Greet Malakae.

She's just as radiant as ever. While rather harsh (perhaps bratty if you wish) anytime you've met with her, there's no mistaking her beauty. Her long hair flows down her back like a fall of water reflecting the light of the golden sun, and from the sides of her head grow curved horns decorated with numerous gem-encrusted chains. What she wears now you swear is the exact same outfit as the very first time you met. She does seem to prefer qipaos, or Chinese dresses, though this strikes your memory. It's bold red with gold trim, with a window cut down her voluptuous cleavage--the poor pendant of her necklace trapped and squeezed between. Her ears are decorated by wide, blue gemstones, while long white gloves cover from the tips of her fingers up to her elbows, and tight black thigh-high stockings hug her legs.

The qipao is certainly unlike your typical, traditional Chinese dress, unless perhaps it was worn by a lady of the night. Your eyes are drawn to her visible bare hips by how the dress is tied high on the sides. It's so high that you swear she has nothing beneath it, though you can just barely make out the thin black strings of her panties. Her arms push against her bosom as they cross in front of her chest. A long, gold-scaled tail swerves left and right through a hole in the back of her dress. She stares at you with bright yellow, cat-like eyes. There's only one thing you feel you haven't noticed before. On the right side of her neck, there's a tiny tattoo of a dragon's head.

While certainly decorated, the hint of pink in her cheeks seems to go beyond makeup, and unlike other times, she doesn't immediately have something snippy to say. Perhaps she's been taken completely by surprise at what stands outside her door. It must be quite unexpected.

You're the first to speak. With a polite hand on your chest, you bow politely. "Mr. Godwin Griffiths, at your service, my lady. And these are my lovely dancers."

"... Wh-What?" After a moment of processing, she brings her hands down and plants them against her curvy hips. She bends forward and stares you sharply in the eyes. "Do you think me to be stupid, Warren?

"No. That's exactly why I don't think you'd have joined Elok Daven's team at the Sports Festival willingly."

That shocks her again. "I--What?" She clears her throat. "I overheard you speaking with my brother. Something foolish about cheering me up. It's quite presumptuous of you to believe I need your help." She puts a hand to her chest and lifts her chin--literally staring down her nose at your party. "I am Malakae Vraelion. I do nothing unless I wish to do it."

"Oh cut the crap!" Eva barks. "You've always been a real pain, but after what we went through together at Redbloom Academy, I know you're not the kind of girl to work for that creep. It's your dad, right? I know a thing or too about being upset with a dad. We've come all this way and put on disguises just to break you out, so the least you could do, if you're not gonna say thank you, is not be a jerk! Do you know how much work Kyle has put into this? We travelled all the way to an underwater city and saved the people there just to retrieve a Shard of Draconax, which we then made into a barrier to ward Castle Phoenix from dragons and minor monsters, just because he was so certain you'd need a place to hide from your father. And now I'm standing here in this embarrassing outfit, with no panties, and you won't even invite us in to talk?!"

You place a hand on Eva's shoulder. "Hey. It's all right," you whisper in an attempt to calm her down. You run your fingers back through her hair, and she sighs softly. "Malakae. I think we should talk."

She's humbled, at least for a moment, by the outburst. "F-Fine." She glances back into her room before taking a step away. "Come in, if you want... but what was that about no pantie--"

"Good. We will," Eva cuts her off in a panic and is the first to follow inside.