Tale of the Outcast Warrior: The Outcasts come close.

Tyler and Wulf rode to the nearest point on the road and headed into the trees with all the noise of shadows. As they closed, Tyler and Wulf noticed a distinct lack of cook fires or the sounds of a large camp altogether. They climbed a boulder and found themselves with a direct look at the camp. They were a little surprised to see maybe a hundred and seventy tents, with maybe 200 bed rolls on the ground. The two men went prone and used far sight to get a look at the men.

"Gods Wulf, they're not bandits. We got the leftovers of a merc army."

It was true. The men were badly beaten dogs, some still with bandages and red stained cloth on their bodies. Tyler sighed.

"Let's go have a word with their leader. Something's not adding up here."

"I agree. These men are in no fit shape to fight."

The duo dropped to the ground and walked into view of the men. Soon as they did, a collective graon of despair went up from the gathered men.

"Aww come on."

"I just got it to stop hurting too."

Tyler and Wulf looked at each other as they approached the now struggling to arm up camp. Tyler sighed again as he walked up to the closet man, who just sighed himself.

"Look, just make it painless, alright?"

"What the hell happened here?"

That got a collective start from the men, and then they relaxed.

"You're not here to kill us?"

Tyler looked around.

"Not yet at least. Seriously, what the hell happened?"

"I can explain lads."

A tall man using a spear as a crutch staggered over.

"I be Wallace Wallbreaker. This is my mercenary company. Badger Company. We're Marines for hire and so make a decent living in Yalik. Well, recently, Lymir's gone mad."

Tyler and Wulf blew on their whistles as hard as they could with the message. Then they looked to the shocked men.

"we'll be back to deal with this mess after."

Kaori was looking at the sea from her spot on the battlements.

"I love the smell of the sea."

She got a chuckle from Lymir as she leaned on the blue of the wall.

"It is lovely, is it not?"

The blonde chuckled as a seagull came flapping over with a loud squawk.

"Wanna hear something funny about Tyler?"

The party looked at her eagerly.

"Spill!"

She laughed as she jabbed a thumb at the bird.

"He HATES them things!"

Sera tilted her head.

"Why? He live near the ocean?"

"Nah. We lived in a northern town miles from the sea. But every year tens of thousands of the birds would descend upon our town for the winter. Reason he hates them so much is cause he got mugged by a bird for his hotdog. A piece of meat sandwiched between bread. We get the chance and I remember I'll make one for you."

The black haired princess smiled widely.

"Sounds tasty!"

They laughed as Lily sat against on a battlement.

"It weird I got a bad feeling?"

Lucy was looking over the town guard and the walltops as the elf said this.

"Aye, lass. I feel uneasy as well."

Lymir shrugged.

"Maybe Tyler not being here has you all on edge?"

Sera's smile died.

"Okay, he's strong yeah, but now I feel it too. Something's very wrong here."

Lily rubbed her arm.

"My arm is still a little stiff, but workable. Lillia, you feel it?"

She nodded and placed a hand on her sword.

"It feel like it did the night of the goblin attack."

Thistle made her mind up.

"Form up then. No chances."

The group took up a spot near a wall tower. Lymir in the front with Lucy and Thistle due to her weapon's length, Lily behind them with her shield, Sera, Lillia, and Ashy on the tower top with bows, Kaori with them, Malico hiding in the tower with Serafina with daggers ready. As the group took their spots, a group of men in red scale armor climbed up onto the ramparts. Lily looked from the men to Lymir, and her blood ran cold.

"Snake in the camp."

The group got the coded message, and they all took a step back from Lymir, who seemed confused.

"Something wrong?"

Lucy chuckled.

"That fork making me nervous. Last thing me needs is me bum speared."

The group laughed as Lymir looked at the weapon then to Lucy with a distinct purple blush. Thistle was next to chuckle.

"I may like a good spearin, but I prefer a man do the work!"

The ladies laughed as Lymir sighed as she looked at the group of approaching men.

"You ladies have some very odd senses of humor."

Lily had her shield ready as the men stopped moving and poked spears through a wall of shields. Then a voice was heard.

"It seems your trapped with your back against the wall Sea Witch."

Lymir laughed.

"I am exactly where I want to be."

The voice was heard again.

"We will be free of you at last."

She lowered her trident and smiled.

"You ALL belong to ME. I got the outcasts to help me now. Plus, he HATES your kind, Vollock."

Kaori looked to the men.

"Pray tell, what kind be that?"

The voice was quick to reply.

"The kind that are too weak to really help themselves without aid."

Kaori tilted her head.

"Okay, still don't add up though. He hates weakness and laziness in others, that is true. But if you ask him for help and get your hands dirty alongside him he'll help you as best he can."

Lymir snorted.

"HE already agreed to help me. So, if he were to try and aid these rebels, he'd have to break his word."

It was Kaori's turn to snort.

"If he thinks your wrong, he'd stab you himself. Seriously, things like honor, loyalty, even just straight up human decency is meaningless to him. Only ones he'd actually strive to keep a promise to is us."

Lymir sighed.

"So. He would turn on my rule like these traitors and blasphemers. Just because he thinks he can."

The voice was heard then.

"You DO NOT own us! We ARE NOT your toys to play with! We WILL BE FREE!"

The men roared as Lymir sighed and tapped her spearbutt. Soon as she did the necklaces around the Outcasts' necks flared and they were writhing in pain on the floor as their minds were invaded by a vicious presence.

"See? Their MY puppets now."

"Puppets my ass."

Lily had broken through the attempted mind control, so had Lillia and Sera. The training Tyler had put them through paying dividends now as their mental fortitude overcame the mind spell. Lily took her stance as the other two went to remove the rigged things. The mermaid clicked her tongue in disappointment.

"Force it will be. "

She whistled and the entire town guard was then seen racing up the wallsteps to both surround the Outcasts and the men in red. Lily looked around.

"Sera!"

"They're stuck! We need Mythril to cut them off!"

Lymir laughed.

"Mythril? It doesn't exist!"

Her men laughed as a low sigh was heard.

"well, that was amusing."

Vixen picked herself up off the ground dusting her robes off as Serafina came out of the walltower. The black mage looked at the still fighting Outcasts.

"Seriously? Tyler depends on us for so much, and yet we can't even repay him by proving we can stand without him? Sad. Truly sad. I expected his Lover to be able to stand at least, but guess not."

Lily smiled.

"It had no effect on me, Vixen. Looks like I win."

Serafina nodded in her hood.

"Indeed it would. YOU at least don't need to be rescued. Bunch a damsels in distress."

"I AM NOT HELPLESS!"

Kaori had torn the now shattered necklace off her neck as she roared this.

"I WILL NOT COWER BEHIND HIS STRENGTH!"

Thistle was also able to break free.

"It seems I've grown soft of late. How pathetic."

"Aye lass."

Lucy also got off the ground with the now shattering necklace on the ground. Malico came out next with her tail lashing back and forth.

"I owe that man everything. The LEAST I can do is to NOT have him worry."

The group looked to their attempted oppressor and readied their weapons as the mermaid laughed.

"How pathetic! Faith, loyalty, hope. Easily broken. Kill them all!"

Lymir thrust her trident at Lily with an unexpected speed, but the elf had been trained by Tyler himself, and as such was looking for such a move. She raised her shield, and it deflected the forked head to the side with a shower of sparks as Lily pivoted to slash the now taken by Lymir in the leg. The treacherous lady was a slippery one though, as she cast a water spell.

"Water shield."

It made a small circle of water that took Lily's shot and allowed the lady to dance back to another stance. Behind her, the red men in armor were overwhelmed and cut down by her mindless slaves to take a spot behind their mistress. The others were back to back on the walltop, and they faced a wall of spears on both sides. Lymir smiled as she looked at her now trapped prey.

"Surrender, Outcasts. You will be my new toys."

She looked to where Malico was lashing her tail back and forth as she waited to go.

"And some will sate my lust until you bore me."

The ladies all laughed at that one.

"Wow, a power mad mermaid."

"She sounds thirsty Ashy!"

"Ha!"

Lymir pulled a wand from her pocket and pointed it at them.

"Tyler might be able to resist this, but you can't."

She waved it at Lily, the initial one to defy her spell, and she dropped to the ground as her shield clanged to the ground. Then her men all surged to attack the trapped outcasts as Lily fought with the demon of willpower now forcing itself into her mind. Now the outcasts were pinned between two walls of men with no means to maneuver or evade as they took alternating attacks to stave off the spears and arrows. Lily, however, was not aware of any of this as she was locked in battle with the vile creature inside her mind. She was seeing her memories as if reliving them anew. The demon was forcing her to reexperience her repeated rape, torture and pain again and again. The elven girl was drowning in a sea of her pain, and the demon laughed evilly as it knew victory was at hand. Lily had a single tear fall as she felt the thing's inevitable victory.

"I'm sorry."

She had a small, weak voice that was a total 180 from her usual whip-like snap. Then she felt something around her neck. A sort of, vibrating feeling that was utterly out of place. She was deep in the despair of the willpower demon's near victory over her mind, but she knew what it was. And it gave her the hope to hold out. It was their signal Tyler had given her himself. Feeling it come to live meant one thing: he knew. He knew, and was coming for her. Lily smiled in the depths of her pain as she remembered her lessons.

"Momma didn't raise no slave!"

She could not beat the demon alone, but she could hold it off for a good while longer. Her strength was renewed and more fierce then ever as she waged this war with her very being.

Outside her little body, the Outcasts were in similar dire straits. Most had been pinned to the ground by the men with shields and were in the process of being tied up. Lucy had seven men fighting to restrain the hulking lady, and was still getting free to deal blows. Thistle had lassoes on her limbs and was fighting to be spread eagled, Vixen was caught with a spell that kept her mouth closed and her spells useless as she was restrained by five men, Serafina was afflicted with the same, Ashy was pressed against a wall with a great shield as her hands were held, Sera was sobbing from under a heavy shield, as Lillia struggled under a similar weight, Kaori had been tripped with a rope and was pinned between two shields as well, and Malico was hit with a paralyze dart. Lily was still kneeling as she fought her battle, but the Outcasts were effectively helpless as Lymir laughed.

"See? You all will satisfy me. Sooner or later."

She walked over to where Malico was hoisted by her wrists against a wall screeching as the ropes dug into her skin.

"You will sate me now."

The cat laughed.

"You DO realize he's coming right?"

She laughed as she lifted the shirt of the busty cat.

"I kinda though he'd come. Good thing I had an old friend waiting."

Malico just laughed again as the lady removed her shorts, leaving her naked.

"Right. Well, ya got a dead friend. Watch. Piss em off and all this area will be is a crater."

Lymir licked her lips as she looked at the catgirl.

"I doubt he could handle a draug."

Malico tilted her head.

"Wait. A SINGLE, draug?"

Lymir caressed her large breast appreciatively.

"Oh these are simply lovely. I love how your people's breasts feel. Yes, old Glarg will be more then enough to kill that blind fool."

Malico sighed.

"Ya done watching?"

Lymir blinked as a loud laugh was heard.

"Sorry, kittycat. You seemed to be having fun. Didn't want to ruin it for you."

Lymir looked up to see tyler smiling down at her.

"Hiya. So, a draug eh? Lame. Let's see."

Wulf came in like a whirling hurricane as the others all fought with renewed strength as the Outcast looked around.

"Eh, fuck it. Ocean dragon roar."

He bathed the top in blue flames and the men screamed as their bodies were engulfed. Lymir looked on in horror as he dropped to the walltop and patted her back.

"And yes they are lovely. Annnnd MINE."

He smiled as he used hie Devine Care on everyone on the walltop to both heal their wounds and remove debuffs. Vixen and Serafina were still stuck speechless, and so he had to dig out another spell.

"remedy."

This time they were cured as Tyler walked over to a still mentally trapped Lily. HE sat down and placed a hand on her head.

"Lily. I love you. You are stronger then that thing."

She shivered as a loud snap as heard and the wand snapped as her willpower surged to both throw it off and kill it. Tyler had a stamina potion ready for her as she blinked back to reality. She drank it gratefully before sitting against the wall exhausted.

"Thank you. I couldn't hold it for much longer."

He hugged the small girl.

"I'm proud of you, Lily. Work that will more and you'll NEVER be anyone's pet."

She smiled weakly.

"Momma didn't raise no slave."

"No she did not. She raised one HELL of a girl. Get some rest, lily. I got a mess to make."

She sat back and passed out, her mental battles draining her of strength. He looked over to where Lymir was now looking at him terrified.

"Now then. Everyone alright?"

The party smiled.

"I'm good."

"Aye lad. A close one this time."

"I'm pissed."

"He came for me!"

"I'm alright."

"We got cocky."

Tyler sighed as he rubbed his eyes.

"We did indeed Kaori. We did indeed."

He looked at thistle.

"What happened?"

She smiled as she told the tale.

"Lily, Sera and Lillia were the only ones not effected by the enslavement pendants, and the first to detect something off. Lily herself flagged Lymir as a snake. Sera and Lillia as well."

Tyler walked over to the two princesses and hugged them.

"Now all you need is strength. I have nothing left to teach you."

They hugged him back as Lily was heard muttering in her sleep.

"I'll get stronger, and then it won't beat me."

Sera was smiling widely as Lilli wiped a tear away.

"I wasn't going to give up this time."

Tyler hugged the older sister tighter.

"And that is how strength is built."

sera giggled.

"we are sooo awesome!"

That made them laugh as he looked over to where Malico was pulling on her shorts.

"How's me favorite kitty?"

She smiled as she buckled her shorts.

"How long were you up there?"

"All of 30 seconds. Was kinda enjoying your show, Malico. I think I'll have YOU tonight."

She purred as Kaori chuckled.

"Not without me your not."

"Sure. We'll stuff Kaori together then."

Her purring tripled as a man in red armor came forward to kneel before the Outcast.

"My apologies, Outcast."

Tyler tilted his head.

"Who the hell are you?"

The man was tall, broad shouldered, with brown hair and red eyes.

"I am Captain Vollock of the WaveBlade, Sirrah. I lead the local resistance."

"I see. You wouldn't happen to know a Wallace Wallbreaker?"

The man sighed.

"He was the town's Marine Captain. His mercenary company, Badger Company, defied her sudden turn to madness. She went from a mere snob to power mad rapist that forces the more pleasing to the eye ladies of the town to sate her tastes. HE and his men have been waging a war against her and her town guard, but she painted it to the rest of the country as a bandit camp. Even going so far as to hire ACTUAL bandits to attack the walls with real maps to his camp. All to bait bandit hunters to the town and do her dirty work for her."

Tyler sighed.

"How the fuck did I miss that?"

He looked at Lymir and it clicked.

"Because she played this game very well. That's why. The letter, the news interviews, even her demeanor was a carefully crafted mask. I had subconsciously been convinced of her weakness, and as such treated her as such. I guess I got sloppy with this one. Eh, no biggee. Sometimes we all need a good kick in the ass."

That got a chuckle as Kaori spoke up.

"Nice to see you're still vulnerable to a pretty face."

"Specifically yours. Mostly yours."

she smiled happily as he walked over to Lymir and looked into her eyes.

"Okay. Let's get deep."

Kaori watched as he relaxed and concentrated hard. She sighed.

"Okay, this one is going to be mean."

Tyler sighed and leaned against a battlement.

"well. That's not Lymir."

everyone jumped. Vollock gulped.

"What is it then?"

Tyler pulled a sword and stabbed her in the heart.

"A doppelganger."

The thing burst into flame vanished. Leaving in it's place was the exact copy of it's form, only more ragged, hurt, and naked. The lady looked up to see the people all looking at her.

"Am I…..free?"

Tyler cast a holy relief and she broke down crying as she saw she was indeed free. The ladies all helped her to her feet and put a blanket over her shoulders.

"Okay, what happened?"

The mermaid hugged the blanket to her shaking form as she explained.

"I sent the letter to you. Then the next day I got a visit from the member of the local temple that worships Orca I myself am a member of. We talked of the usual town matters, budgets, shipping, crime nothing unusual. Next thing I knew I was on the ground as it morphed into it's true demon form of a small mound of slime and it mounted me and penetrated my places. I opened my mouth to scream and it was inside my mouth. It made me cream several times before I was locked in a cage inside the thing as it took my form and used it to further the church's agenda, rape those poor women and girls, violate me more with it's own slime form, and do it's vile work. I was nothing more then it's toy."

She broke down crying in shame and humiliation as Tyler looked to Lillia and Lily.

"I think you two need to have a chat with her."

They nodded and took her with the other ladies into the tower. Tyler sighed as he looked to a now tearful Vollock.

"Not yet, Captain. No tears yet. We got more work to do."

The sea captain dashed the tears from his gaze as Tyler spoke.

"Right. We'll pity her after. What's our next move?"

Tyler looked at the city.

"we get to cleaning. The temple. I'll go there first, as I am blue/white, their spells are useless against me. You go drag every other conspirator you know of out into the street. Any resist kill."

Vollock was nodding.

"Wallace?"

"He and his man are hurt bad. Most can barely stand. You got healers in your crew?"

"A few. No pure white paths though."

"white Path of Purity have a temple here?"

"They do. But they're a right difficult bunch to deal with."

"I'll get them. Wulf, guard the ladies. They're gonna be awhile."

The ranger nodded.

"Not a step past me."

Tyler looked to Vollock.

"The temples?"

The man pointed to two buildings. One a giant sea shell, the other a similar plain building.

"The shell is the Orca temple. I trust you know the other."

"I do, Captain. Let's get to it."

Tyler leapt off the wall and took off running towards the white first, as Vollock looked to Wulf.

"Boy's a scary one."

Tyler ran to the front door and was greeted by a brother in a brown robe.

"Greetings. Have you need of the temple sirrah?"

"Name is tyler the Outcast. I must speak to the Father please."

the man bowed again.

"At once Lord of white."

They went inside and Tyler smiled as he saw it was the exact same layout as the one in Raylik.

"Nice to see consistency."

The brother smiled as he hurriedly brought him to where a tall man in a white robe was casting a holy relief upon a kneeling lady. The brother sighed as he saw the woman.

"A shame. Yet another victim of Lymir's madness."

"Not madness, Brother. Lymir was replaced with a doppelganger."

That got a gasp of shock from all. The man had the wherewithal to keep the spell going, as the lady looked at Tyler with tears in her eyes.

"That Wasn't Lymir?"

Tyler walked over with a sad face.

"No. The thing raped her as well. Many, many times, even after it stole her form."

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank the seas she's safe now."

"Not yet. I gotta a lotta gunk to clear from this city before that happens."

The spell ended and the man smiled at the lady.

"You're healed and cured Miss. 3 silver please."

Tyler flipped him the coins himself.

"I get you got a temple to run, but not exactly a good face for healers taking payment from a lady in these kinds of circumstances."

She smiled gratefully as she ran from the temple to spread the good word. The man pocketed the silver as he faced tyler with a frown.

"We do have to support ourselves."

"ANOTHER one? Greaaaaaat. A long day."

HE stabbed the man in the heart as the other monks were frozen in shock at the sudden turn of events. The man glared at him as he burst into white flames before an identical man was dropped to the floor. Tyler cast his own Holy Relief and the man rose with a most indignant anger in his eyes.

"I HATE those things!"

A brother came running with a fresh robe as the man looked at Tyler as he sheathed Oblivion.

"I thank you, Brother for freeing me."

"We ain't done yet, Father. Seriously, we got a LOOOONG day ahead of us."

The Father's eyes glowed white as he cast a spell.

"Holy Sanctity."

Tyler whistled as he felt a dome of extremely potent holy magic explode outward from the man to encompass the building. Tyler watched as a further four brothers were engulfed in white flames and freed from doppelgangers.

"Yeah, ya got one o those for sale?"

The Father smiled as his spell ended.

"Indeed. 10 gold."

"Done. Thing is freakin gnarly."

Tyler gave him the gold and added the spell to his ring.

"Neat. Okay, I need healers sent here."

He gave the father a piece of map with Wallace's camp.

"Wallace was wrongfully given a bounty. I'll deal with that myself later. Get those men back oin their feet."

"The temple itself will aid them."

"We got more for ya, but later."

They nodded and he took off to the Orca temple. The Father looked to his Monks.

"Bring me Light Bringer."

Tyler found a wall of men with a most bizarre choice in weaponry and armor. The wielded conch clubs, giant crab shell shields, crab breast plates, and shell helms. Tyler tilted his head as he approached.

"ya can't seriously expect to fight me like this?"

"Water spear!"

A line of razor sharp water came flying out from behind the men to slam into Tyler's chest, only to not even get him wet. Tyler smiled as he looked at their looks of despair.

"I'm a blue/white. Yeah, your water can't touch me"

He walked up and cast his new spell.

"Holy Sanctity."

His dome was far more powerful, and far faster in it's spread. No less than thirty men and women burst into flames as the anti-demon magic did it's work. Tyler smiling as he drank a mana potion while he walked to where a mermaid lay on the ground with a crown of coral next to her. Her skin was a very pretty shade of deep blue, same with her scales hair and eyes. Her eyes were a vivid purple, and her rack flopped. She looked up at Tyler as he neared her.

"So, you high priestess here?"

The mermaid got to her bare feet, as her clothing was a mere sea shell bra covering her nipples, and a large clam over her groin. Everything else lay bare. She bowed as she replied.

"I be Sea Whisperer Coral, Sir. I thank you for rescuing us."

"This city sure has a lotta doppels. Well, least I got a mass cleaner spell now."

She smiled gratefully.

"A question."

"Speak."

"What of Lymir?"

"She was replaced with a doppel as well, after it raped her many times. I released her, and from her story, it had her many more times."

She had a tear fall as she heard.

"Thank you for not sparing the truth. She is my sister."

"She's getting talked to by a few of my crew that have suffered the same pain. She's in good hands."

She sighed with relief.

"Thank the seas. What of us?"

"I'll keep casting the spell around town. Once everyone stops bursting into flames, we'll see."

That got a grin as he walked into the temple and cast the spell again. This time the rest of the worshippers all burst into flames. HE sighed.

"I see how they did it. Start at the churches and move to the leaders. These things had this city by the balls."

He sighed and walked along the street casting his new dome spell. He'd had yet to read just WHAT it did exactly, but for now it killed doppels, and that was all he needed for the moment. The number of people bursting into flames was simply staggering. The city had maybe two thousand residents, and by the time he hit them all, only two hundred and fifty were non copies. He just sighed as he finished the last spell.

"Jesus Christ in a stroller. I expected bad, but what the hell?"

He reached the wall and cast the spell again getting a few flamers on the wall, but that was it. He walked up as he drank a mana potion to see Vollock rubbing his head.

"Issue?"

The sea captain gestured to where the towns people were gathering near the wall.

"Hwo do we tell them?"

"Like this."

Tyler drew Gliepnir and took a spot atop the battlements and looked at the scared citizens. HE cast the spell once again, and the dome hit them all. No flames.

"Well. Nice to see the fireworks have finally stopped."

The got a strained smile from a few. Tyler looked at them.

"well, the city's a mess. Ain't it?"

A man with a scar on his face looked up at him.

"Yer tellin us! What the hell were those flames?"

"Doppelgangers getting torched."

That got a scared murmur. The man spoke again.

"Ya mean we got invaded by fakes?"

"To a most extreme extent. Even Lymir was replaced."

That got a loud gasp of shock.

"Is she alright?"

"She was violated many, many times by the creature, but she's getting talked to by my crew. So, long as she's got a spine in there, she will be."

This time the gasp was of pity and horror. The scarred man was then elected spokesmen by the town.

"How'd that many creatures get in?"

"Now that I'm not sure of yet. We'll figure it out though."

The man nodded.

"I see you got a list."

"We're gonna have a LOOOONG day today."

That got a laugh from the salty man.

"Boy, ya don't know real work till ya spent a week and a day battling the briny in a storm!"

"Oh right, I forgot. Dealing with Sailors. Well, should be an easy day then."

That got a laugh.

"Aye lad, what's next?"

Tyler looked over his shoulder.

"First is the get the bounty off Wallace's head."

A lady with horns on her head and a sheep's lower half spoke up.

"I caaaaaaaan do thaaaaaaat siraaaaah."

She had a most interesting way of speaking, extending her A's like a sheep. Tyler smiled.

"I take it work for the booth, miss?"

"Aaaaaaye Sir. I do. I caaaaaan cleaaaaaar it for him, aaaaaas it waaaaas aaaaaaa faaaaaalse bounty."

"That's your task then miss. Next is a search of the town for banned goods."

Tyler looked around until he spotted a Brother in the crowd.

"The things we're looking for are evil blacks. So, we'll need to aid of the temple."

The Brother bowed.

"You have it. The Purity abhors the evil blacks above all else."

"Wow, just when I thought that piece couldn't get more racist. I have a procedure for searchin for this shit, so I'll get it distributed before we get to it."

The scarred man crossed his arms.

"Okay. Making sense so far. Those responsible?"

"So far all we got are a bunch of doppels. Me and my team will look into how so many got in. If we find a culprit or culprits, well, always wanted to see someone get keelhauled."

That made the town sailors burst out laughing,

"It ain't pretty lad!"

"Aye, mate, it's a nasty piece o work!"

Tyler shrugged.

"Makes a point though, right?"

That got a round of ayes. The gates were opened, and as the men walked through, tyler would cast the dome spell as they went. He got a few hits, but far fewer. The men were clearly exhausted, but their wounds were healed. Tyler spotted the man he'd talked to earlier helping a man walk into the town.

"hey, Wallace! Up here!"

The man looked up to see Tyler still atop the ramparts and passed his man to a brother before climbing up himself. He was a tall man with a wrinkled face, scars on his frame, and broad shoulders. He smiled as he reached Tyler's perch.

"Thankee kindly lad. We didn't truly understand what we were dealing with."

Tyler chuckled.

"Hey, she had ME fooled for a while there."

That got a laugh.

"The mighty Outcast, fooled?"

Tyler snorted.

"I AM sucker for a pretty face. Seriously, wanna take me by surprise? Get a hottie with a knife."

That made the men lose it as Tyler sighed ruefully. He got a hearty pat on his back from the sailor for that one.

"A real man's weakness, an no mistake!"

Tyler laughed as well.

"Only works the once though."

The Marine ran a hand over his face as he got serious.

"What's our next move?"

Tyler reached into a pouch and pulled the procedure for the search.

"we're looking for banned black spells, and other gear. This is a step-by-step instruction on how to do it right. Once done, we'll see what the damage is."

Wallace took the scroll.

"Aye lad. If any resist?"

"There's a plan for that in there too. But, to answer yer question? Arrest and search anyway."

He chuckled.

"I see you think ahead."

"Usually do."

Tyler looked around to the gathered people.

"We got work to do. Get that out to them, and break!"

Wallace and Vollock roared their orders as Tyler walked to the tower and tapped a knuckle.

"I good to make an update?"

Lily's still tired voice was heard from within.

"Just hurry up."

Wulf was standing atop the tower with his bow as he went in. Lymir was sitting on a barrel with her knees up to her chest as Lilli and Lily held her between them. The other girls nearby as well. Tyler walked over and sat before the broken mermaid. Kaori was the one that asked the question.

"How bad was it?"

"Only 250 people in this town were NOT doppels. I got a new spell off the Father the kills in a dome spell, but yeah, a lotta fakes."

Vixen tilted her head.

"What's it called?"

"Holy Sanctity."

She gasped in surprise.

"HE SOLD it to you? How much?"

"10 gold. It famous?"

She just shook her head.

"It's one of the ONLY holy spells made SOLEY for fighting demons. It's a dome spell like Protective warning, but it affects the spirit real when cast. Anything evil gets purged, anything good gets a full blast of the warmth of the caster."

Tyler looked to his shoulders, where Sallie and Sylvia were happily sitting, as was their way.

"Ladies?"

They giggled.

"It felt like you were hugging us!"

"Yeah! It was warm!"

Tyler smiled as he looked to Lymir.

"So you know, they know the truth now."

She lifted her head to look at him with shock.

"Why'd you tell them?"

"Because I don't believe in wallowing. Look."

HE removed his shirt and mail to show her his scars. She gasped at the sight of his lines.

"what happened to you?"

"My family didn't like me much."

She scooched closer to him and placed a trembling hand on his chest, and ran it over the ridges of hardened scar tissue. He smiled as he pointed out three.

"These are from our first lisk kill. The others my family."

She flashed a quick smile before back to sadness. He took her hand and held it tightly.

"What are you going to do now?"

She blinked and looked at him, like a scared rabbit.

"I don't know. Most will blame me for letting this happen under my watch. Plus they weren't very fond of me to begin with."

"Why do you think that?"

She shivered.

"I was a mere snob to them. Always looking down my nose, condescending to the sailors, unnecessarily mean to the kids, and just cruel all around."

"Sooo, you've hit rock bottom?"

She nodded in despair.

"I have. I can't sink any lower."

"Well, that's a good thing then."

She looked into his now smiling eyes as he held her hand and pressed it to his scars.

"Why is being the lowest of the low good?"

"Because you don't have anywhere else to go but up."

She blinked at this.

"I…don't understand."

Tyler got off the floor.

"Will you lay down and give up entirely, or will you rise and be better?"

She got it then, but was still shaking.

"I don't know if I have such strength to face them again."

She scrunched into a small ball.

"I'm scared."

Tyler sighed.

"And what will you do with that fear, Lymir?"

She pressed her face into her knees.

"Look, I don't know okay? I have no idea how you got over your pain. So, please, let me be."

Tyler sighed again.

"Look, Lymir, I can't help you if you won't help yourself."

She scrunched even tighter as he spoke.

"But, CAN you help me?"

Lily smacked her back.

"If he can teach a pair of pampered palace pets to resist a Mind Subjugation necklace, he can teach you to heal."

Sera and Lillia looked at each other.

"I think she complemented us."

"Yet I still feel insulted somehow."

Tyler chuckled.

"They aren't pets anymore, lily. They HOLD the damned leashes."

Lily shrugged.

"Eh, if you say so. Sera seems more the type for a chain."

"Wow, Lily, now you say that, I see it too."

Sera bawled.

"Hey! I am NOT a slavedriver!"

"Didn't say you were."

"Yeah, not even a mention of slaves."

"I think she's that type."

"I do too now."

The poor girl stomped her foot in fury.

"I do NOT like chains!"

Tyler and Lily looked at each other concerned.

"We didn't say you did like em."

"All we said was you seemed the type for a chain leash."

"Yeah. Now we got a new worry."

Sera was hopping mad as they spoke, as Lymir was laughing at their antics. Tyler smiled as he looked at a furious Sera.

"Well, at least she's cute."

Lily nodded.

"She's got that going for her."

"Plus a great hug."

"Thing's lethal. I like her hair though."

"It is shiny. Skin's nice too."

"Plus her bust is growing rather nicely."

"Nice to see a well-developing girl."

"Stoop! You're embarrassing me!"

Sera had gone from furious anger, to cutely red faced embarrassment with her face in her hands. Tyler let her off the hook with a last comment.

"Love you Sera!"

"Me too!"

"Eep!"

She squeaked as the crew laughed at the camp cutie. Tyler looked to the still-in-the-fetal position mermaid.

"So, Lymir. What will you do?"

The blue lady's humor died as she looked to Lily. Who shrugged.

"Don't look at me. This is your choice. Either step up or get stepped over."

Lymir shivered as she looked at her feet.

"I….want to be strong. Like Lily. But, I don't know how."

She looked at Tyler with glowing purple eyes.

"Can you teach me?"

Tyler held out his hand.

"I won't do a job for someone they themselves refuse to do. I do not help those that refuse to help themselves. Long as you work too, I'll do what I can."

She smiled as she took his hand and he lifted her to her feet like she weighed as much as a feather.

"Thank you."

Tyler chuckled.

"We ain't done yet, toots. Oh, and if ya want to learn how to be like Lily, she'll be your new shadow for the time being."

That got a sigh from the little elven girl.

"Great. Babysitting."

Tyler patted her head.

"Why I like you so much Lily. You don't sugar coat things."

She yawned hard.

"So you know? I want YOU tonight. For a bedmate."

"Wow, ah, sure."

Kaori laughed.

"You need to grow a little more Lily. He's too big for you at the moment."

The fierce elven girl shrugged.

"I know. Nice to see my future-husband has the right sword for me, but I wanna cuddle."

"Wow. Now I'm worried for the future. But, whatever. Sure, Lily."

She smiled as she walked over to Lymir.

"Okay, Tyler wants me to teach you to be me."

Poor Lymir seemed a little nervous by the fact she was now at the mercy of the ferocious little elf, and it showed in a gulp. The others all chuckled as Tyler sighed.

"I'll go see how it's looking out there."

The girls nodded and he left the mermaid to be bullied into being strong by a overly enthusiastic Lily. He walked out to see Vollock looking at a map of the town with Wallace.

"Well, how it look?"

The two sailors sighed as they tapped different buildings.

"We've found hundreds of the banned. Sad part is we haven't even gotten through 5 buildings yet."

"I smell an opportunity for a bonfire party."

That got a smirk.

"Aye lad. A party be needed for such a hard day's work."

"Nice to have something to work towards."

Vollock rubbed his eyes.

"Lymir?"

"Getting bullied by Lily to get stronger. That girl will help her."

That got a sad smile from the two men.

"A shame it happened to her."

"A cryin shame. But, least she's free now."

Wallace pointed to a building.

"They found a large ring in the basement here. The Purity destroyed it themselves."

"Still wanna know how the hell so many got here. AND where they came from."

"As would we lad."

"I think I can lend some light."

Vixen came out from within the wall tower to join the discussion. The busty beauty stood next to Tyler as she looked at the map.

"A doppelganger needs to be summoned and given a form before it's set loose. So, the fact there were so many here proves a mass summon took place at some point."

Tyler looked to the ships.

"And in a active port, with sailors coming and going as they do, they could drop off an entire ship's worth and not a soul would know it."

Vollock was nodding along,

"Aye, lad. A ship's crew is always changing. And sometimes I'll set sail without knowing a single person."

Wallace looked to seas as well.

"Plus, there's the odd stowaway as well. So we know how they got in. How do we keep em out?"

Vixen smiled.

"Have a white path cast the sanctity spell upon each ship as it enters or leaves the docks. Any resist, introduce the cannons."

Tyler smiled proudly.

"What she said."

That got a laugh.

"Aye lass, yer a canny one as well as a beauty an no mistake."

Tyler gave the now smiling mage a hug.

"She be at that. Everyone in me crew ain't just fer lookin at."

Vixen chuckled as she looked at him.

"Even if we ARE good looking, right?"

"Damn straight."

The two men laughed as Lymir emerged from the tower with Lily right beside her. The mermaid still clad in her blanket as she had yet to get a set of clothes. She seemed nervous and scared as she came to stand before the two men. Wallace and Vollock saluted her as they saw her.

"Good to see you back, Miss."

"It is good to se you're free."

She smiled weakly.

"I am deeply sorry. Wallace. Vollock. I WILL do better in future."

They nodded.

"Aye Miss. As will we."

"We all made mistakes here. But, least we can fix em now."

Tyler smiled as Lymir breathed a sigh of relief.

"I thank you. Now, before I assist, I think I'd like to get properly dressed."

Tyler shrugged.

"Dunno bout you, Lymir, but you kinda make the whole fur beauty thing work."

He got a smack from Lily as the men looked elsewhere, as Lymir blushed a faint purple. Lily sighed.

"He does that. Just ignore him or smack him."

Tyler laughed as he looked to the map.

"Okay, I'll aid the search as well with my crew. Lily and Lymir need rest right now."

The small girl was rubbing her arm.

"I can't move this arm for the rest of today beyond eating or daily living. Even now it hurts."

HE cast a holy relief on her and she smiled.

"I appreciate the thought, but it still hurts."

The experienced sailors nodded.

"Aye lad. Magic is a wonderous thing an no mistake, but it can't fix everything."

"That it can't."

Tyler patted Lily's head.

"Worth a shot. Alright, we'll find and clear you a room. You don't lift a finger until your arm feels better."

Lymir sighed.

"I suppose the mansion is out?"

"I'll clear it and we'll use it."

The others came out and he explained the plan.

"we're headed to the Mansion for a search. Once clear, I'll set the spells so Lily, Lymir, Sera and Lillia can get some desperately needed rest."

They all nodded and headed out. Tyler had Lily on his horse as she was that tired, as fighting off a willpower demon, the necklace, plus the past days training had left her drained. He had her around her small waist as they returned to the mansion. Once the horses were hitched he cast Holy Sanctity, and it blanketed the entire mansion with it's purifying power. Then they went inside.

"How are doing this?"

"We'll head straight to the roof Ashy. Then a room by room, floor by floor search. Every door, drawer and painting gets searched."

They nodded as Lymir led the party to the roof of the large building. Tyler had Lily by her hand as they went, as the poor elf was in danger of tripping.

"Screw it."

HE lifted her up and carried her.

"Try and rest best you can, Lily. Seriously, I do NOT like this you."

She smiled as she passed out in her arms like a light switch. Kaori smiled at this display.

"Wow. You look like her doting father there, carrying her like that."

Tyler smiled as he was big enough that she fit in one arm like a loaf of bread.

"I love this wildcat. And seeing her weak like this is kinda making me mad for some odd reason. Not entirely sure why though."

Wulf was heard chuckling as they all looked around the flat roof for banneds and other nasty surprises.

"I feel the same thing. Lily is always so strong and fierce, that seeing her in such a vulnerable state is a little wrong."

Lily for her part was sound asleep as Tyler used his free arm to poke around the roof. The Outcast sighed as he looked at her.

"I guess it bugs me. Even IF she's just dead tired. Seems wrong."

The party smiled fondly as the roof was cleared. So, they moved down a floor. They would start at one end of the hall and would clear each room before moving to the next. The first room they found was a bedroom with a large bed with white blankets, a large window looking out at the ocean with a small balcony, with paintings and dressers. Tyler looked the bed over first before setting Lily down on it to search the room properly. The elf girl grumbled in her sleep a little, but that was it. Tyler walked to the large painting of a mermaid by the sea and took it off the wall to search behind it. He was also using his detection skills to search for hidden halls, rooms, and pockets. Lymir for her piece had curled around Lily's small form on the bed for both warmth and to be closer to her.

"Hey, Tyler, think we got one."

Kaori came up with a small box taken from behind a false panel. Tyler took the metal box and pulled a thin piece of metal from a crafting pouch, bent it into a zig-zag pattern and inserted it into the lock before waggling it a few times. There was a click and it opened. He smiled as he put the lockpick away.

"Nice to see I still got it."

"Hey, uh, Tyler?"

He looked up to see Kaori looking at him a little nervously.

"What's up?"

"Oh, nothing really, justa, why was picking a lock so easy for you?"

HE laughed quietly.

"I've been locked out of my own home FAR too many times, Kaori. So, I learned it to get back in."

She seemed to still be nervous.

"You wouldn't have used that trick to break into MY house, right?"

He smiled.

"Nah. Not when I had my rock trick."

She breathed a sigh of relief as she smiled at the fond memory. Little Sera was curious as she looked through a drawer.

"What was you rock trick?"

Kaori had a warm smile as she explained.

"My room was on the second floor, with a 25 foot drop to the ground. Well, if he needed a place to hide or wanted to just see me, he'd toss a small rock at the window to get my attention. I had a knotted rope he'd climb up to get into my room, and when he left he'd use the same. It was kinda our thing."

The girls smiled.

"That's kinda romantic."

"I've read of that kinda thing in stories. Didn't think boys really did it though."

Tyler shrugged.

"we had a few gimmicks. Like how I'd hide something in her desk or she'd leave some snack she'd made in mine."

Kaori frowned now.

"That spider trap nearly gave me a heart attack you ass."

HE smiled as he opened the unlocked box. Inside was a locket, some gold coins, a few magically taken photos, and a small doll. He opened the locket to see a photo of a small girl with blonde hair and red eyes smiling at the viewer. He closed it and looked at the photos. More of the same girl. Last thing he looked over was the doll, and found it clear.

"This is clean. Just a keepsake chest."

He closed it and relocked it as a lady in a maid outfit came in only to find the room searched. She saw Tyler with the box and gulped.

"Sirrah, I do hope you didn't take anything."

He smiled at the servant.

"I did not, miss. We're looking for banned items and making sure the place is safe."

He handed the chest back to Kaori to placed it back behind the panel. The maid breathed a sigh of relief.

"I thank you for your consideration, Sirrah."

Tyler smiled as he looked at her. She was a few years older then he was, with blonde hair, red eyes and fair skin like the small girl in the photos. As he made this connection he blinked.

"Why the hell did I just think of that now?"

The now nervous maid gulped as his friends sighed.

"There he goes again."

"What did he come up with this time?"

"It'll either be batshit insane, mind numbingly simple, stupid, or soul crushing."

"Or a mix of the list."

"Okay, Tyler. What surfaced now?"

"Sooo, I've been seeing these photos everywhere. That a skill or a spell?"

The room just burst out laughing quietly as Wulf explained with a sigh.

"Both. The spells are unique to each path. The Skill is called Memory Frame. It uses the eyes to take a picture of what you're looking at and makes a image to the size you want."

"Alright. We are getting a set once the mess is cleaned up. Plus an archive for them."

The maid seemed a little confused.

"THAT was what he thought of?"

Tyler was now poking through a drawer seeking false bottoms as Kaori sighed.

"That's how his mind works. Leave it to wander, and just watch what the hell he comes up with. If you hear him say he has an idea, be scared. VERY scared."

She gulped again as the search of the room was finished.

"Kay. This one's clean. Next one."

He lifted the slumbering Lily up as he would NOT leave her side until the building was his level safe. For the next few hours, they cleared the first two floors and found nothing but keepsakes, odd collections, and a few curiosities. Tyler either laying Lily on the bed as he worked or carrying her at the same time. They had reached the far end of the floor the office was on and were approaching another set of double doors as Lymir became nervous.

"That's my room."

"Well, we'll be extra thorough."

They went inside and Tyler blinked. The walls, floor, and roof were a deep blue, with deep carpets that seemed to be made of fur, a massive four post bed with canopy, and a large set of ten foot tall windows with full balcony overlooking the road to the front door and the sea. There was a desk near the bed, and a lounge recliner facing the window. The whole room was a deep blue that was a little disorienting to look around in, but the party got over it as they looked around. Tyler walked over to the bed and threw the blankets, finding them to be freshly cleaned and safe. He laid Lily in the massive bed and put the blanket over her body as he searched the headboard, posts holding the canopy, and under it as well before nodding.

"well, it's clean. Lily will rest hear for now."

Lymir went over to a set of doors and opened them to reveal her closet. She seemed to be shaking as she sifted through it until she pulled a long nightgown out. The thing being the same color as her skin and when she put it on it blended perfectly with both her skin and her scales. She then walked to get in the bed beside Lily and cradle the smaller girl like a lifeline, before she fell asleep herself, Lily pressed tightly into her flopping breasts like a teddy bear. Tyler sighed and went to the desk and started sifting through the drawers and paperwork. He pulled a set of papers with a set of line to keep it together out and opened to the first page.

"Gods damn it."

He sighed as he closed it. Kaori came over then.

"Find something?"

"A freakin play-by-play of the thing's rape of some girl with it's slime form and her's. Look."

She opened it and started reading. She made to maybe the third paragraph before closing it with a look of horror.

"Jesus."

"Yup."

Tyler took it and flipped through the thing, as such horrors didn't really phase him much. HE then set it aside and looked in the drawer it came from more closely. HE didn't have to look long when he came up with a pouch. He reach in and pulled a crystal out. The thing was a light blue thing shaped like a pyramid. Wulf looked at it and sighed.

"That's a recording crystal. If you were to place it there, on the headboard, it sees everything that tip is pointed at. To play it back, tap the tip."

Tyler placed it on the desktop and tapped the tip. As he did, a cloud appeared over it with a mirror like effect as it formed. Then it showed the bed from the view of the headboard as the doppelganger in Lymir's form came in with a small girl the same size as Sera. The girl had large red eyes, fair skin, a sizeable bust, a look of fear as the imposter led the girl to the bed.

"Okay, now, just take those clothes off and we'll get started."

"Yes Ma'am."

The girl was definitely scared, but obeyed the lady's words. The sound and picture so clear it seemed like Tyler was in the room with them. The girl removed her light dress and underwear as the doppelganger did the same. Now visibly shaking, the girl was made to lay on the bed as the taller lady climbed on top of her.

"Now relax, and open those legs for me."

The imposter's voice an excited purr.

"Okay, just be easy with it, please, Milady."

The girl laid back and opened her legs as the fake pressed her mouth to the girl's treat with evident hunger, getting a small gasp of shock from the girl. The imposter was seen to love the girl's treat with a most uncharacteristic kindness as it made the girl cream. Then it lifted it's head to look at the recorder pyramid and Tyler got a good look into the thing's eyes.

"Oh, she's like that."

Tyler killed the recording and found a small date at the bottom. A full year prior. He chuckled as he then understood what the pouch was fro.

"Lady's an exhibitionist."

Kaori looked to where Lymir was still sound asleep with Lily cradles to her body.

"That one was a consensual lay?"

Tyler turned it back on to get a look at the girl's eyes.

"Yeah. I'm not seeing a denial or any other kind of emotion for a rape or forced seduction, just nerves that come with a first lay or a first lay with a lady."

He put it away and looked at another.

"See? This lady is overly eager and all too willing to get under her touch. So, a willing lover."

He looked through all of the hundred or so crystals, needing no less an 90 seconds to decide on consent or willingness. He smiled as he put them back.

"Okay, she makes a recording as both a memento of her lover, and a reference on a lonely day. Nothing bad with that."

"I'd appreciate it if you kept that one a secret."

He looked over to see Lymir staring at him with a single purple eye full of amusement. HE chuckled.

"I suppose asking for a copy o these is out?"

The ladies all replied en mass.

"Yes it is!"

Tyler just chuckled as he put them back in the false back of the drawer.

"Okay, so that thing liked to write about it's conquests, whereas she liked to rewatch her lovers."

He opened another drawer and took out a packet of files. He opened it and sighed.

"This is a dossier on every girl in the town the thing had taken a fancy to."

Lymir was heard speaking with a more…..embarrassed tone now.

"No, that's mine again. It just used them to learn my tastes."

Tyler sat back in the chair to look at her.

"You got quite the appetite there, don't ya?"

She blushed a deep purple at this one.

"I…like sex. A lot."

"Nothing wrong with that. Nice to see your doing a little better now."

The Mermaid rolled onto her back, and the still sleeping Lily laid her head on her bust.

"I think a good rest was all I really needed. I mean, weird and depraved as it may sound, I kinda enjoyed the slime play a bit. Even IF I didn't want it."

Tyler shrugged as he put the dossier away.

"Maybe in the right circumstances that kinda play is fun for you."

She sighed and rubbed her breast as she spoke.

"I guess, I have a few issues."

"So do I. But, hey, look at it this way: Least you got to try something different."

The other ladies, besides Kaori, were a little sickened by the pair's conversation. Kaori just sighed.

"Fair warning Lymir? Tyler's got a nearly as vast appetite as you do. Only, his tastes can get straightup depraved."

Lymir looked at her curiously.

"Okay, how bad?"

"You REALLY wanna know?"

She looked over to where he had another packet of pappers and was flipping through it.

"I do. I'd like to know what his tastes are."

Kaori sighed.

"Wow, Lymir. Brave. Okay, well, if he'd walked in on you with the slime, he'd probably get off to it BEFORE helping you. Plus, in our world we have something called Hentai, basically drawn sex between characters played on things like that crystal. Well, I was feeling particularly daring that day and flipped through his collection. Yeeeeah, I stayed the fuck away from him for a week. He had everything from girls Sera's size getting stuffed by slimes, girls like you, Lymir, various creatures and appendages like hands, tentacles, dongs, ya name it. Plus, some rather nasty animal mixes that gave me nightmares for a week."

The room was silent with the exception of Tyler's flipping through various papers and looking at numbers. HE looked at the room staring at him like a rabid animal and he shrugged.

"I got weird for a while. I got over It though."

"Yeah. By 'got over it' he means he found the Yuri Genre."

Lymir was looking at him with a look of fascination.

"Yuri is?"

"Lesbian Hentai. Usually a smaller girl laying with a bigger girl. Like say, Lily and you Lymir. Easiest example in the room to make. His collection of that one was actually rather wholesome and kinda romantic. Usually involving some form of romance like a date, dinner or just two friends realizing they wanted each other and just going for it."

Wulf looked to Lily in Lymir's arms.

"Should we be worried?"

Kaori laughed.

"Nah. Dude's got issues, but we all got a weird fantasy or two locked away. He's just more open with it."

The breaths of relief sounded like a gust of wind. Then sera looked at Malico.

"Is that why he loves Malico so much?"

"Same vein just a different type of entertainment."

The sexy catgirl became nervous.

"What kind of entertainment?"

"In our world was a genre called Anime. Basically drawn shows from another country he fell in love with. Some of the shows had catgirls like you, Malico in them, and he loved them. Plus he was a cat person on top of it. So, big breasts plus beautiful girl plus catgirl plus you equals his love for you."

Tyler smiled as he finished looking through the desk and went to the one near the lounge chair.

"Like I keep saying, Malico. YOU my favorite kittycat."

That set her to purring as Lymir had a question.

"What about mermaids?"

Tyler sat in the chair as the others went back to their search.

"The stories of mermaids in our world was a little different. For one, they had the upper half of a beautiful human woman, while from the waist down was a fish's tail."

The blue skinned lady blinked with surprise.

"Wow. Some Mermaids can do that, but only a few. I myself cannot."

"You look better with those sexy legs anyway."

She smiled as she blushed purple again.

"Thank you. So, did you have any fantasies for them?"

"Oh hell yeah. They were a kind of sex symbol in our world, as the first stories came from sailors after a long voyage as sea."

She giggled a little as Lily moved in her sleep, tickling her.

"I see. Nice to know your tastes."

Tyler smiled as he pulled another packet out of a slot in the chair. He opened it and chuckled.

"Oh, here we go. Found a manifest for the banned items."

Wulf took it as Tyler moved to the bookshelf. The rest of the party having paired off to go search the building quicker now that they saw the way to do it. Though Sera had stayed behind to be close to lily.

"It tells where the things are even stored. Makes it easier on us I guess."

The ranger put the thing away as Tyler pulled a book down and removed a small key from within the pages. Lymir sighed.

"There's a small locked drawer in the bedside here."

Tyler sat by the bed and found it hidden behind a rotating carving of a moon. HE turned the key and the drawer popped out. He opened it to find a small collection of various toys, bottles, wipes, and even a few licenses. He took the spells and looked them over.

"Lustful Caress. Makes the target more sensitive to sexual sensations. Okay, neat. Longing Caress. Makes the caster orgasm harder as well as a target. Hot. And, Loving Touch. Adds extra pleasure to a lay when cast upon the target and caster. Best part? All blue spells."

HE put them back as Lymir poked her head over the side of the bed full purple in the face.

"I'd like you to NEVER speak of those outside this room."

"Sure. I mean I think it's kinda hot, but sure. Ya got good taste."

HE shut the drawer as Kaori sighed now.

"Great. Now he's gonna want a set of those for US!"

"Like you'll complain when I use em."

The blonde beauty blushed.

"Besides the point!"

"And the point is?"

Malico was then heard giggling.

"Sex-based magics are a big seller in Lectis, Kaori. Most are good fun. Should try em."

The poor blonde was so red in the face at this Tyler though she'd started bleeding. Lymir sighed now.

"It seems he DOES have a similar appetite. Scary."

Tyler closed the drawrr and put the key back as he looked around the room.

"well, last piece is the closet."

Lymir just hugged Lily tighter.

"Enjoy ruining the image of me you had."

"Nah, Lymir. I just see you as a sexy Mermaid with a hot and fun pastime."

She smiled as he started rummaging through her closet. The mermaid closed her eyes and tried to ignore to now longing throb between her legs she'd gotten from him looking through her collections. Kaori saw this and walked over to whisper in her fin ear.

"So you know, if you want him, just tell him so."

She gave no indication of her hearing as she replied.

"Are you THAT kind of lovers?"

"Oh yeah. Trust me when I say he'd LOVE to take you. And, as for his appetite? Well, he'll outlast you. Even WITH the spells in play."

Lymir shivered ever so slightly.

"I think. I'll need to taste it for myself. I need the touch of one that I WANT to touch me."

Kaori leaned in and gave the pleasantly surprised mermaid a soft kiss.

"Oh, he'll TOUCH you alright. But, sadly not tonight as he'll be cuddling Lily. But, I and Malico are free."

That made the mermaid smile.

"I DO love a busty NekoPlesian."

The two girls giggled softly as every now and then Tyler would give a low whistle of either approval or appreciation for the mermaid's sexy wardrobe.

"Wow, girls got a sexy taste here."

He closed the door and looked to Lymir.

"Well, your rooms clean. I'll go poke around your office for now."

Kaori and Malico looked at each other.

"we'll keep an eye on Lymir and Lily."

"Yeah. I kinda wanna lay down as well."

"Have fun in the pile."

They smiled as Sera giggled now.

"I'll help in the office!"

Wulf just sighed.

"I will go find Ashy and see if she needs help."

"Just clean the mess after."

Wulf flipped him off as he went, while sera walked over and hugged him with a giggle. Tyler patted her and they left the room, quietly shutting the door. Soon as it was shut, Lily's eyes opened and she looked at Lymir.

"Get those spells out."

Kaori and Malico looked at each other, and smiled.

"Shall we play, ladies?"

"Let's make a mermaid happy."

Lymir gulped as now she was facing three lusty ladies alone, and one armed with her spells.

"I think I'm in over my head here."

Lily snorted as she lifted the mermaid's gown to expose her flopping breasts.

"Just shut up and let me at these. I wanna suck on em."

Tyler and Sera walked into the mermaid's office, as a low moaning screaming was heard from the room at the end of the hall. Tyler laughed.

"I didn't tell anyone, but there was a fresh crystal on the headboard."

Sera giggled as she opened a drawer and pulled a packet out.

"Oh, they knew. Kaori spotted it while you were watching the crystals. Malico too."

Tyler smiled as he flipped through the lists of ordered banned spells.

"I hope I get a copy of that. I ALSO hope lily doesn't hurt her arm with her play."

He sat in the chair and Sera sat in his lap.

"She'll be careful. Plus, well, I think she likes to be played with rather then do the playing."

He looked at her, a little shocked.

"And justa where'd you learn that little tidbit?"

She blushed as she replied.

"Well, we were talking one night, and it came up. What we'd like."

"Ah. Well, I don't really think I need to know that one."

Sera breathed a sigh of relief as he dropped it, as girls talk is a precious secret. Tyler placed the packet aside and pulled another one from a drawer. Soon as he opened it and read the first line, he smiled.

"We got a personality profile for our party as made by the Pope himself. Anyone in particular ya wanna read?"

The black haired princess smiled.

"Me!"

"Yes Milady! At once Your highness!"

She giggled as he pulled out her profile.

"Sera Von Vernillion. Member of Outcast party. Threat: Moderate. Sera is a most naïve girl, easily trusting, manipulated and controlled. She lacks all the fire and willpower that made her mother a force to be reckoned with. She is a most air-haired slip of a girl that only serves to grace the bed of another. She is currently under the wing of the Outcast and is being trained as an adventurer by him. The most we can expect from such a girl is a moment of humor as she cries for aid as she is far too gentle and weak to kill another creature."

Tyler just sat back and looked at Sera in disbelief. Then they burst out laughing.

"They don't know you every well, do they?"

She hugged him.

"Not anymore they don't."

He hugged her fondly.

"You're as fierce as Lily Sera, only with a lovingly gentle side whereas she's a fierce wildcat."

She was glowing happily at his words.

"Show me yours!"

"Sure. Should be a fun time."

"Um, what the hell?"

They looked up to see Serafina poke her hooded head around the door nervously with Lille right beside her. Sera tilted her head.

"Something wrong?"

The Wraith sighed.

"We're were walking down the hall when we heard her giggle, then say to 'show her yours'. Then we heard you say, 'Sure. Should be a fun time.' Was kinda worried just what the hell you were doing in here."

Sera blushed as Tyler sighed.

"Seriously? THAT'S the first thing you thought of when you heard that?"

The Wraith looked at him.

"It's YOU."

Tyler sighed again.

"Fair. But, so you know? Sera's more little sister."

"yay!"

her happy squeal made them smile as Lillica noticed the dossier in his hands.

"What's that Tyler?"

"The pope set up a dossier on us. In HIS words."

The black haired princess shivered.

"What he say about me?"

Tyler sighed.

"Haven't got the far."

she looked at him.

"Can I see it? Please?"

He looked into her eyes and saw them clear.

"We'll look together."

She nodded and came to sit on a small seat near Tyler's chair as Serafina held her. Tyler flipped through to Lillica's profile.

"Ready?"

"Please."

He nodded.

"Lillica Von Vernillion. Toy of the Outcast's party. Threat: none. Lillica is a most worthless girl. Only too eager to please others with her body as a good girl should. Lacking ALL of the fire that made her mother such a force of nature. She is easily used, and is only TO be used. Whereas her sister graces a bed, Lillica is merely to fill it in the event of no better option being found. Is currently a member of the Outcast party and is being trained. Most one can expect is her lasting longer in the bed."

Tyler frowned.

"Wait. What the hell?"

He had a look of confusion as he reread it and Lillica became confused herself.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought this was a personality profile dossier. But, Sera's was the closet it came. Lillica, you are MORE then a mere bedmate. Oh, and you fierce too."

She hugged him for that one.

"Thank you."

He smiled fondly as he patted her back.

"So you know? The lucky bastard you share a bed with is going to be the true winner there, as getting to share a night with a girl like you Lillica is nothing short of a lifemaker."

She blushed a little as she smiled. She pecked him on the cheek before sitting next to a happily smiling Serafina. Sera, for her part, was just happily seated in Tyler's lap loving life. He then turned his attention to the packet.

"This is something else entirely. Hey, Serafina, this an illusion?"

"I can check."

"Please do so."

He gave her the packet and her purple eyes glowed. Then she chuckled.

"These is a spell upon this. An illusion to disguise the document in order to mask the true words. They use it all the time for runners and couriers."

"Can you break it?"

"I can. It'll be a hassle as it requires perception, and I'm am afraid mine is not as extreme as yours is."

"Is it a skill?"

"A spell. But, the one I have is of the black, and as such would do your soul harm."

Tyler crossed his arms.

"Goes against the grain here, but all yours Serafina. That spell come in other colors?"

"Afraid not. As deceptions are a solely black path trait, the means to break them fall under the black as well."

"You'd think white would have a spell or trick to ferret out untruths. I mean they have a truth spell."

The wraith chuckled.

"I will admit my own ignorance. As I do not know if the spell DOES come in other colors."

"well, I'll ask Vixen next time I see her. For now though."

He looked at the document.

"I am tempted to leave it until we get a hardcore perception on it. Just in case of a message in a message."

Serafina sighed ruefully.

"I understand. I am sorry I'm not much help here."

"We all have roles in my party, Serafina. Sera's is to look cute as all hell and Lillica's…..flower arrangement?"

"Still cute!"

"Prick."

"Love you too."

"Yay!"

"Yeah yeah."

Tyler took the dossier and slid it into a pouch as Wulf came by.

"Wait, the hell didn't I think of it before? Hey, Wulf."

The elven ranger came in the room with a flushed Ashy which made the ladies smile.

"Need me?"

Tyler put the dossier on the desk.

"we got a coded message in that thing. Serafina says it takes perception for her spell to break the code."

Wulf's red eyes flashed as he saw where he was going.

"And you think that since I was ambassador I have a similar spell."

"Yup. Since an ambassador sometimes needs to carry sensitive information."

He nodded in agreement.

"I see. I do in fact have a trick for it. And before you ask, it's a skill. And, sadly the only way to gain it is to have a leader bestow it upon you. And by leader, I mean like Ishtar or Willow."

Tyler patted a disappointed Sera on her head.

"So, the head. I get it. Well, next time we bother Ishtar, which won't be long mind you since we need to give an update on this mess, I'll get the skill."

"Sorry!"

Tyler looked at Sera, who's blue eyes were huge and sad. He smiled as he hugged her.

"If it were that easy Sera, what would the point be?"

She smiled as his warmth engulfed her.

"Better!"

"extortionist. But, Sallie's cute so I'll let it go.'

"Hey!"

"teehee!"

The green haired spirit giggled as he smiled at her. Sera just grumbled.

"She is cute. Dammit."

"Sylvia is too."

"She is."

That made the red haired elf smile as she was included. Wulf was smiling as he placed his hand on the document and used the skill.

"Truth Be Read."

"Lame."

"Totally."

"Is."

"Nice multi Yoda."

Ashy chuckled as Wulf broke the seal and the pages glowed before returning to normal. Then tyler looked at it and sighed.

"Oh here we go. The dossier was to throw us off the scent. This is the orders for our visit to the town. I guess the Pope set up everything from the letter Lymir sent us to the bandits outside the front gate."

there was a lot of frowns as Tyler flipped through the documents.

"yup. Literally a step-by-step process to both fool me, separate our party, and wear the women down to both capture and enslave them. Even had a back up plan in the event the seperation failed which was an attack by that draug. Odd creature that."

Sera tilted her head.

"I don't think I know what a draug is."

"I didn't either till it attacked me. Think undead drake."

Wulf chuckled.

"The thing is a type of semi-dead. As in it died but refused to go to death. The things are usually kept as pets by demonkind because they're made from when a dragonkin refuses to accept death. Whether due to starvation or an accident or some other thing. Tyler used his Holy Smite combined with Holy Fire. It was turned to ash with a single shot."

Sera nodded sagely.

"I see. So, it have anything shiny?"

"The pouch had a large opal. And maybe 232 gold coins. That was it though."

She shrugged.

"Better then nothing I guess."

"I suppose. I'd like to keep the opals we get though. Fun to look into."

Lillica smiled.

"Can I have one? Opals were my favorite gem."

"Sure. Though, that one the size of that melon is mine."

Tyler flipped to the last page.

"Says here the ultimate goal was the enslave our party. Seems the Pope is unable to openly attack us now, and due to the king's recent fire has been losing influence and power. Okay, Ishtar's making his life harder. Good. My main worry now is what will the pope do once backed into a corner."

Wulf nodded sagely now himself.

"Back a snake into a corner and the fangs come out."

"Damn straight. Okay, I'll have Malico store this in the ring pouch. We have direct evidence pointing the finger at the pope right now."

"a most dangerous type of weapon in the court."

"Exactly. I may hate the court games with a fucking passion, but even I must admit sometimes it's better to play the game then just defy them."

Lillica smiled a dark smile.

"Why do the work when you can get some other idiot to do it for you?"

"Damn Lillica, haven't heard you talk princess in a while."

"Sis likes to boss people around."

"That right?"

"Hey!"

Lillica's smile died and now she was red faced at Sera's statement. Tyler just chuckled as he looked through some more drawers.

"Well, we have a means to attack the pope indirectly now. If we can give this to Ishtar, we can blame the entire mess in Yalik on him."

The sisters and Wulf nodded as Ashy was poking around in Lymir's weapon closet. Serafina for her part was just holding Lillica around her waist. Tyler set a now miffed sera on her feet as he walked over to look at the weapon's closet himself. Soon as he took a good look at it, he chuckled.

"Of course."

HE tapped a small spot about the size of a coin near the center and the whole closet slid into the wall with a slight grinding sound before parting in the middle and opening. Ashy watched the movement and just sighed.

"Seriously? How tropey can ya get?"

"I don't think we really want that one answered."

Tyler and Ashy looked into the secret room and Tyler gave a low whistle.

"Damn. Looks like we found the town treasury."

It was true. Inside the stone walled room were piles of coin four feet high of gold coins, gems of every variety, a few documents, and a license. Tyler took the license and whistled.

"Nice one. Got a gold path license."

"GOLD?"

Wulf and the other three natives came over to get a better look. Tyler tilted his head quizzically.

"That rare?"

The ranger was looking at the thin piece of paper with open awe.

"It is. I know sera here is a silver, but the Gold path is rare in the extreme. It is said that a gold path appears in one out of every 3 hundred million births. As it is such a pure path, it is the single most powerful out there. Even more powerful then the five principle colors. If a Gold path appears, they are raised by the dragons themselves, for THAT is the type of power they possess."

Tyler looked at the spell.

"Dragonic Roar. Costs 250 mana, and allows one to use the dragon flame most suited to their soul with the full force of the caster for five attacks. Only useable once a day. Damn that's hardcore."

Tyler looked to the documents as Wulf placed the spell back within the vault reverently.

"Okay. Wulf can you do that trick again?"

"Sure."

Wulf used his skill and the pages glowed before going back to normal. Tyler looked at them.

"Okay, these are just things like births, deaths, important details about the town, shipping lanes. Just the kinds of things you'd expect a leader of a town to use as a reference."

Tyler set the papers back inside the vault as they heard footsteps behind them. Tyler looked and saw Lymir walking into the room with a most satisfied flush of purple on her blue face as she came in. Still wearing her sweaty nightgown.

"I see YOU had fun. You outlast them?"

She smiled as she looked at him.

"I did. But only just. That Lily has quite the appetite. She outlasted them both by at least two hours."

"Great. A royal spear breaker."

They lost it. Even Wulf was laughing hard as Lymir looked at the vault.

"I do trust you didn't take anything."

"Nah. Got a question on that spell though."

Lymir smiled secretively now.

"A lay is my price."

"We been over this, Lymir. More fun if not as a form of payment. Oh, and YOU need to fully recover first."

She licked her lips now.

"Deal. I'll be ready in two hours."

"Oh, and Malico's are simply wonderful, aren't they?"

That made her quiver at the memory.

"They ARE. So soft, yet hard, warm and heavy! Ohhh, I want her again!"

Tyler chuckled.

"Let her get her steam back before you jump her again."

Lymir then walked over with a stride that set her unsupported breasts bouncing to lean into his ear.

"And so you are aware? That blonde? She's got something for you."

"I fuckin love her. I'll go see her AFTER she wakes up. Oh, and how's Lily?"

Lymir smiled fondly as she rubbed her glorious blue skinned orb.

"Out cold. Her arm is fine, as she, well, I don't think she'd appreciate me talking about it. But, her arm is in a sling for now. It's not injured or anything, just my own idea. Oh, and she had fun."

"Okay. So, the license?"

"Every town and city leader gets one bestowed upon them when they take the office. As both a symbol of status and as a last means of defense. Or in the event of a dragon attack."

"They attack cities?"

"Some do. They're rare in the extreme, but not all dragons are as, shall we say, tolerant of anything that is not a dragon."

Tyler now looked at the spell.

"Asshole dragons. Hmm. Interesting."

Wulf could see the gears turning now, and sighed.

"You're not considering taking that, are you?"

"No. More, doing a quick rundown of my own skills."

Lymir seemed shocked.

"You're not seriously considering fighting them are you?"

"It's not a question of if I fight them, Lymir. It's a question of will I walk away."

Her bright purple hued eyes went wide with horror and awe.

"are you suggesting you can FIGHT them?"

"I can. I have a few tools for just such an emergency. The only question is if they WORK."

Wulf smiled now.

"All part of the plans, eh?"

"Yup. For now though, it's merely a backup plan."

Tyler closed the vault as Lymir sighed with relief.

"I know you wouldn't take anything, but was a little nerve raking seeing the lifeblood of my town exposed like that."

Tyler smiled as he patted her firm rear as he passed her, making her groan a little.

"we got gold enough. Now, go cuddle Lily some more."

She smiled and walked off with an extra sway in her hips.

"So you know, I'll be ready in two hours."

"Yer gonna need a new bed."

She flashed him an eager smile as she headed back to her room. Tyler then looked down the hall Serafina and Lillica came from.

"Where are we with the search?"

Serafina peered in the direction.

"That side is clear."

"Okay, then the other floors?"

Ashy rubbed her chin.

"Lucy and the others are hitting them now."

"Good, I'll go check in then."

He headed down with Sera bouncing along beside him happily humming as she went. Tyler just smiled at her usual cheer.

"How are you holding up Sera?"

She smiled at him.

"A little tired, but I've been drinking stamina potions, so I'm good."

"well, go easy on them. You fall over I'll put you in Lymir's bed."

She giggled as she blushed a little.

"I'm curious!"

Tyler walked into a door at that one. Like full blown bang. He then looked at a now shyly shuffling her feet Sera, and sighed.

"I think you need to talk to Kaori about that one, or Malico. Or Lily."

She blushed harder.

"Kay. You're not mad, are you?"

he tilted his head.

"Why would I be mad?"

She looked up at his confused expression.

"Because I might not like boys. So you wouldn't get to have me."

HE blinked in shock at her, then he sighed.

"I think…..I'm in over my head on this one. So, here goes."

Sera gulped as he led her to a room and shut the door. He sat on a small bench and patted the spot next to him. She took the seat and looked at him with huge blue eyes.

"You okay?"

He patted her head reassuringly.

"Just want to make something clear."

She gulped now.

"Okay."

She had a small voice, and was very nervous.

"Sera, I see you as my little sister. NOT a lover."

She gasped in shock, and blinked really hard. Tyler rubbed his hair awkwardly as she recovered from her shock. Then she stood to look him in the eye.

"You…really think of me as your little sister?"

He smiled at her.

"Yeah. Sera, I do."

She looked at him really intensely for a moment before hugging him tightly, and breathing a hefty sigh of relief.

"Oh thank the gods."

He hugged her tightly as he stroked her back affectionately.

"You thought otherwise?"

She was smiling as she hugged him.

"I just thought you were buttering me up. I mean, you always play with me, and you were teasing me more then usual, so I got a little worried. I mean I love you, but not like that."

He chuckled.

"I love you too, Sera. As my little sister."

She giggled.

"I guess I read a little TOO into it."

"Well, sometimes it's just a good idea to clear the air. Assuming can be a two edged sword you know."

She let him go and snuggled her head into his chest a little.

"I guess sometimes thinks ARE as they seem!"

He laughed as he hugged her again.

"Yeah, and often times the most obvious things are missed since there a little TOO obvious, ya know?"

She nodded sagely.

"I get it. Like how much you love Kaori, yet she didn't really grasp the fullness of it."

"Ya got all the pieces of a hilarious dirty joke there, but if I tell it they'll know."

She giggled.

"Oh, she knows ALLLL about the 'fullness' now! And the 'grasp' of it too!"

Tyler leaned back to look at her with awe in his eyes.

"Damn Sera, that was my joke exactly. Well done."

She just settled into a another hug.

"I learned from the worst."

"And it made you the best."

"Damn big brother, that was a good one."

"Just for you lil sis."

He hugged her tightly as there was a loud thud on the door.

"Tyler, you better NOT be doing anything in there with her!"

Tyler and Sera looked at each other and smiled.

"Dear sister,"

His voice a mere whisper.

"Are YOU thinking what I'M thinking?"

She smiled widely.

"Teehee!"

He started tickling her hard and she let out a loud squeal.

"it tickles! Hey! Stop that!"

"Gotcha now!"

"Eeeeeeeee! Help!"

The door flew open to show Wulf and the ladies minus Kaori, Lily, Malico, and Lymir come barging into the room with weapons drawn, just to see Sera in a very intense tickle session with her brother. Tyler looked at them and smiled.

"Hey everyone!"

Sera was squealing as he teased her sides and her arms as Wulf sighed.

"You bastards."

Tyler and Sera looked at each other.

"Context?"

"Please?"

Vixen was smiling now.

"All we heard was sera say it tickles, the you say gotchya now then her squeal."

Sera and him looked at each other.

"Yikes."

"That's twice now."

"That really what they think of me?"

"Sadly. But hey, we had fun right?"

"We did didn't we?"

"We're doing it again right?"

"Oh hell yeah."

Wulf was slowly drawing his sword as Sera giggled.

"What's your problem wolfy?"

"What she said?"

The ranger sheathed his sword as Ashy just groaned.

"Alright. I'mma take the bait. WHAT was so fun?"

"His hug."

"Yeah, we good?"

She looked at him.

"Hmmm, you can tell em."

Tyler then faced the now on the verge of murdering him group.

"Sera just had to have something cleared up. She's my little sister, and that's ALL. Oh, and she wants to have a chat with Kaori about something."

Lillica smiled proudly.

"I see she's learned how to ask too."

The group understood then the need for privacy. Tyler then got up as each lady gave Sera a hug before just looking at him. He shrugged.

"I'll go see if Kaori's awake."

He left as the group including Wulf all stayed to play with Sera as he walked to the room. He walked into the hall as the door opened and the blonde in question came out with a most flushed face and a satisfied smile. She was wearing her usual adventurer gear and Tyler blinked as he remembered something. She smiled as she saw him.

"hey, Tyler. Need me?"

He smiled as he kissed her softly.

"I always need you. Want you too."

She sighed happily.

"I love you too. But, I'm a little too done for you right now."

"Hey. I got something to show you."

He took her hand and let the now curious blonde back to Lymir's office. He walked her to the window and pointed to see as he reached into his pouch.

"Look. Beautiful isn't it?"

She smiled as she saw way the sun bounced off the ocean and the town.

"It is."

"Hold still."

She froze and her heart rate exploded as she felt him undo her hair tie. Then she watched as the small black cord she'd been using was tossed to the desk as a long light blue ribbon was seen and she gasped as she felt him tie up her single pony like he'd used to for her in her room. Then he patted her shoulders.

"There. Much better."

He took a small mirror he'd found in the desk and showed her what he'd done. She gasped as she saw he'd tied her golden hair with the blue ribbon and the way it fell looked like steamers. Plus, he'd even done a small bow in it that made her seem just that much prettier. She looked up at him in shock.

"When?"

"That shop back in Term before we left. I meant to give it to you, but never got to it and then I forgot it entirely."

She hugged him hard now.

"I love it."

He smiled with relief as he hugged her back, stroking her blonde hair.

"I hoped you would. I'm kinda angry I forgot, but hey, you still got it."

She kissed him then and then they just held each other for a little bit, gently swaying to their heart music.

"Thank you."

"I love you."

She was smiling hard and it kinda hurt.

"Was that why you were looking for me?"

"That. And Sera needs a word with you on….the bedroom."

She looked into his eyes.

"Ummmm, before I lose it. Explain."

"I asked her how she was holding up, and she told me she'd been popping stamina potions. So, I made the joke that if she falls over I'd put her in Lymir's bed. Then she said she was curious. I shit you not I walked into a door."

That made her snort inspite of herself.

"And then?"

"I told her she needed to talk to you, Malico or Lily on that one. Then she asked me if I was mad."

Kaori narrowed her eyes now.

"Your response?"

"I asked her why would I be mad, and she said if it turned out she don't like boys, I wouldn't get to have her."

She now pulled his face down to look directly into his eyes. Like inches apart.

"What did you do?"

"I took her into the nearest room to make something clear."

"That being?"

His eyes became a little harder.

"I told her she's my little sister. And that's all."

"Her reaction?"

"Relief. Sheer relief. And plenty of pride and happiness. She admitted to having read too much into my recent teasing, and then we hugged."

Kaori had not even blinked.

"Is she okay?"

"She seems it. Her eyes were clear. I think she just needed to know where we stood better, ya know?"

Kaori breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"You handled that very well. So, you came right to me after, and then remembered the ribbon."

"Pretty much."

"I love it. And yes We'll talk to her."

"Shoulda seen the looks on the other's faces when we pranked em."

Kaori smiled a narrow smile.

"You, Sera, a closed door, and your mind. I bet they nearly killed you."

"Twice."

They chuckled as Tyler looked at her now.

"I heard from Lymir, you had something for me?"

Kaori got a seductive grin.

"Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

"If you kick me in the balls, you're sleeping outside."

She had a most….nerve rackingly innocent smile now.

"Oh dear I would never!"

"I'm trusting you on this."

He closed his eyes and held out his hand. HE heard a giggle that made his blood run cold. Then he felt a few pieces of paper get placed in his hand along with a heavier object.

"Okay, it's safe."

He opened his eyes to see a recorder crystal on top of three licenses in his hand. He blinked as he looked at Kaori's sexy grin.

"It safe to look at?"

"Only the first few minutes. You'll understand then."

He looked at her as he tapped the thing, and it showed the view from Lymir's headboard and in the bed was Lymir and Lily as the group all walked around searching. He blinked and killed it there and then.

"Is this?"

Kaori came over and kissed him most sweetly.

"A gift from the four of us. And, Malico will hold it in her secret pouch."

"I love you all."

"The licenses, I will hold. I trust you know what they are."

"I do."

She smiled and took the items herself now.

"I will put a few rules in place for these."

"Okay."

"The crystal is OUR, you, me, Lily, Lymir, and Malico's secret. Not a soul is to know it exists."

"Sera spotted it on the headboard."

"I know, as I pointed it out to her."

"Yikes."

"The thing is NOT to be viewed outside a inn room with a solid door."

"Fair."

"And it is NOT to be shown to anyone that was not a part of it's making. And, I mean THAT making."

"I know. But thank you."

"The spells are JUST for US. NO one else with the exceptions of Yoko, Seline, Verilica, and Aqua. Oh, and Lymir."

"Thank you, Kaori. I love you."

"We all love you. Oh, and this is just for Lily. NO sword play when viewing."

"Understood."

"So you're aware? It can't fit her just yet, but that is all. And, she fully intends to play in 'other' ways."

"Oh fuck."

"yeah we said the same."

"I agree to YOUR rules, kaori."

She smiled as she took the items back and hid them in a secret pouch in her pants.

"Lymir gave me this one."

"Ah."

They kissed again and he smiled as she pressed her into him.

"Now we just need that photo skill and spell."

She smiled as they swayed again.