Atlantis

[Bloodedge]

So, Miki - or rather, Kimi - had contracted the Devouring as well. That didn't matter much. Even if she was placed in her Dragonoid state, dealing with two of them until their other selves awoke was just a matter of waiting. Karna didn't even care about the 'nose goes' game the two lasses were deciding to play; he was tired of waiting. Regardless of what happened, he was already moving to brush past the pair from the moment Seriri pointed the way. On his path, he muttered a few incoherent words - likely swears.

Soon enough, he was stepping through the door of the destined bedroom. He was immediately disgusted. Neither of these two were Dragonoids; they were the very same forms he'd been traveling with. Karna was fully prepared to step forward and bring them both to consciousness, but... he paused by the bed. Another disgusting trait of the scene was the closeness this pair shared, but even that became overshadowed by something... rather delectable. A fanged grin passed Karna's face as he took to Miki's side, crouching over her in a predatory manner. "Hoh... Tadaima, Oujo-san," he whispered as he sank his fangs into Miki's very exposed thigh. It was a gentle enough bite with an aftereffect of soothing for its duration. He'd drain and consume a bit of blood from her, receiving a surge of power as a result before backing away. The soothing effect of his bite would last a few minutes longer, but he was content regardless of this. Now, he could wake them.

"THE HONEYMOON IS OVER; WAKE UP!"

[Apollymi]

Karna had pushed past the pair even before their little game had finished. What good news for both of them, mostly because with no connection to the new Dragonoid even Hikari didn't feel comfortable being demanding potentially. They stayed and waited while something very interesting happened in the room that contained the sleeping adventurers.

Karna took in the look of this pair as they slept rather peacefully together. Miki was easily fully unconscious again and soon enough her exposed thigh was treated to a bite from Karna. His bite had a soothing effect applied and he seemed to take both blood and power from the lass. Strangely, the effect of this bite was a small moan which escaped the lass as she subsequently nestled closer to Kou her own body seeming to brush against his without her conscious thoughts to stop her. Such gentle motions would take place until of course, Karna screamed that the pair should wake. It was abrupt... too abrupt. Miki's eyes snapped open and her face gained an instant red tint. Her headache was no longer splitting as it had been when she'd first almost gained consciousness. But she was caught in a situation which she hadn't expected. 'Shit! What do I do?!' she mentally panicked about the compromising position she'd been spotted in. She hadn't intended to make this awkward for the lad she slept with, in fact she avoided doing most things for his comfort. This was possibly the worst thing to happen since the time she accidentally touched his manhood when she first woke within the Fairy Forest and fell out of a hammock trying to extricate herself from that situation. All of those things crossed her mind and it was if her mind became more stable. Still she hadn't directly moved away from him because she was still frozen in the moment.

[Bloodedge]

Karna managed to be loud enough to even make Kou stir. He shuffled a bit, nestling further into... what was this? Ah, yes, it was the torso of Tatsuki. Something was off, though. Whatever covered the Dragonoid had changed, prompting the lad to open his eyes and discover... locks of blonde hair?

It was Miki now; that was interesting. Kou couldn't even bring himself to freak out over the matter, and simply rose slowly from his position. He didn't even look in the girl's direction. His gaze found Karna, and a few groggy mumbles escaped him. Karna didn't seem pleased at all. "You know, it's best to do it with your clothes off. That's how you get to the good shit. Well, not literal shit, unless you're... one of those gross things." With these words spoken to both woken Adventurers, Karna turned his head to the doorway. "Today would be lovely! The doctor can't work without his nurses to bring in the meds, can he?"

[Apollymi]

Miki was surprised for several reasons. No freak out from Kou... that was good. She could relax a little, though not nearly as much as she would like. She literally had no memory of the last couple of days, she didn't know what she'd done. Should she apologize? Was she hard to deal with? Miki had a pretty good idea of the type of person her Dragonoid was, and she imagined she'd been difficult. Probably more so than Akashi had been at face value. Whatever the case, she wouldn't be allowed to properly consider her own thoughts, as Karna and his ever present annoyance had more to say. "Urusai! My head is killing me already. Don't add to it, being gross so early..." was all Miki had to say initially. With Kou rising of his own accord, she was free to do the same without the onset freak out the lad had the other day. Just the same she swung her legs over one side of the bed and held her head trying to think and failing at gaining any kind of recollection which was more bothersome than anything else.

In the meantime Karna's words out the door, let the two lasses outside know that everyone inside was decent and in not death inducing moods. As such, they both headed over peaking inside. Upon seeing her brother in reasonable condition, Hikari ran past Karna and bounded up to the bed aiming to tackle her brother in his groggy state. "Nii-san! TADAIMA!~ I'm glad you're okay. We were really worried," she chimed happily. "Ohayou, Miki-nee!~" she said to the other girl as well. Seriri the ever present lass approached the beside where she began checking Miki with a bead of water and chastising the blonde lass. "Oh, Kimi-lite today are we? It's good to see you, but..." she paused finding nothing really wrong with the lass, but using her water to relieve the pressure of her headache. "Stop suffering in silence you doofus. You had us worried sick. If you didn't feel good you should have said so. I could have put it off earlier without having to turn you into a fucking dragon!" Seriri exclaimed. Miki did not get the gentle bedside manner of their resident nurse. "Oi oi. Gomen, gomen. I didn't mean to make you worry. Just lay off yeah? I'm fine," she said softly. "And... thanks. Also, Ohayougozaimasu... Hikari-chan," she offered to the Mer Queen and the other lass. She imagined Seriri had been more than a bit worried about her, and had been holding it in for the duration of her time as a Dragonoid. All the while the giant wolf gently walked up to the door and sat at the bedside, tail wagging, waiting to be acknowledged. He stared at the group at large and seemed pleased, but he still hadn't said anything.

[Bloodedge]

"Don't make this more annoying than it has to be. Take your damn medicine, register your stupid little pet, and let's get the hell out of here." Clearly, Karna had enough of this situation. If the rest of their group didn't intend to vacate Atlantis posthaste, he would likely move on himself. They would be given the rest of the week, but for the moment, Karna would see to it that his earlier trip was worthwhile. The others entered, and Karna stood at the edge of the bed, arms crossed as he awaited the moment they used the witch's drug.

As Karna waited, Kou was knocked into a more awake state due to the impact of Hikari. This was something he hadn't experienced in a very long time, though it was actually somewhat missed. "Oi, oi," he chanted as he stirred further awake, taking hold of the girl and squeezing her midriff. "I was wondering where you were. Everything alright?"

[Apollymi]

"You don't get to rush when it was your idea to come here..." this was all Miki had to say to Karna. They spoke to each other in very strong terms and Seriri watched this with a quirked brow. Her friend was always pretty blunt, but this type of relationship she'd not seen pop up between her and another person in quite a while. 'Sou ka...' she thought excitedly. "What medicine?" she managed to ask, aside from being generally annoyed she was still at least mindful of the fact that Karna and Hikari had run off while Akashi was being Akashi.

In the meantime, Hikari woke her brother and managed to have an excited wagging tail as the lad calmed to be happy to see her. She'd even managed to tackle him into wakefulness which she hadn't beaten him awake since coming to this world and was something she missed doing as well. Soon after a squeeze to her midsection she giggled happily and then managed to get quite the intense look of satisfaction on her face, as she expected full credit for what she'd been up to. "Everything is great. We're here now so we have something... We..." she started motioning between Karna and herself. "Went to the Black Forest and talked to some spaced out witch who has a more permanent solution to the Devouring," she said producing the two medicines filled with strange liquids, one for each of them. "Anyways, she told us all kinds of stuff, but basically these will make pets for you, who'll keep the edge off your fever and give that extra power something to do besides eat away at you. Though apparently they take different forms and we're supposed to warn you that they show off what you are on the inside or some such garbage," she said waving the whole thing off. "That forest was a pain in the ass though, so appreciate the fuck outta me and take your medicine. Both of you," she said holding out the vials to each of the people on the bed. "Oh and Miki-nee. To get this I had to promise to bring him to you. She said he's yours," she said of the wolf at the end of the bed. For the first time the lass's eyes shifted as she held out her hand to accept whatever medicine, she paused staring at the white wolf who she was now making very direct eye contact with. "That's... not possible."

[Bloodedge]

"My idea to come here, not my idea to stick around and be chummy," Karna retorted, turning up his nose and scoffing to the heavens. The answer to the query related to medicines would soon be answered by Hikari, who also took the time to explain the situation they'd been through. Kou released his hold on the girl, taking the time to rub his eyes and repair his otherwise blurred vision. "Sou ka," he said through a yawn. So much had been going on in Atlantis, he'd neglected to think about what the other members of their Party could have been going through. He took the offered vial into his left hand, feeling an interesting quality of magical energy from the touch alone. "So this thing... gives us Familiars?" he questioned. Just then, he realized something off. He had a Familiar registered to him... but not anymore. What happened to Puck? "Puck isn't showing up for me anymore. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen him since the Marshlands..."

[Apollymi]

"Well your buyer's remorse is a personal problem. Should have thought it through before being so fucking pushy," she said about the pair of them getting chummy and being in general friendly. Everything they'd done up to this point had been more than a bit friendly. They didn't make outright enemies of any of the factions they'd come across so far, and Karna should have realized what was likely to happen by forcing them to deal with Atlantis directly. Now freed from her brother's grasp, Hikari settled in the bed even as the pair of them took within their hands the vials they were offered. Miki was a bit distracted and looked at the wolf which had been her mount previously. He wasn't presently registered to her, but he did have her name as his owner. Strange. Still the Direwolf chose now to speak. "Our direct connection severed but I am still yours. You are weaker than when I last saw you... but that isn't impossible either," he claimed laying his large head in her lap from the bedside tail still wagging. His finding of his master would cause an upsurge in energy within the room. The delivery being complete completed the quest for Hikari gaining her enough energy to gain a level in the moment. And granting XP to the rest of the group, though no one else's stats would show any change. "Yosh!" she exclaimed happily, while Miki considered her old mount for a bit. "Sugoi! But that doesn't really make sense... I wasn't really..." she paused thinking about it more. She hadn't been in this world in truth. The fact that her pet existed here was strange unless he was also created here when her Avatar was originally. This would lead to some rather interesting problems in the future, especially if they could have contact with any random being from before who also knew of their 'Game' selves.

Still her attention was soon shifted back to Kou who had an uneasy feeling about a new familiar because of his previous tie to another one. This time what he mentioned was indeed strange because they hadn't seen the little stowaway fairy since the Marshlands. "Right... he didn't pop back up when we finished taking care of everything there... it is a bit weird," mentioned Miki. Seriri listened to the whole of this and seemed to have been thinking about it. "Uh... well if you have the Devouring it shouldn't have been possible for you to register a familiar for long anyways. The fever itself spreads through all things connected directly to you. Anything that feeds off your existence would be affected. So... your other familiar might have caught it too, without you two noticing. Which would make sense as to how you got all the way to level 30 before you showed any signs of a problem," she mentioned. This was mostly theory but it was indeed in line with her previous conversations with Lilura. Though it didn't explain why Miki never showed signs of a problem before that same time. "Ano, the Witch did say that the creatures created from these were different than the normal sort... that they are 'free magic' whatever the fuck that means," commented Hikari. "Anyways, go on take your medicine and praise me!" she said happily.

[Bloodedge]

"I don't have buyer's remorse, I have associate's remorse. Hanging around you lowlifes is finally taking its toll on me," Karna replied with a grimace. With nothing else to say, he left the room in a huff. There had to be something nearby worth his time, and he'd be sure to find it. Actually, on his way through the door, he decided to share a few additional words. "Oi, Paizuri-chan, keep in touch if you plan on servicing your honored guest!"

Back to the room, Kou was still inspecting the vial and wondering about the existence of Puck. With Seriri's explanation, it became clear that the Familiar he previously had... was likely no more. It was a shame; Puck was registered as a Player from their world. Maybe he managed to respawn as something else, just as Karna had done. "Sou ka. I wonder if he's alright," he said in passing, though he wasted no further time before downing the vial. An ethereal glow encompassed the lad immediately, even emanating from his eyes as his Mana reached out to the heavens themselves. Stars were in his vision, as well as in the air surrounding him. It was a very strange occurrence, but the light erupting from his body was beginning to manifest in a small, furry form...

[Apollymi]

Karna's discontent was funny to Miki. To be honest, she found something distinctly satisfying about the idea that the lad was upset the longer he hung out with them, after all, he'd all but inserted himself into their group without thinking about it. He deserved to be discontent a few times especially when he brought it upon himself. "Also your choice~" she said with that delightfully evil smile she managed from time to time. The Faustian nature of his current outlook hilarious to her. Meanwhile, Seriri was left to simply looked stunned at the lad's suggestion. Whether she considered it in a serious manner or not she simply waved the lad off. "Hai hai, I'm sure you'll be the first person I think of..." she mentioned playfully.

Moving right along Kou went on to take his medicine and two of the lasses present watched with wide eyes as the stars seemed to collect around him and his mana spiked only to begin to create a small creature. The other lass, looked at her own vial and also took it, having experienced her fun for the day. She obviously couldn't let Hikari's efforts go to waste, nor did she want to continue to tussle with the Devouring. She drank down the fluid only to have something strange happen. Instead of the power of the stars the girls vision was filled with the duality of nature. Lush greens, the smell of the forest, the sunlight through the leaves of the trees. Her body maintained a glow sage green in color with rippling vibrancy as a different sort of fluffy creature took form, from the emitted light. Bounding from the depths of the forests hidden in a different realm...

All the while Hikari looked on at the pair of these two individuals with wide eyes. She didn't know what kind of creatures they would manifest, but she was quite sure she could trust them both not to create anything too monstrous given the personalities they showed.

[Bloodedge]

Monstrous was just about the description of whatever was coming from Kou, at least temporarily. A massive accumulation of white fur encompassed his body, only to shrink to the size of a lapdog as it took proper form. White, fluffy, long ears, and a tail like a cloud with matching hair under its long ears. These were the features that could describe this purple-eyed... squirrel? Dog? Even Kou wouldn't be able to tell for certain. Either way, the creature became solid with a tiny cape around its neck, kept in place by a similar purple rope to what bound Kou's clothes.

"Fou fou!" the creature yipped, as the cosmic Mana encompassing Kou flowed into it, and back into Kou himself in a continuous cycle. Eventually, the visible Mana would fade, even though the link remained. Kou regained full consciousness moments later. In that moment, he blinked numerous times, staring down into a tiny face that stared back into his before nuzzling his torso. "You're... me?"

[Apollymi]

The fluffy creature which took shape from the center of Miki's being turned white and seemed to spin around in a ball. There was no telling which way was up for the creature in question. Until of course, one of its very large eyes opened then another. It was a large purple eyed creature with little round purple eye brows. It seemed a bit curious and the fluff of its body unraveled, becoming nine individual tails which took up more mass than the entirety of the creatures body. The sage green glow it had, began to burn purple like the flames of its eyes as it solidified. And once it did it sat in the lap of Miki staring into her face and she found herself looking down at it as if curious.

At the same time the creature looked up to her rolling around in her lap, belly exposed as if demanding her personal attention. "Sou ka... I guess... that makes sense," she said softly. She reached for the creature her hand petting its belly as it demanded. It was rather interesting that this universe seemed to think the girl as an attention-seeking fox. Miki's eyes shifted slightly as energy seemed to be passed back and forth between her and this creature to see the creature created by Kou and she was also quite amazed at the level of cuteness it possessed. "Kawaii!~" she chimed. In the meantime Seriri and Hikari looked at each other and back at the creatures seemingly surprised. "They are the cutest things I've ever seen..." said Seriri. Hikari on the other hand seemed to be silently celebrating. "Yosh! I knew it. Both of them made the most adorable creatures ever!~" she chimed. She felt like she'd completed her job to the best of her ability.

[Bloodedge]

Kou reached out with his right hand, tapping his new Familiar on its button-like nose. Immediately afterwards, the creature sniffed about until it saw Miki. Kou was abandoned without hesitation, much to his surprise, and the Familiar hopped onto the blonde's shoulder. "Right. It's supposed to be me, and it abandons me. Fair enough." These words were spoken by Kou along with a sigh. Once settled on Miki's shoulder, Kou's Familiar nestled itself against the girl's neck, interestingly facing Hikari while doing so. "Fou! Fou fou!" the creature verbalized again. "Yeah yeah, we heard you the first time."

[Apollymi]

Soon Miki found herself the center of animal attention, if only for a fleeting moment. Kou's familiar would be seen hopping up to her shoulder and nestling into her neck while still making the little yapping like noise that it seemed to enjoy vocalizing. A smirk came to the lass' face as she looked at the creature on her shoulder. "Oh? Hello there..." she said softly, reaching for the creature intending to give it a gentle pet beneath its chin as it had settled so close to her. Her own Familiar decided it didn't like her belly rubs and nipped at her fingers causing the lass to pull back her hand. It would further bound out of her lap and into Kou's only to roll over and begin pawing at the air above itself begging for attention. "Ku. Ku." the slight noise was made before purrs followed. That was right, the noises of a cat, instead of anything resembling a bark. "Oh, but you weren't going to speak to me though... okay. I see how it is..." she observed seeming to see nothing wrong with this and innately being a bit more than pleased for reasons she couldn't begin to explain.

While this exchange took place, Hikari turned to Seriri and the Queen turned to her and both of them were holding out their hands in front of them seemingly on the exact same wavelength. How on earth could this pair of individuals not see that they were made to be together after seeing something like this kind of exchange of the embodiment of their souls. Both were incredulous, so much so that they couldn't even say anything.

[Bloodedge]

Suddenly, Kou's lack of Familiar was filled with one not even his own. The kitsune of Miki hopped into the lad's lap, just as his had gone to her. He looked down upon the other Familiar in his lap, finding it seeking his attention in particular. Once again, he'd make use of his right forefinger. He stroked the belly of the small creature with said finger, doting on it just a bit. "You won't run off on me, right? You're not a total jerk," he said to the Familiar of Miki, glancing toward his own and rolling his eyes in the aftermath. Moments later, his mind returned to the matters of Atlantis. He looked to Seriri, totally missing the gesture shared between her and Hikari. "How's the kingdom today?"