicious baker’s establishment, Bleuenn tried to clear out the dryness in her throat before she spoke of a more sensible solution. “I am not very knowledgeable of Engloria either. Most of my experiences here are work related as the human capital is not known for its hospitality to anyone but humans or those of high standing”. Whispering an apology to her grandfather before she continued. “I think it would be better if we found a place to stay first and freshen up. It would kill multiple birds with one stone as we can eat, rest and ask more about the city”.

Waiting for her friend’s response, her eyes followed the bag as it bounced with every step from her peach skinned friend. As she laid the bag on the bed, Bleuenn’s expression soured as Trishna went on about treating her once again. “I would not know how bland the hospital food must have been. However, I still would rather treat you for not only watching over me, but partaking in the bland hospital food on my behalf”. Giving Trishna a huff along with a slight peak of her tongue, Bleuenn shifted over to the bag to take out her clothing. Rifling through the bag the ice witch kept her cute pink bowed undergarments close to her chest as she looked over to her friend. Focusing on the ground she attempted to use her magic to create a divider between the two of them, however all her efforts brought was a similar burning pain as she had forgotten about her lack of magic under her friend's company. Winching and clenching her teeth she tried to hide the slight pain the attempt at magic caused her. Shooting a quick glance to see if her friend caught on, Bleuenn quickly shuffled around the bed leaving her back to Trishna. Flinging her legs up and quickly sliding her underwear on, shuffling a bit to quickly dress herself as she moved onto her bra.

Snapping the clamps together Trishna brought up the topic of favorite foods before once again trying to force her offer to pay once again. Letting out an exhausted sigh at her friend’s persistence she tried to stand up while refusing her friend’s offer once again. “Trishna… No”! While it would sound as if she was raising her voice in protest of her friend’s refusal to back down on treating her. In truth, the rise in pitch was due to her catching and holding herself up on the bed post as her legs still felt numb from the lack of using them. Looking down at her trembling legs only held up by her arms and stubbornness; the reddened Bleu looked over to her friend with a mix of pure embarrassment and desperation as she knew that she would not be able to remove the gown and fully dress herself. “... Dress… dress me and I'll accept your offer”. Shooting her head back down after the meek response. Bleuenn's head and heart throbbed as her pride and self worth had been deeply struck with only the poorly constructed deal picking up the pieces of her shattered pride.

Wc: 739
Total: 7358

Bleu’s sudden change in tone brought a bit of shock to the young succubus, and she whirled to face her friend. Was it really something to get worked up over, her being treated? Did it make her that angry? Trishna didn’t have long to fret over that possibility, however, because the moment her eyes focused on she realized her partner was barely holding herself up on trembling legs. The young witch turned her face towards Trish, raw emotions of embarrassment and desperation clear on her face even for someone who wasn’t a succubus attuned to others emotions.

Uncharacteristically, instead of trying to simply act stronger and hide it the smaller witch meekly offered to accept Trishna’s offer if she would assist her with getting dressed. Despite being what the succubus had wanted all along, this distressed the succubus no small amount. Bleu, who always seemed to have everything under control. The same one who had showed Trishna so much, who had overexerted herself to the very limits in order to protect Trishna and the others, to the point where she had nearly burned herself out… this Bleu was breaking it seemed. She had finally reached her limit, to the point where she was finally willing to reach out for help… and Trishna would be damned if she would let ANYTHING stop her from supporting her friend in this, her time of need.

“Be careful!” Trishna called out instinctively, rushing over to her friends aid and helping her to sit on the bed. Tears came unbidden to her eyes, seeing her friend, who was so very strong reduced to this state. She had wanted more than anything to be able to support Bleu, but it hurt to see her friend in so much pain. She blinked back the tears before they fell from her eyes, hoping they hadn’t been noticed by Bleu; the very last thing she wanted was for Bleu to feel even weaker than she already felt. “Of course I will. You don’t even need to ask, I know you would do the same for me in a heartbeat. You have been supporting me since we first met at the adventurers guild. it is the very least I can do to try to repay you in some small way for all you have done for me.” Trishna paused for a moment, then gently cupped Bleu’s face in her hands and turned it towards her own so she could look into the beautiful rubies that she adored so much. “We will get through this together, alright? I’ll be here for you.”

With a gentle smile, Trishna would listen to Bleu’s response for a moment. “Do me another favour if you would... we will get you dressed in a moment. For now, lets get your legs up on the bed. You’ve been down for a while, I don’t doubt your circulation needs a bit of help. Let me massage them, and then we can get back to it." Trishna would try to work out the knots in Bleu's muscles while listening to whatever she had to say.


WC: 516
Total:7879

Trishna’s acceptance only crushed Bleuenn’s pride more as her friend seemed more than happy to dress her like some sort of doll. Even though Trishna reminded her about the many times she had assisted and helped her, the hybrid was still uncomfortable with being unable to care for herself and requiring assistance to do something so basic. Too ashamed and caught up in her own disgust with herself, Bleuenn did not see the continued pain that her broken form had begot her friend.

Taking a deep breath she prepared herself to hold herself together before Trishna would begin. Slipping the straps of her gown off of her shoulder her neck was caned by Trishna just as the gown fell onto the floor leaving her far more vulnerable than she had ever been with another. She wanted to speak, but the renewed closeness and Trishna’s words put a knot in her throat as she felt the same tug as before. At a loss for words, Bleuenn merely stared back as she tried to figure out why she felt so different around her friend than before. It wasn’t as if they had not been close before as they shared a bed together many times now and with far less clothing since her friend’s succubus blood cared little for modesty. While Bleuenn thought she had gotten used to baring herself around Trishna. She currently felt just as embarrassed and shameful as if it was the first time she had been around her half naked.

Glancing away from Trishna she took hold of the cupping her chin while placing her other hand on her friend to stabilize herself as tried to settle down. Racking her mind and body she tried to figure out why her feelings had become so intense and volatile. Even though she suppressed and hid her emotions behind her magic they were never as pronounced as they were currently. This must be due to the imbalance and damage I did to myself, that’s the only explanation that explains why I am feeling this way towards Trishna.

Satisfied with her explanation the hybrid was ready to face her erratic emotions and her friend head on; at least that is what she had planned. Hearing only the tail end of Trishna’s words, the succubus’ touch sent an electrifying sensation along her body causing Bleuenn to jump back as far as her body allowed. Still gripping onto her friend for support she looked at her friend with shock while her pale body reddened more. “W… wh.. What are you doing”!? Flustered by her friend's unexpected touch. Bleuenn’s flustered mind forgot about her inability to stand as it tried to pull away from the person that caused her body to go into flight mode. Though as she tried to pull away her legs gave out, causing her to fall back into Trishna as she instinctively wrapped her arms around Trishna in an attempt to stop her fall.

Colliding into her friend and tightening her head and body around Trishna’s chest, Bleuenn only felt more embarrassed by the current situation as she was now completely dependent on her friend. Bleuenn wanted to speak, she knew she had to speak, but everything began to boil over, overriding her logic as she simply cried into her friend’s chest.

Wc: 550
Total: 8429

Trishna was shocked momentarily as her friend pulled away from her touch, only to fall back into the succubus as Bleuenn’s legs gave out on her once more. Even without the use of her birth-given ability to understand emotions, after travelling with the witch as long as she had Trishna had a decent understanding of the situation. The succubus softened her gaze and wrapped her arms around Bleu tightly as the warmth and wetness of her precious partner's tears began to trickle down her chest.Trishna was content to embrace her partner for a while as the younger witch finally allowed herself to release the pent up emotions she was trying to desperately to hide.

Trish brought one hand up to gently run her fingers through the beautiful cyan hair of her partner, quietly whispering, “There, there, let it all out. I’ve got you… take as long as you need…”

Trishna was slowly beginning to understand the depth to which Bleu has bottled herself up. This poor, wonderful witch had taken everything upon herself to be strong and diligent, beyond reproach for even the most strict of her detractors, and it seemed with everything else going on right now she had finally reached her limit. Whether it was due to her trust in the succubus or simply due to her inability to hide it any longer, Trishna felt honoured that Bleu had finally allowed herself to let down her guard while the succubus was nearby. Even with as much as had been thrust upon her it can’t have been easy.

Trishna couldn’t be sure how much time had passed while the two eldritch sat there together, the succubus slowly stroking her friend's hair as Bleu let out the turmoil inside of her. Trishna idly wondered at one point whether it had been just since the two had embarked on their training lesson, or if it had been even longer that the small witch had been holding in her emotions. Trishna hoped that whatever the case. Bleu would allow herself to be vulnerable every so often with the succubus, lest the overwhelming emotions break her as they seemed so close to doing now.

When Bleu’s sobbing finally began to slow, Trishna would loosen her grip on her friend, still holding her stable with one arm while the other slowly continued to stroke her hair. Her tail gently slid under the witch’s chin, to bring her gaze up to look into the succubus’ eyes. “I don’t know what the future will hold, and I can’t promise anything but that I will stick by your side if you’ll allow me to. You are so brilliant and strong it’s almost unfair...” Trishna added with a half-smile, searching for the words for a moment before continuing, “I… I care about you a lot, alright?”

WC 458
Total: 8887

Pulling, digging into her friend, the protections and locks that Bleuenn once had to keep her emotions at bay had been completely broke down. The calm and collected Bleuenn had been replaced with the truth. Her confidence, her calm everything was a lie; in truth, she was nothing but a scared child playing at being a hero, so much so that she had locked away most of herself from the world to protect it.

The future and what it held terrified Bleuenn as she knew she was nothing without her abilities. There would be no way that she would be able to become a guardian knight without her magic. Maybe they were right after all. Dark thoughts crawled through her mind flashing bits of her future. A slave, a servant, or death was all that awaited the useless hybrid now. Hoarse squeaks and trembles were added into the mix as Bleuenn was terrified of the truth.

The negative was all that was left within her mind as it circled further and further until something broke through the fog. Feeling Trishna’s touch along her hair parted enough of the fog to allow for her friend’s supporting words to reach her. “But.. why though I have nothing to offer you. It can’t be my body as you could have had it already many times over. I have no magic I am unless barely able to defeat even the weakest of threats”. Mumbling into her friend as her tears slowed she did not understand why Trishna was doing this for her.

Droning on about what she was unable to do instead of what she had done, Bleuenn’s body tensed up as Trishna’s tail sent a shiver down her spine while it tilted the half witch’s eyes to her. Trying to look away out of shame and embarrassment the succubus’ words would pierce through Bleuenn’s self pity as she looked to her friend with shock. Speechless her pale moonlight skin turned devilishly red as no one other than her grandfather had cared so deeply.

Reaching out to caress her friend the open of the door froze the ice witch in her tracks as Amliea had yet again trespassed. “Bleuenn I am sorry that we could not do anymore for you after all you did and gave of yourself, but….” Stopping dead in her tracks as her eyes came upon the sight before her. Raising her hands to her mouth showing a piece of paper trapped within her hands, the priestess slammed her eyes close. “I’m sorry! I should have knocked! I’m… I’m”! Unable to find her words the flustered priestess hastily exited leaving only the paper fluttering in the wind”.

Watching the paper slowly wave down towards the floor, Bleuenn looked to Trishna in silence before letting out a laugh. Laughing away the pain and sadden the half witch smiled at Trishna before gently guiding the succubus’ tail off of her chin. Caressing Trishna’s tail Bleuenn lightly pressed her lips against it before releasing it back to its owner. “Thank you Trishna, you don’t know how much this means to me. I may have lost something forever, but having such an amazing person by my side is something I always wanted”. Feeling the blood flow back into her legs a bit she pressed into her friend with a hug. “As much as I don’t want this to end I think I should get dressed and leave this room to others in need”.

Wc: 578
Total: 9465

Their visitor surprised Trishna, though the priestess had disappeared before Trishna could manage a response. What shocked Trishna even more was Bleu’s reaction to it, or lack thereof. The succubus might’ve expected the younger witch to be embarrassed being seen so close to Trishna, but Bleu didn’t so much as flinch. After the Priestess left, the witch let out a soft, beautiful chuckle, and even brought her lips to the succubus’ tail in an almost kiss. With a few more sweet words, the azure haired witch leaned against Trish in a hug. The shock of her small partners’ uncharacteristic physical comfort left Trishna momentarily stunned for a couple of heartbeats before her mind began to work once more and she was able to return the embrace.

“Of course, Bleu. We’ve got a whole city to see together.” Trishna said with a smile, holding her friend close and enjoying the moment. The happiness she felt right now could’ve have made her knees weak or had her bouncing with joy, had she not been holding Bleu at that very moment. While she could care less about making the room available for other patients, the thought of exploring this new city side by side with her cute mentor was enough to kick the succubus into gear. She gently released her embrace and guided Bleu back near the bed so she could sit if her legs were still a little on the weak side. “Let’s finish getting you dressed and we can go check out.”

Trishna looked over towards the door the priestess had exited moments before, her eyes falling upon the paperwork that had found its way to the floor moments before. Trishna made her way over to the paper, considering for a moment slaking her curiosity and seeing what it said before deciding against that and simply bringing it to her friend. Chances were, Trishna wouldn’t understand whatever was written on it anyhow. She knew full well her knowledge in this area was sketchy at best, though she silently vowed to do some research on it herself. The chances of her understanding or figuring out something Bleu and the doctors didn’t were extremely low, but if there were any chance of her being able to help it would be worth it.

Taking in her friend’s embrace from a moment long, Bleuenn would stop her friend as she attempted to guide her back to the bed with a soft giggle and shake of her head. “I need to be standing as my dress is somewhat like a long jacket… here” Taking hold of the back of the chair Trishna watched over her on, Bleuenn looked to her folded clothing then back to Trishna. “My legs are not as weak as they once were, but if it makes you feel better I'll use the chair as support while you leave my side momentarily”. Ending her words with an over exaggeration to point out her friend’s coddling as while she may not be at her best she was still able to hold herself up for at least a moment.

Once Trishna made her way back to her the ice witch would raise her left arm towards her friend. “Slip the left arm through and bring the other to my right”. Pushing her arm forward Bleuenn’s left hand would poke out through the left sleeve. Though as Trishna moved to Bleuenn’s right the half witch’s legs buckled causing her to fall back onto her friend once again. Barely whispering out an embarrassed sorry as her stubbornness had once again landed more egg on her face. Letting a bit more time pass in silence the half witch returned her hands to the chair only to once again raise her right once she had regained her balance.

Finally with her right arm threaded through the sleeve the ice witch’s dress loosely coiled around her lithe body showing that the dress was tailored exclusively to her. Resting her hand back on the chair, Bleuenn let out a sigh before looking back to Trishna with a small smile. “The worst of it is over, however, we need to button…” Once the buttons flashed across her mind, Bleuenn’s explanation halted as her cheeks reddened as she realized what her friend will have to do. Keeping her gaze away from Trishna, Bleuenn flattened one of the flaps against herself revealing the holes from the button. “There should be three buttons, the longest one with a rotating clasp depicting two demons pushing against each other is for the collar while the other two is for the.. chest”. Dropping her hand back to the chair the ice witch would soon be mistaken for one of fire with the sheer redness and heat coming off of her. Trying to calm down, Bleuenn did not understand why she was suddenly so embarrassed by Trishna’s closeness. Even with the fact that she was relying on her friend to dress her she had shared a bed with her and been far closer and more intimate with her friend than a simple touch, why did she suddenly feel so shy and timid around her friend?

Gritting her teeth and bearing down the half witch fought against her skyrocketing heart rate and embarrassment as her friend closed in. Watching Trishna’s rose coloured hands close in and around her neck made the hair on the back of her neck stand up as the succubus tightened and buttoned her collar. The chair creaked as more pressure was placed on its wooden flesh once Trishna ran her hand along the ice witch’s chest to smooth and button the second part of her dress. At the third and final button, Bleuenn’s legs shook as she was almost at her limit. Even if she needed help, the embarrassment mixed with confused excitement was getting to her. Releasing a gasp while backing away from Trishna once the third button had tightened around her dress. Trying to hold back what sounded like pants she looked at her friend while slowing her breathing.

Walking backward with her arms still on the chair. Bleuenn exposed one of the slits still fully displaying her smooth milky skin and part of her undergarments. “Last part, see the two pairs of lace on the hip, those need to be tied before we are done”. Bracing herself she tried to imagine her legs as heavy unfeeling stone pillars trying to fend off her body’s responses to Trishna’s touch. Though once her friend got to work the ‘stone pillars’ quickly crumbled with a whimper from their owner making it more awkward than it already was. Flexing her thighs and biting her lip she powered through the other side making sure no other sounds spilled out.

At the exact moment the final lace was tied, Bleuenn jumped away and sat back on the bed turning completely away from her friend expelling a faked tired sigh in an attempt to hide her body’s awkward reactions. “Thank you, that was harder than I thought. I guess you were right I was not as well as I had thought”! Fanning herself with her hand to play off the event that was anything, but physical strain.

Any further interactions or questions about what had just occurred would be played off or ignored by Bleuenn while she tied her hair with the strings that hung from her hat. Taking hold of her tag and looking at the now blank paper she thought about whether or not she was worthy to wear her mother’s clothing. Even if they were all she had at the moment she lacked the ability to use magic and live up to even a sliver of the power her mother wielded. Running her finger along the blank tag she would look to her friend that held a piece of paper in her hand. “Is that what Amelia dropped? Is it for us or something she mistakenly left behind”? Sliding her body to face Trishna, Bleueen slid forward and to the edge of the bed sitting, but not standing as she had learned her lesson.

Wc: 968
Total: 10812