>>3231073
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>>3231073
You fall into the swamped City, the sword in your stomach pinning you to the ground. You grab it with both hands, even though you hadn’t done that before but it’s no use. There’s no use. Alba stands over you, a silhouette painted with stark white handprints.

“Please...no! Don’t do this!”

She pulls her sabre out of you and, just as she’s always done, kicks you in the stomach to flip you over. You dry heave and as you do, Alba bends down and grabs your hair. It tangles in her fingers and your scalp burns as she uses it to lift your head just an inch...before slamming your face down into the tainted muck.

You struggle. You fight. It doesn’t do anything. The filthy ooze washes over you as she pushes you down and, unable to breath, your mouth opens by reflex. The burning filth rushes into your throat, scours your nostrils and settles within you. You are drowning and there is nothing you can do. She pushes you down, deeper and deeper…

And then you wake up with a gasp.


The early morning is cold but you are covered in sweat all the same, gluing the tangled bedsheets to you. You stare down at your hands and for a moment, wonder if someone else made that decision. The room is unfamiliar to you but you know that if you were to look out the window, you’d see the empty street of the wasp graveyard.
It has been two days since your duel with Alba and you still haven’t gone home yet. And the nightmares haven’t stopped.

Pale pre-dawn light is leaking into the room, the sun having risen in the Lesser Realms but yet to crest the horizon here in Aquitae Cogituum. You stare at the wall and hope you didn’t wake Adriana. You don’t want to feel like you’re being a burden to her right now.


>Go for a walk. That should clear your head. And who knows, maybe you have someplace you’d like to visit…

>Try to go back to sleep.

>Start your training regime. A tired body is a clear mind.

>Wake Adriana.

>Other (Specify)

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>>3231081
>Start your training regime. A tired body is a clear mind.

Welcome back Ouro

>>3231081
>>Start your training regime. A tired body is a clear mind.
I guess if we can distract ourselves, the better it will be

>>3231081
>>Go for a walk. That should clear your head. And who knows, maybe you have someplace you’d like to visit…
I'm ready for more suffering

>>3231081
>>Start your training regime. A tired body is a clear mind.

Vote called, writing.

>Start your training regime. A tired body is a clear mind.

You don’t have any of your equipment but that’s no barrier, there’s still plenty of stuff you can do without it. And it’s something you need to do. You didn’t do your exercises yesterday, you mostly just lay in bed and decompressed. And while that might have been necessary after what happened, it’s not a habit you can afford to make.
The first step to a healthy mind is a healthy body. And it sure wouldn’t be the first time you’ve relied on your training regime to smoke out bad thoughts!

You start with your jumps, shifting into an en garde position with your front foot held off the ground. Propelling yourself purely with your back foot, you jump forward with as much power as you can. You nearly hit the wall landing with your front foot still held high and your back foot still in the exact same direction as it had started in.
Hrmph. Your control is wobblier than it should be.

You repeat this fourteen more times on your left foot and then switch your stance to do another fifteen on your right. And after that, you’ll swap back to your left and do another fift-
A slight cough breaks your concentration and you nearly don’t stick the landing, slamming your hand into the wall to keep yourself upright.

Adriana is standing in the doorway, her pale blonde hair a wispy mess. That’s unusual for her, she normally combs her hair first thing in the morning. You must have woken her up! She’s wearing a black nightgown that, while mostly baggy, clings just enough to her hips to draw your eye. She looks tired but she’s got a faint smile on her face.
“Don’t let me distract you,” she says.

“Did I wake you up?”

“It’s fine. I was supposed to wake up around this time anyway, it gives me more time.”
You can’t tell if she means that or not. After all, it’s not like she can say that you waking her up can be bad.

“And what are you smiling about, eh?”
You like to see her smile. It feels rare enough, even now.

“You.”

“O-oh.”
You’re currently wearing nothing but an undershirt and a pair of bloomers and now, all of a sudden, you feel rather self-conscious about this!


>Stop training. You can spend time helping Adriana instead.

>”Could you spare a body to go walking with me?”

>”Good. Keep watching then.” Continue your training. You are undaunted!

>”Do you want to try it out with me?”

>Other (Specify)

>>3231251
>”Do you want to try it out with me?”

>>3231251
>>Stop training. You can spend time helping Adriana instead.
We could do some heavy lifting or throw out garbage for her...

>>3231251
>”Good. Keep watching then.” Continue your training. You are undaunted!
>I just need to finish this, I was rather understandably lax in my training and I would hate to get ring rust, even if I know it'd never happen.

>>3231251
>”Good. Keep watching then.” Continue your training. You are undaunted!

Vote called, writing.

>”Good. Keep watching then.” Continue your training. You are undaunted!

“Good,” you say, feeling a prickling warmth at the idea of being watched. “Keep watching then.”
You leap again and again, always conscious of the woman in the doorway. It feels awkward but in an oddly enjoyable way.
After that, you move on to standing long jumps. You do them in the hallway. Adriana claps at a few of them and sounds suitably impressed. You hope it’s real. You really like the idea that it’s real.

“So what are these for?”

“Duelling,” you say and then, a moment later realizing that probably doesn’t explain anything, continue. “What’s really important in a duel isn’t so much outright strength or sustainability but, oh hold on a moment, let me catch my breath…explosiveness. It’s about how much power you can slam out all at once and how quick you can do it.”

“So that’s what the jumps are for?”

Having finished roughly forty five long jumps, you get started on your reverse long jumps. Standing en-garde with your front foot held high, you leap backwards as far as you can and land perfectly with your front foot still extended. Alright! Now you just need to do fourteen more and then repeat that whole chain two more times!
“Legs are important,” you pant.

“They certainly are.”

“When I’m duelling, I need to be able to pull distance and disengage. So I’ve got to be able jump in...in quick bursts and to do it at any time with perfect precision. It’s important. It’s the difference between being bled and being not.”

“So what do you do with your arms?”
Adriana has a lot of interest in your body.


“Oh, I don’t start those yet. Even when I finish all these jumps I generally do a bunch of squats next. Though speaking of which, do you have something heavy?”

“To lift?”

“Not quite. Oh don’t get me wrong, lifting is all fine and good. But I,” your mime tossing something away from your chest. “Throwing stuff is better for duelling. I have special ball back home but-”

“I’ll go get it,” Adriana says. “I’m already at the market on your street so it won’t be a big issue. You just keep working.”

Is she now? What an odd coincidence that almost certainly isn’t. But you don’t say that.
“Okay. Now watch this.”

After you finish your squats and your vertical jumps, you move on to bench dips. It’s something to do with your arms that doesn’t need any tools. You can do them pretty much anywhere! In this case you use the table downstairs while Adriana looks on in awe.

“Do you really think it’s that impressive?,” you stop to say and then chide yourself for doing so. What’s the point of that question? She’s just going to say yes no matter what!

“Triceps,” is all she initially has to say. “I mean, yes! Very impressive.”

“Oh, is that what you’re into?”

Adriana looks away.
“No comment.”

1/2

>>3231476
“You don’t have to act so bashful about it. You’ve been perving on me this whole time, it’s really obvious. And...it’s appreciated.”

“I’m just happy to see that you’re up and about. After yesterday and the day before that, I was worried.”
She ends her sentence there because she is unable to say more.

She's thinking about two days ago. You don't want to think about two days ago. So instead you'll think of literally anything else.

>Tease her a little more.

>”I’m not the kind of person to stay down. Unless you’d like me to, of course.”

>”So what else are you doing right now? Besides watching me and going shopping, that is?”

>”Do you have any plans for today?”

>Other (Specify)

>>3231486
>”Do you have any plans for today?”

>>3231486
>>”Do you have any plans for today?”

We've got money from Lorrin right, we could probably get something together with Adriana. Or I don't know, have a picnic

>>3231486
>>”Do you have any plans for today?”

Let's not to forget that the library has a book that appears to be about Thirteen. We should swing by there and grab that sometime today.

Vote called, writing.

>”Do you have any plans for today?”

There, that’s enough for now. Maybe it’s not the full regime but it’s enough to make you a panting and sweaty mess. A mess that is bereft of foul thoughts and muck. You try to lean casually against the table.
“Say Adriana, do you have any plans for today?”

“Yes. I always have plans.”

“Oh sorry, what I mean is, do you have any plans for one of your bodies? I’d like to steal it away with me if that’s possible.”

“Of course,” she says and you know it’s the truth. Adriana always has time to spare. She has nine times the time as anyone else. Right now I’m shopping, sweeping, dusting, sweeping again, reading a book, making tea, sweeping and taking care of Lazario.”

“You named him!”

“Why wouldn’t I? He’s..a son, I guess. I never thought I’d have one.”

“How has he been anyway?”

“He’s at the other end of the street. And he has been a lovely little creature, even when he cries. But thanks to your godmother he is well fed and he never wants for attention.”

“I bet he doesn’t. He’s got nine mothers!”

“Ten if you count Vespa, she likes to play with him. And eleven if you count you.”

“I haven’t really taken care of him though.”
And you don’t really want to.

“That’s not quite what I meant. But moving on, yes this body is all yours for today. What did you have in mind?”

Before you can answer, the front door opens and Adriana walks in from the street. She’s holding a tray with a teapot and three cups. One for you, two for her.

“Oh thanks! And as for what I was thinking of…”


>”Do you want to go out? On a date?”

>”Let’s go see some of my friends.” You certainly feel as if you need it.

>”I was thinking we could just stay here. But together.”

>”I want your help investigating Alba.”

>"Let's go set fire to a certain publishing house. Together."

>Other (Specify)

>>3231717
>”Do you want to go out? On a date?”
We could swing by the library during said date like >>3231541 said.

>>3231717
>”Let’s go see some of my friends.” You certainly feel as if you need it.

>>3231717
>”Let’s go see some of my friends.” You certainly feel as if you need it.
I, uh, won a duel earlier and got paid. Let's have a coffee

>>3231717
>”Let’s go see some of my friends.” You certainly feel as if you need it.

>>3231759
Swing by Nards and her dad's shop? So Ouro can finally stop saying we are neglecting her?

>>3231770
Yes, also, I was hoping that Gloriana will drop by. If only to mock us for the article.

Vote called, writing.

>”Let’s go see some of my friends.” You certainly feel as if you need it.

“How about we go see some of my friends? Maybe take you somewhere nice?”
To tell the truth, you feel like you need to. Right now all you need to do is relax, chill out and have a good time. No duels, no fighting, no booklets, no lingering existential fear about the loss of agency or selfhood.

“Meeting new…”

“...people?”

And just like that you remember her anxiety in such situations.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell them anything unduly. And I think it’d be good for you. Please?”

“You know I can’t say no to you. In any sense of the word.”

“If it gets uncomfortable just tell me and I’ll get you out of there right away. Now, I’ve got a few people in mind that I think would appreciate our visit.”
The answer is everyone, of course. Everyone has to appreciate your visit.


>Vespa. She’s just down the street after all.

>Maccio. You’d like to spend some time with him.

>Leonarda. You haven’t seen her for a while.

.>Sabino. Adriana already knows him after all.

>Isidora. There’s something else you wanted to talk to her about.

>Gloriana. You’re sure the two of them would get along. Right?

>Giuseppina. She owes Adriana a lot.

>Lanzo. It might be the closest thing you have to taking her to meet your parents.

>No, that’s not it. There are so many other people you could inflict yourself upon! (Specify)

>>3231920
>Leonarda. You haven’t seen her for a while.
Nards!

>>3231920
>Sabino.

>>3231920
>>Leonarda. You haven’t seen her for a while.
A coffee and a chat. Hopefully it won't overwhelm Adriana. Let's take it slow.

>>3231920
>>Leonarda. You haven’t seen her for a while.

>>3231943
That or buy something to chew on from the shop and a thermos of coffee to go off somewhere private with Adriana... Preferably after chatting with leonarda.

Vote called, writing.

>Leonarda. You haven’t seen her for a while.

“There’s a girl I know who should be happy to see me. She’s the daughter of a client and I helped her out of a sticky situation once. She’s also an aspiring humourist.”

“Like a…”

“... fascina?”

“No, she’s serious. Though she has given me some, uh, recreational mixes before. She’s a real old hand at it too!”

Adriana looks down with both of her heads.
“I…”

“...cannot partake.”

“Right, that’s understandable. So maybe we won’t do that but it should still be fun! I want to see how she’s been going and I think it’d be good for you to meet new people. But she doesn’t have to know about you unless you want her to, alright?”

“Alright.”
The body that had been carrying the tea steps forward.
“I’ll accompany you with this one…”

“....since it’s already dressed. But…”

“...you need a bath.”

“Hah yeah, I suppose I do. Will I have company?”

That has the desired effect.
“I-I…”

“Nah I know, I know. Just give me a few minutes.”

*****

You’re not dressed in your duelling outfit, even if it’s the fanciest thing you own. You’d be happy if you could avoid wearing it for a long while. Instead you’ve opted for a baggy white tunic and a pair of long black trousers held up by suspenders with a flat cap sitting atop your hair as it dries.
“How do I look?”

“Fantastic as ever,” Adriana says, the older woman wearing her usual black dress and with her pale blonde hair drawn up in a bun. “Though it makes me think Sofia, do you wear any dresses?”

“S’not really my style. Why?”

“I just think it’d look good on you.”

“Obviously. I can make anything look good. But what about you? All I see out of you are gowns and skirts and dresses and...I appreciate that for sure but do you own anything else? I feel like pants are just more practical.”

“I’ve been forced to weare more trousers than I ever want to again.”

“Oh?”
And then you recall her past and mentally smack yourself on the forehead for bringing it up.
“You look great in a dress anyway, it really doesn’t matter.”

You link arms with her and step out the door.

“Will it just be the three of us?,” Adriana asks.


>”Yeah. I don’t want to do humours with anyone else.”

>”Now that you say so, maybe there’s someone I want to invite to this…”

>”You can bring another you if you want.”

>Other (Specify)

>>3232190
>”Yeah. I don’t want to do humours with anyone else.”

>>3232190
>unless something happens, probably.

>>3232190
>>”Yeah. I don’t want to do humours with anyone else.”

Though wait, didn't we literally just say we weren't going to do humours since Adriana can't?

>>3232229
Sofia's still thinking about possibly doing it herself, even if Adriana can't.

>>3232234
Getting high when your guest can't seems kinda rude.

Not finished reading, but:
>Maccio could be compromised
>The one thing we're sure is NotMe is the reforged bit from Leonarda. That might be a lead of some sort. Also the thirteen book.
>We could contact the lawyer guy and ask them what they use as protection from handprint
>We could tell gloriana about our foreign friend

>>3232190
>”Yeah. I don’t want to do humours with anyone else.”

Vote called, writing.

A bit of a delay on this one. I was eating.

>”Yeah. I don’t want to do humours with anyone else. Maybe I won’t do any of them at all, seems rude to do it without you.”

“I wouldn’t want be the cause of you having a bad time.”

“I can have a good time without corpse juice!”

The second dawn is just beginning as the two of you, elbows still linked, cross the street and set foot onto the busy canal beyond it. The water ripples beneath you, the sights and sounds of an early morning Apocalypsis there to greet you.
The canal is a bit more clogged than usual, the result of two gondolas having collided. The boatmen are getting into a fistfight and even as they draw a crowd, some kind of ragged philosophy-anarchist is taking their chance to paint yet another of the Eyes of Apocalypsis across their prows. The crude eye swivels, its pupil pointing directly at you.

“How are you taking to life in Apocalypsis?,” you ask, sidestepping a floating lantern that the lamplighters must have forgotten to collect and extinguish.

“It has its upsides. Oh, watch out!”
Adriana pulls you to the side as a group of fascina of an unknown sort boisterously dunk a mannequin into the canal. The dummy is a creation of blank wood save for the single eye etched over its blank face. And as the bizarre ritual continues, it only struggles a little.

At the corner up ahead, a vendor has set up illegally and is selling an assortment of glass lenses of dubious qualities. They’re probably blind-lenses and thus of some controversy, particularly the fabric-blind ones. Beside them is a set of glass dentures that are constantly screaming.

But the strangest and happiest thing of all is that you don’t see a single copy of that accursed booklet anywhere. At no point here do you have to bear the unreal Sofia’s vacuous gaze. It’s a liberating feeling and it makes sense. Only here, the capital of Fascination, would something so tawdry and populist go completely unheeded.
And as much as you want to distrust fascina and their obsessions, at least they’re not obsessing over you. ...That you know of.


>Buy something for Adriana while you’re here.

>Just hurry onto Leonarda’s as quickly as you can.

>Ask the fascina about the drowning ritual.

>Get involved with the gondola dispute. Maybe you could drum up some clients?

>Other (specify)

>>3232419
>>Ask the fascina about the drowning ritual.
Cause I'm curious

>>3232419
>Get involved with the gondola dispute. Maybe you could drum up some clients?

>>3232419
>Ask the fascina about the drowning ritual.

>>3232419
>Ask the fascina about the drowning ritual.

Vote called, writing.

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>Ask the fascina about the drowning ritual.

“Hey assholes!,” you call out to the people drowning the mannequin. “Watch out where you throw that thing around! You nearly swiped me with it!”
You stride over with the absolute confidence of someone who knows they cannot be gainsaid, Adriana still arm in arm.

“Ah terribly sorry signorina,” the man holding the mannequin’s head underwater says. He’s an older man and rather doughy, though you can’t see much of that because just like the others, he’s wrapped in a thick robe. “This won’t take much longer.”
The dummy shakes under his grip, wooden hands clawing at the water.

“Okay. What’s even the purpose of this, anyway?”
Oh boy you sure hope that getting involved in this won’t cause you to be turned into a mannequin or something. That doesn’t seem likely but at this point in your career you can’t be too careful.

“It’s a scapegoat,” he says, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “We must drown it every week so that nobody else does.”

Adriana meets his gaze.
“And it works?”

“You don’t see anyone drowning, do you?”

“Nobody drowns in the canal, that’s true,” Adriana says. “But that’s because sinking is illegal unless you have a license.”

“You can’t say it doesn’t do anything!”

“Very true,” she says diplomatically. “Let’s go Sofia.”

“Huh? But I wanted to know more ab-”
You stop talking as Adriana’s grip tightens, her fingers sticking almost painfully into the muscle.
“Right. Ciao!”

When you’ve taken about twenty paces down the street, Adriana leans in close and whispers in your ear.
“He was lying. I’m not sure why but he really wanted to hurt that mannequin. That was all he had on his mind.”

You sigh, long and slowly.
“The thing’s a fucking person or something, isn’t it? It’s going to be something horrific and fucked up that will ruin the rest of our day.”

“I’ll deal with it,” Adriana promises. “You can just keep walking with me and having fun.”

“Isn’t that dangerous to do it on your own?”
Adriana just raises an eyebrow and you remember who you’re talking to. There’s few things in the City more dangerous than her.

“I’m just going to talk to the constables about it initially,” she admits. “It’s not a big deal. There’s no need for you to get involved.”


>She’s right. You trust her to handle herself and there’s no need to spoil the day right when it’s just begun.

>No, now that you know about it’s going to be niggling at you all day unless you see something done about it yourself!

>Other (Specify)

>>3232569
>She’s right. You trust her to handle herself and there’s no need to spoil the day right when it’s just begun.

She's got this.

>>3232569
>She’s right. You trust her to handle herself and there’s no need to spoil the day right when it’s just begun.
I trust you on this, but if it doesn't work call me ok?

>>3232569

>She’s right. You trust her to handle herself and there’s no need to spoil the day right when it’s just begun.

Vote called, writing.

>She’s right. You trust her to handle herself and there’s no need to spoil the day right when it’s just begun.

“You know what?,” you say. “You’re right. You can handle yourself and it’s really something for the constabulary anyway.”
Besides, what would you do about it that she can’t? Not everything needs to rest upon your shoulders. It’s nothing you need to trouble yourself over. Let someone who’s nine times more capable take care of it.
“You know Adriana,” you say thoughtfully as you keep walking. “It would be very easy to get dependent on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You can do pretty much anything and you don’t even have to stop being with me right now to do it. All I’d have to do is ask for something and one of your others bodies could do it. You can be having fun with me and still do the work of eight people at the same time. If I’m not careful, I could get used to this!”

“I...I want you to get used to it,” Adriana says slowly, as if sounding out the idea.

“Pardon?”

“I think it’s fine for you to depend on me, Sofia. I’d like that.”

You think back to how your morning has gone. You haven’t been alone all day, Adriana has been attending to you the entire time. Any time you’ve wanted something, she’s gone and done it for you. And since she’s nine people, it’s really not a big deal to ask that of her!
So imagine...wouldn’t this be how your life is like if the two of you ever live together? If you genuinely did move in with her? She’d pamper you in every aspect of your life. Anything you want to do, she’ll do for you. And why wouldn’t she? After all outside of duelling, what can you do that she can’t do much better? And she’ll protect you too. She’s immune to the Handprint and if anyone infested tried to attack you, she could kill them instantly. She’s one of the most powerful creatures in the entire City and she wants you to depend on her.

That sounds great, right? So why does it make you feel vaguely uneasy?

“I can understand why you’d be uneasy,” Adriana says, upsetting the already-tilted power balance further by reminding you that she can live inside your head without you noticing. “I am a monster after all.”

“No! That’s not what I think of you!”
You wish you could stop that reflexive pang of fear from springing up in your mind whenever you’re reminded of Adriana’s true nature. You wish that she didn’t have to see it. But thankfully it also means that she can see that you want to apologise.
“There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“I suppose so,” she says. “After all, you wouldn’t devote yourself to anyone unworthy, would you?”

“That’s right. I don’t make wrong choices. So just remember that.”
What were you even anxious about again? So what if she’s more powerful than you, that’s not an issue. After all, you just said so. If it really bothered you, you would have told her that.

>>3232695
****

You catch Leonarda walking out of her father’s coffee shop, the diminutive woman wearing a long white cloak over a navy blouse and a skirt so long that it almost drags in the water of the canal. She’s holding a large black handbag and jumps back when she sees you.
“S-sofia! You’re back!”

“You better believe I am! What’s been happening, Lea?”

“I’ve got the job at the hospital! Remember, the one I talked to you about? I was just heading there now but it’s fine, I can do something else if you want to.”

“I wouldn’t bother you like that Lea. This is Adriana, by the way. Adriana, Leonarda. Leonarda, Adriana. Adriana, Leonarda is my good friend, technically former client and occasional humour supplier.”

Lea smiles at the description.
“That does just about sum me up, doesn’t it? And who is she?”


>”Adriana is a friend of mine.”

>”We’re lovers.” Not technically true but eh.

>”We’re stepping out, if you catch my drift.”

>Other (Specify)

>>3232697
>>”We’re stepping out, if you catch my drift.”
I think this equates to going out?

>>3232700
Yes.

>>3232697
>>”We’re stepping out, if you catch my drift.”
>Congratulate her on getting the job

>>3232697
>Adrianna is a dear close friend of mine.

>>3232697
>”Adriana is a friend of mine.”

>>3232712
>>3232697
This

Vote called, writing.

>”We’re stepping out, if you catch my drift.”

Well, this is a first. You’ve never told anyone about your relationship with Adriana so in an odd way, it hasn’t really felt official. To tell Leonarda like this is to tell yourself and to tell Adriana too, since she’s listening. And you could just say she’s just a friend. Adriana would be hurt but she’d get over it.
But you don’t want to do that!
“We’re stepping out, if you catch my drift.”
There, that’s a good way to put it. There’s no need to get salacious about something that hasn’t happened.

Adriana smiles and gives you a knowing look. Good to know that she approves of your thoughts, you guess.

‘The t-two of you?,” Leonarda stammers. “Oh. I see. I didn’t know you were like that, Sofia.”

“Really? I always thought it was obvious. But all this is just a minor detail. I’ve come out here, under the early morning light, to spend some time with you. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Lea grins.
“It has! Do you still have any of that last present left?”

“Oh no, it’s all used up!”

“Well I’ll just have to get you another one. I can prepare it at the hospital if you want.”

That is a mighty tempting offer, it is true. Just peacing out and getting high with Lea has been a fond memory but...Adriana can’t imbibe. Or at least, she can’t without becoming a massive threat to all around her. Is it okay for you and Lea to partake later and leave her out of it?

“It’s okay,” Adriana says.

Is it?


>”Not today Lea. I don’t do that stuff anymore.”

>”I’ll gladly take it as a gift but I won’t drink it with you. Adriana can’t and I don’t want to leave her out.”

>”Sure, that’ll be fun!” You have Adriana’s permission after all!

>Other (Specify)

>>3232854
>”I’ll gladly take it as a gift but I won’t drink it with you. Adriana can’t and I don’t want to leave her out.”

Though maybe we can word it a bit differently in that we'll get high together some other time, but not today.

>>3232854
>"Raincheck on that for sure Lea. Also I don't want to make you late for work so let's walk and talk. How has the hospital been?"

>>3232893

Seconding. It's nice to set up a future engagement so we don't neglect her so badly. She is of course, a friend.

Now that 4chan is working again, vote called and writing.

Guys, what do you think of buying a good safe box for our trophies, in the event any of the many enemies we have gathered tries to torch our house? If our precious trophies get burned, we would lose a tremendous amount of our duelling strength

Actually nevermind, the vote is open again. I'm just really tired so I'm going to rest for a few hours before I resume updating. Vote will remain open until then.

>>3232854
I'll change >>3232875 to seconding >>3232893

>>3232854
>,Not today Lea, I don't do that stuff anymore.

>>3232854
Seconding >>3232893

Alright, I'm feeling awake for a bit. Vote called and writing.

We should go challenge the magazine to another honor duel.

>"Raincheck on that for sure Lea. Also I don't want to make you late for work so let's walk and talk. How has the hospital been?"

Even if Adriana says it’s okay, you don’t want to do that. You brought her along so that she can be a part of things, not to just sit there and watch you get high. Not to mention that you’re not sure if it’d be safe for her to be in your head while you were deliberately altering your humour balance.
“Later for sure Lea but not right now. Also I don’t want to make you late for work so let’s walk and talk. How has the hospital been?”

Adriana follows a step behind as you and Lea set off down the canal. Unlike Apocalypsis, the Somn district is a little emptier this early in the morning but canal traffic is quickly swelling as the sun rises ever further.
“The hospital’s been great! I’m still an apprentice humourist but they let me do most of it unsupervised now. And let me tell you, that gives me plenty of room to gather humours for personal use.”

“And is that allowed?”

‘As long as I still meet my drain quota, sure.”

“Excuse me,” Adriana says quietly. “What is a drain quota? I’ve not had much to do with this line of work.”
That’s interesting. You’re pretty sure that Adriana is lying right now. It’s subtle but you’re starting to get a read on her tells.

“As a humourist I have a few duties,” Lea says, evidently quite happy to explain herself. As you’ve noted before, she really seems like a different person when this comes up. The wilting flower grows into a full bloom. “First obviously I have to supply patients in need of humours with the right concoctions, either to settle an unbalanced system or to deliberately imbalance it to treat an illness. It also helps with humour transplants though I’ve never done one of those myself yet. The other duty is draining patients and corpses, though you have to be quick with corpses before it goes stale. There are a lot of exotic biles you can only find in queer conditions, you know.”

You rack your brains for what she told you before when she had been subscribing you concotions.
“Like that man who never wakes up?”

“Right! He’s been a big help. I drain him of excess humour weekly. His blood, phlegm and biles are all soporific and that’s very useful for making patients sleep.”

“And for the stuff you gave me.”

“Yeah. The drowsiness makes a lot of the fun stuff safer because it dampens you down. It’s like a safety valve for psychonauts. I wouldn’t make a mixture for that use that didn’t have some sort of soporific.”

While the details of this are new to you, the overarching idea is not. Everyone knows that the balance of the body’s four humours greatly determines someone’s personality and mood. So it makes sense that humours harvested from someone retain certain elements of their experiences and, in the right mixture, can induce that experience in others.

1/3

>>3233224
You’d never actually tried it for fun before Leonarda however. You really need a competent humourist to mix up the stuff to avoid anything dangerous.

“What kind of patients do you get?,” Adriana asks, acting rather curious. Is she just interested? And considering that she hasn’t even turned to look at you despite what you’re thinking, you gather that she’s in Leonarda’s head, not yours. “Who requires your work?”

“Mostly shock-related,” she answers without missing a beat. “The hospital’s main focus is amputations and other such surgery so they need concoctions that make up for the loss of sanguine humour during the process. That’s also what the soporifics are for mostly. It’d be bad if they woke up after all!”

Specializing in amputations...Your brow furrows.
“Lea, is this poliza business? Is your hospital in with the constables?”
As the executors of Street Law, the constabulary have the right to temporarily detain citizens and, while many of them are eventually handed off to High Court, they’re authorized to hand out corporal punishment in some cases. Namely, the severing of limbs. How better to treat a thief, after all? And they don’t do it themselves, not anymore. They have special hospitals for that.
Like most things to do with the constabulary, with their constant grabs for power and attempts to override the processes of the other two Laws, you’re not a fan.

“A little,” Leonarda says, a little defensively. Even she must be aware of the kind of reputation that comes with these ‘chop-shops’. “But there’s plenty of important hospital work that still gets done! And you know, only the constabulary has that authority these days. We don’t do domestics, never have.”

‘Domestics’ is an easy term for a thoroughly uneasy idea. Until several decades ago, it had been enshrined in High Law that families, orphanages and other carers had owned the rights to their children’s physical bodies until they came of age. It was just an extension of being a parent, after all! It had also meant that people had paid amputators or tailors to hobble the feet of embarrassing or eccentric (read: ill in the head) children. Never in large numbers, you’ve heard, but just the idea of the practice eventually lead to the Law being changed. But even now you hear of back-alley surgeons willing to sell such services for the right price.
“I should hope not,” you say, feeling a little queasy at the idea. You had been very fortunate that you been born when you were and that your parents, for all their other faults, had been law-abiding. If not for either, your feet could be vestigial.

“It’s really not that bad of a place,” Lea says desperately, aware of your reaction. “Most of the amputations we get these days are requested!”

“Eh?”

2/3

>>3233225
“Fascina,” she says, looking dark, and that’s all she needs to say. “I can show you some of the more lucid ones when we arrive. I don’t have much to do with them but they are an...experience. I also get them asking for humours of course, usually ones without soporifics. It’s amazing what kind of stories they’ll come up with to try and get their hands on it.”

“And do you give it to them?”

“Sometimes. I mean, it’s not illegal to sell. But they don’t want it for fun. T-they just want it so they can explore enlightenment and then permanently imbalance themselves. And then they have to be patients! You see them coming and going!”

“This all sounds rather tiring.”

“I’m doing great,” she says, less enthusiastically than she had before. “It’s good money, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do and I can be high whenever I want. ...Which is a lot.”
You can’t help but think that she’s changed somewhat in your absence. You wonder how many punitive amputations it took witnessing to do that.
“So you’ve never taken humours before, Adriana?,” she asks, changing the subject.

“No.”

“And you don’t want any…”

“No.”

“Well, there are other things that can be done. You can donate humours. Some people do that to get rid of bad feelings. In fact, we have a woman who comes in every week to donate phlegm and she swears that the drainage is the only thing that keeps away-”

“No.”
Adriana is visibly less and less comfortable with this idea the more you all talk about it! You’d ask her about it but...not here. Not in the middle of the canal.

****

The hospital is a dome of green-blue stone, curved and spiralled like the shell of some vast mollusc. Lea turns back to you as you approach, a bit more of a spring back in her step.
“Was there anything you wanted in particular, Sofia?”


>Ask for a concoction. For later.

>”Could we just follow you around for a bit while you work?”

>Inquire about the voluntary amputations.

>”I’d like to donate actually. I’ve got some stuff I want off my chest.”

>”Could Adriana and I just have a moment, please?”

>Other (Specify)

>>3233226
>>”I’d like to donate actually. I’ve got some stuff I want off my chest.”
And then we can go duel someone. Or visit Sabino, see if he's okay. Or go to the library, pick up the book we want.

>>3233226
>”I’d like to donate actually. I’ve got some stuff I want off my chest.”

>>3233226
>”I’d like to donate actually. I’ve got some stuff I want off my chest.”

>>3233226
>>”Could Adriana and I just have a moment, please?”

Vote called, writing

>”I’d like to donate actually. I’ve got some stuff I want off my chest.”

“Now that you think of it, I’d actually like to donate towards you drain quota. I’ve got some stuff I want off my chest.”
It might not be the healthiest way to cope but...you’d like the nightmares to stop. And if that involves draining the goop with that stuff in it, so be it. It won’t remove your memories or anything. It’ll just detach you from them, make them less vivid. Though you’re not sure what use Lea would be able to find for what she’ll get from you.

Leonarda just nods.
“I won’t ask for the details. But if that’s what you want, then I can show you to the draining station. I doubt it’ll be in use right now.”

“Hold on.” Adriana says. “This won’t be dangerous, will it?”

“No? I do it all the time, don’t worry.”

“All the same,” Adriana says, looking uncomfortable, “I think I will wait outside. Are you fine without me, Sofia?”

“Don’t worry about me, I’m not a kid. And this won’t take long, will it?”


Lea shakes her head.
“Just a few minutes.”

*****

The ‘draining station’ as she calls it is a dingy stone room, lit only by a single window high up in the wall. The beam of light shines down upon the chair in which you sit, your arms and legs secured in solid leather straps. You strain against them as a test and don’t find even a single inch of give.
“Do I really have to be strapped down like this?”

“It’s just procedure,” Leonarda says, wearing a rubber apron and pulling on a pair of stained gloves. ‘And depending on the humour in question, it can get a bit involved.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t it just like drawing blood?”

“Not quite. For starters, blood is generally sanguine so it’s infused with feelings and experiences of enthusiasm, vitality, activity, extroversion, etcetera. That’s why you feel subdued and lethargic when you lose blood. And I might not know what you need removed but I doubt it’s sanguine. So is it choleric, phlegmatic or melancholic?”

“Oh, uh, melancholic. Definitely.”

Lea sighs.
“Then I’m going to have to drain the spleen so...yeah, the restraints are required.”

“Wait, can’t black bile live in the blood?”

“Yeah but removing tainted blood doesn’t help the core issue. Black bile likes to build up inside the little absences inside the body. It usually needs some deep cuts.”

“Then go for it,” you say, closing your eyes. You want to be a better person. You want to be well. You’ve got no time for nightmares and moping and a fear of swords.

1/2

>>3233365

“Just one more question. Do you want to keep it?”

“What?”

“We don’t have a lot of use for dire black bile, which is what I think this might be. So if you want, I can mix it up for you. It’ll let you or someone else feel whatever you felt all over again.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

“There’s nothing wrong with externalising some emotion. Then you can confront it later on your own terms if you want.”


>”I’d like that.” (Successfully drinking this will earn you the prefix Melancholic, to be attached to a Technique of your choice. Additionally it may be kept as a poison to sway the emotions of others towards despair.)

>”No thanks. You can have it.” (No reward but no trial either.)

>”Can you use it as a base to mix it into something else? I wouldn’t mind something calming but not soporific before a duel.”

>Other (Specify)

>>3233367

>Keep

We can always shelve it as another curio, but we'll regret it if we never take the chance to clear this on our own terms.

>>3233367
>>”No thanks. You can have it.” (No reward but no trial either.)

File: sleep.jpg (114 KB, 577x515)

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Not a particularly eventful day but a day nonetheless. I have to sleep now. Vote will remain open until I wake.

>>3233367
>”No thanks. You can have it.”

>>3233367
>Keep it
I really want to open our options. Havong a vial of melancholy and not needing it is way better than needing it and no having it.

I must insist on the safe to keep all our shit

>>3233367
>Destroy it.

>>3233367
>Keep.
We're not ready to drink it now, but we will be, at an appropriately dramatic moment.

Also, appending Melancholic to a technique sounds good.

>>3233367
>I'd like that.

>>3233367
>yea gimme

I'm awake. Vote called and writing!

File: sofiaOP.jpg (59 KB, 750x378)

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>Keep

“I’d like that.”
You don’t think you’ll be able to do it anytime soon but it’s a good option to have. And maybe you’ll find another use for a vial of melancholy…

“In that case, I’m going to need you to go to sleep,” Lea says, pulling a bottle down from a shelf. Inside is a pleasant smelling translucent gunk. “Drink this and it’ll have you out in no time at all.”


“Do I have to be asleep for it?”

“Uh,” Lea says, struggling to find the words. Is she trying to directly contradict you? “Not if you don’t want to. It’s just that many people find that distressing. I’m sure you’re strong enough but-”

“Nah my bad, sorry.”
You drink the bottle, feeling the semi-solid humours slide down your throat in a flood of phlegm. With that done, you let yourself relax in the chair and look around the room.
“So when does this kick in?”

“Eh?,” Lea says, dunking a bloody syringe in a bucket of water. “Oh, you’re awake!”

“Of course I am. I never went...to...sleep.”
You look down to find your tunic unbuttoned and splayed aside just enough to reveal your abdomen. It’s got a few duelling scars on it but there’s a new one there, a small and puckered knot of scar tissue. Is that where your spleen is?

“We’ve finished. And here you go!”
Leonarda, unbuckling the restraints on your legs and hands, passes you a small bottle full of something black and viscous.
“Distilled melancholia, with very few additives. Nearly pure black bile.”

“But I still feel the same-,” you stop. Do you? You’d been reflexively stopping yourself from thinking about Alba, in the same way you eventually learn to hold your tongue away from a sore tooth, but now that you think about it...what happened happened. It’s in the past. There’s nothing particularly terrifying about it because you survived. No matter how hard you try to summon up the dread that’d been haunting you, it no longer comes.
Because it’s now in this little bottle.
“Thank you, Lea!”
The moment your restraints are loosed, you rise up from the chair and wrap her in an embrace, bodily lifting the small woman up into the air.

“It’s was my pleasure,” she says, her voice muffled. “Was there anything else you wanted me to mix?”

You put her down, after which she staggers slightly to the side.
“You mean to get high?”

“Y-yes. That bottle you’ve got there won’t be very fun for whoever ends up with it. So do you want something else while you’re here?”


>Sure. Ask for something like the usual mix.

>Ask to get something more sanguine. Something exciting.

>Ask if it’s possible to make someone so temporarily phlegmatic that they can keep their self-control no matter what.

>”I want you. To come with us, that is.”

>”Thanks but no thanks.”

>Other (Specify)

>>3234238
>Ask if it’s possible to make someone so temporarily phlegmatic that they can keep their self-control no matter what.

>>3234238

>Do you have anything that might give me an extra edge in duels? I have been lately encounter pretty hard opponents.

Ouro, I am not sure what composture represents. Does it get better if we get an adrenaline rush or can we get more max Composture with self conrol and a "zen" state of mind?

>>3234253
Also, we need to buy a safe. hat was the name of the coiner girl we met on the first couple of threads? She might the best security specialist we know.

>>3234238
>>Ask if it’s possible to make someone so temporarily phlegmatic that they can keep their self-control no matter what.
Worth a shot

>>3234238
>Something sanguine

>>3234253
Composure represents the strength of your nerve. So both of those things can help.

>>3234256
Fiorella.

>>3234238
>>Ask if it’s possible to make someone so temporarily phlegmatic that they can keep their self-control no matter what.

>>3234238
>>Ask to get something more sanguine. Something exciting.

>>3234238
>Thanks but no thanks.

Vote called, writing.

>Ask if it’s possible to make someone so temporarily phlegmatic that they can keep their self-control no matter what.

“Actually, yes,” you say, an idea sparking in your head. “What if I wanted to be phlegmatic. So phlegmatic that I never lose my head no matter what?”

“That’s a little hard,” Lea says. “Is it for duelling?”

“Maybe?”
You’re not entirely sure yet. You also had an idea about using it with Adriana.

“It’s not self-control, it’s apathy. S-so it’ll be a double-edged sword. Is that okay?”

“You know what? Sure. I’ll try anything once!”

“I do owe you a lot,” Lea muses. “Then so be it. It’ll just be another fifteen minutes or so!”

*****

Twenty minutes later, Leonarda emerges from the next room with a pair of glass goggles tied over her face with a leather belt-strap. In her hands is a long flask from which a faint blue smoke rises.
“Uh, the smoke should stop soon.”

“That’s a big flask! How much is in there?”

“Enough. The main ingredient is phlegm mined out of the chest cavity of a woman who died three days ago. Few things are m-more phlegmatic than death so it tends to swell at the very end. But I’ve also spiced it up with some blood from a woman who comes in every two weeks to treat her extrasanguinity.”

“How can you be ‘extrasanguine’?”

“If she isn’t bloodlet regularly, her blood contaminates her other bodily fluids. Mucous, saliva, sweat, tears, etcetera. But m-more to the point, it means she’s too happy and her blood is a very sanguine agent. It’ll counteract the phlegm and keep you interested in the world around you even when it dampens everything else.”

>Sofia has gained the Phlegmatic Flask duel ability! In addition to using it outside of duels to make someone very calm and in control while lessening their emotions for everything else, it can be taken before a duel in the Ability slot!

>PHLEGMATIC FLASK: [ABILITY]You are shielded by apathy. At the end of each full queue, move your single lowest Technique dice into your Composure Pool.

“There should be enough for thirteen doses,” Lea says. “And you can come back whenever you need it refilled!”

“Thank you! I’m sure I’ll find a good use for it! It was good seeing you, Lea!”

“The same to you. Come back whenever you want.”

****

You walk back out through the hospital with your spirits high. They are dampened slightly by nearly colliding with an armless woman in a gown. You stare at her briefly as she gives you an apathetic look before moving on, the cup of tea hovering in the air beside her, held by hands that were no longer there.

But that aside, you’re feeling great by the time you get outside. You’ve been cured of despair, you have what either might be a duel aid or something that lets you touch Adriana and you got to talk with old friends! The awkward and morbid nature of the conversation coming here is all but forgotten.

1/2

>>3234350
“Are you alright?,” Adriana blurts out. She’s been standing outside the hospital all this time and is clearly quite nervous.

“I’m fine! Better than fine! It’s the best I’ve felt in a while.”
And it’s true! And she’ll know it to be true.

Relief, joy and something darker can briefly be seen across her face as she nods.
“I’m glad to hear it, I really am. I haven’t seen enough of your smile these past few days.”

“Huh? Is that really all that important?”
But then you remember how you feel when she smiles and you want to call yourself a fool. Of course it is. How could it not be important to her? You’ve been a depressed wreck for the last day and a half.

Adriana just nods, likely following the conversation in your head.
“I’m trying not to be too happy. I don’t want to contaminate you again.”


>”Well let’s get going then! The day’s barely just begun!” You’ve got a lot more things you want to do.

>”Is that all? Or is there something about humourism that bothers you? It’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it.”

>”I’ve got something I want you to try later. I think it could be...interesting.”

>”Be as happy as you want!”

>Other (Specify)

>>3234353
>>”Is that all? Or is there something about humourism that bothers you? It’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Just squeeze my hand if you don't want to talk about it and just stay quiet.

>>3234353
>”Be as happy as you want!”
>”Well let’s get going then! The day’s barely just begun!” You’ve got a lot more things you want to do.

>>3234350
>>PHLEGMATIC FLASK: [ABILITY]You are shielded by apathy. At the end of each full queue, move your single lowest Technique dice into your Composure Pool.
This'd be pretty good against Taunts. And Alba.

>>3234353
>>”Well let’s get going then! The day’s barely just begun!” You’ve got a lot more things you want to do.
>Visit Sabino. Make sure he's doing okay now that he's formally inducted. He was having some trouble with bullies...

>>3234353
>Visit Fiorella

I really want her advice on what safe box to buy before we get assaulted by the duel request. Com on guys, it nly takes a guy with a torch to fuck up all the progress we have made until now. And Ouro mentioned the posibility of fusing trophies to our body, which makes me believe he won´t hesitate to make us lose them.

>>3234367
We're on a date though, I mean, do we have to do that right now?

>>3234370
>We're on a date though, I mean, do we have to do that right now?
This is a date?

>>3234370
Just because I am super paranoid our trophies are going to get hostage. Besides, we haven´t seen her since the duel. I would like to see i how she is.

Also, we might be able to ask her to become a pen pal for Adriana, so she can´t lessen her yandere tendencies about us.

>>3234386
*she can

Having someone normal (Vespa doesn´t counts) to communicate with while we are occupied might lessen her social anxiety and obsession with us.

>>3234353
>>3234367
>>3234362
Fiiiine, adding
>Visit Fiorella.
We can visit Sabino afterwards.

>>3234392
Well, in any case, let's get something for Adriana. I'm sure we got paid enough to get something for her. Maybe a nice hat or some nice silk handkerchiefs?

Vote called, writing.

>”Well let’s get going then! The day’s barely just begun!” You’ve got a lot more things you want to do.

“This hasn’t been boring, has it? Waiting outside the hospital for me and all.”

“Not at all, I’ve had plenty of stuff to do.”

“Oh?”

“Like taking care of Lazario, who is in a very boisterous mood right now. I’m also having an interesting conversation with Vespa and assisting the constabulary with their arrest. You don’t have to worry about boring me because you never will.”

“Oh right.”
Sometimes you forget about stuff like that. Weird to think that all this right now is just one facet of what Adriana is experiencing right now.

“Just because I have multiple attention spans doesn’t mean that this is anything less to me,” Adriana protests, scooping your thoughts right out of your skull.

“I know, I know/ Now, let’s get going. The day’s just barely begun!”


>It’s time to go shopping together. You’ve got some things you’ve been needing to get and you have enough coin from your last duel to buy something nice for Adriana too.

>”I’ve got more people I want to introduce you to.”

>Other (Specify)

>>3234419
>>It’s time to go shopping together. You’ve got some things you’ve been needing to get and you have enough coin from your last duel to buy something nice for Adriana too.

>>3234419
>It’s time to go shopping together. You’ve got some things you’ve been needing to get and you have enough coin from your last duel to buy something nice for Adriana too.

>>3234419
>>It’s time to go shopping together. You’ve got some things you’ve been needing to get and you have enough coin from your last duel to buy something nice for Adriana too.

>>3234419
>Shopping

but

>Get Fiorella advice first

Vote called, writing.

>>3234379
Can't tell if dense

>>3234525
Maybe willful blind.
Personally though, I wish everyone husbando Sabino. Man, I wanted to bully him something fierce but everyone went for Adriana.

>>3234534
I think, and I believe Ouro mentioned this somewhere, that when he spilled the beans about his 'situation' with the Ring leader everyone got a bit more hesitant doing anything construed as romantic or headpat condescending. I get why though.

>>3234534
Meh. Sabino doesn´t strike my fancy. Gloriana though...

>>3234540
Makes sense, when I read the archive it was skeevy. I can see why people hesitated because of his situation.

>>3234534
>Personally though, I wish everyone husbando Sabino. Man, I wanted to bully him something fierce but everyone went for Adriana.
Yesssssss. We don't even need to bully, we can protecc from bully!

>>3234525
Joke.

>>3234541
>Meh. Sabino doesn´t strike my fancy. Gloriana though...
This quest has a lot of good options, and this is why we shouldn't have confessed and jumped into a relationship with Adriana.

Buuut, since we're committed, we should overcommit and get smothered by her so we can break up.

I miss being a rake.

>>3234541
Gloriana needs a friend first before anything which I think we made decent headway on with bar trip.

>>3234541
>>3234552

I second the opinion that Gloriana needs a friend more than a lover. Assuming of course she doesn't actually hate us but our curse prevents her from saying so. After all we're privy to information I don't think she'd ever tell us if it wasn't for our curse.

I don't mind having her as a lover, I just don't want anything that'll make us feel guilty for perving on other people.

Sorry for the delay on this one guys, I've been trying to squeeze in lunch before I have to go to work.

>>3234591
Usually when a relationship develops enough and becomes comfortable enough partners can bantz about other people's attractiveness.

Not always though, depends on how insecure people are.

>>3234598
The problem is mostly in Sophia's head. She's thirsty for every person she thinks remotely attractive. If they're muscular, she'll go on and on about it. It's probably because she's been a kissless virgin her entire life and can't stop herself from fantasizing about everyone.
I've been trying to find a commonality but the only thing that seems to stand out is she likes them tall and muscular.

>>3234627
Are we sure she likes them tall and muscular and that's not just Ouro's ideal for physical attractiveness?

Just saying.

>>3234627
She is also really into the Rose Ring Leader's rack and midriff iirc.

>>3234633
Anons seem to be drawn to the taller people. doesn't help that the shorter attractive people seem to have issues badly.

Accompanying him is a younger man, one who must be near your age. His brown hair is cut short and what little there is of it is slicked back with some sort of gel or wax. He has a bit of a babyface and...and might actually be an inch shorter than you! Woah.
But he’s dressed sharply in a red tunic hidden beneath a beige vest and tight patterned trousers held up across his shoulders by a pair of suspenders. His sleeves are long but tied back to reveal surprisingly full triceps.
He carries a sheathed sword in one hand, the sheath itself more ornate than some duelling sabres, decorated all the way down with images of roses.

And then he goes ahead and ruins a somewhat favorable first impression by looking extremely nervous. Feh. Nevermind then. He looks like a dweeb.
“H-Hello,” he says. “I’m here to discuss the matter on behalf of my client.”

>Be courteous and professional. Just because it’s been a weird day doesn’t mean you have to take it out on him.

Just because he looks like a dweeb doesn’t mean that’s all he is. For example, he might also be a cute dweeb. Or an adorable one! Why, you’d pinch his cheek except that such an action would make you feel uncomfortably like your godmother. And besides, he’s a colleague. You’ll do him the professional respect of taking him seriously.
And what’s more, Claudio d’Rocco is a wealthy man. So if this kid is who he hired, he’s a bigger deal than any opponent you’ve yet had! If you don’t take him seriously you might wind up with an embarrassing loss.

>It’s time to go shopping together. You’ve got some things you’ve been needing to get and you have enough coin from your last duel to buy something nice for Adriana too.

“I’ve got a bit money left over from my last duel, so how about-”

‘We go shopping?,” Adriana finishes your sentence for you. “But for what?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”

“Well, I’ve never bought a safe before. I don’t know where you’d get such a thing.”

“Anything can be bought,” you say, overlooking the fact that you never mentioned a safe to her. “It doesn’t have to be fancy, just a good lockbox where I can keep my duelling trophies. And I think I vaguely know someone who’d have good advice for it. We just have to track them down.”

****

An hour later, you find yourself standing on the doorstep of a nice but modest home in the outskirts of Somn. It’s not as big as the old Antorelli family house but if what you remember of Fiorella, most of the family isn’t living here. After you had given her the coin, she had promptly abandoned most of them and to be perfectly honest? You can respect that.

Fiorella can’t help but smile when she sees you, if only because she can’t greet you with a frown. The short blonde woman is still in her nightgown, something you can certainly appreciate. You’re not sure how well Adriana appreciates you appreciating though. Having someone else’s eyes in the back of your head isn’t easy!
“Good morning, Signorina Antorelli! I’m not here on business, I’d just like a quick consultation.”

Whether Fiorella wanted to talk to you for thirty minutes about lockboxes has no bearing on what happened, which was exactly that. But once it’s over, you know where to find the most affordable coiner-grade lockboxes to keep your trophy in.

And as you might have expected, that reccomendation takes you back to Il Grande Mercato, the throbbing heart of the Somn. A massive square of criss-crossing canals that has, like a tumour, grown into the largest marketplace in the entire City and thus presumably, the world.

“So while we’re here Adriana, is there anything you want? I’ll have coin to spare.”

“It’s fine, I don’t need-”

“It’s not about what you need. Here, let me find you something nice.”


>Get her something she can wear.

>Buy her something interesting, a curiousity or a game.

>You and she can go get tailored together!

>Buy her a companion.

>Other (Specify)

>>3234679
>>Buy her something interesting, a curiousity or a game.

>>3234679

>Buy her something interesting, a curiousity or a game.
She has 9 bodies, there must be some shifting puzzle thing that can entertain her for a little while.

if there isn't something like that, then let's get her a knife or something to defend herself.

>>3234679
>You and she can go get tailored together!
Sofia sounds so excited in some of these prompts

File: fleksnek.png (13 KB, 400x400)

13 KB PNG

Unfortunately now I must be off to work. I'll be back when my shift is over.

>>3234679
>Buy her a god.

>>3234679
>Buy her a companion.

>>3234679
>Have you ever tried to get your head in a god? Not interested?
>How about some food? It's been quite a while since I've been to fine dining!

>>3234679
>>>Get her something she can wear.

>>3234679
>Buy her something interesting, a curiousity or a game.

Alright, I've feeling recharged after work. Vote called and writing.

>Buy her something interesting, a curiousity or a game.

You wander through row after row of stalls, leading Adriana by the hand. She’s not going to be useful in making this decision by herself since she doesn’t even want one. So this is your time to prove yourself, to give her something she didn’t even know she wanted.
And how will you know if she likes it or not? ...Well, you won’t. She’ll claim to love it no matter what you get. You could give her literally nothing and get the same reaction. But all the same! You’re going to give her something nice!

“How would you like something odd, Adriana?”

“What do you mean?”

“Something a little curious. Not something you use or something that’s practical, something that’s just for you. And I don’t even know what it is yet so you can’t look into my head and tell what’s coming!”

“I’ll look elsewhere then,” she says, a hint of a playful tone to her voice. “Just so you can surprise me.”

“Oh, you bet I will! Just stay right here!”

And with that, you race off! The stakes have been raised and you have been given a mission. To find a gift suitable for a living crowd who can read minds, extinguish identity with a thought and is your girlfriend. It has to be something that she can’t just do herself and unfortunately, that makes it a lot harder. Because Adriana can do most things, can’t she? She’s certainly more capable than you.
Something like an ordinary picture puzzle probably wouldn’t last more than a few minutes if she brought herself together to do it. And what good is a bauble or an ornament if it can only adorn a ninth of her? What good is a book for someone who reads people? What good is anything when she can do everything?

It has to be something outside of her ninefold experience. Something that might challenge her as much as it would challenge anyone else or else something that she’s never done or used before. But what could it be?


>A god. They are the same to all people and equally uncaring.

>Try to find a particularly devilish puzzle. Perhaps something suitable for up to nine people?

>A game of some sort, something that a mind-reader can play and actually LOSE.

>An unknowable thing. Some relic of the Lesser Realms, perhaps?

>Go to the seedier side of the market in search of something more...fascinatory.

>Other (Specify)

>>3235114
>A game of some sort, something that a mind-reader can play and actually LOSE.
A 20 sided die

>>3235114
>The hot CYOA novel, Lamplighter
>A god. They are the same to all people and equally uncaring.
>A quantum pizza, whose toppings are ever-changing until the moment you take a slice.

>>3235114
>>A game of some sort, something that a mind-reader can play and actually LOSE.

>>3235114
>A game of some sort, something that a mind-reader can play and actually LOSE.
A cooperative game.
I wonder if there's a version of Kingdom Death in this world. Or maybe Arkham Asylum

Finished my dinner. Vote called and writing.

Sweet, new thread. Finally caught up with all the archived threads, an man, that last fight hurt my soul. Let's not goof up so hard this time.

>A game of some sort, something that a mind-reader can play and actually LOSE.

You need to find a game, something that you can play and not immediately lose to a mind-reader. You can’t play cards with her after all, you’d have to ask her to hold herself back for even just a simple game of Chester. It has to be a game where reading your mind gives her no distinct advantage. So what? A dice game? You know plenty of dice games and you don’t like any of them. Who’d find fun in the throw of a dice and nothing else?
And yet, the more strategy and thought you include the less challenging it becomes for Adriana to actually play.

You stop at a stall that seems dedicated to a number of games, wooden boards spread out upon a long table with a variety of miniatures. There are picture puzzles here but you sternly avert your gaze. You’re trying to put that behind you these days. After staring at the incomprehensible display for several minutes, stepping past a dissolving urchin as you do so, you just give up and ask the merchant.
“Hey, I’ve got a friend who can see my mind. Anyone’s mind. And I don’t mean in a figurative sense, I am being very literal. What would be a good game for that? No dice.”

The man doesn’t even blink.
“Have you considered Signorina Pittura?”

“Eh?”

He motions you over to a thick wooden board that is covered from edge to edge with a a portrait of a stunning young woman sitting alone in what looks to be a crowded study. She looks up at you blankly over a pair of half-moon spectacles, surveying whatever paintings or reflections see when they look at the edge of the world.
“You play by moving a token around this board, see how it is cut into a grid? You can have many tokens and whenever you move a token into a square where another token is, anyone’s token, you get to move it to an adjacent square wherever you please. You win if you have a piece in all eight quadrants. That’s all you need to play!”

“That seems pretty simple. And my opponent can literally read my mind.”

“It doesn’t stay simple because of the Signorina Pittura there. She is your opponent, not any other players. She’s painted with a special quicksilver base that lets her feel what is occurring on the board and she can change rules or rearrange things as she sees fit. You don’t beat the other player. Instead you all work together to beat her.”

“Huh. How good is she?”

“Her painter is very good at games. Some say there is more of him in her than in him anymore.”

“I can sympathise. That must be an odd little life for her. But it sounds like exactly what I’m looking for!”
No matter how hard she tries, Adriana can’t tell the thoughts of a painting. Maybe you should get Maccio over one day too, get him to take a look at this. Seems like it’d be right up his alley.

1/2

>>3235221

But then he names his price and your heart drops into your stomach. That’s absurd! Why does a game cost so much! If you buy this for you and Adriana, you won’t have enough for the lockbox that Fiorella told you about.

“Um…”


>Do it. You can figure out another way to get a lockbox.

>Lean on him with your curse to make him lower the price.

>Just pick up the game and walk off. What is he going do, yell out or tell someone? Good luck with that!

>Get Adriana over and ask if she can buy it instead. It’ll be fun, you promise!

>Sadly pass it over.

>Other (Specify)

Quality costs.

>Split the cost with Adriana

>>3235222
>Lean on him with your curse to make him lower the price.

>>3235222
>I have some puzzles inmy house that I´m trying to get rid of. Perhaps you could lower the pirce in exchange for them?

We have many of those puzzles. Let´s get rid of them. Also, this is supposed to be a surprise for Adriana. Splitting the costs doesn´t feel right.

>>3235229
>>3235229
Perhaps make the question less agresively, so our curse doesn´t comes up.

>Imagine if a customer had a lot of picture puzzles in their house in a good state. Would you give that customer a discount in exchange of a humongous quantity of picture puzzles you could resell for the original price?

>>3235222
Let's try this >>3235233

Whoops dozed off for a bit. Vote called writing.

>Ask if you can get a trade-in for a lower price.

Well, you’re not going to give up! And you’re not going to go back and beg Adriana for money either, it’s supposed to be a present. But what you do have is a little collection of your own. You turn back to the picture puzzles you saw earlier.

“Say, imagine if a customer has a lot of picture puzzles in their home in a good state. Would you give that customer a discount in exchange for an absolutely humongous amount of puzzles you could sell at their original price?”

“That would depend,” he says cagily, “on whether or not the customer has them with them right now.”

“Okay,” you say giving up trying to walk politely around the subject. “It’s me. I have a bunch of puzzles and if you give me a discount, I swear I’ll come back and give them to you for free later! I’ll even write that down and sign it if you want me to. So do we have a deal?”

“”Seems reasonable to me.”
He stops a moment after and looks confused but that’s good enough for you. And really, he’s getting a great deal out of this. It’s not like you plan on never coming back or anything, you really will give him the puzzles. So with that settled, you pick up the exquisitely painted board, pay him a handful of coin and walk off.
“Hey!,” he shouts after you. “Thank you!”

“Don’t mention it! And the puzzles are on their way! Really!”

You find Adriana wandering among the stalls several rows down and as you approach, you attempt unsuccessfully to keep the board hidden behind your back.
“Hey! Guess what I got!”

She focuses.
“A boardgame where we play against a painting?”

You pout immediately.
“I thought I told you not to read my thoughts until I got back!”

“But you are back. And you asked me to guess. Still, that doesn’t ruin the surprise. I didn’t know about it until just now!”

“You like games, right?”

“I’ve never really played them.”

“Well you’ll like this one. Hopefully. Oh and...are you still hanging around outside my house?”

“...Yes?”

“Good. I need you to collect as many of my old picture puzzles you can carry and bring it over to that guy over there. Tell him that Sofia sends her regards.”

All you need now is that lockbox and then you and Adriana can have a fun time completely bereft of handprints or having your head cut off or drowning in a swamp.
But then again, you can play this with more than just two people. Is there anyone else you’d want to get in on this?

>Yes.

>No.

>>3235315
>Yes

But let´s ask Adriana first.

>>3235315
>>Yes.
We could invite Sabino or Maccio or vespa. We should ask Adriana though.

>>3235315
>Yes.
Vespa at the least since she's Adriana most likely other playing partner.
Maccio since he'll probably be interested i nthe painting technique
Sabino since he's Adriana's other friend
Actually, let's do a gaming night with drinks and pizza.

>>3235315
Yes.

>>3235338
I wonder if we can get an ability for the painting if we win agaisnt it. Does it count if it is not a person and we are part of a team?

Vote called, writing.

>>3235315
>Yes
>Gloriana
>Sabino
>Maccio
>Do NOT invite Giuseppina.

>>3235363
>>3235315
>Additional vote: do NOT invite Gloriana

>>3235370
She only wants a friend anon :( though we all know she is going to side with our enemy

>Yes.

“Hey Adriana, would you be okay if I got some other people over to help us beat this painting?”
Not even the worst thing you’ve said today.
“I was thinking maybe I could invite a whole bunch of people over and we could all just...spend time together? None of them have to know the truth about you.”
It would be nice to have everyone together instead of just visiting yourself on them one by one whenever you feel like it. If you could do this, maybe it’d be easier to believe in that beautiful lie called friendship.

“I’ll be fine,” Adriana says. “I’m used to hosting parties, remember? If I can organize myself throughout a mansion to hide myself, I can do the same to a street.”

“Yeah well...try less creepy tricks this time. Remember? When we first met, you used another body to act like a door opened all on its own, didn’t you? That wasn’t really necessary.”

“It is entertaining. But if you insist…”

“I guess we’ll have to invite Vespa, since we’re sort of dragging a bunch of people into her private neighborhood. Say, isn’t it weird that nobody ever tries to move in? Or...walks into the street at all?”
You never really thought about it.

You also didn’t expect Adriana to have the immediate answer.
“It’s not a real street. I’m not sure why but it’s made from something else. A legal fiction. I’ve seen them a few times before. You can’t go there unless you attention has been drawn to it.”

“Right. Stop being in my head right now please, this secret isn’t mine to give.”
You sigh, hoping that you didn’t accidentally give away Vespa’s true nature.

“I’ve known the whole time.”

“Oh. Okay. So besides Vespa, who should else shall I invite?”

>You may choose multiple. Additionally, you may select a single veto option in addition. This counts as a negative vote for that person.

>Sabino

>Maccio.

>Leonarda

>Gloriana.

>Giuseppina.

>Someone else you know (Specify)

>>3235411
>Sabino
>Maccio.
>Gloriana.
>NOT Giuseppina.

>>3235411
>Sabino

>Maccio.

>Leonarda

>Gloriana.

>NOT Giuseppina

Ouro, did Leonarda mentioned anything about her timetable? I wouldn´t like to disturb her if she is working. Fuck Giuseppina though.

>>3235411
>Sabino
>Maccio.
>NOT Gloriana

>>3235457
Muhuhahaha, you only get a single veto! You can block one man, but you can't block them all!

>>3235411
>>Leonarda
>>Gloriana.
>NOT Maccio.

What's with all these Gloriana votes?

>>3235469
>What's with all these Gloriana votes?
We, IC and OOC, have complicated feelings about Gloriana.

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25 KB PNG

Perhaps the veto idea was a mistake. Ah well, the vote will remain open until I wake. Maybe then I will be less tired.

>>3235411
>Sabino
>Leonarda.

5 people seems like enough

>>3235411
>Sabino
>Maccio.
>Leonarda

>>3235411
Invite alba and introduce her as your girlfriend.

>>3235580
She's easy to find; she lives in our head now, rent free.

I'll call the vote for Sabino, Maccio and Lea. Writing.

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28 KB JPG

>>3236030
Poor Maccio. The last time he saw us we were throwing our guts up and running away screaming and now he's getting invited to play some game by a way happier Sofia.

Dude must be getting whiplash. I wonder if he is used to it by now.

>Sabino
>Maccio
>Leonarda

Adriana shrugs.
“Whoever I want. Like I said, I really don’t mind.”

“Then in that case, I’ll invite Sabino, Maccio and...Leonarda. Though for her I guess we’ll have to wait until she finishes work. But I’m sure she’ll accept!”

“Maccio?”

“Oh right. He’s a noble boy. Large. But he’s a good lad all the same. He hasn’t spent enough time with me lately.”

“Then I will prepare one of the houses for them.”

“Thanks. Oh! And could you also-”

“Go out and invite all of them? Sure.”

“Thanks babe.”
She really does do all the work around here. It’s something you could get used to.

*****

Sabino is the first to arrive, accompanied by the Adriana who invited him. He’s one of the few who know after all, so she doesn’t have to hide.
“Sabino! I haven’t seen you since you were Sabina. How are you doing?”

“Great, the Ring initiation has been wonderful. And how about you? I saw a lot of uh, booklets-”

“We’re not talking about those today,” you say quickly. “Any good duels?”

“A few,” he says as Adriana pats him on the head.


>Ask him about Catalina.

>Headpat.

>”I met Isidora again recently. You remember her?”

>”Bet this isn’t the first time you’ve been invited into a house full of women, huh?”

>Just make small talk.

>Other (Specify)

>>3236089
>>”I met Isidora again recently. You remember her?”

>>3236089
>”I met Isidora again recently. You remember her?”
>Resist the headpat
>Make small talk

>>3236089
>Fail to resist Headpat.

>>3236089
>Just make small talk.

Vote called, writing.

>”I met Isidora again recently. You remember her?”

You resist the urge to pat him on the head as well as the urge to say anything too teasing. You’ve got to stop that. He gets enough of that already. And speaking of which…
“I met Isidora again recently. You remember her?”

He flushes bright red.
“Somewhat.”

“Yeah that’s what I thought. She’s surprisingly good company when you’re not around.”
Though you know from personal experience that when he is around, Isidora is somewhat of a flagrant disgrace.
“Not that I mean you’re to blame for that, haha.”

“I sort of am,” he says. “It’s what I wished for, after all.”

“Pardon?”

“Oh uh, nevermind. Pretend you didn’t hear anything.”

You give him a shrewd look and step closer.
“Oh really?”

“Y-yeah.”


>Pressure him with your birthright to make him tell you.

>Tease him into making him tell you.

>”It’s fine. I don’t need to know if you aren’t ready.”

>Exchange looks with Adriana. She probably knows and can tell you later.

>Other (Specify)

>>3236191
>>Tease him into making him tell you.
Come ooooon

Did he wish for attention?

>>3236191
>”It’s fine. I don’t need to know if you aren’t ready.”

I always assumed his way with women had some kind of magic funkery

>>3236209
>I always assumed his way with women had some kind of magic funkery
I just cant think of what would get him simultaneously treated like a child and tapped widely and often.

>>3236226
Same way our curse effects everyone at all times maybe.

Could be lawyer stuff, could be an actual wish that came true. Not sure

>>3236191
>>”It’s fine. I don’t need to know if you aren’t ready.”


Also, I can't believe we sent adriana to our apartment, it's a mess...

>>3236042
I think given the city we're in, he figures we did something.
I mean we did just drain some humors and it seems to be a commonplace thing.

Also, I'm quite curious about Sabino's weird aura of vulnerable fuckboy. I mean seriously, we have to actively resist it since we know about it. It's kind of similar to our curse except Sabino seems to imply he wished for it somehow.

Vote called, writing.

>”It’s fine. I don’t need to know if you aren’t ready.”

But as enticing as that information is, is it really yours to take? Even though you could take it so very easily? You know that Sabino can’t stand up to you and in more ways than one. But you don’t want to do it like that. So instead you back away from the shorter man and shake your head.
“Nah, it’s fine. If you don’t want to tell then I don’t want to know.”

“Y-yeah,” Sabino mutters, still bright red. “It’s sort of an embarrassing story anyway. So how was Isidora doing?”

“She seemed fine. She actually helped reforge me a little.”

“What, really? That’s not exactly...encouraged. But I suppose she’d know how to do it better than anyone.”

“What do you mean by that? How so?”

“She didn’t tell you?”

“No…”

“Well it’s probably not my place to say but...have you noticed that she’s always there.”

“Yeah she said she worked full-time.”

“Literally full-time. She lives there. She’s never not working there.”

“And why is that? Has she burned herself? I had some suspicions.”

“Sort of. She was born in the Book-Burning Society. It’s, well, I guess Adriana would understand. Because she’s been used in that way too.”

“Eh?”

“Identity death,” Adriana says. “It’s much less barbaric than execution.”

“R-right,” Sabino says. “I don’t know who she used to be, their age or name or gender or anything. But they were sentenced to identity death for a crime and the Society was used to carry it out. They were forged entirely, in the same way you’d burn a book and-”

“And replaced wholly by another person, one that never existed,” you say, finishing it for him. “Like a book.”

“I’ve a-always felt bad for her,” Sabino stutters. “And that’s w-why I never told her no.”

“But you can’t tell anyone ‘no’, can you?”
Adriana pats Sabino on the head again.
“Not a woman, anyway.”

“Oh,” he says. “You know.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

You throw your hands up.
“Am I the only person not in the know now?”

“It was a wish,” Sabino says. “Adriana’s just going to tell you anyway, she can’t refuse you anything. Back when I was sixteen, I dropped a coin into a fountain and made a wish that all the pretty girls would ...want to have me.”

“Really? Which fountain?”
Everyone makes wishes on fountains. But a fountain that actually grants them, beyond their function, is a rare thing indeed. Almost a myth.

“I don’t know, I was lost! And ever since then my life’s been like this.”

“That doesn’t seem so bad of a wish,” you muse.

“However,” Adriana says, tousling his hair, “it also means that he has to be had. Like a child. Or maybe, more accurately, like an object.”

‘Been there,” you mutter. “It was...strangely okay.”

1/2

>>3236370

“If you want it you can have it,” Sabino says. “I’ve gotten used to it. It’s not...unenjoyable. And it’s great for duelling.”

Are you tempted by this offer? Unlike him, you could put it on and take if off as you please…


>Challenge Sabino to a contest.

>”I can just take whatever I want from you anyway.”

>”Haha, no thanks.”

>Change the subject.

>Other (Specify)

>>3236376
>>”Haha, no thanks.”
Seriously, no thanks.

>Change the subject.

>>3236376
>”Haha, no thanks.”
>"I've got enough mind bending issues to last a lifetime."

>>3236370
>Back when I was sixteen, I dropped a coin into a fountain and made a wish that all the pretty girls would ...want to have me.”
Should we be insulted that we don't want him that bad?

>>3236376
>>Challenge Sabino to a contest.

We've canonically fantasized about it and sort of liked what Gloriana did to us.


>“Is...is it wrong sometimes to want a taller woman to condescendingly treat you like sexy garbage?”
>“I-I’m having a hard time figuring you out, Sofia.”
>“Please just let me long for things that can never happen. Thanks to a certain someone, I was born with that dream forever out of reach.”

Sophia does want it, and I think it'd be fun.

>>3236402
>Should we be insulted that we don't want him that bad?
oof

>>3236402
Hahaha, I had to reread that a few times to understand.
But I think for us, we resist because we decided to resist it. It still totally affects us, we want to pat him on the head like Adriana is doing. Maybe even do more.

>>3236376
>“If you want it you can have it,” Sabino says. “I’ve gotten used to it. It’s not...unenjoyable. And it’s great for duelling.”
Hm. We never did get to see his Ability. What do you think it does? When he loses Composure, the other Duelist does too?

>>3236380
>>3236395
Why not? It's not like we'll have to use it if we win it. We get to choose every trait we want to keep, and it might be really good.

>>3236395
Eh fine I just think she'd be hesitant with he experience with her curse.

>>3236376
Changing >>3236395 to
>Challenge

>>3236461
>>3236457
Whoops meant to link to you.

I'm back. Vote called, writing.

Alright, updates should be faster now. My bad, guys.

>Challenge Sabino to a contest.

“I can’t say I’m not tempted,” you say. “I’d like to learn how you do that, Sabino. Then I could do it better than you can!”

“That doesn’t surprise me. You can do most things better than I can.”

Except win duels, apparently. But you can think about that later.
“So what if...before Maccio and Leonarda get here, we play a quick little game? Um...do you know how to play Chester?”

Sabino looks frazzled that you actually took him up on his offer.
“Isn’t that a card game?”

“It is, it is. I’ve had luck with it in the past. Are you ready?”


>Use Test Your Luck to automatically win.

>No, you should save that for the actual game night! You can play Sabino fair and square.

>Other (Specify)

>>3236550
>>No, you should save that for the actual game night! You can play Sabino fair and square.
>Wishes have a funny way of turning out how you would not expect. Be glad yours isn't carved into the Noumenon.

>>3236550
>No, you should save that for the actual game night! You can play Sabino fair and square.

>>3236550
>>Use Test Your Luck to automatically win.

Vote called, writing.

>No, you should save that for the actual game night! You can play Sabino fair and square.

You sit back at the table while Adriana deals out the cards.
“We’ve got a bit of time before Leonarda’s off her shift, according to Adriana anyway. So let’s just kill some time and...once we’re done, I’ll have stolen your wish!”

“You’re welcome to it!”

You pick up the painted cards and fan them out.
“The game’s actual name is Auction but most people call it Chester because of this card here.”

“Chester…,” Sabino muses. “That sounds like a foreign name.”

“That’s because it is,” Adriana says, holding up the Chester card. “Auction is all about making a bid and then everyone else must attempt to match it as you draw and discard into the same shared deck. You have to try and sculpt your hand to match it but in doing so, you also have to keep one card in your hand flipped backwards so everyone else can see it. You have point cards, which count towards your bid, face cards, which can be used for various actions such as changing the deck or passing cards, trick cards which can be both and...the Chester. He’s a nasty little foreigner who comes in and ruins everything. When everyone sets their cards down to match the bid, anyone with the Chester in it automatically loses no matter how good their hand is. Do you understand?”

“It’s not as complex as it sounds,” you assure him. “It’s got a lot of fiddly rules but ultimately it’s mostly just fake. It’s just down to luck judgement and daring.”
And besides that, you have a secret weapon. You’re pretty sure that, if you need to, you can mould Sabino like putty in your hands. You’re pretty sure that he’ll do whatever you want if you just gently bully him enough.

>For the sake of the thread, several rounds of Auction are abstracted into a dice game. You must choose a number between 5 and 9 and try to use two dice to win with it. Some numbers will cause you to lose. Some numbers will prolong the game. It’s awfully random but that’s card games for you! Poker this ain’t.

>Choose a bid:


>5: Rolling a 5 wins. 2, 3, 11 and 12 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

>6: Rolling a 6 or a 12 wins. 2, 3 and 11 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

>7: Rolling a 7 or an 11 wins. 2, 3 and 12 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

>8: Rolling an 8 or a 12 wins. 2, 3 and 11 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

>9: Rolling a 9 wins. 2, 3, 11 and 12 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

>>3236618
>>7: Rolling a 7 or an 11 wins. 2, 3 and 12 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

>>3236618
>>7: Rolling a 7 or an 11 wins. 2, 3 and 12 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

Rolled 1, 1 = 2 (2d6)

>>3236626
>>3236618
damn it the dice didn't roll

>>3236631
I don't think we roll yet. Just choose a bid Mr. Snake Eyes

>>3236635
Did not expect to roll a lose right away

>>3236618
>7: Rolling a 7 or an 11 wins. 2, 3 and 12 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

>7: Rolling a 7 or an 11 wins. 2, 3 and 12 lose. Anything else gives you an extra chance.

Since you’re not going to be using your lucky coin, you need to give this game your all. Fortunately Sabino is really bad at controlling his expression. You can read him like a book. Right now he’s got six cards in hand and the leftmost one is flipped, showing you The Drunkard, Fortunato. Fortunato’s a trick card, which means that he can either be counted towards the final bid or discarded at some point beforehand to make you change your flipped card.
As you watch, the man on the card makes a rude gesture.

In your hand, you have the Montresor card, a face card that lets you bury any one face or trick card used against your hand. So since Sabino is displaying Fortunato, you should save Montresor to entomb him. But the information gained from Fortunato is very subtle, since you still choose what next card you have to flip. It’s a play that only people experienced at Auction really make and Sabino is new to it.
What’s more, he’s deliberately chosen to show Fortunato to you. So he knows that you know about it.

Both of those things mean, to you anyway, that he’s not planning on using Fortunato for anything but to build towards his bid! And if that’s the case, your best move is to discard Montresor face down in order to hopefully draw a point card. He won’t use it so holding up a defense when you could be working towards your bid will just slow you down and let him make it before you.
That has to be it, right?

Keeping your expression level, you discard Montresor face down and draw a card. The game continues.

>Roll 1d6. Only the first two shall be counted.

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>3236660
First.

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>3236660
time to die

>>3236661
>>3236664
Hm almost, just off by 1

>4, 2
>6

And yet right after you do so, Sabino slams Fortunato down on the table face-up! And only then does it occur to you that since Sabino looks flustered all the time, he might just have the best bluffing face one can hope for.

“Change the card you have flipped please,” he asks.

You just sigh and shake your head. It’s not a big deal. Like you were thinking earlier, you have to have a good knowledge of Auction beforehand to really get anything out of Fortunato. And this way, it means that Sabino isn’t using him as points toward his bid.
“Not until you change yours first.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve played your flipped card but the hand always has to have at least one flipped card. So flip another.”

“Oh! Right.”
He flips a middle card in his hand and reveals...a second Fortunato.

“Huh? A deck doesn’t have more than one of him!”

“I know,” Sabino says, tapping the card on the table in front of him. The picture shakes a little and the colours run to reveal a teetering jester dancing precariously before an open flame.
“But this Fascina face card can be any of the other cards in my hand. And it was it, not Fortunato, that I had been showing flipped earlier.”

Oh no. Then that means that next draw he can use the real[/i[ Fortunato and after that, he’ll have information on a full three of the cards in your hand. You only have five! He’ll see that you’re building up towards a Founder’s Row, something you already have three of and just need a fourth. And Montresor is sitting face-down over there in the discard!
Sabino you fucking idiot! If you had just kept that card, you would have blown his whole plan out of the water! Does he even know how close he came to wasting his cards on nothing?

Reluctantly, you flip another card. Now he knows two. Next draw, he’ll know three and he’ll see one of your Founders. But that’s fine. This game is still on!


>Just let it go and make another bid.

>Time to put a little pressure on Sabino.

>Think very hard about how you want Adriana to cheat for you.

>Other (Specify)

>>3236691

>Time to put a little pressure on Sabino.
BULLY THE SABINO. Sorry, I do like him. I just want to mess with him slightly

>>3236691
>>Time to put a little pressure on Sabino.