Spring Festival In Desert Village

-Desert Village, 11:00 A.M.-

Wearing her green, white, and gold outfit with black bike shorts on underneath the skirt, Leona walked towards the outskirts of Desert Village and the first thing she noticed was that Desert Village was laid out in a pattern that brought to mind a crescent moon with some jagged rocks scattered here and there within its borders. The second thing the Wizard Saint noticed was that the entire village was decorated for the Spring Festival being held all around Fiore. While she had traveled through The Forgotten Deserts a few times in the past, this was her first time ever visiting Desert Village. The decorations for the Spring Festival made for a vivid first impression.

There were rectangular cloths of light blue, pink, lavender, green, gold, and other colors associated with spring festooning almost every structure in the village and lending the place a festive look as they fluttered in the wind whenever the wind blew. People were moving about the village and enjoying the various activities that were part of the festival... at first glance there looked to be plenty of activities to choose from. Leona was going to participate in them as soon as Masha Dymonrel, a guildmate of hers and the mother of their son Nathan, arrived at the village.

Minus all the decorations for the festival, the sight of Desert Village sort of reminded Leona of her home village all the way back in Desierto. That was both a good thing and a bad thing. It was good because despite all the time she had spent in Fiore she had not completely forgotten where she had come from. It was bad because there were some parts of her past that she wanted to forget such as her mother constantly pestering her for grandchildren and being "encouraged" to give up her mage career because her mother was firmly convinced that Leona's place was at home raising children.

Leona sidelined those unpleasant memories, if only for today. She was waiting on Masha to get here so that the two of them could participate in a festival together. It had been a long time since the blonde had participated in any festival with Masha and that was something Leona wanted to change. The blonde needed to assure the redhead that the latter was genuinely wanted around Silver Wolf Guild Hall as something other than a guild member and the mother of their son. Leona was not good with words, but maybe they could talk a little more freely in an environment that was outside the guild hall, an environment where rank and status meant little and they could interact as equals.

However, a change of venue was still not going to enable Leona to talk to Masha without difficulty.

Leona had difficulties socializing even with people she knew, a fact that the blonde's longtime friend Samira Nassar could testify to. Masha was one of the most important people Leona needed to learn to communicate with, but the blonde could not just will herself into having good social skills. She would try hard for Masha's sake because Leona owed Masha a serious effort to make the redhead feel like she was genuinely wanted for reasons other than out of obligation.

As Leona waited for Masha the blonde tried to distract herself from her growing apprehension by looking at the pieces of brightly colored cloth fluttering in the wind. Maybe once Masha got here Leona could subdue that apprehension and actually be sociable without having to force herself into it.

[Post Word Count: 593]
[Leona's Word Count: 593/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 593/4,000]

@Masha

Masha moved down the streets with languid grace. A white frilly blouse hugged her curves, paired with a pair of black pants and three inch heels. The confidence in her walk turned a few heads. The redhead didn't pay them any mind. Every so often, she would cock her head as if listening to something before smiling. This village was beautiful to behold. Masha couldn't remember if she'd ever been here. The thought caused panic to briefly cross her features. Had she forgotten something again?

The redhead decided not to let it bother her today. Today was about the festival and spending time with Guild master Leona. Leona, the other mother to Masha's son, Giovanni, who didn't seem to know what to do with the pair. Masha sometimes wondered if Leona really wanted them in Silver Wolf or if their presences simply caused issue. Maybe they could get that hashed out today. Giovanni currently got to keep Masha's overbearing vampire Duke Frost busy. She'd also left Aodfhin to keep an eye on them. Duke Frost could be strange.

Leona appeared in the distance, looking preoccupied watching something. Masha skipped up to her - what to call her? perhaps just Leona for now - and gently touched her arm. It was far from what the redhead wanted to do but she also didn't want to rush Leona or give her any more reasons to run from Masha. "Hi there. Don't you look lovely today?" The redhead smiled widely, clasping her hands behind her back. "What are you looking at?"

WC: 258
Masha's WC: 258/2000
Total: 851/4000

Leona was standing and looking at the village when she felt someone touch her arm. The Wizard Saint turned to find the source of the touch and found that the source was Masha Dymonrel. As usual the alluring redhead was dressed in a nice-looking outfit that was color-coordinated and made the Wizard Saint look shabby in comparison. Even with the miracle that was Cloth Make Magic keeping Leona's green, white, and gold outfit looking brand new Masha looked a lot more attractive than the Wizard Saint.

"Hi there, Masha. Thanks for the compliment on how I look. I really appreciate it." Leona said to Masha with minimal pauses in her speech. The blonde did her best to make her speech pattern sound natural for a change. Today Leona was going to try hard to actually talk to Masha in a natural manner to avoid sounding stilted and driving the alluring redhead away.

"You look great too, Masha. I like your hair and I like your outfit. I mean that." Leona made an effort to give the redhead a compliment about her appearance. Masha had dressed up today and the blonde wanted to acknowledge that fact. Leona then thought about the second question she had been asked. It did not take the blonde long to come up with an answer.

"I'm looking at the village, Masha. It kinda reminds me of my home village in Desierto." Leona replied to the redhead's second question. Feeling that she owed the redhead an explanation, Leona decided to elaborate on her answer a little.

"It reminds me of my home village in terms of the aesthetic. The layout's very different, but the aesthetic is largely the same. That's oddly comforting to me for a reason I can't explain." Leona elaborated a little. The Wizard Saint decided to keep the negative parts of the story to herself unless Masha specifically asked about them. Leona then paused for a moment to get her thoughts together before continuing. When she spoke again she went from an explanation to a sort-of explanation mixed with observations.

"It's kinda funny how things turn out, Masha. When I was eight years old I couldn't wait to find any excuse I could to leave my home village. I always wondered what was beyond the horizon but could never get to see what was out there. Now that I've been to a lot of different places and seen a lot of different things the desert aesthetic is comforting to me." Leona mused to the redhead. The Wizard Saint then went silent to give Masha a chance to speak.

[Post Word Count: 434]
[Leona's Word Count: 1,027/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 1,285/4,000]

@Masha

Masha listened closely as Leona spoke. There was something different about the way the guild mistress talked. Masha couldn't quite put her finger on it however. Instead she smiled while wondering why Leona had started talking differently. Perhaps, once Masha had more information, feeling closer to her home town changed the way Leona talked. The redhead decided not to bring up the speech differences. She didn't want Leona to feel self conscious. Masha couldn't be sure if she liked this way of talking or the old way.

The redhead sighed wistfully, staring off toward the horizon. "I wish I knew what a home felt like. Maybe I'd understand the feeling you're talking about that way..." She put a hand to her temple as her head throbbed. Something ethereal wafted through her thoughts, something she couldn't take a hold of. "I suppose having a place to come back to or one that you're wholly familiar with has a draw to it..." Masha looked toward Leona, then toward the ground. "Would you mind taking me to your home in Desierto sometime? Not anything unofficial that might drag up awkward questions but I'd like to see where you come from. The Origins of the Wizard Saint of Courage." The redhead laughed a little awkwardly to herself.

Masha tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "There looks to be a festival going on here. Would you like to experience it with me?" Maybe that had been a little too forward but the redhead stood her ground. She held a hand out to Leona. "I'm not asking for a date, Leona. I don't wanna cross any boundaries of yours and push you away. I just wanna make new memories." She smiles softly, hoping that rambling made sense.

WC: 295
Masha WC: 553/2000
Total: 1,838/4,000

Leona listened in silence to Masha talk about the latter's lack of a place to call home and the feelings that came with said place. Despite the somewhat pleasant way she had phrased her description of how the aesthetic of Desert Village made her feel, Leona had mixed emotions about her actual home village. While there had been some good moments there, there had also been a lot of bad times in that place.

Bandit raids, slaver raids, witnessing a dwindling population as more and more villagers were either killed or carted off into slavery, being able to see the horizon but never getting to go beyond it, and her mother Sophia's constant "requests" for grandchildren combined to make Leona dislike her home village. While her opinion towards it had improved a little, there were still plenty of bad memories there. Chief among them was memories of her mother halfheartedly training her to use magic and halfheartedly training her to use a sword. It felt like her mother had only done so under duress and would not have trained Leona in either skill if she could have found a way to get out of doing it.

"Yeah. There's something to be said for having a place to call home. It's hard to put into words, but there's something about it." Leona said to Masha in a way that was not very helpful since the blonde could not quite put it into words. The Wizard Saint listened to Masha's request, which was to one day visit Leona's home village.

"We can do that, Masha. We can go to my home village in Desierto one day. I've gotta warn you that bandits or slavers might attack at any time during our visit, so be ready to fight." Leona agreed to the request but warned the redhead that the village might come under attack during their visit. After their talk in Silver Wolf Guild Hall some time ago Leona no longer feared the questions of her mother, which were bound to be plentiful once Leona arrived with Masha, who might also be carrying their son Nathan. Masha had provided a very good answer to how Nathan came to be and that answer was also true, so the blonde's biggest concern had been addressed. The only real problem that remained was trying to time their visit so that they did not get caught up in a bandit or slaver attack.

Leona listened to Masha's next request, which was to participate in the festival together. The blonde had no problem with that. She owed it to the redhead to put in some effort to make their relationship work and this was a good time to try to get to know Masha.

"Sure thing, Masha. Let's participate in the festival together." Leona said to the redhead, taking the hand that had been offered to her. The blonde was not quite as worried about appearances as she had been months ago. She wanted to try and build a relationship with someone that was not work-related. She had already let too many opportunities to get to know other people pass her by and she was determined to try harder to meaningfully interact with Masha.

[Post Word Count: 536]
[Leona's Word Count: 1,563/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 2,374/4,000]

@Masha

Masha giggled as Leona said a home was hard to put into words. Given Leona didn't seem to like talking, the redhead thought many things were probably hard for the Guild master to put into words. Then again, it could be because Leona preferred to show rather than tell. That question would hopefully be answered as they got closer. Masha wondered if the Silver Wolf headquarters would eventually gain this ephemeral feeling of home. She hoped so. The Silver Wolf headquarters felt safe.

Leona warning Masha about bandits and slavers had the redhead smiling. Then Masha burst out laughing. "I pity the fools that thinks its a good idea to attack your home when both of us are there. Even more so if Giovanni is there." The mirth slowly slid from the redhead's eyes. Something dark glinted in the blue orbs. "I'd ensure they never threatened our son again." Her tone could almost be considered... bloodthirsty.

That shadowy aura vanished instantly as Leona took Masha's hand. A thrill went through her but the redhead did her best to keep it under control. She gave Leona's hand a light squeeze. Despite her attempts to keep her feelings contained, Masha couldn't help beaming at her blonde companion. "Thank you, Leona. I really appreciate the opportunity." The redhead tries not to rush ahead but a nervous energy courses through her. She wants to try everything without leaving Leona out. That was how a date worked right?

Something caught Masha's eye. She squeals happily, moving towards the event. "I want to try everything but we have to start somewhere, right? Might as well try a relay race!" The redhead looks back at Leona, her eyes twinkling. Her happy expression falls a little bit. "Ah... I guess it would make us pretty sweaty. Not the good kind either. Maybe we should put it off til a little later."

WC: 314
Masha WC: 867/2000
Total Word Count: 2,688/4,000

"They tend to attack in groups so big I can't take them all out, but any enemy that I can get to has a very short lifespan. And with you around they stand even less of a chance of getting away without taking big losses." Leona said to Masha. It had been years since they had last fought together, so long that it might as well have been a lifetime ago, but Masha had done a good job of taking the fight to the angels when the two mages had fought them that time. The redhead could easily tear through bandits or slavers like wet tissue paper if she had a reason to do so, so Leona readily believed Masha's firm assertion that she would eliminate anyone who threatened their son.

Masha soon moved on from that topic and expressed her gratitude to Leona for being allowed to join the latter for the Spring Festival. Leona made eye contact with Masha and spoke.

"It's no problem, Masha." Leona gave a simple answer so that she did not run the risk of saying something that alienated the redhead. The blonde owed Masha a genuine effort to interact with her so that it did not look like Leona was stringing Masha along to avoid being alone or only tolerating her out of obligation to Nathan. The Spring Festival was a good place to spend time with Masha, so today Leona was going to give socializing with the redhead a genuine effort. Leona had missed too many potential interactions with other people because she was afraid of what they would think if they saw the "real" Leona who was prone to forgetting things or saying stupid things, so this was a chance to build up her social skills so that in the future she could start socializing with other people a little better.

The energetic redhead started moving towards something that was clearly of interest to her, prompting Leona to move quickly to keep pace with Masha. Leona quickly followed her companion and heard the redhead propose their first festival activity be participating in a relay race together. Moments after making the suggestion Masha swiftly reconsidered and proposed that they postpone it until later, something Leona was not opposed to doing.

"We'll do the relay race later today then, Masha." Leona assured the alluring redhead that they would come back to do that activity later. That was a promise that the blonde intended to keep. The event looked like it could be fun.

[Post Word Count: 420]
[Leona's Word Count: 1,983/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 3,108/4,000]

@Masha

Masha squinted at Leona when she said 'it was no problem'. Could this really be the same Leona? The Guild Mistress had always appeared to have issues interacting with Masha casually. Not that Masha blamed her. She opened her mouth about to ask a question. Thinking better of it, the redhead instead closed her mouth. Some things were better taken as they were. She didn't want to ruin this moment. Masha settled for squeezing Leona's hand.

The redhead couldn't help beaming when Leona confirmed they would be doing the relay race later. She didn't know why it made her so happy. Bouncing forward, Masha pressed her lips to Leona's cheek. "Thank you." She whispered then tugged Leona toward an egg painting station. Masha pointedly didn't look at her blonde companion. Heat had suffused her cheeks and some small part of her worried that Leona's expression would be one of disgust. Her free hand touched the spot where five parallel scars marred her right thigh.

"I'm not the most artistic but this looks like it would be fun." Masha said nervously. A small giggle erupted from between her lips even. A greater heat infused her cheeks and she looked down. Great, she was ruining this little outing without even trying. No wonder Leona didn't like talking to her. An attendant bustled over, handing each of them an egg. There were some instructions that Masha didn't quite hear. Brushes, paints and other art supplies littered the table they were seated at. The redhead hesitantly picked up a brush.

Masha felt her gloom fall away to the concentration of painting. Her tongue stuck out between her teeth as she worked. Her egg became drenched in colors rather quickly and the redhead laughed when the finished product wasn't anything more than a smear of rainbow. "I'm worse at this then I thought I was." She giggled looking over to see what Leona had done. The redhead forgot herself for a moment, taking in the blonde's form before ever looking at the egg. Masha didn't want Leona to feel uncomfortable and open admiration seemed to be on the list of things that Leona didn't appreciate. Masha had promised herself she wouldn't do so unless Leona expressly said she didn't care or that she liked such admiration. Being a good respectful coworker slash co-parent was hard.

WC: 390
Masha WC: 1257/2000
Total Word Count: 3,498/4,000

After declaring her promise to do the relay race with Masha later in the day Leona felt her hand be squeezed by the redhead. Moments later the two were in the area for the Easter Egg Painting Activity and they decided to sit next to each other because the stars aligned and there were two seats right next to each other. Leona heard the redhead comment about her limited art skills and was tempted to let it pass without comment but then decided to speak anyway in an effort to reassure the redhead.

"My art skills aren't all that great either, Masha. Don't worry too much." Leona assured the redhead that she was in the same boat as Masha. Leona did not have very many talents outside of fighting and even then she was not the best fighter to ever exist. She had little formal training in any formal style of fighting and still tended to hold back too much because she wanted to save magical power for a later stage of the fight instead of using what she needed to take tough opponents out during the opening stages. She also tended to lose situational awareness too easily and as a result frequently took hits that she could have avoided.

Leona sat down at her station and paid close attention to a detailed description of the rules that participants had to follow for the Easter Egg Painting activity. Once the activity started Leona picked up a thin-bristled paintbrush, dipped it in black paint, and began carefully painting the outline of the Silver Wolf emblem on her egg. Because this was her first time ever painting anything the outline was wobbly in places, the tips of the ears were flat rather than pointed, and the wolf's muzzle was a bit... pointed. In some places the lines were so straight that the lines of the muzzle looked more like the beginnings of a bird's beak than a wolf's muzzle. Once the outline had been more or less finished Leona looked for silver paint and did not find any, but she did find blue paint and that was good enough... she had wanted to paint the inside of the wolf silver, but blue was good since the color would match the color of her guild tattoo.

First she needed to add a few details like the fur around the neck.

Once Leona did that to the best of her ability she cleaned out her paintbrush, dipped the end in blue paint, and began to paint the inside of the outline blue, being careful not to go too far outside the lines. She went outside the lines anyway, but once all the painting was done the end result was decent enough. Leona put the paintbrush down and showed the end result to Masha.

"Here's what I did, Masha. It's my first time painting anything, so it's not very good." Leona said to the redhead while looking at Masha's painted egg, which had the colors of the rainbow on it. Leona's green eyes made contact with Masha's blue eyes and the blonde could not help but to notice that Masha's eyes were not on the egg being shown to her. For some reason Leona's discomfort was not as high as it used to be, probably because Masha liked her for more than just her looks... that mild discomfort manifested as Leona blushing lightly instead of blushing furiously like she used to do whenever someone seemed attracted to her.

Leona was still surprised that Masha found her attractive despite her flaws such as terrible social skills.

Leona gave the alluring redhead a small smile.

[Post Word Count: 608]
[Leona's Word Count: 2,591/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 4,106/4,000]

@Masha

After making eye contact and knowing she'd been caught ogling, Masha looked at Leona's egg carefully in an attempt to be a better date. She kept glancing up at Leona however allowing the redhead to catch the small smile. She smiled nervously in return. Smiles were good, right? A blush had stolen over Leona's features. It made the blonde look all the more endearing. Masha remembered some of their conversations and couldn't help shaking her head. The Wizard Saint had no idea how amazing she really was. The redhead leaned over, placing a hand over Leona's. As she opened her mouth, hoping to ask a question, the judge for the egg painting stepped up and handed them a small egg.

With the moment broken, Masha slumped back into her seat. She'd missed an important chance to compliment Leona's appearance and ask that question. Instead, she held up her egg. "I think compared to mine, it's clear you're the artist here." Masha proclaimed with a smile. She had to put on a brave face. There would be other chances. She simply had to believe.

The redhead pushed up from the table and held out a hand to Leona. "It's too bad there isn't a waltz. A dance would do me a world of good." She said, resisting the urge to make a suggestive comment. Being near Leona would be a treat. Not for the reasons most might think. Masha felt almost safe standing that close to someone. The rest of the world fell away leaving her with only one person to deal with. When that person was someone she trusted and liked, the dance became something special. Her fingers brushed against her lips as Masha remembered her shared kiss with Leona. Maybe, one day, she'd feel that thrill again without the taint of being a freak.

"How about we try the relay race and then head over to the feast?" Masha asked Leona. She pointed out the two events, wondering if Leona would be able to handle anything more than that. The redhead didn't want to stress out her date simply because she wanted to try anything. "We can see how we feel after that? I'd like to try everything but I know you don't like social events and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable cause that would make me a bad date. Well not only because of that but because I care about you and hate to see you in distress."

Red suffused into Masha's cheeks as she kept babbling. Horror grew at her inability to cut off the stream of words. If Leona had taken her hand, Masha released it to bury her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, Leona. I've never been on a date or even an outing like this before. Not that I remember anyway. I'm super nervous cause I don't want to mess anything up." Masha didn't raise her head, afraid of the expression on Leona's face.

WC: 493
Masha WC: 1750/2000
Total Word Count: 4,599/4,000

Leona heard Masha assert that the blonde was the better artist between the two. The Wizard Saint considered her words carefully before speaking to the redhead. She did not want to downplay her achievement, but she wanted to make it clear that she was no amazing painter.

"I'd say it's beginner's luck, Masha. Like I said earlier, this is the first time I ever painted anything. I appreciate the compliment, though." Leona asserted to Masha while making it a point to accept the compliment so that it did not seem like the blonde was putting on a front of false modesty or ignoring the compliment entirely. She did not regularly participate in artistic endeavors, so she was not going to pretend she was some amazing artist who was hiding their talent to make Masha feel better. The Wizard Saint was not terribly imaginative, so she had fallen back on what she knew best, which was the Silver Wolf emblem. She was also terrible at making curved lines that were somewhat smooth.

Leona received her small plastic egg and rose from her seat shortly after Masha did. She heard Masha voice mild disappointment about the lack of a dance activity. Leona was silently grateful for that missing activity because she had danced only once before and that was with Samira Nassar at the Urban Nights Event some time ago. It was a minor miracle that she had managed to pull out a draw during the dance competition and she was not keen on another dance competition, but if Masha wanted to participate in one she would do so. Masha had better not have high expectations, though.

Leona took Masha's hand and listened to the redhead suggest the sequence of activities that came next. The Wizard Saint did not have to take very long to think about her decision.

"Sure, Masha. We can do the relay race first, then check out the feast." Leona consented to the order in which Masha wanted to do the activities. Leona had no problem with the order and had promised to do the relay race with Masha whenever the redhead wanted to participate in it. Leona then listened to Masha talk further and learned that the redhead was trying to take the blonde's dislike of social gatherings into account before they plunged into more festival activities. The Wizard Saint felt a little bad about Masha having to plan things around her, but she also appreciated that concern.

"I'm fine right now, Masha. Thanks for considering how I feel." Leona sincerely thanked Masha for being considerate of her feelings before blushing again when she heard the redhead's next words.

"This is the first time I've been on a date with you, Masha. I'm a bit nervous too." Leona confessed to the alluring redhead. The blonde had no problem admitting that she was nervous because she knew where Masha stood and knew that the redhead would not put her down for admitting that weakness. That made talking with Masha easier... the only other person Leona felt confident enough to talk to about issues of a personal nature was Samira Nassar because Samira did not put Leona down whenever the latter was less than perfect, which was a lot.

[Post Word Count: 540]
[Leona's Word Count: 3,131/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 5,139/4,000]

@Masha

Masha peeked through her fingers at Leona. The guild mistress didn't seem to be upset. In fact, the redhead could almost swear Leona was attempting to console her. She slowly sat up on the bench. "I'm surprised that you're nervous, honestly. I got the impression you... well that you don't care for me in that way. Which is fine and I appreciate the effort you put in so we can have some kind of relationship for the sake of Giovanni. It's just, I don't want to make you uncomfortable or feel like you have to reciprocate by letting my interest be obvious." The redhead smiled, even as her brain panicked over her word choice and knowledge drop. Her runaway mouth had to be a surefire way to make Leona run away.

The redhead pushed to her feet. Flashing another, clearly insincere smile, Masha points in a direction. "I think the relay race is that way." She strides off, her need to run from the conversation clear. Masha didn't want to hear Leona say 'she had no interest in Masha'. While the Guild Mistress hadn't been blatantly obvious about it, the redhead felt the disinterest pretty clearly. Something in her heart ached at the knowledge. Maybe it was a remnant of her old self peeking its head out again.

The relay race announcer had his bullhorn out. "COME ONE, COME ALL TO THE LEPRECHAUN RELAY RACE! OUR NEXT RACE WILL START IN FIVE MINUTES!" He shouted into the crowd. Masha thought the costume blend of Bunny and Leprechaun for the announcer had a nice twist to it. "We better sign up quickly!" She said with a healthy amount of enthusiasm. Maybe too much. The redhead hurried up to the sign up. Putting both their names down, she was handed two yellow ribbons.

Masha turned to Leona, showing her the ribbons with a grin. "Looks like we're on team yellow. This is going to look horrible on me." A big waving flag of yellow pinpointed the spot they were supposed to meet the rest of their team at. Masha grabbed Leona's hand, hurrying over. They were given a quick rundown of the rules. Apparently, each person had to don a costume run to the next person and doff it so the next runner could don it. A bit complicated in Masha's opinion. "I haven't really run much so I should be one of the first two, yea?" She asked. Their teammates nodded, indicating that Masha would go first. Oh, goodie.

The redhead put on the body suit and the hat. The magic in the hat would keep it on her head while she ran. Frowning at the body suit, Masha pulled out a hair tie. Bunching up the excess fabric, Masha forced the suit to mold to her body thus letting her run more easily. Then she readied herself. At the gunshot the redhead sprang forward. Unable to use her magics - which would have made the race an easy win - Masha poured her heart out into running. Her scrambling thoughts on Leona, worries about Giovanni, uncertainties about her own path all melted away into only the exertion of the run. It finished way too soon. Masha found herself at the second runner. Ripping away the costume the redhead sat back to cheer on her team as they ran.

WC: 558
Masha WC: 2308/2000
Total Word Count: 5,697/4,000

The member 'Masha' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

---

'Normal Dice' :

"I don't mind you being interested in me, Masha. I'm just not used to anyone being really interested in me and I don't know how to express that." Leona said to her companion. It was a bit difficult for Leona to listen to Masha talk about the lukewarm romantic side of the relationship and feel like she was not stringing the redhead along at least a little. Masha had asserted that that was something she could live with, but the blonde still felt a little bad about it. The last time someone had been really interested in Leona bad things had happened... back in her home village Leona beat up the village chief's son when he had gotten handsy with her one night and she ended up getting exiled from her home village. There was still lingering negativity around anyone taking an interest in her and it affected her relationship with Masha, which was unfair to the redhead because she liked Leona for more than just looks.

Looking for a diversion from her feelings, Leona got that wish when Masha's great enthusiasm for the relay race caused her to set out for the registration area at a brisk walk. Leona hurried to catch up and got there after the pair had already been signed up and met up with Masha, who was holding two yellow ribbons that she showed to the blonde upon the latter's arrival.

"I think a yellow ribbon looks good on you, Masha." Leona said with sincerity before her hand was grabbed and she hurried over to the yellow team area with some "guidance" from Masha. When they got there Leona listened to her teammates talk and learned that Masha was the team's first runner, which prompted the Wizard Saint to ask about her own place in the lineup. She would be going last... she had been given the honor of being the last runner since the person who was to be third confessed that they would get nervous and possibly make a mistake if the team's hopes were pinned on them.

After getting her place assignment Leona then walked to the place where the last runner went and stood exactly parallel to the other last runners on the other teams. She watched Masha suit up for the race and waited for the relay race to start. When it started the blonde watched her companion get off to a good start and when she reached the second runner take the head and suit off quickly, then pass it off to the second person. Leona watched as the second person suited up without any trouble before taking off down the track. When they reached the third runner the head and suit were passed off to the third person, who quickly got dressed without any mishaps and ran towards Leona with everything they had.

The third runner soon got to the Wizard Saint and removed the head and suit, then handed both items off to Leona. The Wizard Saint hurriedly put on the suit and zipped it up, then put the head on and made sure that both it and the suit were secure before turning around and running for the finish line. Recalling the earlier discussion of the activity rules and recalling that the use of magic was forbidden, Leona relied on her natural speed, which was more than sufficient to give her a good chance of winning if nothing bad happened to her. Leona ran for the finish line like her life depended on it and reached it well ahead of the other runners, crossing over it and getting the win for the yellow team.

Leona had done it. She had not made any stupid mistakes that cost her team the win like tripping over her feet in the middle of the track, failing to secure the head with the hat and the suit before starting off for the finish line, or accidentally using magic. It was a victory won with remarkable ease, but the Wizard Saint would gladly take an easy win. Not every victory had to be won through blood, sweat, and tears to be a satisfying one. Leona stood absolutely still and refrained from making any gestures that could be construed as showboating... this was a friendly competition, after all.

[Post Word Count: 716]
[Leona's Word Count: 3,847/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 6,413/4,000]

@Masha

Masha watched her team run with baited breath. She didn't know how these races worked in entirety but they stayed ahead of the other competitors. That was good, wasn't it? Her hands wrung together watching the third person hand off the equipment to Leona. Masha didn't know how good Leona was under this kind of pressure. She'd never seen the guild mistress perform in a sporting event - that she could remember. As Leona rounded the last corner approaching the finish line, the redhead held her breath. Once they had one, Masha let out that breath in an explosive scream of victory. Without thought, she teleported to Leona and wrapped her arms around the other woman.

"We did it! We did it! We did it!" Masha yelled, not registering what she'd done for a good bit of time. When she realized, the redhead stepped back with a flushed face. Once again the announcer stepped up. They were each handed a trophy with a pair of eggs on top. Masha managed a smile. Before she could say anything, their teammates came up to congratulate them both. The redhead felt frustrated at these constant interruptions. Were dates always like this where the couple barely got to speak to one another? Or did they have tremendously bad luck in this case?

Masha reached out to grasp Leona's hand. "Hold on tight!" She said before launching them into the air with a burst of sound - in this case made by Masha stomping her foot. The redhead realized in retrospect that maybe that exit hadn't been the best idea. They'd showered the people standing nearby in dirt and knocked over those closest to them. "Maybe I should have asked nicely." Masha murmured. Without thinking about it, she pulled Leona into her arms. Aodhfin and Duke Frost occasionally needed to fly and this position had always been the easiest. Masha didn't even register that she'd done anything.

As they touched down near the feast - Masha's intended target - the redhead released Leona without a word. She smiled warmly at the blonde woman. "I hope you're hungry, this is an all you can eat!" She started forward and stopped. Looking back at Leona, the redhead wordlessly offered her hand. No words were said, no expectant looks, no pressure. There was only the offering of her hand. Masha waited patiently for Leona's decision even when her stomach loudly protested. This choice must be Leona's. Not Masha's and not made under pressure. These small decisions would help set their boundaries as well as where they might go. The jumble of thoughts and doubt were blessedly missing in this glorious moment.

WC: 444
Masha WC: 2752/2000
Total Word Count: 6,857/4,000

Leona continued to stand where she was after the race was over... she was feeling pretty good because the race had went her way. She had not made any stupid mistakes that could have ruined her team's chance of winning like tripping over her own feet, forgetting to put on the entire costume before running, or not securing the costume properly before setting out for the finish line. As a result of her luck holding out Leona had brought home the win, but she had not done it alone. She had been put in a place to win thanks to the efforts of Masha and her other teammates.

Leona took off the costume, then neatly folded the suit and carefully stacked the head on top before the announcer gave the blonde and the redhead an unexpected prize, which was a nice-looking trophy with two small eggs that had been carefully placed on top of it. Once she got the trophy Leona handed the costume suit and costume head to the announcer. Then she basked in the praise of her teammates while blushing a little. She did not like being the center of attention but did her best to handle the situation without showing any signs of discomfort or distress.

"Thanks, guys. You were great too." Leona said, making it a point to praise her teammates for putting her in the place to win with their good running speed and their seamlessly handing off of the costume to the next runner. Without them doing their part it did not matter how fast Leona was if she did not have the costume to put on before she ran for the finish line. She was just glad that nothing bad had happened at the last moment to cost her team the victory.

Leona felt her free hand be grabbed by Masha and she wondered what was going on. She soon got her answer. Moments later Masha launched them into the air and they had went airborne!

Why was this happening to her?

Leona remained silent with fear as she made the terrible mistake of looking down in mid-flight and seeing nothing but tan below her before Masha brought the Wizard Saint close to her and thus cut off Leona's view of the ground below. If Masha looked at her it would be clear from the blonde's pale face that the Wizard Saint hated and feared heights. Leona was well aware of the irony of a Wind mage being afraid of heights, but some cosmic entity had a strange sense of humor. When they finally landed at their destination and Leona was released her face regained its color. She had not been so glad to be back on solid ground since the time she had summoned her Harpy Sisters summons and had flown around Serene Cliff thanks to them.

That had been almost four years ago.

"I'm ready to eat something whenever you are, Masha." Leona said to her companion, putting her discomfort from the unexpected flight behind her. Leona then faced towards the redhead and took Masha's hand.

[Post Word Count: 516]
[Leona's Word Count: 4,363/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 7,373/4,000]

@Masha

Masha led Leona over to the table. The redhead had clearly missed all signs of distress related to the unexpected flight. She helped the guild mistress sit before sitting next to her. "You let me know what you want to eat and I'll pass it to you." Masha said as she grabbed plates for both of them. Her magic swept out from her fingers to gather a few items for herself. Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, chips, ice cream, and some fruits were buoyed along to settle themselves on Masha's plate. If Leona asked for anything, the redhead used her magic to bring it forth.

"You did really well in the race. The last runner from the red team looked like he was going to catch you." Masha remarked, taking a bite of food. She swallowed before continuing. "I apologize for pulling you out of there suddenly. I..." Her face flushed with color. "I got a bit jealous and frustrated. I know I don't have the right but I couldn't help it. I'll be better, I promise... Once I figure out how to get a handle on my emotions." Masha smiled apologetically. "Let me know if its overbearing so I can at least put a check on whatever it is at that time."

WC: 212
Masha WC: 2964/2000
Total Word Count: 7,585/4,000

After a bit of walking the pair reached a table and Leona silently sat beside her redheaded companion, then listened to the redhead speak to her. Leona was not sure what she wanted yet, so she remained silent and watched as Masha prepared her plate, grabbing a variety of food for herself. Leona's appetite was briefly suppressed by the lingering effects of her fear of heights, so food was the last thing on her mind right now. She listened to Masha talk about the Leprechaun Relay Race for a few moments, specifically the part when Leona was running towards the finish line after having put on the complete costume.

"I didn't know anyone was gaining on me because I kept my eyes focused forward. I didn't look back because I didn't want to look like I was showboating and I didn't want to trip and ruin our chances of winning." Leona told Masha that she had been unaware of the position of runners from other teams during the race. When she had the suit's head on her peripheral vision was reduced to nil and she had no idea what was going on around her. That was probably for the best because the confining nature of the suit's head made her focus only on what she was doing, not what other people were doing.

After explaining her side of the race Leona listened to Masha explain why the pair had made an abrupt departure from the small victory celebration after the race. The Wizard Saint was a bit surprised by it, but she did not know very much about Masha before their meeting at Silver Wolf Guild Hall some time ago. Learning about Masha was what this day was for, after all.

"I'm fine right now, Masha. I'm still a little surprised by how suddenly we left and how we left, but I'm fine." Leona said to her. She did not anticipate leaving the small post-race celebration in the fashion that the pair had left in. She also did not mind leaving too much, but she would have preferred an exit that did not involve flight, especially sudden flight. However, the motives for their sudden departure surprised Leona. No one had ever been jealous of her before.

"I'll let you know if you ever become overbearing, Masha. And I'll be calm about it." Leona reassured the redhead in a calm voice that she hoped did not come across as condescending. When it came to being overbearing Masha would have to work very hard to catch up with Sophia Jarnefeldt, who had nagged Leona to leave Fiore behind and return to her home village for the past few years. If Masha ever reached the point where she rivaled Sophia the Wizard Saint would be sure to let Masha know, but Leona would not scream at Masha or call her out in public.

Leona looked down at the table for a moment, then made eye contact with Masha.

"Would you mind passing me a plate of couscous, Masha?" Leona asked her red-haired companion. The Wizard Saint ate a lot of it when she was a child and she had developed a liking for it. Now she wanted some so that Masha did not feel awkward by being the only one of the pair eating anything.

[Post Word Count: 552]
[Leona's Word Count: 4,915/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 8,137/4,000]

@Masha

Masha cocked her head upon hearing Leona's reasoning for not knowing where the other runners were. She realized suddenly that Leona likely didn't have the intense hearing she herself sported. Being a Sound Devil Slayer had granted her superior hearing and Masha had used that to gauge her opponents' distances from her while running. "It would be really easy to trip if you kept looking around." She said with a bright smile. There was no desire to unveil something Leona might find weird or strange.

"How we left? You mean flying?" Masha frowned, immensely confused. "I thought you were a Wind Mage. Don't you fly regularly? I could swear you also have a summons that flies... maybe I was wrong." Masha shook her head. It didn't matter the why of it. "I'll try not to do it again. I really just... wanted you to myself." Her face flooded with color and Masha turned her head away from Leona.

Leona's remark about being overbearing made Masha hunch her shoulders. It felt like a reprimand for being constantly excitable or impulsive. The redhead wanted to say she'd prefer Leona yelled at her or was firm about it but she decided against it. Those things didn't fit the Leona she'd come to know. Masha hoped fervently she could fix the things Leona didn't like. She wanted Giovanni to have both parents in his life. She hoped to have at least some kind of friendship Leona at minimum.

The blush on her face deepened when Leona caught her eye. A wave of the redhead's hand brought the desired meal and the plate toward them. Masha waited for Leona to be prepared before placing the items in Leona's hand - plate then food atop the plate. "I've never heard of couscous, is it good?"

WC: 300
Masha WC: 3264/2000
Total Word Count: 8,437/4,000

"It's no big deal, Masha. I just didn't expect to suddenly go flying, that's all." Leona said to Masha to try and console her after the latter had apologized and explained the reasoning behind their abrupt departure. Leona was still surprised that Masha was so intensely interested in her that she would behave in such a way. The blonde had never had anyone that interested in her before, but in time she would get used to it. In the meantime, the redhead had raised a valid point about the nature of the Wizard Saint's summons, one that Leona felt compelled to address.

"You're right, Masha. I use summons that fly, but the one I use the most, Winged Lion, has the special ability to keep me from being afraid of heights while I'm riding on his back as he flies. If I fly on any other summon my fear of heights isn't suppressed, so I have to fly low to keep from panicking. I've been afraid of heights since I was eight years old." Leona explained to Masha, letting the redhead in on a secret that only a few people knew. Winged Lion's ability was a crutch for Leona so that she did not have to confront her acrophobia. Leona was aware of that and would have to confront her fear of heights somewhere down the road, hopefully before it could be used against her by an enemy. Leona was about to speak on the subject further when she noticed Masha have a strong reaction to something the blonde had said.

Leona was not sure what had been said to make Masha do that and she was not sure what to say to the redhead to make the latter feel better. She needed to say something, but the blonde did not want to say just anything because she had an uncanny ability to put her foot in her mouth by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Her close friend Samira Nassar was a witness to several of those unfortunate occasions. Not wanting to alienate Masha by saying something to make things worse, Leona decided to let the matter drop for the time being.

Leona instead focused on Masha's question about couscous and how it tasted. That was a question that Leona could answer without much difficulty. The blonde faced Masha and took the plate of couscous into both hands before speaking to the redhead.

"In my opinion couscous is pretty good. By itself it's not bad, but it gets better when you add vegetables to it. You can also add meat to it too. But I'm a bit biased because I grew up eating it... to form your own opinion you'll have to try some for yourself." Leona told Masha her stance on the taste of couscous. The Wizard Saint looked down at the plate Masha had gotten for her and saw that it was plain couscous. Leona was pleased by this. This was the perfect opportunity to introduce her companion to the dish.

"Say, would you like some couscous?" Leona asked Masha, raising the plate of food towards the alluring redhead. It was entirely up to Masha whether she took Leona up on the offer or not.

[Post Word Count: 540]
[Leona's Word Count: 5,445/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 8,977/4,000]

@Masha

Masha blinked when Leona said she was afraid of heights. A wind mage afraid of heights? It seemed similar to Masha's own fears of her own abilities. She smiled softly. "A wind mage who's afraid of heights? Why would you choose to learn Wind magic or hone your talent for it if you were afraid of heights?" The redhead said carefully to not sound condescending or cruel. Maybe she could learn from Leona, how to master her own fears of her abilities. "Does Winged Lion help with your fear magically or just by being a good friend?" If a summons could help with her fear, she'd look into Dewi or Aodhfin helping her. Masha didn't even consider Duke Frost. He'd take advantage of things immediately.

Masha's face lit up when Leona offered her some of the couscous. If this dish had been Leona's staple growing up, the redhead hoped it would be to her own tastes. "I'd love to try it. I may have had it before but losing one's memory helps to rediscover things you like. I've had many firsts I'm sure I'd forgotten about." She giggled. Scooping a small amount, Masha took a bite. She found the taste to be pleasant, much to her relief.

A hand touched the redhead's shoulder. Masha turned, annoyance plain on her features. That expression rapidly morphed to shock. "Dewi?" She exclaimed toward the dark beauty. Horns rose above the raven locks. Scales decorated the woman's skin in aesthetically pleasing patches. A black dress hung upon her body, appearing to swallow her form in the void. "Why are you here?" Masha asked a bit worried. The dragon could seldom be dragged from her lair and studies. Dewi wished to reestablish the Order of Night, a dragon knight bastion against the dark forces in the worlds between.

Dewi's purple eyes were hooded. Her gaze flicked from Masha to Leona. When she spoke, her voice was low, her words deliberate. "Be careful, blonde warrior leader of Silver Wolves. A succubus that denies her needs is one that grows desperate. Desperate creatures will hurt even those close to them or whom they hold dear in order to satisfy that which keeps them alive." Masha felt a chill go down her spine as she heard the words uttered. The chill soon melted before the heat of her rage. Dewi's eyes moved to Masha. Magic built around the redhead as she pulled upon their contract. "Mistress, behold your descent." The dragon in human form said quietly. The redhead growled but paused in her drawing of the magic. Curse this dragon's perceptiveness... and curse her own blind stubbornness.

WC: 439
Masha WC: 3703/2000
Total Word Count: 9416/4,000

"I learned Wind magic because my mother taught it to me when I was ten years old. I'm not sure if she knows any other magic and if she does, she certainly hasn't told me about it." Leona said in a tone free of sarcasm. She did not take offense to Masha's question because she was aware of the irony of a Wind mage being afraid of heights and found that irony amusing... except when she was actually looking down at the ground from a high place. Then it stopped being funny and became utterly terrifying.

"It took my older brother speaking on my behalf multiple times before my mother agreed to teach me magic. Even then I don't think she was fully committed to teaching me. My older brother got the full course and I got a good bit of training, but not as much as Leonidas did. For whatever reason my mother didn't think I needed to learn magic. I guess she didn't anticipate me leaving the village." Leona explained a little more about the circumstances that led to her acquiring her magic. Wind Strike Magic had served Leona well over the course of the last four years. While it left much to be desired in terms of crowd control ability and had no defensive spells to protect her from the spells of other mages, it was well-suited to one-on-one fights and had a good mix of close-range techniques and long-distance spells so that Leona could fight reasonably well at either range.

"Winged Lion's ability to suppress my fear of heights is magical, Masha. None of my other summons have that ability. Not even my Harpy Sisters, the very first summons I ever summoned, can do what Winged Lion does." Leona answered the question about the summon that was practically a trademark of hers. Winged Lion alone had the ability to suppress her fear of heights and allow her to fly high in the air. Leona did not know the exact reason for that ability, but it was a welcome one because otherwise she would either have to fly low or not fly at all.

After answering the questions about her magic and her summons Leona watched Masha take a small portion of the couscous that had been offered to her. The blonde was pleased that the redhead liked it because she did not want to offer Masha anything she did not like. She was also pleased because the offering was meant to be a gesture of friendship and an attempt to open the door to reconciliation after making the redhead feel bad earlier. The good feelings were put on hold when a mysterious and formally dressed woman with horns on her head appeared behind Masha. Leona looked closer at the new arrival and noticed something that looked like... scales?

Who was she?

What was going on here?

The woman made eye contact with the Wizard Saint. Then she issued a warning to the blonde, a warning that was sort of vague. Leona did not get its full meaning right away, but it had something to do with something called a "succubus". The blonde had no idea what that was. She needed to look up what that was once she got back to Silver Wolf Guild Hall and had some free time on her hands.

"Uh, Masha, what's going on here?" Leona asked Masha.

[Post Word Count: 566]
[Leona's Word Count: 6011]
[Total Word Count: 9,982/4,000]

@Masha

Masha listened as Leona explained her acquisition of the Wind Magic and then expanded upon it. She took a bite of food before asking. "You have a brother? Will I get to meet him sometime? Will he want to meet Giovanni?" She asked rapid fire. The redhead paused to wait for Leona's answers. She thought she'd learn something before the dragon showed her face.

Dewi's eyes widened at Leona's question. She looked toward Masha. "Mistress, you've not told the warrior! She knows not what she risks..." Masha snapped at Dewi. "Hold your tongue, dragon." The dark haired beauty gave Masha a deadpan look. Then she deliberately reached up and took ahold of her forked tongue. The redhead rolled her eyes at her summon. Why did Dewi have to be so cheeky?

Masha turned back toward Leona. She rang her hands together, trying to get roiling emotions under control. What if Leona didn't like her after this revelation? What would she do? How would she function? "Mistress, breathe. The blonde warrior needs to know." Dewi murmured quietly. Masha realized the dragon had found a loophole in the command. She'd have to remember that ingenuity at a later date. Her brain turned over and over. What were the right words? Would Giovanni be looked at differently once Leona knew? Dewi cleared her throat, cutting through the jumbling thoughts. Masha looked toward the dragon. Perhaps Dewi had been correct in coming to her. The redhead may have inadvertently placed many people in danger.

"This is difficult to talk about." Masha said finally. "I've hidden it since finding out cause it... it frightens me." She stuttered to a stop. Dewi stepped up and put a hand on Masha's arm. The redhead looked toward the dragon, her expression as one devoid of or one losing hope. The dragon looked toward Leona. "As you are aware, the mistress' anatomy was altered hence the offspring you both created. Those that experimented on her, wanted to create a factory for warrior monsters. Fast growing creatures that took little time to train before becoming lethal killing machines. Mistress was to be their first, the primogeniture."

Dewi began to give a full rundown of everything. Masha shook her head at the dragon. That was too much information. She took a deep breath. "Let me try to explain uh after I introduce you two. I just realized you've never met." The redhead laughed nervously. "This is Dewi, Leona. One of my summons though... promisee might be more accurate though." The redhead froze at that point. How to proceed? As Dewi opened her mouth, Masha cut her off. "This might be easier if you ask questions, Leona. I can answer questions easier than trying to make a concise explanation."

WC: 457
Masha WC: 4160/2000
Total Word Count: 10,439/4,000

"Yeah, I have an older brother. He's roughly four years older than me and his name's Leonidas. You might get to meet him at some point, but there's no telling when." Leona told Masha about her older brother before realizing something important.

He would need to be told of how Giovanni came to exist without a man in the picture.

Thankfully Masha had given her a gift-wrapped explanation that was both scientifically accurate and true. Leonidas had a more open mind than their mother, so he would not be quite as hard to convince of the story. Leona just worried what his reaction would be when he finally met their son.

Leona did not know why she felt that way... it was not like she was making a special effort to curry favor with Leonidas after their clash a year or two back. Leonidas had made her aware of his jealousy of her freedom and Leona had yet to properly address the issue. He had gotten much more magic training and many more swordsmanship lessons from their mother than she had, so in her own way the Wizard Saint was jealous of him. Leona would need to deal with the sibling rivalry later because Masha needed her to pay attention now.

Leona paid attention to the alluring redhead and the well-dressed woman with horns on her head as they talked. After the two discussed something that sounded like a sensitive subject an agreement was reached and the redhead and the dark-haired woman began to speak to Leona. They took turns talking to the blonde and Leona did her best to pay undivided attention to their words, making eye contact with both of them as they spoke.

Leona listened to the dark-haired woman tell her about Masha's "alterations" and recalled a few of the details from her talk with Masha when they first met at Silver Wolf Guild Hall. The key one was that any of Masha's children would grow up much faster than the normal child. Masha had told her up front during their conversation... the Wizard Saint kept her mouth shut and continued to listen to the two talk.

Leona learned that the dark-haired woman's name was Dewi and that she and Masha had a connection of sorts that sounded like it went beyond the typical relationship between summon and summoner. Leona was not sure what to ask about first, the details of the Dewi-Masha relationship or the story behind Masha's "alterations." This was going to be a tough call.

Once Leona had made her decision she looked at Masha and spoke.

"I recall you telling me a bit about what happened to you when we spoke back at Silver Wolf Guild Hall several months ago. What did Dewi mean by warrior monsters? And whoever changed you... were they planning to make more young women like you?" Leona calmly asked Masha directly and Dewi indirectly. There were so many questions running through Leona's mind, but she would have to take it slow. This was clearly a sensitive subject for Masha and the blonde did not want to alienate the redhead by pushing too hard or sounding insensitive about what had happened to her.

[Post Word Count: 534]
[Leona's Word Count: 6,545/2,000]
[Total Word Count: 10,973/4,000]

@Masha

Masha bit her lip at Leona's question and glanced at Dewi. These were parts of her missing memories. Memories that had become critically important of late and Masha wished she'd never gotten the amnesia in the first place. She looked toward Leona. The blonde captivated her. Something in her chest growled, demanding... something. Masha wasn't sure what but she suppressed everything weird. Now wasn't the time to experiment on her capabilities.

Dewi watched the redhead carefully before stepping forward. "The mistress is hungry. It is part of the alterations." She said matter of factly. It seemed the dragon thought that explained everything. "Thus, I will attempt to explain! Warrior monsters are warrior monsters." Masha covered her face with her hand. "Dewi!" She groaned. The raven haired beauty turned toward her contractor. Confusion stood out on her features.

"Leona," Masha said hesitantly, not looking at the blonde. "I can't give entirely accurate explanations. My memories of this time are mostly gone and those I do have... cause me great pain." Masha touched her head, remembering the agony of trying to delve into those memories. She took a deep breath, looking straight at her guild mistress. "As far as I have been told, warrior monsters are a breed of creature bred and born for war. They crave violence, are addicted to it. Giovanni will be more durable than most kids, as far as I understand, but we have to watch him carefully. He'll... any children I bear... will be attracted to violence, death and blood. They'll be easily corrupted by it." Masha took a shuddering breath. "And according to my previous self's diary and videos, yes, they planned to make more. Three of the team are dead... by my hand, if the diary is to be believed, and one was captured with the aid of Adalinda of West Fiore Trading Company."

Dewi huffed as Masha watched Leona for a reaction. "That explains nothing, mistress!" She exclaimed. "You need vital energy. Soon or you'll force the matter. You cannot starve yourself without extreme consequences!" Masha glared at the dragon. A scroll appeared in midair. The redhead tapped it with a finger and the dragon lady disappeared in a puff of smoke. The scroll disappeared as the mage wiped her hands. She hoped Leona wouldn't ask about Dewi's exclamation.

WC: 385
Masha WC: 4545/2000
Total Word Count: 11,358/4,000