Charles Patricius

[Apollymi]

"Sou ka, you bet on your own skill and won. That's an interesting thing to do," she mentioned. It was normal in her understanding for people to be confident in their own abilities. For someone to retain that confidence even in instances that could be more about luck than anything else could either be considered foolhardy or a sign of a certain kind of existence. Usually the only types of people who could be that confident in moments determined by luck, were witches who determined their own fates. After meeting Jeanne d'Arc she knew a witch when she saw one and this lad... didn't fully possess that sort of leaning so it had to be something else. Beyond her potential thoughts about him, Kakihara seemed to think that mathematically it might not be fair as an exchange, but made the flirty comment that he'd do it for her. How interesting. Was that part of the way humans decided to play with each other, by pretending to do something extra to get a marked emotional response? Such a think wouldn't work on her but, it was an interesting potential tactic. "Sou ka, I suppose this would be a time to see how we felt about it in the moment. As long as no one feels cheated it would be fair," she suggested. Her own research would be completed and maybe she'd get an interesting card or two in addition to the knowledge. Humans on this planet seemed to be quite limited by compacity so she figured she could still show him a few things he wouldn't be capable of experiencing with many others.

Moving on, it seemed he understood at least that a few caveats would need to be addressed before any future meeting between them. His phone was produced in an offer to exchange numbers. And having already been walked through this particular process, Sakura reciprocated the act and saved his name as Kakihara-san. "Hai hai," she murmured about calling him sometime. She'd likely find herself with a bit more free time than the others so she figured a bit of game play and research were in her immediate future. As for her actual turn it seemed that the type of servants she was playing were familiar. This was to be expected but apparently people weren't playing them much any more. There was an expression which let her know she could continue her turn as intended. "I added everyone I thought would work well together... even if the card didn't say Argonaut. There are a few changes to be made I think but most of them will be fine," she said honestly. "I'll use Atalanta to attack the Hooded Mage, and then I'll end my turn..." she said. Banded had the ability to allow a sharing of abilities, and she knew she could deal enough damage to deal with each one piece by piece. At the same time, Jason's special ability would allow her a bit of time to stall... and so would a certain specific Magecraft which qualified as a 'hand trap'.

Just the same a certain pair were at the new job of Hiroshi making some rather deviant plans. It was interesting how easily the former elf would be convinced to follow along into the realm of deviance. The spirit of learning was a powerful tool for this man and his apprentice. But it seemed the other students might get a chance to work with it a bit. "Of course, we might need to share with the class... brainstorm and all that~" Kaguya teased gently as she would. That girl in her mini-skirt and thigh highs would be following along with the tall man back to the office her eyes full of deviant life. "I wonder if I count as a scamp? Maybe just a little~" she said offering the tall man a wink as she slid into the office around him and took a seat on the desk placing her a bit higher up than she would have been if she continued to stand. She opened up the space between her legs leaving them to dangle freely and would await the man to fill the space in front of her. She might as well fully enjoy her new experience.

[Bloodedge]

"Always. The best games are the ones with something to win, and something to lose," Shota proclaimed. He often played matches using the ante rule, and he often won. Even if he lost at this point, he'd racked up more than enough value to make up for a few losses. No streak of any sort could last forever. The same could be said about his streak of monotony, which would seemingly be ended by the girl sitting in front of him now. They were on agreeable terms as phones were held side-by-side and numbers exchanged, with Sakura claiming fairness so long as no one felt cheated. "That's the spirit. I'm sure you'll make it worthwhile. I've got a good sense for stuff like that. Oh... contact photos~" he said. After saving Sakura's name under Tohcchi with a heart emoji next to it, he immediately sent a message to her cellphone. Of course, it was no text, but instead a preexisting picture of his erection. "You can use that one for mine if you want. If not... keep it anyway. Mind if I take a live one of you?"

As for the ongoing game, Sakura put an end to Shota's singular mage. That was fine, he thought. That Atalanta card was going to be a problem while Jason was also on the board, but Shota didn't seem too concerned either way; much better things were in his future than a simple victory or defeat in trading card games. "Draw," he announced while pulling another card. "I'll summon Uther the Unyielding for five mana. He's a 4/4 knight in the beginning, now a 9/4 while the rest of my field gains one more point of offense. He has Steadfast and grants +1/+1 to all knights under my control, so... a 9/4, three 6/2 knights, and a 6/3. I'll also use one mana to activate Mana Cycling, which sacrifices my next turn's mana to let me use it now. I'll spend all seven of my next turn's mana to set one more card," he concluded.

Meanwhile, Hiroshi was entering the convenience store's office only to witness Kaguya placing herself atop its desk in a somewhat provocative manner. There was something about open legs in a skirt that he found appealing ─ appealing enough that he didn't hesitate in placing himself in the open space. "You certainly are. That applies to both of you, but I believe there are some obvious differences. No matter. It's time to study," he said while leaning against the seated girl, pushing just slightly during an effort to join their lips.

[Apollymi]

"Hm, that sounds like an interesting line of thought," Sakura admitted. It was always interesting to find out the sorts of things people could feel strongly about. Though her senses were a bit dulled she was sure he meant what he said to some extent. Perhaps during her experiments she would find time to figure out the true depth of that feeling. Whatever the case, he seemed amenable to the terms she'd mentioned and claimed he thought she'd make it worth while. "Hm? Oh right..." she said of contact photos. She'd taken one and applied it to Kazuhiko herself but she supposed being sent one was also an option. Oddly enough one of the first messages Sakura would be opening in this world was something the women of this world in general were disgusted by. An act so vile it was seen as a form of visual assault... the unsolicited dick pic. Unlike a woman born of this world though, Sakura had no real problems with seeing people's genitals. In fact, upon seeing it her head tilted too the side as she assessd it. He was already contributing to her research greatly. "Sou ka, that is significantly bigger than I expected," she observed. Though it didn't seem right to identify people by their genitals she didn't delete the image either. No. This device was supposed to help her conserve her own energy so she simply saved it and moved on. "Hai, I'll take a normal one of you as well..." she stated, switching her phone to camera mode she snapped a quick candid picture of his face without warning. And would leave him to do the same.

Soon enough, Sakura would be looking at a rather intense shift in scenery. The whole of the board had become full of knights and one Uther the Unyielding. Strange she'd never heard of that one either. It made her happy she was getting out more recently. "Sou ka, that's a pretty intense board. And that was a lot of mana to spend on a single card. I assume it's quite good. Sou ka, Mana Cycling might be quite good for me too. I think I saw a few copies of that..." she mused seeming to be enjoying the potential of the future. Of course, with the board he'd currently set up, she was sure she was done for. Even if she used the card she was currently holding she could likely only stall out a few more turns maximum. A few more alterations would need to be made before she could properly do anything about a setup like the one she was witnessing. Even so she saw the potential of her own plays, in slightly different circumstances against slightly different tactics she was sure she could have achieved victory. Perhaps this was the sort of feeling those adventurous types were looking for, she'd have to ask more directly a bit later.

At the same time, it would seem that Hiroshi and Kaguya were well on their way to a 'study session' as her friend would have called it. The look Hiroshi gave her was one she was very familiar with, but also one she didn't mind coming from someone like him. In this context she was quite pleased to have the space between her legs filled by a warm body and found herself looking up at him with those bright red eyes of hers. "Sou ka, well... if you think so~" she chimed about her 'scamp' like behavior. Just the same he brought their lips together. She seemed keen to deepen that initial meeting. Invasive as she was... she saw no problem with slipping her tongue into this man's mouth and giving it a solid amount of time to thrash about. Initially she wasn't even trying to think about anything, she was simply enjoy the difference in texture and taste provided by being human. Oddly enough she couldn't say that his mouth had the same overpowering sweetness that it previously possessed. Just the same, she couldn't say it wasn't sweet at all. She could say essentially that the flavor of him was slightly dulled. Just the same she began to wonder if this method could be enough to give information. At that point she began thinking of the items within the store all of them she'd seen with a quick understanding of what they were.

[Bloodedge]

Sakura was not the first girl to receive such a picture from Shota, and she probably wouldn't be the last. Though a stigma existed around such exchanges, she had essentially agreed to at least one deviant escapade with the lad, so... he thought to simply give her something worth being excited about, for later use. How would she respond? Well, it wasn't the absolute shock most women showed, but it could be interpreted similarly from someone so stoic as her. She expected much smaller, as they all did. Here in Japan, Shota could have been considered a freak of nature by his own approximation. He saw the movement of Sakura's hand to save the image before a candid photo was taken of his face. "Not the first time I've heard that, Tohcchi. I can't wait to see what you plan to do with it~♥" he asserted. With that, Shota brandished his own phone's camera, holding it toward Sakura's face. "How about a smile? You had a great one earlier~"

Shota's field was fully established in its penultimate form, one might say. His turn was not yet over, though. "I'll finish my turn with that. Whichever way this goes, you've played a great game. I think we can have all kinds of fun together," he declared. In spite of how much Shota had been shooting his proverbial shot at the purple-haired girl, he did thoroughly enjoy playing against her. If her deck and strategies managed to evolve even more, he could even see other potentials. "I think we could even make a good team in another format. We've got all kinds of chemistry going~"

Talking occupied one pair of deviants, while another kept their mouths occupied in other ways. There wouldn't be much discussion happening after Kaguya's final words. Once their lips met, Kaguya took the initiative by invading Hiroshi's mouth with her tongue. This was natural progression, though she did seem a bit forward. No matter; it was all for the better. Her tongue would be swiftly wrestled by his, the wetness of one mouth swabbing its way into another in both directions. Hiroshi also realized something was off in terms of flavor, but he expected as much in this mana-void world. What he didn't expect, was to receive zero information from the saliva exchange. Perhaps Kaguya simply wasn't focusing on the lesson yet? Given the behavior of her and his apprentice, Hiroshi wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. . .

[Apollymi]

A freak of nature might have been accurate about Kakihara. At the very least Sakura would say he was a man among humans. Though she'd seen a few humans who could be counted as impressive. Astolfo was one such individual and she made a few assumptions about other individuals she'd seen. Regardless this man seemed to be very confident and she supposed given what she assumed humans would be like he had room to be self-assured. Even Kazuhiko hadn't been working with one so large before his own ascension. Granted it'd still been enough for her this difference was part of what made him a potentially acceptable partner. "I can tell..." she said of the lad's excitement. And this was true. His desire had been quite obvious for a few moments, as such it was far from abnormal for her to understand his sentiments. One she did not get was this request to smile. Smiling was a show of emotion and wasn't something she intended to do unnaturally. "You might end up waiting for something like that... I don't smile without reason," she clarified. He'd be better off trying to get such an image of her candidly she definitely did not have smiling as part of her resting expression normally unless she was thinking about things that made her happy. And her own happiness was a list that was already quite limited.

Still, his field was currently looking quite impressive and Sakura found herself looking at it with a quizzical but analytical gaze. The words of Kakihara didn't escape her notice. "It's definitely been an informative match..." she admitted seemingly pleased. Perhaps a gentle upturn of her lips would occur in the moment. "I think my deck has a few ways it could potentially handle something like this, but it would be far from assured as a method of victory. A few too many pieces needed to be moved a bit too perfectly..." she said while looking. Still since it was her turn, she supposed she should. "Draw," she looked at the cards in her hand and had her left brow rise. Perhaps she could do something after all. "I'll use Jason's ability to summon Caenis at a reduced cost. Caenis is a 3/2 Warrior, with Vigilance and Banding. Her ability can be activated for 1 Mana, applies Haste to her. Allowing her to immediately attack," Sakura said seeming to think this method could work. "Am I right in understanding that with Banding allows a single part of the group to attack with the backing and key abilities of those banded with them?" she asked that question earnestly. She wouldn't want to violate any rules but wondered if it was actually possible to turn this particular moment around. "Also I want to fully understand this format before moving on to another one," she expressed of her own intentions.

While a pair played the last round with intensity. The deep kiss taking place between a very tall man and a teen girl seemed to be making the girl giddy at least. Perhaps she was a bit more naturally aggressive, but she saw no problems with her own behavior. What she did she a problem with however, was the lack of potency in the mana of human bodies. Even so, it seemed she could still sense just a bit, right below the surface though it seemed like there was a quantity and quality issue. As she pulled bakc just a little one hand would be found tracing along the back of Hiroshi's neck while the other was braced against the desk. "I feel like you're about to tell me you didn't get any of the information I was trying to give to you just now..." Kaguya said as she leaned forward her tongue dancing across his lips as if she was searching for a taste of something she couldn't quite find.

[Bloodedge]

The photo Shota sought would not be so easily acquired. Anyone could have assumed as much, given how little any and every change in Sakura's visage had been all this time. She didn't smile without reason, so Shota figured he'd soon be trying to produce the right circumstances. He had no issue waiting, but lo... his wait would be mediated just a bit. There was one moment that almost led to the right visual, and he managed to catch it in time to settle on an image. "That's close enough for now. Maybe I'll get a great one out of you later," he supposed. Judging by her reactions thus far, piqued interest and accomplishments seemed to do the trick. Perhaps he'd be able to utilize that fact in a more riveting venue. . .

Sakura's deck was sure to be a contender, even if left in its current state. A few different cards here, a few more aggressive approaches there, and she'd be favored to win it all by many. "You'll get there. You really don't play like a new player. I could still lose, depending on what you've got next," Shota claimed as Sakura's turn continued. Caenis was her next summon. The combination of Servants she currently had was enough to make an intimidating field, even with only three Servants present. It seemed she knew as much, and even presented Shota with a question for confirmation. "That's right. Stats and abilities are all basically combined, then multiplied. Each Servant with Banding has the total stats of the whole group, and they all use the full group's abilities unless stated otherwise," he confirmed.

Hiroshi tasted... almost nothing in the mouth of Kaguya. She had such a potent flavor and aroma in the other world, but that was reduced to a mere hint on this side. Hiroshi would still immerse for... the sake of learning, of course. It was obviously science that fueled his movements to caress the thigh beneath her skirt, climbing higher and higher with each movement. Only when Kaguya pulled away did he bother addressing the actual science of it all, however. She, like him, was privy to the stark difference between this experience and the last. "And I get the feeling you will soon admit to knowing that because you've realized how miniscule the traces of mana are. You had such a sharp taste even just yesterday. Now, it feels and tastes more like something you recently passed by ─ or like the residual traces left on a dinner fork or drinking glass. It's quite concerning."

[Apollymi]

It seemed whatever face Sakura made while analyzing the field, was one which Kakihara would accept as meaningfully close to what he sought. He thought he might be capable of getting what he was actually looking for at some other time. "I suppose that is possible," Sakura mentioned not having a firm idea of why she would smile but knowing that it did happen from time to time. Though the things and things that made her smile properly were few and far between. Beyond those points a claim was made that Sakura didn't play like a new player, she had enough background knowledge and an active enough mind to figure things out rather quickly but that wasn't something which could be easily explained to someone who was properly human. "All I did was read the cards and find matches to effects..." she said. All of which was rather true.\

Beyond the truth though was her proper understanding. The stats and key abilities did indeed stack which meant that her current course of action was a bit more aggressive than she would have normally done. The only thing she could do was aim to crush the field in front of her and hope she could do enough damage to contend. "Sou ka, the right response in this case would be an aggressive attack. Doing so without knowing what that set card is... is a bit risky though. Still sitting on two hp is equally risky just to find out. I suppose I never really cared if I won this match or not. I just wanted to learn..." she mused to herself. She was having quite the good time. Perhaps all in was the right response in this case. "I'll attack each of your servants with Caenis, with her combination of abilities. The Knights first, including swift... and then last Uther. Yes, that seems like the best play," she offered. Given the confirmation of Kakihara, there was a pretty good chance of her clearing his board now, unless of course... that card he set was an odd one. But she also wanted to find out the sorts of things people like him felt deserved a game ending amount of Mana.

It would seem that learning was on the menu of several individuals. A pair of whom were wrapped up in each other within the shop. A break between Kaguya and Hiroshi led to the pair of them to a brief discussion. "I was on the other world as my normal human self initially. I felt the oppression of Munetsuchi on my human form and it was suffocating. Coming back here... I feel drained. So I knew the difference would be intense," she explained the difference in a gentle way while still keeping the closeness of contact between their faces. "You also seem to only taste like maybe you drank something sweet recently. My senses are a bit dulled by being here. I can't even hear or feel Mi-chan even when we're in the same room. The distance between us before wouldn't have mattered," she said. "So, I find it concerning as well... I wonder if volume might help, or maybe if something more direct might be necessary~" she mused. That hand on her thigh was giving her strange ideas. If they intended to run the gambit she could allow the man to feast on her flesh a bit. Just the same a wicked little smirk appeared on her face she forced their mouths together again for... research purposes surely.

[Bloodedge]

"Anything's possible if you've got the right approach. You've already been impressed; that's a start," said Shota. If nothing else, he understood Sakura to be an exceptionally logical individual who seemed to break things down as information. She behaved like the living version of an artificial intelligence program, but that meant she could be trained ─ molded even. Shota already had a few ideas for the method of producing that favorable expression; all he needed was the moment's arrival. "Even if it's not natural, I've got the best reason for you later~♥"

Sakura mulled over the options in front of her, deciding aggression was the way to go. He believed she was right in this situation, but also that it wouldn't work in favor of her victory. No matter; this was a learning game anyway. Caenis, with a barrage-style attack, went after each of Shota's Servants... ending with Uther. Shota smiled. "You picked the best order. Smallest target to largest target is usually the way to go," he said while removing cards from the field one after another. Upon registering the attack against Uther, however, he flipped that face-down card. "I activate Cursed Tyrant's Return. The effect differs based on the moment of activation. The death of Uther, a high-cost unique legendary Knight class, gives me a really strong version," he boasted, removing Uther from the field and sliding forward the Ruler Vortigern. "I summon Vortigern to the field. His power is equal to half his toughness, which is the same as his health as a Ruler. By being summoned with Cursed Tyrant's Return, he gains Retaliate and Lifelink until my third turn after activation. Vortigern himself has Hexproof and the ability Vortigern's Betrayal, which lets me choose a Servant at the start of your turn, and sacrifice them unless you pay mana equal to his power at the time."

A lesson learned was never a thing to shy away from. On the other hand, Hiroshi did not consider this lesson complete just yet. He took Kaguya's explanation of entering Alaya versus returning to Gaia, thinking the contrast was sensible. He, too, felt incredibly drained and weighted when they arrived here. Ah, but Hiroshi had never been between the worlds before. This was all very new to the former elf, but he had to agree with Kaguya. "Indeed, we may require a more direct approach. I suppose, however, there is no certainty as of yet," he argued. Yes, maybe they just hadn't maintained oral contact enough. For the sake of learning, it was worth trying for a bit longer. Kaguya seemed to think the same, as she was once again the aggressor against his mouth. And so, they'd be right back at it ─ exchanging saliva without halt as Hiroshi peeled back the young woman's skirt.

[Apollymi]

According to Kakihara, Sakura being impressed was a start to getting her smiling. He claimed anything was possible with the right approach, and she could not disagree with his point. Still, she knew her emotional literacy was far from standard. "That's more flirting, it's very obvious now," she said but still she had no response. She wasn't the type to try and do something she didn't feel necessary and while she was interested in learning what the lad had to offer, she wasn't necessarily emotionally available by no fault of anyone's. Still, the ultimate form of board wipe was taking place, as she managed to clear all of the servants the man had summoned. Even so, it wasn't quite right as a play against Kakihara. His deck had a bit more consistency an ability to overcome which hers was currently missing. Even though she managed to clear all but one servant, the trap she saw coming wasn't one her deck could currently overcome. "Sou ka, I figured that was going to be a very difficult thing to overcome. But I understand much better now. I lose this one," she conceded her defeat. A child of wisdom wouldn't be leaving herself to struggle against a fate she could not subvert with the tools currently at her disposal. No, she'd take what she'd learned and make the necessary adjustments to keep it from happening again. Even after losing she didn't seem displeased at all. No, her mind was working overtime as she considered the proper modifications to deal with the type specific tactics that slowed her control aspects and nerfed her aggressive tactics.

Meanwhile, Kaguya found herself getting rather easily riled up. This was happening even in the midst of conjecture. In truth, she found this to be an interesting experience with the venue change and the differences that the men in her life presented. She understood her friend's enjoyment of this more legitimate type of teacher/student or doctor/patient relationship. Hiroshi's own deviance showed its face time and time again as he hinted at continuing their actions for surety, even when they both had a pretty solid understanding of the situation at hand. Kaguya wouldn't be arguing. She left her body open to exploration while a hand seemed to find itself around his tie. She was pulling him with a tentative amount of aggression. Human clothes were so interesting, she realized as her own skirt was being shifted with those large hands of his on her thighs. All the while, she would be feeling the slickening of her loins and tongue wrestling a grown and experienced man. Interesting, she'd been called a slut for most of her high school career and she'd done nothing wrong. And here, she was actually making out with a married man while he was working and she felt nothing but excited. Perhaps the problem here wasn't her, but instead the population in general. Whatever the case, she was already planning to draw a full experience out of Hiroshi, in the spirit of learning while her best friend was on a date with one of their other mentors.

Speaking of a date, a certain small girl had recently finished several bowls of udon and would be found waking around with a satisfied grin on her face. If all was well, she'd be in the company of an adult man, who had a certain aloofness about him that made him appealing to all.

[Bloodedge]

Sakura called Shota's most recent statement... flirting. He supposed she was right, though it was more a promise than anything else. She'd get his point in due time, though the extent of understanding was a matter up for debate. Or, perhaps he was wrong? No... that couldn't be the case at all. Given her demeanor and specific quirks thus far, Shota had never been more sure of his plan. Moving on though, Sakura was face-to-face with his deck's strongest move... and she decided to forfeit. Her current setup said that wasn't quite necessary, but then, she did seem about the type. "That's a shame, Tohcchi," Shota said while collecting his side of the board. "You could have still won. In that last turn, you did become almost incapable of winning for three turns. But, my ability to win depended on a dice roll any time I attacked. For future reference, you could have avoided attacking me and rounded up more forces while stalling," he explained for her future benefit. "Good game. I'm actually excited to play against you again. But..." Shota paused, leaning against the table with another handshake offered to the lass ─ a handshake he intended to let linger for some time. "We also have other things to look forward to between us, yeah? Text me when you want to meet. You know, I wouldn't mind some extra pictures to see what I should be excited about too~♥"

All the while, a makeout session between teacher and second apprentice was growing in intensity. Hiroshi could feel something, though it wasn't much. Even so, that only applied to the mana exchange itself ─ he still felt his breeches becoming even tighter than the law should allow. Soon enough, he was making a more purposeful push against Kaguya. He intended to guide her down fully onto the desk, and even lift her lower half enough to pin that skirt around her waist. Once the skirt was fully lifted, Hiroshi would be taking full advantage of exposed thighs with both hands. Never did he leave her mouth, though; there was still much scientific purpose in a prolonged saliva exchange... right? Yes, it was science that drove him to linger, and science stiffening his manhood against trousers that may actually tear from the tension.

Some things were scientific... and some things were simply wholesome, at least for the moment. Marisbury walked alongside one Iino Miko, equally pleased with the day thus far ─ though he hadn't ingested nearly as much sustenance. As they passed through the market street, many stalls were passed. Said stalls included a great many preparatory setups for the sake of testing, all to be ready for the next festival. "If I didn't know any better, I'd wonder where you put it all, Iino-chan. It must be difficult not knowing how to adjust... but you do seem satisfied. Was it as good as you hoped?" he wondered.

[Apollymi]

The game which had been undertaken as a matter of learning had come to the amount of conclusion Sakura was comfortable with. She fully understood the words being spoken by Kakihara. That she could have continued and relied upon luck to reach the win condition her deck had to offer, but she wasn't so indulgent as to waste time or energy on things that didn't require it. "I understood that, but the win condition of my deck was probably more than five turns away. And while I could have gone back to waiting, the effort of luck checks and dice rolls and stalling isn't worth it. I'd much rather use my time in a more efficient manner," she said. She was ever logical and easily found herself packing up her things. The cards of her deck returned to the box and a certain card called Jormungandr was indeed about five total draw phases from being within her hands and capable of being summoned bar any interruptions. She couldn't help but feel satisfied by what she learned and after getting her cards back into her deck box she looked to the extended hand across the table as she should. She found humans odd in the amount of contact they sought in indirect ways, but so as to avoid rudeness extended her own to shake. "I suppose it was a good game. I like that," she said seeming to be willing to adopt the practice. A long time after this handshake should have ended he was still holding her and speaking. She heard his words and didn't quite know what to make of them aside from her most logical thought processes. She supposed some sort of answer was in order. "I'll text you when I am free... and think about the rest," she said, in all honesty it was fully what she intended to do. And she would aim to remove her hand from his and push his mat back to him, wondering if Kazuhiko had managed to finish his match yet.

At the same time, a certain truth was being understood by Kaguya and Hiroshi. Both understood that they likely weren't going to get much of the shared mana understanding from their current exchange. Even so, both didn't seem to be in the mood to stop their current actions. Kaguya for her part in this, was actually very interested in the difference between being human and having sex with someone who knew what they were doing while she also knew what she was doing. Their kiss remained even as her body was being shifted and skirt being lifted. One would find beneath her skirt above those thigh highs, a pair of black lace panties. They were a slightly more racy design to the sort that Miko enjoyed but Kaguya had been making such purchases for herself for quite a long time already. Just the same the hand she'd been using to steady herself had its grip changed around the edge of the desk as she wondered exactly what Hiroshi would be doing between her legs while she was so exposed. While her thong got soaked by the impossibly tall man's actions, she found herself fully indulgent.

Speaking of indulging one Iino Miko had eaten several bowls of udon. Though she was always a bit hungrier than most of her friends, today she felt almost ravenous with the need to consume. Perhaps the drop in mana quality from one world to another was truly a problem, but whatever the case, the white haired man with her... seemed to be doting upon her. He was gently teasing about the amount of food she'd eaten and a llittle blush appeared on her face. "I'm quite satisfied. I didn't realize I was so hungry..." she said in an almost pouty way. "It has the benefit of nostalgia and of me not having noodles in a very long time. I think... I might be a bit spoiled on homecooked meals now with someone looking after me for the last few days~" she mused about her change in life quality since her move. Of course, it didn't really matter so long as it tasted good enough to eat. "How was yours?" she asked as they walked off any residual stiffness and enjoyed some quality time together.

[Bloodedge]

Sakura was not one to waste time and gamble, apparently. Shota couldn't fault her for that; doing so would only make an eventual loss more disappointing if things went that way. Regardless, Sakura proved herself to be an excellent player. He figured a few more matches under her proverbial belt, and she'd undoubtedly be one of the best at any local tournament. Once she took his hand, he made that thought process known. "You'll do great in this game. Good luck with your other matches, and let me know if you need to find anyone participating in the preliminary matches," he advised. Once the girl pulled her hand away, she made clear her intention to text him... and claimed she'd be thinking about a bit of photography. How exciting, he thought. "Hai hai. I'll be waiting. Oh, and keep the mat," he said, sliding the playmat toward Sakura again as they bid one another farewell. Once she walked off, he'd be looking at the singular photo taken of the lass. All the while... the group who separated Sakura from Kazuhiko were whispering amongst themselves again. It seemed their plan had worked... in all aspects, considering Kazuhiko was still staring at two walls of Servants on either side of a playing field. "Again?! Dude, how many Servants can you possibly get with Defender? Are you sure you're not trolling?"

What would Hiroshi be doing once Kaguya was so exposed? Well, he wouldn't exactly be changing things up. His tongue continued to swim about in Kaguya's mouth for a while yet. At a certain point, one couldn't even pretend to still be seeking information by old methods. A few minutes had passed; it was time to move on. Ah, and it seems he wasn't the only one thinking as much. Hiroshi pulled away to witnessed the dampened state of Kaguya's undergarments. A moment of appraisal caused hesitation before he took the liberty of peeling lace away from flesh. "I suppose there's no more pretending. This method obviously isn't the way to accomplish our goals," he said in the meantime.

Miko's ability to consume was apparently the cause of an embarrassed reaction when addressed. She found her plentiful meal to be a solid answer to nostalgia, though it seemed to accomplish very little. Sadly, Marisbury could not commiserate. He'd eaten only a single bowl of udon, and didn't require anything more. "If you're that famished, you could have eaten more. I wouldn't have minded sitting around for a bit longer. As for mine... it was food. My nutritional needs are met in... different ways to what the rest of you experience by eating and drinking," he explained briefly. A few steps more, and Marisbury stopped. He glanced at a festival-style stall with a shooting game. More specifically, he was looking at a stuffed bear with frilly clothing bits in a very familiar style. "Oh, look! It almost looks like you, doesn't it?"

[Apollymi]

"Hai hai," Sakura said. She likely wouldn't need much if any help in finding preliminary matches. If she was being honest she was certain she could ask any boy in this shop anything and for the most part receive whatever she wished, likely with some sort of handicap applied as most of them wouldn't have blood flow to their brains. Whatever the case Kakihara claimed he would be waiting, and beyond that he claimed she could keep the playmat. Odd, she figured with the overt spending of people in the world they wouldn't be so keen to part with things of physical value. Still, for the second time today she'd be thanking someone for a kindness, "Arigatou, Kakihara-san," she murmured taking the mat with her. Moving on soon after she heard the voice of Kazuhiko which immediately brought light to her face. Though his words were quite confusing. She wandered over to sit beside him, unaware that she'd apparently fallen into a trap set by most of the players at this cardshop. "Kazzun, that looks difficult. What is trolling? And I need to make some adjustments to my deck do you mind?" she asked, content to take his bag and sort though his cards for a few key pieces that she thought would allow her to win those preliminary matches everyone was talking about.

At the same time, Hiroshi and Kaguya seemed to be on the verge of a change of pace. As her undergarments were being stripped from her a certain utterance was made about the lack of information passing between them and a need to progress as it was. Ah, Kaguya understood this quite a bit, it was part of the play... if she was being honest, it was quite an enjoyable quality, a bit of banter with a specific kind of flow to it. "I mean of course, It was only right to... ah~" she moaned just a bit as lace left her folds exposed and slightly cooled. "Progress to the next viable test. We obviously should pursue this goal in a timely manner~" she added a bit suggestively. Well, it seemed the flirty part of her personality might have leaked into her base self. Or perhaps she would always seem a bit flirty to the people she was used to conversing with. It was possible, at the very least, it seemed she might be about to find out what it was like for her human body to experience a bit of oral stimulation. "All for the sake of learning~" she added with a devious light playing across her eyes. A hand once used to grab his tie, would instead be used to spread her folds before him exposing the pinkness of her insides for both viewing and consumption.

The embarrassment of Miko, wouldn't be ending very soon either. Marisbury was far too smooth for his own good. He managed to set her heart at ease about the irrational amount of food she'd eaten and even claimed she could have eaten more. "Iia, I was eating a lot before too now that I think about it. And it's still pretty early and I might end up eating again. Or having dessert~" she said that last part and it came out a bit flirty, but at this point she figured that since Marisbury could in someway tell her emotional state and he'd told her not to bother hiding, she let it hang in the air. As for his nutritional needs being met a slightly devious look came to the lass's face, "Sou sou, a different kind of nutrition... photosynthesis is the obvious answer~" she said with an eye roll. Yes, she was thinking something else rather dirty and it was rather exciting but they were being mostly wholesome so she'd have a bit of a laugh about it instead. As they walked they came across an almost game like stall which had a bear which was dressed in similar frills to the ones she was currently wearing. "Hm, it is dressed like me... oh and it has the same kind of ears. It's quite cute actually!" she observed. Ah, perhaps this is what her friends and family meant when saying she just had to claim herself.

[Bloodedge]

If there was one type of deck Kazuhiko hated in this game, it was decks created just to stall for turn after turn. There was no win condition in sight for his opponent; it was just a waste of time. Worse still, he'd apparently missed Sakura's first match, as she was soon sitting beside him and talking. "You're done?! Shit! I wanted to catch the game, but... ugh!" he complained. Kazu's opponent would be the one answering Sakura's question. "He means to ask if I'm playing this deck just to annoy him," he said while Kazu huffed. An open gesture gave Sakura full permission to peruse Kazuhiko's card collection while he drew for another turn. "Sorry I missed your game. Was it fun? Did you win? You won, didn't you?" he asked as if fully expecting to hear about an easy victory.

Meanwhile, Hiroshi's hands were progressing down the legs of Kaguya, dragging her thong along with them. He had a plan or two in mind, but it seemed Kaguya had intentions of her own. While keeping with the general banter they shared, she spread her own lower lips to unveil the glisten otherwise hidden by flesh. Hiroshi could hardly avoid staring for a moment, nor would he try doing so. "My, my... Ahem. Yes, it seems acts of preparation work similarly in this world. If you'll excuse me then... itadakimasu," he announced. There was the slightest upturn to the tall male's lips as he took a knee, still tall enough in doing so to plant his face between Kaguya's legs. Whether for science or for simple curiosity, he first took a few tentative laps at the sheen of her loins. The flavor he sought was undoubtedly more potent than saliva, but... still lacking. No matter; it wasn't like that would stop his progress anyway.

Miko claimed she would likely eat again by night's end. If not, she'd have dessert... which she may not have meant in terms of confections. Marisbury shifted his gaze to the girl, his smile widening slightly. "Dessert is always a good idea. You know... I had a taste of something sweet earlier. It wouldn't be a bad idea to go for a full serving," he quipped. Regarding his method of maintaining energy, Miko theorized photosynthesis in a joking way. Actually... "You're not too far off the mark. According to my father, our energy source comes from... what did he say? Time immemorial? It was something along those lines," he rambled. That bear Marisbury stopped to look at was a point of interest for Miko as well. Hearing the way she talked about it, Marisbury decided to step toward the booth. "Youkoso! Interested in playing our game for a lovely prize?" asked a teen male no older than Miko herself ─ one seemingly dressed in a casual way, but with Ousei Academy's blazer. Marisbury nodded, prompting the young male to hand over a toy gun and provide explanation. "It's a fun new spin on the old target shooting game. We're calling it... uhh... Ricochet Ball! Gomen; the name is still being workshopped. Anyway, the point is to make your shot hit as many of the targets on these walls as possible for a high score. Our mechanics club made this system that keeps track of your hits to tally the score. There's a prize just for giving us feedback!" the boy rambled. Marisbury chuckled, taking a look at the game. How interesting; they even placed an opening within a clear plastic wall to prevent the fired ball endangering passersby. "This seems like a fun game. Iino-chan, would you like to go at it together?"

[Apollymi]

"Hai, it was an informative match," Sakura admitted while explaining that she was indeed finished with her match. The other boy that Kazuhiko was playing with, would be the one to explain to her the meaning of 'trolling' in the context presented while Sakura sat to the side and began looking through cards to find the ones she wanted to add to her deck. Soon enough though her gaze would be settled upon Kazuhiko's opponent. "Are you?" she asked in a flat manner with a deadpan expression, her gaze would have been considered unwavering or unnerving but it held no real hostility. "Iia, you were having fun too, I assume..." she mused as she found the card she'd read earlier with the name Circe and a couple of associated Magecrafts and Artifacts. "I did not win. I think in technical terms I forfeited. But I did have fun figuring out how everything worked and I think my strategy will be much better suited to active play now that I understand the flow of the game better," she said. "I only dislike the idea of wasting time with stalling tactics or waiting out long strategies that stifle my abilities. So I am thinking to slot in a bit more control to counter balance the aggressive aspects of my deck," she mentioned in casual way. "But I understand what is needed to overcome those hurdles now, so I think I will continue to enjoy the game. I want to make Kaa-chan proud," Sakura said happily thinking of Metis and wondering if she'd appreciate her battle strategy, of course she'd already decided on a different form of address than she used for the mother who'd birthed her but that likely wouldn't be obvious to anyone else.

Hiroshi and Kaguya however were on to something very different. Panties were removed and loins were exposed and now... she had an adult man staring into her sex and making commentary. She understood fully how her friend found it interesting to listen to this man talk, it was like everything was a potentially exciting new discovery and it was fun to see him being playful or teasing and maybe just a little flustered. A knee was taking and he was thanked for the meal. Well, if Kaguya was to be feasted upon this was by far the way to go. She saw that little smirk and then felt the first few laps of his tongue and couldn't help a squeaky moan that slipped out of her lips. "Hai hai, take your time... meals should be savored after all~" Kaguya mused seeming to have her body relax but the muscles in her legs were still jumping. This was quite the novel sensation with nothing but feeling behind it. The magical world changed her perception but it seemed the human body still had a few uses. The man would find himself able to drink from her loins as her body neared the apex of excitation, just the same, it all but slipped her mind that she was trying to provide him knowledge. At the same time, finger tips would be found massaging his scalp and wrapped up in his hair. She couldn't be confused for inactive even if she was being eaten alive.

Meanwhile a wholesome conversation seemed to be just the right side of devolving. Miko spoke of dessert without explaining exactly what she meant, but it seemed her assumption that Marisbury understood her desires a bit was confirmed by the man himself. He claimed he'd gotten a taste of something sweet earlier and wanted a full serving. "A full serving huh, I'd definitely like that~" she flirted while looking at Marisbury from the side of her eye. Of course, she would allow this man a taste of her, and she'd take one of him as well. She figured that such a thing would come up eventually and it wouldn't hurt to get a head-start on one of her other courses, right? Moving on, it would seem that photosynthesis wasn't too far off from the 'energy' that Marisbury was living off of. He claimed it to be something like time immemorial, which made a little giggle escape Miko. "Nothing overpowered about living off time juice," she snipped playfully. Of course, she was curious about the man and given what his realm looked like it was sensible that he had such an oddity associated with him. But as they were now a game could be played for the pair of them as they tried to win that little bear that she'd shown some interest in. They listened to the spiel from the runner of the booth and Miko looked at him and nodded before her attention returned to Marisbury. He asked her if she wanted to play and she saw it as a good deed on two fronts. She knew how stressful it could be running one of these booths for a club, and she also really liked the bear and potentially making a few new memories with Marisbury. "Hai, I'd like it try it out~" she said as she approached the boot front where there was something like a gun and several targets which were meant to catch ricochets and keep track of them. It was an interesting concept to say the least.