Ah! tears of joy! that's what you're feeling. Another human emotion! It's okay to feel that way.

>>1002388
Well you can hug back for starters.

enjoy your victory! rub it in Landi's dumb face.

also take note! you can prove your better then people without having to hurt anyone!

Yes, hugs, smile, take a moment. Acknowledge and resist the temptation to gloat. Choose to continue act better than you had been acting in the past, despite the always present tempations otherwise.

Dotti 2021/06/02(Wed)19:09 No. 1002473 ID: 8483cf
File 162268618627.png - (84.53KB , 564x593 , ProudLeader.png )

I return the hug and forget the world outside Serah’s embrace.

The world is cold and harsh, but here, it’s warm and happy.

It’s a good feeling.

All too soon, there’s the piercing sound of a time-piece striking twice. Serah lets me go and examines her alchemy.

“Oh, dear,” Serah says. She grabs a lock of hair and twirls it between her fingers nervously. “Landi, could you please entertain our guest until Dotti is ready to join him?”

“Why?” Landi asks suspiciously. “Can’t I just take him to the jeweler’s myself?”

“Dotti should help him all the way through,” Serah says. “And I need her help here and now.”

“Okay!” Landi says. “I’ll go entertain him. Your orders, boss lady, not mine.”

A look of horror passes over Serah’s face and she moves to stop Landi, but another timepiece grabs her attention on the table, and she has to empty a boiling flask before it erupts.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no…” Serah moves hurriedly from table to table, checking levels and readings, plucking leaves from plants, pounding herbs, and doing lots of things that don’t really make a lot of sense.

I stay back.

Soon Serah gets a moment to breathe, and she immediately wastes it.

“I can’t do this,” Serah whispers. “What was I thinking? What a waste of reagents this is going to be. Oh no, oh no… I’m going to make a mess!”

I tug on her sleeve.

“What is it, Dotti? I’m busy, and-“

I give her a hug.

Serah doesn’t return the hug. That’s okay. I can hug hard enough for the two of us.

“Dotti, this is very nice, but I need to be able to move.” Serah hesitates for a moment. “Can you just stand here off to the side and let me pet you while I work?”

I look at her funny. Pet me? That sounds awfully close to treating me like a pet.

Should I let her?

Let her give you pets, you want attention and she's busy, think of it as part of learning how to be courteous a little bit.

receive pets!

>>1002473
Oh, she still partly thinks of you like the normal fox you were pretending to be when you met. Can you blame her? You were convincing. The charm magic helped of course.
Well you should still correct that misunderstanding. Shake your head and stand out of reach.

grown-ass humans pet each other all the time

Dotti 2021/06/02(Wed)19:50 No. 1002484 ID: 8483cf
File 162268864957.png - (91.06KB , 542x485 , Instantregret.png )

>Shake your head and stand out of reach.

Yeah! I’m not a pet. Even Landi agrees with that!

But … headpats still feel good.

>Receive Pets
>Receive Pets

I’m still not convinced. I shouldn’t let Serah think I should be treated like a pet.

>grown-ass humans pet each other all the time

Decision made!

I nod and allow Serah to pet me.

Her headpats are nice. She’s calm. I’m calm. Everybody’s happy.

But then she gets nervous again and GOES RIGHT FOR MY EARS

My favor is to provide her with emotional support at 2:00. The timepiece rang 2:00. Serah is in need of emotional support

BUT SHE’S PINCHING MY EARS

try to get her to go for the itchy spot behind your ears.

Uh maybe you can divert her by holding her hand instead?

>>1002484

Bothering an animal's ears is emotional support. You are doing a very good job!

It's okay to yelp in pain to let Serah know she's hurting you, Dotti. I know you need to be emotional support, but sometimes, a friend needs to know if they're hurting you, otherwise they'd take advantage of your hospitality. Serah will understand if you let her know with a yelp, she's your friend too after all.

Quick, wiggle your butt uncomfortably!

Yelp when she does something physically uncomfortable, and then gently take her hand and place it where it is actually okay to pet you. Humans that are very close groom and pet and are affectionate to one another, and an important part of that is clearly communicating and enforcing boundaries!

Dotti 2021/06/03(Thu)20:14 No. 1002583 ID: 8483cf
File 162277645798.png - (361.03KB , 800x800 , Fire.png )

>Bothering an animal's ears is emotional support. You are doing a very good job!

I REGRET EVERYTHING

>Humans that are very close groom and pet and are affectionate to one another, and an important part of that is clearly communicating and enforcing boundaries!
THIS ISN’T AFFECTION THIS IS HORRIBLE

>Serah will understand if you let her know with a yelp, she's your friend too after all.

I resist the INCREDIBLY STRONG NEED to let out a yowl. This is a favor and I need Serah to like me… But is it really worth this horrible pinchy ear mauling? If this was anyone else I’d burn them to tiny tiny bits and feel REALLY GOOD.

Enough is enough! I bat at her pinchy hands and make her move them away and scratch me behind the ears.

Much better.

That wasn’t so bad. And I don’t even feel like setting Serah on fire, which is a surprise. If anyone else had done that, they wouldn’t have hands to try it again.

Serah jumps back into her work, occasionally giving me a pat on the head and scratching behind my ears. She seems a lot calmer now. She’s got some kind of rhythm going: check the flasks, write some notes, mix things up, then pat my head.

I start to notice some of the stuff start to shimmer. Serah gets really excited for a second and writes a lot of stuff down. Good for her! It’s not very exciting, but it’s pretty. If it’s not on fire, it’s not real magic.

Real magic… real magic is so much better than this. Real magic gets me what I want. If I want something dead, it’s dead. If I want someone to do something for me, they do it. If I want to become person, I’m person. Simple!

But I don’t have enough magic to do that yet, and burning stuff and mind whammying people doesn’t make Serah happy. I need to keep Serah happy in order to teach me to read and write and give me hugs and stay away from my ears. When she’s unhappy, she pinches my ears. That’s VERY BAD.

Oh! Serah’s an adventurer. I can set monsters on fire! She’d be happy with that. But I can’t do that to people when we’re in Minga.

Even if I get my magic back, what good is it if Serah doesn’t want me to hurt people?

Should I try new stuff with magic other than burning and whamying? That would feel pretty weird.

Wait, what can I even do with my magic if I get it back?

>>1002583
Yeah you're probably gonna want to figure out new things to do with your magic. Once you can read and write you could get advice from the weird wizard?
One thing I can think of that you could use in Minga is invisibility. That'd be very useful in case you get threatened again. Maybe you can learn some kind of magic that's beneficial to others, too?

>I can't use magic to hurt people
You could use magic to protect butchers who ''want'' to hurt people. That's pretty much what you did when you fought and killed those wolves. Technically you didn't harm anything with your magic but it still resulted in their deaths.
More importantly, you can help Serah build things with magic that can hurt people or help you.

Oh! I know what you can do with your magic!

You can be a hero!

Think about it, if you save people's lives and help them with your magic, they will love you and give you gifts! Plus you can even burn bad guys like monsters with your magic, just like how you fought against monsters trying to hurt Petra!

>>1002590

This suggestion seems neat!
Maybe you can use your fire magics to just make things hotter around some people to make them uncomfortable, not actively attacking or hurting them, but it puts them off their game!

maybe you could make fire that doesn't burn people but burns everything else. Then you could unleash big-ass swathes of fire to burn up monsters and stuff but leave people unharmed.

Dotti 2021/06/04(Fri)19:48 No. 1002642 ID: 8483cf
File 162286130204.png - (77.01KB , 560x454 , Stupidgrin.png )

>You could use magic to protect butchers who ''want'' to hurt people.
>Maybe you can use your fire magics to just make things hotter around some people to make them uncomfortable, not actively attacking or hurting them, but it puts them off their game!
>maybe you could make fire that doesn't burn people but burns everything else.

I like fire. I like it a lot. It’s warm and cozy and makes bad things scream. Like me!

But the difference between me and fire is that fire likes to share. It wants to share with everybody, so it spreads and spreads.

Maybe I can make fire that just looks dangerous, but doesn’t catch stuff or people on fire? Like fake fire! Yeah! That sounds great!

>Invisibility

Ooooh that sounds fun and super useful! I should learn how to unvisible.

>You can be a hero!

What’s a hero?

>You save people's lives and help them with your magic, they will love you and give you gifts!

I like this idea! People should give me more gifts. All I have to do is save their lives? People die a lot. There should be lots of chances for me to get gifts!

I’m daydreaming while Serah is making notes. She seems happy because she’s not pinching my ears anymore.

“Okay,” Serah breathes. “Okay, just… just leave it be for a few hours and make sure the temperature doesn’t go haywire…”

I look at the stuff she’s examining. It’s a flask of gray goo. Boring.

“Thank you, Dotti.” Serah smiles. “You were a great help.”

Yeah! I was!

“You should go help your lizard friend find his name.”

Yeah! I should!

“Go on,” Serah says. “I’ll stay here and watch my transmutation. I’ll be fine.”

Okay! I nod and scamper out the door. Magic, here I come!

I run into the guild hall and see Landi and lizard paladin guy laughing their heads off. There’s three wine bottles lying empty on the table.

“Oh! I got one!” Landi says. “What do you call two lesbians in a closet?”

“I don’t know,” the lizard paladin says.

“A liquor cabinet!”

More laughs.

I take a moment and think about it. Liquor is water that makes people stupid and happy, like Landi. Lesbians are girls who like to mate with girls. So why’s it funny?

Oh. Lick. It sounds like lick-er! Lick! Ha! I let out a bark of laughter.

Landi and lizard person stop and stare at me.

I cover my mouth. Stupid fox noises…

“Oh. It’s you,” Landi says. “Hey! I have an idea! For my second favor of the day, make us laugh! Come on, foxy! You can do it!”

Uh….

>>1002642
Try a silly face!
I wonder if mr lizard is ticklish.

Well, she asked for it!

Tickle Landi!

Dotti 2021/06/04(Fri)20:20 No. 1002645 ID: 8483cf
File 162286325474.png - (61.24KB , 406x500 , Tickletickle.png )

I can’t tell jokes, but I can do another thing… I pounce!

TICKLE ATTACK! I tickle her with my paw beans and get her good!

“AHH!” Landi squeals. “THE BEANS! NOT THE BEANS! AHAHA! AHH!”

“Beans?” the lizard paladin asks. “What beans?”

These beans! He’s wearing a cloak, but I get him under the chin as he’s sitting. He lets out a chuckle.

Mission accomplished! Only one favor left! Hopefully Landi doesn’t remember it.

Now that that’s over with, I need my magic! Come on, come on lizard guy! Time to get your name! I tug on his arm and try to pull him along outside. We need to get you to the jeweler’s!

“Slow down, fox girl,” the paladin says. “I’m not very sssteady right now.”

So he hisses when he’s drunk? Weird. Oh well. Keep tugging!

“Hey! We’re not done here yet! Is there any wine left?” Landi asks. “We drank all three? Oh sweet! Great pregaming! Let’s hit the town!”

---

We eventually (much later and with much stumbling) arrive at the jeweler’s that probably gave the lizard guy the mounting for his gemstone. There’s only two in Minga, but of course we picked the wrong one first. LAME! I pound on the door. LET ME INNNNN

“What’s this? You’re back already?” a voice calls out. “I would have thought you’d be headed north for your anniversary!”

HE KNOWS LIZARD GUY!!!

“I have been delayed,” Lizard guy says. “By good drink and good company. An excsellent delay.”

“Indeed,” the voice from the other side of the door says. “But what brings you back here, Sir…”

COME ON SAY IT

WHAT’S HIS NAME

Magic Swanson VI

Sir Waddilous XI, Descendant of the King of Pop'ar.

Barnebar Granola

Sherby Clowder

And his loving wife
Mai-Wei Ortahiwae

Suddenly, theives show up before thw jewler says his name! OH NO!

>>1002645
Alexander Anderson

But seriously...
Jekesson Terrorscale. He took his wife's last name.

Dotti 2021/06/05(Sat)01:06 No. 1002657 ID: 8483cf
File 162288039895.png - (100.27KB , 695x744 , IRemember.png )

“Sir Terrorscale, I trust the mounting has no flaws? Will it be to your wife’s liking?”

“That name.” The Lizard paladin straightens up. “That’s my name, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Jekesson Terrorscale. Have I confused you for another client? My apologies- I so rarely see lizardfolk paladins, I could easily have confused you for another-“

“I know that name.”

The air shifts around the lizard paladin. It grows warmer, heavier, softer. I smell oak and moss, mushrooms and soil, the dampness and warmth of a freshly dug den. And something else, too: the faintest hint of cinnamon.

It’s home.

“Whoa.” Landi settles down on a nearby barrel. “Nostalgia trip. Gimme a sec.”

I wonder what she’s feeling. Wine? Pixie stix? The scent of a long-lost mate? Maybe I’ll ask her later. Whatever it is, it’s knocked her stone cold sober.

“Sir Terrorscale? Is everything all right?”

“Everything is fine. Thank you, Elias. Mai will wear it with pride.”

“I am happy to be of service. Safe travels home, sir.”

“You are too kind.”

Jekesson turns to look at me, and I don’t know what to do other than look sorry, because it’s what I’m really feeling. He doesn’t even look mad at me. He’s nice, and forgiving, and he didn’t deserve what I did to him.

“I couldn’t see it before, Dotti, but now it’s clear to me.” Jekesson kneels down and looks me in the eye. “Kindness is a rare, special thing for you, isn’t it?”

I look down.

“There is so much good hidden within all our hearts, Dotti. If only you could see it.”

No. Petra is the only 100% good person I’ve ever met. No one can be like her. Not even Jekesson.

I gasp. Wait! If he’s got his memory back, then I’ve helped him! I should have my magic back! I hold out my paw and reach for the burning anger within.

Nothing.

Nothing?!

Well, then… I look Jekesson in the eye, RIGHT in the eye, and order him to scratch me behind the ears!

Still nothing.

I’m drained. My mana’s gone. I’m a burned-out husk. I’m empty inside. I’ll be stuck like this forever. Black, endless despair fills my body, weighing me down like tar on my fur. But suddenly, it’s washed away by a hand on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry you’re in so much pain.” Jekesson says. “I don’t know how to help. I don’t know if your wounds will heal. But where there is life, there is hope. Never give up on life, Dotti. You never have. Don’t start now.”

I’m not gonna cry I’m not gonna cry I’m not gonna cry…

I succeed in not crying as we walk back to the guild. Landi recovers herself a few minutes into the walk.

“Hey, Dots,” Landi says. “I’m, like, super sure you shattered lizard guy’s memories on purpose, but I can’t figure out why you’d bring this lizard guy back if you did. So… third favor time.”

Uh-oh.

“Nod is yes, head shake is no. Answer truthfully: do you regret whatever you did to Jekesson?”

I nod.

“Well, shit.” Landi blows air through her nose. “You’re a fuckin’ weird fox spirit, Dotti.”

I nod.

I try to make fire again, and again and again as we walk back. Dusk falls, we’re back at the guild, and I’ve totally, completely failed. Still no magic. I’m tired and hungry.

Serah’s waiting for us back at the guild with a plate of leg-of-lamb.

I give her a big hug.

Maybe today wasn’t so bad after all.

Spirits 2021/06/05(Sat)01:07 No. 1002658 ID: 8483cf
File 162288044049.png - (1.62KB , 458x397 , Spirit.png )

Night falls. Dotti has gained ANGER, MANIPULATION and COMPASSION.

DOES DOTTI DESERVE MAGIC?

>>1002658
Yes. But slowly. See if she learns some finesse when burdened with a limited mana pool.

Dotti definitly deserves magic! she was a good fox!

Not... that kind of magic.
[Unlock Chi-Casting]
There. Make yourself people.

No. Much fear I sense in her. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side.

>>1002659
This

When trying to cast, she specifically tried to tap into her anger to cast fire, and seemingly something else to use mind control. If the use of true magic is bound to emotions, then I'd like to see her forced to tap into her compassion. Hatred isn't the only thing that can fuel fires, after all.

>>1002688
Ineed. She needs a little more time

Dotti 2021/06/05(Sat)17:33 No. 1002706 ID: 8483cf
File 162293959713.png - (192.29KB , 970x649 , DragonHouse.png )

The leg-of-lamb is hot, juicy, and mixed with all kinds of exciting spices. When I focus, I can taste each one by itself. It’s like going hunting for flavors!

“I’m very glad you were able to regain your memory, Sir Terrorscale,” Serah says. “I must say, I had no idea you were knighted.”

“Please, call me Jek,” the lizard paladin says. “And technically, I am no knight … but being married to Madame Terrorscale does come with a slight bump to one’s social standing.”

“Don’t diss the dragon’s boy toy!” Landi laughs. “Hey Serah, you ever heard of Mai Terrorscale?”

“Yes, actually,” Serah says. “My father made sure to familiarize me with all the regional power players. I think Mai herself is treated as a both a Marquis and Général de brigade.”

“So she’s got an army of big beefy lizard dudes like Jek?” Landi whistles. “Nice!”

“Landi,” Serah smiles, “She is the army.”

“Oh.”

“My wife is as deadly as she is beautiful, true,” Jek says, “But her claws are quite full taking care of our hatchlings. I should return to her and see how she fares. I expect two more are ready to leave the nest, so to speak. I should see them off.”

“Oh! You’re leaving so soon?”

“The caravan leaves tomorrow, so yes,” Jek sighs. “Though I do wish I had a better recollection of how to get home. I suppose I will put it all together on the way there. The journey will take at least two months, and I shall have plenty of time to recall exactly how to find our lair. It’s quite well-defended.”

“As it should be,” Serah says. “I would imagine your wife does not want adventurers knocking on her door.”

“She is quite able to defend herself,” Jek says fondly. “But why should she make things easy? I seem to recall that even if I knew the exact way home, it is quite difficult to scale the pass safely. I will need to-”

“I’m sorry,” Serah interjects. “Are you saying your life is at risk because your memories haven’t fully returned?”

“Well, yes, but I’m sure I can manage the journey. I’m hardly defenseless.”

“The mountains are cold and hazardous. I can’t imagine the journey is easy for a lizardfolk.”

“The reward is worth it.”

“Ha!” Landi giggles madly. “I’m sure it is!”

Serah toys with a lock of hair. “The caravan is leaving tomorrow. My transmutation can be put on hold indefinitely, if necessary. The intermediary is stable. Nothing has gone wrong yet. I can leave it if I have to. But for months? That would drain my finances. Again. Raelynn is a ranger, she would likely be able to find the pass you’re talking about. We would need her help, too.”

“Road trip?” Landi asks excitedly. “Road trip!”

“Please do not risk your lives and livelihood, such as it is, on my account,” Jek says. “I assure you, I will be fine.”

I tune back in after finishing my leg-of-lamb. Are we going to see a dragon? That sounds scary. And not cool. Petra isn’t a dragon! This isn’t how I’ll find her. I can’t go!

“Think about how grateful Mai will be to have her husband back safe and sound,” Landi says. “How good would it have to have a dragon in you back pocket?”

“Madame Terrorscale is in no one’s pocket,” Serah says. “And I’m not entirely sure she’d be very happy to see all of us.”

Everyone looks at me.

Uh-oh.

Is the dragon not going to like what I did to Jek?

“Dotti regrets the accident,” Jek says. “She helped make things right. Without her help finding my name, I would surely have had a much more difficult time returning home. I would certainly have missed our upcoming anniversary. I will convince Mai that Dotti is penitent.”

But I was the one who did this to him in the first place! AAAAAAHHHHH

“Are you sure you can convince her?” Serah says. “She isn’t named, well, Terrorscale for nothing.”

“Road trip!” Landi claps gleefully. I glare at her. She wants me to get eaten!

I have a feeling it doesn’t matter how cute and powerful I am. I’m still gonna get eaten by a dragon!

PLEASE HELP ME CONVINCE SERAH TO STAY HERE IN MINGA

>>1002706
I'm sure it will be fine. If Jek doesn't want you dead, his wife won't kill you. She might punish you somehow but you'll survive.

More importantly, dragons have a lot of resources. During the journey you will either be able to complete your transformation and gain the ability to talk, or Serah will teach you how to read and write. Either way, you will be able to ask Mai Terrorscale for help finding Petra.

Dotti 2021/06/05(Sat)18:39 No. 1002717 ID: 8483cf
File 162294354127.png - (472.76KB , 1050x1000 , DottiTopic.png )

You can’t say that! I’m gonna get eaten! Come on, spirits! Help me! Please! Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

“I swear on my honor that I will convince my lovely wife, of Dotti’s remorse,” Jek says. “Mai is strong-willed and proud, and will certainly not be happy. But I promise that Dotti will be under my protection.”

“Thank you, Jek.” Serah says. “And as one sworn to me has harmed you, however it may have happened, I swear on my honor that I will see you safely to your home.”

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

END OF THREAD 3: Lazy Fairy and the Fox Spirit

Who Will be the POV of the Next Thread?

1. Moonshine, a.k.a Landi, a Fairy
2. Lady Serah Kensington, Heir Countess of Kensington, a Human Alchemist
3. Dorothea, a.k.a. Dotti, a Fox Spirit
4. Raelynn, a Wood Elf Ranger
5. Jekesson “Jek” Terrorscale, a Lizardfolk Paladin

Thread will remain open for one week to count votes.

Raelynn's turn!

Jek (or Serah)

Raelynn

Lizard paladin

If Raelynn is going to see the dragon too, let's follow her.

>>1002717
Raelynn needs some serious help. Possibly from a therapist. We can at least get her on the road to recovery though.

I wanna get all up in Raelynn's fucked up elf brain.

We may not have another chance to probe jek's mind. But I like how we've gone in order of party so far. raelynn!

4. Raelynn, a Wood Elf Ranger
Everyone shall have a turn at POV