The Training Arcs Begin!

Andromeda

Andromeda arrived at the canteen just before lunch was wrapping up. She is concerned that she is not hungry, but only mildly so. Kevin, still in the form of a lilac-skinned woman, waves her over; the gamer girl will need to get used to that, among so many other things.

“You handle that creepy app thing yet, Andromeda?”

“Yes, for now. If Mona uses it right, it won’t be so bad.”

They once again compare notes. Kevin (Caoimhe?) did some interesting sounding experiments with the inventory pocket space. Andromeda conveys what she learned about Mona’s bounties. She was about to get into some speculation about the staff when they are all interrupted by the Tina Insta-Thot stinger. Great, she can use that everywhere.

“Cuties and Craig!” the busty blonde bunny begins, “if I may have your attention, I would direct you to your phones, The Tina Totally Tubular Talky-Tool! Isn’t alliteration fun? Anyways, there is a scheduling app that displays the availability of the trainers, sorted by your personal relevance. Sign up for training when convenient. It’s the safest, easiest way to get XP without, you know, boinking your Mistress. Though all of you should boink her, except Caoimhe. 20 BP a session. Your mistress can pay for training too, with or without your permission, so ask her if you need the money. For today, we have taken the liberty of arranging some introductory sessions for free. Craig, yours is tomorrow, as you need to get to date planning. So, I’ll let the trainers for today do the rest of the talking. Have a magical day!”

The bunny-girl disappears in a cloud of silvery rabbits. Without her assets distracting, Andromeda focuses on the other presumed staff members in the canteen. Both read blue. One, a six breasted tiger-woman with neon blue glowing fur, wearing bikini armor. She has a strange looking flail on her belt and a big shield on her back. The other looks like a Greek alt-girl, with streaks of blue and indigo in her hair. As far as Andromeda can tell, she is wearing just an oversized T-shirt that says: Mermaids Do It Under The Sea. She appears to have fins and scales growing out of her.

Caoimhe whispers, “The fishy one is Daphne, the one I told you about this morning.”

This Daphne (Are those shark teeth?) speaks first, “Hello, I’m Daphne, your friendly neighbor Dungeon Mermaid. When I am not busy with other things, you can find me at Dungeons for Damsels for all of your DM needs! This is Nyadia. Say hi, Nyadia!”

“Hello, everyone.”

“Boo! Tina would have done the joke.”

“As would I have if they were children, Daph.”

Daphne sighs, “Go ahead and introduce yourself.”

“Greetings. I’m Nyadia. I am a paladin of The Holy Order of the Trees, though I would normally refer to it in Sylvan. At the castle, I tend to the gardens, assist Skye with her vineyard, and some other odds and ends. I hope we get along.”

“So, for today’s lessons, we are dividing you into three groups. First group goes with Nyadia and Skye; that group consists of Tegan and Gaia. Second group comes with me to the library; that will be Andromeda and Tessa. Caoimhe, you’ll be on your lonesome with your trainers after dinner. While you can do as you wish, I would recommend you go to this lesson as Caoimhe and not Kevin. With that, let’s get started!”

Andromeda watches Gaia (happily) and Tegan (begrudgingly) follow Nyadia out the canteen door. Caoimhe shrugs as Andromeda gets up to follow Ms O’Connor-Peters and Daphne. The twosome are directed to have a seat at a study table in the library as the mermaid meanders to pulls some books.

At least this allows Andromeda a chance to discuss some things with her former teacher. “Ms. O’Connor-Peters...”

“Please, Andromeda, call me Yavan. Or Tessa. Sorry, but my brain is still a little bit scrambled from everything that happened today.”

The woman does look frazzled. Not what I wanted to discuss first, but seems necessary. “I take it the mental effects of your transformation is more severe than I imagined.”

“Think about how it would feel to have 4 lifetimes of memories implanted in your brain with near perfect recall all at once. Wish I could take off this restrictive dress. Do you mind?”

The mermaid returns, a stack of books in hand. She quips, “I don’t! I bet your egg sacs are a bigger versions of my Beloved’s!” as she flops into a chair.

Tessa looks at Andromeda with something like pleading eyes. Andromeda shrugs; it does not bother her that the teacher wants to feel more comfortable. In fact, she’s feeling a little... excited by the prospect? That’s new.

Tessa peels off the dress, revealing her bare blue breasts. They are deliciously big and round and full. Andromeda blushes and looks away. She understands for the first time why so many guys would just stare at her chest at more than an intellectual level. Daphne ogles them for a bit, then clears her throat. The mermaid provides instruction on the basics of arcane casting. It sounds like Andromeda is going to have to get used to casual nudity. And edging.

Tessa: +1 XP (Bare One’s Ogle-Worthy Breasts for Another Contestant [Andromeda])

Daphne hands them each a basic tome of spell instruction and a wand, like this is some Portia Hatter book. “Turn to page forty three, we are going to learn everyone’s favorite cantrip, Prestidigitation!”

It seems this spell can do a wide variety of modular party tricks. It can help with some basic tasks, but would require a lot of creativity to be useful against that thing on the card. Andromeda frowns.

“Hey, Andromeda, cheer up. Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is a generally safe first spell. Don’t want you taking someone’s eye out or anything.” The mermaid peels off her T-shirt, revealing that, yes, she isn’t wearing anything else. Her curves are also distracting. Andromeda doesn’t understand exactly why she is feeling the urge to touch herself a little. Maybe I will give that daily task a try tonight?

Andromeda focuses on what Daphne said. That is a fair point. “But we will be learning real combat spells, correct?”

“At some point soon, yes. Not today, though. Now, take off your dress and repeat after me...”

Oh, yeah. That. Andromeda tries the inventory thing to pop her dress inside it. It’s tricky, at least initially. Andromeda is sure it will be easier with time. Daphne drools over the (soon-to-be) arcanist android’s bare breasts.

Andromeda: +1 XP (Bare One’s Ogle-Worthy Breasts for Another Contestant [Tessa])

“Nice, Andromeda. Love your egg sacs, too! I feel a little small compared to the two of you. Are you okay learning from someone as runty as me?”

“Daphne, you are lovely,” Tessa tries to comfort the mermaid, “and breast size isn’t everything.”

Once Daphne starts to lead them, Andromeda follows along. The words flow out, stammering and weak. The wand motions are jerky. She wishes she could see this “weave” that Daphne was talking about. It would help to be able to see what she is trying to manipulate. Tessa looks confused, then frustrated. She’s doing even worse.

Eventually, tired and frustrated, the two collapse back into their chairs. Daphne puts on a smile, “Hey, both of you did really well for a first time attempt. I’m sure you’ll nail them down soon. For now, go take a break and get some dinner. We can try again (or train something else) tomorrow!”

Andromeda: Partial Success – Prestidigitation cantrip lesson (1 XP/ 5 XP)

Andromeda: +1 XP (Training Session)

Tessa: Failed – Prestidigitation cantrip lesson

Andromeda checks her phone as the twosome leave the mermaid in the library for some food. Some of those notifications she earned is interesting. “Perhaps we should discuss other ways to get some XP for now? Maybe training will be easier once we have a level to work with?”

Tessa groans, tired and frustrated, “That sounds like a plan. Dinner first?”

Gaia

“So, you take care of the garden?”

Gaia is fascinated by the tiger-lady (and it’s not just because of the boobs). The idea that one person could tend for so many plants like that amazes her.

“Among other things, yes.”

“And we are going to learn how to do that?”

“In time, if you’d like.”

Gaia squees in joy. The idea of learning how to grow nature instead of just destroying civilization seems like a much more obtainable goal than it did in that evil concrete box they called a prison. Gaia prays the words from the sacred text to thank Malar for the kill.

Her new friend(?) bristles, her hand moves to grip the handle of her weird ball and stick thing. Skye, the nice canteen lady, moved ahead and whispers some words in a language that sounds like a wordier, more simplified version of that Sylvan that was pumped into her head during her transformation. Her friend(?) calms down.

Skye is very strong as she pulls Gaia aside. Even though Gaia has a half foot or so of height over her, the purple skinned girl makes the criminal feel small. She whispers in that tone a mother uses of a child to discipline without embarrassment in public, “I understand that you think you do well to worship The Black-blooded Beast, but be aware that, in this world, He has a real influence. And His worshipers do terrible, terrible things in His name, including burning down the forest Nyadia lived in and enslaving her for years. Be careful. And, if you would rather embrace The Lady of the Dance, I can help you.”

When Skye lets her go, Gaia rubs her arm. That hurt. The vicious vixen smirks as she walks past. Gaia follows, grumbling. If the nice blasphemer is telling the truth, that Malar allows His worshipers burn down forests, wouldn’t that make him opposed to nature? That can’t be right.

Gaia is lost in thought as the group exit the castle, exit the Royal Quarter, travel down to a giant cave. There appears to be buildings built inside it. Crackling torches light the way. The foursome continue walking. Tegan complains about how lewdly everyone is dressed, but Gaia has gotten used to tuning out the angry archer. She barely notices the fact that most people down here are wearing basically lingerie or less outside.

The group turn off the street by a giant stone statue of a tree. Gaia feels a little uncomfortable by the tree, for some reason. They continue down a dirt path (which is tough to distinguish from the regular cave dirt) until they get to a doorway carved into the cave wall itself. Inside is a singular torch and otherwise darkness. The lilac blasphemer peels off from the others and slinks into the darkness.

Nyadia glares at Gaia for a moment then offers instruction. “Ladies, this is a training ground for certain activities. At our training grounds, all damage is converted to arousal, so you don’t have to worry about the ‘no non-sexy ****’ rule. Tegan, as the closest thing to a rouge the party currently has, you will need to practice discerning traps and spotting enemies in difficult circumstances. Gaia, your brand of druid will be able to scout with a familiar when you get strong enough, which means you need to practice this skill, too. Skye is very good at hide and seek. Your job is to find her before she strikes. Make sense?”

Gaia nods. Tegan growls, “May I have a bow and some arrows?”

“If you want to really anger Skye, sure.” Nyadia shrugs and summons a bow and a belt quiver of arrows for Tegan from the tiger-girl’s inventory. Tegan stands by the fire and nocks an arrow. She nods at Nyadia and gets ready.

“Ready or not, here she comes!”

Thus begins several rounds of very strange, very sexy hide and seek. Tegan and Gaia would alternate. One at a time, they try to find the naked drow girl, creeping in the dark. One at a time, she’d sneak, she’d creep, and the seeker just couldn’t find her. Inevitably, a streak of lilac would hop into the light at an unexpected angle and give the seeker a swat on the butt. A horny swat on the butt.

As dinnertime approaches, Gaia watches as a frustrated Tegan scans over the darkness one last time. A little ball of fire appears above Tegan’s little fox tail, then snuffs out. She looses an arrow. It snaps and clatters into the cave wall, but the little drow cook shouts, “Pretty close. Gaia’s turn.”

Tegan: Success – Perception skill lesson (3 XP / 5 XP)

Tegan: +3 XP (Training Session)

Tegan: +20 BP (Weekly Task Complete! Successfully Complete a Training Session)

Gaia gets in the center of the torchlight. She scans the darkness. Skye is blending in so well. Impossibly well. Gaia sniffs the air. Lavender? She’s still here. Something weird is going on.

So, Gaia tries to tap into the promised surge of instinct. She feels herself fall forward, her antlers enlarged, her arms morph into more hooves. She sniffs the air again. Lavender smell much stronger now. She tromps forward, sniffing, then charges, bellowing. She hears a gasp as she pins... nothing?

“Good job, Gaia!”

The nothing praises her.

“Skank! Stop exposing yourself!” Tegan growls

Gaia: Success – Perception skill lesson (5 XP / 5 XP)

Gaia: +5 XP, Perception skill (Training Session)

Gaia: +20 BP (Weekly Task Complete! Successfully Complete a Training Session)

Gaia: +1 XP (Present Crotch to Another Contestant [Tegan])

Gaia finds her hands turning back to normal and she falls forward into something... soft. “I’m exposing myself?”

“Did you not keep your panties on during the ceremony?” Tegan asks, exasperated.

“No, why would I?”

Tegan groans. Gaia catches on. She hops up to her deer feet. “Oh, sorry, I guess? But, if my natural beauty disturbs you, how are you going to handle Mona’s?”

Tegan sputters. “I’ll figure it out when I have to deal with the... the game.”

Gaia cackles and wraps an arm around the angry archer. “You are going to need to lose some of that tension. You are wound tighter than that bowstring thingy. Want me to help take the edge off?”

The angry archer just stomps out of the cave, shoulder checking the criminal to get out of her grip. Nyadia follows Tegan. Gaia looks for the other trainer, who appears out of the darkness. Skye smiles. “Keep trying. Keep reaching out. Even the grumpy ones deserve to be part of the family.”

Gaia shrugs. Family? We’re supposed to be a family?