Ione: HP = 60, PP = 34, EP = 72, Status = Pregnant
Clarissa moved toward Ione suddenly, though her motion was kept slow. The demoness placed an arm around Ione's back, and looked into her face with a sorrowful expression. "No... I'm afraid that I haven't heard the name before. I've been out of hell for a while now, and with the numbers of us that have made our way to this world since the invasion of Artmirst, it's entirely possible that she was born here, in this world."
The demoness, despite sharing Ione's glum expression, laughed slightly and shook her head. "No, she probably didn't mean "bastard" literally. If that's the case, it's possible that she was bound here like I was, but I can't do more than guess about any of this. How long ago was this? Perhaps we could ask around when we reach civilization once more. Who knows, maybe we'll be able to find her again! If you want to, of course. I suppose I'm thinking a little far ahead, but.... I'm sure that Arthur won't mind if you tag along with us for a little while. I have a bastard of my own to seek vengeance on, and it might be dangerous, so if you'd rather stay here in the jungle, I'd understand."
Ione's brightened once again at Clarissa's movements and statements, at the offer to join them on their travels and the offered help to find Viorica again. She appreciated the comfort Clarissa's touch gave her, but the offer she made drew conflicted feelings of delight and worry in her mind. A chance to find Viorica in civilization sounded very appealing to the alraune, but at the same time the jungle and it's environs was really all she had ever known. Aside from small villages and tribal gatherings she had traveled to, she had never even been to those other places like towns or cities. Such places were usually full of people she recalled, and she tended to shy away from them... but perhaps those places are where Viorica...
The plant girl took a second or two to mull over Clarissa's words, thinking about them intensely before looking to address her. "I've kept myself in the jungle for as long as I can remember. Being what I am, this place is more civilization to me than anywhere else... but it's not where she is though is it? No... I suppose it isn't. I'm sure I would have met her on the trails again if that were the case... especially after so much time." Ione let a hand idly run down Clarissa's shoulder as she spoke. "I was only 12 seasons when I met her... but now that's been over 16 seasons since..." Ione gazed down at the pool briefly before she suddenly perked up from her glumness. She couldn't let her thoughts of missing Viorica get her down, they just wouldn't do well for her mind, body or spirit.
"I would love to accompany both of you on your journey together. Between the three of us, anymore wolves we encounter will be even worse off than those ones." She said, giggling at the recent memory of their first encounter. "I'm certain we'll keep each other... very good company." The alraune gave a mischievous and intent look at Clarissa before she pulled herself closer to the Demoness, resting her head on the woman's chest and brightening into a grin. After a moment of holding to her, Ione pulled away and gave Arthur a good look, laughing lightly at his resting. She could go for a bit of a rest herself she realized, a feeling of lethargy making itself known for once.
"Arthur... has a good idea I think. After that session I'm feeling a bit... lightheaded. Still feeling actually... ah ha..." Ione said as she scratched at her ears that seemed to be growing itchy all of the sudden. She hadn't remembered them ever being this itchy before... but she supposed a scratch fit now an then wasn't uncommon. "Shall we rest with him sweet Clarissa? If you're not tired I understand, but I'd love to curl up somewhere at least for a little while. Or on someone..." Ione spoke softly, closing her her eyes half-lidded at the demoness as she gave her a gentle smile.
Ione: HP = 60, PP = 34, EP = 72, Status = Pregnant
"Yes... I'll be sure to keep you as happy as I can so long as you are with us, Ione." Clarissa replied, having remained silent and impassive save for a comforting arm through Ione's explanations. Now, however, she returned that mischeivous look with one of her own, and suddenly pulled Ione close, bringing her into a deep but brief kiss, before letting Ione's head fall to rest on her chest, where the demoness held her tightly. "So long as you're with my, you'll never lack for pleasurable company, Ione. I'm sure that we won't have any trouble in convincing Arthur to join in either, if you'd like. You were quite.... Enthusiastic with him earlier!"
When Ione expressed her wish to rest, Clarissa giggled and replied; "Ahhh, of course I'll lay a while with you, my pretty little flower. Come, lets get a little more... Comfortable." The demon helped her up, and together they pulled Arthur out of the shallow water and into a laying position on the ground. Clarissa helped Ione lay down on her side and against Arthur, and Clarissa laid herself behind, arms legs and tail all curling around Ione and holding her tightly. Unless Ione objected to this particular positioning, the trio were left to their rest, safe in her hiding place.
~~~~~~~~~
Ione awoke as Arthur began to stir, her mind and body both fully coming awake just as the man opened his eyes. He looked down at the two women who were both naked and lying practically on top of him, and then at his own nudity, laid his head down and groaned again. "Oh no.... What did you two do?" He muttered, eying the pair of them with a tired glare. "Tut tut! That's no way to treat your lovers, Arthur! And here I thought you'd learned your lesson." Clarissa said, her breath and voice falling directly against Ione's ear and causing her entire body to tingle with delight. "Shall we remind him of our time last night, my pretty little Ione?" Clarissa whispered suggestively into her ear, and the alraune could see the glow cast by the demon's eyes even in daylight. They had slept through the whole night, it seemed, and had not been bothered by any of the other denizens of the forest.
"Sometimes, the memory takes a while to come back when one has been fed upon.... I think that few "kisses" ought to jog his memory adequately." She continued, and Arthur promptly pulled himself out from underneath them, a look of mild fear on his face as he began to sidle away. "Stop." Arthur halted just as he was about to clamber to his feet, and ended up falling on his back, a look of utter confusion on his face. Clarissa rose, helping Ione to her feet if she desired to stand, and moved to stand over the prone man, who was shaking and twitching slightly but showed no other signs of motion. "The control yet remains, I see. But not for much longer.... We slept longer than I thought we would." Clarissa said, and then turned her head to look at Ione, and grinned widely.
"Why, you look ready to burst, little flower! How can you even stand, with so many seedlings?" She said, and Ione glanced down, finding her belly heavily bloated with the seeds that Arthur had sired. They were ready to be released, and she could let them out whenever she chose, so long as it was soon. "Would you care to assist me some more, or would you prefer to lighten yourself a tad before we set off today?" Clarissa asked, giving Ione an excuse to step out from the morning fun if she so desired. Clarissa likely wouldn't need the help, if how her tongue had felt the previous day was any indication, but despite his reluctance, Arthur's staff was already growing erect at the sight of the two of them, and likely at the idea of the two of them giving him "kisses."
Brief surprise came over the alraune as she found herself in a deep kiss, the demoness countering the plant girl's mischief with a quick act of her own. She could still feel the passion behind the kiss even as it ended, her head coming to rest against Clarissa's chest while the demoness held her tightly in an embrace. Ione had no doubt that Clarissa and Arthur would make pleasant traveling company, and if the last hour or more was any indication, she had little to fear that they wouldn't be. Both of them had proven quite eagerly just how capable they were at providing such company, even if one of them was given a bit of forced encouragement into the act as it were.
At the plant girl's mentioning of rest, Clarissa was quick to agree at the prospect, and with a little help on her end the both of them were up and out of the pool with Arthur in tow. Placing him laying on the ground, Ione joined the man's side with encouragement from Clarissa, snugging up close to him while draping an arm across the man's chest. Clarissa had a similar idea in mind as well it seemed, and although she initially thought the demoness would place herself on the other side of Arthur she became pleasantly surprised at the feeling of her snugging against her back. Ione gasped lightly at the sensation, but she quickly became used to Clarissa's limbs drawn around her, and it wasn't long before the sandwiched plant girl found herself drifting into a unconsciousness rest.
Movement struck Ione awake as Arthur finally began to regain consciousness from his own slumber. Tentatively, the plant girl slowly opened her eyes against a weariness of her own, barely catching Arthur's words... but certainly catching Clarissa's own as they wafted across her ear. Trembling shivers of delight ran through the alraune's body as the demoness spoke which only got more intense when Clarissa directed her voice straight into the plant girl's ear with her questioned suggestion. 'My ears are so sensitive today... at least they're not itchy anymore...' The glow from Clarissa's eyes coming into her vision caught Ione's attention, and she noticed for the first time as she became entirely aware that night had come and passed without incident.
At Clarissa's explanation of jogging Arthur's memory Ione blinked a few times. "Remind him? Oh... OH! I see." The plant girl said, letting out a happy giggle even as Arthur began to move away from the demoness and her with a mild look of fear. She was about to tease the man for crawling away before Clarissa's command stopped him in his tracks, causing him to tumble down onto his back and look cutely at them with confusion miring his face. It seemed that he was still under the effects of the charm Clarissa had inflicted on him, something the demoness soon confirmed in words herself as she helped Ione get to her feet.
It was only then that the plant girl, with Clarissa's comment about it as well, became aware of just how bloated her stomach had become. "Ah ha... stand? Well not so easily now it seems. Arthur, you really did make a mess..." Ione teased, laying a hand over her pregnant bump. She'd have to take care of these seeds very soon, but at Clarissa's offer Ione narrowed her eyes at the pair in renewed lust. "Hmm... I think I can manage big belly for a little longer..." The plant girl said as she approached the pair, shaking her hair to adjust it from where it had tangled in rest. Reaching Clarissa and giving her a smile, Ione glanced down at Arthur's lightly shaking and twitching form and gave him the same. All the while seemingly oblivious to the longer and more pointy set of elven ears that now poked out from beneath her pink hair where her short round ones used to be.
Rest Effects
Acquired Mutation Visible: Funny Ears
20 Experience traded for: +4 Spirit, and Succubus Magic: Charm and Dazzling Beauty
Ione: HP = 62, PP = 36, EP = 76, Status = Pregnant
Clarissa smiled back at Ione as she reached the demon's side, and turned to offer a similar expression to Arthur, who looked back with a nervous tension, but didn't seem quite so opposed to the idea any more. His mostly full erection was testament enough to that. "Erm.... What are you going to do to me?" He said, trying his best to sound confident.... And failing at it rather badly. Clarissa laughed at the paralyzed mage, and knelt down in front of him, getting onto her hands and knees just slightly to the side of between Arthur's legs.
Clarissa glanced up at Ione with a twinkle in her eye, and patted the ground beside her before turning back to Arthur. Without a moment's hesitation, Clarissa grabbed Arthur's member in one hand, aimed it, and gave it kiss, causing the man to twitch and gasp loudly. "Would you like to start thing's off, my pretty little flower?" Clarissa said, pointedly ignoring the question that had been directed at her. The demoness was allowing her to take the lead, but she could just as easily refuse, and there was little chance of Clarissa minding much at all.
Ione giggled lightly when Arthur asked of their intentions, the confidence in his voice clearly lacking. It was cute in a way, to see him acting so timid, perhaps so because of those lingering first impressions still running through her mind. She hadn't expected him to turn out so pleasant at the time, or to be so capable too! She sure was glad he did though, and as she watched Clarissa lower herself in front of him and give her that knowing look Ione's eyes widened in excitement. Almost as if mesmerized she watched the demoness tease Arthur's erect member with a kiss, eliciting a gasp from the man, and when Clarissa voiced her question to the plant girl her wide eyes narrowed. "Hmmm... indulge yourself a little first Clarissa, I'll follow up... after a moment..."
Focusing her narrowed gaze at Arthur, the alraune straddled the mages free leg as she knelt down, bringing herself to lay against the man's side with a pleasant sigh. Propped up slightly by one arm, Ione gazed lustfully at the man, running her free hand's fingers through his hair before grabbing at his face and drawing close into a kiss. Her free hand dropped down to smooth along his chest as she pressed her lips excitedly into his own, immersing herself in the feeling of them coming together. It was a bit awkward, what with her bloated belly pressing against him as they lip-locked, but Ione made it work. She even encouraged Arthur to have a feel of herself as well, moving her hand over to grasp his own and guiding it to her pregnant form to smooth along, and even take her breasts as well should he wish it.
Pulling her lips away from him, Ione looked down at her body being groped and smiled. "You like me like his don't you Arthur? You're so lucky you know, having two beautiful blooms playing with you~" Ione said while then looking past him and down at Clarissa, whom had also been kissing at the mage as well, smile widening to a grin. Wordlessly, she gave Arthur a similar twinkling look as she raised herself off him, trailing backwards and eventually finding herself in that offered spot Clarissa had patted out before. She watched the demoness work along the man for a time, but when a moment presented itself she gave Arthur a final knowing glance before joining to pleasure the man's member along with Clarissa.
The plant girl found herself exploring the mans rod, indulging just as much as Clarissa did as the two of them worked the man over. She gave kisses all the way down to his base, following it up quickly with her tongue as she trailed it up along his shaft. It's twitching and throbbing put delight in her mind, the man's body visually receptive to the pleasure they were giving him, and it drove her on. Her kissing and suckling of the man's length came in relentless fashion, her tongue never failing to disappoint in it's motions as it lapped against it. Eventually after many teases though, as she landed a kiss on the tip of the man's head the plant girl decided to go further, lowering her mouth upon the man and taking his manhood into it.
With a second or two of getting situated, Ione's mouth stretched as able into a smile as she began to work along the man's shaft. Bobbing up and down upon it slowly, the plant girl savored the taste of his man meat, letting her tongue swish around while doing so to stimulate it further. Arthur's excitement was certainly clear from the his shaft as she felt it within her, throbbing more and with deeper echos as time went on. Not being one to hog Arthur though, the alraune drew her mouth off his throbbing length after a time with a small wet pop and she gave the demoness a small laugh. "Your turn~" She said, angling the said object being passed around toward her, eagerly ready for the demoness to ensnare it herself.
Ione: HP = 62, PP = 36, EP = 76, Status = Pregnant
Clarissa nodded at Ione's words, and began to lavish attention's upon the stunned sorcerer's manhood, raining kisses all over it and rubbing her tongue along his length. As such, it could likely be forgiven that Arthur was a little preoccupied when Ione laid next to him, and began running her fingers through his hair, the mage too busy staring down at Clarissa with an expression of ecstasy to pay her much heed. She did catch his attention when she pulled him into the kiss, however, as the mage moaned into her mouth and laid an arm around her back, holding her body closely against his. No order had come from Clarissa for him to do as such, so it had come from the man's own initiative as much as from hers. His hands needed little direction from Ione, as they began roaming along her pregnant belly up to her breast, which he quickly began to squeeze and rub excitedly, not with the greatest amount of skill mind but with plenty of passion to make up for it.
When she broke the kiss, the mage simply groaned and nodded, turning his gaze back to stare at Clarissa. Doing the same, Ione found that Clarissa had taken Arthur's member into her mouth, and was bobbing slowly up and down upon it and stroking it with her hands. A slightly glow coming from beneath Clarissa's eyes combined with the steady flow of energy that Ione's supernatural senses could pick up on told her that the demoness was once more feeding upon the man's soul through the pleasure that she was causing to him.
When she laid down next to him, Clarissa withdrew her mouth and began to kiss and lick it some more, giving her room to join in as her eyes opened once more, revealing their full glow as she looked up at her longtime lover. Arthur's moan increased in volume and intensity as Ione began to kiss and lick him as well, and his member began to twitch and throb under their dual attentions. Clarissa proved just as relentless as Ione, at one point touching her long, sinuous tongue against Ione's and pressing her lips against the alraune's with the head of Arthur's cock in the center of their kiss.
The demoness moved lower, giving Ione plenty of room as the plant woman moved her mouth down to take in his length, drawing a fresh groan of pleasure and a small amount of precum from the mage. He was staring down at the two of them as if hypnotized, and he was throbbing steadily in Ione's mouth already. His moans and his throbbing both only grew as she began to bob up and down, Clarissa having lowered herself to suck on his sack as Ione took in his shaft. Ione could see his fingers clenching into the ground, digging furrows into the earth as she sucked on his member.
By the time she pulled off of him and offered his rod to Clarissa, he had been throbbing powerfully, to the point that it seemed like he was about to orgasm, and he issued a groan of mixed pleasure and disappointment as her mouth came off of his rod with an audible pop. Clarissa, who had been issuing her attentions upon his balls and the base of his rod until now, giggled at Ione's offer, and replied; "He's about to pop!" The demoness ran her tongue from the base to the tip in one smooth motion, drawing another pained groan from Arthur and another twitch from his cock, but she didn't leave him hanging any further. In a single smooth motion, Clarissa's mouth descended onto Arthur's cock and took every inch of it into her mouth, until her lips were pressed against the base of his pelvis. She stayed there for several seconds, the raven haired demon's glowing eyes staring up at Arthur as she made several swallowing sounds in quick succession.
Whatever she was doing proved far too much for Arthur, as the man moaned deafeningly and thrusted his hips upwards, his member twitching and jumping repeatedly. Clarissa proved quite willing to share, however, as she pulled off of his member and offered it to Ione well before Arthur finished, allowing her a healthy dose of the man's thick, musky semen as well. When the last drops of Arthur's cum had been drained from him, Clarissa pulled Ione into a kiss, sharing some of her own bounty of semen with the alraune as her tongue attacked Ione's aggressively. Arthur lay panting, his member softening rather quickly as he recovered from his explosive climax, but well before Clarissa released Ione from the kiss, he managed to gasp out; "That... Was unbelievable..."
Watching the demoness take Arthur's shaft after passing it back to her, Ione saw once again how true Clarissa's observation had been about how close to the edge he was. His length was practically bobbing around on it's own from the excitement coursing through it. It was, along with his own motions earlier when they had layed next to each other, more proof of how passionate and good of a lover the man could be. Especially with the right encouragement as Clarissa and her had delivered and shared, the plant girl still shaken with excitement from the kiss the demoness had given her in between Arthur's manhood. Observing Clarissa gulp at the man's crotch after drawing her mouth all the way down, the plant girl giggled lustfully at the lewd sight, and at Arthur's rather loud climatic response to her motions.
Ione smiled widely at the pair as Clarissa took and swallowed the man's seed, and she let her eyes widen when the demoness removed herself to share their pleasant work. It was an offer she quickly accepted, taking him in before he could shoot off and make a mess of her face. Ione moaned softly as she swallowed him up as well, taking great delight in his stringy ropes as Clarissa had done prior, all the way up until the last of them had left the man. Before she could indulge further on his member, Ione found herself pulled away and placed in the passionate lips of the demoness, shivers of pleasure further echoing through her as Arthur's and Clarissa's tastes mixed in her senses, swished about by the aggressive tongueplay they shared.
She caught the man's gasped response to their session, unable to respond but holding similiar sentiments herself, both about this session and the last few ones. Her tongue wrestled with Clarissa's for a time after, giving Arthur quite a show from where he recovered as the plant girl was dominated by the passion of the demoness. Every glance she gave into Clarissa's glowing eyes excited a further moan from the plant girl, feeling herself drawn into them the more her eyes lingered on them. When she was finally able to break of her kiss with Clarissa, the alraune let out a number of quick breaths in the embrace they shared as she steadied herself.
"Ah...a... at this rate we... we may never get out of the sanctuary..." She said, pulling back and finding herself once again staring into Clarissa's glowing eyes, feeling a flush fall over her. "You really have a way of making me want to root down... but I'm just as much eager to uproot too! To be honest if we stayed I'm not sure if I could feed the both of you. I'm no... court master after all, I can't just make fruit appear from thin air... sadly." Pulling away slowly from Clarissa's grip, the plant girl's eyes still drawn to those glowing eyes until she finally was able to look away, Ione moved over to Arthur where he lay, hovering over him again and giving him a serene smile. "You alright down there, you look a little... blown away. There must still be a lot of stress from all that anger before... don't worry though Arthur... we'll be sure to relieve you of that."
Pushing herself up, Ione slowly got to her feet before extending hands down to offer help up for the both of them should they want it. When all three of them were once again on their feet, the plant girl started to speak again when a sudden rumble interrupted her, causing the alraune to blush in embarrassment. "Ahaha, they're... an eager bunch it seems... must take after their father... you'll both excuse me a moment won't you?" Ione briefly joked, gripping her stomach as she felt the seedlings within rouse more and more, moving to turn and travel but a number of feet away from Clarissa and Arthur. The seeds certainly were eager by the feel of it, and Ione let out a pleasured gasp as she felt the first of them start on their way through her, aided by her excited folds from earlier.
Not wanting them to sprout up in the sanctuary, as mischievous a surprise as that might be, Ione laid her hands upon her belly as she summoned forth a power. She finished empowering it just before the sensation of birth was too much and the plant girl found herself indulging to it. Seedling after seedling left her, her tentacles drawing out subconsciously as well to wrangle them before they got too far away. The reason for this would only become apparent to the two observers of the birth when at last, Ione was able to recover from the event. Sitting briefly with the bundle of seedlings wriggling in a mass, Ione gave them a number of kisses, hugging them sweetly and giving Arthur a very knowing look before standing with them and slinging them away in an arc.
Perhaps to both of their astonishment the seedlings, instead of crashing and thumping to the ground actually floated about in flight, most soaring off beyond openings in the canopy while a few more comically spun in place with a twirl. Ione gave a chuckle at the remaining few one's antics, before smacking them lightly with a tendril to correct them. "There's always a few funny ones in the bunch." She said briefly, and as the last of the stragglers finally went on it's way, the plant girl watched as just like the others, they floated off waving their pre-mature tendrils in mock flight toward whatever destination their limited time of flight would grant those seedlings in the wind.
RP power fluff here, since I'm assuming Ione using flight on herself before birth to temporarily give her seedlings some time to take flight and soar off is acceptable. If not then I'll edit the post accordingly.
Clarissa giggled gleefully at Ione's assessment that they would never be able to leave, and said; "Oh I'm sure we'd manage somehow. But you're right of course... As pleasant a place as this is, it is time for us to depart." Arthur, meanwhile, just groaned in response to her concern over his well being, and then nodded.
Clarissa accepted the hand up gratefully, and the two of them forced Arthur to his feet a moment later, though much of the mage's fatigue seemed to have passed already. When she asked to be excused, both Arthur and Clarissa nodded in affirmation. "Can I get dressed now?" The man asked calmly, and Clarissa simply nodded, keeping her gaze focused on Ione as she moved a short ways away. As she felt her seedlings stirring inside, and quickly worked her power into them, the mage took back his robe and put it back on before returning to Clarissa's side to watch.
The ecstasy of the seeds slipping down her passage dominated Ione's perception for a while, and as such she didn't hear Arthur and Clarissa's whispered conversation, not even catching a word between seedlings. Thirty of them had crawled from her body by the time she was finished, all of them wriggling about on their two tiny tentacles in an attempt to escape, and find a place to germinate safely. Their puny struggling was no match for Ione's reaching tentacles, and she caught all of them before they could escape, and held them in her grasp affectionately despite their instinctive need to flee. Arthur returned her knowing look with a nervous half-smile, and he remained standing away from her, hands held behind his back. The two watched incredulously as Ione began tossing her children into the air, and quickly began to laugh, Clarissa doing so immediately and Arthur joining in after a minute, when the first of her children failed to fly off, instead twirling about in front of her before she gave them a good swat.
Once the lot had been thrown away from the sanctuary that Ione had created, a grinning Clarissa approached, and pulled Ione into a hug as she said; "That was adorable!" Once more transfixing Ione with those crimson, hypnotic eyes, the demoness continued; "We must see to it that you have the opportunity to make many more along our way... We wouldn't want to spare the world more glorious blooms such as yourself!"
Arthur gulped rather loudly at that, and Clarissa giggled again before pulling away from Ione. The demoness had, at some point, regained her own skimpy clothing, but she might as well have been naked for all that they concealed. "We ought to be off soon. Are you prepared, my pretty little Ione? Take what time you need to make ready."
(Nah, the image of the flying alraune seeds is too adorable for me to veto.)
"Yes... we wouldn't want that..." Ione gave in response as the demoness hugged her. Secretly though, and only in a hint of inflection given off, she was unsure if proprogating so much would be a good thing. Not that she didn't mind the incredible sex or even the feeling of being so full, her belly extended to the brim with the movements of seedlings. It was just that she remembered how different she was from other alraune, and how eager those ones she spent time with were to point this out. How visciously eager they were in fact before she severed all ties with them and left. Perhaps it was stupid to worry about it so much, but it had still influenced her in how often she let herself be knocked up.
There was little point in letting those thoughts plague her now though, and clearing her mind the plant girl turned her attention to Clarissa's crimson eyes once more as she answered her question. "Give me another moment, I just need to grab my things..." She trailed off as she glanced over at 'her' possessions, still resting near her armor wear she had dropped them. Scratching the back of her head and giving Arthur a quick smiling glance and a uneasy laugh as she made her way over, Ione collecting the items she had taken and prepared the fittings of her armor, re-dressing herself. It took little time at all, and she was soon dressed as she had been when they first met back on the trail those several hours ago.
"Alright... I think that's... wait... I almost forgot..." Ione briefly started before scurring back to a spot off to the side, looking through one of the bushes there that grew about the sides of the sanctuary. After throwing out a few small items of non-interest, and suspiciously a few bones as well, Ione let out a small 'aha!' at finding the item she searched for. She made her way back to them with another piece of her armor she hadn't been wearing when they met, a helmet which was promply equiped and adjusted with a grin. "I normally wouldn't wear this thing... I like to let my hair hang loose at home after all... but I would never travel so far without it."
Joining the two as they made their way to the sanctuary's entrance, Ione turned in question to them as they began to proceed on their journey. "Where is it that we three are off to then? I only know of a few scattered villages around here... and such travel is not really what interests you both though is it?" Thinking briefly, Ione looking between the two as they walked on before continuing. "If I recall... weren't you two heading toward that city... Celesis was it? I've... never been to somewhere like that... a place with so many people... people like you I assume... aha..."
Ione collects all the stuff she has and re-equips Armor/Weapon, and Arthur + Clarissa I assume have done the same (both dressed and Arthur has his staff back)
Once she had collected all of her equipment and returned to Arthur and Clarissa, who had stood patiently as Ione dashed about, Clarissa and Arthur both nodded. "My master is in Celesis.... But I don't know if I should go back there. I did fail in the task he set me, and he did say he would kill me if I returned under those circumstances." Arthur said, but Clarissa gave him a scowl and demanded; "We're going back there. But it won't be you that dies. Your teacher has a lot to answer for, not the least of which is how he treats his allies... And his students."
The mage looks surprised, but nods, obviously not really wanting to argue. His gaze quickly becomes distant, and Arthur begins to avoid looking at either of them, while Clarissa gives a snort and turns back to Ione. "Lets be off, eh? It's a long way to Celesis."
The jungle was as Ione had always known it, wild and dense and with air thick with moisture. As they went underway, Clarissa and Arthur took it in turns to explain a few things to Ione. "When we get to Celesis you'll probably get a few stares, but most of them will be for your beauty rather than your nature. So long as you don't attack anyone - and I know that you won't - you'll be as free to go about your business as Arthur or I would be. The crowds take some getting used to but don't worry, Arthur and I will be nearby. I'm sure that you'll find many.... Admirers, if you so desire! And there's so much to do~!"
"Clarissa told me that you have the ability to use magic. If you like, I can try to teach you a few things while we travel." Clarissa snickered audibly, and Arthur scowled at her. The demoness rolled her eyes and winked at Ione. "But if you really want to learn to harness your talents, then you have to find yourself a master. I can try and get you a sponsor if you want, but I'm not sure how much weight I'll be able to pull on your behalf." He continued, unbothered by Clarissa's antics.
The alraune nodded along as well with Arthur when Clarissa choose their destination for them. From the link she had shared with the man earlier, Arthur's apprehension was understandable. His night elf master's words still rung in her own ears from the scene she had witnessed, and true from it she could also understand Clarrisa's vexation too. Being bound unwittingly for a sum of years certainly must have born plenty of animosity toward Amraul as well, though it made Ione wonder how deep the two of 'them' had been. 'Perhaps they had know each over a number of years as well?' Ione supposed it was possible, especially if he could actually summon her into the world entirely, and the plant girl quickly had to shake some rather lucid images of the two of them suddenly popping into her mischievous mind before either of her companions could notice her blushing face.
The start of their journey started off in fair silence, the jungle around them as it always was, thick and hot. The thickness and the heat wasn't much of a bother to Ione though, as there was plenty of moisture in the air and pockets of it that could be found if one looked in the right places. The jungle was home, and the plant girl could traverse it as if she were a fish swiming in a wide and vast ocean, though the same couldn't be said for her companions. Where she could easily glide along the brush, they could only travel so quickly if they stuck to mostly cleared routes it seemed. Avoiding all the tangling undergrowth that was but grass under her feet to the alraune.
Ione accommodated her companions by traveling with them on the trail, but she couldn't keep a tenseness from forming in her movements and her face as they traveled together. The jungle was a dangerous place filled with all sorts of beasts, but it wasn't them that made the plant girl worry so. It was... others... of her kind. She had always been careful not to do something to gain their attention before, but walking exposed on a route with two others would certainly count as such. Especially so if they tried to talk to her through the natural 'link' her kind shared, a connection she had learned to close off to all but the strongest or strong-willed of plant persons a long time ago. "Ah yes... of course..." Ione tensely responded, turning to give Clarissa a weak smile at the mention of admirers. "What... what kinds of people go to this city? Night Elves and Amazonians? I don't suppose we might run into... certain members of the fey will we? Or demons...?"
Turning to look at Arthur when he addressed her, Ione took it as an opportunity to calm her nerves about running into any other alraune. "Hmmm, yes this bloom is magical, though Clarissa shouldn't have had to tell you that." Ione teased lightly, coming up close behind Arthur and laying her hands over his sides, at the place she had healed earlier. Returning a wink back at Clarissa, she continued. "I wouldn't mind learning a few things. Magic really isn't my forte though, it's just something I... something I just knew... if that makes sense. I was waving weak nature spells around when I was just a sprout before I ever found my other talents." Pausing for a moment, Ione drew a smile full of mischief before bringing her lips to the man's ear. "Of course, if you do teach me a few things I'll be sure to reward you for such... kindness. Maybe I can even teach you a few things..."
The plant girl began to smooth her hands down from Arthur's side to along his thighs before stopping with a giggle, giving him a wink of her own. "When we're aren't busy traveling of course... I sure we'll have plenty of... time... to..." Ione trailed off when she went to scratch an itch on the side of her head, and it was only then for the first time she realized how different her ears were from before. Where they had once been simply round and normal, now they were pointy and... were they more sensitive now too? "My... my ears! When did they...? I don't remember them being like this...? I'm sure I didn't have pointy ears before!" Letting her fingers trace the ears, Ione continued her traveling, though now befuddled by the sudden recognition of her changed ear features.
"Demons... Not many, but a few of the fey might be present. Humans, night elves and likely even a few of their pale cousins will be about, along with whatever might be visiting. I even saw an angel walking the streets of Celesis once." Arthur replied casually, the trio having run into no one, not even whispers into her mind warning Ione of the presence of her own kind. When she rubbed her hands over the place where Clarissa's fingers had dug into his flesh not too long ago, Arthur laughed and said; "Ahhh, yes. I'd forgotten about that."
The mage laughed nervously when Ione pressed her lips to his ear, and Clarissa giggled lightly. "Careful! We wouldn't want to make him nervous!" The demoness said, but then giggled again as Ione rubbed a hand up them man's thigh, causing him to gulp audibly. "Oh yes, we'll plenty of time to-" She was cut off as Ione finally noticed her mutated ears, and this time Arthur actually took notice as well. "Hrm... They look like elf ears. You must have mutated them from last night. I'd expect to be getting a lot of little changes like those, if I were you. I've only staved them off by drinking a potion, and I haven't been able to make any for a while. It'll likely wear off sometime tomorrow night. I have what I need to make more of it, but it takes time and equipment that I can't carry with me out here." Arthur said after examining her for a moment.
They paused to rest a short while later, taking some water from a stream while Arthur and Clarissa ate some rations that Arthur had packed. They offered to share with Ione, but the stale bread and dried meat and cheese didn't look particularly palatable. As she surveyed the forest around them, however, Ione felt a slight twinge within her mind, and her gaze was drawn across the clearing they had paused in. A pair of golden glowing eyes stood there, and she could see the underbrush shifting slightly. Neither Arthur nor Clarissa seemed to notice the alraune that Ione had sensed, and she could feel the other plant woman trying to contact her mind.
Ione continued to fiddle with her new found longer ears as the mage explained the mutation to her. 'That's right... it must be a change from a changing one. I wasn't expecting my ears to change though... from the way Viorica explained it the change was usually in more... sensitive ways...' The alraune blushed at the thought as she regarded the man's own lack of changes. If Clarissa could cause a change in her during the intensity of one night's session, 5 years with the demoness should have warped the man entirely! This potion must be a rather powerful brew to combat such changes for so long. The mentioning of the current batch's effects wearing off soon sparked some rather mischievous thoughts of Arthur's potential corruption, and briefly an image of a blushing Arthur sporting similar elven ears to her appeared along with a Clarissa sporting ears of the same as well.
The alraune giggled softly at the imagery, her mind wandering just a little as the trio continued along the way. When Clarissa and Arthur stopped to rest and offered her some rations Ione shook her head. "No thanks... you two need to eat more than I do. Besides, if I was gonna eat anything I would have cooked up all those wolves you slew." Ione could almost taste the wolfmeat steaks on the edge of her tongue and she drooled slightly at the thought, only making the effort to stop doing so when she noticed the stares the two of them gave her. She laughed meekly for a moment before wiping the drool away, deciding then to survey around at the landscape surrounding them.
Forest as it was everywhere, save for the small clearing they were resting in. It was a relaxing scene in all honesty, and the plant girl was beginning to feel more comfortable about the trip... until a familiar pressure made itself known in her mind. There was no mistaking 'that' kind of feeling, and almost immediately Ione tensed up. 'Oh no...' Looking around at the landscape surrounding the clearing, at first Ione couldn't spot anything amiss. As her vision passed a certain spot however, her blue eyes soon found themselves staring into a pair of glowing golden eyes hidden within some underbrush. The redoubled feeling of something trying to contact her mind left little doubt as to what it was.
Still focused on the eyes staring back at her, Ione's own eyes widened in fright as her features adopted the same. Her breath quickened, and defensively she pulled her staff to herself and took a step back. Had she been alone, like all the times before, she would have quickly run off then, away from the other plant person or persons. With Arthur and Clarissa here though... she couldn't exactly abandon them could she? No... she was more honorable than that, and despite her mind screaming to bail Ione kept her feet rooted firmly to the earth. She had to face this one without running away, and so with a little courage Ione opened a Telepathic link to the other plant girl with her own powers.
'I... I see you gold eyed bloom...' She began, nervousness clear through the link. 'Who are you? Have you come to harass us? I won't suffer any 'others' tricks upon myself or my allies. If you're not here to harm us... then come out into the clearing... all of you... nice and slow...' Ione messaged through the link, her distrust much more evident near the end. She kept her eyes focused mostly on the eyes staring back, but occasionally darted around the clearing in search of any more hidden 'others' to be found, as she suspected there might be. By this time she had nearly backed up into the pair still eating, a tendril or two aggressively seeking out to gain their attentions.
Ione normally blocks the natural link that alraune share with each other, and so she's opened a Spirit Power Telepathic link to this one gold eyed creature. (-2 EP unless RPed out I imagine?)
For reference, this blocking of the natural link goes both ways; Ione can't hear other alraune and they can't hear her. The exception to this case is where powerful plant persons (or others who can use this natural link) can Force communication between the two of them, and thus get around this self imposed wall to talk and hear each other's thoughts.
Ione: HP = 62, PP = 36, EP = 74/76, Status = Telepathy
The golden eyes on the edge of the clearing blinked in surprise as Ione refused the more natural connection of shared consciousness, and instead sent a mental probe. Still, the alraune in the bushes accepted the connection, and after a moment replied; 'I see you as well, oh blue eyed bloom. Why do you fear me so? Are you alright? Do the mortal and the dark one control you? I can aid you, if you need it.'
Clarissa and Arthur, meanwhile, glanced at her, their gazes alert as she bumped into them. They could at least sense that something was wrong, and their gazes scanned the surroundings, seemingly without finding the hidden alraune. 'I cannot enter the glade if you are under a compulsion. Are you in danger from those two?' The alraune was insistent, but since Ione was in control of the connection the other plant woman's probings were met with little success so long as she did not allow it. She did seem genuinely concerned though, at least as far as Ione could tell from across the link that she now shared with her kinfolk.
The plant girl frowned slightly at the other alraune as she asked her questions. Aside from the fact this had been the first alraune she had spoken to in quite a long time, it was also the first one for as long as she could remember who seemed to be concerned with her own sake and being. It was... strange to be in such a situation... but also discomforting too. 'I... I'm fine. They aren't holding me under duress...' The alraune started, her eyes showing clear distrust for the golden pair staring at her. 'If you... if you really want to aid me... then come forth into the glade. I'd feel more at ease if I could see more than just your eyes and knew you weren't going to attack...'
Ione lowered her staff slightly, unclenching the grip she held on it that nearly sought to turn her knuckles completely white. She let a small whine out at being caught in such a predicament, turning briefly towards her companions. "There's a... shorn person nearby... I'm not sure what it wants..." She said, glancing about once more to check for any other sets of eyes staring back. Her eyes nervously flicked about the glade, scanning quickly before returning to the spot where the two golden ones still peeked from. Focusing on them again was almost enough to make the plant girl jump again in fear but she was able to repress the urge, though not the increasing shakes of her body.
Despite her fear and despite her shaking, Ione kept herself tense and ready to act in the case that the other plant girl was planning on doing something. She wanted to believe in the other plant girl's good intentions, that she came in peace upon them... but all of her experience with the one's she had grown up with had taught her to be incredibly wary and suspicious of the motives of other plant people. She wasn't about to lower her guard to this one just yet... at least not until she had seen enough to convince her that this plant girl would be different than the others. That she wouldn't be like all those malicious and bad memories that she had left behind all those seasons ago.
Ione: HP = 62, PP = 36, EP = 74/76, Status = Telepathy
The golden eyed alraune hesitated for a moment, and that was long enough for Arthur and Clarissa to tense in preparation upon her words. The demon's claws lengthened, and Arthur began muttering quietly under his breath as both began to search the woods more thoroughly. "Is there more than one?" Arthur quietly muttered, and Clarissa's eyes narrowed on the spot where the golden eyes were. "There...."
Finally, the other alraune returned; 'As you wish, my sister.' She stepped out into the glade, and despite her trembling in fear, Ione found herself marveling at her kindred's golden skin and gorgeous form, the unusual aspects as compared to others of her kind making her stand out. "Why do you travel with a mortal and a demon, my sister? Tis not normal for one of our kind. Oh! But I mean no disrespect! I am merely curious... And perhaps concerned." She paused, and her eyes narrowed onto Clarissa, a glare that the demoness returned.
"She helped us out of a dangerous situation, and we asked her if she wanted to come along. She said yes. It's as simple as that, and I don't take kindly to vague accusations." Clarissa returned venomously, and Arthur sighed tiredly. Before things could get any further out of hand, the man said; "There's no need for that Clarissa. She's only looking out for her own."
He turned to the alraune, "We've done no harm to Ione, and have neither intent nor desire to do so. She is our companion by her own choice, and a good friend at that." The alraune didn't look convinced, but was no longer glaring at Clarissa at least. Instead, she turned to gaze thoughtfully at Ione.
Ione remained tense along with her companions as they prepared themselves, and as Clarissa came to rest her eyes where the other alraune still lay in wait she prepared herself further. But upon the other plant girl leaving the safety of the brush and into the glade, Ione's fear melted away into much surprise. 'Her skin... it's just as golden as mine...?' Indeed, the other alraune sported golden skin bound to a spectacular form, which Ione took time to quickly take in fully. She stared back with disbelief as the other aired her question towards her, and garnered a retort back from Clarissa in response. Arthur was quick to step in and air his own response, placating both of them for the time being while the plant girl recovered.
The alraune was still staring when the other's golden eyes turned to look thoughtfully at her. Ione staring much less in fear now, and more so in questioning curiosity. Still, when she once again gained control of herself to make her own response, she looked on wearily. "It is as they say, I helped them from a danger. Two kinds of dangers actually... though I'm sure they'd get in quite a panic if I spread gossip around the particulars of that." The plant girl said with a hint of a nervous smile, trying to ease herself toward the other plant girl but having difficulty doing so. "They were traveling through, and offered for me to come along... and so I did. Three blooms in the forest are safer than two after all... ah ha..."
She continued to smile weakly at the other plant girl, shifting slightly but never taking her eyes off of the other plant girl's own. "You... need not be worried over my sake..." Ione began, the strangeness of saying such toward another plant person evident in her voice. "...these two have been quite friendly to me, and I doubt that will change. I'm not just a pretty flower to look at after all. You surprise me though... I wasn't expecting... another... plant person of... being worried about me..." The alraune comforted herself defensively as she gave the gold eyed bloom a thoughtful stare. "Kindness from 'others' is not something I'm accustomed to... nor is meeting one who shares my... pigment."
Ione stepped forward a bit into the glade, trying to get a closer look at the other alraune. Though she was tense, if the other approached her she willed herself to not be immediately be filled with fear, mostly due to her curiosity winning out over it. This was the first time she had ever met another who was as similarly colored as she was, and even if it uneased her greatly to be so near an unknown alraune, she wanted to find out more about this similarly colored plant girl. Ione did let out another visible shiver as her eyes briefly left the girl again and scanned the surroundings for any more 'others' though.
Ione: HP = 62, PP = 36, EP = 74/76, Status = Telepathy
The other golden alraune glanced between Ione and her companions as she stumbled over her reassurances, while Arthur continued to look calm and Clarissa continued to glare darkly. She wasn't smiling, but the plant woman at least seemed to have been mollified by her and Arthur's words, if not convinced. "Why would your kin not be concerned about you, my sister? Should we not look out for one another in this dangerous place? Such has always been the case among those I know around here, at least."
She paused to look Ione up and down slightly, as if sizing her up. "Aye, tis not a common sight, one of us who is possessed of golden skin. I assumed that you had been twisted by the Dark One who travels with you. My own pigment is a result of my time spent among faerie-kind, who can have.... Similar effects. I suppose that what you say of safety is true enough, but I do wonder at your choice of company. Demons are never to be trusted, under any-"
"Oh, like you or the faeries know a damned thing about me and my kin!" Clarissa interrupted the alraune venomously, though the plant-kin remained calm in the face of the demon's apparent outrage. "The fey have done nothing but slaughter us wherever they can since time immemorial! They know nothing of our means, our desires or our plights! Anything they have to say is slanderous poison!" Clarissa paused in her ranting, which had drawn a very startled gaze from Arthur, long enough for the alraune to offer a calm and quiet reply, "I see."
She turned to Ione and said; "If you say that you are alright, little bloom, then I am content. Unless you would ask anything of me, I would take my leave."
Confusion was the only way to describe what came over Ione's features at the other alraune's words. The way the other plant girl spoke made it sound as if concern from others about her welfare should be a normal occurrence, but such a thing was far from the reality she had faced before. "They never showed any concern before... at least not any good concern. Kind words and a kind touch of any sort is something 'others' have never given me before..." Hearing of the origin of the other plant girl's pigment also raised surprise as well, if only for the fact that the other had once been as green as the one's from her past. Had she once too been as malicious and devious before being influenced as well? Ione was left to ponder that thought for a moment.
Her thinking was interrupted by Clarissa's outburst however, at the onset of the plant girl's words about not trusting demons. Ione had to admit the other did bring up a good point about trusting demon motives. From what she knew, most demons were self-serving and rather harmless, however that all went out the forest as one interacted more and more with increasingly powerful demons. Viorica's words at the malevolent nature of the strongest demonkind was not lost on the alraune, and neither were their intentions too. Still, just because the powerful demons were dark natured didn't mean they all just wanted to cause havok all the time, or were pure evil incarnate. The plant girl's recent experience with Arthur and Clarissa was good proof of that, and so Ione felt a little agitation rise in her chest toward the comment.
Briefly, Ione gave Arthur a reassuring grip of his shoulder at spotting his startled look. When the other plant girl announced her contentedness and desire to take her leave, Ione spoke once more. "Wait... sister..." She began, again the words sounding foreign off of Ione's tongue, "I know sweet Clarissa might object to it but would you... would you travel with us? With me... at least for a time? I haven't spent time or spoken like this with another alraune in over... 24 seasons... and I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to... to..." Ione stopped short of continuing what she was going to say, looking once more with wary eyes at the other despite her now ebbing curiosity at this vastly different plant girl from the one's she remembered.
Without realizing it Ione had moved to within arm's reach of the other plant girl, her own body posture opening in a sign of friendliness. Still, Ione looked on with reservation as she continued to watch the other alraune. For a moment she almost made to reach out to the other before shrinking her hand away, the nervousness that must have seen uncharacteristic to Clarissa and Arthur taking effect in full force.
