Rise from the ashes.

You fell once before, in a manner of speaking, and founded Castle Phoenix to rise and burn brighter than ever before. They tried to stop you, but the damage caused to your home will be repaired, and every time this happens, all will be stronger than it was before--rising yet again like a phoenix from the ashes. Trade agreements have been made, both for construction as well as for exporting and importing goods. Queen Catherine II of Tivera declared your land as a sovereign nation and ally to the Empire, and perhaps soon it'll feel like it as well.

Luna has been occupying herself by making all sorts of different outfits for the people here, and has especially had fun exploring all you've told her about Earth. Though with trade open, she'll surely make a lot of coin off her designs and her skillful hands. The same goes for Laira, who hasn't needed to do much besides general maintenance. Perhaps even Dixby will peddle alchemical wares of her own, or she'll simply indulge in the import of ingredients for her own needs. Recipes made by Summer will only improve as well as you gain access to more foods from across the land. The best part, perhaps, is that you no longer feel under threat. Even the people seem content with you again, especially after the attack on Avana. Wanted posters of you have been torn down, and the queen apparently made a formal declaration about it, and of Thadius.

In the later afternoon, you stand out near the training dummies at the northwestern wall, where you find Bek and Tom practicing the hammer and bow respectively. Mipa is there as well, hurling tomahawks at a mannequin of hide and straw. Nearest to you, however, are the captives Ariusia, Meti, and Anastasia, who are now free of their manacles and walk freely around the castle grounds.

Of all people in Castle Phoenix, Luna may be the craftiest in that most may not think of her as such, yet she works silently and swiftly, always ready to dress those present like her very own dolls. She's somehow already made clothing for all three of these new girls.

I guess she was really banking on me doing what I did, you think to yourself. Even now you can see her smile--one of care, though also coy. When you saw her, she didn't actually speak these words, but it's as if she was saying, "I hope you enjoy these cuties. I know you like the outfits I make for them."

Ariusia's outfit is extremely tight, like a stark black second layer of skin over her first. It leaves little to the imagination, squeezing her bust as prominent nipples are present behind the fabric. It covers the entire front of her torso as well as to her wrists, and it wraps between her thighs like the bottom of a one piece swimsuit, leaving her toned legs to be seen in full. The back, however, is a different story. It's almost completely bare, and the sight of her naked back is quite alluring, especially by the strange appearance of two additional appendages protruding out and aiming forwards--like arms, though they end in razor-sharp blades, like scythes. Up from a pair of boots are fishnet stockings, though to further decorate the grid of fabric squeezing her thighs are tiny crossed swords. The only coloured garment otherwise is a red sash that wraps around her waist like a belt, or even somewhat like a tiny skirt. She isn't armed with the metal chain she has previously used as a weapon, though it wasn't taken from her either. She's simply isn't dressed for adventure at the moment.

She grins wide. Her canines are as pronounced and sharp as a vampire's, and her eyes shine a piercing emerald. Her skin is pale green, and her hair, which runs just past her shoulders, is a much deeper shade of the same. Two long thin antennae protrude up from atop. She strike a pose, thrusting her wide hips to the side--rather thick thighs as well, and as noticed already, her chest is distracting given her attire. She brings up her fingers, as if to show them off to you in particular. Her nails are only slightly long, though they're painted a vibrant shade of red to match her sash.

"Looking sharp," you comment. "Sexy and deadly. Let me guess. Those were the two words you gave Luna before she started."

The mantidae places a hand upon her chest and smirks, exaggerating her reaction on purpose. "Not at all. She just knew by looking at me." Then with a chuckle, she runs her hands down her brand new attire. "Seriously though, I didn't say anything. And this is the comfiest damn outfit I've ever worn. It fits every inch of my body, like it was made for me."

"It was made for you. Did Elok get you clothes from Ye Olde Thriftstore?"

"I don't know what that means."

Meti wears something similar to what she always has, though you imagine Luna insisted on making her new clothing regardless of her preferences.

She stands before you, beautiful and graceful in an appearance rather similar to a dark skinned elf, though the tips of her ears dip downwards instead of up. All three of her vibrant, ruby-like eyes stare back at you, as if to observe how you react. Above her shoulders are jewellery still of her own--a silver circlet inset with sapphires, and ears pierced with silver rings. The fabric used is even still blue, though the colours are more lush, and Luna's silks are soft yet mighty. She wears thin chains, both gold and silver, in multiple places--around her neck, her wrists, as well as her ankles, with the latter two used to hold her outfit in place before her hand and feet.

A loose, soft, blue garment wraps around her bust like a tube top, and it's trimmed along both the top and bottom hem with golden frills. Below that, past the tantalizing stomach of a belly dancer, is a bright yellow matching sash. She then wears baggy, translucent pants--the silhouette of her legs seen almost clearly, in a manner similar to the Midnight Gown. She isn't completely bare beneath it, however, as she wears what's either underwear or something more like a bikini bottom, but in this way, it doesn't really matter. The pants puff out, but bind to her ankles, and beneath that are her old shoes--silver with curled tips. Disconnected fabric wraps around her arms, and poof out all the same. Both from her shoulders to her wrists, as well as from her hips to her ankles, the blue fabric gradually fades into a paler shade, nearly white by the end.

Thin, loose ribbons drift quickly into white from her waist like wisps of sparkling mist surrounding her mystical form. She still wears her hair up into a ponytail, but if she didn't it would lay far down her body. It's extremely pale red, and tied by blue beads. Hanging from said band is a pendant shaped like a sun, and made from solid silver to match the rest.

The same, yet different. Meti looks as a genie would in your mind, yet somehow even more striking than your fantasies could imagine. Her outfit is like that of a dancer's, yet adorned with beautiful precious metals and jewels, yet never so much as to seem as if she's showing off--beautiful but subtle. That isn't all that's different, however. She also smiles. It isn't wide and beaming with blushing cheeks, but she's clearly content, and after you've looked her over thoroughly, she lowers her body into a curtsy as if to say without words, "Thank you for the compliment of your stare".

You do finally speak after another moment of silence. "In my word, we have stories about djinn, or genies. They come out of lamps when you rub them, and then they grant you three wishes."

"Yeah I can imagine she's grant you some wishes if you rubbed her," mutters Ariusia under her breath.

"No, no. You rub the lamp."

Anastasia covers her hands with her face. "Wh-What did you say? You shouldn't--" There's red on her cheeks behind them, just from the mantis girl's words. It's no wonder she's been overwhelmed in Tivera if that's all it takes. However, she may also be flustered about everything else--the mistakes she made, the brand new environment, and most immediately, the outfit made for her by somebody she's only just met.

She wears a frilly, thick dress of mostly red, though also layers of black and gold with the subtle trim of white. It's a beautiful, elaborate garment though far more modest than what many might wear at Castle Phoenix. That being said, the collar is cut low enough to show just a slight amount of her cleavage, and that seems to be enough. At times, she's seen tugging at it, like she's afraid it's too low, or it'll magically cut deeper. The dress extends down just past her thighs, and beneath that are thick white knee-high socks. She wears cute crimson shoes upon her feet, bot decorated by golden flowers.

Her hair has been washed, and while it's normally an incredibly vibrant shade of red already, it now shines beneath the light of the afternoon sun, and is thick and soft with volume, and you can smell the scent of her shampoo from here--like a field of flowers in early spring. With wide chestnut eyes, she stares back at you with the nervous eyes of a pure maiden out in the back courtyard of a cathedral, picking roses for her beloved. This is a girl from an entirely different kingdom. To see how people dress around her has definitely left her speechless. Yet despite that, it isn't genuine fear and distress you feel by your Kitty Sense. She's intrigued, and her heart races with an excitement she doesn't quite understand herself.

From what you know of Varat, it's a kingdom led entirely by rules of the Church of Lasis, and to those outside, it comes across as quite oppressive. It's difficult to know how she thinks of it, as it's all she's known, though at the very least, she does seem more relaxed now than any time before, even if she doesn't look it. Deep down, with the warm sun against her fair skin and the friendly faces around her, she's on the road to emotional recovery.

"Hiya! Take that!" screams Bek as he hurls the entire weight of his body into a mighty swing of his maul at the mannequin next to him. It strikes his target--the head--and smashes it into splintered pieces on the ground. He then leaps towards it in the grass and crushes it beneath his weapon, obliterating it a second time.

"You're not supposed to completely destroy them," Tom says. "They're for practice--"

"Raaaaa!" Mipa roars, clenching her fingers around two axes before turning what's left of the dummy's head into pulp by a blender of her swings. She stops at last, and pants.

Tom stares down at the bits of leather and straw at his feet. The two others look back at him. Slowly, he nocks and arrow, aims it straight down, and fires it straight through the largest of the remaining bits. Both Bek and Mipa cheer and high-five.

Ariusia's gaze darts between you and them. She then hurries over with a toothy smile and shouts, "Hey! Leave one for me!" As she goes, she laughs loudly and warmly.

"Should she--?" Anastasia holds a hand out in the direction she ran.

"It's fine," you reply. "Let her burn off some energy."

Fang wanders on over as your group converses. She wears her usual pink and purple tube top beneath a small white opened jacket, shorts, and fingerless gloves. She looks to you with shining eyes. With hands on her cheeks, her lips turn up into the wide smile a child gives Christmas morning. "You got me more girls, Kyle!" she exclaims with joy. Quickly, she runs the rest of the way over and casts her eyes towards Ariusia.

The mantis is now swinging her blade-like appendages at a dummy, and both Bek and Mipa seem enthralled.

"Holy shit," Fang mutter. "That ass though."

"Do you get hornier every day or something?" you ask.

Perhaps ignoring you, she looks then to Meti. "Oh! You're the one who messed up our anti-dragon device."

Meti hands her head. "Y-Yes. That's true."

She wiggles her fingers. "Should we punish you for that?"

You grab Fang by the shoulders and tug her back. "You've been spending too much time with Dajy."

"There's no such thing."

"Uhm," Anastasia mutters out. She then clears her throat. "Lasis teaches that we must control our desires, and that's what grants true strength and salvation."

Fang stares back. Slowly, she slips from your grasp and steps towards the cleric. She takes hold of the girl's frilly sleeve, and leans in close. Her nostrils flare as she sniffs. "By the gods." She then turns back to you. "We gotta like, corrupt her or something, right?"

"What?!" Anastasia screams, pulling herself free from the grabby cat's claws.

"All right," you say, grabbing Fang by her bare sides and using your strength to lift her petite body up off the ground. "You're going in time out."

"Wait, wait!" She hops down from your hands, turns, and withdraws something from her pocket. It's a piece of paper. She unfolds it, and then holds it up for you to see. It's a crude drawing of Niki, Amara, and Eva in the outfits they've been wearing more often as of late.

You look it over with a chuckle. "It's perfect."

"Of course it is," Fang boasts with potent smug energy.