tippler 2021/03/15(Mon)17:13 No. 991510 ID: eedbeb
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Your name is Jadis Lewis. The most promising soon to be graduate witch in the city and you’re stuck at one of your dad’s stupid parties.

You’re wearing a custom tailored white suit and black bowtie that make you look slick. The cigar you’re chewing on stinks and is rotting the delicate alveoli in your chest. Better to be smoking on the balcony than stuck inside, being fussed over by your parents and enduring trivial conversation about money laundering and drugs and lobbying Congress.

Everyone old enough to know says that you’re the spitting image of your dad when he was young. It’s true. It makes you want to scream.

You toss the cigar to the hydrangeas below and tap your fingers on the marble railing. You don’t think something dumb and self-pitying like ‘I don’t have any friends’. You have lots of friends. They’re just all terrified of you.

You want to get out of here.

Use your witch powers to hop over the railing and ditch this dumb party. Whatever you do, DONT look up at that Angel that’s heading to you.

This party reeks of lung cancer and old person smell, time to get some fresh air in more ways than one.

Talk around to see if someone here is less boring than the other attendants.

Then leave, stupid. What's stopping you?

tippler 2021/03/15(Mon)20:52 No. 991549 ID: eedbeb
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> Then leave, stupid. What's stopping you?

You grind your teeth together. You’d love to give yourself some reduced gravity and hop over the railing, but dear Dad has a strict no magic policy when guests are over. Not just for you, anyone welcomed into the Lewis mansion is forbidden to spell as well. Things get messy when magic is involved with shady business.

The decree is enforced with a series of wards all over the grounds. You helped set a handful, but most are your mother’s work. The wards don’t do much besides alert the hosts, but that’s all the excuse the gruff enforcers mixed among the visitors need.

You consider the drop from the balcony to the bushes. If you broke something you could probably drag yourself off the grounds and then heal yourself on the sidewalk.

Or you could ask for permission. Say you’re not enjoying the festivities and want to go back to your dorm room. Need to do research for your senior project, which still isn’t working despite the hours you’ve poured over the corpse. At least you figured out how to stop it from decaying, the lab was starting to stink.

>>991549
Is walking out the front door without permission an option?

Go change into a dress so that people don't say you look like your dad.

Ask first, then when that inevitably fails, make a break for it.

Ask for permission, then (inevitably) argue for it.

Yes, use your excuse of needing to work on your senior project to Skeedaddle on outta there

tippler 2021/03/16(Tue)11:05 No. 991612 ID: eedbeb
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>Ask for permission

Talking to your dad is still less painful than a broken leg. You straighten your bowtie, brush the ash off your sleeve, and plunge into the bustle of the party.

Your dad is talking to some old money fox broad. He shows that he notices you skulking behind her with the scrunch of his brow and a slight frown.

“Excuse me, madam, my daughter looks like she needs something.” he says smoothly. He leaves the shelter of the banisters and joins you in the natural vacuum you create by existing.

“Can I go? No one wants to talk to me and I’m bored.”

“You’ve been here for half an hour.” your dad says, frustrated. “I’ve hardly seen you since Winter Solstice, you’ve been so obsessed with your impossible project. It’s good for you to spend time with the family, even if you’re not interested in coven business.”

Realise that no one has been talking to you because you haven't opened up to the guests yourself.
Hug your dad with lots of love and look for someone to chat with.

WELP! You tried!
Time to jump out a window and make a run for it.

Somehow doubt it's good for us. What other family here do we have more than two sentences worth of knowledge about anyway?

Hrm. Maybe you haven't tried hard enough. Maybe there's *someone* around here you can actually talk some kind of shop with. Give it half an hour more, then reconsider plan B for Broken Leg.

Tell him if he wants you to talk to somebody, it'd better be someone you can get some ideas from.

I'm here, Dad, but you're treating this more like a business meeting then a family get-together. What's the point of spending time with you like this?

tippler 2021/03/16(Tue)14:02 No. 991649 ID: eedbeb
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“I don’t have anything to say to Mom and Polly.” you grumble.

Your dad sighs. “You don’t have to talk about work or magic, just ask them how they’re doing. Your mother is having a great time remodeling our bathroom and your sister likes her college classes. Small talk. Chit chat. This party should be, er, fun.”

Your father, the one who taught you how to spell a man’s hamstrings right out of his thighs, is genuinely trying to socialize you after years of indulging your morbid curiosity. He’s the only one who speaks to you this frankly, and if it were anyone else you’d actually listen.

“Yeah, I’m just thrilled to be stuck here. So excited to hang out with all your ass-kissing stooges.”

“I’m doing this for you image. You can’t live like an outcast forever.” Your dad takes a deep breath and lowers his voice. “I’m worried about you.”

>>991649
Go ask your sister how her studies are doing.

Talk to the first random stranger you find in the party, who knows, maybe they’ll be someone you can be a friend with?

Talk to people.

Shit. Your mom is hot.

tippler 2021/03/16(Tue)18:34 No. 991677 ID: eedbeb
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He has a lot to be worried about and that’s taking into account everything you’re hiding. You groan.

“Fine, I’ll talk to Polly about laundry or something, but then I’m going back to my place.”

“I appreciate this gargantuan effort. She’s right over there.” your dad points and you push through the crowd to your younger sister.

Younger and much taller. Pretty, which is a fact so it’s not weird to think about. Polly doesn’t have a lithe Siamese face but otherwise she closely resembles your mother. She turns when she notices you approaching and beams. You almost go blind.

“Is Dad forcing you to talk to me?” she teases.

“Yes.” Honesty is the heart of communication.

Her smile doesn’t falter and she takes a sip of some non-alcoholic cocktail that the butler probably whipped up for her. “We were really worried when we heard about the accident at your school. You should have told us you were okay.”

The gentle reproach in her voice hurts. You keep your face carefully blank. “I was fine. It was close to my anatomy class so I actually got to help with the injured students.”

“Oh. That’s good?”

It had been good. It had been very convenient for securing some important parts for your project.

Is there absolutely nothing you could ask her about? Video games? Music? Something fucking inane? Not coming off like a sour grumpypuss is legitimately useful for getting things like 'research grants' and 'investors.'

So you're saying your mom is even hotter than your sister?

Shit.

Tell her you need work experience wherever you can get it.

>>991677
Ask how her studies are going.

Did you steal bodyparts from your fellow students?!

Make a genuine effort to connect to Polly, just one good try. Then you can tell your dad that it was her fault you had nothing to talk about when he's upset later. Does she go to school,too? Does she have magic like you, Jadis? How's mom, and where is she, anyway? Maybe there's something there for you to grasp at.

Oh, but also, definitely make an unnecessarily graphic comment about body parts and blood and guts just to see her squirm. You are her older sibling, after all.

tippler 2021/03/17(Wed)10:32 No. 991757 ID: eedbeb
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>Did you steal body parts from your fellow students?!

Don’t worry, only from the people who were past saving. Tim incidents leave a lot of missing pieces, so no one was suspicious.

>Ask how her studies are going

“How’s freshman spring going?” you ask, in a valiant change of subject. “Hope it’s not a pain to have a bodyguard all the time.”

Polly doesn’t know much magic besides simple defensive spells, so she gets a well-paid witch tailing her everywhere. Your parents had learned their lesson with teaching you so young, and Polly got to take Muay Thai classes instead. By the time she was old enough to decide for yourself, no doubt your shining influence encouraged her to keep magic at arm’s length. Instead of witch college, she’s attending the city’s private liberal arts school.

Polly smiles nervously. “I have a lot of gen eds but my classics professor is really good. We’re reading Ulysses and nobody knows what’s happening. Everyone tries to act like I’m a normal student but they don’t ask me to parties as much and the seniors in my suite still don’t know what to do with me.”

Polly isn’t a weirdo like you, but being the kid of a crime boss still gets her special treatment.

“As long as nobody’s picking fights or saying shit behind your back. Still doing violin?”

“Yeah, the student orchestra even has a concert next month. You should come.”

>>991757
That actually sounds nice, as long as you don't have to sit with your dad.

Promise knowing you'll flake out when it comes time to actually go.

Attending that concert could never come close to making up for all the time unspent on family, but we'd probably enjoy it if we went.

Make a noncommittal that sounds nice because you’re dead inside to your family. You’d rather be hanging with some of your friends.

tippler 2021/03/17(Wed)13:58 No. 991768 ID: eedbeb
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“That actually sounds nice. Send me the info a couple days before and I’ll try to make it.” you say. Sitting in a dim room while relaxing classical music plays for an hour might be boring, but at least you won’t have people staring at you. Polly deserves the support and you’ve been a crap older sister since basically forever.

“Great! I’ll remember to do that.” Polly smiles and takes another sip of her drink. “Anyone catch your eye at school?”

“Eh?”

“Gone on any dates? A few boys have asked me out but I haven’t found someone I really like yet.”

It hadn’t occurred to you that you were supposed to be going on dates instead of getting the most out of your college education and you struggle to think of a way to reply.

“I’ve been busy. And I have a reputation for being busy.” you say lamely. Speaking of which, you’d like to get back to the lab now.

>>991768
Well go then. You've served your time.

Just be honest and say that it hadn’t occurred to you that you were supposed to be going on dates instead of getting the most out of your college education

Tell her that you feel sad that everyone says you look like your dad.
And that it really hurts your family is part of the mafia.

Abide, she did not say you were expected to date or anything, just indicated that she thought you'd been on the lookout.

It's not even been five minutes. Stick around, learn a thing or two. About your sister, if nothing else. Or get her to learn a thing or two about you. Should make future conversations easier.

Follow up and say you kind of pour yourself into the work, to be honest. 's not as bad as your father would seem to have it, though.

What else does she do for fun, then? Gu... games, maybe?

>>991768
Just tell your sister that this party isn't your scene and you'd like to get back to your comfort zone. It's not that hard, dude.

tippler 2021/03/17(Wed)18:58 No. 991831 ID: eedbeb
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Polly opens her mouth and closes it. An awkward silence fills the space between you, and the bustle of several other conversations makes your ears twitch. Did you fuck up already?

“Oh-I didn’t mean-I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad or anything. I thought you’d said something about wanting to meet new people last December.” Polly stammers.

“No, I do, you didn’t say anything wrong. It’s just I can’t really do that when I’m at school, partly cause I’m working and also because our dad’s the don and I usually have blood on my clothes and don’t know how to talk like a normal person. I get excited when people are dying because it makes me feel important and I like it when everyone else is freaked out. I don’t know how I’m supposed to hide it.”

You’re flustered. Polly raises a placating hand but now that you’ve gotten started, it’s hard to stop.

“I need to meet someone who doesn’t know anything about me, so I can start over. I’ve already ruined my chance with everyone here. And I’m not blaming Dad, it’s my fault.” She’s staring at you. “I’m sorry, what else have you been doing for fun? Play any video games?”

“Jadis—“

Do you:
-Salvage the conversation
-Run

Try to salvage this, take a deep breathe and try to calm down

Run, flee from sheer embarrassment

We can still salvage this, and if we can't then that doesn't matter, we'll just salvage it anyway through sheer force of will.

Unless you plan to never talk to your sister again, you should probably shouldn't run away. Else it will just be more awkward later.

>>991831
Dude, don't run from your problems. Talk about them and figure it out.

Salvage. It's not like she's a stranger.

tippler 2021/03/18(Thu)09:18 No. 991907 ID: eedbeb
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>Salvage the conversation

“I’m sorry. I’m a mess.” you say. Polly takes your hand and tugs you gently away from the crowd. She leads you towards the quieter area by the bathrooms and you lean against the wall for support.

“Do you want some water? I can get mom too, if you want.” your sister asks gently.

“You shouldn’t have to take care of me.” you mumble. “You have to deal with your own stuff.”

Polly shakes her head. “It’s good to talk about your feelings. We all love you, Jadis. We want you to be happy.”

Your eyes get watery and you rub your face. “It’s stupid. I know what I am, what I like to do. I’m helping people now, but I still feel like a monster. That’s why I’ve been trying so hard on my project, cause maybe I can bring something good into the world, something new.”

Also, someone who won't care to pre-judge you. Hopefully.

Because they literally wouldn't know better. It'd be like getting a kid! Only... without the icky bits.

Well. Different icky bits.

... seriously though, any good games out lately? How long's it been since the two of you played anything together? The, uh, Hextony 64, wasn't it? Jeez. Where did the years go?

It's hard being good. It's so easy to just give up and indulge your base desires. No one blames you for your struggle.
People respect those who can elevate themselves. It takes conviction and determination to truly be a good person, qualities you possess.
Perhaps the reason you feel happiest when in a crisis situation is because you know that's where you excel. You're a problem solver who gets excited when there's a problem to solve.

You realize how proud you are of your little sister. She possesses such a grace and understanding tact that never came naturally to you. You realize that she's not just an annoying little twerp you have nothing in common with. When she asks you with genuine interest about your project, the one you've staked almost everything on, you wipe your eyes once more, sigh and start to explain it to her, uncomfortable with your vulnerability.You know she might not "get" you, but you can see clearly that she's trying.

tippler 2021/03/18(Thu)14:15 No. 991929 ID: eedbeb
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“It’s hard to be good. I’m really proud of you for trying to change, and if other people don’t recognize it that’s their problem. Medical magic is super important and you’re using it to help people.” Polly says.

“Yeah. I guess.” Your little sister is too nice.

Polly pats your shoulder. “You’re the smartest person I know. A huge nerd. Massive. You’ll figure out your project. Do you want to tell me about it? I won’t understand everything but you can be more general.”

You perk up so fast that Polly flinches. “I have all the physical pieces I need and I’m keeping them refrigerated and alive with portable spell batteries. Did you know you can make a spell that acts as a power source for other spells? Very handy, I’ve been making as many as I can and paying people for bits of their soul as well. Soul regenerates in a couple days so there’s no permanent damage.”

You stop to take a breath. “I tested how much soul I can drain from myself before I pass out, approximately 40% of normal levels. That means I don’t need a full soul to get the body conscious, but I need to make sure everything’s connected correctly before I do that, which is what I’ve been working on recently.”

Polly gives you a small smile. “Sounds great. And I haven’t been playing any games, but I like watching the people in the dorms play Mash.”

You’ve fulfilled your sisterly duties. Do you want to talk to your mother before you go?

Yeah, go talk to Mom.

Can't think of a good reason not to.

tippler 2021/03/18(Thu)16:40 No. 991941 ID: eedbeb
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“I’m gonna say hi to mom before I go.” you tell Polly.

“See you later.” she says, and you grudgingly rejoin the party.

Your mother is smoking a joint by an open window with some of her mom friends. Judging by the haze in the air and the amount of cackling, they’re pretty far along. You spot her red cocktail dress after scanning the crowd from your vantage point by the wall.

She half turns when she notices you coming. “Clive, tell Alex about—Oh yo, hey kid.”

She apologetically offers you the weed and you shake your head. You need a clear head in case you have to jump off the balcony, and being high makes you too paranoid anyway.

"So, hung up any laundry lately, mom?"

lol weed

Say hello to your cool mom, and tell her you're getting ready to (figuratively) blow this joint and you wanted to chat before you go.

Does she... recognize us?

uhhh ask about the bathroom

"Mom, weed in a gala is like calf steak in a vegetarian buffet!"

tippler 2021/03/18(Thu)19:04 No. 991987 ID: eedbeb
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>Does she... recognize us?

Your mom thought you were your dad. Ouch. You’re not even wearing a stupid hat.

>"Mom, weed in a gala is like steak in a vegetarian buffet."

Your mom snorts and ends up coughing into her fist. “Jadis, don’t begrudge some old hags lung damage. If I were snorting coke like the good old days you’d tell me to go back to this mild stuff.”

“Whatever. I’m about to head out and I wanted to say hi. Dad told me you’re remodeling the bathroom.”

“Yes, it’s going very well. I’ve been getting the tile just right, per the internet’s instructions. Groutin’ and caulkin’, you know.”

You don’t know. Your mom is high as balls. She takes a fortifying hit and exhales the smoke over her shoulder.

“So we heard about the accident.” she says casually. “That was slick. How’d you pull it off? Pretty hardcore to mess with one of the Wardens, Alex was telling me how she knows the parents of the poor girl who didn’t cancel her distortion magic fast enough. Was she a pal of yours?”

Your blood runs cold.

-You planned the accident and your mom guessed your guilt
-You did not plan the accident, but your mom assumed it was you, because well, you know

I say we planned the accident

>>991987
Well, of course you didn't plan it!
Ergo "accident!"

Pals are something we clearly do not have but whatever, little late to get to know her now even if we wanted to. Would it still count as "planned" if it ended up way more intense than we anticipated?

Uh, no, did not plan.
Let's not be what is essentially a mass murderer.

You made a meticulous plan that was meant to minimize casualties, but it did not go accordingly.

You planned the accident, your mom guessed your guilt, but you refuse to admit that you did it.

"Hmm, I need parts for my undead monster, I think I will plan the deaths of my classmates to get some!"
do you people really want one of our main characters to be like that?

>>991999
Yes.

Eeeh, ..I'm... gonna go with no, chief.

It may not make for an original and confictive character, but I don't want anymore blood on Jadis' hands.

>>991987
No we didn't plan it. We sure as fuck took advantage of it though.

No, you genuinely had nothing to do with it.

You didn't plan it, and... considering what you're trying to accomplish with your studies, overall, you should be incensed by not just the insinuation, but also just the callous way she's referring to the incident.

"... What the fuck is wrong with you?! People died, mom! People that weren't involved in all this shady stuff! God, even dad at least has some tact!"

>>992024
And you'd say that if you could muster the outrage, except you know perfectly well you were a-okay with grabbing what you could when it happened and should feel bad about that, but really aren't since it was just what you needed.

And now your mother's going around suggesting to others that you are a stone cold killer and potential threat to those around you - even if it is in a sort of praise-y 'oh isn't my child daring, precocious and dangerous' sort of way.

... well, if you're already suspecting your child of being a high-functioning psychopathic magic murderer I guess that's a better reaction to have than recriminations and condemnations. Or is it? Uh. Jury's out. Maybe your mother is high for a reason.

Anyway, it's certainly annoying and troubling in many ways and your mom is doing the opposite of helping you deal with your worry about your lack of moral qualms (like, if you could easily take advantage of an accident, could you then also go the full distance and feel alright with arranging them?), so this conversation is moving to a quick and decisive eyeroll, dismissal and retreat. You can try again when she's sober sometime.

"Hokay, cool, no. Not doing this now. See ya later mom, Alex. Think I'm gonna go murder someone for some food and a getaway."

Hit the buffet before scarpering. Hit whoever gets in your way that ain't family with the nastiest of (unmagical) witch-glares. Head straight for campus and your project, don't even bother switching out of the suit.

If your mom follows to make a scene reconsider the balcony option.

Absolutely not. In no way, shape, or form did we plan an accident.

tippler 2021/03/19(Fri)08:49 No. 992033 ID: eedbeb
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>You did not plan the accident

“No, mom, I—I don’t do stuff like that.” you say. “God, I don’t even know Kibble that well, you can’t just say these things.”

Your mother’s gaze crystallizes into sharp awareness. “I believe you, kid. Was trying to scare a confession out of you, though it’s a relief that you didn’t do it. The gossip was awfully convincing, given the account of how quickly you arrived at the scene.”

“Is that really what people are saying?”

“All of the smart people, which is a bad sign. Make sure the girl doesn’t pin it on you, cause I don’t think we can pay the school enough to make them ignore her.”

>Jadis is responsible for Kibble's condition
No wonder she lets her stay with her.

>>992034 Yeah, I suspected as much when "the girl that couldn't stop her distortion spell in time" was mentioned.

Take a moment to recall what Kibble's personality was like before the accident before resuming your talk to your mom about salvaging your public image.

tippler 2021/03/19(Fri)11:57 No. 992040 ID: eedbeb
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>Jadis is responsible for Kibble's condition

Er, no. You just said you didn’t cause the accident.

>Recall what you know about Kibble

The incident was three weeks ago, and as far as you know Kibble is still in the college infirmary, long after the other injured students were discharged.

You’re pretty sure she’s a junior and lives in the Northside dorms. You know her face from chance encounters in the library, where Kibble would look up at you from whatever fantasy novel she had her nose in while you checked out as many old textbooks as you could levitate.

You never heard anything to suggest Kibble was a bad student, so there’s no reason Tim should have reached her in time to cause damage. Something is missing from the public explanation.

Your mom finishes her joint and munches on a fancy cheese and cracker appetizer from a proffered tray while you think.

What’s your next move?

Get away from your mom and either schmooze with a random person so you can calm down a little bit or say bye to your dad because you’ve fulfilled your familial duties and gtfo

Tell your mom you want to find out why it happened, since it wasn't you. Does she have any leads?

tippler 2021/03/19(Fri)18:31 No. 992064 ID: eedbeb
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“I’m going to ask Kibble some questions and make sure she isn’t going to frame me.” you say slowly. “Any more info, mom?”

“Nope, go get ‘em kid. Text if you need cash or muscle.”

You find your father again in the crowd and get permission to leave the party. A handful of snacks turned to mush in your mouth and a refreshing drink of ice water clear your head. The guard at the front door nods to you as you hurry down the granite steps and onto the driveway.

tippler 2021/03/19(Fri)18:32 No. 992065 ID: eedbeb
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Your mind buzzes while you walk to campus. The nervous system has been giving you trouble, but you’re close to a breakthrough and then you’ll be able to debug from the inside. The magical string you’re developing makes connecting the incompatible parts much easier, though it’s a pain to get the materials.

Kibble was still conscious after the attack, only fainting from blood loss after you had already snuck some spare limbs into your pocket space. If she had seen you, that would complicate things. You don’t want to threaten an invalid but that doesn’t mean you won’t.

Your lab happens to be in the same medical building as the infirmary, and you can find your way there without thinking. You enter the clean, modern building and take the stairs two at a time to the third floor. You hear someone sobbing from inside the infirmary when you press your ear against the door. Hm. You’d like privacy while talking to Kibble.

Should you:
-Crack open the door and see who’s crying
-Work on your project and come back later
-Ignore the crying and talk to Kibble anyway

>>992065
See who's crying.

Calling it now, it's Kibble parents inside the infirmary.
I suppose we can go inside and try to console the-

Wait.

You stole Kibble's fricking arm?!

Check who is crying

Crack that door.

tippler 2021/03/20(Sat)07:18 No. 992138 ID: eedbeb
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>Crack open the door

You stealthily turn the door handle and squint inside. Heavy privacy curtains block Kibble’s cubicle from view, and the only other people in the room are two young cats.

The cat on the left is sobbing incomprehensibly about some mistake he made. It looks like he’s crying from his forehead, which is odd, because you don’t think he’s using magic so his eyes shouldn’t be active.

The cat on the right is a CUTE GIRL. More importantly, you’ve never seen her before so you can still make a good first impression.

Offer them some water to help calm them down a little bit, we'll ask what is wrong once they settled down.

"Aww, what happened? Do you need help? <:("

Hey are you okay? I know a little bit of magic so maybe I can help?

tippler 2021/03/20(Sat)13:21 No. 992212 ID: eedbeb
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After a brief struggle with your facial muscles, you arrange your features into what you hope is a friendly expression. You open the door properly and walk towards the pair. The crying cat sniffles in surprise and the girl looks at you curiously.

“Hey are you okay? I’m a medical witch so maybe I can help.” you say. Calm and natural. Just a random student wandering around who happened to hear the noise.

“The doctor s-said it can’t be fixed.” the sad cat takes his hands from his face and blinks at you with the massive eye in his forehead. “I, I was trying to learn magic from some tutorials online and something happened and now I’ve messed up my magic connection.”

Fall head over heels for that handsome, cyclopean boy.

Oof. Yeah, that's unfortunate.

Introduce yourself in a way that doesn't let on who your parents are, then try to win brownie points by asking whether they would mind if you took a quick look? No offense to the doctors around here, but you've got a bit of talent so if they wanted a second opinion...

And hey, at least they got off relatively lightly for a magical mishap. There's a girl next door who's way worse. Tim-cident.

No, Cookie is for Evelyn. Also it sounds like Jadis likes girls anyway.

>>992212
Can you examine the kid to see if there's anything you could do?

Ooh! A magical mishap mangling a mister? Right up your alley! Ask if you can have a look.

tippler 2021/03/20(Sat)16:31 No. 992288 ID: eedbeb
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> Fall head over heels for that handsome, cyclopean boy.

He’s a nice looking fellow, but you’re more interested in the lady. Also in earning their trust before you break the hard news that you’re evil.

>Introduce yourself

“I’m Jadis and I’m a senior at the college here. Er, I’m not technically licensed, but I’m happy to give a second opinion. Can you tell me how the doctors examined you?”

“They didn’t do anything.” the girl answers bitterly. “Just said he shouldn’t have been messing around and that they couldn’t fix the link. We’ll probably get a huge bill too. That’s Cookie and I’m Margot, by the way.”

You’re already sure you can find out what’s wrong. It has to be some sort of neural soul connection, and you’ve been messing with those for a decade.

You keep the excitement out of your voice. “If you’re comfortable with a little magic, I can take a look. I’ll cast some diagnostic spells and see if I can find the problem.”

Cookie seems nervous, but he nods. Margot is watching you very carefully. You hope your smile hasn’t gotten too wide.

tippler 2021/03/20(Sat)16:31 No. 992289 ID: eedbeb
File 161628310655.png - (401.53KB , 1000x900 , p20.png )

>Look

The dude has a very normal soul, perfectly vibrant and healthy. Out of the corner of your eyes, you can see that your own is tinged with grey from where you’ve drained it repeatedly to fuel autonomy spells.

A simple magnification spell lets you examine the fine tendrils where the soul naturally links with the mind and body, which aren’t visible at the moment. There’s a nasty tangle where the normal soul to vision connection would be, which is probably how his normal eyes and magic one got switched.

>>992288
>you're evil
Evil's a strong word. You sure you want to label yourself that way? You stole body parts, sure. You're doing experiments that some would consider crimes against nature, sure. But you haven't murdered anyone, you haven't kidnapped anyone to use them for spare parts, you haven't eaten any babies...

>>992289
Well that seems fine. Tell him he's still got a connection, it's just in his other eyes now.

Ask him how he got his magical eye.

tippler 2021/03/20(Sat)20:32 No. 992333 ID: eedbeb
File 161629753508.png - (189.25KB , 1000x900 , p21.png )

It would be easy to poke around in there, but you squeeze your eyes shut and pull away instead. You don’t want to accidentally give Cookie brain damage.

“Alright, good news is that everything’s stable, just mixed up, so your normal eyes are now your magical ones and vice versa. People will think you’re a witch, but as long as you don’t stare it won’t seem like you’re hexing them.” you explain.

“So I’m stuck like this?” Cookie says in a very small voice.

“Well, er, it’s not really safe for me to mess with your soul. Even if you know what you did in that shady internet tutorial, it’s not as simple as doing it in reverse. Maybe after a few years of careful practice...”

Cookie deflates and Margot pats him on the arm. “Thank you for telling us.” she says sincerely.

You blush. “No problem. I’m happy to answer any more questions.”

“I think we should get out of here before the doctor tries to charge us. Do you want my number?”

Your credit card? Sure!

Sure, I can give you helpful tips too to try to make this easier on you. At least, more helpful than shady, potentially life damaging things on the interwebs could tell you.

>>992333
Hell yeah get Margot's number. Then see if Kibble's up for talking.

"You sillies, you should be asking me for my number, not ask me if I wanted your number. That way, you can call me whenever you have questions, and not wait for me to bug you for questions" Say that with a teasing smile.

Naturally. It's nice to have side projects. I mean friends.

>Want her number
(God, yes.)

Uh, you mean, you'd be delighted to assist again. Was no big deal, really. You live outta the campus dorms, so... well, you'll be around. Here. Most of the time. Working on your thesis and project.

tippler 2021/03/21(Sun)07:38 No. 992411 ID: eedbeb
File 161633752449.png - (116.34KB , 1000x900 , p22.png )

“Yes! Um, I mean, you should be asking for my number, so you can call when you have questions. I live on campus so I’ll be around here if you want to visit again. Spend a lot of time in this building actually, and if Cookie wants magic tips that aren’t shady I can try to help. I’m usually working on my thesis project, but it’s good for me to take breaks.”

Margot watches you ramble with a sweet smile on her face. You shut your mouth long enough to exchange numbers and wave goodbye as the pair leaves.

You’re left with the hum of fluorescent lights and the ominous blue privacy curtains. You think you can hear Kibble’s rattling breath. No doubt she listened to everything you said to Margot and Cookie. Hopefully that raised her opinion of you. Or maybe it convinced her you were a pushover.

"... Can I come in? I... don't even know if you know who I am, but you're the reason I came here."

Brace yourself for visual horror (assuming she does let you part the curtain).

"Hello, Kibble? Is it okay if I come in. I would like to help."

>>992430
This. 's fair 'nuff to repay the fact you took something of theirs with a bit of help, if you can give it.

tippler 2021/03/21(Sun)11:00 No. 992442 ID: eedbeb
File 161634963842.png - (191.68KB , 1000x900 , p23.png )

“Hello, Kibble? It’s Jadis. I’d like to talk and help with your injury, if possible. Can I come in?” you say.

There’s a slow, exhaled hiss, like oxygen being let out of a tank. “Make sure the doctor doesn’t see you.” she whispers.

You check over your shoulder, don’t see anyone around, and let yourself through the curtain. The smell of old wounds and rotting meat is faint, but recognizable, like someone scrubbed away the evidence. Fresh blood trickles down Kibble’s side from between serious looking medical staples.

Kibble’s eyes are wild and sunken. Her remaining wrist is restrained with a sturdy Velcro strap. It doesn’t look like she’s been eating well.

>>992442
So. Ask her what happened.

>>992442
She looks like she was nearly blown in half. What could have done this?

Everything about that wound looks wrong. It shouldn't be bleeding so freely... And the staples don't seem to be aligned in a way that attach to structural points on the ribcage.

Something isn't right here.

Speak softly. If she's restrained... perhaps she might lash out? Do be a little careful. Ya don't wanna get headbutt or whatever.

>>992444
Yeah, uh, what did she see?

For the record, you didn't do nothin' to cause the incident - you're even surprised it caught her off guard.

"Do you remember me? I tried to help during the accident. Is there something I can so right now for you?
I....... I've still got your arm with me. I think it can be reatached."

>>992442
First of all, wipe that creepy-ass smile off your face and apologize for good measure: "Er, sorry if I unnerved you; I can't help myself when I see interesting medical cases. I can understand the gravity of the state you're in, for the record."

>>992454
I agree with this assessment, although Jadis's expression suggests she's aware of some insider magical knowledge that might explain all this.

... Wait, Jadis; was this your sloppy handiwork? (You were there tending to the wounded, after all.)

tippler 2021/03/21(Sun)17:09 No. 992507 ID: eedbeb
File 161637176838.png - (139.21KB , 1000x900 , p24.png )

>Wipe that creepy-ass smile off your face

You bite your lower lip firmly when you realize you’re grinning like a lunatic. “So, uh. You know who I am. You saw me that day. Why haven’t you been healed from the Tim bites yet?”

Your calm tone seems to work. Kibble’s fluffy tail stops bristling and she regards you with a small frown. “You mean the Warden? Doesn’t work.”

“They couldn’t even reattach your arm?”

“No. They preserved it for some time, but it never took. What do you want?”

“Just making sure you have a clear memory. Things can get jumbled after trauma and I don’t want to be wrongly accused of anything.” You speak softly but let the implied threat hang in the air.

Kibble snorts and sits up, wincing as the motion pulls at her wounds. “I remember fine. You were being unusually helpful.”

“That’s me, friendly witch Jadis.”

tippler 2021/03/21(Sun)17:09 No. 992508 ID: eedbeb
File 161637178469.png - (110.40KB , 1000x900 , p25.png )

“If you really want to help, take these out.” Kibble says. She’s talking about the staples.

You eye the crude metal clamps. They’re large enough that they should be attached to the bone, but instead they move with the strained skin. “What’s going to happen if I do?”

“I don’t know. I might bleed to death and die, but it hurts to have it closed. It’s been hurting worse and worse and painkillers don’t do anything.”

Why don't you take a look at her soul to see what's going on.

do a little bit of diagnosis if possible before just yanking the medical staples out

Tell her you want to use her arm for your project. Since, y'know, it's no longer of any use to her.

So okay yeah you do have ulterior motives.

But if she wanna consider OK-ing that, you'll help her with whatever, including seeing to those staples.

"Yeah, let me take a soulful look before we go deciding that yanking them out is the right move. I won't deny that the staple-job looks like shit, though; they didn't even anchor them to your ribs."

"Oh, come to think of it, I've been working on making something to attach uncooperative limbs with as part of my thesis! Er... though it's your choice whether you want to be part of a live experiment in that regard."

tippler 2021/03/21(Sun)18:24 No. 992529 ID: eedbeb
File 161637628147.png - (74.84KB , 1000x900 , p26.png )

“I’m going to look at your soul first.” you say slowly. You’re excited and trying not to show it. Examining the cause of Kibble’s limb problems could help with your work on your thesis and your lip is bloody with restraint.

Kibble glares at you. “No magic.”

“Sure sure, I won’t do anything, just take a quick peek. Hey, if you’re not using that arm, I’d pay to have it for my thesis. Or I can pay to run some tests on you once you’re out of here.”

“No.”

You shrug and focus your eyes on Kibble. You stay a good distance away from her feet, in case she tries to kick you. What you see is very confusing, enough that Kibble notices your expression.

“What?”

“Well. Um. You’re soul looks like it’s about five meters away from your body.” You move your head, but the glow is still in the center of Kibble’s torso.

“That’s worse than before. Last week the doctor’s said it pulled away from my extremities, they were worried it was because of the pocket space spell I was doing when I was attacked.” Kibble mutters.

>>992529
Almost looks like a keyhole.
Maybe whatever happened to her is still happening, changing her even more.
Let's remove the staples anyway. There look crude and sloppy at any rate.

>>992529
OPEN THE DOOR
LET IT IN

tippler 2021/03/21(Sun)20:52 No. 992546 ID: eedbeb
File 161638512375.png - (182.79KB , 1000x900 , p27.png )

You nod absently. The faraway soul looks like a keyhole. You’re not saying magic has weird symbolic pseudo intelligence, but things like this happen too often to be a coincidence.

“I don’t see anything wrong, besides the soul thing, so I’m going to take out the staples.” you say.

Kibble’s ear twitches. “I think someone’s coming, you should hurry.”

“I need to cast spells to get them out.”

“That’s fine. Hurry.”

You carefully detach the staples, going from left to right. To your relief, the bleeding actually stops once you’re done and you’re left staring into Kibble’s empty body cavity. Instead of the usual organs, all you can see is a vague pink shape.

The curtains rattle as one of the doctors, a frog you see frequently in the halls, discovers you standing over Kibble, dressed to kill and holding a handful of bloody metal. You turn to face him.

“Jadis, what are you doing here? Kibble is in very delicate condition and you’re not responsible for her care.” he says sternly.

You feel hot breath on your tail.

"Doctor, you can sue my family later, but right now Kibble's condition is worsening, so will you please get a soul-proficient surgeon or waive consent?"

Get away from Kibble take a good look at her.

"I don't know if the word responsible would be a very honest word to describe you anymore, especially after taking out the staples you presumably put in stopped the bleeding. Speaking of which, how's your pain now Kibble?"

>>992546
Tell the doctor that Kibble is fine, actually. They've been stapling shut a mouth.

"Doctor, I trust that you have your patient's best interests at heart, but you obviously do not have the credentials for this type of work. The damage was done via magic, this means wounds can act erratically and common medical knowledge gets thrown out the window. I recommend you step aside for now and let someone who is more magically proficient take a look, you may tell me to stop if you truly believe I'm doing anything harmful. However, from the looks of it, I'm just undoing the harm you've done."
Make sure you use a serious face.

>>992546
>vague pink shape
>hot breath

oh yeah that's a giant torso mouth

>>992546
Push doctor and yourself away from Kibble.

>>992546
"Doctor, are you aware that Kibble has grown a mouth on her torso?"

Just as I thought: the magic Chaos-tier mutated her.

...So where did her insides go? Is this mouth like remotely overlaying her original torso somehow?

tippler 2021/03/22(Mon)10:55 No. 992608 ID: eedbeb
File 161643573211.png - (222.22KB , 1000x900 , p28.png )

>Push the doctor away from Kibble.

While you have a lot to say about Kibble’s quality of care, you’re more worried about the alarming presence you feel at your back. You dive for the frog and tackle him to the floor. He croaks with alarm as teeth clack shut above your head.

You look over your shoulder to see a looming pillar of flesh, supporting itself with some unseen force.

It’s a Timmy. Kibble has a Timmy living inside her.

tippler 2021/03/22(Mon)10:55 No. 992609 ID: eedbeb
File 161643574719.png - (182.71KB , 1000x900 , p29.png )

You remember what you’ve read on the subject.

Wardens are a worldwide phenomenon, often found near populated areas with high witch density. Witches who study them observe that they are all the same size and shape, though some rest at different altitudes. They do not respond to stimulus or any form of communication.

The Wardens’ purpose is clear. Whenever a witch begins a spell that affects the fabric of reality, the nearest Warden will prepare to strike. By opening a previously hidden mouth, each Warden produces an unlimited number of soldiers that attack and attempt to eat the witch in question. If the witch cancels or completes the spell, the soldier targeting them will lose interest.

Cease your smiling and seek a way to calm the creature.

>>992609
So these are some kind of bioengineered safeguard against excessive, chaotic magic in a high-concentration area. Interesting.
For now, Find a way to quarantine Kibble and get her somewhere with less magic density. Start by finding low-level non-toxic autocast items and throw them into the mouth.

INTRIGUENING.

Scamper away, dragging frog-doc with you.

"How are you doing, Kibble? Can you control it?"

It should calm down on its own then? Ask Kibble if she can close her torso mouth while dragging frog away from the immediate area.

Also this implies they knew this was there. Because the staples were just through the skin. Tell frog that if they'd told Kibble what was going on, they could have prevented this.

Fascinating! Well, get out of range, make sure nobody's casting any spells nearby, and ask Kibble to try to control it.

tippler 2021/03/22(Mon)14:25 No. 992628 ID: eedbeb
File 161644833906.png - (154.19KB , 1000x900 , p30.png )

You drag the doctor with you as you instinctively retreat from the curtains. The Timmy watches you go, hunched over the hospital bed and snapping its teeth.

“How do you feel Kibble?” you call.

“My chest doesn’t hurt anymore.” she says faintly. “I think it’s responding to my emotions.”

You squat on the floor and think, with a firm grip on the sputtering doctor. Kibble was forming a pocket space when Tim struck, and it seems like that spell was transferred to her body, catching a Timmy with it. Little Timmy took some time to adjust, but now Kibble is the sole owner of a magical deity. Your parents would be very disappointed if you let this opportunity pass by.

>>992628
I smell NEW BEST FRIEND!~

>>992628
Offer to help Kibble learn to use it. In exchange for favors.

Convince her to make an OnlyClairevoyants account under the name Tummy Timmy Kitty and get rich!

Uh, or try to help her with her soul problem, that works too.

First, this is another smile-check. Control yourself.

"Okay, so, I don't want to alarm you, but the pocket-space spell seems to have merged a Warden soldier with your body. I think it's safe to say that your case is firmly within witch territory, not a doctor's."

Offer to help get the maw in her torso under control so that the nice hospital staff don't have to resort back to the staples to continue treating her.

tippler 2021/03/22(Mon)17:28 No. 992644 ID: eedbeb
File 161645932988.png - (238.21KB , 1000x900 , p31.png )

>NEW BEST FRIEND

It is your imperative as an honorable, reformed witch to make sure no one takes advantage of poor Kibble for their nefarious purposes. You knock out the doctor with a quick spell and leave his body on the floor.

You approach Kibble with a confident stride, so confident that Timmy deflates back into her body as you arrange yourself near her bound wrist.

While you undo the straps, you explain your hypothesis about her condition, jaw aching with the effort to repress your smile.

“And that’s why you need someone to support you while you get a handle on Timmy, someone with the resources and influence to make sure you’re not whisked away by the government, or used as a test subject.” you say.

Kibble seems skeptical, which is silly consider how much you’ve done for her. She sits up and rubs her wrist. “Why are you being so nice? What do you want from me?”

"Love.

...But seriously, I feel responsible for what happened and I didn't know how else to satisfy that feeling besides the straightforward option."

>>992644
Because... you have precisely one big passion and that's the witchin' ways. Her new inner guest represents a weird and interesting phenomenon that you'd like to take a crack at studying and could be the next big thing after your current project is done.

As mentioned you do have something to offer, such as relative freedom - as opposed to living the strapped-up life - or whatever else she'd need to feel comfortable, like, you don't know. A well-stocked library? That's a comfort zone the two of you might share, actually, even if the favorite subject matter is different.

... honestly, you wouldn't mind trying for some level of friendship too, but eh, you know your rep. Baby steps. At any rate, she can name her prize and you'll see if you can't arrange something. You've no idea if you'll be able to pull off a patient heist once - or if - word gets out proper about her state though, so it probably is a somewhat time-limited offer.

Honestly, you're not trying to give her some raw deal here.

A combination of personal responsibility and intellectual curiosity. It's like doing the right thing for both the right AND wrong reasons! It's a thrilling feeling!

>What do you want from me
"For starters, I want one less rampant Timmy on the streets eating my friends."

"A misfit friend for my misfit heart. I can't help but feel partially responsible for everything that happened and would prefer to keep my ducks in a row rather than have everyone involved get poked and propped at like lab rats by who-knows."

Speaking of... Does the government have its own sanctioned coven of witches? Are there rumors of M.I.B.-types harnessing advanced magic and technology trying to handle all this stuff on their own terms?

You felt responsible and wanted to help, also you’re trying to become a really good medical witch.

Ask what she’s going to name it and give it pats and chin scratches. You noticed she was underfed earlier, does the timmy need to eat too?

tippler 2021/03/22(Mon)20:02 No. 992670 ID: eedbeb
File 161646857569.png - (123.29KB , 1000x900 , p32.png )

“Because you’re the most interesting person I’ve seen in my whole life. Because I’m a lonely piece of shit who has survivor’s guilt and a weird sense of responsibility for things I have no control over.”

You stand up tall and allow yourself a grin.

“Because I’m going to be the greatest fucking medical witch who’s ever lived and you’re going to help.”

tippler 2021/03/22(Mon)20:03 No. 992671 ID: eedbeb
File 161646858997.png - (100.38KB , 1000x900 , p33.png )

The vibrations of your phone against the operating table send little ripples into your smushed fur.

tippler 2021/03/22(Mon)20:03 No. 992672 ID: eedbeb
File 161646862406.png - (189.70KB , 1000x900 , p34.png )

Your name is Jadis Lewis and you are exhausted. It’s been a month since you stole Kibble away from the infirmary after discovering her monstrous secret. You’ve been letting her stay in your dorm room while she figures out her life, and at this point she’s been there longer than you have all semester. Finals are in two weeks and you don’t have the heart to care. It’s not like you’ll fail or anything and GPA is meaningless.

A warm corpse rests next to you. You’ve finally gotten to the end of your project, except you’re stuck at what should be the easiest part. Despite how much soul you’ve drained from yourself, to the point of fainting in class and passing out in the lab, it’s not enough. The body won’t wake up.

You lift your cheek from the smooth metal and blearily check your phone. It’s your dad. You sigh. You were hoping for a reply from Margot about your movie date later. Do you take the call?

Your work is more important. Let him leave a message

>>992672
Might as well. Maybe the conversation will steer an idea.

>>992676
Pretty much this, you can probably talk while you work.
What have you tried so far?

>>992672
There's the very slim possibility that the body is actually completely functional and ready to go, but it's either A) messing with you or B) a lazy piece of shit.

Answer the call, maybe you'll get an idea if you're not so hyperfocused on the project.

tippler 2021/03/23(Tue)08:14 No. 992760 ID: eedbeb
File 161651249070.png - (151.37KB , 1000x900 , p35.png )

>Answer

“What?” you grumble as you put the phone to your ear.

“I heard you have a new roommate. Do you mind asking her for a favor, from me?” you dad says, voice slightly muffled by the miscellaneous gunk stuck in your speaker.

Not even a ‘hey, how are you’. Straight to business.

“Hands off, dad, she’s still recovering.”

“I do not want to risk witches to control the werewolf population.” your father says curtly. “There’s a growing pack under one of my former business associates who has a grudge against our family. Your friend has the tools to fight back, without the risk of losing something she’s already lost.”

So you’re saying you need my friend to off some people for you as a favour?
Please tell me you actually had a better reason for calling and you just told a joke that didn’t come out as funny as it was in your head.

"Yeah, hell no. I'm not using my friend as some kind of weapon just because you're scared of getting witch blood on your hands. As if that suddenly makes any difference."

"Dad, you need to think less about making shady businessess and more about losing weight.
I mean it."

"I'll shoot the idea by her, but it's her decision, and my phrasing isn't gonna be flattering. Care to explain why you can't just hit 'undo' on your cessation of business with this guy? Peaceful solutions tend to work out a bit better in the long run, I find."

tippler 2021/03/23(Tue)11:37 No. 992778 ID: eedbeb
File 161652462905.png - (104.16KB , 1000x900 , p36.png )

“Hell no. I’m not using my friend as some kind of weapon for you, as a favor. Why don’t you try talking to the guy? Peaceful solutions are less likely to cause revenge attacks.”

“Yes, speaking of which, your sister was targeted last night, walking back to her place from rehearsal.”

Your eyes go wide and you grip the phone hard enough that your hand shakes. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

“You’re the one who always tells me to say what I want first when I call. She and her bodyguard were both bitten. Presumably they’ll also be after you, though your campus security is much more thorough.”

...Did they though? Whatever, if campus security doesn't hold up then we still have Kibble, or more specifically her Timmy. But we are absolutely holding dad responsible.

>>992778
Well now it's personal.

>>992778
Oh, fuck using Kibble. You'll handle this yourself. Nobody fucks with your sister and lives.

"I'll talk to Kibble. Mostly about how you're a douchebag."

"I don't if she is capable of this she is still trying to figure herself out.
I'll....talk to her, but first I'm gonna give Polly a call."

>>992782
By which I mean we team up with Kibble to handle it.

tippler 2021/03/23(Tue)13:45 No. 992800 ID: eedbeb
File 161653233290.png - (116.16KB , 1000x900 , p37.png )

“I’ll kill them.” you snarl.

“No, you will not.” your father sniffs. “I don’t want you anywhere near danger in case you get bitten. Lycanthropy interferes with magical ability and you need to graduate.”

“I know that.”

“Yes, so you see why it’s better if we use the aforementioned third party to take care of things.”

You grind your teeth together. Your dad is a manipulative, pushy douche, but he’s more experienced than you and probably right. “I’ll talk to Kibble.”

“Good. I’ll send you the details.” He hangs up.

You tremble from rage and a deep, sleep-deprived fatigue in your chilly lab. Your project lies before you, frustratingly peaceful.

They went after Polly. You want to peel off their skin and unwind their muscles from their bones. Your dad hadn’t even sounded upset, though he’s good at hiding his emotions.

You stumble out of the building into the mid-morning light. Before you go back to the dorms, what do you do?
-Get food from the dining hall
-Call Polly
-Call Margot for emotional support

>>992800
Call Polly.

Call Polly. Tell her what your dad wanted you to do

>>992800
Your dad is extremely manipulative and you should seriously take a few minutes to eat until you can think straight enough to recite what you learned this semester, and then call Polly.

You are filled with protective, tender rage. Your magic is being honed in the school of healing, but you'd destroy anyone who hurt your sister. But you have to think clearly. You're not as rash and impulsive as you used to be. Time to make a plan. First things first, call Margot and ask to reschedule. Explain it's for a good reason and promise to make it up to her.

>>992800
Call Polly, check on her.
Call Margot, reschedule.
Eat.

Eat and calm down first.

tippler 2021/03/23(Tue)17:56 No. 992827 ID: eedbeb
File 161654741585.png - (215.12KB , 1000x900 , p38.png )

>Call Polly

Campus is at its best in the late spring sunlight, but you barely notice as you hurry towards your dorm. You fumble with your phone and pray for a response while it rings. Polly could be really hurt, in the hospital or getting care at home, and you don’t know because your dad didn’t tell you anything.

After several painful seconds, she picks up and you start babbling. You tell her everything your dad said, mixed in with extremely specific threats against the werewolf gang that dared attack her when she was just trying to live her life. The few people you pass on your way give you a wide berth.

“Jadis, I need you to take a deep breath. It was scary, but I’m fine, they could have done a lot worse than give me a bite. We have access to all the potions I could need, which is better than most werewolves. I know you and dad are mad, but I don’t want this to escalate beyond a petty personal grievance. Don’t get your friend involved.” Polly says firmly.

You try to calm down but you’re too busy fantasizing about boiling people’s brains out, panting as you lug your half-dead body up your dorm’s neat staircases until you reach your floor.

>>992827
Could have done a lot worse? They won the fight and did nothing but give her a bite?
It's sabotage, then. The werewolf pack is looking to weaken your family's magical skill, but not kill any of you outright.

Proportionate response is fair. You'll take their teeth. Or if those can be regrown, take something else that will weaken them and can't be grown back.

How warm are we? We might need to literally cool off. Keep an eye out for a water fountain or air-conditioned room, there's always the less modest option if neither work.

I'm not going to polly, I'm not going to because I'm solving this my own damn self. These bastards will LEARN, because I will TEACH THEM. But you're right, I'm going to calm down and figure this out calmly and logically.

...And by that I mean we wait for them to come to us, as dad predicted, and roll out a red carpet for them that will be legendary even in hell.

Look, I know this is probably not the best suggestion for a mob family, but maybe call the cops? I mean, this is assault, right? I know it's not as satisfying as force-feeding these lupine fucks liquid silver until their eyes burn out, but it would take care of things.

That or we could just do what father says. Path of least resistance, yeah?

tippler 2021/03/23(Tue)19:59 No. 992843 ID: eedbeb
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“I don’t know what to do, I’m just glad you’re safe.” you unlock your door and immediately slide down the entrance wall. Kibble jumps when you come in, but quickly goes to get a glass of water.

“Remember what you told me before about trying to change? This is a good opportunity to take the high ground.” Polly sighs. “I was going to send you my concert information, but I don’t know if I can play like this. Anyway, I have class now so I’ll talk to you later.”

You let the phone drop to your lap. Kibble hands you the water and you take a long sip. She’s been slowly making your room less of a dump, whether from tidying the haphazard piles of textbooks or eating the random debris.

“Someone knocked earlier. I didn’t answer” Kibble says.

You squeeze your eyes shut. This is too much. “Did you see who it was?”

“No.”

Important decision time. Do you:
-Tell Kibble what your dad wants
-Plan to take revenge by yourself
-Act like everything is normal and wait for the werewolves to come to you

Tell Kibble, but make it clear we'd rather not do that to her. If she doesn't want to either, then at least she'll be prepared to defend us from any impending werewolves.

>>992843
Might as well tell her your dad wants them dead, but your sister doesn't, and you're not sure.

The best thing to do would be to let them try to attack, but make them regret it. Your sister will forgive you if you're defending yourself. Preferably, you'd have Kibble working as your bodyguard in this case, since apparently regular bodyguards are fucking useless.

Tell kibble what your dad wants, and then tell them that you want them to come to you so you can have a reasonable excuse to beat their asses.

We'll go wait for them to show up, but we will get things ready... fortification, weapons nearby...

Actually, lets use this as our motivation to work harder to get our Frankenstein Monster experiment a perfect success.

Tell Kibble about the situation so she can be aware of what's going on. Don't tell Kibble that your dad wants her to go out being a murder for hire.

Talk to Kibble, but let her know your sister has reservations.

The high ground is one thing, self defense another. Tell kibble about things, and your sister's wishes. You would be very grateful if kibble could accompany you and keep an eye out.

If the werewolves stop where they're at, fine. If they come after you, kibble is less vulnerable, and you can get to flaying behind her. Witches benefit from having a tank

Explain the situation- try to slow down and make sure you're being articulate, you have a tendanc. your dad wants her to take out some werewolves that attacked your sister, your sister doesn't want her involved and to let it be, and you don't want her involved either because you want to take them out yourself. Tell her you're so angry you can't think.

wait- don't we have another third party instead of kibble we could use just laying on a slab?

>>992918
>you have a tendanc
*You have a tendancy to ramble.

tippler 2021/03/24(Wed)07:56 No. 992923 ID: eedbeb
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>Tell Kibble about the situation

You explain that werewolves are targeting your family, Polly was infected, and that your dad wants to hire Kibble for revenge.

“You don’t have to do anything, I just want to let you know in case my dad tries to contact you some other way. Honestly, I’m not sure what’s the right thing to do, biting Polly was more about sending a message than causing serious harm and if we retaliate it could make things worse. I’ve been really tired from working on my project and it’s hard to think rationally.” you say.

Kibble blinks at you from above. Timmy’s tongue pokes out from her side.

“Uh, what do you think?” you ask.

“I feel,” she swallows, “hungry. I want to kill this leader guy.”

Tell Kibble you do too, but the thing is, you'd make Polly dissapointed in you as she doesnt want us getting involved, and attacking would only prove to your father that you are just like him in more ways than you'd want to admit, which you are trying to deviate away from. You want to prove your father wrong by being a better person

Tell Kibble that if the werewolves invade however, she is free to devour them as it would be self defense.

Tell her you dont want to make her devolver into cannibalism because of your family feud.
Maybe it's Time we came up with a way to defend ourselves or discourage the werewolves from attacking us.

>>992923
Killing the leader? One death, to stop the conflict, but leave the werewolves alive?
...yeah that seems reasonable.

"You, uh... don't even sound mad, Kibble. Is this the Timmy part talking?"

Regardless of moral implications, though, your decision's made for you if guys are gonna start coming to your door at night. They might even try again tonight if they catch word of your return.

tippler 2021/03/24(Wed)11:07 No. 992951 ID: eedbeb
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“I don’t want you to kill someone because my dad told you to.” you say, a little alarmed. Could Timmy’s instincts be bleeding over to your friend?

“It’s not because of him.”

You sit up, startled by a novel thought. “Don’t do it for me, either, you don’t owe me anything for taking you out of the hospital. I mean, please help if I’m attacked, but only for self-defense purposes.”

Kibble crouches to eye level, folding her spindly body into a taut arch.

“I lost my magic and my arm. I caused the death of three classmates. I can’t stay in your room in the shadow of your protection forever, and when I leave I’ll either be feared or pitied.” she leans in close. “I’d rather be feared. I can do this by myself, for myself.”

Props to Kibble for managing to make you shiver, and honestly it’s not a terrible idea to send an eldritch abomination after the head honcho to stop the conflict and scare everyone shitless. You nod, slowly get to your feet, and leave to freshen up in the bathroom. After you eat a stale snack bar from the box under your bed, you can review the relevant information with Kibble.

Our next research project WILL be getting that Timmy out of Kibble's body.
We could go looking for the werewolves and plan a strike against them. Maybe Jadis' dad knows where they are.

Oh, also, can lycanthropy be cured definitively by potions or Is it permanent?

Jadis mentioned before that lycanthropy was having to do with the soul being infected by the bite, which was why Wvelyn was immune, maybe after figuring out how to make body work you can try to figure out how to move the infected part of thr soul that has lycanthropy to help better the world?

Working on a cure to lycanthropy does sound interesting, and there's even a personal driving force behind it, because it'll help Jadis's sister.
It'll have to wait until after Body, of course...

Maybe you should see if you can help Kibble train to use the Timmy.

Get to planning the attack. Keep yourself in check. Don't go overboard with this revenge thing. there's a lot at stake, and your sister is right, if you're going to do better then challenge yourself to do something productive with your rage. No stupid mistakes.

tippler 2021/03/24(Wed)14:42 No. 992968 ID: eedbeb
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Magical viruses are a funny thing. Back in the old days, the dominant strain of lycanthropy was much more aggressive, draining the afflicted of their vitality by forcing them to spend most of their time transformed. The rational solution was to stamp that strain out, which resulted in a messy medieval conflict that spanned several centuries.

The nature of magic meant that the mutation arose again after a decade of peace. Some old hermit living in the woods infected himself with the passive strain that’s still in vogue today. No current cure, though potions control the effects very well and people are fined heavily if they transform in unsanctioned areas. Maybe once you’re done with your current project you can take a look at finding a remedy.

Vampires, on the other hand—

“I’m a history major.” Kibble interrupts gruffly, which puts an end to your crumb spewing ramble. You inhale the rest of your energy bar, take your laptop to the full-sized bed, and check your email. Kibble slides in next to you while you pull up the snappy slide deck your dad, or more like his secretary, sent to you.

tippler 2021/03/24(Wed)14:42 No. 992969 ID: eedbeb
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The person that pops up is vaguely familiar: a golden retriever with ties to the police and government. You’ve seen him at fancy house parties. Probably one of your dad’s lobbyist buddies who’s fallen on hard times after becoming a werewolf.

Kibble frowns. “He’s a dog.”

“There’s nothing wrong with dogs. Anyway, not a witch, has a family and three kids, and you can find him in this office building during work time. After hours he holds meetings at different bars and people’s houses.” Kibble nods thoughtfully and you hand the laptop to her. “I’m stuck on my project so if you want to find an empty field to practice on, I’m happy to help.”

“Why are you stuck?”

You groan and lie back on the bed. Kibble’s even changed the sheets and they’re pleasantly clean. “I don’t have enough soul to get the brain to wake up. Spare souls aren’t exactly floating around.”

Kibble gives you a sympathetic hum, finishes reading, and stretches. “How should we train?” she asks.

By trying to make the Timmy move and do tasks on command.

Is... is that Mr. Peanutbutter....

(also how are things with Margot?)
Alsox2 yes, train to control the Timmy and also work on stealth so the Timmy can have the element of surprise

>>992969
>no spare souls lying around
Would a werewolf soul work? You could take his.

Train by using target dummies. Timmy is exceptionally lethal so live targets are kindof out of the question.
On the other hand you could train her by hunting weak monsters?

No, mars. Mr. Peanutbutter was a labrador, not a retriver.

>How should we train?

Jokingly tell her we go to the train station, and pay for a train ticket with our money...

apologize afterwards.

tippler 2021/03/25(Thu)13:33 No. 993099 ID: eedbeb
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>Stealth

First thing to do is make sure Kibble has a disguise before wandering around campus. The normally nude cat dons a pair of sunglasses and a baggy t-shirt that hides her scar. From a distance, you’re sure no one would recognize her.

The two of you walk to the track and field complex. The college isn’t known for its sport’s team, so the area is deserted and you’re free to plan the rest of the training.

tippler 2021/03/25(Thu)13:33 No. 993100 ID: eedbeb
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>Control

“How well does Timmy obey commands?” you ask.

Kibble lifts the hem of her shirt to demonstrate. Timmy slithers out, long neck tree trunk thick and pearly teeth gleaming in the sun.

“It’s more like nudging it around with my mind. I’ve been practicing in the dorm while you’ve been working, it’s honestly not that hard.” Kibble explains.

You spell a section of earth into an awkward column. “Okay, can you tell it to attack this?”

Timmy strikes like a snake, alternating between gnashing at the dirt with its teeth and smashing the remnants to bits with its head. You can feel the ground shake under your feet with each slam.

Well, that's good.

Has she ever actually been in a fight, though?

Let's practice making it stop mid-attack.

We should do some combat practice. Here I’ll make some
More of these targets and you try to dodge some of these rocks I’m gonna throw at you. If you can control the Timmy while moving it might make your odds of surviving and not getting infected my lycanthropy higher.

tippler 2021/03/25(Thu)16:52 No. 993118 ID: eedbeb
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This is going better than expected. You’re actually a little jealous that Kibble is blatantly overpowered when you’ve had to practice magic your whole life to cast spells at a competitive speed, and you struggle to find something to criticize.

“Alright, you’re fast, strong, and have good control, but you’ve never been in a real fight. The werewolves will fight dirty, and they’ll be around other people so they can take hostages.” you summon two dirt targets, one smaller than the other. “What if he uses his children as a shield? Can you stop attacking in time?”

Timmy neatly snatches the larger dirt pile and swallows it whole.

“Okay…Well what if I had a gun and—“

Timmy knocks you off balance and you fall on your side in the grass. When you look up, it’s wrapped part of itself around Kibble, obscuring her from view.

Good. Very good.

But how about being outnumbered?

>>993118
Haha damn Kibble.
Yeah try multiple targets next. Include all the various complications done so far.
Also, try targets coming from multiple directions.

tippler 2021/03/25(Thu)20:53 No. 993138 ID: eedbeb
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You clench your fists by your sides and focus. You’re not going to be humiliated by a history major. Tufts of grass shoot into the air around the field and a miniature army of dirt golems advances on Kibble. You laugh maniacally and pass out.

“You passed out.” Kibble says, when you come to on the ground, back of your head throbbing and the tang of blood on your tongue. The cool shades make Kibble look sick. Like a disaffected punk. Kinda hot. Wait, you had your date with Margot this afternoon. Do you need to cancel?

“I think you’re plenty prepared, when are you going to go get this guy? I can come if you want back up.”

“Right now. Office and coworkers are better than his house and family, and I want people to see me in the daylight. I’ll wear my disguise and sneak my way inside.” Kibble replies. “You decide if you want to come.”

Oh we're going to come alright.
Ahem. Probably not a good idea to leave Kibble alone during that, she's not invincible as far as we can tell and there's no guarantee it'll go smoothly.

I trust your judgement Kibble. I would come but I have a feeling I’d fuck up in my anger and not be careful enough. (Plus you have that date, and that’s totally not the reason you don’t wanna go ;))

>>993138
There's probably people watching for you. Going will attract eyes, and that will cause complications. Best for Kibble to do this on her own.
I thought you were waiting on a reply from Margot? Did you miss a notification? Check.

You'll come, mainly as an observer but if things get too hot you'll try to help her bail.

Call Margot and ask if she's willing to move the date, as your kind and loving sister just got attacked/bit by werewolves and you gotta... deal with it for a bit.

(Going on a date while being a potential target sounds like a pretty poor idea anyway. Unless Margot's cool enough to abide being a part of a literal assassination attempt, in which case... never let her go.)

Don't stick too close to Kibble - they know about you and want to target you, after all. Might even expect you (or someone) to come in, metaphorical magical guns blazing in retaliation.

Also, consider the problem of werewolves. Cutting off the head of the gang may lead to a lot of loose werewolf cannons running around. And sure, you could throw Kibble at those too, but that means more get hurt in the meanwhile.

Maybe you can get ahead of that somehow? Could batch some suppression potions, sell 'em at a discount for a while. Might even get you some cred / relief from being targeted by werewolves - too dangerous to upset, too useful to ruin the talents of.

Don't go. Plausible deniability.

>>993138
Her first day on the job and she's already a terminator. Gotta love it.

Let's ride shotgun.

Yeah, let's accompany her.
This is her first time trying to pull a hit, after all.

going is a bad idea for several reasons expressed above. Date instead.

You just exhausted yourself after you're already running on soul-fumes; Kibble picked the time and place expressly because there would be no hostages; you're already their target; you'd lose plausible deniability; finally, they probably know to look out for you.

Wait, crap; for some of those same reasons, you can't afford to leave Kibble's side... but at the same time, for a lot more reasons, going with her is a bad idea.

Solution: Make her rethink her strategy.

"We already know these guys are gunning for me, though. There's even a decent chance the guy will be "out to lunch" when you get there - the lunch, in this case, being a li'l bit of me. I'm in no position to help you storm the building, so I ask that you stick by me instead, just for today. I'll clear my schedule tomorrow so that I'm not exposing myself in public while running on fumes; then you can storm the castle."

Ultimately, go to the girl, but urge Kibble not to leave you unguarded. (Maybe show up early and have Kibble sit at a nearby table while you wait for her.)

Let’s collaborate with Kibble. Everyone needs a right hand man.

tippler 2021/03/26(Fri)10:11 No. 993201 ID: eedbeb
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>You want to go and stay equally

“Ugh, I don’t know.” you say. “Going with you would be really rad and I want to make sure you’re safe, but I think you’ve got it under control and I’ll get in trouble if people know I’m there.”

“And you have a very important date.” Kibble says drily.

“I mean, I can reschedule that, I’m more worried about you being associated with the mob, and I just fainted from soul-exhaustion so a fight isn’t the best place for me.”

Kibble nods and offers you her hand. You pull yourself to your feet and grimace at the ruined field. “I might cancel the date, or ask Margot to just hang out in my room. Leaving campus is a bad idea.”

“I’ll walk you back.”

tippler 2021/03/26(Fri)10:11 No. 993202 ID: eedbeb
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You feel a little better once you’re back in your room. You sigh and lean on the door, while Kibble watches you quietly from the hall.

“Good luck, try not to kill too many civilians.” you joke.

“Hm.”

“Uh, if you need to talk about it afterwards, I’ll be here or in the lab.”

Kibble nods and leaves, and you’re left in a room that’s unnervingly foreign.

Well, make the call, then; tell Margot that for various reasons, you can't leave your dorm at this time. Be very apologetic and ask if she's willing to reschedule. If she brings up the idea of coming over to your place, explain that it won't be safe for her to leave until the situation's over. Even before that, she should turn around and not approach if she sees any suspicious individuals near the dorm building.

Invite Margot over, you’re too tired to go out, but would feel emotionally recharged if she came to see you.

Best to reschedule

Um... can you tell Kibble, before she definitely leaves or via phone, NOT to kill the guy. Just really intimidate him?

tippler 2021/03/26(Fri)16:47 No. 993223 ID: eedbeb
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>Can you tell Kibble not to kill the guy?

Once you told Kibble about the werewolf, he was doomed. That girl is out for blood and nothing short of vigorous threats against her loved ones will make her stop, and you’re not the one about to make those threats.

>Call Margot

You fling yourself onto the bed and quell the nervous flutter in your gut. Margot is…a friend. Someone you like spending time with doing normal person things like getting food and playing video games. She doesn’t mind your occasional weird outbursts and she’s not trying to use you, you think.

You’ve been flirting and dropping hints, but you haven’t had the talk. Do you want to be in a relationship? The thought is vaguely terrifying.
With a sigh, you haul out your phone and press it to you ear.

“Hey, it’s Jadis.” you say when she picks up.

“Hi.” Margot chirps. “Got out of a meeting with my supervisor, was just about to text you. We still good for the movie later?”

“Sorry, I need to reschedule, a gang of werewolves is after me and I shouldn’t leave campus to be safe. Do you mind coming here? Kibble is out so we’ll have some privacy.”

“Sure! I’d love to see your dorm.” Margot says.

“It’s not that impressive.” you mumble.

“You can show me your project too, then. Send me the address and I’ll be over in an hour.”

I'm surprised she was so nonplussed about the werewolf thing. And at the same time, if the werewolves are targeting you, they'd certs know about Margot by now.

Ask her to come over sooner in the day rather than later. Er, before that... ask if there's anyone there with her. If she's suddenly asked such a direct question, even you should be able to tell if she's trying to lie or deflect.

If she passes this test, then hell yeah. Do warn her to turn around and walk away if she sees anyone suspicious near the dorm building.

Before you send the address, ask if there's anyone with her.
If she deflects the question send her a nearby address you can see from your dorm. Actually maybe you should do that regardless. If she arrives alone you can just go meet her and bring her to your real place.

Send her the address, any werewolves that would want to hunt you down would already know where you are considering that the wolf is a government retriever.

And she will show up with her pet human and make a mess.

tippler 2021/03/27(Sat)08:23 No. 993321 ID: eedbeb
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>Be suspicious

After you hang up, you review the conversation. Was it weird that Margot didn’t seem surprised by the werewolf comment? She hasn’t expressed much interest in your family’s business, though you’ve told her it’s pretty dangerous so she probably assumed that sort of thing was normal.

The dorm building has a laughable electronic lock on the outside doors, and you have a short nap before going to make sure Margot has come alone. She waves at you cheerfully from behind the glass and you feel a pang of guilt for suspecting her. You exchange basic pleasantries until you reach the safety of your room.

What do you want to do while Margot is here?

>>993321
I mean, we were worried about her being kidnapped, not that she was a spy...

Show her your project, tell her about how you're stuck, play some motherfuckin video games.

... well, there's that video game you've been putting off trying in favor of snipping off pieces of your soul.

Orrr you can actually show her your project.

But she might get turned off by that, so maybe video game first, project later?

Vidgame.

Play some Videojames and then show her your project!!!

tippler 2021/03/27(Sat)12:29 No. 993381 ID: eedbeb
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>Video Games

You dust off the portable console you have resting on the dresser, which you had left in your room for Kibble when she moved in. It looks like she’s barely touched it, preferring her books over having fun.

There’s a save file of Pocemon from one of the newer games where you can play with another person. You have no idea what’s happening, but Margot seems to know exactly where your little character is supposed to go.

“It’s a remake of the first gen game, the second remake, actually. I’ve played it a bunch of times before” she explains.

“I hope it’s not boring. I want to wait for Kibble to come back before we visit the lab. She’s uh, assassinating someone right now.” you say.

Margot stiffens.

Look, it wasn't your idea. A bunch of werewolves attacked your sister and your dad wanted them dealt with. He asked for Kibble, even though you would've liked to take care of it yourself, and she was enthusiastic about it because, in her own words, when she leaves she’ll either be feared or pitied, and she'd rather be feared.
You did manage to convince her to target the leader instead of the entire group, though, so at least you managed to prevent a slaughter.

"My sister now has a permanent medical condition because a gang of upstarts wanted to mark territories by maiming Family members with a disease. So Kibble, having had her life ruined by a medical condition, forcefully accepted the job to teach the gang what it means to give people scars that bite."

>>993381
It's the best solution really.

Tell her... you can talk about it, if she'd like. Or she can stay 100 % out of your family business, 'n that's fine too, although, for the record - Guy's at least got it coming and Kibble's not being forced or anything.

If she wants you to talk about it, tell her the guy's a politico / corrupt crime-type, and your parents are, well, into that life. Some toe-stepping turf thing probably went real serious somewhere, and, well... normally you don't care for this sort of stuff enough to involve yourself, but the asshole got your sister were-bit and is trying to do you the same, last you heard. Basically he'd ruin you and your sister's lives to show he could and put the fear of the same in others.

That type is better shut down hard, so when you got told the news and go asked if Kibble could do him in...

Just sigh and shrug.

You were - still am, a bit - mad, so you asked. Kibble was surprisingly okay with trying - got hella enthusiastic. Something something 'I'd rather be feared and loathed, than just loathed' was the gist. You think the Timmy's gotten into her head a bit, maybe?

'n now you gotta see how it all pans out.

tippler 2021/03/27(Sat)17:11 No. 993429 ID: eedbeb
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“Do you want to talk about it?” you ask. “It’s all justified from my point of view, though I wasn’t the one who wanted her to do it.”

Margot sighs. “I appreciate the honesty, but I don’t want to get involved. I’m just worried that what we have isn’t sustainable since we’re so different.”

“Eh?” You are both very excited and very worried.

“I like spending time with you. I think you’re cool and interesting and smart, but I don’t want to put myself or Cookie in danger. He’s really set on becoming a witch, and right now you’re his best bet for lessons.”

Margot’s compliments make you trip over your words. “I like spending time with you too. I’m doing—going clean and the hit wasn’t my idea, I’m trying to distance myself from my dad and all that stuff.”

She doesn’t meet your eyes and you panic. You don’t know how to reassure her.

>>993429
Ask what you can do so she knows she's safe.

It's best to give her context as to what's happening.

Tell her about how you didn't want to hurt nobody until your dad told you how your sister and her bodyguard got bit by a werewolf from an underling-turned rival gang of your dad's.

Aw man, it's happening again. Your family's business is pushing the ones who could be closest to you away. Again.

Ffffuck this shit. You gotta go call off the hit. Your sister didn't ask for it, even explicitly told you not to escalate. She never cared about her magic that much, and she'll be drowning in suppression potions from here until the hereafter.

And you... you can handle yourself.

You need to get ready to start publicly snipping mafia family ties and figure out a way to peace up with the werewolf gang on an individual level. Discounted suppression potions might do. Flood the market for a bit. Earn some capital to stand on your own, too, since you won't have access to your family's resources. Can't be leaning on those perks if you want to make it obvious you're through with this.

... you'll miss 'em, though.

But. Margot. Even if you just stay friends, that's at least, well, a friend. You'd want Kibble on your side, too. Gotta convince her to be YOUR bud, not your DAD's monster (or at least not JUST your dad's monster). Besides, you'd need that level of a bodyguard if you plan to go solo and assholes still think to try to use you against your father.

>>993441
It's, uh... a little late to call off Kibble, I think.

"Look, I'm normally not... involved in my dad's business. I've always tried to stay out of it. But this one time, these werewolf jackasses decided they'd be going after his family - i.e., me and my sister, whom they've already bitten, by the way. I wouldn't have even considered passing his message along to Kibble if I wasn't already in the crosshairs myself."

Assure her that you're already not as directly close to your father's business as most people think, and if that doesn't work:
"Look... You say we're too 'different,' but that's just it; I'm different. You're the same as all the other normal people of this world who... who feel intimidated by my family, and... there's nothing wrong with that. Not like I can just up and stop being some bigshot don's daughter, no matter how much I want to. Parents are like the one thing you really can't choose for yourself..."

tippler 2021/03/27(Sat)19:43 No. 993463 ID: eedbeb
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It’s happening again. Your family business is pushing people away from you, though at least this time it’s not your fault.

“What can I do so that you know you’re safe?” you ask quietly.

Margot sniffs, blinks, and rubs her nose. “I don’t want you to change for my sake. Do what you want.”

You drop your controller and it bounces off the ground, game forgotten. You gently put your hands on Margot’s shoulders and she looks at you with watery eyes.

“I’m not doing for you. I’m doing it because it’s what I should have done years ago. I’m going to cuts ties with my parents and be independent, get away from their shadow. I’ll try to help the werewolves though they’ll probably be pissed, maybe make a bunch of potions for them. If you don’t want to be my friend anymore, that’s fine. You’ve helped me see what I was missing and I’m grateful for that.”

Margot seems stunned by your monologue and you let go of her like you were burned, cursing yourself, but she grabs your hand before you can clench it by your side.

“Let’s give it some time, but I want to be your friend.” she says. “When you feel like you’re ready, we can hang out again.”

>>993463
Cool. That's cool. You will need time to get free and find your footing before you're ready to start having those stress-free friendships.

But again, it might be a little late to find an alternate way of dealing with the werewolves in particular. Kibble already ran off with the torch, so consider that bridge burned. But hey, that problem's still probably fixed (even if not in the way you or your sister would have preferred), so... yay?

... Actually, maybe we should focus on our thesis first; get that degree (and make sure dad's taken care of the tuition for real) before you really start to cut ties. One problem at a time.

>>993463
but I want to hang out noooowwww

Pretty much this >>993470

tippler 2021/03/28(Sun)07:55 No. 993525 ID: eedbeb
File 161694332561.png - (144.61KB , 1000x900 , p55.png )

>It might be a little late for an alternate way to deal with the werewolves

You’re planning for the post assassination werewolves, hopefully earn some good will before someone else takes power and tries for revenge.

>One problem at a time

“I guess you better go then.” you sigh. You turn away to check for monsters in the surrounding area with a spell. “Should be safe. I’ll see you—later.”

Margot leaves and you sit on the bed to mope. Once Kibble comes back you’ll go straight to the lab and keep working until your project is done. Your degree is the most important piece of your future independence.

tippler 2021/03/28(Sun)07:55 No. 993526 ID: eedbeb
File 161694333630.png - (112.60KB , 1000x900 , p56.png )

You wait another hour before you hear the rattle of the key in your lock. Kibble walks in, shirt torn and face framed with a blood spatter.

“How’d it go?” you ask.

Kibble comes to stand by the bed, mouth twitching around her words. “Murder,” she finally says. “Is not legal.”

No. No it is not.
You didn't kill any cops, did you?

"... Want to check my room for bedbugs?"

Ask Kibble if anybody saw her all bloodied like that.

Also talk about Margot and how she kind of broke up with you after she found out about the whole situation.

Suggestion 2021/03/28(Sun)09:36 No. 993542 ID: 46a721

How many died? And how do you feel about it?

Might have to throw some money at the cops.

Oh right you should call your dad so he can pull strings for Kibble. And so you can tell him you're getting out.

tippler 2021/03/28(Sun)12:26 No. 993556 ID: eedbeb
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You wait for Kibble to elaborate, but instead the cat mutters a string of profanities and takes off her sunglasses to reveal worried eyes.

“Did the cops show up? We have an arrangement with them so you should be okay, they know who’s a target.” you say.

“No, I mean, yes they did but they weren’t a problem.” Kibble sits down heavily next to you. “I rushed into this. I thought I could just walk in there and do it no problem, but after the other employees got over the shock and realized I wasn’t going to hurt them, they were so upset. Now I feel bad.”

“You were pretty enthusiastic about eating a guy.” you admit. Not everyone had your colorful upbringing, so you can understand if not relate to Kibble’s experience.

Kibble pulls off the ruined shirt, barely more than a rag, and tosses it into the corner. “I might be imagining it, but I think I can feel the dog wiggling around inside me. Is that normal? It’s not a weird guilt response, right?”

>>993556
Pshht! Search me! You're pretty unique, lady. It might be responding to your guilt? Maybe it can sense your distress and it's getting antsy? I honestly could not tell you.
Look, just... take it easy, alright? The job is over, nobody who wasn't supposed to get hurt got hurt, you're okay, and life goes on. Can I get you anything> Drink? Meds?

>>993556
...is he still alive? I guess you could try spitting him out.
If he's still alive, you could use his soul to power your project.

>>993556
let's find out about if it's real or psychosomatic, lay down and relax

>>993556
If she swallowed them whole, then maybe?

Technically her insides are a conglomerate of a Timmy and a pocket space, so it could be they're still kicking around in there. Or it could be a special thing Timmies do? Treading new ground here, really.

Does she think she could spit them up again? How badly mauled did they end up before she ate him?

Anyway, good news if she don't actually ever wanna do this again: you've kind of settled on cutting ties with your dad. This assassination business put Margot off and that was pretty much the final straw. You'd like to keep a friend or two around for once in your life.

Realize this could be what you've been waiting for and fail to hide that insane grin.

Take a magical look at her.

Oh yeah use soul sight to find out if he's still alive.

tippler 2021/03/28(Sun)16:44 No. 993588 ID: eedbeb
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You raise an eyebrow. “How can you feel inside your pocket space? You don’t have nerves in there or anything. Wait—Timmy didn’t kill him before it ate him?”

“I was kind of nervous and it just swallowed.” Kibble cranes her neck and tries to look into her chest mouth. “Fuck, what if he’s slowly suffocating? I didn’t want to make him suffer.”

“I’ll check it out, don’t worry.” you say soothingly. You place your hands carefully on the jagged edges of Kibble’s chest, more like a flexible, hollow shell than real flesh. Kibble leans to one side and you stick your head through the gap.