Desert Beach Party!

In the female’s defense there wasn’t exactly a lot of wood laying around in this place to knock on, but all the same she knew to a degree they’d been damning words/wishes. Now instead of a pair they’d been surrounded by a group that would probably evolve to a legion as things continued skittering and crawling out of places. A little bit of repentance and a spot of necessity she’d have to defend the man while he began casting something big. Perhaps the earlier groups had been scouts of sort to test them? Maybe all these animals merely couldn’t wait their turn and sought to strike and get their portion now…who could say?

”It’d be so easy if you could just eat them instead…”

The voice went ignored, the odd phenomenon something that had yet to disappear since that Lilith job. She could sort of feel the secondary voice, but it didn’t speak quite like this one and acted more on instinct and feeling in a way the woman couldn’t properly describe. A few dry chuckles were the last she heard before the line went “dead” so to speak.

Rather than leave the man as a tantalizing target she tossed an orb over her shoulder, the sapphire base blossoming into a rapidly growing cloud once it rolled close enough to the man. Though he could probably sense the magical disturbance it wouldn’t affect him, becoming only a visible hindrance to those starting to filter into the room.

’And now for the one I dislike…’ Mao’s facial features cringed a bit even as she took on yet another stance, arms raised while surveying the enemies and which ones might strike first. The eyed her hungrily, their food sources no doubt far and few between when they didn’t resort to devouring one another, attention focusing more and more as something bright and shiny manifested in one of her hands.

Crack…

Crackle…

Krsht-!

The shards from the orb fell away from her gloved hand, though their journey to the ground never found completion as the bundle grew in size until a veritable cloud formed from the sharp and jagged pieces. Their master’s eyes changed too, pupils thinning a little even as the shade of the orbs became muddied from their usual green hue. The first might have been the most unfortunate, one of the smaller scorpions becoming anxious – especially with one of its full-grown kin nipping behind it – and the thing charged only to have her claws smack both its pincers aside and slam down into its head, two streams of gem stones mocking her movement to pierce holes through the two trying to flank. Behind a snake wove its way around the small carnage pile, getting ready to rise up and strike when the earth started trembling.

Horns pierced its throat as a roar echoed throughout the room, the mad beast himself returned as he surged up through the crumbling dirt floor, tossing his head about and sending the thing slamming into a wall with a resounding “CRACK!” More prone to protecting what he actually cared about, Nocshanks listened to her mental command to protect Niyol and took a running start, body curling after the first few paces into a rolling ball of doom. He surged about, his hardened hide relieving some of the overgrown insects of their limbs while some of the basilisk who sought to bite found themselves struck with concussive force that bounced them away even as teeth cracked and snapped.

The dance had only begun.


MP: 80%

Aquamarine Needles: 1/5 CD
Blood Diamond: 1/3 active

HP: 300
MP: 107%
Post: 13
Gabriella's HP: 180

Effects:
+2% MP Regen
Can Store 50% extra MP
Legendary(+) Weapon: increased base MP
Gabriella's Presence - Seikatsu & his allies have +3% HP Regen
Volcanic Wrath - All enemies taking 15 damage per post after this one
Forgiveness - Friendly Fire is turned off

Cooldown:
Amplify - 2 Posts
Unleash Soul - 2 Posts
Armageddon - 2 Posts

Duration
Summon Gabriella - 4 Post
Charging Unleash Darkness


Ninetails Derpfox carried out 1 launched of one Normal Dice :

Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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There was a relief to knowing one’s enemies could experience flames and yet one’s self was immune alongside their magic. If Mao had been in a regular state of mind she would’ve relished a bit more in this fact, the glaring weakness of her magic one that seemed to plague the woman wherever she went. However the grip of the blood diamond was hard to ignore even for one usually filled with the calm energies of the other crystals. The gemstone lusted for blood, the crystal knowing only the pain wrought by greed and so it learned hunger from those same hands. Each body they plunged through, each creature they shredded would never be enough to fully satiate the gem.

It became a pleasure for the woman as well, rending the protective shells of the scorpions until they no longer concerned her in the face of the large reptilian. Tearing through the bodies of the snakes became the sole source thereafter as she disfigured spines, tore through flesh to the inner meat, and ripped jaw bones completely free of their owners. None of it was enough however, even though Mao’s once white veiled had been all but dyed red-turning-brown at this point, each coat reviving the luscious hue.

Yet the hunger was merely growing, Mao’s tongue beginning to water.

”You’re a carnivore, at the heart of things, why not indulge?”

A heart hit the ground.

”You can’t ignore what you truly are.”

Another snake flopped to the ground as the last breath gurgled out of its exposed throat.

”DON’T BOW DOWN TO THEIR WILL.”

A howl of rage and concern pulled Mao from her stupor, the trance edging away as rabbit-eared woman realized she’d bitten a chunk of meat from her recent victim, blood coating her chin and staining the chest region of her shirt. She could feel Nocshanks’ emotions flow through her, forcing a calm even as the mage swiped her hand – the action commanding a wave of the shards to slash through the throat of a thrashing basilisk that was getting all too close. Peering around quickly she noted the multitude of smoking corpses now sprinkled with fresh snake meat here and there, her canine companion doing his part in mowing some down just a bit ago during his reentry. Judging by the crater he jumped out of the loyal dog had crushed a couple more before realizing how far down the rabbit hole his mistress was falling.

”Thank you…Nocshanks. I let them get ahold of me.”

Though Mao referenced the diamonds, a part of the woman wasn’t sure she truly meant them.

Coming to stand next to her, Nocshanks dropped a small bag before her, nuzzling the woman before slapping away a writhing snake with his horns. It’d come too close for comfort.


MP: 80%

Aquamarine Needles: 2/5 CD
Blood Diamond: 2/3 active

Chesha carried out 1 launched of one Normal Dice :

HP: 300
MP: 119% (+10% 5th post)
Post: 15
Gabriella's HP: 180

Effects:
+2% MP Regen
Can Store 50% extra MP
Legendary(+) Weapon: increased base MP
Gabriella's Presence - Seikatsu & his allies have +3% HP Regen
Volcanic Wrath - All enemies taking 15 damage per post after this one
Forgiveness - Friendly Fire is turned off
Charging - Unleash Darkness II
Charging - Unleash Soul I

Cooldown:
Amplify - 1 Posts
Armageddon - 1 Posts

Duration
Summon Gabriella - 3 Post

Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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Ninetails Derpfox carried out 2 launched of one Monster Dice :

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”I’ll be fine,” she tried to reassure Nocshanks as he refused to part too far from her. However things were beginning to creep a little close for comfort, and while the two summons stuck close to Niyol the legal mage didn’t want them to deal with too much while supporting him lest they be sent back before he was ready. More of the critters crept in from a side entrance, but Mao couldn’t leave her post either since more filtered in from in front and she might have to deal with a few sliding in from the other side as well. ”We need to split if we’re to get through this. I promise I won’t fall to the blood diamonds again.”

The smile and passed emotions seemed to finally assuage him, the muscular dog beast grunting before he turned back into the rolly polly of spinning destruction and began to mow down weakened foes.

It was curious though, the woman usually much better at staving off the effects of the gemstone. Sure it’d been corrupt, and she never liked that dark influence before yet it hadn’t been a problem outside her scope to date. Normally the other crystal influences kept the worst at bay. ’My mind feels so different right now…’ Something obscured her usual stability, creating a rockiness to her function. Even emotions often felt inhibited by the sheer calm of her crystal magic yet she’d felt such the bloodlust moments ago and now she yearned to find something…

Along the edges of this scene of carnage danced an object that called out to her for reasons that acted vaguely familiar. It hummed in her mind whenever it came close and grew quieter when it hovered away, creating an unfortunate tease since she refused to veer too far from protecting Niyol even if she relied more upon the commanded cloud of crystals than actually ripping into hides herself. She could almost make out a taunting voice at times, but brushed it off in the face of the prevalent task before her.

”Seqat pmuut lremt...”


MP: 80%

Aquamarine Needles: 3/5 CD
Blood Diamond: 3/3 active - going on CD

HP: 255
MP: 106%
Post: 16

Effects:
+2% MP Regen
Can Store 50% extra MP
Legendary(+) Weapon: increased base MP
Sow - Mao deals 2x melee damage

Cooldown:
Amplify - 4 Posts
Rushed Magic - 3 Posts
Niddhog - 7 Posts
Gabriella - 7 Posts

A clawed hand stuck out, halting Nocshanks’ movement towards their last foe, the beast in the distance struggling to push itself back up. The thing had taken quite the blow even if it braced, and used the other denizens as shield of sorts. It wouldn’t take much more to fell the beast.

”Hu...E crymm bid ed uid uv ed'c secano.”

Against his wishes the great beast moved to stand closer to her friend, placing his body between the combatants and the recovering man. Should the thing make a go for the prone mage then the horned canine would step in, but he knew already such wouldn’t be the case as his mistress walked closer to the disturbing creature.

”Oui...nasaspan...” the odd voice ground out, pain evident in the trio of voices that spoke through each mouth. Breathy laughs escaped as the three pairs of eyes stayed trained on the approaching woman, the beast starting to coil its muscles, ”Drah oui...ghuf...fryd E fyhd...fryd E caag...”

A small shiver of guilt ran through her, brows knitting before Mao’s expression smoothed out and she nodded. ”E nasaspan...dryhg oui vun rumtehk ed vun cu muhk.” She clasped the emerald a little tighter before the gem disappeared, vanishing back into her otherworldly collection of memories. ’Out of my selfishness it has suffered so long…’ An old adage came to mind, but Mao stowed away her thoughts as she brandished both her fists. However it possessed one final request for her, one that surprised the rabbit-eared mage.

”Vekrd sa...fedruid ouin vyga sykel, so geh.”

It stunned her for a moment before she nodded, acquiescing and releasing the magical energy she’d been building up. About to summon up the protective form of diamonds, she fought without her magic as they charged each other. It would be the chimera’s final roar as it neared the end of it’s life…


When Niyol would finally come too there would be the faint sounds of singing, a lullaby echoing off the old walls.

”-fa yna ymfyoc uh dra fyo du veht dra bmyla fa pamuhk-“

Nocshanks continued to stand guard by the man, though his posture remained lax as the threats refused to resurface between the defeat of such numbers and the take down of their leader. The old beast lay on the ground, the last dregs of life leaving its body. Mao sat in front of it, the lion’s head placed in her lap as she lightly brushed through the mane, sending the beast off with a song she’d recalled in the memory.

”-pid eh uha sunhehk fa'mm caa dra cih
pnekrd crehehk sunhehk taf cehkehk
drao fru femm caynlr femm veht dra myht
uv ajanknaah-“

Her voice remained soft, a pseudo-whisper, eventually hitting the final note. She could no longer feel any breath ghosting over her stomach, the thing finally succumbing to its wounds, lacerations hardly visible on the underside of the other two heads’ necks.

”The road to Hell is paved with good intentions,” the tailed woman quoted, gently placing the head onto the ground and standing, ”It was selfish of me to ask such a favor of you when it would’ve been kinder to end your life…but still…I hope you found some enjoyable moments in your freedom, when the pain of your life weighed a little less.” Leaving it where it laid she walked back towards the Chief of Souls, concern marring her face, ”Are you all right? You expended quite a bit of energy in that last attack quite suddenly. If you need to rest you can ride on Nocshanks if that would help? The beast told me of a little den not too much further down where there might be more items to salvage if you would like a look?”


MP: 80%

Aquamarine Needles: 4/5 CD
Blood Diamond: 1/5 CD

HP: 255
MP: 108%
Post: 17

Effects:
+2% MP Regen
Can Store 50% extra MP
Legendary(+) Weapon: increased base MP

Cooldown:
Amplify - 3 Posts
Rushed Magic - 2 Posts
Niddhog - 6 Posts
Gabriella - 6 Posts

The perceived awakening was nothing more than a clever ruse, the man visibly responding to whatever dreams currently gripped him as the woman noted the tears. ’It wouldn’t be wise to leave him here nor stay too long lest the beasts regain their courage. Hopefully he won’t mind…’ Luckily the man seemed very much out of it as she had Nocshanks lie down so she could heft the unconscious mage onto her friend’s back. The weight would mean nothing to someone of his size and muscle, the only thing making Mao wince was the solid ‘smack!’ noise as she basically shoved Niyol and he flopped into place. ’Well…hopefully he won’t develop any bruises or cracked anything important. At least nothing I can’t fix I’m sure.’ She might not be as full of heals as those who focused, but the crystals did provide a couple of avenues.

She lead the small group away from the burnt mess and the still body of the chimera, only the sound of their feet scratching against the sand-strewn floor making any noise.

”You knew them.”

Those words caught her off guard, Mao turning to stare with slightly widened eyes at her companion. Perhaps it was the knowledge the man on his back continued to sleep, tears pricking at the corner of his eyes, but it shocked the woman all the same to hear the beast’s voice out loud.

His gaze remained unwavering, the statement an unspoken question. As she came back to herself Mao’s expression smoothed out and she nodded, the pair resuming their walk. ”Aye…to a degree. The emerald it bore reminded me of its existence, and it’s something I shall keep with me as a token of its life. We are not too different, that thing and I…unfortunately it drew the short end of the straw I’m afraid…” her voice slowly died out, the girl unable to help the welling sadness for the creature. ’Do we not all deserve a chance to live?’ It was a question she’d blessedly forgotten until now.

”And what is it you plan to do now?”

This time the mage didn’t react to the murmured question, continuing her pace without faltering. ”The same thing I’ve been doing all this time…” the emotion dropped out of her voice, those verdant orbs hardening as both pupils slimmed a degree, ”but first I need the emerald she holds. Until then…there’s not much I can do right now.”

She’d intended to speak no further of any of this, not knowing when he might wake and certainly wishing to avoid any unnecessary people being dragged into her business. This desire of her’s was a personal one, a wish that could lead to her death for all she cared as long as that one person could be safe and live their life freely. Becoming conscious of the bonds of her people for the first time in…well months technically, was a frightful thing. Even walking the woman could feel an invisible collar in place, a leash leading to an unseen force.

When the demoness revealed herself Mao almost bluntly stated she held no intention of involving him or offering any further Intel. The less he knew then the less involved he could be, and ultimately all the safer. Before she could so much as open her mouth and present those words to her however, the shadow-possessing demon decided to force the man from his “clever” ruse, going so far as to chuck him from the armored canine’s back. It broke some of her seriousness, blinking as she watched the event, a little more used to Altsoba acting lovingly with him and a bit flirtatiously as well. Not so….rough. Even the fact she was mildly touched by the revealed desire to help her was overshadowed by the overall silliness. The man couldn’t even get a word in edgewise as she chucked something at him, scoring a point as it beaned him right in the face with the loot bag.

Though more surprising was the pair of hugs she received, the action causing a slight shiver to run through Mao’s body at the foreign feeling of affection.

It left her conflicted as many animals enjoyed even the slightest hint or showing yet…she couldn’t overwrite that thought that she didn’t deserve it. There existed too many reasons in her mind, the mere knowledge almost enough to bring tears to her eyes if the emotions could’ve gotten that far. Luckily she didn’t have to deal with it between conditioning and the automatic siphoning to her crystals, forcing that “dead” feeling back into her body. Observing the item she sighed, returning her attention to the man as he tried to regain his bearings. Once she was more or less sure he wouldn’t fall back over she spoke to him, retaining that blank expression, ”Whatever you heard would be better forgotten as it does not concern you, nor should it. There’s really no reason to worry yourself with my business.”

A part of her wanted to request a favor, but even that felt like asking too much. There’d be no reason leaving emeralds in his possession could be dangerous, yet the woman didn’t want to take the risk if she could help it.


Chesha carried out 1 launched of one Normal Dice :

The slap left her stunned, wholly not expecting the action as much as the hugs earlier from his ethereal companion. It was…odd…to remember someone might care. No…she knew at least someone cared, so maybe it was odd to realize that someone other than she cared about Mao and Mao’s existence. That someone else might react to her death or do something to try and prevent it. A little repentant, the woman remained silent as she rubbed her sore cheek and allowed the soul user to lead them back towards town.

As they walked back she remained in the shadow of her enormous friend, the beast not minding a lick as he softly reminded her, ”It’s not just him or her. I count as well…as do others, I’m sure.”

Getting everything appraised, Mao sighed as she forked over some money. The trashed items she’d left behind in the temple, the things far too broken from the ruckus to be worthy anything. The ones with some worth she’d find a use for later, though whether she’d sell one or offer it to her canine friend remained to be seen. Leaving the place, she noted the pleased expression on the merchant’s face as no doubt their business helped him recover to some degree.

’Now for other matters,’ she mentally noted, catching sight of the scarred man towards the entrance. Sure she could ultimately avoid him, leaving from another part of town…it was horribly tempting too…yet painful. Any thoughts towards taking a step in another direction never made it to fruition and she sighed, accepting this fate that offered more comfort. With this decision the lockdown on her limbs freed up, permitting the tailed woman to walk towards her friend, hesitantly speaking, ”There is…a favor I would ask of you.”

How much should she explain though? It was a troubling notion, knowing she’d have to force a pseudo forgetfulness about this moment if only to create a replacement with false information to trick the other person. Pulling him some distance away from town, not wanting another soul to hear them – even forcing Nocshanks to stay if only so he could claim plausible deniability in this matter (because she knew the canine understood the situation more at this time, and should’ve been preventing her from speaking to Niyol in the first place). Once they stood a safe enough distance with the town still in sight, but nobody around she took a fortifying breath, ”I need….for you to hold two of my emeralds for me. They’re…well, they’re a way for me to store memories. I need these two that bear the truth to remain safe so I can use a false one to hide my knowledge and retain these memories. The people I’m forgetting, the events that are being erased or rewritten…those crystals are created from forged memories by someone else’s…well not will so much as orders given unto them.”

She looked away, biting her lip as it pained her to spill so much, though she gained a rueful smile, ’Then again I’ve already been plotting traitorous actions, haven’t I? What are a few more?’ The realization offered some strength as her gaze met his, giving him a helpless smile, ”Well you’ve already expressed interest in helping me, which is no different than offering to help a chair or vase…because for my people my existence is little more than as a tool. The emerald I need to take back is in possession of my handler, or as my people call her, my “technician.” If I can get that back then I’ll have the edge I need to kill my squad leader. But…” she paused, her expression turning serious as she wanted him to grasp the importance of this next part, ”I don’t want my “technician” to come to harm because she’s the one I want to protect and save from our way of life. It’s kind of ironic really…planning to kill one sister in order to protect another…”

Holding out her hand two emeralds the size of large marbles would sit there, a mild glow radiating from them, ”I would appreciate it if you could safeguard these…”

The last thing Mao expected was a trade of sorts, merely hoping for the man to help safeguard these for her. Later she’d need to create a false gem to overwrite the one she gave up, but at least her sister wouldn’t be able to notice anything amiss since the crystal would’ve been created on the same day unlike the replacements. ’I suppose they never thought I’d notice such patterns…it’s probably not the first time either.’ If she’d even been able to create that other one the chimera bore for her then this likely wasn’t even the second or third. One did not simply plan a murder over the span of a hundred years without coming to their senses here and there, though Mao held a few hunches of some of her past tricks.

However the length to which he trusted her, or perhaps wanted to show support touched the woman as some of her hardened expression faltered under shock. It comforted her that they couldn’t be tampered with at least or she might’ve held a few qualms with being trusted with such a trade – temporary as it was. A part of her did want to access it, perhaps to understand one of the few friends she recalled or maybe to merely place their memory within…but she smiled, also happy that she couldn’t do such. ’For to do that would be to reveal far more than I’d like to Chesha, and for now it’d be better to keep her in the dark if only a little longer. It’s easier if I hold all the secrets.’ She smiled ruefully, pocketing the gems for now, unsure whether to set them to some jewelry or trinkets. While her sister might be curious about their presence if the crystal user merely played them off as a minor item of some sort them the technician wouldn’t question them nearly so much.

After all she likely held a multitude of souvenirs from past jobs. Mao already had a hunch Nocshanks was one of them as she gazed at her canine friend as the beast offered his back. ’Well…no matter,’ she laughed under her breath, accepting the proffered ride home.